Now goeth the judgement over this world: now is the prince of this world cast out: John ●2: Now is the salvation the por●●● and the Kingdom become our gods and the Might his Christ's. Revet. ●2 D. Mirabilia opera Dei: certain wonderful Works of God which happened to H. N. even from his youth: and how the God of Heaven hath united himself with him, and raised up his gracious Word in him, and how he hath chosen and sent him to be a Minister of his gracious Word▪ Published by Tobias a Fellow Elder with H. N. in the household of Love. Translated out of Base Almain. Now come hither and behold the works of the Lord, Ps. 46 66. Know ye that the Lord leadeth his Saints wonderfully, Ps. 4. a. And take heed that ye do not despise the works of the Lord, lest there come upon you that which is said in the Prophets. Behold, ye despisers and wonder and perish, for I do a work in your days, which you will in no wise believe though a man declare it unto you, Hab. 1. a. Acts 13. b. THE PREFACE. Tobias (with H. N. a fellow Minister of the gracious Word of the Lord) wisheth to all lovers of Truth, Salvation and Peace, in Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen. FOrasmuch as I Tobias, a fellow Elder with the Oldest Elders in the household of Love, have always been present with H. N. (in all what the Lord hath revealed unto him) and now in this day of the Love of Jesus Christ, am impulsed of the Holy Ghost, to declare and to publish among the children of men, under the obedience of the love of the Truth of certain wonderful works of God, which befell H. N. and us the oldest Elders in the house of Love, and that I also know, that H. N. (God's chosen Minister) and his ministration of the gracious Word of the Lord hath been disorderly rejected, and censured with several false judgements, by many false hearts, and good-thinking wise-ones, by many false Christians, and unsent Teachers, or Preachers, and by some unfaithful and opinionated self-seekers, who are turned away from us. And that the Godly Testimonies of the holy Spirit of the Love of Jesus Christ (published by H. N. were by many disgracefully contemned and reproached, (as if God had neither chosen nor sent H. N. to be a Minister of his holy and gracious Word, and as if the holy Spirit of the Love of Jesus Christ were an unclean thing.) So have I for God's cause, and in regard of the Love which I bear and have to all men's salvation, I could not omit to declare to all God-fearing-understandings and Lovers of the Truth, (That they may believe the Truth, understand the Godly Testimonies of the holy Spirit of Love, and may be preserved in these dangerous times) and to witness the Truth before them, how and in what manner the Lord, the living God of Heaven hath chosen H. N. from his youth, to the ministration of his holy and gracious word, and hath sent him thereunto in his old age of the holy and godly understanding through the holy Spirit of his Love. 2 For the holy Spirit of the Truth of God, and of the Love of Jesus Christ was always powerfully abiding upon H. N. (in all his ministrations) after that the Lord had anointed him a Esay 61. a. with the same spirit, and hath through the same spirit raised and sent him for to declare to all people, the true b Esay 58. a. 4 ●sd. 1. a. repentance for their sins, and to draw and bring in (through his ministration of the holy and gracious Word) all those that love God's Truth, and the accomplishment of the godliness in Jesus Christ, and hunger and thirst after righteousness c Mat. 9 a. to the peaceable Love and his Godly service for the preservation of them all in the godliness) that all they which H. N. and our fellowship may have their communion in Jesus Christ, and may not be seduced in these dangerous times, (in which if it were possible the very elect d Mat. 24. b. Act. 7. g. Heb. 10. c. should be seduced) with the unprofitable prating of the false hearts and unsent Teachers or Preachers (which always oppose the Truth of God; e 2 Thes. 〈◊〉 and blaspheme against the holy Spirit) nor through any depraved hearts and Apostates, (who continually accuse with falsehood the true Ministers of the gracious word, and endeavour with all their power to abolish the same ministration,) nor should be kept of or held back, from our most holy Service of the gracious word under the obedience of the Love, to their condemnation. 3 And therefore, and for the Truth of God's cause, and for to declare the knowledge that the Promises of God the Father, and of the Lord Jesus Christ g Deut 10. 30. Mat. 22. d. Rom. 13 b. 1 Cor. 13. b. 1 〈◊〉 1. a. be fulfiled and established in the Love. So is there also now presently in this same day of the Love (in plain words) to all understanding, and before all good-willing hearts unto the righteousness through H. N. testified and published, what that very thing which the Gracious Word of the Lord, (which the Lord now hath raised up according to his Promises) doth require of all men. 4 And for to witness and publish the truth that the Lord hath chosen and sent H. N. therefore have I (through the holy Spirit of the Love of Jesus Christ) [plainly] testified and declared the sending of H. N. also certain wonderful works of God, which from his youth happened unto him from the living God, That all those which read or hear all the Godly Testimonies of our writings, may believe the Truth with a single heart, to have a right regard to the true Promises of the Father, and of the son (our Lord Jesus Christ) and of the accomplishing of the same, and may hope upon the fulfilling of the requiring of the gracious word and of his service of Love; and rightly and in Truth follow and imitate our Lord Jesus Christ (in the saving word of his holy Spirit of Love) h Mat. 16. c. 1 Pet. 2. c. and might be of one mind with us and our communialty of the Saints i John 17. c. in the Love of our Lord Jesus k 1 Cor. 1. a. ●. Cor. 13. b. into all unity and peace. 5 And likewise that through the same declaration the enemies of H. N. together with all the opposers and reprochers of the Truth, and of the holy Spirit of the Love of Jesus Christ may see and know, That they have vilified and contemned not only H. N. a choseu servannt of God, but also God the Father (the builder of our house of Love) and the Lord Jesus Christ (our physician and Saviour) and the holy Ghost (the inheritance of our spiritual and heavenly goods) l Math. 1●. and have pulled upon their own necks, the wrath and judgement of their condemnation, That they with humble hearts) might bring forth real fruits of repentance. 6 For it is not unknown or uncertain to us that H. N. doth testify out of the Truth of God and his gracious word; and that the office of the ministration of the gracious Word is imposed and entrusted to him (through m 1 Cor. 3. b. 15. a. God's (grace) to administer, for the Lord hath chosen him thereunto from his youth, to witness the same Testimonies of the Truth of God, And to administer God's holy and gracious word, and to manifest his heavenly works, and to declare upon the earth now in these last times (under the obedience of the love of Jesus Christ) God's Truth and upright being, and the acomplishment of the godliness in Jesus Christ. 7 Thus in this election by the living God: H. N. hath declared on earth to this present day, from the n 1 Cor. 13. b. 2 Cor. 3. b. uncovered face of God and of Christ) God's real Truth, and the requiring of his upright righteousness, together with his righteous Judgement and the fulfilling of the godliness in Jesus Christ. 8 Now whether this be believed, or not believed, however he hath revealed the the same out of God's true light & eternal life) & in manifest declaration brought it to light in this holy day of the love of God and Christ. 9 And the same day of the love of God and of Christ (which is come unto us from God's grace) is the newest or last day of which long ago the Prophets of God, and the Evangelists of Jesus Christ have foretold and published, and is the day o Acts 17. c. which God hath appointed or ordained, for to judge on the same the whole circuit of the Earth with righteousness. 10 For on the same day of the Love of God and of Christ p Rom. ●. a. 2 ●hes. 1. 2 b. shall all unbelievers and disobedient ones to the gracious Word of the Lord, and all evil surmisers towards the Ministers thereof, together with all opposers of H. N. and blasphemers of the holy Spirit of the Love of Jesus Christ, be q 1 Cor. 4. revealed, and r Mat. 25. d. Jude 1. b. judged, and according to their works shall receive their reward. 11 Therefore take warning by this declaration of mine, all ye people which love the truth of Jesus Christ, that you in no wise oppose neither the gracious Word of God, nor his chosen servant H. N. because God the Father with his Son Jesus Christ, dwelleth and liveth perfectly * Perfectly, that is, withal that concerns the deity of Jesus Christ, or is of one being therewith. in H. N. in the heavenly being, and hath anointed him with the holy Spirit of God and of (s) Jesus Christ, Esay 61. a. and that no man without the fellowship of H. N. or without the obedience of the requiring of his doctrine, can be brought or gathered to the true living God, nor to his son Jesus Christ, nor united with the same good being. 12 Behold out of a very hearty love, which I have to all your preservations in the godliness, am I presently in this day of the Love, impulsed and forced, (through the holy Spirit of the love of Jesus Christ) to make the same known before all your understandings, and to declare unto you how the calling H. N. came to pass by the living God, and how he was chosen of the same God to Administration of his holy and and gracious word, under the obedience of the love of Jesus Christ. 13 And also to testify unto you some mysteries t Mat. 13. b. of the kingdom of the God of heavens, and of the heavenly revelations and workings of God, which were revealed and showed to H. N. by the living God, out of his heavenly being, even from the youth of H. N. 14 The Lord grant unto you all mercy and his Graee that in the hearing of these Testimonies, your hearts may not be offended nor be hardened against the Truth u Heb. 3. b. of the same Testimonies, but that ye may hear them humbly, receive and accept of them in all thanksgiving to God for his grace, be well minded to the holy and gracious word of the Lord and his service of the Love to your preservation in the godliness, and may enter into the requiring of the same obediently. Amen, So be it. Take it to heart. Certain wonderful works of God, which befell H N. from his youth. CHAP. I. IN the eighth year of the age of H. N. (in the days of Maximilian the first, being made Roman Emperor by virtue or power of the Electoral Princes of the Roman Empire and the German Nation) it fell out on an Evening in a Winter season, That the Father of H. N. exhorted his Family, and instructing them (with many words,) That they should fear God, a Iob. 4. a. and to give praise and thanks unto him for the grace he bestowed on man. 2 The same time, The Lord opened the mouth of the child H. N. and touched his lips and tongue, and with this the child spoke to his Father, and said. Instruct me, O my Father, what is that singular Grace bestowed on us, for which we ought to give praise and thanks to God. 3 When the child had asked this questiof his Father, The Father looked on the child, and wondered that the child should ask him so earnestly, and answering the child said to him. 4▪ O my son, dost thou ask what that especial grace is which God hath bestowed on us, and for which we are bound to give praise and thanks to him? The same you read daily in the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ, and is set forth unto us daily in the service of the mass, and often also and abundantly is attested by Preaching, how that God the Father by reason of Adam's sin; (whereby we all became the children b Rom 5. b. ●ph. 2. a. of death and damnation,) caused his dear son (Jesus Christ) to suffer the ignominious c ●●sa. 5●. b. Wisd. 2. c. Mat. 27. Phil. 2. a. death on the cross, and that thus Jesus Christ hath (born) the sins of Adam, satisfied for the same on the cross, and delivered us from that sin, (into which Adam did fall) hath reconciled us to his Father d Rom. 5. b. Col. 2. b. and hath set up again the sincere righteoness, and the true e Tim. 1. b. life of Godliness, and so all is found and restored again that was lost by Adam, & that same is joined again f Ezek. 34. c. & made whole which through Adam was broken and wounded: And this is that singular Grace, which God, bestowed on us, to the laud and praise of his great Power. 5 Then said the child, O my Father, I do read indeed of the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I hear it daily testified in Sermons, that God the Father hath bestowed on us his great mercy, and that his beloved son Jesus Christ hath suffered the ignominious death of the cross by reason of sin g Mat. 27. Rom. 5. a. 1 Pet. 2. c. but I find not according to Truth, that the sin is amended in us, nor that the true righteousness h Gen. 1. e. 2. b. (wherein Adam was created and placed) is restored in us or set up again. 6 Then said the Father, Oh my son, what I have told you about the grace of God showed to us through Jesus Christ, you need not to doubt of it, believe the same in simpleness of heart, and, that it all is come to pass as I have told you. 7 Then said the child, O my Father I make no question of the mercy of God, which is come unto us through Jesus Christ, and all that which is preached to us of Christ, and his satisfaction for the sin, as that he (through the death on the cross) hath prepared and obtained for us i Mat. 1, c. Eph. 5. c. the Salvation from the sin, I believe also firmly, That Jesus Christ (for to bring us again in all godliness to God his father) k 1 Pet 2. c. is gone before us in l Mat. 16. c. 1 Pet. 2. c. that death of his cross, and hath opened to us the way and passage to the Kingdom of God his Father, and to the everlasting life, And m John 14. a. hath prepared the way for us, that we might obtain the same. 8 For I understand (out of the preaching of Christ,) That Jesus Christ is preached unto us (in his Gospel) to such an end, that we should believe in him, n John 3. b. and should obediently o Heb. 5. b. 12. a 1 Pet. 1. 5. follow him in the same Passeover of his sufferings till unto the fulfilling of our godliness, in the same Jesus Christ, and then also, that we (through Jesus Christ) should obtain again the inheritance of our God, the upright p Ephes. 1. ●. righteousness together with the spiritual & heavenly goods, the (which as it stands to me in my understanding) is the same Grace and Mercy of God, which is come unto us through Jesus Christ: So I cannot conceive, that it is any otherwise brought again, or shall be restored: which was lost through the fall of Adam, or that we have missed by reason of Adam's sin. 9 For as I have heard preached in the Church, that the work of God, which he did make in the beginning, and also the man q Gen. 1. c. Wisd. 2. c. Ecclus 17. a. when he created him, was perfect, between which perfect work of God, there came in a breach or rent through the sin r Gen. 3. b. whereby the man also is turned off from his God, and is wholly s Ephes. 4. b. estranged from his upright manly estate, and from the union with his God. 10 Now if all this same shall be restored again, then that which was torn and broken, must be t Ezech. 34. c. joined together again, and the man, with all that God hath made and ordained, (even as it was in the beginning) must be set again in his upright u Gen. 1. c. form and order, which we see now plainly and perceive, that the same is not yet come to pass, or accomplished in us; Therefore it appeareth altogether (in my understanding,) That God for the bringing again of the man into his upright being, & that the repentance or satisfaction for our sins, must have another performance, and fulfilling, than many men suppose or conceive. 11 than the Father mervailed much at the distinct expressions of the child, and said, O my son, hold they self in silence, lest you dig too deep into the works of God. I will relate the matter to our spiritually learned (which are our advisers) * or instructors they shall well instruct thee therein (to the belt) for I myself, do not understand this business, nor thou neither as I suppose, and besides, thou art yet too much young to be able to comprehend such things, therefore let us harken to our Advisers, and simply believe them herein. 12 Then said the child, Father it is well, let it be so, I submit myself always to your authority, and so in that evening) there was no more talk of it. 13 But all the night after the Father was much perplexed with the sayings of his young son. And (being of himself plain and simple) went the next day to the minorie-brethrens to his Confessor (for he thought in his judgement that these brethren of the Minories (which were called also the Observators) were the most holy and most judicious in the Godly things and able to give good instructions to him and his son) and intimated to his Confessor (confiding in him most) the whole business of his son. 14 And his Confessor gave to him this answer, That he should bring his son to him, than he would take to himself a good brother, and would resolve them of all these matters. 15 The Father did according to the direction of his Confessor, and at a convenient time he went with his young son H. N. to the minorie-brethrens, That both of them (the Father and the child) might hear and understand the right instruction, (of what the child had spoken) and therein might be* pacified. CHAP. II. NOw when both of these came to the Confessor of the Father of H. N, than the Confessor looked on the child, which was very young and little, and said to the Father, Is that the lad thou toldest me of. That hath such strange whimses in his head? Surely, he is to childish yet, as to trouble himself with such things as you told me of. Thou shouldest of right (with a rod) chastise him from the same, & neither to hear nor answer him in his sayings, for it is not otherwise then the madness of a child. 2 Then said the Child, hold there Sir, why do you speak forth such words? It is true that I am yet young and childish, and am still under the Rod and Discipline of my Father, and stand under his doctrine and instruction, And if my Father (at his convenient time) doth instruct me, And I cannot conceive or comprehend (in my apprehension of my Fathers saying, should it not be granted or permitted me to ask for the sense and true meaning thereof? 3 When the Confessor observed the Lad's so modestly answered him, he began to be somewhat moved in himself; And answered then to the child more discreetly, and said, yea, in truth my son it behoveth, you indeed, to ask what the right understanding is, but you are yet much too young and too small of capacity, to search into the a S●p. 9 e. Rom. 11. deep profound mysteries of the godly things, or to fathom them. 4 Then said the Child because I am young and of a small understanding in the mysteries of divine matters, therefore am I the more inclined for that reason to ask, and not to search thereafter out of my own power, but desire to be instructed and taught therein (from my youth) of my Elders and Teachers. 5 Then said the Confessor it is well done my son if you keep there, but me thinketh, that thou makest a doubt, (as thy father informeth me) of the satisfaction of Christ, for the transgression of Adam and for all our sins. 6 Then said the child: no Sir, thereof I doubt not: but my saying is, that I do plainly see, b Rom 6. 8. a. That the satisfaction in Christ for our redemption or deliverance from the sinew, (for which Christ suffered death on the cross c Rom. 6. a. Phil 2. a. Heb. 5. 9 b. 12. a. and made satisfaction) is not performed as yet in us, and that we have not followed Christ in his Passeover to his Father, and if I pereeive this, and find it to be so. Is it ill done that I ask whether the satisfaction or the upright fruits of repentance be still owing, or how d Luke 1. 8. Eph. 1. a. Col. 1. b. we shall be delivered from the sins, and be brought to the upright righteousness? 7 And when I inquiring after this, and likewise have and hope that it be performed in us, and that the righteousness in which Adam was created and set into shall be restored unto us, and that we also shall be delivered from the fall and transgression of Adam, this is (I hope) no doubt of Christ satisfaction, but I may justly doubt of our satisfaction; for I conceive in my understandings, that we are still indebted to God concerning our satisfaction in Jesus Christ. 8 Then said the Confessor, O my son thou runnest out too far with thy young understanding, for after that, thou mayest not search so deep, nor no man else, but simply believe all that concerneth Christ and our salvation. 