your good works brought forth in your own wills in that nature in which the enmity lodges is a lame and a blind Sacrifice and of Cain's nature which God accepteth not you are in the liberty of the flesh and the daily Cross of Christ you do not know but lives daily to the World and dies not to it and your knowledge of Christ is without you by what such a Prophet and such an Apostle spoke of him and the witness of the operation of his Spirit and Power you have not in you nor his sufferings you do not know in your life but by your life make him to suffer in you in his Life the horrible filthy thing is commited amongst you and your Teachers are perfect in the false Prophets steps and some of you are as bruit Beasts in their knowledge gathered in by vain study and humane learning through Phylosophy and vain deceit and have large Quarters from which they seek their Gain and through Coveteousness with feigned words make merchandise of souls and are compleat in Balaams way of Idolatry following his Error loving the Wages of unrighteousness teaching for filthy Lucre devouring souls for dishonest Gain by trading with the Scriptures and selling their Imaginations upon them for money gaining many thousand of pounds a year thereby having stolen the Saints words into their unclean hearts uttered forth by them for advantage to themselves when the Lord hath not sent them nor spoken unto them nor ordained them for his service but their Call and Ordination have been by man and their work and testimony of themselves and have not profited you at all and yet you have loved to have it so but what will you do in the end thereof Even you that have been helped and they that have holpen shall both fall together in the Day of the Lord's Recompence which will fall grievously upon you and none shall be able to deliver you but miserable Comforters and Physitians of no value shall all be unto you and your long applyed Promises shall suddenly fly away No Peace from God is to the Wicked neither do I sow Pillows under your Elbows but to the Light in your Consciences I commend these things which Christ hath enlightened every of you withal which shines in Darkness and you cannot it comprehend nor in it believe but at it stumbles and by it shall be broken which if it you loved it would teach you in the Spirit the Living God to worship and would condemn all your set forms of worship in the imaginations the Light is given you of Christ Jesus unto Life Eternal or unto condemnation everlasting when the Hand of the Lord is upon you remember you had Warning and when you are in the Lake and in the Pit remember you had a day of Visitation upon Earth The Light in all your Consciences shall witness Gods Judgments to be just and your mouths shall be stopped To all you that are called Anabaptists WIth you also is the Controversie of the Lord for you are Children of the same seed more purged in the Fire of blind Zeal and begotten in the transforming of the Serpent into more secret hypocrisie and deeper subtilty your covering being larger the greater deceit and abomination lodges under Death reigns among you and your Kingdom is scituate in the Mountains of exaltation and you feed aboundantly in the Valleys of pride and vain glory and are nourished with the bread of prosperity you are grown high and great in your number and have joyned your selves for advantage and glory in your strength having through Policy and Craft and bowing to the beastly power highly exalted your own Horn and by Flattery have gained much of your dominion which you hold in possession by the Law of guile many simple Ones have by your curious colour and bed of fair pretences been deceived to commit Adultry with your Image brought forth in the likeness of the Saints God by imaginations from the Saints words you worship the Practice and exercise of the Saints with the same mind that the Papists do worship their Names and dayes You allow not Idols without nor a vain conversation in the World but you are stricâ—t in observation in your outward conformity in your self-righteousness which is your greatest sin you are cloathed with the Saints words and practices which you have climed up in your own wills to obtain not having entred in by the Door and while you say you eat and drink the Flesh and Blood of Christ in the Saints manner shewing forth his Death till he come to Salvation you kill him as the Heathens do till he appear unto Condemnation and you shew forth daily that you cruciâ—e him in the World eating and drinking to your selves condemnation you say Christ dyed only for you as Elect but your works make manifest that he dies by you as Reprobate You take up a command from the Letter and imitate the Apostles some of you in a lower and some of you in a higher degree in that mind and nature which in the Apostles was crucified and you say Christ commands it when the Letter doth but declare it and you are not led with the same Light which gave forth the Commands declared to observe them but say in such a Verse of such a Chapter such a Command is not having received the Command by the same Spirit Here you are proved to be them which use your tongues and say he saith it when God hath not spoken unto you but as you read it without you as the false Prophets may do the words of the true Prophets and thus you are in the Witchcraft as they were Gal. 3. who take on things in your own wills and observe Commands without from the Letter thereby drawing from the Teachings of God within by the Spirit you are zealous as they were for the Traditions and Figures and cannot see him which is the end of all that which perisheth with the using so you are not dead with Christ from the World who are yet subject to Ordinances which are of the World They that obeyed Christ and followed him were led by the Spirit and not by the Letter for they were not Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit and such were judged to be in error and this is your condition who say such are Breakers of Christ's Commands and Makers void of the Scripture and Destroyers of the Ordinances who witness Christ the Substance and him to be King and Judg and Law-giver and in whom and upon whom the Scripture is fulfilled and so it established and the Commands of Christ kept which are in Spirit and his Law daily walked in which condemneth sin And this is not contrary to the Scripture but a fulfilling of it in Principles in Doctrines and in Practise and in Conversation The Apostles were sent to preach the Gospel to every Creature and they were all led by the same Spirit and did not go before it in their own wills
God did then for God and his Spirit is the same as ever was and what he once â—aâ—ed he hates forever and no other Christ do we â—â—clare forth which we witness to be made manifest within but that Christ which dyed at Ierusalem which suffered by the chief Priests and Elders of the People he was and is the true Christ which said He was the Light of the World And was the Light which had enlightened every man that comes into the World and which said Except a man would deny the World and take up his daily cross and follow him he could not he his Disciple And which cryed wo against them which were called of men Masters and that had the chief Places in the Assemblies and that stood praying in the Synagogues c. and they who denyed him to be the Light of the World and which tooâ— not up the Cross and which were called of men Masters and had the chiefest Places in the Assemblies and stood praying in the Synagogues and went in long Robes these were Antichrists and â—ere acted by a contrary spirit then the true Christ. And here again I charge all the Teachers and People in the presence of the Lord God who deny Christ to be the Light in every one which reproves for sin and who are called of men Masters and stand praying in the 〈◊〉 and go in long â—obes and who uphold such things and who take not up the daily Cross of Christ but live at liberty in their wills and desires that they are Antichrists and that their spirit is not the Spirit of the true Christ which dyed at Ierusalem but the spirit of a false christ and so they are guilty of that themselves whereof they falsly accuse us and the same Christ do we witness which the Saints of old witnessed whose blood cleansed them from all sin and in whose Power they had power over sin death and hell And here again I charge the Teachers and People who say That the Saints must not be cleansed from sin nor cease to commit sin while they are on the Earth That the Christ which they profess is not the Christ which dyed at Jerusalem but a spirit contrary and not the Christ which the Saints witnessed and all the People are blind which cannot see these things Did the true Christ once say He was the Light of the World of every man that comes into the World And is that his Spirit in the Teachers and Prâ—…ssors now which say Every man hath not the Light of Christ in him Was that the true Christ which said Except you take up my Cross daily you cannot be my Disciples And is that his Spirit in the Teachers and People that hath its liberty and live in Pride in Lust and Vanity and their own Wills was that the true Christ which cryed wo against them that were called of men Masters and that had the chief Places in the Assemblies and stood praying in the Synagogues c And is that his Spirit in the Teachers and People which act and uphold those things Was 〈◊〉 the true Christ which the Saints witnessed by whose Blood they 〈◊〉 cleâ—sed from sin and had power over sin and is that his Spirit in the Teachers and People which saith The Saints must not be cleâ—sed from si◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to câ—…t sin while they are 〈◊〉 Earth Oh blind and ignorant People who cannot discern between the 〈◊〉 Christ and Antichrist which is contrary to Christ and which leads now to act and speak contrary to what the true Christ once acted and spoke and no other Gospeâ— do we preach but that which the Apostles preached which they received not froâ— nor by man but by the revelation of Iesus Christ which was contrary to man and which suffered by man for the preaching of it who preached to the Spiâ—… in Prison to redeem the captives and by which the fleshly man was judged in the 〈◊〉 that man might live according to God in Spirit and this Gospl we witness to have received not from man but by the revelation of Jesus Christ which is contrary to man for which we are persecuted and suffer by man neither do wâ— speak to the wisdom and reason but we preach to the Spirits in Prison that the fleshly man may be judged in the flesh that man may live according to God 〈◊〉 the Spirit this will many witness with us that by the preaching of our Gospeâ— liberty is brought to the captives and the fleshly man is judgest and the Spirit which was in Prison is set free And here again I charge the Teachers of this Generation That their gospel which they preach is not the Gospel which the Saints preached but another gospel and they are guilty of that themselves whereof they falsly accuse us for they have received their gospel from man and by man from the Printers aâ—â— Stationers and are made Minister of it by the will of man at Schools and â—niversities and their preaching is in the will of man a limited time and place neither do they suffer by man but are set up with man and feed the wisdom 〈◊〉 reason of man and the fleshly man is not judged nor the captives redeemed 〈◊〉 their gospel which they preach here they are accursed which preach anotâ—… gospel as saith the Scripture And ye are a blind and ignorant People which cannot see these things Did they that preached the true Gospel receive it contrary to the will of man and can it now be received by the will of man Did they which preached it suffer for it by man and can they now who preach it beâ—… up by man who live in the same persecuting nature Did the true Gospel oâ—… judge the fleshly man and lead to live according to God in the Spirit and doâ—… it now give liberty to the fleshly man to live after the flesh in the lust of it 〈◊〉 the Teachers and Professor of this Generation do who profess the Gospel 〈◊〉 are discovered not to be come to the Law And the Scripture we own to be 〈◊〉 true Declaration of the Life which they lived in which spoke them â—orth and 〈◊〉 the same Spirit from which they were spoken which we have received do we 〈◊〉 to our seals that they are â—rue and the Scripture is ours who walk in the Life 〈◊〉 it proud men spoke it not forth nor they that sought for their gain from theâ—â— quarter nor they that preached for hire nor they that were called 〈◊〉 men master but persecuted them that spoke it forth and denyed it when it was spoken And here again I charge it upon the Teachers and Professors of this Generation that they deny the Scripture and are guilty of that themselves whereof they falsly accuse us for they say None must be perfect upon the Earth when as 〈◊〉 Scripture declares of such as were perfect upon Earth And they say None 〈◊〉 be free from sin when as the Scripture declares of such as were
