THE Royal Law of GOD REVIVED Wherein You may see That all Nations of Men may keep in it a Royal Society and by obeying the Principlâ— of God in them which brings Men to do the Royaâ— Law and to do unto all men as they would have alâ— men to do unto them which Royal Law of God answers that of God in every Man and Woman in thâ— whole World which they transgressing are judged by the Royal Law of God in doing that unto others as they would not have others do unto them and they to be without natural Affections which Royal Law brings all men to have Natural Affections and to do unto all men as they would have them to do unto them G. Fâ—â— Jam. 2.8 If ye fulfil the Royal Law according to the Scripture Thou shalt Love thy Neighbour as thy self ye do well â—â—t 7.12 Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you do ye even so to them Printed in the Year 1671 2 Who they are that break this Royal Law of God Them that Quench Vex and grieve the good Spirit of God and hate the Light of Christ and walk despightfully against the Spirit of Grace and make Shipwrack of Faith and of a good Conscience And also They are them that keep the Royal Law of God that walk in the Spirit of God and in Faith and a good Conscience and love the Light Christ who inlightens every man that comes into the World The Royal Law of God Revived c. ALL People upon the Face of the whole Earth both High and Low Rich and Poor know that as the Apostle Paul saith Acts 15.26 God hath made of one Blood all Nations of Men for to dwell on all the Face of the Earth So all Men and Women are of God's making his Workmanship and the Works of his Hands and Creation and he it is that gives Life and Breath unto all And hath determined the Times before appointed and the Bounds of their Habitations saith he And saith Moses Deut. 32.8 The Most High divided to the Nations their Inheritance when he separated the Sons of Adam c. And the Psalmist acknowledgeth Psa 24.1 The Earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof the World and they that dwell therein which he hath distributed unto the Sons of Men. And the Lord is called The God of the Spirits of all Flesh Num. 27.16 And so saith likewise the Apostle Eph. 4.6 One God and Father of all who is above all through all and in you all Now seeing the Lord hath made all Nations of Men and Women upon the Earth of one Blood and Mould to dwell upon the Face of the Earth and that the Earth is the Lord's and the Fulness thereof and he gives the encrease and hath distributed unto the Sons and Daughters of Adam What then is the matter that makes a Discord amongst all the Sons and Daughters of men but the Devil the Cause of all Discord who is out of Truth and so leads them out of Unity with God and with one another so that they cannot Commerce Trade and hold a Correspondence a Concord in Civil things of the Creation of the Earth seeing the Earth is the Lord's and the Fulness thereof that all Nations of Men cannot hold a Commerce Unity and Concord I say in these outward things though they cannot agree in and about Matters of Religion and Worship and abouâ— their Teachings and Wayes What is the matter now that they do not agree seeing there is no Discord nor Disagreement in the Way of the Lord which is Christ Jesus the Heavenly Man who is the Way to God the Father Neither is there any Disagreement in the Fellowship of the Spirit nor in the Worship nor in the Spirit nor in the Truth And therefore are not all the Disagreements and Discords throughout all the World about Religions Worships and Doctrines about I say such as men have made which are called National Worships National Wayes and National Religions that are all the Works of Mens hands And there are such a Multitude of them in all the Nations of the World which hinders them from Civil Commerce Civil Society of Natural Affections that ought to be amongst Mankind For where these Natural Affections or Affections of Nature are not they will destroy one another about their Religions Worships and Ways and certainly such doings are not of God nor of Christ who said to his Disciples when they would have had Fire to come down from Heaven to consume them that would not receive him That they did not know what spirit they were of Therefore do all people that Persecute others for not receiving their Doctrines their Worships their Wayes and Religions yea persecuting for not receiving of Christ they know not what Spirit they are of Now mark the tender Nature of Christ Who saith he came not to destroy mens lives but to save them Therefore they that would have mens lives taken away for Religion or not receiving of Christ They have not the Affections of Nature 2d They do not know what spirit they are of themselves 3d They have not the Mind of Christ 4th No man will trust his Body Soul or Spirit in the hands of such that do not know what spirit they are of themselves Have any of all these that make Religions VVayes and Worships and Doctrines of their own any Affections to Nature who will destroy people because they will not conform to that Religion VVay and VVorship that they have set up As now look over all the whole VVorld and all the Religions therein and see and consider Who they are that have destroyed burnt and put to death such as would not conform to the Religion and VVay and VVorship that they have