The First Chapiter.

VNderstand the A Minde of the1. Cor. 13. c. Perfect and of the Vnperfect· and the Diuersitie of ether-others Seruice / well and rightlie: A Man which hath whollie adioyned and geeuen-ouer himself / with all that which is vnder his Might ⁏as a faithfull Disciple; to the gratious Woord and his Seruice of Loue / and to the Elders of the holie Vnderstanding in the same Woord / for to be obedient thervnto: and e­uenso ⁏in theMath. 19. d. Mark. 8. Luk. 14. Forsaking of himself and of all that which hee hath takē-on and appropriated vnto him; proceedeth-forward and groweth-vp therin obedi­entlie / till vnto the Perfection: and that also the Vnperfect ⁏or That which is in part;1. Cor. 13. b. ceasseth with him / and so is becom of-one-beeing / with the [Page] Loue and her holie Spirit / Such-a-one is then taught / with the seruiceable Woord and through the seruiceable Woorde of the holy Spirit of Loue / toMath. 13. g. the Kingdom of the God of Heauen: and is euenso ledde or brought vnto the euerlasting Perfec­tion / vnto the Kingdom of the God of Heauen ؛the perfect Bewtie (punctel) / and vnto the euerlasting Life / the vpright Righteousnes and Holines.

2. When now then the obedient and beleeuing Man ⁏through the seruiceable Testimonies of the holie Spirit of Loue; is comprehended of the Per­fect· well exercised in the Testimonies of the holie Spirit of Loue· growen-vp to the Elderdom of the godlie Vnderstāding· and taught to the Kingdom of Heauē / So becometh then thesame Man ⁏accor­ding to his Elderdom in the godlie Vnderstanding; ordayned to a Fellow-minister of the Testimonies of the holie Spirit of Loue / seeing that the godlie Testimonies haue ⁏at that tyme; rightlieIohn. 7. e. their Outflowing / from the inward Bodie of thesame Man / to the seruiceablenes of Other-moe which are yeat vnperfect.

B 3. And albeit that the Testimonies of the holie Spirit of Loue / haue their Outflowing and Mi­nistration / from his inward Bodie ⁏out of the Per­fect; among the Vnperfectons / So is notwith­standing / thesame Ministration of the seruiceable Testimonies / yeat also1. Cor. 1 [...]. vnperfect / by y^e Vnperfect­ons / Because ther is a greater and perfecter Bee­ing / taught and required or diligentlie laboured-for with thesame / then ther is by the Vnperfectons / [Page 3] among whom the foresaid Testimonies are mini­stred: namelie / theIohn. 3. a. new Birth in the godlie Loue. Which Loue isCol. 3. b. the Perfection itself.

4. Eauen-thus haue the Seruices of the Testi­monies of the holie Spirit of Loue / their Ministra­tion among the Vnperfectons: and do remoueEphe. 2. c. the Middelwall / which is betwixt the Perfect and the Vnperfectons: and make euenso of Twayne / that it be One. namelye / God and the Man / in one true perfect Beeing of Iesu Christ.

5. And till vnto thesame Perfection / the Serui­ces are ⁏by the Vnperfectons; also vnperfect. But by Those / to whom the Perfection cometh / in their Beleef and Obedience of the Woord / the1. Cor. 13. b. Vnper­fect ceasseth. For the Perfect is than / by the Per­fectons / a liuing Fountaine / wherout the Waters of Life do flowe / and geeue euenso their Refreash­ing ⁏to the Releeuing of the thirstie Soules after the Righteousnes; out of the Testimonies of the holie Spirit of Loue. And the refreashed Partes / assemble them to that one inseperableIohn. 4. b. Fountaine / full of all liuing Waters / which flowe into the euerlasting Life.

6. This liuing Fountaine / full of liuing Wa­ters C ⁏wherof wee speake; is in her-self / a Perfecti­on without any begining or-yet ending / whervnto the seruiceable Testimonies of the holie Spirit of Loue / do bring-men: and wherout all vpright Vertues and Righteousnesses / haue their Origi­nall or Fourth-springing.

7. And the perfect Man ⁏wherof wee speake; [Page] and which is of-one-beeing with the true Perfecti­on / cannot geeue-fourth els-what from him / but all humble and meeke Vertues and Righteousnesses / which flowe out of the Perfection. And thesame Outflowinges / are eauen asEsa. 55. b. Iohn. 7. c. a Water-streame / that flowe [...]h out of a Fountaine / like as the Foun­taine geeueth it fourth.

8. Howbeit / the Water which is so flowen-a­brode / is not the Fountaine itself: but it is an out­flowen Water / which diuideth itself out of y^e Foun­taine: Semblable-wise / so is not that any Perfec­tion / which ⁏to an Instruction & Reformation of the Life; floweth out of y^e Perfectons. For all that which a perfect godded Man speaketh, witnesseth, and teacheth / among the Disciples & Beleeuers of the Woord / are all foregoinge Seruices & Distri­butions / proceeding out of the Perfect / wherwithall the vprightEphe. 4. c. Righteousnes and Holynes of the Perfection / is expressed and held-fourth before the Disciples and Beleeuers of the Woord / for to leade them euenso ⁏through the seruiceable Woord; to the Perfection / wherof ther is spoken / and wher­vnto ther is poynted in the Knowledg / till vnto the Coming of his Appeering.

D 9. Of the which also Sainct Paule hath wit­nessed / wher hee saith: Our Knowledg1. Cor. 13. b. is vnper­fect ⁏or as a Peece-woorke;: as also our Prophecy­ing. But when that which is Perfect / is com / then shall that which is Vnperfect / ceasse.

10. Therof speaketh also Sainct Peter: Wee haue a2. Pet. 1. d. sure propheticall Woord / & yee doo well / in [Page 4] that yee haue a regard on thesame / as on a Light which shyneth in a darke Corner / till that the Daye be com / and that the Morning-dawne arise in your Heartes.

11. In such-sort as a foregoing Light of the sure propheticall Woorde / is also y^e seruiceable Woord of the holie Spirit of Loue / wherwith the Perfec­tion is witnessed and expressed: and thatsame Per­fection / becometh also seene or perceaued ⁏as in a Glasse; in the seruiceable1. Cor. 13. b. 2. Cor. 3. b. Iam. 1. c. Woorde of the holie Spirit of Loue. But in the Appeering of his Com­ing / in godlye Cleernes / it becometh seene of Those to whom thesame appeereth ⁏in his godlye Cleer­nes; from1. Cor. 13. b. Face to Face. That is / out of our co­deified Minde / into the Minde of the liuing God­head. And That is the true Perfection / which be­cometh seene and knowen in the Perfection of our inward Manhod / and wherthrough the Loue is made-manifest / and also liued among Men.

The Second Chapiter.

AS touching this Matier / ther is A much found witnessed in the holieLeuit. 1 [...]. Deut. 6. Mark. 12. Luk. 10. Rom. 13. Scrip­ture / and it is also cleerlie testified / in the seruiceable Woorde4. Spe. [...]2. of the holie Spirit of Loue / that the true Children of God / haue a good [Page] Disposition and Nature: and that they keepe them­selues alwayes therin / vprightlie, graciouslie, and peaceablie / both before God and Man: and that they also are altogether inclyned ⁏before God / and towardes Men; for to walke in all Loue / and to shewfourth all Seruiceablenes / vnder the Obedi­ence of the Loue: and euenso to couer with the Loue / theIam. 5. c. 1. Pet. 4. a. Sinnes of their Neighbour / and to inlardge the Loue ⁏to all Edifying and Peace; in her Seruice: For they are / euen from the Youth vpp of their new Birth / exercised in all Weldooing and Loue. for that cause also / they cannot bring-fourth any-thing-els / but all Good and Loue.

2. For the true holie Spirit of Loue ⁏wherwith­all they are sealed; leadeth them into allIohn. 13. 14. 16. 1. Iohn. 3. Trueth of the vpright Life: and manifesteth euenso in them / the vpright Woo [...]es of Loue. And they2. Cor. 4. b. beare thesame cosilie Treasure in earthen Vessels / to the Lande and Honour of the almightie God: and are euenso of-one-minde with the three godlie Witnes­ses / that beare-witnes in Heauen.

B 3. Of which three godlieIohn. 4. Witnesses / the one is the Loue / which is God the Father himself. The second Witnes / is theIohn. 14. 17. Trueth / which is the Woord of God the Father / and IESVS CHRIST himself. And the third Witnes / is the holie Spirit of Loue or of God / and of the Trueth of Iesu Christ, which is the euerlasting Life / and the Inheritaunce of all spirituall and heauenlie Goods.

4. And thatsame euerlasting Life / together with the spirituall and heauenlie Goods / and euerlasting [Page 5] Ioye / becometh reuealed and brought vnto Them that are borne out of God / in the heauenlie Beeing: and therthrough / they haue their fellowship with God / the Father / with his Sonne / the Lorde Iesus Christ, and with the Holie-gost of Loue / wherout they witnes and declare / the greatAct. 2. Actes of God / and the Saluation of all Men.

5. Those now that knowe thissame / and receaue it in the heauenlie Beeing / their Testimonies are true. For they witnes That / which they haue seene in the Godhead / and1. Iohn. 1. heard in the Heauen. And That is the holie Spirit which witnesseth with them: for the perfect Godhead / liueth and dwelleth in them.

6. For-that-cause also / the Children of Loue or C of God / are the true1. Cor. 3. b. 2. Cor. 6. c. Heb. 3. a. Temple of the liuing God / wherin God with his Christ and holie Spirit / dwelleth: and wherthrough they expresse their good Nature and Beeing / among all Men / euen as ther is saide. And in such-sort / the liuing God is their God / and They hisApo. 21. a. elected People: in whose Temple / ther is no Idoll / but alone the liuing God of Israel: nether is-ther also any Idolatry-seruice ministred theare. but alone the Ministrati­on of Iesu Christ / with the spirituall heauenlie Goods of his holie Spirit of Loue.

The Thirde Chapiter.

[Page] A THer is noman that beleeueth right­lie in Christ, but Such with whom Christ is remayning or present / or which assem­ble them to Him and his Doctrine / in his Name / and so becom his Disciples. (Therfore is all the Faith / that Men ⁏without the Assembling vnto Iesus Christ and his Doctrine; assume or take-on of Christ ⁏whether it be then out of the I­magination of the Knowledge· out of the Good­thinking of the Heart· or out of the Text or Letter; no Faith in Iesu Christ / that extendeth to the In­heritaunce of Christ / in the eternall Life.) Ne­ther-yet is-ther also anyman / that preacheth or teacheth the Woord or the Doctrine of Christ, but Such as haue first ben obedient Disciples of the Woord and of the Doctrine of Iesu Christ. and euenso ⁏vnder the Obedience of the Loue of Christ; areMath. 13. g. taught to the Kingdom of Heauen: and in whom Christ Gal. 4. c. hath then likewise his Shape.

2. For that cause / they all which haue not right­lie beleeued in Iesu Christ / haue missed the eternall Life / as also the liuing Waters / wherof the Scrip­ture maketh-mention / touching the Beleeuers in Christ, like-as ther standeth writen: WhosoIohn. 7. c. be­leeueth in Mee (saith CHRIST) as the Scrip­ture saith / from his Bodie shall flowe Riuers of liuing Water. Which liuing Waters / serue to the PurgingEzec. 36. c. of y^• Heart or inward Minde / the which the vnilluminated Scripture-learned and vnsent Preachers / haue neuer out of the Letter ⁏albeit that they testified thesame / and administred it / ac­cording [Page 6] to their Goodthinking; obtayned or could attaine vnto. For inasmuch as they turned them not about to theMath. 18. childish Simplicitie / so hath also the4. Esdr. 1. c. wicked Nature ؛that Contrary-minde to God (punctel) remained euer with them.

3. But the Woord of the vpright Doctrine of B Iesu Christ / that seruiceablie is administred ⁏speak­ablie or in Letters; out of the Loue / and out of the Light of Life / is trulie the vpright and safe-making Water or Doctrine / to the Purging of the belee­uing and obedient Heartes of thesame Woord: For Christ the Sauiour / is present in thesame Seruice.

4. For-that-cause thesame seruiceable Woord ⁏which is administred speakablie or in Letters / out of the Loue and out of y^• true Light and euerlasting Life; is also2. Cor. 5. d. Christ after y^• Fleash: and so Many as beleeue thesame Woord / and assemble them obedientlie thervnto / haue their communion with Christ after the Fleash.

5. For euenso / among the Beleeuers of the Woorde / the Woorde became Fleash / andIohn. 1. b. dwel­led among them: and Iesus Christ was also in such-sort borne vnto them of the Virgin Marie / out of theRom. 1. [...]. 2. Tim. 2. b. Seede of Dauid after the Fleash [that is / of the pure Doctrine / out of the Seede of the Loue. which beareth euenso without woo or greef:] And whosoeuer then receaueth or feedeth-of the outflowen Woord and his Life ⁏beleeuinglie; in his Soule / HeeIohn. 6. eateth trulie the Fleash of Christ, & drinketh his Bloud: and is raysed-vp by Christ / in the last Day / to the eternall Life: and becometh [Page] euenso in his new Birth / consubstanciated with Christ after the Spirit. And Those thatIohn. 3. c. 6. f beleeue euen-so in Christ / haue the eternall Life.

C 6. IF wee now ⁏with whole Heart; beleeue thus in Christ, and becomRom. 6. implanted into Him / so feele wee then also most-trulie / that Christ ؛the Woorde of Life (punctel) 1. Pet. 2. d. beareth in vs our Sinnes / and suffereth for our Sinnes cause: wher­through wee also are inclyned for to suffer with Him / and ⁏to theRom. 6. a. Col. 2. b. Burying of our Sinnes; to fol­low-after Him / euen vnto his Buryall: and so wee becom Part-takers of the Passion of Christ, as al­so after thesame / of hisPhil. 3. b. Resurrection & euerlast­ing Life.

7. In such-sort verelie / wee knowe or vnder­stand in the Beleef and Obedience of the Woord / how that the Woord or Christ /Iohn. 1. c. beareth our Sinnes / together with all our Frailtie and Ig­noraunce: and how that likewise for that cause / the Elders in thesame Woord / take-vpp in Grace or Mercie / all the Sinnes / Weaknes / and Igno­raunce of the Beleeuers of the Woord / and couer thesame with their Loue / vnder the Obedience of the same Woorde and his Doctrine. For in such-sort do the Elders and Ministers of the Woord ⁏in their Seruice prepare and kindle the trespasIer. 33. [...]. Offer­i [...]g of the Beleeuers of the Woorde / on the Altar in the Holie of Christ ⁏ether Beleef of the Woord; to a Burnt-offering of a sweete Sauour / before the Lorde.

8. And the Accomplishing of thesame Offer­ing [Page 7] / is the Puri [...]ying of our Heartes / from all sin­full Beeing. And thatsame is the true Gods-seruice in the Spirit / wherin wee1. Pet. 2. 4. [...]. followe-after Christ in the like PassionRom. 6. a. or Death of his Crosse [that is / in his like Contempt or Dispising] the which is the true Furnace of Humiliation / wherthrough our Sinnes are consumed-to-nothing.

9. When now the Seruice of the Woord and D the Obedience of thesame / hath had in such-sort ⁏in the Beleef & Crosse of Christ; his full Course with vs / so departeth then the2. Cor. 3. d. Heb. 10. d. Vayle ⁏which is the Fleash of Christ; from our Heartes: and Christ after the Spirit / cometh vnto vs in Glorie: And Hee is ⁏euen as the right High-priest; aHeb. 3. 4. 7. Mi­nister of the spirituall and heauenlie Goods / in vs: and wee inherit euenso all thosesame / through Iesus Christ after the Spirit.

10. But till vnto thesame Tyme of the Com­ing of Christ after the Spirit / in his Glorie / so is vnto vs Christ after the Fleash / a Minister of the Circumcision ⁏that is / in the Laying-away of the Synne; for Gods Trueth-his cause / and for to establishRom. 15. b. the Promises made to the Fathers / and so to procreate in vs ⁏out of the Beleef; the euerlas [...] ­ing and true Heyre / in the Establishing of the Pro­mises of God the Father: and also-for that the Seruantship of the Lawe / should be noGal. 3. c. Heyre with the Beleeuers.

11. And That was the Complaint of Abra­ham, which hee ⁏ereuer hee had a Sonne or an Heyre; complayned before the Lorde / that hee had [Page] obtayned noGen. 15. a. Seede out of the Beleef / and suppo­sed euenso / that his Seruant [that is / the Ser­uantship out of the Lawe] should be his Heyre. But the Lorde said vnto him: Not so / thy Ser­uant shall not be thyne Heyre. but the Sonne which shall be borne out of thee: That is / out of the Faith of Abraham.

