requiring of my holy and gracious Word that passeth forth under the obedience of my Love nor have any regard thereto know and understand that they all are [o] Isai 1 Amos 5 Luke 16 Tit. 1 an abomination and a loathsomness before mine eyes and that I cannot away with them to the end that they all through thy service out of my Love may turn them uprightly [p] Isai 55 Ier. 3 to me and my Love [q] Ezek. 17 Ioel 2 Math. 3 Luke 3 repent them for their sins and be [r] 2 Pet. 3 preserved in the clearness of the day of my righteous Judgment 8. Now bowing my self in all obedience to my God I went forth and did abide also always in the Lord even as the Lord had commanded me and my spirit being moved through Gods power I gave forth the sound of the voyce of the gracious Word of the Lord like as I had also done in times past 9. And even so out of the love of my God and Christ became the gracious Word of the Lord in living power out of the living God in sharp reproving chastising and nurturing as with documents to the putting away and mortifying of the sin of death and also in gentle-dealing or helpfulness to Salvation as with sweet [s] Isai 55 Ioh 4 7 Apo. 22 waters to the raising up of the righteousness of life [t] Iohn 4 and 7 flowing from my body and the sound of the same voyce enlarged it self wide abroad upon the earth 10. Have a good regard therefore O ye children of men unto that which becometh this day out of the gracious Word of thâ— Lord and his holy Spirit of Love spoken and expressed unto you and harden [u] Psal 95 Heb. 3 not your hearts in any case but [x] Jer. 7 and 18 25 35 amend your Being to the end that ye may enter with the children of God into the [y] Isai 32 Heb. 3 4 Rest of the Lord. CHAP. II. O Ye Children of men ye children [a] Gen. 3 Isai 1 9 Rom. 5 of defection which will not beleeve nor understand Gods Truth give any [b] Prov. 1 Jer. 7 ear to the Lords Will nor follow after the doctrine and instruction of the gracious Word and his holy Spirit of Love how can I in any case suffer you any longer then I have suffered you seeing that the Lord himself will not forbear you any longer in your unwillingness to his Righteousness 2. Thus long have I with the [c] Rom. 2 2 Pet. 3 long-suffering of the Lord beheld and considered it also with long-suffering what manner of ways it might be that ye all loved to walk in and whether also any man loved or desired to enter obediently into the [d] Prov. 3 and 4. Math 3 Mark 1 Luke 3 Act. 2 3 entrance or first School-rule to the way of Life and Peace in such sort as the same becometh administred under the obedience of the Love according to the Truth of God 3. Thus long have I been conversant in stilness with many of you and been by you like as one that can well abide to look on the wickedness of men and yet not correct or reprove the same But in all this my spirit hath been greatly [e] Jer. 9 and 14 Lam. 1 and 2. burthened with grief and with much heavy cheer very woful and sorrowful for you all O ye children of men 4. For viewing the whole face of the earth I beheld and noted directly the exceeding distractedness and [f] 4 Esdr 14 Math. 24 iniquity of the perverse world and the manifold [g] Dan. 9 and 11 Mark 13 abominations of desolation wherewith she hath brought her self into a most confused estate also the many and manifold [h] Isaiah 5 Rom. 1 and 12 1 Cor. 1 self-wisdoms chosen holinesses [i] Col. 2 2 Tim. 3 and false god-services or religions of men which they have taken on unto them out of the Scripturely learnedness and imagination of the knowledg and made or divided themselves there-through into many Sects Dissentions [k] Mat. 24 1 Cor. 1 and 3. Gal. 5 Jam 3 and Schisms or Divisions 5. I have moreover marked with long-suffering the forth-going of all such as boast them of the Love and perswade themselves that they cleave unto the Love and the Wisdom whether that there were any better thing loved by them then by the world and also whether that they approached any neerer to the Truth of God and to the upright Being of the Love then the wise of the world Scripture-learned 6. I have also for that cause walked lovely among certain of them and behaved my self [l] 2 Cor 5 Tit 3 very gently with them hoping even so that the true fear [m] Prov. 1 Eccl. 1 and 2. of God the [n] Psal 40 lust to the good and upright Being the upright [o] Math. 24 zeal to the Righteousness and the concord [p] Ezek. 11 1 Cor. 1 Eph. 4 of heart in the Love should have been found among them more then among the worldly wise and Scripture learned 7. But alas like as the world together with her wise and Scripture-learned are darkened or [q] Rom. 1 Eph. 4 blinded in heart and deaf in the understanding which comprehend not [r] Wisd 1 Math. 11 1 Cor. 2 the good Being of the Love nor yet consider on any of all that which God through the Spirit of his Love requireth but have always a lust to themselves and cleave unto the covetousness the voluptuousness of the flesh and the self-wisdom which seduceth them even so I have found many of you yea almost all which make boast of the Love and talk much thereof to stand in such like case and also advisedly marked that ye under the pretence or colour of the house or service of Love have taken on to your selves the [s] 2 Pet. 2 Iude 1 voluptousness of the flesh according to the manner of the world to be your freedom and your own [t] Ier 7 11 18 thoughts of the good-thinking according to the imagination of the knowledg like unto many unillumated [u] 1 Cor. 1 Scripture-learned and good-thinking wise to be your wisdom and have no regard to the godly life of the gracious Word nor to the [x] Prov. 1 counsel of the Testimony of the holy Spirit of Love neither yet humble you obediently to the Love and her service and yet notwithstanding when one asketh you whether ye have adjoyned you to the Love or are minded to continue with a good will by the same ye answer and say expresly O yea we will cleave unto the Love and not forsake the same in any case 8. Howbeit ye cover therewithal your false desires and also the lusts of your flesh wherein ye [y] Rom. 1 Eph. 4 2 Per. 2 Iude 1 live and walk and remain even so without
or knowledg until that he were endowed and illuminated in his spirit through the obedience of the requiring of the serviceable Word with the eternal and living [k] 1 Iohn 1 Word of God the Father and (l) Iohn 15 and 17 Ephes 3 2 Pet. 1 incorporated to the upright and lovely Being of the Love of Jesus Christ 4. Whilest then that the man is so unmindful of this and bringeth forth always so presumptuous boldly out of his good-thinking prudency or industry and out of the imagination of his knowledg his own word counsel and will so much and manifoldly witnesseth forth the same for truth and even so according to his manly wisdom out of the mind of his flesh goeth on therewith and because he thinketh that his cause is right willeth nor desireth not any thing else so must I other-whiles let the man alone or suffer him to go forth therein for a season waiting when he will come to a better mind and behold with long-suffering how it will go with him 5. Therefore for the Peace's Cause to â—he end that I would not contend with any man I keep often silence among many and let passe in my patience and long suffering all false witnessings against me and even so abide waiting for the right time (m) Ecl. 3 wherein the gracious Word of Truth the Discipline or Chastising erudition might be gladly hearkened unto and beleeved of the Man to reform the Man even so in convenient time with long suffering and to prevent him with the upright Wisdom and holy Understanding if happily he might by that means be found worthy of the Grace that the Lord would open unto him the Door of the upright (n) Eph. 1 Understanding and give him yet once to understand that he ought to keep silence and become utterly dumb in himself and first of all to hearken unto the upright serviceable Word of the holy Understanding that cometh forth (o) Isaiah 2 Micah 4 out of the holy Jerusalem and leadeth in unto the Godliness to shew forth upright fruits of Repentance to give over himself to become obedient thereunto and even so to become (p) Eph. 4 taught o bediently in the upright Wisdom of the lovely Being and in the holy Understanding of the Godliness and so then to testifie thereof 6. O that the Man gave himself to stilness also had regard with diligence and fervency and that (q) Mat. 11 in humble manner to the service of the gracious Word under the obedience of the Love and desired to do the (r) Psal 40 Acts 9 Will of the Lord so should he then verily learnwell to note or perceive wherein the Lord hath placed his Heart Being and Minde and wherein He hath declared or revealed himself together with his Light Word Spirit and Truth And that it is also wholly the Will of the Lord that Men (Å¿) Isa 42 Mat. 3 17 should hear and believe his Word Spirit and Truth there-out and that Men ought also to assemble them as obedient (t) Iohn 8 1 Peter 1 Iames 1 Disciples of the Word thereunto 7. If now the Man once marked and understood this same aright so should he then also verily if he had a (u) Psal 40 Acts 9 lust to doe the Will of the Lord endeavour himself with good will thereto and even so become assembled therewith turn his hearing to the same and out of the sound of the witnessings of the same (x) Pro. 4 take to heart the wisdom of Instruction and even so growing up therein to the (y) Eph. 4 old age of the Man Christ learn there-out to speak rightly the holy (z) Wis 1 2 Understanding â—f the godly Wisdom 8. For verily the true Jerusalem which in Times past descended in sumptuous and gorgeous garnishing (a) Apoc. 21 from Heaven and where-out the Word of the Lord is (b) Isa 2 25 Ier. 31 Micah 4 promised to go forth is risen up therein with his glistering Clearness In which Jerusalem the holy Hill of Sion where-out the Law of the Lord is promised to go forth and whereon the (c) Lev. 26 2 Cor. 6 Apoc. 12 15 21 Isaiah 2 Micah 4 Temple Tabernacle or House of God is builded becometh exalted above d all Hills and manifested to be a Nurce of the Children of Jerusalem 9. And that same heavenly State with all that is of one Being therewith is verily the (e) Luke 17 Rom. 14 peaceable Kingdom and Mercy-seat of all Beleevers in CHRIST the which is from the Grace of God come unto Us now in the (f) Isa 16 Heb. 5 last time according to the Promises 10. In which undisturbable and fast-stablished Kingdom (g) Rom. 14 Apoc. 12 that is come unto us full of Peace and full of all spiritual and heavenly Goods all holy Soules and godly Understandings do (h) Isa 35 51 60 61 65 66 Ier. 23 31 33 live and inhabite with all Triumph Glorâ— and Christian Joy free and without anâ— Fear and there-unto also all Men thâ— are good of wil to assemble them thereto are called and lovingly bidden 11. Oh that the Man understood this same aright i Deut. 32 Isaiah 48 So should he then assuredly with all good-willingness of his heart k Heb. 5 humble himself before the Throne of Grace and soveraign Majesty of God take heed unto the Word of the Lord there-out hear beleeve and good-willingly obey the same honour laud praise and thank that same God which hath prepared all this for us which also liveth from everlasting to everlasting l Apoc. 4 7 and sitteth upon the seat of his Majestie and spread abroad every where the great Acts and wonderful works of God as also rejoyce him with great Joy for that such a Throne of Grace and Saving-health is now in these last perillous times appeared come and declared m Apoc. 21 out of the heavenly Being upon the Earth unto the Children of Men n Luke 2 which hope on God and on the Comfort of his Salvation and that also therethrough the o Mat. 6 Luke 11 will of the Lord is accomplished on Earth as in Heaven CHAP. VI. O Ye Children of Men consider well now hereon and have a good regard thereto and take the same yet once effectually a Deut. 4 Prov. 4 to heart namely how that presently out of this very Throne of Grace which is appeared and come unto us now in the last Time in the most holy of the true Tabernacle of God to an everlasting Stool of Grace b Apoc. 21 upon the Earth the Glorv of the Lord becometh manifest and his c Isaiah 2 Micah 4 Law Word and Will according to his godly Truth expresly witnessed 2. For that cause have now a distinct Diversity in whom Gods Spirit and his Word is revealed or manifested and in whom it is yet unrevealed 3. For consider where God
obediently in the Service of Love with humble hearts unto the holy Word of the Spirit of Love and are godly of Will yea my minde standeth good-willing-towards all such even to all Grace and Mercy be he then what he is Friend or Stranger CHAP. IX BUt now if happily certain of the good-willing hearts to the Love should take these our fore-spoken sayings somewhat heavily or grievously to minde and say thereupon Because we are not altogether perfect Ye nor the Lord have not peradventure any good pleasure in us and we shall also possibly for our Imperfections cause seeing that we yet dayly stumble fall and sin very much perish with the wicked world and all ungodly 2. O ye Beloved and all ye good-willing hearts which are good-willing to the obedience of the witnessings of the holy Spirit of Love but are yet too young [a] Rom. 15 Gal. 6 and too weak to enter into the perfection these fore-spoken sharp sayings reprovings and punishments are not spoken to such as humble themselves obediently to the gracious Word and his Service of Love to do the Lords Will nor yet to the good-willing ones unto the same obedience b Rom. 7 although they are yet young and weak in the accomplishing of the perfection but to the evil-willing and to all them that with perverse c Wisd 1 thoughts and false or deceitful intents enter in so falsly d 1 Iohn 2 besides us and mean or purpose in no wise the Love but in all themselves and even so with their [e] Isai 59 Ier. 9 Wisd 1 malicious hearts and perverse thoughts hall away again from us also slander or [f] 2 Pet. 2 Iude 1 blaspheme the holy Word and our upright and godly Service of the Love and so spue forth their falshood with many lyes over us 3. Behold over this g Isa 1 wicked and venomous nature passeth forth the Judgment of God h Prov. 1 Isa 13 Wisd 12 Heb. 10 and his Punishment to the Condemnation of the same wicked Nature 4. For that cause O ye good-willing hearts set apart such thoughts as that God and the Spirit of his Love or his holy Ones should not for your weakness cause have any good pleasure in you in any case far from you but remember as it is also very true and look into the same according to the Truth that the grace of God the Father and the mercifulness of his Love prevaileth or taketh in the preeminence i Isai 13 Rom. 5 abundantly by or in the Beleevers of the Word and that God and the Spirit of his Love is k Rom. 2 2 Pet. 3 long-suffering towards all good-willing ones which humble them under the obedience of his Love also l Heb. 2 and 5 beareth them in all their weakness and m Ier. 31 forgiveth dayly all their sins to the end that they should even so enjoy his comfort and grow up with cheerful hearts or good courage so much the good willinger in the obedience n Eph. 4 Col. 1 of the gracious Word and so go on or press forth unto o 1 Pet. 5 Phil. 3 Heb. 6 the perfection 5. For consider and look into it once aright If the Sin whilest it was yet night have p Rom. 5 prevailed in us how much more then shall the Grace and Mercy of God to the obtaining of the Righteousness seeing that now to the salvation of men [q] Rom. 13 the Day against the Night and the Love with her safe-making Service against the Sin and Condemnation is entered in prevail or take the preheminence over us namely over all them that are [r] Luke 2 good of will and that submit or wholly give over themselves with all their heart for to be s Deut. 30 1 Kings 15 obedient unto the holy Word under the Love and express even so in the giving over of their heart that they have not any will to the t Rom. 6 sin or that which is [u] Wisd 14 Romans 1 unright nor yet to the [x] Rom. 13 Eph. 2 5 darknesses of the wicked world but have turned all their lust to the Righteousness for to [y] Iohn 8 and 12 1 Iohn 1 and 2 walk uprightly with the Communality of the Love in the light of the lovely Being of God for God hath no pleasure [z] Ezek. 18 1 Tim 2 2 Peter 3 in the perishing of sinners but his Pleasure is that they should all convert unto Him [a] Acts 17 repent them for their sins and live in his Righteousness 6. For that cause O ye feeble minded of heart and all ye infirm or weak which love the upright Life permit not any evil surmisings to take effect in you nor yet give place to the unbelief whereby you might be plucked away from the God of Life from the House or Communality of the holy ones of his Love but in all things wherein your memory or understanding might chance to be moved apply always [b] Prov. 4 your minds and thoughts to the instruction of the Wisdom and to the Doctrine of the holy Understanding of the Spirit of Love and submit [c] Eccles 6 even so your whole memory or understanding with all your minds and thoughts to the vertues of the godliness for to follow after the same in all obedience of the holy Word and to become old [d] Ezek. 4 and understanding therein to the end that ye in the youngness of your understanding seduce or deceive not your selves with any strange and [e] Wisd 4 Eccles 3 unprofitable thoughts 7. But ye shall always in your youngness and weakness let the giving over of your heart or your good-willingness to the Love and to the Obedience of the Requiring of her Service [f] Eccles 4 and 17 appear or become expressed before the [g] Eccles 6 7 8 9 Elders of the holy Understanding in the Testimonies of the holy Spirit of Love and not at the first the Perfection for verily it is not in your power at the first in the time of your youngness and weakness to bring forth the Perfection CHAP. X. GIve diligent Ear hereto and understand well the Words of my Voyce O ye Novises in our holy Communality or Family of Love wherein God himself dweleth and walketh and ye all which are yet young a Cor. 3 Heb. 5 and 6 in the holy Understanding and weak in the accomplishing of the upright Righteousness Consider and note once aright which is your first School Rule or the beginning of the Christian Doctrine in our upright Service of the godly Love namely that ye first of all turn you about from the b Isaiah 1 and 55 Jer 7 18 25 35 Iniquity and from all ungodly Being utterly forsake all the c Ezek. 14 Mat. 24 Abominations of the wicked world and with all your heart d 2 Cor. 6 Apoc. 18 depart there-from
Acts 2 poured forth so abundantly over us and in us and that the true Doctrine to the same holy Spirit is likewise as a f John 4 and 7 living and safe making water flowing forth out of us to the salvation or safe-making of all Beleevers of the gracious Word and that even so to Righteousness upon the Earth the Scripture becometh fulfilled namely by all the Beleevers which now humble themselves good-willingly and faithfully under the Love take to heart the Word of Truth and grow up bed ently therein g Ephes 4 till unto the old age of the Man Christ 14 Whosoever now therefore under the obedience of the Love hath a good regard unto the holy Word of Truth that is administred out of the holy Spirit of Love and exerciseth him therein for to be obedient unto his Requiring and even so to that effect furthereth or becometh helpful unto the Service of Love he shall likewise according to the Truth enjoy and be partaker of all the bountiful Acts which God extendeth on us his chosen holy ones and also evidently see how that Christ the righteous One appeareth presently h Mat. 24 Luke 17 and 21 in Glory and becometh i Psalm 68 wonderful in all his Beleevers and that also through the same Christ and his holy ones the universal k Acts 17 Earth shall in this day of the Love which God himself hath appointed or ordained be judged with Equity and purged from all his unrighteousness and that all the Saints of God namely the Communiality of the Love shall inhabit the same with l 2 Pet. 3 Righteousness and raign with Faithfulness and Truth from henceforth world without end Amen This shall all assuredly come even so to pass and in his time be found even thus 15. Herewithall O ye beloved and obedient children and all ye constant faithful ones in this our upright Service of Love my hearty Exhortation and desire is unto you all I hat ye will take this effectually to heart and not seek nor desire any thing else with your will and mind but that the Love of Iesus Christ with her vertuous Nature and upright Being may obtain a m Gal. 4 Ephes 3 shape in you and that the Service of the same Love may also thereto be furthered or assisted among all people to the intent that the same Service may in all Truth and Love to the welfare and salvation of all men obtain the preheminence and to Concord and Love in Iesus Christ prosperously flourish over the universal Earth that grant us the Lord the Almighty God through his Love Amen H. N. An Introduction to the Glasse of Righteousnesse they set forth besides the everlasting God of Israel and his Law r Esa 44.45.46 Ier. 10. is nothing els but foolishnesse and ignorance 48. Many of them have no understanding in the Law of the Lord nor knowledge of his Ordinances and of their calling through Jesus Christ Å¿ Luk. 2. of the tribe of Juda of the House of David they have no right discerning at all 49. And therefore it is that they misse of the meaning or intention of God and are thereby grounded on the glimmering of their knowledge and not on the stock of the upright olive tree t Rom. 11. to the which they are called to be grafted thereunto 50. But now when we consider all this and that we are not partakers of the Sap of the stock of our calling u Rom. 11. but to find our selves breken off from the same and thereby misse of all that which is of God and which his Ordinances are one with if then we have any love to the riches of God and do consider and know the damagefull x Mat. 16. losse with all the desolation y Dan. 9.11.12 Mat. 24. and abominations which are come in between then cometh upon us z Esa 13. Dan. 12. all woe and anguish and we greatly bewaile the losse of these riches of God above all the damages or losses of this world 51. For vvhere is there a more damagefull losse a Mat. 16. then vvhere one findeth no righteousnesse of God and vvhere the Lavv of God and his Statutes and Ordidances are in the losse so utterly darkened 52. Oh vvhat shall I more vvrite of this damagefull losse of the most precious riches my heart is heavie and my soul is pained in such sort b Ier. 9.13.14 Lam. 1.2.3 that oftentimes I am forced to sigh and mourne because my mind vvill not be pacified 53. O God that they all savv hovv they are c Psal 14. Rom. 3. turned herefrom and that no man hath continued in thy truth and hovv they are d Rom. 7. taken captive under the sin and strayed from thee yea these precious riches of God they scarcely knovv and hovv poor e Apo. 3 3. and naked in themselves they are vvithout thy Sanctuary to the end out of deep necessity they might cry unto thee f Psa 130. for grace and obtain in their spirit an inclined mind to the obeying of thy love that thou mightest have mercy on them all 54. For if so be they come not to thy love nor to the obedience of the requiring of her service nor thereunto have no good vvill belief or hope surely there â—hall then no life of Gods Sanctuary be found in them how wise how skilfull and execllent or rich of Spirit how learned and expert in Scriptures Languages or tongues soever they may be 55. If moreover they lay not down their knowledge in the silence even as though they knew nothing at all and that through the service of the holy Word they reform not themselves under the obedience of the love nor suffer their understanding to be stirred up to obedience whereby to be wholly inclined to the love to passe forth towards the same g Mat. 10.16 Mar. 8. Luk. 9.14 to take up daily their Crosse with humble hearts and to persevere h Eph. 6. Phil. 4. Col. 4. in prayer and faith with a firm hope i Eph. 3. till the establishing in the love they can by no means inherit any richcs of God or Christ nor k 1 Cor. 2. understand or know any wisdome of God at all how skilfully soever they search or study in Scriptures after it 56. For there is no wisdome nor knowledge of Christ nor understanding of the Scriptures to be had in any thing but only in the love or among them who are inclined and well-affected thereunto 57. They may many of them I grant seek much wisdome and understanding whereby to comprehend the same and in conceit be satisfied and appeased with a taken on wisdome but if they come not to the love neither are taught in her service to the true wisdome they shall then find no wisdome nor understanding nor yet any righteousnesse nor life but must l Joh. 8. die in their sins and in their conceit
