Jerusalem Å¿ Esa 33. Eph. 2. Apo. 21. or house of God t Rom. 12 Eph. 4. and body of the communalty of Christ and every understanding shall willingly yeeld it selfe captive under the obedience of the love u Act. 2.3.4.5 c. according as it came to passe in the Service of the communalty of the Apostles of Christ under the obedience of the beliefe inasmuch as the service of the communalty in the love is not lesse then it for in the communalty of the love Christ is personally with the Father at his right hand in whom is the forgivenesse of sins 10. Whosoever therfore hopeth in Christ and whosoever is infirm feeble or weak is x Mat. 5.9 11. hungry or thirsty after the righteousness he obtaineth his nouriture strengthning out of the love yea every one that is fallen or is broken y Esa 61. Ezck. 34. or is strayed and separated from the true God his Christ shall through the love her service if he convert and humble himself be wel-affected to the love be restored brought to right againe and therfore grow ye up through the love z Eph. 4. 1 Thes 3. 2 Thes 1. become manly in Jesu Christ 11. Behold unto this Service of Love have all the Prophets of God and Apostles of Christ borne witnesse in the Word of Truth and Life and therein likewise is restored all a Acts 3. what God hath spoken by the mouth of his Prophets from the beginning of the world 12. For all the doctrine of God the Law and the Prophets the Images Figures and Ceremonies doe witnesse of this time of grace concerning the restoring of the man in the Love which is the gracious Word promised in the last time in which Love the House of Israel and the house of Judah b Jer. 29.33 Rom. 11 which now are dissolved and scattered abroad among the Gentiles shall be established 13. They shall thenceforth be no more divided into two Kingdoms c Ezek. 37 Dan. 2. but be gathered into one and be set up in the love the multitude also of the Gentiles shall joyne themselves unto them d Esa 2. Mic. 4. Zach. 8. to serve the God of Jacob that they may learne his will walk in his streets among the Citizens of Israel and so all that love the righteousnesse be one f Joh. 17. in the one living God let them be who they are and of what generations peoples or Religions soever they may be as Christians Jewes Mahometists and Heathen or dispersed people for all those which love the righteousnesse and submit them obediently under the gracious Word of the Lord and his service of Love g Act. 10. are acceptable to God and shall all through the Word of Truth be renewed in the love to observe one manner Statutes and Ordinances of the God of Israel according to the promises 14. Now seeing my service is in all peaceablenesse under the obedience of the Love inclined to the same therefore also my writing is neither against nor with any Nations Peoples or Congregations that boast themselves to be of God or Christ so as either to reproach or to praise any of them but doe set forth through the grace of God the Father which is given unto me the plaine evidence of the upright communalty of God and Christ according to my sight of the true being 15. Moreover I do not set my self either to contend against one or against another or to revile reproach or censure any man in his error or failing because he should endeavour him to repentance O no that is not our service of the love For verily we have all grievously sinned h Esa 59. Rom. 3. yea we have all erred like the blind there hath truly none continued in his estate no not one 16. Oh man who art thou then or why takest thou so upon thee that thou i Rom. 2. judgest another and justifiest thy self for we are all void of the grace of God which vve receive and obtaine if vve be of good k Lu. 2. Phil. 2. vvill and doe turne us unto God and be vvell-minded to the love from the heart 17. And for this cause I doe not oppose my self against any sorts of people or Religions either for to judge them to destroying suppressing or rooting out or els to strive or to contend against them but do out of the mercy vvhich through the love of God the Father is shevved on me desire to dravv unto Unity all those that love the Righteousnesse under the obedience of the love and to manifest unto them the upright righteousnesse to the end they might all l Mat. 3. Acts 2.3 shew repentance for their sins and be saved and that they with us and we with them might inherit in the love the true peace of Jesu Christ and the unity of heart and that the true m Eph. 2.4 Col. 3. peace of Jesu Christ might be prepared on earth 18. For in all this our most holiest God-service of the love I have from my heart a pleasure in all them that love the love and peace and are minded to concord and righteousnesse of heart or do indeavour thereafter neither desire I to beare any thing in mind to the worst which any man through unbeliefe hath done or spoken against us 19. Furthermore seeing true beliefe n Eph. 2. is the gift of God and that we are not o Rom. 3.5 Gal. 2. Eph. 2 saved out of our selves but out of Gods grace through the faith of Jesu Christ therefore can I not in any wise oppose my selfe against any either against the Popedome or Catholike Church or against any temporal Rulers against Jews or Gentiles or against any institutions of Religion for we are are all called in Christ to salvation and peace that we should all in the last time be p John 17. Eph. 4. of one mind under the obedience of the love 20. Now because I doe not set my selfe resistingly or reproachingly against any shall I then fawne and flatter as to write any thing for any mans favour to please men that be far from me but rather I declare uprightly even as it is through Gods heavenly Revelation manifested and granted me to see the thing that right is and that availeth in the sight of God and ought to have his passage among all men 21. Lo this O ye well-willers of the righteousnesse is now out of the inclination of love as far as we may and as God permitteth unto us painted out and pourtrayed before you according to the life thereof as a president or pattern of the righteousnesse 22. Let every one therefore once glasse himself in the Glasse of Righteousnesse according to the truth and look upon the thing which is right let him put away from him all evill thoughts together with his deceitfull tongue q Psa 34. and let reproaching lips be far from
