to his will as he doth us by laying his cross upon us and as he did Job Paul and others to humble them and keep them neare unto himselfe Iob. 42. that they might not goe beyond their bounds nor put any confidence in flesh nor to think of themselves above what they ought but to know that his grace is sufficient for them Rom. i2 3 and that if they will trust in any thing to trust in God and be exalted in any thing to be exalted in God who will both humble and exalt them that he that gloryes in any thing should glory only in the Lord Rom. 12.4 5. and so in one another as being all members one of another and but one body in Christ But we see in men that have the best gifts so far as any thing of flesh or the glory of flesh is in them how incident they are to be exalted in flesh and to glory in outward appearance and receive honour from men and how readie flesh in men is to give human exaltation and honour to men and to glory in men for those gifts of God for which they should glory in God as the author and finisher of them all whether temporal or spiritual which say they so we doe for when we honour any form person or thing it is God in them that we honor but I say Then honor it not in outward appearance by the outward motion of the body for that relates to the outward and not to the inward and is no honouring of god but the devil for God who is the heart minde and spirit without being defiled is honoured with the same and so saith God give me thy heart and saith David thou hast taught me all obedience within Psa 51.6.10 and to know truth in the inward parts and within is thy Law written for the Kings daughter is all glorious within Psa 45.13 and all outward glory is but the world flesh sin and the devil which vanisheth away and is no more known as the inward doth appeare for all flesh is grass the grass withers Isa 40.7 the flower fadeth because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it surely the people are grass And that you may honour God spiritally and inwardly by saith and not by sight looke unto Jesus the author and finisher of that inward spiritual glory within you who onely it is in you that can honor God and you with God and who as he was a man yet refused the honour and glory of the world neither as a man would he take any thing to him that belongeth to God as a spirit for call not me good saith he for there is none good but one even God Mat. 19.17 and call no man master on earth for one is your master even Christ which is in Heaven and he that will be great among you let him become your servant and yet those that knew him to be the son of God and for the gifts he had and miracles that he did how would they honor his outward person yet he forbideth them not though he did not command them for when he was riding to Jerusalem though upon an ass which shewed the humilitie of him yet how did the people then adore him and cry him up even his very person Hosanna Hosanna unto him pulling off their garment and casting down under him cutting down branches strewed the way before him Mat. 21.7 8 9. with so much myrth and rejoycing that the Priests Rulers of the people who were more for the honor of men to honor them then for honoring God hated him so much the more and were the more incensed against him saying crucifie him crucifie him that the more som loved him the more othes hated him especialy those men that knew they should lose their honor by him and by them did he suffer for said they in conspiracie against him if we let him thus alone all beople will pelieve on him and will follow him Ioh. 11 47 48. and we shall lose our kingdom place and nation which is the same with men to this day who for feare of loseing this worlds honour will conspire together in persecution against those that walk most nearest unto the way of Christ for the honour of God yet Christ desired not their kingdome nor their honour Iohn 18.36 neither do these that believe in Christ for my kingdom saith he is not of this world if it were then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered unto the Iews but my kingdom is not of this world and Christ would not receive honor from men as a man but the honor which came of his father only but if men would ascribe that to him which he as a man desired of them what was that to him he was notwithstanding humble in himselfe and reproved those that were not and that did either give or take honour one of another as men shewing that all honour power and glory in Heaven and on earth and all things therein belonged only unto God whose glory fills Heaven and earth and that all men should honor him And as with Christ so with the Apostles or Christ for when they preached the Gospel how did the people admire them and adore them saying Acts 14.11 Gods are come down amongst us in the likeness of men and so they would have honored them and offer sacrifice unto them Gal. 4.15 yea some in love to them could have pluck't forth their own eyes have given them but the Apostles would not be so honoured by them but rebuked them saying Acts 10 2â— 26. Why do you do these things for we are men even subject to the like passions and infirmities as you are and we do preach unto you that you should turn from Idols and from things sacrificed unto them and turn unto the liveing God Acts 14.15 1. which made Heaven and earth and all things manifest in your selves And when the Angel came and preached unto Iohn the revelation of Iesus Christ for Iohn to reveal unto men then Iohn immediatly fel down at the feet of the angel to worship him but the angel reprovd him saying See thou do it not for I am thy fellow servant one of thy brethren which have the testimony of Jesus Rev. 19 10. ch 22.8 9. worship God for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy so should all men that carry the Lords message to any they should not regard men nor be regarded by men above what is written 1 Cor. 4.6 but reprove those that shall have their persons in admiration or honour them with the honour which belongeth only unto GOD who himselfe will honour his messengers with the honour of himselfe as he did Christ which is greater honour then that of men yet thus are men oftentimes carried beyond themselves being on a suddain filled with the joy of the Lord in the message
