forgive them for they know not what they do and afterward to Saul Saul Saul why Persecutest thou me Therefore in love to those who are at unawares running into this great Error that they may find the good Hand of God stopping them therein for their own good are these things following concerning Persecution Written wherein are manifested First What it is that is Persecuted 2. Who it is that Persecutes or is the Persecutor 3. The Nature of Persecution 4. The Grounds or Causes of Persecution 5. The Ways and Meanes of Persecution 6. The Ends of Persecuting what men aim at therein or rather what that Spirit in men which puts them upon Persecuting of others aims at thereby 7. The Colour or false Pretence of the Persecuting Spirit 8. The Blessedness of the Persecuted 9. The Misery of the Persecutors 10. The Way and Meanes whereby men may come to avoid this great evil of Persecuting others Whereunto in the Last Place are added Some sad Effects of Persecution to kindle in men a Desire of avoiding so great an Evil in its self and so Pernitious an Enemy to all that is good in General and Particularly to the Peace and Welfare of Mankind as the Persecuting Spirit is 1. What or Who it is that is Persecuted The Persecuted in all Ages is that which is born after God's Spirit Gal. 4. 29. He that is new-created in Christ Jesus who is formed in the Image and by the Spirit of God which is contrary to the Image and Spirit of the World and who followes Christ in the leadings and teachings of his Spirit which is out of and contrary to the course fashions ways customs of the world This is the man that is Persecuted in all ages He that is of another Spirit Principle than the World so cannot be as the World is being made otherwise by God nor walk as the World walks nor worship as the World worships being taught and required of God to do otherwise This is the man who is afflicted reproached hated hunted persecuted And so the Apostle laies it down not only as a thing to be in his Age but in after Ages also 2 Tim. 3. 12. Yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Persecution Men may talk of Christ profess Christ worship Christ according to the way that is set up in Nations and avoid Persecution but come under the new Principle come into his life live Godly in Him become really subject unto the Power and direction of his Spirit then there is no longer avoiding of Persecution That which comes into the Life of Christ comes presently into a proportion of Suffering from that which is contrary to His Life 2. What or Who it is that persecuteth or is the Persecutor The Persecutor in all Ages is that which is after the flesh That Spirit and Principle in man which is from beneath puts the men in whom it is upon Persecuting the other Principle and the persons in whom it appears Or more plainly thus That which is of the world that which Loves the world and present state thereof that which lies in the darkness is in unity with it loveth it and the corrupt wayes thereof that hates the Light and Persecuteth the children of the Light who are witnesses against and reprovers of the darkness John 3. 20. He that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was after the Spirit So it was formerly so it is also now saith the Apostle Gal. 4. 29. Now there are several sorts and ranks of these as some in the way of open prophaness and wickedness some more civilised and of a more gentle noble and considerate spirit and temper some more religions and devout in worships though not rightly principled and guided but turned aside to some inventions or other of the earthly spirit all which are pleasing to the earthly spirit But all these though they are different one from another and agree not well among themselves but are full of dislikes one toward another yet they all agree in this to wit in a willingness to have that persecuted and subjected which is of a contrary spirit and nature to them all They are all against this more or less though not all against it in the same degree of heat and vehemency 3. The Nature of Persecution or What it is to Persecute Persecution is the opposition of the flesh against the spirit The fretting or dashing of the earthly spirit or spirit of man corrupted against that which is born of God The fighting of the unregenerate and unrenewed spirit in man against the spirit of man renewed by the regenerating power of the Spirit of God The fighting the opposing of this spirit against the other is Persecution What ever any man does in his own will according to his own wisdom and after the inclination of his own heart against another who desires to fear the Lord who waits on Him for the counsel and guidance of His Spirit that he might Obey and Worship Him aright is Persecution The Principle of God teaches to fear the Lord not according to the fear which is taught by the precepts of men but according to the fear which God puts into the heart it teaches likewise to worship the Lord not according as man invents and thinks good to prescribe but as the Lord instructs and requires it teacheth likewise not to conform to the world but to deny it and come out of it Now the hating opposing and punishing of that which is thus taught because of these teachings and its obedience thereto this is Persecution The rising of the heart against such is Persecution in the heart The reproaching scoffing at or speaking evil of such is Persecution with the tongue So Ishmael's mocking of Isaac Gen. 21. 9 10. is called Persecuting of him Gal. 4. 29. 30. The smiting fining imprisoning of such c. in relation to any thing that they do from this Principle is Persecution with the hand or lifting up of the power either of a particular Person or of a Magistrate against such 4. The Grounds of Persecution or what are the things that cause the one Spirit and Principle to Persecute and the other to be Persecuted The Grounds and Causes which expose the one to Persecution and kindle the heat of Persecuting in the other are chiefly these three ensuing 1. The enmity of the birth of the Flesh against the birth of the Spirit There is enmity in the Serpent against the Woman and in the seed of the Serpent against the seed of the Woman That which is born of the corrupt Principle cannot endure that which is born of the pure Principle That which walks and worships in the will and according to the inventions of man's wisdom and in shadows and fleshly Forms pleasing to the flesh cannot endure that which worships in Spirit and Truth 2. The contrariety of that which is born of God and drawn out of the world to that which
