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
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
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
are all Idol-services 22. Forasmuch then as the services and ceremonies of the vain minded people which are ministred in their estranging from Gods true righteousnesse cannot bewitch our hearts whilest that we are not nor may not be made partakers of their vain perverse and corrupt life with the heart neither do suffer our selves to take pleasure in such things q 1 Cor. 10 how should their outward services and ceremonies simply of themselves be in any wise unto us a forbidding of the Lord or any idolatrous service r Iohn 4 For God is a Spirit and in the Spirit maketh known unto us that he beyond all and above all desirefh Å¿ Deut. 6.10 Mat. 22 only our hearts and that therein as in his living Temple he will t Lev. 26 Ezek. 37 Iohn 14 2 Cor. 6 Apo. 21 live and dwell and onely in the same be served and honored in all upright righteousnesse and holinesse 23. Therefore mark this ground and consider in your understanding to what purpose God commandeth to be obedient unto his services and ceremonies which are administred out of his vvord of life and wherefore the heathenish services and ceremonies be against God and how that the right God-services and ceremonies do cleave and are knit to the good life and upright being of the living God and the right Idol-services and idolatrous ceremonies do cleave and are knit to the corrupt life and word of vain imagination 24. Now if ye mark this according to the truth then shall ye well understand how or in what sort u Mat. 15 23 Rom. that the outward services of the heathen or uncircuncised be esteemed least of before God and how also that the outward Ordinances of God are the smallest services in the service of his Saints and that God doth most of all regard that we through his Ordinances and ceremonies be joyned unto him and so then according to the requiring of his ceremonies x Deut. 6 Mat. 22 love him with all our hearts and our neighbour as our our selves and y Iohn 17 know him as a true God how that he only is the Lord and the everlasting life 25. Neverthelesse it is unto me wel known that sundry speeches go about among the children of men wherewith they despise and blaspheme our godly testimonies and according to their conceit out of the Scripture or Letter or out of the imagination of their knowledge do alledge much there-against saying this is Gods commandement hereby must we abide or this is Gods forbidding who can say against it 26. It is true concerning the outwad they can out of the Scripture speak very much do make therewith much z Rom. 16 division strife and discord among each other but they seldom think or consider that they ought to come in the spirit to a Joh. 5 that which the Scripture pointeth unto 27. Oh that they all knew the right meaning of the commandement or forbidding of God according to the truth then should the strife for outward things be soon ended and laid down 28. But look into the matter ye dearly beloved whether it goeth not now also as it did heretofore with the Galathians when many of them were bound with the outward circumcision b Gal. 3 5 6 whilest certain caused themselves to be circumcised supposing out of the testimonies of the Scripture according to the letter that the same although notwithstanding it was not administred unto them out of the Word of life under the obedience of the belief was yet a commandement of the Lord such as according to the letter men were necessarily to keep but inasmuch as they distinguished not the services and ceremonies which were administred unto them out of the Word of Life from the services which were administred unto them out of the letter without the word and light of Life neither had the sight of the living commandement of the Lord or of God nor yet discerned or knew the same from the commandement according to the letter therefore were they c Gal. 3.5 lead away with the outward from proceeding in the spirit and were very miserably bewitched with the outward because they thought that even the salvation of souls lay therein 29. On the other side there were also many among the Corinthians that d 1 Cor. 3 made conscience and counted it for an abomination to buy eat or use the offering of the Idols after the manner of the heathens ceremonies supposing that Gods forbidding and the hurt of souls lay in the outward ceremonies of the heathen and that of themselves alone they were Idol-services But what I pray you is there on the one side or on the other or in any such like that concerns us 30. Verily in case we be come to the knowledge of the truth and to the right discerning of this difference then we know that all the outward services of the heathen so that the heart stand free from them are not of force to e Mat. 15 desile the inward man f Cor. 4 Gal. 4 in vvhom Christ hath his form 31. Also there consisteth in them alone neither salvation nor condemnation such as God respecteth For look what the heathen or the vain minded uncircumcised people do observe as concerning their God-services that is their ignorance g Eph. 2.4 because they know not the true God neither do hunger nor thirst after his upright righteousnesse 32. In case then that we be come to the true knowledge h Iohn 17 of the living God the which is our calling and do from the heart love his life of righteousnesse in the spirit shall we then say and in such an ignorance rest perswaded that the God-service after the heathenish manner should be any thing or that it were the very Idol-service it self that be far from us 33. We confesse before God and his truth and before all that believe thereon that there is i Cor. 8 no outward Idoll nor any outward Idol-service in heaven nor on earth but that there is one onely God whose God-service requireth the upright righteousnesse and likewise reacheth to the k Heb. 8.9 ministration of the spiritual and heavenly goods in the living being of God according to the spirit wherethrough all things are out of the same his spiritual heavenly ministration in the spirit preceedeth l Iohn 17 Eph. 4 the upright righteousnesse the unity of the heart in the love the true God-service on the earth whose Altar is m Heb. 9 not made with mens hands but is prepared of God from the beinning of the world for evermore on the other side we confesse that all the God-services Gods of the heathen are but vain n Ier. 10 mockeries for nought els to be respected then for a foolish inchantment in the ignorance wherewith the vain hearts which know nothing of God nor of his Law are bewitched and tied 34. Whilest then the
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
sought nor desired any other thing but the salvation of men in the love The Lord of his mercy vouchsafe us to find grace in his sight e Psal 86 lead us in his wayes for to clense our hearts by f Psal 51. Act. 15. his righteous spirit and by faith to the end we may know him in the truth and be defended from all the errors and abominations of the wicked world 5. Behold and awake g Eph. 5. in the spirit of your minds lay hold of understanding look to your selves h 1 Joh. 2. and let not the errors of this world delight you I cleare my self this day before you all and before all those that willingly desire or be minded to error or to the wicked world that my Councel and will is not so 6. If any man therefore take pleasure or be addicted to the world or to her vanity and abominations and do desire to fix his heart thereon The same erreth through the pleasing of his own mind But as for me I cleare my self of his destruction 7. For lo I have out of the inclination of love called and bidden you all out of the abominable World unto conversion to God and unto Repentance and unto Amendment and have herein warned you all sufficiently I have distingtly shewed you as much as I might do and saw necessary both death i Deut. 11 Jer. 21. Eccl. 15. and life destruction and preservation I have witnessed and pointed forth the God of life which hath made Heaven and Earth his Statutes k Deut. 4 and Ordinances which stand fast for ever wherein all the upright Fathers have lived and which all Gods Prophets have born witnes of I have also distinctly marked out Therefore shall no man that heareth or readeth our writings be able to l John 15 excuse himself as though that we have hidden the Councel or Will of God from him in any thing 8. Nevertheles if there be any greater God then the God of Israel which hath made Heaven and Earth If there be now any better Law or Ordination then his Law m Deut. 4 Or better Statutes and Ordinances then Gods Statutes and Ordinances according to his Ordination If there be any perfecter life then the n 1 Cor. 13 Col. 3. 1 John 4. love as is witnessed by his Christ for through the very same was o John 1. the life aforetimes published which is everlasting and on that same or to that same everlasting life is even our service and pointing also Or if thre be any thing in any body or if any man hath any better thing that excelleth the everlasting life and the Love which we bear witnes unto let him manifest the same unto us or let it out of Love be known unto us to the unity of heart in the Love even as we to the self same unity do witnesse manifest and publish the everlasting life and his righteousnesse of the Love and of the upright being 9. Or if any man perswade himself that he knoweth some better thing which pointeth nearer or clearer to the Almighty than the holy Spirit of the Love and of th everlasting Truth doth testifie and point unto us by which Testimonies he p Ioh. 14. bringeth and leadeth us into all Truth Let the same man make himself apparent unto us under the obedience of the Love with an unpartiall mind and not withhold from us the most best for to serve in the unity of heart in the Love as is said in upright godlinesse the living God onely For even thus standeth our whole heart affected 10. Hereunto be ye now all armed and well disposed O ye lovers of the Truth Beware that ye sleep not q Rom. 13. Eph. 5. seeing it is now a time to Watch but awake in the Spirit and abide in any wise in the Hope untill ye see the light to the life your salvation 11. Make not hardly any light account of it cast it not with the unregarding ones in the wind but have respect alwaies unto the