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The Firſt Epiſtle. A CRYING VOICE of the holy Spirit of Love, wherewith all People are out of meer Grace, called and bidden by H. N. to the true Repentance for their Sins, to the Entrance into the upright Chriſtian Life, and to the Houſe of the Love of Jeſu Chriſt.

Luke 15.7.

There ſhall be more joy in Heaven over one Sinner that repenteth, then over ninety and nine juſt perſons that need no Repentance.

O how lovely are the Feet of the Meſſengers that publiſh the Peace, preach the Good, and witneſs or declare the Salvation!

Iſa. 52.7. Rom. 10.15.

Behold, I will ſend mine Angel or Meſſenger, which ſhall prepare the way, or path, the Street before me,

Mal. 3.1. Matth. 11.10. Mark. 1.2. Luke 7.27.

To day if ye hear his voice, then harden not your Hearts, that ye bide not without the Reſt of the People of God,

Pſal. 95.7, 8. Heb. 3.15. and 4.7.

Printed in the yeer, 1648.

The Firſt Epiſtle.

The Firſt Chapter.

THis is the Crying, or Voice, which cometh to paſſe, and is heard now in this preſent day, through the holy Spirit of the Love of Ieſu Chriſt, and wherewith all People, are by H. N. called and bidden to the Repentance for their ſins, and to the houſe of the Love of Jeſu Chriſt; the^a^aIſai. 32. Heb. 3. Heb. 4. Reſt of all the Saints, or Children of God; (And not alone with this Calling, but alſo with all the Scriptures heavenly teſtimonies, and ſpirituall Voyces of the eternall Truth, which are gone forth from the holy Spirit of Love, and brought to light by H. N.) like as the Holy Ghoſt hath ſpoken thereof, and warned all people, that they in that preſent day when they hear his voice, ſhould in no wiſe harden^b^bPſal. 95. Heb. 3. their hearts [namely, that they ſhould not refuſe^c^c2 Cor. 6. Heb. 12. nor reſiſt the ſame proffered Grace, but humbly endeavour them thereunto] to the end, they might enter into the godly Reſt, which, till unto this ſame day of Love, is reſerved for the People of God for to reſt them therein.

2. The moſt higheſt hath alſo, after ſuch a long time that He had promiſed the^d^dPſal. 95. Heb. 3. Reſt to the people of God, yet once more appointed a day, on the^e^eActs 17. which the univerſall Earth ſhould be judged with Righteouſneſſe.

3. Therefore, as the holy Ghoſt ſaith,^f^fPſal. 95. Heb. 3. To day if ye ſhall heare his voice, (that is, when the time now is fulfilled, that the day of Love, which the moſt higheſt hath appointed to be a Reſt for the People of God, declareth it ſelf, then ſhall ye heare, that yee,^g^gIſa. 42. Cap. 51. O all ye People, are called and bidden to the ſame Grace and Mercy,) then harden not your hearts.

4. Let every one^h^h2 Cor. 6. Heb. 12. take heed to this ſame gracious time, that he may live, and reſt him in this ſame day from his Works, Travell, andⁱⁱApoc. 14. Labour.

5. Seeing then there is yet a Reſt^k^kIſa. 32. Hebr. 4. at hand for the people of God, which is made manifeſt, and inherited in the family of Love, and that without the ſame or without his Service, there is nothing but all^l^lDeut. 12. good thinking,^m^mIſa. 59. tedious travell, labour, and miſery, therefore doth not the holy ſpirit of Love ceaſe this day, by his miniſter H. N. to call and bid all people to the ſame family of Love,ⁿⁿPſal 16. Pſal. 84. Ecclus 24. Apoc. 21. full of all lovely being, and to his ſafe-making ſervice to the preſervation of them all in the godlineſs. and to warn them every one^o^oIſa. 13. cap. 30. cap. 47. Dan. 12. Matth. 24. of the Wo and miſery, & of the plagues of good-thinking that ſhall come upon them that remain without the ſame, or that will not ſuffer themſelvs to be led into the ſame through the ſervice of the ſaid family of love, to the end, that they might all now in the ſervice of love, and in the obeying3 of his requiring, do upright^p^pMat. 3. Luke 3 Act. 2. & 3. repentance for their Sins, and enter into the Reſt of the Lord.

The Second Chapter.

BEare ſorrow for your ſins,^a^aEzek. 18. Matth. 3. and ſhew upright fruits of Repentance, the great^b^bIſai. 14. Ioel 2. Obad. 1. day of the Lord is come hard by, and will now as a righteous^c^cIer. 46. Soph. 1 2. judgement of God, appear over the whole Earth.

2. Let every one now turn him away from the wicked world, and from the Abomination of^d^dDan. 9. Matth. 24. her deſolation, & make his repair hither to the^e^eIſai. 2. Mich 4. hill of the love, whereon the Lords houſe is builded, that he may be preſerved in this ſame day of the righteous judgement of God.

3. Yea, turn you hither betimes to the houſe of the Love of Jeſu Chriſt, and to his ſake-making ſervice; bear ſorrow rightly for your ſins,^f^fMatth 3. Luke 3. Luke 13. Acts 2. and ſhew forth upright Repentance or amendment for the ſame, O ye ſtrayed people, before the day of the Lord fall upon you,^g^gSoph. 2. Mal. 4. to the recompencing of your wickednes.

4. Come now all hither, where the heavenly day light,^h^hIſai. 60. Sap. 5 the Sun of righteouſneſs ſhineth, and where the watersⁱⁱEzek. 36. Apoc. 22. of life flow forth out of the fountain of the living Godhead, to the purging of your Sins.

5. Let every one now forſake his own word, doctrine, and taken-on knowledge, and alſo the word, doctrine, and knowledge of all^k^kIer. 23.27.29. Ezek 13. Mich. 3. unſent4 preachers, and good thinking wiſe-ones, whereby ye be ſeduced, blinded from the true fruits of Repentance, and eſtranged from the true ſanctification of your ſpirit and mind: and come now all to this ſame^l^lIer. 29. Ier. 31. Mich 1. ſanctuary of God, out of the which the Lords living^m^mIſai. 2. word is witneſſed, the true repentance for the Sinne made known, and the uprightⁿⁿEpheſ. 4. Col. 3. righteouſneſs and holineſs of Jeſu Chriſt taught, where-through ye be brought to the right quieting of your Conſciences, to the^o^oMat. 11. health of your ſouls, and to the ſanctification, or^p^pRom. 12. Eph. 4. renewing of your ſpirit and mind.

6. For that cauſe, come now all to this ſame hill,^q^qIſai. 2. or houſe of Love: and in his out-flowing water,^r^rEzek 13. Ezek. 36. clenſe and amend, or hallow your being under the obedience of the Love of Ieſu Chriſt, that your ſins may be^ſ^ſActs 3. wiped out, and ye become led even ſo into the^t^tIſai. 32. Heb. 3. Heb. 4. reſt of all the children of God, and Saints of Ieſu Chriſt.

7. Come now all likewiſe, which through your^u^uRom. 1. Epheſ 4. ignorant knowledge, or miſunderſtanding, have turned away your ſelves from this ſame^x^xIſai. 16. Heb. 5. ſeat of Grace, and lovely houſe of the love of Ieſu Chriſt, and from our^y^yIohn 17. 1 Ioh, 1. Commonalty, grown offended at our meanes or^a^a2 Cor. 1. ſimpleneſs, and at the godly teſtimonies of our ſayings, and ſo made up your ſelves^b^b2 Tim. 1. 2 Tim. 3. reſiſtant againſt us, and our good doctrine and exerciſes, ſeparated your ſelves from us, and grown bitter5 or wrathfull towards us, together withall ye that have miſtruſted us, and^c^cIohn 8. Iohn 10. 2 Theſ. 2. not beleeved the holy word of the eternall Truth, which we by Gods grace, do adminiſter under the obedience of the love, but doubted therof, and ſo for that cauſe, through ſome perverſe conceiving towards the ſame, or, towards us, refuſed the^d^dProv. 1. proffered grace, or kept your ſelves back:e Ezek. 18. and repent you for your ſins, to your ſanctification, and to the health of your ſouls.

8. Come likewiſe all ye, which through any opinion of the ſelf-wiſe-ones, or through any good thinking, or imagination of the knowledge, have bin^f^fProv. 18. unregarding towards this ſame gracious and godly ſervice of Love, and towards his requiring; and alſo ye, which have heard or read the teſtimonies of the holy Spirit of the Love of Ieſu Chriſt, and ſhewed no right obedience; as likewiſe all ye, which have over-reached your ſelves in any diſorderly^g^gSap. 14. Rom. 1. dealing, or falſe^h^h2 Pet. 2. Iude 1. freedom, or in hearing, and beleeving of anyⁱⁱIer. 23. Ier. 17. unſent Preachers, and ſo are faln to your^k^kIer 7. Ier. 18. own counſell, or to the counſell of thoſe that ſtand not ſubmitted to the houſe of the love of Ieſu Chriſt, nor to his ſervice and requiring, or are ſtrangers thereunto; or yee that through your negligence, or little regarding^l^lPro. 6. Prov. 24. of the requiring of the ſervice of love, are become vainly minded, with the wicked6 world, and with the vain or falſe^m^mRom. 2. 2 Pet. 2. Praters through the imagination of the knowledge, that falſe light, come andⁿⁿEcleſ. 7. 1 Pet. 5. humble you, and let all your underſtandings be renewed, and to the obtaining of a good,^o^oEpheſ. 4. knowledge of Ieſu Chriſt and his godlineſs, brought to right under the obedience of the love: and under the ſame^p^p1 Pet. 1. obedience,^q^qEzek. 36. waſh your bodies with the pure water of the love, and ſo cleanſe your hearts from all ungodly being,^r^rIſai. 1. and wicked thoughts.

9. Come now all hither, and^ſ^ſGal 6. Epheſ. 5. Apoc. 2. Apoc. 3. neglect not your time, to day becometh the grace of the love of Ieſu Chriſt, poffered yet unto you all, and the hand reached forth ſerviceably with the ſame, to a peaceable^t^tEph. 4. Col. 3. Reconcilement with each other in Ieſu Chriſt, to an unity of heart with us in all love.

10. Yea, to day (ere ever the^u^uProv. 1. Mat. 15. puniſhment of the laſt judgement go forth over all ungodly ones, to their condemnation in the helliſh fire) yet yee be all called and bidden, even out of meer Grace^x^xEph. 1. Eph. 2. and hearty love, to the Commonalty of Saints, which^y^y1 Ioh. 1. have their fellowſhip with Chriſt in the houſe of the love of Ieſu Chriſt, and that altogether to the preſervation of you all in the godlineſs.

The third Chapter.

COme likewiſe all ye People, Governours, and Subjects, noble, and unnoble, rich, and poor, wiſe, and ſimple, as alſo all men^a^aMat. 9. ſinners, and women ſinners: Turn you about betimes^b^bHeb. 5. to the Mercy ſeat, ere ever that ye be quite and clean ſwallowed up by the wicked world, or with ſeducing babling, through the falſe light, and overwhelmed with the curſe by the wrath^c^cEccleſ. 5. Mal. 4. Rom. 2. of God.

2. Come now all hither, and confeſſe your ſins, lay open the^d^dProv. 18. Eccleſ. 4. inwardnes of your, hearts, and bring forth right^e^eMat. 3. Luke 3. fruits of Repentance: and ſo then ſuffer your ſelves to be^f^fEzek 36. Heb. 10. waſhed with the pure and ſafe-making water of the love in the Font of^g^gSap 3. Eccleſ. 2. humiliation, to the end, that ye may be^h^hRom. 5. Rom. 8. Heb. 9. juſtified or cleanſed from all your ſins, received into the holy Commonalty of love, to beⁱⁱRom. 12. Epheſ. 4. fellow members of the Body of Ieſu Chriſt; and bide ſtanding in holy^k^kPſal. 45. Sap 5. garniſhing, and not periſh with the wicked world, when as ſhe now in this ſame day is judged with the Lords mighty hand.

