to be justified from the sin for to bring forth the z Joh. 15. Eph. 4. Phil. 1. fruits of God which God hath pleasure in and to live in God eternally 37. But alas this calling the man hath utterly forgotten and through his glosing which he hath invented thereon he is quite strayed from the sense of his calling and from the holy understanding An INTRODUCTION To the Holy Understanding CHAP. XIIII 1. An admonition to awake and observe our calling 4. All without exception are called 5. We have all been ignorant of our calling 6. But God doth now graciously let us see our blindnesse 7. Therefore let us regard this grace and that the rather because of the horrible destruction that is for to come 9. The wicked must be endured with patience 12. the Love is stronger then the Beliefe 15. If we fall let us rise up again 20. The way to the life 21. Few do find 23. The evill must be overcomed of the good in patience 26. much written yet great misunderstanding 28. Those that have pleasure and do continue in iniquity are like the devill and be incorporated into his son 33. Their certain punishment OH awake yet once I pray you from the a Esa 29.56 Rom. 13. sleep of your ignorance O ye children of men and have a sure confidence b Joh. 5. 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes 4. on the Resurrection of the dead so shall Christ c Eph. 5. inlighten you 2. Take heed to your calling that whereunto ye are bidden therein ye may be established according to the promises that is for to obtain the high price or Crown of everlasting life for this price or Crown of everlasting life is not like a Crown of the Kings of this world d 1 Cor. 9. which many of them stand for and is of many greatly desired and yet there is no more but one that obtaineth it and becometh King 3. But according to the calling of God we may all obtain e 4 Esd 2. Sap. 5. Kingly Crowns and be endowed with one manner fulnesse of divine treasures and be all Priests f 1 Pet. 2. Apo. 1.5 and Kings according to the promises 4. Hereunto we are all called to one g Ioh. 17. and in one no man exempted h Gal. 3. the Gentiles as well as the Jews the Commons of the people as well as the Magistrates the sinners as well as the righteous the poor as vvell as the rich the simple as well as the wise the wives as well as the husbands the children as well as the parents i Eph. 6. Col. 3. the bond as well as the free the servants as well as the masters and the handmaids as well as the Mistresses k Act. 10. Rom. 2.10 Gal. 2. God is no respecter of persons for all those that turn them to God and love his Righteousnesse are acceptable unto him 5. Doubtlesse it is now made known unto many of us that vve have all in our understanding been utterly estranged and l Rom. 1. Eph. 4. darkened from the knowledge of our calling and have cleaved to the m 1 Tim. 4. spirits of errour vvalking in the death and not in the light of life likevvise in sundry divisions and not in the unity of our calling 6. Neverthelesse that God vvhich is rich of mercy n Ezek. 18. 1 Tim. 2. 2 Pet. 3. and vvould not that we should perish letteth us now see through the ministration of his gracious word and through his bountifull and kind love the waies of our blindnesse o Esa 59. Sap. 5. and the deadly darknesses of our misunderstanding pulling us to the light of his clearness to the intent that all vve which are estranged from God and dead because of sin might through the love of God the Father and through the ministration of his gracious Word be renewed again for to quicken us again p Rom. 6.8 2 Cor. 4. Phil. 3. in Jesu Christ out of the death of sinne into the true unity of our vocation to wit in this day of the coming of Jesu Christ in his glory for had not the same Jesus Christ been with the Amighty for a remnant q Esa 1. we had all in our estrangeing been as Sodoma and Gomorra and must needs all in like manner have perished 7. Sith God therefore doth now shew on us such love that he profereth his grace unto us through the coming of his Christ when as we in our estranging from his good being were openly his r Rom. 1. Eph. 2. Col. 1.2 enemies and that he remembreth not our ignorance to revenge on us such things but out of the bountifull grace of his love is inclined to help us and by the ministration of his gracious word to reach us the hand for to pluck us to himself again in his love let us then also make much of such a Å¿ 2 Cor. 6. Heb. 1.2 grace that through the bountifull grace of his love we may in this horrible time be reconciled unto him and not be punished with the wicked world The rather for that there hath been enough before hand shewed us of the horrible t Esa 13. Ier. 20.25 Mat. 24. destruction of the wicked world and of all damned men in the last daies wherein few shall remain or be saved but not by the Lords fault for God desireth instantly to draw us all to his salvation 8. But because there are many now adaies that u 2 Thes 1. 