he also do thus know Christ before he testifie or confesse much of him otherwise he knoweth not what he confesseth 28. Therefore we must first be turned unto Christ according to the Truth that is i Rom. 5. Gal. 5. 1 Pet. 1. in Hope through Faith unto the righteousnesse and so with good will stand firm thereunto in the beleef k Mat. 10. 16. Lu. 9.14 take up daily our crosse in the obedience of the holy Word of the Spirit of the love of Christ and follow him with patience in our souls to the salvation untill he obtain a l Gal. 4. Shape in us and his death m Gal. 6. of the crosse becom a joy unto us and so in the truth know him to the intent we might confesse him rightly 29. For the heart must be turned into him and he into our hearts and then may wee rightly confesse him with the mouth Or thinkest thou O thou man that this pleaseth God to speak of God sometimes n Mat. 7. with the mouth and so to confesse his Chirst not respecting among whom or to whom of whom a man knoweth nothing at all and whiles your o Isa 29. Mat. 15. heart remaineth so far estranged from Christ and from his upright Righteousnesss and Holinesse in the Spirit O no whosoever taketh it so shall be deceived therein 30. For if thine heart be not turned to Christ and his Service of love neither be inclined to the p 1 Thes 4 2 Thess 2 1 Pet. 1. sanctification in the Spirit and thou through the beleef of the truth dost not with inclination of the love q Eph. 4. grow up therein then is all thy faith and confessing unprofitable and unpleasing to God and his Christ 31. If thou therefore O man dost either despise or hast no regard unto that which is out of love held forth or witnessed unto thee thou shalt surely lament it at the last namely in those dayes when Misery shall fall upon thee and that thou shalt see the Triumph of the gloriousnesse of Christ r Jude 1. in many thousand Saints coming Å¿ Isa 43. 49. from the rising of the Sun and going down from the mid-day and from the North or mid-night and that they t Isa 51. 52.60.61.62 shall with gladnesse be assembled as a Kingdom of God their Father unto u Mat. 8. Abraham Isaac and Jacob and unto all the holy Prophets x Mat. 8. 25. Luk. 13. and thou then shalt finde thy self shut out of doors 32. And therefore now have ye all regard y Psal 51. Isa 57.66 Micah 6. to an upright heart and meek spirit according to the spirit or life of Christ and z Pro. 1. separate your selves from the wayes of all the uncircumcised and unbeleeving 33. Howbeit not outwardly with the body or with words a 1 Cor. 5. for then must ye go out of the world and abide in no place for the unbeleeving darknesses b Isa 5.9 60. 4 Esd 14. have covered the world every-where But c 2 Cor. 6. separate you from them with heart and spirit Beleeve the good in the love and become likewise a light in the Lord d Apo. 18. so shall ye not be partakers of their ungodlinesse 34. This write I unto you ye Deerly-beloved for this intent even to stir you up hereby to a pure minde and to that piety which God regardeth also for a warning of destruction to come and that ye may perceive how that men are to stand unpartiall according to the requiring of the Truth for to use well the e 2 Pet. 1. common love and to know the upright confessing of Jesus Christ whereby to understand so much as the Lord out of his grace permitteth us to see wherein the calling of our salvation consisteth to the intent that no man through misunderstanding or vain imagination deceive himself or be deceived by others 35. If now any man be drawn away f Gal. 1. or lead aside from this good understanding which we bear witnesse unto let such a one turn him again to the Good that his inclination to Gods requiring be not in vain and lament and bewaile his ignorance that the Lord may be gracious unto him and so apply himself with whole heart minde and will to the upright righteousnesse which in the Love abideth firm for ever CHAP. XIX 1. Of the common Saying They shall be all taught of God How it is mistaken and with what hurt 11. Who they are and how they order themselves that shall be taught of God THere goeth also a common Saying abroad amongst many and it is Scripture the which is recited in the first Book of the Glasse of Right cousnesse and also in many mo places of our Writings a Isa 54. Jer. 31. They shall all be taught aright of God and b Ezek. 11. 36. Joel 2. Acts 2. by his Spirit 2. Now whiles some that have heard and spoken of this Sentence understood not the Scripture nor rightly took heed to the sense of the Word therefore they have not explained the meaning of the Word aright 3. Also some that have heard it have let the counsell of the Word go and so are fallen into the sorgetting of the good turned away from the desire to the Righteousness and from the hope of Salvation according to the Promises and have sticked unto c Rom. 1. Epes 4. covetousnesse and lusts the snares of the confused world 4. Truly those that cleave to the Word and his Service of Love in such a sort and do so take and understand it they have conceived altogether amisse of the Word and his requiring and therefore they are d Rom. 1. Ephes 4. become vain in their understanding Insomuch that they forsake the Scriptures and Exhortations to the good all alike and do let the conversion to God and to his Righteousnesse utterly dye out of their hearts speaking thus with unrepentant hearts out of the vanity of their minde not discerning the upright understanding It must all come of God There is One that giveth all For it is God onely that can teach us Of him must we receive all and no men can give it us 5. This they say well and run yet neverthelesse forth as if there were no God nor Ministring of his Word that loved or required the Righteousnesse and do not once know nor consider the estranging or e Isa 1.59 falling from their God whereby to turn them again to him and his Righteousness and to shew repentance or f Matt. 3. Luk. 3. Acts 3. amendment for their sins and so in all humility to have regard to what purpose God hath given his Promises and annexed or ordained the Ministration of his Word under the obedience of the love therunto wherby they might receive of him the vertue of salvation For out of such a heart of humility g Isa 57.66 4 Esd
with his Christ and Spirit hath his d Iohn 1 17 Apoc. 21 Dwelling in any one and bringeth forth his secret Treasures of the Heavenly Goods thereout even there is then truly his Wisdom e Wis 1 7 to be found and also the Counsel of God according to the Truth And not by the Strangers nor by the Disobedient unto the Word nor yet by the good-thinking wise which separate themselves from us and our godly Doctrine neither yet by them whose Spirit is not in the conformity of being with us f John 3 Rom 8 begotten or born out of God but in the Separation against us out of the flesh of the earthly Being have a good respect hereunto 4. O ye Earthly Generations I mean ye earthly un-Godded Men that exalt and preferr your g Ier. 23 27 owne Word which notwithstanding is meer lies so highly and hear and believe the same so gladly also alwaies desire to follow after your own Counsel which notwithstanding is a meer seducing and deceit and to be obedient thereunto and will even so out of your Darknesse which is doubtless nothing else but the cursed Kingdom of h Apoc 17 Hell and the Possession or Habitation of all Divels and wicked Spirits it self judg so gladly the Light of Gods Truth and the Children of Light Ah beloved consider yet once in what Being and Nature ye are comprehended and then judge from whence your word and Spirit is or hath his Original where-with ye will judge and speak forth i Isaiah 38 Jer. 11 the Divine Matters and from whence also ye fetch your Counsel which ye without Gods Counsel wherewith we are of one Being so earnestly ensue or follow after k 2 Pet. 2 Iude 1 according to your own Minde of the Flesh and where-out likewise ye execute the Judgment with the which ye judge the Testimonies of the Light and the Children of the Love or of God 5. Behold herein now and according to this manner pronounce forth boldly the Judgment l Iohn 8 1 Cor. 11 over your selves and give testimony of your own selves what ye your selves in your disobedience to the Requiring of the Word are or may be reckoned for As likewise of your own Word which ye speak there-out for I commit therein the matter unto your selves to judge 6. O ye Children of Men seeing that ye judge another and all things so gladly or willingly so judge now once also your selves Ah beloved do I pray you even so for I have now given the matter into your own hands to judge 7. Thus look well rightly into your selves and then pronounce forth m Iohn 8 1 Cor. 11 according to the Truth the Judgment or Sentence over your selves what ye your selves all are according to your inward Man and truly when ye once begin to see aright into your selves then shall ye for certain find in your selves that ye are noâ— minded according to Gods Nature oâ— Being But according to the Nature of a corrupted and earthly consumable or mortal Man And that your Word and Spirit and all your Will and Counsel n 1 Cor. 2 Iames 3 is out of the Flesh of Sin o John 8 and out of the Lyes of Darkness 8. For so long as ye yet live in the p Rom. 8 13 1 Pet. 4 Flesh of Sin and that ye are not through the Doctrine of the Testimonies of the holy Spirit of the Love of Iesus Christ restored neither prepared to the New Birth in Jesus Christ in your Spirit and Understanding nor yet humble you there unto and that ye are not q Mat. 13 taught with the Administration of the Gracious Word under the Obedience of the Love to the Kingdom of the God of Heaven or that the same is not come unto you in your Obedience unto the Word and Service of Love r Apoc. 12 21 in your Spirit and that ye even so direct the course or forth-going of your life without the Service of the Love and his Requiring So is then doubtless all your Word Spirit and Counsel proceeding out of the Imagination of your Knowledge s Rom 8. 1 Cor. 2 Iam. 3 no otherwise minded but earthly devilish and fleshly and ye have not any sight nor knowledg at all of Gods Matters or Causes nor of the Kingdom of God according to the heavenly Truth It is very true CHAP. VII HArken harken [a] Psalm 37 Isaiah 30 Hold you still before the Seat of Gods Majesty O ye children of men and give ear diligently for there cometh now forth from the same Seat [b] Psalm 18 Apoc. 4 Lightenings Thunders and Voyces yea even now the Lord letteth himself be heard upon the earth and He the highest God which sitteth upon his Seat and liveth for ever and ever [c] Isaiah 26 Micha 1 speaketh now out of his holy Dwelling 2. Have now therefore a good regard unto the particular Unfolding or distinct Definition of the same sound of the Voyce of the Lord For thus saith the Lord or in this manner soundeth his Voyce 3. Your own Word O ye children of men is the [d] Ier. 7 8 9 14 23 27 Ezek. 13 Lye which seduceth you 4. Your own Understanding is the destroying and corrupt Knowledg wherethrough ye in your judging miss the Right and the Truth and for that cause bear a false [e] Pro 11 20 Mich. 6 Ballance 5. Your own fore-cast or conceiving will and counsel is the falshood of your mind which beguileth you in such sort that your steps by that occasion cannot be upright before me saith the Lord. 6. Your own Being or false mind of darkness is the [f] Apoc. 2 and 17 Kingdom of Hell to a [g] Mat. 12 Luke 11 dwelling for all Devils and false Spirits where-through ye with feignedness and covering of shame and with divers manner of self-mindedness are held captive [h] Rom. 7 or brought in subjection yea so captived that it is very painful and cumbersom unto you to make manifest your selves uncoveredly or nakedly before the Seat of my glorious Majesty and for that cause also ye obtain [i] Apoc. 3 little lust and love to the Kingdom of Heaven the which is the upright Being and Mind of the everlasting and [k] 1 Pet. 2 unchangeable Light wherein I saith the Lord [l] Lev. 26 2 Cor. 6 Apoc. 21 live and dwell as an eternal and living God 7. Behold saith the Lord to live [m] Iohn 14 and dwell in all your Inwardness with this same Light and Clearness that is my [n] Mat. 6 22 Righteousness rindx and also the Righteousness of my godly Kingdom But here-out saith the Lord ye thrust Me and keep Me off dayly with your own Word and Will and abide even so with your fleshly Will always deviled and devilishly minded and think very little that I have loved you so intirely
become manifest and known whether thou art an adulterous Whore or the upright and faithful married Wife of the Man Christ 12. For verily like as the jealousie of an husband standeth over his wife that she dealeth not faithfully but as an adulterous whore even so standeth also my jealousie over thee thou earthly man which wilt g 2 Cor. 11 be the espoused Wife of the Man Christ or vauntest and givest forth thy self for the same and also over all such as with the spirit of the earthly and h Iohn 8 devilish Being boast them to be the married wife of Christ or of his Spirit of Love 13. For that cause if thou now account not thy self for an whore but esteemest thee for the faithful espoused Wife of Christ and that my jealous conceiving cannot stand otherwise towards thee but that thou art a presumptuous Whore which dissembleth or playeth the hypocrite with Christ and coveredly i Jer 2 3 Ezek. 16 Hosea 4 and 5 committeth whoredom and yet nevertheless wilt be judged as a faithful espoused Wife of Christ so shalt thou then presently be constrained to drink this bitter k Numb 5 cursed water of my jealousie and to bear the cursing of an adulterous Whore or of an unfaithful Wife 14. But if now thou be faithful and the upright espoused Wife of Chrst then fear not to drink these bitter Waters for any destruction that can chance unto thee there out or endamage thee thereby For the upright married Wife or Bride of the Man Christ namely the faithfull l Rom 12 1 Cor. 12 Eph. 4 5 Communiallity of the Holy ones of God or the fellow Members of Christ hath been constrained in times past by her Adversaries to drink such like and the bitter Waters have not hurt or endamaged her 15. But truly as for thee O thou corrapt Nature of the earthly Man thou shalt in thy vain-glorious Boasting that thou art the right Espoused Wife of Christ be found a Lyar and as a wicked mischievous and m Apo. 17 18 false whore and through these bitter cursed Waters thy hips or thighs shall rot and thy n Num. 5 womb break and so shalt thou then become made manifest in thy whorish Nature CHAP. XII BEhold hereto thou must needs come and it shall now also fall upon thee O thou unfaithful Seed a Isaiah 1 John 8 thou earthly and lying Man which hast at all times dealt or behaved thee hipocritically b Ier. 6 7 9. falsly against God the Father by his service of the Law against Christ the Saviour by his Service of the Belief against the Holy Ghost by his Service of the Love even so vanted or given forth thy self to be the Communjallity of Holy ones or c Rom. 12 1 Cor. 12 Eph. 4 5. the co-joyned body of the Body of Christ all over the universall Earth But thou shalt presently be forced to bear thy just Sentence of Iudgment and Accusation As that thou art false and against the pure d 2 Cor. 11 Apoc. 21 Bride Church or co-joyned Body of Christ a polluted or e Apoc. 17 18 defiled Whore and that thou art worthy of the eternal Condemnation f Mat. 25 2 Peter 3 and fire of Hell 2. And although thou wouldest never so fain cover thee with thy Hipocrisie and give forth thy self in this Day of the Love as faithfull and upright yet shalt thou not be able so to do For here availeth now no longer any Hipocrisie or Coveredness neither yet likewise shall any man know how to cover himself before this same Light of the Love but they must all now become g Iohn 3 1 Cor. 4 Eph. 5 apparently mafested even the same that they are by the same Light 3. Whosoever now therefore is earthly minded false and covered of heart and desireth to continue therein his Nature shall now right-soon be seen or perceived For the Light of this Day h 1 Ioh. 2 shineth now so perfect bright and clear that no ungodly nor any hypocrites or false hearts let them then hold themselves so presumptuous on their false righteousnes as they will shal any way be able i Mal. 3 Apoc. 6 to endure or abide standing in this same day of the righteous Judgment of God 4. But whosoever is heavenly minded and upright of heart humbleth himself with a good-willing heart under the Love and her Service wholy giveth over himself under the Majesty of God and even so without any perverse k Wisd 1 thoughts loveth the upright and godly Being By such a one the same shall likewise certainly appear and in the expressing of his deed be very well perceived 5. For to those same upright hearts which walk l 1 Pet. 1 obediently in the Doctrine of the gracious Word and Service of Love and shew all faithfulness thereunto it is granted to understand in their Spirit according to the heavenly Truth of the upright Being m Mat. 1 the mystery of the Kingdom of the God of Heaven where-through they make manifest the powers of the holy Ghost and the Testimonies of his living waters n Iohn 4 and 7 which flow at that time from the body of their spirit and reach even unto the everlasting Life 6. But the strangers which walk without the Family of Love or deal falsly therewith o Mat. 22 Luke 14 taste not the lovely Being of the spiritual and heavenly goods For they understand nor p Isa 6 Acts 28 know not the same any otherwise but according to an earthly and fleshly Being For earthly and fleshly are all their mindes and thoughts 7. But alas this cannot an earthly man which truly is always nothing q Rom. 8 1 Cor. 2 but fleshly minded comprehend nor understand yet will he nevertheless always go on with his lying earthly and fleshly mindes and judg even so the spiritual and heavenly Understandings there-out For that cause he cannot have any lust nor bear any love towards the true spiritual and heavenly but well towards the lying earthly and fleshly where-out he likewise as it is right well to be perceived bringeth forth nothing else but the r Gal. 5. works of the Flesh and of the lying Being 8. But a Spirituall Man s Rom. 8 is clothed with the Spirit of God and the Truth for that cause he is also according to the Truth spiritually minded his forth-going and the lust of his works is in all to the t Gal. 5 and 6 Fruits of the Holy Ghost for to bring forth those same out of the Spirit of God and so to publish or declare forth the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness 9. For he knoweth out of the secret Mystery of the Kingdom of God how to discern distinguish the spiritual Goods according to the heavenly Truth or holy u Levit. 10 Understanding to wit that he sheweth and declareth an
express Difference betwixt the x Mat. 13 Iohn 3 earthly and the heavenly and betwixt the Lying and the True the which to all earthly unregenerated Men with all their Industry and Prudency is a thing y Rom. 8 1 Cor. 2 unpossible CHAP. XIII SEeing now that Gods wonde full Works the Spirit of his Power and the a Mat. 13 Misterie of his Kingdom of Heaven is b Wis 1 Mat. 11. known and understood only of the heavenly and spiritual Man So hath not an earthly and fleshly Man out of his natural and Scripture learned understanding any Sight nor knowledg c Rom. 8 1 Cor. 2 at all thereof Yea he is so utterly void of the same that he cannot understand the smallest title thereof much less then expound or interpret the same according to the Truth unto another 2. But he may well hear witnessed thereof according to the manly manner through the serviceable or written Word and also speak forth the same again afterwards but through himself or out of his own Understanding he d 1 Cor. 2 understandeth not any thing at all of the same according to the Truth but it is all covered and e Mat. 13 Luke 8 2 Cor. 4 secret before him or in Similitudes Images Figures and Parrables For cause he cannot likewise out of his own Wisdom once conceive nor f Wis 9 comprehend in his Knowledge what the same according to the Truth is in the godly Being 3. If he will therefore judge speak forth and interpret any thing thereof according to the imagination of his own knowledge So is it all doubtless false and lyes what he both conceiveth and also speaketh thereof where-out it becommeth that a fleshly Man out of his naturall Understanding g 1 Cor. 1 2 knoweth not any thing at all of the Spirit of God and that it is all foolishness what he judgeth or speaketh thereof 4. Verily therefore they all do err very much that judg according to their understanding out of the earthly Being or out of the Flesh or Letter Gods Truth which is heavenly and spiritual h Isaiah 41 and 48 and his wonderful Acts whether it be of that which is passed or of that which is present or of that which is to come or take upon them to discuss the same and will teach instruct or order the ignorant people according to their judgment 5. For verily Gods Truth and his Works which He worketh not through any fleshly understanding but [i] Mat. 12 Luke 11 through the Power of his Spirit out of his holy Heaven are far above all understandings of the flesh yea not any one of all the children of men can through his natural understanding out of blood [k] Wisd 1 and 9 1 Cor. 2. comprehend nor understand the same nor yet finde out the ground thereof 6. Therefore surely Gods Truth the excellent Beauty of his heavenly Kingdom and his godly and heavenly Works are [l] Matth. 11 and 13 Acts 28 unknown unto all flesh and unto all fleshly earthly men but it is given unto the children of the Kingdom the Communality of the Love to understand the secret Mystery thereof 7. It is likewise verily a great folly upon the earth yea a presumptuous and arrogant enterprize or dealing which is also utterly without all Equity and reasonable Understanding that the earthly and fleshly men set themselves to Judgment for to judg out of their natural comprehending and industry or out of their scripturely learnedness according to the flesh the spiritual Truth of God and Gods heavenly wonderful Acts whereof there is not any thing at all [m] Mat. 11 and 13 given them to understand wherein they all with their understandings run to an end yea they come so to an end or grow to such an exigent therein that they know not often times [n] Micha 7 Luke 21 where to catch or take hold of the same again 8. But many are herein very [o] Isaiah 30 arrogantly minded for when as they with their understanding are run to an end in the godly Matters to wit that they have not nor cannot comprehend nor understand those same aright yet persevere they notwithstanding searching there-after prosecuting or ensuing the same with their imagination of p Rom. 1 the Knowledge they will nevertheless alwaies be judged to have right Yea they would much rather judge Moses the Prophets of God together with the Apostles of Christ and Gods elected Minister H N. to err or misse the right then that they would by any means confess and acknowledge that they in the Imagination of their Knowledge concerning the godly Matters are ignorant and lying CHAP. XIV O Ye blinde People ye arrogant distracted earthly Men and all ye subtil or pregnant self-wise of the Flesh together with all ye false hearts of the Scripture-learned ye a Gen. 4 Jude 1 Cain-ish Ceremonie-Ministers and ye Persecuters and Murtherers of the Abel-ish upright Hearts Wherefore b Isaiah 14 exalt ye your selves so arrogantly against the high excellent Majesty of God and his righteous Judgment Consider and look yet once into it what ye have done 2. Oh alas ye have the which will now fall out painfully or sharply against you set your selves with your false Nature to c Isa 30 Judgment judged Gods Causes out of your Lyes altogether falsly seduced the Simple believed your own judgment which is unright and false and born dominion therewith over the Earth Also been d Iohn 8 Rom. 2 2 Thes 2 unbelieving of God in his Truth and resisting of the Love and even so with your falfe judgments falsly e Wis 2 Dan. 13 accused or defamed the upright Hearts as men worthy to be rooted out from the Earth 3. For that cause let your selves now be counselled by the wisdome and look betimes into all your Ignorances and let it all fall away from you or give it all over wherein ye have supposed to be wise or understanding and f Ezek. 18 Ioel 2 Mat. 3 Acts 2 3. shew forth repentance for your sins under the Obedience of the Love of Jesus Christ 4. For verily when ye look according to the Truth into your selves and all that ye have done So shall ye not choose but perceive and acknowledge that ye have g 1 Wis 5 9 not understood known or judged the earthly and naturall Things which ye have passed through and are yet daily a passing through truly or aright 5. Seeing then that ye have not been able to understand nor judge rightly those things which according to the Earthly Being are like unto you and where about ye daily have to doe How should ye then O ye blockish and ignorant earthly Men be able to understand or judge the heavenly or spirituall Things which are h Wis 9 Mat. 11 13 secret or hidden before you and which ye have never seen nor are passed through them But for
