bid I cannot curse them and the lying spirit could not go into the Prophets of Ahab king of Israel unless â—he Lord had sent him therefore when Shimei cursed David 2 Chron. 1â— 20 21. he did it because the Lord had bidden him and David reproved those that gaine-said it saying he curseth even because God hath bid him curse David who dare then say wherefore hast thou done so behold saith he 2 Sam. 16.10 11 12. my Son which came out of my own bowels seeketh my life and why should not he that curseth be let alone for the Lord hath bidden him it may be the Lord will look on mine afflictions and do me good for his cursing me this day thus said David and thus may we say why should not these be let alone that revile persecute banish or imprison us or any seeing they do it by the Lords command which he lets alone for good to them that are persecuted for without him they can do nothing and David under judgement and the reproaches of men seeing all that men did unto him to be of God he said he was dumb and opened not his mouth because he knew the Lord did it Psa 39.9 and Christ as a lamb led to the slaughter and as a sheep dumb before the shearers so he opened not his mouth against them knowing it to be the Lord that did it therefore when he was reviled he reviled not againe but committed himselfe to God that judgeth righteously so neither Pharoah nor the Egyptians cauld do any thing against Israel except the Lord had hardnen their hearts to do it neither could the devil touch Job in his person nor estate to afflict and punnish him without God had bidden him and gave him commission Iob. 2.6 which God saw would be good unto Job and therefore Job in all his afflictions accuseth none neither devil nor witches nor any other in the loss of any thing Iob. 1.21 but ascribeth all unto God who giveth and taketh at his pleasure and did all that was done unto him to humble him and after what a strange manner doth God sometimes act his people to make them a reproach and scorne of men as he did David when he made him to uncover himselfe in the eyes of the hand maids of his servants 2 Sam. 6.20 21 22. and he said it was before the Lord and that he would be yet more vile and base in his own sight and the sight of his maid-servants of whom he said he should be had in honour Isa 20.2 3. and so did the Lord do by Isaiah when he made him to walk naked and barefoot three years for a signe Isa 20.2 3. Ezek. 4.12 chap. 5.1 and made Ezekiel to bake mens dung and eat it for a signe and to shave the hair from off his head and face and burn the third part for a signe which was all by the Lords command yet all such are counted as mad men by those that knew not the Lord though they did it by his command who saith it and men must do it Iob 1.21 Hose 6.1 who witholdeth giveth and taketh at his pleasure both men and things even poverty and riches health wealth and sickness prosperitie and adversitie life and death honour and shame all is of God and by God and not of any other but God who worketh and none shall hinder commanding all things even men and devils to serve him for good and therefore the devil walking to and fro in the earth seeking whom he may devour may be said to be the servant of God imployed about Gods work to try and prove his people by temptations and afflictions for good to them as he did Iob and so saith Christ of the devil when he was led by the spirit even God into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil he said unto him thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Mat. 4.17 â—0 Acts 2.23 Acts 1.25 but thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve and Iudas when he betrayed Christ he did also the work of God which was before appointed to be done but the devil not knowing that what he did was of God did therefore accuse himselfe and after death went to his own place Eccles 12.7 the body to the earth from whence it came and the soul to God that gave it every thing to its place and center light unto light and darkness unto darkness earth to earth and the spirit to the spirit every thing to its like as it alwayes did and ever will do world withour end and that which is the dark and devilish part even the devil it selfe which entred into Judas whereby he became a devil tempting and betraying persecuting and accusing any is the same devil that enters into men at this day whereby they become as devils one to another and which remaineth still with men of the same nature doing the same devilish work of the devil in them to this day who are some times made use of by God as a rod and scourge in Gods hand to whip scourge others whom God loves and chastizes for good to them to humble them Psalm 