2 Pet. 3. believe not God in his promises but count him a lier and x 2 Cor. 6. Heb. 12. do not regard the time of his grace neither will be saved but have much more desire and will to the iniquity y Eph. 4. 2 Pet. 2. Iuda 1. and to all uncleannesse therefore also in this day z Rom. 2. cometh the wrath of God upon those children of unbelief and they shall not be able to escape the horrible and fearfull destruction 9. Therefore let every one convert him from the errors of his blindnesse a Eph. 6. 1 Pet. 5. and arm himself in the belief and stand fast in the hope b Ia. 4. against the wicked that maketh it self up against Gods righteousnesse the which must be indured with patience for c Rom. 5.8 Patience bringeth forth in us a firmnesse or a persevering in the hope and hope suffereth us not to be ashamed but prepareth for us the peace with God in the love 10. But though now and then it pinch somewhat hard to shew patience yet have confidence d Apo. 2.3 and keep still what ye have turn not back in any case 11. Though happily you think that it falleth heavy find yourselves impotent or weak and the waies dark desolate unpathed very long e 4 Esd 7. Mat. 7. Luk. 13. small or narrow the hills seem high to get over and the gates very strait to go thorow yet doubt not
therefore ye beloved give no regard to the unbelief that saith it is impossible but contrariwise with belief and hope enter ye in for the beliefe is strong and mighty f Mat. 17.21 Luk. 17. she removeth mountains out of their places vanquisheth the enemies g Heb. 11. and is a certain assurance of that which is hoped for 12. Look then what ye out of belief and according to the truth do desire in God to obtain that love ye with vvhole heart for the love vvhich in her service holdeth the heart fast with earnest love is yet stronger then the belief h 1 Cor. 13. and goeth far beyond it all and not regarding any difficulty she overcometh it all for the things sake which she loveth for the love maketh that light which appeareth heavy and bringeth life out of that which seemeth to be death 13. Therefore the love is not wearied with any thing for that which a man loveth is precious in his sight and he esteemeth it of great value i Rom. 8. moreover he regardeth neither losse nor trouble to get or to come by that vvhich he loveth best 14. And therefore men are to k 1 Cor. 14. Col. 3. seek for the most best that they may obtain the same and not to respect any of those things that would oppose themselves or be hindersome there-against for who so seeketh not obtaineth not vvho so tasteth not of the sowre shall not partake of the sweet 15. If any man fall let him rise again if ye be hurt or wounded believe so shall ye be made whole yea though ye were already dead or were as dead in your minds yet if ye believe the gracious word and Salvation in the obedience of his service of love and put your trust in the power of God l Joh. 5. ye shall surely live and not abide dead for the saving from death m Joh. 11. is the Resurrection and eternall life 16. Though ye find your selves even damned in the hell and taken captive of sin and devill yet fear not but believe n Psal 18.23.33.116 ye shall be delivered and saved from thence 17. For the belief and hope towards the Salvation and the love to righteousnesse in the grace of God neither can nor may abide in the sinne death devill or hell but they must prevail vanquish and bring to nought or destroy all that is not of God 18. Therefore have neither the o Mat. 16. gates of hell nor the bands of the devill nor the p Rom. 8. pangs of death nor the strength of sin nor the lusts of the world nor the mind of the flesh any power over such believers either to hold or to raign over them q 1 Cor. 15. but they bring them all under them to a victory 19. But if at any time through the slendernesse of our understanding we be plucked away from our good mind or be after the nature of the Serpent r Gen. 3. Sap. 2. 2 Cor. 11. beguiled by the wisdom of the flesh and thereby through weaknesse fall and be made so senselesse that we cannot discern the life from the death yea become so feeble and faint-hearted that we have scarcely any desire at all to the good but do daily Å¿ Rom. 7. suffer and feel the sting of death yet let us not therefore be dismayed nor despair in mind but rather so much the more cheer up our selves in the belief and through the serviceable word of truth take unto us a new stomack and fresh courage again to a stouter going forwards keep so much the sharper watch and still have diligent regard on the thing that may annoy us to the entrance of the life whereby we may through the belief and obedience of the Word t Eph. 6. 