CHAP. IX.

BUt who hath regard hereunto? who thinketh on the righteousnesse which God esteemeth.

2. Doth not the most part of people in­tend to set up theirRom. 10. own righteousnesse?

3. Who thinketh on the Communion of [Page 106]Saints,Ioh. 6. whom God the Father draweth, to justification through Jesus Christ, in the love?

4. Doth not every one (which is come or risen up before the love) seek to gather a private Congregation to himself, to ad­vance his own word, and with contention to stick to the same? not thinking that the Lord shallEsa. 66. himself bring forth, through his Word and service of love, and that his Salvation shall come from his right hand; and that so through himself, he will bring forth unity in the love, and his childrenEsa. 66. out of Sion, according to the word of his promise.

5. But who looketh after it? who long­eth for it? who dependeth upon Gods promises, that (in time to come) they shall be established, who hungreth or thirsteth after it? who thinketh on the comfort of Israel, and upon the consolation of Juda?

6. Every one supposeth without fail, that he hath the blessing of God already, and that there is for to come, no more then is present with him, or which he himself pas­seth forth in.

7. Herein do the conceited Christians comfort them, and cheer up themselves (a­mong each other) but they have catcht an [Page 107]hand full of wind, and do make themselves glad with chaffe.

8. They thresh the straw,Esa. 33. and crush it very hard, but what availeth it, in their binnes4 Esd 6. shall no bread be found, nor any corn in their barns, yea such things shall come upon them from the Lord, and (for their stoutnesse cause) shall not bide away.

9. Many of them cry also now: we have it, we have it, we are the Congregation of Christ, we are Israel, Lo here it is, Lo there it is, this is the truth, that is the truth,Mat. 24. Mar. 13. Luk. 17. here is Christ, there is Christ.

10. But when Christ shall shew himself,Mat. 24. Luk. 17. even as the lightning ariseth from the East, and shineth unto the West, then shall their own word (which now is one with them) be clean against them, because they have not esteemed the love, wherein the truth of God or Christ is sealed for ever.

11. Moreover divers have gathered ma­ny people or companies every where toge­ther, by sentences of Scripture, and with glistering knowledges, terming them by the name of Christ, and by the name of Is­rael, but the love they have shut out at doors, and thereof had least respect and re­gard.

12. For who standeth now in the love [Page 108]to the endDeut. 6.10. Mat. 22. to cleave fast to the God of Life, and to love him, with his whole heart, soul, and thoughts, and besides, to love an­other as himself, that God (who only is the Lord) might be their arm, fortresse, and strength.

13. Is not every mans eye that accoun­teth not God, for the only Lord, fixed up­onIer. 17. flesh and bloud, or upon the vain cor­ruptible created things in this world? and doth not every one set his assurance on the same? doth he not count it for his arm or strength.

14. And thus living in such love to the corruptible things, and in that false consi­dence, every one loveth his own self, and (Esa. 29. Ezek. 33. Mat. 15. with his heart) turneth from the Lord, and so passeth on his errour, and merrily singing,Tob. 13. Apo. 19. Alleluia: even, as though that God had his delight in such abomination, and that Jerusalem were likewise builded up, and lay no longer trodden down.

15. In such a show or simulation, and in such pleasure of their own conceit (not ha­vingIoh. 5. the love of God, nor bearing the Law of the LordIer. 31. Heb. 8.10. in their hearts) they be­take themselves to marriage, with bold cou­rage, bringing forth their childrenOse. 5. in the unrighteousnesse, and account that same [Page 109]for pure wedlock ordained of God, the which yet among them, is but meer adul­tery,Ezek. 16.23. and impudent whoredom.

16. For consider, who is now (I pray you) within the right matrimony or con­junction of man and wife?

17. Was it not expedient that Gods Law and willPsal. 40. Esa. 51. Ier. 31. should be in the mans heart, and that so the same man should in his will and disposition cleave unto that God, which hath made heaven and earth? In like man­ner ought not the woman also to follow the man, and (with the like disposition)Eph. 5. cleave only to the mans will, and so in her heart bear that which concerneth God, or at least, labour, hope, and long after it, and in that sort bring forth her children, to the end to bring them upTob. 1. Eccl. 7.30. Eph. 6. according to the Law of the Lord, in the upright being, that the name of the living God might therein be magnified, from their birth, and from Generation to Generation for evermore.

18. But if we observe and note this thing aright, there are but few (alas) that proceed by this rule, and therefore they are generallyEsa. 57. Mat. 12.16. adulterers and adulte­resses.

19. For such as come not together by the Lord, butTob. 6. keep or shut God and his [Page 110]Law out at doors, are they not allSap. 3.4. chil­dren of adultery? liveth not every one of them that are such, in his own matrimony and conjunction, contrary to Gods Ordi­nance or conjunction,Sap. 3. Heb. 13. of the undefiled bed?

20. Therefore passe they not at all, for the pure begetting, procreating, or bearing, to the bringing up of children in godlinesse, to the praise of the most highest.

21. Oh! this same is with many, yet far from home, for every one desireth gene­rally to bring up his children to himself, e­ven to his own pleasure, that he may there­by spread his own name, and not the Lords; and therefore there is no love of God, nor unity in the love among them.

22. For every where there is a middle wall and division between God,Esa. 59.4 Esd. 9.13.15. Mat. 24. Luk. 21. and the man, between the spirituality and the tem­porality, between the Prince and the Sub­jects, between the husband and the wife, between the Parents and the children, be­tween one brother and another, and be­tween one friend and another.

23. Every one mindeth his own, and would fain have another agreeing to his mind: yea the man is now come to such presumption and stoutnesse,Esa. 45. that every [Page 111]one in particular would gladly have, that (in all things) he might use the everlasting God at his own will, and that God would give successe to all things, according to his pleasure.

24. And in such a manner is the vvife minded towards the husband, the children towards the parents, and moreover one people towards another, whether it be in Ordinances, Religions, and Righteousnes­ses, or in temporall Laws. In every thing there is own wills desire, middle wall, de­struction, suspition, mistrust, and covernesse.

25. Yet who taketh it to heart? who doth forgo himselfe? who considereth it [...] doth not every man cover himself, that his shame might not be laid open?

26. Who can now (I pray you) acknow­ledge, that he himself is so unclean, unjust, wicked,Esa. 1. and dissembling, and that he ought to turn him from his unrighteous­nesse?

27. Truly not many (alas) can brook it, nor yet well indure or bear the shame thereof, by reason that they will not do a­way nor forsake the covering or show of vertue, wherewithall they are covered.

28. For in this regard, the husbands will [Page 112]be much too upright, the wives too honest, and the children much too proudEsa. 3. and haughty, for to be content to acknowledge that they are open sinners, and no better then whores and naughty packs,Mat. 22. for thereby they might not in any wise come into the Kingdom of God.

29. So perversly are the children of men minded against God. For albeit they are guilty in all respects, (if not with the deed, yet at least with the heart in secret) yet notwithstanding they do all keep them­selves covered before the face of God, and his Saints; and would much rather be re­spected and accounted for just persons, (e­ven as the PhariseesLuk. 7. and letter-learned were) then with the Publicans to acknow­ledge their sins,Luk. 18. convert and pray to Al­mighty God for his grace.

30. Whilest then the children of men will not understand nor acknowledge this same,Joh. 9. therefore remain they in their sins. Notwithstanding (out of their unconver­ted hearts, and unacknowledgement of their errors) they search the Scripture,Joh. 5. thinking to have the understanding of life therein, whereas the same is it,Ioh. 5. that accu­seth them, and giveth testimony of the up­right life: but to the same life they desire [Page 113]not to come, for they know it not, neither the way that leadeth thereunto: howbeit they perswade themselves that they are wise, and do well know, how they ought or ought not to live.

31. But that which they ought before all things to know, they do not know, un­derstand nor see, for they ought necessarily to have seen, that they are, (like broken of branches)Rom. 11. separated and straied from the upright stock, and likewise to know the de­fection,Esa. 59. from their God and his Christ, and the lying against the Lord.

32. Seeing then they are blinded, in re­gard of the discerning of the fall from their God, and are not come to the incor­porating with Christ, and yet say they are Christians (and indeed are not, but are a Synagogue of the devill) and do boast themselves of God, and God findeth them liars in his sight, therefore will he evenApo. 3. spew such out of his mouth, and not suf­fer his holy name to be any longer blasphe­med by them, because they should see and know that they haveEsa. 1. blasphemed the ho­ly one in Israel,1 Mac. 3. trodden down his San­ctuary with their feet, contemned him and his gentlenesse, and in their presumptuous­nesse, esteemed themselves great and wise.

33. Inasmuch as this same is still unknown to the world, and unto all wel-conceited wise, and is of few looked into, and that the man learneth not to know himselfe, whereby he might judge righteously; nei­ther is with the inclination of his heart, disposed to the love, nor hungreth nor lusteth the convertion to his God, and will2 Tim. 4. not abide the godly doctrine, but remain selfe-wise and stout of heart, therefore do I even truly perceive great infelicity, sor­row,Mat. 24. and misery, to be ready to come in this perillous time; yea such an estate shall fall upon the children of men, as shall be out of measure horrible, and all this same must needs light upon them, because eve­ry one is much too self-wise in his own conceit, also too self-expert in the Scrip­ture: and for that every one supposethJer. 8. when he hath the Scripture, and readeth or heareth the same, that he cannot then erre nor be deceived.

34. This say they, and yet do they all erre, because the upright judgement (out of a discerning of love) is not in them, and because out of the brests of the love, they have not sucked, and tasted the godly wis­dome.

35. For it is certainly meer lies, what [Page 115]the letter-learned,Jer. 1. and what the wel-con­cerned wise of spirit also do without the love, institute or set forth, how clear soe­ver in understanding, and how expert soe­ver of good and evill they are become thereby, for they must all submit them to the love, and be reformed in herservice, o­therwise they can never, although (in their imagination) they know, perceive, and com prehend all things, come to the new man,Joh. 3. nor to the Kingdome of God, for the love is only it, wherein eve­ry thing (which is the truth and wisdome of God) is comprehended. SheCol. 3. 2 Tim. 1. is also the band or establishing of the perfe­ction.

36. Whilest the sove then hath every thing (which is of God, Christ, or Truth, contain­ed or included in it, therefore might some man demand, shal we then let the Scriptures passe? O no, God forbid: but men are not to use them for the knowledge, nor to the end to teach them forth historically, but to the intent they may give regard to such an up­right spirit or life, as is set forth therein, or required thereby (even as is3 Clas. 24. partly also set forth and declared, both of this, and of the knowledge, in the third book of the Glasse of Righteousnesse) that so through comfort [Page 116]of the Scriptures, we should (to our rejoy­cing)Rom. 15. have our hope on the promises, and on the foreshewing of God, by his Prophets, and by the Apostles of Christ (who have prophecied of the healthful life, which abi­deth sure in the love for ever) and so passing on towards it in the belief,Rom. 4. give credit unto God, that he in his promises is true.

37. But it is to be lamented, that the Scripture is by so few at this day discer­ned, out of the understanding of the truth, and of the love, whereby to understand the same rightly, according to the mind of God.

38. True it is, there is much written, and divers have set forth many writings, and have had much provoking of spirit, and great inclination to teach, howbeit e­very one severally, according to the sight or knowledge that he hath had, be­ing in the state of the fall from God, and in the estranging from his Salvation.

39. But inasmuch as they were not come to the love, and that their hearts were not in­clined to the love in all things, as they were to the spirit of their glistering knowledge and comprehension; therefore did many of them erre and mistake, for the mind of God,Deut. 6.10. Mat. 22. Rom. 13. and the fulfilling of the Scriptures, is the love.

40. And the same isCol. 3. the perfection, wherein every thing [to a life and truth of peace] standeth firm to our joy, andEph. 1. to the praise of the glory of God, to all and on all, that hope upon it and long thereafter.

CHAP. X.

FOrasmuch as the man is now perswa­ded, that he himself (with his cies of the Spirit) doth so clearly and nakedly dis­cern and understand the right, as he cannot be deceived, and for that every one which standeth in partiality, is by his sight or spi­rit contentious, howsoever each severall party maintaineth his own matter, and defendeth the same to be of God, and will in all things have the right onely and a­lone passe with his own matter, and will not effect the love above all, to the u­nity of heart, therefore even through the [Page 118]same glittering, in case they have not all their understanding captive under the obe­dience of the love, there shall come horri­ble calamity upon the children of men, in such sort, that upon this earth, they shall become an4 Esd. 5. abhorring one to another, for that every one standing stiffe in the know­ledge and in the clearnesse thereof, vvill not [for the loves sake] give over his own matter, thinking that the truth ought not to give place.

2. It is true indeed that the truth ought not to give place, but betwixt the know­ledge and the truth, there is great diffe­rence: for much knowledge [which yet men call truth] can easily arise out of the subtilty of wit; but the truth of God pro­ceedeth out of the love, and is even of one being with the love.

3. Therefore is the knowledge1 Cor. 13. divi­ded and broken, but the love is the truth,Ioh. 17. and the true being it self, and the perfe­ction.

4. But [alas] this do not many of them know, to wit, that they should come to the love, and so bear the love, for a mark of the righteous Spirit, and rejoyce them with the truth:Ioh. 17. 1 Ioh. 1. that same is the word of life which [Page 119]was spoken of according to the promises.

5. Inasmuch now as I have noted, and do yet at this present find so much bold­nesse in men, by reason of their knowledge, and imagination of the truth, whereon they are very stout and bold, and yet for the most part, it still faileth them of the truth and love, and for that the right way to the true life, and the loves nature, is thereby missed of many: And seeing moreover, that the right way and entrance into the true life, and into the loves nature, is (by Gods grace) granted me to be seen into, therefore have I out of the inclina­tion of Love, clearly and nakedly, with uncovered words set forth the right way or entrance into the true life, and the up­right nature or being of the love in the Glasse of Righteousnesse, distinctly noting the divine, and the humane, the spirituall, and the naturall, and what is decent and meet to be used, for a discerning, which is the establishing of the promises of God, according to the Scripture, that both Gods righteousnesse and mans righte­ousnesse might be knowne, and that we likewise in an inclination of love, might with consenting minds, passe forth towards the same.

6. But alas, what availeth it any man, that one point him out a good way, and an even and plaine path, if he walk not in the same, nor have no liking there­unto?

7. What availeth it to knock, and in di­vers manners to call, if there be no ears to hear, nor any understanding to compre­hend, or to understand the same, nor any heart to imbrace such things?

8. Or, how shall one be able, I pray you, to declare conveniently unto such a man his error, and the entrance into the good life, that he might rightly regard and understand wherein his salvation consist­eth, whereby he might be delivered from the bewitching of his heart, and so know what right is, to the intent he might once comprehend understanding rightly.

9. If a man say unto him, the increase, and the blessing1 Cor. 3 cometh only of God,Prov. 2. Sap. 8. Eccl. 1. he is the giver of wisdom, and no man nor Letter, then runeth he clean away from the same illuminated man, which pointeth him to the life of wisdome, and utterly giveth over the Scriptures, and the daily Services of the holy Word, which di­rect him to the upright life, and are service- [...] thereunto; and so departeth from the [Page 121]wisdom,Jer. 7.11.13. cleaving either to his vain ima­gination, or els to the world in her foolish­nesse and error.

10. If one say unto him, that he must suffer himself to beRom. 10 1 Cor. 3 2 Cor. 3.4 5. 1 Pet. 4. 2 Pet. 1. served to the peace of life, by some illuminated man, to the intent, that by hearing he may grow up in the belief to the salvation, then obser­veth he no difference often times between the unlightened men, and the Elders of the holy Understanding in the Family of Love; but giveth such respect to the un­lightned men for their knowledge, that he suffereth himself to beGal. 1.6 Col. 2 taken captive thereby, to a bondage under their know­ledges, and so becometh a servant unto men, and is by the unregenerated men bewitch­ed with somthing that is not of God, not leadeth to the life of salvation, in such sort, that through his liking unto that which he heareth of them, and by which he is seduced and beguiled, he betaketh him to the vain things of the flesh, and forsa­keth or forgeteth the true ministration of the Word of the Lord, and likewise also the good exercises, wherethrough he might have come, or been brought unto God, and toPsal. 36 Ier. 2.17. the fountain of upright and perfect wisdom.

11. Unto which fountain of upright and perfect wisdom, the man should of right be alwaies subject, and long after it: and moreover, according to the requiring of the good exercise that leadeth thereto, hope thereon; turn all his affection and inclination of heart thereunto, love the Wsdome andPro. 4. information, and submit himself obediently to the Service of the gracious Word, that so he might come to theProv. 2. life of the upright righteousnesse, and then take part therewith, and not with any of those things that lead not to the sal­vation.

12. If one say unto him that he must be spiritually minded, then climeth he up (with his wit) very high, after the spiritu­all understanding, and will likewise take upon him to understand the spirituall things, by his own knowledge, and will be so utterly spirituall, and so quite and clean change himself out of flesh into Spi­rit, that thereby he forgetteth and forgo­eth the humane Ordinance and equity, and to shew love to his Neighbour, and unto all men likewise: Out of which bewitched opinion of spiritual­nesse, many divisions and corruptions do arise.

13. If a man say unto him, that he should have regard unto the equity of nature, see­ing God hathGen. 1. created the naturall things also for the mans good, then doth he on the other side, so wholly adict himself to the naturall and visible things, that he re­ceiveth them to his own bondage, and sla­vish delectation, and tyeth his heart thereunto, and so shuteth or keepeth off the most holiest being, and the true holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, out of his heart.

14. If the man read the Scripture, and do out of the testimonies of the same, hear that the Law of Moses and the Pro­phets have their Office and MinisteryMat. 11. Luk. 26. Gal. 3. till unto Christ, and that in like manner all is in Christ fulfilled, and that ChristRom. 10 is the end or fulfilling of the Law, whereout the Gospell, or second Testament of the Ho­ly Ghost proceedeth, according to the fore-shewing of the Prophets, then he thinketh he will in any wise take the best, and in his spirit receive Christ, and the Gos­pell, and that which is spirituall and hea­venly of God, supposing thus (with his understanding and knowledge) to run clean beyond the law of Moses and the Prophets of the Old Testament [to wit beyond the [Page 124]obedience of the foregoing Service,] and so will rely upon Christ, and be a child of the New Testament; for he readeth, that that is the most best, and imagineth, that if he should regard the Law and the Pro­phets, and should obey the foregoing Ser­vice and requiring thereof, he should then go back and finish his beginning of righ­teousnesseGal. 3. in the flesh or outward; for the Scripture and the foregoing Service maketh mention, that the fulfilling of the Law and the Prophets, isLuke 18.24. in Christ, and that the spirituall and heavenly goods, be inherited in the Spirit: And thus will he be one of Christs, of the Gospells, and of the New Testaments, and apprehend in his spirit the spirituall heavenly goods, e're-e­ver he be passed thorow the Law or the Old Testament, or hath understood the Prophets of the foregoing Service in their requiring,Gal. 3.4 Heb. 7 how they lead him to Christ, and how, or in what sort all is in Christ fulfilled.

15. Herein lieth the man wrapped and snarled, and maketh nothing thereof,Esa. 59 but desolation and destruction, altogether troubling his understanding and consci­ence, and in like manner more others also, by his ignorance.

16. O God how is the understanding of the noble generation of man destroyed, being become lesse of godly worthinesse, then the beasts of the field! howbeit, thou hast chosen and created thee the man to this end,Gen. 1 Sap. 2. that he should carry and bear the Image of thy living God-head, to the laud and praise of thy glory, to the intent he should be unto thee (O God)Lev. 26 2 Cor. 6. Apo. 21. a Temple and Tabernacle for thy holy dwel­ling.

17. But alas, the man is quite contrary, and against this same, and hath very little mind or desireIer. 5.8 to come to his God a­gain.

18. And therefore the fall and stray­ing of men from their God, is become so deep and far, that there isPsa. 14 Rom. 3 scarce­ly any understanding, will, or desire of right conversion to be found among them.

19. O God, how are we blinded from the right knowledge of thy requi­ring, and become resisters and despisers of thee!

20. We haveEsa. 59 Ier. 2, 32 turned the back unto thee, as those that know thee not, and are become as children that are brought up of strangers, and are so fond upon stran­gers, [Page 126]that they utterly despise and detest the sight of their Parents, and forget their Fathers house.

21. We are even so far, O God, become strange towards thee, that we have al­most no pleasure in thee; for thou art un­to us as the very contemptiblest and most despised'st thing:Esa. 53. Yea, so little have we rightly thought of thee, that (in respect of thy right worthinesse) we have counted thee utterly of no value, and esteemed thee nothing worth; ne­verthelesse, thou bearest1 Pet. 2. our sins, and hast compassion in our affliction, and art our Physitian, healing us of our offences, for thou makest us whole of the deadly wounds of our souls.

22. O God,Psa. 25.79 impute not our sins un­to us, because of our ignorance,Luk. 23. Act. 7. forgive them also their offences, that know not what they do.

23. For seeing the children of men know not thee aright, nor submit them­selves obediently to the requiring of thy Word and Service of Love, therefore sure­ly they fall here, or erre there; in such sort, that oft times they keep no measure nor rule at all.

24. But seeing that such things are now [Page 127]sufficiently known unto me, and that my spirit out of Gods grace, perceiveth a godlier life, then is found with many of the children of men, therefore the inclina­tion to the righteousnesse constraineth me distinctly to shew both that which is com­mendable, and that also which is utterly discommendable before God and among men.

25. Therefore O ye children of men, note (I pray you) your ignorance, and think once upon that which is right, and learn an upright understanding, and a right knowledge of the wisdome, that tendeth to the love.

26. Learne of the Love in her ServiceMat. 11. lowlinesse, long-sufferance, meeknesse, sobernesse, chastnesse, and righteousnesse, in faithfulnesse and truth; that same shall be wholsome to your reigns, do good to yourPro. 3. navell, refresh your bones, and rejoyce your heart, and shall be unto you a living fountainIoh. 7. that springeth to the e­verlasting life, and as a fruitfull treePsal. 1. Ier. 17 Ezek. 47 Apoc. 22 plan­ted by the waters side, that bring forth his timely fruits, whose greens or leaves do not wither or fade.

27. Take this same to heart, and be not as the wild beasts; bePsal. 32. not like horses [Page 128]and mules, that have no understanding of wisdom.

28. Inrage not your selves in any wise, as the mad furious world doth; set no horns on your heads; thrust not your selves out,Prov. 1 Sap. 2. like the unwise or fools, neither let your part be among the greedy or co­vetous.

29. Keep you from the society of them that are forward to do violence, and of such as count it a small thing to shed mens blood.

30. Have not much disputation nor reasoning with them that (by their will) are desirous to have the matter to go on their side, or that are partially minded; but rather in all things, observe what is right and equall, and whatRom. 14 serveth to peace and love.

CHAP. XI.

O Ye children of the Family of the Love of Jesu Christ, if so be ye love the Love, then consider also the Loves nature; for the Love is clothed with righteousnesse, which also rejoyceth not1 Cor. 13 in the iniquity, for her joy is in the truth.

2. After such a fashion consider ye the Love, and not after a vain course, accor­ding to the mind of the flesh,Esa. 40. for all flesh waxeth old and changeth; but the [Page 130]Spirit that cleaveth to the Love, doth nei­ther wax old nor change, but it abideth for ever.

3. Hereunto have regard, that your life may be in the preservation of the righte­ous, and fear not, like the fooles or ig­norant.

4. For why should ye perish with the fools and ignorant? wherefore should ye inherit the cursingMat. 25. with the goats?

5. Separate2 Cor. 6 Apoc. 18. from them, and behold Gods right hand; for from thence cometh unto us the life of salvation, and the light of the holy understanding.

6. Even there learne with the wise, the godly wisdom, that according to the Spi­rit, ye may be not earthly,Col. 3. but heavenly minded.

7. Suck also in like manner all gentle­nesse out of the brests of the Love, and seek the peace of concord.

8. And when ye have gotten all this same, then play, sing,Psal. 96.87. and praise the Lord as his little lambs, andPsa. 79.95.100. as the sheep of his pasture, and as little children,1 Pet. 2. in whom there is no guilefull heart hidden, and so get you a naked lovely heart, such as uncoveredly groweth up in the Love, and1 Thes. 3 2 Thes. 1. increaseth therein more and more; and in­crease [Page 131]ye likewise in wisdome, and in holy understanding.

9. If now ye be hereunto well min­ded, then shall your portion be with the Kings and Priests, or with the El­ders of the holy Understanding, and your fellowship with such Senetors, as do further the Righteousnesse and your Service of the Word, with the peace-ma­kers, that do earnesty seek the unity in the Love.

10. And thus shall then the slandering lips,Tit 2. 1 Pet. 2.3 which defame you with all evill, by your good conversation with the wise, in the wisdom, and with the just or vertuous, in all righteousnesse and integrity, be put to silence.

11. Therefore be now (through the love and her service) whollyRom. 12. Eph. 4. renewed, and purified in the spirit of your mind, passe now thorow the river of the love, e­ven to the rest of life, the holy land of pro­mise, that the ungodly bear no dominion over you.

12. Be altogether with one consent min­ded hereunto, and let the love have the pre­heminence and dominion with you all, that the little ones may be protected, and the simple defended.

13. Therefore, O ye lovers of the truth, seek unity, and labour for it, and make a departure out of all heathenish being, which is after the course of the worlds foolishnesse.

14. Do away the fore-skinDeut. 10 Ier. 4 of your uncircumcised hearts: lay away from you (according to the former conversation) the bewitching of the imagination, which glimmereth unto you before the eyes of your spirit, and glittereth before your un­derstanding, as if it were some excellent thing.

15. Renew your understanding in the Service of the holy and gracious Word, under the obedience of the Love, and so in the spirit of your mind betake you1 Cor. 14 to the Love, and and as deer children be sub­ject thereunto, whereby you may in the love obtain eyes of clearnesse.

16. If notwithstanding ye beIam. 1. unwise,Apoc. 3. blind, andMat. 5 poore of spirit, yet grieve not your selves for all that; for then ye draw neare to the Kingdome of God.

17. If you desire godly wisdom, thenIam. 1 pray and believe, she shall be given you, so far forth as your prayerRom. 12. is stedfast, and as ye pray to God, in a lowly heart, [Page 133]with such a prostrated soule, as hath a de­sire or pleasure to do, and to fulfill the Lords will.

18. Men may find many which pray un­to God for wisdom, and for the right sight of his Kingdom; but they will not acknow­ledge, norJoh. 9. Apoc. 3. understand, that they are un­wise, poor, and blind, therefore they ob­tain nothing.

19. For although that the wisdom stood even at their door, yet so well seen are they, and so rich of spirit, through their own wisdome of the knowledge, that the upright wisdom of God and the being of his Kingdome, must be faine to tarry without.

20. Therefore right well speaketh the mouth of the Wisdom, BlessedMat. 5. are the poor of spirit; for the Kingdom of hea­ven belongeth unto them, or the wisdome of God ariseth (as light) upon them, and not upon the rich, or upon the great knowers.

21. For when we of our selves are be­come poor, blind, or unwise, or do forsake that which is ours, and do come to contri­tion and meeknesse of heart,Psal. [...]1. Esa then will God dwell with us, and appeare in such hearts, as also the Scripture maketh men­tion, [Page 134]and then are we also poor; but God is become rich in us, by means of our vile­nesse, or because we are poor in the know­ledge: It is true.

22. These and other like things have I in many places distinctly set forth in the Glass of Righteousness, and do here also set forth the same in this Introduction to the holy Ʋn­derstanding; if any man regard it, let him consider the inclination of mine understan­ding.

23. But what shall I say? I find the man much too self-wiseRom. 1. 1 Cor. 1. in his owne conceit, and too void of understanding, in the mind of the love; for commonly when the man heareth of the love, and of the right un­derstanding of wisdom, he rejoyceth him in the hearing, and it seemeth as if it liked him well, likewise for a time he commen­deth it.

24. But in conclusion there is nothing among the greatest sort but self-feeking, and very little doe they understand the first Schoole-rule of the Christian Do­ctrine of the service of love, for an entrance into the upright life in Jesus Christ; but do understand every thing, which is held forth before them out of Gods wisdome and love, according to their imagination, and [Page 135]according to the mind of their liking. They seek thereout their own commodity,2 Phil. 2. and not the Lords; they run clean back from the mind of the love, and use all subtilty to manitain their own opi­nion.

25. Whereout I observe, that the man (which is thus minded) conceiveth of the wisdom and of the love utterly amisse. For which cause I likewise fear, least the Glasse of Righteousnesse (how plainly and rightly, evidently and clearly soever it is set forth) shall not of many be discerned aright, nor yet be conceived of, according to the truth.

26. If therefore they discern or conceive not a right of such apparent sentences (as are so clearly and plainly uttered) that even every one (which loveth lowlinesse and righteousnesse) must needs approve the same, and acknowledge that the man and the world is created thereunto) how should they then be able rightly to understand or judge of all the mysteries of the Kingdome of God?

27. For which causes sake (to the intent no man might have occasion to estrange him­self from the truth, unlesse it might be by his own revolting heart) we have hid­den [Page 136]or covertly set forth nothing, in the Glasse of Righteousnesse.

28. Notvvithstanding, if any thing be covered or hidden unto any,2 Cor. 4. it is hidden to the unbelievers, who have no desire nor love to the truth, nor to the life which is of God, for such are darknedRom. 1. in their under­standing, through pleasure in their ovvn mind, and through the ignorance which is in them,Eph. 4. and through the blindnesse of their hearts, do gather unto themselves,Rom. 2. a treasure of vvickednesse, to an horrible de­struction; and so through their own wis­dome, do turn away and separate them­selves, from the love, and from her ser­vice.

29. But unto all lovers of equity, which have a desire and belief towards the love, [to the intent that by her service, they might tast of1 Pet. 2. the uncorrupted milk, the Word of God, thatPsa. 40. 1 Pet. 1. liveth for ever] we have out of the inclination of love, so o­penly and clearly, according to the life painted out, and set forth the Glasse of Righ­teousnesse that every one, who with an hum­ble heart hath regard thereunto, and desi­reth the understand of Righteousnesse, shall be vvell satisfied therein.

30. If also any man turn his heart unto [Page 137]God, and desire to do his will, the same shall likewise well understand, that the te­stimonies of the upright life in the love, (as it is set forth in the Glasse of Righteous­nesse) is the upright ground of righteous­nesse, that God from the beginning hath required of the man, which also in the re­storing thereof shall continue for ever, to the Salvation of the vvorld, according to the promises, even as God hath spoken the same aforetimes, by the mouth of his holy Prophets, who have allEsa. 2.60.61.62. Jer. 31. Joel. 2.3. Zach. 2.8. Mich. 4. Soph. 3. Mal. 4. vvitnessed and prophecied of that same upright life, for to come in the last time, and in the same shall also all consciences be appeased.

31. For the end or fulnesse of the same, is the revealing or coming of the Kingdom of God, and the beholding of the joyes and Salvation of the eternall,Esa. 35.51.60.65. Apo. 21.22. perfect and un­corruptible being.

32. Oh that the man had any understan­ding in the godlinesse, and did perceive vvhereunto God calleth him, and did in like manner prepare his heart after the meaning of the vvritten sentences, and did let alone judging by the knowledge!

33. But no, the man is much too self­wise by his knowledge, and therefore he is more inclined to judge of every thing after [Page 138]his knowledge, then to prepare his heart to the good, under the obedience of the love.

34. Therefore it is very much to be la­mented, that many among the children of men, do oftentimes judge the sentences and writings (which have out of the service of love, their ministration to the good life) according to their Knowledge. For as soon as they read or hear the same, they suppose by and by that thet have rightly apprehended, and well understood them, not first minding to enter in, to obtain, and to live in that which they bear witnesse of, whereas yet the service of our writing ten­deth hereunto, even that mens hearts (as is there set forth) should be prepared to the same.

