Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	everlasting_a	reap_v	sow_v	6,865	5	10.5221	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65249	Lamentation over England from a true sight, and suffering sense, of the lamentable wickedness of such rulers, priests, and people, that are erred, and strayed from the way of God, and follow too much the devices and desires of their own hearts, offending against his holy laws ... : whereby all persecutors may (in pity to their souls) truly consider what way they are in, and whether it leads, and whose work they are doing, and what the Scripture saith will be the reward of oppression and cruelty / by M.W.	Watkins, Morgan, fl. 1653-1670.	1664 (1664)	Wing W1066; ESTC R38958	45,267	54

upon your beds your secret faults and wickednesse and makes you confesse in your hearts it is so and brings you to a sense of sorrow and misery that will be your portion if you repent not and turn to the Lord that spirit that searched thy heart and tried thy reins that pure word of truth that cannot deceive thee the annointing that speaks the truth in thee and this I say from the spirit of truth except thou believe in that word of truth and obey it thou shalt never witnesse salvation This is the infallible truth to all upon the face of the whole earth and there is no other salvation under heaven nor no other Name given to be saved by then this which is the Gentiles light and Israels glory that which make manifest the deeds of darknesse and reproves them this is that spirit that reproves the world of sin that leads out of sin all that do believe and follow it and this is he that spirit that is given for a leader to his people to be his salvation to the ends of the earth This is the Word of God the Son of God the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin and saves the souls of all that believe in him the Son the truth that maketh free the quickening spirit that quickens to life again the soul that was dead in Adam and so brings Immortality to light through his power which is the Gospel and he that believes not in his power knows not the Gospel that power which sets free from sin for that is the glad tidings to the soul to hear of a deliverance from the bondage of corruption that it may no longer serve sin the wages whereof is condemnation and death to it but that it might come to Sow in the eternal spirit and Reap the Wages of life everlasting for such as it sows such must it reap because God is Just And therefore they that do believe in the eternal power have denyed themselves and given up their souls into the hands of a faithful Creator that he may save them from the sin and take it away and bring in his own perfect righteousnesse according to his promise in his New Covenant of free mercy and grace and it is unpossible for God in Christ to faile or forsake them but keeps Covenant and mercy for ever and saves the soul from the sin and power of hell and death which is the Work his father hath sent him into the world to do and perform and he that doth believe in him he hath promised to raise him up out of the Fall Death and the Curse and restore him into the life of God from which he fell and was dead to and brings forth a new birth by creating a new heart and renewing a right spirit in him and this is his promise to do and work to perform and such who are not of this Faith can never have this Work wrought in them but do through their unbelief as it were make him a lyar that is as if he would not or could not performe his promise and such are dead while they live in the Sinne Fall and the Curse Reprobate to every good worke dishonouring the Lord of life through their unbelief of the truth But on the contrary believing the lying spirit that leads into the sin who saith that sin must be lived in while we are on the earth this is the Doctrine of the Devil and the Devils Doctrine which he hath taught his servants and Ministers to preach who are the false Prophets that daube with untempered morter that deceive the Nations so upholding the kingdome of the Devil sin and darknesse that he may keep his Kingdome and power in their hearts and rule there in the disobedient and bring forth his will that is sin and iniquity and ungodlinesse so beget his owne Image in them and do his owne Work through them and Preach his own Doctrine in them in which they believing can never witnesse salvation But are a company of miserable sinners laden with sin and iniquity ever learning of the deceitful lying spirit and so can never come to the knowledg of the truth that sets free from sin but are ever pleading for it being in the error strayed from the way of Gods salvation doing the things they ought not to do persecuting hating and killing the Innocent spoyling and robbing them of their goods acting in madnesse and folly beyond the very letter of the law and sometimes against it as for example some are excommunicated out of the assembly of miserable sinners their Church so called and after excommunication have had their goods strained on and taken away for not coming to their worship in the time of excommunication this is unreasonable cruel envious wicked dealings and this is done against many casting others into Dungeons and nasty holes and Prisons that hath destroyed their lives and all because we speak the truth and do the things that we ought to do and cannot hearken to the lying spirit that leads into errour and astray from the way of God But do hear the voice of Christ the good shepherd and Bishop of our souls and keep his sayings who saith swear not at all and do not after their works who are blind guides that say and do not the thing they say they ought