made And have not these first been Truce-Breaâ—â—â—â—â— to and with God and then with Man and fallen from that Religion that is from above and from his Religion his VVorship and Truth his VVay Christ Jesus and then the Devil entred them who hath led them to destroy one another about their Religions VVayes and their VVorships which they have set up and were not set up by the Lord but forbidden by Christ and saith the Apostle He is not worshipped with the Worships of Mens Hands Acts 17.24 who is Lord over all and would have all Repent and feel after him and so to Repent as to change from their Worships and the Works of their own hands the Religions the Worships and Wayes that they have made and come to God by Christ Jesus who is the VVay to God and so through him receive that Religion that is from above and so to worship God in the Spirit and in the Truth And is there any Religion to be owned or any VVorship from such which are without Natural Affections And is it not the Devil that makes Religions VVayes and VVorships and leads them to be so peevish about them and in a blind Zeal to contend so earnestly for them which brings
the Gentiles spoken of before they are in no wise better for we have proved already that both Jew and Gentile were all under sin So now What difference is there between the Professor of God and of the Scriptures and them that did not profess So what difference is there between Christians that do profess and those that do not profess seeing all are concluded under Sin out of the Life so as to Jew and Gentile there is no difference out of Christ unconverted But now Jew and Gentile in Christ converted Sythian and Barbarian are all one in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.28 Now though there be no difference between Jew and Gentile being concluded under Sin in an unconverted Estate nor no difference between Christian and Heathen concluded under Sin unconverted yet nevertheless there is something of God in them which they do disobey both in Jew and Gentile Christian and Heathen which brings the Wrath of God upon them for their Disobedience which if they did obey that of God in them both Jew and Gentile Christian and Heathen it would bring them to the Royal Law of God and to the Royal Society and to the Natural Affections and to keep their Word and to do to all men as they would have them do to them For certainly they would have no man break their Word with them and therefore they must break their Word with no man That is a just Law Do unto all men as c. Hear the words of Christ to his Disciples who is the Second Adam the Heavenly man Joh. 16.8 9 10 c. I tell you of a truth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I go I will send him unto you And this Comforter is the Spirit of Truth the Holy Ghost and this Holy Ghost will lead the Disciples into all Truth and shew them things to come And he shall take of mine saith he and give it unto you Now mark in the first place He shall lead them into all Truth namely his Disciples the Learners of Christ Jesus 2dly The same Comforter which is the Spirit of Truth shall reprove the World of sin which they live in and of the righteousness they live in which is the Righteousness of Christ Jesus and shall reprove the World of their judgment for all the world have a judgment which is not the Judgment of God which they judge one another about and by which they set up their Religions and Wayes of Worship by which they judge others that will not conform to them and judge the Prophets of the Lord and spiritual Men to be Mad-men and Fools and Christ the Son and Light of God to be a Blasphemer a Devil and the Apostles as Babblers Turbulent Fellows c. Now what spirit were they in that had this judgment and with what spirit did they judge who are reproved by the Spirit namely the Comforter the Holy Ghost So all the World that comes from sin their judgment their righteousness they must turn at the Reproof of this Spirit the Holy Ghost which leads the Saints into all Truth And by this Heavenly Mans Doctrine Christ Jesus you may see here is something of God in every man which would lead them to the Royal Law of God and to do it and act by it and to lead them to Affections that are above and to have Natural Affections Affections of Nature and to receive the Royal Society in the Royal Law and not to destroy Men and Women who are part of the Creation of God and of his VVorkmanship for they that do destroy them about Religion and VVayes and VVorships that they have made themselves and set up but not by the Command of God they destroy part of God's Creation and God's Creatures and the Workmanship of his Hands though they do profess God yet they destroy Man who is made in the similitude of God and in so doing they would destroy God if they could For as it is said he that hates his Brother is a Man-slayer and so no Man-slayer having not eternal Life abiding in him he cannot set up Religions Wayes nor Worships by which God is honoured And these Men-slayers break the Concord the Society the Commerce and are Judges and Breakers of the Royal Law and Destroyers of the Creation of God and Workmanship of his Hands and Destroyers of Natural Affections which he hath made for his Praise and his Honour and Glory Neither have they the Mind of Christ nor of God guiding of them who would not