Lord which m Gal. 3. leadeth unto Christ whereout the Gospell of the Kingdom of God ariseth where no humane Law is taught besides that leadeth from Christ and darkneth the Gospell 33. Where is the upright Circumcision n Dan. 10. Jer. 4. Rom. 2. Phil. 3. Col. 2. to the laying away of sin in the flesh which was given by God to Abraham and his seed for an o Gen. 17. everlasting sign of his Covenant 34. Where is the Law of the spirit which p Rom. 8. quickneth in Jesu Christ and freeth us from the Law of sin and of death 35. Where is now the q Rom. 5. Eph. 2. peace with God the Father in pure and unspotted Consciences 36. Where is now the r Mat. 3. Rom. 6. Gal. 3. Col. 2. 1 Pet. 3. Baptisme of John or the grace of the Lord over those that are distressed for the sins cause to their amendment from the sin 37. Where is now the true Baptisme of Jesu Christ Å¿ Mat. 3.28 Mar. 16. Act. 10.19 which followeth thereupon to the forgiving and justifying from the sin whereon the name of the Father is witnessed the name of the son confessed and the name of the Holy Ghost t Eph. 1. for a pledge of the godly inheritance sealed 38. Where do any now keep u Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Lu. 22. 1 Cor. 11. the supper of Christ where they break distribute and eat the bread which is the true body of Christ to a remembrance of Christ that he hath suffered in us for our sinnes cause x Rom. 6. Phil. 2. 1 Pet. 2. the death of the Crosse and so his death y 1 Cor. 11. is published untill he come in his glory 39. Where do any now drink the cup z 1 Cor. 10. of Christ in the communion of his bloud of the true Testament 40. Where is now the Christian communion a Rom. 12. 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 5. or where are the upright Christians which do all eat of the same bread and do all drink of the same cup b 1 Cor. 10. to an holy undivided body whereof Jesus Christ is c Eph. 1.4.6 the head and which are the d Eph. 1. 1 Pet. 2. peculiar ones of God for an holy people to the God of Life whom he hath made Kings e 1 Pet. 2. Apo. 1.5 and Priests through Jesus Christ 41. Where is now the seed of the believing Abraham f Gen. 15.17.22 Rom. 4. Gal. 3. wherein such promise is made for the blessing of all Generations 42. Oh where art thou thou seed of Isaac g Gen. 21.22 Rom. 9. that Son of the promise who art blessed by the Son of the promise thou noble stock h Gen. 27. of Jacob thou chosen blossom of Israel who onely i Deut. 4. livest in Gods Statutes and not after the manner of the heathen 43. Verily of all this which I ask after we find no whit at all in the wicked world nor yet among you O ye desolate peoples but only in the stock of the love that vertuous amiable being 44. Therefore come ye all hither to the love k Jer. 7.18.25.35 reform your being in her service and let the love with meeknesse be planted in you l Jam. 1. so shall ye even therein find all the goodlinesses of the riches of God and the whole communion of his Saints namely the whole house of Israel 45. Unto which stock of Saints and chosen Children of God we m 1 Pet 1. are all called through Jesus Christ that in the raising up of Israel according to the promises of God the Father we should inherit the blessing 46. O Israel ye right children in n Act. 3. the true Testaments of your holy Fathers when shall your dispersing have an end and your erecting come o Esa 2. Mic. 4. that the Law of the Lord and his word may be declared and his wondrous works manifested and all the heathen seek the righteousnesse learn the Law of the Lord p Zach. 8. and walk in his streets to the praise of the God of Israel who only is the Lord for q Esa 43.44 besides the God of Israel there is no God more 47. For truly the Idolls of the Heathen and all their spirituall wisdome which they set forth besides the everlasting God of Israel and his Law Esa 44.45.46 Ier. 10. is nothing els but foolishnesse and ignorance 48. Many of them have no understanding in the Law of the Lord nor knowledge of his Ordinances and of their calling through Jesus Christ Å¿ Luk. 2. of the tribe of Juda of the House of David they have no right discerning at all 49. And therefore it is that they misse of the meaning or intention of God and are thereby grounded on the glimmering of their knowledge and not on the stock of the upright olive tree t Rom. 11. to the which they are called to be grafted thereunto 50. But now when we consider all this and that we are not partakers of the Sap of the stock of our calling u Rom. 11. but to find our selves breken off from the same and thereby misse of all that which is of God and which his Ordinances are one with if then we have any love to the riches of God and do consider and know the damagefull x Mat. 16. losse with all the desolation y Dan. 9.11.12 Mat. 24. and abominations which are come in between then cometh upon us z Esa 13. Dan. 12. all woe and anguish and we greatly bewaile the losse of these riches of God above all the damages or losses of this world 51. For vvhere is there a more damagefull losse a Mat. 16. then vvhere one findeth no righteousnesse of God and vvhere the Lavv of God and his Statutes and Ordidances are in the losse so utterly darkened 52. Oh vvhat shall I more vvrite of this damagefull losse of the most precious riches my heart is heavie and my soul is pained in such sort b Ier. 9.13.14 Lam. 1.2.3 that oftentimes I am forced to sigh and mourne because my mind vvill not be pacified 53. O God that they all savv hovv they are c Psal 14. Rom. 3. turned herefrom and that no man hath continued in thy truth and hovv they are d Rom. 7. taken captive under the sin and strayed from thee yea these precious riches of God they scarcely knovv and hovv poor e Apo. 3 3. and naked in themselves they are vvithout thy Sanctuary to the end out of deep necessity they might cry unto thee f Psa 130. for grace and obtain in their spirit an inclined mind to the obeying of thy love that thou mighest have mercy on them all 54. For if so be they come not to thy love nor to the obedience of the requiring of her service nor thereunto have no good vvill belief or hope surely
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 is the giver of wisdom and no man nor Letter then runeth he clean away from the same illuminated man which pointeth him to the life of wisdome and utterly giveth over the Scriptures and the daily Services of the holy Word which direct him to the upright life and are serviceable thereunto and so departeth from the wisdom g Jer. 7.11.13 cleaving either to his vain imagination or els to the world in her foolishnesse and error 10. If one say unto him that he must suffer himselfe to be h Rom. 10 1 Cor. 3 2 Cor. 3.4.5 1 Pet. 4. 2 Pet. 1. served to the peace of life by some illuminated man to the intent that by hearing he may grow up in the belief to the salvation then observeth he no difference often times between the unlightened men and the Elders of the holy Understanding in the Family of Love but giveth such respect to the unlightned men for their knowledge that he suffereth himself to be i Gal. 1.6 Col. 2. taken captive thereby to a bondage under their knowledges and so becometh a servant unto men and is by the unregenerated men bewitched with somthing that is not of God nor leadeth to the life of salvation in such sort that through his liking unto that which he heareth of them and by which he is seduced and beguiled he betaketh him to the vain things of the flesh and forsaketh or forgeteth the true ministration of the Word of the Lord and likewise also the good exercises wherethrough he might have come or been brought unto God and to k Psal 36. Ier. 2.17 the fountain of upright and perfect wisdom 11. Unto which fountain of upright and perfect wisdom the man should of right be alwaies subject and long after it and moreover according to the requiring of the good exercise that leadeth thereto hope thereon turn all his affection and inclination of heart thereunto love the Wsdome and l Pro. 4. information and submit himself obediently to the Service of the gracious Word that so he might come to the m Prov. 2. life of the upright righteousnesse and then take part therewith and not with any of those things that lead not to the salvation 12. If one say unto him that he must be spiritually minded then climeth he up with his wit very high after the spirituall understanding and will likewise take upon him to understand the spirituall things by his own knowledge and will be so utterly spirituall and so quite and clean change himself out of flesh into Spirit that thereby he forgetteth and forgoeth the humane Ordinance and equity and to shew love to his Neighbour and unto all men likewise Out of which bewitched opinion of spiritualnesse many divisions and corruptions do arise 13. If a man say unto him that he should have regard unto the equity of nature seeing God hath n Gen. 1. created the naturall things also for the mans good then doth he on the other side so wholly adict himself to the naturall and visible things that he receiveth them to his own bondage and slavish delectation and tyeth his heart thereunto and so shuteth or keepeth off the most holiest being and the true holy Spirit of Jesus Christ out of his heart 14. If the man read the Scripture and do out of the testimonies of the same hear that the Law of Moses and the Prophets have their Office and Ministery o Mat. 11. Luk. 26. Gal. 3. till unto Christ and that in like manner all is in Christ fulfilled and that Christ p Rom. 10 is the end or fulfilling of the La w whereout the Gospell or second Testament of the Holy Ghost proceedeth according to the fore-shewing of the Prophets then he thinketh he will in any wise take the best and in his spirit receive Christ and the Gospell and that which is spirituall and heavenly of God supposing thus with his understanding and knowledge to run clean beyond the law of Moses and the Prophets of the Old Testament to wit beyond the obedience of the foregoing Service and so will rely upon Christ and be a child of the New Testament for he readeth that that is the most best and imagineth that if he should regard the Law and the Prophets and should obey the foregoing Service and requiring thereof he should then go back and finish his beginning of righteousnesse q Gal. 3. in the flesh or outward for the Scripture and the foregoing Service maketh mention that the fulfilling of the Law and the Prophets is r Luke 18.24 in Christ and that the spirituall and heavenly goods be inherited in the Spirit And thus will he be one of Christs of the Gospells and of the New Testaments and apprehend in his spirit the spirituall heavenly goods e're-ever he be passed thorow the Law or the Old Testament or hath understood the Prophets of the foregoing Service in their requiring Å¿ Gal. 3.4 Heb. 7 how they lead him to Christ and how or in what sort all is in Christ fulfilled 15. Herein lieth the man wrapped and snarled and maketh nothing thereof t Esa 59 but desolation and destruction altogether troubling his understanding and conscience and in like manner more others also by his ignorance 16. O God how is the understanding of the
sin Eph. 6. 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 bot 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 many people have partly through the sundry partiall instigations of men risen up before our said service been intangled and darkned in that understanding and that therefore they could not rightly know the truth in her degree but did oftentimes stumble fall and and suffer harme yet all ye that love the Truth with us and have likewise fallen in the same learne Prudence now thereby and turn again b Esa 55 Jer. 3. Ezek. 18. into the way of righteousness Refresh your selves in the beleef with a new cheere and so through the service of the holy Word be ye renewed in your vnderstanding under the obedience of the Love 41. Under the same service give eare to the Elders of the holy understanding c Deut. 11. and follow not the Will or Councell of your own mind but d Eccl. 6. with the Elders under the service of the Love follow the minde and e Pro. 1. Eccl. 16. Councell of the Wisdom and alwaies keep your selves with the Elders in the family of Love f 1 Thes 5. Heb. 13. to the concord and to the multiplying in the good and of the peaceable Kingdom in all Love 42. Become not wavering in any wise But in case ye stumble or fall yet rise again and think that it is sometimes better that a child do in his good willingnes commit an error or that a thing be done of him yet unperfectly than that he should remaine brutish or untaught Be not afraid g Matt. 25. Luk. 19. like the unfaithfull Servant that buried his Masters Talent which was not very well taken at his hands 43. Men may finde divers that will take very great heed to themselves least they should be deceived or beguiled and so will stay onely upon themselves But because they so staying upon themselves give no heed to the grace under the obedience of the Love therefore remain they such as they are and come not at any time to the light of life or day of Love but abide still in the Captivity of the blindnesse because they know not her blindnesse or bands of her darknesses wherewith they are bound 44. Some others will in their unregenerate estate and deprivation account themselves free and will not be subject unto any thing neither to the Scripture nor to any Teaching nor yet to the Service of Love and therefore in that sort do never come to the h Ioh. 8. Rom. 6. Freedom of the children of God 45. For in asmuch as they have not perceived nor observed in the sight of their understanding the bondage of i Ioh. 8. Rom. 6. 2 Pet. 2. sin nor her dominion thereforr remain they unproved and unexperienced neither do they sigh nor k Jer. 8. complaine for the yoak of sin which hath taken them Captive and do know nothing at all either of the Bondage or of the Freedom nor yet that they are so utterly deprived or estranged from God and his Christ as they are 46. Now men may also finde divers that are altogether light-hearted and clearlyminded and so in the range of their misunderstanding have taken unto them l Esa 59. a false light or conceited knowledge These according to their naturall understanding are well at quiet their hearts are not once grieved for their mis-doings any more They have also no regard either of sin or of Grace they fear no Condemnation nor hope for Salvation or for any Redemption 47. When it goeth well with them but in their creature and in their Occupation of Trade then are they content and say God be praised we are in very good case we are rid of all intanglement of heart we now get our living godly and credibly and toyle not our selves with any thing 48. But alas howsoever the godly nature or the Image of God m Heb. 6. be troden down in them and constrained dayly to suffer the death of the Crosse for their sins that passe they not once for 49. Because they will not suffer with the godly nature n 1 Pet. 4. or Christ against the sinne they desire even nothing else but according to the o Phil. 3. flesh to sit still in ease and look what in this behalfe crosseth them that reckon they to be utterly evill and unright and and so wax wanton or lustfull in the flesh and licencious or light-minded in their Spirit following still p Sap. 2. Rom. 1. Eph. 4. that which liketh them after the property of ignorant fooles and despise the godly Councell of the Elders as also the wisdom and unity under the obedience of the Love 50. These are surely in very bad case although they think not so For q Esa 5. they have no consideration on the work of the Lord nor on the work of the Devill nor any regard unto that that shall perish nor desire to that which shall continue This verily is a lamentable misery the Lord keep us from such a Plague 51. Again some may be found which do endure much straightnes in dying from sin for to receive the Promises which are made thereunto according to the Scriptures and that they might so become honourable Saints and be also respected therefore Yea they regard no affliction so as they may receive or get that and thus they fall into a choosing applying to themselves the honour of the