that all hearts of men might fear honor and only serve him 27. Now where the word of life to Gods glory and mens salvation was heretofore thus ministred d Act. 2.3 4.5 c. and God then gave his blessing and increase for a fruitfulnesse of his Word through the belief there was also the same Word ministred out of Love by the Ministers thereof namely to the believers for their strengthning and growing up in the Word and in like manner they held forth the same Word of life according to his worthinesse unto the little young and weak ones to cheer up their hearts thereunto and to confirme them in the holy being of the same Word that such an holy being of God might have e Gal. 4. a sure forme in them and all people might with their tongues laud and praise God 28. Behold this same holy being of God is the true life of the holy Ghost which heretofore God wrought among his people Israel and likewise f Joel 2. Acts 2. among the Gentiles that feared his name and the same is promised afterward to be given in the g Esa 2.3.9.25.32.35 c. last daies 29. This same being of God is indeed the right food of the soule and bread of life and is h Ioh. 6. descended unto us from heaven for a life to the man and was heretofore i 1 Cor. 10 11. broken and distributed to the people of Israel and Dicsples of Christ to feed on in their souls 30. And this same bread which they brake fed on or eat k 1 Cor. 10 is the Communion of the Body of Christ which Christ is l Eph. 1.4.5 the Head Lord and Master of his Congreation saving m Mat. 1. redeeming his people from their sins and the cup whereof they drank n 1 Cor. 10 is the Communion of the blood of Christ 31. This same bread which was given unto them is the true meat-offering of Christ namely his body o Mat. 26. Mat. 14. Luk. 22. 1 Cor. 11. and this cup which was powred forth unto them is the true shedding of his blood the which is the out-flowing of the holy Word or Spirit of Christ upon all believers of Christ to everlasting life 32. Even thus did the Disciples of Jesu Christ eat of his flesh and drinke of his blood to the forgivenesse of their sins unto him namely to Christ for an incorporating and unto them namely to the believers of Christ for a life and so then had they their fellowship p 1 Joh. 1. with the same Christ and with his Father and were flesh q 1 Cor. 12. of his flesh and bone of his bones 33. Behold that same bread or body of Christ is the word that became flesh r Joh. 1. and it dwelt amongst them and they saw Å¿ 2 Pet. 1. 1 Joh. 1. his glory as a glory of the onely born Son of the Father full of grace and truth 34. And that same is the new Testament t Jer. 31. Heb. 8.10 which God in those daies made and appointed with his people u Act. 2. Tit. 3. and he powred out his spirit plenteously on them x Apo. 12. and did let them see his Ark in the heaven sent down his holy Jerusalem unto them y Apo. 21. and shewed them the Temple of his holy dwelling z Act. 7.17 which is not made with mens hands but which he had prepared for himself according as he promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Juda and the same is published to the Gentiles for a joyfull message 35. The same bread which was sent down unto them from heaven was heretofore broken and distributed also to the Gentiles as it is now unto us there was also a 1 Cor. 11. powred forth unto them of the cup of Christ and God did likewise shed sorth the same spirit of Christ b Act. 10.11.13 upon the Gentiles and through the belief justified their hearts from the sin for a c Esa 2.42.56.60.61.66 Jer. 23.33 Joel 2. Zach. 2.8.13 serting up of the banner of righteousnesse unto them according as God had avouched and promised the same to the Gentiles aforetimes by the mouth of his Prophets 36. Loe such things doth God work through his ministration of the holy Ghost and it is the true service in the obedience of the love and in this very sort my sight is that it shall come to passe in the last daies when God setteth up again the house of Israel according to his promises and not according to any humane Ordinance or invention which the man bringeth forth out of his witty dexterity or knowledge or out of his letter-learned wisdome wherewith the ignorant ones who understand not Gods promises are taken captive or tyed and with the bondage of heart through mens doctrine and wisdome carried into a made holinesse and fed therewith but not unto the word of life or shedding forth of the Holy Ghost from the living father the most highest nor yet fed with it 37. O no ye deerly beloved God d Esa 42. giveth not that honour unto any creature It is also no mans work nor power through mans invention but the work and power of the Lord through his gracious word in the service of his love that so they might all according to the promises e Esa 54. Joh. 6. be taught of God and all know him from f Jer. 31. the least to the greatest CHAP. VI. 1. The service of the love being Gods work by the illuminate elders 2. Is of few believed yet is it certainly the truth 3. Neverthelesse he permitteth it to be judged of all upright hearts 6. But with caution that none judge of envy but faithfully out of love 16. The worthinesse of the true wisdome 25. For lack whereof the course of the world is marred 26. Of the false wisdome 28. and of the true 30. The end of the false wisdome is come 32. How to come to the true wisdome BUt this service out of the love and this administration of the true bread or living word where it is appeared out of the true God is administred among the unlightned by the Elders and illuminated men in the family of the love of Jesu Christ â—o a Esa 40.42.61 Jer. 1.20 Mat. 28. Mar. 16. prepare and make meet the unlightâ—ed for to receive the true light of Christ and the gifts of his holy Spirit yea the same ministration is even Gods Ordinance where b 1 Cor. 3. God is the worker but not els and then the illuminated man who is grown up under the obedience of the love c Eph. 4. to the old age of the holy understanding or of the man Christ d Joh. 15 Act. 1.2 is a witnesse and serviceable instrument thereof but the blessing or increase which is the spirit of the living Word e 1 Cor. 3. must God
a Mat. 11. and meek heart according to the mentioning of the Scriptures 27. Novv vvhen vve have heard or read the Scripture or service of the vvord to that effect and that vve have given over and yeelded our selves before the Elders b Eccl. 6 8. in the family of love thereunto then is it altogether needfull for us for the obtaining of such an upright heart diligently and earnestly c Esa 55. Jer. 29. to seek d Mat. 7. Luk. 11. knock and pray e Eccl. 2. to abide patiently the battell or tryall that meeteth us against our passage towards the good life f Mat. 10.16 Luk. 9.14 to take up our crosse daily by belief and hope in the patience and so with one accord g Act. 2. to continue stedfast in prayer and faith untill that through the service of the word we be h 1 Pet. 1. born or brought forth alive in the true word out of the death and blindnesse of the sin 28. Which birth in the spirit is not out of the word which is writable nor which is set forth by the unregenerate man out of the letter O no but out of the holy and living word of God i 1 Pet. i. 2 Joh. 1. which is Spirit and life and Christ himself according to the Spirit 29. For the written word of the letter is not the word it self that cleanseth and sanctifieth the man from the sin or which procreateth the life but the same is a shadow or figure out of the holy and true word and a serviceable instrument whereby we are made well affected inwardly in our souls to the true word of Vivification and do become believing of the same to the end that through the belief and love we might so in the spirit of our mind be made k Eph. 4. â— Pet. 1. of like being with the nature and being of the good life even as the word or Scripture witnesseth thereof 30. Lo this is our calling through the service of the holy word of the Apostles of Christ to the end we should so through the same service and her drawing of our hearts to the love be brought to the ministring of the spirituall and heavenly goods in such serving of the living God l Luk. 1. and in that upright righteousnesse and holinesse which is pleasing unto him 31. But where now is understanding where is there now any regard had unto the word and the matter rightly judged 32. Where are the guides that erre not m Esa 3.9.28.56 Jer. 8.18.23 Ezek. 13.22.34 The Prophets that lie not the Seers that faile not the teachers that mix not their own imaginations with the word 33. Is not the world every where so blind and dark that men cannot discern the shadow n Joh. 1. from that which it shineth from the sounding voice o Mat. 3. Rom. 10. 