Woord behynde you and so liue your owne Freedom Veryly it shall not vantage you to the Lyfe but all deadly Things and euell Inclynacions / shall ketch and captiue you The IIII. Chap. FOrthatcause my beloued Heartes receaue you my a pro. â— â— Chastisment / to your Preseruacion in the Godlynes Let my Warning from the Destruction / b Pro 4 a sinck into your Hearts and c Iam. 4. b. submitt yourselues betymes vnder the gracious Woord of the godly Lyfe / Lest ye lament it afterward / that ye haue let the d Sap. 5. a. b. c â–ª Tyme pas / that serueth to your Saluacion or to the Cleansing of your Hearts and e Eccli 4 â— not taken-heede to thesame / according to the Requyring of the holy Woord and Seruice of the holy Spirit of Loue and shall then fynde no Comfort in your Heartes 2. WHerfore seperate now first or before-al / your f Pro. 3. â— Hearts Myndes and Thoughtes / from all your taken-on Knowledg / also from all g Sap. 14 d. Abuce and Disorderlynes and becom h Ier. 4. b. circumcised to the Lorde / in thissame holy Daye and Seruice of Loue. 3. Giue-ouer yourselues altogether to the holy Woord of the Spirit of the Loue of Iesu Christ â to shewe Obedience therunto to your Preseruacion in the Godlynes and i Psal. 32. a. Eccli 4. d. 1 Iohn 1. b. confesse your Sinnes and Faultes / before the Seate of the Maiestee of God and k Esa. 1. d. Eze 36. c. Iohn 13. b. wash and cleanse yourselues / with the holy Water of the Loue / That ye may then in that sort â with pure Hearts vnderstande the spirituall Vnderstanding of Iesu Christ· inherit the heauenly Goodes· and so com or enter holyly into the vpright Freedom and l Heb. 4. c. Rest of the Children of God 4. If now ye stand-mynded to giue yourselues to an vpright and godly Beeing of the Loue / vnder the Obedience of the Loue and if ye woulde gladly with all what is vnder your Hande and Power / be preserued m Eccli 1. a in Righteousnes and becom fruitfull in the holy Woord of the Spirit of Loue / for to minister thesame vnto others moe â to their Preseruacion in the Godlynes who do walke yet in Darknes / So consider then / what is taught and presented vnto you â for to doo euenso first-of-al by the holy and gracious Woord in the Seruice of Loue / to your Preseruacion in Righteousnes and to your Fruitfulnes in the Woord and to a Guyding into the true and vpright heauenly Beeing and indeuour you therunto / for to accomplish or obediently to performe thesame / To th end that ye may euenso then / be founde n 2. Cor. 2.3 a 2 Tim. 2. a profitable and fitt to the Seruice of the holy Woord / and may â with all what is vnder your Hande or Power be preserued in the vpright and godly Being of the Loue. 5. If-so-be now ye consider thesame rightly and indeuour you aright therunto / then shall ye likewyse well vnderstande / that the holy Woord of Grace and the godly Seruice of Loue / calleth and requyreth you all to the Famyly of Loue o 1. pet 1. a. b. 2 Pet. 1. a together with all what is vnder your Hande and Power / to this ende namely to your â— Preseruacion in Righteousnes and to an Vniformnes with the holy and gracioâ—s Woord 6. And moreouer / forasmuch doutles as it shall all now perish / whatsoeuer bydeth without the gracious Woord and Famyly of Loue / therfore doth now the gracious Woord of the holy Spirit of Loue requyre namely of all you to whom thesame holy Woord / is this-daye administred that ye shall first or before-al / p Esa. 52. c. 2. Cor. 6. â— seperate yourselues from the q Rom. 12 a. 1. Cor. 2.5 b wicked Worlde which nodout â with all what cleaueth vnto her shall remayne without the Famyly of Loue o 1. pet 1. a. b. 2 Pet. 1. a and vtterly vanish to nothing and be condemned / and depart-out-of and forsake all her Abhomynations 7. Sett yourselues r Luk. 14. d Iohn 12. Act. 4. f. â— and all whatsoeuer ye haue· and is vnder your Hande or Power / submitted â with humble and simple Heartes vnder the gracious Woord of God the Father of the Sonne Iesu Christ and of the holy Gost / in the Famyly of the Loue of Iesu Christ / to your Preseruacion in Righteousnes and for the Loue of Iesu Christ-his sake / s Math. 10 â— 16 c Luk. 14 d. forsake and leaue it all â for clayming Propertee therin / and acknowledg t Psal. 24 a that it is all the Lordes and is Proper vnto Him Besydes thatt also / forsake â–ª v Math. 1â— c Luk. â—4 â— leaue and hate / your owne Lyfe which ye liue vnto yourselues and which ye haue taken-on / according to your owne Will Lustes and Desyres 8. Humble yourselues likewyse good-willingly and obediently â with entyre good-willing Heartes before y e x Heb. 5 a Seate of y e Maiestee of God and IudgmeÌ„t of Christ inasmuch as the holy Woord of God the Father and of Christ / is ministred ther-out· and all what assembleth itselfe therunto and loueth Righteousnes / preserued ther-vnder / and submitt you to all Obedience 9. Make-manifest yourselues y Psal. 37. a. Pro. 16 a 1 Iohn 1 b nakedly â in the Confession z Eccli 4. c 17. c of your Sinnes before thesame Seate of the Maiestee of God and Iudgment a 2. Cor. 5. b. of Christ / and so then assemble you naked or vncouered / to the Comunialtee of Saintes or to the Famyly of Loue and enter into the Doctrine of the godly Lyfe 10. And from that Tyme forward / follow and obeye â with all dutifull b Phil. 2. a. 1. Tess. 5. b. Heb. 13. c. Obedience and Concord / with the Elders of the holy Vnderstanding and Ministers of the holy Woord in the Famyly of Loue the Requyring of the godly Doctrine of the holy Woord and the c Pro. 1 2 3 a. Heb. 13. c Counsayle of the Elders in thesame vntill that ye are growen-vp to the d Ephe. 4 c Agednes of the holy and godly Vnderstanding / in all Loue and vpright Righteousnes· and euenso rightly made-free by e Iohn 8. d. the Trueth / according to the Testimony and Iudgment of the Elders· and f Act 2 d knowen for right Elders in the godly Vnderstanding· or ordayned to be Ministers of the Woord 11. For thatsame / and for to giue themselues good willingly therunto with all their Heartes and so to continue g Pro. 6. â— steadfast obediently in the gracious Woord of the holy Spirit of the Loue of Iesu Christ and in his Seruice / till vnto the h Ephe. 4 c. Agednes of the
the One vndeuided c Rom. 12. a. Ephe. 4. b. Body of Christ with whom we haue our fellowshipp d 1. Iohn 1. a. with God the Father / the Headd of thesame Christ. 2. To thatt God which â through the Spirit e 1. Pet. 5. b. of his Loue hath chosen vs to such a Maiestee of his Glory / be Laude Honour f Apo. 4.5 b Prayse and Thanks / for euer Amen 3. BEholde my beloued Freendes in the Loue This Loue of God the Father â wherin God hath gloryfyed Vs is the bounttyfull Mercy of the highest God with the which He hath taken-pitie on vs now in these last perillous Tymes and elected vs to Saluacion g Eâ—he 4. a. to the Lande of his Glory In which perillous Tymes / al-maner of venimous h Ephe. 4. b. Wyndes false Knowledges deceiptfull Witts contrary Sightes i Math. 24. b. 2. Timo. 4. a 2. Pet. 2. a. with many erring Spirits and all wrong Iudgers or False-sentence-giuers â to the Hurt of the Soule do flourish 4. Seing then that all false Spirits do now â in many Controuersies ryse-vp out of the wicked Worlde and out of those Wyscones that cleaue vnto her and do make-vp themselues agaynst the Trueth / for to take k 2. Timo 3. a captiue in their contencious Knowledges â with their Craftynes and deceitfull Witt those that loue the Trueth / So is-ther likewyse in this perillious Tyme / l 1. Timo. 1. b. greate Grace shewed on vs / against all false Spirits and deuided Knowledges For to that ende haue we obtayned the mostholy Office or Seruice of Loue but not from ourselues nor from Men. but from m Gal. 1. b. Ephe. 3. a â–ª the liueing God himself / by his Woord of Lyfe / because that wee â like faythfull Ministers of thesame shoulde â through the Woord of Lyfe warne all goodwilling Hearts â that loue y e Trueth of Christ of all n Math. 24. b Act. 20. c. false and contencious Spirits of the Knowledg· reache them the Hande seruiceably / with the Woord of Lyfe· and gyde them into our holy Comunialtee vnder the Obedience of the Loue / wherby to drawe them out of the Perills of Destruction which proceed out of the wicked Worlde / that is reserued o 2. Tess. 1. a. 2. Pet. 3. a. vnto Fyre and to defende them therfrom 5. Ouer which wicked Worlde and ouer all Guydes / that â—yse-vp ther-out with their false Spirits and contencious Knowledges and ouer all those that cleaue vnto thesame / the Iudgment of God goeth righteously to the Confusion of them all and p Math. 25. to their Condemnacion in the hellish Fyer For God wil now in his Daye of Loue / condemne the wicked Worlde with all her Wyseones Adherents and Louers 6. Yea assuredly now cometh the Lorde â out of his holy Heauen q Esa. 29 a. Ecâ—li 13. b. Luk. 17. Apo. 4. a. 8 a. with Lightenings and Thunders and with a forsible Noyze of Wyndes wherat the Earth shall r Psal. 77 b. Esa. 13. b. Agg. 2. a. feare and tremble and thatsame shall fall vppon all false Spirits and wicked Hearts / to their Destruction Yea now in thissame Daye of Loue / the Lorde wil mooue the s Heb. 12. d. Earth and it shall be forced to quake at his Thunders And so the Lorde wil then make an t Esa 10. c. Ende of all y e Falshod of the Earth 7. For now in thissame Daye of Loue / the v Eccli 16. b. 2. Pet. 3. b. Elements shall melt with the Heate of his Lightening and the Lordes Thunder-boltes shall fall very greeuously vppon the Pate of all arrogaÌ„t Heartes Self-wyseones and all false Witnesses Yea all those that be touched therwith / shall nodout make-manifest themselues and let it appeere / that they are touched and are not of the Loues Nature 8. But Saluation and Peace / cometh to the Lowely and Humble of Heart / x Rom. 12. b. 1. â—or 3. b. which are not wyse in themselues but do submitt them humbly vnder the Loue and her Seruice also do take-heede to the Doctrine and Informacion of thesame and indeuour them obediently therunto and do seeke no Pleasure nor Ioye without God and his Seruice of Loue nor-yet in the Worlde nor in the Flesh but only y Esa. 61. b. Luk. 2. c. in God their Saluacion For it shall go-well with them and in the Iudgment of God / they shall obtayne their Preseruacion or Saluacion 9. For in the Iudgment of God when the Thunder-clapps do fall vppon the Arrogant and Self-wyseones / to their Destruction / then shall the holy Spirit of Lyfe / fall vppon the Littleones and the Electedones of God / that haue humbly submitted them vnder the Obedience of the Loue / to their Preseruacion and shal be z Num 11. c. Esa. 44. o. Eze 36 c. Ioel 2 c. Act 2. b. poored-forth vppon them â with all Louelynes out of the euerlasting Lyfe and heauenly Beeing / a Iohn 4.7 b like floweing Waters of Lyfe and so shall then likewyse / b Ioel. 3. c. Milke and Hony and liueing Water of the holy Spirit of Loue / flowe among them 10. Haue you all a regarde heerunto / ye good-willing Hearts and Louers of the Trueth For Gods Iudgment / c Esa. 11. a. Iohn 7.8 b is not according to the Sight of Mens Eyes nor according to their Knowledg although notwithstanding they do perswade themselues somtymes / that they knowe it well and are assured of the Mattier of it but only according to the Trueth The II. Chap. FOrasmuch then as such a Day-light â the which is the true Iudgment of God is â by Gods Grace appeered vnto vs out of Heauen· and the gracious Woord of Lyfe vnder the Obedience of the Loue / geeuen vs to minister in thesame Light / to the Saluacion of the People / Therfore were it also very right and conuenient / that they shoulde giue eare vnto vs therin and that noman shoulde so peruersly looke-into or construe the Workes of the Lorde / which He bringeth to light by vs Little and Electedones of God For veryly / thatt which wee speake and wryte and bring-foorth or set-out â— vnder the Obedience of the Loue to the serueing of all Louers of the Trueth / is not our owne Worke nor-yet our Indighting nor Wryting but the a Ier. 31 d. Ezech. 36. c 1 Cor. 2. a. 2. Tess. 1.2 b. Worke of the Lorde / which He himself wryteth according to his owne Mynd Spirit and Will / and with his owne Finger 2. And whatsoeuerthen the Lorde himself bringeth-foorth / thatt do wee acknowledg to be good and vpright And although it be looked-on and iudged for Ignorance or to be foolish / before the Children of Men or before all those that account themselues wyse / Yet do wee confesse and shewe ther-against / that
