they are of God but the witness of God in every man beareth witness against all unjust men and Laws and Rulers and Governments which strengtheneth the hands of the wicked and oppresseth the just where the making and execution of Laws are in the power of proud men and covetous men who fears not God neither hates covetousness neither doth respect the cause of the poor but rules by their Wills and Tyranny and not by just Laws in Righteousness but makes unrighteous decrees to oppress the poor and innocent letting the wicked go free such who upholds unrighteous Worships and Teachers by oppression and causes the Innoccent to suffer and makes them Offenders because the exercise of a pure conscience towards God and men such Rulers and Government we cannot be subject to for Conscience sake but do rather fulfull the Law and Will of God though we transgress their wills and unrighteous laws and yet doth not rebel against them nor seek defence from them but patiently suffers under them and bears their injustice and cruelty without seeking any revenge but leaves vengeance to the Lord to whom it belongs and this is our Judgement in full the Government and Laws which we cannot obey nor fulfil for Conscisake we chuse rather to suffer under them for disobedience to them than to transgress the righteous Law of God written in our hearts by obeying them so that what we cannot obey for Conscience sake for Conscience sake we resist not but suffers under that the punishment of it patiently and herein are we subject to every ordinance of man for conscience sake in fulfilling of the good the just and righteous and in patience suffering under the cruelty and oppression of the unjust and unrighteous and this we do and teach every where subjection to every Ordinance of man and are not destroyers of true Government or rebellious against just Governours but are exalters of true Justice and Judgement in the Earth CHAP. XI Concerning the true Ministry of Christ and the false Ministry and the difference betwixt them this testimony I give unto all the World THE true Ministry is sent of God and is the gift of the holy Ghost and it stands in the Power of the Spirit of God and not in the words of mans wisdom of that wisdom which is from below and it brings people to the knowledge of God which is life eternal and it turns people from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to the Power of God it is freely received of God and freely given forth of us it proclaims Peace on Earth unto such as are of a broken and upright heart and it proclaims war against all the wicked upon Earth it is a good savour unto God in setting the way of life and the way of death before all people the Ministry of Christ is free and cannot be bought nor sold for money it is without hire and gifts and rewards from any man which is given freely into the World and it ever was and is persecuted by the Generation of the unjust and by the powers of the Earth he that comes in the Fathers Name cannot be received of the World but the World is at enmity against it in this Generation as ever was it converts people unto the Knowledge of God and many did and many do receive the Knowledge of God thereby though some thereby be hardened against God unto destruction and the Word of the Lord and the Ministry returns not in vain unto God but all by it arâ left without excuse the Witness of Christ in every Creature being reached to which gives Testimony to the Power and to the Truth of the Ministry of Christ but the false Ministers and Ministry are not such for their Ministry is received by natural Learning and Arts and is not the Gift of the holy Ghost but stands in the wisdom of mans words and not in the Power and Life of God it profits not the people at all neither do any come to the Knowledge of God thereby neither is turned from Darkness to Light but Teachers and people continues in the power of Satan and in the unconverted estate the Witness of God not reached to to bring to the understanding of things which are eternal but people are ever learning by it and never coming to the Knowledge of the Truth but the Blind leads the Blind and like Teachers like People all out of the Way given to Iniquity and unrighteousness and such are they who preaches for Hire and divines for Money and seeks for their gaiâ from their Quarter and through covetousness by feigned words make merchandize of Souls going for Gifts and Rewards and teaching for filthy Lucre having settled places and so much a year these are not the true Ministers of Christ but false Ministers of Autichrist and Deceivers and were never sent of God and do never bring any to the Knowledge of Gods and such we beââ witness against to be of the Devil and that for many Generations the World hath been deceived by them who hath had the form of godlines but not the Power and Christs words and the Apostles words without the Life and they have served themselves and not the Lord Jesus but now they are made manifest with the true Light which approveth the Ministry of God and disapproveth such who are Ministers of Antichrist and all that are in the Light and walk in the light can receive this testimony which is given by the Spirit of God to that Ministry which is sent of him which doth fulfill his will and against the false Ministry which is not of God which runs and was never sent of him CHAP. XII Concerning the Gospel of Christ this is my testimony unto all the VVorld THE Gospel is the Power of God and it is sent of him into the World to reconcile people unto him that have been in the enmity agaiâââ him ãâã is Peace to the Poor in spirit and judgement to the Fat and to the high minâââ and it is to be preached to every creature male and female under Heaven without respect of Peoples Nations or Generations it is the manifestation of the Love of God to the whole World to gather people out of all unrighteousââââ into the living Way of Life Peace and Truth to walk with God in Purity and Holiness and to deny the World and all its ways and works and worships which are evil and by it some are brought to God and to salvation and life eternal and some through it are hardened against God that they may be destroyed and condemned who are Reprobates and believes not in him from whom the Gospel comes and it cannot be received by any other way or means than by the revelation of Jesus Christ in the hearts of his people and many have the letter which knows not the Gospel nor hath received it and this Gospel which is everlasting have we received from God and this is the sound of it which we
all works for it is the ground from whence all works do spring and the end unto which they are brought forth that makes all mens works good or evil to be justified or to be condemned and where the Measure of the Spirit and Power of God is the Ground of and Leader in a work that work as I have said is done in the Fear of the Lord and in uprightness of heart and in love and tenderness and meekness and patience without seeking or exalting self but the Glory of the Lord is only sought by that man in all such his works But on the contrary where an evil heart and mind brings forth works to an evil end and to the wrong of others such works are maliciously and wilfully and enviously and peevishly done in forwardness and headiness and not in the Fear of God nor in uprightness of heart but with a double mind and in secret or without the Counsel of God seeking himself in his works and not the Lord and such works are wicked and wrought by wicked men who transgresseth both the Law of God and of men and must receive according to their deeds and the Law that is equal must pass upon them which the Light of Christ in their own Consciences may answer to when they are condemned for their ungodly works against which Light they act and that is the reason and cause wherefore their works are evil and to be condemned by the Law for who acteth according to the Light of Christ and is led thereby fulfilleth the Law or it is fulfilled in him and his works are wrought in God and are the testimony unto men that he is of a good conscience and for a good Conscience sake his works are done and such men and works are not to be condemned but justified And this is for Instruction to all them that bear Rule who are Magistrates and Governours and Judges of the people that they may now be wife and learn wisdom how to judge righteously and justly among people that they may fulfil the Will of God in what he hath called them unto even that they may cherish and defend and strengthen such as do well and all whose pure Consciences are purely exercised may live in peace and rest under such a Government and all Evil-Doers may be bound limitted and judged and may stand in awe and be afraid and thus Justice and true Judgment would be advanced and Equity would run down as a mighty Stream and the Nation would be blessed and yeild content and satisfaction to her Inhabitants and hereby might the Rulers and Judges gain unto themselves a good report and an honour and renown would the Lord crown them withal in Generations to come Wherefore all ye Rulers and ye that are set to judge the people be now awakened to just Judgment and to a sound discerning and put on the spirit of true Judgment even the Spirit of the Lord that you may receive it to be taught in all things how to walk with God that you may answer his call and the End of your Authority in judging justly all sorts of men rendring to every man according to his Deeds even Condemnation and Judgment to Evil-Doers and a Praise and Defence to all that do well And this is written in love to you all shewing you how to put a difference betwixt the Precious and the Vile between the Just and Unjust that you may be the more happy if this you observe not leaving your names a Reproach and a Scorn to after Ages which is the effect which doth follow all such as pervert Justice and turns true Judgment backward with Misery and Destruction upon themselves and Posterity for evermore A True and Faithful Exposition of some part of the Laws of ENGLAND ALL ye Magistrates Justices of the Peace Mayors and all other Ministers of the Law and all ye to whomsoever the Law is committed I warn you all to take heed to your selves that ye fulfil the Will of the Lord in judging Righteously and executing true Justice and Judgment and let not Envy nor false Suspitions nor Jealousies have any place in you but with a single Eye try all things and with an upright Heart judge for God and not for man and beware of causing the Innocent to suffer whose Consciences are exercised towards God though they be contrary to the World in their Wayes and Judgments for if you cause such to suffer you do not execute true Judgment but subvert the Law and the Lord will require that Suffering of his People at your hands Now consider The Law was not made for a Righteous Man but for Transgressors such whose Consciences are not exercisd towards God and such your Sword is to be laid upon to be a Terror to them and not to the Innocent for they should have Praise that do well And you must take heed lest you abuse your Power to another End then wherefore God hath ordained it for the Law was added because of Transgression to slay the Transgressor and that is the End of the Law Now you must take heed of causing any to suffer upon bare Suspition or Evil Jealousies when as no Transgression is truly charged nor justly proved against them before you And you are not to be both Accusers and Judges of any one in any Cause You have a late Act for the taking up and punishing of idle lââse and dissolute Persons such as are Vagrants and wandering Rogues Vagabonds and sturdy Beggars Now this Law is good if it be duly and justly executed upon such as are truly guilty herein and it is right that sturdy Beggars and Rogues and idle and disorderly Persons should be taken up from wandering and set on work in some good Imployment in the Creation which may maintain themselves and prevent them from worse things But now you must take heed of judging any to be such who are not really so for many of the Servants of the Lord now as it was in Generations past are moved to leave their own Country and Dwellings and Relations and go abroad in the Nations to preach the Gospel of Christ and to bear witness of his Name in the World to the turning of People from the wayes of Sin and Death to the Way of Righteousness and Truth and it may be such cannot give you an Account or sufficient Cause of their travelling abroad so as to satisfie you For that is lawful in the sight of God which you may not judge to be so for God's Wayes are not man's wayes neither are his Thoughts as man's thoughts Therefore I say unto you If you cause any such of the Servants of the Lord to suffer by that Law you abuse your power and subvert the Law for such are not Vagabonds nor idle dissolute Persons nor Rogues nor sturdy Beggars no more than Christ was who had no where to lay his head and the Prophets and Apostles were some of which had no certain dwelling place but left
ãâã so much Money a Year or claiming so much as a Debt of those which may ãâã do not receive or believe such a Minister is a true Minister of Christ and all ãâã suing people at Law casting them into Prison about Ministers Maintenance ãâã not of God but Antichrist and not after the Example of Christ's true Ministers but after the Example of false Prophets and Deceivers And it is a lawful Maintenance at this day of Christ's Ministers That each Minister be maintained by the free Gift of the people under his Ministry and its just that every Minister be maintained by the people to whom he labours and that every Form of Worship maintain their own Ministers how and as they will and if men preach the Gospel let them live of it and let their Gospel maintain them without begging Maintenance of the King or troubling him with such matters as pertain to another state even to the spiritual Government of Christ who calls his Ministers and gives his Gifts to whom he will and sends them out whither he will and their Gospel hath effect to change and convert people and to beget Love in the hearts of people and such as are begotten to God by the preaching of the Gospel can freely give of their carnal things and a Minister of Christ cannot want any thing And therefore let not the King be careful nor troubled about maintaining Ministers but let him maintain his own how and as he pleaseth and leave all his Kingdoms to the like that every sort of people whether Papists Protestants or any others maintain every one their own Ministers how by how much and as they will and this is the way of Lawful Maintenance to every Ministry and not this way of begging of the King And that not Niggardly but Liberally and Sufficiently saith the Petitioner which shews Covetousness and Impudency in any Beggar that they may be encouraged saith the Petitioner c. 5. Now that Ministry whose Dependancy is on outward things and may be encouraged or discouraged by having or wanting large Maintenance this Ministry Jesus Christ never sent forth but it is of man and by the Earthly Powers and not of God for were the Apostles discouraged in the Work of their Ministry when they were in Wants and Necessities and Sufferings and Afflictions as often they were No but they approved themselves the more to be Christ's Faithful Ministers thereby And it may be a very certain Evidence to the King That such who will not go forth to minister without such or such large Benefices and Maintenance by so much Money Tythes or yearly Stipends are not the Ministers of Christ neither were they ever sent of him to preach his Gospel but have run for Gifts and Rewards like Balaam and have not been truly called by Christ Jesus into his Ministry Now I come to the fifth Branch of the Petition which is in these words I humbly beg your Grace That in order to the establishing a learned Ministry to Posterity your Majesty will be a Fosterer and Patron of the Schools and Nurseries of good Learning especially the two once famous Universities of Oxford and Cambridge In Answer hereunto let the King consider 1. That the true and lawful Ministry of Jesus Christ is the absolute free Gift of God to whomsoever the Lord is pleased to give it and it is not bought nor sold for Money nor received by Education and natural Learning but God gives the Gift of Knowledge and Utterance and every part of his Ministry to whom he will so the Apostles received the Ministry and so it is received at this day by all that have it It is not a Natural Science or Art of Knowledge or Utterance but it is the Gift of God and ever was whether to Plough-men or Fisher-men or to whomsoever as the Lord gives it for As every one had received the Gift so they might administer as say the Scriptures 2. That the Establishing of the Ministry pertains to Jesus Christ alone and that it depends upon the Power and Spirit of God to establish his own Ministry and to overthrow that which is contrary and the Lord alone will do it and not man for it is he that sendeth out Ministers whom he will and he defends them and establishes them against the Devil and all their Opposers Neither did ever any of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ beg to the Kings of the Earth Maintenance and Establishment but they knew the Lord and trusted in him and therefore let not the King trouble himself with care in these matters but leave them to the Lord to whom they do belong and let him rule well in outward Affairs and leave the Government of the Church and Ministry to Christ Jesus to whom only it pertains 3. As for Oxford and Cambridge and sending Ministers from thence and making them there by natural Arts and Sciences according to the Custom there used there was no such thing in the Apostles days as making Ministers at Schools and Colledges by natural Learning but as I have said It was by the Gift of God's ââây Spirit that the Ministers of the Gospel were made and sent forth And this way of making Ministers at Oxford and Cambridge at Schools and Colledges and all that pertains thereunto as the Orders Names and Practices for the most part the very Habits and Degrees of Schools and all that stuff is all come up since the Apostles dayes and that way of creating Ministers and sending them forth was never known not in beeing among the Apostles but much Abomination and Idolatry is brought forth at such places and in such wayes to the Grief and Vexation of the Lord God whose Wrath will break out like Fire to devour Idolatry with the Cause and Ground thereof And happy is that man that partakes not of the Sins of others he shall not partake of the Iudgements And in the last part of the Petition it is craved That the Seminaries of Sin and Satan Wickedness and Vice may be beaten down and suppressed c. Ans. These things are abounding which provoke the Lord to great wrath against the Land Oh! that indeed the King would consider that Iniquity may be stopped and Righteousness brought forth then should the King and Kingdoms and Subjects be made Famous and Dreadful through the World For because of Oppression and Wickedness the Land mourns and the great Judgments of the Lord are at the door except Repentance be made unto God And thus I have in much fear towards God and Honour towards the King laid divers Considerations before him worthy to be minded upon the occasion of the Charge against us by George Willington and it will be Wisdom for the King to consider our Defence as well as of our Enemy's Charge By a Servant of Christ E. B. THE Everlasting Gospel OF REPENTANCE AND REMISSION of SINS Held forth and Declared to the Inhabitants of the Earth that they may Turn and be Converted
Imposing Religion and the Example hereof may be read in Nations and Countries at this day what Discontents and Contentions have arisen dangerously among people one towards another and towards their Rulers upon this Cause and Occasion of Imposing Religion by Force Unrighteously and 't is a Danger this day that all the Rulers of the World are exposed unto and deeply involved in where this Cause of Imposing Religion is extânt in Force 3. It is Dangerous to Impose Religion by Force because it must needs produce Oppression Persecution Violence and Hatred in the prosecution thereof and this is dangerous to any Kings Rulers or Governours to be reputed Oppressors Persecutors and Violent Men this is Infamous and of bad Report amongst men and Abomination and Wickedness in the sight of God for any Rulers upon Earth to be Oppressors Persecutors and Cruel Men and such consequently must they be that are Imposers upon mens Consciences in Matters Religious And this Danger all the Rulers of the World are in that do Impose Religion by Force even to render themselves Infamous by Oppression in the sight of men and to render themselves Sinners against God and this Danger falls upon the Imposers of Religion because of such their Impositions by Force upon the Consciences of men Lastly 'T is Dangerous because 't is of Antichrist and not of Christ as before proved and all that do Impose by Violence on the Consciences of Men in Religious Cases are of Antichrist in so doing and because thereof liable to God's Indignation and Heavy Wrath in this World and hereafter and 't is Dangerous to bring the Wrath and Judgments of God upon Men that are guilty thereof for God will be avenged upon such his Enemies that exercise Violence and Persecution upon Men for their Conscience sake And this is a Danger unavoidable which all that impose Religion are liable unto even to be Cut Off in the Wrath of the Lord and to undergo his Indignation for all the Reasons before shewed These with many other Dangers are they involved in that are Imposers in Religious Matters Therefore Oh that the Rulers of this World would be Wise now in their last day and would consider the Unjustness and Unreasonableness of their Imposing Religion and the many Dangers that attend the same Oh that they would learn God's Counsel and Rule only for him in Justice Mercy Truth Equity and true Judgment exercising the same in the Meek and Lowly Spirit of Jesus among men and over whom they are set to Rule in this World and would give to God Almighty his Due and Right and Priviledge in exercising the Consciences of Men by his Spirit in all Cases of Christ's Kingdom for it only belongs to him to be Ruler in the Inward Man Oh! that the Rulers of this World would give this Power and Dominion unto God and would from henceforth never more exercise Lordship over Conscience by Imposing Religion through Force but would only Rule well over the Outward Man in the things pertaining to Man and would leave to God the Rule and Exercise of Conscience Oh! then would it go well with them and Happy and Blessed should they be in such their Authority and Peace should be unto them if that they only took the Government as appointed of God over the outward Man and did not impose upon the inward man by Force in Religious Matters but committed that Authority to God Then I say should Peace and Blessings be unto them But while it is otherwise even while they exercise Dominion and Lordship over Conscience as aforesaid they do unjustly and Unreasonably and bring upon themselves many Dangers and are liable to Contentions Oppositions Wars and many Mischiefs in this World and to the Anger and Wrath of God in the World that is to come CHAP. II. Concerning Heresie the Case Stated What it is in it self and who a Heretick is and who are the absolute true Iudges of it and what Punishment pertains to such as are truly convicted of Heresie 1. THere is such a thing as Heresie in it self even many Heresies and Errors abounding amongst the Sons of Men in the World at this day and there was Heresie in the dayes of the Aposties and amongst them brought in by such as erred from the Truth after they had once known the Truth and received it as ye may read the Iews they cryed out of Heresie in their time which caused the Apostle to say to them Acts 24. 14. After that Way which ye call Heresie do we worship the God of our Fathers And the Apostle said 1 Cor. 11. to the Church There must be also Heresies amongst you that they that are approved of God may be made manifest And 2 Pet. 2. 1. it is spoken of some who should privily bring in Damnable Heresies into the Church By all which it is manifest there was in the Apostles dayes Heresie and Heresies as there is at this day even many Heresies and Errors in the World held professed and maintained by the Apostate Christians that are gone into the Form of Godliness without the Power and are turned from the Spirit of Christ and the soundness of his Doctrine into the formal Profession of Religion and of the words of Christ and his Apostles and among such are the Heresies and Errors 2. Heresie is somewhat believed and professed in Practice of Worship and in Point of Faith and Doctrine that is either contrary to or different from the perfect Truth of the Gospel of Christ something I say held and practiced in Point of Worship Faith and Doctrine which is not justly according to the pure Truth of Jesus but either in whole or in part different from and contrary thereunto and whatsoever Practice of Worship or Point of Doctrine as is so held professed believed or practiced is Heresie and Error because it is different from and contrary to in whole or in part the perfect Truth of the Gospel of Christ Jesus and because thereof it is Heresie and such is Heresie in it self different from and contrary unto the Gospel of the Kingdom of Christ though as for the particular Parts and Points of Heresie in Worship Doctrine and Practice which are at this day held professed and believed among Apostate Christians are so very many that they would be too large here to ennumerate but my present Intention is only this To shew at large what Heresie is in it self and who is a Heretick 3. A Heretick one that is properly so is such a Person as hath sometime believed in the Truth and made Profession and Acknowledgment of the Way of true Christianity and hath received and held the true Faith of the Gospel of Christ and been in some measure united to Christ and a Member of his Church but is fallen and degenerated in whole or in part from the said Faith and Acknowledgment of Christ Jesus and the Way of Christianity and hath erred from the Truth of the Gospel once believed and
and the Lord appeared daily to us to our Astonishment Amazement and great Admiration insomuch that we often said one unto another with great joy of Heart What is the Kingdom of God come to be with men And will he take up his Tabernacle among the Sons of Men as He did of old And what shall we that were reckoned as the Out casts of Israel have this Honour of Glory communicated amongst us which were but men of small Parts and of little Abilities in respect of many others as amongst men Howbeit thus it seemed good unto the Lord to chose the weak things and the foolish things of this World as to the aspect of men that no Flesh might glory that no man because of his Parts might glory or because of his strength or wisdom might glory but that the Glory which is his might only be given to him Unto whom be the Glory of all his Works forever and ever Amen And from that Day forward our Hearts were knit unto the Lord and one unto another in true and servent Love not by any External Covenant or External Form but we entred into the Covenant of Life with God and that was as a strong Obligation or Bond upon all our spirits which united us one unto another and we met together in the Unity of the Spirit and of the Bond of Peace treading down under our Feet all reasoning questioning debating and contending about Religion or any part or parts or practice or practices thereof as to any external thing and we waited at time and times as God did grant us Oportunities and the more we had and could obtain from our necessary Occasions of this present life the better we were and the more we were confirmed and strengthened in our Hope and Faith and holy Resolutions were kindled in our Hearts as a Fire which the Life kindled in us To serve the Lord while we had a Beeing and to make mention of his Name and Power whilst we did live and to hold forth that Testimony which was committed to us in the sight of Men and Nations by Doctrine by Practice by a holy Conversation and mightily did the Word of God grow amongst us and the desires of many were after the Name of the Lord. Oh happy Day Oh blessed Day the memorial of which can never pass out of my Mind And thus the Lord in short did form us to be a People for his Praise in our Generation Howbeit after all this and much more which time would fail me to write of neither is the purpose of my spirit bent that way at this time we did come through very great Tribulations extream Distresses great Perplexity and passed out oftentimes hungry and hard put to it both within and without yet such was our love to the Lord and such servency in our hearts That we rather chosed to dye and to undergo every Difficulty than to dishonour or deny the Name of Christ in the midst of suffering because of that Taste that we had of his Goodness and immortal Life revealed in our Hearts this Young Man of whom I am speaking had his share though but a Youth at that time of 16. or 17. years of age Because of the I ruth which crossed all the world's wayes his nearest Relations even his own Parents cast him off as an Alien and turn'd him out from their House as not to have any Part or Portion therein as a Son nay not so much as a hired Servant which this young Man bore very patiently without Murmuring or Complaining having a taste of that then which was better then all the World and through conversing with his people and amongst them the Spirit of the Lord came upon him and the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding entred into his Heart and the Spirit of Knowledge and sound Judgment came to be seated in his Reins and the Spirit of Prophesie came upon him like as it did upon many more through the Holy Ghost's Power and Operation and he spake of the wonderful things of God among them that believed and was one of the first among us which the Lord opened the Mouth of to shew forth his Praise and to speak of the things of his Kingdom to as many as he met with who waited for the Consolation of Israel for the Riches of the Gentiles and to as many as desired and hoped after Eternal Life At last the Lord signled him out and commanded him to go forth into Countries unknown to him as he did some more besides upon whom he laid a necessity to preach the Gospel freely without Money without Price without Tythes Augmentations Gifts or Rewards and in that he was as faithful a man none exeeeding him in his Generation for those things were an abhorrency to his heart and where he met with any such Hireling Shepherds and deceitful Workers which had gull'd the Nations and cheated the people for dishonest Gain and kept them in Blindness the Indignation of the Lord was kindled in his Heart and the Sword of the Lord was very Sharp in his Hand and whomsoever he met with which walked after this sort they were sure to feel the weight of his Weapon and the force of his Blow by which many have been deeply wounded that they have grinned like Dogs on him as greedy Dogs indeed because of their present Wound and Blow that he did give them and though he was but young in years yet he was full of fortitude and true valour The Lord oftentimes when he exercised him in such War as this hath filled his Quiver full of polished Shafts and made his Bow to abide in strength and he was as dextrous and as ready handed as any that I knew in his day against the Dragon and his power against the Beast and his Followers and indeed he was very even-handed and had a special good Arm and seldom mist the Mark God had fill'd his Mouth with Arguments so that he hath often made a breach in the Face of an Host. And it was my lot which I cannot but say fell in a good ground to be his Companion and Fellow-Labourer in the Work of the Gospel whereunto we were called for many years together And oh when I consider my heart is broken how sweetly we walked together for many Moneths and Years in which we had perfect knowledge of one anothers hearts and perfect unity of spirit not so much as one cross word or one hard thought of discontent ever rose I believe in either of our hearts for ten years together but our Souls were bound up in unity and peace having the frame of our hearts bent after one and the self same thing to wit the propagation of that Truth by which Liberty was obtained and Salvation received through Jesus Christ the true Light of the World seeing through his Light the whole World to lie in wickedness a necessity lay upon this person of whom I am speaking being constrained by the Spirit of the Lord
