and even so humble and wholly give over your selves under e Iohn 13 and 15 1 John 3 4 the Obedience of the Love for to become as single-minded f 1 Cor. 14 2 Cor. 11 1 Pet. 1 2 and obedient children by whom no Deceit nor any Lust or Will unto subtlety and craftiness nor any fainedness or doubleness of heart nor yet any unfaithfulness is to be found but which dayly in the g 2 Cor. 6 and 7 Apoc. 18 departing from the Iniquity and in the increasing h Ephes 4 or growing up in the good Being of the Love make manifest themselves with naked or uncovered hearts before the Seat of the Majesty i Prov. 28 Ecles 4 and 17 Rom. 14 1 Cor. 5 of God and even so in the confessing of their sins sigh k Luke 6 James 4 and complain over all their pernicious or corrupt Nature and wicked Lusts and Thoughts and make up themselves in them and where-through also they yet sometimes stumble and fall 2. Behold ye dearly Beloved enter first into this same small l 4 Esdr 7 Matthew 7 Way for the same bringeth or reacheth to the Perfection 3. Verily to such good-willing hearts which enter even so according to the Truth into the same small m Luke 13 Way that leadeth unto Life and to all such as apply them thereunto God hath n Ezek. 18 Eccles 12 a good pleasure and the Spirit of my Mind standeth also inclined to all goodness and mercy over those same because they do in such an humble submission plainly express that they fear God o Psalm 37 Amos 5 hate the Iniquity with her evil effects or inclination and against those same are good p Luke 2 Romans 2 of will towards God and his q Matth. 7 and 22 Ephes 1 and 4 Righteousness 4. But whereas now such a good will and giving over of the heart is not found in those I have no confidence that they mean or purpose in any wise the true Love nor yet that they have any lust or will to live in the good Being of God neither yet also that the upright Love and Truth is sought loved or desired by them 5. For all such as have not any good will lust nor desire to the good Being of God but live according to their own self-mindedness r Rom. 1 Ephes 4 1 Pet. 4 2 Pet. 2 and according to the sensuality will and pleasure of their flesh nor yet desire to enter obediently into the single-minded good Will s Ezek. 18 according to the Pleasure of God and the Requiring of his Word and Service of Love in which Service all coverings and bewitchings of the heart and all darknesses and earthly lying minds become layd off t Isaiah 25 2 Cor. 3 4 or are put away nor yet to be brought out of the earthly lying and covered Being to the beholding of the uncovered Face of God and Christ in the Spirit nor to Gods u Isaiah 2 Micha 4 Hill of the heavenly Sanctuary nor to the x Isaiah 60 Apoc. 21 and 22 most holy illuminating from on high the most soveraign y 1 Cor. 4 Heb. 4 Majesty of God those same are not meet to enter into Gods Sanctuary nor to live in his good Being 6. All such then as is aforesaid that have not any mind hereunto but z Prov. 1 Heb. 12 refuse this same grace and love of God the Father which is appeared lovingly granted and also brought unto us little ones and Gods Elect out of many thousands in this world and despise the same or make up themselves there-against Those cannot I verily account or esteem for any Communality of Love nor for any holy ones of God or Christ nor yet for any such as have any good in their mind 7. All such unbelievers and resisters of the Love and her Service may be right-easily known by a Mat. 7 and 12 their wicked deeds and inclination for such false hearts let them cloak or hide themselves how they will do all make themselves b 2 Tim. 3 1 John 2. manifest that they all against the Truth and against the Spirit or Mind of the supream God are or stand with the perverse World which is worthy of the fire of c Mat. 13 and 25 2 Peter 3 Hell and of the everlasting Condemnation altogether earthly and d John 8 James 3 devilishly minded they will also with their earthly understanding and fleshly mind always surmount or bear sway above the Wisdom of the Love 8. Ah consider yet once ye Beloved whether that it accorded well or were consonant that the Heaven should lie under or on the lowest place and the Earth drive or lie swaying there-over Verily much less accordeth it or it is far more absurd that Gods Mind of the e 4 Esdr 6 and 7 heavenly Truth the holy Understanding and the Wisdom or the Being of the godly Love should lie beneath or as depressed all under and the minds of the earthly and devilish lyingness and the self-will of the earthly man with the wisdom of the flesh raign or bear sway thereover 9. Therefore be now ashamed O ye children of the flesh which presently are so f Isaiah 5 good-thinking-wise that your hearts will and thoughts stand so g Isaiah 59 perversly minded against the God of Life and his Truth and against the Requiring and Ordinance of his Service of Love and that ye will always with your knowledg and fleshly minds bear sway above the holy Spirit of Love and his godly Testimonies and according to the imagination of your knowledg raign over his Wisdom 10. Oh I cannot wonder sufficiently at this same blindness of men which not withstanding through the false h Isaiah 59 light look so highly or are so far seeing in their knowledg and especially that the man is in all so i Deut. 32 voyd of understanding that he always according to the insight of his knowledg cleaveth unto and loveth the basest for the best the unpurest for the beautifullest the consumable for the everlasting and the Earthly for or in stead of the Heavenly 11. O ignorant and blockish earthly Man how gross art thou become of Understanding that thou like Esau sellest or givest over thy k Gen. 25 Heb. 12 Birth-right for any thing wherafter thou sufferest thee to lust and even so losest the Blessings of Isaac and the Inheritance of the Heavenly Beauty 12. Yea there is yet one thing that maketh me exceedingly and much more to wonder namely that many good-thinking Spirits or earthly Men are now waxen so presumptuous bold and arrogant of Heart that they with a fleshly l Gen. 3 Isaiah 1 and wicked Nature and lying Being and with their unrenewed or ungodded hearts busie themselves or take upon them m Isa 30. to judge the godly Matters and the Sentences of the holy Scriptures 13. Fye on
with his Christ and Spirit hath his d Iohn 1 17 Apoc. 21 Dwelling in any one and bringeth forth his secret Treasures of the Heavenly Goods thereout even there is then truly his Wisdom e Wis 1 7 to be found and also the Counsel of God according to the Truth And not by the Strangers nor by the Disobedient unto the Word nor yet by the good-thinking wise which separate themselves from us and our godly Doctrine neither yet by them whose Spirit is not in the conformity of being with us f John 3 Rom 8 begotten or born out of God but in the Separation against us out of the flesh of the earthly Being have a good respect hereunto 4. O ye Earthly Generations I mean ye earthly un-Godded Men that exalt and preferr your g Ier. 23 27 owne Word which notwithstanding is meer lies so highly and hear and believe the same so gladly also alwaies desire to follow after your own Counsel which notwithstanding is a meer seducing and deceit and to be obedient thereunto and will even so out of your Darknesse which is doubtless nothing else but the cursed Kingdom of h Apoc 17 Hell and the Possession or Habitation of all Divels and wicked Spirits it self judg so gladly the Light of Gods Truth and the Children of Light Ah beloved consider yet once in what Being and Nature ye are comprehended and then judge from whence your word and Spirit is or hath his Original where-with ye will judge and speak forth i Isaiah 38 Jer. 11 the Divine Matters and from whence also ye fetch your Counsel which ye without Gods Counsel wherewith we are of one Being so earnestly ensue or follow after k 2 Pet. 2 Iude 1 according to your own Minde of the Flesh and where-out likewise ye execute the Judgment with the which ye judge the Testimonies of the Light and the Children of the Love or of God 5. Behold herein now and according to this manner pronounce forth boldly the Judgment l Iohn 8 1 Cor. 11 over your selves and give testimony of your own selves what ye your selves in your disobedience to the Requiring of the Word are or may be reckoned for As likewise of your own Word which ye speak there-out for I commit therein the matter unto your selves to judge 6. O ye Children of Men seeing that ye judge another and all things so gladly or willingly so judge now once also your selves Ah beloved do I pray you even so for I have now given the matter into your own hands to judge 7. Thus look well rightly into your selves and then pronounce forth m Iohn 8 1 Cor. 11 according to the Truth the Judgment or Sentence over your selves what ye your selves all are according to your inward Man and truly when ye once begin to see aright into your selves then shall ye for certain find in your selves that ye are noâ— minded according to Gods Nature oâ— Being But according to the Nature of a corrupted and earthly consumable or mortal Man And that your Word and Spirit and all your Will and Counsel n 1 Cor. 2 Iames 3 is out of the Flesh of Sin o John 8 and out of the Lyes of Darkness 8. For so long as ye yet live in the p Rom. 8 13 1 Pet. 4 Flesh of Sin and that ye are not through the Doctrine of the Testimonies of the holy Spirit of the Love of Iesus Christ restored neither prepared to the New Birth in Jesus Christ in your Spirit and Understanding nor yet humble you there unto and that ye are not q Mat. 13 taught with the Administration of the Gracious Word under the Obedience of the Love to the Kingdom of the God of Heaven or that the same is not come unto you in your Obedience unto the Word and Service of Love r Apoc. 12 21 in your Spirit and that ye even so direct the course or forth-going of your life without the Service of the Love and his Requiring So is then doubtless all your Word Spirit and Counsel proceeding out of the Imagination of your Knowledge s Rom 8. 1 Cor. 2 Iam. 3 no otherwise minded but earthly devilish and fleshly and ye have not any sight nor knowledg at all of Gods Matters or Causes nor of the Kingdom of God according to the heavenly Truth It is very true CHAP. VII HArken harken [a] Psalm 37 Isaiah 30 Hold you still before the Seat of Gods Majesty O ye children of men and give ear diligently for there cometh now forth from the same Seat [b] Psalm 18 Apoc. 4 Lightenings Thunders and Voyces yea even now the Lord letteth himself be heard upon the earth and He the highest God which sitteth upon his Seat and liveth for ever and ever [c] Isaiah 26 Micha 1 speaketh now out of his holy Dwelling 2. Have now therefore a good regard unto the particular Unfolding or distinct Definition of the same sound of the Voyce of the Lord For thus saith the Lord or in this manner soundeth his Voyce 3. Your own Word O ye children of men is the [d] Ier. 7 8 9 14 23 27 Ezek. 13 Lye which seduceth you 4. Your own Understanding is the destroying and corrupt Knowledg wherethrough ye in your judging miss the Right and the Truth and for that cause bear a false [e] Pro 11 20 Mich. 6 Ballance 5. Your own fore-cast or conceiving will and counsel is the falshood of your mind which beguileth you in such sort that your steps by that occasion cannot be upright before me saith the Lord. 6. Your own Being or false mind of darkness is the [f] Apoc. 2 and 17 Kingdom of Hell to a [g] Mat. 12 Luke 11 dwelling for all Devils and false Spirits where-through ye with feignedness and covering of shame and with divers manner of self-mindedness are held captive [h] Rom. 7 or brought in subjection yea so captived that it is very painful and cumbersom unto you to make manifest your selves uncoveredly or nakedly before the Seat of my glorious Majesty and for that cause also ye obtain [i] Apoc. 3 little lust and love to the Kingdom of Heaven the which is the upright Being and Mind of the everlasting and [k] 1 Pet. 2 unchangeable Light wherein I saith the Lord [l] Lev. 26 2 Cor. 6 Apoc. 21 live and dwell as an eternal and living God 7. Behold saith the Lord to live [m] Iohn 14 and dwell in all your Inwardness with this same Light and Clearness that is my [n] Mat. 6 22 Righteousness rindx and also the Righteousness of my godly Kingdom But here-out saith the Lord ye thrust Me and keep Me off dayly with your own Word and Will and abide even so with your fleshly Will always deviled and devilishly minded and think very little that I have loved you so intirely
your own Honors sake i 1 Ioh. 12 which ye seek at the hands of the unregenerated Men and more esteem and covet then the honour of God many of you will not acknowledge the same nor yet confess your Blindness 6. Ye k Ier. 6 8 Ezek. 13 comfort your selves apace with Lyes and provoke even so Gods righteous Judgment to come upon you In which l Iude 1 Judgement it becometh now discovered unto you and ye are let m 1 Cor. 4 to see or it becometh made known unto you in your hearts That ye all which are of the Earth and have resisted the Truth of the Life have spoken presumptuously against the Lord despised the Love in her lovely Nature and upright Service n â— Heb. 10 and blasphemed the Spirit of Love which is the true Holy Ghost 7. Behold it shall now in this same Day o Acts 17 1 Cor. 4 Jude 1 of the righteous Iudgment of God wher-through all false Iudgments Unrighteousnesses become made manifest be given unto you to see into orplainly to perceive all this your falshood or horrible Iniquity And the recompence for the same shall likewise O ye false earthly Men fall upon you p Isa 13 Wis 5 Luke 21 with much Affliction Distress Misery and Woe in all your hearts 8. If ye now then perceiving well all your Falshood and in the time of your Affliction and distresse lay not your selves prostrate to a q Psal 110 1 Cor. 15 Bench for the Lords feet before the Seat of the Majesty of God but will needs with your false Iudgments and Unrighteousness bear the Dominion against God and his Majesty So shall ye yet nevertheless whether it be then with your will or against your will be trodden down as the Enemies of God r Psal 91 Rom. 16 with the feet of the Saints and laid under the feet of the Lord. 9. For our God the Lord of Hoasts cometh presently s Esa 3 Mat. 25 Iude 1 to Judgment and will plainly shew and make known the House of his dwelling namely that the Heaven and the heavenly Man is his t Isa 66 Acts 6 Seat and the Earth and the earthly Man the Bench of his Feet even as the Lord hath spoken the same in times past through the mouth of his holy Prophets CHAP. XV. O Ye good-willing Hearts a Amos 5 Micah 2 Mat. 24 which have now in these last perillous Times adjoyned your selves with a good Will under the Obedience of the Love with Us Litle-ones and Elected ones of God! Consider well presently on the Strangers which have nothing else in their minde but b Psal 10 and 52 56 and 58 and 120 subtilty and guilet and also on all such as come in with all c Phil. 3 Self-seeking with their fleshly d Rom. 1 Lusts and Desires and with their good-thinking e Ier. 7 1 Cor. 1 and Self-wisdom besides our holy Communiallity of the Love and then at the last when as they are aware that the gracious Word is against or contrary to their Selfe-seeking and Good-thinking separate them again from Us and from the Word and Requiring of the Service of Love Yea consider well what a Nature Being or Disposition they shew forth and how that they to the lenting f Rom. 16 and dividing of our Communiallity of the Love make up themselves against us and our godly Doctrine so shall ye then finde out in the Deed and Truth that all such doe make manifest themselves with their Self-wisdom and g Ier. 7 9 11 and 13 good-thinking Knowledge to be contrary minded against the holy Word of the Spirit of Love and also turn them away from the true Obedience of the Requiring of his Service 2. For that cause take now good heed and beware of all them that with their Self-wisdome or Imagination of the Knowledge h Rom. 16 besides the Doctrine of the godliness which is taught you through the Spirit of Love institute or bring in according to the self-seeking of the Flesh their strange or forged Doctrines and false Dealings wherewith they breed Division and cause Offence and separate you from such persons But abide stedfastly grounded in our most holy i Eph. 3 2 Tim. 1.3 Beliefe of the Love of Christ k Mat. 10 and 24 Heb. 12 and persevere therein even to the End that is till unto the lovely Being of the Godliness 3. Turn not aside in any case to any forreign Being without the Love fall not away likewise from the Service of the Love for the ignorant ones cause which make often times by reason of their disorderliness discord and offence and for that cause also they must as the matter or case requireth be l Gal. 6 2 Tim. 2 and 4 punished chastised and instructed Also become not sluggish nor careless with the m Prov. 6 and 24 slothful persons but with diligence and lust of your heart unto the upright n Mat. 22 Eph. 1 4 Righteousness and Holiness submit you always obediently and humbly under the godly Testimonies of the holy Spirit of Love until that the gracious Word and his Love be planted in you o Iam. 1 with meek-mindedness the which is the Salvation of your Souls and the establishing of the Promises of God the Father 4. For in the same upright Being God will bring unto you all his treasures p Mat. 13 Col. 2 and heavenly goods also all peace q Iohn 10 and the everlasting life abundantly It is very true 5. O ye holy ones of God thou lovely Communiality of the Love fear not but be now of good cheer upon the earth against all your enemies For behold r Isai 35 your God cometh to be avenged on all your enemies for to lay them that they may be troden down under the feet of your Lord and and Saviour Jesus Christ and even so in your s Mat. 19 John 3 second birth out of the holy Spirit of the Love of Jesus Christ to transport or yeeld over the Judgment and Dominion upon the earth unto you and your Saviour Jesus Christ to the end that ye with him and he with you and your Saviour Jesus Christ and with his holy Spirit should from henceforth world without end reign with t Apoc. 5 and 22 Righteousnes upon the earth and u Isaiah 3 Wisd 3 Jude 1 judg the same with equity according to the Promises CHAP. XVI MAke you to the flight a Isa 52 Make you to the flight yea get you now all out of the way ye enemies of the Lord and his Service of Love and give the Lord with his holy ones b Isa 40 and 57 and 62 his room Yet shall ye not escape the Vengeance of God 2. For the Lord cometh forth now in mighty power with his righteous Judgment upon the earth for to purge the same of all her
weeds yea even now in the right c Mat. â—3 Time of Harvest the Lord cometh d Mat. 24 and 25 with his Angels for to root out all Weeds from off the Earth 3. O God e Apoc. 14 smite now in with thy Sickle and begin even so with thy Angels to reape the whole Earth For the weed is become ripe f 4 Esd 4 upon the earth and his Eares are thorough dry for that cause root the same now clean out for whereto or to what profit hath it his place among the good Wheat upon the Earth for as much as there is not any good to be looked for there out 4. Behold the g Mat. 13 Weed is the manifold sort of Lyes against the Truth of God the many manner of Iniquities against the Righteousness of Christ and the unmeasurable ungodlines of all Ungodly against the Godliness and against the true Being of the holy Spirit of Love which are all worthy h Apoc. 19 to be rooted out from the Earth and condemned in the i Mat. 13 and 25 2 Peter 3 hellish Fire 5. For for this same Weeds Cause k Gen. 3 Heb. 6 the Earth hath been thus long cursed and the good Wheat which the ignorant Reapers have also judged to be the Weed and worthy to be rooted out or could not often times discerne the one from the other l Mat. 13 Luke 8 oppressed or kept under 6. Therefore the Lord cometh now m Mat. 13 and 24 in the End of the World and maketh a plain difference and a right discerning betwixt the Weed and the good Wheat Yea the Lord hath made up himselfe and he cometh now in the right or due time n Isa 66 Mal. 4 2 Thes 1 with the heat of his burning Fire for to consume with his Fire all the Weeds and to empty or disburthen the Earth thereof to the end shee might come again to her Blessing and upright Fruitfulness o Psal 18 Ier. 10 Nahum 1 Mat. 24. Luke 21 2 Pet. 3 where through the Earth is now moved the Heavens troubled the Elements melt with heat and the Token of the coming of the Son of Man appeareth in the Heaven 7. With which Rumor or rushing Noise of the Power of God and his Holy ones p Mat. 24 1 Cor. 15 1 Thess 4 the last Trumpet doth also presently give forth her sound through whose blast of her vehement sound and through the appearing of the Coming of Christ q Dan. 12 Iohn 5 1 Cor. 15 1 Thess 4 the Dead stand up or arise unto the Judgment of God In such sort that Daniel the holy Prophet is also risen up r Dan. 12 in his part for to execute now in the last time or ending of the World the Judgment with God and his Righteous ones s Isa 3 Iude 1 upon the Earth against all ungodly to the end that they all together with the Works of their ungodliness might now become rooted out and condemned like as there is written thereof 8. Rejoyce now in this same Day t Apoc. 18 all ye holy Prophets Angels and Apostles for this is the u Deut. 5 Nahum 1 Day of the vengeance of our Lord and God for to revenge the Blood of his Holy ones x Mat. 25 Apoc. 16 that the Sinners have spilt or shed upon the Earth for to declare or reveal his Holy ones again gloriously upon the Earth to the end that they might y Peter 3 inhabit the same peaceably in all love and reign there over or z Apoc. 5 and 22 judge the same with Righteousness from henceforth World without end CHAP. XVII O All ye a Prov. 6 and 24 Mat. 25 Sluggish and Slothful which have walked thus long very unlustly as though ye had been drowzie of sleep in the Service of the Love and had very litle love unto Gods Righteousness yea which have been so over-careless or negligent that ye have not taken the Service of the Love and the upright Righteousness of the same any thing at all to heart in such wise that by that occasion your field whilst ye have been so slothsul is waxen barren of the good Corn and your Vineyard likewise of the good Wine b Prov. 24 and and are overgrown with Nettles Thistles become yet now once awaked c Rom. 13 Epnes 5 and make your way or steps speedy for to enter into the Life of the upright and lovely Beeing of the Love ere ever the Door of the lovely Kingdom and Paradise of the Lord whilst ye come forwards so sluggishly and drowsily d Mat. 25 be locked or shut-to 2. For behold e Ezek. 7 the end cometh yea the end cometh swiftly on and the last time is now at hand after which f Apoc. 10 time there shall not be any Salvation of the Life nor health of Souls more to be obtained 3. O ye foolish people which are now so sluggish call to mind the foolish Virgins how they neglected their time g Mat. 25 for to gather or prepare them oyl in their Vessels and how that they for that cause when the time appeared or was come that every one which had oyl and light in his Vessel or Lamp should enter in with the Bridegroom must abide without the lovely Kingdom of the Bridegroom 4. Verily in this same day of the Love of the true Bridegrooms coming it will also go in such like sort with you all ye foolish and sluggish people which follow so incessantly your own counsel will and freedom h Rom. 1 Ephes 4 1 Pet. 4 2 Pet. 2 according to the mind of the flesh and have no regard to the Sanctification in the Spirit wherein the godly Oyl becometh brought unto us 5. Therefore look now to it betimes and take good heed unto the i 1 Thes 4 2 Thes 2 Sanctification in the Spirit or unto an upright Being and Mind to the end that the like happen not unto you as chanced to the foolish Virgins 6. Behold k Heb. 3 and 10 presently in this same day ye are yet all warned respect well therefore this same l Prov. 6 2 Cor. 6 Gal. 6 Heb. 12 time of Grace whilst there is yet Grace and Comfort at hand and to be obtained and have a diligent regard unto the Service of Love and what the same requireth 7. Verily it requireth not this nor that according to the flesh of the worldly dealing nor according to the dealing of the false hearts and unregenerated hypocrites but m Ephes 4 an upright Being in the Love of Jesus Christ that is to become n Luke 1 released from all ownedness or selfness and hallowed o Rom. 12 1 Thes 4 and justified in the Spirit of our Mind through Jesus Christ and his Service of Love 8. Whosoever then in all Obedience of the Requiring of the gracious Word and of his service of Love
