Younger A Noble Salutation And a Faithful GREETING Unto THEE Charles Stuart Who art now PROCLAIMED KING OF England Scotland France and Ireland I. Several wholesom sound Exhortations c. LET thy Moderation be known unto all men for the Lord is at hand whose presence filleth Heaven and Earth and let such a Nobility appear in Thee as to try all things and to hold fast that which is good and either to read or to hear with patience before thou judgest for Wisdom becometh a King and true Reason Solidness and Patience him that is a Ruler of the People Mark The God of Heaven hath put into my heart to write unto Thee and in tender love both to thy Soul and Body to lay before Thee several things whereby thou mayest come to see and consider how the mighty Hand and Justice of the Invisible God hath been in these overturnings and changes which have happened in these Nations of late years therefore consider these things The Mighty God the Everlasting Father He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and the whole Earth is his and the fulness thereof and he Ruleth over the Kingdoms of men and giveth them unto whomsoever he pleaseth Yea he pulleth down one and setteth up another and there is no overturning or changing the Kingdoms but it is either by his Commission or Permission and the Lord doth not do any thing neither suffereth he any thing to be done unto persons or Kingdoms without a Cause though he may do whatsoever he pleaseth and who shall call him to an account Yet all his doings are righteous and his wayes are just and equal altogether And it is for the unrighteousness sometimes of a King or Kings and sometimes of a People and other times of both that the Lord doth break or suffer a Nation or Nations to be broken and when he determines to break a People or to change Governments or to suffer such to be done in vain do men strive to preserve or uphold them and the Lord may and doth make whomsoever he pleaseth his Instruments for to do his determined Work and when they have done his Work then he may do whatsoever he pleaseth with them and many times his Instruments when they begin his determined Work appear very contemptible unto many Yet such speak foolishly and without understanding who say That such Instruments are too weak and cannot prevail seeing all power is in the hand of God who can give Wisdom and Strength and Courage unto whomsoever he pleaseth Yea so much as may accomplish his Work and he very oft-times by that which appeareth foolish weak and contemptible confoundeth and bringeth to naught that which appeareth to be Mighty and wise that no flesh should glory in his presence And when his Instruments have done his Work and he determines to break or suffer them to be broken again let them appear never so Wise Bold and Mighty yet vainly do they speak who say Such a Wise Bold and Mighty People cannot be broken seeing the Lord can do whatsoever he pleaseth who suddenly can turn man's Wisdom into folly his strength into weakness and his boldness into dauntedness of Spirit Now such things as these O King come oft to pass and none of them without a Cause and they that are truly Wise learn further and get understanding through all these things Therefore is true Wisdom better than Strength and a right Understanding is better than an earthly Crown Therefore O King wait to feel the noble Principle of Wisdom which God hath inspired Thee withal for there is a measure of it in Thee though it hath been hid and that measure is the Light which Christ the Wisdom of God hath enlightned Thee withal which Light in Thee is that which never had fellowship with darkness in Thee or its deeds nor concord with the Devil or his Works but makes manifest and reproves all such things which Light being received in the love of it and believed and waited in man becomes a child of it and so it gives him a good understanding and opens an eye in him whereby he comes to see the hand and workings and appearances of the invisible God and this Light is the free Gift of God which is come upon all men which being rejected and a man not liking to retain it in his knowledge he profesing himself then to be wise becomes a fool and brings condemnation upon himself for rejecting that which should minister all things unto him pertaining unto Life and Godliness Therefore O King give all diligence to receive the Gift which God hath placed in thy heart that so thou mayest be acquainted with Wisdom and that thou mayest be filled with moderation gravity and patience and come to a right understanding and discerning that so thou mayest rightly look upon things past present and to come and see them as they were are and shall be II. Concerning the overturning of thy Father c. COncerning thy Father and those that took his Part There was an eminent hand of God in breaking them down and bringing them under and God did it not without a Cause for the Iniquity in them provoked the holy God to anger and the hight and pride of their spirits grieved and pressed the Spirit of the Just God and after he had a long time born with them and warned them with his Eternal Light in their Consciences yet they repented not but still grieved his good Spirit by many provocations and waxed higher and higher against him in disobedience his anger then was kindled against them and his indignation waxed hot and he arose in the fiery spirit of his jealousie to ease himself of his Adversaries and avenge himself of his Enemies and because the Living Wise Eternal God who made all the Nations of the earth of one blood and is no respecter of persons saw that those that took part with thy Father were generally according to outward appearance accounted the wisest richest noblest and stoutest men mark and