which the whole Earth shal be iudged with Righteousnes ther shall no v Apo. 10. a. Daye of Grace appeere anymore vppon the Earth but a seuere or harde x Heb. 10. c. Pet. 3. b. Iudgment ouer all Vngodlyones as is before sayde Take it to heart The Ende of the first Epistle The Second Epistle Ashort and pithy Instruction of the Mistery of the Loue. Labour for Loue Earnestly couet spirituall Gifts but cheefly / that ye may prophecye 1. Cor. 14. The Ende of the Commaundement and the Cheef-summe of Fayth / is Loue with a pure Heart and with a good Conscience and with vnfayned Fayth 1. Timo. 1. Ther was demaunded· and an Instruction requyred ther-vpon in Wryting / which is the Secretnes or Mistery of the Loue. And ther-vpon is answered by HN / in Wryting â according to the Declaration of the spirituall and heauenly Trueth this Instruction Heer-following Hee that hath Eares to heare / * Math. 13. a. Luk. 8. a. b. Apo. â— a. 3. a. let him heare Hee that hath Wisdom / let him conceiue Vnderstanding The First Chapter WIth whom shall I a Pâ—o. 8. â— speake sayth the Wisdom that shall vnderstande my Woordes 2. To whom shall I reueale the Mistery of the Loue / that shall conceaue or knowe it 3. Who are those that giue-eare vnto my Doctrine and haue founde my Wayes 4. Who hath marked whear my Dwelling is and followed-after Mee / in my Out-going and In-going 5. Who hath borne y e Contempt Blaspheamy and Shame / with Mee when I laye in the b Pro. 1. a. Esa. 59. b. Streete / whear the People shaked their Heades at c Psal 22. a. 109. c. Mee as at a d Esa. 53. a. Sap. 2. b. filthy thing / that is worthy to be cast-awaye / and as madd and frantick Men / ranne ouer Mee with Feete 6. Who hath had his Pleasure in Mee / when I was so e Esa. 53. a. Sap. 2. b. filthy and so lothsom to looke-vppon or to beholde / before all Wisdom of the Flesh and of the Vnrepentantones 7. Who hath denyed f Math. 10. â— 16. c. Mark 1. d. Luk. 9.14 c â–ª himself and is â for the Loues sake gon-out-of Himself with Mee / when I did â in the Loue requyre the Mans Saluation and was condempned to y e Death g Math. 26.27 Mar. 15. Luk. 22. Iohn 1â— â—â— of the Crosse· and killed with thesame Death / by the Wyseones of the Earth / as a Dispised-one or an Outcast vppon the Earth 8. Who hath borne such a Death h Rom. 6. a phil 2. a of the Crosse with Mee / in all Shame Dispiscing Blaspheaming and wicked Defamation / and shewed Patience therin / euen vnto the Death 9. Who hath suffered himself to be buryed in the Hart of the Earth with Mee / like One that is deadd 10. Who hath beleeued my Ryseing i Iob. 19. c. Dan 12. b. 1. Cor. 15. b. c 1. Tess. 4. b. from the Death or trusted theron / for to ryse also with Mee / with his Bodye 11. Who hath seene myne k Math. 16. b. Luk 24. f. Act. 1. a. Ascension to God my Father / vnto his Right-hande in y e heauenly Beeing and wayted my Coming l Esa. 25.30 b Mich. 7. b. Phil. 3. d. from thence / to a Righteousnes vppon the Earth 12. Who hath marked that I liue and raigne with m Eccli 24 b. God / and that my Greatnes is more then n 3. Reg. 8. c. â— Paâ— 2.6 b. all Heauens can comprehende whear also no o 1. Cor. 2. b. earthly Vnderstanding· nor all whatsoeuer is borne out of the earthly Blood / can knowe Mee 13· ANd if now ther be anyman that is passed-thorow all these things with Mee or that doth now presently / go-thorow this narrow p 4. Esd. 7. a. Math. 7. b. Luk. 13. Waye with Mee / to the Lyfe / Hee shall vnderstande and knowe the Misterye of the Loue. 14. Hee shall likewyse taste and feele the Pèrfection of all Goodnes and approch to the Loue / in her vertuous Nature and becom of one-beeing therwith 15. Beholde and consider / Thatt is the Grounde of the holy and godly Vnderstanding / touching the Mistery or Secretnes of the vpright Loue. The II. Chap. DYe lustfull Soules to the Mistery of Loue gather out the a 4. Esd. 8. â— Mynde and search no farder For doutles y e Loue suffereth not herself to be approched-vnto vnderstoode nor knowen / neither for this nor thatt / nor through any-maner of Cause let it be by what Meanes soeuer it wil nor thorough any-maner of Mynde or Will but only / by her owne vertuous Nature and louley Beeing / as through herself or through her Seruice For shee Ø›the euerlasting Good excelleth it all farr-away 2. Also / she receaueth nothing of anyman but Shee herself â out of her almighty and vertuous Nature and Spirit is a plentifull Distributrix of her owne aboundant Ritches / as an infinite flowing Ryuer of all godly Goodes alwayes b Gen. 2. b. refreshing the Paradise of the Lorde 3. The Loue is herself / a Nourice vnto her Children and a sure Bande / vnto all those that are incorporated to the euerlasting Lyfe and a mighty Strength which is able to suffer and to endure c 1. Cor. 13. a. althings 4. The Loue is also an d Exo. 3. â— 19. b. 20. b. holy Mountayne the which noman being vnhallowed or vnprepared / may touch or com-neere For whosoeuer toucheth thesame Mountayne / and is not of her Part to him is she a consumeing Fyre â–ª Whose burning Heate e â—sa 33. b. noman can endure / but he which is of her lyke Nature or Seede Whoso resisteth her and submitteth not himself vnder Her and her Seruice / Hee shal be broken and battered to-peeces / like f Psal. 2. â— Esa. 30. b. Ier. 1â— a. â—9 b. a Potters Vessell 5. THe Loue in her Seruice / is an Originall or Begining of all good and vpright Lyfe For through her Seruice / She draweth the Myndes and Thoughts of the Heart away from all that is vayne corruptible and euell 6. She vnbyndeth or looseth the euerlasting Perfection for to com into the Lyfe of the eternall Vncreatednes / in the Kingdom of the God of Heauens / full of all pure Beawty / wherin all earthly and corrupt selfmynded Thoughts / do ceasse / and whear the corruptible Mortalitee / is not beholden 7. For in the Loue / is nothing-els but all Good and Lyfe as also the heauenly and endles Kingdom of Iesu Christ / in full vndisturbable Power / wherin the Myndes of the pure Hearts do dwell free without care or feare / with all g Esa. 35.51 a. Apo. 21. a. Glory and Ioye and with christian Tryumph 8. Which Freedom of the Children of God / which Fulnes of the godly Delytes and of the godly
