THe Light which I with many thousands have believed in, and found, saves from sin, and none in the Faith of God, are at a question what it is, but know it is of the Father, bringing to the Life, Christ Jesus, whose first appearance was and ever is to condemn sin in the flesh; and being believed in, quickneth in Spirit, by which only the Son of God was & is revealed; and all that have gone another way to know the Father or the Son, but in the Spirit of Jesus, are vain Image-makers, Robbers, and Theeves, leaving the Door, to clime another way; So none cometh unto me but whom the Father draws, and by the Spirit only is the drawing, saith Christ, which is Life and Salvation, witnessed by all that have Faith therein, and this is that which, according to his faith­fulness that hath promised, is and must be exalted over all, that in darkness have and do invent against the Light; amongst which R. C. will be found a worker, to whom I have this to say, that if they were and are accursed that come not forth to help the Lord a­gainst the mighty; What shall become of thee, and such as have helped the mighty in force and falshood against the Lord? who will bring to pass (as he hath spoken) Light and Salvation to the ends of the Earth; and all that contend against it shall fall before it, and thou as one strong to deceive; and therefore wouldst colour thy work with that which testifies against thee; Saying, in thy title, thou wilt attest according to Scripture, and so beginst with a lye, for thou detests both Scripture and the words of Christ therein; for thou deniest his Doctrine, and callest it a new opinion to preach the Light up for Christ; though Christ saith, I am the Light of the World; how hath Satan deceived thee, that thou shouldest think any should receive thy fallasies, that callst the Doctrine which Christ & the Apostles taught fallasies? shalt thou or the Apostle John be be­lieved? [Page 6] he saith, In the beginnining was the Word, and the Word was God, and by him But he in his Queries denies Christ to make all things; so we marvel not that he should deny our Doctrine, that denies Christ and his Apostles. all things were made, and in him was Life, and the Life were the Light of men, and this is the true Light that enlighteneth every man, and thou lightly and slightly say­eth; this of the first of John is their ground, and so resists the Scripture, and yet saith thou wilt attest according to Scripture, and then speaks of the Humanity in conjunction with the Deity; so far art thou from attesting according to Scripture, that the words thou usest I never read in Scripture, but know, they with other words used by thee, have not a ground from the Scriptures, (as thou confessest the Preachers of the Light have) but from the An­tichristian Spirit, that having despised the Light, and offered despight unto the Spirit of Grace, cannot express their matters and inventi­ons in the Language of the Spirit, by which the Scriptures were given forth, except they steal them where they are already written; and so have joyned words in the dark, where all images are framed; and amongst these thou hast got som to strengthen thee against the Light, and to lay falsehood on the obeyers thereof, in saying, they deny the bo­dily Humanity of our Lord; who is thy lord, indeed is to be deni­ed; but the Lord from Heaven by whom all things were made, thou ne­ver heardst any to deny, that have faith in the Light; or any of those names which the Scripture gives, as the man Christ Jesus, as he that became flesh and lived amongst us; and that was, and is a great Mystery, God manifested in flesh, the Christ indeed, appointed of God, to be both Priest and King; and for thy attesting according to Scripture, is only a relating what thou hast read; which Pope and Prelate as well as thee can talk of the Virgins conceiving, bringing forth, and of Christs Suf­fering, Death, & Resurrection and Ascension, & none of those things there written didst thou ever hear denied by any of the Children of Light: But the imaginations of others, and thee thereon, were and are to be testified against; for it was vain imaginations that the Lord did and doth complain on; and however thou camest to be in Prison, and elsewhere with the people of the Lord; yet it was then seen and in that which discerns, that the chamber of imagery was never destroyed in thee, nor the old bottle broken, but the ground stand­ing in thee that brings forth Briers and Thorns, and is neer unto cur­sing [Page 7] and the fruits thereof thou hast brought forth, in perverting some, and laying stumblings in the way of the simple; thou wert a climer at the first, and got some words of the fame of Life, but was and art in Death, and to this day bringest forth therein; and so be­ing in blindness thy self, thinkest others cannot see; and so after thy relating part of what is written, concerning Christ Jesus, we see, say­est thou, what Testimony the Scriptures gives of the Lord's Christ, that he is not the Light in any mans Conscience, nor the Principle of Light: art thou not ashamed to call to see that which cannot be seen? for doth the Scriptures any where say Christ is not the Light in the Con­science, nor the Principle of Light? so, see thy work is to deceive, and make people believe lies; whose work art thou a doing, that art drawing from believing in the Light, to believe a lye? doth not the Scriptures by the mouth of Christ say, believe in the Light? and do the Scriptures hold out any Faith, or any to believe in, but Christ? and is not the cause and being of all things Christ? and yet thou de­niest him to be the principle of Light; what would thy dark minde make the principle of Light, that denies the Lord Christ, that saith, I am the Light of the World? thou shewest thy ignorance of the myste­ry of Faith which in the pure Conscience is hid; but whose Con­science is defiled, and feared, hath no feeling of Light nor Faith, and so would blind the eyes of others, to lead captive as the Divil doth all that disobey the Light; for it is an everlasting Truth, who resist the Light, that gave forth the Scriptures, doth pervert the Scrip­tures to their own destruction, not knowing the Interpreter of a Thou­sand, for in the motion of Light and Spirit were the Scriptures given forth, and by the same only is the Holy men gave them forth as they were moved of the Holy Ghost, 2 Pet. 1. 