High in this World thorow your Sufferings and between such as have acted against you for self ends and have insulted over you and have made themselves Great and Rich in this world thorow your Afflictions and Sufferings for they who have walked in that way are hereof guilty they havenot acted Righteously nor walked in good Conscience if such Suffer by you for that cause it cannot be called Persecution nor is it for the Name of Christ nor can such have Peace with God But we being clear from the sin of such we cannot suffer as such but if we suffer by you it is Persecution and our sufferings will be upon you Quer. 5. Whether the great Afflictions and Sufferings sustain'd by him this divers years from the Subjects if his own Nation and the guilt thereof do lie upon all the Subjects in general Or whether upon any or some paâ—icular Sects and Sorts of people many which now are arisen and if upon any particular Sect and Sort who are such more than others distinguish them from others and clear your selves if you can from the guilt of his Sufferings Answ. As for the Afflictions and Sufferings sustained by him so far as they were Iust and Righteous Iudgment from God because of iniquity can no man be charged with but that is on Gods account who was pleased to chastise with Afflictions and Sufferings and no man can be blamed with Injustice for that Affliction which cometh from the Hand of God upon whom Injustice may not be charged by any one whatsoever and so far as his Sufferings were unjust the guilt thereof doth not lie upon all the Subjects in general nor upon every particular sort of people alike but upon some more than others and such are easie to be distinguished from others if it be considered who they are that first raised the War in this Nation against the King And who was it that first Preached and Prayed up the War and prosecuted it against his Father And who is it that cast out the Bishops and Prelates from their places and took their Revenues and Benefices and are become men as Corrupted as Covetous and Self-seeking as Proud and Ambitious as Unjust Persecutors as ever the men were which they cast out And the guilt is partly upon such who cast out others in pretence of Refarmation but did it not And who is it that hath gotten great Estates in this Nation and Worldly Honour and raised themselves from nothing by the Wars and by your Suffering and became ambitious and insulting over others though they first began the War in this Nation and pretended great Reformation in the Civil State as well as the other had done in Church State And who get the Estates Titles of their Enemies pretended to free this Nation from all Oppressions but have not done it but have continued the old Oppressions and have been striving among themselves who should Rule and who should be great but have not Ruled for God nor in Iustice and Equity though they first Warred against the King and carryed it on and removed the King and Lords and that Government and all this in pretence of Ruling better and in a better Government and yet kept not Engagements nor Promises made in that case Upon such is the guilt of the Suffering of the King so far as his Sufferings are unjust even upon Hypocrites who have â—alked in these steps who as I have said first made war against the King and got great Estates and quite forgotten the cause once pretended by them and now in flattery Cries up King and Kingly Government again though this many years they have seemed to be opposite against it upon such as these may the guilt aforesaid in measure be charged And though there are risen many Sects and Sorts of People since the beginning of the Wars yet in the beginning there was but one sort that were in a capacity to raise and prosecute War against the King and upon such there is guilt to be charged in the sight of God who have foregone their Principles and been deceitful both to God and men And as for Us who are called Quakers we are clear from the guilt of all his Sufferings and in the present Capacity wherein we now stand and under the actings of that Spirit which now we are of we have no part in the guilt of these Iniquities we have not cast out others and taken their places of great Benefices neither have we made war with carnal weapons against any never since we were a People mark neither have we broken Oaths and Engagements nor promised freedome and deliverance and for self ends and Earthly Riches betrayed as others have done what we pretended to and in many particulars it doth appear that we are clear from his Sufferings for we have been a Suffering People as well as they by the same Spirit which caused them to suffer which hath been much more Cruel Wicked and Unjust towards us than it hath been towards them though our Persecution hath been in another manner but what they have done against us we can freely forgive them and we would have you to follow the same example and if you could accuse them in many things so could we but this is not a time to accuse one another but to forgive one another and so to overcome your Enemies or else you will appear in the same Spirit that so he that condemns them cannot justifie you though we do condemn as well as you them that have pretended Reformation and Warred against you upon that account And when they had gotten victory did not reform but became Oppressors themselves as well as others and became Cruel towards others that would not say and do as they and for this Cause the Lord hath brought them down and may justly suffer others to deal with them as they have dealt with others yet notwithstanding I must still say and it is my judgment that there was very great Oppressions and Vexations under the Government of the late King and Bishops under his power which the Lord was offended with and many good People Oppressed by for which cause the Lord might and did justly raise up some to oppose and strive against Oppressions and Injustice and to intend and press after Reformation in all things and that principle of Sincerity which God did raise in many in the beginning of the Wars which in some things acted them forth and carryed them on in opposing Oppressions and pressing after Reformation this Principle I can never deny but acknowledge to it though many soon lost it and became Self-seekers forgetting and foregoing the Cause pretended to having lost Sincerity and became corrupted in their way and Injustice and Oppression abounded by them and because hereof are they condemned in the sight of the Lord and not by me Iustified because they have lost Sincerity and turned the War and all the Proceedings into Self-seeking and therefore is God
their Affliction but they have already been told of their Treachery and what would come to pass And Oh that they could now humble themselves before the Lord and confess to the Iustice of this their Affliction they might yet partake of his Mercy through great Iudgments And as for you Oh that you would consider these things and by whose purpose you are restored and from what cause and for what end it is accomplished Oh that you would mind what your work now is and that you would not exceed your Permission for you are raised up for an end and there is a work for you to do Oh that you could do it with respect unto the Lord it should be the better for you Oh those men that have long Sate as Princes in this Nation and Pretended and Vowed and promised Reformation in Church and State but they have not done it as they ought but as great Oppressions and Injustice as great Superstitions and Idolatries both in Church and State were continued and carried on in their dayes as in dayes before them Oh how abominable have these things been multitude of words might demonstrate but now their reproof and Iudgment is come and their fall is just upon them Who should pitty them or mourn for them seeing they have deserved all this and much more which has yet happened unto them as some of them may confess and those things their Treachery Unfaithfulness Oppressions I mean must needs be avenged one way or another How often hath it been foretold them yea it hath been often said unto them that God would bring them down and destroy their Power they have been told that these things were not right neither could they escape unavenged and it new appears as if the day were come and if you must be their Executioners and must execute the wrath upon them who shall prevent you or say unto you stay your hand Or rather who of them that sees these things shall not be patient while you take vengeance for ths Lords sake and for the sake of his People whom they have long Vexed and Opppessed Nay who of the Lords People shall not say let the Lords will be done and his Iustice Executed upon his Enemies If this be your work that you are called to must it not go on till it be finished They have been Hard-hearted and Oppressors towards others and by a Hard-hearted People may not the Lord justly deal with them and be a Plague unto them in that very manner that they have sinned against him for this is usual with the Lord even to destroy Oppressors by