doth in such sort respect well or take good heed unto the same he shall also be p John 14 loved of God the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ and of the holy Ghost yea they shall come to him and make a godly dwelling with him 9. Hereunto give you now all wholly over and turn all your understanding to the godly Doctrine of the Service of Love and be even so q Deut. 30 obedient unto the holy Word of the Spirit of Love in his Requiring to the end that ye all may now in this same day of Love in which Christ cometh unto us with the holy Oyl or Anointing of the holy Spirit of Christ r 2 Thes 4 meet Christ the upright Bridegroom in his Coming and live and triumph s Apoc. 7 21 22 everlastingly with Him and all his holy ones in the Kingdom of God his Father 10. For I say unto you verily Whosoever now in this same day of Love abideth slothful and careless towards the upright lovely Being and even so estrangeth his heart from the Ministration of the Elders in the Service of Love either holdeth it common or of one Being with the consumable t Rom. 12 1 Cor. 7 Being of the perverse world he shall not be anointed with the holy Oyl of the holy Spirit of Christ nor with his lovely nature nor yet let in with the sanctified holy ones of God or Communality of Love to the u Heb. 3 and 4 Rest of the peaceable Kingdom but be x Apoc. 21 and 22 shut there-without with the wicked world and with all self-wise and ungodly 11. Therefore remember now betimes ye all which are now in this same day so slothful or sluggish towards the Service and entrance of the upright Being of God and so self-wise against the holy Spirit and the Requiring of Service of his Love what a misery and y Wisd 5 painful grief it will be for you to behold when as all the holy ones of God shall gather them together in the perfection of the Love z Mat. 24 Luke 21 from the four ends of the earth to a Kingdom of God and that ye shall find your selves shut there-without 12. Verily then will it fall out too late for many to gather or prepare them out of the Ministration of the proffered Grace the godly Oyl or holy anointing of the Spirit of Love in their Vessels 13. Whosoever now therefore respecteth not the right a Eccles 3 Prov. 6 Gal. 6 Time of Grace and of the fruitfulness of the good Seed that he in the harvest or fulness of the time may get his b Mat. 13 Barns full of good corn but is careless and slothful towards the entrance of the Requiring of the gracious Word and of his Service of Love c Prov. 6 and 18 he shall likewise have lack of d Prov. 20 Amos 8 Corn namely of the Fruits of the Word and then afterwards when he findeth himself poor and e Luke 15 Apoc. 3 empty and seeth well that the holy ones of God are filled with great store of Goods be constrained to bewail his case with f Wisd 5 Luke 13 grievous misery and shall not find any more meet or convenient time for to gather any thing but out of doubtfulness fall into g Wisd 5 Luke 21 great despair and even so in gnawing or torment of his heart and in wringing of his hands greatly lament the time which he hath neglected and mis-spent and which also is not to be recovered again and rufully bewail his condemnation and misery for ever and ever CHAP. XVIII LOok to it betimes and a Jer. 7 18 25 35 amend your Being O ye children of men and take mine Admonition to heart make not in any case light account of the grief of minde that is coming which shall fall and is also already fallen upon b Isai 13 Luke 21 the ungodly with much calamity and misery but endevor you with good-willing hearts to enter into the [c] Deut. 4 and 30 1 Pet 1 obedience of the requiring of the gracious Word and of his Service of Love ere ever that that same misery whereof there is told you fall likewise upon you 2. Be d Mat. 24 Luke 21 wakeful now therefore and keep always a sharp or diligent watch against all your Enemies namely against all the mindes and thoughts which make them up in you out of the flesh of sin and would even so contrary to the Counsel Will and Doctrine of the holy Spirit and of his Service of Love pluck or allure you e Rom. 6 Gal. 5 after the pleasure of the flesh 3. Behold I tell it you and heartily exhort you even out of all the love of my heart and spirit Hearken not to them beleeve nor follow not their will or counsel but against all your own mindes and thoughts of the flesh and against all your corrupted nature lust and desires give or apply you wholy to the f Deut. 30 1 Pet. 1 obedience of the requiring of the gracious Word and of his holy Spirit of Love So shall ye then assuredly out of the same obedience g Rom. 6 in manner of suffering finde another Nature and Being by you which shall shew it self much uprighter lovelier then that which ye have had out of the will or self-mindedness of the flesh For doing even so ye shall through the obedience of the requiring of the gracious Word and of his Service of Love become h Iohn 15 Rom. 11 Eph. 3 incorporated to the lovely i John 17 2 Pet. 1 Nature of God and to the everlasting peaceable Being of the holy Spirit of Love 4. If ye now hear and understand all this same well that the holy Spirit saith unto you all out of the Service of his Love So consider then with diligence what a k Deut. 30 Life of Righteousness is required of you and give or endeavor you unto the same I have for certain told it you plainly enough and tell it you yet again to the end that ye may well understand it aright namely that ye should incline and give over all your inwardness to the requiring of the gracious Word and of his Service of Love for to become l John 15 and 17 Eph 3 2 Pet 1 incorporated through the obedience of the requiring of the same Word and of his Service to the upright and lovely Being of the Love to the end that God in you and ye in God and so forth ye all among each other might live peaceably in all Love 5. But alas although ye hear and understand all the same yet doe many of you nevertheless refuse the m Rom. 2 Goodness of the Lord and follow almost all your n Ier. 7 and 91 good-thinking Knowledge 6. Ah Beloved wherefore refuse ye thus the good Being wherefore doe ye through your good-thinking Knowledge
sought nor desired any other thing but the salvation of men in the love The Lord of his mercy vouchsafe us to find grace in his sight e Psal 86 lead us in his wayes for to clense our hearts by f Psal 51. Act. 15. his righteous spirit and by faith to the end we may know him in the truth and be defended from all the errors and abominations of the wicked world 5. Behold and awake g Eph. 5. in the spirit of your minds lay hold of understanding look to your selves h 1 Joh. 2. and let not the errors of this world delight you I cleare my self this day before you all and before all those that willingly desire or be minded to error or to the wicked world that my Councel and will is not so 6. If any man therefore take pleasure or be addicted to the world or to her vanity and abominations and do desire to fix his heart thereon The same erreth through the pleasing of his own mind But as for me I cleare my self of his destruction 7. For lo I have out of the inclination of love called and bidden you all out of the abominable World unto conversion to God and unto Repentance and unto Amendment and have herein warned you all sufficiently I have distingtly shewed you as much as I might do and saw necessary both death i Deut. 11 Jer. 21. Eccl. 15. and life destruction and preservation I have witnessed and pointed forth the God of life which hath made Heaven and Earth his Statutes k Deut. 4 and Ordinances which stand fast for ever wherein all the upright Fathers have lived and which all Gods Prophets have born witnes of I have also distinctly marked out Therefore shall no man that heareth or readeth our writings be able to l John 15 excuse himself as though that we have hidden the Councel or Will of God from him in any thing 8. Nevertheles if there be any greater God then the God of Israel which hath made Heaven and Earth If there be now any better Law or Ordination then his Law m Deut. 4 Or better Statutes and Ordinances then Gods Statutes and Ordinances according to his Ordination If there be any perfecter life then the n 1 Cor. 13 Col. 3. 1 John 4. love as is witnessed by his Christ for through the very same was o John 1. the life aforetimes published which is everlasting and on that same or to that same everlasting life is even our service and pointing also Or if thre be any thing in any body or if any man hath any better thing that excelleth the everlasting life and the Love which we bear witnes unto let him manifest the same unto us or let it out of Love be known unto us to the unity of heart in the Love even as we to the self same unity do witnesse manifest and publish the everlasting life and his righteousnesse of the Love and of the upright being 9. Or if any man perswade himself that he knoweth some better thing which pointeth nearer or clearer to the Almighty than the holy Spirit of the Love and of th everlasting Truth doth testifie and point unto us by which Testimonies he p Ioh. 14. bringeth and leadeth us into all Truth Let the same man make himself apparent unto us under the obedience of the Love with an unpartiall mind and not withhold from us the most best for to serve in the unity of heart in the Love as is said in upright godlinesse the living God onely For even thus standeth our whole heart affected 10. Hereunto be ye now all armed and well disposed O ye lovers of the Truth Beware that ye sleep not q Rom. 13. Eph. 5. seeing it is now a time to Watch but awake in the Spirit and abide in any wise in the Hope untill ye see the light to the life your salvation 11. Make not hardly any light account of it cast it not with the unregarding ones in the wind but have respect alwaies unto the good and this service of the Love shewed on you which is in Letters described and ministred unto you to a godly life stretching to the Love turn not aside from you but take r Deut. 6. Prov. 4. the same to heart and grow therein to an upright being of the Love And so then shew your unpartiall service towards one another according to the upright nature and being of the Love For the Love to the unity of the brotherly nature requireth such things to the intent that the everlasting true God might in such upright Å¿ Eph. 4. righteousnes and holines as pleaseth him and in the establishment of his promises onely be observed and the earth likewise t Esa 60.61 2 Pet. 3. with righteousnesse faithfulnesse and Truth be inhabited Towards this let us go forward in a meek spirit If ye hear any thing that soundeth unto you strange or v Hos 8. absurd in your eares yet be not bitterly minded but follow after long suffering and blaspheme nothing 13. Let every one which is not to be spoken to or to be councelled runne to an end with his understanding and grow ye up in stilnes and singlenes of heart x Sap. 9. Jam. 1. praying God for Wisdom and for an upright sight in the Truth But tie not your hearts unto any thing save onely to the good life of the Truth y Ioh. 8. For that shall make you free 14 Above all things ye beloved z 1 Cor. 14. Col. 3. follow still after the Love For there neither is nor shall be any thing that may excell her a Deut. 6. Mat. 22 1 Cor. 13 1 Tim. 1 The Love is the cheefest good the Truth a light to the life and the Righteousnes our joy Hereunto let our hearts be affected for herein standeth the praise of the Lord. 15. Thus let us forsake all bewitching of the Spirit and depart from the evill and increase or grow up in the good And that all in stillnes and in the hidden wisdom of God For the time peradventure will yet a little while remain troublous to speak freely before all people of the Truth and godlines For at this time she is b Esa 59. 3 Esd 14. yet with the World much too base but love and esteem ye her so much the more and gather ye her to your selves for a treasure in your hearts 16. All what the wicked world loveth all the enormities and abominations that the Ministers of the wicked world do gather in their hearts and all the envy contentiousnes strife of the obstinate Teachers against us and our most holiest service of the Love cast and hurle them all out of your hearts and inwardly have nothing to do with them For their inwardnes is full of vanity falshood and malieiousnes and their joy is onely in their foolish knowledge and in the earthly and transitory things 17. But let
v 1 Cor. 4. 2 Cor. 3. James 1. Knowest thou not that there is no man that of himself can have any good thing or upright understanding except it be given him of God Wherefore bring and submit all under God and his Love x Es 42. whatsoever doth belong unto him and seperate not thy self from us seeing we are also well-willing thereunto 35. If then thy gifts be all gifts of God see that thou y Psal 34. praise God in those gifts of his under the obedience of his Love and make no breach or division with the same nor in any wise despise not another therewith that hath received lesse then thou hast but shew forth Love in all that is given or committed unto thee of God and so joyn thy self with us unto the gracious Word of the Lord which the God of heaven hath raised up among us according to his Promises 36. Be also not z Ezek. 34. Lordly neither advance thy self by accusation against thy inseriour brother likewise desire not to a 1 Pet. 5. 1 Thes 5. quench any mans small godly gifts which he obtaineth under the obedience of the Love nor judge that any man besides his godly gifts hath taken on in his Councell any Flesh and bloud but be at peace with all them which to a concord with the Elders in the family of Love do obediently submit and give over themselves with all their gifts and understandings under the Love and her service For b Rom. 2 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 4. the gifts of God are manifold yet minded all to concord and Peace forasmuch as the true God of life is with his gifts no God of discord but of Peace 37. Wherefore there is also in the manifold gifts of God no more but one God c 1 Cor. 12. which worketh all to whom of right belongeth the highest respect above al things For he is the most highest the living and the Everlasting d Psa 139. whose Workes are wonderfull and his e Sap. 17. Rom. 11. Judgements incomprehensible 38. His height is unmeasurable his depth unsearchable his glory unspeakable his wisdome unwritable his grace infinite his word is unchangeable his Law inviolable his Truth uncorruptible his Spirit unmoveable his mighty Arm unfrayable and his glorious Majesty remaineth stable for evermore 39. Behold this living and true God of whom we have received our godly gifts is an everlasting and true Light f John 1. The same Light is an everlasting true Life that Life is an everlasting stedfast Word that Word is g John 6. a true Spirit 40. The same Spirit is h Sap. 7. the holy Wisdome and the upright Understanding The holy Wisdome and upright Understanding is the Providence The Providence is the Will which willeth that all what good is may be In this Will is the Beliefe The Beliefe is the Power and Might to accomplish In the Power is the Work Deed. The Work and Deed is all the visible and invisible Being which God for himself hath brought forth 41. But all the things that are Gods and which the true God hath brought forth and made both the invisible Being and the visible created Things are all Witnesses i Rom. 1. that He the same our living God is the Creator of all things the giver of all good gifts and the eternall and true God to the intent men should serve honour and worship him k Deut. 6. Mat. 4. onely as God Lord and King 42. And that same like Being of his Godhead l Gen. 1. Eccle. 17. was in the beginning formed in the man Which like Being of the Godhead and the light of his clearnesse the man hath m Gen. 3 Rom. 5. through the fall from his God been deprived of But the coming of the same light is in the resurrection of the dead to a godly glory n Esai 60.62 Joel 2. Acts 2. 2 Pet. 3. promised to be in the last time And that same as a new World full of Light and Life wherein o Apoc. 21. God himselfe dwelleth p Psal 97. appeareth unto us now in the Love and in the Righteousnesse of the everlasting uncorruptiblenesse according to the Promises CHAP. XXIV 1. GOD hath ever spoken to the Fathers concerning his Sonne or like-being who is the Heira of all things and the end of the Law and the Prophets 5. The same Sonne promised to the Beleevers that the true Life should be deelared in the last times 8. Which is now fulfilled in the Love 10. But not understood by many 12. An exhorvation to lay down all contending under the Love 22. Every Father of a Family in the Love hath liberty to use speciall Ceremonies 23. All to be done to the Love and Peace 25. As GOD extendeth his mercy on us so should we take heed unto it 26. H. N. witnesseth of this grace and it shall in time be manifested over all 28. He glorieth not in his Revelations but in God Neither doth he despise any others therewith 32. Howbeit his beurt is inclined unto them that embrace the Love 34. There are no other people of the LORD but such as obey the Love 35. He hath not by his writings defamed any but called all to the Vnity of Heart THis Almighty God which was which is and which abideth for ever who giveth his honour to a Esa 42 none other spake in times past by Moses and his Prophets unto the Fathers b Heb. 1. and that oftentimes and in sundry manners whereby Hee c Deut. 4 Esa 42.45.51.55 required the true fruit of his Righteousnesse and did still testifie of the like Image of his Being and ceased not therein till the time d 2 Kin. 7. Psal 89. Acts 2. was fulfilled that his beloved one was appeared unto them namely e Mat. 1 Rom. 1. 2 Tim. 2. his Son the fruit of his loynes and the very like Being of his Godhead 2. And even as the same Gods Sonne namely the like Being of the said God who liveth for ever was from the beginning the First whom f Joh. 1. God finished all his workes by so is he also the last that is to say the perfection of all those things which God hath promised by Moses his Prophets according as it is written thereof g Rom. 10 1 Cor. 13. Gal. 3. In whom the Law and the Prophets cease or be fulfilled 3. Insomuch then as the Law and the Prophets were in the same Sonne of GOD in times past fulfilled in Israel and did cease in the same Sonne the Lord Jesus Christ who is the h Rom. 10. Gal. 5. 1 Tim. 1. end of the whole sum of the fulfilling of the Law and the Prophets to the confirming of the Promises of GOD the Father therefore did GOD then also at the last at the end or fulfilling of his Law and Prophets i Heb. 1. speake unto the people of Israel and
requiring of my holy and gracious Word that passeth forth under the obedience of my Love nor have any regard thereto know and understand that they all are [o] Isai 1 Amos 5 Luke 16 Tit. 1 an abomination and a loathsomness before mine eyes and that I cannot away with them to the end that they all through thy service out of my Love may turn them uprightly [p] Isai 55 Ier. 3 to me and my Love [q] Ezek. 17 Ioel 2 Math. 3 Luke 3 repent them for their sins and be [r] 2 Pet. 3 preserved in the clearness of the day of my righteous Judgment 8. Now bowing my self in all obedience to my God I went forth and did abide also always in the Lord even as the Lord had commanded me and my spirit being moved through Gods power I gave forth the sound of the voyce of the gracious Word of the Lord like as I had also done in times past 9. And even so out of the love of my God and Christ became the gracious Word of the Lord in living power out of the living God in sharp reproving chastising and nurturing as with documents to the putting away and mortifying of the sin of death and also in gentle-dealing or helpfulness to Salvation as with sweet [s] Isai 55 Ioh 4 7 Apo. 22 waters to the raising up of the righteousness of life [t] Iohn 4 and 7 flowing from my body and the sound of the same voyce enlarged it self wide abroad upon the earth 10. Have a good regard therefore O ye children of men unto that which becometh this day out of the gracious Word of thâ— Lord and his holy Spirit of Love spoken and expressed unto you and harden [u] Psal 95 Heb. 3 not your hearts in any case but [x] Jer. 7 and 18 25 35 amend your Being to the end that ye may enter with the children of God into the [y] Isai 32 Heb. 3 4 Rest of the Lord. CHAP. II. O Ye Children of men ye children [a] Gen. 3 Isai 1 9 Rom. 5 of defection which will not beleeve nor understand Gods Truth give any [b] Prov. 1 Jer. 7 ear to the Lords Will nor follow after the doctrine and instruction of the gracious Word and his holy Spirit of Love how can I in any case suffer you any longer then I have suffered you seeing that the Lord himself will not forbear you any longer in your unwillingness to his Righteousness 2. Thus long have I with the [c] Rom. 2 2 Pet. 3 long-suffering of the Lord beheld and considered it also with long-suffering what manner of ways it might be that ye all loved to walk in and whether also any man loved or desired to enter obediently into the [d] Prov. 3 and 4. Math 3 Mark 1 Luke 3 Act. 2 3 entrance or first School-rule to the way of Life and Peace in such sort as the same becometh administred under the obedience of the Love according to the Truth of God 3. Thus long have I been conversant in stilness with many of you and been by you like as one that can well abide to look on the wickedness of men and yet not correct or reprove the same But in all this my spirit hath been greatly [e] Jer. 9 and 14 Lam. 1 and 2. burthened with grief and with much heavy cheer very woful and sorrowful for you all O ye children of men 4. For viewing the whole face of the earth I beheld and noted directly the exceeding distractedness and [f] 4 Esdr 14 Math. 24 iniquity of the perverse world and the manifold [g] Dan. 9 and 11 Mark 13 abominations of desolation wherewith she hath brought her self into a most confused estate also the many and manifold [h] Isaiah 5 Rom. 1 and 12 1 Cor. 1 self-wisdoms chosen holinesses [i] Col. 2 2 Tim. 3 and false god-services or religions of men which they have taken on unto them out of the Scripturely learnedness and imagination of the knowledg and made or divided themselves there-through into many Sects Dissentions [k] Mat. 24 1 Cor. 1 and 3. Gal. 5 Jam 3 and Schisms or Divisions 5. I have moreover marked with long-suffering the forth-going of all such as boast them of the Love and perswade themselves that they cleave unto the Love and the Wisdom whether that there were any better thing loved by them then by the world and also whether that they approached any neerer to the Truth of God and to the upright Being of the Love then the wise of the world Scripture-learned 6. I have also for that cause walked lovely among certain of them and behaved my self [l] 2 Cor 5 Tit 3 very gently with them hoping even so that the true fear [m] Prov. 1 Eccl. 1 and 2. of God the [n] Psal 40 lust to the good and upright Being the upright [o] Math. 24 zeal to the Righteousness and the concord [p] Ezek. 11 1 Cor. 1 Eph. 4 of heart in the Love should have been found among them more then among the worldly wise and Scripture learned 7. But alas like as the world together with her wise and Scripture-learned are darkened or [q] Rom. 1 Eph. 4 blinded in heart and deaf in the understanding which comprehend not [r] Wisd 1 Math. 11 1 Cor. 2 the good Being of the Love nor yet consider on any of all that which God through the Spirit of his Love requireth but have always a lust to themselves and cleave unto the covetousness the voluptuousness of the flesh and the self-wisdom which seduceth them even so I have found many of you yea almost all which make boast of the Love and talk much thereof to stand in such like case and also advisedly marked that ye under the pretence or colour of the house or service of Love have taken on to your selves the [s] 2 Pet. 2 Iude 1 voluptousness of the flesh according to the manner of the world to be your freedom and your own [t] Ier 7 11 18 thoughts of the good-thinking according to the imagination of the knowledg like unto many unillumated [u] 1 Cor. 1 Scripture-learned and good-thinking wise to be your wisdom and have no regard to the godly life of the gracious Word nor to the [x] Prov. 1 counsel of the Testimony of the holy Spirit of Love neither yet humble you obediently to the Love and her service and yet notwithstanding when one asketh you whether ye have adjoyned you to the Love or are minded to continue with a good will by the same ye answer and say expresly O yea we will cleave unto the Love and not forsake the same in any case 8. Howbeit ye cover therewithal your false desires and also the lusts of your flesh wherein ye [y] Rom. 1 Eph. 4 2 Per. 2 Iude 1 live and walk and remain even so without
