The First Chapter.

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

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

3. For albeit that we do know well (accord∣ing to the comprehension of our naturall rea∣son) that there is a God, a Christ, and a holy Ghost, and so do talk of them; and yet do not (through that knowledge) believe, serve, nor love the same God, as he is a God, and his Page  40Christ, as he is a Christ, and the holy Ghost, as he is an holy Ghost, nor yet desire to be∣come partakers of his being: but to live in ac strange being, which is none of Gods be∣ing, and to cleave unto the same, so is then the knowledge of the holy secretnesse of God, more hurtfull then furdersome unto us. For if we know in what forme or being, that there is a God, and yet doe not honour nor serve him, as he is a God, but have a lust to the contrary-being unto God, then is that same to ad more grievous condemnation unto us.

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

5. Thou also knowest partly my conversa∣tion, in what sort it was with thee, and how fearefully touching many words, I have be∣haved my self with thee: shewing thee, that the Page  41f secretnesse of the Kingdome of God or Christ, consisteth notg in the multitude of words, nor in the riches of the knowledge, be∣cause that thou shouldest not suffer thy selfe to be bewitched by any man, with outward or strange words, or sayings of plentifull store of Languages, as to let thine heart commit whoredome therewith. But that thou mightest have a much more regard unto the power of God, and unto the upright righteousnesse that God worketh through the ministration of his gracious word and service of love, in the spi∣rit of the inward man, to the end for to live uprightly therein, with a meek-minded spirit. For a meek-mindedh spirit (which hath his proceeding obediently, according to the re∣quiring of the Lords word) is very precious and acceptable before God.

6. And although that we doe (in the same spirit) goe on in silence, as touching the out∣ward manner, and are poore of spirit in Tongues or Languages, yet is not for all that, the richnesse of the spirituall and heavenly knowledge of God, ever the lesse among us, but rather the greater: and the same, and all that which is of God and Christ, doe we esteeme veryi precious, yea much worthier then all the riches or costly treasures of this world: for that same (of worthinesse part) excelleth it all. For which occasion, we let our Page  42words be few because that the same which we speak, may not proceed out of the know∣ledge, but out of thek power of God, and out of the truth of Jesu Christ.

7. And in the same speech of the godly things, we do also take heed with foresightful∣ness (so much as we may therein) of the loose ones of heart, to the end, that there be not one godly saying of the precious secret wis∣dome spoken out in vain. O! howl happy is he that falleth not in his tongue, and whose wordsm are tempered with salt?

8. Now this being omitted, I rejoyce me doubtlesse of thee, and of the Commonalty that is with thee; and I hope to rejoyce me yet more with thee with greater joy, by means of the Answer unto me, that I have heard from thee, as that ye altogether are wel∣minded to that which is the beeing it selfe, whereof the Scripture witnesseth (as per∣sonally) of God, of Christ, and of the holy Ghost: Which beeing (for those that be par∣takers thereof) are the secret Treasures, andn heavenly riches of God, whereof the world, the rich Scripture learned ones, nor the good-thinking wise (with all their deep-groundly knowledge) do neither know nor understando any thing at all.

9. It is true, they have the Scripture of the godly witnesses, where-through they suppose Page  43to be wise and understanding. But seeing they give not their understanding captive under the obedience of the Love of Jesu Christ and comep not even so to the beeing, whereof the Scripture speaketh, nor yet believe thereon,q as the Scripture saith, so is there likewise no light, nor truth, nor yet spirit nor being of God, among them, and they also doe nei∣ther know norr understand that which they themselves speak thereof.

10. But the God of life (f who is rich of mercie) hath (out of his hearty Love)t re∣vealed the beeing of his glory unto us, renewed our ignorant understanding (under the obe∣dience of his Love) to a spirituall mind of the upright righteousnesse, and (when we were full of infirmities,u and dead, for the sinnes cause) begotten us again, out of his Love,x to a sure hope of his life.

11. Seeing then thaty such a cloud of holy dew, is (by Gods grace) appeared in our sight, according to the spirit, and come from Gods right hand, as an heavenly blessing, and whereout also the right beeing of God (whereof we speak)a ariseth unto us, as a light and cleernesse: therefore have we (al∣though the Scripture witnesseth thereon, and that we doe heare many speak thereof) more regard unto that which is the upright beeing it selfe (wherein our joy standeth) then unto Page  44that which witnesseth thereon.

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