ceremonies which in contention men call God services and as it were Ordinances of Christianity and which in sundry manners are brought in out of the Letter do now bring much wrangling strife and dissention in therefore busie we not our selves much about them whilest that our heart is very little or nothing at all tied unto them but rather have more regard o Gal. 5. Heb. 10 to give heed after the spirit unto that which the ceremonies of the Law and the services of the holy Church of Jesu Christ do require or whereunto they are administred and used by the holy ones of God and by the ancient Fathers of the holy Church of Jesus Christ out of the true light 35. Neverthelesse though we say we have more regard to attend unto that which the ceremonies and services of the holy Church of Jesus Christ do require yet do we not therefore despise the Christian ceremonies or services as though they were of no value or were besides the mind of the Spirit of Jesu Christ O no that be far from us but we esteem them great in their right degree and use p Gen. 17 Mat. 28 Mar. 16. as that the salvavation is with the ceremonies but not through them promised unto the believers q Rom. 3.9 Gal. 2.3 yet not that it should appear or come out of them 36. For if the salvation were bound to the ceremonies then must God needs be a lyer whilst he had not ability to shew mercifulnesse unto men out of his grace nor to save them r Rom. 3.11 Eph. 2. but that they must deserve the salvation through the works of the ceremonies 37. Howbeit God abideth true and gracious Å¿ Psal 116 Rom. 3 but the man is unfaithfull and lying for the man hath forsaken the covenant of his God and hath t 4 Esd 7.8 not regarded his promises but abused his ceremonies broken and despised the right ordinances and in the ministration of them hath not attended unto the salvation of the belief nor yet trusted in God to obtain the same according to the promises but is u 1 Tim. 4 fallen away from the meaning of the belief gone forth after his own taken on faith and hath forgotten the rock x Deut. 32 Rom. 9 1 Pet. 2 of his salvation 38. Neverthelesse though through infidelity and the ignorance of men the right use of the ceremonies and the meaning of the true belief and of the godly promises be of many men forsaken y Num. 23 Deut. 4 Rom. 3 2 Tim. 2 yet is God true notwithstanding and he with-holdeth not that which he hath promised for his holy names sake hereby declaring that he is not unfaithfull or lying as the man is but an everlasting z Eccl. 2 gracious and true God towards those that love him that seek his righteousnesse from the heart and a Mat. 5 hunger and thirst after it 39. For he b Deut. 4 forgetteth not his Covenant which he hath made with the Fathers neither doth he break his promises in c Luk. 1 such manner as he hath spoken them aforetimes by the mouth of his holy Pruphets but will for his own sake establish them and cause the man d Psal 50 to see his own human unfaithfulnesse and lying against his God how that the man hath not regarded Gods Covenant nor his promises under the services and ceremonies which were ordained for him of God to this end that he e Exod. 12 13 Mat. 26 Luke 22 1 Cor. 11 should think upon the same to the intent he might be saved accordiag to the promises 40. But not f Ro. 9.11 that Gods promises are established out of the ceremonies or through the works of the ceremonies O no but g Rom. 5 Gal. 5 in the love according to the spirit and according to the truth out of the heavenly being through the belief even as it is promised and as the Scripture maketh mention 41. Wherefore seeing that God hath now out of his grace given us h 2 Cor. 4 such clearnesse under the obedience of the requiring of his service of love in the spirit of our hearts therefore look we more upon the promises giving heed unto that namely the i 1 Tim. 1 love which the promises are established in then we do upon the like counterfeited services or ceremonies And for this cause we cannot let our hearts be bound or intangled with any thing that is ministred without the true light and service of love nor yet yeeld to take part either against or with it but do endeavour our selves to the upright k Eph. 4 righteousnesse and holinesse in Jesus Christ and to all concord in the love and her service 42. For thereunto were we and all men called heretofore of God the Father through the spirit of Christ even that we should come through faith l Rom. 3.5 8 to the righteousnesse in Jesu Christ and to his true m Mat. 22 Iohn 17 1 Tim. 1 love and that the ceremonies out of the true light should for the same intent be serviceable unto us 43. Now might one here demand if the matter be so why then have some yet regard to taking part with flesh and bloud And wherefore do some yet make conscience to themselves to account the Schismaticall ceremonies indifferent unto them for some are held captive with affections in their conscience n Rom. 14 Gal. 3.4 5 insomuch that they must yet observe certain ceremonies and others againe have such an o 1 Cor. 8.10 abhorring of them that they must necessarily leave them Answer 44. Their unbelief p Rom. 1 Eph. 4 and blindnesse is the cause of it inasmuch as they believe not the promises of God nor yet understand that the same are avouched in the spirit but will justifie and esteem themselves faithfull either by cleaving to these or by leaving of those ceremonies and think that before God they should be counted unfaithfull if their hearâ—s were not stedfastly bound unto those things which they q Col. 2 have chosen to themselves and which without the word of life and requiring of his service of love they judge their faithfulnesse to consist in not perceiving how unfaithfull r Esa 59 and lying themselves are in their inwardnesse unto God and his upright righteousnesse For the Lord requireth by his services and ceremonies principally the inward Å¿ Ezek. 36 Mat. 23 Luk. 11 cleannesse according to the spirit And even to that end did the old Fathers of the holy Church of Jesus Christ t Act. 2.8 10. c. use the ceremonies among Christ his believers 45. But because this is not understood nor believed aright by the children of men therefore know they not also what is reckned unto them for salvation nor yet wherein consisteth the condemnation 46. For seeing they give respect to their unclean consciences and are fast tied to something that
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
according as he hath made the same with Abrabam and his Seed 25. Now when men have read this saying and heard such a sentence to wit that God will work things by his righteous spirit they must then have regard to the counsell that directeth the way to God and from the heart follow the same with humble souls c Rom. 12 still persevere in prayer untill the coming of the promises d Tob. 4. Rom. 13. and not consent to the sin but so take heed to such a healthfull grace as being out of Gods mercy called to the very same according to the promises 26. For aforetimes the heathen were no people of the God of Israel but were e Eph. 2. strangers in the Testaments of the holy Fathers and in the inheritance of the godly promises and f Eph. 4. 1 Pet. 4. every one walked his way in ungodlinesse and in sundry Idolatries and were ignorant of the Lord. 27. But the everlasting God of Israel forgot not his Covenant g Luk. 1. but was mindfull of the oath which he had sworn to Abraham his beloved to a blessing of the Gentiles and looked on h Act. 17. the time of their ignorance and did in like manner for a season cast off his people and shew his hearty love on all the Generations of the earth or heathen and caused a joyfull message through his Christ to be published unto them i Mat. 3. Luk. 3.13 Act. 2.3 to a repentance and amendment from their offences calling and bidding them k Eph. 2.3 to be co-heirs with the Citizenship of his people Israel l Esa 2. Amos. 9. Zach. 8. Act. 15. that unto his people Israel he might prepare him an upright people also out of the heathen according to the promises and foreshewing of his holy Prophets 28. Hereon ought all Generations of the earth to have regard and duely to consider whether they do accordingly take heed aright to their calling which is out of grace come unto them from the bountifull God of Israel and whether they do also with lowly hearts as those that are unworthy the same humble themselves for to obtain the right m Ioh. 1.3 1 Pet. 1. birth of the righteous spirit out of God to be fellow brethren with the children of the house of Jacob for to serve the living God and in those daies when n Act. 3. the refreshing shall appear from the presence of God to celebrate and glorifie the same God of Israel with them what time as he ingrafteth his branches into their right stock again who for the Gentiles sakes have been broken off and scattered p Lu. 21. Rom. 12. untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles should be come in the treading down of Jerusalem have her end and so all Israel be saved according to the promises 29. Therefore let us have a right regard to our calling and separate our selves according to the spirit from the foolish course q Rom. 1 Eph. 4 5 1 Pet. 4 vain walking and ignorant boasting of people and humble our souls to the grace of our calling 30. For if God in times past spared not his own people but did cast out break off and scatter them abroad for their stiffeneckednesse and prides sake and r Act. 13 Rom. 11 rejected the hearthen in their roome how much lesse will he then spare the proud heathen but cast out break off lay wast and scatter them and in their stead receive his own people Israel again that they may serve him all the daies of their lives Å¿ Luk. 1. Eph. 4 in such righteousnesse and holinesse as is pleasing unto him they shall be his people and he God with them shall be their God from Generation to Generation everlastingly 31. For thus saith the Lord concerning Israel t Esa 59 Rom. 11 there shall come a redeemer unto them in Sion and to them that turn them from fin in Jacob saith the Lord and I make this Covenant with him saith the Lord u Esa 59 my Spirit which is in thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart from thy mouth nor from the mouth of thy Seed and childrens-children saith the Lord from henceforth for evermore 32. In those daies shall the treading down of Jerusalem have an end and the vvord of the Lord shall be fulfilled concerning her and unto her he said x Esa 60 arise Jerusalem be bright for thy light cometh and the glory of the Lord ariseth upon thee then also will the Lord cause himself to be heard even to the worlds end y Esa 62 And they shall say to the daughter Sion Lo thy Salvation cometh behold he bringeth his Treasure with himself and his revvard is now prepared before him they shall name them the holy People the redeemed of the Lord and thee O Jerusalem they shall call the visited and not the forsaken City 33. Lo these are the promises concerning Jerusalem and concerning Israel in the last time let every one take heed to his time according to his calling through Jesus Christ and the end or principal scope of all righteousnesse z 1 Tim. â— is the love wherein the promises of God are established and that same is the true a 1 Joh. 3.4 token of the birth out of God through the righteous spirit It is true 34. It is also there in the same book recorded b 1 Glasse that those which are taught by the righteous spirit are no longer servants of the Prophets which forsooth some have read or heard thereof and have by that meanes forsaken the requiring of the Prophet call Word of the Apostles of Christ before they were according to the mention of the Word confirmed in their calling and through the perswasion that they had the truth or Spirit of God they are stopped out of their calling turned to the liking of their owne opinion c Rom. 1. Eph. 4. and so become vaine in their understanding 35. Some would needs account themselves free through the Spirit d 1 Glasse 3.4 before they have tasted or known the Spirit of Promise and so have run forth before the time and have not by their wisdome understood the promises of God nor the calling of the Gentiles 36. When the man now regardeth not his calling according to the requiring thereof rightly but looketh about to some other understanding and will count himself free through the spirit before the first or foregoing service which e Gal. 3. Heb. 7. directeth or leadeth thereunto be accomplished or fufilled by him then forsaketh he the service of the fore-witnessed or foregoing Word and goeth forth in a liberty which yet is false according to his own spirit before he hath fulfilled his servantship in the service of the fore-going holy Word f Luk. 21. wherein he should possesse his soul with patience g 1 Cor. 11 and so shew forth the death of