21. true understanding thereof, and those that have, and do bring forth, without being learned of the Light, have filled the World with Errors and Falshoods; Babel indeed, and thou a chief Builder therein, ignorant of the Covenant of Light, Christ the Covenant to Gods people, and a Light unto the Gen­tiles to the ends of the Earth; thus saith As the Prophet Isaiah and old Simeon declared. the Scripture, with much more in Testi­mony to and for the Truth, he is the Light of the World; and so all that have an eye to see may see, that thou [Page 8] goest about to attest a Lye, and the Scriptures testifie against thee, and are contrary to thy Doctrine, that denyest the Christ of God; who art framing an Image; but thy Snare is broken, and all that love and obey the Light, have and shall escape, and thy own work shall turn upon thee; for he that commanded Light to shine out of Darkness, hath shined into our hearts, to give us the knowledg of himself, in the face of Jesus Christ; but who resists the shining in their own hearts, wax worse and worse until they come to war against that, to which those sent of God turned men to, from Darkness to Light, from the Power of Satan unto the Power of God; but who sent thee, that turns from the Power of Light, to believe thy dark Imaginations, of a creaturely Soul? and instead of bringing Scripture for thy Proof, thou bringest a Proof from Beamond, or thy own Imaginations, that we should have found our souls creaturely from the flames of the Righteous burnings of Gods Wrath in our souls for sin; Oh, thick Darkness! is this thy Argument to prove the Soul creaturely, that it can live with everlasting burnings; the least child of Light could give thee a clearer knowledg of the Soul, then thee, or thy Teacher J. B. ever attained to; but who hates the Light is, and must be bound in Chains of Darkness for evermore, and there I leave thee, in that matter as concerning the Soul, and return to thy opinion of the Light: thou sayest in thy fourth page, Christ is not the Principle of Light, and in the sixth page thou sayest, the Light in the Conscience which these new Preachers cry up for Christ, is but the Principle of Christ, which is his own Habitation: This is such Logick as the Framers of Babel use to Build with; vain Phylosophy indeed, from which all that believe in the Light know redemption; how different is thy Way and Doctrine from the Way of the Lord, where the wafering man, though a fool, errs not; wherein the simple may walk & be safe; but what profit is there of thy winding and turning Christ not the principle of Light, yet Light the principle of Christ? what serves thy opinion and Doctrine for? but to lay stumblings in the way of the simple, and instead of appearing wiser then others, thou hast bewrayed thy ignorance in this thy work, and former practises, in perverting from the good Way of the Lord, not knowing what thou sayest nor whereof thou affirmest; hast thou not yet learned what the word Principle is? is it not the beginning? is not Christ the be­ginning [Page 9] of all things? Thou in thy Queries sayest, all was not made by Christ, contrary to Light or to Scripture. by him, and for him was all made; and yet wilt thou de­ny him to be the beginning, or Principle of Light, as in thy fourth page, and in thy sixth page thou sayest, Light is but the Principle of Christ, so whilst in thy Dark minde, thou wouldst debase the Light in the conscience, see how thou hast lifted it up; for instead of saying the Light comes from Christ, thou holdest out the Light to be the beginning of Christ; for doth not every rational Creature know the principle of any thing is before that which comes of it? the Principle of Christ sayest thou? which is his own Habitati­on: so thou confessest the Light in the Conscience to be the dwelling place of God, and yet would cry out against such as preach the Light in the conscience; thou dost indeed darken knowledg by words without understanding; for never any that despised the Light knew him that is the Light of the World, or his Dwelling place: thou hast devised against that which is too hard for thee; may all the Enemies of the Light be covered with confusion, as thou art; then thou goest on (in the same page 6.) again to make a relation of his Death, Resurection and Ascension, and so saying no more, nor so much in that matter then formerly I have taught a Child or Chil­dren of 7 years old to say; and here sayest thou, that Opinion is con­demned by the Scriptures that denies the Ascension of the Lords Person; who they be that deny the ascension of the Lords Christ I know not; for all that have Faith in the Light bare testimony thereto; but for the word person, is it any where written in Scripture his Person Ascended? how darest thou add to the words? and thou farther sayest, that our Foundation is built upon the ground of Nature: if thou hadst said our Foundation is the ground, or cause, or being of all natural things, thou hadst spoke true, though thou knowest it not, for by him that is our Foundation all things were made▪ and without it was nothing made that was made, John 1. 2. and this is the true Light that enlightens every man that comes into the World; and the Children of Light never denied his Person, that took upon him the Seed of Abraham, became flesh, and lived amongst us: so instead of proving the Children of Light in error, thou hast proved thy self an Accuser, and the Scripture hath and doth testifie against thee, for us, that have not, nor do not declare of any other Christ, but he of [Page 10] whom the Scriptures declare to be the Light of the World: and so thou goest on to repeat many good words in the relation of some thing written in the Scriptures, and adds thy own words, that the everlasting Gospel is his Death, Burial and Resurrection, as the Scriptures declare, (sayest thou) and notes a Scripture to prove it, that is not to be found in all the Bible 1 Cor. 25. 1. is this to attest by Scripture to direct to that which was never there? but the Apostle Paul saith, the Gospel is the Power of God unto Salvation, and that the Word in the heart, and in the mouth, was the Gospel he preached, and the everlasting Gospel proclaimed by an Angel through Heaven was, fear God and give Glory to him, for the hour of his Righteous Judgments is come; these did not say Christ's Death and Burial were the Gospel, but who are Witnesses of his Resurrection do know the Gospel; but the Opposers of the Light in Conscience see it not▪ But to take farther notice of thy unlearned words, the rest of thy 7th page is fil­led with such words as thou hast either borrow'd or rather stolen be­cause thou namest not the Author, from Beamon, or it may be some of John Jacksons, for he once brought out such a work of Darkness as thine is, and thou hast the same words, so the answer given him may come over this part of thy work; for Truth must forever be over the head of Falshood: and thou that sayest thou wouldst attest thy truth according to Scripture, thou drawest a conclusion from thy own, and thy borrowed words, without any Scripture; and now, sayest thou, that it is manifest from hence that this Light that doth con­demn the Heathen's, is not the Lord Christ that doth justifie; but shews neither good reason nor Scripture for it; but makes mention of Paul to the Romans, which words being taken as they were given forth by the Apostle proves thy affirmation false, for the Apostles words are these, speaking to the Romans or Heathens, Rom. 1. 