9 Then said the child, well Sir, I will simply believe all as you say, yet must I ask something of thee out of my simplicicy, & desire for the love of Jesus Christ, that thou wouldest answer to my simple question. 10 Then said the Confessor, well my son, ask and I will answer thee. 11 Then said the child. if Adam had lived simply according to the commandments of God, and had not fall'n off from God, & had not transgressed the command of God, should then he, and we, have lived, in the sin or in the righteousness? 12 The Confessor said, Adam and we all should have lived eternally in the righteousness, and no sin nor e Gen. 2. a. Sap. 1. b. death should have reigned over us. 13 Furthermore the child asked and said, when God created Heaven and Earth and all that is therein f Gen. 1. c. 2. a and the man also, whom he made after his own Image, did not God then make all things good and perfect, and came it not to pass as he would have it? 14 The Confessor said O, yea, my son, g Gen. 1. 2. what ever God hath made, he made it well, and good, and all what God said and h Psal. 32. b. 140. a. John 1. a. commanded to be, it stood there present: and all things had their progress * or forthgoing towards perfection, according as God would have it, and even so the man in his upright being. 15 Then said the child, Seeing the man was created from the beginning, good, and upright, and i Gen. 1. a. Sap. 1. b. 2. c. to live eternally in God's upright righteousness, and that he remained not steadfast therein. And that God (for to reduce the man to his right estate again) hath given up his beloved Son Jesus Christ to the death of the cross k 1 Joh. 3. b. Rom. 8. d. and so (through the death of the cross of Jesus Christ to re-establish l Act 1. a. 3 c. the man and all that was fallen, in his right state and condition; Therefore all must then be m Luke 24. c. restored to the same, in his right form, (through Jesus Christ and his death of the cross) even as it was from the beginning, the transgression of Adam must be mended, and we must be n Heb. 9 b. justified or cleansed from the sin, and must be o M●t 19 d. John 3 b. 1 Cor. 15. 4. borne again unto the Image of God. 16 Behold Sir, in my understanding I conceive it so, and that we ought to take heed to this mercy of God p Cor. 6. a. Gal. 6. a. and to follow our Lord Jesus Christ (in his q Mat. 16. c. 1 Pet. 2. c. death of the cross) and to be wholly incorporated into him (with his r Rom. 6. a. Phil. 2. ●. Col. 2. b. like death) where through in us also, the s Rom. 6. b. sin of Adam (and our sin) becomes amended and blotted out in us from the death of sin, her t 1 Cor. 15. 2 Tim. 1. b. Heb. 2. b. power and dominion taken away, and the upright righteousness & simplicity, and the eternal life (to which Adam was created u Gen. 2. b. and set, and was ordained to live therein eternally) be raised up again. 17 Now if all (as you say) should be fulfilled or satisfied, then, as I conceive, nothing should be wanting in God's work nor in man's upright life, and obedience to God, and all things must be restored to his right form. And seeing there is yet defect therein, thereupon I ask where doth the fault lie, (in God or in us) that the work of God and his will is not performed in all, on us and in us, and that not the righteousness and the good life of Jesus Christ, but the sin and the death reigneth and hath dominion over us, for methinks, that the right ground of this (whereof we now speak●) is not yet by many entered into, nor rightly understood, and that the most necessary part of our godliness in Jesus Christ, and the x Mat. 16. a. 19 a. 1 Pet. 2. c. 4. a. Heb. b. 12. a. obedience which God requireth of us, through his Son Jesus Christ, is still to be performed by us and in us. CHAP. III. WHen the Confessor had heard all these words from the young child, he could answer nothing to it, but said to his fellow brother that was present and had heard all the speech of the child, I know not what I shall say of the child and his sayings, I know not whether it be childishness or Godly understanding it speaketh of. 2 Then said his fellow brother, surely thou art bereaved of thy wit, dost thou not perceive that it is foolery and childishness the boy speaketh, and I wonder also very much why thou exchangest so many words about it, for if men of judgement were present, they would say that you were more childish than the boy himself, because thou hearest and answerest him in all his foolish words whereas they are merely unprofitable things, after which he diggeth and searcheth, and should with these matters (if he be let alone) bring himself into weakness of mind. Therefore it is most needful that he be punished for these things, and make him to forget them. This he spoke that the Father and the child should hear and spoke it so loud, to that end, that neither the Father nor the child should observe, that they were not able to answer to the child's questions or inform him therein, and so these two fellow brethren took the child between them, and in the presence of his Father rebuked the child with many hard words, and among the rest, the Confessor said to the child, dost thou know what evil thou hast committed, that thou troublest thyself with the matters of the mysteries of God? the child said no Sir. 4 Then said the Confessor, O my son, thou hast nigh committed the greatest sin that man can do on Earth; for thou hast with thy thoughts digged and searched and troubled thyself (which is not permitted to any man upon the a Wisd. 9 c. Mat. 11. c. 1 Co●. ●. b. Earth, let him be never so judicious) to know the secrets of God; I scarce know whether this sin may be forgiven to thee, or whether thou shalt for this go to hell; and he made the child quite astonished, so that he spoke no more of the same, nor asked after any more instruction, but fell on weeping; and said: Oh that I and all men might be saved. Then said the Confessor. 5 O my son seeing thou art now sorry for thy sin, I promise salvation unto thee, and that thy sins are forgiven. 6 Then said the child I thank you Sir, and will commit the cause to God let it come to pass according to his will: And so his Father thanked the Minory brethren for that they had well taught and instructed his son, and so departed from each other, and the Minory brethren went their way and thought no more on this business, or gave little respect unto it. 7 But child was not appeased with the sayings of the Minory brethren nor satisfied in his understanding but went up and down with a sad heart, and seeing could not forget the things he had spoke off; So kept he all the same within himself, and imparted the business no more to any man, till he came to the day of his manly oldness with the grey hair, and was still more and more an earnest lover of Service and Ceremonies of the Roman Catholic Church, and the requiring of it, and being alone busied himself daily with divine matters, and with the fulfiling of the godliness in Jesu Christ. CHAP. IV. IN the ninth year of the age of H. N. (in the days of the Emperor Maxmilian the first) there was revealed to H. N. after midnight near upon day breaking (by God's grace) a great wondrous work of God, and wonderful vision of a heavenly mystery out of the heavenly being, for he was compassed about with a mighty a Mat. 17. a. Acts 9 a. great being of the glory of God, and the same was add a very great Mountain of glorious Beauty. And when he was surrounded by this huge great Mountain, and was throughly illuminated in all his being with the glory thereof, than this great mountain wholly united itself with him in his whole spirit and mind, so that his spirit and mind, with the same great and glorious mountain, became so great and broad, that he became also of an equal greatness and like being, with the same, in altitude, latitude, and profundity. 3 With which revelation and wondrous work of God, it was declared to H. N. That the same and the uniformity thereof b John 17. c. within the man is the true accomplishment of the godliness in Jesus Christ, and the righteous c 4 Esd. 7. d. judgement of God, or the great day d Mat. 4. a. of the Lord, (which for righteousness) is promised to come upon the Earth. 4 And as then that great vision and wonderful Revelation of God vanished wholly from his eyes and sight, so found he himself awakened lying on his bed, and was very much troubled and wearied in all his being and mind, and in respect of that weariness he had a mind to sleep. 5 And whilst H. N. lay thus on his bed (near the breaking of the day) he fell into a slumber. 6 And being fallen asleep, there were then revealed unto him in his sleep wonderful things, which should befall him, and the Saints of God; for at that time understood he it not so well, as he did when the same befell him. 7 In this sleep he saw in a vision, That many Saints of God were with him on the Earth, and that the same Saints of God and he, jointly rejoiced much with one another in the Godliness of our Lord Jesus Christ, And that he loved all men highly to the same Godliness, and called and invited them all thereto that they with him should rejoice in the same, and that he also (out of great Love) showed to manifold men great friendship and many kindnesses, & for that he might likewise rejoice (in the same Godliness) with men like as with the Saints of God. And that he held forth unto them (with all pleasantness a●d discreetness and lovely speech) the transcendent worthy nobleness of man and the most peaceable life of godliness, to which e Gen. 1. c. 2. a. Sap. 1. b. 2. c. Ecclus 17. a. God hath created, man and chosen him thereto through Jesus Christ. 8 And he saw also in this vision, that many men (which did not accept or take to heart the friendship and love which he showed unto them (thereby to bring them to a peaceable life of godliness, and did not repeut (were withered and changed into dry and ex●cicated trees f Jude. and that many of these Trees, were wholly eaten hollow (by knawing worms) and inwardly were mouldered g Psal. 1. a. 37. a. b. c. Isaiah 29. a. away to dnst and consumed away to nothing, and ●hat there was not left the least h Psal. 9 b. monument or being of greenness or blooming. 9 He saw also in the same vision, that many good thinking men did oppose him, and that the same and s●ch as were offended at him, and at all that love, and goodness which he showed unto men, and for which they mightily envied and reproached him, and hardened their hearts against his sayings, and the Grace and Mercy, which he offered unto them, were changed into several terrible, hurtful, and tearing wolves or devouring beasts, and they were inclined to bite and to i Sap. 2. c. tear, and wholly to devour him, and the Saints of God, and that they jointly together, (with great bitterness and and hardness of heart) exceedingly bellowed and foamed against him and the Saints of God, and (with clamour and extreme horrible noise) came on against him, and railed and raged very terribly against him and the Saints of God, for to destroy and consume them. 10 In which horrible and terrible out cryings and fury of these horrible beasts, awakened H. N. out of his sleep (through great fear that they should tear and destroy him and all the Saints of God that were on earth with him) and at his awaking he cried out aloud, Oh how long shall these yet judge * or reign. over my soul? 11 When he thus cried out and awakened from his sleep he found himself much disquieted and perplexed at his vision. 12 His Father and Mother (being affrighted at the noise of his out-crying) ran hastily to him, to his bed, and said, God bless thee my son, what aileth thee? what is is come on thee? my dear, what is happened to thee? that thou thus cried'st out, Oh how long shall these yet judge * r●ign. over my soul? 13 But H. N. out of a heavy mind did sigh, and said, I ail nothing, but I am somewhat sorrowful, and a little weakness is upon me. And he remained in all silence and stillness, and related nothing of all what had happened unto him, however (by the commotio● in his vision) he found himself not well in his body, and was made very weak and feeble in all his joints from that commotion. 14 When he was recovered in his joints, and got his health again, yet would he say nothing of any thing that befell him in his vision, and spoke not at all of that heavenly Revelation, (which awakened him on his bed) nor of the vision that appeared to him in his sleep, but kept all this in his heart. CHAP. V. IN the nine and thirtieth year of the age of H. N. (in the days of Charles the fifth, being made Roman Emperor by virtue or power of the Electoral Princes of the Roman Empire, and the German Nation) there was revealed to H. N. from the high heavens a mighty revelation of the living Godhead: and by the same was showed and manifested unto him, the upright Truth and righteousness of God, together with the faithful love of his dear son Jesus Christ. 2 Which heavenly manifestation of the living Godhead together with all that was showed unto him, descended to H. N. and wholly comprehended him to itself. 3 And the same God of heaven, excited and revealed in H. N. his holy and gracious word, even as he of old had promised to a Jer. 33. c. raise up the same through his holy Prophets, and with the same word, and out of the same word the Lord b Joel 2. c. Acts 2. a. poured upon H. N. his holy Spirit of the of the Love of Jesus Christ. 4 With this heavenly glory and outflowing of the same holy Spirit of the true Love of Jesus Christ upon H. N. the Lord chose him to be a Minister of his holy and gracious word which He (the Lord) had excited and revealed in him. 5 And the Lord prepared or ordained to H. N. for his assistance in the same ministration, Daniel, Elidad, & Tobias which continued always with him, and assisted him in all his ministration of the the gracious word of the Lord. 6 And at that time also (through the power of God and impulse of the holy Spirit of the Love of Jesus Christ) H. N. was driven in his whole spirit & mind for to administer (on't of the holy and gracious word, and holy spirit of the Love of Jesus Christ) the most holy Office of the Love, according to the command of God, and to attest and set down in writing the godly truth of God and of Christ, and the c 4 Esd. 7. a. Mat. 7. 16. c. 1 Pet. 2. c. 4. a. upright way of the through-going or Pass-over which reacheth to the npright righteousness, and to the eternalllife, and to publish and express writingly in letters, before all eyes of understanding. 7 H. N. being thus chosen of the God of life to the ministration of his gracious word, and was impulsed by the holy spirit of the Love of Jesus Christ, to set * To write or describe. forth the manefestatton of the Truth of God and of the godliness of Jesus Christ, and let the sons of men to know their errors, (that they repenting of their sins d Acts 2. c. 3. c. 17. d. may turn from their error, and sincerely endeavour to keep the truth of God, and the godliness of Jesus Christ. So he gave himself obediently at that time to that service and work of the Lord, and carefully endeavoured to set down all, that the Lord revealed and commanded him, and that should be most profitable and necessary for the sons of men, to their Salvation and Peace, and to the entrance of the upright life. 8 But in his beginning of the same service and writings the word of the Lord came to him and said H. N. stay thy hand from writing in this place, and get thee up and travel out of this land, wherein now thou livest, that thy soul may be preserved alive, in my service and work; and be not devoured by bloodthirsty men, and in thy going out from this land, take thy journey Eastward, and dwell there, till I myself (by the hand of my Angel) bring thee from thence. 9 For whilst thou livest there, thou shalt apply thyself for the most part to be in the land Pietas, that thou mayest be diligent there, (rightly and according to the truth, to manifest my honour and Love, and to reveal the same to those who are worthy of love. 10 For there, in the manifesting of mine honour and Love, thou shalt testify and figure forth in writing, the godly and heavenly things, which I do reveal and make known unto thee, and that profitable for the children of men, unto Godliness. 11 To thee shall also (from henceforth) many mysteries of my heavenly kingdom (which hitherto have been kept and concealed from the e Mat. 3. b. Ephes. 3. a. Col. 1. c. world and her wise and letter-learned) be revealed and made known, for to bring the same to light. 12 At the time (according to the word and command of the Lord) H. N. instantly took his journey Eastward, and became an Inhabitant in the land of the East, and was for the most time in Pietas, even as the Lord had commanded him. ae3 And the Lord (the God of heaven) revealed to him in Pietas many godly mysteries, and in these revealed mysteries H. N. excereised himself, in God's holy understanding, to the serviceable benefit or utility of the children of men, and to all their good knowledge of their Salvation and peace in Jesus Christ. 14 There were revealed unto him also many wonderful Acts or works of God, many of which are testified and brought to light in the writings of H. N. to the knowledge of the upright Godliness in Jesus Christ. 15 But in all this, which the Lord hath revealed to H. N. he was rejoiced too exceedingly, insomuch that he forgot all the sore ways, which he in great sadness had passed through. 16 And the Lord afflicted him heavily through his enemies, for the Lord suffered him to fall into the hands of the wicked (his enemies) whose ungodly being is the false destruction, which hath brought on the Earth death, or f Sap. 1. b. mortality, namely, the kingdom of the Devil and of hell, which God hath not willed that it should be in the Earth, but be condemned in the g Apoc. 17. b. 19 c. 20. c. bottomless pit and the everlasting darkness, from whence it also came; And that the h Numl. 14. c. Jsaia 340. a. Glory of Jesus Christ should be revealed on the earth, and reign over it eternally. 17 Yea the same wicked being must be abolished in the condemna●ion, at the appearing of Jesus Christ in his glory, for that same is the i Mat. 13. c. 2 Thes. 2. c. envious man against God and his righteousness, and against all that is Godly, and * religious. God-service k Apoc. 18. b. c. and wherewith the man practiseth his whoredom and adultery, to the disobeying and resisting his God, so that thereby the man everywhere l Sap. 14. b. Rom. 1. c. turneth or inclineth to himself, and to things which are vain and unprofitable, whereby also the same ungodly being in the false light (of the man's disobedient knowledge) is become predominant. 18 Behold into this abyss or Depth, the Lord let fall his chosen servant H. N, and suffered him to taste and feel the condemnation of all ungodly ones in the hellish fire, the most horrible perdition, and the most ugly abomination of desolation. 19 But, when now H. N. found himself thus captived in misery; wherein he was sorely vexed by his enemies, so there came on him a great and mighty sadness, and he could find no comfort at all, insomuch that by reason of his great heaviness of mind, he wringed his hands and exceedingly bewailed his sins, and cried aloud to God, and besought him for his Grace, and continued therein day and night; And in this his misery he composed these psalms of mourning and lamentation, and did not hide his sins, and thus calling on, and praying to the Lord he spoke forth his mourning psalms with weeping and lamentation. Here follow the psalms of H. N. and the declaration of his weeping and praying in his chastisement. The Rod and punishment giveth wisdom. Pro. 29. For whom the Lord loveth, he chastiseth and delighteth in him, as a Father doth in his son. Pro. 3. Therefore shall the ear which barkeneth to the correction of the Lord, dwell among the wise: but he that letteth go the chastising Instr●ction, or turneth away from it, he rejecteth his own ●oul. Pro. 2. CAAP. VI. Psalm I. 1 O My Lord my God, a Psal. 6. a. my heart quaketh before thee, for though thy punishment upon my sins, my bones do shake, and great b Esay 13. a. sadness, pain and smart fall on me. 2 Thus I fear, O Lord, thy punishment, for with the same tho● makest known unto me my sins, and thou lettest me see the evil things which have ensnared me. 3 O God, wilt thou not deliver me from these evil things, so must I continue in misery, and must fear thy hand continually. 4 But thou O Lord art he, which c Psal. 146. a. Hosea 6. a. woundest, and healest again, help me as thou usest to do. 5 Let my sighings d Psal. 130. a. out of the bottom of my heart come before thee, and turn not thy mercy from me. 6 For, O Lord, I do not e Psal. 119. a. forget thee, but wait daily for thy goodness. 