35. For men strike up no alarm, in the host, to the intent to make the people un­lusty to the battell, nor yet that they should but know the exercise of the warr, or judge of the Alarm-stroak, but that (with good courage) they should prepare themselves to the battell or fight. Thereby every one (that hath courage to fight) doth then make himself ready to incounter with his ene­mies, and to root out his adversary, or to subdue him.

36. But (alas) I find it with many, otherwise in that alarm by which the man is called to the spirituallEph. 6. fight, to the van­quishing of his enemies, which (inwardly in him) are killers and murderers of his soul.

37. Therefore it is very true, that the children of this world are muchLuk. 16. wiser in their dealing, as concerning the flesh, then the children of the Kingdom are, in that which concerneth the spirit.

38. What availeth I pray you, an alarm made, if men prepare them not to the bat­tell? for many are perswaded, that this is no time of fighting, and that there shall be no need thereof; supposing, because of their unbelief, that nothing shall come of it; and lay their hands behind on the back, or put them up in the bosome. Their heads are giddy, as if their hearts were utterly unlusty, or dismaid to the fight.

39. If one should seek for men of warre, where I pray you, should he find them? Are they not for the most part gone back,Levit. 26. Jer. 48. and become faint hearted as women?

40. If they do but once suffer harm, and be wounded; or forced by any evill defa­mation, [Page 140]or assault of the wicked) to sustain any molestation or reproach, then are they persvvaded, that the cause is altogether nought, and so running again after their case, they suffer themselves to be ruled by women,Esa. 3. their enemy to raign over them; and in like manner make truthEsa. 28. with death, and a league with hell, retain peace with the sin and accuser, and become of one mind with the world, supposing that then all shall be well: moreover they make an appointment or conclusion with themselves, that they will no more trouble themselves with the doctrine of the Family of Love, nor yet vvith the battell, thinking, Let them run that will.

41. For to resist the evill, to break and subdue the wicked heart and evil thoughts, and to suffer much distresse, contempt, and reproach, for the same liketh them not; they will none of that Howbeit, we are al­waies to fight against the evill, and to keep good watch continually: we are alwaies to think night and day upon the vertue of the godly life, alwaies to long, and to hun­ger and thirst after it, alvvaies to speak and to treat thereof, with such as do so labour thereafter; and yet then of many sorts of people (and letter-learned) to be despised and reproached.

42. Because of this toil, and for the shame and reproaches cause, which meeteth them (and because they love not the righteous­nesse of the godly life, with the heart) they let the matter passe, saying, out of unbe­lief, I cannot further it, I hold me still or unoccupied about it: let the Lord work it, I will commit it unto him. Supposing when they thus passe on according to their ima­gination, or do live after the fashion of the world, and (with anRom. 2. unrepenting heart towards God, do hold peace with the blas­phemers and strivers, against the truth of Christ and his love, that then God will make it to be well with them.

43. Deceive not your selves ye dearly beloved, the saying is very right,Act. 16. Eph. 3. Gol. 1. that the Lord worketh it, and that he will also cause it to go well with us,Phil. 1.2. and prepare us af­ter his will and pleasure: howbeit not without us, nor yet without the obedience of the requiring of the service of his holy and gracious word, and of his love; and whilest that we turne us away in such a sort from him, and from the Ministers of his word, and do refuse him;Luk. 17. but it is done inwardly in us, under the obedience of the requiring of his gracious word and service of love, so as we stand subject unto him [Page 142]with good will) therein, and be of one mind with him, against the ungodly be­ing, that God may so in us magnifie his holy name2 Reg. 7. and be calledIer. 10. a God of Hosts, aEsa. 47. God of Israel, or a God of such a one as beareth dominion with God over his enemies.

44. After this manner is God a Lord of his Army. He is only the Lord; but we the instrument of his hands.

45. Out of such an understanding under the obedience of the Law of the Lord, did the Kingly Prophet David, eftsoons appre­hend a zealous stoutnesse, even as in di­vers manners we read in his Psalms, how valiantly and couragiously he setteth himself on Gods part, against his enemies, as well in fighting with good courage, as also sometimes in praying and ma­king supplication, that God might be his helper.

46. After the same manner ought it al­so to go with us inwardly in our hearts, under the obedience of the love,2 Cor. 3. for no man can do any thing of himself, how stout, strong, or wise soever he be, unlesse God be with him, who strengthneth him, whom under the obedience of the Word and his love, he findeth to be of good will, and [Page 143]that prayeth unto him for his help.

47. If then any man be weak, finding himself infirm yet to the battell, the same is notEccl. 2. rejected nor despised, no nor any one that hath been in errour, so that they do but trust in God, and be good of will, do abide in the faith, and so in processe of time do increase in strength, and be not un­willing in the word of the Lord.

48. Therefore, Oye little and sorrowfull hearts,Esa. 35.41. be not dismaid, but be confident in hope, the Lord will not suffer you to beEsa. 54. put to shame: Therefore be of good cou­rage.

49. Though that the battell come unto you, and that ye be despised by the unbe­lievers of the gracious word, and by the blasphemers of the love of God, and of the holy spirit of Jesus Christ, and that moreo­ver,Mat. 5. 1 Pet. 2.3. all evill be lyingly spoken of you, yet be not therefore dismaid.

50. For the God of Israel isEsa. 51. our comfort, and he the same God will be our redeemer and our King, wherefore have your refuge only on him, to the intent ye may not fear your adversary in the fight. For truly this fight is godly and amiable.

51. Men curse nor swear not there, they do not there kill nor destroy any,Eph. 6. save [Page 144]only that opposite being against God, for it is no outward battell or war.

52. They use there no outwardEsa. 2. Mic. 4. swords or spears, they seek there to destroy no flesh of men, but it is a fight of the crosse and patience,Rom. 6. to the subduing of the sin.

53. This fight is also no disputation, bravvling, nor wrangling for the know­ledges sake of the Scriptures. It is likewise no contention with men, howsoever the most part of factious men (which do every faction in particular call themselves the right Christians) have even to this day so used it; and do also yet still bravvle,1 Cor. 3. Jam. 3. contend, and strive one against another, (and that with a secret, hatred, and envy) who should be best, wisest and holiest, and how to have right and equity, every one in his conceiving, whereby they intangle themselves every way one with another.

54. But such brawling and discord, do not I hold for any Christian-like fight, see­ing men do thereby forsake the love, there­fore such a fight doth nothing further to­wards the life, nor towards the upright un­derstanding of the divine wisdome.

55. Moreover, all those which stand mind­ed to such a kind of outward fight, braw­ling, wrangling, & railing, have never right­ly [Page 145]perceived nor understoodEph. 7. the inward fight. For inasmuch as they know not the vertue of the love, nor that whereout she proceedeth, therefore do they account the battell of the righteous spirit (which through the crosse, in the spirit of wel-vvil­ling hearts, carrieth forth the fight against death, sin, devill, and hell) for an ignorance and foolishnesse, because they do no more esteem of such a chosen Salvation, as is brought forth after the manner of men, and which the man hath his glorying in, then of the righteous spirit of love and life, which God himself bringeth forth, forEsa. 60. a true light, and salvation of men, after his godly nature and manner: theEsa. 42.48. glorying whereof belongeth only unto God, and to himself he also keepeth it.

56. Wherefore seeing God hath consi­dered, that all mans wisdome is vain, and that men by their wisdome know not Gods work (in his wisdome) nor his Salvation through his Christ,1 Cor. 1. it hath therefore plea­sed God through foolish preaching (under the obedience of the love of Christ) to save the world [that is to say, all those that be­lieve in him] that he might catch the wise,Esa. 29. 1 Cor [...] 3 [...] in their wisdome, the crafty in their sub­tilty and craftinesse, and the letter-learned [Page 146]in their knowledge of the Scripture, there­by making known unto them,Psal. 94. 1 Cor. 3. how vain and void of understanding they are in the purpose of God; and hovv that (by all wisdome and prudency, and by all their learnednesse in the letter) they have not known any thing ofMat. 11. 1 Cor. 2. Gods vvisdome at all, wherethrough the Almighty God is magnified, and by which it is known, that his foolishnesse is much wiser, then all the wisdome of the world, or prudence of mans vvit.

57. Novv vvhosoever believeth the same, but on the contrary party is yet so self­vvise, that he giveth no ear at all, nor is in­clined to the love, or to our communion through the loves service (vvherein Gods purpose is knovvn or understood) the same man surely shall not understand the mind of God, nor yet his secret,Kom. 8. 1 Cor. 2. for it is unpossible to understand the vvisdome of God, vvithout obeying of the love.

CHAP. XII.

FOrasmuch then as (through the1 Cor. 8. revea­ling of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the resurrection of the dead) there is out of grace, such an holy office or service of the love, to a renevving of the vvorld, novv in the last time come unto us, and (according to the secret counsell and vvill of God) committed unto us, in upright righteousnesse and holinesse to be ministred, therefore it vvere very meet, that every one vvhich is avvakened thereby, should submit himself thereunto, and give ear unto us in the same service, to the obey­ing of the love in the spirit, that every mans eyes might be made bright, and become clearer and clearer, toAct. 7. behold vvith a clear sight of their eyes, Gods Kingdom of heaven, the vvhich novv manifesteth it self unto us, and cometh unto us under the obedience of the love; and likevvise vvith the same do appear and come unto us, li­vingly and gloriously all Gods1 Cor. 15. Saints, [Page 149]vvhich in times past died, and fell asleep in God.

2. Behold this manifestation or appea­ring of Gods Kingdome of heaven,Mat. 24.25. and of the coming of Christ, together vvith all his Saints,Esa. 65. 2 Pet. 3. is the nevv day of life, and theDan. 12. 4 Esd. 7. 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes. 4. Resurrection of the dead, according to the Scriptures; vvhich manifestation of the Kingdom of God, and of the glorious com­ing of Christ, vvith his Saints, and of the nevv day, vve novv under the obedience of the love, publish abroad in all the vvorld (for a GospellMat. 24. of the Kingdome) accor­ding to the promises.

3. But if any man heareth not, nor be­lieveth the same, neither is vvakened out of theEsa. 29. sleep of his ignorance, or vvill not hear this voice of the love, him do vve let alone therein, still bearing a favourable good vvill tovvards him, and do cleave fast to the love, bear patience, vvith his igno­rance and blindnesse, and do consider, that all of us have heretofore been unvvise,2 Pet. 2. and have been blinded from this glorious light of life, yea vve do yet doubtlesse of­ten find in our selves the lack of understan­ding, untill the light of life do manifest it self perfectly in us.

4. Hovvbeit, the right understanding [Page 150]consisteth not in many words1 Cor. 2. or sayings, nor in high or deep knowledge, as is afore­said: but it is found in long-suffering, and in such a heart as feareth the true God, un­der the obedience of the love, where men use temperance,2 Pet. 1 discretion and kind-hear­tednesse, and where men love righteous­nesse and information of equity.

5. But where is it now, where may one seek and find it? who doth earnestly desire lust, or long for it? who applieth his heart wholly thereunto?

6. Truly not the children of this world, which are the lovers of errour, nor yet the self-wise of the vain-conceited hearts, nei­ther the lovers of their own companies of Religion: For all these think not upon the service of the love, neither will admit any thing, but what they have chosen: they blaspheme also every thing, besides their own opinion, and have no regard to the Statutes andExod. 20. Deu. 4.5.6. Ordinances of the most highest, nor to theMat. 5.6.7.11.16.19.22. doctrine of Jesus Christ, neither to the requiring of his Ca­tholike Church.

7. And therefore will the man to main­tain his own cause, be alwaies above the un­derstanding of the love, and so be the loves Master: For there are few found that do [Page 151]with whole heart submit themselves un­der the Love, to the intent they might ob­tain (through concord andJoh. 17. Eph. 4. Phil. 1. equalitie in the Love) one like mind to the good, to the one manner of subduing or mortify­ing of the evill hearts, minds, and thoughts.

8. For that, or him that directeth thereunto, they can by no means abide, nor yet be minded to the lovely life of upright Righteousnesse, which I H. N. out of intire love do beare witnesse of, because with many the same is not (accor­ding to his upright being) hearkned unto, nor rightly understood; for every one (with his conceited imagination, and un­clean heart) will fain be himself he, whom men ought to esteem for wise: in such sort, that many of them do arrogantly a­seribe understanding to themselves, as if they knew already all that they should know, and were wholly such as in Jesus Christ they ought to be.

9. Moreover many of them are so richApo. 3. & wise, as though they needed no more; and many perswade themselves that they are such as do live free, and that they are every whit the same that they should be, that also the Service of the love concerns them not, and that they are past it all.

10. Lo, such things think the fools and unwise (those unfruitfulIude 1. trees) that love their self-wisdom, and their own ease in the flesh, and are quite dead therein; yea, though he be an Infidell or Heathen, yet scarcely thinketh he that he hath any wrong understanding for all that; what might then one that is wise think, or he that per­swadeth himself that he is holy?

11. Now because many of them do e­steem their owne matter for such a fair­nesse1 Cor. 1. or wisdom, therefore besides their own wisdom, they will in no wise heare a­nyActs 7. other understanding, nor esteem it for wisdome; for every thing is evill or uncleane in their eyes, which is without their wisdom; yet must they needs ac­knowledge, that the inside of their vessell,Mat. 23. is not cleansed from the filthinesse, nei­ther doe they believe to be cleansed through Jesus Christ, or to be justified from the sin under the Obedience of the Love.

12. What helpeth it then, or whereto is it profitable, that one should shew a­ny precious ornament or jewell of godly fairnesse unto such, if in their hearts, it were against them, or that they loved not the same? Even so is it also with the testi­mony [Page 153]of the Word in the Love, when there is no love joyned thereunto, for to love that which is heard or witnessed.

13. Therefore let us in all things [and before all] grow like minded to concordRom. 12 1 Pet. 3. in the Love,1 Pet. 5. humble our hearts to the living God, and so love the vertue and the godlinesse, & cleave to no ungodly be­ing, or unorderlinesse of this world; but let us (with impartiall minds) hearken to the truth (for an instruction to the wis­dom) with long suffering, and cleave to the vertue of the good life, with him that beareth witnesse only thereunto, and ta­keth part with no flesh.

14. Wherefore let no man bind his heart unto any outward thing which he is served with to the righteousnesse of life, much lesse to the worldly things, or to a­ny thing which the desires of the flesh are inclined unto, that he be not disappoin­ted of the entrance to the life, which thing would be a great grief unto me.

15. For this cause (that no man should erre, but perceive whereunto our calling tendeth) hear and understand what the chiefe summe of the perfect Righteous­nesse is.

16. It is an humble heart, Psa. 51. that departeth [Page 154]from all earthly and corruptible things, and with a lowly and meek spirit is incorporated with God in pure Love, according to the Spi­rit, living in the forme of Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 1 in an unspotted conscience, and to have an in­clined mind or desire to do the Lords will, and to fulfill all righteousnesse.

17. Towards this let us passe on (with a good hope) in a sure faith and confidence, let every one turn himEsa. 55. Jer. 18.25 35 Ezek. 118. Jon. 3. from the wayes of his error, and with-draw his heart from the bands of selfnesse, to the intent (in an upright being) to serve1 Thes. 1 Heb. 9. the living God only, and turn away his senses and thoughts from that which hangeth on, to a bondage of the heart, [that is to say, from all that is created outward or vaine, how holy, how good, how fair, or how amiable a grace soever (according to the outward appearance) it may shew forth unto the man:] to the end, that no man be taken, or remaine captive in any bewitching (to a thraledome of his mind) with that wherewith the Heathen, and the unwise, or uncircumcised of heart, are still bewitch­ed, tied and bound, not onely with the outward show of holinesse, or wis­dome, but also with the delight of the outward created thingsRom. 2 in this world, [Page 155]wherein with their hearts they become vain.

18. Therefore let us reckon all these things for such as they are, and repute some of them (in that whereunto they are com­modious) for good in their degree and quality, to the end our heart may stand free in the everlasting uncreated God­head, according to the Spirit; that is, in the God of Israel, the Creator of all good things: and moreover, let us suffer our hearts to be prepared thereunto in the o­beying of the requiring of the Service of Love.

19. That is truly the everlasting life, which in times past was preached unto the world, and is now in the last time (by Gods grace) come unto us, under the obedience of the Love, that our fellowship1 Joh. 1 should be with God the Father, and with his Son the Lord Jesus Christ, and that our joy in the Love might be perfect.

20. On this onely and true God set­tle your hearts, to a union with him, and with his Christ, and love himDeut. 6. from your whole souls, minds, and thoughts, and so then love all created things in their degree, or as they are pro­fitable.

21. Yet not for their owne sakes, but for the Ordinances sake that God hath created them unto, and whereunto he hath appointed them, as good; then shall God be loved, honoured, and served by you a­bove your selves, and above all visible things, andExod. 20 Deut. 4. you shall also neither have nor serve any Idolls which are besides him.

22. In such a degree love ye also all menLev. 19. Mat. 22. Mar. 12. Rom. 13. as your selves, or as your fellow-brethren, so shall there be no dissention nor division found among you: and then (in the same sort)Eph. 5. love your wives, which are minded with you in one heart and spirit to God ward, as fellow-mem­bers of your bodies, or els should ye be no married folks.

23. To the same good being of con­cord in the Love,Eccl. 7.30 love ye likewise your children that they may be brought up in righteousnesse after the Law of the Lord, to serve the living God.

24. If any man hath servants, whe­ther men-servants, or miad-servants,Eccl. 7.33. Eph. 6. Col. 3. let him not overcharge them with slavery, but use moderation: give them also now and then time to rest and to recreate their hearts in the things that God requireth.

25. But beware of the stout servants,Eccl. 33. such as in their leisure time seek nothing but unseemlinesse, pride, disorder and light­nesse; for, for such, whether they be sonnes or daughters, men-servants or maid ser­vants (if so be they exercise nor desire no righteousnesse) labour serveth much better then leisure; yet with discretion, ac­cording to time and measure, alwaies be holding the good before them upon hope of amendment.

26. Hereunto let us be minded, and give over our hearts and minds, to live therein, and alwaies exercise loveRom. 12 1 Thes. 3. 1 Pet. 1.3. one towards another, and soHeb. 10. James 5. with patience, and long-suffering, waitLuke 2. for the conso­lation of Israel, and for the health of the house of Jacob, whom God (in his time) shall call together from all the endsMat. 24. or coasts of the earth, where now they are dispersed.

27. Wherefore increase ye in the good,Eph. 4. Col. 1. 1 Pet. 1. and grow up in the Lord, and for the communion of the Loves sake, and that we with consent of heart, may be joyned to the same, let us incline our hearts to each other, to the end we may all become one, such as love righteousnesse, and forsake dissention, & which dispise nor reject none, [Page 158]neither Jew, Mahomet, Heathen, nor any Sect or Faction, but rather draw all that will follow to our communion under the obedience of the Love, that the Service of the Love may become prosperous, and (in all upright righteousnesse) obtain the pre­heminence.

28. Whosoever then joyneth himselfe to our communion of the Love, yeeldeth himselfe to the love, and to the requiring of her Service obediently, loveth the righ­teousnesse,Psal. 15.24. Esa. 33. John 9. Acts 10. and hath no guile in his heart, the same is acceptable to God, and all such shall be unied in the Love, and love one manner of righteousnesse, according to the mentioning of the Glasse of Righte­ousnesse.

29. Hereunto let every one be humbly minded, and so incline his fatherly heartMal. 4. Luk. 1 to the children, to unity in the Love.

30. Let the childrenEph. 6. Col. 3. bow themselves (in holinesse) to the humility, and so (for the unities sake in the Love) turne their hearts to the Fathers.

31. The like also let every one do to­wards his brother, and one man towards another, and that all under the obedience of the Love.

32. Do away from youEsa. 59. the middle walls, and have love all that love righte­ousnesse, proceed on after it, with one ac­cord, have no regard to the foolishnesse of the Heathen, nor to any such dealings or witnessings, as cause Sects, dissention or renting, nor yet to their teachings and unprofitable devices, nor to the witching of their God-services, nor to the subtill knowledge of their wisdome: For their waiesJer. 5. are snares, and their wisdomeEsa. 19.42.58. nets; who so hath no regard to the Law of the Lord, nor to Abrahams God, he shall be bewitched, tied, or taken, and be led away from the requiring of the service of love by them.

33. But all ye which turne you to the living God, which made heaven and earth, fear not the Gods of the Heathen, neither regard the nets of the wisdome of the un­circumcised, seeing they reject the Lords Word and his Ordinances.

34. For the nets of the Heathen are like Spiders webs, which do soon rent and fall asunder; but the Law or Ordinance of the Lord is stedfast, and abideth everla­stingly.

35. Therefore let the Law of the Lord, and his Ordinances, be alwayes for a teach­ing [Page 160]unto you, and fear the God of Israel, and let his love be still your rejoycing.

36. Mark the ground of the Love, ye deerly beloved, and let your ears of the Spirit, that you may hear, your eyes of the heart, that you may see, and your under­standing, that you may understand, be o­pened or unlocked, not only to the out­ward, earthly and corruptible, but chiefly to that which is inward, spirituall and eter­nall.

37. For behold, I do verily witnesse this same distinctly enough unto you, to the intent we might all have regard to the upright life inwardly in our hearts,Rom. 8. become spiritually minded, and through the grace of the bountifull Godhead, serve in the upright life, the living God only.

38. Let every oneGal. 6. take heed to his time; for if we be already separated with our heart from whoring with stocks and stones, (as from such Idolatries) doubt­lesse it is then so much the more expedi­ent (inasmuch as such grace is extended on us) that we observe our hearts and co­gitations, and cleanse them from all out­ward unprofitable things, to be made free and unbound therefrom, to the intent our [Page 161]hearts abide not bound unto any manner elementish, created or worldly matter, nor yet unto any kind of appearance ofCol. 2. spi­rituall or holy things, whereby (in case our hearts stood bound therein) we may be lead awhoring, and our hearts be bewitch­ed therewith.

39. Therefore let us not regard, nor give respect unto, or esteem any outward things higher then for elementish, or so much as they are in their degree, or as they are profitable in their Service: neither let us go a whoring with them, to the intent our eyes of the Spirit may still have respect to the only God and his upright life, for to cleave with true understanding, unto the same.

40. For whatsoever is outward, whe­ther it be man or beast, and whatsoever is to be seen, heard or felt, how fair, good, holy, or wise soever it seemeth to be, must certainly every whit (so far forth as it stan­deth in his right degree)1 Cor. 15 Eph. 1. Heb. 2. be subdued un­der the only God and his love.

41. This same verily should the man once consider and understand, to the intent he might once be delivered and rid of his foo­lish witchery, and of dissention, and of whoring with this or that.

42. Therefore let no man be tied or bound to the lusts of whoredome with a­ny outward thing, but give all his respect to that God,1 Cor. 15 which is all in all, and inward­ly in his mind let him take heed to the upright life, which is godly, holy, and good, that he may bear the Image or like being of his God;1 Cor. 15 for as we have borne the image of the earthly, so shall we also in like manner, bear the image of the hea­venly, to the land and praise of the glory of God.

43. Loe, thereunto is my testimony, namely, that the upright life is the life of the upright Fathers, which served and worshipped the invisible, great,Deut. 4.5.6. &c. and al­mighty God only, (who still was God in Israel, and in Israel also wrought wonder­fully) who isExod. 3. Mat. 22. che God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

44. Now in that these Tribes of Israel knew the God of heaven as a true God, and lived and cleave unto him, therefore did they stand free and untied from all the God-services of the Heathenish Sorceries, and were unbound from all whorings with outward things.

45. To obtain this grace in God, that is the Gospell, which is through Christ [Page 163]published to the Heathen, to the intent they should be released from their foolish bewitched God-services, and from all their lusts of whoredome, whereby they may with Israel, be incorporated into the stock of Abraham, and may altogether as one manner of people, serve the onely living God in one manner, Lawes, Statutes, and Ordinances, even as the second Booke of the Glasse of Righteousnesse maketh men­tion.

46. Therefore, O all ye people, Nations, and Tribes, if ye will not consider where­to ye are called of the God of heaven, through the seed of Abraham, according to the promises, neither do regard your heavenly calling aright in her degree, nor give your selves over thereunto, nor feare Abrahams God, nor love his Lawes and Ordinances, but do build upon another foundation,Eph. 2 then surely shall ye be banished from God, and from the Citizenship of Israel, and be constrain­ed to serve vaine things,Deut. [...] and to keep such Ordinances as you doe not know.

47. That same shall intangle your hearts, bewitch your understanding, and make you bond-servants, which indeed we [Page 164]are, so long as we willingly remainRom. 6 sub­ject to the sin, and to the Sorcery of the heathen.

48. Therefore take heed to your time, and seek God,Esa. 55. while he is neare, and may be found, and while ye have yet space to turn you unto him.

49. Let the ungodlyEzek. 18 forsake his ungod­ly being, and so come to the life through the death of the Crosse of Jesus Christ, then shall he live and die no more.

50. Let us apply our minds to the same, and turn our hearts away from all sensua­lity of the flesh, not only from that which outwardly we look upon; but chiefly from the self-minded thoughts which do ariseSap. 2. Mat. 15. out of our selves, and doe tempt or in­tice us thereunto, for to hold our hearts in bondage to the vaine corruptiblenesse, which (through the works of unbeliefe) leadeth away from the living God, wher­by we may be deprived of the fellowship with God in the Spirit; for the unity andEph. 2. peace with God the Father in the Spirit (for to live one with another in all Loue) is the glorious liberty of the chil­dren of God, whereunto we are called by Jesus Christ.

51. Lo, this is the stonePsa. 118 1 Pet. 2. which was [Page 165]not allowed of the workmen, yet is thereActs 4. salvation in none other; which stone is clean against all sense of the flesh, and a­gainst all them that are minded only upon the outward: therefore of those builders, [which will themselves act, or set up the salvation] he is rejected,Esa. 8.28 Mat. 21. and is unto them a stone of stumbling and offence:Psal. 118 Mat. 21. and this is a wonderfull worke in our eyes.

52. Behold herein we have likewise all sinned, and trespassed.

53. Therefore it stands us now upon, to regard well from the heart the mind of the truth, and with humble hearts to pray unto the Lord, that he will not punish us for our misdeeds of ignorance,Psa. 25 79. Dan. 9. but will thinke up­on us according to his mercy, and guide our hearts after his will, that we might walke in his Ordinances, and be named after his Name, as our God and Sa­viour, who through the Service of his love maketh our errors knowne unto us, and releaseth or maketh us free from all perverse or covered nature of sinne, from all arrogancy and haugh­tinesse of the revolters, and from all fals­hood, dissention and deceit, which at this [Page 166]time do every where bear sway, and among many, have even hitherto had the prehemi­nence.

54. O God,Dan. 9 let us in this dangerous time find grace in thine eyes, and incline thou our hearts towards thee, and towards thy righteousnesse: bring our spirit out of this desolation, and cleanse our hearts, minds, and thoughts from all dissention,Psa. 51 and create in us an upright mind, that no evill come upon us.

55. Of which upright mind, and upright course of life of all upright hearts, I have set forth a clear instruction in the tree of life, the fourth book of the Glasse of Righte­ousness, which Glass of Righteousness, with o­ther more like testimonies, I have heretofore set forth, to the intent that every one might look into himself and know, whether he were of the upright communalty of the righteous, and lived and walked in the up­right vvaies of the just, and so served the li­ving God only, or not: For I wist not how to call any by name, for to shew outward­ly, vvhat sort I might judge for the right­fullest.

56. For I found the manJer. 9 so altogether deceivable, so bewitched of understanding, so given to cover or dissemble his lies, so [Page 167]lordly [...] because of his understand­ing, so double of heart, so earnestly bent to destroying and oppressing, against those that were not like minded with his hearts conceiving, soIer. 18.25.29.35. declining from him, that according to the truth, pointed him to the way of life, so self-seeking and partiall for himself, so resolute in his opinion, so re­proachfull and malicious with accusation at him, that desired to bring him into the right way of the holy Fathers, so vvel-con­ceited and affected towards his own phan­sies and errours, so hipocriticall in the ver­tue, so divided from the righteousnesse, so separated from conscience, so little seeking that which is the Lords only, so unstable in fidelity, so slothfull and slow to turn him to God,Pro. 6.24. so without regard to the up­right waies, so little reckning of the stray­ing from his God, so affectioned to the earthly visible things, and so self-captived of heart, that I was altogether suspicious, jealous, and doubtfull of the man.

57. And not only of another, but also even of mine own humane nature, insomuch that I held it straight unto all vertues and righteous dealings, for to do the Lords will, in all my proceedings, for in that sort did I passe forth under the obedience of the love [Page 168]with my humane nature, to the intent to obtain the vertuous1 Cor. 13. disposition of the love, and to be incorporated to the same, with soul and body, and with all the sen­ses and thoughts of my humane nature, and indeavouring me in this same, with all dili­gence the Lord received me into the grace of his love, and into him and his love incor­porated my mind, together with my senses and thoughts, and so gave me inheritance with Christ and his Saints, in his heavenly riches,Rom. 16. Eph. 1.2.3. Col. 1. and revealed his last will unto me.

58. But not according to any conceiving of the flesh, or after the outwardnesse, namely, in any outward appearance, that liketh the man, and the sight of his fleshly eyes, or vvhereunto the man doth some­times set his heart and understanding, as though he could satisfie God thereby, or as if a man with his outward humanity, & with a show after the outward appearance, might be incorporated into the God of heaven, and into his heavenly goods, or could live in the Godhead according to the flesh.

59. O no, ye dearly beloved, Gods wor­king in renewing of the man through Je­sus Christ, is not after the pleasing of men, nor according to any affection of the flesh; [Page 169]nor yet such as any man by his fleshly con­ceiving or learned understanding, should be able after the outward, to judge of the same working of God in the spirit, or of him which is renewed in God.

60. For Gods working, and the renew­ing of the man,Rom. 12. Eph. 4. is brought to passe in­wardly in the spirit, and in the inward senses and thoughts, through the power of his holy spirit of love, wherethrough men are abundantly filled with love towards the living God, and with love towards all men.

61. My respect also (in my zeal to the vertuous nature of the love) was least up­on the outward show after the flesh, but it was most upon an upright heart and mind, such as consisteth in a good willing obedi­ence, and tieth or bindeth it self to no ele­mentish things, whether they be earthly ri­ches, or worldly possessions, because I would in spirit and mind, serve and please the living God only, and likewise thereby love every man as my self.

62. And for this upright beings sake (be­cause in all love, the same should have and keep an1 Cor. 4. Gal. 4. essentiall form in me) I did (as is aforesaid) examine the senses and cogitati­ons of my human nature, whether by them, [Page 170]any other thing were loved or desired be­sides, or whether they tied themselves un­to any thing els. To the intent I might for the loves sake of God and Christ,Mat. 16. Luk. 9.14. re­nounce, hate, and forsake it every whit, and crucifie,Rom. 6. Gal. 5. Cole 3. and kill my humane senses and thoughts with their lusts and desires, so far forth as they were not incorporated or sub­ject to the good being of God, or to his vertuous nature of the love, whereby I might live through the power of God, and by the gifts of his grace, and through the co-incorporating of the upright being of Jesu Christ,Luk. 1. Eph. 4. in all upright righteousnesse and holinesse: that is, in the upright life and mind of the living Godhead.

63. Now although I have here shewed, that my respect was lesse upon the outward obedience, then upon the inward godly o­bedience, and that I thus laboured for such an upright heart and mind, as was required by the outward obedience, because I wouldDeut. 6.10. serve the living God in his upright righte­ousnesse, yet did I not therefore despise the outward obedience, nor the good Ordinan­ces in their right use, neither is it my mind or will, that men should not observe nor obey the right use of the Churches services, or the Priests or Elders Ordinances, which [Page 171]are exercised for a good outward discipline and decency, and to a bringing in of the said upright righteousnesse! O yes, my meaning and desire is, that men should ob­serveRom. 14. and obey them (as is said) in their right use, and likewise that the Elders and Ministers of the word in the family of love, should by them require the true righteous­nesse of the upright inward being and mind which God esteemeth.