love then let us for our parts look to it that we p 2 Cor. 6 Heb. 12. refuse not the same grace nor separate our hearts therefrom q Psal 95. Heb. 3.4 nor harden them thereagainst but be subject to his love and love him and beare good will towards him againe 31. For he hath shewed his tender love r Joh. 3. Rom 5. and ardent affection upon us first wakening us Å¿ Ezek. 37 Eph. 2. in the Spirit out of the sleep and death of sinne unto his Service of Love which reacheth to the everlasting life that we should walk in t Luke 1. righteousnesse and holinesse before him in all love 32. Lo out of such a disposition of heart and mind my writing is and unto this is all my longing that if the Lord would vouchsafe it I might in the truth any where upon earth find any communalty which might in that manner be comprehended in the Service of the Love or were inclined thereunto and that such grace might befall us as to have fellowship one with another 33. For in the service of the love and in the vertuous disposition and good nature it is all comprehended what God from the beginning and alwaies hath willed and required of the man wherefore the Law and the Service of the Prophets and Apostles u Mat. 22. Luk. 10. Gal. 5. 2 Tim. 1. are fulfilled in the Love for to the righteousnesse of the Love all of them have their Service and even all their office and ministration is to the love that so in the last time the Love x Col. 3. the true perfection might abide y 1 Cor. 13 in her Service for evermore CHAP. II. 1. The Love never faileth 3. The Law and the Prophets are not abolished by the beliefe 6. But when the Love is come and men are established in her then and not before is the Service of the Law ceased 9. The time is come that the well-minded people shal joyn to the Love and find nouriture in her Service 11. According as the Prophets have fore-told In which time the houses of Israel and Judah shall be gathered into one and the Gentiles also be joyned into them 14. H. N ' s. mild and peaceable service hereunto yet without flattery 21. He exhorteth to make this holy life which by this Service is set forth our patterne of righteous living putting away evill thoughts and reproaching lips 26. The vengeance of the wicked world in the last time FOr though the Prophecies cease and the knowledge leaveth off yet the love never a 1 Cor. 12 faileth for the prophecying is in part and hath his Prophecy and the knowing is in part and hath his knowledge and they do all cease in the love In like manner the Law also hath her Doctrine out of which in the end the b 1 Tim. 1 love is required 2. When the perfection therefore cometh that we be established in the love then is the Law the prophecying and the knowledge fulfilled and accomplished or then is the obedience shewed in the same Commandement and doctrine of God and not before 3. To the intent therefore that the odience which availeth before God should be set up the c Rom. 10 Gal. 2.3.4 belief was published to salvation through the service of the holy word of the Apostles of Christ howbeit not to break nor to set aside the Law of Moses and the Prophets neither the obedience thereunto d Mat. 5. Rom. 3. but to establish and to fulfill them 4. Therefore many do utterly mistake and faile in their imagination e Mat. 22. because they understand not the Scripture and because they thinke before the Love of f Gal. 4. Christ hath any form in them that the law and the Prophets be fulfilled and that they are not bound to be obedient to the Law 5. O beloved consider once rightly I. pray you how and in what manner or in what upright fruits of righteousnesse the Law and the Prophets are fulfilled For behold must not the Law require of us g Rom. 3.8 Gal. 2.3 the upright Righteousnesse and besides remain from one Generation of men to another in her service and degree for ever And do not the Prophets prophecie thereunto or have not the Prophecies and preachings their service to that purpose even to make the upright fruits of the Law known and must not we then in like manner through the belief in the knowledge of the Righteousnesse passe on obediently towards the same to our Salvation that so thorow the belief we might bring forth the fruits of the upright Righteousnesse of God which are required by the Law and be made the children of the new Testament through Jesus Christ in his bloud h Rom. 3.8 Col. 1.2 Heb. 9. whereby we might be justified from the fin and so live with each other in all love 6. Now when we are i Eph. 3. Col. 2. established in the love the foregoing services namely of the Law and Prophets have then the first time fulfilled their office vvith us and their requiring doth also with us then k 1 Cor. 13. cease and they have with us their rest and form in the love and so then have we peace l Eph. 2. with God and likewise love and peace among each other It is true 7. Verily that same when it appeareth and is present is the true being which is perfect And therefore the love is the highest good m Deut. 10. Mat. 22. Rom. 13. Gal. 5. the fulfilling of the Lavv and the n 1 Tim. 1. principall scope of the belief 8. For though a man could speak even as with Angells tongues or had such faith o 1 Cor. 13. that he could move mountaines out of their places and though he wrought wonders and signs or were endevved vvith such knovvledge that he could open and declare all mysteries and discover all secret treasures or that he gave all his goods to the poor or did out of a religious humble service p Col. 2. shevv a certaine obedience or as a servant vvere every ones Minister or by means of persecution q Mat. 10.23 fled from Land to Land and from City to City yea though he yeelded his body to be killed or gave it over to be burnt yet truly all these cannot profit the man to Salvation nor to the vvell pleasing of God r 1 Cor. 13. if he have not the love for without the love they are all of no value wherefore let not men without the love give any respect unto them as if they were any thing much lesse hold of them for they doe all cease in the love 9. Therefore the time cometh yea it is come already that it shal come to passe that all Religions all that are good of will and every understanding conceiving and knowledge shall be brought in under the obedience of the love to the uniforme building of
H. N. found no upright people of the Lord yet all contended to the Lords Communalty and defaced others 41. Cruell persecutions 47. By meanes of contentions many turned from their zeale whom he lamenteth OYe wise who according to the word of a Dan. 7.9.12 Daniel do regard this and understand the same lift now up b Luk. 21. your heads behold c Mat. 24. Luk. 21. and consider for whiles the children of unbelief which are minded to errour doe love the darknesses more then the light believe the lies through their ignorance rather then the truth cleave rather to the world and her errour then to God and his Righteousnesse and do more incline to the conceiving of their owne cogitations out of the minde of their flesh then to the Salvation in the Spirit Therefore doe they also follow after the same and estrange their hearts the longer the more from the truth and from the light of life and Godlinesse where through they are now e 2 Pet. 2. shut in with bands of darkenesse withholding and sheltering themselves with their desire lust and will under the workes of iniquity where out they gather unto themselves f Rom. 2. a treasure d Joh. 3. of wickednesse for a terrible judgement of g Esa 66. Judith 16. Eccl. 7. 2 Pet. 3. the violence of the fire of the last plagues which now doe come over the wicked world and over all malicious unhappy men 2. But in the mean time whiles now the ungodly increase in the worst the lovers of righteousnesse do contrary-wise increase in the good be they who or wheresoever they be h Rom. 6. Col. 3. they die from the evill and grow up in the good so as they increase daily more and more in the life of godlinesse 3. They depart from the ungodly nature and do passe into the nature of God and Christ i Rom. 8. and all in the spirit according to the spirit or mind of the love and of the requiring of her obedience for to live the righteousnesse which God esteemeth and hath promised 4. These have their sustaining under the obedience of the love in the works of righteousnesse and do wait with patience k Rom. 8. Heb. 10. for the promise which God to-fore hath made by the mouth l Esa 44.60.62 Jer. 23.31.33 Ezek. 36.37 of his holy Prophets and to believe God that he is true and keepeth his Covenant which he hath made with Abraham Isaac and Jacob yea the living God of Jsrael performeth his promises on m Rom. 9. Gal. 3. Heb. 2. the Seed of Abraham even as he hath sworn unto their Fathers and sheweth thereby that he is their God and the God of their seed for evermore 5. Hereon doe they trust and towards this do they passe forth in the spirit through the illumination n 2 Pet. 1. of the upright being which standeth before them in the sight of their hearts to a continuall joy and consolation of all godly men 6. Behold the risings of both these up to wit of the godlinesse and of the ungodlinesse shall in their time be made known and in two kinds of people o Rom. 2. 2 Thes 1. become manifest that is to say the godlinesse in the well-willers of the righteousnesse and the ungodlinesse in the malicious Let every one that loveth the righteousnesse take now heed to his time and let him p Rom. 13. Eph. 5. not sleep whiles it is time to wake 7. Let no man lie still upon his old Couch in the darknesse when the day cometh on and the light shineth bright and cleare wherethrough men may see and perceive plainly how to obtain the riches of the good that the darknesses cover him not nor the abominations of ungodlinesse overwhelm him and that he be not like the erring ignorant world or the vain conceited wise of the letter-learned who doe boast much of vvisdome knovvledge and righteousnesse and yet are far from the q 1. Cor. 1.3 wisdome of God and from the righteousnesse r Rom. 10. that God esteemeth 8. Therefore labour for an upright heart in the love that in those daies vvhen the refreshing Å¿ Act. 3. cometh from the face of God to the preservation of the righteous and when all ungodly being bestirreth and prepareth it self to destroying you may be preserved from the horrible plagues of the ungodly 9. For Gods righteous judgement shall not be such as that any man shal be able to hide or to cover himself before it but it shall disclose and t 1 Cor. 4. lay open the counsell of every ones heart whether they be well-willers unto him or not and the righteous shall u Pro. 17. Zach. 13. Sap. 3. Eccl. 2. through the fire or furnace of humility be purged cleansed and purified even as the fine gold in the furnace of the Goldsmith 10. Behold this is shewed unto you out of the inclination of love therfore be warned before it come to passe x Mat. 24. Luke 21. 1 Pet. 5. vvatch and pray cleave to the good love vvisdome and instruction and love the light to the vertue of life that the y Joh. 8.12 sleep and darknesses take you not 11. Use wisdome now ye wise and you that have understanding z Mat. 35. get ye now oyle in your vessells a Esa 55. it is to be had for nought which the world in generall together with the unwise and such as are without understanding b Esa 5. 4 Esd Heb. 20. do utterly contemn esteem vile and despise yea tread under their feet 12. If therefore any among you be wise and hath understanding let him esteem of this oyle c 1 Joh. 2. or anointing of Salvation so much the better and the more worth for it is spoken for a Proverb When any ware or Merchandise is at lowest value then will men passe most for it For then there is greatest vantage and gain to be made and gotten by it 13. Therefore consider now the time ye that have understanding what is there now I pray you of smaller value or what is there lesse accounted of then the upright vertue and the godly vvisdome out of the love d Esa 59. 4 Esd 14. for the truth is fallen in the street 14. She is imprisoned e Mat. 25. vvho visiteth or goeth unto her she is naked vvho doth cloath her she is hungry who feedeth her she is thirsty and vvho giveth her to drink truly not the erring vvorld but rashe crucifieth f Esa 53. Ier. 20. Sap. 2. and treadeth her under foot and giveth her bitternesse g Psal 69. and gall to drink and letteth her lie altogether in prison and cometh not once at her 15. The belief blossometh h 4 Esd 6. her buds are shot forth but vvho looketh for her fruits vvho beleeveth that ever they shall come forth and give a svveet tast vvhen they have
given in the last daies according to Gods Promises and not after the inventions of men BUt in the mean time whilest I considered and scanned all this inasmuch as I laboured for that which is right I found my self oftentimes through consideration of the mans weaknesse and of his ignorant zeal to the righteousness and truth in great anguish of heart and in lâ—ke manner there were others more in the same case with me 2. And I was sorry for the people because many of them had so ignorant a zeale and were bewitched with so many sorts of blindnesse and vaine imaginations and I was oft times very unquiet in my mind because I could not know any of the children of men whom I might believe or account for the people of God such as stood in the stock of the righteousnesse of Abraham or did a Phil. 1. preach Christ out of the nature of the love 3. For I grew suspicious jealous and distrustfull of all flesh yea of my selfe also for in my humane disposition after the flesh I found oft times no power at all to enter into the b Rom. 7. vertue of righteousnesse in any such sort as by Gods heavenly Revelation which came unto me from God in the Spirit I had observed the same 4. Howbeit many of the children of men looked not into the vertue of the righteousnesse according to the truth but were bewitched in their understanding and thoughts bearing a zeal unto that which was not of God and which did nothing further them to the righteousnesse and therein was my humane understanding afore-times somewhat distressed whilest I sought the righteousnesse among the children of men where it was not to be found 5. But the Lord out of his grace hath shewed much mercy on me and through his heavenly revelation and manifesting of his truth hath inlightned my understanding and pulled my spirit unto him his goodnesse leads me and his Spirit vouchsafes to strengthen me in the Service of Love that I may declare unto the man that which is most profitable for him to live in to the establishing of the Word which God afore-times hath spoken out of his truth and according as he hath promised c Luk. 1. by the mouth of his holy Prophets to the blessing and salvation of all people 6. Then forasmuch as I have seen the misery of men and do know the contrary nature to God and that moreover the good being of God and the salvation of men is out of Gods grace appeared unto me in my sight therefore have I set forth certaine writings out of the same knowledge of the good being and of the salvation of men so farre as in my understanding I could reach unto the same and as the Lord revealed unto me that the mans bewitched understanding and thoughts might be made known unto him and so he might regard d Phil. 4. what were right and reasonable and what were meet and profitable 7. And those writings according to the appointment of God and testimony of his holy Word we have now renewed afresh in the land of the living and so through the true light of the godly wisdome and of the holy Spirit of Love expressed them more plainly and written them again with the assistance of the principall Elders and Ministers of the holy Word in the Family of Love 8. Which writings that every one both small and great of understanding might be satisfied and none have any occasion to blaspheme the truth but that they might all be minded to e 2 Cor. 1. Eph. 4. the unity of heart in the love we have out of the loves inclination placed together with cleer distinction