our way to the promised Land which belongs to the Saints in Light we would eat our own Bread and Drink our Water and what we needed and keep our Consciences clear in our Generation we must to that which God hath promised and if we cannot have away God will make one for us and that you that set your selves against the Lord in the end shall be sure to know and feel though we shall never lift up carnal Weapon nor draw Sword neither use Bow nor Spear for God hath taught us to love our Enemies and out of these things we are come and to the end of Wars and to be for it yet God's purpose shall be fulfilled and he hath wayes enough to plead the cause of his people and he will do it and wo to all their Enemies And do you cry out of Popery because of cruelty and persecution And will you be found in the same Foot-steps and in the same nature Oh! let it never be said nor thought that ever the Church of God or true Christians did Drink the Blood of the Saints or cast them into prison for that is Babylon the Mother of Harlots that doth so Therefore be informed and warned set not Bryars and Thorns in Battel against the Lord neither stubble before devouring Fire for if you do a Consumption will come upon you and your Name and Memorial shall rot dye wither and melt away as Snailes and Glory shall rest with and upon the Heads of the Sufferers of Christ for ever Reading the 22. of the 12. Moneth 1662. By one who hath chosen rather to Suffer with the People of God called Quakers then to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a season or to be reckoned as a Prince amongst the Uncircumcised Francis Howgil GEORGE WHITEHEAD HIS TESTIMONY AND ACCOUNT Concerning Edward Burroughs ANd as for E. B. our dear Brother and Companion in Travel Suffering and Consolation for the Everlasting Gospel's sake in his day his Testimony lives with us He was a Preacher of Righteousness and one who travelled for the Redemption of the Creature from under the Bondage of Corruption and proclaimed Liberty to the Captives in the Power and Authority of God and therein was a true Witness against Oppression and all the Antichristian Yokes imposed in the Night of Apostacy upon the Persons and Consciences of People and truly and valiantly he held sorth the Liberty of Conscience and vindicated it to the great men of the Earth in things appertaining to God in matters of Religion and Worship against the persecution and compulsion which had its Original and Rise from the Power of the Beast which hath made War against the righteous Seed that men might be left free to the guidance of the infallible Spirit of God which is not to be limitted in these matters and not be compelled nor brought under the corrupt wills of men nor their failible judgements nor invented Forms in these cases And the Name of this Minister of Righteousness is written in the Lambs Book of Life and all the Enemies of his Life can never be able to blot it out nor extinguish his Memorial Oh! the remembrance of his integrity uprightness and sincerity hath deep impression upon my heart and that tender love and affection in God's Truth which he was filled with towards all the upright who are lovers of peace and unity in the Lord is never to be forgotten by us who are yet remaining in the Work of the Lord and the Everlasting Gospel for which he hath left a glorious Testimony the glory of which shall never be extinguished but thousands shall praise the Lord our God because thereof yea even the Seed that 's yet in the lower parts of the Earth where darkness covers it and the child that 's yet unborn in many that 's curiously framed in the Mothers Womb whose Members are written in the Book of God shall glorifie the Lord on his behalf And this Testimony many have already concerning him that though his Body is dead his Spirit liveth in the immortallity of that Life that is immutable and shall never die not wax old and is felt among the Righteous who walk in their integrety and constancy to the Lord. And this faithfull Servant of the Lord and valiant Souldier of the Lamb as in his day was evidently apparent as to live to him was Christ and to die was Gain And though in his time many were the Sâfferings and Afflictions which his life went under and his upright spirit suffered by both from his open Enemies and Persecutors in the World because of the valour and courage for the Truth of God and from deceitfull and transforming exalted spirits which burthen the holy Seed but now his Life is caught up above them all and is out of their reach in the transcendent and unspeakable Glory in the Everlasting Habitation and Firmament of God's Power where he hath shined and doth shine among the Stars that have kept their Habitations as one that hath turned many to Righteousness and that hath overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of his Testimony with those holy Prophets and Martyrs who rejoyce over Babylon and her Abominations in whom their blood is found and against whom he was a faithfull Witness and valiant Warrier whose living and absolute Testimony therein God hath blessed made prosperous and will fulfil to the uttermost And though he be ceased from his Labours his Works do follow him which will be had in living remembrance and precious esteem among the Upright when his Persecutors shall be broken and laid low in the desolation and ruin of Babylon and all that continue in Enmity and Deceit and all the deceitfull spirits that have burdened his righteous Soul shall fall and their blossom wither and come to nought And if any of his Persecutors or Oppressors be yet so impenitent and obdurate as to triumph and be elevated in an exalted or prejudiced spirit because of his death and in their exaltation and pride of heart say He was taken away in Judgment or in Wrath. To such in Gods Fear I answer That thousands of the Servants of the Lord are of another perswasion not questioning but it was in God's tender Love as to his own particular that he was removed out of the Earthen Vessel in which he though a man as in the prime of his years endured great Travels in his time for the Truth 's sake and the gathering of many into the Way of the Lord and in which his Travel was the greater when the time of his dissolution drew near to be dissolved because of his Sufferings and the extremity of his Sickness occasioned thereby which many others were pertakers of who suffered Persecution and Imprisonment by unreasonable men in this City of London for the Cause of God and a good Conscience as chiefly for their meeting together singly in the Worship of God But this I testifie in the Lord as in him I have felt that
in your own wills despising the daily cross of Christ which if you walked in would bring down the high minde and high nature in you and through the Cross that which is low in you would be exalted and the witness of your Ordinances would you have within which you are seeking in the letter without And now Friend to theâ who wert the Speaker when I was present among you thy Name I know not but by thy nature and spirit thy spirit is the same which they speak from which thou seems to deny as false spirits and by that spirit hast thou been deceived and now it workes by thee to deceive others and that spirit infallibly by the eternal Spirit do I judge for the time is come that by the Saints the great Whore must be judged which hath made all the men of the Earth drunk with the Wine of her Fornication and which hath deceived the simple And whereas thou didst Quaery what one thing I will deny as untruth which you had spoken I answered then as now I do I do deny thy voyce and spirit for ãâã is the voyce of the stranger and not of Christ and though you sweare by that spirit The Lord lives I say surely thou swearest falsely and the false Prophets which used their tongues and said The Lord saith it when the Lord had not spoken unto them spoke the same words of the true Prophet but he that had the true spirit judged the false spirit and so it is now And therefore Friend out of love to thy soul I do advise thee to be silent before the Lord and wait upon him till he manifest himself to speak in thee and by thee for Friend thy Ministry is in the will of man and thou ministers death unto dead minds and the Ministery which is to the Seed thou art ignorant of to that in thy conscience I speak which shall witness for me before the Lord who is appearing in his power to utter his thunders and all Flesh shall tremble at his presence and all Forms of Worship will he dash to pieces at his appearance And yours which is the purest Form shall be broken to pieces that he may rule who is without form and comeliness Now Friends for the Seeds sake have I spoken and written to you and to that in your consciences have I cleared my conscience in the presence of the Lord which you shall Eternally witness whether you will hear or forbear By a Servant of the Lord who is named of the World Edward Burrough An Answer to a Book called A Voice from the word of the LORD by one Iohn Griffith against us whom the World calls Quakers wherein his false Accusations is denied and he proved to be a Slanderer and the Truth cleared from his Scandals A Certain Book being come forth into the world full of Lies and Slanders against the Innocent called A voice from the word of the Lord to those grand Impostors called Quakers to the Author of which Book who calls himself Iohn Criffith a Servant of Christ and to all to whomsoever it may come I am moved to write something in Answer that his lies and slanders and false reproaches may be made manifest and that he may proceed no further for as Iannes and Iambres withstood Moses so doth he resist the truth being a man of a corrupt mind and reprobate concerning faith and is not a Servant of Christ nor a witness for his Name but a child of disobedience in whom the Prince of the aire rules And first to the title of thy Book I Answer the Word of the Lord is powerful and will cut thee down thou sensual minded man it thou knowest not but takes the words of others declared from the word which was in them and thou useth thy tongue and saith the Lord saith it but I say unto thee the Lord hath not spoken unto thee neither commanded thee to speak of his Name and I charge it upon thee in the presence of the Lord God of Life that thou art of that Generation which Ieremiah was sent to cry against Ier. 23. 31. for thou speaks thy imaginations upon their words which dwelt in the life of God but the life thou knowest not and thy whole Book is no more but an empty sound and voice and is as the untimely fruit of the womb which will wither and perish away and one of them I am whom thou calls Quakers to whom thou sayst thou directs thy speech but that we are grand Impostors I do deny for we are gathered up into the life which the holy men of God lived in and are fallen from the world and from its wayes and nature and I charge thee here to be a slanderer and from the mouth of the Lord I do declare unto thee that thou must have a slanderers reward And whereas thou sayst thou hast discovered their fleshly and filthy mindedness together with the judgments of God attending them I Answer Fleshly and filthy mindedness we have denied by the Power of the Son of God made manifest in us thou hast laid it to our charge but thou hast not proved it nor discovered it and here again thou are a false Accuser fleshly and filthy mindedness shall stand for thy own condition for there thou art in the flesh filth living to thy will in the lust of uncleanness for thou mayst remember thou camest out of the Bowling-Alley to our Meeting though Pharisee-like thy out-side is painted and made clean but thy heart is full of enmity and lies and slanders and false reproaches to that in thy conscience I do speak which shall forever witness me and as for the judgments of the Lord upon thy own head will they fall and with what measure thou metes it shall be measured to thee again we are passed from judgment and from the condemnation and who art thou thou enemy of righteousness that shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect. And whereas thou sayest thou art one that bears witness against those wandring starres I answer this shall stand for thy own condition a wandring star thou art and hath no habitation in the Heaven but speaks swelling words of vanity thou thy self being a servant of corruption we have an abiding place and an habitation in the Lord and are not wandring and here again I charge thee to be a false Accuser and a false witness who bears Witness of thy self for the Father bears no witness of thee but against thee Whereas thou sayst the most high God that made the heavens and the Earth hath moved thee and stirred thee up to bear witness to the Truth and to witness against the abominable fleshly mindedness and yet spiritual pride of those grand Impostors called Quakers by whose sorceries many are bewitched and drawn from the simplicity of the Gospell to another Gospel which is not another Gospel but the vanity of their own minds and their own fleshly and corrupt thoughts which they
cry up as Oracles of God I answer The most high God judge between thee and us whose wrath is kindled against thee thou enemy of righteousness and Child of wrath thou hast belyed the Lord of Heaven and Earth for to this he moved thee not for he moves none to utter lyes and slanders as thou hast done but the spirit of enmity and of the Devil hath moved thee and to the Truth thou bears no witness but against the Truth and against the Innocent and charges us with fleshly mindedness and spiritual pride O thou Lyar and false Accuser the Lord who takes our part against thee will plead with thee and render upon thy head according to thy deeds prove what thou speaks that we are fleshly minded and spiritually proud or else let thy mouth be stopped and shame cover thee forever Sorceries and witchcraft and drawing from the simplicity of the Gospel we do deny but the plain single Truth we do declare by which the eye of the blind is opened in many to see your deceits who call your selves Churches and Preachers of the Gospel which is not the Gospel that the Apostles preached but an adding your own Imaginations upon their words who witnessed the Gospel and it shall stand for thy own condition thou art in the sorcery and witchraft who draws people to observe an outward visible thing from the Light of Christ within them which leades to the simplicity of the Gospel which is inward and not outward and thou art in thy fleshly and corrupt thoughts crying up the Ordinances and Oracles of God which are but carnal and beggerly rudiments of the world which passeth away and here thou art seen and made manifest in the Light of Christ to be a Hypocrite who falsely accuses others of that which thou art guilty of thy self the same Gospel as ever was do we declare and not another which we received not from man neither was taught it by man and as the Oracles of God it shall stand forever for a witness against thee and all the world who doth not believe for even the Father beares witness of us and therefore our witness is true and the righteous God will plead with thee thou Lyar and false Accuser and here be a witness against thy self that the Lord moved thee not but the Devil acting in thy own imaginations and in the vanity of thy own mind and in thy one fleshly and corrupt thoughts And whereas thou sayest to us thou directs thy speech from the Lord Thus saith the Lord to thee O Quaker thou art fleshly minded I answer It is not the voyce of the Lord to us that speaks in thee but the voyce of the Devil and the Serpent which speaks from thee fleshly minded we are not but are redeemed out of it and our mindes are changed and are Spiritual and 't is the Spirit of the living God seals unto us and witnesses in us and here thou art of thy Father the old Dragon and Accuser of the Brethren but it is God that justifies and who art thou that condemns and this thy speech is seen and comprehended which thou hast directed to us and it is judged by the Spirit of true judgment to be a false Accusation and a Lye and not the Word of the Lord and into the Lake amongst the false Prophets thou art to be turned who useth thy tougue when the Lord never spake to thee And thou sayest we look upon the Iustitution of Christ Supper with a fleshly and carnal eye because we say that the bread and wine which Christ commanded his Disciples to eat and to drink is carnal I Answer The bread and wine is visible and carnal and fleshly and not Spiritual nor Eternal and in the eternal Light by the Spiritual eye of God opened in us we see them and do own that it was a command of Christ to stand for its time and no more but a carnal figure of a spiritual thing and the spiritual thing being the Substance bearing witness the figure is denied and declared against and thou and thy Generation who art acting in those things by tradition tying and limitting God to a visible thing that without it no salvation art in the sorcery and witchraft and an enemy to the substance for Christ never since he was sacrificed brake of the Bread or drank of the Cup with his Disciples but new in his Fathers kingdom and thou who art in the âarnal figure acting those things without the injoyment of Christ art sensual and by the Light of Christ art to be condemned and judged with the world who art without God and without the injoyment of Christ in the beggerly rudiments of the world Thou sayst O fleshly minded men whom the god of this world hath blinded because you believe not and thou sayst thus saith the Lord and speaks the Prophet Malachic words To which I answer this again I do deny the god of the world is cast out and the eye is opened through judgments and our fleshly minds are judged and in the Name of Jesus we do believe and our belief in him hath purified our hearts to the praise of the Living God who hath wrought all our works in us and foâ us do I speak without boasting and here again I charge it upon thee that thou art a slanderer and a false accuser and let shame cover thee who professes thy self to be a Teacher of others who thy self is not taught of the Lord but steals Malachis words and speaks them to us in thine own imaginations and calls it the word of the Lord the Lord is against thee thou false Prophet who prophesies lyes in his Name and that which thou speaks to us is thy own condition and that which shall come upon thine own head for a child of disobedience thou art and thy eye is blinded by the god of this world And whereas thou sayest we are spiritually proud that give forth our selves to be some great ones and we say we are Apostles and are not but are found Lyars proud Pharisees Hypocrites that say we are Iust Holy Humble and the poor sinful Publicans are more justified then we I answer proud we are not our God shall judge between thee and us in this thing for we have nothing but what we have freely received from him and that we give forth our selves to be great ones here thou art a Lyer and a false Accuser again this we have said and do yet again declare that we were moved of the Lord of Heaven and Earth to come to declare his mind and his Truth in this City but this is no boasting and by that same spirit which was in the Apostles were we moved and are guided and by no other but who hath found us Lyers since we came I challenge you and all thy Sect to prove one lye that we have uttered or else let shame cover thee and let thy mouth be stopped and let thy own heart condemn thee to be
found the lyer thy self and this we testifie against thee and all the world that by Jesus and in him are we made Holy Just and Humble he is made these things in us and for us and the Publican state is witnessed by us who have passed through the figure and parable into the life and substance And whereas thou sayst we that boast of our light within and faith thus saith the Lord and brings Christs words I answer this is another lye we do not boast of our Light within but we witness it to be within us and to have enlightned every one that comes into the world which thou and thy Generation denies and so would make Christ a Lyer and the Scripture a Lye but against you all with all the world we bear testimony the Father bears witness with us that every man that comes into the world is enlightned by the Light of Christ which teacheth righteousness unto all that loves it but condemn them that hate it whereof thou art one who utters forth thy lyes and Slanders and false Accusations against the Innocent and that Scripture Ioh. 9. we own and do witness to be fulfilled in us by the coming of Christ he which did see is Blind and he which was Blind now sees and while we did see our sin remained but being Blind we have no sin but this to thee and to thy spirit is a mystery sealed and never to be known in that nature and wisdom and here again thou hast used thy tongue false Prophet like and must receive a false Prophets reward And whereas thou sayst if Christ had not spoke to us in his word we had no sin but now we have no cloak for our sin I answer Christs words we own but here thou art made manifest to all to add to the Scripture in his word this thou hast added false Prophet like and therefore the Lord will add his plagues unto thee as the Scripture saith be ashamed and blush thy folly and wickednesse is made manifest who is not ashamed to carry on thy designe to add to Christs words And whereas thou sayest we do not only neglect the weightier matters of the law but tâ⦠law it self teaching men so to do for we said that the Scripture is not the rule of faith and conversation as one of us taught Sept. 27. in thy hearing and many others that will witness it I answer here I challenge thee to prove that thou hast spoken and all thy witnesses which thou speakes of oh thou Lyer be ashamed to forge such Lyes and declare them in writing for Truth we neglect not the weightier matters of the Law nor the Law nor teach any so to do all that ever heard us will bear witness against thee and they though our Enemies shall witness for us and against thee in this thing for we declare the Everlasting Gospel which is the fulfilling of the Law and this we declare that the Law must have its thorow operation before the Gospel be witnessed and one of thy own society said to us we had preached the Law and brought men to understand ãâã from Grace now let all take notice of the confusion you live in and let your own hearts condemn you and the light in your own consciences convince you that you are in Babylon and in confusion and are no true Church of Christ where all are oâ one heart and one mind and this again I affirm as before I did in thy hearing that the Scripture is not the Saints rule but the Spirit which gave forth the Scripture as the Scripture it self witnesses Rom. 8. Faith was before the Scripture was and therefore the Scripture is not the ground of it but a Declaration of it and no other faith we own but the faith which Abel had and which Moâââ had which was when no Scripture was written and that we own to be the Rule of our Conversation which they walked by the immediate Spirit of God which was before the Scripture was written and all you who profess the Scripture to be your rule your own rule shall testifie against you when the eternal God judges you and they who witness that to be their rule which gave forth the Scripture walkes up in the life of the Sdripture more then you all and you are proved to be but the Iew outward who boasts of the Ordinances from the Letter but persecutes them by slanders and false reproaches who witness the Substance and your praise is only of men and not of God and the same woe which thou pronounces upon us will fall upon thy own head for this thy grievous slander that we neglect the Law and teach men so to do And whereas thou brings many Scriptures and saith thus saith the Lord. I answer the Scriptures we own and by that spirit which speaks them forth we witness them to be true and they are ours and though you say they are the savour of death to us that perish yet thou art found a Lyer for we are saved out of the perishing state and death is destroyed through death through faith and thou hast diminished from that Scripture 2 Tim. 3. 15. false Prophet like again and so art both an adder and a diminisher and thou mayst read thy portion in Rev. 22. 18 19. And whereas thou sayest know this thou perverter of the right way of God thou shalt be judged by the word that Christ spake I answer here thou sets the Scripture in the room of Christ and art the perverter of the right way of God thy self for the Scripture saith all judgement is commited to the Son and the Scripture is not the Son and thou didst say and now again writes that the Scripture shall judge the world and so I charge it upon thee that thou art a Blasphemer who exalts the Scripture above the Son of God and shalt be judged by the Son into utter darkness and into the pit from whence thou art come yet this I testifie he that receives the Son rejecteth not those words which was spoken by him though thou and thy Generation Pharisee-like may make a profession of the words which Christ spoke and yet reject the Son and all to whom Christ speaks which receives him not shall be judged by the word which he speaks for he speaks eternally which shall stand eternally but when did he speak to thee For this I do declare thou mayst have those words which he spoke and yet never have heard his word nor voice as the Pharisees had those words which God spake by the Prophets but never had heard his word nor seen his shape Iohn 5. And thou sayst quake and tremble at this that word which you reject and dispise shaââ judge you at the last day and sayst thus saith the Lord and bringst Christs words and the Apostles words I Answer The Lord rebuke thee thou Scorner here thou hast made the filthiness of thy heart known for out of the abundance thereof
laid their swords on the necks of their Enemies and never returned empty from the slaughter Though I be as by the waters of Babylon in a strange Land and as a Pilgrim and Stranger destitute but not forsaken as dying but behold I live yet if I forget thee let my right hand forget her cunning and let my Name be blotted out of the Book of Life O how I love the holy Seed which in my eye is precious No man can hinder my boasting of thee for I am sealed among you in the Record of eternal life to be read among you in the light where I am known to you and where my unity stands with you in the love and life which never changes and you are my Mother and my Brother and Sister who doth the Will of my Father Our God is a consuming fire and his Habitation is compast about with dread and terror The Heathen shall see and fear and the Inhabitants of the Earth shall tremble oââ God is everlasting burnings and it is tempestuous round about his Throne and he reigns for evermore and though thou be despised and set at nought and counted as the off-scouring of all things and the scorn of the Heathen yet thy King reignâ upon Mount Sion and if he utter his voice all flesh shall tremble and before him thy Adversaries shall fall and thy Persecutors shall be confounded for thoâ shalt never be forgotten of thy God but with his arm will he defend thee and compass thee about and thy seed shall be increased and thou Ierusalem shalt be made the praise of the whole Earth for among you is laid the sure foundation and the tried stone Christ Jesus the Light of the world in whom you have believed which unto the Nations is a stumbling stone but unto you precious bring in your testimony and set to your seal is there salvation in any other but in him who is the Light of the World Nay there is no redemption wrought but by him nor no deliverance but through him his is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory and he is become all in all and you are no more of this World but are of the chosen Generation and of the royal Priesthood a people Redeemed unto whom there is none like among the thousands of Israel and Iudah whose God is the Lord whose Saviour is the Prince of Righteousness who covers your heads in the day of Battel and smites your enemies in the hinder parts and wounds them in the fore-head And now my beloved let his Name be had in remembrance for evermore and let his praises be declared throughout Ages to come and walk you worthy of his everlasting love wherewith he hath loved you more then your brethren let his Name be exalted by righteousness by purity and by a blameless life and bring forth the fruits of righteousness and peace and let your light shine forth into the world and your good works abound plentifully for you are as a City set on a hill and as a lighted candle to shine abroad and are created unto good works Let faith hope love and unity be increased among you and let mercy and judgement and equity flow down and be established for ever never to be removed Let joy and long-suffering and meekness and temperance spring out and be you perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Stand upon your watch Tower and be not shaken nor drawn aside to follow any other gods nor to bow to any other Image nor joyn your selves to strangers and mingle not your seed with the adulterous Generation nor take not nor give not in marriage with them but keep your selves from the Idols of the Heathen be not defiled with them but abide in your strength you know where it lies by which you may work good and be perserved from evil and you need not that any man teach you for you are taught of God and are far from oppression Ye Children of Light worship your God for ever who is light and in him is no darkness at all who is the same and changes not whose mercy endures for ever Be Followers of the Lamb as undefiled Virgins and let your soul scorn the glory of Babylon and Aegypt for ever for you are not your own but are bought with a price no more to serve your selves but the Lord of Israel forever Put on your Armour and gird on your Sword and lay hold on the spear and march into the field and prepare your selves to battel for the Nations doth defie our God and saith in their heart Who is the God of the Quakers that we should fear him and obey his voice Arise arise and sound forth the everlasting word of war and judgment in the ears of all Nations sound an Alarum and make their ears to tingle Our Enemies are whole Nations and multitudes in number of a rebellious people that will not come under our law which arise up against us and will not have our King to reign but trample his Honour under foot and despise his Law and his Statutes and count his Subjects as Slaves and Bond-men Stand upon your feet and appear in your terror as an Army with banners and let the Nations know your power and the stroke of your hand cut down on the right hand and slay on the left and let not your eye pitty nor your hand spare but wound the Lofty and tread under foot the Honourable of the Earth and give unto the great Whore double and give her no rest day nor night but as she hath done so let it be done unto her and give her double into her bosom as she hath loved blood so give her blood and dash her children against the stones and let none of the Heathen Nations nor their gods escape out of your hands nor their Images nor Idols but lay waste the fenced Cities and tread down the high Walls for we have proclaimed open War betwixt Michael our Prince and the Dragon Your Captains are mighty men and your leaders are skilled to handle the Sword and they are riding on before you Arise worm Iacob and fear not but thresh the mountains to dust for God hath given thee the power of thy enemies to tread upon and they shall fly before thee and shalt fall by thy sword there is none to strong for thee nor no inchantment against thee but thou art blessed blessed world without end Therefore all ye Lambs of my Father and ye Camp of the Lords Host wait upon him to fulfil his Will for he hath put into your hearts to make war in righteousness against the beast and the false Prophet and cursed be every one that riseth not up to the help of the Lord against the mighty the Beast is mighty and the false Prophet is great and they keep the Nations under their power But O thou Beast and thou false Prophet you shall be tormented together thou Beast upon which the false Prophet sits whom thou upholds by
