Rubus the berries of which we usually eat if finding them in the field For the fruits of this thorn onely are pleasant But what is the meaning of this Observe One goat was for the Altar the other for an execration and the goat for execration was crowned Why because they shall see him in that day having his flesh cloathed in scarlet and thâ— shall say â—s not this he whom we have crucifiâ—â— setting him at nought piercing and mockiâ— him Truly this was he who then saiâ— That he was the Son of God and he wâ—â— used in like manner as those fair goats whicâ— were alike So that when they saw hiâ— they mourned over him who was to comâ— under the figure of a goat See thereforâ— the Type of Jesus who was to suffer But whâ— did they put the wooll into the midst of thorns This is a Type of Jesus appointed to the Church He who would take away the scarlet wooll must needs suffer many things for the thorâ— is terrible and he who would rule over it must endure affliction so saith he they who would see me and approach my kingdom ought to receive me through tribulations and sufferings But see what figure this was when it was given in command to Israel That man in whom sins were completed should offer an Heifer and killing it should burn it and then servants should take up the ashes and put them into earthen vessels and then the servants should take scarlet wooll and hyssop and so sprinkle the people one by one that they might be purged from their sins Understand in what simplicity it speaks unto us This Heifer is Jesus Christ the men offering it are those sinners who brought him to the slaughter for they seemed partly men and partly sinners But the servants sprinkling were they who preached unto us remission of sins and puritie of heart To whom he gave the power of the Gospel they were Twelve in testimonie of the Tribes for they were the Twelve Tribes of Israel which they were to preach it to But why were there three servants sprinkling These were in testimonie of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob who were honourable with God But why was the wooll put upon wood Because the kingdom of Jesus was from the wood and they therefore who hope in him shall live for ever But why was there wooll and hyssop together Because in his kingdom shall be evil and gloomie days wherein we shall be saved For he who is wounded in the flesh is healed by hyssop cleansing away the filth And for this cause are these things which are made thus manifest to us obscure to them because they hearkned not unto the voyce of the Lord. Again the Lord saith by the Prophet something of the ears teaching us thereby how we should circumcise our heart saying By the hearing of the ear hath he heard me And again he saith They who are afar off shall hear with the hearing what I have done and shall know me And ye shall circumcise your hearts saith the Lord. And again he saith Hear O Israel for the Lord thy God speaketh these things unto thee And again the Spirit of the Lord prophesieth Who is he that would live for ever let him hear with the ear the voice of my servant And again he saith Hear O heaven and give ear O earth for the Lord hath spoken these things for a Testimony And again he saith Hear the word of the Lord ye rulers of this people And again he saith Hear O children the voice of one crying in the wilderness Therefore he circumcised our ears that hearing we may believe the word For the Circumcision of which they were perswaded is abolished For he said There should be a circumcision not made upon the flesh But they have transgressed because a wicked Angel hath taught them He saith again unto them These things saith the Lord your God Here I find a commandment Sow not among thorns but be circumcised to your Lord. And what saith he further And circumcise your hard heart and do not harden your neck And again Behold the Lord saith All nations are uncircumcised having on the foreskin but this people is uncircumcised in heart But thou wilt say The people hath received circumcision as a seal But so every Syrian and Arabs and all the idolatrous priests and the Egyptians have received circumcision therefore are they also within the Covenants Learn therefore Children abundantly concerning all nations That Abraham who first gave circumcision in the spirit did see so far as to the Son for receiving the definitions of three letters he gave circumcision For he saith That Abraham circumcised the males of his house which were ten and eight and three hundred Therefore what knowledge was given to him Learn there were first ten and eight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then three hundred the Ten note 1. the Eight note n there ye have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Cross which should have the grace was noted in the three hundred for the numeral of that is â— Therefore it is manifest that Jesus was figured in two letters and the Cross in one Abraham knew the implanted gift of his doctrine and gave it for a sign to us No one hath learned a more genuine word from me onely I know that ye are worthy But whereas Moses hath said Ye shall not eat swines flesh nor the eagle nor the hawk nor the crow nor any fish which hath not scales upon it undoubtedly he received in his understanding three Constitutions Afterwards he saith to them in Deuteronomie I will give to this people my judgements Undoubtedly therefore the command of God was not that they should not eat but Moses spake in the spirit When he spake of not eating swines flesh he spake it to this effect Thou shalt not saith he be joyned to