Sinne and Death / through his Death of the Crosse / and hath made himself manifest vnto his Freendes / that loued Him and were his Disciples and renewing them in the Woord of his Doctrine / He q Luk. 24 c shewed them â through his Suffering and Death of the Crosse the Victory r 1 Cor. 15 g. against the Sinne Death Deuill and Hell 5. Now when-as these his Disciples were renewed and established in the Woord of his Doctrine· and armed s 1 Pet 4 a with thesame Mynde of the Suffering of Iesu Christ / t Mar 16. b Luk 24 f Act 1. a then was He taken-vp from them to the Right-hande of God his Father / in the heauenly Beeing From thence hath He comforted his Disciples and comprysed his Shape in them / out of the heauenly Beeing powring-foorth v Act. 1 â— 2 â— his holy Spirit into them as a newe and true x Apo. 21 a Ierusalem which is not prepared by Men / but by God like a garnished Bryde for her Husbande And euenthus became God the Father / thorough his only-borne Sonne Ø› Christ of one-substance agayne y Act â— with the manly Creatures And to that ende also because that all manly Creatures / shoulde â through Christ be z Iohn 17 c one-substance with God the Father / is Christ preached And in such a State doth God requyre to haue his People or the Congregation of Iesu Christ. 6. BEholde These Disciples of Iesu Christ â who through Christ / were sealed with the holy a Act. 2. a Rom 8 b 2 Cor 5 a Spirit of Christ / from the Right-hande of God· b Math. 13. f taught to the Kingdom of the God of Heauens· and established in God the Father and in the Lorde Iesu Christ were the right Christians / not out of the Letter or Flesh / c Math. 26. c. Luk. 22 c Iohn 6. f. 1 Cor. 11. c wherwith they had bin serued till vnto the Coming of thesame Clernes of Christ but out of the Power of God / d Luk 24. c Act 1. a. 2. a 1 Cor. 2 a b in the Spirit and did beare euenthus e 2. Cor. 4. a a costly Treasure / in earthen Vessels namely the very-like Beeing of God the Almighty 7. Which Beeing of God / f 2. Cor. 4. a. Phil. 2. a. Col. 1. b. Heb 1. a is the true Christ himself / according to the Spirit with whom they had their Fellowship And through Him â seing He was One with God their g 1. Iohn 1. a. Fellowship was also with God the Father Wherby they vsed that Woord God our Father and the LordeØ›his Sonne Iesu Christ. The which also Many nodout / do speake or witnes in-that-maner / out of the Letter and out of the Imagination of the good-thinking Knowledg but they are wyde of it / according to the Trueth But These â who h Act 2.3 1 Cor 2 a b 1 Iohn 1. a. witnessed that Woord / out of the Spirit and Trueth haue witnessed the Grace from God the Father and from the Lorde Iesu Christ / in the Trueth of God And yet notwithstanding / haue confessed nomore but one God but haue witnessed the Wonderful-acts of God / shewed on them through Iesus Christ. And i Ioel 2. d. Act. 2 â–ª b. it shall com-to-pas â sayeth God in the last Dayes 8. THis Grace of Saluation / that was k Luk. 1. f. g 2. a b. c Act. 2.3.4 c. apeered to the Iewes â which Many of them in that tyme refused is published to the Heathen / l Math. 3. a. Luk. 2. d Act. 13. c to a Repentance for their Sinnes / to th end that they shoulde m Iohn 1. c. beleeue on the like Beeing of God the Almighty / that was appeered vnto them· and so becom partakers likewyse of the Gifts of the holy Gost â through Iesus Christ out of the fatherly Grace and that their Fellowship mought be one n 1. Iohn 1. a. with God the Father and his Sonne Iesu Christ / in one-maner of Fayth 9. And to that ende was the Seruice of Christ ministred o 2 Cor. 10. a vnder y e Obedience of Fayth â by the Apostles of Christ to the vnbeleeueing Heathen namely in the Woord of the Preaching of the Disciples and Apostles of Christ / To the intent that thesame Lyfe of Righteousnes â that was refused p Act. 3. c. by the Iewes shoulde be set-vpp among y e Heathen / through Fayth and so they sought to confirme y e Lawe among y e Heathen / through Fayth and to bring forth the Righteousnes ther-by / q Rom. 3. c. Gal. 2 b. 3 b Phil. 3. b. that is requyred by y e Lawe The V. Chap. BEholde euenthus / for a a Luk. 2. â— Light and Saluation of the Heathen / is thissame â only out of Grace / vndeserued published vnto the Heathen / for a Gospel / to a Mortifying of their vayne Vnderstanding b Rom 1.6.8 1 Cor 5.6 Gal. 5 6. and of the corrupt vngodly Beeing and to an Incorporating to the newe Man whom the Apostles of Christ did publish namely ChristØ›the Like-beeing of God c Luk. 1. g. Ephe. 4. c. in vpright Righteousnes and Holynes In whom â and in none Other standeth d Act. 4.10 c the Forgiuenes of Sinnes 2. These Publishers of the holy Woord or Gospel of the Kingdom of God seing now that Iesus Christ had a Shape in them / as a verytrue Light and Lyfe of God and that Gods Shape / was in Christ wher-thorough they lykewyse were in Christ â–ª and God in them haue published that Woord Ø› Grace and Peace from â—od our Father and y e Lorde Iesu Christ in the Trueth 3. But although the Apostles did publih this after-this-maner / yet haue they notwithstanding / spoken no otherwyse then of One God / who had shewed his Procreation or Generation in them / as a e Iohn 1. c Glory of the only-borne Sonne of y e Father / full of Grace and Trueth namely that God the Father had begotten and declared in them / his like f Iohn 1. a 1. Iohn 1. a Lyfe of God / out of his Lyfe and his like Light / out of his Light 4. Seing then that they did beare this like Beeing of the Godhead / in them / therfore haue they â through thesame knowen the liueing God / who was their Saluation namely through the Lyfe of God / Iesu Christ being appeered vnto them g Ephe. 3. â— in the Spirit Wherthrough they also published the Lyfe that is euerlasting and so witnessed likewyse that Those which had h â— Iohn 5. b. not the Sonne of God / coulde not also haue the Father / and that they were without i Ephe. 2 b. God / in this Worlde For the like Lyfe of God / k Iohn 1. a 1 Iohn 1. a 5
and verytrue Light and as the right Father of his like Beeing and e Ieam 1. â— Light for euer and his Will and Requyring â as a fatherly Loue / to the Mans Preseruation in the Godlynes is administred / in the Ministration of his gracious Woord vnder the Obedience of the Loue of whose Beeing and vpright Forme / we haue witnessed before and that then likewyse in thesame Administration / Beleefe and Obedience is shewed by the Man / in thesame Will and Requyring of God / euen-thear â in the Beleefe is thesame liueing God seene and knowe / like as Hee â according to the Spirit is an vpright Beeing f Ioh. 1. â— â— b. 1. Iohn 1. â— and verytrue Light / for a Lyfe of Men· and the right Father of his like Beeing and Light thear is also seene and knowen that thesame Gods Procreation or Seede / is likewyse his vpright Beeing and verytrue Light / and is euenso â in the Beleeueing and Obeying of thesame Administration proceeding from thesame Father / and that thesame is wholly and altogether of one-mynde and g Iohn 17. c. Col. 8. â— of one-substance with the Father / and is the true Christ himself / and geteth in-that-sort / his Foorme in the Man 4. To whomsoeuer now thesame Christ doth com thus in the Spirit / essentially / h 1. Iohn 1 â— to those is He also seene and knowen rightly in the Spirit and He is likewyse of i Iohn 17. c. one-substance with them / in all Loue and vpright Righteousnes 5. This self-same Christ / the true Sonne and like k Col. 1. b. Heb. 1. a. Beeing of God his Father although Hee â from eternitee be the l 1. Cor. 15. c. Col. 1. b. First-borne of all Creatures· and the m Math. 16. b Luk. â— c. Iohn 6. g. only-borne Sonne of God is also â according to his Birth of the Seede of Dauid after the Flesh named the Sonne n Math. 8 12. c Luk. 6. a. â— 21. of Man / because that Hee â as the true Seede of the Promyses of God the Father is sowne or planted in our Manhod / through the Ministration of the gracious Woord of the Lorde and through the Beleef and Obedience to thesame Woord also manned with our Manhod and so â after our Passing-ouer his like Death of the Crosse / vnto the o Iohn 3. a. Rom. 12. a. â— Ephe. 4. b. c. second Birth from the Death borne agayne out of our Manhod 6. And thatt is the verytrue Seede of God from Heauen / which is sowen in our p Math. 13. b Mar. 4. b. Luk. 8. b. Manhod / through the Administration of the holy and gracious Word / vnder the Obedience of the Loue· and â at the appoynted tyme borne agayne by vs and out of vs / as a q Iohn 15. a. b Fruit of the ouerflowing good Lyfe and of the vpright Righteousnes and Holynes and wherthrough wee are then likewyse â according to the Woord of our Lorde Iesu Christ the r Math. 12. .c Luk. 8. c. Moother Brothers and Sisters of Christ / which doo the Will of his heauenly Father 7. Thissame Man of God from Heauen according to the Spirit and the Sonne of Man s Math. 1. c. Rom 1. a. of the Seede of Dauid according to the Flesh / is in all poynts mynded t Math. 26. d. Iohn 4. d. 6 d. 8. c. according to the Will of God his Father and his Will is / that all what is good / shoulde bee and He beareth in vs / the u Phil. 2. a. Heb. 2. b. 5. a Image of the earthly Man and suffereth with vs for our Sinnes 8. But now when the Beleeuer of his gracious Woord / hath x 2. Pet. 1. b. regarde obediently vnto his gracious Woord / according to the Requyring of his Seruice of Loue and that euenso â in his Beleefe and Obedience thesame Woord beginneth to appeere or breake-thorow / as a verytrue y Iohn â— a. 2. Cor. 4. a. Light of the vpright Lyfe and like Beeing of the perfect Cleernes of God· and as a z 2. Cor. 5. b. Gal. 6. b. new Creature from Heauen / Then hath God the Father his Pleasure a Esa. 42. a. Math 12.17 b 2. Pet. 1. b. only in thesame Light and Lyfe of his lyke Cleernes and vpright Righteousnes For thatt is his beloued Sonne Ø›his spirituall heauenly Beeing whom He hath geeuen vnto vs for an euerlasting b Heb. 1. a. Heyre to th end that we shoulde liue through Him 9. SEing now that the Lorde Ø›the God of Heauen is spirituall· and mynded to the vpright Righteousnes / and that the Man of the Earth is fleshly c Gen. 6. a. Rom. 7. b· â— and mynded to the Sinne· and vnbeleeueing and disobedient to the Requyring of God in the Ministration of his gracious Woord and Seruice of Loue / Therfore hath God â according to such a Mynde of the Man no d Rom. â— a. pleasure in the earthly Man / nor-yet the earthly Man / in God nor in his Requyring 10. But seing now that the only-borne e Math. 16. b. Luk. 9. c. Iohn 6. g. Sonne of God the Father according to the Spirit namely Christ / the like f Sap 7. c. Col. â— b. Heb. 1. a. Beeing of God is also the only-borne Sonne / out of the g Math. 1. a. Rom. 1. a. Manhod / of the Seede of Dauid according to the Flesh and beareth in vs the Image of the earthly Manhod / as-wel as the Image of y e heauenly Godhead / Therfore it is not his Will that the Man â whom He hath created h Saâ— 1. b. 2. c. Eccli 17. a. to be an Image of his like Beeing shoulde perish in the Disobedience of the earthly Man· i Eze. 18 3â— â— 2. Pet. 3. a. nor in the Sinnes of the earthly Beeing but shoulde liue for euer and euer / with Him and with his Spirit / in the vpright Righteousnes of his heauenly Beeing / and that all Men likewyse â which loue God and his Righteousnes shoulde be assembled into thesame Beeing and be saued both in Soule and Bodye 11. Beholde thesame forementioned Christ and Sonne of God â who for our Sinnes cause / hath suffered in vs the Death k Rom. 6. a. Phil. 2. a. of the Crosse and armeth vs l 1. Pet. 4. a. with thesame Mynde of his Suffering and Death maketh knowen vnto vs as is before sayde through his Seruice of Loue / his vpright Beeing of Righteousnes And in our good Will to thesame / He bringeth his Beleef vnto vs and so in the Beleef / He himself m Esa. 53. b. 2. Pet. 2. beareth our Sinnes and iustifyeth n Rom. 3.8 â— Gal. 2. b. vs from thesame / through the Beleef And so takeing our Sinnes vppon him / in Patience He o 1 Iohn 1.4 reconcileth vs before