Gods Ignorance and his Foolishnes / is b 1. Cor. 1.3 b wyser and procureth more Fruits of Righteousnes vppon the Earth / then all the Ingenious-witt of Mens Prudencie 3. Therfore we regarde not how Men â out of the Knowledg of their corrupt Vnderstanding do c 1. Cor. 4 a. iudg Vs and the Seruice of Loue / which we minister For it is well knowen vnto vs doutles / that all the Iudgments that the Man â out of his Ingenious-witt iudgeth of the Wisdom and Workes of God / are false and Lyes d Psal. 116. b. Rom. 3. a. and that God with his Saintes / is only true / in his Iudgment 4. And forasmuch as wee now in thissame Daye of Loue / are appeered before the Iudgment-seate of Christ and do carry the righteous Iudgment of God in our Hearts / therfore can no outlandish Men nor any Estraingedones or Fallers from the Seruice of Loue / iudg vs / although they woulde neuer-so-fayne For how shoulde they â I pray you be able to iudg vs rightly / inasmuch as they cannot see vs 5. Forasmuch then as they do e Exo. 33. c. Iohn 5.14 b. 1. Iohn 3.4 b not see the liueing God / in the Maiestee of his Glory / therfore can they not likewyse see Vs. For Wee together with all the Holyones of God / do liue and tryumph vniformly with God / in his Glory f Esa. 3. b. Sap. 3. b. Math. 19 c. 25. d. 1. Cor. 6. a. Iude. â— b. and do with Him / iudg the Worlde / with Righteousnes and Trueth / vnder the Obedience of his Loue. 6. Therfore also the Children of Men â that are without our Comunialtee or without the Famyly of Loue do vnderstande nothing-at-al â according to their Iudgment of our holy Vnderstanding / which we suck out of the Breastes of the Loue. 7. Veryly / therin do we acknowledg the Goodnes of God towards vs / that none of the foremencioned Men can ether see or iudg vs. But He himself / g 1. Cor. 4. a. the true God of the Liueing â who is a God with vs iudgeth euery thing by Vs and his heauenly and spirituall Wisdom and we vnderstande that his Iudgment is true 8. If anyman then haue a Lust to doo the Will of the Lorde also to be a Disciple of the Loue / in y e Schoole of Christ and to vnderstande the secret Iudgment of God / let him go-out or seperate his Heart / h 1. Cor. 3. b. from all the Wisdom of the Worlde and so com to our Comunialtee and to the Wisdom that we shall showe him / vnder the Obedience of the Loue. 9. He being com to our Comunialtee vnder the Obedience of the Loue / so let him â for the Loue and her holy Vnderstandings cause forsake i Math. 10. d. 16. c. Mark 8. d. Lud. 9.14 c himself and all his Industry Wisdom and Knowledg and so haue regarde to y e Seruice of Loue / what it requyreth 10. Now when-as he forsaketh himself for the Loues cause and hath wholly geeuen-ouer himself to the Wisdom and to the holy Vnderstanding of the Loue / for to be obedient to thesame and so taketh-heede to the Doctrine of the Loue / in our Schoole of the christian Doctrine not as a Iudg of thesame Doctrine but as a Disciple / which is content to be informed and taught by the Doctrine of the holy Spirit of Loue Then shall he k Math. 13. b. well vnderstande the right Mynde of the Secretnes of the Loue and the secret Iudgment of God as also well perceaue / that God hath distincted and declared euery-thing wysely and vnderstandably / with vs. and shall in-nowyse be able to see nor fynde / that-ther-is any Fault in our Wrytings and Ministracion of the Woord as likewyse very-easely perceaue / that we do apparantly shewe the Submission the Trueth and the Patience / each-one in his right Place and according to his right Order in like-maner / the Beleefe the Loue and euery-thing â each-one in his whatsoeuer serueth the Man to his Saluacion 11. For how shoulde wee possible shewe anything contrary or vnrightly / out of the Testimonyes of God inasmuch as they stande so cleere and vpright before vs / in our Sight and that God is l Deu. 8 b. Phil 2. b. Ephe. 3. c. Heb 13 c. the Worker and the Bringer-foorth of thosame Testimonyes himself The III. Chap. BVt Albeit now that anyone of the vnrenewed Men / do yet for-the-present-tyme â by reason of his Ingenious-witt or Blyndnes of Heart looke peruersly into the Loueing-kyndnes of God and the vpright Vnderstanding â witnessed out of Gods mostholy Seruice of Loue or construe it to the worst / yet is not the Worke of God nor the vpright Vnderstanding â which we bring-foorth out of God peruerse for-al-that neither-yet is God nor Wee â his Ministers to be blamed / for such a peruerse Sight but hee which â out of his peruerse a Math. 5.6 c 18. a. Sight Iudgeth falsly 2. For if the Earth â which doutles is altogether blynde and ignorant in the Arte or Worke of the Potter do iudg a b Esa. 2â— 45 b. Rom. 9. c. Potters Worke wrong / then is it no-dout greatly to be blamed because that it knoweth not the Honorablest / from the Dishonorablest nor the Foremost / from the Hindmost nor-yet any of the Workmasters Tooles For-that-cause also / it knoweth not how to distinct them rightly 3. Euenso is likewyse the earthly Man to be blamed / that iudgeth the Worke of the Lorde peruersly / because that he seeth so purblyndly and therfore he c Esa. 59. a. 2. Pet. 1. b. gropeth or coniectereth after it / like a Blynd-body or-els â out of the Purblyndnes of his Sight he iudgeth the Hindmost / for the Foremost and the Foremost / for the Hindmost the Wagon / for the Horsses and the Horsses / for y e Wagon and Men / for Trees And so through his Ignorance / he also nameth the Carpenters Tooles contraryly For like as the Sight and Discerning of the Man is peruerse euenso is also his Iudgment 4. Seing then that his Eyes are not cleere and d Ier. 4. a. â— b Math. 6. â— 7. a. Luk. 6. c. 11. d. Act. 7. f. 1. Iohn 2. b that his Eares are thick and that his Body is yet darke and that therfore he beholdeth not the Sunne of Righteousnes neither-yet standeth in thatt Place whear she giueeth her Cleernes but is altogether a Straunger therfrom / Therfore doth he neither knowe nor vnderstand anything-at-all of the Cleernes of the Sunne For-that-cause he cannot also iudg in the Light nor according to the Trueth 5. Now when an illuminated Man â with the Cleernes of his Eyes seeth into the Trueth of God and that he likewyse witnesseth of the Beawtyfulnes of the Daye-light of y e Sunne also giueth such high Honour and Prayse vnto thesame
EPISTOLAE HN. The Principall Epistles of HN / which he hath set-foorth through the holy Spirit of Loue· and written and sent them â most-cheefly vnto the Louers of y e Trueth and his Acquaintance And are by him newly perused and more-playnly declared Translated out of Base-almaine All Scripture geeuen by the Inspiration of God â–ª is profitable to Teache to Rebuke to Amendment and to Information in Righteousnes for that the Man of God may be perfect prepared to all good vvorkes 2. Timo. 3. No Prophecie in the Scripture / cometh-to-pas by priuate Interpritacion For ther vvas yet neuer any Prophecie brought-forth out of manly VVill but the holy Men of God haue sproken it / being mooued by the holy Goste 2. Pet. 1. Now goeth the Iudgment ouer the World â–ª Now is the Prince of this World cast-out Iohn 12. Now is the Saluation the Power and the Kingdom / becom our Gods and the Might his Christes Apoc. 2. THE PREFACE LYke as an Apotecary doth â by his apotecaries Arte prepare many-kinde of Medecineâ— / to the Health of the naturall Bodyes of sick Men and diuers delightfull Tastes and also sundery sweete Sauors of Spices / to the Delighting of the Children of Men Euen so doth likewyse a Man of God / prepare â by the Wisdom of y e godly Vnderstanding many-kinde of godly Medecines which he â in the Ministration of the godly Testimonyes of the holy Spirit of Loue bringeth vnto the falne Man â who is captiued thorough the Sinne / with sundry Sicknesses and Infirmities in the Soule to the Health of his Soule â–ª and many sweete Tastes of the spirituall and heauenly Foode to the Refreshing and Delighting of his Mynde and to the great Ioye of his Spirit in y e secret hauenly Goodes Lyke as one may euidently perceaue in the many and sundry-sorts of distinct and groundy Instructions / touching the true Godlynes and euerlasting Ioye in Iesu Christ / which are witnessed and set-forth by HN Ø›Gods elected Minister in these his Epistles and in all the Testimonyes of his Wrytings / to a perpetuall Health and Lyfe of the Soule and to the Welfare of the Children of Men. 2. To the which true Godlynes and euerlasting Ioye / all Louers of the Trueth and all hungery and thirstye Soules after the Righteousnes as likewyse all People / be â by the godly Testimonyes of these Epistles called and bidden to th end to leade them all namely those which vnder the Obedience of the Loue / do beleeue the Godlynes into the Howse of Loue and to nourish and bring-them-vp in all Godlynes 3. For-that-cause / these Epistles are likewyse to a Teaching and Edifying of all Beleeuers of the godly Testimonyes of the holy Spirit of Loue and of the Comunialtee or Church of Christ and are also very profitable and seruiceable vnto all Men / to giue an vpright Knowledg Wherunto the Man is created of God and called or bidden through Christ To th end that all those â which haue a Lust or Will to God and his Righteousnes mought â vnder the Obedience of the Loue giue themselues vprightly to their Calling through Christ· and so becom godly mynded / according to the Requyring of the holy Scriptures· and well exercised or prepared to all good workes Take it to heart A TABLE Contayning the Matter â and Redie finding of