7. b. Sorrow and Amendment be shewed and that men may be of one-mynde with each-other / e Rom. 12. b. 15. a. 1. Cor. 1. a. 2 Cor. 13. b. Phil. 2 a. in the Loue / wherby to liue peaceably in all Loue / to laude and thanke the God of Lyfe / for all his Goodnes / and to giue the Honour only vnto Him 3. Beholde heerunto do all wee â which stande submitted vnder the Obedience of the Loue / the mostholy God-seruice stand concordably inclyned and in-that-sort â to the f Iohn 17 d. Ephe. 4 a. Vnitee in the Loue loueingly to receaue into our Armes of the Spirit of Loue / our Enemyes which turne them to the Loue and her Seruice / to a Reconciliation with each-other / To th end that they mought escape g Math. 3. a. Luk. 3. b. the Vengance of God· and be kept from the h Luk. 21. b. Apo. 18. a. Plagues which shall now in thissame Daye / fall vppon all Vngodlyones Ø›our Enemyes 4. Thissame is all our Lust and Desyre / for to shewe Mercy likewyse vnto eueryone / out of Loue inasmuch as Mercy is shewed on Vs and not to remember anymaÌ„s former Sinnes but cheefly towards those / that giue themselues penetently to our Comunialtee vnder the Obedience of the Loue / for to bring-foorth good i Mat 13. a. Luk. â— a. Iohn 15. b Fruits of Lyfe 5. Oh That it mought once com-to-light· and gett the k 1. Cor 3. b. Prehemynence in the Heart of Man / that hath so long-tyme remayned in secret namely the vpright Beeing of the Loue / 6. To thatt God now / l Ephe. 3. b. who hath thesame in his Hande and bringeth it bountifully vnto eueryone that turneth vnto Him / be Laude Honour and Thankes / for euermore Amen 7. This Letter â thou Beloued with more other Wrytings which thou desyerest / do I sende vnto thee to thy Edifying and my Desyre is / that thou â through the Goodnes of the Loue of God wilt m 1. Tim. â— b. exercise thyself therin / with an humble Heart and haue a regarde vnto the Trueth for to vnderstande this our holy Mynde rightly Thatt graunte vnto thee / the God of Lyfe and thesame God establish thee in his Loue. Amen The Ende of the Thirtenth Epistle The Fourtenth Epistle A breefe Exhortacion vnto a Disciple in the Seruice of Loue Wherwith he is exhorted â in the Lande where he dwelt to keepe a sharpe watch towards the Spirits that make-vp themselues in him or that be borne in him And also that he shoulde learne to descerne with good Vnderstanding / the euell Hearbe â which is destroying and deadly from the good Hearbe of Lyfe and the false Spirits â which aryse out of the Flesh from the good Spirits / that are of God / to th end that he mought therby growe-vp in the good Beeing of the Loue / without any Harme Ye Beloued Beleeue not euery Spirit but proue the Spirits / Whether they be of God or no 1. Iohn 4. Health and Saluacion be vnto Him / who â in his Spirit hath intended Loue and Peace / with our Spirit The First Chapter THE God of Heauen who out of his bountefull Mercy / hath herited mee in the a Ephe 4. b Olde-age of the holy Vnderstanding of Christ and in the spirituall b Ephe. 1. b. 2. a. 3. a Col. 1. c 2. a Ritches of his heauenly Goodes / for a good Confession c Math. 10. d. Luk. 12. a. before all Men / that in the Loue / is an vpright Beeing be vnto thee â my Beloued a Light vnto thy Waye a Lyfe vnto thy Spirit and Mynde and a Cleernes vnto thy Vnderstanding / That thou mayest â in thissame Daye of his Loue vnderstande â according to his heauenly Trueth and not according to the Mynde of the Flesh the ouerflowing Vertues and godly Wisdoms / which He hath declared d 2. Cor. 4. a. Ephe 1. b. 3 a. Col. 1. c. and brought vnto vs· also giue-ouer thyself with all thy Heart / to thosame and their Requyring / for to liue therin· and laude and thanke thesame God / in an vpright Beeing Amen 2. O my Beloued I haue a long tyme â out of a fatherly Heart that I beare towards thee had a greate longing to knowe how it may go with thee / in the Lande where thou dwellest and that for because thou hast neuer written vnto me / how it standeth with thee or wherin thou hast thy Mayntenance or wherby thou liuest 3. For if thou hadst written anything heerof vnto mee / then mought I haue vnderstoode or perceaued therby / Whether that thy young e 1. Cor. 3. a. Heb. 5. d. Manhod / did yet liue or no Whether it were succoured or nourished-vp with the vpright f Math 24. c. Iohn 6. f. Foode of Lyfe and whether that thou also didst in-like-maner growe-vp to the manly Age g Ephe 4. b. in the godly Vnderstanding or-els / whether thou hadst bin choked with any Poyson or deadly Hearbes / that do growe out of thesame Earth where thou dwellest or bin weakened or vtterly dead / in the Lyfe which proceedeth out of God For it is certaynly well knowen vnto mee / that the Earth and all Countryes of the Kingdom-of-the-earth / are h Gen. 3. b. Heb. 6. a. of themselues â for the Vnrighteousnes cause full of Poyson deadly Hearbes and naughty Fruites 4. SEing then that all Disciples of the Loue that be nourished-vp in the holy Vnderstanding of the Spirit of Loue must passe-thorow many Perills vppon the Earth / which is i Gen. 3. b. 5. c curssed for the Wickednes cause of her Inhabitours / So do I therfore beare so-much-the-more a greate Care for thosame Disciples / thewhyles they are yet young and cannot discerne the deadly Hearbes / k 4 Reg. 4. Math 13 d from the right Foode of Lyfe 5. Wherby nodout â if they shoulde be suffered to go-on in their Youngnes / according to their owne Goodthinking they woulde rashly or vnforesightfully â out of their owne Affection or Lust of their Hearts receaue the one or the other of the deadly Hearbes· and swallow them in / in steade of the Foode of Lyfe wherthrough then likewyse / the precious Manhod mought be strangled and such Disciples of the Woord / which â following their owne Counsayle are vnexpert heerin / mought most lamentably betraye spoyle or kill themselues / and disenherit themselues of the Lyfe that proceedeth out of God 6. Wherfore â my Beloued inasmuch as it is now a perillous Tyme / to nourish-vp the Youngnes of Vnderstanding / to the vpright Ephe 4. b. Agednes of the holy Vnderstanding / so is this my Exhortation and Counsayle out of the liueing God / vnto thee to thy Preseruacion that thou wilt dayly vse Foresightfulnes m Ephe. 5. b. or dilligent Heede and haue a sharp regarde
EPISTOLAE HN. The Principall Epistles of HN / which he hath set-foorth through the holy Spirit of Loue· and written and sent them â most-cheefly vnto the Louers of y e Trueth and his Acquaintance And are by him newly perused and more-playnly declared Translated out of Base-almaine All Scripture geeuen by the Inspiration of God â–ª is profitable to Teache to Rebuke to Amendment and to Information in Righteousnes for that the Man of God may be perfect prepared to all good vvorkes 2. Timo. 3. No Prophecie in the Scripture / cometh-to-pas by priuate Interpritacion For ther vvas yet neuer any Prophecie brought-forth out of manly VVill but the holy Men of God haue sproken it / being mooued by the holy Goste 2. Pet. 1. Now goeth the Iudgment ouer the World â–ª Now is the Prince of this World cast-out Iohn 12. Now is the Saluation the Power and the Kingdom / becom our Gods and the Might his Christes Apoc. 2. THE PREFACE LYke as an Apotecary doth â by his apotecaries Arte prepare many-kinde of Medecineâ— / to the Health of the naturall Bodyes of sick Men and diuers delightfull Tastes and also sundery sweete Sauors of Spices / to the Delighting of the Children of Men Euen so doth likewyse a Man of God / prepare â by the Wisdom of y e godly Vnderstanding many-kinde