given in the last daies according to Gods Promises and not after the inventions of men BUt in the mean time whilest I considered and scanned all this inasmuch as I laboured for that which is right I found my self oftentimes through consideration of the mans weaknesse and of his ignorant zeal to the righteousness and truth in great anguish of heart and in lâ—ke manner there were others more in the same case with me 2. And I was sorry for the people because many of them had so ignorant a zeale and were bewitched with so many sorts of blindnesse and vaine imaginations and I was oft times very unquiet in my mind because I could not know any of the children of men whom I might believe or account for the people of God such as stood in the stock of the righteousnesse of Abraham or did a Phil. 1. preach Christ out of the nature of the love 3. For I grew suspicious jealous and distrustfull of all flesh yea of my selfe also for in my humane disposition after the flesh I found oft times no power at all to enter into the b Rom. 7. vertue of righteousnesse in any such sort as by Gods heavenly Revelation which came unto me from God in the Spirit I had observed the same 4. Howbeit many of the children of men looked not into the vertue of the righteousnesse according to the truth but were bewitched in their understanding and thoughts bearing a zeal unto that which was not of God and which did nothing further them to the righteousnesse and therein was my humane understanding afore-times somewhat distressed whilest I sought the righteousnesse among the children of men where it was not to be found 5. But the Lord out of his grace hath shewed much mercy on me and through his heavenly revelation and manifesting of his truth hath inlightned my understanding and pulled my spirit unto him his goodnesse leads me and his Spirit vouchsafes to strengthen me in the Service of Love that I may declare unto the man that which is most profitable for him to live in to the establishing of the Word which God afore-times hath spoken out of his truth and according as he hath promised c Luk. 1. by the mouth of his holy Prophets to the blessing and salvation of all people 6. Then forasmuch as I have seen the misery of men and do know the contrary nature to God and that moreover the good being of God and the salvation of men is out of Gods grace appeared unto me in my sight therefore have I set forth certaine writings out of the same knowledge of the good being and of the salvation of men so farre as in my understanding I could reach unto the same and as the Lord revealed unto me that the mans bewitched understanding and thoughts might be made known unto him and so he might regard d Phil. 4. what were right and reasonable and what were meet and profitable 7. And those writings according to the appointment of God and testimony of his holy Word we have now renewed afresh in the land of the living and so through the true light of the godly wisdome and of the holy Spirit of Love expressed them more plainly and written them again with the assistance of the principall Elders and Ministers of the holy Word in the Family of Love 8. Which writings that every one both small and great of understanding might be satisfied and none have any occasion to blaspheme the truth but that they might all be minded to e 2 Cor. 1. Eph. 4. the unity of heart in the love we have out of the loves inclination placed together with cleer distinction and compiled them to a Glasse of righteousnesse to the end men might the more easily in their understanding comprehend and mark the reason of our hope for to cheer up thereby the mind of man to the good and out of the inclination of love to refresh and strengthen him with good courage to draw him to a right discerning of the upright wisdome and for that he should then be zealous with good understanding and labour for that vvhich continueth for ever 9. All that same so far as we discâ—â—n it and as God hath permitted unto us we shew and declare with full instruction in this Introduction to the holy understanding of the Glasse of Righteousness and principally in the book it self setting down wherein the man ought to stand comprehended whence the happinesse of our life cometh unto us what manner of one the upright f 1 Cor. 12. Congregation of Christ is and how that the ministration and service of the holy word g 1 Cor. 13. ought to have passage out of love 10. For this is the service of the gracious word h Jer. 29. promised in the last time to wit that all those vvho have any longing after the love and concord or do hope thereon should be stirred up to the same to the intent that all they which seeke Christ might with one consent cleave to the love and her service and walk in all love for that is the peace i Eph. 2. prepared for us by Christ if so be we have any desire to the love and to the true peace 11. And thereunto even for the unities sake in the love is my service to all lovers of the truth that the destruction of heart might once cease that every one might have the love before his eyes that the service of the love and word of truth might have passage without hindrance and that so all sentences which bear witnesse to the truth might according to the truth be judged impartially 12. True it is that my spirit is well disposed hereunto even that the bewitching of many mens hearts might be done away and the calling of the Gentiles rightly be discerned and understood according to the truth to the end all matters appertaining to the righteousnesse might out of love be discerned and understood impartially with an unbewitched spirit and an unbound heart according to the truth but inasmuch as I find little upright judgement among the children of men as having much more inclination k Jer. 7.11.13.18 to their own sense and to their own l Rom. 10. righteousnesse then to the truth and righteousnesse which God accepteth also a more inclination to their ovvn self-chosen communalty then to the unity of heart in the service of love therefore is my heart many times not satisfied nor contented with the judgement of men 13. For I find apparently by experience that the man is in his judgement altogether partially minded in every respect and setteth his affection to this or to that vvhich tendeth not to concord but much rather to strife and hath very little respect to the love vvhereby he might out of the love have regard to the truth of the soveraign good impartially but commonly he will have the same bound or tyed to one thing or another vvherewith
love the vertue and the godlinesse cleave to no ungodly being or unorderlinesse of this world but let us with impartiall minds hearken to the truth for an instruction to the wisdom with long suffering and cleave to the vertue of the good life with him that beareth witnesse only thereunto and taketh part with no flesh 14. Wherefore let no man bind his heart unto any outward thing which he is served with to the righteousnesse of life much lesse to the worldly things or to any thing which the desires of the flesh are inclined unto that he be not disappointed of the entrance to the life which thing would be a great grief unto me 15. For this cause that no man should erre but perceive whereunto our calling tendeth hear and understand what the chiefe summe of the perfect Righteousnesse is 16. It is an humble heart y Psa 51. that departeth from all earthly and corruptible things and with a lowly and meek spirit is incorporated with God in pure Love according to the Spirit living in the forme of Jesus Christ z 1 Tim. 1 in an unspotted conscience and to have an inclined mind or desire to do the Lords will and to fulfill all righteousnesse 17. Towards this let us passe on with a good hope in a sure faith and confidence let every one turn him a Esa 55. Jer. 18.25 35 Ezek. 18. Jon. 3. from the wayes of his error and with-draw his heart from the bands of selfnesse to the intent in an upright being to serve b Thes 1 Heb. 9. the living God only and turn away his senses and thoughts from that which hangeth on to a bondage of the heart that is to say from all that is created outward or vaine how holy how good how fair or how amiable a grace soever according to the outward appearance it may shew forth unto the man to the end that no man be taken or remaine captive in any bewitching to a thraledome of his mind with that wherewith the Heathen and the unwise or uncircumcised of heart are still bewitched tied and bound not onely with the outward show of holinesse or wisdome but also with the delight of the outward created things c Rom. 2 in this world wherein with their hearts they become vain 18. Therefore let us reckon all these things for such as they are and repute some of them in that whereunto they are commodious for good in their degree and quality to the end our heart may stand free in the everlasting uncreated Godhead according to the Spirit that is in the God of Israel the Creator of all good things and moreover let us suffer our hearts to be prepared thereunto in the obeying of the requiring of the Service of Love 19. That is truly the everlasting life which in times past was preached unto the world and is now in the last time by Gods grace come unto us under the obedience of the Love that our fellowship d 1 Joh. 1 should be with God the Father and with his Son the Lord Jesus Christ and that our joy in the Love might be perfect 20. On this onely and true God settle your hearts to a union with him and with his Christ and love him e Deut. 6. from your whole souls minds and thoughts and so then love all created things in their degree or as they are profitable 21. Yet not for their owne sakes but for the Ordinances sake that God hath created them unto and whereunto he hath appointed them as good then shall God be loved honoured and served by you above your selves and above all visible things and f Exod. 20 Deut. 4. you shall also neither have nor serve any Idolls which are besides him 22. In such a degree love ye also all men g Lev. 19. Mat. 22. Mar. 12. Rom. 13. as your selves or as your fellow-brethren so shall there be no dissention nor division found among you and then in the same sort h Eph. 5. love your wives which are minded with you in one heart and spirit to God ward as fellow-members of your bodies or els should ye be no married folks 23. To the same good being of concord in the Love i Eccl. 7.30 love ye likewise your children that they may be brought up in righteousnesse after the Law of the Lord to serve the living God 24. If any man hath servants whether men-servants or maid-servants k Eccl. 7.33 Eph. 6. Col. 3. let him not overcharge them with slavery but use moderation give them also now and then time to rest and to recreate their hearts in the things that God requireth 25. But beware of the stout servants l Eccl. 33. such as in their leisure time seek nothing but unseemlinesse pride disorder and lightnesse for for such whether they be sonnes or daughters men-servants or maid-servants if so be they exercise nor desire no righteousnesse labour serveth much better then leisure yet with discretion according to time and measure alwaies be holding the good before them upon hope of amendment 26. Hereunto let us be minded and give over our hearts and minds to live therein and alwaies exercise love m Rom. 12 1 Thes 3. 1 Pet. 1.3 one towards another and so n Heb. 10. James 5. with patience and long-suffering wait o Luke 2. for the consolation of Israel and for the health of the house of Jacob whom God in his time shall call together from all the ends p Mat. 24. or coasts of the earth where now they are dispersed 27. Wherefore increase ye in the good q Eph. 4. Col. 1. 1 Pet. 1. and grow up in the Lord and for the communion of the Loves sake and that we with consent of heart may be joyned to the same let us incline our hearts to each other to the end we may all become one such as love righteousnesse and forsake dissention which dispise nor reject none neither Jew Mahomet Heathen nor any Sect or Faction but rather draw all that will follow to our communion under the obedience of the Love that the Service of the Love may become prosperous and in all upright righteousnesse obtain the preheminence 28. Whosoever then joyneth himselfe to our communion of the Love yeeldeth himselfe to the love and to the requiring of her Service obediently loveth the righteousnesse r Psal 15.24 Esa 33. John 9. Acts 10. and hath no guile in his heart the same is acceptable to God and all such shall be unied in the Love and love one manner of righteousnesse according to the mentioning of the Glasse of Righteousnesse 29. Hereunto let every one be humbly minded and so incline his fatherly heart Å¿ Mal. 4. Luk. 1 to the children to unity in the Love 30. Let the children t Eph. 6. Col. 3. bow themselves in holinesse to the humility and so for the unities sake in the Love turne their hearts to the
to the only God and his true Christ or to have his fellowship with them such a one will likewise according to the sight of the true life which is appeared unto me out of the living God be inclined or bent unto such an upright being of the upright communalty of Christ whereof we bear witnesse for to live or to be comprehended therein under the obedience of the love through the belief 22. Wherefore let every one note and marke our testimonies of truth according to love and not with perversenesse of heart nor in reproach or partiality that they appear not unto him in a crosse or a contrary sense 23. For sure it is very lamentable that the testimonies of truth which are brought forth to the best should be taken overthwartly and not aright because the perverse sight maketh many to judge perversely and falsly and unrightly to understand the director causeth many greatly to stray It is true 24. It is recorded in the first book of the Glasse of Righteousnesse y 1 Glas. 2 that the upright procreation of the righteous spirit cometh not of men but z Luk. 1. out of God only this same word or sentence is very right yea unchangeable for ever For otherwise God hath never wrought among his holy ones and yet hath testified of such things afterward to come by the mouth of his holy a Eze. 36. Joel 2. Act. 2. Prophets to the intent that men should think upon his wonders of old time and trust firmly upon those of the time to come according to the promises namely how that God is the Salvation and will establish his holy Covenant b Luk. 1. according as he hath made the same with Abraham and his Seed 25. Now when men have read this saying and heard such a sentence to wit that God will work things by his righteous spirit they must then have regard to the counsell that directeth the way to God and from the heart follow the same with humble souls c Rom. 12 still persevere in prayer untill the coming of the promises d Tob. 4. Rom. 13. and not consent to the sin but so take heed to such a healthfull grace as being out of Gods mercy called to the very same according to the promises 26. For aforetimes the heathen were no people of the God of Israel but were e Eph. 2. strangers in the Testaments of the holy Fathers and in the inheritance of the godly promises and f Eph. 4. 1 Pet. 4. every one walked his way in ungodlinesse and in sundry Idolatries and were ignorant of the Lord. 27. But the everlasting God of Israel forgot not his Covenant g Luk. 1. but was mindfull of the oath which he had sworn to Abraham his beloved to a blessing of the Gentiles and looked on h Act. 17. the time of their ignorance and did in like manner for a season cast off his people and shew his hearty love on all the Generations of the earth or heathen and caused a joyfull message through his Christ to be published unto them i Mat. 3. Luk. 3.13 Act. 2.3 to a repentance and amendment from their offences calling and bidding them k Eph. 2.3 to be co-heirs with the Citizenship of his people Israel l Esa 2. Amos. 9. Zach. 8. Act. 15. that unto his people Israel he might prepare him an upright people also out of the heathen according to the promises and foreshewing of his holy Prophets 28. Hereon ought all Generations of the earth to have regard and duely to consider whether they do accordingly take heed aright to their calling which is out of grace come unto them from the bountifull God of Israel and whether they do also with lowly hearts as those that are unworthy the same humble themselves for to obtain the right m Ioh 1 3â— 1 Pet. 1. birth of the righteous spirit out of God to be fellow brethren with the children of the house of Jacob for to serve the living God and in those daies when n Act. 3. the refreshing shall appear from the presence of God to celebrate and glorifie the same God of Israel with them what time as he ingrafteth his branches into their right stock again who for the Gentiles sakes have been broken off and scattered p Lu. 21. Rom. 12. untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles should be come in the treading down of Jerusalem have her end and so all Israel be saved according to the promises 29. Therefore let us have a right regard to our calling and separate our selves according to the spirit from the foolish course q Rom. 1 Eph. 4 5 1 Pet. 4 vain walking and ignorant boasting of people and humble our souls to the grace of our calling 30. For if God in times past spared not his own people but did cast out break off and scatter them abroad for their stiffeneckednesse and prides sake and r Act. 13 Rom. 11 rejected the heathen in their roome how much lesse will he then spare the proud heathen but cast out break off lay wast and scatter them and in their stead receive his own people Israel again that they may serve him all the daies of their lives Å¿ Luk. 1. Eph. 4 in such righteousnesse and holinesse as is pleasing unto him they shall be his people and he God with them shall be their God from Generation to Generation everlastingly 31. For thus saith the Lord concerning Israel t Esa 59 Rom. 11 there shall come a redeemer unto them in Sion and to them that turn them from sin in Jacob saith the Lord and I make this Covenant with him saith the Lord u Esa 59 my Spirit which is in thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart from thy mouth nor from the mouth of thy Seed and childrens-children saith the Lord from henceforth for evermore 32. In those daies shall the treading down of Jerusalem have an end and the vvord of the Lord shall be fulfilled concerning her and unto her he said x Esa 60 arise Jerusalem be bright for thy light cometh and the glory of the Lord ariseth upon thee then also will the Lord cause himself to be heard even to the worlds end y Esa 62 And they shall say to the daughter Sion Lo thy Salvation cometh behold he bringeth his Treasure with himself and his revvard is now prepared before him they shall name them the holy People the redeemed of the Lord and thee O Jerusalem they shall call the visited and not the forsaken City 33. Lo these are the promises concerning Jerusalem and concerning Israel in the last time let every one take heed to his time according to his calling through Jesus Christ and the end or principal scope of all righteousnesse z 1 Tim. 1 is the love wherein the promises of God are established and that same is the true a 1 Joh. 3.4
the works of unbeliefe leadeth away from the living God wherby we may be deprived of the fellowship with God in the Spirit for the unity and p Eph. 2. peace with God the Father in the Spirit for to live one with another in all Loue is the glorious liberty of the children of God whereunto we are called by Jesus Christ 51. Lo this is the stone q Psa 118 1 Pet. 2. which was not allowed of the workmen yet is there r Acts 4. salvation in none other which stone is clean against all sense of the flesh and against all them that are minded only upon the outward therefore of those builders which will themselves act or set up the salvation he is rejected Å¿ Esa 8.28 Mat. 21. and is unto them a stone of stumbling and offence t Psal 118 Mat. 21. and this is a wonderfull worke in our eyes 52. Behold herein we have likewise all sinned and trespassed 53. Therefore it stands us now upon to regard well from the heart the mind of the truth and with humble hearts to pray unto the Lord that he will not punish us for our misdeeds of ignorance u Psa 25 79. Dan. 9. but will thinke upon us according to his mercy and guide our hearts after his will that we might walke in his Ordinances and be named after his Name as our God and Saviour who through the Service of his love maketh our errors knowne unto us and releaseth or maketh us free from all perverse or covered nature of sinne from all arrogancy and haughtinesse of the revolters and from all falshood dissention and deceit which at this time do every where bear sway and among many have even hitherto had the preheminence 54. O God x Dan. 9 let us in this dangerous time find grace in thine eyes and incline thou our hearts towards thee and towards thy righteousnesse bring our spirit out of this desolation and cleanse our hearts minds and thoughts from all dissention y Psa 51 and create in us an upright mind that no evill come upon us 55. Of which upright mind and upright course of life of all upright hearts I have set forth a clear instruction in the tree of life the fourth book of the Glasse of Righteousness which Glass of Righteousness with other more like testimonies I have heretofore set forth to the intent that every one might look into himself and know whether he were of the upright communalty of the righteous and lived and walked in the upright vvaies of the just and so served the living God only or not For I wist not how to call any by name for to shew outwardly vvhat sort I might judge for the rightfullest 56. For I found the man a Jer. 9 so altogether deceivable so bewitched of understanding so given to cover or dissemble his lies so lordly minded because of his understanding so double of heart so earnestly bent to destroying and oppressing against those that were not like minded with his hearts conceiving so b Ier. 18.25.29.35 declining from him that according to the truth pointed him to the way of life so self-seeking and partiall for himself so resolute in his opinion so reproachfull and malicious with accusation at him that desired to bring him into the right way of the holy Fathers so vvel-conceited and affected towards his own phansies and errours so hipocriticall in the vertue so divided from the righteousnesse so separated from conscience so little seeking that which is the Lords only so unstable in fidelity so slothfull and slow to turn him to God c Pro. 6.24 so without regard to the upright waies so little reckning of the straying from his God so affectioned to the earthly visible things and so self-captived of heart that I was altogether suspicious jealous and doubtfull of the man 57. And not only of another but also even of mine own humane nature insomuch that I held it straight unto all vertues and righteous dealings for to do the Lords will in all my proceedings for in that sort did I passe forth under the obedience of the love with my humane nature to the intent to obtain the vertuous d 1 Cor. 13. disposition of the love and to be incorporated to the same with soul and body and with all the senses and thoughts of my humane nature and indeavouring me in this same with all diligence the Lord received me into the grace of his love and into him and his love incorporated my mind together with my senses and thoughts and so gave me inheritance with Christ and his Saints in his heavenly riches e Rom. 16. Eph. 1.2.3 Col. 1. and revealed his last will unto me 58. But not according to any conceiving of the flesh or after the outwardnesse namely in any outward appearance that liketh the man and the sight of his fleshly eyes or vvhereunto the man doth sometimes set his heart and understanding as though he could satisfie God thereby or as if a man with his outward humanity with a show after the outward appearance might be incorporated into the God of heaven and into his heavenly goods or could live in the Godhead according to the flesh 59. O no ye dearly beloved Gods working in renewing of the man through Jesus Christ is not after the pleasing of men nor according to any affection of the flesh nor yet such as any man by his fleshly conceiving or learned understanding should be able after the outward to judge of the same working of God in the spirit or of him which is renewed in God 60. For Gods working and the renewing of the man f Rom. 12. Eph. 4. is brought to passe inwardly in the spirit and in the inward senses and thoughts through the power of his holy spirit of love wherethrough men are abundantly filled with love towards the living God and with love towards all men 61. My respect also in my zeal to the vertuous nature of the love was least upon the outward show after the flesh but it was most upon an upright heart and mind such as consisteth in a good willing obedience and tieth or bindeth it self to no elementish things whether they be earthly riches or worldly possessions because I would in spirit and mind serve and please the living God only and likewise thereby love every man as my self 62. And for this upright beings sake because in all love the same should have and keep an g 1 Cor. 4. Gal. 4. essentiall form in me I did as is aforesaid examine the senses and cogitations of my human nature whether by them any other thing were loved or desired besides or whether they tied themselves unto any thing els To the intent I might for the loves sake of God and Christ h Mat. 16. Luk. 9.14 renounce hate and forsake it every whit and crucifie i Rom. 6. Gal. 5. Col. 3. and kill my humane senses and
earth nor of flesh and bloud but a son of the most high God in the heavenly powers of the invisible being and is now in the last time appeared and come unto us the chosen of God in his glory and triumph from the right hand of God his Father and so hath with us with the spirituall and heavenly goods his ministration e Heb. 7.8.9.10 in the most holy of his Tabernacle under the obedience of the love af-the manner of Melchisedech to the erecting of the perfection 69. Thus as is said Jesus Christ hath his ministration even from the beinning untill the perfection through his Saints and Elect and so is in his teaching to his f Heb. 9. people a Salvation from their sins and a blessing and reviving g 1 Cor. 15. Eph. 2. Col. 1.2 from the death and hath then in that manner with them namely with the living his Believers his ministration with the spirituall and heavenly goods And so in the same ministration he is manifested by his believers that he is he right Messias and King of the Jews and the true h Psal 110. Heb. 7. high Priest for ever after the manner of Melchizedeck who in his Priesthood is greater and more excellent then the man because he abideth for ever 70. Behold this same high Priest in the ministration of the spirituall and heavenly goods and this noble King of Israel and Juda which ruleth in righteousnesse and of God is chosen to such an excellent glory before the foundation of the world was laid is by inheritance sealed to possesse the i 2 Reg. 7. Esa 9.32 Ier. 23.33 Dan. 7. Mic. 4. Luk. 1. seat of David his Father to the intent there may be no end of the peace upon the same from this time forth for evermore and that so he may rule and raigne as an everlasting peaceable King over the house of Jacob according to the promises 71. For in this sort and to the finishing thereof is he revealed unto men and published k Ioh. 1. 1 Tim. 3. 1 Joh. 2. to the world for a Saviour because all people should believe in him by him inherit the everlasting life and so confesse him and that sameis the true righteousnesse which is availeable before God and well pleasing unto those men which are of a good will 72. Now inasmuch as the rich bountifull God hath out of his grace granted me to perceive that we are all called and loved to the same glory of God and to the upright being of the love of his Christ because we should inherit with all what is of God and Christ the everlasting life and for that the same is the l Eph. 1.5 Col. 1. principall point of our godlinesse therefore have I pointed none unto flesh and bloud nor to any elementish or visible things neither doth my teaching tend to the outward but from the outward to passe on to the same inward and heavenly and to Gods Kingdome of heaven whereof is spoken before to the intent that no man should set the consolation of his soul nor the comfort of his Salvation upon the outvvard nor earthly nor put his confidence thereon but only on the upright life of the righteous spirit and upon the coming of the godly glory in Jesu Christ of which things I have according to my sight out of the heavenly revelation of God much and abundantly spoken in the Glasse of Righteousnesse and in this Introduction mine exhortation is out of love also to the same to the intent we should have an earnest love and be provoked with desire towards it 73. Which life of Righteousnesse whereof we witnesse is inwardly godly according to the divine nature and outwardly brotherly after the upright humane nature and that same is the upright righteousnesse before God and amongst men 74. Who so now from the heart seeketh God and his righteousnesse and rightly hath regard to the upright life the same person will acknowledge that my teaching and ministration is of God and that it tendeth to the upright life and vvho so likewise to this end searcheth the Scripture for the promises shall assuredly find that it maketh mention of such things and that the Law the Prophets and the Apostles of Christ do all point and vvitnesse to the very same 75. When the man now according to the truth perceiveth this same then will he for the love of righteousnesse sake be also inclined there unto and yeeld his understanding m 2 Gor. 10. captive under the obedience of the love praise God highly for his grace and through the belief passe on towards the upright life in all love 76. Though he now and then fail stumble or fall yet if his eyes of the spirit have respect to the upright life and to the love and that he glasse himself daily in the Glasse of Righteousnesse doubtlesse the same shall cause him to see and shall rightly shew him his spots and shall be unto him n Ioh. 4.7 as an open fountain of life against the sin and way of death CHAP. XIII 1. None can know God nor Christ rightly but in the Spirit of the love 11. No better grounds then the Doctrine of the love 14. An exhortation to the obeyers of her service that they blaspheme not other mens writings nor condemn any for Sects but rather allure all to the love 19. and that they put away the evill as much as they can out of themselves 20. The despisers are vaine 23. The consenters hereunto are counselled not to think they have already obtained but to labour and to continue in the doctrine of the love till the laying away of the mortall body 32. Not to be dismaid at the enemies but like souldiers to prepare themselves to the battell 33. Though we be sometimes hurt yet to take new courage still 36. Considering whereunto we are called through Jesus Christ TAke it to heart O ye children of men and let your understanding be renewed a Rom. 12. Eph. 4. according to the spirit to such an upright knowledge as God esteemeth to wit vvith the vvord of truth in the spirit of the love to an assured living hope and good conscience in Jesu Christ 2. For vvho so after the spirit conceiveth not the same nor is renevved in his understanding to the same upright knowledge under the obedience of the love in such a one there is no knowledge of Christ neither can he be rightly turned to Christ or to the upright belief but only through the same 3. For the fall from Christ is come and it is according to the Prophecie understood known and well perceived how that the same b 2 Thes 1. through the child of perdition according to the mention of the Scriptures hath in every respect so utterly c Rom. 1. Eph. 4. blinded depraved and corrupted the understanding of men concerning God and Christ that the children of men how wise or learned soever they of themselves
