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. I. What manner of lives the Saints ought to live in this World.

1. IT was the saying of the Prophet Isaiah, Chapt. 8. Vers. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony, if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no Light in them.

2. Though I am no Prophet, nor the Son of a Prophet, yet by that Light of Faith in me, which I have received by believing the Report of the Lords last Prophets do I bear witness, that the whole Law and Testimony of the Scriptures are true.

3. There are three Testimonies, Laws, or Re∣cords which agree in one on this Earth, as it is written. The first Moses and the other Prophets, signified the Water. The Second was Christ and his Apostles, which signified the Blood. The Third is▪ The last Messengers, or Prophets herein men∣tioned, which signifieth the Spirit; and all these a gree in one.

4. They that bear not witness to the Testimo∣nies

of these Three, it is, because there is no Light in them: And let the Testimony of a good Con∣science also bear witness in all true Believers.

5. They who are true Believers of the third and last Testament of God sent forth and declared to the world in this last Age, are also true Believers of the two former, and do walk in the true Light.

6. Let all those that have received, or shall receive the true Light, so walk, that their temporal Actions may not dim the Light of their spiritual knowledge.

7. Let those take as much delight in walking up∣rightly before God and in the sight of men, as they do in declaring that Knowledge which they have of God unto men.

8. Then their Light will shew it self to he that true and gratious Light by which all true Believers may see their way to Eternal Life.

9. Let no Saint break his own peace by any un∣seemly action; but let them walk in all respects as becometh Saints, for the fruits of the Spi∣rit of life, is all Goodness, Righteousness, and Truth.

10. They that are Believers of the Witnesses of the Spirit, and walk contrary to the Spirit of Truth, do not only break their own peace, but they do also lay a stumbling-stone for others to fall at, which cau∣seth Truth to be evil spoken of.

11. It hath pleased our God to send his last Mes∣sengers into the World in these our dayes to declare unto us secret and Sacred things, that were hid from all former Ages and Generations of men.

12. We do assuredly know what, and where our

God is; that his Eternal Spirit is clothed with that blessed Body of Christ Jesus glorified, our blessed Redeemer, whom the Heaven of Glory will retein until the end of time.

13. At his next coming time will be swallowed up into Eternity.

14. Christ will come no more to Reign upon this Earth with his Saints, as it is imagined by ma∣ny, but they are not taught by the Spirit of Truth.

15. Let not us who have the true knowledge of God and our own Natures, walk as if we were igno∣rant of what we profess to know.

16. But let us make use of our Spiritual Wis∣dom in such sort, as that the World may stand in admiration, and may have cause to say of us, Veri∣ly, and of a truth God is in them, they are the chosen People of God.

17. Our light ought to shine clear in this world. It is written, A Candle is not lighted to be put under a Bushel, but on a Candlestick: So every one that hath his knowledg inlightned in the truth, with the light of Life Eternal, he must let that Light shine in the World.

18. He that hath true Faith (the nature where∣of is to purifie both heart and life) if he walk o∣therwise, contrary to what knowledge he profes∣seth, he hath received (especially before the faces of Unbelievers) it doth darken his Faith so much, that the light of it cannoe be seen, no more than the light of a Candle that is under a Bushel.

19. Therefore let not us that have a pure and clear light, walk as if we were in darkness, or were men of no understanding.

20. It is a shame for one that is a true Believer, and a Saint of God, to carry himself so disorderly as to be checked by Devils for his disorderly carriage.

21. I desire and exhort every one that is a true Believer of the Lords last Messengers to walk cir∣cumspectly in their lives and conversations.

22. And as the Apostle exhorted in his time, Let no evil communication come out of your mouths, but rather that which is edifying unto others, lest we grieve the Holy Spirit of God in us, and make our selves a reproach.

23. The World is ignorant of what we are made to know, even the way to Salvation.

24. None in the world can have assurance of their Salvation in this life, but those that are Be∣lievers of the Spiritual Commission given by the Lord to his last Messengers, as aforesaid.

25. I do not plead for righteous acting, thinking thereby to merit Heaven, for we have gained the assurance of that by believing the Report of the Lords true Ministers, which are the Witnesses of the Spirit.

26. Our blessed Saviour himself said, Joh. 6.29. the whole work was to believe in him whom he had sent; therefore it is by Faith, and not by any other works that we are saved.

27. Yet where there is true Faith, let not the Righteousness of the Law be wanting. Righteous actings are a very good Ornament for to set forth and illustrate Faith.

28. He that breaketh the Law, or worketh any manner of Evil, breaketh his own peace; and if a

man be not at peace in himself, how can he be at peace with God. You know it is written, If our Consciences accuse us, God is greater than our Consci∣ences.

29. Therefore this I would have all Believers do, to walk uprightly before God, and to keep them∣selves blameless and unspotted in this world, and to walk with a pure language and life, as becometh Saints.

30. I do not desire that a burthen should be laid upon the Saints than they are able to bear; for I have learned to forgive my Brother if he sinneth a∣gainst me or against his own Soul.

31. Nevertheless I would not have any Saint to abuse himself in any thing, that is accounted evil, for as St. Paul saith, Those things that are lawful for us to do, are not convenient to be done.

32. Let us follow after those things which bring∣eth peace to our selves and edifieth others, as meek∣ness, love, and chastity, with all Righteousness which is acceptable with our God Christ Jesus glo∣rified, and approved of by men, whereby the Truth may not be evil spoken of.