3. Which wicked world is kept^l^l2 Pet. 3. to the helliſh fire till unto this day of love, for to condemn the ſame for evermore in the ſame day of love, to her eternall curſing and^m^mMat. 25. 2 Pet. 3. judgement of other fires cruelty, together with all8 thoſe that maintain the wicked world, as alſo are affected to the ſame, and will not turne them to Repentance.

4. Verily, in the ſame day, when as now all ungodly ones,ⁿⁿMat. 25. 2 Theſ. 1, 2 Iude 1. and all ſelf-wiſe-ones, with all unrepentant ones, & falſe hearts of the Scripture-learned, which in their own opinion, have falſely^o^oMat. 24. boaſted themſelves very ſtoutly to be Chriſtians; do inherit the terrible^p^pPſal. 13. Pſal. 47. Rom. 2. condemnation with many ſmarts in the cruelty of the helliſh fire, then ſhall the people of God, [namely, the whole Commonalty of the love of Ieſu Chriſt, and all thoſe that have turned them penitently from their ſins, to the ſame Commonalty or family of love]^q^qIſai. 35. Iſai. 65. rejoyce them in all love, and obtain a perpetuall^r^rIſai. 32. Sap. 3. reſt in the everlaſting life, according to the promiſes of God the Father, and his Chriſt.

5. For that cauſe, O all ye people upon earth, take heed to this my voice or calling, to this proffered^ſ^ſProv. 1. Iſai. 49. Grace, and to my warning, all yee, ſaith the holy Spirit of love, which will remain preſerved, and be ſaved now in this ſame laſt day.

6. For after the day of love (inaſmuch as it is the laſt or neweſt day, on^t^tActs 17. the which the whole earth ſhall be judged with Righteouſneſs) there ſhall no^u^uApoc. 10 day of grace appeare any more upon the earth, but a ſevere, or9 hard^x^xHeb. 10. 2 Pet. 3. judgement over all ungodly ones, as is before ſaid.

Take it to heart.

The End of the firſt Epiſtle.

The Second Epiſtle. A ſhort and pithy Inſtruction of the Myſterie of the Love.

Labour for Love: Earneſtly covet ſpirituall Gifts: but chiefly, that ye may prophecy,

1 Cor. 14.1.

The End of the Commandment, and the chief ſum of faith, is love, with a pure Heart, and with a good Conſcience, and with unfained faith,

1 Tim. 1.5.

There was demanded, and an Inſtruction required thereupon in writing, which is the Secretneſs, or Myſterie of the Love; and thereupon is anſwered by H.N. in writing, according to the Declaration of the ſpiritual and heavenly truth; this Inſtruction here following.

He that hath Eares to hear,^*

^*Mar. 13. Luke 8. Apoc. 2.3.

^* let him hear.

He that hath Wiſdom, let him conceive underſtanding.

The Firſt Chapter.

WIth whom ſhall I^a^aProv. 8. ſpeak (ſaith the Wiſdom) that ſhall underſtand my words?

2. To whom ſhall I reveal the Myſtery of the love, that ſhall conceive or know it?

3. VVho are thoſe that give eare unto my doctrine, and have found my wayes?

4. Who hath marked where my dwelling is, and followed after me in my out-going and in-going?

5. Who hath born the contempt, blaſphemy, and ſhame with me, when I lay in the^b^bProv. 1. Iſai 59. ſtreet, where the people ſhaked their Heads at^c^cPſal. 22. Pſal. 109. me (as at a^d^dIſai. 53. Sap 2. filthy thing that is worthy to be caſt away) and as mad and frantick men, ran over me with feet?

6. Who hath had his pleaſure in me, when I was ſo^e^eIſai. 53. Sap. 2. filthy and ſo loathſome to look upon, or to behold, before all wiſdom of the fleſh and of the Unrepentant ones?

7. Who hath denyed^f^fMat. 10. Mat. 16. Mar. 8. Luke 9. Luke 14. himſelf, and is for the loves ſake, gone out of himſelf with me, when I did in the love require the mans ſalvation, and was condemned to the death^g^gMat. 26. Mat. 27. Marke 15. Luke 22. John 18. Iohn 19. of the Croſſe, and killed with the ſame death by the wiſe ones of the earth, as a deſpiſed one, or an out-caſt upon the earth?

8. Who hath born ſuch a death^h^hRom 6. Phil. 2. of the Croſs11 with me, in all ſhame, deſpiſing, blaſpheming, and wicked defamation, and ſhewed patience therein, even unto the death?

9. Who hath ſuffered himſelf to be buried in the heart of the earth with me, like one that is dead?

10. Who hath believed myⁱⁱIob 19. Dan. 12. 1 Cor 15. 1 Theſ. 4. riſing from the death, or truſted thereon, for to riſe alſo with me, with his body?

11. Who hath ſeen mine^k^kMat. 16. Luke 24. Acts 1 aſcenſion to God my Father, unto his right hand in the heavenly being, and waited my coming^l^lIſai 25. Iſai. 30. Mich 7. Phil. 3. from thence to a righteouſnes upon the earth?

12. Who hath marked that I live and raign with^m^mEcclus. 24. God, and that my greatnes is more then allⁿⁿ3 Reg. 8. 2 Par. 2.6. heavens can comprehend; where alſo no earthly^o^o1 Cor. 2. underſtanding, nor all whatſoever is born out of the earthly blood, can know me?

13. And if now there be any man that is paſſed thorow all theſe things with me, or that doth now preſently go thorow this narrow way^p^p4 Eſd. 7. Mat 7. Luke 13. with me to the life, he ſhall underſtand, and know the myſterie of the love.

14. He ſhall likewiſe taſte and feel the perfection of all goodneſs, and approach to the love in her vertuous nature, and become of one being therewith.

15. Behold and conſider, that is the ground of the holy and godly underſtanding, touching the Myſterie or Secretnes of the upright love.

The Second Chapter.

OYe luſtfull Souls to the myſterie of the love, gather out the^a^a1 Eſd. 8. minde, and ſearch no further. For doubtleſs the love ſuffereth not her ſelf to be approached unto, underſtood, nor known, neither for this nor that, nor through any manner of cauſe (let it be by what meanes ſoever it will) nor through any manner of minde or will, but only by her own vertuous nature and lovely being, as through her ſelf, or through her ſervice. For ſhee, the everlaſting good, excelleth it all far away.

2. Alſo, ſhe receiveth nothing of any man; but ſhe her ſelf, out of her almighty and vertuous nature and ſpirit, is a plentiful diſtributrix of her own abundant riches, as an infinite flowing river of all godly goods, alwaies^b^bGen. 2. refreſhing the Paradiſe of the Lord.

3. The Love is her ſelf a nurſe unto her children, and a ſure band unto all thoſe that are incorporated to the everlaſting life, and a mighty ſtrength, which is able to ſuffer and to endure^c^cCor. 13. all things.

4. The Love is alſo an^d^dExod. 3. cap. 19, 20 Iſai. 33. holy mountain, the which no man being unhallowed, or unprepared, may touch or come neer. For whoſoever toucheth the ſame mountain, and is not of her part, to him is ſhe a conſuming fire, whoſe burning heat^e^eIſai. 33. no man can endure, but he13 which is of her like nature or ſeed. Who ſo reſiſteth, and ſubmitteth not himſelf under her, and her ſervice, he ſhall be broken and battered to pieces like^f^fPſal. 2. Iſai. 30. Ier. 18. Ier. 19. a Potters Veſſell.

5. The love in her ſervice, is an originall, or beginning of all good and upright life: For through her ſervice, ſhe draweth the minde, and thoughts of the heart away from all that is vaine, corruptible, and evill.

6. She unbindeth, or looſeth the everlaſting perfection: For to come into the life of the eternall uncreatedneſs, in the kingdom of the God of heavens, full of all pure beauty, wherein all earthly, and corrupt ſelf-minded thoughts doe ceaſe, and where the corruptible mortality is not beholden.

7. For in the love is nothing elſe but all good and life, as alſo the heavenly and endleſs kingdom of Jeſu Chriſt, in full undiſturbable power, wherein the mindes of the pure hearts doe dwell free without care or fear, with all^g^gIſai. 35. Iſa. 51. Apoc. 21. glory and joy, and with Chriſtian Triumph.

8. Which freedom of the children of God, which fulneſs of the godly delights, and of the godly life, no man can obtain, that hangeth his delight, will, and life, and tyeth, or bindeth himſelf, on the earthly, viſible, or corruptible beeing. But they remain vainly-minded in the darkneſs of the unbelieving mindes, whoſe^h^hRom. 1. Eph. 4. hearts are blinded with the vain comfort of14 this world, and of the good-thinking wiſe ones. For which Ignorances cauſe they cannot underſtand the right ground of the ſecret love.

9. But ſalvation andⁱⁱLuke 2. Peace be unto all thoſe that are good of will, and that take heed to the time^k^k1 Cor. 6. Heb. 12. of grace, that give their underſtanding captive under the obedience of the Love, and that doe even ſo with humble and obedient hearts, beleeve, or truſt the love in her Service.

10. Happy are they, whoſe devotion of heart God ſtirreth up thereto. For through the love of God the Father, it ſhall all be^l^lActs 5. reſtored again, whatſoever is eſtranged or turned away from God from the beginning of the World, and that is well-minded to the Converſion unto his God, to the end, that it may all through the Love ſtand firm in his upright eſtate for ever.

11. Even thus it ſhall all be accompliſhed in the love, whatſoever God hath ſpoken in time paſt^m^mActs 3. by the mouth of all his holy Prophets. For all what is gone forth fromⁿⁿMat. 22. Mar 12. Luke 10. God in times paſt, even from Adam till unto Chriſt, reacheth to the love, becauſe that the love may in the laſt time, as an everlaſting remnant, grow and blow, and bring forth her fruit abundantly. For the Love is the Inheritance of the everlaſting Kingdome, as an endleſſe ſafe-making ſervice, according to the Promiſes,15 unto all, and over all thoſe that beleeve thereon.

12. The ſame verily is the^o^oGen. 12. Gen 13. Gen. 15. Gen. 17. Gen. 22. Bleſſing which the God of heaven hath promiſed to Abraham and his ſeed, to the bleſſing of all generations of the earth.

13. Of the ſame Bleſſing and upright beeing of the Love, we have witneſſed and ſet forth in writing, with more and fuller Inſtruction or larger Declaration, in the glaſſe of righteouſneſs, to the end that every one which with our Commonalty giveth himſelf to the Love, and to the requiring of her ſervice, might be ſatisfied in his underſtanding. And likewiſe to the peace and joy of all lovers of the truth which are furtherſome to the ſervice of Love, to the ſalvation of many men, Becauſe that even ſo, through^p^pEſa. 32. Eſa. 62. the Love, the peace may be prepared upon the earth, which hath long lain^q^qEſa. 24. waſte.

14. For the end,^r^rRom. 13. Gal. 5. 1 Tim. 1. or the perfection of all things, (namely, the chief ſum of all good, or all what one can name for righteouſneſſe and truth) that is the Love: Yea, all what is to be known or underſtood of the godly things, that^s^s1 Cor. 13 1 Iohn 2. 1 Iohn 9. 1 Iohn 4. is the Love; and her miſtery is the everlaſting life.

The Third Chapter.