17.9 10 11 12 13 14. which rod shall at last with the devil be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone to be burnt as the Aegyptians were into the sea to be drowned And therefore all men persecuting plotting and devising evil devices against others to accuse them are no better then the devil in that devilish nature which God sometimes sets a worke to do his dark and black work and to discover themselves in the tryal of others for their own shame and destruction in that state after convinced by God and so they are the servants of God as Judas and the devil was to do that worke of God as the devil and Judas did and who with the devil must at last come to judgement before Christ Rom 2.15 16. where their own consciences shall accuse them of the evil they have done against Christ and by him they shall be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where all their abominations and devilish actings of one man against another and against God shall be destroyed and themselves saved yet as by fire and that in them which was devilish and made them so long to be devilish i Cor. 3.15 Jam. 3.15 16. is the devil in them that so long destroyed them and kept them from knowing their peace with God and this devil and sin the devouring lyon of man-kind is that which is onely for destruction in mens salvation and coming unto God and he is that beast which is the fourth and which was and is not and shall go into perdition and whose power or little horne that came up last rageing most haveing a mouth and eyes like a man is he that continued speaking and acting great things against the Saints of the most high in
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
they shal rejoyce and be glad for it is the Lords day wherein he wil have taken away their Judgements and cast out their enemies Sin Death Hel and the Devil and all fe r and the King of Israe even the Lord of Hosts shal be in the midst of them and they shal not see evil any more Zeph. 3 13. to the end neither shal they any more live in fear of any thing nor yet sorrow any more but sorrow and sighing shal flie away and they shaâ— rejoyâ—e always with joy unspeakable and ful of glory Rev. 21.34 and the Lord himself wil be seen amongst them to dwel with them and delight in them and rejoyce â—ver them with Joy and wil turn back their captivity even before their own eyes and they shal see it and know that the Lord who hath done it is for ever with them in it For the tabernacle of God is with men and he wil dwel with them and they shal be his people and God himselfe shal be with them and be their God CHAP. XII Incouragements to wait with p tience under the Lords Judgements and not to oppose them Of the works of the Lord Jesus what they are and how we bear them about in our bodies and when ANd now seeing that so much good is wrought in men by the Lords judgments spiritual and temporal though acted unjustly by men as the rod that afflicts them outwardly yet let no man seek by any outward means or lawes of men to put them by for it is the Lords way though it is incident with all men so to do that know not the Lord with them in it who would seek to escape the Iudgment thereof to save their own honor and credit with men and to avoid the punishment of the flesh as did David Iob yea Christ and his Apostles who had the same infirmities of the flesh as we have when Christ said Lord if it be possible let this cup pass from me and sought means to avoid it for indeed no afflictions with any seems joyous for the present though afterwards it yeelds a peaceable reward of righteousness to all that are exercised therein as it did to Christ himself who after he had suffered entred into glory with his Father so shal all that with Christ overcome and indure to the end yet this glorious reward of righteousnesse with men may somtimes be hid under afflictions as the Sun when the clouds are before it that men may not for the present see the end of God in it nor the good that is to be brought unto them by it till the clouds are passed and their Judgments ended as before you have heard for clouds and darknesse is round about him Psa 18. as about the Sun when you see it not yet the darknesse of these clouds wil he expell by the brightnesse of his comming and by his light he wil shine gloriously through them even upon him who with the eye of faith shall see Christ comming to him and he will therein cheer and comfort him incourage and support him from the evil that men have invented against him as the spirit of the Lord with my spirit bear witness unto me which concerning my selfe in all my sufferings and persecutions for the truth to this day 1 Pet. 2 21. unto which I