be deadly enmity betweene the old and the new a contrary and dis-joyned nature in either if once the old man get the victorie againe by any meanes over the new it is to be feared that he will make himselfe sure enough in the condemnation as that he shall never recover himselfe to live by repentance as Heb. 6. 4. to 8. 2. If the flesh should prevaile against the spirit then Goliah doth overcome David and the spirituall and new man in Christ is slaine and who can save it And many absurdities will arise 3. But seeing that which is borne from above after the spirit of Christ is of the spirit and that which is after the flesh is flesh distinctly as are flesh and spirit mortall and immortall distinct the least part of that immortall spirit must needs be stronger then the strongest felsh of the body for it is stronger then all the fleshly power of the world 1 Ioh. 4.2.4 4. Againe the new man after it hath a being in a man is increased dayly in the regeneration but the old man dyeth dayly in his generation therefore that regenerate an which groweth dayly getteth the victory to day is better able to overcome to morrow 2 Cor. 4.16 5. Thus the comparison is made true for David how little or young soever he was well able by the power of his God to kill for ever the man of flesh that had none but mortall defence and that before he came so neer as to encounter with him for he fought for the hope of Israel 6. Againe the comparison of the Sunne shadowed with black clouds in not to this purpose for we grant thus much that they have not alwayes the Sunne-shine but have sometimes heavinesse and temptations in the flesh which being overcome the comforts returne from above but expect man can prove that the light of the Sunne is overcome in its course of the contrary darknesse otherwise then in the order of the day and night it confirmeth that the Sonne of righteousnesse never ceaseth to shine more or lesse and all times sufficiently testifie to the conscience that the Sunne giveth light through the clouds to keep darkenes from the understanding till the day be ended by death 7. And where it is said in conclusion that the birth is not perfected untill the generall day of his resurrection this absolutly denieth the former and the nature of regeneration namely that he is regenerate and a new man for one cannot be a man till he be borne Therefore the new men must needs have a perfect birth before it can be a new man and so before the resurrection For after Beptisme this new man which is now created in body is in his account risen from the dead and living together with Christ Cel. 2.11.12 Rom. 6.3 to 11. All which sheweth the power and truth of the regeneration that where divine nature doth live as doth a renewed minde the flesh of that man must needs be kept that Satan shall not touch that body to overcome the divine nature so as to yeeld the members of that man to the service of sinne unto death 1 Ioh. 5.18 Rom. 13.16.23 By this Doctrine we may distinguish in word and deed and know every one by their fruits for the word and spirit of Christ is the same in operation in all that are adopted Men are not the children of God to day and of the Devill to morrow as they might be under the worldly justifications but all they which are perfect in heart whom the Lord loves are obedient to death and he loves to the end 9. It is manifest that the wedding garment is to love the marriage more then all goods in the world or then ones own life If any be found to presume to come to the weding without this perfect love he be convinced to want it he is condemned of his conscience as guilty and God doth condemne him and execute him by himselfe as he did Ananias and Saphira for they not having this perfect love which was required but a heart to love his money in part was thus executed for he was silent to death Mat. 22.1 to 12. Acts 5.1 c. 10. Among the Christians that are joyned to the Lord Jesus Christ to shew his death there is in love a twofold communion the one lesse and farther off the other great and neere to the Lord The first is communion of goods Act. 4.32 The next is communion of sufferings as in one body and Church of Christ 1 Pet. 4.8.13 16. with I Ioh. 3.16 Now in this brotherhood if any have the good of this world and doe not communicate in love to him that hath need it is impossible that hee can have that love of God to lay down his life blood for his brother that will not lay downe dayly as his common food to sustaine him 1 Ioh. 3.16 17. Therefore it is the judgement of the holy spirit that whosoever is false in the common communion of goods cannot hold the love in the holy communion of the body and blood of the Lord and therefore the holy Spirit doth give us to understand that it is better for the man that doth lye and dissemble in the common communion and more for the glory of God that such an one should dye by the hand of the invisible God in the first offence then that he should live longer to blaspheme and deny the love of the Lord that made him when he should com tobe tryed for his love how he doth hold the communion in the death of Christ as Acts 5.1 to 13. 