BEhold and conſider; to that end hath the Truth her flowing forth (like as the16 ſame is Image-like or figuratively ſet forth or patterned out^a^aExo. 25. Act. 7. Heb. 8. by Moſes in the former example) for to draw it all under the Love, even as the ſame is now likewiſe by the holy ſpirit of the Love of Ieſu Chriſt, openly and nakedly declared unto us, in the true beeing. But not by figures, Images, nor out of the letter, but by the cleerneſs and appearing of the^b^bMal. 3. Mal. 4 Mat. 16. Mat. 24. Mat. 25. Mark 13. 2 Theſ. 1. Act. 1. Apoc. 1. coming of our Lord Ieſu Chriſt in his glory. In which day or cleerneſs of the coming of Chriſt in his Glory, the Reſurrection of his dead^c^cDan. 12. Iohn 5. 1 Cor. 15. 1 Theſ. 4. Apoc. 20. cometh to paſſe; who do alſo live with Chriſt in glory, and doe keep the judgement with him, againſt all ungodly ones.

2. This verily is the true^d^dEſa 3. Sap. 3 Mat. 19. 1 Cor. 6. Iude 1. coming of Ieſu Chriſt, who appeareth and cometh now unto us, from the right hand of God the Father, who is almighty; to keep a righteous judgement upon earth, even as is written thereof.

3. In which righteouſneſs, the true Love of God the Father ſtandeth comprehended or grounded; and out of the ſame righteouſneſs hath the Love her Service upon the earth, to a perpetuall baniſhment of all wicked and evill-willing nature, and to an everlaſting implanting of the holy ones of God, into his Love, to the end that the earth may even ſo (through the Love and her Service) be renew-and cleanſed from all her unrighteouſneſs.

4. But all thoſe that are unbeleeving touching the^e^eRom. 2. truth, and ungodly or evill of will, ſhall alſo be judged in this ſame day, through the Love and her Service.

5. There ſhall no man likewiſe remain ſtanding in the ſame judgement, that reſiſteth the Love, and deſpiſeth her ſervice. For the^f^fEſa. 40. Eſa. 60. & 62. glory of God is revealed, through the revealing of the coming of Jeſu Chriſt in the obedience of the Love, for that the earth may be full of the^g^gNum. 14 Pſal. 72. glory of God, according to the Promiſes, and that all people may walke in the Love; and that the Love in her Service, may even ſo (as a light of life) flouriſh for evermore, among the children of men, and get the^h^hCol. 3. ſuperiority in their hearts, to an everlaſting thankſgiving unto God, for their ſalvation of life in the peace, which (by Gods grace) is come unto them upon the earth, through the Love.

6. This ſame (even as we have here witneſſed and declared it) is aſſuredly the right myſterie of the Love. It is alſo the true laud of the Lord, and the triumph of Chriſt with all his Saints, to an everlaſting eſtabliſhing of the promiſes of God the Father; and that altogether through theⁱⁱ1 Cor. 13 Love and her Service. Which Love and her Service ſhall (according to the promiſes of God the Father & his Chriſt) continue from everlaſting to everlaſting. It is very true.

The End of the Second Epiſtle.

The Third Epiſtle. A groundly Inſtruction, wherin the difference betwixt God the Father, and his Son the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, is declared, according to the ſpirituall and heavenly underſtanding.

Holy Father, this is the everlaſting life; that they know thee, that thou only art very true God, and him whom thou haſt ſent, Ieſus Chriſt.

Iohn 17.

There was demanded by a lover of the truth, and an Inſtruction deſired, touching the difference betwixt God the Father, and his Sonne the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. And thereupon is anſwered by H. N. in writing, according to the declaring of the ſpirituall and heavenly truth, this Inſtruction hereafter following.

The Firſt Chapter.

I Have thus long deferred for to anſwer thee thy demand in writing, which thou beloved brother deſiredſt of me, when I was laſt with thee; becauſe of certain matter that were needfull for me firſt of all to further. Wherethrough I, by that occaſion, have not hitherto had convenient time to accompliſh the ſame.

2. But I have not for all that forgotten thy demand, nor through ſlothfulneſs neglected19 to write unto thee: neither do I deſire in any wiſe, to deny thee thy requeſt: but am alwaies welwilling to witneſs the ſame unto thee, according to that underſtanding which the Lord giveth unto me; ſo much as it is profitable for thee to edification. Notwithſtanding, I am burthened in my heart, becauſe I have promiſed upon thy demand to write thee an Anſwer.

3. But not that the ground of the matter about the which thou haſt queſtioned with me, and deſired of me to anſwer the ſame in writing, is ſo hard or profound of underſtanding, to anſwer, oh no, but becauſe that the underſtanding of the ſame mind, is ſo utterly unknown^a^aMat 11. Mat. 13. Iohn 14. Epheſ. 3. before all ſenſe of the fleſh.

4. Yea, how naked and bare ſoever the Scripture ſheweth it, according to the mind of the Spirit, yet can it not for all that be underſtood^b^b1 Cor. 2. nor conceived by fleſh and blood, unleſſe the man muſt firſt, according to the counſell of the Scripture, be turned into another mind.

5. Seeing now that the Scriptures of the Apoſtles of Chriſt is ſpirituall,^c^c1 Iohn 5. 1 Iohn 6. and witneſſeth of ſpirit and life, and that the man which readeth the teſtimonies thereof in the Letter ſtandeth captived with a fleſhly mind,^d^dRom. 7. under the ſin of his own good-thinking and ſotaketh upon him out of the ſame mind of the fleſh,20 and his own good-thinking, to underſtand the mind of God out of the Letter,^e^e1 Cor. 2. ſo can he not doubtleſs bring it to paſſe, for his fleſhly ſenſes, and good-thinking thoughts, doe ſurely ſtretch no further, but like to ſuch an Intelligence, or knowledge of the fleſhly underſtanding.

6. For that cauſe alſo the mind of the man doth not out of the letter of the Scriptures, underſtand nor comprehend the mind of God rightly, by meanes whereof there is likewiſe now at this preſent day (like as came to paſſe alſo in times paſt among^f^fIer. 26. Ier. 28. Ier. 29. Mat. 12. Mat. 23. Mat. 26. & 27. the worldly wiſe, & Scripture-learned ones) much contention, variance, and controverſie found among the children of men, who doe contend about that which they themſelves underſtand not, and will ſeem to know that which according to the mind of their underſtanding wherein they are comprehended, is not to be known, nor underſtood.

7. The whilſt now that the rich bountifull God, out of the love of his grace underſtood, giveth unto us in^g^g1 Cor. 2. our inward mind, another Spirit for to diſcerne and underſtand withall, which^h^h1 Cor. 1. 1 Cor. 2. is not of fleſh and blood, nor yet minded according to the earthly and fleſhly wiſedom of this world, nor according to the Prudence of the Ingeniouſneſs of the worldly wiſe, and of the contentious Scripture-learned,21 or thoſe of famous Schools, therefore we doe perceive, that it is perilous to write over unto any man of the ſecretneſs of GodⁱⁱEpheſ. 3. and Chriſt; and that therefore we doe daily bear a care or a ſuſpition, whether thoſe that aske after the underſtanding of the godly truth, doe not deſire to know the ſame^k^kAct 17. out of curiouſneſs or ſenſuality, or^l^lIohn 8. to judge the ſame according to their own good-thinking.

8. Therefore it is dangerous in this perillous time to diſcover, or to write over the groundly depths^m^mRom 11 of the godly wiſedom unto any man, becauſe that we doe now find many men that doe aske, to the end to know much; Yea they ſeek many knowledges, whereby to underſtand, and to judge the godly things, out of their ſharpwittedneſs or induſtry. And that liketh all thoſe well, which have no luſt to do the Lords will. For therein lyeth the old root ofⁿⁿGen. 3. Rom. 5. Adam. where-out the diſobedient knowledge ſpringeth or cometh forth.

9. But to^o^oIohn 8. ſubmit themſelves obediently to the requiring of the gracious word of the godly wiſedom, and to the right Service of the love of Jeſu Chriſt, alſo to cleave unto the living God in his godly nature or beeing,^p^pExo 20. Deut. 5. and to ſerve, to praiſe, and to honour him, as he is a God in his Chriſt, that liketh few or none. Yet is the ſame the new fruit of the planting of Ieſu Chriſt, whereunto the Scripture22 pointeth us, which neither the^q^qMat. 11. Iohn 14. 1 Cor. 1. 1 Cor. 2. world nor her wiſe or Scripture-learned ones do underſtand, nor yet conceive the minde, for they know not the ſame.

10. Although I do thus rehearſe theſe things my beloved, and that my Carefulneſs ſtandeth to ſuch a ſuſpition towards many, yet do I notwithſtanding hope and truſt ſomewhat better of thee, as that thou art more inclined to underſtand the will and mind of God, to the intent to^r^r1 Pet. 5 ſubmit thy ſelf obediently therunto, to thy ſalvation, and to the^s^sEpheſ. 1. laud and praiſe of the godly glory, and ſo to beleeve the living God and his Chriſt, to incline unto him, and to becomeⁱⁱ2 Pet. 1. partaker of his being, then for to know much thereof, according to the pleaſure of thine own mind.

11. Therefore alſo I will not thinke it tedious unto me, to anſwer thy demand, with diligence out of fervent Love; If happly God would vouchſafe through my ſmall ſervice; to open^u^uEpheſ. 1. thine underſtanding, and through his Increaſe or Bleſſing, to endow thee in thy Spirit with his Grace, and to ſtir up thy heart to a pure mind towards God, and towards his Love in Ieſu Chriſt.

The Second Chapter.

THus was then thy ſaying unto me as I remember, that the word which the Apoſtles23 of Chriſt do write, was dark or incomprehenſible for thee to underſtand,^a^aRom. 1. 1 Cor. 1. 2 Cor. 1. Gal. 1. Epheſ. 1. namely, God our Father, and the Lord Ieſu Chriſt. And that in certain places, Chriſt in ſtead of the Son, is alſo uttered forth for a Father and God.

2. Foraſmuch as thy underſtanding ſuppoſed that there was no more but one^b^bDeut. 3•Eſa. 44. Eſa. 45. & 46. 1 Cor. 8. God (as it is alſo true) therfore was thy demand thus unto me, whereof thou requiredſt an Anſwer in writing: Seeing now that there is no more but one God, wherefore is he then pronounced forth in two manner of ſtates? The which ſeemeth according to the ſound of the Scripture; as though the Apoſtles publiſhed two Gods.

3. Verily ▪ the difference of this matter wherof thou deſireſt the Inſtruction, could not likewiſe^c^cIohn 6. Iohn 7. & 8. certain Iewes in times paſt conceive according to their underſtanding out of the fleſh, yea, the ſame is yet alſo rightly underſtood of few. Yet doe many perſwade themſelves notwithſtanding, becauſe that they in hiſtoricall manner, are minded after the new Teſtament, that they have thorowly well conceived the underſtanding of this matter, and doe for that cauſe perſwade themſelves, that they doe far exceed and excell the Iewes, ſuppoſing that they have the faith and the ſalvation, and that the Iewes remain by the24 works of the Law. Now this paſſed over, we will proceed to further the intent of our matter.

4. Verily, as we have ſpoken before, of God the Father, and the Lord Ieſu Chriſt, theſe are hard things before the man, for to ſearch out the underſtanding of them in his knowledge, if he do not know God and Chriſt, and the true righteouſnes of the godly-beeing in himſelf, but imagineth of God and Chriſt without him, and ſo goeth on according to his own good-thinking, without the Adminiſtration of the true light and his Love. Yea, it is^d^dMat. 11. Mat. 13. & 19. Iohn 14. unpoſſible after that manner, to underſtand the right mind cleerly. And although likewiſe he would ſearch out all the knowledge of the world, yet is it all in vaine, for to underſtand the ſame.

5. Although the man ſhould imagine of the ſame minde, in the deepeſt ground of his reaſon, yet can he not doubtleſs, with any manner of prudence of the fleſh, conceive that underſtanding. For it is an underſtanding,^e^eEſa. 57. Eſa. 66. Sap. 1. Mat. 11. that riſeth not up in the knowledge, but to the lowly and poor of ſpirit, namely, in the belief of the holy and gracious word, under the obedience of the Love.

