man turn his heart unto God and desire to do his will the same shall likewise well understand that the restimonies of the upright life in the love as it is set forth in the Glasse of Righteousnesse is the upright ground of righteousnesse that God from the beginning hath required of the man which also in the restoring thereof shall continue for ever to the Salvation of the vvorld according to the promises even as God hath spoken the same aforetimes by the mouth of his holy Prophets who have all g Esa 2.60.61.62 Jer. 31. Joel 2.3 Zach. 2.8 Mich. 4. Soph. 3. Mal. 4. vvitnessed and prophecied of that same upright life for to come in the last time and in the same shall also all consciences be appeased 31. For the end or fulnesse of the same is the revealing or coming of the Kingdom of God h Esa 35.51.60.65 Apo. 21.22 and the beholding of the joyes and Salvation of the eternall perfect and uncorruptible being 32. Oh that the man had any understanding in the godlinesse and did perceive vvhereunto God calleth him and did in like manner prepare his heart after the meaning of the vvritten sentences and did let alone judging by the knowledge 33. But no the man is much too self-wise by his knowledge and therefore he is more inclined to judge of every thing after his knowledge then to prepare his heart to the good under the obedience of the love 34. Therefore it is very much to be lamented that many among the children of men do oftentimes judge the sentences and writings which have out of the service of love their ministration to the good life according to their Knowledge For as soon as they read or hear the same they suppose by and by that they have rightly apprehended and well understood them not first minding to enter in to obtain and to live in that which they bear witnesse of whereas yet the service of our writing tendeth hereunto even that mens hearts as is there set forth should be prepared to the same 35. For men strike up no alarm in the host to the intent to make the people unlusty to the battell nor yet that they should but know the exercise of the warr or judge of the Alarm-stroak but that with good courage they should prepare themselves to the battell or fight Thereby every one that hath courage to fight doth then make himself ready to incounter with his enemies and to root out his adversary or to subdue him 36. But alas I find it with many otherwise in that alarm by which the man is called to the spirituall i Eph. 6. fight to the vanquishing of his enemies which inwardly in him are killers and murderers of his soul 37. Therefore it is very true that the children of this world are much k Luk. 16. wiser in their dealing as concerning the flesh then the children of the Kingdom are in that which concerneth the spirit 38. What availeth I pray you an alarm made if men prepare them not to the battell for many are perswaded that this is no time of fighting and that there shall be no need thereof supposing because of their unbelief that nothing shall come of it and lay their hands behind on the back or put them up in the bosome Their heads are giddy as if their hearts were utterly unlusty or dismaid to the fight 39. If one should seek for men of warre where I pray you should he find them Are they not for the most part gone back l Levit. 26. Jer. 48. and become faint hearted as women 40. If they do but once suffer harm and be wounded or forced by any evill defamation or assault of the wicked to sustain any molestation or reproach then are they persvvaded that the cause is altogether nought and so running again after their case they suffer themselves to be ruled by women m Esa 3. their enemy to raign over them and in like manner make truth n Esa 28. with death and a league with hell retain peace with the sin and accuser and become of one mind with the world supposing that then all shall be well moreover they make an appointment or conclusion with themselves that they will no more trouble themselves with the doctrine of the Family of Love nor yet vvith the battell thinking Let them run that will 41. For to resist the evill to break and subdue the wicked heart and evil thoughts and to suffer much distresse contempt and reproach for the same liketh them not they will none of that Howbeit we are alwaies to fight apainst the evill and to keep good watch continually we are alwaies to think night and day upon the vertue of the godly life alwaies to long and to hunger and thirst after it alvvaies to speak and to treat thereof with such as do so labour thereafter and yet then of many sorts of people and letter-learned to be despised and reproached 42. Because of this toil and for the shame and reproaches cause which meeteth them and because they love not the righteousnesse of the godly life with the heart they let the matter passe saying out of unbelief I cannot further it I hold me still or unoccupied about it let the Lord work it I will commit it unto him Supposing when they thus passe on according to their imagination or do live after the fashion of the world and with an o Rom. 2. unrepenting heart towards God do hold peace with the blasphemers and strivers against the truth of Christ and his love that then God will make it to be well with them 43. Deceive not your selves ye dearly beloved the saying is very right p Act. 16. Eph. 3. Gol. 1. that the Lord worketh it and that he will also cause it to go well with us q Phila. 