the Wickedness of others and often he Rebukes the sin of a People by a People as bad as themselves he may justly give unto men from the hands of others what they love in their own hearts and even as those men have loved Pride and Ambition over others and Oppression and Hard-heartedness towards others even so and much more may justly be done unto them and that according to the Will of the Lord and if this be your work designed you by the eternal hand who shall prevent you But yet Oh that you would consider and that you would have some respect unto the Lord lest you out-go the end of your Restoration You would indeed be happy if you could forgive your Enemies if you could reward them good for their evil and you would be happy if you could not exceed the measure of your permission be not too Hard-hearted towards them but shew Mercy And Oh you must take heed lest you cause the Righteous to suffer with the Wicked and that you cause not the Innocent to groan and mourn in your execution of Gods purpose upon the ungodly you must be a ware lest while you punish Offenders you smite not them that are free Oh that you had hearts this to understand and that you could walk in the path of fulfilling Gods pleasure and not go further I mean though you may be raised to be a Plague upon Hypocrites and Disobedient and Treacherous men and to avenge Gods Cause and his Peoples but you are not raised to be Oppressors of the Lords People nor to destroy his Heritage this is not your work God hath not called you to Destroy and Persecute them that fear his Name and tremble at his Word though you have Power to be avenged on your Enemies And Oh that your hearts could understand this that you might distinguish in your proceedings between executing of Iustice upon Transgressors Persecution for Conscience-sake the one you have to do but the other is forbidden you of the Lord and you ought not to do it for if you Persecute any for good Conscience-sake or because they are of such and such an Assembly of People and Worships in such a way if you inflict Tribulation upon any because hereof or because they are such or such in their Profession and Religion then you persecute for Conscience-sake and you go beyond the End and by the Path for which you were raised and if you turn your Hand and Power to persecute for good Conscience-sake then you divert the End and Purpose of this your Restoration and the Lord will require it of you if that you go beyond his Permission and Assignment and go beyond his Pleasure in Persecuting his People and so turn your Power to a wrong Use and End O then the Lord shall suddenly confound you and he will find out instruments that shall fulfil his Wrath and Iustice upon you as he hath found you fit to execute Wrath upon others and therefore do not O do not persecute any for Conscience-sake if you have nothing against them but concerning their Faith and Worship and their Religion do not lay your hand upon them nor let them be touched for if you do the Lord will take it as a heinous offence against him and in this life or hereafter he will Plague you for it and you shall not escape unpunished and therefore I say once more to you as the advice of your Friend let no man be persecuted for his Faith and for his Religion-sake but make a distinction between inflicting wrath upon offenders that have been hypocritical and deceitful and that have made themselves rich through the ruins of others and that will how to any thing or any kind of Worship for their own ends and between such who have a Principle and do stand by it and are humble and acted in the principles of sincerity and follows that way of Religion which they suppose and are perswaded is the best and the rightest all such ought to have their Liberty under you in their Profession and Faith and Worship and ought not to be Persecuted while they live Peaceably as men with one another and towards all men and the God of Heaven requires it of you and your Standing or your Fall the Blessing or the Curse unto you depends hereupon and this you shall find to be true unto
you in the day of Gods Righteous Iudgments O therefore be not stout against the Lord but fear and tremble before him let his Dread be upon your Spirits and do not offend him nor provoke him against you and this Nation lest he tear you to pieces and number you for destruction lest he overturn you suddenly and deface your glory in its morning Oh how happy would you be if you would regard the Lord and reverence him and take him before you and not go beyond in any thing what his purpose and pleasure is who hath given you this one day to try you if so be that any of you shall learn his fear and turn from your Iniquities that you may be blessed and not confounded Oh therefore consider what the Will and Purpose of the Lord is towards you and wherefore you are raised up and may fulfil his purpose and not your own Oh then this day should be made happy unto you but the contrary works I mean if you do Oppress and Persecute and seek to destroy his Heritage and Rule in Oppression and Tyranny then the God of Heaven shall cut your day short and diliverance he will bring to this poor Nation without you and even contrary to you and his hand shall be turned upon you and your Mountain though never so great and high shall be laid low and an Infant of the heavenly birth shall leap over it and shall say Where is that lofty Babel that exalted it self agâ—â—â—â— my God And as for us we are a very poor contemned and despised People even since we were a People unto this very day and have nothing at this present nor heretofore to glory in from any Power that hath ruled but the Power Spirit and Presence of God in our Tribulations Afflictions Persecutions and unjust Sufferings these things have been our portion even from all all have troden upon us in Contempt and Scorn and accounted us as Sheep for the slaughter and we have not to glory in any Government that hath been since we were a People we cannot justifie one or another but we say they have all been Oppressors and we have groaned with deep sighs unto the Lord under the burden of their unrighteous dealing and herein we assent with you if you say they have been unjust men we say the same and if you say their Government hath been Oppression and Unequal we say the same if you say you have suffered cruelty and unrighteously by them we say the same if you lay they have Ruled by Will and Forci more then by Law and Equity we verifie the same and if you can say you have suffered Afflictions and Tribulation by them so have we in another manner and far more unjustly Wherefore we cannot justifie them nor will not plead for them in opposition to you but we partly beleive we may receive as much Equity and good Reason from some of you as we did from some of them and thus we have been a suffering People even without cause And at this day we are threatned by the rage of men as if we should be cut off and destroyed but we regard not those things but do respect the Lord whom we fear and Worship in our hearts and if we outwardly perish among them that may perish yet it is for Righteousness sake and because of the matters of Gods Kingdom which we hold and if you do Destroy us for this cause we are clear and Innocent blood will be upon you and the guilt thereof will sink you into misery here or hereafter Oh take heed and desilenot your selves nor load your Consciences with our guiltless sufferings as many others have done before you even to their ruin and wofull destruction you are yet in a great measure clear from our Oppressions we have not much Iniquity yet to charge upon you in our Cause of Afflictions Oh it will be well for you if you keep your selves clear the less will be your Iudgement and the better success will you have in your Cause for Friends the weight of Innocent Blood it hath a loud cry and God will hear it and if you burthen yourselves with it it will soon overweigh you therefore keep clear and condemn them by your Practises that have said they would not Persecute for good Conscience sake but have done it even contrary to all Pretences and Engagements and if you who professe not so much in words towards that thing would do it how should your Practise condemn their Hypocrisie in the Sight of God Men and Angels but however I warn you and do leave it at your door and do say unto you Persecution for Conscience sake is the crying Sin which drawes down vengeance upon Kings and Governments be you warned through the fall of others least confusion come upon you as it hath come upon many others for that cause and be not too confident in your way nor too furious against your enemies but remember your breath is in your nostrils and he that gave it you can soon take it away And as for you we have no enmity towards any of you nor do we sick the hurt of your Persons nor can we rise up in Rebellion against you or seek your Destruction by Craft or Policy neither indeed can we seek Covenant or League with you by flattery it is true you are yell in Authority over us outwardly and as you are so we shall â—d