Crooked PATHES Made STRAIGHT OR The wayes of God made knowne to lost Sinners or bewildered SAINTS Wherein is represented the severall conditions of a Christian in the Spirit as hee growes up out of weaknesse into strength through death into life eternall By ANNE YEMANS Isa 40.3 The voyce of him that cryeth in the wildernesse prepare ye the way of the Lord make straight in the desart a high way for our God LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert at the black-spread Eagle at the West end of Pauls 1648. To the READER Gentle Reader I Have done mine endeavour to set forth unto you in some measure the bondage that we have been in by sin the Devill and false Teachers what wounds wee have received by them and all hath been because we have not been able to discerne the difference between the wayes of God and Anti-christ And the more wee strive struggle in our own strength the more we are wounded while Jesus Christ doth appeare to us to reveal some light of himselfe to us and hee is that Son of righteousnesse that will appeare to us with healing in his wings Mal. 4.2 He will reveal his love to us and heale up all our wounds and lead us in the way that we should walke taking us by the hand and leading us gently as we are able to goe and drawing us with the cords of love Most of the children of God have been in this spiritual bondage and those that have been in it and are brought out of it doth know in some measure how to comfort them that are in it and the Lord doth make us many times instrumentall under himselfe for th comfort and edifying one of another but it is Gol that doth make known all things to us whether it be by meanes or without and we ought to give him all the honour it is very dangerous to idolize the meanes neither ought we to slight it thougo it be by never so mean a person For out of the mouth of babes will hee be praised And let not us undervalue any thing that is of God whosoever it be spoken by for God is no respecter of persons I beseech you beloved let not this my labour seeme odious to you nor causâ— you to slight iâ— because it is written by a weak woman nor for you to harbour any strange thoughts of me for the writing of it for I have my self gonâ— through much spirituall bondage in severall wayes and finding many severall turnes and windings of Satan how cunning hee is in all his wayes anâ— transforming himselfe to an Angel of light labours our destruction in all things And the Lord having brought mee out of that bondage into thaâ— spirituall freedome which is in Christ for all thâ— Saints and I seeing many that are yet in spiritâ—â— all bondage and knows not what freedome there 〈◊〉 in Christ for them it doth cause my bowels of affection to yern to them Yet I should not presume 〈◊〉 set forth this in writing but that I have beene exceedingly moved by the Spirit of God to doe iâ— that I could not be quiet till I had begun it I haâ—â— done what I could before I did begin to doe it to pâ—â— those thoughts out of my mind bringing as many objections against it as I could but still the Spirit of God moved me more and more with motives to stirre mee up to doe it and many promises for the enabling of me to doe it knocking all the objections in pieces that came against it and this was one thing that was laid before me When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren And if thou lovest me feed my Lambs Ioh. 21.15 And another was I am no respecter of persons And also if we are the children of God we must be led by the Spirit of God to doe what hee would have us but after I saw it was of God I durst not refuse to doe it for obedience is better than sacrifice 1 Sam. 15.22 For I plainly see how dearly God loveth all man-kind but especially his children and those that are babes in Christ how great his love to them is yea even those that Christ is but newly conceived in If there be but a desiring really after God though there be yet no enjoyment of God hee will not quench smoaking flâ—xe and his love is as great to those that are the lowest and weakest Saints as to those that are the highest and strongest onely hee makes his love knowne more to them than to those that are yet weake and his making his love known to us causeth us to grow strong in him We all were weake at the first but be strengthens us by degrees as he revealeth himselfe to us more and more and so be will doe to you and when hee doth reveale any thing to any it is not only for them bit that they should declare iâ— unto others that tâ—ey may know what love Goâ— hath