2. and prepare us after his will and pleasure howbeit not without us nor yet without the obedience of the requiring of the service of his holy and gracious word and of his love and whilest that we turne us away in such a sort from him and from the Ministers of his word and do refuse him r Luk. 17 but it is done inwardly in us under the obedience of the requiring of his gracious word and service of love so as we stand subject unto him with good will therein and be of one mind with him against the ungodly being that God may so in us magnifie his holy name Å¿ 2 Reg. 7. and be called t Ier. 10. a God of Hosts a u Esa 47. God of Israel or a God of such a one as beareth dominion with God over his enemies 44. After this manner is God a Lord of his Army He is only the Lord but we the instrument of his hands 45. Out of such an understanding under the obedience of the Law of the Lord did the Kingly Prophet David eftsoons apprehend a zealous stoutnesse even as in divers manners we
and janglings and that all for the law and the ceremonies cause but God had no pleasure in any thing save only his beloved the like life of his being in whom he had good pleasure And this is his Commandement n Deut. 18 Mat. 17. Act. 3 even that men should heare believe and obey the same and live for ever therein and that men should obey the services and ceremonies administred out of the true light and word of life to an incorporating thereinto 7. Now inasmuch as divers in times past o Mat. 15 23. Joh. 9 gave greater respect to the ceremonies and works of the Law then to the life of godlinesse therefore they did cleave to the ceremonies and works of the Law and believed not the life that was required thereby but fell away from the right stock of the p Joh. 8 father Abraham 8. But the believers that gave more regard to the life of godlinesse then to the ceremonies or works of the Law abode still q Ioh. 6 by the word of life and were not bound albeit they forsook the ceremonies of the Law which were out of the Letter commanded by the unilluminate and unbelievers of the word of life for the ceremonies could not in themselves without the word or light of life extend to any commandement of God 9. Therefore was the upright life at that time r Deut. 18 published and taught because men should believe the same as a precept or commandement of the Lord and be obedient unto his requiring that so through the beliefe they might be made free Å¿ Act. 15 Rom. 3 Eph. 2 from the sinne or be justified therefrom and might live thereby with God the Father to an everlasting peace according to the promises 10. This communalty or believers of the good life were as children of the belief and obedience t Mat. 26.28 Acts 2.4 joyned together to a bringing in to the same life under the service of the holy Word and the hand reached them thereunto with the Christian ceremonies of Baptisme and the Supper of Christ which Christian ceremonies were administred unto them out of the word of life and observed by them to obedience yet not for the ceremonies but for the upright lifes sake which being afterward to come was u Infra 23 required therewith And thus the Christian ceremonies were not the everlasting commandement of God but the word of life was it 11. Howbeit the ceremonies were annexed thereunto for an assistance x Gal. 3.4 Heb. 7 and bringing in of the believers into the life as is aforesaid even as the same is prefigured unto us by the ceremonies of the Catholike Church of Jesu Christ to the intent that the believers of the holy word and of the good life or Christ should through the service of the ceremonies y 2 Pet. 1 have regard to the same word of life being afterward to come 12. Even thus for the good lifes cause and for the mans sake are the true Christian ceremonies of the gracious word and of his service of love now in the last time annexed unto Gods everlasting Commandement for an assistance of all them to the z 2 Pet. 1 entrance of the upright life which believe in Jesu Christ and humble themselves to the service of his love to the end they should be brought thereby to the life which is Gods everlasting commandement and still abideth namely to a Deut. 10 30 Mat. 22 love our God with all our hearts and our neighbour as our selves and to obtain the same b Rom. 3 Eph. 2. through the belief even as it is preached and written because no man should trust upon the ceremonies and find himself deceived by being without the upright life 13. Neverthelesse after those daies of the fore-said ministration of the Christian ceremonies many c 1 Tim. 4 2 Tim. 3. 