19. The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and un­righteousness of men, who hold the Truth in unrighteousness, because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shew­ed it unto them: now without R. C. can make any so blind as himself, will Pauls words here, or any where, prove that he which Condemns is not Christ that Justifies? and farther, would not these words prove against thee that brings the proof that the Truth is held in unrigh­teousness by the Heathens? for is not Christ the Truth? but who knows not Christ to be the Light, knows him not to be the Truth, [Page 11] and so builds on a lye, and makes lyes the defence thereof; but who have faith in the Light, by which the Scriptures were given forth, be­lieve them, and to them they witness, that into Christ's Hands all Judgment is given, and he was made manifest to destroy the works of the Devil; doth not he Condemn that which he Destroys? and hast thou not read that his first Appearance was and is to Condemn sin in the flesh? thus say the Scriptures; but thou sayest he is not the Justifier that condemns; so the Scriptures say, Christ condemns, and whom he justifies none can condemn; but thou wouldst have another to justifie then the Christ of God, into whose hands God hath committed all Judgment; but, sayest thou, the Romans had this Light, though they were Heathens; yea, they had, and didst thou know and believe the Scriptures, wouldst thou thus write, and say, thou wouldst at­test by Scripture, and write contrary to it? Is not the Promise and Covenant of the Father, Christ? and did not Prophets and Apostles testifie of him? and say not the Scriptures, I will give him for a Covenant to my People, and a Light unto the Gentiles? the same that was the Covenant to them that believe the same, was a Light to the Heathens, as say the Prophets; not two, but one: and as saith Christ, The Comforter shall come, and this shall condemn the World of sin: And so, is it not plain that he that condemns the Sinner com­forts the Saints? and that is the Justifier; him that Christ saith should convince and reprove the World of Sin, of Righteousness, and of Judgment, was and is Comforter and Justifier, For we are justi­fied in Spirit, as saith the Apostle, and by this only come to know the Father and Son in the Spirit and Light, and desire no more to know him after the Flesh, as saith the Apostle; but thou bringest a Doctrine contrary to Christ, Prophets, and Apostles: for, sayest thou, the Apostles came not to turn them to that Light that ac­cuses or excuses them, as their Saviour; but preached Christ Jesus at Jerusalem: be ashamed to affirm falshood; did not the Apostle say, he was sent to turn from Darkness to Light [...]? and did they ever preach two Lights, as thou wouldst do? but gave all to under­stand, that that which did accuse was that which did excuse, and that the Grace which brought Salvation had appeared unto all men, and taught them that believed therein, to deny all ungodliness, and to this he committed all, to the Word of Grace, that was able to save their Souls; telling them, he was an able Minister of the Spirit, and not of the [Page 12] Letter; and did not run over the History of Christ's Conception, Birth, Death and Resurrection in words, as thou dost, but turned them to that Light and Spirit whereby they had learned him; though his outward appearance at Jerusalem he never saw, nor desi­red any more to know after the Flesh; but pressed all to obedience of that Grace and Light that he had found the sufficiency of; decla­ring the Son of God was revealed in him; and his travel was, that Christ might be formed in them, to whom he was sent preaching to them, That a measure of the Spirit was given to every one to profit withal: so let all that have an eye see whether the Scriptures of Truth give testimony to thy Doctrine, that would prove them in Error that cry up the Light for Salvation; or thy Doctrine, that says, Christ is not the Light in every mans Conscience, nor yet the Principle of Light; the wise in heart can judge: And then goest on, and sayest, The Light in the Conscience is but the Law: it is the Law indeed, that if thou hadst not thrown behind thy back, thou mightst have come to have known the new Covenant [Christ] which God promised in the last dayes to write in the heart; and this did and doth make perfect, teaching, and bringing, or binding to God, that they shall not depart from him: and he that abideth with him, not departing from him, is perfect in him, and by him in the Law of the Spirit of Grace, that sets free from Sin and Death. But of this Law thou art not learned, nor of him that was made under the Law, that art using the Apostles words spoken of the Law in the Letter, to oppose the Law of the Spirit: but who are come to the Law of the Spirit, know freedom, and that he is Christ that sets free; and such thou shalt never turn backward, who by believing in the Light have found Salvation, and know, that he which saves is Jesus, and by his Power hath freedom in Righteousness from all that has or would oppress the holy Seed: and this is the Son that hath set free, even the Christ of God. And thy tongue confesses, that the Believers in the Light, and they only have attained freedom in­deed, and cannot be entangled with the cunning deceits of men. And for these thy following words (page 8.) now that Christ is Light, who is he that denies; but that Christ is the Light of Conscience, who is he that will not deny, (sayest thou.) Indeed R. thou dost in this manifest what thou art a battering & breaking, thy own works, for Truth is out of thy reach: for didst thou ever all thy time thou [Page 13] wert in Prison, or elsewhere with us, ever hear any preach up, (or write) the Light of Conscience? It seems thou are both deaf and blind, and so art to remain till by obedience to the Light (thou in­vents against) thou comest to be for the Light that we believe, testi­fie of, and call to, is Everlasting, and none in thy comprehending nature knows the power and glory thereof: and so such as thou hast thou bringst forth; and having a Lump of thy own framing, a formed light, created light, or light of a Conscience that may be defiled, and sets this up, wouldst make people believe thy image were our God: and so falls a beating thy own image, crying, who will not deny. I answer, all who believe in that true Light deny all and every of thy imaginations, to be Christ; and from the knowledg of the true Christ, are all Image-makers shut out.

Yet another Christ then he that dyed at Jerusalem didst thou ne­ver hear the Children of Light declare, or testifie of o [...] to, and he is not divided, he and his Light is one: and thou confessest he is a Light, and yet not in the Conscience.