part he is gloryfied and therefore blessed are ye when men shall hate you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil sayings against you for the son of mans sake and shal seperate you from their company and shall reproach you and cast out your name as evill why reioyce in that day and leap for joy for behold your reward is great in heaven Luke 6.222 3. for so did their fathers unto the prophets but he that indures unto the end shall be saved And this blessed reward of salvation for suffering for the truth to be manifest in this mortall flesh 2 Cor. 4.10 10 and his prophets and apostles had for they received it and bear witness to it and all that since have suffred with them doe bear the same testimony and unto which my self with many others at this day shall set my seal who have hitherto suffered for the truth which I first received 1 Cor. 8.5.6 that there is but one God and father of all who is above all through all and in all Eph. 4.6 and one Lord Jesus Christ manifesting this unto men by the spirit of himselfe and his own presence dwelling in them by whose presence manifesting this unto me to be declared by me I have also been inabled and with patience made to indure to this day even to the end of what for the truth have yet been inflicted upon me and in which I had my reward being therein satisfied and contented and haveing a perfect assurance of Gods uncangeable love in Christ Jesus towards me never to be taken from me nor I to be seperated from that by principalities nor powers Rom. 8.34 35 39. things present nor things to come heighth nor depth nor any other creature whatsoever though I have been persecuted despised and reiected and as one counted for the slaughter yet in all these things Christ hath been a conquerer for me and hath kept me that I have not denyed him who himselfe all along hath been my reward even my portion my lot and eternal inheritance in his kingdome of eternal Glory 1 Pet. 5.10 unto which he hath caled me by Jesus Christ and unto which after ye have suffered awhile he will also call you make you perfect strengthen settle and establish you And is not this a reward yea a double reward as the apostle saith that the sufferings of this life are not to be compared with the Glory that shall follow and there is no man saith Christ that have denyed himselfe of the Glory of this world for the glory of God but he shall have a thousand fold in the world to come wherein God appears without sin unto salvation and whosoever hath followed Christ in the steps of regeneration in the state of grace Mat. 9.28 29. shall sitt with him upon twelve thrones Judgeing the twelve Tribes of Israel even the throne where Christ sitteth and overcometh all things Rev. 3.21 shall he sit that overcometh the world with Christ and with him his glory shall be doubled from the throne of grace as of twelve degrees of the 12 apostles to the Throne of glory of the four and twenty Elders clothed in white rayment from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot Rev. 4.4 and shall wear on their heads crowns of gold which they shall ascribe to him that sits on the throne with them Ver. 14 15. and gave it to them as still being his though with them and unto whom all Honour glory and Power of all things belongeth for God is judge of all the earth This is the perfect state the throne of God and fulness of glory where Christ his prophets and apostles and Saints and all that are in Christ do with him sit and and reigne together with God on the same throne of his glory rejoycing and singing Halaluiahs unto him for ever and ever and where is heard by them to sing and praise the Lord all creatures both which are in Heaven and which are on earth and under the earth and in the sea and all that are in them saying Praise and Honour and glory Rev. 5.13 and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for evermore And all men of the same Lamb like nature of Christ have the same honour and glory with him as due belonging to them CHAP. VIII How the way to find our life is to lose it that no man is to know any thing of himself but to be innocent in knowing his own innocecy and righteousness also what the true knowledge of God is who hath it and how it s obtained ANd Paul to comfort and incourage us in the way of suffrings to this Throne of glory wherein to lose our lives that we may find it and so to know God aright he bids us look unto Iesus the author and finsher of our faith who himselfe by malitious men Heb. 12.2.3 as he was a man himself in the flesh suffered such reproaches whipings scourgings and revileings of men and yet for the joy that was set before him indured the cross and despised the shame and set him down