2 Pet. 2 fell away from the true belief of Christ or of the good life knowing no difference in Gods precept or commandement wherethrough there are now also many become vaine in their understandings in such sort that they themselves know not the meaning of the christian ceremonies nor yet to what purpose they were adjoyned to Gods commandement and by that occasion there is risen up for the Christian ceremonies cause much discord and debate even as heretofore it came to passe for d 2 Cor. 11 Gal. 1.2 3 4 5 6 the Jewish ceremonies 14. Wherefore seeing the services of the former Christian ceremonies after the Letter do bring in controversie and are not set forth or observed out of the word of life nor out of the love of Jesu Christ to the unity of heart in the love but out of the letter with different understandings and in dissention and cannot alone in themselves extend to any commandement of God therefore are not the believers of the good life namely the communalty under the obedience of the love of Iesu Christ bound as is rehearsed thereunto as of necessity outwardly to observe them but they stand free unto them either to keep or to omit them to wit e Rom. 14 as they serve them to peace and are edifiable unto men for Gods commandement f Ioh. 12 is the everlasting life and that is the very love it self even g Deut. 10.30 Mat. 19.22 Rom. 13 to love God above all things and our neighbour as our selves 15. Lo this to be short is the difference of the Jewish and Christian ceremonies and of those of the Family of the Love of Jesu Christ namely to what purpose their office or service is commanded and to what intent they are annexed to the everlasting Commandement of God and observed 16. Now there are likewise divers people that will not use some ceremonies because they judge them as heathenish or idolatrous services and as a forbidding of the Lord by means of abhorring and fear that they have of them least any harm or hinderance should happen unto their souls thereby concereing the which it also must be considered how and wherefore the same should be idolatrous services and a forbidding of God for every unright asage hath his occasion sense and signification 17. For whilest the heathen or the urcircumoised people are in respect of the knowledge of God become vain h Rom. 1 Eph. 4 blind and insensible as being utterly estranged from the upright life which God esteemeth therefore do they make or counterfeit unto themselves out of the vanity of their thoughts services and ceremonies which the vain hearts that understand not Gods Law and Ordinance are bewitched and bound with 18. So then the vaine corrupt and bewitched life which neither knoweth nor loveth the living God nor his i Rom. 1 Eph. 4 righteousnesse but is rebellious and unfaithfull to God is Gods forbidding And out of it have the blind people which know not the upright life joyned thereunto their services and ceremonies k Deut. 12 wherefore
Jerusalem Å¿ Esa 33. Eph. 2. Apo. 21. or house of God t Rom. 12 Eph. 4. and body of the communalty of Christ and every understanding shall willingly yeeld it selfe captive under the obedience of the love u Act. 2.3.4.5 c. according as it came to passe in the Service of the communalty of the Apostles of Christ under the obedience of the beliefe inasmuch as the service of the communalty in the love is not lesse then it for in the communalty of the love Christ is personally with the Father at his right hand in whom is the forgivenesse of sins 10. Whosoever therfore hopeth in Christ and whosoever is infirm feeble or weak is x Mat. 5.9 11. hungry or thirsty after the righteousness he obtaineth his nouriture strengthning out of the love yea every one that is fallen or is broken y Esa 61. Ezck. 34. or is strayed and separated from the true God his Christ shall through the love her service if he convert and humble himself be wel-affected to the love be restored brought to right againe and therfore grow ye up through the love z Eph. 4. 1 Thes 3. 2 Thes 1. become manly in Jesu Christ 11. Behold unto this Service of Love have all the Prophets of God and Apostles of Christ borne witnesse in the Word of Truth and Life and therein likewise is restored all a Acts 3. what God hath spoken by the mouth of his Prophets from the beginning of the world 12. For all the doctrine of God the Law and the Prophets the Images Figures and Ceremonies doe witnesse of this time of grace concerning the restoring of the man in the Love which is the gracious Word promised in the last time in which Love the House of Israel and the house of Judah b Jer. 29.33 Rom. 11 which now are dissolved and scattered abroad among the Gentiles shall be established 13. They shall thenceforth be no more divided into two Kingdoms c Ezek. 37 Dan. 2. but be gathered into one and be set up in the love the multitude also of the Gentiles shall joyne themselves unto them d Esa 2. Mic. 4. Zach. 8. to serve the God of Jacob that they may learne his will walk in his streets among the Citizens of Israel and so all that love the righteousnesse be one f Joh. 17. in the one living God let them be who they are and of what generations peoples or Religions soever they may be as Christians Jewes