that they did glory in their Wisdom Riches Nobility Stoutness and Strength and vaunted themselves over those that were made of the same Blood He the living God did then appear in contemptible Instruments as to outward appearance as in Trades-men Plough-men Servants and the like with some others whom I know thy Father's Party made a mock at and even scorned them as it were and thought it too low and too base a thing to engage War with such a contemptible People yet in such I say did the Lord appear to carry on that Work which he had determined even to bring down the loftiness of man and to stain the pride and glory of flesh and that thy Father's Party might have come to see that they were but men made of the same earth and blood that others were And the Lord God appeared mightily in those his Instruments giving them Wisdom Courage and Strength to mannage a War against a far more Mighty and Wise
strives with you to shew you your abominations and to draw and lead you out of the same O be not still Stiff-necked but hearken to the Word of the Lord which sheweth you the thoughts and Intents of your Hearts and hearken and be obedient to the Call thereof that so by its Power you may Hasten out of Babylon both Young and Old Rich and Poor High and Low Noble or Ignoble Professor or Profane who yet are there For the Lord's Controversie is great with Babylon her Merchants and Inhabitants and he will not much longer spare but he will suddenly smite and none shall be able to hinder his stroak Yea yea he will wound and none shall be able to heal For the measure of her Iniquities Idolatries and Whoredoms are nigh full and the Wine of her Fornications hath caused the Fatts to overflow and she is come up into remembrance before the Lord the Just God who will Plague her and all her Merchants and Inhabitants according to their Abominations whereby they have grievously provoked Him Therefore come out of her whilst Mercy and Time is offered lest you perish with her in her Judgements which the Lord is Strongly and Swiftly bringing upon her Oh England England A day of Sorrow and Calamity is coming upon many of thy Inhabitants I have long been sensible of it even a day of such Breaking Confusion and Judgement as hath not been for a long space For thy People have wearied out the Lord with their Iniquities and grieved his holy Spirit with their Abominations dayes without number Oh England England The Lord hath a Precious and Holy Seed in thee Yea He hath a Remnant which he hath Raised by his Power to and for himself which are exceeding precious in his sight and these a great part of thine Inhabitants have Shamefully entreated and grievously Oppressed and Persecuted And they have Patiently born the same and have laboured in the Life of Innocency and Spirit of Emanuel to Inform thy Rulers and People in the Things that are Just and True and have shewn them the Wayes which have and do Displease the Lord and have Exhorted and Warned thy Inhabitants Time after Time But notwithstanding their Doctrine Lives and Conversations have manifested their Innocency and Uprightness of Heart before God and Man Yet have many of thy Rulers Priests and People Oppressed them more and more Some Spoiling their Goods others Imprisoning their Bodies in filthy Holes and Dungeons till several of them have Sealed their Testimony for the Lord with their Blood which cryeth for Vengeance in the Ears of the Almighty and the Lord hath heard the Cry thereof and hath looked down and beheld the Actings of the sons of men and he is near to Visit Yea the Lord hath beheld and doth behold the Snares that have been and are laid for the Innocent who have no other Helper but him alone and therefore they have Committed their Cause unto Him who shall bring it to pass Yea he hath taken Notice how several of thy Rulers have combin'd together and endeavoured to Force His Babes to Violate his Royal Law and to Break his Command who saith Swear not at all to Uphold and Obey theirs which is Contrary to his Yea He hath taken Notice of the Cruel Sufferings and great Temptations of his People who many of them are yet Imprisoned and both their Bodies and Estates threatned to be Destroyed by some evil men if they will not break the Royal Law and Commandment of Christ which he hath placed in their hearts to Obey and Do. Oh! The Lord hath seen the Partiality and Evil Intents of several of the Judges and Rulers of this Land who have had Power to let the Innocent go free and yet keep many of his Ministers and Servants many of which have outward Estates Prisoners in many places although they have no more against them than against those whom they have turned forth which is nothing else but for their Obeying the Command of Christ in them who this day saith unto his People Swear not at all as he said to his Disciples formerly and for meeting together and Speaking and Praying in his Name for the Edifying Comforting and Building up one another in their most holy Faith The Lord hath also taken notice that when some of the Rulers might Relieve the Innocent and let the Oppressed go free they will not and then to cover themselves they will say They cannot act contrary to the Law But when a Ruler will act that which he hath no Law for he can then plead a Prerogative Royal for that and thus are the Innocent Lambs of Christ made a Prey upon Oh! the Oppressions of his People and others are great this day in thee O Land and the Crying of the Fatherless the Widows and the Needy is come up before the Lord God of Compassion who will thorowly plead the Cause of his People and the Poor and Needy of the Land Oh England England I have oft heard and treasured up what the Lord hath said in me concerning thy Inhabitants but now must I