it then assuredly go evil with you in this day of the Love of the righteous Judgment [s] Isai 13 and 47 Math. 25 of God yea much [t] Math. 11 worse then with the worldly ignorant which have not heard any better then the manner or Rite of the world or of the seditious and sectarish Scripture-learnedness 7. For unto you all which presently in this very day of the Love hear the voyce or sound of the Spirit of Love the good Being of the Love becometh expresly set forth and the Life of the upright Righteousness figured out before your eyes and to the same also ye are all u Mat. 11. Eph. 1 and 4. 2 Pet. 1 called and entirely bidden And the hand reached forth unto you to your assisting therein to the end that ye should all with willing hearts wholy give over your selvs under obedience of the Love thereunto and so enter into the way or entrance to the same 8. But verily if ye now in all this [x] 2 Thes 2 love and mercifulness which this day chanceth or becometh brought unto you through the Spirit of Love will not give ear to the Voyce or Testimony [y] Ier. 25 and 29 of the gracious Word nor learn in the service of Love the [z] Math. 11 humility of heart nor the meek-mindedness of Spirit neither yet once laud nor thank the God of Life for such an appeared [a] Tit. 2 grace but [b] Prov. 1 refuse the proffered grace and turn away therefrom keep off the same from your hearts run on light-mindedly with your taken-on knowledg have no regard at all to the Wisdom of the Love nor endeavor to attain to the righteousness of the upright Being of the Love and even so [c] Psal 95 Heb. 3 hardening your hearts follow after your own [d] Jer. 7 and 18 44 good-thinking so think well then hereon and consider it advisedly O ye self-minded ones and good-thinking wise that ye with such pervertedness of your good-thinking hearts shall become [e] Isai 59 Eph. 4 estranged from God and his Truth wax cold towards the right Love and altogether unwilling to give over your hearts in the service of Love 9. Yea that God will also for that cause seeing that ye are so [f] Prov. 24 Math. 25 slothful to the service of his Love and to all that God in this his holy day requireth g Apoc. 3 spew you out of his mouth and not let you taste his lovely Being nor finde the [h] Heb. 4 Rest of his holy ones but will let your hearts rest blinded from his upright Light and your time days and years pass away or [i] Wisd 5 Isaiah 13 and 47 Mal. 4 perish with the ungodly in ignorance and darkness 10. O ye [k] Prov. 6 and 24 Math. 25 sluggish to the Will of the highest God ye [l] Phil. 2 seekers of your own selfness in the service of the Love and ye all which are so wise or [m] Isaiah 5 knowledgful in your own conceit and without the counsel of the holy Spirit of Love n Prov. 1 follow and ensue your own counsel jet on with stiff [o] Isaiah 3 necks and even presumptuous boldly [p] Wisd 1 and 2. hunt after your own destruction how long will ye yet through your disobedience bring sorrow and care upon me and pain me so with anguish in my heart 11. How long will ye yet follow your own counsel and cast behinde you the counsel of the Wisdom 12. Oh! I fear that ye will not cease from doing your own will until that the Destruction have utterly swallowed you up and that ye shall not finde any more time of converting to [q] Heb. 12 amendment 13. How are ye for shame thus cold and how slowly come ye forward to the Service of the Love How abide ye always so very childish or (r) 2 Tim. 3 Heb. 5 weak of understanding in the knowledg of the entrance to the first school-rule of the Christian Doctrine of the Service of Love and of the heavenly Truth I have doubtess held forth or expressed all good before you and evidently figured forth the upright Being of the Love and the entrance to the same among you through which Service so extended on you all my hope hath been that I should have rejoyced with you in s Eph. 4 Col. 1 1 Pet 5 the growing up in the godly understanding of the upright Being of the Love as with loving Children of the Kingdom in the godly Being of the Love 14. But alas it grieveth my heart sore now that ye begin to wax aged or old in the understanding and ought of right to be (t) Hel 5 Elders in the holy Understanding I finde that many of you grow not up in the (u) Eph 4 oldness of the holy Understanding of the gracious Word or Christ according to the upright Being of the requiring of his service of Love but in your own or self-framed understanding or destroying (x) Gen 3 1 Cor. 8 knowledg and yet dayly increase therein and not in the (y) Wisd 1 and 7 Jam 3 Wisdom of the Love that godly Understanding CHAP. IV. OH where shall I once finde such as take to heart the gracious Word and the instruction of his Service of Love or his counsel a Deut. 6 and 11 32 Prov. 4 of the Wisdom and even so with single-minded b Wisd 1 hearts follow after the same obediently For I finde by experience that the most part of people which make a c 2 Tim 3 shew as though they turned them to the Love or to the Service of the same turn them not d Ier. 3 aright to the Love and her Service 2. For that cause such shew plainly their unfaithfulness and in turning them away from the requiring of the Love it becometh manifest in the bringing forth or spreading abroad of their own counsel lust and will which they take unto them through the imagination of their knowledg that they are utterly estranged from the gracious Word of the Lord and from his requiring and turned towards their own word and will 3. For there are very few to be found that give over themselves hereto namely to [e] Mat. 16 forsake their Self-wisdom or Imagination of the Knowledg and to live obediently [f] 1 Kin. 15 1 Pet. 1 according to the Counsel and Doctrine of the Testimonies of the holy Spirit of Love But almost all and especially they that refuse the Love and the Requiring of her Service set themselves to Judgment for to [g] Jer. 13 judg with their own Word and Imagination of the Knowledg Gods gracious [h] 1 John 3 and 4 Word and the [i] Isaiah 30 Service of his holy Spirit of Love as also the Elders in the same Service 4. Yea many think also in their hearts That they will look well hereto that they
be not in any wise seduced or deceived by the Love which [k] 1 Iohn 4 nevertheless is God himself nor by the Spirit of Love which is the true godliness of Jesus Christ nor by the dayed-Elder in the same Spirit which witnesseth the upright Being of the Love and her Spirit 5. Behold such a Circumspection will they almost all occupy or use supposing even so according to their good thinking or own knowledg to enter into the Life and although they are not regenerated in the Obedience of the Love of Jesus Christ [l] Wisd 1 Matth. 11 and 13 1 Cor. 2 nor yet understand the Works of God nor the Mystery of his Kingdom to be more prudent and understanding with their knowledg then God himself and his Spirit of Love 6. Which Spirit hath now in this very day through the mercy of God and his elected Minister made manifest the secret Treasures of God and the godly and spiritual [m] Eph. 3 Col. 1 2 Tim. 1 Riches of the heavenly Goods so distinctly and nakedly and also brought the same so abundantly and liberally unto us in the obedience of the requiring of his Service of Love where-out also we declare forth the same again among the children of men That the simplest or very least among the understanding ones if he considered thereon might right easily understand that this our Ministration of the holy Word in the Service of Love is Gods working and not the mans and that the same Spirit and such an holy understanding n Mat. 16. as is witnessed declared out of the same Ministration proceeded not out of any flesh nor earthly understanding but out of the living God and that men also without conceiving any evil opinion thereof ought to be obedient to that same Spirit in the requiring of his holy Word and Service under the obedience of the Love 7. Howbeit many will not consider hereon but they turn them almost all to their own [o] James 3 understanding out of the wisdom of the flesh and Scripture-learnedness or imagination of the knowledg wherein they intangle disturb or disquiet themselves among each other and come not (p) Ephese 1 and 4 2 Tim. 3 to the Understanding whereunto they are called or required and wherein they might understand the Mind or Intent of the Works of God 8. Out of these ignorant Understandings according to the imagination of the Knowledg very many make up themselves presently which judg the Administration of the gracious Word of the holy Spirit of Love out of their ignorant and unilluminated Understandings and running forth even so with their Judgements here and there they know nor understand not themselves what they judg thereof 9. For the One murmureth here and will have it Thus after his Minde the Other murmureth there and will have it So after his Mind The One hath seen or marked This in it that is unright in his eyes The Other hath heard That thereof or else conceived and imagined to himself there-out some strange or absurd Matter that soundeth unto him in his ears and in his thoughts as unright or error 10. Herewith now and with such like as there is mentioned certain have so much to do and to talk of that they for that cause through the great toyl and business which they incumber themselves withall thereabout become so utterly blinded in their hearts that they by no means can consider on the single-minded [q] 1 Kin. 15 1 Pet. 1 Obedience which the gracious Word and his Service of Love requireth nor yet on the abundant Treasures and Riches [r] Mat. 13 Col. 2 of God which out of the heavenly Truth become [s] Ephes 3 Col. 1 revealed by Gods Grace so richly and liberally unto us in the Service of Love and through the holy Spirit of Love brought unto us to Salvation 11. They have likewise not once any regard what an upright and lovely godly [t] Eph. 4 2 Pet. 1 Being the gracious Word bringeth in the Obedience of his Service of Love unto his Beleevers 12. Also they understand not [u] Mat. 16 the time which is now present and at hand in which the ending of the perverse [x] 2 Pet. 3 world and the appearing of [y] Mat. 24 and 25 Luke 17 Acts 1 the Coming of out Lord Jesus Christ and the z Isai 26 Iohn 5 1 Cor. 15 1 Thes 4 Resurrection of his holy ones cometh to pass CHAP. V. OH Is it not a very lamentable case that I have [a] Eccl. 24 2 Cor. 11 labored thus long with such a fervency and diligence in the Mystery of the Works of God out of the godly powers among the children of men and given abroad the same Mystery of the Works of God unto them with so full resolution to their Salvation to declare thereby Gods Truth upon the Earth so openly and clearly dealt or been conversant in the travel of the godly Testimonies of the true Light among so many and also communed or spoken thus long yea so often and many times with them of the [b] Mat. 13 Luke 8 Mystery of the Kingdom of the God of Heaven and that I yet finde so few which with all their heart give over themselves good-willingly to be obedient c 1 Pet. 1 Jam. 1 disciples unto the gracious Word of Life and Truth and to his service of Love or that humble them according to the requiring of the Word and [d] Prov. 1 Counsel of the Wisdom aright there-under For almost they all [e] Phil. 2 seek themselves and not the Lord and even so hearing and beleeving themselves [f] Jer. 18 and 23 they follow after their own will and understanding and not the Lords nor his gracious Words 2. Seeing then that they hear beleeve and witness so gladly their own word and follow or ensue so gladly their own counsel wisdom and will so will they also very gladly and willingly submit themselves thereunder also gladly give them over and be obedient to the same [g] Ier. 7 11 13 but not to the gracious Word of Life or of the Spirit of Love Yea such an absurd and preposterous dealing against the gracious Word of Life or of the Spirit of Love is used often times much more by them which men have in estimation and count to have understanding then by the little and single-minded ones 3. Oh how much and many times is it mentioned in our Writings That the Lord detesteth and is wholly minded against [h] Isaiah 3 and 30 Rom 1 8 11 1 Cor. 1 all pride of the flesh against all the wisdoms of the earthly or fleshly men and against all their industry subtle pregnancy knowledg and counsel And how little becometh it taken to heart or how little thinketh and considereth the man that he touching Gods Causes ought to hold himself [i] Psal 37 Isaiah 30 still in his wisdom industry understanding
obediently in the Service of Love with humble hearts unto the holy Word of the Spirit of Love and are godly of Will yea my minde standeth good-willing-towards all such even to all Grace and Mercy be he then what he is Friend or Stranger CHAP. IX BUt now if happily certain of the good-willing hearts to the Love should take these our fore-spoken sayings somewhat heavily or grievously to minde and say thereupon Because we are not altogether perfect Ye nor the Lord have not peradventure any good pleasure in us and we shall also possibly for our Imperfections cause seeing that we yet dayly stumble fall and sin very much perish with the wicked world and all ungodly 2. O ye Beloved and all ye good-willing hearts which are good-willing to the obedience of the witnessings of the holy Spirit of Love but are yet too young [a] Rom. 15 Gal. 6 and too weak to enter into the perfection these fore-spoken sharp sayings reprovings and punishments are not spoken to such as humble themselves obediently to the gracious Word and his Service of Love to do the Lords Will nor yet to the good-willing ones unto the same obedience b Rom. 7 although they are yet young and weak in the accomplishing of the perfection but to the evil-willing and to all them that with perverse c Wisd 1 thoughts and false or deceitful intents enter in so falsly d 1 Iohn 2 besides us and mean or purpose in no wise the Love but in all themselves and even so with their [e] Isai 59 Ier. 9 Wisd 1 malicious hearts and perverse thoughts hall away again from us also slander or [f] 2 Pet. 2 Iude 1 blaspheme the holy Word and our upright and godly Service of the Love and so spue forth their falshood with many lyes over us 3. Behold over this g Isa 1 wicked and venomous nature passeth forth the Judgment of God h Prov. 1 Isa 13 Wisd 12 Heb. 10 and his Punishment to the Condemnation of the same wicked Nature 4. For that cause O ye good-willing hearts set apart such thoughts as that God and the Spirit of his Love or his holy Ones should not for your weakness cause have any good pleasure in you in any case far from you but remember as it is also very true and look into the same according to the Truth that the grace of God the Father and the mercifulness of his Love prevaileth or taketh in the preeminence i Isai 13 Rom. 5 abundantly by or in the Beleevers of the Word and that God and the Spirit of his Love is k Rom. 2 2 Pet. 3 long-suffering towards all good-willing ones which humble them under the obedience of his Love also l Heb. 2 and 5 beareth them in all their weakness and m Ier. 31 forgiveth dayly all their sins to the end that they should even so enjoy his comfort and grow up with cheerful hearts or good courage so much the good willinger in the obedience n Eph. 4 Col. 1 of the gracious Word and so go on or press forth unto o 1 Pet. 5 Phil. 3 Heb. 6 the perfection 5. For consider and look into it once aright If the Sin whilest it was yet night have p Rom. 5 prevailed in us how much more then shall the Grace and Mercy of God to the obtaining of the Righteousness seeing that now to the salvation of men [q] Rom. 13 the Day against the Night and the Love with her safe-making Service against the Sin and Condemnation is entered in prevail or take the preheminence over us namely over all them that are [r] Luke 2 good of will and that submit or wholly give over themselves with all their heart for to be s Deut. 30 1 Kings 15 obedient unto the holy Word under the Love and express even so in the giving over of their heart that they have not any will to the t Rom. 6 sin or that which is [u] Wisd 14 Romans 1 unright nor yet to the [x] Rom. 13 Eph. 2 5 darknesses of the wicked world but have turned all their lust to the Righteousness for to [y] Iohn 8 and 12 1 Iohn 1 and 2 walk uprightly with the Communality of the Love in the light of the lovely Being of God for God hath no pleasure [z] Ezek. 18 1 Tim 2 2 Peter 3 in the perishing of sinners but his Pleasure is that they should all convert unto Him [a] Acts 17 repent them for their sins and live in his Righteousness 6. For that cause O ye feeble minded of heart and all ye infirm or weak which love the upright Life permit not any evil surmisings to take effect in you nor yet give place to the unbelief whereby you might be plucked away from the God of Life from the House or Communality of the holy ones of his Love but in all things wherein your memory or understanding might chance to be moved apply always [b] Prov. 4 your minds and thoughts to the instruction of the Wisdom and to the Doctrine of the holy Understanding of the Spirit of Love and submit [c] Eccles 6 even so your whole memory or understanding with all your minds and thoughts to the vertues of the godliness for to follow after the same in all obedience of the holy Word and to become old [d] Ezek. 4 and understanding therein to the end that ye in the youngness of your understanding seduce or deceive not your selves with any strange and [e] Wisd 4 Eccles 3 unprofitable thoughts 7. But ye shall always in your youngness and weakness let the giving over of your heart or your good-willingness to the Love and to the Obedience of the Requiring of her Service [f] Eccles 4 and 17 appear or become expressed before the [g] Eccles 6 7 8 9 Elders of the holy Understanding in the Testimonies of the holy Spirit of Love and not at the first the Perfection for verily it is not in your power at the first in the time of your youngness and weakness to bring forth the Perfection CHAP. X. GIve diligent Ear hereto and understand well the Words of my Voyce O ye Novises in our holy Communality or Family of Love wherein God himself dweleth and walketh and ye all which are yet young a Cor. 3 Heb. 5 and 6 in the holy Understanding and weak in the accomplishing of the upright Righteousness Consider and note once aright which is your first School Rule or the beginning of the Christian Doctrine in our upright Service of the godly Love namely that ye first of all turn you about from the b Isaiah 1 and 55 Jer 7 18 25 35 Iniquity and from all ungodly Being utterly forsake all the c Ezek. 14 Mat. 24 Abominations of the wicked world and with all your heart d 2 Cor. 6 Apoc. 18 depart there-from