E 12. But so-long as the Heyre is yeat [...]al. 4. a. younge / or first new borne by the Beleeuers of the Woord / and that also the Beleeuers are yeat younge or small in the heauenlie Vnderstanding / by Him: and euenso ⁏as goodwilling Seruantes to the O­bedience of their Lorde; haue a Lust ⁏according to the Requiring of the seruiceable Woord; to doo the Will of the Lorde / So is-ther not any diffe­rence made / betwixt the Heyre and the Seruant: but they stand both-alike vnder the Seruices of the gratious Woorde of y^• Lorde ⁏as vnder Tutours; till vnto theGal. 4. [...]. appointed Time of the Father. In such like-sort is it also with all them / which beleeue the gratious Woord in his Seruice of Loue / and haue a Lust ⁏according to the Requiring of the ser­uiceable Woord; to doo the Lord-his Will. For as long as the Beleeuers of the Woord / are yeat younge or childish in the Procreation of the Seede of the Promise / that becometh borne in them / out of the Beleef of the Woorde: and are not yeat growen-vpp to theEphe. 4. b. [...]lderdom of the perfect Bee­ing of the Woord [which is the appointedGal. 4. a. Time of the Father / ouer all Beleeuers of the Woord] so stand they yeat (although they beleeue) vnder [Page 8] the Ordinaunce of the Lorde or his Woord. Not therfore that they should alwayes remaine / as subiect thervnder. but vnto the appointed Time / to-wit / til-vnto the manlie Olde-aige in the godlie Vnderstanding of y^• holie Woord / as ther is said: That is / till that the Sinnes be subdued. and that they euenso ⁏through the Lawe; beRom. 7. [...]. Gal. 2. d. dead vnto the Lawe· and taught to the Kingdom of Heauen / and haue attayned ⁏in the Life of the Woord; to the appointed Time of theEph [...]. 4. b. manlie Olde-aige.

13. And euenso on the Promise of y^• euerlasting Life ⁏out of the Ministration of the holie & grati­ous Woord vnder the Obedience of the Loue; may well all the Beleeuers of y^• Woord ⁏with Ioye / in the Hope of the euerlasting Life; geeue-ouer them­selues whollie in theRom. [...]. Death of Christ: and so let themselues be baptised or wasshed ⁏with the out­flowing safe-making Waters of Christ; in the Death of Christ: For euenso ⁏in thesame Death; the Sinne ceasseth: and to becom borne-anew ther­out / all vpright Beleeuers receaue ⁏in the Faith of Christ; the euerlasting Life. It is very-true.

The IIII. Chapiter.

[Page] A OH / That [...]ee all beleeued aright on the gratious Woord and his Seruice of Loue / and through the Ministration of the gratious Woord / sawe rightlie into theMath. 7. b. small Waye / wher-thorowe yee ought to goe vnto the Life / or are deptours for to passe-thorowe thesame / So could yee not then verelie but be mo­ued with great compassion towardes your Neigh­bour / which falleth into any Sinne / and not ⁏in a­nye-case; wax-offended at his Fall / nor at his Frailtie: butRom. 15. a. Gal. 6. a. 1. Tess. 5. b. beare and haue-sufferaunce with him / and infourme him with all Loue & Discreet­nes: like-as if yee sawe any-man fall into the Wa­ter / and had such Compassion and Loue towardes him / that yee would rather fall therin with him ea­uen vp to the Throte ⁏for to helpe him therout; then that yee should let him perrish. For euenso ⁏to the Preseruation of your Neighbour; ought also all your Loue / to be towardes your Neighbour: and so to infourme each-other / with Discreetnes / and not to take- [...]ffence one at an-other of you / much-lesse to blame one-another / or yet to beare Hate or Enuie / or any Euel-conceauing towardes anyman / ether yet to vpbraide him with his Sin­nes / or to construe them to the worst / ether to speake of them behinde him: but to lay it all downe vnder the Loue / and to couer it with y^• Loue: For the Loue ⁏doubtles;Pro. 10. b. 1. Pet. 4. b. Iam. 5. c. couereth the Multitude of Sinnes.

2. Beholde / with such Grace and Discreet-deal­ing / or with such a beneuolent Heart of Loue ⁏to your Preseruation / in the Beleef of the Woorde / [Page 9] and to the Couering of your Sinnes; are yee all presentlie ⁏with the gracious Testimonies of the holie Spirit of Loue; infourmed by the Lorde / and by the Ministers of his Woord / and also loued to the Righteousnes of the Life.

3. Seeing then that yee are loued and infour­med B in such-sort / by the Lorde / and by the Mini­sters of his Woord / to the good Life of the vp­right Righteousnes: and that y^• Seruice of Loue / doth also require the-like of you all / So ought yee not therfore to imagen or conceaue any Euell ⁏in This or in That; ouer your Neighbour / nor to vpbraide him with any Euell / toRom. 2. a. blame nor to slaunder him / nor yet to spread-fourth his Sinnes among each-other / much-les then among y^• Straun­gers: but to couer alwayes y^• Faultes and Weak­nes of your Neighbour / so much as yee are able. Yet notwithstanding / let eueryonePro. 28. b. Eccli. 4. 17. confesse his Sinnes ⁏wherin hee falleth; before his Elder in the holie Vnderstanding / and make-manifest before him / all his Dealing and Conuersation: and also that the-one do exhort the-other thervnto.

4. If yee now see or perceaue / that your Neigh­bour hathGal. 6. a. don-amisse in any-maner of thing: or that hee is heerin or therin ⁏touching that which concerneth the outward or inward Righteousnes; weake or infirme / and so sinneth against any Righ­teousnes: and that thesame mought be to his De­struction / or to an Estraunging from the Seruice of Loue & his Concorde / So shall yee then warne him therof in stilnes / and with theLeui. 19. b. Eccli. 19. b. Math. 18. b. 1. Pet. 4. b. Loue ⁏wher­with [Page] the Lorde and his Ministers loue you; couer his Sinnes / andEphe. 4. b. shewe Mercie towardes him: and that altogether / to Concorde and Loue among each-other.

5. And euen-thus after such a Patron or Ex­ample / shall yee haue your conuersation in y^e Loue / with each-other / vnto Godlynes: and all the Loue and Goodnes which yee wolde shouldLeuit. 19. Rom. 13. chaunce / or be shewed vnto you by your Neighbour / that shall yee likewise shewe alwayes towardes your Neighbour.

C 6. BEholde / Such is the Seruice of Loue / which the right Children and Disciples of the Loue of Iesu Christ / vse among each-other. For the2. Pet. 1. a. Loue dealeth in such-sort with them: and euenso deale also the Elders in their Seruice / with the Communialtie of the Famelie of the Loue of Iesu Christ. For if the Elders in the Seruice of the Loue of Iesu Christ / chaunce to perceaue by anyone of the Communialtie / that hee enterprised any-thing / wherby hee mought be in daunger of his Destruction / or which mought happelie cause him to be estraunged from the Way to the good Life / so are they then very sorrowfull for such-aone / and seeke or vse ⁏through the Testimonies of the holie Spirit of Loue; all-maner of Meanes / wher­with they mought so preuent and infourme him / that hee may be preserued from his Destruction: and they admonish him so louelie and discreetlie as they are able / or so much as is necessarie for him ther-vnto.

[Page 10]7. For they see and perceaue / that if they should let him runne-fourth therin without any warning / and not assist him with reached fourth-hand / that great Infelicitie and Miserie mought then light-vpon him· and the terrible condemnable Beeing catch or fall-ouer him.

8. BEholde / eauen-thus with such a Loue / D ought wee also to deale and behaue our­selues one towardes another / if wee desire to be right Disciples of the Woorde / and to accomplish the Requiring of the Seruice of Loue. But ⁏oh a­las; wee perceaue presentlie / among the most part of People / that this Loue (for that the Iniquitie hath euery-wheare gotten the Dominion) is by Many / vtterlieMath. 24. a. waxen-colde: For if anyman now see or perceaue anything in his Brother / that hee liueth not ⁏in all; perfectlie / according to his outwarde Eye / so hath hee then a Lothsonnes in him / and taking-offence at him / hee blaspheameth and accuseth him / and maketh his Sinnes or Transgressing manifest / among other-moe / or-els hee seperateth himself from hym.

9. But yee ⁏yee Deerlie-beloued; shall not so doo / in the Seruice of the Loue: but shall stand redie to helpe your Brother / with all Loue and Resonablenes / and exhort him to Amendment / and take the Burden of his Sinnes vpon you / as your owne Fault or Sinnes: and euenso ⁏for to ridde him out of the Burden of his Sinnes; helpe toCal. 6. a. beare his Burden. Yea / This is the right Loue / whervnto yee are exhorted in the Seruice of [Page] Loue: and also that yee are deptour ⁏ [...] shew [...]fourth thesame Loue and such a kinde or beneuolent Heart / towardes one-another of you.

The V. Chapiter.

A WHen-as the Man is assaulied with any Temptation (be it then with anything whatsoeuer it be) / so groweth hee therthrough to perceaue / how firme / vnmoueable / or stedfast hee standeth comprehended in the Requiring of the gracious Woord: and in what Beeing (whether it be mutable or immu­table) hee liueth and walketh.

2. If hee then ⁏in his Assaulting; haue a right consideration on the gracious Woorde of the holie Spirit of Loue / and on the Seruice of his Requi­ring / so shall hee then likewise rightlie perceaue and vnderstand / to what-maner of good Beeing that the gracious Woord requireth him / and with his Seruice / biddeth him for to com (whervnto hee is alsoGen. 1. c. Sap. 2. c. Eccli. 17. a. created by God· and called through Christ and his holie Spirit of Loue.) And hauing now seene-into thesame / so shall hee then likewise verelie ⁏in Prayer vnto his God; suffer-out y^e Assaulting goodwillinglie / and geeue God thankes for his [Page 11] Grace / which Hee ⁏in these last Dayes; extendeth on the Children of Men / in that HeeEphe. 2. 2. rayseth-vpp vs ⁏which laye vtterlie smothered in the Death and Damnation; through his Loue / and calleth vs so graciouslie vnto him / in his godlie Beeing.

3. For euenso in the Temptation / the Man can well finde-out / on what Place hee standeth: and also perceaue / how farre-wyde hee yeat is from the God of Life· and from his louelie Beeing / which ought to haue his Dominion in him. and not / that wicked vngodlie Beeing / which hath raigned ouer him.

4. And when now the Man ⁏in his Tempta­tion; B perceaueth and seeth-into thissame / so shall hee thenIam. 5. b. shew-fourth Pacience against the Assaul­ting which so meeteth him / till that hee ⁏in the O­bedience of the Woorde; haue plucked-on a Stron­ger / which subdueth the vngodlie Beeing of the E­nemies of God / and vtterlie rooteth them out: For such a Grace receaue they all which heare and beleeue the gracious Woord of the holie Spirit of Loue / in his Seruice and Requiring / and are obedient to thesame.

5. Therfore ought wee not to afflict ourselues with ouer-much heauynes / when-as the Iniqui­tie is stirred vpp in vs / in the tyme of our Tempta­tion. but consider therthrough / how whollie that wee ⁏in the Estraunging from our God; haue ben incorporated into the vngodlie Beeing: and so then to thanke God / for that Hee ⁏through the seruice­able Woord of his Loue; riddeth or leadeth vs [Page] Vnworthyons therout / andIohn. 15. b. Col. 1. a. planteth vs againe in his godlie Beeing / for to bring-fourth the Fru­tes of Righteousnes.

6. When wee now see thus into all thissame / and thanke God for his Grace / so are wee strength­ned in our Hope / vnto Pacience: and weePhil. 3. c. 1. Tess. 1. c. wayte euenso on Him / which is our Saluation / and which also is stronger then wee are / for that wee mought euenso ⁏with Meeknes and stedfast Mindes; be implanted into him / & so vanquish the Iniquitie with Him. For with our owne Power / wee are able to doo nothing against the Iniquitie / as throughlie to vanquish thesame / or vtterlie to destroy it. And therfore ought wee alwayes ⁏vn­der the Obedience of the Woord; toEsa. 59. c. Rom. 11. d. hope on the Appeering and Coming of that Strongone / which remoueth the vngodlie Beeing from vs / according to the Promises.

C 7. Heere-on may the goodwilling Man to the Righteousnes / take a good courraige / and trust and hope stedfastlie theron. For when-as the Man once plucketh-on his Sauiour / which is stronger then the Iniquitie that hath raigned ouer him or held him in subiection / then shall theMath. 1 [...]. c. Luk. 11. c. Col. 2. b. Stronger / vanquish the Euell ⁏which had plucked vs on fo [...] a certen season; and keepe the Victorie ther-against. Therfore shall our Hope ⁏in all our Assaulting; rest alwayes grounded theron / till that Hee becom / which isAbac. 2. a. Heb. 10. d. for to com / according to the Pro­mises.

8. And although now that wee ⁏in our Assaul­ting; [Page 12] feele our Feeblenes against the Iniquitie / yet shall wee not for-all-that / doubt of the Coming of our Saluation: but laude and thanke God / and acknowledg that it is meere Grace / that wee so Insee / Rom. 7. b. 2. Cor. 12. b. feele and perceaue our Weaknes / through the Requiring of the gracious Woord / which al­wayes requireth ⁏against the Assaulting to the Iniquitie; the vpright Righteousnes of vs: And euenso with sighing Heartes / say before God:

9. O Lorde / I haue a Lust ⁏euen with my whole Heart; to accomplish the Requiring of thy gracious Woord: but the Iniquitie wher-into I am incorporated / isMath. 12. [...]. Luk. 11. c. stronger then I am: and thesame holdeth mee captiue ⁏with Violence; a­gainst my Will: in such-sort / that I ⁏O God; cannot accomplish / that which thy Woord requi­reth. Therfore ⁏O God; I hope in Pacience / on the Coming of thy Saluation / which shall vt­terlieRom. 16. c. tread-downe the Iniquitie ⁏in my Minde; vnder thy Feete· and take-in and beare the Domi­nion therouer / for to purifie euenso my Heart ⁏O God; to thy Dwelling.

10. THerfore / wee ought in all our Fourth­going / D to consider well on the Requi­ring of the Woord. For verely / a Man that is vnfree or aIohn. 8. d. Rom. 6. c. 2. Pet. 2. b. Seruant of the Sinne / ought not to seeke nor-yet take-on any Freedom vnto him / in y^• Sinne: for thesame should then be altogether false.

11. For although that the Man seeke often­times / to be vnbound or made-free from This or That / yet seeketh hee not thesame oftentimes / for☜ [Page] to be than a Seruant or Minister of the Lorde / nor-yet for the Lord-his Righteousnes cause: but for to liue at-peace / after his-owne Will· and ac­cording to the Mindes of his Fleash. And al­though now the Man doth som-tymes take-on such-thinges to himself / or that hee obtayneth such a false Freedom or Peace / yet is hee notwithstand­ing not free. but much-more a Seruant of hys owne Mindes: and bydeth neuerthelesse in Cap­tiuitie or Bondship.

12. When-as wee now see-into all this / accor­ding to the Trueth / so ought wee onlie to seeke after the vprightIohn. [...]. c. Freedom of the Children of God / which is required out of the Woord of the Lorde. And when wee then ⁏at any time; perceaue / that wee are not ⁏according to the Requiring of the Lord-his Woord; rightlie made-free / but rest yeat bound or owned / on our Mindes or Opinions / So shall wee not then seeke any other thing ther-against / but to becom Seruantes or Ministers of the Lorde / for to serue the Lorde / and to be altoge­ther obedient / to the Requiring of his gracious Woorde and Seruice of Loue.

E 13. If wee then becom in such-sortRom. 6. b. Seruantes or Ministers of the Lorde / so shall the Lorde like­wise ⁏in theIohn. 8. d. Obedience of the Requiring of his Woord; bring vnto vs the vpright Freedom of the Children of God. Therfore ought wee not to hunt-after any Freedom / according to our owne Mindes: but first to applie vs dilligentli ⁏ / to the Woorke of the Lorde / and to shewe Obedience [Page 13] vnto the Requiring of his Woord / for to becom euenso Seruantes of the Lorde: and not to seeke els-what in the Seruice of his Woord / but to humble vs with whole Heart / vnder the Requi­ring of his Woorde.