never perceived nor known him 22. If any man then despise this good mind or spirit of love and with the heart withstandeth and blasphemeth it and doth not entertain the upright vertue of the love the same man hath beguiled his own heart and after the requiring of the knowledge of the old serpent seeketh his own advantage and not to do the will of the Lord. 23. But if on the other side O ye dearly beloved any do accept this which we bear witnesse of for right and truth let him not hardly over-hastily perswade himself that he by his knowledge hath already gotten it for there must at the first belief be joyned thereto and then look whose belief through the increase of God blossometh y 4 Esd 6. and is fruitfull let the same man attempt the battell in hope against that which maketh up it self against the same Let him have regard to the Word of life and so passe on towards it a Luk. 21. with patience or in long sufferance 24. That truely is the right Crosse of Christ b Mat. 16. Luk. 14. which we are daily with good wil in the obedience of the requiring of the service of love to take up c Act. 14. in the belief untill we be well exercised in the love and in the holy understanding whereunto we bear witnesse and not only in the knowledge 25. Lo to this present I find nor know no way els to the life therefore whosoever loveth the same let him endeavour towards it d Joh. 8. and so abide stedfast in the requiring of the gracious Word and of the doctrine of the holy spirit of love untill the e Rom. 6.8 Col. 2. laying away of his mortall body then shall he with Christ and all Gods Saints inherit the Kingdome of God and the everlasting life in the heavenly being 26. Let every one take heed to his time and f Gal. 6. let no man deceive himself with any vaine Opinion that he do not erre 27. For if any man g Mat. 10. Luk. 14. loveth or esteemeth any thing better then the godly life which is the very Saviour himself such a one is not worthy of the Salvation nor yet of the life eternall 28. And who so taketh not up his Crosse and followeth after the godlinesse with his heart h Luk. 14. the same may not be his Disciple that is he cannot be taught in the godlinesse nor born a child of God in the heavenly being 29. Therefore it is all nothing that any man speaketh much of it if so be with the heart he i Esa 29. Mat. 7.15 follow not after the same yea it is before God much more an abomination k Psal 50. Ezek. 33. that any man speaketh of Gods righteousnesse with talking or reasoning and doth not with the heart follow after it then any pleasure or delight unto him and yet may one find an hundred men which reason and talk of it where there is not one of them that liveth rightly therein or loveth it from the whole heart 30. Notwithstanding though men do now and then through some imagination think they have it and have neverthelesse failed therein yet are they not therefore to step back tarry behind or to lose the courage but rather out of the inclination of love to take good courage again and to l Phil. 3. Heb. 6.10 passe on towards the same godlinesse untill that it be in us and that we according to the truth be comprehended in the same for by stumbling falling and creeping and by being sometimes lead doth a child at length learn rightly to goe 31. By going wrong and by hurting ones self by means of passing in unpathed waies with breaking thorow thistles thorns and hedges also sometimes by doubting and then by inquiring and that all in hope men come at last or in processe of time to the right way which we ought to walk to the life of truth in the love therefore let no man be without courage 32. Though we find our selves sometimes without understanding how to enter into the life or the m Eph. 6. 1 Pet. 5. enemies encounter with us and so hardly beset us that we know not how to get thither yet let us for all that though it seem not credible take a good courage or mind n Heb. 11. in the belief and not forsake the hope for the hope o Rom. 5. leaveth none ashamed and so give our attention p Pro 4. to understanding and information whereby we may attain thereunto and to the very same arm our selves even as an unexpert souldier that hath a desire to become a good man of war armeth himself to the warfare 33. Though at first he sustaineth some damage as to be sometimes wounded smitten shot hurt to death and by his enemies to be taken captive yet taketh he still a fresh courage and abideth firm in hope untill he be well exercised in the feat of war who then is known for a man of war that is one that understandeth and knoweth well where any thing is to be won or lost and wherein damage or advantage lieth 34. If therefore earthly warriours be so bold in hope for the corruptible things sake hovv much more then ought we so to be towards the everlasting uncorruptiblenesse in case we have any desire or hope to the everlasting uncorruptiblenesse at all q Osc 23. 1 Cor. 15. wherein death is swallowed up and the everlasting immortality abideth where all destruction passeth away and in it self as a smoak vanisheth in such sort that there is even nothing remaining in it but the pure and clear the fulnesse and fairnesse of all vertues according to the promises 35. But a slothfull and unbelieving man that alwaies feareth and is r Pro. 6.24 negligent and disobedient hereunto or a doubtfull and vvavering person that still doubteth of errour wounds dammage and losse such a one thinketh not upon obtaining Å¿ 4 Esd 2. Sap. 5. Apo. 2. the royall Crown of everlasting life and therefore giveth no credit thereunto for so through his unbelief and disobedience he distrusteth God in his promises and is self-wise against Gods truth and his omnipotency and lying still on his lees or dregs he prieth from far how it shall fare with the obedient believers in the service of the love truely such as remain so minded enter not into the Kingdome of God nor in the t Heb. 4. rest or inheritance of eternall life 36. Therefore let every one consider once rightly whereunto we are called through Jesus Christ Is it not u Mat. 25. Luk. 22. Joh. 5. 1 Cor. 15. to the everlasting uncorruptiblenesse and immortality or kingly x 1 Cor. 9. 2 Tim. 4. Jam. 1. 1 Pet. 5. Crown of eternall life to y Rom. 8. Gal. 5. Eph. 3. the inheriting in the spirit of the infinite treasures of the divine heavenly goods and moreover through the belief
account the Schismaticall ceremonies indifferent unto them for some are held captive with affections in their conscience n Rom. 14 Gal. 3.4 5 insomuch that they must yet observe certain ceremonies and others againe have such an o 1 Cor. 8.10 abhorring of them that they must necessarily leave them Answer 44. Their unbelief p Rom. 1 Eph. 4 and blindnesse is the cause of it inasmuch as they believe not the promises of God nor yet understand that the same are avouched in the spirit but will justifie and esteem themselves faithfull either by cleaving to these or by leaving of those ceremonies and think that before God they should be counted unfaithfull if their hearts were not stedfastly bound unto those things which they q Col. 2 have chosen to themselves and which without the word of life and requiring of his service of love they judge their faithfulnesse to consist in not perceiving how unfaithfull r Esa 59 and lying themselves are in their inwardnesse unto God and his upright righteousnesse For the Lord requireth by his services and ceremonies principally the inward Å¿ Ezek. 36 Mat. 23 Luk. 11 cleannesse according to the spirit And even to that end did the old Fathers of the holy Church of Jesus Christ t Act. 2.8 10. c. use the ceremonies among Christ his believers 45. But because this is not understood nor believed aright by the children of men therefore know they not also what is reckned unto them for salvation nor yet wherein consisteth the condemnation 46. For seeing they give respect to their unclean consciences and are fast tied to something that directeth not to God and his righteousnesse they cannot therefore perceive nor understand what God requireth of them for their consciences are stained with something which they esteem for holy and yet is not of God and therefore they fear 47. But if they came to the u Joh. 1 2 Pet. 1 1 Ioh. 1 sight of the living being of God which only is holy and whereby all visible things are hallowed and be used or ministred uprightly then would they through the ministring of the x Sap. 13 Rom. 1 visible things have regard to the everlasting not to the corruptible either for to fear it or els for to esteem the outward above the profit thereof as whereby they might in any wise be accused and would in the spirit love that which all is comprehended in and which the ceremonies of the Law of the belief and of the service of love do point and direct unto 48. So then the summe of all that God requireth of us is y 1 Reg. 15 an obedience which is after God and not after the manner of men or according to elementish working namely An z Ezck. 36 1 Tim. 1 upright heart towards God and his righteousnesse a a Psal 51 willing spirit and a pure unspotted conscience in Jesu Christ 49. b Heb. 6 10 Let us hereunto in the obedience of the requiring of the service of Love proceed on with c 1 Tim. 1 unfamed of faith in d Rom. 12 1 Pet. 1.3 brotherly love and in e Rom. 12 2 Cor. 13 Heb. 12 a peaceable mind for thereunto are we called and this same is the upright Salvation which God maketh choice of in us Take it to heart CHAP. XVIII 1. Wee are exhorted to accept of the proffered Grace and to grow up in Righteousnesse unto the Glory which shall be revealed at the last 3. Not to binde our Consciences to any outward thing nor to assume any Libertie to our selves 11. To take heed of Halting on both sides and of Mixing with the World 15. We are at first called to Sanctification and not to much Confessing with the mouth 16. Christ indeed is to be confessed but how SEeing then Dearly-beloved that such a godly sight is now in these dangerous times by Gods Grace appeared unto us that we sensibly perceive in our selves the divine Calling to the same which appeareth unto us not out of Flesh nor Blood but is brought unto us out of the heavenly Truth or Loyns of Jesus Christ through a Acts 2. the holy Ghost b Acts 15. for to cleanse our hearts through Faith according to the Promises the which is c 1 Cor. 3. the blessing and increase of God that is not tyed unto any working of men but is the power of God the Father himself for d Eph. 1. a pledge of our Inheritance therefore let us take heed to such an appeared e 2 Cor. 6. Hebr. 12. Grace and f Heb. 3. not turn us away in the time of the godly calling of Salvation but give over our hearts in the beleef thereunto namely to the obedience of the Love in the Spirit and so with all inclination of love with lowly hearts unto God and with long-suffering g Eph. 1.4 1 Pet. 2. grow up and increase in the Righteousnesse and Holinesse that are pleasing unto God that we may be a seat of the holy Triumph of our Lord Jesu Christ in his Coming Which heavenly cleernesse of the godly Triumph and of the glory of his Christ in the Spirit h Rom. 16. Ephes 3. Col. 1. 2 Tim. 1. hath hitherto been hidden from the World and hath ceased because it should be i 1 Pet. 1. disclosed and made manifest in holy Glory in the last time to the joy of the Beleevers that hope for the salvation of upright hearts 2. That truly is it which God requireth and whereunto all Gods Prophets have born witness And k Joel 2. Acts 2. it shall come to passe saith God in the last dayes 3. Therefore let no man now make to himself any conscience l Col. 2. Gal. 4.5 nor suffer his heart to be bound or tyed by any earthly outward thing that he be not thereby hindred for coming to the purity or sanctification of the heart which out of God cometh to passe in the Spirit 4. Let no man also take any thing upon him to any intent of Liberty whereby to live m Gen. 3. Eph. 4. in the apple of conscience after the minde of this World For in such a course the Liberty should be wholly abused and be unto us an occasion n Gal. 5. 1 Pet. 2. to use liberty according to the Flesh and utterly to fail of the upright o John 8. Rom. 6. Liberty in Jesus Christ 5. But seeing that we have now obtained an upright liberty in Jesu Christ under the obedience of the Love in the using of the Services and Ceremonies and that both it and the manner how we are to use the Ceremonies uprightly in these dangerous times is risen up unto us in our hearts and vouchsafed us of God therefore are we to look into this Liberty after the Spirit for to use it to a growth of the upright life in the Spirit that there may p Isa
the Sheep if any man enter in by me he shall be saved 24. Therefore have regard to the ground of the Scriptures how in all things they point us unto Christ to the intent that he should have his c Gal. 4. shape in us and that we should be in all upright righteousnesse and holinesse d Joh. 17. Heb. 3. 2 Pet. 1. partakers of his Being if it were but rightly understood For it is unpossible e Exo. 33. Rom. 8. 1 Cor. 2. to know the Spirit of Christ with an heart that is cloathed or covered with a mind of the Flesh 25. If Christ therefore hath a Shape in you f Joh. 7. How men shall rightly confesse Christ and you beleeve in him as the Scripture saith then may you confesse him rightly Howbeit not out of your imagining nor according to your knowledge out of the letter as the learned in the letter and the common people do that are without the communiality of the love of Jesus Christ but confesse him out of the shape that he hath in you through such a cleernesse as g Joh. 1. Acts 2. 2 Cor. 12 Gal. 1. 2 Pet. 1. his Apostles confessed him by even as it is written 26. That which was h 1 Joh. 1. from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the Word of life And the life appeared and wee have seen it and do testifie and publish unto you the eternal life which was with the Father and is appeared unto us 27. Here may every one look into himself whether he also do thus know Christ before he testifie or confesse much of him otherwise he knoweth not what he confesseth 28. Therefore we must first be turned unto Christ according to the Truth that is i Rom. 5. Gal. 5. 1 Pet. 1. in Hope through Faith unto the righteousnesse and so with good will stand firm thereunto in the beleef k Mat. 10. 16. Lu. 9.14 take up daily our crosse in the obedience of the holy Word of the Spirit of the love of Christ and follow him with patience in our souls to the salvation untill he obtain a l Gal. 4. Shape in us and his death m Gal. 6. of the crosse becom a joy unto us and so in the truth know him to the intent we might confesse him rightly 29. For the heart must be turned into him and he into our hearts and then may wee rightly confesse him with the mouth Or thinkest thou O thou man that this pleaseth God to speak of God sometimes n Mat. 7. with the mouth and so to confesse his Christ not respecting among whom or to whom of whom a man knoweth nothing at all and whiles your o Isa 29. Mat. 15. heart remaineth so far estranged from Christ and from his upright Righteousnesss and Holinesse in the Spirit O no whosoever taketh it so shall be deceived therein 30. For if thine heart be not turned to Christ and his Service of love neither be inclined to the p 1 Thes 4 2 Thess 2 1 Pet. 1. sanctification in the Spirit and thou through the beleef of the truth dost not with inclination of the love q Eph. 4. grow up therein then is all thy faith and confessing unprofitable and unpleasing to God and his Christ 31. If thou therefore O man dost either despise or hast no regard unto that which is out of love held forth or witnessed unto thee thou shalt surely lament it at the last namely in those dayes when Misery shall fall upon thee and that thou shalt see the Triumph of the gloriousnesse of Christ r Jude 1. in many thousand Saints coming Å¿ Isa 43. 49. from the rising of the Sun and going down from the mid-day and from the North or mid-night and that they t Isa 51. 52.60.61.62 shall with gladnesse be assembled as a Kingdom of God their Father unto u Mat. 8. Abraham Isaac and Jacob and unto all the holy Prophets x Mat. 8. 25. Luk. 13. and thou then shalt finde thy self shut out of doors 32. And therefore now have ye all regard y Psal 51. Isa 57.66 Micah 6. to an upright heart and meek spirit according to the spirit or life of Christ and z Pro. 1. separate your selves from the wayes of all the uncircumcised and unbeleeving 33. Howbeit not outwardly with the body or with words a 1 Cor. 5. for then must ye go out of the world and abide in no place for the unbeleeving darknesses b Isa 5.9 60. 4 Esd 14. have covered the world every-where But c 2 Cor. 6. separate you from them with heart and spirit Beleeve the good in the love and become likewise a light in the Lord d Apo. 18. so shall ye not be partakers of their ungodlinesse 34. This write I unto you ye Deerly-beloved for this intent even to stir you up hereby to a pure minde and to that piety which God regardeth also for a warning of destruction to come and that ye may perceive how that men are to stand unpartiall according to the requiring of the Truth for to use well the e 2 Pet. 1. common love and to know the upright confessing of Jesus Christ whereby to understand so much as the Lord out of his grace permitteth us to see wherein the calling of our salvation consisteth to the intent that no man through misunderstanding or vain imagination deceive himself or be deceived by others 35. If now any man be drawn away f Gal. 1. or lead aside from this good understanding which we bear witnesse unto let such a one turn him again to the Good that his inclination to Gods requiring be not in vain and lament and bewaile his ignorance that the Lord may be gracious unto him and so apply himself with whole heart minde and will to the upright righteousnesse which in the Love abideth firm for ever CHAP. XIX 1. Of the common Saying They shall be all taught of God How it is mistaken and with what hurt 11. Who they are and how they order themselves that shall be taught of God THere goeth also a common Saying abroad amongst many and it is Scripture the which is recited in the first Book of the Glasse of Righteousnesse and also in many mo places of our Writings a Isa 54. Jer. 31. They shall all be taught aright of God and b Ezek. 11. 36. Joel 2. Acts 2. by his Spirit 2. Now whiles some that have heard and spoken of this Sentence understood not the Scripture nor rightly took heed to the sense of the Word therefore they have not explained the meaning of the Word aright 3. Also some that have heard it have let the counsell of the Word go and so are fallen into the forgetting of the good turned away from the desire to the
Whereof he willeth to beware BEhold ye beloved according to all that in my labour I have been able to do howsoever the same be plain and not to be compared to the stile of the subtile and flowred eloquence I cannot tell that I have according to the sight which is a Rom. 16 Eph. 3. Col. 1. 2 Tim. 1. revealed unto me out of Gods grace kept back any thing from the man that serveth or is needful for him to know either to his Salvation or else for a warning unto him of the present destruction and of that that is to come 2. Have regard to the time and respect an unpartial heart in the Righteousnes b Eph. 3. Be established in the love and be still mindful of the same 3. I have shewed my service out of the inclination of love howbeit I have written against none in particular but before all understandings indifferently I have weighed the equity c Esa 28 Eccli 21. in the ballance measured the Righteousnes with the Square and Line and described the Righteousnes in Letters according to the life the inward life out of God to wit his good nature I have expressed and the outward righteousnes of man have I not left out To the intent that it might all go rightly forward in the true Beeing and that no man might be bewitched or bound with any opinion or bewitching of spirit but that every one might according to the truth and in the love stand free in God 4. Lo God d Deut. 30. Act. 20. is my witnes and Heaven and Earth also that in all my writing I have neither sought nor desired any other thing but the salvation of men in the love The Lord of his mercy vouchsafe us to find grace in his sight e Psal 86 lead us in his wayes for to clense our hearts by f Psal 51. Act. 15. his righteous spirit and by faith to the end we may know him in the truth and be defended from all the errors and abominations of the wicked world 5. Behold and awake g Eph. 5. in the spirit of your minds lay hold of understanding look to your selves h 1 Joh. 2. and let not the errors of this world delight you I cleare my self this day before you all and before all those that willingly desire or be minded to error or to the wicked world that my Councel and will is not so 6. If any man therefore take pleasure or be addicted to the world or to her vanity and abominations and do desire to fix his heart thereon The same erreth through the pleasing of his own mind But as for me I cleare my self of his destruction 7. For lo I have out of the inclination of love called and bidden you all out of the abominable World unto conversion to God and unto Repentance and unto Amendment and have herein warned you all sufficiently I have distinctly shewed you as much as I might do and saw necessary both death i Deut. 11 Jer. 21. Eccl. 15. and life destruction and preservation I have witnessed and pointed forth the God of life which hath made Heaven and Earth his Statutes k Deut. 4 and Ordinances which stand fast for ever wherein all the upright Fathers have lived and which all Gods Prophets have born witnes of I have also distinctly marked out Therefore shall no man that heareth or readeth our writings be able to l John 15 excuse himself as though that we have hidden the Councel or Will of God from him in any thing 8. Nevertheles if there be any greater God then the God of Israel which hath made Heaven and Earth If there be now any better Law or Ordination then his Law m Deut. 4 Or better Statutes and Ordinances then Gods Statutes and Ordinances according to his Ordination If there be any perfecter life then the n 1 Cor. 13 Col. 3. 1 John 4. love as is witnessed by his Christ for through the very same was o John 1. the life aforetimes published which is everlasting and on that same or to that same everlasting life is even our service and pointing also Or if thre be any thing in any body or if any man hath any better thing that excelleth the everlasting life and the Love which we bear witnes unto let him manifest the same unto us or let it out of Love be known unto us to the unity of heart in the Love even as we to the self same unity do witnesse manifest and publish the everlasting life and his righteousnesse of the Love and of the upright being 9. Or if any man perswade himself that he knoweth some better thing which pointeth nearer or clearer to the Almighty than the holy Spirit of the Love and of th everlasting Truth doth testifie and point unto us by which Testimonies he p Ioh. 14. bringeth and leadeth us into all Truth Let the same man make himself apparent unto us under the obedience of the Love with an unpartiall mind and not withhold from us the most best for to serve in the unity of heart in the Love as is said in upright godlinesse the living God onely For even thus standeth our whole heart affected 10. Hereunto be ye now all armed and well disposed O ye lovers of the Truth Beware that ye sleep not q Rom. 13. Eph. â— seeing it is now a time to Watch but awake in the Spirit and abide in any wise in the Hope untill ye see the light to the life your salvation 11. Make not hardly any light account of it cast it not with the unregarding ones in the wind but have respect alwaies unto the good and this service of the Love shewed on you which is in Letters described and ministred unto you to a godly life stretching to the Love turn not aside from you but take r Deut. 6. Prov. 4. the same to heart and grow therein to an upright being of the Love And so then shew your unpartiall service towards one another according to the upright nature and being of the Love For the Love to the unity of the brotherly nature requireth such things to the intent that the everlasting true God might in such upright Å¿ Eph. 4. righteousnes and holines as pleaseth him and in the establishment of his promises onely be observed and the earth likewise t Esa 60.61 2 Pet. 3. with righteousnesse faithfulnesse and Truth be inhabited Towards this let us go forward in a meek spirit If ye hear any thing that soundeth unto you strange or v Hos 8. absurd in your eares yet be not bitterly minded but follow after long suffering and blaspheme nothing 13. Let every one which is not to be spoken to or to be councelled runne to an end with his understanding and grow ye up in stilnes and singlenes of heart x Sap 9. Jam. 1. praying God for Wisdom and for an upright sight in the Truth