Seruice / are not Seruants of Men nor of the Letter like-vnto the earthly Generacion out of the Flesh â who are h Rom. 1. c. Ephe. 4. b â–ª altogether Straingers and ignorant of Gods heauenly Trueth but i 2. Cor. 3. Ministers of the holy Woord k 2 Cor. 4. 2 Pet. 1. b. and Witnesses of the spirituall and heauenly Goodes 3. And so through Gods true Beeing and his spirituall and heauenly Goodes in l Rom. 8. b. Ephe. 1. b. the which / God hath herited vs / as his beloued Children wee â which are comprehended in the Comunialtee of Loue and m Ephe. 4. b. Age of the holy Vnderstanding are eueryone / n 1 Pet. 2. a. Apoc. 1. a. 5. b. 20 a. Priestes Kinges or Gods / o Exo. 22. a. Psal. 82. a. Iohn 10 d. and Children of the Most highest / which are not com of the Earth / but of Heauen and p Iohn 1. a. 3. a. borne out of God for to raigne vppon the Earth / with Righteousnes 4. Therfore are wee likewyse / q Rom. 8. b. Ephe. 1. b. God 's Heyres with Christ our Sauiour / in all r Esa 33. a. Ephe. 1 b. 2. a. Col 1. c. 2. a. the Treasures and Ritches of his spirituall and heauenly Goodes / as free borne Children who do all s Ier. 31. d. â—1 Iohn 1 â— Hed 8. b. knowe God / from the Least to the Greatest vnto whom also / God hath â to a more Aboundance of his· Grace geeuen to t Math. 1â— d. 13. b. 1 Cor 2. b. Ephe 3. a. Col. 1. e. vnderstande the Secretnes of his Kingdom and of Christ and his secret Counsayle and Will / To th end that the true and perfect Beeing of God the Father· the Secretnes of the Kingdom of Christ· and the endles Ioye of the heauenly Delytfulnes and of the euerlasting Lyfe / shoulde â by vs be declared vppon the Earth / now in the last tyme. 5. Beholde thatt is the Brightnes of the vertuous Cleernes / which all the Children of God haue now / through the Loue. It is also the vpright Rest / which God hath v Heb. 4. b. kept or reserued for his Children / for to herite them therin in thissame last Tyme and it is likewyse / the vpright Righteousnes of the heauenly Trueth / against the which / the Worlde can do nothing neither can any Flesh / lett thesame in-any-wyse 6. For all the Darknesses Vnrestfulnes and all the Foolishnesses and Vnrighteousnesses of this Worlde / cannot x Act. 9. b. c. bring-to-nothing / God 's Light Rest nor his Righteousnes and Wisdom / which cometh ritchly and aboundantly vnto vs / through his Loue neither can likewyse all the false God-seruices chosen Holynesses of the Flesh nor the false Heartes of the Scripture-learned / y Mat. 16. c. destroy the vpright God-seruice â which cometh-to-pas with vs in the Spirit / through the Loue nor-yet our vpright Holynes which God esteemeth 7. Therfore are wee likewyse wel-at-quyet in our God and in the true Beeing of his vndisturbable Power / wherin all Myndes and Thoughtes z Psal. 15.24 â— Esa. 33. b. of pure Hearts / do liue and dwell For those Things wherof we speake and wherwith God illuminateth vs / are not vncertayne to our Consciences The IIII. Chap. WE confesse also out of a good Conscience / before God and before all those that desyre to heare vs in Humilitee that now in thissame Daye / it is altogether the Will and the Precept or Commaundement of God / a Esa 1. b. 55. a Ier. 7. a. c. 18. b. 25. a. 35. b. Eze. 18. c. Math. 3. a. Act 2.17 d that eueryone shoulde turne him from all his Vnrighteousnes and with a penitent Heart / giue his Vnderstanding captiue b 2. Cor. 10. â— vnder the Obedience of the Loue and euenso shoulde â vnder the Wings of the Loue leade an vpright Lyfe with vs Little and Electedones of God / both before God and Man wherby to inherite and possesse with Christ / for euermore â like Children c Rom 8. b. Ephe. 1 c. and Heyres of God all the heauenly Ritches of God our Father / through y e Loue. Haue a good regarde therunto 2. VEryly / This is now the Sounde of the last Trumpet d Ioel. 2. a. b. 1. Tess. 4. b. Apo 12. a. and the Trumpets-noyse of the righteous Iudgment of our God / which we do witnes in the Worlde before the Eares of all People and do publish it generally e Mat. 24. d. Apo. 14. b. in the Worlde / vnto all Louers of the Trueth / as a ioyfull Message 3. But if now we be not beleeued heerin / by reason of the Blyndnes of the People or because of their self chosen Holynes but much-rather resisted f Act. 7. f. 2. Pet. 2 b. Iude. 1 b. and blaspheamed / through the Disobedience g psal 95. a. Ier â— e. Heb 3. a. and Hardnes of their Heartes / What doth thatt concerne vs / God 's h Iohn 12. c. Iudgment goeth neuer-the-lesse ouer the Worlde for-al-thatt but to take-heede to thesame Iudgment and to haue a good regarde vnto the Sentences of his righteous Iudgment / thatt veryly doth concerne vs much For now in thissame Daye / it yeeldeth vnto vs eueryone / either the euerlasting Saluacion or the euerlasting Condemnacion 4. But let vs not therfore feare nor be dismayed For the Iudgment of God chauneth to all vs â Wee / which vnder the Obedience of the Loue / do beleeue Gods Trueth as likewyse all the Saincts of God to an euerlasting Ioye and Saluacion in the eternall Lyfe i Dan. 12. b. Mat. 25. c. Iohn 5. c. Rom. 2 a. but to the Vnbeleeuers and all Vngodlyones together with all erring Spirits or Children of the Deuill / to a perpetuall Condemnacion in the euerlasting Death among whom / the Flame of the hellish Fyre and the k Esa. â—6 c. Mark 9. â— Gnawing of the Worme of the euell Conscience / shall endure / euen for euer and euer It is verytrue 5. BVt though anyman now shoulde beleeue our Testimonyes of the true Spirit of Loue / which we do witnes with Courtesye / before all Consciences of Men and in the Beleefe â vnder the Obedience of the Loue shoulde be l Iohn 3. d. 6. c. 20. d. 1 Iohn 5 b. saued and shoulde therfore be protected from the last m Apo. 18. a. 20. c. Plagues of the Vngodly or be ridd ther-from / Yet is not thatsame then our Worke nor-yet his that beleeueth n 2. Cor 3. b. but the Worke of our God / in his righteous Iudgment 6. Therfore is the Beleefe / o Rom. 12. a. 1 Cor. 12. a. b Ephe. 2.4 a a Giâ—t of God wherwith God sheweth Mercy on vs and so draweth vs out of the Aboundance of our Darknesses / p 1. Pet. 2.
his Father and maketh his p Iohn 14 c â–ª Apo. â—1 a. Dwelling in vs. 12. Euenthus veryly with Patience doth Christ com before the Man â for his q Rom. â— a. 2. Cor. 12. â— Heb 5. â— Ignorance and Weaknes cause in the Ministration of the gracious Woord of God his Father and in thesame Patience / Hee â through his Seruice of Loue draweth the Man away from all that is vngodly and vnreasonable and wherunto he is bounde or wherwith he is bewitched / according to his earthly and manly Mynde 13. Beholde in this sort doth Christ â in the Obeying of the Requyring of the Seruice of his Loue r Oze 13. b. Rom. 8. a. 1. Cor. 15. f. Timo. 1. b. Heb. 2. b. 1 Iohn 3. b. breake all the Bandes of the Deuill and of the Self-myndednes of the Flesh and bringeth the beleeueing and obedient Man / to his spirituall and heauenly Mynde of the vpright Righteousnes according to the Mynde of God his Father and euenso â as the s 1. Tim. 2. a. Heb. 9. b. true Mediatour / to our Reconcilment with God the Father He putteth-away the t Esa. 59. a. Ephe. 2. b. Middle-wall betwixt God and Vs and procureth the Man / that he vniteth him with a good Will / with the Godhead u Iohn 17. c. and God / to an Vniting with the Manhod 14. BEholde and haue a good regard heerunto / my Beloued for euenthus as is rehearsed is x Rom. 5. a. the Peace and Reconciliation with God the Father / prepared for vs through Christ and so He maketh of Two / y Ephe. 2. b. that they be One. Namely the Godhead and the Manhod 15. But in the meane tyme that we do suffer with a Rom. 8. b. 2 Cor. 4. b. Phil. 3. b. 2. Timo. 2 b Christ / for the Sinnes cause and do dayly take our b Math. 16. c. Luk. 14. c. Crosse vppon vs / with Him / So do-ther yet dayly nodout / many Temptations meet with vs / through the Vnbeleefe of the earthly Man and we do stumble or fall and do sinne also yet somtymes / by reason of our Ignorance and Weaknes Which Sinne we do not then committ in the Father / but c Math. 12. d. in the Sonne But if we be good of Will and continue stedfast therin / then is the Sinne d Act. 10. â—â— forgeeuen vs / through his Name 16. For inasmuch as He himself beareth in vs our Sinnes / therfore hath He e Heb. 5. a. Compassion with our Weaknes and suffereth likewyse with vs / in the Beleefe till that all the Contrary-beeing that is agaynst the vpright Beeing of God the Father / be ouercom through the Beleefe / in the Like-suffering with Christ / f Rom. 6. a. Phil 2. a. of the Death of the Crosse and that Christ with his Father / haue gotten g 1 Cor. 15. c. the Dominion against the Sinne. Which Crosse or Suffering of Christ / is the Alter of the Offering of Christ / h Heb. 9. b. c. 10. a. b. in the Holy wheron our Sinnes be offered-vpp / through the Offering of Christ / as a Sinne-offering Death-offering and Debt-offering Through which Offering of Christ â wherin we do obediently follow-after i 1. Pet. 2. Him / till vnto the second Birth from the Death we be k 2. Cor. 3. b. Ephe 1. a. 2. b Col. b. Heb. 9. b. â— sprinckled with his Blood of the true Testament to the Forgiuenes of Sinnes and to an euerlasting Reconcilment with God the Father / through Fayth and thatsame is the Fulfilling of the true God-seruice in the Holy 17. Through which Fulfilling of the foregoing Seruice in the Holy / the godly Vnderstanding l 1. Cor. 13. b. Ephe. 4. b. of the true Age of the manly Beeing of Iesu Christ / is inherited by vs· m 2. Cor. 3. b the Vayle before the Mostholy / put-away from vs· and the n Esa. 16. c. Heb. 1. b. 5. a. Mercie-seate / vncouered and declared vnto vs and likewyse all the costly o Col 2. a. Ritches of the vpright spirituall and heauenly Goodes / in the verytrue Mostholy 18. When-as we now are thus renewed p Rom. 12. a. Ephe. 1. b. in Iesu Christ / through Fayth· also com to thesame q Ephe. 4. b. Age of the Man Christ· and becom one Body with Iesu Christ / so is God the Father then likewyse / r EPhe. 2. b one-substance or manned with vs / through Christ and s 1. Cor. 15. c. is all in all and we haue the t 2. Cor. 1. c. Paune of his Inheritance namely the holy