Mahometists and Heathen or dispersed people for all those which love the righteousnesse and submit them obediently under the gracious Word of the Lord and his service of Love g Act. 10. are acceptable to God and shall all through the Word of Truth be renewed in the love to observe one manner Statutes and Ordinances of the God of Israel according to the promises 14. Now seeing my service is in all peaceablenesse under the obedience of the Love inclined to the same therefore also my writing is neither against nor with any Nations Peoples or Congregations that boast themselves to be of God or Christ so as either to reproach or to praise any of them but doe set forth through the grace of God the Father which is given unto me the plaine evidence of the upright communalty of God and Christ according to my sight of the true being 15. Moreover I do not set my self either to contend against one or against another or to revile reproach or censure any man in his error or failing because he should endeavour him to repentance O no that is not our service of the love For verily we have all grievously sinned h Esa 59. Rom. 3. yea we have all erred like the blind there hath truly none continued in his estate no not one 16. Oh man who art thou then or why takest thou so upon thee that thou i Rom. 2. judgest another and justifiest thy self for we are all void of the grace of God which vve receive and obtaine if vve be of good k Lu. 2. Phil. 2. vvill and doe turne us unto God and be vvell-minded to the love from the heart 17. And for this cause I doe not oppose my self against any sorts of people or Religions either for to judge them to destroying suppressing or rooting out or els to strive or to contend against them but do out of the mercy vvhich through the love of God the Father is shevved on me desire to dravv unto Unity all those that love the Righteousnesse under the obedience of the love and to manifest unto them the upright righteousnesse to the end they might all l Mat. 3. Acts 2.3 shew repentance for their sins and be saved and that they with us and we with them might inherit in the love the true peace of Jesu Christ and the unity of heart and that the true m Eph. 2.4 Col. 3. peace of Jesu Christ might be prepared on earth 18. For in all this our most holiest God-service of the love I have from my heart a pleasure in all them that love the love and peace and are minded to concord and righteousnesse of heart or do indeavour thereafter neither desire I to beare any thing in mind to the worst which any man through unbeliefe hath done or spoken against us 19. Furthermore seeing true beliefe n Eph. 2. is the gift of God and that we are not o Rom. 3.5 Gal. 2. Eph. 2 saved out of our selves but out of Gods grace through the faith of Jesu Christ therefore can I not in any wise oppose my selfe against any either against the Popedome or Catholike Church or against any temporal Rulers against Jews or Gentiles or against any institutions of Religion for we are are all called in Christ to salvation and peace that we should all in the last time be p John 17. Eph. 4. of one mind under the obedience of the love 20. Now because I doe not set my selfe resistingly or reproachingly against any shall I then fawne and flatter as to write any thing for any mans favour to please men that be far from me but rather I declare uprightly even as it is through Gods heavenly Revelation manifested and granted me to see the thing that right is and that availeth in the sight of God and ought to have his passage among all men 21. Lo this O ye well-willers of the righteousnesse is now out of the inclination of love as far as we may and as God permitteth unto us painted out and pourtrayed before you according to the life thereof as a president or pattern of the righteousnesse 22. Let every one therefore once glasse himself in the Glasse of Righteousnesse according to the truth and look upon the thing which is right let him put away from him all evill thoughts together with his deceitfull tongue q Psa 34. and let reproaching lips be far from
gotten the heat of the Summer and are become ripe or full grovvn 16. Therefore pluck not the unripe fruit to eat before the time untill it be through ripe els shall your teeth i Ezek. 18. be dulled or set on edge and your mouth be made unrelishable and unlikeing of the fruit but vvho hath regard hereunto or vvho hath knovvledge of this time 17. The hope k Rom. 5. remaineth firme in the Patience and profereth her treasure of l Jam. 5. patience bountifully to every one that no man might be ashamed but in due time rejoyce vvith her 18. But the hasty people that vvill not tarry the due season but in the vvinter vvill reap and gather the fruit and seek for it on the Sabbath or m Mat. 24. Mat. 13.1 Gal. 12. in the barren vvinter they think not on the treasure of hope 19. Therefore let us pray for patience that in the time of heavinesse vve may stand fast in hope and n Lu. 21. 