alwaies hold your selves thus back And wherefore take ye not the matter which is to the preservation and salvation of you all with whole mind to heart for that ye might enter obediently into the true o Heb. 5 6 School-rule of the Christian Doctrine of the Service of Love and p Eph. 4 Col. 1 grow up according to the Requiring of the same in the Godly Understanding Judge it now your selves whether that the same whereunto I exhort you out of the right Service of Love be not the upright Life and lovely Being of the Love q Gen. 1 and 2 Wis 1 2 Eccles 17 whereunto the Man is created and r Eph. 1 chosen for to live therein 7. For consider I pray you Is not the upright and lovely s Eccl. 24 1 Cor. 13 Being of the Love whereunto I exhort and demonstrate you much decenter uprighter and peaceabler then your own Being of the Flesh t Rom. 1 and the wicked Being of the perverse World 8. Seeing now that ye in your own Conscience cannot choose but acknowledge that the lovely upright and peaceable Being of the Love is the best and that the same bringeth the upright u Isa 32 Wis 3 Apoc. 21 Rest unto the Man So is it truly a great wonder unto me why ye doe not then with more diligence and fervency love and seek after the same and that certain turn them away so lightly from the Doctrine stretching there unto 9. How are ye thus lingering or holding back of your selves that ye come forward so slowly for to enter obediently into the first Entrance x Mat. 3 Luke 3 Acts 2 3 of the Requiring of the gracious Word and wholly to give over your selves to the best and so to go forth therein y Eph. 4 Phil. 3 Heb. 6 till unto the good Being of the Perfection O take hold yet once of a good willing Mind and Purpose with a good Will not to z 3 Kin. 18 halt any longer on both sides but let all your Thoughts stretch hereto namely to cleave obediently unto the good Being of the Love with all your Heart and Minde and obediently to follow after the Service of the Word in his Requiring until that ye be grown up to the a Eph 4 perfect old age of the holy and godly Understanding and b Eph. 3 2 Peter 1 incorporated with Spirit Heart Minde and Soul to the good Being of the Love CHAP. XIX O All ye a Ecles 33 People which hear this Day the Voice or Testimonie of the Spirit of Love b Prov. 5 take this effectually to heart incline all your Minds and Understandings to the holy Word of Truth and have even so your joy in all c Col. 3 thanksgiving to the Lord among each other 2. But let not your Joy and Thanksgiving to the Lord be in the fleshly d 1 Pet. 2 Voluptuousness nor in the joy of the perverse World but rejoyce you with Thanksgiving to the Lord in the great e Psal 96 97 and 103 145 Grace and Mercy which is appeared and come unto us now in the last Time under the Obedience of the Love to wit that we through the f Rom. 12 Eph. 4 renewing of our Spirit and Minde obtain to become Children of God in the Obedience of the Love of God the Father g Rom. 3 also co-heires with Christ in the spirituall Riches of God or heavenly goods and to live h Apoc. 5 21 22 everlastingly with God as his chosen Holy ones in his i Isai 31 Wisd 3 Heb. 3 and 4 holy Rest and in his lovely Nature or Being 3. Behold hereto as to a Kingdom of God full of all lovely Being hath God chosen us and k Mat. 25 prepared from the Beginning for us and for all l Isaiah 60 Ezek. 1 and 3 1 Pet. 2 believing Heathen which assemble them through Jesus Christ unto his People this same Kingdom of his upright and lovely Being which we now inherit in this same Day of his Love to the end that now in the very last the Scripture and all what God hath spoken through his holy Prophets and what is written of Christ should also in us and with us become fulfilled m Luke 24 to the Honour or Glory of God and to our Joy like as there standeth written 4. Be glad and n Deut. 32 Rom. 15 rejoyce ye Heathen with his People for the Lord will revenge the Blood of his Servants o Apoc. 19 on his Enemies and be favourable to the Land of his People 5. The upright ones or p Wis 3 Believers shall be obedient in the Love unto the Lord and judge the People 6. They shall receive a q Wis 5 glorious Kingdom and a beautiful Crown at the Lords hand 7. They are a r Eccl. 3 Congregation of Righteous ones and their exercise is Obedience and Love 8. They shall s Wisd 3 Mat. 13 shine like as the Sun in their Fathers Kingdom 9. The Lamb of God t Apoc. 5 hath redeemed them with his Blood out of all Generations and People and hath made them Kings and Priests unto God and they shall reign upon the Eaerth 10. They are a u Apoc. 21 Tabernacle of God among Men God will dwel with them and they shal be his People and He God himself with them will be their God 11. See this is assuredly the hearty mercifulness of God over us now in the last Time to the end that now in the last Time x Isai 40 the glorious Lordliness of God should in us become manifested or declared and the Scripture fulfilled 12. Yea this is the Reward or Recompence of Jesus Christ unto us Litleones and Gods Elect in the last Time to wit that we are made through the gracious Word of the Lord in his Service of Love and through the y Apo. 1 5 Blood of the pure and undefiled Lamb Kings unto God Priests or elders in the holy Understanding for that weshould now in these last days z Mat. 24 1 Cor. 4 as faithful Saints of God upright Elders in the holy Understanding of the Testimonies of the holy Spirit of Love a Wisd â— Apoc. 5 and 22 raign upon the earth in Righteousness and under the obedience of the Love b Isaiah 3 Wisdom 3 judg the world with Equity according to the c Isai 3 32 42 Jer. 23 33 Acts 17 1 Cor. 6 Jude 1 prophecying of the holy Prophets and Apostles of Christ and of the holy Ghost 13. Herein ye dearly Beloved rejoyce you now all with laud and thanksgiving unto God d Psal 96 and 98 99 103 145 and praise high-worthily his holy Name not only for the bountiful Acts of God extended on you but also that presently in this same day his holy Spirit of Love is e Joel 2
Acts 2 poured forth so abundantly over us and in us and that the true Doctrine to the same holy Spirit is likewise as a f John 4 and 7 living and safe making water flowing forth out of us to the salvation or safe-making of all Beleevers of the gracious Word and that even so to Righteousness upon the Earth the Scripture becometh fulfilled namely by all the Beleevers which now humble themselves good-willingly and faithfully under the Love take to heart the Word of Truth and grow up bed ently therein g Ephes 4 till unto the old age of the Man Christ 14 Whosoever now therefore under the obedience of the Love hath a good regard unto the holy Word of Truth that is administred out of the holy Spirit of Love and exerciseth him therein for to be obedient unto his Requiring and even so to that effect furthereth or becometh helpful unto the Service of Love he shall likewise according to the Truth enjoy and be partaker of all the bountiful Acts which God extendeth on us his chosen holy ones and also evidently see how that Christ the righteous One appeareth presently h Mat. 24 Luke 17 and 21 in Glory and becometh i Psalm 68 wonderful in all his Beleevers and that also through the same Christ and his holy ones the universal k Acts 17 Earth shall in this day of the Love which God himself hath appointed or ordained be judged with Equity and purged from all his unrighteousness and that all the Saints of God namely the Communiality of the Love shall inhabit the same with l 2 Pet. 3 Righteousness and raign with Faithfulness and Truth from henceforth world without end Amen This shall all assuredly come even so to pass and in his time be found even thus 15. Herewithall O ye beloved and obedient children and all ye constant faithful ones in this our upright Service of Love my hearty Exhortation and desire is unto you all I hat ye will take this effectually to heart and not seek nor desire any thing else with your will and mind but that the Love of Iesus Christ with her vertuous Nature and upright Being may obtain a m Gal. 4 Ephes 3 shape in you and that the Service of the same Love may also thereto be furthered or assisted among all people to the intent that the same Service may in all Truth and Love to the welfare and salvation of all men obtain the preheminence and to Concord and Love in Iesus Christ prosperously flourish over the universal Earth that grant us the Lord the Almighty God through his Love Amen H. N. An Introduction to the Glasse of Righteousnesse they set forth besides the everlasting God of Israel and his Law r 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 mightest 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 there â—hall then no life of Gods Sanctuary be found in them how wise how skilfull and execllent or rich of Spirit how learned and expert in Scriptures Languages or tongues soever they may be 55. If moreover they lay not down their knowledge in the silence even as though they knew nothing at all and that through the service of the holy Word they reform not themselves under the obedience of the love nor suffer their understanding to be stirred up to obedience whereby to be wholly inclined to the love to passe forth towards the same g Mat. 10.16 Mar. 8. Luk. 9.14 to take up daily their Crosse with humble hearts and to persevere h Eph. 6. Phil. 4. Col. 4. in prayer and faith with a firm hope i Eph. 3. till the establishing in the love they can by no means inherit any richcs of God or Christ nor k 1 Cor. 2. understand or know any wisdome of God at all how skilfully soever they search or study in Scriptures after it 56. For there is no wisdome nor knowledge of Christ nor understanding of the Scriptures to be had in any thing but only in the love or among them who are inclined and well-affected thereunto 57. They may many of them I grant seek much wisdome and understanding whereby to comprehend the same and in conceit be satisfied and appeased with a taken on wisdome but if they come not to the love neither are taught in her service to the true wisdome they shall then find no wisdome nor understanding nor yet any righteousnesse nor life but must l Joh. 8. die in their sins and in their conceit
children to the end to bring them up t Tob. 1. Eccl. 7.30 Eph. 6. according to the Law of the Lord in the upright being that the name of the living God might therein be magnified from their birth and from Generation to Generation for evermore 18. But if we observe and note this thing aright there are but few alas that proceed by this rule and therefore they are generally u Esa 57. Mat. 12.16 adulterers and adulteresses 19. For such as come not together by the Lord but x Tob. 6. keep or shut God and his Law out at doors are they not all y Sap. 3.4 children of adultery liveth not every one of them that are such in his own matrimony and conjunction contrary to Gods Ordinance or conjunction z Sap. 3. Heb. 13. of the undefiled bed 20. Therefore passe they not at all for the pure begetting procreating or bearing to the bringing up of children in godlinesse to the praise of the most highest 21. Oh! this same is with many yet far from home for every one desireth generally to bring up his children to himself even to his own pleasure that he may thereby spread his own name and not the Lords and therefore there is no love of God nor unity in the love among them 22. For every where there is a middle wall and division between God a Esa 59.4 Esd 9.13.15 Mat. 24. Luk. 21. and the man between the spirituality and the temporality between the Prince and the Subjects between the husband and the wife between the Parents and the children between one brother and another and between one friend and another 23. Every one mindeth his own and would fain have another agreeing to his mind yea the man is now come to such presumption and stoutnesse b Esa 45. that every one in particular would gladly have that in all things he might use the everlasting God at his own will and that God would give successe to all things according to his pleasure 24. And in such a manner is the vvife minded towards the husband the children towards the parents and moreover one people towards another whether it be in Ordinances Religions and Righteousnesses or in temporall Laws In every thing there is own wills desire middle wall destruction suspition mistrust and covernesse 25. Yet who taketh it to heart who doth forgo himselfe who considereth it â— doth not every man cover himself that his shame might not be laid open 26. Who can now I pray you acknowledge that he himself is so unclean unjust wicked c Esa 1. and dissembling and that he ought to turn him from his unrighteousnesse 27. Truly not many alas can brook it nor yet well indure or bear the shame thereof by reason that they will not do away nor forsake the covering or show of vertue wherewithall they are covered 28. For in this regard the husbands will be much too upright the wives too honest and the children much too proud d Esa 3. and haughty for to be content to acknowledge that they are open sinners and no better then whores and naughty packs e Mat. 22. for thereby they might not in any wise come into the Kingdom of God 29. So perversly are the children of men minded against God For albeit they are guilty in all respects if not with the deed yet at least with the heart in secret yet notwithstanding they do all keep themselves covered before the face of God and his Saints and would much rather be respected and accounted for just persons even as the Pharisees f Luk. 7. and letter-learned were then with the Publicans to acknowledge their sins g Luk. 18. convert and pray to Almighty God for his grace 30. Whilest then the children of men will not understand nor acknowledge this same h Joh. 9. therefore remain they in their sins Notwithstanding out of their unconverted hearts and unacknowledgement of their errors they search the Scripture i Joh. 5. thinking to have the understanding of life therein whereas the same is it k Ioh. 5. that accuseth them and giveth testimony of the upright life but to the same life they desire not to come for they know it not neither the way that leadeth thereunto howbeit they perswade themselves that they are wise and do well know how they ought or ought not to live 31. But that which they ought before all things to know they do not know understand nor see for they ought necessarily to have seen that they are like broken of branches l Rom. 11. separated and straied from the upright stock and likewise to know the defection m Esa 59. from their God and his Christ and the lying against the Lord. 32. Seeing then they are blinded in regard of the discerning of the fall from their God and are not come to the incorporating with Christ and yet say they are Christians and indeed are not but are a Synagogue of the devill and do boast themselves of God and God findeth them liars in his sight therefore will he even n Apo. 3. spew such out of his mouth and not suffer his holy name to be any longer blasphemed by them because they should see and know that they have o Esa 1. blasphemed the holy one in Israel p 1 Mac. 3. trodden down his Sanctuary with their feet contemned him and his gentlenesse and in their presumptuousnesse esteemed themselves great and wise 33. Inasmuch as this same is still unknown to the world and unto all wel-conceited wise and is of few looked into and that the man learneth not to know himselfe whereby he might judge righteously neither is with the inclination of his heart disposed to the love nor hungreth nor lusteth the convertion to his God and will q 2 Tim. 4. not abide the godly doctrine but remain selfe-wise and stout of heart therefore do I even truly perceive great infelicity sorrow r Mat. 24. and misery to be ready to come in this perillous time yea such an estate shall fall upon the children of men as shall be out of measure horrible and all this same must needs light upon them because every one is much too self-wise in his own conceit also too self-expert in the Scripture and for that every one supposeth Å¿ Jer. 8. when he hath the Scripture and readeth or heareth the same that he cannot then erre nor be deceived 34. This say they and yet do they all erre because the upright judgement out of a discerning of love is not in them and because out of the brests of the love they have not sucked and tasted the godly wisdome 35. For it is certainly meer lies what the letter-learned t Jer. 1. and what the wel-concerned wise of spirit also do without the love institute or set forth how clear soever in understanding and how expert soever of good and evill they are become thereby for
1 Pet. 2. our sins and hast compassion in our affliction and art our Physitian healing us of our offences for thou makest us whole of the deadly wounds of our souls 22. O God d Psa 25.79 impute not our sins unto us because of our ignorance e Luk. 23. Act. 7. forgive them also their offences that know not what they do 23. For seeing the children of men know not thee aright nor submit themselves obediently to the requiring of thy Word and Service of Love therefore surely they fall here or erre there in such sort that oft times they keep no measure nor rule at all 24. But seeing that such things are now sufficiently known unto me and that my spirit out of Gods grace perceiveth a godlier life then is found with many of the children of men therefore the inclination to the righteousnesse constraineth me distinctly to shew both that which is commendable and that also which is utterly discommendable before God and among men 25. Therefore O ye children of men note I pray you your ignorance and think once upon that which is right and learn an upright understanding and a right knowledge of the wisdome that tendeth to the love 26. Learne of the Love in her Service f Mat. 11. lowlinesse long-sufferance meeknesse sobernesse chastnesse and righteousnesse in faithfulnesse and truth that same shall be wholsome to your reigns do good to your g Pro. 3. navell refresh your bones and rejoyce your heart and shall be unto you a living fountain h Ioh. 7. that springeth to the everlasting life and as a fruitfull tree i Psal 1. Ier. 17 Ezek. 47 Apoc. 22 planted by the waters side that bring forth his timely fruits whose greens or leaves do not wither or fade 27. Take this same to heart and be not as the wild beasts be k Psal 32. not like horses and mules that have no understanding of wisdom 28. Inrage not your selves in any wise as the mad furious world doth set no horns on your heads thrust not your selves out l Prov. 1 Sap. 2. like the unwise or fools neither let your part be among the greedy or covetous 29. Keep you from the society of them that are forward to do violence and of such as count it a small thing to shed mens blood 30. Have not much disputation nor reasoning with them that by their will are desirous to have the matter to go on their side or that are partially minded but rather in all things observe what is right and equall and what m Rom. 14 serveth to peace and love CHAP. XI 1 An Exhortation to the Family of Love to imbrace the loves nature and to pray with confidence for the godly wisdome 18. Many pray for wisdom that will not acknowledge themselves to be unwise 20. The poor of spirit are blessed 23. The self-wise will happily for a time like of the Love and her Wisdome yet according to his owne sense 25. H. N. feareth least the Glasse of Righteousnesse shall be misunderstood as other Sentences are 35. The Alarme is stricken up to preparemen to the battell 43. The Lord indeed worketh all but not without us nor without our obedience 47. The well-willing are not to be dismayed 51. The Christian fight is not with cursing nor killing but with patience to subdue the sin within us 56. God is pleased to save the world by a foolish Preaching under the obedience of the Love O Ye children of the Family of the Love of Jesu Christ if so be ye love the Love then consider also the Loves nature for the Love is clothed with righteousnesse which also rejoyceth not a 1 Cor. 13 in the iniquity for her joy is in the truth 2. After such a fashion consider ye the Love and not after a vain course according to the mind of the flesh b Esa 40. for all flesh waxeth old and changeth but the Spirit that cleaveth to the Love doth neither wax old nor change but it abideth for ever 3. Hereunto have regard that your life may be in the preservation of the righteous and fear not like the fooles or ignorant 4. For why should ye perish with the fools and ignorant wherefore should ye inherit the cursing c Mat. 25. with the goats 5. Separate d 2 Cor. 6 Apoc. 18. from them and behold Gods right hand for from thence cometh unto us the life of salvation and the light of the holy understanding 6. Even there learne with the wise the godly wisdom that according to the Spirit ye may be not earthly e Col. 3. but heavenly minded 7. Suck also in like manner all gentlenesse out of the brests of the Love and seek the peace of concord 8. And when ye have gotten all this same then play sing f Psal 96.87 and praise the Lord as his little lambs and g Psa 79.95.100 as the sheep of his pasture and as little children h 1 Pet. 2. in whom there is no guilefull heart hidden and so get you a naked lovely heart such as uncoveredly groweth up in the Love and i 1 Thes 3 2 Thes 1. increaseth therein more and more and increase ye likewise in wisdome and in holy understanding 9. If now ye be hereunto well minded then shall your portion be with the Kings and Priests or with the Elders of the holy Understanding and your fellowship with such Senetors as do further the Righteousnesse and your Service of the Word with the peace-makers that do earnesty seek the unity in the Love 10. And thus shall then the slandering lips k T it 2. 1 Pet. 2.3 which defame you with all evill by your good conversation with the wise in the wisdom and with the just or vertuous in all righteousnesse and integrity be put to silence 11. Therefore be now through the love and her service wholly l Rom. 12. Eph. 4. renewed and purified in the spirit of your mind passe now thorow the river of the love even to the rest of life the holy land of promise that the ungodly bear no dominion over you 12. Be altogether with one consent minded hereunto and let the love have the preheminence and dominion with you all that the little ones may be protected and the simple defended 13. Therefore O ye lovers of the truth seek unity and labour for it and make a departure out of all heathenish being which is after the course of the worlds foolishnesse 14. Do away the fore-skin m Deut. 10 Ier. 4 of your uncircumcised hearts lay away from you according to the former conversation the bewitching of the imagination which glimmereth unto you before the eyes of your spirit and glittereth before your understanding as if it were some excellent thing 15. Renew your understanding in the Service of the holy and gracious Word under the obedience of the Love and so in the spirit of your mind betake you n
