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. XVII. Truth is a Pearl of great price, therefore a man must part with all to purchase it; And those only that hold out in their Faith to their lives end shall be saved; but for those that fall back, and withdraw their love from it, for them there is no Redemption.

1. THe Doctrine or Declaration of the Witnesses of the Spirit is a Pearl of such great price, (this by experience I also know) that no man can pur∣chase it without he parteth with all he hath, that is, without he parteth with all his former Righteousness wherewith he used to worship his Unknown God in outward Ordinances, lifting up his eyes and his hands

in long Prayers, Pharisee-like, to be seen of men.

2. I say, all these (which were complained of in the times both of the Prophets and Apostles, and by Christ himself) were beggarly Elements, and must be parted from, though they are esteemed of great value by the world.

3. They that will imbrace Truth must be stripped, and left naked and bare; for God will not accept of a∣ny man so long as he clotheth himself with Ceremo∣nies, which are as filthy rags in the sight of God, for so doth the World ignorantly worship their unknown bodiless God.

4. They who are willing to worship the true God, who was, and ever will be a Spiritual Body in Heaven glorified, they are to worship him in Spirit and ••ruth.

5. The Lord now is not to be seen with mortal eyes, all men must now venture their Eternal happiness, or else they will never be at peace, because there is no o∣ther way to please God but wholly to rely upon the words of his said Prophets.

6. Therefore woe unto all those that have already, or hereafter shall taste of the good word of God deli∣vered by them and afterwards fall back from it.

7. It is now as it was when Christ was upon the Earth, then, said he, Except you can believe that I am he, you shall die in your sins, Joh. 8.24. in which words he told them, that he was the Saviour of the World, but they understood him not.

8. The generality of people did rather chuse, (which was a most sad choice) to die in their sins, than to believe that Jesus, the supposed Son of Joseph, was the Son of God, for all they saw him and heard his words, and of such wonderful Works and Mira∣cles

as he did and wrought amongst them; whereby it appears p••ainly, that Signes and Wonders are for unbelievers.

9. N••••withstanding what was said by our blessed Saviour when he was on 〈◊〉〈◊〉, That a worked and a∣dult••rous Generat••on looketh 〈…〉〈…〉 Signs, yet in these our dayes people cry out for Signes, and Miracles; but as Christ said to them, Joh. 15.•• If he had not come and spoken to them, they had not had sin, but then they no Cloak for their sin.

10. So likewise now in this our age, the Witnesses of the Spirit have appeared, of whom one of them is li∣living in this present year 1673. and they have plainly told the people that they were sent forth by the Com∣mand of God to declare his mind unto the World, whereby they might believe in the true God, and be saved, therefore they are left without excuse.

11. Yet the generality of people (as the generati∣ons before them) do rather chuse to die in their sins, than to believe that John Reeve and Lodowick Muggle∣ton should be the Teachers of the whole World: here it is to be minded, that they who never heard of them nor their Doctrine are free from Rebellion.

12. But all they who have talked with them, or have read their Writings, or have discoursed with any of the Believers of them about the Truths by them de∣livered, they have no Cloak for their sin, if they do re∣bel against that Truth declared by and from them.

13. Therefore let every one who hath tasted the sweetness, comfort and satisfaction of mind in the re∣ceiving and believing of these precious Truths, take heed unto themselves that they slide not back, for they only who keep their confidence in Obedience to the

Truth, and hold out to the end of their lives shall be saved.

14. For all those that sin wilfully after they have re∣ceived the Truth in the knowledge and love thereof, there remaineth no more Sacrifice for that Sin, Heb. 10.26. You may read at large in that Chapter what manner of sin that was for which there was to be no Sacrifice.

15. It will be found to be the sin of falling away from that Truth which they once received and rejoy∣ced in, for saith the Apostle, If they who despised Mo∣ses Law were to die without mercy, how much more or so∣rer punishment, suppose ye, shall be thought worthy for those that account the Blood of the Covenant wherewith they were Sanctified an unholy thing.

16. It is the same thing now in the time of the Commission of the Spirit (how lightly soever people make of it) who ever they be, that do enter themselves as Believers, and doth rejoyce therein for a time, and confesseth that he seeth his Salvation perfected by be∣lieving the said Prophets Report, and yet for all this, fall back, and withdraw their love from it, as some lately have done, great will be their punishment.