Gost / wherwith we be grounded sealed and established u Ephe. 3. d. in God / through Iesus Christ. And all thatt godly Beeing â euenas we haue witnessed before of God the Father doth then liue substancially in vs and so we haue our x 1. Iohn 1. â— Fellowshipp with God the Father and with his Sonne Ø›the Lorde Iesu Christ in the euerlasting Lyfe wherin our Ioye is perfect 19. BEholde Thatt is the true Ioyfulnes with Christ / which we do inherit in the Kingdom of God his Father and do knowe nomore of the Sinne. For in that we are deadd / y Rom. 6. b. that are we deadd vnto the Sinne. and in that we liue / that liue we vnto God / in Iesu Christ and so haue a good and quyet Conscience / through Iesus Christ / in his Dominion ouer the Sinne and Death 20. Which Dominion of Christ and z Luk. 16 c. Kingdom of God / is as-then com inwardly into vs and it is with vs in all poyntes / one God / in one Beeing namely / the Father the Sonne the holy Gost / with the Manhod / in all Loue. And thatt is the Lyfe and Peace and the * Gen. 21. a Rom. 4. b. Gal. 3. b. c. Seede of Promyse to the Bleessing of all Generations of the Earth The VI. Chap. MY Beloued Thissame euenas I haue heere witnessed vnto thee is the right Mediation of Iesu Christ / inwardly in vs to our Safe-making and Reconciliation a Rom. 3. c. 2. Cor. 5. c. Col. 1. c. 1. Iohn 2. b. with God the Father wherthrough also Christ is an b Heb. 1. a. Heyre of all Things and God / all c 1. Cor. 15. c in all It is verytrue 2. And with this Instruction out of the heauenly Trueth / do I hartely salute thee in the Lorde d Ephe. 4. a. to an Vnitee of Heart in y e Loue and looke thou with spirituall Eyes of a pure Heart / into the Grounde of thatt wherof I wryte vnto thee / To th end that thou mayst comprehende the secret Vnderstanding of the spirituall and holy Knowledg / wherof I wryte vnto thee and let thyne Vnderstanding awake / to the Loue and to her Seruice 5. I
to thesame Loue of God the Father and likewyse to the seruice of my Neighbour and that altogether to thesame Loue. 2. But seing the Tymes are now perillous â my Beloued and that ther are also many Harmes to be feared to ensue / if one shoulde minister the Woord of Lyfe vnto anyman vnforesightfully / Therfore doth it oftentymes seeme perillous vnto vs / to handle to speake or to wryte of the Woord of Lyfe and of his seâ—ret Clernes / before eueryone that woulde desyre it For it is not euerymans Matter / to comprehend thesame in his Cleernes or Secretnes but a Math. 12.13 c. 1 Cor. 1.2 a Theirs / whose Hearts be b Iohn 6. â— stirred-vp â by God to a Deuont-meditation of the Woord and his Righteousnes and haue intended Loue and Peace 3. For which Causes / we deale with godly Care / in the Seruice of our Neighbour and are likewyse to consider / what is most-profitable or necessary to be adminisâ—red vnto eueryone / out of the Seruice of the gracious Woord / to th end that he mought by that meanes â without doing him any Harme be furthered to the good and vpright Knowledg of the true godly Things / through som Seruice shewed towards him by vs according to that Estrainging wherin he standeth comprehended but cheefly towards those that with feruencie of Heart / desyre or seeke any Information at our Handes 4. And seing that we â through the Light do beholde the many-maner of Perils in this Matter as that it is hurtfull vnto Many / to reueale the Secretnes of God vnto them / therfore do not we open the Iewels of the Secretnes of God or the Secretnes of all godly Things / vnaduisedly or vnforesightfully / before eueryone 5. And although likewyse / that many are our Freendes / who also nodout woulde gladly knowe the Fulnes of the Instruction of all Things / yet do not wee oftentymes follow their Will for-al-that / in our Seruice which we shewe on them out of Loue but do deale with them / in Longsufferance and with great Carefulnes / c 1. Tess. 2. â— like-vnto a Moother / with her Children for to be seruiceable vnto them in thatt which is most profitable or needfull for them For thatt which the one can abyde / the other cannot and thatt wherby one farethwell and wherthrouh he is amended / therby mought another fare euell and be made worse therthrough 6. NOw mought som man saye One shoulde not of right hyde anything from the Freendes For ther-is sayde for a Prouerbe One ought not to lock-vpp any Bread from the Freendes 7. It is true It shoulde be so indeede / if the Stomacks were eueryone so sounde that they coulde endure the Bread in them or were accustomed to the Taste of Bread 8. But seing now that we do perceaue by Experience / that many Stomacks are not accustomed vnto Bread and for-that-cause growe soone d Iohn 6. offended / through the e 1. Cor 3. a. Heb. 5. b strong Foode of Bread and that Many of them likewyse / haue receaued or taken no Bread into them for a certen-tyme / to a Foode of Lyfe but haue swallowed-in somwhat heere-and-thear / out of the Wildernes / in the Darknes / Therfore are also the Stomacks generally defyled / by the Multytude of strainge Meates and Mens Complexion growen very weake and tender and cannot therfore f Iohn 16. b. 1. Cor. 3. a Heb. 5. b. endure the Bread of the liueing Woord cheefly / because they are nourished-vp with so many-maner of strainge Meates â in the Darke in the Wildernes By meanes wherof / their Stomacks haue corrupted their right State serueing to the Taste of Bread so that they haue no Hunger nor Lust at-all / to g Num. 21. b the Bread