Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	law_n	life_n	power_n	7,129	5	5.5274	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86667	The rebukes of a reviler fallen upon his own head, in an answer to a book put forth by one Iohn Stelham, called a minister at Terlin in Essex. Wherein is shewed unto all spiritual men, that he himself is justly proved to be a contradictor of the scriptures, while he falsly accuses others thereof, that are clear, and the saying is fulfilled upon him, he is fallen into the pit, which he digged for others, for even that way which he calls heresie, do we worship the God of our fathers. By R.H.	Hubberthorn, Richard, 1628-1662.; Burrough, Edward, 1634-1662.	1657 (1657)	Wing H3229; Thomason E919_7; ESTC R207520	62,017	83

the Covenant of Works was not made with Adam in innocency God could not in justice require satisfaction of his posterity under the Fall c. A third supposition to prove Adam under a Covenant of Works is this Either he stood under the Covenant of Works or was under the Covenant of Grace or he was under no Covenant c. Unto which I Answer All such Priests and Teachers who be out of innocency themselves cannot tell what Covenant those are in with God who are innocent and in the image of God in holiness and righteousness and therefore from such have we so much perverting of the Scriptures and violating of the Law of God to make it according to their imaginations But unto such God saith What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest Instruction and castest my Words behind thee psal. 50. 16. Thou givest thy mouth to evil and thy tongue frameth deceit But I say that Covenant in which Adam was with God in his innocency and in his image he stood in that and by that by which he was made a living Soul and in that was in unity and Covenant with God for the disobedience of which he was driven out from God into the Earth and none was under the Law of Works neither was that Law added until there was transgression which it was added because of but that which is innocent and without sin unreprovable in Gods sight is under no Law but that which endureth for ever which doth free from sin and death those that be in it which is made manifest unto some since the falling from it and which the Isles is to wait for till it be made manifest where it is not already revealed and all who come to have right to speak of Gods Precepts and to take his Covenant in their mouths they see and comprehend all such darkness which doth not speak according to words of Scripture but speaks of three Covenants contrary to Scripture saying that the first Covenant promiseth nothing of Salvation nor mentioning nothing of a Saviour and yet saith that that Covenant is a part of Gods Word and his Will and pure law and yet mentioneth nothing of a Saviour and again saith that the Moral Law he calls of Works which promiseth no Salvation mentioneth nothing of a Saviour that this which mentioneth nothing of a Saviour is to be a directory and rule to true believers for the ordering of their Sanctification ●s it is also in Christs hand guiding them by his Spirit so this cannot build nor joyn together and so time to cease building any more in confusion but in denyal of that false doctrine I say That there is but two Covenants spoken of in the Scriptures which is a plain testimony of them without any such confusion or contradiction as the Apostles to the Hebrews saying in that he saith a new Covenant he hath made the first old c. And in the first Covenant as you may read Heb. 9. in all these things there was Christ held out and mentioned in the shadows and figures and so that Covenant which promiseth no Salvation nor mentioneth any thing of a Saviour that we deny for there is not such a Covenant in the Scriptures For that which said Do this and live promised life and mentioned Christ who is the life and by Christ who is the life and light of men is that Covenant fulfilled and by his power both the obedience and life is brought forth of which that Covenant speaketh and the new Covenant being come that God hath promised wherein he hath put his Law in their hearts and his Spirit in their inward part and all such needs not to come to such Priests to be taught who tells of a Covenant which promiseth no Salvation nor mentioneth any thing of a Saviour for we who be in the second know the first fulfilled which Christ was held forth in under Ordinances of Divine Service and a worldly sanctuary and divers washings and carnal Ordinances which never made the comers thereunto perfect as pertaining to the Conscience but now is Christ the Covenant of God and Covenant of light come and preached and with his light shineth in mens Conscience that he may make perfect as pertaining to the Conscience which Covenant is now witnessed among thousands and such denyed which speak of a Covenant that mentions nothing of a Saviour and that to be the rule of true believers Again in John Stelhams 5th head of Scripture Contradiction he speaks concerning Sin saying That the more a Soul is sanctified the more he sees his moats to be beams and that Paul was groaning and sighing all his life time under the body of sin and death Both these are false For the more a Soul is sanctified he is not the more taught to lye or to see falsly but the more he is taught to see clearly and discern a moat to be a moat and a beam to be a beam and knows the differance And Paul thanks God who had given him the victory over