6. For God, the Father, the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, nor yet the true light of the godly wiſdom, ſhall^f^fSap. 1. 1 Cor. 2. not be known, out of the blood or will of man, nor out of any deep ſearching25 with the knowledge. For God is a^g^gIohn 4. Spirit, a very true light,^h^hIohn 1. Iohn 8. Iohn 9. Iohn 11. Iohn 12. & 14. and an everlaſting life; which God alſo, is not known, ſeen, nor underſtood, but in his own Spirit, and in his true light, and godly beeing.

7. Seeing then that the only God is aⁱⁱ1 Iohn 1. very true Light, that no darkneſſes do know or behold, & is not to be known or beheld but in his light,^k^kPſal. 36. therefore is not he known likewiſe, but by thoſe that doe hear and beleeve his gracious word, and that ſubmit them^l^lIohn 8. obediently under the requiring of the ſame word and wil; and ſo do carry the Image^m^m1 Cor. 15. Eph. 4. of his godly-beeing, or doe behold the ſameⁿⁿ2 Pet. 1 in their Spirit, as a pattern of God, and hope thereon, through faith. And the Spirit of thoſe ſame obedient humble ones, is the ſpirit that giveth reſpect too the ſerviceable teſtimonies of the holy Spirit of Love, to the end to be incorporated^o^oJohn 15. Iohn 17. Epheſ. 3. to the like-beeing of God (namely, the brightneſs of the cleerneſs of the godly beeing, the upright Righteouſneſs^p^pEpheſ. 4. and holineſs that God eſteemeth) and then to know God the Father and his Son Jeſu Chriſt rightly and according to the Truth, and to underſtand the^q^qIohn 17. Mat. 13. ſecretneſs of the kingdom of God and Chriſt.

8. But ſeeing now that the man is gon back or faln away^r^rGen. 3. Deut. 32 Ier. 2. from his God, and from this pure beauty and cleerneſs of the godly-beeing;26 and^ſ^ſRom. 1. Epheſ. 4. eſtranged from the underſtanding of the wiſdom of Ieſu Chriſt, therefore is he alſo become diſ-inherited of this cleerneſs or brightneſs of the godly light, and hath neither known the Father, nor his Son, the Lord Ieſu Chriſt; by meanes of which eſtranging, he hath not borne or carried in his ſpirit,^t^t1 Cor. 15. Epheſ. 4. the Image or like-beeing of his God, namely, Jeſus Chriſt, to which effect the Goſpel or^u^uMat. 28. Mar. 16. joyfull meſſage is publiſhed, whereby to bring the man again to Chriſt, and to eſtabliſh him in him. But^x^xGen 3. the man is by the ſelf wiſdom of the fleſh, and by his own opinion, quite led away from the upright minde or underſtanding of the Goſpel, and from the incorporating or eſtabliſhing in Ieſu Chriſt, and brought to the corruption; and hath with ſmart and calamity, born the ungodly beeing or the contrary nature unto his God,^y^ySap. 1. to the which he is neither created nor called.

9. This contrary nature unto God or darkneſs, hath captived^z^zMar. 6. Rom. 1. 2 Cor. 4. his ſenſes and thoughts, and ſtoln away his heart and underſtanding, ſo that he can conceive or underſtand very little of the true light or Chriſt of God, and that only becauſe he is ſo utterly eſtranged from^*^*Epheſ 4. Col. 1. the beeing of God, and hath grounded him on the knowledge.

The third Chapter.

NOw for to diſcover the minde a little, how or in what being or form, the word, God our Father, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, is witneſſed by the Apoſtles of Chriſt; So muſt I rehearſe a little of Adam, to what end he was created, whereby men may underſtand the intent whereto Chriſt is preached.

2. When the Almighty God who is full of wiſdome and righteouſneſs, had finiſhed^a^aGen. 1. heaven and earth, and all their garniſhing, then did he alſo create him a man,^b^bGen. 1. Gen 2. Sap 2. Eccleſ 17. according to the likeneſs of his Godhead, who ſhould carry or beare the very like beeing of God, and the Image of his glory, as a fellow partaker of or being like unto the godly nature and kind. Through which like beeing of God, God would be known everlaſtingly in the man, as a true God.

3. Here through was God in the beginning as a light of life, of one ſubſtance with the manly creatures, God^c^cGen 2•. brought forth the memory, for a good and holy underſtanding, becauſe that his like-beeing ſhould not be alone in the manly creatures, but that the memory ſhould in all good and holy underſtanding, be an help^d^d2 Gal. 10 or aid to the like-beeing of the28 Godhead in the manly creatures, to all peace and concord, and to all Love and welfare upon earth.

4. Behold according to all like reſemblance, even as God is a very true^e^eIohn 1. 1 Iohn 1. light and everlaſting life, ſo is alſo his like-being a true light and everlaſting life in the manly creatures, (that are comprehended in the upright Eſtate of their manly being, and in Chriſt) in ſuch like manner alſo in them, the memory that God hath brought forth out of his like-being: which memory in thoſe ſame manly creatures (namely being in their right eſtate) is likewiſe a light of the true light, and a life of the true life, and that altogether to peace and righteouſneſſe upon earth.

5. This in the former Kingdom, was Gods glory in his manly creatures whom he had choſen to himſelf to the end that they ſhould^f^f2 Pet. 3. inhabite the earth with righteouſneſſe, and that even ſo, there-through the higheſt God (as a living and true God) and his holy being and vertuous nature, ſhould as well upon earth, as in heaven, be known for evermore in the ſpirit of the manly creatures, and have his ſhape in them, and ſo live in them.

6. Behold that ſame true and like-beeing of God, which is flowed or born out of the eternall and living Godhead, is the firſt born^g^g1 Cor. 15. Col. 1. of all creatures; and is the true27 and living Chriſt of God,^h^hPſal. 16. Act. 2 Act. 13. which cannot be corrupted; but he continueth alwayesⁱⁱPſal. 9. and everlaſtingly. For he is the^k^kIohn 3. Rom. 1. only born ſon of God, and avery true^l^lIoh. 1. Iohn 14. light, and eternall life for evermore like unto his Father.

7. From hence hath the man turned him, and ſeen and taſted the corruption: but ſo hath not the Chriſt of God. For Gods very like-being, the true Chriſt of God,^m^mEph. 4. Col. 3. is the upright righteouſneſſe and holineſſe, which is everlaſting andⁿⁿSap. 1. immortall, alſo undeſtroyable, unchangeable, and uncorruptible. But the unrighteouſneſſe is the obtaining of death, and of the corruption; which corruption or deadly mortality^o^oGen. 3. Rom. 5. 1 Cor. 15. the man hath taken on, and there-through hath born the contrary being to God,^p^pSap. 2. Iohn 8. that Antichriſt, the like-being of the devill, and ſo is driven from the beholding of God,^q^qGen. 3 without the riches of the godly goods; and hath loſt the mercy-ſeat of his ſalvation.

8. Which ſalvation of the mercy-ſeat, is^r^rGen. 12. Gen. 22. Act 3. Gal. 3. covenanted and promiſed again, by the God of life unto Abraham and his ſeed: And through that ſame, the bleſſing of all generations of the earth; after which ſalvation many^ſ^ſMat. 13. Luke 10. 1 Pet. 1. Kings and Prophets have ſought and inquired, which they ſaw into afar off as coming: but they could not attain unto it, but have witneſſed and prophecied thereof30 that the ſame ſhould be inherited in all Love, Peace, and upright Righteouſneſſe, in the laſt time.

The Fourth Chapter.

THis grace of ſalvation, and this like being of God, which became unknown through Adam, did in times paſt appear in Iſrael, out^a^aMat. 1. Luke 1. Luke 2. of the houſe of David, of the tribe of Iuda, like as God had promiſed^b^bPſal 78. Eſa. 9. Ier. 23. Ier. 30. Dan. 9. through the Law and the mouth of all his Prophets; and he is publiſhed^c^cAct. 2. Acts 3. Acts 13. to the whole generation of Iſrael to be their King, Saviour and Meſſias, and that God had ſhewed the mercy^d^dLuke 1. on them for to help up Iſrael his ſervant: And ſo at the ſame time God was mercifull unto his choſen people and hath not forgotten his Covenant, even as he had promiſed unto Abraham and his ſeed.

2. Even thus verily was this like-being of God, the true Chriſt and only born ſon of God from Eternity; born of the^e^eLuke 2. Rom. 1. ſeed of David according to the fleſh, to be a Saviour to the generation of Iſrael, for to ſet up Iſrael in his righteouſneſſe. But certain of the wiſe and ſcripture-learned ones after the Law,^f^fMat. 12. Mat. 15. Mat. 21. & 27; &c. Acts 2. Acts 3. have neither believed nor received the ſame Ieſus Chriſt according to the fleſh, but have withſtood him, and refuſed both him and his requiring,^g^gMat. 23. & not allowed of him but have delivered31 him over unto the Heathen,^h^hMat. 27. to the death of the Croſſe.

3. Yea, ſo far is the unregenerated man differing from the minde of God (although he bewiſe, prudent, or underſtanding in the knowledge and Scripture-learnedneſſe) that he (for his own wiſdomes cauſe) doth underſtandⁱⁱMat. 11. 1 Cor. 2. nothing at all of the mind of God, nor of the ſetting up of Iſrael; neither yet can he attaine thereunto, with his own wiſdome: like as it hath alſo come to paſſe with the wiſe & Scripture-learned ones of the Law. And this Chriſt of God^k^kLuke 24. Acts 3. Acts 17. hath been forced to ſuffer (yea, from the^l^lApoc. 13. beginning of the world forth) for the wiſdome of the fleſh, and the ſinnes cauſe. And it went with him,^m^mMat. 26 Luke 22. as was written thereof: and he was killed on the earth, with the contemnableⁿⁿSap. 2. Mat. 27. death of the Croſſe, and buryed in the heart of the earth.

4. Seeing now that it was impoſſible, that the death could hold him, or that he ſhould ſee the^o^oPſal. 16. Acts 2. Acts 13. corruption, to a conſumation; therefore is he riſen again^p^pMar. 16. Luke 24. Acts 2. Acts 10. 1 Cor. 15. from the death, for a perpetuall conquering of the ſinne and death, through his death of the Croſſe, and hath made himſelfe manifeſt unto his friends, that loved him, and were his Diſciples: and renewing them in the word of his doctrine, he^q^qLuke 24 ſhewed them (through his ſuffering and death of the Croſſe) the victory^r^r1 Cor. 15 againſt the32 ſinne, death, Devill, and Hell.

5. Now when as theſe his diſciples were renewed and eſtabliſhed in the word of his doctrine, and armed^s^s1 Pet: 4. with the ſame mind of the ſuffering of Jeſus Chriſt,^t^tMar. 16. Luke 24. Acts 1. then was he taken up from them to the right hand of God his Father, in the heavenly being. From thence hath he comforted his diſciples, and compriſed his ſhape in them, out of the heavenly being;^u^uActs 1. Acts 2. powring forth v his holy Spirit into them, as a new and true^x^xApo. 21. Jeruſalem, which is not prepared by men, but by God, like a garniſhed Bride for her Husband. And even thus became God the Father, through his only-borne Sonne (Chriſt) of one ſubſtance againe^y^yActs 2. with the manly creatures: And to that end alſo, becauſe that all manly creatures, ſhould (through Chriſt) be^z^zIohn 17. one ſubſtance with God the Father, is Chriſt preached. And in ſuch a ſtate doth God require to have his people, or the Congregation of Jeſu Chriſt.

