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man, one that feared God and eschewed evil. Job i. 1. and ii. 3. Solomon saith, The path of the just is a shining light which shines more and more unto the perfect day.' Prov. iv. 18. And Christ saith, Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.' Matt. v. 48. Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth were both righteous be fore God, and walked in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. Luke i. 5, 6. The apostle saith to the Corinthians, That ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.' And again the apostle saith, 'We speak wisdom among them that are perfect.' 1 Cor. i. 10. and ii. 6. And the apostle saith, Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord.' 2 Cor. vii. 1. And the apostle saith to the Corinthians, We wish even your perfection. Finally brethren, farewell, be ye perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind,' &c. 2 Cor. xiii. 9. 11. And James saith, Let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.' James i. 4. And the apostle said, strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, or perfect; let us go on to perfection. Heb. v. 14. and vi. 1. And Peter saith to the saints, The God of all grace who hath called us into his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you.' 1 Pet. v. 10. And the apostle saith, that the man of God may be perfect,' &c. 2 Tim. iii. 17. And you may see in Ephes. iv. how Christ gives gifts unto men for the work of the ministry, and for the perfecting of the saints, and for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come into the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.' Ephes. iv. to the 14. And again the apostle saith, Christ in you the hope of glory, whom we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.' Col. i. 27, 28.

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Now here it may be clearly seen, God, and Christ, and his prophets and apostles, call and encourage to perfection, and justify the perfect. And the work of the ministers of Christ was and is to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus, and bring them to a perfect man. So here it is clearly seen from Genesis to Revelations, never did God, the prophets, Christ, nor his apostles preach up a doctrine to people, and tell them they should not be perfect, but they must carry a body of sin and death whilst they are upon the earth to the grave. So is it not clear here that all such are satan's ministers and preachers, and not God's nor Christ's, that say people must be imperfect, and have a body of sin and death whilst upon the earth, which body of sin and imperfection came into man and woman by disobeying God, and hearkening to the

devil, and obeying him, and so his ministers preach up the devil's works, which Christ came to destroy, and Christ through death destroys death, and the devil, the power of death, and bruises the serpent's head.

Now the scriptures that the ministers of satan used to bring for a body of sin, and a body of death and imperfection are as follow. David was a sinner, cry they, and cried out of his sins and iniquities after he had committed adultery and murder, &c. but he confessed his sins and transgressions, and said, 'My sins are ever before me.' Psalm li. throughout. But David said, 'As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he, (to wit, the Lord,) removed our transgressions from us;' and said, Bless the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name;' and again, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who hath forgiven all thine iniquities, who hath healed all thy diseases,' &c. Psalm ciii. 1, 2, 3. 11, 12.

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Now here you may see satan's ministers and preachers take David's sins and transgressions, which satan tempted him to run out into; but how the Lord had forgiven David all his iniquities, and healed all his diseases, and his transgressions were removed as far as the east was from the west, and how that all within him praised God. These scriptures are against satan and his ministers, and are not for their purpose.

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And again, satan's ministers say, that the most righteous man that is, sins seven times a day; and this both priests and professors have affirmed to my face that it was scripture, but I searched the scriptures, and never found any such scripture. But Solomon saith, Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwellings of the righteous. Spoil not his resting place; for a just man falleth seven times, and rises wicked shall fall into mischief.' Prov. xxiv. 15, 16. Now here is no seven times a day; and though David did fall, yet he rose again and was healed, and his iniquities were removed, as far as the east is from the west.

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But hear what Solomon saith concerning the Church: Thou art all fair, my love, there is no spot in thee.' Cant. iii. 7. Open to me my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled.' Cant. v. 7. So Solomon is far from saying, she had a body of death, and a body of sin. And David saith, • Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace.' Psalm xxxvii. 37. But satan and his ministers will not allow there is any perfect man and upright, to be marked; for the devil who is blind, hath blinded his ministers, and they can neither behold nor mark the perfect man.

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And another scripture satan's ministers bring, of Peter's saying to Christ, though I should die with thee, yet I would not deny thee;' and after Peter was examined, he cursed and swore, and said he did not know the man, namely Christ. Matt. xxvi. 25. 70 to the end. But in the 75th VOL. VI.

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verse, you may see Peter repented of what he had said, and wept bitterly. And Christ said unto Peter, When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren.' Luke xxii. 23. So it seems that Peter was not wholly converted when he denied Christ. And satan's messengers say, that Judas was partaker of the ministry, who carried the bag and betrayed Christ. He was like unto the devil, who abode not in the truth; and is not covetous Judas's bag entailed upon all satan's ministers and messengers? And do not they hold it by entail? And are they not worse than Judas? For Judas put in his bag what people gave him, but had not a law or staff to compel people to put in his bag, nor cast any into prison, as satan's ministers and messengers do, and have done.