your own Honors sake i 1 Ioh. 12 which ye seek at the hands of the unregenerated Men and more esteem and covet then the honour of God many of you will not acknowledge the same nor yet confess your Blindness 6. Ye k Ier. 6 8 Ezek. 13 comfort your selves apace with Lyes and provoke even so Gods righteous Judgment to come upon you In which l Iude 1 Judgement it becometh now discovered unto you and ye are let m 1 Cor. 4 to see or it becometh made known unto you in your hearts That ye all which are of the Earth and have resisted the Truth of the Life have spoken presumptuously against the Lord despised the Love in her lovely Nature and upright Service n â— Heb. 10 and blasphemed the Spirit of Love which is the true Holy Ghost 7. Behold it shall now in this same Day o Acts 17 1 Cor. 4 Jude 1 of the righteous Iudgment of God wher-through all false Iudgments Unrighteousnesses become made manifest be given unto you to see into orplainly to perceive all this your falshood or horrible Iniquity And the recompence for the same shall likewise O ye false earthly Men fall upon you p Isa 13 Wis 5 Luke 21 with much Affliction Distress Misery and Woe in all your hearts 8. If ye now then perceiving well all your Falshood and in the time of your Affliction and distresse lay not your selves prostrate to a q Psal 110 1 Cor. 15 Bench for the Lords feet before the Seat of the Majesty of God but will needs with your false Iudgments and Unrighteousness bear the Dominion against God and his Majesty So shall ye yet nevertheless whether it be then with your will or against your will be trodden down as the Enemies of God r Psal 91 Rom. 16 with the feet of the Saints and laid under the feet of the Lord. 9. For our God the Lord of Hoasts cometh presently s Esa 3 Mat. 25 Iude 1 to Judgment and will plainly shew and make known the House of his dwelling namely that the Heaven and the heavenly Man is his t Isa 66 Acts 6 Seat and the Earth and the earthly Man the Bench of his Feet even as the Lord hath spoken the same in times past through the mouth of his holy Prophets CHAP. XV. O Ye good-willing Hearts a Amos 5 Micah 2 Mat. 24 which have now in these last perillous Times adjoyned your selves with a good Will under the Obedience of the Love with Us Litle-ones and Elected ones of God! Consider well presently on the Strangers which have nothing else in their minde but b Psal 10 and 52 56 and 58 and 120 subtilty and guilet and also on all such as come in with all c Phil. 3 Self-seeking with their fleshly d Rom. 1 Lusts and Desires and with their good-thinking e Ier. 7 1 Cor. 1 and Self-wisdom besides our holy Communiallity of the Love and then at the last when as they are aware that the gracious Word is against or contrary to their Selfe-seeking and Good-thinking separate them again from Us and from the Word and Requiring of the Service of Love Yea consider well what a Nature Being or Disposition they shew forth and how that they to the lenting f Rom. 16 and dividing of our Communiallity of the Love make up themselves against us and our godly Doctrine so shall ye then finde out in the Deed and Truth that all such doe make manifest themselves with their Self-wisdom and g Ier. 7 9 11 and 13 good-thinking Knowledge to be contrary minded against the holy Word of the Spirit of Love and also turn them away from the true Obedience of the Requiring of his Service 2. For that cause take now good heed and beware of all them that with their Self-wisdome or Imagination of the Knowledge h Rom. 16 besides the Doctrine of the godliness which is taught you through the Spirit of Love institute or bring in according to the self-seeking of the Flesh their strange or forged Doctrines and false Dealings wherewith they breed Division and cause Offence and separate you from such persons But abide stedfastly grounded in our most holy i Eph. 3 2 Tim. 1.3 Beliefe of the Love of Christ k Mat. 10 and 24 Heb. 12 and persevere therein even to the End that is till unto the lovely Being of the Godliness 3. Turn not aside in any case to any forreign Being without the Love fall not away likewise from the Service of the Love for the ignorant ones cause which make often times by reason of their disorderliness discord and offence and for that cause also they must as the matter or case requireth be l Gal. 6 2 Tim. 2 and 4 punished chastised and instructed Also become not sluggish nor careless with the m Prov. 6 and 24 slothful persons but with diligence and lust of your heart unto the upright n Mat. 22 Eph. 1 4 Righteousness and Holiness submit you always obediently and humbly under the godly Testimonies of the holy Spirit of Love until that the gracious Word and his Love be planted in you o Iam. 1 with meek-mindedness the which is the Salvation of your Souls and the establishing of the Promises of God the Father 4. For in the same upright Being God will bring unto you all his treasures p Mat. 13 Col. 2 and heavenly goods also all peace q Iohn 10 and the everlasting life abundantly It is very true 5. O ye holy ones of God thou lovely Communiality of the Love fear not but be now of good cheer upon the earth against all your enemies For behold r Isai 35 your God cometh to be avenged on all your enemies for to lay them that they may be troden down under the feet of your Lord and and Saviour Jesus Christ and even so in your s Mat. 19 John 3 second birth out of the holy Spirit of the Love of Jesus Christ to transport or yeeld over the Judgment and Dominion upon the earth unto you and your Saviour Jesus Christ to the end that ye with him and he with you and your Saviour Jesus Christ and with his holy Spirit should from henceforth world without end reign with t Apoc. 5 and 22 Righteousnes upon the earth and u Isaiah 3 Wisd 3 Jude 1 judg the same with equity according to the Promises CHAP. XVI MAke you to the flight a Isa 52 Make you to the flight yea get you now all out of the way ye enemies of the Lord and his Service of Love and give the Lord with his holy ones b Isa 40 and 57 and 62 his room Yet shall ye not escape the Vengeance of God 2. For the Lord cometh forth now in mighty power with his righteous Judgment upon the earth for to purge the same of all her
they must all submit them to the love and be reformed in herservice otherwise they can never although in their imagination they know perceive and com prehend all things come to the new man u Joh. 3. nor to the Kingdome of God for the love is only it wherein every thing which is the truth and wisdome of God is comprehended She x Col. 3. 2 Tim. 1. is also the band or establishing of the perfection 36. Whilest the sove then hath every thing which is of God Christ or Truth contained or included in it therefore might some man demand shal we then let the Scriptures passe O no God forbid but men are not to use them for the knowledge nor to the end to teach them forth historically but to the intent they may give regard to such an upright spirit or life as is set forth therein or required thereby even as is y 3 Clas 24. partly also set forth and declared both of this and of the knowledge in the third book of the Glasse of Righteousnesse that so through comfort of the Scriptures we should to our rejoycing z Rom. 15. have our hope on the promises and on the foreshewing of God by his Prophets and by the Apostles of Christ who have prophecied of the healthful life which abideth sure in the love for ever and so passing on towards it in the belief a Rom. 4. give credit unto God that he in his promises is true 37. But it is to be lamented that the Scripture is by so few at this day discerned out of the understanding of the truth and of the love whereby to understand the same rightly according to the mind of God 38. True it is there is much written and divers have set forth many writings and have had much provoking of spirit and great inclination to teach howbeit every one severally according to the sight or knowledge that he hath had being in the state of the fall from God and in the estranging from his Salvation 39. But inasmuch as they were not come to the love and that their hearts were not inclined to the love in all things as they were to the spirit of their glistering knowledge and comprehension therefore did many of them erre and mistake for the mind of God b Deut. 6.10 Mat. 22. Rom. 13. and the fulfilling of the Scriptures is the love 40. And the same is c Col. 3. the perfection wherein every thing to a life and truth of peace standeth firm to our joy and d Eph. 1. to the praise of the glory of God to all and on all that hope upon it and long thereafter CHAP. X. 1. Great calamity shall come upon the children of Men because of the contentious knowledge 2. Knowledge and truth differ 5. The way of life clearly shewed 6. Yet through ignorance mistaken 16. A lamentation over mans ignorance 24. The author by his writings sheweth what is commendable and what is discommendable counselling to learn upright understanding and the speciall Vertues of the Love and to shun all disputing with the partiall FOrasmuch as the man is now perswaded that he himself with his cies of the Spirit doth so clearly and nakedly discern and understand the right as he cannot be deceived and for that every one which standeth in partiality is by his sight or spirit contentious howsoever each severall party maintaineth his own matter and defendeth the same to be of God and will in all things have the right onely and alone passe with his own matter and will not effect the love above all to the unity of heart therefore even through the same glittering in case they have not all their understanding captive under the obedience of the love there shall come horrible calamity upon the children of men in such sort that upon this earth they shall become an a 4 Esd 5. abhorring one to another for that every one standing stiffe in the knowledge and in the clearnesse thereof vvill not for the loves sake give over his own matter thinking that the truth ought not to give place 2. It is true indeed that the truth ought not to give place but betwixt the knowledge and the truth there is great difference for much knowledge which yet men call truth can easily arise out of the subtilty of wit but the truth of God proceedeth out of the love and is even of one being with the love 3. Therefore is the knowledge b 1 Cor. 13. divided and broken but the love is the truth c Ioh. 17. and the true being it self and the perfection 4. But alas this do not many of them know to wit that they should come to the love and so bear the love for a mark of the righteous Spirit and rejoyce them with the truth d Ioh. 17. 1 Ioh. 1. that same is the word of life which was spoken of according to the promises 5. Inasmuch now as I have noted and do yet at this present find so much boldnesse in men by reason of their knowledge and imagination of the truth whereon they are very stout and bold and yet for the most part it still faileth them of the truth and love and for that the right way to the true life and the loves nature is thereby missed of many And seeing moreover that the right way and entrance into the true life and into the loves nature is by Gods grace granted me to be seen into therefore have I out of the inclination of Love clearly and nakedly with uncovered words set forth the right way or entrance into the true life and the upright nature or being of the love in the Glasse of Righteousnesse distinctly noting the divine and the humane the spirituall and the naturall and what is decent and meet to be used for a discerning which is the establishing of the promises of God according to the Scripture that both Gods righteousnesse and mans righteousnesse might be knowne and that we likewise in an inclination of love might with consenting minds passe forth towards the same 6. But alas what availeth it any man that one point him out a good way and an even and plaine path if he walk not in the same nor have no liking thereunto 7. What availeth it to knock and in divers manners to call if there be no ears to hear nor any understanding to comprehend or to understand the same nor any heart to imbrace such things 8. Or how shall one be able I pray you to declare conveniently unto such a man his error and the entrance into the good life that he might rightly regard and understand wherein his salvation consisteth whereby he might be delivered from the bewitching of his heart and so know what right is to the intent he might once comprehend understanding rightly 9. If a man say unto him the increase and the blessing e 1 Cor. 3 cometh only of God f Prov. 2. Sap. 8. Eccl. 1. he
aright 8. Therefore needs must they all in lowlinesse of heart be humbled under thee and become subject to thy true love that they may rejoice them in the truth otherwise they must remain blind in their imagination k Ioh. 3. and may not see the Kingdom of God for ever 9. For so long as they through the love or her inclination l Mat. 18. be not in their corrupt understanding turned about by the word of truth and are not well minded to the vertue of the love certainly there can appear unto them no light of the truth to Salvation for God hath foreseen the perfection m Deut. 6.10 1 Cor. 13. 1 Tim. 1. in the love according to the promises and not in the knowledge 10. Therefore let every one be lowly of spirit u 1 Ioh. 4. and humble of heart in his knowledge even as though he knew nothing and so have regard to the service of the love what it requireth and let him hope and long for it to the intent he may be comprehended therein that is to say in the doctrine thereof for therein is the godlinesse understood and known and so let him indeavour towards the best 11. And I hope that I shall alwaies towards the lovers of the truth do even so and not omit to set before them the most best for thereunto tend all my intents and desires neither know I at all any better thing then the teaching and ministring of the holy word under the obedience of the love 12. True it is I have as far as I might examined many sorts of Foundations and understandings and have likewise considered and scanned whereon they stood grounded but there is yet no better thing come to my hand 13. The Lord grant me his mercy and strengthen my mind to do and accomplish his will to the Salvation of men in the love 14. O ye lovers of the truth that have humbled your souls under the love and her service o Deut. 6.11.22 Pro. 4. take I pray you the truth to heart and reproach no mans writings teaching nor exhortations that have their ministration to the righteousnesse and to the concord but draw it all under the love that every one may give up and bring all what he hath taken on or wherein he is learned according to his humane imagination to the communion of the love give ear only to the godly Word of Life under the obedience of the love according to the manifestation of the glorious and godly light set forth in the Glasse of Righteousnesse and so above all his humane knowledge love the Concord and the upright life 15. Moreover condemn none particularly by name and be not offended at any that your hearts p Gal. 5. Acb. 12. be not moved to anger stumble not at any thing and reproach nor reject none for Sects but love all them that indeavour towards righteousnesse q 2 Pet. 1. with a like love to that upright righteousnesse which God esteemeth and thus draw all wel-willing ones to the true righeousnesse under the obedience of the love 16. And if any man seek the truth of you and his heart be inclined to the love then joyn your selves with him in the love and so speak r 1 Pet. 3. of the hope which is in you 17. For who so loveth the good though yet for a while he be in errour may for all that come to amendment in the love unlesse he should give over his heart in a wilfull contentiousnesse and despise the love and her service for his self-minds sake 18. But unto every one that will follow and is well minded to the love and her service Å¿ Eph. 4. unto such reach forth the hand to the unity of the upright life and that all in the love 19. If the evill assail you then put it from you as much as is possible for you untill the same evill get a going down in you and go into silence give it no respite to follow after his desire but become according to the spirit t Col. 1. 1 Thes 3. 1 Pet. 5 strong and firm in the good life u Deut. 7. 1 Pet. 2. to a peculiar possession of God even as it is here in this Introduction and in the Glasse of Righteousnesse according to the life shewed and declared 20. If so be ye cast this same behind the back to wit that ye refuse it or have no belief nor lust thereunto nor do hope thereon and yet by your self-wisdom perswade your selves to be wise then are ye vain and utterly unmeet to the Kingdome of God and how wise soever ye be yet shall you be found vain and without understanding and void of the true light of life 21. Now if any man say that he is already in the life and needeth no more or that it is needfull no more for him to hearken after any other understanding and therefore contemneth this form of the upright life and his service to the same life whereunto we bear witnesse and neither hath it nor indeavoureth towards it in the service of the love certainly he is yet in the death x 1 Ioh. 2. and darknesse and knoweth nothing at all either of Christ or of the life which is of God even as the darknesses also have never perceived nor known him 22. If any man then despise this good mind or spirit of love and with the heart withstandeth and blasphemeth it and doth not entertain the upright vertue of the love the same man hath beguiled his own heart and after the requiring of the knowledge of the old serpent seeketh his own advantage and not to do the will of the Lord. 23. But if on the other side O ye dearly beloved any do accept this which we bear witnesse of for right and truth let him not hardly over-hastily perswade himself that he by his knowledge hath already gotten it for there must at the first belief be joyned thereto and then look whose belief through the increase of God blossometh y 4 Esd 6. and is fruitfull let the same man attempt the battell in hope against that which maketh up it self against the same Let him have regard to the Word of life and so passe on towards it a Luk. 21. with patience or in long sufferance 24. That truely is the right Crosse of Christ b Mat. 16. Luk. 14. which we are daily with good wil in the obedience of the requiring of the service of love to take up c Act. 14. in the belief untill we be well exercised in the love and in the holy understanding whereunto we bear witnesse and not only in the knowledge 25. Lo to this present I find nor know no way els to the life therefore whosoever loveth the same let him endeavour towards it d Joh. 8. and so abide stedfast in the requiring of the gracious Word and of the doctrine of the holy spirit of love untill
Christ and to give no further respect to the outward then as it is serviceable thereunto to the intent that no man may be bewitched in his spirit but may cleave to the vertue and nature of the love and that the h Col. 3. love may obtain a dwelling place or forme in him 11. Lo after this manner ought men to live impartially in the good i Esa 1. Psa 37. 2 Pet 3. to turn from all ungodly being and not to maintain the evill 12. There goeth also a saying about among divers that to shew the k 2 Pet. 1. common love is the most best means to keep ones self thus impartiall 13. It is true our writings do also testifie such things howbeit let every one for all that look to it and beware of his own judgement that by the l Gen. 3. Sap. 2. 2 Cor. 11. subtilty of the Serpent or of her nature or els by the mind of the flesh he be not beguiled the saying in it self is very right but many that marke not the saying according to the truth doe speak the same with a wrong sight or understanding 14. For some use such sentences for their own seekings cause and so in such a show of vertue their heart in regard of being incorporated with God in the spirit remaineth covered m Esa 29 Jer. 23 and estranged from God and many also give great respect unto such sayings insomuch that by occasion thereof they do oft-times according to mens private conceit cleave to some outward vertue which surely is the very smallest of all and do leave the principallest n Mat. 23 1 Cor. 13 1 Tim. 1 or greatest which God requireth The like did also many heretofore that were learned in the Law upon whom the Lord pronounced wo because they observed the least things of the Law whilest they tythed Mint Anise and Cummin and left the greatest matters of the Law o Mat. 23 Luk. 11 to wit judgment mercy and faithfulnesse 15. For albeit they observed all this after an outward show so as they seemed thereby to be righteous yet was it all surely of no value seeing they were not joyned with whole heart unto God p Ioh. 15 nor according to the spirit incorporated with him 16. Furthermore divers men there are found which after the outward fashion give every one his own and unto divers out of common love shew outward mercy indifferently who also carry themselves so justly that q Phil. 3 outwardly they are not to be reproved in any thing howbeit they are inwardly before God theeves and r Mat. 23 Ioh. 10 false men because they with-hold from God that which is his Å¿ Esa 29 Ezek. 33. Mat. 15 that is to say their heart which is far from him and standeth subject or tied unto visible things which heart or inward mind belongeth wholly yea only unto God 17. Therefore God is not appeased nor satisfied with the least when the heart is not turned from all visible and mutable things and doth not cleave perfectly unto him or at least endeavour to wards it to wit that the man desire of God out of his grace that God will strengthen him to the obeying of his will and t Eccl. 3 prepare his heart to his will and pleasure 18. Look whose hearts are not thus minded u Deut. 6 Mat. 22 for to love and cleave unto God with all their souls their common love is false and altogether unclean x Rom. â— for they have yet willingly a pleasure in their own concupiscence and are yet far distant from the upright love of God neverthelesse they do sometimes perswade themselves that they have the very best conceiving of the righteousnesse and so proceed on according to the common course of vvordly hearts 19. Therefore there is great diversity between the unpartiall men who addict their hearts unto God and to the good and those men whose hearts have minded worldly things and yet do boast them of the unpartiallnesse For look what unto worldly hearts namely unto such hearts as are turned from God and his service of Love is a pleasure lust and life that same is unto all the children of righteousnhsse y Luk. 16 an abomination and a horrible death 20. Wherefore mark well the meaning in what state or being the right unpartiality consisteth and out of what heart it is that men are to exercise the common-love rightly verily with such an heart as out of all his mind z Eccl. 1.2 feareth God and is inclined to the upright vertue in the love or is comprehended therein and not with an unadvised heart which is without understanding in his common-love and in his unpartialnesse that distinguisheth not the godlinesse or the worldly righteousnesse one from the other or that hath a pleasure to run on crookedly and erringly a Luk. 12 to set his rest or to fix his heart in the earthly love b Rom. 1 Eph. 4 1 Pet. 4. according to the course of the blind world or mind of the flesh 21. Be not utterly I pray you c Eph. 5 without understanding but learn vvell to discern the truth and let the Lord and his righteousnesse be a pleasure unto you and erre not by any wrong sight that standeth in opinion or imagination but observe judgement and regard the thing which is right and just 22. There is found moreover a certain kind of people which perswade themselves that they are unpartiall because they stand untied and unbound from all outward Religions or God-services and from all such as are called Sects supposing that in such a sort it is altogether well with them and that so standing they are in good case because they are so free and have such a conscience as passeth not for such things they set up their rest also that they will not trouble themselves about any thing nor respect or have any regard either of Jerusalem or of Sion or els of Gods Communion of Saints but do earnestly care how they may get their living and welfare maintain their Family and vvithall do that which is equall and right to every man having a Proverb Let Gods Water run over Gods Field and let us take our rest 23. Is not this to have utterly mistaken the life of the truth and the testimonies of the upright unpartiallnesse Shall there be no d Esa 2 40 59 Mat. 5 1 Pet 1 word of life then nor service of love ministred nor any thing thereout to be expected or e Rom. 8 longed for Are then the promises of God which concern f Esa 51 52 60 c. Jerusalem and Sion come all to an end And shall the oath of God which he hath sworn as that the world g Nu. 14 Mac. 2 shall be filled with his glory be thus utterly forgotten Will he not then gather together his holinesse again h Esa 43 Baruc. 5. Mat. 24 from all Coasts of
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 or Trade then are they content and say God be praised we are in very goodcase 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 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