at the right hand of the throne of God which he that overcometh and indureth to the end shall inherit with him and Christ was made perfect through sufferings so shall all that will be made perfect as he is perfect Luk. 24.26 for ought not he first to suffer and then to enter into his glory and if thou wilt be perfect saith he thou must sell all that thou hast and take up thy cross and follow me Mat. 19.21 and be content with joy to suffer the spoyling of your goods your own wisdome and knowledge your righteousness and your glory knowing in your selves how that you have in Heaven a better and a more during substance Heb. 10.33 34 and therefore in knowing this you will not regard the sufferings of this life but wil know that after you have received the light knowledge of the truth in any measure you must come under persecutions and afflictions for it and be made a gazing stock and a reproach unto men by the Lord for your Good 1 Cor. 4.9 that you maybe humbled emptied of all that you call your own and be exalted and filled of all that is Christ and so with him to lose your life that you may find it even all that you lived to in the world and thought your selves happie besides Christ must you lose and sufer to come to Iudgement for he that will seek to save his life shall lose it but he that will lose his life for Christ the same shall find it wherefore as Peter saith humble your selves yea in the Lord under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time casting all your care upon him for he careth for you And these are the steps of Christ and his apostles and prophets 1 Pet. 5.6 7.
with Christ in God where every man that hath Christ doth behold himselfe and all things and possesse himself and all things even in God who is all and all in all And he that hath not Christ but doth still live in his own will doth not so behold it but still looketh upon it as himself is wicked abominable ful of all contradiction destruction Isa 57 20 2â— so remains himself without peace in God for there is no peace to the wicked no nor to the righteous that are righteous and good in them selves and that have not the knowledge of God in Christ But to he that hath Christ and that with Christ his Prophets and Apostles hath thus suffered been thus humbled to be thus exalted may with them rejoyce that ever he saw the day wherein he drank the cup of affliction Col. 1.14 and eat the bread of adversitie to fill up the measure of Christs sufferings for which he now eats the bread of life and drinks the water of life and may with David say It was good for me that I was afflicted for thereby I was taught divine precepts and with Christ learned all obedience to submit to the wil of God in all things saying Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven that let my condition be what it wil I wil learn therein to be content and alwayes rejoyce in the Lords Judgements that divides between flesh and spirit Isa 27.9 that saves man and destroys sin and all enmity against God and his peoples peace for this is the fruit of the Lords Judgments to take away sin And now with God in Christ I wil delight my self with the worst of men as wel as with the best and with him I will be merciful loving and pitiful unto them as the despised and rejected of men by men yea though he were a Prelate or Cavaliere so called Publican or sinner scorn'd and despis'd by the proud Pharisee that is wise and righteous in himself yet the other waiting for mercy he is rather justified and more easier saved then the Pharisee that seperates himself though he were a Presbyterian Independant Anabaptist c. that glories in his profession righteousness and religion â—sa 65 9. and wil say unto others Stand off come not neer to me I am more holier then thou and so cast them-out of their favour as reprobate ignorant persons why this proud boasting saith the Lord is a stink in my nostrils and a fire that burneth all the day which I cannot approve of but they must come to Judgement with it and lose it before they can be saved and they that have erred in Spirit shal come to understanding â—sa 29.24 1 Cor. i. 30 and they that murmure shal learn doctrine even to be wise and learned in Christ who is head unto them their wisdom and righteousness Justification Sanctification and Redemption for Christ is all and in all CHAP. X. Of Gods appearing in Judgment in man against all things of man and this world that all outward duties worship and obedience by men prosessed is a lye without the inward work of truth within how according to the inward work is the outward practice that the more by Christ any man is refined purged and saved within in his conscience the more by men is he falsly accused judged and condemned without in his practice AND now against all knowledge wisdome and strength righteousness and glory of men that is not in Christ nor of Christ 1 Cor. 1.17 18. nor grounded upon Christ in spirit and truth wil God come forth unto to Judgment and wil destroy it by the foolish and base things of the world and he wil plead with men for his own wisdome and strength righteousness and glory which he wil not have given to any other god but to himself that none should have the glory of any thing but himselfe nor men to glory in any besides himselfe and he will make all men to know that by fire and by sword will he plead with all flesh good and bad Esa 66.16 and whatsoever is not found in him shal be slain by him even all the works and imaginations of men that men