toward them that our weake brethren maâ— he strengthned and the lambs of God whicâ— are the young children of God may be fed 〈◊〉 and the doing of this aright is exceeding pleasinâ— to God Here is one signe of our love to God anâ— after wee have found our Beloved all our desire should be that we should be led wholly by the Spirit of God to glorifie him and setting forth hiâ— praise and not to fear the scandals reproaches oâ— the world which are like thornes springing uâ— by the Devill labouring to choake the purâ— truth of Christ but I passe not what scandals oâ— reproaches I meete with all by this booke settinâ— forth for truth doth always finde some great enemies and the more because it is written by a woman for there are some always that doe respect thâ— persons of people having mens persons in admiration Jude 16. My brethren have not thâ— faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glâ—ry with respect of persons Ja. 2.1 And 〈◊〉 shall come to pass in the last days saith Godâ— I will pour of my spirit upon all fish you sons your daughters shal prophesie you young men shall see visiions and your old me shall dream dreams and on my servant an on my hand-maidens I will pour out in thoâ— days of my spirit they shall prophesie Joel 2.28 Act. 2.17 18. When the children of Israel murmured for flesh to eate and Moses was not able to bear it the Lord bid him gather seventy men of the Elders of the people and the Lord toook off â—he spirit that was upon Moses and put upon them and when the spirit rested upon them then they prophesied and did not cease and there was two â—f that seventy that went not out of the Host and they also prophesied Then there ran a young man and told Moses and said Eldad and Medad doe prophesie in the host And there was one answered and said My Lord Moses forbid them but Moses said unto him Enviest thou for my sake Yea would
for all this â—â—â—ing but now Christ hath cloathed us â—â—th his righteousnesse Mat. 6.32 And this â—â—ghteousnesse is perfect and it doth exceede â—â—e righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees â—â—d that white raiment that thou maist be cloâ—â—ed and that the shame of thy nakednesse doe not â—â—peare Revel 3.18 And to her was granted â—â—t she should be arraied in fine linnen cleane and â—â—ite For the fine linnen is the righteousnesse 〈◊〉 the Saints Rev. 19.8 And white robes were â—en to every one of them Rv. 6.11 And being â—â—athed with this robe we have no cause to â—â—e affraid wee have free accesse to goe to God 〈◊〉 Christ all our sins that wee have commitâ—â—d hath been against God and Christ hath â—â—tisfied his Father for them all and therefore â—â—e justifieth us and hath nothing to say aâ—â—inst us Who shall lay any thing to the charge 〈◊〉 Gods elect It is God that justifieth Who is he â—â—at condemneth us It is Christ that dyed yea â—â—ther that is risen again who is at the right hand â—f God who also maketh intercession for us Who â—â—all separate us from the love of Christ shall triâ—â—lation or distresse or persecution or nakednesse 〈◊〉 famine or perill or sword Nay in all these â—hings wee are more than Conquerours through â—â—im that loved us For I am perswaded that neiâ—â—er death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to comâ—â— Nor heighth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of Gâ—â— which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8.33 34 35 37 38 39. There is not any that can separate us froâ— God in Christ our sins cannot doe it I eveâ—â— I am hee that blotteth out thy transgressions for 〈◊〉 owne sake and will not remember thy sins Isa 43.25 Thou art my servant O Israel thou shalt 〈◊〉 be forgotten of me I have blotted out as a thicâ—â— cloud thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sinnes returne unto me for I have redeemed thee Isa 44.21 22. Feare not For I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name thou art mine When thou passest through the waters I will beâ— with thee and through riveâ—â— they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thâ—â— shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindlâ— upon thee For I am the Lord thy God the holy One of Israel thy Saviour Since thou hast beenâ— precious in my sight thou hast been honourable I have loved thee Feare not for I am with thee Isa 43.1 2 3 4 5. I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed for the Lord dwelleth iâ— Sion Joel 3.21 Fear not rejoyce and be glad for the Lord will doe great things Joel 2.21 Behold I will bring it health and cure and I will cure them and will reveale unto them abundance 〈◊〉 peace and truth Jerem. 