2. b. Math. 27. mocked contemned and killed by the Children of the wicked Worlde and by her Wyse and Scriptur-learnedones woulde God â according to his Promyses and the Affirmation of his Prophets that the Man shoulde carry r 1. Cor. 15. c or beare / to his owne Blessing and to the Honour of God and to the Prayse of his holy Name And not the Sinne / s Sap. 2. c. Iohn 3. â— that very-like Beeing of the Diuell 12. With which vngodly or lyke Beeing of the Diuell and also with Offenciuenes and wicked Imaginations / many Men do runne-on and so do suppose â through their corrupt Vnderstanding and vngodly Beeing to be saued for-al-that â–ª they do likewyse comfort t Ier 8 â— themselues with Lyes and saye / Christ hath performed it all and so they continue going-on in v Ier. 4. â— â— a. their Sinnes and Abhominations or wicked Imaginations 13. AH beloued Consider I pray thee / of such a great Misunderstanding / that is flatt against all the Preaching of the holy Gospel of Christ. For the Scripture of the holy Gospel mentioneth and witnesseth cleerly vnto vs / that Christ is obediently gon-before u Phil. 2. a. 1. Pet. 2.4 â— vs / in the Death of the Crosse / to th end that wee likewyse shoulde follow-after Christ therin / to y e Mortifying x Col. 2. or to a Consumeing of our Sinnes and of all vngodly Beeing the which is the true Burnt-offering as also shoulde be incorporated vnto Him / with his lyke y Rom 6. a. Phil. 3. b. Death and euenso to the Establishing of the gloryous Name of God â according to his Promyses shoulde becom saued Theron likewyse do all Gods Prophets witnes 14. And if thou doest consider rightly from the Begining of the Promyses of God / till vnto their Ende or Fulfilling in the Saluation / Then shalt thou perceaue / that we be informed and taught with the Promyses of God and with the Figures z Rom. 3.4 Gal. 3.4 Heb 7.8.9.10 and Seruices of the Lawe / to the Fayth of Iesu Christ and the Seruice therof and to the Requyring of the Preaching of the holy Gospel And so foorth from the Seruice of the Fayth of Christ and of the holy Gospel / till vnto the a Iohan. 13. d. 14. c. 15. b Loue and her Seruice And thesame is the Perfection b Rom. 13. b. 1. Cor. 13. a. Gal. 5. b. Col. 3. b. 1. Timo. 1. a and the Establishing or Fulfilling of the Promyses of God and Christ. 15. Therfore is the Seruice of Loue / the Very-last and Most-holy / wherin c Math. 22. d. it is all fulfilled / whatsoeuer is written of the Righteousnes of the Lawe and of Christ and his Beleeuers For in the Loue and in her Children / God d Apo. 21. is all in all and the Kingdom of the God of Heauens with his Glory 16. BEholde This true Beeing of God the Father like as is sayde therof is the Stone that is layde in Sion / e Esa. 28. b Act. 4. b. 1. Pet. 2. a. for to trust vpon it wherof ther is also written f Esa. 59 c. Rom. 11. â— He shall com out of Sion / which shall put-awaye the vngodly Beeing from Iacob 17. And thatt is the seconde Testament â the which is the gracious Woord g Ier. 31. d. Rom. 11. e. Heb. 8.10 b that is promysed to the Howse of Israel and to the Howse of Iuda / in the last tyme For then shall the Punishment for their Sinnes / be ended and their Sinnes shall God nomore remember For in thatt Daye â h Iohn 12. d. wherin the Sonne of Man is exalted shall y e Sonne of Man drawe it all vnto Him seing that the Inheritance doutles appertayneth vnto Him 18. In this-self-same â which is the very-likie and true Beeing of God the Father standeth the Blotting-out i Act. 4. b 10 c Heb. 1. a and Cleansing of our Sinnes / through Fayth euen as is written of Him 19. To be incorporated vnto Him with the Spirit / is veryly the right Satisfaction of the Sonne of Promyse / the right k Heb. 5. â— Heyre of all godly Goodes 20. Of Him hath likewyse Esaias witnessed / whear he sayth l Esa 9. c. A Childe or an Heyre is borne vnto vs a Sonne is geeuen vnto vs whose Dominion is vppon his Shoulders / and He is called / Wonderfull Counsayle Power Gyant euerlasting Father a peaceable Prince for that his Dominion may be great and no â—nde of the Peace / vppon the Seate of Dauid and his Kingdom 21. Him hath God sett to be an Heyre ouer all Things Through Whom / He hath also made the Worlde and He maketh the Cleansing of our Sinnes / through Himself and euenthus standeth his Satisfaction according to the Promyses like-as is written of Him and not according to Mans Good-thinking or Imagination The VII Chap. THou wrytest likewyse vnto mee / that it is wel knowen vnto mee / that God hath created all Things / each-one according to his Kynde in â—uch-sort that all Creatures haue their Nature or Kynde / wherin they liue / and cannot transgresse / and that thou doest also half cal-to-mynde / that thou hast heard it so of mee 2. It is true / that all Creatures are created a Gen. â— according to their Kynde and that each-one hath his Ordinance / according to his Kynde which â of Natures-part it cannot transgresse 3. Whatsoeuer now is incorporated vnto his owne Nature and is not turned ther-out nor estrainged ther-from but bydeth ther-in / thatt liueth then in his vpright â— Nature Beeing and Kynde / wherin it is created and wherto it is ordayned or foreseene of God 4. COnsider â thou Beloued God hath created all earthly Creatures and ioyned each-one to his lyke / according to his Nature and Kynde 5. After thesame maner also / the Creature of the Manhod but the inward Man / hath God created to Himself and ordayned him to be a b Leui. 26. b Ier. 31. â— Iohn 14. c. Apo. 21. â— Dwelling for his Glory 6. And God woulde not that this inward Man / shoulde be subiect to the outward created or to the vayne Things nor cleaue vnto them to a Bondage / to th end that the great Name of the almighty God / shoulde alwayes and euerlastingly byde sealed and stand-fast in the inward Man 7. God hath likewyse foormed the c Gen 1. c. Sap. 2 c very-like Beeing of his inuisible and liueing Godhead / in the inward Man / because that the Man shoulde liue according to the Requyring of his vpright Beeing to the Laude and Prayse of his godly Maiestee 8. Beholde and vnderstande Thissame Beeing of God and Christ / is the Mans Nature and Kynde / according to the inward Man / wherunto he is created by God· and chosen through Iesus Christ as also ordayned
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.
Ø›his very-like Beeingâ— in the Man And so hath God made and ordayned euery-thing k Eccli 39. â— â–ª well / through his godly Beeing And l Iohn 1. a. without thatsame Beeing / God hath made nothing that is any what nor ordayned anything / without thesame and thatsame lyke Beeing of his Godhead / m Iohn 1.6 g is his only borne Sonne / Iesus Christ and is the n 1. Cor. 15. c. Col. 1. c. Firstling or the First-borne of all Creatures / whom God hath foreseene therto / o Pro. 8. c. er-euer the Foundation of the Worlde was layde p Heb. 1. a. and to be an Heire of all his Workes 14. Hee is promysed q Iohn 3. b. Rom 8. d. and geuen vnto vs by God the Father â as a Christ of God for a Lyfe and for a Saluation and is likewyse so r Psal. 19. a. Act. 2.3 c. preached and published to the Worlde But the Worlde hath not beleeued in Him and therfore also s Ihon. 8.9 â— remayneth her Sinne and Death 15. For in noman els but in thatsame only Christ t Iohn 1. is the Lyfe Which Lyfe / is a Light of Men and that Light shyneth in the Darknesses and the Darknesses haue not comprehended it 16. Thatsame is a verytrue Light u Iohn 8. b. which lighteth all Men / through his Coming into this Worlde and He was in the Worlde and the Worlde was made through Him but the Worlde knew Him not 17. He came into his Owne and his Owne receaued Him not But so many as receaued Him / to them gaue He the Power to be Children of God namely Those that beleeued on his Name / which are not borne of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor-yet of the Will of Man / but of God The IIII. Chap. OF this selfsame only-borne SoÌ„ne of God the Father / the Prophet Esay doth also witnes a Esa. 9. a A Childe sayth hee is borne vnto vs a Sonne is geeuen vnto vs whose Dominion / is vppon his Shoulders and He is called / Wonderfull Counsayle Power Gyant euerlasting Father a peaceable Prince / Because that his Dominion may be great and no Ende of the Peace / vppon the Seate of Dauid and his Kingdom 2. Him hath likewyse the Prophet Dauid seene in the Spirit and witnessed of Him / that God hath b Psal. 110. a. Heb. 5. b. 7 b sworne â and it shall not repent Him that Hee is a Preest for euer / after the Order of Melchisedech and He continueth also an High-preest c Heb. 3.10 c ouer the Howse of God / for euer / as d Heb. 8.9 b. a Minister of the spirituall and heauenly Goodes Which Ministration cometh-to-pas in the Spirit / and not in the Letter euen as is written of Him 3. But seing now that the Man is falne-away e Gen. 3. a. Ephe. 4. c. Col 1. â— or estrainged from this vpright Beeing of his God / Therfore hath this ChristØ›the true Lambe of God suffered f Phil. 2 a. the Death of the Crosse in the Man Which Lambe of God / was killed g Apo. 5.13 b from the Begining of the Worlde / for the Sinnes cause But seing He is not of the Death but of the liueing Father / the God for euer / therfore is He also rysen h Mar. 16. b. Luk. 24. c. Act. 2. c. 10 c 1. Cor. 15. â— Col. 1. b. agayne and as the i Math. 2â— a. Firstling / rysen-vp from the Death k Act. 1. a. 2. c. 10. c. 13. d. 1. Cor. 15. a. Psal. 110. a. and hath shewed himself alyue vnto his Disciples and Beleeuers and set himself at the l 1. Cor. 15. c. Right-hande of God his Father / in the heauenly Beeing bearing the Dominion / till that all his Enemyes be layde vnder his Feete to a Conquering of Sinne and Death / through Fayth 4. THis is that Iesus Christ / which â like as He was preached before and m Act. 1. 1. Tess. 5. c. 2. Tess. 1. a. shoulde be seene in his Coming is n 2. Cor. 4. a. 2. Timo. 1. b. appeered and com vnto vs / in y e Obedience of the Loue / according to the Scripture Who must possesse the Heauen / o Act. 3. c. till vnto this tyme / wherin all becometh restored agayne / that God hath spoken by the Mouth of all his Prophets / from the Begining of the Worlde 5. Thissame was in tymes-past published in the Worlde / p Mar. 16. b. Luk. 24. f. Act. 1.2 c. for a Gospel or ioyfull Message / to th end y t all those which were burdened with Sinne and captiued with Darknesses / shoulde be baptised or washed q Rom. 6 a. Col. 2. b. in his Death of the Crosse / according to the inwarde Man· and planted into Him r 2 Cor. 4. b â–ª Phi. 3. b. with his like Death / for that all those which beleeued in Him / shoulde be borne-agayne out of thesame Death· and so becom partakers of the s Rom. 6. a. 2. Cor. 4. b. Phil. 3. b. Resurrection of ChristØ›the very-like Beeing of God / the Righteousone and that they mought euenso then â in the Spirit haue their fellowshipp with Christ / t Ephe. 2. a. in the heauenly Beeing / in the Kingdom of God his Father· and so reioyce them in his Coming / in the euerlasting Lyfe 6. Beholde thatt is the vpright v Luk. 1. Ephe. 4. c. Righteousnes and Holynes / which cometh to the Man in the Spirit / through Christ to an euerlasting Reconciling of the Man with God or to an x Iohn 17. c. Ephe. 2. b. Vnitee / betwixt God and the Man / to th end that God may in that sort / be y 1. Cor. 15. c. all in all / according to the Promyses The V. Chap. BVt seing now that thy Questyon is how or in what maner / thesame shall com-to-pas in vs / so can I not omitt / to giue the a full Instruction therof 2. Therfore beholde and consider in thyne Vnderstanding / my Beloued how that now in the last tyme / thesame liueing God â out of Grace / vndeserued is a 2. Cor. 4. a. 2 Timo 1. b. appeered vnto vs / out of his holy Heauen / and dwelleth b 2. Cor. 6. b. Apo. 21. a. liueth and walketh among Vs Ø›the Family of his Loueâ— And how that Hee and his vpright Righteousnes / is â by his gracious Woord administred in the Family of Loue and how that likewyse in thesame Administration / c 2. Cor. 10. a. 1. Petr. b. c. the Beleefe and the Obedience to the Requyring of thesame God / is requyred of all Men d Ephe. 4. â— to an Vnitee of Heart with Vs / in all Loue. 3. So consider then whearsoeuer thesame liueing God of Heauen and his Goodnes â as an vpright Beeing
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.