and compiled them to a Glasse of righteousnesse to the end men might the more easily in their understanding comprehend and mark the reason of our hope for to cheer up thereby the mind of man to the good and out of the inclination of love to refresh and strengthen him with good courage to draw him to a right discerning of the upright wisdome and for that he should then be zealous with good understanding and labour for that vvhich continueth for ever 9. All that same so far as we discâ—â—n it and as God hath permitted unto us we shew and declare with full instruction in this Introduction to the holy understanding of the Glasse of Righteousness and principally in the book it self setting down wherein the man ought to stand comprehended whence the happinesse of our life cometh unto us what manner of one the upright f 1 Cor. 12. Congregation of Christ is and how that the ministration and service of the holy word g 1 Cor. 13. ought to have passage out of love 10. For this is the service of the gracious word h Jer. 29. promised in the last time to wit that all those vvho have any longing after the love and concord or do hope thereon should be stirred up to the same to the intent that all they which seeke Christ might with one consent cleave to the love and her service and walk in all love for that is the peace i Eph. 2. prepared for us by Christ if so be we have any desire to the love and to the true peace 11. And thereunto even for the unities sake in the love is my service to all lovers of the truth that the destruction of heart might once cease that every one might have the love before his eyes that the service of the love and word of truth might have passage without hindrance and that so all sentences which bear witnesse to the truth might according to the truth be judged impartially 12. True it is that my spirit is well disposed hereunto even that the bewitching of many mens hearts might be done away and the calling of the Gentiles rightly be discerned and understood according to the truth to the end all matters appertaining to the righteousnesse might out of love be discerned and understood impartially with an unbewitched spirit and an unbound heart according to the truth but inasmuch as I find little upright judgement among the children of men as having much more inclination k Jer. 7.11.13.18 to their own sense and to their own l Rom. 10. righteousnesse then to the truth and righteousnesse which God accepteth also a more inclination to their ovvn self-chosen communalty then to the unity of heart in the service of love therefore is my heart many times not satisfied nor contented with the judgement of men 13. For I find apparently by experience that the man is in his judgement altogether partially minded in every respect and setteth his affection to this or to that vvhich tendeth not to concord but much rather to strife and hath very little respect to the love vvhereby he might out of the love have regard to the truth of the soveraign good impartially but commonly he will have the same bound or tyed to one thing or another vvherewith
that all hearts of men might fear honor and only serve him 27. Now where the word of life to Gods glory and mens salvation was heretofore thus ministred d Act. 2.3 4.5 c. and God then gave his blessing and increase for a fruitfulnesse of his Word through the belief there was also the same Word ministred out of Love by the Ministers thereof namely to the believers for their strengthning and growing up in the Word and in like manner they held forth the same Word of life according to his worthinesse unto the little young and weak ones to cheer up their hearts thereunto and to confirme them in the holy being of the same Word that such an holy being of God might have e Gal. 4. a sure forme in them and all people might with their tongues laud and praise God 28. Behold this same holy being of God is the true life of the holy Ghost which heretofore God wrought among his people Israel and likewise f Joel 2. Acts 2. among the Gentiles that feared his name and the same is promised afterward to be given in the g Esa 2.3.9.25.32.35 c. last daies 29. This same being of God is indeed the right food of the soule and bread of life and is h Ioh. 6. descended unto us from heaven for a life to the man and was heretofore i 1 Cor. 10 11. broken and distributed to the people of Israel and Dicsples of Christ to feed on in their souls 30. And this same bread which they brake fed on or eat k 1 Cor. 10 is the Communion of the Body of Christ which Christ is l Eph. 1.4.5 the Head Lord and Master of his Congreation saving m Mat. 1. redeeming his people from their sins and the cup whereof they drank n 1 Cor. 10 is the Communion of the blood of Christ 31. This same bread which was given unto them is the true meat-offering of Christ namely his body o Mat. 26. Mat. 14. Luk. 22. 1 Cor. 11. and this cup which was powred forth unto them is the true shedding of his blood the which is the out-flowing of the holy Word or Spirit of Christ upon all believers of Christ to everlasting life 32. Even thus did the Disciples of Jesu Christ eat of his flesh and drinke of his blood to the forgivenesse of their sins unto him namely to Christ for an incorporating and unto them namely to the believers of Christ for a life and so then had they their fellowship p 1 Joh. 1. with the same Christ and with his Father and were flesh q 1 Cor. 12. of his flesh and bone of his bones 33. Behold that same bread or body of Christ is the word that became flesh r Joh. 1. and it dwelt amongst them and they saw Å¿ 2 Pet. 1. 1 Joh. 1. his glory as a glory of the onely born Son of the Father full of grace and truth 34. And that same is the new Testament t Jer. 31. Heb. 8.10 which God in those daies made and appointed with his people u Act. 2. Tit. 3. and he powred out his spirit plenteously on them x Apo. 12. and did let them see his Ark in the heaven sent down his holy Jerusalem unto them y Apo. 21. and shewed them the Temple of his holy dwelling z Act. 7.17 which is not made with mens hands but which he had prepared for himself according as he promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Juda and the same is published to the Gentiles for a joyfull message 35. The same bread which was sent down unto them from heaven was heretofore broken and distributed also to the Gentiles as it is now unto us there was also a 1 Cor. 11. powred forth unto them of the cup of Christ and God did likewise shed sorth the same spirit of Christ b Act. 10.11.13 upon the Gentiles and through the belief justified their hearts from the sin for a c Esa 2.42.56.60.61.66 Jer. 23.33 Joel 2. Zach. 2.8.13 serting up of the banner of righteousnesse unto them according as God had avouched and promised the same to the Gentiles aforetimes by the mouth of his Prophets 36. Loe such things doth God work through his ministration of the holy Ghost and it is the true service in the obedience of the love and in this very sort my sight is that it shall come to passe in the last daies when God setteth up again the house of Israel according to his promises and not according to any humane Ordinance or invention which the man bringeth forth out of his witty dexterity or knowledge or out of his letter-learned wisdome wherewith the ignorant ones who understand not Gods promises are taken captive or tyed and with the bondage of heart through mens doctrine and wisdome carried into a made holinesse and fed therewith but not unto the word of life or shedding forth of the Holy Ghost from the living father the most highest nor yet fed with it 37. O no ye deerly beloved God d Esa 42. giveth not that honour unto any creature It is also no mans work nor power through mans invention but the work and power of the Lord through his gracious word in the service of his love that so they might all according to the promises e Esa 54. Joh. 6. be taught of God and all know him from f Jer. 31. the least to the greatest CHAP. VI. 1. The service of the love being Gods work by the illuminate elders 2. Is of few believed yet is it certainly the truth 3. Neverthelesse he permitteth it to be judged of all upright hearts 6. But with caution that none judge of envy but faithfully out of love 16. The worthinesse of the true wisdome 25. For lack whereof the course of the world is marred 26. Of the false wisdome 28. and of the true 30. The end of the false wisdome is come 32. How to come to the true wisdome BUt this service out of the love and this administration of the true bread or living word where it is appeared out of the true God is administred among the unlightned by the Elders and illuminated men in the family of the love of Jesu Christ â—o a Esa 40.42.61 Jer. 1.20 Mat. 28. Mar. 16. prepare and make meet the unlightâ—ed for to receive the true light of Christ and the gifts of his holy Spirit yea the same ministration is even Gods Ordinance where b 1 Cor. 3. God is the worker but not els and then the illuminated man who is grown up under the obedience of the love c Eph. 4. to the old age of the holy understanding or of the man Christ d Joh. 15 Act. 1.2 is a witnesse and serviceable instrument thereof but the blessing or increase which is the spirit of the living Word e 1 Cor. 3. must God
give through which righteous spirit or spirit of promise f Act. 15. 1 Cor. 6. God justifieth our hearts from the sinne through the belief 2. Lo hereof have I written heretofore and do now still bear witnesse to the same but who believeth the truth or who hath any regard unto Gods promises to wait with long sufferance and with a firme confidence in God for such things to come and in the obedience to the requiring of the service of love to hope for them and my conceiving in the truth and mine understanding is even yet no otherwise neither can I otherwise discern but that God will thus in his time bring forth his work to an everlasting peaceable living in the love according to his promises 3. Notwithstanding if it be not so as I through the holy spirit of the love of Jesu Christ do according to the life describe it or that Gods working according to his promises be not in such wise promised also that such a life of peace as we bear record of should not be to come or that men should not under the obedience of the love hope for it according to the promises Let any man give judgement of it according to the truth for every one that loveth righteousnesse he intendeth doubtlesse the Salvation after his best meaning 4. But if on the other side O all ye which observe these things the Lord hath opened the door of understanding unto you or hath g Eph. 1. enlightned your understanding and that ye conceive that we have set forth and described the life of righteousnesse and the service which leadeth thereunto according to the truth then verifie the same to the unity of heart in the love and to one understanding of the true belief in Jesu Christ one with another and so h Eccl. 6. then give your selves obediently to the same service of love and to our communion of the living God in one faith and in one familiarity i 1 Pet. 1. of upright brotherly love to the end the true belief and the right obedience of the love may among us all which love the righteousnesse k 4 Esd 6. grow and blossome in all concord in a sure hope to Gods promises and that the righteous in the love may become many 5. Els if you think that we have conceived of the truth amisse or if in any point it be too slenderly set forth then give testimony thereof with a meek spirit and so help forward the unity of heart in the obedience of the love and think no evill of it neither blaspheme it for in such a sort we stand pliable to examine the truth whereby out of love we may cleave thereunto and so receive the explanation of the truth in that wherein we know it not aright for the wisdome of the truth in a gentle and meek spirit l Pro. 3.8 Sap. 7. is the most precioust treasure that a man can find 6. But one that covereth himself in his evill conceiving and thereby thinketh to be wise and one which hath a tongue that slandereth and an heart which is envious or wrath against any he is not to be commended Moreover an arrogant heart which with contempt of another hath a pleasure in his own understanding or which standeth partiall in the testimony of the truth or an heart that turneth it self away from the concord of the service of love and cleaveth to the vain conceited flesh and bloud and taketh part therewith that same can in no wise judge rightly 7. Therefore judge with faithfulnesse and truth and not with favour or disfavour nor yet with reviling or despite least any man judge out of such a disposition as they aforetimes did that were the confederates of the high-Priest and smote the mouth of the wisdome on his face m Joh. 18. saying with arrogant minds and malicious hearts wilt thou answer the High-Priest so 8. Behold howsoever it be meet and Gods Ordinance that men should learn the Law n Mal. 2. out of the mouth of the Priests and the wisdome o Eccl. 6.8 of the Elders or principallest of understanding yet is such dealing an unreasonablenesse and against the Law also against the wisdome and against the love which God requireth 9. Wheresoever therefore men deal after that manner or with such partiality though it seemeth to be some righteousnesse holinesse or wisdome there deem we not the true High-Priest nor any Elders of the holy understanding nor yet the Law of the Lord nor wisdome of God to be 10. Therefore ought men to stand impartiall with the heart in Gods upright being and so to set forth the Salvation out of the love and her service for many seek it ignorantly and through lack of wisdome they go into waies where it is not to be found 11. But if any man love the salvation and wisdome from his heart let him submit himself to the love and her service and so then in obeying of the requiring of the service of love let him be familiar p Col. 3. 1 Pet. 3. brotherly kind-hearted chast meek gentle sober patient or long suffering lowly of heart and friendly for that is a blessednesse q Jam. 3. and wisdome which is not earthly of the earth or of men but onely of God the fountain of grace full of all wisdome and he distributeth her unto every one that feareth seeketh and loveth him for there is none only wise nor onely good r Mat. 19 Luk. 18. but God who onely is the Lord and the everlasting wisdome it self 12. Therefore speaketh the mouth of the wisdome and saith Å¿ Mat. 18. where two or three of you be gathered together in my Name there am I amongst you and in the midst of you t Deut. 17.19 Mat. 18. Joh. 8. for in the mouth of two or three witnesses all matters shall be judged and be rightly known out of the true wisdome 13. But not of such as with subtilty of the knowledge do enquire daily thereafter of another or with wittinesse and reason do search or sound deeply for it whereby to discern the matters of understanding touching things divine out of the knowledge O no! but u Esa 57.66 Sap. 1.6 Mat. 11. 13. 1 Cor. 2. of those that are lowly of heart and have not studied nor searched for any knovvledge x Bccl. 6. 1 Pet. 1.5 but with a desire do humble their hearts to the obeying of the requiring of the holy vvord and his service of love for to do the will of the Lord. 14. Lo such are upright wise-ones and lovers of wisdome upon whom also the wisdome ariseth as a light whose judgements agree in one understanding and do tend or reach to one upright being 15. O God that the hearts of men were yet once rightly humbled before thee and thy service of love and were partakers of thy holy wisdome that so they might live in thee 16. O holy y