such men who are like unto swine who when they are fed and wanton forget their Lord but when they are in wants acknowledge him For the swine when he hath eaten knows not his Lord but when he is hungry he cryes when he is filled again is still and holds his peace Neither shalt thou eat saith he the eagle nor the hawk nor the kite nor the crow In this he saith Thou shalt not associate thy self with such men who do not make provisions for themselves by labour and sweat but live by rapine and injurious taking from others and however they appear to walk in simplicity yet they observe what things may be offered to them without any labour these they diligently prie out and being idle themselves and very pernicious creatures by reason of their wickedness they devour and feed upon the flesh of others He saith Thou shalt not eat the Lampry nor the Polypus nor the Cuttle-fish That is he saith Thou shalt not be joyned to nor like unto those men who are ungodly to the end and condemned to death for these fishes alone being accursed swim onely in the
consummate the sins of those who persecuted his Prophets unto death And for this he endured For God saith By the stripe of his Isai 53. flesh all are healed And again When I shall smite the shephered then shall the sheep of the Zech. 13. flock be scattered He would thus suffer and it was necessarie that he should suffer upon the tree For he saith who prophesied of him Thou shalt deliver my soul from the sword And Fasten my flesh with nails for the congregations of wicked men are risen up against me And again he saith Behold I have given my back to scourges and my cheeks to strokes and set my face as a firm rock But when he had done the Command what saith he Who shall condemn me let him be set against me or who shall judge me let him come neer to the servant of the Lord Wo unto you for ye shall all wax old as a garment and the moth shall devour you Again the Prophet saith He was set a stone for confusion Behold I will lay in Sion for foundations a pretious stone elect a chief corner-stone honourable What saith he after And he who hopeth in it shall live for ever Is our faith therefore placed in a stone Far be it But because the Lord hath given strength unto his flesh For he saith And he hath set me as a strong rock Again the Prophet saith The stone which the builders refused is made the head of the corner And again he saith This is the great and wonderful day which the Lond hath made I write the more simply to you that ye may understand I am the off-scouring of your love What saith the Prophet again The congregation of wicked men came about me they enclosed me as bees do the wax And They cast a lot upon my vesture Seeing he should be manifest in the flesh and should suffer his Passion was manifested long before For the Prophet saith to Israel Wo to the soul of profane men for they take evil couâ—sel against themselves saying Let us seiâ— upon the righteous for he is unpleasing to uâ— Moses also saith unto them Behold thesâ— things saith the Lord God Enter into tâ—â— good land which the Lord hath sworn to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and inherit thâ— land flowing with milk and honey Learâ— what knowledge saith Hope in Jesus who will come in the flesh to be manifested unto you Man is a suffering land For from the face of the earth was the figment of Adam driven Why therefore saith he A good land flowing with milk and honey Blessed be our Lord who hath put wisdom and understanding in us of his secrets For the Prophet saith Who shall understand the parable of the Lord but onely the wise and the intelligent and he who is a lover of the Lord. Seeing therefore he renewing us by remission of sins hath made us to be another figure he hath made us to have souls like children and hath formed us anew For what he saith to the Son the Scripture saith concerning us We will make man according to our image and likeness and let them rule over the beasts of the earth and the fowls of heaven and the fishes of the sea And the Lord seeing man an excellent figure he said Increase and ultiply and replenish the earth These things the Son Again I will shew you how in â—e last days he made a second figure as â—oncerning us The Lord saith Behold I â—ill make the last things as the former and herefore did the Prophet preach thus sayâ—ng Enter into the land flowing with milk and â—oney and have dominion over it Behold herefore we are formed a new as he also â—aith in another Prophet Behold saith the Lord I will take from them that is from those whom the spirit of the Lord hath foreseen their â—earts of stone and will give them hearts of flesh For he was to be manifested in the flesh and to dwell in us For my brethren the inhabitation of our hearts in an holy temple to the Lord. Again the Lord saith How shall I appear before the Lord my God and how shall I glorifie him He saith I will confess unto thee in the Church in the midst of my brethren and will praise thee in the midst of the Church of Saints Therefore we are they whom he hath brought into the good land But why milk and honey because a little child is first quickned with milk and honey and nourished So we also being nourished and enlivened by the faith of the Promise and the Word shall live and have dominion over the earth For he said before Let them increase and rule over the fisheâ— What can this be now that a man shoulâ— have power to rule the beasts or fishes oâ— fowls of the heaven For we ought to bâ— sensible To govern is of power and aâ—thoritie and he shall bear rule who thereto appointed