such cannot inherit the Kingdom of God ãâã enter to within the Gates of the City but are to be troden in the Wine-Press of the Wrath of God for ever and ever Therefore Awake awake ye Careless and Unbelieving and fear and tremble ye Children of disobedience who hate the Light and love your evil deed and upholds your false Prophets whom God never sent and will not own the Lord to be your Teacher the Light in your Conscience is your condemnation for this is the Condemnation of the World That Light is come and men hate it So be you warned all People the Day of the Lord is at hand and now he calls therefore hear his Voice and hearken to his Light which is of Christ which only is needful to Salvation and there is no other Name given for Salvation And if you will not hear and receive thiâ Day of visitation which in love appears unto you you shall hear in the Day of visitation of Vengeance and behold the Lord comes quickly make straight his Path the Light is your Teacher if you love it and your condemnation if you hate it Written from London to go abroad in the Nation of Ireland as a visitation to all sorts of People and is the sealing of the Lords Testimony unto that Land ãâã moved of the Lord in love and pity to lost souls by E. B. An Information to the Heads and the Ground of the Law laid down to the Iudges and Iustices and to all that handle the Law in that Nation ALL ye Heads and Rulers and Judges and Counsellors and all you that âit in Council together in the Seat of Justice and Judgement from whom the Law do go forth into the Nation and all you that handle the Law take heed to your selves for the Living God of power is Judge of you and over you all to you all I speak the Word of the Lord without respect to any of your persons but is a Lover and Respecter of Righteousness and true Judgment and Justice that I may stand clear of your blood for God hath laid it upon me to give you warning which if I do not your blood will be upon me and if this you refuse to hear and obey your blood be upon your selves for ever Christ Jesus is the Light of the World the true Light which lightneth every man that comes into the World and by which every one of you is lightned which Light if it you love and be guided by it will lead you out of the Worlds way and nature and unrighteousness and will give you an entrance into Etetnal Life and Peace and an assurance in Christ when this World ceases to be and in this World it will teach you how to serve God in Righteousness in your Generation and to give righteous Judgments and Councels among your Brethren without respect of Persons for the Law of Gods respects no mans Person nor Justice regards not the Person of the Mighty the Light of Christ Jesus in your Consciences and in all mens Consciences is just and one with Christ and one with the Law of God in its measure and condemneth the unjust and all works of wickedness who against it do act by which Light every one of you being guided your own Consciences in particular will be exercised towards God and towards men and by him you being ruled and judged will know how to rule and judge for him in the World among men who are required for God to rule and judge in righteousness and equity and none can rule for God but who are ruled by him with his Light that shines in the Conscience by which you being governed will by it govern in the Earth righteously You are not to judge for Gifts and Rewards for if you do you judge not for God but for your selves and you and your Judgment is to be judged and condemned with the righteous Law of God which is free but such who fear God and hate covetousness and gifts and rewards are to bear rule and such will handle the Law righteously and will be a terror to evil Doers who do not fear God but act contrary to the Light of Christ in their own Consciences and so transgress the just Law and brings themselves under the guilt and so under condemnation and such a Government will stand for the praise of them that do well and encouraging of the Upright but if such bear rule and handle the Law which know not God nor is not ruled by him these will abuse the Law and will be a terror to righteousness and good works and will strengthen the hands of Evil-doers and will let Vice and Wickedness escape unpunished This I speak in love to all your Souls to the informing of all your minds that you may know your place and how to exalt Justice and Judgment the Light of the Son of God by which every man is lighted is but one in all just righteous and equal the same in him that hates it and transgresseth the righteous Law as it is in him that loves it and judges all transgressions And this Light of Christ by which all men are lightned is the Seat of Justice and true Judgment and the Ground of all good wholsom Laws and every Law that is contrary to it is for condemnation by it Therefore I say wait in the Light by which you are lightned to receive the pure Law of God to judge all Causes by and make no Law in your own wills nor act not in such Laws made by the will of man for such Laws are oppression and tyranny lodges in them and false judgment and such God hath and will cast out who act from that ground So be ye warned by their fall and judge not after your own thoughts nor sensual carnal wisdom nor follow not your own wills nor the counsel of your own hearts but stand in God's Counsel and fear his Name and tremble at his Presence and wait to be guided by him in his holy Law which all unrighteous counsels and vain affections and false judgments will condemn in your own hearts and then you will truely know how to judge your Brethren in Equity and Righteousness how to reward well Doers and how to punish evil Doers according to the measure of their transgressions and according to the Light in their own Consciences by which they being convinced from your Law of the evil of their transgression will confess your Law and Judgment to be just and equal and you to be righteous Judges here you judge for God and bear not the Sword in vain but are a Terror to Transgressors and to the Disobedient and Lawless against which the Law was only added to slay unrighteousness but it was not made for the Righteous whose Consciences are exercised towards God and towards man by the pure Law of God written in the heart and upon such and over such your Law hath no power for they are one and in union with that
stand in the Fear of the Lord your Sword will be a terâ⦠and dread to them that fear him not but live contrary to the Light in their own Consciences which Light if you love it is your Command to march by and your Rule to judge by and Weapon to fight withal and your chief Commission for duty And now you have all time take heed to your selves go not on in your course of evil nor take not your pleasure in unrighteousness but to thâ Light in your Consciences take heed it is your Teacher to God if you love it or your Condemnation from God if you hate it And this is yoââ Terms with the Lord prize the acceptance of his Love to your souls and the Day of your visitation lest you perish in your rebellion eternally Written in love to your souls Edw. Burrough Written in Ireland at Caterlough A Warning from the Lord to you the Natives of the Nation of Ireland who are made a Curse and a Prey to be destroyed of your Enemies REpent repent ye that remain from being devoured whose dayes are ãâã stretched forth that you may return to the Lord from whom you are grievously degenerated into filthiness and uncleanness being a cursed Brood and are become unhuman in your impudent shameless practices of ungodliness and are brazened in your filthiness and cannot blush when you have done evil the Plagues of God and his Wrath waits to consume you from off the face of the Earth you are shut up in blindness and covered with darkness which may be felt and you are as deaf Adders void of understanding and past feeling and given up to work all unrighteousness with delight counting it your glory to work wickedness having sold your selves to commit sin you have wholly slain Gods Witness and are become wilde and brutish as the Beasts of the Field and untamed as savage Colts the Indignation of God is against you who are as dead Trees and withered Branches and scorched Heaths not sensible of good nor evil but as wild Asses who neither fear God nor regard man To the Light in your Consciences wherewith Christ hath lightened you do I now speak Gods murdered Witness shall answer me by which you are inexcusable for with the Light you know Lying Swearing Stealing Murder Drunkenness and Whoredom are Sins and Transgressions the Light will let you see these abound among you by which you are reproved and eternally to be condemned if you do not repent of these your grievous abominations And if you love the Light and turn to it it will lead you out of sin and out of your vain foolish Traditions and Immitations and Sorceries and Witchcrafts which deceive your souls And this Light in your Consciences will change you into Soberness and Humanity and will lead you into the Way of Life and Salvation out of the way of Death and Hell wherein you walk to eternal misery Therefore prize your souls and the dreadful God fear and tremble before him ye prophane Wretches and cease from your filthy nasty poluted wayes of Idolatry Lying Swearing Stealing Drunkenness and such like God forbideth with the Light in your Consciences and he that doth these things shall eternally perish in condemnation for ever And this to you is a Warning in pity to your lost souls whose hearts are desperately wicked and set to do mischief the Vengeance of God is against you the Light in your Consciences shall witness me and justifie the Lord in the Day of recompence when every man receives according to his deeds the Righteous unto Life the Wicked unto eternal Wrath. Now you have time prize it the Light is your Teacher loving it and your Condemnation for ever hating it By one who suffers for the Seeds sake waiting for the building of destroyed Sion EDWARD BURRUGH A Trumpet of the Lord Sounded forth of SION Which gives a certain sound in the Ears of all Nations and is a true noise of a fearfull Earthquake at hand which shall shake the whole fabrick of the Earth and the Pillars of its standing shall fall and never more be set up again Or fearfull Voices of terrible Thunders uttered forth from the Throne to the astonishment of the Heathen in all the Quarters of the Earth who are not sealed in the forehead And is an Alarm and preparation for War against all Nations where Gog and Magog resideth And sheweth the wounding Sword of the Mighty God from whose blow the Kings nor the Captains nor the mighty men cannot flee to escape Declared and written by a Son of Thunder as a Warning to all the Inhabitants of the Earth where the great Image is standing or any part of it worshipped speedily to meet the Lord by Repentance that in the day of his fierce Wrath they may be hid With a Salutation to the Seed who are gathered into the Fold and with the Children of the King The Tongue that was dumb sings a joyfull Song of Sion in an unknown Language which none can understand save the Redeemed of the Lord. BY Order and Authority given unto me by the Spirit of the Living God King of Kings and Lord of Lords the One and thirtieth day of the tenth Moneth in the Year of the Worlds account 1655. about the fourth hour in the morning when my Meditations were ãâã my God upon my Bâd in Kilkenny City in the Nation of Ireland at that time the Word of the Lord came unto me from the Righteous Iudge of Heaven and Earth who was ãâã is and is to come who sitteth on the Throne of righteous Iudgement judging Nations and Kindreds and Tongues and Peoples equally saying Write my Controversie with all the Inhabitants of the Earth unto all sorts of People as I will shew thee By this same Authority and Commission declared this I send unto you the Tribes of the Earth and this upon your heads shall stand for ever to be witnessed by the Light of Christ Iesus in all your Consciences in the dreadfull day of Vengeance which upon you O Inhabitants of the Earth is coming Prepare prepare to meet the Lord O Nations Tongues and People unto you all hereby a Warning is come and a Visitation from the Presence of the Living God which you are straitly required to put in practise as at the terrible day of dreadful Vengeance you will answer the contrary Given under my hand and sealed by the Spirit of the Eternal God who livââ for ever Through a Servant of the Lord. E. B. O Earth earth earth hear the word of the Lord and awake awake awake all ye Inhabitants thereof and give ear give ear unto the controversie which the Lord hath with you Noble and Ignoble listen unto the Word of the Lord men of high degree and men of low degree be not stout-hearted nor stop not your Ears for the Lord hath spoken People of all sorts and men of all conditions the Word of the Lord is towards you even from the Princes and Nobles that
up to himself and his Voice soundeth abroad through the whole World If any hath an ear to hear let him hear Terror and Vengeance is against all the Rebellious and to Judgment must all come before the Maker of all things to be judged by him according to the Power which moves in every man which is just and equal and witnesseth in equity which is a measure of the Power that made the World and all mankind unto it shall confess to its greatness to its justness and to its authority and to it must all the Children of Adam bow and before it tremble and he that hath done good and lived in Meekness and Soberness in the Truth and in Justness in all that which is good and not in any evil shall receive Life Peace Rest and Glory from the righteous Judge the Power by whom the World was made and he shall be excused from all condemnation but he that hath done evil and transgressed against the Power of God by which he is upholden who is degenerate and brings forth rudeness wildness and wickedness he shall receive tribulation and anguish and be deprived of happiness in this life and forever And all who do not own the measure of the Power of the Creator in you to be guided by it such do neglect and reject the day of your visitation and shut your selves out from the Glory of God and are unworthy of Life and Peace but all that owâ this and are subject to it the Power of his Son who is the Maker of all things and do follow it this will reconcile you and slay the enmity and bring you into unity with the Creator and this will lead you out of darkness out of death and evil and all the wayes thereof and will save you from all the effects thereof and you will be excused and justified in the sight of the Creator Therefore all People upon Earth consider this is the day of your Visitation the Way of Life and of Death is set before you the Way unto Peace and the way of Trouble Prize the day of your Visitation This is to go abroad through all the World to all the Sons and Daughters of Adam it is a Warning from the Creator and Maker of all by a Friend unto all People and a Laver of their souls HEre is the Estate and Condition of mankind described whereby in the sighâ of the World all may come to understand how all the Sons and Daughteââ of the first Adam are degenerated and subverted and fallen from the state wherein man was created in the beginning who was blessed of his Creator being brought forth in his own Image and Likeness to rule in dominion over all living Creatures and to use them to the Glory of the Creator in that day man was not subject to the curse of misery or sorrow or vexation for that door wo was not opened for the curse to enter but man was altogether blessed in the state whereiâ he was brought forth until by disobedience unto the Power that made him another Power gained dominion over him even the seed of enmity placed it self in maâs heart which prospered by mans rebellion and became a great Tree of bitterness bringing forth much fruit in the hearts of all the Children of Adam to the vexing and grieving and dishonouring of the Spirit and Life of God the Creator even to the making void of his Purpose in creating man who created him for his Glory but man disgraces him and dishonours him altogether and brings forth fruit not accepted but grievous and of a bitter taste and the Lords Soul hath been pressed as a Cart with Sheaves under mans Transgressions who hath backslided and revolted and turned aside for a thing of nought and hath cast himself down from his excellency of Dominion into shame and dishonour daily provoking the Long-suffering of the Lord and wearying his Goodness and he hath been provoked to cut off the Works of his own Hands which Satan hath entred into and defiled and made loathsom and abominable to the Maker for Satan hath made man barren of all good and fruitful in all evil and he is wholly subverted into another end in all his works then wherefore he was created he that reads let him understand the Creator of all things planted a Vineyard with the choicest Vine his own Image and he dressed the Vineyard and watered it and he came to look for Fruit in the season and behold the Vineyard it was degenerated into strange Plants and brought forth only wild Grapes and sower Grapes and crossed the expectation of the good Husbandman for the fruit of his Vineyard was loathsome to him of an ill Smell and of a bitter Taste and his Soul was not satisfied but grieved who laboured for himself that he might gather Fruit of the Plants which he had planted with the choicest Vine but behold the Vineyard all mankind was barren of good Fruit and no pleasant Fruit could the Husbandman reap to himself but the Vines were degenerated and all brought forth wild Grapes and sower Grapes which the good Husbandman hath no pleasure in but is vexed thereby for his Vineyard is barren of all good Fruit and the fruits of unrighteousness have abounded whereby the good Husbandman is provoked to fury and indignation against the Vineyard which he had planted being become degenerate Plants and strange Slips this a Parable and describeth the Condition of all Mankind If any have Ears to hear let him hear and read himself how he was planted in the Image of his Maker but is now degenerated and turned aside from Truth and Righteousness from all good and from the wayes of Peace out of the Love and Pleasure of his Maker and is now in all evil in deceit and unrighteousness and in the Wayes of sorrow and trouble and in the Makers displeasure and the Seed of Enmity ruleth in him and is suffered to be King in the Wrath of God and must be taken away in Gods displeasure and anger for that is not the annointed of God but is in rebellion against his Authority and breaks his Law and transgresses his Commands and must be condemned into perdition for all cursed Fruits do spring forth from that seed to the vexing and grieving of the Lord God injustice oppression deceit hypocrisie false-heartedness lying murther whoredom theft envy bitterness perversness devouring one another covetousness idolatry and all manner of evil which gives an ill savour and a corrupted taste and a loathsom sight in the Presence of the Lord God who made all things Oh how abominable are all the wayes of man become unto his Maker who hath no delight in any of his ways nor pleasure in any of his works Oh how is the Lord grieved and his Soul from day to day oppressed and his Long-suffering provoked by the wayes and works of his Creatures which he made for himself but they are become the Devils and subject to the power of the
avenged on my Oppressors And Vengeance belongâ to him and he will repay and will destroy the Vineyard with the Plants and Frâ⦠thereof and the Bryars and Thorns shall be consumed and he will lay waste anâ devour and confound all his Enemies in a day when his Indignation goes sorth and his Sword is made bare and his Purpose cometh to pass in rooting out tââ oppressive seed of Evil-doers which have filled his Habitation wherein he sholâ dwell with cursed Children and a brood of evil Births In the dayes of Christ and his Apostles was the Hand and Power of the ãâã felt and the Lord gat himself a Name and a Glory and he caused his mââ¦lous Light to spring forth and his Day to dawn and the Day was manifest thaâ many Prophets and Wise-men had desired to see but was not in their time feeâ by them and his Power was made known and his Arm was made bare in the sight of many Nations and in that day his Glory was spread abroad and âis Truth and Way was exalted and his glorious Gospel was declared through ãâã Earth and the sound of his marvellous Works went forth into all the World Judgment and Mercy was known and Righteousness and Peace was witneâ⦠among men and Life and Immortallity was brought to Light through the Gospel and the Word of Life by which all things were created and by which they stand was handled seen felt and tasted and the Lord God in that Age was known to dwell with his People and to walk in them and his Covenant was established with many and his Promises were fulfilled Redemption Deliverance and Salvation was revealed even Christ Jesus the Son God the Prince of Peace And Righteousness was made manifest in the Sons of men and revealed in many who saw God's Glory and were Witnesses of his Majesty and Dominion and were gathered unto him in the Bond of Peace and were his Sons and Daughters and were led by his Spirit in all his Wayes of Truth and Righteousness And many went forth into the World and declared through Nations the things of Gods Kingdom which was come to them and was discovered within them and the Lord God spake from Heaven by his Son unto them and they were filled with the Holy Ghost and with Power And the Lord was with them whom he called and made them Wise and their Word powerful and their Message effectual and their Weapons were mighty through God and strong Holds were subdued and the Powers of Death and Darkness were subjected and the Hearts of thousands were turned to God and the Gospel was preached in power through the World and many were brought to God out of Darkness into Light and from Satans Power unto God And the Earth was filled with Light and the mighty and the wise were confounded and the bonds of cruel oppressions were broken and they that set themselves against the Lord and his Way were confounded and scattered and brought to nought though they were many in that Generation How did all the chief Priests and Scribes and Pharisees Elders of the People and Rulers and Governours lift up themselves in the Pride of their hearts and took counsel together and persecuted the Innocent and put to Death and Imprisoned the Children of the Most High How did they in the dayes of Christ persecute and seek for his Life till they had taken it from the Earth by their subtilty and wickedness The Apostles and Ministers of Christ were persecuted some were put to death and others suffered grievous things for the Name of Christ and were made a Prey and a Spoil unto Destroyers whose wickedness encreased against the Way of God till it was fulfilled in its measure and the Wicked with their work were dashed to peices and the Lord gave his Way and Truth and Servants dominion and power over all his enemies and whole Nations were brought to the knowledge of God and his Wayes and his Name was glorious and his Kingdom was exalted in the Earth and many were his People who were gathered by him and his powerful Word through the mouth of his Ministers whom he ordained and called who were Fisher-men and such like who were chosen to fulfil his Will and to do his Work and not many Wise-men of the World were called but God chose the foolish things to confound the wise then as he doth now and such were honoured by the Lord and Bearers of his Name and of his Message and Glad-tidings though they were contemned of men yet unto such he gave the authority to overturn the wise and to out-reach the wisdom of this World for they were learned of the Father and had the knowledge of his Wayes though they were unlearned in the Arts and Crafts of men which stand more in pollicy and subtilty then in the Fear and Wisdom of God and in that day the Lord was with his People while his People were with him and he loved them while they stood in his Counsel and he gave them dominion over all their Enemies and they were a Terror to the whole World while the Churches stood in the dread and terror of the Lord of Hosts yea all bowed under them and their feet trod upon the high places of the Earth and they were blessed of the Lord above all People even till they waxed fat and were increased in treasures and thought they had need of nothing and then they forgat God and rebelled against him and became perverse in their wayes and grew into strange Idolatries and Errors and left the Way of Truth and cast God's Law behind them and the Power of Godliness ceased and the form grew and it was exalted more then Power and love waxed cold when iniquity abounded and men became Lovers of themselves more then of the Lord and the Lord and his marvellous Works which had been brought to pass were forgotten and hardness of heart and unbelief entred and then false Prophets and Antichrist came in which Christ had prophesied of and established the form of Godliness without the Power and subverted many even whole Houses and Countries from the simplicity of Christ Jesus so that many became insensible and grew past feeling of the Power and operation of God and their minds became blinded and their ears stopped and God was grieved who had brought up Children and they forgat him and rebelled against him for the Churches became corrupted and lost the Life and Power of God and the Holy Ghost and became Idolaters and Worshippers of Idols and as you may read Paul prophesied that many should depart from the Faith and give heed to seducing spirits and the doctrine of Devils and grievous Woves should enter not sparing the Flock but seeking to devour it and would make havock and merchandise of Souls through coveteousness and filthy Lucre and perillous times would come wherein there should be a Form of Godliness and not the Power and in that Generation before and sooâ after his decease this
shall the Saints possess and the Gentiles shall be driven out of it according as Iohn said who wrote the last of any of the Apostles and gave fulâ testimony of these things which I have declared âf viz. of an Apostacy and reign of the Beast and false Prophet and a Subversion from the Wayes of God and this hath been and is come to pass Also âe prophesied of the gaining of the holy City in again to the Saints and of a restoration wherein new Ierusalem should be made manifest from Heaven and shoââd again be adorned as a Bride for her Husband and the Saints should inhabit it and the Tabernacle of God should be with men upon Earth and the Lord would dwell for ââer with his People and this day is approaching nigh at the dooâ for the Fig-tree hath blossomed and we know it is near at hand the Summer wherein the Glory of the Lord shall be revealed unto all Nations and they shall ãâã that he is the Lord God Almighty that will take Vengeance upon the great Whââe who hath made all drunk with the Wine of her Fornication And now after the long night of Apostacy and Darkness which hath been vpââ the face of the Earth is the Lord appearing and his Day dawning and his Ligââ breaking forth as the Glory of the Morning and the Kingdom of God is revealed and his Dominion is setting up after the long reign of the Beast who haâ⦠had his Power and his Seat and his great Authority from the Dragon after whâ⦠the whole World hath wandred and him hath worshiped who hath been saying wâ⦠is like unto the Beast who is able to make war with him His mouth for many Generations hath been opened in blasphemy against God and his Name and he ãâã made war with the Saints and his power hath overcome them Mark overcoâ them and then himself hath reigned and the reign of Christ for many years ãâã not been known but over Kindreds Tongues and Nations hath the Beast had poâer and over them hath reigned for many Ages and all that dwell upon the Fâ⦠have worshipped him whose Names are not written in the Book of Life ãâã Earth hath been caused and them that dwell therein to worship the Beast and ãâã his Wonders he deceiveth them that dwell on Earth and as many as would ãâã worship the Beast and his Image the Beast hath had power that they should beââ¦led and many hath he killed who would not worship him and are persented and both Small and Great Rich and Poor Free and Bond have recââ¦ed the Mark of the Beast and the number of his Name which is the number ãâã a man he that reads let him understand these things have come to pass ãâã been fulfilled since the Apostles dayes in this night wherein no man could worâ which Christ said would come but now the forty and two Monthes which tiâ⦠the Beast and his Image was to continue and so long was his Power to remain ãâã make war and to overcome the Saints I say the time is well nigh expired and finished and the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb is risen to make war against the Beast and his Image who hath reigned over the Kingdoms of the World and the Judgment of the great Wâ⦠cometh who hath sitten upon the Beast and drunk the Blood of the Saints ãâã with whom the Kings of the Earth since the dayes of the Apostles have comââ¦ted Fornication and all the Inhabiters of the Earth have been made drunk ãâã the Wine of her Fornication and all the Merchants of the Earth have been maâe rich through the aboundance of her delicacies and she hath sat upon the scarâ⦠coloured Beast and her Cup in her hand hath been full of abominations and ãâã ness of her fornication and her name is Mistery Babylon the Mother of Harlâ⦠and all the Kings of the Earth have given their power unto the Beast and commited Fornication with the great Whore and she hath sat upon people multitudes ãâã nations and tongues since the Apostles days and even some who have hated tâe Whore and fulfilled the Will of God and made the Whore naked yet they giâ⦠their power also to the Beast until the Word of God be fulfilled Consider these things you that have an ear to hear but now the mighty Day ãâã the Lord and the Judgment of the Whore is approaching wherein she shal be rewarded according to her Works and doubble shall be given into ãâã Cup and as she hath loved blood so shall blood be given her to drink and the Merchants of the Earth shall lament her whom they have waxed rich by who ãâã glorified her self and lived deliciouslly and hath said in her heart I sit as a Queen and am no Widow and shall not see sorrow but now the one day is dawning wherein her Plagues shall come death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burned with fire for strong is the Lord that is risen to judge her and the Kings and Merchants and all the Inhabiters of the Earth shall lament her and cry Alas alas and now are they beginning for the hour is come that her judgement cometh and all her Merchants who have trafficked with the Souls of men shall partake of her Plagues who have partaked of her sins and lived deliciously with her and the fruits that her Soul lusteth after shall depart from her and all things that are dainty and goodly shall depart from her and she shall find them no more at all when her judgement cometh and in an hour all her riches are come to nought and all her Merchants at Land and Sea shall lament her even her that hath ruled over Nations and sat as a Queen for many Generations ever since the dayes of the Apostles until this day yea all that have wandred after her even the whole World shall lament and bemoan her and such as have served her and made Slaves of the Souls of men by Merchandize and Traffick shall bewail her and their gain shall cease for ever for in one hour shall she be made desolate and her glory shall fade and her beauty shall wither and the Beast that hath carried her shall utterly faint and the false Prophet that hath wrought Miracles in their sight and deceived the Nations shall be cast into a bed of torment with her and the Beast and the false Prophet shall be taken and cast alive into the Lake of Fire to be tormented for ever day and night World without end and the Whore in whom hath been found the Blood of the Prophets and of the Saints and of all that were slain upon the Earth and the Beast who hath caused all that dwell on the Earth to worship him and his Image for many Ages and the false Prophet who hath deceived the whole world and many Nations and made them subject unto the power of the Beast by his Miracles which he hath wrought in the
of the Plagues of the Beast and of the Whore and though the false Prophet gathers Gog and Magog together to fight against the Lamb and to compass the beloved City about yet he shall and them that he gathers be broken to pieces and driven as dust before the Wind and as Stubble before the Fire for the purpose of the Lord shall stand Great Babylon is come into remembrance before the Lord to reward her according to her deeds and the Lord will cause his Truth and his Salvation to be known in the Earth and his Name and Power is declared in the hearts of his People to the overturning of all unrighteousness and though every horn of the Beast push against this and every Head with his Members set it self against it yet the Counsel of the Lord shall not be disannulled nor made void for the Scepter and Dominion of his Son shall be exalted over all the Earth and the Princes of the World and the Kings of the Earth shall lay down their Crowns and become subject for the Kingdoms of this World shall be changed and shall become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ the Kingdom of the Beast must down and the princely power of Darkness must be overthrown and Laws and Times and Things and Powers of men shall be overturned and overturned till he come to reign in the Earth whose right it is to reign over Nations and People And because of this the rage of the Heathen hath been great and the counsels of the Wicked many and strong from the prophane Drunkards to the chiefest professed Teachers of this Age even all the whole Body of the Beast hath joyned it self against the purpose of the Lord men of all conditions from the highest to the lowest have armed themselves with Mischief to offend the Way of Truth This is written as moved of the Lord to go abroad through the Nations that all may understand concerning the times and the changing of times how that the Beast hath reigned in Dominion over Nations Tongues and People and all have worshipped the Beast and gone after the false Prophet here all may come to a good understanding what hath been and what is and what shall be how that when the Power and Government of Christ was lost through departing from the Faith which ruled in the Apostles dayes then the whole World was as unstable in Wayes and Judgments as a Sea then out of the Sea one Beast arose and another after him arose out of the Earth and all have been caused both small and great bond and free to worship the Beast and the Image of the Beast yea all the Dominions of the World have for many Ages been subject to the power of the Beast in all things and not known the Worship and Power of God and the pure subjection to him but the Kings of the Earth and all her Princes have given their power to the Beast and have received their authority from him and acted thereby many of them in great unrighteousness in injustice and oppression and cruelty in pride and rebellion and vain glory in quarrelling one with another to the murthering thousands of thousands and this hath all been brought forth under the power of the Beast and by it and his Heads and Horns have exalted themselves one against another and smitten one onother and the great Whore hath made them all drunk and all People upon the Earth with envy pride wontonness and all unrighteousness this hath been since the Apostles dayes in this Night of Apostacy wherein the whole World hath been subverted by false Prophets and Deceivers and the Kingdom of Christ hath not been known upon Earth for many Generations but the Beast hath been established in his Throne of Rebellion against Christ Jesus his Decrees have been Laws and Statutes and he hath made waâ against all the Saints and overcame them and reigned over them until this time and trodden down their City and defaced their Glory but the blood of the Just hath cried day and night under the Altar the Souls of such as have been slain for the Testimony of the Word of God have cried day and night How long Lord how long when wilt thou avenge our Blood upon the heads of our Enemies even the Beast the Where and the false Prophet and this hath been for many Ages even while the Kingdom of Antichrist hath been set up and advanced through the World and his Power and Authority hath reached over Nations bond and free from the Prince on his Throne to the Begger on the Dunghil even all have been subjected under the power of the Beast that nature having ruled within every particular hath given him the Authority without over all and admired him and said who is able to make war with him Antichrist hath ruled over all by injustice oppression and Tyranny in unrighteous Laws and through wicked decrees old Pharaoh-like he hath laid heavy yoaks and oppressive bonds upon the Just for who would not be subject to him he hath had power to kill them and none was able to gainsay such hath been the greatness of his power and the strength of his dominion over all that none have been able to make war against him he hath been admired in all the World not any Nation excepted where the government of Antichrist hath not born rule and there have been none left to bear witness against him or to stand up against him for the faithfull Witnessââ have been slain in the Streets of the great City which spiritually is called Sâ⦠and Egypt and all them that have dwelt upon the Earth have made merry ãâã their dead Bodies and rejoyced in their Iniquities over the Slain and been without a Reprover and not tormented nor troubled but have sent gifts one to another because they have slain them who have tormented them that dwelt upon the Earth and the government of the Beast hath been enlarged and the whole World have wandred after him and been in subjection under him for many Generations even fââ forty and two months he that can read let him understand so long hath it beâ⦠given him to make war against the Saints and to overcome them and it hath been given him to reign over all people in the Wrath of God and in his anger becââse of the Rebellion of all the Earth and all people in it but he shall be taken away iâ Gods displeasure who reigns in his anger over the Nations who have forsakeâ the Lord and was given up to the Power of the Beast to be subjected in Slavery and Bondage in Pain Sorrow and Misery and through Deceit Craft and Pollicy and Oppression and by the Wisdom of this World and natural Arââ and Knowledge his Government hath long been established and his Dominiâ⦠hath been upon Earth Times and Laws and Things and Powers of men have been in his hand to change and subvert and overturn into his own Imaâ⦠and to transform