11. This common communion is naturall and is as food given to one part as to the mouth or distributeth the good and efficacy thereof to all and every of the members of the same body yet it must be left free to the will of the possessor and not in bondage under the seare of carnall compulsion for this is coutrary to the nature and holy spirit of love but if a man see the necessities of the body and sell any thing the money remaines free at his voluntary disposing in love Act. 5.4 Or if a brother have much good in the world he gives as the seeth good in love of the immortall good and life Iames 2.8 12. 1 Ioh. 3.17 with 23. This Commandement to love one another the Lord gave especially to his Disciples and every one is to try his owne heart how this love remaineth in him and the judgment of this Law is left to his spirit so as every Christian that suffereth want is to possesse his soule in patience of poverty sickneâ— or imprisonment toward his brother as towards his neighbour in this respect and not so much as to desire any of his goods but leave his heart to the motion of the God of all mercy and love Notwithstanding on his part it shall be required that detaineth that which is fit As if by the example of others own purpose and promise to sell and
Commandements of God 1 Cor. 7.18.19 So if Marriage be exhibited under the worldly authorities it may bring the parties into bondage likewise if lawfull meates be forbidden by the Doctrines of Devills we are to maintain our liberty in Christ in assurance that though we suffer death yet he will raise us again according to his priesthood 1 Tim. 4.1 c. 10. Alwayes with this respect in the Law of liberty that there be no justification of condemnation on one side or other in lawfull meates but to judge indifferently that he which cates is not the better by it neither is he the worse which cates not 1 Cor. 8.8 wherefore in all such indifferent things every man is to have respect to his own Conscience before God and to the present estate and Nation wherein he is either Jew or Gentile that he be without offence but to use his liberty not for any occasion to his own flesh but to the profit of others in such sort that whether any eat or drink or what other indifferent thing soever they do they may do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.23 32.33 31. The second day of the Week I Have observed in Christ how the old man of the flesh doth naturally bring forth the new man begotten in the spirit of truth thus After that the heart hath conceived the immortall seed which is from above so as for joy hereof it estrange 〈◊〉 selfe from mortall vanities by and by the Lords of this mortall flesh will shew their authority and they will labour with all their force and wits to destroy this good conception that they may again rule the heart in this estate the mortall body of a man is as a woman in travell which cryes out not to be eased of the payne but to bring forth the fruit of her wombe and this in Christ is the travell of a Christian he hath conceived the mind of Christ and for this cause is persecuted and suffers all things untill from out of the greatest torments of the heart he is able to deliver or bring forth the spirit of that immortall seede unto Christ whose it is Esa. 26.13 17. 18. Mat. 27.46 with Luke 23.46 Heb 5 7.9.2 Cor. 4.6 amp c. with 5.2.4 5. 2. Further is noted in what respect the Church of Christ a woman and the wife of Christ because from the beginning she hath conceived in her heart the seed of God which is the Word Christ and thus she hath travelled with shadow of Christ till her time was fulfilled that shee should bring forth the spirit and truth of Christ which was when Jesus Christ being made one flesh with the Church she by his divine nature gave up the word law and truth of God perfected into her husbands hands so as the carnall Church is now delivered from that law and labour which was committed and required of her for she hath now in Jesus Christ brought forth the spirit of holynesse to God by the death of the flesh and in the resurrection of of the spirituall man to the immortall life of God her spirituall husband Jesus Christ then which the Church of God having suffered the pain of travell to death being risen from the dead and exalted to glory as Lord and Christ is made the head of his Church in a more neere and familiar manner even as a man that going to take a wife manifesteth the secrets of his hearty love unto her in way of espousals who after his departure returneth againe to her in way of marriage and giveth his owne spirit as Iob. 14.16 17.18 26. Acts 2.33 36. This immortall seed therefore being freely communicated in the love of Christ is gladly received of the Church and of none other which travelleth in subjection to Christ her husband to perfect that birth of the spiritual immortal man of whom she hath conceived immortall and spirituall seed and thus is she become bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh in love which union in Christ is confirmed to every soule of man that in their severall age or nation are so beloved of God in Christ that as an husband he should give of his immortall seed so as every one that conceiveth it in a good heart doth know both the union and her husband unto whom every such heart doth increase that seed of the new and immortall man dayly and in groweth by the obedience and death of the life-blood unto a lively hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead For such is the love of every good heart that she in her proper body will tenderly respect to preserve that word of the living God which shee hath willingly conceived in her minde and heart so as no cares shall choake nor reproches dismay but that her body shall bring forth to her husband that Word which abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1.3.4 22 c. 3. This word of God in what body soever it come in the love and communion of sufferings in Christ Jesus is the salvation of the same body to that immortall life in glory with Christ for whereas the persecutors that would adulterate us from our husband their dead shall not live neither shall their ghosts be raised againe notwithstanding our bodies which have dyed to bring forth the spirit of truth shall be raised to immortall truth of our head Christ Esa. 26. 