the begining of eueri-one of these Epistles The First Epistle A Crying-voyce of the holy Spirit of Loue where-with all People are called / to repentance for their Sinnes Fol. 1. The Second Epistle A Short and pithie Instruction contayning the Misterie of the Loue. Fol. 10. The Thirde Epistle A Groundlie Instruction Declaring the difference betwixt God the Father and his Sonne / the Lorde Iesu Christ. Fol. 19. The Fourth Epistle Of the Mediation of Iesu Christ / in the Spirit for a Reconciliation betwixt God / and the Man Fol. 39. The Fifth Epistle A Stirring-vp of the hearte to the Immitation of Christ in the tyme of suffering and affliction Fol. 65. The Sixt Epistle A Groundlie Instruction / and a Difference of the vnderstandings according to the Truith / of the holy Scriptures Fol. 79. The Seuenth Epistle A True Iudgment or Sentence / out of the Seruice of Loue agaynst the false Iudgment out of the fleshe Fol. 137. The Eight Epistle A Distinction of the Submission / and Vnsubmission in the Spirit Fol. 159. The Nineth Epistle Of the Seruices and Ceremonies / of the Christians / and of the vnchristians and of the right and false vce of them Fol. 189. The Tenth Epistle A pure Instruction / howe one shal be obedient to the woorde of Lyfe and Trueth in the Seruice of Loue. Fol. 205. The Eleuenth Epistle A Rebuke and Exhortation seruing to a Reformation / and to a Repentance for their Sinnes vnto all those that thincke them selues to bee wyse and Therfore blaspheame / and iudge falslye our Seruice / and Comunialtie in the Loue also a warning to the Simple Hearts Fol. 223. The Tvvelueth Epistle A Reproouing Instruction / and exhortation â out of hartie loue to the vnitee of harte / in the Loue. Fol. 251. The Thirteenth Epistle Loueing Informations vnto a Louer of the Trueth which before-tyme had bine a Blaspheamer of the Seruice of the Loue / and of the Ministers ther-of Fol. 265. The Fourteenth Epistle A Breefe Exhortation / vnto a Disciple in the Seruice of the Loue wher-with he is exhorted / to keepe a sharpe watch towards the Spirits / that make-vp themselues in him Fol 287. The Fifteentb Epistle An hartie Exhortation / vnto all Louers of the Trueth To awarning Touching all false Spirits / that make-vp themselues and Iudge falsly agaynst the Trueth Fol. 293. The Sixteenth Epistle An Instructionable Exhortation to the good-willingous whearin is Distinguished the vpright Obedience and the Godlie / and ongodlie beeing Fol. 314. The Seuenteenth Epistle Of the Mans Lordelines / in the beginning of his affall Death and Condamnation and of his restoring agayne vnto his former Lordelines Fol. 337. The Eighteenth Epistle A loueing Exhortation vnto an house-holde / that haue ioyned themselues to the Familie of Loue to be obedient to the Trueth Fol. 352. The Nyneteenth Epistle An hartie Exhortation / to the mooste-zealous good-willing hearts to the Righteousnes also to the Elders and Ministers of the woorde for a warning vnto them of all deceayt that maye chance vnto them / by the an-commers Fol. 365. The Tvventith Epistle Reproouinge of the VVhoordom with good Doctrine / and groundelye Instructions howe one shall turne hym self / to Iesu Christ and the woord of his holie Spirit of Loue and Trueth Fol. 386. FINIS The First Epistle A Crying-voyce of the holy Spirit of Loue / wherwith all People are â out of meere Grace called and bidden by HN / to the true Repentance for thier Sinnes· to the Entrance into the vpright christian Lyfe· and to the Howse of the Loue of Iesu Christ.
doubt in the Grace of God nor-yet iudg or condemne ourselues i 1. Iohn 3. c. by the euell Conscience but with penitent Hearts / ryse-vp agayne out of the Fall of the Sinne so oft as it chanceth / and coÌ„fesse our k Psal. 6. a. 32.38 a. Pro. 28. a. Sinnes and Weaknes and pray vnto God / that He wil be our Strength and so confesseing our Vnablenes and Weaknes / in our Assaulting or Temptation let vs still continue in l Rom. 12. b 1. Tess. 5. c. Prayer / till that the Lorde leade vs ther-out and m Math. 6. b. deliuer vs from the euell and contrary beeing that is against Him Thatt graunt vs the Lorde / who liueth for euermore Amen 6. HEer-with-al â thou Beloued I committ thee to the Lorde and pray thou for Mee likeas I also do still remember thee / in my Prayers Fear-well and behaue thyself valyantly The Lorde giue thee Health in Soule and Bodye 7. My Salutation in the Loue / is alwayes vnto thee and vnto all those that loue the Trueth in Christ. 8. The Lorde which is the n Iohn 1. a. 8. b. 9. a. 12. c Light of the Trueth o 1. Iohn 4. a. the Loue and the p Ioh. 1.14 a. euerlasting Lyfe itself / nourish vs all vpp in his Righteousnes Amen The Ende of the Fift Epistle The Sixt Epistle A groundly Instruction and a Distinction of Vnderstandings / according to the Trueth of the holy Scriptures Wher-with HN answereth a Letter written vnto hym Beholde I wil vtter-foorth my Spirit vnto you and cause you to vnderstand my Woord Pro. 1. I wil not hyde the Secrets of God from you â–ª but search-out the Wisdom / from the begining of Generations and wil giue her foorth apparantly to be knowen and not keepe scilence of the Trueth Sap. 6. God hath graunted me to speake wysely and to think right / of those Things that He hath graciously geeuen Mee Sap. 7. The First Chapter THe God of Heauen â which is Israels God and liueth for euer be a Light a Esa. 6â— c. Apo. â—2 a. and Lyfe of the Trueth vnto thee and a Wisdom and Foresightfulnes to thy Vnderstanding / my Beloued / to th end that the right Distinction of the Lyfe b Eccli â—5 a. and of the Death / may be knowen vnto thee and that thou mayest euenso â with a cleere Sight looke-into the Preseruation of Men / in thissame horrible and daingerous Tyme 2. In which horrible c 1 Tim. 4. a. 2. Tim. 3. a. 2. Pet 2. a. 3. a. and daingerous Tyme / all Errours Misunderstandings and all Spirits of the false Light / do now exceedingly beare-swaye Wherthrough ther-is now also verytruly knowen vnto mee / the manyfolde Ignoraunce and the ignorant Confidence of the Children of Men / vpon the vayne or vnprofitable Wisdom and how vtterly the Vnderstanding of Man / hath corrupted d Gen. 6. a. his Waye / in the Knowledg The Ende of which corrupt ignorant Knowledg â which is an Horrour to think vpon is com before the Lorde 3. Seing then that all manly Vnderstanding is so vtterly corrupted / with so many-maner of false Knowledges / therfore is-ther likewyse nothing but all Wo and Misery at-hande For therfore is the Wisdom hidden· the true Light / darkened· e Esa. 5. d. 8. b 13. b. 24. c Ezech. 32. a. Ioel. 2. b. 3. b Math. 24 c. and the Moone of Vnderstanding / couered but the strainge Lights â which are deuided against eachother are becom many 4. Which strainge Lights or Starrs of the darke f Math. 24. c. Apo. 6. b Heauen / do now fall by many Multitudes vppon the Earth namely euen after that maner / g Esa. 34. a. as the Figgs do fall vppon the Earth / when their Stock or Tree is shaken or mooued by y e Wynde and each strainge Light / walketh in his owne Light 5. But now when h Esa. 60. Apo. 22. the Light of the Lambe / spreadeth-foorth itself â with his cleere Heauen ouer the Earth and that the Sunne shyneth out of the Heigth / then do men nomore see the Starrs of the darke HeaueÌ„ / vppon the Earth neither do they giue anymore Schimmering of Cleernes vppon the Earth For the Light of the cleere Heauen / is much to forcible for them all / with his Light and Cleernes and doth farr excell them eueryone / in Cleernes 6. Now â thatt being omitted I wil â in breefe-maner answer thy Letter / like-as thou doest Request / euen according to thatt Sight wherwith I looke into it Consider thou on the Mynde of the Vnderstanding The II. Chap. THou wrytest vnto me / that thy desyre and Longing hath bin to talke with me by Woord-of-mouth and that partly / because ther was a Man at thy Howse / that shoulde seeme to haue tolde thee wonderful-things of Mee That is to saye / that I was quitt of thaâ—t which is Myne and had geeuen it all ouer and that I â acknowledging all thesame to be as Dirt sought Grace Help and Comfort / in the Outward-things and desyred to be subiect ther-vnto â–ª The which â as thou wrytest was an Admiration vnto thee and that thou couldest not beleeue it 2. Thou Beloued looke rightly into the Trueth of this Matter For whear no Distinction is witnessed / as that one distincteth not the Things wherof he speaketh / with Sensiblenes of Woords but speaketh them foorth only with Boasting and Pryde and out of Partiaâ—â—tee or Dispyte / So is theare likewyse / the right Difference hardly to be conceaued / by those that heare thesame 3. It is true nodout / that it hath gon wonderfully with Mee For thatt which is happened vnto mee / is also wonderfull to myself a Psal. 118. c. in myne owne Eyes But to be quitt of all thatt which was Myne â which was myne owne / and not the Lordes and had captiued me / after thatt haue I doutles had a great Longing and haue alwayes â seing I haue loued the Righteousnes bent my self goodwillingly / to giue-ouer b Math. 16. b. 19. c. and to forsake it all / so farr-foorth as I coulde knowe it· and obtayne the Grace before God therto but not the holy Vnderstanding / which is com vnto me out of the liueing Godhead / vnder the Obedience of the Loue. Of the which as I suppose hee happly that hath tolde thee of this Matter / hath not distinctly vnderstood the Grounde therof / in his Secretnes and therfore hath not tolde thesame rightly vnto thee but as his good-thinking Mynde did iudg it / according to his owne Conceaueing 4. Because of this wrong Iudgment and of the false Reporte I am partly constrayned to witnes thatsame apparantly vnto thee / which is happened vnto mee and do confesse before thee and before all those that loue the Trueth / that I â from that Tyme-foorth that I sought Gods Righteousnes
