openeth it self asunder when the foregoing service in the (e) Heb 9 c holy is accomplished 2. For the vail before the most holy cleerness of the Godly being of Jesus Christ and before his spiritual and heavenly goods departeth not away from before the cleerness of the most holy (d) Heb. 7 8 9.10 unless that the former God service in the holy have first his full course the which is the accomplishment of the daily God-service in the holy in the (e) Mat. 16. Luk. 9. c taking up of our Cross in the willing obedience to the belief for to continue therein obediently till (f) Mat. 10 2â— unto the end that is till unto the (g) Rom. 6. a Phil. 2. b. death of the Cross 3. Which death of the Cross of Christ and to be implanted or incorporated into Christ with the same like death and so (h) Rom. 6. a Col. 2. b. baptised or washed into his death is verily the (i) Math. 28. Mar. 16 b upright Baptism unto salvation wherein the man is rightly baptised or washed according to the truth of the holy Scriptures and so then (k) Rom. 6. a out of the same death regenerate (l) Ioh. 3. b or born again as a new Creature in Jesus Christ 4. For that the same (m) Tit. 3 b 1 Pet. 3. c baptism is the right font of regeneration serving to the washing away of the sin wherethrough the believing man who doth with Christ according to the flesh lay away mortifie and (n) Rom. 6. a Col. 2. c. 3. a bury the sin in the flesh is made alive again with Christ and also according to the spirit in upright (o) Luk 14. Eph. 1. a. 4. b righteousness and holyness and so through the second birth from the death or the resurrection of Christ he becometh holy and altogether renewed in the spirit of his inward mind and the (p) Act. 2. b. holy Ghost poured upon him in whom Christ also with the cleerness of his Godly being getteth (q) 2 Cor. 4. a Gal. 4. a a shape or form By the high priest Iesus Christ the new and liuing way is prepared for us through the â—imple that is to say his flesh Heb 10 5. And that same verily is (r) 1 Co. 13. b. 2 Cor. 3. b the cleerness of the true being and of the holy spirit of Jesus Christ where through one beholdeth and inheriteth in the spirit the Love in her vertuous nature that most holy as likewise the fulness of the riches of God the Father in the heavenly being or essential form 6. Behold and consider that is the true (s) Ioh. 11. c resurrection from the death according to the Scripture (t) Ioh. 17. a through the which the living God of heaven and his Christ is known according to the Spirit and Truth 7 It is true the (u) 1 Cor. 15. c. same is sown in the mortality and it riseth up in the immortality And God giveth it a body after his own pleasure and that of the seed of his own body 8. See that is the everlasting life against the death And the (x) Eze. 13. b 1 Cor. 15. f Heb. 2. b conquest or victory against the Hell and against all the enemies of the life whereby all those that follow after Christ have or possess that life and (y) Ioh. 10. b that in fulness 9. That is verily the (z) Heb. 3.4 a. Rest of life which God hath reserved or kept and is left in store for the children of God as a perpetual inheritance in the last time according to the Promises The fifteenth Chapter THE true most holy of the inward Tabernacle or Sanctuary of God is the Love for that (a) Rom. 13. Col. 3. b is the perfection (b) Rom. 6. a the incorporating into God in the spirit the (c) Ioh. 17. everlasting life (d) Col. 2. b and the fulness of all the riches of God 2. If one now be not (e) Ioh. 1. a born anew then can he not see the Kingdom of God Ioh. 3. 3. Therefore if there be a new (f) 1 Pet. 2. a Gal. 6. c creature in Christ then is the old (g) Isa 43. c Apo. 21. perished or worn out behold it is all become new but that altogether of God who (h) Col. 1. b hath reconciled us with himself through Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 5. 4. The Lord our Almighty God hath gotten (i) Apo 12. the Kingdom let us rejoyce and be glad and give (k) Ioh. 9. him the honour for the marriage of the Lamb is come and his bride hath made her ready and it is granted unto her to cloath her self with white glistering silk and the silk is the Justification of the Saints Apo. 19. 