13 18.19 when being sanctified in the truth with him we shall be perfected in one with our Father and our Lord Christ Jesus Iohn 17.19 21. c. 4. It is a wonderfull wisdome to consider in Jesus Christ how the Lord by his mercy doth call the world to judgement for in that he hath sent his Sonne into the world with mercy toward all that shew mercy and in it hee executeth the justice of his Law on none by the Law It is most manifest that all that out of their owne heart do judge and condemne shewing no mercy to sinners doe by their owne justice in the Law procure the Lord to enter into judgement with them for their judgement without mercy And thus we may see how the Law was given by Moses and sinne was required by pesent justice but grace and truth is by Jesus Christ he requireth sinners to sinne no more and they shall not be judged for their sinnes past and every one to shew mercy and they shall find mercy Math. 18.21 to 35. if not but that men will despise the grace of God towards them by judging and condemning their fellow-servants they are inexcusable before God their owne measure shall be measured to them they have denyed to shew mercy therefore mercy shall be denyed to them Rom. 2.1 to 5. Luk. 6.37.38 5. The cause of falling from the love of God is the evill of the heart whereby men dissembled with men for when men retaine the nature of swine and yet will be washed without doubt they will returne to their filthynesse Or dogges by nature will turne to
unto themselves in mortality their â—ight is darknesse their profession of one thing and minding another is hypocrisie and wickednesse before God and the deceit of men their riches is â—heir poverty as Rev. 3.17 their heart and mind is â—s far seperated from God in Christ and from holâ—ing him the head aâ— the Heavens are from the â—arth Therefore such as by their own negligence and default do suffer Satan to inspire them with mortality do more and more seperate from the assurance of immortality and from Christ till they become worldly and mortally minded and then they have only a bare good conceit of themselves in propriety but in any tryall they will fall away to save their soules under the authority of darknes and for the love thereof deny to lose their soules in the profession of Christ yea they will blaspheme that way of Christianity and so become the greatest enemies of the Crosse of Christ when yet with their lips they will give him a Iudas kisse and say hayle master and professe his word with their mouth but their deeds and devises are with his enemies of the power of darknesse to betray him and his Phil. 3.17 18 19. with Luke 22.47 48 53. Sixthly The true Christians in all their sufferings sight not for mortall salvation but they despise such salvation for the Saviour Heb. 11.25 with 12.2 6. Iohn 15.1 c. is shewed the true state of Christianity by the vine If a man cut the vine-tree the better the branches grow Thus the Father cutting the vine Christ in the mortall life he sprang both in the power of his immortall life and thereby the branches bring forth fruites to him that only hath immortality 1 Tim. 6.16 The fruitfull branches that are purged by his husbandry and chastised in love as Heb. 12. do by their sufferings bring forth more fruite to immortality and to the divine nature of God but if the husband man do for some cause neglect to cut or purge the mortall parts it is known that the branches that so run out without chastisement do in time come to be wild that do bring forth bitter fruite as bastards and thereby procure to be cut of from the true vine planted to give fruites unto immortality 7. According to Esa. 29.21 Compared with the prosecution now of Christians I understand how a man is made a sinner against God by a word c. insnared thus the Emperour is exalted for good certain Lawes are set down that if a Christian say thus or thus he shall suffer death their Judgement sits the Christian is â—nquired of and examined that by his own word spoken he may be taken and snared in their law and so executed as a sinner This is direct contempt of God and Christ This is the estate of all spirituall inquisitions of old 8. The doctrine of Christs body and bloâ—d Ioh. 6.53 c. is a hard saying to a carnall minde but to him that knoweth to breake the hardnes thereof it is spirit and life 63. For as the word is made flesh like us as Ioh. 1.14 with Phil. 2.7 to suffer death with us and for us so we are made the word in him to suffer with him and for his testimony and thus we eate his flesh when we apply his flesh to have Communion in the suffering thereof in love and we eate the word when we have it of him and keepe it as Joh. 8.47 51. And thus he is the food of immortality which nourisheth the Devine nature in man to every one to whom he is