2 Cor. 6. Col. 1. Heb. 10. Jam. 1. unto patience commit our souls but this I know well the world in generall is not minded unto for by her this treasure and riches of God is contemned despised and rejected 20. The love which hath all these the truth beliefe and hope clasped in her arms is inclined to nourish all things with the milk of her concord which floweth abundantly out of her brests for to unite her self with those to a concord in the love whom she imbraceth in the truth and in the belief and hope and with all those likewise which love equity and righteousnesse 21. Lo This is the Christian oyl and holy unction and this o Mat. 11. Lu. 20. 1 Cor. 1.2.3 neither the world nor her wise or letter-learned can away with neither do they esteem the precious treasure of God as being for them much too base for there is no pride nor arrogancy to be found in it nor any disputation about the knowledge nor any wisdom of the Philosophers 22. But ye that fear God and love the upright judgement sincerely p Esa 1. Jer. 18.25.35 Ezek. 14. put away the bewitching of your hearts and labour for the oyl of the true vertues 23. Do not sleep slumber nor go to rest or be sluggish before you have first filled your vessells or Lamps with the oyl of the spirituall and holy understanding 24. For in time of the midnight q Sap. 18. when the darknesses have covered the world and every one resteth in his sleep she shall then through the voice of the Bruite and noise of the sound of the last Trumpet r Esa 9.60 2 Pet. 2. shine in the darknesse as a light and be esteemed very precious and of great value among all that are wise for unto the wise she shall be for an entrance to the everlasting joy at that time there shall none among the wise have too much nor yet any of them lack any thing 25. Who so now is wise and well-affected let him not like the unwise Virgins give himself to the sleep or rest with Å¿ Mat. 25. empty vessells or lamps that have no oyle in them for then verily he shall find himself deceived as the foolish and unwise Virgins were 26. Therefore ye beloved you I mean that have any sight of the Peace or affection to the good consider once I pray you of this present time how the world together with her wise and learned standeth in many contendings and divisions and all for the knowledges cause and esteem not above all things the vertue of godlinesse in Jesu Christ the which thing I mean to love any thing above the vertue of godlinesse is nothing else but an unknowne erring darknesse and a being of the fall which the world will not know nor believe because she seeth it not but walketh in t Esa 59. the darknesses like the dead and is also without the light and life which is of God 27. Wherefore seeing they know not the fall or separation from their God therefore can they not though they would never so faine turne them rightly unto him the which Esay bewailed in the blind people when he noted mens fall and separation from their God saying 28. We u Esa 59. are in darknesse like the dead we roare all as bears and mourne like doves when we look for equity it is not any where for health so is it farre from us for our transgressions are too many before thee and our sins answer against us for we must needs confesse our transgressions and know our misdeeds to wit our trespassing and lying against the Lord and our fall or separation from our God c. 29. In like manner seeing unto me now in this perillous time it is indifferently well knowne that many albeit they boast them of God do not yet know the mans trespassing and lying against the Lord nor the fall or separation from their God and do neverthelesse speak much of repentance and converting unto God therefore do I also truly note that in such a state whilest this is unknown to the man neither the mans repentance for sin neither x Esa 55. his conversion to God neither his praying is y Iam. 4. at all performed aright 10. But this the man will not understand but in the separation from his God he will judge of divine things erect righteousnesse and preach and teach the equity such as in his separation from God he conceiveth for right as if it were very righteousnesse he will also fast and pray as though his matter which he intendeth to himself were upright before God saying dear Father dear Master thou Physitian of our soules vouchsafe to help us and defend us and so supposeth that God will not suffer him to come to shame 31. But what availeth it all such shall find themselves in darknesse as the dead and mourne like the doves till that they perceive their transgressing and their sins answer against themselves and so their trespassing and lying against the Lord be made known unto them and the off-fallen being from our God 32. Then shall they say and confesse we have looked for equity and to that purpose have preached taught if happily it might any where break through or come forth z Esa 59. howbeit when we look about every way after it it is no where to be found and our righteousnesse vanisheth in it selfe as a shadow and consumeth it selfe like smoke in the aire and the salvation is farre from us for we see nothing before us but sorrow and desolation 33. Now whilest that such things floted unto me before the eyes of my spirit and that I saw the sundry blindnesses of men whereunder they lay bound with ignorance through the falling away from their God which fall a 2 Thes 2 when I saw it was so deep and so utterly unknowne that the children of men were by meanes of it unwittingly inclosed and