is of the flesh or of corrupt man and left in the World this is that which incenseth and draweth forth the enmity in the corrupt Principle They are not of the world even as I am not of the World John 17. 16. Therefore the World hateth them v. 14. They are of another Spirit of another Image of another Make of another Heart of another Desire of another manner of Carriage and Demeanor of another Principle have other Ends in all they do then the World And their whole course and conversation being in the Light and in the Love in true Purity of Mind reproves the world which lies in the darkness and in the enmity and walks in the wickedness And how can the world bear this in the midst of all their height glory and greatness to be continually reproved by a poor and contemptible Generation as Gods choice in the world have for the generality of them always been even looked upon by the world as the off-scouring thereof as not fit to be suffered to have a being in it but rather as deserving to be scowred off from it The Light whereof the Children of Light are born and which they hold forth or rather which God holds forth by them condemns the World The evenness sweetness and straitness of their conversation and practices condemns the unevenness crookednes perversenes of the spirit of the World The integrity seriousness and spirituality of their worship with the living power and presence of God appearing among them condemns the deadness formality and hypocrisie of the worships of the world who draw nigh to God with their lips when it is manifest that their hearts are far from Him being ensnared and captivated with Vanities and Self-interests and love of the World and earthly things Indeed the whole course and manifestation of the Light and Power of God in them is a continual upbraiding of the principle and ways of darkness in the men of the world And how can the men of the world forbear making an unrighteous war even a war of Persecution against that which invades their territories and makes war with them in Righteousness Can darkness chuse but fight to save its own dominions It must put out the Light or it cannot save its own but will be losing ground daily 3. Because of the Children of Light leaving and coming out of the world They were once of the world as well as others Of the same nature of the same spirit of the same corrupt will of the same corrupt wisdom walking in their way worshipping according to their worships approving and observing their customs fashions and vanities But when the Spirit of Christ called them out of the world and created in them that which could hear his voice and was willing to follow him then they left all these and stood Witnesses in God's Spirit which called and in that life which was begotten in them and in the fear love and power of that God who quickned them against all these And this mads the world in that they were once of them but left them Had they staid in the world and been still of the world the world would have loved them as it doth the rest of its own but departing from the world travelling towards another countrey subjecting themselves to another Spirit and testifying against that Spirit which formerly led them and still leads the world and against those ways and practices wherein formerly they walked and wherein the world still walks this fills the worldly spirit with rage against them 5. The Wayes and Means of Persecution The Wayes and Means of Persecution are very many Who can want Instruments to afflict the innocent and helpless who can neither resist the evil which is offered them nor harm that which offers it I shall onely here mention three general heads to which many particulars may be referred 1. One great way of Persecution is by making use of Laws already made either according to their proper tendency to that end and purpose or by bending them aside from their proper intent to reach those whom they have a mind to afflict and persecute Thus the Jewes when they had a mind to have Christ put to death told Pilate We have a Law and by our Law he ought to die John 19. 7. 2. Another way is by making new Laws fit for their purpose whereby they may catch ensnare and suppress that which is contrary to their spirit and principle and which will not bow thereto This is a certain way to take that which is born of God and which cannot but be true to Him and so cannot bow to the corrupt will of man nor to any Law made in the corrupt will to strengthen the corruption and against the holy pure Will and Mind of God Thus Daniel and the Three Children were caught in the snare by Laws Daniel for praying to his God against the Royal Statute and firm Decree of the King signed in writing according to the desire and advice of all the Presidents of the Kingdom the Governors Princes Counsellors and Captains Dan. 6. 