1 Pet. 1. from the word the letter p 2 Cor. 3. from the Spirit the Image of God from the Godhead mens teaching and word q Mat. 15. Col. 2. from Gods Teaching and Word the obedience and fear of men r Esa 51. Luk. 12. from the obedience and fear of God the righteousnesse which man esteemeth Å¿ Mat. 23. Rom. 10. from the righteoufnesse which is of value before God the naturall man from the spirituall the sacrifice of men from the sacrifice of Christ the Oblations from the Reconciliation the Law from the Gospell c. Is not every of these disorderly confounded one with another in the understandings of men and so taken all for one manner thing 34. This I saw that many hearts were intangled therein and it grieved me exceedingly 35. Oh darknesse and blindnesse or weed which from the beginning was sown in Adams heart how manifoldly hast thou spread thy self abroad amongst us and thereby covered the whole world that there is hardly any little plot to be found where the good seed might have his growing or springing up unto fruitfulnesse 36. If now it be not turned up u 4 Esd 4. namely the evill and the peace wherein it is sowne then shall not the good appear nor the place wherein it is sowne 37. O God that the place of the evill seed were stirred and turned up and the ungodlinesse taken away x 4 Esd 3. out of the heart that the thistles and thorns might grow there no more then might the noble Lilly branch namely thy Sanctuary once have his springing up y 4 Esd 6.7 the belief blossome and the love bring forth her fruits whereby the upright righteousnesse might z Sap. 7. Mat. 13. above any treasure of this world be embraced 38. Oh this same is it which I sigh for bewaile and lament because I find it not and because that appeareth not which God esteemeth and is the Salvation of men and for that moreover with many it is to be sought and fetcht so far of 39. But with thee O God are all a Mat. 19. things possible who so in belief of the truth trusteth in thee the same man can do much and look what seemeth unpossible with men that canst thou soon bring to passe CHAP. VIII 1. He bewaileth the desolation of the Sheep of Christ that go astray in the wildernesse and know not their right Shepheard 6. Yet many content themselves in that estate 14. An exhortation to the Seers 17. And to the desolate People that they behold and bewail the same their misery and the losse of the upright righteousnesse 44. An inviting to the love where the supply is onely to be found O God how long yet shall thy a Psal 74.79 Sanctuary remain wast how long shall the sheep run scattered abroad b 3 Re. 22. Ezek. 34. and in all respects remain bound intangled tyed and holden captive as though thou O God wouldst not be their redeemer and Shepheard for they c Psa 119. Esai 53. go astray in the wildernesses and forget the Land promised them of God for inheritance and the holy City Jerusalem 2. For behold and it is to be seen and noted the Foxes d Ezek. 13. do bear rule and every one in his own wisdome useth craft wilinesse and subtilty whereby many sheep and Lambs are caught and bewitched and so remain in the bands of the wildernesses because they know not the true life their upright Shepheard 3. For the fear which the foxes make with the show of their wisdome is the snare which hath taken captive and keepeth bound the poor silly sheep in the wildernesse that they neither hunger nor long for the good pasture supposing they come to the best and thus are they appeased 4. O ye silly sheep how long will you yet suffer your selves to be bewitched when will you heare the word of your Lord e Ioh. 10. and the voice of your Shepheard when will ye once desire to come unto him that hath made you f Ezek. 34. that he
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
be do neither d Ioh. 8.16 of the Father nor yet of the Son knovv any thing at all 4. And surely whosoever doth not submit his understanding under the service of the love the same man sheweth thereby that he is without understanding because by his understanding he perceiveth not how that he vvhich hath not the love e 1 Ioh. 2.4 hath not also the Son nor the Father but is vvithout Christ and his Church and can please God by no other means also can neither now nor evermore without the inclination of love neither through any other services or literall wisdome come to the holy knowledge of God or attain unto the same 5. But if any now believe not this same by reason of the high regard to their knowledge or by means of any respect unto their holinesse f Col. 2. or spirituall humility such as they have chosen or taken to themselves and as is not according to the promises as God in times past hath spoken by Moses his servant and by the mouth of his holy Prophets doubtlesse they howsoever they suppose or maintain g Esa 59. that they have the light must needs abide in h 1 Ioh. 2. darknesse for their unbelievers cause whose unbelief cannot hurt the believers neither can the Work of God for all that abide back 6. O deep and unsearchable vvisdome of God! i Esa 40. Sap. 9. Rom. 11. 1 Cor. 2. which of the great and high glorious wise or of the self-chosen holy ones hath ever attained unto thee 7. Unto which of them is thine arm known that hath heard or understood thy holy word or thy mind aright 8. Therefore needs must they all in lowlinesse of heart be humbled under thee and become subject to thy true love that they may rejoice them in the truth otherwise they must remain blind in their imagination k Ioh. 3. and may not see the Kingdom of God for ever 9. For so long as they through the love or her inclination l Mat. 18. be not in their corrupt understanding turned about by the word of truth and are not well minded to the vertue of the love certainly there can appear unto them no light of the truth to Salvation for God hath foreseen the perfection m Deut. 6.10 1 Cor. 13. 