14. When wee then are thus the Lord-his Ser­uantes / so shall the Lorde also ⁏in thesame good-willing Obedience to the Doctrine of his Woord; reueale or declare the Trueth of his Christ vnto vs: and thesameIohn. [...]. Trueth shall make vs rightlie free / and release vs out of all Bondshipping: In such-sort / that wee shall then sett ourselues / with all That which is the Lordes ⁏as submitted; vn­der the Lorde· and vnder the Seruice of his holie Woorde of the godlie Loue / for to liue euenso with all the Children of God and Christ / in the vpright godlie Freedom / and to serue onlie the liuing God / inLuk. 1. [...]. vpright Righteousnes and Holynes.

The VI. Chapiter.

NOman ascendeth vnto Heauen / A but hee whichIohn. [...]. b. Ephe. 4. a. cometh or descendeth from Heauen. The which figureth-fourth vnto vs in Cleernes / that the earthlie Fleash and Bloud / cannot ascend to Heauen / in-as-much as it is not of the Heauen / but of the Earth. But the holie Beeing of God / which God the Father [Page] ⁏out of his holie Heauen; hath grounded or set [...] ⁏from the Begining; in the Manhod / and is in vs ⁏for our Sinnes cause; becom mortall / hath the sure Promises / to risevpp againe in immortall Glorie: and that thesame shall reach / from the Man on the Earth / eauen vnto God / in the Hea­uen / for to make-knowen ⁏out of the Heauen; vn­to the Man / on the Earth / the heauenlie Goods / and to bring thesame vnto him / out of the Heauen / and therto / the eternall Life.

2. And That is it wherof Paule hath also wit­nessed in tymes-past / wher hee sayth:1. Cor. 15. f. When the Mortall hath putt-on the Immortalitie / then shall the Death be destroyed in Victorie.

3. Verelie / the Mortall ⁏wherof Paule wit­nesseth; is not any Creature of the earthlie Fleash and Bloud: but it is the liuing Woord or Beeing of God / which inGen. 1. the Begining / was immortall in the Manhod / and is in vs ⁏for our Sinnes cause; becom mortall. For thatsame ⁏so-long as the Sinne hath the Victorie in vs; is in vs / as One dead: And although it beareth our Sinnes / and purgeth or maketh vs safe from the Sinne / yet haue wee not soEsa. 53. b. Act. 8. c. esteemed it. but accounted it as if it were nothing. The which wee may also right easelie perceaue euenso in vs / so longe as we rest subiect to the Sinne. For if yee seeke in your in­ward sinfull Manhod / the good and heauenlie Beeing of God / and y^e vpright Vertue and Righ­teousnes / so finde yee not thesameRom. 7. c. liuing in you. but ratherGen. 6. c. all Iniquitie / and all wicked Inclinations.

[Page 14]4. When wee then see-into thissame / so must B wee needes acknowledg / that the heauenlie Beeing of God· and God-his vpright Righteousnes / is becom mortall in vs: but yet not for-euer / but for a certen season / till that the Man shew-fourth vp­right FrutesMath. [...]. Luk. [...]. of Repentaunce / against his Sin­nes and sinfull Lustes / and that God euenso raise­vpp his godlie Beeing / in the Man / and that his Glorie becom great eauen vnto the Heauen.

5. Yea / euen than at thesame tyme / shall the Mortall putt-on againe the Immortalitie / and the DeathEsa. 25. b. 1. Cor. 15. c. shall be swallowed-vpp / in Victorie. And thatsame heauenlie Beeing of God / shall as­cend vnto Heauen / and yet notwithstanding re­maine still conformeablie-vnyted with the Man / euenlike as it came from Heauen: and the Man shall then likewise bide euerlastinglie / one Soule and one Bodie with thesame / and be alwayes with his Spirit / wher God and his Christ is. It is very-true.

6. OH / That the Man vnderstoode the vp­right C Glorie / whervnto hee isGen. 1. c. Sap. 1. 2. c. Eccli. 17. a. created by God / and also called through Christ! so should then all earthlie Thinges be esteemed of him for no worthyer / then if they were Durt. Yea / although the whole Earth ⁏eauen vnto the Heauen; were couered with Golde / yet were it all no-more / to be compared to the godlie Beeing and his vpright Righteousnes / then an Handfull of Chaffe / to a great Heape of good Wheate.

7. Beholde / this costlie heauenlie1. Cor. 4. a. Treasure / [Page] is hid in the Man / and becometh presentlie raysed­vpp in the Man / in the Obedience of the Seruice of Loue. Thesame becometh now likewise ⁏out of the Seruice of Loue; distinctlie declared and expres­sed among Many: and yet how Fewe are-ther that rightlie meditate or seeke-after thesame.

8. OH ⁏alas; How exceedinglie doth the Man oftentymes afflict himself with sorrowe / for a little Losse of the earthlie thinges / and lamēteth thesame Damaige al-to-much [which notwithstanding is no-more worthye / to be com­pared to the Damaige of the vpright Righteous­nes and heauenlie Goods / then the Losse of an Handfull of Chaffe / to the Losse of an hundred Quarters of Wheate.] But for the most-great Losse ⁏as that hee misseth / and findeth not in him / the vpright Righteousnes· the liuing Woorde of God the Father· and the Mercifulnes of the vp­right Beeing of Iesu Christ; hee doth not once la­ment / or ⁏at lest-wise; very-little! Oh / what a lamentable Miserie is it / to haue such an Igno­raunce!

D 9. Whilst now therfore the Man is thus ig­noraunt / and perceaueth nor knoweth not / his De­fection orEsa. 5 [...]. b. Estraunging from God & his Woord / so can not hee likewise ⁏although hee would neuer-so-faine; turne him againe rightlie vnto God. For like as the good Beeing of God ⁏through the Dis­obedience to the Woord of God and his Doctrine; is becom as dead or mortall in vs / eauen so dead must likewise the Man ⁏through the Obedience to [Page 15] the Woord of God and his Doctrine; he with the good Beeing of God / if hee will beEphe. [...]. [...]. raised-vp with thesame / to the Life of Righteousnes. For euenso ⁏in the Death of the olde Man of Sinne; doth the good Beeing of God2. Cor. 4. b. arise in the Man / and standeth-vpp / to his Glorie / and then likewise with him / the Man. Wherin also then the Man inheriteth all spirituall and heauenlie Goods / and therto the eternall Life. It is very-ture.

The VII. Chapiter.

WHen the Man will prepare or in­deuour A himself to the christian Battaile, for to accomplish the Requiring of the gracious Woord and his Doctrine / so shall hee then / in the Doctrine of the Seruice of Loue / Ephe. 6. putt on him the Armour of Christ, and let himself be made-fast on the Pacience: and all that which dwelleth or is borne in him ⁏that hath also a Lust with him to the Battaile; shall hee in like-ma­ner arme therto / eauen as himself: and so then pursueGen. 14. d. and fall-vpon his Enemies / and vtterlie roote them out.

2. When the Man hath now in such-sort ⁏as a goodwilling and valiant Souldier of Iesu Christ; orderlie attempted the Battaile / and ⁏in the christi­an2. Tim. 2. [...]. Battaile; vanquished all his Enemies / with the Pacience of Christ, so cometh then vnto him [Page] the High-priest of Righteousnes (like as the High-priest Melchisedech, Gen. 14. d. came vnto Abraham, when hee had vanquished his Enemies:) For in the Vanquishing of our Enemies / ther appeereth vnto vs theHeb. [...]. c. High-priest Christ, which cometh vnto vs out of the heauenlie Beeing / and bringeth vs the heauenlie Foode of the euerlasting Life / and the Riches of the spirituall and heauenlie Goods.

B 3. Therfore ought wee daylie ⁏in the Battaile of our Temptation; toMath. 16. c. Luk. 9. c. takevp our Crosse / against our Enemies / and to followe-after our Lorde Iesus Christ / in his Passe-ouer / vntill that all our Ene­mies be destroyed and vanquished / through the Crosse / and that wee euenso haue accomplished the true Godseruice / in the Holie· or ben obedient vnto the Ende / to-wit / euen vnto the Death of the Sinne.

4. For the Obedience of the true Godseruice of Iesu Christ / till vnto theRom. 6. a. Phil. 2. a. Death of the Crosse / is the Vanquishing of the Enemies of the Life / and the Accomplishing of the daylie Godseruice / in the Holie. After which Accomplishing of thesame God­seruice / in the Holie / Heb. 7. [...]. cometh y^e High-priest Christ, and appeereth in the Most-holie: and erecteth euen­so the1. Cor. 13. c. Perfection in vs.

5. Beholde / in this Obedience of God the Fa­ther ⁏to the Accomplishing of the Godseruice in the Holie; is Christ Heb. 6. 9. b. gon before vs / and hath ben obedient to his Father / euen to the Death. name­lie / to theRom. 6. a. Phil. 2. a. Death of the Crosse / wherin hee hath found the Purging of the Sinne / to our Safe-ma­king / to thend that wee should1. Pet. 2. 4. a followe-after Him / [Page 16] in thesame Way / to the Purging of our Sinnes / for to inherit euenso with him, the euerlasting Life.

6. Verelie / to shew-fourth thissame Obedience / C in the Seruice of the Loue / and to stand ⁏in Low­lynes of Heart; submitted vnder the seruiceable Woord of the Lorde / as also to haue a Lust with whole Heart / to doo his Will / is the vpright Wis­dom which reacheth to the holie Vnderstanding: and thesame is the Wisdom / which ingendreth the Peace in the Righteousnes: for the which also3. Reg. 3. b. 2. Pa [...]. 1. b. Sa­lomon prayed.

7. Therfore / applie yourselues now obedientlie· to this gracious Woord of the godlie Wisdom / which is presentlie ⁏euen in thissame Day;1. Pet. 1. b. admini­stred vnto you / and turne not away yourselues in anywise therform / through Vnbeleef / that yee be not vanquished by the Iniquitie· nether-yet whollie lyke vnto y^• Iniquitie / in her Nature. For the Vn­beleeuers and Resisters or Blaspheamers of this Woord and Light of Life / together with all such as ⁏according to the Nature of the Iniquitie; becom of­fended therat· or at the Ministers of thesame / shall increase fourth-and-fourth ⁏if they repent not; in the Iniquitie / vntill that they be vtterlie2. Tim. [...]. b. deliue­red-ouer to the Iniquitie· becom of-one-beeing with thesame· and their Heartes hardened.

The VIII. Chapiter.

A THe whole outwarde World / is very-great and vnmeasurable: and how great and vnmeasurable soeuer thesame is / yet is notwithstāding the inward World ⁏without comparison; much greater / inwardlie in vs.

2. Wee cannot likewise so conceaue in our Thoughtes, of the outward Heauen ⁏which in­compasseth the whole outward World; to be so great, glorious, and bewtifull / but that the inward Heauen ⁏wherin GodEsa. 66. a. Act. 7. f. with his Christ and Ho­ly-gost / and with all his Holy [...]ns / dwelleth and liueth essentiallie; is far-away much greater and gloriouser / and much bewtifuller of Cleernes and Garnishing.

3. Oh / That the Man could once conceaue or insee / what singuler pure Bewties and Riches of God / are to be beholden and inherited in the true heauenlie Beeing: and also perceaued that hee were seduced with the Spirites of Errour whichEphe. [...]. a. raigne in the Ayre / and with the Imagination of his Knowledge / therfrom· and so degenerated or estraunged ⁏ther-without; touching thesame! So were it not then possible that hee could reioyce him / in that case of his Estraunging from thesame / ne­ther yet in any-wise be at-quiet / before that hee were com thervnto againe / or had therwith his communion or mutual-fellowship / in all vpright Righteousnes and Holynes.

4. For the Loue to thesame should be so great / [Page 17] and the Value therof / should be so worthy in the Mans estimation / that hee shouldPhil. 3. a. recon or thinke all other outward Thinges ⁏in comparison therof; to be but Durt. For in itself it is so great· and his Bewties / Riches / and Life / are so manyRom. 11. d. Ephe. 3. b. and infi­nite / that it cannot be writen nor spoken-fourth.

5. Behold / Heer-to [namelie / to this heauenlie Beeing and his vpright Righteousnes / and to the Conformable-vnyting of all his Bewtifulnes and Riches] yee are all presentlie ⁏through the ser­uiceable Woorde of the holie Spirit of Loue; cal­led and courteouslie-bidden.

6. THerfore / looke now all well to it / that yee B account not this proffered Grace / 2. Cor. 6. a. Heb. 11. b. to be small. but heartelie-imbrace thesame that is heald-fourth before you and offered vnto you / and ⁏out of all your Soules and Power; indeuour you al­wayes ther-after / in all Humilitie and Lowlynes. For thesame that is presentlie heald-fourth and offered vnto you / chaunceth to you all out of Grace / through the Mercies of God extended on you. For which Grace and Mercies cause so extended on you / it behoueth you all likewise very-well [namelie / eueryone to whom these heauenlie Goods / and this euerlasting Life ⁏through the seruiceable Woord of Grace; is administred / and that is bidden ther­vnto] alwayes to shewfourth Lowlynes of Heart· and all Thankfulnes to the God of Life: and thinke:

7. O God / I Vnworthyone / had no-doubt bidden full in all my Corrupt-estate & Estraunging [Page] from thee / and perseuered in all myne Iniquitie and in the Errour of thesame / if that thou ⁏O Lord; haddest not ⁏through the gracious Seruice of thy Loue; called Mee therout!

8. Therfore must I ⁏O God; thanke thee al­wayes and for euer / for that thou ⁏through the ser­uiceable Woorde of thy Grace; dost so graciouslie leade mee Vnworthyone ther-out / eauen to the Throne of thy heauenlie Maiestie.

C 9. O God / of all This / the Honour and Praise redoundeth onlie vnto thee. For who am I ⁏O Lord; that thou electest mee ⁏which surelie am not better then all other Sinners; thervnto / and vouch­safest to account mee worthy / to knowe all thissame / and leadest mee thervnto: and that ther are yeat so many thowsand Men / vnto whom thou hast not made thissame knowen. But ⁏O God; this is thy intireAct. 10. [...]. Ephe. 3. b. Grace and mercifull Loue / ouer mee poore Synner. Therfore ⁏O God; haue mercie also ⁏I beseech thee; on all Men-synners and Women-synners / which seeke thee with-out thy gracious Woord and Seruice of Loue / and soLuk. 23. c. Act. 7. f. ignorantlie do erre.

D 10. SEe / in such-amaner shall euery Man ⁏which is stirred-vpp by the Grace of God / to the gracious Woord and his Seruice of Loue / and that submitteth himself ther-vnder; be alwayes humble of Heart and thankfull / before his God / andAct. 7. f. pray for all Synners / which erre igno­rantlie: and recon thisPhil. 1. c. for his Sayne / namelie / that hee may passe into the Death / with the Woord [Page 18] of the good Beeing of God / to the Purging of his Sinnes: For so shall hee ⁏with the Woord of the good Beeing of God; rise-vpp againe from the Death / to the eternall Life.

The IX. Chapiter.

EVeryone ought to take very good-heed / A that hee be not slack or sluggish / in the Requiring of the holie Woord and Seruice of Loue / nether-yet holde himself ydle / before that the Light of Life ⁏euen-as the­same is administred with the seruiceable Woord of the holie Spirit of Loue;Gal. 4. c. haue a liuing Shape in him. And till thesame Time / let him holde whollie all his Loue turned onlie thervnto.

2. For / to loue anywhat besides the Light of Life and the godlie Vertue / is nothing-els but an vnknowē erring Darknes / and a bewitched Sinne: the whichGen. 3 a. b. 2. Tess. 2. a. is an apostated Beeing / and a Se­ducing from the liuing God and his Righteous­nes / wherin all MenRom. 7. [...]. haue ben captiued. Of which bewitched Sinne / the gracious Woord doth also accuse or blame eueryone / and calleth them to Repentaunce / to thende that eueryone should euenso ⁏in his Repentaunce; looke vpon his owne Sinnes· and not blame one-another / but ex­hort each-other to the Good. and so inset or consi­der [Page] / that none of all the Children of Men / haue ben lose or free from the Sinne.

3. Therfore shall not the Accusation orMath. 23. Chas­tisement / that cometh out of the gracious Woord or Seruice of Loue / be ⁏at anytime; cast-back: for thesame is vpright. But verelie / it is far different from the Accusation or Reproof that proceedeth from the goodthinking Man / or out of anymans corrupt Conscience / through the Knowledg: and wherwith also the one Man accuseth or reprehen­deth the-other / and exhorteth him not to Repen­taunce.