7 8. and the Three Children for not worshipping the Image Nebuchadnezzar had set up according to the Decree of the King observe this by the way and consider it well What hath been set up all this night of the Apostacy but Images of the true Worship and what compelling hath there been thereto Thus have Articles been framed and Statures made here in England as in King Henry 8. and in Queen Mary's days which have been great Engines of Persecution And thus have there been some late Laws made in New England to the same Effect though better might have justly been expected from them And this is not only a certain way but a very plausible way likewise whereby the Persecutor hides himself from the Imputation of Persecution and appears as a just Executer of the Law and so represents him who is upright before God and innocent in the sight of God as an Offender and Breaker of the Law and so justly punishable But this will not alwayes cover the unjust spirits Persecution of the Just He that shall persecute the Lord of Glory as he that persecuteth the least Member of His how contemptible soever he appears to his eye doth no lesse Act. 9. 4. Matth. 25. 40 45. when Christ shall call him to account therefore it will be a vain plea for him to say there was a Law for it and he acted according to Law It is fit for all Men and Laws to bow before the Lord and not to disturb any in their Obedience to the Lord or hurt the Principle of his Life in any but cherish and nurse it up as much as in them lies in that tenderness which Christ begetteth in it and in that spiritual Liberty which Christ allows it 3. A third way of Persecution is by the hand of Violence without either Law or so much as pretence to Law Thus the persecuting spirit when it
CONCERNING PERSECUTION Which is The Afflicting or Punishing that which is GOOD under the Pretence of its being EVIL Which Practice is contrary to the very Nature of Mankind so far as it is drawn out of the Corruption and Depravation which would be Good and do Good and have Good Cherished and Evil Suppressed both in it self and others It is contrary also to all Equal and Righteous Government which is for the suppressing of Evil and cherishing of Good and not for the afflicting and crushing of that which is Good upon pretence of its being Evil. Yet this unhappy Error will alwayes be committed in Nations and Governments until the proper Right and just Liberty of Men's Consciences be discerned acknowledged and allowed LIKEWISE There are some Answers given to that common Objection against affording CONSIENCE its due Liberty because Evil Persons may pretend Conscience to escape the just Punishment of their Evil Deeds With a brief Account of that supposed STUBBORNES which by many is objected against the People called QUAKERS Given forth in love to this Nation that at length the true bottom and foundation of a lasting Peace and Settlement may be espied the Spirits of the Governors and People fixed thereon and that dangerous Rock of Persecution whereon both the Powers and People of this Nation have so often split carefully avoided by all By Isaac Penington the younger London Printed for Robert Wilson in Martins Le Grand 1661. The PREFACE THere hath been an Enmity in the Seed of the Serpent against the Seed of the Woman from the time of the Promise even until now God in mercy to Mankind hath given unto him since the Fall a Seed or Principle of Life in the Light and Strength whereof he is to war against and subdue the Corrupt Principle and so be freed from the Curse and become Heir of the Blessing Against this Principle all the Powers of Darkness fight even in every particular man and woman until they be overcome and subjected there And against those in whom this pure Principle reigns all the Powers of Darkness in the world fight also striving to make it miserable and to bring it into death and captivity that they might keep up the content and happiness of the Corrupt State All the Nations of the Earth have alwayes warred against the Principle of God and the People of his choice In the time of the Law the Jews were the object of the Envy and Hatred of all the world in the times of the Gospel the Jews in Spirit were hated and hunted in that day and hour not only by Heathens but also by such as were Jews according to the Letter and ever since the Apostacy by Christians also according to the Letter who are as great enemies to the Spirit Power as ever the Jews were Now all the Misery of the World as it at first came by departing from the Principle of Life so it hath been ever since continued by mens joyning with the Principle of Death and Corruption to oppose and withstand the workings of the Principle of Life both in themselves and others VVhat man is there that hath not in him a Witness against that which is Evil But where is that man who joyns with this Witness in him against the Evil and not with the Evil against this Witness Oh how doth God's Witness reprove for Sin making the heart which is not sensual and brutish but seriously considers its latter end sad because of it This is God's way of making the creature weary thereof of weaning him from it delivering him out of it and so rescuing him from the Wrath and Everlasting Burnings which are the portion and inheritance of the Wicked But who is it that doth not strive to stop silence and suppress this Witness in himself that he might enjoy his lusts ease and content in the flesh by keeping the sight and remembrance of the Evil-day far from him And if he can do so then he rejoyceth and maketh merry over the Testimony of the Witness in himself and when he hath so far prevailed then he is in a good capacity to persecute others who hear and obey the Voice and Testimony thereof in themselves That which is to redeem the