casteth y e Seruice of the holy Woord and the instructionable g Pro 5. c. 15. â— Chastisment / from him and so refuseth the Loue / hee veryly shall likewyse be reiected by the Lorde· and h Apo. 22. b. shute without the louely Beeing of God 4. For seing that God doth now present vs with all Loue / therfore wil Hee likewyse â in the Obedience of his Loue be loued of Vs agayne 5. Wherfore â my beloued Children giue-ouer yourselues to the Lorde / with vpright Loue euen as I haue often sayde vnto you and as our Wrytings do mencion in many Places namely i Eccli 6.7 â— 1. pet 5. a. in Humilitee and Lowlynes of Heart / So shall ye taste that the Lorde is freendly The which our Lorde Iesus hath also taught vs / wheare He sayth k Math. 21. c. Learne of Mee For I am humble and meeke of Heart and your Soules shall fynde Rest. 6. Com vnto l Math. 11. c. Mee sayth Hee witâ— your Loading or Burden / I wil ease you or take your Burden from you And take you on my Yoke or Burden For my Yoke is sweete and my Burden is lyghte for to beare / sayth the Lorde 7. This is the liueing m 1. Pet 1. c. Woord of Grace / proceeded-out from our Father / the liueing God to the Saluacion of all People namely / those that beleeue in his Name and n 2. Pet. 3. b. wayte for the Coming of his Christ / to their Saluacion 8. Out of thissame Woord of Grace / ther appeereth vnto vs now in the last tyme â thorough the Reuealing o 2 Timo 1. b of the Coming of our Lorde Iesu Christ p Rom. 8. b Ephe. 1. b. the Paune of our godly Inheritance namely / the holy Spirit of Loue / full of all Graces and Amiable-delytfulnesses which Spirit of Loue / is q Iohn 14 c. 25. c. 16. b. the right and true holy Spirit of Christ which proceedeth or cometh from the Father and the Sonne and hath his Flowing-foorth from them 9. The Children of thissame Spirit / which He r 1 Pet 1. a. b bringeth-foorth out of the Loue / are chosen for to possesse the s Esa. 33 a Ephe 1. b 2 a. 3. a. Col 1. c â— a. Treasures and the Inheritance of the Ritches of Christ of the heauenly Father / for euermore The II. Chap. FOrasmuch then â ye Deerly-beloued as that yee likewyse are now called and bidden to thissame high-worthy Maiestee of God and to be a Rom 8. b Ephe 1. a. Co-heires â with Christ and his Saints in the Treasures of the heauenly Goodes / therfore take-heede to thissame gracious b Eccli 27. b 2 Cor. 6. a Ephe. 5 b Tyme and c 4. Esd. 2. d. Rom. 12. a. 1 Iohn 2. b 〈◊〉 4. a flye the Shadowes of the wicked and blynde Worlde Loue not her Darknesse in-anywyse but loue the Light of Lyfe / which is healde-foorth vnto you through the Seruice of Loue / to your Saluacion 2. Depart out from the Vncircumcised and let your Hearts d Deut. 10 c. Ier 4. a. be circumcised in thissame New or Eigth Daye / vnder the Obedience of the Loue / that the Foreskinne of the worldly and fleshly Desyres / may be e Esa. 25. a. 2. Cor. 3. b. put-away from your Hearts 3. Therfore let all those pas now / that would drawe you to their Good-thinking or Knowledg or to their chosen f Gal. 3. a. 6. b. Col 2 b. c. Holynes· or allure you to any g Tob. 3. b. Ephe. 4. a â–ª Light-behauiour 4. Endeuour you to enter into the good and vpright Beeing of Iesu Christ euen-as thesame is ministred vnto you out of the Loue and her Seruice and make none account of it / although ye be mocked blaspheamed and contemned / for thesame cause or for your single-mynded Obedience to thesame 5. But against all your â–ª Aduersaryes / h Math 10. d. 16. c. Mar. 8. c. Luk. 9.14 c take vnto you the Crosse of Christ â the which is Patience or Forbearance / in the Obedience of the Requyring of the Seruice of Loue and so j 1 Pet. 2.4 a. follow-after Christ. For in that sort is He gon before vs and hath â through his Crosse ouercom k Phil 2 a. Col. 1. c. â— his Enemyes 6. To which Ouercoming / yee shall also com â through Christ if yee â in the Following of Christ do posâ—â—sse your Soules l Luk 21. b with PatieÌ„ce and had rather â—uffer CoÌ„tempt Reproche and Blaspheaming / with the Children of God / m Heb. 11. c. then to inherite all y e Treasures of this Worlde 7. Therfore â my beloued Children let it not greeue you / although the n Iohn 15. b. Worlde do hate you or though you be contemned and blaspheamed by her Wyse and Scriptur-learnedones but beholde or consider o Hâ—b 11. c. of the Rewarde of the Children of God 8. For I do acknowledg and testifye vnto you truly â according to the Grace of the Knowledg that is chaunced vnto mee that it shall now in the last tyme / go-well euerlastingly with all good-willing Hearts which haue a Lust to God and his Righteousnes / vnder the Obedience of the Loue and that their Labour in the Lorde / shall p 1. Cor. 15. f. not be founde in vayne 9. But whosoeuer doth wilfully contemne the Lorde and the Righteousnes of his louely Beeing and inclyneth to the Worlde or to his owne Good-thinking / hee shall beare his Iudgment / whosoeuer he bee 10. Inasmuch then â ye Deerly-beloued as that wee haue now â vnder the Obedience of the Loue sett our Hope / towards God and our Beleefe / towards his Saluacion / Therfore let vs now likewyse â through the Seruice of the holy Spirit of Loue take a q Heb. 5. a. cheerfull Passage â in Iesu Christ to God the Father and to his gloryous and louely Maiestee and not regarde the Temptacions of the wicked Worlde and of our Resisters 11. For happy is hee r Iam â–ª 1. b. that endureth Temptacion and snareth or byndeth nor himself vnto the Euell For therin lyeth the s 4. Esd. 2. c. 2. Timo. 4. a. Iam. 1. b. Apo. 2. b. Victory and the Crowne of Lyfe of the perfect Saluacion 12. But if anyman now be yet weake as that he is yet somtymes drawen-back by the Euell and dismayed or made wauering in his Beleefe and seeth that he is falne ther-thorough / let him stande-vp agayne and suffer himself to be renewed in the Seruice of Loue and praye vnto the Lorde for Strength and Constance / so shall He be gracious vnto him and giue him Strength against his Temptacion For God is almighty 13. For-that-cause let noman iudg or condemne himself t Luk. 6. d. much-les another For although that God do otherwhyles hyde v Esa.
seruiceable to the Peace and Vnitee of Heart in the Loue For by her almighty and vertuous Nature / she begetteth o Rom. 13. a. Gal. 5. b. 1. Timo. 1. a. or bringeth-foorth the perfect Righteousnes of the Beleefe of Christ. 12. The p Iohn 4.7 d Water of Lyfe that floweth from her Body / is the vpright Doctrine in the Wisdom wherwith she q Gen. 2. b. watereth the whole Paradise of the Lorde and refresheth his Planting 13. Her Fruit which the Righteous do bring-foorth out of her Doctrine / r Gen 2. a. Pro. 3. b. 4. Esd 8. f. Apo 2. a. is a Tree of Lyfe whose Leaues do s Psal. 1. a. Ier 17. a. Ezâ— 47. b. Apo. 22 a. not wither neither is her Rooting-out founde Of which Loue and the Seruice of her Doctrine / we haue rehearsed more-at-large in the t 3. Glas 31. c d. Glasse of Righteousnes 14. The Lorde bring vs all to thesame vpright Beeing of the Loue / To th end that we may enioye the Fruiâ—s of the heauenly Kyndnes / in all Loue. Amen The V. Chap. MOreouer â my beloued Freendes in the Loue of Iesu Christ I must yet wryte a little-more vnto you and disclose or declare vnto you / the two-maner of Kingdoms namely of God and of the Deuill which do make-manifest themselues in our Inwardnes as spirituall or inuisible / Because that yee may also learne to knowe them with Distinction / according to the Spirit / wherby you may with an vpright Discerning when they make-manifest themselues against eachother / in you cleaue vnto thatt â with your Spirit which is godly heauenly and true / and which saueth you and may forsake and leaue thatt / which is deuilish deceitfull and false / and which bringeth to the Condemnacion 2. For-that-cause inasmuch as it is Spirit / a Iohn 3. â— that condemneth and saueth vs / therfore haue now a regarde with good Discerning / vnto Spirit and Spirits and learne to knowe those well / b Iohn 4. a. that are of God and true and those that are deuillish and false or lying 3. But if ye wil descerne them rightly according to the Trueth / then becom first-of-all circumcised to the Lorde / c Deut. 10. â— Ier. 4. a. Col. 2 b. on the Fore-skinne of your Hearts the which is the Laying-away of the Flesh of Sinne and so then becom d Rom. 8. a. spiritually mynded / in all your Vnderstanding of the godly Knowledges and continue stedfast in the Obedience to the Woord / till vnto y e seconde Birth like-as ye be taught by the Seruice of Loue / according to the Trueth of Christ. 4. If-so-be now that ye continue in the Woord of the Loue of Iesu Christ and do not turne-away neither to the left nor to the right syde / e Iohan. â— d. then shall ye knowe the Trueth and the Trueth shall make you free 5. Therfore giue-eare now and vnderstande / what the Spirit of Loue and Trueth sayth 6. Knowe in your Spirit â O ye goodwilling Hearts to the Righteousnes how that God Ø›the true Father is f Iam 1. c. an euerlasting vnchaingable Spirit a stedfast Power a g Gen. 1. a. Creator of Heauen and Earth and of euerything that shall continue for euer h Heb. 1. a. also an Vpholder of his Workes / with the i Sap. 7 c. Woord of his Beeing a cleere Light and liueing Fountayne wherout all Vertues and Righteousnesses do flowe 7. Euenthus according to thesame like Beeing of God the Father / so knowe likewyse â according to the Spirit his Sonne / our Lorde Iesus Christ k Gen. 1. a. Psal 33. a. Pro 8 c. through whom / God hath made all his Workes and He is out of God the Father published vnto vs â by the l Rom 10. a. 1 Pet. 1. c. Woord of Preaching of the holy Gospel m Iohn 1. a. to be a true Light / that lighteth all Men through the Coming of his Appeering and is set-before vs / for an euerlasting Sauiour n Math. 1. c. Rom 3. c. 2. Cor. 5. b. Col. 1. c. â— Iohn 2.4 b and a Reconciler for our Sinnes namely for all those Sinnes o Math. 12. d. Luk. 12. b. that are committed against the Father and the Sonne 8. Knowe also the holy Gost p Iohn 14. c. 15. c. â—6 b. which cometh vnto vs / out of the Father and the Sonne â as a Spirit of Trueth and Loue in the Obeying of the Woord of God and Christ which establisheth vs therin and declareth the Kingdom of the God of Heauens vnto vs and in what Foorme and Beeing / that the Father and the Sonne and the holy Gost / is one true God 9. Beholde thatt is veryly the true Kingdom of God / q Luk â–ª 17. c. inwardly with in vs and his Righteousnes is / that the Man shoulde â with his Spirit be incorporated to thesame Godhead and liue therin for euer The VI. Chap. VNderstand now according to the Trueth â ye Deerly-beloued which is the Kingdom of God and his Righteousnes / a Math. 6. d that we ought first or before-al / to seeke 2. But seing that the Man doth now generally / seeke the Kingdom of God and his Righteousnes / contraryly and not rightly b Ier. 19 d. Iohn 7 d. and for-that-cause cannot fynde thesame / through his owne Vnderstanding / Therfore hath the Goodnes of God / looked vpon our Ignorance and declared his Kingdom and the Righteousnes therof / vnto Vs / through his Loue. 3. To which Kingdom of God and his Righteousnes / and godly Maiestee of the euerlasting spirituall and heauenly Beeing / and to all his Holynes Beawty Ritches and to his euer-liueing Ioyfulnes / Wee be all now called and bidden / by the holy Spirit of the Loue of God the Father / to the Preseruacion of vs all / in thissame last and perillous Tyme For Hee / thesame God Ø›y e Father the Sonne the holy Gost presenteth vs now with his Loue and wil c Leui. 26. b. Eze. 37. c. 2. Gor. 6. b. Apo. 21. a. â— dwell liue and worke in vs. Let eueryone take-heede to thissame gracious Tyme 4. The Father draweth d Iohn 6. â— â–ª g or allureth vs to him / by his gracious Woord and Seruice of Loue and whosoeuer yeeldeth himself to be drawen by the Father / cometh to the Sonne / the out-flowen gracious Woord of the Father 5. And whosoeuer cometh to the Sonne and e Iohn 3.6 c. beleeueing Him / remayneth f Iohn 8 1â— a in Him / He saueth 6. And Whom the Sonne saueth / g Iohn 3.6 f. hee hath the euerlasting Lyfe and is h Act. 1. a. 2. b. annoynted with the holy Gost. 7. And whosoeuer is annoynted with the holy Gost / hee is established i Rom. 8. b. Ephe. 1. b. c. â—ol 1. b. â— or altogether