33. Neither let us give occasion to Devils (De∣vilish men and women) by our bad walking to speak evil of those glorious Truths which they are not worthy to know.

34. But let us walk humbly before our God, that our innocent lives may be a Patern to the World, that have no other hopes of Glory but by their Mo∣ral Righteousness, which is of no value in compa∣rison to true Faith.

35. Though Moral Righteousness is a very good and decent Ornament to set forth Faith, yet he that is never so Moral, or endued with the Righteous∣ness of the Law, if he be a Despiser of Truth, by not having Faith to believe the Messengers of God, and their Declarations, all his Righteousness will stand him in no stead in the day of the Lords ac∣count.

36. As for us, who have true Faith to believe the Report of the Lords last true Prophets and Wit∣nesses of the Spirit, Let us be clothed with Righteous∣ness as with a Garment.

37. Because we are found worthy to be of the Family of God, and none in the World but the Be∣lievers above-mentioned are chosen to be of his Houshould, therefore there is no Garment but that of Righteousness suteable for a Saint to wear in this world.

38. Wherefore we must be sure to walk sincere∣ly in all things, that we may honour our Father, our King, our Lord and Master, even the Lord Jesus Christ.

39. He alone is Lord both of Heaven and Earth, and he hath clothed us with rich and costly Robes, the Garment of Salvation, and by this we know he loveth us because these Robes which he hath free∣ly given us, cost him so dear a rate as his Godheads life, and his most precious Blood.

40. What care therefore ought we take least at any time we should defile these Garments which could not have been bought with any other price but with the Blood of the Eternal God, which was

shed by the unbelieving Jews, according to his Eter∣nal Decree.

41. That he might raise all, both Jew and Gentile, that do truly believe and own him to be their God and Saviour to a glorious and everliving life, in that King∣dom of Glory where they shall behold the firey glo∣rious face of God to all Eternity.

42. And he will likewise raise all unbelieving Jews and Gentiles to a shameful and painful ever-dying death.

43. When they are in possession of that misery which they were foretold of, then will they cry and howl, but all in vain; and the knowledge of their abiding that Torment to Eternity, will make them blaspheme the name of our God continually.

44. And the remembrance of their despising of the Declaration and Messengers of that glorious God Christ when they were in mortality, will be as fresh fuel laid upon a fire, for it will make their tormented Souls and Bodies burn more fiercely.

45. The Creator hath Decreed that punishment for all unbelievers, that their Souls shall bring forth spiritual dark bodies at the Resurrection, which Souls and bodies will burn together hotter than natural fire and brimstone.

46. So on the contrary, when they that are the E∣lect of God shall be in possession of that Kingdom of Glory, where that blessed body of God is, and where Moses, Elias, and the holy Angels are resident.

47. Then shall we be full of joy unspeakable, where we shall sing Hallelujahs and Prayses unto our God, our King, and our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ.

48. And the remembrance of those good actions

which we acted for Christ in the time of our Mortali∣ty will cause new joys to arise in us▪ And then shall we sing aloud unto our God which sitteth upon the Throne of Glory to Eternity.

49. Now we knowing how that the remembrance of good things acted by us in this life will advance our glory in the life to come; let us be sure therefore to do all things, that will be to the glory of God, and honour to his Commission given forth in these our days, of which we are partakers in that we have faith to believe the Report of his last Prophets.

50. Again, it is good for us, to leave off frothy dis∣course and simple actions, for such things, when after∣ward considered of do disturb the peace of a Saint.

51. Because when such things are acted by Belie∣vers they make words of truth seem as idle Stories to the people of the world, who understand not the power and liberty of Believers in the time of a Commis∣sion.

52. But nevertheless I would have all Believers learn to be wise, sober, and moderate in all things; be∣cause when words of truth are spoken by a sober wise man, whose life and conversation is sutable to what he doth declare, his words make a great impression upon the hearts of them that hear him.

53. They who love moral Righteousness, though they are ignorant of truth, yet they are very zealous in worshipping of their unknown God, and allow not of any wickedness.

54. I say when these sort of ignorant men hear truth spoken and declared by those that they look up∣on to be as Righteous as themselves in all things (ex∣cept worshipping of God in outward Ordinances as

they do) then are they smitten to the heart.

55. When they hear those that know truth, and what the true God is, declare that the worshipping of God in outward Ordinances, to be seen of men is of no value, and that all the righteousness of the Law is of no effect to those that despise the Witnesses of the Spirit, and the Doctrine declared by them.

56. Then do those and such like words take posses∣sion of the mind of those righteous men which hear them spoken by wise sober men, and they cannot dis∣possess them any more.

57. When words of truth have once taken place in the mind of man, either that faith in him doth feed so plentifully on them, that the nourishment it recei∣veth from them causeth it to grow up to the assurance of Eternal life.

58. Or else the reason in man is inraged, because it cannot remove those words of truth which have taken possession in the mind.

59. So that truth doth torment the minds of those in this life who cannot receive it to the saving of their Souls.

60. These things hundreds can witness the truth of by Experience, some to their eternal joy, and others to their everlasting sorrow.

61. Thus do we see what power and strength the Ministry of the Spirit hath upon all persons to whom it hath been clearly demonstrated.

62. The Righteousness of the Law (as I have said) is a good Ornament to set forth that truth de∣clared by the Witnesses of the Spirit.

63. Wherefore my earnest desire is that all true Be∣lievers may be dressed therewith, that the Unbelievers

may have no just cause to speak evil of those men that have saith in the true God.