declare it in the Appointed Season Thus hath the Lord spoken in me for a long time concerning thy Inhabitants saying The People are too many the People are too many I will thin them I will thin them Mark that is He will make them fewer for they cumber the Ground And the Spirit of the Lord hath oft signified unto me for a long time That an Over-flowing Scourge yea even an exceeding great and terrible Iudgement is to come upon thee O Land and that many in thee shall fall and be taken away in the Judgement and the Spirit of the Lord signifieth unto me that the time draweth nigh and that the Decree of the Lord is so firm that though some of the Lords Children and Prophets could appear so as to stand in the Gap yet should not that alter his Decree onely in the Righteousness of the Lamb they shall be hid and saved from his Wrath whatever may be done to any of their Bodies but his fierce Wrath and Indignation shall be poured forth upon the Ungodly and a great Desolation and Destruction shall there be for he will overturn and overturn till he hath dis-throned and thrown down the Man of Sin and exalted and established the Kingdom of his Dear Son over all the Kingdoms of the World and the Kingdom and Dominion and the Greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the Holy People the Saints of the Most High whose Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom and all Dominions shall serve and obey him who is King of Saints Behold ye Despisers and Wonder This is the Work which the Lord will accomplish by his own Power though you will in no wise believe it but you shall feel even both Hypocrites and Prophane that the Lord is able to bring to pass the thing that is in his heart And you now think to set up and establish your
Idolatry and to live in Prophaness without controul and you who appear so hot against some of these things and labour to stop and pull them down mark that you might set up and establish your own Hypocritical Will-worship in another dark dead Form I will frustrate you both saith the Lord God and you shall grind and waste one against another as the upper and nether Milstone And I will pluck out from you and preserve a holy Seed beyond expectation and I will be avenged on you for that which you have already bruised or shall yet bruise mark And I will hurry and hurl you round with a mighty Stream for the Waters shall roar and swell And after I have executed my vengeance upon the Rebellious and Treacherous Dealers I will then bring forth the Remnant of my Holy Seed which shall be preserved from their Fury and they shall spread over all in my Life Power Knowledge and Wisdom wherein they shall stand in Dominion Yea and they shall rule the Earth in Mercy Justice and true Judgement and they shall forgive and love their Enemies as they do at this day and do the thing that is just and good unto all without respect of Persons yea they shall seek the good of the whole Creation in the true love and self-denial for the Spirit of Love Meekness Healing and Restoring shall mightily fill their tender Bowels and my Blessings shall fill their Dwelling-place and the Earth for their sakes these things will I accomplish by my own Power and in my own time saith the Lord God But although these things touching the holy Remnant shall certainly be fulfilled in their Season Yet before they be fully accomplished great will be the Tryals of many of the Righteous there will be great Judgements executed in thee O Land by him who oft-times maketh a fruitful Land barren because of the Wickedness of them that dwell therein and Just will it be with Him to deal so with thee because of the great wickedness of the greatest part of thy Inhabitants who are departed and separated from the Spirit of Mercy Love Compassion and Healing and are labouring to Devour Oppress and Destroy one another and the whole Creation Oh England England There is also a People in thee who are come to see the Great Idolatry and Superstition which many are now striving to revive and set up in thee yea there is a People in thee which see and believe that the Worship which is now a setting up with the Vain Musick Altars Masse in English and the foolish needless Garments of the Priests and such like Popist stuff that these things are Idolatry Folly and Vanity and but a mocking of God and yet some of these People will run after this Vain Worship for self-ends flavish-fear and to keep themselves in esteem with or amongst those who plead for it And others there are in thee who instead of being sorrowful for such Abomination and Superstition or reproving the Practicers thereof in the solid seasoned savoury Life and holy Dread of the Lord God they write and speak scossingly of those things even to the stirring up one of another into Vain Laughter and so make a Sport of others Idolatry and this grieveth the Spirit of the Lord also and doth not convince but exasperate and harden those that are zealous for their blind Worship and Superstition There are also a great number of brittle fiery rash unsatisfied People in thee O Land who are as unstable as water and these rebelling against the Light not knowing the way of it because they abide not in the Path thereof they are restless rouling and raging oft-times like the Sea One time they will have a Parliament and cry out They shall govern and heal them and when they have gotten them in a short time they grow weary of them And then another time they will cry out for a King and say He shall heal them and make up their Breaches But these people are not long of one mind for they are much like the Athenians who spent their time in little else but either to tell or to hear of some New thing· These People also are like mighty Tydes in thy