was cald by the Lord he hath done for me that bonds and afflictions through which a soul enters into the kingdome of God have been good unto mee Acts 14.22 it being sanctified unto me by his spirit by which I was comforted and the Angel of his presence with me in it by which I was saved concerning which I with Paul can speak the truth in Christ and lye not and which another for me cannot know but for themselves that hath seen it for to him that overcometh it is hidden Manna and a white stone and in it a new name written which no man knows but he that hath it Rev. 2.17 And now that you may with Christ indure to the end for this new name which is a pearl of great price and a name above every name that is named amongst men be you perswaded by the spirit of the Lord within you to watch for the comming of the Lord to give it to you and be ye armed with the same mind and patience in the Lord to suffer with Christ in the flesh 1 Pet. 1.4 for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin and so be ye ready prepared in all things to meet the Lord both in his birth death resurrection and ascension and to embrace him in the worst condition as well as in the best as well to suffer with him as to regin with him to dye with him as to live with him and to be reviled and reproached scoffed and mocked derided and falsly accused by men more vile then the earth Christ was and his prophets and Apostles were so were all his Saints and so must all that will live godly in Christ Jesus Isa 64 6. and not after the godliness of men which is filthyness with the Lord Ye filthy rags saith the Prophet and by the Lord shal be cast out therefore be ye armed with the saints patience in tribulations that vvith Christ you may beare his reproach without the campe of your own righteousness and religion Heb. 13.12.13 as he did without the gate of the honour and glory of the world and with him be willing to dye to all things of men and with him to live to all things of God Gal. 6.17 and so with Paul ever bear about in your body the marks of the Lord Iesus both in dying and in living in dying the unjust persecutions mockings revilings and scourgings of men groanings sighings and mournings in the suffering of the flesh as did Christ whose visage was more ma6rr'd then any mans Esa 52.14 and his person more desormed then the sons of men and who in his pangs cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me These are the dying marks of Christ which you are to bear about in your body for the truths sake and the living marks is peace comfort and consolation joy of heart content of minde quietness of conscience and a soul at rest in the Lord full of all humility meekness and love these are the living marks of Iesus which you are to bear about in your bodies 1 Cor. 4.6 7 8 9 10.11 that while you live delivered unto death for Iesus sake so the life also of Iesus shal be manifest in your mortal flesh yea in these your mortal bodies when with Christ you have been crucified to see an end of sin CHAP. XIII How men of the greatest light witnessing to truth under Judgments do suffer most unjustly by false accusations with the loss of all things below God that not all but some mâ—n as witnesses shall suffer for the rest af one life how some professing the
13 8. Hos 3. Mat. 7.12 Jam. 2.12 His glorious Kingdom is begun He for all men was slain And he himself all men do wooe To be for none but he And do as they 'd be done unto In perfect Libertie 2. His Wedding-day with men hee 'l keep The Law of Love fulfil Rev. 19.6 7 8 9. Rev. 4.4 With Garments white hee 'l clothe his sheep This is his Fathers will That they should all return to him In union for to be Jer. 3.14 And see themselves redeem'd from sin to perfect libertie Luk. 6.68 3. This news abroad I did proclaim As Christ gave me command Matth. 28 19 20. Jer. 4.12 23 14. Luk. 22.15 That men from sin he would reclaim To live i' th' Holie Land And those that did this Doctrine hate Me often they did try Matth. 