be do neither d Ioh. 8.16 of the Father nor yet of the Son knovv any thing at all 4. And surely whosoever doth not submit his understanding under the service of the love the same man sheweth thereby that he is without understanding because by his understanding he perceiveth not how that he vvhich hath not the love e 1 Ioh. 2.4 hath not also the Son nor the Father but is vvithout Christ and his Church and can please God by no other means also can neither now nor evermore without the inclination of love neither through any other services or literall wisdome come to the holy knowledge of God or attain unto the same 5. But if any now believe not this same by reason of the high regard to their knowledge or by means of any respect unto their holinesse f Col. 2. or spirituall humility such as they have chosen or taken to themselves and as is not according to the promises as God in times past hath spoken by Moses his servant and by the mouth of his holy Prophets doubtlesse they howsoever they suppose or maintain g Esa 59. that they have the light must needs abide in h 1 Ioh. 2. darknesse for their unbelievers cause whose unbelief cannot hurt the believers neither can the Work of God for all that abide back 6. O deep and unsearchable vvisdome of God! i Esa 40. Sap. 9. Rom. 11. 1 Cor. 2. which of the great and high glorious wise or of the self-chosen holy ones hath ever attained unto thee 7. Unto which of them is thine arm known that hath heard or understood thy holy word or thy mind aright 8. Therefore needs must they all in lowlinesse of heart be humbled under thee and become subject to thy true love that they may rejoice them in the truth otherwise they must remain blind in their imagination k Ioh. 3. and may not see the Kingdom of God for ever 9. For so long as they through the love or her inclination l Mat. 18. be not in their corrupt understanding turned about by the word of truth and are not well minded to the vertue of the love certainly there can appear unto them no light of the truth to Salvation for God hath foreseen the perfection m Deut. 6.10 1 Cor. 13. 1 Tim. 1. in the love according to the promises and not in the knowledge 10. Therefore let every one be lowly of spirit n 1 Ioh. 4. and humble of heart in his knowledge even as though he knew nothing and so have regard to the service of the love what it requireth and let him hope and long for it to the intent he may be comprehended therein that is to say in the doctrine thereof for therein is the godlinesse understood and known and so let him indeavour towards the best 11. And I hope that I shall alwaies towards the lovers of the truth do even so and not omit to set before them the most best for thereunto tend all my intents and desires neither know I at all any better thing then the teaching and ministring of the holy word under the obedience of the love 12. True it is I have as far as I might examined many sorts of Foundations and understandings and have likewise considered and scanned whereon they stood grounded but there is yet no better thing come to my hand 13. The Lord grant me his mercy and strengthen my mind to do and accomplish his will to the Salvation of men in the love 14. O ye lovers of the truth that have humbled your fouls under the love and her service o Deut. 6.11 â—2 Pro. 4. take I pray you the truth to heart and reproach no mans writings teaching nor exhortations that have their ministration to the righteousnesse and to the concord but draw it all under the love that every one may give up and bring all what he hath taken on or wherein he is learned according to his humane imagination to the communion of the love give ear only to the godly Word of Life under the obedience of the love according to the manifestation of the glorious and godly light set forth in the Glasse of Righteousnesse and so above all his humane knowledge love the Concord and the upright life 15. Moreover condemn none particularly by name and be not offended at any that your hearts p Gal. 5. Acb. 12. be not moved to anger stumble not at any thing and reproach nor reject none for Sects but love all them that indeavour towards righteousnesse q 2 Pet. 1. with a like love to that upright righteousnesse which God esteemeth and thus draw all wel-willing ones to the true righteousnesse under the obedience of the love 16. And if any man seek the truth of you and his heart be inclined to the love then joyn your selves with him in the love and so speak r 1 Pet. 3. of the hope which is in you 17. For who so loveth the good though yet for a while he be in errour may for all that come to amendment in the love unlesse he should give over his heart in a wilfull contentiousnesse and despise the love and her service for his self-minds sake 18. But unto every one that will follow and is well minded to the love and her service Å¿ Eph. 4. unto such reach forth the hand to the unity of the upright life and that all in the love 19. If the evill assail you then put it from you as much as is possible for you untill the same evill get a going down in you and go into silence give it no respite to follow after his desire but become according to the spirit t Col. 1. 