Channels O England which one while run with Violence driving all unsetled light unfixed things one way and shortly after run with as much violence the contrary way Therefore in a miserable condition are those Rulers whose strength is in such a People And until Rulers come to be settled and fixed in Him who is the Rock of Ages and singly to rule in and for Him whom the Winds and the Seas obey who maketh the Waters to stand on heaps and divideth them hither and thither and altereth the natural course of Tydes as he pleaseth as he hath done thine of late to shew thee the Figure of the People they can never be safe neither will the People be still'd long together but there will be Swellings Ragings Overflowings sore Breakin gs and Ruines Oh! that the foregoings Rulers would have been perswaded to have Received him for their Teacher who ruleth in the Kingdoms of Men then should they not onely have seen what the Lord cast out others before them for but they should have been taught how to have denyed all those things which the Lord was angry with others for and they should have received Power to have abstained from the same but they would not hear and obey the Lord nor his Prophets and therefore were they cast out also And therefore Oh! that the Rulers that now are would be perswaded whilst they have their Day by the Lord and his Servants to receive the Lord Jesus Christ to be their King and Teacher and then they should not onely see for what cause the Lord cast them out and others in their Age but they should be taught to deny and forsake all those things which God was angry with them and others for and they should receive Power to do those things which they and others before them left undone But alas How few are there that will Hear Regard and Obey the Prince of Life and his Followers and therefore is Desolation coming as a mighty Flood which none shall be able to stop Now all People in what Sect or Opinion soever in whom there are any true Breathings and Desires after the Lord and the way of his Holiness Fear not neither be Dismaid because of the Rage that you may yet see the waters of the Land in and because of the Confusion and Cruelty of the People But stand still in that Life which begetteth Breathings and Thirstings in you after the Lord that you may come to see and feel his Salvation and that you may be gathered into that Patience Meekness Contentedness Rest Peace and Satisfaction which many of the dear Lambs and Children of my Father are gathered into wherein they ly down and none can make them afraid though Bodies and Estates be oppressed and abused Oh! Stick not Stick not
yet I could not but publish it because its service reacheth so far in several Particulars unto those also that have been engaged in the late Wars on both sides as in declaring the Mighty Hand and working of the Invisible God therein and for what cause these things have been suffered and how they have been effected which being truly considered may cause many to bow before the Lord and henceforward cease rejoycing in the destroying one of another and rather admire the Lord's mighty and strange workings whereby he hath taken away the cause of boasting in the Arm and Wisdom of flesh on both Sides that so none might glory but in the Lord And many other things are declared in this Book as a Testimony both against Hypocrisie and Prophaneness and what God will do if Repentance be not come unto speedily and also the Innocency and Just and Equalness of the Way and Order of the Truth and such as live in the Life of it both in many things appertaining to Religion and in things Civil is here Demonstrated with many wholesom Exhortations tending to Righteousness and Peace and the safety both of King and Nation and the contrary witnessed against which may be of great service to many if they in the Fear of God will read it and receive his Witness in them the Light of Christ which will answer to the Truth and for no other ause do I Publish it but that if it be the Will of the Lord Truth and Peace may be encreased which this directs unto and that Violence and Wars which this bears witness against might cease and that so God may have the honour of all unto whom it doth belong From the Counsel and Nobility of the Royal Seed the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah the Everlasting King of Righteousness who reigneth in George Fox the Younger A Coppy of this was delivered in Writing by Richard Hubberthorn into the Kings hand at White-Hall the 4th day of the 4th Month 1660. And this may be of service to any of those called Royallists or others if they in Moderation will Read it and for that Cause it is upon me to send it abroad in Print Honest Plain Down-right-Dealing WITH THE PEOPLE CALLED Episcopal-Men and Presbyterians In this Seasonable ADVICE given unto them and their TEACHERS FRIENDS YOu both pretend in Words to be Friends to the KING now let your actions shew forth the same lest ye in this Cause concerning the King be found like those who in words professed to know or love another King but in Works denyed him Tit. 1.16 Therefore labour not to perswade the King to set up either of your Forms of Worship in this manner mark as to compel by outward Force all others to conform thereunto or else to persecute them for if you do thus and if the King should hearken unto either of you and fulfill either of your wills in this particular mark you to whom he so consents unto would shortly be made manifest to be the greatest Enemies to the King in the Nations And not only the Kings Enemies but Enemies to your selves also even to the endangering of the destruction both of the King and Your selves for if the King shall set up either of your Forms and compel all others