thou from all those which do seeke only the earthly Things Heer-vppon let vs alwayes think / in thissame euell and perrilous Tyme The V. Chap. THou wrytest also vnto me / that thy Sight is / that thou doest not so knowe God / as that He shoulde still deale rygorously with his People likeas He hath don in the olde Testament euen as ther standeth written 2. I haue not doutles written vnto thee / that God hath dealt rygorously with mee but that his Enemyes as is also before rehearsed haue dealt rygorously with me / with Crueltee and Accusation euen as they haue likewyse shewed in a Psal. 42.44 b. 69 b â— 102 b. 109. e. Math 26.27 Act 22 23. tymes-past / on Christ and his Saincts 3. These woulde gladly haue satisfyed their Lust on me / to my Destruction Of whom I had written vnto thee / that I hoped to see my Desyre on myne Enemyes and Accusers namely that they / all those that accused me and woulde gladly haue seene my Destruction shoulde be iudged into the Condemnation themselues 4. Looke into the matter rightly For euenso soundeth the Letter that I haue written vnto thee and not that God dealeth rygorously with his People / neither hath He also at any tyme â as neither now presently nor-yet in the olde Testament dealt rygorously· but alwayes graciously with them but I haue bin constrayned by myne Enemyes â for my Sinnes cause to suffer my Punishment for a certen-tyme / like as the Lordes People also / in the olde Testament / were constrayned by their Enemyes â of whom they were captiued to suffer-out their Punishment / for their Sinnes cause For for their Sinnes cause / the holy Citee Ierusalem b 4. Reg. 2â— 2. Par. 36. Ier. 5â— and the Temple of the Lorde were layd-waste / and they lead-away captiue and very-sore punished / vnder the Power of Babel 5. But after thatt / when they obtayned the Grace agayne before their God c Ier. 32. Zach. 8. and that their Harts were cleansed / both from the Sinne and the sinfull Desyres / they were brought agayne out of the strainge Nations / to their owne Lande and Heritage and to the holy Citee Ierusalem / the which â and also the Temple of the Lorde was buylded d 1 Esd. 3. Ezech. 40. Agg. 1.2 Zach. 2.4.6 agayne anew / in thesame Tyme for to offer holy Gifts and Offerings euen-thear vnto their God / that are delytfull vnto Him the which they coulde not doo among the strainge People nor in forrayne Landes neither coulde they likewyse sing e Psal. 137. a. their Songs of Sion / in their Captiuitee in Babilon but they must thear beare their Contempt / for their Sinnes cause 6. Consider well of the Mynde and looke into the Images of the olde Testament / according to the Spirit and according to the Trueth and how that it shall all now that is set-foorth f Ezo 25. c. Act 7. c. Heb. 8. a. image-lyke in the Olde-testament / be g Math. 5. b. accomplished in the true Beeing Besydes-this / so consider also / how that God hath neuer dealt rygorously with his People and h Psal. 13.6 how that his Goodnes endureth for euer The VI. Chap. BUt thou wrytest Hath He not taken on him the manly Nature and therin geeuen vs a Promyse in such-sort / as that his Sonne shoulde performe or satisfy all for vs And for those that rightly vnderstande it / He hath performed it all / according as thou Vnderstandest the matter 2. OH Heer-vpon mought I take occasion to wryte much / because ther is so much and many-kyndes of Misunderstanding risen-vpp out of such Sentences or Iudgments But I hope well of the best Vnderstanding / in thee Neuerthelesse / with doubt 3. It is true Hee which is all that is Ø›the God of Glory hath â in Christ taken on him the a Phil. 2. a. Heb. 2. b. manly Nature and geeuen vs a Promyse therin but thatsame is don with Difference 4. Therfore looke into the Scripture / according to the Mynde of the Wisdom and not according to the Vnderstanding of the earthly and fleshly Myndes 5. For God taketh not on him / the Seede of the Heathen nor the Nature of the Vncircumcisedones but / b Heb. 2. b. the Seede of Abraham which beareth in him / the Couenant of Gods Circumcision and in thatt Seede c Gen. 12.21 b 22. b. 26. a Act. 3. c. Gal. 3. a. b is the Promyse of Saluation or the Blessing of all Generations of the Earth / geeuen 6. And euenthus hath the Seede of Abraham the Promyse / to possesse the d Gen. 12.17 Psal. 105. b. Lande of Canaan namely the Kurnell or the Heart of the Heathen as an Heritage / for euer For inasmuch as Abraham beleeued / therfore is he likewyse chosen of God / e Gen. 17. a. Rom. 4. b. to be a Father of Fayth and called out of the Heathen or Vncircumcision / into the Couenant of Gods Circumcision and euenthus in his Fayth and in his Seede / is the Promyse made to the Blessing of all Generations of the Earth 7. Which Promyse standeth-firme for euer / in the Woord of Lyfe and in the Fathers of the Couenant Wherout also all Gods Prophets haue had their cleere Sight and Testymony of the Trueth and f Esa. 40.60.62 Ier. 13. a. 30. a. 31.33 so haue prophecied g Luk. 1.8 1. Pet 1. b. on the Establishing of the Promyses 8. Beholde this Promyse euen as God had spoken to the Fathers of the Couenant· h Act. 30. and by the Mouth of all his holy Prophets is sealed confirmed or established on the Stock of Iuda i Math. 1. Luk. .1.2 b. the Sonne of Iacob / wherout Dauid is borne From whom / k Gen. 49. b. the Rodd is not taken nor a Master from his Feete / till that the Iust com For to Him shall the People inclyne and obtayne their Saluation in Him according to the Promyses 9. This Iustone consider wel of the Vnderstanding is the l Sap. 7. c. â— Cor. 4. a. Col 1. b. very-lyke Beeing of God the almighty Father And Hee â in his Birth out of the liueing Godhead according to the Spirit m Rom 1. a. 1. Tim. 3. c â–ª and out of the Seede of Dauid according to the Flesh is verytruly the Sonne of God and Man and the true Sauiour n Luk. 2. b. Phil. 3. c. 1. Tim. 4. c. of Men / to the Blessing of all Generations of the Earth according to the Promyses 10. Therfore also hath the Power of God named o Luk. 1. â— 2. c Him Iesus and He is by his Disciples / published among all People / p Act. 2.3 4.5 c. to be a Christ which saueth 11. Beholde this vpright and true Beeing of God the Father which according to the Flesh / is q Esa. 53. a b. Sap.
a. Apo 19. a b. is righteous in his Iudgment 4. Thus sayth the holy Spirit of Loue I haue to deale with thee / O all thou Flesh / that art borne of the falne Adam â–ª and likewyse with you all that wil excuse or defende thatsame For this is the righteous Iudgment of my God / ouer you that ye all are i Rom. 2. a. resistant against the Kyndnes of the highest God Who wil now I pray you / iustify or excuse himself against thesame For according to your owne inclyned Mynde / ye haue all doutles fleshed yourselues with the Deuill and so are incorporated to all Euell and Wickednes wherthrough ye haue eueryone â how prudent-wyse soeuer ye be k Apo. 17. b. fought against God and the Lambe / with your owne Wisdom or Good-thinking and â—o haue troden-downe the Loueing-kyndnes of God in yourselues / with Feete· shedd the Blood of the Righteous· and accounted the holy Blood of the true Testament of the Lorde Iesu Christ / for l Heb. 10. f. vncleane shutt y e Glory of God quyt out of your Hearts and so are becom replenished m Math. 23. c with all Vnrighteousnes Wickednes Maliciousnes Mocking and Blaspheamy 5. Ouer-and-aboue this / ye haue couered your euell Deedes / with Hypocrisie wherby to hyde your Vncleannes and Craftynes And in this Falshod / ye haue also sought n Ioh. 5.12 d· Prayse and Honour / on-of-another â–ª sâ—â—t yourselues in Iudgment / which belongeth o Esa. 3. c. Sap. 3. a. Math. 19. c. 1. Cor. 6. a. Iude. â— b only to God with his Saincts· and dealt coueredly trayterously and deceitfully / in your Counsayle of priuy Conspiracies / for to accuse and defame the p Esa. 53 b. Sap. 2 b. Vpright of Heart therby / with wicked Deedes and so wil haue right / in your owne Wickednes and Lyes 6. But in all this your Vnrighteousnes / ye haue loued and defended the Creatures / aboue God attributed the Honour vnto the q Iohn 5. c. Creatures / which only belongeth vnto God and so haue among-each-other / ascrybed the Vertues of God / vnto the Flesh â–ª and drawen the gloryous r Iohn 8. Rom. 6. c 8. b. c Freedom of the Children of God / vnto yourselues so that all your Iudgment is false / and proceedeth out of the Lye and not out of the Trueth 7. Beholde This false Iudgment proceeding out of the Wisdom of the Flesh and out of the crafty and wicked Sight / is com before the Eares of the supreame God s Gen. 6. a. and thesame hath greeued Him For-that-cause hath He now in the last tyme â or in this Oldnes of the tyme taken the righteous Iudgment vnto himself / against all lying Flesh t Psal. 96.98 a. for to iudg with Righteousnes vppon the Earth namely vnto the Good / to a Reward of all Good v Rom. 2. a. but vnto the Euell / to a Reward of all Euell and Wickednes And thatsame is the Light of Trueth and the true x Iohn â— c. Iudgment that God hath now in the last tyme / sent into the Worlde / through his Loue / to the Declaring of y e Righteousnes / for to iudg y Psal 96. b Act. 1â— d. Iude. â— b the Circuit of the Earth with Righteousnes / through thatsame Light / vnder the Obedience of y â— Loue and so to make-manifest the Self-wyseones / with their owne Wisdom· the wicked crafty Sights / with their Wickednes and Craftynes· and y e Prudent and Subtilones / with their PrudeÌ„ce and Subtiltee The III. Chap. COm all hether therfore to the righteous Iudgment of my God / O all ye Flesh of the falne Adam Com and let yourselues be seene in the Light But what auayleth it / ye shall all now be made-manifest before thesame Iudgment / what ye are For all your Nakednes â although ye think to couer yourselues becometh theare layd-bare and ye cannot also with all your owne Power / a Psal. 76.130 Mala. 3. a. Apo. 6. b byde-standing against the vertuous Nature of the Loue. 2. Beholde such a Glistering of Cleernes hath the Loue in her Beawty and Righteousnes / that no Vncleaneone can â with Ioye endure with her nor with her Comunialtee For his Wickednes or Craftynes is manifest ther-against euen-like as it doth also appeere with Many now in this present Daye Therfore hath likewyse no Flesh of the falne Adam / any pleasure therin Wherby it is knowen and manifest / b Esa. 40. a 1. Pet. 1. c. how vayne all Flesh of Adam is / in all his Knowledg Sight and Wisdom 3. Who wil now I pray you / defende the sinfull Flesh any longer / to a Couering of his crafty Nature Who wil â–ª I saye excuse it / in his Subtil-wylynes For ther dwelleth c Gen. 6 a 8. c Ier. 17. b. Math 15.23 b Rom. 7. c no Good-thing in it but nodout / all Hypocrisie and Deceit 4. Truly / it shall not be excused / before the Spirit of Lyfe neither-yet can men also excuse thesame before Mee / wherby I shoulde alow it in any Thing let it then appeere as good or holy as it will but that it is d Rom. 3. d. false and lying / in euery-poynt and can witnes no Trueth / of any godly Things 5. Seing now that the Deceit of the sinfull Flesh with all his Inclynacion according to his owne Sensualitee / is â euen in Experience by the Deede and Trueth becom knowe vnto Mee / through the Light / So cannot I likewyse for-that-cause / trust any Flesh of Sinne neither-yet beleeue nor alow any Iudgment e Deut. 1. b. Iohn 7. c 8. b that it iudgeth according to the Sight of his owne Eyes or according to the Hearing of his owne Eares but am altogether against thesame as that it is wrong in all his Iudgments that are according to the Sight of the Eyes or Hearing of the Eares / and iudgeth Gods Trueth falsly and out of the Lye and I do also testifye against all Iudgment of the sinfull Flesh / that it vseth all his Industry and Prudence / f Phil. 2. c. to the preferment of his Selfnes and euenso iudgeth to his Self-seeking· 6. Beholde / so false lying and deceitfull· and so full of Dissimulation and Hypocrisie / it is in all his Dooing and Leaueing Not only in that â which hath an euell showe but cheefly in thatt wherwith it wil showe itself â with a Shyne of holy Speeches to be holy and vpright and wherin it wil be alowed 7. To conclude ther is nothing but g Psal. 14. a. 58. a. 116. b. Rom. 3. a. b. Lyes and Falshod / in all Flesh of the falne Adam and in all what is borne out of the sinfull Flesh and that hath no Lust to performe the Requyring of the gracious Woord of the Lorde and whatsoeuer it witnesseth affirmeth or speaketh /