again to judge the whole World wiâ—â— Righteousness and all people with Equity and shall give to every man according to his deeds at the Day of Judgment when all shall arise to Condemnation 〈◊〉 Iustification he that hath done good shall receive Life and he that hath done evil everlasting Condemnation And we believe He is to be waited for in Spirit to be known after the Spirit as he was before the World was and that is the Knowledge unto eternal Life which all that believe in him do receive and he subdues Death and destroyes him that hath the power of it and restoreth from Death to Life and quickeneth by his spirit all that the Father hath given him and we believe such he justifieth and sanctifieth and such are taught of him but he condemns all that believe not but continue in unbelief and are not taught or him And this we faithfully believe And we believe That unto all people upon the face of the whole Earth is a Time and Day of Visitation given that they may return and be saved by Christ Jesus who is givn of the Father to call the worst of men to Repentance and the most ungodly of Sinners are convinced by him of their ungodly deeds that they might believe and be converted and saved And we believe Herein is the Love of God manifested to all Mankind and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are shut out by him before they were born into the World but unto all men is a Vâ—…ation given and they that do perish it is because they do not believe in Christ and destruction is of a mans self but Salvation is of God through believing in his Son who takes away sin and reneweth into his own Image that they may become Heirs with him And we believe that there is a Crown of Eternal Glory and an Inheritance of Eternal Life to be injoyed for evermore by all that believe and are chosen of God and that there is an everlasting Misery and Destruction to be possessed by all that believe not but continue in the state of Reprobation and are not changed from the wayes of Sin and Death but walk after the wayes of their own Hearts Lusts fulfilling the will of the Flesh in the Evil of this World and follow not Christ the Light of the World that they may be saved And we believe upon all such the Wrath of God abideth and that they have no part in the Inheritance of God And we believe That it is only he that is born again of the Spirit and that walks after the Spirit who is changed from Death to Life and who is redeemed out of the World and all its wayes such only must inherit the Kingdom of God and they only have right thereunto and none besides even they that are washed and cleansed from all Unrighteousness by the Blood of Jesus by which their sins are remitted For his Blood cleanseth from all Unrighteousness and Sin yea all such that walk and abide in the Light which Christ Jesus hath lightened the World withal And we believe That the Saints upon Earth may receive forgiveness of sins and may be perfectly freed from the Body of sin and death and in Christ may be perfect and without sin and may have Victory over all Temptations by Faith in Christ Jesus And we believe Every Saint that is called of God ought to press after Perfection and to overcome the Devil and all his Temptations upon Earth and we believe they that faithfully wait for it shall obtain it and shall be presented without sin in the Image of the Father and such walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and are in Covenant with God and their Sins are blotted out and remembred no more for they cease to commit Sin being born of the Seed of God And we believe The Gospel of Christ is the Power of God unto Salvation and that it ought to be preached freely unto all people and Christ to be held forth unto all Mankind by the Ministry sent of him And we believe this Ministry is received by the Gift of the Holy Ghost and all they that receive it are lawfully call'd to the Ministry and they may preach the Gospel of Christ freely as they have receiv'd it freely And this Ministry is not of Man but of God and is made powerful to the converting of Sinners and to the bringing of people to God and to the Knowledge of his Wayes And we do not believe That any man is a Minister of Christ without the Gift of the Holy Ghost or that the Gospel can be receiv'd by natural Learning or Education And we believe Such as preach for Hire and have Hire for preaching are not the lawful called Ministers of the Gospel of Christ such as are Proud and High-minded and Covetous Men who do not profit the people at all such as have run and never were sent of Christ who calleth by his Spirit into the Work of the Ministry and as every one hath received the Gift of that his Spirit so he may administer to others Concerning Rulers and Governour we believe That there ought to be Rulers and Governours in every Nation City Country and Town and they ought to be such men as fear God and hate every evil way who will judge for God and not for man and will judge righteously equally and justly and will give true and sound Judgment unto all men without Bribery or Respect of Persons not regarding the Rich above the Poor but being a Praise unto all that do well and a Terror to all Evil-doers whatsoever having knowledge in the pure Law of God and themselves continnally exercised therein And we believe That every Law of man ought to be grounded upon the Law of God pure Reason and Equity being the Foundation thereof that God's Witness in every man may answer to it and the Law ought to be known unto all people before Trangression be charged or punished in any man And we believe that every Transgression ought to be punished according to its nature and that the Punishment exceed not the greatness of the Transgression neither ought any Transgressor to â—…ape unpunished neither ought any upon false Suspition or Iealousies to be caused to suffer without the Testimony of true men or the Confession of the Party And we believe that the Executors of the Law ought to be Just Men and not given to Pride Drunkenness or any other Evil whatsoever and ought to be chosen every year or otherwise by the Consent of the people and that no man be stopped of his free choyce except justly taxed And we believe that all Governours and Rulers ought to be accountable to the people and to the next proceeding Rulers for all their Actions which may be enquir'd into upon occasion and that the chiefest of the Rulers be subject under the Law and punishable by it if they be Transgressors as well as the poorest of the People And thâ—â— true Judgment and Justice will be
the Lord's Purpose is concerning you onely this I do know The Lord hath a love to the men of our Nation and there is a spirit in them most fitting for such a work even the Zeal of the Lord hath appeared and is beginning to appear against Babylon and against Rome the Seat of the Whore and the Kingdom of Antichrist shall be thrown down and the Righteous People shall go free and Nations shall worship the Lord but there are many Mountains in the way wherefore hew down the Tops strike at the Branches make way that the Ax may be laid to the Root of the Tree that your Sword and the Sword of the Lord may neither leave Root nor Branch of Idolatry Oppressions and Tyranny which the Nations are held in slavery under and oppressed withal to the grieving of the Righteous Soul and vexing of the Spirit of the Lord. Oh how great is their Idolatries you see a little part thereof amongst you oh what false feigned deceitful and hypocritical Services do they practice their Images their Pictures and their praying before them which is Idolatry their Candles burning and their Organs and Instruments of Musick and feigned singing all this is Idolatry and Superstition and a vexation to the Lord and that Law which imposeth them upon people contrary to a good Conscience and that Law which condemns others as Hereticks that will not worship thus and that Power that kills and destroyes those that act against those Worships Laws and Powers ought ye to make war against and to claim a disanulling of all such Laws and Authorities by which this Idolatry is imposed upon Peoples Consciences and established in the Nations and by which many are destroyed and condemned who cannot bow to their Idolatries such Laws are not to stand before you for these be the Bryars and Thorns which cover the great Mountains whom the Whore sitteth upon which the Lord will judge did you but know all their Unrighteous Laws Murders and all Cruelties which are abounding among them and they have a despensation to commit Unrighteousness those Laws ought to be judged and destroyed and your Sword is to be lifted up against them It is the Lord's Work I know to make men truely religious but yet the Lord may work by you to break down the Bryars and Thorns and Rocks and Hills that have set themselves against the Lord and which keep People under the Chains of Idolatry so that they commit Idolatry and are compelled to it and defended in it even by a Law but the Lord will confound all this either by means or without means for such is their Oppression in their Ecclesiastical State and their Unjust Laws whereby their Church is established and defended that it causeth the very Earth to mourn and the Spirits of the Righteous to faint and their Hearts to fail because of Oppression to Murder and Steal and Rob and to commit Adultery these are counted little Sins amongst them they are even tolerated and pardoned by the Pope for a little Money and if they slay a Man and wilfully murder him they can run to their Altar there they can have a Dispensation of a wicked Pardon and here is a Law that tolerates Murder and the greatest Sins wherewhereby it is hard for any that fears God for to be amongst them and Blood blood lies upon their whole Dominions and the Guilty go free and uncondemned and the Innocent suffer unjustly for if any diminish from about their Mass-houses to the value of a Peny that is death by their Law while Murder is tolerated and here is nought but Tyranny and Oppression abounding even great Mountains which must be thrown down and for which the Sword of the Lord must come upon them and God will make their Riches and their falsely consecrated Vessels and Treasures even a spoil and a prey unto you if you be faithful unto the Lord wherefore all you Officers fear the Lord God and be not ambitious nor vain-glorious nor seek not your selves to gain unto your selves Kingdoms to exalt your own Horn for if you go in this way and if this be your end then your end shall be frustrated and you shall not prosper for the Lord will lay you aside with shame unto you but let it be your work and your aim to require and demand the disâ—nulling of their Inquisitions and cruel Laws both in their Church and civil State and that Christ alone may exercise the Peoples Consciences neither be ye as Lords nor Tyrants over your poor Soldiers but be ye loving and meek towards them I say unto you Officers and to all you that bear rule in the Army Be loving and kind and gentle unto all under your Authority and be not as Tyrants nor Oppressors over your poor Soldiers but be Examples of all goodness unto them and give them no evil Example in your lives and conversations but lead them in the Fear of the Lord and know a measure of his Wisdom in you whereby you may walk before them and they may possess their freedoms in their Conditions and may not be as Slaves to you but as Servants to the Lord in their places and herein shall you be blessed as you fulfill that which the Lord requires And likewise unto all the Soldiers I say That ye may be sober and moderate and faithful to the Lord and not go in the Excess and Superfluity of this Creation but may be all kept low in your Hearts and tender towards God and obey them that have power over you in all things which are just and be not deboist nor given to Vanity but all of you both Officers and Soldiers live in that which keeps your Consciences void of offence and that you may be clear and free in your own spirits from the Abominations of the Nations and then you will be a Terror to the Evil in all People wheresoever you come and being clear and free in the sight of the Lord having no sin lying upon your Consciences then shall you face your Enemies with courage and not fear death but shall be ready to lay down your lives for a Testimony of Jesus in a good Cause and upon good Engagements and if the Lord be your Fear then no man can make you afraid but you will be in that which overcometh the Unrighteous Power within you and without you also and here is the true honour and in this it doth consist in victory over all that which is contrary to God and here is the true Way to Happiness and Prosperity in this Life and in the Life to come by seeking his Glory and not your own and all of you come to the Light of Christ that Christ hath lighted you withall and that will teach you all things what you ought to do and what you ought not to do for that Light of Christ within you ought to be the Guide of all the Children of Men in every State Place and Condition and upon this you