d Mat. 24.25 and of the coming of Christ together vvith all his Saints e Esa 65. 2 Pet. 3. is the nevv day of life and the f Dan. 12. 4 Esd 7. 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes 4. Resurrection of the dead according to the Scriptures vvhich manifestation of the Kingdom of God and of the glorious coming of Christ vvith his Saints and of the nevv day vve novv under the obedience of the love publish abroad in all the vvorld for a Gospell g Mat. 24. of the Kingdome according to the promises 3. But if any man heareth not nor believeth the same neither is vvakened out of the h Esa 29. sleep of his ignorance or vvill not hear this voice of the love him do vve let alone therein still bearing a favourable good vvill tovvards him and do cleave fast to the love bear patience vvith his ignorance and blindnesse and do consider that all of us have heretofore been unvvise i 2 Pet. 2. and have been blinded from this glorious light of life yea vve do yet doubtlesse often find in our selves the lack of understanding untill the light of life do manifest it self perfectly in us 4. Hovvbeit the right understanding consisteth not in many words k 1 Cor. 2. or sayings nor in high or deep knowledge as is aforesaid but it is found in long-suffering and in such a heart as feareth the true God under the obedience of the love where men use temperance l 2 Pet. 1 discretion and kind-heartednesse and where men love righteousnesse and information of equity 5. But where is it now where may one seek and find it who doth earnestly desire lust or long for it who applieth his heart wholly thereunto 6. Truly not the children of this world which are the lovers of errour nor yet the self-wise of the vain-conceited hearts neither the lovers of their own companies of Religion For all these think not upon the service of the love neither will admit any thing but what they have chosen they blaspheme also every thing besides their own opinion and have no regard to the Statutes and m Exod. 20. Deu. 4.5.6 Ordinances of the most highest nor to the n Mat. 5.6.7.11.16.19.22 doctrine of Jesus Christ neither to the requiring of his Catholike Church 7. And therefore will the man to maintain his own cause be alwaies above the understanding of the love and so be the loves Master For there are few found that do with whole heart submit themselves under the Love to the intent they might obtain through concord and o Joh. 17. Eph. 4. Phil. 1. equalitie in the Love one like mind to the good to the one manner of subduing or mortifying of the evill hearts minds and thoughts 8. For that or him that directeth thereunto they can by no means abide nor yet be minded to the lovely life of upright Righteousnesse which I H. N. out of intire love do beare witnesse of because with many the same is not according to his upright being hearkned unto nor rightly understood for every one with his conceited imagination and unclean heart will fain be himself he whom men ought to esteem for wise in such sort that many of them do arrogantly aseribe understanding to themselves as if they knew already all that they should know and were wholly such as in Jesus Christ they ought to be 9. Moreover many of them are so rich p Apo. 3. wise as though they needed no more and many perswade themselves that they are such as do live free and that they are every whit the same that they should be that also the Service of the love concerns them not and that they are past it all 10. Lo such things think the fools and unwise those unfruitful q Iude 1. trees that love their self-wisdom and their own ease in the flesh and are quite dead therein yea though he be an Infidell or Heathen yet scarcely thinketh he that he hath any wrong understanding for all that what might then one that is wise think or he that perswadeth himself that he is holy 11. Now because many of them do esteem their owne matter for such a fairnesse r 1 Cor. 1. or wisdom therefore besides their own wisdom they will in no wise heare any Å¿ Acts 7. other understanding nor esteem it for wisdome for every thing is evill or uncleane in their eyes which is without their wisdom yet must they needs acknowledge that the inside of their vessell t Mat. 23. is not cleansed from the filthinesse neither doe they believe to be cleansed through Jesus Christ or to be justified from the sin under the Obedience of the Love 12. What helpeth it then or whereto is it profitable that one should shew any precious ornament or jewell of godly fairnesse unto such if in their hearts it were against them or that they loved not the same Even so is it also with the testimony of the Word in the Love when there is no love joyned thereunto for to love that which is heard or witnessed 13. Therefore let us in all things and before all grow like minded to concord u Rom. 12 1 Pet. 3. in the Love x 1 Pet. 5. humble our hearts to the living God and so love the vertue and the godlinesse cleave to no ungodly being or unorderlinesse of this world but let us with impartiall minds hearken to the truth for an instruction to the wisdom with long suffering and cleave to the vertue of the good life with him that beareth witnesse only thereunto and taketh part with no flesh 14. Wherefore let no man bind his heart unto any outward thing which he is served with to the righteousnesse of life much lesse to the worldly things or to any thing which the desires of the flesh are inclined unto that he be not disappointed of the entrance to the life which thing would be a great grief unto me 15. For this cause that no man should erre but perceive whereunto our calling tendeth hear and understand what the chiefe summe of the perfect Righteousnesse is 16. It is an humble heart y Psa 51. that departeth from all earthly and corruptible things and with a lowly and meek spirit is incorporated with God in pure Love according to the Spirit living in the forme of Jesus Christ z 1 Tim. 1 in an unspotted conscience and to have an inclined mind or desire to do the Lords will and to fulfill all righteousnesse 17. Towards this let us passe on with a good hope in a sure faith and confidence let every one turn him a Esa 55. Jer. 18.25 35 Ezek. 118. Jon. 3. from the wayes of his error and with-draw his heart from the bands of selfnesse to the intent in an upright being to serve b 1 Thes 1 Heb. 9. the living God only and turn away his senses and thoughts from that which hangeth on
to a bondage of the heart that is to say from all that is created outward or vaine how holy how good how fair or how amiable a grace soever according to the outward appearance it may shew forth unto the man to the end that no man be taken or remaine captive in any bewitching to a thraledome of his mind with that wherewith the Heathen and the unwise or uncircumcised of heart are still bewitched tied and bound not onely with the outward show of holinesse or wisdome but also with the delight of the outward created things c Rom. 2 in this world wherein with their hearts they become vain 18. Therefore let us reckon all these things for such as they are and repute some of them in that whereunto they are commodious for good in their degree and quality to the end our heart may stand free in the everlasting uncreated Godhead according to the Spirit that is in the God of Israel the Creator of all good things and moreover let us suffer our hearts to be prepared thereunto in the obeying of the requiring of the Service of Love 19. That is truly the everlasting life which in times past was preached unto the world and is now in the last time by Gods grace come unto us under the obedience of the Love that our fellowship d 1 Joh. 1 should be with God the Father and with his Son the Lord Jesus Christ and that our joy in the Love might be perfect 20. On this onely and true God settle your hearts to a union with him and with his Christ and love him e Deut. 6. from your whole souls minds and thoughts and so then love all created things in their degree or as they are profitable 21. Yet not for their owne sakes but for the Ordinances sake that God hath created them unto and whereunto he hath appointed them as good then shall God be loved honoured and served by you above your selves and above all visible things and f Exod. 20 Deut. 4. you shall also neither have nor serve any Idolls which are besides him 22. In such a degree love ye also all men g Lev. 19. Mat. 22. Mar. 12. Rom. 13. as your selves or as your fellow-brethren so shall there be no dissention nor division found among you and then in the same sort h Eph. 5. love your wives which are minded with you in one heart and spirit to God ward as fellow-members of your bodies or els should ye be no married folks 23. To the same good being of concord in the Love i Eccl. 7.30 love ye likewise your children that they may be brought up in righteousnesse after the Law of the Lord to serve the living God 24. If any man hath servants whether men-servants or miad-servants k Eccl. 7.33 Eph. 6. Col. 3. let him not overcharge them with slavery but use moderation give them also now and then time to rest and to recreate their hearts in the things that God requireth 25. But beware of the stout servants l Eccl. 33. such as in their leisure time seek nothing but unseemlinesse pride disorder and lightnesse for for such whether they be sonnes or daughters men-servants or maid servants if so be they exercise nor desire no righteousnesse labour serveth much better then leisure yet with discretion according to time and measure alwaies be holding the good before them upon hope of amendment 26. Hereunto let us be minded and give over our hearts and minds to live therein and alwaies exercise love m Rom. 12 1 Thes 3. 1 Pet. 1.3 one towards another and so n Heb. 10. James 5. with patience and long-suffering wait o Luke 2. for the consolation of Israel and for the health of the house of Jacob whom God in his time shall call together from all the ends p Mat. 24. or coasts of the earth where now they are dispersed 27. Wherefore increase ye in the good q Eph. 4. Col. 1. 1 Pet. 1. and grow up in the Lord and for the communion of the Loves sake and that we with consent of heart may be joyned to the same let us incline our hearts to each other to the end we may all become one such as love righteousnesse and forsake dissention which dispise nor reject none neither Jew Mahomet Heathen nor any Sect or Faction but rather draw all that will follow to our communion under the obedience of the Love that the Service of the Love may become prosperous and in all upright righteousnesse obtain the preheminence 28. Whosoever then joyneth himselfe to our communion of the Love yeeldeth himselfe to the love and to the requiring of her Service obediently loveth the righteousnesse r Psal 15.24 Esa 33. John 9. Acts 10. and hath no guile in his heart the same is acceptable to God and all such shall be unied in the Love and love one manner of righteousnesse according to the mentioning of the Glasse of Righteousnesse 29. Hereunto let every one be humbly minded and so incline his fatherly heart Å¿ Mal. 4. Luk. 1 to the children to unity in the Love 30. Let the children t Eph. 6. Col. 3. bow themselves in holinesse to the humility and so for the unities sake in the Love turne their hearts to the Fathers 31. The like also let every one do towards his brother and one man towards another and that all under the obedience of the Love 32. Do away from you u Esa 59. the middle walls and have love all that love righteousnesse proceed on after it with one accord have no regard to the foolishnesse of the Heathen nor to any such dealings or witnessings as cause Sects dissention or renting nor yet to their teachings and unprofitable devices nor to the witching of their God-services nor to the subtill knowledge of their wisdome For their waies x Jer. 5. are snares and their wisdome y Esa 19.42.58 nets who so hath no regard to the Law of the Lord nor to Abrahams God he shall be bewitched tied or taken and be led away from the requiring of the service of love by them 33. But all ye which turne you to the living God which made heaven and earth fear not the Gods of the Heathen neither regard the nets of the wisdome of the uncircumcised seeing they reject the Lords Word and his Ordinances 34. For the nets of the Heathen are like Spiders webs which do soon rent and fall asunder but the Law or Ordinance of the Lord is stedfast and abideth everlastingly 35. Therefore let the Law of the Lord and his Ordinances be alwayes for a teaching unto you and fear the God of Israel and let his love be still your rejoycing 36. Mark the ground of the Love ye deerly beloved and let your ears of the Spirit that you may hear your eyes of the heart that you may see and your understanding that you may understand be opened
or unlocked not only to the outward earthly and corruptible but chiefly to that which is inward spirituall and eternall 37. For behold I do verily witnesse this same distinctly enough unto you to the intent we might all have regard to the upright life inwardly in our hearts a Rom. 8. become spiritually minded and through the grace of the bountifull Godhead serve in the upright life the living God only 38. Let every one b Gal. 6. take heed to his time for if we be already separated with our heart from whoring with stocks and stones as from such Idolatries doubtlesse it is then so much the more expedient inasmuch as such grace is extended on us that we observe our hearts and cogitations and cleanse them from all outward unprofitable things to be made free and unbound therefrom to the intent our hearts abide not bound unto any manner elementish created or worldly matter nor yet unto any kind of appearance of c Col. 2. spirituall or holy things whereby in case our hearts stood bound therein we may be lead awhoring and our hearts be bewitched therewith 39. Therefore let us not regard nor give respect unto or esteem any outward things higher then for elementish or so much as they are in their degree or as they are profitable in their Service neither let us go a whoring with them to the intent our eyes of the Spirit may still have respect to the only God and his upright life for to cleave with true understanding unto the same 40. For whatsoever is outward whether it be man or beast and whatsoever is to be seen heard or felt how fair good holy or wise soever it seemeth to be must certainly every whit so far forth as it standeth in his right degree d 1 Cor. 15 Eph. 1. Heb. 2. be subdued under the only God and his love 41. This same verily should the man once consider and understand to the intent he might once be delivered and rid of his foolish witchery and of dissention and of whoring with this or that 42. Therefore let no man be tied or bound to the lusts of whoredome with any outward thing but give all his respect to that God e 1 Cor. 15 which is all in all and inwardly in his mind let him take heed to the upright life which is godly holy and good that he may bear the Image or like being of his God f 1 Cor. 15 for as we have borne the image of the earthly so shall we also in like manner bear the image of the heavenly to the land and praise of the glory of God 43. Loe thereunto is my testimony namely that the upright life is the life of the upright Fathers which served and worshipped the invisible great g Deut. 4.5.6 c. and almighty God only who still was God in Israel and in Israel also wrought wonderfully who is h Exod. 3. Mat. 22. che God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. 44. Now in that these Tribes of Israel knew the God of heaven as a true God and lived and cleave unto him therefore did they stand free and untied from all the God-services of the Heathenish Sorceries and were unbound from all whorings with outward things 45. To obtain this grace in God that is the Gospell which is through Christ published to the Heathen to the intent they should be released from their foolish bewitched God-services and from all their lusts of whoredome whereby they may with Israel be incorporated into the stock of Abraham and may altogether as one manner of people serve the onely living God in one manner Lawes Statutes and Ordinances even as the second Booke of the Glasse of Righteousnesse maketh mention 46. Therefore O all ye people Nations and Tribes if ye will not consider whereto ye are called of the God of heaven through the seed of Abraham according to the promises neither do regard your heavenly calling aright in her degree nor give your selves over thereunto nor feare Abrahams God nor love his Lawes and Ordinances but do build upon another foundation i Eph. 2 then surely shall ye be banished from God and from the Citizenship of Israel and be constrained to serve vaine things k Deut. â—â— and to keep such Ordinances as you doe not know 47. That same shall intangle your hearts bewitch your understanding and make you bond-servants which indeed we are so long as we willingly remain l Rom. 6 subject to the sin and to the Sorcery of the heathen 48. Therefore take heed to your time and seek God m Esa 55. while he is neare and may be found and while ye have yet space to turn you unto him 49. Let the ungodly n Ezek. 18 forsake his ungodly being and so come to the life through the death of the Crosse of Jesus Christ then shall he live and die no more 50. Let us apply our minds to the same and turn our hearts away from all sensuality of the flesh not only from that which outwardly we look upon but chiefly from the self-minded thoughts which do arise o Sap. 2. Mat. 15. out of our selves and doe tempt or intice us thereunto for to hold our hearts in bondage to the vaine corruptiblenesse which through the works of unbeliefe leadeth away from the living God wherby we may be deprived of the fellowship with God in the Spirit for the unity and p Eph. 2. peace with God the Father in the Spirit for to live one with another in all Loue is the glorious liberty of the children of God whereunto we are called by Jesus Christ 51. Lo this is the stone q Psa 118 1 Pet. 2. which was not allowed of the workmen yet is there r Acts 4. salvation in none other which stone is clean against all sense of the flesh and against all them that are minded only upon the outward therefore of those builders which will themselves act or set up the salvation he is rejected Å¿ Esa 8.28 Mat. 21. and is unto them a stone of stumbling and offence t Psal 118 Mat. 21. and this is a wonderfull worke in our eyes 52. Behold herein we have likewise all sinned and trespassed 53. Therefore it stands us now upon to regard well from the heart the mind of the truth and with humble hearts to pray unto the Lord that he will not punish us for our misdeeds of ignorance u Psa 25 79. Dan. 9. but will thinke upon us according to his mercy and guide our hearts after his will that we might walke in his Ordinances and be named after his Name as our God and Saviour who through the Service of his love maketh our errors knowne unto us and releaseth or maketh us free from all perverse or covered nature of sinne from all arrogancy and haughtinesse of the revolters and from all falshood dissention and deceit which at
respect of them for whom they are necessary namely in such consideration as the Ordinances and Ceremonies of the Law of the Lord n Rom. 10. Gal. 3.4 Heb. 7. and of the belief of Jesu Christ have their ministration for that is by them to train the man up and so to support him in the youngnesse of his understanding untill he be released from all self-mindednesse ignorance and own wisdome or vain imagination and the sight of the upright life o 2 Pet. 1. come unto him in the spirit and so of himself he love all that with whole heart and mind which is right and just and have a desire both before God p Rom. 14. and amongst men to live and to walk in all upright righteousnesse and and to fulfill the requiring of the gracious word of the Lord and his service of love Lo to shew such obedience is the best obedience inasmuch as the obeyers thereof do inwardly before God and outwardly amongst men live by the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ q Luk. 1. in the upright righteousnesse and holinesse and so not of compulsion but of faith are obedient unto all inward righteousnesse and outward Ordinances of the holy word and service of love r Mat. 22.23 1 Tim 1. and that is the principall obedience whereto men are to give the greatest respect for it is the principallest which the outward services or ceremonies have their ministration unto It is true 65. Wherefore men ought even before all things to give the worthiest praise and greatest honour to the greatest or best and not to respect or esteem the smallest for the principallest Likewise to observe a difference between the prudent good-willing and stable ones and those that are without understanding evill willers and revolters that they minister not the services and Ordinances confusedly or mixtly out of the knowledge nor disorderly require the obeying of the same as if any man should urge them without difference and should not distinguish between the state of the age of such Disciples as had obediently accomplished the requiring of the services and attained unto the appointed Å¿ Gal. 4. time of the father and of the age of Christ or were obediently grown up unto the same and the state of those Disciples that had not yet accomplished the requiring of the services nor attained unto the appointed time of the age of Christ but should give like honour unto and esteem of equall value eithers age and obedience 66. When a man then ministreth an office of teaching and yet is not entred into the Disciples beginning of the Christian life among the Elders in the family of the Love neither hath obediently accomplished the righteousnesse which is wont to be required of the Disciples from their first entrance into the Christian life untill the age of the elder Christ and even for that cause cannot distinguish the same passage in his right Ordination surely the same man and likewise the Congregation that heareth him doth stray very far from the truth and also from the right use of the Doctrine and Ordinances of the antient Fathers tending to the Christian life and from the upright being of the love of Jesu Christ and of his holy spirit and do become both together one with another namely the teacher and the Congregation which he teacheth alike ignorant and unexpert in that which is of value before God and likewise in that which is most needfullest to be used amongst men to their preserving in the godlinesse 67. For mark the Å¿ Exo. 28.29 Levit. 1.2.3.4.5.6 c. Priesthood out of Levi which is ministred after the manner of Aaron is upright and good in his right use and is also in his service vvith the Law and Ordinances of the Lord and with the letter and through the Letter in the Family of the Lord very profitable and necessary while the t Gal. 4. heire is yet a child and hath not attained or reached unto the appointed time of his Father or Elder 68. But the Priesthood out of Messias called Jesus who is unto his Believers u Psal 110. Heb. 3.9.10 an High-Priest at the right hand of the Almighty in the heavenly being and a x Ioh. 1.14 true light in the light of the ministration of his truth is much more worthily to be esteemed then the Priesthood out of Levi for the same High-Priest doth in his office bring unto the y Rom. 3. Gal. 2.3 believers in his name namely those that are obediently grown up under their tutors and Governours untill the appointed time of their age the upright righteousnesse and the upright being of his love and accomplisheth with them in their spirit and mind all that which vvith the Letter and vvith the Lavv or Ordinance in the foregoing Priesthood is taught and required in the ministration of the Elders whereby the Lord Jesus Christ called Messias is unto his believers and good willing obeyers in their spirit and mind an everlasting a Joh. 14. life and a b Heb. 8.9 minister of the spirituall and heavenly goods whose service also with them is done in the c 2 Cor. 3. spirit and by the spirit and so is he unto them an heavenly d Heb. 5.6.7 Eph. 1.2 High-Priest for evermore not of the earth nor of flesh and bloud but a son of the most high God in the heavenly powers of the invisible being and is now in the last time appeared and come unto us the chosen of God in his glory and triumph from the right hand of God his Father and so hath with us with the spirituall and heavenly goods his ministration e Heb. 7.8.9.10 in the most holy of his Tabernacle under the obedience of the love af-the manner of Melchisedech to the erecting of the perfection 69. Thus as is said Jesus Christ hath his ministration even from the beinning untill the perfection through his Saints and Elect and so is in his teaching to his f Heb. 9. people a Salvation from their sins and a blessing and reviving g 1 Cor. 15. Eph. 2. Col. 1.2 from the death and hath then in that manner with them namely with the living his Believers his ministration with the spirituall and heavenly goods And so in the same ministration he is manifested by his believers that he is he right Messias and King of the Jews and the true h Psal 110. Heb. 7. high Priest for ever after the manner of Melchizedeck who in his Priesthood is greater and more excellent then the man because he abideth for ever 70. Behold this same high Priest in the ministration of the spirituall and heavenly goods and this noble King of Israel and Juda which ruleth in righteousnesse and of God is chosen to such an excellent glory before the foundation of the world was laid is by inheritance sealed to possesse the i 2 Reg. 7. Esa 9.32 Ier. 23.33 Dan. 7. Mic. 4. Luk.