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 EMMANVEL LOVE TRVETH Our Heart is the Minde of God most high Our Beeing amiable as the sweete Lillie Our faithfullnes Love and Trueth vpright Is Gods Light life and Cleernes bright THE PROPHECY OF THE SPIRIT of LOVE Set forth by H. N. And by him perused anew and more distinctly declared Translated out of Base-Almain into English Behold I will send mine Angel or Messenger which shall prepare the way or make plain the path before me He shall turn the heart of the Fathers to the Children and the heart of the Children to the Fathers that I come not and utterly smite or destroy the earth with the Curse Mal. 3. 4. Math. 11. and 17. Mark 1. Luke 1. London Printed for Giles Calvert at the black Spread-Eagle neer the West end of Pauls 1649. The Preface IN the time of the Beginning or Rising of the a Joel 2. Wisd 1 Mal. 3 4 great Day of the righteous Judgment of God upon the Earth and of the appearing of the [b] Mat. 24 and 25 Luke 17 2 Thess 1 2 Tim. 1 Titus 2 Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in his Majesty the most highest hath poured out from him with a mighty and vehement drift or operation of his holy and gracious Word this same Prophecy of his Spirit of Love upon the Earth and brought the same to light through H. N. his elected Minister 2. Wherewithal the Lord through the same his elected Minister maketh manifest and known unto all people with Correction Discipline and Exhortation the horrible [c] Isai 13 and 47 Mal. 4 destruction of all ungodly and unrepentant unregenerated men together with the deceit [d] Psal 62 and 64 Isaiah 59 Jer. 9 and falshood of their malicious hearts 3. Also figureth forth before their Vnderstandings their Self-wisdom false [e] Isai 5 imagination of the knowledg and the perverse [f] Isai 66 4 Eldr. 16 Wis 1. thoughts which captive and seduce them and setteth even so their unfaithfulness [g] Ier. 2 and 3. Ezek. 16 Hosea 4 and 5. as a covered or cloked whoredom and their unlust to the Love as a sluggishness and foolishness evidently before their eyes and consequently warneth every one of the destruction to the end that they all should thereby to their Preservation and Salvation give over and incline themselves uprightly to the obedience of the Love [h] Math. 3 Luke 3 Act. 2 3 repent them for their Sins and take the Mercy of God or the Grace of the Lord which the Lord through the Spirit of his Love proffereth or presenteth so benignly unto them groundly [i] Prov. 3 and 4 to heart live in all [k] Luke 1 Eph. 1 4 upright Righteousness and even so in the [l] Luke 17 Tit. 2 Revealing of the great Day of the Lord become preserved [m] 2 Pet. 3 in the Godliness 4. Let every one therefore have a good regard to this same Doctrine of Prophecy and take it effectually to heart what the same requireth THE PROPHECY OF THE Spirit of Love CHAP. I. THis is the sound of the Voyce of the true Spirit of Love wherewith the Lord visiteth the wickedness of the people upon earth To the end that it might become fulfilled which the Lord hath spoken through his holy Prophets like as there standeth written The Lord [a] Isai 26 Micha 1 shall go forth out of his dwelling and visit the wickedness of the inhabiters of the earth in such sort that the earth also shall disclose the [b] Apoc. 18 blood which she hath swallowed up and not hide the same any longer 2. The Lord the God of Heaven moved me in his minde or Spirit his power encompassed me with a rushing noise and the glory of the same God of Heaven became great in my Spirit of his Love in such wise that the great clearness of God wholy environed me and shined round about me Where-through the sight of mine eyes became clearer then chrystal and mine understanding brighter then the Sun in such so◠that I insaw with mine eyes the great [c] Ezek 18 2 Pet. 3 long-suffering of God and how large the same extended over the children of men and perceived with mine understanding the breaking forth of the [d] Isai 13 Amos 5 Joel 2 Wisd 1 great Day of the righteous Judgment of God upon the earth with which breaking forth of the same great day God will also now in the last time as a [e] Nah. 1 revenger against all his Enemies make up himself and appear and [f] Acts 17 judg the universal earth with Righteousness according to his Promises 3. I insaw also that God will pour forth 〈◊〉 wrath and indignation over all them that have not to their [g] Rom. 2 amendment taken heed unto his love grace and long-suffering but in the mercy of God and in the time of grace whenas the mercy was proffered unto them [h] Prov. 1 refused the same and even so abiding sluggish towards the Will of the Lord loved and ensued the worldly foolishness maliciousness and self-mindedness as also the infidelity of the good-thinking-wise more then the Salvation of God 4. In all this same wherewith the Lord so moved me in his minde I took good heed in mine understanding what the Lords meaning and Will was and whereto or to to what manner of service the Lord moved my minde 5. When I then perceived or understood it so was the Lords meaning and will unto me even such as his Being or Essence spake unto me For the Being of God gave forth his sound and Voyce and spake unto me H. N. through his Spirit of Love all these words and said 6. Go now out and abide always in me and (i] Mal. 3 going before with thy service e're ever the clearness of the great day of my righteous Judgment do come let the sound of the voyce of my gracious Word pass forth over the universal earth shew all people my Will declare my Laws Ordinances or institutions to the Ununderstanding ones forbear not any longer the transgressing of men neither wink thou henceforth at the offences of any people but make manifest their [k] Isai 58 unrighteousness unto them and correct or reprove them for all their ignorance blockishness self-seeking and hypocrisie and for all their lying imagination of the Knowledg wherewith they give forth themselves before thee as though I approved their cause in which doing they all make manifest their false righteousness before me and bring their filthiness before my face making themselves even so [l] Isai 1 Amos 5 to an abomination before mine eyes 7. Let also the slothful [m] Prov. 6 and 24 and all such as go on so negligently namely such as follow after the fashion and Being of the wicked world [n] Jer. 7 11 and 13 and 18 Zech. 7 or their good-thinking and consider not on the service and
the obedience of the holy Word and of the requiring of his service of Love and abide also bound or owned to your selves and to your own counsel and will and come not to the Truth of God which floweth forth serviceably out of the Love for to be obedient as right [z] John 8 Jam 1 Disciples of the Word unto the same 9. But verily after such a manner ye are towards the gracious Word of the Lord and his service of Love [a] Psal 50 Ier. 2 3 Hos 4 5 even like unto an whore which after her hearts good-thinking to a cloaking of her whoredom chuseth an husband and coupleth her self in marriage unto him for that she might boast her as a married wife and under such a covering and boasting that she hath an husband committeth her whoredom seeing that ye in like manner without Christ and against Christ although ye make great boast of him commit whoredom and deal nor walk not according to the doctrine or requiring of Christ 10. For which your covered or cloaked whoredoms cause and unrighteous walking the Lord hath moved my minde and commanded me to figure forth your whoredom and [b] Ier. 7 unrighteous ways before you also to [c] Isai 58 reprove you thereof and to exhort you to amendment and to warn you even so of the destruction that is to come upon the ungodly in the righteous judgement of God 11. O thou whorish Nature Be ashamed I say presently before the Lord and before the Seat [d] Isaiah 16 Mat. 25 of his Majesty where-out he declareth his upright Righteousness that thou boastest thee so of Christ the gracious Word of the Father [e] 2 Cor. 11 as of thy Husband and of the lovely Nature of his Love and yet whilest thou doest so holdest thine heart common or of one Being with the Antichrist with the wicked World and with the self-wisdomes of her Sectaries and Scripture-learned Peruse and ponder now well the [f] Isa 59 falshood of thine Heart and consider throughly all thy Covetousness [g] Ier. 7 9 theevery self-Seeking and whoredom which thou hast committed against Christ and his Love 12. O ye Children of Men when ye have once perceived and clearly seen in your inwardnes into all this same whorish Nature of your unrighteous walking then withdraw you first of all therefrom [h] Jer. 2 3 and turn you to the goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ and [i] Ezek. 18 38 repent you and let your selves even so under the Obedience of the holy and gracious Word and of his service of Love become [k] Eph. 4 changed to an upright being of Christ and taught [l] Pro. 1 4 instructed and counselled as single-minded [m] Mat. 18 1 Cor. 14 Children which wholly give over themselves obediently under the tuition or custodie of their Mother by the Elders in the holy understanding of the Spirit of the Love of Jesus Christ and even so in all obedience of the love of Jesus Christ become fostered and trayned up in the godly Wisdom of the holy understanding 13. Hereto apply you first of all with faithfull hearts and come then even so to the lovely (n) Eph. 4 and true being of the Love Jesus Christ and to the upright (o) Ioh. 1 Freedom of the Children of God CHAP. III. O Ye Children of the (a) Gen. 3 Isai 1. 59 Rom. 5 defecting or off falling Being which say that ye cleave unto Christ and his Love and under such a boasting commit your whoredom to you is my cry and calling For I lament and bewaile very much your (b) Ier. 2 Hosea 4 unfaithfulness and all your feignedness wherewith ye think to cover you before me 2. But no beloved no ye cannot abide covered before me nor before the face of my God but ye must all in this very day of the Love become manifest before the Majestie of God and [c] Rom. 14 2 Cor. 5 before the Seat of the Judgment of Christ 3. For although ye dissemble with me how craftily soever ye cover or feign you before me yet are nevertheles [d] 1 Cor. 4 all the Counsels and Falshoods of your Hearts manifest before me and so much the more naked and bare [e] Psal 44 Heb. 4 before the eyes of my heart and spirit 4. For so long as your hearts stand not submitted good-willingly to the Heart and Spirit of my God nor are wholy given over to be (f) 1 Peter 1 James 1 obedient Disciples of the Word unto the gracious Word his service of Love So can I also through the true (g) Iohn 1 3 Light wherein God hath glorified or throughly lighted me right well perceive fee and note that all your minds and thoughts are not minded with the heart and spirit of my God nor with the requiring of the gracious Word and of his service of Love but there-against mingled with wicked (h) Gen. 6 8 Eccl. 17 18 Inclinations or Affections 5. Seeing now then that I through the light of my God do clearly see into all your pernicious corrupted Nature and wicked Inclinations and gladly vouchsafe you all out of the upright Being of my God that which were better to the end that under the obedience of the Love there might be found by you all an upright Being i Eph. 4 2 Pet. 1 of the Love of Jesus Christ So cannot I of Natures part nor of the k 2 Cor 5 nature of the Loves part which driveth me thereto alwaies keep silence but must even out of love witnesse unto you the (l) Isa 13 47 Math. 24 1 Tim. 4 2 Tim. 3 2 Pet. 2 perils of destruction which have bewrapped and encompassed you 6. For that cause I admonish you this day of the Destruction and foretell you as truly as the Lord liveth if ye endeavour not your selves to the Obedience of the requiring of the gracious Word and (m) 1 Ioh. 3 4 of his service of Love for to become upright of heart to fear the God of Life to love the Vertues of the lovely Being of the Love to live uprightly (n) Rom. 12 2 Cor. 12 Eph. 4 1 Ioh. 1 in the communiallity of the Love with all the holiness of God and to deal or behave your selves (o) Zac. 7. 8 faithfully with them and so to become wholly godded with God [p] John 17 and his Christ or [q] John 15 Eph. 3 2 Pet. 1 incorporated to that same godly Being but seek your selves or any other thing in or by the gracious Word and his service of Love or else take unto your selves a good-thinking word and falsly usurp the Service of Love and boast you thereof and even so hold your hearts common or of one Being with the [r] 1 Iohn 2 worldly Being and fashion and with the false hearts of the seditious Scripture-learned So will