7 Look f Psal. 25. b. 129. a. on my misery, and leave me not in death, nor let me be lost for ever. 8 g Psal. 51. a. Take away (O Lord) the sin from me, and let thy Spirit of life refresh me, otherways (O Lord) O Lord of Lords, I have no life in me. 9 Therefore (O Lord, of life) when thou art my life, than I live, and my bones must rejoice. 10 When I find mercy in thine eyes, than is comforted the inward mind of my soul. 11 But, O Lord, when thou art h Hosea 13. c. 1 Cor. 15. f a death to me and art angry with me, then am I like unto the dead, and go i Psal. 88 a. down to hell as the wicked that are damned. 12 Out of which k Psal. 13 c. ●. depth now my foul sigheth and calleth, O Lord, unto thee, for in the same I remember (with anguish of mind) my sins past, and must bewail with tears my evil actions. 13 For thou, O Lord, art the strength and l Psal. 18. a. Saviour of men from the sin, he that taketh hold on thee, m Psal. 125. a. falleth not into transgressions. 14 But the man which relieth on h●s own strength, he falls soonest, and then must he confess, that thou alone, O Lord, art the life of his Salvation. 15 When thou takest pity on him, and raisest him again, than he obtaineth mercy, and must praise thy goodness continually. 16 For what is man? (O Lord) without thy grace; is he any thing? ah no, he is nothing of himself n John 15. a. 2 Cor. 4. a. 17 Therefore let thy mercy o Psal. 79. a. Isaiah 64. c. shine about me, and do not think on my transgressions. 18 Therefore my joy O God is in thee, and with thankfulness must I praise the grace of thy Love. 19 For thou comfortest the low p Psal. 46. a. Esay 66. a. minded and those which be forsaken, thou blotest out their sins, and takest q Ezech 36. c. away the evil heart of their misdeeds. 20 When thou O Lord, givest the blessing, than is thy consolation present, and then with a joyous song of praise is thy holy name praised. 21 But in case thou dost hide thyself, than is the sin active, and when thou dost rise up to punish, (O Lord) who can then r Psal. 76. a. 130 Mal 3. a. Nahum 1. a. stand before thee. 22 Is not a man like unto s Job 14. a. Psal. 90. 103. b. Esay 40. a. 1 Pet. 1. c. the blossom of the field which thy heat causeth to wither, and like unto t Psal. 1. b. Esay 29. a. Ecclus 17. d. dust and ashes which the wind doth ●catter here and there. 23 Therefore have thou mercy on me (O my God) and Father, and let thy good spirit support me u Psal. 51. b. otherways I shall vanish into nothing. CHAP. VII. Psalm II. 1 O Lord let thine a Psal. 89. a. anger be turned about, and punish me not continually in thy displeasure. b Psal. 6. 3●. a. Jeremy 10. c. 2 O Lord c Psal. 18. c. punish me not according to my sins, but chastise me unto amendment, and d Psal. 119. d. teach me also thy laws, and hide not thy mercy from me. 3 Reject me not O Lord, nor wholly e Psal. 5●. br forsake me; but bring to my knowledge my transgressions. 4 And chastise me even so O my God, with a f Prov. 3. a. Heb. 12. fatherly correction, so shall I turn unto thee. 5 But if thou totally rejectest me, to whom g Psal. 139. b shall I then go, O God and King of all righteousness? for thou alone art my h Psal. 61. a. 91. 142. b. comfort. 6 For vain is the comfort of i P●al. 68 61. b. 10●. b. ma●, and all the Treasures of the world, are (O God) no joy to me. 7 The sin is an abomination unto me, the world's joy with the pleasures thereof, are all dead unto me. 8 If thou Lord k Psal. 69. b. hidest the lovely being of thy countenance from me, O Lord what is then my life. 9 Therefore, O God, remember not l Psal. 79. a. Esay 64. c. always my sins but guide my m Psal. 119. c. feet in the way of life. 10 Then shall I praise thy mercy (O Lord) among the n Psal. 114. d. living, and spread thy praise among the upright. 11 For I acknowledge my o Psal. 32. a. transgressions, and my sins are a p Psal. 38. a. heavy burden unto me. 12 O how q Psal. 38. a. Sap. 5. a. heavily was I wearied in the ways of my errors what cumbersome ways did I go through. 13 Now sin with its death hath r Psal. 18. 116. a throughly pierced me, the Devil with his bands ruled over me, and Hell with its power, hath shut me into the stocks, to devour me. 14 But thou O Lord. that canst deliver from death, deliver s Psal. 59 a. 143. b. me from all mine enemies. 15 help me out of my misery, and forsake me not in my sorrow. CHAP. VIII. Psalm III. 1 O Lord Almighty God, art thou not he that a Deut. 32. d. 1 Kings 2. a. Wisd. 1. 16. b. Toby 13. a. killest and makest alive again. 2 Art thou not a God who condemnest and b 1 Kings 2. a. Toby 13. a. bringest into hell, and from thence bringect again and savest. 3 How Long, O Lord, shall I go on into perdition? how long yet shall sin reign over me. 4 How long shall the c Psal. 18. a. 116. a. bonds of death hold bound? How long shall the power of the Devil and of Hell captive me? 5 If thou deliver me (O Lord● then am I freed, but if thou forsakest me, then am I desolate, and must remain comfortless eternally. 6 Therefore, O Lord, be thou my aid, and from the bottomless d Psal. 51. a. mercy of thy love succour me; and according to the multiplicity of thy grace, blot out mine iniquity. 7 For I am filled up with sins, and lie in the deep under them, and feel no power of coming out e Deut. 32 c. by myself. 8 Seeing I am impotent, therefore have my enemies bound me, and brought guiltiness upon me to condemn me? 9 And those which were sometimes my f Psal. 88 a. Job 19 b. friends, now set their mouths horribly against me, and make a terrible face at me, and show all their hatred towards me. 10 I looked everywhere up and down for a faithful g Psal. 69 c. Esay 63. a. friend, but there is not one of all my friends (as a faithful friend) adhered to me, but they have all made up themselves in enmity against me, and whetted their h Psal. 57 a. ●4. a. Ecc●us 12. b. teeth at me, and sharpened their swords to destroy me. 11 O God, seeing thou punishest me now and art against me, therefore are all become enemies to me, that are round about me, and all fall on me, there stayeth not one with me, to my defence. 12 But they all cry, i Psal. 35. 40. b there he lieth, there he lieth, he is fallen and shall never rise again. 13 O Lord, reward them according as they have k Job 14. b. Psal. 28. a. 62. b. Jeremy 17. b. ●ren. 3. g. Rom. 2. a. Apoc. 2. c. deserved recompense to me, let thy fierce wrath fall upon them, and root out all my enemies totally. 14 Destroy and bring them all to shame, which imagine evil against my soul, and which lie in wait for my life. 15 Yea, let them be condemned to l Psal. 9 b. hell eternally, which profess themselves friendly to me, and there under mix their poisonous falsehoods therewith to destroy me. 16 O Lord, (my God root out all the m Psal. 37. c. d. wicked ones, for they have spoiled the earth and made it wast, that thy Saints may take in the land, and inherit the same in truth and righteousness forever. 17 O my Father and my God, thou, n Psal. 46. a. 61. a. 71. a. who art my strength and Saviour, support me, for I lie fallen among the midst of the wicked. 18 They have bound me with their cords or snares, and deal very unmercifully with me. 19 Look on my o Psal. 9 b. sorrows, & how miserable my enemies have made me: I loved them all, and have declared my love unto them. 20 But they have in hate rewarded me with wickedness, they have wounded me deadly, and they have pierced through all my inward parts with poison. 21 They fed me with p Psal. 69 c. wormwood or bitterness, when I was in the snares of death, and have poured me forth poison, and bitter drink for wine, when I thirsted after a little refreshment, and sought comfort in my soul. 22 O Lord, heal thou my soul lest I perish, and let thy Word of life shine about me, then shall my soul recover her health. 23 O Father, q Psal. 27. b. 71. a. forsake me not for ever in thy displeasure, but let thy mercy be a comfort to my soul. 24 When I called thus long and the Lord did not harken unto me, than I thought in my heart, I am as nothing, and as one that goeth forsaken: [or as a lost one.] 25 O Lord, shall thy punishment upon me not cease? can there no grace be found for me in thine eyes? O thou most high God, thou that art full of all mercy. 26 Therefore (O God) chastise me yet to amendment, & let me know what thy pleasure is, and r Psal. 25. b. 27. a. 86. b. guide me in thy way which thou wouldest have me to walk. 27 Strengthen, O Lord, my bones, and s Psal. 5●. b. create in me an upright heart & mind. 28 Then shall I be able to walk uprightly in thy ways, else my undertakings are without strength, as nothing. CHAP. ix.. Psalm IV. 1 OH Lord, how are my sins over-weighty, and a Psal. 38. a. how heavy stand before me, my transgressions. 2 For the anguish of them overburden me exceedingly, O Lord, if thou dost not ease me, I must consume to nothing. 3 O Lord, dost thou delight in the death of sinners? dost thou not rather desire that we should b Ezek. 18. turn and live. 4 Thou hast no pleasure in our destruction, therefore c Psal. 22. 35. c. arise, O God, and help me that I may praise thee, and may tell among all the Congregations of thy mercy, to the honour & praise of thy holy name. 5 O Lord, be gracious unto me, and d Psal. 51. a. let the great bounty of thy mercifulness come upon me. 6 Forgive me, O Lord, mine iniquities, and guide me in thy righteousness, let not (O Lord) thy wrath devour me. 7 But pour forth thy e ●sal. 79. b. anger upon the ungodly, and destroy them before mine eyes, which imagine nothing but mischief against me, and their delight is only to destruction. 8 And let thy goodness, O Lord, assist me, prepare my heart according to thy will, and have compassion upon any ignorance and weakness. 9 My ignorance f Psal. 25. 79. a. and my conversation with the iniquity, remember not (O Lord) forever, but deliver thy servant out of their hands. 10 For thou (O Lord) hast made known unto me the ways of my errors, but to come again into the right way, the knowledge nor the power is not in me. 11 Therefore O Lord, make them g 4 Kings 6. d. all blind and feeble that are against me, and give me the sight of thy life, the power of thy righteousness. 12 Deliver me h Psal. 140. a. out of the hands of the crafty, for they have no good in their minds. 13 If so be, O Lord, that I find mercy before thine eyes, than is my soul rejoiced. 14 Then will I (O Lord) with thy power rule over all mine enemies, and break them to pieces as earthen vessels. 15 But now (O Lord) heal me of my torment, and take away all ignorance from my thoughts, and i Psal. 119. a. teach thy servant thy Statutes. 16 O God by reason of my sius, hast thou (with chastising) humbled me, reject me not now wholly, but draw my soul again unto thee. 17 Thereby is made known thy great mercy, that thou showest mercy again to those, who were k Ier. 5. a. estranged from thee, and have sinned against thee. 18 For I (O Lord) have transgressed, and turned my back on thee, and feared not thy great power nor glory. 19 But seeing thou now chastisest me (O God) for my errors, my soul submitteth before thee, confessing that I am worthy of death and damnation. 20 Therefore, O God of life, (thou who art an error to the erring, and a death l ●●osea 13. 1 Cor. 15. c. unto the dead, for to prepare a conquest of death for the living, and to lead the upright (out of all error into thy ways) take me now by thine hand, and lead me out from among the wicked, who all surround me like so many Bears and fierce m Psal. 7. 17. b. Wolves. 21 O Lord, make haste before they devour my soul, for thy Goodness n Psal. 136. endureth for ever. CAAP. X. Psalm V. 1 AH why is it thus woeful with me? what aileth me? how hard do my sins press me? how am I thus overwhelmed with the wickedness? 2 That which I would not, that must I endure: and that which I a Rom. 7. c. desire, flieth far from me. 3 The evil presseth and tormenteth me, the devil's power tyrannizeth over me. 4 O Lord, deliver me from these snares, and let thy life be gracious to me, and refresh my mind. 5 Grant, O Lord, that my soul be refreshed in thee, and be thou my comfort in this desertion. 6 For what am I that I should be able to stand b Psal. 56. a. 130. a. Mal. 3. a. Nahum 3. a. when thou, O Lord, pourest forth thy wrath upon me? 7 Or wilt thou quite destroy me O God of life, and no more reveal salvation to me. 8 What is then my life? if I may commend them for happy, which never c Job 10. b. Jer 20. b. lived: and that never knew thee nor thy Glory. 9 For who, O Lord, shall praise thee most, but he whom thou hast delivered out of great misery, and freest him from all vexation of his soul. 10 Therefore, O Lord, be d Psal. 51. a. merciful unto me: mercy (O Lord) mercy, & through the great abundance of thy mercies, deliver me from my torments. CHAP. XI. Psalm VI. 1 O Lord (thou which art the God of all the World) let thy mercy shine upon me, and deliver me out of the pit of death, and out of the hellish fire. 2 For sadness compasseth a Psal. 18. a. 88 a. b. me above measure, and the snares of death have environed me, my sins stand in my sight, against b Psal. 51. a. me, and the Devil c 1 Pet. 5. b. roareth to devour me. 3 Hell taketh hold on me, and the d Psal. 88 a. sorrows of my mind oppress me. 4 My heart is cut through with e Luke 2. b. the sword of anguish, and my thoughts bring forth all perplexities. 5 Therefore must my soul now lament f Esay 59 b. as one that is forsaken without comfort 6 O Lord, wilt thou not once look down, and wilt thou quite turn away thy loving countenance from me, what is then my soul which thou hast begotten & g Gen. 1. 2. Wisdom 2. c. Ec●lus 17. d. brought forth to life. 7 Or, O Lord, dost thou try my Manhood, or searchest thou the strength of my creature, which is but earth and ashes, h Psal. 1. 103. c. Ecclus 17. d. and is able to do nothing, as a thing which is nothing. 8 For it is now become as a spoilt instrument which is unprofitable to thy service. 9 Therefore, I must confess, unto thee my weakness and impotency, be thou, O Lord, my power, my life, and my ability. 10 For if thou hidest thyself from me, then am I as i Psal. 88 a. b. the dead in the grave. 11 And I find myself in great misery, k Ps. 18. ●16. a. like to those that are in Hell. 12 Therefore, O Lord, consider my misery, and refresh the soul of my m●nd, then O Lord, will I praise thee, magnify thy glory, and will sing praises unto thy name for ever. 13 For who is he among the l Ps. 6. a. 130. d. 88 b. 115. b. Esay 38 b. dead which remembreth thee? in Hell there are no praises sung unto thee. 14 But when thou (O Lord) dost afflict, than the sighs of the poor come before thee, and when thou makest glad again, than they sing with joy, a song of praise whereby thy name is magnified as holy. CHAP. XII. Psalm VII. 1 OH Lord, how am I thus perplexed? how long shall my soul endure sadness? how long shall the wickedness as an over-lorder triumph over me. 2 That thou, O God, wouldst guide me in thy ways, and wouldst lead me in thy a Psal. ●99. c. paths, and wouldst deliver me from my adversaries, and from all b Psal 7. 142. a. mine enemies which have made up themselves against me: Then would I, O God, out of the whole mind of my soul, bring unto thee an offering of joy, and offer up a sacrifice of thanksgiving. 3 O Lord, let not my adversaries have their pleasure over me, let not my enemies prosper against me. 4 O that the wicked might give up themselves to flight, and not reign over me for ever: to the end that my c Psal. 35. c. enemies boast not, that they have destroyed me. 5 O Lord, assist me, and rise up against mine enemies d Psal. 35. c. 70 8. 71. b. that they may all be put to shame that assault me. 6 O Lord, let thy goodness embrace me, cleanse me from my sins, and deliver me from the murderous e Psal 7. 69. a. 115. a. 142. b. persecutors of my soul: that my soul may dwell in thee thee (O my God) in peace and without care. 7 Ah, how long shall I yet endure mine enemies? how long shall they torment my soul with disquietness? 8 Well: I will be of good cheer, in the confidence of my God, that my soul may get some refreshment. 9 Oh my soul (thou oppressed one f Psal. 2. b. 42. 43. 1. a. be of good cheer in thy perplexity, and expect the comfort of the Lord in long-suffering. 10 For he will comfort thee in peace g trens. 3. c. James 5. a. if thou takest patience to thee as a precious treasure. 11 He will bring unto thee meek-mindedness for an ornament, and the burden of the wicked shall be lightened in thee, and h Isa. 61. d. Luke 1. 8. thy mind shall be refreshed in God. CHAP. XIII. Psalm VIII. 1 WHy art thou so troublesome to me a Psal. 43. a. O thou unbelief and distrust: for my hope is in the living God, that he will yet heal my soul. 2 O Lord, b Psal. 6. a. heal me, and take away from me the evil nature, namely, all the opposition of thy goodness. 3 Ah, I am doubtless very deeply wounded, there is c Psal. 38. a. Esay 1. a. no soundness in my soul. 4 O God, I am very miserable by reason of my torments, is there any so d ●say 53 a. distempered as I am. 5 I am not now like unto any e Psal. 22. 49. d. man but to those which have changed their human form and shape. 6 Wherefore was I born f Job 3. b. 10. b. Jer. 20. b. upon the earth, for I perish in great misery, and am good for no use. 7 O that my Father had let fall the seed of which I was begotten (like Onan the son g Genes. 38. of Juda) that I had never been. 8 Or that I for or to my father's sin (like the first born son of David h 2 Kings 12. by Bashsheba) had died. 9 Ah, that the earth would open itself, & receive me, that the i Isaiah 2. b. Hosea 10. a. Luke 23. c. Apoc. 6. b. 9 a. hills would fall on me, and cover and smother me in the earth, that I might no longer see this horrible abomination. 10 For I am bereaved of all comfort, riches, honour, and wisdom. 11 All unsoundness, torment, k Psal. 18. a. 88 a. 116. a. sin, death, Devil, and Hell is fallen upon me. 12 Ah my l Ps. 31. b. 55. a. ●1. b. heart is thus afflicted, and my mind is so much disquieted. 13 My ●ones m Psal. 6. a. quake, my feet tremble, and my jawbone is shaken. 14 My teeth chatter, my hands are wrung about [or turned round] my eyes weep, and my thoughts affright me. 15 All evil spirits domine●● over me, and and my enemies drive me upon doubtings. 16 Anguish and n Isaiah 13. a. Wisdom 5. a. perplexity more heavily oppress me, then if the whole world lay on me. 17 Doubt of deliverance, and all despair o Luke 21. c. assault me, the unbelief bringeth desperation before me, as if I were forsaken eternally. 18 There is nowhere any refreshment p Luke 16. c. for my soul that I might revive myself a little. 19 Ah how hard doth the punishment of my God laid hold on me, his stripes fall on me (as q Psal. 83. b. burning coals and flames of fire. 20 I am afraid that the heat of his fire r Deut. 4. c. Heb. 12. c. will consume me to nothing. 21 Or that he will hold his fierce countenance continually over me, and hide his lovely face for ever from me. 22 Ah, I must bewail my sins continually, for these hard stripes torment me. CHAP. XIV. Psalm ix.. 1 WHile I was thus wounded, stricken & chastised my friends also a Job 19 b. Psal. 38. b. 55. b. 88 a. b. made up themselves against me, and became my enemies. 2 And they also cried out against me with great accusation: and said, b Job 20. 27. b. O yea, that is his reward: the accursed. 3 Kill him, c Psal. 41. a. away, away with this wicked one, condemn him for ever into hell. 4 His sins are manifested to be beyond mercy, for his evil deed is as of the most ungodly wicked one. 5 Yea, God thus rejecteth all those which fall off from him, and never more come to his favour again. 6 Therefore let all shame, reproach, and the eternal death befall him, & let not God help or succour him for ever. 7 O Lord, let that perdition which they have wished to me, and also themselves have framed against me, let it fall on d Psal. 59 71. b. themselves, and when they are smitten down let them never rise again. 8 They have intended mischief against me e Psal. 55. 64. a. O Lord, repay them that they have f Psal. 28. 6●. b. deserved on my behalf. 9 For why should the wicked rule over thy Sanctuary, and drive out thy beloved ones? 10 Yea, let themselves be cursed g Gen. 27. c. which intend me evil, and let them with thee (O God) find no mercy. 11 Let them be totally rooted out with root and branch, for they fall on me very heavily, and bring an evil report on me among the people. 12 Yea, they are such which appeared as friends, h Psal. 41. b. did eat bread with me daily, and are become secret traitors to me. 13 For those which sometimes praised me, and were friendly when I was in prosperity, now reproach & hate me most of all. 14 Yea, my wife i Micha 7. a. which lieth in my arms, (who is one flesh and bone with me) where all my heart, delight, comfort and mind was fixed, bringeth also all wicked outcries against me, with all accusations for to condemn me. 15 Now when I consider all this, and that all things are averse, and fall contrary to me, which formerly I loved, so it afflicteth me much more than the rebuking of God. 16 But seeing all my love is thus requited with malice, therefore all my oppression, misery and anxiety is a heavy burden above measure. 