we bidden through the service of the doctrines and writings of the Apostles of Christ i 1 Pet. 1. 1 Joh. 1. vvho have published in the world such a life as is everlasting 36. If then we believe in Christ so as the Scripture saith then shall not the upright wisdome remain separated from us but have her form in us and k Joh. 4.7 flow from our body as a river of living waters 37. But now is this upright wisdome l Mat. 11. 1 Cor. 1.2 hidden or unknown before all flesh also before the devill before the world and before all her wise and letter-learned ones 38. Also she is not to be learned in any schools through any study in the knowledges not found by any manner tongues or languages but she riseth as a light upon those who in the Doctrine of Wisdom of her service of Love are low and humble of heart m Esa 57.66 poor of Spirit willing to the good n Sap. 1.7 and not subject to the lustfulnesse of the sin 39. Therefore speaketh the mouth of the Wisdome saying o Mat. 11. I thank thee O Father of heaven and earth that thou hast hidden this same from the wise and learned in the Letter and hast made it knowne to the little and lowly 40. Yea it hath alwaies so pleased the Father to make the lowly contrite hearts partakers of the gifts of his holy wisdome CHAP. VII 2. In the off-fallen estate there is none truly wise though many boast 3. The Glasse of Righteousnesse is set forth to try every ones cause by it 8. Though the Author be moved at the misunderstanding of others 9. Yet would he not have men to think that his owne humane waies had been alwaies right 11. But through the Lords mercy he hath been inlightned 12. Which illumination and gifts he respected not in regard of the Love 13. And exhorteth all others to despise their gifts likewise in respect thereof 19. He bewaileth mens uncertaine knowledge 22. Yea even of them that are fore-goers unto others 25. How to walke in the Service of the Love 29. The written word is not the word it selfe 31. Yet mens misunderstanding perceiveth it not 39. But God can reveale the difference INasmuch as I now have perceived the fall or estranging of men from this holy wisdome and what a wicked nature and crafty heart they have or in what spirituall bewitching they stand that account themselves for wise and yet are strangers to the godly wisdome which is according to the Love and the requiring of her Service therefore could I not give credit unto any of them as true wise ones or upright Christians although they boasted them of Gods wisdome or gave our themselves for a Christian Congregation 2. For through mistrustfulnesse the fear of my heart was that the Christianity was not so good or upright among the Children of men as they made boast of or that it might yet not be for all that the right Christianity or that her Ministration was not yet proceeded out of the right stock of the Love 3. Whilest then that they were yet unknowne unto me in such sort that I could credit no man for his boasting fair speaking nor profoundnesse or deep knowledge and that out of Gods grace and his heavenly revelation there was granted me to see the good being of the Christianity and that the same stood before me in the sight of my spirit whereafter my hope and longing was as also we have said before therefore out of the inclination of love am I occasioned to shew openly and to set forth a Glasse of Righteousness whereby to make knowne before all eyes of understanding that glasse themselves therein the good and upright being of the true Christianity and what our calling is through Jesus Christ by the Word of the preaching of the Apostles of Christ and whereby also to lay open the understanding a Eph. 3. whereon we are to set our hope what manner life the Prophecies doe stretch unto wherein Gods promises are to be established and what manner ones they be or ought to be that are the upright Congregation of the Christianity 4. This verily have I through Gods grace b Rom. 12. 1 Cor. 3. which is given unto me plainly expressed in Letters according to the life of the upright Christianity namely according to the upright forme even as I behold the same in the vision of the truth through Gods heavenly Revelation which is c Rom. 16. Eph. 1.3 Col. 1. 2 Tim. 1. appeared and revealed unto me d Eccl. 24.33 seeking therein the salvation of all men and not mine owne only for therefore to the end that all controversie might now be ended and that it might be knowne what the true Christianity is I have impartially noted or described in Letters the upright being of the Christianity and also in like manner the true teaching-office of the Ministration of the holy Word in the obedience of the love of Jesu Christ. 5. If now any man have right in his matter concerning the Christianity or if any man minister the office of the holy Word rightly in the obedience of the love of Jesu Christ according to the promises he will also keep it and will likewise very willingly unite himselfe with us in the obedience of the Love of Jesu Christ for I desire not with my writing to bereave any man of the true being of the Christianity nor of the upright Office of the Ministration of the holy Word but much rather to point him to it and to be serviceable unto him therewith 6. But they that are wrong and stand in a conceit or imagination shall also very easily perceive wherein they mistake or are wrong if so be they read these writings and doe glasse themselves in the Glasse of Righteousnesse and have regard unto these testimonies 7. Let every one know himselfe and turn him to the Communalty of the love that he may be inlightned in his e Eph. 1. understanding and be delivered and unburthened of the f Rom. 1. vaine bewitched being and so with thanksgiving laud God 8. Oh what shall I say of the vaine understanding of the children of men and of all their conceits and imaginations whereunto they are subject Oh how much experience have I of this their ignorance and conceitednesse I have examined it very much I have had regard unto the judgement of many men and made my selfe common with every one howbeit I have found many things vaine or senselesse 9. But although I do thus write yet let no man therefore thinke that my humane waies have been still in the true understanding O no! but concerning my humane disposition and weak nature I have found my selfe in much sin and ignorance above many others 10. I have also passed thorow many g Sap. 5. tedious waies struggled much stumbled often and fallen many times yea I have been even the chiefe among
a Mat. 11. and meek heart according to the mentioning of the Scriptures 27. Novv vvhen vve have heard or read the Scripture or service of the vvord to that effect and that vve have given over and yeelded our selves before the Elders b Eccl. 6 8. in the family of love thereunto then is it altogether needfull for us for the obtaining of such an upright heart diligently and earnestly c Esa 55. Jer. 29. to seek d Mat. 7. Luk. 11. knock and pray e Eccl. 2. to abide patiently the battell or tryall that meeteth us against our passage towards the good life f Mat. 10.16 Luk. 9.14 to take up our crosse daily by belief and hope in the patience and so with one accord g Act. 2. to continue stedfast in prayer and faith untill that through the service of the word we be h 1 Pet. 1. born or brought forth alive in the true word out of the death and blindnesse of the sin 28. Which birth in the spirit is not out of the word which is writable nor which is set forth by the unregenerate man out of the letter O no but out of the holy and living word of God i 1 Pet. i. 2 Joh. 1. which is Spirit and life and Christ himself according to the Spirit 29. For the written word of the letter is not the word it self that cleanseth and sanctifieth the man from the sin or which procreateth the life but the same is a shadow or figure out of the holy and true word and a serviceable instrument whereby we are made well affected inwardly in our souls to the true word of Vivification and do become believing of the same to the end that through the belief and love we might so in the spirit of our mind be made k Eph. 4. â— Pet. 1. of like being with the nature and being of the good life even as the word or Scripture witnesseth thereof 30. Lo this is our calling through the service of the holy word of the Apostles of Christ to the end we should so through the same service and her drawing of our hearts to the love be brought to the ministring of the spirituall and heavenly goods in such serving of the living God l Luk. 1. and in that upright righteousnesse and holinesse which is pleasing unto him 31. But where now is understanding where is there now any regard had unto the word and the matter rightly judged 32. Where are the guides that erre not m Esa 3.9.28.56 Jer. 8.18.23 Ezek. 13.22.34 The Prophets that lie not the Seers that faile not the teachers that mix not their own imaginations with the word 33. Is not the world every where so blind and dark that men cannot discern the shadow n Joh. 1. from that which it shineth from the sounding voice o Mat. 3. Rom. 10. 1 Pet. 1. from the word the letter p 2 Cor. 3. from the Spirit the Image of God from the Godhead mens teaching and word q Mat. 15. Col. 2. from Gods Teaching and Word the obedience and fear of men r Esa 51. Luk. 12. from the obedience and fear of God the righteousnesse which man esteemeth Å¿ Mat. 23. Rom. 10. from the righteoufnesse which is of value before God the naturall man from the spirituall the sacrifice of men from the sacrifice of Christ the Oblations from the Reconciliation the Law from the Gospell c. Is not every of these disorderly confounded one with another in the understandings of men and so taken all for one manner thing 34. This I saw that many hearts were intangled therein and it grieved me exceedingly 35. Oh darknesse and blindnesse or weed which from the beginning was sown in Adams heart how manifoldly hast thou spread thy self abroad amongst us and thereby covered the whole world that there is hardly any little plot to be found where the good seed might have his growing or springing up unto fruitfulnesse 36. If now it be not turned up u 4 Esd 4. namely the evill and the peace wherein it is sowne then shall not the good appear nor the place wherein it is sowne 37. O God that the place of the evill seed were stirred and turned up and the ungodlinesse taken away x 4 Esd 3. out of the heart that the thistles and thorns might grow there no more then might the noble Lilly branch namely thy Sanctuary once have his springing up y 4 Esd 6.7 the belief blossome and the love bring forth her fruits whereby the upright righteousnesse might z Sap. 7. Mat. 13. above any treasure of this world be embraced 38. Oh this same is it which I sigh for bewaile and lament because I find it not and because that appeareth not which God esteemeth and is the Salvation of men and for that moreover with many it is to be sought and fetcht so far of 39. But with thee O God are all a Mat. 19. things possible who so in belief of the truth trusteth in thee the same man can do much and look what seemeth unpossible with men that canst thou soon bring to passe CHAP. VIII 1. He bewaileth the desolation of the Sheep of Christ that go astray in the wildernesse and know not their right Shepheard 6. Yet many content themselves in that estate 14. An exhortation to the Seers 17. And to the desolate People that they behold and bewail the same their misery and the losse of the upright righteousnesse 44. An inviting to the love where the supply is onely to be found O God how long yet shall thy a Psal 74.79 Sanctuary remain wast how long shall the sheep run scattered abroad b 3 Re. 22. Ezek. 34. and in all respects remain bound intangled tyed and holden captive as though thou O God wouldst not be their redeemer and Shepheard for they c Psa 119. Esai 53. go astray in the wildernesses and forget the Land promised them of God for inheritance and the holy City Jerusalem 2. For behold and it is to be seen and noted the Foxes d Ezek. 13. do bear rule and every one in his own wisdome useth craft wilinesse and subtilty whereby many sheep and Lambs are caught and bewitched and so remain in the bands of the wildernesses because they know not the true life their upright Shepheard 3. For the fear which the foxes make with the show of their wisdome is the snare which hath taken captive and keepeth bound the poor silly sheep in the wildernesse that they neither hunger nor long for the good pasture supposing they come to the best and thus are they appeased 4. O ye silly sheep how long will you yet suffer your selves to be bewitched when will you heare the word of your Lord e Ioh. 10. and the voice of your Shepheard when will ye once desire to come unto him that hath made you f Ezek. 34. that he
noble generation of man destroyed being become lesse of godly worthinesse then the beasts of the field howbeit thou hast chosen and created thee the man to this end u Gen. 1 Sap. 2. that he should carry and bear the Image of thy living God-head to the land and praise of thy glory to the intent he should be unto thee O God x Lev. 26 2 Cor. 6. Apo. 21. a Temple and Tabernacle for thy holy dwelling 17. But alas the man is quite contrary and against this same and hath very little mind or desire y Ier. 5.8 to come to his God again 18. And therefore the fall and straying of men from their God is become so deep and far that there is z Psa 14 Rom. 3 scarcely any understanding will or desire of right conversion to be found among them 19. O God how are we blinded from the right knowledge of thy requiring and become resisters and despisers of thee 20. We have a Esa 59 Ier. 2 32 turned the back unto thee as those that know thee not and are become as children that are brought up of strangers and are so fond upon strangers that they utterly despise and detest the sight of their Parents and forget their Fathers house 21. We are even so far O God become strange towards thee that we have almost no pleasure in thee for thou art unto us as the very contemptiblest and most despised'st thing b Esa 53. Yea so little have we rightly thought of thee that in respect of thy right worthinesse we have counted thee utterly of no value and esteemed thee nothing worth neverthelesse thou bearest c 1 Pet. 2. our sins and hast compassion in our affliction and art our Physitian healing us of our offences for thou makest us whole of the deadly wounds of our souls 22. O God d Psa 25.79 impute not our sins unto us because of our ignorance e Luk. 23. Act. 7. forgive them also their offences that know not what they do 23. For seeing the children of men know not thee aright nor submit themselves obediently to the requiring of thy Word and Service of Love therefore surely they fall here or erre there in such sort that oft times they keep no measure nor rule at all 24. But seeing that such things are now sufficiently known unto me and that my spirit out of Gods grace perceiveth a godlier life then is found with many of the children of men therefore the inclination to the righteousnesse constraineth me distinctly to shew both that which is commendable and that also which is utterly discommendable before God and among men 25. Therefore O ye children of men note I pray you your ignorance and think once upon that which is right and learn an upright understanding and a right knowledge of the wisdome that tendeth to the love 26. Learne of the Love in her Service f Mat. 11. lowlinesse long-sufferance meeknesse sobernesse chastnesse and righreousnesse in faithfulnesse and truth that same shall be wholsome to your reigns do good to your g Pro. 3. navell refresh your bones and rejoyce your heart and shall be unto you a living fountain h Ioh. 7. that springeth to the everlasting life and as a fruitfnll tree i Psal 1. Icr. 17 Ezek. 47 Apoc. 22 planted by the waters side that bring forth his timely fruits whose greens or leaves do not wither or fade 27. Take this same to heart and be not as the wild beasts be k Psal 32. not like horses and mules that have no understanding of wisdom 28. Inrage not your selves in any wise as the mad furious world doth set no horns on your heads thrust not your selves out l Prov. 1 Sap. 2. like the unwise or fools neither let your part be among the greedy or covetous 29. Keep you from the society of them that are forward to do violence and of such as count it a small thing to shed mens blood 30. Have not much disputation nor reasoning with them that by their will are desirous to have the matter to go on their side or that are partially minded but rather in all