from the beginning [o] Jerem. 7 John 14 Apoc. 21 and chosen you to an House for my Dwelling to which glorious lordliness with Me ye cannot come so long as ye resuse the Obedience of my gracious Word and [p] Heb. 10 despise my Spirit of Love and so hearken to your selves and pass forth after the direction of your own Iudgment 8. O ye children of men saith the Lord consider and call to mind yet once what ye all have been thus long and yet are so long as ye have heard and beleeved your selves or whilst that ye yet dayly do hear and beleeve your selves and abide [q] Ephes 4. estranged from my Service of Love and upright Being 9. And if ye now desire to come again unto Me and to your upright Being and State then hear nor beleeve not your selves any longer but hear and beleeve my [r] Joh 5 and 8 Word that in my Service of Love floweth sorth out of my Mouth 10. Submit you [s] Eccles 7 1 Pet. 5 there-under and do according to my Counsel saith the Lord so shall ye then come to right again also enjoy my Goodness and inherit all my Treasures [t] Mat. 13 Col. 2 and Riches 11. O ye children of men saith the Lord Wherefore will ye thus abide so gladly by your selves seeing ye are always so much deceived with your selves For by your selves ye find nothing else but [u] Jer 7 9 John 8 Lyes and [x] Is 5 9 Darkness where-through ye divide intangle and destroy your selves 12. But by Me and by my Word and Service of Love ye find the true Being of my Dwelling together with the Truth the Wisdom and all good Counsel to your Preservation also the Light of Life [y] Eccles 24 the lovely Being of the Love and the everlasting Life to your Joy and Felicity 13. For that cause to your Preservation take now good heed to the gracious [z] Jer. 31 Word that I presently in this very day through my holy Spirit and Service of Love [a] Isaiah 2 and 26 Micha 1 and 4 set to be heard and set forth before you out of the Tabernacle of my Dwelling 14. And even so for my Loves cause saith the Lord wherewith I have always loved you [b] Mat. 16 Luke 9 14 forsake now your selves and all your own Word Will and Counsel and hear and believe only my Word that floweth from Me out of my holy Spirit and Service of Love for otherwise ye cannot come to my Dwelling 15. Therefore [c] Isaiah 2 Micha 4 Zach. 8 come now all unto Me saith the Lord and assemble you all to the House of my Dwelling namely to the House of my Love where-out I let my [d] Isaiah 2 and 26 Word be heard and wherein I have the Seat of my Majesty 16. Come now all hither and for my Loves cause [e] Mat. 16 forsake wholly your selves or your own life and all what ye your selves and for your own selves cause have taken on and all that is Mine [f] Psal 24 and 146 or that belongeth to Me bring unto Me and lay it all down before the [g] 1 Pat. 30 Acts 5 Feet of my Majesty even the House of my Love and acknowledg that it is all my [h] Psalm 24 and 50 Propriety or very own 17. When ye now have done all this saith the Lord then plant all your Hearts in the only Heart of my gracious Word and holy Spirit of Love to the end that ye all might become (i) Iohn 17 Acts 4 one Heart Being or Mind in Me and that I likewise with my gracious Word and holy Spirit of Love may even so dwell (k) John 14 2 Cor. 6 Apoc. 21 live and walk in you all 18. For thereto truly the Service of my Lovestretcheth which I now in the last time extend so graciously on you and even thereto I have also loved and elected you all O ye generations of men to the end that ye all through the Service of my Love might be assembled again unto me in my godly Being and have love and peace among each other 19. Wherefore seeing now that this is the last time [l] Joel 2 Acts 2 of Grace in which saith the Lord I let my voyce go forth to the end that every one may come to my Rest so [m] Psal 95 Heb 3 4 harden not your hearts in any case this day in the hearing of my voyce that ye abide not without this my holy Rest which is published unto you and whereunto ye are courteously bidden But become turned about thereunto in your heart and minde and to enter into the same so gather you now altogether unto my house of Love and to my holy Tabernacle or man of God [n] Ier. 31 Ezek 37 wherein I as a glorious God with my perfect Godhead as with my Christ at my right hand and with my holy Spirit of Love my true Being do live dwell and walk and wherein we as one true Deity have revealed and [o] Iohn 13 and 17 glorified us to the end that ye all now may become consubstantiated or conformably united in me as one Man of God and inherit my Rest with all the Children of God 20. For verily I say unto you saith the Lord whosoever now in this very day of my Love assembleth him not to my house nor becometh with his heart graffed [p] Rom. 11 or planted into my heart he shall not enter into my [q] Heb. 4 Rest nor yet for evermore inherit or inhabit with my children of Peace the worthy pleasant Land which I have promised unto them and [r] Math. 25 prepared for them from the beginning of the world neither yet obtain either in this time or in any time to come any Grace of Salvation Life of Peace nor true Love nor yet become [s] 2 Pet 1 one Being with my godly nature but all such which so abide without me and my holy house or communality of Love shall be [t] Ier. 17 and 22 and 25 Wisd 17 scattered abroad and brought to confusion and bound [u] Mat. 25 2 Pet. 2 with the bands of darkness in the horrible Destruction and so abide [x] 2 Thes 1 estranged from the Light of my lovely face for ever and ever 21. O ye Children of men saith the Lord harden [y] Psal 95 Heb. 3 not your hearts in any case in the hearing of the voyce of my Spirit in the Service of my Love but come now all to this my [z] Isai 12 and 55 Apoc. 21 and 22 Fountain of Life and refresh [a] Ezek 36 Heb. 10 your heart and minde in the same and in her out-flowing waters for the same waters which flow there-out [b] Iohn 4 and 7 Apoc. 21 and 22 are my safe-making waters of Life to the satisfying of all thirsty Souls after the Righteousness and the
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
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
become manifest and known whether thou art an adulterous Whore or the upright and faithful married Wife of the Man Christ 12. For verily like as the jealousie of an husband standeth over his wife that she dealeth not faithfully but as an adulterous whore even so standeth also my jealousie over thee thou earthly man which wilt g 2 Cor. 11 be the espoused Wife of the Man Christ or vauntest and givest forth thy self for the same and also over all such as with the spirit of the earthly and h Iohn 8 devilish Being boast them to be the married wife of Christ or of his Spirit of Love 13. For that cause if thou now account not thy self for an whore but esteemest thee for the faithful espoused Wife of Christ and that my jealous conceiving cannot stand otherwise towards thee but that thou art a presumptuous Whore which dissembleth or playeth the hypocrite with Christ and coveredly i Jer 2 3 Ezek. 16 Hosea 4 and 5 committeth whoredom and yet nevertheless wilt be judged as a faithful espoused Wife of Christ so shalt thou then presently be constrained to drink this bitter k Numb 5 cursed water of my jealousie and to bear the cursing of an adulterous Whore or of an unfaithful Wife 14. But if now thou be faithful and the upright espoused Wife of Chrst then fear not to drink these bitter Waters for any destruction that can chance unto thee there out or endamage thee thereby For the upright married Wife or Bride of the Man Christ namely the faithfull l Rom 12 1 Cor. 12 Eph. 4 5 Communiallity of the Holy ones of God or the fellow Members of Christ hath been constrained in times past by her Adversaries to drink such like and the bitter Waters have not hurt or endamaged her 15. But truly as for thee O thou corrapt Nature of the earthly Man thou shalt in thy vain-glorious Boasting that thou art the right Espoused Wife of Christ be found a Lyar and as a wicked mischievous and m Apo. 17 18 false whore and through these bitter cursed Waters thy hips or thighs shall rot and thy n Num. 5 womb break and so shalt thou then become made manifest in thy whorish Nature CHAP. XII BEhold hereto thou must needs come and it shall now also fall upon thee O thou unfaithful Seed a Isaiah 1 John 8 thou earthly and lying Man which hast at all times dealt or behaved thee hipocritically b Ier. 6 7 9. falsly against God the Father by his service of the Law against Christ the Saviour by his Service of the Belief against the Holy Ghost by his Service of the Love even so vanted or given forth thy self to be the Communjallity of Holy ones or c Rom. 12 1 Cor. 12 Eph. 4 5. the co-joyned body of the Body of Christ all over the universall Earth But thou shalt presently be forced to bear thy just Sentence of Iudgment and Accusation As that thou art false and against the pure d 2 Cor. 11 Apoc. 21 Bride Church or co-joyned Body of Christ a polluted or e Apoc. 17 18 defiled Whore and that thou art worthy of the eternal Condemnation f Mat. 25 2 Peter 3 and fire of Hell 2. And although thou wouldest never so fain cover thee with thy Hipocrisie and give forth thy self in this Day of the Love as faithfull and upright yet shalt thou not be able so to do For here availeth now no longer any Hipocrisie or Coveredness neither yet likewise shall any man know how to cover himself before this same Light of the Love but they must all now become g Iohn 3 1 Cor. 4 Eph. 5 apparently mafested even the same that they are by the same Light 3. Whosoever now therefore is earthly minded false and covered of heart and desireth to continue therein his Nature shall now right-soon be seen or perceived For the Light of this Day h 1 Ioh. 2 shineth now so perfect bright and clear that no ungodly nor any hypocrites or false hearts let them then hold themselves so presumptuous on their false righteousnes as they will shal any way be able i Mal. 3 Apoc. 6 to endure or abide standing in this same day of the righteous Judgment of God 4. But whosoever is heavenly minded and upright of heart humbleth himself with a good-willing heart under the Love and her Service wholy giveth over himself under the Majesty of God and even so without any perverse k Wisd 1 thoughts loveth the upright and godly Being By such a one the same shall likewise certainly appear and in the expressing of his deed be very well perceived 5. For to those