thereunto or else Persecute them mark you two are so inverate one against another and have acted already so cruelly one against another that thus it will be with you mark you that the King so sets up will seek to avenge your selves and to Lord it over the other Mat. 5.44 46. and neither of you are able to suffer in patience and to forgive your Enemies as the Ministers of Christ were to do Mat. 6.15 that so which-soever of you were put under the other you will be watching to Plot both against the King and them that are set over you and if you that are put under can but get an advantage against the other which-soever of you it be mark even the Mercies of you would be cruelty towards those that kept you under And if either of your Forms should be set up as before mentioned you who be set up in that manner will be in great danger of being destroyed and that for these reasons First Because it is not owned by the Lord that any should set up a Worship and compel others to it by outward force or Persecution and this is the way in which either of you would proceed if ye had Power and thereby you would Engage the Lord against you and your Worship for the worship which he owns is in the Spirit and in the Truth John 4.23 24. and nothing but the Power of his Spirit can compel thereunto and they that rebel against this Power in matter of Worship are for it to be punished thereby Secondly Because the Lord hath decreed to remove Oppression and Persecution and to judge and blast that spirit which hath exercised cruelty against the Saints and to set up Righteousness and to give his People their just Liberty to worship him according to the leadings and requirings of his Eternal Spirit in them mark and if either of your Forms should be set up as before mentioned it would strongly oppose this Decree of God which cannnt be broken and therefore it would engage the Lord to destroy you Thirdly If one of you be set up and ye be impower'd by the King to compel by outward force all others to your Worship or else to Persecute them mark this will exasperate the spirits of most of the other Sects against the King and you that shall be so set up and it will engage all them of the Sects that are in the fighting nature and can use a carnal Weapon for their own defence to joyn together as one man against the King and either of you that he should so set up Therefore if you would be true Friends either to the King or your selves and your Nation labour not with the King to establish either of your Forms or any other as before-mentioned but if ye own CHARLES STUART to be King be content that HE may Rule over all as one keeping the outward Peace among you all by providing just Laws to punish any that would hurt any mans Person or Estate upon any unjust account whatsoever or any that shall run into open prophaneness Mat 7.12 and be content that others may have as much Liberty to Worship their God in that way they are perswaded to be right as ye desire to have in that ye think is right and lay by all these Carnal Weapons as Prisons Fires Gallows Stocks Whips and all outward violence and use none of them mark about compelling to a Worship 2 Cor. 10.4 But you that are Teachers come forth with your Spiritual Weapons if you have them and smite at the Spiritual Wickedness that is Exalted in the Creatures if ye be able wrestle with that and not with the Creatures and if without using outward force and compulsion
your Ministry and Worship and in the constitutions thereof and in all your Conversations And that which you see with the Light to be contrary to the mind and will of God in any of these things before-mention you must deny and give it up to be consumed by the Spirit of Judgement and burning and you must give your full consent that the Lamb of God the Light of the World the second Adam the Lord from Heaven the quickning Spirit who is one with the Eternal Father may have the preheminence in all things And that he may Rule in you all over you all and lead and guide you all in all things before you can witness that God's Controversie with you is fully come to an end And all them of the Nations that are saved must walk in the Light of the Lamb Therefore let every particular in their several stations come to a true honest search speedily and cast off and deny that which the Light will let you see that God is against that so haply God may stay the mighty Judgement which otherwise must come which is nigh at the door which will sweep away the ungodly These are faithful and true sayings and things which must shortly be fulfilled therefore blessed will every one be that will hear and obey the Counsel of the most High for the day of the Lord draweth nigh And now ye Rulers if ye resolve to build up that which God hath thrown down by an out-stretched Arm and if you strive to establish your selves in that which God's Controversie hath been and yet is against you will undo your selves for ever for you will engage the Lord against you who assuredly will be too strong for you and break and confound you as opposers of his mighty work therefore take heed what you do the Lords decree shall stand George Fox the younger THE DREAD Of Gods Power UTTERING ITS VOICE Thorow MAN unto the HEADS of the NATION OH ye Mighty men who sit upon the THRONE that are Exalted into Power and brought into great Authority Do you indeed know the Hand that brought you up thither And do you rightly understand the End of your coming into Power again And do you certainly know the Work which God requires at your hands And do you indeed see the true Leader which is to lead in the Way and Work of the Lord And do you Feel and Witness that your Hearts are truly Enclined and Prepared towards the Work of the Lord Or are