things observe what is right and equall and what m Rom. 14 serveth to peace and love CHAP. XI 1 An Exhortation to the Family of Love to imbrace the loves nature and to pray with confidence for the godly wisdome 18. Many pray for wisdom that will not acknowledge themselves to be unwise 20. The poor of spirit are blessed 23. The self-wise will happily for a time like of the Love and her Wisdome yet according to his owne sense 25. H N. feareth least the Glasse of Righteousnesse shall be misunderstood as other Sentences arc 35. The Alarme is stricken up to prepare men to the battell 43. The Lord indeed worketh all but not without us nor without our obedience 47. The well-willing are not to be dismayed 51. The Christian fight is not with cursing nor killing but with patience to subdue the sin within us 56. God is pleased to save the world by a foolish Preaching under the obedience of the Love OYe children of the Family of the Love of Jesu Christ if so be ye love the Love then consider also the Loves nature for the Love is clothed with righteousnesse which also rejoyceth not a 1 Cor. 13 in the iniquity for her joy is in the truth 2. After such a fashion consider ye the Love and not after a vain course according to the mind of the flesh b Esa 40. for all flesh waxeth old and changeth but the Spirit that cleaveth to the Love doth neither wax old nor change but it abideth for ever 3. Hereunto have regard that your life may be in the preservation of the righteous and fear not like the fooles or ignorant 4. For why should ye perish with the fools and ignorant wherefore should ye inherit the cursing c Mat. 25. with the goats 5. Separate d 2 Cor. 6 Apoc. 18. from them and behold Gods right hand for from thence cometh unto us the life of salvation and the light of the holy understanding 6. Even there learne with the wise the godly wisdom that according to the Spirit ye may be not earthly e Col. 3. but heavenly minded 7. Suck also in like manner all gentlenesse out of the brests of the Love and seek the peace of concord 8. And when ye have gotten all this same then play sing f Psal 96.87 and praise the Lord as his little lambs and g Psa 79.95.100 as the sheep of his pasture and as little children h 1 Pet. 2. in whom there is no guilefull heart hidden and so get you a naked lovely heart such as uncoveredly groweth up in the Love and i 1 Thes 3 2 Thes 1. increaseth therein more and more and increase ye likewise in wisdome and in holy understanding 9. If now ye be hereunto well minded
man turn his heart unto God and desire to do his will the same shall likewise well understand that the restimonies of the upright life in the love as it is set forth in the Glasse of Righteousnesse is the upright ground of righteousnesse that God from the beginning hath required of the man which also in the restoring thereof shall continue for ever to the Salvation of the vvorld according to the promises even as God hath spoken the same aforetimes by the mouth of his holy Prophets who have all g Esa 2.60.61.62 Jer. 31. Joel 2.3 Zach. 2.8 Mich. 4. Soph. 3. Mal. 4. vvitnessed and prophecied of that same upright life for to come in the last time and in the same shall also all consciences be appeased 31. For the end or fulnesse of the same is the revealing or coming of the Kingdom of God h Esa 35.51.60.65 Apo. 21.22 and the beholding of the joyes and Salvation of the eternall perfect and uncorruptible being 32. Oh that the man had any understanding in the godlinesse and did perceive vvhereunto God calleth him and did in like manner prepare his heart after the meaning of the vvritten sentences and did let alone judging by the knowledge 33. But no the man is much too self-wise by his knowledge and therefore he is more inclined to judge of every thing after his knowledge then to prepare his heart to the good under the obedience of the love 34. Therefore it is very much to be lamented that many among the children of men do oftentimes judge the sentences and writings which have out of the service of love their ministration to the good life according to their Knowledge For as soon as they read or hear the same they suppose by and by that they have rightly apprehended and well understood them not first minding to enter in to obtain and to live in that which they bear witnesse of whereas yet the service of our writing tendeth hereunto even that mens hearts as is there set forth should be prepared to the same 35. For men strike up no alarm in the host to the intent to make the people unlusty to the battell nor yet that they should but know the exercise of the warr or judge of the Alarm-stroak but that with good courage they should prepare themselves to the battell or fight Thereby every one that hath courage to fight doth then make himself ready to incounter with his enemies and to root out his adversary or to subdue him 36. But alas I find it with many otherwise in that alarm by which the man is called to the spirituall i Eph. 6. fight to the vanquishing of his enemies which inwardly in him are killers and murderers of his soul 37. Therefore it is very true that the children of this world are much k Luk. 16. wiser in their dealing as concerning the flesh then the children of the Kingdom are in that which concerneth the spirit 38. What availeth I pray you an alarm made if men prepare them not to the battell for many are perswaded that this is no time of fighting and that there shall be no need thereof supposing because of their unbelief that nothing shall come of it and lay their hands behind on the back or put them up in the bosome Their heads are giddy as if their hearts were utterly unlusty or dismaid to the fight 39. If one should seek for men of warre where I pray you should he find them Are they not for the most part gone back l Levit. 26. Jer. 48. and become faint hearted as women 40. If they do but once suffer harm and be wounded or forced by any evill defamation or assault of the wicked to sustain any molestation or reproach then are they persvvaded that the cause is altogether nought and so running again after their case they suffer themselves to be ruled by women m Esa 3. their enemy to raign over them and in like manner make truth n Esa 28. with death and a league with hell retain peace with the sin and accuser and become of one mind with the world supposing that then all shall be well moreover they make an appointment or conclusion with themselves that they will no more trouble themselves with the doctrine of the Family of Love nor yet vvith the battell thinking Let them run that will 41. For to resist the evill to break and subdue the wicked heart and evil thoughts and to suffer much distresse contempt and reproach for the same liketh them not they will none of that Howbeit we are alwaies to fight apainst the evill and to keep good watch continually we are alwaies to think night and day upon the vertue of the godly life alwaies to long and to hunger and thirst after it alvvaies to speak and to treat thereof with such as do so labour thereafter and yet then of many sorts of people and letter-learned to be despised and reproached 42. Because of this toil and for the shame and reproaches cause which meeteth them and because they love not the righteousnesse of the godly life with the heart they let the matter passe saying out of unbelief I cannot further it I hold me still or unoccupied about it let the Lord work it I will commit it unto him Supposing when they thus passe on according to their imagination or do live after the fashion of the world and with an o Rom. 2. unrepenting heart towards God do hold peace with the blasphemers and strivers against the truth of Christ and his love that then God will make it to be well with them 43. Deceive not your selves ye dearly beloved the saying is very right p Act. 16. Eph. 3. Gol. 1. that the Lord worketh it and that he will also cause it to go well with us q Phila. 2. and prepare us after his will and pleasure howbeit not without us nor yet without the obedience of the requiring of the service of his holy and gracious word and of his love and whilest that we turne us away in such a sort from him and from the Ministers of his word and do refuse him r Luk. 17 but it is done inwardly in us under the obedience of the requiring of his gracious word and service of love so as we stand subject unto him with good will therein and be of one mind with him against the ungodly being that God may so in us magnifie his holy name Å¿ 2 Reg. 7. and be called t Ier. 10. a God of Hosts a u Esa 47. God of Israel or a God of such a one as beareth dominion with God over his enemies 44. After this manner is God a Lord of his Army He is only the Lord but we the instrument of his hands 45. Out of such an understanding under the obedience of the Law of the Lord did the Kingly Prophet David eftsoons apprehend a zealous stoutnesse even as in divers manners we
read in his Psalms how valiantly and couragiously he setteth himself on Gods part against his enemies as well in fighting with good courage as also sometimes in praying and making supplication that God might be his helper 46. After the same manner ought it also to go with us inwardly in our hearts under the obedience of the love x 2 Cor. 3. for no man can do any thing of himself how stout strong or wise soever he be unlesse God be with him who strengthneth him whom under the obedience of the Word and his love he findeth to be of good will and that prayeth unto him for his help 47. If then any man be weak finding himself infirm yet to the battell the same is not y Eccl. 2. rejected nor despised no nor any one that hath been in errour so that they do but trust in God and be good of will do abide in the faith and so in processe of time do increase in strength and be not unwilling in the word of the Lord. 48. Therefore Oye little and sorrowfull hearts z Esa 35.41 be not dismaid but be confident in hope the Lord will not suffer you to be a Esa 54. put to shame Therefore be of good courage 49. Though that the battell come unto you and that ye be despised by the unbelievers of the gracious word and by the blasphemers of the love of God and of the holy spirit of Jesus Christ and that moreover b Mat. 5. 1 Pet. 2.3 all evill be lyingly spoken of you yet be not therefore dismaid 50. For the God of Israel is c Esa 5. our comfort and he the same 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 Cor. 1. 3. 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 esteemof 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
the works of unbeliefe leadeth away from the living God wherby we may be deprived of the fellowship with God in the Spirit for the unity and p Eph. 2. peace with God the Father in the Spirit for to live one with another in all Loue is the glorious liberty of the children of God whereunto we are called by Jesus Christ 51. Lo this is the stone q Psa 118 1 Pet. 2. which was not allowed of the workmen yet is there r Acts 4. salvation in none other which stone is clean against all sense of the flesh and against all them that are minded only upon the outward therefore of those builders which will themselves act or set up the salvation he is rejected Å¿ Esa 8.28 Mat. 21. and is unto them a stone of stumbling and offence t Psal 118 Mat. 21. and this is a wonderfull worke in our eyes 52. Behold herein we have likewise all sinned and trespassed 53. Therefore it stands us now upon to regard well from the heart the mind of the truth and with humble hearts to pray unto the Lord that he will not punish us for our misdeeds of ignorance u Psa 25 79. Dan. 9. but will thinke upon us according to his mercy and guide our hearts after his will that we might walke in his Ordinances and be named after his Name as our God and Saviour who through the Service of his love maketh our errors knowne unto us and releaseth or maketh us free from all perverse or covered nature of sinne from all arrogancy and haughtinesse of the revolters and from all falshood dissention and deceit which at this time do every where bear sway and among many have even hitherto had the preheminence 54. O God x Dan. 9 let us in this dangerous time find grace in thine eyes and incline thou our hearts towards thee and towards thy righteousnesse bring our spirit out of this desolation and cleanse our hearts minds and thoughts from all dissention y Psa 51 and create in us an upright mind that no evill come upon us 55. Of which upright mind and upright course of life of all upright hearts I have set forth a clear instruction in the tree of life the fourth book of the Glasse of Righteousness which Glass of Righteousness with other more like testimonies I have heretofore set forth to the intent that every one might look into himself and know whether he were of the upright communalty of the righteous and lived and walked in the upright vvaies of the just and so served the living God only or not For I wist not how to call any by name for to shew outwardly vvhat sort I might judge for the rightfullest 56. For I found the man a Jer. 9 so altogether deceivable so bewitched of understanding so given to cover or dissemble his lies so lordly minded because of his understanding so double of heart so earnestly bent to destroying and oppressing against those that were not like minded with his hearts conceiving so b Ier. 18.25.29.35 declining from him that according to the truth pointed him to the way of life so self-seeking and partiall for himself so resolute in his opinion so reproachfull and malicious with accusation at him that desired to bring him into the right way of the holy Fathers so vvel-conceited and affected towards his own phansies and errours so hipocriticall in the vertue so divided from the righteousnesse so separated from conscience so little seeking that which is the Lords only so unstable in fidelity so slothfull and slow to turn him to God c Pro. 6.24 so without regard to the upright waies so little reckning of the straying from his God so affectioned to the earthly visible things and so self-captived of heart that I was altogether suspicious jealous and doubtfull of the man 57. And not only of another but also even of mine own humane nature insomuch that I held it straight unto all vertues and righteous dealings for to do the Lords will in all my proceedings for in that sort did I passe forth under the obedience of the love with my humane nature to the intent to obtain the vertuous d 1 Cor. 13. disposition of the love and to be incorporated to the same with soul and body and with all the senses and thoughts of my humane nature and indeavouring me in this same with all diligence the Lord received me into the grace of his love and into him and his love incorporated my mind together with my senses and thoughts and so gave me inheritance with Christ and his Saints in his heavenly riches e Rom. 16. Eph. 1.2.3 Col. 1. and revealed his last will unto me 58. But not according to any conceiving of the flesh or after the outwardnesse namely in any outward appearance that liketh the man and the sight of his fleshly eyes or vvhereunto the man doth sometimes set his heart and understanding as though he could satisfie God thereby or as if a man with his outward humanity with a show after the outward appearance might be incorporated into the God of heaven and into his heavenly goods or could live in the Godhead according to the flesh 59. O no ye dearly beloved Gods working in renewing of the man through Jesus Christ is not after the pleasing of men nor according to any affection of the flesh nor yet such as any man by his fleshly conceiving or learned understanding should be able after the outward to judge of the same working of God in the spirit or of him which is renewed in God 60. For Gods working and the renewing of the man f Rom. 12. Eph. 4. is brought to passe inwardly in the spirit and in the inward senses and thoughts through the power of his holy spirit of love wherethrough men are abundantly filled with love towards the living God and with love towards all men 61. My respect also in my zeal to the vertuous nature of the love was least upon the outward show after the flesh but it was most upon an upright heart and mind such as consisteth in a good willing obedience and tieth or bindeth it self to no elementish things whether they be earthly riches or worldly possessions because I would in spirit and mind serve and please the living God only and likewise thereby love every man as my self 62. And for this upright beings sake because in all love the same should have and keep an g 1 Cor. 4. Gal. 4. essentiall form in me I did as is aforesaid examine the senses and cogitations of my human nature whether by them any other thing were loved or desired besides or whether they tied themselves unto any thing els To the intent I might for the loves sake of God and Christ h Mat. 16. Luk. 9.14 renounce hate and forsake it every whit and crucifie i Rom. 6. Gal. 5. Col. 3. and kill my humane senses and