of godly Medecines which he â in the Ministration of the godly Testimonyes of the holy Spirit of Loue bringeth vnto the falne Man â who is captiued thorough the Sinne / with sundry Sicknesses and Infirmities in the Soule to the Health of his Soule â–ª and many sweete Tastes of the spirituall and heauenly Foode to the Refreshing and Delighting of his Mynde and to the great Ioye of his Spirit in y e secret hauenly Goodes Lyke as one may euidently perceaue in the many and sundry-sorts of distinct and groundy Instructions / touching the true Godlynes and euerlasting Ioye in Iesu Christ / which are witnessed and set-forth by HN Ø›Gods elected Minister in these his Epistles and in all the Testimonyes of his Wrytings / to a perpetuall Health and Lyfe of the Soule and to the Welfare of the Children of Men. 2. To the which true Godlynes and euerlasting Ioye / all Louers of the Trueth and all hungery and thirstye Soules after the Righteousnes as likewyse all People / be â by the godly Testimonyes of these Epistles called and bidden to th end to leade them all namely those which vnder the Obedience of the Loue / do beleeue the Godlynes into the Howse of Loue and to nourish and bring-them-vp in all Godlynes 3. for-that-For-that-cause / these Epistles are likewyse to a Teaching and Edifying of all Beleeuers of the godly Testimonyes of the holy Spirit of Loue and of the Comunialtee or Church of Christ and are also very profitable and seruiceable vnto all Men / to giue an vpright Knowledg Wherunto the Man is created of God and called or bidden through Christ To th end that all those â which haue a Lust or Will to God and his Righteousnes mought â vnder the Obedience of the Loue giue themselues vprightly to their Calling through Christ· and so becom godly mynded / according to the Requyring of the holy Scriptures· and well exercised or prepared to all good workes Take it to heart A TABLE Contayning the Matter â and Redie finding of the begining of eueri-one of these Epistles The First Epistle A Crying-voyce of the holy Spirit of Loue where-with all People are called / to repentance for their Sinnes Fol. 1. The Second Epistle A Short and pithie Instruction contayning the Misterie of the Loue. Fol. 10. The Thirde Epistle A Groundlie Instruction Declaring the difference betwixt God the Father and his Sonne / the Lorde Iesu Christ. Fol. 19. The Fourth Epistle Of the Mediation of Iesu Christ / in the Spirit for a Reconciliation betwixt God / and the Man Fol. 39. The Fifth Epistle A Stirring-vp of the hearte to the Immitation of Christ in the tyme of suffering and affliction Fol. 65. The Sixt Epistle A Groundlie Instruction / and a Difference of the vnderstandings according to the Truith / of the holy Scriptures Fol. 79. The Seuenth Epistle A True Iudgment or Sentence / out of the Seruice of Loue agaynst the false Iudgment out of the fleshe Fol. 137. The Eight Epistle A Distinction of the Submission / and Vnsubmission in the Spirit Fol. 159. The Nineth Epistle Of the Seruices and Ceremonies / of the Christians / and of the vnchristians and of the right and false vce of them Fol. 189. The Tenth Epistle A pure Instruction / howe one shal be obedient to the woorde of Lyfe and Trueth in the Seruice of Loue. Fol. 205. The Eleuenth Epistle A Rebuke and Exhortation seruing to a Reformation / and to a Repentance for their Sinnes vnto all those that thincke them selues to bee wyse and Therfore blaspheame / and iudge falslye our Seruice / and Comunialtie in the Loue also a warning to the Simple Hearts Fol. 223. The Tvvelueth Epistle A Reproouing Instruction / and exhortation â out of hartie loue to the vnitee of harte / in the Loue. Fol. 251. The Thirteenth Epistle Loueing Informations vnto a Louer of the Trueth which before-tyme had bine a Blaspheamer of the Seruice of the Loue / and of the Ministers ther-of Fol. 265. The Fourteenth Epistle A Breefe Exhortation / vnto a Disciple in the Seruice of the Loue wher-with he is exhorted / to keepe a sharpe watch towards the Spirits / that make-vp themselues in him Fol 287. The Fifteentb Epistle An hartie Exhortation / vnto all Louers of the Trueth To awarning Touching all false Spirits / that make-vp themselues and Iudge falsly agaynst the Trueth Fol. 293. The Sixteenth Epistle An Instructionable Exhortation to the good-willingous whearin is Distinguished the vpright Obedience and the Godlie / and ongodlie beeing Fol. 314. The Seuenteenth Epistle Of the Mans Lordelines / in the beginning of his affall Death and Condamnation and of his restoring agayne vnto his former Lordelines Fol. 337. The Eighteenth Epistle A loueing Exhortation vnto an house-holde / that haue ioyned themselues to the Familie of Loue to be obedient to the Trueth Fol. 352. The Nyneteenth Epistle An hartie Exhortation / to the mooste-zealous good-willing hearts to the Righteousnes also to the Elders and Ministers of the woorde for a warning vnto them of all deceayt that maye chance vnto them / by the an-commers Fol. 365. The Tvventith Epistle Reproouinge of the VVhoordom with good Doctrine / and groundelye Instructions howe one shall turne hym self / to Iesu Christ and the woord of his holie Spirit of Loue and Trueth Fol. 386. FINIS The First Epistle A Crying-voyce of the holy Spirit of Loue / wherwith all People are â out of meere Grace called and bidden by HN / to the true Repentance for thier Sinnes· to the Entrance into the vpright christian Lyfe· and to the Howse of the Loue of Iesu Christ.
vnto the Spirit or inwarde Manhod of thy Mynde Consider or search out what is ingendered or borne thear within thee / as Spirit and spirituall / n Rom 8. a. Gal. 5. b. or as Knowledg and o 1. Iohn 4. a prooue or trye whether y e Spirits and Birthes of the Knowledges â which be borne in thee be of God or no and do bring the heauenly Powers of the holy Gost and godly Vnderstanding / with them p Rom 8. a. Gal. 5. b. Ephe 5. b. or-els / whether they be false Spirits and deceitfull Knowledges which proceede out of the Flesh / and so do kindle prouoke or mooue thee / with earthly and fleshly Desyres The II. Chap. O Thou Beloued Consider effectually of this Mattier and beleeue not euery Spirit or Imagination of the Knowledg / that presenteth itself vnto thee For many false Spirits and deceitfull Knowledges / a Math 24 a. 1. Iohn 4. a 2. Iohn 1. a. 2. Pet. 2. a. do now go-foorth / for to deceaue all Hearts of Men / that stande mynded on the earthly and fleshly Things 2. for-that-For-that-cause haue a Discerning heerin For if the Spirit or the Imaginacion of the Knowledg which is borne or brought-foorth in thee / be spirituall and that thesame do proceede out of the godly Wisdom of the true Light / b Rom. 8. a Gal 5. b. Then wil it veryly be altogether against the Flesh and the Workes of the Flesh. and wil chasten crucify and kill the Flesh c Rom. 13. b. Gal. 5. c. Col. 3. a. 2 Pet. 2. b. with his Lusts and Desyres 3. But if the Spirit and Fruit or the Imaginacion of the Knowledg / be fleshly and that it proceede out of the Wisdom of the Flesh / then wil thesame likewyse make-manifest itself with the Workes of the Flesh / to the Lusts of Errour / d Gal. 6. b. that stretch to Destruction also be vtterly e 2. Timo. 3. a against the Spirit of Godlynes and the Counsayle of the Wisdom and wil likewyse desyre to suppresse and to kill or destroye / all what cometh before her in her Heart and Thoughts / touching the godly Wisdom of the Seruice of Loue. 4. For whearsoeuer the Flesh with his Wisdom or Imaginacion of the Knowledg Ø›that false Light hath the Superyoryte / theare is the false Freedom / f Sap. 2.14 b. Cal. 5. b. according to the Lusts and Desyres of the Fleshly Men for to cause the Man to liue euenso in his perdicionable Lusts and Desyres 5. But whearsoeuer the Spirit of the Wisdom of God Ø›that true Light getteth the Superyorytee / theare is the vpright Freedom of the spirituall Men vnder g Rom 8. b. whose Power / the Flesh or the naturall Man is subiect and is sustayned therin / to all Seemlynes and Resonablnes 6. BEholde â my Beloued because I knowe not now how it may go with thee / whear thou dwellest / therfore haue I â out of harty Loue written this little porcion vnto thee / to th end that thou shouldest alwayes be myndfull of the vpright Beeing of the Loue· and not â through any deceitfull Meanes / which may com before thee out of the Flesh and his Wisdom neglect the godly Grace / which is com vnto vs in thissame h 1 Timo 4. b 2. Timo 3. a. 2 per. 2. a. perillous Tyme nor estrainge thy self ther-from but to haue the more-dilligent regard â with all Subiection to the Loue vnto the Seruice of the holy Woord / for to consider with Vnderstanding what an vpright Beeing thesame Seruice requyreth and in what maner or to what an vpright â–ª Effect of the godly Lyfe / all former Seruices â which are gon-out from God euen hetherto do leade i Math. 22. d. Mark 12. d Rom 13 b. Gal. 5. b 1 Timo. 1. a. to thissame Seruice of Loue. namely for that we shoulde now in this Daye of Loue â with Fulnes of the holy Gost and with pure Hearts liue vprightly in k Ephe. 1. a. all Loue / according to the Trueth of Christ. 7. If wee now therfore do looke into thissame rightly / theÌ„ shall wee likewyse exercise ourselues therin / to all Sainctifycation l 2. Tess â–ª 2. b. 1. Pet. 3. b. in the Spirit according to the Promyses of God the Father and not m 2. Cor. 6. b touch or receaue anything / that mought make our Hearts vncleane· or drawe vs to any false n Sâ—p 14. b. Rom. 1. c. 2. Pet. 2. b. or disordered Freedom 8. Therfore is also myne Exhortacion vnto thee / out of harty Loue / that thou wilt dayly exercise thyself in our mostholy Seruice of Loue â with all Humilitee o 〈◊〉 1. b. and Obedience in the Feare of the Lorde 9. And if now thou indeuourest thyself heerunto / then shalt thou nodout p Ephe. 4. b. Col. 1. b. 1 Pet 2. a. grow-vp likewyse in all holy Vnderstanding and be well preserued from the false Desyres of the Flesh and from all inconstant Spirits and false Freedoms / which bring the Man to the Disobeying of the Loue and to all Confusion 10. The Lorde vouchsafe to strengthen q Col. 1. b. 2. Tess. 2 b. 1. Pet 5. b. thee in his Righteousnes and to leade thee â with his Wisdom into all Trueth and vpright Righteousnes Amen 11. Heerwith â my Beloued I do hartely salute thee in the Loue / wherthrough God hath shewed Mercy on vs and salute me also in thesame Loue / vnto our good Freendes namely all the Acquayntance / that loue the vpright Beeing in Iesu Christ. The Loue of the supreame God / gett the Victory in all your Hearts Amen The Ende of the Fourtenth Epistle The Fiftenth Epistle An harty ExhortacioÌ„ vnto all Louers of the Trueth and vnto all those that submitt them vnder the Obedience of the Loue To a Warning of them touching all contrary Sights and false Spirits / which make-vp them selues out of the wicked Worlde / in these last perillous Tymes also iudg falsly / against the Trueth and against the Seruice of Loue and so do bring-in or cause Discord and Offence / contrary to the peaceable Famyly of Loue. I admonish you â beloued Bretheren that ye wil marke those that cause Discorde and Offence / contrary to the Doctrine which ye haue learned and auoyde from them Rom. 16. The First Chapter THrough the Loue of God the Father / which â out of Grace is a Rom. 16. â— Eph. 1. a 3. a Col. 1. c. declared vnto vs / by the Reuealing b 2. Timo 1. b of the gloryous Coming of our Lorde Iesu Christ / we wish a good Peace and Concorde vnto all Louers of the Trueth / which â out of an Inclynacion of Loue and of a pure Heart haue their fellowshipp with our Comunialtee vnder the Obedience of the Loue. For They â yea thosame shal be founde happy For our Comunialtee is
seruiceable to the Peace and Vnitee of Heart in the Loue For by her almighty and vertuous Nature / she begetteth o Rom. 13. a. Gal. 5. b. 1. Timo. 1. a. or bringeth-foorth the perfect Righteousnes of the Beleefe of Christ. 12. The p Iohn 4.7 d Water of Lyfe that floweth from her Body / is the vpright Doctrine in the Wisdom wherwith she q Gen. 2. b. watereth the whole Paradise of the Lorde and refresheth his Planting 13. Her Fruit which the Righteous do bring-foorth out of her Doctrine / r Gen 2. a. Pro. 3. b. 4. Esd 8. f. Apo 2. a. is a Tree of Lyfe whose Leaues do s Psal. 1. a. Ier 17. a. Ezâ— 47. b. Apo. 22 a. not wither neither is her Rooting-out founde Of which Loue and the Seruice of her Doctrine / we haue rehearsed more-at-large in the t 3. Glas 31. c d. Glasse of Righteousnes 14. The Lorde bring vs all to thesame vpright Beeing of the Loue / To th end that we may enioye the Fruiâ—s of the heauenly Kyndnes / in all Loue. Amen The V. Chap. MOreouer â my beloued Freendes in the Loue of Iesu Christ I must yet wryte a little-more vnto you and disclose or declare vnto you / the two-maner of Kingdoms namely of God and of the Deuill which do make-manifest themselues in our Inwardnes as spirituall or inuisible / Because that yee may also learne to knowe them with Distinction / according to the Spirit / wherby you may with an vpright Discerning when they make-manifest themselues against eachother / in you cleaue vnto thatt â with your Spirit which is godly heauenly and true / and which saueth you and may forsake and leaue thatt / which is deuilish deceitfull and false / and which bringeth to the Condemnacion 2. for-that-For-that-cause inasmuch as it is Spirit / a Iohn 3. â— that condemneth and saueth vs / therfore haue now a regarde with good Discerning / vnto Spirit and Spirits and learne to knowe those well / b Iohn 4. a. that are of God and true and those that are deuillish and false or lying 3. But if ye wil descerne them rightly according to the Trueth / then becom first-of-all circumcised to the Lorde / c Deut. 10. â— Ier. 4. a. Col. 2 b. on the Fore-skinne of your Hearts the which is the Laying-away of the Flesh of Sinne and so then becom d Rom. 8. a. spiritually mynded / in all your Vnderstanding of the godly Knowledges and continue stedfast in the Obedience to the Woord / till vnto y e seconde Birth like-as ye be taught by the Seruice of Loue / according to the Trueth of Christ. 