against the Lord that made him and he is doing and fulfilling daily the will of the Devil and grieveth the Spirit of God and vexeth his righteous Soul and is subject unto the Curse of Wo and Destruction being ignorant of the Life and Power and Wisdom of the Creator to lead him to guide him and to preserve him but follows the counsel of hisown heart which is evil altogether though he was made upright yet hath he sought out many inventions which are continually abominable unto the Lord the ground in which he stands is corrupted and all his fruit is unpleasant even bitter and evil unto the Lords Taste Man is fallen into the Pit of Misery and Sorrow compassed about with desolation and is left without a Helper from himself or from any other Creature and this in short is the state of all mankind upon the face of the Earth who was planted a noble Vine wholly aright Seed to bring forth good fruit unto his Maker but he is turned into a degenerate plant bringing forth cursed fruits which the Creator hath not pleasure in his best works are not accepted and his evil deeds are condemned because the ground in which he stands is accursed because of disobedience CHAP. V. Concerning the World in general and the state of things as they have been and as now they are this Testimony I give to the whole World DArkness hath been over the face of the Earth and thick darkness hath covered the people for many ages the Beast hath reigned upon the face of the whole Earth and all Nations have been subject to his power and dominion even the Kings and Princes of the Earth have given their power unto him all the World hath wondred after him as it is written and the whole World hath worshipped the Beast and his Image he hath power to kill all that would not worship him both small and great rich and poor even all have been subject to his Government and he hath had power to war against the Saints and to make war with them and to overcome them even all that would not worship him he hath had power to kill The Rule and Government of the SON of God hath not been witnessed among men for Ages nor the true God known nor manifestly worshipped in Spirit and Truth but he hath been as a Stranger among men and they have been ignorant of his Wayes and Judgments and all People have been doing that which is right in the sight of their own eyes and God hath been forgotten dayes without number the Living Fountain hath been forsaken and many broken Cestern have been hewen out which have not holden pure Water Great Evils and continual Abominations have been acted in the sight of God and the measure of iniquity hath been fulfilling through many Generations and it is grown nigh to the full The Law of God hâth been made void and his Grace hath been turned into wantonness and all things have been out of good order Kings Princes Rulers Governments Laws and Decrees have been corrupt and not right in the sight of the Lord Oppressions Tyranny and Vain-glory hath abounded in the Nations and Justice and true Judgment have been neglected and Mercy and Truth have been Strangers and the World hath been filled with violence and the whole Earth stained and polluted with Oppressions Injustice and Cruelties and the cry of the poor hath not been heard every one hath sought themselves and not the Lord nor the good one of another the Kings and Princes of the Earth have not been perfect nor upright before the Lord but Vain-glory hath abounded and superstitions and Idolatries hath reigned over them and unrighteousness hath abounded and Self-seeking and they have risen up one against another in quarrelling and destroying one another and to gain one anothers Dominions by Craft and Pollicy and strong hand and the poor have been oppressed and troden down and thousands of thousands destroyed to fulfil the wills and lusts and pride of their hearts all this hath been evil in the sight of the Lord and his soul hath been weary with it by the destruction of his Creatures one by another even Rulers Teachers and people have all been out of the Way and subverted from that wherein God hath pleasure and the Prince of Darkness hath ruled in his dominion swaying all under his Government and even all things both of civil and spiritual concernment hath been out of the Counsel of the Lord. Oh what cruel Injustice and Tyranny in civil Government Oh what abominable Superstitions and Idolatries have been in supposed Church-governments It s a vexation to the spirit of the Lord to consider it and the Righteous soul hath long cried out and mourned under it and because of this is the Lord of Heaven and Earth now risen to overturn to overturn Kings and Princes Governments and Laws and he will confound and break down all Tyranny and Oppression under which the poor have groaned and âe will change Times and Laws and Governments there shall be no King ruling but Jesus nor no Government of force but the Government of the Lamb noâ no Law of effect but the Law of God all that which is otherwise shall be ground to powder the Kingdom of the Most High shall rule amongst men and the Kingdoms of this World shall be changed and shall become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and the Lord shall be known in the Earth to be the God of Truth of Righteousness Justice and Mercy and Truth shall be exalted and true Judgment shall be set up in the Nations and the Worship in Spirit and in Truth shall he established for the Lord is gathering his numberless number to stand before his Throne without Guile in their Mouthes and without Fault before him CHAP. VI. Concerning mans Restauration Redemption and Salvation what they are and by whom they are wrought this Testimony I give unto all People MAns Restauration is a repairing and giving again that which he had lost by transgression and Redemption is a recovering and a winning again and setting free from that wherein man hath been held even all the sons of Adam because of disobedience and Salvation is a saving keeping and preserving from sin and death and disobedience and all the ways thereof and also a saving from wrath and misery and condemnation which are the effects thereof and by the Son of God Christ Jesus is all this wrought manifested and witnessed and Restauration Redemption and Salvation is onely in Christ Jesus the second Adam and not in any other and it is wrought by him and by no other and they are the free gift of the Father unto the sons of men no way purchased by the works of the Creature or desert of him but are freely given unto the Creature through the Power and Wisdom of the Creator and onely by Jesus Christ the Son of the eternal God and by the eternal Spirit are they witnessed in all
that believe and through the word of Life are they handled tasted seen and felt near at hand in power and not in words onely Many professes them in words and what others enjoyed of these things but have not felt in themselves the working of the eternall Spirit neither have the witness in themselves of being restored to God again and of being redeemed by him from under the Devils power neither are saved by Christ from sin and transgression and so are not nor cannot be saved from condemnation and wrath for who abide in their sins and in the state unreconciled to God hath not any part or portion in these things which belongs to their peace and without the knowledge of which by the working of the eternal Spirit all mankind is everlastingly miserable CHAP. VII Concering true Religion and the true Worship of the true God this Testimony I give unto the whole World THis is true Religion to be kept pure and clean from all evil and from all that which would defile in the sight of the Lord and to walk in his fear in all things this is Religion to do good and to do no evil and to speak the truth and to do the truth in all things and to do unto all men as a man would be done unto and to love God withall the heart and the neighbour as self and not to love the world and ways and pleasures of it nor to use deceit in words or actions this is true Religion and the true Worship of God to be led with his Spirit in all things and to be guided in the truth at all times on all occasions this is acceptable and well pleasing unto God above all words and outward conformity and set times and days and observances for the Worship of God is not in these things but is without respect of days places or things this Religion and Worship stands in Christ Jesus the second Adam who hath lighted every man that comes into the World that all men through him might believe and by him have their consciences purely exercised towards God and towards man in all things whatsoever and this is our Religion and Worship of the True God he that can receive it let him CHAP. VIII Concerning Justification and Sanctification this testimony ãâã give unto all People JUstification is freely by Jesus Christ in the sight of the Father and not by the works of mans own righteousness and such as are taught by Christ and guided by him in all the ways of truth and righteousness are justified by him and none else not in any word or work whatsoever but in what they are led to fulfil by him and it is the new man that is justified and not the old he that is born of God and none that are born of the flesh such cannot please God neither can such be justified by him for they are not taught of him nor saved nor restored nor redeemed and therefore are not justified nor cleared from condemnation in the sight of the Lord but who lives in iniquity and sin and the wayes and works of the World which are evil by Christ Jesus are condemned and not justified though in words they profess him yet of justification by him they have no part and sanctification is by the working of the eternal Spiriâ in the heart of the Creature which purgeth out and taketh away all unrighteousness and all the works and fruits of darkness it witnesseth against and witnesseth unto Jesus who takes away all sin and destroyes the works of the Devil that man may be holy and pure in the sight of his Maker and every one that hath the witness of his justification hath the operation by the eternal Spirit of sanctification and all that receives Christ Jesus who hath lighted every man that cometh into the World receiveth sanctification and justification by him and he unto us is made so of the Father he that can receive it leâ him CHAP. IX Concerning the Kingdom of Christ and how it is to be set up this testimony I give unto all the World THE Kingdom of God and of his Son is not of this World but is froâ above and stands in righteousness and in truth in mercy and in peace iâ true judgement and justice and this Dominion is from everlasting to everlasting and it reacheth beyond all the World and its Government is love and unity and everlasting peace and is perfect liberty to the Just and bindeth and chaineth the Unjust in it there is on oppression but perfect freedom from all unrighteousness and it consists not in word but in power to the bringing down of the Kingdom of the Devil and to the breaking off the bonds of all injustice and all ungodliness which is the Kingdom of Satan which hath long ruled iâ the World that Kingdom whereof Christ is King which stands in Righteousness no unclean thing can have any part therein and this we believe it shall be set up and advanced in the earth but not by might of man or arm of flesh nor the multitude of an host neither by policy nor craft nor by revenge but by the arm of the Lord alone through the suffering and patience of his people and by faithful witness bearing unto Jesus Christ by doing and by suffering by doing his Will in all things in a pure Life and Conversation and upright walkking in the sight of the Lord and by patient suffering under the injustice and oppression of men and of their unjust Government and Laws till they be overturned and confounded and further we give testimony that suffring in patience under the cruelty and oppression of the Devils government and kingdom more reaches to overthrow them than the rising to rebel in any way of outward offence toward them or defence from them and the Kingdom of Christ is near to come and the Kingdoms of this World shall be changed and none shall have any part therein but they that are redeemed out of kindreds tongues and people this we believe he that can receive it let him CHAP. X. Concerning Governours and Governments and Subjection to them this testimony I give to the World GOvernours Rulers and Magistrates we own and do respect in the Lord and yet cannot respect any mans person whatsoever such as be a terrour to all evil in their Government and that fears God and hates covetousness and delights in Equity in Justice and true Judgement and gives diligent heed to try the cause of the poor and will judge justly without respect of men who justifies the good and gives praise to the Well-doer such Government and Governours we reverence where Sin and Iniquity is kept under Drunkenness Swearing Murther Quarrelling and all the ways and works of the flesh are terrified and a Wel-doer praised and justified this Goverment of men reaches to the witness of God in every man and that answers to the justice and righteousness of all such Governours and Government and these witness that
give in the World unto the World Fear God and give Glory to him for the hour of his Judgements is come and this is the everlasting Gospel of Salvation he that can receive it let him CHAP. XIII Concerning the Word of God and concerning the Scriptures this testimony I give unto all the World THE Word of God was in the beginning before any Creatures were made and by it all things stand and remain unto this day and the Word endures for ever and by it all things in Heaven and in Earth are brought to pass which God doth and it is from everlasting to everlasting without beginning and without end and the Word is powerful dividing and discerning all things even the secret thoughts of every mans heart it is as a two edged sword and as a fire and like a hammer to cut up to burn and to beat down the Word of the Lord reconciles man again to him and this Word is in the mouth and in the heart and the Servants of the Lord handled tasted saw and felt the Word of Life and from it spoke forth the Scriptures as they were moved by the holy Ghost through the eternal Spirit and it is an Declaration of the Word of Life which was in the beginning and endures for ever and it declares what the Saints received believed and enjoyed and none can understand it without the same Spirit that gave it forth and to such who have the same Spirit the Scripture is profitable the Word of God which was in the beginning and which endures for ever is not the Scripture which was not in the beginning neither can it endure for ever but the Scripture testifies of that Word that Word witnesses to the Scripture and they are not contrary one to the other but gives witness each of other but many hath the Scripture that hath not the Word neither knows it but they that have the Word cannot but own the Scriptures and this is the Truth as it is in Jesus Testified to all the World by us who doth deny them that hereof gives any other testimony CHAP. XIV Concerning the Devil and Damnation this Testimony I give to all People THere is a Devil which is out of the Truth who abode not in the Truth but is a Lyar from the beginning and the father of all evil doing and the author of all unrighteousness and whatsoever is contrary to God in thought word and action he is the enmity against God and against all good and by his power subverts creatures and things to another end than wherefore they were created even to the dishonour of the Creator he is the god of this World the prince of darkness and he rules King in all the childern of the first Adââ who are in evil he was the cause of the first transgression and is the cause of disobedience to God to this day in all people who are led by him moving aââ them to Envy Wrath Pride Whoredom Drunkenness Theft and Murther and all the works of darkness sin and death he is the Fountain and Root of ãâã these and the Leader and Ruler in the exercise of them and of every evil woââ and work whatsoever which are contrary to God he abode not in the Trâââ and he hath led all mankind out of Truth into all deceit and unrighteousness and into every evil way and he dwells in darkness inhabits in thick darkness and is out of the Light and is separate from the Presence of God for ever boâââ in chains of darkness and ignorance and unbelief and he hath power in the earthly part of man and a law in the members and he possesses him that is born of the flesh his covenant is with him who is not born of the Seed of God who cannot sin such are in covenant with God renewed into his Image but such as are not hath the Divil power in to captivate and lead their minds into vanity and their affections and desires into all that which is evil by which the Spirit of God the Creator of all things is grieved and his soul vexed and all murther and deceitful works of the World and all whatsoever is contrary to God iâ words thoughts or actions is of the Devil that wicked one and from him and all that follow his movings and worketh evil thereby they serve him aââ obey him he is their god and their King and they are his people and hiâ subjects he is their father and they are his children he is their root and they are his off-spring and brings forth fruit unto him and serves ãâã worships him and not the true God that made all things and all such ãâã be cast into utter darkness with him and shall have their portion with him in ãâã bottomless pit of darkness for ever and ever where there is no end of woe anâ sorrow and misery for in the anger of God there the worm diââ not ãâã the fire is not quenched and out of that there is on redemption for the ââclean and all such who are led of him who is out of the Truth and in evil are judged and condemned and damned by him who is the Truth who judgeth righteously and as he hath not ceased to work evil and to draw the children of men into evil for he continually tempteth to lead from God into Rebellion against him And they that are led by him are destroyed and he shall not cease sorrow wo and misery for ever as he hath not ceased to work evil he liveth and moveth in the anger of God his beginning was in it and all his works are in it and it shall be the reward of him and all that obey him in the separation from Gods everlasting Presence for ever and ever CHAP. XV. Concerning all creatures that God made this Testimony I give unto all the World ALL creatures that God made in their creation and beginning was very good in his sight that made them and unto man that was to use them and no Creature was evil or defiled in its Creation but mankind transgressing against his Maker he become evil and did evil in the sight of the Lord and he being possessed with evil and corrupted he makes all Creatures evil in his exercise of them corrups them and perverts them to another end than wherefore they were created and by the Creatures dishonours the Creator ââ¦o should have honoured him by them and they are become a curse unto man and not a blessing though in themselves are neither cursed nor evil nor defiled but is become so unto man because of his transgression and disobedience for he being in the curse and defiled all things are so unto him and in his exercise of them he is wicked abusing them upon the lust to satisfie his devillish mind and ruling over them in oppression and cruelty and hard heartedness and not in the Wisdom of God as he ought and he subverts them out from their pure vertue
do God service that kills you ãâã casts you from among them and the Devil shall cast some of you into prison And thâ⦠things you have done and fullfilled Christs words against your selves for ãâã witness against you and to shew that you are Enemies to Christ and to his Kingdom and that you will not have him to reign as I have said Therefore whâ⦠he reigneth he shall say Bring hither those mine Enemies and slay them before me O! what will the just Judge of true Judgment the God of Heaven and Earth render unto you when he ariseth to plead the cause of the poor and needy and to deliver his Inheritance from under your oppression into perfect freedom What account will you give in that day when he brings swift destruction upon you And wherewith will you answer him when the secrets of your hearts are made manifest and when the true witness in you all is awakened which will bring to your remembrance all your cruel and unjust dealing and all your bitter and hard speeches which in your envy you have brought forth against the Lord and against his people What will be done to you his Enemies when Christ Jesus whom you have persecuted comes to reign in his Kingdom and subdues the kingdoms of this World and changeth them into the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ and the Saints which you have oppressed receives the Authority and Dominion It shall be said All that would not that Christ should reign slay them before him when it shall be given to the Saints to bind Kings in chains and Nobles in fetters of iron and to execute upon the Heathen all the judgments written for behold all ye stout hearted the Lord cometh in ten thousand of his Saints to judge the World in righteousness and you shall be convinced of all your ungodly deeds for the Scriptures must be fullfilled and as you have done even so will it be done unto you when the suffering of the righteous is finished and your wickedness come to an end when the Lord shall reign you shall lick the dust off his feet and all the Persecuters of Christ shall be trodden down as mire and the righteous shall rejoyce over them and the Lord shall mock when your fear and calamnity comes which come suddenly in a day when you expect not how shall the Lord pardon you for this you have sinned against knowledge and gone on after warning and hardened your hearts after reproof and the day of your visitation you have greatly slighted ye Rulers have abused your power and ye subjects have abused your subjection and now consider what God did in Generations past unto the rebellious children what he did to Pharaoh and all his Hosts when his long suffering was finished how did Pharaoh harden his heart and his cruel Task-masters oppress the righteous even as you have done and they would not let Israel go free to serve the Lord but they kept them in bondage and this way you walk who exercise cruelty as they did and laid heavy burthens upon the Innocent grievous to be born cruel task-masters have you been over the Heritage of the Lord and in Pharaohs example of wickedness have you walked fulfilling his measure of cruelty and Pharaohs example shall you follow in a cursed end remember how the loftiness of his heart was bowed down and how his proud heart was abased in the day that God pleaded with him in his righteous judgments he and all his task-makers were confounded in a day and the bondage of the righteous was broken in a moment how was his whole strength of Tyranny overturned and turned into weakness the righteous were delivered and he and all his train overwhelmed in one day and thus shall it come to pass upon you Therefore consider this all ye that fullfill the measure of iniquity suddenly will the righteous God be awakened to take vengeance upon you and the just shall not always groan under your bondage for he that looketh from the Heaven hath pity upon the distressed for whom now his arm is stretched out to bring deliverance unto them and all their enemies will be confounded who have this long time ploughed long furrows upon the back of the righteous the oppression and cruelty and injustice brought forth in this Nation it calls for vengeance from Heaven Alas alas woe is me for you you Heads and Rulers and Judges of England what have you done and suffered to be done under you against the innocent people of God who is as dear to him as the apple of his eye for they be written on the palms of his hands and because of the cry of the poor and the needy will the Lord arise and plead their cause Oh consider and let it enter into your hearts the cruelty and injustice that hath been brought forth in this Land and remember what God did unto all the Persecuters of old how was their strength consumed and they overturned and destroyed what did he to Pharaoh and all his host who persecuted the Seed of God how was he destroyed and the righteous set free and what was done to Haman How was he justly rewarded who persecuted the Innocent Seed of God What did God to Herod and all his people who persecuted the Innocent and remember what he did unto them that persecuted the Three Children and them that persecuted Daniel how did they fall into the pit which they had digged for another and how were they destroyed and the Innocent delivered considered and remember these things ye that suffer the Just to groan by you Search through the Records of old and search what God hath done unto all them that lifted up their hand against Him and his People and is he not the same at this day his Hand is not shortened that it cannot save his people and destroy his Enemies his Ear is not dull of hearing that he should not understand this unjust suffering of his people though you live carelessely in pleasure upon Earth while the Innocent mourns yet doth the Lord regard though you spend your time in pleasure and delight your selves in vanities all the day long yet the Lord hath taken it to heart and his Spirit is grieved that his Innocent Servants should lye in Holes and Dungeons to be trodden upon and be accounted as the off-scouring of all things hardly thought worthy to have a place on the Earth Oh remember these things ye that are high minded and consider what God did to the Bishops and their crew of persecutors in this Nation your selves are witnesses how the Lord overthrew them and delivered his people in a few years time and as little as you did they think that they whom they persecuted should so soon come to have reigned over them the Lords Hand was then against Oppressors as it is at this day do you think the Lord hath forgotten or that he takes no notice of what is come to pass how should he forget his
People to save them or his Enemies that he should not recompence them but know ye assuredly that the Lord is the same and all those things are written in a Book and remembred by him and he will judge justly and righteously in his dreadful day Ah let it enter into your hearts serve not your selves altogether in the pleasures of this World but serve the Lord and this he requires of you let the oppressed go free and break every bond whereby the Innocent do suffer and this the Lord requires at your hands Oh but I feel great hardness of heart and rather a strengthening of cruel bonds than a breaking of them and you appear rather to be given up to work wickedness and to fullfill the largest measure of them that went before you than otherwise unrighteous Decrees are rather established than disannulled Oh what will be the end of these things and what will be your judgment when the Lord awakens himself as out of sleep who hath left you to follow your own spirits to try you that it might be known unto all what is in your hearts and behold perverseness lodges in them and while the Lord hath looked for justice amongst you even the cry of oppression hath been heard even a grieveous cry of unjust persecution and violence against the Seed of God and once you would have been ashamed of those things which now you act without shame so that which is in your hearts is poured forth in the sight of the World Oh ye Rulers of England the Rulers of the Heathen shall rise up is judgment against you even they that never professed so much as you have done they shall be rather justified than you whose wayes have been more equal than yours and less cruelty brought forth by them than by you unto their subjects and this makes your sin more great in that many of yoâ were raised from low estate and you have exalted your selves more than is meet and have caused your very equals to groan under you by the heavy yoak which you have prepared for them well but the Lord hath listned and heard and a Book of remembrance is written and he will repay into your bosoms the time is not long when the Lord may scatter you and give you unto the will of your Enemies therefore be awakened and warned the day of your visitation is upon you all OH England that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace Oh that thy Rulers and people had known how that the Lord hath called unto them Oh that they had considered-how that his hand hath been stretched forth all the day long and he would have gathered them as a Shepherd doth his flock but they have nâ⦠known neither have they considered and therefore that which belongs to their peace will the Lord hide from their eyes the day of their visitation is spending apace and the night will come and no man shall be able to work and because the Lord hath called and you have not heard therefore shall you cry and the Lord will give no answer Oh Nation thou art filled with oppression and griveous iniquities and from the Head to the Foot thou bearest marks of great abominations in thee is found lamentable oppression of the Poor and great and grieveous Idolatries and Gods Rightous Soul is vexed in thee day by day the Just groans and mourns under the heavy hand of oppressors many of thy Goales do witness it where many Innocent and Upright People have suffered unjustly the loss of their Freedom without any ground or charge of evil laid upon them Oh what have thy Rulers done Judgment and Justice have they turned backward the cry of the Poor hath not been regarded and equity hath not found a place to enter Who would have thought that you who have been so high in Profession of the Scriptures should thus have dealt with them who are in the Life of the Scriptures this agravates your sin in that none hath been like you in profession of Religion and in pretences of Righteousness and yet you have exceeded others in persecuting and suffering of it the servants of the Lord but it is now made Manifest what lodgeth in your hearts under your fair covers of promises words and shews what deep Hypocrisie is this that you should profess Liberty of Conscience and yet have persecuted hundreds for the exercise of their pure Consciences Is not this to be taken notice of that you should profess that which you do not perform and will not the Lord plead with you because of it in his dreadful day which is hastening upon you as a thief in the night and the wicked shall not escape do you not think that he whom you persecute in his Members and his Members shall surely reign over you do not you know that he is sufficient to avenge himself of all his Enemies and do not you believe that he could command thousands of thousands to fight for him and to revenge his Cause Hath the consideration of these things no room in your hearts or are your hearts wholy shut up from all compassion towards the Lords people Surely to Vengeance will the Lord be awakened and he will tread you down as mire in the streets and as you have done and suffered to be done to the Lords people even so shall it be done unto you THere are only two Seeds in the World and there are but two and no more to wit the Seed of God and the Seed of the Serpent and these two are contrary one to the other in their bringing forth in their time and in their ends they differ in their Nature in their fruits and works and in their reward and these two are at continual enmity one against another and never was is or shall be reconciled the life of one is the death of the other and where the one doth live the other doth dye and where the one rejoyceth the other is made sorrowful and where the one is in Freedom the other is in Bondage and where the one is Ruler the other is a Slave and in Captivity and thus are they contrary where the one brings forth fruit the other is barren and the one is rewarded with the overthrow of the other and the one of these is ruling in every creature man and woman and growing and bringing forth fruit from it self through the Creature and the fruits of the one is blessed for ever and the fruits of the other are cursed for ever and betwixt these two there is no concurrence or agreement in any thing whatsoever but they differ in likeness and their fruits differ in appearance the fruit of the one is love and peace and unity the fruit of the other is hatred and envy and trouble and enmity the fruit of the Seed of God in the creature is truth and righteousness and faith and patience long-suffering and temperance and joy and peace in the Lord with all