is all to the Couering of his Craftynes and false Selfnes let it iustifye or cleere itself then / somuch as it will let it transforme his Countenance to be so woful-hearted / as it will let it sobb let it sigh or lament then / somuch as it will let it speake then so sweete or flatteringly / as it will let it testify then his Sight and Hearing / so perfectly as it will let it also be then so vnderstanding or skilfull / touching y e new Birth· the Loue· the Trueth· and y e Secretnes of God or of the heauenly Things / as it will â if it be not obediently mynded to the Requyring of the gracious Woord and his Seruice So is it doutles all false and nothing but Poyson that it speweth-foorth against the vpright Lyfe of the Soule / wherby to h Iohn 10. a. kill and to spoyle the Peace of the Soule i Rom. 16. b. and to rende y e Concord of the Goodwillingones towwards the Loue. The IIII. Chap. THerfore / O ye young Children / which are borne out of the Seruice of Loue and out of her Spirit / to the God of Lyfe / to the Lande of his Glory / together with ye Disciples and on-coming Men / in the holy Vnderstanding of the gracious Woord of the Lorde / Beware of all sinfull and lying Flesh of Adam and of all Myndes that take-part with thesame a Rom. â—â— â— Gal. â— â— Col â— â— or which do excuse defende or alow thesame in his Vanitee and Falshod / To th end that ye do not committ Whordom therwith nor-yet becom spoyled of the Peace / which ye do inherit vnder the Obedience of the Loue. 2. For all sinfull Flesh / dealeth in Couerednes and Craftynes / with his Lyes and Deceit and those that cleaue-vnto thesame and defende or excuse it for anything that is Vpright / b Act. 7. f. are all Traytors and Imaginers-of-euell towards the vpright vncorrupt Good / which cometh-forth or is witnessed out of the Loue / to an Vnitee of Heart / in the Loue. 3. Therfore be mistrustfull towards all sinfull Flesh / as also towards all vnregenerated Men / which turne them away from the Obedience to the Requyring of the Seruice of Loue / beleeue not the Very-best of them / much-lesse / those whom ye knowe to turne-away themselues from vs and our Doctrine vnder the Obedience of the Loue c 1. Iohn 2. â— and to stand-vpp against the Loue and her Seruice and to vse their Hypocrisie / towards the Comunialtee of Saincts in the Loue. For no Flesh â—that is borne of the falne Adam d Psal. 143. a â–ª Rom. 3 â— shal be â—ounde righteous / when it is iudged according to the Trueth 4. For-that-cause let noman com-before mee with any Mynde of the Flesh for to excuse the sinfull Flesh / how lamentable or wofull soeuer it maketh itself or how holy and vnderstanding soeuer it appeereth 5. Oh let noman tell me any good or vertue / of the lying Flesh nor-yet of the vnregenerated Man / which seperateth himself from the Loue and her Seruice but let eueryone take-heede in the Spirit / to the true spirituall e Iohn 3. b. Birth of the Children of God which cometh out of Heauen / to the Beleeuers of the holy Woord of the Spirit of Loue / vnder the Obedience of the Loue which spirituall heauenly Children of God / are full of all Goodnes and Vertue· and of-one-mynde with Vs / to all Concorde in the Seruice of Loue. 6. Therfore f Math. 24. c. Mark 13. c. Luk. 17. c. beleeue no Men of the Earth / which com vnto you out of y t Flesh and Blood of Sinne and are without the Famyly of Loue but beleeue the Men of God / which com vnto you out of the Seruice of Loue and which descend-doune to you g Iohn 1.3 d. 2. Pet. 1. b. 1. Iohn 1. a. from Heauen / who / are Spirit and Lyfe and haue had their Rest in the Bosom of the Almighty Father / till vnto this last Tyme And from thence do they â in the Obedience of the Loue com agayne now with their God / in Glory h Esa. 3. b. Iude. 1. b for to bring the Iudgment â with Righteousnes ouer the Worlde 7. Beholde thatsame i Iohn 12. d. Iudgment is now kept against all sinfull Flesh. For Hee which iudgeth righteously / hath sett himself vppon his gloryous Iudgment-seate k Math. 24. d 25. d. 2. Tess. 1. a. Iude. 1. b And all his Saincts com with Him / in great multytudes of Hosts for to possesse the Earth with Righteousnes For it is geeuen vnto them l Math. 11. c. 28 b Luâ— 10. d. Iohn â— d by that God / who hath made it all 8. For the Prayer m Apo. 6. b of the Saincts is now hearde and their God cometh to take Vengeance / to a Righteousnes n Psa 96.98 a Apo. 19. a vppon the Earth euen-as is written therof / because that the Will of God the Father / may be don vppon o Math. 6.26 c. the Earth likeas it is in Heauen and that his vpright Beeing with his Saincts / may also beare-swaye thear· the Scripture p Math. 26. f. Luk. 24. e becom fulfilled· and that God may bee all q 1. Cor. 15. â— in all according to the Promyses 9. Beholde Thatt is Gods Glory and the righteous Iudgment of my God Who wil open his Mouth / to speake against thesame lest he com to shame / in his Tongue 10. Therfore shut-too your Mouth / with a Bitt r Psal. 39. a. Luk. 3. a. that ye fall not through your Tongue but s Esa. 30. b. in Stilnes / take-heede vnto God who appeereth and cometh t Iude. 1. b. on the Earth with all his Saincts / in great Glory euen-as is written therof The V. Chap. WHat hath God to doo with you or what careth Hee for your Wayling and Lamenting / O ye flattering Tongues or all yee that wil excuse or defende the Flesh of Sinne For beholde the Lorde shall in thissame Light of the Loue / shame you all in a Psal. 5â— a Math. 25. d. his Beholding and his mighty Hande of Iustice / shall stand ouer you / to a Suppressing of you / till that ye be confounded and remayne confounded for euermore 2. True it is I haue heard a mighty Crye with a great Lamentation and Waylling / vppon the Earth / wher-through / I was almost mooued to Compassion But I went alittle neerer to that Howling and Lamenting And lo / when I considered theron It was the Flesh of Sinne / that wayled and lamented excedingly / b Apo. 18. b because that his Worthynes mought be nomore of Value and for that it was nomore esteemed nor coulde gett any Prayse or Honour anymore and that God with his Saincts / did only gett the Glory 3. But when
vertuous Nature which floweth out of the Loue and her Seruice / as an vncorrupt Milke For with the Loue and her Seruice / ther-is nothing false f 1. Cor. 13. b. euell nor wicked / neither-yet anything deadly nor condemnable but the Fulnes of Lyfe and Peace And whosoeuer is in the Loue and standeth submitted to her Seruice / to shewe Obedience / in him ther-is no Euell Wickednes nor Craftynes 4. But if anyman do imagine any Wickednes or Euell therof and that the Wickednes doth euenso gett place in his Heart / against the Loue and her Seruice / Hee veryly is an Adulterer g Math. 5. â— and committeth Adultry with the Euell against the pure Wedlock of the vpright Loue. 5. Thosame Adulterers and Adultrisses / must beare h Gal. 6. â— their owne Burden or Fault / for their Adultry and Whordom and be afflicted with Greefs / in thosame Workes of their Whordom till that they do acknowledg and confesse their Fault / in the Comunialtee of Saincts / among the Children of Loue and so do submitt them vnder the Obedience of the Loue / to a i Rom. 6.12 a Ephe. 4. e. Renewing of their Hearts or Spirits / To th end that they may euenso be washed and puryfyed / through the Floodd or k Iohn 3 a Tit. 3. a. Water-fountayne of the Loue / to the Forgiuenes of their Sinnes· and turned-about in their Spirit / to be innocent Children / that imagine neither Euell nor Craftynes And whosoeuer then turneth him about in that sort l Math. 18.19 b Mark 10. b. to him cometh the Kingdom of Heauens and the euerlasting Lyfe 6. Therfore let our Conuersation m Eph 4. a. b be vpright in the Loue and let noman knowe nor imagine any Euell nor any Guyle or Wickednes but becom in that maner altogether playne or innocent n 1. Cor. 14. c in Euell / so shal-ther no Euell nor Deceit be founde among you 7. Growe-vp in o 2 Pet 3. c the Vertue and in the godly Wisdom and becom prudent and vnderstanding therin â–ª as also Men and Elders with graye Heare For among those that are growne olde or aged therin / p Eccli 8.9 is the Wisdom and the Concordablenes with the Elders in the holy Vnderstanding Therfore be ye alwayes agreably q Rom. 12. b. â—5 a 1. Cor. 1. a 2. Cor. 12. b. Phil. 2. a. mynded to all Vnitee of Heart in the Loue and take ye all therin your Delyte of Lyfe 8. Also couer not r Pro. 28. b. your Hearts before the Elders in the Famyly of Loue and let noman deale priuily in anything nor hyde anything in secret but let eueryone make-manifest himself as he is and of all what God hath foreseene s Gen. 1. c. 9. a 1. Tim. 4. a. for good and vpright / from the Begining and is edifying towards the Righteousnes / let noman be ashamed / in the Comuniattee of Saincts / whose Hearts stande submitted vnder the Obedience of the Loue. 9. But let not any Contention t Ephe. 4.5 a. 1. Pet. 2. a. â— â— Euell Subtiltee to Wickednes nor any Deceit or Craftynes / be harkened-vnto by you but let it all be layd-doune among you / vnder the Loue. And the Loue of God the Father / get the Victory in that sort in all your Hearts Amen The VII Chap. THese Testymonyes euen-as they are reuealed vnto me in Heauen / by the holy Spirit of Loue / according to the Sentence of the righteous Iudgment haue I â out of inclyned Loue written to the Seruice of you all / my beloued Hearts and to a Declaring of y e righteous Iudgment / wherby to reueale and make-knowen before you all / that no Flesh of the falne Adam / is vngilty a Iob. 4. b 9 a 2â— a Psal. 143. a. before God neither-yet hath it any right in his Iudgment / To th end that it may all becom submitted vnder the Loue and her Seruice and that it may all euenso â thorough the Loue and her Seruice be b Esa. 65 b. 2 Pet. â— b renewed according to Gods Trueth / to an vpright Knowledg and Vnderstanding and to the Amendment and Makeing-wholl of all thatt which is marred or made-euell and that likewyse through the Loue and her Seruice / all Offenciuenes or Euel-conceaueing of the Flesh / mought be c Ephe 4. c. Col. 3. b. layd-doune· and all thatt which is of God and Christ / restored or brought-to-right and that all People mought â through the Loue and her Seruice acknowledg the Goodnes of God and his Merry to an euerlasting godly Tryumph of our God and to the Blessing of all Generations of the Earth according to the Promyses made to the Fathers 2. HEer-with I do salute you eueryone / with a Salutacion of the Loue yee which haue your fellowshipp with vs / to the Obedience in the Loue and euenso with Exhortacion to the