the obedience of the holy Word and of the requiring of his service of Love and abide also bound or owned to your selves and to your own counsel and will and come not to the Truth of God which floweth forth serviceably out of the Love for to be obedient as right [z] John 8 Jam 1 Disciples of the Word unto the same 9. But verily after such a manner ye are towards the gracious Word of the Lord and his service of Love [a] Psal 50 Ier. 2 3 Hos 4 5 even like unto an whore which after her hearts good-thinking to a cloaking of her whoredom chuseth an husband and coupleth her self in marriage unto him for that she might boast her as a married wife and under such a covering and boasting that she hath an husband committeth her whoredom seeing that ye in like manner without Christ and against Christ although ye make great boast of him commit whoredom and deal nor walk not according to the doctrine or requiring of Christ 10. For which your covered or cloaked whoredoms cause and unrighteous walking the Lord hath moved my minde and commanded me to figure forth your whoredom and [b] Ier. 7 unrighteous ways before you also to [c] Isai 58 reprove you thereof and to exhort you to amendment and to warn you even so of the destruction that is to come upon the ungodly in the righteous judgement of God 11. O thou whorish Nature Be ashamed I say presently before the Lord and before the Seat [d] Isaiah 16 Mat. 25 of his Majesty where-out he declareth his upright Righteousness that thou boastest thee so of Christ the gracious Word of the Father [e] 2 Cor. 11 as of thy Husband and of the lovely Nature of his Love and yet whilest thou doest so holdest thine heart common or of one Being with the Antichrist with the wicked World and with the self-wisdomes of her Sectaries and Scripture-learned Peruse and ponder now well the [f] Isa 59 falshood of thine Heart and consider throughly all thy Covetousness [g] Ier. 7 9 theevery self-Seeking and whoredom which thou hast committed against Christ and his Love 12. O ye Children of Men when ye have once perceived and clearly seen in your inwardnes into all this same whorish Nature of your unrighteous walking then withdraw you first of all therefrom [h] Jer. 2 3 and turn you to the goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ and [i] Ezek. 18 38 repent you and let your selves even so under the Obedience of the holy and gracious Word and of his service of Love become [k] Eph. 4 changed to an upright being of Christ and taught [l] Pro. 1 4 instructed and counselled as single-minded [m] Mat. 18 1 Cor. 14 Children which wholly give over themselves obediently under the tuition or custodie of their Mother by the Elders in the holy understanding of the Spirit of the Love of Jesus Christ and even so in all obedience of the love of Jesus Christ become fostered and trayned up in the godly Wisdom of the holy understanding 13. Hereto apply you first of all with faithfull hearts and come then even so to the lovely (n) Eph. 4 and true being of the Love Jesus Christ and to the upright (o) Ioh. 1 Freedom of the Children of God CHAP. III. O Ye Children of the (a) Gen. 3 Isai 1. 59 Rom. 5 defecting or off falling Being which say that ye cleave unto Christ and his Love and under such a boasting commit your whoredom to you is my cry and calling For I lament and bewaile very much your (b) Ier. 2 Hosea 4 unfaithfulness and all your feignedness wherewith ye think to cover you before me 2. But no beloved no ye cannot abide covered before me nor before the face of my God but ye must all in this very day of the Love become manifest before the Majestie of God and [c] Rom. 14 2 Cor. 5 before the Seat of the Judgment of Christ 3. For although ye dissemble with me how craftily soever ye cover or feign you before me yet are nevertheles [d] 1 Cor. 4 all the Counsels and Falshoods of your Hearts manifest before me and so much the more naked and bare [e] Psal 44 Heb. 4 before the eyes of my heart and spirit 4. For so long as your hearts stand not submitted good-willingly to the Heart and Spirit of my God nor are wholy given over to be (f) 1 Peter 1 James 1 obedient Disciples of the Word unto the gracious Word his service of Love So can I also through the true (g) Iohn 1 3 Light wherein God hath glorified or throughly lighted me right well perceive fee and note that all your minds and thoughts are not minded with the heart and spirit of my God nor with the requiring of the gracious Word and of his service of Love but there-against mingled with wicked (h) Gen. 6 8 Eccl. 17 18 Inclinations or Affections 5. Seeing now then that I through the light of my God do clearly see into all your pernicious corrupted Nature and wicked Inclinations and gladly vouchsafe you all out of the upright Being of my God that which were better to the end that under the obedience of the Love there might be found by you all an upright Being i Eph. 4 2 Pet. 1 of the Love of Jesus Christ So cannot I of Natures part nor of the k 2 Cor 5 nature of the Loves part which driveth me thereto alwaies keep silence but must even out of love witnesse unto you the (l) Isa 13 47 Math. 24 1 Tim. 4 2 Tim. 3 2 Pet. 2 perils of destruction which have bewrapped and encompassed you 6. For that cause I admonish you this day of the Destruction and foretell you as truly as the Lord liveth if ye endeavour not your selves to the Obedience of the requiring of the gracious Word and (m) 1 Ioh. 3 4 of his service of Love for to become upright of heart to fear the God of Life to love the Vertues of the lovely Being of the Love to live uprightly (n) Rom. 12 2 Cor. 12 Eph. 4 1 Ioh. 1 in the communiallity of the Love with all the holiness of God and to deal or behave your selves (o) Zac. 7. 8 faithfully with them and so to become wholly godded with God [p] John 17 and his Christ or [q] John 15 Eph. 3 2 Pet. 1 incorporated to that same godly Being but seek your selves or any other thing in or by the gracious Word and his service of Love or else take unto your selves a good-thinking word and falsly usurp the Service of Love and boast you thereof and even so hold your hearts common or of one Being with the [r] 1 Iohn 2 worldly Being and fashion and with the false hearts of the seditious Scripture-learned So will
be not in any wise seduced or deceived by the Love which [k] 1 Iohn 4 nevertheless is God himself nor by the Spirit of Love which is the true godliness of Jesus Christ nor by the dayed-Elder in the same Spirit which witnesseth the upright Being of the Love and her Spirit 5. Behold such a Circumspection will they almost all occupy or use supposing even so according to their good thinking or own knowledg to enter into the Life and although they are not regenerated in the Obedience of the Love of Jesus Christ [l] Wisd 1 Matth. 11 and 13 1 Cor. 2 nor yet understand the Works of God nor the Mystery of his Kingdom to be more prudent and understanding with their knowledg then God himself and his Spirit of Love 6. Which Spirit hath now in this very day through the mercy of God and his elected Minister made manifest the secret Treasures of God and the godly and spiritual [m] Eph. 3 Col. 1 2 Tim. 1 Riches of the heavenly Goods so distinctly and nakedly and also brought the same so abundantly and liberally unto us in the obedience of the requiring of his Service of Love where-out also we declare forth the same again among the children of men That the simplest or very least among the understanding ones if he considered thereon might right easily understand that this our Ministration of the holy Word in the Service of Love is Gods working and not the mans and that the same Spirit and such an holy understanding n Mat. 16. as is witnessed declared out of the same Ministration proceeded not out of any flesh nor earthly understanding but out of the living God and that men also without conceiving any evil opinion thereof ought to be obedient to that same Spirit in the requiring of his holy Word and Service under the obedience of the Love 7. Howbeit many will not consider hereon but they turn them almost all to their own [o] James 3 understanding out of the wisdom of the flesh and Scripture-learnedness or imagination of the knowledg wherein they intangle disturb or disquiet themselves among each other and come not (p) Ephese 1 and 4 2 Tim. 3 to the Understanding whereunto they are called or required and wherein they might understand the Mind or Intent of the Works of God 8. Out of these ignorant Understandings according to the imagination of the Knowledg very many make up themselves presently which judg the Administration of the gracious Word of the holy Spirit of Love out of their ignorant and unilluminated Understandings and running forth even so with their Judgements here and there they know nor understand not themselves what they judg thereof 9. For the One murmureth here and will have it Thus after his Minde the Other murmureth there and will have it So after his Mind The One hath seen or marked This in it that is unright in his eyes The Other hath heard That thereof or else conceived and imagined to himself there-out some strange or absurd Matter that soundeth unto him in his ears and in his thoughts as unright or error 10. Herewith now and with such like as there is mentioned certain have so much to do and to talk of that they for that cause through the great toyl and business which they incumber themselves withall thereabout become so utterly blinded in their hearts that they by no means can consider on the single-minded [q] 1 Kin. 15 1 Pet. 1 Obedience which the gracious Word and his Service of Love requireth nor yet on the abundant Treasures and Riches [r] Mat. 13 Col. 2 of God which out of the heavenly Truth become [s] Ephes 3 Col. 1 revealed by Gods Grace so richly and liberally unto us in the Service of Love and through the holy Spirit of Love brought unto us to Salvation 11. They have likewise not once any regard what an upright and lovely godly [t] Eph. 4 2 Pet. 1 Being the gracious Word bringeth in the Obedience of his Service of Love unto his Beleevers 12. Also they understand not [u] Mat. 16 the time which is now present and at hand in which the ending of the perverse [x] 2 Pet. 3 world and the appearing of [y] Mat. 24 and 25 Luke 17 Acts 1 the Coming of out Lord Jesus Christ and the z Isai 26 Iohn 5 1 Cor. 15 1 Thes 4 Resurrection of his holy ones cometh to pass CHAP. V. OH Is it not a very lamentable case that I have [a] Eccl. 24 2 Cor. 11 labored thus long with such a fervency and diligence in the Mystery of the Works of God out of the godly powers among the children of men and given abroad the same Mystery of the Works of God unto them with so full resolution to their Salvation to declare thereby Gods Truth upon the Earth so openly and clearly dealt or been conversant in the travel of the godly Testimonies of the true Light among so many and also communed or spoken thus long yea so often and many times with them of the [b] Mat. 13 Luke 8 Mystery of the Kingdom of the God of Heaven and that I yet finde so few which with all their heart give over themselves good-willingly to be obedient c 1 Pet. 1 Jam. 1 disciples unto the gracious Word of Life and Truth and to his service of Love or that humble them according to the requiring of the Word and [d] Prov. 1 Counsel of the Wisdom aright there-under For almost they all [e] Phil. 2 seek themselves and not the Lord and even so hearing and beleeving themselves [f] Jer. 18 and 23 they follow after their own will and understanding and not the Lords nor his gracious Words 2. Seeing then that they hear beleeve and witness so gladly their own word and follow or ensue so gladly their own counsel wisdom and will so will they also very gladly and willingly submit themselves thereunder also gladly give them over and be obedient to the same [g] Ier. 7 11 13 but not to the gracious Word of Life or of the Spirit of Love Yea such an absurd and preposterous dealing against the gracious Word of Life or of the Spirit of Love is used often times much more by them which men have in estimation and count to have understanding then by the little and single-minded ones 3. Oh how much and many times is it mentioned in our Writings That the Lord detesteth and is wholly minded against [h] Isaiah 3 and 30 Rom 1 8 11 1 Cor. 1 all pride of the flesh against all the wisdoms of the earthly or fleshly men and against all their industry subtle pregnancy knowledg and counsel And how little becometh it taken to heart or how little thinketh and considereth the man that he touching Gods Causes ought to hold himself [i] Psal 37 Isaiah 30 still in his wisdom industry understanding
same are also to the health of all them that drink thereof 22. O how lovely is my Fountain and how sweet are my waters which flow forth there-out namely unto all them that love me and understand [c] Isai 42 1 Pet. 2 that I am friendly therefore [d] Isai 55 Apoc. 22 come now all unto me saith the Lord. 23. Leave now the friendship of the wicked world [e] Iam. 4 which is an utter enmity unto God and full of all manner of iniquity and make your friendship with me for I am in no case churlish [f] Isai 42 cruel horrible nor destroying like as the wicked world is but I am lovely gracious peaceable and beneficial or safe-making to the end that my dominion may even so through my lovely and upright Righteousness increase it self or [g] Isai 9 Mal. 1 3 become great now [h] Ioel 2 Acts 2 in the last time and that there be no end of the Peace from this time forth for evermore to the end that I may do even so that [i] Isai 32 and 42 Ier. 23 and 33 which is right on the earth and execute Righteousness among the people For all Heathen which turn their hearts unto God [k] Isai 42 and 51 attend on these my Institutions which come forth out of the Service of my Love saith the Lord. CHAP. VIII BEhold and consider and have a good regard hereon O ye beloved and good-willing hearts what an heart lust and love [a] Iohn 3 God hath turned or born towards us all for to rid and lead us all now in these last b Amos 5 Micha 2 Math. 24 perillous times through his Service of Love out of the abominations of the perverse would and so to bring us with our will to the Majesty c Isai 13 and 60 Ier. 3 of his Glory to the end that we should now in the last time through his Love and through the d 1 Tim. 2 Heb 9 Mediator his Christ become surely saved live e Luke 1 Eph. 1 4 always and for ever uprightly lovely and peaceably in the same Godhead with each other and so f 2 Pet. 3 inhabit the world according to the Promises of God the Father in Righteousness for evermore 2. Therefore namely for this same Loves cause which g Iohn 3 God is extending so graciously on us turn now your Love likewise to the same God of Life and [h] Eccl. 7 submit you all under the Obedience of his Love 3. O ye dearly beloved ye all I mean which say and profess that ye love the Truth stand in fear before the great glorious God and apply you not to any other thing then that which is according to his Will esteem right reverently i Psal 19 his Word have a singular regard to the Law of his Doctrine and with your whole heart respect well this [k] 2 Cor. 6 Heb. 12 proffered Grace which through the gracious Word of the Lord becometh expressed or held forth before you under the obedience of his Love 4. Which Word of Grace and Life God hath given in my mouth [l] Isa 49 51 and 59 Jer. 1 31 Heb. 8 and 10 written the same together with the Law of his Commandments in my heart minde and thoughts and chosen me to be his Minister to administer now in the last time under the obedience of his Love m Ier. 33 the same gracious Word to declare his Truth and to set up his most holy Service of Love through the Belief [n] Num. 14 to the end that the whole world may become full of the glory of God according to the Promises 5. For that cause come now all hither and refuse not the Lord but give over your selves and all what ye have o Psal 24. and 50 that is the Lords good-willingly unto the Lord and his Word to your preservation Come now all and lay down your selves and all what belongeth unto the Lord before the Seat of his Majesty 6. Respect well now this same p 2 Cor. 6 Gal. 6 Heb. 12 time of Grace ere ever the q Eccl. 5 Rom. 2 wrath of God and his indignation fall upon all ungodly and have a diligent regard in time what the Service of Love requireth 7. Howbeit if ye do r Prov. 1 refuse this same Love of God the Father and withhold from the Lord that which belongeth unto him not fear the same glorious God cast his Word Law and Will s Isai 5 4 Esdr 7 behind you not regard the hearty mercifulness of his Love which he sheweth so liberally on us forsake the Comunality of holy ones under the obedience of the Love and refuse to assemble you unto the same and even so cleave much rather with the ungodly unto the wicked world become puffed up in pomp and light-minded of heart and even so according to your lusts and good-thinking follow after your own freedom t Ier. 7 and 9 Rom. 1 1 Pet. 4 2 Pet. 2 Iude 1 will and counsel So will God then also turn away his Love from you and not let you taste the lovely being of his Love which he now in the u Joel 2 Acts 2 last time bringeth unto his elected holy ones which submit them under his Love to an eternal x Isai 32 Wis 3 5 Heb. 3 4 Rest of the Godliness nor inherit the same for evermore but ye shall y Iohn 8 dye in your Sins and be forced to bear your condemnation z Mat. 11 and 25 Heb. 10 and punishment more then the children of the perverse or wicked world to whom this Grace hath not been proffered 8. Ye shall likewise dayly the longer the more wax blinded a Rom. 1 from the Way of Life become incorporated to the wicked and malicious Being of the ungodly and end your days and time in ungodliness and even so the number of your years shall then perish or waste away with the ungodly and your end shall be b Mal. 4 Wisd 3 Eccl. 21 horrible 9. For like as it shall go with all ungodly even so shall ye also become c Psal 37 and 52 Prov. 2 rooted out in indignation from the Land of the Living and condemned in the d Mat. 25 2 Pet. 3 fire of Hell and I which am the Lords cannot likewise of the holy Natures part of my God be moved with any remorse of pity or compassion towards you 10. For that be far from the minde of my Soul that I should set mine affection of the Love towards any such as love not God nor his Law but abide by their [e] 1 Cor. 1 and 8 own Knowledg and are ungodly of Will be he then what he is Friend or Stranger 11. But f Psa 112 and 128 Eccl. 1 and 34 blessed are they to the Lord and beloved in my heart which fear the Lord also cleave
and even so humble and wholly give over your selves under e Iohn 13 and 15 1 John 3 4 the Obedience of the Love for to become as single-minded f 1 Cor. 14 2 Cor. 11 1 Pet. 1 2 and obedient children by whom no Deceit nor any Lust or Will unto subtlety and craftiness nor any fainedness or doubleness of heart nor yet any unfaithfulness is to be found but which dayly in the g 2 Cor. 6 and 7 Apoc. 18 departing from the Iniquity and in the increasing h Ephes 4 or growing up in the good Being of the Love make manifest themselves with naked or uncovered hearts before the Seat of the Majesty i Prov. 28 Ecles 4 and 17 Rom. 14 1 Cor. 5 of God and even so in the confessing of their sins sigh k Luke 6 James 4 and complain over all their pernicious or corrupt Nature and wicked Lusts and Thoughts and make up themselves in them and where-through also they yet sometimes stumble and fall 2. Behold ye dearly Beloved enter first into this same small l 4 Esdr 7 Matthew 7 Way for the same bringeth or reacheth to the Perfection 3. Verily to such good-willing hearts which enter even so according to the Truth into the same small m Luke 13 Way that leadeth unto Life and to all such as apply them thereunto God hath n Ezek. 18 Eccles 12 a good pleasure and the Spirit of my Mind standeth also inclined to all goodness and mercy over those same because they do in such an humble submission plainly express that they fear God o Psalm 37 Amos 5 hate the Iniquity with her evil effects or inclination and against those same are good p Luke 2 Romans 2 of will towards God and his q Matth. 7 and 22 Ephes 1 and 4 Righteousness 4. But whereas now such a good will and giving over of the heart is not found in those I have no confidence that they mean or purpose in any wise the true Love nor yet that they have any lust or will to live in the good Being of God neither yet also that the upright Love and Truth is sought loved or desired by them 5. For all such as have not any good will lust nor desire to the good Being of God but live according to their own self-mindedness r Rom. 1 Ephes 4 1 Pet. 4 2 Pet. 2 and according to the sensuality will and pleasure of their flesh nor yet desire to enter obediently into the single-minded good Will s Ezek. 18 according to the Pleasure of God and the Requiring of his Word and Service of Love in which Service all coverings and bewitchings of the heart and all darknesses and earthly lying minds become layd off t Isaiah 25 2 Cor. 3 4 or are put away nor yet to be brought out of the earthly lying and covered Being to the beholding of the uncovered Face of God and Christ in the Spirit nor to Gods u Isaiah 2 Micha 4 Hill of the heavenly Sanctuary nor to the x Isaiah 60 Apoc. 21 and 22 most holy illuminating from on high the most soveraign y 1 Cor. 4 Heb. 4 Majesty of God those same are not meet to enter into Gods Sanctuary nor to live in his good Being 6. All such then as is aforesaid that have not any mind hereunto but z Prov. 1 Heb. 12 refuse this same grace and love of God the Father which is appeared lovingly granted and also brought unto us little ones and Gods Elect out of many thousands in this world and despise the same or make up themselves there-against Those cannot I verily account or esteem for any Communality of Love nor for any holy ones of God or Christ nor yet for any such as have any good in their mind 7. All such unbelievers and resisters of the Love and her Service may be right-easily known by a Mat. 7 and 12 their wicked deeds and inclination for such false hearts let them cloak or hide themselves how they will do all make themselves b 2 Tim. 3 1 John 2. manifest that they all against the Truth and against the Spirit or Mind of the supream God are or stand with the perverse World which is worthy of the fire of c Mat. 13 and 25 2 Peter 3 Hell and of the everlasting Condemnation altogether earthly and d John 8 James 3 devilishly minded they will also with their earthly understanding and fleshly mind always surmount or bear sway above the Wisdom of the Love 8. Ah consider yet once ye Beloved whether that it accorded well or were consonant that the Heaven should lie under or on the lowest place and the Earth drive or lie swaying there-over Verily much less accordeth it or it is far more absurd that Gods Mind of the e 4 Esdr 6 and 7 heavenly Truth the holy Understanding and the Wisdom or the Being of the godly Love should lie beneath or as depressed all under and the minds of the earthly and devilish lyingness and the self-will of the earthly man with the wisdom of the flesh raign or bear sway thereover 9. Therefore be now ashamed O ye children of the flesh which presently are so f Isaiah 5 good-thinking-wise that your hearts will and thoughts stand so g Isaiah 59 perversly minded against the God of Life and his Truth and against the Requiring and Ordinance of his Service of Love and that ye will always with your knowledg and fleshly minds bear sway above the holy Spirit of Love and his godly Testimonies and according to the imagination of your knowledg raign over his Wisdom 10. Oh I cannot wonder sufficiently at this same blindness of men which not withstanding through the false h Isaiah 59 light look so highly or are so far seeing in their knowledg and especially that the man is in all so i Deut. 32 voyd of understanding that he always according to the insight of his knowledg cleaveth unto and loveth the basest for the best the unpurest for the beautifullest the consumable for the everlasting and the Earthly for or in stead of the Heavenly 11. O ignorant and blockish earthly Man how gross art thou become of Understanding that thou like Esau sellest or givest over thy k Gen. 25 Heb. 12 Birth-right for any thing wherafter thou sufferest thee to lust and even so losest the Blessings of Isaac and the Inheritance of the Heavenly Beauty 12. Yea there is yet one thing that maketh me exceedingly and much more to wonder namely that many good-thinking Spirits or earthly Men are now waxen so presumptuous bold and arrogant of Heart that they with a fleshly l Gen. 3 Isaiah 1 and wicked Nature and lying Being and with their unrenewed or ungodded hearts busie themselves or take upon them m Isa 30. to judge the godly Matters and the Sentences of the holy Scriptures 13. Fye on
1 Cor. 14 to the Love and and as deer children be subject thereunto whereby you may in the love obtain eyes of clearnesse 16. If notwithstanding ye be o Iam. 1. unwise p Apoc. 3. blind and q Mat. 5 poore of spirit yet grieve not your selves for all that for then ye draw neare to the Kingdome of God 17. If you desire godly wisdom then r Iam. 1 pray and believe she shall be given you so far forth as your prayer Å¿ Rom. 12. is stedfast and as ye pray to God in a lowly heart with such a prostrated soule as hath a desire or pleasure to do and to fulfill the Lords will 18. Men may find many which pray unto God for wisdom and for the right sight of his Kingdom but they will not acknowledge nor t Joh. 9. Apoc. 3. understand that they are unwise poor and blind therefore they obtain nothing 19. For although that the wisdom stood even at their door yet so well seen are they and so rich of spirit through their own wisdome of the knowledge that the upright wisdom of God and the being of his Kingdome must be faine to tarry without 20. Therefore right well speaketh the mouth of the Wisdom Blessed u Mat. 5. are the poor of spirit for the Kingdom of heaven belongeth unto them or the wisdome of God ariseth as light upon them and not upon the rich or upon the great knowers 21. For when we of our selves are become poor blind or unwise or do forsake that which is ours and do come to contrition and meeknesse of heart x Psal â—1 Esa then will God dwell with us and appeare in such hearts as also the Scripture maketh mention and then are we also poor but God is become rich in us by means of our vilenesse or because we are poor in the knowledge It is true 22. These and other like things have I in many places distinctly set forth in the Glass of Righteousness and do here also set forth the same in this Introduction to the holy Vnderstanding if any man regard it let him consider the inclination of mine understanding 23. But what shall I say I find the man much too self-wise y Rom. 1. 1 Cor. 1. in his owne conceit and too void of understanding in the mind of the love for commonly when the man heareth of the love and of the right understanding of wisdom he rejoyceth him in the hearing and it seemeth as if it liked him well likewise for a time he commendeth it 24. But in conclusion there is nothing among the greatest sort but self-feeking and very little doe they understand the first Schoole-rule of the Christian Doctrine of the service of love for an entrance into the upright life in Jesus Christ but do understand every thing which is held forth before them out of Gods wisdome and love according to their imagination and according to the mind of their liking They seek thereout their own commodity z 2 Phil. 2. and not the Lords they run clean back from the mind of the love and use all subtilty to manitain their own opinion 25. Whereout I observe that the man which is thus minded conceiveth of the wisdom and of the love utterly amisse For which cause I likewise fear least the Glasse of Righteousnesse how plainly and rightly evidently and clearly soever it is set forth shall not of many be discerned aright nor yet be conceived of according to the truth 26. If therefore they discern or conceive not a right of such apparent sentences as are so clearly and plainly uttered that even every one which loveth lowlinesse and righteousnesse must needs approve the same and acknowledge that the man and the world is created thereunto how should they then be able rightly to understand or judge of all the mysteries of the Kingdome of God 27. For which causes sake to the intent no man might have occasion to estrange himself from the truth unlesse it might be by his own revolting heart we have hidden or covertly set forth nothing in the Glasse of Righteousnesse 28. Notvvithstanding if any thing be covered or hidden unto any a 2 Cor. 4. it is hidden to the unbelievers who have no desire nor love to the truth nor to the life which is of God for such are darkned b Rom. 1. in their understanding through pleasure in their ovvn mind and through the ignorance which is in them c Eph. 4. and through the blindnesse of their hearts do gather unto themselves d Rom. 2. a treasure of vvickednesse to an horrible destruction and so through their own wisdome do turn away and separate themselves from the love and from her service 29. But unto all lovers of equity which have a desire and belief towards the love to the intent that by her service they might tast of e 1 Pet. 2. the uncorrupted milk the Word of God that f Psa 40. 1 Pet. 1. liveth for ever we have out of the inclination of love so openly and clearly according to the life painted out and set forth the Glasse of Righteousnesse that every one who with an humble heart hath regard thereunto and desireth the understand of Righteousnesse shall be vvell satisfied therein 30. If also any man turn his heart unto God and desire to do his will the same shall likewise well understand that the testimonies 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 and the beholding of the joyes and Salvation of the eternall h Esa 35.51.60.65 Apo. 21.22 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 thet 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 against 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 Phil. 1.2 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 51. our comfort and he the same