17 Now when I (out of my heavy burden) call on God then mine enemies (which sometimes were my friends) k Job 19 b. Psal. 38. 53. b. 88 a b. rise up against me. 18 They reproved and l Job 8. contested with me, why I was so bold and presumptuous, as to call to God for mercy. 19 They all cried against me with one voice: Thou hast neither help nor m Psal. 3. 41. a. 42. b. comfort with the Almighty, for he hath poured forth his wrath on thee everlastingly. 20 There stood my soul before the Tribunal, and I was very much perplexed in my heart, and strongly bound with the cords of sin, and was heavily accused of the enemies of life. 21 I looked up to the highest, and down again to the lowest, and round about me, far and near: whether any one did take to heart my cause for to defend me, n Psal. 69. c. Isaiah 63. a. but I found none. 22 But my enemies (which sought my life, and were against me o Psal. 22. stood in great multitudes (even as grass in the field) round about me to condemn me. 23 And my ways, which sometimes they commended for good, they presented before me as evil to a great accusation, and I beheld them all as an p Matth. 24. b. Mark 13. b. Luke 21. b. abomination of desolation. 24 This same grieved me exceedingly: and I suffered great great sadness with heavy oppression in my heart. 25 wherever I did go or stand q Psal. 22. 86. 68 b, 109. b. c. there was I surrounded with my enemies: and they speak nothing but evil against me. 26 And I was full of woe in my soul: sadness, and out of great anguish I called on the Lord for help, or else I had perished. CHAP. XV. Psalm X. 1 O God, a Psal. 39 b. harken to my crying and sighing: let my lamentation come into thine ears, and let me not b Psal. 7. 25. a. 71. a. remain ashamed. 2 I am now fallen in the sin, c Psal. 38. b. and am estranged from thy light: and go up and down as one that is condemned and lost. 3 I am as the weakest among the children of men: d Psal. 31. b. for there is no strength of any virtue in me. 4 Those that look on me according to the judgement of mine enemies, abhor me, e Psal. 22. a. for my enemies cry all shame and disgrace upon me. 5 But thou, O Lord, (in whom I hope) let me not perish in the darkness: but f Psal. 13. a. enlighten me with thy light, and take away my shame and reproach. 6 For my sins and transgressions are a loathing to me: and to do any thing which thou hast prohibited, or is against thy will, is no pleasure to my soul. 7 But I remember thee in my anguish: and take a g Psal. 119. c. delight in thy righteousness. 8 Therefore, O Lord, take not the rod of thy correction from me until that I love thy law, and forget not that which thou hast commanded. 9 O God, my mouth is made dumb h Psal. 39 b. to speak of thy truth through shamefacedness of my sin. 10 For they stand as an abomination in my sight: and have made me dismayed in my mind. 11 The ungodly reigned over me, and would draw me from thy law: that I (O God) should no more think on thee and thy law. 12 They have presented lies before me, as a snare, and had honey in their lips, i Psal. 55. c. wherewith they kissed me friendly. 13 But k Psal. 140. a. Rom. 3. b. poison was under their tongue, and they mingled that same in my soul: and they, O God, stirred up thy wrath against me. 14 For those which were friendly in their falsehood, and made a show as if they loved me, have brought me to shame. 15 But they themselves must fall into the pit, l Psal. 7. 9 b. 35. a. 141. b. Prov. 26. b. c. Ecclm 28. a. Eccles. 10. a. and perish in the destruction which they have prepared for my soul. CHAP. XVI. Psalm XI. 1 O God, a Psal. 40. b. 70, 71. a. make haste to come unto me, that my enemies (which wait to destroy my soul) may be destroyed: that I may highly b Psal. 140. a. praise thy Name in the land c Psal. 27. d. of the living. 2 Root out the ungodly, make thy salvation break forth: and let thy Name be glorious over all thine enemies. 3 O Lord, thou Eternal and Almighty God, forsake me not d Psal. 25. a. for my ignorance: remember not O God) for ever mine errors in the time of my youth. 4 But teach e Psal. 88 a. b. in thy truth, that I may praise thy goodness, and may highly esteem of thy correction: and not forget thy righteousness. 5 I rejoice me in my soul: when as thy hand of correction humbleth me under thee. 6 And that I endure my punishment for the folly and ignorance of my youth. 7 That I might have my walking among the f Psal. 113. a. Elders in Israel, and have my habitation among the Citizens of Jerusalem. Zach. S. a. 8 Therefore, O God, circumcise g Jer. 4. a. the foreskin of my heart: to me, and take away from me the foreskin of my evil thoughts. 9 That I may come up to worship with thy people h Psal. 43. a. into thy holy Temple or Tabernacle, Isa. 12. 56. a. and with i Micah 4. a. offerings and gifts (which may be acceptable and well pleasing unto thee) for an eternal joy upon mount Zion. 10 O Lord, help: yea, (O God jesu) help and draw my spirit to thee, in thy holy heaven, in thy appearing to me in glory. CHAP. XVII. Psalm XII. 1 HOw long shall I, O God, want thy goodness? or when shall I be delivered from the sin? 2 Have I hoped in thee in vain? or hidest a Isaiah 57 b. thou thy goodness for a while from me? 3 Let me entreat thee, O God, b Psal. 5. 8. b. 139. b. strengthen me, and lead me aright. O God, lead me aright otherways, must I perish by reason of my sin. 4 O Lord, hear thy servant, who is full of sorrow and misery. 5 Ah: how long shall I be deaf, before I shall hear? how long shall I yet be blind before I shall see? how long shall I be dying, before that I live? 6 Is there then c King's 19 b. no remnant unto righteousness left for me? Isaiah 1. a. O God, must I then perish in my sins? Rom. 11 a. 7 O God, (thou who art the God of all the world) turn thee in mercy to me, that the enemy destroy me not: and let not thy d Psal. 69. b. wrath abide upon me for ever. 8 My sins make me fearful: and my transgressions make me timorous to speak of thy righteousness. 9 Therefore am I become dumb e Psal. 39 a. as if I had no speech in my mouth. 10 I am become ashamed of myself, because of the multitude of my sins. 11 O God, support me under thy rod, f P●ov. 3. a. 5. c. and chastising instruction, that I forget not thee, Heb. 12. b. 13. nor thy law. 12 cleanse g Psal. 51. a. me O God, from my sins: from the Heathenship, and from all ungodly being. 13 O how presumptuous are the despisers! & the gainsayers of thy holy Name? 14 How long must I (O God) endure thy reproach and thy adversaries. CHAP. XVIII. Psalm XIII. 1 O How long shall I yet suffer thee thou dissembling nature, which hast as it were honey in thy mouth: but there under a Psal. 140. a. shootest thou forth thy poison, Pro. 5. a. according to the nature of the Serpent. Rom. 3. b. 2 Thou allurest forth my soul as to a life of sweetness: and embracest me b Prov. 5. 7, a. as with a faithful love. 3 Thou walkest before me in show of a lamb: thy ways are laid forth, as if they led to a peace of good rest. 4 Thou risest up, as a light unto life: and among the impenitent, thou art as c Is●iah 14. b. a morning star, to the uprising of the day. 5 The sound of thy voice is delightful, d Prov. 2. b. 5. a. 7. a. and thy speech seemeth very pleasant. 6 But thou art a false nature, which drawest the souls of men to thy own propriety or interest: and then thou showest forth thy evil fruits, and rulest over them with thy good-thinking knowledge. 7 Thou fallest a roaring as a Lion e 1 Pet. 5. b. that would tear in pieces: and spewest out thy fiery flames as a Dragon. 8 Thou destroyest as a wolf, and showest there through thy robbing as a Thief f John 10. a. and so indevourest thee as a Murderer to destroy my soul. 9 O God, Father, thou Almighty Lord, how long shall I be set with the wicked, and be judged or accused by them? How long shall I taste of their poison, and endure their false testimonies against me? 10 In all my ways where I go, they g Psal. 35. a●▪ 140. a. lay their snares for me: and use all subtlety, to take h Psal. 38. b. my soul, and to bring an accusation against it. 11 For in my presence many of them show as if they were my friends, and account me for one of their kindred and brethren. 12 O God, make their dissimulation to be an abomination to me, and make me an enemy to them: pour out thy fierce i Psal. 69. 79. a. wrath on them, that they may fly far from me. 13 That my soul may seek for her comfort only in thee: and may be delivered from her plagues. CHAP. XIX. Psalm XIV. 1 O Lord, take away the a Rom. 7. c. inclination of my own will: and purge my heart from the offence. 2 Let (O Lord) no bitter b Heb. 12. b. root grow in me, lest envy take possession in my heart. 3 But, O Lord, my God change my being, and refresh my mind. 4 For the taking on of my own c Isaiah 58. a. will, plant in me the submission. 5 Instead of perverseness and bitterness, d 1 Cor. 1. 13. a. plant thy nature of the love, and the virtuous being. 6 That I also, O Lord, may walk uprightly before thee, and show thy mercy to me, that I may tell it forth e Psal. 26. b. continually, and forever. 7 For I am fallen down in sins, and there is no comfort in my heart, for there is no power in me of rising. 8 Therefore, O Lord, let thy grace shine on me, and help those that are weak. For I am smitten down even unto Hell. 9 And now is my soul afflicted: and I must f Job 7. a. 10. b. Jer. 15. 20 b. lament my untimely birth. 10 Because I am born upon the earth, such a disobedient one to thy truth. 11 Therefore, O Lord, consider that I am g Psal. 51. a. brought forth in sin, yet will I love thy goodness: but without thee and thy power h John 15. a. 2. Cor. 3. a. I am not able to inherit any thing of thy goodness. 12 All the intentions of my own counsel [or mind] are vain: and my own i Isa. 55. 59 a. thoughts meditate nothing but folly. 13 There is no strength k Rom. 7. c. 2 Cor. 4. a. nor understanding in me to do good: how shall I then, O Lord, be able rightly to turn unto thee. 14 Therefore, O Lord, consider me, and appear unto me in my misery. 15 Turn me to thee through thy light: l Jer. 31. d. then, O Lord) am I rightly turned unto thee? 16 And give unto me [such] a portion of faith: ☜ as I may through thee (O Lord) conquer the iniquity. 17 For I have kept nothing by me) neifaith, nor spirit whereby I may live. 18 For all my portion m Luke 15. b. which I have received of thy goodness, have I spent, wasted and consumed upon strangers. 19 And now seek I here and there, my feeding [or food:] but I find no comfort ●n my soul among strangers to my satisfaction. 20 As I ponder of all this in my heart, than sigheth my soul out of great distress. 21 Because I perish for hunger and thirst in misery: and that there is such abundance of goods in the house of the Lord my Father. 22 When I consider this, that I, (of my own accord) have wandered from thence, then suffereth my soul far greater sorrow. 23 Forasmuch now (O my God and Father) as I have consumed all thy good gifts, therefore am I not worthy to be called after thy name. 24 But let me find from thee the favour of a stranger, and that I may stand in thy favour (as one of the meanest of the servants of thy servants) and that my sins might be forgiven me. 25 For I (O Father) have dealt more unjustly with thy goods, than the n Mat 25. b. e. unfaithful servant, which buried his talon in the earth which he received from thee. 26 O God, I have yet done more unfaithfully with thy goods, for I have not done so well as to bury thy goods: but have made them away: and therewith committed unrighteousness. 27 Therefore I am ashamed of myself: and desire now (O God) nothing else from thee, but only thy mercy, that thou wouldst pardon o Psal. 51. a. Mat. 6. b. mine iniquities, and blot out my transgressions. 28 And that I may p Luke 15. b. walk in thy house among the meanest of thy servants, and might feed upon a morsel of thy bread. 29 But now (O Lord) I lie down before thee q Psal. 110. a. Esay 66. a. as a footstool of thy feet: and submit to thee in the greatest humiliy of my heart: receive me, O God, into thy mercy. 30 Plant in mine inwardness r Psal. 40. a. Jer. 31. d. Heb. 9 10. thy law, and write it in the mind of my thoughts: and hide not thy will from me. 31 But take away from me the perverse mind and thoughts, which are against thee. 32 And guide me, O Lord, in thy truth s Psal. 25. a. 27. 86. 114. b. in the way in which thou wilt have me to walk. 33 And give then (O my God and Father) such an t Psal. 51. b. heart and mind, in which I may live and praise thee. CHAP. XX. Psalm XV. 1 WHen I now for a long time confessed my sins (before the Lord and his Saints) sought for mercy, praying for comfort to my soul, and had suffered the chastising instruction in following after Christ in a Rom. 6. a. Phil. 2. a. his death of the cross: and thus did manifest that I was humbled, and willing to all obedience: Then the goodness of God the Father appeared to me aagain: And I spoke with great thankfulness in my heart and said. 2 O well and happy is he which hungreth and b Matth. 5. a. thirsteth after the righteousness, and is no man's enemy therein: and so c Prov. 3. b. boweth himself under the rod of his God, and endureth his correction: And waiteth in d James 5. a. patience on the goodness of the Lord and his compassion. 3 For, behold, the punishment e Psal. 30. a. Mich. 7. b. lasteth only for a short time, which cometh to an end: but the mercy of the Lord, and his goodness f Psal. 103. b. endureth for ever, and his love hath no end. g Psal. 32. 85. a. 103. a. Ezech. 18. d. Joel 2. b. 4 he forgiveth and blotteth out the sins of the people which turn unto him with all their heart: for they meditate upon that which is holy and good, and learn also to practise that which is h Gen. 18. b. right and reasonable. 5 Yea, this the Lord turneth away his fury and displeasure from his Elect, and turns his wrath on his enemies, which must perish through his indignation as i Psal. 1. a. chaff and dust. 6 Therefore, O God, my soul k Psal. 103. a. 104. a. d. shall praise thee for ever, for thou seekest the life to the preservation: but the enemies of the life l Psal. 21. a. b. must be brought to nothing. 7 O Lord, how is thy goodness and Mercy out of thy love so great! m Ezec. 34. b. that thou settest them free, who were taken and bound by others. 8 And thou makest that good again, which was spoiled and corrupted by another. 9 again thou n Matth. 15. c. 28. b. Luke 19 b. John 10. a. seekest and findest that which was lost by another even unto nothingness. 10 Thou bringest o Ezek. 34. c. to right again, that which was misled by another. 11 Thou revivest that p Deut. 22 d. 1 Kings 2. a. Job 31. a. which was put to death by another. 12 Thereby is known (O Lord) thy almightiness, for this (O God) is thy Love, Power and Mercy. CHAP. XXI. Palm XVI. 1 GIve thanks to the Lord with Hymns: for a Psal. 105. a. 106. Great and wonderful is his mightiness. 2 Where is there such a God as the God of b Deut. 32. d. ● Kings 2. a. Wisdom 2. a. Israel who maketh the dead alive, and delivereth his Elect, out of the c Psal. 30. a. 86. 116. 4. condemnation and judgement of hell. 3 And bringeth them away out of all the straits of their enemies, to his holy inheritance of rest and peace: according as he hath d Jer. 30. 51. promised and sworn of old. 4 For be is Potent who e 1 King. 18. 21 29. a. Ecclus 47. a. killeth Thousands and hath killed ten Thousand for to deliver his. 5 He riseth early against his enemies, which are oppressors of his, who out of anguish call upon him for the injustice sake. 6 Therefore is the Lord a f Psal. 47. a. King of all Glory: an over ruler of all Powers. 7 For with the arm of his strength he taketh in the land, and treads down his enemies, as if they were loam or ●lay. 8 With his breath or wind, he g Psal. 104. d. scattereth them away, as if they were dust and chaff. 9 And he delivereth the h Psal. 72. a. poor and miserable, which call upon him. 10 Therefore is the Lord great & mighty a i Psal. 47. 39 a. 96. b. King, and God in Eternity Allelu-ia, Allelu-ia. CHAP. XXII. Psalm XVII. 1 THerefore exalt our God and praise his holy Name. 2 Because he hath taken the kingdom, and the sceptre of his Kingdom is made manifest. 3 For the Lord is a Psal. 47. 93. a 96. 97. a. become King, wherefore let his people rejoice, 4 His Word hath showed power: his righteousness is become manifest. 5 His Spirit hath appeared like a light, and confirmeth his salvation forever. 6 The same God hath renewed us in him, and given us a new understanding. 7 A new b Ephes. 4. c. Col. 5. b. creature hath he brought forth, the image of God, the upright righteousness. 8 Therefore the people speak with new tongues: the new song is in our mouth. 9 Lord, c Jude 13. b. Psal. 72. b. 77. b. 136. a. wonderful are thy works: for thou hast done marvellous acts among us. 10 The evil that was in us, is now nowhere to be found amongst us; that which we knew not in the death, is now apparent to us in the everlasting life. 11 The sin is now, with us condemned in the sin d Rom. 8. a. : The righteousness is declared unto us in righteousness. 12 The death is now among us swallowed up in the death e Hosea 13. b. 1 Cor. 15. f. : the everlasting life is come unto us in the renewing of our lives. 13 The hell is judged or condemned in the f Apoc. 17. 20. b. pit of hell: the heaven is showed unto us in the heavenly being. 14 The lie is come to shame; the Truth is risen up unto us in the Truth. 15 The darknesses are gone into the bottomless pit to the darknesses g Psal. 30. a. : the light hath illuminated us in the light. 16 The Idol is fallen in his Idolatry: the living God is become known unto us in the deity, or Godhead. 17 Therefore we confess the majesty of our God; and the sanctification of his people eternally. CHAP. XXIII. Psalm XVIII. 1 O Lord, thou almighty God, Great and a Psal. 139. b. Apoc 17. a. Wonderful are thy Works. 2 Righteous b Psal. 24. b. 119. c. and true are thy ways thou Prince and King of Saints. 3 Who should not fear and love thee, O Lord, of life, and praise thy Name. 4 For there is no holiness but thou: for thou only (O Lord) c 1 King's a. art holy. 5 All people shall worship thee, in d Psal. 72. b. 87. a. thy thy presence where thou becom'st manifest in thy holy Temple. 6 For thy righteousness e Psal. 98. a. are known, and thy holiness inherited by thy people. 7 But not a holiness by men's hands: but an holiness which is from Eternity, and shall continue forever. 8 Therefore dost thou (O Lord) remain a God for ever, a King which shall reign eternally. 9 Thus are we now joyful in this portion, and sing Heja, Heja, 10 Play to the Lord a new f Psal 33. 96. a. 98. 104. a. d. song, and sing Allelu-ja, all elu-ja. CHAP. XXIV. Psalm XIX. 1 rejoice ye with joy, ye a Psal. 48. b. 97 Esay 62. b. 66. Zeph. 3, b. Zach. 2. b. 8. a. 12. b. c. daughters of Zion: an● refresh you, ye Citizens and inhabitants of the City Jerusalem. 2 Shout now b Esay 44. c. 49. b 65. d. with triumph, all ye Generatious of Israel: And rejoice you in all love the children of peace. 3 Behold, your King c Zach. 9 a. Mat. 21. a. John 12. b, appeareth unto you in meekness: and he cometh d Mat. 25. d. with majesty. 4 For that he should establish you heir like in his Sanctuary for to possess his kingdom for ever. 5 But to his enemies, (the resisters of the Love) e Jer. 23. b. 25. d. 30. c. Mat. 4. a. Rom 2. a. he appeareth in wrath and severity. 6 For to thrust them from him, and to f Mat. 25. d. shut them without his kingdom eternally. 7 For he will put a period g Zeph. 1. b. to iniquity, and cast all falsehood a●d offensiveness out of his h Apoc. 21. 22. kingdom. 8 He will disperse the deceitful thoughts: his life, disposition and nature he will bring to light. 9 He will establish his kingdom in peace: and the i Esay 9 a. Dan. 2. c. 7. b. peace of his kingdom shall have no end. 10 Behold, this is the spiritual kingdom of Christ the heavenly King for ever. Allelu-ja, Allelu-ja. CHAP. XXV. Psalm XV. 1 WHerefore (O ye souls) a Psal. 95. a. shout now in your God for joy, and let your mind rejoice in his Salvation. 2 From whom you were turned away, and are turned to him again. 3 Behold, that is the stone b Psal. 118. c. Esay 28. b. Mat. 21. c. 1 Pet. 2. a. which saveth you, the eternal God of Israel, who the hath made heaven and earth. 4 His anointing is at his right hand: out of his spirit of Salvation cometh faithfulness and Truth unto us. 5 That which he hath smitten and wounded, he hath c Ezech. 34. c. healed and made whole again. 6 He can d Deut. 32. d. 1 Kings ●. a. Wisd 16. b. kill, and make alive again, he leadeth into hell and bringeth thence again. 7 He thrusteth away and condemneth, as it were in cursing: he calleth to him again in blessing as his best ●e loved. 