To the Reader. that thepeopleof Goddoeor everfhall receivefrom the worlds becaufe they bear forth the witneffe of the Lordagainfl all its formal,covetous, felf-ended Reli- gion, which covers itfelfunder the mantle of Chrifi, thereby to.gain the honour, riches, andpleafant endow- musts of the earth, andmakes the merry andgoodnefe of Godwhich leads into all charity towards All crea- tures, a cloak,for them to hide their carnal and felfifb practices under;but thisPoor heart havingcalf offand abandoned the cloaks ofshame, and renounced the hidden things ofdifhoneffy,deals not craftily,neither handles the word of God deceitfully, but declares the truth toeverymans confcience in the fight of God. For, farft here is laid open the foundation, declaring that there isno peace, life, power, wisdom, righte- oufneffe, nor Eternal happineffe in any other but in Yefus Chrif, and the heart of the Fathers love made manifeft in flesh; Andalfo that there is no way to attain to the knowledge of this Jefus, bnt by his own life, power, and wifdome ; And this is that which maker the profeffing ones in this (as in all ages) to Jbend their utmost powerand ffrength againft it ; For, now cryes BABEL (that's hunting after God, on purpofe toget worldly power and riches into its hand, that when by its pretendedReligion it bathgot earth- lypower, it may oppreffe, perfecute, andundoe the poor groaningand diftreffed Saints of 7efus whohave relinquifht the world that they may ferve him,in doing good to every one ofhis creaturs)ifthis truth (faithThee) go forward,then the hopeofall our gain is gone, andwefhallno longer be applauded, e- fteemed or fet by ; for this teaches all men to deny them
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