And if this be not now he hath said that it shall be when wheâ— we our selves may be perfected to bâ— made heirs of the Covenant of the Lord Vnderstand therefore sons of joy that thâ— good Lord hath before hand manifested alâ— things to us that we might know whom we ought to praise with thanks-giving according to all Therefore if the Son of God being Lord who also shall judge the quick and dead hath suffered that his stripes may enliven us we ought to believe that this Son of God could not suffer unless it was for us And when he was crucified he had Vineger and gall given him to drink Hear how the priests of the people have manifested this there being a command written concerning it The Lord commanded that if a man would not fast the fast he should be destroyed Because he would offer up in sacrifice for our sins the vessel of the spirit that the type also which was made in Isaac offered upon the Altar might be completed What saith he further by the Prophet And â—et them eat of the goat offered on the fast for â—he sins of all Mark diligently and let all â—he Priests alone eat the entrails unwashed with vineger Why this because ye shall give me gall and vineger to drink when I shall offer up my flesh for the sins of the New people Eat ye alone the people fasting and bewailing in sackcloth and ashes that he might demonstrate that it behooved him to suffer by them Therefore what hath he given in command observe Take two goats fair and alike and offer them and let the Priest take one for an Holocaust but what shall he do with the other He saith Let one be made an execration Mark how the figure of Jesus is manifested And ye shall all spit upon it and pierce it and put crimson wooll about the head of it and so let it be sent into the wilderness and when this is done he who bears the goat into the wilderness shall take of the wooll and put it upon a dry brushie thorn called
deep not diving as other fishes but inhabiting in the mud of the deep He hath said again Thou shalt not eat the Conie Why said he it only to shew that thou shouldest not be a lascioious lecherous person nor like unto such for the Hare or Conie doth every year breed abundantly and as many years as she liveth maketh her so many burrows Neither shalt thou eat the Hyaena This he saith Thou shalt not be an adulterer nor defiler of men or women nor like unto such Why so for this kind of animal every year changeth its nature and is one while a male and another while a female Again he well said Thou shalt hate the weasil this he saith Thou shalt not be like unto those of whom we hear by reason of their impurity that they do unlawful things at the mouth neither shalt thou associate thy self with impure persons who commit iniquitie with the mouth for this animal conceiveth at the mouth Therefore Moses by the spirit delivered three constitutions touching meats but they understood them to be meant of meats in a fleshly sense But David took the true knowledge of these three Constitutions and spake in this wise Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the Council of the ungodly as those fishes which walk in the dark down into the deep And hath not stood in the way of sinners as persons seemingly reverencing their lord and yet transgressing like swine And hath not sat in the seat of pestilent men Like unto birds which sit watching for prey Thus have you a perfect knowledge of Moses his Constitutions about meats But Moses saith Thou maist â—at of whatever hath a cloven hoof and cheweth the cud Wherefore saith he it because every such creature having received food doth seem to acknowledge his feeder and being refreshed to rejoyce in him He spake it well seeing the Commandment therefore what said he He gave in Commandment that they should be joyned to those who fear the Lord and who meditate in the heart upon the Command of the Word which they have received and to associate with those who speak the judgements of the Lord and keep them and to those who knowing that Meditation is a work of joy do ruminate upon the word of the Lord. But what means the beast with a cloven foot This shews that a just man though he walks in this world yet he expects and lays hold upon another Observe how excellently Moses gave his laws But they could not know or understand these things Yet we rightly understanding the Commands do speak as the Lord would therefore hath God circumcised our ears and our hearts that we might understand these things We shall now enquire whether it was the Lord's care to manifest any thing before hand touching the Water and the Cross As concerning the Water it is written to Israel how they should not receive Baptism which should bring remission of sins but should build up to themselves Therefore the Prophet saith Be astonished O heaven and let the earth very much tremble at it for this people hath committed two great evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and hewed out to themselves broken cisterns Is my holy mount Sion a desert rock Ye shall be as the young ones of a bird fluttering about the forsaken nest And again the Prophet saith I will go before thee and will level the mountains and will break in pieces the gates of brass and cut in sunder the bars of iron and I will give thee the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places that they may know that I am the Lord God And he shall dwell in the deep cave of the strong rock afterwards what saith he His water shall be sure through the Son Ye shall see the king with glory and your soul shall meditate on the fear of the Lord. And