64. For so in that behalf, men are great­ly to esteem the outward Ordinances, and the obedience to the same, yet with diffe­rence in the understanding, as according to their worth, and in respect of them for whom they are necessary, namely, in such consideration, as the Ordinances and Cere­monies of the Law of the LordRom. 10. Gal. 3.4. Heb. 7. and of the belief of Jesu Christ, have their ministrati­on for, that is, by them to train the man up, and so to support him in the young­nesse of his understanding, untill he be re­leased from all self-mindednesse, ignorance, and own wisdome or vain imagination, and the sight of the upright life,2 Pet. 1. come unto him in the spirit, and so of himself he love all that (with whole heart and mind) which is right and just, and have a desire both be­fore GodRom. 14. and amongst men, to live and [Page 172]to walk in all upright righteousnesse, and and to fulfill the requiring of the gracious word of the Lord, and his service of love: Lo, to shew such obedience, is the best o­bedience, inasmuch as the obeyers thereof, do inwardly before God, and outwardly amongst men, live by the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ,Luk. 1. in the upright righteousnesse and holinesse, and so not of compulsion but of faith, are obedient unto all inward righ­teousnesse, and outward Ordinances of the holy word and service of love,Mat. 22.23. 1 Tim 1. and that is the principall obedience, whereto men are to give the greatest respect; for it is the principallest, which the outward services or ceremonies have their ministration unto: It is true.

65. Wherefore men ought even before all things, to give the worthiest praise and greatest honour to the greatest or best, and not to respect or esteem the smallest, for the principallest: Likewise to observe a difference, between the prudent, good-wil­ling, and stable ones, and those that are without understanding, evill willers, and revolters, that they minister not the servi­ces and Ordinances confusedly or mixtly out of the knowledge, nor disorderly re­quire the obeying of the same, as if any man [Page 173]should urge them without difference, and should not distinguish between the state of the age of such Disciples as had obediently accomplished the requiring of the services, and attained unto the appointedGal. 4. time of the father and of the age of Christ, or were obediently grown up unto the same, and the state of those Disciples that had not yet accomplished the requiring of the services, nor attained unto the appointed time of the age of Christ, but should give like ho­nour unto, and esteem of equall value, ei­thers age and obedience.

66. When a man then ministreth an of­fice of teaching, and yet is not entred into the Disciples beginning of the Christian life, among the Elders in the family of the Love, neither hath obediently accomplished the righteousnesse, which is wont to be re­quired of the Disciples from their first en­trance into the Christian life, untill the age of the elder Christ, and even for that cause cannot distinguish the same passage in his right Ordination; surely the same man, and likewise the Congregation that heareth him, doth stray very far from the truth, and also from the right use of the Doctrine and Ordinances of the antient Fathers, tending to the Christian life, and from the upright [Page 174]being of the love of Jesu Christ, and of his holy spirit, and do become both together one with another, [namely, the teacher and the Congregation which he teacheth] alike ignorant and unexpert in that which is of value before God, and likewise in that which is most needfullest to be used a­mongst men, to their preserving in the god­linesse.

67. For mark, theExo. 28.29. Levit. 1.2.3.4.5.6. &c. Priesthood out of Levi, which is ministred after the manner of Aaron is upright and good in his right use, and is also in his service, (vvith the Law and Ordinances of the Lord, and with the letter, and through the Letter) in the Family of the Lord, very profitable and necessary, while theGal. 4. heire is yet a child, and hath not attained or reached un­to the appointed time of his Father or El­der.

68. But the Priesthood out of Messias called Jesus, who is unto his BelieversPsal. 110. Heb. 3.9.10. an High-Priest at the right hand of the Almighty in the heavenly being, and aIoh. 1.14. true light, in the light of the ministration of his truth, is much more worthily to be esteemed, then the Priesthood out of Levi, for the same High-Priest doth in his office, bring unto theRom. 3. Gal. 2.3. believers in his name, [Page 175][namely those that are obediently grown up under their tutors and Governours untill the appointed time of their age] the upright righteousnesse, and the upright be­ing of his love, and accomplisheth with them (in their spirit and mind) all that which (vvith the Letter, and vvith the Lavv or Ordinance, in the foregoing Priesthood) is taught and required in the ministrati­on of the Elders, whereby the Lord Jesus Christ (called Messias) is unto his believers and good willing obeyers in their spirit and mind, an everlastingJoh. 14. life, and aHeb. 8.9. mi­nister of the spirituall and heavenly goods, whose service also with them is done in the2 Cor. 3. spirit, and by the spirit, and so is he unto them, an heavenlyHeb. 5.6.7. Eph. 1.2. High-Priest for evermore, not of the earth, nor of flesh and bloud, but a son of the most high God, in the heavenly powers of the invisible being, and is now in the last time appeared and come unto us the chosen of God (in his glory and triumph) from the right hand of God his Father: and so hath with us (with the spirituall and heavenly goods) his mi­nistrationHeb. 7.8.9.10. in the most holy of his Taber­nacle, under the obedience of the love, af­the manner of Melchisedech, to the ere­cting of the perfection.

69. Thus (as is said) Jesus Christ hath his ministration even from the beinning, un­till the perfection through his Saints and Elect, and so is in his teaching to hisHeb. 9. peo­ple a Salvation from their sins, and a bles­sing and reviving1 Cor. 15. Eph. 2. Col. 1.2. from the death, and hath then in that manner with them [name­ly, with the living, his Believers] his mini­stration with the spirituall and heavenly goods: And so in the same ministration he is manifested by his believers, that he is he right Messias and King of the Jews, and the truePsal. 110. Heb. 7. high Priest for ever, after the manner of Melchizedeck, who in his Priest­hood, is greater and more excellent then the man, because he abideth for e­ver.

70. Behold this same high Priest, in the ministration of the spirituall and heavenly goods, and this noble King of Israel and Juda, which ruleth in righteousnesse, and of God is chosen to such an excellent glo­ry, before the foundation of the world was laid, is by inheritance sealed, to possesse the2 Reg. 7. Esa. 9.32. Ier. 23.33. Dan. 7. Mic. 4. Luk. 1. feat of David his Father, to the intent there may be no end of the peace upon the same, from this time forth for evermore, and that so he may rule and raigne (as an everlasting peaceable King) over the [Page 177]house of Jacob, according to the pro­mises.

71. For in this sort, and to the fi­nishing thereof, is he revealed unto men, and publishedIoh. 1. 1 Tim. 3. 1 Joh. 2. to the world for a Saviour, because all people should be­lieve in him, by him inherit the everlast­ing life, and so confesse him, and that sameis the true righteousnesse which is availeable before God, and well pleasing unto those men which are of a good will.

72. Now inasmuch as the rich bountifull God hath (out of his grace) granted me to perceive, that we are all called and loved to the same glory of God, and to the up­right being of the love of his Christ, because we should inherit with all what is of God and Christ, the everlasting life, and for that the same is theEph. 1.5. Col. 1. principall point of our godlinesse, therefore have I pointed none unto flesh and bloud, nor to any elementish or visible things; neither doth my teach­ing tend to the outward, but from the out­ward, to passe on to the same inward and heavenly, and to Gods Kingdome of hea­ven, whereof is spoken before, to the in­tent that no man should set the consolati­on of his soul, nor the comfort of his Sal­vation [Page 178]upon the outvvard nor earthly, nor put his confidence thereon, but only on the upright life of the righteous spirit, and up­on the coming of the godly glory in Jesu Christ, of which things I have (according to my sight out of the heavenly revelation of God) much and abundantly spoken in the Glasse of Righteousnesse, and in this In­troduction, mine exhortation is out of love, also to the same, to the intent we should have an earnest love, and be provoked with desire towards it.

73. Which life of Righteousnesse, whereof we witnesse, is inwardly, godly, according to the divine nature, and out­wardly brotherly, after the upright hu­mane nature; and that same is the upright righteousnesse, before God and amongst men.

74. Who so now from the heart seeketh God and his righteousnesse, and rightly hath regard to the upright life, the same person will acknowledge that my teaching and ministration is of God, and that it tendeth to the upright life: and vvho so likewise to this end searcheth the Scripture for the promises, shall assuredly find, that it maketh mention of such things, and that the Law, the Prophets, and the A­postles [Page 179]of Christ, d [...] all point and vvitnesse to the very same.

75. When the man now according to the truth perceiveth this same, then will he (for the love of righteousnesse sake) be also inclined there unto, and yeeld his un­derstanding2 Gor. 10. captive under the obedi­ence of the love, praise God highly for his grace, and through the belief passe on to­wards the upright life in all love.

76. Though he now and then fail, stum­ble, or fall, yet if his eyes of the spirit have respect to the upright life, and to the love, and that he glasse himself daily in the Glasse of Rightousnesse, doubtlesse the same shall cause him to see, and shall rightly shew him his spots, and shall be unto him,Ioh. 4.7. as an open fountain of life, against the sin and way of death.

CHAP. XIII.

TAke it to heart, O ye children of men, and let your understanding be renew­ed,Rom. 12. Eph. 4. according to the spirit, to such an up­right knowledge as God esteemeth, to wit, vvith the vvord of truth, in the spirit of the love, to an assured living hope and good conscience in Jesu Christ.

2. For vvho so after the spirit, conceiveth not the same, nor is renevved in his under­standing (to the same upright know­ledge) under the obedience of the love, in such a one there is no knowledge of Christ, [Page 179]neither can he be rightly turned to Christ, or to the upright belief, but only through the same.

3. For the fall from Christ is come, and it is according to the Prophecie understood, known, and well perceived, how that the same,2 Thes. 1. through the child of perdition (ac­cording to the mention of the Scriptures) hath in every respect so utterlyRom. 1. Eph. 4. blinded, depraved, and corrupted the understanding of men, concerning God and Christ, that the children of men (how wise or learned soever they of themselves be) do neitherIoh. 8.16. of the Father, nor yet of the Son, knovv any thing at all.

4. And surely, whosoever doth not sub­mit his understanding, under the service of the love, the same man sheweth thereby, that he is without understanding, because by his understanding he perceiveth not, how that he vvhich hath not the love,1 Ioh. 1 hath not also the Son, nor the Father, but is vvith­out Christ and his Church, and can please God by no other means, also can neither now nor evermore without the inclinati­on of love, neither through any other ser­vices or literall wisdome, come to the ho­ly knowledge of God, or attain unto the same.

5. But if any now believe not this same by reason of the high regard to their knowledge, or by means of any respect un­to their holinesseCol. 2. or spirituall humility; such as they have chosen or taken to them­selves, and as is not according to the pro­mises, as God in times past hath spoken by Moses his servant, and by the mouth of his holy Prophets, doubtlesse they (howsoever they suppose or maintainEsa. 59. that they have the light) must needs abide in1 Ioh. 2. darknesse, for their unbelievers cause, whose unbelief cannot hurt the believers, neither can the Work of God for all that abide back.

6. O deep and unsearchable vvisdome of God!Esa. 40. Sap. 9. Rom. 11. 1 Cor. 2. which of the great and high glori­ous wise, or of the self-chosen holy ones, hath ever attained unto thee?

7. Unto which of them, is thine arm known, that hath heard or understood thy holy word, or thy mind aright?

8. Therefore needs must they all in low­linesse of heart be humbled under thee, and become subject to thy true love (that they may rejoice them in the truth:) o­therwise they must remain blind in their i­maginationIoh. 3. and may not see the King­dom of God, for ever.

9. For so long as they through the love, [Page 183]or her inclinationMat. 18. be not in their corrupt understanding, turned about by the word of truth, and are not well minded to the vertue of the love, certainly there can appear unto them no light of the truth, to Salvation; for God hath foreseen the perfectionDeut. 6.10. 1 Cor. 13. 1 Tim. 1. in the love, according to the promises, and not in the know­ledge.

10. Therefore let every one be lowly of spirit,1 Ioh. 4. and humble of heart in his know­ledge, even as though he knew nothing, and so have regard to the service of the love, what it requireth; and let him hope and long for it, to the intent he may be comprehended therein [that is to say in the doctrine thereof] for therein is the godli­nesse understood and known; and so let him indeavour towards the best.

11. And I hope that I shall alwaies to­wards the lovers of the truth do even so, and not omit to set before them the most best; for thereunto tend all my intents and desires, neither know I at all any better thing then the teaching and ministring of the holy word, under the obedience of the love.

12. True it is, I have as far as I might examined many sorts of Foundations [Page 184]and understandings, and have likewise con­sidered and scanned whereon they stood grounded, but there is yet no better thing come to my hand.

13. The Lord grant me his mercy, and strengthen my mind to do and accomplish his will, to the Salvation of men in the love.

14. O ye lovers of the truth, that have humbled your souls under the love and her service,Deut. 6.11.22. Pro. 4. take (I pray you) the truth to heart, and reproach no mans writings, teaching, nor exhortations, that have their ministration to the righteousnesse, and to the concord, but draw it all under the love, that every one may give up and bring all what he hath taken on, or wherein he is learned, according to his humane imagina­tion, to the communion of the love: give ear only to the godly Word of Life, under the obedience of the love, according to the manifestation of the glorious and godly light, set forth in the Glasse of Righteous­nesse, and so above all his humane know­ledge, love the Concord, and the upright life.

15. Moreover condemn none particu­larly by name, and be not offended at any, that your heartsGal. 5. Acb. 12. be not moved to anger, [Page 185]stumble not at any thing, and reproach nor reject none for Sects, but love all them that indeavour towards righteousnesse,2 Pet. 1. with a like love, to that upright righteousnesse which God esteemeth, and thus draw all wel-willing ones to the true righeous­nesse, under the obedience of the love.

16. And if any man seek the truth of you, and his heart be inclined to the love, then joyn your selves with him in the love, and so speak1 Pet. 3. of the hope which is in you.

17. For who so loveth the good, though yet for a while he be in errour, may for all that come to amendment in the love, un­lesse he should give over his heart in a wil­full contentiousnesse, and despise the love and her service, for his self-minds sake.

18. But unto every one that will follow, and is well minded to the love and her ser­vice,Eph. 4. unto such reach forth the hand to the unity of the upright life, and that all in the love.

19. If the evill assail you, then put it from you, as much as is possible for you, un­till the same evill get a going down in you, and go into silence: give it no respite to follow after his desire, but become (accor­ding to the spirit)Col. 1. 1 Thes. 3. 1 Pet. 5 strong and firm in [Page 186]the good life,Deut. 7. 1 Pet. 2. to a peculiar possession of God, even as it is here in this Introduction, and in the Glasse of Righteousnesse, according to the life shewed and declared.

20. If so be ye cast this same behind the back, to wit, that ye refuse it, or have no belief nor lust thereunto, nor do hope there­on; and yet by your self-wisdom perswade your selves to be wise, then are ye vain, and utterly unmeet to the Kingdome of God, and how wise soever ye be, yet shall you be found vain, and without under­standing, and void of the true light of life.

21. Now if any man say, that he is alrea­dy in the life, and needeth no more, or that it is needfull no more for him to hearken after any other understanding, and therefore contemneth this form of the upright life, and his service to the same life whereunto we bear witnesse, and nei­ther hath it, nor indeavoureth towards it, in the service of the love, certainly he is yet in the death1 Ioh. 2. and darknesse, and knoweth nothing at all either of Christ, or of the life which is of God, even as the darknesses also have never perceived nor known him.

22. If any man then despise this good mind or spirit of love, and with the [Page 187]heart withstandeth, and blasphemeth it; and doth not entertain the upright vertue of the love, the same man hath beguiled his own heart, and after the requiring of the knowledge of the old serpent, seeketh his own advantage, and not to do the will of the Lord.

23. But if on the other side (O ye dearly beloved) any do accept this which we bear witnesse of, for right and truth, let him not hardly over-hastily perswade himself, that he by his knowledge hath already gotten it; for there must at the first belief be joyned thereto, and then look whose belief through the increase of God blos­someth4 Esd. 6. and is fruitfull, let the same man attempt the battell in hope against that which maketh up it self against the same; Let him have regard to the Word of life, and so passe on towards it,Luk. 21. with patience or in long sufferance.

24. That truely is the right Crosse of Christ,Mat. 16. Luk. 14. which we are daily with good wil, in the obedience of the requiring of the service of love, to take upAct. 14. in the belief, untill we be well exercised in the love, and in the holy understanding (whereunto we bear witnesse) and not only in the know­ledge.

25. Lo to this present, I find nor know no way els to the life, therefore, whoso­ever loveth the same, let him endeavour to­wards it,Joh. 8. and so abide stedfast in the requiring of the gracious Word, and of the doctrine of the holy spirit of love, untill theRom. 6.8. Col. 2. laying away of his mortall body; then shall he with Christ and all Gods Saints inherit the Kingdome of God and the everlasting life, in the heavenly being.

26. Let every one take heed to his time, andGal. 6. let no man deceive himself, with any vaine Opinion, that he do not erre.

27. For if any manMat. 10. Luk. 14. loveth or esteemeth any thing, better then the godly life (which is the very Saviour himself) such a one is not worthy of the Salvation, nor yet of the life eternall.

28. And who so taketh not up his Crosse, and followeth after the godlinesse with his heart,Luk. 14. the same may not be his Disciple, that is, he cannot be taught in the godli­nesse, nor born a child of God in the hea­venly being.

29. Therefore it is all nothing; that any man speaketh much of it, if so be (with the heart) heEsa. 29. Mat. 7.15. follow not after the same, yea [Page 189]it is before God much more an abominati­on,Psal. 50. Ezek. 33. that any man speaketh of Gods righ­teousnesse, with talking or reasoning, and doth not with the heart follow after it, then any pleasure or delight unto him, and yet may one find an hundred men, which reason and talk of it, where there is not one of them that liveth rightly therein, or lo­veth it from the whole heart.

30. Notwithstanding, though men do now and then (through some imagination) think they have it, and have neverthelesse failed therein, yet are they not therefore to step back, tarry behind, or to lose the courage, but rather out of the inclination of love, to take good courage again, and toPhil. 3. Heb. 6.10. passe on towards the same godlinesse, untill that it be in us, and that we (accor­ding to the truth, be comprehended in the same, for by stumbling, falling, and creep­ing, and by being sometimes lead, doth a child (at length) learn rightly to goe.

31. By going wrong, and by hurting ones self, by means of passing in unpathed waies, with breaking thorow thistles, thorns, and hedges, also sometimes by doubting, and then by inquiring (and that all in hope) men come at last, or in processe [Page 190]of time to the right way, which we ought to walk to the life of truth in the love, therefore let no man be without courage.

32. Though we find our selves sometimes without understanding, how to enter into the life, or theEph. 6. 1 Pet. 5. enemies encounter with us and so hardly beset us, that we know not how to get thither, yet let us for all that, though it seem not credible, take a good courage or mindHeb. 11. in the belief, and not forsake the hope, for the hopeRom. 5. leaveth none ashamed, and so give our attention,Pro 4. to understanding and information, whereby we may attain thereunto, and to the very same arm our selves, even as an un­expert souldier, that hath a desire to be­come a good man of war, armeth himself to the warfare.

33. Though at first he sustaineth some damage, as to be sometimes wounded, smit­ten, shot, hurt to death, and by his enemies to be taken captive, yet taketh he still a fresh courage, and abideth firm in hope, un­till he be well exercised in the feat of war, who then is known for a man of war, that is one that understandeth and knoweth well, where any thing is to be won or lost, and wherein damage or advantage lieth.

34. If therefore earthly warriours be so [Page 191]bold in hope, for the corruptible things sake; hovv much more then ought we so to be towards the everlasting uncorrupti­blenesse, in case we have any desire or hope to the everlasting uncorruptiblenesse at all,Ose. 23. 1 Cor. 15. wherein death is swallowed up, and the everlasting immortality abideth, where all destruction passeth away, and in it self as a smoak vanisheth in such sort, that there is even nothing remaining in it but the pure and clear, the fulnesse and fairnesse of all vertues, according to the promises.

35. But a slothfull and unbelieving man that alwaies feareth, and isPro. 6.24. negligent and disobedient hereunto, or a doubtfull and vvavering person, that still doubteth of errour, wounds, dammage, and losse, such a one thinketh not upon obtaining4 Esd. 2. Sap. 5. Apo. 2. the royall Crown of everlasting life, and therefore giveth no credit thereunto; for so through his unbelief and disobedience he distrusteth God in his promises, and is self-wise against Gods truth and his omni­potency, and lying still on his lees or dregs, he prieth from far, how it shall fare with the obedient believers in the service of the love; truely such as re­main so minded, enter not into the King­dome [Page 192]of God, not in the1 Heb. 4. rest or inheri­tance of eternall life.

36. Therefore let every one consider once rightly, whereunto we are called, through Jesus Christ. Is it notMat. 25. Luk. 22. Joh. 5. 1 Cor. 15. to the ever­lasting uncorruptiblenesse and immortality, or kingly1 Cor. 9. 2 Tim. 4. Jam. 1. 1 Pet. 5. Crown of eternall life, toRom. 8. Gal. 5. Eph. 3. the inheriting in the spirit, of the infinite trea­sures of the divine heavenly goods, and moreover (through the belief) to be justi­fied from the sin, for to bring forth theJoh. 15. Eph. 4. Phil. 1. fruits of God, which God hath pleasure in, and to live in God eternally?

37. But (alas) this calling, the man hath utterly forgotten, and through his glosing which he hath invented there­on, he is quite strayed from the sense of his calling, and from the holy understand­ing.

CHAP. XIIII.

OH! awake yet once (I pray you) from theEsa. 29.56. sleep of your ignorance, O ye children of men, and have a sure confidenceJoh. 5. 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes. 4. on the Resurrection of the dead, so shall ChristEph. 5. inlighten you.

2. Take heed to your calling, that where­unto ye are bidden, therein ye may be esta­blished according to the promises, that is for to obtain the high price or Crown of everlasting life, for this price or Crown of everlasting life, is not like a Crown of the Kings of this world,1 Cor. 9. which many of them stand for, and is of many greatly desired, and yet there is no more but one that ob­taineth it, and becometh King.

3. But according to the calling of God, we may all obtain4 Esd. 2. Sap. 5. Kingly Crowns, and be endowed with one manner fulnesse of divine treasures, and be all Priests1 Pet. 2. Apo. 1.5. and Kings, according to the promises.

4. Hereunto we are all called to one,Ioh. 17. and in one, no man exempted,Gal. 3. the Gen­tiles as well as the Jews, the Commons of the people, as well as the Magistrates, the sinners as well as the righteous, the poor as vvell as the rich, the simple as well as the wise, the wives as well as the husbands, the children as well as the parents,Eph. 6. Col. 3. the bond as well as the free, the servants as well as the masters, and the handmaids as well as the Mistresses,Act. 10. Rom. 2.10. Gal. 2. God is no respecter of persons; for all those that turn them to God and love his Righteousnesse, are ac­ceptable unto him.

5. Doubtlesse it is now made known unto many of us, that vve have all in our understanding been utterly estranged andRom. 1. Eph. 4. darkened from the knowledge of our calling, and have cleaved to the1 Tim. 4. spirits of errour, vvalking in the death, and not in the light of life, likevvise in sun­dry divisions, and not in the unity of our calling.

6. Neverthelesse, that God vvhich is rich of mercy,Ezek. 18. 1 Tim. 2. 2 Pet. 3. and vvould not that we should perish, letteth us now see through the mi­nistration of his gracious word, and through his bountifull and kind love, the waies of our blindnesse,Esa. 59. Sap. 5. and the deadly darknesses of our misunderstanding, pulling us to the light of his clearness, to the intent that all vve which are estranged from God, and dead because of sin, might through the love of God the Father, and through the ministration of his gracious Word be renewed again, for to quicken us againRom. 6.8. 2 Cor. 4. Phil. 3. in Jesu Christ, out of the death of sinne, into the true unity of our vocation, to wit, in this day of the coming of Jesu Christ in his glory, for had not the same Jesus Christ been with the Amighty for a remnant,Esa. 1. we had all in our estrange­ing been as Sodoma and Gomorra, and must [Page 196]needs all in like manner have perished.

7. Sith God therefore doth now shew on us such love, that he profereth his grace unto us, through the coming of his Christ, when as we (in our estranging from his good being) were openly hisRom. 1. Eph. 2. Col. 1.2. enemies, and that he remembreth not our ignorance, to revenge on us such things, but out of the bountifull grace of his love, is inclined to help us, and by the ministration of his gra­cious word, to reach us the hand, for to pluck us to himself again in his love, let us then also make much of such a2 Cor. 6. Heb. 1.2 grace, that through the bountifull grace of his love, we may in this horrible time, be reconciled unto him, and not be punished with the wicked world: The rather, for that there hath been enough before hand shewed us, of the horribleEsa. 13. Ier. 20.25. Mat. 24. destruction of the wicked world and of all damned men, in the last daies, wherein few shall remain, or be sa­ved; but not by the Lords fault, for God desireth instantly to draw us all to his salva­tion.

8. But because there are many now a­daies, that2 Thes. 1. 2 Pet. 3. believe not God in his promi­ses, but count him a lier, and2 Cor. 6. Heb. 12. do not re­gard the time of his grace, neither will be saved, but have much more desire and will [Page 197]to the iniquity,Eph. 4. 2 Pet. 2. Iuda. 1. and to all uncleannesse, therefore also in this day,Rom. 2. cometh the wrath of God upon those children of un­belief; and they shall not be able to escape the horrible and fearfull destruction.

9. Therefore let every one convert him from the errors of his blindnesse,Eph. 6. 1 Pet. 5. and arm himself in the belief, and stand fast in the hopeIa. 4. against the wicked, that maketh it self up against Gods righteousnesse, the which must be indured with patience, forRom. 5.8. Patience bringeth forth in us a firmnesse, or a persevering in the hope, and hope suf­fereth us not to be ashamed, but prepareth for us the peace with God in the love.

10. But though now and then it pinch somewhat hard to shew patience, yet have confidence,Apo. 2.3. and keep still what ye have, turn not back in any case.

11. Though happily you think that it falleth heavy, find your selves impotent or weak, and the waies dark, desolate, un­pathed, very long,4 Esd. 7. Mat. 7. Luk. 13. small or narrow, the hills seem high to get over, and the gates very strait to go thorow, yet doubt not therefore ye beloved, give no regard to the unbelief, that saith it is impossible; but contrariwise, with belief and hope enter ye in, for the beliefe is strong and migh­ty,Mat. 17.21. Luk. 17. [Page 198]she removeth mountains out of their places, vanquisheth the enemies,Heb. 11. and is a certain assurance of that which is hoped for.

12. Look then what ye out of belief, and according to the truth do desire in God to obtain, that love ye with vvhole heart; for the love vvhich in her service, holdeth the heart fast with earnest love, is yet stronger then the belief,1 Cor. 13. and goeth far beyond it all, and not regarding any diffi­culty, she overcometh it all, for the things sake which she loveth, for the love maketh that light, which appeareth heavy; and bringeth life out of that, which seemeth to be death.

13. Therefore the love is not wearied with any thing, for that which a man lo­veth is precious in his sight, and he esteem­eth it of great value:Rom. 8. moreover he regard­eth neither losse nor trouble, to get or to come by that vvhich he loveth best.

14. And therefore men are to1 Cor. 14. Col. 3. seek for the most best, that they may obtain the same, and not to respect any of those things, that would oppose themselves, or be hindersome there-against; for who so seeketh not, obtaineth not, vvho so tasteth not of the sowre, shall not partake of the sweet.

15. If any man fall, let him rise again, if ye be hurt or wounded, believe, so shall ye be made whole, yea though ye were al­ready dead; or were as dead in your minds, yet if ye believe the gracious word and Sal­vation in the obedience of his service of love, and put your trust in the power of God,Joh. 5. ye shall surely live and not abide dead, for the saving from deathJoh. 11. is the Resurrection and eternall life.

16. Though ye find your selves even damned in the hell, and taken captive of sin and devill, yet fear not but believe,Psal. 18.23.33.116. ye shall be delivered and saved from thence.

17. For the belief and hope towards the Salvation, and the love to righteousnesse, in the grace of God, neither can nor may abide in the sinne, death, devill or hell, but they must prevail, vanquish, and bring to nought or destroy, all that is not of God.

18. Therefore have neither theMat. 16. gates of hell, nor the bands of the devill, nor theRom. 8. pangs of death, nor the strength of sin, nor the lusts of the world, nor the mind of the flesh, any power over such believers, either to hold or to raign over them,1 Cor. 15. but they bring them all under them to a victo­ry.

19. But if at any time through the slen­dernesse of our understanding, we be pluck­ed away from our good mind, or be after the nature of the Serpent,Gen. 3. Sap. 2. 2 Cor. 11. beguiled by the wisdom of the flesh, and thereby through weaknesse full, and be made so senselesse, that we cannot discern the life from the death, yea, become so feeble and faint­hearted, that we have scarcely any desire at all to the good, but do dailyRom. 7. suffer and feel the sting of death, yet let us not there­fore be dismayed, nor despair in mind, but rather so much the more cheer up our selves in the belief, and through the serviceable word of truth, take unto us a new stomack and fresh courage again, to a stouter going forwards, keep so much the sharper watch, and still have diligent regard on the thing that may annoy us to the entrance of the life, whereby we may through the belief and obedience of the Word,Eph. 6. 1 Pet. 5. keep of and vanquish it every whit, and so with a good will have our passage towards God in the spirit, untill the love abide firm in us, and that we have such a free heart and mind, as may be subject to nothing, but to the high Majesty of the living Godhead only.

20. Now to come hereunto, we must re­nounce our selves and all created visible [Page 201]things, not only outwardly after the flesh, but quite and clean inwardly with the heart according to the spirit, and so give over our selves obediently under the ser­vice of love, unto the God of life and his gracious word,Rom. 6.8. to a dying in the spirit, from every thing whereunto our will and mind (according to the flesh or outward fashion) is tyed, and keep our selves dili­gently from all holy appearances, and worldly fashions, that so then1 Pet. 1. in the o­beying of the gracious word and his service of love, our inward mind for to come to a submitted being, may be made tender, soft, and lowly, and we in like manner with humble hearts find our selvesPsal. 57. ready to do the Lords will,Rom. 6. the end whereof is eternall life. It is true.

21. Which way to the life few doMat. 7. find, because it is unknownMat. 11. 1 Cor. 1.2. and hidden unto all understandings of the flesh, and unto all wise ones of the world, and her Scrip­ture learned.

22. Who is there now rightly inclined to the life and peace, but those that indure all deadly things, dissention, and whatsoe­ver cometh upon them thereby, untill itRom. 6.8. 2 Cor. 4. wholly vanish, and come to nought in them? and which have the life and peace [Page 202]alwaies before their eyes, and do pray with great fervency unto God in the spirit, that he will be their povver and strength.

23. After this manner ought vve vvith humble hearts to be minded in every thing that cometh upon us against the good, for the evill must by the good beRom 12. overcomed in patience.

24. Yet not out of our vvorks or ovvn povver,Rom. 3 4. Eph. 2. O no, but through the belief in affiance towards God, and so abiding Gods leisure in his work, we are daily to pray un­to God in the spirit, that he will destroy and take avvay, or root out the evill out of our hearts, and choose and set up the good again therein.

25. Hereunto are we to1 Pet. 5. humble our hearts before God in his service of love, that we may find such healthfull grace be­fore his eyes, in the coming of Jesu Christ, who now to the Salvation of all those that hope in Christ,2 Pet. 3. and long for his coming, cometh to a righteous judgement over the world with equity.