But tie not your hearts unto any thing save onely to the good life of the Truth y Ioh. 8. For that shall make you free 14 Above all things ye beloved z 1 Cor. 14. Col. 3. follow still after the Love For there neither is nor shall be any thing that may excell her a Deut. 6. Mat. 22 1 Cor. 13 1 Tim. 1 The Love is the cheefest good the Truth a light to the life and the Righteousnes our joy Hereunto let our hearts be affected for herein standeth the praise of the Lord. 15. Thus let us forsake all bewitching of the Spirit and depart from the evill and increase or grow up in the good And that all in stillnes and in the hidden wisdom of God For the time peradventure will yet a little while remain troublous to speak freely before all people of the Truth and godlines For at this time she is b Esa 59. 3 Esd 14. yet with the World much too base but love and esteem ye her so much the more and gather ye her to your selves for a treasure in your hearts 16. All what the wicked world loveth all the enormities and abominations that the Ministers of the wicked world do gather in their hearts and all the envy contentiousnes strife of the obstinate Teachers against us and our most holiest service of the Love cast and hurle them all out of your hearts and inwardly have nothing to do with them For their inwardnes is full of vanity falshood and maliciousnes and their joy is onely in their foolish knowledge and in the earthly and transitory things 17. But let your hearts be full of the life and being of the true God-head and your joy onely in his righteousnes that therein ye may live in the Spirit and according to the Truth 18. Let it be a pleasure unto you that God becommeth Lord and King over all Have a desirous heart to the good to the same reach also c Eph. 4. one another the hand retaine no offence of mis-doing one towards another but exhort to amendment d Eccle. 28. Mat. 6. Col. 3. and forgive in the Love that so we may grow up with each other in one band of Love unto the godlines as a reconciled or e Tit. 2. acceptable people of the Lord through Iesus Christ such as have found grace and mercy at the hands of God the father for to inherit his promises to serve him with pure hearts in all love 19. Behold to be comprehended herein is the life which is everlasting and to reach one another the hand to the same godlines to exort to amendment of life and to retaine no man his sins is the f Hos 6. Matt. 9. Mercy which God requireth of us and not Sacrifices 20. He requireth Righteousnes and hates the ungodly being He sheweth his long-suffering towards them of good will g Esa 53. Heb. 2. and beareth their infirmity or weaknes as one that would not have any man to perish or to turn back 21. For a willing heart is a delight unto him and a broken or troubled Spirit h Psal 51. for his sins cause will he not despise 22. A good confidence towards his grace of a converting sinner is a joy unto him i Luk. 15. and it causeth also a joy in the heavenly Being 23. Therefore k Deut. 20. Esa 55. let no man be dismayed nor faint-hearted but let every one from the heart upon hope in the Beleef apply himselfe to the good and l Luk. 21. possesse his soule with patience unto the godly promises 24. Let no man take any yoak upon him out of his own choice least by some means of his unablenes he fall into a loathing towards the good but grow up by little and little and profit ye still from time to time 25. Keep alwaies what ye have go not m Apo. 2. back in any case that you loose not the Crown of Salvation Go still forward increasing in the good and in the knowledge of the holy understanding n Heb. 6. and so passe on towards the perfection 26. Neverthelesse desire not to have every thing at once but grow up in the good from the o Heb. 5. beginning of the Christian life That is from the repentance for sin p Matt. 3. to go on in amendment of life and to abide stedfast therein even to the q Matt. 24. end untill the true life of perfection That is r Eph. 4. untill the old age of the Man Christ The which is inwardly to obtaine the Love essentially 27. And that is the perfection of our godlines wherein we are to grow up from the begining of our turning to God and to the entrance of the first School-rule of the Christian Doctrine of the gracious Word and his Service of Love untill we be established in God and his true Love according to the Promises 28. If therefore any man love the good and his soul desire to inherit the same let him go thereunto with an humble heart and follow after it out of understanding that ignorance grieve not his soule 29. For there have been many in times past that would by force have all the righteousnes all at once and would feine according to their fancy consume and destroy the sin altogether by heaps but they have fallen into greater and grievouser sins 30. But in asmuch now as many beginnings are with lack of understanding taken in hand therefore divers men are become vnlustfull to the Å¿ Matt. 24. Righteousnes and have turned themselves back again and do cleave to the world and to her misunderstanding more than ever they did before 31. Divers others perceive no difference between the illuminated and vnilluminated Men and so whiles they are not yet illuminated themselves they give regard both to their own Imagination of the Knowledge also to the Precepts of unilluminated men because they trust upon such things suppose that in such sort all is well with them 32. They discerne not also the life from the death in their inwardnes nor yet the hearing t Pro. 4. of Councel Doctrine whereby to draw near to the living Commandement of God and to live therein 33. Many others hold v Apo. 3. at a stay and have no righteousnes neither do they aske hunger nor thirst after it and do neither go backwards nor forwards which is indeed a great shame 34. It were better for one to suffer now and then some Inconvenience for lack of experience t so that he abide in the Hope than to hold himself still or idle to the righteousnes before he be come to the salvation 35. For albeit one do sometimes by stumbling and falling suffer some inconvenience yet he riseth again for all that bewaileth his Ignorance and so then he taketh a new courage again with a more circumspect understanding in the Spirit x against the craftines of the
praise of the glory of his God 16 And through the revealing of such a heavenly clearnesse as that we discern that many yea almost all which doe boast themselves to be Christians are yet meer strangers therefrom we doe well know the fall from the right ground of the Christianity and the bands of darknesse wherewith we were all held captive And therefore we are all void of the grace of God Rom. 3. that he may have mercy upon us all to the intent he alone may have the glory 17. Now whoso perceiveth this same let such a one turn him to the Spirit to the God of life and to his righteousnesse according to the requiring of the Love and her service that his understanding may Eph. 1. through the Love and her service be enlightned according to the Truth in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and that likewise he might love God the Father Dent. 5. and live in his statutes with an upright heart 18. For out of the God that hath made Heaven and Earth goeth the right judgement Heb. 4. his Word is living and powerfull and sharper than a two-edged sword and his burning is as a flame of fire to a consuming or devouring of all ungodly Being Deut. 4. Heb. 12. 19. Whosoever feareth not him as a true God nor loveth his Righteousnesse over such a one standeth his severity for ever Rom. 2. Exod. 20 But many thousands finde grace in his sight that doe but turne them unto him love him and keep his Commandements 20. But who hath any regard hereunto Whose attention is towards the Lord Who is there that is spiritually minded Who giveth eare Whose heart and eyes turn them to the inwardnesse of the Being of God Truly very few But they turn them almost all unto themselves to the earthly things or unto Flesh and Blood and doe very gladly heare that which soundeth pleasant unto them 2 Tim. 4. according to the delight of their fleshly eares and so shut the eares of their heart against the God of Life and all the World alienate their spirit from his holy wisdome and will not heare him nor accept him for their King that they might live in his Law and Ordinances 21. Therefore will not he also count them for his people neither regard them Psal 1. Esa 29. But they shall be compelled in their estranging to become like the tossing of chaffe wherein the whirle-wind to a scattering mingleth it selfe 22. Behold ye dearly beloved of these and other like things I have opened much unto you in the Glasse of Righteousnesse to a distinction of the knowledge of righteousnesse look unto which ye are minded Deut. 30. Eccles 15 into that may ye go whether into the sin to the death or into the righteousnesse to the life I leave every one free unbound uncompelled 23. But as for Me my whole heart and mind standeth altogether inclined to the good life of upright righteousnesse Rom. 12. 2 Cor. 3. and all my confidence is in the God of Life that I shall not forsake the wayes of his Rightenesse which are by the grace of God brought and given unto me in the sight and being of my Spirit but shall still observe the same and under the obedience of the Love administer them unto the children of men according to all the manner as I have set forth and described them according to the life out of the inclination of Love in all my service of writing for a serviceablenes to many 24. Whosoevr therefore with me hath any desire to God and his righteousnesse let such a one then from his whole heart apply himself also with me unto the same He also that strayeth and hath no regard unto God nor his righteousnesse neither is minded to the Love and her concord but will rather mix his heart with the World and her abominations and go on after his own imagination I must needs look upon it howbeit it maketh me sorry and I suffer grief for it because he doth willingly thus hunt after his own destruction 25. For behold it shall come to passe that the k Esa 60 61.62 Abac. 2. godlinesse uncompelled through the beleef out of the Love of righteousness shall come to light according to the Promises 26. But who they are that shall be made partakers of it and finde such Grace in the sight of God or from whence they shall come to joyn with us for the concord of the Love and her service that is only known to the Almighty and his Spirit But the unity of us all shall be l Ioh. 17. Act. 4. Eph. 4. one heart and mind in the Love To the which one-minded Communalty mine heart standeth alwaies inclined The Lord give us all Grace to be joyned to his People in righteousnesse of heart Amen 27. Let every one also from his whole heart be minded thereunto and apply himself for the same unities cause to the Love and her service and to the righteousnesse of heart before God and so stand for the good with al diligence Let him likewise daily apply himself m Eph. 6 Col. 4. 2 Thes 3. in prayer unto the God of life that he will vouchsafe to enlighten him and all lovers of the Truth together with all People with the knowledge of his wisdome and understanding to the intent they might all incline their hearts to the Love and her service and so Gods matters be well understood and interpreted according to the Truth to the health of the earth and renewing of the World with righteousnesse 28. Wherefore n Rom. 14. Gal. 6. bear one with another out of Love receive also unto you all wel-willing hearts to the concord in the Love understand their testimony to the good and repaire one anothers understanding to the unity of heart in the Love and let no man raile nor make Sedition or Division but let every one oyn himself unto us in Jesus Christ under the obedience of the Love and let him likewise in Jesus Christ seek the good to his preservation that the service of the Love be not hindred 29. If now by any it should be found that some man should bring forth any chaff amongst us with the Corn yet shall not men despise him for it but repaire him in his understanding with good o Gal. 6. 2 Tim. 2. instruction to the meeknesse and to the obedience of the Love in the Spirit that so through the service of the Love men may gather the good Corn the treasure of righteousnesse p Matt. 13. into the Barn the mans heart and that in like manner the vaine being together with that which is deadly and pernicious may utterly perish 30. Whosoever now can rightly judge let not him raile but let him try the matter q 1 The. 5. and take or conceive the best out of it and thus meet the little ones and draw all to the Love that no man may
and the world may know that she is worthy to inhabite the earth and that the will of God the everlasting Father may be done m Mat. 6. Lu. 11.2 on the earth as it is in heaven 7. Therefore behold that which we with our n Joh. 1. 2 Pet. 1. 1 Joh. 1. eyes do see The right communalty of the Saints of God and Christ is of one mind with us and we with her as of one accord with each other stand under the lovâ— obediently subject unto her requiring and the love is to us all a o Col. 3. band of perfection to an heritable peace for evermore 8. Wherefore the right of service of love is among us the little ones and chosen of God in as much as we bring into the world the p Esa 43.65.66 Eph. 1. 1 Pet. 3. 1 Cor. 13. renewing of life in Jesu Christ through the same and it shall never cease but have his course among us for eevermore for God is with us he bringeth unto us in the obeying of the requiring of the same service of love his blessing and encrease for a fruitfulnesse to his service of love 9. And the holy spirit of love sheweth likewise his power and effect among us namely that God himself is the Lord and the Manifester and Worker of his Work in the service of his love among us the communalty of his holy ones For he as a God of Life doth now through us and his service of love reveal and bring to light r Esa 33. Amos 9. Mic. 7. Act. 15. his building the holy City Jerusalem prepared by Å¿ Heb. 12. Apo. 21. him for an holy adorning well-pleasing unto him even as a bride is trimmed for delighting of her husband 10. Without this building of the Lord and without our holy communalty of God and Christ and without this blessing or increase out of the power of the Almighty and without this our most holiest God service of the love and of the gracious word appeared unto us according to the promises t Esa 44.45.46.47 Jer. 10. truly all the mans work and all his God services Wisdome and Doctrine are nothing els but a very blinding of the heart or a tying and bewitching of the senses and thoughts how skilfull u 1 Cor. 1. how learned in the Scriptures or Languages how eloquent how wise or how glorious and rich of spirit soever the man can be 11. Where God therefore doth not buy us his chosen holinesse execute his office of the Love according to his promises or where men have no regard unto his promises according to the foretelling of the Prophets neither do endeavour to the obeying of the love and whilst the man goeth on no otherwise but according to his own mind or after the instigation of his owne spirit x Esa 8. there cometh the man into nothing but sorrow and into erring blindnesse and miseries whereby many do either become faint-hearted and y Esa 13. hopelesse or els find themselves as vain and z Esa 59. Sap. 5. without understanding as aforetimes they were whereof in the end ariseth among them that are without understanding a bondage unto men under mens imaginations Likewise divers sorts of chosen Holinesses bewitching of the heart a Col. 2. 2 Thes 2. 2 Tim. 3.4 and strong errors whereof alas there are now every where to be found many and many sorts among the children of men 12. Oh how do many erre and fail in their opinion and vain conceiving and how do many turn them from us whilst they walk b Esa 53. their own way and have no right regard to the promises of God nor to the service of his love and therefore understand not the requiring thereof 13. But this doeth the gloriousnesse of their knowledge cause deceiving them in their disobedience Neverthelesse because of the Shine c Col. 2. of the spirituall humblenesse which they behold by it they suppose that it cannot possibly beguile nor deceive them and so they go on some in a vaine conceited knowledge and some in a chosen holinesse which God hath never required nor willed 14. Many others forsake all Religions and Ceremoniall services and even Gods promises also insomuch that they give no credit to God in his promises nor yet expect his Salvation in such manner as he aforetimes through his Prophets hath so spoken and promised the same and so cleaving to the world or to their own imagination they wax distrustfull of God because in many they have found the word of unregenerate men and their own word also to be lying not considering nor understanding that the Scripture and Prophecies given forth of God aforetimes must thus be fulfilled upon all unregenerate and opinionish or vaine-conceited men Yea it shall now all be fulfilled Evill and Good and Strife and Peace Lies and Truth Destruction and Salvation in such sort as it is written thereof It is the Lords Testimony He himself hath by the mouth oâ— his holy Prophets fore-spoken that it shaâ—l so come to passe and his wil it is that now in this last time it shall all be fulfilled d Rom. 9. then who is he that can let it 15 For in the rising up of unregenerate men wâ—â—h their deceivings imaginations and lies and â—hat in shew of the name of the Lord e Lev. 10. Num. 16. Deut. 13.18 Esa 33.34.35.42.43 c. Jer. 4.5 6.7.8.23.26.27.28.29.30 c. Mat 24. 2 Tim. 3. 2 Pet. 2.3 Jude 1. to contention confusion blindnesse and â—rrupting of the Gentiles or People there is the Scripture and the Prophets as wâ—ll fulfilled as in the setting up of Israel â—o a Salvation of the People of the Lord or so it was foretold to come to passe and it is written thereof Read Moses and tâ—â— Prophets together with the testimonies of Jesu Christ and of his Apostles and there shal ye find the same manifoldly declared 16. For albeit that many vaine-conceited men and unsent Prophets or Preachers have been found lying and might yet daily be found so or that we through any ignorance do any way misdemeane our selves yet shall God in his promises and in the mouth of his Prophets be found true 17. He will f Gen. 17.22 never forget his Covenant which he hath made with Abraham and his seed but in due time will remember his Covenant and shew that he is the God of Abraham and a God of his seed for evermore 18. In whom or through whom he hath heretofore made his name notable and glorious among all people and will yet againe through the same make his name great and glorious in the last time shewing therein that the God of Israel is only the Lord Israel his chosen people that his purpose and wisdom is stedfast and that the world by her wisdome g 1 Cor. 1.2 knoweth not the wisdom of God 19. Therefore it hath pleased God also that his elect people should
h 1 Cor. 3. circumvent the world in her wisdome and to save the world if they believe God in Jesus Christ i 1 Cor. 1. by a foolish preaching to the end they may know that Gods foolishnesse in his people is wiser then all the wisdome of this world and hereby it is manifest and apparent unto us that Gods promises abide firme and unmoveable for ever and that in his holy and gracious Word they are fulfilled and established howsoever the requiring of the obedience thereof be foolishnesse to all the selfe-wise 20. Hereon that is to say on the promises of God k Luk. 2. and upon the consolation of Israel ought we to trust hope and long even as the seed of Jacob which is scattered among all Heathen doth also hope thereon and long thereafter 21. And though many unsent Preachers be before the coming of Jesus risen up l Mat. 24. Luk. 21. 2 Tim. 3.4 2 Pet. 2.3 who have falsly boasted of Christ yet let us notwithstanding remember that it was so prophecied of before and that the Scripture maketh mention of such things therefore reproach none seeing it falleth out to us all m Rom. 8. for the best 22. For if we find any to be false deceitfull unwise or lying yea resistant against our most holiest Service of the Love that same is for a stirring up of us and for a serious examining of our selves whereby to prove whether we also might find such evill or iniquity in our selves or not and whether likewise we our selves doe with humble hearts n Gal. 6. endeavour us after the good as all upright Christians ought to do therefore let us judge none but so much the more circumspectly look to our selves that no man o Rom. 2. judge another and forget to judge himselfe 23. Now when the man perceiveth his own evill falshood and lying and beareth his judgement therein then let him seek according to the doctrine and requiring of the gracious Word and his Service to find grace at Gods hand and abiding firme in the hope of salvation let him be renewed in the holy and gracious Word under the obedience of the Love and so out of love indeavour to draw another to the same grace also then shall he p Mat. 7. Luk. 6. judge nor condemn none Behold this is the q Heb. 5. true Schoole-rule of Christian Doctrine according to the nature and requiring of the Service of Love 24. If now any man be a Christian or boasteth himselfe that he is illuminated and hath his fellowship with the Lord Jesus let him then r 1. Joh. 1. have also a Christian nature and stand subject with us under the obedience of the love of Jesus Christ 25. But if he be not so to wit that he hath no Christian nature nor Å¿ Exod. 33. Deut. 4. Joh. 1.5 1 Joh. 4. hath not yet seen the Lord Jesus nor standeth subject under the love then can he not assuredly be illuminated neither be any Christian in the sight of God nor yet have any fellowship with Christ 26. Then if his fellowship be not with Christ and his love he ought not to vaunt himself as yet for a Christian but if he submit himself with us under the obedience of the love of Jesus Christ and so ground himself on the promises of t Gen. 17.22 God on the u Esa 2.44.60 Jer. 23.29.31 Ezek. 36.37 Joel 2. foreshewings of the Prophets x Act. 2.17 1 Cor. 15. Phil. 3. 1 Thes 1. Tit. 2. Apostles of Christ and believeth God that he is true in his promises he may then as a Learner and Disciple of Christ speak y 1 Pet. 3. of the hope that he hath in Jesus Christ but he may not judge another much lesse Gods Saints and Ministers 27. For God will now in the last time when the man with all his deceivings false judgings and working of lies is z Esa 10. run to an end himself appear through his love and manifest both himself and his true judgment by his Elect Saints and bring unto his chosen who are falsly censured of all the false hearts and vain-conceited wise of the letter-learned his a Exo. 20. Esa 58.66 everlasting Sabbath day that they once have b Esa 56. Apo. 14. rest that hope in him in whom shall be found no falshood strife nor guile but continual thanksgiving c Apo. 7. for the wonderfull works of the great grace of God 28. Hereon let us also hope and long and endeavour that our fellowship might be with the love that in no case we d Rom. 13 Eph. 5. rest nor sleep in the sin and so e Eph. 6. Phil. 4. in the Spirit sigh and pray night and day unto God f Abac. 2. Heb. 10. untill that come which shall come and untill the godlinesse which is grounded in the Love doe appeare unto us 29. Which godlinesse I doe perfectly witnesse and declare out of the inclination of love in the Glasse of Righteousnesse and do likewise shew with full instruction the upright stock of life whereunto tendeth the way of the upright communaltie or believers of Christ and whereunto mankind was of God g Gen. 1. Sap. 2. Eccl. 17. created and by Christ called to live therein upon which upright stock of life and lovely being in the peace they doe all hope and have a longing wich love equitie and righteousnesse to the end that all those who have a desire to God and his Righteousnesse might be comprehended h Col. 3. in the band of love wherein the upright stock of life and Gods Righteousnesse is to be obtained and inherited for to inhabit the i Psal 37. Prov. 2. Esa 60. 2 Pet. 3. world agreeably k Rom. 15. Phil. 4. peaceably and quietly with one like mind to the love in righteousnesse and in all love according to the promises and that the world in like manner might with humble heart give good ear to the upright understanding to the obeying of the truth of the spirit to the end that the service of love might every where have his course without any hindrance and that the godlinesse might be understood and l Psal 98. Lu. 1. knovvn to the land and praise m Eph. 1. of the glory of God and to an everlasting Thanksgiving for his bountifull grace shevved on us to vvit that he hath caused us to see and made known unto us what n Rom. 12. Eph. 5. 1 Thes 4. his will is and what manner righteousnesse he requireth of us 30. If God therefore hath such a favor and inclination towards us that through the administration of his gracious Word under the obedience of the love of Jesu Christ he reacheth us the hand and pulleth us to himselfe out of the desolation o Heb. 2. and captivity of the devill into his glorious freedome to the end we should be his inheritance in his
of miseries and the infelicity of unbelieving men come hard by even at the door 10. Whosoever therefore rejoyceth him with the unbelieving wicked world and o Jer. 6.8 Ezek. 13. promiseth or pronounceth happinesse peace and prosperity unto her or to her Adherents the same man speaketh lies who so boasteth him of grace and yet abideth in his ungodly being he blasphemeth God in his righteous judgement p Esa 52. Ezek. 36. Rom. 2. and with blasphemy dishonoreth his holy Name For God is a God that loveth Righteousnesse and hateth all yea all q Psal 5. Prov. 3. ungodly being 11. He is holy r Lev. 19. 1 Pet. 1. and will have us to be holy also and that we to the laud and praise of his glory should Å¿ 1 Cor. 15. Eph. 4. Col. 3. carry or bear his image and like being and not the image of the devill nor the vaine being of the world wherein we do mock and reproach him 12. We are called through Jesus Christ and his service of love unto God and his upright Righteousnesse t Joh. 15. Phil. 1. because we should bring forth the fruits of God and not to the devill through the Antichrist the devills child by whom we joyne to the world u Sap. 1.2 Joh. 8. 1 Joh. 3. and bring forth the fruits of the devill whose end or recompence is the everlasting condemnation x Mat. 25. Heb. 10. 2 Pet. 3. and the judgement of the raging fire which cometh upon the wicked world and all wretched men that despise the Salvation of God and believe not that vve ought to live the righteousnesse of God with whole heart soul and body 13. Now this passed over I hope there are yet many good of will and contrite of heart which have a desire to do the will of the Lord and which do stedfastly believe Gods promises and hope thereon and y Rom. 8. 1 Cor. 1. Tit. 2. 1 Pet. 1. so vvith patience wait for the coming of Jesu Christ to their justifying and delivering from their sins z Luk. 11. whereby they might serve God without feare all their life long in such holinesse and righteousnesse as are pleasing unto him 14. Hereunto vve are to have regard to the intent Gods promises may be to our salvation a Mat. 5. Rom. 2. and not to a rigorous judgement on us as they are threatned to be to the ungodly 15. If any man therefore count the everlasting God true in his promises let him not look back on that which is past b Luk. 9. Phil. 3. but have regard to that which is to come and believe God that he will not neglect but openly shew his Salvation 16. He will remember his holy Covenant and c Esa 40.42.60.61.62 Jer. 23 31.33 Ezek. 36.37 be gracious unto his people and set them up again according as he hath spoken it heretofore d Luk. 1. by the mouth of his holy Prophets 17. Let no man reckon these things vain or as though nothing shall come or grow of them that he be not intangled by his blindnesse as it came to passe heretofore with many vvhen the Lord would punish the ungodly 18. At which time alwaies the most part of people were blinded e Gen. 6.7.18.19 Esa 6. Sap. 2. and had no regard hereunto before it fell upon them in such sort that they could no way escape the vengeance of the wrath of God 19. Which punishment God in sundry sorts caused to come upon the ungodly and are all set before us for example f 1 Cor. 10. that we being mindfull of the things to come should exercise our selves in the most holiest belief of godlinesse to the end we might g Heb. 5. find grace before God and so be preserved from the plagues of the ungodly h Lu. 21. and from the terrible malediction and horrible end of the last wicked world 20. Which plagues i Dan. 12. Mat. 24. shall be divers and more horrible then aforetime because the time is otherwise as being much wickeder and more manifoldly k 4. Esd 14. Mat. 24. increased in wickednesse 21. For behold it was another time and a different punishment upon the maliciousnesse of men when the Lord l Gen. 11. confounded and scattered the workmen at Babel after which time of punishment Abraham m Gen. 12. found grace before the Lord then that time was when the Lord n Gen. 6.7 2 Pet. 2. punished the world with the floud before which time of that punishment Noe with his family found grace to be a Remnant before the Lord. 22. In like manner it was also another time and punishment upon Sodoma and Gomorra o Gen. 19. 2 Pet. 2. when Lot the righteous was lead out thence and found grace before God to his preservation 23. Furthermore consider the different punishments also of Jerusalem and her Inheritants how that God punished them for their sins cause p Vide Libros Reg. Proph. in locis plurimis neverthelesse they alwaies which were upright of heart and turned them from the iniquity found grace before God 24. Now all this aforegoing being set behind and having regard unto that which is to come let every one turn him to the Lord the God of Israel who hath made heaven and earth q Jer. 18.25.35 Ezek. 14.18 4 Esd 14. and put away the abominations of idolatrous phantasies farre from his heart and so amend his course of life 25. Let every one love the good out of his whole heart mind and thoughts and take heed of the perversity of the wicked world wherein all impiety and the most horrible abominations doe bear sway r Mat. 11. Lu. 10.11 whose plagues and punishments shall now in the last time be out of measure much more horrible then any aforementioned according to the Scripture 26. Wherefore let every one labour for an upright heart before God and towards his neighbour Å¿ Esa 55. Jer. 29. Heb. 5. and seek of the Lord to find grace in his sight whereby to inherite now in this day the bountifull mercy of God in the preservation of the righteous that he perish not in the blind errours of the abominable and wicked world CHAP. IIII. 1. He willeth the wise to regard how the unbelievers do proceed in the evill 2. and the Lovers of Righteousnesse in the good 6. It is now no time to sleepe 8. But to labour for an upright heart 11. It is wisdome to buy the good things whiles they are best cheape 13. The World esteemeth not the true Vertues 15. The Beliefe 17. Hope 20. and Love 22. But the God fearing wise are to take the more heed that their Lamps be not without oyle 26. The world contendeth for the knowledge more then for the godlinesse it selfe 29. Many that know not the mans fall from God will yet speak much of Repentance c. 31. but it is all unprofitable 33.