in your own Consciences you are in a condemned condition and you cannot be justified of the Lord while you are accused by the Light within you of such and such sins and that you are guilty of them and sorsake them not for the God of Heaven condemneth and justifieth men according to the Witness of the Light in their own Consciences for it is Gods Evidence to bear witness for God and to accuse or excuse every man in his sight and according to its evidence God justifieth or condemneth all the Children of men III. Again Whosoever will be saved must be born again of the seed of God and must be changed and renewed in Mind and Heart and Spirit and old things must pass away and all things must be made new and a new Nature must live in you and the Image of God must be brought forth which is in Righteousness and true Holiness which is like unto God and this is the new Creation which every one must witness to be wrought in them that ever â—â—â—â—ers into Gods Kingdom For saith Christ Except a man be born again he canâ—â—â— enter into the Kingdom of God for it is not a profession of Religion made with the Lips nor the practises of Duties and Ordinances taken on and performed in the old nature and a holding of truth in unrighteousness this is not the way of Salvation but it is the regenerating and making like unto God being his Image of Justice Truth and Righteousness it is this in which men may be saved everlastingly IV. Again Whosoever will be saved must receive the Spirit of God and it must dwell in them even the Spirit of the Father and they must be taught by it and led into all Truth to do the Truth and speak the Truth in all things even the spirit of Truth must be received to teach and to lead in all the wayes of God it alone must teach and all the Hireling-Teachers of the World must be turned away from by whom peoples souls have been deceived all such as have run and God never sent them that have cryed up Tâ—â—ching and Ministry and through whom people have not received the Spirit of thâ— Father all such Teachers must be denyed their Church and Ministry and the Spirit of the Father must only teach and lead and you must walk in the Spirit and not after the Flesh for if you walk after the Flesh in the wayes and works of it you are in the state of Condemnation and not of Salvation and the Spirit of God doth not teach you but you are out of the New Covenant of God in which Covenant all are taught of the Lord and in Righteousness are they established the Spirit of God is put within them and the Law of God is written in their hearts and they need no man to teach them but as the Spirit teacheth and this is the New Covenant of Peace with God into which all must come to witness this or else they cannot be saved V. Again all that will be saved must be sanctified cleansed and purified from all Unrighteousness by the Spirit and Word of God whereby every Heart must be made clean and every Conscience sprinkled with the Blood of the Lamb and the body of sin and death must be put off and the bondage of Corruption must be broken and Iniquity must be forsaken and turned from and siâ— must be judged in the Flesh and Purity Holiness and Righteousness must live and reign in all that will be saved and Sin and Transgression and the guilt of it must be removed and you must shew forth the Image of God in Holiness and Righteousness and must be pure as he is pure in kind and quality and you must walk in Holiness and Righteousness being freed from Corruption and from the Wayes of Sin and Death being sanctified in Body Mind and Spirit by the Word of the Lord and Sin must be blotted out and Transgression must be covered and Iniquity must be remembred no more and in all things you must cease to do evil and learn to do well if ever you will be saved VI. Again whosoever will be saved must witness Christ revealed in yoâ— â—â—d â—e must live in you and you must be Followers of him wheresoever he goâ—s â—â—d your Bodies must be the Temples of the Living God and God must walk 〈◊〉 you and dwell in you according to his Promise and he must be your King your Judge and Law-giver your Teacher Father and Master and he must be 〈◊〉 in all unto you even God the Father who is blessed for ever you must â—â—ow him near you and feel his Presence in you to be your Joy Life and â—eace and you must have fellowship with him in spirit and must worship him 〈◊〉 Spirit and by the Spirit without respect of Dayes Times or Places every one that will be saved must come into this and witness it for this is the way of the Salvation of God VII Again whosoever will be saved must live in the Power of Godlinâ—ss and must deny all Forms of Religion without the Power all Profession of Scriptures Ordinances Church-member-ship Praying and Preaching which is not in the Power of God and by his Spirit must be denyed and that part that holds it that holds the Form of Godliness without the Power must be crucified and every one must come into the Power of the Spirit of God and must witness that to work in them to will and to do and no more professing the Things of God but as they are witnessed by the work of his Spirit in their hearts you must not hold Truth any longer in unrighteousness nor make a profession of it in your your unrighteous minds no more talking of Justification and Redemption nor of any of the matters of Gods Kingdom but according as they are witnessed by the working of the Spirit of God in the heart and every one must feel in himself the evidence and Testimony of the Spirit of God to witness the Truth in his heart or Conscience of what he professeth with his mouth VIII Again Whosoever will be saved must witness the Scriptures of Truth fulfilled in themselves the things that they have read of without them must be wrought within them wrought in their hearts by the same Spirit as gâ—ve forth the Scriptures they must pass through the same conditions as the holy men of God did and the same truth that the Scriptures declare of must be revealed in the heart by the same Spiâ—it that gave forth the Scriptures and none must profess more than they do enjoy from God and all flesh must be silent from speaking of the things of Gods Kingdom which they have not seen handled rasted and felt by the working of the Spirit of God in their Consciences and this is to witness the Scriptures fulfilled when you have experience of the same conditions and of the same operations and manifestations which the Servants of the Lord passed through
while many despised thy youth And how have I seen thee with thy Sling and thy Stone despised Weapons as to war with wound the Mighty and that which hath seemed contemptible to the Dragon's Party even as the Jaw-bone of an Ass with it thou hast slain the Philistines Heaps upon Heaps as Sampson Thou hast put thy Hand to the Hammer of the Lord and hast often fastened Nailes in the heads of the Lamb's Enemies as Deborah did to Sisera and many a rough Stone hast thou polished and squared and made it fit for the Building of God and much knotty Wood hast thou hewed in thy day which was not fit for the building of God's House Oh thou Prophet of the Lord and shalt for ever be recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life among the Lord's Worthies who have followed the Lamb through great Tribulations as many can witness for thee from the beginning and at last hath overcome and found worthy to stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion the Hill of God as I have often seen thee and thy heart well tuned as a Harp to praise the Lord and to sound forth his great Salvation which many a time hath made glad the hearts of them that did believe and strengthened their Faith and Hope Well thou art at rest and bound up in the Bundle of Life and I know Tears were wiped away from thy Eyes because there was no cause of sorrow in thee For I know thou witnessed the old things done away and there was no curse but blessings were poured upon thy head as rain and peace as a mighty shower and trouble was far from thy dwelling though in the outward man trouble on every side and hath had a Greater share in that for the Gospel sake though a Youth in thy time than many besides But now thou are freed from that and hast obtained a name through Faith with the Saints in Light Well hadst thou more to give up then thy Life for the Name of Jesus in this World Nay and to seal thy Testimony committed unto thee with thy blood as thou hast often said in thy day which shall remain as a Crown upon thee for ever and ever And now thou art freed from the temptations of him who had the power of death and art freed from thy outward Enemies who hated thee because of the Life that dwelt in thee and remaineth at the right Hand of God where there is joy and pleasure for evermore in the everlasting Light which thou hast often testified unto according to the Word of Prophesie in thy heart which was given unto thee by the Holy Ghost and art at rest in the perfection thereof in the beauty of Holiness yet thy Life and thy Spirit I feel as present and have unity with it and in it beyond all created and visible things which are subject to mutation and change and thy Life shall enter into others to testifie unto the same truth which is from everlasting to everlasting for God hath raised and will raise up children unto Abraham of them that have been as dead stones whose Power is Almighty great in his people in the midst of their Enemies This same Edward Burroughs was born in the Barrony of Kendal in the County of Westmoreland of honest Parents who had a good report among their Neighbours for upright and honest dealing among men who brought up Edward in his Youth in Learning and good Education as the Countrey doth afford He was a very understanding Boy in his Youth and his knowledge and understanding did far exceed his years He had the Spirit of a man when he was but a child and I may say grey hairs was upon him when he was but a Youth for he was cloathed with Wisdom in his Infancy for I had perfect knowledge of him from a Youth He was inclinable from his Youth upwards to Religion and the best way always minding the best things and the best and nearest way of Worship to the Scriptures of Truth and always did accompany the best men who walked in godliness and honesty insomuch I have often admired his discreet carriage and his great understanding of the things of God He was never known to be addicted to any vice or malignity or bad behaviour neither followed any evil course of life from his childhood but feared the Lord and walked uprightly according to the light and knowledge received in all things In his natural disposition he was bold and manly dexterous and servent and what he took in hand he did it with his might loving kind and courteous merciful and flexible and easie to be entreated His whole delight was always among good people and to be conferring and reading the Scriptures and little to mind any sports or pastimes which there is an insidency unto in Youth but his very strength was bended after God and was separted I may say from his Mother's Womb and fitting for the Work 's sake whereunto he after was called And when it pleased the Lord to raise up unto us the ancient Horn of Salvation among us who were reckoned in the North Part of England even as the Out-casts of Israel and as men destitute of the great Knowledge which some seem'd to enjoy yet there was more Sincerity and true Love amongst us and desires after the living powerful Presence of God then was among many in that day who seem'd to make a great flourish who ran into Heaps and Forms but left the Cross behind them and indeed were Strangers to it God out of his everlasting Love did appear unto us according to the desire of our hearts who longed after him when we had turn'd aside from Hireling-Shepherds Tents we found him whom our Souls loved and God out of his great Love and great Mercy sent one unto us immediately by his Power a Man of God one of Ten Thousand to instruct us in the Way of God more perfectly who laid down the sure Foundation and declared the acceptable Year of the Lord who indeed made the Mourners to rejoyce and the Heavy-hearted glad which yet was terrible to all Hypocrites and all formal Profession which Testimony reached unto all our Consciences and entred into the in-most part of our Hearts which drove us to a narrow search and to a diligent inquisition concerning our state which we came to see through the Light of Christ Jesus which was testified of and found it to be even what it was testified of and the Lord of Heaven and Earth we sound to be near at hand and as we waited upon him in pure Silence our Minds out of all things his Dreadful Power and Glorious Majesty and Heavenly Presence appear'd in our Assemblies when there was no Language Tongue nor Speech from any Creature and the Kingdom of Heaven did gather us and catch us all as in a Net and his Heavenly Power at one time drew many Hundreds to Land that we came to know a place to stand in and what to wait in
loathsom and haiâ—ous is your filthiness in preaching for hire and for gifts and rewards and in making a prey upon the People through divining for money even feeding your selves with the fat and killing them that are fed and have wofully wasted the heritage and scattered the flock upon the barren mountains where yoâ— treacherously have devoured them and made merchandise of their Souls and have cried Peace peace unto the wicked one of you building a Wall and another daubing it with untempered Morter you have not stood in my Counsel but have erred from my Way and have not known my Judgments but through covetousness have dealt most wickedly and profaness is gone forth from you into all corners of the Earth so that none could turn from his evil way nor learn the Way of Righteousness and Salvation How shall it be declared and laid open Your transgressions have much more abounded then in former Generations ye have shut the Kingdom of Heaven against men to the destruction of Thousands and ten Thousands who have perished under your Ministry whom you have caused to err and led them out of the Way and the blind Hypocrites have led the Blind till ye both fell into the ditch of perdition It was your Generation of the same seed that put the Apostles to death and now you make merchandize of their words and exceed in hypocisie and double-heartedness and have turned everyway according to the changing of the power of the Beast Some of you were Teachers for the King and Bishops and were ordained by their Law and your prayers have been to your Idol-god for all sorts from whom you could receive a Reward or be advantaged and you are now divided in many Sects and Judgments and false Opinions and have divided the People into divers ways of Idol-worship throwing down one part of the Image and setting up exalting another and your Offerings and Oblations and Prayers and Praises hath been a burthen and weariness to my Soul saith the Lord and you now are at war in your minds one with another divers in your Language though but one Original which is the womb of Witchcraft and your Kingdom is Darkness and a heap of Confusion under the dominion of Death reigning but you are at concord in War against me and against my Servants whom I have chosen from among you to bear witness against you and you are the most of all guilty of that great Persecution and unjust Suffering and Imprisonment through Tyranny laid upon them for you stir up and interceed the power of the Beast thereunto upon which you sit till you both be cast into the Lake You are risen in all your power to manage War against my Kingdom which is appearing to make yours a Desolation for ever The Beast is risen in defence of you already and you pray to your dead gods and preach to your ignorant People against my Heritage deceiving Thousands whose blood of you will be required who are ever learning of you but never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth by you being kept in infidelity and blindness under you whose blood