1. feat of David his Father to the intent there may be no end of the peace upon the same from this time forth for evermore and that so he may rule and raigne as an everlasting peaceable King over the house of Jacob according to the promises 71. For in this sort and to the finishing thereof is he revealed unto men and published k Ioh. 1. 1 Tim. 3. 1 Joh. 2. to the world for a Saviour because all people should believe in him by him inherit the everlasting life and so confesse him and that sameis the true righteousnesse which is availeable before God and well pleasing unto those men which are of a good will 72. Now inasmuch as the rich bountifull God hath out of his grace granted me to perceive that we are all called and loved to the same glory of God and to the upright being of the love of his Christ because we should inherit with all what is of God and Christ the everlasting life and for that the same is the l Eph. 1.5 Col. 1. principall point of our godlinesse therefore have I pointed none unto flesh and bloud nor to any elementish or visible things neither doth my teaching tend to the outward but from the outward to passe on to the same inward and heavenly and to Gods Kingdome of heaven whereof is spoken before to the intent that no man should set the consolation of his soul nor the comfort of his Salvation upon the outvvard nor earthly nor put his confidence thereon but only on the upright life of the righteous spirit and upon the coming of the godly glory in Jesu Christ of which things I have according to my sight out of the heavenly revelation of God much and abundantly spoken in the Glasse of Righteousnesse and in this Introduction mine exhortation is out of love also to the same to the intent we should have an earnest love and be provoked with desire towards it 73. Which life of Righteousnesse whereof we witnesse is inwardly godly according to the divine nature and outwardly brotherly after the upright humane nature and that same is the upright righteousnesse before God and amongst men 74. Who so now from the heart seeketh God and his righteousnesse and rightly hath regard to the upright life the same person will acknowledge that my teaching and ministration is of God and that it tendeth to the upright life and vvho so likewise to this end searcheth the Scripture for the promises shall assuredly find that it maketh mention of such things and that the Law the Prophets and the Apostles of Christ dâ— all point and vvitnesse to the very same 75. When the man now according to the truth perceiveth this same then will he for the love of righteousnesse sake be also inclined there unto and yeeld his understanding m 2 Gor. 10. captive under the obedience of the love praise God highly for his grace and through the belief passe on towards the upright life in all love 76. Though he now and then fail stumble or fall yet if his eyes of the spirit have respect to the upright life and to the love and that he glasse himself daily in the Glasse of Rightousnesse doubtlesse the same shall cause him to see and shall rightly shew him his spots and shall be unto him n Ioh. 4.7 as an open fountain of life against the sin and way of death CHAP. XIII 1. None can know God nor Christ rightly but in the Spirit of the love 11. No better grounds then the Doctrine of the love 14. An exhortation to the obeyers of her service that they blaspheme not other mens writings nor condemn any for Sects but rather allure all to the love 19. and that they put away the evill as much as they can out of themselves 20. The despisers are vaine 23. The consenters hereunto are counselled not to think they have already obtained but to labour and to continue in the doctrine of the love till the laying away of the mortall body 32. Not to be dismaid at the enemies but like souldiers to prepare themselves to the battell 33. Though we be sometimes hurt yet to take new courage still 36. Considering whereunto we are called through Jesus Christ TAke it to heart O ye children of men and let your understanding be renewed a Rom. 12. Eph. 4. according to the spirit to such an upright knowledge as God esteemeth to wit vvith the vvord of truth in the spirit of the love to an assured living hope and good conscience in Jesu Christ 2. For vvho so after the spirit conceiveth not the same nor is renevved in his understanding to the same upright knowledge under the obedience of the love in such a one there is no knowledge of Christ neither can he be rightly turned to Christ or to the upright belief but only through the same 3. For the fall from Christ is come and it is according to the Prophecie understood known and well perceived how that the same b 2 Thes 1. through the child of perdition according to the mention of the Scriptures hath in every respect so utterly c Rom. 1. Eph. 4. blinded depraved and corrupted the understanding of men concerning God and Christ that the children of men how wise or learned soever they of themselves be do neither d Ioh. 8.16 of the Father nor yet of the Son knovv any thing at all 4. And surely whosoever doth not submit his understanding under the service of the love the same man sheweth thereby that he is without understanding because by his understanding he perceiveth not how that he vvhich hath not the love e 1 Ioh. 1 hath not also the Son nor the Father but is vvithout Christ and his Church and can please God by no other means also can neither now nor evermore without the inclination of love neither through any other services or literall wisdome come to the holy knowledge of God or attain unto the same 5. But if any now believe not this same by reason of the high regard to their knowledge or by means of any respect unto their holinesse f Col. 2. or spirituall humility such as they have chosen or taken to themselves and as is not according to the promises as God in times past hath spoken by Moses his servant and by the mouth of his holy Prophets doubtlesse they howsoever they suppose or maintain g Esa 59. that they have the light must needs abide in h 1 Ioh. 2. darknesse for their unbelievers cause whose unbelief cannot hurt the believers neither can the Work of God for all that abide back 6. O deep and unsearchable vvisdome of God! i Esa 40. Sap. 9. Rom. 11. 1 Cor. 2. which of the great and high glorious wise or of the self-chosen holy ones hath ever attained unto thee 7. Unto which of them is thine arm known that hath heard or understood thy holy word or thy mind
aright 8. Therefore needs must they all in lowlinesse of heart be humbled under thee and become subject to thy true love that they may rejoice them in the truth otherwise they must remain blind in their imagination k Ioh. 3. and may not see the Kingdom of God for ever 9. For so long as they through the love or her inclination l Mat. 18. be not in their corrupt understanding turned about by the word of truth and are not well minded to the vertue of the love certainly there can appear unto them no light of the truth to Salvation for God hath foreseen the perfection m Deut. 6.10 1 Cor. 13. 1 Tim. 1. in the love according to the promises and not in the knowledge 10. Therefore let every one be lowly of spirit u 1 Ioh. 4. and humble of heart in his knowledge even as though he knew nothing and so have regard to the service of the love what it requireth and let him hope and long for it to the intent he may be comprehended therein that is to say in the doctrine thereof for therein is the godlinesse understood and known and so let him indeavour towards the best 11. And I hope that I shall alwaies towards the lovers of the truth do even so and not omit to set before them the most best for thereunto tend all my intents and desires neither know I at all any better thing then the teaching and ministring of the holy word under the obedience of the love 12. True it is I have as far as I might examined many sorts of Foundations and understandings and have likewise considered and scanned whereon they stood grounded but there is yet no better thing come to my hand 13. The Lord grant me his mercy and strengthen my mind to do and accomplish his will to the Salvation of men in the love 14. O ye lovers of the truth that have humbled your souls under the love and her service o Deut. 6.11.22 Pro. 4. take I pray you the truth to heart and reproach no mans writings teaching nor exhortations that have their ministration to the righteousnesse and to the concord but draw it all under the love that every one may give up and bring all what he hath taken on or wherein he is learned according to his humane imagination to the communion of the love give ear only to the godly Word of Life under the obedience of the love according to the manifestation of the glorious and godly light set forth in the Glasse of Righteousnesse and so above all his humane knowledge love the Concord and the upright life 15. Moreover condemn none particularly by name and be not offended at any that your hearts p Gal. 5. Acb. 12. be not moved to anger stumble not at any thing and reproach nor reject none for Sects but love all them that indeavour towards righteousnesse q 2 Pet. 1. with a like love to that upright righteousnesse which God esteemeth and thus draw all wel-willing ones to the true righeousnesse under the obedience of the love 16. And if any man seek the truth of you and his heart be inclined to the love then joyn your selves with him in the love and so speak r 1 Pet. 3. of the hope which is in you 17. For who so loveth the good though yet for a while he be in errour may for all that come to amendment in the love unlesse he should give over his heart in a wilfull contentiousnesse and despise the love and her service for his self-minds sake 18. But unto every one that will follow and is well minded to the love and her service Å¿ Eph. 4. unto such reach forth the hand to the unity of the upright life and that all in the love 19. If the evill assail you then put it from you as much as is possible for you untill the same evill get a going down in you and go into silence give it no respite to follow after his desire but become according to the spirit t Col. 1. 1 Thes 3. 1 Pet. 5 strong and firm in the good life u Deut. 7. 1 Pet. 2. to a peculiar possession of God even as it is here in this Introduction and in the Glasse of Righteousnesse according to the life shewed and declared 20. If so be ye cast this same behind the back to wit that ye refuse it or have no belief nor lust thereunto nor do hope thereon and yet by your self-wisdom perswade your selves to be wise then are ye vain and utterly unmeet to the Kingdome of God and how wise soever ye be yet shall you be found vain and without understanding and void of the true light of life 21. Now if any man say that he is already in the life and needeth no more or that it is needfull no more for him to hearken after any other understanding and therefore contemneth this form of the upright life and his service to the same life whereunto we bear witnesse and neither hath it nor indeavoureth towards it in the service of the love certainly he is yet in the death x 1 Ioh. 2. and darknesse and knoweth nothing at all either of Christ or of the life which is of God even as the darknesses also have never perceived nor known him 22. If any man then despise this good mind or spirit of love and with the heart withstandeth and blasphemeth it and doth not entertain the upright vertue of the love the same man hath beguiled his own heart and after the requiring of the knowledge of the old serpent seeketh his own advantage and not to do the will of the Lord. 23. But if on the other side O ye dearly beloved any do accept this which we bear witnesse of for right and truth let him not hardly over-hastily perswade himself that he by his knowledge hath already gotten it for there must at the first belief be joyned thereto and then look whose belief through the increase of God blossometh y 4 Esd 6. and is fruitfull let the same man attempt the battell in hope against that which maketh up it self against the same Let him have regard to the Word of life and so passe on towards it a Luk. 21. with patience or in long sufferance 24. That truely is the right Crosse of Christ b Mat. 16. Luk. 14. which we are daily with good wil in the obedience of the requiring of the service of love to take up c Act. 14. in the belief untill we be well exercised in the love and in the holy understanding whereunto we bear witnesse and not only in the knowledge 25. Lo to this present I find nor know no way els to the life therefore whosoever loveth the same let him endeavour towards it d Joh. 8. and so abide stedfast in the requiring of the gracious Word and of the doctrine of the holy spirit of love untill
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 full 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 O thou precious man and consider that the eternall God i Ezek. 18. 1 Tim. 2. 2 Pet. 3. hath no pleasure in such unprofitable living as is mixed with contrariety unto God 28. But if so be O ye children of men ye have pleasure in the destruction according to the course of the blind world and do k Sap. 2. Rom. 1. Eph. 4. 2 Pet. 3. Iude. 1. delight in the strange life of the ungodly being go on thus boldly in the same and do shew no l Rom. 2. upright obedience to the word m Mat. 3. Lu. 3.13 nor amendment from sinne then hardly think also that ye are certainly minded n Joh. 8. against God even like the devill himself and incorporated with the child of perdition or of the devill that extolleth himself in the desire of his errours by means of the pleasure or reward of unrighteousnesse against God and against all that men vvorship God in saying in his heart or essentiall mind that he himself is the Lord o 2 Thes 2. and exalteth himself in like manner in the hearts of the unbelieving and disobedient men to a ruling above God and above the godly nature and so setting himself in the Temple of God that is in mans heart p Dan. 8.9.12 Mat. 24. he utterly laieth wast the House of the Lord and in like manner worketh in the man a secret wickednesse which is not soon to be perceived 29. Truly who so with the desires of their souls do cleave unto this pernicious nature they are very abominable in their doings for there is none of them that doth good no not one 30. Their best vertue
Christ upon hope and confidence of his coming for an holy annointing and for an upright freedom in Jesu Christ unto him 37. Who so therefore readeth these sentences in the first book let him observe thereby what they require and how they sound namely that those which desire to come to the blessednesse and freedome of Christ must h Rom. 6 Gal. 3.4 be at the first servants or Disciples of the righteousnesse deny and forsake themselves for Christ his sake and alwaies long to come to the true obedience of the righteousnesse in all love i 1 Glas 7. not according to mens imaginations but according to Gods calling that so they might live k Iohn 8 Rom. 6 free in the righteousnesse of God and not in the sinne nor as servants of men this same is there distinctly set forth were it but rightly understood 38. But who so hath regard to his own liberty and not to the calling of his salvation nor in the obeying of the foregoing Service l Rom. 6 13. Eph. 4. Col. 2.3 1 Pet. 2.4 to the mortifying and laying away of the sinne in the flesh doth not take heed to the same that so he may be incorporated to the good spirit of Christ the same man erreth not onely from the doctrine of the Word after the manner of men but also from the wisdome of the truth of God and so getteth a delight in his own understanding in such sort that he neither hearkeneth longeth nor careth for the good any more but hath a desire to error and perversity 39. Oh! it is sure very lamentable that the man out of such a mind cleaveth to the unrighteousnesse or else chooseth another calling and practiseth a selfe-made humility m Col. 2. or spiritualnesse and careth not for Gods promises nor establishing of his VVord n Luke 1 Acts 3 in such a sort as God hath heretofore spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets from the beginning of the world CHAP. XVI 1. Of the saying that men should be impartiall how it ought to be understood 12. How the Common Love is profitable to impartiality 16. Of those that are outwardly just unto men but unjust before God 22. Of such as think themselves to be impartiall because they regard no outward Religions and in the meane space with-hold from God that which is his 28. Divers raile at all that observe any Religion 35. How we are to judge of all outward God Services and Ceremonies THere goeth also a sentence abroad among many whereof likewise much mention is made in our writings that according to the requiring of Christian Doctrine men should stand a 1 Cor. 3 impartiall 2. O ye deerly beloved erre not through any conceit of the imagination but have regard to the Word concerning the upright impartialnesse and if ye mark the same well you shall understand that men are to be impartiall in the truth and with those that witnesse the truth under the obedience of the Love to the intent that no man take part with flesh and blood but with the truth and be in the unity of the love b Rom. 12 15 1 Cor. 1 2 Cor. 13. Phil. 2 well minded to a like life of righteousnesse namely with all them that do under the obedience of the love witnesse and minister the gracious word of truth and be comprehended in the upright brotherly love 3. But men may not thus be impartiall with the world or with those that with heart and will do cleave unto the world that lie still in the vanity and sin and that are not believing nor desirous to obtaine any better thing no nor with the conceited wise nor with the maintainers of factious ceremonies c 2 Cor. 12 Gal. 3 1 Tim. 6. 2 Pet. 2. who are envyers blasphemers and evill speakers against the holy Word of Truth and of the service of his Love 4. Truly with such men are not to stand impartiall but with spirit and life to be against them utterly and yet to shew forth the upright nature of the love unto them if happily by some means they might be drawne to their preservation in the godlinesse unto the communion of the Love 5. But with the d Infra 18 lovers of righteousnesse as is aforesaid and likewise with the sinners such as cleave not by their will to the unrighteousnesse but do daily depart therefrom and have a servent desire to the righteousnesse under the obedience of the love men are to stand impartiall and to sticke fast unto that which is godly and that tendeth to the concord and peace 6. Therefore judge of the impartialnesse with understanding and put a difference between the godly life and the life of the world and try your selves if so be you know your selves 7. Look into your hearts observing whom you cleave unto desire and love how or with what manner disposition ye stand impartiall whether ye would rather suffer e Heb. 11. or indure disgrace reproach and contmpt with the Lovers of the Righteousnesse then cleave unto the honour voluptuousnesse and riches or ease of this world Oh! I feare that many of them boast themselves to stand impartiall with the truth who notwithstanding are altogether partially minded against the truth 8. Neverthelesse let no man take anie thing unto him out of any choosing whether it be out of loathing or of liking but let every one search his own heart how he findeth the same disposed examine once himself whether he stand impartiall rightly or not 9. And when the man hath seriously tried and proved himself herein in such sort that he knoweth assuredly how his heart standeth in case he wholly love God and his righteousnesse intend the truth in the Love with his whole soule and desire to deny and to forsake himselfe f Mat. 16. Luke 9.14 with all that is in the world for the godlinesse sake then shall he very well know and understand a difference between the cleavers to the world and those that from the bottom of their soules love the righeousnesse 10. Wheresoevea then any upright impartiall hearts are found and that they do shew forth under the obedience of the Love the praise of God the salvation of men and the truth out of the love of righteousnesse and do point none unto flesh and blood nor to any visible elements but only to the good life of the true essentiall Godhead and are thereunto serviceable to all men to all concord in the love of Jesu Christ with those are the Lovers of righteousnesse and truth to stand impartiall to the unity of heart in the love and so to have regard to the ministration of the godly testimonies of the holy spirit of the Love unto obedience for to walk in such a life of godlinesse as is pointed out and witnessed thereby and in that manner to grow up in the good g Eph. 2. Apo. 21 to an house or tabernacle of the living God or