good and this service of the Love shewed on you which is in Letters described and ministred unto you to a godly life stretching to the Love turn not aside from you but take r Deut. 6. Prov. 4. the same to heart and grow therein to an upright being of the Love And so then shew your unpartiall service towards one another according to the upright nature and being of the Love For the Love to the unity of the brotherly nature requireth such things to the intent that the everlasting true God might in such upright Å¿ Eph. 4. righteousnes and holines as pleaseth him and in the establishment of his promises onely be observed and the earth likewise t Esa 60.61 2 Pet. 3. with righteousnesse faithfulnesse and Truth be inhabited Towards this let us go forward in a meek spirit If ye hear any thing that soundeth unto you strange or v Hos 8. absurd in your eares yet be not bitterly minded but follow after long suffering and blaspheme nothing 13. Let every one which is not to be spoken to or to be councelled runne to an end with his understanding and grow ye up in stilnes and singlenes of heart x Sap. 9. Jam. 1. praying God for Wisdom and for an upright sight in the Truth But tie not your hearts unto any thing save onely to the good life of the Truth y Ioh. 8. For that shall make you free 14 Above all things ye beloved z 1 Cor. 14. Col. 3. follow still after the Love For there neither is nor shall be any thing that may excell her a Deut. 6. Mat. 22 1 Cor. 13 1 Tim. 1 The Love is the cheefest good the Truth a light to the life and the Righteousnes our joy Hereunto let our hearts be affected for herein standeth the praise of the Lord. 15. Thus let us forsake all bewitching of the Spirit and depart from the evill and increase or grow up in the good And that all in stillnes and in the hidden wisdom of God For the time peradventure will yet a little while remain troublous to speak freely before all people of the Truth and godlines For at this time she is b Esa 59. 3 Esd 14. yet with the World much too base but love and esteem ye her so much the more and gather ye her to your selves for a treasure in your hearts 16. All what the wicked world loveth all the enormities and abominations that the Ministers of the wicked world do gather in their hearts and all the envy contentiousnes strife of the obstinate Teachers against us and our most holiest service of the Love cast and hurle them all out of your hearts and inwardly have nothing to do with them For their inwardnes is full of vanity falshood and malieiousnes and their joy is onely in their foolish knowledge and in the earthly and transitory things 17. But let
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
or knowledg until that he were endowed and illuminated in his spirit through the obedience of the requiring of the serviceable Word with the eternal and living [k] 1 Iohn 1 Word of God the Father and (l) Iohn 15 and 17 Ephes 3 2 Pet. 1 incorporated to the upright and lovely Being of the Love of Jesus Christ 4. Whilest then that the man is so unmindful of this and bringeth forth always so presumptuous boldly out of his good-thinking prudency or industry and out of the imagination of his knowledg his own word counsel and will so much and manifoldly witnesseth forth the same for truth and even so according to his manly wisdom out of the mind of his flesh goeth on therewith and because he thinketh that his cause is right willeth nor desireth not any thing else so must I other-whiles let the man alone or suffer him to go forth therein for a season waiting when he will come to a better mind and behold with long-suffering how it will go with him 5. Therefore for the Peace's Cause to â—he end that I would not contend with any man I keep often silence among many and let passe in my patience and long suffering all false witnessings against me and even so abide waiting for the right time (m) Ecl. 3 wherein the gracious Word of Truth the Discipline or Chastising erudition might be gladly hearkened unto and beleeved of the Man to reform the Man even so in convenient time with long suffering and to prevent him with the upright Wisdom and holy Understanding if happily he might by that means be found worthy of the Grace that the Lord would open unto him the Door of the upright (n) Eph. 1 Understanding and give him yet once to understand that he ought to keep silence and become utterly dumb in himself and first of all to hearken unto the upright serviceable Word of the holy Understanding that cometh forth (o) Isaiah 2 Micah 4 out of the holy Jerusalem and leadeth in unto the Godliness to shew forth upright fruits of Repentance to give over himself to become obedient thereunto and even so to become (p) Eph. 4 taught o bediently in the upright Wisdom of the lovely Being and in the holy Understanding of the Godliness and so then to testifie thereof 6. O that the Man gave himself to stilness also had regard with diligence and fervency and that (q) Mat. 11 in humble manner to the service of the gracious Word under the obedience of the Love and desired to do the (r) Psal 40 Acts 9 Will of the Lord so should he then verily learnwell to note or perceive wherein the Lord hath placed his Heart Being and Minde and wherein He hath declared or revealed himself together with his Light Word Spirit and Truth And that it is also wholly the Will of the Lord that Men (Å¿) Isa 42 Mat. 3 17 should hear and believe his Word Spirit and Truth there-out and that Men ought also to assemble them as obedient (t) Iohn 8 1 Peter 1 Iames 1 Disciples of the Word thereunto 7. If now the Man once marked and understood this same aright so should he then also verily if he had a (u) Psal 40 Acts 9 lust to doe the Will of the Lord endeavour himself with good will thereto and even so become assembled therewith turn his hearing to the same and out of the sound of the witnessings of the same (x) Pro. 4 take to heart the wisdom of Instruction and even so growing up therein to the (y) Eph. 4 old age of the Man Christ learn there-out to speak rightly the holy (z) Wis 1 2 Understanding â—f the godly Wisdom 8. For verily the true Jerusalem which in Times past descended in sumptuous and gorgeous garnishing (a) Apoc. 21 from Heaven and where-out the Word of the Lord is (b) Isa 2 25 Ier. 31 Micah 4 promised to go forth is risen up therein with his glistering Clearness In which Jerusalem the holy Hill of Sion where-out the Law of the Lord is promised to go forth and whereon the (c) Lev. 26 2 Cor. 6 Apoc. 12 15 21 Isaiah 2 Micah 4 Temple Tabernacle or House of God is builded becometh exalted above d all Hills and manifested to be a Nurce of the Children of Jerusalem 9. And that same heavenly State with all that is of one Being therewith is verily the (e) Luke 17 Rom. 14 peaceable Kingdom and Mercy-seat of all Beleevers in CHRIST the which is from the Grace of God come unto Us now in the (f) Isa 16 Heb. 5 last time according to the Promises 10. In which undisturbable and fast-stablished Kingdom (g) Rom. 14 Apoc. 12 that is come unto us full of Peace and full of all spiritual and heavenly Goods all holy Soules and godly Understandings do (h) Isa 35 51 60 61 65 66 Ier. 23 31 33 live and inhabite with all Triumph Glorâ— and Christian Joy free and without anâ— Fear and there-unto also all Men thâ— are good of wil to assemble them thereto are called and lovingly bidden 11. Oh that the Man understood this same aright i Deut. 32 Isaiah 48 So should he then assuredly with all good-willingness of his heart k Heb. 5 humble himself before the Throne of Grace and soveraign Majesty of God take heed unto the Word of the Lord there-out hear beleeve and good-willingly obey the same honour laud praise and thank that same God which hath prepared all this for us which also liveth from everlasting to everlasting l Apoc. 4 7 and sitteth upon the seat of his Majestie and spread abroad every where the great Acts and wonderful works of God as also rejoyce him with great Joy for that such a Throne of Grace and Saving-health is now in these last perillous times appeared come and declared m Apoc. 21 out of the heavenly Being upon the Earth unto the Children of Men n Luke 2 which hope on God and on the Comfort of his Salvation and that also therethrough the o Mat. 6 Luke 11 will of the Lord is accomplished on Earth as in Heaven CHAP. VI. O Ye Children of Men consider well now hereon and have a good regard thereto and take the same yet once effectually a Deut. 4 Prov. 4 to heart namely how that presently out of this very Throne of Grace which is appeared and come unto us now in the last Time in the most holy of the true Tabernacle of God to an everlasting Stool of Grace b Apoc. 21 upon the Earth the Glorv of the Lord becometh manifest and his c Isaiah 2 Micah 4 Law Word and Will according to his godly Truth expresly witnessed 2. For that cause have now a distinct Diversity in whom Gods Spirit and his Word is revealed or manifested and in whom it is yet unrevealed 3. For consider where God