communicable both in flesh and spirit for the word is now both flesh spirit and life Ioh. 6.54 with 63. Therefore it canot be but that the flesh of man which hath the spirit of Christ must needs be quickned and not se death as a curse because the word is spirituall and cannot be made voide for according to the word he which eateth naturall bread is quickned mortally for the time of a day c. much more shall he live to immortallity and to God that applyeth to himself the body and spirit of Iesus Christ the manifestation of which life of Christ is effectuall to every true member of his body in that such are made of God to some end in the flesh Namely that by the life of the flesh in Christ Iesus which is yet of no being before God they may confound whatsoever hath a being of the world and in the mind or spirit Christ is made unto them from God wisdom righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1.24 28 30. Whereby it is plaine that every one that in true love of God holdeth community in the flesh and sufferings of Christ hath from God the participation of the same spirit of Christ to every use He is chast as he is chast He is righteous as he is rigteous 1 Ioh. 3.3 7 with 4.2 What such do one earth it is confirmed in heaven c. because the same spirit of Iesus Christ which is in heaven liveth in them and so he speaketh an doth the things on earth by the ministery of such chosen and holy vessels Ioh. 20.22.23 Matt. 18.18.2 Cor. 13.3.5 Act. 9.15.16 9. If one should aske me whether I can know a man in whom Iesus Christ is crucified I answer yea very well by the Word for if his spirit be in him then he walkes so as Jesus Christ walked 1 Iohn 2.6 he hath the same mind to suffer in the flesh Phil. 2.5 1 Pet. 4.1 yea in his mind he is dead and crucified to the world Rom. 6.2 7.4 Gal. 6.14 and his mind is in Heaven so his Conversation is heavenly Col. 3.1.2 Phil. 3.20 The 1. day of the week 1. BEing grieved and carefull least by speaking of mysteries to sinfull and ignorant people the truth of our Lord God should be prophaned the way of truth evill spoken of Therefore I have desired wisdom to give to every one according to their estate and this is proposed unto me according to the word namely to keepe those 3. degrees 1. If any seeke the living Lord this the word saith go sin no more Iohn 8.11 for every transgression of a negative Law is a sin against God and dishonor to our Creator Lev. 4.2 Therefore all that seek peace with God must remove the evil of their thoughts and workes from before his Majesty and they must cease to do evill Esa. 1.16 and thus they are to repent confesse and forsake all former sins either against the word of God or their neighbours Mat. 19.17 18 19. For turne over to 1.2 Then if they have peace with God and are made righteous from doing evill in the world they are to seeke the Ministery of reconciliation that they may be reconciled unto God in the Body and Communion of the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ and in this they are to talke upon them the decree Act. 15. to keepe in the love of the body of Christ wherein they shall
spirit of Christ manifested in expresse words doth resist all meanes of salvation for Christ came and gave his word to be made so plaine with his life-blood that now no man can more sensibly apprehend the image and nature of God and Christ then by the letter which we by reading doe conceive in our minde so as though a man walke according to all that is written and yet deny one little direction this man resisteth God with open face this one word which hee despiseth to doe it will cut him off from the life of the Christian and for this one thing the peace and protection of Almighty will goe from him so as hee will be in feare night and day and evill may come to him suddenly out of which he cannot escape because the word of God is against him the least part whereof is stronger then that min can quiet or justifie his owne heart against it for it may be concluded that what man soever wilâ— not yeeld obedience to an expresse word will not follow the inspiration of God moving his conscience without an evident Scripture either to do good to others or evill to his flesh for Christs sake 3. It is great hypocrisie for men to preach the honour and glory of the Crosse of Christ when they tkemselves feare or refuse the condemnation of the Crosse in the testimony or martyrdome of Jesus Christ The first day of the Weeke 1 THe Lord Jesus Christ devideth himselfe into three parts Ioh. 14.6 saying I am 1. The way 2. The truth 3. The life that whosoever suffers for any of these doth suffer for Christs sake 1. The way is the devision of the Christians from the glory and authority of the worldly Priesthood to follow him in spirit and truth according to the invisible authority of his Priesthood 2. The Truth is the Law Psal. 119 142. whose perfection as it is spirituall every Christian acknowledgeth and suffeth for it And in this sence it may be said that John Baptist his blood was shed for Christ insomuch as he suffered for the testimony of the truth or spirituall law against turpitude in unlawfull marriage 3. The Life is the immortality after the death and resurrection of the Body If the carnall authority doe by their force withhold this life mortality and enforce to take the Gospel in a mortall state in this case the faith or Jesus Christ is suffered for in the confession