5. The Members or Commonalty of the body of Christ in the love which are (l) Act. 2. Rom 8. b Eph. 1.4 c sealed with Christ in the true being through the spirit of Love is (m) Apo. 21. a living Tabernacle of God wherein God liveth and worketh In the which the fore-front the holy and the most holy is revealed or made known according to the spirit 6. In which true Tabernacle of God also the (n) Deut. 32. song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb is sung and it soundeth even thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 EMÌ„ANVEL God and Man Loue The everlasting life the perfection in the service of the holy gratious word vnder the obedienâ— of the Love God with the man is vnited the man with the God head namely in the everlasting mind being all with God 〈◊〉 christ it is of one being with the man all what is manly be it the being will mind is then minded w th the God head so it is all one God the man one being one will one thought or spirit one hart one everlasting life Behold here the tabernacle of God is in men hee shall live in them they shal be his people hâ—e himselfe shal be with them for he is their God Apoca 21 the Kingdom of God shall not cvm with outward shew men shall not say Behold here or there it is for behold the Kingdom of God is inwardly in you Luke 17 this saith the Truth of God who loveth mee he shall keepe my words and my father shall love him and wee shall come to him and make an habitation in him John 14 7. Great and wonderful are thy Works Lord (o) Ier. 10. a thou Almighty God righteous and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints Lord who should not fear thee and praise thy name for thou only (p) Levit. 19. art holy Apo. 15. 8. Consider now how that the mans knowledge is but (q) 1 Cor. 13 a peice-work or a thing unperfect the which among those that do yet remain divided or as broken off is
4. b a shape in him as a Kingdom of God or of Christ which is the upright being or real form it self full of all Love 13. Till unto this same day namely till that the light of life as a true being an upright righteousness be come unto the man doth the daily God-service for the sins cause endure in the holy so long also (r) 1 Co. 3. b remaineth the vail before the most holy namely till the holy be performed or ministred in his full course of ministration with upright daily oblations which are acceptable unto God 14. But this daily offering or gift which the man is Debtor to offer in the holy or that wherein God hath a pleasure is not alone the outward for God hath (s) Ps 40.50 never willed nor required the same without the good will of the heart 15. Therefore it is a spiritual offering proceeding out of (t) Psal 11. c Isa 57.66 a lowly and humble heart and the beginning of the same upright offering soundeth even thus in every man that is good-willing towards God and towards his righteousness 16. O God I come and have a lust to (u) Psa 40. a Heb. 10. a do thy will 17. Now when the man findeth himself thus minded and desireth to enter into the service of Love and his requiring in this sort is his heart prepared and altogether become willing to (x) Mat. 16. c Luk 9.14 c take up his Cross and obediently to follow after the (y) 1 Pet. 2. c crucified and killed Jesus Christ in the belief under the obedience of his love till unto his death even the death of the Cross (z) Rom. 6. Col. 2. b. and to be baptized into the same death whereby to enter even so into the life out of the deadly sin (a) Ioh. 3. a Rom. 6.8 b 2 Cor. 4. through the second birth from death Wherethrough he is likewise made free The true holy of the holy and true Tabernacle of God is the belief tending to the mortifying of the sin in the after following of Christ till unto the second birth from the death the which is the willing obedience of the belief which holy and his service or obedience in the belief wherein the death of the sin cometh to pass is the very true holy and the right difference between the most holy and the fore-front or delivered from all choosing of this or that according to his own will or pleasure saying with his whole heart 18. O GOD (b) Act. 9 a WHAT wilt thou have me to do 19. Behold in such a mind intent or inclination to the obedience of the belief and to continue (c) Eccl. 2. a Math. 24. â— stedfast therein till unto the death and to the new birth from the death consisteth the mans conversion to his God and he becometh so clean turned about from his selfness that he is like unto (d) Mat. 18. a 1 Pet. 2. a a new born babe that hath no manner of self-wisdom or self-willedness but that liveth only that life that is given and brought unto him by God In such a manner is the man meet also to come into the Kingdom (e) Ioh. 3 a of God to enter thereinto 20. But behold with such a heart and mind cometh the man unto the (f) Deut. 6.10 b. 1 King 15. true obedience which God regardeth And so through Faith he goeth out of all deadly corruption or perdition and cometh into the life of his God in the everlasting immortality in all Love and is filled with all fulness of the holy Ghost (g) Rom. 8. b and inherriteth with Christ all the treasures riches of God and of (h) Isa 33. a Col. 2. a the spiritual and heavenly goods Those verily are the promises of God the Father through Jesus Christ to the blessing of all the generations of the earth 21. By this means as is said the man cometh again to his soundness and to his (i) Ioh. 8. d precious freedom whereunto (k) Gen. 1. c Sap. 2. c Eccles 17. a God hath created him from the beginning as being unbound or untyed from all vain and unprofitable things The tenth Chapter NOW when as the service of the offering in the holy hath once had his full course with such a good will as is aforesaid and the debt-offering sin-offering and death-offering is all through the like-suffering of Christ accomplished on the Altar through the belief then (a) Isa 25 a Math. 27. 