this time do every where bear sway and among many have even hitherto had the preheminence 54. O God x Dan. 9 let us in this dangerous time find grace in thine eyes and incline thou our hearts towards thee and towards thy righteousnesse bring our spirit out of this desolation and cleanse our hearts minds and thoughts from all dissention y Psa 51 and create in us an upright mind that no evill come upon us 55. Of which upright mind and upright course of life of all upright hearts I have set forth a clear instruction in the tree of life the fourth book of the Glasse of Righteousness which Glass of Righteousness with other more like testimonies I have heretofore set forth to the intent that every one might look into himself and know whether he were of the upright communalty of the righteous and lived and walked in the upright vvaies of the just and so served the living God only or not For I wist not how to call any by name for to shew outwardly vvhat sort I might judge for the rightfullest 56. For I found the man a Jer. 9 so altogether deceivable so bewitched of understanding so given to cover or dissemble his lies so lordly 〈◊〉 because of his understanding so double of heart so earnestly bent to destroying and oppressing against those that were not like minded with his hearts conceiving so b Ier. 18.25.29.35 declining from him that according to the truth pointed him to the way of life so self-seeking and partiall for himself so resolute in his opinion so reproachfull and malicious with accusation at him that desired to bring him into the right way of the holy Fathers so vvel-conceited and affected towards his own phansies and errours so hipocriticall in the vertue so divided from the righteousnesse so separated from conscience so little seeking that which is the Lords only so unstable in fidelity so slothfull and slow to turn him to God c Pro. 6.24 so without regard to the upright waies so little reckning of the straying from his God so affectioned to the earthly visible things and so self-captived of heart that I was altogether suspicious jealous and doubtfull of the man 57. And not only of another but also even of mine own humane nature insomuch that I held it straight unto all vertues and righteous dealings for to do the Lords will in all my proceedings for in that sort did I passe forth under the obedience of the love with my humane nature to the intent to obtain the vertuous d 1 Cor. 13. disposition of the love and to be incorporated to the same with soul and body and with all the senses and thoughts of my humane nature and indeavouring me in this same with all diligence the Lord received me into the grace of his love and into him and his love incorporated my mind together with my senses and thoughts and so gave me inheritance with Christ and his Saints in his heavenly riches e Rom. 16. Eph. 1.2.3 Col. 1. and revealed his last will unto me 58. But not according to any conceiving of the flesh or after the outwardnesse namely in any outward appearance that liketh the man and the sight of his fleshly eyes or vvhereunto the man doth sometimes set his heart and understanding as though he could satisfie God thereby or as if a man with his outward humanity with a show after the outward appearance might be incorporated into the God of heaven and into his heavenly goods or could live in the Godhead according to the flesh 59. O no ye dearly beloved Gods working in renewing of the man through Jesus Christ is not after the pleasing of men nor according to any affection of the flesh nor yet such as any man by his fleshly conceiving or learned understanding should be able after the outward to judge of the same working of God in the spirit or of him which is renewed in God 60. For Gods working and the renewing of the man f Rom. 12. Eph. 4. is brought to passe inwardly in the spirit and in the inward senses and thoughts through the power of his holy spirit of love wherethrough men are abundantly filled with love towards the living God and with love towards all men 61. My respect also in my zeal to the vertuous nature of the love was least upon the outward show after the flesh but it was most upon an upright heart and mind such as consisteth in a good willing obedience and tieth or bindeth it self to no elementish things whether they be earthly riches or worldly possessions because I would in spirit and mind serve and please the living God only and likewise thereby love every man as my self 62. And for this upright beings sake because in all love the same should have and keep an g 1 Cor. 4. Gal. 4. essentiall form in me I did as is aforesaid examine the senses and cogitations of my human nature whether by them any other thing were loved or desired besides or whether they tied themselves unto any thing els To the intent I might for the loves sake of God and Christ h Mat. 16. Luk. 9.14 renounce hate and forsake it every whit and crucifie i Rom. 6. Gal. 5. Cole 3. and kill my humane senses and thoughts with their lusts and desires so far forth as they were not incorporated or subject to the good being of God or to his vertuous nature of the love whereby I might live through the power of God and by the gifts of his grace and through the co-incorporating of the upright being of Jesu Christ k Luk. 1. Eph. 4. in all upright righteousnesse and holinesse that is in the upright life and mind of the living Godhead 63. Now although I have here shewed that my respect was lesse upon the outward obedience then upon the inward godly obedience and that I thus laboured for such an upright heart and mind as was required by the outward obedience because I would l Deut. 6.10 serve the living God in his upright righteousnesse yet did I not therefore despise the outward obedience nor the good Ordinances in their right use neither is it my mind or will that men should not observe nor obey the right use of the Churches services or the Priests or Elders Ordinances which are exercised for a good outward discipline and decency and to a bringing in of the said upright righteousnesse O yes my meaning and desire is that men should observe m Rom. 14. and obey them as is said in their right use and likewise that the Elders and Ministers of the word in the family of love should by them require the true righteousnesse of the upright inward being and mind which God esteemeth 64. For so in that behalf men are greatly to esteem the outward Ordinances and the obedience to the same yet with difference in the understanding as according to their worth and in
1. feat of David his Father to the intent there may be no end of the peace upon the same from this time forth for evermore and that so he may rule and raigne as an everlasting peaceable King over the house of Jacob according to the promises 71. For in this sort and to the finishing thereof is he revealed unto men and published k Ioh. 1. 1 Tim. 3. 1 Joh. 2. to the world for a Saviour because all people should believe in him by him inherit the everlasting life and so confesse him and that sameis the true righteousnesse which is availeable before God and well pleasing unto those men which are of a good will 72. Now inasmuch as the rich bountifull God hath out of his grace granted me to perceive that we are all called and loved to the same glory of God and to the upright being of the love of his Christ because we should inherit with all what is of God and Christ the everlasting life and for that the same is the l Eph. 1.5 Col. 1. principall point of our godlinesse therefore have I pointed none unto flesh and bloud nor to any elementish or visible things neither doth my teaching tend to the outward but from the outward to passe on to the same inward and heavenly and to Gods Kingdome of heaven whereof is spoken before to the intent that no man should set the consolation of his soul nor the comfort of his Salvation upon the outvvard nor earthly nor put his confidence thereon but only on the upright life of the righteous spirit and upon the coming of the godly glory in Jesu Christ of which things I have according to my sight out of the heavenly revelation of God much and abundantly spoken in the Glasse of Righteousnesse and in this Introduction mine exhortation is out of love also to the same to the intent we should have an earnest love and be provoked with desire towards it 73. Which life of Righteousnesse whereof we witnesse is inwardly godly according to the divine nature and outwardly brotherly after the upright humane nature and that same is the upright righteousnesse before God and amongst men 74. Who so now from the heart seeketh God and his righteousnesse and rightly hath regard to the upright life the same person will acknowledge that my teaching and ministration is of God and that it tendeth to the upright life and vvho so likewise to this end searcheth the Scripture for the promises shall assuredly find that it maketh mention of such things and that the Law the Prophets and the Apostles of Christ dâ— all point and vvitnesse to the very same 75. When the man now according to the truth perceiveth this same then will he for the love of righteousnesse sake be also inclined there unto and yeeld his understanding m 2 Gor. 10. captive under the obedience of the love praise God highly for his grace and through the belief passe on towards the upright life in all love 76. Though he now and then fail stumble or fall yet if his eyes of the spirit have respect to the upright life and to the love and that he glasse himself daily in the Glasse of Rightousnesse doubtlesse the same shall cause him to see and shall rightly shew him his spots and shall be unto him n Ioh. 4.7 as an open fountain of life against the sin and way of death CHAP. XIII 1. None can know God nor Christ rightly but in the Spirit of the love 11. No better grounds then the Doctrine of the love 14. An exhortation to the obeyers of her service that they blaspheme not other mens writings nor condemn any for Sects but rather allure all to the love 19. and that they put away the evill as much as they can out of themselves 20. The despisers are vaine 23. The consenters hereunto are counselled not to think they have already obtained but to labour and to continue in the doctrine of the love till the laying away of the mortall body 32. Not to be dismaid at the enemies but like souldiers to prepare themselves to the battell 33. Though we be sometimes hurt yet to take new courage still 36. Considering whereunto we are called through Jesus Christ TAke it to heart O ye children of men and let your understanding be renewed a Rom. 12. Eph. 4. according to the spirit to such an upright knowledge as God esteemeth to wit vvith the vvord of truth in the spirit of the love to an assured living hope and good conscience in Jesu Christ 2. For vvho so after the spirit conceiveth not the same nor is renevved in his understanding to the same upright knowledge under the obedience of the love in such a one there is no knowledge of Christ neither can he be rightly turned to Christ or to the upright belief but only through the same 3. For the fall from Christ is come and it is according to the Prophecie understood known and well perceived how that the same b 2 Thes 1. through the child of perdition according to the mention of the Scriptures hath in every respect so utterly c Rom. 1. Eph. 4. blinded depraved and corrupted the understanding of men concerning God and Christ that the children of men how wise or learned soever they of themselves be do neither d Ioh. 8.16 of the Father nor yet of the Son knovv any thing at all 4. And surely whosoever doth not submit his understanding under the service of the love the same man sheweth thereby that he is without understanding because by his understanding he perceiveth not how that he vvhich hath not the love e 1 Ioh. 1 hath not also the Son nor the Father but is vvithout Christ and his Church and can please God by no other means also can neither now nor evermore without the inclination of love neither through any other services or literall wisdome come to the holy knowledge of God or attain unto the same 5. But if any now believe not this same by reason of the high regard to their knowledge or by means of any respect unto their holinesse f Col. 2. or spirituall humility such as they have chosen or taken to themselves and as is not according to the promises as God in times past hath spoken by Moses his servant and by the mouth of his holy Prophets doubtlesse they howsoever they suppose or maintain g Esa 59. that they have the light must needs abide in h 1 Ioh. 2. darknesse for their unbelievers cause whose unbelief cannot hurt the believers neither can the Work of God for all that abide back 6. O deep and unsearchable vvisdome of God! i Esa 40. Sap. 9. Rom. 11. 1 Cor. 2. which of the great and high glorious wise or of the self-chosen holy ones hath ever attained unto thee 7. Unto which of them is thine arm known that hath heard or understood thy holy word or thy mind
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 o 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 Ose 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 not in the t 1 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 borrible 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 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 your selves 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 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 full and be made so senselesse that we cannot discern the life from the death yea become so feeble and faint-hearted that we have scarcely any desire at all to the good but do daily Å¿ Rom. 7. suffer and feel the sting of death yet let us not therefore be dismayed nor despair in mind but rather so much the more cheer up our selves in the belief and through the serviceable word of truth take unto us a new stomack and fresh courage again to a stouter going forwards keep so much the sharper watch and still have diligent regard on the thing that may annoy us to the entrance of the life whereby we may through the belief and obedience of the Word t Eph. 6. 1 Pet. 5. keep of and vanquish it every whit and so with a good will have our passage towards God in the spirit untill the love abide firm in us and that we have such a free heart and mind as may be subject to nothing but to the high Majesty of the living Godhead only 20. Now to come hereunto we must renounce our selves and all created visible things not only outwardly after the flesh but quite and clean inwardly with the heart according to the spirit and so give over our selves obediently under the service of love unto the God of life and his gracious word u Rom. 6.8 to a dying in the spirit from every thing whereunto our will and mind according to the flesh or outward fashion is tyed and keep our selves diligently from all holy appearances and worldly fashions that so then x 1 Pet. 1. in the obeying of the gracious word and his service of love our inward mind for to come to a submitted being may be made tender soft and lowly and we in like manner with humble hearts find our selves y Psal 57. ready to do the Lords will a Rom. 6. the end whereof is eternall life It is true 21. Which way to the life few do b Mat. 7. find because it is unknown c Mat. 11. 1 Cor. 1.2 and hidden unto all understandings of the flesh and unto all wise ones of the world and her Scripture learned 22. Who is there now rightly inclined to the life and peace but those that indure all deadly things dissention and whatsoever cometh upon them thereby untill it d Rom. 6.8 2 Cor. 4. wholly vanish and come to nought in them and which have the life and peace alwaies before their eyes and do pray with great fervency unto God in the spirit that he will be their povver and strength 23. After this manner ought vve vvith humble hearts to be minded in every thing that cometh upon us against the good for the evill must by the good be e Rom 12. overcomed in patience 24. Yet not out of our vvorks or ovvn povver f Rom. 3 4. Eph. 2. O no but through the belief in affiance towards God and so abiding Gods leisure in his work we are daily to pray unto God in the spirit that he will destroy and take avvay or root out the evill out of our hearts and choose and set up the good again therein 25. Hereunto are we to g 1 Pet. 5. humble our hearts before God in his service of love that we may find such healthfull grace before his eyes in the coming of Jesu Christ who now to the Salvation of all those that hope in Christ h 2 Pet. 3. and long for his coming cometh to a righteous judgement over the world with equity 26. Oh hereof there is surely much written shewed and testified were it but observed and understood aright but there is great negligence and much misunderstanding among the children of men for we find many lamentable errours not only in the erring world but also in those that perswade themselves to be wise and to love the good 27. Awake once O thou precious man and consider that the eternall God i Ezek. 18. 1 Tim. 2. 2 Pet. 3. hath no pleasure in such unprofitable living as is mixed with contrariety unto God 28. But if so be O ye children of men ye have pleasure in the destruction according to the course of the blind world and do k Sap. 2. Rom. 1. Eph. 4. 2 Pet. 3. Iude. 1. delight in the strange life of the ungodly being go on thus boldly in the same and do shew no l Rom. 2. upright obedience to the word m Mat. 3. Lu. 3.13 nor amendment from sinne then hardly think also that ye are certainly minded n Joh. 8. against God even like the devill himself and incorporated with the child of perdition or of the devill that extolleth himself in the desire of his errours by means of the pleasure or reward of unrighteousnesse against God and against all that men vvorship God in saying in his heart or essentiall mind that he himself is the Lord o 2 Thes 2. and exalteth himself in like manner in the hearts of the unbelieving and disobedient men to a ruling above God and above the godly nature and so setting himself in the Temple of God that is in mans heart p Dan. 8.9.12 Mat. 24. he utterly laieth wast the House of the Lord and in like manner worketh in the man a secret wickednesse which is not soon to be perceived 29. Truly who so with the desires of their souls do cleave unto this pernicious nature they are very abominable in their doings for there is none of them that doth good no not one 30. Their best vertue
according to the truth whom he loveth serveth and cleaveth unto whether to the world or to God to Belial or to Christ to his owne mind or to the mind of God or Christ with the mouth no doubt he will say to God and to the mind or will of Christ p Tit. 1. but with the deed it will be found quite otherwise 13. In like sort fareth it also with the understanding of the testimonies or sentences of Scripture with the mouth manie happily will confesse that they have well conceived all the sense and understanding of the holy Scripture but to follow that which the sense of the holy testimonies do betoken point to and require they clean omit whereby it doth sufficiently appear that with the life and heart they are minded against the same and have not understood the holy Scripture 14. O ye deerly beloved erre not so wholly with the erring blind world nor with the conceitednesse of the letter-learned that ye should forsake the Law of the Lord be not also q Prov. 3 Rom. 12 too wise in your owne sight and judge not of all sentences according to your imagination for much ignorance hath taken the hearts of men captive whereby oft times they judge ignorantly because by their wisdome r Mat. 11. 1 Cor. 1 they understand not the wisdome of God 15. It is all reasonably well knowne unto me with what a perverse eye the man doth oft times out of the testimonie of the writings or sentences which he heareth draw a perverse sense as it goeth now every where very brief amongst men of which sentences wherein there do many erre there is both partly in these writings and likewise in the Glasse of Righteousnesse plain Declaration made and how that many men do erre therein because they understand not the Scripture 16. But to the intent that no man through any wrong conceiving of the sentences which are now much treated of by the man might receive anie hinderance to salvation and that likewise every one may be guided into the Holy Vnderstanding of the Glasse of Righteousnesse and to an upright conceiving of the same we vvill recite certain sentences here following and uncover and clear the right understanding of the same not only in this Introduction but also in many places besides of the Glasse of Righteousnesse and shew the wrong conceiving or fight of them and warn every one to beware of the judgement of his sight which he giveth by the ignorance of his imagination 17. True it is I have heretofore in the beginning of my calling by God to the ministration of his holy and gracious word under the obedience of the love set forth certain writings but inasmuch as some sentences happily in them were not uttered in the plainest manner therefore have I with the s Supra foresaid principall Elders of the Family of Love more amply and plainly expressed them 18. Also in the beginning of my vvriting I could not find that among any of the children of men there was any such communalty of God or Christ as was comprehended in the upright life of Christ as is also before mentioned but the everlasting God who is Å¿ Ioh. 4. spirit and life t 1 Ioh. 4. and the essentiall love it self hath in my office or service under the obedience of the love manifested the same unto me and so the true Communalty of God or Christ which also is spirituall lovely and upright of life hath he made known unto me in the spirit I have also seen heard and touched or felt it and being of one substance therewith have my fellowship as one body u Rom. 12. 1 Cor. 12. in Christ with the same 19. Oh would to God that all men had the grace to humble them under the love and her servite that so then in the obeying of the service of love the same true Communalty of God or Christ might also every where appear and come unto the children of men and that in the spirit of Jesu Christ or of the love to the intent that all errour contention and wrangling among them all might once have an end and so we all one with another might be of u Rom. 12.15 1 Cor. 1. 2 Cor. 13. Phil. 1. one mind in Jesus Christ 20. But inasmuch as I could not heretofore in the beginning of my writing perceive or find among the children of men that true and lovely Communalty which is comprehended in the upright life of Christ and that all my desire and love was bent to the upright life of the same Communaltie therefore have I also from the beginning of my writing out of the Service of Love witnessed of such a life of upright righteousnesse and of such upright hearts as the communalty of God or Christ hath her life in according as the Glasse of Righteousnesse doth also mention and make relation of the same upright life of the true communalty of God or Christ neither can I yet perceive nor know any other thing then that the upright communalty of God or Christ where she in Christ appeareth or is revealed liveth therein and shall still be minded so to do 21. And whosoever also x Sap. 8. loveth the righteousnesse with whole heart and hath a desire to be joyned and incorporated to the only God and his true Christ or to have his fellowship with them such a one will likewise according to the sight of the true life which is appeared unto me out of the living God be inclined or bent unto such an upright being of the upright communalty of Christ whereof we bear witnesse for to live or to be comprehended therein under the obedience of the love through the belief 22. Wherefore let every one note and marke our testimonies of truth according to love and not with perversenesse of heart nor in reproach or partiality that they appear not unto him in a crosse or a contrary sense 23. For sure it is very lamentable that the testimonies of truth which are brought forth to the best should be taken overthwartly and not aright because the perverse sight maketh many to judge perversely and falsly and unrightly to understand the director causeth many greatly to stray It is true 24. It is recorded in the first book of the Glasse of Righteousnesse y 1 Glas. 2 that the upright procreation of the righteous spirit cometh not of men but z Luk. 1. out of God only this same word or sentence is very right yea unchangeable for ever For otherwise God hath never wrought among his holy ones and yet hath testified of such things afterward to come by the mouth of his holy a Eze. 36. Joel 2. Act. 2. Prophets to the intent that men should think upon his wonders of old time and trust firmly upon those of the time to come according to the promises namely how that God is the Salvation and will establish his holy Covenant b Luk. 1.