therefore ye beloved give no regard to the unbelief that saith it is impossible but contrariwise with belief and hope enter ye in for the beliefe is strong and mighty f Mat. 17.21 Luk. 17. she removeth mountains out of their places vanquisheth the enemies g Heb. 11. and is a certain assurance of that which is hoped for 12. Look then what ye out of belief and according to the truth do desire in God to obtain that love ye with vvhole heart for the love vvhich in her service holdeth the heart fast with earnest love is yet stronger then the belief h 1 Cor. 13. and goeth far beyond it all and not regarding any difficulty she overcometh it all for the things sake which she loveth for the love maketh that light which appeareth heavy and bringeth life out of that which seemeth to be death 13. Therefore the love is not wearied with any thing for that which a man loveth is precious in his sight and he esteemeth it of great value i Rom. 8. moreover he regardeth neither losse nor trouble to get or to come by that vvhich he loveth best 14. And therefore men are to k 1 Cor. 14. Col. 3. seek for the most best that they may obtain the same and not to respect any of those things that would oppose themselves or be hindersome there-against for who so seeketh not obtaineth not vvho so tasteth not of the sowre shall not partake of the sweet 15. If any man fall let him rise again if ye be hurt or wounded believe so shall ye be made whole yea though ye were already dead or were as dead in your minds yet if ye believe the gracious word and Salvation in the obedience of his service of love and put your trust in the power of God l Joh. 5. ye shall surely live and not abide dead for the saving from death m Joh. 11. is the Resurrection and eternall life 16. Though ye find your selves even damned in the hell and taken captive of sin and devill yet fear not but believe n Psal 18.23.33.116 ye shall be delivered and saved from thence 17. For the belief and hope towards the Salvation and the love to righteousnesse in the grace of God neither can nor may abide in the sinne death devill or hell but they must prevail vanquish and bring to nought or destroy all that is not of God 18. Therefore have neither the o Mat. 16. gates of hell nor the bands of the devill nor the p Rom. 8. pangs of death nor the strength of sin nor the lusts of the world nor the mind of the flesh any power over such believers either to hold or to raign over them q 1 Cor. 15. but they bring them all under them to a victory 19. But if at any time through the slendernesse of our understanding we be plucked away from our good mind or be after the nature of the Serpent r Gen. 3. Sap. 2. 2 Cor. 11. beguiled by the wisdom of the flesh and thereby through weaknesse fall and be made so senselesse that we cannot discern the life from the death yea become so feeble and faint-hearted that we have scarcely any desire at all to the good but do daily Å¿ Rom. 7. suffer and feel the sting of death yet let us not therefore be dismayed nor despair in mind but rather so much the more cheer up our selves in the belief and through the serviceable word of truth take unto us a new stomack and fresh courage again to a stouter going forwards keep so much the sharper watch and still have diligent regard on the thing that may annoy us to the entrance of the life whereby we may through the belief and obedience of the Word t Eph. 6. 1 Pet. 5. keep of and vanquish it every whit and so with a good will have our passage towards God in the spirit untill the love abide firm in us and that we have such a free heart and mind as may be subject to nothing but to the high Majesty of the living Godhead only 20. Now to come hereunto we must renounce our selves and all created visible things not only outwardly after the flesh but quite and clean inwardly with the heart according to the spirit and so give over our selves obediently under the service of love unto the God of life and his gracious word u Rom. 6.8 to a dying in the spirit from every thing whereunto our will and mind according to the flesh or outward fashion is tyed and keep our selves diligently from all holy appearances and worldly fashions that so then x 1 Pet. 1. in the obeying of the gracious word and his service of love our inward mind for to come to a submitted being may be made tender soft and lowly and we in like manner with humble hearts find our selves y Psal 57. ready to do the Lords will a Rom. 6. the end whereof is eternall life It is true 21. Which way to the life few do b Mat. 7. find because it is unknown c Mat. 11. 1 Cor. 1.2 and hidden unto all understandings of the flesh and unto all wise ones of the world and her Scripture learned 22. Who is there now rightly inclined to the life and peace but those that indure all deadly things dissention and whatsoever cometh upon them thereby untill it d Rom. 6.8 2 Cor. 4. wholly vanish and come to nought in them and which have the life and peace alwaies before their eyes and do pray with great fervency unto God in the spirit that he will be their povver and strength 23. After this manner ought vve vvith humble hearts to be minded in every thing that cometh upon us against the good for the evill must by the good be e Rom. 12. overcomed in patience 24. Yet not out of our vvorks or ovvn povver f Rom. 3.4 Eph. 2. O no but through the belief in affiance towards God and so abiding Gods leisure in his work we are daily to pray unto God in the spirit that he will destroy and take avvay or root out the evill out of our hearts and choose and set up the good again therein 25. Hereunto are we to g 1 Pet. 5. humble our hearts before God in his service of love that we may find such healthfull grace before his eyes in the coming of Jesu Christ who now to the Salvation of all those that hope in Christ h 2 Pet. 3. and long for his coming cometh to a righteous judgement over the world with equity 26. Oh hereof there is surely much written shewed and testified were it but observed and understood aright but there is great negligence and much misunderstanding among the children of men for we find many lamentable errours not only in the erring world but also in those that perswade themselves to be wise and to love the good 27. Awake once
token of the birth out of God through the righteous spirit It is true 34. It is also there in the same book recorded b 1 Glasse that those which are taught by the righteous spirit are no longer servants of the Prophets which forsooth some have read or heard thereof and have by that meanes forsaken the requiring of the Propheticall Word of the Apostles of Christ before they were according to the mention of the Word confirmed in their cailing and through the perswasion that they had the truth or Spirit of God they are stopped out of their calling turned to the liking of their owne opinion c Rom. 1. Eph. 4. and so become vaine in their understanding 35. Some would needs account themselves free through the Spirit d 1 Glasse 3.4 before they have tasted or known the Spirit of Promise and so have run forth before the time and have not by their wisdome understood the promises of God nor the calling of the Gentiles 36. When the man now regardeth not his calling according to the requiring thereof rightly but looketh about to some other understanding and will count himself free through the spirit before the first or foregoing service which e Gal. 3. Heb. 7. directeth or leadeth thereunto be accomplished or fufilled by him then forsaketh he the service of the fore-witnessed or foregoing Word and goeth forth in a liberty which yet is false according to his own spirit before he hath fulfilled his servantship in the service of the fore-going holy Word f Luk. 21. wherein he should possesse his soul with patience g 1 Cor. 11 and so shew forth the death of 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 fervent 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
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. Luk. 17.21 as hang their Hearts in buying and selling upon coveteousnesse or p Rom. 13 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 7 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 Lake 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. 17. 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 ought 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 increse 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 Fonresses 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 haert and so love that thing which is right and reasonable CHAP. XX. 1. The Author bath kept back nothing that is necessary to Salvation 5. And therefore cleareth himself of the Mans destruction 8. Yet if any de 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 be 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 insolent upon their own worthines 57.
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 maliciousnes and their joy is onely in their foolish knowledge and in the earthly and transitory things 17. But let 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 inherit 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 hates 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 understanding 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 against the craftines of the
Promises 52. And therefore when according to their desire they have gotten all that honour then perswade they themselves yea it is already certaine that they have greatly merited because they have suffered so much strived and vanquished so valiantly and have so much knowledge do assume unto them that they are then holy and that God on the other side is indebted unto them of all the Promises and of the Blessing mentioned in the Scripture being well assured hereof that it doth of right and equity appertaine unto them 53. Now because they have chosen to themselves such an opinion they suppose that the Scripture witnesseth of them as the people of God and that likewise in regard of their holiness the honour of Gods Promises belongeth unto them They hold also so greatly of themselves that they know themselves to be worthy of all the high stile of the holy Titles that men do give them also all the services that men shew unto them they boldly arrogate unto themselves and a great deale more 54. For in their own eyes they are the most understandingest and the most best or holiest yea they are so exceeding proud upon their own knowledge and righteousnesse as if there were no God any where else save onely with them according to the knowledge of their cogitations and as though that the true God had utterly excluded all others his creatures 55. Oh! What an abominable thing is it to assume and feine to ones self such a spirituall conceit For thereout is able to spring great abomination and wickednesse such as is much worse then any fact of open sinners 56. For there is no greater sin then a spiritual pride r Act. 12. in which the man ascribeth holynesse to himself by his works and exalteth himself therewith Å¿ Mat. 12 Luk. 11. which last error is much worse than the first 57. O ye dearly beloved beware of such a nature of bold arrogancy that you become not back-sliders thereby from the single humility and meeknes of the upright being of Jesus Christ and that you fall not into the abominations and dreadful punishments of ungodly Men. CHAP. XXI 1. Of the upright hearts and their lowly estimation of themselves 8. The ground of upright repentance is shewed in the thirteenth chapter of the third Book of The Glasse of Righteousnesse MOreover men may also finde divers upright and wel-willing to the righteousnesse who in all obeying of the holy and gratious word under the obedience of the Love endure great straitnes for the righteousness sake who also regard no straitnes so as they might obtaine but such Grace a Rom. 6.14 that the Sunne might not have Dominion over them but that they might be b Ioh. 8. Rom. 6.18 freed from it for to serve in righteousnesse and love the living God onely and to be obedient to the requiring of his word not thinking what they are then worthy of or how they are then to reign or what doth then belong unto them 2. O no their thoughts reach not so far but they are still inclined for to walk brother-like in the Love and with earnest desire to do the will of the Lord. They have regard unto Gods Promises trusting even upon this that God is true of his word as one that sheweth his Grace on such as love him d Esa 57.66 and are lowlie of heart 3. When as they have now with singlenes of heart shewed all obedience in the service of the gracious Word of the Lord and of his holy Spirit of Love suffered much grief and affliction for their sins cause and have tasted of the refreshing or annointing to the health of their souls then become they but so much the more lowly and humble of heart e Rom. 12 1 Pet. 1. and so much the more brotherly and peaceable towards all men and count themselves unworthy of such grace neither know they how they shall be able to be serviceable enough in the Love 4. They esteeme moreover very little of their own word that ariseth out of themselves according to the flesh but the requiring of the serviceable Word of the Lord where-under their hearts stand humbly submitted to all upright righteousnes and holines they make great account of and hold it very worthy to be obeyed unto Moreover the life of righteousnes which is ministred set forth in the service of the love they cleave unto with all their hearts and above all praise it exceedingly and gladly would that all men were in the godly nature and brotherly love obediently come thereunto 5. These shew alwaies towards God and his service of Love true humility and obedience and towards men true love faithfulnesse and Truth and do not desire according to the foolish pride of the world any praise or service of men to themselves but rather that the righteousnes in the Love might have his proceeding and all people might under the obedience of the Love serve God and inherite the peace of Christ 6. Out of such an upright heart being f Eph. 4. grown up to the old age of the holy understanding and g Matt. 13. taught to the Kingdom of God they testifie h Psal 1 15. that all Laud Honour and Praise belongeth to God onely and not unto them And so in their proceeding in the same upright life they likewise serve or reach the hand either to other and thus in their service they point the man onely unto God and to the salvation of God in Jesus Christ 7. this mind or nature is far the most best because by it the man esteemeth the Grace of the Lord to be great and all his own doings or works and anguish respecteth or judgeth he as i Phil. 2. of no value The Lord of his Grace bring us all to such a mind Amen 8. The Ground of upright repentance and amendment for sin is at large plainly expressed and with clear distinction uttered unto you in the third book of the Glasse of Righteousness in the thirteenth chapter according as the same is practized and used of all good willing ones which seek and love the good life of the upright and lovely being from the heart and do out of all their soul passe forth towards it vnder the obedience of the Love Take it to Heart CHAP. XXII 1. Sundry Opinions are taken from the Scriptures 2. Divers do contend about the Kingdom of God both what it is and whence to be had and when 5. But the Scripture is clear enough and the matter it self is explained 24. He exhorteth to the Reading and hearing of the Glasse of Righteousnes where men shall see the everlasting Ordinances of God and the upright life wherein Gods people have ever lived 30. The same Ordinances were renewed by Moses and the life published by Christ for a Gospel 31. In sure hope whereof the Beleevers rested and are now with Christ manifested in Glory 45. He calleth upon such as have too soone
