and to prove Faithful and Loyal to our Head and Soveraign our Supream our King our Lord and Master Jesus Christ whose Laws teach the best Loyalty to our Earthly Kings and purest love to our Princes nay to our very enemies I say to my Brethren Imprisoned and the rest yet at Liberty I shall give the advice of the Spirit recorded in James 5. 9. 10. Be patient therefore Brethren unto the coming of the Lord behold the Husband-man waiteth for the precious Fruits of the earth c. Be ye also patient stablish your Hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nie and let us not be weary in well doing for in due time we shall reap if we faint not Gal. 6. 9. the which reaping time is that which fills up my Inventory and will make a mends for all and raise my total Sum to a considerable value For as I am a Trades man my Estate as to Temporals amounts but to a small value as Imprimis My Houshold Goods and wearing Apparil being very little and very mean and therefore of l. s. d. very little worth Item In my Shop and Ware-house what is left by the hand of oppression is l. s. d. scarce worth valuing So also as I am a Christian my condition in gross is this not l. s. d. worth setting down Imprimis My footsteeps watched and my Actions weighed by an unjust weight and ballance and mete by a false measure by which means is produced false Reports Opprobious Speeches cruel Mockings Scoffings Jeerings and Deridings false Accusations and Evil Surmisings and my whole Trade Heaven-wards Arraigned Judged and Condemned as utterly Lawlesse and unlawful and my Commodities sent me from thence Counterfeit and Carnal Adulterated and Abominable Sinful and Schismatical Wavouring and Unstable Whimsical and Giddy Fantastical and Fannatical Formal and Faithlesse Papal and Prophane by all which it may evidently appear that as to my present Estate and Condition among men I have l. s. d. very little comfort And to speak in the Words of our Apostle If in this Life onely we had Hope in Christ we were of all men most miserable but now is Christ risen from the dead 1 Corinthians 15. 19 20. And therefore Item In the Resurrection Day They that have done good shall arise of the Resurrection of Life John 5. 39. For if we have been planted into the likenesse of his Death we shall also be in the likenesse of his Resurrection And Christ being raised from the Dead dieth no more Death hath no more dominion over him Rom. 6. 5. 9. So also is the Resurrection of the Dead it is sown in Corruption it is raised again in Incorruption it is sown in Dishonour it is raised in Glory it is sown in Weakness it is raised in Power it is sown a Natural Body it is raised a Spiritual Body And as we have born the Image of the earthly so also shall we bear the Image of the Heavenly 1 Cor. 15. 43 44 49. And thus shall we be recompenced at the Resurrection of the Just Luk. 14. 14. This shall we have after we have lived in Reproach Infamy and Ignomy This shall we have if we Worship not the Beast nor his Image neither Receive his Mark in our Foreheads nor in our Hands though we have been Villified and Undervalued Railed at and Reproached Buffetted and Whipped Banished or Imprinsoned nay though we shall lose our Lives provided it be only for the Witness of Jesus and the Word of God we shall have our part in the first Resurrection And blessed and holy is he that hath Part in the First Resurrection on such the Second Death shall have no Power but we shall be Priests to God and to Christ and shall Reign with Christ a Thousand years Rev. 20. 4 5 6. For he must Reign till he hath put all Enemies under his feet And when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall also the Son himself be subject unto him that put all things under him that God may be All in All 1 Cor. 15. 25 28. For it is a faithful saying That if we be Dead with him we shall also Live with him if we Suffer we shall also Reign with him 2 Tim. 2. 10 11. Therefore Item in the Harvest Crop abundance of Plenty for in due time we shall Reap if we faint not And whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap for he that soweth to the Flesh shall of the Flesh reap Corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Gal. 6. 7 8 9. And he that goeth on weeping bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again and bring his Sheaves with him For they that sow in Tears shall reap in Joy Psal. 126. 56. Thus Weeping may endure for a Night but Joy cometh in the Morning In the Morning of the Resurrection Sorrow and Mourning shall vanish away as the dew before the Morning Sun for God shall wipe away all Tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away Rev. 21. 4. And the Lamb that is in the midst of the Throne shall lead them unto living Fountains of Water and God shall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes Rev. 7. 17. Yea He will swallow up Death in Victory and the Lord God will wipe away Teares from all faces and the Reproach of his People shall be taken away from off all the earth for the Lord hath spoken it And it shall be said in that Day This is our God we have waited for him and he will save us this is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his Salvation Isa. 25. 