have all men to be saved God would have all the Workmanship of his hands and Creation and Works to be saved which is man and woman Christ indeed came to destroy the Devil and his works who made man and woman imperfect who were God's works so the promise of God was to mankind but not unto the Devil and that his head should be bruised his power broken and his Law of Sin and Death and Members should be disannulled and Christ's Power and his Law of Life Faith and Love should be set up amongst God's Creatures which are his Creation and so Christ came to save Mens lives and not to destroy them Object Now if any should object and say Who are our Brethren Answ First all Nations of Men God hath made of one Mould to dwell upon the sace of the Earth Acts 17. so I say all are Children of God by creation and there is a Brother-hood which by the Royal Law is preserved according to the Principle of God in every Man by which they should do unto all their Brethren as they would have them do unto them 2d They are Sons of God by adoption all being born again of the Immortal Seed of the Word of God that lives abides and endures forever and being led by the Spirit of God are Sons of God Rom. 8. Also it may be seen and taken notice of what the Apostle lays down in Ephes 2.2 wherein he speaks to them who were once Heathens but then converted That in times past they walkt according to the course of this World according to the Prince of the Power of the Air the spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedience in the Lust of the Flesh fulfilling the desires of the Flesh and of the Minde and were by Nature the Children of Wrath as well as others Now mark these Heathens before conversion there was something in them that did disobey and therein did not fulfill the Will of God but fulfilled the will of the Flesh and walked according to the lust of the same which brought them by that nature to be Children of Wrath Now had they obeyed that which they did disobey they had not walkt according to the Power of the Prince of the Air but walkt according to the Prince of the Power of Life Christ Jesus and so by that which they do disobey they would have come to have known the
of Truth whom Christ came to destroy VVe have likewise another Expression of the Apostle Paul to the business in hand in 1 Tim. 4.9 10. This is saith he a faithful Saying and worthy of all Acceptation for therefore we both labour and suffer Reproach because we trust in the Living God who is the Saviour of all men especially of them that believe these things command and teach Mark now that whosoever doth teach the contrary he is a false Teacher and his Doctrine is false for this is a great word He was the Saviour of all men especially them that believe and they that taught this did suffer Reproach and were rebuk't by them that opposed this Doctrine as they that preach this Doctrine now are reproacht and suffer by the Opposers of it now and those that are the Opposers of it now are those that keep people from their Salvation yea from God and from Christ And such are they that are Makers of Sects and then destroy one another about them who have no Natural Affections and do not to others as they would have others do unto them And Christ Jesus saith He came to call sinners to Repentance that were in the old Adam that they might change from the old earthly Adam and turn to Christ the second Adam the Heavenly Man Now they that stopt their Ears and clos'd their Eyes then they were the greatest Professors upon the Earth and so they are now and the Highest Priests For by it is signified that there is something in them that they should see withal and hear withal and such as did so had no Affections to Nature nor to the Royal Law of God nor to Christ neither then nor now to do to others as they would have others do unto them And Christ Jesus saith Mark 13.37 What I say unto you I say unto all Watch Intimating as if there was something of God in them by which they must watch against something that was not of God in them but of the Devil the Tempter who is out of the Truth and tempts men that they should not walk in the Way of Truth so they that were tempted and obeyed him went from their watch and those stop their Ears and close their Eyes from the Spirit of God in them As also those whom Christ calls Ravening Wolves inwardly who come to be like a Thistle and Thorny-Tree that did deceive men when they went out to gather Figs or Grapes from them they could meet with nothing but Thorns and Thistles And as such then so now are the greatest Professors in the World but inwardly ravening Wolves who were ravened from the Life and the Wolves and Thistles and Bryars will hurt and destroy Nature And so it is the spirit of the Devil that makes them Wolves and it is the Spirit of God that makes them Lambs and therefore these Wolves Thistles and Bryars are such as have not the least Practice of the Royal Law of God among them in doing unto all as they would have all men do unto them But yet this denotes that there was something in these Wolves that they were ravened from that would have kept them and led them to the Royal Law of God namely as I said To do unto all as they would have all do unto them For they would not have Thorns and Thistles to prick and tear them like a Woolf in pieces and therefore if they will be