A guide to the godly, or, The dayly meditations of Returne Hebdon Gentleman who for his conscience (through the tyrany of the Bishops) suffered many years imprisonment in the Kings-Bench and their remained till death : being very useful for instruction of all those that desire to walke in the paths of Jesus Christ.

The second day of the Week. (Book 2)

I Have observed in Christ how the old man of the flesh doth naturally bring forth the new man, begotten in the spirit of truth, thus; After that the heart hath conceived the immortall seed

which is from above: so as for joy hereof, it estrange 〈◊〉〈◊〉 selfe from mortall vanities, by and by the Lords of this mortall flesh, will shew their authority, and they will labour with all their force and wits to destroy this good conception, that they may again rule the heart: in this estate the mor∣tall body of a man is as a woman in travell, which cryes out, not to be eased of the payne, but to bring forth the fruit of her wombe, and this in Christ is the travell of a Christian, he hath con∣ceived the mind of Christ, and for this cause is persecuted, and suffers all things, untill from out of the greatest torments of the heart, he is able to deliver or bring forth the spirit of that immor∣tall seede unto Christ, whose it is, Esa. 26.13 17. 18. Mat. 27.46. with Luke 23.46. Heb 5 7.9.2 Cor. 4.6. amp;c. with 5.2.4 5.

2. Further is noted in what respect the Church of Christ, a woman, and the wife of Christ, be∣cause from the beginning she hath conceived in her heart the seed of God, which is the Word Christ, and thus she hath travelled with sha∣dow of Christ till her time was fulfilled, that shee should bring forth the spirit and truth of Christ, which was when Jesus Christ, being made one flesh with the Church, she by his di∣vine nature gave up the word, law, and truth of God perfected into her husbands hands; so as the carnall Church is now delivered from that law and labour which was committed and re∣quired

of her, for she hath now in Jesus Christ brought forth the spirit of holynesse to God, by the death of the flesh, and in the resurrection of of the spirituall man, to the immortall life of God, her spirituall husband; Jesus Christ then, which the Church of God having suffered the pain of travell to death, & being risen from the dead, and exalted to glory as Lord and Christ, is made the head of his Church in a more neere and fami∣liar manner, even as a man that going to take a wife, manifesteth the secrets of his hearty love unto her in way of espousals, who after his de∣parture, returneth againe to her in way of mar∣riage, and giveth his owne spirit, as Iob. 14.16. 17.18 — 26. Acts 2.33 — 36. This immortall seed therefore being freely communicated in the love of Christ, is gladly received of the Church, and of none other, which travelleth in subjection to Christ her husband, to perfect that birth of the spiritual & immortal man, of whom she hath con∣ceived immortall and spirituall seed, and thus is she become bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, in love; which union in Christ, is confirmed to e∣very soule of man, that in their severall age or na∣tion, are so beloved of God in Christ, that as an husband he should give of his immortall seed; so as every one that conceiveth it in a good heart doth know both the union, and her husband: un∣to whom every such heart doth increase that seed of the new and immortall man dayly, and in

groweth by the obedience and death of the life-blood, unto a lively hope through the resurrecti∣on of Jesus Christ from the dead. For such is the love of every good heart that she in her proper bo∣dy will tenderly respect, to preserve that word of the living God, which shee hath willingly con∣ceived in her minde and heart, so as no cares shall choake, nor reproches dismay, but that her body shall bring forth to her husband that Word which abideth for ever, 1 Pet. 1.3.4—22, &c.

3. This word of God, in what body soever it come in the love and communion of sufferings in Christ Jesus, is the salvation of the same body to that immortall life in glory with Christ, for whereas the persecutors that would adulterate us from our husband, their dead shall not live, neither shall their ghosts be raised againe, not∣withstanding our bodies which have dyed to bring forth the spirit of truth, shall be raised to immortall truth of our head Christ, (Esa. 26. 13—18.19.) when being sanctified in the truth, with him we shall be perfected in one, with our Father, and our Lord Christ Jesus, Iohn 17.19—21. &c.

4. It is a wonderfull wisdome to consider in Jesus Christ, how the Lord by his mercy doth call the world to judgement: for in that he hath sent his Sonne into the world, with mercy toward all that shew mercy, and in it hee executeth the ju∣stice of his Law on none by the Law. It is most

manifest, that all that out of their owne heart do judge and condemne, shewing no mercy to sin∣ners, doe by their owne justice in the Law, pro∣cure the Lord to enter into judgement with them, for their judgement without mercy. And thus we may see how the Law was given by Mo∣ses, and sinne was required by pesent justice: but grace and truth is by Jesus Christ, he requi∣reth sinners to sinne no more, and they shall not be judged for their sinnes past, and every one to shew mercy, and they shall find mercy, Math. 18.21. to 35. if not, but that men will despise the grace of God towards them, by judging and condemning their fellow-servants, they are inex∣cusable before God, their owne measure shall be measured to them, they have denyed to shew mercy, therefore mercy shall be denyed to them, Rom. 2.1. to 5. Luk. 6.37.38.

5. The cause of falling from the love of God is the evill of the heart, whereby men dissembled with men; for when men retaine the nature of swine, and yet will be washed, without doubt they will returne to their filthynesse. Or dogges by na∣ture will turne to their kinde, as 2 Pet. 2.22. Or evill trees cannot but bring forth evill fruit, whatsoever they shew at first: Whereas good, simple, and perfect of heart, that hath received the good seed, will bring forth fruit to perfection. When the tree is of a good nature, it cannot but bring forth good fruit, Math. 7.16, &c. The

branch that is in Christ is fruitfull to the Father, and it is more fruitfull, Ioh. 15.1. &c. The new man that is once borne againe from above is re∣newed dayly, 2 Cor. 5.17. with 4.16.

Men that are imperfect, and wavering minded will looke forward, and then backward, Luk. 9.62. Iam. 1.8. Whereas perfect men, forgetting the things behinde, doe stretch forward to the things before, they presse hard to the marke, &c. Phil. 3.13.14.15. All that are perfect in love & mercy towards the Brethren, the grace of God, and his love, and mercy remaineth firme to them.

6. There is great difference betweene the re∣pentance under the Law of works, and the re∣pentance under the Law of faith. They after the Leviticall Law were borne holy according to the carnall Commandement, and were instructed in the Law of God, from the breasts, and whenso∣ever they sinned, they repented, and were justified by the works of the Law; and because their con∣science was never freed from the weaknesse of the flesh, they fell commonly into sinne, and repen∣ted; and this was the course of the obedient men, such as of David, till they came to know the free justification of God by faith: whereas the true repentance after the Priesthood of Christ doth clense the Conscience from the guilt of all sinnes past, and doth perfect them from that minde of the flesh, so as sin doth no looger raigne in their mortall body; but in this justification by faith

in Christ, they present themselves to God, as li∣ving from the dead, and their members weapons of righteousnesse to God, Hebr. 9.9—14.—Rom. 6.2.—12.13.