Christ and to give no further respect to the outward then as it is serviceable thereunto to the intent that no man may be bewitched in his spirit but may cleave to the vertue and nature of the love and that the h Col. 3. love may obtain a dwelling place or forme in him 11. Lo after this manner ought men to live impartially in the good i Esa 1. Psa 37. 2 Pet 3. to turn from all ungodly being and not to maintain the evill 12. There goeth also a saying about among divers that to shew the k 2 Pet. 1. common love is the most best means to keep ones self thus impartiall 13. It is true our writings do also testifie such things howbeit let every one for all that look to it and beware of his own judgement that by the l Gen. 3. Sap. 2. 2 Cor. 11. subtilty of the Serpent or of her nature or els by the mind of the flesh he be not beguiled the saying in it self is very right but many that marke not the saying according to the truth doe speak the same with a wrong sight or understanding 14. For some use such sentences for their own seekings cause and so in such a show of vertue their heart in regard of being incorporated with God in the spirit remaineth covered m Esa 29 Jer. 23 and estranged from God and many also give great respect unto such sayings insomuch that by occasion thereof they do oft-times according to mens private conceit cleave to some outward vertue which surely is the very smallest of all and do leave the principallest n Mat. 23 1 Cor. 13 1 Tim. 1 or greatest which God requireth The like did also many heretofore that were learned in the Law upon whom the Lord pronounced wo because they observed the least things of the Law whilest they tythed Mint Anise and Cummin and left the greatest matters of the Law o Mat. 23 Luk. 11 to wit judgment mercy and faithfulnesse 15. For albeit they observed all this after an outward show so as they seemed thereby to be righteous yet was it all surely of no value seeing they were not joyned with whole heart unto God p Ioh. 15 nor according to the spirit incorporated with him 16. Furthermore divers men there are found which after the outward fashion give every one his own and unto divers out of common love shew outward mercy indifferently who also carry themselves so justly that q Phil. 3 outwardly they are not to be reproved in any thing howbeit they are inwardly before God theeves and r Mat. 23 Ioh. 10 false men because they with-hold from God that which is his Å¿ Esa 29 Ezek. 33. Mat. 15 that is to say their heart which is far from him and standeth subject or tied unto visible things which heart or inward mind belongeth wholly yea only unto God 17. Therefore God is not appeased nor satisfied with the least when the heart is not turned from all visible and mutable things and doth not cleave perfectly unto him or at least endeavour to wards it to wit that the man desire of God out of his grace that God will strengthen him to the obeying of his will and t Eccl. 3 prepare his heart to his will and pleasure 18. Look whose hearts are not thus minded u Deut. 6 Mat. 22 for to love and cleave unto God with all their souls their common love is false and altogether unclean x Rom. â— for they have yet willingly a pleasure in their own concupiscence and are yet far distant from the upright love of God neverthelesse they do sometimes perswade themselves that they have the very best conceiving of the righteousnesse and so proceed on according to the common course of vvordly hearts 19. Therefore there is great diversity between the unpartiall men who addict their hearts unto God and to the good and those men whose hearts have minded worldly things and yet do boast them of the unpartiallnesse For look what unto worldly hearts namely unto such hearts as are turned from God and his service of Love is a pleasure lust and life that same is unto all the children of righteousnhsse y Luk. 16 an abomination and a horrible death 20. Wherefore mark well the meaning in what state or being the right unpartiality consisteth and out of what heart it is that men are to exercise the common-love rightly verily with such an heart as out of all his mind z Eccl. 1.2 feareth God and is inclined to the upright vertue in the love or is comprehended therein and not with an unadvised heart which is without understanding in his common-love and in his unpartialnesse that distinguisheth not the godlinesse or the worldly righteousnesse one from the other or that hath a pleasure to run on crookedly and erringly a Luk. 12 to set his rest or to fix his heart in the earthly love b Rom. 1 Eph. 4 1 Pet. 4. according to the course of the blind world or mind of the flesh 21. Be not utterly I pray you c Eph. 5 without understanding but learn vvell to discern the truth and let the Lord and his righteousnesse be a pleasure unto you and erre not by any wrong sight that standeth in opinion or imagination but observe judgement and regard the thing which is right and just 22. There is found moreover a certain kind of people which perswade themselves that they are unpartiall because they stand untied and unbound from all outward Religions or God-services and from all such as are called Sects supposing that in such a sort it is altogether well with them and that so standing they are in good case because they are so free and have such a conscience as passeth not for such things they set up their rest also that they will not trouble themselves about any thing nor respect or have any regard either of Jerusalem or of Sion or els of Gods Communion of Saints but do earnestly care how they may get their living and welfare maintain their Family and vvithall do that which is equall and right to every man having a Proverb Let Gods Water run over Gods Field and let us take our rest 23. Is not this to have utterly mistaken the life of the truth and the testimonies of the upright unpartiallnesse Shall there be no d Esa 2 40 59 Mat. 5 1 Pet 1 word of life then nor service of love ministred nor any thing thereout to be expected or e Rom. 8 longed for Are then the promises of God which concern f Esa 51 52 60 c. Jerusalem and Sion come all to an end And shall the oath of God which he hath sworn as that the world g Nu. 14 Mac. 2 shall be filled with his glory be thus utterly forgotten Will he not then gather together his holinesse again h Esa 43 Baruc. 5. Mat. 24 from all Coasts of
he also do thus know Christ before he testifie or confesse much of him otherwise he knoweth not what he confesseth 28. Therefore we must first be turned unto Christ according to the Truth that is i Rom. 5. Gal. 5. 1 Pet. 1. in Hope through Faith unto the righteousnesse and so with good will stand firm thereunto in the beleef k Mat. 10. 16. Lu. 9.14 take up daily our crosse in the obedience of the holy Word of the Spirit of the love of Christ and follow him with patience in our souls to the salvation untill he obtain a l Gal. 4. Shape in us and his death m Gal. 6. of the crosse becom a joy unto us and so in the truth know him to the intent we might confesse him rightly 29. For the heart must be turned into him and he into our hearts and then may wee rightly confesse him with the mouth Or thinkest thou O thou man that this pleaseth God to speak of God sometimes n Mat. 7. with the mouth and so to confesse his Chirst not respecting among whom or to whom of whom a man knoweth nothing at all and whiles your o Isa 29. Mat. 15. heart remaineth so far estranged from Christ and from his upright Righteousnesss and Holinesse in the Spirit O no whosoever taketh it so shall be deceived therein 30. For if thine heart be not turned to Christ and his Service of love neither be inclined to the p 1 Thes 4 2 Thess 2 1 Pet. 1. sanctification in the Spirit and thou through the beleef of the truth dost not with inclination of the love q Eph. 4. grow up therein then is all thy faith and confessing unprofitable and unpleasing to God and his Christ 31. If thou therefore O man dost either despise or hast no regard unto that which is out of love held forth or witnessed unto thee thou shalt surely lament it at the last namely in those dayes when Misery shall fall upon thee and that thou shalt see the Triumph of the gloriousnesse of Christ r Jude 1. in many thousand Saints coming Å¿ Isa 43. 49. from the rising of the Sun and going down from the mid-day and from the North or mid-night and that they t Isa 51. 52.60.61.62 shall with gladnesse be assembled as a Kingdom of God their Father unto u Mat. 8. Abraham Isaac and Jacob and unto all the holy Prophets x Mat. 8. 25. Luk. 13. and thou then shalt finde thy self shut out of doors 32. And therefore now have ye all regard y Psal 51. Isa 57.66 Micah 6. to an upright heart and meek spirit according to the spirit or life of Christ and z Pro. 1. separate your selves from the wayes of all the uncircumcised and unbeleeving 33. Howbeit not outwardly with the body or with words a 1 Cor. 5. for then must ye go out of the world and abide in no place for the unbeleeving darknesses b Isa 5.9 60. 4 Esd 14. have covered the world every-where But c 2 Cor. 6. separate you from them with heart and spirit Beleeve the good in the love and become likewise a light in the Lord d Apo. 18. so shall ye not be partakers of their ungodlinesse 34. This write I unto you ye Deerly-beloved for this intent even to stir you up hereby to a pure minde and to that piety which God regardeth also for a warning of destruction to come and that ye may perceive how that men are to stand unpartiall according to the requiring of the Truth for to use well the e 2 Pet. 1. common love and to know the upright confessing of Jesus Christ whereby to understand so much as the Lord out of his grace permitteth us to see wherein the calling of our salvation consisteth to the intent that no man through misunderstanding or vain imagination deceive himself or be deceived by others 35. If now any man be drawn away f Gal. 1. or lead aside from this good understanding which we bear witnesse unto let such a one turn him again to the Good that his inclination to Gods requiring be not in vain and lament and bewaile his ignorance that the Lord may be gracious unto him and so apply himself with whole heart minde and will to the upright righteousnesse which in the Love abideth firm for ever CHAP. XIX 1. Of the common Saying They shall be all taught of God How it is mistaken and with what hurt 11. Who they are and how they order themselves that shall be taught of God THere goeth also a common Saying abroad amongst many and it is Scripture the which is recited in the first Book of the Glasse of Right cousnesse and also in many mo places of our Writings a Isa 54. Jer. 31. They shall all be taught aright of God and b Ezek. 11. 36. Joel 2. Acts 2. by his Spirit 2. Now whiles some that have heard and spoken of this Sentence understood not the Scripture nor rightly took heed to the sense of the Word therefore they have not explained the meaning of the Word aright 3. Also some that have heard it have let the counsell of the Word go and so are fallen into the sorgetting of the good turned away from the desire to the Righteousness and from the hope of Salvation according to the Promises and have sticked unto c Rom. 1. Epes 4. covetousnesse and lusts the snares of the confused world 4. Truly those that cleave to the Word and his Service of Love in such a sort and do so take and understand it they have conceived altogether amisse of the Word and his requiring and therefore they are d Rom. 1. Ephes 4. become vain in their understanding Insomuch that they forsake the Scriptures and Exhortations to the good all alike and do let the conversion to God and to his Righteousnesse utterly dye out of their hearts speaking thus with unrepentant hearts out of the vanity of their minde not discerning the upright understanding It must all come of God There is One that giveth all For it is God onely that can teach us Of him must we receive all and no men can give it us 5. This they say well and run yet neverthelesse forth as if there were no God nor Ministring of his Word that loved or required the Righteousnesse and do not once know nor consider the estranging or e Isa 1.59 falling from their God whereby to turn them again to him and his Righteousness and to shew repentance or f Matt. 3. Luk. 3. Acts 3. amendment for their sins and so in all humility to have regard to what purpose God hath given his Promises and annexed or ordained the Ministration of his Word under the obedience of the love therunto wherby they might receive of him the vertue of salvation For out of such a heart of humility g Isa 57.66 4 Esd
8. Eccl. 3. Jam. 4. 1 Pet. 5. the humble do always in God finde their salvation and not the stout hearts that do not esteem of Gods righteousnesse 6. O God! How dangerous a time is it now h 1 Tim. 4 2 Tim. 3 2 Pet. 3. Jude 1. in these last dayes through the misunderstanding of the children of men 7. What a number of false and venemous windes do there blow among the children of men to the hurt of their souls and to a drawing of them away from the Righteousnesse 8. Oh That there were in every one an hearty desire to the good then might they be protected and defended from the bewitching of the false windes which make the heart negligent to the upright Good and bring it either to the bewitched Humility or to the Lusts of the vain world 9. Therefore it is expedient to have a regard to Understanding i Prov. 1.2.3.4.8 to take heed to the Wisdom to esteem much of Godlinesse to account the upright Righteousnesse k Sap. 7.8 for the most precious above all Riches and to make choice of the Long-sufferance with the foresightfulnesse as Superintendents 10. This did the holy Fathers in times past give heed unto l Sap. 11. Eccl. 44.45 46. and so God taught them in his wisdome and preserved them that they were not partakers of the plagues of the ungodly 11. Wherefore let every one understand the meaning of the Word aright and take a right view that he may know who he is and how he ought to apply himself to be taught of God and to be endowed with his Spirit and what manner of people God will choose for his holy people 12. Truly not such m Sap. 1. as with their hearts cleave unto the world love the Evill n Pro. 1. and in all things let go the counsell of God Neither yet such o Mat. â— Luk. 17.21 as hang their Hearts in buying and selling upon coveteousnesse or p Rom. i 3 1 Cor. 10 in eating and drinking upon gluttony or in marrying or being married upon unchastnesse or upon any vain transitory rejoycing whether it be in building or in planting and who in all their doings doe not attend nor have regard unto the works of the Lord as it came to passe in the times q Gen. 7. of Noe and in the r Gen. 19 times of Lot 13. For all those whose hearts in the time of Noe clave not to Gods righteousnesse but had a Lust and gave over their hearts to the vain corrupt things they marked not the work of the Lord neither had any respect to the preservation of the Righteous nor yet feared the punishment which then was ready to come upon all wicked men Of all this they knew nothing till the Flood came upon them and tooke them clean away 14. Therefore understand and know the preservation of godly men in these last dayes and consider well the meaning who or which they are that shall be taught of God and in what course they walke the which we have in some measure expressed Å¿ 1 Glass in the first Book of the Glasse of Righteousnesse and doe here at this present expresse it namely they are those that t Mat. 5. have hunger and thirst after the Righteousnesse u Judith 8 Eccl. 2.3 that submit their souls to the obedience of the gracious Word and his Service x Luk. 18 and continue daily in prayer not in many words y John 4. Eph. 6. Phil. 4. but in the Spirit with desire to the Lord and his Righteousnes that they may obtain grace at the hands of God to live z Luke 1 in his righteousnesse with an upright heart and pure spirit 15. These are sorrowfull for their sins and sighing over them suffer not their souls to be quiet so long as they know or feele in themselves any vain or naughty Being which their hearts are tied or bound unto or so long as any thing in them doth reigne over them which is not GOD because they may not in all things serve their God onely 16. These that love the good Being from the heart doe seek in God to obtaine the same and doe labour and zealously endeavour thereafter a Deut. 4 Jer. 29. Mat. 7. Luk. 12. For they seeke and finde they knock and it is opened unto them they ask and receive not in presumptuousnesse as though God owed it them because of their seeking knocking and asking O no they looke not upon their own doings but labour onely for this even how to please the Lord giving themselves over thereunto with humble hearts according to the Spirit and acknowledge that they are not worthy of such Grace thus to be accepted and established in Gods truth and love 17. With such humble hearts doe they through the Love and her Service seek to find grace and peace at the hands of God the Father and not the subtile knowledge b 1 Cor. 6 which maketh the heart stout and lofty c Mat. 6. but they seeke above all and afore all things the Kingdome of God and his Righteousnesse The which are the gifts of God that God richly bringeth in the everlasting life unto such as worship and love him 18 For those that pray unto him for an upright heart and for a new and pure Spirit d Luk. 11 he doth not endow with an evill heart or a wicked spirit though sometimes the evill heart or unrighteous spirit make up it selfe there-against yet is the same taken away e Eph. 6. through the Beliefe in the Crosse or patience of Christ upon hope of the good that is for to come but they obtain faithfulnesse and truth f Luk. 11 and the righteous Spirit with an heart of meeknesse and love And that is Christ or the Anointed which is holy and teacheth right It is true 19. After this maner do they apply themselves that will bee taught of God and his Christ out of whom God will prepare him an g Tit. 1. acceptable people to be a remnant for himselfe in the destruction of the wicked world Yea it shall be a h Esa 41 Soph. 3. Luk. 12. poor plain people not after the outward sight of the eye but according to the hidden inward man such as hope on the Lord and in the Spirit relye and trust upon his Name And these same yea such doth God choose unto him for his people for to magnifie his holy Name in them for evermore 20. For consider ye beloved how should any man be taught of God or Christ that will not give eare to his teaching or counsell but doth as Gods enemy cleave unto and love the i Joh. 8.1 John 2. Devill and the World which do openly resist God 21. Therefore oughr the lovers of the Truth which hope for the salvation of the perfect Being utterly to put out of their hearts k Prov. 1 whatsoever concerneth the
vanity or misbehaviour and every thing which the heart contrary to God his Righteousnes is bound or tied with so much as in the Lord they are able and so to give over themselves to God that Gods goodnesse may have his place in them and not any ungodly Being 22. Also all lovers of the Righteousnes ought to l Eph. 4. reach the hand and to m Rom. 15. 2 Thes 5 Heb. 3.10 exhort one another to the same and so in one manner of Belief to strengthen each other towards salvation with a good courage n 2 Pet. 1 and to have regard to the sure propheticall Word to wit to the Service of the Love administred in his time to treat thereof o Act. 2.20 to break that same bread among each other in stilnesse and to persevere or abide stedfest in prayer till p Esa 25 2 Cor. 3. all coverings wherewith their hearts after the flesh or according to the visible are covered bee done away and that the pure or cleare that is to say the spirituall heavenly and uncovered Being of Christ q 2 Cor. 3. appeare and come in their spirit to the intent that so they might r 1 Joh. 4. 2 Cor. 5. know and cleave fast unto the living God and his Christ in the spirit even as he blessed may he be is a Spirit in all Love wherein the Law and the Gospel of the Kingdom and the doctrine thereof is Å¿ Rom. 15 Gal. 5. 1 Tim. 1. fulfilled might with all their understanding will and desire live the upright righteousnesse of God t Deut. 4 Mat. 22. and that God likewise may be the most best beloved and his Righteousnesse u Mat. 13. 2 Cor. 4. their most pretious Treasure worthy to be esteemed high above all 23. Whosoever now doe thus with an inclination to the same stand in a good will to them belongeth the blessing and happinesse promised of God to whom it is also promised x Psal 82. John 1. that they shall bee made the children of God and be blessed with the dew of his increase and be anointed for y Psa 45 Christians with the oyle of Love and of his Spirit or Christian nature yet not out of flesh and blood but out of the holy Divine Being 24. When the man therefore is thus joyned unto God then may he with God rightly possesse all things and understand and know whereout the horrible destruction cometh upon the Children of men 25. Wherefore the man should feare his God that he might come to the godly wisdom and might cleave unto that which is right and reasonable to the intent that he might not perish with the wicked 26. For wisdom z Pro. 8. Sap. 7. is much better then Gold and Silver Righteousnes much worthier and preciouser than all Pearles and precious stones and prudence much more honourable puissant and strong than all Castles Cities and Fortresses also mightier than the multitudes of the Armed The feare of God doth more quiet the heart in a little than do abundant Riches in all the pleasures and delights of the world It shall in his time be found and known to be even so 27. Unto this holy and divine wisdom apply ye your hearts ye dearly beloved and be ye warned in this dangerous time in which all foolishnes and ungodlines beareth sway whose end reacheth a Heb. 10 to the most horriblest destruction 28. For so it cometh which is for to come and all ungodly being shall make up it self and be astonied after that it shall b Esa 13. feare tremble and quake and be compelled in the beholding of his own destruction to suffer the vengeance of the fire but the godly shall obtain peace 29. Therefore take heed feare God stick fast to vertue humility and meeknes least ye remain in the ungodlines c Apo. 18 and be made partakers of her plagues 30. Watch d Mat. 24. Luk. 21. 1 Pet. 5. and pray and be reformed or justified and stand fast upon Gods promises 31. Observe your time e Gal. 6. unto sanctification f Jam. 1. and behold in you daily the spots of your spirit in the Glasse of Righteousnes and wash you g Esa 1. Jer. 4. Ezek. 36 John 3. with the cleane waters in the laver of the Love be purged in your spirit h Eccl. 2. in the Fornace of the lowlines of heart and so love that thing which is right and reasonable CHAP. XX. 1. The Author hath kept back nothing that is necessary to Salvation 5. And therefore eleareth himself of the Mans destruction 8. Yet if any do know any better thing he desireth that they will shew it out of love as he hath done 10. A Councel to all lovers of the truth how to behave themselves 19. Shewing them what God requireth 26. He willeth that men desire not to have all at once 30. Many ignorant beginnings have brought men into divers misunderstandings especially into security 39. From which he exhorteth to return with a new courage unto the seruice of the love 43. Of divers that are diversly disposed to errour Some to rest upon themselves some upon their Liberty some regard neither sin nor Grace some straiten themselves to get the promises and afterward grow inselent upon their own worthines 57. Whereof he willeth to beware BEhold ye beloved according to all that in my labour I have been able to do howsoever the same be plain and not to be compared to the stile of the subtile and flowred eloquence I cannot tell that I have according to the sight which is a Rom. 16 Eph. 3. Col. 1. 2 Tim. 1. revealed unto me out of Gods grace kept back any thing from the man that serveth or is needful for him to know either to his Salvation or else for a warning unto him of the present destruction and of that that is to come 2. Have regard to the time and respect an unpartial heart in the Righteousnes b Eph. 3. Be established in the love and be still mindful of the same 3. I have shewed my service out of the inclination of love howbeit I have written against none in particular but before all understandings indifferently I have weighed the equity c Esa 28 Eccli 21. in the ballance measured the Righteousnes with the Square and Line and described the Righteousnes in Letters according to the life the inward life out of God to wit his good nature I have expressed and the outward righteousnes of man have I not left out To the intent that it might all go rightly forward in the true Beeing and that no man might be bewitched or bound with any opinion or bewitching of spirit but that every one might according to the truth and in the love stand free in God 4. Lo God d Deut. 30. Act. 20. is my witnes and Heaven and Earth also that in all my writing I have neither