1 Tim. 1. in the love according to the promises and not in the knowledge 10. Therefore let every one be lowly of spirit n 1 Ioh. 4. and humble of heart in his knowledge even as though he knew nothing and so have regard to the service of the love what it requireth and let him hope and long for it to the intent he may be comprehended therein that is to say in the doctrine thereof for therein is the godlinesse understood and known and so let him indeavour towards the best 11. And I hope that I shall alwaies towards the lovers of the truth do even so and not omit to set before them the most best for thereunto tend all my intents and desires neither know I at all any better thing then the teaching and ministring of the holy word under the obedience of the love 12. True it is I have as far as I might examined many sorts of Foundations and understandings and have likewise considered and scanned whereon they stood grounded but there is yet no better thing come to my hand 13. The Lord grant me his mercy and strengthen my mind to do and accomplish his will to the Salvation of men in the love 14. O ye lovers of the truth that have humbled your fouls under the love and her service o Deut. 6.11 â—2 Pro. 4. take I pray you the truth to heart and reproach no mans writings teaching nor exhortations that have their ministration to the righteousnesse and to the concord but draw it all under the love that every one may give up and bring all what he hath taken on or wherein he is learned according to his humane imagination to the communion of the love give ear only to the godly Word of Life under the obedience of the love according to the manifestation of the glorious and godly light set forth in the Glasse of Righteousnesse and so above all his humane knowledge love the Concord and the upright life 15. Moreover condemn none particularly by name and be not offended at any that your hearts p Gal. 5. Acb. 12. be not moved to anger stumble not at any thing and reproach nor reject none for Sects but love all them that indeavour towards righteousnesse q 2 Pet. 1. with a like love to that upright righteousnesse which God esteemeth and thus draw all wel-willing ones to the true righteousnesse under the obedience of the love 16. And if any man seek the truth of you and his heart be inclined to the love then joyn your selves with him in the love and so speak r 1 Pet. 3. of the hope which is in you 17. For who so loveth the good though yet for a while he be in errour may for all that come to amendment in the love unlesse he should give over his heart in a wilfull contentiousnesse and despise the love and her service for his self-minds sake 18. But unto every one that will follow and is well minded to the love and her service Å¿ Eph. 4. unto such reach forth the hand to the unity of the upright life and that all in the love 19. If the evill assail you then put it from you as much as is possible for you untill the same evill get a going down in you and go into silence give it no respite to follow after his desire but become according to the spirit t Col. 1. 1 Thes 3. 1 Pet. 5. strong and firm in the good life u Deut. 7. 1 Pet. 2. to a peculiar possession of God even as it is here in this Introduction and in the Glasse of Righteousnesse according to the life shewed and declared 20. If so be ye cast this same behind the back to wit that ye refuse it or have no belief nor lust thereunto nor do hope thereon and yet by your self-wisdom perswade your selves to be wise then are ye vain and utterly unmeet to the Kingdome of God and how wise soever ye be yet shall you be found vain and without understanding and void of the true light of life 21. Now if any man say that he is already in the life and needeth no more or that it is needfull no more for him to hearken after any other understanding and therefore contemneth this form of the upright life and his service to the same life whereunto we bear witnesse and neither hath it nor indeavoureth towards it in the service of the love certainly he is yet in the death x 1 Ioh. 2. and darknesse and knoweth nothing at all either of Christ or of the life which is of God even as the darknesses also have
and janglings and that all for the law and the ceremonies cause but God had no pleasure in any thing save only his beloved the like life of his being in whom he had good pleasure And this is his Commandement n Deut. 18 Mat. 17. Act. 3 even that men should heare believe and obey the same and live for ever therein and that men should obey the services and ceremonies administred out of the true light and word of life to an incorporating thereinto 7. Now inasmuch as divers in times past o Mat. 15 23. Joh. 9 gave greater respect to the ceremonies and works of the Law then to the life of godlinesse therefore they did cleave to the ceremonies and works of the Law and believed not the life that was required thereby but fell away from the right stock of the p Joh. 8 father Abraham 8. But the believers that gave more regard to the life of godlinesse then to the ceremonies or works of the Law abode still q Ioh. 6 by the word of life and were not bound albeit they forsook the ceremonies of the Law which were out of the Letter commanded by the unilluminate and unbelievers of the word of life for the ceremonies could not in themselves without the word or light of life extend to any commandement of God 9. Therefore was the upright life at that time r Deut. 18 published and taught because men should believe the same as a precept or commandement of the Lord and be obedient unto his requiring that so through the beliefe they might be made free Å¿ Act. 15 Rom. 3 Eph. 2 from the sinne or be justified therefrom and might live thereby with God the Father to an everlasting peace according to the promises 10. This communalty or believers of the good life were as children of the belief and obedience t Mat. 26.28 Acts 2.4 joyned together to a bringing in to the same life under the service of the holy Word and the hand reached them thereunto with the Christian ceremonies of Baptisme and the Supper of Christ which Christian ceremonies were administred unto them out of the word of life and observed by them to obedience yet not for the ceremonies but for the upright lifes sake which being afterward to come was u Infra 23 required therewith And thus the Christian ceremonies were not the everlasting commandement of God but the word of life was it 11. Howbeit the ceremonies were annexed thereunto for an assistance x Gal. 3.4 Heb. 7 and bringing in of the believers into the life as is aforesaid even as the same is prefigured unto us by the ceremonies of the Catholike Church of Jesu Christ to the intent that the believers of the holy word and of the good life or Christ should through the service of the ceremonies y 2 Pet. 1 have regard to the same word of life being afterward to come 12. Even thus for the good lifes cause and for the mans sake are the true Christian ceremonies of the gracious word and of his service of love now in the last time annexed unto Gods everlasting Commandement for an assistance of all them to the z 2 Pet. 1 entrance of the upright life which believe in Jesu Christ and humble themselves to the service of his love to the end they should be brought thereby to the life which is Gods everlasting commandement and still abideth namely to a Deut. 10 30 Mat. 22 love our God with all our hearts and our neighbour as our selves and to obtain the same b Rom. 3 Eph. 2. through the belief even as it is preached and written because no man should trust upon the ceremonies and find himself deceived by being without the upright life 13. Neverthelesse after those daies of the fore-said ministration of the Christian ceremonies many c 1 Tim. 4 2 Tim. 3. 