8 He bringeth dov● to dust, earth, and ashes: He exalteth e Psal. 67. a. Luke 1. ●. again above all Cedar trees. 9 He suffereth to fall into sorrow, as if it were nothing, and as if he esteem●d it not. 10 He maketh it glad again, a●d esteemeth it more precious than Gold, Silver and and precious Stones. 11 Where is their such a God, f ●er 10. a. Mich. 7. b. as the God of Israel which moveth [or overspreadeth] above all Heavens. 12 He hath founded the earth upon his Word g G. u. 1. a. Prov. 3. c. the Firmament is comprehended in him. 13 Sun and Moon stand obedient to his commandment: all hearts of the living hath he in his hand. 14 He h Psal. 114. b. doth all what ever he pleaseth: he respecteth i Mat. 22. b. no man, neither wise, nor simple. 15 When he ariseth, all must stoop to him, and fear his mighty hand. 16 He chastiseth or rebuketh for a certain time: k Psal. 30. a. Mich 7. b. but his goodness l Psal 136. endureth for ever. 17 Praise him all ye Kings, and m Psal 148. b. all ye Counsellors in the Land: fear his Majesty all ye people. 18 he that worketh Wonders among the Heathens, and taketh a delight in his Elect. 19 He hath a pleasure in the house of Israel, that he may plant the Generation of Jacob in righteousness. 20 He will not n Esay 57 b. Jer 3. ●. for ever be angry with his people: their punishment shall not always endure. 21 He punisheth them for their sins: he saveth and justifieth them for his holy Name sake. 22 he will not forget his Covenant, that o Psal. 105. a. Luke 1. ●. g. he hath made with Abraham Isaac, and Jacob. 23 He will not forsake his mercy, which he hath promised by his Servants and Prophets. 24 Yet once again will he move the Earth, p Agge 2. a Heb. 12. d. and gather his people together, q Mat. 24. d. from all ends of the Earth, and be r 2 M●ch. 2. b. gracious unto them. 25 A new s Je●. 31. d. covenant he will establish with them, he will give them a new name: t Esay 56. 62. b the everlasting free ones, the redeemed of the Lord. 26 To whom the Law of the Lord, his Statutes and Rites, shall no more stand written in Tables of stone. 27 But God will write them in their hearts, in the innermost u Psal. 40. a. Esay 31. a. Jer. 31. d. of their minds, in the ground of faith after the manner of Father Abraham. 28 rejoice ye then that have been rejected among all heathen. 29 x Psal. 47. a. Clap then with your hands, and dance then with your feet. 30 Make then your songs of joy at Zion: sing then Allelu-ja, y Zach. 8. a. Tobir 13. a. in all the streets and lanes of Jerusalem. 31 Then cast from you the mourning garment: for that is the end of your shame and contempt. 32 Then put on z Esay 61 b. the ornaments of joy: sing, play, and a Psal. 81. 98. a. 149, 150. a. praise the Lord in triumphing. 33 Play upon harps, upon Lutes, upon cymbals, Flutes, Tabors, Uialls, and upon all manner of Instruments with strings. 34 For then will God be your King, your head and only Shepherd. 35 No b Jer. 38. c. Zeph. 3. b. sin shall any more destroy you: no Prophets shall any more seduce you. 36 Then shall you all c Jer. 31. d. know the Lord your God, as also his Statutes and Ordinances. 37 Hope now thereon O Israel: the same shall come unto you all ye children of Jacob. Allelu-ja, Allelu-ja, Amen. 38 Give perpetual thanks to the great God of Israel, for besides him there is d Deut. 4. a. Esay 42. 44. no other God. CHAP. XXVI. THus hath the Lord who forsaketh not a Ecclus 2. a. Elect, likewise, not forsaken, his chosen servant H. N. in his misery, lamentation a●d prayers. For like as he bringeth his own even into the death, and b Ceut. 12. d. Tobit 13. a. Wisd. 16. b. maketh alive again, carrieth into hell, and bringeth from thence again, permits the c Baruch 5. a. enemy to carry away into captivity, and again delivereth them out of the hands and captivity of their enemies: and exalteth or honoureth them among his living ones: So likewise the Lord delivered H. N. out of his misery, and out of the bonds of his enemies: and brought him also with gladness (with his children of the kingdom) again to his most holy being, which is full of all pure beauty and heavenly riches: and revealed unto him the whole Tabernacle of his Sanctuary, and the requiring of the service thereof. 2 And H. N. praised and thanked the most highest, for the abundance of his mercy, because that he replenished him with all fullness of his godly understanding, and H. N. diligently endeavoured himself again to the obedience of his Service: And the Lord revealed all things to him in the understanding, that was needful for the children of men to know for their salvation. 3 And so in all these things that were revealed and given him to understand from the Lord, he was very zealous and diligent (out of the revelation of God) to set down in writing the godly understanding, and the right knowledge thereof. Also for to describe the godly Testimonies (as far as the Lord revealed unto him, and might be profitable to the children of men) and to declare to the lovers of the Truth, and before all understadding (according to the true Being of Jesus Christ and his holy Spirit of Love) to publish the same in writing: And he hath done the same and (through the help of God) in some measure accomplished it. 4 But after that this ministration of the same godly Testimonies had had their forth-going thus for some years through H. N. (in writing and Printed Letters.) So were there some Writings of the same godly Testimonies come into the hands of Whoremongers, into the hands of Traitors, and into the hands of self-conceited wise ones, also into the hands of the generation of Cain, and of the false hearts of the Letter-learned, whose d Mat. 23. c. 26 Acts 7. s. forefathers persecuted Christ, and his Witnesses, accused him falsely, and killed him. 5 Which wicked generation of false hearts, have dealt most shamefully with the Writings of H. N. and the same testimonies of God: and have also out of their evil deeds manifested e Luke ●. the wickedness of their hearts: and that the good nature of Christ dwelleth not in them f Gen. ●. ●. but the false nature of Cain, who murdered his brother Abel: also the evil spirit of g 1 Kings 18, 19 Saul, who persecuted the holy Prophet David: and the envious heart of the Letter-learned, who h Mat. 26, 27. Acts 2. 7 &c. betrayed and killed Christ and his Witnesses. 6 These wicked Generations of the said wicked Fathers have not rested to i Mat. 23. accomplish the most horrid wickedness of their Fathers: but with their envious hearts have they (with great diligence) endeavoured to resist the godly Testimonies of God, and his commiserating mercy, together with the love of the holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, and God's elect Servant, with all false testimonies, lies and reproach: So that they are most fearfully fallen, against God's commiserating grace [which he on the earth to the commiseration of all men (through his elect Minister H. N.) hath testified, and published] and 'gainst the Love of the holy Spirit of Jesus Christ, into all blasphemy of God, and into contempt of his Truth. 7 These said false hearts likewise with the children of the Devil or the false Christians of the devil's School, have also with all manner of wickedness defamed H. N. (who yet was no man's enemy, nor contemned any man (in particular) for his religion: but heartily wished to all Religion urgers (that they might have the true light of life in the lantern of their Service) hath loved all people (to the godliness in Jesus Christ) and behaved himself courteously to all men in all upright conversation) & have also secretly exclaimed against him to the Magistrate (when he was not there present) for a Seducer and Malefaor, when he was not heard, or not at all speaking with him (although he yet walked openly) very falsely accused him: and have also contrived a matter, [or charge] very cunningly with all subtlety, against Law and all Christian Ordinances, to the end that H. N. (through their accusation, and clamour) might by the Magistrate be prosecuted or rooted out: And thereunto t●● Magistrate condescended. CHAP. XXVII. 1 BUt at the same time in the nine and fiftieth year of the age of H. N. (in the time of Maximilian the first, being made Roman Emperor, by virtue [or power] of the Electoral Princes of the Roman Empire and the German Nation) then sought the Magistrate where H. N. dwelled in the East (through the false relations of the enemies of H. N. (and through the false slanders which they had spoken against him among the people) to lie in wait for H. N. for to lay him fast in Prison: And so with the consent of the same aforesaid Magistrate) was H. N. (in the same Land where he dwelled) very vehemently persecuted. And many ambushes were laid for him, for to bring him into prison. But the Lord smote them all with a King's 6 b. great blindness, who were his enemies and persecuted him: insomuch that they could by no means apprehend H. N. 2 Now when the Officers of the said Magistrate, had used all their diligence, to bring H. N into their hands: then the Lord manifested his mercy and assistance to him, carried him (by the hand of his b Acts 12. a. b. Angels) openly before the eyes of his persecutors away from that land without hurt: And no man knew him, or could find out which way he traveled. 3 Now when H. N. (for the upright a Mat. 5 ●. righteousness of God, and the Godliness of Jesus Christ, and because that he attested and published the same under the obedience of the Love) was thus (through persecution) driven away through the hand of the Lord) he traveled away before the eyes of his persecutors: 〈◊〉 ●scaped. notwithstanding they writ very earnestly after him to several places, and his enemies made very diligent search after him, to find him out, nevertheless he kept on in his journey (in the way of Patience) towards another land, which the Lord showed him, and wherein it should be more quiet and peaceable for him to inhabit. 4 He was sometime also in his journey (through his persecutors and through all false aspersions, and undecent contumelies, which were cast after him) much perplexed and bnrthened: and that for the most part, because those which were Letter-learned, and did seem to be so wise: And to whom he had showed all love and friendship, were yet so ignorant, blind, and misunderstanding, that they envied him, and unadvisedly resisted the d Rom. 2. a. ● Th●ss. 2 b. Truth of God: and shamefully despised the fulfilling of the godliness in Jesus Christ; and undecently reproached the e Mat 12. b. H●b. 18. c. holy Spirit of the Love of Jesus Christ: and also persecuted him with wicked hearts of f Psal. 5 a. Je●. 9 a. Rom. 3. a. lying slanderous lips, whom they had most cause to love, for as much as he showed all love and all ministrations to the Godliness in full explanation to them.) 5 And so in his travelling and sadness, H. N. took unto him to read the Psalms of David: especially that Psalm, which the holy Prophet David (the anointed of the Lord) had formerly spoken, when g 1 Kings 16. b. 1S. b. 19 a. Saul (after the good Spirit of the Lord was departed, and was much disquieted with an evil spirit from the Lord) persecuted him: and sought to take away his life: and when he was betrayed by h 1 Ki●gs 12. b. Doeg the Edomire: and first he made his preface to the Lord, and said. 6 O Lord God (heavenly Father) how perverse and wicked of heart, have the i Exod. 1. 3 King's 22. c. Mat. 21. 23. wise of the World always been, who do not fear thee, O God, with an humble heart, nor walk uprightly before thee. 7 And how imbittered k Acts 7. s and hardened of heart, and how bloodthirsty in their spirits and minds, have always been the Letter-learned, and also the urgers of ceremonial Services, who have not (O God) believed thee in the Word of thy holy Prophets, nor been obedient thereunto: And also all those who forsake the Doctrine of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and l Mat. ●1. c. his humility and meekness, and have not learned the upright righteousness to the cleansing of their hearts, but framed and chose to themselves (out of the letter, counterfeit ceremonial services, and invented holinesses, and have neither known, nor received m John 14 c, the holy anointing of thy holy Spirit of the Love of Jesus Christ. 8 For like as Saul n 1 Kings 16. 18, 19 (with his evil and restless spirit) envied and persecuted thine anointed David (who walked uprightly, and without deceit before thee: and like as the false hearts, of the Letter-learned have despised, belied, reproached, and with falsehood defamed, and persecuted as evil doers and seducers, thy o 3 Kings 22 c. Jer. 28. a. 26. holy Prophets, and thy p Mat 23. 26. dear son (thine anointed Jesus) and his q Act. 4. 7, 9, 12 14, 16, 21. witnesses, and had an intention to root them out: Even so (O God) this wicked Generation of the same wicked seed, and nature of the aforesaid false-hearts, have persecuted, reproached, and belied me H. N. thy chosen servant because (O God) I love all people to the godliness in Jesus Christ, And attest and set forth before them, thy commiserating Grace and Love, and the upright righteousness r Luke 1. f. Ephes. 1. a. b. Col. 1. ●. 3. b. and holiness of thy beloved son Jesus Christ, (out of thy holy and gracious Word and Spirit of Love) and call and invite them all thereunto: And they have resisted and s Mat. 12. c. Heb. 10. c. reproached also thy holy Spirit, whom thou now in these last times, hast sent to declare the Truth of thy Christ. 9 Therefore must I now also with thy Prophet David take up a speech against mi●e enemies, and persecutors, and utter forth the same against their wicked deeds: And will (O God) abase myself before thee: t Job 12. a. glory in thee and thy goodness: Supplicate and pray unto thee, and give thanks and praise to thee O God, for all the goodness, which thou O heavenly Father hast bestowed on me H. N. thy chosen servant. 10 And thereupon when H. N. had spoken these words before the ears of the most high, than he began this speech against his enemies out of the psalm of David and said. CHAP. XXVIII. 1 OYe a Psal. 52. Tyrants: why do ye boast because ye can do mischief? whereas the goodness of God endureth yet daily. 2 Your tongues follow mischief, and with lies ye cut, as a sharp Razor. 3 Ye rathhr speak evil then good: and rather falsehood than truth. 4 Ye willingly speak, all that tendeth to destruction with false tongues. 5 Therefore will God also confound and totally consume you, remove you out of his Tent, [or Tabernacle] and root you out of the land of the living. 6 And the righteous shall see it, and fear: and laugh at you, and say. 7 Behold, b Psal. 49 a. these are the men, that held not God for their comfort▪ but trusted only in their c Ecclus 5. a. great riches: and were mighty to do mischief. 8 But I shall continue as a green Olive tree, in the house of God: for I trust in the goodness of God constantly and for ever. 9 I thank thee (O God) for ever: for thou art able to do it: I will rely on thy Name, for therein have thy Saints joy. 10 Help d Psal. 84. me (O God) through thy Name: and let me have justice through thy power. 11 Hear (O God) my prayers: harken to the voice of my mouth. 12 Proud men set themselves against me, and Tyrants lay wait for my soul, and have not God before their eyes. 13 Behold, God standeth by me: the Lord supporteth my soul. 14 He will reward the wickedness of mine Enemies: e Deut. 32. d. cast them out through thy faithfulness. 15 Then will I (O Lord) bring unto to thee an offering of joy, and thank thy name, because it is so comfortable. 16 For thou delivere●● me out of all my misery, so that mine eyes see their desire on my enemies. 17 Deliver me f Psal 59 a. my God from mine enemies: and protect me from them that set themselves against me. 18 Deliver me from the evil doers, and help me from the bloodthirsty. 19 For behold (Lord) they lie in wait for my soul: the strong ones gathered themselves against me, without any crime or m●●deed of mine. 20 Their g Psal. 59 ● doctrine is mere sin, & they persevere in their pride: they preach mere curses, gainsayings, and detractions. 21 They think to extinguish him that is simple h Ps●l. 62. 8. and are diligent to lie: give fair words, but they curse in their hearts. 22 But my soul waiteth upon God alone: for he is my hope. 23 For they have opened their i Psal. 1●9 a. wicked and false mouths against me, and speak against me with false tongues. 24 They speak everywhere poisonously against me, and fight without a cause. 25 Because I love them, therefore are they against me: but I do pray. 26 They requite me evil for good, and hatred for love. 27 Lord (O God) k Psal 64. hear my voice, in my complaint: preserve my life from my cruel enemies. 28 Hide me from the gatherings of the wicked: from the multitude of evil doers. 29 Which whet their tongues as a sword: they aim with their poisonous words as with arrows, 30 Secretly l Psal. 11. c. to shoot at the upright: h●shly they shoot at them without fear. 31 They are bold in their evil attempts, and say, how that they will lay snares, and say, The policy of all opposers of 〈◊〉 Truth of God. who can see it. 32 They invent deceit, and keep it secretly: they are destroyers and exercise falsehood subtly. 33 But God will suddenly shoot them, that woe shall come upon them: their own tongues shall overthrow them, and he that beholds them shall deride them. 34 And all men that see it, shall say: God hath done this: and shall perceive that it is his work. 35 But the Righteous shall rejoice in the Lord, and trust in him: and all upright hearts shall glory thereat. CHAP. XXIX. 1 I Thank thee, O Lord, and King, and praise thee, Ecclus 52. O God, my Saviour. 2 I praise thy Name, that thou art my helper and protector. 3 For thou hast preserved my body from destruction, and from the snares of false treacherous tongues and lying lips: and thou ha●● helped me against mine enemies. 4 And according to thine abundant mercy, thou hast delivered me from the roaring of them which would devour me: and out of the hands of such, as sought after my life: out of many sorrows which had surrounded me, and out of the midst of the fire, that I should not be therein consumed. 5 Also out of the depth of Hell, and from the false praters and liars: and also hast delivered me from the King or Magistrate, and from the unrighteous judgement of false tongues. 6 I was near to death, and my life was almost going down to Hell: for I was compassed about on every side, and there was no man to help me. 7 I hoped indeed for the help of man: and behold there was none. 8 than I remembered (O Lord thy mercy, and how thou hast helped constantly: Thou deliverest all those which wait upon thee, and releasest them out of the hands of the heathen or uncircumcised. 9 Against their fierceness I prayed unto God, and entreated for deliverance from death: and called to the Lord my Father and Ruler, that he would not forsake me in my trouble, for the proud have lifted up themselves, and when I had no hope. 10 I will praise thy Name continually, and I honour and give thanks unto thee: for my prayer is heard, and thou hast delivered me from the destruction, and from all evil. 12 Therefore will I (O Lord) thank and praise thee, and extol or magnify thy Name. 12 When I was yet but young, and before any errors took hold to seduce me, I very earnestly sought for wisdom in my prayer. 13 I went therefore into the Temple, and here, even until the last: and she was unto me an early ripe Grape. 14 My heart rejoiced in the wisdom, and I went presently in her way: and thus from my youth I sought after her. 15 I harkened, and inclined my ears after her, and took her to me, or united me with her. 16 Then found I much wisdom, and through her I increase greatly, and praised him who gave me wisdom. 17 I was resolved to do accordingly, and to endeavour carefully after the good: and I was not there at ashamed. 18 I wrested there after with all my heart, and was diligent to do accordingly. 19 I lifted up my hands to Heaven, and my soul was enlightened through the wisdom? that I knew my follishness. 20 I ordered my heart to wisdom, and found her pure in all things: and I joined in all things: and I joined my heart with her, even from the beginning. 21 Therefore shall I not be forsaken, for my heart exceedingly longeth after her: And therefore also have I obtained a good Treasure. 22 For the Lord hath given me through her, a new tongue, that I, with her, should praise him. 23 Come hither to me, ye that are unlearned, and assemble you to me, in the house of instructio●: and what you want that may ye learn, if your souls be very thirsty after it. 24 Behold, I have opened my mouth, & teach: therefore come now and buy wisdom for yourselves: forasmuch as ye can have her without money: and bow your necks under her yoke: and be instructed: for she is now found near at hand. 25 Look on me: how I have had for a little time labour and trouble: and have found a great comfort. 