The first epistle.: A crying voice of the holy spirit of love, wherewith all people are out of meer grace, called and bidden by H.N. to the true repentance for their sins, to the entrance into the upright Christian life, and to the house of the love of Jesu Christ.

The Second Chapter.

FOrasmuch then as thy request was unto me at that time, to write thee an Instruction of the mediation of Jesu Christ after the Spi∣rit: and how the same cometh to passe in us,a 1.1 for a reconciliation betwixt God and us: and how Christ isb 1.2 an heir of all things: and howc 1.3 God is all in all: therefore will I open a little of the same unto thee: and I hope also to sa∣tisfie thee well with this instruction.

2. Inasmuch then as I have partly marked thine Inclination to the holy and spirituall understanding of the upright righteousnesse, therefore can I not of natures part omit, but must witnesse unto thee of that which thou de∣sirest at my hands, also reveale thed 1.4 Mysterie of Christ, and make known unto thee, that which is hiddene 1.5 before the world, and all her wise ones, and describe it unto thee in writing, accordingly as the Lord illuminateth

mine understanding thereto, and as it may be profitable for thee to edification.

3. There is testified in the Scripture, (the which according to the spirit, is also very true) that God isf 1.6 a Spirit, and ag 1.7 very true light, with whom no darknesses or sins are mingled. But seeing that the man is falnh 1.8 into a strange contrary-beeing unto God, and goeth on, and liveth therein, so is he likewisei 1.9 estranged from God and from his light, and walketh accord∣ing to the flesh or outward, and according to the requiring and desires of the fore-skin of his uncircumcised heart, and not accord∣ing to the spirit, or according to the require∣ing of the godly-beeing; and so hek 1.10 walketh in the ungodly-beeing of the darknesses; and that same ungodly-beeing of the darknesses hathl 1.11 blinded his heart. And that verily is the sin,m 1.12 which separateth the man from his God; and it is then 1.13 middle wall, as an en∣mity between God and the man. By meanes of which middle wall, both God and the man are grown into two parts, and are parti∣ally minded against each other. Yet ought they (both God and the man) to beo 1.14 one, like as it wasp 1.15 in the beginning.

4. Seeing now therfore that they are divided, (either of them in his own minde,)q 1.16 against each other, so is God, (r 1.17 who is a spirit) spiri∣tuall and minded to all upright righteousness,

against the minde of man, and the man who iss 1.18 flesh and blood, and not yet circumci∣edt 1.19 on the fore-skin of his heart, to a laying away of the sin,u 1.20 is fleshly and ungodly minded against the minde of God.

5. Now doth Gods love and mercy extend towards the man, as alluring,x 1.21 and drawing him daily (by his gracious word and service of Love, and by his Ministers) unto him, and to his spirituall minde of upright righteousnesse. But seeing that the darknesse, the sinfull flesh, or ungodly beeing, is grown between God and man as a fore-skiny 1.22 or middle wall, and as an enmity: and that God is spiritually mind∣ed, and the uncircumcised man, fleshly minded, according to the minde of his fore-skin of the sinfull flesh; therefore doth not thez 1.23 man understand the spirituall minde of God the father, neither yet know the good will of God, that loveth him to Salvation; and he believeth not God in his word nor service: but he believeth the darknesse which hath in∣closed him; and following those sad lustsa 1.24 of error, he goeth back, and so sinneth daily a∣gainst the father; and that is the sin that is forgivenb 1.25 the man, in his repentance for the sin, because of his ignoance through unbelief.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Rom. 3. 2 Cor. 5. Ephes. 2. 1 Iohn 2. 1 Iohn 4.
• b 1.2

  Heb. 1.
• c 1.3

  1 Cor. 15.
• d 1.4

  Ephes. 3.
• e 1.5

  Rom. 15. Ephes. 1. Eph. 3. Col. 1.
• f 1.6

  Iohn 4. 2 Cor. 3.
• g 1.7

  1 Ioh. 1.
• h 1.8

  Gen 3. Esa. 59.
• i 1.9

  Ephes. 4. Col. 1.
• k 1.10

  Psal. 82. Ephes. 5.
• l 1.11

  Rom. 1. Ephes 4.
• m 1.12

  Esa. 59.
• n 1.13

  Ephes. 2.
• o 1.14

  Iohn 17 Ephes. 5.
• p 1.15

  Gen. 2.
• q 1.16

  Gal. 5.
• r 1.17

  Iohn 4. 2 Cor. 3.
• s 1.18

  Gen. 6.
• t 1.19

  Gen. 10. Ier 4.
• u 1.20

  Rom. 8
• x 1.21

  Iohn 6.
• y 1.22

  Esa. 59. Ephes. 2.
• z 1.23

  Rom. 8. 1 Cor. 3.
• a 1.24

  Ephes. 4.
• b 1.25

  Mat. 12.