26. Oh hereof there is surely much written, shewed, and testified, were it but observed and understood aright, but there is great negligence and much misun­derstanding [Page 203]among the children of men, for we find many lamentable errours, not on­ly in the erring world, but also in those that perswade themselves to be wise, and to love the good.

27. Awake once O thou precious man, and consider that the eternall GodEzek. 18. 1 Tim. 2. 2 Pet. 3. hath no pleasure in such unprofitable living, as is mixed with contrariety unto God.

28. But if so be O ye children of men ye have pleasure in the destruction, accor­ding to the course of the blind world, and doSap. 2. Rom. 1. Eph. 4. 2 Pet. 3. Iude. 1. delight in the strange life of the un­godly being, go on thus boldly in the same, and do shew noRom. 2. upright obedience to the word,Mat. 3. Lu. 3.13. nor amendment from sinne, then hardly think also that ye are certainly mindedJoh. 8. against God, even like the devill himself, and incorporated with the child of perdition, or of the devill that extolleth himself in the desire of his er­rours, by means of the pleasure or re­ward of unrighteousnesse against God, and against all that men vvorship God in, saying in his heart or essentiall mind, that he himself is the Lord,2 Thes. 2. and exalteth him­self in like manner, in the hearts of the un­believing and disobedient men, to a ruling above God, and above the godly nature, [Page 204]and so setting himself in the Temple of God, [that is, in mans heart]Dan. 8.9.12. Mat. 24. he utterly laieth wast the House of the Lord, and in like manner worketh in the man, a secret wickednesse, which is not soon to be per­ceived.

29. Truly, who so with the desires of their souls do cleave unto this pernicious nature, they are very abominable in their doings; for there is none of them that doth good, no not one.

30. Their best vertue is a covered sin, and an abominable hypocrisie before God and his Saints.

31. Their throat is anPsal. 5. Rom. 3. open Sepulcher; their tongue flattereth, their mouth speak­eth anogancy, and they deal with unpro­fitable and false things.

32. Their lurking isPsal. 10. Pro. 1. how to beguile the simple, and to oppresse the poor and inno­cent with tyranny, not once thinking that there is a God, which will revenge such things, and recompense it all unto them. O yes, he will certainly find them out, and render them their just reward.

33. For if God spared not the old world, butGen. 7. 2 Pet. 2. condemned the same through the floud because of sin, nor Sodoma and Gomorra,Gen. 19. 2 Pet. 2. but for their ungodlinesse sake, [Page 205]caused fire and brimstone to fall from hea­ven upon them, to their destruction, then will he not also assuredly spare this wicked nature, but recompense his vvickednesse up­on his own pate.

34. Seeing then the Almighty God did in times past, cause so great punishment to come upon the ungodly for their unrighte­ousnesse sake,Mat. 11. Luk. 10. how much horribler punish­ment are they worthy of,2 Pet. 2. Jude. 1. that do now in this evill world commit ungodlinesse, because all those former punishments upon them, vvho in times past committed un­godlinesse, are set forth before these for example, that they should fear these last plagues of the wicked world,Mat. 25. 2 Pet. 3. which wicked world, is reserved for the fire, that it may perish thereby, according to the promises.

CHAP. XV.

O Thou man that dost yet with thy will cleave to the obominations, and vain things of the evill world, wilt thou not once fear before the God of all Gods, before the King of all Kings, before the wisdome of all wise-ones, before the righ­teousnesse of all righteous ones, and before the highest judgement of all Judges?

2. Wilt thou not indeed once remember that there is such a God,Esa. 45. as requireth righteousnesse? yes assuredly, heEsa. 28. will make up himself with the same, terrifie the earth and fall upon his enemies, for they [Page 207]shall not be able toLam. 2. escape the hand of his vengeance; for he willEsa. 4 Ezek. 37. Eph. 5. cleanse the earth of the uncleannesse of the ungod­ly being.

3. Or thinkest thou (O man) that God is dead, and thou shalt live? Or that God is blind, and thou seest? thinkest thou still to reigne, and that God shall lie down under thee, and be according to thy mind, as though that thou wert the head, and God the feet, and that he should be driven as a footstool to be put under thee, and that his Law, Statutes, and Ordinances, shall still be trodden downe, and for­gotten?

4. Make not too much adoe (thouEsa. 28 45. Rom. 9 earthen vessell) against thy Creator; for truly thy stoutnesse is too presumptuous and arrogant against one that is much stronger then thou art.

5. Therefore look into it, all that have eyes to see, whether that all haughtinesse of the flesh doth not exalt it selfe above God, and how gladly every one beareth dominion against Gods truth, and how that there be many do cover themselves with the appearance of holinesse, where­with the eyes of many men are bewitch­ed, supposing that such haughtinesse and ap­pearance [Page 208]of holinesse is of God.

6. Under which covering of the show of holinesse, and under the gloryingMat. 24 of the Lords Name, the man boldly forceth on his arrogant conceiving, and advan­ceth his owne will, and forsaketh or rejecteth utterly the Law of the most high­est, and the Statutes and Ordinances of his people Israel, which God in times past gave them by Moses his servant, and ratified by the mouth of his holy Pro­phets.

7. For at the end, orGal. 4 in the fulfilling of all the same, hath God brought forth his Son (theSap. 7. Heb. 1. like Image of his Godhead) to the salvation of his people: which Son of GodMat. 5 is not come to break the Law, but to accomplish the same, to the intent, that the Law and the Prophets may still re­maine in their state and office untill Christ, whereby through the same Christ, men may be saved or justifiedActs 15. Rom. 3.4. Gal. 2.3. Eph. 2. from the sin by faith, and not by the works of the Law: Lo, thus cometh the Kingdome of God, and the everlasting life.

8. But whilst the man hath by his wis­dome, set himself above the wisdome of God, he hath brought in other Lawes be­sides these, which are none of Gods, but are [Page 209]false and lies, and hath made none account of the Law of the Lord.

9. Therefore are also the Prophets which are thereout risen up,Mat. 24 2 Tim. 3, 4 2 Pet. 2 found false, and lying; and thereout likewise doth the Devill at the end of these same, bring forth the Image of his likenesse [namely, the son or2 Thes. 2 child of the Devill, full of deceit and lies] in the hearts of lying and unbelieving men, to a destroying and deso­lation of the people, and to an abhomina­ble evill world, such as is full of wicked­nesse and falshood, even like the Devil him­selfe.

10. That same is the adversary of God and Christ, which is now revealed unto us as a child of damnation, who (for as much as the fall from Christ is come) hath set himselfe1 Thes. 2 as a God in Gods Temple, [that is in mens hearts] and boasteth him­selfe as a God, and so (with his owne holinesse and wisdome) polluteth it all, presumptuously and proudly with great boldnesseApo. 13 blaspheming Gods holy Name; which wicked nature, and adversary or e­nemy of God and Christ, the man doth in all respects cleave unto, and be­cometh of one nature or coessence there­with.

11. Howbeit, that the man is joyned to the adversary of God and Christ, and dealeth so ill and unkindly with God and his Christ, that he will not willingly con­fesse with the mouth, but he is not a­shamed to shew it by his workes and deeds.

12. Let every one glasse himselfe once aright, and then acknowledge according to the truth, whom he loveth, serveth and cleaveth unto, whether to the world or to God, to Belial or to Christ, to his owne mind, or to the mind of God or Christ, with the mouth no doubt he will say, to God, and to the mind or will of Christ, Tit. 1. but with the deed it will be found quite otherwise.

13. In like sort fareth it also with the understanding of the testimonies or senten­ces of Scripture, with the mouth manie happily will confesse, that they have well conceived all the sense and understanding of the holy Scripture; but to follow that which the sense of the holy testimonies do betoken, point to, and require, they clean omit, whereby it doth sufficiently appear, that (with the life and heart) they are min­ded against the same, and have not under­stood the holy Scripture.

14. O ye deerly beloved, erre not so wholly with the erring blind world, nor with the conceitednesse of the let­ter-learned, that ye should forsake the Law of the Lord: be not alsoProv. 3 Rom. 12 too wise in your owne sight, and judge not of all sentences according to your ima­gination: for much ignorance hath ta­ken the hearts of men captive, where­by oft times they judge ignorantly, because by their wisdomeMat. 11. 1 Cor. 1 they understand not the wisdome of God.

15. It is all reasonably well knowne unto me with what a perverse eye the man doth oft times out of the testimonie of the writings or sentences which he heareth, draw a perverse sense, as it goeth now every where very brief amongst men: of which sentences (wherein there do many erre) there is both partly in these writings and likewise in the Glasse of Righteousnesse, plain Declaration made, and how that ma­ny men do erre therein, because they under­stand not the Scripture.

16. But to the intent that no man through any wrong conceiving of the sentences (which are now much treated of by the man) might receive anie hinderance to salvation, and that likewise every one [Page 212]may be guided into the Holy Ʋnderstanding of the Glasse of Righteousnesse, and to an up­right conceiving of the same, we vvill re­cite certain sentences here following, and uncover and clear the right understanding of the same, not only in this Introduction, but also in many places besides of the Glasse of Righteousnesse, and shew the wrong con­ceiving or fight of them, and warn every one to beware of the judgement of his sight, which he giveth by the ignorance of his imagination.

17. True it is, I have heretofore (in the beginning of my calling by God, to the mi­nistration of his holy and gracious word, under the obedience of the love) set forth certain writings, but inasmuch as some sen­tences happily in them, were not uttered in the plainest manner, therefore have I with theSupra. foresaid principall Elders of the Family of Love, more amply and plainly expressed them.

18. Also in the beginning of my vvri­ting, I could not find that among any of the children of men, there was any such communalty of God or Christ, as was comprehended in the upright life of Christ (as is also before mentioned) but the ever­lasting God, who isIoh. 4. spirit and life,1 Ioh. 4. and [Page 213]the essentiall love it self, hath in my office or service under the obedience of the love, manifested the same unto me, and so the true Communalty of God or Christ, which also is spirituall, lovely, and upright of life, hath he made known unto me in the spirit, I have also seen, heard, and touched, or felt it, and being of one substance there­with, have my fellowship as one bodyRom. 12. 1 Cor. 12., in Christ with the same.

19. Oh would to God that all men had the grace, to humble them under the love and her servite, that so then in the obeying of the service of love, the same true Com­munalty of God or Christ, might also eve­ry where appear and come unto the chil­dren of men; and that in the spirit of Jesu Christ or of the love, to the intent that all errour, contention, and wrangling among them all might once have an end, and so we all one with another, might be ofRom. 12.15. 1 Cor. 1. 2 Cor. 13. Phil. 1. one mind in Jesus Christ.

20. But inasmuch as I could not hereto­fore in the beginning of my writing per­ceive, or find among the children of men, that true and lovely Communalty which is comprehended in the upright life of Christ, and that all my desire and love was bent to the upright life of the same Communal­tie, [Page 298]therefore have I also from the begin­ning of my writing (out of the Service of Love) witnessed of such a life of upright righteousnesse, and of such upright hearts, as the communalty of God or Christ hath her life in, according as the Glasse of Righ­teousnesse doth also mention, and make re­lation of the same upright life of the true communalty of God or Christ: neither can I yet perceive nor know any other thing, then that the upright communalty of God or Christ (where she in Christ ap­peareth or is revealed) liveth therein, and shall still be minded so to do.

21. And whosoever alsoSap. 8. loveth the righteousnesse with whole heart, and hath a desire to be joyned and incorporated to the only God and his true Christ, or to have his fellowship with them, such a one will likewise (according to the sight of the true life, which is appeared unto me out of the living God) be inclined or bent un­to such an upright being of the upright communalty of Christ (whereof we bear witnesse) for to live, or to be comprehen­ded therein under the obedience of the love, through the belief.

22. Wherefore let every one note and marke our testimonies of truth according [Page 215]to love, and not with perversenesse of heart, nor in reproach or partiality, that they appear not unto him in a crosse or a contrary sense.

23. For sure it is very lamentable, that the testimonies of truth (which are brought forth to the best) should be taken over­thwartly and not aright; because the per­verse sight maketh many to judge perverse­ly and falsly, and unrightly to understand the director, causeth many greatly to stray. It is true.

24. It is recorded in the first book of the Glasse of Righteousnesse, 1 Glas. 2 that the upright procreation of the righteous spirit, com­eth not of men butLuk. 1. out of God only; this same word or sentence is very right, yea unchangeable for ever. For otherwise God hath never wrought among his holy ones, and yet hath testified of such things (afterward to come) by the mouth of his holyEze. 36. Joel. 2. Act. 2. Prophets, to the intent that men should think upon his wonders of old time, and trust firmly upon those of the time to come, according to the promises, namely, how that God is the Salvation, and will establish his holy Covenant,Luk. 1. according as he hath made the same with Abrabam and his Seed.

25. Now when men have read this say­ing, and heard such a sentence, to wit, that God will work things by his righteous spi­rit, they must then have regard to the coun­sell that directeth the way to God, and from the heart follow the same with hum­ble souls,Rom. 12 still persevere in prayer untill the coming of the promises,Tob. 4. Rom. 13. and not con­sent to the sin, but so take heed to such a healthfull grace, as being out of Gods mer­cy called to the very same, according to the promises.

26. For aforetimes the heathen were no people of the God of Israel, but wereEph. 2. strangers in the Testaments of the holy Fathers, and in the inheritance of the godly promises, andEph. 4. 1 Pet. 4. every one walked his way in ungodlinesse, and in sundry Idolatries, and were ignorant of the Lord.

27. But the everlasting God of Israel forgot not his Covenant,Luk. 1. but was mind­full of the oath which he had sworn to Abraham his beloved, to a blessing of the Gentiles, and looked onAct. 17. the time of their ignorance, and did in like manner for a season cast off his people, and shew his hearty love on all the Generations of the earth, or heathen, and caused a joyfull mes­sage, [Page 217]through his Christ, to be published un­to them,Mat. 3. Luk. 3.13. Act. 2.3. to a repentance and amendment from their offences, calling and bidding themEph. 2.3. to be co-heirs with the Citizenship of his people Israel,Esa. 2. Amos. 9. Zach. 8. Act. 15. that unto his people Israel, he might prepare him an upright people also out of the heathen, according to the promises and foreshewing of his ho­ly Prophets.

28. Hereon ought all Generations of the earth to have regard, and duely to con­sider, whether they do accordingly take heed aright to their calling, which is out of grace come unto them from the bountifull God of Israel, and whether they do also with lowly hearts (as those that are un­worthy the same) humble themselves for to obtain the rightIoh. 1.3. 1 Pet. 1. birth of the righte­ous spirit out of God, to be fellow brethren with the children of the house of Jacob for to serve the living God, and in those daies (whenAct. 3. the refreshing shall appear from the presence of God) to celebrate and glo­rifie the same God of Israel with them, what time as he ingrafteth his branches in­to their right stock again, who for the Gentiles sakes, have been broken off and scattered,Lu. 21. Rom. 12. untill the fulnesse of the Gen­tiles should be come in, the treading down [Page 218]of Jerusalem have her end, and so all Isra­el be saved, according to the promises.

29. Therefore let us have a right regard to our calling, and separate our selves ac­cording to the spirit, from the foolish course,Rom. 1 Eph. 4, 5 1 Pet. 4 vain walking, and ignorant boast­ing of people, and humble our souls to the grace of our calling.

30. For if God in times past spared not his own people, but did cast out, break off, and scatter them abroad for their stiffeneck­ednesse, and prides sake, andAct. 13 Rom. 11 rejected the hearthen in their roome, how much lesse will he then spare the proud heathen, but cast out, break off, lay wast and scatter them, and in their stead, receive his own people Israel again, that they may serve him all the daies of their lives,Luk. 1. Eph. 4 in such righteousnesse and holinesse as is pleasing unto him, they shall be his people, and he God with them, shall be their God from Generation to Generation everlast­ingly.

31. For thus saith the Lord concerning Israel,Esa. 59 Rom. 11 there shall come a redeemer un­to them in Sion, and to them that turn them from fin in Jacob, saith the Lord, and I make this Covenant with him saith the Lord,Esa. 59 my Spirit which is in thee, and my [Page 219]words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart from thy mouth, nor from the mouth of thy Seed, and childrens-children (saith the Lord) from henceforth for ever­more.

32. In those daies shall the treading down of Jerusalem have an end, and the vvord of the Lord shall be fulfilled concer­ning her; and unto her he said,Esa. 60 arise Jeru­salem, be bright, for thy light cometh, and the glory of the Lord ariseth upon thee; (then also will the Lord cause himself to be heard, even to the worlds end)Esa. 62 And they shall say to the daughter Sion, Lo thy Salvation cometh, behold he bringeth his Treasure with himself, and his revvard is now prepared before him, they shall name them the holy People, the redeemed of the Lord, and thee [O Jerusalem] they shall call, the visited, and not the forsaken City.

33. Lo these are the promises concer­ning Jerusalem, and concerning Israel in the last time; let every one take heed to his time, according to his calling through Jesus Christ, and the end or principal scope of all righteousnesse,1 Tim. [...] is the love, wherein the promises of God are established; and that same is the true1 Joh. 3.4 token of the birth out of [Page 220]God, through the righteous spirit: It is true.

34. It is also there [in the same book] recorded,1 Glasse. that those which are taught by the righteous spirit, are no longer ser­vants of the Prophets, which (forsooth) some have read or heard thereof, and have by that meanes forsaken the requiring of the Prophet call Word of the Apostles of Christ, before they were (according to the mention of the Word) confirmed in their calling, and through the perswasion that they had the truth or Spirit of God, they are stopped out of their calling, turn­ed to the liking of their owne opini­on,Rom. 1. Eph. 4. and so become vaine in their under­standing.

35. Some would needs account them­selves free through the Spirit,1 Glasse 3.4 before they have tasted or known the Spirit of Promise, and so have run forth before the time, and have not by their wisdome, un­derstood the promises of God, nor the cal­ling of the Gentiles.

36. When the man now regardeth not his calling (according to the requiring thereof) rightly, but looketh about to some other understanding, and will count himself free through the spirit, before the first or foregoing service (whichGal. 3. Heb. 7. di­recteth [Page 221]or leadeth thereunto) be accom­plished or fufilled by him, then forsaketh he the service of the fore-witnessed or fore­going Word, and goeth forth in a liber­ty, which yet is false, according to his own spirit, before he hath fulfilled his servant­ship in the service of the fore-going ho­ly Word,Luk. 21. wherein he should possesse his soul with patience,1 Cor. 11 and so shew forth the death of Christ, upon hope and confi­dence of his coming for an holy annointing, and for an upright freedom in Jesu Christ unto him.

37. Who so therefore readeth these sentences in the first book, let him observe thereby what they require, and how they sound; namely, that those which de­sire to come to the blessednesse and freedome of Christ, mustRom. 6 Gal. 3.4 be at the first, servants or Disciples of the righ­teousnesse, deny and forsake themselves for Christ his sake, and alwaies long to come to the true obedience of the righ­teousnesse in all love,1 Glas. 7. not according to mens imaginations, but according to Gods calling, that so they might liveIohn 8 Rom. 6 free in the righteousnesse of God, and not in the sinne, nor as servants of men: this same is there distinctly [Page 222]set forth, were it but rightly under­stood.

38. But who so hath regard to his own liberty, and not to the calling of his salvation, nor in the obeying of the fore­going Service (Rom. 6 13. Eph. 4. Col. 2.3 1 Pet. 2.4 to the mortifying and laying away of the sinne in the flesh) doth not take heed to the same, that so he may be incorporated to the good spirit of Christ; the same man erreth not onely from the doctrine of the Word after the manner of men, but also from the wisdome of the truth of God, and so getteth a delight in his own understanding; in such sort, that he nei­ther hearkeneth, longeth, nor careth for the good any more, but hath a desire to error and perversity.

39. Oh! it is sure very lamentable, that the man out of such a mind cleaveth to the unrighteousnesse, or else chooseth an­other calling, and practiseth a selfe-made humility,Col. 2. or spiritualnesse, and careth not for Gods promises, nor establish­ing of his VVord,Luke 1 Acts 3 in such a sort as God hath heretofore spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets from the beginning of the world.

CHAP. XVI.

THere goeth also a sentence abroad among many, (whereof likewise much mention is made in our writings) that according to the requiring of Chri­stian Doctrine, men should stand1 Cor. 3 impar­tiall.

2. O ye deerly beloved, erre not through any conceit of the imagination, but have regard to the Word concerning the upright impartialnesse, and if ye mark the same well, you shall understand, that men are to be impartiall in the truth, and with those that witnesse the truth under the obedience of the Love, to the intent that no man take part with flesh and blood, but with the truth, and be in the unity of the love,Rom. 12 15 1 Cor. 1 2 Cor. 13. Phil. 2 well minded to a like life of [Page 224]righteousnesse, namely, with all them that do under the obedience of the love, wit­nesse and minister the gracious word of truth, and be comprehended in the upright brotherly love.

3. But men may not thus be impartiall with the world, or with those that with heart and will do cleave unto the world, that lie still in the vanity and sin, and that are not believing nor desirous to obtaine any better thing: no, nor with the con­ceited wise, nor with the maintainers of fa­ctious ceremonies,2 Cor. 12 Gal. 3 1 Tim. 6. 2 Pet. 2. who are envyers, blas­phemers, and evill speakers against the ho­ly Word of Truth, and of the service of his Love.

4. Truly, with such men are not to stand impartiall, but with spirit and life to be a­gainst them utterly, and yet to shew forth the upright nature of the love unto them, if happily by some means they might be drawne (to their preservation in the godlinesse) unto the communion of the Love.

5. But with theInfra. 18 lovers of righte­ousnesse (as is aforesaid) and likewise with the sinners (such as cleave not by their will to the unrighteousnesse, but do daily depart therefrom, and have a servent desire to the [Page 225]righteousnesse, under the obedience of the love) men are to stand impartiall, and to sticke fast unto that which is god­ly, and that tendeth to the concord and peace.

6. Therefore judge of the impartialnesse with understanding, and put a difference between the godly life, and the life of the world, and try your selves, if so be you know your selves.

7. Look into your hearts (observing whom you cleave unto, desire, and love) how, or with what manner disposition, ye stand impartiall, whether ye would rather sufferHeb. 11. or indure disgrace, reproach, and contmpt, with the Lovers of the Righ­teousnesse, then cleave unto the honour, voluptuousnesse and riches, or ease of this world: Oh! I feare that many of them boast themselves to stand impartiall with the truth, who notwithstanding are al­together partially minded against the truth.

8. Neverthelesse, let no man take anie thing unto him out of any choosing, whe­ther it be out of loathing or of liking, but let every one search his own heart, how he findeth the same disposed, & examine once himself, whether he stand impartiall rightly or not.

9. And when the man hath seriously tri­ed and proved himself herein, in such sort that he knoweth assuredly how his heart standeth, (in case he wholly love God and his righteousnesse, intend the truth in the Love with his whole soule, and desire to deny and to forsake himselfe,Mat. 16. Luke 9.14 with all that is in the world, for the godlinesse sake) then shall he very well know and understand a difference between the clea­vers to the world, and those that from the bottom of their soules love the righeous­nesse.

10. Wheresoevea then any upright im­partiall hearts are found, and that they do shew forth under the obedience of the Love, the praise of God, the salvation of men and the truth, out of the love of righ­teousnesse, and do point none unto flesh and blood, nor to any visible elements, but on­ly to the good life of the true essentiall Godhead, and are thereunto serviceable to all men, to all concord in the love of Jesu Christ, with those are the Lovers of righteousnesse and truth, to stand impartiall to the unity of heart in the love, and so to have regard to the ministration of the godly testimonies of the holy spirit of the Love unto obedience, for to walk in such a [Page 227]life of godlinesse, as is pointed out and witnessed thereby, and in that manner to grow up in the goodEph. 2. Apo. 21 to an house or ta­bernacle of the living God or Christ, and to give no further respect to the outward, then as it is serviceable thereunto, to the intent, that no man may be bewitched in his spirit, but may cleave to the vertue and nature of the love, and that theCol. 3. love may obtain a dwelling place or forme in him.

11. Lo, after this manner ought men to live impartially in the good,Esa. 1. Psa. 37. 2 Pet 3. to turn from all ungodly being, and not to maintain the evill.

12. There goeth also a saying about a­mong divers, that to shew the2 Pet. 1. common love is the most best means to keep ones self thus impartiall.

13. It is true, our writings do also testi­fie such things; howbeit, let every one for all that look to it, and beware of his own judgement, that by theGen. 3. Sap. 2. 2 Cor. 11. subtilty of the Serpent, or of her nature, or els by the mind of the flesh, he be not beguiled; the saying in it self is very right, but many that marke not the saying according to the truth, doe speak the same with a wrong sight or un­derstanding.

14. For some use such sentences for their own seekings cause, and so in such a show of vertue, their heart (in regard of being incorporated with God in the spirit) re­maineth covered,Esa. 29 Jer. 23 and estranged from God, and many also give great respect unto such sayings, insomuch that by occasion thereof, they do oft-times (according to mens private conceit) cleave to some out­ward vertue, which surely is the very smal­lest of all, and do leave the principallestMat. 23 1 Cor. 13 1 Tim. 1 or greatest, which God requireth. The like did also many heretofore that were learned in the Law, upon whom the Lord pronounced wo, because they observed the least things of the Law (whilest they tythed Mint, Anise, and Cummin) and left the greatest matters of the Law,Mat. 23 Luk. 11 to wit, judg­ment, mercy and faithfulnesse.

15. For albeit they observed all this af­ter an outward show, so as they seemed thereby to be righteous, yet was it all sure­ly of no value, seeing they were not joyned with whole heart unto God,Ioh. 15 nor accor­ding to the spirit incorporated with him.

16. Furthermore, divers men there are found, which (after the outward fashion) give every one his own, and unto divers (out of common love) shew outward mer­cy [Page 229]indifferently, who also carry themselves so justly, thatPhil. 3 outwardly they are not to be reproved in any thing, howbeit, they are inwardly before God theeves andMat. 23 Ioh. 10 false men, because they with-hold from God that which is his,Esa. 29 Ezek. 33. Mat. 15 that is to say, their heart, which is far from him, and standeth subject or tied unto visible things, which heart or inward mind, belongeth wholly, yea only unto God.

17. Therefore God is not appeased nor satisfied with the least, when the heart is not turned from all visible and mutable things, and doth not cleave perfectly unto him, or at least endeavour to wards it, to wit, that the man desire of God out of his grace, that God will strengthen him to the obeying of his will, andEccl. 3 prepare his heart to his will and pleasure.

18. Look whose hearts are not thus mind­ed,Deut. 6 Mat. 22 for to love and cleave unto God with all their souls, their common love is false and altogether unclean,Rom. [...] for they have yet willingly a pleasure in their own concupiscence, and are yet far distant from the upright love of God, neverthelesse they do sometimes perswade themselves that they have the very best conceiving of the righteousnesse, and so proceed on accor­ding [Page 230]to the common course of vvordly hearts.

19. Therefore there is great diversity between the unpartiall men, who addict their hearts unto God, and to the good, and those men whose hearts have minded worldly things, and yet do boast them of the unpartiallnesse. For look what unto worldly hearts [namely, unto such hearts as are turned from God and his service of Love] is a pleasure, lust, and life, that same is unto all the children of righteousnhsse,Luk. 16 an abomination and a horrible death.

20. Wherefore mark well the meaning, in what state or being the right unpartiali­ty consisteth, and out of what heart it is, that men are to exercise the common-love, rightly; verily with such an heart, as out of all his mindEccl. 1.2 feareth God, and is incli­ned to the upright vertue in the love, or is comprehended therein, and not with an unadvised heart, which is without under­standing in his common-love, and in his un­partialnesse that distinguisheth not the godlinesse, or the worldly righteousnesse, one from the other, or that hath a pleasure to run on crookedly and erringly,Luk. 12 to set his rest or to fix his heart in the earthly love,Rom. 1 Eph. 4 1 Pet. 4. according to the course of the blind [Page 231]world, or mind of the flesh.

21. Be not utterly I pray youEph. 5 without understanding, but learn vvell to discern the truth, and let the Lord and his righte­ousnesse be a pleasure unto you, and erre not by any wrong sight that standeth in o­pinion or imagination, but observe judge­ment, and regard the thing which is right and just.

22. There is found moreover a certain kind of people, which perswade themselves that they are unpartiall, because they stand untied and unbound from all outward Re­ligions or God-services, and from all such as are called Sects, supposing that in such a sort it is altogether well with them, and that so standing they are in good case, be­cause they are so free, and have such a con­science as passeth not for such things: they set up their rest also, that they will not trouble themselves about any thing, nor re­spect or have any regard, either of Jerusa­lem or of Sion, or els of Gods Communion of Saints, but do earnestly care how they may get their living and welfare, maintain their Family, and vvithall do that which is equall and right to every man, having a Proverb: Let Gods Water run over Gods Field, and let us take our rest.

23. Is not this to have utterly mistaken the life of the truth, and the testimonies of the upright unpartiallnesse? Shall there be noEsa. 2 40, 59 Mat. 5 1 Pet 1 word of life then, nor service of love ministred, nor any thing thereout to be ex­pected, orRom. 8 longed for? Are then the pro­mises of God (which concernEsa. 51 52, 60 &c. Jerusalem and Sion) come all to an end? And shall the oath of God which he hath sworn (as that the worldNu. 14 Mac. 2 shall be filled with his glory) be thus utterly forgotten? Will he not then gather together his holinesse a­gain,Esa. 43 Baruc. 5. Mat. 24 from all Coasts of the earth, and be gracious unto them? Yes assuredly, he will not be slack, nor forslow his time.

24. But alas this is least thought upon; howbeit, that which concerns themselves they think much of; butLam. 1.4 Ezek. 8.9 23 Dan. 8 whether God hath that which is his, or that he remaineth (as a stranger) without his Sanctuary, that care they not for; they will be sure to take to themselves the earthly things, which (as true it is) God hath created for the man, and for the mans welfare, but their hearts, which God (according to the inward man) hath created forLev. 26 Ezek. 36.37 2 Cor. 6 his own dwelling, and for the praise of his glory, they draw to the earthlygap. 2. Rom. 1 and corruptible things, and so steal or with hold-from God, that [Page 233]which is his, and are theeves in Gods honour, and in his earthly created goods.

25. Note once I pray you and consider, whether the same be a right unpartiall­nesse or not; Notwithstanding in such a state they seem to be righteous men for all that: yea such a one shall vvith many wel­enough passe for a brother of the Gospell, but truly according to such a course (if we vvill come no nearer unto God) we are before GodEsa. [...] John 10 all theeves and rob­bers, Idolaters, Adulterers, and Adulte­resses.

26. This is doubtlesse a great abominati­on or abhorring, that the man tieth him­self to such things as God hathGen. [...] created unto good for him, I say nothing yet of such as use them so unseemly and inordi­nately, and so shutteth his God out at doors, and keepeth the godly being out of his heart.

27. Therefore let us learn to stand up­right in the unpartialnesse, according to the truth, and not after the manner of men, and (afore all things) give unto God,Deut. [...] Mat. 22 that which belongeth unto him, [namely, the heart and mind] and likewise1 Tim. 4 use that well which belongeth unto us, to the laud [Page 234]and praise of his glory, that he (blessed may he be) who is all in all, may also be glori­fied and praised in all, and that we in like manner might be made anTit. 2 acceptable people unto him, as his own Creation,Gen. 1. Eph. 2 and work of his own hands, wherein he liveth and raigneth, and might moreo­ver be made the Sheep of his Pasture, a Ci­ty of Peace, and an house1 Cor. 3 or Temple for his dwelling. To this end should we take heed to his holy calling, that we may be made children orRom. 8 Eph 3 heirs of his spiri­tuall and heavenly goods. O yea, even so be it.