17. And the dayes we now live in may be compa∣red to the days wherein David lived, for hath not the Lord shewed us strange things, and made us drink the wine of astonishment.

18. In that God hath been pleased to declare him∣self unto us by the mouths of his last true Messengers, and some who received their Message and Declarati∣ons with much seeming comfort and satisfaction, and thereby procured great acquaintance with the Pro∣phet now alive, and had words (as David expresseth

it) as smooth as butter, and softer than Oyl, yet have they magnified themselves with reproaches for his love in de∣claring the mind of God to them.

19. Had he known that there had been War in their hearts he would have hid it from them; notwith∣standing the Discovery they have made of their own natures, it is in vain for them to fight with him who is too powerful for them. If they shall continue to shoot their Arrows (bitter words) against him, they will return to their own destruction.

20. And again by the Prophets affirming some As∣sertions to be true, wherein were some sayings hard to be born from pride and passion he hath been called by some a Devil to his face, and disowning him to be any longer their teacher.

21. Thus have they exalted themselves above him, imagining in themselves that they were wiser and knew more then he did from whom they had received all their knowledge; and thus did their aspiring thoughts exalt themselves above their Teacher, just as the Serpent-Angel, of whose seed they are, did exalt himself above his Creator.

22. And as the Creator of all things that were Created flung that Angel down from Heaven for his pride and presumption, and took his power from him, so that he can never ascend up again.

23. So likewise hath the Lords Messengers flung those men out of Heaven, and taken away their pow∣er, that is, he hath flung them out of all Heavenly peace. He that is at peace with God in this life may be said to be in Heaven, though upon earth.

24. Besides, he hath taken the power from them,

for now they have no power to bring any one into the knowledge of the Truth, nor to defend their own Faith.

25. Whatsoever Believers do upon this account, they must do it by vertue of that power which they believe the Commissioner hath, but one of them said, that he valued the Prophets power no more than a Childes of a day old; in so saying they condemn their own faith, by rebelling against their own knowledge and belief.

26. Because formerly they did declare to believe that he had received his Commission from God, and that he was a true Prophet, M••ssenger, or Minister of God, and that he had power given him in his Com∣mission to set life and death before men.

27. Which is no other but to pronounce men bles∣sed or cursed to Eternity, according as they do either believe or despise them and their Declarations.

28. So long as they did continue stedfast in that be∣lief, they were in perfect peace, because they were sanctified by his Ministry, but now they have chan∣ged their belief from believing him to be a true Pro∣phet or Minister of God, and in stead thereof call him a Devil, and disown his power.

29. Herein do they judge themselves unworthy to have any benefit by the Commission of the Spirit, for as at first they did look upon him to have such power, as to give them a blessing, and therefore did crave it of him.

30. So long as they continued subject to him, they found the benefit of it by that peace and comfort they received by it; but since they have resisted his power

and rebelled against him, they have lost the benefit of his blessing.

31. So that saying is made good, The dog is return∣ed to his vomit, and the sow that was washed into her wallowing in the mire.

32. Now they despise the power of God in his Messenger, and account his Revelation an unholy thing, chusing rather to perish, than submit themselves unto him whom they once owned to be a true Prophet and Messenger of God.

33. Therefore hath the only Minister of God in this World withdrawn his love from them, by which means they will become filthy and unclean, because they are fallen back from the Truth so far that they can∣not be renewed by Repentance.

34. Because the falling back from the Truth after they have received it, is that sin unto death, for which there is no Repentance nor Sacrifice.

35. Therefore hath the Prophets wrath taken place in them, because they will never be setled in true peace more.

36. Let these things therefore be an example to all that have faith in the Commission of the Spirit, that they may hold fast the Truth unto the end of their lives, and not rebel against the Prophet of the Lord, least they come to be cast out of the favour of God, as those men are to their eternal sorrow.

37. Two things I have to add before I conclude this Chapter, first to exhort all not to startle or be trou∣bled, much less to scoff or upbraid that the breaches are thus come; for it is no otherwise then hath fallen out, and is expressed in holy Writ in the two former Commissions.

38. Secondly, although there did arise the discenti∣on, discord, and rebellion before mentioned, yet even thereby there hath been opened more secret and hea∣venly truths then otherwise would have been as the time when they shall be made publique will demon∣strate to the satisfaction of all the true Believers, the seed of faith. It was said by our Lord when he was on earth, That in the World there would be offence, but woe is on them by whom they come.