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 notwithstanding o Ezek. 47. a bottomles Sea which all Rivers do run into And whatsoever can be uttered concerning the Righteousnes were it even by so great multitudes of Bookes as is the sand by the Sea-side it is every whit comprehended or grounded in the very same 42. Who so liveth therein or in the obedience of the same life the gracious word p Prov. 4 loveth the same life and with a lowly and humble heart applieth himself obediently thereunto q Ecl. 39 such a one shall become wise in the hidden wisdom of God For the obeying of the requiring of the service of the gracious word of the Lord and of the Law of his Statutes and Ordinances r Psal 119. doth make the man wiser than all his chosen Masters or Teachers and in that manner commeth he to the holy understanding of the godly wisdom 43. Hereunto let us be minded from the heart ye dearly beloved and regard ye the kind mercy of God shewed on us out of his love For such a perseverance or clearnes of the healthful or safe-making Beeing is shewed unto us worthy in open sight hath in these last dayes given us to know his requiring in our spirit and understanding to a right distinguishing of life Å¿ Deut. 30 Jer. 21. Eccl. 15 and death to the intent that we who are yet in peril of death do suffer grief heavines for the sins cause should conceive hope towards such an healthful life and rejoyce us in the Godlines 44. Therefore let no man be t 2 Cor. 6 Heb. 12. negligent in such an appeared Grace but every one give God the Honour and so sigh over his wretchednes that he may be reformed of his errors 45. O ye Children of men ye that have named your selves before the time or much too soone with the name of Christ or with the name of Israel Lay away from you your vain boasting v Mat. 3. Luke 3. Act. 2. repent and amend you and betake your selves to the love and her service that ye may be saved 46. Do not think in your hearts that ye yet remaining without the gracious word and his service of love do nevertheles stand sure in Gods Covenant or that ye may not have transgressed nor forsaken the Covenant of your God 47. Think not also that ye are before God howsoever after your conceit ye have hallowed your selves any worthier than all other Heathen are which are without you For truly ye are subject with them all unto vanity misunderstanding and destruction and alike covered under the darknesses not knowing what wayes ye all walk For your own righteousnes is strange and unknown before the God of Israel inasmuch as the same is not his life of righteousnes nor yet his Statutes and Ordinances 48. Therefore ye which live and walk without the Doctrine and Service of the gracious word are even altogether touching the inward man one manner of people with all Heathen although outwardly ye have sundry several sorts of good Services or Ceremonies but truly they are to no advantage or unity unto you but to all controversie and division they are not to the life but much rather to a death and destroying one of another CHAP. XXIII 1. Whether the Christians and their Ceremonies have any preferment or not 6. They have been blinded as well as the Jews were in times past 7. So as there was no difference between them and other people 8. Every one hath made a chosen Righteousnesse to himselfe 10. But now the godly knowledge is revealed out of the Love And men ought to regard it else to be found of no value 15. Not the outward Christianity but the inward man is the thing that God esteemeth 20. But almost all turne them to the earthly things 22. He leaveth every one free but touching himselfe he will hold him alwayes to the good life 25. The godlinesse shall surely come forth but who shall be partakers of it is known to the Lord. 27. Hee exhorteth to Vnity and Peace c. 31. And requesteth that none will be offended at his Writings 33. If any man have gifts let him not be proud thereof but ascribe all unto God NOw some might here demand whether the Christian Ceremonies be nothing at all furthersome or whether they omitting all other ceremonies have not in them some advantage towards the life For if the Christian ceremonies had no benefit in them then to what end are the Christian ceremonies And what preferment then have the Christians by them Or to what purpose beare they the Name of Christ 2. Truly as we have also shewed before the Christians and their ceremonies have in their right quality and use much advantage for unto the Christians is committed the ministration of the gracious Word of the Lord and the revealing of the everlasting life and to this end are the Christian Ceremonies given them that all those which beleeve in Christ the gracious Word of the Lord should have a firme or sure confidence on the revealing of that same life 2 Cor. 4. 2 Cor. 11. Gal. 3. the which is with the Christian Services and Ceremonies promised for to come unto them to an everlasting light and beholding of the naked clearnesse of God through the uncovered face of Christ
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 Rom. 3. that he may have mercy upon us all 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 Dent. 5. and live in his statutes with an upright heart 18. For out of the God that hath made Heaven and Earth goeth the right judgement Heb. 4. his Word is living and powerfull and sharper than a two-edged sword and his burning is as a flame of fire to a consuming or devouring of all ungodly Being Deut. 4. Heb. 12. 19. Whosoever feareth not him as a true God nor loveth his Righteousnesse over such a one standeth his severity for ever Rom. 2. Exod. 20 But many thousands finde grace in his sight that doe but turne them unto him love him and keep his Commandements 20. But who hath any regard hereunto Whose attention is towards the Lord Who is there that is spiritually minded Who giveth eare Whose heart and eyes turn them to the inwardnesse of the Being of God Truly very few But they turn them almost all unto themselves to the earthly things or unto Flesh and Blood and doe very gladly heare that which soundeth pleasant unto them 2 Tim. 4. according to the delight of their fleshly eares and so shut the eares of their heart against the God of Life and all the World alienate their spirit from his holy wisdome and will not heare him nor accept him for their King that they might live in his Law and Ordinances 21. Therefore will not he also count them for his people neither regard them Psal 1. Esa 29. But they shall be compelled in their estranging to become like the tossing of chaffe wherein the whirle-wind to a scattering mingleth it selfe 22. Behold ye dearly beloved of these and other like things I have opened much unto you in the Glasse of Righteousnesse to a distinction of the knowledge of righteousnesse look unto which ye are minded Deut. 30. Eccles 15 into that may ye go whether into the sin to the death or into the righteousnesse to the life I leave every one free unbound uncompelled 23. But as for Me my whole heart and mind standeth altogether inclined to the good life of upright righteousnesse Rom. 12. 2 Cor. 3. and all my confidence is in the God of Life that I shall not forsake the wayes of his Rightenesse which are by the grace of God brought and given unto me in the sight and being of my Spirit but shall still observe the same and under the obedience of the Love administer them unto the children of men according to all the manner as I have set forth and described them according to the life out of the inclination of Love in all my service of writing for a serviceablenes to many 24. Whosoevr therefore with me hath any desire to God and his righteousnesse let such a one then from his whole heart apply himself also with me unto the same He also that strayeth and hath no regard unto God nor his righteousnesse neither is minded to the Love and her concord but will rather mix his heart with the World and her abominations and go on after his own imagination I must needs look upon it howbeit it maketh me sorry and I suffer grief for it because he doth willingly thus hunt after his own destruction 25. For behold it shall come to passe that the k Esa 60 61.62 Abac. 2. godlinesse uncompelled through the beleef out of the Love of righteousness shall come to light according to the Promises 26. But who they are that shall be made partakers of it and finde such Grace in the sight of God or from whence they shall come to joyn with us for the concord of the Love and her service that is only known to the Almighty and his Spirit But the unity of us all shall be l Ioh. 17. Act. 4. Eph. 4. one heart and mind in the Love To the which one-minded Communalty mine heart standeth alwaies inclined The Lord give us all Grace to be joyned to his People in righteousnesse of heart Amen 27. Let every one also from his whole heart be minded thereunto and apply himself for the same unities cause to the Love and her service and to the righteousnesse of heart before God and so stand for the good with al diligence Let him likewise daily apply himself m Eph. 6 Col. 4. 2 Thes 3. in prayer unto the God of life that he will vouchsafe to enlighten him and all lovers of the Truth together with all People with the knowledge of his wisdome and understanding to the intent they might all incline their hearts to the Love and her service and so Gods matters be well understood and interpreted according to the Truth to the health of the earth and renewing of the World with righteousnesse 28. Wherefore n Rom. 14. Gal. 6. bear one with another out of Love receive also unto you all wel-willing hearts to the concord in the Love understand their testimony to the good and repaire one anothers understanding to the unity of heart in the Love and let no man raile nor make Sedition or Division but let every one oyn himself unto us in Jesus Christ under the obedience of the Love and let him likewise in Jesus Christ seek the good to his preservation that the service of the Love be not hindred 29. If now by any it should be found that some man should bring forth any chaff amongst us with the Corn yet shall not men despise him for it but repaire him in his understanding with good o Gal. 6. 2 Tim. 2. instruction to the meeknesse and to the obedience of the Love in the Spirit that so through the service of the Love men may gather the good Corn the treasure of righteousnesse p Matt. 13. into the Barn the mans heart and that in like manner the vaine being together with that which is deadly and pernicious may utterly perish 30. Whosoever now can rightly judge let not him raile but let him try the matter q 1 The. 5. and take or conceive the best out of it and thus meet the little ones and draw all to the Love that no man may
never perceived nor known him 22. If any man then despise this good mind or spirit of love and with the heart withstandeth and blasphemeth it and doth not entertain the upright vertue of the love the same man hath beguiled his own heart and after the requiring of the knowledge of the old serpent seeketh his own advantage and not to do the will of the Lord. 23. But if on the other side O ye dearly beloved any do accept this which we bear witnesse of for right and truth let him not hardly over-hastily perswade himself that he by his knowledge hath already gotten it for there must at the first belief be joyned thereto and then look whose belief through the increase of God blossometh y 4 Esd 6. and is fruitfull let the same man attempt the battell in hope against that which maketh up it self against the same Let him have regard to the Word of life and so passe on towards it a Luk. 21. with patience or in long sufferance 24. That truely is the right Crosse of Christ b Mat. 16. Luk. 14. which we are daily with good wil in the obedience of the requiring of the service of love to take up c Act. 14. in the belief untill we be well exercised in the love and in the holy understanding whereunto we bear witnesse and not only in the knowledge 25. Lo to this present I find nor know no way els to the life therefore whosoever loveth the same let him endeavour towards it d Joh. 8. and so abide stedfast in the requiring of the gracious Word and of the doctrine of the holy spirit of love untill the e Rom. 6.8 Col. 2. laying away of his mortall body then shall he with Christ and all Gods Saints inherit the Kingdome of God and the everlasting life in the heavenly being 26. Let every one take heed to his time and f Gal. 6. let no man deceive himself with any vaine Opinion that he do not erre 27. For if any man g Mat. 10. Luk. 14. loveth or esteemeth any thing better then the godly life which is the very Saviour himself such a one is not worthy of the Salvation nor yet of the life eternall 28. And who so taketh not up his Crosse and followeth after the godlinesse with his heart h Luk. 14. the same may not be his Disciple that is he cannot be taught in the godlinesse nor born a child of God in the heavenly being 29. Therefore it is all nothing that any man speaketh much of it if so be with the heart he i Esa 29. Mat. 7.15 follow not after the same yea it is before God much more an abomination k Psal 50. Ezek. 33. that any man speaketh of Gods righteousnesse with talking or reasoning and doth not with the heart follow after it then any pleasure or delight unto him and yet may one find an hundred men which reason and talk of it where there is not one of them that liveth rightly therein or loveth it from the whole heart 30. Notwithstanding though men do now and then through some imagination think they have it and have neverthelesse failed therein yet are they not therefore to step back tarry behind or to lose the courage but rather out of the inclination of love to take good courage again and to l Phil. 3. Heb. 6.10 passe on towards the same godlinesse untill that it be in us and that we according to the truth be comprehended in the same for by stumbling falling and creeping and by being sometimes lead doth a child at length learn rightly to goe 31. By going wrong and by hurting ones self by means of passing in unpathed waies with breaking thorow thistles thorns and hedges also sometimes by doubting and then by inquiring and that all in hope men come at last or in processe of time to the right way which we ought to walk to the life of truth in the love therefore let no man be without courage 32. Though we find our selves sometimes without understanding how to enter into the life or the m Eph. 6. 1 Pet. 5. enemies encounter with us and so hardly beset us that we know not how to get thither yet let us for all that though it seem not credible take a good courage or mind n Heb. 11. in the belief and not forsake the hope for the hope o Rom. 5. leaveth none ashamed and so give our attention p Pro 4. to understanding and information whereby we may attain thereunto and to the very same arm our selves even as an unexpert souldier that hath a desire to become a good man of war armeth himself to the warfare 33. Though at first he sustaineth some damage as to be sometimes wounded smitten shot hurt to death and by his enemies to be taken captive yet taketh he still a fresh courage and abideth firm in hope untill he be well exercised in the feat of war who then is known for a man of war that is one that understandeth and knoweth well where any thing is to be won or lost and wherein damage or advantage lieth 34. If therefore earthly warriours be so bold in hope for the corruptible things sake hovv much more then ought we so to be towards the everlasting uncorruptiblenesse in case we have any desire or hope to the everlasting uncorruptiblenesse at all q Osc 23. 1 Cor. 15. wherein death is swallowed up and the everlasting immortality abideth where all destruction passeth away and in it self as a smoak vanisheth in such sort that there is even nothing remaining in it but the pure and clear the fulnesse and fairnesse of all vertues according to the promises 35. But a slothfull and unbelieving man that alwaies feareth and is r Pro. 6.24 negligent and disobedient hereunto or a doubtfull and vvavering person that still doubteth of errour wounds dammage and losse such a one thinketh not upon obtaining Å¿ 4 Esd 2. Sap. 5. Apo. 2. the royall Crown of everlasting life and therefore giveth no credit thereunto for so through his unbelief and disobedience he distrusteth God in his promises and is self-wise against Gods truth and his omnipotency and lying still on his lees or dregs he prieth from far how it shall fare with the obedient believers in the service of the love truely such as remain so minded enter not into the Kingdome of God nor in the t Heb. 4. rest or inheritance of eternall life 36. Therefore let every one consider once rightly whereunto we are called through Jesus Christ Is it not u Mat. 25. Luk. 22. Joh. 5. 1 Cor. 15. to the everlasting uncorruptiblenesse and immortality or kingly x 1 Cor. 9. 2 Tim. 4. Jam. 1. 1 Pet. 5. Crown of eternall life to y Rom. 8. Gal. 5. Eph. 3. the inheriting in the spirit of the infinite treasures of the divine heavenly goods and moreover through the belief