godded in the euerlasting liueing Godhead and is vniforme with all what concerneth the Godhead or is of God and inheriteth the Kingdom of the God of Heauens and all the Ritches of Christ of the heauenly Goodes 8. Beholde euenthus doth the holy Gost â which is the Spirit of Loue confirme the Kingdom of the God of Heauens and the Promyses of God the Father and of Christ and k Iohn 16. b leadeth the godly Man into all Trueth and declareth euery-thing vnto him that is in Heauen and vppon the Earth 9. But whosoeuer hath bin negligent in the l Iohn 6. c. â— Drawing of the Father· and â through his Ignorance contemned or bin disobedient vnto Him and his Lawe or seruiceable Woord and whoso likewyse hath not taken-heede to the Saluation in Iesu Christ / through the Beleeâ—eâ— but â through the Blyndnes m Rom. 1. c. Ephe. 4. b. of the Vnbeleefe resisted or blaspheamed thesame / Hee doth yet in thissame Daye / through the Ministracion of the godly Testimonyes of the holy Spirit of Loue â the which is the Office of the holy Gost fynde Grace and Forgiuenes of Sinnes / if he submitt n 1. Pet. 5. b. Iam. 4. â— himself o Math 3. a. Luk. 3. b. penitently vnder the Obedience of the Loue. 10. But whoso neglecteth him in the holy Spirit of Loue and resisteth and blaspheameth thesame or his mostholy Seruice of the spirituall and heauenly Goodes / p Math. 12. d. Heb. 6.10 c Hee continueth in Indignation and shall neuer q Iohn â— a. see the Kingdom of God â–ª For the Spirit of the Loue of God and Christ or holy Gost â who is the Perfection of all the Workes of God hath and vseeth his Seruice â the which is the last Seruice of Grace now in thissame last gracious Tyme or Daye of Loue. After which gracious Daye of Loue / ther-is r Apo. 10. a. no Daye of Grace more for to com but s Heb. 10. c. the righteous Iudgment of God to the Condemnacion t Math. 25. d. of all Vngodlyones / that haue refused the Godlynes through the holy Spirit of Loue and the Ministracion of his godly Testimonyes· and euenso contemned and blaspheamed his most holy Seruice 11. THerfore â all ye good-willing Hearts take-heede now â according to the Counsayle of the Testimonyes of the holy Spirit of Loue to the Kingdom of God v Luk. 17. c. inwardly within you / To th end that ye may be incorporated to thesame / with your Spirit For thatt is the Righteousnes which auayleth before God 12. But take you good heede of the Kingdom of the Deuill which also sheweth itself inwardly â before the Eyes and Thoughts / that are earthly x Rom. â— a. and fleshly mynded as a Kingdom of God and deceaueth the Fleshly-myndedones / with his false y Esa. 59. a. Light and â— Good-thinking and with his false z Ier 7. b. Sap. 2. 2. Pet 2. b. Iâ—de 1. b. Freedom / which it bringeth to the Flesh / according to his Fleshly Lusts and Disyres and seduceth the Hearts of Men. The VII Chap. KNowe likewyse thatsame Kingdom of the Deuill / inwardly / according to the Spirit For his Generacion is also inwarde / but not out of any Beeing or Lyfe that is spirituall and heauenly but out of thatt which is nothing and earthly or corruptible and therfore is likewyse the Generacion of thesame / earthly and not heauenly / fleshly / and not spiritually mynded / according to Gods Spirit / therfore doth it also growe offended alwayes / at those things that are against their Myndes or Thoughtes and maketh-vp itself a 2. Tess. 2. against thatt which is of God and of his Seruice of Loue. 2. Thesame Generacion of the Deuill / wil not also stande submitted vnder the Obedience of the Loue nor of the holy Woord but refuseth the Requyring therof / and so wil liue according b Ier. 7 â—â— a. 13. b. 18 b to their owne Will and Good-thinking and wrest c 2. Pet. 3. b. and construe the Scripture / according to their false and Fleshly Mynde / and so wil liue vnto themselues and loue themselues / according as the Knowledg imagineth in them 3. Therfore is the Deuill / in his Kingdom although he appeere before all fleshly Myndes / as if he were a d 2 Tess. 2 a. God of Light not els-what but a Nothingnes of the Lye and is likewyse for-that-cause / a e Iohn 8. a. Father of all secreet or inward Wickednes and a Render or Parter-asunder of all Concorde / whearas he is harkened-vnto and beleeued and accepted as good and true 4. Beholde thesame Father of Wickednes Ø›the God of the f 2. Cor. 4.2 wicked Worlde and of all Vngodly or impenitent Men is / in all his Beeing / a g 2. Tess. 2. b. Contrary-beeing vnto God â–ª and his Sonne / a Contrary-beeing vnto Christ a Destroyer h Iohn 17. b. 2. Tess. 2. a. a Childe of Wickednes which maketh the Hearts of Men / stout vppon their Knowledg and bringeth also a false Freedom vnto Many / for to sinne boldly and to continue in the worldly Abhomynacions and Foolishnes / with vnaccused Consciences and to make-vp themselues i Dan. 22. a. resistant against the Trueth and the godly Loue of God the holy Father 5. And their Spirit namely of the Father of Wickednes and of his Sonne or Childe of Wickednes is a wicked Spirit k 2. Tess. 2. a. of Lyes which confirmeth the Man â being in his Vnrepentance and in his Disobedience to the Requyring of the gracious Woord of the Lorde and his Seruice of Loue in the Beeing of Lyes and leadeth him into all Lye and Errour â–ª 6. Thesame false God and Father of Wickednes / doth also â with his wicked Self-willednes allure l 2. Tess. 2. a. b or drawe vs vnto him / through the priuate Loue of ourselues and whosoeuer doth yeelde himself to be so drawen by him / cometh to his Sonne Ø›his Childe or Being of Wickednes the false Christ or m 1 Iohn 2. c 4. a. Antichrist the Destroyer which is the Christ of the wicked Worlde and of all Vngodlyones and worketh in his People an inwarde or n â— Tess. 2. b. secret Wickednes / which they themselues cannot wel perceaue 7. And whoÌ„soeuer then cometh so to the Sonne of the Deuill as also becometh incorporated to thesame Beeing of Wickednes and bydeth therin / hee is quyte and cleane corrupted / in all his Mynde / by the Wickednes and by the priuate Loue of himself and by the Disobedience and Resistance to the Loue and her right Seruice Yea so quyte corrupted / that he is inclyned to nothing-els / in all his Mynde / but to his Self-wilednes and to all Destructionablenes and to destroye the Family of Loue / wherin the liueing God of Heauen
vnderstande namely a Rom. 1. a. 1 Cor. 1. a. 2. Cor. 1. a. Gal. 1. Ephe. 1. God our Father and the Lorde Iesu Christ. And that in certen Places / Christ â in steed of the Sonne is also vttered-forth for a Father and God 2. Forasmuch as thy Vnderstanding supposed that ther-was nomore but b Deut. 32. d. Esa. 44. a. 4â— b. 46. b. 1. Cor. 8. a. One God as it is also true therfore was thy Demaunde thus vnto mee / wherof thou requyredst an Answer in Wryting Seing now that ther-is nomore but One God / wherfore is He then pronouced-forth in two-maner of States The which seemeth â according to the sounde of the Scripture as though the Apostles published Two Gods 3. Veryly the Difference of this Matter â wherof thou desyerest the Instruction could not likewyse c Iohn 6. d. c. 7. c. 8. b. c. certen Iewes in tymes-past conceaue according to their Vnderstanding out of the Flesh / Yea thesame is yet also rightly vnderstood of Feawe Yet do many perswade them selues notwithstanding â because that they in historical-maner / are mynded after the New-testament that they haue thorowly-well conceaued the Vnderstanding of this Mattier and do for-that-cause perswade themselues / that they do farr exceede and excell the Iewes supposeing that they haue the Fayth and the Saluation and that the Iewes remayne by the Workes of the Lawe Now this passed-ouer we wil proceede to further the Intent of our Matter 4. VEryly as we haue spoken before / of God / the Father / and the Lorde / Iesu Christ these are hard things before the Man / for to search-out the Vnderstanding of them / in his Knowledg if he do not knowe God and Christ and the true Righteousnes of the godly Beeing / in Himself / but imagineth of God and Christ / without Him / and so goeth-on according to his owne Good-thinking / without the Administration of the true Light and his Loue. Yea it is d Math. 11. c. 13 b. 19. c. Iohn 14. â— vnpossible â after that maner to vnderstand the right Mynde cleerly And although likewyse / He woulde search-out all the Knowledg of the Worlde yet is it all in vayne / for to vnderstande thesame 5. Although the Man shoulde imagine of thesame Mynde / in the deepest-grounde of his Reason yet can he not doutles â with any-maner of Prudence of the Flesh conceaue that Vnderstanding For it is an Vnderstanding / e Esa. 57.66 b Sap 1 a. Math. 11. d. that ryseth not vpp in the Knowledg· but to the Lowely and Poore of Spirit â–ª namely in the Beleefe of the holy and gracious Woord / vnder the Obedience of the Loue. 6. For God / the Father the Lorde / Iesus Christ nor-yet the true Light of the godly Wysdom / shall f Sap. 1. a. â— Cor. 2. b. not be knowen / out of the Blood or Will of Man nor out of any deepe Searching with the Knowledg For God is a g Iohn 4 c. Spirit a verytrue Light h Iohn 1. a. 8. b. 9. a. 11. c. 12. c. 14. a. and an euerlasting Lyfe which God also / is not knowen â–ª seene nor vnderstood / but in his owne Spirit and in his true Light and godly Beeing 7. SEing then that the only God / is 1. Iohn 1. a. a verytrue Light / that no Darknesses do knowe nor beholde and is not to be knowen nor behealde / but in his k Psal. 36. Light / therfore is not Hee knowen likewyse / but by Those that do Heare and beleeue his gracious Woord and that submitt them obediently l Iohn â— d. vnder the Requyring of thesame Woord and Will and so do carry the Image m 1. Cor. 15. c Ephe. 4. c. of his godly Beeing or do beholde thesame n 2. Pet. 1. c. in their Spirit / as a Pattern of God and hope theron / through Fayth And the Spirit of thosesame obedient Humbleones / is the Spirit that giueth respect to the seruiceable Testimonyes of the holy Spirit of Loue / to th end to be o Ioh. 15.17 â— Ephe. 3. c. incorporated to the lyke Beeing of God namely the Brightnes of the Cleernes of the godly Beeing / the vpright Righteousnes p Ephe. 4. c. and Holynes that God esteemeth and then to knowe God the Father and his Sonne Iesu Christ / rightly and according to the Trueth / and to vnderstand the q Iohn 17. a. Math. 13. b. Secretnes of the Kingdom of God and Christ. 