with his Christ and Spirit hath his d Iohn 1 17 Apoc. 21 Dwelling in any one and bringeth forth his secret Treasures of the Heavenly Goods thereout even there is then truly his Wisdom e Wis 1 7 to be found and also the Counsel of God according to the Truth And not by the Strangers nor by the Disobedient unto the Word nor yet by the good-thinking wise which separate themselves from us and our godly Doctrine neither yet by them whose Spirit is not in the conformity of being with us f John 3 Rom 8 begotten or born out of God but in the Separation against us out of the flesh of the earthly Being have a good respect hereunto 4. O ye Earthly Generations I mean ye earthly un-Godded Men that exalt and preferr your g Ier. 23 27 owne Word which notwithstanding is meer lies so highly and hear and believe the same so gladly also alwaies desire to follow after your own Counsel which notwithstanding is a meer seducing and deceit and to be obedient thereunto and will even so out of your Darknesse which is doubtless nothing else but the cursed Kingdom of h Apoc 17 Hell and the Possession or Habitation of all Divels and wicked Spirits it self judg so gladly the Light of Gods Truth and the Children of Light Ah beloved consider yet once in what Being and Nature ye are comprehended and then judge from whence your word and Spirit is or hath his Original where-with ye will judge and speak forth i Isaiah 38 Jer. 11 the Divine Matters and from whence also ye fetch your Counsel which ye without Gods Counsel wherewith we are of one Being so earnestly ensue or follow after k 2 Pet. 2 Iude 1 according to your own Minde of the Flesh and where-out likewise ye execute the Judgment with the which ye judge the Testimonies of the Light and the Children of the Love or of God 5. Behold herein now and according to this manner pronounce forth boldly the Judgment l Iohn 8 1 Cor. 11 over your selves and give testimony of your own selves what ye your selves in your disobedience to the Requiring of the Word are or may be reckoned for As likewise of your own Word which ye speak there-out for I commit therein the matter unto your selves to judge 6. O ye Children of Men seeing that ye judge another and all things so gladly or willingly so judge now once also your selves Ah beloved do I pray you even so for I have now given the matter into your own hands to judge 7. Thus look well rightly into your selves and then pronounce forth m Iohn 8 1 Cor. 11 according to the Truth the Judgment or Sentence over your selves what ye your selves all are according to your inward Man and truly when ye once begin to see aright into your selves then shall ye for certain find in your selves that ye are noâ— minded according to Gods Nature oâ— Being But according to the Nature of a corrupted and earthly consumable or mortal Man And that your Word and Spirit and all your Will and Counsel n 1 Cor. 2 Iames 3 is out of the Flesh of Sin o John 8 and out of the Lyes of Darkness 8. For so long as ye yet live in the p Rom. 8 13 1 Pet. 4 Flesh of Sin and that ye are not through the Doctrine of the Testimonies of the holy Spirit of the Love of Iesus Christ restored neither prepared to the New Birth in Jesus Christ in your Spirit and Understanding nor yet humble you there unto and that ye are not q Mat. 13 taught with the Administration of the Gracious Word under the Obedience of the Love to the Kingdom of the God of Heaven or that the same is not come unto you in your Obedience unto the Word and Service of Love r Apoc. 12 21 in your Spirit and that ye even so direct the course or forth-going of your life without the Service of the Love and his Requiring So is then doubtless all your Word Spirit and Counsel proceeding out of the Imagination of your Knowledge s Rom 8. 1 Cor. 2 Iam. 3 no otherwise minded but earthly devilish and fleshly and ye have not any sight nor knowledg at all of Gods Matters or Causes nor of the Kingdom of God according to the heavenly Truth It is very true CHAP. VII HArken harken [a] Psalm 37 Isaiah 30 Hold you still before the Seat of Gods Majesty O ye children of men and give ear diligently for there cometh now forth from the same Seat [b] Psalm 18 Apoc. 4 Lightenings Thunders and Voyces yea even now the Lord letteth himself be heard upon the earth and He the highest God which sitteth upon his Seat and liveth for ever and ever [c] Isaiah 26 Micha 1 speaketh now out of his holy Dwelling 2. Have now therefore a good regard unto the particular Unfolding or distinct Definition of the same sound of the Voyce of the Lord For thus saith the Lord or in this manner soundeth his Voyce 3. Your own Word O ye children of men is the [d] Ier. 7 8 9 14 23 27 Ezek. 13 Lye which seduceth you 4. Your own Understanding is the destroying and corrupt Knowledg wherethrough ye in your judging miss the Right and the Truth and for that cause bear a false [e] Pro 11 20 Mich. 6 Ballance 5. Your own fore-cast or conceiving will and counsel is the falshood of your mind which beguileth you in such sort that your steps by that occasion cannot be upright before me saith the Lord. 6. Your own Being or false mind of darkness is the [f] Apoc. 2 and 17 Kingdom of Hell to a [g] Mat. 12 Luke 11 dwelling for all Devils and false Spirits where-through ye with feignedness and covering of shame and with divers manner of self-mindedness are held captive [h] Rom. 7 or brought in subjection yea so captived that it is very painful and cumbersom unto you to make manifest your selves uncoveredly or nakedly before the Seat of my glorious Majesty and for that cause also ye obtain [i] Apoc. 3 little lust and love to the Kingdom of Heaven the which is the upright Being and Mind of the everlasting and [k] 1 Pet. 2 unchangeable Light wherein I saith the Lord [l] Lev. 26 2 Cor. 6 Apoc. 21 live and dwell as an eternal and living God 7. Behold saith the Lord to live [m] Iohn 14 and dwell in all your Inwardness with this same Light and Clearness that is my [n] Mat. 6 22 Righteousness rindx and also the Righteousness of my godly Kingdom But here-out saith the Lord ye thrust Me and keep Me off dayly with your own Word and Will and abide even so with your fleshly Will always deviled and devilishly minded and think very little that I have loved you so intirely
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
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
of truth for there is no right Spirit of truth nor wisdome without the love 58. Wherefore every thing which is m Amos. 8. decayed or broken down must even now through the love and her service be set up again and all that straieth and is dispersed must again be gathered together nEzek 34. Mic. 4. Soph. 3. through the love and her service namely all those that hope for the Salvation of the only body of Christ for that is the promise to the children of the Testament in the o Jer. 23.30 31.33 Joel 2. last time in the which God will magnifie himself against all heathen or uncircumcised ones 59. This hath God in former times promised and he will perform it for his holy names sake p Ezek. 38. Mic. 5. to make it known and honorable far and wide that his honour and Sanctuary q Psal 74. Dan. 8. may no longer be trodden down but may appear pure and clear and he will shew in the last time how that he onely is the Lord and that his office work and doing is not bound nor tyed to mens working but that he performeth the same according to his will and pleasure 60. O how happy is he which is r Esa 5. Rom. 12. not wise in his own conceit neither is with any spirituall Å¿ Deut. 12. Jer. 7. imagination bewitched tied or bound but in the sin is daily against himself and loveth not the evill but is well-affected to the love and so t Luk. 21. possesseth his soul with patience till the promises of Almighty God that he might live unto God in all truth CHAP. IX 1. A Complaint over the greatest sort of People that neither regard nor expect the promises of Gods Righteousnesse out of the love but set up a righteousnesse of their own as being perswaded that the same is of God 15. The abuse of marriage 22. The middle wall 25. Shame to disclose the inward evilnesse 33. A Prediction of calamity to come upon the conceited wise 34. None can come to the new Man or Kingdom of God but by the love BUt who hath regard hereunto who thinketh on the righteousnesse which God esteemeth 2. Doth not the most part of people intend to set up their a Rom. 10. own righteousnesse 3. Who thinketh on the Communion of Saints b Ioh. 6. whom God the Father draweth to justification through Jesus Christ in the love 4. Doth not every one which is come or risen up before the love seek to gather a private Congregation to himself to advance his own word and with contention to stick to the same not thinking that the Lord shall c Esa 66. himself bring forth through his Word and service of love and that his Salvation shall come from his right hand and that so through himself he will bring forth unity in the love and his children d Esa 66. out of Sion according to the word of his promise 5. But who looketh after it who longeth for it who dependeth upon Gods promises that in time to come they shall be established who hungreth or thirsteth after it who thinketh on the comfort of Israel and upon the consolation of Juda 6. Every one supposeth without fail that he hath the blessing of God already and that there is for to come no more then is present with him or which he himself passeth forth in 7. Herein do the conceited Christians comfort them and cheer up themselves among each other but they have catcht an hand full of wind and do make themselves glad with chaffe 8. They thresh the straw e Esa 33. and crush it very hard but what availeth it in their binnes f 4 Esd 6. shall no bread be found nor any corn in their barns yea such things shall come upon them from the Lord and for their stoutnesse cause shall not bide away 9. Many of them cry also now we have it we have it we are the Congregation of Christ we are Israel Lo here it is Lo there it is this is the truth that is the truth g Mat. 24. Mar. 13. Luk. 17. here is Christ there is Christ 10. But when Christ shall shew himself h Mat. 24. Luk. 17. even as the lightning ariseth from the East and shineth unto the West then shall their own word which now is one with them be clean against them because they have not esteemed the love wherein the truth of God or Christ is sealed for ever 11. Moreover divers have gathered many people or companies every where together by sentences of Scripture and with glistering knowledges terming them by the name of Christ and by the name of Israel but the love they have shut out at doors and thereof had least respect and regard 12. For who standeth now in the love to the end i Deut. 6.10 Mat. 22. to cleave fast to the God of Life and to love him with his whole heart soul and thoughts and besides to love another as himself that God who only is the Lord might be their arm fortresse and strength 13. Is not every mans eye that accounteth not God for the only Lord fixed upon k Ier. 17. flesh and bloud or upon the vain corruptible created things in this world and doth not every one set his assurance on the same doth he not count it for his arm or strength 14. And thus living in such love to the corruptible things and in that false considence every one loveth his own self and l Esa 29. Ezek. 33. Mat. 15. with his heart turneth from the Lord and so passeth on his errour and merrily singing m Tob. 13. Apo. 19. Alleluia even as though that God had his delight in such abomination and that Jerusalem were likewise builded up and lay no longer trodden down 15. In such a show or simulation and in such pleasure of their own conceit not having n Ioh. 5. the love of God nor bearing the Law of the Lord o Ier. 31. Heb. 8.10 in their hearts they betake themselves to marriage with bold courage bringing forth their children p Ose 5. in the unrighteousnesse and account that same for pure wedlock ordained of God the which yet among them is but meer adultery q Ezek. 16.23 and impudent whoredom 16. For consider who is now I pray you within the right matrimony or conjunction of man and wife 17. Was it not expedient that Gods Law and will r Psal 40. Esa 51. Ier. 31. should be in the mans heart and that so the same man should in his will and disposition cleave unto that God which hath made heaven and earth In like manner ought not the woman also to follow the man and with the like disposition Å¿ Eph. 5. cleave only to the mans will and so in her heart bear that which concerneth God or at least labour hope and long after it and in that sort bring forth her