you not ignorant of these Things And do you not rather feel your Hearts enclined towards REVENGE and to make your selves Great and to get your selves a Name and to follow that which is pleasing to your own Eyes and to Condemn that which God hath Justified and to Justifie that which God hath Condemned and doth Condemn Let there be an honest search made with the Witness of God in your own hearts which will shew you the thoughts and the intents thereof and think not to flatter your selves as others have done before you by conceiving that you are safe enough because the Arm of Flesh is with you and at your Command For verily verily Thus saith the Lord God I will yet make the Powers of the Earth to know that I am God and there is no other and that I can do whatsoever I please and my Purpose and Decree shall stand unalterable And I will bring to pass the thing that is in my Heart and none shall let it for in its season it shall be accomplished Oh! Hear ye Rebellious and live be not so stiff-necked and wilful like those that went before you who would not hear Reproof lest I make you a hissing and scatter you with more dishonour that any that went before you for my Anger is kindled and my Jealousie is waxed hot against the Man of Sin My Decree is to Dis-throne him and to take the Kingdom my self and to slay his Subjects that will not turn at my Reproof and be subject to my Government Therefore seek not your selves neither follow the Devices and Iniquity of your own hearts any longer for I the LORD am coming to plead with all flesh and I will make mine Enemies know that I have Power to accomplish my own Work though I should find all the Armed men and the men in Authority against me Now this is my Decree I will set up Righteousness in the Earth and I will establish Equity and Mercy amongst the People I will remove Oppression from off the Earth and I will Search out and overthrow the Ground and Foundation thereof in whomsoever or in whatsoever it stands even as I overthrew Sodom in the dayes of old and they that will not haste out of it shall certainly be destroyed saith the Holy One who will break the Potsherds of the Earth that withstand him and consume the Stubble the Thorns and the Bryars that set themselves in Baâ—tel against him who is a consuming Fire Therefore Oh ye Heads of the People Consider your Wayes and weigh your Actions in that equal ballance the Word of God which will shew you the thoughts and the intents of your hearts for verily the Lord God is highly displeased and your hearts are seen not to be right before him Therefore consider your Foundation upon which you build lest your building fall with great dishonour and loss when the Storm comes which shall come to try it Mark Were You or your Fathers and Friends able to keep your selves in Power when the Lord formerly appeared against you to cast you out before your Enemies because of your Rebellion against him Or were your Enemies able to keep you out of Power and themselves in when the Lord appeared against them to Split and Confound them and to turn their day into darkness and to bring you in as a Flood over them because of their treacherous dealing with the Lord and because they perverted the Cause and Power that was put into their hands serving themselves and their Lusts and not the Lord Verily as they were not able to stand no more will you be able to stand and keep your Places except you repent and own that your Enemies had a a just Cause put into their hands against you And so put a difference betwixt the Cause and That which perverted it and not judge and condemn both together for if you do verily I say unto you when you have filled up your measures you will assuredly fall without recovery though you were ten thousand times stronger than you are and although not one man appeared against you with a Carnal Weapon Consider Was it a Carnal Weapon that brought you in Were you not brought in without a stroke outward And is not the Lord the same Is his hand shortned Hath not he the hearts of all Flesh in his Power And can he not turn them as he pleaseth Can he not root out and overthrow whomsoever he will And if he will do it without outward
things that is of this world for the Tryal will be great unto such Dear hearts I know that some of you have suffered the losse of much for his Name sake already oh faint not neither be weary for all your Sufferings are known unto the Lord and he will not alwayes so try you but he will sufficiently recompence you if ye abide to the end Therefore watch unto Prayer and Pray in the Spirit as it moves you thereunto that you may be kept through Faith unto the end of the Tryal that you may be prepared and made fit for the deliverance which must come by an outstretched Arm and when you are tryed deeply either in Prisons or otherwise oh Friends murmur not but feel the Lord's strength to support you that you may not bow to the Enemy in any wise whose day is but short and therefore he is wroth and rages for such as bow to any thing but the Name of our King verily their torment and perplextty will be exceeding miserable when the Lord shall deliver his chosen who kept their integrity and loved not their estates nor lives but gave up all for his Name sake Therefore dear Friends hearken you to the voice of the Lord and keep you to the leadings of his Eternal Spirit and let his Dread fill you hearts And you that feel but little Sufferings and Tryals take heed of a wrong security and of a false ease and Liberty least the day of the Lord come upon you at unawares and a violent storm unlookt for and you that are in deep Sufferings and Tryals be not you cast down but know that the Tryal of your Faith is exceeding precious and if you keep your minds