according as he hath made the same with Abrabam and his Seed 25. Now when men have read this saying and heard such a sentence to wit that God will work things by his righteous spirit they must then have regard to the counsell that directeth the way to God and from the heart follow the same with humble souls c Rom. 12 still persevere in prayer untill the coming of the promises d Tob. 4. Rom. 13. and not consent to the sin but so take heed to such a healthfull grace as being out of Gods mercy called to the very same according to the promises 26. For aforetimes the heathen were no people of the God of Israel but were e Eph. 2. strangers in the Testaments of the holy Fathers and in the inheritance of the godly promises and f Eph. 4. 1 Pet. 4. every one walked his way in ungodlinesse and in sundry Idolatries and were ignorant of the Lord. 27. But the everlasting God of Israel forgot not his Covenant g Luk. 1. but was mindfull of the oath which he had sworn to Abraham his beloved to a blessing of the Gentiles and looked on h Act. 17. the time of their ignorance and did in like manner for a season cast off his people and shew his hearty love on all the Generations of the earth or heathen and caused a joyfull message through his Christ to be published unto them i Mat. 3. Luk. 3.13 Act. 2.3 to a repentance and amendment from their offences calling and bidding them k Eph. 2.3 to be co-heirs with the Citizenship of his people Israel l Esa 2. Amos. 9. Zach. 8. Act. 15. that unto his people Israel he might prepare him an upright people also out of the heathen according to the promises and foreshewing of his holy Prophets 28. Hereon ought all Generations of the earth to have regard and duely to consider whether they do accordingly take heed aright to their calling which is out of grace come unto them from the bountifull God of Israel and whether they do also with lowly hearts as those that are unworthy the same humble themselves for to obtain the right m Ioh. 1.3 1 Pet. 1. birth of the righteous spirit out of God to be fellow brethren with the children of the house of Jacob for to serve the living God and in those daies when n Act. 3. the refreshing shall appear from the presence of God to celebrate and glorifie the same God of Israel with them what time as he ingrafteth his branches into their right stock again who for the Gentiles sakes have been broken off and scattered p Lu. 21. Rom. 12. untill the fulnesse of the Gentiles should be come in the treading down of Jerusalem have her end and so all Israel be saved according to the promises 29. Therefore let us have a right regard to our calling and separate our selves according to the spirit from the foolish course q Rom. 1 Eph. 4 5 1 Pet. 4 vain walking and ignorant boasting of people and humble our souls to the grace of our calling 30. For if God in times past spared not his own people but did cast out break off and scatter them abroad for their stiffeneckednesse and prides sake and r Act. 13 Rom. 11 rejected the hearthen in their roome how much lesse will he then spare the proud heathen but cast out break off lay wast and scatter them and in their stead receive his own people Israel again that they may serve him all the daies of their lives Å¿ Luk. 1. Eph. 4 in such righteousnesse and holinesse as is pleasing unto him they shall be his people and he God with them shall be their God from Generation to Generation everlastingly 31. For thus saith the Lord concerning Israel t Esa 59 Rom. 11 there shall come a redeemer unto them in Sion and to them that turn them from fin in Jacob saith the Lord and I make this Covenant with him saith the Lord u Esa 59 my Spirit which is in thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart from thy mouth nor from the mouth of thy Seed and childrens-children saith the Lord from henceforth for evermore 32. In those daies shall the treading down of Jerusalem have an end and the vvord of the Lord shall be fulfilled concerning her and unto her he said x Esa 60 arise Jerusalem be bright for thy light cometh and the glory of the Lord ariseth upon thee then also will the Lord cause himself to be heard even to the worlds end y Esa 62 And they shall say to the daughter Sion Lo thy Salvation cometh behold he bringeth his Treasure with himself and his revvard is now prepared before him they shall name them the holy People the redeemed of the Lord and thee O Jerusalem they shall call the visited and not the forsaken City 33. Lo these are the promises concerning Jerusalem and concerning Israel in the last time let every one take heed to his time according to his calling through Jesus Christ and the end or principal scope of all righteousnesse z 1 Tim. â— is the love wherein the promises of God are established and that same is the true a 1 Joh. 3.4 token of the birth out of God through the righteous spirit It is true 34. It is also there in the same book recorded b 1 Glasse that those which are taught by the righteous spirit are no longer servants of the Prophets which forsooth some have read or heard thereof and have by that meanes forsaken the requiring of the Prophet call Word of the Apostles of Christ before they were according to the mention of the Word confirmed in their calling and through the perswasion that they had the truth or Spirit of God they are stopped out of their calling turned to the liking of their owne opinion c Rom. 1. Eph. 4. and so become vaine in their understanding 35. Some would needs account themselves free through the Spirit d 1 Glasse 3.4 before they have tasted or known the Spirit of Promise and so have run forth before the time and have not by their wisdome understood the promises of God nor the calling of the Gentiles 36. When the man now regardeth not his calling according to the requiring thereof rightly but looketh about to some other understanding and will count himself free through the spirit before the first or foregoing service which e Gal. 3. Heb. 7. directeth or leadeth thereunto be accomplished or fufilled by him then forsaketh he the service of the fore-witnessed or foregoing Word and goeth forth in a liberty which yet is false according to his own spirit before he hath fulfilled his servantship in the service of the fore-going holy Word f Luk. 21. wherein he should possesse his soul with patience g 1 Cor. 11 and so shew forth the death of
Christ upon hope and confidence of his coming for an holy annointing and for an upright freedom in Jesu Christ unto him 37. Who so therefore readeth these sentences in the first book let him observe thereby what they require and how they sound namely that those which desire to come to the blessednesse and freedome of Christ must h Rom. 6 Gal. 3.4 be at the first servants or Disciples of the righteousnesse deny and forsake themselves for Christ his sake and alwaies long to come to the true obedience of the righteousnesse in all love i 1 Glas 7. not according to mens imaginations but according to Gods calling that so they might live k Iohn 8 Rom. 6 free in the righteousnesse of God and not in the sinne nor as servants of men this same is there distinctly set forth were it but rightly understood 38. But who so hath regard to his own liberty and not to the calling of his salvation nor in the obeying of the foregoing Service l Rom. 6 13. Eph. 4. Col. 2.3 1 Pet. 2.4 to the mortifying and laying away of the sinne in the flesh doth not take heed to the same that so he may be incorporated to the good spirit of Christ the same man erreth not onely from the doctrine of the Word after the manner of men but also from the wisdome of the truth of God and so getteth a delight in his own understanding in such sort that he neither hearkeneth longeth nor careth for the good any more but hath a desire to error and perversity 39. Oh! it is sure very lamentable that the man out of such a mind cleaveth to the unrighteousnesse or else chooseth another calling and practiseth a selfe-made humility m Col. 2. or spiritualnesse and careth not for Gods promises nor establishing of his VVord n Luke 1 Acts 3 in such a sort as God hath heretofore spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets from the beginning of the world CHAP. XVI 1. Of the saying that men should be impartiall how it ought to be understood 12. How the Common Love is profitable to impartiality 16. Of those that are outwardly just unto men but unjust before God 22. Of such as think themselves to be impartiall because they regard no outward Religions and in the meane space with-hold from God that which is his 28. Divers raile at all that observe any Religion 35. How we are to judge of all outward God Services and Ceremonies THere goeth also a sentence abroad among many whereof likewise much mention is made in our writings that according to the requiring of Christian Doctrine men should stand a 1 Cor. 3 impartiall 2. O ye deerly beloved erre not through any conceit of the imagination but have regard to the Word concerning the upright impartialnesse and if ye mark the same well you shall understand that men are to be impartiall in the truth and with those that witnesse the truth under the obedience of the Love to the intent that no man take part with flesh and blood but with the truth and be in the unity of the love b Rom. 12 15 1 Cor. 1 2 Cor. 13. Phil. 2 well minded to a like life of righteousnesse namely with all them that do under the obedience of the love witnesse and minister the gracious word of truth and be comprehended in the upright brotherly love 3. But men may not thus be impartiall with the world or with those that with heart and will do cleave unto the world that lie still in the vanity and sin and that are not believing nor desirous to obtaine any better thing no nor with the conceited wise nor with the maintainers of factious ceremonies c 2 Cor. 12 Gal. 3 1 Tim. 6. 2 Pet. 2. who are envyers blasphemers and evill speakers against the holy Word of Truth and of the service of his Love 4. Truly with such men are not to stand impartiall but with spirit and life to be against them utterly and yet to shew forth the upright nature of the love unto them if happily by some means they might be drawne to their preservation in the godlinesse unto the communion of the Love 5. But with the d Infra 18 lovers of righteousnesse as is aforesaid and likewise with the sinners such as cleave not by their will to the unrighteousnesse but do daily depart therefrom and have a servent desire to the righteousnesse under the obedience of the love men are to stand impartiall and to sticke fast unto that which is godly and that tendeth to the concord and peace 6. Therefore judge of the impartialnesse with understanding and put a difference between the godly life and the life of the world and try your selves if so be you know your selves 7. Look into your hearts observing whom you cleave unto desire and love how or with what manner disposition ye stand impartiall whether ye would rather suffer e Heb. 11. or indure disgrace reproach and contmpt with the Lovers of the Righteousnesse then cleave unto the honour voluptuousnesse and riches or ease of this world Oh! I feare that many of them boast themselves to stand impartiall with the truth who notwithstanding are altogether partially minded against the truth 8. Neverthelesse let no man take anie thing unto him out of any choosing whether it be out of loathing or of liking but let every one search his own heart how he findeth the same disposed examine once himself whether he stand impartiall rightly or not 9. And when the man hath seriously tried and proved himself herein in such sort that he knoweth assuredly how his heart standeth in case he wholly love God and his righteousnesse intend the truth in the Love with his whole soule and desire to deny and to forsake himselfe f Mat. 16. Luke 9.14 with all that is in the world for the godlinesse sake then shall he very well know and understand a difference between the cleavers to the world and those that from the bottom of their soules love the righeousnesse 10. Wheresoevea then any upright impartiall hearts are found and that they do shew forth under the obedience of the Love the praise of God the salvation of men and the truth out of the love of righteousnesse and do point none unto flesh and blood nor to any visible elements but only to the good life of the true essentiall Godhead and are thereunto serviceable to all men to all concord in the love of Jesu Christ with those are the Lovers of righteousnesse and truth to stand impartiall to the unity of heart in the love and so to have regard to the ministration of the godly testimonies of the holy spirit of the Love unto obedience for to walk in such a life of godlinesse as is pointed out and witnessed thereby and in that manner to grow up in the good g Eph. 2. Apo. 21 to an house or tabernacle of the living God or
the earth and be gracious unto them Yes assuredly he will not be slack nor forslow his time 24. But alas this is least thought upon howbeit that which concerns themselves they think much of but i Lam. 1.4 Ezek. 8.9 23 Dan. 8 whether God hath that which is his or that he remaineth as a stranger without his Sanctuary that care they not for they will be sure to take to themselves the earthly things which as true it is God hath created for the man and for the mans welfare but their hearts which God according to the inward man hath created for k Lev. 26 Ezek. 36.37 2 Cor. 6 his own dwelling and for the praise of his glory they draw to the earthly l gap 2. Rom. 1 and corruptible things and so steal or with hold-from God that which is his and are theeves in Gods honour and in his earthly created goods 25. Note once I pray you and consider whether the same be a right unpartiallnesse or not Notwithstanding in such a state they seem to be righteous men for all that yea such a one shall vvith many welenough passe for a brother of the Gospell but truly according to such a course if we vvill come no nearer unto God we are before God m Esa â— John 10 all theeves and robbers Idolaters Adulterers and Adulteresses 26. This is doubtlesse a great abomination or abhorring that the man tieth himself to such things as God hath n Gen. â— created unto good for him I say nothing yet of such as use them so unseemly and inordinately and so shutteth his God out at doors and keepeth the godly being out of his heart 27. Therefore let us learn to stand upright in the unpartialnesse according to the truth and not after the manner of men and afore all things give unto God o Deut. â— Mat. 22 that which belongeth unto him namely the heart and mind and likewise p 1 Tim. 4 use that well which belongeth unto us to the laud and praise of his glory that he blessed may he be who is all in all may also be glorified and praised in all and that we in like manner might be made an q Tit. 2 acceptable people unto him as his own Creation r Gen. 1. Eph. 2 and work of his own hands wherein he liveth and raigneth and might moreover be made the Sheep of his Pasture a City of Peace and an house Å¿ 1 Cor. 3 or Temple for his dwelling To this end should we take heed to his holy calling that we may be made children or t Rom. 8 Eph 3 heirs of his spirituall and heavenly goods O yea even so be it 28. Again there are found certain others which perswade themselves to be unpartiall who boldly reproach or revile others and rail at those whom they hold for Factions or that are called Sects and u 2 Pet. 2 Iude. 1 so speak evill of that which themselves know not neither can they discerne the matter according to the truth but despise the thing that seemeth amisse in their eyes and yet cannot point the erring or wandring ones to any better 29. Oh when shall the perverse mouth once keep silence the x Psal 34 1 Pet. 3. reproaching lips be put far from us and that once sought from the heart and out of love which is equall 30. O raile not ye beloved and pluck no man from his zeal to any fleshly or worldly understanding as some have done whilst they have turned those from their zeale that were zealous after righteousnesse and because they could not point them to any better then that was which before they had their zeal in therefore fell they to the world and became more erring and blind then ever they were before but in this manner ought it not to go ye dearly beloved 31. But if there were any godly wisdome upright love men should use it in this sort that is to wit they should testifie that y Phil. 4 Heb. 10 which were right and reasonable according to the requiring of God and the truth they should cleave unto God with the whole heart in the spirit and so z Eph. 4 reach one another the hand to the love and not reproach nor despise any nor yet turn any aside to the earthly and mutable things or to any partiality to the intent that they vvhich had the right teaching and did minister the gracious Word of the Lord might then likewise be heard and understood aright and according to the truth and that all zealous hearts might be united a Col. 3 in one band of love and all they likewise which love the equity b Sap. 8 and righteousnesse become one heart c Act. 4. and mind d Eph. 4 as there is one God one Faith and one manner Salvation in all and with all 32. After such a manner ought men to stand unpartiall and to this effect e 2 Pet. 1 to use the common love and not to destroy that vvhich is good or to make division nor yet to strengthen the world in her wickednesse but to have a desire that the zeal to righteousnesse under the obedience of the love might be spread abroad among many with a loathing of the sin and all unrighteousnesse 33. Howbeit to exhort any man that he suffer not his heart to be bound nor intangled with any thing that is outward is very meet so far forth as his heart may thereby be turned to have regard to the upright vertue of a pure heart and to the love f Gal. 3 whereby to be subject to the outward things no more but to serve the living God with a willing spirit 34. Thus or to this effect men shall loose the binding of the heart and proceed tovvards the upright righteousnesse with a free mind and humble heart to God for such things doth God require above all and not the g Rom. 3 Gal. 3.6 tying to the outward wherein neither life nor death of souls consisteth nor any life of righteousnesse required 35. For indeed it is true yea certain and sure both by the testimony of the godly truth in the spirit and also by the testimony of the Prophets and Apostles of Christ that neither in any thing whatsoever is visible or feelable nor in any factious God services or ceremonies which are observed with mens hands in contention and do not require any life of righteousnesse consisteth either any salvation nor condemnation before God h Rom. 14 1 Cor. 8 neither can they bring any vantage or damage at all unto the souls of them whose hearts are not intangled therewith or have not any abhorring thereof 36. Notwithstanding if the God-services and ceremonies be Jewish or Christian i Rom. 3 then do they testifie of the life which God commandeth and k Rom. 8 Gal. 3.4 Heb. 7 requireth by them but if the ceremonies or God services be heathenish or mens
invention or if they be ministred in strife and in schism or partiality then do those ceremonies and services shew that the life of those people that minister them is bewitched and that they l 1 Gor. 1.2 know not God nor m Rom. 10 his righteousnesse nor yet undeastand his Law or will and that they do walk in a n Ier. 7.11 Eph. 4 meer imagination and not after the Lords vvill and that is the thing vvhich God forbiddeth 37. For surely it is thick darknesse over the children of men o Esa 59 that they be so utterly blinded and bewitched of spirit that they cannot comprehend nor understand the upright life of righteousnesse for men are not to be subject in the spirit to the outward things wherewith they are served but should let themselves be served therewith to the upright righteousnesse and should cleave unto that which is spirit and the true life it self and which is required by those outward services 38. After this manner p Rom. 14 1 Cor. 8 if the heart be not tied with lusting and liking unto the outward things neither doth through any fear or disliking abhor them the Ceremonies do stand free for the Believers indifferently to be used CHAP. XVII In this Chapter is shewed the right difference between the true God-service and the Idol-service and also the Ceremonies of eithers Services NOw there are certain also that being intangled make conscience that men must necessarily use the Christian Ceremonies after the counterfeiting out of the Letter as a Commandement of the Lord. 2. Therefore seeing we now find many such people as in their consciences are tied or bound that they must necessarily use the services and ceremonies which after the testimonies of the Christian Services and Ceremonies are counterfeited out of the Letter as a Commandement of the Lord and because they understand nothing at all of the difference between the right Services and Ceremonies and the counterfeit I could not for the Loves sake omit to shew also a right difference of the same 3. Thus mark now ye Lovers of the truth how that between the true Services and Christian Ceremonies which are administred a Mat. 28 Mat. 16 Acts 2.3 4. c. out of the true light and word of life and the counterfeit services and ceremontes which are administred out of the knowledge of the Letter there must a right difference be noted and observed and so then must be considered to what intent or to what sense the true services and Christian ceremonies are Gods Commandement and whether the services and ceremonies be Gods everlasting Commandement or else be but annexed b Gal. 3 Heb 7 or joyned to the everlasting Commandement of God or Christ for to serve the man withall in the obeying of them and to bring him in to the everlasting Commandement and life of God and that he should by such a means understand Gods everliving Commandement c Rom. 12 and Will and live therein For Gods true Commandement hath been from everlasting and d Esa 4 Mat. 24 1 Pet. 1. and remaineth unchangeable to everlasting 4. It is e Exod. 20 Deut. 5. commanded in the Law that men should rest upon the Sabboth day or sanctifie the same and such other like and after that the mouth of the the Wisdome and Truth saith f Mar. 2 that the man is not made for the Sabboth daies sake but the Sabboth day for the mans sake shewing a difference in Gods Commandement namely between that thing which was Gods commandement from everlasting and abideth unchangeable and that which for mens sake was annexed thereunto because they should understand Gods righteousnesse and his everlasting commandement thereby 5. And thus were the g Exod. 12 38.39.40 Luk. 1.2.3 4 5 6. c. ceremonies of the Law annexed to Gods everlasting commandement that is unto that which hath been Gods commandement from everlalasting and shall abide for ever because the people of Israel should out of the ceremonies of the Law and out of the outward Godservices of the same h Deut. 30 4 Esd 7 understand the life of godlinesse and the righteousnesse which God requireth and so live therein namely to love their God i Exod. 20 Deut. 4.6.10 Mat. 22 with all their hearts and their neighbour as themselves after all the manner of their Fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob to whom the ceremonies were not commanded and yet for all that being obedient to the Lords commandements they walked waies in his statutes and ordinances which obedience or walking in the upright life was required by the Law and by the obeying of the ceremonies or outward God-services services and were published through Christ in the world 6. But whilst now that in times past there came a k Rom. 11 blindnesse upon the learned in the Law insomuch that they knew no difference between the upright life that God requireth which is his commandement from everlasting and the ceremonies of the Law which were annexed thereunto that the upright life l Mat. 3.17 2 Pet. 1 wherein God had his delight was appeared and come therefore rose there up many controversies about the services and ceremonies amongst them that m Mat. 12.15 19 21 22. knew not the upright life and there fell out many questions and janglings and that all for the law and the ceremonies cause but God had no pleasure in any thing save only his beloved the like life of his being in whom he had good pleasure And this is his Commandement n Deut. 18 Mat. 17. Act. 3 even that men should heare believe and obey the same and live for ever therein and that men should obey the services and ceremonies administred out of the true light and word of life to an incorporating thereinto 7. Now inasmuch as divers in times past o Mat. 15 23. Joh. 9 gave greater respect to the ceremonies and works of the Law then to the life of godlinesse therefore they did cleave to the ceremonies and works of the Law and believed not the life that was required thereby but fell away from the right stock of the p Job 8 father Abraham 8. But the believers that gave more regard to the life of godlinesse then to the ceremonies or works of the Law abode still q Ioh. 6 by the word of life and were not bound albeit they forsook the ceremonies of the Law which were out of the Letter commanded by the unilluminate and unbelievers of the word of life for the ceremonies could not in themselves without the word or light of life extend to any commandement of God 9. Therefore was the upright life at that time r Deut. 13 published and taught because men should believe the same as a precept or commandement of the Lord and be obedient unto his requiring that so through the beliefe they might be made free Å¿ Act. 15 Rom. 3 Eph. 2 from the sinne