again he saith in another Prophet He who doth these things shall be as a tree planted by the water-courses which shall give its fruit in its season and his leaf shall not wither and whatsoever he doth it shall prosper not so the ungodly not so but they shall be as the dust which the wind scattereth before the face of the earth Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement nor sinners in the counsel of the just For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous and the way of the ungodly shall perish Be ye sensible how he hath appointed Water and the Cross for the same thing For this he saith Blessed are they who hoping in the Cross have descended into the Water And whereas he saith he will give a reward in its season This he saith I will retribute to them The leaves shall not wither This he saith That every word which shall proceed out of your mouth in saith and love shall be for the conversion and hope of many Again another Prophet saith And the land of Jacob was praised above all lands This he speaks of the Vessel of his spirit which he will glorifie Afterwards what saith he And there was a river arawing from the right hand and trees in their season grew up out of it and whosoever shall eat of them shall live for ever This he saith Because we descend into the water full of sin and filth and we ascend out of it bearing fruit in the heart having fear and hope in the Son Jesus through the spirit And whereas he saith Whosoever shall eat of these shall live for ever This he saith Whosoever saith he shall hear the things that are spoken and shall believe he shall live for ever He determines in like manner concerning the Cross by another Prophet speaking thus And when these things shall be consummate and when the wood shall be bowed saith the Lord and shall rise again and when bloud shall distil from the wood Thou hast something again touching the Cross and him who should be crucified For he saith again in Moses When Israel was warred against by strangers and that they were to be put in remembrance that they were warred against that they might be delivered up to death for their sins the spirit spake to the heart of Moses That he should make a type of the Cross and of him who should suffer to shew that unless they hoped in him they should be warred against for ever Therefore Moses laid the armour one piece upon another in the middle of a fountain and standing higher than all stretched out his hands and so Israel prevailed and when he drew in his hands again they were put to death Why was this That they may know that they cannot be saved unless they hope in him And in another Prophet he saith All the day long have I stretched forth my hands to a people that will not be perswaded contradicting my just way Moses again makes a type of Jesus because it was necessary that he should suffer and give life when they supposed to have destroyed
him in the sepulchre For when Israel fell he made every serpent to bite them and they died because the transgression in Eve was by the serpent that he might reprove them and convince them that for their transgression they were delivered up to the anguish of death In the end though Moses had commanded that there should be no molten nor graven image amongst them for a God he made one to shew the type of Jesus For Moses made a serpent of brass and placed it gloriously and by Proclamation called the people They coming together intreated Moses that he would pray and make an offering for them that they might be healed Then Moses said unto them When any of you shall be bitten let him come to this serpent set upon a pole and let him hope believing that though it is dead it is able to give life and he shall be immediately healed and they did so In this thou hast the glorie of Jesus â—or all things are in him and to him What saith Moses again to Jesus the Son of Naue giving him being a Prophet this Name That all the people should hear him only because the Father would reveal all things touching his Son Jesus to the Son of Naue And when he gave him this Name and sent him to search the Land He said Take a little book in thine hands and write what the Lord saith Because the Son of God in the last days will cut up all the house of Amalek by the roots Behold again Jesus not the son of man but the Son of God but manifested by a type in the flesh And because they would say that Christ is the son of David he fearing and understanding the errour of sinners saith The Lord said to my Lord Sit on my right hand until I make thy enemies thy footstool And again Esaias saith in this manner The Lord said to Christ my Lord I have holden his right hand that the nations may hear him and I will break in pieces the power of kings See how David calls him Lord and the Son of God But let us see whether this people be the heir or first people and whether the Testament be ours or theirs Hear now what the Scripture saith concerning this people Isaac prayed for Rebekah his wife because she was barren and she conceived afterwards Rebekah came to enquire of the Lord and the Lord said unto her Two nations are in thy womb and two people in thy bowels and one people shall prevail over the other people and the Elder shall serve the Younger Ye ought to be sensible who is Isaac and who is Rebekah and which of the two he hath demonstrated to be the Elder people this people or that And in another Prophesy he saith Jacob spake more plainly to Joseph his son saying Behold the Lord hath not deprived me of thy presence bring thy sons unto me that I may bless them And he brought forth