8 9. For in his Presence is fulness of Joy and at his Right Hand are Pleasures for evermore Psal. 16. 11. Thus our Present Sufferings are not worthy to be compared with that Glory that shall be revealed in us Rom. 8. 18. For our Light Aâ—â—â—iâ—…ions which are but for a Moment worketh for us a far more Exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory whilest we look at the Things that are not seen and not on the Things that are seen for the Things that are seen are Temporal but the Things that are not seen they are eternal 2 Cor. 4. 17. And now my Brethren seeing it is so that there comes so much and such great benefit to us by our Sufferings let us Chearfully go on in Gods Way continuing Faithful to the Death that so we may attain the Crown of Life And let us follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth though to the Cross that so we may attain the Crown we shall be great Gainers by it And if we make that Use of our Sufferings that God intendeth our Faith our Patience our Joy our Love our Peace and all will be tryed strengthened and much bettered And in Conclusion we shall reap the benefit of it so as
A Fannaticks Letter Sent out of the DUNGEON OF THE Gate-House Prison OF VVESTMINSTER TO ALL His Brethren in the three Nations at liberty and also in the several Goales and Dungeons therein that are under all the Principles of the Doctrines of Christ Heb. 6. 1 2. By HENRY ADIS a Baptized Believer undergoing the Name of a Free-Willer and also most ignomineously by the tongue of Infamy called a Fannatick or a mad man Gal. 5. 1. Stand fast therefore in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and be not entangled again with the yoak of Bondage LONDON Printed by S. Dover for the Author and are to be Sold at Book-Sellers Shops 1660. A Fannaticks Letter Sent out of the DUNGEON OF THE Gate-House Prison OF VVESTMINSTER c. Dearly and well beloved Brethren in the Lord IT is the desire of my Soul that Grace Mercy Truth Peace Love Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith Meeknesse and Temperance to you be multiplyed with all long-suffering and knowledge Brethren When I enter into a serious consideration of what the flock of God gone before endured in their dayes not onely by cruel Mockings Deridings and Evil Speakings but also by Whipings Imprisonments Buffettings Banishments and painful Deaths Patiently Chearfully Readily and Willingly And all this that they might keep a good Conscience towards God in order to their producing his Glory and their own Eternal good I say The serious consideration of this is that which doth much encourage me notwithstanding the many difficulties of this our day to take up a resolution to go on in my Christian progresse by Divine assistance and not to look back lest with Lots wife I become a standing Monument of Gods everlasting Displeasure and therefore these are earnestly to desire you also in Gods Fear to persevere in that Path and to run swiftly towards perfection in that race you have already made some progress in beginning at Heb. 6. 1 2. And so chearfully to passe thorow this valley of Tears for he that runneth obtaineth not the Crown unlesse he strive lawfully 2 Tim. 2 5. Let us therefore so run that we may obtain 1 Cor. 9. 24. Let us labour hard to get up Sions Hill having a single Eye to Gods Glory In which narrow way you must expect the Hedges to be lined on both sides with multitudes of Amalakites shooting out their Arrows even bitter words whose Teeth are as sharp as Arrows and their Tongue a sharp Sword Psalm 57. 4. Who whet their Tongue like a Sword and bend their Bow to shoot those Arrows even bitter words Psalm 64. 3. who are ready to say with those in Jer. 18. 18. Come and let us smite him with the Tongue and let us not give heed to any of his words to whom let me beg you in Gods Fear as you tender the Honour of the Gospel and the Reputation of your Master King Jesus whom Jew-like they so Mock Scoff and Jeer at not to render to them evil for evil nor reviling for reviling but contrariwise blesse knowing that you are thereunto called that ye should inherit the Blessing for he that will love Life and see good dayes let him refrain his Tongue from evil and his Lips that they speak no guile let him eschew evil and do good let him seek peace and ensue it for the Eyes of the Lord are over the Righteous and his Ears are open unto their Prayers But the Face of the Lord is against them that do evil And who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good And if ye suffer for Righteousnesse sake happy are ye and be not affraid of their Terror neither be troubled but sanctifie the Lord in your Hearts and be ready alwayes to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the Hope that is in you with Meeknesse and Fear having a good Conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as evil doers they may be ashamed when they shall falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ for it is better if the Will of God be so that ye suffer for well doing then for evil doing for Christ also hath suffered for sinâ—â—â—… the Just for the unjust Psalm 3. 