2 Cor. 3. b doth the vail as opening asunder divide it self from before the most holy and so there is then discovered in the most holy the mercy-seat the Ark of witness and the heavenly bread with many costly treasures pertaining to the most holy Sanctuary and all that sanctified likewise that is in the holy with the (b) He. 9 10. sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ the high Priest for an everlasting forgiveness of sins 2. That verily is the New Testament of the grace of God touching the sins of the people even as God hath promised the same to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah for a stedfast and continuing Testament 3. This high Priest over the house of God is the old antient one in the holy and godly understanding and is the (d) Col. 1. first born of all creatures (e) Rom. 6 a Phil. 2. a who was slain with the death of the Cross and hath suffered in the holy for the sins cause and is (f) 1 Cor. 15. c Col. 1. b as the firstling risen from the death where-through he hath prepared the everlasting life for all his Believers which follow after him in the holy (g) Mat 16. c Rom 6. a 1 Pet. 2. till unto the death of his Cross 4. He himself verily is the Light and Life that is everlasting which was (h) Ioh. 1. a Psal 210 a with the Father from the beginning and is at the right hand of the (i) Heb. 1. a Almighty in the heavenly being or estate who also as high Priest entreth into the most holy maketh alive his believers from (k) Rom. 8. b 1 Cor. 15. b Eph. 2. a. b Col. 1.2 b the death and (l) Eze. 36. c Isa 44. a Ioel 2. c Act. 2. b poureth forth the holy spirit of his love abundantly over them The true most holy of the holy and true Tabernacle of God is the Love the everlasting life and the perfection from which most holy in his service that is in the making alive from the death in the pouring out of the holy Ghost and in ministring of the spiritual and heavenly good the vale is put away whereby to inherit the everlasting life of God in his cleerness in the same service ministred under the obedience of the Love of the holy Ghost which most holy in his service maketh right difference betwixt the living and the dead
the vpright virtue 〈◊〉 â—atient in the â—â—pâ— to the godlyness â—â—â—k minded faythfull and cometh also with the feare peace â— joy to God to â—â—â—vâ—nly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 everlasting The forth goâ—ng in the heathenisâ— impurity bringeth the man to the six of Death The forth goâ—ng in the feare of God the Obediâ— to the ordinance of the lord 〈◊〉 bringeth the man to the Righteousness of the Life The sin of death bringeth the man into all Ignorance hipocrisy 〈◊〉 falsehood into all chosen holyness according to the pleasure of the 〈◊〉 and is therein â—ratefull bitter and cruel and also dispaireth and so â—o maâ—â— to the destructionable calamity and to the divel hell and Condemnation (c) Psal 4 a 2. If the man now have by Gods grace gotten a good will to enter into the upright way directing to the everlasting life then must he with his heart (d) Isa 51 b 2 Cor 6 b Apo. 18 a depart out of the heathenship or uncircumcision and out of the straying being or nature yea from all what is not any being of God also separate himself from the darkness and turn him (e) Isa 55. a Ier 18.25 a 35. b Ezek 18 d. Ioel 2. b to the Lord his God namely to the God of life the (f) Ioh 1. true light full of light and life who hath created both him and all what is an thing (g) Luk. 1.2 b. c. likewise fear the same living God and circumcise his heart from (h) Deu. 10. b. 30 a all manner of darkness namely from all abominations of desolation which do separate the man from the living God 3. See or annoint your eyes with eye-salve that ye may see (k) Deu 1â— b. Ier. 4. a circumcise your selves or put away the foreskin of your hearts and continue not stiff-necked for that ye may rightly understand and know the true life which is a life unto you and may live therein 4. For even therefore because that the life might now in the same day through