you are absolutly guilty of your rebellion is the crime of Witchcraft who cannot cease to do evil for you have bound your selves in the Covenant with Hell and are at Agreement with Death while you are upon Earth and would bind the People with you in the same Faith or rather Unbelief that none can be perfectly saved from sin while they live upon Earth But you are the filthy Dreamers who do defile the flesh and when you awake you will be found empty of all Righteousness your Cup is full of Fornication and of the Wine of Whoredom and Idolatry my patience will be turned into fury against you and my Cup of Indignation is the assured Portion of your â—ot and blood shall you have to drink as your Gift and Reward from me and your present pleasure shall be turned into howling everlasting and your songs shall be changed into Wo was the day My Plagues shall remain with you upon Earth and follow you to the Lake and your staff and strength in which you trust even the power of the Beast shall be broken with you and be buried in the Grave of everlasting contempt to rise in reproach unto my Heritage for ever and my Fire of Indignation is already kindling upon you which will burn forevermore and not be quenched To all you called Papists to your whole Body and Head at Rome the Word of the Lord reacheth THus assuredly saith the Lord My Controversie is against you and my Vengeance and Wrath and Fury shall for ever World without end be upon you though you pardon one another yet will I not pardon any one of you for your grievous Adulteries and Abominations have surpassed all other Generations in the womb of Whoredoms your Children are conceived begotten by the seed of Adulteries in the very strength of the man of sin and at the Breasts of murther and cruelty you are nourished in sucking hainous and cruel Tyranny you are seated upon the highest Mountain of Oppression and Idolatry Peter was not your Predecessor but the Devil himself you succeed in blood and envy and cruelty and he is your rock with whom you shall fall in everlasting perdition being upon him builded in your whole body and he is the Father of your faith received from him by succession traditionally And your Religion is of Cain's antiquity who was the Antient in your Profession of offering Sacrifice and killing the Just your Sword hath been made fat in the blood of the Innocent you have sought to slay even the very likeness of Righteousness and have stood armed with cruelty against the Upright waiting for the blood of the Guiltless to asswage your thirst And your seat at Rome which once had the Faith of Jesus Christ in purity where Members of his Body inhabited you have turned into the habitation of Devils and it is become the open Mother of profest Whoredoms which brings forth cursed Children of Witchcraft and is the abiding place of members of an abominable Harlot and the Profession of Jesus have you turned into cruelty against Jesus and into the murther of him Some of you are made a curse already and with Vengeance and Indignation shall the rest be pursued till your Body be rooted from off the Earth you have been strong in your Seat of Darkness upon your seven Mountains of perfect abomination and none were able to encounter you in your strength of Infidelity but it shall be turned into weakness and your whoredoms shall appear and your present honour shall be turned into contempt everlasting for whilst you say You have wrought to merit Life eternal your unbelief will bring death everlasting and your Works merit my Fire of eternal Judgment and Condemnation and while you have said You eat and drink the Flesh and Blood really you have crucified his Life totally and your consecrating of
things unto your Idol-god hath been your defilement and pollution in the sight of the true God to Images and Pictures have you bowed and have worshipped the Saints Dayes and Names and bowed to their likeness of mans inventions but have slain their life and trodden under foot their nature and glory and buried their righteousness and knowledge in the grave of your wickedness and ignorance and in imaginations have you rested and in vain superstitions have you hoped honouring the Name of Christ and killing his Life the Womb of Darkness are you shut up in upon Earth and it will be your bed for ever in Hell and Death and your Purgatory will deceive you and your cleansing will never come Defiled defiled and loathsome are you in the pure Eye of Light which the secret of your deceit searcheth and your darkness feeleth and shall judge you for ever Rome Italy France and Spain and your Dominions to all your Kings Princes Bishops Priests Jesuits Prelates and Friers and Nuns and whole train of Idolators The Cup of my Vengeance is towards you and the Dreggs thereof you shall drink and my overflowing Whirlwind of Wrath as an inresistable Flood is against your Banks and my Fire of eternal Fury shall burn through your Stubble and my everlasting Light shall make search and inquisition for the blood of my Elect which is found in thy skirts Thou abominable Harlot of loathsome adultery Tremble tremble at my dreadfull living presence ye Worshippers of dead Images the day of repentance is well nigh past your long Idolatry will my long patience turn into everlasting Misery and Judgment and Nations shall see your shame and in the sight of your Lovers shall you be tormented And this from Authority by my Spirit of Glory is sent you a Warning and is the voice of a Trumpet which gives a certain sound against the mighty dreadfull Day of the Lord which upon you is coming to make you a Desolation for ever and ever and the Eternal Decree is sealing against you never to be altered To all you called Protestants of the Eldest sort THus saith the Lord my controversie is against you and my hand will be upon you you have a strong taste of the Bottle wherein the Wine of Fornication is and your scent is leavened with the first vessel of abomination you are seated in darkness pitched upon six of the first Mountains under another Branch of the first Tree Ignorance and are thildren of the first womb begotten in another appearance of the Whores Beauty and are more comly in stature then your eldest Brethren and little is your difference to be discerned from the first Beast in your appearance and nothing at all in the ground you say you believe for Eternal Life but your unbelief will bring upon you everlasting death your talking of Christ and his righteousness imputed which you profess will not cover your infidelity and filthiness for you are in the enmity against his Life the working of the first for life and your believing for life springs both out of one ground and while you say you eat and drink the Body and Blood of Christ in the figure you kill and cruifie him in the Substance and art partakers of thy Sisters sins in Whoredom and Idolatry and must partake of her plagues Wo wo will be your Inheritance in the Pit of Earth for ever instead of a heavenly glory which you dream oâ— above the Sky I have armed my Armies to do my work herein which hath in part and will fulfil it to break you to pieces the intents of your heart have been known to be always against my people neither could you bear any appearance oâ— me but blasphemes my Name and Truth in every discovery you have loved darkness upon Earth and in its Chains shall you be bound in the Lake for evermore To all you that are called Presbyterians and Independents THe Lords controversie is against you for you are a higher branch of the first tree deeper rooted in the cursed ground of fleshly and sensual wisdom and the Womb of your conception is the first Whores daughter more comely decked and your Cistern holds the Wine of Fornication at which you drink in a measure her abomination and where you say you believe for Justification and applies the Promises for Savation your works of Wickedness and Hypocrisie will bring Damnation and gains the promise of Condemnation who are in pride and high-mindedness and double-heartedness which is the condition of that promise and you are found wanting every whit the conditions of the Promise of Eternal Liâ—e you have reformed the outward man into the obedience unto another likeness of the Truth without the Life and are as vile in the inward in hypocrisie and self-exalting and hath covered your selves with the Saints words and laid up more in store of the report of their riches then your fore-fathers and now you are become Worshippers of the form and words of the Saints and are grown in the knowledge more then some of your Fathers Children but in extolling the Saints words you limit their Spirit and keeps in Death their Life which was not of the World neither in appearance nor ground and while you say you eat and drink the Flesh and Blood of Christ in secret and separate you put him to death openly and among the multitudes your hearts are full of bitterness against my Remnant whom I have called and aloud you cry Heresie and Error and Blasphemes my Name and loaths the Honey-comb in your full stomachs you worship the same God as your fore-fathers did only in another appearance more refined through stronger wisdom and appears in the reformed old man thinking him to be the new man and deceives your Souls hereby and are zealous in your blindness in your will-worships and feigned humility which is without the knowledge of God and you depend upon your imaginations thinking to have life in the Scripture as they did which put Christ to death and will not come to Christ that you may have liâ—e you are in the knowledge gathered from without you which is natural and in it you are corrupted and some of you are bruitish in your knowledge and are thereby pufft up into pride and vain-glory your separation from the World is sensual and self-separation and differs but a little in your appearance and nothing in the ground for the cursed ground stands within untilled and unbroken and you worship God ignorantly at a distance and feeds upon the report of a thing done many hundred of years ago and your Faith doth not give you victory over the World for it is set in your hearts and the vanities of it without is followed pride and oppression and fulness Some of you are hot and furious in your blind zeal and cannot endure sound Doctrine your fruits will wither and all your knowledge will perish and all your hopes and expectations will fail and all your praises and prayers and all
Love undefiled was your Conception begotten by the Word of immortal Life unto the Inheritance incorruptable whereof you are Heirs of the faithful Promise made free by the Son through the slaying of the enmity upon his Cross whereby you are nourished up into Immortallity to reign over Hell and Death and the Grave for evermore With thoughts of eternal Love are you remembred and read in the Lambs book of Life recorded by the eternal Spirit and of the Lord cannot be forgotten Your Mother is a Virgin unspotted and your City is new Ierusalem come down from Heaven and glorious and full of Pleasure is your Dwelling place there is no need of a candle for the Lamb is the Light thereof and the Temple therein Your God is no Image nor your Worship no Imgination nor to the great Image you do not joyn nor his power hath no dominion over you but the Yea and Amen is your Covenant and the I am whom there is none besides is your God and he that lives forever is your Rock and sure Defence and Salvation is appointed your VValls and Bulwarks Gladness is sown for you yea everlasting Mercies shall you reap and your long mourning shall be turned into everlasting Rejoycing and your present Heaviness into durable Joy your VVaters shall be sure and your Bread shall never fail your Fulness shall abound and your Plenty shall be enlarged never more to hunger nor thirst but your little Seed shall become a great Nation and the whole Earth shall be replenished thererewith and your despised Government shall rule over Kingdoms and your Laws shall all the Nations of the Earth become subject unto Ye are no part of the Image of Idolatry but your beginning is the little Stone cut out without a hand and it shall fill the Earth and become a great Mountain whereupon the Fowls of the Heaven shall be refreshed eating the flesh of Kings and Captains You are found faithful in your Tryals and the glory of the VVorld cannot steal away your Hearts you cannot be moved for your feet are set upon a Rock Satan you scorn and the glory of his Kingdom you utterly disdain upon his power you tread and your feet trample under foot his majesty and renown Your King reigns for ever and of his Government and Dominion there shall be no end but the uttermost parts of the Earth shall be given for a Possession to him his Scepter is Righteousness and his Law is Equity and his Statutes are full of Justice and Judgment And thus saith the Lord of Hosts your God and King Because you have been found faithful and have not loved your lives unto death for his Names sake and for his Glories sake but have continually abased your selves and laid down your Crowns that you might honour him therefore you will he honour and exalt and will establish your Kingdom in peace forever and all that riseth up in judgment against you shall be consounded and condemned and his Hand will be against all your Adversaries to their overthrow and dishonour everlastingly You have loved Righteousness and Judgment upon Earth and your Path hath been in Equity and you have born the Affliction and Storm with patience and have endured with joy the Burden of the Oppressor you have been tryed to the bottom and have been found Innocent and without Guile before the Throne of God clothed with the Garments of Uprightness your Light is the Candle of the Lord and your Life and Glory is the Possession of the Most High Babylon is given you for a Prey and the riches of Aegypt is given you for a Spoil and you are free-born Children of the Seed Elect the first Fruits unto God and unto the Lamb your Purchase is obtained through death and your Crown of honour is purchased through suffering and the glory