2 Pet. 2 fell away from the true belief of Christ or of the good life knowing no difference in Gods precept or commandement wherethrough there are now also many become vaine in their understandings in such sort that they themselves know not the meaning of the christian ceremonies nor yet to what purpose they were adjoyned to Gods commandement and by that occasion there is risen up for the Christian ceremonies cause much discord and debate even as heretofore it came to passe for d 2 Cor. 11 Gal. 1.2 3 4 5 6 the Jewish ceremonies 14. Wherefore seeing the services of the former Christian ceremonies after the Letter do bring in controversie and are not set forth or observed out of the word of life nor out of the love of Jesu Christ to the unity of heart in the love but out of the letter with different understandings and in dissention and cannot alone in themselves extend to any commandement of God therefore are not the believers of the good life namely the communalty under the obedience of the love of Iesu Christ bound as is rehearsed thereunto as of necessity outwardly to observe them but they stand free unto them either to keep or to omit them to wit e Rom. 14 as they serve them to peace and are edifiable unto men for Gods commandement f Ioh. 12 is the everlasting life and that is the very love it self even g Deut. 10.30 Mat. 19.22 Rom. 13 to love God above all things and our neighbour as our selves 15. Lo this to be short is the difference of the Jewish and Christian ceremonies and of those of the Family of the Love of Jesu Christ namely to what purpose their office or service is commanded and to what intent they are annexed to the everlasting Commandement of God and observed 16. Now there are likewise divers people that will not use some ceremonies because they judge them as heathenish or idolatrous services and as a forbidding of the Lord by means of abhorring and fear that they have of them least any harm or hinderance should happen unto their souls thereby concereing the which it also must be considered how and wherefore the same should be idolatrous services and a forbidding of God for every unright asage hath his occasion sense and signification 17. For whilest the heathen or the urcircumoised people are in respect of the knowledge of God become vain h Rom. 1 Eph. 4 blind and insensible as being utterly estranged from the upright life which God esteemeth therefore do they make or counterfeit unto themselves out of the vanity of their thoughts services and ceremonies which the vain hearts that understand not Gods Law and Ordinance are bewitched and bound with 18. So then the vaine corrupt and bewitched life which neither knoweth nor loveth the living God nor his i Rom. 1 Eph. 4 righteousnesse but is rebellious and unfaithfull to God is Gods forbidding And out of it have the blind people which know not the upright life joyned thereunto their services and ceremonies k Deut. 12 wherefore
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
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
1 Cor. 13 2 Cor. 3. For thus with the same Services and Ceremonies are the promises of Salvation to come committed to the Christians Rom. 9.11.15 Eph. 2. or to the Christian communalty They are also the children of the Testament of the holy Fathers Acts 3. through the Belief and that in all respects after the same manner as the Iewes are the children of the Testament in the promises of their Fathers out of whom are born the Iewes as heires and not as thereunto called Gen. 17. Which promises were committed unto them in or with the Circumcision which the God of Heaven ordained for an everlasting covenant between Himselfe and Abraham and his Seed Namely that the God of their Fathers according to the promises and according to the same covenant is even their God and remaineth a God of their seed for ever 4. Which Iewes howsoever they are as Branches broken off from their right Stock are also grafted upon no strange Stock Rom. 11. nor yet set or built upon any strange foundation but upon the foundation of the Promises and Stock of their Fathers to which salvation the Gentiles are through the Beliefe called out of Grace as fellow-heires of the same promises in Israel for to serve the living God Eph. 2.3 5. Lo these promises made to the Fathers to the salvation of the Gentiles are committed to the Christians in Beliefe and the Christian ceremonies are witnesses of the truth of the same 6. Howbeit forasmuch as such a holy Beliefe and service of Ceremonies to such a salvation as was evangelized in the preaching of the Apostles of Christ hath ceased and by the Christians been forsaken therefore have they been covered under the sin blinded from the knowledge of their calling and estranged from the understanding of Gods promises even as the Jewes also in the time when they knew not the godlinesse of life were blinded and estranged from the understanding of the promises Yet were they Jewes notwithstanding outwardly Rom. 2. but no Jewes according to the inward hidden man such as God esteemeth John 8. according to the life of their Father Abraham Rom. 3. And therefore there was no difference between them and the Grecians but they stood alike under the sin 7. Inasmuch as it goeth now also thus with the Christians or which men so call therefore is there between them and other people no difference but they are all alike under the sin And in regard of the righteousnesse which availeth before God they are no otherwise to be distinguished save onely by the ceremonies 8. And every one because of his misunderstanding maketh a righteousnesse or an Ordinance unto himself which through the glistering of his knowledge he chuseth or respecteth for a very Righteousnesse and maketh to himself in like manner with the same a Congregation not attending upon the promises of God nor upon the upright righteousnesse which through Iesus Christ he is called of God unto 9. Now whiles all this cometh to passe out of misunderstanding and bare imagination Jer. 7. and out of the ignorance of the upright Righteousnesse therefore is there dissention likewise For every congregation in particular Mat. 24. perswade themselves that they are the Christians or the people of Israel and do diligently use all dexterity sharpnesse of wit in their cause for to maintaine the same in his proceeding and think by their wit to obtain the salvation and so walk their own way Rom. 3. whereby also they are all void of the grace of God to the knowing of their error and blindnesse 10. But inasmuch as this godly Knowledge is now out of grace revealed unto us as that we through the clearnesse which God hath powred into our hearts 2 Cor. 4.2 do understand to what salvation or to what maner of health of the earth God hath given his promises to which purposefor to establish the salvation the Beliefe is preached Therefore for the loves sake can we not omit it but must needs witnesse the same and reveale the Peace and the true Love whereunto we are called if happily there might or may be found any which had a desire or inclination thereunto and then likewise we with them and they with us whether they were far or neere might be gathered together in the Love according to the promises 11. Seeing then that God neglecteth not his mercy towards is but hath made known unto us his will to the intent his Word may stand firm according as he in times past hath spoken by his Prophets that unto his people Israel he will gather him a people out of the Heathen which shall serve him in righteousnesse 2 Mac. 2 Amos 9 2 Mac. 2 Act. 15. at which time God will gather his people together again and be gracious unto them and build again the Tabernacle of David and again set up his people Israel according to the promises therefore ought we in like manner from the whole heart and with good will to give heed unto that which is now by Gods grace according to the truth made known and tendered under the obedience of the Love unto us in the same appeared grace to beleeve the salvation whereunto we are called and to prepare our hearts in lowly mindes thereunto that we might inherit our calling according to the promises 12. But if any people refuse it and for all that should perswade themselves in their hearts to be still Christians or that their Congregation is the very people of Israel not thinking of the restoring of Israel which in times past was fallen and thus suppose that they have attained to the best and in their blindnesse set their confidence upon their own wisdome righteousnesse and ceremonies and upon their faith then shal it likewise goe with them in these dayes as it did heretofore with the Jewes that beleeved not on the grace which was appeared unto them 13. 