4. If-so-be now that ye continue in the Woord of the Loue of Iesu Christ and do not turne-away neither to the left nor to the right syde / e Iohan. â— d. then shall ye knowe the Trueth and the Trueth shall make you free 5. Therfore giue-eare now and vnderstande / what the Spirit of Loue and Trueth sayth 6. Knowe in your Spirit â O ye goodwilling Hearts to the Righteousnes how that God Ø›the true Father is f Iam 1. c. an euerlasting vnchaingable Spirit a stedfast Power a g Gen. 1. a. Creator of Heauen and Earth and of euerything that shall continue for euer h Heb. 1. a. also an Vpholder of his Workes / with the i Sap. 7 c. Woord of his Beeing a cleere Light and liueing Fountayne wherout all Vertues and Righteousnesses do flowe 7. Euenthus according to thesame like Beeing of God the Father / so knowe likewyse â according to the Spirit his Sonne / our Lorde Iesus Christ k Gen. 1. a. Psal 33. a. Pro 8 c. through whom / God hath made all his Workes and He is out of God the Father published vnto vs â by the l Rom 10. a. 1 Pet. 1. c. Woord of Preaching of the holy Gospel m Iohn 1. a. to be a true Light / that lighteth all Men through the Coming of his Appeering and is set-before vs / for an euerlasting Sauiour n Math. 1. c. Rom 3. c. 2. Cor. 5. b. Col. 1. c. â— Iohn 2.4 b and a Reconciler for our Sinnes namely for all those Sinnes o Math. 12. d. Luk. 12. b. that are committed against the Father and the Sonne 8. Knowe also the holy Gost p Iohn 14. c. 15. c. â—6 b. which cometh vnto vs / out of the Father and the Sonne â as a Spirit of Trueth and Loue in the Obeying of the Woord of God and Christ which establisheth vs therin and declareth the Kingdom of the God of Heauens vnto vs and in what Foorme and Beeing / that the Father and the Sonne and the holy Gost / is one true God 9. Beholde thatt is veryly the true Kingdom of God / q Luk â–ª 17. c. inwardly with in vs and his Righteousnes is / that the Man shoulde â with his Spirit be incorporated to thesame Godhead and liue therin for euer The VI. Chap. VNderstand now according to the Trueth â ye Deerly-beloued which is the Kingdom of God and his Righteousnes / a Math. 6. d that we ought first or before-al / to seeke 2. But seing that the Man doth now generally / seeke the Kingdom of God and his Righteousnes / contraryly and not rightly b Ier. 19 d. Iohn 7 d. and for-that-cause cannot fynde thesame / through his owne Vnderstanding / Therfore hath the Goodnes of God / looked vpon our Ignorance and declared his Kingdom and the Righteousnes therof / vnto Vs / through his Loue. 3. To which Kingdom of God and his Righteousnes / and godly Maiestee of the euerlasting spirituall and heauenly Beeing / and to all his Holynes Beawty Ritches and to his euer-liueing Ioyfulnes / Wee be all now called and bidden / by the holy Spirit of the Loue of God the Father / to the Preseruacion of vs all / in thissame last and perillous Tyme For Hee / thesame God Ø›y e Father the Sonne the holy Gost presenteth vs now with his Loue and wil c Leui. 26. b. Eze. 37. c. 2. Gor. 6. b. Apo. 21. a. â— dwell liue and worke in vs. Let eueryone take-heede to thissame gracious Tyme 4. The Father draweth d Iohn 6. â— â–ª g or allureth vs to him / by his gracious Woord and Seruice of Loue and whosoeuer yeeldeth himself to be drawen by the Father / cometh to the Sonne / the out-flowen gracious Woord of the Father 5. And whosoeuer cometh to the Sonne and e Iohn 3.6 c. beleeueing Him / remayneth f Iohn 8 1â— a in Him / He saueth 6. And Whom the Sonne saueth / g Iohn 3.6 f. hee hath the euerlasting Lyfe and is h Act. 1. a. 2. b. annoynted with the holy Gost. 7. And whosoeuer is annoynted with the holy Gost / hee is established i Rom. 8. b. Ephe. 1. b. c. â—ol 1. b. â— or altogether
Children of God and Saincts of Iesu Christ. 7. COm now all likewyse / which â through your v Rom. 1. c. EPhe. 4. b. ignorant Knowledg or Misunderstanding haue turned-away your selues from thissame x Esa. 16. â— Heb 5. a. Seate of Grace and louely Howse of the Loue of Iesu Christ and from our y Iohn 17 b. 1. Iohn â— a. Communialtee· growen-offended at our Meannes or a 2. Cor 1. c. Simplenes and at the godly Testimonyes of our Sayings· and so made-vp yourselues b â— Tim. â— 3 b. resistant against vs and our good Doctrine and Exercises· seperated yourselues from vs· and growen bitter or wrathfull towards vs / together withall yee that haue mistrusted vs· and c Ioh. 8.10 c. 2 Tess. 2. b. not beleeued the holy Woord of the eternall Trueth â which wee by Gods Grace / do administer vnder the Obedience of the Loue / but doubted therof· and so for-that-cause â through som Peruers-conceaueing towards thesame or towards vs refused the d Pro 1. c. d. proffered Grace or kept yourselues baâ—h and repent e Eze. 18. d. you for your Sinnes / to your Sainctification and to the Health of your Soules 8. COm likewyse all yee / which â through any Opinion of the Self-wyseones or through any Good-thinking or Imagination of the Knowledg haue bin f Pro. 18. a. vnregarding towards thissame gracious and godly Seruice of Loue and towards his Requyring / and also yee / which haue heard or read the Testimonyes of the holy Spirit of the Loue of Iesu Christ· and shewed no right Obedience as likewyse all yee / which haue ouerreached pourselues in any disorderly g Sap. 14. c. Rom. 1. c. Dealing or false h 2. Pet 2. b. Iudae 1. b. Freedom or in hearing and beleeueing of any i Ier. 23.27 c. vnsent Preachers and so are falne to your k Ier. 7. c. â—8 a. owne Counsayle â or to the Counsaile of those that stande not submitted to the Howse of the Loue of Iesu Christ nor to his Seruice and Requyring or are Straingers ther-vnto / or yee y t â through your l Pro. 6.24 d. Negligence or Little-regarding of the Requyring of the Seruice of Loue are becom vaynly-mynded / with the wicked Worlde and with the vayne or false m Rom 1. c. 2. Pet. 2. a. Praters / through the Imagination of the Knowledg Ø›that false Light Com and n Eccli 7 b. 1 Pet. 5. a. humble you / and let all your Vnderstandings be renewed· and â to thobtayneing of a good o Ephe. 4. b. Knowledg of Iesu Christ and his Godlynes brought-to-right / vnder the Obedience of the Loue and vnder thesame p 1. Pet. 1. c. d. Obedience / q Eze. 36. â— wash your Bodyes with the pure Water of the Loue and so cleanse your â–ª Hearts from all vngodly Beeing r Esa. 1. c. and wicked Thoughts 9. Com now all hether and s Gal. 6. b. Ephe 5. d. Apo. 2.3 b. neglect not your tyme To-daye becometh the Grace of the Loue of Iesu Christ / proffered yet vnto you all and the Hande reached-forth seruiceablely with thesame to a peaceable t Ephe. 4. d. Col. 3. b. Reconcilement with each-other in Iesu Christ to an Vnitee of Heart with vs / in all Loue. 10. Yea To-daye er-euer the Punishiment of the last Iudgment go-forth ouer all Vngodlyones v Pro. 1. c. Math. 25 d. / to thier Condemnation in the hellish Fyre ye be yet all called and bidden â euen out of meere Grace x Eqhe. 1.2 a. and harty Loue to the Communialtee of Saincts / which haue thier y 1. Iohn 1. â— felowship with Christ / in the Howse of the Loue of Iesu Christ. and that altogether / to the Preseruation of you all in the Godlynes The Third Chap. COm likewyse all ye People Gouernours / and Subiects Noble / and Vnnoble Ritch / and Poore Wyse / and Simple as also all a Math. 9. b. Men-sinners and Women-sinners Turne you about betymes to b Heb. 5. a. the Mercie-seate / er-euer that ye be quyte and cleane swallowed-vpp by the wicked Worlde or with seducing Babbling / through the false Light· and ouerwhelmed with the Cursse / by the Wrath c Eccli 5. b. Mal. 4 a. Rom 2. a of God 2. Com now all hether and confesse your Sinnes laye-open d Pro. 18. b. Eccli 2. a. the Inwardnes of your Heartes and bring-forth right e Math. 3. a. Luk. 3. a. Fruits of Repentance and so then suffer yourselues to be f Eze. 36. c. Heb. 10. c. washed with the pure and safe-making Water of the Loue / in the Fonte of g Sap 3. a. Eccli 2. a. Humiliation / To th end that ye may be h Rom. 5.8 a. Heb. 9. c. iustifyed or cleansed from all your Sinnes· receaued into the holy Comunialtee of Loue / to be i Rom. 12. b. Ephe 4. b Fellow-members of the Bodye of Iesu Christ· and byde-standing in holy k Psal. 45. b. Sap. 5 a. Garnishing and not perrish with the wicked Worlde / when-as she now in thissame Daye / is iudged with the Lords mighty Hande 3. Which wicked Worlde / is kept l Pet. 3. b. to the hellish Fyre / till vnto this Daye of Loue / for to condempne thesame for euermore / in thesame Daye of Loue to her eternall Curssing and m Math 25. d. 2. Pet. 3. b. Iudgment of the Fyers Crueltee / together with all those that mayntayne the wicked Worlde as also are affected to thesame and wil not turne them to Repentance 4. Verily in thesame Daye / when-as now all Vngodlyones n Math. 15. d. Tess. 1.2 b. Iudae 1. b. and all Self-wysones with all Vnrepentantones and false Hearts of the Scriptur-learned â which in their owne Opinion / haue o Math. 24 c. falsly bosted themselues very-stoutly to be Christians do inherit the tirrible p Psal. 13.47 Rom. 2. a. Condemnation / with many Smarts / in the Crueltee of the helâ—ish Fyre / Then shall the People of God namely / the whole Comunialtee of the Loue of Iesu Christ and all those that haue turned them penitently from thier Sinnes / to thesame Comunialtee or Family of Loue q Esa. 35.65 c reioyce them in all Loue. and obtayne a perpetuall Rest / r Esa. 32. c. Sap. 3. a. in the euerlasting Lyfe / according to the Promyses of God the Father and his Christ. 