of Babylon is no whit equal for thou excellest in Beauty and Vertue Whereunto shall thy Beauty be compared O thou fair and comly Virgin unto whom shall I liken thee O thou choice and free-born Daughter of Sions King thy long travel of sorrows in the womb of Anguish hath brought forth Children of a comly stature thy Babes are truly lovely upright and faithful-hearted thy Young-men are noble bold and valiant chosen of thy God and Victory is with them thy Virgins are perfect in Beauty pure and undefiled and no spot in their Garments thy Old men are lively and honourable and stedfast in the Path of Righteousness and their gravity shall be truly respected thy Body is perfect in the Lords Record and Remembrance and with an eternal Crown of infinite Glory shall the Righteous Judge honour thee because you have delighted to do his Will and have kept his Covenant undefiled which abides with you for ever sealed and signed unto you by the Spirit of Promise decreed before the World was All Nations shall call you blessed and of your fulness shall they partake Who is like unto you A People saved by the Lord elect and chosen and redeemed out of Kindreds Tongues and People and have a name better then of Sons and Daughters Praise ye the Lord and Glorifie him for evermore Young-men and Maidens Old-men and Children and all that breath Praise you the Lord for thereunto are you called and for this cause are you brought forth Clap your hands and sing for joy of heart your Redeemer is the holy One and your Maker is your Husband I know you and to you am I known and I read you within the Vail and do behold you the Train of the Most High filling his Temple Follow him forever and let his Name be testified of throughout the Earth Make War in Righteousness and prepare your selves to do his service Let not your hands be slack neither be you sloathful in our Lords Design but wound the Head of your Enemies and mannage War against Gog and Magog throughout all Generations Ride on and prosper tread down the fenced Cities and enlarge your dominion and let the Children of Strangers of the Seed of Esau be your Slaves and Bond-men and fill the Earth with your precious Seed and sow it in the morning and in the Evening with-hold not your hand though you are despised of men yet the Lord hath made you truly honorable in his Glory you appear and his Righteousness is your clothing which will never wither and though some of you for a moment suffer Bonds for his Names sake yet you are free everlasting and are not ashamed of your Testimony before the Princes and Nobles of the Earth O Sion thou art desirable because of thy Beauty and thy Dwelling-place is scituate in a very fruitful Hill and thou feedest in the Valleys of fat Pastures of eternal Pleasures where nothing that defiles can enter nor no Devourer treadeth on thy Mountain nor no Lyons Whelp treadeth in thy Path it is the Way of the Ransomed of the Lord who hath blotted out thy Transgressions never more to remember thy Sins thou Seed
them like to the Beast none upon Earth hath bought or sâ—â—d or judged or given evidence or been respected in all the World that 〈◊〉 not had the Mark of the Beast and the number of the names of Antichrist rich and poor small and great have receive his Mark as a Seal of their subjection to the Beast whose many heads and many horns have subjected all by the force of his arm and he hath blinded the eye lest men should see him and cast darkness over all faces and the false Prophet hath deceived many a Christ hath said and all the Earth hath been wandring in the Wildernâ—… of Wickedness and the Long-suffering of the Lord hath been wearied and he continually provoked to destroy the Nations who have followed Antichrist who hath shewed himself in the Seat of God to be God and hath sat in the Seat of God in the Seat of Justice Righteousness and of Mercy and the Abomination of desolation hath long stood in the place where it ougâ—â— not for many Ages and length of Times and his many Heads and many Horns hath swayed the World through the terror of the Beast who haâ—… made all worship him and they that would not he hath killed who hath carried the great Whore who hath made all men without exception and all Nations without respect to any wholly drunk with abomination and all hath staggered and fallen into grievous iniquities and the Dragon hath stood ready continually to devour the Child of Righteousness as soon as it was born and the Woman hath been forced to flee into the Wilderness that hath brought iâ— forth and hath fed there for so many dayes and for a long season hath the Lâ—â—d been blasphemed even the Name of God and his Tabernacle and them thâ—â— dwell in Heaven But now hath the Lord considered and looked down from his Habitatiâ—n and of a truth he is risen and hath taken to him his great Power that he may reign and put all things under his Feet and subdue the power of the Beast and Antichrist and all their Government and Rule and Laws and Decrees shall be overthrown and confounded all their worship shall be broken for great Babylon is come into remembrance before the Lord to render her according to her works the Lamb is now risen and advanced with his Bow and his Sword and he is going forth Conquering and to Conquer the Beast and all that have worshipped him and they that are with the Lamb are called and chosen and faithful they love not their lives unto death and they shall overcome him by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of his Testimony the Dominion of the Lamb is setting up and his Power is made manifest and the Stone cut out of the Mountain without hand is a dashing at the feet of the Image and against the Beast and his Power and against all his Laws and Decrees is he risen and he will change Times and Laws and Powers and the Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdom of the Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever for now the Spirit of Life from God is entred into the Witnesses which have been slain and they begin to stand upon their feet and great fear falls upon the great men of the World and the Devil is cast out into the Earth who hath sitten in Heaven in the Temple of God and deceived the whole World and his wrath is great against the Saints and against the Lamb because he knoweth his time is but short and the Man-child shall grow and shall rule the Nations with a Rod of Iron if any man hath an ear to hear let him hear he that leadeth into Captivity shall go into Captivity he that killeth with the Sword must be killed with the Sword the Purpose of the Lord shall stand who is now gathering and bringing back such as have been driven away and deceived by the Generation of false Prophets who have deceived the whole World and all that dwell therein and the Lord will take vengeance upon them upon the Beast and upon the false Prophet and great Babylon shall be thrown down and shall be no more at all but shall be made desolate and the voice of Harpers and Musitians shall no more be heard at all in her but her Glory shall wither and fade away in a moment for he that hath a true Weight and Measure is appeared to divide and to give due weight and measure unto every one and all the wicked who will not come from under the worship of the Beast shall have their part in the Lake that burnes with Fire and he that is unjust let him be unjust still and he that is righteous let him be righteous still here is the dividing of all things as they were in the beginning the Glory of the Lord is risen whose name is called the Word of God and out of his mouth goeth a sharp Sword and with it be smiteth the Nations and he shall rule them with an Iron Rod for his Name is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and he is gathering his Saints together to the Supper of the Great God to eat the flesh of Kings the flesh of Captains and the flesh of Horses and them that sat thereon the Purpose of the Lord shall not be disannulled though the Beast and the Kings of the Earth gather together their Armies to make war against him that sits upon the Horse who is already gone out to conquer and the numberless number of the Saints are gathering together before the Throne of the Lamb and they have no guile found in their mouthes And the day is now dawned and the night is far spent Wo unto the World and to all the Inhabiters of the Earth who have worshipped the Beast the Lord is coming to plead with you and ye that have partaken of the sins of the great Whore shall partake of her Plagues and she shall be rewarded double according to her works for her sins have reached unto Heaven The Day of great tribulation is at hand of Anguish and Destruction men shall seek death and shall not find it but it shall flee from them when the Lord ariseth and the Lamb standeth upon Mount Sion and his Saints with him who shall tread down the Heathen and cast them out even as they have trodden down the holy City and the Worship thereof and the Kingdom of the Beast and his Seat and his great Authority which he hath received from the Dragon shall all be thrown down and the Kingdom of the Son of God with his Government Scepter and Rule shall be established in all the Earth and the utmosts part thereof shall be given him to possess this is the Promise and this shall come to pass and through the whole World Laws and Decrees Ministry and Orders shall be changed and renewed the Law and Decree of the Most High shall rule over all and the
Dwellings and so Unbelief and Doubting and Murmurring and Lustings after evil arise in you and you be perverted from the Worship of the true God and grieve his Righteous Spirit by bowing to Idols and following of other Lovers and so the true God who hath brought you out of Aegypt and made manifest his Power in you be forgotten and the Faith of his Son made Ship-rack of and your latter end be worse then the beginning and the Name of the Lord be dishonoured by you and then wo unto you his Wrath shall suddenly break out against you Wherefore hear and fear and hearken unto the Word of the Lord He hath caused his Light to shine forth and his voice to be heard he hath proclaimed his Name amongst you and hath caused his marvellous Light to approach when you sate in Darkness in the Land of the shadow of death when you were lost he sought you and when you were driven away and scatterred he found you and brought you home when you were in your blood and no eye pittied you he had Mercy upon you and bound you up and healed you when you were dead he said unto you Live and it was so when you were led captive by the Devil under the power of death he broke the Chains and set you free and when there was none to help nor to save his own Arm brought deliverance and salvation and the Way of Life and Peace he set before you And now all this hath his own Arm accomplished that you should be a Praise unto him for evermore now if you walk in the Way which he hath set before you and keep his Covenant which he hath made with you and fulfil his Will and walk in Righteousness in Love and Unity in Meekness Lowliness Humbleness and in Soberness and Watchfulness and in Fear of his Name then shall his Presence never forsake you nor his outstretched Arm cease to defend and preserve you but he shall go before you and be your Reward and he shall be your God and you shall be his People and shall dwell in him and he shall be your Hiding-place and he will be to you a Father and you shall be his Children and his Blessing and Peace shall remain in your Habitations for ever and ever but if any of you turn aside for a thing of naught after vanity and deny the Way of Righteousness and forget the Lord and kick against him and follow the way and counsel of your own hearts and worship other gods and joyn your selves to Strangers and commit Adultery with other Lovers and make the Cross of Christ of none effect and turn from the Light of Christ within you and fulfil your own wills and the desire of your own minds and go out of the fear of the Lord into the liberty of the flesh which is not the Liberty in Christ Jesus and so seek your selves and strive for mastery to be one above another and so surmise evil one against another and the bond of peace be broken and vain contention and strife appear then shall the Rod of God smite you and his Wrath be suddenly kindled against you and you shall not prosper but his Countenance shall be hid and the terrors of the Lord and Lamentations shall possess you and Peace shall flee far from you and such shall be cast out of the Camp of the Lord and shall have no part in the Inheritance but the Blessing shall depart and the Curse shall enter till utter destruction yea and if any of you deny the Lord unto whom his Way is made manifest he will deny you and you shall have no part in him but Vengeance in Flames of Fire will he render upon the Disobedient manifold more then if his Love and Way of Peace had not been made manifest to you and the Light of the World is your condemnation for evermore if you turn from it And in the Presence of the living God I warn you all Believe not that spirit neither follow it which brings any other Message then what hath been declared from the beginning Believe not him which crieth Lo here or Lo there is Christ without you or that draweth from the measure of Christ within you to hearken to or to be taught by any other thing for that spâ—â—â—t is not of the Father which preacheth any other Christ then he that is the Light of the World and lighteâ—â— every man that cometh into the World or bringâ—â—â— any other Message then that God is Light in himself and hath given his Son a Light into the World and this is the true Testimony of the Father and of the Son and he that testifieth any other Message is to be judged and denied he is not a Worshipper of the true God bâ—â— out of the Truth and in the Error and a Deceiver being deceived Again Believe not that spirit neither follow it which ministreth to others that which it hath not learned oâ— the Father but hath the words without the Power and liveth not in the Power of what it ministreth forth in words nor is it what it declareth but is in the outward Shews in the Hypocrisâ—â— and Feignedness and reacheth not the Life of God but vaileth and covereth it and that spirit is not of the Father but is to be denyed and judged and not received nor believed Again Believe not that spirit neither follow it which is at liberty in the flesh and maketh the offence of the Cross to cease which is exalted out of the Fear of the Lord in the liberty of the earthly which crucifieth the Life and darkeneth the Eye and that spirit will boast of Joy and Peace and Experience and Knowledge and speak high words in the airy Wind and that would lead yoâ— out of your conditions to glory above the Cross till you be past feeling of the Life and that spirit begetteth into Feignedness and Hypocrisie and into the Loâ—e of the World which passeth away and beware of that spirit for it is not of the Father but to be condemned Again Believe not that spirit neither follow it which is hasty and forward and rash for that goeth out of God's Counsel and betrayeth the Just and striveth to be greatest and to be above the Weak and despiseth him and would be Master and not a Servant and would rule and not be ruled in the meek and lowly Government of Christ and that spâ—â—it will judge out of thoughts rashly and unsavourly and condemn another in secret in what it self is guilty of beware of that spirit for it is not of God but to be judged with the Life of God Again Believe not that spirit neither follow it which seeks it self to have praise of men and to be accounted and would beget into divisions and would have Parties to it self and respects persons and glories in gifts and knowledge and parts more then in the Giver and admires men more then he that gives the encrease and feeds of the knowledg