our (l) Deu 30. b Eccles 25. a most holy servlce of the Love be understood from the death and the light known from the darkness So have we out of the Love to the righteousness described and figuratively set forth even in the most evident manner here in the same Circle both these wayes both of death and of the life and all the ends whereunto each one hath his passage or course The which the inward man entreth into or liveth there whether it (m) Exo. 18. Rom. 6.8 a be then the deadly sins extending to the eternal death or else the righteousness to the everlasting life 5. Hereunto next adjoyning followeth the Figurative description or declaration of the inward Tabernacle of God according to the spirit after the which we do treat at length in large manner of both these natures which do bring in either the death or the life and we have likewise signified or marked out by writing the names both of the confused and of the Godly being or nature Take it to heart for it yieldeth to every one of us either the death or the life The twelfth Chapter THE true fore-front of the house of God or of the true Tabernacle (a) Deu. 10. c Eccles 1.26 is the fear of the living God serving to a turning away from the sin and from all heathenish foolishness Through whose service and through the obedience of the requiring thereof the man becometh circumcised in his heart in (b) Heb. 12. a 1 Pet. 24. a the laying away of the sin in the flesh and to the obtaining of the knowledge of the truth of God entreth into the way of peace Feare God The Way to the Truth In this same service of the holy and gratious word vnder the Obedience of the Love in the feare of God cometh to pass in the hart and minde the vpright repentance of the man to the living God and so walking in the fears of God he is circumcized of hart and is turned away from all the bewiching of the heathenish being that he may not be bewitched or taken with any destruction but be prepared to the entrance into the Sanctuary of God Jer 4. Eezek 4.4 wherefore repent you with all your hart in the spirit and feare the Everlasting invisible God which is the bgining to come to the Wisdome or the first entrance of the true Tabernacle or house of God in the spirit Whereof God himselfe is the Workman Turne ye not therefore from the lord in your hart nether trust in men nor take flesh for your Arme or Strength and so inherit the Cursing 2. For the same circumcision of the (c) Phi. 3. a Col. 2 b heart is the true circumcision which cometh to pass in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of man but of God Rom. 2. c. 3. Therefore (d) Ier. 4 a circumcise the foreskin of your hearts and be not hence forth stiffnecked any longer Deut. 10.8 4. Plough (e) Eze. 10. b upon the new and sow not among the thorns circumcise you unto the Lord and put away the foreskin of your hearts ye men of Judah and ye people at Jerusalem Jer. 4. a. 5. There shall none (f) Isa 52. Ioel. 3. come into the Lords sanctuary that hath an uncircumcised heart and an uncircumcised flesh Eze. 44. b. 6. Therefore shall the Lord thy God circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed (g) Deu. 10. c Math. 22. that thou maist love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul that thou mayest live Deut. 30. 7. If thou (h) Deu. 10 c Isa 19 b wilt turn thee O Israel then turn uno me saith the Lord and if thou wilt put away (i) Jer. 15. b Zach 1. a Mal. 3. a thine abominations from before my face then shalt thou not be driven out but then shalt thou without hypocrisie swear rightly and holily as true as the Lord liveth and the heathen shall be blessed in him and make their boast of him Ier. 4. a. 8. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God (k) Mat. 4 b Luk. 4. a him shalt thou serve him shalt thou cleave unto or depend upon and swear by his name he is thy praise and thy God Deut. 6. a. 10. b 9. Behold the Heaven and the Heaven of all Heavens and the earth and all what is therein that (l) Psal 24. a Ier. 27 a is the Lords your God O Israel and Iudah (m) Deut. 4. d yet hath he had notwithstanding a lust only to your Fathers and loved them and chosen their seed after them namely you above all people Deut. 10 b. 10. O all ye people fear the same God for he is that God which hath created (n) Gen. 1. a Ioh. 1. a all whatsoever is any thing for truly all heathenish bewitching is nothing but foolishness Their wisdom and Laws are
