to hear let him hear But what became of the great City and the whore or the false Church and the Beast and the Dragon with all his false Prophets are not they at the end burned and cast into the Lake of Fire and the lamb and the saints have the victory And David declareth how he was Persecuted and said Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my Soul let them be as Chaff before the Wind c. Let their Way be Darkness and Slippery c. False Witnesses rise up and lay to my Charge things that I Knew not they rewarded him Evill for good to the spoiling of his Soul and his Adversaries gathered themselves together against him with hypocriticall Mockery in feasts they gnash upon me with their Teeth yea they open their mouthes wide against me and Say Aha Aha c. but God will save his afflicted people and bring down the high looks of of them that afflict them And David mourned by reason of Affliction and said I am afflicted and ready to dye from my youth upward c. and said Lord remember David in all his Afflictions and he said The wicked in his pride persecuted the poor My times are in thy hand O Lord deliver me from the hand of my Enemies and them that persecute me And also David cryed to the Lord and said How many are the days of thy Servant wilt thou execute Judgment on them that persecute me They persecute me wrongfully help thou me the proud have digged a pit for me which are not after thy Law and they that do so now are not after thy Gospel And David said O Lord my God in thee I put my trust save me and deliver me from all them that persecute me for the Lord heareth the poor and despiseth not the prisoners let the Heaven and Earth praise him the Sea and every thing that moveth therein And David saith they that sate in the Gate spake against me and I was the Song of the Drunkards and do not the Drunkards make Songs of God's people now And you may see the sufferings and afflictions of Job by the Caldeans and Sabeans and the Tryals and Temptations of his Wife and his pretended Friends and also he saith in his afflictions they that are younger than I have me in derision whose Fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flocks the Children of Fools Children of base men now am I their Song yea I am their by word they abhor me c. and spare not to spit in my face upon my right hand rises the youth they put away my feet they rise up against me c. they marr my path set forward my Calamity c. But you may see how the Lord delivered Job out of all his afflictions and miseries for it was alwayes the wicked that abused the righteous in their sufferings and afflictions And Jeremiah said O Lord my strength and my fortress and my refuge in the day of affliction The Lord is the fortress and refuge and strength of all his people in the day of their afflictions and persecutions and did not the Lord confound all Jeremiah's persecutors did not Jeremiah tell his persecutors the Lord is with me as a terrible one therefore my persecutors shall stumble and they shall not prevail they shall be greatly ashamed for they shall not prosper and their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten And did not this come upon the persecutors that put Jeremiah in Prison and Dungeon was not Jeremiah delivered and his persecutors went into Captivity and he set at Liberty from his Prison Jer. 52. you may see what became of his persecutors whether they did not go into Captivity and into Prison And Isaiah speaking by Prophecy of Christ how he was oppressed and afflicted yet he opened not his Mouth and was not he brought as a Lamb to Pilate's and to the Jews Slaughter and as a Sheep before the Shearers and he was taken from Prison and from Judgment who shall declare the Generation of the suffering-Lamb slain from the foundation of the World for the Transgression of his people was he stricken the Smiters and the Afflictors and the Opposers and Imprisoners Despisers and Rejectors cannot declare the Generation of Christ the Lamb of God And Isaiah saith If thou loose the Bonds of wickedness to undo the heavy burthen and let the oppressed go free c. if thou draw out thy Soul to the hungry and satisfie the afflicted Soul then shall thy Light rise in obscurity But what will become of such that do oppress and lay their burthens and afflict the Just Their Light will be darkness And the Lord saith speaking of the Children of Israel In all their afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his Love and in his pitty he redeemed them and he bore them and carryed them all the days of old and God said I sent my Angel before thee to keep thee in the way c. And when the Children of Israel cryed unto the Lord he heard their voice and delivered them from their persecutors and afflictions And the Lord said I have surely seen the afflictions of my people which are in Aegypt and have heard their Cry by reason of their Task-masters for I know their sorrows So here you may see the Lord doth hear their Cryes and is sensible of the afflictions and Sorrows of his People therefore commandeth his people Not to afflict the widow nor the Fatherless nor the stranger for if they did they would cry unto the Lord and he would make their Wives Widows and their Children Fatherless And Amos Cryed Wo unto such that Chant to the sound of the Violl and Invent to themselves Instruments of Musick like unto David that Drink Wine in Bowles and anoint themselves with Chief Oyntments but they are not grieved for the Afflictions of Joseph for I know your manifold Transgressions and your mighty Sins they afflict the Just and that is it that afflicts the Just in our Age and are not sensible of the afflictions of Joseph nor of the Afflictions of the righteous in our age And Christ saith And shall not God avenge his own Elect with Cryes day and night unto him And did not Christ tell the Jews how they had slain and persecuted the Prophets And he said how that they should Persecute his Apostles and Prophets And what are become of those persecuting Jews And Christ said to his Disciples They shall lay hands on you and persecute you delivering you up to the Councils Scourge you in the Synagogues and cast you into Prison being brought before Kings Rulers for my name sake and it shall turn to you for a Testimony settle it therefore in your hearts not to meditate before what ye shall answer for I will give you a mouth and Wisdom saith Christ which all your Adversaries shall not be able to gain-say nor resist