World out of Misery is the Power of the Gospel and precious is the Peace which comes thereby after the work of the Spiritual Sword with the trouble thereof is finished O how blessed would the Principle and Power of Life make the World might it but have its free course therein O how happy is that man who bears the Condemnation because of Sin follows the guidance of the living God and waits for the day of his Salvation O the sweet inward Peace of Spirit which is enjoyed after the storm and after the Judgment of that which is to be judged and destroyed And that which makes one person happy the same must make Nations happy There is no true settlement nor abiding security but in the setled and abiding Principle God is arisen to shake the Earth and it can settle no more upon the old foundations yea the same God hath shriveled up the old Heavens and they can no more be stretched forth again Behold I make all things new saith the Lord in the days of the Gospel when he stretcheth forth the Arm of his Power And who is he which shall venture to establish the old Heavens and the old Earth which the Lord God is removing and causing to passe away and abolish the new Heavens and the new Earth which the Lord God hath created and formed and is establishing O that men knew the place of Wisdom that they might be wise and not fight against their Creator from whom their strength comes and against whom their strength cannot prevail O that men could see how industrious they are to keep up Misery and to keep out Happiness The eye of man in the fallen and corrupt estate cannot see aright and mis-seeing how can he chuse but mis-aim and mis-act and mis-aiming and mis-acting how can he attain his end But the Lord's Counsel shall stand and he will fulfill all his pleasure in every heart and throughout the Earth Happy is he who is weaned from himself and begotten in the Light of Life which is incorruptible he shall stand and be blessed when all flesh falls before the Breath of the Lord and becomes miserable and the fall of all the fleshly will wisdom and strength hastens apace happy is he who is delivered from them before the day of their ruine which is nearer than man is aware of or can believe I. P. Concerning PERSECUTION c. BEcause men generally in Persecuting know not what they do neither whom it is they Persecute nor how they sin against God therein nor what danger they are exposing themselves to and what misery they are drawing upon themselves thereby both in this World and for ever even as Christ said concerning the Jews who were Persecuting Him even to Death Father
hath power in its hand and is out of fear smiteth with the open fist of wickedness that which is an Enemy to and stands a Witness against its wickedness 6. The Ends of Persecution or what the Persecuting spirit aims at in its Persecuting and would fain attain thereby 1. The main end of Persecution is to bring the Children of Light who have left the Evil Darkness and Corruption of the World back to the World again That which they persecute them for is for leaving the World both in its principle and practices and for professing obedience and subjection to another Spirit That which they drive at in persecuting them is to force them back from under subjection to that Spirit which hath led them out of the World into subjection to the spirit of the World again There is a great fight between the Spirit of God and the spirit of the World in the two Seeds the Spirit of God striving to bring the spirit of the World under and the spirit of the World striving to bring the Spirit of God under This is well known in the heart where the new Birth is witnessed O what striving there is by the powers of Darkness with all manner of secret Temptations and forcible Oppositions so far as the Lord permits to bring the Heart which the Lord hath begun to redeem and in some measure set free from them under their power again And the same that stirs up the Darkness in the Heart against the Seed and Birth of Light there the same stirs up the Darkness in other men against it also The Lord knows what bitter fights we have had with the Enemy in our own Hearts before we could leave our principles paths and practices of Darkness how hard it hath been to us to deny the World and come out of it and yet when the Lord hath conquered and subjected the Darkness in our own hearts in any measure then we meet with a new fight abroad in the World the same Principle and Power in them fighting against us as did at first in our selves And as this was the aim and work of the Power of Darkness in our selves and still is so far as any of it is left in any of us to bring us back under the Darkness again even from the Light and Leadings of the Spirit and from single obedience thereto so it is the aim and endeavour of the same spirit in others And if they could but bring us back from our God into the World again they would be at peace with us as well as with other men and love and cherish us as they do the rest of the World 2. A second End of Persecution in the spirit that persecuteth is to keep the Children of Light from gaining further ground The Kingdom of God and his Truth is of a growing spreading nature It is like Leaven like Salt like the Light of the Morning it 's nature is to leaven to season to overspread and gather Mankind from the Evil from the Darkness from the Corruption from the Death and Destruction Now the spirit of the World and that spirit which ruleth the World is loth to lose ground and therefore hunts and seeks to destroy the Vessels wherein the Light appeareth and from whom it shineth sorth and to make them appear as odious as they may that they may keep all their own Territories and Dominions in a perfect