26 Therefore embrace the doctrine of wisdom as a great treasure: and keep her as a great heap of gold. 27 rejoice in the great mercy of God, and be not ashamed to praise him. 28 Do what is commanded you, whilst ye have time, and he will well recompense you, in his time. CHAP. XXX. 1 IN the 65 year of the age of H▪ N. in the 12th month of the year, (in time of Maximilian the second was made Roman Emperor, by the power of the Electoral Princes of the Roman Empire, and the G●rman Nation) the Word of Lord came to H. N. and said. 2 H. N. Arise, and be diligent to perform thy journey towards the land which will be convenient & peaceable for thee to dwell in, and conceal thyself very carefully from thy despisers: and keep thyself apart for a time from thine acquaintance and friends, according to the ●lesh: especially from those with whom thou hast (outwardly) most friendship. 3 But from thy despisers, and from the lascivious whoremongers & from all slanderous Traitors, accusers, and false censurers of the testimonies of the holy Spirit of my Love, together also from all impenitent ones, which have heard the same testimonies, and do not obediently take to heart (to the reforming of their lives) the requiring of my holy and gracious word: but have their conversation with the light-minded and mockers, and with the enemies of my house of Love, and from all perjured and unfaithful ones which will not repent, Thou shalt (as much as possible thou mayest) wholly and altogether separate: And shalt keep thyself altogether separated from such so long as they do not obediently humble themselves under my gracious word, and ministration of Love, and bear not sorrow for their sins, neither confess, nor repent. And so proceed in thy journey till [thou comest] to another land that I will show thee, which is full of blessing: which I have prepared from the beginning, for my a Mat. 25. d. chosen ones, with abundance of all my riches, to b Heb. 3. b. 4. a▪ a land of rest and peace. 4 In which land it will be very convenient and peaceable for thee to dwell in, & all those which love my gracious word and service of Love (unto Obedience) and bring forth sincere fruits of repentance, likewise all those which desire to assemble with thee, to the gracious Throne of my Majesty, & have faithful hearts, and do mind righteousness and Love; will indeed willingly follow thee, and be joined to the requiring of my Testimonies and obedience, for to become c John 17. c Acts ●. c. one in their heart and mind, in me. 5 They shall likewise, (for to come into the same land, and there to have their walking in thy fellowship) willingly hear and believe, the outflowing words of thy mouth or of the Elders in the household of Love, and will obediently perform the requiring thereof. 6 Therefore thy journey also and the way of thy Passeover to the same land, (as a preparation to the d John 3. b new birth in Jesus Christ) shall continually be kept in remembrance, and plainly declared, showed and proposed to the lovers of the Truth, and the upright Righteousness, and he thus passed through by the on-coming Elders, to the end that all those (who are inclined to the new birth in Jesus Christ, and desire to have their fellowship with thee, and with the Elders of the household of Love) pass through the same way of preparation, to the entrance of the e 4 Esd. 4. a. Mat. ●. b. same good Land, and to the new Birth in Jesus Christ, uprightly, and obediently, with an upright understanding of the Truth, and that they might be assembled to thee, and thy heart and mind, in my hereditary land of rest, and of peace) And should not err through their good thinking opinion) nor yet suppose themto be therein before they be gone through the same way of the Passeover, and in any wise not deceive themselves. 7 And when thou thus separatest thyself (for an example or glass to all good willing hearts unto the righteousne●s) from thy kindred after the flesh, (for a time) and be takest thee to the journey, then shalt thou not ●eparate thyself, nor by no means esteem thyself severed [or disjoined] from the Ancients thy fellow Elders in the Family of Love: nor from the faithful ones: but take advise, keep friendship and all loveliness with them even to eternity: For of them shall travel with thee 24, and they shall be called unto me * Separated, crowned, sanctified. Burning, or fiery. Nazaraeans f Numb. 6. 8 Further there shall travel with thee four of the chiefest. Seraphims in the household of Love, who shall always be about and with you to the preservation of you all. 9 Behold, with these four and twenty Elders, and the four chiefest Seraphims, which I have ordained or joined to thee, shalt thou travel forwards till that thou comest into mine holy land of the living, g 4 Esdras 10. f where there are no buildings of men. 10 Thou shalt also out of all the testimonies of thy Writings which thou hast published, take of each one with thee, and bring it with thee into the holy land of the living: For there shalt thou with the said Elders, (through the light of my wisdom) renew all the said testimonies of thy Writings, to make them more plain to the understanding: and also testify the same in fuller explanation, and write them again more distinctly. 11 For the Whoremongers, and the Adulterous generation, as also the earthly and fleshly minded, and the enemies of my household of Love have out of the testimonies of thy former Writings judged many sentences very unjustly, to their own seducing, therefore shalt thou now renew them all, in a more plain declaration, and bring forth and publish the same to the wellwillers of my Love. 12 There shall also be renewed to all those (with the same declared testimonies to the upright knowledge of the requiring of my word & service of Love and of the entrance to the upright life) namely, unto such who (out of a good intention) apply them to the testimonies of thy Writings, and have not rightly understood nor observed the requiring thereof, and therefore have not showed the upright obedience to their requirings, nor performed the first School-rule of the Christian Doctrine of the Service of my Love, yet notwithstanding are well inclined, to bring forth upright fruits of repentance) to the intent that to every one, who will permit himself to be renewed, and repenteth, the truth of my word may be known: And the Whoremongers and impenitent ones, or any of the enemies to the house of Love, should understand the h Mat. 11. c 13. b. ● Cor. 2. b. of the godly sayings. 13 I will yet also reveal unto thee in the land of the living, many of my wonderful works, and will give thee to understand yet truth many mysteries. 14 I will also declare and show unto thee the appearing of my glory, the i Mat. 24. 25. Acts 1. b. 2 Thess. 1. a. Titus 2. b. glorious coming of my Christ, and the Resurrection of my Saints, among the right believers, and obeyers of my word or Christ: and also how the right believers and obeyers, shall be renewed in their k Rom. 12. a. Ephes. 4. spirit and mind, in this same day of l Acts 17. d. my righteous judgement, and how the same renewing in the inward man, is the true accomplishing of the Priestly Office of my Christ under the obedience of the belief: And how also in accomplishing the same, The said Priestly Office reacheth into the obedience of my Love, & to the inheriting of the spiritual & heavenly riches of the holy spirit of my Christ. 15 And thereupon H. N. praised and thanked the God of heaven for his great mercy and compassion, and for his righteous judgement at the last time: And called to the Lord and said. 16 O my Lord and God, now reveal unto me also which way I shall travel on, with thy chosen Saints & chiefest Elders in thy Family of Love, and with thy holy Testimo●ies of our writings, to perform thy holy will, and to come to thy holy land, of which thou hast told me, and also that I might do as thou hast commanded me. 17 Then said the Lord to H. N. the same way of the* suffering of my Christ, and of all my Saints, (wherei● thou now also walkest) thou shalt go on to travel through it; and from the same way shalt thou not turn thee m N●mb. 10 b. neither to the right hand nor to the left, for the same way is the true way n 4 Esd. 7 b. Mat. 7. b. to my holy land of the living; where no o 4 Esd. 10. f. manner of building of men are found, 18 Therefore travel on in the same, even as I have told thee: and in the passing over the same, take good heed to the doctrine of my truth, the true preparation to the entrance of my land of the living. For so in the fulfilling of the same way, thou shalt find thyself in the holy place; wherein I the Lord dwell, live and reign eternally. 19 Be of good courage in the same way of thy forth-going, for in the same way shall, nor can any selfishness nor human conceited wisdom or subtlety follow thee, nor by no means endamage thee. 20 And although they would seemingly travel thorough with thee the same way, yet shall they not be able, but shall fail therein, and become unbelieving, and so (through their stumbling or dislike) turn aside therefrom either to the right hand or the left. 21 But whosoever proceedeth in the same p Mat. 10. c. ●4. b. Heb. ●. a. (till to the end) constantly, and faithfully, and q Mat. 16. 19 c. Luke 9 14. c. forsaketh all for my sake, and simply and faithfully in the requiring of the obedience of my service of Love) followeth thee, will I, (through my holy and gracious Word and Service of Love) lead them rightly, into my holy land of the living, and not r Jer. 31. c. Heb. 8. 10. b. remember their sins, nor their slumbling and falling any more. 22 Therefore, endeavour thee diligently with these my holy-ones (which I have set before thee and with the godly testimonies of thy Writings to accomplish more and more the foresaid way of Patience. 23 Likewise consult thou not with the Gal. 1. c. flesh or blood of men, nor with any man's craft or subtlety, but travel upon the Heb. 11. a. belief or trust of my word, till thou with the four and twenty Elders, and four chiefest Seraphims, be come to the holy place, where I shall reveal and show unto thee my heavenly workings, where no t 4 Esd. 10 f. works of man can remain standing. 24 For there in my Inheritance of the living will I give thee an heritage for ever. And confirm thee also in the Testaments of the holy Fathers (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) to the end that thou mayest administer the same Testaments u Rom. 6. b. to the death of the sin, and till to the life of the righteousness among the believers of my gracious word, and that then, all they also may be confirmed in the same Testaments and be made heirs with thee in my hereditary land of the living, and so know and understand, that my testaments of the holy Fathers, are not administered forth of the knowledge of men, according to their conceiving: but x Isaiah 1. ● Mich. 4. a. out of my true being, according to the requiring of my gracious word and service of Love. 25 That also my Inheritance of the living, is not like unto the earthly Inheritance of the dead, nor my life and joy to the the earthly life, nor to the joy of the earthly man, nor my mind: and y Isaiah 55. a. meaning, to the thoughts and meanings and plausible conceiving of men. 26 But all these words which the Lord did speak to H. N. he laid up in his heart for to do accordingly, and he took himself to his journey (according to the requiring of the Word of the Lord) with the 24 Elders and the four Seraphims, and with the godly testimonies of his Writings. 27 And in this our travelling forward into the hereditary land of the living, we were seven times seven days, that is nine and forty days. 28 And in this our journey in (all these nine and forty days) we eat z 4 Esd. 9 c. 12 f. no kind of food or creature, which had any breath of life in itself, or had received any. 29 Neither did we drink in all this same time of our travel any * Numb. 6. a. wine or strong drink for to rejoice our hearts, nor to refresh our minds, that we might not forget diligently to apply ourselves to our journey. CHAP. XXXI. In this Chapter is plainly figured forth and declared the true preparation of the believers of the Word, to the Passeover of the new birth in Jesus Christ and to become profitable and mere Elders and Ministers of the Word in the household of the Love of Jesus Christ. 1 NOw the beginning of our journey to the accomplishment over of the way of our passage to the heritable land of the living came thus to pass. 2 First of all (before we gave up ourselves to travel forward * Or God's ministry. to the service-ableness) we earnestly endeavoured us willingly and obediently, out of entire Love, to fulfil the Lord's will and all a Mat. 3. c. righteousness: and remembering the Law of Moses the b Mat. 4. b. servant of the Lord, which the Lord commanded him on the mount * The mount Horeb is the requiring of the obedience in the Laws & Ordinances of the Lord. Horeb, we gave ourselves and all that was in our power, wholly over (as a free willing offering) to the Lord and his gracious word: and committed our heart and mind (to obedience) unto the same gracious word and his requiring: And preparing our c Ecclus 2 a. souls for assaulting, we prayed the Lord which dwelleth in the heavens. 3 And this (with willing hearts) we undertook our journey forward (like as the Lord had said to us. And traveled the the first six days upon the assurance or promises of the Lord) with cheerful minds, and we had in all these six days of our travel no kind of grief nor assaulting, and we came on the first sixth day to the 〈…〉 view of the upright righteousness as to the glass of the same righteousness. In which Glass is represented unto us d Luke ●. f. Ephes. ●. a. 4. c. the upright righteousness, before God and man: unto which the man was created e Gen. 1. c. 2. a. 〈…〉. c. from the beginning, and is, in his estranging from God, called and invited thereto through Jesus Christ. 4 In the same glass, was also represented to us the unrighteousness or sin, f Isaiah 59 a. whereby the children of men estrange themselves and turn away from God and his truth deal deceitfully one with another. 5 There was also figured forth, unto us, the right confession of sins, and g Mat. 3. a. Luke 3. a the upright fruits of repentance, which all sinful men ought to bring forth, And also earnestly to endeavour themselves (in reforming their lives) unto the upright righteousness. 6 Now when all this was thus represented unto us, we were very earnestly careful to have a right regard on the upright righteousness, & also of the upright fruits of repentance, and amendment of life, That we might keep all that in our hearts, unto a fruitful life in the same upright righteousness. 7 And therefore, that we might always uprightly endeavour ourselves to all this, so gave we ourselves continually thereto, into a good watchfulness namely, into the h Heb. 11. 1 Pet. 1. b. c. true belief and Hope to the righteousness, and into the i Mat. 3. a. Luke 3. 13. a. bewailing and confessing of sins unto an amendment of life. 8 And being in all friendship received by the Belief and Hope to the righteousness, and by the contrition for, and Confession of sins to the amendment of life, and endevoring, and wholly submitting ourselves to their will and requiring, we rested with them the first seventh day. 9 The first day thereafter (next to the first seventh day) we traveled forward on our way, and rested us not in all the other six days of our journey, to do our work and diligence, And to enable us uprightly (in the belief and Hope to the righteousness, and in the Bewailing and Confessing of the sins to the amendment of life) to excercise ourselves in the understanding, and to be instructed and taught in all these uprightly and according to the Truth. And so we came on the second sixth day to the Teaching of the righteousness, In which Teaching we were fundamentally taught and rightly instructed in the upright righteousness and in the Belief and Hope to the same, and in the upright bewailing and confessing of sins to the amendment of life. 10 And that we might rightly and obediently endeavour us to the same doctrine and instruction, so thereupon gave we ourselves continually to a good * Watchfulnes●. observation, namely, into k Psal. 40. a. Heb▪ 8. 〈◊〉. the Delight to do the will of God, and in the Freewilling obedience. 11 Being most friendly received of the Delight to do God's will and of the freewilling obedience, and endeavouring and wholly giving over ourselves to their will and requiring, we rested with them the second seventh day. 12 On the first day followinng, next to the second seventh day we went on in our journey, and we rested us not in all the third six days to do our work or endeavour, and with diligence to excercise ourselves, in the delight to do the will of God, and in the Free willing obedience, and to perform or to accomplish, l Mat. 3▪ c. all righteousness, even as we were instructed and taught by the Elders in the doctrine of righteousness. 13 In which exercising in the delight to do the will of God, and in the free willing obedience to accomplish all righteousness, we were (in all the three six days of our travel) strongly m Ephes. ●. c. James 1. a. b. assailed with divers manner of false human * Or tempted desires (for to do the will of the flesh) and with all self willed obedience, * Or lust. (for to perform men's opiniated or good conceited righteousness) And so wholly to withdraw us from the delight to do the will of God, and from the willing obedience, to accomplish all righteousness, and from the doctrine and instruction of the Elders in the Godly understanding unto the upright righteousness. 14 For we did in all these third six days of our journey all our best endeavour and earnestness to overcome the assailing of the averse desires, against the desire to do the will of God, and the disobedience against God's requiring, together with the false self willed obedience, and (with the freewilling obedience unto God's requiring) to be preserved there from n Ecclus 2. a. Gal. 6 Mat 22. And humbly praying to the Lord for it, we came on the third sixth day, to the right Fasting and Praying, In which Fasting o Mat. 17. c. and Praying, we observed, how that men through the right o Mat. 17. c. Fasting and Praying, and through the constant [or earnest] willingness to the good life) delivered from all false lusts or desires, and from all self-willed inclinations to p Deut. 6. 10. a. Mat. 4. b. serve the Lord alone in his upright righteousness and holiness. 15 And that we might uprightly endeavour thereunto, and overcome all that, which is against the will of the Lord and his righteousness, And (with the will of the Lord and his righteousness) obtain the upper hand there against, Or watchfulness. we gave ourselves continually into a good observation: namely, unto the q Gal. 5. b. 1 Pet. 2. b. fasting and forbearance, of all that the flesh lusted after, and that which the man selfishly conceived, and into the hunger r Mat. 5. a. and thirst after the righteousness. 16 And being in all friendship admitted by the fasting and abstaining from all that the flesh desired and the man selfishly conceived, and the hunger and thirst after righteousness, and earnestly endeavouring, and wholly submitting us to their will and requiring, we rested with them on the third seventh day. 17 The first day to it (next the third seventh day) we traveled on our way: and rested us not, in all the fourth six days of our journey, to perform our labour, or industry, and (with all our diligence to fall and abstain from all that the flesh, and the man's good conceiving lusted after, and became also very hungry and thirsty after the Righteousness: for to obtain the same, and that it might everlastingly remain steadfast upon the s 2 Pet. 3. b. earth. 18 In which fasting and abstaining, hungering and thirsting, we were (in all the fourth six days of our travelling) most vehemently assailed [or tempted● with all manner of things which the flesh lusted after, and which the man conceived to be good and wherein he loved his own life: and withal manner of undecent food (for to esteem the same free for the believers) to eat or feed upon, so in all the fourth six days of our journey, we most humbly besought the Lord (in fasting and abstaining, and in hungering, and in thirsting) that he would keep us, from all deceitful, or sweet tasting-lusts of the ●lesh, and the man's good-thinking, that we yet might always t Mat. 16. Gal. 5. b. 1 Pet. 2. b. (in the fasting and abstaining from the lusts of the flesh, and wherein the man loveth his own life, and in our hungering and thirsting t Mat. 5. a. after the Righteousness) remain steadfast unto the end, and at no time to live after the lusts of the flesh, nor the man's self will, nor take on or choose any false righteousness, according to the good-thinking of men: And thus we came on the fourth sixth day into a Straightness, in which straightness we perceived that the way to the upright life (which men go thorough or pass over in fasting and abstaining from all self lusts, and self minded life of men, and in hunger and thirst after Righteousness) is u 2 Esd. 7. a. Mat. 7. b. very narrow and straight: especially for those which are turned to themselves, and have placed their love and pleasure upon their own life. 19 Notwithstanding that we full well perceiving that to pass through the straightness is an narrow Gate, and small Path, yet we feared not its passage: but instantly betook ourselves to a good observation, namely, x Mat. 26. Luke 12 d. Heaviness of heart and in Sorrowfulness of the mind to accomplish the way unto the life uprightly. 