same upright hearts which walk l 1 Pet. 1 obediently in the Doctrine of the gracious Word and Service of Love and shew all faithfulness thereunto it is granted to understand in their Spirit according to the heavenly Truth of the upright Being m Mat. 1 the mystery of the Kingdom of the God of Heaven where-through they make manifest the powers of the holy Ghost and the Testimonies of his living waters n Iohn 4 and 7 which flow at that time from the body of their spirit and reach even unto the everlasting Life 6. But the strangers which walk without the Family of Love or deal falsly therewith o Mat. 22 Luke 14 taste not the lovely Being of the spiritual and heavenly goods For they understand nor p Isa 6 Acts 28 know not the same any otherwise but according to an earthly and fleshly Being For earthly and fleshly are all their mindes and thoughts 7. But alas this cannot an earthly man which truly is always nothing q Rom. 8 1 Cor. 2 but fleshly minded comprehend nor understand yet will he nevertheless always go on with his lying earthly and fleshly mindes and judg even so the spiritual and heavenly Understandings there-out For that cause he cannot have any lust nor bear any love towards the true spiritual and heavenly but well towards the lying earthly and fleshly where-out he likewise as it is right well to be perceived bringeth forth nothing else but the r Gal. 5. works of the Flesh and of the lying Being 8. But a Spirituall Man s Rom. 8 is clothed with the Spirit of God and the Truth for that cause he is also according to the Truth spiritually minded his forth-going and the lust of his works is in all to the t Gal. 5 and 6 Fruits of the Holy Ghost for to bring forth those same out of the Spirit of God and so to publish or declare forth the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness 9. For he knoweth out of the secret Mystery of the Kingdom of God how to discern distinguish the spiritual Goods according to the heavenly Truth or holy u Levit. 10 Understanding to wit that he sheweth and declareth an
express Difference betwixt the x Mat. 13 Iohn 3 earthly and the heavenly and betwixt the Lying and the True the which to all earthly unregenerated Men with all their Industry and Prudency is a thing y Rom. 8 1 Cor. 2 unpossible CHAP. XIII SEeing now that Gods wonde full Works the Spirit of his Power and the a Mat. 13 Misterie of his Kingdom of Heaven is b Wis 1 Mat. 11. known and understood only of the heavenly and spiritual Man So hath not an earthly and fleshly Man out of his natural and Scripture learned understanding any Sight nor knowledg c Rom. 8 1 Cor. 2 at all thereof Yea he is so utterly void of the same that he cannot understand the smallest title thereof much less then expound or interpret the same according to the Truth unto another 2. But he may well hear witnessed thereof according to the manly manner through the serviceable or written Word and also speak forth the same again afterwards but through himself or out of his own Understanding he d 1 Cor. 2 understandeth not any thing at all of the same according to the Truth but it is all covered and e Mat. 13 Luke 8 2 Cor. 4 secret before him or in Similitudes Images Figures and Parrables For cause he cannot likewise out of his own Wisdom once conceive nor f Wis 9 comprehend in his Knowledge what the same according to the Truth is in the godly Being 3. If he will therefore judge speak forth and interpret any thing thereof according to the imagination of his own knowledge So is it all doubtless false and lyes what he both conceiveth and also speaketh thereof where-out it becommeth that a fleshly Man out of his naturall Understanding g 1 Cor. 1 2 knoweth not any thing at all of the Spirit of God and that it is all foolishness what he judgeth or speaketh thereof 4. Verily therefore they all do err very much that judg according to their understanding out of the earthly Being or out of the Flesh or Letter Gods Truth which is heavenly and spiritual h Isaiah 41 and 48 and his wonderful Acts whether it be of that which is passed or of that which is present or of that which is to come or take upon them to discuss the same and will teach instruct or order the ignorant people according to their judgment 5. For verily Gods Truth and his Works which He worketh not through any fleshly understanding but [i] Mat. 12 Luke 11 through the Power of his Spirit out of his holy Heaven are far above all understandings of the flesh yea not any one of all the children of men can through his natural understanding out of blood [k] Wisd 1 and 9 1 Cor. 2. comprehend nor understand the same nor yet finde out the ground thereof 6. Therefore surely Gods Truth the excellent Beauty of his heavenly Kingdom and his godly and heavenly Works are [l] Matth. 11 and 13 Acts 28 unknown unto all flesh and unto all fleshly earthly men but it is given unto the children of the Kingdom the Communality of the Love to understand the secret Mystery thereof 7. It is likewise verily a great folly upon the earth yea a presumptuous and arrogant enterprize or dealing which is also utterly without all Equity and reasonable Understanding that the earthly and fleshly men set themselves to Judgment for to judg out of their natural comprehending and industry or out of their scripturely learnedness according to the flesh the spiritual Truth of God and Gods heavenly wonderful Acts whereof there is not any thing at all [m] Mat. 11 and 13 given them to understand wherein they all with their understandings run to an end yea they come so to an end or grow to such an exigent therein that they know not often times [n] Micha 7 Luke 21 where to catch or take hold of the same again 8. But many are herein very [o] Isaiah 30 arrogantly minded for when as they with their understanding are run to an end in the godly Matters to wit that they have not nor cannot comprehend nor understand those same aright yet persevere they notwithstanding searching there-after prosecuting or ensuing the same with their imagination of p Rom. 1 the Knowledge they will nevertheless alwaies be judged to have right Yea they would much rather judge Moses the Prophets of God together with the Apostles of Christ and Gods elected Minister H N. to err or misse the right then that they would by any means confess and acknowledge that they in the Imagination of their Knowledge concerning the godly Matters are ignorant and lying CHAP. XIV O Ye blinde People ye arrogant distracted earthly Men and all ye subtil or pregnant self-wise of the Flesh together with all ye false hearts of the Scripture-learned ye a Gen. 4 Jude 1 Cain-ish Ceremonie-Ministers and ye Persecuters and Murtherers of the Abel-ish upright Hearts Wherefore b Isaiah 14 exalt ye your selves so arrogantly against the high excellent Majesty of God and his righteous Judgment Consider and look yet once into it what ye have done 2. Oh alas ye have the which will now fall out painfully or sharply against you set your selves with your false Nature to c Isa 30 Judgment judged Gods Causes out of your Lyes altogether falsly seduced the Simple believed your own judgment which is unright and false and born dominion therewith over the Earth Also been d Iohn 8 Rom. 2 2 Thes 2 unbelieving of God in his Truth and resisting of the Love and even so with your falfe judgments falsly e Wis 2 Dan. 13 accused or defamed the upright Hearts as men worthy to be rooted out from the Earth 3. For that cause let your selves now be counselled by the wisdome and look betimes into all your Ignorances and let it all fall away from you or give it all over wherein ye have supposed to be wise or understanding and f Ezek. 18 Ioel 2 Mat. 3 Acts 2 3. shew forth repentance for your sins under the Obedience of the Love of Jesus Christ 4. For verily when ye look according to the Truth into your selves and all that ye have done So shall ye not choose but perceive and acknowledge that ye have g 1 Wis 5 9 not understood known or judged the earthly and naturall Things which ye have passed through and are yet daily a passing through truly or aright 5. Seeing then that ye have not been able to understand nor judge rightly those things which according to the Earthly Being are like unto you and where about ye daily have to doe How should ye then O ye blockish and ignorant earthly Men be able to understand or judge the heavenly or spirituall Things which are h Wis 9 Mat. 11 13 secret or hidden before you and which ye have never seen nor are passed through them But for
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
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
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
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
God will be our redeemer and our King wherefore have your refuge only on him to the intent ye may not fear your adversary in the fight For truly this fight is godly and amiable 51. Men curse nor swear not there they do not there kill nor destroy any d Eph. 6. save only that opposite being against God for it is no outward battell or war 52. They use there no outward e Esa 2. Mic. 4. swords or spears they seek there to destroy no flesh of men but it is a fight of the crosse and patience f Rom. 6. to the subduing of the sin 53. This fight is also no disputation bravvling nor wrangling for the knowledges sake of the Scriptures It is likewise no contention with men howsoever the most part of factious men which do every faction in particular call themselves the right Christians have even to this day so used it and do also yet still bravvle g 1 Cor. 3. Jam. 3. contend and strive one against another and that with a secret hatred and envy who should be best wisest and holiest and how to have right and equity every one in his conceiving whereby they intangle themselves every way one with another 54. But such brawling and discord do not I hold for any Christian-like fight seeing men do thereby forsake the love therefore such a fight doth nothing further towards the life nor towards the upright understanding of the divine wisdome 55. Moreover all those which stand minded to such a kind of outward fight brawling wrangling railing have never rightly perceived nor understood h Eph. 7. the inward fight For inasmuch as they know not the vertue of the love nor that whereout she proceedeth therefore do they account the battell of the righteous spirit which through the crosse in the spirit of wel-vvilling hearts carrieth forth the fight against death sin devill and hell for an ignorance and foolishnesse because they do no more esteem of such a chosen Salvation as is brought forth after the manner of men and which the man hath his glorying in then of the righteous spirit of love and life which God himself bringeth forth for i Esa 60. a true light and salvation of men after his godly nature and manner the k Esa 42.48 glorying whereof belongeth only unto God and to himself he also keepeth it 56. Wherefore seeing God hath considered that all mans wisdome is vain and that men by their wisdome know not Gods work in his wisdome nor his Salvation through his Christ l 1 Cor. 1. it hath therefore pleased God through foolish preaching under the obedience of the love of Christ to save the world that is to say all those that believe in him that he might catch the wise m Esa 29. 1 Corâ— 3â— in their wisdome the crafty in their subtilty and craftinesse and the letter-learned in their knowledge of the Scripture thereby making known unto them n Psal 94. 1 Cor. 3. how vain and void of understanding they are in the purpose of God and hovv that by all wisdome and prudency and by all their learnednesse in the letter they have not known any thing of o Mat. 11. 1 Cor. 2. Gods vvisdome at all wherethrough the Almighty God is magnified and by which it is known that his foolishnesse is much wiser then all the wisdome of the world or prudence of mans vvit 57. Novv vvhosoever believeth the same but on the contrary party is yet so selfvvise that he giveth no ear at all nor is inclined to the love or to our communion through the loves service vvherein Gods purpose is knovvn or understood the same man surely shall not understand the mind of God nor yet his secret p Kom 8. 