28. Again there are found certain o­thers, which perswade themselves to be un­partiall, who boldly reproach or revile o­thers, and rail at those whom they hold for Factions, or that are called Sects, and2 Pet. 2 Iude. 1 so speak evill of that which themselves know not, neither can they discerne the matter, according to the truth, but despise the thing that seemeth amisse in their eyes, and yet cannot point the erring or wandring ones to any better.

29. Oh when shall the perverse mouth once keep silence, thePsal. 34 1 Pet. 3. reproaching lips be put far from us, and that once sought (from the heart, and out of love) which is equall?

30. O raile not ye beloved, and pluck no man from his zeal, to any fleshly or worldly understanding, as some have done, whilst they have turned those from their zeale, that were zealous after righteous­nesse, and because they could not point them to any better, then that was, which before they had their zeal in, therefore fell they to the world, and became more erring and blind then ever they were before, but in this manner ought it not to go ye dearly beloved.

31. But if there were any godly wis­dome & upright love, men should use it in this sort; that is to wit, they should testi­fie thatPhil. 4 Heb. 10 which were right and reasonable, according to the requiring of God and the truth, they should cleave unto God with the whole heart in the spirit, and soEph. 4 reach one another the hand to the love, and not reproach nor despise any, nor yet turn any aside to the earthly and mutable things, or to any partiality, to the intent that they vvhich had the right teaching and did minister the gracious Word of the Lord, might then likewise be heard and under­stood aright and according to the truth; and that all zealous hearts might be unitedCol. 3 in one band of love, and all they likewise [Page 236]which love the equitySap. 8 and righteousnesse, become one heartAct. 4. and mind,Eph. 4 as there is one God, one Faith, and one manner Salva­tion, in all and with all.

32. After such a manner ought men to stand unpartiall, and to this effect,2 Pet. 1 to use the common love, and not to destroy that vvhich is good, or to make division, nor yet to strengthen the world in her wickednesse, but to have a desire that the zeal to righte­ousnesse, under the obedience of the love, might be spread abroad among many, with a loathing of the sin, and all unrighteous­nesse.

33. Howbeit, to exhort any man that he suffer not his heart to be bound nor in­tangled with any thing that is outward, is very meet, so far forth as his heart may thereby be turned to have regard to the up­right vertue of a pure heart and to the love,Gal. 3 whereby to be subject to the outward things no more, but to serve the living God with a willing spirit.

34. Thus or to this effect men shall loose the binding of the heart, and proceed to­vvards the upright righteousnesse, with a free mind and humble heart to God; for such things doth God require above all, and not theRom. 3 Gal. 3.6 tying to the outward, where­in [Page 237]neither life nor death of souls consisteth, nor any life of righteousnesse required.

35. For indeed it is true, yea certain and sure, both by the testimony of the godly truth in the spirit, and also by the testimo­ny of the Prophets and Apostles of Christ, that neither in any thing whatsoever is vi­sible or feelable, nor in any factious God services or ceremonies, which are observed with mens hands in contention, and do not require any life of righteousnesse consisteth either any salvation nor condemnation, before God;Rom. 14 1 Cor. 8 neither can they bring any vantage or damage at all unto the souls of them, whose hearts are not intangled there­with, or have not any abhorring thereof.

36. Notwithstanding, if the God-servi­ces and ceremonies be Jewish, or Christian,Rom. 3 then do they testifie of the life which God commandeth, andRom. 8 Gal. 3.4 Heb. 7 requireth by them: but if the ceremonies or God services be heathenish, or mens invention, or if they be ministred in strife, and in schism or par­tiality, then do those ceremonies and servi­ces shew, that the life of those people that minister them, is bewitched, and that they1 Gor. 1.2 know not God, norRom. 10 his righteous­nesse, nor yet undeastand his Law or will, and that they do walk in aIer. 7.11 Eph. 4 meer imagina­tion, [Page 238]and not after the Lords vvill, and that is the thing vvhich God forbiddeth.

37. For surely it is thick darknesse over the children of men,Esa. 59 that they be so utter­ly blinded and bewitched of spirit, that they cannot comprehend nor understand the upright life of righteousnesse; for men are not to be subject in the spirit to the out­ward things wherewith they are served, but should let themselves be served there­with to the upright righteousnesse, and should cleave unto that which is spirit and the true life it self, and which is required by those outward services.

38. After this mannerRom. 14 1 Cor. 8 if the heart be not tied with lusting and liking unto the outward things, neither doth through any fear or disliking abhor them, the Ceremo­nies do stand free for the Believers, indiffe­rently to be used.

CHAP. XVII.

NOw there are certain also that (being intangled) make conscience, that men must necessarily use the Christian Ceremo­nies (after the counterfeiting out of the Letter) as a Commandement of the Lord.

2. Therefore seeing we now find many such people, as in their consciences are tied or bound, that they must necessarily use the services and ceremonies, which after the testimonies of the Christian Services and Ceremonies, are counterfeited out of the Letter, as a Commandement of the Lord, and because they understand nothing at all of the difference between the right Servi­ces and Ceremonies, and the counter­feit, I could not for the Loves sake o­mit, to shew also a right difference of the same.

3. Thus mark now, ye Lovers of the truth, how that between the true Servi­ces and Christian Ceremonies, which are [Page 240]administredMat. 28 Mat. 16 Acts 2.3 4. &c. out of the true light and word of life, and the counterfeit services and ceremontes which are administred out of the knowledge of the Letter, there must a right difference be noted and obser­ved, and so then must be considered, to what intent or to what sense the true servi­ces and Christian ceremonies are Gods Commandement, and whether the servi­ces and ceremonies be Gods everlasting Commandement, or else be but annexedGal. 3 Heb 7 or joyned to the everlasting Commande­ment of God or Christ, for to serve the man withall in the obeying of them, and to bring him in to the everlasting Com­mandement and life of God, and that he should by such a means understand Gods everliving CommandementRom. 12 and Will, and live therein: For Gods true Com­mandement hath been from everlasting, andEsa. 4 Mat. 24 1 Pet. 1. and remaineth unchangeable, to e­verlasting.

4. It isExod. 20 Deut. 5. commanded in the Law, that men should rest upon the Sabboth day, or sanctifie the same, and such other like; and after that the mouth of the the Wisdome and Truth saith,Mar. 2 that the man is not made for the Sabboth daies sake, but the Sabboth day for the mans sake, shewing a [Page 241]difference in Gods Commandement, [namely, between that thing which was Gods commandement from everlasting, and abideth unchangeable, and that which for mens sake was annexed thereunto] be­cause they should understand Gods righte­ousnesse, and his everlasting commande­ment thereby.

5. And thus were theExod. 12 38.39.40 Luk. 1.2.3 4, 5, 6. &c. ceremonies of the Law annexed to Gods everlasting com­mandement, [that is, unto that which hath been Gods commandement from everla­lasting, and shall abide for ever,] because the people of Israel should out of the cere­monies of the Law, and out of the out­ward Godservices of the same,Deut. 30 4 Esd. 7 under­stand the life of godlinesse and the righte­ousnesse which God requireth, and so live therein [namely, to love their GodExod. 20 Deut. 4.6.10 Mat. 22 with all their hearts, and their neighbour as themselves] after all the manner of their Fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to whom the ceremonies were not comman­ded, and yet for all that (being obedient to the Lords commandements) they walked waies in his statutes and ordinances, which obedience or walking in the upright life, was required by the Law, and by the o­beying of the ceremonies or outward God­services, [Page 242]services, and were published through Christ in the world.

6. But whilst now that in times past, there came aRom. 11 blindnesse upon the learn­ed in the Law, insomuch that they knew no difference between the upright life that God requireth (which is his commande­ment from everlasting) and the cere­monies of the Law, which were annexed thereunto, & that the upright life (Mat. 3.17 2 Pet. 1 where­in God had his delight) was appea­red and come, therefore rose there up ma­ny controversies about the services and ce­remonies amongst them thatMat. 12.15, 19, 21, 22. knew not the upright life, and there fell out many questions and janglings, and that all for the law and the ceremonies cause; but God had no pleasure in any thing save only his be­loved, the like life of his being, in whom he had good pleasure: And this is his Commandement,Deut. 18 Mat. 17. Act. 3 even that men should heare, believe, and obey the same, and live for ever therein, and that men should obey the services and ce­remonies administred out of the true light and word of life, to an incorporating thereinto.

7. Now inasmuch as divers in times past,Mat. 15, 23. Joh. 9 gave greater respect to the ceremo­nies, [Page 243]and works of the Law, then to the life of godlinesse; therefore they did cleave to the ceremonies and works of the Law, and believed not the life that was re­quired thereby, but fell away from the right stock of theJob. 8 father Abraham.

8. But the believers (that gave more re­gard to the life of godlinesse, then to the ceremonies or works of the Law) abode stillIoh. 6 by the word of life, and were not bound, albeit they forsook the ceremonies of the Law, which were out of the Letter commanded, by the unil­luminate and unbelievers of the word of life; for the ceremonies could not in themselves without the word or light of life, extend to any commandement of God.

9. Therefore was the upright life at that timeDeut. 13 published and taught, because men should believe the same as a precept or com­mandement of the Lord, and be obedient unto his requiring, that so (through the be­liefe) they might be made freeAct. 15 Rom. 3 Eph. 2 from the sinne, or be justified therefrom, and might live thereby with God the Father to an everlasting peace according to the promises.

10. This communalty or believers of the good life, were as children of the belief and obedience,Mat. 26.28 Acts 2.4. joyned together to a bring­ing in to the same life, under the service of the holy Word, and the hand reached them thereunto, with the Christian ceremonies of Baptisme, and the Supper of Christ, which Christian ceremonies were admini­stred unto them out of the word of life, and observed by them to obedience; yet not for the ceremonies, but for the upright lifes sake, which (being afterward to come) wasInfra. 23 required therewith. And thus the Christian ceremonies were not the everla­sting commandement of God, but the word of life was it.

11. Howbeit, the ceremonies were an­nexed thereunto for an assistanceGal. 3.4 Heb. 7 and bringing in of the believers into the life, as is aforesaid, even as the same is prefigured unto us, by the ceremonies of the Catho­like Church of Jesu Christ, to the intent that the believers of the holy word, and of the good life or Christ, should through the ser­vice of the ceremonies,2 Pet. 1 have regard to the same word of life, being afterward to come.

12. Even thus for the good lifes cause, and for the mans sake, are the true Christian [Page 245]ceremonies of the gracious word, and of his service of love now in the last time annexed unto Gods everlasting Comman­dement, for an assistance of all them to the2 Pet. 1 entrance of the upright life, which be­lieve in Jesu Christ, and humble themselves to the service of his love, to the end they should be brought thereby to the life, which is Gods everlasting commandement, and still abideth [namely, toDeut. 10 30 Mat 22 love our God with all our hearts, and our neighbour as our selves, and to obtain the sameRom. 3 Eph. 2. through the belief] even as it is preached and writ­ten, because no man should trust upon the ceremonies, and find himself deceived by being without the upright life.

13. Neverthelesse after those daies of the fore-said ministration of the Christian ceremonies, many1 Tim. 4 Tim. 3. 2 Pet. 2 fell away from the true belief of Christ, or of the good life, knowing no difference in Gods precept or commandement, wherethrough there are now also many become vaine in their un­derstandings, in such sort, that they them­selves know not the meaning of the chri­stian ceremonies, nor yet to what purpose they were adjoyned to Gods commande­ment; and by that occasion there is ri­sen up (for the Christian ceremonies cause) [Page 246]much discord and debate, even as hereto­fore it came to passe, for2 Cor. 11 Gal. 1.2, 3, 4, 5, 6 the Jewish ce­remonies.

14. Wherefore seeing the services of the former Christian ceremonies after the Let­ter, do bring in controversie, and are not set forth or observed out of the word of life, nor out of the love of Jesu Christ, to the unity of heart in the love, but out of the letter with different understandings, and in diffention, and cannot alone in themselves extend to any commandement of God, therefore are not the believers of the good life [namely, the communalty un­der the obedience of the love of Iesu Christ] bound (as is rehearsed) thereunto, as of necessity outwardly to observe them, but they stand free unto them ei­ther to keep, or to omit them, to witRom. 14 as they serve them to peace, and are edifiable unto men; for Gods commandementIoh. 12 is the everlasting life, and that is the very love it self, evenDeut.: 0.30. Mat. 19.22 Rom. 13 to love God a­bove all things, and our neighbour as our selves.

15. Lo, this (to be short) is the diffe­rence of the Jewish and Christian ceremo­nies, and of those of the Family of the Love of Jesu Christ, namely, to what pur­pose [Page 247]their office or service is commanded, and to what intent they are annexed to the everlasting Commandement of God and observed.

16. Now there are likewise divers peo­ple that will not use some ceremonies (be­cause they judge them as heathenish or i­dolatrous services, and as a forbidding of the Lord) by means of abhorring and fear that they have of them, least any harm or hinderance should hoppen unto their souls thereby; concereing the which it also must be considered, how and wherefore the same should be idolatrous services, and a forbidding of God, for every unright u­sage hath his occasion, sense, and significa­tion,

17. For whilest the heathen or the un­circumcised people (are in respect of the knowledge of God, become vain,Rom. 1 Eph. 4 blind, and insensible, (as being utterly estranged from the upright life which God esteem­eth,) therefore do they make or counter­feit unto themselves out of the vanity of their thoughts, services and ceremo­nies, which the vain hearts that under­stand not Gods Law and Ordinance, are bewitched and bound with.

18. So then the vaine, corrupt, and [Page 248]bewitched life [which neither know­eth, nor loveth the living God, nor hisRom. 1 Eph. 4 righteousnesse; but is rebellious and unfaithfull to God] is Gods forbid­ding. And out of it have the blind people which know not the upright life, joyned thereunto their services and ceremonies,Deut. 12 wherefore the contary life to God is the forbidding of the Lord, [to wit, that men shall not believe, serve, nor be subject to the same] and not alone the heathenish services and ceremonies in them­selves.

19. And for the bewitched lifes cause, all is idol-service, and against Gods will, which such people as are held captive un­der it, or in their inwardnesse are corrup­ted and bewitched by it, do observe and use, not for the services, butEsa. 1.58 Am [...]s. 5 Mic. 6 for their cor­rupt lives sake.

20. For albeit they do out of such a bewitched life of unbelief take on them or counterfeit any thing, which men call Jew­ish or Christian ceremonies, yet it is not that which availeth before God,Eph. 2.4 because they are strangers from the life which is of God.

21. Therefore seeing they are becomeRom. 1 vain and dark in their understanding, [Page 249]insomuch that they know neither the true God, or his true God-service, nor the Idoll or his Idol-service, therefore neither are their outward Gods which men call Idols in themselves,1 Cor. 8 the right Idols (but they are that they are) neither are their services or ceremonies, the right Idol-services: For the Idoll and the Idol-service (which God accounteth for such, and shutteth for ever without him and his Kingdome, and will not have it to be in his Temple or Taber­nacle, but inwardly to be rooted out)1 Reg. 15. 1 Cor. 6 Eph. 5 Col. 3 is the depraved or corrupt life as is afore­said; by which corrupt life, the people that are holden therewith, are be­witched and tied to the unprositable and vain things, which indeed are all Idol-ser­vices.

22. Forasmuch then as the services and ceremonies of the vain minded people (which are ministred in their estranging from Gods true righteousnesse) cannot bewitch our hearts, whilest that we are not, nor may not be made partakers of their vain, perverse and corrupt life with the heart, neither do suffer our selves to take pleasure in such things,1 Cor. 10 how should their outward services and ceremonies (sim­ply [Page 250]of themselves) be in any wise unto us a forbidding of the Lord, or any idola­trous service?Iohn 4 For God is a Spirit, and in the Spirit maketh known unto us, that he beyond all and above all, desirefhDeut. 6.10 Mat. 22 only our hearts, and that therein (as in his living Temple) he willLev. 26 Ezek. 37 Iohn 14 2 Cor. 6 Apo. 21 live and dwell, and onely in the same be served and honored, in all upright righteousnesse and holi­nesse.

23. Therefore mark this ground, and consider in your understanding, to what purpose God commandeth to be obedient unto his services and ceremonies, which are administred out of his vvord of life, and wherefore the heathenish services and ceremonies be against God: and how that the right God-services and ceremo­nies do cleave, and are knit to the good life and upright being of the living God, and the right Idol-services and idolatrous ce­remonies do cleave, and are knit to the corrupt life and word of vain imagina­tion.

24. Now if ye mark this according to the truth, then shall ye well understand, how or in what sortMat. 15 23 Rom. that the outward services of the heathen or uncircuncised, [Page 251]be esteemed least of before God, and how also that the outward Ordinances of God, are the smallest services in the service of his Saints, and that God doth most of all regard that we (through his Ordinan­ces and ceremonies) be joyned unto him, and so then (according to the requiring of his ceremonies)Deut. 6 Mat. 22 love him with all our hearts, and our neighbour as our our selves, andIohn. 17 know him as a true God, how that he only is the Lord, and the ever­lasting life.

25. Neverthelesse it is unto me wel known, that sundry speeches go about among the children of men, wherewith they de­spise and blaspheme our godly testimonies, and according to their conceit out of the Scripture or Letter, or out of the imagi­nation of their knowledge, do alledge much there-against, saying, this is Gods commandement, hereby must we abide, or this is Gods forbidding, who can say a­gainst it?

26. It is true concerning the outwad, they can (out of the Scripture) speak very much, do make therewith muchRom. 16 di­vision, strife, and discord among each other; but they seldom think or consider that they [Page 252]ought to come in the spirit, toJoh. 5 that which the Scripture pointeth unto.

27. Oh that they all knew the right meaning of the commandement or for­bidding of God, according to the truth, then should the strife for outward things be soon ended and laid down!

28. But look into the matter ye dearly beloved, whether it goeth not now also as it did heretofore with the Galathians (when many of them were bound with the outward circumcision)Gal. 3, 5, 6 whilest cer­tain caused themselves to be circumcised, supposing out of the testimonies of the Scripture according to the letter, that the same (although notwithstanding it was not administred unto them out of the Word of life, under the obedience of the belief) was yet a commandement of the Lord, such as according to the letter men were necessarily to keep; but inasmuch as they distinguished not the services and ceremo­nies, which were administred unto them out of the Word of Life, from the services which were administred unto them out of the letter, without the word and light of Life, neither had the sight of the living commandement of the Lord, or of God, [Page 253]nor yet discerned or knew the same from the commandement according to the let­ter, therefore were theyGal. 3.5 lead away with the outward, from proceeding in the spi­rit, and were very miserably bewitched with the outward, because they thought that even the salvation of souls lay there­in.

29. On the other side, there were also many among the Corinthians, that1 Cor. 3 made conscience, and counted it for an abomi­nation, to buy, eat, or use the offering of the Idols, after the manner of the heathens ceremonies, supposing that Gods forbid­ding and the hurt of souls, lay in the out­ward ceremonies of the heathen, and that of themselves alone they were Idol-servi­ces. But what (I pray you) is there on the one side or on the other, or in any such like that concerns us?

30. Verily in case we be come to the knowledge of the truth, and to the right discerning of this difference, then we know that all the outward services of the hea­then (so that the heart stand free from them) are not of force toMat. 15 desile the inward man,Cor. 4 Gal. 4 in vvhom Christ hath his form.

31. Also there consisteth in them alone, nei­ther salvation nor condemnation, such as God respecteth. For look what the heathen or the vain minded uncircumcised people do observe, as concerning their God-services that is their ignorance,Eph. 2.4 because they know not the true God, neither do hunger nor thirst after his upright righteousnesse.

32. In case then that we be come to the true knowledgeIohn 17 of the living God, (the which is our calling,) and do from the heart love his life of righteousnesse in the spi­rit, shall we then say, and in such an igno­rance rest perswaded, that the God-service after the heathenish manner should be any thing, or that it were the very Idol-service it self, that be far from us.

33. We confesse before God and his truth, and before all that believe thereon, that there isCor. 8 no outward Idoll, nor any outward Idol-service in heaven, nor on earth, but that there is one onely God, (whose God-service requireth the upright righteousnesse, and likewise reacheth to theHeb. 8.9 ministration of the spiritual and heavenly goods in the living being of God, according to the spirit, wherethrough all things are, & out of the same & his spiritual & heavenly [Page 255]ministration in the spirit, preceedethIohn 17 Eph. 4 the upright righteousnesse & the unity of the heart in the love, & the true God-service on the earth, whose Altar isHeb. 9 not made with mens hands, but is prepared of God from the beinning of the world for evermore; & on the other side, we confesse that all the God-services & Gods of the heathen are but vainIer. 10 mockeries, & for nought els to be respected, then for a foolish inchantment in the ignorance, wherewith the vain hearts (which know nothing of God, nor of his Law) are bewitched and tied.

34. Whilest then the ceremonies which (in contention) men call God services, and as it were Ordinances of Christianity, and which in sundry manners are brought in out of the Letter, do now bring much wrangling, strife, and dissention in, there­fore busie we not our selves much about them (whilest that our heart is very little, or nothing at all tied unto them) but ra­ther have more regard,Gal. 5. Heb. 10 to give heed after the spirit unto that which the ceremonies of the Law, and the services of the holy, Church of Jesu Christ do require, or where­unto they are administred and used by the holy ones of God, and by the ancient [Page 256]Fathers of the holy Church of Jesus Christ, out of the true light.

35. Neverthelesse though we say we have more regard to attend unto that which the ceremonies and services of the holy Church of Jesus Christ do require, yet do we not therefore despise the Christian ceremonies or services, as though they were of no value, or were besides the mind of the Spirit of Jesu Christ; O no, that be far from us, but we esteem them great in their right degree and use,Gen. 17 Mat. 28 Mar. 16. as that the salva­vation is with the ceremonies (but not through them) promised unto the belie­vers,Rom. 3.9 Gal. 2.3 yet not that it should appear or come out of them.

36. For if the salvation were bound to the ceremonies, then must God needs be a lyer, whilst he had not ability to shew mer­cifulnesse unto men out of his grace, nor to save them,Rom. 3.11 Eph. 2. but that they must deserve the salvation through the works of the ce­remonies.

37. Howbeit God abideth true, and gra­cious,Psal. 116 Rom. 3 but the man is unfaithfull and ly­ing; for the man hath forsaken the cove­nant of his God, and hath4 Esd. 7.8 not regarded his promises, but abused his ceremonies, [Page 257]broken and despised the right ordinances, and in the ministration of them, hath not attended unto the salvation of the belief, nor yet trusted in God, to obtain the same according to the promises, but is1 Tim. 4 fal­len away from the meaning of the belief, gone forth after his own taken on faith, and hath forgotten the rockDeut. 32 Rom. 9 1 Pet. 2 of his sal­vation.

38. Neverthelesse, though (through infide­lity, and the ignorance of men) the right use of the ceremonies, and the meaning of the true belief, and of the godly promi­ses, be of many men forsaken,Num. 23 Deut. 4 Rom. 3 2 Tim. 2 yet is God true notwithstanding, and he with-hold­eth not that which he hath promised, for his holy names sake; hereby declaring, that he is not unfaithfull or lying as the man is, but an everlasting,Eccl. 2 gracious and true God towards those that love him, that seek his righteousnesse from the heart, andMat. 5 hunger and thirst after it.

39. For heDeut. 4 forgetteth not his Co­venant which he hath made with the Fa­thers, neither doth he break his promises inLuk. 1 such manner as he hath spoken them (aforetimes) by the mouth of his holy Pruphets, but will (for his [Page 258]own sake establish them, and cause the manPsal. 50 to see his own human unfaithful­nesse and lying against his God, how that the man hath not regarded Gods Cove­nant nor his promises, under the ser­vices and ceremonies, which were ordain­ed for him of God; to this end that heExod. 12 13 Mat. 26 Luke 22 1 Cor. 11 should think upon the same, to the in­tent he might be saved, accordiag to the promises.

40. But notRo. 9.11 that Gods promises are established out of the ceremonies, or through the works of the ceremonies. O no, butRom. 5 Gal. 5 in the love, according to the spi­rit, and according to the truth out of the heavenly being, through the belief, even as it is promised, and as the Scripture maketh mention.

41. Wherefore seeing that God hath now out of his grace given us2 Cor. 4 such clear­nesse (under the obedience of the requi­ring of his service of love) in the spirit of our hearts, therefore look we more upon the promises, giving heed unto that [name­ly the1 Tim. 1 love] which the promises are esta­blished in, then we do upon the like coun­terfeited services or ceremonies: And for this cause we cannot let our hearts be [Page 259]bound or intangled with any thing that is ministred without the true light and ser­vice of love, nor yet yeeld to take part ei­ther against or with it, but do endeavour our selves to the uprightEph. 4 righteousnesse and holinesse in Jesus Christ, and to all concord in the love and her service.

42. For thereunto were we and all men called heretofore of God the Father, through the spirit of Christ, even that we should come through faithRom. 3.5, 8 to the righte­ousnesse in Jesu Christ, and to his trueMat. 22 Iohn 17 1 Tim. 1 love, and that the ceremonies out of the true light, should for the same intent be serviceable unto us.

43. Now might one here demand if the matter be so, why then have some yet re­gard to taking part with flesh and bloud? And wherefore do some yet make consci­ence to themselves, to account the Schis­maticall ceremonies indifferent unto them for some are held captive with affections, in their conscience,Rom. 14 Gal. 3.4, 5 insomuch that they must yet observe certain ceremonies, and others againe have such an1 Cor. 8.10. abhor­ring of them, that they must necessarily leave them?

Answer.

44. Their unbeliefRom. 1 Eph. 4 and blindnesse is the cause of it, inasmuch as they believe not the promises of God, nor yet under­stand that the same are avouched in the spirit, but will justifie and esteem them­selves faithfull, either by cleaving to these, or by leaving of those ceremonies, and think that before God they should be counted unfaithfull, if their hear [...]s were not stedfastly bound unto those things, which theyCol. 2 have chosen to themselves, and which without the word of life, and requiring of his service of love, they judge their faithfulnesse to consist in, not percei­ving how unfaithfullEsa. 59 and lying them­selves are in their inwardnesse unto God and his upright righteousnesse. For the Lord requireth by his services and ceremo­nies principally, the inwardEzek. 36 Mat. 23 Luk. 11 cleannesse ac­cording to the spirit. And even to that end did the old Fathers of the holy Church of Jesus Christ,Act. 2.8 10. &c. use the ceremonies among Christ his believers.

45. But because this is not understood [Page 261]nor believed aright by the children of men, therefore know they not also what is reck­ned unto them for salvation, nor yet wherein consisteth the condemnation.

46. For seeing they give respect to their unclean consciences, and are fast tied to something that directeth not to God and his righteousnesse, they cannot therefore perceive nor understand what God requi­reth of them, for their consciences are stained with something which they e­steem for holy, and yet is not of God, and therefore they fear.

47. But if they came to theJoh. 1 2 Pet. 1 1 Ioh. 1 sight of the living being of God, which only is boly, and whereby all visible things are hallow­ed, and be used or ministred uprightly, then would they (through the ministring of theSap. 13 Rom. 1 visible things) have regard to the everlast­ing, & not to the corruptible, either for to fear it, or els for to esteem the outward, a­bove the profit thereof, as whereby they might in any wise be accused, and would in the spirit love that, which all is comprehen­ded in, and which the ceremonies of the Law of the belief, and of the service of love do point and direct unto.

48. So then the summe of all that God [Page 262]requireth of us, is1 Reg. 15 an obedience which is after God, and not after the manner of men, or according to elementish working; namely, AnEzek. 36 1 Tim. 1upright heart towards God and his righteousnesse, aPsal. 5.willing spirit, and a pure unspotted conscience in Jesu Christ.

49.Heb. 6.10 Let us hereunto, in the obedience of the requiring of the service of Love, proceed on with1 Tim. 1 unfained faith, inRom. 12 1 Pet. 1.3 bro­therly love, and inRom. 12 2 Cor. 13 Heb. 12 a peaceable mind; for thereunto are we called, and this same is the upright Salvation, which God maketh choice of in us.

Take it to heart.

CHAP. XVIII.

SEeing then (Dearly-beloved) that such a godly sight is now in these dangerous times by Gods Grace appeared unto us, that we sensibly perceive in our selves the divine Calling to the same: (which ap­peareth unto us, not out of Flesh nor Blood; but is brought unto us out of the heavenly Truth, or Loyns of Jesu Christ, throughActs 2. the holy Ghost,Acts 15. for to cleanse our hearts through Faith, according to the Promises; the which is1 Cor. 3. the blessing and increase of God, that is not tyed unto a­ny working of men, but is the power of God the Father himself, forEph. 1. a pledge of our Inheritance:) therefore let us take heed to such an appeared2 Cor. 6. Hebr. 12. Grace, andHeb. 3. Grace, andHeb. 3. not turn us away in the time of the god­ly [Page 264]calling of Salvation, but give over our hearts (in the beleef) thereunto [namely, to the obedience of the Love, in the Spi­rit] and so (with all inclination of love, with lowly hearts unto God, and with long-suffering)Eph. 1.4. 1 Pet. 2. grow up and increase in the Righteousnesse and Holinesse that are pleasing unto God, that we may be a seat of the holy Triumph of our Lord Je­su Christ in his Coming. Which heaven­ly cleernesse of the godly Triumph, and of the glory of his Christ in the Spirit,Rom. 16. Ephes. 3. Col. 1. 2 Tim. 1. hath hitherto been hidden from the World, and hath ceased, because it should be1 Pet. 1. disclosed and made manifest (in holy Glory) in the last time, to the joy of the Beleevers, that hope for the salvation of upright hearts.

2. That truly is it which God requi­reth, and whereunto all Gods Prophets have born witness: AndJoel. 2. Acts 2. it shall come to passe (saith God) in the last dayes.

3. Therefore let no man now make to himself any conscience,Col. 2. Gal. 4.5 nor suffer his heart to be bound or tyed by any earthly out­ward thing, that he be not thereby hindred for coming to the purity or sanctification of the heart, which (out of God) cometh to passe in the Spirit.

4. Let no man also take any thing up­on him to any intent of Liberty, whereby to liveGen. 3. Eph. 4. in the apple of conscience, after the minde of this World. For (in such a course) the Liberty should be wholly abu­sed, and be unto us an occasionGal. 5. 1 Pet. 2. to use li­berty according to the Flesh, and utterly to fail of the uprightJohn 8. Rom. 6. Liberty in Jesus Christ.

5. But seeing that we have now obtain­ed an upright liberty in Jesu Christ (under the obedience of the Love) in the using of the Services and Ceremonies; and that both it, and the manner how we are to use the Ceremonies uprightly (in these dan­gerous times, is risen up unto us in our hearts, and vouchsafed us of God, there­fore are we to look into this Liberty after the Spirit, for to use it to a growth of the upright life in the Spirit, that there mayIsa. 1.10. Rom. 9. remain a seed to preservation: for then will the God of heaven (now in the last time) make his holy Name, and his secret Wisdom famous and notable, against all the wise of this World,Mat. 11. 1 Cor. 1. & 2. & 3. who by their own wisdom, do not understand the secret Wis­dom of God.

6. Hereunto let your hearts be inclined, ye Dearly-beloved, and not to the infi­delitie [Page 266]of the blinde World, nor to the con­tention of the seditious Letter-learned. And in any case take heed to yourEccl. 4. & 27. Gal. 6. time, ye that are come to such a sight, and to the ho­ly calling of the godly love; and thank God from the heart (with a cheerful mind)Tit. 2. for such an appeared grace, out of the bountifull kindnesse of his love, in this last abominable time, whose end reacheth to the destructionMat. 25. Rom. 2. 2 Pet. 3. or condemnation of all wicked men.