in misery and in unrestfulness O ye children of men turn you to the (e) Deu. 30. c life with humble hearts and in like manner to the Love that ye may live 3. Awake up I pray thee O thou precious man for behold death and life (d) Deut 3. b Eccles 15. c Ier. 21. a evil and good destruction and preservation damnation and salvation the old wicked world in the which all wickedness dwelleth and the (e) Isa 61. b 1 Pet. 3. b Apo. 21. a new good world in the which all love peace and righteousness dwelleth is held forth or presented unto thee and figured out before thine eyes therefore choose or incline thou now unto that which thou seest or knowst to be Gods righteousness extending to the laud and praise of his glory and apply thy self to live only the same that (f) Deut. 6. a o. b Math. 4. thou mayest serve and live unto the Lord thy God only 4. If so be now therefore that any one do look into or esteem the being of the Devil the treasury of iniquity (g) Sap. 2 4.14 b Rom. 1. c 2. a. and the form or fashion of the wicked world to be an upright life tending to the praise and glory of God and if it be the same whereunto God hath created the man to have that raign over him then let him incline and stick unto it and serve the same only and let him separate himself from all what is contrary thereunto and accompany him with those that are of one mind with the iniquity or with the wicked world that he may beare or receive either his salvation or condemnation with those that are his own members which are agreeably-minded with each other and let him (h) 2 King 18. c halt no longer on both sides nor feign nor dissemble before the upright Love which is held forth and proffered unto him 5. But if now any man do look into or esteem the Being of God or Treasure of vertue to be the salvation of men tending to the land and praise of the godly glory and so understandeth or perceiveth that (i) Gen. 2. c Sap. 2. c Eccles 17. a God hath created the man to that end that the same should raign over him So let him then likewise submit himself obediently under the Love and incline or cleave wholly to the same good being even with a fervent good will that he may serve the same only (k) Deut. 6. a 10. b. 30. a and live only unto the eternal God 6. For to that purpose is the service of the word both by writing and by speech under the obedience of the Love administred unto men to assist them to the life of God and to the eternal truth because they should live in the same truth and life as in a Treasure of vertue and that altogether in a lively meek minded being or nature but not to the end to catch to snare nor to bring any one into bondage therewith or to (l) 2 Cor. 1. c 1 Pet. 1. a raign over his faith O no but in him free or at liberty to yield to the obedience of the Love and to the (m) Luk. 1. g Eph. 1. a righteousness of Faith because the righteousness of Faith which God esteemeth of might by that means be set up in the belief under the obedience of the Love And that the peace might appear upon the earth according to the Promises 7. For that cause to the end that the life of the eternal truth might be manifest and that the mans understanding might be planted into the same life therefore do we through our service of the holy word as by an inclination of the Love take (n) 2 Cor. 10. a captive all understandings under the obedience of the Love 8. To that end namely for the Love and the good lifes sake shall men also hear and believe the service of the holy and gracious word administred under the Love But with their spirits they (o) Isa 53. 2 Cor. 6. b shall depart out of the evil or that which is perditionable and enter into the vertue of the life 9. For the outward writings or speakable words which be testified or ministred unto the man out of the inclination of the Love to do him service and stretch to the incorporating of him into the vertuous nature are all figurings forth of the upright righteousness and godly word who in their service do go before the man and guide him to the living book of the Lamb which lieth hidden in (p) Apo. 12. a the Ark of witness namely within our hearts and consciences for there inwardly in the spirit is the life of God formed or written according to the truth 10. And that same life of God is the (r) Apo. 5. a book which John saw in his Revelation which was full of writing both without and within and which also was shut or made fast with seven seals for which books sake John wept because there was none found worthy neither in heaven nor upon the earth to open to read nor to look into the same book 11. Howbeit in the midst among the Elders or wise there stood a Lamb in manner as though it was killed and he took the book unto him and all prophesies testified of him with triumph and joy saying Thou (s) Apo. 5. d art worthy to receive the book and to open his seals for thou being killed hast bought us with thy blood 12. John hath also heard a voice of many Angels (t) Dan. 7. b Apo. 5. b whose number is many thousands of thousands saying with a mighty