covered therein with many grievous darknesses I could not find that there were any of all the children of men that were the upright people of the Lord or such as walked in the true light and upright love of Christ or had continued in the truth of God 34. Wherefore I found no confidence in my selfe that any of all the children of men had been rightly turned unto God and his Christ againe or that Gods holy Ministerie and Service of Love through his true Christ according to the promises had had passage among any 35. But rather I have found at this present time among the children of men sundry kinds of boasting much brawling contending wrangling and discord concerning God and Christ which contention and discord came principally hereof that every particular faction would in their blindnesse and off-fallen being or separation from Christ and without the true light of the love of Jesu Christ be the people of God and communalty of Christ and make others contemptible and odious 36. For when of the one side it was said we are the holy Church the Congregation of Christ b Mat. 24. Mark 13. Luk. 17. it was answered on the other side nay we are it and ye are Antichristians a Congregation of the Devill and of the unbelief 37. Againe it was further said by some others behold this is it which God requireth we have the right use of the Ceremonies we are Gods people the holy Israel and have the true faith of Christ whereunto also it was said again to the contrary by others nay ye are heretikes deceivers and murtherers of soules and thus every one stood for his Religion out of contention against others and not out of love to the unity of heart with each other 38. In these sundry sorts of debate and discord every particular faction was by their consorts and adherents esteemed holy and all other to be erring blind the ones Teacher to be of the Devill or out of the bottomlesse pit the others againe to be a spirit of Belial 39. After such a manner have I found many of them and they were yet all Christians as themselves said whereby there arose up c Mat. 24. great contention hatred and envy among many and all about Christ in such sort that divers of them contended for that which they themselves knew not even as the blind do that strive about the judging of a thing whether it be white or blacke whilest yet themselves cannot discerne the colours of the same but because men say unto them this is white therefore they say so too not having at all any sight of it 40. In like sort there were many also unto whom men said there is a God d Eph. 4. and a Christ or they read themselves so and thereout assumed the saying unto themselves and took it upon them that they conceived and understood the same very rightly and that so they knew God and Christ well But seeing in the truth they knew not that which they spake of God and Christ e Eph. 4. and that they had not the forme of God or Christ in them and for that cause could not discerne the same therefore doubtlesse they contended thereof like the blind 41. Among which sundry strifes and dissentions some also laboured by strong persecution to reproach revile pursue and root out or kill others that were not of one understanding with them for the confession of their God and for their beliefs cause which persecution very many did suffer Briefly there hath been every where so sore betraying among many f Mat. 24. that they have delivered up to the persecution and slaughter even one another of themselves 42. But of all these sundry factions my conceiving was that they which suffered persecution for righteousnesse sake and for conscience which they had towards God and his righteousnesse were neerest unto the truth neverthelesse the one condemned and blasphemed the other so well they that were persecuted as those which were the persecutors and upon many came feare and anguish with much perplexity and distresse of heart and great sorrow for lack of understanding over-whelmed many of the children of men in such sort that they came to great misery 43. There arose also many sorts of Sectaries with severall Lawes Doctrines Ordinances and Institutions g Jer. 8. n. 25. Ezek. 13. every of which would maintaine his owne to be Gods requiring and appointment h Supra 1. and the consciences of men were to obedience drawn to the same and bound therein and every one loved and earnestly affected his own 44. I espied likewise many offences and many abuses with sundry erroneous misunderstandings among the children of men by means whereof I was often in heavinesse because I was not joyned with men in the upright forme of godly living and because they erred so ignorantly every where 45. And so in all this because many of them gave so high respect to their owne wisdome I tryed and examined their understandings and therein earnestly noting and observing whereon the wisdome of many men was grounded I found and perceived that they which were best spoken and could over-bear or stop the mouth of others with hidden reasons or subtil arguments and words of Scripture those were in their owne opinion the stoutest and valiantest men 46. Who so moreover could in such sort as it is said out-brave catch or intrap others and knew how to propound and defend their owne ground in godliest and amplest manner those were esteemed of their complices for the wisest and on them stood all their wisdomes grounded 47. Yet found I amongst them all many well-willing hearts that had a zeale to the good but because of the misunderstanding which was found among many and wherewith they were driven into much ignorance and they perceiving the same therefore i Mat. 24. with many of them even the same zeale was waxen cold and that is lamentable specially because in their zeal they had not turned them uprightly to the waies and doctrines of the holy Fathers CHAP. V. 1. H. N. and others with him were much grieved for the blindnesse of people 5. But the Lord comforted him 6. He hath set forth many writings and newly written them for a Glasse of Righteousnesse 15. Which he exhorteth us to consider of and thereunto to conform our selves and to draw others 19. Not blaspheming if any thing therein seem contrary to the truth 20. He requireth to cast away our self-knowledge and to regard the balance of equity and to set the truth free as God is free 22. With whom she is co-essentiall 23. God is the God both of Jews and Gentiles 24. From whom to be separated is death but to be joyned unto him is life and salvation 28. Gods being is the life bread and communion of Christs body which the Disciples did eat of 33. The same became flesh and was distributed also to the Gentiles and the same shall likewise be
we bidden through the service of the doctrines and writings of the Apostles of Christ i 1 Pet. 1. 1 Joh. 1. vvho have published in the world such a life as is everlasting 36. If then we believe in Christ so as the Scripture saith then shall not the upright wisdome remain separated from us but have her form in us and k Joh. 4.7 flow from our body as a river of living waters 37. But now is this upright wisdome l Mat. 11. 1 Cor. 1.2 hidden or unknown before all flesh also before the devill before the world and before all her wise and letter-learned ones 38. Also she is not to be learned in any schools through any study in the knowledges not found by any manner tongues or languages but she riseth as a light upon those who in the Doctrine of Wisdom of her service of Love are low and humble of heart m Esa 57.66 poor of Spirit willing to the good n Sap. 1.7 and not subject to the lustfulnesse of the sin 39. Therefore speaketh the mouth of the Wisdome saying o Mat. 11. I thank thee O Father of heaven and earth that thou hast hidden this same from the wise and learned in the Letter and hast made it knowne to the little and lowly 40. Yea it hath alwaies so pleased the Father to make the lowly contrite hearts partakers of the gifts of his holy wisdome CHAP. VII 2. In the off-fallen estate there is none truly wise though many boast 3. The Glasse of Righteousnesse is set forth to try every ones cause by it 8. Though the Author be moved at the misunderstanding of others 9. Yet would he not have men to think that his owne humane waies had been alwaies right 11. But through the Lords mercy he hath been inlightned 12. Which illumination and gifts he respected not in regard of the Love 13. And exhorteth all others to despise their gifts likewise in respect thereof 19. He bewaileth mens uncertaine knowledge 22. Yea even of them that are fore-goers unto others 25. How to walke in the Service of the Love 29. The written word is not the word it selfe 31. Yet mens misunderstanding perceiveth it not 39. But God can reveale the difference INasmuch as I now have perceived the fall or estranging of men from this holy wisdome and what a wicked nature and crafty heart they have or in what spirituall bewitching they stand that account themselves for wise and yet are strangers to the godly wisdome which is according to the Love and the requiring of her Service therefore could I not give credit unto any of them as true wise ones or upright Christians although they boasted them of Gods wisdome or gave our themselves for a Christian Congregation 2. For through mistrustfulnesse the fear of my heart was that the Christianity was not so good or upright among the Children of men as they made boast of or that it might yet not be for all that the right Christianity or that her Ministration was not yet proceeded out of the right stock of the Love 3. Whilest then that they were yet unknowne unto me in such sort that I could credit no man for his boasting fair speaking nor profoundnesse or deep knowledge and that out of Gods grace and his heavenly revelation there was granted me to see the good being of the Christianity and that the same stood before me in the sight of my spirit whereafter my hope and longing was as also we have said before therefore out of the inclination of love am I occasioned to shew openly and to set forth a Glasse of Righteousness whereby to make knowne before all eyes of understanding that glasse themselves therein the good and upright being of the true Christianity and what our calling is through Jesus Christ by the Word of the preaching of the Apostles of Christ and whereby also to lay open the understanding a Eph. 3. whereon we are to set our hope what manner life the Prophecies doe stretch unto wherein Gods promises are to be established and what manner ones they be or ought to be that are the upright Congregation of the Christianity 4. This verily have I through Gods grace b Rom. 12. 1 Cor. 3. which is given unto me plainly expressed in Letters according to the life of the upright Christianity namely according to the upright forme even as I behold the same in the vision of the truth through Gods heavenly Revelation which is c Rom. 16. Eph. 1.3 Col. 1. 2 Tim. 1. appeared and revealed unto me d Eccl. 24.33 seeking therein the salvation of all men and not mine owne only for therefore to the end that all controversie might now be ended and that it might be knowne what the true Christianity is I have impartially noted or described in Letters the upright being of the Christianity and also in like manner the true teaching-office of the Ministration of the holy Word in the obedience of the love of Jesu Christ. 5. If now any man have right in his matter concerning the Christianity or if any man minister the office of the holy Word rightly in the obedience of the love of Jesu Christ according to the promises he will also keep it and will likewise very willingly unite himselfe with us in the obedience of the Love of Jesu Christ for I desire not with my writing to bereave any man of the true being of the Christianity nor of the upright Office of the Ministration of the holy Word but much rather to point him to it and to be serviceable unto him therewith 6. But they that are wrong and stand in a conceit or imagination shall also very easily perceive wherein they mistake or are wrong if so be they read these writings and doe glasse themselves in the Glasse of Righteousnesse and have regard unto these testimonies 7. Let every one know himselfe and turn him to the Communalty of the love that he may be inlightned in his e Eph. 1. understanding and be delivered and unburthened of the f Rom. 1. vaine bewitched being and so with thanksgiving laud God 8. Oh what shall I say of the vaine understanding of the children of men and of all their conceits and imaginations whereunto they are subject Oh how much experience have I of this their ignorance and conceitednesse I have examined it very much I have had regard unto the judgement of many men and made my selfe common with every one howbeit I have found many things vaine or senselesse 9. But although I do thus write yet let no man therefore thinke that my humane waies have been still in the true understanding O no! but concerning my humane disposition and weak nature I have found my selfe in much sin and ignorance above many others 10. I have also passed thorow many g Sap. 5. tedious waies struggled much stumbled often and fallen many times yea I have been even the chiefe among
sinners 11. But h 1 Tim. 1. mercy is shewed on me inasmuch as the most high God hath permitted me to see my humane ignorance and throughly inlightned mine understanding i Mat. 13. Eph. 3. and revealed his secret unto me to the end that I should discover the mind of the life and of his righteousnesse according both to the divine and also humane nature and form for to shew evidently whereunto the man was created 12. Now might some man say that is assuredly a great gift of the most highest It is true I must needs highly praise land thank the goodnesse of the grace of God therein inasmuch as the Salvation of men is manifested thereby But I my selfe have never had my respect upon the knowing of this whereby in any wise to rejoyce my selfe therein nor to glory thereon as in regard of my knowledge but to the end that I would not set my confidence upon the knowing nor upon the inlightning of mine understanding I esteemed it rather as if it were not given me or were not appeared in mine understanding then that in respect thereof I would be without the love 13. Wherefore in regard of the love let us give no respect unto any of all the gifts of God for to rejoice our selves or to glory in any of them without the love to the end that we may get and obtain the love k Cant. 8. which is the sealing or making sure of the divine promises whereunto also all prophecies do point l Mat. 22. Mar. 12. Rom. 13. and therein cease for if we have not the love or if we attain not thereunto then m 1 Cor. 13. have we doubtlesse nothing 14. Therefore namely for the loves sake I do esteem it to be hurtfull to repose our selves on any gifts of God which in our knowledge are committed unto us for to obtain the love and to have love one to another must be all our exercise to the end the same might have a forme in us 15. For that cause let no man give respect unto his knowledge nor to the excellency of his understanding nor to the richnesse of his Spirit out of the heavenly knowledge nor to the gifts of his divine Prophecies nor to his learnednesse in the Scripture nor to his sundry tongues and languages nor to the constancie of his righteousnesse and holinesse as thereby to think himself to be any thing but let him set all such things behind the back in silence having no regard thereunto and n 2 Cor. 10. so give his understanding captive under the obedience of the love in the spirit and set his expectation and longing fully and wholly on the love to the end he may win the love 16. For the love o Rom. 13. is the fulfilling of all this and the divine being it self and it is the true life and holy wisdome promised for to come to a shining of Jerusalem round about 17. After this wisdome let us hope and long and esteem all to be nothing worth whatsoever is without the same For whatsoever is without the love shall perish melt and consume p 1 Cor. 13. but the love abideth for ever whose years are not shortned neither doth the number of her daies fail 18. And so for the loves cause let us not know or maintain that we know any thing save q 1 Cor. 8. only the love to the end we might win many unto her for the ministration of the true Christianity shall out of the love only bear sway according to the promises 19. But alas the children of men have very little regard hereunto for every one will needs know much and besides that know also what is right howbeit they come not to the knowledge of that which they should know yet every one giveth his judgment out of the knowledge and will thereout judge of the wisdome of God and all understandings 20. But this I lament with sorrow of my heart the which I see hear and prove by manifold experience that the man is so unstayed and that the upright understanding of wisdome is so darkned in the children of men 21. For I find that many of them doe much fail in their judgement and do not comprehend the truth out of the testimonies of Scripture because they r Mat. 22. understand not the Scripture 22. Not onely they which are apparently without understanding but they also Å¿ 1 Tim. 1. that give out themselves for masters and teachers of understanding t Rom. 2. as foregoers and leaders of the blind and as lights unto them that are in darknesse and that account so of themselves as if much divine understanding were discovered and disclosed unto them and therefore through the shew of their deeds and works they boast them highly to have received u Mat. 13. Luk. 11. the key of the entrance into the Kingdome of God for to open the same or to let in or to shut it to and keep out for to forgive fins or to retain 23. The which I find in many to be nothing but a conceit imagination and self-wisdome which themselves have taken upon them and so think to be wise through the riches of their knowledge and because of the respect which they give to their understanding they judge the sooner and boldlyer of those words and writings which are set forth to the good not rightly respecting that which is sought therein and required or desired thereby 24. But they that do rightly regard the word will not judge rashly but still will have their respect unto the love also they will not search the Scripture nor study therein for to know utter recite or to publish the same in historicall manner as the clarks of the knowledge use it in ther schools as the letter-learned do in their Synagogues and Assemblies vvho indeed hold very much of the Scripture and according to their ovvn sense do gladly hear and speak thereof u Mat. 23. but vvhat the Scripture requireth that do they not 25. But in the service of love it ought not so to be ye deerly beloved but every one is to cast dovvn himself x 1 Pet. 5. and to humble his soul that he may obtain such a heart mind and spirit as the service of the vvord pointeth us unto and so regard his calling vvhereunto he is required by the Scripture to the establishing of the godly promises not after the y Deut. 12. choosing of any mans conceiving but as God hath heretofore spoken it by the mouth of his holy Prophets 26. If therefore vve have an inclined mind to the same in the belief of the love that the love may obtain a lively forme in us then need vve not to study strive or dispute much neither yet to ask much advise nor to hold Counsells thereabout but vve ought vvith our hearts z Ezek. 14. to turne avvay from sins and abominations and so to come to an humble
himselfe may feed you 5. Men may also see yea it is plainly seen and observed that g Jer. 10. Ezek. 22. Joh. 10. Apo. 16. the Wolves Bears Dragons and Serpents yea all venomous carrion the Generation of Vipers do inviron and compasse the Forrest of the desart watching night and day that the sheep come not out thence neither tast of the good pasture nor yet be gathered to their good and upright Shepheard to the intent that they themselves to wit that false brood might still h Ezek. 34. keep the Soveraignty and preheminence and that the bands of their Dommion might not be broken 6. And many of the common sort of Inhabitants of these vvildernesses though they see and note that it ought not so to be do yet i Ier. 3. quietly look upon it and carelessely loiter forth the time if it touch not them they think then all is vvell and use the Proverb whilest a thing is tolerable it is commendable 7. O God they are little moved hovv it fareth vvith thine holy holy Land of inheritance vvhich lyeth still vvast or that thy sheep remain as strayed in the vvildernesse and thy Lambs be cruelly handled and torn as long as themselves may have but peace 8. They k Ier. 5.8 mourne not once neither bear they any sorrovv O God for thy holy City Jerusalem hovvsoever they see that it is trodden dovvn l Iam. 1. Luk. 2. and lieth utterly vvast 9. They ask not once for Sion thy temple and thy Sanctuary entreth not once into their hearts 10. They make themselves delights in the forraigne Lands and forget the Joy in Sion 11. Oh vvhat shall I say of these wretchlesse ones that neither seek nor desire any thing but to have their ease and repose in the flesh and moreover of those self-seekers among the dispersed Israel vvho daily rejoice them vvith the intangled Babilon and shrovvd themselves under the contentiousnesse and m Gen. 10. violence of Nimrod and do not once think on the Lavv of their God nor on the seat of his glory but take unto them the foreskin of the heathen and vvallovv in the filthinesse of the uncircumcised 12. Oh! are not all these like the svvine n Mat. 7. 2 Pet. 2. that hath his delight in the dirt and regardeth not the fairnesse of the Roses are they not also like the hedghog vvhich delighteth to be in the vvast places of uncleanlinesse contenting himself vvith mice svvines flesh seeing it is even a pleasure unto them to wallow themselves in all uncleannesse and to eat all unclean meat wherein they have a desire to live and do not once long for the pleasantnesse of the noble Garden where men do eat the pure herb and the clean beasts and where they sing and play the laud song of the Lord out of o Apo. 13.14.15 the Mercy Seat 13. But alasse the desolation as is said is yet me thinks best pleasing in this world p Jer. 5.6 7.8.9.10 c. Ezek. 16.20 for I see that the same getteth the prcheminence every where and I cannot otherwise perceive but that the desolation is now adaies most imbraced and beareth greatest sway els must mine eyes be blinded that I look asquint and see not aright 14. Therefore O ye Seers which do bear sorrow for the treading down of Jerusalem q Psa 74.79 Jer. 9. Lam. 1.2.3.4 4 Esd 2.3.4.8.10 and are grieved from the heart that the Lords Temple and his Sanctuary lieth wast judge ye the matter whether I have noted it rightly or unrightly 15. If I have noted the thing rightly suffer ye then with me I pray you grief and heavinesse in your hearts and sigh you with me to the Lord that he will have mercy on us and set up his Sanctuary for his holy names sake 16. Oh send forth a cry to the desolate peoples give them with lamentation to understand the desolation whereinto they are fallen that they may sorrow and be grieved Let them behold how poor and naked they are of the godly riches 17. Come hither I pray you to the love and her service O ye desolate peoples and consider in this light how that ye are all r Sap. 5. strayed from the way of life and understanding and weep or lament over your froward waies 18. And come all ye that are ignorant Å¿ Pro. 6. come and eat of my bread and drink of the wine which I powre forth unto you forsake the ignorant being so shall ye live and shall walk in the way of understanding 19. I wisdom do in the love cry and call unto you O ye children of men regard it O ye ignorant ones ye unwise take it to heart and hear 20. For I will speak t Pro. 8. and my lips shall utter some singular matter 21. For my mouth shall speak the truth u Pro. 8. and my lips hate that which is ungodly 22. All the words of my mouth are righteous x Pro. 8. there is no frowardnesse nor falshood in them 23. Therefore come and go with me into the house of mourning where the poor the little ones and the contrite of heart are even there will I shew you y Apo. 3. how poor and miserable ye are and which are the most precious treasures z Pro. 3.8.6 Esa 33. Col. 2. and riches that you lack 24. Come and help me to make a lamentation before the most highest and suffer sorrow for the most hurtfullest a Mat. 16. losse of the upright righteousnesse because it is not or very little found in this world for my heart is therefore oftentimes heavy Oh where is it or where may I rightly find where to ask after it 25. Where I pray you is now b Mal. 1. the fear of God such as is unmixt with the fear of men whereout the beginning c Pro. 1.9 Eccl. 1. of the holy wisdome appeareth 26. Where is the most holiest faith d Rom. 5. Eph. 6. Heb. 11. in the true hope of salvation which men e Ro. 3.5 Gal. 2. are justified by from the sin wherewith no vein or false faith is mixed 27. Where is the pure love f Mat. 22. Rom. 13. Gal. 5. which is the fulfilling of the Law and g 1 Tim. 1. the principall scope of the belief wherewith is mingled no discord nor selfe-seeking in the love 28. Where is now h Hos 4. faith and truth whereon any heart may rest 29. Where is the true ministring of the holy word i Act. 2.3.4.7.8.9.10 c. and working of the holy Ghost wherewith the invention of mans wisdom hath not mixed it self 30. Where is Gods k Esa 42.48 Apo. 4.5.7 Honour Land and Praise that belongeth unto him onely wherein mans honour and praise is not mingled 31. Where is the pure God-service which is l Jam. 1. not mixed nor spotted of this world 32. Where is the Law of the
assurance on the same doth he not count it for his arm or strength 14. And thus living in such love to the corruptible things and in that false confidence every one loveth his own self and l Esa 29. Ezek. 33. Mat. 15. with his heart turneth from the Lord and so passeth on his errour and merrily singing m Tob. 13. Apo. 19. Alleluia even as though that God had his delight in such abomination and that Jerusalem were likewise builded up and lay no longer trodden down 15. In such a show or simulation and in such pleasure of their own conceit not having n Ioh. 5. the love of God nor bearing the Law of the Lord o Ier. 31. Heb. 8.10 in their hearts they betake themselves to marriage with bold courage bringing forth their children p Ose 5. in the unrighteousnesse and account that same for pure wedlock ordained of God the which yet among them is but meer adultery q Ezek. 16.23 and impudent whoredom 16. For consider who is now I pray you within the right matrimony or conjunction of man and wife 17. Was it not expedient that Gods Law and will r Psal 40. Esa 51. Ier. 31. should be in the mans heart and that so the same man should in his will and disposition cleave unto that God which hath made heaven and earth In like manner ought not the woman also to follow the man and with the like disposition Å¿ Eph. 5. cleave only to the mans will and so in her heart bear that which concerneth God or at least labour hope and long after it and in that sort bring forth her children to the end to bring them up t Tob. 1. Eccl. 7.30 Eph. 6. according to the Law of the Lord in the upright being that the name of the living God might therein be magnified from their birth and from Generation to Generation for evermore 18. But if we observe and note this thing aright there are but few alas that proceed by this rule and therefore they are generally u Esa 57. Mat. 12.16 adulterers and adulteresses 19. For such as come not together by the Lord but x Tob. 6. keep or shut God and his Law out at doors are they not all y Sap. 3.4 children of adultery liveth not every one of them that are such in his own matrimony and conjunction contrary to Gods Ordinance or conjunction z Sap. 3. Heb. 13. of the undefiled bed 20. Therefore passe they not at all for the pure begetting procreating or bearing to the bringing up of children in godlinesse to the praise of the most highest 21. Oh! this same is with many yet far from home for every one desireth generally to bring up his children to himself even to his own pleasure that he may thereby spread his own name and not the Lords and therefore there is no love of God nor unity in the love among them 22. For every where there is a middle wall and division between God a Esa 59. 4 Esd 9.13.15 Mat. 24. Luk. 21. and the man between the spirituality and the temporality between the Prince and the Subjects between the husband and the wife between the Parents and the children between one brother and another and between one friend and another 23. Every one mindeth his own and would fain have another agreeing to his mind yea the man is now come to such presumption and stoutnesse b Esa 45. that every one in particular would gladly have that in all things he might use the everlasting God at his own will and that God would give successe to all things according to his pleasure 24. And in such a manner is the vvife minded towards the husband the children towards the parents and moreover one people towards another whether it be in Ordinances Religions and Righteousnesses or in temporall Laws In every thing there is own wills desire middle wall destruction suspition mistrust and covertnesse 25. Yet who taketh it to heart who doth forgo himselfe who considereth it doth not every man cover himself that his shame might not be laid open 26. Who can now I pray you acknowledge that he himself is so unclean unjust wicked c Esa 1. and dissembling and that he ought to turn him from his unrighteousnesse 27. Truly not many alas can brook it nor yet well indure or bear the shame thereof by reason that they will not do away nor forsake the covering or show of vertue wherewithall they are covered 28. For in this regard the husbands will be much too upright the wives too honest and the children much too proud d Esa 3. and haughty for to be content to acknowledge that they are open sinners and no better then whores and naughty packs e Mat. 22. for thereby they might not in any wise come into the Kingdom of God 29. So perversly are the children of men minded against God For albeit they are guilty in all respects if not with the deed yet at least with the heart in secret yet notwithstanding they do all keep themselves covered before the face of God and his Saints and would much rather be respected and accounted for just persons even as the Pharisees f Luk. 7. and letter-learned were then with the Publicans to acknowledge their sins g Luk. 18. convert and pray to Almighty God for his grace 30. Whilest then the children of men will not understand nor acknowledge this same h Joh. 9. therefore remain they in their sins Notwithstanding out of their unconverted hearts and unacknowledgement of their errors they search the Scripture i Joh. 5. thinking to have the understanding of life therein whereas the same is it k Ioh. 5. that accuseth them and giveth testimony of the upright life but to the same life they desire not to come for they know it not neither the way that leadeth thereunto howbeit they perswade themselves that they are wise and do well know how they ought or ought not to live 31. But that which they ought before all things to know they do not know understand nor see for they ought necessarily to have seen that they are like broken of branches l Rom. 11. separated and straied from the upright stock and likewise to know the defection m Esa 59. from their God and his Christ and the lying against the Lord. 32. Seeing then they are blinded in regard of the discerning of the fall from their God and are not come to the incorporating with Christ and yet say they are Christians and indeed are not but are a Synagogue of the devill and do boast themselves of God and God findeth them liars in his sight therefore will he even n Apo. 3. spew such out of his mouth and not suffer his holy name to be any longer blasphemed by them because they should see and know that they have o Esa 1. blasphemed the holy one in