7. Let your eyes of the spirit, andProv. 4. your whole heart of Understanding stand ever fixed or bent upon the upright life. Look not about after the corruptible being, but love the happinesse of preservation, which is (through the Word of truth) in all love proffered unto you; else shall you be found empty and without understanding, with all theJer. 7.8. conceited Wise of the blind World, which, with all her own wisdom, must needsIsa. 29. 1 Cor. 1. go down, and Gods wis­dome (though unto the World it be a foolishnesse) shall in the love stand firm for ever.

8. For Gods foolishness it1 Cor. 1. wiser then all the wisdom of the subtil wit, or under­standing of the flesh. For, if the man should have the right in his wisdom, doubt­lesse [Page 267]God must needs be in the wrong.

9. Therefore abideth the Saying ever stedfast;Psal. 116 Rom. 3. God only good and true in trying, and all men (of themselves) deceivable and lying.

10. Which deceivable and lyingEccl. 21. be­ing the man ought, before all things, to es­chew, even as a Canker, and with the heart to cleave to nonePro. 1.3. 1 Joh. 2. whose minde, will, and desire hath any delight and pleasure in the ungodly being of the confused world:Mat. 10. Luk. 14. yea, though it were even Husband, Wife, Children and Kinsfolks, Father or Mother, Sister or Brother, Master or Servant; Nay, be he who he will, so farr as he cleaveth willingly to the evill.

11. Oh! Take heed to your selves, that in any wise ye go not (with the heart) lame or limping3 Reg. 18, nor halt on both sides: that ye seek not the living God, with re­taining the Divels nature;2 Cor. 6 nor Christ, with keeping the Belialish spirit of Anti­christ; nor the righteousnesse, by retaining any unrighteousnesse, to the intent that in such a mixture ye perish not with the wick­ed erring World, which desireth to serve God and the Divell together.

12. With those which are so minded,Supra 16 hold not your hearts common, or at uni­tie; [Page 268]you [I mean] that have a longing to God and his Righteousness; but rather be ye against them, [namely, against such as withstand all Righteousnesse, and the Uuitie in the Love;] yet not with the Mouth, lest ye be burthened with any thing to your hinderance in Godlinesse:Pro. 4. but with the Heart, Minde, and Life. For in the same opposition is the right Pre­servation in Jesus Christ which God e­steemeth.

13. Neverthelesse, unto the lovers of Righteousnesse, who have minded Love, Concord and Peace, or do endeavour ther­after, we are to speak (according as their Understanding can bear)1 Pet. 3. of the lively hope which is in us, [to wit, so much as serveth to edification, and may be godly to hear;] and so become full of the Spi­rit, andEph. 1. Phil. 1. Col. 1. knowledge of spirituall wisdom in all love.

14. Many have indeed heretofore (as it is reasonably well known unto many of us) spoken of Letter and Scripture abun­dantly, rehearsed every mans Failes, both of the Spirituall and Temporall, and (ac­cording to the Histories of the Scriptures) confessed their Understanding; and yet have not marked nor known in what sort [Page 169]or being they should prepare theirEccl. 2. hearts before God: and so, by their untimely zeal, have cast themselves into the hands of the World, and plucked a yoakAct. 15. or burden upon their necks, which they were not able to bear.

15. Keep your selves, yee Deerly-be­loved, from such things. For, at first, God calleth us1 Thes. 4 2 Thess. 2 1 Pet. 1. unto Sanctification in the Spi­rit, and not unto much Confessing with the Mouth.

16. Now, if any man say, Christ hath taught toMat. 10. Mat. 8. Luk. 9. & 12. confesse him; That is right indeed, if it were well understood.

17. But, O Beloved! tell me, I pray you, How will ye confesse Christ,Joh. 1.5. whom ye know not, or before ye have, inRom. 6.8 2 Cor. 4. Phil. 3. Col. 2. death and life, followed and put him on?

18. True it is, ye have read or heard of Him in the Scripture; neverthelesse, many have never seenJoh. 5. his shape, and his love dwelleth not in them: and there­fore they understand not what they con­fesse. For how should you by any means confesse Christ, beforeGal. 4. he have his shape in you, and that yeJoh. 17. Heb. 3. 2 Pet. 1. be made partakers of his being?

19. Know yee not, that it is written, how that Christ saith to his Father,Joh. 17. I [Page 270]have given them the cleernesse which thou hast given mee, that they should be one, even as we are one: I in them, and Thou in Mee, that they may be perfect in one, and that the world may know, that thou hast sent mee, and thou hast loved them, as thou hast loved Me. Fa­ther, I will, that where I am, there may they also be with me, whom thou hast gi­ven me?

20. Ruminate upon the sense, mark well the ground, understand the Scrip­ture, and take a view of your selves, whe­ther yee have received of Christ such a cleernesse or not; and whether he be one with you, and ye with him, and with the Father.

21. Now, if it be thus with you, to wit, that ye be come to such a1 Thes. 4 2 Thess. 2 1 Pet. 1. sanctification in the Spirit, through Christ, then ye know who he is for to confesse him; and yee know him, how that he isHeb. 1. the like image of his Father, one Being, Spirit or Life with the GodheadApoc. 1.22., who hath neither begin­ning nor ending.

22. He saith also,Joh. 14. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh to the Father, but only through Me.

23. Moreover,Joh. 10. I am the door of the [Page 271]Sheep; if any man enter in by me, he shall be saved.

24. Therefore have regard to the ground of the Scriptures, how (in all things) they point us unto Christ, to the intent that he should have hisGal. 4. shape in us; and that we should be in all up­right righteousnesse and holinesseJoh. 17. Heb. 3. 2 Pet. 1. par­takers of his Being, if it were but right­ly understood. For it is unpossibleExo. 33. Rom. 8. 1 Cor. 2. to know the Spirit of Christ, with an heart that is cloathed or covered with a mind of the Flesh.

25. If Christ therefore hath a Shape in you,Joh. 7. How men shall right­ly confesse Christ. and you beleeve in him, as the Scripture saith, then may you confesse him rightly: Howbeit, not out of your imagin­ing, nor according to your knowledge out of the letter, as the learned in the letter and the common people do, that are with­out the communiality of the love of Jesus Christ; but confesse him out of the shape that he hath in you, through such a cleer­nesse asJoh. 1. Acts 2. 2 Cor. 12 Gal. 1. 2 Pet. 1. his Apostles confessed him by; even as it is written,

26. That which was1 Joh. 1. from the be­ginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled [Page 272]of the Word of life. And the life appear­ed, and wee have seen it, and do testifie and publish unto you the eternal life, which was with the Father, and is appeared unto us.

27. Here may every one look into him­self, whether he also do thus know Christ, before he testifie or confesse much of him: otherwise he knoweth not what he con­fesseth.

28. Therefore, we must first be turned unto Christ according to the Truth; that is,Rom. 5. Gal. 5. 1 Pet. 1. in Hope, through Faith, unto the righteousnesse, and so, with good will, stand firm thereunto in the beleef,Mat. 10. & 16. Lu. 9.14. take up daily our crosse in the obedience of the holy Word of the Spirit of the love of Christ, and follow him with patience in our souls, to the salvation, untill he obtain aGal. 4. Shape in us, and his deathGal. 6. of the crosse becom a joy unto us; and so in the truth know him, to the intent we might confesse him rightly.

29. For the heart must be turned into him, and he into our hearts; and then may wee rightly confesse him with the mouth. Or thinkest thou, O thou man, that this pleaseth God, to speak of God sometimesMat. 7. with the mouth, and so to [Page 273]confesse his Chirst (not respecting among whom, or to whom) of whom a man knoweth nothing at all, and whiles yourIsa. 29. Mat. 15. heart remaineth so far estranged from Christ, and from his upright Righteous­nesss and Holinesse in the Spirit? O no: whosoever taketh it so, shall be deceived therein.

30. For, if thine heart be not turned to Christ and his Service of love, neither be inclined to the1 Thes. 4 2 Thess. 2 1 Pet. 1. sanctification in the Spirit, and thou, through the beleef of the truth, dost not, with inclination of the love,Eph. 4. grow up therein, then is all thy faith and confessing unprofitable, and unpleasing to God and his Christ.

31. If thou therefore, O man, dost either despise, or hast no regard unto that which is [out of love] held forth, or wit­nessed unto thee, thou shalt surely lament it at the last: namely, in those dayes when Misery shall fall upon thee, and that thou shalt see the Triumph of the gloriousnesse of Christ,Jude 1. in many thou­sand Saints, comingIsa. 43. & 49. from the rising of the Sun, and going down; from the mid­day, and from the North or mid-night; and that theyIsa. 51. & 52.60.61.62. shall with gladnesse be assembled (as a Kingdom of God their [Page 274]Father) untoMat. 8. Abraham, Isaac, and Ja­cob, and unto all the holy Prophets;Mat. 8. & 25. Luk. 13. and thou then shalt finde thy self shut out of doors.

32. And therefore now have ye all re­gardPsal. 51. Isa. 57.66. Micah 6. to an upright heart and meek spirit, according to the spirit or life of Christ, andPro. 1. separate your selves from the wayes of all the uncircumcised and unbeleeving.

33. Howbeit, not outwardly with the body, or with words;1 Cor. 5. for then must ye go out of the world, and abide in no place, for the unbeleeving darknessesIsa. 5.9 60. 4 Esd. 14. have co­vered the world every-where. But2 Cor. 6. se­parate you from them with heart and spi­rit; Beleeve the good in the love, and be­come likewise a light in the Lord;Apo. 18. so shall ye not be partakers of their ungod­linesse.

34. This write I unto you, ye Deerly-beloved, for this intent, even to stir you up hereby to a pure minde, and to that piety which God regardeth: also for a warning of destruction to come; and that ye may perceive, how that men are to stand unpartiall (according to the requiring of the Truth) for to use well the2 Pet. 1. common love, and to know the upright confes­sing [Page 275]of Jesus Christ: whereby to under­stand (so much as the Lord, out of his grace, permitteth us to see) wherein the calling of our salvation consisteth, to the intent that no man, through misunder­standing or vain imagination, deceive him­self, or be deceived by others.

35. If now any man be drawn away,Gal. 1. or lead aside from this good understand­ing which we bear witnesse unto, let such a one turn him again to the Good (that his inclination to Gods requiring be not in vain,) and lament and bewaile his igno­rance, that the Lord may be gracious unto him; and so apply himself, with whole heart, minde, and will, to the upright righ­teousnesse, which in the Love abideth firm for ever.

CHAP. XIX.

THere goeth also a common Saying a­broad amongst many, and it is Scri­pture, [the which is recited in the first Book of the Glasse of Right cousnesse; and also in many mo places of our Writings]Isa. 54. Jer. 31. They shall all be taught aright of God, andEzek. 11. & 36. Joel 2. Acts 2. by his Spirit.

2. Now, whiles some that have heard and spoken of this Sentence, understood not the Scripture, nor rightly took heed to the sense of the Word, therefore they have not explained the meaning of the Word aright.

3. Also some that have heard it, have let the counsell of the Word go, and so are fallen into the sorgetting of the good, turn­ed away from the desire to the Righteous­ness, and from the hope of Salvation, accor­ding to the Promises, and have sticked un­toRom. 1. Epes. 4. covetousnesse and lusts, the snares of the confused world.

4. Truly, those that cleave to the Word, [Page 277]and his Service of Love in such a sort, and do so take and understand it, they have conceived altogether amisse of the Word and his requiring; and therefore they areRom. 1. Ephes. 4. become vain in their understanding: In­somuch, that they forsake the Scriptures and Exhortations to the good all alike, and do let the conversion to God, and to his Righteousnesse, utterly dye out of their hearts; speaking thus with unrepentant hearts, out of the vanity of their minde, (not discerning the upright understanding) It must all come of God; There is One that giveth all; For it is God onely that can teach us; Of him must we receive all, and no men can give it us.

5. This they say well; and run yet ne­verthelesse forth, as if there were no God, nor Ministring of his Word, that loved or required the Righteousnesse; and do not once know, nor consider the estranging orIsa. 1.59. falling from their God, whereby to turn them again to him and his Righteousness, and to shew repentance orMatt. 3. Luk. 3. Acts 3. amendment for their sins; and so in all humility to have regard to what purpose God hath given his Promises, and annexed or ordained the Mi­nistration of his Word under the obedience of the love therunto, wherby they might re­ceive [Page 278]of him the vertue of salvation. For out of such a heart of humilityIsa. 57.66. 4 Esd. 8. Eccl. 3. Jam. 4. 1 Pet. 5. the hum­ble do always in God finde their salvation; and not the stout hearts, that do not esteem of Gods righteousnesse.

6. O God! How dangerous a time is it now1 Tim. 4 2 Tim. 3 2 Pet. 3. Jude 1. in these last dayes, through the misunderstanding of the children of men!

7. What a number of false and vene­mous windes do there blow among the children of men, to the hurt of their souls, and to a drawing of them away from the Righteousnesse!

8. Oh, That there were in every one an hearty desire to the good! then might they be protected and defended from the be­witching of the false windes, which make the heart negligent to the upright Good, and bring it either to the bewitched Humi­lity, or to the Lusts of the vain world.

9. Therefore it is expedient to have a regard to Understanding,Prov. 1.2.3.4.8. to take heed to the Wisdom, to esteem much of God­linesse, to account the upright Righteous­nesseSap. 7.8 for the most precious, above all Riches, and to make choice of the Long-sufferance, with the foresightfulnesse as Superintendents.

10. This did the holy Fathers in times past give heed unto;Sap. 11. Eccl. 44.45, 46. and so God taught them in his wisdome, and preserved them, that they were not partakers of the plagues of the ungodly.

11. Wherefore let every one under­stand the meaning of the Word aright, and take a right view, that he may know who he is, and how he ought to apply himself to be taught of God, and to be endowed with his Spirit, and what manner of people God will choose for his holy people.

12. Truly not such,Sap. 1. as with their hearts cleave unto the world, love the E­vill,Pro. 1. and in all things let go the counsell of God. Neither yet such,Mat. [...] Luk. 17.21 as hang their Hearts in buying and selling, upon cove­teousnesse, orRom. i 3 1 Cor. 10 in eating and drinking, up­on gluttony; or in marrying, or being mar­ried, upon unchastnesse; or upon any vain transitory rejoycing, whether it be in build­ing or in planting; and who in all their doings doe not attend nor have regard un­to the works of the Lord, as it came to passe in the timesGen. 7. of Noe, and in theGen. 19 times of Lot.

13. For all those, whose hearts in the time of Noe, clave not to Gods righteousnesse, but had a Lust, and gave over their hearts [Page 280]to the vain corrupt things: they marked not the work of the Lord, neither had any respect to the preservation of the Righte­ous, nor yet feared the punishment, which then was ready to come upon all wicked men. Of all this they knew nothing, till the Flood came upon them, and tooke them clean away.

14. Therefore understand and know the preservation of godly men in these last dayes, and consider well the meaning, who or which they are, that shall be taught of God, and in what course they walke (the which we have in some measure expressed,1 Glass. in the first Book of the Glasse of Righte­ousnesse, and doe here at this present ex­presse it:) namely, they are those thatMat. 5. have hunger and thirst after the Righte­ousnesse,Judith. 8 Eccl. 2.3 that submit their souls to the o­bedience of the gracious Word, and his Service,Luk. 18 and continue daily in prayer (not in many words,John 4. Eph. 6. Phil. 4. but in the Spirit, with de­sire to the Lord and his Righteousnes) that they may obtain grace at the hands of God, to liveLuke 1 in his righteousnesse, with an up­right heart, and pure spirit.

15. These are sorrowfull for their sins, and sighing over them, suffer not their souls to be quiet, so long as they know or feele [Page 281]in themselves any vain or naughty Being, which their hearts are tied or bound unto: or so long as any thing in them doth reigne over them, which is not GOD, because they may not in all things serve their God onely.

16. These that love the good Being from the heart, doe seek in God to obtaine the same, and doe labour and zealously en­deavour thereafter:Deut. 4 Jer. 29. Mat. 7. Luk. 12. For they seeke and finde, they knock and it is opened unto them, they ask and receive: not in pre­sumptuousnesse, as though God owed it them, because of their seeking, knocking, and asking. O no: they looke not upon their own doings, but labour onely for this, even how to please the Lord, giving them­selves over thereunto with humble hearts, according to the Spirit, and acknowledge that they are not worthy of such Grace, thus to be accepted and established in Gods truth and love.

17. With such humble hearts doe they through the Love and her Service, seek to find grace and peace at the hands of God the Father, and not the subtile knowledge,1 Cor. 6 which maketh the heart stout and lofty:Mat. 6. but they seeke above all, and afore all things, the Kingdome of God, and his [Page 282]Righteousnesse. The which are the gifts of God, that God richly bringeth in the ever­lasting life, unto such as worship and love him.

18 For those that pray unto him for an upright heart, and for a new and pure Spi­rit,Luk. 11 he doth not endow with an evill heart or a wicked spirit (though sometimes the evill heart, or unrighteous spirit make up it selfe there-against: yet is the same taken a­wayEph. 6. through the Beliefe, in the Crosse or patience of Christ, upon hope of the good that is for to come:) but they obtain faith­fulnesse and truth,Luk. 11 and the righteous Spi­rit, with an heart of meeknesse and love. And that is Christ, or the Anointed, which is holy, and teacheth right. It is true.

19. After this maner do they apply them­selves that will bee taught of God, and his Christ, out of whom God will prepare him anTit. 1. acceptable people, to be a remnant for himselfe in the destruction of the wicked world. Yea it shall be aEsa. 41 Soph. 3. Luk. 12. poor plain people: (not after the outward sight of the eye, but according to the hidden inward man) such as hope on the Lord, and in the Spirit, relye and trust upon his Name. And these same, yea such doth God choose unto him for his people, for to magnifie his holy Name in them for evermore.

20. For consider, ye beloved, how should any man be taught of God, or Christ, that will not give eare to his teaching or coun­sell, but doth as Gods enemy, cleave unto and love theJoh. 8.1 John 2. Devill and the World, which do openly resist God?

21. Therefore oughr the lovers of the Truth, which hope for the salvation of the perfect Being, utterly to put out of their heartsProv. 1 whatsoever concerneth the vanity or misbehaviour, and every thing which the heart, contrary to God & his Righteousnes, is bound or tied with, so much as in the Lord they are able, and so to give over themselves to God, that Gods goodnesse may have his place in them, and not any ungodly Being.

22. Also all lovers of the Righteousnes ought toEph. 4. reach the hand, and toRom. 15. 2 Thes. 5 Heb. 3.10. exhort one another to the same: and so in one manner of Belief, to strengthen each other towards salvation with a good courage:2 Pet. 1 and to have regard to the sure propheti­call Word [to wit, to the Service of the Love, administred in his time] to treat there­of:Act. 2.20 to break that same bread among each other in stilnesse: and to persevere or abide stedfest in prayer, tillEsa. 25 2 Cor. 3. all coverings (where­with their hearts, after the flesh, or accord­ing [Page 284]to the visible, are covered) bee done a­way: and that the pure or cleare [that is to say, the spirituall, heavenly, and unco­vered Being of Christ]2 Cor. 3. appeare and come in their spirit, to the intent that so they might1 Joh. 4. 2 Cor. 5. know, and cleave fast unto the living God, and his Christ, in the spirit (even as he, blessed may he be, is a Spirit) & in all Love (wherein the Law and the Gospel of the Kingdom and the doctrine thereof, isRom. 15 Gal. 5. 1 Tim. 1. ful­filled) might with all their understanding, will and desire, live the upright righteous­nesse of God: Deut. 4 Mat. 22. and that God likewise may be the most best beloved, and his Righte­ousnesseMat. 13. 2 Cor. 4. their most pretious Treasure, worthy to be esteemed high above all.

23. Whosoever now doe thus, with an inclination to the same, stand in a good will, to them belongeth the blessing and happi­nesse promised of God: to whom it is also promised,Psal. 82. John 1. that they shall bee made the children of God, and be blessed with the dew of his increase, and be anointed forPsa. 45 Christians with the oyle of Love and of his Spirit or Christian nature: yet not out of flesh and blood, but out of the holy Divine Being.

24. When the man therefore is thus joyned unto God, then may he with God, [Page 285]rightly possesse all things, and understand and know, whereout the horrible de­struction cometh upon the Children of men.

25. Wherefore the man should feare his God, that he might come to the godly wisdom, and might cleave unto that which is right and reasonable, to the intent, that he might not perish with the wicked.

26. For wisdom,Pro. 8. Sap. 7. is much better then Gold and Silver. Righteousnes much wor­thier and preciouser, than all Pearles and precious stones; and prudence much more honourable, puissant, and strong, than all Castles, Cities, and Fortresses, also mighti­er than the multitudes of the Armed. The feare of God doth more quiet the heart in a little, than do abundant Riches in all the pleasures and delights of the world. It shall in his time be found and known to be even so.

27. Unto this holy and divine wisdom, apply ye your hearts, ye dearly beloved, and be ye warned in this dangerous time, in which, all foolishnes and ungodlines bear­eth sway: whose end reachethHeb. 10 to the most horriblest destruction.

28. For so it cometh, which is for to come, and all ungodly being shall make up it self [Page 286]and be astonied, after that it shallEsa. 13. feare, tremble, and quake, and be compelled in the beholding of his own destruction, to suffer the vengeance of the fire, but the godly shall obtain peace.

29. Therefore take heed, feare God, stick fast to vertue, humility, and meeknes, least ye remain in the ungodlines,Apo. 18 and be made partakers of her plagues.

30. WatchMat. 24. Luk. 21. 1 Pet. 5. and pray, and be reformed or justified, and stand fast upon Gods pro­mises.

31. Observe your time,Gal. 6. unto sanctifi­cation,Jam. 1. and behold in you daily the spots of your spirit, in the Glasse of Righteousnes, and wash you,Esa. 1. Jer. 4. Ezek. 36 John 3. with the cleane waters, in the laver of the Love; & be purged in your spirit,Eccl. 2. in the Fornace of the lowlines of heart, and so love that thing which is right and reasonable.

CHAP. XX.

BEhold ye beloved, according to all that in my labour I have been able to do, howsoever the same be plain, and not to be compared to the stile of the subtile and [Page 288]flowred eloquence) I cannot tell that I have (according to the sight which isRom. 16 Eph. 3. Col. 1. 2 Tim. 1. re­vealed unto me, out of Gods grace) kept back any thing from the man, that serveth, or is needful for him to know either to his Salvation, or else for a warning unto him, of the present destruction, and of that that is to come.

2. Have regard to the time, and respect an unpartial heart in the RighteousnesEph. 3. Be established in the love, and be still mindful of the same.

3. I have shewed my service out of the inclination of love: howbeit, I have writ­ten against none in particular, but before all understandings indifferently: I have weigh­ed the equity,Esa. 28 Eccli. 21. in the ballance, measured the Righteousnes with the Square and Line, and described the Righteousnes in Letters, according to the life, the inward life out of God, [to wit, his good nature] I have ex­pressed, and the outward righteousnes of man, have I not left out. To the intent, that it might all go rightly forward in the true Beeing, and that no man might be bewitch­ed, or bound with any opinion or bewitch­ing of spirit; but that every one might ac­cording to the truth, and in the love stand free in God.

4. Lo, GodDeut. 30. Act. 20. is my witnes, and Heaven and Earth also; that in all my writing, I have neither sought nor desired any other thing, but the salvation of men in the love. The Lord of his mercy vouchsafe us to find grace in his sight,Psal. 86 & lead us in his wayes, for to clense our hearts byPsal. 51. Act. 15. his righteous spirit and by faith, to the end, we may know him in the truth, and be defended from all the errors and abominations of the wicked world.

5. Behold and awake,Eph. 5. in the spirit of your minds lay hold of understanding: look to your selves,1 Joh. 2. and let not the errors of this world delight you. I cleare my self this day before you all, and before all those that willingly desire or be minded to error, or to the wicked world, that my Councel and will is not so.

6. If any man therefore take pleasure, or be addicted to the world or to her vanity and abominations: and do desire to fix his heart thereon. The same erreth through the pleasing of his own mind. But as for me, I cleare my self of his destruction.

7. For lo, I have out of the inclination of love, called and bidden you all out of the abominable World, unto conversion [Page 290]to God, and unto Repentance, and unto Amendment, and have herein warned you all sufficiently: I have distingtly shewed you (as much as I might do and saw neces­sary) both deathDeut. 11 Jer. 21. Eccl. 15. and life, destruction and preservation: I have witnessed and pointed forth the God of life, which hath made Heaven and Earth, his StatutesDeut. 4 and Ordi­nances which stand fast for ever, (wherein all the upright Fathers have lived, and which all Gods Prophets have born witnes of) I have also distinctly marked out. Therefore shall no man (that heareth or readeth our writings, be able toJohn 15 excuse himself, as though that we have hidden the Councel or Will of God from him in any thing.

8. Nevertheles, if there be any greater God, then the God of Israel, which hath made Heaven and Earth: If there be now any better Law or Ordination, then his Law:Deut. 4 Or better Statutes and Ordinances, then Gods Statutes and Ordinances, according to his Ordination: If there be any per­fecter life then the1 Cor. 13 Col. 3. 1 John 4. love, as is witnessed by his Christ: (for through the very same wasJohn 1. the life aforetimes published, which is e­verlasting: and on that same, or to that same everlasting life, is even our service and poin­ting also.) [Page 291]Or if thre be any thing in any body, or if any man hath any better thing, that excel­leth the everlasting life and the Love, which we bear witnes unto, let him manifest the same unto us, or let it out of Love be known unto us, to the unity of heart in the Love, even as we to the self same unity, do witnesse, manifest and publish, the everlast­ing life, and his righteousnesse of the Love and of the upright being.

9. Or if any man perswade himself, that he knoweth some better thing, which point­eth nearer or clearer to the Almighty, than the holy Spirit of the Love and of th ever­lasting Truth doth testifie and point unto us, (by which Testimonies, heIoh. 14. bringeth, and leadeth us into all Truth:) Let the same man make himself apparent unto us under the obedience of the Love, with an unpar­tiall mind; and not withhold from us the most best, for to serve in the unity of heart in the Love, as is said, in upright godlinesse, the living God onely; For even thus stand­eth our whole heart affected.

10. Hereunto be ye now all armed and well disposed, O ye lovers of the Truth. Be­ware that ye sleep not,Rom. 13. Eph. 5. seeing it is now a time to Watch; but awake in the Spi­rit: and abide in any wise in the Hope, [Page 292]untill ye see the light to the life your salva­tion.

11. Make not hardly any light account of it: cast it not with the unregarding ones, in the wind; but have respect alwaies un­to the good, and this service of the Love shewed on you; which is in Letters descri­bed and ministred unto you, to a godly life, stretching to the Love, turn not aside from you; but takeDeut. 6. Prov. 4. the same to heart: and grow therein, to an upright being of the Love. And so then shew your unpartiall service towards one another, according to the upright nature and being of the Love; For the Love to the unity of the brother­ly nature requireth such things, to the in­tent that the everlasting true God, might in such uprightEph. 4. righteousnes and holines as pleaseth him, and in the establishment of his promises onely be observed; and the earth likewiseEsa. 60.61. 2 Pet. 3. with righteousnesse, faith­fulnesse and Truth, be inhabited. Towards this let us go forward, in a meek spirit.

If ye hear any thing that soundeth unto you strange orHos. 8. absurd in your eares, yet be not bitterly minded: but follow after long suffering, and blaspheme nothing.

13. Let every one which is not to be spoken to, or to be councelled, runne to an [Page 293]end, with his understanding; and grow ye up in stilnes, and singlenes of heart,Sap. 9. Jam. 1. pray­ing God for Wisdom, and for an upright sight in the Truth; But tie not your hearts unto any thing, save onely, to the good life of the Truth;Ioh. 8. For that shall make you free.

14 Above all things ye beloved1 Cor. 14. Col. 3. fol­low still after the Love, For there neither is, nor shall be, any thing that may excell her.Deut. 6. Mat. 22 1 Cor. 13 1 Tim. 1 The Love is the cheefest good, the Truth a light to the life, and the Righte­ousnes our joy. Hereunto let our hearts be affected: for herein standeth the praise of the Lord.

15. Thus let us forsake all bewitching of the Spirit: and depart from the evill, and increase or grow up in the good: And that all in stillnes, and in the hidden wisdom of God. For the time peradventure will yet a little while remain troublous, to speak free­ly before all people, of the Truth and god­lines; For at this time, she isEsa. 59. 3 Esd. 14. yet with the World much too base, but love and e­steem ye her so much the more: and gather ye her to your selves, for a treasure in your hearts.

16. All what the wicked world loveth, all the enormities and abominations, that [Page 294]the Ministers of the wicked world, do ga­ther in their hearts, and all the envy, con­tentiousnes, & strife of the obstinate Teach­ers against us, and our most holiest service of the Love, cast and hurle them all out of your hearts, and inwardly have nothing to do with them; For their inwardnes is full of vanity, falshood and malieiousnes, and their joy is onely in their foolish know­ledge, and in the earthly and transitory things.

17. But let your hearts be full of the life and being of the true God-head, and your joy onely in his righteousnes, that therein ye may live, in the Spirit, and according to the Truth.

18. Let it be a pleasure unto you that God becommeth Lord and King over all. Have a desirous heart to the good, to the same reach alsoEph. 4. one another the hand, & retaine no offence of mis-doing one towards ano­ther; but exhort to amendment,Eccle. 28. Mat. 6. Col. 3. and for­give in the Love, that so we may grow up with each other, in one band of Love unto the godlines, as a reconciled orTit. 2. acceptable people of the Lord, through Iesus Christ, such as have found grace, and mercy at the hands of God the father, for to inhe [...]i [...] his promises, & to serve him with pure hearts in all love.

19. Behold, to be comprehended herein, is the life which is everlasting: and to reach one another the hand to the same godlines, & to exort to amendment of life, and to re­taine no man his sins, is theHos. 6. Matt. 9. Mercy which God requireth of us, and not Sacrifices.

20. He requireth Righteousnes, and nates the ungodly being; He sheweth his long­suffering towards them of good will,Esa. 53. Heb. 2. and beareth their infirmity or weaknes, as one that would not have any man to perish or to turn back.

21. For a willing heart, is a delight unto him: and a broken or troubled Spirit,Psal. 51. for his sins cause will he not despise.

22. A good confidence towards his grace of a converting sinner, is a joy unto him:Luk. 15. and it causeth also a joy in the hea­venly Being.

23. ThereforeDeut. 20. Esa. 55. let no man be dismayed, nor faint-hearted: but let every one from the heart, upon hope in the Beleef; apply himselfe to the good: andLuk. 21. possesse his soule with patience, unto the godly pro­mises.

24. Let no man take any yoak upon him, out of his own choice, least by some means of his unablenes, he fall into a loathing to­wards the good, but grow up by little and [Page 216]little, and profit ye still from time to time.

25. Keep alwaies what ye have: go notApo. 2. back in any case, that you loose not the Crown of Salvation. Go still forward in­creasing in the good, and in the knowledge of the holy understanding:Heb. 6. and so passe on towards the perfection.

26. Neverthelesse, desire not to have e­very thing at once; but grow up in the good, from theHeb. 5. beginning of the Christi­an life (That is, from the repentance for sin,Matt. 3. to go on in amendment of life, and to a­bide stedfast therein, even to theMatt. 24. end) un­till the true life of perfection: That is,Eph. 4. un­till the old age of the Man Christ. The which is inwardly to obtaine the Love es­sentially.

27. And that is the perfection of our godlines, wherein we are to grow up, from the begining of our turning to God, and to the entrance of the first School-rule of the Christian Doctrine of the gracious Word, and his Service of Love; untill we be esta­blished in God and his true Love, according to the Promises.

28. If therefore any man love the good, and his soul desire to inherit the same, let him go thereunto with an humble heart: and follow after it out of undetstanding, [Page 217]that ignorance grieve not his soule.

29. For there have been many in times past, that would by force, have all the righ­teousnes all at once, and would feine, accor­ding to their fancy, consume and destroy the sin altogether by heaps; but they have fal­len into greater and grievouser sins.