sin and death which he had not while he groaned under the body of it and so both the Saints and the work of sanctification is falsly accused by such and such are to be denyed as Enemies to God and to his Work In the reading of this let all people take notice That in the several and particular Heads of I. S. Book where he saith he hath contradicted us he is proved himself to contradict the Scriptures and so far as he contradicts the Scriptures in those particulars so far he may say he contradicts us and our testimony being one with the Scriptures in them things For in his 6 Head as concerning Justification he saith He that is justified is justified by God not under the Aspect or Notion of a Saint and as such but of a sinner and as a sinner believing in Jesus not as he loveth God or overcometh the world by Faith c. but as believing on Christ dying c. Now this testimony of I. S. is contrary to the Scriptures for God never justified any as hating of him nor as a sinner but as made obedient through Faith according to the Scriptures as the Apostle witnesseth Gal 2. 16. Even by the faith of Jesus Christ even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ c. so they believed that they might be justified and the ungodly they were first called out of their ungodliness and whom he called them he also justified and they whom he justified them he also glorified and by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses Acts 13. 39 and so all who are justified by the Lord are justified from their sins and not in them as all shall witness who come to be justified by Christ from their iniquity And

Stelham confesseth he is was never appointed by the Lord to watch over Souls But such where Christ did dwell in their hearts and because they were sons God sent forth the spirit of his Son into their hearts Eph. 3. 17. Gal 46. and such had truth in their hearts doing the will of God from the heart and did draw neer unto God with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and their bodies washed with pure water these did not profess the things of God in an old lying heart wherein dwelt no truth but called upon the name of the Lord with a pure heart and said that the end of the Commandment was Charity out of a pure heart and of a good Conscience and of Faith unfeigned from which some swarved in the Apostles dayes having turned aside unto vain jangling and such desired to be teachers of others but the doctrine is corrupt and the Ministry of Faith is not held where the heart and conscience is not pure And the Lord is good unto such who be of a clean heart Now as concerning the Scriptures John Stelhams Testimony from the old lying heart wherein dwells no truth is this That the Scriptures are the word of God and truly so called and the letter and Scripture is all one as page 3 4. but to contradict that himself he saith in page 5. the letter taken strictly is but legal Administration using these words the letter killeth i. e The bare legal command without a promise of power or pardon as a bare letter void of strength life and spirit it leaveth all men under a killing sentence and curse let them that have understanding judge Again as concerning the letter in page 6. he expresseth himself thus The Spirit is given by it And in the next words saith the Scripture is but instrumental to the Spirit Now mark the Letter taken strictly being legal without a Promise of Power or Pardon void of strength life and spirit The Spirit to be given by this which he confesseth is void of strength life and spirit and is but instrumental to the spirit whether this be not contradiction and confusion let them that read judge For in reading these things which he hath published many may seal to the Confession of his own Condition to be truth but that which he hath declired of the things of God to be false For now the light being broken forth such doctrine cannot be received nor beleeved that the spirit is given by the letter but that which is declared in the letter was given forth from the Spirit which was in them which spoke it forth but people may long have the letter and think in it to find God and eternal life and may die in their sins though I. S. say that not one man in the world knows God to be God till he finds him in the Scripture But I say unto him as Christ said unto the Pharisees who had neither heard his voyce at any time nor seen his shape had not his word abiding in them nor did not believe in the light and that he was the light which did enlighten every man that cometh into the world search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me saith Christ the life but those thought that they had the life in the scriptures deceived them for they wanted the life when they thought they had it so I. S. thoughts that he hath the spirit by the letter deceives him for when he finds the spirit eternal life then his old lying heart in which is no truth but the root of error will be taken away and so the light which cometh from Christ the life in which the spirit is received condemneth all such thoughts for they proceed out of that heart which is not upright before the Lord neither is it set to seek the Lord in that way in which he and his spirit is found Again I. S. talking of the Scriptures intrudes into things which he hath not seen comparing it with that which he hath seen and so in what he saith he is blind saying The Scriptures is a more standing rule than visions To which I Answer The night is upon him