4 Esd 6. For in his time shall their full store-houses be found empty and the empty be filled with goods For their Christianity according to the inward man shall be judged and known for an unchristianity and their beliefe for an unbeliefe 14. Therfore let no man boast himself of his Christiany because of his outward baptism nor because of his outward righteousnesse or narrow wayes of his walking according to his chusing or bare imagination but let him give heed to the promises and unto what the Gentiles are called and whom the Christianity consisteth the which is a Christendom according to the inward man in the Spirit as also Paul in the preaching of his Gospel testifieth 15. 2 Cor. 4. Phil. 2. Col. 1. Heb. 1. 1 Cor. 15 Eph. 4. 1 Cor. 3. Eph. 1. For the true inward man is the thing that availeth before God namely the very like Being of God which the love is form ed in and the man created unto to the intent he should beare it to the laud and
Almighty God which was which is and which abideth for ever who giveth his honour to a Esa 42 none other spake in times past by Moses and his Prophers unto the Fathers b Heb. 1. and that oftentimes and in sundry manners whereby Hee c Deut. 4 Esa 42.45.51.55 required the true fruit of his Righteousnesse and did still testifie of the like Image of his Being and ceased not therein till the time d 2 Kin. 7. Psal 89. Acts 2. was fulfilled that his beloved one was appeared unto them namely e Mat. 1 Rom. 1. 2 Tim. 2. his Son the fruit of his loynes and the very like Being of his Godhead 2. And even as the same Gods Sonne namely the like Being of the said God who liveth for ever was from the beginning the First whom f Joh. 1. God finished all his workes by so is he also the last that is to say the perfection of all those things which God hath promised by Moses his Prophets according as it is written thereof g Rom. 10 1 Cor. 13. Gal. 3. In whom the Law and the Prophets cease or be fulfilled 3. Insomuch then as the Law and the Prophets were in the same Sonne of GOD in times past fulfilled in Israel and did cease in the same Sonne the Lord Jesus Christ who is the h Rom. 10. Gal. 5. 1 Tim. 1. end of the whole sum of the fulfilling of the Law and the Prophets to the confirming of the Promises of GOD the Father therefore did GOD then also at the last at the end or fulfilling of his Law and Prophets i Heb. 1. speake unto the people of Israel and to the Beleevers of his Word by the same Sonne restifying how that all is k Deut. 7. Eph. 1. 1 Pet. 2. His which Son he hath appointed for an heir of all things and l Heb. 1. the same beareth all things with the word of his power and he is unto us a cleansing of our sins through himselfe 4 This onely borne Sonne of GOD the Father is given to the Children of Men to the end they should be m Rom. 11. grafted into his Spirit which is the holy Spirit of Love and in their mindes be n Joh. 15 Eph. 3. 2 Pet. 1. of one Being therewith 5. Through which holy Spirit the same Sonne of God Jesus Christ hath also promised his Believers that the Truth of the Life should nakedly and clearly be o Joh. 14 Acts 1. manifested unto them whereby at the very last to a conclusion of all godly things they in like manner might declare the Love the most brightest Day-light and through the same true Light Gods most holiest Being draw all people that have any desire towards God to the unity of Peace under the obedience of the Love to the intent we all which love God and his Righteousnesse should in these last dayes know and understand in all things the mind of God in perfect clearnesse and through the holy Spirit of his Love walk in all truth as in a true light of the godly Clearnesse according to the Promises even as God also hath spoken the same through the Son whom he hath made heire even of all that is Gods p Mat. 11. Luk. 10. Joh. 3. For all what the Father hath is His. 6. But because of his Long-suffering that his goodnesse might be known in the Love and that none through his default might misse of the fulnesse of the Life he hath spoken thus in times past for to establish it in the last time 7. I have saith q Joh. 16. the Lord Jesus Christ yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot beare them now Howbeit when the Spirit of Truth shall come the same shall lead you into all Truth For he shall not speak of himselfe but whatsoever he shall heare that shall he speake and he shall show you that which is to come He shall glorifie me For he shall receive of mine and shew it unto you All what the Father hath that is mine Therefore have I said He shall receive of mine and shew it unto you 8. Lo all this Love doth GOD now through this new Day or Light of his Fatherly Love shew on us for to draw our Spirit in him out of the earthly lying and deadly Being unto his Love in the Heavenly true Life which is everlasting 9 Which his Love r Joh. 17 1 Cor. 13 1 Joh. 4. is the perfect Being of God and of Christ and of the holy Ghost which heretofore was Å¿ Esa 2. promised for to come in the last time and it is the t Apoc. 21. Jerusalem which is now in the last time come downe unto us from Heaven and the perfect fruit of Righteousnesse where the Sun of clearnesse doth never go down according as GOD hath spoken in times past by the mouth of his holy Prophets who have all likewise prophesied of this salvation to the intent that all people to the unity of heart in the Love should have a sure hope towards God and towards their salvation 10 But alas it seemeth that this Beliefe and Hope to this same is by many v Jer. 5. 1 Tim. 1.4 forsaken or else the salvation and the truth is not well understood for to hope thereon 11. For there are found with many sundry divided testimonies and every one in His or the most part will defend that his testimony is brought forth by the Spirit of Truth But among these there is found great faile by many whereby many are made doubtfull in their beliefe x Matth. 24. and become cold in their zeal to the Good And by means of their dissentions y Luk. 17. which they have stirred up and do yet daily stirre up among themselves against each other Many know not what they shal hope for or believe 12. Wherefore for the Unities sake in the Love O ye children of men lay downe your contentions under the Love and have regard unto Gods promises and to your Calling and incline likewise your hearts to the obeying of the love and of the requiring of her service 13. For in the obeying of the love and of the requiring of her service ye shall become of one mind and shall know that there is no more but z Eph. 4.2 1 John 5. one God or Father who alone is only good and almighty no more but one Christ with him at his right hand who only is the everlasting Mediator and Saviour between God and us out of him no more but one spirit who only is true and no more but one love a Col. 3. which only is the band of perfection 14. Nevertheles the Gifts of God through the spirit under the obedience of the love are manifold Likewise also the Services are manifold Which b Rom. 12. 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 4. Gifts and Services are all to the Commodity and Profit of the Communalty and are