〈◊〉 practice and also your keeping and setting apart the Saints dayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy-dayes and eating with respect to dayes denying of Flesh such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dayes and observing of Dayes and Meats and Drinks and Fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 own wills and your Nunneries and keeping Men and Women one frâ—â—â—…ther in secret Houses whether are these things commanded and required 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord from you and we charge you to give us some Example that 〈◊〉 true Church practized such things otherwise if you do not not caâ—â—◠〈◊〉 these your practices from the Scriptures and Example of the Apoâ—… 〈◊〉 you we must deny you and condemn your practiâ—es forever and 〈◊〉 â—…lieve that your Church is the true Church nor you lawful Successors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ly Apostles 9. What you believe concerning the Reign and Government of Câ—… and his coming is He his Reign and Government visible and of this World or invisible and from Heaven and whether Lyars Whoremongers â—…terers Drunkards Man-slayers and contentious Men or any that 〈◊〉 in any Sin or Transgression in the first Nature be of the Kingdâ—◠〈◊〉 Government of Jesus or have any part or portion therein in time to 〈◊〉 â—…ever and how may such ever have part therein and give us yoâ—…â—…ge in these things And also what you hold and profess concerning Eâ—… 〈◊〉 Reprobation that we may know whether your Knowledge and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sound and perfect in these things and to be embraced or condemned and 〈◊〉 10. What is the Man-child that hath been caught up to God and 〈◊〉 the reason of his being caught up and what is the Woman that fled into the Wilderness and what is the reason of her so fleeing and when is the tâ—… is it come or to come that the Man-child hath been caught up aâ—◠〈◊〉 Woman fled and that the Man-child shall come down again and the Wâ—… again return and what is that Beast the first and the second and is â—…s kingdom come or yet to come who reigned over the Kings of the Earth and caused all both small and great to worship him and killed the Saints and overcame them that would not worship him and made war against the Lâ—… and persecuted the Woman's Seed and when is it that the World wondred â—â—ter the Beast is it come or to come Answer these things in plainness 〈◊〉 â—â—mand of you 11. What and who is that great Whore that sits upon many waters with 〈◊〉 the Kings of the Earth commits Fornications and who hath made Nations dâ—… with the Wine of her Fornications and who hath reigned over the 〈◊〉 and Dominions of the Earth and is that Whore come or yet to come 〈◊〉 whether is your Church every whit free from the Fornications of that Whâ—… and will you admit of lawfull trial by your fruits and works and suffer 〈◊〉 men accordingly and whether the whole Church of Rome or any part of 〈◊〉 Dominions be the Multitudes Peoples and Nations and Tongues the Wâ—… on which the Whore sits and whether your Church be wholly free from 〈◊〉 Woman which hath drunk the Blood of Saints and of the Martyrs of Iâ—… and shew us plainly who that Whore is if you can and what is her Flesh and the Fire that must burnt it 12. Whether are the false Prophets and Deceivers come or to come which 〈◊〉 said should come if you say they are come when did they come and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they and how may they be known and what was their first original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of what doth all false Prophets and false Prophecies come is the Church 〈…〉 clear of all the false Prophets and whether is your Ministry in the very 〈◊〉 Power Spirit and Authority which the Apostles were in is its Call and â—…tion the very same is its Maintenance and Practice the very same and is iâ—â— Fruits Effects and End the very same or some other let us know from you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may â—ay you to the Line of true Judgment for all People and Nations â—… â—…ome Friends let us reason a little with you further We are not satisâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop of Râ—…e is true and lawful Successor of the Apostle Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Tripple Crown and did Kings Bow and Kneel to him and had 〈…〉 â—â—â—enues and Money out of the Nations as the Pope hath 〈…〉 Pardon 's for Money 〈◊〉 or did any buy Religion of him and did 〈…〉 over mens Consciences and was Peter named Holiness We 〈…〉 you to prove rightly and truly That the Pope doth succeed Peter 〈…〉 Spirit in the same Power and in the same Conversation and that 〈…〉 â—…er-see the Church be justly the same as Peter's was and that he exeâ—…â—…ctly as Peter did 〈…〉 â—…wer us plainly What is the Seed of the Woman and what is the 〈◊〉 the Serpent and is his Head bruised yea or nay And what is the 〈…〉 what is his beginning and what is the kingdom that he is Ruler 〈◊〉 and how is his kingdom to be destroy'd And what is the Flesh of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blood which was before Abraham and how is Christ made under the 〈◊〉 answer me these things 〈◊〉 what is the Death that hath reigned over all and what is the power 〈◊〉 and what is the fruits of that death and when must that death be 〈◊〉 and is it destroyed among you and what was man in his Creation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the ground and what was he that was the very Image of God 〈◊〉 and Female before Adâ—… was formed of the Dust of the Ground or â—…en out of him declare these things plainly if you can and what is 〈◊〉 Transgression and the Curse and whether any can be made free from 〈◊〉 Curse upon the Earth yea or nay and what is the Kingdom of Heaven 〈◊〉 is like a little Leaven and that is like a Net cast into the Sea and what 〈◊〉 which must be leavened and what is that good Fish that must be gatherâ—… into the Vessels and that bad that must be cast away and how doth the 〈◊〉 of Heaven bring the bad out of the Waters to the Shore and why is 〈◊〉 and wherefore and what is the reason that none can enter the Kingdom 〈◊〉 Goâ— nor see it but such as are born again and how is a man born again 〈◊〉 what is that Mothers womb that Iob and all mankind came out of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must return thither again naked and what are the Fig-leaves that â—…vered in Transgression and what is the Covering of the Spirit and 〈◊〉 must be covered and what not and why is it and how comes it to pass 〈◊〉 one and the same thing is sin and wickedness acted by one and the same 〈◊〉 good and just acted by another These things answer to us plainly and 〈◊〉 â—…ve all your Practises and Profession by plain Scripture and give us Exâ—… from Peter and the true Churches that he and they practiced the same 〈◊〉 which the Pope and you do if you would have any to own you otherâ—… 〈◊〉
these things that you should have bin awakened to true Iustice and Iudgâ—â—â—â— and this the Lord requires of you though the guiltless Sufferers have born all these things without complaining yet ought you to have judged justly according to their deeds such as caused such Cruelty and unjust Sufferings that for time to come the like might not have been brought forth but the free Subjects might live in Peace and Rejoyce under the Government and all Perverâ—ers of Iudgment and Iustice might stand in awe and be afraid so should you be a Praâ—se to Ages after you And likewise many who are at this present remaining in Prisons in divers parts of this Land some upon one false Accusation and evil Surmising and some upon another for a good Conscience sake the Cause of whom hath often been laid before you which seemed for the present to have some entrance upon you yet little is brought forth by you as ought to be in that cause for though none of any such do complain unto you who have and do unjustly suffer yet the Lord doth require you to set the Oppressed and Falsly-Imprisoned at Liberty and to bring true Judgment forth upon their Persecutors Also There is another Suffering great and grievous growing upon many if it be not prevented Many faithful and approved Men are dispossessed of their Freedom which truly belongeth to them by the Law of God and man in divers Cities and Corporations because for Conscience sake they cannot Swear by kissing the Book and laying the hand upon it according to the vain Tradition in such Causes formerly used though to deal justly towards God and man in their Craft and Science they are bound by the Law of God yet because they will not Swear and so break Christ's Commands are they threatned and their Windows shut up and dispriviledged of their Trading whereby they should maintain themselves and Families in the Creation and this one thing tendeth to the Destruction of many as in this World and no little hurt will thereby grow to the whole Nation in a Generation of time and it is required of you by the Lord to prevent these Sufferings though many can fore-go their own Freedom in this World and their Lives also rather then break the least Command of Christ and thus are many faithful People made a very Prey to their Enemies and in divers manners it is brought forth upon them For many also suffer deeply in the House of Correction for reproving Sin and others are grievously spoiled in their Estates because for Conscience sake they cannot pay to maintain a professed Minister or uphold a Steeple-house for it is a common thing for a Priest to take or have it done Four or Five times so much by Distress as any way he can prove a pretended Due And many other Sufferings there are which are only for Conscience sake as because some cannot put off a Hat to a Magistrate or the like which give an ill savour to the Government in which they are acted without Reproof Ah my Friends Be awakened to Justice and true Judgment to relieve such unjust Sufferers and to throw down all such hainous Oppressions and Oppressors that the Lord may yet make you and your Government blessed after his Long-suffering to you which hath been great for Justice and true Judgment in a Government is the Happiness thereof and the Foundation for a long continuance and on the contrary Cruelty and Injustice and Oppression being brought forth the more is the Government unhappy and accursed and the sooner will the Lord overthrow it and bring it to a desolate End And therefore my Friends let this great Enemy to your Persons Government and whole Nation to wit Persecution for Conscience sake be speedily removed lest the Anger of the Lord break forth against you and repentance be too late for this know In all Ages the Lord stretched forth his Hand and in his time he quickly avenged himself for his People's sake after their Innocent Sufferings born by them for a season and he is the same and changeth not and the same will he bring to pass Therefore I say again Be awakened and let that deadly Enemy be removed out of the Land as you tender your own Safety and Honour and the Glory of the Name of the Lord and his People's Peace even this very Enemy to wit Persecution for Conscience sake for it doth and will obstruct all your good Purposes at Home and Abroad it eats away the Affections of all good People from you and it eats out your Strength and Valour and it consumes the Weakness of all your Enemies verily it is an Enemy that will work your Destruction speedily both in this World and in the World to come that of God in you all shall witness me in the Day of the Lord. I am your Friend and these things do I write as a Friend unto you as to warn you of that secret enemy so much reigning and rebelling in this Nation which indeed may work a greater Destruction upon you then any forreign Invader and this in time you may witness to your Grief and Sorrow If something by you be not done to suppress it all health and peace I wish unto you in the Lord and thus far am I clear from the blood of you and all men come life or death E B. The several Coppies of this were delivered to Oliver and his Counsel in the 12th Moneth in the year 1657. To the Protector Friend THe Salutation of my life wisheth well unto thee in the Lord and most especially that thy precious Soul may be redeemed out of death to God and live that thou mayst have a Rest and Habitation in him when this World is no more Now whereas it is a general out-cry among the Teachers and People of this Nation and also is doubted and hath been sometimes objected by thy self That the People called Quakers are Deluded and Deceived and in Error and such like And now if it be possible that thy self and others may be resolved concernus put therefore all thy Objections and Doubting into plain Positions or let the wisest of thy Teachers do it for thee and whatsoever thy self or any for thee can object against us or what thou doubtest of or stumblest at either in respect of our Doctrines or Practice let the matter be stated in plain words in Positions or Queries and if God permit a sufficient answer thou mayst receive to remove all conscientious Scruples and to confound all subtil Alledgments and Evasions whereby hereafter forever thou mayst be altogether inexcusable of all doubting or speaking against us or suffering evil to be done or spoken against us upon that account And this am I moved to give forth and send to thee that thou mayst be satisfied and all things tried and made manifest in the sight of all men and that all rash judgment and false supposition which lodgeth in the hearts of many may be confounded and brought to