that he hath no vision and therefore doth not know what a vision is a rule unto nor the continuance of it as those in Israel which said that every vision fa●leth and so would not have them a standing rule and that reproach of the visions of God was so common that it was become a Proverb amongst them but the Prophet who was in the light and had the vision of the Lord and had the word of the Lord he was to reprove that Proverb and to tell them that they should no more use it as a proverb in Israel and said the dayes are at hand and the effect of every vision and so with the light who be in it doth now reprove all such proverbs and preachings against the visions of God for from the visions was the Scriptures spoken forth and that which they had seen they declared so that which gives forth words is greater than the words and without vision the people perish and they may perish while they have the letter but they cannot perish while they have the vision and although there be vain visions they do not make the true of none effect And although there be Sorceryes and Enchantment that doth not make the true resurrection of the dead of none effect but the blind must stumble at the things which they do not see Again I. S. saith That the Authority of the Scriptures is owned among the Jewes to this day Answ. No Christ is not owned amongst them who is the Authority and Power unto which the Scriptures give testimony that he is so neither are they yet converted as thou thy self confessest and they who be in the unconverted estate doth not own the Authority of the Scriptures though such may talk of them as thou dost speaking that of them which they never spoke of themselves Again I. S. saith in the 17. page As deep things as the Spirit hath Revealed they are all in the Scripture Answ. Nay There was things Revealed which was unutterable and many things which was Revealed and also Written which is not in the Scripture as the Book of Nathan the Prophet and the Prophesie of Ahijah the Shil●●mit● and the Visions of Iddoa the Seer which was against Jer●b●ans the Son of Nabat 2 Chron 9. 29. And the Book of Shemath the Prophet 2 Chron. 1. 2. 15. And the Book of Jehu 2 Chron. 20. 34. And the Book of Gad the Seer 1 Chron 29. 29. And the Book of Jaser 2 Sam. 1. 18. and the Prophesie of Enoch who prophesied of the coming of Christ in his Saints to execute Judgement upon all and to convince all that are uugodly of all their ungodly deeds and hard speeches

which ungodly sinners have spoken against him as Jude beareth witness and he also saw and Prophesied of Israel according to the flesh that they should do wickedly and slay him who was the light of the world And much more which is not written in the Bible And that which was manifest unto Paul which he wrote to the Corinthians in an Epostle not to company with fornicators that whole Epistle is not in the Bible 1 Cor. 5. 9. And likewise that which was revealed unto Paul in the dispensation of the grace of God given unto him how that by revelation God made known unto him the mystery which he wrote unto the Ephesians in a few words whereby they when they read they might understand his knowledge in the mystery of Christ which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it was then revealed unto his holy Angels and Prophets by the Spirit which Epistle in which that mystery was written is not in the Bible Ephes. 3. 3. And the Epistle which Paul wrote to the Laod●ceans which he charged the Colossians to read amongst them and that theirs should be read in the Church of the Laodeceans wherin his thanks and prayers to God was for their stedfastness in the truth wherein he made manifest the unprofitable talkers who went about to draw them from the truth of the Gospel and from their diligence in good works of eternal life as many vain and unprofitable talkers are in the world now doing the same work And whereas I. S. saith That the Epistle of Paul to the Colossians was read as the Word of the Lord in the Church of the Laodeceans Why doth he not as well ●ear witness that Pauls Epistle to the Laodeceans was read as the word of the Lord amongst the Colossians Col. 4. 16 And if he read in his Church the Epistle to the Colossians as the Word of the Lord why doth not he read to his people that which was written to the Laodeceans they both being given forth from one Spirit So let him consider of those things above mentioned and try whether his words will stand unreprovable 67 page saying God might have revealed more than is in the Scripture but he pleased not so to do In that page mentioning Samuel Moses and the Prophets Christ and the Apostles saying All that they have spoken is written both according to what was Written before and for substance the same Answ. What I have spoken and shall here speak may sufficiently make manifest that his words proceed from the old lying heart in which dwells no truth for I have shewed out of the Prophets and out of the Apostles many things which was both revealed and declared which is not in the Bible written And likewise I shall shew farther of the things concerning Christ testified by John and we know that his Testimony is true saying And there are also many other things which Jesus did the which if they should be written every one I suppose that even the world it se●f could not contain the Books which should be written John 21. 