Ephraim and Manasses desiring that the blessing might be given to Manasses because he was the elder and he set him on the right hand of his father Jacob. But Jacob saw in the spirit a type of that people which should be And what follows And Jacob changed his hands and put his right hand upon the head of Ephraim the second and the younger and blessed him And Joseph said to Jacob Put thy right hand upon the head of Manasses because he is my first-born son And Jacob said to Joseph I know it my son I know it but the Elder shall serve the younger yet he also shall be blessed See which of these he hath appointed to be this first people and heir of the Covenant Yet further let it be remembred that through Abraham we have a greater perfection of our knowledge Therefore what saith he to Abraham That because he believed it was counted to him for righteousness Behold I have made thee a father of nations which should believe in the Lord through uncircumcision But let us now enquire whether he hath performed the Covenant which he sware to the fathers to this people He gave it but they were not worthy to receive it by reason of their sins For the Prophet saith And Moses was fasting in the mount Sinai fourty days and fourty nights that he might receive the Covenant from the Lord for the people and he received of the Lord the two tables written with the finger of the Lord's hand through the spirit and when Moses had received them he brought them down to deliver them to the people And the Lord said to Moses Moses Moses go down quickly for thy people have transgressed which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt And Moses understood that they had made them molten idols and he cast the tables out of his hands and the tables of the Covenant of the Lord were broken Moses indeed received them but they were not worthy Learn now how we received them Moses received them as a servant but the Lord himself gave them to us who suffering patiently for us was made manifest that they might be consummate in their sins and we might be the people of the inheritance and receive the Covenant by the heir Jesus Christ The Prophet saith again Behold I have set thee for a light of the Gentiles that thou maist be for salvation to the ends of the earth saith the Lord God who redeemed thee who was prepared for this very thing that he making discoverie of our evils destructive to death and how wholly we were given up to the transgression of errour might deliver us from darkness and put his Covenant in us by the Word For it is written how that the Father commanded him to redeem us from darkness and to prepare for himself an holy people Therefore the Prophet saith I the Lord thy God have called thee in righteousness and I will hold thy hand and will strengthen thee and I have given thee for a Covenant to the nations and for a light to the Gentiles to open the eyes of the blind and to deliver those that are in bonds those that sit in darkness from the prison-house Know therefore how we were delivered and redeemed Again the Prophet saith The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me and sent me to preach the glad tidings of grace to the humble to heal the broken-hearted to preach liberty to the captives to open the eyes of the blind and to call an acceptable year of the Lord and a day of retribution and to comfort all that mourn It is also written concerning the Sabbath in the Ten words wherein he spake in the Mount Sinai face to face to Moses And ye shall sanctifie the Sabbath of the Lord with pure hands and with a pure heart And in another place he saith If their sons shall keep my Sabbaths then will I put my mercy upon them He calleth it a Sabbath in the beginning of the Creation And God made in six days the works
of his hands and finished upon the seventh day and rested on it and sanctified it Sons observe what he saith when he saith He finished in six days This he saith That God the Lord will finish all things in six thousand years for a day with him is a thousand years He himself witnesseth it saying Behold this day A day shall be as a thousand years Therefore Children in six days in six thousand years all things shall be finished And he rested on the seventh day This he saith When his Son coming shall finish the works of his time and shall judge the ungodly and shall change the Sun and the Moon and the Stars thâ—â— he shall rest honourably upon the seventh day In fine this he saith Thou shalt sanctifie it with pure hands and a pure heart Therefore how can any one now sanctifie the day which God hath sanctified unless he be of a pure heart in all things Let us not be deceived For if he resting gloriously doth sanctifie it we being just and doing just things shall be able to sanctifie it when we have received the Promise of iniquitiâ— ceasing all things being made new by the Lord. Then we shall be able to sanctifie iâ— when we our selves are first sanctified Afterwards he saith to them Your new Moons and your Sabbaths I cannot away with See how he saith That the Sabbaths which are now are not acceptable unto me But in that he rested he made all things which he had made the beginning of the eighth day that is the beginning of another world Therefore we observe the eighth day with â—â—aâ—rity of mind whereon Jesus rose from the dead and being manifested ascended up into the heavens I shall moreover speak unto you concerning the Temple How they being in miserie did erre in their hope upon the way for they did not hope in the God of the Temple who made them but in the Temple as being the House of