Israel p 1 Mac. 3. trodden down his Sanctuary with their feet contemned him and his gentlenesse and in their presumptuousnesse esteemed themselves great and wise 33. Inasmuch as this same is still unknown to the world and unto all wel-conceited wise and is of few looked into and that the man learneth not to know himselfe whereby he might judge righteously neither is with the inclination of his heart disposed to the love nor hungreth nor lusteth the convertion to his God and will q 2 Tim. 4. not abide the godly doctrine but remain selfe-wise and stout of heart therefore do I even truly perceive great infelicity sorrow r Mat. 24. and misery to be ready to come in this perillous time yea such an estate shall fall upon the children of men as shall be out of measure horrible and all this same must needs light upon them because every one is much too self-wise in his own conceit also too self-expert in the Scripture and for that every one supposeth Å¿ Jer. 8. when he hath the Scripture and readeth or heareth the same that he cannot then erre nor be deceived 34. This say they and yet do they all erre because the upright judgement out of a discerning of love is not in them and because out of the brests of the love they have not sucked and tasted the godly wisdome 35. For it is certainly meer lies what the letter-learned t Jer. 8. and what the wel-conceited wise of spirit also do without the love institute or set forth how clear soever in understanding and how expert soever of good and evill they are become thereby for they must all submit them to the love and be reformed in her service otherwise they can never although in their imagination they know perceive and com prehend all things come to the new man u Joh. 3. nor to the Kingdome of God for the love is only it wherein every thing which is the truth and wisdome of God is comprehended She x Col. 3. 2 Tim. 1. is also the band or establishing of the perfection 36. Whilest the love then hath every thing which is of God Christ or Truth contained or included in it therefore might some man demand shal we then let the Scriptures passe O no God forbid but men are not to use them for the knowledge nor to the end to teach them forth historically but to the intent they may give regard to such an upright spirit or life as is set forth therein or required thereby even as is y 3 Clas 24. partly also set forth and declared both of this and of the knowledge in the third book of the Glasse of Righteousnesse that so through comfort of the Scriptures we should to our rejoycing z Rom. 15. have our hope on the promises and on the foreshewing of God by his Prophets and by the Apostles of Christ who have prophecied of the healthful life which abideth sure in the love for ever and so passing on towards it in the belief a Rom. 4. give credit unto God that he in his promises is true 37. But it is to be lamented that the Scripture is by so few at this day discerned out of the understanding of the truth and of the love whereby to understand the same rightly according to the mind of God 38. True it is there is much written and divers have set forth many writings and have had much provoking of spirit and great inclination to teach howbeit every one severally according to the sight or knowledge that he hath had being in the state of the fall from God and in the estranging from his Salvation 39. But inasmuch as they were not come to the love and that their hearts were not inclined to the love in all things as they were to the spirit of their glistering knowledge and comprehension therefore did many of them erre and mistake for the mind of God b Deut. 6.10 Mat. 22. Rom. 13. and the fulfilling of the Scriptures is the love 40. And the same is c Col. 3. the perfection wherein eyery thing to a life and truth of peace standeth firm to our joy and d Eph. 1. to the praise of the glory of God to all and on all that hope upon it and long thereafter CHAP. X. 1. Great calamity shall come upon the children of Men because of the contentious knowledge 2. Knowledge and truth differ 5. The way of life clearly shewed 6. Yet through ignorance mistaken 16. A lamentation over mans ignorance 24. The author by his writings sheweth what is commendable and what is discommendable counselling to learn upright understanding and the speciall Vertues of the Love and to shun all disputing with the partiall FOrasmuch as the man is now perswaded that he himself with his eies of the Spirit doth so clearly and nakedly discern and understand the right as he cannot be deceived and for that every one which standeth in partiality is by his sight or spirit contentions howsoever each severall party maintaineth his own matter and defendeth the same to be of God and will in all things have the right onely and alone passe with his own matter and will not effect the love above all to the unity of heart therefore even through the same glittering in case they have not all their understanding captive under the obedience of the love there shall come horrible calamity upon the children of men in such sort that upon this earth they shall become an a 4 Esd 5. abhorring one to another for that every one standing stiffe in the knowledge and in the clearnesse thereof vvill not for the loves sake give over his own matter thinking that the truth ought not to give place 2. It is true indeed that the truth ought not to give place but betwixt the knowledge and the truth there is great difference for much knowledge which yet men call truth can easily arise out of the subtilty of wit but the truth of God proceedeth out of the love and is even of one being with the love 3. Therefore is the knowledge b 1 Cor. 13. divided and broken but the love is the truth c Ioh. 17. and the true being it self and the perfection 4. But alas this do not many of them know to wit that they should come to the love and so bear the love for a mark of the righteous Spirit and rejoyce them with the truth d Ioh. 17. 1 Ioh. 1. that same is the word of life which was spoken of according to the promises 5. Inasmuch now as I have noted and do yet at this present find so much boldnesse in men by reason of their knowledge and imagination of the truth whereon they are very stout and bold and yet for the most part it still faileth them of the truth and love and for that the right way to the true life and the loves nature is thereby missed of many
And seeing moreover that the right way and entrance into the true life and into the loves nature is by Gods grace granted me to be seen into therefore have I out of the inclination of Love clearly and nakedly with uncovered words set forth the right way or entrance into the true life and the upright nature or being of the love in the Glasse of Righteousnesse distinctly noting the divine and the humane the spirituall and the naturall and what is decent and meet to be used for a discerning which is the establishing of the promises of God according to the Scripture that both Gods righteousnesse and mans righteousnesse might be knowne and that we likewise in an inclination of love might with consenting minds passe forth towards the same 6. But alas what availeth it any man that one point him out a good way and an even and plaine path if he walk not in the same nor have no liking thereunto 7. What availeth it to knock and in divers manners to call if there be no ears to hear nor any understanding to comprehend or to understand the same nor any heart to imbrace such things 8. Or how shall one be able I pray you to declare conveniently unto such a man his error and the entrance into the good life that he might rightly regard and understand wherein his salvation consisteth whereby he might be delivered from the bewitching of his heart and so know what right is to the intent he might once comprehend understanding rightly 9. If a man say unto him the increase and the blessing e 1 Cor. 3 cometh only of God f Prov. 2. Sap. 8. Eccl. 1. he is the giver of wisdom and no man nor Letter then runeth he clean away from the same illuminated man which pointeth him to the life of wisdome and utterly giveth over the Scriptures and the daily Services of the holy Word which direct him to the upright life and are serviceable thereunto and so departeth from the wisdom g Jer. 7.11.13 cleaving either to his vain imagination or els to the world in her foolishnesse and error 10. If one say unto him that he must suffer himselfe to be h Rom. 10 1 Cor. 3 2 Cor. 3.4.5 1 Pet. 4. 2 Pet. 1. served to the peace of life by some illuminated man to the intent that by hearing he may grow up in the belief to the salvation then observeth he no difference often times between the unlightened men and the Elders of the holy Understanding in the Family of Love but giveth such respect to the unlightned men for their knowledge that he suffereth himself to be i Gal. 1.6 Col. 2. taken captive thereby to a bondage under their knowledges and so becometh a servant unto men and is by the unregenerated men bewitched with somthing that is not of God nor leadeth to the life of salvation in such sort that through his liking unto that which he heareth of them and by which he is seduced and beguiled he betaketh him to the vain things of the flesh and forsaketh or forgeteth the true ministration of the Word of the Lord and likewise also the good exercises wherethrough he might have come or been brought unto God and to k Psal 36. Ier. 2.17 the fountain of upright and perfect wisdom 11. Unto which fountain of upright and perfect wisdom the man should of right be alwaies subject and long after it and moreover according to the requiring of the good exercise that leadeth thereto hope thereon turn all his affection and inclination of heart thereunto love the Wsdome and l Pro. 4. information and submit himself obediently to the Service of the gracious Word that so he might come to the m Prov. 2. life of the upright righteousnesse and then take part therewith and not with any of those things that lead not to the salvation 12. If one say unto him that he must be spiritually minded then climeth he up with his wit very high after the spirituall understanding and will likewise take upon him to understand the spirituall things by his own knowledge and will be so utterly spirituall and so quite and clean change himself out of flesh into Spirit that thereby he forgetteth and forgoeth the humane Ordinance and equity and to shew love to his Neighbour and unto all men likewise Out of which bewitched opinion of spiritualnesse many divisions and corruptions do arise 13. If a man say unto him that he should have regard unto the equity of nature seeing God hath n Gen. 1. created the naturall things also for the mans good then doth he on the other side so wholly adict himself to the naturall and visible things that he receiveth them to his own bondage and slavish delectation and tyeth his heart thereunto and so shuteth or keepeth off the most holiest being and the true holy Spirit of Jesus Christ out of his heart 14. If the man read the Scripture and do out of the testimonies of the same hear that the Law of Moses and the Prophets have their Office and Ministery o Mat. 11. Luk. 26. Gal. 3. till unto Christ and that in like manner all is in Christ fulfilled and that Christ p Rom. 10 is the end or fulfilling of the La w whereout the Gospell or second Testament of the Holy Ghost proceedeth according to the fore-shewing of the Prophets then he thinketh he will in any wise take the best and in his spirit receive Christ and the Gospell and that which is spirituall and heavenly of God supposing thus with his understanding and knowledge to run clean beyond the law of Moses and the Prophets of the Old Testament to wit beyond the obedience of the foregoing Service and so will rely upon Christ and be a child of the New Testament for he readeth that that is the most best and imagineth that if he should regard the Law and the Prophets and should obey the foregoing Service and requiring thereof he should then go back and finish his beginning of righteousnesse q Gal. 3. in the flesh or outward for the Scripture and the foregoing Service maketh mention that the fulfilling of the Law and the Prophets is r Luke 18.24 in Christ and that the spirituall and heavenly goods be inherited in the Spirit And thus will he be one of Christs of the Gospells and of the New Testaments and apprehend in his spirit the spirituall heavenly goods e're-ever he be passed thorow the Law or the Old Testament or hath understood the Prophets of the foregoing Service in their requiring Å¿ Gal. 3.4 Heb. 7 how they lead him to Christ and how or in what sort all is in Christ fulfilled 15. Herein lieth the man wrapped and snarled and maketh nothing thereof t Esa 59 but desolation and destruction altogether troubling his understanding and conscience and in like manner more others also by his ignorance 16. O God how is the understanding of the
then shall your portion be with the Kings and Priests or with the Elders of the holy Understanding and your fellowship with such Senetors as do further the Righteousnesse and your Service of the Word with the peace-makers that do earnesty seek the unity in the Love 10. And thus shall then the slandering lips k T it 2. 1 Pet. 2.3 which defame you with all evill by your good conversation with the wise in the wisdom and with the just or vertuous in all righteousnesse and integrity be put to silence 11. Therefore be now through the love and her service wholly l Rom. 12. Eph. 4. renewed and purified in the spirit of your mind passe now thorow the river of the love even to the rest of life the holy land of promise that the ungodly bear no dominion over you 12. Be altogether with one consent minded hereunto and let the love have the preheminence and dominion with you all that the little ones may be protected and the simple defended 13. Therefore O ye lovers of the truth seek unity and labour for it and make a departure out of all heathenish being which is after the course of the worlds foolishnesse 14. Do away the fore-skin m Deut. 10 Ier. 4 of your uncircumcised hearts lay away from you according to the former conversation the bewitching of the imagination which glimmereth unto you before the eyes of your spirit and glittereth before your understanding as if it were some excellent thing 15. Renew your understanding in the Service of the holy and gracious Word under the obedience of the Love and so in the spirit of your mind betake you n 1 Cor. 14 to the Love and and as deer children be subject thereunto whereby you may in the love obtain eyes of clearnesse 16. If notwithstanding ye be o Iam. 1. unwise p Apoc. 3. blind and q Mat. 5 poore of spirit yet grieve not your selves for all that for then ye draw neare to the Kingdome of God 17. If you desire godly wisdom then r Iam. 1 pray and believe she shall be given you so far forth as your prayer Å¿ Rom. 12. is stedfast and as ye pray to God in a lowly heart with such a prostrated soule as hath a desire or pleasure to do and to fulfill the Lords will 18. Men may find many which pray unto God for wisdom and for the right sight of his Kingdom but they will not acknowledge nor t Joh. 9. Apoc. 3. understand that they are unwise poor and blind therefore they obtain nothing 19. For although that the wisdom stood even at their door yet so well seen are they and so rich of spirit through their own wisdome of the knowledge that the upright wisdom of God and the being of his Kingdome must be faine to tarry without 20. Therefore right well speaketh the mouth of the Wisdom Blessed u Mat. 5. are the poor of spirit for the Kingdom of heaven belongeth unto them or the wisdome of God ariseth as light upon them and not upon the rich or upon the great knowers 21. For when we of our selves are become poor blind or unwise or do forsake that which is ours and do come to contrition and meeknesse of heart x Psal 51. Esa 57.66 then will God dwell with us and appeare in such hearts as also the Scripture maketh mention and then are we also poor but God is become rich in us by means of our vilenesse or because we are poor in the knowledge It is true 22. These and other like things have I in many places distinctly set forth in the Glass of Righteousness and do here also set forth the same in this Introduction to the holy Vnderstanding if any man regard it let him consider the inclination of mine understanding 23. But what shall I say I find the man much too self-wise y Rom. 1. 1 Cor. 1. in his owne conceit and too void of understanding in the mind of the love for commonly when the man heareth of the love and of the right understanding of wisdom he rejoyceth him in the hearing and it seemeth as if it liked him well likewise for a time he commendeth it 24. But in conclusion there is nothing among the greatest sort but self-feeking and very little doe they understand the first Schoole-rule of the Christian Doctrine of the service of love for an entrance into the upright life in Jesus Christ but do understand every thing which is held forth before them out of Gods wisdome and love according to their imagination and according to the mind of their liking They seek thereout their own commodity z 2 Phil. 2. and not the Lords they run clean back from the mind of the love and use all subtilty to manitain their own opinion 25. Whereout I observe that the man which is thus minded conceiveth of the wisdom and of the love utterly amisse For which cause I likewise fear least the Glasse of Righteousnesse how plainly and rightly evidently and clearly soever it is set forth shall not of many be discerned aright nor yet be conceived of according to the truth 26. If therefore they discern or conceive not aright of such apparent sentences as are so clearly and plainly uttered that even every one which loveth lowlinesse and righteousnesse must needs approve the same and acknowledge that the man and the world is created thereunto how should they then be able rightly to understand or judge of all the mysteries of the Kingdome of God 27. For which causes sake to the intent no man might have occasion to estrange himself from the truth unlesse it might be by his own revolting heart we have bidden or covertly set forth nothing in the Glasse of Righteousnesse 28. Notvvithstanding if any thing be covered or hidden unto any a 2 Cor. 4. it is hidden to the unbelievers who have no desire nor love to the truth nor to the life which is of God for such are darkned b Rom. 1. in their understanding through pleasure in their ovvn mind and through the ignorance which is in them c Eph. 4. and through the blindnesse of their hearts do gather unto themselves d Rom. 2. a treasure of vvickednesse to an horrible destruction and so through their own wisdome do turn away and separate themselves from the love and from her service 29. But unto all lovers of equity which have a desire and belief towards the love to the intent that by her service they might tast of e 1 Pet. 2. the uncorrupted milk the Word of God that f Esa 40. 2 Pet. 1. liveth for ever we have out of the inclination of love so openly and clearly according to the life painted out and set forth the Glasse of Righteousnesse that every one who with an humble heart hath regard thereunto and desireth the understand of Righteousnesse shall be vvell satisfied therein 30. If also any
man turn his heart unto God and desire to do his will the same shall likewise well understand that the restimonies of the upright life in the love as it is set forth in the Glasse of Righteousnesse is the upright ground of righteousnesse that God from the beginning hath required of the man which also in the restoring thereof shall continue for ever to the Salvation of the vvorld according to the promises even as God hath spoken the same aforetimes by the mouth of his holy Prophets who have all g Esa 2.60.61.62 Jer. 31. Joel 2.3 Zach. 2.8 Mich. 4. Soph. 3. Mal. 4. vvitnessed and prophecied of that same upright life for to come in the last time and in the same shall also all consciences be appeased 31. For the end or fulnesse of the same is the revealing or coming of the Kingdom of God h Esa 35.51.60.65 Apo. 21.22 and the beholding of the joyes and Salvation of the eternall perfect and uncorruptible being 32. Oh that the man had any understanding in the godlinesse and did perceive vvhereunto God calleth him and did in like manner prepare his heart after the meaning of the vvritten sentences and did let alone judging by the knowledge 33. But no the man is much too self-wise by his knowledge and therefore he is more inclined to judge of every thing after his knowledge then to prepare his heart to the good under the obedience of the love 34. Therefore it is very much to be lamented that many among the children of men do oftentimes judge the sentences and writings which have out of the service of love their ministration to the good life according to their Knowledge For as soon as they read or hear the same they suppose by and by that they have rightly apprehended and well understood them not first minding to enter in to obtain and to live in that which they bear witnesse of whereas yet the service of our writing tendeth hereunto even that mens hearts as is there set forth should be prepared to the same 35. For men strike up no alarm in the host to the intent to make the people unlusty to the battell nor yet that they should but know the exercise of the warr or judge of the Alarm-stroak but that with good courage they should prepare themselves to the battell or fight Thereby every one that hath courage to fight doth then make himself ready to incounter with his enemies and to root out his adversary or to subdue him 36. But alas I find it with many otherwise in that alarm by which the man is called to the spirituall i Eph. 6. fight to the vanquishing of his enemies which inwardly in him are killers and murderers of his soul 37. Therefore it is very true that the children of this world are much k Luk. 16. wiser in their dealing as concerning the flesh then the children of the Kingdom are in that which concerneth the spirit 38. What availeth I pray you an alarm made if men prepare them not to the battell for many are perswaded that this is no time of fighting and that there shall be no need thereof supposing because of their unbelief that nothing shall come of it and lay their hands behind on the back or put them up in the bosome Their heads are giddy as if their hearts were utterly unlusty or dismaid to the fight 39. If one should seek for men of warre where I pray you should he find them Are they not for the most part gone back l Levit. 26. Jer. 48. and become faint hearted as women 40. If they do but once suffer harm and be wounded or forced by any evill defamation or assault of the wicked to sustain any molestation or reproach then are they persvvaded that the cause is altogether nought and so running again after their case they suffer themselves to be ruled by women m Esa 3. their enemy to raign over them and in like manner make truth n Esa 28. with death and a league with hell retain peace with the sin and accuser and become of one mind with the world supposing that then all shall be well moreover they make an appointment or conclusion with themselves that they will no more trouble themselves with the doctrine of the Family of Love nor yet vvith the battell thinking Let them run that will 41. For to resist the evill to break and subdue the wicked heart and evil thoughts and to suffer much distresse contempt and reproach for the same liketh them not they will none of that Howbeit we are alwaies to fight apainst the evill and to keep good watch continually we are alwaies to think night and day upon the vertue of the godly life alwaies to long and to hunger and thirst after it alvvaies to speak and to treat thereof with such as do so labour thereafter and yet then of many sorts of people and letter-learned to be despised and reproached 42. Because of this toil and for the shame and reproaches cause which meeteth them and because they love not the righteousnesse of the godly life with the heart they let the matter passe saying out of unbelief I cannot further it I hold me still or unoccupied about it let the Lord work it I will commit it unto him Supposing when they thus passe on according to their imagination or do live after the fashion of the world and with an o Rom. 2. unrepenting heart towards God do hold peace with the blasphemers and strivers against the truth of Christ and his love that then God will make it to be well with them 43. Deceive not your selves ye dearly beloved the saying is very right p Act. 16. Eph. 3. Gol. 1. that the Lord worketh it and that he will also cause it to go well with us q Phila. 2. and prepare us after his will and pleasure howbeit not without us nor yet without the obedience of the requiring of the service of his holy and gracious word and of his love and whilest that we turne us away in such a sort from him and from the Ministers of his word and do refuse him r Luk. 17 but it is done inwardly in us under the obedience of the requiring of his gracious word and service of love so as we stand subject unto him with good will therein and be of one mind with him against the ungodly being that God may so in us magnifie his holy name Å¿ 2 Reg. 7. and be called t Ier. 10. a God of Hosts a u Esa 47. God of Israel or a God of such a one as beareth dominion with God over his enemies 44. After this manner is God a Lord of his Army He is only the Lord but we the instrument of his hands 45. Out of such an understanding under the obedience of the Law of the Lord did the Kingly Prophet David eftsoons apprehend a zealous stoutnesse even as in divers manners we
read in his Psalms how valiantly and couragiously he setteth himself on Gods part against his enemies as well in fighting with good courage as also sometimes in praying and making supplication that God might be his helper 46. After the same manner ought it also to go with us inwardly in our hearts under the obedience of the love x 2 Cor. 3. for no man can do any thing of himself how stout strong or wise soever he be unlesse God be with him who strengthneth him whom under the obedience of the Word and his love he findeth to be of good will and that prayeth unto him for his help 47. If then any man be weak finding himself infirm yet to the battell the same is not y Eccl. 2. rejected nor despised no nor any one that hath been in errour so that they do but trust in God and be good of will do abide in the faith and so in processe of time do increase in strength and be not unwilling in the word of the Lord. 48. Therefore Oye little and sorrowfull hearts z Esa 35.41 be not dismaid but be confident in hope the Lord will not suffer you to be a Esa 54. put to shame Therefore be of good courage 49. Though that the battell come unto you and that ye be despised by the unbelievers of the gracious word and by the blasphemers of the love of God and of the holy spirit of Jesus Christ and that moreover b Mat. 5. 1 Pet. 2.3 all evill be lyingly spoken of you yet be not therefore dismaid 50. For the God of Israel is c Esa 5. our comfort and he the same God will be our redeemer and our King wherefore have your refuge only on him to the intent ye may not fear your adversary in the fight For truly this fight is godly and amiable 51. Men curse nor swear not there they do not there kill nor destroy any d Eph. 6. save only that opposite being against God for it is no outward battell or war 52. They use there no outward e Esa 2. Mic. 4. swords or spears they seek there to destroy no flesh of men but it is a fight of the crosse and patience f Rom. 6. to the subduing of the sin 53. This fight is also no disputation bravvling nor wrangling for the knowledges sake of the Scriptures It is likewise no contention with men howsoever the most part of factious men which do every faction in particular call themselves the right Christians have even to this day so used it and do also yet still bravvle g 1 Cor. 3. Jam. 3. contend and strive one against another and that with a secret hatred and envy who should be best wisest and holiest and how to have right and equity every one in his conceiving whereby they intangle themselves every way one with another 54. But such brawling and discord do not I hold for any Christian-like fight seeing men do thereby forsake the love therefore such a fight doth nothing further towards the life nor towards the upright understanding of the divine wisdome 55. Moreover all those which stand minded to such a kind of outward fight brawling wrangling railing have never rightly perceived nor understood h Eph. 7. the inward fight For inasmuch as they know not the vertue of the love nor that whereout she proceedeth therefore do they account the battell of the righteous spirit which through the crosse in the spirit of wel-vvilling hearts carrieth forth the fight against death sin devill and hell for an ignorance and foolishnesse because they do no more esteem of such a chosen Salvation as is brought forth after the manner of men and which the man hath his glorying in then of the righteous spirit of love and life which God himself bringeth forth for i Esa 60. a true light and salvation of men after his godly nature and manner the k Esa 42.48 glorying whereof belongeth only unto God and to himself he also keepeth it 56. Wherefore seeing God hath considered that all mans wisdome is vain and that men by their wisdome know not Gods work in his wisdome nor his Salvation through his Christ l 1 Cor. 1. it hath therefore pleased God through foolish preaching under the obedience of the love of Christ to save the world that is to say all those that believe in him that he might catch the wise m Esa 29. 1 Cor. 1. 3. in their wisdome the crafty in their subtilty and craftinesse and the letter-learned in their knowledge of the Scripture thereby making known unto them n Psal 94. 1 Cor. 3. how vain and void of understanding they are in the purpose of God and hovv that by all wisdome and prudency and by all their learnednesse in the letter they have not known any thing of o Mat. 11. 1 Cor. 2. Gods vvisdome at all wherethrough the Almighty God is magnified and by which it is known that his foolishnesse is much wiser then all the wisdome of the world or prudence of mans vvit 57. Novv vvhosoever believeth the same but on the contrary party is yet so selfvvise that he giveth no ear at all nor is inclined to the love or to our communion through the loves service vvherein Gods purpose is knovvn or understood the same man surely shall not understand the mind of God nor yet his secret p Kom 8. 1 Cor. 2. for it is unpossible to understand the vvisdome of God vvithout obeying of the love CHAP. XII 1. It is meet that every one submit himself to the appeared grace 2. The new day 3. Patience towards the unbelievers 4. Wherein the upright understanding is to be found 5 The worldly wise find it not but will rest upon their owne wisdome 13. An exhortation to cleave to the truth without bondage to outward things 15. What the perfect righteousnesse is 19. And how we ought to cleave thereunto and to esteemof the outward things so far as they are profitable and no further 21. And that not for their owne sakes but for the Ordinances sake 22. How to behave our selves towards all men wives children servants 26. He exhorteth to give our minds to a lovely behaviour towards all 32. Not to regard any thing that may cause dissention but to set our chief respect upon the inward and not upon the outward 43. The upright life is the same that the Fathers lived in 45. Whereunto also the Gentiles were called by the Gospell 46. He requireth all people to take heed to their calling 50. And to turn away from the self-minded thoughts that do tempt and intice us 51. Our union with God in the spirit is the stone that is disallowed of men 55. The Glasse of Righteousnesse serveth to try our selves by 56. The man is diversly perverted How H. N. passed forth under the love in his humane nature and how God received him unto grace 61. His little regard