1 Cor. 2. for it is unpossible to understand the vvisdome of God vvithout obeying of the love CHAP. XII 1. It is meet that every one submit himself to the appeared grace 2. The new day 3. Patience towards the unbelievers 4. Wherein the upright understanding is to be found 5. The worldly wise find it not but will rest upon their owne wisdome 13. An exhortation to cleave to the truth without bondage to outward things 15. What the perfect righteousnesse is 19. And how we ought to cleave thereunto and to esteem of the outward things so far as they are profitable and no further 21. And that not for their owne sakes but for the Ordinances sake 22. How to behave our selves towards all men wives children servants 26. He exhorteth to give our minds to a lovely behaviour towards all 32. Not to regard any thing that may cause dissention but to set our chief respect upon the inward and not upon the outward 43. The upright life is the same that the Fathers lived in 45. Whereunto also the Gentiles were called by the Gospell 46. He requireth all people to take heed to their calling 50. And to turn away from the self-minded thoughts that do tempt and intice us 51. Our union with God in the spirit is the stone that is disallowed of men 55. The Glasse of Righteousnesse serveth to try our selves by 56. The man is diversly perverted How H. N. passed forth under the love in his humane nature and how God received him unto grace 61. His little regard to the outward 63. Yet not despising it because it is profitable to train up the man in his youngnesse 65. Men ought to esteem the greatest more then the least and to put difference in the Age of the Disciples 66. That teacher which is not entred nor hath not accomplished the Righteousnesse in the love is both himself and also his hearers far from the truth 67. The Priesthood out of Levi is good in his right use but the Priesthood of Messias is yet more excellent 71. Why he pointeth not to the outward FOrasmuch then as through the a 1 Cor. 8. revealing of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in the resurrection of the dead there is out of grace such an holy office or service of the love to a renevving of the vvorld novv in the last time come unto us and according to the secret counsell and vvill of God committed unto us in upright righteousnesse and holinesse to be ministred therefore it vvere very meet that every one vvhich is avvakened thereby should submit himself thereunto and give ear unto us in the same service to the obeying of the love in the spirit that every mans eyes might be made bright and become clearer and clearer to b Act. 7. behold vvith a clear sight of their eyes Gods Kingdom of heaven the vvhich novv manifesteth it self unto us and cometh unto us under the obedience of the love and likevvise vvith the same do appear and come unto us livingly and gloriously all Gods c 1 Cor. 15. Saints vvhich in times past died and fell asleep in God 2. Behold this manifestation or appearing of Gods Kingdome of heaven
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
this time do every where bear sway and among many have even hitherto had the preheminence 54. O God x Dan. 9 let us in this dangerous time find grace in thine eyes and incline thou our hearts towards thee and towards thy righteousnesse bring our spirit out of this desolation and cleanse our hearts minds and thoughts from all dissention y Psa 51 and create in us an upright mind that no evill come upon us 55. Of which upright mind and upright course of life of all upright hearts I have set forth a clear instruction in the tree of life the fourth book of the Glasse of Righteousness which Glass of Righteousness with other more like testimonies I have heretofore set forth to the intent that every one might look into himself and know whether he were of the upright communalty of the righteous and lived and walked in the upright vvaies of the just and so served the living God only or not For I wist not how to call any by name for to shew outwardly vvhat sort I might judge for the rightfullest 56. For I found the man a Jer. 9 so altogether deceivable so bewitched of understanding so given to cover or dissemble his lies so lordly 〈◊〉 because of his understanding so double of heart so earnestly bent to destroying and oppressing against those that were not like minded with his hearts conceiving so b Ier. 18.25.29.35 declining from him that according to the truth pointed him to the way of life so self-seeking and partiall for himself so resolute in his opinion so reproachfull and malicious with accusation at him that desired to bring him into the right way of the holy Fathers so vvel-conceited and affected towards his own phansies and errours so hipocriticall in the vertue so divided from the righteousnesse so separated from conscience so little seeking that which is the Lords only so unstable in fidelity so slothfull and slow to turn him to God c Pro. 6.24 so without regard to the upright waies so little reckning of the straying from his God so affectioned to the earthly visible things and so self-captived of heart that I was altogether suspicious jealous and doubtfull of the man 57. And not only of another but also even of mine own humane nature insomuch that I held it straight unto all vertues and righteous dealings for to do the Lords will in all my proceedings for in that sort did I passe forth under the obedience of the love with my humane nature to the intent to obtain the vertuous d 1 Cor. 13. disposition of the love and to be incorporated to the same with soul and body and with all the senses and thoughts of my humane nature and indeavouring me in this same with all diligence the Lord received me into the grace of his love and into him and his love incorporated my mind together with my senses and thoughts and so gave me inheritance with Christ and his Saints in his heavenly riches e Rom. 16. Eph. 1.2.3 Col. 1. and revealed his last will unto me 58. But not according to any conceiving of the flesh or after the outwardnesse namely in any outward appearance that liketh the man and the sight of his fleshly eyes or vvhereunto the man doth sometimes set his heart and understanding as though he could satisfie God thereby or as if a man with his outward humanity with a show after the outward appearance might be incorporated into the God of heaven and into his heavenly goods or could live in the Godhead according to the flesh 59. O no ye dearly beloved Gods working in renewing of the man through Jesus Christ is not after the pleasing of men nor according to any affection of the flesh nor yet such as any man by his fleshly conceiving or learned understanding should be able after the outward to judge of the same working of God in the spirit or of him which is renewed in God 60. For Gods working and the renewing of the man f Rom. 12. Eph. 4. is brought to passe inwardly in the spirit and in the inward senses and thoughts through the power of his holy spirit of love wherethrough men are abundantly filled with love towards the living God and with love towards all men 61. My respect also in my zeal to the vertuous nature of the love was least upon the outward show after the flesh but it was most upon an upright heart and mind such as consisteth in a good willing obedience and tieth or bindeth it self to no elementish things whether they be earthly riches or worldly possessions because I would in spirit and mind serve and please the living God only and likewise thereby love every man as my self 62. And for this upright beings sake because in all love the same should have and keep an g 1 Cor. 4. Gal. 4. essentiall form in me I did as is aforesaid examine the senses and cogitations of my human nature whether by them any other thing were loved or desired besides or whether they tied themselves unto any thing els To the intent I might for the loves sake of God and Christ h Mat. 16. Luk. 9.14 renounce hate and forsake it every whit and crucifie i Rom. 6. Gal. 5. Cole 3. and kill my humane senses and thoughts with their lusts and desires so far forth as they were not incorporated or subject to the good being of God or to his vertuous nature of the love whereby I might live through the power of God and by the gifts of his grace and through the co-incorporating of the upright being of Jesu Christ k Luk. 1. Eph. 4. in all upright righteousnesse and holinesse that is in the upright life and mind of the living Godhead 63. Now although I have here shewed that my respect was lesse upon the outward obedience then upon the inward godly obedience and that I thus laboured for such an upright heart and mind as was required by the outward obedience because I would l Deut. 6.10 serve the living God in his upright righteousnesse yet did I not therefore despise the outward obedience nor the good Ordinances in their right use neither is it my mind or will that men should not observe nor obey the right use of the Churches services or the Priests or Elders Ordinances which are exercised for a good outward discipline and decency and to a bringing in of the said upright righteousnesse O yes my meaning and desire is that men should observe m Rom. 14. and obey them as is said in their right use and likewise that the Elders and Ministers of the word in the family of love should by them require the true righteousnesse of the upright inward being and mind which God esteemeth 64. For so in that behalf men are greatly to esteem the outward Ordinances and the obedience to the same yet with difference in the understanding as according to their worth and in
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
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
according to the truth whom he loveth serveth and cleaveth unto whether to the world or to God to Belial or to Christ to his owne mind or to the mind of God or Christ with the mouth no doubt he will say to God and to the mind or will of Christ p Tit. 1. but with the deed it will be found quite otherwise 13. In like sort fareth it also with the understanding of the testimonies or sentences of Scripture with the mouth manie happily will confesse that they have well conceived all the sense and understanding of the holy Scripture but to follow that which the sense of the holy testimonies do betoken point to and require they clean omit whereby it doth sufficiently appear that with the life and heart they are minded against the same and have not understood the holy Scripture 14. O ye deerly beloved erre not so wholly with the erring blind world nor with the conceitednesse of the letter-learned that ye should forsake the Law of the Lord be not also q Prov. 3 Rom. 12 too wise in your owne sight and judge not of all sentences according to your imagination for much ignorance hath taken the hearts of men captive whereby oft times they judge ignorantly because by their wisdome r Mat. 11. 