God for almost like the very heathens they confined him within the Temple but learn what the Lord saith making void the Temple Who hath measured the heavens with his palm and the earth with his fist Is it not I saith the Lord. Heaven is my throne and the earth my footstool what house will ye build unto me and what is the place of my rest Know that theirs is a vain hope After this he saith again Behold they who destroy this Temple shall themselves build it It is done For when they warred it was destroyed by the enemies and the ministers themselves of those enemies shall build it Again he hath opened How the City and people Israel should be delivered up For the Scripture saith And it shall be in the last days That the Lord will deliver up the sheep of the pasture and their fence and their tower to destruction And it is come to pass as the Lord hath spoken Therefore we shall enquire whether there be a Temple of God There is where he saith he would make and finish it For it is written It shall be when a week is finished that the Temple of God shall be built glorious in the name of the Lord. Therefore I find that there is a Temple But how shall it be built in the name of the Lord Learn Before we believed God the dwelling of our heart was corrupt and weak as a Temple built truly by the hand for the house was full of Idolatry by Idolatry it was the house of devils so that we did whatever was contrary to God But it shall be built in the name of the Lord. Learn that a glorious Temple of the Lord shall be built But how Learn we receiving remission of sins and hoping in the name of the Lord were made anew and created again as from the beginning So that in our house that is in us God truly dwelleth How The word of his Faith the calling of his Promise the wisdom of his judgements the commands of his doctrine he himself prophesying in us he himself dwelling in us opening to us the gates of the Temple who were before the servants of death that is opening that mouth which gives repentance to us hath brought us into the incorruptible Temple And he who desires to be saved minds nothing but him dwelling in him admires nothing but him speaking in him desires to hear nothing but the words spoken from his mouth This is the spiritual Temple built unto the Lord so far as he would in power and simplicity manifest it unto us My Soul hopeth with desire that I have omitted nothing convenient for you and conducing to Salvation If I should write unto you of things future ye would not understand me because they are shut up in Parables but these things are so Let us now pass over to another kind of knowledge and doctrine There are two ways of doctrine and power either of Light or of Darkness and great is the difference of these two ways Over one are appointed the Angels of God the Ministers of light Over the other the angels of Satan over the one is the Lord from ages to ages over the other the prince of the time of iniquity The way of light is this If a man would walk to the place designed he will make haste by his works Therefore Knowledge is given to us that we may walk in it which is this Thou shalt love thy Maker Thou shalt glorifie him who redeemed thee from death Thou shalt be simple in heart and being rich in the spirit thou shalt not joyn thy self with those who walk in the way of death Thou shalt hate to do that which is not pleasing to God Thou shalt hate all hypocrisie Thou shalt not forsake the Commandments of the Lord. Thou shalt not exalt thy self but be of an humble mind Thou shalt not assume glorie to thy self Thou shalt not take evil counsel against thy neighbour Thou shalt not give boldness to thy soul Thou shalt not commit adultery nor fornication nor buggerie Thou shalt not refrain to correct the impurity of some by that word which cometh from God and when thou reproovest transgressions thou shalt not respect persons Thou shalt be meek and quiet trembling at the words which thou hast heard Thou shalt not remember evil things against thy brother Thou shalt not be of a double and wavering soul doubting whether thus or thus Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord in vain Thou shalt love thy neighbour above thy soul Thou shalt not destroy the child by abortion nor kill it when it is born Thou shalt not take away thy hand from thy son nor from thy daughter but from their youth shalt teach them the fear of the Lord. Thou shalt not desire thy neighbours goods nor be a covetous person Thou shalt not adhere in thy soul to proud persons but be numbred amongst the just and humble Thou shalt embrace temptations when they happen as good things Thou shalt not be of a double mind nor a
did view over your whole multitude in him Therefore receiving from him that good disposition of mind which is according to God I gloried finding you as I had known you the followers of God For in regard ye are subject to the Bishop as to Jesus Christ ye appear to me not to live as men but to live according to Jesus Christ who died for us that believing in his death ye may escape death Therefore it is necessâ—ry as ye do to do nothing without the Bishop but that ye be subject to the Presbyterie as to the Apostles of Jesus Christ our Hope in whom we should be found having our conversation It behooves the Deacons also being the Mysterie of Jesus Christ to please all men every manner of way For they are not the Ministers of meats and drinks but Ministers of the Church of God Therefore it is necessary for them to avoid accusations as fire Let all in like manner reverence the Deacons as Jesus Christ and the