5. for-that-FOr-that-cause â O all ye People vppon Earth take-heede to this my Voyce or Calling· to this proffered s Pro. 1. c. Esa. 49. â— Grace· and to my Warning / all yee â sayth the holy Spirit of Loue which wil remayne preserued and be saued / now in thissame last Daye 6. For after the Daye of Loue inasmuch as it is the last or newest Daye / on t Act. 17. d. the
that thou moughtest haue a much-more regard vnto the Power of God and vnto the vpright Righteousnes that God worketh through the Ministration of his gracious Woord and Seruice of Loue / in y e Spirit of the inward Man / to th end for to liue vprightly therin / with a meeke-mynded Spirit For a meekemynded h Psal. â— b Esa. 57. b 61. a. 66. a Spirit â which hath his Proceeding obediently / according to the Requyring of the Lords Woord is very precious and acceptable before God 6. And although that we do â in thesame Spirit go-on in Scilence / as touching the outward Maner and are poore of Spirit in Tongues or Languages / Yet is not for-al-that / the Ritchnes of the spirituall and heauenly Knowledg of God â–ª euer-the-lesse among Vs. but rather the greater And thesame and all Thatt which is of God and Christ / do we esteeme very i Iob. 28. b. Psal. 19 b. Pro. 3 b 8 b Sap. 7. b. precious / Yea much worthyer then all the Ritches or costly Treasures of this Worlde for thatsame â of worthynes-part excelleth it all For which Occasion / we let our Woordes be feawe / because that thesame which we speake / may not proceede out of the Knowledg but out of the k 1. Cor 2. a. b Power of God and out of the Trueth of Iesu Christ. 7. And in thesame Speech of y e godly Things / we do also take-heede with Foresightfulnes â so much as we may therin of the Looseones of Heart / to th end that ther be not one godly Saying of the precious secret Wisdom / spoken-out in Vayne O / how l Eccli 14.25 Ieam 5 a happy is hee / that falleth not in his Tongue and whose Woordes m Col. 4. a. are tempered with Salt 8. NOw this being omitted I reioyce me doutles / of the and of the Communialte that is with thee and I hope to reioyce me yet more with the / with greater Ioye by meanes of the Answere vnto mee / that I haue hearde from thee / As that yee altogether / are wel-mynded to Thatt which is the Beeing itself / wherof the Scripture witnesseth â as personally of God of Christ and of the holy Gost. Which Beeing â for those that be partakers therof are the secret Treasures and n Math. 13 c heauenly Ritches of God / wherof the Worlde· the ritch Scriptur-learnedones· nor the Good-thinking-wyse â with all their deep-groundly Knowledg do neither knowe nor vnderstand o Math. 11 c 1. Cor. 2. a. anything-at-al 9. It is true they haue the Scripture of the godly Witnesses wher-through they suppose to be wyse and vnderstanding But seing they giue not their Vnderstanding captiue vnder the Obedience of the Loue of Iesu Christ and com p Iohn 5. not euenso to the Beeing / wherof the Scripture speaketh nor-yet beleeue theron / q Iohn 7. d as the Scripture sayth / So is-ther likewyse no Light nor Trueth nor-yet Spirit nor Beeing of God / among them / and they also do neither knowe nor r Math. 22 c. 1. Tim 1. a vnderstande Thatt which they themselues speake therof 10. But the God of Lyfe â s Ephe. 2 a who is ritch of Mercie hath â out of his harty Loue t Ephe. 1. a 2. a 3. a. Col. 1. d. reuealed the Beeing of his Glory vnto vs· renewed our ignorant Vnderstanding â vnder the Obedience of his Loue to a spirituall Mynde of the vpright Righteousnes· and â when we were full of Infirmitees v Rom. 5. a. b. Ephe. 2. a. Col. 1. c. 2. b and deadd / for the Sinnes cause begotten vs agayne / out of his Loue / x Tit. 1. a. 5. a â–ª to a sure Hope of his Lyfe 11. Seing then that y Heb. 12. â— such a Clowde of holy Deawe / is â by Gods Grace appeered in our Sight / according to the Spirit· and com from Gods Right-hande / as an heauenly Blessing / and wherout also the right Beeing of God â wherof we speake a 2. Cor. 4. â— aryseth vnto vs / as a Light and Cleernes Therfore haue wee â although the Scripture witnesseth theron and that we do heare many speake therof more regarde vnto Thatt which is the vpright Beeing itself â wherin our Ioye standeth then vnto Thatt which witnesseth theron 12. For thesame Light that shyneth now vnto Vs / out of the heauenly Trueth / b 1. Iohâ— 1. a. is the euerlasting Lyfe which was with the Father / in the Begining and it is c Psal. 45. a Heb. 1. a. the Mercie-seate of the godly Maiestee which continueth from euerlasting to euerlasting Euen-as I likewyse haue talked with thee of thesame / when I was last with thee The II. Chap FOrasmuch then as thy Request was vnto me at that tyme / to wryte thee an Instruction of the Mediation of Iesu Christ after the Spirit and how thesame cometh-to-pas in vs / a Rom. 3. â— 2. Cor. 5. b. Ephe. 2. b. 1. Iohn 2.4 â— for a Reconciliation betwixt God and vs and how Christ is b Heb. 1. a an Heire of all Things and how c 1. Cor. 15. c God is all in all / Therfore wil I open a little of thesame vnto thee and I hope also to satisfy the well with this Instruction 2. Inasmuch then as I haue partly marked thyne Inclynation to the holy and spirituall Vnderstanding of the vpright Righteousnes / therfore can I not of Natures-part omitt / but must witnes vnto the of thatt which thou desyrest at my handes / also reueale the d Ephe 3. a Mistery of Christ / and make-knowen vnto thee / thatt which is hidden c Rom. 15. c Ephe. 1 a 3 a Col. 1. c. before the Worlde and all her Wyseones / and discribe it vnto thee in wryting / accordingly as the Lorde illuminateth myne Vnderstanding therto and as it may be profitable for thee to Edifycation 3. THer is testifyed in the Scripture â the which according to the Spirit / is also verytrue that God is f Iohn 4. c. 2 Cor. 3. b. a Spirit â–ª and a g 1 Iohn 1. a verytrue Light / with whom no Darknesses or Sinnes are mingled But seeing that the Man is falne h Gen. 3. a Esa. 59. b. into a strainge Contrary-beeing vnto God and goeth-on and liueth therin / So is he likewyse i Ephe. 4 b. Col. 1. c estrainged from God and from his Light and walketh according to the Flesh or Outward and according to the Requyring and Desyres of the Foreskinne of his vncircumcised Heart / and not according to the Spirit or according to the Requyring of the godly Beeing and so He k Psal. 82. a Ephe. 5. a walketh in the vngodly Beeing of the Darknesses and thatsame vngodly Beeing of the Darknesses l Rom. 1. c. Ephe 4. b. hath blynded his Heart And thatt veryly is the Sinne m Esa.