they must all submit them to the love and be reformed in herservice otherwise they can never although in their imagination they know perceive and com prehend all things come to the new man u Joh. 3. nor to the Kingdome of God for the love is only it wherein every thing which is the truth and wisdome of God is comprehended She x Col. 3. 2 Tim. 1. is also the band or establishing of the perfection 36. Whilest the sove then hath every thing which is of God Christ or Truth contained or included in it therefore might some man demand shal we then let the Scriptures passe O no God forbid but men are not to use them for the knowledge nor to the end to teach them forth historically but to the intent they may give regard to such an upright spirit or life as is set forth therein or required thereby even as is y 3 Clas 24. partly also set forth and declared both of this and of the knowledge in the third book of the Glasse of Righteousnesse that so through comfort of the Scriptures we should to our rejoycing z Rom. 15. have our hope on the promises and on the foreshewing of God by his Prophets and by the Apostles of Christ who have prophecied of the healthful life which abideth sure in the love for ever and so passing on towards it in the belief a Rom. 4. give credit unto God that he in his promises is true 37. But it is to be lamented that the Scripture is by so few at this day discerned out of the understanding of the truth and of the love whereby to understand the same rightly according to the mind of God 38. True it is there is much written and divers have set forth many writings and have had much provoking of spirit and great inclination to teach howbeit every one severally according to the sight or knowledge that he hath had being in the state of the fall from God and in the estranging from his Salvation 39. But inasmuch as they were not come to the love and that their hearts were not inclined to the love in all things as they were to the spirit of their glistering knowledge and comprehension therefore did many of them erre and mistake for the mind of God b Deut. 6.10 Mat. 22. Rom. 13. and the fulfilling of the Scriptures is the love 40. And the same is c Col. 3. the perfection wherein every thing to a life and truth of peace standeth firm to our joy and d Eph. 1. to the praise of the glory of God to all and on all that hope upon it and long thereafter CHAP. X. 1. Great calamity shall come upon the children of Men because of the contentious knowledge 2. Knowledge and truth differ 5. The way of life clearly shewed 6. Yet through ignorance mistaken 16. A lamentation over mans ignorance 24. The author by his writings sheweth what is commendable and what is discommendable counselling to learn upright understanding and the speciall Vertues of the Love and to shun all disputing with the partiall FOrasmuch as the man is now perswaded that he himself with his cies of the Spirit doth so clearly and nakedly discern and understand the right as he cannot be deceived and for that every one which standeth in partiality is by his sight or spirit contentious howsoever each severall party maintaineth his own matter and defendeth the same to be of God and will in all things have the right onely and alone passe with his own matter and will not effect the love above all to the unity of heart therefore even through the same glittering in case they have not all their understanding captive under the obedience of the love there shall come horrible calamity upon the children of men in such sort that upon this earth they shall become an a 4 Esd 5. abhorring one to another for that every one standing stiffe in the knowledge and in the clearnesse thereof vvill not for the loves sake give over his own matter thinking that the truth ought not to give place 2. It is true indeed that the truth ought not to give place but betwixt the knowledge and the truth there is great difference for much knowledge which yet men call truth can easily arise out of the subtilty of wit but the truth of God proceedeth out of the love and is even of one being with the love 3. Therefore is the knowledge b 1 Cor. 13. divided and broken but the love is the truth c Ioh. 17. and the true being it self and the perfection 4. But alas this do not many of them know to wit that they should come to the love and so bear the love for a mark of the righteous Spirit and rejoyce them with the truth d Ioh. 17. 1 Ioh. 1. that same is the word of life which was spoken of according to the promises 5. Inasmuch now as I have noted and do yet at this present find so much boldnesse in men by reason of their knowledge and imagination of the truth whereon they are very stout and bold and yet for the most part it still faileth them of the truth and love and for that the right way to the true life and the loves nature is thereby missed of many And seeing moreover that the right way and entrance into the true life and into the loves nature is by Gods grace granted me to be seen into therefore have I out of the inclination of Love clearly and nakedly with uncovered words set forth the right way or entrance into the true life and the upright nature or being of the love in the Glasse of Righteousnesse distinctly noting the divine and the humane the spirituall and the naturall and what is decent and meet to be used for a discerning which is the establishing of the promises of God according to the Scripture that both Gods righteousnesse and mans righteousnesse might be knowne and that we likewise in an inclination of love might with consenting minds passe forth towards the same 6. But alas what availeth it any man that one point him out a good way and an even and plaine path if he walk not in the same nor have no liking thereunto 7. What availeth it to knock and in divers manners to call if there be no ears to hear nor any understanding to comprehend or to understand the same nor any heart to imbrace such things 8. Or how shall one be able I pray you to declare conveniently unto such a man his error and the entrance into the good life that he might rightly regard and understand wherein his salvation consisteth whereby he might be delivered from the bewitching of his heart and so know what right is to the intent he might once comprehend understanding rightly 9. If a man say unto him the increase and the blessing e 1 Cor. 3 cometh only of God f Prov. 2. Sap. 8. Eccl. 1. he
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
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
Christ upon hope and confidence of his coming for an holy annointing and for an upright freedom in Jesu Christ unto him 37. Who so therefore readeth these sentences in the first book let him observe thereby what they require and how they sound namely that those which desire to come to the blessednesse and freedome of Christ must h Rom. 6 Gal. 3.4 be at the first servants or Disciples of the righteousnesse deny and forsake themselves for Christ his sake and alwaies long to come to the true obedience of the righteousnesse in all love i 1 Glas 7. not according to mens imaginations but according to Gods calling that so they might live k Iohn 8 Rom. 6 free in the righteousnesse of God and not in the sinne nor as servants of men this same is there distinctly set forth were it but rightly understood 38. But who so hath regard to his own liberty and not to the calling of his salvation nor in the obeying of the foregoing Service l Rom. 6 13. Eph. 4. Col. 2.3 1 Pet. 2.4 to the mortifying and laying away of the sinne in the flesh doth not take heed to the same that so he may be incorporated to the good spirit of Christ the same man erreth not onely from the doctrine of the Word after the manner of men but also from the wisdome of the truth of God and so getteth a delight in his own understanding in such sort that he neither hearkeneth longeth nor careth for the good any more but hath a desire to error and perversity 39. Oh! it is sure very lamentable that the man out of such a mind cleaveth to the unrighteousnesse or else chooseth another calling and practiseth a selfe-made humility m Col. 2. or spiritualnesse and careth not for Gods promises nor establishing of his VVord n Luke 1 Acts 3 in such a sort as God hath heretofore spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets from the beginning of the world CHAP. XVI 1. Of the saying that men should be impartiall how it ought to be understood 12. How the Common Love is profitable to impartiality 16. Of those that are outwardly just unto men but unjust before God 22. Of such as think themselves to be impartiall because they regard no outward Religions and in the meane space with-hold from God that which is his 28. Divers raile at all that observe any Religion 35. How we are to judge of all outward God Services and Ceremonies THere goeth also a sentence abroad among many whereof likewise much mention is made in our writings that according to the requiring of Christian Doctrine men should stand a 1 Cor. 3 impartiall 2. O ye deerly beloved erre not through any conceit of the imagination but have regard to the Word concerning the upright impartialnesse and if ye mark the same well you shall understand that men are to be impartiall in the truth and with those that witnesse the truth under the obedience of the Love to the intent that no man take part with flesh and blood but with the truth and be in the unity of the love b Rom. 12 15 1 Cor. 1 2 Cor. 13. Phil. 2 well minded to a like life of righteousnesse namely with all them that do under the obedience of the love witnesse and minister the gracious word of truth and be comprehended in the upright brotherly love 3. But men may not thus be impartiall with the world or with those that with heart and will do cleave unto the world that lie still in the vanity and sin and that are not believing nor desirous to obtaine any better thing no nor with the conceited wise nor with the maintainers of factious ceremonies c 2 Cor. 12 Gal. 3 1 Tim. 6. 