subjection to you in any of your just Commands and in all things it is our Principle to obey you either by doing or suffering yet we cannot bow nor fawn nor flatter nor deny our Principle nor our Religion of which we are perswaded by the Spirit of God in our Consciences that it is right and according to God but I say we cannot revoke our Principle neither for advantage to our selves nor yet to save our lives you must find us constant not changeable as others are who turn every way for their own advantage and ery up this or the other and pray and fight on the behalf of any thing which may make for their advantage but God is grieved with such Spirits yet we are otherwise minded and must only own your Government and Authority as it is just and brings forth Righteousness so we can own it and bow before it but as otherwise if it be Unjust and Oppression we must patiently suffer under it whatsoever you have power to do and this is all the peace we can make with you or the Engagement that we can bind our selves in towards you though we cannot but own that this Day is given you either in mercy or in judgement to you yea and we cannot but own that you may be Gods Executioners yea what if we say that you may be raised up to avenge our Cause upon our Oppressors though still we must bear witness against that wicked loose prophane Spirit that lives and abounds in some of you and among you and workes Unrighteousness
if you Cause any Such to Suffer upon that account while you can charge nothing against them but matters of Faith and Iudgment and Opinion in Spiritual things Again I say Whether or no such Suffering is not absolute Persecution and Innocent on his or their part that so Suffereth any Injustice Cruelty Tyranny and Oppression on your part that doth Inflict And will not the Lord require it of you if you bring Innocent blood and Cruel Sufferings upon your selves And is not that Innocent blood which is Spilt and Unjust and Cruel Sufferings which is Inflicted upon a man or a People for his and their Conscience and Religions-sake when no matter of wrong or evil dealing amongst men And in that Relation is or can be Charged upon them And whether do you not believe that God will Avenge such a Suffering which is for Conscience sake upon the Heads of the Causers and Inflictors of it in his Day and Season Quer. 10. Whether or no you have not so much Reason and Conscience in you as will give you to descern and cause you to put a difference between such who have Acted and been Zealous against you from corrupt Principles of Self-seeking and have raised themselves into Worldly Honour and great Estates through your Suffering and Losses and have Lorded it over you in Ambition though now such may Bow under you and Fawn upon you I say Whether will you not or Whether ought you not to put a difference both in respect of Guiltiness in your Cause of Suffering and in respect of your dealing towards them in Reward and between such as have formerly Acted against you upon Sober Reasonable Principles and have not raised themselves to Honour and Great Riches not by your Afflictions but ceased to act against you when they perceived the Wickedness and Injustice and evil Proceedings of your Enemies and many such there are And whether or no you have not so much Reason and Equity in your Consciences as to put a difference between such in your Proceedings towards them Quer. 11. What is the truest Honour that can be given to the King and his Government and wherein and in what kind of Words and Actions and Practises doth true Honour consist And whether or no you do believe in your Consciences that these kind of Practises as Drinking Healths and Bonfires and this exceeding Lewdness and Wickedness brought forth in the Nation by way of rejoycing for the King and his Government be true Honour and Rightly Honourable proceedings and practises to him and his Government Or whether these things and wayes be not wofully dishonourable unto you and him and this whole Nation And the Cause wherefore the wrath of God may justly come upon the whole Nation it self if these things be not speedily Repented of and forsaken And whether the Life and Practise and Subjection of an Upright QVAKER so called whose Principle is to obey all just Commands and patiently to suffer under all that which is unjust and that lives in Meekness and Fear and Soberness and love towards all men Whether or no such men and such Practises are not more Honourable and Blessed in the sight of God and Men Than this kind of Rudeness and Wickedness Singning and Drunkenness Ringing and Swearing and 〈◊〉 Ribbins and Feathers about themselves and their Horses and many other things which are said to be done in Honour to the King and his Government But whether there be not a Principle in your Consciences which dothrather Condemn your selves â—han Iustifie you for these things and rather Iustifies a Sober Life and is not that more blessed Quer. 12. Whether or no all that cry you up and your Government do it really and out of good Conscience and from Principles of Sincerity Or whether they are turned to you in Feignedness and Hypocrisie and to save their Heads and Estates which some of them have gotten even such as have been your Enemies and Preached and Prayed and Fought against you and now cryes you up and Prayes for you but whether can you trust that these will be faithful to you that thus denies their former wayes and Religion and Worship And whether thus to deny their Principles their Faith their Religion their former Oaths and Engagements is Commendable and Iustifiable in the sight of God and you Or whether a Quaker so called that will stand to his Principles and not deny his Faith nor Religion though he suffer for it nor will bow and bend in Hypocrisie under every sort of men is not more Iustifiable and commendable in the sight of God and your Consciences also I say do they not condemn these Hypocrites that have Fought against you and Prayed against you and yet now bowes under you with deceitful hearts in the time of their danger Quer. 13. Whether or no you do not believe and know in your Consciences that the QUAKERS so called are a Sober Innocent and harmless People and of an upright Conversation dealing justly towards all and such as doth not Envy the Persons of any not Plot and Project Mischeif towards you or any And whether if you should proceed to persecute and seek to destroy such a People concerning whom you have such a witness in your Consciences Iustifying them as aforesaid would not be greatly unjust in the sight of God and the very Cause to provoke God to destroy you and your proceedings if so be that you persecutethem for their Conscience sake while they live Soberly and Uprightly as men and injureth no mans Person or Estate by their Religion Quer. 14. Whether or no you do not believe or may not have just Cause to believe that your present Proceedings are not and may not prove to be the very natural Cause of Outward Visible external Iudgements upon you and the Nation even Iudgments of Pestilence and Famine And do not you proceed in the very path hereof Is not your spending the Creation in such Excessive manner in Eating and Drinking and wasting the good Creation after this manner as you do Whether is not this a natural Cause to bring want and Poverty and also oppressing your very bodies with Excessiveness in Drunkenness Inflaming your selves through Excessiveness of Wine and Beer and through the abounding of Lust and uncleanness through excesse and as well Defiling and Oppressing your very Persons as wasting the Creation by so doing Whether this is not a very Natural Cause to bring and beget Pestilence and Famine besides your provoking the Lord through this means as being works in themselves hateful and abominable in his sight and for which Cause he may justly bring Wrath and Iudgements even Plague and Famine if there were no other Cause for it And whether you ought not seriously to Consider of this thing and to Turn from these Transgressions which are Natural Causes of great Iudgements and also provokes the Lord to hasten and inflict Iudgement Oh that the Sober minded among you would lay this to heart Consider these Queries in the Spirit of Soberness for they are worth your regarding be not high-minded nor wicked in your way least the Lord who hath all Power in his hand meet you and bring you down and destroy your Cause which he can do if you provoke him This was written in the middle of the 3d. month called May 1660. E. B. THE END See G. Fox his Paper directed to the Parliament and Army so called * But this is not meant of the Kings's Death
