THE LAW Given forth out of SION, AND THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD of LIFE,( Who is LORD from HEAVEN) Made known unto MEN. By WALTER JENKINS. LONDON, Printed for R. Wilson, 1663. The Law given forth out of Sion, &c. GOD who at sundry times, and in divers manners, Heb. 1.1, 2. spake in times past unto the Fathers, by the Prophets, hath in these last dayes spoken unto us, by( or in) his Son Christ Jesus the well-beloved Son of God, Col. 2.9. in whom dwelled the fullness of the Godhead bodily; who is the author and finisher of the Salvation of every one that believes in him; who is come a Light into the world, and lighteth every man that cometh into the world; Joh. 1.9. who in the fullness of time appeared in the form of a servant, and in the dayes of his flesh, went about doing good, Acts 10.38. teaching and admonishing, in the authority and power of God, all that came unto him; as it is recorded in the Scriptures of Truth, Matth. 5.1. And seeing the multitude, he went up into a Mountain, and when he was set, his Disciples came unto him,( mark that) and he opened his mouth and taught them, saying, Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven, &c. So after he had declared a while in the tender bowels of everlasting Love, unto the Seed of God in them, and they being Disciples indeed, willing to receive the Law at his mouth, who was the everlasting High Priest; Mal. 2.7. Heb. 8.17 he promised certain things of great consequence,( in vers. 19.) saying, Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least Commandments,( mark the word, these least Commandments, which he was then ready to deliver, for yet he had given none unto them) and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven, that is( as the Preachers of England say) not at all. Oh ye Priests, Teachers, Parsons, Vicars and curates, what will you do? what can you answer for yourselves( to that in all your Consciences I speak) when the Lord Jesus Christ pleads with you? Acts 17.31. whom God hath appointed to judge the whole world in his day: for you not only break, but teach to break these least Commandments. So here Christ speaks nothing at all to the Pharisees, Mal. 2.7. but to Disciples who were willing and desirous to receive the Law at his mouth; giving them a special caution, before he delivers his Laws, Statutes and Commandments unto them, Mat. 5.20. that unless their righteousness did exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees,( mark that, you blind-guides, that know not to whom he spake) they could in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; Joh. 8.12. Jo. 12.46 and how could it exceed, unless they believed in him who was come a Light into the word, and kept his Commandments? Having so premised, and laid down the danger in breaking, and teaching to break these least Commandments, Mat. 28.18. he saith not[ reproofs to the Pharisees] but these least Commandments, having all Power in Heaven and in Earth committed unto him of the Father; In the Authority of God, and in the Majesty of his pure Name, he begins to give forth his Laws, 1 John 5.3. Statutes and Commandments, which were not grievous to them, some in the Negative( so called by Scholars) as forbidding to do; others in the Affirmative, as commanding to do: neither are they grievous to us also, who are come to learn of him, Mat. 11.29. who is the Light of Life, who fulfils the Law, and is the end of it, and is the end of all strife and contention, Joh. 1.9. subduing the lust in every one that believes in him; who is come a Light into the world, and lighteth every man that cometh into the world, Joh. 3.16 that whosoever should believe in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life: Blessed for ever is he who is come unto him, Rev. 3.14 he is come unto that which was before the Fall, before Transgression, in the beginning, as at the first: where there is no need of killing and striving, Ephes. 6.12. Tombs. and contending with flesh and blood; neither is there any need of Swearing( as you Priests teach people to break Christ's Commandments) nor Cursing to end strife and controversy; Phil. 4.7 for the Peace of God, which passeth all understanding, Jam. 4.12. is known and witnessed in the obedience to the Commandments of Christ Jesus the Law-giver of his People, &c. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Matth. 5.21. 1 Cor. 15.47. Thou shall not kill; and whosoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the judgement: But I say to you, saith the Lord Jesus Christ( who is Lord from Heaven) whosoever is angry with his brother without cause, is in danger of judgement, that is, in as much danger as he that kills. Oh people, what think you, how will it stand between you, and the Lord? you that are full of wrath and anger, knocking and beating all you meet with, thinking none sit to live upon the Earth, but yourselves; Gal. 2.17. Think not to say in your hearts, Christ died for us, and we shall do well enough; we strongly believe in him, and we hope the best; and if it were not for hope, the heart would break: and so, poor souls, you remain ignorant of that, which the Lord will not despise, a broken heart; and your hope is such, Psa. ●1. 17. that keeps you from the brokenness of heart: Surely you cannot enter into Gods Kingdom, while you thus break these least Commandments; for they that love him, keep his Commandments, Jo. 14.23. 1 Joh. 5.3. Joh. 12.50. Jo. 5.37. Psa 12.4. mat. 12.35. and they are not grievous unto them. So that now what Christ did hear and receive of the Father, that he delivered to the Disciples, the despised ones: but you who have not heard his voice, nor seen his shape at any time, you may do as you list, and as you think, without control; for your tongues are your own, and you utter hard speeches, and perverse words; for which an account you must certainly give unto the Lord. Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time,( that is, Matth. 5.27. 1 Cor. 15.47. Joh. 1.2. in the dayes of Moses) Thou shalt not commit Adultery: But I say unto you,( saith the Lord Jesus Christ, who is Lord from Heaven, by whom the world was made) He that looketh upon a woman, to lust after her, hath committed Adultery with her already in his heart. Here it is near you, O ye Priests, that break and teach to break these least Commandments: And all you poor ignorant souls, from the highest to the lowest, that know not when you do amiss, nor when you break the Commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ: It is Adultery to look on a woman, to lust after her in the heart; and the Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge. Heb. 13.4 There were some in the Apostles dayes, as they are now, 2 Pet. 2.14. whose eyes were full of Adultery, that could not cease from sin; and they were the spots in their feasts. Whoever reads this, look to yourselves, for the day of God's righteous judgement is nigh to be revealed. It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his Wife, Matth. 5.31. Joh. 1.1. let him give her a Writing of Divorcement: But I say unto you,( saith the Word, that was in the beginning, by whom the World was made) Whosoever shall put away his Wife, saving for the cause of Fornication, causeth her to commit Adultery, &c. Moses in the old time suffered it so to be,( Mat. 19.8.) because of the hardness of their hearts; but from the beginning it was not so: In the beginning all was in the order, before the hardness of heart, before the putting away was; and until men be brought to the Beginning( Christ Jesus) the Light of the World, Joh. 8.12. him by whom the World was made, they remain in the disorder, where the hardness of heart is, and the putting away, the cause of Adultery. Oh all People, mind that of God in all your consciences, Rom. 1.19. the Appearance of Christ, which God hath freely given, to led out of the Fall, into the Beginning, where there is no breach of these least Commandments, where there is no cause for women to sue for Allimony, or, a maintenance, being put away; which I have seen amongst most Religions( so called) and a sore evil, and surely the Lord hath seen it. Again, Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Matth. 5.33. Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine Oaths: here, in the old time, Forswearing was forbidden, although now commonly practised by men of many degrees; but when they swore, Jer. 4.2. it was to be done in Truth, in judgement, and Righteousness, and to be performed as it was told by them of old time: But now in the new time, Col. 2.9. Phil. 2.7. Joh. 3.32 when he appeared, in whom dwelled the fullness of the Godhead bodily;( for so it did not in the old time, until Christ took upon him the form of a servant, and declared what he had heard of the Father) I say unto you,( mark the word [ you] that is, to his Disciples, who did hear and learn, and were taught of him) Swear not at all, neither by Heaven, for it is God's Throne; nor by the Earth, &c. for so the custom of the Jews was to swear, by Heaven, and Earth, and other creatures: Yet, although they had degenerated from the true manner of Swearing, in the old time, yet they were bound to perform unto the Lord their Oaths, and what they had sworn; Jer. 4.2. that so their yea might be yea, in truth. So it was one thing here, to command the Disciples not to swear at all, but that their yea, should be yea, and their nay, nay; they should speak truth, and perform what they spake, whether it were yea or nay, in all things, without swearing; as the other were in the old time, by swearing, which he, who was before the old time, puts an end to, and gives forth his Laws, Statutes and Commandments, 1 Joh 5.3 which were not grievous to them, neither to us; but to you, O Priests, Lawyers, and People, they are grievous: And as one man saith,( without great caution, rather pernicious than useful: Tombs. he Baptist. Oh thou Antichrist, that exaltest thyself above the Commandments of Christ and wouldst limit these least Commandments of the Holy One, and so break them, and teach to break them: Matth. 5.19. Surely thou shalt be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven.) And another thing, when Christ Jesus the Lord, reproves the Pharisees in Matth. 23.16. where he reproveth them sharply, and calls them blind guides, and wo was to them, and they were fools, because when they swore, they made a distinction of Oaths; as if one swore by the Gold of the Temple, he was a debtor, and bound to perform, but if by the Temple, it was nothing: So here Christ upbraids and reproves sharply their Forswearing, letting them to see their ignorance; that if they were debtors, and bound to perform, when they swore by the Gold, and by the Sacrifice on the Altar, how much more were they bound to perform when they swore by the Temple, which was greater, and sanctified the Gold, and where God dwelled? and so by the Altar, because it was greater, and sanctified that which was on it. And so James the Servant of God,( Jam. 5.12.) excludes all Swearing whatsoever, saying, Above all things, my Brethren, Swear Not, neither by Heaven, nor Earth, nor by any other Oath; and sheweth the reason why, left ye fall into Condemnation: for he knew certainly, that Christ, the Light, Joh. 3.19. would condemn them for the breach of these his least