deserued on mee 14. THou Beloued Vnderstande now heer-out / which it is that I haue accounted for Dirt and what hath bin my Seeking and Desyre For which such afflicted Seruants of the Lorde â which do loue the vpright Beeing / with all their Hearts I do alwayes make Supplication and Prayer vnto the Lorde and do saye out of all my Soule 15. O Lorde breake-asunder the Bandes of the Vngodly I beseeche thee and vouchsafe to giue Strength vnto thyne inclyned Seruants / to raigne with thee ouer all their Enemyes 16. O God let thy Seruants go ouer them and tread vppon them with i Esa. 41. c. Mich. 7. b. their Feete / like Lome / To th end that they may euenso â with thy Wisdom and Foresightfulnes enter boldly into thy Loue Ø›thy Paradise of Lyfe for to possesse y e worthy and restfull Lande of Peace and the holy Citee Ierusalem / k Ier. 30. b. c. Zach. 1. b buylded anew vppon her olde Foundation wheron thou â O God hast in tymes-past foreseene to buylde thesame / for that thy l Psal. 51. b Esa. 56. a. Mal. 3. a. Offering may be made thear and thy Laude-song of Sion be soung thear for euermore and not in Babylon nor in the North Landes / euen-as thou â O God hast m Ier 3.16 b 23. a. Mich. 4.5 b forespoken thesame by thy Prophets The IIII. Chap. FArdermore thou writest vnto me / that thy Longing was for to talke with Mee thy self / because that thesame which I had written vnto thee / made thee so exceedingly to wonder and was beyonde thyne Vnderstanding and for that I complayned me of the Accusers / because they complayned on Me and accused me so falsly before the Iudgment / for to be condemned and rooted-out 2. Thissame seemeth that it hath bin a Wonder vnto thee / because as thou wrytest such a Light and Knowledg was risen-vp vnto Me before And fardermore When thou then rememberest the Songs that I haue made thou sayest vnto Me / demaunding Had the Spirit quyt forsaken thee / in thy Forsaken-estate Oh what shall I saye I must keepe-sâ—ilence heerof inasmuch as I haue neuer founde myself in such great Forsakennes 3. O Thou Beloued / If thou hadst considered well on the a Psal. 22. a. Math. 27. c. Forsakennes of Christ and on the Forsakennes of all his Saincts / who do follow-after Him in the Forsakennes of his Crosse / Then wouldest thou not haue wondered For euenso sayth the holy Scripture vnto vs likewyse / b Act. 14. that we must enter into the Kingdom of God / thorow much Tribulation and Affliction 4. For such-a-matter if we suffer-out thesame with Patience is the Death c Rom. 6 c. Phil. 2. a. of the Crosse of Christ wherby we be planted into Christ as the Scripture sayth with the lyke Death Wher-through we do also inherit with Christ namely in the secoÌ„de Birth from the Death the godly Ritches of God the Father / in the euerlasting Lyfe and be worthy to raigne vppon the Earth / d Apo. 5. b. with Christ and all his Saincts 5. But touching y e Complayning ouer myne Accusers / I haue sufficiently distincted vnto thee before But let not my Tribulation and Calamytee cause thee to wonder For inasmuch as it neuer happened vnto thee / therfore is it all doutles whatsoeuer thou hearest therof / the strainger before thyne Eares 6. But like as thy Longing hath bin towards Mee / so haue I in-like-maner / longed after thee / for to talke with thee of this Matter but it is not so com-to-pas Notwithstanding / I hope the Lorde shall once bring vs together / so wil I then vtter-foorth my Heart alittle with thee / of all that is chaunced vnto mee For I fynde very-feawe of those / with whom I dare be bolde or openhearted 7. But thou knowest from the begining / the Course of my Zeale to the Righteousnes euen-as I do thyne also and I haue neuer kept my Mynde secret from thee nor-yet thou thyne / from Mee Seing then y â— thou hast alwayes bin openhearted with mee / therfore am I likewyse / the-bolder to talke with thee of althings 8. Howbeit / if the Mynde of certen Vnderstandings or of somme Sentences had remayned hidden from many Ignorantones / it had bin good for them / because that the Ignorantones do seeke nothing-els but their Selfnes But doutles whatsoeuer doth not in al-poynts / giue-ouer itself obediently vnder the gracious Woord and his Seruice of Loue / thatsame doth alwayes turne itself out either to the one syde or to the other / for to follow-after the e Rom. â— c. Lusts of his Errour 9. For-that-cause seing it is now knowen vnto vs / that the Disobedientones to the holy Woord and the Ignorant and Lyghtmyndedones / are alwayes mynded to Errour / Therfore let vs vse Foresightfulnes in all our Woords and so before all Things / couet after the f 1. Cor. 14. c. Loue. and drawe the Deuoutones / vnder the Loues Obedience 10. Whosoeuer then do submitt them vnder the Obedience of the Loue· cleaue vnto the Loue in her Seruice / with all their Hearts· and â with naked Hearts wholly giue-ouer themselues â in the Comunialtee of Saincts to the Howse of Loue / to all Concord and to the g 1. Pet. 1. b. c. Obeying of the gracious Woord / To Those shall men â in all Loue disclose the h Math. 13. b. Secretnes of the holy Vnderstandings and of the Kingdom of the God of Heauens / To th end that Gods secret Ritches and the Vnderstandings of his holy Wisdom / may be knowen to the Obeyers of his Woord / in the Nature or Beeing of his Loue. For veryly the Disobeyers of the Woord as also the self-seeking Ignorantones and those that think themselues to be wyse or skilfull / They i Iohn â— â— iudg the secret Mynde of the Loue and of the Kingdom of God / cleane-contrary in euery-behalf 11. And if-so-be then that they stande not submitted obediently â with all their Hearts vnder the Woord of Information / according to the k Pro. 1.2.3.4 Eccli 4.8 b Counsayle of the Wisdom / so do they then â with Misunderstanding take euery thing quyt contrary / according to their owne good-thinking Mynde of the earthly Wisdom and do therin corrupt themselues and likewyse all their Vnderstanding / through their Self-seeking and fleshly Lusts and Desyres 12. Therfore let the Wisdom be esteemed more-precious / then anything that may be imagined in the Worlde For ther is nothing in the Worlde / to be compared l Pro. 3 b. 8. b Sap. 8. a. to the Wisdom and to her secret Treasures 13. Inasmuch now â thou Beloued as that thou knowest thissame / therfore be thou in-any-wyse farr from the Mockers / which walke according to their m Rom. 1. c owne Desyres and be a Strainger to the Lyghtemyndedones and auoyde
thou from all those which do seeke only the earthly Things Heer-vppon let vs alwayes think / in thissame euell and perrilous Tyme The V. Chap. THou wrytest also vnto me / that thy Sight is / that thou doest not so knowe God / as that He shoulde still deale rygorously with his People likeas He hath don in the olde Testament euen as ther standeth written 2. I haue not doutles written vnto thee / that God hath dealt rygorously with mee but that his Enemyes as is also before rehearsed haue dealt rygorously with me / with Crueltee and Accusation euen as they haue likewyse shewed in a Psal. 42.44 b. 69 b â— 102 b. 109. e. Math 26.27 Act 22 23. tymes-past / on Christ and his Saincts 3. These woulde gladly haue satisfyed their Lust on me / to my Destruction Of whom I had written vnto thee / that I hoped to see my Desyre on myne Enemyes and Accusers namely that they / all those that accused me and woulde gladly haue seene my Destruction shoulde be iudged into the Condemnation themselues 4. Looke into the matter rightly For euenso soundeth the Letter that I haue written vnto thee and not that God dealeth rygorously with his People / neither hath He also at any tyme â as neither now presently nor-yet in the olde Testament dealt rygorously· but alwayes graciously with them but I haue bin constrayned by myne Enemyes â for my Sinnes cause to suffer my Punishment for a certen-tyme / like as the Lordes People also / in the olde Testament / were constrayned by their Enemyes â of whom they were captiued to suffer-out their Punishment / for their Sinnes cause For for their Sinnes cause / the holy Citee Ierusalem b 4. Reg. 2â— 2. Par. 36. Ier. 5â— and the Temple of the Lorde were layd-waste / and they lead-away captiue and very-sore punished / vnder the Power of Babel 5. But after thatt / when they obtayned the Grace agayne before their God c Ier. 32. Zach. 8. and that their Harts were cleansed / both from the Sinne and the sinfull Desyres / they were brought agayne out of the strainge Nations / to their owne Lande and Heritage and to the holy Citee Ierusalem / the which â and also the Temple of the Lorde was buylded d 1 Esd. 3. Ezech. 