your hearts be full of the life and being of the true God-head and your joy onely in his righteousnes that therein ye may live in the Spirit and according to the Truth 18. Let it be a pleasure unto you that God becommeth Lord and King over all Have a desirous heart to the good to the same reach also c Eph. 4. one another the hand retaine no offence of mis-doing one towards another but exhort to amendment d Eccle. 28. Mat. 6. Col. 3. and forgive in the Love that so we may grow up with each other in one band of Love unto the godlines as a reconciled or e Tit. 2. acceptable people of the Lord through Iesus Christ such as have found grace and mercy at the hands of God the father for to inheâ—iâ— his promises to serve him with pure hearts in all love 19. Behold to be comprehended herein is the life which is everlasting and to reach one another the hand to the same godlines to exort to amendment of life and to retaine no man his sins is the f Hos 6. Matt. 9. Mercy which God requireth of us and not Sacrifices 20. He requireth Righteousnes and nates the ungodly being He sheweth his long-suffering towards them of good will g Esa 53. Heb. 2. and beareth their infirmity or weaknes as one that would not have any man to perish or to turn back 21. For a willing heart is a delight unto him and a broken or troubled Spirit h Psal 51. for his sins cause will he not despise 22. A good confidence towards his grace of a converting sinner is a joy unto him i Luk. 15. and it causeth also a joy in the heavenly Being 23. Therefore k Deut. 20. Esa 55. let no man be dismayed nor faint-hearted but let every one from the heart upon hope in the Beleef apply himselfe to the good and l Luk. 21. possesse his soule with patience unto the godly promises 24. Let no man take any yoak upon him out of his own choice least by some means of his unablenes he fall into a loathing towards the good but grow up by little and little and profit ye still from time to time 25. Keep alwaies what ye have go not m Apo. 2. back in any case that you loose not the Crown of Salvation Go still forward increasing in the good and in the knowledge of the holy understanding n Heb. 6. and so passe on towards the perfection 26. Neverthelesse desire not to have every thing at once but grow up in the good from the o Heb. 5. beginning of the Christian life That is from the repentance for sin p Matt. 3. to go on in amendment of life and to abide stedfast therein even to the q Matt. 24. end untill the true life of perfection That is r Eph. 4. untill the old age of the Man Christ The which is inwardly to obtaine the Love essentially 27. And that is the perfection of our godlines wherein we are to grow up from the begining of our turning to God and to the entrance of the first School-rule of the Christian Doctrine of the gracious Word and his Service of Love untill we be established in God and his true Love according to the Promises 28. If therefore any man love the good and his soul desire to inherit the same let him go thereunto with an humble heart and follow after it out of undetstanding that ignorance grieve not his soule 29. For there have been many in times past that would by force have all the righteousnes all at once and would feine according to their fancy consume and destroy the sin altogether by heaps but they have fallen into greater and grievouser sins 30. But in asmuch now as many beginnings are with lack of understanding taken in hand therefore divers men are become vnlustfull to the Å¿ Matt. 24. Righteousnes and have turned themselves back again and do cleave to the world and to her misunderstanding more than ever they did before 31. Divers others perceive no difference between the illuminated and vnilluminated Men and so whiles they are not yet illuminated themselves they give regard both to their own Imagination of the Knowledge also to the Precepts of unilluminated men because they trust upon such things suppose that in such sort all is well with them 32. They discerne not also the life from the death in their inwardnes nor yet the hearing t Pro. 4. of Councel Doctrine whereby to draw near to the living Commandement of God and to live therein 33. Many others hold v Apo. 3. at a stay and have no righteousnes neither do they aske hunger nor thirst after it and do neither go backwards nor forwards which is indeed a great shame 34. It were better for one to suffer now and then some Inconvenience for lack of experience t so that he abide in the Hope than to hold himself still or idle to the righteousnes before he be come to the salvation 35. For albeit one do sometimes by stumbling and falling suffer some inconvenience yet he riseth again for all that bewaileth his Ignorance and so then he taketh a new courage again with a more circumspect understanding in the Spirit x Eph. 6. against the craftines of the sin and thereby profiteth and increaseth in the righteousnesse 36. Now when a man perceiveth or is aware of the gaine to wit that he increaseth in the good then is he of good cheere and much stronger in the beleef and firmer in the hope Thus in processe of time he groweth up in the Spirit of the good life untill he come to the perfection that is to the Love 37. Wherefore the losse teacheth Prudence and Wit for to attend unto the word with understanding but the gaine bringeth weetnes it maketh firme in the hope and begetteth a gladnes in our hearts When as to abide in undesire to the righteousnesse and to be y Apo. 3. neither hot nor cold but luke-warme is by all meanes to be utterly discommended 38. I esteem in this behalf much better of that man z Lu. 15. who like the lost Sonne hath spent and consumed all his Treasure and Riches and out of great poverty turneth him again and seeketh at his Fathers hands the roome of a servant out of which humbling a man commeth again to his riches and through such losse getteth understanding how to govern to a multiplying the riches of God then of such a lazy slothfull and ane loitering man as for fear of losse a Matt. 25. Luk. 19. burieth his Talent and will neither make gaine nor losse therewith 39. Hereof beware ye dearly beloved that ye bury not that little which you have received of God nor yet with-hold or withdraw your selves for any manner of cause from this our undeceivable and most holiest service of the Love 40. For though that
witnessed and set forth in the same Behold there in the spirit of your understanding the everlasting unchangeable Statutes and Ordinances of Almighty God which also shall remain unchangeable for ever For that which is there witnessed is such an upright life m 〈◊〉 1. 〈◊〉 as the man is created unto for to live therein In which Statutes and Ordinances the Lords people have lived from the beginning 25. Yea such a Life Statutes and Ordinances are a delight and joy to all upright hearts and Prophets to live therein and they have heretofore born witnes thereunto that in time to come men should live in them For through the truth they saw into the life of peace in the love and that through the life of peace in the love every thing is made perfect and therein standeth firme or abideth stedfast 26. That verily is the life which is true n Joh. 1. and that life is the light of men o Eph. 1.5 Col. 1. and the head of the holy Commonalty Who so goeth out of it cometh to the death blindnes and darknes 27. But the soules of those that live therein are blessed in the Lord. For such people doth God require as do walk in his Ordinances that is to say in the life and peace of love p Deut. 6.2 and do love the only God from the heart 28. Lo it is the true God that requireth such upright Righteousnes and he himself cleaveth to his Righteousnes his Statutes and Ordinances everlastingly q Joh. 1.2 For he is the spirit of his life the life of his word the word of his Spirit r Exod. 3 Mat. 22. the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacoh or Israel 29. That verily is the true life of peace and love and the Statutes and Ordinances are the same upright righteousnes which the holy Fathers have lived and walked in 30. The same Statutes and Ordinances of the holy Fathers were by Moses renewed ſ Exed 20. Deut. 5. and witnessed unto a life before all people And that life was through Jesus Christ being risen from the Dead and ascended into Heaven t Mat. 28. Mar. 16. published unto all people for a Gospel because they should live therein And unto all that believed thereon was the Resurrection from the dead and the everlasting life witnessed and promised through Iesus Christ 31. In sure and firm hope whereof the upright Beleevers have rested in the Lord Iesus Christ till the appearing of his coming which is now in this day of the love revealed out of the heavenly beeing with which Jesus Christ the former Beleevers of Christ v John 5. 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes 4. who were fallen a sleepe rested or dyed in him are now also manifested in Glory 32. For Christ in the appearing of his comming raiseth his deceased from the dead x 1 Cor. 15. to the intent that they should reign alive with him over all his enemies y Mat. 25. John 5. Rom. 2. 2 Thes 1. and condemneth all the ungodly which have not liked of him 33. This is the joyful Message published to the Gentiles whereby z Eph. 2.3 as fellow-Heires in the Testaments of promise they are bidden and called to the house of Jacob and to the Citizenship of Jerusalem To the intent they should depart from the brutishnes of their errors and from the sundry intanglements of their Idolatries and turn them to the God of Israel for to serve him only and to live in his Statutes and Ordinances through the belief 34. Which Righteousnes a Ro. 2.3 is required out of the Law and is now in this last time openly and evidently witnessed out of the inclination of love and through the insight of the same upright life to a view of the upright righteousnes which the man is created unto and to a demonstration whereunto or to what end or fulfilling God hath given his promises and made his Covenant with the Fathers 35. Behold hereunto namely to that which we bear witnes of is the Calling of the Gentiles made b Rom. 11. Eph. 2. who are out of grace called thereunto for to serve with the Stock of Abraham one God in one manner of Righteousnes 36. Lo these are the promises c Gen. 17. which were committed to the Jewes in the Circumcision And Jesus Christ Act. 13. Rom. 9. the safe-making word of the Lord is amongst them d Rom. 15. for the truth of Gods sake become a Minister of the Circumcision to confirme the promises made unto the Fathers that the name of the God of Abraham might be magnified likewise among the Gentiles And for the mercies sake towards the Gentiles is the Grace of life published also to the Gentiles to the intent e Act. 10.11.13 Rom. 11. they should praise God and know the God of Israel and his Ordinances 37. Which God and his righteousnes we do now know in the love through the spirit of truth which according to the spirit f Joh. 14. leadeth us into all truth that is into all love according to the promises g Col. 5. For the love is the band of perfection By which Band we are sealed and confirmed for ever in the same perfection to the intent that Gods Glory his Covenant and promises may likewise abide firme from everlasting to everlasting Amen 38. Behold the same God of Israel who out of his Grace prepareth and bringeth all this unto us is the God h Gen. 1. that hath made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that is therein He it is that doth wonders who neither breaketh his promises i Deut. 4. Luke 1. nor forgetteth his Covenant who also suffereth not his Law and Righteousnes to be troden down for ever but he setteth up the Children of Israel his beloved Not for their Righteousnes k Deut. 9 but for their Fathers sakes towards whom he had a desire according as he promised and spake the same in times past by the mouth of his holy Prophets 39. Therefore have regard unto the everlasting unchangeable God being an invisible living God the God that hath made you created every thing that liveth and hath breath He l Heb. 13. it is which was which is and which is to come who liveth everlastingly and shall still continue And so is also his Life Law or righteousnes 40. Wherefore give heed unto the thing that is right and reasonable and shall continue for ever glasse your selves in the glasse of Righteousnes and therein behold according to the spirit the upright life and the m Exod. 20. Deut. 5. Lords Statutes and Ordinances which stand firm in God for evermore 41. Let not the matter in any wise seeme too slender or too small unto you For though the Righteousnes whereof we testifie be n 1 Cor. 2 no eloquent speech and that the same seemeth to be but as a small brooke yet is it
and eyes turn them to the inwardnesse of the Being of God Truly very few But they turn them almost all unto themselves to the earthly things or unto Flesh and Blood and doe very gladly heare that which foundeth pleasant unto them 2 Tim. 4. according to the delight of their fleshly eares and so shut the eares of their heart against the God of Life and all the World alienate their spirit from his holy wisdome and will not heare him nor accept him for their King that they might live in his Law and Ordinances 21. Therefore will not he also count them for his people neither regard them Psal 1. Esa 29. But they shall be compelled in their estranging to become like the tossing of chaffe wherein the whirle-wind to a scattering mingleth it selfe 22. Behold ye dearly beloved of these and other like things I have opened much unto you in the Glasse of Righteousnesse to a distinction of the knowledge of righteousnesse look unto which ye are minded Deut. 30. Eccles 15 into that may ye go whether into the sin to the death or into the righteousnesse to the life I leave every one free unbound uncompelled 23. But as for Me my whole heart and mind standeth altogether inclined to the good life of upright righteousnesse and all my confidence is in the God of Life Rom. 12. 2 Cor. 3. that I shall not forsake the wayes of his Rightenesse which are by the grace of God brought and given unto me in the sight and being of my Spirit but shall still observe the same and under the obedience of the Love administer them unto the children of men according to all the manner as I have set forth and described them according to the life out of the inclination of Love in all my service of writing for a serviceablenes to many 24. Whosoevr therefore with me hath any desire to God and his righteousnesse let such a one then from his whole heart apply himself also with me unto the same He also that strayeth and hath no regard unto God nor his righteousnesse neither is minded to the Love and her concord but will rather mix his heart with the World and her abominations and go on after his own imagination I must needs look upon it howbeit it maketh me sorry and I suffer grief for it because he doth willingly thus hunt after his own destruction 25. For behold it shall come to passe that the k Esa 60 61.62 Abac. 2. godlinesse uncompelled through the beleef out of the Love of righteousness shall come to light according to the Promises 26. But who they are that shall be made partakers of it and finde such Grace in the sight of God or from whence they shall come to joyn with us for the concord of the Love and her service that is only known to the Almighty and his Spirit But the unity of us all shall be l Ioh. 17. Act. 4. Eph. 4. one heart and mind in the Love To the which one-minded Communalty mine heart standeth alwaies inclined The Lord give us all Grace to be joyned to his People in righteousnesse of heart Amen 27. Let every one also from his whole heart be minded thereunto and apply himself for the same unities cause to the Love and her service and to the righteousnesse of heart before God and so stand for the good with al diligence Let him likewise daily apply himself m Eph. 6. Col. 4. 2 Thes 3. in prayer unto the God of life that he will vouchsafe to enlighten him and all lovers of the Truth together with all People with the knowledge of his wisdome and understanding to the intent they might all incline their hearts to the Love and her service and so Gods matters be well understood and interpreted according to the Truth to the health of the earth and renewing of the World with righteousnesse 28. Wherefore n Rom. 14. Gal. 6. bear one with another out of Love receive also unto you all wel-willing hearts to the concord in the Love understand their testimony to the good â— and repaire one anothers understanding to the unity of heart in the Love and let no man raile nor make Sedition or Division but let every one oyn himself unto us in Jesus Christ under the obedience of the Love and let him likewise in Jesus Christ seek the good to his preservation that the service of the Love be not hindred 29. If now by any it should be found that some man should bring forth any chaff amongst us with the Corn yet shall not men despise him for it but repaire him in his understanding with good o Gal. 6. 2 Tim. 2. instruction to the meeknesse and to the obedience of the Love in the Spirit that so through the service of the Love men mav gather the good Corn the treasure of righteousnesse p Matt. 13. into the Barn the mans heart and that in like manner the vaine being together with that which is deadly and pernicious may utterly perish 30. Whosoever now can rightly judge let not him raile but let him try the matter q 1 The. 5. and take or conceive the best out of it and thus meet the little ones and draw all to the Love that no man may be offended nor made bitter-minded Let every one be minded hereunto from the heart r Matt. 13. that all offence may be rooted out and destroyed from the Lords Kingdom 31. After the same manner also my request is that those which read or hear our Writings will not take them to offence but bow their hearts under the Love and receive that onely which is right and reasonable 32. But if so be any man do suspect any misunderstanding in our writings let him bear with the same through Love that through the Love all may be amended and repaired For my service is to unpartiality and to unity of heart in the Love and that according to the gifts of the holy and godly understanding which are of God given and committed unto me 33 Moreover if any man perswade himself that he is more richly endowed with gifts Å¿ 1 Cor. 4 let him not be proud upon the riches of his gifts hut let him humble himself among us under the obedience of the Love and then shew likewise with his gifts according to the mind of the Love and according to the requiring of her service his good willing service without offence and unseperated from us and our Communalty to the intent the fellowship of the lovers of righteousnesse t 1 Ioh. 1. may in every respect be in the Love and be drawn and served out of Love to that purpose 34. For who art thou O man that thou dost proudly lift up thy self for the gifts cause of thy God and that thou shouldst not be content to submit thy self with thy gifts or understanding under the obedience of the Love of God and of Christ
which God esteemeth and they are also serviceable to the same And all likewise are done to the Love and her Concord 19. Therefore seeing the Gifts of God and the services are manifold we let them stand free to every one and do not contend against them so far forth as they stand all under one God and that they do not exalt their Services and Gifts above the love and her service but do submit themselves all thereunder and do likewise confes that God only is the Lord and only giveth in his service of love the godly Gifts 20. Wherefore let no man contend with his Gifts or Services nor let no man make any breach therewith in the Communalty of the love but g Psa 34 praise God in all his works And that all to a unity of peace in the love 21. Lo such a unity do the services Ceremonies and gifts of the one-onely holy spirit of love serve unto all to the good life and Peace and if we be all minded to the good life and to the peace then shall no mans services or Ceremonies be offensive unto us neither shall we contend or wrangle for them 22. For every h 1 Pet. 4 Father of a Family under the love hath doubtles the liberty in his Family to use Services and Ceremonies according as he perceiveth out of the Testimonies of the holy spirit of love that they are most profitablest or necessariest for his Houshold to the life of Peace for to keep his Houshold thereby in Discipline and Peace training them up therewith that they may learne to practise and use i 1 Cor. 14. Phil. 4.2 that which is right and equal for to manifest unto them thereby the true righteousnes which God esteemeth 23. If any man therefore hath obtained in the obeying of the Doctrine of the gracious Word and his Service of Love any gifts of God or if any man hath any heavenly Revelation or if any man use any service of the Priestly Ordinance let him with us be serviceable to the love therewith to the intent it may all be agreeable with the love and may all be done to Concord in the service of love and not to strife dissention or schisme to the intent that the good life in all love and peace might be lined under one head the living God and only King according as in times past it was prophecied thereof 24. The same life in the love is the life and very like Beeing of Almighty God namely Christ the gracious word of God the Father by whom k John 1. God made all that is any thing It is also the one only holy spirit of the Prophets unto the which all spirits of the Prophets and all services that come out from God l 1 Cor. 14. are subject and serviceable to the love and only minded to the peace and life for God is no God of discord but he is a God of Peace 25. Forasmuch then as the God of Heaven doth now shew his mercy on us and doth daily disclose unto us the thing that so many dayes hath been m Eph. 3. hidden therefore let us likewise with thankfulnes and with submitted obedience to the love n 2 Cor. 6 Heb. 12. take heed in the spirit to the godly grace and not be slack or slow to further the good but o Eph. 4. reach one another the hand and be serviceable to the love with helpfulnes to the vertue that the service of the love be not hindred p 1 Cor. 6 nor evill spoken of 26. And seeing such heavenly Revelations are by Gods Grace to me unworthy committed and according to the mention of the writing which through the grace of God are come forth or set out by me H.N. under the obedience of the love are opened and granted me to be known and q Eph. 3. understood because I likewise should reveal the same in the world therefore do I also witnes the same among the Children of men indifferently out of the inclination of love to the intent that vertue and unity may grow and multiply 27. And these my testimonies of truth shall also unto those which now are and hereafter shall come be to a right discerning of the upright and lovely life to as many as believe the same and be comprehended in the love For among them shall this service of love to the same life according to the true being everlastingly proceed on out of the love according to the promises 28. Behold ye beloved concerning all this which is revealed to me by the living God r 2 Tim. 1 and which I have testifyed and published out of his holy and gracious Word I have no other glorying but Å¿ Jer. 9. 2 Cor. 11. in God the most highest in the light of his true being and in his heavenly revelations even as it is sufficiently testified 29. Out of which Revelations of God I shew my service out of the inclination of love unto all those that affect the Love to the end we might with one consent be minded to the love for to s 2 Cor. 10. draw the understanding under the obedience of the Love and her service 30. In the same service standeth also all my hope and confidence in the living God and my salvation in his Christ Which Christ standeth firm for us t 1 Ioh. 2 to a Reconciler before God the Father and in the service of his Love everlastingly that through the same service our inward mind should stand free and firm in God and his Christ and not be tied to any thing besides without the Communion and service of the Love whether to the sinne or else to men neither to any created or elementish things nor yet to any earthly or worldly things whereby with one accord we might live boldly in God the most highest with the Communalty of the Love 31. With these despise I none in his understanding whether he be great or small that every one as right and meet it is may give his understanding v 2 Cor. 10. captive or suffer it to be plucked under the obedience of the Love and likewise do that x Phil. 4. which is just and equall For who can refuse the Love or withhold himself from her service if so be he love the good 32. Doubtlesse whosoever refuseth the love and withholdeth himself from her service or with his understanding is against it the same man sheweth thereby that he is without understanding and not minded to concord in the love And moreover that his heart thinketh not upon the good which God esteemeth but rather upon his own good which he hath chosen to himself But who so are fully affected to the love and her service and unto all that are just and equall and do unpartially submit themselves under the obedience of the love unto them am I inclined 33. For with them doth my heart desire to live in such a life as is just