20 Of this heaviness of heart, and perplexedness of mind, for to pass through the way unto the life uprightly, we were (in our sighing and praying to the Lord) very willingly received: and obtained of them a good promise to our comfort. For through the Elder Ne●emias, we were told (to our comfort) that we should in no wise fear: but remember in all our heaviness and sadness. That all those which desire to draw nigh to the living Godhead, and will be united with him in the heritable land of the living, must enter through many y Acts 14. c. tribulations, straightnesses, and sadness into the heritable land of the living, and into the kingdom of the God of Heavens. And comforting us in this saying, and earnestly endeavouring, and wholly submitting ourselves to the will and requiring of heavi-mindedness, and perplexedness of thoughts to pass through uprightly the way unto the life, we rested together with them on the fourth seventh day. 21 The first day to it (next to the fourth seventh day,) we traveled forward on our way, and rested us not at all in the fifth six days of our journey, to perform our labour or watchfulness, and in all our heaviness of heart, and encumbrance of mind, we (in sighing and praying unto God) remained constant till to the end z M●t. 10. c. 24. b. . 22 In which heaviness of heart and encumbrance of mind, to pass over the way to the life uprightly, we were a Wisd. 2. b. exceedingly assaulted, with all * Or tempted. light-mindedness [or inconstancy] and carefulness about worldly and corruptible things, * Or inconstancy. and with the love of the flesh to join our hearts thereto, * O● cumbers●mnes●. and that we in all light-heartedness, and with confidence in worldly and corruptible matters rest ourselves pacified, forgetting heavy-mindedness, and the carefulness of the Godly life, and (in respect of the love of our own lives) should accept of all worldly wisdom, light-heartedness, and foolish joys, or good thinkings, to our releasing from the same perplexity [or heaviness.] 23 Which * Or temptation. assaulting, we all the fifth sixth days of our journey (in sighing and praying unto God) patiently endured, and always readily inclining us for to pass through the small b Mat. 7. b. Luke 13. c. or narrow way to the entrance of the godly life: (in all obedience of the requiring of the gracious Word, and his service of Love) and c Mat. 10. 24. b. till the end to remain steadfast therein. And so we came on the fifth sixt day into the Perseverance in the same * Or perplexity. Heaviness, In which Perseverance we observed the upright * Or steadfastness. Constancy in the obedience of the Gracious Word of the Lord & his * Or God-service. divine Worship, uprightly to pass the narrow way to the virtuous life: without hurt and hindrance, and enter into the Good and Godly life. 24 And for to endeavour us more perfectly to the same constancy, we betook ourselves continually in a good Watchfulness, namely, d Psal. 45. b. Deut. 33. a. to a forgetfulness of all what is forsaken, and to a Remembrance of the Good Life, which is to be traveled after. 25 Of the forgetting of all that which is forsaken, and of the remembering of the Good Life which is to be traveled after, we were in all friendly manner received: and uprightly endevoring us, in the forgetting it all that was to be forsaken, and in the remembering of the good life which ought to be wholly after, and wholly submitting to their will and requiring, we rested together with them on the fifth seventh day. 26 On the first day to it, next to the fifth seventh day we traveled on in our journey, and ceased not in all the sixt six days of our travelling to perform our labour and diligence, totally to forget it all, that which men are to forsake in respect of the good (or virtuous) life. And thus were we carefully mindful of the good life, that we traveled after, that we might (with upright renewed hearts and minds) enter into the same good [or virtuous] life. 27 In which forgetting of all that is to be forsaken, and in remembering of the good life that ought to be traveled after, we with all unprofitable and unedifying things (which men ought to forsake, and to let in to the silence of oblivion) and withal those things, which we for the good life's cause had forsaken, and departed from, we were very vehemently tempted, to remember and to take on the same again: And to set all our comfort of life and welfare thereupon according to the flesh. 28 For the corruptible things, and the taking on of all these things, whereto the natural minds & thoughts, & the destructionable lusts of errors, of the unrepentant & unregenerate men do incline, were * Or figured forth. represented (or figured forth) in all our labour or travel (in all the sixth six days of our journey) as upright things (which rightly belong to the good & upright ones, in propriety to possess, & in freedom to enjoy before our good-willing minds & thoughts to the good life of the upright righteousness, that we should call to mind, and take hold of the corruptible & destructionable things to our pleasure of life, to moil or cumber ourselves therewith, and so forget the everlasting uncorruptible good, & the doctrine and administration to the same, and no more to think or set our minds thereafter. 29 Which temptation we (in all the sixth six days of our travelling) e Luke 12 c. in the Patience passed by, and daily forsaking all corruptible things f Mat. 16. 10 c Luke 19 4. c. and wholly forgetting them, we came on the sixth six day to the Supper of the Lord Jesus Christ wherein we perceived in what manner the Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ is g John 6. f. uprightly kept: And how that all those who rightly keep that same Supper with the Lord Jesus Christ enter with Christ h John 5. a. (out of the death) into the good life, and totally delivered or freed from all the enemies of the life, and from all their temptations. 30 Now when we observed all this, & obtained an entire desire of heart to the same Supper, we then (for * Or celebrate to keep uprightly the same Supper: according to his requiring) submitted ourselves to a good * Or de●ence, safeguard, namely, to the Body and to the blood of Jesus Christ: and having assembled us to the same Body and blood of Jesus Christ, we committed ourselves wholly to the Body of Jesus Christ, and his requiring, and to the blood of Jesus Christ, and his requiring. 31 And thus were kindly * Or entertained. received of the Body and of the blood of Jesus Christ: and were also on the same day, earnestly invited to the Supper of the Lord Jesus Christ, that in us, with us, and through us also (with the Lord Jesus Christ) i Mat. 3. c. all righteousness should be accomplished and established, whereto God the Father hath chosen and loved Mankind. 32 Now for to * Or celebrate keep [or celebrate] rightly that same supper of the Lord Jesus Christ to which we were invited by the Grace of the Lord, and his commiserating Love, we endeavoured us earnestly for the same, and joined ourselves humbly, (as * Or guests. invited ones, to the Table of the Lord, where at first were uttered forth great praise and thanks to the Lord. * Or said. 33 Now when all this was done, than the k Mat. 26. c. Mark 14. c. Luke 22. b. 1 Cor. 11. c. good food of the same Supper was administered to us: And then to it, the most precious cup with the costly pure drink of the same Supper. 34 And so we did eat of the most worthy good food, and did drink: out of the excellent cup of the precious pure drink, of the same Supper of the Lord. 35 And moreover also, when we had fed upon this good food and pure drink of the same Supper, there was made known unto us (in the understanding) that all must so be l Luke 24. 2. Acts 3 c. accomplished and fulfilled (in Jesus Christ with the manhood) which was fore-appointed and written of Christ, and of the salvation of the * Or mankind. manly Generation. 36 But this good food which was administered unto us in the same Supper, was m Mat. 26. a. John 6. c. 1 Cor. 10 11. 5. the Body of Jesus Christ, and the good drink was the blood of Jesus Christ. And that same Body and blood of Jesus Christ, was the good meat and pure drink of which we did jointly eat and drink and the Cup out of which we drunk the precious pure drink was the n Mat. 20. c. 26. d. Luke 22. c. Suffering [or Passion] of Jesus Christ. 37 Now when we (in the Supper of the Lord) had fed upon the body and blood of Jesus and had received [or drawn] it in to our Body and blood. and we having submitted us wholly to it & to the will, and requiring of the same Body and blood of Jesus Christ (as unto a good * Or safeguard conserver. And thus being come with our body and blood) one o John 6. ●. 1 Cor. 10. b. body and blood with the body, and blood of Jesus Christ, so rested we with the same body and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ on the sixth seventh day. 38 The first day to it, (next the sixth seventh) day we traveled (as of one being with the body and blood of Jesus Christ) forward on our way: & rested us not in all the seven six days of our journey, to do our labour & diligence, for to live and walk with the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ (with which we were one body and blood) in p Luke 1. f. ●ppes. 1. a. 4. b Col. 1. c. all upright righteousness and holiness of our Lord Jesus Christ: and to conquer with him and his armour of righteousness all enemies of the godly being of Jesus Christ, and to q Apoc 5. 22. a. reign and to triumph with him eternally in the everlasting life and kingdom of his heavenly Father. 39 For at that time, when we had fed on the body and blood of Jesus Christ, and were (with our body and blood) become o●e body and blood with the body and blood of Jesus Christ, and with him (as a Wife with a Husband) become one flesh and r Gen 2. b. bone, of his flesh and bone, and endeavoured us with all diligence to go forth with him, in all upright righteousness and holiness, to his true being according to the Spirit: then we observed how that all enemies of the Godly life, and all those who were turned away from the obedience of the requiring of our service of Love rose up very resistingly. 40 For all those who were turned to themselves, and their opinion and imagination of the knowledge became our enemies together with the enemies of the Godly Life, and upright being of Jesus Christ, all did resist [or strive] (every one with his particular power and malice) against the body & blood of Jesus Christ, and against us. Namely, the worldly hearts, with their worldly pride, or lusts s 1 John ●. ●. of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and haughtiness of life: The false hearts of the Letter-learned with their scribbling knowledge. * Or Letter. The hypocrites with t Col. 2. c. 2 Pet. 2. b. Jude ●. b. their self-made holiness, and counterfeit ceremonial God-service: The self Seekers, with their profit-seeking and * Or cove●●●sness. greediness: The self-conceited together with the Apostates from the obedience of the doctrine of the service of Love, with their opinion of the human Self-conceitedness, and with the falls freedom of impenitent unregenerate men: The lascivious sinners and sinneresses with their ungodly and unchaste life: The envious and slanderers, with their persecuting, and speaking lies: and all spiteful and wicked doers, with their malice and falsehood, &c. 41 All these and such like, with their consorts, adherents, or companions, used all their subtlety totally to destroy, and from the sight of their eyes to put away, or root out from the earth, the holy Body & pure blood, or life of Jesus Christ and his good or upright being, and so then to live free by themselves in the separateness from the obedience of the doctrine of H. N. and the service of the love of Jesus Christ. 22 For the eyes of the wicked hearts can by no means endure u 2 Tim. 4. a. the Goodness, nor the true doctrine of the love of Jesus Christ, nor also the obedience to the entrance of his upright being, as * Or to esteem it for good. to cast a good lookon it, or to think well on it, but to make the worst construction of it, and to despise, and to destroy his Body and blood. 43 Yea, they say one to another, he boasteth himself too highly, and giveth himself out, that he is of one being with God, and u John 10. f. is the Son of God, and the heir of God's spiritual and heavenly treasures, and that there belongeth not to us (though we yet know how to talk of it) to have any * Or po●tion. share in the inheritance of the Lord: Let us accuse Him, x Wisd. 2. c. that is his body and blood, or his Fellowship of Love) with all manner of malignity or unjust actions: and let us charge him with most wicked things, let us destroy or kill him with the most shamefullest sufferings, or let him be delivered up to the judge (to his * Or distinction. slaughter, or destruction): So, remain y Ma●. 21. d. we in the Inheritance, & in the estimation among men that we are pure & upright; and have right in our cause or demands against him & his Communialty of Love. 44 Thus we observed (in the union with the Body and blood of Jesus Christ that the wicked & hardened) hearts against us, & the Body & blood of Jesus Christ, likewise the apostates from the obedience of the Truth did all their endeavour [or diligence] to have the estimation amongst z Mat. 6. 23. a. Luke 16. c. John. 3. 6. men, as if they against that Body and blood of Jesus Christ, and against us, were * Or just and inno●●●t. upright, and did well therein, although they earnestly endeavoured wholly to dishonour Jesus Christ and us: and to make us detestable before men: and likewise that precious pure blood of Jesus Christ (that was (to the forgiveness of sins) d Mat. 29. c. Luke 22. ●. shed for many, & wherewith we with our blood are become one blood) to defame as impure before all men, so that the same is * Or 〈◊〉. despised for unclean among many. And, as unclean, might be poured forth and trampled upon. 45 Now when we thus observed the rising up of the wicked, and all Hypocrites, and enemies of the Godly Life, against the Body and blood of Jesus Christ: And beheld that the Body & blood of Jesus Christ (wherewith we were become one body and blood) was suffering all that with lowly and meek hearts (without resisting: so we saw and observed, that the same Body and blood of Jesus Christ (in all his suffering and reproach (opened a Isaiah 43. b. 〈◊〉 Pet. 2. c. not his mouth, even as a lamb that is led to the slaughter-house, and as a sheep that is dumb before his shearer. Where through we also in all our sufferings (wherewith we were one Body and blood with him) were wholly moved with his sufferings: So that we also in our whole Body and blood obtained an inclination to suffer with them, & we found ourselves wholly prepared, rather to suffer & to die with him (forasmuch as we knew him righteous, & then to live in sin with the falsehood of the false hearts: & with the sin of sinners, and enemies of the Godly life. 46 And thus travelling forth (in this-Good-willingness) with Jesus Christ, b Mat. 27. we came on the seventh sixth day, to the * Or performing▪ accomplishing of the sufferings of Jesus Christ: wherein we observed the whole sum of the finishing and fulfilling, or satisfaction of Jesus Christ, and his Believers, unto the true Godliness. 47 For in this fulfilling, or [or accomplishing] we perceived in the understanding, That all men who will live and reign with the Lord Jesus Christ, (in his Glory) must also c Act. 14. d. Apoc. 7. b. suffer with Christ: and then likewise with Christ, enter into the Glory of Christ, and inherit the same. 48 Furthermore, we observed also in this accomplishment, to what end this Gospel of the Kingdom is d Mat. 24. b. Apoc. 14. ●. published in all the World, and from thence cometh the accomplishment and fulfilling of e 〈…〉 all that is written of Christ, and the salvation of man. 49 There was also in the same * Or 〈◊〉. accomplishment fully revealed, and in clearness made manifest * Or 〈◊〉. unto us. The whole Scripture, which testifieth of Christ and of his Sufferings or Passeover, and of the upright righteousness of men in Jesus Christ And f Luke 24 ●. Act. 2. 〈…〉 13. d. how that Christ (like as we have heard and seen of him (in his sufferings) and passed through with him) must suffer all these things, and so to enter into his Glory, and thus g John 14. ●. Acts 1. b. go before all sinful men in to the entrance of the eternal life, and the Kingdom of Heavens, that they also should follow after him therein, and inherit with him the eternal life. 50 For Christ h Acts 3. c. must thus * Or fulfil, or perform. suffer, and accomplish his love to us: and so go before us (as an * Unguilty one. Innocent) and that he also by his guiltless sufferings should be an example [or pattern] to all sinful men, and thereby to show unto them, that they (by reason of their sins) are debtors to the same sufferings, and (as debtors) to i 1 Pet 2. c. 4. a. follow him therein, and to draw unto him all men who are loaden with sins: and also to acquit them (though his Body and blood, Or dischardg and through his like sufferings) from their sins, to deliver k Hos. 13. b. ● Co●. 15. f. Heb 2. c. them from the bonds of death and to save them: and restore, or bring them again with him (in all upright righteousness and holiness) to their God (his heavenly Father) and to his glory in the kingdom of God, and in the everlasting life. 51 And that we might uprightly endeavour us to this aforesaid accomplishment (with the Lord Jesus Christ, and the * Or manhood. humanity) and rightly enter into, and inherit the same with the Lord Jesus Christ according to the truth of Jesus Christ, and according to the requiring of the obedience of his belief▪ So gave we up our selves there (on the same seventh sixth day of our travelling) into a good * Or watchfulness. custody, with the Body and blood of Jesus Christ, which standeth upon the Mount Nebo l Deut. 32. c. on the uppermost height, top, or firmness, from whence we obtained the sight of the holy inheritance, of God, & of his living ones. 52 And on the same Mount * The Mount Nebo is the appearing or declaring of the inheritance of the Righteous in their rising from the death. Nebo, there was revealed and made known unto us also m 2 Mach. 2. a. the secret place where the Prophet Jeremian, had hid the true Tabernacle and Ark, and the true Altar of the Offerings of Incense: And the time also was come or accomplished, in which the Lord should be merciful unto his people, and bring them to his rest. 53 And the same good * Or safeguard watchfunless to which we betook ourselves (on the Mount Nebo) was the true n John 11. a. Rom. 6. a. Col. 2. b. implanting with Christ in his like death: and the right implanting with Christ in his like burial. 54 Of this implanting with Christ in his like death, and of the implanting with Christ in his like burial we were very firmly embraced. 55 At the same instant in the embracing of the implanting with Christ in his like death and burial, we offered to the God of Heaven (on his Altar of Incense in the Holy of the true Tabernacle) our free willing Offering in the Offering * Or confor●●● here to. of the High Priest, Jesus Christ: And o 〈◊〉 9 b. c. the Offering of the High Priest Jesus Christ, kindled or fired our Offering: And thus our Offering was a hollowed burnt Offering before the Lord. And the Lord Jesus Christ made this our Offering, (through his Offering) acceptable before God his Father: and the holy of his Tabernacle was full of sweet perfumes, and the p 〈◊〉. 27. s. 〈◊〉 5. d. veil opened asunder, and the most holiest in his pure and perfect beauty was revealed, and Christ also according to the Spirit, as High Priest in the same most holy, as a minister of the spiritual and heavenly Goods. 56 Thus had the Lord (our heavenly Father) through the Offering of our High Priest Jesus Christ, to the accomplishing of the daily God-service (in the holy of the true Tabernacle) a great delight in the accomplishing of our Offering and God-service in the holy of the true Tabernacle of Jesus Christ under the obedience of the belief. 