to the outward 63. Yet not despising it because it is profitable to train up the man in his youngnesse 65. Men ought to esteem the greatest more then the least and to put difference in the Age of the Disciples 66. That teacher which is not entred nor hath not accomplished the Righteousnesse in the love is both himself and also his hearers far from the truth 67. The Priesthood out of Levi is good in his right use but the Prieshood of Messias is yet more excellent 71. Why he pointeth not to the outward FOrasmuch then as through the a 1 Cor. 8. revealing of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in the resurrection of the dead there is out of grace such an holy office or service of the love to a renevving of the vvorld novv in the last time come unto us and according to the secret counsell and vvill of God committed unto us in upright righteousnesse and holinesse to be ministred therefore it vvere very meet that every one vvhich is avvakened thereby should submit himself thereunto and give ear unto us in the same service to the obeying of the love in the spirit that every mans eves might be made bright and become clearer and clearer to b Act. 7. behold vvith a clear sight of their eyes Gods Kingdom of heaven the vvhich novv manifesteth it self unto us and cometh unto us under the obedience of the love and likevvise vvith the same do appear and come unto us livingly and gloriously all Gods o 1 Gor. 15. Saints vvhich in times past died and fell asleep in God 2. Behold this manifestation or appearing of Gods Kingdome of heaven d Mat. 24.25 and of the coming of Christ together vvith all his Saints e Esa 65. 2 Pet. 3. is the nevv day of life and the f Dan. 12. 4 Esd 7. 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes 4. Resurrection of the dead according to the Scriptures vvhich manifestation of the Kingdom of God and of the glorious coming of Christ vvith his Saints and of the nevv day vve novv under the obedience of the love publish abroad in all the vvorld for a Gospell g Mat. 24. of the Kingdome according to the promises 3. But if any man heareth not nor believeth the same neither is vvakened out of the h Esa 29. sleep of his ignorance or vvill not hear this voice of the love him do vve let alone therein still bearing a favourable good vvill tovvards him and do cleave fast to the love bear patience vvith his ignorance and blindnesse and do consider that all of us have heretofore been unvvise i 2 Pet. 2. and have been blinded from this glorious light of life yea vve do yet doubtlesse often find in our selves the lack of understanding untill the light of life do manifest it self perfectly in us 4. Hovvbeit the right understanding consisteth not in many words k 1 Cor. 2. or sayings nor in high or deep knowledge as is aforesaid but it is found in long-suffering and in such a heart as feareth the true God under the obedience of the love where men use temperance l 2 Pet. 1 discretion and kind-heartednesse and where men love righteousnesse and information of equity 5. But where is it now where may one seek and find it who doth earnestly desire lust or long for it who applieth his heart wholly thereunto 6. Truly not the children of this world which are the lovers of errour nor yet the self-wise of the vain-conceited hearts neither the lovers of their own companies of Religion For all these think not upon the service of the love neither will admit any thing but what they have chosen they blaspheme also every thing besides their own opinion and have no regard to the Statutes and m Exod. 20. Deu. 4.5.6 Ordinances of the most highest nor to the n Mat. 5.6.7.11.16.19.22 doctrine of Jesus Christ neither to the requiring of his Catholike Church 7. And therefore will the man to maintain his own cause be alwaies above the understanding of the love and so be the loves Master For there are few found that do with whole heart submit themselves under the Love to the intent they might obtain through concord and o Joh. 17 Eph. 4. Phil. 1. equalitie in the Love one like mind to the good to the one manner of subduing or mortifying of the evill hearts minds and thoughts 8. For that or him that directeth thereunto they can by no means abide nor yet be minded to the lovely life of upright Righteousnesse which I H. N. out of intire love do beare witnesse of because with many the same is not according to his upright being hearkned unto nor rightly understood for every one with his conceited imagination and unclean heart will fain be himself he whom men ought to esteem for wise in such sort that many of them do arrogantly ascribe understanding to themselves as if they knew already all that they should know and were wholly such as in Jesus Christ they ought to be 9. Moreover many of them are so rich p Apo. 3. wise as though they needed no more and many perswade themselves that they are such as do live free and that they are every whit the same that they should be that also the Service of the love concerns them not and that they are past it all 10. Lo such things think the fools and unwise those unfruitful q Iude 1. trees that love their self-wisdom and their own ease in the flesh and are quite dead therein yea though he be an Infidell or Heathen yet scarcely thinketh he that he hath any wrong understanding for all that what might then one that is wise think or he that perswadeth himself that he is holy 11. Now because many of them do esteem their owne matter for such a fairnesse r 1 Cor. 1. or wisdom therefore besides their own wisdom they will in no wise heare any Å¿ Acts 7. other understanding nor esteem it for wisdome for every thing is evill or uncleane in their eyes which is without their wisdom yet must they needs acknowledge that the inside of their vessell t Mat. 23. is not cleansed from the filthinesse neither doe they believe to be cleansed through Jesus Christ or to be justified from the sin under the Obedience of the Love 12. What helpeth it then or whereto is it profitable that one should shew any precious ornament or jewell of godly fairnesse unto such if in their hearts it were against them or that they loved not the same Even so is it also with the testimony of the Word in the Love when there is no love joyned thereunto for to love that which is heard or witnessed 13. Therefore let us in all things and before all grow like minded to concord u Rom. 12. 1 Pet. 3. in the Love x 1 Pet. 5. humble our hearts to the living God and so
therefore ye beloved give no regard to the unbelief that saith it is impossible but contrariwise with belief and hope enter ye in for the beliefe is strong and mighty f Mat. 17.21 Luk. 17. she removeth mountains out of their places vanquisheth the enemies g Heb. 11. and is a certain assurance of that which is hoped for 12. Look then what ye out of belief and according to the truth do desire in God to obtain that love ye with vvhole heart for the love vvhich in her service holdeth the heart fast with earnest love is yet stronger then the belief h 1 Cor. 13. and goeth far beyond it all and not regarding any difficulty she overcometh it all for the things sake which she loveth for the love maketh that light which appeareth heavy and bringeth life out of that which seemeth to be death 13. Therefore the love is not wearied with any thing for that which a man loveth is precious in his sight and he esteemeth it of great value i Rom. 8. moreover he regardeth neither losse nor trouble to get or to come by that vvhich he loveth best 14. And therefore men are to k 1 Cor. 14. Col. 3. seek for the most best that they may obtain the same and not to respect any of those things that would oppose themselves or be hindersome there-against for who so seeketh not obtaineth not vvho so tasteth not of the sowre shall not partake of the sweet 15. If any man fall let him rise again if ye be hurt or wounded believe so shall ye be made whole yea though ye were already dead or were as dead in your minds yet if ye believe the gracious word and Salvation in the obedience of his service of love and put your trust in the power of God l Joh. 5. ye shall surely live and not abide dead for the saving from death m Joh. 11. is the Resurrection and eternall life 16. Though ye find your selves even damned in the hell and taken captive of sin and devill yet fear not but believe n Psal 18.23.33.116 ye shall be delivered and saved from thence 17. For the belief and hope towards the Salvation and the love to righteousnesse in the grace of God neither can nor may abide in the sinne death devill or hell but they must prevail vanquish and bring to nought or destroy all that is not of God 18. Therefore have neither the o Mat. 16. gates of hell nor the bands of the devill nor the p Rom. 8. pangs of death nor the strength of sin nor the lusts of the world nor the mind of the flesh any power over such believers either to hold or to raign over them q 1 Cor. 15. but they bring them all under them to a victory 19. But if at any time through the slendernesse of our understanding we be plucked away from our good mind or be after the nature of the Serpent r Gen. 3. Sap. 2. 2 Cor. 11. beguiled by the wisdom of the flesh and thereby through weaknesse fall and be made so senselesse that we cannot discern the life from the death yea become so feeble and faint-hearted that we have scarcely any desire at all to the good but do daily Å¿ Rom. 7. suffer and feel the sting of death yet let us not therefore be dismayed nor despair in mind but rather so much the more cheer up our selves in the belief and through the serviceable word of truth take unto us a new stomack and fresh courage again to a stouter going forwards keep so much the sharper watch and still have diligent regard on the thing that may annoy us to the entrance of the life whereby we may through the belief and obedience of the Word t Eph. 6. 1 Pet. 5. keep of and vanquish it every whit and so with a good will have our passage towards God in the spirit untill the love abide firm in us and that we have such a free heart and mind as may be subject to nothing but to the high Majesty of the living Godhead only 20. Now to come hereunto we must renounce our selves and all created visible things not only outwardly after the flesh but quite and clean inwardly with the heart according to the spirit and so give over our selves obediently under the service of love unto the God of life and his gracious word u Rom. 6.8 to a dying in the spirit from every thing whereunto our will and mind according to the flesh or outward fashion is tyed and keep our selves diligently from all holy appearances and worldly fashions that so then x 1 Pet. 1. in the obeying of the gracious word and his service of love our inward mind for to come to a submitted being may be made tender soft and lowly and we in like manner with humble hearts find our selves y Psal 57. ready to do the Lords will a Rom. 6. the end whereof is eternall life It is true 21. Which way to the life few do b Mat. 7. find because it is unknown c Mat. 11. 1 Cor. 1.2 and hidden unto all understandings of the flesh and unto all wise ones of the world and her Scripture learned 22. Who is there now rightly inclined to the life and peace but those that indure all deadly things dissention and whatsoever cometh upon them thereby untill it d Rom. 6.8 2 Cor. 4. wholly vanish and come to nought in them and which have the life and peace alwaies before their eyes and do pray with great fervency unto God in the spirit that he will be their povver and strength 23. After this manner ought vve vvith humble hearts to be minded in every thing that cometh upon us against the good for the evill must by the good be e Rom. 12. overcomed in patience 24. Yet not out of our vvorks or ovvn povver f Rom. 3.4 Eph. 2. O no but through the belief in affiance towards God and so abiding Gods leisure in his work we are daily to pray unto God in the spirit that he will destroy and take avvay or root out the evill out of our hearts and choose and set up the good again therein 25. Hereunto are we to g 1 Pet. 5. humble our hearts before God in his service of love that we may find such healthfull grace before his eyes in the coming of Jesu Christ who now to the Salvation of all those that hope in Christ h 2 Pet. 3. and long for his coming cometh to a righteous judgement over the world with equity 26. Oh hereof there is surely much written shewed and testified were it but observed and understood aright but there is great negligence and much misunderstanding among the children of men for we find many lamentable errours not only in the erring world but also in those that perswade themselves to be wise and to love the good 27. Awake once
him out of any choosing whether it be out of loathing or of liking but let every one search his own heart how he findeth the same disposed examine once himself whether he stand impartiall rightly or not 9. And when the man hath seriously tried and proved himself herein in such sort that he knoweth assuredly how his heart standeth in case he wholly love God and his righteousnesse intend the truth in the Love with his whole soule and desire to deny and to forsake himselfe f Mat. 16. Luke 9.14 with all that is in the world for the godlinesse sake then shall he very well know and understand a difference between the cleavers to the world and those that from the bottom of their soules love the righteousnesse 10. Wheresoevea then any upright impartiall hearts are found and that they do shew forth under the obedience of the Love the praise of God the salvation of men and the truth out of the love of righteousnesse and do point none unto flesh and blood nor to any visible elements but only to the good life of the true essentiall Godhead and are thereunto serviceable to all men to all concord in the love of Jesu Christ with those are the Lovers of righteousnesse and truth to stand impartiall to the unity of heart in the love and so to have regard to the ministration of the godly testimonies of the holy spirit of the Love unto obedience for to walk in such a life of godlinesse as is pointed out and witnessed thereby and in that manner to grow up in the good g Eph. 2. Apo. 21 to an house or tabernacle of the living God or Christ and to give no further respect to the outward then as it is serviceable thereunto to the intent that no man may be bewitched in his spirit but may cleave to the vertue and nature of the love and that the h Col. 3. love may obtain a dwelling place or forme in him 11. Lo after this manner ought men to live impartially in the good i Esa 1. Psa 37. 2 Pet 3. to turn from all ungodly being and not to maintain the evill 12. There goeth also a saying about among divers that to shew the k 2 Pet. 1. common love is the most best means to keep ones self thus impartiall 13. It is true our writings do also testifie such things howbeit let every one for all that look to it and beware of his own judgement that by the l Gen. 3. Sap. 2. 2 Cor. 11. subtilty of the Serpent or of her nature or els by the mind of the flesh he be not beguiled the saying in it self is very right but many that marke not the saying according to the truth doe speak the same with a wrong sight or understanding 14. For some use such sentences for their own seekings cause and so in such a show of vertue their heart in regard of being incorporated with God in the spirit remaineth covered m Esa 29 Jer. 23 and estranged from God and many also give great respect unto such sayings insomuch that by occasion thereof they do oft-times according to mens private conceit cleave to some outward vertue which surely is the very smallest of all and do leave the principallest n Mat. 23 1 Cor. 13 1 Tim. 1 or greatest which God requireth The like did also many heretofore that were learned in the Law upon whom the Lord pronounced wo because they observed the least things of the Law whilest they tythed Mint Anise and Cummin and left the greatest matters of the Law o Mat. 23 Luk. 11 to wit judgment mercy and faithfulnesse 15. For albeit they observed all this after an outward show so as they seemed thereby to be righteous yet was it all surely of no value seeing they were not joyned with whole heart unto God p Ioh. 15 nor according to the spirit incorporated with him 16. Furthermore divers men there are found which after the outward fashion give every one his own and unto divers out of common love shew outward mercy indifferently who also carry themselves so justly that q Phil. 3 outwardly they are not to be reproved in any thing howbeit they are inwardly before God theeves and r Mat. 23 Ioh. 10 false men because they with-hold from God that which is his Å¿ Esa 29 Ezek. 33. Mat. 15 that is to say their heart which is far from him and standeth subject or tied unto visible things which heart or inward mind belongeth wholly yea only unto God 17. Therefore God is not appeased nor satisfied with the least when the heart is not turned from all visible and mutable things and doth not cleave perfectly unto him or at least endeavour towards it to wit that the man desire of God out of his grace that God will strengthen him to the obeying of his will and t Eccl. 3 prepare his heart to his will and pleasure 18. Look whose hearts are not thus minded u Deut. 6 Mat. 22 for to love and cleave unto God with all their souls their common love is false and altogether unclean x Rom. 1 for they have yet willingly a pleasure in their own concupiscence and are yet far distant from the upright love of God neverthelesse they do sometimes perswade themselves that they have the very best conceiving of the righteousnesse and so proceed on according to the common course of vvordly hearts 19. Therefore there is great diversity between the unpartiall men who addict their hearts unto God and to the good and those men whose hearts have minded worldly things and yet do boast them of the unpartiallnesse For look what unto worldly hearts namely unto such hearts as are turned from God and his service of Love is a pleasure lust and life that same is unto all the children of righteousnesse y Luk. 16 an abomination and a horrible death 20. Wherefore mark well the meaning in what state or being the right unpartiality consisteth and out of what heart it is that men are to exercise the common-love rightly verily with such an heart as out of all his mind z Eccl. 1.2 feareth God and is inclined to the upright vertue in the love or is comprehended therein and not with an unadvised heart which is without understanding in his common-love and in his unpartialnesse that distinguisheth not the godlinesse or the worldly righteousnesse one from the other or that hath a pleasure to run on crookedly and erringly a Luk. 12 to set his rest or to fix his heart in the earthly love b Rom. 1 Eph. 4 1 Pet. 4. according to the course of the blind world or mind of the flesh 21. Be not utterly I pray you c Eph. 5 without understanding but learn vvell to discern the truth and let the Lord and his righteousnesse be a pleasure unto you and erre not by any wrong sight that standeth in opinion or
imagination but observe judgement and regard the thing which is right and just 22. There is found moreover a certain kind of people which perswade themselves that they are unpartiall because they stand untied and unbound from all outward Religions or God-services and from all such as are called Sects supposing that in such a sort it is altogether well with them and that so standing they are in good case because they are so free and have such a conscience as passeth not for such things they set up their rest also that they will not trouble themselves about any thing nor respect or have any regard either of Jerusalem or of Sion or els of Gods Communion of Saints but do earnestly care how they may get their living and welfare maintain their Family and vvithall do that which is equall and right to every man having a Proverb Let Gods Water run over Gods Field and let us take our rest 23. Is not this to have utterly mistaken the life of the truth and the testimonies of the upright unpartiallnesse Shall there be no d Esa 2 40 59 Mat. 5 1 Pet 1 word of life then nor service of love ministred nor any thing thereout to be expected or e Rom. 8 longed for Are then the promises of God which concern f Esa 51.52 60 c. Jerusalem and Sion come all to an end And shall the oath of God which he hath sworn as that the world g Nu. 14 Mac. 2 shall be filled with his glory be thus utterly forgotten Will he not then gather together his holinesse again h Esa 43 Baruc. 5. Mat. 24 from all Coasts of the earth and be gracious unto them Yes assuredly he will not be slack nor forslow his time 24. But alas this is least thought upon howbeit that which concerns themselves they think much of but i Lam. 1.4 Ezek. 8.9 23 Dan. 8 whether God hath that which is his or that he remaineth as a stranger without his Sanctuary that care they not for they will be sure to take to themselves the earthly things which as true it is God hath created for the man and for the mans welfare but their hearts which God according to the inward man hath created for k Lev. 26 Ezek. 36.37 2 Cor. 6 his own dwelling and for the praise of his glory they draw to the earthly l Sap. 2. Rom. 1 and corruptible things and so steal or with hold-from God that which is his and are theeves in Gods honour and in his earthly created goods 25. Note once I pray you and consider whether the same be a right unpartiallnesse or not Notwithstanding in such a state they seem to be righteous men for all that yea such a one shall vvith many welenough passe for a brother of the Gospell but truly according to such a course if we vvill come no nearer unto God we are before God m Esa 1 John 10 all theeves and robbers Idolaters Adulterers and Adulteresses 26. This is doubtlesse a great abomination or abhorring that the man tieth himself to such things as God hath n Gen. â— created unto good for him I say nothing yet of such as use them so unseemly and inordinately and so shutteth his God out at doors and keepeth the godly being out of his heart 27. Therefore let us learn to stand upright in the unpartialnesse according to the truth and not after the manner of men and afore all things give unto God o Deut. â— Mat. 22 that which belongeth unto him namely the heart and mind and likewise p 1 Tim. â— use that well which belongeth unto us to the land and praise of his glory that he blessed may he be who is all in all may also be glorified and praised in all and that we in like manner might be made an q Tit. 2 acceptable people unto him as his own Creation r Gen. 1. Eph. 2 and work of his own hands wherein he liveth and raigneth and might moreover be made the Sheep of his Pasture a City of Peace and an house Å¿ 1 Cor. 3 or Temple for his dwelling To this end should we take heed to his holy calling that we may be made children or t Rom. 8 Eph 3 heirs of his spirituall and heavenly goods O yea even so be it 28. Again there are found certain others which perswade themselves to be unpartiall who boldly reproach or revile others and rail at those whom they hold for Factions or that are called Sects and u 2 Pet. 2 Iude. 1 so speak evill of that which themselves know not neither can they discerne the matter according to the truth but despise the thing that seemeth amisse in their eyes and yet cannot point the erring or wandring ones to any better 29. Oh when shall the perverse mouth once keep silence the x Psal 34 1 Pet. 3. reproaching lips be put far from us and that once sought from the heart and out of love which is equall 30. O raile not ye beloved and pluck no man from his zeal to any fleshly or worldly understanding as some have done whilst they have turned those from their zeale that were zealous after righteousnesse and because they could not point them to any better then that was which before they had their zeal in therefore fell they to the world and became more erring and blind then ever they were before but in this manner ought it not to go ye dearly beloved 31. But if there were any godly wisdome upright love men should use it in this sort that is to wit they should testifie that y Phil. 4 Heb. 10 which were right and reasonable according to the requiring of God and the truth they should cleave unto God with the whole heart in the spirit and so z Eph. 4 reach one another the hand to the love and not reproach nor despise any nor yet turn any aside to the earthly and mutable things or to any partiality to the intent that they vvhich had the right teaching and did minister the gracious Word of the Lord might then likewise be heard and understood aright and according to the truth and that all zealous hearts might be united a Col. 3 in one band of love and all they likewise which love the equity b Sap. 8 and righteousnesse become one heart c Act. 4. and mind d Eph. 4 as there is one God one Faith and one manner Salvation in all and with all 32. After such a manner ought men to stand unpartiall and to this effect e 2 Pet. 1 to use the common love and not to destroy that vvhich is good or to make division nor yet to strengthen the world in her wickednesse but to have a desire that the zeal to righteousnesse under the obedience of the love might be spread abroad among many with a loathing of the sin and all unrighteousnesse 33. Howbeit to
exhort any man that he suffer not his heart to be bound nor intangled with any thing that is outward is very meet so far forth as his heart may thereby be turned to have regard to the upright vertue of a pure heart and to the love f Gal. 3 whereby to be subject to the outward things no more but to serve the living God with a willing spirit 34. Thus or to this effect men shall loose the binding of the heart and proceed tovvards the upright righteousnesse with a free mind and humble heart to God for such things doth God require above all and not the g Rom. 3 Gal. 3.6 tying to the outward wherein neither life nor death of souls consisteth nor any life of righteousnesse required 35. For indeed it is true yea certain and sure both by the testimony of the godly truth in the spirit and also by the testimony of the Prophets and Apostles of Christ that neither in any thing whatsoever is visible or feelable nor in any factious God services or ceremonies which are observed with mens hands in contention and do not require any life of righteousnesse consisteth either any salvation nor condemnation before God h Rom. 14 1 Cor 8 neither can they bring any vantage or damage at all unto the souls of them whose hearts are not intangled therewith or have not any abhorring thereof 36. Notwithstanding if the God-services and ceremonies be Jewish or Christian i Rom. 3 then do they testifie of the life which God commandeth and k Rom. 8 Gal. 3.4 Heb. 7 requireth by them but if the ceremonies or God services be heathenish or mens invention or if they be ministred in strife and in schism or partiality then do those ceremonies and services shew that the life of those people that minister them is bewitched and that they l 1 Cor. 1.2 know not God nor m Rom. 10 his righteousnesse nor yet undeastand his Law or will and that they do walk in a n Ier. 7.11 Eph. 4 meer imagination and not after the Lords vvill and that is the thing vvhich God forbiddeth 37. For surely it is thick darknesse over the children of men o Esa 59 that they be so utterly blinded and bewitched of spirit that they cannot comprehend nor understand the upright life of righteousnesse for men are not to be subject in the spirit to the outward things wherewith they are served but should let themselves be served therewith to the upright righteousnesse and should cleave unto that which is spirit and the true life it self and which is required by those outward services 38. After this manner p Rom. 14 1 Cor. 8 if the heart be not tied with lusting and liking unto the outward things neither doth through any fear or disliking abhor them the Ceremonies do stand free for the Believers indifferently to be used CHAP. XVII In this Chapter is shewed the right difference between the true God-service and the Idol-service and also the Ceremonies of eithers Services NOw there are certain also that being intangled make conscience that men must necessarily use the Christian Ceremonies after the counterfeiting out of the Letter as a Commandement of the Lord. 2. Therefore seeing we now find many such people as in their consciences are tied or bound that they must necessarily use the services and ceremonies which after the testimonies of the Christian Services and Ceremonies are counterfeited out of the Letter as a Commandement of the Lord and because they understand nothing at all of the difference between the right Services and Ceremonies and the counterfeit I could not for the Loves sake omit to shew also a right difference of the same 3. Thus mark now ye Lovers of the truth how that between the true Services and Christian Ceremonies which are administred a Mat. 28 Mat. 16 Acts 2.3 4. c. out of the true light and word of life and the counterfeit services and ceremonies which are administred out of the knowledge of the Letter there must a right difference be noted and observed and so then must be considered to what intent or to what sense the true services and Christian ceremonies are Gods Commandement and whether the services and ceremonies be Gods everlasting Commandement or else be but annexed b Gal. 3 Heb. 7 or joyned to the everlasting Commandement of God or Christ for to serve the man withall in the obeying of them and to bring him in to the everlasting Commandement and life of God and that he should by such a means understand Gods everliving Commandement c Rom. 12 and Will and live therein For Gods true Commandement hath been from everlasting and d Esa 4 Mat. 24 1 Pet. 1. and remaineth unchangeable to everlasting 4. It is e Exod. 20 Deut. 5. commanded in the Law that men should rest upon the Sabboth day or sanctifie the same and such other like and after that the mouth of the the Wisdome and Truth saith f Mar. 2 that the man is not made for the Sabboth daies sake but the Sabboth day for the mans sake shewing a difference in Gods Commandement namely between that thing which was Gods commandement from everlasting and abideth unchangeable and that which for mens sake was annexed thereunto because they should understand Gods righteousnesse and his everlasting commandement thereby 5. And thus were the g Exod. 12.38.39.40 Luk. 1.2.3.4 5 6. c. ceremonies of the Law annexed to Gods everlasting commandement that is unto that which hath been Gods commandement from everlalasting and shall abide for ever because the people of Israel should out of the ceremonies of the Law and out of the outward Godservices of the same h Deut. 30 4 Esd 7 understand the life of godlinesse and the righteousnesse which God requireth and so live therein namely to love their God i Exod. 20 Deut. 4.6.10 Mat. 22 with all their hearts and their neighbour as themselves after all the manner of their Fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob to whom the ceremonies were not commanded and yet for all that being obedient to the Lords commandements they walked alwaies in his statutes and ordinances which obedience or walking in the upright life was required by the Law and by the obeying of the ceremonies or outward God-services and were published through Christ in the world 6. But whilst now that in times past there came a k Rom. 11 blindnesse upon the learned in the Law insomuch that they knew no difference between the upright life that God requireth which is his commandement from everlasting and the ceremonies of the Law which were annexed thereunto that the upright life l Mat. 3.17 2 Pet. 1. wherein God had his delight was appeared and come therefore rose there up many controversies about the services and ceremonies amongst them that m Mat. 12.15 19 21 22. knew not the upright life and there fell out many questions