40. Agg. 1.2 Zach. 2.4.6 agayne anew / in thesame Tyme for to offer holy Gifts and Offerings euen-thear vnto their God / that are delytfull vnto Him the which they coulde not doo among the strainge People nor in forrayne Landes neither coulde they likewyse sing e Psal. 137. a. their Songs of Sion / in their Captiuitee in Babilon but they must thear beare their Contempt / for their Sinnes cause 6. Consider well of the Mynde and looke into the Images of the olde Testament / according to the Spirit and according to the Trueth and how that it shall all now that is set-foorth f Ezo 25. c. Act 7. c. Heb. 8. a. image-lyke in the Olde-testament / be g Math. 5. b. accomplished in the true Beeing Besydes-this / so consider also / how that God hath neuer dealt rygorously with his People and h Psal. 13.6 how that his Goodnes endureth for euer The VI. Chap. BUt thou wrytest Hath He not taken on him the manly Nature and therin geeuen vs a Promyse in such-sort / as that his Sonne shoulde performe or satisfy all for vs And for those that rightly vnderstande it / He hath performed it all / according as thou Vnderstandest the matter 2. OH Heer-vpon mought I take occasion to wryte much / because ther is so much and many-kyndes of Misunderstanding risen-vpp out of such Sentences or Iudgments But I hope well of the best Vnderstanding / in thee Neuerthelesse / with doubt 3. It is true Hee which is all that is Ø›the God of Glory hath â in Christ taken on him the a Phil. 2. a. Heb. 2. b. manly Nature and geeuen vs a Promyse therin but thatsame is don with Difference 4. Therfore looke into the Scripture / according to the Mynde of the Wisdom and not according to the Vnderstanding of the earthly and fleshly Myndes 5. For God taketh not on him / the Seede of the Heathen nor the Nature of the Vncircumcisedones but / b Heb. 2. b. the Seede of Abraham which beareth in him / the Couenant of Gods Circumcision and in thatt Seede c Gen. 12.21 b 22. b. 26. a Act. 3. c. Gal. 3. a. b is the Promyse of Saluation or the Blessing of all Generations of the Earth / geeuen 6. And euenthus hath the Seede of Abraham the Promyse / to possesse the d Gen. 12.17 Psal. 105. b. Lande of Canaan namely the Kurnell or the Heart of the Heathen as an Heritage / for euer For inasmuch as Abraham beleeued / therfore is he likewyse chosen of God / e Gen. 17. a. Rom. 4. b. to be a Father of Fayth and called out of the Heathen or Vncircumcision / into the Couenant of Gods Circumcision and euenthus in his Fayth and in his Seede / is the Promyse made to the Blessing of all Generations of the Earth 7. Which Promyse standeth-firme for euer / in the Woord of Lyfe and in the Fathers of the Couenant Wherout also all Gods Prophets haue had their cleere Sight and Testymony of the Trueth and f Esa. 40.60.62 Ier. 13. a. 30. a. 31.33 so haue prophecied g Luk. 1.8 1. Pet 1. b. on the Establishing of the Promyses 8. Beholde this Promyse euen as God had spoken to the Fathers of the Couenant· h Act. 30. and by the Mouth of all his holy Prophets is sealed confirmed or established on the Stock of Iuda i Math. 1. Luk. .1.2 b. the Sonne of Iacob / wherout Dauid is borne From whom / k Gen. 49. b. the Rodd is not taken nor a Master from his Feete / till that the Iust com For to Him shall the People inclyne and obtayne their Saluation in Him according to the Promyses 9. This Iustone consider wel of the Vnderstanding is the l Sap. 7. c. â— Cor. 4. a. Col 1. b. very-lyke Beeing of God the almighty Father And Hee â in his Birth out of the liueing Godhead according to the Spirit m Rom 1. a. 1. Tim. 3. c â–ª and out of the Seede of Dauid according to the Flesh is verytruly the Sonne of God and Man and the true Sauiour n Luk. 2. b. Phil. 3. c. 1. Tim. 4. c. of Men / to the Blessing of all Generations of the Earth according to the Promyses 10. Therfore also hath the Power of God named o Luk. 1. â— 2. c Him Iesus and He is by his Disciples / published among all People / p Act. 2.3 4.5 c. to be a Christ which saueth 11. Beholde this vpright and true Beeing of God the Father which according to the Flesh / is q Esa. 53. a b. Sap.
and Blood Ø›that earthly Beeing is in his right Ordinance / the h Esa. 66. a Act 7. c. Bench for the Lordes Feete ouer the which / the Kingdom of God beareth his Dominion and Christ / his Glory 9. Of which Glory / the Members of Christ haue spoken in tymes-past when-as the Lyfe of God or Christ was com vnto them / for to possesse them and to be incorporated with them saying and testifying i Iohn 1. b The Woord is incarnated or becom Flesh and dwelt among vs. Wherthrough they sawe his Glory euen a Glory of the only borne Sonne of the Father / full of Grace and Trueth 10. Beholde This Glory of Christ / was the Kingdom k Luk. 17. c. of God inwardly in them the which had inherited them for a Possession / as his Heritage and their Spirit also / thatsame and not / Flesh and Blood 11. Consider well of the Mynde that I wryte vnto thee and vnderstande the Resolution of my Vnderstanding and l Iohn 7. â— iudg with a right Iudgment The X. Chap. THou sayest likewyse / out of the Wryting of Ecclesiastes a Eccle. 12. a how that euery Thing must returne agayne / from whence it is com Thatt which is out of God / shall returne thether agayne and thatt which is of the Earth / shall be Earth agayne 2. Oh â alas heer-out is much Misunderstanding taken-on and many do runne-on in that sort / with this one Sentence and haue no Discerning nor Consideration / to what ende the Sentence soundeth nor wherto the whole Scripture stretcheth And wil nodout â out of ther owne Good-thinking include the Mynde of God â which they vnderstand not in this one Sentence of the Scripture And out of thesame they iudg euenthus Let them liue how they wil liue when they dye / their Spirit shall com agayne to God and thâ—â—r Body to the Earth 3. Heerwithall do the lightmynded Hearts deceaue themselues who haue no Lust to Gods Righteousnes and yet for-al-that do rest perswaded / that their Spirit â which is vngodded or not of God shall com to God 4. No â Beloued No. God wil none of the wicked Spirits but He putteth them away and poynteth them from Him / b Math. 25. â— into the Condemnation of the hellish Fyer which is prepared for the Deuill and all wicked Spirits 5. for-that-FOr-that-cause â thou Beloued looke rightly into the Alteration of the Man and in what maner / the Spirit of God which God hath formed in the Man cometh to God 6. For if it were so / that the Spirit of God â which God hath formed in the Man shoulde alwayes vppon the Earth / remayne estrainged or seperated from God and from the Mans Beeing and that the Man shoulde not â vppon the Earth be incorporated to thesame / for an euerlasting Assurance c Rom. 8. b of the Inheritance of Christ and of the Kingdom of the God of Heauens / in the eternall Lyfe and so â without Vniting d Eqhe. 4. c. with the Mans Beeing / in Righteousnes shoulde go to the Incorporating vnto his God first / when-as the Creature were passed-thorow the naturall Death / Who coulde then I pray thee / witnes and publish vppon the Earth / the Glory of God and the Powers of his Goodnes / to the Blessing and Sâ—luation of the Man· and be seruiceable to the Man / to an Incorporating to thesame Goodnes of God 7. Therfore haue now in consideration / how and wherin the Fulnes of the Mynde of the Scriptures concisteth and whether that the Vnderstanding of God be wholly declared in the Man / when-as he so taketh vnto him one Sentence out of the Scripture / according to his Good-thinking and so goeth-on therwith / without Discerning of the godly Wisdom and doth not once consider / wherto that one Sentence serueth from whence it proceedeth nor to what ende it stretcheth 8. Euenthus â thou Beloued let vs consider rightly on the Mynde of the Scriptures Standeth-ther not written also / e Sap. 1. â— that the Wisdom dwelleth not in a Body that is subiect vnto Sinne Therfore cannot likewyse an vngodded Man· nor-yet one that remayneth without the Comunialtee of the Family of Loue / iudg one Sentence of the holy Scripture / rightly according to the Trueth nor-yet out of the Wisdom 9. But wheras Ecclesiastes speaketh f Eccle. 