might know the Lord without knowing any thing else therefore will he come against all things of flesh form and formality your keeping of Sabboths and calling of Assemblies wherein you seek your selves and not the Lord which is all but the riches of Aegypt and shal with you come to Judgement as having no part in Christ nor being any thing of his Kingdome Iohn 18.36 for my kingdom saith he is not of this world nor of the things of this world which perish and come to nought it is not meat and drink killing of oxen and slaying of sheep nor the offering up of swines flesh for a sacrifice to the Lord that hee accepts of Isa 66 3 4. for the best of things which men offer up are no better when they are offered up by men and not by Christ and when Christ himselfe is not the offering but that which God accepts of is Christ the offerer and the offering Heb. 10.12 who is peace and reconciliation for all men whose Kingdom is righteousness 1 Cor 5 19. Rom. 14.17 Luk. 17.20 peace and joy in the Holy Ghost and which saith Christ is within you and stands not in outward observations of dayes times persons nor things in the Religions of men which shal all perish in the using Col. 2.22 and is nothing nor shal be nothing with God but Christ the first and the last is all and shal bee all For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing Gal. 6.15 but a new creature nothing outwardly but all inwardly in the spirit minde and heart even circumcision within baptisme within breaking bread and drinking wine within which is bread of life and water of life to every soul that knoweth it within even preaching praying reading hearing seeking the Lord and communion of Saints Esa 26.9 which are all works of grace are all within the keeping of Sabboths which is a Christians rest from the workes of the Law Esa 58.13 no more doing his own wayes nor seeking his own wil is Christ within who is himselfe all these and is the Teacher Keeper and Performer of them all within us Esa 54.13 that gives peace unto us for of our selves we can do nothing But thou O Lord wilt ordain peace Esa 26 12. for thou hast wrought all our works for us and with whomsoever all these things are not seen to be done and performed by Christ within in the heart there is not neither can bee any thing of good done by any Rom. 10.8 9 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth of the heart confession is made unto salvation for from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and from the grace
CRUX CHRISTI AND Iudgement Executed OR DIVINE WISDOM CRUCIFYING The humane carnal devillish malicious mad raging Wlsdom of the World By his righteous Judgements drawing nearer to its full and perfect manifestation Then shall Josephs and Daniels afflictions end and their Imprisonments be no more heard of And also bondaged Israel reâ—urn be brought from their captivity both of men and from that malicious spirit of ignorance and darkness into perfect liberty peace and everlasting rest So shall poor Lazarus and the Publican be carryed into Abrahams bosom and rich Dives with all the traditions both of the righteous and wicked appear as a menstruous Clout or as filthy Rags that all cleansed ones shall loath to handle touch look on or come within the smell thereof Whereunto is added a Comparatis Compraudis of the Judgements of God with the unequal wayes and judgements of that malicious one in man Written and experienced by Richard Coppin in his sufferings for the Truth 1 Cor. 2.2 For I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world Gal. 6.14 17. From henceforth let no man trouble me for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus LONDON Printed for VVilliam Larner and are to be sold at the Black-Moore neer Fleet-Bridge 1657. The AVTHORS EPITLE To all the beloved of the Lord that love the appearing of Jesus Christ in spirit and truth in and about the City of Rochester in Kent aad whereever they may be scattered to whom Grace and Peace be multiplyed from God the Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. FRiends and Brethren in the friendship and brother-hood of the Lord Jesus with whom and for whom we all in the spiritual union of Christ and him crucified have suffered together for the witness of Jesus and the truth of the Gospel which hath been taught us by him that our joy might be together in him Wherefore know ye 1 Cor. 8.6 that there is in you and ruleth over you one true and living God the Father of whom are all things and you in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and you by him Rom. â— 5 Ephes 4.6.7 and who is over all through all and in you all God blessed for ever and that hath given to every one of you that believeth Grace Câ—â— 2 9. according to the measure of the gift of Christ in whom dwells all the fulness of the God-head bodylie and of whose fulness all that believe and trust in the living God the Saviour of all men have received grace for grace 1 Tim. 4.9 10. the glory of whom with the eye of divine beauty you may behold as the glory of the onely begotten Son of the Father ful of grace and truth for you for the Law came by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ whose coming is to reveal in you Ioh. 1.14 Joh. 16.25 and shew unto you the Father plainly even the mysterie of the History which lieth hid in the Letter til Christ shall unfold it unto you in the spirit and therefore God hath given unto Christ all power in Heaven and on Earth Matth. 