2 Pet. 2. who are envyers blasphemers and evill speakers against the holy Word of Truth and of the service of his Love 4. Truly with such men are not to stand impartiall but with spirit and life to be against them utterly and yet to shew forth the upright nature of the love unto them if happily by some means they might be drawne to their preservation in the godlinesse unto the communion of the Love 5. But with the d Infra 18 lovers of righteousnesse as is aforesaid and likewise with the sinners such as cleave not by their will to the unrighteousnesse but do daily depart therefrom and have a servent desire to the righteousnesse under the obedience of the love men are to stand impartiall and to sticke fast unto that which is godly and that tendeth to the concord and peace 6. Therefore judge of the impartialnesse with understanding and put a difference between the godly life and the life of the world and try your selves if so be you know your selves 7. Look into your hearts observing whom you cleave unto desire and love how or with what manner disposition ye stand impartiall whether ye would rather suffer e Heb. 11. or indure disgrace reproach and contmpt with the Lovers of the Righteousnesse then cleave unto the honour voluptuousnesse and riches or ease of this world Oh! I feare that many of them boast themselves to stand impartiall with the truth who notwithstanding are altogether partially minded against the truth 8. Neverthelesse let no man take anie thing unto him out of any choosing whether it be out of loathing or of liking but let every one search his own heart how he findeth the same disposed examine once himself whether he stand impartiall rightly or not 9. And when the man hath seriously tried and proved himself herein in such sort that he knoweth assuredly how his heart standeth in case he wholly love God and his righteousnesse intend the truth in the Love with his whole soule and desire to deny and to forsake himselfe f Mat. 16. Luke 9.14 with all that is in the world for the godlinesse sake then shall he very well know and understand a difference between the cleavers to the world and those that from the bottom of their soules love the righeousnesse 10. Wheresoevea then any upright impartiall hearts are found and that they do shew forth under the obedience of the Love the praise of God the salvation of men and the truth out of the love of righteousnesse and do point none unto flesh and blood nor to any visible elements but only to the good life of the true essentiall Godhead and are thereunto serviceable to all men to all concord in the love of Jesu Christ with those are the Lovers of righteousnesse and truth to stand impartiall to the unity of heart in the love and so to have regard to the ministration of the godly testimonies of the holy spirit of the Love unto obedience for to walk in such a life of godlinesse as is pointed out and witnessed thereby and in that manner to grow up in the good g Eph. 2. Apo. 21 to an house or tabernacle of the living God or
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
he also do thus know Christ before he testifie or confesse much of him otherwise he knoweth not what he confesseth 28. Therefore we must first be turned unto Christ according to the Truth that is i Rom. 5. Gal. 5. 1 Pet. 1. in Hope through Faith unto the righteousnesse and so with good will stand firm thereunto in the beleef k Mat. 10. 16. Lu. 9.14 take up daily our crosse in the obedience of the holy Word of the Spirit of the love of Christ and follow him with patience in our souls to the salvation untill he obtain a l Gal. 4. Shape in us and his death m Gal. 6. of the crosse becom a joy unto us and so in the truth know him to the intent we might confesse him rightly 29. For the heart must be turned into him and he into our hearts and then may wee rightly confesse him with the mouth Or thinkest thou O thou man that this pleaseth God to speak of God sometimes n Mat. 7. with the mouth and so to confesse his Chirst not respecting among whom or to whom of whom a man knoweth nothing at all and whiles your o Isa 29. Mat. 15. heart remaineth so far estranged from Christ and from his upright Righteousnesss and Holinesse in the Spirit O no whosoever taketh it so shall be deceived therein 30. For if thine heart be not turned to Christ and his Service of love neither be inclined to the p 1 Thes 4 2 Thess 2 1 Pet. 1. sanctification in the Spirit and thou through the beleef of the truth dost not with inclination of the love q Eph. 4. grow up therein then is all thy faith and confessing unprofitable and unpleasing to God and his Christ 31. If thou therefore O man dost either despise or hast no regard unto that which is out of love held forth or witnessed unto thee thou shalt surely lament it at the last namely in those dayes when Misery shall fall upon thee and that thou shalt see the Triumph of the gloriousnesse of Christ r Jude 1. in many thousand Saints coming Å¿ Isa 43. 49. from the rising of the Sun and going down from the mid-day and from the North or mid-night and that they t Isa 51. 52.60.61.62 shall with gladnesse be assembled as a Kingdom of God their Father unto u Mat. 8. Abraham Isaac and Jacob and unto all the holy Prophets x Mat. 8. 25. Luk. 13. and thou then shalt finde thy self shut out of doors 32. And therefore now have ye all regard y Psal 51. Isa 57.66 Micah 6. to an upright heart and meek spirit according to the spirit or life of Christ and z Pro. 1. separate your selves from the wayes of all the uncircumcised and unbeleeving 33. Howbeit not outwardly with the body or with words a 1 Cor. 5. for then must ye go out of the world and abide in no place for the unbeleeving darknesses b Isa 5.9 60. 4 Esd 14. have covered the world every-where But c 2 Cor. 6. separate you from them with heart and spirit Beleeve the good in the love and become likewise a light in the Lord d Apo. 18. so shall ye not be partakers of their ungodlinesse 34. This write I unto you ye Deerly-beloved for this intent even to stir you up hereby to a pure minde and to that piety which God regardeth also for a warning of destruction to come and that ye may perceive how that men are to stand unpartiall according to the requiring of the Truth for to use well the e 2 Pet. 1. common love and to know the upright confessing of Jesus Christ whereby to understand so much as the Lord out of his grace permitteth us to see wherein the calling of our salvation consisteth to the intent that no man through misunderstanding or vain imagination deceive himself or be deceived by others 35. If now any man be drawn away f Gal. 1. or lead aside from this good understanding which we bear witnesse unto let such a one turn him again to the Good that his inclination to Gods requiring be not in vain and lament and bewaile his ignorance that the Lord may be gracious unto him and so apply himself with whole heart minde and will to the upright righteousnesse which in the Love abideth firm for ever CHAP. XIX 1. Of the common Saying They shall be all taught of God How it is mistaken and with what hurt 11. Who they are and how they order themselves that shall be taught of God THere goeth also a common Saying abroad amongst many and it is Scripture the which is recited in the first Book of the Glasse of Right cousnesse and also in many mo places of our Writings a Isa 54. Jer. 31. They shall all be taught aright of God and b Ezek. 11. 36. Joel 2. Acts 2. by his Spirit 2. Now whiles some that have heard and spoken of this Sentence understood not the Scripture nor rightly took heed to the sense of the Word therefore they have not explained the meaning of the Word aright 3. Also some that have heard it have let the counsell of the Word go and so are fallen into the sorgetting of the good turned away from the desire to the Righteousness and from the hope of Salvation according to the Promises and have sticked unto c Rom. 1. Epes 4. covetousnesse and lusts the snares of the confused world 4. Truly those that cleave to the Word and his Service of Love in such a sort and do so take and understand it they have conceived altogether amisse of the Word and his requiring and therefore they are d Rom. 1. Ephes 4. become vain in their understanding Insomuch that they forsake the Scriptures and Exhortations to the good all alike and do let the conversion to God and to his Righteousnesse utterly dye out of their hearts speaking thus with unrepentant hearts out of the vanity of their minde not discerning the upright understanding It must all come of God There is One that giveth all For it is God onely that can teach us Of him must we receive all and no men can give it us 5. This they say well and run yet neverthelesse forth as if there were no God nor Ministring of his Word that loved or required the Righteousnesse and do not once know nor consider the estranging or e Isa 1.59 falling from their God whereby to turn them again to him and his Righteousness and to shew repentance or f Matt. 3. Luk. 3. Acts 3. amendment for their sins and so in all humility to have regard to what purpose God hath given his Promises and annexed or ordained the Ministration of his Word under the obedience of the love therunto wherby they might receive of him the vertue of salvation For out of such a heart of humility g Isa 57.66 4 Esd