8. But seing now that the Man is gon-back or falne-away r Gen. 3. a. Deut. 32. c. from his God and from this pure Beawty and Cleernes of the godly Beeing· and s Rom. 1. c. Ephe 4. b. estrainged from the Vnderstanding of the Wysdom of Iesu Christ / therfore is he also becom disinherited of this Cleernes or Brightnes of the godly Light / and hath neither knowen the Father nor his Sonne Ø›the Lorde Iesus Christ By meanes of which Estrainginâ— / He hath not borne or carryed in his Spirit / t 1. Cor. 15. g. Ephe. 4. c. the Image or Like-being of his God â–ª namely / Iesus Christ / to which effect / the Gospel u Math. 28. d. Mar. 16. b or ioyfull Message / is published wherby to bring the Man agayne to Christ and to establish him in Him But x Gen. 3. â— the Man is â vp the Self-wisdom of the Flesh and by his owne Opinion quyt lead-away from the vpright Mynde or Vnderstanding of the Gospel and from the Incorporating or Establishing in Iesu Christ / and brought to the Corruption and hath â with Smart and Calamitee borne the vngodly Beeing or the Contrary-nature vnto his God / y Sap. 1. b. to the which / he is neither created nor called 9. This Contrary-nature vnto God or Darknes / hath captiued z Mar 6. f. 8. b Rom 1. c. â— Cor 4. a. his Sences and Thoughts and stolne-away his Heart and Vnderstanding / so that he can conceaue or vnderstand very-little / of the true Light or Christ of God and that only / because he is so vtterly estrainged * Ephe. 4. b. Col. 1.3 from the Beeing of God and hath grounded him on the Knowledg The III. Chap. NOw for to discouer the Mynde a-little / How or in what Beeing or Foorme / the Woord â God our Father and the Lorde Iesus Christ is witnessed by the Apostles of Christ / So must I rehearse a-little of Adam / to what ende he was created / wherby men may vnderstand the Intent / wher-to Christ is preached 2. WHen the almighty God â who is full of Wisdom and Righteousnes had finished a Gen. 1. a Heauen and Earth and all their Garnishing / then did He also create Him a Man / b Gen. 1. c. 2. a. Sap 3. a. Eccli 17. a. according to the Likenes of his Godhead / who shoulde carry or beare
59. a. which seperateth the Man from his God and it is the n Ephe 2 b Middle-wal / as an Enimitee betwixt God and the Man By meanes of which Middle-wall / both God and the Man / are growen into two Parts and are partially-mynded against eaâ—hother Yet ought they both â God and the Man to be o Iohn 17. â—â— Ephe. 5. d One like as it was p Gen. â— â— in the Begining 4. SEing now therfore that they are deuided â either of them in his owne Mynde q Gal. 5. b. against each-other / so is God â r Iohn 4. c. 2 Cor. 3. b. who is a Spirit spirituall and mynded to all vpright Righteousnes / against the Mynde of the Man and the Man â who is s Gen. 6. â— Flesh and Blood· and not yet circumcised t Gen. 10. b. Ier 4. a. 9. c. on the Foreskinne of his Heart / to a Laying-away of the Sinne v Rom. 8. a. is fleshly and vngodly mynded / against the Mynde of God 5. Now doth Gods Loue and Mercie extende towards the Man / as alluring x Iohn â— c. and drawing him dayly â by his gracious Woord and Seruice of Loue and by his Ministers vnto Him and to his spirituall Mynde of vpright Righteousnes But seing that the Darknes / the sinfull Flesh or vngodly Beeing / is growen betwixt God and the Man / as a Foreskinne y Esa. 59. â— Ephe. 2. or Middle-wall and as an Enimitee and that God / is spiritually mynded and the vncircumcised Man / fleshly mynded / according to the Mynde of his Foreskinne of the sinfull Flesh / Therfore doth not the z Rom â— 1 Cor â–ª â—â— Man vnderstande the spirituall Mynde of God the Father neither-yet knowe the good Will of God / that loueth him to Saluation and he beleeueth not God in his Woord nor Seruice but he beleeueth the Darknesses which haue inclosed him and following thosesame Lustes a Ephe. 4. b of Errour / he goeth-back and so sinneth dayly against the Father And thatt is the Sinne that is b Math 12. d. forgeeuen the Man / in his Repentance for the Sinne because of his Ignorance / through Vnbeleefe The III. Chap. NOw moughtest thou demaunde What Spirit or Beeing is this God / of whom the Scripture witnesseth or vnto whom / we ought to turne vs in the Spirit the Answer Of thesame haue we rehearsed in the a Intro 22.23 Introduction to the holy Vnderstanding of the Glasse of Righteousnes But now for to com to the Knowledg of ourselues and to a good Knowledg of our God and his Righteousnes / So wil we to a larger Declaring of our Vnderstanding / touching thatt wherof we speake and to a Distincting of the true Light / y e liueing God / who b Heb. 13. a. was and is and continueth for euer rehearse and testifye heere in this place also / of the Beeing of the only God 2. This God Ø›the Liueing and Verytruone is the true c 〈◊〉 3.1 God of Abraham through whom the d 〈◊〉 12. a Rom. 4. a b Promyses of the Mans Saluation or Blessing do com-to-pas / in his Fayth the true God e Math. 22. d. of Isaac in whom the f Gen. 21. b. Heb. â—1 Promyses be inherited and in whom the Seede of Blessing / is named and the true God of g Act. 7. g. Iacob or Israel in whom the Promyses of the Glory h Num. 14. Esa. 40 a. of God and of the Mans Saluation or i Ier 23 33. â— Blessing / becom established· and k Luk. 1. g. Gods true Righteousnes erected This self-same God / l Sap 5. a. Eccli 24. a. 1. Pet. 2. b. Ieam 1. c. is a verytrue vnchaingable Light a cleere m Ephe. 1.4 b. Apo. 21.22 Daye and a glistering delytfull Beawty 3. This Light / is the n Iohn 14 a. euerlasting· Lyfe of the vpright Righteousnes / an ouerflowing o Psal 42. a. Ier. 2. c. Iohn 4. b. Fountayne of liueing Waters / full of Ioye full of all Sweetnes full of Loue and full of Peace / abounding with Plenty of Grace and Mercie 4. This Lyfe / is the p Iohd 1. a. euerlasting firmestanding essenciall Woord / q 1. Cor 2. a. Heb. 4. b. full of Power and Possibillitee 5. This Woord / is the r Iohn 6. g. Ephe. 1.6 4 d. Intro 23. true Spirit with full Power of Sealing or to an euerlasting Establishing of the liueing Godhead / with the Manhod And thatt is vnto the Man / the Certentee of the Trueth / that Hee Ø›thesame God is only s Psal. 116. b. Iohn 3. d. Rom. 3. a. a very true God 6. This Spirit / is t Sap. 7. c. the holy Wisdom and the vpright Vnderstanding / full of all spirituall heauenly Goodes 7. This holy Wisdom and vpright Vnderstanding / is u Eccli 1. â— the Prouidence which foreseeth euery-thing / that is good and discerneth Lyfe and Death / and giueth Knowledg of the Good / x Pro. 2. â— to a Warning from the Euell 8. This Prouidence / is the Will y Sap. 1. b. which willeth that all thatt which is good / shoulde bee and com-to-light 9. In thissame good Will / is z Heb. 11. a. the Beleefe grounded as a sure and firme Confydence / that all thatt which is good and foreseene to the Good / shal be performed or com-to-light the which the good Will desyreth / that all thatt which is good / may bee becom manifest and liue 10. The Beleefe / a 1. Cor. 2. a. Ephe. 1. c. 3. c Phil. 3. c. is the Power as mighty to bring-to-light all Good / ther-through 11. This Power / is the Deede or the Worke of all Good and b Phil 2. b. the Accomplishment of all the Workes of God 12. BEholde Such a Spirit or Beeing / is the true God / of whom the Scripture speaketh and vnto whom the Man ought to turne him For Hee Ø›thesame God is the right Father who â out of himself and through the like Beeing of his Godhead hath made c â—en 1. a. Psal. 3â— a. Iohn 1. a. Ephe. 3. a. all that is anything And all his d Psal. 19. a. â—9 a. 97. a. Rom. 1 c. Workes do testifye of Him / that Hee Ø›thesame God is an euerlasting liueing and true God / To th end that Hee only / shoulde be e Deu. 6.10 b serued honoured and worshiped in all his Workes / as a great gloryous God f Psal. 10.29 b who only is the Lorde and King 13. This euerlasting God seing that He hath made g Pro. 8. b. Iohn 1. â— all that is anything / through his like Beeing for that thesame like Beeing / shoulde he h Heb. 1. â— an Heire in all Things hath also in the Begining / foormed i Gen. â— c. Sap. 2. c. Thatsame
desyre likewyse of thee / that the Comunialte which is with thee / may also reade this Letter and salute them all in my behalf / e Rom. 16. b. 2. Cor. 13. b. with a Salutacion of the Loue. And if ther be any among you / that are acquaynted with Any-people / whom they knowe to seeke God with Heart or that are no vndiscreet Blaspheamers but stande wel-mynded to the Vnitee of Heart in the Loue / let them also freely reade-ouer this Wryting and loue alwayes the Vnitee of Heart in the Loue to an Increasing of the holy Knowledg and reioyce you among each-other in the Loue / through the spirituall f Ephe. 1. a. heauenly Goodes which do com vnto vs in the Spirit / out of the godly Loue. 4. The Loue of God the Father / g Col. 3. b. gett the Victory in all your Hearts Amen 5. Pray for me / that the Lord wil strengthen me in my Spirit / with his Loue / To th end that I may be strengthened in Him / without Feare and so may stand-fast against all mynâ— Enemyes and that the Concord of Peace may be prepared vppon Earth / through the Loue and her Seruice according to the Promyses The Ende of the Fowrth Epistle Our Heart / is the Minde of God most-hie Our Beeing amiable / as the sweete Lillie Our Faithfulnes / Loue / and Trueth vpright / Is Gods Light / Life / and Cleernes bright The Fift Epistle A Stirring-vp of the Heart to the Immitation or Following of Christ / in the Suffering of his Crosse Written and sent by HN in the tyme of his Suffering and Affliction / vnto his Freende Wherwith he informeth him / with Vnderstanding and Woordes of Humilitee / because that he shoulde not growe-offended in any thing· but alwayes hope on the Goodnes of the Lorde My Freends hast thou â O Lorde put farr from me thou hast made me loathsom vnto them I lye captiued and cannot com-foorth Myne Eye is sadd with Misery Lorde / I call dayly vnto thee and I stretch-out my Hande to thee Psal. 88. Health and Saluation / be vnto thee my Freende whom I loue to the Righteousnes The First Chapter FOrasmuch â thou Beloued as I haue had certeÌ„ Woordes with thee / touching myne AfflictioÌ„ and Wofulnes of Heart in the Spirit and touching the a Psal. 18. a. 2. Tess. 2. a. Breaking-thorow the sinfull Beeing / for to com to the Kingdom of God and that thou as farr as I coulde perceaue hadst little Sight or Discerning therof and that me thought also / that thou â vp reason of myne Affliction didst more estrainge thyself from me / then gett an Hearty-affection towards me / So is therfore my Spirit becom inclyned to wryte a little vnto thee Wherwith I do shewe / that I rest still in hope that God woulde lighten thyne Heart a little / with the holy Light of his godly Beeing b Ephe. 1. c. and graunt thee to see or to discerne / the right Meaning of my Wordes that I haue spoken with thee 2. For I am very certayne and sure of this / if the Lorde open the Doore of Vnderstanding vnto thee â wherby to see-into the vpright godly Beeing / c Gal. 4. a. Ephe. 4. a. Apo. 21. a. that ought to haue a liueing Foorme in vs that thou likewyse / shalt knowe thesame wheruÌ„to I am inclyned with Desyre and with all my Heart and after the which / I â in the Hope do carry a Zeale or apply my Dilligence / for to obteyne thesame of the God of the Liueing if Hee Ø›the Almighty vouchsafe the Grace vnto Mee Vnworthyone 3. But now am I in many Mens Eyes â as also haply in thyne very ougly and loathsom and therfore d 1. Câ—â— 4. b. contemnable and reiectable with Many But all this cometh vppon mee / because that I am so exceeding weake e Psal. 6. a. 2. Cor. 12. b Apo. 3. c. and feeble and of myne-owne-part / haue no Righteousnes with me nor any Esteemation / according to the outward Man of the Flesh. 