to do but believe in the light that ye may be the children of light John 12.36 for said he I am the light of the world he that followeth me not blind guides shall not walk in darknesse but shall have the light of life chap. 8.12 13. then said the Pharisees thy record is not true mark what the blind guides said then and are they not blind guides that say so now who say it is but a natural light that is the light of the world that lighteth every man that cometh into the world and that it is not able to save a man from sin though it do condemn him and reprove him for sin and the deeds of darkness when as Christ himself the truth that cannot lye said he that followeth him the light shall not walk in darknesse and we who are come to the light in our selves and follow it do bear testimony against all the blind guides and hireling priests and false prophets upon the face of the whole earth that his record is true but this the unbelieving Jews could not believe then no more than the unbelieving Gentiles can believe now therefore they walk in darknesse and hate the light but this is the word of the Lord God of truth to all the Gentiles upon the whole earth they must believe in their light that is to say the Gentiles light before ever they can witnesse Gods salvation for that is his Covenant to the people and his salvation to the ends of the earth What if the blind should say what to do answer to save them from walking in darkness and then the fruits and works of darknesse cannot be brought forth

LAMENTATION OVER ENGLAND FROM A true sight and suffering sense of the lamentable Wickedness of such Rulers Priests and People that are erred and strayed from the way of God and follow too much the devices and desires of their own hearts offending against his holy Laws limiting the Holy one of Israel making the devices of their own hearts a Law to insnare the Innocent that worship the Father in spirit and truth Whereby all Persecutors may in pity to their souls truly consider what way they are in and whether it leads and whose work they are doing and what the Scripture saith will be the reward of Oppression and Cruelty By M. W. Evil shall hunt the cruel man to destruction I know that the Lord will avenge the afflicted and judg the poor Surely the righteous shall praise thy name and the just shall dwell in by presence Psalm 140.11 12 13. Printed in the Year 1664. Impartial Reader IF thy heart be upright towards God thou canst not but love his truth in the inward parts which teacheth thee to speak the truth and do the truth and to deal plainly with all men and not to call evil good nor good evil nor put light for darkness nor darkness for light but to deal justly with all men and walk humbly with thy God and then thou needst not fear the threats nor frowns of any man who is but dust but wilt fear the Lord and give glory to him that made heaven and earth the sea and the fountains of water in exalting his name above every name and his commands above the wills of men in bowing thy heart and soul to the obedience of his spirit that his everlasting kingdome of righteousness may be set up in thee that the blessed government of his Spirit thy soul may be subject to then thou canst in truth say the kingdom of God is come in power and great glory then the Idols of gold and silver and the glory of the work that perisheth thou wilt cast to the Bats of the night that cannot behold the Sun and to the Moles of the earth that know not him that gave them breath then canst thou declare what the Lord hath wrought and sound forth his praise to the ends of the earth then will the voice of the good shepherd of Israel be joy to thy heart strength to thy sinews marrow to thy bones and thy soul shall feed in the fat pastures and thy dwelling shall be in the hill of Gods delight even Sion that shall never be removed into which the Father of life is gathering his own seed out of all Nations Tongues and Languages to dwell with him in the unity of his spirit and to have fellowship with him in his life that his coming may be witnessed in the ten thousands of 〈…〉 the world and to destroy the will of the flesh and make his great slaughter of all that which hath rebelled against him and cannot be subject to the law of his spirit but resists and is a law warring in the flesh and that nature which slew the Lamb from the foundation of the world yet offereth a sacrifice but could never please God and they that please God could never please it therefore were they and are they persecuted and suffer by it and so spiritually overcome and reign over it so our kingdome is not of this world but over the spirit of this world neither can it be shaken by the powers of this world but by its power doth shake the world and shall over turn that foundation on which the wickedness is built that the blessed foundation of the Prophets and Apostles may be revealed before all Nations which is Christ Jesus the Light in which the saved in all nations shall walk and in which if thou that readest this dost not walk thou canst never witness Gods salvation but if thou believe and in it walk then wilt thou know this to be truth and love to thy soul from th● friend A Lamentation over England from a true sight and suffering sense of the lamentable wickednesse of such Rulers Priests and People that are Erred and Strayed from the way of God c. TEnder love to all your Souls is the subject of this ensuing Treatise And your refusal to accept of so great love as the Lord God of life holds forth to you in this the day of his tender visitation is cause sufficient for this my Lamentation Oh England England and ye Rulers and Magistrates thereof Oh that you had prised