of the liueing Woord· neither-yet any sweete Taste in thesame For their Lust standeth alwayes bent towards thatt wherunto their Tastes are accustomed 9. And thatsame is likewyse the Cause / why the secret Bread of the holy Woord / doth not oftentymes serue for eueryones Stomack 10. For one may fynde many Men / for whom it is much more profitable and better at-the-first / to receaue good Medecine out of the holy Woord / for their vnsounde Stomacks cause then any strong Meate / to th end that their Stomacks mought be cleansed therby· and accustomed vnto Bread agayne 11. Whosoeuer then is com alittle vnto Health and is yet but weake and tender / to him ther serueth nothing-els at the first / but to receaue Hony h 1. Cor. 3. a Heb. â— b. 1. Pet. 1. a and Milke / out of the holy Woord to a Sustayning of him in his Weaknes For he cannot as-yet endure strong Meate 12. But when Strength cometh vnto him and that he can beare the Weaknes of his Neighbour / so doth it then serue him very-well / to receaue of the â—ecâ—et Bread of the holy Woord / for a Foode of the strong Lyfe / that he may yet growe stronger· and haue the i Iohn 10. a. Lyfe in Fulnes and that nothing may hurt k Mâ—r. 16. b Luk. 10. â— nor lett him for to liue The II. Chap. THis wryte I vnto thee â my Beloued because thou shouldest not stumble or growe-offended at our Littlenes or Childishnes nor at the Seeming of our Foolishnes / in the Ministration of the holy Woord nor-yet at our mostholy Seruice of Loue / because it is a 1. Cor. 1. b. â— playne· and not according to the Course of the Wisdom of this Worlde· nor of the Scripture-learned 2. Notwithstanding although our Seruice of Loue be playne / yet is it vnto vs / a godly Seruice in the Woord of Lyfe Which Seruice / wee â out of Courtesie b 2. Cor. 4. a. Tit. 3. a and a good Conscience do minister in the Woord of Lyfe â–ª vnder the Obedience of the Loue to eueryones Welfare and Health of his Soule namely c 1. Cor â–ª 1. b. c vnto all and ouer all those that beleeue theron 3. For truly in all this our mostholy Seruice of Loue / we do not follow-after the Wyâ—e of the Worlde / in their Wisdom nor-yet the high-bosting Scripture-learned / in their Knowledg nor any Chosen-spiritualtee / in their Holynes nor any taken-on God-seruices / in their Controuersie but we witnes the Wisdom that auayleth before God which seemeth to be a d 1. Cor. â— b Foolishnes before their Eyes / and do make-manifest the vpright Righteousnes and Holynes which God esteemeth which seemeth before the Eyes of the Worlde and before all her Hipocrits fayned Holyons and Scripture-learned / to be e Esa. 15. â— Sâ—p 2. b. 5. â— nothing but Sinne Vnrighteousnes or Seduceing 4. For in all thissame / all Hipocrites fayned Holyons and Wyse or Scripture-learned ones of the Worlde / haue â through the Bewitching of their Hearts accounted the Darknes / f Esa 5 c. 5â— â— 59. b
for Light and the Light / for Darknes / and grounded all thier Vnderstanding / vppon their Knowledg / in the Darknes and so haue intangled themselues in many-maner of Prudencies / through their owne Knowledg and brought the whole Worlde euery-wheare / into so many erring Blyndnesses in-such-sort that for-that-â—auâ—e / all Vnderstanding of Men / hath corrupted g Gen. 6. â— his Waye euen-like as all Flesh did / in the tyme of Noe. Therfore is also their Destruction com hard-by 5. And seing now that we haue founde-out in the Deede and Trueth / that all manly Vnderstanding hath corrupted his Waye in the Knowledg / So do we likewyse â through the Light of the eternall Trueth beholde a great Wo and Greefe among Many h Ezâ— 7. b Luk 19. â—â— â— the which is coming euerywhear ouer the Children of Men. And thatt is the great Destruction ouer the manly Generacion / in the Last tyme. 6. For the Destruction hath taken-holde of them and shall make-vp itself to a Destruction among them and fall vppon them all speedely namely because that their noble Vnderstanding / hath forsaken Deâ—t 32. â— the liueing Beeing of God· and intangled itself with so many-kyndes of ignorant Knowledg or Good-thinking so that the Children of Men haue therthrough / plucked k Iâ—â— 23. f. g a heauy Burden vppon their owne Necks / to their Destruction Which Burden also / they shall not be able to beare nor accomplish but must perish therin 7. Heerwithal goeth the Man burthened combered and greeued / and cannot fynde the l Math. 11. d Refreshing of his Soule / in the Knowledg of his corrupt Vnderstanding although he notwithstanding seeketh it therin He thinketh to fynde the Lyfe / in the Knowledg of his corrupt Vnderstanding but thesame Knowledg / m Gen 3. a is nothing-els but to a Death and Condemnation vnto him But the Lyfe in the Loue / is the Saluation and Peace 8. Seing now that the Worlde standeth comprehended n 1. Iohn 5. c. in the Destruction of the ignorant Knowledg the which she doth neither see nor marke / so is therfore the Affection of our Heart / ouer all thoâ—e and vnto all those / which do see or knowe the Destruction ouer themselues and which desyre our Seruice / to theobtayning of a godly Knowledg / wherby to be partakers o 2. Pet â–ª 1. â— of the godly Beeing of the Loue and which seeke their Preseruation with vs / in the Loue. 9. For vnto those afflicted Hearts / do we shewe our Seruice p 2. Cor. â— â— â–ª Tit. 3. a courteously / witnessing vnto them / the Passage to the Lyfe Wherwith we do meete or com-before them with a good Conscience against their