33.6 I have seene his â—â—es and will heale him I will leade him also â—â—d restore comforts unto him Isa 57.18 And 〈◊〉 will sow her unto mee in the earth and I will â—â—e mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy 〈◊〉 I will say to them which were not my people 〈◊〉 art my people and they shall say thou art my 〈◊〉 Hos 2.23 It is the Lord that hath done all things for 〈◊〉 and in his time he doth make it known to 〈◊〉 that we may know his love to us and so to â—ake us love him and the Devill doth what â—e can to accuse God to us and tells us God 〈◊〉 angry with us to keepe us from him For if 〈◊〉 can but perswade us to keep from God he â—â—es not and he thinks that is the way for â—â—e knowes that if Christ comes to reigne in us â—â—ce his kingdome in us shall not stand So 〈◊〉 doth what he can to deceive us by his false â—â—les for this is the Tale-bearer that doth â—hat he can to part that friend-ship that is beâ—â—een God and us He is the false witnesse that â—eaketh lies and him that soweth discord aâ—â—ng brethren Prov. 6.19 Lay not waite O â—â—ked man against the dwelling of the righteâ—â— spoile not his resting place Prov. 24.15 God 〈◊〉 that resting place Heb. 3.18 There remaineth therefore a resting place 〈◊〉 the people of God For he that is entered into his rest he also hath ceased from his own-wakeâ— Heb. 4.9 10. And so farre as God doth mâ—nifest himselfe in us wee dwell in this restiâ—â— place and the Devill doth what hee can 〈◊〉 hinder us of it by telling us false tales but liâ—â—en not to him for he is a deceiver and a lyâ—â— from the beginning When he speaketh a lye 〈◊〉 speaketh of his owne for he is a lyar and the Fâ—ther of it John 8.44 And if he doth tell thâ— that God is angry and thou must do thus aâ—â— thus to pacifie him through thy obedience though he brings Scripture for what hee saitâ— as he did to Christ Matth. 4. yet believe hiâ— not Yea if any one deliver any other dâ—ctrine to us than that doctrine of Christ whicâ— is the setting forth of the love of God to us 〈◊〉 farre as it is not of God it is of the Devilâ— and hee is accursed And the Lord doth coâ—â— with power to destroy the workes of the Devilâ— 1 John 3.8 Thou art not onely set upon his heart foâ— him to love thee but upon his arme to defenâ— thee against thy spirituall enemies the Deviâ—â— and his Armie which is sinne and wickedness and our owne righteousnesse which doth peâ—secute this seede of God in us and hath doâ— the uttermost of his power to destroy it quite and this kingdome of heaven hath suffered violence by the Devill and this seede of God i◠〈◊〉 hath been kept under and as it were impriâ—â—d by the Devill and himselfe hath reigned 〈◊〉 with tyranny and cruelty that maketh â—o put up many prayers and teares and 〈◊〉 and groans to God for him to deliver us 〈◊〉 these prayers sighes and groanes of these â—â—soners hath entered into the eares of the â—â—d Exod. 3.7 8. Then the Lord said I have â—â—ly seen the trouble of my people which are in Aeâ—â— and have heard their crye because of their â—â—ke-masters for I know their sorrowes Thereâ—â— I am come downe to deliver them And our â—â—ow is greater than theirs for theirs was a â—â—poral bondage but ours is spiritual Behold 〈◊〉 Lord God will come with strong hand and his 〈◊〉 shall rule for him Behold his reward is with 〈◊〉 and his worke before him Isa 40.10 But 〈◊〉 Israel art my servant Jacob whom I have 〈◊〉 the seede of Abraham my friend Thou â—â—m I have taken from the ends of the earth â—â—ed thee from the chiefe men thereof and said 〈◊〉 thee Thou art my servant I have chosen thee 〈◊〉 not cast thee away Feare thou not for I am 〈◊〉 thee be not dismayed for I am thy God I 〈◊〉 strengthen thee
how for sins of ignorance And ch 6. there is a sacrifice to be offered for sins willingly And c. 16. there is what is to be offered for the sins of the Priest and how and so along that booke it speaks much of sacrifices for the sins of the people Heb. 9.22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood and without shedding of blood is no remission So Christe blood was the Red Sea that they did passe through to come out of their spirituall bondage which they had brought themselves in by obeying the Devill And they saw him darkly through sacrifices and ordinances and ceremonies which were but shadowes of things to come but the substance is Christ and they were not to depend upon their sacrifices but upon Christ It