because thereof And how easie a thing it is for the present King and Parliament to walk in the same way even to account the true Ministers 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ and his People through want of infallible knowledge Hereticks and Deceivers and Blasphemers and to destroy them on that account while Deceivers may be accounted true Ministers by them even till Gods displeaâ—â—â—â— breaks forth against them to confound them And this is worthy to be consiâ—â—â—ed by them against the evil counsel of wicked men who would lay snarâ—◠〈◊〉 their feet and cast stumbling-blocks before them that they may be taken and fâ—â—â— to their overthrow 6. It is of the Devil the Dragon and Antichrist all this killing and perâ—â—â—â—ting of one Sect by â—nother about Religion since thâ— Apostles days the â—…ts and Witnesses have been slain and all that would not worship the Beast â—…e been killed by the Dragon the Devil and false power as may be read in the â—velations and never any of the true Churches of Christ nor any Memâ—er thereof at any time in or since the dayes of Christ and his Apostles did ever kill or cut off by death nor sought so to do any false Prophet Heretick or Blasphemers the true Christians never proceeded in that way but forgave Enemies and did win their Opposers by sound Doctrine and Conversation or gave them up to Satan and separated from them but nevâ—r killed them but it was the Antichrist the Wolves in Sheep's cloathing that killed about Worship even all that would not Worship The Saints and Martyrs their Blood was shed by the Beast because they would not worship and it was the Whore that hath drunk all this Blood of Prophets and â—ust Men and not the true Church who wars with spiritual Weapons and â—ills Enmity and Powers of Darkness but kills not Persons nor wars with â—arnal Weapons 7. And if they should proceed to kill and cut off by death such as are Hereticks and Deceivers who err in their minds how unjust would that be to destroy the lives of Men for the error of their minds and judgements in spiritual things And this the King and Parliament ought not to do though false Prophets Hereticks and Blasphemers must not escape unpunished but ought to be proceeded against yet not in and by the way of killing and destroying mens lives for that is a Punishment not answerable to the Offence and every Offence ought to have a Punishment just equal and answerable to the Crime and to punish the Body by death for the error of the mind in spiritual things this is not equal nor according to the Spirit of the Gospel but if any shall be destroyed in their Persons or Estates by Cruelty for or because they are in Error of Mind and Judgement in Matters Spiritual or may be supposed so to be it is no less then robbery and murder in the sight of God And let the King consider this and keep his Hands from shedding of Blood on that account lest he provoke the Lord against him And now I come to the second Branch of the Petition where the Petitioner doth request in these words saith he I most humbly beg your Grace that the â—oly Sabbath of the Lord the Christian Sabbath may by your Majesties strict Command be more religiously kept and observed then heretofore c. Answ. I answer to this It is well worthy to be considered by the King 1. That God did indeed command the People of the Iews to keep and observe the seventh day of the week for a Sabbath and that they should not do any manner of work therein they their Servants nor their Cattle but that day â—â—ould be kept holy unto the Lord by them and to this the Prophets and Servants of God in the time of the first Covenant did instruct and exhort upon the Penalty of God's Displeasure against that People of the Iews if they neglected to keep the seventh day of the week Sabbath and upon many the Lord did execute Judgement because thereof onely upon the People of the Iâ—ws for to them onely was commanded the observing the seventh day of the week as a Sabbath as a Sign between God and them 2. That God never commanded the keeping of the seventh day of the week 〈◊〉 a Sabbath to the Gentiles nor to any Nation or People saving onely the Pâ—ople of the Iews of which people we are not this Nation I mean according to the Flesh after the Generation of Men we are not of the Iews 〈◊〉 of the Gentiles and therefore the seventh day of the week was never commanded of God to this Nation to keep as a Sabbath neither can we be conâ—â—mned or judged of the Lord though we keep it not because it was never commanded of God unto us nor to any of the Gentilâ—s nor to any but to the People of the Iews as I have said and it was but a sign to them and Christ fulfilled all shaddows and was the end of the Law and the finishing of the Sabbath dayes and in him that Type was ended 3. That the observing of the first day of the week for a Sabbath which hath been done in this Nation for many Ages is onely by Tradition and not from any Command of God nor binding Example of the Apostles that we read of it is not of Commandment from God or Christ Jesus The first day of the week hath been observed as a Christian Sabbath but from Tradition and original Ordination of the Church of Rome as themselvâ—s do confess and the Protestants have taken it up from them though it is acknowledged that the Scripture saith The Saints and Churches of Christians in the Apostles dayes did meet together on the first day of the week for they that witnessed Christ come did deny Temple-Worship and first Priesthood and Circumcision and Synagogues and Sabbath-dayes which were a shaddow Col. 2. 16 17. and it s said They came together on the first day of the week but that this Practise of theirs is a Command to us at this day or binding Example to any Christians that all must keep the first day of the week as a Sabbath by force and upon such or such Pains Forfeitures and Penalties this I have not learned neither from God nor out of the Scriptures but it is doubtful to many even whether the God of Heaven requireth it now of Christians and Believers the keeping of any one day of the week as a Sabbath of rest from all Labour and to observe that day for Worship and to others it is doubtful if a day the Lord requireth then which day whether seventh day or first day of the week And concerning these Cases there is present Controversie in the minds of many men 4. That to force and compel upon any Nation by violent Laws and Edicts the observing any one day as Sabbath upon such and such Penalties and that onely upon the ground of Tradition and long Custom while the Scriptures in that
am confident That the King hath better Experience of us than to believe these our Malicious Accusars And I do appeal to him from the knowledge which he hath already of us that he believes we are Innocent and not guilty of those things thus unjustly charged upon us and I question not but he will rightly understand that these Accusations are more out of Hatred and Envy against us than out of desire to benefit the King by such Presentation 2. I do testifie unto the King and before the whole World That we do profess and believe concerning the Father Son and Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ and the Blessed Gospel and the Holy Scriptures I say we do believe and make prefession in Truth and Righteousness concerning all these things and by our Doctrines and Instructions do perswade all people to believe and not seduce any from these Truths of the Gospel and this is known through these Kingdoms concerning us though we stand now accused falsly concerning these Matters before the King But as for the Scriptures being the Rule of Life we say The Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures is the Rule of Life Faith unto the Saints and leads not contrary but according unto the Scriptures in the Belief and Practice of whatsoever the Scripture saith And if these Petitioners did make the Scriptures the Rule of their Lives and Practices for the denyal of which they here accuse us they would not have cut off Ears Banished and put to Death for the Cause of Conscience which is contrary to the Scriptures and proceeded from another spirit than that which gave forth the Scriptures 3. Concerning Government our Principles and Practices are well known to many and partly to the King We are not Enemies unto Government it self as these our Accusers do charge us but it is our Principle and hath ever been and is our Practice to be subject to whatsoever Government is set up over us either by doing or suffering and neither to vilifie nor rebel against any Government or Governours by any Malicious Plots or Contrivances but to walk in Meekness and Humility towards all being subject for Conscience sake as I have said either by doing or suffering and I doubt not but the KING is sufficiently informed hereof and believeth this Testimony 4. As for our Doctrines tending to subvert both Church and State this is also a false Accusation and Slander for our Doctrines are to convert and not to subvert even to convert to God and Truth and Righteousness that men should live in these things and forsake all that which is contrary and this Effect our Doctrines have wrought in the World as the Testimony of many Consciences shall bear witness Oh let the King consider of our Defence as well as of our Enemy's Charge who have thought it not enough to Whip most cruelly Banish cut Ears and put to Death the Innocent but must still accuse them â—alsly and seek to cover themselves by fawning and flattering Addresses unto the King like as if they had done no Evil whenas the God or Heaven is Witness to whom we can appeal That our Brethren suffered the Tortures of shameful Death in New-England through their unjust Laws and Sentences as Saints and Servants of the Living God for the Name of Christ Jesus and for his Truth which they held until Death and not for Evil-doing And the Executioners of these inhumane Cruelties seem so far from Repentance for their Evil doing that they rather justifie themselves in what they have done and cease not to smite and wound and reproach the Innocent and that before the King and that after they have Martyred them Again These Petitioners say After all other means for a long time used in vain we were at last constrained for our own safety say they to pass a Sentence of Banishment against them upon Pain of Death such was their Dangerous Impetuous and Desperate Turbulency to Religion and to the State Civil and Ecclesiâ—stical as that 〈◊〉 unwilling soever could it have been avoided the Magistrate at least in Conscience both to God and man judged himself called for the Defence of all to keep the Passage with the Point of the Sword held towards them this could do no harm say they to them that would be warned thereby their willing rushing themselves thereupon was their own act and we with all humility conceive a Crime bringing their Blood upon their own Heads By way of Answer to this let it be considered 1. What Means was for a long time used before they put them to Death is shameful to mention Was it not by the means of Cruel Whippings Banishment Imprisonment Cutting off Ears and taking their Goods by Violence It s true by this Means the Petitioners dealt with the Quakers and never by any Christian like Means for the very first of our Friends that ever came among them they made them Prisoners ere they came on shore and inhumanely dealt with them and Banished them and this was the first and fairest Means that ever was used by them which are not Gospel-Means nor the Way by which the Church of New-England ought to have proceeded Had our Friends been in Error and such as they say of them it had been their Duty to have gained them by Love by Mercy and by Long-suffering these are the Weapons of the Spirit of God which ought to be us'd towards them that are in Error in order to the converting of them from the Error but contrary to this the Magistrates and Church-Members of New-England took Cain's Weapons and dealt Cruelly and not like Christians nor like sober Men towards the Innocent but their thus proceeding was in vain as themselves acknowledge for notwithstanding the Gospel of Christ grew and encreased and many were converted to the Faith of Christ Jesus throughout New-England 2. Let it be considered what their dangerous and desperate Turbulency was to States Civil and Ecclesiastical Did ever these poor People whom they condemned and put to shameful death lift up a Hand against them or appear in any Turbulent Gesture towards them Were they ever found with any Carnal Weapon about them or What was their Crime saving that they warned Sinners to Repent and the Ungodly to turn from his way We appeal to the God of Heaven on their behalf whom they have Martyred for the Name of Christ That they had no other Offence to charge upon them saving their Conversations Doctrines and Practices as Saints of the Most High God and this is witness'd by many of their Neighbours though themselves have hardened their Hearts against the Reproof of God's Witness And we certainly believe it was their Malice and Envy that constrained them to pass Sentence of Death upon them and not the Equity of either just Law of God or man for they deserved not the merit of Death such was the Innocency of their Cause And they are no more safe by the taking away the Lives of our