obedient unto that which they are ravened from and come to it again it will lead them To do unto others c. Not to thistle prick and worry others for they would not be so done to themselves so that this brings to the Royal Society in the Royal Law of God where all Mankind might keep a Concord And saith the Lord in Exod. 23.4 5. If thou meetest with thine Enemies Ox or his Ass going astray thou shalt surely bring it back again to him If thou seest the Ass of him that hates thee lying under his Burden and shalt forbear to help him thou shalt surely help with him Mark the Law and Command of God this was an Enemies Ass and an Enemies Ox much more the Beast of a Friend and those Jews that were called the Children of God but how short are Christians of this very thing in that many of them will and do put the Cattel of them that are call'd Christians astray turn them out of way on purpose But here are three things First Here is that that will overcome the Enemy 2d Here is that that will preserve the Creation of God 3d. That here they should do to others as they would have others do unto them for the Law of God which was the same to the Jews is also the same unto the Gentiles that were among them so one Law was to those that were within and to those that were without for this Law of God which was and is called the Royal Law to wit to do to all men as they c. that is to do that which is Righteous Just Holy and Good unto all Men as they would have all Men do Righteously Justly Holily and do that onely which is good c. and now in so doing this will keep up a Just Holy Righteous and a good Society amongst Man-kinde and this was the Law that was added because of Transgression the Transgression of the Command of God by which Man lost the Image of God he lost Righteousness and Holiness and that Power that gave him Dominion Gal 3.19 therefore the Law was added upon man when he had lost Righteousness and the Image of God and the Power of God within him therefore the Just Holy Good and Righteous Law of the higher Power I say was added because of Transgression upon Man and Woman which Just Righteous Good and Holy Law answers the Good the Just the Righteous and the Holy Principle of God in every man that they have transgrest So now if they come to that again which they have transgrest and to obey the Good Just Righteous and Holy Law of Liberty they come to the Holy Society and Holy Communion and Concord and so this Just Good Holy and Righteous Law is over all Transgressors whether they be Christians Turks Jews or Heathens It answers I say the Good and Righteous Principle in them that they have transgrest now would they but minde that good Principle in them that brings them to the Good and Righteous Law it will bring them to do to all men as they would c. Now this Law commands to entertain Strangers for saith the Lord You were Strangers in Egypt and there you were entertained and therefore do unto others as you would be done to by them relieve the Fatherless for your Children may be Fatherless and would you not have them reliev'd relieve the Widdows for your Wives may be Widdows and would you not have them to be relieved in case of necessity So do unto all as you would have them do unto you
and all men for they are the Workmanship of God God's Creatures and their Fellow-creatures made of the same Flesh and Mould to dwell upon the Face of the Earth and they that be out of this whatever Worship Profession or Religion they are of its worth nothing And saith the Apostle further in 2 Cor. 10.12 For we dare not make our selves of the number or compare our selves with some that commend themselves but they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves amongst themselves are not wise But we will not boast of things without our Measure but according to the Measure of the Rule which God hath distributed to us a measure even to reach unto you Now this Rule this Measure was the Spirit of God by which they reacht unto the Corinthians by which they were one anothers Epistle to one anothers Hearts and known and read of all men Now they that measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves among themselves which was not Wisdom they were without this Rule and this Spirit and Measure As now look over all Christendom and you shall find them without this Measure and this Rule who say The Letter is the Rule and are broken into so many Sects one against another measuring themselves and comparing themselves with themselves which are not wise for none are made wise but by the Spirit of God which is indeed the Rule and the Measure and that is it which brings To do unto all men as they would have them do unto them to that Royal Law and Royal Liberty and Royal Society and they that do so do shew their Loyalty and Obedience unto God and his Law So all people in the whole World of what Sect or Worship or Religion soever they must come to their measure of the Spirit of God and so to the Rule and lay away their own Rule that they rule things by and rule their religions by and their worships by and righteousness by that they have made and lay aside their Measure by which they have measured their religions and worships and their Righteousness and have measured others Now if People would not come according to their Measure and their Rule they have been ready to destroy