25. So that all is not written which was revealed wrote and spoken which if much more were written which was made manifest by it with that which is written could they not know the Lord their minds being from the light of Christ which doth reveal and make manifest that which may be known of God in them And many who have the Letter and are Ministers of it are sensual having not the spirit nor the word of God nor the testimony of Jesus and their Ministry is but as Chaff to the Wheat and the Lord is against them For what is the chaff to the wheat saith the Lord Jer. 23. Is not my word like a fire saith the Lord and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces Now many have the letter and know not the word of the Lord as a fire neither is the rock broken with the letter and such use their tongue for it is their own and the power of the Lord is not come over it such cause the People to err and doth not profit them being not sent nor commanded of the Lord for who are sent and commanded of the Lord the Lord useth their tongues to speak his words which he puts into their mouths and such words doth profit the people and not cause them to err being spoken according to the law which is light And the testimony of Jesus which is the Spirit of Prophesie and such do witness the Scriptures that as they cannot be broken so they cannot be denied by the Spirit which gave them fo●th to be a Declaration of those things which was reveale● known and believed But they are not that which they are a declaration of the letter testifies of the eternal life but it is not it neither gives it It testifies of the Light of the glorious Gospel shining in the heart which gives the light of the knowledge of the glory of God but it is not that light which gives that knowledge It testifies of the Way but Christ is the Way and of the Word but God is the Word and of Redemption but Christ is the Redemption and not the letter though it testifies of Justification and Sanctification but they are wrought by the Word in the grace and power of Christ and so every one who will own the Scriptures as they were given forth to be owned must first own that of God in them which is manifest to work in the Creature that which they testifie of that Christ the power of God they may witness working all their works in them and for them according to the Scriptures But contrary to the Scriptures I. S. from the root of Errour saith That the written letter is the spiritual Arm and Sword of the Spirit and that the very power of the written Letter puts Satan to flight● And in the same Page saith That the Devil hath Scripture in his mouth Answ. Let the People take notice and read the Scriptures and see if there be any such thing that the sword of the Spirit was ever in the Divels Mouth for the spiritual Armour which is said to be the Word of God But the Word of God w●ich is the sword of the Spirit is that by which he is to be destroyed and is in the mystery hid from him and all that follow his lusts But though the Devil which did not abide in the truth and his Ministers who are out of the truth may take the letter in their mouths as they have done and say its written so but the word of the Lord s not in their mouths which is the sword of the Spirit and such will use the letter in their mouths which cannot cease from sin whose eyes are full of Adultery beguiling unstable Souls their heart being exercised with covetous practises cursed children which have forsaken the right way and are in the Errour of Balaam loving the wages of

proofs are impertinent what is this to prove Infants Baptisme so that is passed by here as making arguments against Believers Baptisme except one professing that were our present adversary but in this he is pursued from all the Scriptures he cannot prove in justice that ever Infants Baptisme was either commanded or practised though he craftily wind about never so much in his Imaginations and consequences And in the general I answer Much by us have been written and spoken to this purpose so our judgements in this charge is fully known of which we are not ashamed before men as being fully justified herein in the sight of the Lord and so as to this particular more need not be said Again in the 12th Head of Scripture Contradiction as he saith concerning the Lords Supper I. S. makes much ado because of our denyall of carnall Inventions and Imitations practised by many in the exercise of that called the Supper of the Lord though with one heart and mind we say and witness that Christs flesh and blood is our meat and drink and none hath life in them without it yet doth receive it in the Spirit and power of God and doth bear our testimony against Imitations and false likenesses set up in the World as the Wicked and Prophane people such as live in pride and wickedness and covetousness both teachers and people eating a little Bread and drinking Wine so many times a year in such a form and manner and way as Christ nor his Apostles never practised such things in and no change wrought among people but both before and after if not in the very time fulfilling all wickedness and unrighteousnesse in words and wayes and thoughts yet by false suggestion from their Teachers believing vainly themselves to be the better or Saitns for the practice of such things whereas they do the more thereby vex the Lords soul and grieve his Spirit by hypocrisie and deceit this we call carnal Inventions and doth deny it in the presence of the Lord that it is evill and not accepted of God but condemned in his sight I. S. proves not that any thing which