Commandments. And so people, your Priests and Teachers tell you, you cannot live without Swearing, and breaking the Commandments of Christ the Judge of the World: But in the fear of the Lord of Heaven and Earth, I have better Counsel for you, and if you were wise, you would try;( that is) Turn your minds to that of God in your Consciences, which checks you, and reproves you when you do amiss; that is the Light of Christ, Eph. 5.13. that is the appearance of Christ in the Love of the Father unto every one of you; this will led you into the Fear of God, and teach you, if you give up to believe in it, and to be guided by it, to forsake ungodliness, Tit. 2.12. and to live soberly in this world; it will teach you to do unto all men, as you would have all men do unto you, in all things; if you owe any thing to any man, it will teach you to pay; and then there will be no strife, nor need of swearing to end strife; and then you could live one by another in quietness, but now you cannot; for an Oppressor will take away all you have, and give you nothing for it; and if you go to ask for your own, he hath a trick in Law to defraud you, and he will get men to swear, and break the Commandments of Jesus Christ, and so you dare never ask again for your own, your right, your inheritance. Yea, but say some, In communication you must not swear, but let your yea, be yea, and your nay, be nay. Whatever one speaks unto another, that is communicated from the one to the other; for when you compel men to swear, you speak unto them, you tell them what you would have them do, you communicate unto them your mind, or the thing you require of them. But, Jam 4.12 Joh. 8.58 say some, God did approve of Swearing. Yea, in the old time; but now in the new time Christ is come, the Law-giver, and saith, Swear not at all; He is come, who is before Abraham was, although Abraham swore in the old time; And he is the Root of David, although David swore in the old time; He reigns over the house of Jacob, although Jacob swore in the old time; And although the Angel swore, yet he who is greater than the Angel, whom let all the Angels of God worship, Heb. 1.6. saith, Swear not at all. Yea, but( say some) hath not the Lord commanded to swear by his Name? Yea, in the old time. But who commanded to swear with three fingers on the Bible, kneeling or standing, kissing it, as the manner is now, and by the contents of that Book, either in the old or new time? But some say, the Apostle swore in the new time, when he said, I take God to record upon my soul; and, God is my witness, I lye not. Alas, poor ignorant people! we have offered as much as this, and yet it would not be taken, because not an Oath; so here your own Lawyers say it is not an Oath, because they refuse us. But O people, be no longer deceived; for while ye break these least Commandments of Christ the Judge of the world, you strive one with another, and you swear, and yet the strife is not ended; because you rebel against the Light of Christ, Job 24.13. which Christ hath lighted you withal, in your own hearts, in your own consciences, which would subdue the lust from whence strife ariseth; and so while you are angry, and fight, and strive one with another, there is work for the proud Lawyers; then you must pay this see, and the other fee; and then they make a prey upon you, and get unto themselves great riches, by your striving, while you walk out of the fear of God: and no marvel they are against us, and would judge us, to lose our Estates and Lives also; for they are men that are greedy after mens Estates, and to build their nests on high: for if men did walk in the Fear of God, and according to that of God in their Consciences, then many of them must work as well as you or we, and their trade of getting money by the sins of the people, would fail. Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, Matth. 5.38. Rev. 3.14. and a tooth for a tooth; But I say unto you( saith the true and faithful Witness) that ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on the one cheek, turn the other also, &c. Oh all you Magistrates, who not only strike them that strike you, but if any come before you in the Fear of God, because he will not honour you with Cap and Knee, and respect your Persons, because of your great store of Ribbons, your Silver Buttons, and tassells in your Hats, then you strike them: you who swear, and are sworn to keep the Peace, and preserve it, Mat. 5.9. you are the Peace-breakers, and so not of them who are blessed: How will ye answer the breach of these Commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ? And O ye Priests and Preachers, judge. 5.23. who have cried with a loud voice, Curse ye Meroz, curse ye bitterly the inhabit ants thereof, because they came not to the help of the Lord against the mighty, and cry up the fighters and manslayers, and curse them that would not; Thus have you beguiled many in this Nation, some of whom I heard afterwards curse you: And what think you, will not Christ Jesus, the Lord of Life, pled with you? will he not account with you, ye breakers, and teachers to break his Commandments? or, think you he hath delayed his coming, and the while you may do what you please; eat and drink with the drunken, fight, and procure to fight, and encourage to break the Commandments of the Son of God? So here you are they that resist the evil; nay, you do the evil unto such who resist you not; and the people, your hearers, follow you their examples; like Priest, like People; and instead of having your Coats taken away from you by Law, some of you have robbed a man and his whole heritage; you have sued and gone to Law with them that saw your