9. c. Therefore let us look unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame Heb. 12. 2. Who is the Captain of our Salvation and was made perfect through sufferings Heb. 2. 10. Who was led as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before the shearer was dumb so opened he not his mouth Acts 8. 32. For even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps who did no sin neither was guile found in his Mouth who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that Judgeth Righteously 1 Pet. 2. 11 12 13. Therefore seeing we have taken his yoak upon us let us learn of him who is Lowly and Meek and we shall find rest for our Souls Mat. 11. 29. And let us not think to be above our Master for if they have called the Master of the house Belzebub how much more them of his houshold And if they have so done to the green Tree what will they not do to the dry Tree It is enough for the Disciple to be as his Master and the Servant as his Lord And therefore let us consider what Legacy our Master hath left us who saith That in the World we shall have tribulation for behold saith he I send you forth as sheep in the midst of Wolves be ye therefore wise as Serpents but harmlesse as Doves But beware of men for they will deliver you up to the Counsels and they will scourge you in their Synagogues and ye shall be brought before Governours and Kings for my names sake for a testimony against them and the Gentiles And ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake Mat. 10. 16. 18. 22. Yea the time will come that if they shall kill you they will think they do God good service and Christ hath spoken these things that we should not be offended John 16. 12. Therefore in our patience let us possesse our Souls And blessed is he that shall not be offended in him for our light afflictions which are but for a Moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory whilest we look on the things which are not seen and not on the things that are seen for the things that are seen are Temporal but the things that are not seen they eternal 2 Cor. 4. 17. And although no chastening at the present seemeth joyous but grievous yet neverthelesse afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable Fruit of Righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby Heb. 12. 11. And were it not that to the rejoycing of my soul I heard that your Joy
Lord and Master John 13. 13. the Captain of our Salvation Heb. 2. 10. our Elder Brother Heb. 2. 11. Let us cry out and say Father forgive them they know not what they do Luk. 23. 34. And thus being furnished with the Armour of Righteousnesse on the right Hand and on the left 2 Cor. 6. 7. Let us behave our selves manfully fighting the Lords Battel even to the resisting unto Blood striving against sin Heb. 12. 4. striving together for the Faith of the Gospel Phil. 1. 27. not for the Wealth Pomp Pleasure Pastimes Preferment Power nor Dominions of the Earth neither in the behalf of our selves nor others no not in the behalf of our Lord and Master King Jesus to set Him up as King For though I do really believe that Jesus Christ shall Personally Reign yet his Kingdom is not to be set up as some would have it For the seventh Angel Sounded and there were great Voices in Heaven saying The Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and He shall reign for ever and ever Rev. 11. 15. For the stone that was cut out of the Mountain without hands that smote the Image on the Feet became a great Mountain and filled the whole earth Dan. 2. 35. And this was the confidence of that Holy Man Job 19. 25. For saith he I believe that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the last day upon the earth So also saith the Prophet Zech. 14. 4. For his Feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives which is before Jerusalem on the East and verse 9. And the Lord shall be King over all the earth in that day there shall be one Lord and his Name one and his Dominion shall be from Sea to Sea and from the River even to the ends of the earth for he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his Feet the last enemie that shall be destroyed is Death 1 Cor. 15. 25 26. Yet this Kingdom shall not be set up by force of Arms neither shall his Servants prepare it for him but he for them for so saith he himself John 14. 2. In my Fathers House are many Mansions And I go to prepare a place for you And I will come to you again and receive you to my self that where I am there ye may be also And therefore he spake unto them a Parable because he was nigh to Jerusalem and because they thought that the Kingdom of God should immediately appear And a certain Noble-man went into a far Countrey to receive for himself a Kingdom and to return Luke 19. 11 12. So that he shall give the Kingdom to them if we may believe himself for saith he Fear not little Flock for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom Luke 12. 