Christ instituted to be practised among the Saints only even was practised in the World among such who are not called neither sanctified and this is abomination to the Lord to practise the Saints words or wayes and have not the Spirit of the Father which we cannot see among the people of this Age no nor manage them professing to be selected Church members but pride and envy abounds among them all and in that spirit of disobedience in which they live to the Ordinances of Christ they have no right to practise that which only is to be practised among them that have the Spirit of the Father and nothing that Christ instituted for his Saints do we deny in its life and age but lives are changed and Antichrist hath roled and even the things which once he instituted your practise of them who are poluted are abomination to him and this is a full Answer in generall as to the thing though I pursue h●m not in every particular word and argument to lay open his folly but our judgement in this is known he that can receive it let him and the belief of the wicked we shall not begg in these things we are approved of God and in the denyal of all false Imitations and who is he that shall condemn In the 14th Head concerning Prayer Concerning Prayer we do not contradict the Scripture in our practice I. S. is the lyer herein who hath made it a subject to treat two leaves upon for praying in the Spirit and by the Spirit and in publick and private too we own and do practise as is known to thousands our enemies can witness for us and according to the Scripture too and not contradicting to it any way but this is the offence against him at which he is troubled that we should deny the prayers of the Pharisees or of such who are in the steps of the Pharisees viz. who for a pretence make long Prayers and stands praying in the Synagogues who are out of Christs and the Apostles Doctrine and the prayers and practises of such we do not deny according to the Scripture which saith the sacrifice of the wicked are abomination to the Lord and they shal receive greater condemnation who makes long prayers for a pretence as it is manifest concerning many in this Generation and against the praying of the Hypocrites and of hirelings who pretends to pray in love to Souls when as if they had not a great sum of mony from the people would not pray among them but seek a place to pray at among such who wou●d give them money and hire and this praying is for a pretence and we do deny it in publick and doth not offend God herein though we vex I. S. hereby because some will not worship the beast and bow a hat off while he is praying in an Idols Temple which he complains of in I. P. though he himself that prayes have a Cap on and himself confesses not wicked mans prayers are accepted publick or private and here he hath condemned all his own praying who confesses he is wicked and sinfull and his heart is old and lying Let all take notice of this which if he had not confessed it it is sufficiently proved then why shall he ever hereafter be offended seeing his prayers are not accepted according to his own confession if any tel him so or declare against his praying and before any can truly pray they must receive the Spirit of the Father and them we know who are not led by the Spirit of the Father them and their prayers are to be declared against by the Saints and are condemned in the sight of God And I. S. saith If this counsel be followed viz. waiting in the Light till the Spirit leading be known it makes known nothing of Publick Ministers Church officers Baptisme Lords Supper publick order of prayer nor of Christ as Mediator nor of the Spirit of promise c. The light that every man hath makes manifest nothing of this he sayeth he in this is a Lyar and slanderer of the people of God who are led by the moving of the Spirit in the light of the word Christ Jesus that lighteth every man and owneth the publick Ministry of Christ which is received by the holy Ghost and Church and Baptism and Christ as Mediator and the Spirit of promise and all these thing all the Saints upon earth who have the spirit of Christ shal witness against I. S. herein to be a lyar of the light and Spirit of God and so is a transgressor and his wickedness may largely be laid open but the least of the children of light may see his folly and madness who also lyingly saith that Quakers they nourish up people in the light that every man hath which is the light of Christ Jesus in opposition to Scripture

not for we say the same that some mens Consciences are defiled and we do not desire the Laws to be made according to mens several opinions and defiled Consciences but according to the light of Christ Jesus in every mans Conscience which is but one in all and is according to the Law of God and every just Law will be according to it and though I. S. by his own meaning would make it appear contradiction in our saying no Law must be concerning Religion and yet saying all Laws should be according to the light of Christ in the Conscience Now by these words we do not mean that we would not have a Law according to Religion but no Law to limit to or from this or that manner of Religion and this doth very well agree with our saying let all your Laws be according to the light of Christ so by his misinterpretation of the first he makes it appear to be contradictions to the second but it is not so in the light of the Spirit of God And further R. F. saying the law of God answers his Justice