Guiltless Brethren than they were before no more safe I say but more lyable to the Justice and Terror of the Almighty and to the Justice of the King and the good Laws of England for and because of their Barbarous Cruelties But as I have said we leave Vengeance to the Lord and commit them to the Justice of God's Hand which we doubt not but it will pass upon them in his Day and Season 3. Whereas they would seem to extenuate their Crime of putting to shameful Death the Lord's Servants they tell the King as if they only kept the Passage with the Point of the Sword held towards them as if they had no intention to hurt them and this the Magistrate did both in conscience to God and man I say It is to be considered what occasions were given them to stand in the Passage with the point of the Sword towards this People Was it for any Cause on their parts but as aforesaid for reproving their Sin and crying against their Wickedness whenas their Lives Conversations were Harmless and Innocent amongst them I say This was no just Cause for the Magistrates to stand in the Passage with the Point of the Sword and therefore they were Unjust in so doing if they had done no more and proceeded in the way of insolent Usurpers For what Reason had they to stop the Passage with the Point of the Sword for hindring of as good Subjects as themselves to pass through the King's Dominions Is not this derogating from the Honour and Authority of the King for the sub-ordinate Magistrates of New-England to usurp such Authority over free-born People of England as to prevent them from Egress and Regress in lawful Occasions in any part of the King's Dominions And I suppose this will be found contrary to their Patent and Prescription delivered them by Charles the first even this standing in the Passage with the Point of the Sword towards the Innocent and imposing great Fines upon men that came â—o their Harbour to sell their lawful Commodities if they had but the Name of Quakers though no other thing could be charged against them yet they were imposed upon by Fines and Imprisonment and the Point of the Sword was held out against them and all this I suppose is contrary to their Patent and in Derogation and Dishonour to King Charles the second 4. But to extenuate their own Fact of putting to shameful Death the Innocent they charge their Death to be a wilful Rushing and their Death was their own Act and their Blood was upon their own Heads Concerning which let it be considered they no more wilfully rushed upon their Death neither is their Blood on their own Heads more then the Prophets and Apostles that were slain for the Testimony of Jesus But these Petitioners do plead These Quakers so call'd knew there was a Law proclaimed against them Sentence of Banishment upon pain of Death but they would not keep away but came again and run themselves upon the Sword point And after this manner of arguing they would make it appear their Death was of themselves and their Blood was on their own Heads but these poor Evasions and favourable Interpretations of their own Cruelties ought not to cover them from the Justice of God not from the Justice of the King for it s to be considered That where God commands one thing and men another God ought to be obeyed rather then men and it is fully believed by us That these Sufferers did not go into New-England in their own cause but in God's Cause and in the Motion of his holy Spirit and in good Conscience towards God they did rather suffer the loss of their own Lives for their Obedience towards God than to disobey him to keep the Commandments of men And this was the Apostles Case when they were commanded to preach no more in the Name of Iesus Did they at all obey it for fear of Man And when the three Children were commanded to bow to the Image did they do it for fear of Man or If they had dyed for their Disobedience of the Kings Commandment could it have been said That their Blood was upon their own Heads and that they rushed themselves upon it and this is in part the like Case that our Friends suffered under the Injustice of these Petitioners who would now cover themselves like men of guilty Consciences But the God of Heaven will let them know one Day and the King may justly do it That the Blood of our Brethren lieth upon the Heads of the Magistrates of New-England and they are guilty of their cruel Death for they put them to Death not for any Evil doing between man and man but for their Obedience to God and for Good Conscience sake towards him Again The Petitioners say The Quakers dyed not because of their other Crimes how Capital soever but upon their super-added Presumptions and incorrigible Contempt of Authority breaking in upon us notwithstanding the Sentence of Banishment bad they not been restrained there was too much cause to fear that we our selves should quickly have dyed or worse and they would not be restrained but by Death Nay had they at last but promised to depart the Iurisdiction and not to return without leave from Authority we should have been glad to have said they should not dye In Answer to this it is considerable 1. What these other Capital Crimes were which the Sufferers were guilty of here is a secret Charge of Crimes without Nomination and this is the part of Slanderers to Accuse in general without particular Proof but this is still to extenuate their own horrid Fact of putting the Innocent to Death and that the King may believe better of them than indeed he hath cause and the super-added Presumption and incorrigible Contempt of Authority what was it any more than that Unjustly and without Reason they commanded them to depart or if they did not they should be put to Death whenas no Reason could possibly be rendred for such Law Commandment but because they were called Quakers and were different in Matters of Faith and Iudgment concerning spiritual Things for as I have said No Sedition Evil-dealing Drunkenness Lying nor any of these thingt could be charged against them and therefore the Law and Commandment of Banishment was unjust and could not be actively obeyed by our Brethren but they returned again not in contempt of Lawful Authority but as they were moved and upon their Occasions which was lawful and just in the sight of God and Men deporting themselves Harmlesly towards all people and this is stiled Super-added Presumption and incorrigible Contempt of Authority but they must needs put a Good Name upon their bad Work and render the Innocent as high Offenders as Excellency of Speech can demonstrate 2. There can be no just Cause rendred wherefore they should fear our Brethren except the Guiltiness of their own Consciences for as I have said They
such as refused to take any Oath walked in the Doctrine of Christ and such walked contrary to his Doctrine as did condemn them And thus it is manifest that Papists and false Christians are fallen from the Doctrine of Christ and are calling Good Evil and Evil Good and putting Light for Darkness and Darkness for Light for they account such as will take Oaths and Swear good Christians who are Breakers of the Commands of Christ and such as abide in the Doctrine of Christ and cannot take any Oath but keep the Commands of the Gospel they are accounted Erronious and Hereticks and such like And whereas the Author of Semper Iidem hath censured judged and condemned in his work Iohn Wickliff and Iohn Lambert Thomas Evison and Iohn Waddow William White Cornelius Bunge Iohn Maundrel Iohn Trankerfield George Eagles Hugh Latimer Bishop Granmer and Bishop Ridley Thomas Hawkes Richard Woodman all of whom were Martyred and put to Death because they dissented from and denyed the Papists Religion these by name with a great many more this nameless Author with whom I am now dealing hath condemned for Hereticks and Erronious Persons and made void as much as in him lies their Blood and justified the Papists in putting of them to Death Now every particular Case of these particular Men that he hath named and accused as Phanaticks and Hereticks I shall not seek to shew or demonstrate so as to justifie every man's particular Case against this nameless Author of Semper Iidem but this is evident That these men are reputed by Fox in his Monuments as MARTYRS of JESUS and they have been reputed in England for many years as such and have been held of great Estimation and have been accounted as the Fathers of the Protestant-Church and my Judgment of them is this That their Death generally was for the Testimony of Jesus and because of their Faithfulness in denying the Church of Rome for I do believe That God did awaken these men with many more and stir up their Hearts in their Day against the Idolatries and Superstitions of the Times they lived in and many of them were sincere men according to their Light and Knowledge in their Day though I shall not justifie every particular man in every particular Part and Act of his Faith and Conversation but shall leave that at this time reserved in mine own Heart And still I say for the most part they suffered Innocently on their part and without Cause and Cruelly Inhumanely and Unjustly on their Enemies part and they Martyred them and put them to Death by Fires and Tortures unrighteously and as cruel Murderers on their part that Executed them And in asmuch as their Sufferings were only and because of denying the Church of Rome dissenting from her and denying of her and wherein only and alone their Sufferings were in this Cause and for this End they suffered as Servants of God though as I have said I shall not justifie every particular man of them in his whole Faith and Conversation And for a further Relation of these Persons who were put to Death mentioned by my Nameless Author whom he accuseth for Phanaticks and Hereticks and such like I leave it to be read in Fox's Acts and Monuments where it may be read concerning the Martyrdom of every one of these particular men with their Examinations Tryals and Executions as they are reported by Fox who hath alwayes been reputed A Faithful Chronologer of the Protestants Cause till this Semper Iidem seems to accuse him for a Lyar and false Reporter and such like And whether the People of England have not better cause to believe his Relation of these Persons than they have to believe they know not whom viz. the Author of Semper Iidem a Nameless Author who hath reviled the Protestants Cause and accounted the Martyrs and faithful Witnesses thereof Phanaticks and Hereticks let themselves be Judges But I shall leave this only with desire that these men whom he hath named their particular Cases may be read in Fox's Acts and Monuments which if you look in the Table at the end of the second Volumn â—ou shall find the mens names with the Pages disciphered where their Cases 〈◊〉 be read and when you have read them then judge whether Semper Iidem hath not falsified their Cases and wickedly reviled them by the name of Ancient Phanaticks thereby seeking to supplant the whole Protestant Religion and all that dissent from the Church of Rome And thus much in brief concerning the Martyrs whom in the 14th Page Semper Iidem saith That a notable part of the Sufferers whom Fox makes relation of were Phanaticks and Sectaries and Mad Saints and such like naughty words by which he accuses a notable part these be his words which is the chiefest part of the Martyrs related of by Fox and accuseth Fox himself of double Injuries in his Relation in that he hath Canonized Phanaticks and Sectaries and Mad Saints for Saints and Martyrs and in that he Reviled and Accused Queen Mary and the Papists in those dayes of greater Persecutions than they were guilty of and saith They did no more than Henry the Eighth and Edward the Sixth and Queen Elizabeth did to the Papists Thus it is manifest That that well reputed of and credited Historian Fox is reputed a Lyar false Reporter so the Book of Martyrs made worth nothing and Queen Mary the Papists justified in what they did in martyring and putting to Death the Protestants in their days and also Queen Elizabeth is secretly condemn'd in what she did against the Papists Oh that these dayes should ever appear in England which once were not thought of These things are published and suffered in this Old Government newly revived Let the Protestants of England take notice of it and see how the Records of their Martyrs are made null and of none effect and the Martyrs themselves slandered as Phanaticks and the Martyrers justified as Righteous in what they did and these things published and proclaimed up and down London These things I cannot but observe as full occasion is given me by Semper Iidem How that the Papists Cause seems to revive and to lift up its Head again in England in vilifying and reproaching the Cause of all the Protestants of all sorts who seemingly begin to be crow'd over again and the Death of their Martyrs made of none Effects as aforesaid And this is only in Love towards the People of England to make them consider what attends them and what Invasion is coming upon them if it be not prevented not that I wholy justifie the Protestants Cause against the Papists though Semper Iidem pleads That Queen Mary did no more to the Protestants than Henry the Eighth Edward the Sixth and Queen Elizabeth did to the Papists as the one Persecuted Burned and Martyred the Protestants so the other did Persecute and Destroy the Papists by which he would reason a justification of Queen Mary