ANswer, Many of the Jewes suffered death by the Heathen, because they could not transgresse the Commands and Law of God, and suffered because they could not eate Swines flesh. And the Prophets of God, again, Many of them suffered by the Jews, who witnessed Christ was to come, there was one slaine between the Temple and the Altar, by the Jews, which had the words, but not the life: Now many of the Jewes which had the words, caused others to suffer which had the life; but the Prophets they suffered for the life, and the Apostles they suffered for the denying of the Jewish Commandments, and their Ordi­nances, and said whatsoever they sould in the shambles, that they might eat; and the Jewes formerly, they had suffered for holding up these things, before the substance was come, by them that was out of the Law of God; for the Pro­phets suffered for many of these outward things, by them who had not the life, who saw and de­clared the substance; and these was for signes, and for wonders unto both the houses of Israel: [Page 2] And while the Jewes many of them suffered, there was something stirring in them that carri­ed them in to the obedience to the commands of God; and when the Jewes went onely into the words from the life, they persecuted the Pro­phets, and killed the just one, and persecuted the Apostles, who witnessed the just one.

Now these Jews may say, What is become of our fore-Fathers, that suffered death for obey­ing the commands of God? These that perse­cuted the Prophets, and put the Son to death, and persecuted the Apostles, these might com­plain, and say, What is become of all our fore-Fathers? For that which was in their fore-Fa­thers, the life of the Law, which brought them to know the Law, and keep the Commandment, those lived, and that suffering was accepted: But those that was from the life, though they held the outward Commandment, Statutes, and Ordinances, they persecuted the life, Christ Jesus, the Prophets, and Apostles; and here is no talk of their fore-Fathers, or of them that suffered, for here is a distinction between them; For Abraham, David, and Moses, saw the end of the pattern, which they that had got their words, which might plead what was become of their Fathers, or them that had suffered of the Hea­then; and those that were transgressours was another state from them, which saw through, and saw the end, so they stood not against the sub­stance nor the life, but they did that bad the words and wanted the life; these was with the [Page 3] life, of the Prophets judged, and the Apostles, as People having eyes and see not, and ears and hears not.

Now say you that calls your selves Christians, but be out of the life of Christ and the Apo­stles, What is become of our fore Fathers, and what is become of the Martyrs that suffered? Alasse for y [...]u! you are not to be compared to them; that have gotten the Martyrs words, and Christs and his Apostles words: As the Jewes was not that suffered death, to be compared to them that Persecuted to death; So you differ from the Martyrs that suffered death, as those that cau­sed death; n [...]ither are you to be numbred with them that suffered for the righteous Law of God, with those Jewes which Persecuted Christ to death, and the Apostles, and the Prophets. So here, now you be in a wrong measure, which is too short in comparing your selvs, and making your selves of that number that suffered: but the true Measure makes you of that number that Persecuted, and then see what become of all them, how should they escape Hells damnation, for the least degree, that is pure, that brings to suffer is accepted, but that which getteth the words, and causeth to suffer, is for judgement; so you having gotten the Apostles and Christs words and commands.

Now the Apostles suffered, and some of them that lived in the life, the Believers after them, as the Reco [...]d of the Scripture doth make mani­fest: but that being come which the Apostle [Page 4] spoke of, the substance; you that have the out­ward command, and letter, and not the life, but are standing up prating of the words, you are Persecuting them, and rising up against them that witnesse the substance, the end of the Apo­stles words: so you are not to be measured with them that suffered, the Apostles, and Mar­tyrs, that are now Persecuting them that are be­lievers, so it is now, as it was then, in this age, as it was in that age; for formerly there had some suffered for bearing Testimony to Gods Com­mandment, ordinances, and statutes, and the sha­dows. And when the substance was come among the Jewes that had the shadows, and outward commands, and the type, them that had this Per­secuted the substance, would not have the sub­stance to rule: Measurable with you that be cal­led Christians which now stands against the sub­stance it selfe, who hath the outward form and command, but will not have Christ in the Spirit to reign, as they would not have him in the flesh to reigne, neither would they have him in the flesh to reign, as they would not: But the sub­stance is come, whereby the End of all things is seen, and Heaven shaken, and Earth shaken; and a new Heaven, a new Earth is witnessed, wherein dwelleth righteousnesse.