and the light of Christ in the conscience answers the law of God which is perfect according to that in the conscience these words I. S. charges with two errors but let the Reader try where the error lyes and not believe I. S. false deduction from R. F. plain words which are simply uttered through subtilty wrested And I. S. speaks as if some would have Magistrates to make Laws to bind themselves from striking at offenders Blasphemers Gospel and Church disturbers c. In answer to this we are not they that would have any Magistrates to bind themselves from striking at offenders who are truly able to judge of offences we own that such should be punished according to the offence but the Magistrates Law reaches but to the outward man to keep that in peace and good order and not to the inward man to bind or limit that And as for Blasphemy and Gospel and Church disturbing we find many Magistrates not able to judge thereof but many on the contrary calling truth blasphemy and reproving of sin in Teachers and people Gospel and Church disturbing and so by false judgement making such offenders which are not and so abusing their power and condemning the Innocent rather then the guilty and these are such as I. S. speaks of where the strong man armed keeps the house and these are rather a terror to well doers then to evill and such Magistrates and such Laws by which the just are oppressed and the hands of the wicked strengthened will the Lord confound in a day to the glory of his name and to the refreshing of all his people who is now every way oppressed by evill men both by Rulers Teachers and People And as for the rest of his Book it s but of the same nature with the former and not worth answering to onely his lyes I do deny and his first following is that all our Doctrines are raised upon the ruines of the Scriptures excellency and authority this is false neither doth his proof at all make it good His second lye is that our corrupt Tenents are built upon false and novel Interpretations and this is two lyes together our Tenents are not corrupt neither do we build any thing which we hold upon false Interpretations His third lye is that it is pride that hath bred and doth feed our opinions and practises and this is also false and to prove it hath wrested some of E. B. words His fourth lye is that unbelief begets and procreates all our errors and our love of error with our derisions of the truth here is many lyes folded up in one which are all denyed with the life of God and the author of them proved to be of the Devil and we proved to be of God who are spoken all manner of evil against falsely for the name of Jesus His fifth lye is that we do subtilly couch many errors under spacious words of truth this lye also I bear Witness against as also against his Sixth wherein he charges us with meer ignorance and wilful blindness about the covenant of Grace c. His seventh lye is that much of mystical Babylon and confusion is in our Writings and wayes this is also a lye and of the devil and also against his eight I bear testimony our Doctrines and practises ends not in Apostacy neither are they blasphemy against Christ as I. S. impudently asserteth so that from the first of his Book to his last his whole Work is born witness against not to be of God but of the devill and in vain hath he striven and his Work shall not accomplish any part of his desire for the Quakers against whom he hath Written cannot be offended in Christ though I. S. have endeavoured for to make their way and Doctrines in the sight of men abominable but his Work shall not prevent the purpose of the Lord nor the gathering in of the upright-hearted from the mouths of devouring Shepheards such as I. S. and the Priests of England who is it that doth not begin to see their deceits and abominations yea thousands do and m●ny more shall do so that all their striving to uphold their Kingdom is but in vain for God hath blasted al their glory and he will teach his people himself and govern them by his own Law and order and the Kingdoms of this World shall be changed and shall become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and Antichrist and all his ministers shall be confounded and the Beast and the false Prophet shall both be taken alive and cast into the lake Ah John Stelham against whom hast thou set thy self and exalted thy horn against whom hast thou bent thy strength and shot forth thy envie in crafty words of guile who is it that thou hast defied and girded on thy armour against and counted them as nothing before thy uncircumcised strength even against the Lords people hast thou thus done though thou wilt not now know it yet one day thou shalt know it when iniquity is come to an end and transgression finished and thou shalt stand in thy lot at that day and receive according to thy work a just and righteous reward from the hand of the Lord in the day of judgement when every secret work of iniquity shall appear to condemnation and in the mean time the Lord will bring forth good unto his people even from thy evil and all things even thy evil purposes shail work together for good unto such whom God hath called and thy works and purposes which are to trouble them and to break them and to make them appear vile in the sight of men even thy work doth the Lord turn to establish them and to unite them and in the sight of men thy work against us proves us to be of God and thy self to be of the Devil who was a persecutor from the beginning