other things which are good and just and pure but the fruits of the seed of the Serpent are of another nature as Lying Theft Murther Dissimulation Drunkenness and Whordoms Hypocrisie and all Unrighteousness which is not according to God but contrary to him and by these several Fruits proceeding through the Creature do we know every Creature and so judge of him to be the Child of God or the Child of the Devil in the election or in the reprobation for through whom the Fruits of the Seed of God doth spring forth we know such are not of the Devil and through whom the Fruits of the seed of the Serpent do spring forth we know such are not of God And these two Seeds are now striving in the Earth the one against the other and they in whom the Seed of God rules are persecuted by them in whom the seed of the Serpent rules for they in whom the Seed of God rules are born of God and of his Spirit and they in whom the seed of the Serpent rules are born of flesh and minds the things of the flesh which shall not endure for ever and so every one that is born of the flesh is of the seed of the Serpent or the seed of the Serpent rules in him and every one that is born of the Seed of God the Seed of God rules in him such are persecuted for righteousness sake by the seed of the Serpent which is at enmity against the Seed of God which cannot fulfill the will of the Serpents seed nor be subject to his laws for the Seed of God cannot be subject to the Serpents seed in any thing but is subject to God and not to any thing that is contrary to him but rather suffers imprisonment and cruelties and bonds under the Serpents seed than in the least to bow to it So this is the ground of all persecution and enmity which is betwixt the two seeds which seeks the overthrow each of other but who are of the Seed of God knows that they are of God and that the whole World lyes in wickedness under the government of the seed of the Serpent and such where he Seed of God is brought forth hath the testimony in themselves that they are of God and have believed in the Son of God who is the Light of the World and knowes him to be the Foundation and the Rock of Ages and the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against him nor the enmity of the Serpents seed overcome him nor they that are Builded on him and this is a Testimony for the Seed of God and against the seed of the Serpent in all the World that it is persecuted of the seed of the Serpent and spoken all manner of evil of by the World according to the words of Christ which are fullfilled upon us to our rejoycing who are of the Seed of God and to the trouble of all our Enemies who are of the seed of the Serpent And otherwise it cannot be but that they who are born of the flesh must persecute them who are born of the Spirit for because of the enmity that is placed between the two feeds the one cannot love the other nor have fellowship the one with the other and which of our Fore-Fathers the Prophets and Disciples of Christ which were of the Seed of God were not persecuted hated and reviled and reproached by your fore-fathers who were of the seed of the Serpent and they no more then you could receive the Knowledge of God and his wayes but ever despised the path thereof and counted the Wisdom of God foolishnesse and stood in the enmity against God and his people and all their ways and they that were of the seed of the Serpent ever called truth error and the way thereof heresie and blalphemie Ieremiah Amos and the rest were called deceivers and mad-men and seducers of the people and evil was done unto them Ieremiah was put in the stocks and in the dungeons by the Rulers of that Generation who were of the seed of the Serpent even the Prophets of God who were sent of God and were witnesses of his Name in truth and righteousness were accounted and called deceivers and were persecuted by imprisonments and some unto death as you may read in the Scripture Ieremiah 20. Amos 7. These with others who were sent of the Lord to bear testimony of God and against the Rulers who executed not true Justice and Judgment but were oppressors of the poor who judged for gifts and rewards and against the false Prophets and Priests that ran and had not been sent who used their tongue and said the Lord said and the Lord had not spoken to them who prophesied falsly and preached for hire and bare rule by their means and made a prey upon the people these were of the seed of the Serpent and did persecute them that bore witness against them that were of the Seed of God The Word of the Lord was even a reproach unto Ieremiah daily and they smote him with the tongue and the chief Governour of the Lords house smote him and put him in the Dungeon And Amos who had been no Prophet nor the son of a Prophet but a herdsman he was persecuted by the Priest of Bethel and was commanded not to Prophesie in the Kings Chappel And Amaziah the Priest complained to Ieroboam the King against Amos the Prophet And Ezekiel the Prophet could not be received of the people for saith the Lord they will not hear thee for they will not hear me and they were a rebelious house and impudent and hard-hearted and would not receive the Prophets words And thus it was in the time of the Apostles and Christ Jesus they were persecuted and some of them put to death for bearing testimony unto the Father whom they were witnesses of and against the World what Reproaches Slanders Beatings Buffetings Scornings Tumults Uproars and all manner of evil did they suffer in their Generation by the seed of the Serpent from the hands of the Rulers and Priests and People Christ was accounted a Deceiver ând called a Devil and a Blasphemer and the Apostles were called Hereââ¦icks Deceivers and pestilent fellows movers of sedition destroyers of âhe Law and turners of the World upside down and such like All âhese were of the Seed of God that were persecuted and the Persecuâors were of the seed of the Serpent which brought forth violence and âickedness and false judgement against the Innocent and some were âost cruely put to death upon the false account of being Deceivers and Blasâhemers If you search through the whole Scripture you may read how the Just âere persecuted even from Abel who was of the Seed of God and all ââ¦at ever were persecuted for righteousness sake were persecuted upon the account of being Evil-doers and the Persecutors judged themselves to be Righteous He was the chief Governor of the House of the Lord that persecuted Ieremiah and the people that smote
and so thy words I judge and cannot receive good from an evil Spirit Then thou comes on falling on thy own foul ignorance again and wouldst fain clear thy self but by thy stirring thy own wickedness herein thou makes it cast an odious sight to all that pass by we may follow thee a little seeing thou art not yet weary and fain wouldst thou make it appear that the Blood of Christ was shed before the World was and sayst it was in Gods account but to this I have spoken and largely shewed thy blindness to all men and adds this upon thy head thou art a Lyar and Perverter of Scripture to say That the Blood of Christ was shed before the World was And further thou art a Lyer to say That God accounts a thing for Truth which is a Lye a sad error and wicked And further thou art a Lyar to say that I corrupt thy woods for I had not laid open thy nakedness so fully if thou hadst not persisted in thy blindness as now I am forced to do but enough of this and more then ever thou canst clear thy self of honestly and yet to cover thy own shame charges me falsly with folly to speak evil of things I know not or else with madness c. Reply Friend be not so confident I know the difference betwixt before and since or from and know that God accounts not a Lye for Truth as thou holds out thy own folly and madness behold who commits iniquity in lying on the Scripture and on God and on me and yet persists after a sober reproof and resists the Reprover with opprobrious words let confusion of face cover thy impudent forehead while I forgive thee and seeks not vengeance against thee then through thy mistake of my words thou hast falsly gathered a subject to oppose and fights with thy own understanding mightily and thinkst thou confoundst me and its thy self for however thou understands my words either for want of wit or otherwise it never entred into my thoughts with charging thee to believe that Christ is a tipe only I charge thee that thou saidst so of others So that I think this is a mistake in thee for want of knowledge to understand my rehersal of thy words being transcribed as the shortest not to fill volumes and through thy own misunderstanding of my laying down the words thou heavily yet vainly charges me with corrupting thy words which God is my witness I have not done though thou be guilty herein But further I deal plainly and slanders not in secret as thou dost we do not look on Christ to be but a shadow and tipe if thou affirm I shall answer further and as to that thou sayst I say Jesus is the substance to that answer I stand though thou sayst Thou doubts I do not spâ⦠plainly c. Reply As I have said I seek not a proof of my faith of thee nor any man not do I beg thy belief while I am approved in the sight of God herein I matter not what a lying spirit doubts of me so that what vain Arguments or Queries thou raises from thy own false doubt I pass by being by the present thing branching out in things on the by if I should examine every particular I might fill a vollume And whereas thou hast answered my question which is did Christ put an end to the Law for them who yet live in the transgression of the Law or doth he justifie that which the Law condemns before the work of the Law be finished In thy Answer thou sayst Christ did put an end to the Law for Righteousness for all that the Father hath given him This is little to the Question I say that Transgressors of the Law are not Christs but Children of Disobedience and Children of Wrath and such God hath not given to Christ who are his Enemies nor Christ to them is not given but to condemn them is that estate and thou sayst there are many given to Christ who yet lives is their sins the Apostle Iohn saith he that sins is of the Devil and hath ãâã known God and such as are of the Devil are not Christs and in that I saâ⦠doth Christ justifie that which the Law condemns before the work of the Law ãâã finished and not one tittle of the Law shall fail till all be fulfilled thou hast ãâã reached the understanding of my words for while disobedience stands and the Transgressor lives the work of the Law is not finished nor fulfilled but to that is Condemnation and not Justification if thou hast an ear thou mayst hear for he that transgresseth the Law is an Enemy to Christ and Christ fulfills not the Law for his Enemies they must bear their own burthen and though this thou cannot understand now yet in the day of Judgement shalt thou feel it and when the burthen of thy own Inquity is upon thee then shalt thou confess to what I have said and read me in what now thou canst not understand and in the mean time I deny that Christ hath put an end to the Law for thee who art a Lyar and breaks one and so is guilty of all Many of thy words might be weighed and searched but I am no picâ⦠of quarrels but to my last Query thou sayst little to the purpose which is what assurance have any that the Law is fulfilled for them who ãâã yet Transgressors of it in themselves but sayst Assurance comes thâ⦠believing and obedience to the Law is a fruit of believing c. Saying ãâã one that hath the hope of the Son of God purifies himself as he Christ ãâã pure Reply Then he that hath not the fruit viz. obedience to the Law ãâã may judge by the fruit or for want of fruit is no Believer and he that is ãâã purifyed as he is pure Christ hath not the hope of being the Son of God but is without hope now see where thou art who yet breaks the Law and ãâã without thy own noted fruit of believing neither is purifyed as he is pure and so is without hope this is according to thy own affirmation if thâ⦠canst not bear it blame thy self for laying down such a position as hath proâ⦠thy self to beâan Unbeliever and without hope and so without God in the World one that is for condemnation and to be judged in the state where now thou standst And whereas thou sayst I would lay assurance on obedience to the Law thou lyest in this also my words are the Law must be fulfilled in you by Christ in Judgement and in Righteousness if ever you receive Salvation and these words are true against all thy opposition neither do I affirm that by the deeds of the Law any flesh living shall be justified but the contrary though thou wouldst falsly yet secretly cast it upon me and wickedly callst this my forthy argument where I said the Law convinceth and is a School-master to bring to Christ c. But the
the Prophets and Apostles who did zealously give their testimony against such as went for gifts and rewards as the Teachers of England do but this is that which he is offended at and calls it a persecuting spirit which is not so but in love to peoples souls that they may deny the evil and follow the good And that our Ancesters have persecuted to death as he saith This is also a lye and of the Devil for our Ancestors were the Saints who were called of God and were not of the World even as we are not of the World and we are persecuted but seeks not to persecute any and gives our witness faithfully against this Generation and against the sins both of Teachers and people and this I suppose is it even our zeal for the Name of the Lord against unrighteousness which he falsly calls a persecuting spirit 16. His sixteenth Reason is Some Interrogatories saith he What reasonable man should turn Quaker that sees the common fruit of their Doctrine whââ good do they do where-ever they come but saith he hate both godly Teacher and people c. Ans. To this I answer The fruit of our Doctrine is begetting people to the Knowledge of God and a converting them from sin and death and from the wayes and works of unrighteousness to be the Servants of the Lord and every spiritual man doth see this to be the fruit of our doctrine It doth condemn unrighteousness and bring war and a sword upon Earth as Christs Doctrine did And this is the good where we come many are changed from wickedness rudeness and ungodliness to live soberly righteously and purely in this present World without offence towards God and men For to say We make people both to hate godly Teachers and people this is utterly false for we endeavour to bring people to the true Teacher Christ Jesus and to have fellowship with the Saints It 's true in the World our Doctrine doth make division and doth set a man at variance and doth set Father against Son and Son against Father even as Christ did and his Doctrine so he saith we do But again he belyes us in saying We bring people into confusion and abominable error or that we cast people into a malicious mood or tincture of bitterness this is also false and this is my Answer He that doth the will of our Father knows of our Doctrine whether we weââ of God or of our selves and to all the World besides we are unknown and desires to be manifest to every mans conscience in the Sight of God and not to that wisdom which is of this World And though he scorn at such who are made to cast off their Points and Lace yet is not this more then any fruit that his Doctrine hath brought forth for as ãâã do so did the Apostle exhort against all superfluiââ of naughtiness as Points and Lâ⦠are and it seems that such as depart from iniquity become a prey to such wicked menâ slandering and scornful Tongues and a matter to makes Books of to send into the World 17. His seventeenth Reason Saith he It is no great encouragement to us to turn Quakers when we consider who are their followers very few experienced sober Christians turn to them saith he but such who are ignorant and ungrounded and raw professors c. Answ. To this I answer Let no man take encourgement from without to turn Quakers or to own the Way of Gods Salvation But let every one feel a Measure of God in his own heart converting him from sin unto righteousness and drawing his mind from the vanity and hypocrisie of this World to the truth and singleness of heart And he appears to be of the spirit of the Pharisees who said None but a company of poor people which were accursed followed Christ and so saith he in effect None but such as are ignorant and such like But what if there were not any other but such who owned the Way of the Lord this is a confirmation of it rather then a cause of objecting against it when such who are ignorant are brought to the Knowledge of God But yet his words are false for it is known that very many honest humble sober ãâã and people who have all their dayes been sincere towards God in what they have known of him have and do own us and indeed all that ever owââ God and Salvation shall own us for we are of God and he that is of God heaâ⦠us and the whole World Lyes in wickedness And such as are self-conceited and in pride and wise in their own eyes and in the wickedness of the World such are his followers and not ours though be falsely say it for such as follow Christ have we fellowship with and not with such as walk in darkness 18. His eighteenth Reason Saith he It is an evident Iudgment of God upon these people that turn Quakers and a punishment for their former sins c. Ans. To this I answer The Lord God his Angels and all his Saints and Servants I call to record against thee and they all shall witness that it is Mercy and not Judgement upon them that owns the way of the Lord And them that owned the Quakers in truth and sincerity have and do witness a remission of their former sins and forgiveness of them by Jesus Christ and not a punishment for them And Rich. Baxter may please himself and some others with his reasonless Reasons as these are yet they are not worthy of the name of Reason they be so senceless and utterly false And though he rails against the Anabaptists as well as against us yet any man whose eye is open sees his folly and turns it upon his own head and he may conceit himself in these things for a moment but the day of the Lord will declare it otherwise and that upon us Mercy and Peace shall be and not Judgement nor Wrath. 19. His ninteenth Reason Saith he They are already in division among themselves as the contention between Nayler and Fox and their followers do shew To this I answer Though an occasion may come and be taken against the truth yet wo unto him by whom it comes and to them who do receive it for the Testimony of Truth abids for ever But as about that division he speaks of it hath been answered by writings several times and now I say It happened but as a Tryal to the Lords People and not to destroy them though the Enemy boasts himself because of it yet the Lord knows how to preserve his in the midst of Temptation But these things are now at an end though a Temptation presented it self yet it overcame not and truth is the same and the Testimony thereof doth never change and all these Refuges which the Wicked flyes unto shall not cover them when the Lord appears 20. His twentieth Reason And saith he To make all their delusions more odious wickednesse they father it upon
their Countries and Relations and wandred up and down the World from Town to Town and from one Country to another even as the Servants of the Lord do by the same Spirit at this day who can no more be truly judged for Vagabonds and Rogues c. than Christ and his Apostles could be who were a perfect example to us in these things For it is a lawful occasion in the Sight of God whatever you judge of it to travel up and down not being burthen some or chargeable to any to beat witness for the Name of the Lord and against all Sin and Iniquity that people may be reformed and instructed in the right way Therefore you must make a special distinction in your Judgement between such as are Rogues and idle and dissolute persons who are hurtful to the Creation and such as are innocent and harmless and not of evil behaviour though you may through prejudice otherwise judge of them this is to inform you herein that your Judgments may be according to God and not according to man neither with respect of persons Also you have another late Act for the Observation of the Lord's-Day wherein is inserted That none shall wilfully maliciously or of purpose disturb or disquiet the publick Preacher or to make any publick Disturbance in the Congregation Now the Law is good and it is right that all such be punished who do malitiously wilfully or of an evil purpose disturb or disquiet any man or people to the danger of breach of publick Peace and let all such be punished according to their desert But yet you must take heed in this cause for many of the Servants of the Lord are and may be moved by the Power of the Lord to come into a Congregation or an Assembly of People to declare against Sin and Iniquity and the Wayes of Wickedness in People or to ask a Question soberly of the Teacher or to instruct People to Edification in the Way of the Lord or such like may they do as they are moved ând yet not maliciously nor wilfully nor of wicked purpose for it was the Apostles Practice and the Practice of the Saints to go in the Synagogues and Meeting-places and to dispute with the Teachers on the Sabbath-days and sometimes they spoke to the people by way of Exhortation and the people bid them speak on and yet these were not Disturbers of the Assembly neither were they malicious men or wilful neither did they these things to any evil purpose and it was the Practise of the Saints that all may speak one by one in the Church when they were assembled together and this is the Practise of the Servants of the Lord now and yet they cannot justly be condemned by your Law though they come into your Assembly as they are moved of the Lord to object or reprove or exhort for they do it not in malice towards any but in love towards all and they can no more justly be condemned than the Apostles and Saints in the Primitive times who were unto us a just example in these Practises as you may read in the Scripture and you may as justly condemn them as us who are guided by the same spirit in the same things Therefore you have need to take heed of condemning the Innocent by a Law lest you bring innocent blood upon you and you must make a perfect difference between such as comes among you Wilfully and maliciously and on evil purpose to disturb and molest any man or Congregation and such who comes in the Name and Fear of the Lord who are moved of him contrary to their own wills anââh love to all people And in these causes you have need of discerning and sound judgement lest you condemn the guiltless and abuse your power and subvert the Law and so bring condemnation upon your selves And as you will answer it before the Lord in his dreadfull day cause not any to suffer through your envy and surmizings or false suspition through over-reaching the words of the Law to a wrong sense and to a wrong end Also it is inserted in the same Act against many evil things ãâã drinking in Taverns Inns Ale-houses Strong-water-houses or to Tipple unnecessarily or any other house c. and also against travelling and walking on that day vainly and prophanely c. Now the Law is good that evil exercise be prevented and prophaneness in every respect on that day and on every day and that such be punished that are found in any evil exercise whatsoever But yet you must take heed that none of the Innocent suffer hereby for many of the people of God may and do travel on that day to meet together to worship God and to wait upon him to find his presence and to receive of his refreshments to their souls But this cannot be judged an evil practise or prophane travelling or breach of the Sabbath For we read of a Sabbath-days Journey Acts 1. and 12. where some of the Servants of the Lord returned from Ierusalem to Mount Olivet which is a Sabbath-dayes Journey so that such who now travels to wait upon the Lord on that day though it be several Miles to and from the place of Meeting cannot justly be judged to be Sabbath-breakers no more than the Apostles who travelled a Sabbath-days Journey in obedience to the Lord to wait upon him So that you must take heed and make a noted distinction betwixt such who travel on a profane and an evil exercise or about the affairs of this World and such who travel on a good exercise to wait upon the Lord and to serve him For the Law it self excepts such from being taken up or judged Sabbath-breakers So take heed that you subvert not the Law and abuse your power through false judgement through your own envy and so you smite the guiltless and brings destruction upon your selves For herein we own the Law of God to walk by and the Apostles for an example though we may suffer unjustly by you Also there is a late Act for Discovering and Repressing of Popish Recusants by presenting to such as are Popish or Popishly affected an Oath as is therein described To renounce the Pope's Authority and to deny all his Doctrines and to testifie against the Authority of the Church of Rome and against any Licence given thereby to bear Arms or raise Tumults or by Violence to hurt the chief Magistrate or Government of these Nations c. And such as deny the taking of that Oath are to be adjudged Popish Recusants and to be proceeded against accordingly Now that Law is good That such who are adherent to the Pope and by his Authority would raise Armies and Tumults and offer Violence to the Hurt of the chief Magistrate or Government or people of these Nations c. as it is signified in the said Oath should be discovered and repressed But yet you must take heed and wait for sound Judgment in the Prosecution of the same For
no end and people shall be brought into that and they shall go forth no more for who come to this Time is no longer and the Kingdom and Government is delivered to the Father and he is become all in all And all that ever come to know these things must first come to the Light of the Lamb in them with which every man is lightned that cometh into the World And all that ever know these things must first be brought to the Principle of God in them which they have transgressed against And all that own the Light of Christ and walk in it shall come to know these things which to know and be in them is eternal Life Therefore all ye Christians come to the Light which Christ hath lightned you withal and that will let you see the Government of Satan and of sin and death which has been ruling in you and the Light will teach you to war against it till it be subdued the Light will discover unto you that nature in which the kingdom of Satan bears rule it will let you see the Devil who is the Prince of darkness who is the Adversary of God who is out of the Truth and he has drawn all people out of the Truth but if you love the Light of Christ in you it will teach you to war against him and against all that that is out of the Truth for all that is of Satans Kingdom that is out of the Truth and must be destroy'd by the coming of the Kingdom of Christ whose coming is in the Light which Christ hath enlightned every man withal who comes to destroy the Devil and his kingdom and all his works So to the Light must all minds be turned which will reveal the kingdom of the Man of Sin and consume it The Appearance of Christ is Light and Christ is the Light of Israel which is as a Fire to consume all fruitless Trees which cumber the ground which the Lord will consume by the brightness of his coming And now is the Man of Sin reveal'd even in the hearts of Christians so call'd and he hath long shew'd himself to be God but now the Lord will bring him down For Antichrist has rul'd for many Ages and the Lord of Life has been crucified in spiritual Sodom but Sodom shall be consumed by Fire and the Lord will avenge himself of all his Enemies and all People and Nations shal know that there is a God who executes Justice and true Judgment who is a God near at hand to reward his People with Everlasting Life and to give unto his Enemies Judgment and Condemnation Written by a Friend to the Creation a Servant of the Lord E. B. A DECLARATION To all the WORLD Of our Faith And what we believe who are called QUAKERS And this is written that all People upon Earth may know by whom and how we are saved and hope for Eternal Life and what we believe concerning God Christ and the Spirit and of the things that are Eternal appertaining to all Mankind to know and believe Concerning God Christ and the Spirit thus we believe FIRST That there is only one true God who is a Spirit and his Presence filleth Heaven and Earth and he is Eternal and Everlasting the Creator and Preserver of all things that Heaven and Earth and all things therein by him were framed and brought forth and all things ââ¦in unto this day by his Power and whatsoever he willeth in Heaven and Earth he ââings to pass by his Word and Power And we believe That this God only is and ought to be feared loved obeyed and worshipned by all Creatures and no other thing besides ãâã in Heaven and Earth Aâ⦠we believe That his Worship and Obedience and Fear and Love is to be given in Spirit even in what his own Spirit moveth and leadeth his People unto And we believe His true Worship required and accepted of him ãâã not by the Tradition of men in outward Observances or Set-dayes oâ Places but he is worshipped only in Spirit ââ¦d Trâth without respect of Time ââ¦ces or things and that none can worship ââm in Righteousness but his ââ¦n who are born of his Spirit and are led and guided thereby And we believe That this God hath given his Son Christ Jâ⦠ãâã ââe World a free Gift unto the whole World and that every ãâã that coââ¦eth into the World is lighted by him that every man miâ⦠ãâã ãâã ãâã sayed And we believe That he is given into the World and no Nation ãâã or Pâople excepted but unto all Mankind is he given of God and ãâã ãâã them and every man through the World that believeth in him and receiveth Christ who is the Wisdom and Power of the Father shall be saved with eternal ' Salvation and every one that believeth not in him shall be damned and shall possess everlasting Misery And we believe That Salvation Iustification and Sanctification are only in him and wrought by him and no other for there is no other Name given under Heaven but hâm alone by which Salvation is And we believe All that receive him and believe in him are reconââ¦d to God and are made alive to God to live to him in all things anâ do receive the Forgiveness of Sins and are set free from all Unrighteousness and from the Body of Sin and Death and have the Witness of the Spirit in them and the Spirit of the Father they have received and it witnesseth in them of the Father and of the Son and of the things that belong unto their Peace and it is the Earnest of the Inheritance and the Seal of the Promise of Eternal Life and by it are the deep things of God revealed to Mankind and by it the Father and the Son dwells in the Saints and by it have they Fellowship one with mother and the Father Son and Spirit are one And this we faithfully believe Again concerning Christ we believe That he is one with the Father and was with him before the World was and what the Father worketh ãâã is by the Son for he is the Arm of God's Salvââ¦ion and the very Power and Wisdom of the Creator and was is and is to come without Beginning or End And we believe That all the Prophets gave Testimony of him and that he was made manifest in Iudea and Ierusalem and did the Work of the Father and was persecuted of the Iews and was crucified by his Enemies and that he was buried and rose again according to the Scriptures And we believe He is now ascended on High and exalted at the Right-hand of the Father for evermore and that he is glorified with the same Glory that the had before the World was and that even the same that came down froâ⦠Heaven is ascended up to Heaven and the same that descended is he that ascended And we believe Even that he that was dead is alive and lives for evermore and that he cometh and shall come