pleased the Lord to lead them in this dark way shewing himselfe to them by degrees as was most to his glory yet there was more light shewed to them then was revealed before them in the Prophets There he shewes himselfe clearly to them what he would doe for them and what he was to them and his exceeding great love to them which in the fulnesse of time he did come and performe it Thus they waited a long time having but a little hope of him still looking for his comming in the flesh and desiring his comming and yet willing to wait his time And at the the last he did come and finish all things for the salvation of their soules and made full satisfaction to his Father for all sins and not for theirs only but for the sins of the whole world for all that was from Adam to the end of the world Man had sinned therefore man must suffer and it must be one that was without sin for one that had sinne could not make satisfaction neither could man as man but it must be God in man or else he could not make satisfaction to God and it must be man too or else he could not suffer so he must be a middle person betwixt God and man that must make satisfaction to God for man So God sent his only Sonne out of his bosome to take our nature upon him and he was able to make full satisfaction to his Father for all man-kind at once So the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all Isa 53.6 God hath laid our sins upon Christ and he was willing to take them so our sinnes being laid upon Christ he is become the debter and we are set at liberty our sins are all laid upon Christ so God requires the full debt to be paid alone by him He hath nothing to say or doe against us because Christ hath undertaken to make full satisfaction to God for us and he cannot nor will not require it of Christ and us too 2 Cor. 5.18 19 21. All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himselfe by Jesus Christ God was in Christ reconcising the world unto himselfe not imputing their trespasses unto them For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Isa 53.4 5. Surely hee hath born our griefes and carried our sorrows yet we did esteeme him stricken smitten of God and afflicted But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with hiâ— stripes we are healed so all along that chapteâ— it speaks what Christ suffered for us Hos 13 14. I will ransome them from the power of thâ— grave I will redeeme them from death O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction repentance shall bee hid from mine eyeâ— 1 Cor. 15.54 55 56 57. Death is swalloweâ— up in victory O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin anâ— the strength of sinne is the Law But thanks 〈◊〉 to God which giveth us the victory through oâ—â— Lord Jesus Christ In Hosea he saith I wil 〈◊〉 it it is he alone that will doe it but now heâ— tel you 't is already done Death is swallowâ— up in victory and this is the death that is spoken of in Gen. 2.17 And Christ hath gotteâ— victory over it for us Hee is made perfect 〈◊〉 us through suffering he was perfect in himselfe before but not for us but now he 〈◊〉 perfect for us I shall shew you how Chriâ—â— was made perfect for us through suffering 〈◊〉 was made perfect for us 3. wayes First By the fulfilling of the whole Laâ— for us Secondly By making full satisfaction fâ—â— the sins of the world Thirdly He hath purchased of his Fathâ—â— all things both spirituall and temporall for us I shall shew you of the two first and let the other alone till afterwards For the first Christ hath fulfilled the whole Law for us Man was commanded to doe it and there was a great curse lay upon him if he did not doe it Cursed is every one that doth not all things that are written in the book of the Law Gal. 3.10 For whosoever shall keepe the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all Jam. 2.10 And man he could not doe it so Christ he comes and performes the whole law perfectly for us Mat. 5.17 Thinke not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill For verily I say unto you till heaven and earth passe one jot or tittle shall in no wise passe from the Law till all be fulfilled And Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth and he hath fulfilled every jot and tittle of the Law for us for he did undertake to fulfill the whole Law for us to purchase a perfect righteousnesse for us by his fulfilling the Law for us It behoves us saith Christ to fulfill all righteousnesse And which of you can taxe me of sin so his righteousnesse is a perfect righteousnesse there