great voice the the Lamb that was killed is worthy to receive power riches wisdom strength honour praise and blessing 13. Behold this living book of the Lamb is a book of spirit and life and (u) 2 Cor. 3. a not a book of the sinful flesh and death for it is the (x) Eph. 5. c Apo. 14. commonalty of the Lamb in the spirit 14. Which Lamb is the living being of God it self the which was driven to (y) Isa 53. b 1 Pet. 2. a suffer and the book of life occasioned to be shut (z) Apo. 5. a with seven seals because of the great Dragon which is the (a) Apo. 12. murderly beast namely the self wisdom of the flesh unto (b) Dan. 7. Apo 11.13 a whom power hath been permitted to kill the Saints of God but the same power is now even in the uttermost or last time (c) Apo. 17.19 20. b taken away from her for God showeth his power and dominion against the same in the restoring or setting up again of his Saints (d) Eze. 37. Dan. 12. Apo. 2. whom he raiseth from the death 15. Verily now it shall no longer prevail with the Dragon how murderly soever the beast be neither shall her Kingdom which is full of abominations prosper any longer for her (e) Apo. 18.
sins are ascended up even unto heaven and now shall her descending or fall be even into the bottomless pit 16. For the self-wisdom or self-mind of the flesh which hath exalted her self very high against the Lamb even as though she were Gods wisdom (f) Apo. 5.13 b hath killed the Lamb from the beginning of the world and likewise his members the (g) Apo. 6.12 b 16. a innocent guiltless blood and so for a time hath gotten the upper hand upon the earth but now must she fall and go under whereas contrarywise the Saints of God shall (h) Apo. raign for ever according to the Promises The ninteenth Chapter SEing now that the Saints of God have (a) Apo 6.12 13 16. suffered with the Lamb for a certain time and have been killed upon the earth therefore is the book of the beast most loved and read everywhere (b) Apo. 17. b 18. a men have lived according thereto but forasmuch as it is all now made manifest through the (c) 1 Cor. 4. a light or day of the Lord so becometh the book of the (d) Apo. 18 19 20. beast to be found a false book full of deceit and subtile falshood whereunto also all false men all wicked hearts of the Scripture-learned ones and all false setters forth and preferrers of religion have their lust and affection bent 2. For of all the names of her felfness or private holyness and of all her false hearts and Scripture-learned ones together with all the nature of the heathenish distraughtness who do every one even joyntly with each other serve and worship the beast there is not (e) Apo. 13.17 a. 20 21. b one written in the living book of the Lamb for the names of the people that serve and worship the beast whereby the Dragon hath had the dominion are (f) 2 Pet. 2. all names of darkness and of the good thinking wise and disobedient ones and are all likewise (g) 1 Ti. 4 a spirits of errour as being all one and of one manner of substance according to one manner of nature 3. That same verily is the cord or chain of darkness or the band of the Devil wherein all good thinking wise ones and false hearts which do neither fear the living God of Israel nor stand obedient to his requiring are captived or caught bewitched therewith tyed thereunto and (h) 2 Pet. 2. a. b. Apo. 20. b led with the same even into Hell the which is the everlasting death and damnation from the which God hath willed that the man should keep himself and serve only the living God that (i) Eze 18. d he might not dye but that it might everlastingly go well with him and that he might live 4. The names of the people of the evil wicked world The wicked world with her servants and fellow-companions who are written in the book of the Dragon that murderly beast are these envy division contention or discord high-mindedness or pride subtilty deceit craftiness unquietness cruelty arrogancy disorderlyness masterfulness mischieveously disposed violence honour or vain-glory stubbornness resistance unto Gods nature in all disobedience wrathfulness presumptuous boldness churlishness bitterness maliciousness commotion or uproar treachery striving fighting persecuting lying war or battle vexing or troubling cursing swearing destroying spoyling oppressing killing murdering dishonest dealing unreasonableness or injustice gluttony unchastity whoâ—edom adultery knavery buggery thievery unprofitable searching high vain boasting ambition dissembling hypocrisie Sectuarishness framed or chosen holyness idolatry false God services false Laws blasphemy self-wisdom swelling in minde curiousness self-mindedness unadvisedness mens commandments giving credit to the imaginations of