30. But in asmuch now as many begin­nings, are with lack of understanding taken in hand; therefore divers men, are become vnlustfull to theMatt. 24. Righteousnes, and have turned themselves back again: and do cleave to the world, and to her misunderstanding, more than ever they did before.

31. Divers others perceive no difference between the illuminated and vnilluminated Men; and so whiles they are not yet illumi­nated themselves, they give regard both to their own Imagination of the Knowledge, & also to the Precepts of unilluminated men because they trust upon such things: & sup­pose, that in such sort all is well with them.

32. They discerne not also the life from the death in their inwardnes, nor yet the hearingPro. 4. of Councel & Doctrine, whereby to draw near to the living Commandement of God, and to live therein.

33. Many others holdApo. 3. at a stay, and have no righteousnes: neither do they aske, [Page 218]hunger, nor thirst after it: and do neither go backwards nor forwards, which is indeed a great shame.

34. It were better for one, to suffer now and then some Inconvenience for lack of ex­perience t so that he abide in the Hope; than to hold himself still, or idle to the righteousnes before he be come to the sal­vation.

35. For albeit one do sometimes by stumbling and falling, suffer some incon­venience, yet he riseth again for all that, & bewaileth his Ignorance: and so then he taketh a new courage again, with a more circumspect understanding in the Spirit,Eph. 6. against the craftines of the sin; and thereby profiteth and increaseth in the righteous­nesse.

36. Now when a man perceiveth, or is aware of the gaine, to wit, that he increas­eth in the good; then is he of good cheere, and much stronger in the beleef, and firmer in the hope. Thus, in processe of time, he groweth up in the Spirit of the good life, untill he come to the perfection: that is to the Love.

37. Wherefore the losse teacheth Pru­dence and Wit, for to attend unto the word with understanding; but the gaine bringeth [Page 219]weetnes, it maketh firme, in the hope, and begetteth a gladnes in our hearts. When as, to abide in undesire to the righteousnesse, and to beApo. 3. neither hot nor cold, but luke­warme, is by all meanes to be utterly dis­commended.

38. I esteem in this behalf, much better of that man,Lu. 15. who like the lost Sonne, hath spent and consumed all his Treasure and Riches, and out of great poverty turneth him again, and seeketh at his Fathers hands the roome of a servant (out of which hum­bling a man commeth again to his riches: and through such losse getteth understand­ing, how to govern to a multiplying the riches of God) then of such a lazy, sloth­full, and ane loitering man, as for fear of losseMatt. 25. Luk. 19. burieth his Talent: and will neither make gaine nor losse therewith.

39. Hereof beware ye dearly beloved, that ye bury not that little which you have received of God, nor yet with-hold or with­draw your selves for any manner of cause, from this our undeceivable and most holiest service of the Love.

40. For though that many people, have partly through the sundry partiall instiga­tions of men, (risen up before our said ser­vice) been intangled, and darkned in that [Page 220]understanding; and that therefore they could not rightly know the truth in her de­gree; but did oftentimes stumble, fall, and and suffer harme; yet, all ye that love the Truth with us, and have likewise fallen in the same, learne Prudence now thereby: and turn againEsa. 55 Jer. 3. Ezek. 18. into the way of righteous­ness. Refresh your selves in the beleef with a new cheere; and so through the service of the holy Word, be ye renewed in your vnderstanding under the obedience of the Love.

41. Under the same service give eare to the Elders of the holy understanding,Deut. 11. and follow not the Will or Councell of your own mind; butEccl. 6. with the Elders, under the service of the Love, follow the minde andPro. 1. Eccl. 16. Councell of the Wisdom, and alwaies keep your selves with the Elders in the fa­mily of Love,1 Thes. 5. Heb. 13. to the concord, and to the multiplying in the good, and of the peacea­ble Kingdom in all Love.

42. Become not wavering in any wise; But in case ye stumble, or fall, yet rise again; and think, that it is sometimes better, that a child do in his good willingnes commit an error, or that a thing be done of him yet unperfectly, than that he should remaine brutish or untaught. Be not afraid,Matt. 25. Luk. 19. like [Page 221]the unfaithfull Servant, that buried his Masters Talent: which was not very well taken at his hands.

43. Men may finde divers that will take very great heed to themselves, least they should be deceived or beguiled, and so will stay onely upon themselves; But because they so staying upon themselves, give no heed to the grace under the obedience of the Love, therefore remain they such as they are: and come not at any time to the light of life or day of Love: but abide still in the Captivity of the blindnesse, because they know not her blindnesse, or bands of her darknesses, wherewith they are bound.

44. Some others will in their unregene­rate estate and deprivation, account them­selves free, and will not be subject unto a­ny thing, neither to the Scripture, nor to any Teaching, nor yet to the Service of Love; and therefore in that sort do ne­ver come to theIoh. 8. Rom. 6. Freedom of the children of God.

45. For in asmuch as they have not per­ceived, nor observed in the sight of their understanding, the bondage ofIoh. 8. Rom. 6. 2 Pet. 2. sin, nor her dominion; thereforr remain they unprov­ed and unexperienced: neither do they sigh norJer. 8. complaine for the yoak of sin, which [Page 222]hath taken them Captive; and do know no­thing at all, either of the Bondage, or of the Freedom, nor yet that they are so utterly deprived, or estranged from God and his Christ as they are.

46. Now men may also finde divers, that are altogether light-hearted, and clearly­minded: and so, in the range of their mis­understanding, have taken unto them,Esa. 59. a false light or conceited knowledge. These according to their naturall understanding, are well at quiet: their hearts are not once grieved for their mis-doings any more. They have also no regard, either of sin, or of Grace: they fear no Condemnation, nor hope for Salvation, or for any Redemp­tion.

47. When it goeth well with them but in their creature, and in their Occupation or Trade, then are they content, and say, God be praised, we are in very goodcase: we are rid of all intanglement of heart: we now get our living godly and credibly, and toyle not our selves with any thing.

48. But alas, howsoever the godly nature, or the Image of GodHeb. 6. be troden down in them, and constrained dayly to suffer the death of the Crosse for their sins, that passe they not once for.

49. Because they will not suffer with the godly nature,1 Pet. 4. or Christ, against the sinne, they desire even nothing else, but accord­ing to thePhil. 3. flesh to sit still in ease, and look what in this behalfe crosseth them, that reckon they to be utterly evill and unright: and and so wax wanton, or lustfull in the flesh, and licencious, or light-minded in their Spirit, following stillSap. 2. Rom. 1. Eph. 4. that which liketh them, after the property of ignorant fooles: and despise the godly Councell of the Elders; as also the wisdom, and unity under the obedience of the Love.

50. These are surely in very bad case, al­though they think not so; ForEsa. 5. they have no consideration on the work of the Lord, nor on the work of the Devill; nor any re­gard unto that that shall perish, nor desire to that which shall continue; This verily is a lamentable misery, the Lord keep us from such a Plague.

51. Again, some may be found which do endure much straightnes in dying from sin, for to receive the Promises which are made thereunto, according to the Scriptures; and that they might so become honourable Saints, and be also respected therefore. Yea they regard no affliction, so as they may re­ceive or get that; and thus they fall into a [Page 224]choosing, applying to themselves the ho­nour of the Promises.

52. And therefore, when according to their desire, they have gotten all that ho­nour, then perswade they themselves, yea, it is already certaine, that they have greatly merited, because they have suffered so much, strived and vanquished so valiantly, and have so much knowledge, & do assume unto them, that they are then holy; and that God on the other side is indebted un­to them, of all the Promises, and of the Blessing mentioned in the Scripture, being well assured hereof, that it doth of right and equity appertaine unto them.

53, Now because they have chosen to them­selves such an opinion, they suppose that the Scripture witnesseth of them, as the people of God, and that likewise in regard of their holiness, the honour of Gods Promises belongeth unto them. They hold also so greatly of themselves, that they know themselves to be worthy of all the high stile of the holy Titles that men do give them: also all the services that men shew unto them, they boldly arrogate unto themselves and a great deale more.

54. For in their own eyes, they are the most understandingest, and the most best or [Page 225]holiest: yea, they are so exceeding proud upon their own knowledge and righteous­nesse, as if there were no God any where else, save onely with them, according to the knowledge of their cogitations; and as though that the true God, had utterly ex­cluded all others his creatures.

55. Oh! What an abominable thing is it to assume and feine to ones self such a spiri­tuall conceit? For thereout is able to spring great abomination and wickednesse, such as is much worse then any fact of open sinners.

56. For there is no greater sin, then a spititual pride;Act. 12. in which, the man ascribeth holynesse to himself by his works, and ex­alteth himself therewith;Mat. 12 Luk. 11. which last error is much worse than the first.

57. O ye dearly beloved, beware of such a nature of bold arrogancy, that you be­come not back-sliders thereby, from the sin­gle humility and meeknes of the upright being of Jesus Christ; and that you fall not into the abominations and dreadful punish­ments of ungodly Men.

CHAP. XXI.

MOreover, men may also finde divers upright, and wel-willing to the righ­teousnesse, who in all obeying of the holy and gratious word, under the obedience of the Love, endure great straitnes, for the righteousness sake; who also regard no straitnes so as they might obtaine but such Grace,Rom. 6.14. that the Sunne might not have Dominion over them; but that they might beIoh. 8. Rom. 6.18. freed from it, for to serve in righteous­nesse, and love the living God onely, and to be obedient to the requiring of his word, not thinking what they are then worthy of, or how they are then to reign, or what doth then belong unto them.

2. O no, their thoughts reach not so far; but they are still inclined for to walk bro­ther-like in the Love, and with earnest de­sire to do the will of the Lord. They have regard unto Gods Promises, trusting even [Page 227]upon this, that God is true of his word, as one that sheweth his Grace on such as love him,Esa. 57.66. and are lowlie of heart.

3. When as they have now, with sin­glenes of heart shewed all obedience, in the service of the gracious Word of the Lord, and of his holy Spirit of Love, suffered much grief and affliction for their sins cause; and have tasted of the refreshing or annointing to the health of their souls, then become they but so much the more lowly and hum­ble of heartRom. 12 1 Pet. 1. and so much the more bro­therly and peaceable towards all men; and count themselves unworthy of such grace: neither know they how they shall be able to be serviceable enough in the Love.

4. They esteeme moreover very little of their own word, that ariseth out of them­selves according to the flesh; but the re­quiring of the serviceable Word of the Lord, where-under their hearts stand hum­bly submitted, to all upright righteousnes and holines, they make great account of, and hold it very worthy to be obeyed unto: Moreover the life of righteousnes, which is ministred & set forth in the service of the love, they cleave unto with all their hearts, and above all praise it exceedingly; and glad­ly would that all men were in the godly [Page 228]nature and brotherly love, obediently come thereunto.

5. These shew alwaies towards God and his service of Love true humility and obedi­ence, and towards men true love, faithful­nesse, and Truth: and do not desire accord­ing to the foolish pride of the world, any praise or service of men to themselves; but rather that the righteousnes in the Love, might have his proceeding, and all peo­ple might under the obedience of the Love serve God, and inherite the peace of Christ.

6. Out of such an upright heart (beingEph. 4. grown up to the old age of the holy un­derstanding, andMatt. 13. taught to the King­dom of God) they testifiePsal. 1 15. that all Laud, Honour and Praise, belongeth to God one­ly, and not unto them. And so in their pro­ceeding in the same upright life; they like­wise serve or reach the hand either to o­ther; and thus in their service they point the man onely unto God, and to the salva­tion of God in Jesus Christ.

7. this mind or nature is far the most best, because by it the man esteemeth the Grace of the Lord to be great, and all his own doings or works, and anguish respec­eth or judgeth he, asPhil. 2. of no value, The [Page 229]Lord of his Grace, bring us all to such a mind, Amen.

8. The Ground of upright repentance and amendment for sin, is at large plainly CA­pressed and with clear distinction uttered unto you in the third book of the Glasse of Righteousness, in the thirteenth chapter ac­cording as the same is practized and used of all good willing ones, which seek and love the good life of the upright and lovely be­ing from the heart, and do out of all their soul passe forth towards it, vnder the obe­dience of the Love.

Take it to Heart.

CHAP. XXII.

THere are also divers men that draw sun­dry Opinions of Understandings, out of the Scripture: But every one particu­larly, after his own conceiving. Howbeit in asmuch as they know not the Councel of God, nor comprehended his wisdom, [Page 231]therefore do those Opinions and Under­standings fall out to be of several sorts and do for the most part run all one against an­other, and are among each other intang­led.

2. Some strive for the Kingdom of God, or inward life of Christ (which is called the new Man:) and suppose that it is this or that, or that it is here-hence or there-hence after the outward appearance; for to come or to be obtained.

3. Others think, that it shall be first found and obtained, after the death of the Crea­ture. Yea, the Principallest of the Learned in the Letter: who will (forsooth be the understandingest in the Scripture, do main­tain such a ground of Beleefe.

4. O God! How long shall the Scri­pture through the false and unright light or sight, be yet set forth and taught?

5. It is doubtles plainly and clearly e­nough written,Luke 17. that the Kingdom of God is inwardly within us. He is in the middest of you (saithIohn 1. John) whom ye know not: The same is he, that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

6. But many (as it well appeareth) know him not. For he, who is the veryCol. 1. Image of God; or the Christ, and the Kingdom of [Page 232]the glory of God, hath his going down in us, inwardly: and suffereth theRom. 6. Death of the Crosse, for the Sinnes cause.

7. Nevertheles, if any man be baptized inwardly in the death of Christ, andRom. 6. Col. 2. with his like Death, be, until his burying, planted into him, the same ariseth also with Christ, and liveth. For then, inwardly is Gods Kingdom of Heaven even in him, and not specially, here or there, as among these, or among those: but the Kingdom of God is here and there: among these, and among those: namely, in every one, in us. How­beit unknown to many, as is already said.

8. Now if the Kingdom of God be with­in us, and that we (as the Scripture saith)John 7. beleeve in Christ, then ought we, after the Councel of the Wisdom, and of the ho­ly understanding, to seeke it inwardly there: for even thither shall it come, and so be found inwardly within us.

9. But who so seeketh it only at the hands of another, and doth not attend the coming thereof inwardly, according to the direction of the holy word and service of love, the same shall in no wise find it.

10. For this cause men are not in the seeking of the Kingdom of God, to despise [Page 233]the Councel and Service of the holy word, which under the obedience of the Love, teacheth and directeth rightly to the same; but, with lowly hearts to give good eare thereunto.

11. Therefore believe the truth, and follow the Councel of the Scriptures,Mat. 7 seeke and ye shall find, &c. Mat. 18 Turn you about, and become as little Children, and not subtile, cunning,Prov. 3. Rom. 12. or wise in your own selves. For who so receiveth not the Kingdom of GodMar. 10 Luke 18 as a Child, he shall not enter there­in.

12. Wherefore it is all to no purpose, to set ones mind upon any thing, that is above in the Heaven, or that is beneath under the earth: either what people, this or that is: or where hence Christ shall come, or not: or with what outward appearance the Kingdom of God cometh.

13. For behold, if ye find not the King­dom of God and his Righteousnes,Lu. 17. in­wardly in your soules, and the forme of Christ in his glory, appeared not in your2 Cor. 4. Gal. 4. inwardnes, then shall ye be constrained to misse, or be without the Kingdom of God and Christ; John 6. and shall likewise not eat the bread from Heaven with Christ, Lu. 14. in [Page 234]the Kingdom of God his Almighty Fa­ther.

14. Therefore seek it, where it is to be found: and take right regard, whether it cometh: hunger and thirst ye after it. Nevertheles, hast you not after it, out of your own chusing, through mis-under­standing; but go yePsal. 84. from one vertue to another.

15. Posses ye yourLu. 21. soules with pati­ence, have regard on the coming of Christ, contend not any more,1 Tim. 6 2 Tim. 2. Tit. 3. and strive no longer with flesh and blood.

16. Let it once suffice that ye have con­tended and wrangled for the Scriptures cause: rather now endeavour you, in o­beying of the requiring of the service of love,Jam. 1. to receive or put on the gracious word of the Lord in your hearts, and labor yeEph. 4. for the unity of the love. For in such a sort shall the Kingdom of God come.

17. Now when you have thus received or put on the serviceable gracious word of the Lord, the true Christ after the flesh, in your hearts or inwardnes, then apply your selves therewithal, in your inward­nes, to the good being which the gracious word of the Lord requireth in his service, for to overcome in like manner with Christ, [Page 235]every thing that is against him, to the in­tent his enemies,Psal. 110. for a foot-stoole; may be laid under his feet.

18. And when you exercise your selves herein, be ye likewise baptized in the death of Christ, (that is, in his patience)Rom. 6. Col. 2. and with his like death or patience be ye plant­ed into him and soEph. 6. overcome ye through the belief, with the like crosse or patience of Christ, the sin, death, flesh, and the world, Devill and Hell, and all sensuality, which ariseth out of your own wisdom of the flesh: and be ye likewise in your inward man;Rom. 12 Eph. 4. renewed unto righteousnes,2 Cor. 4 Phil. 3. in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Lo, thus doth the Scripture teach us, if it were but rightly understood.

19. When we are now passed through this,Col. 1. and have through the death of Christ, even until his Resurrection, over­comed all those deadly things, then have we peaceRom. 5. Eph. 2. with God the Father, and stand firm in the love, which is the end or fulsil­ling of all the spiritual Testimonies. And therein is comprehended the perfecti­on.

20. Not that we come hereunto, out of our own strength. But when, with lowly hearts weEsa. 55 turn us obediently to God, and [Page 236]the service of his gracious word, then doth God also offer himself unto us, and out of his Calling in the spirit, allureth or draw­eth he us unto himself, justifying us through the belief, inCol. 1. Heb. 9. Apo. 7 the blood of Jesus Christ, and maketh us cleane from our sins, and giveth us the everlasting life.

21. This is verily the word of Faith,Act. 2.3 4, 5, 7, 8. &c. Rom. 10. 1 Pet. 1. which was published by the Apostles, through Christ, for a Righteousnes unto us.2 Cor. 11. Gal. 1. Phil. 1. Whosoever therefore preacheth any other Christ, or preacheth Christ any other way: publisheth any other Gospel, or publisheth the Gospel upon any other fashion or ground: or believeth any o­therwise, or buildeth upon any other foun­dation,1 Cor. 3 than God hath from the begin­ning, through his Prophets and Apostles, required and willed, the same man remain­ethGal. 1. execrable or accursed, according to the mencion of the Scriptures.

22. For1 Cor. 3 no other Foundation may there be laid, than the same that is laid, which is Iesus Christ, who from everlasting was, and is, and abideth for ever. Through whom God made all whatsoever is any thing: andHeb. 1. he beareth up all things by the power of his might, and maketh the clensing of our sins, through himself. Unto [Page 237]him as a Father of all, be Land, Honour, and Praise, for evermore, Amen.

23. These and such like things, was I part­ly of necessity moved to rehearse unto you, ye dearly beloved, to the intent, you might con­sider them aright, and understand the diver­sity of every thing, that concerneth the Sal­vation of men.

24. Furthermore, see that ye humbly, with meditation to God, apply your selves out of the inclination of love, to read, or to heare the Glasse of Righteousnes; and consider or mark the life which is witnessed and set forth in the same. Behold there in the spirit of your understanding, the ever­lasting unchangeable Statutes and Ordi­nances of Almighty God, which also shall remain unchangeable for ever. For that which is there witnessed, is such an upright life, [...] 1. [...] as the man is created unto, for to live therein. In which Statutes and Ordi­nances, the Lords people have lived from the beginning.

25. Yea, such a Life, Statutes and Ordi­nances, are a delight and joy to all upright hearts and Prophets, to live therein; and they have heretofore born witnes thereun­to, that in time to come, men should live in them. For through the truth, they saw [Page 238]into the life of peace in the love; and that through the life of peace in the love, every thing is made perfect, and therein standeth firme, or abideth stedfast.

26. That verily is the life which is true,Joh. 1. and that life is the light of men,Eph. 1.5. Col. 1. and the head of the holy Commonalty. Who so goeth out of it, cometh to the death, blindnes and darknes.

27. But the soules of those that live therein, are blessed in the Lord. For such people doth God require, as do walk in his Ordinances, (that is to say, in the life and peace of love)Deut. 6.2. and do love the only God from the heart.

28. Lo, it is the true God, that requireth such upright Righteousnes: and he himself cleaveth to his Righteousnes; his Statutes and Ordinances, everlastingly.Joh. 1.2 For he is the spirit of his life, the life of his word, the word of his Spirit,Exod. 3 Mat. 22. the God of A­braham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacoh, or Israel.

29. That verily is the true life of peace, and love: and the Statutes and Ordinan­ces, are the same upright righteousnes, which the holy Fathers have lived and walked in.

30. The same Statutes and Ordinances [Page 239]of the holy Fathers were by Moses renew­ed,Exed. 20. Deut. 5. and witnessed unto a life before all people. And that life was through Jesus Christ (being risen from the Dead, and as­cended into Heaven)Mat. 28. Mar. 16. published unto all people for a Gospel, because they should live therein. And unto all that believed thereon, was the Resurrection from the dead, and the everlasting life, witnessed and promised through Iesus Christ.

31. In sure and firm hope whereof, the upright Beleevers have rested in the Lord Iesus Christ, till the appearing of his com­ing, which is now in this day of the love, revealed out of the heavenly beeing, with which Jesus Christ, the former Beleevers of Christ; John 5. 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes. 4. who were fallen a sleepe, rested, or dyed in him, are now also manifested in Glory.

32. For Christ in the appearing of his comming, raiseth his deceased from the dead,1 Cor. 15. to the intent that they should reign alive, with him over all his enemies:Mat. 25. John 5. Rom. 2. 2 Thes. 1. and condemneth all the ungodly, which have not liked of him.

33. This is the joyful Message, publish­ed to the Gentiles, wherebyEph. 2.3 as fellow-Heires in the Testaments of promise; they are bidden and called to the house of Jacob, [Page 240]and to the Citizenship of Jerusalem, To the intent, they should depart from the bru­tishnes of their errors, and from the sun­dry intanglements of their Idolatries, and turn them to the God of Israel, for to serve him only, and to live in his Statutes and Ordinances, through the belief.

34. Which RighteousnesRo. 2.3. is required out of the Law: and is now in this last time openly and evidently witnessed out of the inclination of love, and through the insight of the same upright life, to a view of the upright righteousnes, which the man is created unto: and to a demonstration, whereunto, or to what end or fulfilling, God hath given his promises, and made his Covenant with the Fathers.

35. Behold hereunto (namely, to that which we bear witnes of) is the Calling of the Gentiles made,Rom. 11. Eph. 2. who are out of grace, called thereunto, for to serve with the Stock of Abraham, one God in one man­ner of Righteousnes.

36. Lo, these are the promises,Gen. 17. which were committed to the Jewes in the Cir­cumcision: And Jesus Christ, Act. 13. Rom. 9. the safe­making word of the Lord is amongst them,Rom. 15. for the truth of Gods sake become a Mi­nister of the Circumcision, to confirme the [Page 241]promises made unto the Fathers, that the name of the God of Abraham might be magnified likewise among the Gentiles. And for the mercies sake towards the Gen­tiles, is the Grace of life published also to the Gentiles, to the intent,Act. 10.11.13. Rom. 11. they should praise God, and know the God of Israel, and his Ordinances.

37. Which God and his righteousnes, we do now know in the love, through the spirit of truth, which according to the spi­rit,Joh. 14. leadeth us into all truth: that is, into all love, according to the promises.Col. 5. For the love is the band of perfection. By which Band, we are sealed and confirmed for ever in the same perfection, to the intent, that Gods Glory, his Covenant and promises, may likewise abide firme, from everlasting to everlasting, Amen.

38. Behold the same God of Israel (who out of his Grace, prepareth and bringeth all this unto us) is the God,Gen. 1. that hath made Heaven and Earth, the Sea, and all that is therein. He it is that doth wonders, who neither breaketh his promises,Deut. 4. Luke 1. nor forgetteth his Covenant: who also suffer­eth not his Law and Righteousnes to be troden down for ever: but he setteth up the Children of Israel, his beloved: Not [Page 242]for their Righteousnes;Deut. 9 but for their Fa­thers sakes, towards whom he had a desire, according as he promised, and spake the same in times past, by the mouth of his holy Prophets.

39. Therefore have regard unto the ever­lasting unchangeable God, being an invisible living God: the God that hath made you, created every thing that liveth and hath breath. HeHeb. 13. it is, which was, which is, and which is to come: who liveth everlasting­ly, and shall still continue. And so is also his Life, Law, or righteousnes.

40. Wherefore give heed unto the thing that is right and reasonable, and shall con­tinue for ever: glasse your selves in the glasse of Righteousnes, and therein behold according to the spirit, the upright life, and theExod. 20. Deut. 5. Lords Statutes and Ordinances, which stand firm in God for evermore.

41. Let not the matter in any wise seeme too slender or too small unto you. For though the Righteousnes whereof we te­stifie, be1 Cor. 2 no eloquent speech, and that the same seemeth to be but as a small brooke, yet is it notwithstandingEzek. 47. a bottomles Sea, which all Rivers do run into. And whatso­ever can be uttered concerning the Righ­teousnes (were it even by so great multi­tudes [Page 243]of Bookes, as is the sand by the Sea­side) it is every whit comprehended or grounded in the very same.

42. Who so liveth therein, or in the obe­dience of the same life the gracious word,Prov. 4 loveth the same life, and with a lowly and humble heart, applieth himself obediently thereunto,Ecl. 39 such a one shall become wise in the hidden wisdom of God. For the o­beying of the requiring of the service of the gracious word of the Lord, and of the Law of his Statutes and Ordinances,Psal. 119. doth make the man wiser, than all his chosen Masters or Teachers: and in that manner commeth he to the holy understanding of the godly wisdom.

43. Hereunto let us be minded from the heart, ye dearly beloved, and regard ye the kind mercy of God shewed on us, out of his love. For such a perseverance or clear­nes of the healthful or safe-making Beeing, is shewed unto us worthy in open sight, & hath in these last dayes, given us to know his requiring in our spirit and understand­ing, to a right distinguishing of life,Deut. 30 Jer. 21. Eccl. 15 and death, to the intent, that we who are yet in peril of death, & do suffer grief & heavines for the sins cause, should conceive hope to­wards such an healthful life, and rejoyce us in the Godlines.

44. Therefore let no man be2 Cor. 6 Heb. 12. negligent in such an appeared Grace; but every one give God the Honour, and so sigh over his wretchednes, that he may be reformed of his errors.

45. O ye Children of men, ye that have named your selves before the time, or much too soone, with the name of Christ, or with the name of Israel: Lay away from you your vain boasting,Mat. 3. Luke 3. Act. 2. repent, and a­mend you, and betake your selves to the love and her service, that ye may be saved.

46. Do not think in your hearts, that ye yet remaining, without the gracious word and his service of love; do nevertheles stand sure in Gods Covenant: or that ye may not have transgressed nor forsaken the Covenant of your God.

47. Think not also that ye are before God (howsoever after your conceit, ye have hallowed your selves) any worthier, than all other Heathen are, which are without you. For truly, ye are subject with them all unto vanity, misunderstanding, and destruction and alike, covered under the darknesses, not knowing, what wayes ye all walk. For your own righteousnes is strange and unknown before the God of Israel: inasmuch as the same is not his life [Page 245]of righteousnes, nor yet his Statutes and Ordinances.

48. Therefore ye, which live and walk without the Doctrine and Service of the gracious word, are even altogether, touch­ing the inward man; one manner of people with all Heathen, although outwardly ye have sundry several sorts of good Services or Ceremonies; but truly they are to no advantage or unity unto you, but to all controversie and division: they are not to the life, but much rather to a death, and destroying one of another.

CHAP. XXIII.

NOw some might here demand, whe­ther the Christian Ceremonies be no­thing at all furthersome, or whether they [Page 247](omitting all other ceremonies) have not in them some advantage towards the life? For if the Christian ceremonies had no benefit in them, then to what end are the Christian ceremonies? And what pre­ferment then have the Christians by them? Or to what purpose beare they the Name of Christ?

2. Truly, (as we have also shewed be­fore) the Christians and their ceremonies have in their right quality and use, much advantage: for unto the Christians is com­mitted the ministration of the gracious Word of the Lord, and the revealing of the everlasting life: and to this end are the Christian Ceremonies given them, that all those which beleeve in Christ, the gracious Word of the Lord, should have a firme or sure confidence on the revealing of that same life,2 Cor. 4. 2 Cor. 11. Gal. 3. the which is with the Christian Services and Ceremonies, promised for to come unto them, to an everlasting light and beholding of the naked clearnesse of God, through the uncovered face of Christ: 1 Cor. 13 2 Cor. 3.

For thus with the same Services and Ce­remonies, are the promises of Salvation to come committed to the Christians,Rom. 9.11.15. Eph. 2. or to the Christian communalty. They are also the children of the Testament of the holy [Page 248]Fathers,Acts 3. through the Belief, and that in all respects, after the same manner as the Iewes are the children of the Testament, in the promises of their Fathers, out of whom are born the Iewes as heires, and not as there­unto called.Gen. 17. Which promises were com­mitted unto them in or with the Circumci­sion, which the God of Heaven ordained for an everlasting covenant between Him­selfe and Abraham and his Seed; Namely, that the God of their Fathers (according to the promises, and according to the same covenant) is even their God, and remaineth a God of their seed for ever.

4. Which Iewes, (howsoever they are as Branches broken off from their right Stock) are also grafted upon no strange Stock,Rom. 11. nor yet set or built upon any strange foundation, but upon the foundation of the Promises, and Stock of their Fathers, to which salvation the Gentiles are, through the Beliefe, called, out of Grace, as fellow­heires of the same promises in Israel, for to serve the living God.Eph. 2.3.

5. Lo, these promises made to the Fa­thers, to the salvation of the Gentiles, are committed to the Christians in Beliefe: and the Christian ceremonies are witnesses of the truth of the same.

6. Howbeit, forasmuch as such a holy Beliefe, and service of Ceremonies to such a salvation (as was evangelized in the prea­ching of the Apostles of Christ) hath ceased, and by the Christians been forsaken, there­fore have they been covered under the sin, blinded from the knowledge of their cal­ling, and estranged from the understanding of Gods promises, even as the Jewes also in the time when they knew not the godli­nesse of life, were blinded and estranged from the understanding of the promises. Yet were they Jewes notwithstanding out­wardly:Rom. 2. but no Jewes according to the in­ward hidden man, such as God esteemeth, according to the life of thir Father Abra­ham: John 8. And therefore there was no difference between them and the Grecians, Rom. 3. but they stood alike under the sin.

7. Inasmuch as it goeth now also thus with the Christians (or which men so call) therefore is there between them and other people, no difference but they are all alike under the sin. And in regard of the righ­teousnesse which availeth before God, they are no otherwise to be distinguished, save onely by the ceremonies.

8. And every one, because of his mis­understanding, maketh a righteousnesse or [Page 250]an Ordinance unto himself; which through the glistering of his knowledge, he chuseth or respecteth for a (very) Righteousnesse, and maketh to himself in like manner with the same, a Congregation, not attending upon the promises of God, nor upon the upright righteousnesse which through Iesus Christ he is called of God unto.

9. Now whiles all this cometh to passe out of misunderstanding and bare imagina­tion,Jer. 7. and out of the ignorance of the up­right Righteousnesse, therefore is there dis­sention likewise. For every congregation in particular,Mat. 24. perswade themselves that they are the Christians, or the people of Isrrael: and do diligently use all dexterity & sharp­nesse of wit in their cause, for to maintaine the same in his proceeding, and think by their wit to obtain the salvation, and so walk their own way;Rom. 3. whereby also they are all void of the grace of God, to the know­ing of their error and blindnesse.