6. Behold, theſe diſciples of Jeſu Chriſt (who through Chriſt, were ſealed with the holy^a^aActs 2. Rom 8. 2 Cor. 5. Spirit of Chriſt, from the right hand of God,^b^bMat. 13. taught to the Kingdome of the God of heavens, and eſtabliſhed in God the Father, and in the Lord Jeſu Chriſt) were the right chriſtians, not out of the letter or fleſh,^c^cMat. 26. Luke 22. Iohn 6. 1 Cor. 11. wherewith they had been ſerved till unto the33 coming of the ſame clearneſſe of Chriſt: but out of the power of God,^d^dLuk. 24. Acts 1. Acts 2. 1 Cor. 2. in the Spirit: and did beare even thus^e^e2 Cor. 4. a coſtly treaſure, in earthen veſſels; namely, the very like-being of God the Almighty.

7. Which being of God,^f^f2 Cor. 4. Phil. 2. Col. 1. Heb. 1. is the true Chriſt himſelf, according to the ſpirit: with whom they had their fellowſhip. And through him (ſeeing he was one with God) their^g^g1 Ioh. 1. fellowſhip was alſo with God the Father. Whereby they uſed that word: God our Father, and the Lord (his Son) Jeſu Chriſt. The which alſo, many no doubt, doe ſpeak or witneſſe in that manner, out of the letter, and out of the imagination of the good-thinking knowledge: but they are wide of it, according to the truth. But theſe (who^h^hActs 2. 1 Cor. 2. 1 Iohn 1. witneſſed that word, out of the ſpirit and truth) have witneſſed the grace from God the Father, and from the Lord Jeſu Chriſt, in the truth of God. And yet notwithſtanding, have confeſſed no more but one God: but have witneſſed the wonderfull acts of God, ſhewed on them through Jeſus Chriſt. AndⁱⁱIoel 2. Acts 2. it ſhall come to paſſe (ſaith God) in the laſt dayes.

8. This grace of ſalvation, that^k^kLuke 1. Luke 2. Acts 2. Acts 3. Acts 4. &c. appeared to the Jewes (which many of them in that time refuſed) is publiſhed to the Heathen,^l^lMat 3. Luke 2. Acts 13. to a Repentance for their ſinnes,34 to the end that they ſhould^m^mIohn 1. believe on the like-beeing of God the Almighty, that was appeared unto them, and ſo become partakers likewiſe of the gifts of the holy Ghoſt (through Jeſus Chriſt) out of the fatherly grace: and that their fellowſhip might be oneⁿⁿ1 Ioh. 1. with God the Father, and his Sonne Jeſu Chriſt, in one manner of faith.

9. And to that end was the ſervice of Chriſt miniſtred^o^o2 Cor. 10 under the obedience of faith (by the Apoſtles of Chriſt) to the unbelieving Heathen, namely, in the word of the preaching of the Diſciples and Apoſtles of Chriſt, to the intent that the ſame life of righteouſneſſe (that was refuſed^p^pActs 3. by the Jewes) ſhould be ſet up among the Heathen, through faith; and ſo they ſought to confirme the Law among the Heathen, through faith, and to bring forth the righteouſneſſe thereby,^q^qRom. 3. Gal. 2. Gal. 3. Phil. 3. that is required by the law.

The Fifth Chapter.

BEhold, even thus, for a^a^aLuke 2. Light and Salvation of the Heathen, is this ſame (only out of grace, undeſerved) publiſhed unto the Heathen, for a Goſpel, to a mortifying of their vaine underſtanding,^b^bRom. 1 Rom. 6. Rom 8 1 Cor. 5. 1 Cor. 6. Gal. 5. Gal. 6. and of the corrupt ungodly beeing, and to an incorporating to the new man, whom the Apoſtles of Chriſt did publiſh, namely,35 Chriſt (the like-beeing of God)^c^cLuke 1. Epheſ. 4. in upright righteouſneſſe and holineſſe. In whom (and in none other) ſtandeth the forgiveneſſe of ſinnes.

2. Theſe publiſhers of the holy Word or Goſpel of the Kingdome of God (ſeeing now that Jeſus Chriſt had a ſhape in them, as a very true light and life of God, and that Gods ſhape was in Chriſt, where-thorough they likewiſe were in Chriſt, and God in them) have publiſhed that word (Grace and Peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jeſu Chriſt) in the truth.

3. But although the Apoſtles did publiſh this after this manner, yet have they notwithſtanding, ſpoken no otherwiſe then of one God, who had ſhewed his procreation or generation in them as a^e^eIohn 1. glory of the onlyborne Sonne of the Father, full of grace and truth: namely, that God the Father had begotten and declared in them, his like^f^fIohn 1. 1 Iohn 1. life of God, out of his life, and his like light, out of his light.

4. Seeing then that they did beare this likebeeing of the God-head, in them, therefore have they (through the ſame) knowne the living God, who was their ſalvation: namely, through the life of God, Jeſu Chriſt, being appeared unto them^g^gEpheſ. 3 in the ſpirit. Where-through they alſo publiſhed the life that36 is everlaſting: and ſo witneſſed likewiſe, that thoſe which had^h^h1 Ioh. 5. not the Son of God, could not alſo have the Father, and that they were withoutⁱⁱEpheſ. 2. God in this world. For the like-life of God,^k^kIohn 1. 1 Iohn 1. 1 Iohn 5. is the only born Son of God himſelf. And whoſoever refuſed him, might not obtain the grace before God. For it is ſo concluded by God for ever, that in the Son is the life of ſalvation,^l^lIohn 10. Iohn 14. and that it ſhall alſo be obtained in him.

5. This is verily the grace of God the Father (which was publiſhed in times paſt unto the children of men, under the obedience of Faith, and which is alſo publiſhed now in the laſt time, under the obedience of the Love) that the life of the living Godhead is appeared upon earth, and that (through the ſame) the Unity in the Peace with God the Father is to be obtained, whereby to^m^mIohn 8 Iohn 14. Iohn 17. know him in his glory, and his uniformeneſs with the manhood, through the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Read, Iohn 17.

6. Behold, this is the difference (with a brief Inſtruction) betwixt God the Father, and the Lord Ieſus Chriſt.

Take it to heart.

7. My ſervice to content thee, my Beloved, vouchfaſe to take in good part, with a regard to the God of the living. And this37 my writing (to the anſwering of thy requeſt) have I rehearſed in this manner; ſeeing otherwiſe no means for to open the underſtanding of the Godhead of Chriſt, and to content thee, or to ſatisfie thy demand.

8. Behold, I have here witneſſed the mind unto thee in full manner; ſo that in this Inſtruction (ſo far forth as the LordⁿⁿEpheſ. 1. dothilluminate thine underſtanding) there ſhall be ſufficient to anſwer thy requeſt. And thy intent of heart in the Spirit, ſhall likewiſe through the beleif of the truth, if thou haſt a right regard hereunto,^o^oProv. 4. and takeſt this ſame to heart, be well-minded to our moſt holy Service of Love. The Almighty God lead thee into his Righteouſneſs, Amen.

The End of the Third Epiſtle.

The Fourth Epiſtle. A cleer Inſtruction of the Mediation of Ieſu Chriſt, that cometh to paſſe in the ſpirit, for a Reconciliation betwixt God and the Man.

Jeſus ſpeaketh to his Diſciples:

I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no man cometh to the Father, but through me,

John 14.6.

If any man enter in through me he ſhall be faved,

John 10.9.

I am the light of the world: who ſo followeth after me, walketh not in darkneſs; but he ſhall have the light of life,

Joh. 8.12.

If any man will follow after me, let him forſake himſelf: and take up his Croſſe on him, and follow after me,

Matth. 16.24. Luke 9.23.

He that taketh not up his Croſſe on him, and followeth after me, he is not worthy of me, or he may not be my Diſciple,

Mat. 10.38. Luke 9.23.

There was demanded by a lover of the Truth, and an Inſtruction in writing deſired thereupon, how the Mediation of Jeſu Chriſt, (according to the Spirit, or ſpiritually,) cometh to paſſe in us, to our^a^aRom. 5. Reconciliation with God the Father: and how Chriſt is an^b^bHeb. 1. heire of all things, and how^c^c1 Cor. 15. God is all in all.

Whereupon this preſent Letter is written by H. N. out of an Inclination of the Love; very profitable and needful to the underſtanding thereof, for all thoſe that hope upon God, upon Chriſt, and upon their ſalvation, To the end that they may underſtand which is the right ground of the belief in Ieſu Chriſt, where-through one is juſtified from the Sin, for to be in that ſort reconciled with God in a new Life, according to the Scripture.

The Firſt Chapter.

FOraſmuch as I have alwaies found my ſelf willingly bent to doe thee ſervice, my beloved Brother, ſo doe I alſo ſtill find my ſelf ready prepared thereto, namely, in that wherein I may be ſerviceable unto thee, to a guiding into the holy underſtanding, to the end that thou (if God vouchſafe the ſame) mighteſt (through my ſmall Service) be a little furthered to the good knowledge in God and his Chriſt.

2. But ſeeing I am alwaies carefull, and do ſtand in fear to write much of the deepe grounds of the^a^aRom. 11. ſecret knowledges of God and Chriſt; ſo am I alwaies carefull, leſt that the ſame (if we ſhould write boldly thereof) might thruſt back any one from us and our godly doctrine, or offend him thereby: or that any one ſhould deſire to glory or to boaſt therein, as in a knowledge of the fleſh, and not before all things or with his whole heart, to be partaker in the ſpirit,^b^b2 Pet. 1. of the beeing whereof we doe write or witneſs.

3. For albeit that we do know well (according to the comprehenſion of our naturall reaſon) that there is a God, a Chriſt, and a holy Ghoſt, and ſo do talk of them; and yet do not (through that knowledge) believe, ſerve, nor love the ſame God, as he is a God, and his40 Chriſt, as he is a Chriſt, and the holy Ghoſt, as he is an holy Ghoſt, nor yet deſire to become partakers of his being: but to live in a^c^cRom. 1. Epheſ. 4. ſtrange being, which is none of Gods being, and to cleave unto the ſame, ſo is then the knowledge of the holy ſecretneſſe of God, more hurtfull then furderſome unto us. For if we know in what forme or being, that there is a God, and yet doe not honour nor ſerve him, as he is a God, but have a luſt to the contrary-being unto God, then is that ſame to a^d^dMat. 25. Luke 12. more grievous condemnation unto us.

4. Seeing now that I (through the light) doe behold theſe perils, ſo am I likewiſe carefull therein, to write of the ſecrets of God, before many. And if thou lookeſt with me into the perils, then know I well, that thou wilt not diſalow me in my carefulneſſe. For I have much more delight in the obeying of the requiring of the ſervice of Love, and where Gods being, light, or upright righteouſneſſe, doth even ſo then riſe up in^e^eEſa. 58. power, in the inward man, then, where as men doe with ſpeakable words (out of the knowledge) talke much of the ſecretneſſe of God, according to the outward manner.

5. Thou alſo knoweſt partly my converſation, in what ſort it was with thee, and how fearefully touching many words, I have behaved my ſelf with thee: ſhewing thee, that the41^f^fMat. 13. ſecretneſſe of the Kingdome of God or Chriſt, conſiſteth not^g^g1 Cor. 2 in the multitude of words, nor in the riches of the knowledge, becauſe that thou ſhouldeſt not ſuffer thy ſelfe to be bewitched by any man, with outward or ſtrange words, or ſayings of plentifull ſtore of Languages, as to let thine heart commit whoredome therewith. But that thou mighteſt have a much more regard unto the power of God, and unto the upright righteouſneſſe that God worketh through the miniſtration of his gracious word and ſervice of love, in the ſpirit of the inward man, to the end for to live uprightly therein, with a meek-minded ſpirit. For a meek-minded^h^hPſal. 5. Eſa. 57. Iſa. 61. Eſa. 66. ſpirit (which hath his proceeding obediently, according to the requiring of the Lords word) is very precious and acceptable before God.