detestation of them and distance from them Thus though the People of God have still been an innocent People and simple as to the subtilty and deceit of the Serpent and weak and foolish in compare with the wise and strong ones in the worldly nature and spirit yet they are still represented as most dangerous most subtile and pernicious as shrewd Deceivers Witches Jesuites c. yea any thing that is hateful and hated 3. A third End of Persecution is to afflict grieve vex disturb and torment those whose Principles and Practices are displeasing to them There is enmity in the nature and spirit of the World against the holy pure Spirit and Seed of God and if it cannot overcome and get its will one way in bringing back yet it will strive to have its will another way even in vexing and afflicting It is the pleasure of hatred or enmity to do any thing which may hurt that against which its hatred is Thus the evil spirit rejoyceth in iniquity in grieving and afflicting that which is good As the Spirit of Love delights in Love and in doing good even to those which persecute so the spirit of enmity delights in hatred and doing evil even in vexing and oppressing those which seek their good because they are not nor cannot be one with them in their dark principles and evil practices 7. The colour or pretence which men put upon their Persecutions of that which is good Persecution is so hateful and hath such a blackness of spirit in it that it cannot endure to appear in its own colour Where is the man that would appear to persecure that which is good in men or men because of their goodness Therefore all Persecutors though they still persecute that which is good and those which are good yet they still represent and charge them as evil that they might thereby hide the badness and unjustness of their Persecutions from their own eyes and from the eyes of others Thus the true Prophets of the Lord were alwayes misrepresented by their Persecutors even as false Prophets as Troublers of Israel as mad men as men not fit to be tolerated in the Kingdom or Commonwealth of Israel see Jer. 29. 26 27. And those which condemned their fore-fathers for persecuting the true Prophets in former dayes yet could also persecute the true Prophets in their own dayes Christ himself when he asked the Jews for which of his good works they stoned him They said Not for a good work or as a good man but for his doing evil for his blasphemy in that he being a man would make himself God Joh. 10 32 33. And the Pharisees did not represent him as a good man as an holy Teacher from God as indeed He was though his Doctrine and Conversation differed very much from theirs but as a Deceiver a Seducer of the People a mean man the son of Joseph the Carpenter one whom none of the wise Scribes owned but only such silly people as knew not the Law Joh. 7. 49. yea as a very bad man as one that was against the Worship and Ordinances of Moses against God's Temple and Priests in his Doctrine and Principles and a prophaner of God's holy Sabbath in his Practices yea more than this they represented Him as a man that had a Devil and when the mighty Power of God appeared in Him they said it was the power of the Devil and that He was able to do such great things beyond them through the help of Beelzebub the Prince of Devils Could the Jews think they did otherwise than
well in desiring such a man as this to be put to death might they not well prefer Barrabas before a man thus represented by their chief Priests and Teachers who knew and could expound the Law and were best able to judge as they might well think both what was the Truth and who were Deceivers 8. The Blessednesse of the Persecuted The Disciple of Christ who is persecuted for Conscience sake who suffers from men and their Laws for the uprightness of his heart towards and for his obedience unto Christ that man is precious in the eye of Christ and hath his blessing with Him yea the more men disesteem and hate him upon this account the greater is his blessedness Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of Evil against you falsly for my sake Rejoyce and be exceeding glad Matth. 5. 11 12. He is blessed in several respects 1. That man is in that Spirit and in that way which God hath chosen and so he is in a happy state and condition at present He is in the path of Life in the way of Peace under the Leadings of God's Spirit The World loveth and cherisheth that which is its own that which is of it and walketh with it but is at enmity and war with that which is of God Therefore the World's Dislike Enmity and Persecution is an evidence of God's choice and of a Removal from it towards God It is an happy thing in the eye of man to be at unity with the World to have the love and friendship thereof to have all men speak well of one to be found doing that which is pleasing in the eye of the World and to be enjoying the pleasures and profits thereof but in the eye of God it is happy to be in unity with that which is contrary to the World and procureth its ill-will Love not the World neither the things that are in the World If any man love the World the love of the Father which begetteth out of the World is not in him But he that loseth the love of the World for the Principle of God and his subjection thereto is in that which the Father loveth and feeleth the Love of the Father opened in him and revealed to him and this is truly an happy state 2. The Recompence which God will give to them in the World to come who cleave to Him and his Truth for all the Persecutions which they endure in this World for his Truth 's sake is exceeding great Great is your Reward in Heaven Mat. 5. 