10. But inasmuch as this godly Know­ledge is now out of grace revealed unto us, as that we through the clearnesse which God hath powred into our hearts,2 Cor. 4.2. do un­derstand to what salvation, or to what maner of health of the earth God hath given his promises (to which purposefor to esta­blish [Page 251]the salvation, the Beliefe is preached) Therefore for the loves sake can we not o­mit it, but must needs witnesse the same, and reveale the Peace, and the true Love whereunto we are called, if happily there might or may be found any which had a desire or inclination thereunto: and then likewise we with them and they with us (whether they were far or neere) might be gathered together in the Love, according to the promises.

11. Seeing then that God neglecteth not his mercy towards us, but hath made known unto us his will (to the intent his Word may stand firm, according as he in times past hath spoken by his Prophets) that unto his people Israel he will gather him a people out of the Heathen, which shall serve him in righteousnesse:2 Mac. 2 Amos 9 2 Mac. 2 Act. 15. (at which time God will gather his people together again, and be gracious unto them, and build again the Tabernacle of David, and again sep up his people Israel, according to the promises:) therefore ought we in like man­ner, from the whole heart, and with good will, to give heed unto that which is now by Gods grace, according to the truth, made known and tendered, under the obe­dience of the Love unto us: & in the same [Page 252]appeared grace to beleeve the salvation whereunto we are called, and to prepare our hearts in lowly mindes thereunto, that we might inherit our calling according to the promises.

12. But if any people refuse it, and for all that should perswade themselves in their hearts to be still Christians, or that their Congregation is the very people of Israel (not thinking of the restoring of Is­rael, which in times past was fallen: and thus suppose that they have attained to the best) and in their blindnesse set their confi­dence upon their own wisdome, righteous­nesse and ceremonies, and upon their faith; then shal it likewise goe with them in these dayes, as it did heretofore with the Jewes that beleeved not on the grace which was appeared unto them.

13. For in his time shall their full store­houses be found empty,4 Esd. 6. and the empty be filled with goods. For their Christianity according to the inward man shall be judg­ed and known for an unchristianity, and their beliefe for an unbeliefe.

14. Therfore let no man boast himelf of his Christiany because of his outward baptism, nor because of his outward righteousnesse, or narrow wayes of his walking, according [Page 253]to his chusing, or bare imagination: but let him give heed to the promises, and unto what the Gentiles are called, and whom the Christianity consisteth: the which is a Christendom according to the inward man, in the Spirit; as also Paul in the preaching of his Gospel testifieth.

15. For the true inward man is the thing that availeth before God: namely,2 Cor. 4. Phil. 2. Col. 1. Heb. 1. 1 Cor. 15. Eph. 4. Col. 3. Eph. 1. the very like Being of God, which the love is formed in, and the man created unto, to the in­tent he should beare it, to the land and praise of the glory of his God.

16 And through the revealing of such a heavenly clearnesse (as that we discern, that many, yea almost all, which doe boast them­selves to be Christians, are yet meer stran­gers therefrom) we doe well know the fall from the right ground of the Christianity, and the bands of darknesse wherewith we were all held captive: And therefore we are all void of the grace of God, that he may have mercy upon us all,Rom. 3. to the intent he alone may have the glory.

17. Now whoso perceiveth this same, let such a one turn him to the Spirit, to the God of life, and to his righteousnesse, ac­cording to the requiring of the Love, and her service; that his understanding may,Eph. 1. [Page 254]through the Love and her service, be en­lightned according to the Truth, in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and that like­wise he might love God the Father, and live in his statutes with an upright heart.Deut. 5.

18. For out of the God that hath made Heaven and Earth, goeth the right judge­ment,Heb. 4. his Word is living and powerfull, and sharper than a two-edged sword: and his burning is as a flame of fire, to a con­suming or devouring of all ungodly Be­ing.Deut. 4. Heb. 12.

19. Whosoever feareth not him, as a true God, nor loveth his Righteousnesse, over such a one standeth his severity for ever.Rom. 2. Exod. 20 But many thousands finde grace in his sight, that doe but turne them unto him, love him, and keep his Commande­ments

20. But, who hath any regard hereunto? Whose attention is towards the Lord? Who is there that is spiritually minded? Who giveth eare? Whose heart and eyes turn them to the inwardnesse of the Being of God? Truly very few: But they turn them almost all unto themselves, to the earthly things, or unto Flesh and Blood: and doe very gladly heare that which foundeth pleasant unto them,2 Tim. 4. according to [Page 255]the delight of their fleshly eares: and so shut the eares of their heart against the God of Life and all the World, alienate their spirit from his holy wisdome, and will not heare him, nor accept him for their King, that they might live in his Law and Ordinances.

21. Therefore will not he also count them for his people, neither regard them.Psal. 1. Esa. 29. But they shall be compelled in their estran­ging, to become like the tossing of chaffe, wherein the whirle-wind, to a scattering, mingleth it selfe.

22. Behold, ye dearly beloved, of these and other like things, I have opened much unto you in the Glasse of Righteousnesse, to a distinction of the knowledge of righte­ousnesse: look unto which ye are minded,Deut. 30. Eccles. 15 into that may ye go; whether into the sin, to the death; or into the righteousnesse, to the life. I leave every one free, unbound, uncompelled.

23. But as for Me, my whole heart and mind standeth altogether inclined to the good life of upright righteousnesse, and all my confidence is in the God of Life,Rom. 12. 2 Cor. 3. that I shall not forsake the wayes of his Righte­nesse (which are by the grace of God brought and given unto me in the sight and [Page 256]being of my Spirit) but shall still observe the same, and under the obedience of the Love, administer them unto the children of men: according to all the manner, as I have set forth and described them, according to the life, out of the inclination of Love, in all my service of writing, for a serviceablenes to many.

24. Whosoevr therefore with me, hath any desire to God and his righteousnesse, let such a one then from his whole heart, ap­ply himself also with me unto the same. He also that strayeth, and hath no regard unto God nor his righteousnesse, neither is mind­ed to the Love and her concord; but will rather mix his heart with the World and her abominations, and go on after his own imagination, I must needs look upon it: howbeit, it maketh me sorry, and I suffer grief for it, because he doth willingly thus hunt after his own destruction.

25. For behold, it shall come to passe, that theEsa. 60 61.62. Abac. 2. godlinesse, uncompelled through the beleef out of the Love of righteousness, shall come to light, according to the Pro­mises

26. But who they are that shall be made partakers of it, and finde such Grace in the sight of God, or from whence they shall [Page 257]come to joyn with us, for the concord of the Love and her service, that is only known to the Almighty and his Spirit; But the u­nity of us all shall beIoh. 17. Act. 4. Eph. 4. one heart and mind in the Love. To the which one-minded Communalty mine heart standeth alwaies inclined. The Lord give us all Grace, to be joyned to his People in righteousnesse of heart, Amen.

27. Let every one also from his whole heart be minded thereunto, and apply him­self for the same unities cause, to the Love and her service, and to the righteousnesse of heart before God: and so stand for the good with al diligence. Let him likewise, dai­ly apply himselfEph. 6. Col. 4. 2 Thes. 3. in prayer unto the God of life, that he will vouchsafe to enlighten him and all lovers of the Truth, together with all People, with the knowledge of his wisdome and understanding, to the intent they might all incline their hearts, to the Love and her service, and so Gods matters be well understood, and interpreted accord­ing to the Truth, to the health of the earth, and renewing of the World with righ­teousnesse.

28. WhereforeRom. 14. Gal. 6. bear one with another, out of Love: receive also unto you all wel­willing hearts, to the concord in the Love, [Page 258]& understand their testimony to the good [...] and repaire one anothers understanding, to the unity of heart in the Love, and let no man raile, nor make Sedition or Division but let every one oyn himself unto us in Jesus Christ, under the obedience of the Love: and let him likewise in Jesus Christ seek the good to his preservation, that the service of the Love be not hindred.

29. If now by any it should be found, that some man should bring forth any chaff amongst us, with the Corn; yet shall not men despise him for it, but repaire him in his understanding, with goodGal. 6. 2 Tim. 2. instruction to the meeknesse, and to the obedience of the Love in the Spirit, that so through the service of the Love, men mav gather the good Corn, the treasure of righteousnesse,Matt. 13. into the Barn, the mans heart, and that in like manner, the vaine being together with that which is deadly and pernicious, may utterly perish.

30. Whosoever now can rightly judge let not him raile; but let him try the mat­ter,1 The. 5. and take or conceive the best out of it: and thus meet the little ones: and draw all to the Love, that no man may be offend­ed, nor made bitter-minded. Let every one be minded hereunto from the heart,Matt. 13. that [Page 259]all offence may be rooted out, and destroyed from the Lords Kingdom.

31. After the same manner also my re­quest is, that those which read or hear our Writings, will not take them to offence; but bow their hearts under the Love, and receive that onely which is right and rea­sonable.

32. But if so be any man do suspect any misunderstanding in our writings, let him bear with the same through Love, that through the Love, all may be amended and repaired; For my service is to unpartiality and to unity of heart in the Love, and that according to the gifts of the holy and godly understanding; which are of God given and committed unto me.

33 Moreover, if any man perswade him­self, that he is more richly endowed with gifts,1 Cor. 4 let him not be proud upon the riches of his gifts; hut let him humble him­self among us, under the obedience of the Love: and then shew likewise with his gifts according to the mind of the Love, and ac­cording to the requiring of her service, his good willing service, without offence, and unseperated from us and our Communal­ty, to the intent the fellowship of the lo­vers of righteousnesse,1 Ioh. 1. may in every re­spect [Page 260]be in the Love, and be drawn and ser­ved out of Love to that purpose.

34. For who art thou O man, that thou dost proudly lift up thy self, for the gifts cause of thy God, and that thou shouldst not be content to submit thy self with thy gifts or understanding, under the obedience of the Love of God and of Christ?1 Cor. 4. 2 Cor. 3. James 1. Know­est thou not, that there is no man, that of himself can have any good thing or upright understanding, except it be given him of God? Wherefore bring and submit all un­der God and his Love,Es. 42. whatsoever doth belong unto him; and seperate not thy self from us, seeing we are also well-willing thereunto.

35. If then thy gifts, be all gifts of God, see that thouPsal. 34. praise God in those gifts of his, under the obedience of his Love, and make no breach or division with the same, nor in any wise despise not another there­with, that hath received lesse then thou hast; but shew forth Love in all that is giv­en, or committed unto thee of God: and so joyn thy self with us, unto the gracious Word of the Lord, which the God of hea­ven hath raised up among us, according to his Promises.

36. Be also notEzek. 34. Lordly, neither ad­vance [Page 261]thy self by accusation against thy in­seriour brother: likewise desire not to1 Pet. 5. 1 Thes. 5. quench any mans small godly gifts, which he obtaineth under the obedience of the Love, nor judge, that any man besides his godly gifts hath taken on in his Councell a­ny Flesh and bloud; but be at peace with all them, which to a concord with the Eld­ers in the family of Love, do obediently submit and give over themselves, with all their gifts and understandings under the Love and her service; ForRom. 2 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 4. the gifts of God are manifold, yet minded all to con­cord and Peace, forasmuch as the true God of life, is with his gifts no God of discord, but of Peace.

37. Wherefore there is also in the mani­fold gifts of God, no more but one God1 Cor. 12. which worketh all: to whom of right be­longeth the highest respect, above al things; For he is the most highest, the living, and the Everlasting:Psa. 139. whose Workes are wonderfull, and hisSap. 17. Rom. 11. Judgements incom­prehensible.

38. His height is unmeasurable, his depth unsearchable, his glory unspeakable, his wisdome unwritable, his grace infinite, his word is unchangeable, his Law inviolable, his Truth uncorruptible, his Spirit unmoveable, [Page 262]his mighty Arm unfrayable: and his glori­ous Majesty remaineth stable for ever­more.

39. Behold, this living and true God, of whom we have received our godly gifts, is an everlasting and true Light.John 1. The same Light is an everlasting true Life: that Life is an everlasting stedfast Word: that Word isJohn 6. a true Spirit.

40. The same Spirit isSap. 7. the holy Wis­dome, and the upright Understanding. The holy Wisdome and upright Understanding is the Providence. The Providence is the Will, which willeth that all what good is may be. In this Will is the Beliefe. The Beliefe is the Power and Might to accom­plish. In the Power is the Work & Deed. The Work and Deed is all the visible and invisible Being which God for himself hath brought forth.

41. But all the things that are Gods, and which the true God hath brought forth and made [both the invisible Being, and the visible created Things] are all Witnesses,Rom. 1. that He, the same our living God, is the Creator of all things, the giver of all good gifts, and the eternall and true God, to the intent men should serve, honour, and wor­ship himDeut. 6. Mat. 4. onely as God, Lord, and King.

42. And that same like Being of his GodheadGen. 1. Eccle. 17. was in the beginning formed in the man: Which like Being of the God­head, and the light of his clearnesse, the man hath,Gen. 3 Rom. 5. through the fall from his God, been deprived of. But the coming of the same light is in the resurrection of the dead; to a godly glory,Esai. 60.62. Joel 2. Acts 2. 2 Pet. 3. promised to be in the last time. And that same [as a new World, full of Light and Life, whereinApoc. 21. God himselfe dwelleth]Psal. 97. appeareth un­to us now in the Love, and in the Righ­teousnesse of the everlasting uncorruptible­nesse, according to the Promises.

CHAP. XXIV.

THis Almighty God, which was, which is, and which abideth for ever (who giveth his honour toEsa. 42 none other) spake in times past by Moses and his Prophets, unto the Fathers,Heb. 1. and that oftentimes, and in sundry manners, whereby HeeDeut. 4 Esa. 42.45.51.55. required the true fruit of his Righte­ousnesse: and did still testifie of the like Image of his Being, and ceased not there­in, till the time2 Kin. 7. Psal. 89. Acts 2. was fulfilled, that his be­loved one was appeared unto them: name­ly,Mat. 1 Rom. 1. 2 Tim. 2. his Son, the fruit of his loynes, and the very like Being of his Godhead.

2. And even as the same Gods Sonne, [namely, the like Being of the said God who liveth for ever] was from the begin­ning, the First, whomJoh. 1. God finished all his workes by: so is he also the last [that is to say, the perfection] of all those things which God hath promised by Moses & his Prophets, according as it is written thereof.Rom. 10 1 Cor. 13. Gal. 3. In whom the Law and the Prophets cease, or be fulfilled.

3. Insomuch then as the Law and the Prophets were in the same Sonne of GOD in times past, fulfilled in Israel: and did cease in the same Sonne, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is theRom. 10. Gal. 5. 1 Tim. 1. end of the whole sum of the fulfilling of the Law and the Pro­phets, to the confirming of the Pro­mises of GOD the Father; therefore did GOD then also at the last, at the end or fulfilling of his Law and Prophets,Heb. 1. speake unto the people of Israel, and to the Be­leevers of his Word, by the same Sonne; testifying how that all isDeut. 7. Eph. 1. 1 Pet. 2. His: which Son he hath appointed for an heir of all things, andHeb. 1. the same beareth all things with the word of his power; and he is unto us a cleansing of our sins through himselfe.

4 This onely borne Sonne of GOD the Father, is given to the Children of [Page 266]Men, to the end they should beRom. 11. grafted into his Spirit, [which is the holy Spirit of Love] and in their mindes beJoh. 15 Eph. 3. 2 Pet. 1. of one Be­ing therewith.

5. Through which holy Spirit, the same Sonne of God, Jesus Christ, hath also promised his Believers, that the Truth of the Life, should nakedly and clearly beJoh. 14 Acts 1. manifested unto them, whereby at the very last, to a conclusion of all godly things, they in like manner might declare the Love, the most brightest Day-light: and through the same true Light, Gods most holiest Being, draw all people that have a­ny desire towards God, to the unity of Peace under the obedience of the Love, to the intent we all which love God, and his Righteousnesse, should in these last dayes, know and understand in all things, the mind of God in perfect clearnesse, and through the holy Spirit of his Love, walk in all truth, as in a true light of the godly Clearnesse, according to the Promises, e­ven as God also hath spoken the same, through the Son, whom he hath made heire even of all that is Gods.Mat. 11. Luk. 10. Joh. 3. For all what the Father hath, is His.

6. But because of his Long-suffering, (that his goodnesse might be known in the [Page 267]Love: and that none, through his default, might misse of the fulnesse of the Life) he hath spoken thus in times past, for to esta­blish it in the last time.

7. I have (saithJoh. 16. the Lord Jesus Christ) yet many things to say unto you: but ye cannot beare them now. How beit when the Spirit of Truth shall come, the same shall lead you into all Truth: For he shall not speak of himselfe; but whatsoever he shall heare, that shall he speake: and he shall shew you that which is to come. He shall glorifie me: For he shall receive of mine, and shew it unto you. All what the Father hath, that is mine: Therefore have I said, He shall receive of mine, and shew it unto you.

8. Lo, all this Love doth GOD now, through this new Day, or Light of his Fatherly Love, shew on us, for to draw our Spirit in him, out of the earthly, lying, and deadly Being, unto his Love, in the Heavenly true Life, which is ever­lasting.

9 Which his Love,Joh. 17 1 Cor. 13 1 Joh. 4. is the perfect Be­ing of God and of Christ, and of the holy Ghost, which heretofore wasEsa. 2. promised for to come in the last time: and it is theApoc. 21. Jerusalem, which is now in the last time [Page 268]come downe unto us from Heaven, and the perfect fruit of Righteousnesse, where the Sun of clearnesse doth never go down, according as GOD hath spoken in times past by the mouth of his holy Prophets, who have all likewise prophesied of this salvation, to the intent that all people, to the unity of heart in the Love, should have a sure hope towards God, and towards their salvation.

10 But alas, it seemeth that this Be­liefe and Hope to this same, is by manyJer. 5. 1 Tim. 1.4. forsaken: or else the salvation and the truth is not well understood, for to hope thereon.

11. For there are found with many sun­dry divided testimonies: and every one in His, or the most part, will defend, that his testimony is brought forth by the Spirit of Truth. But among these, there is found great faile by many, whereby many are made doubtfull in their beliefe,Matth. 24. and be­come cold in their zeal to the Good. And by means of their dissentions,Luk. 17. which they have stirred up, and do yet daily stirre up a­mong themselves against each other. Many know not what they shal hope for, or believe,

12. Wherefore for the Unities sake in the Love, O ye children of men, lay downe [Page 269]your contentions under the Love, and have regard unto God promises, and to your Calling: and incline likewise your hearts to the obeying of the love, and of the re­quiring of her service.

13. For in the obeying of the love, and of the requiring of her service, ye shall be­come of one mind, and shall know, that there is no more butEph. 4.2. 1 John 5. one God or Father, who alone, is only good and almighty, no more but one Christ, with him at his right hand; who only is the everlasting Mediator and Saviour between God and us, out of him no more but one spirit, who only is true, and no more but one love,Col. 3. which only is the band of perfection.

14. Nevertheles, the Gifts of God, through the spirit, under the obedience of the love are manifold. Likewise also the Services are manifold. WhichRom. 12. 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 4. Gifts and Services, are all to the Commodity and Profit of the Communalty, and are also all serviceable to the love, and to the unity in the peace. Howbeit, it is all but1 Cor. 12 one spirit, that worketh all through the service of the love. Which service of the love, is not mi­nistred, for to break that which God hath spoken and promised in times past: butMat. 5 Rom. 3. [Page 270]to establish and accomplish it all, according to the Scripture.

15. Therefore let none of ours (whose soules stand subject under the Love) take upon him1 Cor. 5 to contend against any for any of the gifts of God, which are of God graciously bestowed upon them, nor for the Services or Ceremonies cause, which any man observeth or publisheth, albeit the same be manifold.

16 For it is not for us to contend or strive against any, for the gifts cause which any man receiveth of his God, neither to contend against any mans Services or Ce­remonies, which he useth, to the training up & edifying of the people, except (as it is convenient & edifiable to further the peace) that they doe all stand subject under the Love and her Service.

17. For one hath this gift: andRom. 12 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 4. 1 Pet. 4. with the same he is serviceable to the Commu­naltie, to a unity of heart in the Love. A­nother hath another Gift, and it is also ser­viceable to the Communalty: and yet notwithstanding they are all used to the Love and to the Concord in their Servi­ces.

18. Moreover, some use one kind of ser­vice, or such a manner of Ceremonies: and some again, other Services or Ceremonies, wherewith they train up the people, to the making known of that Righteousnes unto them which God esteemeth, and they are also serviceable to the same: And all like­wise are done, to the Love and her Con­cord.

19. Therefore seeing the Gifts of God, and the services are manifold, we let them stand free to every one, and do not contend against them, so far forth as they stand all under one God: and that they do not ex­alt their Services and Gifts, above the love and her service; but do submit themselves all thereunder, and do likewise confes, that God only is the Lord, and only giveth in his service of love the godly Gifts.

20. Wherefore let no man contend with his Gifts or Services, nor let no man make any breach therewith, in the Communalty of the love; butPsa. 34 praise God in all his works. And that all, to a unity of peace in the love.

21. Lo, such a unity, do the ser­vices, Ceremonies, and gifts of the one-onely holy spirit of love serve unto, all to the good life and Peace: [Page 272]and if we be all minded to the good life, and to the peace, then shall no mans services or Ceremonies be offensive unto us: nei­ther shall we contend or wrangle for them.

22. For every1 Pet. 4 Father of a Family un­der the love, hath doubtles the liberty, in his Family, to use Services and Ceremonies, according as he perceiveth out of the Testi­monies of the holy spirit of love, that they are most profitablest or necessariest for his Houshold, to the life of Peace, for to keep his Houshold thereby, in Discipline and Peace: training them up therewith, that they may learne to practise and use1 Cor. 14. Phil. 4.2. that which is right and equal, for to manifest unto them thereby, the true righteousnes which God esteemeth.

23. If any man therefore hath obtained in the obeying of the Doctrine of the gra­cious Word and his Service of Love, any gifts of God: or if any man hath any hea­venly Revelation, or if any man use any service of the Priestly Ordinance, let him with us be serviceable to the love there­with, to the intent it may all be agreeable with the love, and may all be done to Con­cord, in the service of love, and not to strife, dissention, or schisme, to the intent, that [Page 273]the good life in all love and peace, might be lined under one head, the living God, and only King, according as in times past it was prophecied thereof.

24. The same life in the love, is the life and very like Beeing of Almighty God: namely, Christ, the gracious word of God the Father, (by whomJohn 1. God made all that is any thing.) It is also the one only holy spirit of the Prophets: unto the which, all spirits of the Prophets, and all services, that come out from God,1 Cor. 14. are subject and ser­viceable to the love, and only minded to the peace and life; for God is no God of discord, but he is a God of Peace.

25. Forasmuch then as the God of Hea­ven, doth now shew his mercy on us: and doth daily disclose unto us, the thing that so many dayes hath beenEph. 3. hidden, there­fore let us likewise with thankfulnes, and with submitted obedience to the love;2 Cor. 6 Heb. 12. take heed in the spirit, to the godly grace, and not be slack or slow, to further the good; butEph. 4. reach one another the hand, and be serviceable to the love, with help­fulnes to the vertue, that the service of the love be not hindred1 Cor. 6 nor evill spoken of.

26. And seeing such heavenly Revelati­ons, are by Gods Grace to me unworthy committed, and according to the mention of the writing, which through the grace of God, are come forth or set out by me H.N. under the obedience of the love are open­ed, and granted me to be known andEph. 3. un­derstood, because I likewise should reveal the same in the world: therefore do I also witnes the same among the Children of men, indifferently out of the inclination of love, to the intent, that vertue and uni­ty may grow and multiply.

27. And these my testimonies of truth, shall also unto those (which now are, and hereafter shall come) be to a right discer­ning of the upright and lovely life, to as many as believe the same, and be compre­hended in the love. For among them shall this service of love to the same life, accord­ing to the true being; everlastingly proceed on out of the love, according to the promi­ses.

28. Behold ye beloved, concerning all this which is revealed to me by the living God,2 Tim. 1 and which I have testifyed and [Page 275]published out of his holy and gracious Word, I have no other glorying, butJer. 9. 2 Cor. 11. in God the most highest, in the light of his true being, and in his heavenly revelations, even as it is sufficiently testified.

29. Out of which Revelations of God, I shew my service out of the inclination of love, unto all those that affect the Love, to the end we might with one consent be minded to the love; for to2 Cor. 10. draw the under­standing under the obedience of the Love and her service.

30. In the same service standeth also all my hope and confidence in the living God, and my salvation in his Christ; Which Christ standeth firm for us1 Ioh. 2 to a Recon­ciler before God the Father, and in the ser­vice of his Love everlastingly; that through the same service our inward mind, should stand free, and firm in God and his Christ; and not be tied to any thing besides, with­out the Communion and service of the Love, whether to the sinne, or else to men: neither to any created or elementish things nor yet to any earthly or worldly things; whereby with one accord we might live boldly in God the most highest, with the Communalty of the Love.

31. With these despise I none in his un­derstanding, whether he be great or small, that every one (as right and meet it is) may give his understanding2 Cor. 10. captive, or suff­er it to be plucked under the obedience of the Love: and likewise do thatPhil. 4. which is just and equall; For who can refuse the Love, or withhold himself from her service, if so be he love the good.

32. Doubtlesse whosoever refuseth the love, and withholdeth himself from her ser­vice, or with his understanding, is against it, the same man sheweth thereby, that he is without understanding, and not minded to concord in the love; And moreover, that his heart thinketh not upon the good, which God esteemeth; but rather, upon his own good, which he hath chosen to himself. But who so are fully affected to the love and her service, and unto all that are just and equall, and do unpartially sub­mit themselves under the obedience of the love, unto them am I inclined.

33. For with them, doth my heart de­sire to live, in such a life as is just and reaso­nable,Phil. 4. lovely and peaceable, and with them, in like obedience under the love, to stand obedient in the same life,Eph. 4. to all uni­ty of heart in the Love.

34. Behold, the true Christians of Israel, the people of the Lord, and even in this sort minded with us; and there are no other Christians, nor Jewes, nor House of Israel, nor People of the Lord; but those that stand subject with us to the Love with one accord, and over whom the Love is like­wise the head: who with us also, are not partiall or divided with this or that, which is earthly or visible.

35. Thereunto in like manner is the ser­vice of my writing: namely, to the right stock of life in the Love, and not to contend or to strive against any. And I do not know, that I have written against any mans dealing, (so farre forth as the same is ac­cording to Trut, and out of love.) Nei­ther have I named any faction by name for to contemn them, nor singled out any per­sons particularly, whereby to reproach them: neither reviled any mans Religion for heresie; but have called and invited all men, to the unity of heart in the Love. The which is the blessing of all the Generations of the Earth, according to the Promises made to the Fathers.

36. Therefore let every one glasse him­self, and look how neer his cause is right: [Page 278]and so give over his understanding to the obedience of the Love: (for therein con­sisteth the upright being) to the intent that all may, through the Love and her serviceEph. 1. be renewed, and the Corrupti­on reigne no more; but that the upright Righteousnesse which God esteemeth,Esa. 60. may come to light, according to the Pro­mises.

CHAP. XXV.

HErewith ye beloved we will cut off, and end this Introduction, to the holy understanding of the Glasse of Righte­ousnesse. And we desire of all those that read, or hear our writings of the godly Testimonies, and likewise of all those that have any desire to the Truth, and do hum­bly apply themselves to that which is wit­nessed by us, and do joyn with us in all up­rightnes, under the obedience of the Love, to the intent that the Love may bear the dominion, and rule in us to a one minded Communion, in one amiable and godly life, that they will not take it grievously, to [Page 280]suffer contempt, heavines, or anguish for a little while, with those that love the Righ­teousnes; but rather stand alwaies minded (whether it be in prosperity or adversity) to be joyned to the mind of God, in all love even as the same under the obedience of the Love, is plainly and cleerly described, accor­ding to the life that abideth for ever in the Glasse of righteousnes.

2. The Almighty God grant us his Grace, and strengthen our minds to the same,Eph. 4. in the unity of Love and Peace: and in like maner all lowly hearts, that hope up­on the righteousnes and suffer heavines, for the sins cause.

3. It is surely much happier to be among the lowly hearts, where2 Cor. 7. is heavines and sighing for the sins cause,Matt. 18. Rom. 15. 1 Thes. 5. Heb. 3. where exhortati­on to amendment, and instruction to the knowledge of God and Christ is, and where men out of loveProv. 27. reprehend the blindnes of the heart for the righteousnes sake, than to be among the haughty, where the flatter­ing lips of the ungodly and the dissolute stout, or uncircumcised of heart are; where men embrace all gladnes, commendation, praise and honour of men, and not the ho­nour of God.

4. Wherefore have regard hereunto, and awake to the good; For behold, It shall in his time be found, that the endur­ers or sufferers (who now for the sinnes cause, beate heavinesse, sorrow, and the Crosse; and who out of the love of Righteousnesse, endure out such things) shall be turned to aEsa. 60 62.66. 4 Esd 2. Ioh. 16. godly joyfulnesse; where contrariwise, all despisers of the Righteousnesse which now rejoyce them­selves in ungodlinesse (how evilly soever they do it) shall be turned toMatt. 25. grievous sorrow and paine; yea,4 Esd. 5. Apo. 21. horrible it is to remember, the reward of the unrighteous or wretched men, which is for to come up­on them.

5. O how happy is that man, which joyn­eth himself to the Word of the Lord, in his service of the Love, andEsa. 1. Mat 18 turneth him a­way from the evill: which betimes1 Cor. 11. hear­eth his Judgement and so setteth him­self down in the dust; k which receiveth Wisdom, and Instruction to Vertue that loveth the Righteousnesse, andProv. 3. Heb. 12. refuseth not the Chastening of the Lord, that he may be upright of heart, before God; For it shall go well with him in this day of the righteous Judgement which God, [Page 282]now bringeth over the whole Earth; yet passing through great dangers of his salva­tion.

6. How will it go with you then,Prov. 11. 1 Pet. 5. O ye sinners and sinneresses, which receiveSap. 2. 2 Pet. 2. Jude 1. this transitory life for your delight, and keep God out of your hearts, and have not once borne sorrow nor heavines for your sinnes.

7. Where will ye then hide your selves, ye haughty, ye covetous, and ye proud men, and all ye arrogant self-wise, that now will not submit nor give over your selves to o­bedience, under the service of the Love of the gracioue Word?Sap. 5 What profit I pray you will your pride, and your riches then yeeld or bring you?

8. Who think ye, will then have com­passion on your misery, ye which now withhold your selves from the obedience of the Doctrine, and requiring of the gra­cious Word, and make your selves com­mon with the worldly minded and with those that oppresse the little ones, grieve the Consciences of the simple, and be­tray, persecute, and spillEzek. 22. the innocent Bloud?

9. Oh! I am astonied, whil'st I thinke [Page 283]upon the horrible being of the ungodly, the wicked perverse nature that will not con­vert.

10. Oh how horrible and fearfull shall it be unto him, that shall behold it with his eyes? Yea, what misery and VVoe commeth over him, that shall taste bear, and be tormented with the same e­ternally,

11. ThereforePro. 15 much better in this dangerous Time is a little in the fear of God, with the Righteous; than super­fluities with the ungodly. It is also much better, to suffer and endure, Poverty, Shame, Reproach, Affliction, Heavinesse, Anguish and Contempt,Heb. 11 with the Chil­dren of Peace, which have regard on Gods Righteousnesse, according to his Promises, than to have all the Delights or Pleasures, with all the honour, riches, and Triumphs of this world.

12. For the Reward of the Righte­ous redoundethPro. 11. Sap. 5. to Gods Glory; but the recompence of the ungodly, of the wicked world, with all unbeleevers or resisters of the good,Apo. 21 shall with confusi­on perish in horrible calamity, and with misery: It is true.

Take it to heart.