are all Idol-services 22. Forasmuch then as the services and ceremonies of the vain minded people which are ministred in their estranging from Gods true righteousnesse cannot bewitch our hearts whilest that we are not nor may not be made partakers of their vain perverse and corrupt life with the heart neither do suffer our selves to take pleasure in such things q 1 Cor. 10 how should their outward services and ceremonies simply of themselves be in any wise unto us a forbidding of the Lord or any idolatrous service r Iohn 4 For God is a Spirit and in the Spirit maketh known unto us that he beyond all and above all desirefh Å¿ Deut. 6.10 Mat. 22 only our hearts and that therein as in his living Temple he will t Lev. 26 Ezek. 37 Iohn 14 2 Cor. 6 Apo. 21 live and dwell and onely in the same be served and honored in all upright righteousnesse and holinesse 23. Therefore mark this ground and consider in your understanding to what purpose God commandeth to be obedient unto his services and ceremonies which are administred out of his vvord of life and wherefore the heathenish services and ceremonies be against God and how that the right God-services and ceremonies do cleave and are knit to the good life and upright being of the living God and the right Idol-services and idolatrous ceremonies do cleave and are knit to the corrupt life and word of vain imagination 24. Now if ye mark this according to the truth then shall ye well understand how or in what sort u Mat. 15 23 Rom. that the outward services of the heathen or uncircuncised be esteemed least of before God and how also that the outward Ordinances of God are the smallest services in the service of his Saints and that God doth most of all regard that we through his Ordinances and ceremonies be joyned unto him and so then according to the requiring of his ceremonies x Deut. 6 Mat. 22 love him with all our hearts and our neighbour as our our selves and y Iohn 17 know him as a true God how that he only is the Lord and the everlasting life 25. Neverthelesse it is unto me wel known that sundry speeches go about among the children of men wherewith they despise and blaspheme our godly testimonies and according to their conceit out of the Scripture or Letter or out of the imagination of their knowledge do alledge much there-against saying this is Gods commandement hereby must we abide or this is Gods forbidding who can say against it 26. It is true concerning the outwad they can out of the Scripture speak very much do make therewith much z Rom. 16 division strife and discord among each other but they seldom think or consider that they ought to come in the spirit to a Joh. 5 that which the Scripture pointeth unto 27. Oh that they all knew the right meaning of the commandement or forbidding of God according to the truth then should the strife for outward things be soon ended and laid down 28. But look into the matter ye dearly beloved whether it goeth not now also as it did heretofore with the Galathians when many of them were bound with the outward circumcision b Gal. 3 5 6 whilest certain caused themselves to be circumcised supposing out of the testimonies of the Scripture according to the letter that the same although notwithstanding it was not administred unto them out of the Word of life under the obedience of the belief was yet a commandement of the Lord such as according to the letter men were necessarily to keep but inasmuch as they distinguished not the services and ceremonies which were administred unto them out of the Word of Life from the services which were administred unto them out of the letter without the word and light of Life neither had the sight of the living commandement of the Lord or of God nor yet discerned or knew the same from the commandement according to the letter therefore were they c Gal. 3.5 lead away with the outward from proceeding in the spirit and were very miserably bewitched with the outward because they thought that even the salvation of souls lay therein 29. On the other side there were also many among the Corinthians that d 1 Cor. 3 made conscience and counted it for an abomination to buy eat or use the offering of the Idols after the manner of the heathens ceremonies supposing that Gods forbidding and the hurt of souls lay in the outward ceremonies of the heathen and that of themselves alone they were Idol-services But what I pray you is there on the one side or on the other or in any such like that concerns us 30. Verily in case we be come to the knowledge of the truth and to the right discerning of this difference then we know that all the outward services of the heathen so that the heart stand free from them are not of force to e Mat. 15 desile the inward man f Cor. 4 Gal. 4 in vvhom Christ hath his form 31. Also there consisteth in them alone neither salvation nor condemnation such as God respecteth For look what the heathen or the vain minded uncircumcised people do observe as concerning their God-services that is their ignorance g Eph. 2.4 because they know not the true God neither do hunger nor thirst after his upright righteousnesse 32. In case then that we be come to the true knowledge h Iohn 17 of the living God the which is our calling and do from the heart love his life of righteousnesse in the spirit shall we then say and in such an ignorance rest perswaded that the God-service after the heathenish manner should be any thing or that it were the very Idol-service it self that be far from us 33. We confesse before God and his truth and before all that believe thereon that there is i Cor. 8 no outward Idoll nor any outward Idol-service in heaven nor on earth but that there is one onely God whose God-service requireth the upright righteousnesse and likewise reacheth to the k Heb. 8.9 ministration of the spiritual and heavenly goods in the living being of God according to the spirit wherethrough all things are out of the same his spiritual heavenly ministration in the spirit preceedeth l Iohn 17 Eph. 4 the upright righteousnesse the unity of the heart in the love the true God-service on the earth whose Altar is m Heb. 9 not made with mens hands but is prepared of God from the beinning of the world for evermore on the other side we confesse that all the God-services Gods of the heathen are but vain n Ier. 10 mockeries for nought els to be respected then for a foolish inchantment in the ignorance wherewith the vain hearts which know nothing of God nor of his Law are bewitched and tied 34. Whilest then the
ceremonies which in contention men call God services and as it were Ordinances of Christianity and which in sundry manners are brought in out of the Letter do now bring much wrangling strife and dissention in therefore busie we not our selves much about them whilest that our heart is very little or nothing at all tied unto them but rather have more regard o Gal. 5. Heb. 10 to give heed after the spirit unto that which the ceremonies of the Law and the services of the holy Church of Jesu Christ do require or whereunto they are administred and used by the holy ones of God and by the ancient Fathers of the holy Church of Jesus Christ out of the true light 35. Neverthelesse though we say we have more regard to attend unto that which the ceremonies and services of the holy Church of Jesus Christ do require yet do we not therefore despise the Christian ceremonies or services as though they were of no value or were besides the mind of the Spirit of Jesu Christ O no that be far from us but we esteem them great in their right degree and use p Gen. 17 Mat. 28 Mar. 16. as that the salvavation is with the ceremonies but not through them promised unto the believers q Rom. 3.9 Gal. 2.3 yet not that it should appear or come out of them 36. For if the salvation were bound to the ceremonies then must God needs be a lyer whilst he had not ability to shew mercifulnesse unto men out of his grace nor to save them r Rom. 3.11 Eph. 2. but that they must deserve the salvation through the works of the ceremonies 37. Howbeit God abideth true and gracious Å¿ Psal 116 Rom. 3 but the man is unfaithfull and lying for the man hath forsaken the covenant of his God and hath t 4 Esd 7.8 not regarded his promises but abused his ceremonies broken and despised the right ordinances and in the ministration of them hath not attended unto the salvation of the belief nor yet trusted in God to obtain the same according to the promises but is u 1 Tim. 4 fallen away from the meaning of the belief gone forth after his own taken on faith and hath forgotten the rock x Deut. 32 Rom. 9 1 Pet. 2 of his salvation 38. Neverthelesse though through infidelity and the ignorance of men the right use of the ceremonies and the meaning of the true belief and of the godly promises be of many men forsaken y Num. 23 Deut. 4 Rom. 3 2 Tim. 2 yet is God true notwithstanding and he with-holdeth not that which he hath promised for his holy names sake hereby declaring that he is not unfaithfull or lying as the man is but an everlasting z Eccl. 2 gracious and true God towards those that love him that seek his righteousnesse from the heart and a Mat. 5 hunger and thirst after it 39. For he b Deut. 4 forgetteth not his Covenant which he hath made with the Fathers neither doth he break his promises in c Luk. 1 such manner as he hath spoken them aforetimes by the mouth of his holy Pruphets but will for his own sake establish them and cause the man d Psal 50 to see his own human unfaithfulnesse and lying against his God how that the man hath not regarded Gods Covenant nor his promises under the services and ceremonies which were ordained for him of God to this end that he e Exod. 12 13 Mat. 26 Luke 22 1 Cor. 11 should think upon the same to the intent he might be saved accordiag to the promises 40. But not f Ro. 9.11 that Gods promises are established out of the ceremonies or through the works of the ceremonies O no but g Rom. 5 Gal. 5 in the love according to the spirit and according to the truth out of the heavenly being through the belief even as it is promised and as the Scripture maketh mention 41. Wherefore seeing that God hath now out of his grace given us h 2 Cor. 4 such clearnesse under the obedience of the requiring of his service of love in the spirit of our hearts therefore look we more upon the promises giving heed unto that namely the i 1 Tim. 1 love which the promises are established in then we do upon the like counterfeited services or ceremonies And for this cause we cannot let our hearts be bound or intangled with any thing that is ministred without the true light and service of love nor yet yeeld to take part either against or with it but do endeavour our selves to the upright k Eph. 4 righteousnesse and holinesse in Jesus Christ and to all concord in the love and her service 42. For thereunto were we and all men called heretofore of God the Father through the spirit of Christ even that we should come through faith l Rom. 3.5 8 to the righteousnesse in Jesu Christ and to his true m Mat. 22 Iohn 17 1 Tim. 1 love and that the ceremonies out of the true light should for the same intent be serviceable unto us 43. Now might one here demand if the matter be so why then have some yet regard to taking part with flesh and bloud And wherefore do some yet make conscience to themselves to account the Schismaticall ceremonies indifferent unto them for some are held captive with affections in their conscience n Rom. 14 Gal. 3.4 5 insomuch that they must yet observe certain ceremonies and others againe have such an o 1 Cor. 8.10 abhorring of them that they must necessarily leave them Answer 44. Their unbelief p Rom. 1 Eph. 4 and blindnesse is the cause of it inasmuch as they believe not the promises of God nor yet understand that the same are avouched in the spirit but will justifie and esteem themselves faithfull either by cleaving to these or by leaving of those ceremonies and think that before God they should be counted unfaithfull if their hearâ—s were not stedfastly bound unto those things which they q Col. 2 have chosen to themselves and which without the word of life and requiring of his service of love they judge their faithfulnesse to consist in not perceiving how unfaithfull r Esa 59 and lying themselves are in their inwardnesse unto God and his upright righteousnesse For the Lord requireth by his services and ceremonies principally the inward Å¿ Ezek. 36 Mat. 23 Luk. 11 cleannesse according to the spirit And even to that end did the old Fathers of the holy Church of Jesus Christ t Act. 2.8 10. c. use the ceremonies among Christ his believers 45. But because this is not understood nor believed aright by the children of men therefore know they not also what is reckned unto them for salvation nor yet wherein consisteth the condemnation 46. For seeing they give respect to their unclean consciences and are fast tied to something that
8. Eccl. 3. Jam. 4. 1 Pet. 5. the humble do always in God finde their salvation and not the stout hearts that do not esteem of Gods righteousnesse 6. O God! How dangerous a time is it now h 1 Tim. 4 2 Tim. 3 2 Pet. 3. Jude 1. in these last dayes through the misunderstanding of the children of men 7. What a number of false and venemous windes do there blow among the children of men to the hurt of their souls and to a drawing of them away from the Righteousnesse 8. Oh That there were in every one an hearty desire to the good then might they be protected and defended from the bewitching of the false windes which make the heart negligent to the upright Good and bring it either to the bewitched Humility or to the Lusts of the vain world 9. Therefore it is expedient to have a regard to Understanding i Prov. 1.2.3.4.8 to take heed to the Wisdom to esteem much of Godlinesse to account the upright Righteousnesse k Sap. 7.8 for the most precious above all Riches and to make choice of the Long-sufferance with the foresightfulnesse as Superintendents 10. This did the holy Fathers in times past give heed unto l Sap. 11. Eccl. 44.45 46. and so God taught them in his wisdome and preserved them that they were not partakers of the plagues of the ungodly 11. Wherefore let every one understand the meaning of the Word aright and take a right view that he may know who he is and how he ought to apply himself to be taught of God and to be endowed with his Spirit and what manner of people God will choose for his holy people 12. Truly not such m Sap. 1. as with their hearts cleave unto the world love the Evill n Pro. 1. and in all things let go the counsell of God Neither yet such o Mat. â— Luk. 17.21 as hang their Hearts in buying and selling upon coveteousnesse or p Rom. i 3 1 Cor. 10 in eating and drinking upon gluttony or in marrying or being married upon unchastnesse or upon any vain transitory rejoycing whether it be in building or in planting and who in all their doings doe not attend nor have regard unto the works of the Lord as it came to passe in the times q Gen. 7. of Noe and in the r Gen. 19 times of Lot 13. For all those whose hearts in the time of Noe clave not to Gods righteousnesse but had a Lust and gave over their hearts to the vain corrupt things they marked not the work of the Lord neither had any respect to the preservation of the Righteous nor yet feared the punishment which then was ready to come upon all wicked men Of all this they knew nothing till the Flood came upon them and tooke them clean away 14. Therefore understand and know the preservation of godly men in these last dayes and consider well the meaning who or which they are that shall be taught of God and in what course they walke the which we have in some measure expressed Å¿ 1 Glass in the first Book of the Glasse of Righteousnesse and doe here at this present expresse it namely they are those that t Mat. 5. have hunger and thirst after the Righteousnesse u Judith 8 Eccl. 2.3 that submit their souls to the obedience of the gracious Word and his Service x Luk. 18 and continue daily in prayer not in many words y John 4. Eph. 6. Phil. 4. but in the Spirit with desire to the Lord and his Righteousnes that they may obtain grace at the hands of God to live z Luke 1 in his righteousnesse with an upright heart and pure spirit 15. These are sorrowfull for their sins and sighing over them suffer not their souls to be quiet so long as they know or feele in themselves any vain or naughty Being which their hearts are tied or bound unto or so long as any thing in them doth reigne over them which is not GOD because they may not in all things serve their God onely 16. These that love the good Being from the heart doe seek in God to obtaine the same and doe labour and zealously endeavour thereafter a Deut. 4 Jer. 29. Mat. 7. Luk. 12. For they seeke and finde they knock and it is opened unto them they ask and receive not in presumptuousnesse as though God owed it them because of their seeking knocking and asking O no they looke not upon their own doings but labour onely for this even how to please the Lord giving themselves over thereunto with humble hearts according to the Spirit and acknowledge that they are not worthy of such Grace thus to be accepted and established in Gods truth and love 17. With such humble hearts doe they through the Love and her Service seek to find grace and peace at the hands of God the Father and not the subtile knowledge b 1 Cor. 6 which maketh the heart stout and lofty c Mat. 6. but they seeke above all and afore all things the Kingdome of God and his Righteousnesse The which are the gifts of God that God richly bringeth in the everlasting life unto such as worship and love him 18 For those that pray unto him for an upright heart and for a new and pure Spirit d Luk. 11 he doth not endow with an evill heart or a wicked spirit though sometimes the evill heart or unrighteous spirit make up it selfe there-against yet is the same taken away e Eph. 6. through the Beliefe in the Crosse or patience of Christ upon hope of the good that is for to come but they obtain faithfulnesse and truth f Luk. 11 and the righteous Spirit with an heart of meeknesse and love And that is Christ or the Anointed which is holy and teacheth right It is true 19. After this maner do they apply themselves that will bee taught of God and his Christ out of whom God will prepare him an g Tit. 1. acceptable people to be a remnant for himselfe in the destruction of the wicked world Yea it shall be a h Esa 41 Soph. 3. Luk. 12. poor plain people not after the outward sight of the eye but according to the hidden inward man such as hope on the Lord and in the Spirit relye and trust upon his Name And these same yea such doth God choose unto him for his people for to magnifie his holy Name in them for evermore 20. For consider ye beloved how should any man be taught of God or Christ that will not give eare to his teaching or counsell but doth as Gods enemy cleave unto and love the i Joh. 8.1 John 2. Devill and the World which do openly resist God 21. Therefore oughr the lovers of the Truth which hope for the salvation of the perfect Being utterly to put out of their hearts k Prov. 1 whatsoever concerneth the
vanity or misbehaviour and every thing which the heart contrary to God his Righteousnes is bound or tied with so much as in the Lord they are able and so to give over themselves to God that Gods goodnesse may have his place in them and not any ungodly Being 22. Also all lovers of the Righteousnes ought to l Eph. 4. reach the hand and to m Rom. 15. 2 Thes 5 Heb. 3.10 exhort one another to the same and so in one manner of Belief to strengthen each other towards salvation with a good courage n 2 Pet. 1 and to have regard to the sure propheticall Word to wit to the Service of the Love administred in his time to treat thereof o Act. 2.20 to break that same bread among each other in stilnesse and to persevere or abide stedfest in prayer till p Esa 25 2 Cor. 3. all coverings wherewith their hearts after the flesh or according to the visible are covered bee done away and that the pure or cleare that is to say the spirituall heavenly and uncovered Being of Christ q 2 Cor. 3. appeare and come in their spirit to the intent that so they might r 1 Joh. 4. 2 Cor. 5. know and cleave fast unto the living God and his Christ in the spirit even as he blessed may he be is a Spirit in all Love wherein the Law and the Gospel of the Kingdom and the doctrine thereof is Å¿ Rom. 15 Gal. 5. 1 Tim. 1. fulfilled might with all their understanding will and desire live the upright righteousnesse of God t Deut. 4 Mat. 22. and that God likewise may be the most best beloved and his Righteousnesse u Mat. 13. 2 Cor. 4. their most pretious Treasure worthy to be esteemed high above all 23. Whosoever now doe thus with an inclination to the same stand in a good will to them belongeth the blessing and happinesse promised of God to whom it is also promised x Psal 82. John 1. that they shall bee made the children of God and be blessed with the dew of his increase and be anointed for y Psa 45 Christians with the oyle of Love and of his Spirit or Christian nature yet not out of flesh and blood but out of the holy Divine Being 24. When the man therefore is thus joyned unto God then may he with God rightly possesse all things and understand and know whereout the horrible destruction cometh upon the Children of men 25. Wherefore the man should feare his God that he might come to the godly wisdom and might cleave unto that which is right and reasonable to the intent that he might not perish with the wicked 26. For wisdom z Pro. 8. Sap. 7. is much better then Gold and Silver Righteousnes much worthier and preciouser than all Pearles and precious stones and prudence much more honourable puissant and strong than all Castles Cities and Fortresses also mightier than the multitudes of the Armed The feare of God doth more quiet the heart in a little than do abundant Riches in all the pleasures and delights of the world It shall in his time be found and known to be even so 27. Unto this holy and divine wisdom apply ye your hearts ye dearly beloved and be ye warned in this dangerous time in which all foolishnes and ungodlines beareth sway whose end reacheth a Heb. 10 to the most horriblest destruction 28. For so it cometh which is for to come and all ungodly being shall make up it self and be astonied after that it shall b Esa 13. feare tremble and quake and be compelled in the beholding of his own destruction to suffer the vengeance of the fire but the godly shall obtain peace 29. Therefore take heed feare God stick fast to vertue humility and meeknes least ye remain in the ungodlines c Apo. 18 and be made partakers of her plagues 30. Watch d Mat. 24. Luk. 21. 1 Pet. 5. and pray and be reformed or justified and stand fast upon Gods promises 31. Observe your time e Gal. 6. unto sanctification f Jam. 1. and behold in you daily the spots of your spirit in the Glasse of Righteousnes and wash you g Esa 1. Jer. 4. Ezek. 36 John 3. with the cleane waters in the laver of the Love be purged in your spirit h Eccl. 2. in the Fornace of the lowlines of heart and so love that thing which is right and reasonable CHAP. XX. 1. The Author hath kept back nothing that is necessary to Salvation 5. And therefore eleareth himself of the Mans destruction 8. Yet if any do know any better thing he desireth that they will shew it out of love as he hath done 10. A Councel to all lovers of the truth how to behave themselves 19. Shewing them what God requireth 26. He willeth that men desire not to have all at once 30. Many ignorant beginnings have brought men into divers misunderstandings especially into security 39. From which he exhorteth to return with a new courage unto the seruice of the love 43. Of divers that are diversly disposed to errour Some to rest upon themselves some upon their Liberty some regard neither sin nor Grace some straiten themselves to get the promises and afterward grow inselent upon their own worthines 57. Whereof he willeth to beware BEhold ye beloved according to all that in my labour I have been able to do howsoever the same be plain and not to be compared to the stile of the subtile and flowred eloquence I cannot tell that I have according to the sight which is a Rom. 16 Eph. 3. Col. 1. 2 Tim. 1. revealed unto me out of Gods grace kept back any thing from the man that serveth or is needful for him to know either to his Salvation or else for a warning unto him of the present destruction and of that that is to come 2. Have regard to the time and respect an unpartial heart in the Righteousnes b Eph. 3. Be established in the love and be still mindful of the same 3. I have shewed my service out of the inclination of love howbeit I have written against none in particular but before all understandings indifferently I have weighed the equity c Esa 28 Eccli 21. in the ballance measured the Righteousnes with the Square and Line and described the Righteousnes in Letters according to the life the inward life out of God to wit his good nature I have expressed and the outward righteousnes of man have I not left out To the intent that it might all go rightly forward in the true Beeing and that no man might be bewitched or bound with any opinion or bewitching of spirit but that every one might according to the truth and in the love stand free in God 4. Lo God d Deut. 30. Act. 20. is my witnes and Heaven and Earth also that in all my writing I have neither