Good / salute you all one-another likewyse / with a Salutacion of the Loue. 3. Receaue one-another in-like-maner / with Lessons and Exhortacions to the Loue and her Concord and let your Hearts be set-at-quyet / through the Loue and think vpon no other Righteousnes nor Holynes / but vpon thatt which is requyred by the Seruice of Loue and which bringeth all Loue with it And all whatsoeuer ye doo and leaue all d 1. Gor. 10 d. 16. b Col 3. b. thatsame / doo and leaue / in the Name of the Loue or for the Loues sake 4. Heer-vnto / becom you all agreeably mynded as loueing Children in the Loue / then can-ther no Discord nor any Euell nor Offenciuenes / gett any place among you But your Course-of-lyfe shal be in the Loue and in Peace and God shall be with you and ye shall vnderstand e Math. 13. the Iudgments of God and their Secrets And noman shal be able to spoyle you of the right Freedom / which we haue in the Loue of Iesu Christ. With which Lyfe of the vpright Beeing of the Loue / God hath shewed Mercy on vs / to the end that we shoulde liue loueingly sweetheartedly and peaceably therin / vnder the Obedience of the Loue. To the which God of Loue only / belongeth f 1. Tim. â— b. 6. b. the Honour and all Laude and Prayse for euermore Amen The Ende of the Seuenth Epistle The Eigth Epistle A cleere Distinction of the Submission and Vnsubmission in the Spirit With certen groundly Informations and Instructions SeÌ„t vnto a Louer of the Trueth / at his hearty Request Very profitable and seruiceable / to the Knowledg of the Godlynes Beholde how that I haue not laboured for myself only but also for those that desyre Information Ecclesi 33. Heer-with be vnto the my Beloued LW / Health and Saluation The First Chapter FOrasmuch as Mercy is chaunced vnto mee / thorough the Loue of God the Father / therfore is also my Spirit inclyned
her Victory shewing that Hee only is the Lorde and hath the Power ouer the Death and Hell 8. Beholde thatt is the Iudgment of the Righteousnes of God and the Coming of the Lorde Iesu Christ / to our Preseruation and to the Saluation of vs / which hope vpon God and Christ / for that the Death and the Hell / shoulde nomore haue any Dominion ouer vs but that the Lorde only / mought â as our God and King raigne ouer vs· and wee â as his People to serue Him o Luk. 1. g in Righteousnes and Holynes / to his Prayse and Glory and to our Ioye 9. Whersoeuer then / God doth â through his Light and Seruice of Loue execute the Iudgment namely as a Death to the Death / p Oze 13. b â— Cor. 15. f and as a Sting to the Hell / to a Conquering both of the Death and of the Hell euen-theare is put-on the Incorruption / the Lyfe of the euerlasting Immortalitee / to th end that the Scripture shoulde be fulfilled in the Woord of Lyfe / which God hath spoken in tymes-past by Ozeas / his holy Prophet O q Oze· 13. b 1. Cor 15. f Death I was thy Death O Hell I was thy Sting 10. Heerin haue we to prayse our God for that Hee â through his Light and Seruice of Loue prepareth vs the Victory against the Death and Hell For those are r 1. Cor. 15 a the last Enemyes of the Lyfe / from the which / God wil cleanse vs / according to his Promyses 11. For the Daye or Light of the Lorde / in his Seruice of Loue and righteous IudgmeÌ„t / is like vnto the Gold-smithes Furnace and like the Sope of a Laundresse Beholde the Furnace of the Gold-smith / s Mal. 3. a purifyeth the Golde in the Fyre The Sope of a Laundresse / cleanseth the Clothes in the Water Euenso is the Man cleansed also in the t Pro. 17.27 â— Sap. 3. a Eccli 2. â— Furnace of Humiliation / in the Daye or Light of the Lorde 12. NOw this passed-ouer I reioyce me for thy Thankes for y t thou â as thou wrytest art not a-little taught and informed / by the little Booke that we haue sent vnto thee Of the which thou wrytest-ouer vnto mee / that thou vnderstandest som of the Sentences which thou hast read therin 13. But â my Beloued learne to haue a consideration / betwixt a godded and an vngodded Man and iudg thou accordingly For in that Plâ—ace whear a godded Man standeth in such a State of thesame Beeing / â—an no vngodded Man holde himself nor-yet be so And though that he woulde so or if that anyone shoulde mooue him thertoo hee did vnwysely For an vngodded Man hath no Substance / wherwith he can stand submitted vnto God He hath v Rom. 7. b. the Will I graunt but ther-is neither the Power nor â—he Accomplishment / with him The IIII. Chap. THerfore ought not the Man to take-on any-thing / neither Submission nor Vnsubmission If he be estrainged in the Absent-beeing from God and that he knoweth his Estrainging / yet doth not the Knowledg bring with-it any Submission vnto him / in the Beeing of the Estrainging from his God 2. Yea how submitted soeuer he wil seeme to behaue himself / yet is it doutles no Submission but an Vnsubmission For the Longing resteth not / a Psa 42· a. for to com to the Beholding of God and thesame Vnsubmission is vpright and good And now when the Man is com to the Beeing of his God / by the Obedience to the Seruice of Loue and knoweth that same in his Beholding / as a Light of Lyfe / Then doth that Beeing / bring-forth the Submission itself For God is with him and b Psal. 16. b is alwayes in his Beholding 3. If he be in the Kingdom of Heauen / then is God thear also with him If he be in the Hell / then is he thear well and safe For God is c Psa. 139. a thear likewyse with him If he go-about to-and-fro with the Creatures / then is God thear in like-maner with him And in such an Estate / the Man is euerywhear and in all poynts / submitted vnto his God 4. For God is alwayes with him d Psal. 16. b at his Right-hand and his euer-liueing Beeing / is also a Light still / in his Beholding Therfore he feareth not And euenso in the true Beeing / the Submission is vpright and good And whosoeuer taketh-on another Submission or if that anyman shoulde think to content himself with another Submission / without the true Beeing and so hunteth-after the Submission / he shall not fynde the right Submission 5. Wherfore because that we shoulde not comfort ourselues with the Vanitee nor with any foolish Submission / the Scripture teacheth vs thus e Esa. 55· a. Seeke the Lorde / whylst He is to be founde Call to Him / whyles He is neer-by I wil be founde sayth the Lorde / by the Prophet Ieremy when ye f Ier. 29. b seeke me with all your Hearts 6. To thesame doth Peter also exhort the Bretheren of Fayth g 2. Pet. 1. b. We haue sayth he a sure propheticall Woord and ye do well that ye haue regarde ther-vnto / as vnto a Light / which shyneth in a darke Corner / till the Daye breake and the Morning-light ryse-vp in your Hearts 7. BEholde These Doctrines and more such like / do all teache the Vnsubmission / thewhyles one is yet in the Absent-beeing from God / because that the Longing towards our God â in Longsufferance shoulde not ceasse Therfore noman hath the right Submission neither is also the Submission promysed to anyman / in the Estrainging from his God but only in Gods Beeing / the Light of Lyfe 8. But thewhyles we do yet walke vppon the Earth in the Absent-beeing from God / like Geasts h 1. Par 29 d Psal. 39 c. 1. Pet. 2. b. Heb. 11. c. and Pilgrimes / so haue we our Comfort â i Rom. 15. a in a firme Hope vpon the Promyses of God / through his gracious Woord and do credite God / that He is true in his Woord and Promyses and do k Rom. 8. c Tit. 2. waight euenso with Patience / vpon the Coming of the Lorde Iesu Christ. Whose Coming / cometh with Light and Cleernes and with the Fulnes of Lyfe And so in an assured Hope on the Appeering of Christ â who is coming vnto vs in the Spirit we haue our Consolation l 1. Tess. 4. b. Heb. 10. â— with each-other / thewhyles the deadly Things haue yet captiued vs and so we m 1. Cor. 11. c. confesse the Suffering and Death of Christ / for our Sinnes cause And euenthus through Fayth / we becom armed likewyse with thesame n 1. Pet. 4. a Mynde of the Suffering and Death of Christ for to be planted into o Rom. 6. a Him with the like
the Lyfe t Iohn 1. â— which is for a verytrue Light / vnto all those that beleeue theron 8. Therfore let vs take-heede u 2. Cor. 6. a to the acceptable Tyme / wherin God doth illuminate vs. For in extending Mercy / He x Exo. â—3 b Rom. 9. b. sheweth Mercy on vs and leadeth vs from the Death / y Psa. 56. b. 116. a. to the Lyfe euen to the Sheapherd z 1. Pet. 2. c of our Soules 9. HEer-with â my Beloued I do hartely salute thee / with a Salutation of the Loue and see that thou â with an humble Heart do giue a regarde vnto thatt which I wryte vnto thee and ponder well the Sentences therof For they do poynt thee a Pro. 4. a. to the Lyfe 10 And if thou doest yet desyre larger Instruction at my hands / then wryte ouer vnto me I do alwayes â for the Loues sake proffer myself willingly to doo thee Seruice / in all what I may in the Lorde / to thy Edifying 11. Farewell and sett thy Comfort wholly and altogether / on the Loue. And salute me with a Salutation b Rom. 16. b 1. Cor. 16. c â–ª of the Loue / to the Bretheren and Sisters that are with thee which do submitt them with humble Hearts / vnder the Obedience of the Loue. And the Comunialtee in the Loue / that is heere with Vs / doth likewyse salute you all hartely with the Loue. 12. The Vnitee of Peace c 2. Cor. 13. b. Ephe 4 a. Col. 3. b. be alwayes among you all And the Loue of God the Father / take the Victory in all your Hearts Amen The Ende of the Eigth Epistle The Nynth Epistle Of the Seruices and Ceremonyes of the Christians and of the Vnchristians and of the right and false Vce of them with certen groundly Informations and edifying Instructions Written and sent vnto a Louer of the Trueth / at his Request Exercise thyself in Godlynes For bodely Exercise which stretcheth to the Outward / that concerneth the Nature profiteth little But the God-seruice which stretcheth to the Inward and Spirituall and to the true Godlynes is profitable to all things and hath the Promyse both of this Lyfe and of thatt to com 1. Timo. 4. The First Chapter THe Loue of God the Father â through the Reuealing of the Coming of our Lorde Iesu Christ be with thee / my Beloued and a Ephe. 1. b. 3 b. illuminate thy Spirit to a true Knowledg of the Lyfe / in the Spirit / wherby thou mayest â with a right Discerning see-into and knowe liueingly â according to the Spirit the secret b Sap. 9. b Rom. 11. â—2 2 Counsayle and Will of God / To th end that thou mayest iudg c Iohn 7. c according to the Trueth / with a right Iudgment Thaâ—t graunt vs the almighty Lorde / through his Loue. Amen 2. My Beloued Our Fauour out of the Seruice of Loue â to thy Saluation standeth alwayes willingly-bent towards thee for to be seruiceable vnto thee / to thy Edifying and to a good Knowledg of the true Light For that thou mayest be illuminated with the Illumination of the Cleernes of God which â out of the Grace of his Loue is reuealed d Rom. 16. c Ephe. 1.3 a Col. 1. c 2. Tim. 1. b and appeered vnto vs in the