12. a. of the Earth and of God as that each-one that is Earthly and of God / goeth to his owne Incorporating / Therof I wil aske thee somwhat 10. When now this Alteration cometh-to-pas with the Man shall then the Nature of the Iniquite haue his Possession with the Man or be mingled with him as an Heyre Or shall he be thrust-out with the Vnfreeone g Gen. 21. b Gal. 4. â— I do veryly suppose / Yea according to the Promyses For beholde 11. Wil not God inhabite his Tabernacle h 2. Cor. 6. b or Temple alone and dryue-out of it / all i Esa. 35.52 a. Apoc. 21. c. that is vncleane or that defyleth the Howse of the Lorde Is not the Heauen also / his Seate and k Esa 66 â— Act. 7. c. the Earth / the Bench for his Feete 12. BEholde to this Glory of God and for that thesame shoulde raigne ouer the Man / is the Man chosen and likewyse in his Fall / called and bidden therunto agayne / by Christ / Because that he shoulde serue and liue-vnto his God only / in all l Luk. 1.8 Righteousnes and not cleaue-vnto the wicked Spirit â–ª nor-yet iudg thesame for the Spirit of God through the which / he keepeth God as also his good Spirit / out of his Dwelling 13. And whosoeuer then / through his Good-thinking and through his wicked Spirit or vngodly Beeing / keepeth the God of Lyfe out of his Dwelling and with a false Opinionâ— or with an Enuyousnes towards any Man / doth comfort or quyet himself therin / Hee doth willingly giue-ouer himself to the Curssing and perpetuall Condemnation 14. For what other Dwelling for God / wil anyman imagine I pray thee or what other Tabernacle or Temple of God / wil anyman make m 2. Paâ— 6. d Esa. 66. a Act. 7. e. â wherin God wil dwell but the Man / n Iob. 14. b. Psal. 138. a. that Worke of his Hande For thatt is the Lordes Lust o Pro. 8. d. Iohn 14. d. for to dwell therin / with his vpright Beeing or Christ. But most-tymes when the Lorde mooueth the Man ther-to / by his Ministers the Man remayneth captiued vnto his owne Knowledg and so denyeth to yeelde himself p Ier. 7. c 16 b 27.29 b â— Act 7. c. 17 c to thesame Grace of the Lorde so that most-tymes / ther-are Feawe that suffer themselues to be prepared for an Habitation of God the which is greatly to be lamented 15. THerfore I saye vnto thee veryly like as all Gods
christian Ceremonyes out of their owne Opinion and b Ier. 23. b. Good-thinking and therfore is also their Office against Gods Commaundement For they are vnmeete to the Seruice of the Lorde / which God esteemeth-of for they knowe not his c Psal. 95. a Sap. 5 a â—eb 3. b. Wayes neither do they knowe the Waye of d Psal. 14. a Psa 59 b Rom. 3. b Peace but they are blynde dumme and deafe / thouching the Lyfe that proceedeth out of God and so in their Seruices / are e Math. 15. b â–ª 23 b Luk â— d Blyndeguydes and do likewyse leade the People into Captiuitee / with the Bandes of their Blyndnes 2. They breake not the f Iohn 6. c. Bread of Lyfe vnto the People they baptise not also in the g Math. 28. b Name of the Father â who is the liueing God nor in the Name of the Sonne of God â who is the true Light and Lyfe of his Father nor-yet in the Name of the holy Gost who is the heritable h Ephe. 1 b Paune of the Godlynes 3. Forasmuch now veryly / as these holy spirituall Ritches are not among them / therfore do they not likewyse keepe i 1. Cor. 11. c the Supper of Christ / according to the Trueth For the Bread k Iohn 6. d from Heauen / is not with them for-that-For-that-cause also / they knowe not the Woord of Lyfe nor the Spirit of Agednes l Ephe 4. c. or of the Man Christ nor they m Esa 40. b Sap. 9 b Rom. â—â— â— 1. Cor 2. b vnderstand not his Death n Rom. 6. a Phil. 3. b. nor his Resurrection nor the Counsayle of God nor-yet the Wisdom nor the Christianitee 4. Seing then that they haue not receaued the Bread of Lyfe froâ— Heauen neither are o Ier. 14.23 c sent by God nor by Christ and are Straingers from the secret Counsayle of God and vnderstande p Sap. 9. b 1. Cor â— b. nothing-at-all of the godly Things / How shoulde they then be able rightly to minister the Beginings q Heb. 6. a of the christian Doctrine or the Christian-ceremonyes / wherwith the vpright Righteousnes is requyred 5. Veryly they haue not the louely Feete of the r Esa. 25. b. Nahu 1. b. Rom 10. b Messengers / which com from the Hill of the Lorde they bring also no good Message they publish not the Peace neither do they likewyse make-manifest the Saluation that auayleth before God but they are quyte darkened in their Vnderstanding / through s Rom. 1. c. Ephe. 4. c. the Blyndnes of their Hearts and through the Vnbeleefe that is in them Therfore are they all likewyse / Ianglers Stryuers and Contenders against one-another / for the Ceremonyes and for the litterall Scriptures cause and do make among each other / Disturbance and captiued Consciences chooseing priuate t Rom. 10. a Col. 2. c. Righteousnesses vnto themselues / according to the Good-thinking of their owne Hearts The III. Chap. FOrasmuch then / as that the Kingdom of Peace / is â out of Grace a Math. 11. c 13. c. 1. Cor. 2. b. Ephe. 1. b. Col. 1. c. reuealed and geeuen Vs to see-into in the Woord of Lyfe / through the Loue of God the Father / Therfore is not the Counsayle of God vnto vs now / to take-in-hand nor to vse anything of thatt which is past / according to Mens Imagination 2. Yet do we well perceaue this / that the former Seruices â at that tyme when they were ministred through the Woord of Lyfe and vsed out of the Trueth were profitable nodout / vnto Saluation and serued for an Hand-reaching b Gal 3. c. Heb. 6. a. 7. b or Gyding-in of the Little or Youngones of Vnderstanding / to the Woord of Lyfe Howbeit / now it is also well knowen vnto vs / that many Scriptur-learnedones do now striue and conteÌ„de their-about / in their good-thingking Knowledg / and vse much Disputing and Arguing about them And thatt woulde not God haue c 1. Cor. 7. b. For we are called vnto Peace 3. If wee then shoulde likewyse bring-in and vse the former Seruices â which are passed-thorow according to the Order and Opinion of the contentious Setters-foorth of Ceremonyes or Scriptur-learnedones and shoulde not declare the Requyring of the right Seruices and Ceremonyes / So shoulde wee haue then to stryue to contende and to dispute with Them 4. But no thatt is not our Seruice Wee haue all our Regard / to note what a louely Beeing in the Peace / the Word of Lyfe holdeth before vs / as a Light and do follow his Commaundement d Iohn 6. d. 1. Tess 4. a and Will and do labour after the attayning to thatt which the Ceremonyes do requyre or thatt wherunto they were ministred in tymes-past / To th end that our Seruice wherunto God hath called vs in these last Dayes / through the e 2. Timo. 1. b Tit. 1. a. Reuealing of the Coming of the Lorde Iesu Christ shoulde not be darkened f 2. Cor. 6. â— with any Intanglement 5. For God woulde not y t anyman shoulde stryue or contende for Seruices nor-yet for Ceremonyes but that eueryone shoulde bow g 1. Pet. 5. a. and submitt himself vnder the Obedience of the Loue / our mostholy God-seruice and shoulde receaue the Administration of the Counsayle of God / for a Lyfe of Saluation follow-after h Pro 4. b. 5 a 2 Timo. 3. b. thesame Counsayle and so shoulde â out of the Beginings of his simple Chyldhod increase in the christian Doctrine or Ministration of the Loue â–ª or grow-vp therin i Ephe. 4. c. to the Age of the Mâ—n Christ that is till that the Loue haue a liueing Foorme in him not looking-about after thatt which is past but haueing regard k Phil. 3. b. vnto thatt which is to com that is to the Inheritance of the Peace / to the Saluation of the Soule 6. But if anyman be mynded heer-against or resteth self-wyse and wil alledg much out of the Scripture / with his darke Vnderstanding / hee shall burthen his owne Conscience intangle his Senses and Thoughts and not fynde the Refreshing of his Mynde nor the l Act. 3. â— Comfort of his Soule The IIII. Chap. FArdermore thou testifyest / that thou vnderstandest not certen Sentences which are rehearsed in the Testimony of the Mediation of Christ and seemest to affirme ther-out / that thatt which the Prophet Esaias a Esa. 7â— 11 hath spoken of Christ / shoulde be only of Christ / that was to com b Math. 1. â— Rom. 1. a. 1. Tim. 2. â— in the Flesh. 2. Thatt is suerly very-right But not as thy Mynd conceaueth it Therfore consider of the Meaning and vnderstand what I wryt vnto thee For this do I testifye vnto thee as a Secret of God that the Woord of Esai / is a liueing Woord