184. The Testaments of Christ are nothing else but a loving Bond or Brotherly Covenant, wherewith God in Christ bindeth himself to us and us to him. All teaching, willing, living, and doing, must imply, aim at, and refer to, that. All teaching and doing otherwise, whatsoever it be, is Babel and a Fiction; a mere graven Image of Pride in unprofitable Judgings, a disturbing of the World, and an Hypocrisy of the Devil, wherewith he blfndeth Simplicity.
- 185. Every Preacher void of the Spirit of Qod , who without Divine Knowledge, setteth himself up for a Teacher of Divine Things, pretending to serve God thereby, is false, and doth but serve the Belly , his Idol, and his own proud insolent Mind, in
- • desiring to be honoured on that Account, and esteemed Holy , or a Divine in Holy Orders. He beareth an Office, to which he is set apart and chosen by the Children of Men, who do but flatter him, and for Favour have ordained him thereunto.
1 86. Christ said, ‘\yhosoever entereth not by the Door/ that is, through his Spirit, * into the Sheepfold, but climbeth up some tyo rfhe W'ay to Qhrist .
1 — - — ■ — ;
‘other Way, the same is a Thief and a Murderer, and the Sheep
‘follow him not, for they know not his Voice.’
187. He hath not the Voice of the Spirit of Qod, but the Voice of his own Art and Learning only ; the Mar- teacheth, and not the Spirit of Qod. But Christ saith, ‘ Every Plant which my ‘ Heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be plucked up by the ‘ Roots.’
l88i How then will he that is Ungodly plant Heavenly Plants, when he hath no Seed alive in its Pozver in himself? Christ saith expressly, ‘The Sheep hear not his Voice, they follow him not.’
189. The written Word is but an Instrument whereby the Spirit leadeth us to itself within usk That Word which will teach, must be living in the literal Word. The Spirit of Qod must be in the literal Sound ' or else none is a Teacher of God, but a mere Teacher of the Letter , a Knower of the Ifstory fSSA not of the Spirit of Qod in Christ. €
190. All that Men will serve God with, must be ^one in
Faith , viz., in the Spirit. It is the Spirit that maketh the Work perfect, and acceptable in the Sight of God. All that a Man undertaketh and doeth in Faith, he doeth in the Spirit of Qod, which Spirit of Qod doth co-operate in the Work, and then it is acceptable to God. For He hath done it Himself, and His Power and Virtue is in it : It is Holy. ,
191. But whatsoever is done in Self, without Faith, is but a
Figure and Shell, or Husk, of a true Christian Work.
192. If thou servest thy Brother, and doest it but in Hypocrisy, and givest him unwillingly, then thou servest not God. For thy Faith proceedeth not from Love, nor entereth into Hope, in thy Gift. Indeed thou servest thy Brother, and he for his Part thanketh God and blesseth thee, but thou blessest not him. For thou givest him thy Gift with a grudging Spirit, which entereth not into the Spirit of Qod, into the Hope of Faith ; therefore thy Gift is but half given, and thou hast but half thy Reward for it
193. The same is true of receivings. Gift. If any giveth in Faith, in Divine Hope, he blesseth his Gift by his Faith » But whoso receiveth it unthankfully, and murmureth in his Spirit, he curseth it in the Use or Enjoyment of it. Thus it is, that everyone shall have his -own; ‘ Whatsoever he soweth, that shall he ‘ also reap.’
194. So likewise it is in the Office of teaching', ‘ whatsoever a ‘Man soweth, that also he reapeth.’ For if any Man sow good Seed from the Spirit of Christ, it sticketh in the good Heart, and bringeth forth good Fruit ; but in the wicked, who are not capable of receiving the good Seed, the Anger of God is stirred.
195. If any sow Contentions, Reproaches, and MisconstrueOf Regeneration. 9»i
184. The Testaments of Christ are nothing else but a loving Bond or Brotherly Covenant, wherewith God in Christ binds himself to us and us to him. All teaching, willing, living, and doing, must imply, aim at, and refer to, that. All teaching and doing otherwise, whatsoever it be, is Babel and a Fiction; a mere graven Image of Pride in unprofitable Judgings, a disturbing of the World, and an Hypocrisy of the Devil, wherewith he blfnds Simplicity.
- 185. Every Preacher void of the Spirit of Qod , who without Divine Knowledge, setts himself up for a Teacher of Divine Things, pretending to serve God thereby, is false, and does but serve the Belly , his Idol, and his own proud insolent Mind, in
- • desiring to be honoured on that Account, and esteemed Holy , or a Divine in Holy Orders. He bears an Office, to which he is set apart and chosen by the Children of Men, who do but flatter him, and for Favour have ordained him thereunto.
1 86. Christ said, ‘\yhosoever enters not by the Door/ that is, through his Spirit, * into the Sheepfold, but climbs up some tyo rfhe W'ay to Qhrist .
1 — - — ■ — ;
‘other Way, the same is a Thief and a Murderer, and the Sheep
‘follow him not, for they know not his Voice.’
187. He has not the Voice of the Spirit of Qod, but the Voice of his own Art and Learning only ; the Mar- teaches, and not the Spirit of Qod. But Christ says, ‘ Every Plant which my ‘ Heavenly Father has not planted, shall be plucked up by the ‘ Roots.’
l88i How then will he that is Ungodly plant Heavenly Plants, when he has no Seed alive in its Pozver in himself? Christ says expressly, ‘The Sheep hear not his Voice, they follow him not.’
189. The written Word is but an Instrument whereby the Spirit leads us to itself within usk That Word which will teach, must be living in the literal Word. The Spirit of Qod must be in the literal Sound ' or else none is a Teacher of God, but a mere Teacher of the Letter , a Knower of the Ifstory fSSA not of the Spirit of Qod in Christ. €
190. All that Men will serve God with, must be ^one in
Faith , viz., in the Spirit. It is the Spirit that makes the Work perfect, and acceptable in the Sight of God. All that a Man undertaks and does in Faith, he does in the Spirit of Qod, which Spirit of Qod does co-operate in the Work, and then it is acceptable to God. For He has done it Himself, and His Power and Virtue is in it : It is Holy. ,
191. But whatsoever is done in Self, without Faith, is but a
Figure and Shell, or Husk, of a true Christian Work.
192. If you servest your Brother, and do it but in Hypocrisy, and givest him unwillingly, then you servest not God. For your Faith proceeds not from Love, nor enters into Hope, in your Gift. Indeed you servest your Brother, and he for his Part thanks God and blesses you, but you blessest not him. For you givest him your Gift with a grudging Spirit, which enters not into the Spirit of Qod, into the Hope of Faith ; therefore your Gift is but half given, and you have but half your Reward for it
193. The same is true of receivings. Gift. If any gives in Faith, in Divine Hope, he blesses his Gift by his Faith » But whoso receives it unthankfully, and murmurs in his Spirit, he curses it in the Use or Enjoyment of it. Thus it is, that everyone shall have his -own; ‘ Whatsoever he sows, that shall he ‘ also reap.’
194. So likewise it is in the Office of teaching', ‘ whatsoever a ‘Man sows, that also he reaps.’ For if any Man sow good Seed from the Spirit of Christ, it sticks in the good Heart, and brings forth good Fruit ; but in the wicked, who are not capable of receiving the good Seed, the Anger of God is stirred.
195. If any sow Contentions, Reproaches, and MisconstrueOf Regeneration. 9»i
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