B 4. Verelie / when wee now perceaue in ourselues / that wee haue not rightlie applyed vs / according to the Requiring of the Woord: and that wee therfore ⁏through the Woord and his Seruice; are chastened or accused / in our Minde / and that our Sinnes or Errours are euenso made-knowen ther-through vnto vs / So shall wee then insee and knowe / how altogether vnlyke of Nature / Beeing / or Disposition / wee yeat are / to the Woord and his Requiring: and shall then geeue God thankes / for that ther is graunted vs to see and knowe ⁏tho­rough the Woord or through the Ministers ther­of; our Vnrighteousnes and Errour.

5. And when wee then euenso ⁏through the Woord or the Ministers therof; do perceaue or vnderstand our Vnrighteousnes or Errour / so shall wee then ⁏without delay;Math. [...]. Luk. 3. Act. 2. shewe Repen­taunce for thesame / and applye vs ⁏with all Hu­militie; to the Requiring of the Woord / and say [Page 19] or confesse before God / in our Heartes:

6. O God ⁏full of Grace and Trueth; How louelie is thy Beeing / and into what a forren Beeing am I yeat incorporated! I must euermore thanke thee ⁏O God; for that ther is made-knwen vnto mee ⁏with thy Woorde and through thy Woorde and Seruice of Loue; all what-euer is contrarie to thy Beeing.

7. Oh ⁏alas; I was almost becom of-one-mind C with the Iniquitie· and seduced ⁏with her Er­rour; from Thee and thy Will. But through thy Woord ⁏in his Seruice of Loue; thou lettest mee see / to what an vpright Beeing IGen. 1. c. Sap. 2. c. am created / and called-vnto / and to what a forren Beeing / I am fallen and haue inclyned myself.

8. WHen now the Man ⁏through the ser­uiceable Woord of the holie Spirit of Loue; exerciseth himself daylie heerin / and doth euenso / so shall hee then receaue ⁏in all Thank­fulnes vnto God; the Accusation or Chastening ⁏that cometh vnto him out of the Woord / or tho­rough the Woord and his Seruice of Loue; to Repentaunce for his Shines / and to the Refor­mation of his Beeing· and not construe thesame to the worst / but take-heede from thence-fourth / that hee sinne not against the Woord / and that hee transgresseIohn. [...]. b. not any-more / in that wherin hee hath fallen al-redie.

The X. Chapiter.

A A Man which hath humbled and geeuen-ouer himself obedientlie / vnder the Woorde of the Testimonies of the holie Spirit of Loue / shall likewise ⁏euen as a true Disciple of the Woord; applye himself with all Dilligence / to the Requiring of the Woord / and with a full Hatred / hate the Iniquitie: in such-sort / that hee shall haue a Lust / with all his Heart / to the good Beeing of the vpright Righ­teousnes· and vtterlie detest or abhorre the Ini­quitie and her Ministers / when hee is assaulted by them.

2. And although now the Iniquitie ⁏or her Mi­nisters; would accuse thesame goodwilling Man / with anything that God nor his Woord requi­reth / for to burden or snare his Conscience therin: Or although the wicked Beeing ⁏for to make him vnbeleeuing to the Fourth-going of the good Life / and to declyne therfrom / or to wauer in his Con­science; said inwardlie or outwardlie vnto him: Yea / what takest thou vpon thee / for to attayne to the Righteousnes / the which thou art in no-wise able to doo / and wherof also thou hast no Sight nor Vnderstanding: for thou art doubtles becom altogether one Bodie and Minde / with the Ini­quitie. For-that-cause also / thou belongest alto­gether to the Iniquitie: and thesame hath whollie the Dominion ouer thee / to thy Condemnation.

[Page 20]3. Howbeit / although such-thinges chaunce vn­to B the Man / by the Instinction or Perswasion of the Iniquitie / in his Inwardnes / yet shall not the Man therfore / geeue any credit to the Iniquitie or to the wicked Consciences (seeing that hee is not of-one-minde with the Iniquitie) / nether-yet let himself1. Ioh [...]. [...]. c. be iudged of his euell Conscience: but hee shall geeue somuch the greater credit and regard to the great Grace1. Pet. 1. c. and Mercie of God / which God hath brought vnto him / through his graci­ous Woord and Seruice of Loue; for therthrough shall the Perswasion of the Iniquitie / vanish-away by him / and perrish or com-to-nought.

4. For if the Iniquitie ⁏when-as wee consented vnto her; hath obtayned the Victorie in vs / How much-more then shall God with his Grace ⁏which doubtles is muchMath. 12. c. Luk. 11. c. stronger then the Iniquitie; pre­uaile or take the Victorie in vs ⁏in far-more aboun­dant Power; against the Iniquitie ⁏seeing that wee now hate the Iniquitie / and geeue our consent vn­to the Good; / and through y^e Seruice of the Loue / purgeHeb. 9. d. our Consciences from the Iniquitie; and euenso prepare and make vs meete / for to inherit his Kingdom and euerlasting Life.

5. When the Man now findeth himself in such C a Battaile / so shall hee then holde himself fast / in theEphe. 6. [...]. Beleef and Hope of his Saluation / and hum­ble himself alwayes obedientlie / vnder the gracious Woord of the Lord and the Requiring of his Seruice of Loue: and also keepe a stedfast Hope on theIohn. 14. 16. 2. Pet. 1. d. Promises of the Woord. For theRom. [...]. a. Hope will [Page] not suffer him to com to reproch· but bring the Pa­cience vnto him / in his Assaulting / to a Releassing of him from his Temptation.

6. The Man now standing euen-thus in his Abascing / shall pray continuallie vnto God / and speake ⁏against the Iniquitie and her Perswasions; in his Heart: No / thou Iniquitie / ther belongeth nothing-at-all vnto thee: No / not the smallest Heare of my Head: For thou art ofApo. 17. b. Nothing / and to-nothing shalt thou goe againe / in the Con­demnation.

D 7. With such a Beleef in the Pacience / shall wee keepe ourselues against the Assaultinges and Per­swasions of the Iniquitie / and speake with our Minde & Thoughtes boldlie ther-against / & saye▪

8. O thou Iniquitie / I belong not vnto thee / that thou shouldest holde mee as thine Owne: for thou hast not created mee. But the God of the Liuing and of all Righteous / isGen. 1. my Creatour▪ and to him do I belong. But in that thou hast gotten the Dominion ouer mee / therto hastGen. 3. b. thou begyled mee with thy Falshod / and hast euenso destroyed mee / and made mee subiect vnto thee. But now ⁏through Gods Grace and his Seruice of Loue; my Hope resteth on thesame God / my Cre­atour / that Hee will ⁏against thee; take againe the Dominion ouer mee.

9. Wherfore should I ⁏O thou Iniquitie; think / according to thy Perswasion / that anye-thing should appertaine vnto thee / or that thou shouldest haue any Power for to condemne Mee / through [Page 21] thy Infidelitie / wheras thou art risenvpp ⁏out of the Condemnation; euen of Nothing / and hast euensoRom. 7. [...]. taken captiue myne Heart ⁏with that which is Nothing; in thy Bandes? Therfore will I altogether submitt mee / vnder God my Creatour / Hee will help mee vp againe / and ⁏through his Woord and Seruice of Loue; releasse mee from thy Bandes / and bring thee againe to-nothing / in the Condemnation / like-as thou mast before tyme.

10. BEholde / In such-sort shall the Man E applye himself ⁏against the Iniquitie and her Counsaile and Perswasions; to the good Beeing of God: and haue and vpright Difference / betweene that which is Nothing ⁏or proceedeth out of Nothing; and the good Beeing / that pro­ceedeth out of the Fulnes of God / and is admini­stred vnto him. For / so much as the Man appro­priateth or owneth himself to that which is No­thing or vayne / so much falleth hee away from the good Beeing. And so much as heeG [...]. 3. falleth-away from the good Beeing / or estraungeth himself ther­from / so much Iudgment of the Condemnation plucketh hee ouer himself: And so much as hee loueth his Goodthinking / and that which is No­thing or vayne / so much loueth hee the Darknes. And That is the MansIohn. [...]. [...]. Condemnation / when hee loueth the Darknes / more then the Light. It is very▪ true.

The XI. Chapiter.

A IF anye Ministers of the holye Woorde should saye: Wee publish the Lawe / and minister and teach thesame / to a Mortifying of the Sinne / and to a Death and Burying of thesame / seeing that the­same Seruice / is the right Priestes-office of the Lawe. Or-els if they should saye: Wee publish Christ after the Fleash / vnto the Beleeuers of Christ / to an Entraunce ⁏with Christ; intoRom. 6. the lyke Death of his Crosse (to-wit / into the Obe­dience of the Beleef of Christ) and to mortifie and burie the Sinne / So is-it both right / and well saide / if the Lawe of the Lorde and his Christ haue a Shape in thesame Minister: and it is both one-maner of Seruice / vnto the Beleeuers of y^e Woord to a Righteousnes of Life.

2. For / to administer Christ after the Fleash / is a Seruice / which also ⁏life-as the Seruice of the Lawe; reacheth toRom. [...]. b. the Death of the Sinne: and so then fourth / to the Making-aliue of y^• Inward-man of God / in Iesus Christ after the Spirit.

3. Therfore saith Peter thus: Christ hath suf­fered for vs / and1. Pet. 2. c. left vs such an Example / to thend that wee should followe his Foote-steppes.

B 4. Christ himself saith also: Whosoeuer will be my Disciple / let himMath. 10. 16 Mark. [...]. Luk. [...]. 14. forsake himself / and take­vpp his Crosse on him / and followe after mee. And [Page 22] That is the right Imitacion of Christ, that wee should followe-after him ⁏in the Doctrine of his Requiring; obedientlie / euen vnto hisRom. 6. Death and Burying / and vnto his Resurrection from the Death. And This is the Inheriting of the eter­nall Life / in the heauenlie Beeing / wherin Christ after the Spirit / liueth and triumpheth ⁏with his Father and all his Sainctes; perpetuallie.

5. Therfore / to thende that hys Disciples / mought inherit the eternall Life with Him / they must first followe-after Him ⁏in the Fore-going of his Doctrine and Requiring; obedientlie / till into his lyke Death / and then euenso out of thesame Death / obtaine the new Birth in Iesu Christ after the Spirit / and inherit the eternall Life.

6. For-that-cause / men ought to consider right­lie / C on both these Sayinges / of the Lawe and of Christ after the Fleash: For in themselues they haue both / one Minde or Sence: and leade both to one Entraunce of the Mortifying and Depriuati­on of all vngodlie Beeing. For all that which go­eth-before out of God / before the new Birth in Iesu Christ after the Spirit / and hath his Ministrati­on to the true Righteousnes / doth point or direct the Man to the Death and Laying-away of the Sinne in the Fleash. And That is it wherof Paule speaketh / saying: The Letter2. Cor. 3. [...]. slayeth [namelie / the Ministration of the Lawe after the Letter / or the Ministration of Christ after the Fleash.] And That is nothing-els / but that the Letter / accord­ing to the Requiring of the Lawe / and according [Page] to the Requiring of Christ / pointeth and leadeth vsRom. 6. to the Death of the Sinne / and withdraweth euenso our Mindes and Thoughtes / from all that which is vngodlie· and vayne and consumeable on the Earth / for that wee mought euenso attaine to the euerlasting Vnconsumeablenes / in the eternall Life / wherin all Vnderstandinges of pure Heartes do liue and dwell.

D 7. BEholde / in such-sort and to such a Ful­filling of the Lawe and the Propheates / is the Seruice of the holie Woorde / in the Letter / with the Letter / and through the Letter: For the Ministration of those-same soundeth euenso / and requireth thesame. For when-as wee perceaue any­thing in vs / that tendeth to the Lust of the Sinne / ther-against doth the seruiceable Woord teach vs / to mortifie and burie thatsame: for-as-much as the same is his Requiring.

8. And when-as wee then do humble ourselues obedientlie / vnder the Lawe or vnder the seruiceable Woord / for to accomplish thesame in his Requi­ring: and to becom euenso ⁏with the Lawe / or with Christ after the Fleash / and with his Faith to Iustification;Rom. 6. implanted into Christ with lyke Death· baptised in his Death· and washed with his Bloud / So cometh-ther then vnto vs / the Spi­rit of the Lawe / or theRom. [...]. b. Making-aliue in Iesu [...] Christ after the Spirit. It is very-true.

The XII. Chapiter.

O Yee goodwilling Heartes to the A Seruice of the Loue / suffer-pacientlie and beare-withRom. 15. a. Gal. 6. a. 1. Tess. 5. b. each-other in your Weat­nes: and infourme each-other with the Coadiuuation or Hand-reaching of the seruiceable Woord of the holie Spirit of Loue. And if any-man chaunce to fall / so help-vpp then each-other againe: and hee that bydeth standing / let him laude the Lord / for his Strength. For y^• Strength ⁏or the Power; so much as thesame remayneth with vs / to the Good / is onlie the Lordes / out of his Grace. and not out of our-selues.

2. For-that-cause / think or haue alwayes before your Eyes / in your Fourth-going to y^• good Bee­ing of God / that yee haue receaued all your Lust / Loue / and Stabilitie or Faithfulnes ⁏which yee shewe to the Lorde and his Woord; of the Lorde and his Grace.

3. For what haue yee ⁏I pray you; to serue the Lorde with all / but that yee haue1. Par. 19. c. 1. Cor. 4. b. Iam. 1. a. receaued it of the Lorde: or the Lorde must first bring thesame vnto you / by his Grace and Mightynes: both all that wherwith yee serue your-selues & another also?

4. Therfore ought the Man alwayes to holde B himself ⁏in the Obedience of the seruiceable Woord; humble or lowlie of Heart / and also to feare the Lorde continuallie: and euenso ⁏in the Feare of the Lorde; alwayes to thinke: O Lorde! How should I out of myself / haue perceaued or knowen my [Page] Sinnes / Except that they had ben made-knowen vnto mee / through thy seruiceable Woord / and that it were graunted mee to perceaue them by thy Grace: and that thou euenso ⁏through thy Power or Mightynes; releasedst mee therfrom? For if I ⁏O Lorde; haue any Loue to thee and thy Woord / so haue I then receaued thesame / of thy Grace [namel [...] / in theRom. 10. c. Hearing & Crediting of the Mi­nistration of thy Woord.] For in Mee ⁏through my Consenting to the Sinne; ther is nothing-els but all InclinationGen. 6. a. Rom. 7. b. to the Destruction. And if I ⁏O Lorde; remaine standing ⁏in any Righteous­nes; by thy Woord / so cometh thesame to mee from thy Grace / and from the Power that thou hast geeuen or brought vnto mee.

5. For-that-cause trulie / wee must needes al­wayes confesse / that wee cannot bring any Good vnto God / nor-yet serue him with anything / but with That which wee haue receaued of Him and his Grace.

6. Thissame acknowledged likewise the kinglie Propheat Dauid and the holy Salomon, when-as they presented or offered-vpp their S [...]stes or Oblation / before the Lorde / and saide: [...]. P [...]. [...]. c. O Lorde / All thinges com of thee / and that which wee haue receaued at thyne Handes / that haue wee brought againe vnto thee.

C 7. Euen-thus after thesame maner / must the Man also acknowledg / that all what-euer hee gee­ueth-ouer to the Lorde or bringeth vnto Him / and serueth him with-all / is the Lord-his Good: and [Page 24] that hee bringeth againe vnto y^e Lorde / that which hee hath receaued of Him.

8. But if now the man thinke otherwise / or that hee account thesame / to be his-owne Woorke / so misseth hee the Right / and looketh vpon his owne Dooing ⁏wherthrough hee seeketh Praise or Ho­nour; and not vpon the Lordes Grace / for to laude and thanke therin the Lorde / for his Guift.

9. But a lowlie Man / which acknowledgeth that all that which is good / and don by Hym as good or wel-don / is the Lord-his Good and Wel­dooing / as the Guift of the Lorde1. Cor. 4. b. which hee hath receaued: and euenso thanketh the Lorde / for that which is Hys / and ⁏according to the Requiring of the seruiceable Woord of the Lorde; bringeth-againe vnto the Lorde / that which is Hys / Hee knoweth then himself a-right / howAp [...]. 3. d. poore that hee is / as also of himself / the Most-feeble or Infirmest: and that the Lorde onlie / is all in All. And acknow­ledgeth euenso ⁏in the Beleef; to haue receaued all Good and2. Cor. 4. b. Strength / at the Lordes Handes.

10. And euenso in such a Confessing ⁏that wee are altogether poore and infirme of our-selues; will God be gracious vnto vs / and ⁏with his Guiftes; bring his Power vnto vs. And when wee then / cō ­fesse it all to be the Lordes ⁏to-wit / that wee haue receaued all that is good / of the Lord; / so shall wee then also haue alwayes ⁏vnder the Obedience of the Seruice of Loue; compassion towardes another / which staggereth or falleth / or that is not yeat so al­together perfect: and euensoRom. 15. d. Gal. 6. [...]. beare-with and suffer [Page] one-another / and help-vpp each-other from the Fall.