the good thinking in the spirit unbelief to the gracious word of the Lord despair doubtfulness accusing ignorance bondage of the heart to something without the nature or being of God vain comfort slothfulness mens fear covetousness niggardlyness undiscreetness scoffing or mocking dis-favour self-Love 5. There is yet moreover (q) Rom 1. d 1 Pet. 2. a back-biting or evil reporting of others whereby to make them seem odious and contemptible before the people and to cause themselves to be had in favour and well-liked of 6. Behold such a nature hath the partial Back b ter who doth yet oftentimes for all that greatly bewitch the people with his abominations as with a show of holyness which witchcraft is full of foolishness and is an unprofitable delusion even like as are all vain games also table-playing maskings or mummeries c. and are also unedifying even like as are all manner (r) Eph. 5 a of rude light behaviour disorderly toying and unseemly jesting all which likewise are names of the people of the wicked world furthermore there is also death darkness false spirits devil hell and condemnation c. 7. These and such like are the abominations before God and the pernitious mischief to a destruction over the children of men and for one to yield or apply his heart hereunto is the falling off and the turning away from God 8. That is finally the perverse and wicked nature (s) Deut. 32. a. c. which hath corrupted every thing and stoln from the man and quite defaced in him the mind of his God and corrupted his understanding through the affection born to the knowledge of good and evil by which manner the noble understanding of man is become bewitched with the abundant lying being in such sort that the man can very little understand (t) Deut 32. Isa 44. Ier. 5.8 a or comprehend for it entreth too too little into the consideration of his heart for to come rightly to the conversion or turning again to his God for be continueth even generally cleaving fast and depending with his heart upon one thing or other that is not God because he doth not quite and clean forsake the Idols and their services nor thrust nor chase them out of the Temple of his inward mind But stands affected either to this or to that according to the imagination of his own understanding and so serveth the God-service or God himself falsly 9. That same is it verily which God hath oftentimes rebuked by the mouth of his Prophets (u) Isa 1 b 28. b. 29. 57. b. 58. a. 59. a. b. Ier 2 3 4 5 6 7. Eze. 5 6. Amos 1. b Mich. 6. a because that the people of Israel when they would seem to turn them and to use God-services did alwayes incline their hearts towards one thing or another that was not God and served that which God never commanded or required 10. Therefore hath God also in times past witnessed unto them by the Prophet Jeremiah which mind of God remaineth perpetually for thus saith the Lord as an everlasting continuing word 11. O Israel (x) Ier. 4 a. if thou wilt turn thee then turn thee unto me saith the Lord And if thou wilt put away thy abominations from before my face then shalt thou not be cast out
whereby to know thee as a true God which liveth everlastingly 21. For thou O God art a God that lovest the very best of the fruits of the field and (b) Exod. 13.34 Le. 1 2 3. Deut. 12.14 hast a delight unto the fat of the Sheep and Lambs as it is a burnt-offering unto thee of a sweet Savour upon thy (c) Psal 43. Isa 56. holy Altar in thy Tabernacle of thy dwelling which thou hast chosen unto thy self (d) 2 Par. 6. a. 7. b in thy holy City Jerusalem 22. But thou (e) Isa 57.65 despisest all oblations offered in Forrein Lands as likewise all God-services upon their mountains and upon all their hills and high-places 23. Thou also rejectest (f) Amos 5. all songs of praise used under their trees and under all their green eaves 24. Thou abhorrest all presumptuous arrogancy of the flesh they do all displease thee which seek thee through their own doings to the end to be at one with thee and yet have no regard unto thy Promises 25. Their God-service is (g) Isa 16.43 Amos 5. Hos 5.6 an abomination unto thee their self-Sanctification although the flesh appeaseth it self therewith doth altogether stink before thee 26. Unto their Sabboths Holy-dayes or self-made rest-dayes thou hast no desire or liking 27. Their prayer also cometh not before thine ears (h) Prov. 11 Isa 1.59 Mich 3 4 Esd 3. as that it pleaseth thee any whit at all For it is all filthy before thee if they seek thee without thy Promises For they seek not thee O God but themselves and how to please themselves 28. Their waies that they walk lead not unto thee But they run apace towards Hell and have a lust unto error 29. There is nothing among them