stayed upon the Lord then will you learn much in such a time and you will feel the presence of God and the virtue of his Power inwardly refreshing you and you will feel the Power of his Majesty giving you Authority sutable to the Condition you are in So as all Friends are kept in that which gives you the sence and feeling of your conditions that Principle of Life will work your minds and hearts into contendedness with the Will of God which is your Sanctification So let the bond of Peace be minded in all things for it is comely amongst Brethren And now the God of Life and endless Virtue and Power watch over you and Minister unto every one of you that which is sutable to your present conditions and the Lord God Almighty preserve and keep you Low Humble Meek Tender Innocent upright Faithful and valiant out of the Snares of the Enemy and give you Peace in all your Tryals and let the Patience of his Lamb be increased in you that you may stand unmoveable upon the Rock of Ages and retain the Life which quickens in your understandings And the Lord God open and keep open your discernings that by no meanes the subtilty may beguile the similicity in this the day of Tryal Eternal Father unto thee I commend all thy Flock that thou Father may fill them with Wisdom Strength and Courage that to thy Glory they may be preserved in their several places and measures to whom be Dominion and Glory everlasting for thy endless riches for thou Lord art worthy to Reign over all Even so come Lord God and take thy Kingdom I the Prisoner for the Lord salutes all you who loves the appearance of Christ in that love which abides for ever GEORGE FOX the Younger Lambeth House the 14th of the 5th Month 1660. SUrely it was thee O Lord that gave bounds unto the Sea that the floods thereof could not overwhelm thy chosen thou canst let forth the winds and suffer a storm and thou canst make a Calm when thou pleasest have thou the Glory of all Thou King of Saints thou Saviour of Israel thou canst do whatsoever thou pleasest therefore will we trust in thy Name neither will we fear what man can do unto us because thou wilt not forsake us but thou wilt plead our Cause in the sight of our adversaries and they shall know that thou art our God who art able to save to the uttermost O Lord our Righteousness we will praise thy Name for thy Mercies indure for ever our eyes O God are unto thee for we have no other helper our Faith O Lord standeth in thee who canst not forget thy People Thou hast revealed and brought up Jacob who wrestleth with thee and prevails as a Prince therefore must the Blessing come O Lord the Birth the Birth cryeth unto thee thine own Elect which long hath been Oppresseâ— â—hou canst not deny thy self therefore have we Faith and Hope which maketh not ashamed Oh Lord 〈◊〉 unsearchable are thy wayes Thou hast even amazed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the depth of thy Wisdom thou onâ—ly wiâ—l have the Glory of their deliverance and therefore 〈◊〉 thou suffered these things to come to pass 〈…〉 Righteous in all thy Judgements onely preserâ—e thy People which thou hast gathered and will gather unto thy self in the day of Tryal that so they may sing of thy Power and Magnifie thy Name in the Land of the Living George Fox the Younger The Breathings of true Love from the Immortal Seed in the Prisoner for the Lord unto his People DEear Friends Brethren and Sisters in the Light called to be a People loved of God the Father in the Lord Jesus Christ Grace Love and Peace be multiplied amongst you through the abundant manifestation of the Spirit of Life proceeding from the Father and the Son My Children and beloved Friends the God of all Truth hath appeared unto you in the Everlasting Covenant of Light and Life visiting you in an acceptable Day and Time making known unto you his Eternal Truth by the Revelation of his Mighty Power in your Mortal Bodies whereby he brought you indeed to feel and know the miserable Estate and Condition that ye were in and he hath also given you to see him upon whom help is laid and you have received him who is the Salvation of God through the drawings of his Mighty Power and you are brought to know and believe That Salvation is not to be had in another yea many of you have received the Covenant of God and do indeed know that your sins are washed away in the blood thereof for you have the witness in your selves and the word of reconciliation is felt and known in your hearts whereby abundance of Peace and Joy unspeakable is witnessed and the Kingdom is come of which there is no end and some of you are placed together therein in Christ Jesus and many others of you the called of the Lord are travelling thitherwards through the Righteous Judgements of the Lord in the Spiritual Warfare and in the Faith and Patience of the Lamb. Now my Friends Be you stedfast in the Truth of God received you have been a suffering People most of the time since the Lord hath brought you in any measure into the obedience