Spirit according to the Promyses of God the Father and with Wryting / to reaâ—he thee the Hande to thesame / according to thy Request to a Gyding of thee into our holy Comunialtee / vnder the Obedience of the Loue. 3. In which Comunialtee / wee haue our Fellowshipp e 1. Iohn 1. a with God the Father and the Lorde Iesu Christ / in the euerlasting Immortalitee wher-through all f 1 Cor. 15. f Corruption and all g Esa. 25. a. 2 Cor. 3. b. Couerings Middle-walles h Esa 59. a Ephe. 2. b. and i Psal. 146. b Bandes / be taken-awaye wher-in all Patterns Images Shadowes and Figures / do k Col 2. b Heb. 9.10 ceasse and wher-in ther is nothing-els behealde / but the euerlasting l Heb. 12. c vndisturbable Kingdom / full of all Power of God / full of Lyfe Loue and Peace / full of Cleernesses m Math. 24. d 25. d. 2. Tess. 1. a. of all the Holyons and Children of God / and full of all heauenly Treasures n Col. 2. a. and godly Ritches / euen-as God hath in tymes-past / promysed to com in Glory for a righteous Iudgment vppon the Earth 4. O thou Beloued Forasmuch as we haue shewed our Fauour of Loue on thee â with Seruice and Assistance to these heauenly o Ephe. 1. b 2. a. 3. a Col. 1. â— 2. a. Ritches in the eternall Beeing of Immortalitee / So haue we now the second-tyme / receaued Wrytings from thee and haueing perused-ouer and considered of them â so much as we can we do vnderstand therby â according to the Mencioning of thy Wrytings that thy Opinion or Conceaueing standeth towards vs or thou shouldest seeme to haue vnderstood so by Others / that we shoulde not vse the Christian Ceremonyes or shoulde account them to be vnprofitable 5. No â my Beloued we are not so presumptuous / that we shoulde not acknowledg all Gods Ordinances â in their right Foorme or Vâ—e to be good p Eccli 39. c and profitable / being ministred in their due tyme. Yea we esteeme them very worthy and commendable in their Seruice so farr-forth or to such an ende as their Seruice reacheth the which we haue sufficiently witnessed â with sencible Distinction before all Vnderstandings / in the Glasse of Righteousnes 6. But â my Beloued if thy Heart shoulde yet stande captiued vnto anything of thatt which hath had his Fore-going the which also had the Ministration of his q 2. â—or 3 a. Cleernes to the to-coming Daye of the Reuealing of the Coming of Christ that is till that the Refreshing shoulde appeer r Act. 3. c â–ª from the vncouered Face of God / for a gloryous Kingdom of God and for a Ioye and Peace of all the Saincts of God / in the euerlasting Lyfe so consider then / by Whom and out of what Spirit / the Christian-ceremonyes are ministred / by the Illuminated or by the Vnilluminatedones out of the Letter of the Scripture or out of the Woord of Lyfe The II. Chap. SEing now then that many Instituters of Ceremonyes / do minister y e Office of Ceremonyes / out of the Prudence of their owne Vndersâ—anding or out of â—he Knowledg of the Letter / altogether to Controuersie and haue not receaued the Office of their Ministration / through the Woord of Lyfe / Veryly so is likewyse their Office of Ceremonyes / no a Ier. 23. b. 27. a. 29 a. Commaundement of God nor-yet their Seruices / any christian Ceremonyes For those Scriptur-learnedones do setfoorth the Ceremonyes â which they administer for
Tabernacle and to cleanse and sainctify c Heb. 9. a. b. it all with his Blood the which is the newe or true TestameÌ„t / d Math. 26. c. Mar. 14 c. Luk. 22. b. to y â— Forgiuenes of Sinnes namely vnto all those which do follow-after Christ / e Heb. 10. c in the Holy and be planted in to him / f Rom. 6. a Phil. 3. b. with his like Death The which is the true Offering for the Sinne â through Christ which is acceptable vnto God the Father / as a sweete g Rom 12. a Phil. 4. b. 1 Pet. 2 a. Sauour wher-through all the Beleeuers of Iesu Christ / do inherite â in the seconde h Iohn 3. a. Tit 3. a. Birth from the Death the heauenly Ritches of God and Christ / in the Mostholy 4. But these spirituall Ritches of the heauenly Goodes and of the Mostholy of the true Tabernacle of God / were not hetherto / made knowen vnto the worlde i Rom. 16. c. Ephe 3 a Col. 2. c. like-as God doth now in thissame Daye of his Loue / disclose make-knowen and bring thâ—same aboundantly vnto Vs Ø›his elected Holyones Yea for Vs wee which â vnder the Obedience of the Loue be planted into Christ / with a lyke k Rom. 6. a. Phil. 3. b. Death of Christ and â through the l 2 Tim. 1 b. Appeering of his Coming begotten out of thesame Death / m Rom. 8. b. Ephe. 2. a. Col. 2 b. to be Children of God hath God kept and left thosame spirituall Ritches of the heauenly Goodes / for an heritable Kingdom / n Heb. 4. b. to th end He woulde euen so â through his Loue bring Vs to his Rest and establish Vs therin 5. Which vnspeakable o Apo. 21. a. Kingdom â full of all Louelynes and Lyfe ' and full of all gorgyous Beawty was prepared p Math 25. d. 1. Cor. 2. b. from the Begining / for an euerlasting Rest and Peace / for all those that loue God / for to herit them â as Gods beloued q Rom. 8 b. Children and Heires of his Kingdom in thesame / now in the last tyme according to the Promyses 6. And with thosame Holyones and Elect of God / God r Act. 17. d. Iude. 1. b. wil now in thissame Daye / execut his righteous Iudgment / against all Vngodlyones of the wicked worlde / which haue not s Math 22. a. 23. c Luk 14.19 b lyked of Him and against all those which wil shewe no t Rom. 2. a. Repentance for their Sinnes / accordding to the Requyring of his gracious Woord / for that they may be rooted-out· and condemned in y e hellish Fyre / v Math. 25. d. which is prepared for the Deuill and all his Seruants For the Condemnation in the hellish Fyre / x Apo. 21. a. is the Heritage of all Vngodlyones and vnhappy Men which contemne God and his Seruice of Loue and refuse the y Pro. 1. c. proffered Grace of the Lorde and the Requyring of his gracious Woord The II. Chap. FOrasmuch then â ye Beloued as that wee â through Gods Mercy / out of his bountifull Grace are delyuered from the horrible and a Apo. 18.20 tirrible Condemnation of the Vngodly / in our Obeying of the Requyring of the gracious Woord of the Lorde and his Seruice of Loue and haue attayned to thissame precious b 2. Cor. 6. a. Tyme of godly Grace towards all Deuout-people / which loue Gods Righteousnes and that the c Heb 12. c. Apo â–ª 12 21 a Kingdom of God the heauenly Father and the true Beeing of his loue / hath shyned about Vs / as a Power of God / Therfore haue not wee also bin negligent nor slothfull in thissame Daye of the Grace of our Illumination / for to further the Good but haue indeuoured ourselues with great Dilligence / for to serue eueryone with our godly Illumination and to reache them the Hande toward the peaceable and godly Lyfe and toward the holy d Heb 4. a. Rest of all the Children of God namely all those whom God mooueth into our Waye and which desyre Assistance at our hands / to thesame Rest of the godly Lyfe· and to the Cleernes of the Mostholy of the true Tabâ—rnacle of God 2. Beholde From this Mostholy Ø›the true Perfection of the Righteousnes of God the e Esa 25. b 2. Cor 3. b. Vayle the which is the f Heb. 10. c Flesh of Christ is now in thissame Daye / put-away among vs / through the Death and Suffering of Christ / g Heb. 10. c. in the Holy wherin we are followed-after Christ / with the lyke Death h Rom. 6. a. Phil. 3. d. and Suffering and all his Holynesses and Garnishings / nakedly disclosed vnto vs / out of thesame / to th end that wee â which are dead with Christ i Rom. 6.8 b. Phil. â— b. Col. 2. b. 3. a and risen agayne with Him from the Death in heauenly Ioye shoulde likewyse walke with Christ / in thesame k Iohn â—2 c. Light of the Mostholy â with naked Hearts before God â or in the Presence of the vncouered Face of our God and heauenly Father in l Ephe. â— a. b. all Loue. 3. Haue a good regard heerunto / O ye beloued and good-willing Hearts For to such a godly Ende and to be m Iohn 15. a. Ephe. 3. b incorporated â with Spirit and Mynde to the God of Lyfe and his Christ / therto stretcheth our mostholy Seruice vnder the Obedience of y e Loue or therto hath it his Ministration among the Children of Men / To th end that they mought all now â vnder the Obedience of the Loue be incorporated to n Iohn 15.17 Christ and so o Act. 3. d. restored agayne to thatt wherunto they are chosen of God and called by Christ. 4. To thesame God which hath prepared all this for vs / through his Loue· and chosen vs to such a gloryous Maiestee / p 1. Timo. â— c be Laâ—de Honour and Thanks / for euermore Amen 5. HEer-with-al I giue you to vnderstand â ye Beloued that I haue read-ouer the Letter / written by you vnto our Fellow-brother wherout I do note many Woords of godly Matters Through the which / I do also greatly reioyce me and do giue God Thanks q Ephe 1. c. Phil 1. a Col 1 a. 1. Tess 1. a. â— Tess. 1. a. for his Grace extended towards you and for your Dilligence which ye bestowe one-towards-another / in thatt wherin we are seruiceable vnto you and wherunto we exhort you Wher-through we do likewyse perceaue / that our Seruice and Labour shewed on you / is not bestowed in vayne 6. We do also exhort all the Commers-on to the Famyly of Loue and all those that deale or conuersate themselues with you in the Woord / y t they likewyse wil loue the