11. When wee now in such-sort / shew-fourth the Loue one towardes another / so shall then also eue­ryone be moued to thinke in himself: Oh ⁏alas; If ther were no Grace nor Loue shewed on mee· ne­ther any Helpe chaunced vnto mee / by the Lord and his Ministers of the Woorde / so should I then doubtles myself / haue still remayned the greatest Sinner / and the Most-weake / among the Chil­dren of Men.

12. If wee now doo euen-thus / and deale or be­haue ourselues so ⁏in all Grace and Loue; towardes each-other / so geeue wee then the Honour onlie vn­to God / and not vnto our-selues: And the Euell shall likewise euenso be washed-away· and all Of­fencifenes cleene rooted-out / from among vs: and ther shall be nothing that can1. Pet. [...]. b. hinder vs / for to haue our conuersation in all Loue and vpright Righteousnes / one with an-other.

The XIII. Chapiter.

A A Man which loueth the vpright Righteousnes / cannot applye himself vp­rightlie thervnto / before that hee haue whol­lie geeuen-ouer himself / to the gracious Woord and his Seruice of Loue / for to be obedi­ent vnto the Woord; and is euenso admitte her­to [Page 25] / by his Elder in the holie Vnderstanding and Minister of the gracious Woorde / for to becom taught therin.

2. And although now all this com thus to­passe / or when-as thesame hath in such-sort his En­traunce / so is not the Man then receaued or ad­mitted vnder the gracious Woord of the Lorde / that hee should liue / besides the Doctrine of the Woord / vnto himself or his Goodthinking. but that hee should2. Cor. 5. b. shewe all Obedience and Faithful­nes / to the Woord / and to the Seruice of his Doc­trine or Requiring.

3. For when-as the Man is receaued by the gracious Woord / in his Seruice of Loue / for to stand obedient: and that hee hath consented ther­vnto / so hath hee then geeuen-ouer himself and his Fidelitie / to the gracious Woord and to the Ser­uice of his Requiring / for to doo ⁏through thesame Woorde and his Seruice; the Will of the Lorde.

4. For euenso in the Coniunction of the Man B to the gracious Woord of the Lorde / and to his Seruice of Loue / the Man entreth into the Testa­ment of the Promises of God the Father: and so voweth or promiseth himself / before God and his Holyons / that hee will cleaue onlie to the Woord and his Requiring· shewe faithfull Obedience / out of his whole Heart and Minde· and not sepe­rate himself therfrom for-euer: nether-yet also to turne his Heart and Minde ⁏at any tyme; to any­thing that the Woorde itself is not or requireth / or that is not one with the Woord. but to loue the­same [Page] with all his Heart: like as a faithfull Espow­sed-wife promiseth her Husband / not to loue nor addict herself to any other / nor-yet to depart from him / for any maner of cause.

5. Verelie / euen so whollie and altogether ought wee also to cleaue vnto the Woord and to the Ser­uice of his Requiring: in such-sort / that y^• Woord and his Requiring / should be y^• Deerlyest-beloued in our Heartes. For at that time ⁏when wee haue turned our Loue so whollie to the Woord and his Requiring; ther can no Assaulting indamaige or hinder vs: Yea / although ther came an hundred thowsand. For wee are so fast-knitt and established with the Loue of our Heart / on the Woord and his Requiring / that they all / are not able to pluck vs from the Woord / nor to make vs consent to any Euell or Vanitie. For the Lord (punctel)the strong God (punctel) is than our Helper / andMath. 6. b. Luk. 11. a. Releasser from all Euell.

C 6. For in like-maner / as a faithfull Espowsed-wife loueth her Husband so intirelie / that all her Heart / Minde / and Delight / is whollie swallow­ed-vpp in him and to him / and that hee is euenso the Deerlyest-beloued in her Heart: Yea / so beloued / that although a thowsand diuers Intisers would go-about to pluck her Loue to them / yet should it be all in vaine. For such-a-one ⁏through the Loue which shee hath sett to her Espowsed-husband; bideth still faithfull to her Husband / Euen so fast and stable shall wee also holde vs / on the gracious Woord / and on the Requiring of his Seruice of [Page 26] Loue: in such-sort / that thesame should be y^e Deer­lyest-beloued / in our Heartes / to thend that wee euenso ⁏through the Loue; mought bide altogether faithfull vnto thesame· and indeuour vs alwayes obedientlie / according to the Requiring of his Seruice of Loue: and that thesame mought be all our Lust and Will.

7. But / if in the meane time ⁏er-euer wee be so altogether swallowedvpp in the Loue of y^• Woord; ther chaunce anyIob. 5. b. Iam. 1. a. Temptation / by our Paramours ⁏which wee in times-past haue loued; to com vnto vs or assault vs / So shall wee then turne-away our Loue altogether from them / and turne thesame whollie and in all / to the Woorde of Grace: and exercise ourselues fourth-and-fourth / in his Ser­uice of Loue: and euenso crye and pray vnto God for Helpe / to ourMath. 6. b. Luk. 11. a. Releassing from their Temp­tation / and from the Euell / whervnto they would seduce vs: and so with the Grace and Helpe of the Lorde / to take good-heede / that wee incline not to their Desires / for to commit sinne with them.

8. But if they take or lay-holde on vs with Force and Violence / and that then ⁏although wee crye; ther cometh not any Power nor Helpe vnto vs / for to withstand them in their Force and Vio­lence▪ and that they euenso rauish vs against our Will / so are wee giltles of the Transgressing: For wee haue cryed / for to be releassed from the Ti­rannie of the Euell / and ther is no Helpe com vnto vs. Of which giltles Transgressing / the Lawe likewise witnesseth / where it saith: A Woman [Page] which is violentlie-taken in the Feelde ⁏wher-as ther is not any Helpe; and so rauished (and al­though shee haueDeut. 22. d. cryed alowde / yet gotten no Helpe) shee shall be giltles of the Transgressing. But if shee be in the Howse with any-bodie / and so holdeth her peace / then is shee giltie in the Trans­gressing of Matrimonie.

D 9. In like-maner also with vs: When wee are assaulted with any Temptation / against y^e Woord and his Requiring / wher-as ther is well Helpe to be had or co [...]-by / in the Seruice of the Woord / or by the Ministers of thesame / if wee made-ma­nifest our case: but wee keepe-scilence therof / and fall to y^• Errour of Adulterie / So do wee then commit synne / and are giltie of the Transgressing. For if wee crye not to God nor by his Ministers for Helpe / but keeping-scilence / do synne / and then also not confesse the Sinne: but ⁏as much as wee may; hide or couer thesame / So are wee verelie Consen­ters to the Iniquitie / and Adulterers against the Lorde and his holie Woorde.

10. But if wee desire not to addict vs to the Lustes nor Temptation to the Iniquitie / nor to doo after her will / so shall wee then alwayes ⁏in all our Assaulting; thinke in our Heartes / and al­so confesse still by the Assaulters / that wee haue no power ⁏contrary to the Requiring of the Woord; ouer our owne Bodie / as to geeue-ouer thesame to the Transgressing: but that it belongeth onlie vnto the Lorde / to his Seruice. Wherof also Paule witnesseth an Example vnto vs / wher hee [Page 27] sayth / that a Woman / hath not1. Cor. 7. a. 1. Pet. 3. a. Power of her owne Bodie. but the Man / with whom shee is entred into Matrimonie.

11. Euenso should wee also haue this alwayes before our Eyes / and acknowledg / that our Bodie / is not Our Bodie ⁏for to doo therwith our owne Will and Lustes; but the Lordes / for to vse the­same / to an1. Cor. 6. b. Instrument of his seruice / and to all Vprightnes and Equitie: and that wee also haue promised and yealded-vpp thesame ⁏to Righteous­nes; vnto the Lorde: and haue not any Power to vse thesame to any-thing els. as likewise all what­euer is gouerned vnder our Handes.

12. Therfore shall the Man alwayes continew E in Prayer / and so in hisEphe. 6. c. Col. 4. a. Prayer / watch conti­nuallie against all the Assaulting of the Sinne: and not esteeme thesame Assaulting ouer-light / al­though hee somtimes ⁏with little Greef or Trouble; hath ben released therfrom.

13. For a Man which hath ben assaulted by any Wickednes or Vanitie / and is easelie com-thorowe thesame Assaulting / thinketh then som­times so-much the lightmindeder: I am passed-thorowe the Assaulting or Temptation thus ease­lie: Let it hardelie com-on againe / I knowe wel-enough how to resist and [...]-from thesame. But ⁏oh alas; When the Man now begineth in such-sort to trust so-much on himself / & that hee meaneth euenso / out of his Prudence or owne Power / to perseuer or bide-stedfast theragainst / so doth the Sinne then vanquish him / easeliest-of-all.

[Page]14. For when-as the Sinne or the Iniquitie / doth ⁏in such a self-conceited Purpose of his; assault him / and that hee perswadeth himself / that it can not indamaige him / so shall hee then verelie finde himself oftentimes in the Assaulting / to be to vn­mightie / for to bide-stedfast therin / and euenso want the Grace and Helpe of the Lorde.

F 15. Therfore shall the Man alwayes feare the Lorde / and continew still inEphe. 6. c. Col. 4. a. 1. Tess. 5. c. Prayer. If it then be well with him / as that the Sinne ⁏with her As­saulting; doth not ouercom hym / so shall hee geeue God thankes for his Grace / and euenso thinke and confesse in his Heart:

16. O God / the Power of my Stedfastnes ⁏so much as thesame remayneth with mee; cometh onlie2. Cor. 4. b. from Thee and from thy Grace / and not / from my-self. Therfore ⁏O God / full of Grace; If that the Assaulting chaunce for to meete with mee againe / so extend thou then alwayes ⁏I beseech thee; ouer Mee poore feeble Man / thy Grace and Mercie: and be thou thyself alwayes ⁏I beseech thee; my Power and Strength / wherby that I may in the euell Daye of my Temptation ⁏as a iust2. Tim. 2. [...]. Souldier; resist the Iniquitie· and euenso keepe the Fielde or the Victorie with Thee and thy Woord / to the Impl [...]ting of mee in thy Righ­teousnes.

17. BEholde / euen-thus ought the Man alwayes to continew in Prayer / to the Lorde / and alwayes to shewfourth Pacience / and to keepe a sharpe watch / against all his Enemies of [Page 28] the vpright Life / andEphe. 6. b. 1. Pet. 5. b. against all the Perswasions of the Iniquitie wherwith-all hee is assaulted.

18. Therfore ⁏my Beloued; take this Mat [...]er G well to heart: For I declare thissame vnto you / in most-groundlie wise / for that yee should not faile to vnderstand it aright / and1. Iohn. 2. [...]. not commit any sinne. And if it chaunce that anyman ⁏through Weaknes; do sinne / yet let him not couer his Sinnes: but let him confesse them before his Elder in the holie Vnderstanding / andMath. 3. a. Act. 3. c. repent him / so shall then the Lorde be gracious vnto him / and forgeeue him his Sinnes. For whosoeuer beareth-sorrowe for his Transgressing / and soPro. 28. b. Eccli. 4. 17. confesseth his Sinnes / and leaueth them / shall obtaine Mercie / also be holpen-vpp out of y^• Fall of Sinne· and purged from his Sinnes. But whosoeuer couereth his Sinnes or Transgression / and liueth therin / and keepeth them to himself / is a Deceauer / and hath no good in his minde. It is very-true.

The XIIII. Chapiter.

THe Man which turneth himself to A the gracious Woord and his Seruice of Loue / or geeueth-ouer himself for to be obedient / and that is admitted by the El­ders and Ministers of thesame Woord and Ser­uice / for to stand obedient / shall not enterprise or take-on anye-thing / besides the Woord and his [Page] Seruice / nor besides the Obedience of his Re­quiring: but all what seemeth good vnto him be­sides y^•same / or that chaunceth to meete / [...]m-vnto / or assault him for to take-on thesame / thatsame shall hee sett in the Pacience. Yea / if it were so that any Ioy came vnto the Man / so shall hee neuer­thelesse sett thesame in theEccli. 2. [...]. Pacience / and beare thesame also himself / in maner-of-suffering: and so take good-heede / that hee adde not his owne Ioy therto.

2. For ther cometh often-times / a certen Ioy vnto the Man / which-proceedeth not out of the vp­right Beeing of God / nether-yet bideth thesame as a stedfast Beeing / with the Man: and for-that-cause it is not the euerlasting Ioy / which the gra­cious Woord requireth or promiseth. And therfore shall the Man alwayes place or sett his Ioy / in the Pacience. If then the Beeing of his Ioy / be out of Gods Beeing / so shall thesame Ioye / well remayne stedfast in the Pacience. But if it be not / so shall it then sodenly vanish-away.

B 3. In like-maner also shall the Man / when any Sorrowe or Distresse cometh vnto him / not adde any Sorrowe therto: although notwith­standing it chaunceth so often-times: and should not be / if that the Man applyed himself rightlie to the Requiring of the gracious Woorde. For when-as the Man hath or receaueth somtimes and Ioye / which hee conceaueth to be a permanent Ioy of God (wherin hee delighteth and reioyceth him verymuch) and thinketh also in his Heart: [Page 29] O God / it is presentlie so well and good with mee: I stand now so free and loose from all Captiuitie or Ownednes / and my Heart is now so well at-peace: and if hee now passe-on-fourth so light-heartedlie therwith / and setteth not thesame in the Pacience / So shall then verelie thesame Ioye / Freedom / and Appeasement / faile or perrish againe by him.

4. And when hee then becometh quitt againe of thesame / together with all the sweete Tast and Zeale which hee hath had therin / or when-as the­same vanisheth by him / so is that then oftentimes a great Greef vnto him. And when hee then find­eth himself againe in such Heauynes / so doth hee then offende also therin / like-as in the Ioy: and setteth not his Sorrowe / in the Pacience: but hee addeth more Sorrowe / of his owne Sorrowe / therto: and getteth euenso somtimes / an1. Reg. 16. [...]. 18. c. 19. b. vnquiet Spirit / which vexeth him: wherthrough hee then also thinketh ⁏other-whyles; with himself:

5. Oh / I had such a Ioye and Quickning! Oh / that I had kept thesame! Oh / it must be myne owne Fault / in that I am quit therof: or / I must haue neglected thesame! And more such like / think­eth the Man then. With the which hee oftentimes accuseth and vexeth himself / the which the Woord requireth not. And thinketh al-to-little on the vp­right Righteousnes / which is required by the Woorde / wherout the vpright Ioye proceedeth.

6. THerfore / let vs sett Al-thingesHeb. 1 [...]. [...]. in the C Pacience / be it then Ioye or Sorrowe / or els-what that cleaueth on vs: and euenso endure [Page] it all / in the lyke Suffering of Christ, and passe-thorowe thesame obedientlie / So shall then also verelie ⁏in maner-of-suffering; the vpright Ioye ⁏out of theIohn. 15. b. Obedience of the Woord; com vnto vs / and remayne with vs euerlastinglie.

7. For although it were so that any consume­able Ioye / should fayle or fal-away from vs / yet let vs not be sorrowfull for thesame. but stay vs alwayes obedientlie / on the Woord and his Re­quiring / and euenso receaue or take-vp it all in the Pacience. Yea / although wee should be assaulted with any Sinnes or vnquiet Spirites / yet let vs alwayesIam. 5. b. perseuer firme in the Pacience / and con­sent at no time / to the Desires of the Sinne: and chuse euenso to dye rather on the Pacience / with Christ, then to sinne with any Ioye or worldlie Sorrowe / or to liue in the Sinne.

8. Beholde / euen-thus (as is saide) shall wee let ourselues be fastened ⁏with the Obedience of the gracious Woord; on the Pacience of Christ, till that wee are ⁏in the DeathRom. 6. of the Pacience of Iesu Christ; passed-thorowe our Death of the Pa­cience· and so iustified from the Sinne.

9. And when wee then ⁏in such-sort; haue per­seuered firme / in the Beleef of Iesu Christ, and in the Obedience of the Requiring of the gracious Woord and his Seruice of Loue / till intoRom. 6. [...]. b. the Death / the lyke Pacience of Iesu Christ, So are wee then also assured to inherit thePhil. 3. b. Resurrection in Iesu Christ, and the euerlasting Life.