14. Our light Affliction which is but for a moment but at most for the time of this world worketh for us a far more exceeding eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. 3. The Reward is great in this world also There is an hundred fold Recompence to be reaped in this life The Peace of God in the Conscience the Presence of God the Life of God the Vertue of God the Glory of the Spirit of God which accompanieth resteth with and abideth on the heart which is faithful and waiteth upon God for Patience Meekness Innocency and Strength to carry through the Sufferings may well be valued at above an hundred fold Income and Recompence for all the Hardships and Tribusations which are undergone for his Name-sake If ye be reproached for the Name of Christ happy are ye for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you 1 Pet. 4. 14. 9. The grievous misery of the Persecutors It is a miserable thing to be deceived about that which is good to put Good for evil Light for darkness Sweet for bitter and so under a mistake at least become a Persecutor of the good All good is of God and he that is against good is against God and it is a dreadful thing for the creature to set himself in battel against his Creator and to engage the Power and Wrath of the Omnipotent One against him though while the eye is shut it doth not appear to men either that they are against God or that their danger is so great thereby as indeed it is The Children of God are as the Apple of his Eye Who can touch them and He not be deeply sensible yea and they are most dear to God in that for which the World most persecutes them And therefore their danger and misery must needs be great which may further appear in these three respects 1. In respect of the weight of Wrath which their Persecutions of others here will bring upon themselves in the world to come Then every hard word with every thing they have done against any Lamb of Christ's shall come upon them There is a time of Judgment for all that is sowed in this world and then every one shall reap what he hath sowed And if he that hath not visited the sick and imprisoned for Christ's sake shall hear that sentence Go ye our sed c. what will his portion be who hath imprisoned them and caused their sickness Now is our time of trouble but the Lord hath prepared a day of rest for that Spirit which is troubled in this world by the spirit of this world and then shall the troublesom spirit which troubled the peaceable Spirit and would give it no rest in its following and obeying the Lord be troubled by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Thess 1. 6 7. And what shall the misery of that spirit be whom the Spirit of the Lord troubleth and filleth with anguish and torments in his Fire and with his Brimstone Oh that men would awaken and consider in time and not fell away their everlasting Inheritance for a mess of Vanity and transitory Lusts and Pleasures 2. The hand of God doth often overtake them in this world and the Lord doth many times curse their very Blessings to them insomuch as they cannot enjoy this world with that sweetness and content they might were it not for the rage and bitterness of their spirits against God's People and their provoking of God against them thereby How many of his own People did Pharoah lose and how did he break the strength and glory of his Kingdom by persecuting God's Israel of old How did Amalek cause his name to be rooted out from under Heaven How did the Nations and mighty Powers of the Earth fall upon this account one after another And in this Nation how many Powers have already fallen thereby Jerusalem is a burthensome stone it was so in the type it is much more so in the substance which lyes in the way of every earthly spirit and power which they know not how to build with neither can they rear up their own building because of it and therefore every Power strives to remove it out of their way but they know not the weight of it nor who it is that hath squared it nor how firm it is fixed upon the Rock The earthly spirit is never to enjoy any true or lasting Peace
and Settlement which is the Gift of God until it leave off persecuting God's Israel which are the People whom God calleth out of the world and leave them free for God to enjoy command and dispose of and whatever holds Israel in bondage either within or without must either subject to the Lord or be broken by that Arm of Power which the Lord putteth forth to redeem Israel with 3. By all their Persecutions and Afflictions they shall but increase and cause to grow that which they strive to suppress This is Misery indeed for a man to hazard his soul eternally and his Peace and Prosperity in this world to crush and suppress a People and yet not be able to effect that neither but even thereby occasion their growth and encrease and yet so it is in the day that God putteth forth his hand to redeem Israel The wayes that man takes to bring them back into captivity shall be the means of perfecting their Redemption Come said Pharoah this People multiply too fast they grow more and mightier than we let us deal wisely with them and keep them down by hard labour lest they grow over-numerous and joyn with our Enemies against us when they see their advantage But they grew and spread the more upon his wise plotting and contriving to diminish them And what did he get by striving to keep them from going forth of his Land and Idolatrous Worships to worship the Lord aright but Plagues and Judgements upon himself and his People from the Lord Can the Powers of the Earth withstand God any more now than they could formerly shall not He redeem and bring forth his People from the Land of Babylon His spiritual Israel from the spiritual Egypt Shall He not break the Antichristian Yoak from their