But Darkness cannot comprehend Light; and as for the re­mainer of thy eighth page, and the greatest part of thy nineth page, being but a repetition of some of J. B's dark sayings, or writings of that History of Scripture, formerly being taken notice of; with some like Logick, as thou hast before mentioned I shall pass; but in the latter end of thy 9th page, thou thus concluds; now having this Demonstration from Scripture of the ascension of the body of our Lord Jesus; and this (thou sayest) may judg them that would have Christ all Spirit and no Body: To this I cannot but answer, who they are that deny Christ's Body or Ascension, (as in Scripture it is declared) I know not; for all that confess to the Light in Conscience testifie thereto; but thou mayst well mistake others Doctrine that so forgets thy own! as to say, now having this demonstrated from Scrip­ture of the Ascension of the Body of our Lord, when there is not a word brought by thee (in a page or two before) of Scripture to prove it; but that he Ascended into Glory, and we in the Faith know it; but for thy so stoutly affirming by Scriptures, that thou hast no Scripture for, it will appear unto all that have an eye to see but as Sorcery; even as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so thou withstands the Truth: and those who through negligence to attend, or disobedience to the Light have been overtaken with [Page 14] the Night, have or may stumble at thy work of Darkness: yet who have learned of the Light, the Truth, as it is in Jesus, thou canst not turn aside: For what manner of blind stuff doest thou bring forth, as though thou wouldst make people believe thou hast Scripture, against those that confess to the Light in Con­science, but canst bring none against them, and so brings for them; and confesses the birth of their opinion is from the first of John: so thou confessest they to whom thou opposest have Scripture to prove; but thou art so far from having any to prove thy words and imaginations, that thou wouldst if thou knew'st how deny the Scripture, that thou mightest hide Light and Truth, by thy ima­ginations, thou sets up a fiction, and accuses us of it; for sayest thou, where it is said of Christ, not of Light of Conscience: I would thou wert so honest as to speak true words, and then thou wouldst confess, that though for years thou hast watched for evil against us, thou never heardst any amongst the Children of Light, but declare, what is spoken in the first of John was spoke of Christ, and that by his own Light and Spirit was he to be learned, as says the Scripture, A man sent of God to bear Testimony to the Light; did he bear Testimony to an other then Christ? no, all that have been, or are sent of him testifie of the Light; but they that run and are not sent, strive against it, as thou doest, and bring the Scripture that sayes, the Life of Christ is the Light of men, and be it is that inlightneth every man that comes into the World; and that the Scriptures are true, none contends with us about that; but that we understand not our own Doctrine, and thence set up a fiction of our own invention: doest thou think thy denying to con­tend with us about the Scriptures, when all that can see do see thou doest contend, will make any believe thy accusation that we do not understand our own Doctrine, and so set up a fiction? why hast not thou with thy great understanding, that seems so wise in thy own eyes, as to gainsay the Truth that is received and believed by thousands, come forth, and tell where this Light testified of by the Apostle is, if not in the Conscience? for thy fancy is contrary to the Apostle, that appealed to that of God in every mans Conscience, and to that was manifest: but where the conscience is seared, they see not, nor feel not, and being out of the Truth, which is now where to be found, but where God requires it, in the inner parts; and who are gone out to seek it abroad, whatever they may think of [Page 15] their own Doctrines, know nothing of the Truth; but are found contenders against it, and against the Scriptures; which testifie of him that is the Christ of God, to be in the Heart and in the Mouth; that he dwels in Light; and thou hast confessed in thy words, though in darkness, not knowing what thou sayest: that in Conscience is Gods Habitation; yet art contending that any should preach Christ the Light in the Conscience; is he not in his dwelling place,? does not the Scripture say, God dwels in Light, and that God is in Christ, and that he will gather all things unto him? and is not Christ the Rest, into which all that the Father hath given him must be gathered into him and be in him? as saith Christ, I in them, and thou in me: So thou hast proved Christ the Light in the Conscience, when thou goest about to disprove it, confessing the Light in the Conscience the Principle of Christ, and his own Habitation, and they his whom the Father gives him: and Christ said, I in them, so the Scriptures prove, that according to Scripture thou attest not, but contrary thereto, that sayest, God hath made a formed Light for a Habitation of mans Rest, Page 7. What new opinion art thou a crying up, that art setting up another rest for Gods people then Christ? what wouldst thou have them rest in? a formed Light (sayest thou) God is Light saith the Scripture, but no where that he was formed that gave form and being to all: and another Light then that which gives Salvation did not the people of God ever seek, or find to be a Rest, but he that saves from sin, and his Name is Jesus, and in him thousands are come to know sure Salvation by the Light made manifest in Conscience, and are kept thereby, that they could no more believe thy formed light, nor Doctrine thereof, then in the Papists Eucharist, which indeed are both Idols, formed in one ground, and the Scripture plentifully testifies against you both; yet the Papist in their carnal understanding have a Scripture for their Idols; but where canst thou get any word to make a cover for thy Image; that sayest, I give you to know, that the Light in Conscience is but the spirit of the humane Soul, and is creaturely? what Scripture hast thou for the ground of thy Opini­on? So all that love the Light see thy ground is not from Scripture; there not being a word from the first of Genesis, to the last of the Revelation for this thy new Doctrines, for a formed light, made into a habitation for mans Rest, and the Light of the Conscience, but the [Page 16] spirit of the humane nature: And so thou that in thy Title sayest, thou wouldst attest by Scripture, art teaching new Doctrine, that thou hast no word in the Scripture for.

But to proceed, in page 10. thou sayest, our Doctrine is this, That which makes manifest is Light, and the Light is Christ: and hast not thou in these words manifested thy self to be a Contender against Scripture, as well as against us that in the Spirit that gave forth the Scripture witness; and therefore to us doth it witness: for are not those very words (as thou sayest we say) the words of the Apostle, that it is Light that manifests? so saith Christ, I am the Light: so thou contends with the People of the Lord, for saying as the Apostle and Christ says. Then thou goest on to ask three Questions: First, Was the Light in mans Conscience that personal ap­pearance that John bore witness to. (Second, Was the Light in mans Conscience that word of God that was God, by which all things were made that were made.) Third, Was the Light in Conscience personal­ly, to be seen by the firmental eye, to be felt with the outward hand. And from these thy own words, thou drawest a conclusion, that if the Light of Conscience be not to be understood in these capcities, our Do­ctrine is false: Though thou hast brought no more reason to prove it. then if thou hadst said, I would have it so; for as to the Apostles words we testifie, and have learned in that Spirit, which the carnal man could never discern, nor the things thereof; but the Apostle answers himself, and hath declared, of whom he testified, by whom all things were made; and that this was the true Light, that enlight­neth every man that cometh into the World; and it was the Christ of God which he bore Testimony to; so instead of proving us [...] error that confess Christ the Light in every Conscience, thou bringst thy self under the Plagues threatned for adding to the Scriptures: For where did ever the Apostle, in that place, or any other, speak of personal and firmental, as thou dost, and conclude all false that are not of thy mind? And to answer thee further, the Apostle did preach and testifie of Christ, and as he taught him, so is he learned in Light or Spirit; is not this in the Conscience? How wouldst thou have Christ seen, felt and handled? how is Christ with his people to the end of the World, according to his Promise? and how is he in them that was with them? Is it to be seen firmental, as thou callest? though no other did the Apostle testifie of, then he that became flesh, and [Page 17] dwelt amongst us: yet no more did they know him after the Flesh, but after the Spirit: but thou, and such as thou, who in your