10.16 17 18. My body for to captivate From outward liberty 4. Luk. 19.47 48. Acts 16.19 Mat. 26.34 Joh. 11.47 48 56 57 And as in Kent I this did preach Christs Kingdom to make known Some Ministers that there did teach This Doctrine would not own But straight unto the Magistrate And Souldiers they did flie To have them presently me take From outward liberty 5. Lu 20.20 Psal 35 11 Luk 14 55.56 57 Acts 5 17 Acts 6 9 And then against me they did plot And to my charge did lay Many things which I knew not To have me thence away And unto prison did me send Me for the truth to try Because with them I did contend For Gospel-liberty 6. Then that in Christ I might have rest Pâ—al 37 7â— Heb 49 10. He unto me did say Enter thou into my sweet breast That nothing thee annoy Until the wrath of men be past Isa 26 20 Rev 2 10 I 'le shut thee up in me Though into prison they thee cast I 'le be thy Liberty 7. A work I have for thee to do Which by thee I 'le maintain Acts 26 16 17 18. Eph. 1 13 〈◊〉 4 30 Psa 35 27 Psa 69 30 â—â—a 51 1 My truth thou must bear witness to While life in thee remain I have upon thee set my seal My Name to magnifie And will unto thee there reveal True light and liberty 8. The Prisons were my Prophets Schools Where they were taught by me To learn my Statutes and my Rules Jer 32 11 Rev 1 9 10 Isa 26 9 Psal 119 54 55 Jâ—â— â—9 1 Eph 3 1 2 3 chap 4 â—2 And eke my Majesty And they from theene did send abroad News of Eternity That he who is the only Lord Will give men liberty 9. As I beheld his glory bright Shining in me so clear Col 1 26 27. Rev 14 12 13 Eph 5 14 Isa 26 19 Isa 14 5 I was thereby constrain'd to write His voice the dead to hear That they should all awake and sing that in the dust did lie By Christ their dew on them falling To give them liberty 10. In spirit this he will declare To all both great and small Isa 52 10 Psal 36 9 His holy Arm he will make bear before the Nations all And they that will his glory see Must have him for their eye For there is none but only he Can see true liberty 11. All eyes besides him are so blind That he an eye will be To enlighten all that are behind And see no liberty Psal 4â— 89 Psal 146.7 8. Rom 6 4 Psal 119 45â— That they might dye and rise with him From all that is a lye And be thereby brought out of sin To walk at Liberty 12. He that true liberty hath known Doth praises to Christ sing Psal 30 3â— 4 That he from death will bring me home No more to live in sin And when this nevvs abroad is spread Lu 24 45 Jam â— 25 That all men may it see Those that vvith understanding read May find their liberty 13. And though I a prisoner be Yet am I free from care Luk 20 19 20 And men vvith feign'd vvords flattery Do seek me to ensnare They counsel me to change my mind And so my vvords deny And tells me I shall thereby find My outvvard liberty 14. False vvitnesse also did arise Psa 35.11 against me to betray My innocency by their lyes My life to take avvay Yet still the truth I 'le vvitness to Isâ— 14.8 Psal 118.6 Though for the same I dye And vvill not fear vvhat man can do Against my liberty 15. And that vvhich doth me still supporâ— 2 Sam. 22 2. Exod. 15 2 Is Christ my Rock and Tovver Who is all strength joy and comfort To me in every hour Whose glory is still in my sight His presence stands me by Psal 16 8 9 10 11 To make himself my vvhole delight Peace rest and liberty 16. Isai 55.4 Rom. 1.9 Rev. 1 5 Christ is my witness and my guide My conscience pure and clear I know the Lord is on my side Therefore I need not fear I will not fear the stroke of death Nor Tirants crueltie So soon as Christ receives my breath My soul gains libertie 17. A vow to God I once did make Deut 23 21 22 Which vow to him is due That I for him will freelie speak That none but him is true And rather then from him I 'le turn Rom â— 4 Dan 3 17 18 Or should his truth denie I 'le yeild my bodie to be burnd This is my libertie 18. Patience puts balm unto my sores Love lives without controul Jeâ— 8.22 They lock my bodie within the doors But cannot lock my soul Psal 97.11 2 Cor. 3.17 Life Light and Libertie so sweet Within my brest doth lie They that my bodie here do keep Know no such libertie 19. There 's neither pardon from the Pope Nor Prayers made to Saints That can enlarge my farther scope Or shorten my complaints T is Christ above Psal 146.7 Iob. 8.36 the Lord of love That for man-kind did die No one but he that pardon'd me Can work my libertie 20. There 's many men have treasure store Yet are so worldlie bent Having so much they scrape up more Eccles 4. â— And never aâ—â— content But I that am the poor'st of all From worldlie cares am free Which makes me think they are in thrall And I at libertie 21. The man that bears a wavering mind Jam â— 6 7 8 Pâ—ov 29 22. Is subject unto wo He that to anger is inclin'd Must sorrow undergo But he that bears a patient heart Though he a prisoner be Reâ— 13 10 Exceeds both nature skill and art In point of libertie 22. God did for me this place appoint Before that I came here Pâ—â—â— 1.29 And he a spirit to me lent That I the same should bear He gave to me a willing mind Psal 110.3 Col 1 24 And did my soul make free To suffer that which was behind Before true libertie 23. And
