v 1 Cor. 4. 2 Cor. 3. James 1. Knowest thou not that there is no man that of himself can have any good thing or upright understanding except it be given him of God Wherefore bring and submit all under God and his Love x Es 42. whatsoever doth belong unto him and seperate not thy self from us seeing we are also well-willing thereunto 35. If then thy gifts be all gifts of God see that thou y Psal 34. praise God in those gifts of his under the obedience of his Love and make no breach or division with the same nor in any wise despise not another therewith that hath received lesse then thou hast but shew forth Love in all that is given or committed unto thee of God and so joyn thy self with us unto the gracious Word of the Lord which the God of heaven hath raised up among us according to his Promises 36. Be also not z Ezek. 34. Lordly neither advance thy self by accusation against thy inseriour brother likewise desire not to a 1 Pet. 5. 1 Thes 5. quench any mans small godly gifts which he obtaineth under the obedience of the Love nor judge that any man besides his godly gifts hath taken on in his Councell any Flesh and bloud but be at peace with all them which to a concord with the Elders in the family of Love do obediently submit and give over themselves with all their gifts and understandings under the Love and her service For b Rom. 2 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 4. the gifts of God are manifold yet minded all to concord and Peace forasmuch as the true God of life is with his gifts no God of discord but of Peace 37. Wherefore there is also in the manifold gifts of God no more but one God c 1 Cor. 12. which worketh all to whom of right belongeth the highest respect above al things For he is the most highest the living and the Everlasting d Psa 139. whose Workes are wonderfull and his e Sap. 17. Rom. 11. Judgements incomprehensible 38. His height is unmeasurable his depth unsearchable his glory unspeakable his wisdome unwritable his grace infinite his word is unchangeable his Law inviolable his Truth uncorruptible his Spirit unmoveable his mighty Arm unfrayable and his glorious Majesty remaineth stable for evermore 39. Behold this living and true God of whom we have received our godly gifts is an everlasting and true Light f John 1. The same Light is an everlasting true Life that Life is an everlasting stedfast Word that Word is g John 6. a true Spirit 40. The same Spirit is h Sap. 7. the holy Wisdome and the upright Understanding The holy Wisdome and upright Understanding is the Providence The Providence is the Will which willeth that all what good is may be In this Will is the Beliefe The Beliefe is the Power and Might to accomplish In the Power is the Work Deed. The Work and Deed is all the visible and invisible Being which God for himself hath brought forth 41. But all the things that are Gods and which the true God hath brought forth and made both the invisible Being and the visible created Things are all Witnesses i Rom. 1. that He the same our living God is the Creator of all things the giver of all good gifts and the eternall and true God to the intent men should serve honour and worship him k Deut. 6. Mat. 4. onely as God Lord and King 42. And that same like Being of his Godhead l Gen. 1. Eccle. 17. was in the beginning formed in the man Which like Being of the Godhead and the light of his clearnesse the man hath m Gen. 3 Rom. 5. through the fall from his God been deprived of But the coming of the same light is in the resurrection of the dead to a godly glory n Esai 60.62 Joel 2. Acts 2. 2 Pet. 3. promised to be in the last time And that same as a new World full of Light and Life wherein o Apoc. 21. God himselfe dwelleth p Psal 97. appeareth unto us now in the Love and in the Righteousnesse of the everlasting uncorruptiblenesse according to the Promises CHAP. XXIV 1. GOD hath ever spoken to the Fathers concerning his Sonne or like-being who is the Heira of all things and the end of the Law and the Prophets 5. The same Sonne promised to the Beleevers that the true Life should be deelared in the last times 8. Which is now fulfilled in the Love 10. But not understood by many 12. An exhorvation to lay down all contending under the Love 22. Every Father of a Family in the Love hath liberty to use speciall Ceremonies 23. All to be done to the Love and Peace 25. As GOD extendeth his mercy on us so should we take heed unto it 26. H. N. witnesseth of this grace and it shall in time be manifested over all 28. He glorieth not in his Revelations but in God Neither doth he despise any others therewith 32. Howbeit his beurt is inclined unto them that embrace the Love 34. There are no other people of the LORD but such as obey the Love 35. He hath not by his writings defamed any but called all to the Vnity of Heart THis Almighty God which was which is and which abideth for ever who giveth his honour to a Esa 42 none other spake in times past by Moses and his Prophets unto the Fathers b Heb. 1. and that oftentimes and in sundry manners whereby Hee c Deut. 4 Esa 42.45.51.55 required the true fruit of his Righteousnesse and did still testifie of the like Image of his Being and ceased not therein till the time d 2 Kin. 7. Psal 89. Acts 2. was fulfilled that his beloved one was appeared unto them namely e Mat. 1 Rom. 1. 2 Tim. 2. his Son the fruit of his loynes and the very like Being of his Godhead 2. And even as the same Gods Sonne namely the like Being of the said God who liveth for ever was from the beginning the First whom f Joh. 1. God finished all his workes by so is he also the last that is to say the perfection of all those things which God hath promised by Moses his Prophets according as it is written thereof g Rom. 10 1 Cor. 13. Gal. 3. In whom the Law and the Prophets cease or be fulfilled 3. Insomuch then as the Law and the Prophets were in the same Sonne of GOD in times past fulfilled in Israel and did cease in the same Sonne the Lord Jesus Christ who is the h Rom. 10. Gal. 5. 1 Tim. 1. end of the whole sum of the fulfilling of the Law and the Prophets to the confirming of the Promises of GOD the Father therefore did GOD then also at the last at the end or fulfilling of his Law and Prophets i Heb. 1. speake unto the people of Israel and
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
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