1 Cor. 1 they understand not the wisdome of God 15. It is all reasonably well knowne unto me with what a perverse eye the man doth oft times out of the testimonie of the writings or sentences which he heareth draw a perverse sense as it goeth now every where very brief amongst men of which sentences wherein there do many erre there is both partly in these writings and likewise in the Glasse of Righteousnesse plain Declaration made and how that many men do erre therein because they understand not the Scripture 16. But to the intent that no man through any wrong conceiving of the sentences which are now much treated of by the man might receive anie hinderance to salvation and that likewise every one may be guided into the Holy Vnderstanding of the Glasse of Righteousnesse and to an upright conceiving of the same we vvill recite certain sentences here following and uncover and clear the right understanding of the same not only in this Introduction but also in many places besides of the Glasse of Righteousnesse and shew the wrong conceiving or fight of them and warn every one to beware of the judgement of his sight which he giveth by the ignorance of his imagination 17. True it is I have heretofore in the beginning of my calling by God to the ministration of his holy and gracious word under the obedience of the love set forth certain writings but inasmuch as some sentences happily in them were not uttered in the plainest manner therefore have I with the s Supra foresaid principall Elders of the Family of Love more amply and plainly expressed them 18. Also in the beginning of my vvriting I could not find that among any of the children of men there was any such communalty of God or Christ as was comprehended in the upright life of Christ as is also before mentioned but the everlasting God who is Å¿ Ioh. 4. spirit and life t 1 Ioh. 4. and the essentiall love it self hath in my office or service under the obedience of the love manifested the same unto me and so the true Communalty of God or Christ which also is spirituall lovely and upright of life hath he made known unto me in the spirit I have also seen heard and touched or felt it and being of one substance therewith have my fellowship as one body u Rom. 12. 1 Cor. 12. in Christ with the same 19. Oh would to God that all men had the grace to humble them under the love and her servite that so then in the obeying of the service of love the same true Communalty of God or Christ might also every where appear and come unto the children of men and that in the spirit of Jesu Christ or of the love to the intent that all errour contention and wrangling among them all might once have an end and so we all one with another might be of u Rom. 12.15 1 Cor. 1. 2 Cor. 13. Phil. 1. one mind in Jesus Christ 20. But inasmuch as I could not heretofore in the beginning of my writing perceive or find among the children of men that true and lovely Communalty which is comprehended in the upright life of Christ and that all my desire and love was bent to the upright life of the same Communaltie therefore have I also from the beginning of my writing out of the Service of Love witnessed of such a life of upright righteousnesse and of such upright hearts as the communalty of God or Christ hath her life in according as the Glasse of Righteousnesse doth also mention and make relation of the same upright life of the true communalty of God or Christ neither can I yet perceive nor know any other thing then that the upright communalty of God or Christ where she in Christ appeareth or is revealed liveth therein and shall still be minded so to do 21. And whosoever also x Sap. 8. loveth the righteousnesse with whole heart and hath a desire to be joyned and incorporated to the only God and his true Christ or to have his fellowship with them such a one will likewise according to the sight of the true life which is appeared unto me out of the living God be inclined or bent unto such an upright being of the upright communalty of Christ whereof we bear witnesse for to live or to be comprehended therein under the obedience of the love through the belief 22. Wherefore let every one note and marke our testimonies of truth according to love and not with perversenesse of heart nor in reproach or partiality that they appear not unto him in a crosse or a contrary sense 23. For sure it is very lamentable that the testimonies of truth which are brought forth to the best should be taken overthwartly and not aright because the perverse sight maketh many to judge perversely and falsly and unrightly to understand the director causeth many greatly to stray It is true 24. It is recorded in the first book of the Glasse of Righteousnesse y 1 Glas. 2 that the upright procreation of the righteous spirit cometh not of men but z Luk. 1. out of God only this same word or sentence is very right yea unchangeable for ever For otherwise God hath never wrought among his holy ones and yet hath testified of such things afterward to come by the mouth of his holy a Eze. 36. Joel 2. Act. 2. Prophets to the intent that men should think upon his wonders of old time and trust firmly upon those of the time to come according to the promises namely how that God is the Salvation and will establish his holy Covenant b Luk. 1.
directeth not to God and his righteousnesse they cannot therefore perceive nor understand what God requireth of them for their consciences are stained with something which they esteem for holy and yet is not of God and therefore they fear 47. But if they came to the u Joh. 1 2 Pet. 1 1 Ioh. 1 sight of the living being of God which only is boly and whereby all visible things are hallowed and be used or ministred uprightly then would they through the ministring of the x Sap. 13 Rom. 1 visible things have regard to the everlasting not to the corruptible either for to fear it or els for to esteem the outward above the profit thereof as whereby they might in any wise be accused and would in the spirit love that which all is comprehended in and which the ceremonies of the Law of the belief and of the service of love do point and direct unto 48. So then the summe of all that God requireth of us is y 1 Reg. 15 an obedience which is after God and not after the manner of men or according to elementish working namely An z Ezek. 36 1 Tim. 1 upright heart towards God and his righteousnesse a a Psal 5. willing spirit and a pure unspotted conscience in Jesu Christ 49. b Heb. 6.10 Let us hereunto in the obedience of the requiring of the service of Love proceed on with c 1 Tim. 1 unfained faith in d Rom. 12 1 Pet. 1.3 brotherly love and in e Rom. 12 2 Cor. 13 Heb. 12 a peaceable mind for thereunto are we called and this same is the upright Salvation which God maketh choice of in us Take it to heart CHAP. XVIII 1. Wee are exhorted to accept of the proffered Grace and to grow up in Righteousnesse unto the Glory which shall be revealed at the last 3. Not to binde our Consciences to any outward thing nor to assume any Libertie to our selves 11. To take heed of Halting on both sides and of Mixing with the World 15. We are at first called to Sanctification and not to much Confessing with the mouth 16. Christ indeed is to be confessed but how SEeing then Dearly-beloved that such a godly sight is now in these dangerous times by Gods Grace appeared unto us that we sensibly perceive in our selves the divine Calling to the same which appeareth unto us not out of Flesh nor Blood but is brought unto us out of the heavenly Truth or Loyns of Jesu Christ through a Acts 2. the holy Ghost b Acts 15. for to cleanse our hearts through Faith according to the Promises the which is c 1 Cor. 3. the blessing and increase of God that is not tyed unto any working of men but is the power of God the Father himself for d Eph. 1. a pledge of our Inheritance therefore let us take heed to such an appeared e 2 Cor. 6. Hebr. 12. Grace and f Heb. 3. Grace and f Heb. 3. not turn us away in the time of the godly calling of Salvation but give over our hearts in the beleef thereunto namely to the obedience of the Love in the Spirit and so with all inclination of love with lowly hearts unto God and with long-suffering g Eph. 1.4 1 Pet. 2. grow up and increase in the Righteousnesse and Holinesse that are pleasing unto God that we may be a seat of the holy Triumph of our Lord Jesu Christ in his Coming Which heavenly cleernesse of the godly Triumph and of the glory of his Christ in the Spirit h Rom. 16. Ephes 3. Col. 1. 2 Tim. 1. hath hitherto been hidden from the World and hath ceased because it should be i 1 Pet. 1. disclosed and made manifest in holy Glory in the last time to the joy of the Beleevers that hope for the salvation of upright hearts 2. That truly is it which God requireth and whereunto all Gods Prophets have born witness And k Joel 2. Acts 2. it shall come to passe saith God in the last dayes 3. Therefore let no man now make to himself any conscience l Col. 2. Gal. 4.5 nor suffer his heart to be bound or tyed by any earthly outward thing that he be not thereby hindred for coming to the purity or sanctification of the heart which out of God cometh to passe in the Spirit 4. Let no man also take any thing upon him to any intent of Liberty whereby to live m Gen. 3. Eph. 4. in the apple of conscience after the minde of this World For in such a course the Liberty should be wholly abused and be unto us an occasion n Gal. 5. 1 Pet. 2. to use liberty according to the Flesh and utterly to fail of the upright o John 8. Rom. 6. Liberty in Jesus Christ 5. But seeing that we have now obtained an upright liberty in Jesu Christ under the obedience of the Love in the using of the Services and Ceremonies and that both it and the manner how we are to use the Ceremonies uprightly in these dangerous times is risen up unto us in our hearts and vouchsafed us of God therefore are we to look into this Liberty after the Spirit for to use it to a growth of the upright life in the Spirit that there may p Isa 1.10 Rom. 9. remain a seed to preservation for then will the God of heaven now in the last time make his holy Name and his secret Wisdom famous and notable against all the wise of this World q Mat. 11. 1 Cor. 1. 2. 3. who by their own wisdom do not understand the secret Wisdom of God 6. Hereunto let your hearts be inclined ye Dearly-beloved and not to the infidelitie of the blinde World nor to the contention of the seditious Letter-learned And in any case take heed to your r Eccl. 4. 27. Gal. 6. time ye that are come to such a sight and to the holy calling of the godly love and thank God from the heart with a cheerful mind Å¿ Tit. 2. for such an appeared grace out of the bountifull kindnesse of his love in this last abominable time whose end reacheth to the destruction t Mat. 25. Rom. 2. 2 Pet. 3. or condemnation of all wicked men 7. Let your eyes of the spirit and u Prov. 4. your whole heart of Understanding stand ever fixed or bent upon the upright life Look not about after the corruptible being but love the happinesse of preservation which is through the Word of truth in all love proffered unto you else shall you be found empty and without understanding with all the x Jer. 7.8 conceited Wise of the blind World which with all her own wisdom must needs y Isa 29. 1 Cor. 1. go down and Gods wisdome though unto the World it be a foolishnesse shall in the love stand firm for ever 8. For Gods foolishness it z 1