AN INTRODUCTION TO The holy Understanding of the Glasse of RIGHTEOUSNESSE Wherein are uttered many notable admonitions and exhortations to the good Life Also sundry discreet warnings to beware of destruction and of wrong-conceiving and misunderstanding or censuring of any Sentences Set forth by H. N. and by him perused anew and expressed more plainly Pro. 1. VVho so is wise he will be counselled to the end he may understand the parables and their interpretations also the doctrine of the wise and their darke sayings Pro. 4. He will be guided in the strait path to the holy understanding that when he goeth the way be not tedious unto him and when he runneth that he do not stumble LONDON Printed for George Whittington at the blue Anchor neer the Royall Exchange in Corn-hill 1649. The Counsell of the Wisdome STrive not so for the death by your error and wrastle not so for the destruction through the work of your hands For God hath not made the death nor destruction neither rejoyceth he in the destruction of the living for he created all things that they should have their being likewise he made all people of the earth that it should go well with them and that there should be no destruction in them and that moreover the Kingdom of hel should not be on the earth for righteousnesse is everlasting and immortall but unrighteousnesse is the procuring of death Sap. 1. Go not in the path of the ungodly and walk not in the way of the wicked let it pass and go not therein turn from it and pass by c. keep thine heart with all diligence for thereout goeth the life put away from thee a froward mouth and let reproaching lips be far from thee Psal 1. Prov. 4. Who so among you is wise and expert let him shew by his good conversation his works fruits in the meekness of wisdome c. for where envy and strife is there is sedition and every evill work but the wisdom which cometh from above or out of the height is first chast after that peaceable modest constant gentle full of mercy and good works or fruits For righteousness is sowne in peace by them that maintain peace Jam. 3. Be ye all like-minded pitifull brotherly merciful friendly recompence not evil with evil nor rebuke with rebuke but contrariwise bless and know that ye are thereto called even that ye should inherit the blessing 1 Pet. 3. But above all things put on the love for the love is the band of perfection And the peace of God keep the preeminence in your hearts Col. 3. AN INTRODUCTION TO The holy Understanding of the Glasse of Righteousnesse CHAP. I. 1. Amidst the variety of opinions H. N. is granted to see and appointed to shew unto all men which is the elect and holy Congregation 7. And the same he affirmeth as an eye-witnesse to be with the Family of Love 10. Without which all mans worke is but a bondage 11. And where it is not there is all error and misery 13. The cause of error 14. Which is not without the fore-telling of God 16. Neither can it nor any mans fault frustrate Gods promises 20. An Exhortation to rest upon the promises of God and to prove our selves whereby to amend our selves and to win others 27. For God will now manifest his owne work of the Love 30. And unto that his Grace the holy Minister perswadeth to be obedient FOrasmuch as we now find sundry sorts of communalties Religion-urgers Tongues and Peoples and that with different Religions God services conceivings and understandings each laboureth to defend his own cause to be the very best by means whereof the whole world is every where a Infra 4. in great division and discord and all against one another And whilst that I H. N. concerning the divisions and discords and other causes which I find to be among them in great reviling strife and hatred am impartiall towards them all and do contend with none of them and that b 1 Tim. 1. mercy is now in these dangerous times extended on me from the highest God namely through the manifestation of his upright Righteousnesse therefore could I not hide the understanding of the upright Righteousnesse by Gods grace c Eph. 3. Col. 1. 2 Tim. 1. revealed unto me 2. For the most holiest being which is the upright righteousnesse and holinesse it selfe and wherein the true Saints of God and Christ do live and are comprehended is out of Gods heavenly Revelation and his grace d Mat. 11. Rom. 16. Eph. 1.3 Col. 1. 2 Tim. 1. revealed unto me through the love of God the Father for to witnesse the same again and out of the inclination of love to declare it unto the people on earth to the end all mouths might be stopped all understandings satisfied all hearts well affected to the Righteousnesse contented and all strife ended so to draw all people to the peace and to the unity of heart in Jesu Christ under the obedience of the love the most holiest God service and that they might so be lead to the holy understanding of the Glasse of Righteousnesse 3. Under which most holiest God service we witnesse and set forth the wonderfull Acts of God which are revealed and manifested unto us in these last daies according to the e Isa 44.60.61.62.65.66 Jer. 23.30.33 Ezek. 36 7. Joel 2. Act. 1. foretelling of the Prophets 4. Wherefore seeing that the Providence of God and all what he in former times hath spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets cannot fail nor lie and that moreover he cannot f Joh. 14. leave his people like Orphans God doth now according to his promises manifest and make known by his righteous judgement in this last day of the love which is his Elect and holy Congregation 5. For to the intent there may be an end of contending he himself as the true glorious God who is g Joh. 11. the Resurrection and the Life revealeth his Saints out of his bosom where since the time they h Esa 26. 1 Thes 4. fell asleep they have rested untill this day of the love because they should now in these last times in the Resurrection of the Righteous be manifested i 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes 4. with Christ in glory to k 2. Thes 1.6 a righteous judgement of God on the earth 6. Inasmuch then as this righteous judgement of God hath his manifestation in us now in the end of the world through the l 2 Tim. 1. Act 1. appearing of the glorious coming of Jesu Christ and will break thorow and appear to Righteousnesse on the earth over all the world according to the Scripture therefore are we also out of the same judgement of God to speak and to write of the upright communalty of the Saints of God and Christ and to witnesse and declare the same on the earth to the end that she likewise may be manifested to the world
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.