of his glory to bee enjoyed in immortality and not in this present life 2. I have meditated how the fear of God-Lord is the beginning of wisdome to the Nations that are not under the Law When by any meanes any of them come to have any thing to doe with the Lord he first requireth them to feare his Name which is to depart from evill pride of minde and every way which is contrary to his Word This feare worketh a knowledge of his invisible and terrible presence that as a man will not sinne against his Law so he will not presume to partake of his service and holy things or any of his Mysteries untill this feare have wrought a reconciliation and peace of Conscience with God in such sort as he so apprehendeth the immortall Lord in his minde that he inclineth to love him and to desire his Law in his heart or minde and to make an everlasting covenant with him in the mysteries of Christ Whosoever of the Nations that hath his heart thus purified by faith willingly to take upon him the yoake and Law of Christ in love is accepted of God as a sonne to partake of the mysteries of his holynesse 3. Whether we ought yeeld to a mans private opinion thus farre as not to offend him in doing what he misliked Offences arise either in respect of the authoritie of God or of man In respect of God the offence doth rise from the world or any of the world when they doe offend any that beleeve in Christ and doe hurt them in contempt of the authority of the Word of God Matth. 18.6.7 Againe offences arise betweene the servante of God when the authority of his Word is denyed by transgressing the law thereof in any thing Offences arise in respect of the authoritie of men when the authority of Jew of Gentile is publikely provoked by trangressing their Commandements or blaspheming their divine worship Act. 19.37 Againe offâ—â—ce is also given by the Christian if he offer any violence or carnall force or use any evill words against a man that is otherwise perswaded then by the word of Christ that walketh after his owne heart neither according to the Law of God nor the course of the Commonwealth In this case as I offend him not by evill word or deeds so I am not bound to doe as he dotâ— that I may nor offend him but let him follow hâ—â— will and I will follow the law of righteousness otherwise in this I may be brought in bondage a private mans conceit I may harden him in errour and partake in his folly And at last 〈◊〉 should be drawne to offend both the authority 〈◊〉 God and man by favouring every one that are â—â—ven up to a reprobate sence The second day of the Week THe justifying of a sinner in the blood of Christ is the act of the spirit of Christ and it hath 2 parts 1. The acquitting of all sins past that the sinner have no feare or conscience of guilt or punishment for them Rom. 3.25 and this is applyed by the merit of his blood 2. The preserving from all sin by the power and spirit of Christ so as the evill one cannot touch him by prevailing against the man whom Christ hath made righteous to move or carry him to do any sin but on the contrary he shewâ—th forth the righteousnesse of God in Christ by the saith of Jesus whereby he communicateth in the sufferings and blood of Christ in his own â—ody The third day of the week JEsus is truly a doore to his suffering Christians on this manner that when they through many tribulations are brought to death then through his presence they enter into life for as it is by fight in a doore whereby men enter into other places so when we come to death there are two doores the great doore openeth to passe into the torment of the second death the straiter doore openeth to passe from death to eternall life and this doore and way is Jesus to all that suffer death in the testimony of his name The fourth day of the week I Cannot but admire the wisdom of the only true God who having put enmyty into the world so as of necessity offences are taken against his holy people to condemn them according to their worldly wisdom and carnall authority hath also given a Law in Christ according to which he will justâ—fie his Children against the condemnation of meâ— as Rom. 8.33 As if our heavenly Father should say I have given you my Law and I have
immortality and also towards each other even as Christ loved us when he for our instruction became an houshold Servant and learned obedience as a Servant that by his example we might be armed with the same mind so to love and so to be obedient Ephes. 3.15 177. Phil. 2. and thus to keepe the unity of the spirit of Christ for the increase of his body and Church to a perfect man that then he may come and receive us unto himselfe in immortality when we shall see him as he is Ephes. 4.1 Iohn 3. but wo to the folly of such as will not acknowledge the Father nor the Sonne as they are over their house but suffer their own reprobate sence to dwell in their hearts and that walk by sight of the world and not by Faith and not only are disobedient themselves but also compell others to rebel against the Mr. of the house Let hot my soul touch with them that do thus despite the spirit of grace and provoke the good man of the house against their own soules 2. It is evident that though a man do keepe all the Law and Commandements of God yet he is unprofitable Luke 17.10 wherefore there is some excellent thing required in Christ in the state of perfection as Mat. 5.20 to 47.48 with Luke 6.20 to 32. c. 3. It must be granted that they which keepe the Commandements of God to the end shall inherit life according to the promise in the Lawyer in such a life God is not glorified in Christ his Sonne for in this estate men are defective and want that one necessary thing without which they may fayle of the grace of God namely the perfect love of Christ wherein all worldly things are put away with the love thereof and that only for the love of Christ to follow him for the Kingdom of God Luke 18 18 -22.