to be justified from the sin for to bring forth the z Joh. 15. Eph. 4. Phil. 1. fruits of God which God hath pleasure in and to live in God eternally 37. But alas this calling the man hath utterly forgotten and through his glosing which he hath invented thereon he is quite strayed from the sense of his calling and from the holy understanding An INTRODUCTION To the Holy Understanding CHAP. XIIII 1. An admonition to awake and observe our calling 4. All without exception are called 5. We have all been ignorant of our calling 6. But God doth now graciously let us see our blindnesse 7. Therefore let us regard this grace and that the rather because of the horrible destruction that is for to come 9. The wicked must be endured with patience 12. the Love is stronger then the Beliefe 15. If we fall let us rise up again 20. The way to the life 21. Few do find 23. The evill must be overcomed of the good in patience 26. much written yet great misunderstanding 28. Those that have pleasure and do continue in iniquity are like the devill and be incorporated into his son 33. Their certain punishment OH awake yet once I pray you from the a Esa 29.56 Rom. 13. sleep of your ignorance O ye children of men and have a sure confidence b Joh. 5. 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes 4. on the Resurrection of the dead so shall Christ c Eph. 5. inlighten you 2. Take heed to your calling that whereunto ye are bidden therein ye may be established according to the promises that is for to obtain the high price or Crown of everlasting life for this price or Crown of everlasting life is not like a Crown of the Kings of this world d 1 Cor. 9. which many of them stand for and is of many greatly desired and yet there is no more but one that obtaineth it and becometh King 3. But according to the calling of God we may all obtain e 4 Esd 2. Sap. 5. Kingly Crowns and be endowed with one manner fulnesse of divine treasures and be all Priests f 1 Pet. 2. Apo. 1.5 and Kings according to the promises 4. Hereunto we are all called to one g Ioh. 17. and in one no man exempted h Gal. 3. the Gentiles as well as the Jews the Commons of the people as well as the Magistrates the sinners as well as the righteous the poor as vvell as the rich the simple as well as the wise the wives as well as the husbands the children as well as the parents i Eph. 6. Col. 3. the bond as well as the free the servants as well as the masters and the handmaids as well as the Mistresses k Act. 10. Rom. 2.10 Gal. 2. God is no respecter of persons for all those that turn them to God and love his Righteousnesse are acceptable unto him 5. Doubtlesse it is now made known unto many of us that vve have all in our understanding been utterly estranged and l Rom. 1. Eph. 4. darkened from the knowledge of our calling and have cleaved to the m 1 Tim. 4. spirits of errour vvalking in the death and not in the light of life likevvise in sundry divisions and not in the unity of our calling 6. Neverthelesse that God vvhich is rich of mercy n Ezek. 18. 1 Tim. 2. 2 Pet. 3. and vvould not that we should perish letteth us now see through the ministration of his gracious word and through his bountifull and kind love the waies of our blindnesse o Esa 59. Sap. 5. and the deadly darknesses of our misunderstanding pulling us to the light of his clearness to the intent that all vve which are estranged from God and dead because of sin might through the love of God the Father and through the ministration of his gracious Word be renewed again for to quicken us again p Rom. 6.8 2 Cor. 4. Phil. 3. in Jesu Christ out of the death of sinne into the true unity of our vocation to wit in this day of the coming of Jesu Christ in his glory for had not the same Jesus Christ been with the Amighty for a remnant q Esa 1. we had all in our estrangeing been as Sodoma and Gomorra and must needs all in like manner have perished 7. Sith God therefore doth now shew on us such love that he profereth his grace unto us through the coming of his Christ when as we in our estranging from his good being were openly his r Rom. 1. Eph. 2. Col. 1.2 enemies and that he remembreth not our ignorance to revenge on us such things but out of the bountifull grace of his love is inclined to help us and by the ministration of his gracious word to reach us the hand for to pluck us to himself again in his love let us then also make much of such a Å¿ 2 Cor. 6. Heb. 1.2 grace that through the bountifull grace of his love we may in this horrible time be reconciled unto him and not be punished with the wicked world The rather for that there hath been enough before hand shewed us of the horrible t Esa 13. Ier. 20.25 Mat. 24. destruction of the wicked world and of all damned men in the last daies wherein few shall remain or be saved but not by the Lords fault for God desireth instantly to draw us all to his salvation 8. But because there are many now adaies that u 2 Thes 1. 2 Pet. 3. believe not God in his promises but count him a lier and x 2 Cor. 6. Heb. 12. do not regard the time of his grace neither will be saved but have much more desire and will to the iniquity y Eph. 4. 2 Pet. 2. Iuda 1. and to all uncleannesse therefore also in this day z Rom. 2. cometh the wrath of God upon those children of unbelief and they shall not be able to escape the horrible and fearfull destruction 9. Therefore let every one convert him from the errors of his blindnesse a Eph. 6. 1 Pet. 5. and arm himself in the belief and stand fast in the hope b Ia. 4. against the wicked that maketh it self up against Gods righteousnesse the which must be indured with patience for c Rom. 5.8 Patience bringeth forth in us a firmnesse or a persevering in the hope and hope suffereth us not to be ashamed but prepareth for us the peace with God in the love 10. But though now and then it pinch somewhat hard to shew patience yet have confidence d Apo. 2.3 and keep still what ye have turn not back in any case 11. Though happily you think that it falleth heavy find yourselves impotent or weak and the waies dark desolate unpathed very long e 4 Esd 7. Mat. 7. Luk. 13. small or narrow the hills seem high to get over and the gates very strait to go thorow yet doubt not
named themselves Christians that they lay away their vain boasting and turne to the Love and her Service THere are also divers men that draw sundry Opinions of Understandings out of the Scripture But every one particularly after his own conceiving Howbeit in asmuch as they know not the Councel of God nor comprehended his wisdom therefore do those Opinions and Understandings fall out to be of several sorts and do for the most part run all one against another and are among each other intangled 2. Some strive for the Kingdom of God or inward life of Christ which is called the new Man and suppose that it is this or that or that it is here-hence or there-hence after the outward appearance for to come or to be obtained 3. Others think that it shall be first found and obtained after the death of the Creature Yea the Principallest of the Learned in the Letter who will forsooth be the understandingest in the Scripture do maintain such a ground of Beleefe 4. O God! How long shall the Scripture through the false and unright light or sight be yet set forth and taught 5. It is doubtles plainly and clearly enough written a Luke 17. that the Kingdom of God is inwardly within us He is in the middest of you saith b Iohn 1. John whom ye know not The same is he that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost 6. But many as it well appeareth know him not For he who is the very c Col. 1. Image of God or the Christ and the Kingdom of the glory of God hath his going down in us inwardly and suffereth the d Rom. 6. Death of the Crosse for the Sinnes cause 7. Nevertheles if any man be baptized inwardly in the death of Christ and e Rom. 6. Col. 2. with his like Death be until his burying planted into him the same ariseth also with Christ and liveth For then inwardly is Gods Kingdom of Heaven even in him and not specially here or there as among these or among those but the Kingdom of God is here and there among these and among those namely in every one in us Howbeit unknown to many as is already said 8. Now if the Kingdom of God be within us and that we as the Scripture saith f John 7. beleeve in Christ then ought we after the Councel of the Wisdom and of the holy understanding to seeke it inwardly there for even thither shall it come and so be found inwardly within us 9. But who so seeketh it only at the hands of another and doth not attend the coming thereof inwardly according to the direction of the holy word and service of love the same shall in no wise find it 10. For this cause men are not in the seeking of the Kingdom of God to despise the Councel and Service of the holy word which under the obedience of the Love teacheth and directeth rightly to the same but with lowly hearts to give good eare thereunto 11. Therefore believe the truth and follow the Councel of the Scriptures g Mat. 7 seeke and ye shall find c. h Mat. 18 Turn you about and become as little Children and not subtile cunning i Prov. 3. Rom. 12. or wise in your own selves For who so receiveth not the Kingdom of God k Mar. 10 Luke 18 as a Child he shall not enter therein 12. Wherefore it is all to no purpose to set ones mind upon any thing that is above in the Heaven or that is beneath under the earth either what people this or that is or where hence Christ shall come or not or with what outward appearance the Kingdom of God cometh 13. For behold if ye find not the Kingdom of God and his Righteousnes l Lu. 17. inwardly in your soules and the forme of Christ in his glory appeared not in your m 2 Cor. 4. Gal. 4. inwardnes then shall ye be constrained to misse or be without the Kingdom of God and Christ n John 6. and shall likewise not eat the bread from Heaven with Christ o Lu. 14. in the Kingdom of God his Almighty Father 14. Therefore seek it where it is to be found and take right regard whether it cometh hunger and thirst ye after it Nevertheles hast you not after it out of your own chusing through mis-understanding but go ye p Psal 84. from one vertue to another 15. Posses ye your q Lu. 21. soules with patience have regard on the coming of Christ contend not any more r 1 Tim. 6 2 Tim. 2. Tit. 3. and strive no longer with flesh and blood 16. Let it once suffice that ye have contended and wrangled for the Scriptures cause rather now endeavour you in obeying of the requiring of the service of love Å¿ Jam. 1. to receive or put on the gracious word of the Lord in your hearts and labor ye t Eph. 4. for the unity of the love For in such a sort shall the Kingdom of God come 17. Now when you have thus received or put on the serviceable gracious word of the Lord the true Christ after the flesh in your hearts or inwardnes then apply your selves therewithal in your inwardnes to the good being which the gracious word of the Lord requireth in â—is service for to overcome in like manner with Christ every thing that is against him to the intent his enemies v Psal 110. for a foot-stoole may be laid under his feet 18. And when you exercise your selves herein be ye likewise baptized in the death of Christ that is in his patience x Rom. 6. Col. 2. and with his like death or patience be ye planted into him and so y Eph. 6. overcome ye through the belief with the like crosse or patience of Christ the sin death flesh and the world Devill and Hell and all sensuality which ariseth out of your own wisdom of the flesh and be ye likewise in your inward man z Rom. 12 Eph. 4. renewed unto righteousnes a 2 Cor. 4 Phil. 3. in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ Lo. thus doth the Scripture teach us if it were but rightly understood 19. When we are now passed through this b Col. 1. and have through the death of Christ even until his Resurrection overcomed all those deadly things then have we peace c Rom. 5. Eph. 2. with God the Father and stand firm in the love which is the end or fulfilling of all the spiritual Testimonies And therein is comprehended the perfection 20. Not that we come hereunto out of our own strength But when with lowly hearts we d Esa 55. Ezek. 18 Joel 2. Eccli 2.17 turn us obediently to God and the service of his gracious word then doth God also offer himself unto us and out of his Calling in the spirit allureth or draweth he us unto himself justifying us through the belief in e Col. 1. Heb. 9. Apo.
7 the blood of Jesus Christ and maketh us cleane from our sins and giveth us the everlasting life 21. This is verily the word of Faith f Act. 2.3 4 5 7 8. c. Rom. 10. 1 Pet. 1. which was published by the Apostles through Christ for a Righteousnes unto us g 2 Cor. 11. Gal. 1. Phil. 1. Whosoever therefore preacheth any other Christ or preacheth Christ any other way publisheth any other Gospel or publisheth the Gospel upon any other fashion or ground or believeth any otherwise or buildeth upon any other foundation h 1 Cor. 3 than God hath from the beginning through his Prophets and Apostles required and willed the same man remaineth i Gal. 1. execrable or accursed according to the mencion of the Scriptures 22. For k 1 Cor. 3 no other Foundation may there be laid than the same that is laid which is Iesus Christ who from everlasting was and is and abideth for ever Through whom God made all whatsoever is any thing and l Heb. 1. he beareth up all things by the power of his might and maketh the clensing of our sins through himself Unto him as a Father of all be Laud Honour and Praise for evermore Amen 23. These and such like things was I partly of necessity moved to rehearse unto you ye dearly beloved to the intent you might consider them aright and understand the diversity of every thing that concerneth the Salvation of men 24. Furthermore see that ye humbly with meditation to God apply your selves out of the inclination of love to read or to heare the Glasse of Righteousnes and consider or mark the life which is witnessed and set forth in the same Behold there in the spirit of your understanding the everlasting unchangeable Statutes and Ordinances of Almighty God which also shall remain unchangeable for ever For that which is there witnessed is such an upright life m Gen. 1. Eph. 2. 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 Iacob 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 Å¿ Exod. 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 the safe-making word of the Lord is amongst them Act. 13. Rom. 9. 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