carnal minds would comprehend spiritual things, bring forth your carnal apprehensions, and having no knowledg but what you have sensually, know neither Christ's Flesh nor glorious Body, but that which could be pierced, wounded and crucified, all Image-makers are still oppressing; for he is still slayn in spiritual Egypt where thou art: and though thou knowest, we, that thou seemest to strike at, did and do confess to him, and no other, that made a good con­fession before Pilate, of whom John bear witness to be the Light of the World; and this is true, and they are found Liars before God, that would set up any thing to be believed in, but he that in Spi­rit is revealed▪ for thousands of those that saw his personal ap­pearance at Jerusalem knew him not to be the Christ; nay, by Spirit then was he to be learned, as thou may read, where Peter confesseth him; and Christ saith, Flesh and Blood hath not revealed this to thee, but the Spirit of my Father, and against this art thou fighting, and those that are lead thereby, for by Light and Spirit have we learned Christ, and so teach him; and this is he which is testified of, that is the Eternal Gift of God, and he that is sent of God, whom to know is Eternal Life; but of this are they all ig­norant that call the Light in Conscience a formed thing, and the Spirit of the humane earthly Soul, but their ignorance of the great Power of God is not to be marvelled at, that says, The Light and Spirit is of the humane earthly soul; and so would make all believe, that the souls of men and women were no other then the Dogs, or Cats, and Beasts that must perish, for what is of the Farth must to the Earth: hast thou not read, God breathed into man, and he became a living Soul? and thou callest this Human or Earthly; needs then must they stumble and fall, that walk in the dark, as thou▪ and all do that would comprehend the Light to dispute again [...]t; but over thee, and all vain Image-makers it shall rise, that with your dark Images and inventi­ons have filled the World with Idolatry, Profainness and Athism; and what doctrine more then thine doth it? that preachest the Soul Human and Creaturely and the Light formed of it; so neither Soul nor Light Immortal & Eternal, but of the Earth; a beastly doctrine, which hath manifested the Teacher to know nothing but what he knows sensually: yet thou goest on repeating what Christ did and suffered, [Page 18] when manifest at Jerusalem, and then sayest, this manifests Christ is Formative, and not a Defusive Principle; this, like thy former stuff, which thou hast got in thy dark mind, & so in dark words expressest it; what manner of Christ thou wouldst have people believe in, all in the Light see; but the Christ of God is he that filleth all things, as the Scriptures testifie: And then thou goest on to confess, that the Light of conscience was in the Apostles, and by this Peter confessed Christ to be the Son of God: How hath Satan blinded thee, that loves darkness better then Light! that thou shouldst bring this Scripture, that callest the Light the Spirit of the human Soul; and Christ saith the Spirit of the Father revealed it in Peter: and was not, and is not Christ in the Father? so whatever thou hast denied, thou hast now proved Father, Spirit and Son the Light in the Conscience; for they were never divided: or else thou must hold after thy former dark doctrine, the Father and the Spirit are but the Spirit of the human Soul: thus shall all they be snared that invent against the Truth, which is the same yesterday to day and for ever; and let them all be so confounded, as thou art, that devise against the Light, saith my soul; for thou sayest, Peter by his Light in Conscience bares witness to Christ the Son of God; and Christ saith, not Flesh and blood, but the Spirit of my Father revealed it; and knowest thou not that God is one, not divided? I in the Father, and the Father in me, saith Christ; and none ascends to Heaven, but he that comes down from Heaven, the Son of man in Heaven; but this thou, nor any that saith the Light is the spirit of the humane soul, could ever see; but who in the Light and Spirit learn him, know he filleth all things, even the same to whom Peter confessed blest for ever; as saith the Apostle, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and thorow all, and in you all, Ephes. 4. 6. and this is he we testifie of, that dwells in the Light in Conscience, where thou confessest the Son of God is re­vealed; and yet sayest the Light in Conscience is not Christ; for he saith, he is ascended far above all Heavens, that he may fill all things; and then goest on, saying, Now, O man, open thy eyes, and see how dangerously thou standest, that denies the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ in his Person. And to this I answer, none that discerns it can or doth deny it, and their eyes are open to see thy confusion, that wouldst prove that the Light in Conscience is not Christ, by bring­ing this proof that he ascended that he might fill all things; O gross [Page 19] darkness! Doth he fill all things, yet not the Conscience? or hast thou so long strove against the Light in Conscience, that thou ac­countest Conscience nothing? for if any thing, then thou provest he is in it; for he fills all things: and doth he fill with darkness, or with Light? for thy following words in the latter end of thy 11th page, are a false Accusation, in saying, We make that Body that did the Fathers Will, by whom we are saved, to be extinguished, and as to any Substance vanished away as smoke. To this I answer, I never knew any that had faith in the Light (against which thou hast been devising) deny Christ's Body, but all such know it is a glorious Body: and so there needs not much be said to a Lye, but the Truth will come over it; for no Lye is of the Truth: and though thou boasts of a better Foundation then those thou accusest, yet all in the Light know the Devil is the Foundation and Author of every lye; but who are in the Light, and build upon the Light, are come to him that is the true Foundation of Generations too, and of which Prophets and Apostles bare testimony, and is now testified, that God was Light, and in him was no darkness at all; so Life and Truth is over Dark­ness and falshood; this is our Foundation that have not cryed up any Light, but Christ that Corner-Stone that grinds to powder all that it falls upon: and in page 11. thou goest on to speak of Christ's Church, we having said it was his body, as though thou wouldst contradict that Truth as well as others, sayst it is but his members for whom he layed down his Life; but this heady notion being altogether, (sayest thou) condemned by Scripture, I cease putting pen to paper in this matter: what thou meanest by the heady notion, I well know not that, except thy own Accusation that thou speakest before; but if thou didst apply it to thy precedent words, in saying, the Saints were but Members, in contradiction to those that in truth say, his Church is his Body; for thou art the first that wouldst make difference between the Members and the Body of Christ, that I have heard of; b [...]t some as blind as thy self have gone about to make him two bodies; but Members without a Body, as thou mak'st, (with a but) I never heard of before: but his fulness, that filleth all in all, is known to them, and them only that discern his Body spiritual indeed, and seen only with the spiritual eye, which being blinded in thy self, thou wouldst darken in others: And so thou goest on repeating some Scriptures; and then calling [Page 20] after thy wonted manner to see, that thou canst not show; and then again thou beginst, and sayest, thou givest us to know, that the Bedy of our Lord was humane; and when thou hast gone on as well as thou canst to prove the first Adam and Christ one; then thou goest to make a difference, for this man, of whom we speak, is not the made Image of God, as was Adam, sayest thou, but the express Image of the Fathers Person: so having spoken of things thou under­stands not; thou brings a Scripture that thou imaginest would prove it, by which thou provest thy own ignorance, both of the day, and the Scripture, that thou art my beloved Son this day have I begotten thee, which was (sayest thou) when the holy Ghost overshadowed Mary: All that believe in the Light know the day of his begetting, Abraham saw it, and was glad, David saw it, and testified of it hundreds of years before the Virgins Conception at Jerusalem: So thou that wouldst not have the Son of God begotten, till he was conceived of Mary, who art not only out of the Faith of Abraham and David, but blinder then the Priests of the World; for th [...]y have and do preach, for ought I know, that he was begot and begetting from all Eternity, and that the day of his Resurection was prophesied of by these words, This day have I begotten thee; so thou hast so much pored on the humane body (as thou callest it) that thou must bring forth a birth like thy conception in the dark▪ but I think, there is but few that will bow to thy image, for thou canst not give it a seeming life neither from Scripture nor Reason.