57 Which freedom to the entrance into the said holy (for to perform to the living God of heaven such acceptable Offering and pleasing Service of God) we have obtained and purchased through the blood of Jesus Christ Yea, verily, to the accomplishing of the same, hath Jesus Christ prepared for us the entrance into the Holy by a new and living way the q H●b. 10. c. veil▪ that is, through his flesh. 58 And thus when we had finished or fulfilled our Offering and God-service (under the obedience of the Belief) in the offering and God-service of our Lord r Rom. 6. Col. 2. b. Jesus Christ, we rested us with Christ in his like death and burial, on the nine and fortieth day of our journey. 59 And thus on the nine and fortieth day resting us in our Lord Jesus Christ, from our work and labour we have perfected or * Or finished. fulfilled our journey, and our offering and God-service, with Jesus Christ in the holy, under the obedience of the Belief: And thus through Christ according to the Spirit we have gotten and obtained the ministration of the spiritual and heavenly Goods, and the everlasting life. CHAP. XXXII. 1 BUt on the fiftieth day of our journey, on the fifteenth day of the first month [on the day of Phase or Pasche] came into us a still, soft, silent voice, wind or Spirit: And we were enlightened in Christ, with the a Mat. 17 a. Mark 9 a. Luke 9 d. clearness [or brightness] of Christ: And thus in our illuminating * Illuminated. on the same fiftieth day, there appeared to us in a cloud the living godhead of our Lord Jesus Christ, and became altogether of one being with us, and gathered us to the Mercy-Seat of his divine Majesty, and also to the holy Mount Zion, b Isaiah 2, a. Micah 4 a. Mount Zion is the Pe●●ection. where the Law or Ordinance of the Lord is promised to go forth at the last time: And to the true Jerusalem, where the Word of the Lord at the last time is likewise promised to go forth. 2 And the Lord gave his mighty great sound out of Zion, and caused his voice to be heard out of Jerusalem. And so c Isa 2. a 59 a. Jer. 25. d. Amos 1. a. Amos 1. a. Mich. 4. a. Rom. 11. 1. d. flowed the Law or Ordinance of the Lord out of Zion. And his Word forth of Jerusalem. And the Scripture of the Godly Testimonies, were accomplished in us, and with us in Jesus Christ: And the former kingdom full of all pure beauty, and heavenly riches, and full of all virtues a●d upright righteousness, (which God from the beginning d 4 Esd. 6. f. Mat. 25. d. hath prepared for the man) was showed unto us in his perfect adorning, and we were inherited therein eternally: and it was all e Acts 3. c. restored again to us, in us and with us, what God had spoken, wrought, and appointed, and promised through the mouths of his holy Prophets from the beginning of the World. 3 And that same is the new day, and the manifestation of the kingdom of Heavens and his righteousness, wherein all Believers of Jesus Christ, (who follow after Jesus Christ f Mat. 29. d. John 3. a Rom. 6. a. to the second birth) do inherit: And the same new day with the fullness of his beauties, riches, and virtues, is the day of which the Kingly Prophet David hath of old Evangelized: like as there standeth written, this is the g Psal. 118. d. day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad therein. 4 And thus in these wonderful works of God, the word of the Lord came to H N, and said: This holy Land; which thou here at this present beholdest, and wherein thou art now everlastingly inherited, is the holy inheritance of my living-ones: h Psal. 15. 24. a 132. b. Heb. 3. b. 4. a. and is my rest, and the holy place of my dwelling; it is also the true Rest, which I have promised my people Israel, and all the holy-ones of my Christ, and have given it for an eternal inheritance. 5 It is my true Building i 2 Cor. 5. a. Ephes. 2. c. that I myself have prepared, (for all those who love me) and whereinto I gather all my Lovers to me, and to my people: and it is my holy and godly understanding, wherein I live eternally, and in which I illuminate and endue all the Believers of my Christ, (in their second birth) with such an abounding godly understanding, That they far excel all human and Letter-learned knowledges, and in the life of my godly clearness, far surmount the same. 6 It is my durable kingdom k Daniel 2. c. Luke 1. c. Heb. 12. d. wherein I will for ever plant, and firmly settle, all mine Elect (to an eternal rest, and perfectly joy) now in the last times. 7 And I have from everlasting ordained them thereunto, to manifest therein for ever and ever, my heavenly wonders, and also to declare the same from thence upon the earth, for a witness. That I the Lord (who am an eternal and living God) live from everlasting to everlasting: l Mat. 22. d. Luke 20. g. And that I now at the last time, m Jer. 9, c bring upon the earth the judgement and the righteousness, and the Majesty of my divine Glory. 8 Therefore shalt thou H. N together with the four and twenty Elders, and the four Seraphims dwell with me, and all my holy ones, in this my holy place eternally. 9 And the declaration of my upright Godliness, which thou here hast received from my n 1 Cor. 13. b. 2. Cor. 3. b. uncovered face, shalt thou also make known upon the earth: And (with the testimonies of my righteousness, and with the publication of the joyful message of my kingdom) enlighten the whole World: and so declare, that now my true kingdom of heavens, (with the fullness of its pure beauty and heavenly riches) is appeared, manifested, and come upon the earth, according to the promises: to the salvation and blessing of all men, who with their whole hearts seek the same, and the righteousness thereof. 10 I also will yet show unto thee, in this holy place of my living-ones, more of my heavenly workings: and give thee also to understand, many mysteries, which hitherto hath not been known to the o Mat. 13. b. Rom. 16. c. Ephes. 3. a. Col. 1. c. world. Also what my last Will or Testament is, of the ministration of my most holy Priestly Office under the obedience of my Love. 11 For from henceforth in this day, will I look upon the estranging of men, from my Truth, with the eyes of compassion, to give unto them out of my Priestly Office of Love, p Mat. 3. a. Luke 3. 13. a. Acts 2. 3. c. the true repentance for their sins, and show forth the true entrance of the Goodlife. 12 And because that all men in their estranging, or before they out of the doctrine of my grarlous word, and out of the holy Spirit of my love are renewed, or born again, bear q Deut. 10. b. ler. 4. a. a veil or covering before their hearts (betwixt them and my face) so will I also now in this last time, be gracious unto all those (who believe my gracious Word in its doctrine, and obediently enter into its requiring) and they shall all (through the good exercising in my * administration Ordinances) be nourished up unto my upright righteousness, and unto my Love, and be brought in, unto the peace of my Christ. 17 And like as I have in former times through my servant Moses r Exod. 20. Deut. 5. a. upon the Mount Horeb, given to my people good Ordinances and * Statutes. Exercises, which extend and bring in to my Christ, and to his belief of the salvation from their sins, so will I now at the last time, through thee H. N. from the mount s Isaiah 2. a. Mich. 4. a. Zion, give to the welaffected ones to my righteousness, good Ordinances, and godly Exercises, which * Or ●each. extend & bring into me, & to my Love, & upright righteousness, to the peace of my Christ, to the renewing of their lives & minds, and into this my kingdom of Heaven: unto the inheriting of all these my spiritual and heavenly treasures, and my upright lovely being, in the same kingdom, and everlasting life: as also that I may reign (now at this last time,) everlastingly with my people (in the righteousness) t 2 Pet 3. b. Apoc. 5. 21. a. over the whole World, unto all unity and peace on earth, and to a blessing of all the Generations of the earth, according to my promises. 4 Seeing than I now declare on earth though my Love, and through the service and the good exercise thereof, the upright righteousness of my laws, the true faith of my Christ, and the upright being of my holy Spirit: Therefore it is my will and command, that all people on earth, shall obey the requiring of my Love and her services, likewise the good Ordinances and Exercises thereof, and live therein. 15 For all those who live and walk obediently in the service and ordinance of my Love, the same are truly the right Disciples u John 8. b. James 1. c. x 4 Esd. 6. f. Heb. 12. c. of my gracious word and service of Love, also my first-born in my Covenant or Testament of the holy Fathers. 16 For thus in their obedience, the doctrines and services of the Priestly Office of my Love, shall be unto them, a foregoing testament, which bringeth them to my new y Jer. 8. 10. b. Heb. 8. 10. b. & true Testament [that is to the new life of the mind of God which is full of Love, and full of all spiritual & heavenly riches] ☜ and all they who are led therein shall be to me, my second born in the new Covenant of the holy Spirit of my Love in the heavenly being: as I have in former times (in the accomplishing of my foregoing Testaments and Priestly Offices) brought to my people the same new Covenant, to the end that all now in this last or newest day, z Acts 31 c. be restored or established (under the obedience of my Love) which I from the beginning of the World have spoken, wrought, and required: and my word, work, and will continueth on the earth unchangeably for ever and ever a Mat. 6. b. even as it is in the Heaven: and also that for ever and ever, (through the Ministers and Priests of my Famlly of Love). The Disciples of my gracious Word (with the Testimonies of my holy Spirit of Love) may be b Rom. 10. a. Gal. 3. 4. a. preserved and sustained to the Godly life c Mat. 13. f. taught to the kingdom of Heavens, and brought up (to Elders) in all Godly wisdom and holy understanding. 17 And therefore will I here through thee H. N. set * Institute or erect. up my most holy Priestly Office of Love: & will also declare the same over the World (through its ministry under the obedience of my Love) to an everlasting d Jer. 35. b. c. Priestly Office of the holy Spirit of my Christ: for renewing of life in my love in them all through my love to them, who are implanted into my Christ with his e Rom. 6. a. Col. 2. b. like death and burial, or are fal● asleep in him, 18 In the same Priestly Office, will I also (under the obedience of my Love) be merciful to all penitent sinners, also to those who submit themselves to the Family of my Love, That they may all now rejoice themselves (in this day of my divine glory: appear with my Christ in Glory: and show forth my praise, and wonderful great works. 19 Furthermore I will declare, and make known unto thee, and to all them who * Or submit. humble themselves under my Love, and Priestly Office, that the same Priestly Office of my Love, (which I will here presently set up with thee) is the eternal fast-standing Kingly Priesthood f 1 Pet. 2. a. Apoc. 1. a. of my holy Spirit, and the everlasting peaceable g Isaiah 9 ●er. 31. c. Daniel 2▪ c. Apoc. 12. b. kingdom of my Christ, which shall never be destroyed [or moved] neither shall it fall to any other: but shall of itself and by itself remain in my truth everlastinly. 20 Whoever resisteth the same Priesthood of my holy Spirit of Love in his office and requiring, the same, (if he do not repent) shall procure the judgement of h Dout. 27. ●. the curse, & the eternal i 2 Thes. ●. a separation from the beholding of my face: But my Grace and mercy k Psal. 30 c. Isaiah 54. a. shall be always and for ever upon all men, who (through the same priesthood and its office, under the obedience of my Love) turn themselves to me, and repent them of their sins. 21 Again the Word of the Lord came to H. N. and to us the Elders and said, Seeing I myself, with all that which concerneth my * Or Godhead Godhead, and the judgament of my Righteousness have fully united with thee H. N. and with the Elders: There shall ye also, and all they who are born of you and your doctrine shall judge uprightly, out of my righteous judgement, according to the Truth. 22 And all what ye out of the same my judgement curse, separate, and condemn l Mat. 18. b. John 20. c. shall be accursed, separated, and into the Hell condemned: And all what ye bless or give a benediction unto, shall be also blessed in the Heavens. 23 Therefore all whatever shall continue in your doctrine, shall be m John 17. b. Acts 4. d. one heart and mind with you in my Godhead: but what separateth itself from you and your doctrine shall likewise be separated from me and my Grace: find no way to the eternal life, but shall die in hisn sin: and also be estranged from me everlastingly. 24 But all those who through you and your doctrine and turned to me, and also are o Mat. 13. f. taught to the kingdom of my heavenly being shall inherit the spiritual and heavenly riches of my kingdom, and p Mat. 25. Rom. 6. c. thereunto the eternal life. 25 At the same time when we thus heard the Word of the Lord, and had well understood all his sayings: and were assembled with Christ our Saviour to the Majesty of God, and were entered into his Glory, and also (in the presence of the Lord) beheld and an inherited the peace, q Apoc. 21. a. beauties and riches of God, all our hearts were fully delighted and made glad: And so with joyful hearts we lauded & praised the most High in his holy Land of the Living: and the four Seraphins gave r Apoc. 4. 45. all Honour, Laud, and Praise, unto him who liveth therein from Everlasting unto Everlasting. 26 After this our Thanksgiving and Praising the Lord, the Word of the Lord came to H. N. and said: 27 Hast thou H. N, well observed in thy journey into this my holy inheritable land of the living, That the most part of the people, despise thy ministration of my holy & gracious Word, and blaspheme my holy Spirit of Love: And also that they despising [or contemning] the offerings of my Grace bring upon themselves my t Rom. 2. a. 2. ●hess. 1. a. wrath and displeasure and the judgement of their eternal condemnation. 28 Besides haste thou also well observed that the many Godly Testimonies of thy Writings (which thou with great diligence and care out of my holy Word and Spirit of Love, hast written & brought to light (are come among many Whoremongers, forsworn, or unfaithful ones, & among many enemy's reprochers of my House of Love, & how falsely they do judge the same: and how disorderly & shamefully that they * Or mention. handle and deal with the same: For with the same they commit their Whoredoms: profane my holy Name: and break the marriage, of fidelity of the Covenant of my * conjunction. Wedlock: and so after the nature of Harlots, and of impudent adulterous ones). They manifest against me and my holy Word, and Spirit of Love all unfaithfulness: So that they wholly contemn my upright Righteousness and Love, and make a mock at it, and so continually procure upon themselves, the horrible vengeance of the hellish fire. CHAP. XXXIII. 1 AGain the Lord spoke to H. N. Forasmuch as thy writings of my holy and godly Testimonies (which thou hitherto with great care and diligence hast written and published) are now come into so many hands of the Enemies of my house [or Family] of Love, and into so many hands of Whoremongers unfaithful-ones: And also that some impure hearts which for a time have * Or deafed. meddled therewith, have mingled therewith, their impure sense and good-thinking knowledge, also many (to the covering of their selfishness, and to their own destruction) have therewith defended and covered the unclean minds of their wicked jousts and desires: and have not believed the a Mat. 22. d. Ephel. 1. a. b. upright Righteousness of my Love (according to the requiring of the Godly Testimonies of thy Writings: So shalt thou now the Godly Testimonies of thy Writings (which thou broughtest of each one with thee) with the twenty four ancient * Supra 30. c. Elders carefully peruse: & have a sharp regard upon all sayings with careful consideration. 2 I the Lord will enlighten thy heart, Or most Ancients. and the heart of the four and twenty Elders (who are with thee, and who are to perform the laborious Service with thee) with my Godly Wisdom, and with the true light of my Godly cleverness, more & more with my abounding b Apoc 21. d. 22. ●. Illumination. 3 And after the same perfect Illumination of my Godly cleverness, ye shall then also renew, all the same Testimonies of thy Writings, to a more plain * Or explanation. declaration: and witness all the same in a more perfect * O● plainness cleverness, and write them more plainly than they have been: and likewise that the Whoremongers remain c Mat. 13. b. Luke 8. b. Apoc. 21. 22. c. without the mystery thereof: and also without the marriage of my unity or conjunction. 4 For now is the time nigh at hand, that all whoremongers and all unfaithful ones in the covenant of my we dlock or matrimony, and all such who delight in whoredom and adultery, and are enemies of my Family of Love, and who (with their prudence out of the flesh) conceive themselves d Isaiah 5 c. to be wise, shall in their whorishness, unfaithfulness and envious nature (before all the believes and obeyers of my gracious word and service of Love) be made manifest, and made known: In their whoredom and enmity and in all the●● good-thinking shall be wholly blinded, e 1 Cor. 4. a. scattered, laid waste, or hardened in their hearts: and also (if they repent not) shall be excluded from my unity and heavenly f Mat. 25. b. Apoc. 21. d. 2●. c. tiches. 5 And on the other side all believers and faithful obedient disciples of my gracious word, and all penitent sinners, together with all those who preserve in [or defend] the Service of my Love, and wish all good and prosperity, shall be illuminated in the Godly life of my Love, and be made heirs g Mat. 25. Ephes. 1. a. in my spiritual and heavenly riches. 6 And further, on the same fifteenth day of the first month (when the Lord had spoken all these words with us) we took to us the same Testimonies of our Writings, which we had brought with us, and so we began the same (with all devoutness to God, and to his Truth and upright righteousness) very seriously to peruse, and the same (according to God's most perfect cleverness and wisdom, and the knowledge of his upright righteousness, and so much necessary or profitable for the children of men to know) to declare and write in the plainest manner, and to set it in the best order, so that the same and the requiring thereof may the better or easier, in the plainest or simplest manner be understood, according to the mind and will of God, and according to the true ministration of his h gall 2. 4. He. 7. 8, 9 b. Testaments which tend into the upright being of Jesus Christ. 7 And for to observe out of it what God (through the ministration of his gracious word and Testament) requireth, and to what end that God himself i 〈…〉. hath created and chosen the man, and to what an upright and lovely or single-minded Godliness, that he (in his k 〈…〉 fall and estranging from God) hath l Mat. 23. 25. d. Acts 2. 3. c. &c. called and invited him again through Jesus Christ: and whereunto be now in these last days is loved through the Holy Spirit of the Love of Jesus Christ, and through H. N. God's Elect Minister. 8 (The Lord grant to all men (who hear or read the Godly testimonies of our Writings) his Grace and mercy that they may understand rightly the requiring of the saving testimonies of God, and of his Christ, and of the holy Spirit of his Love, and that they may endeavour themselves rightly thereafter. 9 For all what God doth to the man, (to reduce him to his upright Righteousness, and to save him) cometh all out of the Grace of the merciful Love of God, for to bring the fallen and straying man again into the m Mat. 3. c. 7. b. 19 b. n. d. right way of Life, to the Love of his God, and to the Love of his neighbour: And then to deliver him also from all his sins: And to set him aright, and make him faithful in all unity and Peace with God and his neighbour: and to inherit him in all his spiritual and heavenly goods, and also n Mat. 25. c. thereunto his Kingdom of Heaven and eternal life.) 10 Now when we together with each other (according to the word and command of our Lord and God) had begun, pursued and transcribed all the godly testimonies of our Writings, so neglected we no time, to endeavour with great diligence, the same Godly Testimonies of our Writings which we had brought with us, to read and to transcribe, and according to the requiring of the Lord, out of his true light to declare it in the plainest manner, and desisted not to proceed in the same work of the Lord till all was accomplished, &c. Take it to heart. Charitas extorsit per TOBIAS.