this the day of your visitation Oh that you had hearkened to the voice of the truth in the mouths of the Prophets and servants of God who have finished their faithful testimony several of them with the laying down of their lives And that you had not despised and still do despise and persecute those whom he hath sent unto you Oh that the blood of his pretious servants did not lie at your doores which cries loud for vengeance in the ears of the just God of heaven and earth till he make Inquisition for it How many have been imprisoned till death for obeying the will of God And how hath their blood been mingled with their sacrifices when they have been peaceably met together in the fear of the Lord and in the dread of his power out of the fear of him that kills the body but in the love and patient nature of the Lamb that overcomes the wrath and saves the soul who is the highest power that the soul ought to be subject to who hath given it life breath and being and who can cast it into Hell fire if it obey him not And therefore you are very much mistaken in us who think to frighten us out of our Religion by persecution or killing the body it being that which the Lord hath raised up in us by his mighty power in the denyal of our own wills and so contrary to all mens wills that have not submitted to his power For when he appeared in his power to place his fear in our hearts then our flesh trembled and Immortality was brought to light through the Gospel which was the voice of the Son of God to our souls by which we came to hear and live which life is contrary and which voice is dreadful to the flesh and so we having felt the terrors of the Lord for sin and transgression do not at all fear the terrors of men which can but kill the body and when that is done can do no more Therefore friends you knew not what you did when you began to meddle with us and make laws against us and persecute us because we could not submit to your wills for had you known us you would not have begun such an ill work wherein you should have lost so much labour and gained so much dishonour and also incurr'd the wrath of God Had Nebuchadnezzar known the three Children as well before as he did after he would never have forced them

ever And also have we not good reason to turn from you when you turn from Christ the true Light that gives the true knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesns Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 For the want of obedience to the which Light you come to erre and stray from the way of God and are as you say in the lost state like lost sheep and no marvel when you will not hearken to the voice of the true shepherd and bishop of the soul and they which do you persecute and so will not receive the knowledge of the truth your selves and enter into the kingdome nor suffer those that would as much as lieth in you you shut the kingdome of heaven against men as did the chief Priests and Scribes and Pharisees of old therefore woe is to you that ever you were born alas for you how will you be able to stand in the dreadful terrible day of Gods righteous judgment that is coming and speedily hastens upon you who are found opposers of the work of the spirit of truth even that spirit that the Apostles and Disciples of Christ were Ministers of that is it that leads into all truth into which the good shepherd is gathering his sheep wherein is witnessed the perfect gift that leads out of sin and imperfection the gift of the spirit of faith that overcomes the spirit of the world that leads into bondage and so come to witness the glorious liberty of the sons of God 2 Cor. 4 13.3 17. which is in the spirit for where the spirit of the Lord is received there is liberty from what from the bondage of sin and corruption not in sin and the lusts of the flesh as many would have it but in the spirit that leads out of sin and mortifies the lusts of the flesh as the Scripture saith Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh Galat. 5.16 which you Priests cannot believe though the Scripture saith it you are not come to the spirit of faith that overcomes the world who say we can never be free from sin while we are upon earth hath not he dominion over sin that doth not fulfill the lusts of the flesh as it is written Galat. 5.24 they that are Christ have crncified mark the flesh with the affections and lusts these that are Christs did witness a victory over sin who lived and walked in the spirit and the law of the spirit of life in Christs Jesus made them free from the law of sin and death Mark these were such that walked in the spirit and were the sons of God who ceased from sin for it is written John 8.34 he that committeth sin is the servant of sin that is not one of the sons of God that is made free indeed for know ye not that to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness for when ye were the servants of sin mark before Christs words that is committed sin ye were free from righteousness but now being made free from sin and become servants to God ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life Rom. 6 16 20 22. then there was a freedome from sin in the Apostles dayes as they bear testimony in the spirit of God and we who believe their testimony and are come to the same spirit and cannot but bear the same testimony according to our measure receiving him in the same spirit of faith do receive the same power to become the sons of God Now seeing there was a freedome from sin in the Apostles time who witnessed his glorious appearance to put away sin and that he had done in them the work he came into the world to do that is to destroy the works of the Devil how