10. For ther is none other4. Esd. 7. [...]. Math. 7. b. Luk. 1 [...]. c. Waye to the euer­lasting [Page 30] Life / but theRom. 6. lyke Pacience of Christ, and to becom implanted with thesame obedientlie / into Christ and into the Woord of his holie Spirit of Loue. Therfore shall wee alwayes indeuour vs heervnto / namelie / to shewe-fourth Pacience in all thinges / and euenso ⁏in maner-of-suffering; to waite for theAct. 1. [...]. gracious Promises of God the Father.

11. If wee now vnder y^e Obedience of y^e Woord D and his Seruice of Loue / haue rightlie perpended or considered the lyke Pacience of Christ, so shall wee then likewise let the Woord of the Lorde / in his Seruice of Loue / and in all his Counsell and Doc­trine. and to shew-fourth therby the goodwilling Obedience / haue the Fore-going with vs.

12. BVt ⁏oh alas; ther are so Fewe / which do thus rightlie vnderstand thesame / and yet many fewer / that indeuour themselues in such-sort ther-vnto. For / for the most part / the Man is very negligent toward the Counsell and Doctrine of the Woorde / for to shewe Obedience to the Requiring of thesame: but hee himself taketh-on much rather the Fore-going vnto him with his owne WillCol. 2. b. and Election: and euenso followeth-after nothing-els but his owne Goodthinking or Opinion.

13. But if now wee desire to applye ourselues vprightlie / to the Woord of the Lorde / and to his Seruice of Loue / so shall wee not then deale in such-sort: but wee shall first ⁏in the Seruice of the Woord; shewe faithfull Obedience: Not ⁏verelie; after our owne Counsell and Will / nor yetDeut. 12. b. 29. c. as wee [Page] thinke-good▪ but euen as thesame is set-fourth vnto vs / by the Elders / and Ministers of the Woord. And if ther then com vnto vs / in the O­bedience of the Woord ⁏according to the Doctrine and Requiring of the Woord; any Ioy and Life of Righteousnes: and that likewise the Woord / be planted in vs with [...] Humilitie / so receaueth then the Woord ⁏with his Doctrine / and with our O­bedience; the Fore-going to the Life / in vs. For in so dooing / and ⁏ther-to; geeuing-care vnto the Elders of the holy Vnderstanding / wee do not as­sume or take-on thesame vnto vs: but wee thanke the Lorde for his Grace / and thinke:

14. O God / this Ioye / is thy Ioye: and thou lettest thesame com vnto Mee / from thy Grace. And if thou let thesame remaine with mee ⁏O Lorde; so thanke I thee for thesame: and if thou take thesame againe from mee / so will I yet neuer­thelesse geeue thee thankes: ThyMath. 6. b. 26. c. Luk. 22. c. Will. be don / and not myne. For to thy Will ⁏O Lorde; I haue a Lust.

E 15. HOwbeit / if the Sinne oppresse or tor­ment vs: or if wee feele in our Inward-parted / any harde Buffettes / or great Sorrowe / yet shall wee not then seeke out of ourselues / to doo thus or so / for to becom released ⁏without the Re­quiring of the Woorde / or Counsell of the Elders; from thesame (like as the Man in his taken-on Zeale / oftentimes doth:) but wee shall sett it all / in the Pacience / and com-thorowe thesame / accor­ding to the Counsell of the Elders. For / how-much [Page 31] the-more y^• Man seeketh with his owne Counsell / to doo thus or so / or to be released heerthrough or therthrough / so-much the-faster becometh hee bound on his vaine Beeing and Purpose.

16. For when-as the Man bindeth himself on his owne Purpose / so bindeth hee himself so-much the-stronger on the Imagination of his Knowledg: and laboureth euenso therwith / for to becom free. The which cannot com so to-passe: but very-well / in the Pacience / and in the Obedience of y^• Woord / euen as ther i [...] saide.

17. BVt ⁏oh alas; now hath the Man al-to-little F mind to this Pacience and Obe­dience: but hee insueth so gladly the Imagination of his Knowledg / which driueth him much-more to doo or-els to resist som-thing / according to his owne Will / for to be there-in dilligent [seeing tha [...] the Mindes of his goodthinking. Knowledg ⁏with­out the Requiring of the Woorde; are inclyned ther-vnto] then to seeke-after the vprightEphe. 4. [...]. Righte­ousnes and Holynes of the inward Man / which God regardeth / and wherthrough Men mought liue andRom. 12. [...]. Ephe. 4. [...]. deale-together among each-other vpright­lie and peaceablie / in all Concorde and Loue.

18. And heere-through it chaunceth oftentimes / that the Imagination of the Knowledg (for that-men therthrough / are driuen to somwhat that hath a2. Tim. [...]. [...]. Shew of Righteousnes) is looked-on and belee­ued / for an Inspiration or Inspeaking of God: and that the Man is driuen to doo thus or so / or-els to resist this or that. Wherthrough then also / the [Page] Mans Goodthinking and hisC [...]l. 2. b. Election (wher­with the Man seduceth himself / and other-moe which credit him) getteth the Foregoing by the Man· and not / the Obedience of the Woord. And therfore is the Imagination of his Knowledg / a great Hinderaunce or Lett vnto him / for to com to the vpright Beeing.

19. For ther shall noman attaine to the vpright Beeing / but through the Obedience of the Woord / in the Beleef of Iesu Christ: and so to [...]. 5. b. shew-fourth Pacience therin. And although that the Man feeleth / that the Sinne oppresseth him ⁏or that the Dryuing of his Minde / tormenteth him / or that hee feele an euell Minde against his good Minde; yet shall hee neuerthelesse holde himself on the Pa­cience / in all Humilitie and Lowlynes of his Heart and Minde / and thinke in his Heart:

G 20. O God! Forasmuch then as it is thy Will and Ordinaunce / that I must be thus purged in the Abaseing· and in the Obedience vnto thy gracious Woord and the Ministers of thesame / so will I therfore ⁏O God; geeue-ouer my-self goodwillinglie ther-to. Thy Will be don: For to doo thyPsal. 40. b. Heb. 10. b. Will / therto ⁏O God; haue I a Lust.

21. When now the Man / standeth so minded to the Lordes Will / and to his Righteousnes: and sheweth-fourth Pacience / in Prisonment / in Vexation / in Ioy / in Sorrowe / and in all what­soeuer chaunceth to meete him / in the Obedience of the Woord and his Seruice of Loue: and euenso perseuereth therin stedfastly / So shall hee then well [Page 32] obtaine the vpright Righteousnes / and2. Co [...]. [...]. d. liue vp­rightlie in thesame / both before God and Men.

22. For when-as the Man hath thus ⁏tho­rough Faith; in the lyke Obedience and Pacience of our Lord Iesu Christ / vanquished all his Ene­mies of the Life: then shall likewise verelyIam. [...]. b. the Crowne of the eternall Life be brought vnto him / by the Lorde Iesus Christ.

23. Therfore shall wee also daylie ⁏in the Obe­dience of the Woorde / and in the Following of his Requiring;Math. 1 [...]. Luk. 9. take-vpp our Crosse against y^• Euell / vntill such time as the Sinne be subdued and vtter­lie-destroyed / That wee may then euenso bring vn­to the Lorde / a Ioyful-offering· and liue with the Lorde euerlastinglie.

The XV. Chapiter.

VErelie / ther are very Fewe / that A are right Disciples of the Woord: For I say vnto you trulie / that they are not all Disciples of the Woord / which heare the Testimonies of the Woord / nor which reade thesame / and speake therof. Nether-yet also com they all into the Schoole of the Loue of Iesu Christ [wherin they ought whollie to geeue-ouer them­selues / vnto the Woord and his Seruice of Loue] [Page] for to be instructed by their Elder and Minister of the Woord / to the Requiring and Accomplishing of the Woord· and taught to the Kingdom of Heauen / which speake much good of the Woord (As that the Woord and his Doctrine / is right / and that-men are directed and infourmed by the­same / to the Life of Righteousnes) But Those which through the Ministration of the Woorde and his Seruice of Loue / are touched ⁏by y^• Lordes Grace; in their Inwardnes: and to whom it is likewise graunted to see-into or to knowe their Sinnes and their Estraunging from God and his Christ: and which also thenMath. 3. Luk. 3. beare-sorrowe for their Sinnes / confesse thesame before their Elder in the holye Vnderstanding / and whollie geeue-ouer themselues ⁏for to be obedient; vnto the Doc­trine of the Woord and Seruice of Loue: and euenso vtterly2. Cor. 6. c. depart out of all that which they ⁏in their olde and corrupted Vnderstanding; haue li­ued-in / and seperate themselues therfrom / for1. Cor. 4. d. Phil. 3. c. to insue ⁏with all their Heart and Minde; the Doc­trine of the Woord / and the Ministers of thesame / obedientlie / and that they mought beIam. 1. c. Fulfillers of the Woord / and not Hearers alone: and so then to perseuer firme therin / till vnto the newIohn. 3. a. Birth in Iesu Christ, which is in vs the Fulfilling of the Woorde· and the vpright Life itself.

2. BEholde / Those or Such ⁏which so geeue-ouer themselues whollie / to the Re­quiring of the gracious Woord / and are admitted thervnto / by their Elder in y^• holie Vnderstanding / [Page 33] and Minister of the gracious Woorde / and per­seuer firmlie therin; are verely the right Disciples of the Woord: and looke-into the Woord a-right / according to his Excellencie. And therfore [seeing that y^• gracious Woord of the Lorde / is the most-best and worthyest Good] they loue thesame aboue all what is on the Earth / or that cleaueth vnto them.

3. For verelie / thesame Woorde / which is B This-daye administred ⁏through the holie Spirit of the Loue of Iesu Christ; vnto vs / and set-fourth out of the Seruice of Loue / is well worthy to be loued / aboue all what is vpon the Earth / as also for the loues-cause therof / toLuk. 14. d. forsake all that is vpon the Earth. For it is the true Christ, which was preached in times-past vnto the World / to Repentaunce / and to a Safe-making of them from their Sinnes / as also to a tocoming righteous Iudge: and which is also presentlie com vnto vs ⁏to a Fulfilling of the former Preaching; out of Heauen / from y^• Right-hand of God his Father / for to iudgAct. 10. c. 2. Tim. 4. [...]. 1. Pet. 4. b. ouer Liuing and Dead / andAct. 3. to restore it all / what God hath spoken ⁏through the Mouth of his holie Propheates; from the Begining of the World hetherto / euen-as ther is writen therof.

4. Where now this Woord hath his Incor­porating / and floweth-fourth againe seruiceablie from thesame / therin hath Christ hisGal. 4. c. Shape / liuinglie. and the perfect Godhead / in thesame Christ. Out of whom / the Ministration of the Woord cometh vprightlie to passe: and they witnes [Page] in their Ministration / the appeered Grace that cometh vnto all repentant Sinners / in the Obe­dience of the Woord / together with the Declaring of the spirituall and heauenlie Goods / which they inherit in the euerlasting Life. And That is the Daye which GodAct. 17. [...]. hath appointed / for to iudg in thesame / the Compasse of the Earth with Righ­teousnes / through his Woord / in whom / Hee hath concluded his Iudgment.

5. So many now as ther are / which heare the Testimonies of the Woord / and to whom ther is graunted through the Ministration of those-same / to see-into their Estraunging from Christ, and whose Sinnes are made-knowen vnto them / A­mong those verely / theTi [...]. 2. b. Grace of the Lorde is ap­peered: and they are euenso stirred-vp through the Woord / toAct. 2. f. adioyne themselues to the Minister of the Woord / for to be instructed ⁏by him; out of the Woord / through the Woord / and in the Woord / to the vpright Frutes ofMath. 3. Luk. [...]. Repentaunce· taught to the Kingdom of the God of Heauen· and made Heyres in the spirituall and heauenlie Goods.

C 6. But Those to whom the Grace of the Lorde / is in such-sort (as ther is saide) appeered / and yet will not make-manifest themselues before their El­der in the holie Vnderstanding / and Minister of the gracious Woord / nor shewe any Sorrowe be­fore him / for their Sinnes: nor-yet make any Confession therof / for to becom instructed ⁏as Dis­ciples of the Woorde; to the right Frutes of Re­pentaunce: but chuse or take-on a Life vnto them­selues [Page 34] / according to the Goodthinking of their Knowledg: and so knowe then ⁏out of their Know­ledg; how to prate much of the Woord and Life: Verelie / Those that so followe their Goodthink­ing / are no Disciples of the Woord / nether-yet do they followe the Doctrine of the Ministers of the Woord: But they themselues take-on the Fore­going / with their Knowledg and Goodthinking / before the Woord / and wrest and interpret the Woord / according to their HeartesDeu. 12. [...]. Goodthink­ing / and not according to the Requiring of the­same.

7. For in dooing so / they followe not the Re­quiring of the Woord / nor the Doctrine of the El­dest in the Seruice of the Woord and of his Loue: but they exalt themselues aboue the Woord and his Seruice: and euenso presume to set-vp them­selues / to Iudges of the Woord / and to Aduer­saries or Invayers against the Ministers of the­same. And lay or shutt-vp the Grace of the Lorde ⁏which is appeered vnto them to Repentaunce; in their Prison or Subiection / and kill euenso thesame (like as Herode /Math. 14. [...]. did vnto Iohn) in their Prison / and com not to Christ, nor to the Ministers of his Woord / for to be purged from their Sinnes.

8. For that cause also speaketh Christ ⁏which is the Woord of Life itself; well and a-right / wher Hee sayth: If any-man com vnto mee / and hate not hisLuk. 9. 14. Father / Mother / Wife / Children. &c. Hee cannot be my Disciple: That is / that hee which forsaketh not it all / for the Woordes cause / [Page] and so followeth-after the Woord ⁏in his Doc­trine and Requiring; obedientlie / cannot be taught by the Woord / nor through the Woord / to the Kingdom of the God of Heauen.

9. And therfore cannot such-a-one [which for­saketh not it all / for the Loues-cause of the Woord / and taketh-vpp and beareth his Crosse / as also followeth-after the Woorde ⁏in hys Doctrine and Requiring; obedientlie] be any Disciple of the Woord / much-lesse then / an Elder or Mi­nister of the Woord: For hee vnderstandeth not any-whit of all that which the Woord is or re­quireth / in his Misterie / nether can hee also speake or witnes vprightlie of thesame.

D 10. For-that-cause verely / they are not all Dis­ciples of the Woord / which heare the Woord testified / or that reade thesame in the Letter / and so speake therof:NOTA. But euen Those which respect-well the Grace of the Lorde / to Repentaunce / and adioyne themselues obedientlie / to the Publisher and Minister of the Woord / for to fulfill therin ⁏according to his Counsell or Doctrine; the Re­quiring of the Woord. Like as wee haue an Ex­ample therof / of y^• holie Apostle Peter, when-as hee witnessed the Woord of Life / How that Certen ⁏through the Hearing of the Testimonies of the Woord / and of the Promises of Saluation; ad­ioyned themselues to Peter: and how that Those which gladlie receaued his TestimoniesAct. [...]. f. did ac­cording to his Counsell and Doctrine / for to let themselues euenso be holpen or seperated from the [Page 35] vnnurtered or vnrepentant People. For so ther was a Difference made / in the Ministration of the Woord / betweene Them that heard the Woord / and were obedient Disciples of the Woord: and Those which heard also thesame / and were no obe­dient Disciples of the Woord.

11. Therfore ought eueryone to take good-heede / how hee heareth and receaueth the Woord / which is this-day ⁏from God-his Grace; witnessed and administred / through the holie Spirit of the Loue of God the Father and his Christ. For thatsame is the WoordIohn. 6. g. [...]. Iohn. 1. a. of Life / which was in times-past ⁏euen [...]il-vnto this Coming of his glorious Ma­nifestation; preached in the World. and that is also presentlie in this Day ⁏euen-as ther is promi­sed and writen therof; com vnto vs from y^• Right­hand of God the Father / out of Heauen / for to executeAct. 10. c. 2. Tim. 4. [...]. 1. Pet. 4. b. Iudgment ouer the Liuing and Dead.

12. BEholde / This is theRom. 10. a. 1. Pet. 1. c. Woord of Life / E which is descended vnto vs / from Hea­uen / and becometh published vnto you: Not vere­lie that thesame should ⁏in his Ministration; be heard but slightlie in the Eares / or taken-on to a Knowledg of the heauenlie Thinges. and so be talked-of: but that-men ⁏through the Hearing ther­of; should beleeue thesame· and (as is before re­hearsed) becom faithfull and obedient Disciples of the Woord· doo vpright FrutesMath. 3. Luk. 3. of Repentaunce / in the Doctrine of his Seruice of Loue· obtaine theIohn. 14. 16. Act. 2. holie Spirit of Promise· and liue in all Trueth and Loue / To-thend that wee mought [Page] then euenso / in this Daye of the righteous Iudg­ment of Christ ouer Liuing and Dead / be kept from the terrible Plagues of the Vngodlie· and preserued in the Godlynes of the Woord / and so inherit the euerlasting Life.