1 Pet. 5. keep of and vanquish it every whit and so with a good will have our passage towards God in the spirit untill the love abide firm in us and that we have such a free heart and mind as may be subject to nothing but to the high Majesty of the living Godhead only 20. Now to come hereunto we must renounce our selves and all created visible things not only outwardly after the flesh but quite and clean inwardly with the heart according to the spirit and so give over our selves obediently under the service of love unto the God of life and his gracious word u Rom. 6.8 to a dying in the spirit from every thing whereunto our will and mind according to the flesh or outward fashion is tyed and keep our selves diligently from all holy appearances and worldly fashions that so then x 1 Pet. 1. in the obeying of the gracious word and his service of love our inward mind for to come to a submitted being may be made tender soft and lowly and we in like manner with humble hearts find our selves y Psal 57. ready to do the Lords will a Rom. 6. the end whereof is eternall life It is true 21. Which way to the life few do b Mat. 7. find because it is unknown c Mat. 11. 1 Cor. 1.2 and hidden unto all understandings of the flesh and unto all wise ones of the world and her Scripture learned 22. Who is there now rightly inclined to the life and peace but those that indure all deadly things dissention and whatsoever cometh upon them thereby untill it d Rom. 6.8 2 Cor. 4. wholly vanish and come to nought in them and which have the life and peace alwaies before their eyes and do pray with great fervency unto God in the spirit that he will be their povver and strength 23. After this manner ought vve vvith humble hearts to be minded in every thing that cometh upon us against the good for the evill must by the good be e Rom. 12. overcomed in patience 24. Yet not out of our vvorks or ovvn povver f Rom. 3.4 Eph. 2. O no but through the belief in affiance towards God and so abiding Gods leisure in his work we are daily to pray unto God in the spirit that he will destroy and take avvay or root out the evill out of our hearts and choose and set up the good again therein 25. Hereunto are we to g 1 Pet. 5. humble our hearts before God in his service of love that we may find such healthfull grace before his eyes in the coming of Jesu Christ who now to the Salvation of all those that hope in Christ h 2 Pet. 3. and long for his coming cometh to a righteous judgement over the world with equity 26. Oh hereof there is surely much written shewed and testified were it but observed and understood aright but there is great negligence and much misunderstanding among the children of men for we find many lamentable errours not only in the erring world but also in those that perswade themselves to be wise and to love the good 27. Awake once
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
Lord which m Gal. 3. leadeth unto Christ whereout the Gospell of the Kingdom of God ariseth where no humane Law is taught besides that leadeth from Christ and darkneth the Gospell 33. Where is the upright Circumcision n Dan. 10. Jer. 4. Rom. 2. Phil. 3. Col. 2. to the laying away of sin in the flesh which was given by God to Abraham and his seed for an o Gen. 17. everlasting sign of his Covenant 34. Where is the Law of the spirit which p Rom. 8. quickneth in Jesu Christ and freeth us from the Law of sin and of death 35. Where is now the q Rom. 5. Eph. 2. peace with God the Father in pure and unspotted Consciences 36. Where is now the r Mat. 3. Rom. 6. Gal. 3. Col. 2. 1 Pet. 3. Baptisme of John or the grace of the Lord over those that are distressed for the sins cause to their amendment from the sin 37. Where is now the true Baptisme of Jesu Christ Å¿ Mat. 3.28 Mar. 16. Act. 10.19 which followeth thereupon to the forgiving and justifying from the sin whereon the name of the Father is witnessed the name of the son confessed and the name of the Holy Ghost t Eph. 1. for a pledge of the godly inheritance sealed 38. Where do any now keep u Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Lu. 22. 1 Cor. 11. the supper of Christ where they break distribute and eat the bread which is the true body of Christ to a remembrance of Christ that he hath suffered in us for our sinnes cause x Rom. 6. Phil. 2. 