8. Eccl. 3. Jam. 4. 1 Pet. 5. the humble do always in God finde their salvation and not the stout hearts that do not esteem of Gods righteousnesse 6. O God! How dangerous a time is it now h 1 Tim. 4 2 Tim. 3 2 Pet. 3. Jude 1. in these last dayes through the misunderstanding of the children of men 7. What a number of false and venemous windes do there blow among the children of men to the hurt of their souls and to a drawing of them away from the Righteousnesse 8. Oh That there were in every one an hearty desire to the good then might they be protected and defended from the bewitching of the false windes which make the heart negligent to the upright Good and bring it either to the bewitched Humility or to the Lusts of the vain world 9. Therefore it is expedient to have a regard to Understanding i Prov. 1.2.3.4.8 to take heed to the Wisdom to esteem much of Godlinesse to account the upright Righteousnesse k Sap. 7.8 for the most precious above all Riches and to make choice of the Long-sufferance with the foresightfulnesse as Superintendents 10. This did the holy Fathers in times past give heed unto l Sap. 11. Eccl. 44.45 46. and so God taught them in his wisdome and preserved them that they were not partakers of the plagues of the ungodly 11. Wherefore let every one understand the meaning of the Word aright and take a right view that he may know who he is and how he ought to apply himself to be taught of God and to be endowed with his Spirit and what manner of people God will choose for his holy people 12. Truly not such m Sap. 1. as with their hearts cleave unto the world love the Evill n Pro. 1. and in all things let go the counsell of God Neither yet such o Mat. â— Luk. 17.21 as hang their Hearts in buying and selling upon coveteousnesse or p Rom. i 3 1 Cor. 10 in eating and drinking upon gluttony or in marrying or being married upon unchastnesse or upon any vain transitory rejoycing whether it be in building or in planting and who in all their doings doe not attend nor have regard unto the works of the Lord as it came to passe in the times q Gen. 7. of Noe and in the r Gen. 19 times of Lot 13. For all those whose hearts in the time of Noe clave not to Gods righteousnesse but had a Lust and gave over their hearts to the vain corrupt things they marked not the work of the Lord neither had any respect to the preservation of the Righteous nor yet feared the punishment which then was ready to come upon all wicked men Of all this they knew nothing till the Flood came upon them and tooke them clean away 14. Therefore understand and know the preservation of godly men in these last dayes and consider well the meaning who or which they are that shall be taught of God and in what course they walke the which we have in some measure expressed Å¿ 1 Glass in the first Book of the Glasse of Righteousnesse and doe here at this present expresse it namely they are those that t Mat. 5. have hunger and thirst after the Righteousnesse u Judith 8 Eccl. 2.3 that submit their souls to the obedience of the gracious Word and his Service x Luk. 18 and continue daily in prayer not in many words y John 4. Eph. 6. Phil. 4. but in the Spirit with desire to the Lord and his Righteousnes that they may obtain grace at the hands of God to live z Luke 1 in his righteousnesse with an upright heart and pure spirit 15. These are sorrowfull for their sins and sighing over them suffer not their souls to be quiet so long as they know or feele in themselves any vain or naughty Being which their hearts are tied or bound unto or so long as any thing in them doth reigne over them which is not GOD because they may not in all things serve their God onely 16. These that love the good Being from the heart doe seek in God to obtaine the same and doe labour and zealously endeavour thereafter a Deut. 4 Jer. 29. Mat. 7. Luk. 12. For they seeke and finde they knock and it is opened unto them they ask and receive not in presumptuousnesse as though God owed it them because of their seeking knocking and asking O no they looke not upon their own doings but labour onely for this even how to please the Lord giving themselves over thereunto with humble hearts according to the Spirit and acknowledge that they are not worthy of such Grace thus to be accepted and established in Gods truth and love 17. With such humble hearts doe they through the Love and her Service seek to find grace and peace at the hands of God the Father and not the subtile knowledge b 1 Cor. 6 which maketh the heart stout and lofty c Mat. 6. but they seeke above all and afore all things the Kingdome of God and his Righteousnesse The which are the gifts of God that God richly bringeth in the everlasting life unto such as worship and love him 18 For those that pray unto him for an upright heart and for a new and pure Spirit d Luk. 11 he doth not endow with an evill heart or a wicked spirit though sometimes the evill heart or unrighteous spirit make up it selfe there-against yet is the same taken away e Eph. 6. through the Beliefe in the Crosse or patience of Christ upon hope of the good that is for to come but they obtain faithfulnesse and truth f Luk. 11 and the righteous Spirit with an heart of meeknesse and love And that is Christ or the Anointed which is holy and teacheth right It is true 19. After this maner do they apply themselves that will bee taught of God and his Christ out of whom God will prepare him an g Tit. 1. acceptable people to be a remnant for himselfe in the destruction of the wicked world Yea it shall be a h Esa 41 Soph. 3. Luk. 12. poor plain people not after the outward sight of the eye but according to the hidden inward man such as hope on the Lord and in the Spirit relye and trust upon his Name And these same yea such doth God choose unto him for his people for to magnifie his holy Name in them for evermore 20. For consider ye beloved how should any man be taught of God or Christ that will not give eare to his teaching or counsell but doth as Gods enemy cleave unto and love the i Joh. 8.1 John 2. Devill and the World which do openly resist God 21. Therefore oughr the lovers of the Truth which hope for the salvation of the perfect Being utterly to put out of their hearts k Prov. 1 whatsoever concerneth the
vanity or misbehaviour and every thing which the heart contrary to God his Righteousnes is bound or tied with so much as in the Lord they are able and so to give over themselves to God that Gods goodnesse may have his place in them and not any ungodly Being 22. Also all lovers of the Righteousnes ought to l Eph. 4. reach the hand and to m Rom. 15. 2 Thes 5 Heb. 3.10 exhort one another to the same and so in one manner of Belief to strengthen each other towards salvation with a good courage n 2 Pet. 1 and to have regard to the sure propheticall Word to wit to the Service of the Love administred in his time to treat thereof o Act. 2.20 to break that same bread among each other in stilnesse and to persevere or abide stedfest in prayer till p Esa 25 2 Cor. 3. all coverings wherewith their hearts after the flesh or according to the visible are covered bee done away and that the pure or cleare that is to say the spirituall heavenly and uncovered Being of Christ q 2 Cor. 3. appeare and come in their spirit to the intent that so they might r 1 Joh. 4. 2 Cor. 5. know and cleave fast unto the living God and his Christ in the spirit even as he blessed may he be is a Spirit in all Love wherein the Law and the Gospel of the Kingdom and the doctrine thereof is Å¿ Rom. 15 Gal. 5. 1 Tim. 1. fulfilled might with all their understanding will and desire live the upright righteousnesse of God t Deut. 4 Mat. 22. and that God likewise may be the most best beloved and his Righteousnesse u Mat. 13. 2 Cor. 4. their most pretious Treasure worthy to be esteemed high above all 23. Whosoever now doe thus with an inclination to the same stand in a good will to them belongeth the blessing and happinesse promised of God to whom it is also promised x Psal 82. John 1. that they shall bee made the children of God and be blessed with the dew of his increase and be anointed for y Psa 45 Christians with the oyle of Love and of his Spirit or Christian nature yet not out of flesh and blood but out of the holy Divine Being 24. When the man therefore is thus joyned unto God then may he with God rightly possesse all things and understand and know whereout the horrible destruction cometh upon the Children of men 25. Wherefore the man should feare his God that he might come to the godly wisdom and might cleave unto that which is right and reasonable to the intent that he might not perish with the wicked 26. For wisdom z Pro. 8. Sap. 7. is much better then Gold and Silver Righteousnes much worthier and preciouser than all Pearles and precious stones and prudence much more honourable puissant and strong than all Castles Cities and Fortresses also mightier than the multitudes of the Armed The feare of God doth more quiet the heart in a little than do abundant Riches in all the pleasures and delights of the world It shall in his time be found and known to be even so 27. Unto this holy and divine wisdom apply ye your hearts ye dearly beloved and be ye warned in this dangerous time in which all foolishnes and ungodlines beareth sway whose end reacheth a Heb. 10 to the most horriblest destruction 28. For so it cometh which is for to come and all ungodly being shall make up it self and be astonied after that it shall b Esa 13. feare tremble and quake and be compelled in the beholding of his own destruction to suffer the vengeance of the fire but the godly shall obtain peace 29. Therefore take heed feare God stick fast to vertue humility and meeknes least ye remain in the ungodlines c Apo. 18 and be made partakers of her plagues 30. Watch d Mat. 24. Luk. 21. 1 Pet. 5. and pray and be reformed or justified and stand fast upon Gods promises 31. Observe your time e Gal. 6. unto sanctification f Jam. 1. and behold in you daily the spots of your spirit in the Glasse of Righteousnes and wash you g Esa 1. Jer. 4. Ezek. 36 John 3. with the cleane waters in the laver of the Love be purged in your spirit h Eccl. 2. in the Fornace of the lowlines of heart and so love that thing which is right and reasonable CHAP. XX. 1. The Author hath kept back nothing that is necessary to Salvation 5. And therefore eleareth himself of the Mans destruction 8. Yet if any do know any better thing he desireth that they will shew it out of love as he hath done 10. A Councel to all lovers of the truth how to behave themselves 19. Shewing them what God requireth 26. He willeth that men desire not to have all at once 30. Many ignorant beginnings have brought men into divers misunderstandings especially into security 39. From which he exhorteth to return with a new courage unto the seruice of the love 43. Of divers that are diversly disposed to errour Some to rest upon themselves some upon their Liberty some regard neither sin nor Grace some straiten themselves to get the promises and afterward grow inselent upon their own worthines 57. Whereof he willeth to beware BEhold ye beloved according to all that in my labour I have been able to do howsoever the same be plain and not to be compared to the stile of the subtile and flowred eloquence I cannot tell that I have according to the sight which is a Rom. 16 Eph. 3. Col. 1. 