6. And although that we doe (in the ſame ſpirit) goe on in ſilence, as touching the outward manner, and are poore of ſpirit in Tongues or Languages, yet is not for all that, the richneſſe of the ſpirituall and heavenly knowledge of God, ever the leſſe among us, but rather the greater: and the ſame, and all that which is of God and Chriſt, doe we eſteeme veryⁱⁱIob. 28. Pſal. 19. Pro. 3. Pro. 8. Sap. 7. precious, yea much worthier then all the riches or coſtly treaſures of this world: for that ſame (of worthineſſe part) excelleth it all. For which occaſion, we let our42 words be few becauſe that the ſame which we ſpeak, may not proceed out of the knowledge, but out of the^k^k1 Cor. 2. power of God, and out of the truth of Jeſu Chriſt.

7. And in the ſame ſpeech of the godly things, we do alſo take heed with foreſightfulneſs (ſo much as we may therein) of the looſe ones of heart, to the end, that there be not one godly ſaying of the precious ſecret wiſdome ſpoken out in vain. O! how^l^lEccl. 14. Eccleſ 15. Iames 3. happy is he that falleth not in his tongue, and whoſe words^m^mCol. 4. are tempered with ſalt?

8. Now this being omitted, I rejoyce me doubtleſſe of thee, and of the Commonalty that is with thee; and I hope to rejoyce me yet more with thee with greater joy, by means of the Anſwer unto me, that I have heard from thee, as that ye altogether are welminded to that which is the beeing it ſelfe, whereof the Scripture witneſſeth (as perſonally) of God, of Chriſt, and of the holy Ghoſt: Which beeing (for thoſe that be partakers thereof) are the ſecret Treaſures, andⁿⁿMat. 12. heavenly riches of God, whereof the world, the rich Scripture learned ones, nor the good-thinking wiſe (with all their deep-groundly knowledge) do neither know nor underſtand^o^oMat. 11. 1 Cor. 2. any thing at all.

9. It is true, they have the Scripture of the godly witneſſes, where-through they ſuppoſe43 to be wiſe and underſtanding. But ſeeing they give not their underſtanding captive under the obedience of the Love of Jeſu Chriſt and come^p^pIohn 5. not even ſo to the beeing, whereof the Scripture ſpeaketh, nor yet believe thereon,^q^qIohn 7. as the Scripture ſaith, ſo is there likewiſe no light, nor truth, nor yet ſpirit nor being of God, among them, and they alſo doe neither know nor^r^rMat. 22. 1 Tim. 1. underſtand that which they themſelves ſpeak thereof.

10. But the God of life (^f^fEpheſ. 2. who is rich of mercie) hath (out of his hearty Love)^t^tEpheſ. 1. Epheſ. 2. Epheſ. 3. Col. 1. revealed the beeing of his glory unto us, renewed our ignorant underſtanding (under the obedience of his Love) to a ſpirituall mind of the upright righteouſneſſe, and (when we were full of infirmities,^u^uRom. 5. Epheſ. 2. Col. 1. Col. 2. and dead, for the ſinnes cauſe) begotten us again, out of his Love,^x^xTit. 1. Tit. 3. to a ſure hope of his life.

11. Seeing then that^y^yHeb. 12. ſuch a cloud of holy dew, is (by Gods grace) appeared in our ſight, according to the ſpirit, and come from Gods right hand, as an heavenly bleſſing, and whereout alſo the right beeing of God (whereof we ſpeak)^a^a2 Cor. 4. ariſeth unto us, as a light and cleerneſſe: therefore have we (although the Scripture witneſſeth thereon, and that we doe heare many ſpeak thereof) more regard unto that which is the upright beeing it ſelfe (wherein our joy ſtandeth) then unto44 that which witneſſeth thereon.

12. For the ſame light that ſhineth now unto us, out of the heavenly truth,^b^b1 Ioh 1. is the everlaſting life, which was with the Father, in the beginning: and it is^c^cPſal. 45. Heb. 1. the Mercie-ſeat of the godly Majeſty, which continueth from everlaſting to everlaſting: Even as I likewiſe have talked with thee of the ſame, when I was laſt with thee.

The Second Chapter.

FOraſmuch then as thy requeſt was unto me at that time, to write thee an Inſtruction of the mediation of Jeſu Chriſt after the Spirit: and how the ſame cometh to paſſe in us,^a^aRom. 3. 2 Cor. 5. Epheſ. 2. 1 Iohn 2. 1 Iohn 4. for a reconciliation betwixt God and us: and how Chriſt is^b^bHeb. 1. an heir of all things: and how^c^c1 Cor. 15. God is all in all: therefore will I open a little of the ſame unto thee: and I hope alſo to ſatisfie thee well with this inſtruction.

2. Inaſmuch then as I have partly marked thine Inclination to the holy and ſpirituall underſtanding of the upright righteouſneſſe, therefore can I not of natures part omit, but muſt witneſſe unto thee of that which thou deſireſt at my hands, alſo reveale the^d^dEpheſ. 3. Myſterie of Chriſt, and make known unto thee, that which is hidden^e^eRom. 15. Epheſ. 1. Eph. 3. Col. 1. before the world, and all her wiſe ones, and deſcribe it unto thee in writing, accordingly as the Lord illuminateth45 mine underſtanding thereto, and as it may be profitable for thee to edification.

3. There is teſtified in the Scripture, (the which according to the ſpirit, is alſo very true) that God is^f^fIohn 4. 2 Cor. 3. a Spirit, and a^g^g1 Ioh. 1. very true light, with whom no darkneſſes or ſins are mingled. But ſeeing that the man is faln^h^hGen 3. Eſa. 59. into a ſtrange contrary-beeing unto God, and goeth on, and liveth therein, ſo is he likewiſeⁱⁱEpheſ. 4. Col. 1. eſtranged from God and from his light, and walketh according to the fleſh or outward, and according to the requiring and deſires of the fore-skin of his uncircumciſed heart, and not according to the ſpirit, or according to the requireing of the godly-beeing; and ſo he^k^kPſal. 82. Epheſ. 5. walketh in the ungodly-beeing of the darkneſſes; and that ſame ungodly-beeing of the darkneſſes hath^l^lRom. 1. Epheſ 4. blinded his heart. And that verily is the ſin,^m^mEſa. 59. which ſeparateth the man from his God; and it is theⁿⁿEpheſ. 2. middle wall, as an enmity between God and the man. By meanes of which middle wall, both God and the man are grown into two parts, and are partially minded againſt each other. Yet ought they (both God and the man) to be^o^oIohn 17 Epheſ. 5. one, like as it was^p^pGen. 2. in the beginning.

4. Seeing now therfore that they are divided, (either of them in his own minde,)^q^qGal. 5. againſt each other, ſo is God, (^r^rIohn 4. 2 Cor. 3. who is a ſpirit) ſpirituall and minded to all upright righteouſneſs,36 againſt the minde of man, and the man who is^ſ^ſGen. 6. fleſh and blood, and not yet circumcied^t^tGen. 10. Ier 4. on the fore-skin of his heart, to a laying away of the ſin,^u^uRom. 8 is fleſhly and ungodly minded againſt the minde of God.

5. Now doth Gods love and mercy extend towards the man, as alluring,^x^xIohn 6. and drawing him daily (by his gracious word and ſervice of Love, and by his Miniſters) unto him, and to his ſpirituall minde of upright righteouſneſſe. But ſeeing that the darkneſſe, the ſinfull fleſh, or ungodly beeing, is grown between God and man as a fore-skin^y^yEſa. 59. Epheſ. 2. or middle wall, and as an enmity: and that God is ſpiritually minded, and the uncircumciſed man, fleſhly minded, according to the minde of his fore-skin of the ſinfull fleſh; therefore doth not the^z^zRom. 8. 1 Cor. 3. man underſtand the ſpirituall minde of God the father, neither yet know the good will of God, that loveth him to Salvation; and he believeth not God in his word nor ſervice: but he believeth the darkneſſe which hath incloſed him; and following thoſe ſad luſts^a^aEpheſ. 4. of error, he goeth back, and ſo ſinneth daily againſt the father; and that is the ſin that is forgiven^b^bMat. 12. the man, in his repentance for the ſin, becauſe of his ignoance through unbelief.

The Third Chapter.

NOw mighteſt thou demand, what ſpirit or being is this God, of whom the Scripture witneſſeth, or unto whom we ought to turne us in the Spirit? the Anſwer: Of the ſame have we rehearſed in the^a^aIntro. 22 Intro. 23. Introduction to the holy underſtanding of the glaſſe of righteouſneſſe. But now for to come to the knowledge of our ſelves, and to a good knowledge of our God and his righteouſneſſe, ſo will we (to a larger declaring of our underſtanding, touching that whereof we ſpeak, and to a diſtincting of the true light, the living God, who^b^bHeb. 13. was, and is, and continueth for ever) rehearſe and teſtifie here in this place alſo, of the beeing of the only God.

2. This God (the living and very true one) is the true^c^cExod. 3. God of Abraham, through whom the^d^dGen. 12. Rom. 4. promiſes of the mans ſalvation or bleſſing, doe come to paſſe in his faith, the true God^e^eMat. 22. of Iſaac in whom the^f^fGen. 21. Heb. 11. promiſes be inherited, and in whom the ſeed of bleſſing is named, and the true God of^g^gActs 7. Jacob or Iſrael, in whom the promiſes of the glory^h^hNumb. 14. Eſa. 40. of God, and of the mans ſalvation, orⁱⁱIer. 23. Ier. 33. bleſſing become eſtabliſhed, and^k^kLuke 1. Gods true righteouſneſſe, this ſelfe ſame God,^l^lSap 5. Eccleſ. 24. 1 Pet. 2. Iames 1. is a very true unchangeable light, a cleer^m^mEphe. 1. day, and a gliſtering delightfull beauty.

3. This light is theⁿⁿIoh. 14. everlaſting life of the upright righteouſneſſe, an overflowing^o^oPſ. 42. Ier. 2. Iohn 4. fountaine of living waters, full of joy, full of all ſweetneſſe, full of Love, and full of peace, abounding with plenty of grace and mercy.

4. This life is the^p^pIohn 1. everlaſting firm-ſtanding eſſentiall word,^q^q1 Cor. 2. Heb. 4. full of power and poſſibility.

5. This word is the^r^rIohn 6. Epheſ. 1. Epheſ 6. & 4. true ſpirit, with full power of ſealing, or to an everlaſting eſtabliſhing of the living Godhead, with the manhood, and that is unto the man the certainty of the truth, that he the ſame God is only^ſ^ſPſ. 116. Iohn 3. Rom. 3. a very true God.

6. This ſpirit is^t^tSap. 7. the holy wiſdome, and the upright underſtanding, full of all ſpirituall heavenly goods.

7. This holy wiſdome and upright underſtanding is the^u^uEccleſ. 4. providence, which ſo reſeeth every thing that is good: and diſcerneth life and death, and giveth knowledge of the good,^x^xPro. 2. to a warning from the evill.

8. This providence is the will^y^ySap. 1. which willeth that all that which is good ſhould be and come to light.

9. In this ſame good will is the^z^zHeb. 11. beliefe grounded, as a ſure and firme confidence, that all that which is good, and foreſeen to the good, ſhall be performed or come to light,49 the which the good will deſireth, that all that which is good may be, become manifeſt and live.

10. The beliefe^a^a1 Cor. 2. Epheſ. 1. Epheſ. 3. Phil. 3. is the power as mighty to bring to light all good there through.