reviling for though they may band themselvs together against you and the Lords anointed in you to break the cords and bands of love and unity amongst you yet their devices shall not prosper but the Lord will have them in derision Psa 2. and will break them in peices like a pottors vessel and will set his own anointed even Christ upon his Throne who shall be great amongst you and you with him shall rejoyce together for he that sits in the Heavens shall laugh and the Lord his King shall raine in the midst of you for evermore and the work began among you will he perfect Psa 35.1 8. and will turn all the evil devices of men that have invented evil against you without cause to devoure you upon their own heads and shame and confusion shall befall them in the end but the more is your glory as is their shame for they shall be the Lords displeasure against them and they shall be vexed for the evil that they have done against you and could not have their purposes fulfilled upon any of you and in the midst of all your peace and joy in the Lord shall be manifest in you For though in the world you have tribulation yet in Christ you shall have peace and be of good cheer Ioh. 16.33 for Christ hath overcome the world And if you will bee possessors of the truth you must bee armed with patience in the Lord to suffer reproach and tryalls for the truth 1 Pet. 4 1. and with all willingnesse and obedience of mind thereunto you must yeeld your selves as a living sacrifice ready to be offered up with Christ on the cross though the outward sufferings with many of you may not be afflicted upon you Rom. 12.1.2 but being made willing in the minde your willingnesse and free submission therunto shall be accepted even the will for the deed concerning which God will try you if you will deny him or no Heb. 11.17 Ge. 22.12.10.11.12 as he did Abraham when he made him offer up his onely son Isaac to be slaine but he did not slay him for being made willing it was accepted of God with him as if it had been done by him and the will for the deed with some shall suffice 1 Tim. 6.12 13. and they shall with others that do suffer reap the same fruit for some onely shall suffer outwardly as witnesses for the rest as did Christ for us who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good profession yet with him we reap the same fruit 1 Pet. 2.21 witnessing with him the same profession and whose steps some in the outward sufferings must follow him as his apostle did even those whom the Lord shall chuse and whom he will make able with himselfe and the apostles to beare witnesse with him unto his suffrings for the true life we live as the same which he said should come to passe and doth and will come to pass till the man of sin in any shall be no more as in all ages some in whom the life hath been most manifest and most purely have lived it have suffered in bearing witness to the life of â—od according as it hath been manifest under any dispensation that truth is alwayes witnessed by sufferings going with it and following after it according to the Scriptures as a reward given to it 2 Thes 1.4 5. and a fellow helper and companion for it for he that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution and persecutions and tribulations is a mainfestation of Gods righteous Judgements whereby a soul is counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which he also suffers And as sufferings is a reward of truth and godlyness and a companion for it joyned with it unto those that injoy it and know it to live in it so the reward of sufferings is a crown of glory all witnessing one another for ought not Christ who is the truth first to suffer and then to enter into his glory and saith Paul who sought with Beasts at Ephasus I have fought a good fight I have finished my course 1 Tim. 4.7 8. I have kept the faith Hence forth is laid up for me a Crown of Glory as the price of my race which I have won and which is brought unto me at the revelation of Jesus Christ and to all that love his appearing and he to comfort us in afflictions saith 2 Thess 1.7 you who are troubled rest with us in the same spirit waiting for the same crown as a recompence of reward for all your troubles when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels powerfully appearing and manifesting himselfe for your good in the Lord but to take vengeance on all that that trouble you and that know not God and obey not the gospel of the Lord Jesus but do persecute it they shal suffer the vengeance of eternal fire God himselfe whose wrath is revealed from Heaven against all ungodlynesse and Unrighteousnesse of men that hold the TRUTH in unrighteousness Rom. 1.18 and shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power when he shall come to be gloryfied in his saints and admired in all that do believe 2 Thes 1. Heb. 