prove otherwise than to destroy themselves and make room for you and these things I observed And also thus far we did fore see and it was revealed to us and believed by many of us fully and we did often Prophesie it that the Lord God of Heaven Earth would destroy and bring down the Government Authority as they have stood in this Nation for divers years and that he would bring Iudgment upon the Rulers and upon many of the Teachers People of this Nation because of their Oppressions and Unfaithfulness and Treachery Hypocrisie Wickedness which abounded amongst them which we have felt and seen and been sensible of and we have often given our witness against them because of their guiltiness in their sinful waies Oh it hath been loathsome unto the Lord even the Oppressions Treacheries of the Rulers Oh how hath Cruelty and Injustice abounded in their Government their hypocrisie hath been evident in our sight in many Particulars even in that they have cryed against and overthrown King and Kingly Government charging them with oppression and cruelty and pretended to ease the People in a better way of Government when as though Governors and Names Titles of Government were changed and altered yet oppression ceased not neither was injustice forsaken nor was the heavy yoakes of great bondage removed but the rather these things were increased upon many good People in these Nations and herein was the unfaithfulness and treachery of the Rulers very great in the sight of God and their Government unjust and unequal wherefore the Lord hath been provoked against them to confound them and overturn them and we have often told it them and also the Hypocrisie and deceits and sinfulness of Teachers we have seen testified against our witness to them both is and will be found true and Gods justice will be fulfilled upon them both these things we have observed even the heinous guilt of sin against God in both Rulers and Teachers the abominations that have been committed both in Civil and Church Government so called also and many People have loved to have these things so and we have been sensible how the Lord hath been provoked to overthrow the Governors of this Nation because hereof and this we have foreseen and Prophesied of even that Iudgement and Confusion would come upon the Government the Rulers and the Teachers but particularly when and after what manner judgment overthrow should come upon them was left to the Lord who hath brought to pass his own will according to Justice and it may prove to be a just Jugdment from the Lord upon the Unfaithful and Treacherous and Unjust Rulers and Teachers and People which I have mentioned and the Lord may justly avenge himself upon them who have abused his Mercies and not improved his Deliverance to his glory but perverted the end wherefore they were at first raised up I say the Lord may justly be avenged of them by this means of this mans comingin and he may be in the hand of the Lord a very smiting Rod to correct and rebuke and may be a heavy Judgment upon many in this Nation even from that cause and for that end as before I have expressed Quer. 2. Whether you or any of you do adjudge it Reasonable and Equitable that he should come inherit the Nations of which he is born the right Heir Or whether or no it is just or unjust to God and men that he should Reign King over these Nations If you walk judg by the Law of God which is Equal then judge of this whether he hath been kept out this many Years now is brought in again Reasonably Iustly or Unjustly contrary to Reason Answ. That he should come in is Reasonable and Equitable because through the purpose of the Lord his coming in is accomplished who effecteth nothing but what is Equal Reasonable there is cause in God sufficient wherefore it should thus be there is Sufficient cause Reason appearing to us in this matter upon the very account as laid down in my Answer to the first Query it is Equal as in the Lord that he should be restored who hath been removed cast out by such as have pretended to Govern Rule better than he but have ruled in Oppression Injustice not answered the cause wherefore he was cast out that he should come in to be a Scourge upon these this is just and in this particular doth lie the Reason Equity of his coming in to inherit this Nation And as for Reigning justly over this Nation that may better be answered when we have had experience of his Reign for if he Reign Rule in Truth Righteousness in Mercy and in Iustice and by and according to the Iust Law of God if thus he Reign then he Reigneth justly it is just to God and men that he should Reign and this the Law of God which is Equal judgeth by which we walk in all things do judge of all things And as for his being kept out this many years we do judge that the hand of the Lord is in these matters they were done suffered to be done by him in which he will be glorified yet thus far I say they that have kept him out in pretence that they would Rule better than he yet have ruled in Oppression Injustice as much more may be then he would have done they have dealed unjustly and contrary to reason both to him and much more to the People of these Nations while they have made and had new Names and Titles of Government and Governors but have continued the old oppressions and not releived the oppressed according to their own vows and promises which they have broken and it is but just they should be punished for it but if he render not evil for evil he doth well Quer. 3. Whether or no ye can judge that his Reign and Government shall be blessed to himself and these Nations or the contrary Or whether shall Peace or Trouble be in the Land in his dayes And shall his dayes be many or shall his time be short if this be revealed to you let us know Answ. We do judge that his Reign and Government may be blessed to himself and these Nations or not blessed and peace may be in the Land or trouble in his dayes and his time may be long or it may be short according as he walketh in the fear of the Lord or as he walketh wickedly and according as his Reign and Government is in Righteousness Mercy and Truth or in Oppression and Injustice accordingly do I judge may he be blessed may have Peace and long dayes or the contrary if he walk in the way which brings contrary effects and we take not upon us to judge any thing before the time but as thorow time he discovers himself so
we may judge of him for we desire well for him and all men that he may so Reign and Govern as to be a blessing to himself and these Nations that Peace may be in his dayes and his Time may be happy And this we certainly know that there is an Eternal God who is over all and that can do whatsoever he will even set up and pull down whomsoever he will and though his strength now be great and his number very many yet there is an Eternal God above all who is mighty to save and mighty to destroy and if he please no God in his wayes and in his Reign but be an Oppressor and walk in evil wayes we certainly believe he cannot be blessed nor have Peace nor long time but the Lord may bring to pass the contrary for as the Scriptures say it is by him that Kings Reign and he makes Kings blessed or miserable the Scriptures gives much evidence concerning the good and the bad Kings of Israel they that were good men and Ruled well they were blessed and had long dayes and people were happy under them and to the Kings that were Idolaters and Oppressors and walked in wickedness and vexed the Lord it was contrary for the Lord cut them off and destroyed them and delivered the oppressed and God is the same now as he was then as powerful to save the Righteous as mighty to destroy the wicked we rather desire that he may follow the example of the good Kings of Israel that the good effects may follow that he may not follow the evil example of Tyrants Oppressors But if he do the effect and reward will certainly be upon him and the Lord will rebuke him and this we know by the Spirit of the Lord Quer. 4. Whither may he justly forgive or avenge himself of his and his Fathers Enemies and if he do avenge whether or no can that be called persecution and if any or many suffer death or otherwise on that account because they destroyed his Father sought to destroy him also do such suffer for righteousness good conscience or no If some of you suffer for that cause shall you have Peace with God in it or is it for the name of Christ as ye often say Answ. He may justly in the sight of God forgive his and his Fathers Enemies and he will be the more blessed if he do it for it is a happy thing to forgive Enemies and it is Christs Doctrine also to forgive Enemies and it would be a good report unto him among his Friends and it would win his Enemies or be a good means towards it if he do forgive all Enemies and it will be a good beginning of his Government to remit offences though yet in his heart he may be perswaded that he and his Father have been much injured yet I say justly he may forgive all in the sight of God and also in the sight of men as many wayes may appear even in as much as his Father and he did flie to the Sword to determine their Controversie in this Nation and the Sword went against them and did determine the Controversie even against them and that whereby they thought to stand they did fall and that which they chused for their defence did destroy them and who then shall they blame for that which befel them seeing the Sword destroyed them * which themselves did chuse thought thereby to stand but it determined the Controversie