11. This power is the deed, or the work of all good, and^b^bPhil. 2. the accompliſhment of all the works of God.

12. Behold, ſuch a ſpirit or beeing, is the true God, of whom the Scripture ſpeaketh, and unto whom the man ought to turne him: for he the ſame God is the right Father, who out of himſelfe, and through the like-being of his Godhead, hath made^c^cGen 1. Pſal. 33. Iohn 1. Epheſ. 3. all that is any thing, and all his^d^dPſal 19. Pſ. 89. & 97. Rom. 1. works doe teſtifie of him, that he the ſame God, is an everlaſting living and true God, to the end that he only ſhould be^e^eDeut. 6. Deut. 10. ſerved, honoured, and worſhipped in all his workes, as a great glorious God^f^fPſ. 10. & 29. who only is the Lord and King.

13. This everlaſting God, ſeeing that he hath made^g^gPro. 8. Iohn 1. all that is any thing through his like-beeing (for that the ſame like-beeing, ſhould be^h^hHeb. 1. an heir in all things) hath alſo in the beginning, formedⁱⁱGen 1. Sap. 2. that ſame (his very like-beeing) in the man: And ſo hath God made and ordained every thing^k^kEccl. 39. well through his godly beeing. And^l^lIohn 1. without that ſame beeing, God hath made nothing that is any what, nor ordained any thing, without the50 ſame; and that ſame like-beeing of his Godhead,^m^mIohn 1. Iohn. 6. is his only born Son Jeſus Chriſt, and is theⁿⁿ1 Cor. 15. Col. 1. firſtling or the firſt-born of all creatures, whom God hath fore-ſeen thereto, ere-ever^o^oPro. 8. the foundation of the world was laid,^p^pHeb. 1. and to be an heire of all his works.

14. He is promiſed^q^qIohn 3. Rom. 8. and given unto us by God the Father, (as a Chriſt of God) for a life and for a Salvation: and is likewiſe ſo^r^rPſ. 19. Acts 2. Act. 3. &c. preached and publiſhed to the world. But the world hath not beleeved in him; and therefore alſo^ſ^ſIohn 8. Iohn 9. remaineth her ſin and death.

15. For in no man elſe but in that ſame only Chriſt^t^tIohn 1. is the life. Which life, is a light of men, and that light ſhineth in the darkneſſes, and the darkneſſes have not comprehended it.

16. That ſame is a very true light,^u^uIohn 8. which lighteth all men, through his coming into this world; and he was in the world, and the world was made through him, but the world knew him not.

17. He came into his own, and his own received him not. But ſo many as received him, to them gave he the power to be children of God; namely, Thoſe that beleeved on his Name, which are not born of blood, nor of the will of the Fleſh, nor yet of the will of man, but of God.

The Fourth Chapter.

OF this ſelfe ſame only born Son of God the Father, the Prophet Iſaiah doth alſo witneſs;^a^aEſa. 3. A childe (ſaith he) is born unto us, a ſon is given unto us, whoſe dominion is upon his Shoulders, and he is called wonderfull, counſell, power, giant, everlaſting Father, a peaceable Prince: Becauſe that his dominion may be great, and no end of the Peace, upon the ſeat of David and his Kingdom.

2. Him hath likewiſe the Prophet David ſeen in the Spirit, and witneſſed of him, that God hath^b^bPſ. 110. Heb. 5. Heb. 7. ſworn (and it ſhall not repent him) that he is a Prieſt for ever after the order of Melchiſedech; and he continueth alſo an High Prieſt^c^cHeb. 3. Heb. 10 over the houſe of God for ever, as^d^dHeb. 8. Heb. 9. a Miniſter of the ſpirituall and heavenly goods. Which miniſtration cometh to paſſe in the ſpirit, and not in the letter, even as is written of him.

3. But ſeeing now that the man is fallen away^e^eGen. 3. Epheſ 4. Col. 1. or eſtranged from this upright beeing of his God; therefore hath this Chriſt (the true Lambe of God) ſuffered^f^fPhil. 2. the death of the Croſſe in the man. Which Lambe of God was killed^g^gApoc. 5. Apoc. 13. from the beginning of the world, for the ſins cauſe. But ſeeing he is not of the death, but of the living Father, the God for ever, therefore is he alſo riſen^h^hMar. 16. Luke 24. Acts 2. Acts 10. 1 Cor. 15 Col. 1. again, and as52 theⁱⁱMat. 28. firſtling, riſen up from the death,^k^kAct. 1. Act. 2. Acts 10. & 13. and hath ſhewed himſelf alive unto his Diſciples and Beleevers, and ſet himſelf at the^l^l1 Cor. 15 right hand of God his Father, in the heavenly beeing, bearing the dominion, till that all his enemies be laid under his feet, to a conquering of ſin and death through faith.

4. This is that Jeſus Chriſt, which (like as he was preached before, and^m^mActs 1. 1 Theſ. 5. 2 Theſ. 1. ſhould be ſeen in his coming) isⁿⁿ2 Cor. 4 2 Tim. 1. appeared and come unto us, in the obedience of the Love, according to the ſcripture, who muſt poſſeſſe the heaven, till unto this time,^o^oActs 3. wherein all becometh reſtored again, that God hath ſpoken by the mouth of all his Prophets, from the beginning of the world.

5. This ſame was in times paſt publiſhed in the world,^p^pMar. 16. Luke 24. Acts 1. Acts 2. for a Goſpel or joyful meſſage, to the end that all thoſe w^ch were burthened w^th ſin & captived w^th darkneſſes, ſhould be baptized or waſhed^q^qRom. 6. Col. 2. in his death of the Croſs, according to the inward man, and planted into him^r^r2 Cor. 4. Phil. 3. w^th his like death, for that all thoſe w^ch beved in him, ſhould be born again out of the ſame death, & ſo become partakers of the^ſ^ſRom. 6 2 Cor. 4. Phil. 3. reſurrection of Chriſt, (the very like-beeing of God, the righteous one) and that they might even ſo then (in the ſpirit) have their fellowſhip with Chriſt,^t^tEpheſ. 2. in the heavenly beeing, in the Kindom of God his Father, and ſo rejoyce53 them in this coming in the everlaſting Life.

6. Behold, that is the upright^u^uLuke 1. Epheſ. 4. Righteouſnes and holyneſs, which cometh to the Man in the Spirit, through Chriſt, to an everlaſting Reconciling of the Man with God, or to an^x^xIohn 17. Epheſ 2. Unity, betwixt God and the man, to th'end that God may in that ſort, be^y^y1 Cor. 15 all in all, according to the Promiſes.

The Fifth Chapter.

BUt ſeeing now that thy queſtion is, how, or in what manner the ſame ſhall come to paſſe in us ▪ ſo can I not omit to give thee a full inſtruction thereof.

2. Therefore behold, and conſider in thine underſtanding, my beloved, how that now in the laſt time, the ſame living God (out of Grace undeſerved) is^a^a2 Cor. 4. 2 Tim 1. appeared unto us out of his holy heaven, and dwelleth,^b^b2 Cor. 6. Apoc. 21. liveth, and walketh among us, (the family of his Love;) and how that he and his upright righteouſneſs is (by his gracious word) adminiſtred in the familie of Love: and how that likewiſe in the ſame adminiſtration,^c^c2 Cor. 10. 1 Pet 1. the belief, and the obedience to the requiring of the ſame God, is required of all men,^d^dEpheſ 4. to an unity of heart with us in all Love.

3. So conſider then whereſoever the ſame living God of heaven and his goodneſſe (as an upright being, and very true Light, and54 as the right Father of his like-beeing and^e^eIames 1. light for ever; and his will and requiring (as a fatherly Love, to the mans preſervation in the godlineſſe) is adminiſtred, in the miniſtration of his gracious word under the obedience of the Love (of whoſe beeing and upright forme, we have witneſſed before) and that then likewiſe in the ſame adminiſtration, belief and obedience is ſhewed by the man, in the ſame will and requiring of God, even there (in the belief) is the ſame living God ſeen and known, like as he (according to the Spirit) is an upright being^f^fIohn 1. Iohn 8. 1 Iohn 1. and very true light, for a life of men, and the right Father of his like-beeing and light: there is alſo ſeen and known that the ſame Gods procreation or ſeed, is likewiſe his upright beeing and very true light, and is even ſo (in the believing and obeying of the ſame adminiſtration) proceeding from the ſame Father, and that the ſame is wholly and altogether of one mind, and^g^gIohn 17. Col 8. of one ſubſtance with the Father, and is the true Chriſt himſelfe, and geteth in that ſort, his forme in the man.

4. To whomſoever now the ſame Chriſt doth come thus in the ſpirit, eſſentially,^h^h1 Iohn 1. to thoſe is he alſo ſeen and known rightly in the ſpirit: and he is likewiſe ofⁱⁱIohn 17. one ſubſtance with them, in all Love and upright righteouſneſſe.

5. This ſelfe ſame Chriſt, the true Son and like-beeing^k^kCol. 1. Heb. 1. of God his Father (although he (from eternity) be the^l^l1 Cor. 15. Col. 1. firſt born of all creatures, and the only^m^mMat. 16 Luke 9. Iohn 6. born Son of God) is alſo (according to his birth of the ſeed of David after the fleſh) named the Son ofⁿⁿMat. 8. Mat. 12. Luke 6. Luke 9. & 21. Man, becauſe that he (as the true ſeed of the promiſes of God the Father) is ſown or planted in our manhood, through the miniſtration of the gracious word of the Lord, and through the belief and obedience to the ſame word; alſo manned with our manhood; and ſo (after our paſſing over his like death of the Croſſe, unto the^o^oIohn 3. Rom. 12. Epheſ. 4. ſecond birth from the death) borne again out of our manhood.

6. And that is the very true Seed of God from heaven, which is ſown in our^p^pMat. 13. Mar 4. Luke 8. manhood, through the Adminiſtration of the holy and gracious word, under the obedience of the Love, and (at the appointed time) born again by us and out of us, as a^q^qIoh. 15. fruit of the overflowing good life and of the upright righteouſneſs and holineſs; and where-through we are then likewiſe (according to the word of our Lord Ieſu Chriſt) the^r^rMat. 12. Luke 8. Mother, brothers, and ſiſters of Chriſt, which do the will of his heavenly Father.

7. This ſame Man of God from heaven according to the Spirit, and the Sonne of56 man^f^fMat. 1. Rom. 1. of the ſeed of David according to the fleſh, is in all points minded^t^tMat. 26. Iohn 4. Iohn 6. & 8. according to the will of God his Father: and his will is, that all what is good, ſhould be, and he beareth in us the^u^uPhil. 2. Heb. 2. Heb. 5. image of the earthly man, and ſuffereth with us for our ſinnes.

8. But now when the believer of his gracious word, hath^x^x2 Pet. 1. regard obediently unto his gracious word, according to the requiring of his Service of Love: and that even ſo (in his beliefe and obedience) the ſame word beginneth to appeare or break through, as a very true^y^yJohn 1.2 Cor. 4. light of the upright life and like-beeing of the perfect cleareneſſe of God, and as a^z^z2 Cor. 5. Gal. 6. new creature from heaven, then hath God the Father his pleaſure^a^aEſa. 42. Mat. 12. Mat. 17. 2 Pet 1. only in the ſame light and life of his like-cleerneſſe and upright righteouſneſſe. For that is his beloved Sonne (his ſpirituall heavenly beeing) whom he hath given unto us for an everlaſting^b^bHeb. 1. heir, to the end that we ſhould live through him.

9. Seeing now that the Lord (the God of heaven) is ſpirituall, and minded to the upright righteouſneſſe, and that the man of the earth is fleſhly,^c^cGen 6. Rom. 7. and minded to the ſinne, and unbelieving and diſobedient to the requiring of God in the miniſtration of his gracious word and Service of Love, therefore hath God (according to ſuch a mind of the man)57 no^d^dRom. 8. pleaſure in the earthly man, nor yet the earthly man, in God, nor in his requiring.

