Must there not be a perfect coming out of the corrupt state (in the whole nature, several parts and degrees of it) before there can be a restoration to and witnessing of the true and pure state? Must not the Christians now come out of all the antichristian inventions and churches, as well as the Christians of old came out of all the heathenish worship, yea, out of the Jewish worship and church (which once was of God) before they can become an holy building, an habitation to God in the Spirit? Yea, doth not the same Spirit which cried to the people of God then: "Come out from among them, and be ye separate," &c., call and cry now: Come out of her, my people, out of Babylon, out of the false church, out of all the antichristian buildings, which are reared up after the several forms and ways of men's inventing, being out of the Spirit, life, and power, which alone is able to build up in and unto the Lord? And what is that which cries out against separation, in the day of the Lord's dividing and separating, but that spirit which would hold back the soul from being gathered to the Lord, in the chains of darkness, and in the land of death and confusion?

Oh that men knew that which divides and separates, and which is appointed by God to divide and separate both inwardly and outwardly, and might feel the full work and effect of it, even perfect separation from all that is not of God, that so they might be joined to him, and built up in him, who is the life, rest, peace, joy, and pure breath of the soul for ever! The Word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword; and what doth it do? Why it separates between nation and nation, between church and church, between people and people, between cattle and cattle, between soul and soul, yea, between the thoughts and intents of the same heart; owning and cherishing all that is of the pure, and condemning and destroying all that is of the impure. And happy, oh! for ever happy is he, who can witness the work of this Word perfected in his soul, even the axe of the Lord powerfully laid to, and having cut down, all that is corrupt in him, that the pure plant of God may flourish, and bring forth fruit in him in peace, without an

noyance or interruption of the impure. Then the river of life, as the streams of everlasting righteousness, shall flow into the vessel, and Jerusalem become in and to him a quiet habitation, and nothing be able to hurt or destroy any thing of life in him, who dwells in and abides on the mountain of God's holiness. Oh, blessed is the race of travellers, which in the pure light of the everlasting day are travelling thitherwards, even with their hearts and faces faithfully bent towards Zion, which is the holy, spiritual, heavenly hill of God! And blessed, oh blessed for ever is the Lord God of life and power, who is the faithful guider, leader, and conductor of all that follow the footsteps of the flock, in the way which is pure, true, living, and everlasting!

Concerning the washing away of Sin from the Conscience, and the Garment of Salvation, and what it is that is covered therewith.

THERE is somewhat appointed by God to wash away sin, which is the water of regeneration, the water of life, the Spirit's water, and the blood of the Lamb, which are known, received, and felt by faith in the light of the Spirit, wherein alone his work is wrought.

Thus now, upon believing, the soul is washed; the faith brings in, or lets in, the water and blood, which cleanse and purge the conscience from the sin, which before stained and defiled it: and according to the faith, so is the water and blood let in, and accordingly is the washing. And he that is baptized, he that is washed by the Spirit, comes out of the water clean; and watching to the light wherein he was purified, witnesseth the powerful word of life as able to preserve in cleanness, as it was to cleanse.

But if there be not a watch to, and faith in, and singlehearted obedience to, that which purified, and keepeth pure, there is that near which will defile, where it is hearkened to and let in; there is that which will tempt to lust and sin, and so draw into darkness and death again. And if any

man sin afterwards, sin defiles again, and the stain thereof will lie upon the conscience, till, by repentance and faith, the water and blood be let in again, and the cleansing virtue from it received and restored again. So that if any man sin, there is an advocate,* an intercessor, a divine helper, one who hath the water of life, and the blood of life to wash with. There is a fountain set open for sin, and for uncleanness, for Judah and Jerusalem to wash therefrom; but every defilement and pollution sticks until it be washed off.