the contary life to God is the forbidding of the Lord to wit that men shall not believe serve nor be subject to the same and not alone the heathenish services and ceremonies in themselves 19. And for the bewitched lifes cause all is idol-service and against Gods will which such people as are held captive under it or in their inwardnesse are corrupted and bewitched by it do observe and use not for the services but l Esa 1.58 Amos 5 Mic. 6 for their corrupt lives sake 20. For albeit they do out of such a bewitched life of unbelief take on them or counterfeit any thing which men call Jewish or Christian ceremonies yet it is not that which availeth before God m Eph. 2.4 because they are strangers from the life which is of God 21. Therefore seeing they are become n Rom. 1 vain and dark in their understanding insomuch that they know neither the true God or his true God-service nor the Idoll or his Idol-service therefore neither are their outward Gods which men call Idols in themselves o 1 Cor. 8 the right Idols but they are that they are neither are their services or ceremonies the right Idol-services For the Idoll and the Idol-service which God accounteth for such and shutteth for ever without him and his Kingdome and will not have it to be in his Temple or Tabernacle but inwardly to be rooted out p 1 Reg. 15. 1 Cor. 6 Eph. 5 Col. 3. is the depraved or corrupt life as is aforesaid by which corrupt life the people that are holden therewith are bewitched and tied to the unprofitable and vain things which indeed are all Idol-services 22. Forasmuch then as the services and ceremonies of the vain minded people which are ministred in their estranging from Gods true righteousnesse cannot bewitch our hearts whilest that we are not nor may not be made partakers of their vain perverse and corrupt life with the heart neither do suffer our selves to take pleasure in such things q 1 Cor. 10 how should their outward services and ceremonies simply of themselves be in any wise unto us a forbidding of the Lord or any idolatrous service r Iohn 4 For God is a Spirit and in the Spirit maketh known unto us that he beyond all and above all desirefh Å¿ Deut. 6.10 Mat. 22 only out hearts and that therein as in his living Temple he will t Lev. 26 Ezek. 37 Iohn 14 2 Cor. 6 Apo. 21 live and dwell and onely in the same be served and honored in all upright righteousnesse and holinesse 23. Therefore mark this ground and consider in your understanding to what purpose God commandeth to be obedient unto his services and ceremonies which are administred out of his vvord of life and wherefore the heathenish services and ceremonies be against God and how that the right God-services and ceremonies do cleave and are knit to the good life and upright being of the living God and the right Idol-services and idolatrous ceremonies do cleave and are knit to the corrupt life and word of vain imagination 24. Now if ye mark this according to the truth then shall ye well understand how or in what sort u Mat. 15 23 Rom. that the outward services of the heathen or uncircuncised be esteemed least of before God and how also that the outward Ordinances of God are the smallest services in the service of his Saints and that God doth most of all regard that we through his Ordinances and ceremonies be joyned unto him and so then according to the requiring of his ceremonies x Deut. 6 Mat. 22 love him with all our hearts and our neighbour as our our selves and y Iohn 17 know him as a true God how that he only is the Lord and the everlasting life 25. Neverthelesse it is unto me wel known that sundry speeches go about among the children of men wherewith they despise and blaspheme our godly testimonies and according to their conceit out of the Scripture or Letter or out of the imagination of their knowledge do alledge much there-against saying this is Gods commandement hereby must we abide or this is Gods forbidding who can say against it 26. It is true concerning the outwad they can out of the Scripture speak very much do make therewith much z Rom. 16 division strife and discord among each other but they seldom think or consider that they ought to come in the spirit to a Joh. 5 that which the Scripture pointeth unto 27. Oh that they all knew the right meaning of the commandement or forbidding of God according to the truth then should the strife for outward things be soon ended and laid down 28. But look into the matter ye dearly beloved whether it goeth not now also as it did heretofore with the Galathians when many of them were bound with the outward circumcision b Gal. 3 5 6 whilest certain caused themselves to be circumcised supposing out of the testimonies of the Scripture according to the letter that the same although notwithstanding it was not administred unto them out of the Word of life under the obedience of the belief was yet a commandement of the Lord such as according to the letter men were necessarily to keep but inasmuch as they distinguished not the services and ceremonies which were administred unto them out of the Word of Life from the services which were administred unto them out of the letter without the word and light of Life neither had the sight of the living commandement of the Lord or of God nor yet discerned or knew the same from the commandement according to the letter therefore were they c Gal. 3.5 lead away with the outward from proceeding in the spirit and were very miserably bewitched with the outward because they thought that even the salvation of souls lay therein 29. On the other side there were also many among the Corinthians that d 1 Cor. 8 made conscience and counted it for an abomination to buy eat or use the offering of the Idols after the manner of the heathens ceremonies supposing that Gods forbidding and the hurt of souls lay in the outward ceremonies of the heathen and that of themselves alone they were Idol-services But what I pray you is there on the one side or on the other or in any such like that concerns us 30. Verily in case we be come to the knowledge of the truth and to the right discerning of this difference then we know that all the outward services of the heathen so that the heart stand free from them are not of force to e Mat. 15 defile the inward man f 1 Cor. 4 Gal. 4 in vvhom Christ hath his form 31. Also there consisteth in them alone neither salvation nor condemnation such as God respecteth For look what the heathen or the vain minded uncircumcised people do observe as concerning their God-services that is their ignorance g
Eph. 2.4 because they know not the true God neither do hunger nor thirst after his upright righteousnesse 32. In case then that we be come to the true knowledge h Iohn 17 of the living God the which is our calling and do from the heart love his life of righteousnesse in the spirit shall we then say and in such an ignorance rest perswaded that the God-service after the heathenish manner should be any thing or that it were the very Idol-service it self that be far from us 33. We confesse before God and his truth and before all that believe thereon that there is i 1 Cor. 8 no outward Idoll nor any outward Idol-service in heaven nor on earth but that there is one onely God whose God-service requireth the upright righteousnesse and likewise reacheth to the k Heb. 8.9 ministration of the spiritual and heavenly goods in the living being of God according to the spirit wherethrough all things are out of the same his spiritual heavenly ministration in the spirit preceedeth l Iohn 17 Eph. 4 the upright righteousnesse the unity of the heart in the love the true God-service on the earth whose Altar is m Heb. 9 not made with mens hands out is prepared of God from the beinning of the world for evermore on the other side we confesse that all the God-services Gods of the heathen are but vain n Ier. 10 mockeries for noughtels to be respected then for a foolish inchantment in the ignorance wherewith the vain hearts which know nothing of God nor of his Law are bewitched and tied 34. Whilest then the ceremonies which in contention men call God services and as it were Ordinances of Christianity and which in sundry manners are brought in out of the Letter do now bring much wrangling strife and dissention in therefore busie we not our selves much about them whilest that our heart is very little or nothing at all tied unto them but rather have more regard o Gal. 5. Heb. 10 to give heed after the spirit unto that which the ceremonies of the Law and the services of the holy Church of Jesu Christ do require or whereunto they are administred and used by the holy ones of God and by the ancient Fathers of the holy Church of Jesus Christ out of the true light 35. Neverthelesse though we say we have more regard to attend unto that which the ceremonies and services of the holy Church of Jesus Christ do require yet do we not therefore despise the Christian ceremonies or services as though they were of no value or were besides the mind of the Spirit of Jesu Christ O no that be far from us but we esteem them great in their right degree and use p Gen. 17 Mat. 28 Mat. 16. as that the salvavation is with the ceremonies but not through them promised unto the believers q Rom. 3.9 Gal. 2.3 yet not that it should appear or come out of them 36. For if the salvation were bound to the ceremonies then must God needs be a lyer whilst he had not ability to shew mercifulnesse unto men out of his grace nor to save them r Rom. 3.11 Eph. 2. but that they must deserve the salvation through the works of the ceremonies 37. Howbeit God abideth true and gracious Å¿ Psal 116 Rom. 3 but the man is unfaithfull and lying for the man hath forsaken the covenant of his God and hath t 4 Esd 7.8 not regarded his promises but abused his ceremonies broken and despised the right ordinances and in the ministration of them hath not attended unto the salvation of the belief nor yet trusted in God to obtain the same according to the promises but is u 1 Tim. 4 fallen away from the meaning of the belief gone forth after his own taken on faith and hath forgotten the rock x Deut. 32 Rom. 9 1 Pet. 2 of his salvation 38. Neverthelesse though through infidelity and the ignorance of men the right use of the ceremonies and the meaning of the true belief and of the godly promises be of many men forsaken y Num. 23 Deut. 4 Rom. 3 2 Tim. 2 yet is God true notwithstanding and he with-holdeth not that which he hath promised for his holy names sake hereby declaring that he is not unfaithfull or lying as the man is but an everlasting z Eccl. 2 gracious and true God towards those that love him that seek his righteousnesse from the heart and a Mat. 5 hunger and thirst after it 39. For he b Deut. 4 forgetteth not his Covenant which he hath made with the Fathers neither doth he break his promises in c Luk. 1 such manner as he hath spoken them aforetimes by the mouth of his holy Pruphets but will for his own sake establish them and cause the man d Psal 50 to see his own human unfaithfulnesse and lying against his God how that the man hath not regarded Gods Covenant nor his promises under the services and ceremonies which were ordained for him of God to this end that he e Exod. 12 13 Mat. 26 Luke 22 1 Cor. 11 should think upon the same to the intent he might be saved according to the promises 40. But not f Ro. 9.11 that Gods promises are established out of the ceremonies or through the works of the ceremonies O no but g Rom. 5 Gal. 5 in the love according to the spirit and according to the truth out of the heavenly being through the belief even as it is promised and as the Scripture maketh mention 41. Wherefore seeing that God hath now out of his grace given us h 2 Cor. 4 such clearnesse under the obedience of the requiring of his service of love in the spirit of our hearts therefore look we more upon the promises giving heed unto that namely the i 1 Tim. 1 love which the promises are established in then we do upon the like counterfeited services or ceremonies And for this cause we cannot let our hearts be bound or intangled with any thing that is ministred without the true light and service of love nor yet yeeld to take part either against or with it burdo endeavour our selves to the upright k Eph. 4 righteousnesse and holinesse in Jesus Christ and to all concord in the love and her service 42. For thereunto were we and all men called heretofore of God the Father through the spirit of Christ even that we should come through faith l Rom. 3.5 8 to the righteousnesse in Jesu Christ and to his true m Mat. 22 Iohn 17 1 Tim. 1 love and that the ceremonies out of the true light should for the same intent be serviceable unto us 43. Now might one here demand if the matter be so why then have some yet regard to taking part with flesh and bloud And wherefore do some yet make conscience to themselves to
1.10 Rom. 9. remain a seed to preservation for then will the God of heaven now in the last time make his holy Name and his secret Wisdom famous and notable against all the wise of this World q Mat. 11. 1 Cor. 1. 2. 3. who by their own wisdom do not understand the secret Wisdom of God 6. Hereunto let your hearts be inclined ye Dearly-beloved and not to the infidelity delitie of the blinde World nor to the contention of the seditious Letter-learned And in any case take heed to your r Eccl. 4. 27. Gal. 6. time ye that are come to such a sight and to the holy calling of the godly love and thank God from the heart with a cheerful mind Å¿ Tit. 2. for such an appeared grace out of the bountifull kindnesse of his love in this last abominable time whose end reacheth to the destruction t Mat. 25. Rom. 2. 2 Pet. 3. or condemnation of all wicked men 7. Let your eyes of the spirit and u Prov. 4. your whole heart of Understanding stand ever fixed or bent upon the upright life Look not about after the corruptible being but love the happinesse of preservation which is through the Word of truth in all love proffered unto you else shall you be found empty and without understanding with all the x Jer. 7.8 conceited Wise of the blind World which with all her own wisdom must needs y Isa 29. 1 Cor. 1. go down and Gods wisdome though unto the World it be a foolishnesse shall in the love stand firm for ever 8. For Gods foolishness it z 1 Cor. 1. wiser then all the wisdom of the subtil wit or understanding of the flesh For if the man should have the right in his wisdom doubtlesse God must needs be in the wrong 9. Therefore abideth the Saying ever stedfast a Psal 116 Rom. 3. God only good and true in trying and all men of themselves deceivable and lying 10. Which deceivable and lying b Eccl. 21. being the man ought before all things to eschew even as a Canker and with the heart to cleave to none c Pro. 1.3 1 Joh. 2. whose minde will and desire hath any delight and pleasure in the ungodly being of the confused world d Mat. 10. Luk. 14. yea though it were even Husband Wife Children and Kinsfolks Father or Mother Sister or Brother Master or Servant Nay be he who he will so farr as he cleaveth willingly to the evill 11. Oh! Take heed to your selves that in any wise ye go not with the heart lame or limping e 3 Reg. 18 nor halt on both sides that ye seek not the living God with retaining the Divels nature f 2 Cor. 6 nor Christ with keeping the Belialish spirit of Antichrist nor the righteousnesse by retaining any unrighteousnesse to the intent that in such a mixture ye perish not with the wicked erring World which desireth to serve God and the Divell together 12. With those which are so minded g Supra 16 hold not your hearts common or at unitie you I mean that have a longing to God and his Righteousness but rather be ye against them namely against such as withstand all Righteousnesse and the Unitie in the Love yet not with the Mouth lest ye be burthened with any thing to your hinderance in Godlinesse h Pro. 4. but with the Heart Minde and Life For in the same opposition is the right Preservation in Jesus Christ which God esteemeth 13. Neverthelesse unto the lovers of Righteousnesse who have minded Love Concord and Peace or do endeavour therafter we are to speak according as their Understanding can bear i 1 Pet. 3. of the lively hope which is in us to wit so much as serveth to edification and may be godly to hear and so become full of the Spirit and k Eph. 1. Phil. 1. Col. 1. knowledge of spirituall wisdom in all love 14. Many have indeed heretofore as it is reasonably well known unto many of us spoken of Letter and Scripture abundantly rehearsed every mans Failes both of the Spirituall and Temporall and according to the Histories of the Scriptures confessed their Understanding and yet have not marked nor known in what sort or being they should prepare their l Eccl. 2. hearts before God and so by their untimely zeal have cast themselves into the hands of the World and plucked a yoak m Act. 15. or burden upon their necks which they were not able to bear 15. Keep your selves yee Deerly-beloved from such things For at first God calleth us n 1 Thes 4. 2 Thess 2 1 Pet. 1. unto Sanctification in the Spirit and not unto much Confessing with the Mouth 16. Now if any man say Christ hath taught to o Mat. 10. Mat. 3. Luk. 9. 12. confesse him That is right indeed if it were well understood 17. But O Beloved tell me I pray you How will ye confesse Christ p Joh. 1.5 whom ye know not or before ye have in q Rom. 6.8 2 Cor. 4. Phil. 3. Col. 2. death and life followed and put him on 18. True it is ye have read or heard of Him in the Scripture neverthelesse many have never seen r Joh. 5. his shape and his love dwelleth not in them and therefore they understand not what they confesse For how should you by any means confesse Christ before Å¿ Gal. 4. he have his shape in you and that ye t Joh. 17. Heb. 3. 2 Pet. 1. be made partakers of his being 19. Know yee not that it is written how that Christ saith to his Father u Joh. 17. I have given them the cleernesse which thou hast given mee that they should be one even as we are one I in them and Thou in Mee that they may be perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent mee and thou hast loved them as thou hast loved Me. Father I will that where I am there may they also be with me whom thou hast given me 20. Ruminate upon the sense mark well the ground understand the Scripture and take a view of your selves whether yee have received of Christ such a cleernesse or not and whether he be one with you and ye with him and with the Eather 21. Now if it be thus with you to wit that ye be come to such a x 1 Thes 4 2 Thess 2 1 Pet. 1. sanctification in the Spirit through Christ then ye know who he is for to confesse him and yee know him how that he is y Heb. 1. the like image of his Father one Being Spirit or Life with the Godhead z Apoc. 1.22 who hath neither beginning nor ending 22. He saith also a Joh. 14. I am the Way the Truth and the Life no man cometh to the Father but only through Me. 23. Moreover b Joh. 10. I am the door of
Righteousness and from the hope of Salvation according to the Promises and have sticked unto c Rom. 1. Epes 4. covetousnesse and lusts the snares of the confused world 4. Truly those that cleave to the Word and his Service of Love in such a sort and do so take and understand it they have conceived altogether amisse of the Word and his requiring and therefore they are d Rom. 1. Ephes 4. become vain in their understanding Insomuch that they forsake the Scriptures and Exhortations to the good all alike and do let the conversion to God and to his Righteousnesse utterly dye out of their hearts speaking thus with unrepentant hearts out of the vanity of their minde not discerning the upright understanding It must all come of God There is One that giveth all For it is God onely that can teach us Of him must we receive all and no men can give it us 5. This they say well and run yet neverthelesse forth as if there were no God nor Ministring of his Word that loved or required the Righteousnesse and do not once know nor consider the estranging or e Isa 1.59 falling from their God whereby to turn them again to him and his Righteousness and to shew repentance or f Matt. 3. Luk. 3. Acts 3. amendment for their sins and so in all humility to have regard to what purpose God hath given his Promises and annexed or ordained the Ministration of his Word under the obedience of the love therunto wherby they might receive of him the vertue of salvation For out of such a heart of humility g Isa 57.66 4 Esd 8. Eccl. 3. Jam. 4. 1 Pet. 5. the humble do always in God finde their salvation and not the stout hearts that do not esteem of Gods righteousnesse 6. O God! How dangerous a time is it now h 1 Tim. 4 2 Tim. 3 2 Pet. 3. Jude 1. in these last dayes through the misunderstanding of the children of men 7. What a number of false and venemous windes do there blow among the children of men to the hurt of their souls and to a drawing of them away from the Righteousnesse 8. Oh That there were in every one an hearty desire to the good then might they be protected and defended from the bewitching of the false windes which make the heart negligent to the upright Good and bring it either to the bewitched Humility or to the Lusts of the vain world 9. Therefore it is expedient to have a regard to Understanding i Prov. 1.2.3.4.8 to take heed to the Wisdom to esteem much of Godlinesse to account the upright Righteousnesse k Sap. 7.8 for the most precious above all Riches and to make choice of the Long-sufferance with the foresightfulnesse as Superintendents 10. This did the holy Fathers in times past give heed unto l Sap. 11. Eccl. 44.45 46. and so God taught them in his wisdome and preserved them that they were not partakers of the plagues of the ungodly 11. Wherefore let every one understand the meaning of the Word aright and take a right view that he may know who he is and how he ought to apply himself to be taught of God and to be endowed with his Spirit and what manner of people God will choose for his holy people 12. Truly not such m Sap. 1. as with their hearts cleave unto the world love the Evill n Pro. 1. and in all things let go the counsell of God Neither yet such o Mat. Luk. 17.21 as hang their Hearts in buying and selling upon coveteousnesse or p Rom. 13 1 Cor. 10 in eating and drinking upon gluttony or in marrying or being married upon unchastnesse or upon any vain transitory rejoycing whether it be in building or in planting and who in all their doings doe not attend nor have regard unto the works of the Lord as it came to passe in the times q Gen. 7. of Noe and in the r Gen. 19 times of Lot 13. For all those whose hearts in the time of Noe clave not to Gods righteousnesse but had a Lust and gave over their hearts to the vain corrupt things they marked not the work of the Lord neither had any respect to the preservation of the Righteous nor yet feared the punishment which then was ready to come upon all wicked men Of all this they knew nothing till the Flood came upon them and tooke them clean away 14. Therefore understand and know the preservation of godly men in these last dayes and consider well the meaning who or which they are that shall be taught of God and in what course they walke the which we have in some measure expressed Å¿ 1 Glass 7 in the first Book of the Glasse of Righteousnesse and doe here at this present expresse it namely they are those that t Mat. 5. have hunger and thirst after the Righteousnesse u Judith 8 Eccl. 2.3 that submit their souls to the obedience of the gracious Word and his Service x Luk. 18 and continue daily in prayer not in many words y John 4. Eph. 6. Phil. 4. but in the Spirit with desire to the Lord and his Righteousnes that they may obtain grace at the hands of God to live z Lake 1 in his righteousnesse with an upright heart and pure spirit 15. These are sorrowfull for their sins and sighing over them suffer not their souls to be quiet so long as they know or feele in themselves any vain or naughty Being which their hearts are tied or bound unto or so long as any thing in them doth reigne over them which is not GOD because they may not in all things serve their God onely 16. These that love the good Being from the heart doe seek in God to obtaine the same and doe labour and zealously endeavour thereafter a Deut. 4 Jer. 29. Mat. 7. Luk. 17. For they seeke and finde they knock and it is opened unto them they ask and receive not in presumptuousnesse as though God owed it them because of their seeking knocking and asking O no they looke not upon their own doings but labour onely for this even how to please the Lord giving themselves over thereunto with humble hearts according to the Spirit and acknowledge that they are not worthy of such Grace thus to be accepted and established in Gods truth and love 17. With such humble hearts doe they through the Love and her Service seek to find grace and peace at the hands of God the Father and not the subtile knowledge b 1 Cor. 6 which maketh the heart stout and lofty c Mat. 6. but they seeke above all and afore all things the Kingdome of God and his Righteousnesse The which are the gifts of God that God richly bringeth in the everlasting life unto such as worship and love him 18 For those that pray unto him for an upright heart and for a new and
pure Spirit d Luk. 11 he doth not endow with an evill heart or a wicked spirit though sometimes the evill heart or unrighteous spirit make up it selfe there-against yet is the same taken away e Eph. 6. through the Beliefe in the Crosse or patience of Christ upon hope of the good that is for to come but they obtain faithfulnesse and truth f Luk. 11 and the righteous Spirit with an heart of meeknesse and love And that is Christ or the Anointed which is holy and teacheth right It is true 19. After this maner do they apply themselves that will bee taught of God and his Christ out of whom God will prepare him an g Tit. 1. acceptable people to be a remnant for himselfe in the destruction of the wicked world Yea it shall be a h Esa 41 Soph. 3. Luk. 12. poor plain people not after the outward sight of the eye but according to the hidden inward man such as hope on the Lord and in the Spirit relye and trust upon his Name And these same yea such doth God choose unto him for his people for to magnifie his holy Name in them for evermore 20. For consider ye beloved how should any man be taught of God or Christ that will not give eare to his teaching or counsell but doth as Gods enemy cleave unto and love the i Joh. 8. 1 John 2. Devill and the World which do openly resist God 21. Therefore ought the lovers of the Truth which hope for the salvation of the perfect Being utterly to put out of their hearts k Prov. 1 whatsoever concerneth the vanity or misbehaviour and every thing which the heart contrary to God his Righteousnes is bound or tied with so much as in the Lord they are able and so to give over themselves to God that Gods goodnesse may have his place in them and not any ungodly Being 22. Also all lovers of the Righteousnes ought to l Eph. 4. reach the hand and to m Rom. 15. 2 Thes 5 Heb. 3.10 exhort one another to the same and so in one manner of Belief to strengthen each other towards salvation with a good courage n 2 Pet. 1 and to have regard to the sure propheticall Word to wit to the Service of the Love administred in his time to treat thereof o Act. 2.20 to break that same bread among each other in stilnesse and to persevere or abide stedfest in prayer till p Esa 25 2 Cor. 3. all coverings wherewith their hearts after the flesh or according to the visible are covered bee done away and that the pure or cleare that is to say the spirituall heavenly and uncovered Being of Christ q 2 Cor. 3. appeare and come in their spirit to the intent that so they might r 1 Joh. 4. 2 Cor. 5. know and cleave fast unto the living God and his Christ in the spirit even as he blessed may he be is a Spirit in all Love wherein the Law and the Gospel of the Kingdom and the doctrine thereof is Å¿ Rom. 15 Gal. 5. 1 Tim. 1. fulfilled might with all their understanding will and desire live the upright righteousnesse of God t Deut. 4 Mat. 22. and that God likewise may be the most best beloved and his Righteousnesse u Mat. 13. 2 Cor. 4. their most pretious Treasure worthy to be esteemed high above all 23. Whosoever now doe thus with an inclination to the same stand in a good will to them belongeth the blessing and happinesse promised of God to whom it is also promised x Psal 82. John 1. that they shall bee made the children of God and be blessed with the dew of his increse and be anointed for y Psa 45 Christians with the oyle of Love and of his Spirit or Christian nature yet not out of flesh and blood but out of the holy Divine Being 24. When the man therefore is thus joyned unto God then may he with God rightly possesse all things and understand and know whereout the horrible destruction cometh upon the Children of men 25. Wherefore the man should feare his God that he might come to the godly wisdom and might cleave unto that which is right and reasonable to the intent that he might not perish with the wicked 26. For wisdom z Pro. 8. Sap. 7. is much better then Gold and Silver Righteousnes much worthier and preciouser than all Pearles and precious stones and prudence much more honourable puissant and strong than all Castles Cities and Fonresses also mightier than the multitudes of the Armed The feare of God doth more quiet the heart in a little than do abundant Riches in all the pleasures and delights of the world It shall in his time be found and known to be even so 27. Unto this holy and divine wisdom apply ye your hearts ye dearly beloved and be ye warned in this dangerous time in which all foolishnes and ungodlines beareth sway whose end reacheth a Heb. 10 to the most horriblest destruction 28. For so it cometh which is for to come and all ungodly being shall make up it self and be astonied after that it shall b Esa 13. feare tremble and quake and be compelled in the beholding of his own destruction to suffer the vengeance of the fire but the godly shall obtain peace 29. Therefore take heed feare God stick fast to vertue humility and meeknes least ye remain in the ungodlines c Apo. 18 and be made partakers of her plagues 30. Watch d Mat. 24. Luk. 21. 1 Pet. 5. and pray and be reformed or justified and stand fast upon Gods promises 31. Observe your time e Gal. 6. unto sanctification f Jam. 1. and behold in you daily the spots of your spirit in the Glasse of Righteousnes and wash you g Esa 1. Jer. 4. Ezek. 36 John 3. with the cleane waters in the laver of the Love be purged in your spirit h Eccl. 2. in the Fornace of the lowlines of haert and so love that thing which is right and reasonable CHAP. XX. 1. The Author bath kept back nothing that is necessary to Salvation 5. And therefore cleareth himself of the Mans destruction 8. Yet if any de know any better thing he desireth that they will shew it out of love as he hath done 10. A Councel to all lovers of the truth how to behave themselves 19. Shewing them what God requireth 26. He willeth that men desire not to have all at once 30. Many ignorant beginnings have brought men into divers misunderstandings especially into security 39. From which be exhorteth to return with a new courage unto the seruice of the love 43. Of divers that are diversly disposed to errour Some to rest upon themselves some upon their Liberty some regard neither sin nor Grace some straiten themselves to get the promises and afterward grow insolent upon their own worthines 57.
