A prospective-glass for saints and sinners whereby may appear and be seen, 1. The authors life expressed in the first epistle, 2. That there is no true peace of mind in those that account themselves believers so long as they lead a corrupt life, 3. What great enemies the riches of this world, and poverty are to truth, 4. What that truth and true knowledge is, which giveth satisfaction to the mind of man in this life : and several other things necessary to salvation / by John Saddington.

CHAP. XVI. There are several Degrees of Knowledge, but no degree able to give true Rest to the mind, until a man can believe the true Messengers of God. (Book 16)

1. IT is generally seen and known, that there are se∣veral degrees of knowledge in temporal things, as in all Arts and Sciences, they that are ingenious do well mind those that are accounted good Workmen or cunning Artificers, whereby they grow up from one degree of Knowledge to another, until such time that they have attained to that degree of know∣ledge which they aimed at, and which they had so long laboured to finish, and then they are at rest.

2. But if they can never find out, or attain to that Mystery they did so long seek after, then are they al∣ways dissatisfied, and die in ignorance of what they desired to know.

3. And as there are several degrees of knowledge in Temporal things so are there several degrees of know∣ledge in spiritual things, therefore do all men that are naturally given to seek after God, especially those of the Jewish nature, they take great notice of the preach∣ing of men, which way they teach men to worship God.

4. Then they enter into Church-fellowship with some of them, and stay there awhile, and see nothing but vanity there, then they enter into another, where

they see a little more light, and there they stay a∣while.

5. As their knowledge increaseth, so still they get out of one Church fellowship into another, and so from one degree of knowledge to another, and still into the greater light, thinking to find peace and comfort there, but can find none.

6. Thus have many run through all or most of the Church fellowships in England, and at last could finde no true peace, because in all this their Travel they could not attain to the thing they aimed at, which is the assurance of their Salvation.

7. The Reason why in all this their seeking and travelling up and down from one Church to another, they could not attain to the assurance of their Salva∣tion is, because there is no assurance to be had in any Spiritual Appearance where the Minister thereof is not sent of God, therefore it is written, That many shall say, Lord, Lord, have we not prayed and preached in thy name, and cast out Devils in thy name, and such like; yet God will charge it upon them to be workers of iniquity.

8. There is not now a Minister in the World that dare own himself to be immediately sent of God to de∣clare his mind unto the world, but the Witnesses of the Spirit only.

9. All they who can truly own them and their Do∣ctrine to be true, will quickly see and be satisfied with the assurance of their Salvation perfected, then they will be at rest when they know what, and where their God is; and there is no other way to come to the knowledge of God, but by believing the Report of the Lords last Witnesses or Prophets which are his only Ministers now in this world.

10. Therefore as soon as a man can set to his Seal that the Witnesses of the Spirit were truly sent forth of God, and that their Doctrine is true also, then can he clearly see that his whole work of looking after God is finished.

11. Then will he say, that he hath found that God to his comfort, who in, and by believing his true Pro∣phets hath given him peace of minde, and the full assu∣rance of faith, that after death he will raise him up to everlasting life, where he shall never lose him more.

12. This I can witness in my self, and so can many more besides me, blessed for ever be the name of Christ Jesus, the only and alone wise God for revealing him∣self and his mind so clearly unto us by his last Mes∣sengers.