A Salutation of LOVE TO The Seed of God, IN The People called Independents, and Baptists, Monarchy-men and Seekers: EVEN, The Tender Bowels of the LORD to them all, Through GEORGE BISHOPE.  
Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory.  
Receiving the End of your Faith, even the Salvation of your Souls,  1 Pet. 1. 8, 9 
LONDON, Printed for Robert Wilson, 1661.   

A SALUTATION of LOVE, etc.  
FRIENDS,  
CHRIST is risen from the Dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept; For, as in Adam all die, Even so in Christ shall all be made alive: And here is the Consolation, That Christ being raised from the Dead dyeth no more, Death hath no more Dominion Over him; For, in that he Died, he Died unto sin Once, but in that he Liveth, he Liveth unto God. So likewise reckon Ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto Sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our lord And this old Zachary prophesied when the strings of his Tongue were untied, after that he had been Dumb for a certain space of time, as a Sign until the Day, that the things that the Angel said to him concerning John, which he believed not, should be performed; Who was to prepare his Ways before his face, and to go before him in the Spirit and Power of Elias, To turn the hearts of the Fathers unto their Children, and the Disobedient to the Wisdom of the Just; To make ready a People prepared for the Lord: And thou (said the Angel) shalt have great Joy and Gladness, and many shall Rejoice at his Birth: for he shall be great in the sight of the Lord; and he shall drink neither Wine nor strong Drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his Mother's Womb; and many of the Children of Israel shall be turned to the Lord his God: which shall be fulfilled in their season: He spoke and praised God; and he was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied, saying,— Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath Visited and Redeemed his People, and hath raised up an Horn of Salvation for Us in the house of his Servant David, as he spoke by the Mouth of his Holy Prophets, which have been since the World began; That We should be saved from Our Enemies, and from the hand of all that that hate us; To perform the Mercy promised to Our Fathers, and to Remember his holy Covenant, the Oath which he swore unto Our Father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, That we being delivered Out of the hands of our Enemies, might serve him without fear, in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of Our life.  
Friends, and Brethren in the Flesh, and in the Covenant of God (as many of You as stand in the Election of Grace) to You am I moved of the Lord God Eternal to write, and to warn You, That You take heed to that in You, which witnesseth to God, which is the Dayspring from on high, which through the Tender Mercy of our God hath visited You, To Give LIGHT to those that sit in Darkness, and the shadow of Death, and to guide your feet in the Way of Peace. For this is He which Zachary prophesied of, which should be called the Prophet of the Highest, which should go before the face of the Lord, to prepare his Way before him; To give the knowledge of Salvation unto his People [by] the Remission of their Sins; which is fulfilled in this Day, Wherein Multitudes of his People hath the Lord Visited with the Dayspring from on High with his Tender Mercy, and given LIGHT unto, who sat in Darkness, and in the shadow of Death; and guided their feet in the Way of Peace; and given the knowledge of Salvation [by] the Remission of their Sins, through that which hath gone before his Face to prepare his Ways; who hath given the knowledge of Salvation unto them [by] the Remission of their Sins; Who is come the Second time without Sin unto Salvation, which they witness; Who was dead, and is alive, and behold I live for evermore (said he to John) and have the Keys of Hell, and of Death; Whom it was not possible that he should be holden of Death: For, he said in a certain place, Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see Corruption; but wilt show me the Path of Life of all Pleasures and Stores, which are at thy right hand, and fullness of Joy for evermore: Whose Day Abraham saw, and rejoiced; and before Abraham was, I am, said he, who lives for ever, Jesus Christ; Yesterday, and to day, and the same for ever: Who cometh in Clouds, and every Eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him; and all Kindred's of the Earth shall wail because of him; Even so Amen. Who is the Faithful Witness, the first begotten of the Dead, and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth; The Alpha, and the Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord; which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty, who is come; and that of God in all witnesseth to him, and that he is raised from the Dead; and being raised from the dead, Death hath no more Dominion over Him; He dies no more, but lives unto God; and shall come to Judge the Quick and the Dead at his Appearing and Coming: To whom be Blessing, and Glory, and Dominion for ever and ever.  
Now, Friends, this is manifest, in that every One of You, hath that in you which doth witness, and which is not blotted out; Nor hath Death Dominion over, though Death Reigns in your Mortal flesh: For, it witnesseth against Sin, and showeth that its Deeds are evil; and is stronger than Sin, though you obey it not; and judgeth Sin and Evil, and reproveth it, and thereby exerciseth its Dominion; and shows its Kingdom over that which It reproves and judges; Who came in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for Sin condemns Sin in the Flesh, that We might be made the Righteousness of God in him, Not having Our Own Righteousness; but that Righteousness which is through Faith in Him. For, by Grace ye are saved, through Faith, and that not of your selves, it is the Gift of God: Through Faith in his Name, who is the Power of God unto Salvation, unto as many as Obey him, Even to as many as believe in his Name; Who are born, not of Blood, nor of Man, nor of the Will of the Flesh, but of God; To whom he gave Power to be called the Sons of God, Even to as many as Received Him: Who came unto his Own, but his Own Received him not.  