Bishop being the Son of the Father and the Presbyters as the Council of God and companie of the Apostles Without these a Church is not called Of whom I am perswaded that ye are so informed For I have received the Exemplar of your love and have it by me in your Bishop whose behaviour is a great Disciplination and his meekness power whom I think that very Atheists do reverence being satisfied that I spare not my self Formerly though I might have matter to write I thought not fit for this cause lest being a condemned person I might seem to command you as an Apostle I am wise in God as to many things yet do I measure my self that I may not be destroyed by boasting For now it behooves me to be very much affraid and not to give heed to those who would puff me up For when such speak unto me they scourge me Truly I love to suffer but know not whether I am worthy For my zeal appears not to many but I have the greater war within I have need therefore of meekness that by it the prince of this world may be defeated Cannot I write unto you of things celestial but I am affraid lest I should give you some offence being yet but babes Therefore pardon me for I would not perplexe you with those things which ye are not able to bear For it is not for a slightie matter that I am a Prisoner being acquainted with things celestial and the Angelical Orders and their governing Constitutions things visible and invisible and besides this I am now a Disciple For many things are wanting to you that we may not fall short of God Therefore I exhort you not I but the love of Jesus Christ to use only the Christian nutriment and to abstain from that strange herb which is heresie For the times are such that persons worthy of credit seemingly do fold in heresie with Jesus Christ like those who administer deadly poison and temper it with a drink made of honey and sowre wine which the ignorant receives with pleasure and so dies by an evil delectation Therefore preserve your selves from such and so it shall be if ye are not puffed up being inseparable from God Jesus Christ and the Bishop and the Orders of the Apostles He who is within the Altar is pure that is he who does any thing without the Bishop Presbyterie and Deacons is of an impure Conscience Not that I have known any such thing among you but foreseeing the subtilties of the devil I take care of you before hand being my beloved Do ye therefore re-assuming your mild disposition build up your selves anew in the faith which is the flesh of the Lord in love which is the bloud of Jesus Christ Let none among you have any quarrel against his Neighbour Give no offences to the Gentiles that the Multitude which is in God be not blasphemed by a few foolish men For Wo to him through whose foolishness my Name is blasphemed amongst some Therefore be deaf to him who speaks to you without Jesus Christ who was of the stock of David and of Mary who was truly born eat and drank was truly persecuted under Pontius Pilate was truly crucified dead things in heaven on earth and under the earth beholding him And was truly raised again from the dead his Father raising him up according to his likeness as his Father will raise up us also if we believe in him through Jesus Christ without whom we have no true life But if as some Atheists that is Infidels say He suffered only in appearance as they themselves are only in appearance why am I in bonds and why do I pray that I may fight with beasts therefore do I not die without reward and am I not a lyar against the Lord Fly therefore evil plants which bring forth deadly fruit which if a man taste of he dies presently For these are not the Plantation of the Father if they were they would appear branches of the Cross and their fruit would be incorruptible Through which Cross by his Passion he Advocates for you being his Members The Head therefore cannot be born without the Members God having promised the Vnion of them who is himself I salute you from Smyrna together with the Churches of God which are present with me who have every way refreshed me both in flesh and spirit My bonds which I carry about for Jesus Christ do admonish you that I desire to enjoy God Continue in your Vnanimitie anâ— in Prayer one for another For it become you all one by one exceedingly and the Presbyters to comfort up the Bishop for the honour of the Father of Jesus Christ and oâ— the Apostles I beseech you in love to heaâ— me that writing unto you I may not be â— witness within you Pray also for me out oâ— that Charitie which is in you for I need thâ— mercy of God that I may be accounteâ— worthy of the Lot which I labour to enjoy and may not be found Reprobate The lovâ— of the Smyrneans and Ephesians saluteth you Remember in your prayers the Church which is in Syria whence I am not worthâ— to be called being the last of them Farewel in Jesus Christ being subject to the Bishop as to the Commandement and likewise to the Presbyterie And love one anotheâ— man by man with an undivided heart My Spirit shall be an expiation for you not onely now but when I shall enjoy God For as yet I am in danger but the Father who is faithful will fulfil my Petition and yours in Jesus Christ in whom may ye be found unblameable To the Trallians To the Romans Ignatius who is also Theophorus to the Church which hath obtained Mercy through the Magnificence of the most high Father and Jesus Christ his onely begotten Son sanctified and enlightned by him who willeth all things which are according to the love of Jesus Christ our God which is President over the Churches about in the Region of the