And thou goest on, and sayest, He calleth not God Father, as we; but how wilt thou prove it? no more then thy othe [...] imaginations: for Christ saith, My Father, and your Father, without making a dif­ference, but thou differs and denies it: But thou deniest Christ, Prophets and Apostles words, if they will not sure thy imaginati­ons, and bringest forth thy blasphemous thoughts: for the Son, sayst thou, was from the Substance of the Father, which was not the Diety that was begotten; so by thy words, wouldst thou make it appear, that the substance of God is not Diety nor Divine: O stop thy mouth thou imaginary man, that in confusion and darkness wouldst speak of that which thou art shut out of! for the key of David thou hast not, and so canst not know the womb that bare him which was pure, nor the seed he took upon him, nor his begetting; for he, the Christ, was not conceived in sin, as thou wert, nor as [Page 21] thou imaginest; so thou wert better be silent, then exercise thy self in things to high for thee; for all that strive against the Light must be shut up in darkness, as thou art: and so goest on in thy (twelf page) saying, God was in Christ reconciling; here thou hast brought a Scripture to overthrow all thy former Doctrine, for then it is not the humane that reconciles, but God; and then thou goest on to repeat what Christ saith, had I not come into the World, you had had no sin, but now your sins remain, because ye believe not on him whom God hath sent; for I come a Light into the World: and this his coming thou wouldst have only at that time at Jerusalem, as if he had not come before, or since. I would enquire of thee, Was there no sin, nor sins till Christ was manifest at Jerusalem? for had I not come into the world, you had had no sin: for the cause of all sin was and is the not coming to him which saves from sin, who was, and is, and is to come: and so he that was the Light saith, I am come a Light into the World, and the condemnation of the World was, and is, that men love darkness better then Light; because they come not to the Light, their [...]ins remain; and who refuses the Light come not to him that they may have life, but in darkness and death read and talk of the Scriptures, as thou doest, that brings this Scripture, that sat [...]h, God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself, and that Christ saith, I am come a Light into the World; seeming thereby to prove, that Christ was begotten that day the holy Ghost overshadowed Mary, and that in humanity or earthly, and not by Deity, as thou called it; and all this thou sayest, to prove Christ is not the Light in the Conscience, and then brings a Scripture where Christ saith, I am come a Light, and that if he had not come, they had had no sin: so instead of proving thy humane earthly Doctrine, the Scripture proves, that the cause and ground of all sin, from the entrance of transgression to this day, is the not coming to, or believing in the Light; for here Christ condemns of Sin, and convinceth of Sin, because of unbelief in that which condemned them, which was the Spirit or Light: So thou hast brought Scriptures, that Christ saith, he is come a Light, to prove thy Humane against the Light; and it proves against thee, and for us that testifie of the Light.

But thou sayest in another place, Christ is not defusive, that is I confess, a word that is neither Scripture, nor the Spirits Language: but if thou meanest, he is not within his people, how doth this Scrip­ture [Page 22] overthrow thee in this error, as in others? for the Light search­eth into the inner-parts, as thou confessest; and I am come a Light, saith Christ: so thou seest the Scripture manifests thy darkness and error: so thou wouldst have been more covered if thou hadst brought no Scripture, but hadst delivered thy Doctrine against Christ a Light in the Conscience, and hadst brought thy Teacher J. B. to have proved it: for so contrary to Scripture art thou, that in thy very following words, page 12. where Christ saith, I am come a Light, thou sayest, You have it clear, and out of doubt, who it is that is the Saviour, and the Lord Christ, not the Light in Consci­ence, but he that died and rose again & this thou wouldst seem to prove by the former words, where Christ saith, I am come a Light into the World, and if I had not come you had not had sin: so that all whose eyes are not dark see thy weakness, and that the Scriptures are for us that love the Lord Christ, of whom the Scriptures declare, that say, he is a Light, and this has enlightened every man; and yet thou art offended at those that say he is in the Conscience, though thou sayest Gods Habitation is there: but the Light, against which thou strivest, will wear out and destroy all thy vain imaginations, for it is everlasting, and from Heaven, and must prevail over thy humane earthly Image; yet that man Christ Jesus, all that learn of the Light in the Conscience know and confess unto; and his Flesh is Meat indeed, and his Blood is Drink indeed; and the World one day shall be judged by him: but this thou, nor none that are in the Night, striving against the Light, know or believe: so as a Thief in the night will he come on all such. But thou goest on with the repetition of a Scripture out of the Hebrews, of a high Priest after the order of Melchisedeck, to make intercession for us; but how contrary to thy purpose of proving thy humane Christ not to be begotten, till con­ceived at Jerusalem, to be the high Priest that makes intercession for all: the wise in heart can see, who have learned in the the Light that hath visited us from above, what the order of Melchisedeck is, no fa­ther, no mother, no beginning of dayes, nor end of Life, who lives for­ever to make intercession for all that comes to God by him: and this is the Christ of God, that thou, and all the Despisers and Resisters of the Light are ignorant of, and so come not to God by him that is without beginning of dayes or end of life; but in the carnal comprehension would measure Heavenly things, and so brings [Page 23] forth earthly imaginations, and by this would come to God, by your own devisings, as Babels Builders of old; Theeves, and Robbers, that leave the Door, and for such he enterceeds not; but for all that comes by him that is without beginning of dayes or end of life, he lives to make intercession, even for all that in Truth and Spirit Worship, and by the Spirit of Truth are lead into all Truth; such that have abiding in, and testifie of that, are come to the mystery of Faith held in the pure Conscience: but this the Image-makers are ignorant of, as thou that wouldst set up an invented Light of the hu­mane Soul, for a Habitation of Rest for God, and those that God hath given to Christ; in which thou hast bewrayed thy own ignorance of the Rest of God, and his people, which the obedient and profiting servants enter into, even the joy of the Master, even the Glory of the Father, which was before the world was; & this is not from the Earrh, nor of the Earth, but before the Earth was: and so the Light & Spirit of the human Soul that thou settest up, as created to be a Habitation for God, and those that God will give to Christ, will be thine, & thy disciples burthens, in the day that you will most stand in need of Rest: but to proceed, thou goest on with thy own words, and some Scriptures that may easily, by