1 Pet. 2. the death of the Crosse and so his death y 1 Cor. 11. is published untill he come in his glory 39. Where do any now drink the cup z 1 Cor. 10. of Christ in the communion of his bloud of the true Testament 40. Where is now the Christian communion a Rom. 12. 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 5. or where are the upright Christians which do all eat of the same bread and do all drink of the same cup b 1 Cor. 10. to an holy undivided body whereof Jesus Christ is c Eph. 1.4.6 the head and which are the d Eph. 1. 1 Pet. 2. peculiar ones of God for an holy people to the God of Life whom he hath made Kings e 1 Pet. 2. Apo. 1.5 and Priests through Jesus Christ 41. Where is now the seed of the believing Abraham f Gen. 15.17.22 Rom. 4. Gal. 3. wherein such promise is made for the blessing of all Generations 42. Oh where art thou thou seed of Isaac g Gen. 21.22 Rom. 9. that Son of the promise who art blessed by the Son of the promise thou noble stock h Gen. 27. of Jacob thou chosen blossom of Israel who onely i Deut. 4. livest in Gods Statutes and not after the manner of the heathen 43. Verily of all this which I ask after we find no whit at all in the wicked world nor yet among you O ye desolate peoples but only in the stock of the love that vertuous amiable being 44. Therefore come ye all hither to the love k Jer. 7.18.25.35 reform your being in her service and let the love with meeknesse be planted in you l Jam. 1. so shall ye even therein find all the goodlinesses of the riches of God and the whole communion of his Saints namely the whole house of Israel 45. Unto which stock of Saints and chosen Children of God we m 1 Pet 1. are all called through Jesus Christ that in the raising up of Israel according to the promises of God the Father we should inherit the blessing 46. O Israel ye right children in n Act. 3. the true Testaments of your holy Fathers when shall your dispersing have an end and your erecting come o Esa 2. Mic. 4. that the Law of the Lord and his word may be declared and his wondrous works manifested and all the heathen seek the righteousnesse learn the Law of the Lord p Zach. 8. and walk in his streets to the praise of the God of Israel who only is the Lord for q Esa 43.44 besides the God of Israel there is no God more 47. For truly the Idolls of the Heathen and all their spirituall wisdome which they set forth besides the everlasting God of Israel and his Law Esa 44.45.46 Ier. 10. is nothing els but foolishnesse and ignorance 48. Many of them have no understanding in the Law of the Lord nor knowledge of his Ordinances and of their calling through Jesus Christ Å¿ Luk. 2. of the tribe of Juda of the House of David they have no right discerning at all 49. And therefore it is that they misse of the meaning or intention of God and are thereby grounded on the glimmering of their knowledge and not on the stock of the upright olive tree t Rom. 11. to the which they are called to be grafted thereunto 50. But now when we consider all this and that we are not partakers of the Sap of the stock of our calling u Rom. 11. but to find our selves breken off from the same and thereby misse of all that which is of God and which his Ordinances are one with if then we have any love to the riches of God and do consider and know the damagefull x Mat. 16. losse with all the desolation y Dan. 9.11.12 Mat. 24. and abominations which are come in between then cometh upon us z Esa 13. Dan. 12. all woe and anguish and we greatly bewaile the losse of these riches of God above all the damages or losses of this world 51. For vvhere is there a more damagefull losse a Mat. 16. then vvhere one findeth no righteousnesse of God and vvhere the Lavv of God and his Statutes and Ordidances are in the losse so utterly darkened 52. Oh vvhat shall I more vvrite of this damagefull losse of the most precious riches my heart is heavie and my soul is pained in such sort b Ier. 9.13.14 Lam. 1.2.3 that oftentimes I am forced to sigh and mourne because my mind vvill not be pacified 53. O God that they all savv hovv they are c Psal 14. Rom. 3. turned herefrom and that no man hath continued in thy truth and hovv they are d Rom. 7. taken captive under the sin and strayed from thee yea these precious riches of God they scarcely knovv and hovv poor e Apo. 3 3. and naked in themselves they are vvithout thy Sanctuary to the end out of deep necessity they might cry unto thee f Psa 130. for grace and obtain in their spirit an inclined mind to the obeying of thy love that thou mighest have mercy on them all 54. For if so be they come not to thy love nor to the obedience of the requiring of her service nor thereunto have no good vvill belief or hope surely