2 Tim. 1. revealed unto me out of Gods grace kept back any thing from the man that serveth or is needful for him to know either to his Salvation or else for a warning unto him of the present destruction and of that that is to come 2. Have regard to the time and respect an unpartial heart in the Righteousnes b Eph. 3. Be established in the love and be still mindful of the same 3. I have shewed my service out of the inclination of love howbeit I have written against none in particular but before all understandings indifferently I have weighed the equity c Esa 28 Eccli 21. in the ballance measured the Righteousnes with the Square and Line and described the Righteousnes in Letters according to the life the inward life out of God to wit his good nature I have expressed and the outward righteousnes of man have I not left out To the intent that it might all go rightly forward in the true Beeing and that no man might be bewitched or bound with any opinion or bewitching of spirit but that every one might according to the truth and in the love stand free in God 4. Lo God d Deut. 30. Act. 20. is my witnes and Heaven and Earth also that in all my writing I have neither
your hearts be full of the life and being of the true God-head and your joy onely in his righteousnes that therein ye may live in the Spirit and according to the Truth 18. Let it be a pleasure unto you that God becommeth Lord and King over all Have a desirous heart to the good to the same reach also c Eph. 4. one another the hand retaine no offence of mis-doing one towards another but exhort to amendment d Eccle. 28. Mat. 6. Col. 3. and forgive in the Love that so we may grow up with each other in one band of Love unto the godlines as a reconciled or e Tit. 2. acceptable people of the Lord through Iesus Christ such as have found grace and mercy at the hands of God the father for to inheâ—iâ— his promises to serve him with pure hearts in all love 19. Behold to be comprehended herein is the life which is everlasting and to reach one another the hand to the same godlines to exort to amendment of life and to retaine no man his sins is the f Hos 6. Matt. 9. Mercy which God requireth of us and not Sacrifices 20. He requireth Righteousnes and nates the ungodly being He sheweth his long-suffering towards them of good will g Esa 53. Heb. 2. and beareth their infirmity or weaknes as one that would not have any man to perish or to turn back 21. For a willing heart is a delight unto him and a broken or troubled Spirit h Psal 51. for his sins cause will he not despise 22. A good confidence towards his grace of a converting sinner is a joy unto him i Luk. 15. and it causeth also a joy in the heavenly Being 23. Therefore k Deut. 20. Esa 55. let no man be dismayed nor faint-hearted but let every one from the heart upon hope in the Beleef apply himselfe to the good and l Luk. 21. possesse his soule with patience unto the godly promises 24. Let no man take any yoak upon him out of his own choice least by some means of his unablenes he fall into a loathing towards the good but grow up by little and little and profit ye still from time to time 25. Keep alwaies what ye have go not m Apo. 2. back in any case that you loose not the Crown of Salvation Go still forward increasing in the good and in the knowledge of the holy understanding n Heb. 6. and so passe on towards the perfection 26. Neverthelesse desire not to have every thing at once but grow up in the good from the o Heb. 5. beginning of the Christian life That is from the repentance for sin p Matt. 3. to go on in amendment of life and to abide stedfast therein even to the q Matt. 24. end untill the true life of perfection That is r Eph. 4. untill the old age of the Man Christ The which is inwardly to obtaine the Love essentially 27. And that is the perfection of our godlines wherein we are to grow up from the begining of our turning to God and to the entrance of the first School-rule of the Christian Doctrine of the gracious Word and his Service of Love untill we be established in God and his true Love according to the Promises 28. If therefore any man love the good and his soul desire to inherit the same let him go thereunto with an humble heart and follow after it out of undetstanding that ignorance grieve not his soule 29. For there have been many in times past that would by force have all the righteousnes all at once and would feine according to their fancy consume and destroy the sin altogether by heaps but they have fallen into greater and grievouser sins 30. But in asmuch now as many beginnings are with lack of understanding taken in hand therefore divers men are become vnlustfull to the Å¿ Matt. 24. Righteousnes and have turned themselves back again and do cleave to the world and to her misunderstanding more than ever they did before 31. Divers others perceive no difference between the illuminated and vnilluminated Men and so whiles they are not yet illuminated themselves they give regard both to their own Imagination of the Knowledge also to the Precepts of unilluminated men because they trust upon such things suppose that in such sort all is well with them 32. They discerne not also the life from the death in their inwardnes nor yet the hearing t Pro. 4. of Councel Doctrine whereby to draw near to the living Commandement of God and to live therein 33. Many others hold v Apo. 3. at a stay and have no righteousnes neither do they aske hunger nor thirst after it and do neither go backwards nor forwards which is indeed a great shame 34. It were better for one to suffer now and then some Inconvenience for lack of experience t so that he abide in the Hope than to hold himself still or idle to the righteousnes before he be come to the salvation 35. For albeit one do sometimes by stumbling and falling suffer some inconvenience yet he riseth again for all that bewaileth his Ignorance and so then he taketh a new courage again with a more circumspect understanding in the Spirit x Eph. 6. against the craftines of the sin and thereby profiteth and increaseth in the righteousnesse 36. Now when a man perceiveth or is aware of the gaine to wit that he increaseth in the good then is he of good cheere and much stronger in the beleef and firmer in the hope Thus in processe of time he groweth up in the Spirit of the good life untill he come to the perfection that is to the Love 37. Wherefore the losse teacheth Prudence and Wit for to attend unto the word with understanding but the gaine bringeth weetnes it maketh firme in the hope and begetteth a gladnes in our hearts When as to abide in undesire to the righteousnesse and to be y Apo. 3. neither hot nor cold but luke-warme is by all meanes to be utterly discommended 38. I esteem in this behalf much better of that man z Lu. 15. who like the lost Sonne hath spent and consumed all his Treasure and Riches and out of great poverty turneth him again and seeketh at his Fathers hands the roome of a servant out of which humbling a man commeth again to his riches and through such losse getteth understanding how to govern to a multiplying the riches of God then of such a lazy slothfull and ane loitering man as for fear of losse a Matt. 25. Luk. 19. burieth his Talent and will neither make gaine nor losse therewith 39. Hereof beware ye dearly beloved that ye bury not that little which you have received of God nor yet with-hold or withdraw your selves for any manner of cause from this our undeceivable and most holiest service of the Love 40. For though that
witnessed and set forth in the same Behold there in the spirit of your understanding the everlasting unchangeable Statutes and Ordinances of Almighty God which also shall remain unchangeable for ever For that which is there witnessed is such an upright life m 〈◊〉 1. 〈◊〉 as the man is created unto for to live therein In which Statutes and Ordinances the Lords people have lived from the beginning 25. Yea such a Life Statutes and Ordinances are a delight and joy to all upright hearts and Prophets to live therein and they have heretofore born witnes thereunto that in time to come men should live in them For through the truth they saw into the life of peace in the love and that through the life of peace in the love every thing is made perfect and therein standeth firme or abideth stedfast 26. That verily is the life which is true n Joh. 1. and that life is the light of men o Eph. 1.5 Col. 1. and the head of the holy Commonalty Who so goeth out of it cometh to the death blindnes and darknes 27. But the soules of those that live therein are blessed in the Lord. For such people doth God require as do walk in his Ordinances that is to say in the life and peace of love p Deut. 6.2 and do love the only God from the heart 28. Lo it is the true God that requireth such upright Righteousnes and he himself cleaveth to his Righteousnes his Statutes and Ordinances everlastingly q Joh. 1.2 For he is the spirit of his life the life of his word the word of his Spirit r Exod. 3 Mat. 22. the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacoh or Israel 29. That verily is the true life of peace and love and the Statutes and Ordinances are the same upright righteousnes which the holy Fathers have lived and walked in 30. The same Statutes and Ordinances of the holy Fathers were by Moses renewed ſ Exed 20. Deut. 5. and witnessed unto a life before all people And that life was through Jesus Christ being risen from the Dead and ascended into Heaven t Mat. 28. Mar. 16. published unto all people for a Gospel because they should live therein And unto all that believed thereon was the Resurrection from the dead and the everlasting life witnessed and promised through Iesus Christ 31. In sure and firm hope whereof the upright Beleevers have rested in the Lord Iesus Christ till the appearing of his coming which is now in this day of the love revealed out of the heavenly beeing with which Jesus Christ the former Beleevers of Christ v John 5. 