corrupt Vnderstanding or euell Conscience and so do reacheout the Hande vnto them / to a Guyding of them into our Comunialtee of Loue and of the good Vnderstanding / To th end that they mought therby / be drawen out of the damnablâ— q Esa 47. â— Apo 1â— b Plagues of the vnbeleeueing and insensible Worlde· and to an Health in their Soules / wherby to serue and to liue-vnto our r Luk. 1. g God â with Them concordably / vnder the Obedience of the Loue â with a cleane or vndefyled Conscience in all Loue / as being free or vnbounde from all Diuisions or Schysmes and vnbewitched from all chosen and counterfeyt God-seruices and false Holynesses The III. Chap. BEholde â my Beloued this haue I written for the Answering of thy Letter / as meeting with thee and giueing thee to vnderstande therwithal / how erring-blynde the Children of Men are growne in these last Tymes Not only the Worlde / that liueth in Wyldnes and in Bruitish-sort but cheefly / those that haue chosen them som God-seruices Righteousnesses and Holynesses / through the Knowledg of their â—wne corrupt Vnderstanding or haue counterfeited them according to the Prefiguration of the Letter wherthrough Many of them haue made vnto themselues / a wicked and naughty Conscience by the which / they suffer themselues to be iudged / out of the Darknes and so do a Isa. 2. a Iâ—r â— b feare and serue those Gods which they themselues haue made 2. And although they be somtymes rebuked by their euell and darke Conscience / yet be not the Darknesses made-manifest in them for-al-that neither becom they also any Light For they cannot / because that their euell and darke Conscience although it be esteemed for Light and Trueth is Darknes and Lyes itself Therfore it is a certayne Testiâ—ony / that such a Conscience is vntrue / and doth neither iudg right nor rebuke to Amendment 3. But God b Iohn 1. a. 5. c. 14. a which is the Light and Lyfe itself / is much greater c 1. Iohn 3. c in Power / then the darke Conscience For He himself / doth â thorough his Light and Seruice of Loue seperate in vs / the Light / d 2. Cor. 4. a from the Darknesses and so e Iohn 17 c. sainctifyeth his Name / in vs and sheweth that He himself / is the Lorde and the right f 2. Tim. 4. b Aâ—â— â–ª 10. f and true Iudg / in our Consciences 4. Therfore shoulde not the Man take any Iudgment vpon him / out of his darke Vnderstanding or euell Conscience although the euell Conscience wil seeme to execute the Iudgment / out of the Darknesses But alwayes to long after som better thing and to sett the Comfort of his Hope g Rom. 15. a. vppon thatt which God hath promysed namely vppon the Light of Lyfe / administred in the Seruice of Loue / for that he mought euen so by the God of Lyfe â h Ephe. 1. a whose Hand-worke he is be accepted and receaued in the Seruice of Loue / to a Nourtering with Righteousnes and so mought â to his Saluation take-heede to the Rebuke and to the nourterable Information / ministred by the Light namely through the Seruice of the holy Woord / vnder the Obedience of the Loue. For in that sort doth God rebuke and i Pro. 3. b Heb. 12. a nourter euery Sonne / whom He accepteth or receaueth 5. Whatsoeuer then is so rebuked by the k Iohn 3. c Ephe 5. b Light thatt is manifest and whatsoeuer is manifest thatt is Light and we vnderstande or knowe / that the Rebuke by the Day-light of the Righteousnes of God / is very profitable and good for vs / to Amendment and to Saluation 6. For God l Deut 32. d 1. Reg. 2. a Sap. 16 b Tob. 13 a killeth and maketh alyue agayne / because He woulde euenso by his Killing / depryue the m 1 Cor. 15. f 2. Timo 1. b Heb. 2 b Death of her Power 7. He leadeth into Hell n 1. Reg. 2. a Tob. 1â— â— and leadeth therout agayne / because He woulde euenso / rende the Kingdom of Hell· and depryue the Hell of
Death / vnder the Obedience of the Loue. 9. And wee which be in-that-sort planted into Christ / with the like Death / do wayte for Him to com p Rom. 8. b Tit. 2. a with a Gloryousnes of Lyfe / ouer the Death / wherby to make vs â which suffer with Him alyue q Rom. 6.8 2. Tim. 2. b. with Him likewyse namely in the Appeering of his Coming / to the Renewing of our Lyfe / For to inherite euenso in the Resurrection r Iohn 3. a. Rom. 6. a 1. Cor. 15. e. f Phil 3. b Col. 2. b. out of the seconde Birth from the Death / a sure Confession of the Resurrection of Christ / to our Iustifycation and to raigne with Him for euer in the heauenly Beeing namely / ouer Sinne Death and Hell / and ouer all the Enemyes of the Lyfe And thatt is the Gospel of the Kingdom s Math. 28. c Mar. 16. b Rom. 10. b. Apo. 14. which is published in all the Worlde / now in the last tyme according to the Promyses The V. Chap. FArdermore â my Beloued thou wrytest vnto me / that the Hell in processe of tyme / vanisheth-away in thee but the Hauen cometh not agayne in the Plâ—ace of the Hell In which state as thou wrytest thou canst not well somtymes stand submitted and yet of-right-it ought to be so like-as thou perswadest thyself or rememberest / that thou shouldest haue learned and vnderstood it so of mee 2. For which Cause sake / thou makest an hearty Request vnto me â by Wryting to informe thee therof and demaundest of me therwith and deâ—yerest an Answer ther-vpon / how I haue behaued myself in the Passing-ouer or Wading-thorow thesame for that thou moughtest likewyse follow-after mee 3. Veryly I cannot answere thee according to thy Request / how I haue alwayes behaued myself / in the Making-vp of the euell Conscience and erring Ignorance in the Darknesses But to shew-forth a Heb. 10. c Iam. 5. Patience / in our Affliction thatt is profitable and good for vs all and to haue a firme Hope vpon God / in our Tryall or Temptation 4. For veryly / the Tyme cometh and is com / that the Iudgments of the euell Conscience / shall all be seene and knowen / for Darknesses and not for Light· for Lyes / and not for Trueth In like-maner / it shall also be seene and knowen / that the Hell b Sap. 1 b. and Condemnation â which ryseth out of the vnmeasurable lying Beeing or maketh-vp itself ther-out are all Lyes and corruptible For none of all these euell Things / wherwith the Man is c Sap. 11. b punished in Darknes â for his Sinnes cause hath God d Sap. 1 b. made Therfore it is all / Death and Lyes / whatsoeuer is not Hee himself neither-yet that Hee hath made For all what God hath made / e Gen. 1 a. Sap. 1 b Eccli 40. a is good and is euerywhitt / Lyfe and Trueth to the Blessing and Ioye of the Man 5. But if-â—o-be now that thou doest not knowe or see all these euell Things â which do tempt or besett the Man to be Lyes and Darknesses / then art thou yet much-to-weake / for one to talke anything with thee of the Trueth and as-yet to-ignorant of the Trueth / for to vnderstand anything therof or to comprehende anything of the Light of Lyfe 6. But seing that these euell Things â which are all Lyes and Darknes do captiue vs and bewitch our Hearts and that we haue accounted of them to be somwhat / therfore haue they brought vs to Suffering and Greefe and do likewyse seeme vnto vs to be somwhat / so long as we do beleeue the Lyes and Darknesses But in this Tribulation and Heauynes â in the tyme of our Temptation let vs shewforth f Eccli 2. â— Iam. 5. a Patience / in the Hope of Deliuerance And thatt is it wherof I haue comoned with thee But not so playnly as I do now wryte thesame vnto thee 7. Now for to be altogether deliuered g Iohn â— Rom. 7.8 b or made-free from these euell Thinges / which are risen-vp in thee and haue captiued thee / for that thy Soule may escape the Perills / into the which she is brought / through thy defyled Conscience / So is-ther nothing more profitable or furdersom for thee to the Lyfe / then that thou shouldest forsake the dark Obiect / vnder whom thyne Vnderstanding hath stoode captiue the which thou hast beleeued / to the Wounding of thy Soule and so â giueing thyne Vnderstanding wholly and altogether h 2. Cor. 10. â— captiue vnder the Obedience of the Loue shouldest only heare beleeue and be obedient to the true vndeceaueable Light and i Pro. 4. a. 5 â–ª aâ— to the Counsaile and Seruice of the holy Spirit of Loue and so shouldest in thy Spirit / k 2. Pet. 1. c. take-heede to the Light of Grace euenas thesame is now in the last tyme / reuealed vnto vs / in the Woord of Lyfe â vnder the Obedience of the Loue out of the heauenly Trueth / To th end that thou mayest be renewed in thyne Vnderstanding / to a good Knowledg and so mayest with a good Conscience / cleaâ—e only to the Seruice of Loue hearing nomore nor beleeueing anything / wher-with thou wart before-tyme bewitched in the Knowledg 8. When thou hast forsaken l Math 10.16 c Luk. 9.14 c all thissame / according to this maner wherby to giue eare and credite â wich an humble Heart to the vncorrupt Loue in her Seruice and to be obedient therunto / so haue then a good regarde vnto the m Math. 24. c 1. Cor. 15. f. 1. Tess. 4. c Noyse or Sounde of thesame Trump namely vnto the Seruice of Loue and vnto the first Entraunce into his Doctrine and Requyring To th end that thou mayest euenso vnderstande in thissame Daye of Loue / the Distinction of this last Trump and what is requyred therby 9 For this Daye or Light of Loue / is the Daye which God hath appoynted or ordayned on the n Act. 17. d. which He wil iudg the Circuite of the Earth / with Righteousnes / because that in thesame mostholy Daye of Loue / it may o Act. 3. c. all be restored agayne / what God hath spoken by the Mouth of all his Prophets / from the Begining of the Worlde 10. In which mostholy Daye of Loue / all Soules â which in the Obedience of the Seruice of Loue / do p Math. 5 a hunger and thirst after the vpright and pure Beeing of the Loue shall obtayne their Saluation and Health and all Vnderstandings â which giue themselues captiue â–ª q 2. Cor. 10. â— ther-vnder and which do not harken nor aske after anything-els shal be healed and made-sounde / touching the r Gen. 3 Sap. 16 b But of the destroying Knowledg of Adam and be brought to the Vnderstanding of
b. vnto himself into his Loue â–ª that euerlasting vnchaingable Lightâ— 7. Beholde euenthus in his Loue / doth the Lorde accepe vs q 2 Cor. 6. b. for his Sonnes and Daughters for his Seruants and Hand-maydens and leadeth vs with his Right-hande / into the Daye of the true Light of his heauenly Cleernes / for to power-out his holy Spirit r Esa. 44 a. Eze. 36. c. Ioel. 2. c. Act. 2. b. vppon vs / in thesame Daye according to the Promyses / To th end that it may all be Luk. 24. c. accomplished / whatsoeuer is written of the Righteousnes of our God / in the Lawe of Moses in the Prophets and in the Gospel of Christ. The V. Chap. O Thou Beloued Consider well of this holy Vnderstanding / which is witnessed and held-forth vnto thee / out of the Seruice of Loue and then if Mercy be shewed on thee by God as that He openeth the Doore of Vnderstanding vnto thee and that thou â vnder the