is not any imperfection in it the Lord hath not any thing to say against it and this is for us Christ our righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1.30 Ye are in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption Thus Christ hath fulfilled the whole Law for us Now I shall shew you how Christ hath made full satisfaction to his Father for our sins and that he did by suffering the whole wrath of God for the sins of the whole world I have a baptisme to be baptized withall and how am I streightned till it be accomplished which was his suffering He was to drinke off that bitter cup of the whole wrath of God wrung out by the hand of Gods vengeance to drink the dregs of it for our sinnes that was laid upon him And now you shall see how Christ complaines of this wrath of God that lay so heavy upon him John 12.27 Now is my soule
are able to goe I Having done mine endeavor to shew you the right meaning of some things in some measure which we are ready to stumble at and now there will be a plaine way to walke in Christ himselfe doth leade us gently as we are able to goe teaching us by degrees and hee is very carefull of those that are but babes in him those that the seede of himselfe doth but newly appeare in them and that but in a small measure Isa 40.10 Behold the Lord God will come with power and his arme shall rule for him Behold his reward is with him and his worke before him He shall feede his flocke like a Shepheard be shall gather the lambs with his arme and cary them in his bosome and shall gently leade those that are with young Christ compareth his Church to a flock of sheep Ezek. 34.31 And yee my flocke the flocke of my pasture are men and I am your God saith the Lord God And vers 15. Hee saith I will feede my flocke and I will cause them to lye downe saith the Lord God And Christ said unto Peter lovest thou me feede my sheepe And again he said lovest thou mee feede my lambes John 21.15 16. In a sheepe-fold there is sheepe and lambes and them that are with young and Christ is the Shepherd over them all and feedes them all with that good pasture which is himselfe I shall first shew you how gently he leads them that are with yong that is those that hath the seed of the spirit of Christ but conceived in theÌ„ that but in a smal measure that it doth not appeare whether there is any thing or no neither by thee nor others which is the first degree of the growth of his seede in us which are some desirings after God The Lord will feed and nourish these motions in us The Lord will not quench the smoaking flaxe Isa 42.3 If there be any desiring after him though it be in the smallest measure as can be and it lies smoaking in us and doth not burne yet there is fire in it or else it would not smoake God is called fire Heb. 12.29 And this desiring after God is the Spirit of God in us for there is nothing that can really desire after God but that which is one with him therfore it is a spirituall fire and hee will not quench these motions in us though they are but smal and though they are like sparks of fire in us he layes them together and blows them with the wind of his Spirit and kindles this fire of himselfe in us that it shall flame forth in a visible appearance to us and others It may lye hid a while being covered with the filthinesse of our flesh sinne and wickednesse or with the glory of our flesh our righteousnesse and both these are great enemies to him and so lye in us as if it were dead but the Lord wil quicken it and it shall flourish And though Christ is but conceived in us and these desires after him encreaseth more more so in the womb of our desires after him hee growes more and more and yet we doe not find that this childe Jesus is brought forth in us by his Spirit so that wee can perceive it by the enjoyment of those comforts that wee expect to have in him by the manifestation of himselfe in us when we are thus bigge with young and this childe is come to the birth and there wants nothing but strength to bring it forth The Lord is then our leader and the Lord doth comfort us in telling us by some inward motions of his Spirit that the manifestation of himself shall be brought forth to us in his time and he doth up-hold us in the mean time but we are much troubled while Christ is brought forth to us that we may see him and rejoyce in him Isa 26.17 18. Like as a woman with childe that draweth neer the time of her delivery is in paine and cryeth out in her pangs so have wee beene in thy sight O Lord. We have beene with child we have beene