again to judge the whole World wiââ 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 ãâã 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 ãâã ãâã are shut out by him before they were born into the World but unto all men is a Vââ¦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 ââ¦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 thââ true Judgment and Justice will be
Truth so well agreed that it is possible to wrong us both ãâã ãâã c. pag. 4. Rep. That he wronged me it appears in his not relating all that I said ãâã the Dispute the Ground of this Quarrel not by half and more I kâ⦠and in relating more then himself spoke by far And let sober men judge ââ¦ther he did not here wrong me in relating a thing that passed between us ãâã relating much more then ever he spoke and much less then I spoke if the truth of that Matter were it wrong or right Matter and my self also be not by this kind of Doctrine wronged I appeal to all honest People whilst both he and I ãâã silent so the False-Dealing and Wrong in his first Book is upon him still according to my Charge unremoved And the Lye in this his last Book in that he saith I say Falsly when I have spoken the Truth which is a Lye in the highest degree in saying when I spokâ the truth That I spoke Falsly and his Proof in that the Truth and I do not agree is because I said in my first The Saints have no need of Scriptures to teach them but the Spirit of the Father leadeth and teacheth into all Truth Rep. My words are justifiable for It is the Spirit that leadeth into all Truth John 16. and the Saints need no man to teach them but they have the Aââinting within them and they know all things by the Unction 1 John and the Spirit of the Father is given them by which the Scriptures were given forth And the Lord is the Teacher of his People and they need not any to say to them Know the Lord Ier. 31. Ye they that witness this do not make the Scripture of none effect but own it in its place yet not as their Teacher for then they should deny the new Covenant Ier. 31. and then something besides the Spirit leads into Truth and they have something to teach them besides the Anointing but if this be all the Proof that can be given against me That I and the Truth do not agree I doubt not but âll Spiritual men will see the Emptiness and Weakness of the Witness against me and will be more confirmed rather then shaken that I and the Truth do fully agree though P. T. speaks otherwise falsly against me and as if I had contradicted the Apostles words which he quotes against me who saith Whatsoever things were written afore time were written for our learning which Scripture I do own and no way contradict it s the Error of his Judgment which so judgeth for even they for whom the things that were written were for their learning yet they were led into all Truth by the Teachings of the Spirit and they were taught of the Father and what was written to them was not written because they knew not Truth or to teach them Truth 1 Iohn 2. 21. let him learn what this means The next thing he notes is whereas I said I then proved meaning at the Dispute bâ⦠Scriptures That some were perfect in this life 1 Cor. 2. 5. even perfect without sin John 1. 47. 1 John 3. 7. And to gainsay this he hath brought 2 John 1. 8. If ãâã say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us and saith he Who speaks truth in this E. B. or the Apostle as if I had spoken contrary to the Apostle Solomon also saith he tell us There is not a Iust Man upon Earth that doth good and sinneth not which also he brings as a Witness against what I have affirmed Rep. It s true I held forth a state of Perfection to be waited for and attained ââto upon Earth and I am not ashamed of my Principle neither is it found too light For that Scripture 1 Cor. 2. 5. doth testifie that some were perfect upon Earth in the dayes of the Apostles and if they were so the same is to be waited for and witnessed in this Age for the Hand of the Lord is not shortened And that Scripture 1 Iohn 3. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not and ãâã is born of God doth not commit sin vers 6 9. doth clearly manifest there is a âââte upon Earth free from sin wherein Power is received and felt over all Temptations and over the Devil even such an estate That the Wicked One canââ¦ââch such that are born of God and this was the thing I held forth and do vindiââ¦e against all Opposers That the Saints may wait for and witness upon Earth to have power over sin and over its Temptations and free from the committing of sin by the Power of the second Adam living and dwelling in thââ And thus must thou believe P. T. or else thou believest not Scripture âââ that any are born of God or abide in Christ if thou believest not that tâ⦠confess thou errest in Judgment who art unbelieving of what the Scriptâ⦠bears witness of Therefore tell me plainly if thou believest That there ââ¦y that are born of God and abide in Christ then must thou believe ãâã do not commit sin elâe thou deniest the Scripture And what I held forth herein I do not contradict the Apostle nor Solomon's words for its true the Apostle said If we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves but art thou so blind that thou dost not see he speaks there of a state before Confession of Sins and the words saith the Apostle If we confess our Sins he is faithful and just to forgive us ãâã Sins and to cleanse us from all Unrighteousness so I do agree with the Apostle's words and do not contradict them For I do say If any say they have no sin before they do confess their sin and forsake their sin and be cleansed from it I do say they are Lyars and the Truth not in them and I also say If that after a maâ hath confest his sin and be cleansed from it and hath his sin forgiven him and witnesseth that he is born of God and does not commit sin I say he ãâã the Truth also and the Truth is in him And though Solomon did say There is not a just man upon Earth that doth good and sins not yet is my affirmation true notwithstanding for Solomon forgat the Lord and his Heart went after many strange Women and became a Transgressor and in that state did not know the Birth born of God which doth not commit Sin for he was but under the Administration of the Law which doth not make perfect as pertâ⦠to the Conscience and peradventure in that state he being erred from God he did not see any that did not sin These things will be plain to some though perhaps thou mayst shut thine eye against them and Solomen was not our Example in Conversation I am sure nor hardly in Doctrine And thus I ãâã weighed thy Text which thou seemest to say before I have not weighed and my Principles are proved sound and
The Qââkers-Rounds c. ãâã ãâ¦ã Answer called Something of Truth Made Manifest in Opposition to a False ãâã c and then his second Book called Some Principles of Eâw Burrâ⦠ãâã and then this my last let them be all read in order and soââ¦ly by ãâ¦ã not satisfied about the matter and I doubt not but thereby you may ãâã who is in the Truth and who is in the Error and they may fee that ãâ¦ã he hath not faithfully answered but pass'd by many material particulârs ãâ¦ã something hath no way seem'd to clear himself of what I have truly ãâã ãâã on him but he remains under the guilt of my Charge and to the Lighâ ãâã ãâã in every mans Coâscience and to all whose Judgments are thereby ãâã ãâã refer my self to ãâã judged and what I have written I leave to be judgââ And divers other things there are held forth by Philip Tâ⦠ãâã ãâã have said little to but they are recorded as his Principles among a â⦠ber of the Priests and Professors in a Book answered to go abroad called ãâã Priests and Prossââs Principles ãâã the Quaker ' s Answer to them wâ⦠ãâ¦ã desire further to he satisfied may in reading many hundred of particular ãâ¦ã and affirmations of Doctrine held forth by Preaching and Print by the ãâ¦ã which are ansââ¦d ãâã the Error of them shown to which I refer ãâã ãâ¦ã to know more if what I have here written be not enough For the â⦠tion of Truth is my Crown and Life over all the World London the 20th of the 7th Moneth 1658. Edward Burrâ⦠A TESTIMONY Against a Great Idolatry COMMITTED And a True Mourning Of the Lord's Servant ãâã the many Considerations of his Heart upon that Occasion of the great stir about an Image made and carried from ãâ¦ã Place to another happening the 23th day of the 9th Moneth IT came to pass and happened that being at Kingston upon Thames the the 22th day of the ninth Moneth it was ordered the next Morning that I came from thence to London and as I entred in at Charing-Cross I beââld a very great Multitude of People gathering together and thronging and pressing exceedingly and the whole Streets were filled from one side to the other upwards and downwards so far as I could see with abundance gazing forth at every Window and upon the Belconies and House-tops and the Glass was ââ¦d down for people to look out into the Streets and an exceeding number of people there was all the Streets so thronged that I thought it could not be possible that any more could throng in or pass by and there were Guards of Souldiers both of Horse and Foot and they stayed me and stopped my Horse and said I might not pass that way neither indeed could I well by reason of the throng of people and I stay'd a very little but presently passed back another way in a kind of wondering at this great stir I found in my way and I beheld all spirits of people were up in a Wonderment and Admiration and gazing they were and hurrying as if some marvellous and great thing had happened to them or were to be seen by them and I felt the spirits of Men Women and Children were all on Fire and they were in an admiring frame and in a condition not usual And as I passed along I turned in my Mind to see of the Lord what this thing might be and what might be the End of it and why was this gathering and running and thronging of Multitudes in this manner and in this frame and presently upon consideration I perceived that a dead Image and invented Picture would be carry'd that way and that all this pressing and stir and the gathering of this great Multitude was only to see and behold a dead Image without life or breath and then my spirit was grieved and my soul was vexed within me and it run through me Vanity Vanity Folly and Madness What is all this setting of Guards gathering of people in such thronging Multitudes and pulling down the Glass and gazing of Men Women and Children high and low rich and poor people of all sorts that were come together Is all this wondering of people and inflaming of spirits in this admiring mood Is all this said I but to see a dead invented Image of Wood or Wax arrayed and decked with some foolish Inventions Said my spirit Oh Abominable Oh Idolatry Oh Folly and Vanity and my life was grieved What is all this preparation of people in this wondering frame but to behold an Image carried and to see simple foolish people following after it in their Idolatrous Robââ and Gestures such who had invented it and been at cost with it And then my spirit was burdened and the very smell of Idolatry and Abomination entred upon me and the weight of all this Iniquity came into me and vexed the Righteous and the very sence of this Abomination seized upon my Life and I felt the burden of their so great Wickedness the making the Image I felt a burden and all the foolish Circumstances about it for many dayes and the peoples Folly and Madness that so gathered and pressed to behold it and so wondred after it was a burden to me and they that carry'd it in their foolish gestâââ All this is Iniquity and Abomination said my spirit and I was loaden therewith and said Certainly the Judgments of God will meet with this Work and the Lord will be avenged because of it and their Souls should once feel the burden of it with Terror as mine at this present And it came into me It might be some would be wounded or pressed to Death or some Wickedness would come out of this Wickedness that the Anger of the Lord might break forth and smite such as were the Foundation of this sinful Abomination and my spirit had a deep sence of the greatness and sinfulness of this high and mighty Idolatry and it wounded me and made me sad But immediately from that temper on a very sudden my spirit was changed and I was filled with the Indignation of the Lord God against this Image and this stir about it his Plagues and Fury and Fire run through me to cry Plagues Plagues and Vengeance against them because of this Abomination And I found my spirit set on fire with the very Power of God rising in me against this Idolatry that if I had been moved to it and it had been possible to have done it I could have ridden through the Guards and over the Multitude to have sounded the Judgments of God and his Woes amongst them and through them and I could then have engaged the loss of my life that the Lord might have been revenged upon this Image and Image-Makers and Image-Followers and Image-Wonderers after that my Soul might be freed from its present burden through this grleâ⦠Wickedness Said I What silly foolish blind ignorant people are these What a power hath the Devil over
all Nations since the dayes of the true Churches and holy Apostles And know ye That we are none of all the many Sects nor of the divers Wayes and formal Worshippers that are but in the Imitations fiegned of what the Saints of old spoke and performed in the Power and Spirit of God which hath been spoken and practized by all the divers Sects and false Churches without the Spirit Power and Life that was in the Apostles so that all Religion hath been and the Profession and Practice thereof for many Ages but as the floating of a broken Vessel upon the Waters driven with the several Winds wanting Anchor and skilful Marriners which have not carried to perfect Rest the Hope of Eternal Life But know ye that now at last through our long and wearied Travels and after all our tedious Seekings and our zealous Practises and Profession in Christianity performed by us while Darkness covered us and the Earth hath the Lord set us safe upon the Rock Christ Jesus upon whom the Church of Christ firmly standeth and the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against and he hath made our Habitation sure upon the Mountain of his House which is established upon the top of the Mountains whereunto we now are gathered and rest in a certain hope and tried confidence and doth view the whole World and the state of all Mankind and measureth the times and seasons thoroughout Generations and the state of the Church we perfectly know by the inspiration of the Almighty her estate before the Apostles dayes and in the Apostles dayes and since the Apostles dayes and her increase and decrease and estate since the beginning of the World till now and at this present time to us is certainly known by the Spirit of Jesus and the Light of the Lamb which now is risen upon our Mountain and shines in our Habitations And first we certifie you as for the many false Sects and Churches so called and many of the divers worshippers and separated forms of Churches risen up since the Apostles dayes from the least of them to the greatest we have searched and examined and are not fully satisfied but rather the contrary that they are perfectly sound in the Faith but rather degenerated from the Power Spirit and Life that was in the Apostles and among the true Churches before the Apostacy and we have sought out their first original and root and we find they fall short of the true Church and the Apostles first in respect of time many Generations and also in respect of life and power and purity and they want the spirit and dominion and Government that the true Churches and Apostles possessed and we certainly believe they are many of them come up and risen in a dark Night long since the dayes of the Apostles while the Sun was yet unrisen and while the Mountains of Ignorance Blindness and Wickedness covered the face of the Earth and the Clouds of Darkness remained upon the face of the whole Heavens and while yet the Man-child remains in God being caught up to him and the Woman lodged in the desolate Wilderness being thither fled because of the great red Dragon And we believe not that any of them are the Lambs Wife lawfully joyned to him neither are they the Virgin in which there is no spot nor the Spouse truly in election to Christ the Bridegroom for we have had controversie with them this divers years and weighed them and measured them in the ballance of equity and they appear to us not to be of a true descent from that Vine into which true Church was planted but their original may be of a latter race And to say no more of them we certainly know they are foully spotted and have not the favour nor parts nor garments of a Virgin and Christ the Bridegroom they have deeply wronged for many false Sects have risen out of the great Whore the mother of Harlots who hath been in open and secret Fornication ever since the days of the Apostles and such are her off-spring and not of the true Seed elect which is heir by right of the inheritance of Life eternal the Kingdom which hath no end And for as much as the Church of Rome hath openly pleaded as we have heard and some of your Members also to our faces that she is indeed the true Church and she alone and none besides and that you can fetch your original by line truly from the Apostles and Church of the Saints and are not degenerated in any particular of Faith Doctrine nor Practise from the Life and Power and Government and Spirit which was among the true Church and in the Apostles These things with others the like have we heard of you and concerning you by many And now because the Lord hath put it into our hearts to have controversie with you and to seek out perfectly your original and to justifie you or condemn you accordingly and having the certain infallible Spirit of the Lord God to try all things we are purposed in the Lord to visit you and to examine to the Foundation your rise and first beginning from whence you come by descent and what you truly are in your present Estate and whether you be indeed the true Church and have the true Spirit or whether you are otherwise that all the World may be satisfied and more perfectly know the full Truth concerning the Church of Rome and your Seed and Root we will examine and your Birth and Original we will search out and your Faith and Worship and whole Religion we will lay to the Line of true Judgement to justifie you or condemn you eternally for the Saints shall judge the World and your Garments shall be stripped off and your Secrets discovered and your whole Body and Members made fully manifest that the very truth of all things may appear and be embraced and the Whoredoms of the whole Earth may be laid open that the Just and the Innocent that hath long lain groaning in great Captivity may be delivered from under all Bonds of Oppressions Whoredoms and Iniquities and this will the Eternal God by us speedily bring to pass amongst you Wherefore thou Pope greatly admired and highly exalted and to all thy Cardinals Friers Iesuits and Priests and all other Officers under thee I am moved of the Lord God of Heaven and Earth who is the only Holiness and highest of all by this Message to visit you requiring you and charging you in the Name and Authority of the Dreadfull and Mighty God before whom all men and Nations are as nothing in comparison but may be turned at his pleasure and dashed to pieces by his Mighty Hand and unto whom all the Sons of Adam in the World must give an Account and as you will answer it to him iâ his dreadful Day of Judgment and Vengeance and as you love and will obey your God and Christ whom you profess and serve and as you would honour your God and
tell us plainly Are you Redeem'd from Pâ⦠ãâã are you such as oppress the Seed as Pharoah did And tell us who was the Inâ⦠of ââ¦our Images and who was the Former of all your graven Images ãâã not they all invented and come up since the Apostles dayes which ye have ãâ¦ã and what is Purgatory and from what had it its rise and original ãâã what ground have you out of Scripture for such a doctrine And what is the ãâã of Faith and what 's Faith and what doth it give victory over and what ãâ¦ã it over come and what is the âaiâ that hath bin spread over all Nations and ãâã is the Mountain of the House of God and what are those Mountains the ãâ¦ã shall seek to cover themselves under and what are those Mountains that people expect Salvation from in vain and did not Iohn come to throw down the ââ¦ins and what are the Mountains that he came to throw down and what is the Valley he came to raise up answer us And what is the Sword of the Spirit and whether have ye the Sword of the spirit and the Spiritual Armour and what is youâ Church defended and upââ¦d by Spiritual Weapons or Carnal are not your Goals carnal Weapons ãâã your Inquisitions and your killing people aboue Religion are not all these ãâã Weapons and had ever the Church of Christ such Weapons answer ãâ¦ã plainly And do you not expect the Lord will suddenly plead with you and are not ãâã them that put off the Day of the Lord and cause the Seat of Violence to come near and are not ye them that have Eyes but see not Earâ but hear ãâã Hearts and understand not and is not your Eye blind that should see God's Presence and your Ears stopped that should hear his Voice ând have ãâã heard his Voice and seen his Shape if you have what is he like answer ãâã And what is his Word and where doth it dwell in your hearts or is it without you and can any thing without you purifie you and take away sin ãâã of your Hearts and must not Christ be within and what are the Fruits and Signs and Marks of a Saint and why do you go Pilgrims to visit ãâã Bones what is the reason of it and who was the first that ââtuted it ãâã what is the meaning of your holy Water give us Scripture for all these ãâ¦ã ces or else the Power of the Lord will tear you to pieces and lay open ãâã Foundation and none that love God can joyn unto you And can any oâ ãâ¦ã pardon Sin truly that it shall never more be remembred and are not ãâ¦ã sins remembred with the Light in your Consciences sometimes and is there ãâã a Light in your Consciences that doth convince you tell me plainly And whether do you own That Christ hath lightened every one that coâ⦠into the World and what is the Light and do you know Christ as ãâã ãâã before Abraham and have you seen his Day as Abraham did and what ãâ¦ã Day of Christ doth the Carnal Eye see it give us your Knowledge and ãâã Judgment in all these things and lay down your Principles at full and ãâ¦ã by the Scriptures what you hold and profess if you would have any to ãâ¦ã your Religion otherwise renounce your Church and come out of â⦠What is Babylon and the Mother of Harlots and what is spirituââ ãâ¦ã and Sâdom where Christ is crucified and what is the Whore and what ãâ¦ã flesh that has stain'd the Earth and what is the Fire that must consume her ãâ¦ã Many are jealous concerning you that you are not the true Church ãâ¦ã you have drunk of the Whore's Cup who hath made all Nations drunk ãâ¦ã if that time be come that she hath made all Nations drunk then how ãâ¦ã clear your selves being Nations and Multitudes of People To ãâã these ãâ¦ã I expect your speedy Answer And what is the Death that hath raigned over all and how is Man recâ⦠out of it and when and what are the Gates of Hell and what is ãâã ãâã that they cannot prevail against and whether your Church may never ãâã ãâã vailed against and whether they be not your Inquisitions Stakes and â⦠and killing people that do principally defend your Church and if yââ ãâ¦ã cease your Inquisitions and killing those you call Hereticks whether ãâ¦ã not you be prevail'd against by many other Sects Lay away yoâ⦠perâ⦠of People that you call Hereticks and do not deaf with them after the ãâ¦ã which you have done by Inquisitions and such like and only by sound ãâ¦ã guments and the Power of the Spirit defend your Religion And dare you suffer a certain number of us to come among you and pââ¦ch what we hold and a certain number of you shall freely come among us ãâã freely preach what you hold without Persecution or any Violence as we would expect and have the same from you engage man for man with us and ãâã no otherwise deal with ours then we deal with yours and take the free liberty to deal with our men as we deal with your men but no otherwise and ãâã each of the Messengers preach and hold forth what they would have and whââ they really hold and believe and convert the most either of them can to theiâ own Religion and then let all the World see which have the Power and Spirit of God with them and whether your Ministers or our Ministers do turn the more people from you to us or from us to you and send your Answer whether you will agree to the Premises and if you do send your Messengers when you pleaââ and we will engage in the Lord their Persons shall not be harmed but if they were then take Man for Man Life for Life of our Men sent to you and let that God be the true God that appeareth in most Power and Authority and let him be worshipped forever whose Power converts the most to the knowledge of him out of Wickedness and let that Church be the tâ⦠Church which cannot be overcome And as you are willing to be made manifest joyn issue with us in this business and propound your own time when the men shall return and whether the continuance of the Matter be for Dayes Moneths or Years and let each of the men return without harm of Person and this will be a way truly to try and make manifest all things to all the World and whether you or we be in the right Way and of the right Church and use ãâã ãâã Weapon against us but the foundest Arguments you can by words according to the Scriptures and the same Weapons we will use against you ãâ¦ã other but the Authority of the Spirit of God and Arguments thereby ãâã shall be according to the Scriptures the Apostles Writings and the ââ¦ony of the true Church And hereby in the sight of the whole World let your Church and Faith ãâã Principles and Practices
and persecuting of the Persons and Consciences of People about Worship Church and Miniââry for in these things and by these Weapons you have defended the Whore ãâã through the force of your violent Laws and cruel Impositions unjustly laid ãâã people hath the Whore the false church been carried by you and deââ¦ded by you But lay aside all your cruel Weapons and not persecute nor ãâã nor shed the Blood of the Servants of the Lord by unjust Laws nor limit not the Spirit of God from crying against Babylon and reproving her Iniquities for these things have you done in defence of the Whore for you ââve been the Carriers of her the Defenders and Preservers of her by your ââ¦ighteous Laws and through you hath she sate as a Queen thinking she ãâã never see sorrow because ye have defended her and taken part with her and caused Nations to drink her Cup for you have been the Executors of her pleasure to compel the Nations to commit Idolatry and to partake of ãâã Fornications and you give her authority to drink the Blood of all that would not drink her Cup and it is now time for you to forsake these your wayes and to learn Wisdom from the Lord that you may rule in Righteousâ⦠amongst men as men but not to be Rulers in Christ's Throne nor his Kingdom by imposing such a Worship and such a Religion upon people's Consciences and to destroy and kill all that will not thus worship to your Image and bow according to your Prescription this you ought not to do ãâã the Lord never intrusted you with this power nor made you Rulers in his Kingdom nor to sit in his Throne of Conscience for while you have done ãâã your Authority has been from the Dragon and not from the Lamb. And now this the Lord required of you Let Conscience go free and rule not over the ãâã Man for while you do take that upon you to force such a Worship and such a Religion upon people contrary to the Spirit of God you are but Serâ⦠to the great Whore Wherefore be warned for this is an invitation of Love Righteousness Truth and just Judgment Mercy and Peace unto you that you may know what the Mind of the Lord is unto you and may do it and rule for God and not for man upon which dependeth the happiness and well-being of a Natiââ and Nations and their Rulers and on the contrary dependeth their overthrow and destruction and this will speedily be brought to pass ãâ¦ã fore come out of Babylon and deliver your selves from that bondage ãâ¦ã with the false Church hath bound you she hath caused you to drink hee ãâ¦ã and you have been made drunk with her false Faith and Doctrines and Prâ⦠and ye have compelled Nations to Drink the same Cup of Abominatioâ⦠ye have executed cruelty and injustice upon all that would not and yââ ãâ¦ã been Servants to the great Whore and being in Bondage your selâ⦠ãâ¦ã have brought all in bondage under you but now the Lord is ãâ¦ã Times and Things and Powers and happy are you if you dâliver your ãâ¦ã and let the Oppressed go free in so doing if ye fulfil this my Râ⦠and do the Will of the Lord herein then Blessings and Peace Eternal ãâ¦ã if ye be disobedient and take part continually with the Whore yâ ãâ¦ã partake of her Judgments And this hath the Lord spoken to you ãâ¦ã the Day of Vengeance ye shall confess that you are warned By a Friend to the whole Creation that waits for the Redemption thereof Edward Burroughs AN ACCOUNT Of some Grounds and Reasons OF THE INNOCENT SUFFERINGS Of the People of God called QUAKERS And why they Testifie against the Vain Customs and Practices of the World Presented to the PARLIAMENT in the Year 1659. Also concerning a Great Cry up and down the Nation That the Quakers Meetings must be Broken and Suppressed and that this present Parliament intends to do it With a CRY of Great Judgment and Vengeance upon the Wicked near to be Executed as it was received from the Lord into his Servant FRIENDS IT may seem strange unto you as it doth unto others to hear that so many of our Friends should be cast into Prisons there being few Goals or Houses of Correction in England to which some of them have not been âommitted and you partly know how many of them are this day in Bonds ând it is no less strange to us that such frequent and heavy Sufferings for matâers of Conscience should come upon us and our Brethren who for the âost part have been Instruments with you and others for casting off that Yoke ãâã Oppression which at the beginning of the late Wars lay upoâ the Hoââ¦est People of this Land which made many flee into strange Nations and to ââ¦eek Habitations in the Deserts but we wonder the more that they should come ârom those we accounted our Friends that so much have pretended the Liberty of Conscience and many of themselves practized the same things for which we now suffer May we not ask What hath been done by our Friends What Laws are these which they have broken Whose Persons or Possessions have they wronged What Force or Violence have they used to any man Have you found them in Plots or guilty of Sedition or making Resistance against Authority Have they not patiently born the greatest Sufferings that any People of this Nation ever lay under since Queen Mary's dayes without Murmurings and Discontents And when have they fought to revenge themselves or troubled you or others to be repaired for those many Injuries and false Imprisonments which they have endured How have they been counted as Sheep for the Slaughter persecuted and despised beaten stoned wounded stocked whipped haled out of the Synagogues and cast into Dungeons and noysom Vaults where many of them have dyed in Bonds shut up from their Friends denyed needful Sustenance for several days together not suffered to have Pen Ink or Paper and when they have lain there many Moneths and some of them Years denyed a Legal Tryal continued from Sessions to Assizes and from one Assize to another and no Equity to be found from judge or Justice If it be answered to us They are common Disturbers of Ministers they will not pay Tythes they will not Swear they will not put off their Hats they travel up and down from one Country to another without a Magistrate's Pass and on the First dayes to Meetings at great distance they will not pay Fee when they are brought ââto Cââ¦ts nor plead in the Forms there used nor give Security to keep the Peace or to be of the Good Behaviour when the Iustices require it And we have Laws or Customs that require these things should be done It is forgotten what was one of the great Causes of our late Wars the Sufferings that then were imposed and lay upon many for matters of Conscience And was it not a chief Pretence of the