CONCERNING PERSECUTION IN ALL AGES To this Day And he that was Born after the Flesh Persecuted him that was Born of the Spirit and even so it is now yea and all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Persecution Mark all them that will live Godly not them that will live Ungodly out of Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 3.12 For unto you it is given in the Behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake To the Elect of God and how that Christ hath sown his Seed upon all Grounds and now their Grounds will be tryed The Children of God their Heavenly Shield Buckler Arms Armour and Defence which they had from God and Christ G. FOX LONDON Printed by JOHN BRINGHVRST at the Sign of the BOOK in Grace-Church-street 1682. CONCERNING PERSECUTION THE Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirits that we are the Children of God if Children then Heirs of God and Joynt Heirs with Christ and if so be that we suffer with Christ that we may be also glorified together for I reckon that the present Sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed in us Who shall seperate us from the Love of Christ shall Tribulation or Distress or Persecution or Famine or Nakedness or Perill or Sword as it is written For Christs sake we are killed all the day long we are accounted as Sheep for the Slaughter nay in all these things we are more than Conquerors through Christ that lov'd us for I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor Things present nor Things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to seperate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Here is and ought to be the Noble Resolution of the true and faithful Christians in Christ Jesus and as the Apostle said to the Corinthians We are made a spectacle unto the world and Angels and men c. And we are counted fools for Christs sake and we are buffetted and have no certain dwelling place and being reviled we bless and being persecuted we suffer it being defamed we Intreat we are made as the filth of the world and as the off-scouring of all things but the Lord comforts us in all our Tribulations for as the Sufferings of Christ abounds in us so our Consolation also abounds with Christ And so it is no new thing for the Christians now to be troubled on every side yet not distressed perplexed but not in dispair for our light afflictions which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory c. and though our outward man perish yet our inward man is renewed day by day blessed be the Lord forever And as the Apostle saith I take pleasure in Infirmities in Reproaches in Necessities in Persecutions in Distresses for Christs sake And here the Apostle triumphed over all which should be every true Christians practice And you may read how Paul said how that beyond measure he persecuted the Church of God and wasted it but when he was converted and became a member of Christs Church then he preached that faith which he sought to destroy so you may see as it is written He that 's born after the flesh persecute him that is born after the spirit even so it is now therefore what ever Christendom doth profess and talk the Birth must be minded of what Birth you are if it be the birth of the flesh he will persecute him that is born after the spirit the true believers in Christ for unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake so this gift is not only to believe but also to suffer for his sake and so count all things but loss for the excellency of the Knowledge of the Lord Jesus for whom I suffer the Loss of all things and count them but dung that I may winn Christ and be found in him that I may know him and the power of his Resurrection and the Fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable unto his d at h To this all should mind to be conformable and know the fellowship in his sufferings And the Apostle encourages the Thessalonians who saith that we our selves glory in you c. for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure which is a manifest token of the righteous Judgments of God that ye may be worthy of the Kingdom of God for which ye also suffer seeing it is righteous with God to recompence to them that trouble you and so you that are troubled rest with us saith the Apostle therefore brethren we are comforted over you in all your afflictions and distresses for your faith stand fast in the Lord that no man should be moved by these afflictions for your selves know that we are appointed thereunto saith the Apostle for we told you before that we should suffer tribulations even as it is come to pass For Christ hath suffered and being tempted he is able to Succour them that are tempted in all their sufferings and though Christ he where a Son yet learned he Obedience by the things which he suffered and being made perfect he became the Author of eternal Salvation to all them which obey him and so if we suffer with him we shall reign with him and Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them and them which suffer Adversity as being your selves also in the body in bonds Here is a sensible feeling of one another that are born of the spirit and a Fellowship in sufferings who are persecuted by that spirit born of the Flesh And the Apostle saith to the Hebrews call to remembrance the former days in which after ye were Illuminated ye indured a great Fight of Afflictions partly while you were Gazing-stocks both by Reproaches Afflictions and partly while you became Companions of them that were so used for ye had Compassion of me in my bonds and took joyfully the spoiling of your Goods knowing in your selves that you have in Heaven a better and induring Substance cast not away your Confidence which hath great Recompence of Reward for ye have need of Patience that after you have done the will of God you may receive the Promise but if any draw back to wit in the time of Sufferings the Lords soul hath no pleasure in them Moses by Faith chusing rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God then to injoy the Pleasures of sin for a season esteeming the reproaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Aegypt for he had respect unto the recompence of reward and by faith forsook Aegypt not fearing the wrath of the King for he indured as seeing him who is invisible and ye may see what cruel tryals of mockings scourges bonds and