all that can see, come over thy darkness, and is as though thy self hadst had a glimring of thy own darkness, and wert afraid of the blowes or smitings due to thee, and so to save thy head, goest on in words, as if thou meanest to undo all thou hadst done; saying, thou must not be traduced by those that trade in corrupted mens words, to the hindring of the passage of the Truth: but be­fore I take notice of thy following words, I have something to say to these: who thou mean'st by traders in corrupted mens words, I know not; but some have bin constrained, as I at this time, not to hinder the passage of Truth, but for Truths sake; to bring forth the Truth over such like corrupt words and writings as thine are; that the Truth may stand upon the head of deceit, that turnes every way to save it self, as thou doest in thy following words, when after thou hast brought forth so many accusations against those that cry up the Light, and borrow'd so many Scriptures with thy own private interpretations, to make truth thy seeming falshood, and to set up thy own ima­ginary light: After all and much more to this purpose, as if thou means thy self, (like the foolish woman) to pull down thy own house, thou beginnest to preach in words, the same that in words and [Page 24] writings thou publickly hast so appeared against; saying, This writing is not to draw the mind forth from waiting within it self, for the mani­festation of God in it self, for that which is to be known of God is to be revealed in man: I answer, if that which is to be known of God be manifest in man, is it not in the conscience? and is not that Light, that manifests? and doth not Christ say he is the Light? and doth any bring to the Father but Christ? and is any appointed to be hearkened unto for Life and Salvation, but Christ? and thou confessest, in the Apostles words, that what is to be known of God is manifest in man; and can any reveal the Father but the Son? which, thou sayest, thou wouldst not have any drawn forth from heark­ning to that which manifests: which is that, and that only that the worshipers of the true God testifie of and to; and if this thou wouldst not have any drawn forth from, what meanest thy invented story, of a created Habitation within, and the Light of a human Soul? so thou must confess thou hast been setting up other lords to attend to, then the Lords Christ, or else with us in the Truth, that Christ only gives the knowledg of God in man; but thy windings to and fro manifests what root bares thee: so I not meaning to say any thing farther to thy twelf page, who ends it with few of thy own words, or thy Teacher Beamon, I shall go on to thy 13th page, where thou sayest, that the promise is to the inward man of the heart, being quickned by the holy Ghost: to this I answer, God is not divided, whereever the Spirit is, Christ is, and of him have and do the Witnesses of the Light testifie the same yesterday to day and forever, the gift of the Father, that was never known nor learned, but in the measure of his own Spirit, as any may read, when Christ was visible amongst them at Jerusalem, and discoursed with the woman of Samaria, he did not call her so much to the beholding of his visible Appearance or Person, as to know the gift of God, whereby she could only have the knowledg who he was; and though he was present, he doth not say, believe in this Person at any time; but believe in the Light, that you may be Children of the Light: and when he came (that thou readest of) that said, Good master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal Life? he doth not say come, handle and feel this Person; but, saith he, why callest thou me good? there is none good but God; for Christ knew then, and now, none could sell all for him, but who in Spirit lear­ned [Page 25] him to be God blessed forever; and therefore he knew his going from them was expedient, that the promise of the Father's Spirit of Life might be more fully poured out upon them, in which he promised to be with them to the end of the world; and all that have Faith in the Gift of God, which is Eternal Life, free unto every creature, are witnesses thereof, and the Resurrection of this Light and Truth hath and doth torment the whole World of Idola­ters, that have or are hunting in the many ways, from the one thing needful, the Kingdom, Power and Spirit in them: yea, in the Heathen, at which the professing Idolaters rage, though the Scrip­tures in which they trust, testifie of it, that the very Crucifiers of Je­sus had the Kingdom in them; and so from they 12fth page to thy 15th, I have little to meddle with of thy stolen words, of an in-eye and in­ternal root, and of the stirring of the center, which all that have read Jacob Beamon's mysterious mist of imaginations, knows where thou hadst them: though thou wouldst make people believe they were thy own, and so namest not thy A [...]thours, as honest Writers use to do: but letting all that pass, and thy so often repeating, as formerly, the Light of Conscience is not the Christ: I answer, I never knew any but thee say it was; so it seems thou hast been a confuting thy self, hoping thereby to confound others; but the Light only shews that in us, is not of us; but to the blind all is alike, else surely thou wouldst not after all thy Arguments and framed Reasons to draw the mind from the Light within, to eye the Person without, to con­found and destroy thy own Doctrine, by saying, my intent in this wri­ting is not to draw the mind forth from waiting within it self, for the ma­nifestation of God in it self; for that which is to be known of God is to be revealed in man: what, will the Scriptures (think'st thou by thy wind­ing, adding and diminishing) serve thee to prove or disprove, as thou wouldst have it? sure all that have an eye see thee, that hast deny'd the Light within to be either God, Christ, or his Principle, and yet would have them wait within for it: what then wouldst thou have them wait on? thou talkest indeed of a Sword that God had set in the human Soul, to keep the way of the Tree of Life; then Robert is the Tree of Life, where the human Soul is, and yet neither Christ nor his Principle: and in the sixth page thou sayest, there is a Light in man that is the Habitation of God; and in thy fourteenth page, that God hath chosen the heart of man for his Habitable Place: so it seems [Page 26] the Light thou speakest of, and mans heart in thy sence are one; and wouldst thou have man wait within his own heart, from whence pro­ceeds all manner of evil; for thou concludest it is mans duty to wait in his heart for the promise of the Father, and yet neither Christ nor his Principle there, as thou saist; and so if thou know'st another thing to he waited on, or to open the heart then Christ, thou shouldst have declared it; for the internal Root, what is it? or that which can bring into the heavenly Canaan, if not Christ? then thou hast ano­ther root to be brought to or wait on, then the Christ of God, or to lead then he, it is an Idol: So thou that hast been so long crying a­gainst them that preach up the Light within the way to God, cryes up an internal root, an in-man of the heart, and what not, so thou mayst keep from the one thing needful, in the many things: Oh how vain is man in his imaginations, and that continually! witness this precedent relation of R. C. that would set up any thing of his