Cor. 1. wiser then all the wisdom of the subtil wit or understanding of the flesh For if the man should have the right in his wisdom doubtlesse God must needs be in the wrong 9. Therefore abideth the Saying ever stedfast a Psal 116 Rom. 3. God only good and true in trying and all men of themselves deceivable and lying 10. Which deceivable and lying b Eccl. 21. being the man ought before all things to eschew even as a Canker and with the heart to cleave to none c Pro. 1.3 1 Joh. 2. whose minde will and desire hath any delight and pleasure in the ungodly being of the confused world d Mat. 10. Luk. 14. yea though it were even Husband Wife Children and Kinsfolks Father or Mother Sister or Brother Master or Servant Nay be he who he will so farr as he cleaveth willingly to the evill 11. Oh! Take heed to your selves that in any wise ye go not with the heart lame or limping e 3 Reg. 18 nor halt on both sides that ye seek not the living God with retaining the Divels nature f 2 Cor. 6 nor Christ with keeping the Belialish spirit of Antichrist nor the righteousnesse by retaining any unrighteousnesse to the intent that in such a mixture ye perish not with the wicked erring World which desireth to serve God and the Divell together 12. With those which are so minded g Supra 16 hold not your hearts common or at unitie you I mean that have a longing to God and his Righteousness but rather be ye against them namely against such as withstand all Righteousnesse and the Uuitie in the Love yet not with the Mouth lest ye be burthened with any thing to your hinderance in Godlinesse h Pro. 4. but with the Heart Minde and Life For in the same opposition is the right Preservation in Jesus Christ which God esteemeth 13. Neverthelesse unto the lovers of Righteousnesse who have minded Love Concord and Peace or do endeavour therafter we are to speak according as their Understanding can bear i 1 Pet. 3. of the lively hope which is in us to wit so much as serveth to edification and may be godly to hear and so become full of the Spirit and k Eph. 1. Phil. 1. Col. 1. knowledge of spirituall wisdom in all love 14. Many have indeed heretofore as it is reasonably well known unto many of us spoken of Letter and Scripture abundantly rehearsed every mans Failes both of the Spirituall and Temporall and according to the Histories of the Scriptures confessed their Understanding and yet have not marked nor known in what sort or being they should prepare their l Eccl. 2. hearts before God and so by their untimely zeal have cast themselves into the hands of the World and plucked a yoak m Act. 15. or burden upon their necks which they were not able to bear 15. Keep your selves yee Deerly-beloved from such things For at first God calleth us n 1 Thes 4 2 Thess 2 1 Pet. 1. unto Sanctification in the Spirit and not unto much Confessing with the Mouth 16. Now if any man say Christ hath taught to o Mat. 10. Mat. 8. Luk. 9. 12. confesse him That is right indeed if it were well understood 17. But O Beloved tell me I pray you How will ye confesse Christ p Joh. 1.5 whom ye know not or before ye have in q Rom. 6.8 2 Cor. 4. Phil. 3. Col. 2. death and life followed and put him on 18. True it is ye have read or heard of Him in the Scripture neverthelesse many have never seen r Joh. 5. his shape and his love dwelleth not in them and therefore they understand not what they confesse For how should you by any means confesse Christ before Å¿ Gal. 4. he have his shape in you and that ye t Joh. 17. Heb. 3. 2 Pet. 1. be made partakers of his being 19. Know yee not that it is written how that Christ saith to his Father u Joh. 17. I have given them the cleernesse which thou hast given mee that they should be one even as we are one I in them and Thou in Mee that they may be perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent mee and thou hast loved them as thou hast loved Me. Father I will that where I am there may they also be with me whom thou hast given me 20. Ruminate upon the sense mark well the ground understand the Scripture and take a view of your selves whether yee have received of Christ such a cleernesse or not and whether he be one with you and ye with him and with the Father 21. Now if it be thus with you to wit that ye be come to such a x 1 Thes 4 2 Thess 2 1 Pet. 1. sanctification in the Spirit through Christ then ye know who he is for to confesse him and yee know him how that he is y Heb. 1. the like image of his Father one Being Spirit or Life with the Godhead z Apoc. 1.22 who hath neither beginning nor ending 22. He saith also a Joh. 14. I am the Way the Truth and the Life no man cometh to the Father but only through Me. 23. Moreover b Joh. 10. I am the door of the Sheep if any man enter in by me he shall be saved 24. Therefore have regard to the ground of the Scriptures how in all things they point us unto Christ to the intent that he should have his c Gal. 4. shape in us and that we should be in all upright righteousnesse and holinesse d Joh. 17. Heb. 3. 2 Pet. 1. partakers of his Being if it were but rightly understood For it is unpossible e Exo. 33. Rom. 8. 1 Cor. 2. to know the Spirit of Christ with an heart that is cloathed or covered with a mind of the Flesh 25. If Christ therefore hath a Shape in you f Joh. 7. How men shall rightly confesse Christ and you beleeve in him as the Scripture saith then may you confesse him rightly Howbeit not out of your imagining nor according to your knowledge out of the letter as the learned in the letter and the common people do that are without the communiality of the love of Jesus Christ but confesse him out of the shape that he hath in you through such a cleernesse as g Joh. 1. Acts 2. 2 Cor. 12 Gal. 1. 2 Pet. 1. his Apostles confessed him by even as it is written 26. That which was h 1 Joh. 1. from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the Word of life And the life appeared and wee have seen it and do testifie and publish unto you the eternal life which was with the Father and is appeared unto us 27. Here may every one look into himself whether
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
Rom. 6. Death of the Crosse for the Sinnes cause 7. Nevertheles if any man be baptized inwardly in the death of Christ and e Rom. 6. Col. 2. with his like Death be until his burying planted into him the same ariseth also with Christ and liveth For then inwardly is Gods Kingdom of Heaven even in him and not specially here or there as among these or among those but the Kingdom of God is here and there among these and among those namely in every one in us Howbeit unknown to many as is already said 8. Now if the Kingdom of God be within us and that we as the Scripture saith f John 7. beleeve in Christ then ought we after the Councel of the Wisdom and of the holy understanding to seeke it inwardly there for even thither shall it come and so be found inwardly within us 9. But who so seeketh it only at the hands of another and doth not attend the coming thereof inwardly according to the direction of the holy word and service of love the same shall in no wise find it 10. For this cause men are not in the seeking of the Kingdom of God to despise the Councel and Service of the holy word which under the obedience of the Love teacheth and directeth rightly to the same but with lowly hearts to give good eare thereunto 11. Therefore believe the truth and follow the Councel of the Scriptures g Mat. 7 seeke and ye shall find c. h Mat. 18 Turn you about and become as little Children and not subtile cunning i Prov. 3. Rom. 12. or wise in your own selves For who so receiveth not the Kingdom of God k Mar. 10 Luke 18 as a Child he shall not enter therein 12. Wherefore it is all to no purpose to set ones mind upon any thing that is above in the Heaven or that is beneath under the earth either what people this or that is or where hence Christ shall come or not or with what outward appearance the Kingdom of God cometh 13. For behold if ye find not the Kingdom of God and his Righteousnes l Lu. 17. inwardly in your soules and the forme of Christ in his glory appeared not in your m 2 Cor. 4. Gal. 4. inwardnes then shall ye be constrained to misse or be without the Kingdom of God and Christ n John 6. and shall likewise not eat the bread from Heaven with Christ o Lu. 14. in the Kingdom of God his Almighty Father 14. Therefore seek it where it is to be found and take right regard whether it cometh hunger and thirst ye after it Nevertheles hast you not after it out of your own chusing through mis-understanding but go ye p Psal 84. from one vertue to another 15. Posses ye your q Lu. 21. soules with patience have regard on the coming of Christ contend not any more r 1 Tim. 6 2 Tim. 2. Tit. 3. and strive no longer with flesh and blood 16. Let it once suffice that ye have contended and wrangled for the Scriptures cause rather now endeavour you in obeying of the requiring of the service of love Å¿ Jam. 1. to receive or put on the gracious word of the Lord in your hearts and labor ye t Eph. 4. for the unity of the love For in such a sort shall the Kingdom of God come 17. Now when you have thus received or put on the serviceable gracious word of the Lord the true Christ after the flesh in your hearts or inwardnes then apply your selves therewithal in your inwardnes to the good being which the gracious word of the Lord requireth in his service for to overcome in like manner with Christ every thing that is against him to the intent his enemies v Psal 110. for a foot-stoole may be laid under his feet 18. And when you exercise your selves herein be ye likewise baptized in the death of Christ that is in his patience x Rom. 6. Col. 2. and with his like death or patience be ye planted into him and so y Eph. 6. overcome ye through the belief with the like crosse or patience of Christ the sin death flesh and the world Devill and Hell and all sensuality which ariseth out of your own wisdom of the flesh and be ye likewise in your inward man z Rom. 12 Eph. 4. renewed unto righteousnes a 2 Cor. 4 Phil. 3. in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ Lo thus doth the Scripture teach us if it were but rightly understood 19. When we are now passed through this b Col. 1. and have through the death of Christ even until his Resurrection overcomed all those deadly things then have we peace c Rom. 5. Eph. 2. with God the Father and stand firm in the love which is the end or fulsilling of all the spiritual Testimonies And therein is comprehended the perfection 20. Not that we come hereunto out of our own strength But when with lowly hearts we d Esa 55 turn us obediently to God and the service of his gracious word then doth God also offer himself unto us and out of his Calling in the spirit allureth or draweth he us unto himself justifying us through the belief in e Col. 1. Heb. 9. Apo. 7 the blood of Jesus Christ and maketh us cleane from our sins and giveth us the everlasting life 21. This is verily the word of Faith f Act. 2.3 4 5 7 8. c. Rom. 10. 1 Pet. 1. which was published by the Apostles through Christ for a Righteousnes unto us g 2 Cor. 11. Gal. 1. Phil. 1. Whosoever therefore preacheth any other Christ or preacheth Christ any other way publisheth any other Gospel or publisheth the Gospel upon any other fashion or ground or believeth any otherwise or buildeth upon any other foundation h 1 Cor. 3 than God hath from the beginning through his Prophets and Apostles required and willed the same man remaineth i Gal. 1. execrable or accursed according to the mencion of the Scriptures 22. For k 1 Cor. 3 no other Foundation may there be laid than the same that is laid which is Iesus Christ who from everlasting was and is and abideth for ever Through whom God made all whatsoever is any thing and l Heb. 1. he beareth up all things by the power of his might and maketh the clensing of our sins through himself Unto him as a Father of all be Land Honour and Praise for evermore Amen 23. These and such like things was I partly of necessity moved to rehearse unto you ye dearly beloved to the intent you might consider them aright and understand the diversity of every thing that concerneth the Salvation of men 24. Furthermore see that ye humbly with meditation to God apply your selves out of the inclination of love to read or to heare the Glasse of Righteousnes and consider or mark the life which is
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