not you read what became of Iezabel that persecutor of the Lords Prophets And what is become of all the persecutors of Gods people since the beginning that Birth Born after the Flesh will it not have the same portion to the end of the World is it not recorded to be the Birth of the Flesh and is not to Inherit with the Heir of the Promise but is shut out from that Inheritance London the 8th Month 1682. G. F. To all the ELECT of GOD Chosen and Faithful who have known the Work of the Lord and his Dealings and his Eternal Hand his Spirit and Power in preserving of you to this day and in this Glorious Gospel Day of Christ Jesus who are built upon him the Holy Rock and Foundation of God that standeth sure and are fed with the Heavenly Bread feel the Springs of Living Water and enjoy the Presence of the Lord who daily gives the Encrease AND now Friends with the Eternal Power and Heavenly Light of Christ with it you have seen and do see and will see that which Christ hath spoken in the 23d of Matthew and 8th of Luke which he taught to the great Multitude in Parables when he sate in a Ship Behold saith Christ a Sower went out to sow his Seed and as he sowed some fell by the High Wayes side and it was trodden down and the Fowls of the Air devoured it and some fell upon the Rocks or Stony Places where they had not much Earth and as soon as it was sprung up it withered away So he that receiveth the Seed into rocky or stony Places the same is he that receiveth the Word with Joy yet hath he not Root in himself but dureth for a while or for a while believeth and in Temptations falleth away for when Tribulations or Persecutions arise because of the Word by and by he is Offended and upon too many such have we seen this Parable fulfilled in Times of Persecutions and Tribulations and Sufferings the Persecuting Sun when it is up they are scorch't and withered away and so come to nothing And some fell among Thorns and the Thorns sprung up and choaked it And they also that received Seed among the Thorns are they that hear the Word and when they have heard go forth and are choak't with the Cares of this World and Deceitfulness of Riches and Pleasures of this Life and become Unfruitful and bring no Fruit to perfection and this is seen to be the Condition of too many But the other fell into Good Ground and brought forth Fruit some Thirty some Sixty and some an Hundred fold So they that received the Seed into the Good Ground are they which in an honest and a good Heart have heard the Word and understand it and keep it and bring forth fruit with patience some an hundred fould some sixty some thirty as was said before these are the honest and good hearts upon whom Christ the Son of Righteousness shines that nourishes his good seed who brings forth fruit unto perfection who lives over the Deceitfull Riches and Cares of the World and the Pleasures of this Life that pass away who are not offended nor moved at Tribulations and Persecutions but patiently do endure them such do bring forth Fruit unto Perfection yea an 100.60 and 30. fould in Christ Jesus who bruses the Serpents head who makes men and womens hearts like the high way thorny rocky and stony ground for men and women whose hearts are like unto the High Ways stony rockey and thorny ground the seed hath fallen into these grounds as before and these grounds all can talk of the Seed and of the Word but bring forth no fruit unto perfection And therefore let all consider what ground you are and Fruit you bring forth and when you hear the Word of the Kingdom that ye understand it which none can without the Light and Spirit of Christ and walk in it but he that shall endure to the end in the light in the grace truth and spirit and in Christ from whom you do receive these shall be saved For the Apostle saith the Just shall live by faith and this is not by any faith which men make but by the faith which Jesus Christ is both the Author and Finisher of in your Hearts and Consciences and in this faith ye have access to God and do please him but if any man draw back to wit by not living by this Faith doth not the Lord say my soul shall have no pleasure in him but we are not of them who draw back unto perdition that is a sad drawing-back but of them that believe to the saving of our souls From Kingston upon Thames the 2d of the 9th Moneth 1682. G. F. THE END BOOKS Printed and Sold by John Bringhurst at the Sign of the Book in Grace-Church-street near Cornhil 1. A General Epistle given forth in Obedience to the God of Peace for the Preservation and Encrease of Charity and Vnity amongst the Professors of Christ Jesus and the Teachings of his Divine Light Within By William Gibson Price 1 s. 2. The Life of Christ magnified in his Minister Being Seventeen Friends Testimonies concerning Giles Barnardiston Price 3 d. 3. A Way to Prevent the Indignation and Judgments of the Lord from coming on a Nation or Family By G. F. Price 1 d. 4. The Devil was and is the Old Informer against the Righteous By G. F. Price 1 d. 5. An Epistle to the Houshould of the Seed of Ahraham c. By G. F. Price a Half-penny 6. An Epistle to all Christians Jews and Gentiles By G. F. Price a Half-penny 7. Concerning the Upright and Good Conversation of the Saints in Christ and in Heaven By G. F. Price a Half-penny 8. 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