Rom. 11. bottomlesse depth of the everlasting godly wisdome who can sufficiently praise thy vertue 17. Thou surmountest z Sap. 7. all humane understanding therefore can no man compasse nor inclose thee for thou abidest for ever with the Godhead essentially 18. In thee is a Sap. 7. the holy Ghost and the perfection 19. Through thee is the earth grounded b Psal 33. Pro. 8. the heavens are made through thee and without thee c Joh. 8. there is nothing made that is any thing 20. Thou art d Joh. 8.9 the light of the world the way of the righteous e Joh. 14. the truth of God f Gen. 2. Prov. 3. 4 Esd 8. Apo. 2. and a tree of life 21. Thou refreshest all them that are burdened and laden if they do but come unto thee g Mat. 11. for thy yoke is easie and thy burden light to bear 22. Thou distributest forth knowledge and understanding h Prov. 8. Sap. 6. whereby the Lands are preserved and wherethrough the people are protected 23. But he that forsaketh thee and loveth thee not cometh into misery and destruction 24. Oh that they all had tasted a little of the wisdome of God then would there be no strife or dissention 25. Wherefore do the Lands perish and wherefore come the people into so much vvofulnesse and miserie wherefore cometh the desolation the division and the abomination over the world wherefore doth the man believe the lying rather then i 2 Thes 2. the truth wherefore is the man bewitched with vain God-services and wrapped with so many sorts of vaine imaginations vvherefore do men come into such false freedome and loosenesse of heart that they will in no vvise be obedient to the requiring of Gods truth and of his service of Love and so draw away others from the first entrance of the Christian life wherefore do certain come also into such intanglement of heart as that they give over themselves therein to a bondage and not to a deliverance from the sinne under the obedience of the love why do the people strive and use craft and violence one against another why are k Esa 1. Jer. 5. Ezek. 22. Mal. 3. not the simple ones rescued or defended why is there no righteousnesse l Hos 4. faithfulnesse truth nor love to be found wherefore do dissensions holinesse dissimulation hatred vvrath jangling slander battell warre m Mat 24. 2 Tim. 3. betraying and all deceiveablenesse reign among the children of men but because there is no wisdome n Jam. 1. of God nor any equity or righteousnesse loved out of impartiall love but every one walketh and liveth o Jer 7. â—1 in his self-mindednesse every where 26. We find indeed some men that imagine and seek their wisdome in the knowledge of all things thinking that the garnished speech of knowledge the utterance of flowred words and to have a golden tongue is the wisdome but many are beguiled and have been seduced thereby 27. For that same and to labour for such things or to have regard thereunto is not the wisdome which God requireth of us for he desireth not that the man should toil or trouble himself therewith howsoever the reason through his presumptuous imagination searcheth most of all after it contrary to Gods appointment 28. But this Gdoth od require lowlinesse of heart to p Mich. 6. bow unto him and his Ordinance and to have a desire and a delight to do his will and to be obedient to the requiring of his love 29. That truly is a wisdome of understanding which bringeth forth the peace in righteousnesse and which q Sap. 9. Salomon prayed for 30. But forasmuch now as the man doth not rightly labour for this upright wisdome nor yet from the heart desireth such things and that now every understanding hath in the knovuledge out of the first born Adam corrupted his way towards the wisdome as all flesh did r Gen. 6. in the time of Noe in such sort that one can now find few that have any understanding or knowledge of the upright wisdome therefore is also the end of the knowledge and of all the wisdome of the flesh come before the Lord. 31. For out of the knowledge and wisdome of the flesh are grievous errours come into the world to a great misery affliction sorrow and heavinesse over the children of men for the Å¿ 4 Esd 14. Mat. 24. wickednesse hath the upper hand and her end or the ripenesse of her harvest t 4 Esd 4. shall be out of measure horrible it shall assuredly come so to passe vvhether it be believed or not 32. Wherefore heare and understand ye deerly beloved if so be we love the upright wisdome and desire to obtaine or to inherit the same then may vve not seek nor desire to inherit her in the knowledge of our corrupt understanding nor yet take upon us in the same any judgement of â—he light for in our corrupt understanding and whilest we are yet u Eph. 4. estranged from God or are not wholly incorporated into his Christ according to the inner man so long doth God require of us no wisdome nor judgement of the light but x 1 Pet. 1. the obedience of his word and service of love which leadeth us to the wisdome and to the light of the divine clearnesse 33. For that cause it is before all things most needfull for us that we first come to the knowledge of our selves through the service of the holy word under the obedience of the love y Esa 59. and have sorrovv for our estranging from the upright being a Mat. 3. Luk. 3. Act. 2.3 and so shew repentance and amendment for the sin which hath brought forth unto us in our members the b Rom. 5. death or the dying away from God and so in long sufferance hope and comfort our selves on the avouching of the promises concerning the coming of the living word from on high c Rem 12. Eph. 4. to a renewing of our spirit and mind and to a restoring of all d Act. 3. that God hath spoken through the mouth of all his holy Prophets to the end that with single hearts we might obediently be incorporated e 2 Pet. 1. into the nature of God or of his Christ vvho is the true light the upright wisdome and the life of our salvation it self and so know and livingly feel the form of Christ f Gal. 2.3.4 not without us but in us and g 1 Cor. 15. carry or bear the Image of the Almighty God whereunto the man was created from the beginning 34. Behold to inherit that same true being of God and Christ in our inwardnesse is the upright wisdome h Jam. 3. which is humble meek gentle and friendly in which the true light also is known and inherited and whereout men judge uprightly 35. To this wisdome is our calling and thereunto are
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
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
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
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