or unlocked not only to the outward earthly and corruptible but chiefly to that which is inward spirituall and eternall 37. For behold I do verily witnesse this same distinctly enough unto you to the intent we might all have regard to the upright life inwardly in our hearts a Rom. 8. become spiritually minded and through the grace of the bountifull Godhead serve in the upright life the living God only 38. Let every one b Gal. 6. take heed to his time for if we be already separated with our heart from whoring with stocks and stones as from such Idolatries doubtlesse it is then so much the more expedient inasmuch as such grace is extended on us that we observe our hearts and cogitations and cleanse them from all outward unprofitable things to be made free and unbound therefrom to the intent our hearts abide not bound unto any manner elementish created or worldly matter nor yet unto any kind of appearance of c Col. 2. spirituall or holy things whereby in case our hearts stood bound therein we may be lead awhoring and our hearts be bewitched therewith 39. Therefore let us not regard nor give respect unto or esteem any outward things higher then for elementish or so much as they are in their degree or as they are profitable in their Service neither let us go a whoring with them to the intent our eyes of the Spirit may still have respect to the only God and his upright life for to cleave with true understanding unto the same 40. For whatsoever is outward whether it be man or beast and whatsoever is to be seen heard or felt how fair good holy or wise soever it seemeth to be must certainly every whit so far forth as it standeth in his right degree d 1 Cor. 15 Eph. 1. Heb. 2. be subdued under the only God and his love 41. This same verily should the man once consider and understand to the intent he might once be delivered and rid of his foolish witchery and of dissention and of whoring with this or that 42. Therefore let no man be tied or bound to the lusts of whoredome with any outward thing but give all his respect to that God e 1 Cor. 15 which is all in all and inwardly in his mind let him take heed to the upright life which is godly holy and good that he may bear the Image or like being of his God f 1 Cor. 15 for as we have borne the image of the earthly so shall we also in like manner bear the image of the heavenly to the land and praise of the glory of God 43. Loe thereunto is my testimony namely that the upright life is the life of the upright Fathers which served and worshipped the invisible great g Deut. 4.5.6 c. and almighty God only who still was God in Israel and in Israel also wrought wonderfully who is h Exod. 3. Mat. 22. che God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. 44. Now in that these Tribes of Israel knew the God of heaven as a true God and lived and cleave unto him therefore did they stand free and untied from all the God-services of the Heathenish Sorceries and were unbound from all whorings with outward things 45. To obtain this grace in God that is the Gospell which is through Christ published to the Heathen to the intent they should be released from their foolish bewitched God-services and from all their lusts of whoredome whereby they may with Israel be incorporated into the stock of Abraham and may altogether as one manner of people serve the onely living God in one manner Lawes Statutes and Ordinances even as the second Booke of the Glasse of Righteousnesse maketh mention 46. Therefore O all ye people Nations and Tribes if ye will not consider whereto ye are called of the God of heaven through the seed of Abraham according to the promises neither do regard your heavenly calling aright in her degree nor give your selves over thereunto nor feare Abrahams God nor love his Lawes and Ordinances but do build upon another foundation i Eph. 2 then surely shall ye be banished from God and from the Citizenship of Israel and be constrained to serve vaine things k Deut. â—â— and to keep such Ordinances as you doe not know 47. That same shall intangle your hearts bewitch your understanding and make you bond-servants which indeed we are so long as we willingly remain l Rom. 6 subject to the sin and to the Sorcery of the heathen 48. Therefore take heed to your time and seek God m Esa 55. while he is neare and may be found and while ye have yet space to turn you unto him 49. Let the ungodly n Ezek. 18 forsake his ungodly being and so come to the life through the death of the Crosse of Jesus Christ then shall he live and die no more 50. Let us apply our minds to the same and turn our hearts away from all sensuality of the flesh not only from that which outwardly we look upon but chiefly from the self-minded thoughts which do arise o Sap. 2. Mat. 15. out of our selves and doe tempt or intice us thereunto for to hold our hearts in bondage to the vaine corruptiblenesse which through the works of unbeliefe leadeth away from the living God wherby we may be deprived of the fellowship with God in the Spirit for the unity and p Eph. 2. peace with God the Father in the Spirit for to live one with another in all Loue is the glorious liberty of the children of God whereunto we are called by Jesus Christ 51. Lo this is the stone q Psa 118 1 Pet. 2. which was not allowed of the workmen yet is there r Acts 4. salvation in none other which stone is clean against all sense of the flesh and against all them that are minded only upon the outward therefore of those builders which will themselves act or set up the salvation he is rejected Å¿ Esa 8.28 Mat. 21. and is unto them a stone of stumbling and offence t Psal 118 Mat. 21. and this is a wonderfull worke in our eyes 52. Behold herein we have likewise all sinned and trespassed 53. Therefore it stands us now upon to regard well from the heart the mind of the truth and with humble hearts to pray unto the Lord that he will not punish us for our misdeeds of ignorance u Psa 25 79. Dan. 9. but will thinke upon us according to his mercy and guide our hearts after his will that we might walke in his Ordinances and be named after his Name as our God and Saviour who through the Service of his love maketh our errors knowne unto us and releaseth or maketh us free from all perverse or covered nature of sinne from all arrogancy and haughtinesse of the revolters and from all falshood dissention and deceit which at