God's Creatures who are made after the similitude of God and to curse them and to damn them This is the Practice of such that measure with their own Measure and that walk according to their own Rule who have not Natural Affections that do come to the Royal Law and Liberty Therefore all I say must lay aside their own measure and rule and come to the Spirit of God and so to the Rule which is the Spirit of God by which they may come to the Royal Law of God and so to the Royal Society and so to the Natural Affections to the Divine and Natural Affections And that of the Apostle in 1 Cor. 13. is very remarkable where the Apostle speaks of Love which ought to be amongst all Christians who profess the Name of Christ which Love if a man hath not he is nothing nay his Religion and Worship is nothing yea if he hath Faith it is nothing if he hath not Love if he saith he hath Knowledge and knows Secrets if he saith he hath Prophesie if he speaks with Tongues and hath not Love all is nothing and so his Profession is nothing So all ye Schollars all ye Sects in the whole Christendom if you have not this Love if out of it all that you have is nothing if you feed the poor and give your Body to be burnt and will burn others all this will profit you nothing if I say you have not Love Love to one onother Love to God Love to Christ Love to Enemies Natural Affection through which you will not destroy Nature you will not destroy God's Creatures God's Creation Man and Woman whom God hath made after his own Similitude Ye profess ye love God and yet hate your Brethren for ye are all Brethren in Adam you are all Lyars for how can you love God whom you see not and hate your Brother whom you do see daily Now this Love it suffers long and is curteous and kind and envieth not God's Creatures God's Creation Man and Woman who are I say made after the Similitude of God It doth not behave it self unseemly whereas they that are out of this Love behave themselves unseemly and are not curteous and kind which are the works of the Flesh Now Love seeks not her own nor is she easily provoked thinketh no Evil Now they that be out of this Love are easily provokt think Evil and do it seek their own Welfare and not the Welfare of another their own Good and not the Good of another Love bears all things believes all things hopes all things Whereas they that are out of Love cannot believe all things nor hope all things nor cannot endure all things full of Unbelief and Impatience now this is that that hath been wanting in Christendom and who be out of this Love though they may profess Christ and the Prophets and Apostles words yet all their Profession is nothing and such as be in this Love have Natural Affections and do not despise the Royal Law of God nor his Creatures viz. To do to all as we would have all do to us And none come to receive this Love but those alone who come to the Principle of God in themselves in their Measure And also for further Proof you may see in the Scriptures of Truth how those whom you stile Heathens many of them that speak good of God and of his Kingdom which they could not do without the Spirit of God as what Abimilech spoke to Abraham and the King of the Philistines to Isaac Pharaoh to Joseph as also Potiphar his first Master and the very Goaler was sensible of God's being with Joseph in Prison and blessing him so likewise Cyrus and King Darius spake good of God and Nebuchadnezar in his Dream saw Christ and his Kingdom Cornelius we read in the Acts prayed to God though a Heathen and the Queen of the South acknowledged the Lord likewise Rahab the Harlot who entertained the Spies King Hyram the Marriners with whom Jonah was embarqued not forgetting the King of Nineveth all which with a Cloud of other Witnesses which for brevity we pass over denote that there is something of God in all people whereas Christian Professors and Jews fondly imagine That none have the Spirit of God but them and so these others Scriptures judge them and these are those that make themselves a Sect and are the blind Guides who do not see the Seed sown upon all Grounds and how the Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared unto all men nor the Light by which Christ enlightens every man that comes into the World So these blind guides lead into the Ditch a corrupting place and see not Christ who tasted Death for every man and shed his Blood for all
and enlightens every man I say that they might see the Salvation the Grace Truth that comes by Christ which brings their Salvation And such as have a Profession of the Letter Jew Christian and others that are not in the Spirit of God who gave them forth but in another dark spirit do not see the Spirit that is given to every one to profit withal and so they cannot bring people into that by which they might profit come to the Royal Law To do unto all as they would have all do unto them so to a Royal Society where they might all honour God and keep Communion among themselves Now every Man and Woman in the whole World must first be turn'd to the Spirit of God in themselves that has reproved them which they have grieved quencht and vext and must turn to the Light that they have hated turn to the Grace that appear'd to them which they have turned unto Wantonness and walkt despightfully against to this they must all turn to before they