your hearts be full of the life and being of the true God-head and your joy onely in his righteousnes that therein ye may live in the Spirit and according to the Truth 18. Let it be a pleasure unto you that God becommeth Lord and King over all Have a desirous heart to the good to the same reach also c Eph. 4. one another the hand retaine no offence of mis-doing one towards another but exhort to amendment d Eccle. 28. Mat. 6. Col. 3. and forgive in the Love that so we may grow up with each other in one band of Love unto the godlines as a reconciled or e Tit. 2. acceptable people of the Lord through Iesus Christ such as have found grace and mercy at the hands of God the father for to inheâ—iâ— his promises to serve him with pure hearts in all love 19. Behold to be comprehended herein is the life which is everlasting and to reach one another the hand to the same godlines to exort to amendment of life and to retaine no man his sins is the f Hos 6. Matt. 9. Mercy which God requireth of us and not Sacrifices 20. He requireth Righteousnes and nates the ungodly being He sheweth his long-suffering towards them of good will g Esa 53. Heb. 2. and beareth their infirmity or weaknes as one that would not have any man to perish or to turn back 21. For a willing heart is a delight unto him and a broken or troubled Spirit h Psal 51. for his sins cause will he not despise 22. A good confidence towards his grace of a converting sinner is a joy unto him i Luk. 15. and it causeth also a joy in the heavenly Being 23. Therefore k Deut. 20. Esa 55. let no man be dismayed nor faint-hearted but let every one from the heart upon hope in the Beleef apply himselfe to the good and l Luk. 21. possesse his soule with patience unto the godly promises 24. Let no man take any yoak upon him out of his own choice least by some means of his unablenes he fall into a loathing towards the good but grow up by little and little and profit ye still from time to time 25. Keep alwaies what ye have go not m Apo. 2. back in any case that you loose not the Crown of Salvation Go still forward increasing in the good and in the knowledge of the holy understanding n Heb. 6. and so passe on towards the perfection 26. Neverthelesse desire not to have every thing at once but grow up in the good from the o Heb. 5. beginning of the Christian life That is from the repentance for sin p Matt. 3. to go on in amendment of life and to abide stedfast therein even to the q Matt. 24. end untill the true life of perfection That is r Eph. 4. untill the old age of the Man Christ The which is inwardly to obtaine the Love essentially 27. And that is the perfection of our godlines wherein we are to grow up from the begining of our turning to God and to the entrance of the first School-rule of the Christian Doctrine of the gracious Word and his Service of Love untill we be established in God and his true Love according to the Promises 28. If therefore any man love the good and his soul desire to inherit the same let him go thereunto with an humble heart and follow after it out of undetstanding that ignorance grieve not his soule 29. For there have been many in times past that would by force have all the righteousnes all at once and would feine according to their fancy consume and destroy the sin altogether by heaps but they have fallen into greater and grievouser sins 30. But in asmuch now as many beginnings are with lack of understanding taken in hand therefore divers men are become vnlustfull to the Å¿ Matt. 24. Righteousnes and have turned themselves back again and do cleave to the world and to her misunderstanding more than ever they did before 31. Divers others perceive no difference between the illuminated and vnilluminated Men and so whiles they are not yet illuminated themselves they give regard both to their own Imagination of the Knowledge also to the Precepts of unilluminated men because they trust upon such things suppose that in such sort all is well with them 32. They discerne not also the life from the death in their inwardnes nor yet the hearing t Pro. 4. of Councel Doctrine whereby to draw near to the living Commandement of God and to live therein 33. Many others hold v Apo. 3. at a stay and have no righteousnes neither do they aske hunger nor thirst after it and do neither go backwards nor forwards which is indeed a great shame 34. It were better for one to suffer now and then some Inconvenience for lack of experience t so that he abide in the Hope than to hold himself still or idle to the righteousnes before he be come to the salvation 35. For albeit one do sometimes by stumbling and falling suffer some inconvenience yet he riseth again for all that bewaileth his Ignorance and so then he taketh a new courage again with a more circumspect understanding in the Spirit x Eph. 6. against the craftines of the sin and thereby profiteth and increaseth in the righteousnesse 36. Now when a man perceiveth or is aware of the gaine to wit that he increaseth in the good then is he of good cheere and much stronger in the beleef and firmer in the hope Thus in processe of time he groweth up in the Spirit of the good life untill he come to the perfection that is to the Love 37. Wherefore the losse teacheth Prudence and Wit for to attend unto the word with understanding but the gaine bringeth weetnes it maketh firme in the hope and begetteth a gladnes in our hearts When as to abide in undesire to the righteousnesse and to be y Apo. 3. neither hot nor cold but luke-warme is by all meanes to be utterly discommended 38. I esteem in this behalf much better of that man z Lu. 15. who like the lost Sonne hath spent and consumed all his Treasure and Riches and out of great poverty turneth him again and seeketh at his Fathers hands the roome of a servant out of which humbling a man commeth again to his riches and through such losse getteth understanding how to govern to a multiplying the riches of God then of such a lazy slothfull and ane loitering man as for fear of losse a Matt. 25. Luk. 19. burieth his Talent and will neither make gaine nor losse therewith 39. Hereof beware ye dearly beloved that ye bury not that little which you have received of God nor yet with-hold or withdraw your selves for any manner of cause from this our undeceivable and most holiest service of the Love 40. For though that
witnessed and set forth in the same Behold there in the spirit of your understanding the everlasting unchangeable Statutes and Ordinances of Almighty God which also shall remain unchangeable for ever For that which is there witnessed is such an upright life m 〈◊〉 1. 〈◊〉 as the man is created unto for to live therein In which Statutes and Ordinances the Lords people have lived from the beginning 25. Yea such a Life Statutes and Ordinances are a delight and joy to all upright hearts and Prophets to live therein and they have heretofore born witnes thereunto that in time to come men should live in them For through the truth they saw into the life of peace in the love and that through the life of peace in the love every thing is made perfect and therein standeth firme or abideth stedfast 26. That verily is the life which is true n Joh. 1. and that life is the light of men o Eph. 1.5 Col. 1. and the head of the holy Commonalty Who so goeth out of it cometh to the death blindnes and darknes 27. But the soules of those that live therein are blessed in the Lord. For such people doth God require as do walk in his Ordinances that is to say in the life and peace of love p Deut. 6.2 and do love the only God from the heart 28. Lo it is the true God that requireth such upright Righteousnes and he himself cleaveth to his Righteousnes his Statutes and Ordinances everlastingly q Joh. 1.2 For he is the spirit of his life the life of his word the word of his Spirit r Exod. 3 Mat. 22. the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacoh or Israel 29. That verily is the true life of peace and love and the Statutes and Ordinances are the same upright righteousnes which the holy Fathers have lived and walked in 30. The same Statutes and Ordinances of the holy Fathers were by Moses renewed ſ Exed 20. Deut. 5. and witnessed unto a life before all people And that life was through Jesus Christ being risen from the Dead and ascended into Heaven t Mat. 28. Mar. 16. published unto all people for a Gospel because they should live therein And unto all that believed thereon was the Resurrection from the dead and the everlasting life witnessed and promised through Iesus Christ 31. In sure and firm hope whereof the upright Beleevers have rested in the Lord Iesus Christ till the appearing of his coming which is now in this day of the love revealed out of the heavenly beeing with which Jesus Christ the former Beleevers of Christ v John 5. 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes 4. who were fallen a sleepe rested or dyed in him are now also manifested in Glory 32. For Christ in the appearing of his comming raiseth his deceased from the dead x 1 Cor. 15. to the intent that they should reign alive with him over all his enemies y Mat. 25. John 5. Rom. 2. 2 Thes 1. and condemneth all the ungodly which have not liked of him 33. This is the joyful Message published to the Gentiles whereby z Eph. 2.3 as fellow-Heires in the Testaments of promise they are bidden and called to the house of Jacob and to the Citizenship of Jerusalem To the intent they should depart from the brutishnes of their errors and from the sundry intanglements of their Idolatries and turn them to the God of Israel for to serve him only and to live in his Statutes and Ordinances through the belief 34. Which Righteousnes a Ro. 2.3 is required out of the Law and is now in this last time openly and evidently witnessed out of the inclination of love and through the insight of the same upright life to a view of the upright righteousnes which the man is created unto and to a demonstration whereunto or to what end or fulfilling God hath given his promises and made his Covenant with the Fathers 35. Behold hereunto namely to that which we bear witnes of is the Calling of the Gentiles made b Rom. 11. Eph. 2. who are out of grace called thereunto for to serve with the Stock of Abraham one God in one manner of Righteousnes 36. Lo these are the promises c Gen. 17. which were committed to the Jewes in the Circumcision And Jesus Christ Act. 13. Rom. 9. the safe-making word of the Lord is amongst them d Rom. 15. for the truth of Gods sake become a Minister of the Circumcision to confirme the promises made unto the Fathers that the name of the God of Abraham might be magnified likewise among the Gentiles And for the mercies sake towards the Gentiles is the Grace of life published also to the Gentiles to the intent e Act. 10.11.13 Rom. 11. they should praise God and know the God of Israel and his Ordinances 37. Which God and his righteousnes we do now know in the love through the spirit of truth which according to the spirit f Joh. 14. leadeth us into all truth that is into all love according to the promises g Col. 5. For the love is the band of perfection By which Band we are sealed and confirmed for ever in the same perfection to the intent that Gods Glory his Covenant and promises may likewise abide firme from everlasting to everlasting Amen 38. Behold the same God of Israel who out of his Grace prepareth and bringeth all this unto us is the God h Gen. 1. that hath made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that is therein He it is that doth wonders who neither breaketh his promises i Deut. 4. Luke 1. nor forgetteth his Covenant who also suffereth not his Law and Righteousnes to be troden down for ever but he setteth up the Children of Israel his beloved Not for their Righteousnes k Deut. 9 but for their Fathers sakes towards whom he had a desire according as he promised and spake the same in times past by the mouth of his holy Prophets 39. Therefore have regard unto the everlasting unchangeable God being an invisible living God the God that hath made you created every thing that liveth and hath breath He l Heb. 13. it is which was which is and which is to come who liveth everlastingly and shall still continue And so is also his Life Law or righteousnes 40. Wherefore give heed unto the thing that is right and reasonable and shall continue for ever glasse your selves in the glasse of Righteousnes and therein behold according to the spirit the upright life and the m Exod. 20. Deut. 5. Lords Statutes and Ordinances which stand firm in God for evermore 41. Let not the matter in any wise seeme too slender or too small unto you For though the Righteousnes whereof we testifie be n 1 Cor. 2 no eloquent speech and that the same seemeth to be but as a small brooke yet is it
Christians been forsaken therefore have they been covered under the sin blinded from the knowledge of their calling and estranged from the understanding of Gods promises even as the Jewes also in the time when they knew not the godlinesse of life were blinded and estranged from the understanding of the promises Yet were they Jewes notwithstanding outwardly Rom. 2. but no Jewes according to the inward hidden man such as God esteemeth according to the life of thir Father Abraham John 8. And therefore there was no difference between them and the Grecians Rom. 3. but they stood alike under the sin 7. Inasmuch as it goeth now also thus with the Christians or which men so call therefore is there between them and other people no difference but they are all alike under the sin And in regard of the righteousnesse which availeth before God they are no otherwise to be distinguished save onely by the ceremonies 8. And every one because of his misunderstanding maketh a righteousnesse or an Ordinance unto himself which through the glistering of his knowledge he chuseth or respecteth for a very Righteousnesse and maketh to himself in like manner with the same a Congregation not attending upon the promises of God nor upon the upright righteousnesse which through Iesus Christ he is called of God unto 9. Now whiles all this cometh to passe out of misunderstanding and bare imagination Jer. 7. and out of the ignorance of the upright Righteousnesse therefore is there dissention likewise For every congregation in particular Mat. 24. perswade themselves that they are the Christians or the people of Isrrael and do diligently use all dexterity sharpnesse of wit in their cause for to maintaine the same in his proceeding and think by their wit to obtain the salvation and so walk their own way Rom. 3. whereby also they are all void of the grace of God to the knowing of their error and blindnesse 10. But inasmuch as this godly Knowledge is now out of grace revealed unto us as that we through the clearnesse which God hath powred into our hearts 2 Cor. 4.2 do understand to what salvation or to what maner of health of the earth God hath given his promises to which purposefor to establish the salvation the Beliefe is preached Therefore for the loves sake can we not omit it but must needs witnesse the same and reveale the Peace and the true Love whereunto we are called if happily there might or may be found any which had a desire or inclination thereunto and then likewise we with them and they with us whether they were far or neere might be gathered together in the Love according to the promises 11. Seeing then that God neglecteth not his mercy towards us but hath made known unto us his will to the intent his Word may stand firm according as he in times past hath spoken by his Prophets that unto his people Israel he will gather him a people out of the Heathen which shall serve him in righteousnesse 2 Mac. 2 Amos 9 2 Mac. 2 Act. 15. at which time God will gather his people together again and be gracious unto them and build again the Tabernacle of David and again sep up his people Israel according to the promises therefore ought we in like manner from the whole heart and with good will to give heed unto that which is now by Gods grace according to the truth made known and tendered under the obedience of the Love unto us in the same appeared grace to beleeve the salvation whereunto we are called and to prepare our hearts in lowly mindes thereunto that we might inherit our calling according to the promises 12. But if any people refuse it and for all that should perswade themselves in their hearts to be still Christians or that their Congregation is the very people of Israel not thinking of the restoring of Israel which in times past was fallen and thus suppose that they have attained to the best and in their blindnesse set their confidence upon their own wisdome righteousnesse and ceremonies and upon their faith then shal it likewise goe with them in these dayes as it did heretofore with the Jewes that beleeved not on the grace which was appeared unto them 13. For in his time shall their full store-houses be found empty 4 Esd 6. and the empty be filled with goods For their Christianity according to the inward man shall be judged and known for an unchristianity and their beliefe for an unbeliefe 14. Therfore let no man boast himelf of his Christiany because of his outward baptism nor because of his outward righteousnesse or narrow wayes of his walking according to his chusing or bare imagination but let him give heed to the promises and unto what the Gentiles are called and whom the Christianity consisteth the which is a Christendom according to the inward man in the Spirit as also Paul in the preaching of his Gospel testifieth 15. For the true inward man is the thing that availeth before God namely 2 Cor. 4. Phil. 2. Col. 1. Heb. 1. 1 Cor. 15. Eph. 4. Col. 3. Eph. 1. the very like Being of God which the love is formed in and the man created unto to the intent he should beare it to the land and praise of the glory of his God 16 And through the revealing of such a heavenly clearnesse as that we discern that many yea almost all which doe boast themselves to be Christians are yet meer strangers therefrom we doe well know the fall from the right ground of the Christianity and the bands of darknesse wherewith we were all held captive And therefore we are all void of the grace of God that he may have mercy upon us all Rom. 3. to the intent he alone may have the glory 17. Now whoso perceiveth this same let such a one turn him to the Spirit to the God of life and to his righteousnesse according to the requiring of the Love and her service that his understanding may Eph. 1. through the Love and her service be enlightned according to the Truth in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and that likewise he might love God the Father and live in his statutes with an upright heart Deut. 5. 18. For out of the God that hath made Heaven and Earth goeth the right judgement Heb. 4. his Word is living and powerfull and sharper than a two-edged sword and his burning is as a flame of fire to a consuming or devouring of all ungodly Being Deut. 4. Heb. 12. 19. Whosoever feareth not him as a true God nor loveth his Righteousnesse over such a one standeth his severity for ever Rom. 2. Exod. 20 But many thousands finde grace in his sight that doe but turne them unto him love him and keep his Commandements 20. But who hath any regard hereunto Whose attention is towards the Lord Who is there that is spiritually minded Who giveth eare Whose heart
and eyes turn them to the inwardnesse of the Being of God Truly very few But they turn them almost all unto themselves to the earthly things or unto Flesh and Blood and doe very gladly heare that which foundeth pleasant unto them 2 Tim. 4. according to the delight of their fleshly eares and so shut the eares of their heart against the God of Life and all the World alienate their spirit from his holy wisdome and will not heare him nor accept him for their King that they might live in his Law and Ordinances 21. Therefore will not he also count them for his people neither regard them Psal 1. Esa 29. But they shall be compelled in their estranging to become like the tossing of chaffe wherein the whirle-wind to a scattering mingleth it selfe 22. Behold ye dearly beloved of these and other like things I have opened much unto you in the Glasse of Righteousnesse to a distinction of the knowledge of righteousnesse look unto which ye are minded Deut. 30. Eccles 15 into that may ye go whether into the sin to the death or into the righteousnesse to the life I leave every one free unbound uncompelled 23. But as for Me my whole heart and mind standeth altogether inclined to the good life of upright righteousnesse and all my confidence is in the God of Life Rom. 12. 2 Cor. 3. that I shall not forsake the wayes of his Rightenesse which are by the grace of God brought and given unto me in the sight and being of my Spirit but shall still observe the same and under the obedience of the Love administer them unto the children of men according to all the manner as I have set forth and described them according to the life out of the inclination of Love in all my service of writing for a serviceablenes to many 24. Whosoevr therefore with me hath any desire to God and his righteousnesse let such a one then from his whole heart apply himself also with me unto the same He also that strayeth and hath no regard unto God nor his righteousnesse neither is minded to the Love and her concord but will rather mix his heart with the World and her abominations and go on after his own imagination I must needs look upon it howbeit it maketh me sorry and I suffer grief for it because he doth willingly thus hunt after his own destruction 25. For behold it shall come to passe that the k Esa 60 61.62 Abac. 2. godlinesse uncompelled through the beleef out of the Love of righteousness shall come to light according to the Promises 26. But who they are that shall be made partakers of it and finde such Grace in the sight of God or from whence they shall come to joyn with us for the concord of the Love and her service that is only known to the Almighty and his Spirit But the unity of us all shall be l Ioh. 17. Act. 4. Eph. 4. one heart and mind in the Love To the which one-minded Communalty mine heart standeth alwaies inclined The Lord give us all Grace to be joyned to his People in righteousnesse of heart Amen 27. Let every one also from his whole heart be minded thereunto and apply himself for the same unities cause to the Love and her service and to the righteousnesse of heart before God and so stand for the good with al diligence Let him likewise daily apply himself m Eph. 6. Col. 4. 2 Thes 3. in prayer unto the God of life that he will vouchsafe to enlighten him and all lovers of the Truth together with all People with the knowledge of his wisdome and understanding to the intent they might all incline their hearts to the Love and her service and so Gods matters be well understood and interpreted according to the Truth to the health of the earth and renewing of the World with righteousnesse 28. Wherefore n Rom. 14. Gal. 6. bear one with another out of Love receive also unto you all wel-willing hearts to the concord in the Love understand their testimony to the good â— and repaire one anothers understanding to the unity of heart in the Love and let no man raile nor make Sedition or Division but let every one oyn himself unto us in Jesus Christ under the obedience of the Love and let him likewise in Jesus Christ seek the good to his preservation that the service of the Love be not hindred 29. If now by any it should be found that some man should bring forth any chaff amongst us with the Corn yet shall not men despise him for it but repaire him in his understanding with good o Gal. 6. 2 Tim. 2. instruction to the meeknesse and to the obedience of the Love in the Spirit that so through the service of the Love men mav gather the good Corn the treasure of righteousnesse p Matt. 13. into the Barn the mans heart and that in like manner the vaine being together with that which is deadly and pernicious may utterly perish 30. Whosoever now can rightly judge let not him raile but let him try the matter q 1 The. 5. and take or conceive the best out of it and thus meet the little ones and draw all to the Love that no man may be offended nor made bitter-minded Let every one be minded hereunto from the heart r Matt. 13. that all offence may be rooted out and destroyed from the Lords Kingdom 31. After the same manner also my request is that those which read or hear our Writings will not take them to offence but bow their hearts under the Love and receive that onely which is right and reasonable 32. But if so be any man do suspect any misunderstanding in our writings let him bear with the same through Love that through the Love all may be amended and repaired For my service is to unpartiality and to unity of heart in the Love and that according to the gifts of the holy and godly understanding which are of God given and committed unto me 33 Moreover if any man perswade himself that he is more richly endowed with gifts Å¿ 1 Cor. 4 let him not be proud upon the riches of his gifts hut let him humble himself among us under the obedience of the Love and then shew likewise with his gifts according to the mind of the Love and according to the requiring of her service his good willing service without offence and unseperated from us and our Communalty to the intent the fellowship of the lovers of righteousnesse t 1 Ioh. 1. may in every respect be in the Love and be drawn and served out of Love to that purpose 34. For who art thou O man that thou dost proudly lift up thy self for the gifts cause of thy God and that thou shouldst not be content to submit thy self with thy gifts or understanding under the obedience of the Love of God and of Christ