Promises 52. And therefore when according to their desire they have gotten all that honour then perswade they themselves yea it is already certaine that they have greatly merited because they have suffered so much strived and vanquished so valiantly and have so much knowledge do assume unto them that they are then holy and that God on the other side is indebted unto them of all the Promises and of the Blessing mentioned in the Scripture being well assured hereof that it doth of right and equity appertaine unto them 53. Now because they have chosen to themselves such an opinion they suppose that the Scripture witnesseth of them as the people of God and that likewise in regard of their holiness the honour of Gods Promises belongeth unto them They hold also so greatly of themselves that they know themselves to be worthy of all the high stile of the holy Titles that men do give them also all the services that men shew unto them they boldly arrogate unto themselves and a great deale more 54. For in their own eyes they are the most understandingest and the most best or holiest yea they are so exceeding proud upon their own knowledge and righteousnesse as if there were no God any where else save onely with them according to the knowledge of their cogitations and as though that the true God had utterly excluded all others his creatures 55. Oh! What an abominable thing is it to assume and feine to ones self such a spirituall conceit For thereout is able to spring great abomination and wickednesse such as is much worse then any fact of open sinners 56. For there is no greater sin then a spiritual pride r Act. 12. in which the man ascribeth holynesse to himself by his works and exalteth himself therewith Å¿ Mat. 12 Luk. 11. which last error is much worse than the first 57. O ye dearly beloved beware of such a nature of bold arrogancy that you become not back-sliders thereby from the single humility and meeknes of the upright being of Jesus Christ and that you fall not into the abominations and dreadful punishments of ungodly Men. CHAP. XXI 1. Of the upright hearts and their lowly estimation of themselves 8. The ground of upright repentance is shewed in the thirteenth chapter of the third Book of The Glasse of Righteousnesse MOreover men may also finde divers upright and wel-willing to the righteousnesse who in all obeying of the holy and gratious word under the obedience of the Love endure great straitnes for the righteousness sake who also regard no straitnes so as they might obtaine but such Grace a Rom. 6.14 that the Sunne might not have Dominion over them but that they might be b Ioh. 8. Rom. 6.18 freed from it for to serve in righteousnesse and love the living God onely and to be obedient to the requiring of his word not thinking what they are then worthy of or how they are then to reign or what doth then belong unto them 2. O no their thoughts reach not so far but they are still inclined for to walk brother-like in the Love and with earnest desire to do the will of the Lord. They have regard unto Gods Promises trusting even upon this that God is true of his word as one that sheweth his Grace on such as love him d Esa 57.66 and are lowlie of heart 3. When as they have now with singlenes of heart shewed all obedience in the service of the gracious Word of the Lord and of his holy Spirit of Love suffered much grief and affliction for their sins cause and have tasted of the refreshing or annointing to the health of their souls then become they but so much the more lowly and humble of heart e Rom. 12 1 Pet. 1. and so much the more brotherly and peaceable towards all men and count themselves unworthy of such grace neither know they how they shall be able to be serviceable enough in the Love 4. They esteeme moreover very little of their own word that ariseth out of themselves according to the flesh but the requiring of the serviceable Word of the Lord where-under their hearts stand humbly submitted to all upright righteousnes and holines they make great account of and hold it very worthy to be obeyed unto Moreover the life of righteousnes which is ministred set forth in the service of the love they cleave unto with all their hearts and above all praise it exceedingly and gladly would that all men were in the godly nature and brotherly love obediently come thereunto 5. These shew alwaies towards God and his service of Love true humility and obedience and towards men true love faithfulnesse and Truth and do not desire according to the foolish pride of the world any praise or service of men to themselves but rather that the righteousnes in the Love might have his proceeding and all people might under the obedience of the Love serve God and inherite the peace of Christ 6. Out of such an upright heart being f Eph. 4. grown up to the old age of the holy understanding and g Matt. 13. taught to the Kingdom of God they testifie h Psal 1 15. that all Laud Honour and Praise belongeth to God onely and not unto them And so in their proceeding in the same upright life they likewise serve or reach the hand either to other and thus in their service they point the man onely unto God and to the salvation of God in Jesus Christ 7. this mind or nature is far the most best because by it the man esteemeth the Grace of the Lord to be great and all his own doings or works and anguish respecteth or judgeth he as i Phil. 2. of no value The Lord of his Grace bring us all to such a mind Amen 8. The Ground of upright repentance and amendment for sin is at large plainly expressed and with clear distinction uttered unto you in the third book of the Glasse of Righteousness in the thirteenth chapter according as the same is practized and used of all good willing ones which seek and love the good life of the upright and lovely being from the heart and do out of all their soul passe forth towards it vnder the obedience of the Love Take it to Heart CHAP. XXII 1. Sundry Opinions are taken from the Scriptures 2. Divers do contend about the Kingdom of God both what it is and whence to be had and when 5. But the Scripture is clear enough and the matter it self is explained 24. He exhorteth to the Reading and hearing of the Glasse of Righteousnes where men shall see the everlasting Ordinances of God and the upright life wherein Gods people have ever lived 30. The same Ordinances were renewed by Moses and the life published by Christ for a Gospel 31. In sure hope whereof the Beleevers rested and are now with Christ manifested in Glory 45. He calleth upon such as have too soone
named themselves Christians that they lay away their vain boasting and turne to the Love and her Service THere are also divers men that draw sundry Opinions of Understandings out of the Scripture But every one particularly after his own conceiving Howbeit in asmuch as they know not the Councel of God nor comprehended his wisdom therefore do those Opinions and Understandings fall out to be of several sorts and do for the most part run all one against another and are among each other intangled 2. Some strive for the Kingdom of God or inward life of Christ which is called the new Man and suppose that it is this or that or that it is here-hence or there-hence after the outward appearance for to come or to be obtained 3. Others think that it shall be first found and obtained after the death of the Creature Yea the Principallest of the Learned in the Letter who will forsooth be the understandingest in the Scripture do maintain such a ground of Beleefe 4. O God! How long shall the Scripture through the false and unright light or sight be yet set forth and taught 5. It is doubtles plainly and clearly enough written a Luke 17. that the Kingdom of God is inwardly within us He is in the middest of you saith b Iohn 1. John whom ye know not The same is he that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost 6. But many as it well appeareth know him not For he who is the very c Col. 1. Image of God or the Christ and the Kingdom of the glory of God hath his going down in us inwardly and suffereth the d Rom. 6. Death of the Crosse for the Sinnes cause 7. Nevertheles if any man be baptized inwardly in the death of Christ and e Rom. 6. Col. 2. with his like Death be until his burying planted into him the same ariseth also with Christ and liveth For then inwardly is Gods Kingdom of Heaven even in him and not specially here or there as among these or among those but the Kingdom of God is here and there among these and among those namely in every one in us Howbeit unknown to many as is already said 8. Now if the Kingdom of God be within us and that we as the Scripture saith f John 7. beleeve in Christ then ought we after the Councel of the Wisdom and of the holy understanding to seeke it inwardly there for even thither shall it come and so be found inwardly within us 9. But who so seeketh it only at the hands of another and doth not attend the coming thereof inwardly according to the direction of the holy word and service of love the same shall in no wise find it 10. For this cause men are not in the seeking of the Kingdom of God to despise the Councel and Service of the holy word which under the obedience of the Love teacheth and directeth rightly to the same but with lowly hearts to give good eare thereunto 11. Therefore believe the truth and follow the Councel of the Scriptures g Mat. 7 seeke and ye shall find c. h Mat. 18 Turn you about and become as little Children and not subtile cunning i Prov. 3. Rom. 12. or wise in your own selves For who so receiveth not the Kingdom of God k Mar. 10 Luke 18 as a Child he shall not enter therein 12. Wherefore it is all to no purpose to set ones mind upon any thing that is above in the Heaven or that is beneath under the earth either what people this or that is or where hence Christ shall come or not or with what outward appearance the Kingdom of God cometh 13. For behold if ye find not the Kingdom of God and his Righteousnes l Lu. 17. inwardly in your soules and the forme of Christ in his glory appeared not in your m 2 Cor. 4. Gal. 4. inwardnes then shall ye be constrained to misse or be without the Kingdom of God and Christ n John 6. and shall likewise not eat the bread from Heaven with Christ o Lu. 14. in the Kingdom of God his Almighty Father 14. Therefore seek it where it is to be found and take right regard whether it cometh hunger and thirst ye after it Nevertheles hast you not after it out of your own chusing through mis-understanding but go ye p Psal 84. from one vertue to another 15. Posses ye your q Lu. 21. soules with patience have regard on the coming of Christ contend not any more r 1 Tim. 6 2 Tim. 2. Tit. 3. and strive no longer with flesh and blood 16. Let it once suffice that ye have contended and wrangled for the Scriptures cause rather now endeavour you in obeying of the requiring of the service of love Å¿ Jam. 1. to receive or put on the gracious word of the Lord in your hearts and labor ye t Eph. 4. for the unity of the love For in such a sort shall the Kingdom of God come 17. Now when you have thus received or put on the serviceable gracious word of the Lord the true Christ after the flesh in your hearts or inwardnes then apply your selves therewithal in your inwardnes to the good being which the gracious word of the Lord requireth in â—is service for to overcome in like manner with Christ every thing that is against him to the intent his enemies v Psal 110. for a foot-stoole may be laid under his feet 18. And when you exercise your selves herein be ye likewise baptized in the death of Christ that is in his patience x Rom. 6. Col. 2. and with his like death or patience be ye planted into him and so y Eph. 6. overcome ye through the belief with the like crosse or patience of Christ the sin death flesh and the world Devill and Hell and all sensuality which ariseth out of your own wisdom of the flesh and be ye likewise in your inward man z Rom. 12 Eph. 4. renewed unto righteousnes a 2 Cor. 4 Phil. 3. in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ Lo. thus doth the Scripture teach us if it were but rightly understood 19. When we are now passed through this b Col. 1. and have through the death of Christ even until his Resurrection overcomed all those deadly things then have we peace c Rom. 5. Eph. 2. with God the Father and stand firm in the love which is the end or fulfilling of all the spiritual Testimonies And therein is comprehended the perfection 20. Not that we come hereunto out of our own strength But when with lowly hearts we d Esa 55. Ezek. 18 Joel 2. Eccli 2.17 turn us obediently to God and the service of his gracious word then doth God also offer himself unto us and out of his Calling in the spirit allureth or draweth he us unto himself justifying us through the belief in e Col. 1. Heb. 9. Apo.
7 the blood of Jesus Christ and maketh us cleane from our sins and giveth us the everlasting life 21. This is verily the word of Faith f Act. 2.3 4 5 7 8. c. Rom. 10. 1 Pet. 1. which was published by the Apostles through Christ for a Righteousnes unto us g 2 Cor. 11. Gal. 1. Phil. 1. Whosoever therefore preacheth any other Christ or preacheth Christ any other way publisheth any other Gospel or publisheth the Gospel upon any other fashion or ground or believeth any otherwise or buildeth upon any other foundation h 1 Cor. 3 than God hath from the beginning through his Prophets and Apostles required and willed the same man remaineth i Gal. 1. execrable or accursed according to the mencion of the Scriptures 22. For k 1 Cor. 3 no other Foundation may there be laid than the same that is laid which is Iesus Christ who from everlasting was and is and abideth for ever Through whom God made all whatsoever is any thing and l Heb. 1. he beareth up all things by the power of his might and maketh the clensing of our sins through himself Unto him as a Father of all be Laud Honour and Praise for evermore Amen 23. These and such like things was I partly of necessity moved to rehearse unto you ye dearly beloved to the intent you might consider them aright and understand the diversity of every thing that concerneth the Salvation of men 24. Furthermore see that ye humbly with meditation to God apply your selves out of the inclination of love to read or to heare the Glasse of Righteousnes and consider or mark the life which is witnessed and set forth in the same Behold there in the spirit of your understanding the everlasting unchangeable Statutes and Ordinances of Almighty God which also shall remain unchangeable for ever For that which is there witnessed is such an upright life m Gen. 1. Eph. 2. as the man is created unto for to live therein In which Statutes and Ordinances the Lords people have lived from the beginning 25. Yea such a Life Statutes and Ordinances are a delight and joy to all upright hearts and Prophets to live therein and they have heretofore born witnes thereunto that in time to come men should live in them For through the truth they saw into the life of peace in the love and that through the life of peace in the love every thing is made perfect and therein standeth firme or abideth stedfast 26. That verily is the life which is true n Joh. 1. and that life is the light of men o Eph. 1.5 Col. 1. and the head of the holy Commonalty Who so goeth out of it cometh to the death blindnes and darknes 27. But the soules of those that live therein are blessed in the Lord. For such people doth God require as do walk in his Ordinances that is to say in the life and peace of love p Deut. 6.2 and do love the only God from the heart 28. Lo it is the true God that requireth such upright Righteousnes and he himself cleaveth to his Righteousnes his Statutes and Ordinances everlastingly q Joh. 1.2 For he is the spirit of his life the life of his word the word of his Spirit r Exod. 3 Mat. 22. the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob or Israel 29. That verily is the true life of peace and love and the Statutes and Ordinances are the same upright righteousnes which the holy Fathers have lived and walked in 30. The same Statutes and Ordinances of the holy Fathers were by Moses renewed Å¿ Exod. 20. Deut. 5. and witnessed unto a life before all people And that life was through Jesus Christ being risen from the Dead and ascended into Heaven t Mat. 28. Mar. 16. published unto all people for a Gospel because they should live therein And unto all that believed thereon was the Resurrection from the dead and the everlasting life witnessed and promised through Iesus Christ 31. In sure and firm hope whereof the upright Beleevers have rested in the Lord Iesus Christ till the appearing of his coming which is now in this day of the love revealed out of the heavenly beeing with which Jesus Christ the former Beleevers of Christ v John 5. 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes 4. who were fallen a sleepe rested or dyed in him are now also manifested in Glory 32. For Christ in the appearing of his comming raiseth his deceased from the dead x 1 Cor. 15. to the intent that they should reign alive with him over all his enemies y Mat. 25. John 5. Rom. 2. 2 Thes 1. and condemneth all the ungodly which have not liked of him 33. This is the joyful Message published to the Gentiles whereby z Eph. 2.3 as fellow-Heires in the Testaments of promise they are bidden and called to the house of Jacob and to the Citizenship of Jerusalem To the intent they should depart from the brutishnes of their errors and from the sundry intanglements of their Idolatries and turn them to the God of Israel for to serve him only and to live in his Statutes and Ordinances through the belief 34. Which Righteousnes a Ro. 2.3 is required out of the Law and is now in this last time openly and evidently witnessed out of the inclination of love and through the insight of the same upright life to a view of the upright righteousnes which the man is created unto and to a demonstration whereunto or to what end or fulfilling God hath given his promises and made his Covenant with the Fathers 35. Behold hereunto namely to that which we bear witnes of is the Calling of the Gentiles made b Rom. 11. Eph. 2. who are out of grace called thereunto for to serve with the Stock of Abraham one God in one manner of Righteousnes 36. Lo these are the promises c Gen. 17. which were committed to the Jewes in the Circumcision And Jesus Christ the safe-making word of the Lord is amongst them Act. 13. Rom. 9. d Rom. 15. for the truth of Gods sake become a Minister of the Circumcision to confirme the promises made unto the Fathers that the name of the God of Abraham might be magnified likewise among the Gentiles And for the mercies sake towards the Gentiles is the Grace of life published also to the Gentiles to the intent e Act. 10.11.13 Rom. 11. they should praise God and know the God of Israel and his Ordinances 37. Which God and his righteousnes we do now know in the love through the spirit of truth which according to the spirit f Joh. 14. leadeth us into all truth that is into all love according to the promises g Col. 5. For the love is the band of perfection By which Band we are sealed and confirmed for ever in the same perfection to the intent that Gods
be offended nor made bitter-minded Let every one be minded hereunto from the heart r Matt. 13. that all offence may be rooted out and destroyed from the Lords Kingdom 31. After the same manner also my request is that those which read or hear our Writings will not take them to offence but bow their hearts under the Love and receive that onely which is right and reasonable 32. But if so be any man do suspect any misunderstanding in our writings let him bear with the same through Love that through the Love all may be amended and repaired For my service is to unpartiality and to unity of heart in the Love and that according to the gifts of the holy and godly understanding which are of God given and committed unto me 33. Moreover if any man perswade himself that he is more richly endowed with gifts Å¿ 1 Cor. 4 let him not be proud upon the riches of his gifts but let him humble himself among us under the obedience of the Love and then shew likewise with his gifts according to the mind of the Love and according to the requiring of her service his good willing service without offence and unseperated from us and our Communalty to the intent the fellowship of the lovers of righteousnesse t 1 Ioh. 1. may in every respect be in the Love and be drawn and served out of Love to that purpose 34. For who art thou O man that thou dost proudly lift up thy self for the gifts cause of thy God and that thou shouldst not be content to submit thy self with thy gifts or understanding under the obedience of the Love of God and of Christ v 1 Cor. 4. 2 Cor. 3. James 1. Knowest thou not that there is no man that of himself can have any good thing or upright understanding except it be given him of God Wherefore bring and submit all under God and his Love x Es 42. whatsoever doth belong unto him and seperate not thy self from us seeing we are also well-willing thereunto 35. If then thy gifts be all gifts of God see that thou y Psal 34. praise God in those gifts of his under the obedience of his Love and make no breach or division with the same nor in any wise despise not another therewith that hath received lesse then thou hast but shew forth Love in all that is given or committed unto thee of God and so joyn thy self with us unto the gracious Word of the Lord which the God of heaven hath raised up among us according to his Promises 36. Be also not z Ezek. 3.4 Lordly neither advance thy self by accusation against thy inferiour brother likewise desire not to a 1 Pet. 5. a 1 Thes 5. quench any mans small godly gifts which he obtaineth under the obedience of the Love nor judge that any man besides his godly gifts hath taken on in his Councell any Flesh and bloud but be at peace with all them which to a concord with the Elders in the family of Love do obediently submit and give over themselves with all their gifts and understandings under the Love and her service For b Rom. 2 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 4. the gifts of God are manifold yet minded all to concord and Peace forasmuch as the true God of life is with his gifts no God of discord but of Peace 37. Wherefore there is also in the manifold gifts of God no more but one God c 1 Cor. 12. which worketh all to whom of right belongeth the highest respect above al things For he is the most highest the living and the Everlasting d Psa 139. whose Workes are wonderfull and his e Sap. 17. Rom. 11. Judgements incomprehensible 38. His height is unmeasurable his depth unsearchable his glory unspeakable his wisdome unwritable his grace infinite his word is unchangeable his Law inviolable his Truth uncorruptible his Spirit unmoveable his mighty Arm unfrayable and his glorious Majesty remaineth stable for evermore 39. Behold this living and true God of whom we have received our godly gifts is an everlasting and true Light f John 1. The same Light is an everlasting true Life that Life is an everlasting stedfast Word that Word is g John 6. a true Spirit 40. The same Spirit is h Sap. 7. the holy Wisdome and the upright Understanding The holy Wisdome and upright Understanding is the Providence The Providence is the Will which willeth that all what good is may be In this Will is the Beliefe The Beliefe is the Power and Might to accomplish In the Power is the Work Deed. The Work and Deed is all the visible and invisible Being which God for himself hath brought forth 41. But all the things that are Gods and which the true God hath brought forth and made both the invisible Being and the visible created Things are all Witnesses i Rom. 1. that He the same our living God is the Creator of all things the giver of all good gifts and the eternall and true God to the intent men should serve honour and worship him k Deut. 6. Mat. 4. onely as God Lord and King 42. And that same like Being of his Godhead l Gen. 1. Eccle. 17 was in the beginning formed in the man Which like Being of the Godhead and the light of his clearnesse the man hath m Gen. 3. Rom. 5. through the fall from his God been deprived of But the coming of the same light is in the resurrection of the dead to a godly glory n Esai 60.62 Joel 2. Acts 2. 2 Pet. 3. promised to be in the last time And that same as a new World full of Light and Life wherein o Apoc. 21. God himselfe dwelleth p Psal 97. appeareth unto us now in the Love and in the Righteousnesse of the everlasting uncorruptiblenesse according to the Promises CHAP. XXIV 1. GOD hath ever spoken to the Fathers concerning his Sonne or like-being who is the Heire of all things and the end of the Law and the Prophets 5. The same Sonne promised to the Beleevers that the true Life should be declared in the last times 8. Which is now fulfilled in the Love 10. But not understood by many 12. An exhortation to lay down all contending under the Love 22. Every Father of a Family in the Love hath liberty to use speciall Ceremonies 23. All to be done to the Love and Peace 25. As GOD extendeth his mercy on us so should we take heed unto it 26. H. N. witnesseth of this grace and it shall in time be manifested over all 28. He glorieth not in his Revelations but in God Neither doth he despise any others therewith 32. Howbeit his heart is inclined unto them that embrace the Love 34. There are no other people of the LORD but such as obey the Love 35. He hath not by his writings defamed any but called all to the Vnity of Heart THis
Fathers 31. The like also let every one do towards his brother and one man towards another and that all under the obedience of the Love 32. Do away from you u Esa 59. the middle walls and have love all that love righteousnesse proceed on after it with one accord have no regard to the foolishnesse of the Heathen nor to any such dealings or witnessings as cause Sects dissention or renting nor yet to their teachings and unprofitable devices nor to the witching of their God-services nor to the subtill knowledge of their wisdome For their waies x Jer. 5. are snares and their wisdome y Esa 19.42.58 nets who so hath no regard to the Law of the Lord nor to Abrahams God he shall be bewitched tied or taken and be led away from the requiring of the service of love by them 33. But all ye which turne you to the living God which made heaven and earth fear not the Gods of the Heathen neither regard the nets of the wisdome of the uncircumcised seeing they reject the Lords Word and his Ordinances 34. For the nets of the Heathen are like Spiders webs which do soon rent and fall asunder but the Law or Ordinance of the Lord is stedfast and abideth everlastingly 35. Therefore let the Law of the Lord and his Ordinances be alwayes for a teaching unto you and fear the God of Israel and let his love be still your rejoycing 36. Mark the ground of the Love ye deerly beloved and let your ears of the Spirit that you may hear your eyes of the heart that you may see and your understanding that you may understand be opened or unlocked not only to the outward earthly and corruptible but chiefly to that which is inward spirituall and eternall 37. For behold I do verily witnesse this same distinctly enough unto you to the intent we might all have regard to the upright life inwardly in our hearts a Rom. 8. become spiritually minded and through the grace of the bountifull Godhead serve in the upright life the living God only 38. Let every one b Gal. 6. take heed to his time for if we be already separated with our heart from whoring with stocks and stones as from such Idolatries doubtlesse it is then so much the more expedient inasmuch as such grace is extended on us that we observe our hearts and cogitations and cleanse them from all outward unprofitable things to be made free and unbound therefrom to the intent our hearts abide not bound unto any manner elementish created or worldly matter nor yet unto any kind of appearance of c Col. 2. spirituall or holy things whereby in case our hearts stood bound therein we may be lead a whoring and our hearts be bewitched therewith 39. Therefore let us not regard nor give respect unto or esteem any outward things higher then for elementish or so much as they are in their degree or as they are profitable in their Service neither let us go a whoring with them to the intent our eyes of the Spirit may still have respect to the only God and his upright life for to cleave with true understanding unto the same 40. For whatsoever is outward whether it be man or beast and whatsoever is to be seen heard or felt how fair good holy or wise soever it seemeth to be must certainly every whit so far forth as it standeth in his right degree d 1 Cor. 15 Eph. 1. Heb. 2. be subdued under the only God and his love 41. This same verily should the man once consider and understand to the intent he might once be delivered and rid of his foolish witchery and of dissention and of whoring with this or that 42. Therefore let no man be tied or bound to the lusts of whoredome with any outward thing but give all his respect to that God e 1 Cor. 15 which is all in all and inwardly in his mind let him take heed to the upright life which is godly holy and good that he may bear the Image or like being of his God f 1 Cor. 15 for as we have borne the image of the earthly so shall we also in like manner bear the image of the heavenly to the laud and praise of the glory of God 43. Loe thereunto is my testimony namely that the upright life is the life of the upright Fathers which served and worshipped the invisible great g Deut. 4.5.6 c. and almighty God only who still was God in Israel and in Israel also wrought wonderfully who is h Exod. 3. Mat. 22. che God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. 44. Now in that these Tribes of Israel knew the God of heaven as a true God and lived and cleave unto him therefore did they stand free and untied from all the God-services of the Heathenish Sorceries and were unbound from all whorings with outward things 45. To obtain this grace in God that is the Gospell which is through Christ published to the Heathen to the intent they should be released from their foolish bewitched God-services and from all their lusts of whoredome whereby they may with Israel be incorporated into the stock of Abraham and may altogether as one manner of people serve the onely living God in one manner Lawes Statutes and Ordinances even as the second Booke of the Glasse of Righteousnesse maketh mention 46. Therefore O all ye people Nations and Tribes if ye will not consider whereto ye are called of the God of heaven through the seed of Abraham according to the promises neither do regard your heavenly calling aright in her degree nor give your selves over thereunto nor feare Abrahams God nor love his Lawes and Ordinances but do build upon another foundation i Eph. 2 then surely shall ye be banished from God and from the Citizenship of Israel and be constrained to serve vaine things k Deut. 4. and to keep such Ordinances as you doe not know 47. That same shall intangle your hearts bewitch your understanding and make you bond-servants which indeed we are so long as we willingly remain l Rom. 6 subject to the sin and to the Sorcery of the heathen 48. Therefore lake heed to your time and seek God m Esa 55. while he is neare and may be found and while ye have yet space to turn you unto him 49. Let the ungodly n Ezek. 18 forsake his ungodly being and so come to the life through the death of the Crosse of Jesus Christ then shall he live and die no more 50. Let us apply our minds to the same and turn our hearts away from all sensuality of the flesh not only from that which outwardly we look upon but chiefly from the self-minded thoughts which do arise o Sap. 2. Mat. 15. out of our selves and doe tempt or intice us thereunto for to hold our hearts in bondage to the vaine corruptiblenesse which through