wickedness, and come to know you by your fruits( as Christ said) to be the ministers of Antichrist, Mat. 7.16. and served your bellies, and not the Lord, and therefore could not put into your mouths; and then the Wolf hath appeared, Micah 3.5. rending and tearing all that came near, taking the goods, taking the bodies, and casting them into Prisons and nasty holes, until you have had the life also: he is very blind who doth but read the Scriptures, Isa 56.11.1 Joh. 2.18. and cannot see you to walk in the steps of the false Prophets that went before, and the Antichrists that should come, of whom John said, there were many in his dayes, above fifteen hundred years ago: And all you that pled for the Antiquity of your Church, Ministers and Ministry, the Antichrist; are of the same Antiquity with you, who apostatised from the Doctrine and Commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ, as here is plainly made apparent to any reasonable men; but alas, we are fallen in an age of unreasonable men, Phil. 3.19 whose god is their belly, and all their care and study is to fill and feed that; lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 2 Tim. 3.4 sporting themselves in the day-time, &c. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Matth. 5.43. Rev. 2.12. Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy: But I say unto you,( saith he who hath the sharp sword with two edges) Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and persecute you. O Nation of England, O ye People of the whole Land, who are called Christians by name, but surely falsely, 1 Joh. 4. ●5. for if you were so indeed, you would keep his Commandments: your Priests, Parsons, Vicars and curates, never knew these least Commandments, and they are evil examples unto you, Ezek, 33.6. and your blood will the Lord require at their hands, for they never taught you to keep these least Commandments; but they themselves followed their own hearts lusts, and you poor ignorant souls have followed after: Think not I am become your enemy, G●●. 4.16. because I tell you the truth; I dare not flatter you, for that you do yourselves, but tell you the naked truth in the simplicity of my heart; who am a sufferer according to the will of God, because I cannot break, nor teach to break these least Commandments. Oh what cries and complaints are heard amongst you! You say every one is ready to hang the other, and you say there is no love amongst you: sure how can it be, while you remain ignorant of him who leads into Love, while you are ignorant of these least Commandments? You hate us, 1 Pet. 4.4. not because of evil, but because we fear the God of Power, and cannot ran into the same excess of riot with you: You hate one another, and why? because you love not the Lord Jesus Christ; you love not Jesus Christ( although you talk much of him, and boast great things of him) because ye keep not his Commandments. O people, your Leaders cause you to err, Joh. 14.15. Mic. 3.5. mat. 2●. 29. Rom. 13. ● Sam. 1●. 22. and you err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the Power of God, which leads every soul that is subject to the higher Power, into the obedience that is better than sacrifice, and leads out of, the pollutions that are in the world, and redeems up unto God, out of the Fall, where the breakers, and teachers, and compellers to break these least Commandments( before recited) remain. O people, there are no Commandments that are greater than these; And how shall you ever know them and keep them, until you come to the obedience of the Light, Joh. 1.9. wherewith Christ Jesus hath enlightened you; which Light will led you from the breakers, and teachers to break these least Commandments; for they with feigned words and fair speeches, deceive the hearts of the simplo; the Lord our God, whom we serve and fear, will pled with them, and with all flesh, with fire, and with the sword. O People, mind that, which God hath freely given unto every one of you, to be a Guide and a Leader to his People, a Teacher that cannot be removed into a corner, but when ever you do amiss it will check you, and reprove you; if you love, Joh. 3.19. it will led you out of it; if you hate it, because it reproves you, it will condemn you, if you believe in it, it will let you see the evil of your ways, to the end you might loathe yourselves, and seek after the Lord that made you, if by any means you might feel after him, although he be not far from you; Acts 17. and receive mercy at his hands, who is willing to receive every one that cometh unto him. Oh people of all sorts and sexes, and degrees, come, Why will you die, why will you die? Oh come and delay not, lest it be too late for you, and then your cry will be great and fore, and you shall seek, but shall not be able to find. I hate none of you. Wa. Jenkins. POST-SCRIPT. THe Author of this being known by me and many more, to be a man of an upright conversation, and did bear his Testimony for the Lord against Unrighteousness in his time, labouring to bring people therefrom, unto the Righteous Principle of God in them, that they might know the Just One, and do his Will: Although he be separated from outward fellowship with men, yet his labour and service in love to the Truth, which is everlasting, is had in remembrance with other of our dear Brethren, whose Lives have not been too dear to them for the Gospels sake. And now in love to the Truth, that others might receive the benefit of his Labours, I was willing to take some care in the publishing thereof, Who am a lover of immortal souls, and a follower of Peace and Holiness with all men. Edw. Bourne. The 25th of the first Month, 1663. THE END.