Consciences that they may be free in spirit to serve the Lord Can any hinder God from breathing his Spirit upon People and from begetting them in the image and likeness of his Spirit unto Himself And shall not these be the Lord's shall not the same Spirit teach them to worship the Lord shall God call them to worship Him openly and shall they not obey him but worship Him according to man's Inventions and Commandments or not at all publickly Oh ye sons of men be wise do not contend with the Lord be not bewitched by the Cup of Fornications from the pure spiritual Worship of the living God into Man's Inventions which the Lord's Soul loaths nor do not strive to hold any back from the Lord whom the Lord draws after Him but consider his Power wait to know his Work in the world and do not intrench upon his Dominions but be thankful for and content with your own and do not provoke Him against you who can more easily take yours from you than ye can His from Him And consider this Watch-word in that which can open and shew the truth of it The Lord hath put forth his Arm to recover his Possessions from out of the hands of Antichrist and who shall be able to force it back again to make it return into His bosom without effecting what He stretched it forth for Therefore O Magistrates of this Nation do not make use of the Sword to suppress the Plants of God but to cut down that which manifestly is not of God Look abroad throughout this Nation behold how much evil there is to grieve and provoke the Lord and to divert good from the Nation and to bring wrath upon it and the Government thereof strike at that in righteous and true Judgment and with mercy to creatures souls and bodies but that which certainly is of God meddle not with and that which may be of God for ought ye know be circumspect in medling with lest ye engage God against you It were better to let many Tares grow than pluck up one Ear of Corn. Christ hath absolutely expressed it to be his Mind that he would not have that done which may so much as hazard the plucking up of an Ear of Corn Mat. 13. 29. But oh how are the Laws and Governments of this world to be lamented over and oh what need there is of their Reformation whose common work it is to pluck up the Ears of Corn and leave the Tares standing The chief cause of this misery from whence it principally ariseth is men's medling with those things which God hath reserved for Himself and assaying to do that carnally which God once did spiritually and will do spiritually again in his due time when He hath sufficiently shewn how untoward and improper mans hand is to effect it The Christians in the Apostles dayes were of one heart and one mind which proceeded from the Power and Work of God upon them and then they soon came into one Way and Worship but men will have Unity and Uniformity in a way of Religion and Worship before there is one heart and one mind Now this is contrary to the Spirit of God and to the very nature of Religion and the cause of much Cruelty upon mens Consciences and this hath been and will be the constant effect of it even the crushing as much as lies in man of that which is tender and of and for God and the encreasing of that which is formal dead and earthly Now if ever Christ appointed or intended such a Church-Government which naturally produceth this effect let all that fear God and are of sober spirits judge 10. The way and means to avoid Persecution Where is the man in whom there is any good who hath any love to Goodness and Righteousness who hateth Cruelty and Oppression over mens outward Liberties and Estates and much more over the Consciences of People that could not with his heart desire to have this grand Enemy removed both from particular persons and also from Governors and Governments that Peace and Settlement might be known Righteousness reaped all Cruelty and Hardness in one man towards another removed and there be no more complaining in our streets either because of Oppressions from men or fear of Wrath from God upon those Governments which oppress And who would not earnestly pray to God for the discovery of that way and those means and be very industrious in the use of them whereby this persecuting spirit and temper might be wasted and dryed up in him Now the way and means whereby the persecuting spirit may be subdued are divers as 1. By a true Awe and Fear of God in the heart The Fear of God teacheth to depart from Iniquity and to seek the crucifying and bringing under of the worldly spirit in a man's self and to wait daily to have God's Will revealed and likewise to be made obedient thereunto Now he that is in this temper of spirit will hardly be drawn to persecute another but rather rejoyce to see a tenderness of spirit in him and true subjection of heart to what he believes to be the Mind and Will of God and dares not so much as
created by God is mild and flexible and easie to be led by the least child in the line of goodness And I can truly say this that I never in my whole course and conversation who have long been a Spectator and un-interested person both as relating to the civil state and the various professions of Religion till the power of Truth and presence of God appearing in this People drew my heart after them yea I cannot but say in the singleness of my heart I never met with a more mild gentle flexible-spirited People And he that can reach the ground of the thing cannot but see it to be thus For he that is daily exercised in denying his will and wisdom he on whose back the Lord lays the cross and crucifies him every day his self-will and self-wisdom with all the conceitedness and stiffness which ariseth therefrom must needs be much broken in him 2. In the tenderness and