comes it to pass now that this Doctrine of the Apostles can find no more place in this generation of priests and people it is because they love darkness more than light and their lusts and evil deeds more than the life of righteousness and so would perswade the people that there is no such life of righteousness to be brought forth here on earth as the Apostles spake of and witnessed and the Scriptures bear testimony to so it doth clearly appear what kingdome you are of and whose servants you are that cannot cease from sin beguiling unstable soules mark these the Apostle saith are the false teachers that being in damnable heresies who through Covetousness and feigned words make merchandise of you 2 Pet. 2 14.2 1.3 who walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness that cannot cease from sin mark but plead for it terme of life these are they that beguile the unstable and strayed sheep whose hearts are exercised with covetous practises cursed children which have forsaken the right way and are gone astray like lost sheep following the way of Balaam the son of Bozor who loved the wages of unrighteousness to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever because they hate the light and love darkness more than light it justly becomes their portion And who is he that will be so wicked as to say we ought not to turn from these who prove themselves to be in the way of Balaam both in life and Doctrine a company of miserable sinners that cannot cease from sin being erred and strayed from the right way that leads out of sin therefore bring another Doctrine to plead for it and turning the Doctrine of truth into another meaning to uphold your contrary practice and cover your life that the Apostle bare testimony against whose Doctrine was from the gift of the spirit of truth which saith every good giving and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the father of lights James 1.17 and as many as come to this good and perfect gift receive it and are taught by it are led into the good old way of truth and righteousness which is the perfect leadings of the perfect spirit of God into his perfect life by which the command of God comes to be kept which saith Be ye therefore perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect Matth. 5.4 8. and the Apostles said they kept his commands and did that which was right in his sight but you priests and people that are erred and strayed from the good and perfect way cannot keep his commands nor do that which is right in his sight for it is impossible you should till you come to the good perfect gift of God and because it is impossible with you you think it is so with all but that which is impossible with you is possible with God and all who do receive him the perfect gift of Gods power and walk in it are come to witness the dominion of the son of God which is over sin hell and death and so becomes the sons of God that can do nothing

which is laid up for all those that continue faithful to the end Woe woe from the Lord is the portion of all that oppresse Jacob and that spoil Israel who exercise rule and authority over the blessed seed in the cursed nature and so being Gentiles by nature are ignorant of the Laws Statutes and Ordinances of Sions King and of his spiritual Israel who are of the heavenly birth that is blessed and cannot bow to Esau's Lordship who is of the first birth that is hated which cannot please God being in the unbelief and under the curse and yet doth exercise authority and oppresse the birth that doth Mark He that is in the flesh cannot please God thus saith the Scripture Gal. 4.29 And he that persecutes is of that birth as it is written He that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit Even so it is now then mark how can that birth that pleaseth God submit to that birth which pleaseth him not It could not do so of old both in the Prophets and Apostles it cannot do so now in Disciples and Believers and because it cannot do so now the birth of the flesh would force them by inflicting punishment upon their bodies and spoiling of their goods but he that gave them bodies is a Spirit and gives them spiritual power to overcome that spirit of darknesse in giving up their bodies that they may not bring guilt upon their souls And from this birth that cannot please God doth the enmity arise in all ages from the first that was Cain to the last that is Antichrist For the seed that bruiseth the heele rules in that birth that persecutes in all ages and is but one though it change its name yet its nature is to devour and destroy the life in which the seed rules that is blessed which is the Heir that the sons of Belial in all ages have combined to kill under the name of a deceiver or a blasphemer for old Cains Nature having put on Christe Name professeth him in Words but denyeth him in Works as saith the Scriptures by its testimony under the several appearances and dispensations of God it alwayes and in all ages testified against that nature For as in the time of the Law old Cain covered himself with a profession of it and with the strictest would Tithe Mint and Cummin but neglected the weightier Judgment and Mercy And when the Heir appeared in a body of flesh to do his Fathers will mark he could not own Cains Religion although he profest his fathers Law Then the old enmity said Come let us kill him this is the Heir but what saith the old enmity now in our age Come let us make a Law to Banish them to spoil their goods and hang them as Fellons and what not is the old enmity grown worse that it rages so much it knows who is appeared in his mighty power and that its time is but short for the Heir is again