32. And I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me that ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom and sit on Thrones Judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Luke 22. 29. But we are yet in the Kingdom of Christs Patience and not in the Kingdom of his Power for if we may believe himself he telleth us John 18. That his Kingdom is not of this World for this is Esaus Kingdom And so saith the Lord to Esdras For when Jacob and Esau were born unto Isaac Jacobs hand held fast the Heel of Esau for Esau is the End of this World and Jacob is the Beginning of that which is to come 2 Esdras 6. 8 9. And indeed this is Esau or the evil ones Kingdom for Satan is the god of this World And so saith our Apostle 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the god of this World hath blinded the Minds of them that believe not lest the Glorious Light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ should shine unto them and so saith the Devil to Christ Mat. 4 8 9. when he set him upon an high Mountain and shewed him all the Glory of the World and said unto him All this will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me And the Lord Christ is so far from reproving the falshood of it as that he saith John 14. 13. The Prince of this World cometh but he haâ—h no part in me and John 16. 11. The Prince of this World is Judged And to evidence that Antipathy that there is between these two Kings Kingdoms and the Subjects thereof the Apostle queries with those that had engaged for that King and Kingdom when they were fighting and quarrelling for the things of a Temporal Kingdom From whence saith he comes Wars and Fightings among you come they not hence even of your Lusts that War in your Members Ye Lust and have not ye kill and desire to have and cannot obtain ye Fight and War yet ye have not because ye ask not ye ask and receive not because ye ask amiss ye Adulterers and Adulteresses know ye not that the Friendship of the World is emnity with God Whosoever therefore will be a friend to the World is an enemy to God James 4. 1. c. And because ye are chosen out of the World therefore the World will hate you yet that hatred is not to be requited with hatred again but with Love and good Works according to Mat. 5. 44. So that no Acts of Violence or Hostility is to be found in the hands of Canaans Subjects but they are patiently to wait for the coming of Christ For so perswadeth our Apostle Be patient brethren unto the coming of the Lord Behold the husband-man waiteth for the precious fruits of the earth and hath long patience for it until he receive the early and latter rain be you also patient stablish your Hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh Jam. 5. 7. And although we are redeem'd with the Blood of the Lamb and are made Kings and Priests to God and to Christ and shall Live and Reign with Christ a thousand Years Rev. 20. 4. 6. Rev. 5. 10. yet we ought to have no Acts of violence found in our hands to procure or set it up but this is the mistake between those that are so eager to set up Christs Kingdom by Violence and undermining of States and Governments and us that expect it and yet can act no Acts of violence They expect him to Reign Spiritually in his People and we according to the Scriptures do look for him to come and Reign Personally with his They look to have Dominion Power and earthly Authority by him and to have their Judges restored as at the first and that on this side the Grave whilest we wait for a Manifestation of Christ from Heaven at which appearance we do expect and that upon a Scripture account that those that fall asleep in the Faith of Jesus shall then appear with Jesus and that them that are then found in the Actual Faith of
Jesus shall live together with them with Jesus 1 Thes. 4. 14. When that same Jesus which was taken up into Heaven shall so come in like manner as he went into Heaven Acts 1. 11. For behold he cometh with Clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which piersed him Rev. 1. 7. In which patient waiting of ours we must expect according to the saying of our Apostle That we must through many tribulations enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Acts 14. 22. Our Lord and Master was pleased to strip himself of Glory and became obedient to that ignomineous death of the Cross for our sakes to bring us to Glory and shall we then grudg for his sake to go by the Cross to inherit that Glory O my Brethren in Gods Fear consider what ye do turn not your backs upon Jesus Christ but as ye have set your hand to the Plow so look not back for if any man draw back my Soul shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10. 38. And whosoever will deny me before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven they were his own Words Mat. 10. 33. in whose Mouth there was sound no guile who also telleth us That the time will come that if they kill us they will think they shall do God good service John 16. 