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes 4. who were fallen a sleepe rested or dyed in him are now also manifested in Glory 32. For Christ in the appearing of his comming raiseth his deceased from the dead x 1 Cor. 15. to the intent that they should reign alive with him over all his enemies y Mat. 25. John 5. Rom. 2. 2 Thes 1. and condemneth all the ungodly which have not liked of him 33. This is the joyful Message published to the Gentiles whereby z Eph. 2.3 as fellow-Heires in the Testaments of promise they are bidden and called to the house of Jacob and to the Citizenship of Jerusalem To the intent they should depart from the brutishnes of their errors and from the sundry intanglements of their Idolatries and turn them to the God of Israel for to serve him only and to live in his Statutes and Ordinances through the belief 34. Which Righteousnes a Ro. 2.3 is required out of the Law and is now in this last time openly and evidently witnessed out of the inclination of love and through the insight of the same upright life to a view of the upright righteousnes which the man is created unto and to a demonstration whereunto or to what end or fulfilling God hath given his promises and made his Covenant with the Fathers 35. Behold hereunto namely to that which we bear witnes of is the Calling of the Gentiles made b Rom. 11. Eph. 2. who are out of grace called thereunto for to serve with the Stock of Abraham one God in one manner of Righteousnes 36. Lo these are the promises c Gen. 17. which were committed to the Jewes in the Circumcision And Jesus Christ Act. 13. Rom. 9. the safe-making word of the Lord is amongst them d Rom. 15. for the truth of Gods sake become a Minister of the Circumcision to confirme the promises made unto the Fathers that the name of the God of Abraham might be magnified likewise among the Gentiles And for the mercies sake towards the Gentiles is the Grace of life published also to the Gentiles to the intent e Act. 10.11.13 Rom. 11. they should praise God and know the God of Israel and his Ordinances 37. Which God and his righteousnes we do now know in the love through the spirit of truth which according to the spirit f Joh. 14. leadeth us into all truth that is into all love according to the promises g Col. 5. For the love is the band of perfection By which Band we are sealed and confirmed for ever in the same perfection to the intent that Gods Glory his Covenant and promises may likewise abide firme from everlasting to everlasting Amen 38. Behold the same God of Israel who out of his Grace prepareth and bringeth all this unto us is the God h Gen. 1. that hath made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that is therein He it is that doth wonders who neither breaketh his promises i Deut. 4. Luke 1. nor forgetteth his Covenant who also suffereth not his Law and Righteousnes to be troden down for ever but he setteth up the Children of Israel his beloved Not for their Righteousnes k Deut. 9 but for their Fathers sakes towards whom he had a desire according as he promised and spake the same in times past by the mouth of his holy Prophets 39. Therefore have regard unto the everlasting unchangeable God being an invisible living God the God that hath made you created every thing that liveth and hath breath He l Heb. 13. it is which was which is and which is to come who liveth everlastingly and shall still continue And so is also his Life Law or righteousnes 40. Wherefore give heed unto the thing that is right and reasonable and shall continue for ever glasse your selves in the glasse of Righteousnes and therein behold according to the spirit the upright life and the m Exod. 20. Deut. 5. Lords Statutes and Ordinances which stand firm in God for evermore 41. Let not the matter in any wise seeme too slender or too small unto you For though the Righteousnes whereof we testifie be n 1 Cor. 2 no eloquent speech and that the same seemeth to be but as a small brooke yet is it
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
which God esteemeth and they are also serviceable to the same And all likewise are done to the Love and her Concord 19. Therefore seeing the Gifts of God and the services are manifold we let them stand free to every one and do not contend against them so far forth as they stand all under one God and that they do not exalt their Services and Gifts above the love and her service but do submit themselves all thereunder and do likewise confes that God only is the Lord and only giveth in his service of love the godly Gifts 20. Wherefore let no man contend with his Gifts or Services nor let no man make any breach therewith in the Communalty of the love but g Psa 34 praise God in all his works And that all to a unity of peace in the love 21. Lo such a unity do the services Ceremonies and gifts of the one-onely holy spirit of love serve unto all to the good life and Peace and if we be all minded to the good life and to the peace then shall no mans services or Ceremonies be offensive unto us neither shall we contend or wrangle for them 22. For every h 1 Pet. 4 Father of a Family under the love hath doubtles the liberty in his Family to use Services and Ceremonies according as he perceiveth out of the Testimonies of the holy spirit of love that they are most profitablest or necessariest for his Houshold to the life of Peace for to keep his Houshold thereby in Discipline and Peace training them up therewith that they may learne to practise and use i 1 Cor. 14. Phil. 4.2 that which is right and equal for to manifest unto them thereby the true righteousnes which God esteemeth 23. If any man therefore hath obtained in the obeying of the Doctrine of the gracious Word and his Service of Love any gifts of God or if any man hath any heavenly Revelation or if any man use any service of the Priestly Ordinance let him with us be serviceable to the love therewith to the intent it may all be agreeable with the love and may all be done to Concord in the service of love and not to strife dissention or schisme to the intent that the good life in all love and peace might be lined under one head the living God and only King according as in times past it was prophecied thereof 24. The same life in the love is the life and very like Beeing of Almighty God namely Christ the gracious word of God the Father by whom k John 1. God made all that is any thing It is also the one only holy spirit of the Prophets unto the which all spirits of the Prophets and all services that come out from God l 1 Cor. 14. are subject and serviceable to the love and only minded to the peace and life for God is no God of discord but he is a God of Peace 25. Forasmuch then as the God of Heaven doth now shew his mercy on us and doth daily disclose unto us the thing that so many dayes hath been m Eph. 3. hidden therefore let us likewise with thankfulnes and with submitted obedience to the love n 2 Cor. 6 Heb. 12. take heed in the spirit to the godly grace and not be slack or slow to further the good but o Eph. 4. reach one another the hand and be serviceable to the love with helpfulnes to the vertue that the service of the love be not hindred p 1 Cor. 6 nor evill spoken of 26. And seeing such heavenly Revelations are by Gods Grace to me unworthy committed and according to the mention of the writing which through the grace of God are come forth or set out by me H.N. under the obedience of the love are opened and granted me to be known and q Eph. 3. understood because I likewise should reveal the same in the world therefore do I also witnes the same among the Children of men indifferently out of the inclination of love to the intent that vertue and unity may grow and multiply 27. And these my testimonies of truth shall also unto those which now are and hereafter shall come be to a right discerning of the upright and lovely life to as many as believe the same and be comprehended in the love For among them shall this service of love to the same life according to the true being everlastingly proceed on out of the love according to the promises 28. Behold ye beloved concerning all this which is revealed to me by the living God r 2 Tim. 1 and which I have testifyed and published out of his holy and gracious Word I have no other glorying but Å¿ Jer. 9. 2 Cor. 11. in God the most highest in the light of his true being and in his heavenly revelations even as it is sufficiently testified 29. Out of which Revelations of God I shew my service out of the inclination of love unto all those that affect the Love to the end we might with one consent be minded to the love for to s 2 Cor. 10. draw the understanding under the obedience of the Love and her service 30. In the same service standeth also all my hope and confidence in the living God and my salvation in his Christ Which Christ standeth firm for us t 1 Ioh. 2 to a Reconciler before God the Father and in the service of his Love everlastingly that through the same service our inward mind should stand free and firm in God and his Christ and not be tied to any thing besides without the Communion and service of the Love whether to the sinne or else to men neither to any created or elementish things nor yet to any earthly or worldly things whereby with one accord we might live boldly in God the most highest with the Communalty of the Love 31. With these despise I none in his understanding whether he be great or small that every one as right and meet it is may give his understanding v 2 Cor. 10. captive or suffer it to be plucked under the obedience of the Love and likewise do that x Phil. 4. which is just and equall For who can refuse the Love or withhold himself from her service if so be he love the good 32. Doubtlesse whosoever refuseth the love and withholdeth himself from her service or with his understanding is against it the same man sheweth thereby that he is without understanding and not minded to concord in the love And moreover that his heart thinketh not upon the good which God esteemeth but rather upon his own good which he hath chosen to himself But who so are fully affected to the love and her service and unto all that are just and equall and do unpartially submit themselves under the obedience of the love unto them am I inclined 33. For with them doth my heart desire to live in such a life as is just