12.2 and that have with patienec indured the cross and despised the shame these shall have joy and glory with God when these that trouble them shall have sorrow and anguish of spirit and so much the more for beholding the others joy and confidence in the Lord which they so much have persecuted For thinkest thou O man that Judgest another that thou shalt escape the Judgements of God Rom. 2.3 4 5 6. no thou that hardnest thy heart against another treasureth up wrath unto thy selfe against the day of wrath which must certainly come upon thee for God will reward every man according to his works for with what Judgement ye Judge Mat. 7.2 ye shall be Judged and with what measure ye meet it shall be measured to you againe wherefore howle and lament â—â—e 3.1 c. â—oel 1.5 c. and be ashamed thou man of the Devil that persecutest and Judgest another for when the Lords Judgements are upon thee it will be a day of terror unto thee till by Judgement the enemy sin and the devil within thee shall be cast out from thee as from those whom thou persecutest And you that with Christ have been Judged by men and have been made partakers of Christs sufferings rejoyce ye that when his Glory shal appeare ye may be glad with exceeding joy and account that the long sufferings of God is salvation 1 Pet. 4.13.14 and that if ye be rayled against for the name of Christ happie are ye for the spirit of God and of glory resteth upon you and on their part that speak evil of you God is evil spoken of by them but on your
humbly vvith God to come before the Lord in the Lord and in no other but the Lord. And this is that vvhich all the Lords people are taught by judgments to be just and merciful humble meek and lovvly as Christ vvas vvho learned obedience by the things which he suffered who thereby teaches him who know him to follow his steps Job 42.3 4 5 6. to lay down himself and all things of himself into dust and ashes as a Worm no Man yea as a scorn of men acknowledging the just judgments uf the Lord upon him and all things of him that is not of God as the way to save him humble him bring him home unto him by the cross of the Lord Jesus and whosoeuer is in any measure brought home to God or a bringing that he know any thing of God as he ought to know then the more he knows of God of the things concerning the Kingdom of God the less shal he know of men of the things of this world which is enmity with God know also that when men are most purest with God knowing their purity all in him then shal they be most vilest with men in the account of them that know not God and so see their own emptiness vileness as men without God and that the best with God is always accounted the worst with men yea despised rejected of men as Christ was that when they themselves shal see his purity and their own purity to be in him they must needs see that all things out of him is impure that the best of mans righteousness is but filthiness extendeth not unto God in any degree Esa 64 6. Psa 16 2. but to be destroyed by him who hath the fulness of all righteousness sufficient to save all men in himself that none but him in all the World is or can be righteous without him Ier. 33.16 for he is called the Lord our righteousness who makes all men righteous in his righteousnes accepted in his acceptableness and that there is none that doth good but him who is the only good of all and with whom nothing is evil polluted nor unclean nor with any that know him see their whole life to be in him Zeph. 3 1â— 14. Dan. 9.24 which that all men do who in Christ can see their judgments to be ended and their works to be finished Christ their righteousness to be revealed exalted in them and that by him have received the end of their faith even the salvation of their souls even they and only they can live the life of Christ and do the Works of Christ and in humility can descend with him into the lowest state of men to have communion with them with him ascend into the highest state of God to have communion with God and so enjoy both God man together in each state as the ful accomplishment of the work of God with man through the Lord Jesus who in the day of his power to them manifest makes them willing and able with Christ to lay their lives down and take them up again 1 Pet. 1.9 Psa 1â—0 3 Ioh. 10.17 18. to be all with all in all states vvhatsoever vvith delight and pleasure this is perfection and the day of salvation and this vvith men hath been more or less manifest from Adam to this day as I shal further manifest in the next from Scripture the dealings of God vvith particular Persons Kings and Prophets vvhose life and actions are therein recorded and written for our learning FINIS