28.18 Col. 2.15 Col. 1.18 19. that he might overcome all Principalities and Powers for you that hindered the revelation of Christ to you and he in all things to have the preheminence with you for it pleased the Father that in him should â—ll fulness dwell that of his fulness he might fill all things both in heaven and earth of things high and low of what sort or degree soever they be and all being ful of him there is then no room in any thing to contain any thing but him nor to be contained besides him where himself containeth all things for he is all in all and this is he that wil in due time free me you and all men from all that doth oppress us and oppose us in the truth And when the Lord Jesus shall become your all in all places persons and things to fil all in your apprehensions then is hel as wel as heaven with you ful of him and he rules in them both so saith David who saw it and knew it If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there Psal â—39 8â— If I go down into Hell behold thou art there And if I dwell in the uttermost parts of the Earth thou art there also Heaven and Earth is ful of his glory Psal 103.19 and his Kâ—ngdom ruâ—eth over all and the presence of God in deaâ—h and hel with â—is people in which any thing of God hath been shut up or hid is that which makes death Rev. 20.13 Isa 26. and hel and the sea of sin and miseâ—y to give up the dead that is in them and no more to cover their slain and a new death and hel or eternal fire as wel as a new life and a new heaven and earth will God prepare to swallow up ye old where the old Name and Nature of Hel and Death and Heaven 〈◊〉 7.32 〈◊〉 21.4 5. and Earth even Tophet shall be changed and their place no more found after which there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away Isa 6. and all things will God make new in the new Heaven and in the new Earth where all things that are is contained and in which change all the things of the first Creation as all old things are ended and made new in the second Creation yea even death and hel else how is it said Behold I make all things new if that be not Isa 62.22 And as the new Heaven wh ch the Lord shall make shall remain before him and have in it a new life and felicity which should end the old so the new Earth which he shall make shall also remain and have in it a new death and hel which changeth the old and into which hel or Lake of fire all things of the old which belongeth to the old man in us even that death and hel which swallowed us up Rev. 20.14 Isa 28 18. and tormented us shall be cast into it to be ended by it and the covenant agreement of men with death hel disannulled all the enemies of mankinde to be destroyed with it when Christ himself who makes all things new shall appear in hel to change the property of it Isa 63.1 2.3 Rev. 14.19 20. and thereby tread the Wine-press of the Wrath of â—od even Satan under foot for the redemption of his people and then shall all the Enemies of God and of them which all sin and transgression and all that is not found written in the Book of Life he cast into that Wine-press or Lake of Fire to be there killed and ended This is the second death Râ—v 20.14 15. and
deliverance by him and that before he delivers them from any condition of hell he comes himselfe unto them in it for at his presence the earth and all hellish devilishness in men out of which a soul is to be brought trembles and shakes before him and as stubble it is burnt by him for so saith David of his coming to him he bowed the heavens and came down Isa 64.1 Psa 18.8 9 10 17. and the mountains did melt at his presence that is he made all creature excellency and glory fall down before him at his coming and become as darkness unto him he came flying upon the wings of the wind as in the majesty and power of his spirit which bloweth where it listeth Isa 40.6 7 8. as the breath of his mouth and as his spirit to wither and consume all flesh and he made darkness his secret place that none but whom he pleated should behold him and out of his nostrils went a smoak to darken all the light and glory of man and a consuming fire went out of his mouth to burn up his enemies and coals were kindled at it that all his enemies became as ashes before him and at the brightness of his presence his clouds passed all troubles were ceased his enemies were scattered and his people delivered it is the day of the Lord Jer. 30 7 8 9 10 even the time of Jacobs trouble but he shall be saved out of it and restored into rest and peace where none shall make him afraid This is the manner of Gods coming to judgemrnt to redeem man every one in his order as he shall be manifest to them to lead and carry them through fiery tryals and dark waters Isa 43.16 but not without the Lords presence with them purging them by it and saveing them in it that the fire might not burn them nor the waters overflow them but only that enmity which is for destruction within them therefore he saith when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee Isa 43.1 2 3. and through the floods that they shall not overflow thee when thou wvlkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flames kindle upon thee for I the Lord thy God am with thee and the Holy one of Israel thy saviour that redeemed thee and though for a time he gave Jacob to the spoile Israel to the robbers Isa 42.24 and though the land of them be filled with sin and iniquitie yet he leaves them not nor forsakes them but continues his presence with them to redeem them