Now, there are sins of several kinds. Some are easily remitted and washed off, insomuch as the stain is hardly felt by the soul, the tender mercy and pure life doth so readily and naturally flow over them. Some, again, are long held and bound by the Spirit upon the conscience, and often remembered to the heart, which is apt to backslide: yea, there is, in some cases, a severe judgment, and a long waiting on the Lord for his mercy, and for his renewing and enlivening of faith, before the water and blood which washeth can be again felt. For faith is not in a man's power, nor repentance neither; but they are given of God, to whom and when he pleaseth. And a man that is in part converted may give ear to the enemy, and let in sin and death upon the soul; but he cannot repent again presently, nor believe again presently; but as God breathes upon him, and revives the work of faith and repentance in him.

There were sins under the old covenant, and there are sins under the new. The sins of the old covenant did lie upon him that committed them, until they were expiated according to the law of the old covenant; and sins under the new covenant lie also upon the soul and conscience, until they be expiated according to the law of the new covenant; which is until the Advocate interpose and plead with the Father, and give faith and repentance to the soul, and sprinkle upon the heart and conscience that water and blood which hath virtue in it to wash. And if it were not for this * But this is not the state of them that sin wilfully after they have received the knowledge of truth.

after-washing (as I may so say) no man could be saved: but though he were once washed, yet sinning again afterwards, he would die in his sins (and so fall under condemnation), unless he were again washed. Oh! blessed be the name of the Lord, for the water and blood of the covenant, and for his continual pouring them out upon the souls of his, in the light that is eternal!

Now, as men come to the truth as it is in Jesus, they will find their own apprehensions about these things to have been but dreams, wherewith the enemy hath fed and pleased them, while he hath lulled them asleep in the night of darkness, that he might the better steal away the true, weighty knowledge of the things of the kingdom from them. Thus men have dreamed about justification, about sanctification, about regeneration, about redemption, about faith, hope, love, righteousness, peace, joy, &c.: and have been mistaken about them, missing of that power and light whereby and wherein they are revealed and made manifest. Now, he that will rightly know these things must know them in the feeling and true experience; and therein he shall find all these are wrought in a mysterious way of pure life's operation, out of the reach of man's comprehension; and no man can understand them, but as the new and holy understanding is given him; nor retain the sense and knowledge of them, but as he abides in the new nature, and retains the new understanding.

So for the garment of salvation; that is Christ, the rightcousness of Christ, the nature of Christ, the Spirit of Christ. This is the holy covering. He that puts on Christ, puts on this: he that wears Christ, wears this: he that appears before God in Christ, appears in this; and the soul puts on this, as it puts off the other. It is the purified soul that only puts on him that is pure: and as a man is cleansed from the impure, so only hath he in him a capacity of receiving and being clothed with Christ. And this now is the work of the true ministry; to wit, to preach the Word, to reveal the Word, and bring the mind to the Word (which changeth it, and begets the new capacity), and so to begin

the work of life and reconciliation, wherein and whereby there is some unclothing of the old, and some clothing with the new; and so to carry on this work in the Spirit and power of the Father until it be perfected. And is this a blessed work, and blessed is the ministry which is called to, and entrusted with, this work, being faithful in it: and blessed are they that witness the truth of, and receive the effect of, this ministry, and are subject to it in the Lord. For through and under this ministry there is a receiving of a perfect gift in some measure at first (wherein some true union and little acquaintance with the Lord of life is at first witnessed, and some operation of the light and power of his Holy Spirit): and a growing up in it unto perfection, as the soul is exercised by it, and faithful to the Lord in the exercise, under the daily cross, which daily worketh against and crucifieth in the heart, mind, life, and conversation whatever is contrary to God, as it is singly waited for, taken up, and subjected to.

SOME QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS CONCERNING

THE Church of the New Covenant, the Rock or Foundation whereon it is built, and its Preservation by and upon the Rock. With some QUERIES concerning the scattered Estate of the true Church, and concerning that Church which got up in its Stead, and made a great Show with her golden Cup, for the Time while the true Church was scattered.

Quest. 1. WHAT is the church of God under the new agreement or covenant?

Ans. It is a company of living stones, quickened by God, and knit together in the unity and fellowship of his Spirit, to worship God together in his Spirit, and offer up unto him spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. What was the church of the old covenant? Was it not the seed of Abraham, the outward Jews, the children of the old Vol. III.-10