4. ALthough â my Beloued that I seeme thus loathsom as also of myne-owne-part / am so altogether weake and voyde of strength and am contemned by all Goodthinking-wyseones false Setters-forth-of-religion and Hipocrites· and defamed f 2. Cor. 6. â— by them / with many false Bruits / Yet wonder not thou neither be offended at thesame as y t thou shouldest therfore turne thy Heart from the Seruice of Loue and from Mee 5. For truly / in that all this cometh-vppon me or in that I am a little whyle g Psal. 8. â— forsaken by the Power of my God and do fynde myself â of myne-owne-part h 2. Cor. 3. â—2 so vnmighty to the Righteousnes of God and am contemned blaspheamed and falsly defamed or accused by Many / it hapneth because that I shoulde not in-any-wyse be stout in my Heart· nor boast myself vppon myne owne Knowledg and Workes nor-yet vppon any i Tess. 2. a. Gal. 1. b. Prayse or Comendation of Men· but highly esteeme of the Grace of God / to th end that the Lorde â and not I mought euen so haue k Psal. 114 b. all Laude Honour and Prayse For Hee only is the Lorde to whom only / all Honour doth likewyse appertayne 6. FOr-that-cause / be not thou offended at the Workes of God / with his Saincts nor-yet at the Contempt which I suffer and beare at the handes of many false Hearts and good-thinking Wyseones and Scriptur-learned But note that the Lorde l Psal 4 a. leadeth his Holyones wonderfully and how that God m Psal. 129. b. Apo. 15. a. is wonderfull in his Workes 7. For n 1 Reg. 2. a. Psal. 113. a. Luk. 2. f. He maketh ritch and poore agayne and then He maketh ritch agayne / because that men shoulde euenso knowe his Ritches rightly and loue them according to their Value 8. He bringeth the Man into a wyde o Psal. 18. c. 31. a. 119. c. Roome and agayne into great Straightnes and Contempt and out of the Straightnes and Contempt / into a wyde Roome agayne / because y t he shoulde rightly knowe his wyde Roome· and liue therin vprightly The II. Chap. THis wryte I vnto thee out of hearty Loue / my Beloued / for that thou shouldest not be discouraged in any thing nor offended in mee neither-yet dismayed in thy Heart in any-wyse / because of my Mysery and Contempt which I do endure or suffer in the like a Rom. 6 a. Phil. 3. b. Death of the Crosse of Christ wherin I follow-after b Math. 16. c. 1. Pet. 2. c. 4. a Christ. But trust firmly vpon him that is the only God 2. Therfore let not thy Heart be mooued for any-maner of thing that thou seest or hearest outwardly but submitt thyself â c 1. Pet. 5. b. with all Humilitee vnder the mighty Hande of God and giue-ouer
and Blood Ø›that earthly Beeing is in his right Ordinance / the h Esa. 66. a Act 7. c. Bench for the Lordes Feete ouer the which / the Kingdom of God beareth his Dominion and Christ / his Glory 9. Of which Glory / the Members of Christ haue spoken in tymes-past when-as the Lyfe of God or Christ was com vnto them / for to possesse them and to be incorporated with them saying and testifying i Iohn 1. b The Woord is incarnated or becom Flesh and dwelt among vs. Wherthrough they sawe his Glory euen a Glory of the only borne Sonne of the Father / full of Grace and Trueth 10. Beholde This Glory of Christ / was the Kingdom k Luk. 17. c. of God inwardly in them the which had inherited them for a Possession / as his Heritage and their Spirit also / thatsame and not / Flesh and Blood 11. Consider well of the Mynde that I wryte vnto thee and vnderstande the Resolution of my Vnderstanding and l Iohn 7. â— iudg with a right Iudgment The X. Chap. THou sayest likewyse / out of the Wryting of Ecclesiastes a Eccle. 12. a how that euery Thing must returne agayne / from whence it is com Thatt which is out of God / shall returne thether agayne and thatt which is of the Earth / shall be Earth agayne 2. Oh â alas heer-out is much Misunderstanding taken-on and many do runne-on in that sort / with this one Sentence and haue no Discerning nor Consideration / to what ende the Sentence soundeth nor wherto the whole Scripture stretcheth And wil nodout â out of ther owne Good-thinking include the Mynde of God â which they vnderstand not in this one Sentence of the Scripture And out of thesame they iudg euenthus Let them liue how they wil liue when they dye / their Spirit shall com agayne to God and thâ—â—r Body to the Earth 3. Heerwithall do the lightmynded Hearts deceaue themselues who haue no Lust to Gods Righteousnes and yet for-al-that do rest perswaded / that their Spirit â which is vngodded or not of God shall com to God 4. No â Beloued No. God wil none of the wicked Spirits but He putteth them away and poynteth them from Him / b Math. 25. â— into the Condemnation of the hellish Fyer which is prepared for the Deuill and all wicked Spirits 5. FOr-that-cause â thou Beloued looke rightly into the Alteration of the Man and in what maner / the Spirit of God which God hath formed in the Man cometh to God 6. For if it were so / that the Spirit of God â which God hath formed in the Man shoulde alwayes vppon the Earth / remayne estrainged or seperated from God and from the Mans Beeing and that the Man shoulde not â vppon the Earth be incorporated to thesame / for an euerlasting Assurance c Rom. 8. b of the Inheritance of Christ and of the Kingdom of the God of Heauens / in the eternall Lyfe and so â without Vniting d Eqhe. 4. c. with the Mans Beeing / in Righteousnes shoulde go to the Incorporating vnto his God first / when-as the Creature were passed-thorow the naturall Death / Who coulde then I pray thee / witnes and publish vppon the Earth / the Glory of God and the Powers of his Goodnes / to the Blessing and Sâ—luation of the Man· and be seruiceable to the Man / to an Incorporating to thesame Goodnes of God 7. Therfore haue now in consideration / how and wherin the Fulnes of the Mynde of the Scriptures concisteth and whether that the Vnderstanding of God be wholly declared in the Man / when-as he so taketh vnto him one Sentence out of the Scripture / according to his Good-thinking and so goeth-on therwith / without Discerning of the godly Wisdom and doth not once consider / wherto that one Sentence serueth from whence it proceedeth nor to what ende it stretcheth 8. Euenthus â thou Beloued let vs consider rightly on the Mynde of the Scriptures Standeth-ther not written also / e Sap. 1. â— that the Wisdom dwelleth not in a Body that is subiect vnto Sinne Therfore cannot likewyse an vngodded Man· nor-yet one that remayneth without the Comunialtee of the Family of Loue / iudg one Sentence of the holy Scripture / rightly according to the Trueth nor-yet out of the Wisdom 9. But wheras Ecclesiastes speaketh f Eccle. 12. a. of the Earth and of God as that each-one that is Earthly and of God / goeth to his owne Incorporating / Therof I wil aske thee somwhat 10. When now this Alteration cometh-to-pas with the Man shall then the Nature of the Iniquite haue his Possession with the Man or be mingled with him as an Heyre Or shall he be thrust-out with the Vnfreeone g Gen. 21. b Gal. 4. â— I do veryly suppose / Yea according to the Promyses For beholde 11. Wil not God inhabite his Tabernacle h 2. Cor. 6. b or Temple alone and dryue-out of it / all i Esa. 35.52 a. Apoc. 21. c. that is vncleane or that defyleth the Howse of the Lorde Is not the Heauen also / his Seate and k Esa 66 â— Act. 7. c. the Earth / the Bench for his Feete 12. BEholde to this Glory of God and for that thesame shoulde raigne ouer the Man / is the Man chosen and likewyse in his Fall / called and bidden therunto agayne / by Christ / Because that he shoulde serue and liue-vnto his God only / in all l Luk. 1.8 Righteousnes and not cleaue-vnto the wicked Spirit â–ª nor-yet iudg thesame for the Spirit of God through the which / he keepeth God as also his good Spirit / out of his Dwelling 13. And whosoeuer then / through his Good-thinking and through his wicked Spirit or vngodly Beeing / keepeth the God of Lyfe out of his Dwelling and with a false Opinionâ— or with an Enuyousnes towards any Man / doth comfort or quyet himself therin / Hee doth willingly giue-ouer himself to the Curssing and perpetuall Condemnation 14. For what other Dwelling for God / wil anyman imagine I pray thee or what other Tabernacle or Temple of God / wil anyman make m 2. Paâ— 6. d Esa. 66. a Act. 7. e. â wherin God wil dwell but the Man / n Iob. 14. b. Psal. 138. a. that Worke of his Hande For thatt is the Lordes Lust o Pro. 8. d. Iohn 14. d. for to dwell therin / with his vpright Beeing or Christ. But most-tymes when the Lorde mooueth the Man ther-to / by his Ministers the Man remayneth captiued vnto his owne Knowledg and so denyeth to yeelde himself p Ier. 7. c 16 b 27.29 b â— Act 7. c. 17 c to thesame Grace of the Lorde so that most-tymes / ther-are Feawe that suffer themselues to be prepared for an Habitation of God the which is greatly to be lamented 15. THerfore I saye vnto thee veryly like as all Gods
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
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
vnderstande / that we do not account the Seruices of the christian Ceremonyes / vnprofitable nor-yet in vayne but do esteeme them of great Value / in their right Vee 3. But veryly the Seruices and Ceremonyes of y e Vnchristians and of y e Straingers / which are a Rom. 1. c Ephe. 4. â— darkened in their Vnderstanding and estrainged from y e Light of Lyfe let them then take-on thosame out of their owne ImaginatioÌ„ or out of their Knowledg which they frame out of the Letter all those do we account vnprofitable and in vayne / Yea for an harmfull Institution and for an arrogant b Ier. 5. b â— a. 14 b. 23 c Presumption against Gods Commaundement The which is an Abhomynation c â—sa 1. b. Luk. 16. b. Tit. 1. b before the Epes of our Lorde and God 4. But the Seruices and Ceremonyes which God esteemeth which be ministred out of his Light and Lyfe / in the Seruice of Loue / according to his owne Commaundement / those are acceptable vnto God and are d Rom. 1. b to the Saluation and Peace of the Beleeuers of y e Woord For the vpright Godlynes and the true Light of Lyfe of the godly Cleernes / is made-manifest in thosame Seruices 5. And although that they â according to the outward Action are not like vnto the Ceremonyes of the contencious and vnilluminated Scriptur-learnedones â wherwith they stryue and contende or be not vsed after that maner / yet are they notwithstanding â before God agreeable to the Seruices and Ceremonyes which God hath willed and commaunded and which auayle before Him 6. Thewhiles then that the Childhod â or the Youngnes of Vnderstanding in the Inheritance of the Lorde / doth e Gal 4. a. yet remayne / so are the Seruices and Ceremonyes which be ministred by the Elders in the holy Vnderstanding â through the Light of Lyfe vnder the Obedience of the Lawe or vnder the Obedience of the Beleefe or vnder the Obedience of the Loue as f Gal 4. a. Tutors and Keepers vnto all Littleones of Vnderstanding wher-through they receaue