â—or 51.5 save and deliver them and the robbers and destroyers of his people which came upon them to destroy them these will he destroy spoil and cast into the prison of their own shame and after bring them to judgement he will also afflict them and try them and thereby humble them that they might be saved and all the wounds that the enemies of God people have made in them Jer. 30.16 17. he will also heal up that they shall be no longer a prey to their enemies and them that have been their enemies Isa 19.22 even Egypt and Assyria which God sometimes destroyed them will he also save with Israel and there shall be no more destruction of one another nor of them by the Lord but one heart and one mind will the Lord give them CHAP. III. Of the afflictions of Joseph his being sâ—lâ— iâ—tâ— Egypt by his Brethren his being falsly accused and mprisoned how Gâ—â— thereby exalted h m and Judged â—is Brethâ—en that sold him how the same was with Christ and is with us to this day THIS did God by Israel and all the sons of Jacob in the afflictions of Joseph whom his brethren conspired against hated and sold into Egypt Gen. 37.18 i9 and wherefore did they sell him but because they hated him and they hated him because they thought Jacob their father did love him more then them Gen. 37.3 4 5. and when Joseph had told unto them his dream whereby they understood that he should reign over them they hated him so much the more and sought his destruction though he were their Brother and after they had sold him and he like to find favour with him that bought him he was sought unto day by day to be tempted by an Egyptian woman to lie with her and because he refused and did not she falsly accused him to her husband saying that he would have done it but she would not and therefore by false accusation he was cast into prison and had bands added unto his afflictions Gen. 39. but the Lord was still with him and shewed him mercy that he found favour with God and through great affliction God humbled him and brought him to honour and afterwards his Brethren that sold him to be afflicted them did God also afflict judge and humble before Joseph and the saying of Joseph to his Brethren was brought to pass Gen. 42.6 to 22. that he should reign over them and they be subjected to him which was all for their good that they were thus afflicted and did afflict their Brother as was and Josephs afflictions for him after they had sold him and yet it was not they that sold him but the Lord by them sent him into Egypt before them to preserve life and that in time of need he might preserve them Gen. 45.3 4 5. and at last be made known unto them for their joy and comfort in the Lord so it was not us that sold Christ but the Lord by us crucified Christ with us that he might preserve us and with comfort make known himselfe unto us therefore the like afflâ—ctions of Joseph was with Christ and are to this day with us for we are all the sons of Jacob and have all joyned together to sell our Brother Joseph even Christ and one another for naught that he should not reign over us as to this day we do in persecuting the spirit of Jesus in his people for whosoever we find among us to be best beloved of God find favour with men and to whom God shall manifest most of spiritual wisdome and knowledge to be preached and declared by any to the exalting of Christ and abaseing of man such will they with Cain slay and with â—â—seph Brethren sell for naught into a strange land persecute him banish him or imprison him that he should not live with them whereby the afflictions of Iosephâ— are continued to this day and with Iosephs Bretâ—ren they will say theâ— we shall see what will become of his dream Geâ— 37.20 his principle and doctrine which he preached which say they under afflictions he may deny for his libertie and so it will come to nothing but as it happened to Iosephs Brethren so will it happen to them for the spiritual Abel even that Iesus the Lords anoynted which was preached unto them and persecuted by them shall reign
this third part which comes forth refined and not consumed is poor Lazarus that lay at Dives gate full of soares at the gate of this world without the glory of this world and worldly comforts but as a poor despised wretch whose soares the dogs came and licked Luk. 16.19 20 21. delighting and refreshing themselves with them and by it healed them that is men of a dogish sourly malicious nature and spirit without the spirit of God in the outward court or form of religion are as dogs Rev. 22.15 Psa 22.16 where they so long trod undet foot the Holy City for without are dogs c. and dogs saith David have compassed me the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me they have pierced my hands and my feet And these dogs or men reviling reproaching and persecuting any in whom the life of God lives which is not in the form and glory of the world is their barking biting snapping and snarling at them to devour them and that life of God in them in which they as dogs licking their sores do delight and refresh themselves glorying also in the infirmities and afflictions of others which they inflict upon them for the lifes sake in them for which they do not love them as the dogs that licks Lavarus his sores they loved not the person of Lazarus nor his sitting at Dives his gate begging for food which they thought belonged unto them they being of that house or family but they delighted in his sores and refreshed themselves with them so do