appeared and appearing in the bodies of his people to do his Fathers will and these cannot own Cains Religion now no more then their Lord Christ owned it then for the Heir of life know Cains nature then and so he doth now notwithstanding his taking the Law of God into his mouth yet he was from it in his heart for there was the murtherer in the heart where the Law should have been so the Heir of life the light of the world that manifests the deeds of darkness now said then to those Rabbies that went in long robes and for a pretence made long prayers yet devoured the poor Woe be to you hypocrites for ye shut up the kingdome of Heaven against men for you neither go in your selves neither suffer ye them that are entring to go in Mat h. 23.13 Mark how the old enmity wrought then he that came to do the will of God they killed for having told them before that their Religion was vain and that they were of their father the Devil and his works they did yet they believed not but persecuted to the death so despised the day of their visitation and him that told them the truth both hated and slew Therefore was their house left unto them desolate and the things that belonged to their everlasting peace was hid from their eyes So it being sea for an example in the following ages that persecution is punished with desolation and that spirit that seeks not after truth and peace with all men the peace of God is hid from its eyes and that is the fugative and vagabond spirit that slew his brother because he pleased God and this is that spirit that reigns and rules in great Babylon that drinks the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus and this is the spirit that is Head in the false Church or Scarlet coloured Whore that calls her selfe the Spouse of Christ and covers her self with his Name being erred from his spirit dwels in enmity to his nature this is that spirit of Antichrist that is come into the world with which the great men of the earth have been led to commit fornication with and drawn their hearts from the measure of his good spirit in them which would have guided their feet into the way of peace but that spirit of enmity being received guids their feet into the way of Cain to kill and slay their brother that cannot sacrifice with them nor own their Worship in that nature which cannot please God and for this cause have the holy men of God suffered in all ages as at this present day And because of this our Lord Christ suffered who could not own that nature in the zealous professing Jews notwithstanding they seemed to justifie themselves in words to his face as if they were the children of God saying We have one father even God Joh. 8.41 Mark his answer and Character of the children of God If God were your father ye would love me Love to the truth Christ the light is the work of a child of God hatred to the truth Christ the light and those that be in it is the work of a child of the Devil thus their works makes them manifest in all ages hatred against the appearance of God comes from the cursed nature that slew the Lamb. And to the Professors of the Law of God that were in that nature his Son said and doth say Ye seek to kill me and what it the reason because my word hath no place in you This is the cause of persecution and enmity against the truth from the first to the last the word of truth not being hearkened to in the heart in the mouth truth comes not to be beloved in the inward parts and by such it comes to be hated in others without If ye continue in my word then art ye my Disciples indeed So mark this if the word of truth that which speaks the truth in you hearts and shews your evil deeds in secret and telleth you

I cannot believe this record saith the blind guide and his followers then saith Christ for if ye believe not that I am be what he the true light ye shall dye in your sins then saith Jesus again unto them I go my way and ye shall seek me and shall dye in your sins whither I go ye cannot come Mark that ye despisers and haters of the light ye despise and hate Christ and ye that will not follow him the light here in this world shall not follow him hereafter into the glory of the world to come but shall dye in your sin and perish eternally Consider this ye despisers of truth there is but a breath betwixt you and eternal destruction ye haters of the light the eternal word by which you breath move and have a being who plead for sin and the deeds of darkness to live in them for tearm of life read your portion that live and die in sin and consider what he hath said that cannot lye if you will not live the life of the righteous being manifested unto you in the day of visitation you cannot dye the death of the righteous nor shall your last end be like unto his because he hath called and you refused he hath stretched out his hand of mercy and you will not regard ye have set at naught all his counsel by his messengers he hath sent unto you and would none of his reproof by his light in your consciences the spirit of truth that he hath sent to reprove the world of sin therefore saith he that cannot lye I will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh and when distress and anguish cometh upon you then shall you call but I will not answer you shall seek him early but shall not find him Pro. 1.24 25 26 27. therefore because the spirit of truth hath said it you that are in that capacity cannot dye the death of the righteous who shall in Gods peace that he hath laboured after with all men lye down and in his everlasting habitation dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil for the upright shall dwell in the land that the envy of Cains spirit shall