Assistance till that the Daye com-on vnto them g 2. Pet. 1 c. and that the Light of Lyfe ryse-vp in their Hearts / who as-then haue â thorough the Light of Lyfe and his Seruice of Loue exercised Myndes / for to h Heb. 5. b. discerne â thorough thesame Light the Good and Euell the Lyfe and Death the Preseruation and Destruction and so to be meete to all good Exercises 7. When they now are com to this State / so are they as-then nomore ChildreÌ„ or Littleones-of-vnderstanding / in the holy Vnderstanding to whom the Hande must be reached with Seruices and Ceremonyes and that must be informed or taught to the Enterance into the holy Vnderstanding or to the Beginings i Heb. 5. b. of the christian Lyfe but they are with the Agedones / growen likewyse to be aged Men Elders k 1. Cor. 4. â— Heb 13. b. and Fathers of the Howsholde or Comunialtee in the Loue / who do knowe how to be seruiceable vnto the Little and Weakones l 2. Cor 6. a 1. Pet. 4 b â–ª Heb. 13. b and to go before them with the Testimonyes of the holy Spirit of Loue / to all Concord vnder the Obedience of the Loue and to informe the Congregation to the Lyfe and Peace / with thatt which is fordersom vnto them to m 2. Pet. 1. a. the Lyfe and Peace 8. Beholde and consider These are the Seruices and Ceremonyes which God regardeth in his Congregation the which shall continue foreuer in our mostholy Seruice of Loue / to a n Heb 7. b Gyding-in of People to the vpright Righteousnes and Godlynes For o Luk. 1. b the Saluation â–ª and the Peace of the People / in all Loue and Gods p Rom. 1â— c. Will and Counsayle / is made manyfest and knowen therby It is verytrue 9. Heer-with I do hartely salute thee / with a Salutacion of Loue and with thesame Salutacion / salute me also to the Comunialtee that is with thee as likewyse to all those that submitt their Soules vnder the Obedience of the Loue. 10. MOrouer â my Beloued I shoulde haue rehearsed a larger Answere vnto thee / touching certen Things wherof thou wrytest vnto me but I haue had no tyme to accomplish it No I haue scarsly had so much speare tyme / as to wryte this little vnto thee The Cause / our Brother whom we haue sent vnto thee / shall also tell thee by Mouth But if thou bist yet vnsatisfyed in anything then giue him to vnderstand of the Matter and aske his resolusion therof And if thou bist not satisfyed so in thyn Vnderstanding theÌ„ wryte-ouer the Matter vnto mee I proffer myself alwayes â out of an Inclynation of Loue to doo thee Seruice The Loue of God the Father / get the Victory in all your Hearts Amen The Ende of the Nynth Epistle The Tenth Epistle A precious Iuell of pure Instructions and loueing Exhortations / how one shal be obedient to the Woord of Lyfe and Trueth / in the Seruice of Loue· and grow-vp therin / to the Perfection or Age of the manly Beeing of Christ. Let vs now leaue the Doctrine of the Begining of the christian Lyfe and go to Perfection Heb. 6. Harken vnto mee / O ye holy and vertuous Children and bring-foorth Fruit like a Rose planted by the Ryuers-syde and giue a sweete Sauour from you / lyke vnto Libanus Growe and blowe lyke a Rose-garden and giue a Sauour / lyke a Lilly Sing a Song-of-prayse and laude God in all his Workes Eccli 40. To my courteous Freendes / which are comprehended with Vs / in one Light of the Loue / be Health and Saluation The First Chapter ALL my Hearts Wishing is / that it mought in all respects / go well with you eueryone and that ye mought â vnhindered increase in the Godlynes and in the Light of the heauenly Trueth and of the holy Vnderstanding / which is appeered and declared vnto vs out of Grace / through the Loue of God the Father 2 Out of which Light of the godly Cleernes / wee haue now in this last Tyme / receaued a Gal. 1 b. 1. Timo. 1. b such a godly Office / from the eternall and liueing God / through the holy Spirit of his Loue. namely the Seruice of Loue / wherby to minister in thesame Seruice â with the true Light and heauenly Vnderstanding the Mostholy of the true Tabernacle of God / vnto all Louers of the Trueth / vnder the Obedience of the Loue and so to make-manifest vnto them â out of thesame Mostholy b Exo. 25. c. Rom. 3. c. Heb. 5. a. the Mercy-seat with the sundry costly Garnishings of the spirituall and heauenly Ritches 3. Into which Mostholy / the High-preest is gon for to sprinckle euenso out of the Mostholy / the Holy of thesame
that the Foode or the Bread of Lyfe shal be f Math. 24. d ministred and heald-foorth open-ly in Cleernes / vnto eueryone that beleeueth the Woord of the Seruice of Loue and that sheweth faythfull Obedience therunto To the Young Children / g 1. Cor. 3. c. 1 Pet. 2 c. a according to their Youngnes / to the Weake / h Rom. 14.15 a. Gal 5. a. according to thier Weaknes / to the Strong-youngmen / i Heb. 5. b. according to their Abillitee or Strength / and to the Elders / according to their Auncientee or Oldenes 5. Euenthus shall now in thissame Daye of Loue / the right Foode Ø› k Iohn 6. f. the Woord of Lyfe be ministred l Math. 24. c. 2. Timo. 2. b. in the right tyme· also prepared for eueryone / according to his Stomack· and distributed for a Nourishment of his Soule And thissame Bread or Woord of Lyfe that is com-downe out of Heauen / vnto vs Littleones and Elected of God â for a Foode of Lyfe m Exo. 16. a. Psal. 78. b. Sap. 16. c. Iohn 6. f. shall likewyse be for a Taste of Foode vnto eueryone / according as he would willingly eate 6. Happy are those which now in thissame Daye / haue sounde and strong Stomacks â–ª and can beare the Foode howsoeuer it be prepared or in what maner it is ministred / out of the Woord of Lyfe and can receaue or eate thesame to a Nourishment of their Soules and so can indeuour them n 1. Cor. 14. a. Col. 5. b. to the Loue. 7. Yea thosame â if they growe vp o Ephe. 4 b. therin obediently / till vnto the Age of the holy and godly Vnderstanding shal be founde the auncient Elders and Fathers in the Family of Loue who also shall vnderstande p Math. 11. c. 13. b. Ephe. 3. a. Col. 1. c. the Secretnes of the Woord· and minister q Math. 24 â–ª b or bring the woord of Lyfe â out of the Testimonyes of the holy Spirit of Loue vnto the Disciples of the Woord / in the right or conuenient tyme / according to eueryones Nature or Estate namely to the Youngones or to the New-borne Babes / r 1. Cor. 3. a. the Milke of the woord / to the Sick or Weakeones / s Rom. 14. a. the Medecinable-broth of the Woord / and to the Youngmen or Strong-ones / t Heb. 5 b. the Bread and strong Foode of the Woord And that altogether / to a Growing-vp v 1. Cor. 13. b. Ephe. 4. b. into the manly Age of Christ. 8 O Ye Beloued according to this Pattern euen-as I do Heere prescribe thesame vnto you in Wryting / see that you indeuour yourselues among each-other in the Loue and haue a good regard vnto thatt which is heald-foorth before you / to a Consolation of your Soules 9. Turne your Hearing therunto and comprehend or coÌ„ceaue thesame in your Thoughts and so out of the goodwilling Obedience to the Requyring of the Woord and his Seruice of Loue / learne to knowe in the Spirit of your Inwardnes / the right Oldestone the right Father and the true Sheapherd x 1. Pet. 2. c. or Bisshopp of your Soules / which is the y Iohn 17. b. spirituall Woord of the heauenly Trueth the holy Spirit of Loue the Light or the Daye of Loue z Iohn 14. a. and the euerlasting Lyfe itself / wheron we do witnes and poynt 10. For wee are nomore but a Iohn 1. a. witnesses of the true Beeing of the Loue / which we minister vnto you / and b 1. Cor. 4. â— 2. Cor. 6. a. Ministers of the holy and gracious Woord / for to declare â vnder the Obedience of the Loue the godly Cleernes and heauenly Ritches of God the Father â which out of Grace / are appeered and brought vnto vs out of Heauen / by the Father of Light among the Children c Ephe. 3. a. of Men. 11 Which Grace Light or Cleernes â–ª and thosame heauenly Goodes / all they d Ephe. 3. a. 2. Pet. â— a. likewyse do enioye and be Co-partakers therof / which submitt them with vs vnder the Obedience of the Loue and haue their Fellowshipp with our Fellowshipp / in all Loue. The V. Chap. MY intyrely beloued Freendes and Bretheren in the Loue of Iesu Christ Vouchsafe for this tyme / to be content with this my harty Exhortation and small Seruice and ensue or performe first-of-al / thatt which is heald-foorth before you a Math â— a. Luk. 3 13. a A â–ª 2 â— c for a Begining of the christian Lyfe and so then growe-vp ther-out / b Ephe. 4. b. to the Perfection of the christian Lyfe and to the Oldnes of the holâ— and godly Vnderstanding and minister you dayly the Woord of Trueth vnto eachother euen-as thesame like-as it is also before sayd is ministred vnto you through the holy Spirit of Loue and as it is yet dayly heald-foorth vnto you 2 Add not any Prudence of Natural-reason therto Defend nor couer not likewyse c Gen. 3. â— Math. 25 â–ª c y e Craftynes of the Flesh / with the Natural-reason as that ye shoulde â with the Industry of your Good-thinking drawe-awaye d Deut 4.12 d or take-out anything or any Sentence therfrom / tending to anâ— Pleasure vnto the Desyres of your Flesh but receaue or accept it all e Ephe 6 a Col 5. c. wiâ—h simple Hearts / to your Edifying and to the f Ier 7. a. 25. a 35. b. Amendment of your Lyfe and Beeing and remember vs alwayes to the Good Wee wil not also forgett the Ministring of the Woord / vnto you all 3. But although ye coulde quyte forgett Vs / yet cannot wee forgett You. For we haue borne you in our Hearts and ye haue druncke g Cant. â— â— Esa. 66. b. of the Milke of our Breasts and eaten of one Bread with vs. 4. Therfore are wee likewyse dayly carefull ouer you like vnto a naturall Moother that alwayes beareth a Care ouer her Children / for to prouide thatt with Dilligence / which is needfull for them 5. If now the naturall Moothers haue such a Care ouer their naturall Children / shall not then the spirituall Moothers / now in these perillous Tymes / beare much-more a godly Care dayly ouer their spirituall Children of Sion / h Esa. 66. a. which they beare to the God of Lyfe / for to bring-them-up in all Health and Godlynes / to their full Age / vnhindered Yes nodout For veryly / the spirituall Procreation and the spirituall or inward Mootherly-loue / doth farr exceede the naturall It is verytrue 6. For-that-cause â ye Beloued inclyne not to the earthly and i Rom. 6.12 â— corruptible Beeing but suffer yourselues to be nourished and taught by the Seruice of Loue â–ª and through thesame / drawe-away k Rom. 13. b Gal. 5. b. 1. Pet. 2. b. your Myndes
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
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