men that persecute other hate and despise them because they are not of them they love them not nor that salvation should come by their way for that they think belongs only unto them comes only in their way who account themselves of the House and Church of God walking in forms of Religion and will deny others of the same benefit of salvation that are not of the church and way as they are and so will despise and persecute them and they will delight and rejoyce in their persecution infirmities and afflictions as one mans rejoycing in anothers sufferings which rejoycing is with dogs a licking of their sores and by this are their sores healed and they accepted that take it patiently as Lazarus did for they that are persecuted for the truth are the more strengthned and confirmed in the truth and the truth is the more increased by it for saith Paul these things which have come unto me in my sufferings Phil. 1.12 13 14. bonds and imprisonments have proved all to the furtherance of the gospel and all things shal work for good to them that love God and that are so despised and persecuted of the world and this is the third part which passes through the fire to be tried purified and saved Yet this third part which is of God tryed and refined to be saved to wit Lazarus which Dives despised Rev. 12.3 4 5. or the man child born which the Dragon persecuted is carried above mens malice and the afflictions of this world into Abraham's bosome as into rest and peace with God being of the same nature of God And this third part is also the same with the third dispensation Heaven and glory of God manifest in flesh the other two being vanished not able to appear in the presence of this third which is also the third day or light of body the son of righteousness the light and glory of all lights even Christ wherein the knowledge of God is pure unto men living without the knowledge of good and evil and in which state nothing appears impure nor imperfect to those that live there but as the Prophet Zacharie saith Zach. 14.20 21. Every pot and pitcher as the worst of things so called by men is in the Lords house all holiness unto him that is holy and as golden bowles before the Altar of God even Christ filled with the holy oyle and annoynting spirit of Jesus by which all things is sanctified to him that knows the Lord Tit. 1.15 for to the pure all things are pure And the more of that purity and pure life of God there is manifest in any one man the more tryalls and persecutions he must pass through and undergo for the same by the impure in whom the pure is not manifest and the more purer any one is the better able he is to indure to the end of what he for the pure's sake shall have inflicted upon him for none but the pure according as it is manifested in all ages to this day is tryed and persecuted by that which is still beneath it and cannot attain it as Dives who was in hell could not come to Lazarus who was in heaven Luke 16.23 24 yet as it is written they were both within a corporeal sight and hearing one of another but the one could not be comforted and the other could not be tormented for their spirits in their several conditions were at a vast distance one to the other but their bodies might come together as to this day they do but not to have communion together one with another nor in any one thing for there is no communion between light and darkness Christ and Belial but the one is taken and the other is left one denyed himself and the other could not And therefore it is not any local hell and heaven as some men suppose that Dives and Lazarus was in but the different states of men under the Law and under the Gospel under wrath and love at the left and right hand of God by which hell and heaven is signified to them even one living in the presence of God as of love and loving his appearance and the other living in the presence of God as of wrath and hating his appearance being not able to stand before him for nothing but what is of God born again by God shall stand before God and have peace in God for to every thing els God is as hell yea a tormenter even a consuming fire to destroy it and every thing from its centre and out of its element is as in hell where it cannot live to abide and have rest as the fish out of the Sea the worms out of the earth the birds out of the ayr and the soul out of God cannot therefore saith Cain I am gone out from thy presence and my punishment is greater then I can bear Gen. 4.13 14. so for the body of man which is but earth and as a worm to bee any where else then in or on the earth though in heaven it were as in hell therefore every thing to its centre for rest and the souls of all men into God which that they are when men see God in them giving rest and peace to them and themselves to be in God as Lazarus did but Dives did not in that state and therein the one is comforted and the other is tormented yet were they brothers and both