against them and if you cannot own it as that the Hand of the Lord went against you in Battel yet you must confess that the fortune of War as some call it went against you and must such now suffer because hereof nay they ought not but may rather be spared by the King in as much as he is restored again without blood or loss of lives it may be very just for him not to take away any mens lives but it will be more just to pass by all old things and if he have a deliverance let him turn it into the praise of the Lord in holiness and not into the shedding of blood in the way of a fierce revenge and let him leave it to the Lord to avenge himself upon such as have been his Enemies and upon such as have cast out King and Kingly Government and pretended to a better Government and to Govern more Righteously and yet have been Oppressors and not answered their own pretences and engagements but broken them and acted contrary by their Unfaithfulness and Hypocrisie and in that doth lie the justness of punishment if it come upon them and if they be punished with death or otherwise if they suffer on that account I say because they destroyed Kingly Government in Name and Title and pretended better things to Govern better and did not make Reformation but were Oppressors as I have said Suffering for that cause cannot be called Persecution nor is it for good Conscience nor Righteousness sake that such do Suffer But none of us can Suffer for that cause as not being guilty thereof as in the Answer to the next Querie I shall have full occasion to shew you but and if we Suffer in your Government it is for the Name of Christ and we shall have Peace with God in it because nothing can be charged against us in this Capacity as we now stand and in this State into which we are now gathered and changed not in any matter of Action or Rebellion against him nor his Father nor any thing but concerning the Law and Worship of our God and the matters of his Kingdome and our pure Consciences and if upon this account we are made to suffer by him and for this cause the reward will be Sad and Heavy upon him in the day of the Lord And if any that are now amongst us were any way engaged in the Parliament Service in the Wars it was not in Rebellion against him or his Father as that we sought their destruction as men but upon Sober Reasonable Principles not for corrupted ends nor to get Honour Riches to our selves as some others might do who went in the War for self ends continued in action after the cause which was once engaged for was utterly lost as we have long seen it and that Principle which some time led some in action to oppose Oppression seek after Reformation we never have nor shall deny but that Principle is still justified though we are now better informed than once we were for though we do now more than ever oppose Oppression and seek after Reformation yet we do it not in that way of outward Warring Fighting with Carnal Weapons Swords YOU and the KING ought to put a difference both in their guilt suffering between such as some time acted in the Wars against you in and upon Sober Reasonable Principles that did not make themselves Rich and
provoked against them though had they continued in their Integrity and had really performed what some time they pretended and had forsaken all Sin it had not been thus with them neither had this guilt been upon them which now they are like to be accountable for And this is my Judgment concerning these things Quer. 6. Whether or no he may justly think ye and with more safety to himself and happiness to the Kingdoms Tollerate and Allow LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE so called to all the many Sects and sorts of People and Worshippers that are now in being in these Nations Or whether he may Tollerate some and not all Or whether he may Tollerate none but reduce the Government of the Church into the way of Bishops and Prelates as it was in his Fathers dayes Which of these may he do justly and with more safety to himself and happiness to his Government and Kingdoms Answ. We do believe he may and ought justly and with most safety to himself and happiness to the Kingdoms Tollerate and Allow free LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE in all the Matters of Faith and Worship towards God for LIBERTY in exercise of CONSCIENCE in the Matters of Gods Kingdom is a very precious thing to the Lord and very dear in his sight and he is tender of it and I do stedfastly believe he will not bless the Rulers of this Nation that shall deny to the People of this Nation and oppose LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE in the exercise of Faith and Worship towards God for I do know it is not given of God to any Earthly King or Ruler whatsoever to exercise Lordship over the Consciences of People in the Matters of Faith and Worship and the things pertaining to Gods Kingdom for Kings and Rulers are but to Rule over men in a Nation in the Matters between one man and another in outward things and worldly affairs and therein only men ought to Rule in Equity over a Nation or City or Country and Magistracy in this state and for such an end is Gods Ordinance appointed of him for the preserving of Peace and good order among men in outward things and it is a priviledge of the Crown of Christs Spiritual Kingdom to be Lord and Ruler over and in mens Consciences in Faith and Worship and all the Matters of his Kingdom even as and according to his pleasure and as his Spirit leads and guids for and if any man shall assume to prescribe God a way how he must be Worshipped and shall limit his Spirit from this or to the other way of Religion and think to be Lord in mens Consciences in religious Matters such are but Usurpers and are not well-pleasing to the Lord in such their way and Government if they oppress mens Consciences by limiting from or compelling to any such way of Worship or kind of Religion neither are they Ordained to Rule among men for that end not to be King and Iudge and Law giver in Heavenly and Spiritual Matters and this ought not CHARLES the King to do but and if he do it and will not let Christ alone be the Head over his Church it cannot be with safety to himself nor happiness to the Kingdoms nor justly in the sight of God but it will work contrary effects And he may and ought to Tollerate and Allow LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE in the matters of Gods Kingdome to all sorts of People and Worshippers that are in this Nation and let him mind Gods Wisdom how to keep the Nations in peace and good order in all outward and civil Affairs between man and man and between one sort of People and another that none destroy each others persons or estates nor be Oppressors one of another in outward and earthly Matters and that is the place and priviledge of a just King and Ruler upon Earth and to leave Faith and Worship and Duty towards God as every one is perswaded in their own Consciences is the right Way whether they will read the Common-Prayer or Preach and Pray after the order of the Directory or otherwise Or whether they will meet in silence without words and let all these enjoy their way of Religion and Worship in outward peace and not kill one another about their Religion Worship Church and Ministry nor imprison and persecute one another about these things but let them all be preserved as men living in peace one with another in all outward relations and yielding Subjection to good Laws which concerns their outward man and their peace and well-being as Subjects of a Nation but there ought to be no Law of Bondage and Force nor violent Impositions by any man concerning Religion for the Lord alone is sufficient to give Prescriptions and Laws to his Peopâ—â— how he may be served and worshipped and this is the way of good Government in this Nation that only the outward man in outward things be Governed and all Matters of Conscience in Spiritual things be left unto God that his Spirit may therein only rule and have the preheminence and if the King do Rule thus he may be more blessed and in that this Nation hath his word for LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE it is expected for because this hath been wanting to wit the allowance of LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE in Spiritual Matters because of this have been much strife and contention and heart-burnings in the Nation while some Sects of People have been tollerated and upheld and others persecuted for their Religion-sake by Law and this was one of the chief causes wherefore the Presbyterians so called first raised War against the Bishops even because they could not be tollerated but were persecuted while the other were guarded and defended by Law and this was a great cause of enmity which if the Presbyterians so called could have had Liberty and Tolleration at that day for their Worship and Faith it is possible the War against the Bishops had not so far proceeded though when they had gotten Victory they were no less furious towards the Bishops to destroy them than the other had been once against them and this arose by reason of persecuting for Conscience sake because all had not Liberty in the exercise of Spiritual things which if the King had declared at that day Equal Liberty to both in Matters of their Faith and Religion and yet ruled over both in outward affairs and had Authority over the Persons and Estates in Matters not related to Spiritual Worship but left them therein free and in their Religion by such means the War might have been stopped and not proceeded so far as it did and into such destruction and this being now well considered may be an Example to prevent the like hereafter So that I say it cannot be for his safety nor for the good of the Kingdoms to Tollerate some sorts of People and Religions and Persecute others for that will be the very Cause of strife among men it will provoke one sort to destroy another and it will provoke the