own or others inventions, to draw from the one safe, sure, and unalterable Way of Life; and which all that are come to, and have life in, cannot but testifie that it is almighty, and in the strength thereof, as we receive, must testifie against all and every one that would deceive, or draw a­side by subtil divising and craftiness of men, to blind the eye of the mind, presents that there is other wayes and means to be looked to, and to be waited on, then the only begotten of God, which alone hath been testified of, and witnessed to by us that have learned of the Light, and therin received the earnest and assurance of a Kingdom that can­not be shaken; the sure rock against which Hells strength shall never prevail: And so knowing assuredly that he is in us that saves from sin, and his name is Jesus, cannot but testifie against all Images, and their makers; for unto him alone is our eye, that is from everlasting to everlasting, that in the fulness of time took flesh upon him, and dwelt amongst us, and this is our Light, our Life, our Root, Spirit and Power; and shall wear out all created lights, imagined internal roots, and natures light, with all R. C's and others imaginations, who not being able to get from under the Righteous Judgments of God, goes about to speak evil of the things he knoweth not; and so the na­tural light, and the spirit of a man & the light of Conscience, or what the carnal man can see and know, being his own, he brings forth, and saith, these are our opinions; so in the Truth must all lyes and fals­hood be turned on the head of the lyar, from whence they come, and [Page 72] in Truth are we established more and more, having no God but one, and he everlasting and almighty; who commanded Light tashine out of darkness, and hath shined in our hearts to give us the Light of the know­ledg of the Glory of himself in the face of Jesus Christ, and this is that I had of the Lord to give forth as a testimony against R. C. his paper, entituled God's Truth attested according to Scripture, about 8. months since, and about that time was it written; but having the knowledg that a brother (whom in the Lord I honour for his faithful continu­ed service in and for God's Truth's sake) was answering of it, I laid these my papers aside not knowing a use for them, not looking on them, as I know, for seven months time; but about three weeks since, or thereabouts, looking among my writings, I lighted on them, and had something, as I was reading them, in my heart, that it must be published.

But not at that instant giving up clearly to it, the next night, or the next after, the Lord visited me with a sore and dangerous Distemper of body, and I being an ancient woman, that have and do wait for my change, received it as a Messenger for my removal out of this Tabernacle of clay; and not at all grievous unto me, having by obedience to, and by Faith in the Light obtained redemp­tion out of that which must come to an end, and an entrance into the Life and Kingdom that shall never have end: so waiting quietly on my weak bed for the revelation of his will whom I serve in my spirit day and night, what his will and pleasure was to do with me, for I have learned that its better to live to God, then to have a life in this World: and whilst I thus waited, my sleep being short, I had in them several sights of somthing I was to suffer and do in this pre­sent World, among which a sight of a late work of R. C. in which he would bespatter the servant or servants of the Lord; and the morning after this Vision, one came in and related to me, that R. C. had sent his Queries out to G. F. and his ministers, but G. F's life is where the evil one, nor any of his ministers can come; sent of God, Blest, and a Blessing to the Generation of the Righteous: Then the Lord clear'd it to me, that what I had writ, or should farther be given in unto me, as to or of R. C. to give forth, and then an assurance I had of being healed of my weakness, and declared it to one Friend, that the Lord had somthing more for me to do ere I went hence, & if but this, in bearing testimony against this Instrument of the evil one, [Page 28] I shall lye down in peace, for I speak the truth, I lye not, the Lord in a Vision by night, afore ever I saw R. C. in the outward, shewed me him, and his dwelling and family, in the night season, and that he should be a Troubler of the House of God and cause his people to suffer; and I have seen and traced him in his work, and am well ac­quainted with his outside love & feigning whereby he hath deceived some simple in his pretended singularity and elocution of his own do­ctrine & way: and though he long walked with us, yet never came to the knowledg of the Truth; and the old bottle being unbroken, such as he had, & hath, he brings forth of it, and has by cunning led some silly ones captive by perverting the good way of God; yea, so prospe­rous has he been in his cursed practice among those that were willing again to imbrace this present world, that he has perverted whole fa­milies, that were called with the high and heavenly Call, but never come to the election; and so have been deceived, and are found such as have taken the name of God in vain, and are not, nor shall not be held guiltless; and though they have or may make merry over the slain, perverters and perverted from the good way of the Lord, yet their Condemnation slumbers not, and the Lord hath and doth be­hold their wicked works, that having betrayed the Truth in them­selves, would tempt others to believe a lye, as if we were like unto themselvs, & looked for Salvation by another way, then by Christ Je­sus the Son of God: so that none may believe a lye is this sent abroad, that he, and he only of whom the Scriptures declare is our Salvation, and there is not another way to God; and what is recorded of him, and by him in the Scriptures of Truth, from the first of Genesis to the last of the Revelation, knowing that they were given forth as holy men were moved of the holy Ghost, & not of a private interpretation for the unlearned of this Spirit, have and do interpret to their own destruction; for none have seen God at any time but the only begot­ten, and they to whom he reveals him, and by spirit only was and is made manifest, and that a measure of this is given to every one to profit withal, the Scriptures bear witness; and this, and no other is their Principle that are called Quakers; and by Faith we have profi­ted, dwelling in this Light and Spirit, know the blood of Jesus which clenseth from all sin, and gives us fellowship with the Father and Son, in the measure of this Spirit that hath filled our hearts with love and good will unto all; and so with the hazard of all this World hath, [Page 29] through sufferings, accusations and bad reports we pass, sounding forth the good-will of God unto every one, that he hath given a mea­sure of his own Spirit to profit withal; and they that will not hearken unto it, will not believe though one from the dead should be sent un­to them; & this is that which was given unto me to be sent forth as an answer, and to come over the imagined doctrines of R. C. in his first paper, that is called the Truth at tested according to Scripture, but is found contrary to Scripture and Truth, and by us testified against, that have cryed up no light but that which he that was sent of God bears witness to, Christ Jesus.