hearts and it was that Light that gave them the Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God but thou hast discovered thy self to be a Stumbler at the stumbling-stone and hath taken offence at the Light like the Pharisees who professed the Scriptures as the Priests of England do but were ignorant of the Life the end of the words and knew not Christ the Substance but the Stone at which you stumble will break you to pieces and grind you to powder even Christ the Light of the World that lighteth every man that cometh into the World That the Soul is a part or measure of God as they speak and not a part of man but uncreated and so is that Light which is in every one Answ. The Soul is immortal and God is immortal for God breathed into man the Breath of Life and he became a Living Soul as saith the Scripture and the Soul is related to God for what a man works against God it is against his own Soul for all Sin is against God and against a man's own Soul And God who hath all Souls in his hand who is the Creator and gave Life into the Soul that is immortal and can never die though Death hath passed over it and hath reigned over all from Adam till Moses and Christ is the Light of the World that gives Life unto the Soul and he raiseth up the Soul out of Death and Misery and brings the Soul to rejoyce in God its Saviour and Christ is the Souls Bishop its Pastor and Feeder and who knows Christ knows him that was before the World was made and sees to the beginning and to the ending and his Soul rests in God that is over all That the Light in the Heathen who never heard that Iesus Christ died at Jerusalem is the same for the quality of it with that which is in the most godly Person onely there is a difference in the quantity And men are reconciled to God by following of it This Light they say is the sure Word of Prophesie and that it is sufficient to lead out of all Sin unto God Answ. The Testimony of Iohn is that Christ is the Light that lighteth every mân that cometh into the World and if every man then the Heathen who hath not the relation of Christ's Life and his Death at Ierusalem yea and it is the same Light that is in the Heathen the same in nature and kind as it is in the Saints for the Comforter the Spirit of Truth is one in it self and the same though it comforteth the Saints and reproveth the World and the Wicked for their sins And men are reconciled to God by Christ for he was in God reconciling to himself and none are reconciled but who walk in the Light and follows it for who walks in the Light the Blood of Christ cleanseth them ãâã all Siâ and they are reconciled and none else And the Word of God is in the Heart as the Scripture saith Deut. 30. Rom. 10. and that is the Word of Prophesie and that Word is sufficient to lead out of all Sin unto God if men believe in Jesus and receiveth him and the Spirit of Truth leadeth into all Truth all that follow it That Christ as man is not in Heaven yea that he hath ceased to be man and conseqââ¦ly to be Mediator and when I told them he should come in the Clouds in like ãâã as he ascended and that at his coming the Elements melteth one of their ãâã told me that the Clouds were scattered and the Elements melted in him Answ. Christ Jesus is ascended into Heaven and sits at the right Hand of the Father yea he is ascended far above all Heavens as saith the Scripture But that is utterly false whereas thou sayest we say he ceased to be man that is ây Lye and so I pass it And we believe according to the Scriptures that ãâã shall come in like manner as he ascended and at his coming the Elements shall melt And it is not error for a man to say the Clouds are scattered and ââe Elements melted in him for Clouds are Darkness and covers the face of the Sun many times as thou mayest behold in the Firmament But Darkness is yet over thy Heart and the Elements are not melted away and therefore thou art in thy Imaginations putting Light for Darkness and Darkness for Light and calling Evil Good and Good Evil. That the Bodies of Men shall never rise again after death and that the day of Iudgement is come already and that now the Saints do judge the World Answ. We do believe the Resurrection according to the Scriptures For if onely in this Life we have Hope we were of all men most miserable And we believe that the Dead shall arise again after death and every one shall receive according to the Deeds done in the Body they that have done Evil shall arise to Eternal Condemnation and they that have done Good to Eternal Salvation in the day of Judgement And the Lord cometh with and in ten thousand of his Saints to judge the World and the Saints upon Earth do receive the Spirit of Judgement and do judge the World even all things for the spiritual Man judgeth all things even in this present Age if thou canst receive it thou mayest They are utterly against Water-Baptism and administring of the Lord's Supper with Bread and Wine because they say they have the Substance of all within Answ. As for Baptism and the Supper of the Lord we do own it and it is practiced of us in the Life and Power of God but as for your Baptism that is to say sprinkling of Infants calling it the Baptism into the Faith and that they are made Members of the Church thereby and that it is a Seal of Regeneration as you say in your Common-Prayer-Book and Directory that we do utterly deny and do say it is no Ordinance of God neither was it ever commanded by him or practiced by his Saints but is an Institution of the Whore of Rome and England received it by a Popish Institution and your practice of it is Idolatry and not any part of the true Worship of God And as for your breaking Bread and drinking Wine in that manner and form as it is practiced in the Church of England among the Unconverted and Unregenerated that we utterly deny also to be of God or to be ever commanded of him or practiced by his Saints and this is neither Heresie nor Error in us but true bearing witness against your Idolatrous Wayes and Practices with which the Nations are deceived whom the Whore causeth to drink her Cup even all people have drunk her Cup and she hath drunk the Blood of them that would not and she hath long sate upon Nations Peoples and Multitudes but now she is made bare and discovered and all you her false Ministers And whereas the Author doth say These are some of the
which hath been of the false Woman and not of the Elect Spouse that is married to the Lamb. 6. That forcing and compelling of Persons by any outward Law and Authority to be of such or such a Religion and to conform to such a Way of Worship is the Worship of the Beast and of the Whore and not the Worship of God and to kill and persecute Persons for the exercise of Conscience and because they will not be of such a Religion and cannot conform to such Worship is of the Devil and the Dragon and not of God nor according to him and that your Church herein is not Successor of the Apostles and the true Church of Christ but is of the Beast and the Whore which Iohn saw was to come in his time and which we see are come in our dayes and have ruled for Generations and I affirm that Persons so made conformable by force and violent Laws to such a Religion and Worship are but two-fold more the Children of the Devil and are not at all converted to God thereby but becomes Idolaters whom God will judge 7. That none upon Earth are true Members of the true Church of Christ having a portion in the Inheritance of Eternal Life but such who are gathered out of the World by the preaching of the Gospel and are changed and renewed by the Power of the Lord God in the Heart and are led by his Spirit within them into all Truth and are joyned unto Christ the Head and gathered into the Eternal Unity of the Infinite Body by the same Spirit and Aâointing dwelling in them and of such onely doth the true Church of Christ consist now in this present time as it did in the Apostles dayes but of such Members doth not your Church consist in this present Age neither is it in the Order and Government of the Spirit of Truth but in the Form without the Power therein was its beginning and its standing at this day 8. That the time is at hand and the Day of the Lord draws near and the fulâess of time is approaching wherein great Babylon shall be thrown down and fall to the Ground and the Lord will be avenged on her and will render Judgâents unto her and the Beast and Whore and false Prophets unto whom the Kingdoms of the World have been subject shall be taken and cast alive into the Lake and the Devil and Satan shall deceive the Nations no more but the Kingdoms of this World shall be changed and become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ whose Kingdom shall be revealed in Power and great Glory in the hearts of his Chosen And the Church of Rome and all the false Sects and Churches upon the Earth will the Lord God overthrow and his true Church shall be gathered out of the Wilderness and the Beauty of new Ierusalem of the holy Church the Lamb's Wife shall be as Glorious aâ before she fled thither and before she was troden down of the Gentiles and the Lord God Almighty shall be known and his Tabernacle shall be with men These things I assert to you in the Name of the Lord and the truth thereof is certain and should be ready to argue and dispute these things with any sober Person amongst you upon equal tearms and to prove the Infalibility hereof by the Spirit of the Lord and according to the Scriptures wherefore consider of them in Patience and Meekness and believe in the Light of Christ which is in your Consciences which Christ hath lightened every man that cometh into the World withall that you may come to the knowledge of the Truth and out of all false Wayes and if any of you will return an Answer hereunto in behalf of your whole Body and can be able to clear your selves in Writing from what is charged upon you it shall be gladly received by me and a Reply iâ Meekness returned to you for the further mânifestation of Truth that Truth and Righteousness may clearly appear and be embraced and all Deceit and and false wayes of Antichrist may be confounded and denyed and who are in the Truth shall be confirmed and who are in the Error may have Warning now in the Day of the World's Visitation The Lord is coming to Judgment who will judge the Secrets of all Hearts and the whole World in Equity Dunkirk the 20th of the 3d Moneth 1659. By a Friend unto Righteousness and a Lover of all Souls E. B. These Propositions were sent to them in Latine This was sent to the chief Rector of the Jesuits Colledge in Dunkirk in Latine FRiend thy wisdom and thy knowledge is earthly and sensual and thereby canst thou not know the Things of the Kingdom of God thou canst neither learn them thy self nor teach them to others for thou art but a blind Leader of the Blind And thus saith the Lord God unto thee The Fruitless Tree is standing in thee that brings forth no Fruit unto God and the Head of the Serpent is not broken in thee that deceives the Soul nor the Body of Sin put off that burdens the Just and the Sword shall cut thee to pieces even the Sword of the Lord it shall slay thee And Friend The time is at hand that the Lord will make thee know that thou art and hast been in thy Life time a Dishonour to him and that thou hast not served him but thy self and the Devil and thy Heart is not right in his sight but is corrupt and deceitful for thou art tryed and measured and thou art found wanting in all things and God will judge thee and the Witness in thy Conscience shall answer his Judgments and all thy Idolatrous Practices and Profession of Religion and Church and Ministry thy many Prayers and thy Works of Righteousness all this shall not hide thee from the Wrath of the Lamb though now thou art hardened ând utterly unsensible yet the Stone shall fall upon thee that will grind thee to Powder and thou shalt not escape but the burden of thy own Iniquities shall weigh thee down into Perdition except thou speedily repentest Therefore fear and tremble before the Lord God and remember thou art warned by one that seeks the Peace of Souls but makes War by the Sword of the Spirit against the Kingdom of the Devil and Antichrist in whomsoever it stands And Friend answer me this one Query What is that Whore that hath sate upon Multitudes and Peoples and what is that Golden Cup in her Hand and what are the Abominations and Fornication of which her Cup is full which she hath caused the Kings and People to drink and with which she hath deceived the World Answer me this and subscribe thy Name E. B. ANd now this I have to say concerning the Church of Rome to them and to all the World as having been in a measure an eye and an ear Witness of their Idolatrous and false Wayes Practices and Doctrines never having in all my dayes
and obey his Voice and would have instructed thee in the Way that thou shouldest walk that thy Soul might live forever in Peace and Rest when this World is passed away and that in this present World he might have made thee a Blessing to thy self and Posterity and People and a Praise in thy Dominions and unto Ages after tâee if thou hadst hearkened and obeyed his Voice and chosen his Way and Counsel and not thine own and then would âe have made thine Enemies to have bowed under thee and the Force of their Policy and Arm should never have prevailed against thee and thou shalt be delivered from the Will of all that hate thee if thou yet wilt hearken unto him and receive his Instruction and set thâ heart to seek his Honour âore then thiâe own and wilt let his Counsel be thy Guide and Ruler and not vâin man which must be brought to nought even now before the Day of thy Visitation be spent never more to be re-called and the time come when God will cease to strive with thee and will not call unto thee but will leave thee to thy own heart's false Judgment and the Counsels of Treacherous Men. And Friend I as one that hath obtained Mercy from the Lord unto wâom his Word is committed being moved of him do hereby in his Presence yet once more warn thee That thou fear before him and diligently hearken to him and seek him with all thy heart that thou mayst know his Will and Câââsel concerning thee and mayst do it and âând Favour in his Sight and live and now is the Day that his Hand is stretched forth unto thee to make thee a Blessing or to leave thee a Curse forever and the Dayes of thy Visitation are near an end when God will no more call unto thee nor hear thee ãâã ãâã the the Day of thy Trouble thou callst to him neither will answer theeby Vision nor Dream nor Prophets but will leave thee to the counsels of Trââ¦us men who will seek after thy Life and wait for thy Over-throw and ãâã for Evil against thee that they may glory in thy Desolation and such thâââ are of whom thou hast need to beware and if thou rejectest the Counsel of the Lord and followest the Desires of thine own Heart and the Wills of men and wilt not have the Light of the World Christ Jesus only to rule thee and to teach thee which condemns all Evil then shall Evil surely fall upon thee if thou lovest not the Light in thee which condemns it and the Judgâââts of God nor the Day of his last Visitation with Vengeance thou mayst not escape Therefore consider and mark my words and let this Counsel be acceptable unto thee thââ thy dayes may be many and Blessed upon Earth and âââst consider and let it move upon thee to Meekness to Humbleness and to fear before the Lord assuredly knowing that it is he that changeth times and things and that bringeth down and setteth up whomsoever he will and how that thou wast raised from a low estate and set over all thine Enemies and thy ãâã was exalted above them all and he gave thee the Necks of Princes to ãâã ãâã and more Honourable and their Dominions to inâârit and thou wast ãâã a Ruler in much Dominion and had Favour in his Sight and in the âight of many people who wished well to thee for a Blessing many Victories honorââââ and remarkable were given unto thee over them who had exalted themselves against God and this thou knowest That not by Might nor by Multitude ãâã by the Arm of the Lord were they subdued and made a Pâey unto thee and their Treasures a Spoil unto thy Hands and so it was that thou mightest have glorified him forever and exalted him in the great Congregation and gone on in Faithfulness unto the End and in that day when thou wast raised up when the Fear of the Lord was before thy face and thy Heart was towards him and thou wast but little in thy own eyes then was it well with thee and the Lord blessed thee and made thee honourable and his People had love towards thee and desire for thee that thou mightest have been as a Helper to the Poor and a Father to the Faithful and a Preserver of the Upright from Unreasonable Men and an Easer of the Oppressed and a Taker away of every Oppressive Bond and it was not once thought concerning thee that the hands of the Ungodly would have been strengthened against the Righteous under thee or that such grievous and cruel Burdens and Oppressions would ever have been laid upon the Just and acted against them in thy Name and under thy Dominion as unrighteously have come to pass in these three years as a large Testimony might be given and this thy suffering of such things is thy Transgression and thou hast not requited the Lord well for his Goodness unto thee nor fulfilled his Will in suffering that to be done under thee and in thy Name which the Lord raised thee against to break down hadst thou been faithful to the end Again consider and let it move on thy Heart not to exalt thy self nor to be high minded but to fear continually knowing that thou standest not by thy self but by another and that he is able to abase thee and give thee into the will of thy Enemies whensoever he will and how the Lord hath preserved thee sometimes wonderfully and doth unto this day from the murderous Plots and crafty Policy of evil Men who seek thy evil and would rejoyce in thy fall and in the Desolation of thy Family and Countries how have they and do they lay Snares for thy Feet that thou mayst be cut off from amongst men and dye unhappily and be accounted Accursed and yet to this day he hath preserved thee and been near thee to keep thee though thou hast hardly known it and the Lord's end is love to thee in all these things and yet a little longer to try thee and that thou mightst give him the Glory O that thy Heart were opened to see his Hand that thou mayst live unto him and dye in him in Peace and beware lest Hardness of Heart possess thee if thou slight his Love and so be shut up in Darkness and given to the Desires of thine Enemies and left to the Counsels of treacherous Men who may seek to exalt thee by flattery that they might the better cast thee down and destroy thee and blot out thy Name in reproach and make thy Posterity a People miserable but now O consider and let it enter into thy Heart for thou hast not answered the Lord but been wanting to him for all this and hast chosen thy own way and glory rather then his and not fulfilled his Counsel in raising thee for the Bonds of Cruelty are not loosed by thee and the Oppressed are not altogether set free neither is Oppression taken off from the Back of the
and hazarded Life and Liberty for Conscience sake to enjoy Liberty of Conscience which they cannot now possess because of thee but are cast out for the Exercise of their pure Consciences this Thing the Lord is grieved with and with thee because of it For thou didst not obtain this Victory of Peace and Freedom by thy own Sword then why should it be thus improved to thy own Ends Consider of it for this makes the Nations more unhappy and less blessed when such who delight in true Justice and Judgment are cast out of their Places and so deprived of giving their Judgment among men and absolutely this will make thy Army less prosperous and more unblessed when such who fear the Lord and against whom thou canst not justly charge Evil are cast out and despised and this in time thou mayst see to thy Sorrow And as thy Friend I âay this before thee and do in plainness tell thee If thou thus utterly denyst the People of God in the day of thy Prosperity and thus wholy cast them out of thy service they cannot stand by thee nor own thee in the day of thy Trouble and such as thou cleavest unto may be a broken Staff in thy time of need Ah Friend these things do shew that thy heart is not right in the sight of the Lord and that Justice and true Judgment Righteousness and Truth is even despised in this Land and not sincerely owned by thee when as such who fear the Lord are thus cast out of Judicatories in thy Government and out of Defence in thy Armies What! is this the end of that long travel in Wars and of so many fair Promises of Liberty of Conscience that just Men should thus be dealt withal The Heathen Kingdoms may Mock at this that while some have pretended Liberty of Conscience are become Persecutors of such whose Consciences are justly exercised and as I have sometime said to thee much Injustice and great Oppressions and cruel Persecutions continue daily to be acted in thy name which is numbred up against thee upon account because of hiding thy Face from the Cry of the Poor as one without Bowels of Compassion unto such who have truly served with thee in a faithful Service for the Common-Wealth who many of them now are grievous Sufferers under thee Consider of these things and search what will be the End of them the Lord open thy Understanding that more of the Wisdom of God may guide thee and less of the policy and wisdom of Man which will betray thee of God's Kingdom and may in the end cast thee down in this World also E. B. The Original of this was delivered to his Hands in the Fifth Moneth 1657. FRIEND IT is upon me and also I am pressed in spirit thereunto to give thee even unto thee Oliver Protector the perfect measure of thy Dominions and how they stand in relation to thee as concerning the Affections of the people towards thee whereby thou mayst understand thy own Condition and the state of thy Government as I have viewed it in true Judgment and marked it upon serious consideration and what I write is in perfect Love unto thee however thou mayst judge of it and of these things it will be well fââ thee to consider now while it is time ere it be too late Many Enemies thou hast which watch over thee for Evil and not for Good who would Rejoyce in thy Overthrow And first There are a People scattered through all these Nations who are full of Wrath and ravening Envy towards thee in whose hearts to this day there is continual Hatred and evil Surmiââng lodgeth against thee and all thy Off-Spring and I believe without any further knowledge that daily Advantage they seek against thee by subtil Conspiracies and secret Plottings of Maliciousness in their Hearts seeking by all means if it be possible how to be revenged and not slipping any Advantage how to revenge themselves and promote their Cause and of these scattered under thy Goverment are not a few but rather the greater number who thus stand in Affections to thee with no better purpose of good towards thee then to destroy thee by any means if it were in their power and to take away thy name in Reproach such is the Cruelty and Desperateness of some of them their own lives are not dear unto them to take away thine I have felt the strength of their Rage against thee which carries them above sence or fear to fore-go any Danger that they might see their desired End of thee Their Malice towards thee is so seated in their wrathful Hearts that it cannot easily be quenched I know the Lord hath blasted them and their endeavours to this day and thou hast had Dominion and Power given thee of God to bruise and to break them to pieces for because of the Wickedness of that Generation which was grown to the full did the Lord raise thee up as a Plague upon them because of their Unrighteousness Oppression and Tyranny and they were made as Slaves and Bondmen under thy Power and without the Lord can they not at any time do any thing against thee but what and if for thy Wickedness in the Sight of God he should make them Instruments in his hand to accomplish his Wrath upon thee even like as he made thee once his Instrument to overthrow them and such hath been the Lord's Doings even to overthrow his Enemies one by the other and to use the Wicked as a Rod in his hand to break them one against another like Potsherds and by that which comes to pass in these Nations thou seemest no less then to tread in their steps and in a measure already goest on in their way in Oppressing through Tyranny or suffering it the People of God whose Cause the Lord will assuredly plead against thee one day who now suffer under thee in Patience and who can tell the Purpose of the Lord or what he may bring to pass concerning this thing in raising up the Wicked to be a Plague to Wickedness and in suffering the Oppressors to overthrow Oppressions This is by me in Love to thee in sincerity declared and by thee with Soberness and in the Fear of God it is to be considered Again there is another People scattered through all these Dominions who are not thy Friends nor Wishers well unto thee or thy Government who secretly murmer against thee and envy thee and even seek God against thee and thy Government which they judge to be not according to God and bow not to it in Love though they are forced to submit for a time hoping continually if not hatching other wayes of Rule and Government to the overthrow of thee and thine and these are more Honest and Upright and Just in the Sight of the Lord then the former and indeed they are not nor their Purposes accursed of the Lord for many of them have been Sufferers and faithfully served their Nation
moved of the Lord God of Heaven and Earth to be written for thy Instruction from Him THere is a Great and Mighty and Innumerable People come and coming up out of Egypts Land travelling towards the Land of Rest promised of the Lord ãâã them to be obtained and enjoyed by them and they do and have sojouâned Strangers in these Nations over whom thou are called to Rule and appointed ââief Governour this seven years and greatly are and have they been afflicted and oppressed and even trodden down through unjust Judgment and unrighâ⦠Dealing by the Rulers and Inhabitants of the Land and all the dayes of thy Father the late Protector they were held in great Captivity and Bondage and unrighteous men made them a Prey and laid heavy Yoaks of cruel Sâââârings upon them and daily increased their Task and something thy Father did for them in their Journey of great Distress yet but a little of what the Lord required of him and what the Lord looked for that he might have done for Pââer was in his hands given him of the Lord but he was not fully obediâââ and therefore was the Lord's Hand stretched out somewhat against him ãâã his Family and he was smitten of the Lord and suddenly taken away in Judgment for he hearkened not to the Counsel of the Lord concerning that People neither did fully relieve them from Oppression but slighted many Warâââââ from the Lord and the Day of his Visitation passed over and Death took ãâã away in Disobedience while this People were yet under great Oppressions for he left above a hundred of them in Prisons unjustly suffering for right eousness sake and not for Evil-doing and in this he fulfilled not the Will of God but left his Name and Glory somewhat stained because of these things and though the Lord chose him and shewed Love unto him gave him Power over his Enemies and made him an Instrument in his Hand to break down great Oppressions yet he was not obedient to the end to do my Will saith the Lord but left something âââone which he was truly called unto Now this innumerable People that is come and coming up as aforesaid are them called Quakers and this Egypts Land is that great Darkness Ignorance and Wickedness and false Wayes and worships in the Apostacy and fleshly bondage to sin and death which all the World and Kindreds and Multitudes that are unconverted to God live and walk in and that Land of Rest promised to which they travel is the peaceable and quiet dwelling with the Lord free from the heavy oppression of Sin and Iniquity and cruelties of men and free in the exercise of their pure Consciences by the Spirit of the Lord as it shall move and lead them into all Truth and their sojourning as Strangers is their denying and despising the World and all its glories and walking in the daily Cross of Christ whereby they are crucified to the love and respect and renown and honours of the world and are come âât of Kindreds Tongues and People counting the reproach for Christ great Riches not respecting men but the Lord altogether in all things and also their suffering unrighteously false imprisonment and spoiling of their goods for Righteousness sake this is their sojourning as Strangers And that something that thy Father did for them is he released many of them divers times out of Prifons where they were unjustly cast and he signified sometimes his displeasure against them that made them suffer and shewed love to them in hearing their Innocent Cause with some respect thereunto and that which he did not which he might have done is He took not away Tythes that Cause of great Oppression to many nor the Unrighteous Laws wholy as he ought to have done and as the Lord required of him And know thou from the Lord That this same People are the People of the Lord and beloved of him and as dear to him as the Apple of his Eye and his Presence is with them and he leads them as a Flock by his Spirit into all Truth and who shall Bless them shall be Blessed but he that acts against them shall not prosper but be smitten of the Lord for their Cause will the Lord plead in his Judgments and avenge them of their Enemies and the Dread of the Lord God shall fall heavy upon the heads of their Persecutors and though they are hated of all men and under great Afflictions yet are they a Just People and Innocent seeking the Good of all men and are Peaceable towards all and receiving all manner of Wrongs and Evil and Speakings against them by Ungodly Men but they render to no man Evil for Evil but bless them that curse and do good to their Enemies and bear all things from all men in Long-suffering and Patience for they are learned in the Practices in doing and suffering of the Holy Apostles and Prophets and are of the Seed of Abraham who was the Friend of God and they were thy Father's Friends and are not Enemies to thee nor to righteous Government but wish well unto thee in the Lord and that thou mayst not be destroyed in Wickedness but be established in Righteousness and Peace in thy Government to rule in God's Authority over all Wicked Men that may seek thy hurt And we desire for thee that the Lord may give thee Wisdom and a perfect Understanding and the Spirit of just and sound Judgment to judge Righteously in all things and to settle the Government in true Judgment that the Principle of God in every man may answer to it in defending preserving and protecting all that walk in Truth Righteousness being a Terror to all Evil-doer for for that end is Rule and Government ordained of God amongst men to be a Praise to all that do Well and a Terror to all that do Evil. And now the Lord having suffered it to be brought to pass that thou art set up in thy Father's stead to be chief Ruler amongst men this the Lord God Almighty requires of thee as thou hopest to prosper and be blessed in this Life and to enjoy Life Eternal when this World is passed away and this is the Word of the Lord God unto thee Be Humble Meek and Lowly in Heart and exalt not thy own Horn nor seek not this World's Honour but seek the Lord with thy whole Heart and let Justice and true Judgment and Righteous Government which is according to the Law of God be set up and exalted in the Nations and come to know in thy self the Dominion and Authority of the Lord God over Sin and Transgression and to keep down and condemn all that which is contrary to God in thy own Heart and that will make thee a Dread and a Terror to Men and Nations and then the Lord will be thy Crown and his People will rejoyce in thee and lift up their Hearts to God for thee If thou throwest down and abolishest all Unrighteous