Lord God against the King and his Government to destroy them both Therefore to reduce the Government of the Church into the State as it stood under the Bishops in his Fathers dayes and to prohibit all others that may differ in Judgment from that this is not the way for Peace and happiness in these Nations nor the way that will be blessed to the Government neither can the Bishops and Prelates justly themselves desire it that only they and their Church-Government should be Imposed and Tollerated and all besides Prohibited for this is not doing to others as they would be done unto and I may hope that their Suffering this divers years may have taught them the worth of Liberty to themselves and so that they will allow to others if it be in their power the same which they have desired themselves in their time of Suffering and they having tasted of some Subjection in Adversity they know the better how to behave themselves in time of prosperity and they may compare others with their own states and may judge that others will as much desire Liberty and from as good Principles in their Worship and Faith as themselves would have enjoyned it in times past and they may have learned to be good to others in that case for which themselves have Suffered and not cause others to suffer for that thing about wch themselves have suffered And I do conclude that he may justly with more safty happiness to his Government Tollerate and Allow LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE in the Exercise of Faith and Worship towards God in all Spiritual Matters even to al sorts of People in this Nation and let him defend their Persons Estates from the wrong one of another by wholsome Laws and let each sort defend themselves in their Faith and Worship in their Church and Ministry by their soundest Arguments and the best Spiritual weapons they have and thus should it be blessed to the Government And whatsoever sort or Sect of People are not contented with this that is to say to Allow the same Liberty to others in Faith and Worship which they do desire themselves are not worthy themselves to be allowed Liberty unto and this every reasonable man may judge Quer. 7. Lastly What is your Iudgement if ye dare declare it concerning the Times and Seasons and the present motions of them And what are your Observations of the present proceedings Are the present Times and Seasons and the proceedings and transfactions in Mercy or in Iudgment to the King and his Subjects If in Mercy to whom is it Mercy And if in Iudgment who are they to whom these things are so If ye be not faint-hearted declare your minds now in your last daies as many think for many say that your ruin is nigh come and if it be not so many are deceived Answ. Yes we dare declare our Iudgment concerning the Times and Seasons for we have received the Iudgment of Truth in our Spirits and never have been nor are we afraid to declare the Truth so far as Truth is necessary to be declared and we say the Times and Seasons are in the hand of the Lord and the motions of them are very swift and the Lord gives to whom and takes from whom Times and Seasons as he pleaseth even as it were in an instant doth the Lord give and change and alter Times Authorities and Things and mortal man ought not to glory in Times or Seasons as if they were certain and unchangable to him for behold the Motions of Times flyeth away and Seasons removeth their course and the most confident of men have no certainty thereof and that because they are in the hand of the Lord that turneth them about and often contrary to mens will and pleasure and therefore let every man be good in his time and fulfill the will of the Lord in his Season before Time and Season be no more but removed from them And as for our Observations they are very many of the present proceedings and transactions first we do observe that there is not any thing of all these transactions that are come to pass but there is a secret hand of the Lord God through them and in them either doing of them or suffering of them to be done and either as the cause by secret purpose or as the means of their accomplishment it is not without him that these things cometh to pass but his eye his hand is over them that man is only blesed which hath respect unto him in all these things that he may do or suffer for the Lord and that he may not rebell against him in what is brought to pass by him Secondly we observe how that the Lord hath given unto many Men a Day and a Time and tryed them what they would do for him and whether they would rule in Righteousness and in Equity but many have proved deceitful and not answered to the Lord what he expected from them and therefore the Lord hath confounded them in their Counsels and suffered them to Clash one against another and made them overthrow one another and one self-seeking man hath been the ruin of another as bad as himself and even many by their own proceedings have prepared a rod and judgment even for themselves and through their blindness of heart which they have been given up to because of their wickedness they have destroyed themselves and given their very enemies advantage over them to afflict them and this we have observed of present proceedings Thirdly We observe that there is a rude prophane spirit highly abounding throughout this Nation that brings forth much bad fruit as drunkenness and wickedness in a great measure which may justly provoke the Lord to wrath and indignation against the Land if it be not forsaken though it be lifted up in this wonderful rudeness in a pretence of glorying on the behalf of the King and his Government yet it vexeth the Lord and it works Sorrow in the hearts of many Sober People who are pondering what the End of this Government may be that is thus rude and prophane in its beginning saying in their hearts how shall the Lord blesse these proceedings and make the end of them happy which are thus void of the fear of God in the first part of them and if a stop be not put and a limitation upon the Spirit it will provoke the Lord to work sudden destruction and overthrown the Nation Fourthly We observe that many Hypocrites and dubble minded men are afraid and terror hath Surprized them who have taken the profession of such or such a Religion on them for a Cloak and hath been in the shew of Righteousness for earthly ends such are afraid and their ends are frustrated and they are turned into confussion and a prophane Spirit abounding over their Hypocrisie and such will deny their Principles and their Faith and will fawn slatter to save themselves this is abominable but men
even in Conscience and all his Commands which are otherwise we are willingly and in our Consciences contented in patience to bear what men shall put upon us and thus we do accept of the King and his Government as he it are according to God and answerable unto him if it be so we are willingly and in Conscience accepting thereof and shall be obedient Subjects thereunto but if it be otherwise that is to say if he Rule in Tyranny and Oppression and his Government be unjust and unrighteous and contrary to God then we must give our witness against him and it yet not so as by outward opposition and rebellion to seek the overthrow of him or the Government by Carnal Weapons but shall patiently bear and that for Conscience sake all that Cruelty or Injustice and suffering which can be Imposed upon us And as for owning his Supremacy if it be meant his Supremacy over the Church as if he were Head of the Church and were Supream Law-giver and Iudge and King in Church-State as to give and prescribe Laws for Worship and Faith and to pass all Judgement in matters that are Spiritual and appertaining to Conscience about the things of the Kingdome of God if by his Supremacy this be meant and intended thus we cannot own his Supremacy but must deny it and we do ascribe Supremacy only to IESUS CHRIST in and concerning all these things mentioned and that he alone is Iudge and King and Law-giver in all the matters concerning his own Spiritual King dome and he must prescribe for us Faith and Worship and must be the only Iudge in all cases of Conscience and Spiritual matters and not