So, Friends, Mind Ye in your selves, and see whether there is not such a thing in You, which always is for God, and against all Evil, which judges Evil, which condemns Evil, and speaks for God, whether You Obey it, or not? And then tell me, whether this doth not live? and whether it lives not unto God? and whether Death hath Dominion Over it, which judgeth Death? And whether this be not the Consolation? Though you Die, and Sin and Death hath Dominion Over You, by being become servants of Sin, and so are free from Righteousness, yet that liveth which would gather You to God? And whether you should not be gathered unto It, which Death hath no Dominion Over; who is the Son of God; who lives for ever, making Intercession for us; Who seeks to gather You who are gone astray, who is the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls. Out of whose hands none can pluck his Sheep: Whose Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom, and his Dominion that which never shall have end.  
Friends and Brethren, Let me speak freely to You of the Patriarch Abraham, and David, and the Holy Men of God who are gone before; They are fallen asleep, and their flesh hath seen Corruption; but him whom God hath raised up, that he should see No Corruption, dies no more; Him preach I unto You, who is a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedeck; Who is made, not after the Law of a Carnal Commandment, but after the Power of an Endless Life; Who is risen from the Dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept; In whom All are made alive, Who in that he died, died but once unto Sin, but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God; That we should no longer live the rest of our time in the flesh, to the lusts of men, but to the Will of God: For, he that hath suffered in the flesh, hath ceased from Sin; and he whom the Son hath made free, is free indeed; and he that is a servant of Righteousness is free from Sin. So likewise reckon ye also yourselves, to be indeed dead unto Sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.  
Now here's the Consolation, That We have such an High Priest, who is set on the Right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens. A Minister of the Sanctuary, and of the true Tabernacle, which the Lord pi●c●ed, and not man; by whom We have Access unto God, Even by Faith in His Blood; the New and Living Way, which He hath consecrated for Us through the Veil, that is to say, His Flesh, which is near You, and in you, So that ye need not say in your hearts, Who shall ascend into Heaven? (that is to say, to bring down Christ from above) Or, Who shall descend into the Deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the Dead) but the Word is Nigh you, in your Mouth, and in your Heart; which is the Word of Faith which we Preach (said Paul) and the Righteousness which is of Faith, which speaketh on this wise, saith he, as aforesaid. So, to this New and Living Way come, which he hath consecrated unto Us, through the Veil, that is to say his Flesh; that Ye may have boldness to Enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus, Whose Blood cleanseth from all Sin. So the thing is not far from You, but Nigh You; the Way is not without you, but within You, into the Holiest; the New and Living Way unto God, which tenders itself unto You, to be a Light unto your feet, and a Lantern unto your Paths; Even the Word, The Immortal Word, The Word Nigh You in Your Mouth, and in Your Heart; The Law of the Lord, which Enlightens the Soul; which is Light; Christ Jesus the Light, which enlightens Every Man that cometh into the World; the true Light, in whom was Life, and the Life was the Light of Men; Who was in the World, and the World was made by Him, and the World knew him not: Who came unto his Own, but his Own Received him not; but to as many as Received him, to them gave he Power to be called the Sons of God, Even to them that believe in his Name; Whose Name is called The Word of God; which was in the Beginning, which was with God, which was God; the same was in the Beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made.  
So, Friends, The Way is Easy, and the Lord hath made it so, Even the Way unto Himself by CHRIST, and You know it: Now, it is for You to walk therein; For there is No Other Name given under Heaven by which We can be saved, but CHRIST the LIGHT; the True Light which lighteth Every Man that Cometh into the World; Which John bore Testimony of and said, That he came for a Witness, to bear Witness of the Light; The Man that was sent of God, whose Name was JOHN: and he saith, That the LIGHT shineth in Darkness, and the Darkness comprehended it not; which was in Him who was Life, and the Life was the Light of Men; by whom all things were made, as aforesaid.  
So then, CHRIST is Life, and the Life is Light; and the Light is in You: CHRIST the Way, the Truth, and the Life, which makes manifest: For, Whatsoever is made manifest, is made manifest by the LIGHT: Unto this Come, in this Believe: For, this I testify unto You in the Name of the LORD, whose Word it is, and You shall Witness it; who hath moved me to write, That if You Return unto This, unto the LORD, the Rod which is prepared for Others shall not fall upon You; but if Ye do not, Ye shall fall in your Blood; The LORD hath spoken it. So Farewell. I am  
Your Friend, GEO. BISHOPE. BRISTOL, 17th day of the 9th month, 1661.  
THE END.