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And again satan's messengers and ministers say, Paul cried out and said, 'O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death?" And he was in a warfare, and therefore people must be in a warfare, and carry a body of death, and a body of sin about with them as long as they live, to the grave, and there is no overcoming nor no victory here. But in this, satan's messengers and ministers wrong the apostle's words, and do not take them all; for though he cried out, who shall deliver him from that body of death and sin; yet he thanks God through Jesus Christ our Lord, and saith, The law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the law of sin and death.' Mark, he said Christ Jesus had made him free, as in Rom. vii. 24, 25. and viii. 1, 2. And said, there was no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.' And again, he saith, Thanks be to God, who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.' 1 Cor. xv. 57. And again, he saith, They that be in Christ are new creatures.' And again, the apostle saith, I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.' 2 Tim. iv. 7.

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Then the apostle, if he had fought the good fight, he was not fighting; and having kept the faith he kept the victory; for faith is the victory. And John saith, This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.' 1 John v. 4. And Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of our faith. Heb. xii. 2. So here you may see the apostle had fought and kept the faith of Christ which is the victory. So he was not always fighting and warring as satan's messengers would have it, who was a liar from the beginning. For the apostle said, 'I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, (mark, live,) yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.' Gal. ii. 20.

And the apostle saith, That ye put off the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness, (now

this new creation, the devil's messengers and ministers are ignorant of,) and true holiness.' Ephes. iv. 22. 24. Now these were the ministers of Christ that preached this true doctrine; but the ministers and messengers of satan say, they must carry the old man, which is corrupt, with his deceitful lusts, while they are upon the earth, to the grave with them. And again the apostle saith to the church of Christ, the Colossians, 'Seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of God that created him; and ye are complete in him, (viz. Christ,) which is the head of all principality and power: in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ.' Col. ii. 10, 11. and iii. 9, 10.

And here you may see the true christians were circumcised with the spirit, and they had put off the old man with his deeds, and his body of death, and put on the new man, which is after God, &c. and were complete in Christ their head, while they were upon the earth, before they went to the grave. But satan and his messengers, and ministers, and hearers say, that they must carry the body of death and sins of the flesh, with the old man and his deeds, while they are upon the earth; but I say, by disobeying God, and hearkening to the serpent's teaching, this body of death and sins of the flesh, with the old man, with his deceitful lusts, came into man and woman who had none before. And now the devil and his teachers say, they must carry this body of death and sins of the flesh, and the old man and his lusts, as long as they live upon the earth, till they go to the grave; but Christ's ministers say to the believers in Christ, they had put off the old man and his deeds, and the body of the sins of the flesh, with the circumcision of the spirit, while they are upon the earth; .but the circumcision of Christ with his holy spirit, satan and his ministers with his unclean spirit, deny while they are upon the earth. And therefore the devil's messengers and hearers, do carry a body of death and the sins of the flesh, and the old man with his deceitful lusts as long as they live, to the grave; and this is the devil's doctrine, and not Christ's nor his apostles.

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And the apostle said to the believers in Christ, We have redemption through his blood.' Col. i. 14. And again the apostle saith to the Ephesians, We have redemption through Christ's blood, the forgiveness of our sins.' Ephes. i. 7. And the Lord saith, their sins and iniquities I will remember no more.' Heb. viii. 12. And the apostle said to the Jews, 'Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.' Acts iii. 19. So if people do repent and be converted, then their sins are blotted out, then they are not like to carry their body of death, nor read their sins, when they are forgiven and blotted out; and this is

a contrary doctrine to the devil and his ministers, who say, they must carry this body of death and sins to the grave.

John said, the devil sinned from the beginning,' and 'he that committeth sin is of the devil; and for this purpose the son of God is made manifest that he might destroy the works of the devil, and Christ was manifest to take away our sins, and in him is no sin, and whosoever abideth in him sinneth not, and 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; in this the children of God are manifest from the children of the devil.' 1 John iii. 5 to the 11th.

Now concerning the devil's ministers, messengers, and teachers, who say, there is no victory nor overcoming on this side the grave. But John saith in his General Epistle to the church of Christ, 'I have written to you young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.' 1 John ii. 14. This is contrary to the devil's ministers and messengers, that say, there is no overcoming sin, which is of the wicked one, on this side the grave. But John, a minister of God, writes to the young men in Christ, and tells them, they had overcome the wicked one, and that was whilst they were upon the earth, and could read his epistle. And again, the apostle John saith, whosoever is born of God overcometh the world, and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith; this John said to the believers in Christ while they were upon the earth, and if they overcome the world, then they overcome the devil, the god of the world. 1 John v. 4. And who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the son of God? and he that believeth is born of God.' Here you may see the devil's messengers, ministers, hearers, and teachers, are not in this true belief, born of God that overcomes the wicked world, neither are they in the true faith, which Christ is the author of, which overcometh the world, and gives the victory over the world which lieth in wickedness, and is the shield that quenches all the fiery darts of satan. 1 John iv. 5. 19. And John saith to the followers of Christ, Little children ye have overcome them, (to wit, satan and his ministers,) because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.' 1 John iv. 3, 4. And again, John saith to the believers in Christ, Every man that hath this hope, purifies himself, even as he is pure.' 1 John iii. 3. Col. i. 27.

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Now satan's messengers and ministers deny this hope that purifieth people while they are upon the earth, as Christ is pure; they are in the hope of the hypocrite and a dead faith, as in James ii. 17, 18. 20. And though they may call themselves believers, and say there is one God; the devils believe and tremble, so may a vain man in a dead

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