and singleness and uprightness of heart in that love which thinks no Evil even in obedienae unto the Spirit of the Lord which also saith Try all things and hold fast that which is good Friends IN several of you I know there hath stirred and doth oft stir a pure true living Principle of God which hath begot and doth beget true honest and upright Desires and Breathings in you after Righteousness true Liberty and Freedom and loathings of Oppression and Tyranny and it hath been in the hearts of some of you and much upon you to break down Oppression and Tyranny and to remove Oppressors and to make void all such Laws as make provision for Tyranny and Oppression whereby the Oppressors have long been strengthened in their Oppressing the People of this Nation and some of you have felt the weight and burden of Oppression and Tyranny under which the Innocent suffer and it hath been much in your hearts to set up Righteous Laws whereby all People might have Equity and Justice done to them and for them by such as you have had thoughts to put in Authority which would do just and equal things between Man and Man without respect to persons These things the Lords witness in you hath shewed unto you that they ought to be done by you and some of you have breathed and desired much to do these things when ye have owned the pure movings and stirrings of the measure of the Life and Power God in you which hath stirred and moved in you towards Righteousness Equity Mercy and Justice But hitherto ye have been much hindred in this work And truly Friends there are many things yet remaining in and among you mark that which hinder and stop you in this work of true Reformation and they will stop you therein mark that so long as they bear rule in and among you and are consented to and regarded by you many of those things are as followeth First There are many that pretend that they are of you mark that which have joyned unto you in some outward appearance but it is more for fear of loosing their places and the riches and honour of this world than for to the Cause of Equity Justice and true Liberty And these are in the Priests nature who for covetousness and self ends can change with the times and Governments and pretend they are for them so long as they will hold them up and such are neither true to God nor their Country for they can lay down their Religion which they have pretended to stand for and deny the Cause of their Country if it will make most for their own Gain and then say it was the Lords doing and they are satisfied in it though it be quite contrary to that which they have formerly contended for and of this sort there are many among you which stop the work you ought to do And several of you also in whom the Truth of God hath stirred against Oppression and Tyranny verily your minds are yet so much in your Commissions and Places and in the love and honour and Wisdom of this World that this stops you in the work ye ought to do And some of you have so many relations mark that that have such a great gain in those very things which greatly Oppresse the People of this Nation and also some of your selves are concerned in these things that so ye cannot tell how to take away Oppression wholly without taking away their and your own gain and these things being looked at by you they exceedingly stop you in the work you ought to do because herein private self ends and respect to Persons by you are preferred before the general good of all Now Friends whilst your minds and thoughts and hearts run into or after any of these things They with the Enemy of your Souls will not suffer you to do that which is equal no further to be sure then it will stand safe for the upholding and preferring of yout relations and your own private particular self ends Therefore all wait in that which is pure and living of God in you which will shew you all Deceit if ye keep to it that so by it your minds may be redeemed out of all self and respect to Persons that so all particular private self ends and respects to Persons may be denyed and utterly trampled upon by you and that the general good and freedom of all without respect of Persons may be minded and acted for by you that so ye may serve the Lord God and your Generation in singleness and uprightness of heart and then the Lord will honour you and he will be your sufficient reward Verily it is a mighty thing and it is highly to be prized by you especially ye of the Army that ever the Lord God should make use of you again and again put an opportunity into your hands to do that which you formerly promised and vowed unto the Lord and your Nation to do seeing ye so slighted mark that the former opportunities which the Lord God gave you and acted so Treacherously and Deceitfully as ye did in your back-slidings and if ye should slight this opportunity also do not expect another be not deceived God will not be mocked therefore consider these things and mind to answer the Lords love yet continued unto you But if ye look out at or suffer your minds to run into mark the greatness of your Places or after your gain or the honour of the World or if ye look out at love or hatred of your Friends or known Enemies or at any particular self end whatsoever These things will strangle the Principle of God in you which moves to do that which is equal and just unto all and then the tender Seed in you which feels the weight and burden of Oppression that will be murdered and then the deadness and hardness of heart will come upon you more and more and ye will settle deeper and deeper in the death and verily if ye should do thus ye would become even as Sodom and Gomorah unto the Lord and he would overturn you with a great and mighty destruction as he did them therefore remember you have been warned So look at none of these things but look ye to the Lord God and mind the movings of his Life in you and be obedient thereto and as Oppression and Tiranny and Injustice is made manifest unto you by the Light of the Lord in you in the Power of the Lord committed unto you break it down and overturn it and set up and establish Righteous Laws Equity Mercy and Justice and true Liberty in its Place and then you neeâ— not fear what Man can do unto you for the Lord will then be your preserver So the Lord God hath once more tryed you Now if you love Father Mother Wife Children Houses Lands Commissions Honours of the World or any particular self end whatsoever more then the work of the Lord or if ye