come to the Royal Law that brings them To do to all as they c. and so to keep the Loyal Law and holy and just Society in the Royal Holy and just Law So it is that because both Jews and Christians have had the Letter of the Scripture they have bin envious against others and call them Heathens and because they have the Letter therefore they thought None but they had the Spirit and that the Heathen had it not But you may see in the Scriptures before mentioned whom they call Heathen whether they have the Spirit of God or no read I say but the Scriptures before mentioned and convince your selves and let such stop their own mouthes and say with the Apostle That there is no difference between Jew and Gentile who hath the Letter and he that hath not so there is no difference between Jew and Christian that have the Letter and Gentile now that hath not the Letter who are without him to wit the Spirit of God that gave it forth for that makes the difference and is the Leader into all Truth and to the Royal Law both Jew Christian and Gentile who obey it and so to do unto all men as they c. and so in the holy just and righteous Royal Law to keep a just a righteous and a good Society that 's Royal and have the dominion over all other societies in the whole Vniverse out of this Law and these will come to nothing which are of mens making though they may hold them up for a time before the National Law but they will come to an end if they be not in the Royal Law of Liberty where in every man must do unto others as he would they should do to him Jam. 3. Where you may see how the nature of Beasts and of Birds and of Serpents and of things in the Sea are tamed by the nature of man but the Tongue of man can no man tame it is such an unruly Member full of deadly Porson therewith we bless God the Father and therewith curse we men who are made after the Similitude and Image of God Now consider all Christians and others who profess Scripture and all others who have not the Scripture call'd Heathens yea consider this I say all mankind upon the face of the Earth by whom things in the Sea and in the Earth are tamed and now seeing that your Tongues are untamed that unruly Member in your selves that is full of deadly Poyson with which you bless God the Father and with it you curse man who is made after the Image of God O do not you all in this bring a curse upon your selves who were made in the same Image and Similitude and can you curse another and not curse your selves Now what is it that must tame this unruly Member in your selves that 's full of deadly Poyson and bring it under a Power to tame it Is it not the Spirit of God in the Jew in the Christian and in the Gentile or Heathen by which you may have power over your Tongues by Obedience to the Power of God And therefore the Spirit and Power of God hath a Bridle upon your Tongues to hold them fast from Cursing and all manner of Evil-speaking whereof you must give an Account And so that Power and Spirit of God in you all both Heathen Jew and Christian that tames the Tongue and bridles the Tongne which brings you to the Royal Law To speak and to do to all men as you would have them speak and to do to you so that your words may be few and gratious and vertuous that so the words of Life may be in your Tongues which hammers down the Evil and cuts and burns it out of the Tongue and comes to be a Bridle and a Bit unto it that as was said before You may speak and do unto all as you would have them speak and do unto you For mark With your Tongues you curse men which are made after the Image and Similitude of God and with the same Tongue you bless God the Father Now in this that you curse men who are made after the Image and Similitude of God do you not curse the Maker then do not you curse God do not you curse his Image and Similitude when you curse Men who are made in the similitude of God And so is that Blessing accepted think you of God the Father in that you bless him and yet curse that which he hath made in his own Likeness after his own Image Now consider this Whether this be not the wisdom from below in you that is Devilish Earthly and sensual and so would you not have others to curse you Would you not be ready to say if they should do it They have curst that that God hath made and curst his Image And would not you say to them Though they bless God the Father it is not accepted when as they curse you And therefore if you fulfil the Royal Law according to the Scripture Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self Jam. 2. And so he that doth fulfil the Royal Law wil not hate his Neighbour for he would not have his Neighbour hate him neither will he curse his Neighbour nor speak Evil of him for he would not have his Neighbour do so to him and therefore so speak and so do For Love does not Steal does not commit Adultery Love does not Covet Love does not bear False Witness and Love seeks not her own Love does not Kill and so the Law is fulfilled in one word viz. Thou must love thy Neighbour as thy self and God above all who is over all blessed forever Now this keeps a Royal Society in the Royal Law of Liberty Christ persecutes no man for not receiving his Doctrine nor yet the Apostles and both Christ and his Apostles gave forth their Doctrine freely to his People and the World Though Christ was as good as called