13. Those now therfore which do thus (as is before rehearsed) wholly geeue-ouer themselues to becom faithfull and obedient Disciples / vnto the gracious Woord and his Seruice of Loue: and euenso vtterlie depart from their olde Possession and vnprofitable Dealing / and forsake thesame / as also perseuer firmlie till vnto the Ende / in the Doctrine of the Woord and of the Ministers of thesame / They are verelie the rightIohn. [...]. d. Disciples of the Woord. For Those shall knowe the Trueth / and the Trueth shall make them free. And the ho­lie Spirit of Trueth / shall leade themIohn. 16. c. into all Trueth: in such-sort / that they shall loue one-another with the deede / in the Trueth: wher­through also it shall be knowen / that they are right DisciplesIohn. 13. d. of the Woord or Christ. and knowe, cleaue-vnto, and serue the liuing God / in his Righteousnes. It is very-true.

The XVI. Chapiter.

[Page 36] THere is sayde by certen: Wee haue A vnderstanded out of theSap [...]a. 4. Documentall Sentences / that wee should shewe-fourth the Loue towardes our Neighbour / in his Falling into Sinne· exhort hym ⁏to his Pre­seruation in the Godlynes; vnto the Amendement of his Life· warne hym of his Destruction· take vpon vs his Sinnes / as Our-owne· and healpe to beare his Burden: and euenso ⁏with the Loue; to couer his Sinnes.

2. Out of which Sayinges wee are occasioned to demaunde / whether wee ought also dutifullie / to shewe such Seruice of Exhortation / vnto Pre­seruation· and such Warning from the Destruc­tion / towardes Those which obstinatelie turne them away from the good Doctrine & Requiring of the Woorde / or which wax much-worse at the Exhortation to their Preseruation· and at the Ad­monition from their Destruction / and so liue with­out the Requiring of the Woord and Seruice of Loue / and will not do nor shewe-fourth any Re­pentaunce for their Sinnes. And ther-vnto is an­swered by HN and saide:

3. O Yee Beloued / which haue a Lust and good Will with vs / to be obedient-vnto or to fulfill the Requiring of the gracious Woorde and of his Seruice of Loue / haue alwayes an vp­right Respect or Consideration vnto the Woord / and a right Diuersitie / betwixt Those that geeue-ouer themselues ⁏to faithfull Obedience; by the El­ders in the Familie of Loue / vnto the Lorde and [Page] his Woorde & Seruice of Loue. beareMath. 3. Luk. 3. Sorrowe for their Sinnes. make right Confession therof. and shewe-fourth vpright Repentaunce / for their Sinnes. and becom euenso implanted into the gra­cious Woord / or the Doctrine and Requiring of his Seruice of Loue / for to bring-fourth the good FrutesIohn. 15. a. Col. 1. a. of the Woorde: And They that doo not / nor-yet will doo or shewe-fourth any such Express­ing of Good-willingnes / to the Requiring of the Woord: but liue altogether according to y^• Coun­sell and Will of theirDeut. 12. b. Good-thinking / and turne them away from our Doctrine.

B 4. Whosoeuer then are vtterlye vnwilling to the gracious Woorde and his Seruice of Loue / ac­cording to the Doctrine and Ordinaunce of the gracious Woorde and his Seruice of Loue: and which will not make-manifest themselues and their whole Heart / Dealing / and Inclination / by the Elders in the Familie of Loue / shewe-fourth no Repentaunce for their Sinnes / nor geeue-ouer / nor-yet will geeue-ouer themselues for to be obe­dient: nether-yet do fauour the gracious Woord in his Seruice of Loue / nor stand to maintaine the­same: or which holde not themselues stedfastlie / by the gracious Woorde and the Ministers of the­same: but make Breach / and bring-in Discord / With all Those ⁏although they wist neuer-so-well to talke much of the Woord and of the Loue; yee shall not ⁏as with Fellowe-disciples of y^• Woorde; communicate in the Schoole-rule of the christian Ordinaunce of the Familie of Loue: Notwith­standing [Page 37] yee maye well exhort them / that they applye themselues to the Obedience of y^• Requiring of the Woorde / and whollie geeue-ouer themselues to the Entra [...]nce of the Doctrine and Requiring of the Seruice of Loue.

5. For so longe as Those which reade or heare our Writinges / do not humble themselues / for to becom implanted obedientlie into the gracious Woord and the Doctrine of his Requiring / Rom. 12. [...]. 1. Cor. 1 [...]. c. to Fellowe-members in the Bodie of Iesu Christ. but turne-away themselues therfrom: and that also the Entraunce to our Communialtie and Seruice of Loue / taketh-not-effect nor is consented-vnto by them / according to the Requiring of the gra­cious Woorde / So are These ⁏although they bring-fourth much Knowledge of the Woord / and set-vp a Doctrine of their owne / according to their Heartes Good-thinking; not yeat becom any Dis­ciples nor Subiectes of the Woord / nor-yet any Fellowe-members of the Bodie of Christ nor of his Familie of Loue / nether-yet also any Fellowe-bretheren with vs / in the Testamentes of God and the holie Fathers.

6. SEeing then that the gracious Woorde / C in his Seruice of Loue / is ourGen. [...]. b. Pro. [...]. b. Tree or Stocke of Life / and that yee ⁏which haue geeuen-ouer yourselues to the Requiring of the Woorde / and to the Doctrine of his Seruice; are implanted to thesame Tree or Stocke / for to bring-fourth ther-out good Frutes of the Life / So are then also in [...] all they that are implanted to thesame [Page] Tree ⁏for to bring-fourth ther-out the good Frute [...] of the Life; your Fellowe-braunchesRom. 11. [...]. in thesame Tree. And not any Other.

7. And euenso in that part / yee all which are im­planted to the gracious Woord and his Seruice of Loue / for to be obedient / are also y^• vpright Mem­bers of the onlie Bodie of Christ, and vpright Neighbours with each-other / which stand seruice­able one towardes an-other / to Fruitfulnes of the good Frutes of the vpright Life.

8. Whosoeuer now therfore are incorporated into th [...] gracious Woord of the Life and his Ser­uice of Loue / to the Fulfilling of the first Schoole-rule of the christian Doctrine / those shall also haue a good Will / to bring-fourth the goodIohn. 15. a. Col. 1. a. Frutes of the Life ther-out / and reioyce them that they finde men seruiceable vnto them therto / and that warne them of the Destruction.

9. But verelie / Such as byde without the En­traunce of the first Schoole-rule of y^• christian Doc­trine of the Seruice of Loue / and euenso adioyne them in Hypocrisie or Couerednes ⁏as with Any-seeking of their Selfnes / or of their owne Life or Lust; vnto the Woord or Seruice of Loue / and so reade or heare the Testimonies and Writinges of the Woorde: and then with their Knowledg / runne off and on / from the Woorde and his Ser­uice / or-els besydes thesame / go-fourth according to their olde corrupted Vnderstanding or Good-thinking / and haue nether Lust nor Will to y^• Re­quiring of the Woord and his Seruice / Those [Page 38] shall not be exhorted nor instructed any farder / then to theHeb. 10. d. Entraunce of the first Schoole-rule of y^• gra­cious Woorde and his Seruice of Loue. That is / to make-manifest their whole Heart by their Elder in the Familie of the Loue of Iesu Christ. to shewe-fourth Repentaunce forAct. 2. f. their Sinnes. and to geeue-ouer themselues obedientlie / to the Doctrine & Requiring of the gracious Woorde and his Ser­uice of Loue: and euenso to warne them no farder / but of y^e Destructiō / which hangeth ouer Them that byde therwith-out / or turne them away therfrom.

10. If they now take thesame Exhortation and D Warning to heart / and loue the Godlynes / in the good Life / so shall they then also applye themselues goodwillinglie to y^e Entraunce of theMath. 3. a. Luk. 3. a. Act. 2. f. first School-rule of the Woord / and let them be implanted ⁏to Obedience; into the gracious Woord & his Ser­uice of Loue / for to bring-fourth euenso ther-out / the good Frutes of the Life. But if not / so shall they then [...] them away therfrom / & euenso ⁏through their Disobedience and Vnwillingnes to the En­traunce of the Sanctificatiō of y^e Holyons of God; prepare themselues to Vessels of the Wrath of God / andMath. 25. d. plucke or bring vpon themselues y^e Sen­tence of their Condemnation.

11. For they that are so goodthinking-wyse by themselues / that they for-that-cause turne them a­way from vs [...] euenso refuse / to becom implant­ed with vs / [...] the gracious Woorde and his Doctrine / Those-same ⁏when one requireth them therto; do all commonlie turne them away / from [Page] the Seruice of the Woorde / and from Those that require of them / the Obedience of the Woord: Yea they becom also ⁏by that meanes; farre-worse then before / and are turned-about to Blaspheamers of the Woorde and of the Elders in the Communial­tie of the Loue: and ofLeui. 10. Num. 16. 2. Tim. 3. [...]. such take yee good-heede / to thend that yee becom not partakers of their De­struction. And if they will not by any-meanes en­ter ⁏with you; at the right DooreIohn. 10. [...]. of the Sheepe-folde of Iesu Christ: but chuse them an other Way / to breake-in vnto you / or that they likewise turne them away from vs Elders· and from our Mini­stration of the Woord and Requiring of the Ser­uice of Loue / so turne you then also away from them / and let them then hardelie / depart from you: For they are not ofIohn. 10. c. the Sheepe of Christ or Fa­milie of his Loue / much-lesse / Pastours or Heard­men of the Sheepe: and the gracious Woorde of the Lorde / in his seruiceable flowen-fourth Wa­ters or Documentes / together with the Ministra­tion of those-same / and the Ordinaunce of the El­ders according to the Requiring of y^• Woord and his Seruice of Loue / is also vtterly ⁏in all; against the Minde of their Opinion / and goodthinking Knowledge: For-that-cause also they murmure so-much the-sooner / and wax-offended at the One or at the Other / and so make an occasion / to depart from vs / and to withdrawe them from the Obedi­ence of the Requiring of the Seruice of the Loue of Iesu Christ.

E 12. Of those / and of such-like / Sainct Iohn hath [Page 39] also spoken in his Epistle:1. Iohn. [...]. d. They are gon-away from vs / but they were not of vs: for had they ben of vs / so should they no-doubt haue bidden by vs: but they must becō manifest / that they are not of vs.

13. If any man then depart from vs / or turne him away from vs and from the godlie Obedience of the Woord and of the Requiring of his Seruice of Loue: or that any-man do cleaue to the Opinion of Those which are declyned from vs and our god­lie Doctrine / and euenso becometh an Enemie tow­ardes vs and our Doctrine / or a Blaspheamer / or Betrayer / and so waxeth more-euell against the Good that is shewed on him / or taketh all thesame to the worst / and interpreteth it in the euelst-part / Such-a-one verelie / was neuer rightlie adioyned nor implanted to y^• gracious Woord nor his Ser­uice of Loue: nether is hee also lighted by the Lord: nor-yet can hee ⁏out of his malitious Heart / nor out of his goodthinking Knowledg;Ie [...]. 8. b. witnes any­thing-at-all of the Trueth of the Life.

14. And all Those which haue their Fourth-go­ing with such wicked or of-sundred Mindes / and will ⁏in no-case; any better / and so long as they rest of that minde / they are assuredlie not worthy of the Exhortation of Discipline / to their Preseruation· nor of the Warning from their Destruction. For / through the Ignoraunce which is yeat in them / and through the Good-thinking which hath capti­ued them / they will not nether can they by any-meanes suffer / that the Loue or the Mercie should be shewed on them / or that-men should deale graci­ouslie [Page] ⁏to their Attonement with God and his Woorde / nor to Vnitie of the Heart in the Seruice of the Loue; towardes them: but they frowne and byte at you· or-els they deride and ieast-at you / when-as yee are seruiceable vnto them to the Good: and shewe therin their Lust to your Destruction / or their Lust standeth bent / to bring Vs ؛the Mini­sters of the Woorde (punctel) to reproch· and that they mought seduceRom. 16. [...]. and estraunge you from y^e Woord / and from the Obedience of his Doctrine.

F 15. But take not yee in any-case offence at any of all those or such-like: but suffer orEphe. 4. c. beare-with them in their Ignoraunce. For seeing that they are not entred-in with vs to the Begining of the Christian Life: and that they haue not any Lust to the Newe Birth in Iesus Christ, nor to the Loue of the holie Spirit / nor-yet humble them obedientlie to the gra­ [...]ious Woord and his Seruice of Loue / so is not sur [...]lie their Nature any otherwise.

16. Moreouer / iudge them not / nor yet publish-abrode their Sinnes / ouer them: for they themsel­ues bring-fourth their owne Iudgment with them. And seeing that they are vnwilling to the gracious Woorde and the Doctrine of his Seruice / and resist the Grace of thesame / which is proffered them is a Leading-in to the gracious Woord and his Seruice of Loue / so do they themselues make-ma­nifest sufficientlie / their owne Sinnes and Errours / that they are iustlie giltie of the Condemnation.

17. Therfore let noman take-in-hande / to teach such ⁏i [...] their Vnwillingnes; to the Kingdom of [Page 40] Heauen or inwarde spirituall Man of God: but geeue them ouer or leaue them to the Lorde / and his righteous Iudgment with his Holyons: For in thesame Iudgment / eueryone shall ⁏Math. 25. d. Rom. 14. b. 2. Cor. 5. b. according to his Woorkes or Dooinges; receaue his iust Iudgment / and his right Recompence.

18. But yee all which are entred with vs into theMath. 3. 7. Luk. 3. 1 [...]. Act. 3. c. first Schoole-rule of the christian Doctrine of the Seruice of Loue / and cleaue vnto the gracious Woord and the Doctrine of his Requiring / with all your Heart / to Obedience / Vse yee among each-other ⁏as concordable Bretheren and Sisters in the Loue of our Lorde Iesu Christ; your1. Tess. 5. b. Heb. 3. 10. d. Ex­hortation / to one-an-others Preseruatiō· and your Warning / from one-an-others Destruction:Ephe. 4. [...]. and growe-vp euenso [...] with the Woord / and in the Woord; in all Loue and Godlynes: and haue not much Prate or Disputation with the Straungers / nor with them that fall-away from the Seruice of Loue / nor with the Vnwillingons and Resisters.

The XVII. Chapiter.

[Page] A VErelie / of the Destruction of ether-other of these Two / wee haue [...]. 3. 1 [...]. 19. 1. Gla. 4. 2. Gla. 7. 21. 3. Gla. [...]. 4. Gla. 1. &c. witnessed and setfourth very-much in all our Wri­tinges / were it but vnderstanded or com­prehended a-right. Neuerthelesse / seeing that ther is yet presentlie farder demaunded therof / wee will [to thende that eueryone may take the Admonition ⁏in hauing the greater regarde thervnto; so-much the more or better to heart] vtter or declare-fourth with vncouered Woordes / the principall Head-pointes of both their Destructions.

2. The Destruction of the Straungers to the Familie of the Loue of Iesu Christ, wher-through they (if one warned them not therof / or if they ⁏when they are warned; turne them not about / for to be obedient to the Doctrine and Requiring of the gracious Woord of the Lorde and of his Ser­uice of Loue) should vtterlie perrish / and inherit the eternall Condemnation or Bannishment / is this:

3. First / they should all / which holde themselues [...]s Straungers vnto the Doctrine and Requiring of the Obedience of the gracious Woord and of his Seruice of Loue ⁏if one warned them not of their Destruction; [...]ide alwayes ⁏with their Dark­nes or [...]. Cor. 3. d. Couering of the olde Man; vtterlie couer­ed or seperated / from the Face of the liuing God of Heauen and of his Christ, which is presentlie in the last time ⁏through God-his Grace; appeered vnto vs in naked vncouered Cleernes / vnder the Obedi­ence of the Loue of Iesu Christ· and declared with the Fulnes of his Grace and Mercie. and which [Page 41] also / all Disciples of the Woorde ⁏in theEphe. 4. c. Laying-away of the Coueringes of the olde Man; shall in like-maner beholde naked and vncouered / as1. Cor. 13. c. 2. Cor. 3. b. from Face to Face / in the essentiall Cleernes of God and Christ.