but manly fear and snaring of the heart with captivated consciences according to the old custom of the vain heathen which O God knew not thy wayes but upon their own wisdom and self-made wayes they (i) Isa 3. b are proud and very bold 30. Therefore is not likewise (k) Isa 59. b the right knowledge of their sin among them as to account the same for sin that they might turn them unto thee because they know not O God of thy peace nor understand rightly any thing thereof 31. Thy rebuke and chastionable information have they not rightly felt neither also rightly taken heed to the same nor yet understood what thou intendest therein and requirest therewith therefore doubtless the right fear of God is not before their eyes like as the fear of men is for to please them O God plant thy (l) Psal 40. Isa 51. Jer. 31. d Law in their hearts as a Glass or a clear light unto their inwardness then shall they rightly know their sin (m) Rom. 7. d how or in what manner she is sin to the end that sin may make up her self and shew in what form she is the fruits of death or the deadly being the which she estrangteh the man from the living God-head for that the sin thereby may be consumed (n) 1 Co. 15. f for thy Law is an encountring or enveighing power against the sin and then shall they know and understand whom they ought to fear and cleave unto 33. For when as thy Law O God groweth up in us in our earthly and weak man-hood and requireth thy righteousness of us then are we burthened and grieved wherethrough we grow to discern our fall from thee and the (o) Psal 51. a great abundance of our sins and that likewise it is all sin wherein we are conceived wherein we have lived 34. Yea that which in times past we supposed to be good is now found to be meer wickedness and sin by reason whereof our souls become humbled before thee for to obtain mercy from thee out of thy abundant grace Even then also do we confess what we are according to our earthly manhood namely (p) Gen. 2. b Eccl. 10 17. b dust earth and ashes and that we of our selves being without the effect or estate of thy Love are altogether (q) Ps 14.53 a Rom 3. b ignorant and lying and utterly estranged from thy righteousness And so with lowly hearts by reason of the depth of our necessity or extremity for the sins cause we become then O God rightly turned unto thee whereby through the drawing or allurement of thy Love to come again unto thee 35. By means of which humiliation or abasing of our selves we through thy grace and mercy become endowed by thee with the most holy belief through the which we be then likewise baptized or washed in the (r) Rom 6 Gal. 3. Col 2. death of Christ and do stand firm in the hope to the obtaining of the health of our souls and so through the belief ministred under the obedience of thy Love we become made (s) Rom. 8. a. free from the Law of sin and death by the spirit of thy Law which maketh alive in Jesus Christ 36. Oh how far is the man departed and estranged from the upright knowledge of this wisdom of God 37. O God that my heart might rent open it self and might cry unto thee with a forcible courage And that thou wouldest hearken to my voice and wouldest vouchsafe to look down towards us with thy merciful eyes and take compassion of our misery deformity and fall and over the blindness of our errors and wouldest in chastionable manner draw us unto thee that we might rightly convert or come again and live in thee For we are doubtless fallen estranged and strayed very deep and far from thee and thy Christ we have mingled our selves with the strangers and walked in many errors 38. O God let us in every part see into our (t) Iob 13. Psa 14. Isa 59. transgressing and make known unto us the lyingness of our hearts against thee 39. For many do say It is very good whereas doubtless it is meer evil And they say moreover out of the blindness and ignorance of their hearts Behold (u) Ier. 8 a Math. 24. b here is the holy Scripture we have the right or the truth the being of God and the holy Ghost And also the mind and sense of the wisdom for to understand the same we have the true belief in Christ and are the Lords people O God they speak lyes before thine ears and understand not the counsel of thy wisdom but are children of the fall or transgression among whom there is neither being of God nature of thy love nor belief of thy Christ but only a vain and false boasting whereby they seduce both themselves and others more for they oppress the little ones and the poor and resist thy holy service of Love therefore one may easily find many masters and vaunters but very few servants and yet (x) 1 Cor. 4. b many fewer Fathers in the Office of the Love 40. Oh that many of them saw their vain wisdom