in paine wee have as it were brought forth winde We cannot bring forth this childe Jesus in our own strength for all our strength is as a blast of wind and the more we strive in our own strength the more pain we are in and the nearer he is to be brought forth to us the more spirituall paine wee have of wounds in conscience and troubles of minde but when the child Jesus is brought forth in us then we forget that paine for joy that Christ Jesus is brought forth to us and all our pain and trouble is swallowed up in the enjoyment of him and the longer it is before wee have the enjoyment of it the more we shall prize it when we have it Therefore be not discouraged whosoever thou art or whatsoever thou art that hast not Christ yet brought forth in the for this seed lies hid before it appear and though there is but small appearance of it in us yet then it grows in us and makes way for a manifestation of himselfe to us And when this spirituall childe Jesus is brought forth in us which he calls his lambs and he carries them in his bosome they are neare and deare unto him We are not only in his bosome but hee carries us about with him we cannot goe we are so weak that we can neither stand nor goe one that is new borne and therefore wee have yet no strength We are most careful and tender of our children when they are young ones and feede them accordingly and the younger they are the more tender wee are of them which doth set forth in some measure the love of God to those that are babes in him Our love is imperfect but his love to us is perfect he cannot forget us wee lye in his bosome yea in the very heart of Christ Cant. 8.6 Set â—ee as a seale upon thy heart as a seale upon thy arme This was the request of the Spouse to Christ she was then as a seale upon his heart though she saw it not but Christ puts it in her minde to aske that hee might make it knowne to her that she was as a seale upon his heart that shee was as neare and deare to him as shee can be for she is upon his heart and arme the heart to love her and his arme to defend her he can doe no other but love his Church and every particular member of it for it is one with him for the Spirit of Christ in us is one with Christ He prayeth to his Father That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and 〈◊〉 in thee that they also may be one in us Joh. 17.21 That is that we might see our selves one in him for then wee were one in him but wee cannot know it while he comes and shews us it John 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou
and you in me and I in you John 14.20 For Christ is the head and is one with the Father and the whole Church of God is the body which is the Spirit of God in all the Saints and he is always in us and with us Christ in us the hope of glory we by faith see Christ in us and know that he is the glory and wait patiently upon him while he is pleased to manifest his glory in us So by faith we believe and hope for that which wee have not yet the enjoyment â—f Though wee have Christ who is the fulâ—â—sse of all happinesse yet wee doe not see him 〈◊〉 us till hee is pleased to manifest himselfe to 〈◊〉 and shew us his glory And this faith of â—elieving what we shall enjoy is a very gloriâ—us condition and we have abundance of joy â—â—d comfort in it for the promise to us of the â—â—joyment of himselfe is sealed to us we are â—re of it there is not any thing that can hinâ—â—r him from manifesting himselfe to us Eph. â— 13 14. After that yee heard the word of truth â—â—e Gospel of your salvation in whom also after â—hat ye believed ye were sealed with that holy Spirit 〈◊〉 promise Which is the earnest of our inheritance â—â—till the redemption of the purchased possession â—â—to the praise of his glory So the Lord revealing to us by his Spirit â—â—at there is an inheritance purchased by â—hrist for us which is himselfe that is the â—â—eatest inheritance that can be and this Spiâ—â—â— doth seale it to us till the time is come that â—â—mselfe will give us possession of that inheriâ—â—nce that hee hath redeemed and purchased â—â—r us for the praise of his glory So while we â—ave but an earnest given us of this inheritance â—eing we know it is sure wee are exceedingly â—omforted and carried above all slavish fears â—nd troubles and above all things that wee see below Christ and many the Lord leades a great while by faith before he gives them a full possession of himselfe CHAP. XVI Not for any to despise nor undervalue nor persecute one another IT is a very dangerous thing to embrace and