not nor cannot banish them out of and the perfect shall remain in it These be a people whose life the blind guides could never yet see in all ages because they dwelt not in their land which is the land of darkness where Cain said he should be hid from the face of God therefore all his generation loves this land of darkness naturally to this day it being the land of their nativity where their fathers City is built out from the presence of the Lord and the blessing of the light of his countenance in that land of the valley of the shadow of death where the sitting down is in darknesse and the Prince of the power of darknesse bears rule there teaching his children and subjects to plead for his kingdome of liberty in the flesh which natural desires and lusts of the flesh being brought forth is the life after the flesh that cannot please God the old mans life in the curse in whom the seed of the serpent the subtilest beast is head and makes war in the old enmity against the seed of the woman of which is the spiritual or the birth after the spirit that the birth after the flesh persecutes and hates as Cain did who was of that wicked one and slew his brother and wherefore slew he him because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous 1 John 3.12 therefore it is no marvel that the children of light are hated of the world that lyeth in wickednesse and pleads for it and hates the light and pleads against it for he that hateth the light abides in darknesse and loveth not his brother and it s written whosoever hateth his brother is a murtherer and ye know that no murtherer hath eternal life abiding in him and where eternal life is not abiding there is Cains nature dwelling and from that nature ariseth the persecutor that doth not well in doing the things he ought not to do and so fin lyeth at his door And woe unto the wicked it shall be ill with him saith the spirit of the Lord for the reward of his hands shall he given him Isaiah 3.11 For the wicked shall be cut off from the earth and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it Proverbs 2.22 Therefore let all that have yet a day prize it and make your calling and election sure in this the day of Gods love and tender visitation to your souls and think not to say in your hearts did not the thief upon the Crosse dye the death of the righteous yes and did he not live the life of the righteous yes he lived by faith though it might be but the last hour he being then called at the last hour to believe in Christ the light of the world he followed him by faith in him and bore a glorious testimony for him when most of his Disciples had forsook him and the blind guides laugh'd him to scorn and wagged their heads at him then he who was faithful reproved his fellow that was as blind as his guides and chief priests so the priests and the thief and the elders were all in one spirit of envy mocking and despising the truth and chose the murtherer and the thief of which spirit they were of before the truth the son of God which spirit he that believed did rebuke and that was a good work in that hour when few durst own him but yet more then all this he confessed him to be a king and that a heavenly one too before the face of his enemies and before the whole world justified the righteous son of God and said he had done nothing amisse which proved his enemies the chief priests murtherers and in such a time when he was in his lowest estate when he said My God my God why hast thou for saken me then did he honour him by his faith which preached God had not forsaken him but had given him an everlasting kingdome and did not doubt but he was able to bring his soul that believed into his kingdome therefore said Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome and so received him before the face of the world as a faithful witnesse to the death who entred into the glorious paradice of God that his precious faith had fitted him for in that short time And if in so short a time faith in the power of God can bring forth such a glorious work what wretched wicked miserable unbelieving sinners are they who say they be in Christ the son of God yet do not expect to be saved from their sin and set free from their iniquity all the dayes of their life these make but a bad confession of the work of faith which is not to the glory of God the Father that hath sent his son to take away the

hath purchased us unto himself and not to the will of any man in the first nature as in things appertaining to God for there the elder must serve the younger for Jacob had the blessing and we cannot serve two Masters that is to say the Will of God and the Will of man when contrary to God and thus we who keep in the innocency and cannot please men to displease God are grievous sufferers and some even unto death where many thousand hearts are made sad and many thousand spirits Mourn in secret Oh that ever such wickednesse should be upon recod to posterity that the harmlesse innocent people of England should be banished out of their Country for waiting upon the Lord that hath redeemed their souls and praying to their God that made heaven and earth What a people redeemed by the precious blood of the Son of God imprisoned and banished and spoyled by their Neighbours and Countrymen and yet call themselves Christians Christ never yet owned any such that imprison banish and kill their brethren for worshipping their heavenly father And dare any that have any fear of God before their eyes say we are not Christians if so what Christians are you that banish your brethren Christ our elder brother never taught you that practice nor any of his Apostles or Disciples gave you that