1 Thes 3. 1 Pet. 5. strong and firm in the good life u Deut. 7. 1 Pet. 2. to a peculiar possession of God even as it is here in this Introduction and in the Glasse of Righteousnesse according to the life shewed and declared 20. If so be ye cast this same behind the back to wit that ye refuse it or have no belief nor lust thereunto nor do hope thereon and yet by your self-wisdom perswade your selves to be wise then are ye vain and utterly unmeet to the Kingdome of God and how wise soever ye be yet shall you be found vain and without understanding and void of the true light of life 21. Now if any man say that he is already in the life and needeth no more or that it is needfull no more for him to hearken after any other understanding and therefore contemneth this form of the upright life and his service to the same life whereunto we bear witnesse and neither hath it nor indeavoureth towards it in the service of the love certainly he is yet in the death x 1 Ioh. 2. and darknesse and knoweth nothing at all either of Christ or of the life which is of God even as the darknesses also have
his Christ Which Christ standeth firm for us t 1 Ioh. 2 to a Reconciler before God the Father and in the service of his Love everlastingly that through the same service our inward mind should stand free and firm in God and his Christ and not be tied to any thing besides without the Communion and service of the Love whether to the sinne or else to men neither to any created or elementish things nor yet to any earthly or worldly things whereby with one accord we might live boldly in God the most highest with the Communalty of the Love 31. With these despise I none in his understanding whether he be great or small that every one as right and meet it is may give his understanding v 2 Cor. 10. captive or suffer it to be plucked under the obedience of the Love and likewise do that x Phil. 4. which is just and equall For who can refuse the Love or withhold himself from her service if so be he love the good 32. Doubtlesse whosoever refuseth the love and withholdeth himself from her service or with his understanding is against it the same man sheweth thereby that he is without understanding and not minded to concord in the love And moreover that his heart thinketh not upon the good which God esteemeth but rather upon his own good which he hath chosen to himself But who so are fully affected to the love and her service and unto all that are just and equall and do unpartially submit themselves under the obedience of the love unto them am I inclined 33. For with them doth my heart desire to live in such a life as is just and reasonable y Phil. 4. lovely and peaceable and with them in like obedience under the love to stand obedient in the same life z Eph. 4. to all unity of heart in the Love 34. Behold the true Christians of Israel the people of the Lord ard even in this sort minded with us and there are no other Christians nor Jewes nor House of Israel nor People of the Lord but those that stand subject with us to the Love with one accord and over whom the Love is likewise the head who with us also are not partiall or divided with this or that which is earthly or visible 35. Thereunto in like manner is the service of my writing namely to the right stock of life in the Love and not to contend or to strive against any And I do not know that I have written against any mans dealing so farre forth as the same is according to Truth and out of love Neither have I named any faction by name for to contemn them nor singled out any persons particularly whereby to reproach them neither reviled any mans Religion for heresie but have called and invited all men to the unity of heart in the Love The which is the blessing of all the Generations of the Earth according to the Promises made to the Fathers 36. Therefore let every one glasse himself and look how neer his cause is right and so give over his understanding to the obedience of the Love for therein consisteth the upright being to the intent that all may through the Love and her service a Eph. 1. be renewed and the Corruption reigne no more but that the upright Righteousnesse which God esteemeth b Esa 60. may come to light according to the Promises CHAP. XXV 1 The Author concludeth this Introduction with his Desire and Request to all that reade or hear his Writings that they apply themselves unto that which is set forth therein 3. It is much happier to be among the lowly and sorrowers for sine than to be with the proud and dissolute 6. A menacing of the obstinate 12. The reward of the righteous and the horrible End of the rebellious