Charles Stuart King of England c. nor any other man upon the Earth for let it not be understood that we deny his Supremacy in opposition to the Pope of Rome as if we should own the Popes Supremacy over the Church for that we do not nor any man upon the Earth as I have said but only IESUS CHRIST is Principal in that relation and to him we give the Dominion in all the cases of his own Kingdom but if owning his Supremacy it be intended whether we will own him to be Head and Ruler as in the affairs of this Nation pertaining to mens Persons and Estates without any relation to the Worship of God or matters of Conscience so we own him as I have before mentioned and must be Subject for Conscience-sake in fulfilling all his commands whatsoever either by doing or suffering and this is our principle which we are perswaded in and resolved herein to continue and abide E. B. TO CHARLES STUART Who is PROCLAIMED KING And to all You that are called and known by the Name of ROYAL PARTY CAVALEIRS and who have Suffered in your Cause for your Principle FRIENDS THE Lord God who is greater than all that doth whatsoever he will hath given you a Day and you are raised up again out of your Suffering State Oh that you would consider the end of it and wherefore the Lord hath done and suffered it to be done and that you would make right use and improvement unto God and this Nation of this your Deliverance and Promotion for certainly there hath been an absolute purpose in the Counsel of the Lord that these things should be thus and his hand hath even suffered it to be accomplished even in a strange and marvellous way through the confounding of your Enemies and giving of them up to the folly of their own hearts in their Councils that they should destroy themselves and bring in you over their heads and make you a Mountain and break down their Mountain and make it as a low Valley and certainly these things are in the Iustice of the Lords hand and it will be well for you if you can consider it and acknowledge it You have been a suffering People it is true for these divers years and Orignally your Suffering was partly just as from the Lord for there was a great measure of Iniquity and Oppression fulfilled in this Nation on the part of Kings and your Sins were great against God wherefore the Lord was Iust in bringing Affliction and Tribulation upon you to humble you and he might Iustly raise up others to reprove you and to subdue you before them for a season and thus far even because of your Iniquities which were great in the sight of God your Sufferings and Afflictions were Iust But as for those that the Lord made use of in the Execution of your Afflictions they are not justified in all what they did towards you but they went beyond in Violence and Cruelty upon you what the Lord called them unto and thereby they brought a great measure of guilt of Injustice and Cruelty upon their own Consciences in proceeding towards you beyond Iustice and Equity Though some of them might be more sincere and upright in the beginning of these things when they began to War against you yet it too well appears that many of them soon lost the Iust Cause and began to have respect to your Estates and Titles of Honour more than to free the Nation from Oppressions and Vexations though they pretended much thereunto yet so it was that they became fouly corrupted in their way and though they Subdued you yet did they not free the Nation but became Oppressors themselves no less than others before them and they possessed your Riches and Titles yea and in great measure Unjustly and then were exalted in Ambition and Vain-glory and began to strive amongst themselves who should be the greatest and set up this and the other and some cryed one way of Government and others another and they pulled down and set up as they would and cast down and exalted whom they would and thus they continued for some years rowling up and down in Confusion and yet the Nation under very great Oppression and Vexations each one crying his Burthen was the greatest while they were exalted in their Pride and Riches and lived at ease notremembring the end wherefore they were first raised nor keeping to sincere Principles but caused them to suffer deeply that were faithful to the Lord and walked with him in sincerity and all this while you were as asleep and not thought upon by them as if ever you should call them to an Account but they thought that their strength was great and their number many and therein they gloryed having no true respect unto the Lord and because hereof the Lord justly confounded them in their Counsels when their measure was full and made them weak as water and you are now justly raised up to reprove and correct them even those that have abused Gods Mercies to them and that have forgotten God and sought to exalt themselves for ever and had no respect unto the Lord and his People though these things are not said of them to upbraid them nor to kindle your fury against them to add Misory upon
even to the dishonour of God throughout this Nation this Spirit we bear witness against that it is evil and brings forth bad effects in every City and Town throughout the Land whereby the Lord is provoked against you and this Nation in an high measure Oh that you would consider of it while there is time to be corrected and amended before it have brought forth unpardonable Iniquities which it hastens to fulfill and draws down wickedness as with cords Oh the excessiveness in Drinking and other vanities Oh what destroying of the good Creatures it greives the hearts of the Righteous and vexeth the Sober minded to consider it and also their is a great deal of Hipocrisie and deceitfull-heartedness amongst many I have considered this thing and it is a vexation to the Lord and cannot but be detestable to you even in that many contrary to their Principles Engagements and Promises Covenants do now cry you up for to save themselves their Lives and Estates who have been deeply engaged against you publiquely and privately and yet now in Hypocrisie are fallen in with you such their proceedings are loathsome to God and your present Cause is no better because of such though as for some of you that have stood to your Principle and suffered for it this long while in your state you are more honourable and rather justified Oh let the King fear and reverence the eternal God knowing he is but mortal man and his breath in his Nostrils and let him keep himself clear from Persecution for Conscience-sake for that will destroy Kings and Governments who are guilty thereof and let him be Meek and Sober and take the Lord before him in all his proceedings or else he cannot prosper his Day and Time is now present that Gods purpose is to try him if he Rule in Righteousness and Truth in Equity and Iustice he may be blessed But if otherwise he Govern and walk not in reverence to the Lord and spare his People the God of Heaven shall rebuke him and deliver his People another way Consider of these things in a sober mind Read them over in meekness This was written about the middle of the 3d. month called May From a Lover of your Souls Edw. Burrough A few QUERIES I do return to you for you to Consider and Answer relating to the present Affairs and Proceedings in this Nation even to all you that are called and known by the Name of ROYALLISTS and CAVALIERS that are really so and have Suffered for that Cause Query 1. TO what do you Attribute the first Cause of the Advancement of this present Government And whether or no ye believe that there was any thing of the purpose and hand of the Lord by intending and bringing these things about without expectation by you and contrary to the great strength of your Enemies who are suddenly of a great and high Mountain made a low Valley and you of a low and troden down Valley suddenly raised up into a great Mountain And to what do you Attribute this Changing and Overturning of Power and Authority and Rulers even them that have been as Princes and Potentates to be Rebels and them that have been accounted as Rebels and Traitors to be Rulers and Governours I say to what do you Attribute these things on their first Cause whether to the Pollicy of some or to Accident or to good Fortune as some call it Or whether you believe in your Consciences that the Lord God by his secret Power hath purposed and suffered the effecting and accomplishing of these things Quer. 2. And if you believe that there is any thing of the band and purpose of the Lord in doing or suffering these Transactions Then wherefore and for what Cause do you believe hath he done these things Is it because you are more Righteous in the sight of God than they who are cast out before you and because he loveth you and hateth them Or whether it is not because they have proved Treacherous and Deceitful and not answered unto the Lord what he requireth of them but sought themselves and forgot the Lord and took your Estates and Titles of Honour upon them and pretended a better Government and to Govern better than that way of Monarchical Government but did not