example but on the contrary said and commanded to love one another for John saith 1 Joh. 3.10 In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the devil whosoever doth not righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother so it is manifest in whom the envious nature dwelleth that slew his brother because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous and this is the nature of all persecuters and such as banish their brethren for righteousness sake which you see the Scriptures saith are not of God And can any be so blind as not to believe that the Lord will visit for these things and stretch out his hand over the Nation in terrible Judgments that shall overtake all you that put far away the evil day and cause the seat of violence to come near and then how will you be able to stand in Judgment w● Lord shall reward every man according to his works and if you should receive the same things at the hand of the Lord as we receive from you would you not think it a sore judgment then why cannot you in judgment remember mercy and think upon the afflictions of Joseph for though rewas sould by his brethren for a bond-man into Egypt yet the Lord was with him and he became ruler over the whole Land And though his sayings pleased not his brethren for the which they hated him without a cause yet the Lord loved him and blessed him with a double portion And now the Shepherd of Israel is leading Joseph like a flock and doth not his waies and sayings please you what is the matter is it not because the ways of the Shepherd of Israel are not as your ways therefore his sayings are not acceptable nor his testimony believed in the mouths of the people of his flock and the sheep of his pasture And wherefore doth not his ways please you because you love darkness more then light and the lusts of the flesh more then the life of righteousness this is that which is natural to the flesh and therefore no new nor strange thing to us for we know that seed can bring forth no better fruit and therefore it inherits not the promise for the promise is to the seed that was and is disalowed of men that is it that is chosen of God and precious for the believing in and obedience of we are disalowed and hated as our brethren were in former ages but mark this ye persecuters of our age the hated of men was and is blessed of God He that was sould and separated from his brethren being try'd was found faithful upon whose head the blessing came Joseph was sould and Jesus was sould Joseph had rule over Egypt and Jesus over the World who is become the head of the corner and shepherd of the soul and leads Joseph like a flock who is the glory of Israel that shines forth for our salvation and blessed are they that walk in his light which is the way that pleaseth not the world that lieth in wickednesse loves their evil deeds but is the way that pleaseth the Lord which he hath blessed with ●m everlasting blessing that it should prosper for ever 〈…〉 ones do walk and the redeemed of the Lord out of a● 〈…〉 For the Lord our God is one and his way is one who hath 〈…〉 be one sold and one shepherd out of whose hand his sheep shall not be 〈…〉 Job 10.16 Into whose Fold we witnesse a gathering blessed 〈…〉 that hath gathered us and by his eternal spirit of life hath quicke 〈…〉 into a blessed hope that nothing shall be able to reanove us wh● 〈…〉 in this faith And therefore what if the Heathen rage 〈…〉 a vain thing and the Kings of the eart●● themselves● 〈…〉 the Lord and his Anointed And what if the 〈…〉 blow and the storms o● the wicked bear and the 〈…〉 the un●odly swel and death and hell combin'd and take counsel together against us yet saith he that lives for ever I have se● my King upon 〈…〉 of Sion and blessed are all those whose souls are subject to his Law that he hath with in their hearts to his spirit in their inward parts for it is the law of the spirit of life that the law of the spirit of strife envy shall never prevail against though it may be formed and new moulded yet it shall no● prosper nor accomplish the end of those that made it And therefore is there not a cause to take up this my limentation over you O ye Rulers and Magistrates of England why will you die O ye people by 〈…〉 the paths that lead to destuction when the Lord stretcheth ●●ch his kind of mercy to receive you into his covenant of life why will 〈◊〉 chuse your own way and despise the path of peace and rest to yo●●●●●ls and why do you disda●● the noble immortal seed that the father or 〈…〉 sown for your salvation that of which except you be born again your souls perish for ever 〈…〉 do you flight the leadings and te●ch 〈…〉 spirit of truth in the inward parts which is the 〈…〉 up teachers to 〈◊〉 selves conformable to your own 〈…〉 ●able to your wills 〈…〉 deceive your souls and one day you shall know that these things 〈…〉 and that you have hated and persecuted your best friends even dear friends to your souls who are 〈◊〉 willing to lay down 〈…〉 a testimony to that truth by which your 〈…〉 to be 〈◊〉 And the Lord is our 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 in his truth that we desire 〈◊〉 dest●●●●tion of any neither in 〈…〉 but the good of 〈…〉 our enemies might come 〈…〉 be f●●●ed And 〈…〉 of●●● prayer 〈…〉 for 〈…〉 may not 〈…〉 day of visitation 〈…〉 that belong to their everlasting peace be 〈…〉 to destruction for ever And it is not 〈…〉 that I have 〈…〉 of the 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 of God 〈…〉 for 〈…〉 the soul 〈…〉 on in the 〈…〉 leads 〈…〉 that the spirit of love and life presseth to 〈◊〉 a 〈…〉 and reprove the evil practice and 〈…〉 And 〈…〉 O ye 〈…〉 not 〈…〉 be 〈…〉 are 〈…〉 〈…〉 but a sufferes by your 〈…〉 Christ Je●● M. W.