-29 with Mat. 19.17 c. Mark 10. The sixth day of the week I Have received to put difference between the Church gathered according to the letter in Moses and the Church gathered according to the spirit in Christ the legall Church is from the earth the spirituall Church is from Heaven The Church by the Law were and are to be gathered from all places of the earth unto Ierusalem here beneath but the Church which is called by the spirit of Jesus Christ are delivered from this world and are gathered from mortality unto the City of the living God to heavenly Ierusalem Therefore as earthly Ierusalem is the mother of all those which are after the righteousnesse of the mortall seed so Jerusalem which is above is the mother of all the suffering Christians which are borne again of the immortall seed through Jesus Christ the word of the living God and which remaineth for ever Heb. 12.22.23 Gal. 4.26 1 Pet. 1.23 The first day of the VVeeke FRom Psalm 91. I have considered a preservative against the plagve of Death thus There was is and alwaies shall be a twofold people in the world the greater part are after the seed of the Serpent and the remainder after the seed of the Woman between these two peoples there is enmity and a perfect separation in the Word Over these there is a two-fold government or spirituall authority Over the greater part which are the childen of disobedience is the Devill Satan or the old Serpent that first deceived our parents who is by his government the prince of the authority of the ayre Ephes. 2.2 his power wherewith he afflicteth are the spirituall things of wickednesse in heavenly places Ephes. 6.11.12 The throane of his people is the throne of misery or perversenesse by authority whereof the frame being wicked mischiefe by a Law and murder and condemne for wicked the righteous and innocent soules which patiently suffer persecution and death under them for their conscience of the service and word of their Creator Psalm 94.3 20.21 Rom. 8.36 Mark 4.17 Over the poore afflicted people is the protection of the most high and the shadow of the Almighty Psalm 91.1 who since they were separated out from their persecutors under Moses the fraithfull servant of God are knowne manifestly to beare the reproach of Christ Hebr. 11.25.26 This people are in one name called the Israel of God Gâ—l 6.16 which is not of any whether Jewes or Gentiles that trust under a carnall visible authority but of all that come to put their confidence under the wings of the God of Israel as Ruth did Ruth 2.12 These people are known by that they serve and declare the praises of the great name of God the Creator every Sabbath day Psal 92.1 Luk. 4.16 And for their Creators sake they are hated and afflicted of all other people Therefore the God the Creator being the judge of the earth doth render vengeance to the proud and wicked people that afflict the people of his heritage whom he teacheth and instructeth out of his Law and also speake proudly against him the God of Iacob Psa. 94.1 c. According to this judgement all the world is made subject to God and guilty of death by the Law in Christ Jesus and none can be justified from sinne and so freed from the guilt of death by any works under any worldly or carnall authorities Rom. 3.9 19.20 The spirituall things wherewith the Prince of the authority of the ayre doth invade or bring men to death are declared in the Law to be especially three The first is the snare of the hunter The second the Pestilence The third the Keteb or destruction Psal. 91.3 6. First the snare of the Hunter is sinne the reward whereof is death Rom. 7.23 All therefore that sinne against the God of their life as the children of the Devill are subject to all the curses in the Law of God 1 Ioh. 3.8 Gal. 3.10 Secondly the second spirituall thing that from hence doth manifestly invade men is the Pestilence or plague of death which is a sicknesse call debir a thing destroying It is taken with the common ayre which is corrupted and poysoned with the crying sinnes of the most people in the mother city and into whomsoever this poysoned ayre entreth it poysoneth the life and soon killeth the body except it have issue out of the body 3. The other deadly destruction to the body is called bitter destruction Dent 32.24 which as an evill spirit seiseth upon the body and worketh torments in the joynts and sinewes which disease some learned men call Ophisthotonos a strange and vehement disease in the necke when by the stiffenesse of the nerves the necke is strained backward to the shoulders and killeth a man within foure dayes and therefore it is said to destroy at noone Psal. 91.6 because thou maist see a sound body thus suddenly tormented before thine eyes and thou canst see nothing but the evill done These three evils the Lord Christ inflicteth upon his adversaries for the redemption of his Israel from destruction Wherefore the Apostle Paul