pliableness to good which God begets there is and cannot but be an unbendedness to evil Consider this O ye that are wise In the birth which God begets in the heart in the immortal Seed of life which God hath sown and causeth to spring up in his heritage there is a bowing to God at every appearance of good accompanied with a tenderness gentleness and good will to man But it cannot bow to that which is evil in any man upon the face of the earth Read then this Riddle with a true understanding The tender one cannot yeild the flexible one cannot bow but naturally standeth upright and strait towards God even in every thing it hath learned of him and which he requireth of it Thus in the Apostles days the Christians though meek though sweet though pliable to the Spirit of God and to all good yet could not bow to so much as an appearance of evil any where but shun and avoid it every where And if it were not for this kind of stiffness and unbendedness the Children of God could never be preserved in their departure out of the Worlds Spirit Wayes Worships and Practices but would soon be ensnared and drawn back again by the enticements and subtilties of the worldly nature either in themselves or others 3. A stiffness then I grant an unbendedness I grant but not of the earthly not of the self-wil nor according to the earthly but such as ariseth from Truth in the heart and from tenderness of Spirit towards God such as is begot in His fear preserved by his power and is necessary towards their preservation who are born of Him and called by Him out of the World And if those who are apt and liable to mis-judge of them did but see the sincere desire of their hearts not to offend man but to be subject to the utmost according to the will of God and knew what breathings there are in their hearts to God in relation to the Magistrate and when they appear before Him that they may be preserved in the pure fear and in righteousness and inoffensiveness and how they cannot but refuse to break any of God's commands because He is their Supream Lord and they dare not disobey Him to please man or avoid their own sufferings from man I say if men did see this surely they would not call it stubbornness and self-willedness but a pure subjection and denial of the self-will in God's fear joyned with an holy and humble boldness in His power 4. Let it be equally considered and it will soon be acknowledged That the least thing which God requires the Command being from so great a King upon whom the soul hath so great dependance from whom it hath so great hopes and to whom universal obedience is so due in it self and so profitable to the creature is exceeding weighty and it is impossible for the fear of Him and due tenderness towards His Commands to be preserved without a strict and close giving up the Will to Him and standing in His strength strong and unbended against all temptations provocations allurements and affrightments to the contrary and how easily may men call this stubborness and stiffness But this they receive from God as well as the law of obedience and power to obey and this which men call stubborness flows in upon them from him when they are in the sweetest and meekest frame of spirit most ready to deny themselves and to yield up their own wills to whatsoever is good and righteous and so of God 5. The same thing which is offended at this unbendedness and resolvedness which is wrought and preserved in them by the fear of God calling it by way of reproach stiffness and stubborness I say the very same thing will commend that resolution and stiffness which is taken up in man's wisdom and held in man's will Is it not good to weigh and consider things reasonably and then to chuse and hold fast to those Principles which appear most reasonable what man but will say it is And is it not good to obey and keep to that Light which is higher than Reason which comprehends Reason rectifying and preserving it making it profitable and serviceable to God which made it to the Vessel in which it is and to the rest of the Creation But Wisdom is justified of her Children He that knows not the Principle of the Eternal Light who is not born of it much less by unfeigned obedience and subjection formed into it he cannot justifie it in his Paths but he justifies the earthly wisdom and reason of man by it setting up appearances of Good instead of Good and would make all acknowledge and bow to them as Good whereas that which is indeed acquainted with the Good living in the Principle thereof cannot bow to the false Appearance but only to the Truth it self When man's spirit and wisdom is wearied out of all its paths and he broken with the misery which will certainly overtake him therein at last the Path of God will be welcome to him and that Principle which through the operation of God is able to rectifie him and make him happy There hath long been a Peace and Prosperity throughout the world in Unrighteousness but the season is at length come for the breaking thereof and now there is not to be such a setled false Peace in Unrighteousness any longer but Tribulation Anguish and Destruction is coming upon the selfish and unjust spirit and he that refuseth the Path of Righteousness must not know Peace but be overtaken with the over-flowing scourge and swept into and shut up in the pit which hath long been digging for the wicked Psal 94. 13. and mark this thing following ye that would not find your selves deceived of your souls hereafter nor of your outward Peace and Prosperity here for it deeply concerns both The Spirit of the Lord once raised up a spiritual building which the spirit of the Dragon overturned as to its outward state though the gates of Hell could not prevail against the