Christians been forsaken therefore have they been covered under the sin blinded from the knowledge of their calling and estranged from the understanding of Gods promises even as the Jewes also in the time when they knew not the godlinesse of life were blinded and estranged from the understanding of the promises Yet were they Jewes notwithstanding outwardly Rom. 2. but no Jewes according to the inward hidden man such as God esteemeth according to the life of thir Father Abraham John 8. And therefore there was no difference between them and the Grecians Rom. 3. but they stood alike under the sin 7. Inasmuch as it goeth now also thus with the Christians or which men so call therefore is there between them and other people no difference but they are all alike under the sin And in regard of the righteousnesse which availeth before God they are no otherwise to be distinguished save onely by the ceremonies 8. And every one because of his misunderstanding maketh a righteousnesse or an Ordinance unto himself which through the glistering of his knowledge he chuseth or respecteth for a very Righteousnesse and maketh to himself in like manner with the same a Congregation not attending upon the promises of God nor upon the upright righteousnesse which through Iesus Christ he is called of God unto 9. Now whiles all this cometh to passe out of misunderstanding and bare imagination Jer. 7. and out of the ignorance of the upright Righteousnesse therefore is there dissention likewise For every congregation in particular Mat. 24. perswade themselves that they are the Christians or the people of Isrrael and do diligently use all dexterity sharpnesse of wit in their cause for to maintaine the same in his proceeding and think by their wit to obtain the salvation and so walk their own way Rom. 3. whereby also they are all void of the grace of God to the knowing of their error and blindnesse 10. But inasmuch as this godly Knowledge is now out of grace revealed unto us as that we through the clearnesse which God hath powred into our hearts 2 Cor. 4.2 do understand to what salvation or to what maner of health of the earth God hath given his promises to which purposefor to establish the salvation the Beliefe is preached Therefore for the loves sake can we not omit it but must needs witnesse the same and reveale the Peace and the true Love whereunto we are called if happily there might or may be found any which had a desire or inclination thereunto and then likewise we with them and they with us whether they were far or neere might be gathered together in the Love according to the promises 11. Seeing then that God neglecteth not his mercy towards us but hath made known unto us his will to the intent his Word may stand firm according as he in times past hath spoken by his Prophets that unto his people Israel he will gather him a people out of the Heathen which shall serve him in righteousnesse 2 Mac. 2 Amos 9 2 Mac. 2 Act. 15. at which time God will gather his people together again and be gracious unto them and build again the Tabernacle of David and again sep up his people Israel according to the promises therefore ought we in like manner from the whole heart and with good will to give heed unto that which is now by Gods grace according to the truth made known and tendered under the obedience of the Love unto us in the same appeared grace to beleeve the salvation whereunto we are called and to prepare our hearts in lowly mindes thereunto that we might inherit our calling according to the promises 12. But if any people refuse it and for all that should perswade themselves in their hearts to be still Christians or that their Congregation is the very people of Israel not thinking of the restoring of Israel which in times past was fallen and thus suppose that they have attained to the best and in their blindnesse set their confidence upon their own wisdome righteousnesse and ceremonies and upon their faith then shal it likewise goe with them in these dayes as it did heretofore with the Jewes that beleeved not on the grace which was appeared unto them 13. For in his time shall their full store-houses be found empty 4 Esd 6. and the empty be filled with goods For their Christianity according to the inward man shall be judged and known for an unchristianity and their beliefe for an unbeliefe 14. Therfore let no man boast himelf of his Christiany because of his outward baptism nor because of his outward righteousnesse or narrow wayes of his walking according to his chusing or bare imagination but let him give heed to the promises and unto what the Gentiles are called and whom the Christianity consisteth the which is a Christendom according to the inward man in the Spirit as also Paul in the preaching of his Gospel testifieth 15. For the true inward man is the thing that availeth before God namely 2 Cor. 4. Phil. 2. Col. 1. Heb. 1. 1 Cor. 15. Eph. 4. Col. 3. Eph. 1. the very like Being of God which the love is formed in and the man created unto to the intent he should beare it to the land and praise of the glory of his God 16 And through the revealing of such a heavenly clearnesse as that we discern that many yea almost all which doe boast themselves to be Christians are yet meer strangers therefrom we doe well know the fall from the right ground of the Christianity and the bands of darknesse wherewith we were all held captive And therefore we are all void of the grace of God that he may have mercy upon us all Rom. 3. to the intent he alone may have the glory 17. Now whoso perceiveth this same let such a one turn him to the Spirit to the God of life and to his righteousnesse according to the requiring of the Love and her service that his understanding may Eph. 1. through the Love and her service be enlightned according to the Truth in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and that likewise he might love God the Father and live in his statutes with an upright heart Deut. 5. 18. For out of the God that hath made Heaven and Earth goeth the right judgement Heb. 4. his Word is living and powerfull and sharper than a two-edged sword and his burning is as a flame of fire to a consuming or devouring of all ungodly Being Deut. 4. Heb. 12. 19. Whosoever feareth not him as a true God nor loveth his Righteousnesse over such a one standeth his severity for ever Rom. 2. Exod. 20 But many thousands finde grace in his sight that doe but turne them unto him love him and keep his Commandements 20. But who hath any regard hereunto Whose attention is towards the Lord Who is there that is spiritually minded Who giveth eare Whose heart
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
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
to the Beleevers of his Word by the same Sonne testifying how that all is k Deut. 7. Eph. 1. 1 Pet. 2. His which Son he hath appointed for an heir of all things and l Heb. 1. the same beareth all things with the word of his power and he is unto us a cleansing of our sins through himselfe 4 This onely borne Sonne of GOD the Father is given to the Children of Men to the end they should be m Rom. 11. grafted into his Spirit which is the holy Spirit of Love and in their mindes be n Joh. 15 Eph. 3. 2 Pet. 1. of one Being therewith 5. Through which holy Spirit the same Sonne of God Jesus Christ hath also promised his Believers that the Truth of the Life should nakedly and clearly be o Joh. 14 Acts 1. manifested unto them whereby at the very last to a conclusion of all godly things they in like manner might declare the Love the most brightest Day-light and through the same true Light Gods most holiest Being draw all people that have any desire towards God to the unity of Peace under the obedience of the Love to the intent we all which love God and his Righteousnesse should in these last dayes know and understand in all things the mind of God in perfect clearnesse and through the holy Spirit of his Love walk in all truth as in a true light of the godly Clearnesse according to the Promises even as God also hath spoken the same through the Son whom he hath made heire even of all that is Gods p Mat. 11. Luk. 10. Joh. 3. For all what the Father hath is His. 6. But because of his Long-suffering that his goodnesse might be known in the Love and that none through his default might misse of the fulnesse of the Life he hath spoken thus in times past for to establish it in the last time 7. I have saith q Joh. 16. the Lord Jesus Christ yet many things to say unto you but ye cannot beare them now How beit when the Spirit of Truth shall come the same shall lead you into all Truth For he shall not speak of himselfe but whatsoever he shall heare that shall he speake and he shall shew you that which is to come He shall glorifie me For he shall receive of mine and shew it unto you All what the Father hath that is mine Therefore have I said He shall receive of mine and shew it unto you 8. Lo all this Love doth GOD now through this new Day or Light of his Fatherly Love shew on us for to draw our Spirit in him out of the earthly lying and deadly Being unto his Love in the Heavenly true Life which is everlasting 9 Which his Love r Joh. 17 1 Cor. 13 1 Joh. 4. is the perfect Being of God and of Christ and of the holy Ghost which heretofore was Å¿ Esa 2. promised for to come in the last time and it is the t Apoc. 21. Jerusalem which is now in the last time come downe unto us from Heaven and the perfect fruit of Righteousnesse where the Sun of clearnesse doth never go down according as GOD hath spoken in times past by the mouth of his holy Prophets who have all likewise prophesied of this salvation to the intent that all people to the unity of heart in the Love should have a sure hope towards God and towards their salvation 10 But alas it seemeth that this Beliefe and Hope to this same is by many u Jer. 5. 1 Tim. 1.4 forsaken or else the salvation and the truth is not well understood for to hope thereon 11. For there are found with many sundry divided testimonies and every one in His or the most part will defend that his testimony is brought forth by the Spirit of Truth But among these there is found great faile by many whereby many are made doubtfull in their beliefe x Matth. 24. and become cold in their zeal to the Good And by means of their dissentions y Luk. 17. which they have stirred up and do yet daily stirre up among themselves against each other Many know not what they shal hope for or believe 12. Wherefore for the Unities sake in the Love O ye children of men lay downe your contentions under the Love and have regard unto God promises and to your Calling and incline likewise your hearts to the obeying of the love and of the requiring of her service 13. For in the obeying of the love and of the requiring of her service ye shall become of one mind and shall know that there is no more but z Eph. 4.2 1 John 5. one God or Father who alone is only good and almighty no more but one Christ with him at his right hand who only is the everlasting Mediator and Saviour between God and us out of him no more but one spirit who only is true and no more but one love a Col. 3. which only is the band of perfection 14. Nevertheles the Gifts of God through the spirit under the obedience of the love are manifold Likewise also the Services are manifold Which b Rom. 12. 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 4. Gifts and Services are all to the Commodity and Profit of the Communalty and are also all serviceable to the love and to the unity in the peace Howbeit it is all but c 1 Cor. 12 one spirit that worketh all through the service of the love Which service of the love is not ministred for to break that which God hath spoken and promised in times past but d Mat. 5 Rom. 3. to establish and accomplish it all according to the Scripture 15. Therefore let none of ours whose soules stand subject under the Love take upon him e 1 Cor. 5 to contend against any for any of the gifts of God which are of God graciously bestowed upon them nor for the Services or Ceremonies cause which any man observeth or publisheth albeit the same be manifold 16 For it is not for us to contend or strive against any for the gifts cause which any man receiveth of his God neither to contend against any mans Services or Ceremonies which he useth to the training up edifying of the people except as it is convenient edifiable to further the peace that they doe all stand subject under the Love and her Service 17. For one hath this gift and f Rom. 12 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 4. 1 Pet. 4. with the same he is serviceable to the Communaltie to a unity of heart in the Love Another hath another Gift and it is also serviceable to the Communalty and yet notwithstanding they are all used to the Love and to the Concord in their Services 18. Moreover some use one kind of service or such a manner of Ceremonies and some again other Services or Ceremonies wherewith they train up the people to the making known of that Righteousnes unto them