but were Oppressors even as others before them And is not this the Iust Cause wherefore the Lord hath suffered these Overturnings May not we justly that are neither of you Attribute this to be the very Cause wherefore the Lord hath brought them down and raised up you over them whereas if they had repented of their Sins and been faithful to what the Lord required of them and what themselves pretended to and had indeed Governed Iustly and Righteously and freed the Oppressed and answered unto the Lord in an Equal Government according to his Law Whether may it not be believed that these things had never thus been brought to pass Quer. 3. Whether or no you believe that there is a GOD so mighty in Power and so wise in Counsel and Purpose that can Turn and Overturn you and your Power and lay you low even as others and raise up others who are now as low as you hà ve been for divers years Whether you believe that there is a GOD that by his Power can effect such a thing and accomplish it in his wisdom And whether do you not believe in your Consciences that he will do it if you do not please him and fear his Name and forsake allwickedness and if you be Oppressors and cruel-heated as others have been and do not Rule in Righteousuoss and Equity And whether you believe not that the Lord doth watch over you with his eye that sees you and marks all your wayes Whether do you consider that the Lord looks for good fruit from you and that you should free the Land from Oppression which if you answer not the Will of the Lord in what he requires Whether do not you believe that he is so Wise in Counsel and Mighty in Power that he can and will whether by Means or without Means Overturn and Confound YOU and your Government Quer. 4. Whether you believe in your Consciences and do acknowledge unto God that there was any thing of his IUSTICE in your late Sufferings for these divers years Or whether all of them or no part of that Suffering which hath been upon you were any whit Iust as from the Lord And whether there was not a great Measure of Iniquity filled up in Monarchical Government and a great Measure of Oppression upon the poor people of this Nation by their Lords and great men And whether this Rebuke and Reproof that you have had in this measure of Suffering that hath been upon you was not in some measure Iust as from the Lord that you might be humbled before him though it is by me acknowledged that your Enemies these I mean who are now cast out before you brought great guilt upon themselves in
executing Wrath upon you in that and because they proceeded further and into more Bitterness and Cruelty towards you then they had either Commission or Authority from God But whether there was not a Iustice as from the Lord in that which partly befel you And was not his hand many times against you in Battel though Number nor Valour was not wanting on your part yet are not you sensible how by a Secret hand you were often Defeated and Victory given to your Enemies though the less in Number And were not these things in the Iustice of the Lords Hand Whether do you not believe it and acknowledge it Quer. 5. Whether or no you do intend any Reformation from OLD Oppressions Or whether you intend to tread in the very steps and to walk in the very path in every Particular of Government as it stood was carryed on in the beginning of CHARLES the First his dayes And whether you ought not in the sight of God and before him to consider how to relieve the Oppressed and break off all Cruel Bonds of Injustice how a Government may be set up which may be answerable to the Lord not unto your own and other Corrupted mens ends but if you shall do so Whether do you Answer the End or Deny the End wherefore the Lord hath thus dealt with you in giving of you this Day unexpected and contrary to all your Enemies And whether do you not believe that God hath set you between good and evil between Right and Wrong between doing of his Will and the Will of the Devil in the doing and fullfilling one or the other by you whether doth not Depend Happiness and Blessedness upon you or the Woe and the Curse your Standing or your Fall your Renown or your Dishonour perpetually Quer. 6. Whether or no you do not believe in your Consciences that the Prosperity and Continuance and Happiness of this your Government to your selves the King and Kingdomes or the Unhappiness Overthrow Misery and Confusion of the Government it self the King and these Nations doth not stand and wholly depend upon the Government and Authority as it proceedeth in Iustice Righteousness and Equity or as it is and proceedeth contrary and is Injustice Oppression and Unrighteousness And if therein it stand whether do you believe in your Consciences that God shall Bless it and Prosper it or he shall Destroy it and Confound it for is not the hand of the Lord Stretched forth in Mercy or in Iudgment accordingly as men walketh in his Fear or without his Fear And whether if your CAUSE be Iust in it self yet if-you walk in Unrighteousness and Ungodliness and Oppression and Cruelty Whether may not you thereby destroy your Cause and Loose it and provoke the Lord to anger against you and your Cause to Confound you and Destroy you And whether you do seriously Consider of this And is it not your Duty so to do And ought you not to endeavour to stop this Flood of Wickedness that is broken out which if it it be not stopped may provoke God against you to overthrow your proceedings Quer. 7. What is the very End of Rule and Government outward in this World And for what Cause did God at the first ordain it whether upon this or not really consider Was it not that Evil Doers might be Punished And them that did well might be Praised And was not the outward Law added because of Transgrssion and to Punish Transgressors But for the Preserving of the Peaceable and Meek who walked in the Law of God and when the People had forgotten God and his Law in their hearts and his Power that executed Iudgment and Meroy Was it not then that the Law outward was added and committed into the Hands of Men to execute upon such as regarded not the Law of God in their hearts And is not this the very End of Rule and Government and Magistracy at this very day Whether ought it to be extended further than only over and concerning the Affairs of the outward Man to keep that in good order not to be a Load and Burthen and Vexation and Bondage upon a Nation and People but to Suppress that which would Load and Burthen and Oppress the Creation and People that all men may be preserved in their just Right and not Vex and Oppress one anothers Persons and Estates And if your Government be not from this Ground and for this very End shall it ever be blessed and happy either to the Governors or Governed Quer. 8. What do you believe of and concerning LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE in all Matters appertaining to the Kingdome of God Whether ought not you to give that LIBERTY in your Government that every man and all sorts of People may believe in God and Worship God according as he or they shall suppose and be perswaded in his or their Consciences provided still that he and they annoy not or Oppress his or their neighbors Person or Estate for if he or they do that then he and they go out of the true Faith and breaks the Law of God and the outward Law is to take hold of him and them But whether it is not a just Right and may justly be allowed from you to all the People of this Nation to live under what Ministry and under what Worship and to go to what Assemblies as they shall suppose or be perswaded in their Consciences is the Best and Rightest And whether or no it be not GODS Proper Right alone to be Ruler and Lord over mens Consciences and that he alone should Prescribe Instruct and Teach Faith Worship and Duty in all things in the matters of his own Kingdome And whether God hath committed that Power and Authority ever since the dayes of Christ to any Emperor King or other Ruler whatsoever to be Lord and to exercise Lordship in and over mens Consciences in the matters appertaining to Gods Kingdome And whether it is not Gods only and alone Peculiar Priviledge to be Lord there and not any man to impose one upon another in Spiritual Matters And whether you your selves would be Imposed upon in such case that is Whether you would have such a Church-Government and Ministry Imposed upon you upon such or such a Penalty which you Know or Believe or Suppose is not Right nor according to God nor Suiting with your own Consciences And then how can you with good Conscience in the sight of God Impose upon others whenas your selves would not be Imposed upon in such a Case Quer. 9. Whether or no if that you cause any to Suffer Loss or be Afflicted in Person or Estate for and because of their Conscience sake that is because they are of such a Faith and of such a Worship and of such a Principle in Religious matters though different from others and from you yet if they walk Honestly and Soberly and Peaceably as men and not Plotting and Contriving any Mischief in the Nation I say