d Act 1. b. 7. g Ephe. 1. c. Col. 3. a. Heb. 1. a. 10. â— 11. â— out of Heauen according to y e Scripture / On which Daye / the Circuit of the Earth namely eueryone in thatt which he is the Liueing and Dead the Good and Euell the Lightes and Darknesses the Trueth and Lye the vpright Vnderstanding and the Ignorances of Men shal be iudged e Act. 17. d· with Rightousnes For in thesame shall eueryone receaue his Rewarde / according to his Nature f Ier. 17 b. Math. 16 c. Rom. 2.14 b. 2 Cor. 5.6 Apo. 2. c. or fruiâ—t of his Workes 3. Happy is hee that submitteth himself humbly and obediently vnder thissame Daye of Loue also giueth g Pro 1. a. 2. a 3. a. 4. a. 5. a. Eccli 6. c. eare to y e Seruice of Loue and to thesame holy Woord that is ministred therout and setteth not himselfe to be a â–ª Iudg ouer the Workes of God nor ouer the Testimonyes of the holy Spirit of Loue neither-yet is wyse h Pro. 3. a. Esa. 5. c. Rom. 12. b. in his owne conceit but giueth God the Honour / that He himself is the very-true Lorde and Iudg / in his Daye and in the Seruice of his Loue and so taketh-heede to the Loue of God the Father / to his Preseruation Amen 4. MY Beloued as I haue vnderstoode by the Mouth of thy Freende / when I was with him in Friesland / thy Request was vnto mee / that I woulde wryte a little vnto thee But I coulde not wel comprehend nor perceaue by his Woordes / what mought be thy Seeking or Desyre therwith As whether thou didst desyre to be taught or edifyed by the holy Woord / which we minister vnder the Obedience of the Loue or-els whether thou desyeredst to iudg thesame / according to thyne owne Good-thinking 5. Seing then that many Heartes do com before vs now / with Deceipt notwithstanding / I hope otherwyse of thee and that wee by-that-occasion / do not willingly wryte vnaduisedly or vnforesightfully vnto anyman that desyereth it of vs / Therfore woulde we gladly at the first / heare to what ende Those that seeke any Seruice at our Handes / do desyre our Seruice / i 2. Cor. 5. â— 1. Tess. â— b. which proceedeth out of Gods Counsayle and Wisdom 6. And besydes thatt / because I coulde not vnderstande thy Mynde or Intent / by the Message that was don vnto me by Mouth / therfore haue I refrayned from wryting vnto thee at that tyme but did by him returne Message vnto thee / by woord-of-mouth / that I woulde com to thee about Sainte Martines-tyde / for to talke with thee myself by Mouth 7. But because ther is now somwhat-els com vnto me / which hath hindered me from coming to thee / therfore haue I heere now by this Bearer / written the Cause vnto thee / why I did omitt to wryte vnto thee at that tyme. 8. But I hope that thou wilt not be offended heerby nor-yet think / that my Will is therfore to forsake the Seruice of the holy Woord / wherunto the God of Lyfe hath k Gal. 1 b. Ephe 1. b 3. â— 1 Timo. 1. a. elected Mee / through his Loue / for to assist and to be seruiceable vnto my Neighbour / toward thesame Loue of God the Father namely to the Needy l Esa â–ª 58. a. or Poore of Spirit and to the Broken or m Psalm 34 b 51. b. 147 a Esa. 57. b. Striken of Heart Or-yet thaâ— I woulde not vouchsafe to wryte vnto thee 9. O No â thou Beloued my Heart or Mynde standeth not so bent / as to forsake the Good and his Seruice or that I shoulde not vouchsafe to serue eueryone ther-with but I stande alwayes good-willingly bent therto For I do not serue nor labour for myself only n Eccli 24. d. 33. c. but likewyse for all Those that loue and desyre Informacion The II. Chap. HOwbeit â my Beloued I woulde doutles very-gladly haue spoken with thee by Mouth myself / if the tyme woulde haue serued therto / Because that I haue heard by Somme / that thou art not well content or satisfied with the sincere Wisdom or Vnderstanding / which is com vnto vs Littleones and Lowely-hearts / a Sap. 6. b. Iam 3. b. out of Heauen / from the Right-hande of God and which we do minister vnto the Children of Men / to their Saluacion but makest many Woordes vpon it / for that thou wouldest iudg the godly Wisdom and holy Vnderstanding / according to thyne owne Imaginacion and so to withstande thesame / according to thy good-thinking Iudgment wherwith thou b Rom. 16. b. 2 Cor. 11. a. stealest-away the Simplicitee in Christ as also the true Obedience to the Loue and to the Requyring of her Seruice / from the Hearts of the Simple and â euen in Contempt towards the Trueth of God gloryest and commendest thyself therin 2. O thou Beloued if thou perseuerest heerin / then wil it fal-out greeuous vnto the / to withstande the Mouth of God and the Grace of his Loue / wherwith God presenteth thee and all Men / c Luk. 24. c. Rom. 2 a. Act. 17. d. to a Repentance for their Sinnes 3. Therfore do I exhort thee â out of the bounteous Loue of God to thy Preseruacion and Saluacion / sett not thyself against the Trueth of God nor apply not thy Natural-reason and Prudence therunto but turne thee from the euell Acts of thy Lipps and Toung and submitt thyself humbly with vs â euen d 1. Pet. 5 a. Iam. 4 a. with a simple Heart vnder the Obedience of the Loue / so shalt thou fynde Grace before God 4. But if-so-be thou desyrest larger Instruction of anything / then thâ—se Wrytings which proceede-out from vs / do witnes vnto thee or if Those that com vnto thee from Vs / do not satisfy thee / in thyne Vndeâ—standing / Yet do not therfore reiect anything but aske after the right Distinction And when thou hast inquyred after the right Grounde of the Trueth of our godly Testimonyes / then vnderstande likewyse the Mattier first rightly â according to the Trueth er-euer thou dispise or speak-against anything of the holy Testimonyes of the Trueth 5. If then ther be any Sentence to-secret before thee or if thou want anything / then wryte-ouer thesame boldly vnto mee / as one that loueth e Eccli 6. d. 8. a. the Informacion and desyereth the cleere Instruction of the f Math 13 â–ª b. Secretnes of the Trueth I hope thou shalt alwayes fynde me seruiceable / for to assist thee to the Vnitee in the Loue and to liue concordably with thee / in the vpright Vnderstanding 6. If now thou giue thyself heerunto and doest euenso / then wil I â through the Grace that is shewed on mee most-groundly instruct thee and also shewe thee with Sensible-reason / that we haue no want of anything
Light and therfore testifyeth / that no vncleere Eyes e Math. 6. c. nor darke Bodyes / haue f Iohn 5. d. euer seene or knowen such a gloryous Light / in his Cleernes and that then thosame Testimonyes do com before the Eyes and Eares of the earthly Man g Pro. 3. a. Esa. 5 c. Rom. 1.12 b. 1. Cor. 3. b. who thinketh himself to be wyse or to be illuminated / through his Knowledg / So doth then thatt earthly or self-wyse Man suppose â according to the Imaginacion of the Knowledg or false Light that the illuminated Man / doth not testify rightly of the Cleernes of the true Light of God 6. Therfore because that the vnilluminated Man / seeth so poreblyndly and cannot see nor endure Gods Light / in his Eyes he iudgeth â out of the false Light / that hath captiued his Heart the illuminated Vnderstanding / to be wrong 7. Then when an illuminated Man / testifyeth of the Loue of God and of the Spirit of thesame â–ª and that eueryone ought to submitt them obediently ther-vnder and then when thosame Testimonies do com before the Eares of those â–ª that looke vppon the Flesh and not vppon the Spirit / Then do they iudg the Loue â–ª and the Loues Spirit and Requyring / vppon an outward Man euen as though the outward Man himself / requyred the Obedience and Loue and â according to the Flesh â–ª named himself / the Spirit of Loue or tooke Gods Dignitee vpon him 8. Therfore veryly a fleshly or earthly Man â that liueth without the Seruice of Loue / according to his owne Goodthinking is altogether false h Psal. 116. b. Rom. 3. a. lying and ignorant namely / in godly Things in all his Sightes Knowledges and Iudgments The IIII. Chap. BEholde my beloued Hearts in the Loue This coulde I not hyde from you / To th end that ye may beware of the false Iudgments of the deuided Men. and for that ye shoulde not ouer-reache yourselues / in iudging anything rashly For-that-cause let eueryone let the Iudgment alone and gett first a a Apo 3. c. cleere Sight and a pure Soule / in the Loue / That he be not iudged before the Iudgment-seate of Christ before the which we stande for a false Iudg. 2. Oh! How well is he mynded / that iudgeth not and that construeth and accepteth all in good part / that is witnessed or spoken to him / vnto good and so walketh in stillnes and keepeth his Mouth / b Psal. 3◠〈…〉 as if ther hung a Lock before it that he lye not and which falleth not c through his Tongue 3. Therfore canst thou not excuse thyself / â— Man d Ro◠〈…〉 whosoeuer thou bist that iudgest For wherin thou iudgest another / therin condemnest thou thy self inasmuch as thou thyself act gilty in thatt / wherin thou iudgest another 4. By diuers of these false Iudgers / am I greatly impugned so that I haue had great cause geeuen me by Many / to wryte against them but thatt haue I not vsed hetherto â as against any Person or Company perticulerly nor named them by Name but haue witnessed generally / the Ignorance of the Blaspheamers and Resisters of the Loue â–ª and made it knowen to the Vnderstandingones 5. Forasmuch then as our Seruice hath his Ministracion vnpartially / through the Loue / therfore is it not also our Vce / to wryte against anyman perticulerly â as by any name of Person and Company nor-yet to disprayse or to prayse them / by their Names but to shewe generally â according as the vnpartiall Seruice of Loue requyreth it what is Good or Euell for eueryone and wherin the Man hath Right or Wrong and that altogether out of God e 2. Cor. 3. a. and not out of ourselues 6. For the Lorde himself â as a righteous and vnpartiall God hath â according to his Promyses made his Iudgment / f Esa 28. b. a Measure-lyne and his Righteousnes / a Ballance / among vs. Therfore wee do neither receaue nor-yet giue-foorth anything / vnles we do measure it all vnpartially / with the Measure-lyne of the Iudgment of God and weigh it all likewyse according to his Value / g Eccl. 21. c. 28. d. in the Ballance of the Righteousnes of God 7. Oh! That yee all did so likewyse and according to thesame maner / stoode concordably and vnpartially mynded with vs / vnder the Obedience of the Loue and that euen so eueryone did first learne â vnder the Obedience of the Loue to keepe-scilence and then to speake rightly also learned first to suffer Wrong and so to knowe therby / thatt which is Right / er-euer he gaue any Sentence of the Right / to th end that he mought speake according to the Trueth and iudg h Iohn 7. c. rightly As likewyse learned first / to endure i 2. Cor. 6. a. Shame Dishonour and Dispising / with Christ and therby to knowe Gods Honour / er-euer he tooke-vpon-him to defende Gods honour and to alow himseâ—f to be right in his Iudgment Consider effectually heeron 8. SEing then that the many-maner of Perills â growing by the Iudgments of Men are knowne vnto vs / therfore do wee â with this small Instruction exhort all Louers of the Trueth / that noman vndertake or set-forward himself to iudg / k 1. Coâ— 4. â— â–ª before the tyme nor-yet speake to-soone but that eueryone do first â vnder the Obedience of the Loue becom l Luk. 14. c. a Distiple of Christ and so m Ephe. 4. b. Col. 1. b. 1. Pet. 2. a. growe-vp in the holy Woord of the Spirit of y e Loue of Christ / to the Age of the holy Vnderstanding of Christ. 9. Then when he is becom a Christian or an Elder of Christ / in y e holy Vnderstanding / so can he then likewyse â through his new Birth iudg rightly / n Sap. 3. a. Math. 19. â— 1. Cor. 6. a. with Christ and with all the Saintes of God / but otherwyse / all his Iudgments are false 10. If anyman be now as is before sayde becom a Disciple in the holy Vnderstanding of Christ / vnder the Obedience of the Loue and so â euen vnto the Regeneracion be growen an Elder therin / Hee shall then well vnderstande the Elders in the holy Vnderstanding or the Ministers of the holy Woord in the Famyly of Loue / in their secret Wisdom and in no-wyse stryue nor contende â with his Vnderstanding against the Elders in the Loue of Iesu Christ / which do minister the Woord of Lyfe vnder the Obedience of the Loue but shall likewyse himself â as an vnderstanding Elder with the auncient Elders informe the Disciples of the holy and gracious Woord or Christ â in the christian Schoole of Loue o 1. Tim. 4. b. 2. Tim. 1.2.3 with holy Vnderstanding and with Lessons of Wisdom / to all Concorde in the Famyly of Loue