received and are ready to honour and admire the messenger for the message sake which is but a servant and one of his fellow brethren yea even a fellow creature and so said Moses concerning Christ or God manifest in flesh A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up among you of your brethren Acts 7.37 yea of yourd own flesh blood who shall be a brother of you and servant to you to teach you all things therefore him shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you Iohn 14.17.26 for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you and whose voice as it spoke in him so shall it speak in you and that voice of him only you are to hear which shall bring all things to your remembrance and say within you this is the way walk in it and he bids us to cease from men and look only at Jesus manifest in our mortall flesh and to receive a Prophet in the name of a Prophet which is as a messenger or servant bearing only as unto men the message of Jesus Isa 2.22 Mat. 10.41 and we should have a Prophets reward which God only giveth and not men and learn of me saith Christ who am the Lords Prophet and messenger unto you Mat. ii 29 for I am humble meek and lowly and you shall have rest to your souls and so humble should all the Lords prophets be and also they that receive them And when men are most humbled then are they most exalted wherefore exalt not one another without the Lord but wait all to be exalted and lifted up in the Lord who only is able to make you stand and know you this that all men in the world are but one flesh blood Acts 17.26 made up into one body as members therein to one serve another without respect of persons 1 Cor. 12.26 27. and that if one member suffer all suffer with it and if one be had in honor all rejoice with it and all are the body of Christ and members in particular and therefore should not seek to be one above another nor to be regarded one more then another but though he were a Prince to rule and govern others yet he should be but a servant for God unto others doing sevice to his nation to feed and keep them in pecae and safetie as God in Christ is unto his creation Luk. 22.24 25 26 27. even a servant that came not to be ministred unto but to minister not to be served or to have any thing done for him that needed nothing by those that had nothing but to serve and doe for others that could not serve nor doe any thing for themselves Psa 50. i2 as one that had all power obedience in himself so to serve do for himself who as a Prince of righteousness will not be exalted above his sebiects but as a servant will humble himselfe into the condition of the lowest which is his greatest honour and by which as he humbled himself with them so he Iohn 4. 17. will exalt them with him for as he is so are they in this world and though he were God in the form of God yet he made himselfe of no reputation but took on him the form of a servant yea he was in all things made like unto his brethren in the flesh Phil. 2.6 7 8 9. he humbled and became obedient unto death even unto the death of the cross after which he was againe exalted to God in the highest but not without his people for they were exalted with him the head and the members together â—s one body For I saith he if I be lifted up will drâ—w all men unto me Ioh. 12.31 that where I am they may be also and I am no where alone saith Christ but all that God hath given me are with me Isa 26.19 and together with my dead body and as my dead body shall they arise saith Christ when I arise with them and with him he hath raised up together and made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.6 Chap. 5.30 as all members of his body of his flesh and of his bones that cannot be seperated from him to live without him but with him to have the same honour and glory that himselfe hath which in due time shall be manifest in all men 1 Tim. 2.6 therefore he saith father gloryfie thou me with thy selfe with the glory which I had with thee before the world was Iohn 17.5 22 23. and the glory which thou hast given me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that we all may be made perfect in one And Christ being both God and man one in another he was the best and worst together even the highest and the lowest the strongest â—nd the weakest the richest and the poorest the fullest and the emptiest all in one perfect one who as he was in the form of God was equal with God Eph. 4.9 10. so being in the form of men was equal with men for he that ascended far above all Heavens to receive gifts to fill all things is the same he that descended into the lower parts of the earth that both Heaven and earth might bee filled with his fulnesse and then what is there in the world that may be said to be either high or low rich or poor strong or weak light or dark full or empty best or worst either of good report or evil report with men sin excepted that he fils not is notin in union with as himself without respect to time place person or thing it being all given to him why hee fills all and is in all and in union with all and will lose nothing but the son of perdition of all and all is in him though all knows not its union with him yet in him all live move and have their beeing Acts i7 28 Iob 12.10 and in his hands are the soul of every living thing and the breath of all mankind and all things was made for him and by him and without him was not any thing made that is made Col. 1.15 16 i7 therefore is there nothing contrary to him but whether it be high or low good or bad as unto men yet unto him it is all alike and is all like himself even God as in the creation it was made by him and so he still knows it owns it and is in union with it and when once it appeared unto man by the wisdome and knowledge of man to be out of that state and to be both good and bad unto him then that men might know all things as it is in Iesus Christ appeard with man in that state wherein it appeared bad to make it good again as at the first and so to restore man and all things into a union together