2. And seeing we do at this day both see and feel so much in order to the fulfilling of this Scripture in this juncture of time wherein iniquity doth so much abound and that the love of many do wax cold Let us consider in Gods Fear what our work is in this our Day that so we may be sound doing Gods Work in Gods Way although it be to the losse of our Liberty Goods yea and Life and all rather than lose all to eternity And therefore for my part I shall resolve God assisting me according to the ability received to make use of that Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God to the hewing down of all Iniquity Transgression and Sin both Root and Branch as near as I can in all and to speak Scripture Language from him that sitteth on the Throne to him that grindeth at the Mill and draweth Water And to endeavour such a Reformation in all as that God may build up the Nation and make our Land as it is now abounding in all excesse of ryot to be as one day it shall be said of Jerusalem even a Praise of the whole Earth And if in this I am looked upon to be vile I shall by Divine assistance resolve to be yet more vile and shall first begin this work at Home and now I speak of Home I shall begin to look Home and as the Husband-man and the Merchant take the time of their best leasure to make up their Inventory So shall I for being haled from my lawful employments having little else to do in my Dark Dolesome Drowsie Damp Dungeon I shall see what I am worth that so I may set my House in order whilest I have time for Age tells me I cannot live long and almost every day an Alarm for death is sounding in mine ears Tear me and Ram me Sink me and Dam me telling me some to my Face and others behind my back That I am not long liv'd and that I must suddenly prepare for Death because of my Judgement notwithstanding the Kings Word passed to us from Breda and since For a peaceable enjoying our Meeting upon our good behaviour the which I shall bid defiance to any man that can say it was ever tainted I have therefore set Pen to Paper and have added this my Inventory the which haply may seem impertinent in this place yet I judge the conclusion may be very comfortable and as the Husband-man and Merchant so shall I the Husband-man making his Inventory which we will suppose thus Imprimis Hay Barns empty and Hay-stack-Roomes railed round with Corn Barns and Graineries empty swept and garnished in which there is nothing of l. s. d. any considerable value But that which will make a mends for all is Item in the Harvest Crop abundance of Hay to the raising of Stacks and filling the Hay Barn and Lofts and of Wheat Rie Barlie Oats Beans and Pease to the filling the Barns and Graineries having increased some thirty some sixty and some an hundred fould with the multiplicity both of Summer and Winter Fruits both of the Orchards and Cherry Grounds with the abundance of Wall Fruits and Fragrant-Flowers sweet Herbs of all kinds appearing like the Hour of Plenty together with the sweet encrease of that little yet profitable Creature the Bee the which being added to the fore part of the Inventory being as aforesaid not of l. s. d. any considerable value Doth in the whole amount to l. s. d. a good considerable sum And the Merchant when he maketh his Inventory he doth it at his best leasure when the Venture is out-bound the which we will suppose this Imprimis Two or three large vast Warehouses empty and neatly cleansed onely in one Corner two or three empty Casks with some odd Pack-cloaths and Cording And all l. s. d. not worth setting down But Item the return of the Venture a gallant lusty stout tall Ship of a vast burthen deeply laden and well man'd in-bound at the Havens Mouth ready the next Tide being a spring and a fresh smart gale of Wind filling the Fore Sale the Top Sale the Sprit Sale and the Mizen running before the Wind like the Post that sides for his Life the Antient flying and the Pilat for the safe convey of the Vessel carefully instructing the Steers-man at the Helm as occasion serves with a Star-bord Lar-bord Port Steady Loof Non-neer and the Master Gunner and his Mate fiering to the rejoycing the Heart of the Owner 13. 17. 19. or 21. great Guns the Sea-men and Marriners with all speed striking and furling their Sails coming to Anchor and making to Shore to liver the Ship being Richly Laden with the best and choisest Indian Trade and being home bound coasting from one Countrey to another Port being enriched with the choisest and best Commodities of those Countries and Havens by which means though the Inventory as to the former part of it amounts to l. s. d. no great matter Yet the return of the Venture so supposed as aforesaid doth raise the total sum to l. s. d. hundreds thousands ten thousands Thus we see the Husband-mans Harvest and the Merchants Return after their patient waiting makes a mends for all Therefore by the way a Word to my Brethren that are already in Prison with my self and those that do every hour expect the same measure to be met to them and that not upon the account of any real mis-actings found or known either by them or us as by Plotting Contriving or Undermining the present Government but onely and alone because we desire and endeavour to keep the Testimony of a good Conscience