HErewith ye beloved we will cut off and end this Introduction to the holy understanding of the Glasse of Righteousnesse And we desire of all those that read or hear our writings of the godly Testimonies and likewise of all those that have any desire to the Truth and do humbly apply themselves to that which is witnessed by us and do joyn with us in all uprightnes under the obedience of the Love to the intent that the Love may bear the dominion and rule in us to a one minded Communion in one amiable and godly life that they will not take it grievously to suffer contempt heavines or anguish for a little while with those that love the Righteousnes but rather stand alwaies minded whether it be in prosperity or adversity to be joyned to the mind of God in all love even as the same under the obedience of the Love is plainly and cleerly described according to the life that abideth for ever in the Glasse of righteousnes 2. The Almighty God grant us his Grace and strengthen our minds to the same Eph. 4. in the unity of Love and Peace and in like maner all lowly hearts that hope upon the righteousnes and suffer heavines for the sins cause 3. It is surely much happier to be among the lowly hearts where b 2 Cor. 7. is heavines and sighing for the sins cause c Matt. 18. Rom. 15. 1 Thes 5. Heb. 3. where exhortation to amendment and instruction to the knowledge of God and Christ is and where men out of love d Prov. 27. reprehend the blindnes of the heart for the righteousnes sake than to be among the haughty where the flattering lips of the ungodly and the dissolute stout or uncircumcised of heart are where men embrace all gladnes commendation praise and honour of men and not the honour of God 4. Wherefore have regard hereunto and awake to the good For behold It shall in his time be found that the endurers or sufferers who now for the sinnes cause beare heavinesse sorrow and the Crosse and who out of the love of Righteousnesse endure out such things shall be turned to a e Esa 60 62.66 4 Esd 2. Ioh. 16. godly joyfulnesse where contrariwise all despisers of the Righteousnesse which now rejoyce themselves in ungodlinesse how evilly soever they do it shall be turned to f Matt. 25. grievous sorrow and paine yea g 4 Esd 5. Apo. 21. horrible it is to remember the reward of the unrighteous or wretched men which is for to come upon them 5. O how happy is that man which joyneth himself to the Word of the Lord in his service of the Love and h Esa 1. Mat 18 turneth him away from the evill which betimes i 1 Cor. 11. heareth his Judgement and so setteth himself down in the dust k which receiveth Wisdom and Instruction to Vertue that loveth the Righteousnesse and Prov. 3. Heb. 12. refuseth not the Chastening of the Lord that he may be upright of heart before God For it shall go well with him in this day of the righteous Judgement which God now bringeth over the whole Earth yet passing through great dangers of his salvation 6. How will it go with you then m Prov. 11. 1 Pet. 5. O ye sinners and sinneresses which receive n Sap. 2. 2 Pet. 2. Jude 1. this transitory life for your delight and keep God out of your hearts and have not once borne sorrow nor heavines for your sinnes 7. Where will ye then hide your selves ye haughty ye covetous and ye proud men and all ye arrogant self-wise that now will not submit nor give over your selves to obedience under the service of the Love of the gracioue Word o Sap. 5 What profit I pray you will your pride and your riches then yeeld or bring you 8. Who think ye will then have compassion on your misery ye which now withhold your selves from the obedience of the Doctrine and requiring of the gracious Word and make your selves common with the worldly minded and with those that oppresse the little ones grieve the Consciences of the simple and betray persecute and spill p Ezek. 22. the innocent Bloud 9. Oh! I am astonied whil'st I thinke upon the horrible being of the ungodly the wicked perverse nature that will not convert 10. Oh how horrible and fearfull shall it be unto him that shall behold it with his eyes Yea what misery and VVoe commeth over him that shall taste bear and be tormented with the same eternally 11. Therefore q Pro. 15 much better in this dangerous Time is a little in the fear of God with the Righteous than superfluities with the ungodly It is also much better to suffer and endure Poverty Shame Reproach Affliction Heavinesse Anguish and Contempt r Heb. 11 with the Children of Peace which have regard on Gods Righteousnesse according to his Promises than to have all the Delights or Pleasures with all the honour riches and Triumphs of this world 12. For the Reward of the Righteous redoundeth Å¿ Pro. 11. Sap. 5. to Gods Glory but the recompence of the ungodly of the wicked world with all unbeleevers or resisters of the good t Apo. 21 shall with confusion perish in horrible calamity and with misery It is true Take it to heart Love ye the Vertue fervently Give God his Honour due Delight therein continually That is his Doctrine true CHARITAS EXTORSIT PER H. N. FJNJS