10. But ſeeing now that the only-borne^e^eMat. 16. Luke 9. Iohn 6. Sonne of God the Father according to the ſpirit [namely, Chriſt, the like^f^fSap. 7. Col. 1. Heb 1. beeing of God] is alſo the only-borne Sonne, out of the^g^gMat. 1. Rom. 1. manhood, of the ſeed of David according to the fleſh, and beareth in us the Image of the earthly manhood, as well as the Image of the heavenly God-head, therefore it is not his will that the man (whom he hath created^h^hSap. 1. Sap. 2. Eccleſ 17. to be an Image of his like-beeing) ſhould periſh in the diſobedience of the earthly man,ⁱⁱEzek 18. Ez k 33. 2 Pet 3. nor in the ſins of the earthly being but ſhould live for ever and ever, with him and with his ſpirit, in the upright righteouſneſſe of his heavenly beeing, and that all men likewiſe (which love God and his righteouſneſſe) ſhould be aſſembled into the ſame beeing, and be ſaved both in ſoule and body.

11. Behold, the ſame forementioned Chriſt and Sonne of God (who for our ſinnes cauſe, hath ſuffered in us the death^k^kRom. 6. Phil. 2. of the Croſſe, and armeth us^l^l1 Pet. 4. with the ſame minde of his ſuffering and death) maketh known unto us (as is before ſaid) through his Service of Love, his upright beeing of righteouſneſſe. And in our good will to the ſame, he bringeth his belief unto us: and ſo in belief, he himſelfe^m^mEſa. 53.1 Pet 2. beareth our ſinnes, and juſtifiethⁿⁿRom 3. Gal. 2. us58 from the ſame, through the belief. And ſo taking our ſinnes upon him, in patience he^o^o1 Iohn 1. Iohn 4. reconcileth us before his Father, and maketh his^p^pIohn 14. Apoc. 21. dwelling in us.

12. Even thus verily with patience doth Chriſt come before the man (for his^q^qRom. 8. 2 Cor. 12. Heb. 5. ignorance and weakneſſe cauſe) in the miniſtration of the gracious word of God his Father: and in the ſame patience, he (through his Service of Love) r draweth the man away from all that is ungodly and unreaſonable, and whereunto he is bound, or wherewith he is bewitched, according to his earthly and manly mind.

13. Behold, in this ſort doth Chriſt (in the obeying of the requiring of the ſervice of his Love)^r^rOze. 13. Rom. 8. 1 Cor. 15. 2 Tim. 1. Heb. 2. 1 Iohn 3. break all the bands of the Devill and of the ſelfe-mindedneſſe of the fleſh: and bringeth the believing and obedient man, to his ſpirituall and heavenly mind of the upright righteouſneſſe, according to the mind of God his Father: and even ſo (as the^f^f1 Tim 2. Heb. 9. true mediatour, to our reconcilement with God the Father) he putteth away the^t^tEſa. 59. Epheſ. 2. middlewall betwixt God and us: and procureth the man, that he uniteth him with a good will, with a Godhead, and God,^u^uIohn 17. to an uniting with the manhood.

14. Behold, and have a good regard hereunto, my beloved, for even thus (as59 is rehearſed) is^x^xRom. 55. the peace and reconciliation with God the Father, prepared for us through Chriſt: and ſo he maketh of two,^y^yEpheſ. 22. that they be one, namely, the Godhead and the manhood.

15. But in the meane time that we doe ſuffer with^a^aRom. 22. 2 Cor. 44. Phil. 3. 2 Tim. 22. Chriſt, for the ſinnes cauſe, and doe daily take our^b^bMat 16. Luke 14. Croſſe upon us, with him, ſo doe there yet daily no doubt, many temptations meet with us, through the unbeliefe of the earthly man: and we doe ſtumble or fall, and doe ſinne alſo yet ſometimes, by reaſon of our ignorance and weakneſſe. Which ſinne we doe not then commit in the Father, but^c^cMat. 12. in the Sonne. But if we be good of will, and continue ſtedfaſt therein, then is the ſin^d^dAct. 10. forgiven us, through his name.

16. For inaſmuch as he himſelfe beareth in us our ſinnes, therefore hath he^e^eHeb. 55 compaſſion with our weakneſſe: and ſuffereth likewiſe with us, in the belief, till that all the contrary-being that is againſt the upright beeing of God the Father, be overcome through the belief, in the like-ſuffering with Chriſt,^f^fRom. 6. Phil. 2. of the death of the Croſſe, and that Chriſt with his Father, have gotten^g^g1 Cor. 15. the dominion againſt the ſinne. Which Croſſe or ſuffering of Chriſt, is the altar of the offering of Chriſt,^h^hHeb. 9. Heb. 13. in the holy, whereon our ſinnes be offered up through the offering of Chriſt, as60 a ſinne-offering, death offering, and debt-offering. Through which offering of Chriſt wherein we doe obediently follow afterⁱⁱ1 Pet. 2. him, till unto the ſecond birth from the death) we be^k^k2 Cor. 5. Epheſ. 1. Epheſ. 2. Heb. 9. ſprinckled with his bloud of the true teſtament, to the forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, and to an everlaſting reconcilement with God the Father, through faith, and that ſame is the fulfilling of the true God-ſervice in the holy.

17. Through which fulfilling of the foregoing Service in the holy, the godly underſtanding^l^l1 Cor. 13 Eph. 4 of the true age of the manly-beeing of Ieſu Chriſt, is inherited by us.^m^m2 Cor. 3. the veil before the moſt holy, put away from us, and theⁿⁿEſa. 16. Heb. 1. Heb. 5. mercy-ſeat, uncovered and declared unto us: and likewiſe all the coſtly^o^oCol. 2. riches of the upright ſpirituall and heavenly Goods in the very true moſt holy.

18. When as we now are thus renewed^p^pRom. 12 Epheſ. 1. in Ieſu Chriſt, through faith, alſo come to the ſame^q^qEpheſ 4. age of the man Chriſt, and become one body with Ieſu Chriſt, ſo is God the Father then likewiſe^r^rEpheſ. 2. one ſubſtance or manned with us, through Chriſt: and^f^f1 Cor. 15. is all in all: and we have the^t^t2 Cor. 1. paune of his inheritance: namely, the holy Ghoſt, wherewith we be grounded, ſealed, and eſtabliſhedⁿⁿEpheſ 3. in God, through Ieſus Chriſt. And all that godly beeing (even as we have witneſſed before of God61 the Father) doth then live ſubſtantially in us: and ſo we have our^x^x1 Ioh. 1. fellowſhip with God the Father, and with his Sonne (the Lord Jeſu Chriſt) in the everlaſting life, wherein our joy is perfect.

19. Behold, that is the true joyfulneſſe with Chriſt, which we doe inherit in the Kingdome of God his Father: and doe know no more of the Sinne. For in that we are dead,^y^yRom 6. that are we dead unto the ſinne, and in that we live, that live we unto God, in Jeſu Chriſt: and ſo have a good and quiet conſcience through Jeſus Chriſt, in his dominion over the Sinne and death.

20. Which dominion of Chriſt and^z^zLuke 16 Kingdome of God, is as then come inwardly into us: and it is with us in all points, one God in one beeing, namely, the Father, the Sonne, the holy Ghoſt, with the manhood, in all Love. And that is the life and peace, and the^*^*Gen 21. Rom 4. Gal. 3. ſeed of Promiſe, to the bleſſing of all generations of the earth.

The Sixth Chapter.

MY beloved, this ſame (even as I have here witneſſed unto thee) is the right mediation of Jeſu Chriſt, inwardly in us, to our ſafe-making and reconciliation^a^aRom. 3. 2 Cor. 5. Col. 1. 1 Iohn 2. with God the Father: wherethrough alſo Chriſt is an^b^bHeb. 1. heir of all things, and God, all^c^c1 Cor. 15. in all. It is very true.

2. And with this Inſtruction out of the heavenly truth, doe I heartily ſalute thee in the Lord,^d^dEpheſ 4. to an Unity of heart in the Love: and look thou with ſpirituall eies of a pure heart, into the ground of that whereof I write unto thee, to the end that thou maiſt comprehend the ſecret underſtanding of the ſpirituall and holy knowledge whereof I write unto thee; and let thine underſtanding awake, to the Love and to her Service.

I deſire likewiſe of thee, that the Commonalty which is with thee may alſo read the Letter, and ſalute them all in my behalfe,^e^eRom. 16. 2 Cor. 13. with a ſalutation of the Love, and if there be any among you that are acquainted with any people, whom they know to ſeek God with heart, or that are no undiſcreet blaſphemers, but ſtand wellminded to the unity of heart in the Love, let them alſo read over this writing: And love alwayes the unity of heart in the Love, to an increaſing of the hely knowledge, and rejoyce you among each other in the Love, through the ſpirituall^f^fEpheſ. 1. heavenly goods, which doe come unto us in the Spirit, out of the godly Love.

4. The love of God the Father^g^gCol. 3. get the victory in all your hearts, Amen.

5. Pray for me that the Lord will ſtrengthen me in my Spirit with his Love, to the end that I may bee ſtrengthened in him without feare, and ſo may ſtand faſt againſt all mine enemies, and that the concord of Peace may be prepared upon earth, through the Love and her Service, according to the Promiſes.

The End of the Fourth Epiſtle.

Our heart is the mind of God moſt High. 
Our beeing amiable, as the ſweet Lilly. 
Our faithfulneſs, love, and truth upright,
 Is Gods light life, and cleerneſs bright. 

FINIS.

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TextThe first epistle. A crying voice of the holy spirit of love, wherewith all people are out of meer grace, called and bidden by H.N. to the true repentance for their sins, to the entrance into the upright Christian life, and to the house of the love of Jesu Christ.

AuthorNiclaes, Hendrik, 1502?-1580?.

Extent Approx. 108 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 33 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images.

Edition1648

SeriesEarly English books online.

Additional notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A89685)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 119524)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 167:E1188[5])

About the source text

Bibliographic informationThe first epistle. A crying voice of the holy spirit of love, wherewith all people are out of meer grace, called and bidden by H.N. to the true repentance for their sins, to the entrance into the upright Christian life, and to the house of the love of Jesu Christ. Niclaes, Hendrik, 1502?-1580?. [2], 62 p. s.n.],[London :Printed in the yeer, 1648.. (H.N. = Hendrik Niclaes.) (Place of publication from Wing.) (Annotation on Thomason copy: "may. 10th. London.".) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.)

Languageeng

Classification

Repentance -- Early works to 1800.

Editorial statement

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Publication information

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

ImprintAnn Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2011-12 (EEBO-TCP Phase 2).

Identifiers

DLPS A89685
STC Wing N1126
STC Thomason E1188_5
STC ESTC R208256
EEBO-CITATION 99867220
PROQUEST 99867220
VID 119524

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The Firſt Epiſtle.

The Firſt Chapter.

The Second Chapter.

The third Chapter.

The Second Epiſtle. A ſhort and pithy Inſtruction of the Myſterie of the Love.

The Firſt Chapter.

The Second Chapter.

The Third Chapter.

The Third Epiſtle. A groundly Inſtruction, wherin the difference betwixt God the Father, and his Son the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, is declared, according to the ſpirituall and heavenly underſtand­ing.

The Firſt Chapter.

The Second Chapter.

The third Chapter.

The Fourth Chapter.

The Fifth Chapter.

The Fourth Epiſtle. A cleer Inſtruction of the Mediation of Ieſu Chriſt, that cometh to paſſe in the ſpirit, for a Reconciliation betwixt God and the Man.

The Firſt Chapter.

The Second Chapter.

The Third Chapter.

The Fourth Chapter.

The Fifth Chapter.

The Sixth Chapter.

About this transcription

About the source text

Editorial statement

Publication information

The Third Epiſtle. A groundly Inſtruction, wherin the difference betwixt God the Father, and his Son the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, is declared, according to the ſpirituall and heavenly underſtanding.