ye not â thewhyles the h Act. 13. Foode of the godly Lyfe hath bin proffered vnto you / to the Obeying of the holy Woord becom the-more i Num. 11 a. 14·26 c. c. vnlustfull and disobedient to the godly Lyfe and the-more vnthankfull / for the Proffering of the liueing Gifts of God 3. I haue nodout cryed-out so loude vnto you all / that I am almost because ye do so vtterly stopp your Eares / from hearing what the Woord requyreth becom k Psal 38.68 a hoarse· and l Ier. 20. b. weakened in the Sounde of my Voyce And that altogether heerfore euen because ye shoulde vnderstand the Requyring of my Crying· com with mee / into the Doctrine of the vpright Lyfe of Iesu Christ· and so m Iob. 34. a b. Pro. 4. c. harken after the Distinction of my Crying· giue-ouer yourselues n Pro. 3. b 8. to be Disciples of the gracious Woord· shewe o Math. 3. a Act. 3. c. Repentance for your Sinnes· loue with mee / the Lyfe of Rest and Peace / with a p Psal 33 c. Pro. 10. c. Lust to the Righteousnes· haue all your q 1 Pet 3. b. Vnitee of Heart Loue and Sweet-delytfulnes / in the Famyly of Loue / with the Saintes of God and Children of the Loue of Iesu Christ· becom incorporated to the r Ephe. 4. â— Col. 3. b. 2 Pet. 1. a. vpright Righteousnes· and eueÌ„ so enter into the s Heb. 3.4 c. Rest of the Lorde / with the Children of God and Saintes of Christ. But â alas I haue yet founde very-feawe of those that haue had their Affection bent heerunto and yet many-feawer / which haue harkened-vnto and beleeued the godly Testimonyes of the holy Spirit of Loue / to that effect or taken-heede to obeye thosame 4. O Ye ChildreÌ„ or Generacions of s Gen. 3. Oâ—c 6 c. 4 Esd. 3. c 4 c. Adam all yee which liue so boldly in the Vnchastitee t 4. Esd 3. c. Math 13. Luk. 16. of your Whoordom and in your Hipocrisie / against the Requyring of the holy Woord and do not once â like Disciples of the Woord take-to-heart all our dilligent Seruice shewed on you / wherby to com into the Schoole of the Seruice of Loue and to learne the vpright Righteousnes / v Rom. 12. a. Eâ—he 4. c. to the Renewing of your Heartes and Myndes Remember of fellowship / what ye do all x Math. 22. a. neglet in thissame y Esa. 49 c. 2. Cor. â— a. precious Tyme of Grace how ye keepe yourselues back / agaynst Gods proffered Grace· shut-to and harden z Psal 9â— b. Luk 1 â— d. Heb. 2. a. â— a. your Hearts· keepe the Loue of God a 1. Iohn 4 c the Father of the Lorde Iesu Christ and of the holy Gost / quyte out of thesame· and do giue the lightmynded and vngodly Beeing / b 2 Pet. 2. c. d Heb. 6. a. Inde 1. his Roome / to your owne Destruction 5. For beholde and haue regarde on c Pâ—o 2. b. c. Ier. 7. a. your Wayes / all ye Desobeyers and Resisters of the Trueth of God and of his godly Loue / together with all yee that are d Ier 7. c so goodthinking-wyse in yourselues Haue ye not euen hetherto / wholly e Pâ—o. 8 a Ier. 7 c. d. shut-too your Eares / before y e Voyce of the Wisdom of God· refused the proffered Grace of God· and f Eze. 13. a. followed your owne Foolishnes and Good-thinking and heald-foorth or ministred thesame vnto others moe and not the holy Woord of Trueth 6. Are ye not also still runne-back / when ye were g Ier. 7 c 15. b. called forward 7. Haue ye not stil-apace couered yourselues more-and-more in your Hipocrisie â when ther-was heald-foorth before you / that ye shoulde vncouer yourselues in your h Psal. 36. â— Hipocrisie and confesse and dye from your i Pro 28. b. Eccli 4. b. Rom. 6. Sinnes / and in your Sinnes / takâ—n-on more sinfull-Lyfe k 1 Iohn 2. c. mayntayned the wicked Worlde excused the Flesh / in his false and corrupt Nature and committed-whoordom ther-with and bin vnregarding towards the holy Woord l Ier. 2. a. c. of the Grace of God the Father / as if it were an vnneedfull or vnnecessary Thing and so made m 1. Tess. 4. b Heb 10 c. little-reckning-of or debased the holy Spirit of the Loue of Iesu Christ. 8. OH how vnfitly doth it accorde / that ther should be such Disorderlynes as is rehearsed founde among Any-people / vnto whom the vpright manly Beeing â euen according to the n Sap. 7 d Col. 1 c. Heb. 1 a very-lyke Beeing of God is dayly presented so naked and euidently and that are o 2 Pet. â— a called and bidden ther-vnto / out of entyre Loue. 9. Yea / yet much-more vnfitly doth it accorde / that thosame do bost them of the Christianitee of the Loue and of the Freedom / because all p 2 pet 1 â— Discreation and Obedience to the holy Woord / ought to be among such alâ—o the right Knowledg and the humble Thanksgiueing / for that God hath created and chosen the Man to be an q Gen. 1 c 3 a Sap. 2 c Eccli 17. a 2 Cor. 11 a Image or Lykenes of his godly Beeing and for that he â in his r Gen. 3 a Rom. 1 Ephâ— 2 b Fall or Estrainging from God is â by Gods Grace called and bidden agayne to the s Eph. 2 b 4 c Col 1 b 3 a â— pet 1. a Lykenes of God / through Iesus Christ and the holy Spirit of his Loue and that all thesame / is farre from them The III. Chap. FORasmuch now therfore / as that I do perceaue all this Abuce Ignorance and Vnthankfulnes / among Many of you / Oye Children of Men / that bost yourselues of the Christianitee and of the Loue as also of the Freedom and of the Knowledg of the heauenly Things / Shall I a 1 Cor. 11 a then prayse you heerin· account you for right and free Christians or approoue you to be vpright and obedient Disciples or Children of the Famyly of Loue and so laye soft b Eze. 13 c Pillowes vnder your Armes and saye / c Esa. 3 Ier. 6 ye are free wheras ye are yet bounde to the d Iohn â— c Deuill also to the Myndes of the Flesh and to the Imaginacion of your owne Knowledg and that it is all well with you e Esa 3 Ier. 6 c d wheras it is doutles â in such a State altogether euell and so â as though my Mynde and Spirit / were agreeable with you f psal 50. c therin suffer you to be leadd with the Bandes of the Deuill and g Sap. 17 a d Chaynes of Darknesse / into Hell and Condemnacion Veryly so woulde it then go euell
holy Vnderstanding is the first or fore-going Schoole-rule of the christian Doctrine / in the Famyly of Loue / wherin / all good-willing Hearts to the Righteousnes and all vpright Beleeuers of the holy and gracious Woord / do shewe by the Deede / that they do i Math 22. c Iohn 24. loue the Lorde Iesus Christ with all their Hearts / and haue a good Will Lust or Desyre / to k Math 16. c Luâ— 9.14 â— follow-after Him with faythfull Hearts and for-that-cause / haue a Lust â with good-willing Hearts to fulfill or to accomplish y e Requyring of the Obedience of the first or fore-going Schoole-rule of the christian Doctrine in the Seruice and Famyly of Loue / wherby to l Ephe. 4. c growe-vp out of the nethermost Place â or out of the Turning-about to be like obedient m Math 18 a 19. b. Mar. 9.10 Children to becom right Elders in the godly Vnderstanding 12. BEholde â ye Deerly-beloued if now ye wil n Math 16 c follow-after the Lorde Iesu Christ duly and rightly / with perfect whole Hearts and o Col. 1 a 1 Pet 2. a. growe-vp in the godly Vnderstanding / according to the Trueth / then submitt yourselues obediently vnder the holy Woord of Grace and so then p Math. 16. â— Mat. 8. d. Luk. 9 14. c follow-after Iesus Christ / according to the Counsayle and Doctrine of his holy Spirit of Loue. 13. And if ye woulde gladly be delyuered q Math. 6. b. Luk. 12. g. from the Euell· incorporated to the Lorde Iesu Christ or one-substance r 2. Pet. 1. a. with Him· and so partakers with Christ â in the Kingdom of the God of Heauens of the spirituall Vnderstanding s Eâ—a 45. a. Matth. 11 d and heauenly Goodes â for to minister them rightly / and inherit y e euerlasting Lyfe / Then take this my good Doctrine t Pro. 1.2 3. Math. 19. â— Maâ— 10 c. Luk. 8. c. and godly Counsayle of the Wisdom / to heart and apply yourselues at the first therunto / in all Obedience and Faythfulnes The V. Chap. NOw when ye haue applyed yourselues heerunto· geeuen all a 1 Pâ—r. 29. c Psal 24.88 a thatt ouer â in the Seruice of Loue vnto the Lorde and his holy Woord Ø› Iesu Christ which belongeth vnto Him â to a Preseruacion in Righteousnes or sett it submitted ther-vnder and vowed and promysed your Fayth and Loue / vnto Iesu Christ / b 2. Cor. 11. a your right Lorde or Husbande / So think then also vpon nothing-els / but c Deut 6.10 a with all your Hearts / to loue your Lorde or Husbande to whom ye haue geuen-ouer your Fayth and whole Heart / for to loue Him only and bounde or marryed yourselues vnto Him / in all Faythfulnes and to shewe all Faythfulnes and d 1. Reg. 15. c. Obedience towards Him in such-sort / that it may be a e Psal. 40 a. Rom. 12. a. 1. Pâ—t 2. Delyte vnto you with all your Hearts / to doo all his Will and to follow-after Him in his Wayes 2. But first-of-al / in the f Ier. â—â— Circumcision of your Hearts â through the g Eccli 1. â— â— 19 â— Feare of God to the h â—eâ— â—2 â— Laying-away of the Sinne in the Flesh â–ª or of all i 1 Pet â— 2 vngodly Beeing and of the heathenâ—â— Misâ—urtour 3. Secondly â through y e Fayth of Iesu Christ â–ª in his Death of the Crosse or Suffering / to the Killing k Rom 〈…〉 b. Col 2. b. and Burying of the Sinne or of all vngodly Beeing 4. Thirdly â through the Loue of the holy Spirit of Iesu Christ in the second l Iohn â—â— Rom. â—â— b T it b Birth from the Death or the Resurrection of Iesu Christ / m Rom â—â—â— to the Righteousnes of Lyfe and n Rom â—â— 1 Ephâ— â— c. Renewing of your Spirits and Myndes 5. And so foorth-on vnto o Act â— a. â— the heauenly Beeing / at the Right-hande of God his heauenly Father from whence He doth now â in this Daye of his righteous Iudgment ouer p Math 1â—â— 2 â— g â—â— d. Act. 1â— f Iude â—â— Quick and Deadd appeere q â— Tess 4 d. and com vnto vs / in Power and Glory / with the many Thowsandes of his Saincts and with the aboundant Treasures r Col 2 a. or Ritches of his spirituall and heauenly Goodes / for to s Matth. 24 â— 25. d. assemble vs â–ª as Fellow-members of his Body vnto Him and his Saints / in the euerlasting Lyfe to the Inheriting of his holy t Heb. 4. c Rest and of all his spirituall and heauenly Goodes 6. FOr-that-cause â my beloued Heartes follow-after v Math 16. c 1. Pet. 2. c our Lorde Iesus Christ in such-a-maner euen like as I do heere figure-foorth thesame before you and apply you euenso at the first / to the first Schoole-rule or x Heb. 5. c. Begining of the christian Doctrine and of the godly Lyfe / in the Famyly of Loue. 7. Exercise yourselues first-of-al / thorowly and faythfully therin And so in the Following of Iesu Christ â in the Takeing-vp y Math. 16. c Mar 8. d. Luk 9. d. or Beareing of your Crosse / against all the Enemyes of the vpright Lyfe of Christ z 2 Pet. 2 c. Heb. 10. c. and Blaspheamers of the holy Spirit of Loue growe you vpp out of thesame / to the perfect a Ephe. 4. c. Age of the manly Beeing of Iesu Christ / and of his holy spirituall and heauenly Vnderstanding That is till that Iesus ChristØ›the true High-preeste / b psal 110. Heb 5 b. after the order of Melchisedech com vnto you from the c Heb. 1. b. Right-hande of God his Father and hath â with his holy Spirit of Loue and heauenly Goodes gotten d 2. Cor. 4. b. Gal. 2. d. 4. c. a liueing Shape in you· and herited you in his spirituall and heauenly e Col 2. a. Goodes and that likewyse thosame heauenly Goodes / do flowe agayne from your Bodyes / like f Iohn â— 7 d Floods of liueing Waters to the Refreshing of all thirsty Soules after the Righteousnes And so becom vpright Elders in the holy and godly Vnderstanding and Ministers of the holy Woord The VI. Chap. TAke it effectually to heart / which I wryte vnto you and thatt wherunto a Pro 1.2.4 â— I do exhorte you For it is the Lordes Woord and his Will / to your Preseruacion in the Godlynes 2. Also refuse not to assemble you with vs to the Famyly of Loue wher-vnto ye be called / by Gods Grace / to your Preseruacion in the Godlynes· and requyred on the Lordes-behalf / for to fulfill b Math. 5. c all Righteousnes 3. For I saye vnto you veryly / that all those which refuse c Math. 22. â— thesame·