Obedience of the Loue doest see-into the true Beeing / wheron we witnes / then shal-ther also an vpright Sorrow a 2. Cor. 7. b. 1. peâ— 2. b. for thy Sinnes cause / be founde in thee namely most-cheefly for the Resistance and Blaspheamy / wherwith thou hast â with many euell Imaginacions spoken against the Loue and her vpright Seruice· and b Rom 16. b. Cal. 1. a. 3. a 6 b. quayled other moe single Hearts· and made them wauering in the Beleefe towards the Loue so that they likewyse â through thy Blaspheaming are becom captiued with euell Imaginacions towards our godly Seruice of Loue and the Ministers of thesame and so haue likewyse â by reason of thy Resistance and Blaspheamy dispised y e Seruice of the holy Woord vnder the Obedience of the Loue. and euenso haue much-more commended the false Testimonyes of the good-thinking Wyseones and the Institucions of the wicked Worlde because they mought hyde themselues and walke couered ther-vnder / with their euell Consciences then the true Light and the vpright Doctrine of the Seruice of Loue before the which / the Heartes of Men must appeere c Iohn â— c. Ephe. 5. b. and becom manifest vncouered or naked / if they wil be saued 2. But seing now that ther-is an vpright Doctrine and Order among vs which is not according to the Order of the wicked Worlde and that wee â by Gods Grace haue obtayned a greater and more-godly Light / then is among the worldly Wyse and her Scripture-learnedones / Therfore also be all those which are mynded against thesame / manifest vnto vs / in their crafâ—y Hearts and that they are wicked or euell of Nature or Disposition / and not good and how that they do in all respects / seeke and loue their Selfnes or thatt which concerneth the Flesh. and d Phil. 2. c. not the Lorde nor his vpright Beeing of Loue. 3. Because of which Craftynes and Dissimulation of the People wherwith they think to couer their Wickednes we must oftentymes be blaspheamed· and iudged for Euel-dooers and e 2. Cor. 6. â— Seducers of Men. But veryly / they cannot couer their Wickednes and Craftynes therwith / before vs but they becom so-much-the-more manifest / what they are and by what Spirit they are directed 4. But although now it be manifest / that all lying Flesh / vnder a Cullour of Vertue and of Seemly-maner â wherwith it couereth his wicked Nature hath alwayes sought his owne f Iohn 5. c. Honour And although that it be brought-to-shame therin / with his Wickednes â which ryseth-vp in itself / against our vndeceaueable Seruice of Loue and must acknowledg in his Heart / that the vpright Beeing of the Loue / is the g Math. 22. d Mark 12. d. Rom. 13. b. 1. Gor 13 Gal. 5. b. 1. Timo. 1. a Verytrue / Yet is notwithstanding / the lying Flesh of Sinne â or the good-thinking Man with his wicked and peruerse Nature / still so desperous of Honour in himself / that he woulde much-rather blaspheame the good Beeing of the Loue and reiect or condemne it for euell / then to iudg or to confesse his owne Wickednes / for euell 5. And with such an euell Conscience doth the Man oftentymes / blaspheame or iudg h Pro 17.24 c Esa. 5. c. the Light / for Darknes y e Right / for Wrong and the Good / for Euell and the vpright Ministers of the holy Woord of Iesu Christ / i 2. Cor. 6. a. for Seducers / wherby to defende his owne Euell therwith / as Good and to excuse himself k Math 6. a. 23. a. before Men / as to haue Right on his syde 6. But all this do Wee endure with Long-sufferance and do not desyre to reuendge ourselues on anyman but do giue-ouer the Reuendgment l Deut 32. d. Rom. 12 b Heb. 1â— d. to the Lorde who m Ier. 17. d. Math. 16. c Rom. 2.14 b. rewardeth eueryone according to his Workes 7. For thatt God before whom we stande / doth recompence eueryone his Euel-deedes / n Sap. 11.12 c with his owne Wickednes / that doth arrogantly set-vp himself against vs. And euenso is now in this Daye of Loue / eueryone that imagineth and practiseth Euell or Mischeef towards vs / rewarded agayne with his owne Euell and Mischeef And beareing his o Gal. 6. â— owne Burden therin / from the Hande of the Lorde he must be vexed and punished by his owne Wickednes / till that he acknowledg himself giltye and turneth him to the Obedience of the Loue. In whose Seruice / the Forgiuenes of Sinnes and a good and quyet Conscience is obtayned / through the Loue. The VI. Chap. ALthough I wryte vnto thee of these things / thou Beloued / yet do I not wryte thesame to any such ende / as to retayne anything of all â—hat which was don or sayde by thee or through thee in tymes-past / against vs and our mostholy Seruice of Loue / to vpbrayde thee therwith but for that thou shouldest knowe wherin the Health a Math. 11. e of thy Soule shal be founde and with what-maner of Assistance or Helpfulnes / I desyre to help thee in thy Extrâ—mitee and Misery wherof thou bewaylest thyself vnto me / to th end I shoulde shewe thee som Helpfulnes Out of which Extremitee and Misery â wher-into thou hast brought thyself thou art not to be ridd / except thou hast first knowen and perceaued all thy Sinnes b Math. 3. a. Luk. 3. b. and borne Sorrow· and performed a right Confession and Repentance for thesame 2. But that which I do heere rehearse vnto thee / I rehearse it not to any euell intent but to thy Amendment For I desyre not to retayne any euell Opinion towards thee nor anyman-els / for all what is c Math. 16. b. don or spoken against vs. But this is all my Desyre / that-ther may a true d 2. Cor.