close with that we heare before wee know whether it be truth or no for it is not sufficient for us to believe a thing to be truth because another saith it is truth For us to build upon this is a sandy-foundation we cannot build sure upon it though the things that we heare be truth yet except we know them to be truth by the Spirits teaching us or witnessing to us by sufficient grounds set forth in the Scripture that those things are truth that we heare it is very dangerous to build upon it and it is impossible but this building will fall for this foundation will not nor cannot hold it up and if it come to the tryall it will fall to the great dishonour of God and the scandalling of Religion and it is as dangerous to despise hate or persecute any thing that wee heare though it doth not seem to us to be truth for saith Paul After that way that ye call heresie so â—orship I the God of my Fathers Though it apâ—eareth to you to be heresie yet it may be reâ—â—ll truth therefore doe not hate it nor perseâ—ute it for Paul thought before his conversion â—hat it was heresie and persecuted it Acts 9. â—2 And Saul yet breathing out threatnings and â—aughter against the Disciples of the Lord went â—â—to the high Priest and desired of him letters to â—amascus to the Synagogue that if he found any 〈◊〉 this way whether they were men or women he â—ight bring them bound unto Jerusalem And â—he journeyed he came neare to Damascus and â—â—ddenly there shined round about him a light from â—â—aven and he fell to the earth and heard a voyce â—â—ying unto him Saul Saul why persecutest thou 〈◊〉 And he said who art thou Lord And the â—ord said I am Jesus whom thou persecutest it is â—â—â—d for thee to kicke against the pricks vers 3 4 â— Paul was then one that was very strict in all 〈◊〉 ways and walked very blamelesse as conâ—â—rning the performing of the Law and hee â—ought that all that was not as he was were â—â—retickes and hee persecuted them to the â—ath but the Lord said unto him Why perseâ—â—test thou me I am Jesus whom thou persecutest 〈◊〉 He persecuted Christ in his members Inasâ—â—eth as you have done it unto one of the least of â—â—se my brethren ye have done it to me Mat. 25.40 Take heed how you persecute any though you thinke they are heretickes and therefore persecute them as Paul did and indeed there was never any persecution but it went under the name of punishing Hereticks and doe iâ— by a shew of godlinesse as Paul did but it iâ— hard for you to kicke against prickes for it iâ— God that ye kicke against and he is stronger than you and will overcome you at the last and he is like pricks it will pierce your selves for not any weapon that is forged against hiâ— Saints shall prosper but shall returne backeâ— and destroy their enemies like as those meâ— were that tooke up Shadrach Mesbech and Abednego and cast them into the fiery fornan at the Kings command because they woulâ— not worship their false gods They made thâ— fornace exceeding hot because it should destroy the three men that were cast into it bâ—â— the flame of the fire slew those men that caâ— them in and Shadrach Mesbech and Abedego walked in the midst of the fire and neithâ—â— they nor their cloaths were burned nor 〈◊〉 much as smell of fire Dan. 3. Therefore whosoever thou art that persâ—cutest any take heed what thou dost for the last God will destroy thee whosoever thâ— art except thou commest to be converted and they whom thou dost persecute shall be 〈◊〉 livered out of thy hands if it be to the glory 〈◊〉 God and their good but if God hath giâ—â—n you so much power as to put them to â—â—ath the greatest harm that you can do them 〈◊〉 but to bring them to their full happinesse â—â—d that harm that you thinke to doe against â—â—â—m you doe against your selves for while 〈◊〉 persecute them they are at peace and quiâ—â— and have abundance of the enjoyment of â—â—od and enabled to bear exceedingly whatâ—â—ever is laid upon them for whatsoever is â—â—nting outwardly the Lord supplieth inâ—â—rdly by his Spirit and he conveyeth himâ—â—â—fe to them in that way that all the enemies 〈◊〉 the world nor all the Devils in hell are 〈◊〉 able to hinder them from the enjoyment him but while you persecute them you â—â—â—not be quiet in your mind but are troubled â—â—â—d cannot have peace like Saul that perseâ—â—â—â—d David The Spirit of the Lord departed 〈◊〉 Saul and an evill Spirit from the Lord trouâ—â—â—d him 1 Sam. 16.14 And this Spirit cauâ—â— him to persecute David and wheresoever 〈◊〉 Spirit is it causeth persecutions for it