4. Secondlie / they should through their herited B Birth of the olde Man and of his corrupted Vn­derstanding (if that they be not borne first / out of theIohn. 3. [...]. Water or Doctrine of the gracious Woorde and of his Seruice of Loue / euen vntill theRom. 6. b. c. Death and Buryall of Iesu Christ, to the Slaying and Burying of the olde Man / and of his corrupted Vnderstanding / Lust / and Desyres: and that they be not euenso then borne againe / out of the Spirit of the gracious Woord / euen vnto y^• vpright Bee­ing of Iesu Christ) fall into manifolde Errours and Seducinges / and vtterlie perrish therin.

5. Thirdlie / they should also ⁏if they be not whollie withdrawen frō the Woorkes and Lustes ofEphe. 4. b. [...] the olde Man· and euenso taught & prepared to the New Birth in Iesu Christ; bide alwayes Members of the Deuell and his vngodlie Beeing▪ and minded to all Destruction and Errour / and obtaine noIohn. 13. a. Part nor Inheritaunce in the holie Bodie of our Lorde Iesus Christ, nor in the KingdomMath. 13. [...]. of Heauen: nor yet likewise in any Treasures of the spirituall and heauenlie Goods.

6. Fourthlie / they should (if they be not ⁏to the Mortifying and Burying of all vngodlie Beeing; implantedRom. 6. into the gracious Woord or Bodie of Iesu Christ) bide euermore in Errour / with-out [Page] the gracious Woorde or Bodie of Iesu Christ, and not be driuen or directed any otherwise / then by the Spirites of Errours· and taught by the many-maner3. Reg. 22. c. Spirites of Lyes (whether it were then to false Spiritualnes / Doctrine / or Religion: or-els to the Disorderlynes or Iniquitie of the Worlde) and should likewise also for-that-cause-sake / not be able to vnderstand, knowe, nor ob­tayne or receaue / the holie Spirit of God and of the Trueth or Christ: nor-yet feele or perceaue anythinge-at-all therof: nether-yet of the Grace of the Lorde / how large thesame reacheth ouer the Children of Men / or how neere-by it is vnto them.

7. Verelie / all these Straungers vnto the Fa­milie and Seruice of the Loue / or Such as go-fourth according to their Good-thinking / stand comprehended or are bewrapped in a great Destruc­tion: and whoso maketh thesame knowen vnto them / and so warneth them therof / er-euer y^e great Destruction take them cleene awaye and destroye them / in their Errour and Estraunging / hee doth very-well / and sheweth a great Good-deede of Loue and Mercie towardes his Neighbour. And if they then conuert them to the gracious Woord of the Lorde / and to the Doctrine of his Seruice. make Confession of their Sinnes. andLuk. 13. b. shewe-fourth Repentaunce / So shall then their Soules be wonne to the eternall Life· and to the euerlasting Preseruation in the Godlynes.

C 8. BVt the Destruction / wherof the Dis­ciples of the gracious Woord / and the [Page 42] Brothers and Sisters in the Familie of the Loue of Iesu Christ / shall warne one-an-other / is this▪

9. If it chaunce that any of the Disciples of the Woord / or of the Bretheren or Sisters in the Fa­milie of the Loue of Iesu Christ / should ⁏without the Doctrine or Requiring of the Woord and his Seruice; fall into any Good-thinking / or into any-sort of Dealing / contrary to the Doctrine or Re­quiring of the Woorde and his Seruice (whe­ther it were then out of himself / or-els through any Straungers or Offallenons) or that they should be assaulted / for to turne them away from the2. Cor. 11. [...]. Singlemindednes of Life which wee haue in the gracious Woord (wherin yee are also taught and exercised aright to thesame Singlemindednes) so shal-men then warne those of the Destruction / which is witnessed heere-following. And if they then take not to heart the Warning for y^• auoyding of their Destruction: but turne-away themselues from the Woorde and from the Doctrine of his Seruice / through the Assaulting or Temptation which meeteth them to that effect / and marre or depraue themselues againe in any Good-thinking and Self-wisdom· or in any brutish or worldlie Beeing / and euenso estraunge them from the good Doctrine of the Woord / so should then thesame verelie chaunce vnto them / to a damaigefull De­struction.

10. For first / ther should ⁏by that occasion; a Couering of the Wrath of God / enter-in betwixt them and God / and the Doctrine of his gracious [Page] Woord: in such-sort / that they should not be able to heare nor vnderstand / Esa. 6. c. Math. 13. b. Act. 28. c. what God requireth through his gracious Woord & Seruice of Loue.Of this De­struction heer mentioned / shall the Dis­ciples of the Word warne one-an-other to thend that the-l [...]ke com not vpō them

11. Secondlie / their Good-thinking or their Pleasure in the Fleash or in the carthlie Thinges / should also estraunge them from the pure Bewtie of the heauenlie Beeing / and so bring them into grea­ter Errour of Destruction / then that wherin they walked before.

D 12. Thirdlie / their Errour should ⁏through their Pleasure in thesame; incorporate them againe much faster and stronger ⁏to pernitious Members of the Deuell; into the Deuell and his vngodlie Beeing / then they to-fore were incorporated into him.

13. One should in like-maner much lesse or wors­ser / be able to make them to knowe their Errour and Destruction / for to ridde them therout / then in times-past / when-as they yeat stoode in their first Blindnes or Errour.

14. Fourthlie / they should also through the In­corporating-againe into the Deuell / and through their Addicting of them to the earthlie consumeable Thinges / be driuen by the wicked Spirit of the good-thinking, earthlie, fleashlie, and deuelish Bee­ing / in greater Presumption & with more Freenes / into the Falshod / against God and his holie Spi­rit and Seruice of Loue / then hee had driuen them in times-past: And that altogether / to cause them to invay or be against the good Doctrine of the Woord and the Ministration of thesame: yea / [Page 43] and to a plucking of the Destruction ouer them­selues / and also ouer other moe.

15. Thissame is verely the Destruction / of the which all the Disciples of the Woorde and of the Doctrine of his Seruice· and all Bretheren and Sisters in the Familie of the Loue of Iesu Christ / shall warne one-an-other: And for that cause ⁏for to bide kept from thesame Destruction; let eueryone applye himself so-much the dilligenter to the Doc­trine and Requiring of the Woord / and so-much the heartelyer exhort one-an-other to bide stedfast in the Doctrine and Requiring of the Woord / euen to the Ende.

The XVIII. Chapiter.

VErelye / Then that com-on vnto A you / without the Ordinaunce and Re­quiring of the gracious Woord and of his Seruice of Loue / bring-in nothing-els but Breach / Diuision / and Offence / Rom. 16. c. besydes the good Doctrine which is taught you to the En­traunce [Page] of the vpright Life: and also besydes the good Doctrine which becometh yeat daylie taught vnto you / toEphe. 4. b. the Growing-vpp in the holie Vn­derstanding of the Godlynes of the holie Spirit of the Loue of Iesu Christ.

2. Oh alas / ouer those wee haue to lament vs very-much: for They are the2. Gla. 23. b c 4. Gla. 23. c. false Bretheren / which euery-wheare slip-in ⁏with their goodthink­ing Knowledge; besydes the good Doctrine of the gracious Woord and of his vpright Seruice / and enter not in by the rightIohn. 10. Doore of the Sheep-folde / to the Sheepe of Christ or of the Familie of his Loue / nor by the right Entraunce to theIohn. [...]. a. New Birth in Iesu Christ: but break [...]-in thorowe som other waye / and euenso seeke their owne priuate Commoditie and the Honour of themselues / at Mens handes / and not the Saluation of Men: and for their owne Ease and Peaces cause in the Fleash / they knowe also well how to holde them­selues ⁏after y^• Aspect or Pleasing of Men / and ac­cording to the Measuring-fourth of their Know­ledge; as Teachers and2. Cor. 11. c. Appostles of the Woord: they knowe also somtymes how to prate & talke at-large of high heauenlie Mattiers / which yet they haue neuer seene / but haue taken-on such a Know­ledge therof to themselues. Howbeit / they desire not to make-manifest the Vncleannes of their Heartes / nor-yet ⁏in Repentaunce for their Sinnes; to be purged ther-of: but they cloke or couer thesame / and yet will neuerthelesse ⁏with their vncleane vngodlie Heartes; esteeme them­selues [Page 44] to be [...]uall with the Righteous.

3. Of which / and ouer which / the vpright Pro­pheates / Teachers / and Appostles of the Woord / haue euer very-sore complayned them / thatEsa. 2 [...]. 56. d. Ier. 14. c. 23. a c. d. 50. b. c. Eze. 13. 34. Oze. 4. 5. 9. b Iohn. 10. a. Rom. 16. c. 2. Cor. 11. [...]. 2. Tess. 3. a. b. 2. Tim. 3. a. Tit. 1. c. 2. Pet. 2. a. c. such false Bretheren & Teachers / knowe how to breake-in alwayes so subtillie / betweene the vpright Doc­trine of the holie Woord and the singlemynded Bretheren: yea and also obtaine the greatest Esti­mation among Manye / and drawe likewise many Vnfaithfull vnto them. But they themselues bring therin y^• Sentence of their Punishment with them / wherin both they and such as followe them ⁏in their Errour & Fourth-going; destroye themselues / like as the holie Propheates and Appostles of the holie Woord / haue figured-fourth and witnessed their Iudgment / Punishment / and Destruction· toge­ther with their Falshod and Seducing / in manye Places of the holie Scripture. and warned all goodwilling Heartes to the vpright Righteous­nes / of them and of such-like· and of their De­struction.

4. And wee ourselues also haue mentioned the-like B in many of our2. Gla. 23. b. 4. Gla. 23. c. Writinges / to thende that now likewise / in this perrelous Time [wherin all Falshod / Seducing / and Deceipt ⁏to the Destruc­tion of Men; beareth so great sway] eueryone which ⁏vnder the Obedience of the Loue; loueth the Righteousnes with vs / should be warned of the Falshod and Deceipt of the false Bretheren· and of Such as take vpon them out of themselues / to ad­minister any Doctrine ⁏besydes the Doctrine of the [Page] gracious Woord and Seruice of Loue; vnto any­one: and also of them / which turne-away them­selues from Vs and from the Woorde· and from our mostholie Seruice of the Loue / and can yet ne­uerthelesse highlie and at large prate of the Woord and the Loue. But they themselues enter not into the Begining of the christian Doctrine of the Ser­uice of the Woorde· nor into the vpright Beeing of the Loue: nether-yet also indeuour them ther-vnto / to passe-thorowe theLuk. 13. c. small Waye / which leadeth to the Life of theEphe. 4. c. vpright Righteousnes.

5. And therfore / to thende that now in this per­relous Time / the right Entraunce to the vpright Righteousnes / mought be the-lightlier knowen· and the Deceipt of the false Bretheren ⁏which enter not into thesame; the-better eschewed: and that they mought be preserued therfrom / So is presentlie in this Daye ⁏through the gracious Woord and his Seruice of Loue; the rightIohn. 10. Doore of the Sheep-folde of the vpright Sheepe or Bretheren of the Familie of Loue / or the right Entraunce to the Newe Birth in Iesu Christ ⁏wher-thorowe all vpright Sheepe / Teachers / and Appostles of the holie Woord do enter-in / to the vpright Beeing of Iesu Christ and his Loue; figured-fourth and expressed distinctlie and nakedlie vnto vs / with-out the which / all Vnbeleeuers of the Woord / and all Hypocrites and false Bretheren / with all false Teachers or Appostles / byde-remayning: and haue not any lust / to go thorowe thesame.

6. And although they dissembled neuer so-much / [Page 45] as pretending to go therin or ther-thorowe with you / yet can they not ⁏if they in the Obedience of the Requiring of our mostholie Seruice of y^• Loue / loue not with all their Heart the vpright Beeing of Iesu Christ; perseuer therin to the Ende / that they mought be saued: but they turne them away / ether to the right Syde or to the leaft / and com not to the true Beeing of Iesu Christ ⁏wherin notwith­standing the vpright Knowledge of the Misterie of God and of the heauenlie Kingdom / together with the spirituall and heauenlie Goods are obtayned or purchased; that they mought inherit thesame / in their Spirit and Minde.

7. For-that-cause wee tell you yeat presentlie / C like-as wee haue also tolke you heere-to-fore / that yee shall at no time haue any regarde nor geeue-care to Anyone of them all / that indeuour them not / nor yet will indeuour them / to the Entraunce of theMath. 3. Luk. 3. first Schoole-rule of the christian Doctrine· nor to theIohn. 3. New Birth in Iesu Christ, nor-yet to Such as bide not stedfast therin / to Faithfulnes· nether-yet account them for vpright Bretheren / much-lesse then / for Teachers or Ministers of the Woord. For they that make not manifest them­selues / before their Elder in the holie Vnderstand­ing of the gracious Woord / nor confesse the Er­rour of their former Life and Vnderstanding / be­fore him / nor yet doo nor shewe-fourth any Repen­taunce for their Sinnes / haue not any good in their minde / whether they acknowledg it or acknowledg it not.

[Page]8. If they then appeere not or make not manifest themselues in that place / wher the Sunne ؛the hea­uenlie Day-light (punctel) shyneth / and where theIohn. 7. d. Foun­taine of the safe-making Water floweth / and euenso holde not themselues stedfastlie / by the cleere Shy­ning of the heauenlie Day-light· nor by the daylie Out-flowing of the safe-making Water / nor becom daylie refreashed and washed with the outflowing healthsom Waters / till that they ⁏in their Spirit and Minde; be borne-anew / out of the holieIohn. 3. [...]. Spi­rit of the Loue of Iesu Christ, but / before they haue attayned to thesame Time / runne-away with som flowen-fourth Water / and that they suppose euenso to byde couered / in their inwarde, filthye, and stinkingIe [...]. 2. c. Poole or Pit / or-yet to purge themselues / without the pure Water that floweth out of our Pitcher· and from our Bodie / So shall it not then verelie auayle them / to the Life of Righteousnes· nor the vncleane stinking Poole of their Inward­nes / becom so purged / nether-yet shall their In­wardnes be any sweete Sauour / before the God of Heauen / to his Habitation.

9. And the flowen-fourth Waters / which they haue seperated from their Streame· and taken-on to themselues a false Iudgment ther-out / shall also ⁏seeing that they themselues are seperated from the Fountaine and from her daylie outflowing Water-streame; wax drye by them or becom of no force: and they themselues shall also ⁏as deadIudae. [...]. Trees or broken-offRom. 11. d. Braunches; wither or fade-away: and their poluted Bowels shall be eaten-away by the [Page 46] vncleane fretting Wormes / and they shall ⁏at the last; finde themselues profitable to no vse / but for theEsa. 26. b. Math. 3. 7. b. Iohn. 15. a. 2. Pet. 3. b. Fire.

10. Therfore ⁏O yee Adioynedons and In­corporatedons D to the Woord; yee shall not holde youMath. 18. c. 1. Cor. 5. b. 2. Tess. 3. b. common / with such Straungers and De­clyners from the Seruice of Loue / for to eate daylie with them ⁏at your Table; the holieIohn. 6. d. Act. 2. f. Bread [which is brought ⁏from the Right-hand of God the Father; vnto you ⁏to the Life of your Soules; out of Heauen:] but breake, distribute, and eate thesame among each-other. But-yet holde not your­selues therfore as2. Tess. 3. b. Enemies against them: but ex­hort them to the Entraunce of the vpright Bro­therhod / to thende ⁏if the Lorde graunted thesame; that they mought ⁏to Life; becom saued· and pre­serued from their Destruction.

11. And euenso / in it-all that chaunceth vnto you / beare in no-wise any Enimitie to anyone: but shewe alwayes / in your Brotherlie-loue ⁏which yee haue among each-other; also the2. Pet. 1. b. common Loue / towardes all them which ignorantlie erre / and yet notwithstanding / by you or besydes you / loue the Righteousnes: and exhort them euenso to the Be­leef of the gracious Woorde / and that they in the Beleef / applye them repentantlie to the Entraunce of the first Schoole-rule of the christian Doctrine of the gracious Woord and of his Seruice of Loue.

12. And with all them that applye them ther­vnto and doo euenso / and perseuer therin / yee shall holde you common: and also eate or feede-of the [Page] BreadIohn. 6. c. Act. 2. f. to Life / with them: and so allEphe. 4. b. Col. 1. b. growe-vpp with each-other / in the Godlynes of the gra­cious Woord and of his holie Spirit of Loue / till vnto the Olde-age of the holie and godlie Vnder­standing: and becom you then euenso strengthned with the vpright Beeing of Iesu Christ, andEphe. [...]. c. re­pleanished with the Fulnes of his holie Spirit of Loue.