season they will fall and perish of themselves and the Good Old Way and Truth and the pure Religion only will remain and let them cry one against another and rebuke one another and meddle not thou with that but only let thy Laws and Authority preserve mens Persons and Estates from the Wrong one of another that all men may live peaceably under thee and no man wrong his Neighbour's Person or Estate and that 's only thy Place to rule in outward Affairs but not to Rule over any mans Conscience to compel him to such a Worship or to limit from such a Worship in Religion that belongs not to thee but to the Lord who alone will be the Ruler and Guide and Exerciser of his People's Consciences and if thou dost meddle therein thou shalt not prosper nor be blessed in thy Deed So leave the establishing of Religion to the Lord and let all these Sects manifest if any of them have the Spirit and Power of God in them and with them and let them shew their Weapons of the Spirit for only such as have the Power and Spirit of God in them will overcome and such will be increased and grow and thou nor none can hinder and such that want the Power and Spirit of God in and with them may flourish in their Form for a while but they will be blasted and wither and it s in vain for thee or any to uphold such or endeavour to establish them but if thou meddlest on these accounts it will undo thee and confound thee therefore be wise and know what the Lord requires of thee perfectly for if thou leavest that undone which God requires then shalt thou be condemned and if thou dost that which he requires not then shalt thou not be free And this is written in Love to thee to inform thy mind how to walk towards the Lord and the People over whom he hath set thee And as for the maintaining of Ministers Let that alone also and be not troubled about it for it was ever the false Prophets and Deceivers that preached for Hire and went after Gifts and Rewards and sought Money and Gifts of people and they that do the same now were never sent of God nor are they such as shall convert people to God for who are true Ministers of Christ will not seek to thee nor to men for Wages nor Tythes nor Money but live of the Gospel and not compel great sums of Money from people to maintain them in their Families in Pride in Fulness and Idleness such things are great Oppressions in this Nation and a horrible filthy thing in the Sight of God and because thereof will the Lord's Judgments come upon the Land If thou wert but rightly sensible what casting into Goals and what suing at Law of poor People and what spoiling Peoples Goods by Restraint and all for and about Tythes and Priests Wages it would make thee admire the Wickedness of that Generation but do thou let them alone for they do shame themselves and undo themselves and lose the Hearts of all good People by their own doings and stand over them all in God's Authority and know a measure of the Spirit of God in thy own heart and thereby thou wilt discern and try and judge of the spirits of all men and their Religion and the Spirit will lead thee in the pure Religion to worship God in Spirit and in Truth So let not thy mind be cumbred at all about establishing Religion nor about maintaining the Ministers but be faithful to what the Lord requires of thee and learn his Will and do it and then thou wilt be Blessed and Honoured in this world and in the World to come And Friend Know thou that the Lord is doing of a great Work in these Nations he is raising up a Seed to serve him and to worship him aright and the God of Heaven is setting up a Kingdom over all the kingdoms of the World and he hath a Controversie with all sorts of people in as much as Corruption and Degeneration is entred amongst all and all must be purged of all Orders of men and the Evil cast out the Work of the Lord is Great and Mighty and he requires no help of thee nor any man whatsoever for his own Arm will bring it to pass yet he would not have thee to gain-say his Work and strive against it and seek to quench what the Lord is bringing forth if thou dost it then shalt thou be condemned and the Lord will speedily execute his Judgments and Remove thee and overthrow thy Power and Authority into Destruction wherefore be passive in this matter and look thou at the Lord and protect and defend mens Persons and Estates from Wrong but meddle not with their opinions and professions in Religions to exalt any of them nor yet to persecute them And thus Friend according as it lay upon me from the Lord I have written this unto thee in dear and pure Love God is Witness and I have cleared my Conscience to thee thus far and if thou fall by thy own Transgression it will lie upon thy self I have warned thee and I am clear and if thy Fall comes remember thou wast advised Who am a Lover of Iustice and True Iudgment and a Friend to this Common-Wealth and to thee wisheth well in the Lord E. B. London the 18th of the 8th Moneth 1658. This was delivered to him in the Eighth Moneth 1658. To the Protector and his Council THE Lord God will shortly make you know that we are his People though we be accounted as Sheep for the Slaughter yet our King of Righteousness will break you to pieces if you harden your Hearts and Repent not And seeing that Love will not draw thee neither the Gentle Leadings of our God have any place in you yet Judgment shall awaken you and his heavy Hand of Indignation shall lie upon your Cousciences and you will be scatterred and distracted to pieces E B. This was written in White-Hall in the Tenth Moneth 1658. to Richard and his Council For the Parliament YE that sit in Counsel that are assembled for the Nations Good hear ye the Word of the Lord God which is towards you all Rememember the Cause of God and of his People remember the Groanings of the Poor and give ear to the Cry of the Oppressed and relieve the Guiltless Sufferers and break the Bonds of Iniquity and let the Oppressed go free do this lest you perish And remember the Old Good Cause that is decayed and hath long been laid waste let it be once more revived in the Nations that God may bless you Remember the first Engagement which was for Freedom and suffer not the Exercise of pure Conscience to be trodden down by Oppressors but seek ye seek ye the Glory of the Lord and the Safety of his People and the Freedom of such as are oppressed and be not ye Oppressors nor Adders to the Sufferings of the
present Rulers be looked upon as great Traytors and Tyrants in your dealing towards them and doubtless the men of that part will seek Vengeance against you even by preâcâing and ãâã and they will curse you in the Name of their God and seek continually yoââ destruction as such as have taken away part of their strength and cast down their ãâã but alas all this is nothing for the Lord doth not account as men For these things must needs thus come to pass for the furtherance of the Kingdom and Government of Iesus Christ that it may arise through all and if you were but faithful to what the Lord requires of you in your proceedings what you have done ââto them should not be reckoned on account against you neither by God nor good Men. But and if you of the Army be alwayes Treacherous and Disoâedient towards him and abuse your Power and dis-regard your Price that God hath given you and trifle away your Hour about Places of Honour and such self-seeking matters and the Cause of God be neglected by you and his People continued Oppressed Sufferers under you as they have long been Even then shall you be cast aside with shameful Disgrace and the heavy Hand of the Lord shall be upon you in Iudgment and you shall be smitten more then any before yââ your Estates shall not be spared from the Spoiler nor your Souls from the Pit nor yâ⦠Persons from the Violence of Men no nor your Necks from the Axe for if you be unfaithful and continually Treacherous to the Cause of God then shall you be left to the Will of your Enemies and they shall charge Treachery and Treason upon you and your Persons and Estates shall be given for a Prey to your Enemies and you shall ãâã deliver your selves neither will the Lord deliver you from the Execution of Merciless Men for my Lord shall leave the Cruel-hearted to plead with you Wherefore that you may be warned I advise you to be faithful let not the Cause of God fall nor the Cause of his Enemies prosper before you for there is no other way whereby you can be preserved nor no other Defence shall you ever find from the Wrath of the Lord and from the Fury of you Devouring Enemies then your Faithfulness in God's Cause and therefore relieve the Oppressed and take off all Oppressions break down all unjust Laws and set all People free from unjust Burdens and let all Oppressions cease both in Church and Civil State and even all Oppressive Laws and Unjust Judges and Evil Men in Power let all this be removed and the Nation clean quitted and discharged even from all Men and Laws whatsoever that have held under Oppression the Persons Estates and Consciences of the Good People of this Land and let the Nation be corrected and all Orders and Places of men and Laws and Decrees be purified for this my Lord the Great King requireth and he will suddenly have it brought to pass in the Nation if not by you then contrary to you and to your utter Destruction and this is the very substââce of my Message to you that my Master hath given me to say unto you and on his behalf I am come to claim of you my Master 's long lost Right let him have his Right from which he hath long been banished I demand it of you all ye whatsoever that seem to bear rule in the Nation I charge you in his Name let him have his Title and Prerogative let him be Lord and King wholy in his own Kingdom let him have the Exercise of his People's Consciences by his own Spirit in all things related to his Worship and Service and let him have the full Authority by his Spirit in all things pertaining to Church and Ministry and Faith and Religion and let his Spirit have the alone Authority to perswade and diswade People from or to such or such Ministry Worship and Practices of Religion and let all forced Maintenance to Ministers and Tythes be speedily taken away and let all Laws and Decrees whatsoever made and practized in the days of Antichrist upon the Bodies Estates and Consciences of the People in Oppression and Unjustness about Church and Worship and Religion be utterly repealed and made void and never more be in force in this Nation But let my Lord be sole Ruler and Governour and have the full Authority in his own Kingdom in all things whatsoever pertaining thereunto and let no man henceforth hereafter be intrusted with the Liberties of the Members of Christ's Kingdom as they are such nor to judge over them in any matters of Faith and Worship but give that Right and Priviledge wholy unto the Spirit of Jesus Christ for unto him onely it pertaineth to be whole Judge and to have full Power in his own Kingdom and until you give him the Right and deliver up unto him his own Kingdom and the Exercise of Peoples Consciences in all things about RELIGION you shall never Prosper nor none that cometh after you that shall in any measure abridge my Master of his proper RIGHT from which he hath long been Banished as I have said and till his Right be given him in the case aforesaid He will dash one man against another and none shall ever be established but Horn after Horn shall be broken and one Power after another brought into Cââââsion And therefore ye men Do not strive with him in this matter but yield unto ãâã the Exercise of your own Consciences by his Spirit in you and let him do ãâã ââto all others even as ye hope to prosper and upon the Penalty of his sore Dâââleasure upon you in this World and in the World to come and let Jâââ Men and Righteous Men and Meek Men and Men that have the Fear and Wisdom of God in them without Exceptation of Birth or otherwise ãâã such men have the Power and Judgment committed to them to determine in things between Man and Man Down with all the false-hearted Flatterers that ãâã ruled for Man and not for God and for themselves and not for the good of the People cast all such out from among you for the Good among you is choaked by them Down with all that Judge for Rewards and away with ãâã Hireling Rulers that execute the Law for Money and will not plead ãâã Cause of the Poor without great Fees And down with all that will not ãâã places of Trust without so large Stipends away with all these things out of the Land for they are hainous Oppressions unto men and great Aboââ¦ons in the Sight of God and the Land hath long groaned under the wâight and burden of these things and the Earth is weary of them and my Lord ââ¦iers their utter Dissolution as being Iniquities fully ripe and having the gâilâ of so much Cruelty Injustice and Oppression lying upon the Nation because hereof therefore is the Lord's season to destroy them and remove them out of
that lodgeth in thy own Bowels Though thou hast had Kings over thee and chosen thee Parliaments and set up Protectors and Committees and Councils have been created in thee to have been as a Defence upon thee and to have born the Scepter of thy Government but alas all these have left thee and thou art now as alone and left comfortless even as a Widow unto this day and the Staff of thy hand hath pierced thee and thy strength and confidence hath betrayed thee and them whom thou hast chosen have wrought no deliverance at all in thee even the men that thou thoughtest should have healed thee they have made thy wound more incurable and they in whom thou hast reposed trust they have been deceitfull and treacherous in thee for many have sought themselves and who should be the greatest and they have trisfled away many precious hours in vain contentions about Government what it should be and who should govern while as no good thing hath been effected by them but in the mean time of their delayes and while they have been making themselves rich with the Nations Treasure and loved this worlds perishing honor and vain titles the Nation hath starved for want of mercy and just judgment and the cause of its necessity hath been forgotten and mercy and truth and the freedom of the people neglected and the Cause of the Fatherless Widow and Stranger and the Cause of the afflicted people have they not respected Oh Nation the men that have sitten on thy Throne they have left thee groaning under great Oppressions wounded with the Spirit of Tyranny yet un-cast out and thy people are yet unhealed but the breach hath been made wider even by that Spirit which hath possessed thy Parliaments thy Protectors thy Councils thy Committees who hath proved Physitians of no value but have bin the increasers of thy grief and even because of their iniquities and the sin of their Ambition and Oppression hath the Lord dealt thus with them and suffered them to dash one another in pieces and through Judgment unto themselves and thee Oh Nation are they at present ceased from thee and thou art left alone and without a Deliverer in the Earth full of Troubles and Distractions Oh that thou wouldst now look unto the Lord and seek him in Righteousness that he may heal thee for there is none of all them that do pretend to rule thee that do rightly proceed in the way of thy Deliverance they do not apply healing Balm unto thy Wound they rather add unto the cause of thy Sorrow then remove it from thee their hearts are not aright before the Lord and how then should they prosper in their doings All these things have we viewed and pittied the condition of our Nation and thus we do declare the very cause of these things that are come to pass in thee is in that oh Nation thou hast sinned thou hast sinned and the cry of thy Iniquities is come up before the Lord even the sins of thy Rulers and thy People is the Cause of God's Displeasure against thee and he is provoked through their Transgressions in thee is found the Blood of the Innocent in thee is found the Murder of Souls in thee is found Treachery against God and Hypocrisie Dissimulation with God and men in thee is found Pride Oppression Whoredom and Drunkenness Stealing and Murder in thee is found the very burden of Iniquity the full measure of Transgression even the transgression of God's whole Law deceit is found in thee unsoundness of heart unconstancy in all good things multitude of hypocritical Fastings Prayers and Services in thee is found even destroying Sins of all sorts do abound and thou hast provoked the Lord God by thy Abominations thy Rulers have been Oppressors thy Teachers Deceivers of Souls and thy People are froward and perverse against the Lord in thee is found the men that judge for Rewards and the Priests that preach for Hire and the Prophets that divine for Money thy Sins are like Israel's of old for number and greatness and thou hast lost God's Favour and gained his Fury by thy own doings and thou art the very cause of this Misery and hast brought it upon thy self and because thou art departed from the Living God by thy Transgression therefore hath he confounded thee and turned thy Wisdom into Folly and he is departed from thee and out of thy Councils and men are left to the counsels of their own hearts and as it were ready to destroy one another Ruler against Ruler and Neighbour and Friend full of strife one against another and this is happened unto thee as a Judgment for thy Iniquities who hast also nelected a gloririous Day of Visitation thy Rulers and Inhabitants have been warned and the Cry of Repentance hath been sounded towards them all by a despised people but warning hath not been regarded but the word of the Lord rejected by thy Rulers and People and lo what wisdom is there in them not so much wisdom from God as can preserve them but it may be just with the Lord to suffer them to drink the blood one of another even because they have sinned against God and rejected his counsel therefore is this come to pass in the Nation for hadst thou oâ Nation walked in the Light of the Lord it had been better with thee had every one obeyed the Light in his own Conscience and had every one sought the Lord and not himself had thy Rulers ruled for God and had thy people been ruled of God then this day had not been a day of Trouble but it had been a day of Joy and Sorrow and Anguish had been removed far from thee and blessings had filled thy Habitations And now whereas many wise men have been advising and consulting the peace of this our Nation and they have given in their counsel for removing these Troubles yet Peace and Unity seems to be far away and though they have sought Peace for this Nation yet they have not walked in the perfect way thereof for innocency truth and simplicity have bin wanting which God only will bless and by flatteries and deceits and the pollicy and wisdom of this World have they thought to make up thy breach but it cannot be for in the way of that proceeding will not the Lord be found in a needful time and his presence hath been wanting in their counsels and therefore the fruit of peace is not yet grown up this we have seen and therefore thus we do declare O Nation the inward cause of thy destractions must be removed even thy iniquities must be forsaken and thy transgressions repented of thou must forsake thy former wayes and doings that are not right thou must leave off thy hypocrisies and flatteries with God and men thou must repent thee of thy profaneness and of thy profession also thy sin and thy righteousness must thou put away which are both Abominations unto God thou
bring your fear upon you to your utter confusion though you are making defences all that you can for your selves and your Kingdom and this seems to be ãâ¦ã âây wherein every mans heart is tryed and every man and sort of People is pouring forth the Maliciousness of their Hearts against the poor People in scorn called Quakers What say the Papists and Episcopal men Quakers are ãâã New Sect and Deceivers c. And what say the Presbyterians and the Independanââ of them Oh! they are Seducers they are Witches they are false Prophets they are Vagabonds not worthy of Countenance c. nor any Place of Trust in the Nation c. What say the Anabaptists of them O! they are Blasphemers and Hereticks and Irregular Persons and distructive to Gospel c. This and such like is the Cry of these and all sorts of people against a poor despised People whom the Eternal God hath made dreadful unto them all who shall be a Rod in his Hand to break them and confound them and utterly to destroy their Antichristian kingdom for they are beloved of the Lord though hated of all men and though the whole Body of the Beast and Antichrist and every Horn of his head do set themselves to War against the Lamb and his Followers and though all these sorts of people mentioned and some others do at this day pour out their Fury and Malice against this People yet shall they not be confounded for their Trust is in the Living God and as sure as the Lord lives The Fear that People have of the Prosperity of this People shall come upon them and without Weapon or Arm of Flesh or the Multitude of an Host of Men will their God dash their Enemies to pieces And all ye Sects whatsoever that are risen in Opposition against us what do we regard your Fury and Madness against us What do we fear your Reviling you uncircumcised Philistines We mock at your Terror and we reject your Strength as the Strength of a Straw we despise your Authority which is not of God as the Authority of so many Bryars and Thornes we can glory over you in the Lord What are you and from whence did you come is not Babylon your City and is not the great Whore your Mother and the Mother of Harlots your Nurse and what is your growth but even like the Grass of a Summer's growth that 's soon cut down and withered and like the Leaf of a Summer Tree that utterly perisheth in Winter The Mighty Day of the Lord is at your Door Confusion is begun amongst you and the Sword of one may destroy another and the Strength of one shall tear another and the Remnant that is left shall be destroyed and we must overcome them without Sword or Carnal Weapon and this shall come to pass in a day and the Eye that is yet blind shall see it and the Child that is yet undelivered shall be a Conqueror over the Beast and over his Image and over all your false Sects and over every Horn that is risen up against the Lamb and his Followers the time of the Lamb's Kingdom is at hand Behold behold ye Mountains of the Earth The Sentence of Eternal Vengeance will pass upon you ye Hypocritical Professors ye Pastors Elders Members and Ministers of Churches so called the Decree of the Almighty is coming out against you you have provoked him by your Wickedness towards him and his People even to the Destruction of your own selves wherefore Tremble before the Lord for his Dread and the weight of his Hand shall be upon your Consciences Oh Nation mourn over thy iniquities which have provoked God against thee and if men turn not unto him his sore Judgment will be upon thee we are not for this Party or the other neither do we justifie one side in opposition to another for we see the Earth is corrupted and all sorts of men that are this day striving one sort against another are in a wrong way and in a wrong spirit and we cannot side with any of them but we rather mourn over the Nation who is torn in pieces by the ambitious spirit of her pretended Rulers and we desire the repentance of all and not the destruction of any and we are for Gods part and not for men E. B. AN ANSWER TO THE Great Cry The QUAKERS will soon FALL A Great Cry in the World hath been by many people of all sorts As for the Quakers they will soon fall and come to nothing they will stand but for a while as other Sects have done before them For many Sects that have ââde a great stir for a time they have come to nought and so will these they will fall and âââe to nought in a Year or two or the like and they will forsake this Way And this Noise and Stir about them will come to an end and they will have a Fall And thus and after this manner do the People of the World Cry and say one to another To this I answer O ye Fools and Blind that thus do judge and say ye are ignorant and sottish Children and know not the Way of the Lord nor his Judgments neither do ye know his Secrets nor have entred into his Counsel who told you thus or by what spirit have you received it and do ye not speak as ye would have it and because you would have it so do ye not therefore speak it Ye Fools and Blind whose Hearts are hardened I tell you nay your words shall never come to pass but you and all our Enemies shall be found Lyars and as you say of others so shall it come to pass upon your selves and that which you desire for others it shall fall upon your own heads Again I tell you nay we shall not fall nor be decreased nor come to âââght but the Truth shall stand forever and we shall be encreased through the World and shall be the Renowned People of the whole Earth For we are of them whom the Lord is gathering from off the barren Mountains and out of the Mouthes of all dumb Shepherds whom the Lord will feed and keep as the Sheep of his own Pasture over whom the Seed of David Christ the Heir of Heaven and Earth is chief Shepherd and he is set over us and he rules in Equity and Righteousness And them we are spoken of Ezekiel 34. which are the Sheep of God's Pasture and the Lord hath sought us out even as a Shepherd his Sheep and we shall not fall as ye suppose And we are them spoken of in the Revelations whom the Lord is bringing through great Tribulations and making us white in the Blood of the Lamb and redeeming us through his Sufferings And we are of that Numberless Number spoken of which shall stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion for we are of the Seed which is coming up out of Egypt and shall replenish the whole Earth And ye Fools and Blind will
Slow-Bellies these names and tearms did Christ the Apostles and Prophets use unto such as are some of the Ministry of this Nation and not with Revilings and Reproachings but with the Spirit of Authority from God that reproves the Wickedness of Prophets Teachers and People And tell me Have not some of you sued men at Law and cast them into Prison in this City because they would not give you Money and Tythes and Hire though such as have not heard you nor receiv'd you as Ministers nor received any thing from you and such as you did never any Work for have you sought Wages from and caused them to be imprisoned that would not give you And tell me in good earnest Can any less be said of such who thus walk but that they are insatiable Hirelings and as bad as Beal's Priests and even Cheaters and greedy dumb Dogs let the Witness in your own Consciences answer and you shall have a Reply Now I come to your third Particular which are other Causes and Symptoms of God's Wrath hanging over your heads the frequent disappointment from time to time of all Hopes of coming to any settlement in Government in the Nation occasioned by strange Confusions which is a clear Evidence that God hath in Displeasure darkened our Eyes and hid Counsel from us say you Answ. It is very true that from time to time of late dayes the Lord hath disappointed the purposes of men even concerning settling of Government and there have been almost strange Confusions in Changes But to what can this be attributed Have not your sins been as great a Cause of it as any others And have not you and your Generation been the Counsellors in all these Matters Were not some of you or your Brethren in Oliver's dayes and in Richard's dayes and in the Army's dayes and in the Parliaments dayes and are not you and your Brethren busie at this day in ordering a Settlement in Government in this Nation But the Lord hath hitherto disappointed you and them that you have counselled and he hath broken you into Confusion and Distraction and turned back even the proceedings of Rulers and Teachers and the spirit of deep Sleep and of Slumber is poured upon you all and the Vision of these things is as a sealed Book unto you even because of God's displeasure against you And in that you say Your Eyes are darkened and Counsel is hid from you In that you say true though to your own shame And what trust can be put in such Watchmen What Confidence can be placed by your people in you whenas you acknowledge that your Eyes are darkened and Counsel is hid from you The Scriptures mentioned by you do prove there was darkness upon the Land but Isaiah doth not say nor David that Counsel was hid from them or that their Eyes were darkened neither did ever the Apostles say so but witnessed That the Lord was their Light and in him their Eyes were opened and Counsel was revealed to them Secondly you say This sadly presages of Unchurching the Nation or the Departing of the Glory of God from you Answ. By Unchurching the Nation I suppose you mean making the Church no Church which if this can be done then the Gates of Hell may prevail against the Church contrary to the words of Christ who said The Gates of Hââ should not prevail But I must tell you The Nation of England as to the general part of it hath been long and yet is unchurched that is ungathered by the Eternal Spirit into the true Fellowship in the Body of Christ for the Night of Apostacy and Darkness hath been over the World since the Apostles dayes and over this Nation in particular and your Churches have been no true Churches nor the people under your Ministry truly joyned and united in true Church-Order and under true Church-Government though I do not say but that there are Thousands of sincere People that love the Lord yet remaining among you And the Day of the Lord is appearing which will confound the Whore the false Church which hath been set up in this Nation and through the World and Assemblies which have had the Name of the Churches of Christ will be found to be otherwise in the Judgment of the Lord and all the false Ordinances Practices and Ministers must be thrown down that the Glory of the Lord may again appear Further You seem to charge your selves With leaving your first Love and former Zeal for the Truth and worship of God but the present Coldness and Indifferency in the things of God together with your Barrenness and unanswerable walking to the Gospel of Christ c. say you Answ. Though to your own shame yet do I believe this is truly acknowledged that you have lost your first Love and Zeal which once was in you in the dayes when you were persecuted under the Bishops you were full of Love and Zeal for the Truth and Worship of God according as it was made manifest and then you were sufferers your selves but now you are Causers of others to suffer and there is indeed much Coldness and Dryness and Barrenness amongst you and your People I do truly desire you may repent you thereof that if so be the Lord may heal you and your Walking indeed is Unanswerable to the Gospel of Christ to wit Your taking of Tythes and so much by the year for Preaching and suing people at the Law that will not give you Wages though you do no Work for them these with many other things which you practice is an unanswerable Walking to the Gospel of Christ and seeing you have confessed your sins in some measure Repent and sin no more that your Iniquities may be blotted out Again You complain of the prevalency of Atheism and doting upon Error Endless separations Common Ignorance Unbelief Prophaneness the Prejudice against wholsom Doctrine and all Order of Discipline in the Church and many other Confusions are upon us c. say you Answ. Alas so it is but where is the Blame Oh you Watch-men should not you have better preserved your Flocks should not you have fed them with Living Food should not you have been Examples of Righteousness and Truth unto them and should not you have nourished them with Knowledge and Understanding But because the Shepherds have been lazy and idle and fed themselves and not their Flocks but the Shepherds have rul'd over their Flocks with Force and Cruelty and their Ministry and Preaching hath been a very Burden and Oppression upon the People and therefore it is that their Flocks are divided into many Sects and Separations and great Confusions are in your Assemblies and among you even the sin of the people in some measure will be charged upon you their Teachers whose Flocks are run into Errors and Atheisms and despise wholesome Doctrine and are out of true Order and Church-Discipline even in the Traditions of Men Therefore oh that you Ministers would consider and
may stand and never be moved from the hope of Eternal Life and feel the renewing of your inward man even the increase and growth of the Immortal Life in you that you may live in that unto the Lord God and Covenant with him may be preserved whereby you may be a praise and a glory to him in your Generation in the sight of the whole World even all you who have tasted of the Presence and Power of the Lord and who have known his Mercies and Judgements and been acquainted with him that you may be kept faithful unto the end and not be subverted by the wicked one nor drawn from the Obedience to the Truth nor loose your Crown of Immortality neither by the flattery nor terrour of the ungodly but that you live in the Dominion of Immortal Life which keeps above all Mortal Temptations and Mortal Terrour and gives Authority over all And this Life is blessed where the Glory and Peace of this World and the Troubles and Sorrows of it also are seen over and felt beyond and nothing of it can move the Heart nor disquiet the Spirit nor work any Separation from the Fathers Love and in the Seed of God where it lives above mortal is this enioyed by us and all the Faithful But if the mans part live above the Seed of God that will be drawn aside by the love or by the terrour of this World for that is changable and the evil one hath a part in it so that part is to be kept in subjection in you under the Seed of God it must bear the Crosâ of Christ always else you will be overcome of the wicked for in that part the mâ⦠part which is of this World the Devil hath somthing a place to receive âim pâât to obey him but in the Seed of God he hath nothing neither place nor part And so Friends live in the Seed of God for in that is your Victory and heavenly Dominion and also your Election and Assurance for ever even in the second Birth begotten of the Father for that is the Heir of God and thereiâ doth man inherit Eternal Life and Rest and Peace to his Soul and therein is Bleââââgs and Peace and Life inwardly and outwardly and all fulness is enjoyed where the Lord is the Teacher the Father the Shepherd the Master the King and Judge and is become to us the all in all and the Kingdom deliveâââ ãâã him and all subjected under him even God with us the Substance of ãâã ãâã ââd of all and all the contrary put under even the Lion and the Lamb ãâã ãâã together and man lives in Peace according to the Promise and the Mountain of the Lords House is established on the top of all in which nothing can destroy or hurt the pure Life but Life is in Dominion over all and ãâã is swallowed up of it Oh Friends this is the mark that is before you press on towards it that you may obtain the final end of all your Travel and Waiting of your Obediââce and Suffering and the end of your Hope and Patience and the very end of the Messâge sent of God and delivered to you by us The end of all is this Thââ you may dwell in God and he in you and be gathered up to him to be ever with ãâã and that he may be your all in all and you may be to him an honour and praise ââââghout the World in your Generation even he your onely God and you his onely ãâã ãâã Friends certain it is that the Way of Life and Peace and of Salvation is mâde manifest unto you and you know wherein everlasting Peace and Reconciliation with God standeth and you also know what the cause is of all troââle and sorrow and condemnation the Lord hath opened many Hearts and given unto many a good Understanding And seeing you know this live in the Way of Peace and escape the other that you may not come into condemnation for it is a fearfull thing to fall into the Condemnation and Wrath of the Almighty And for this cause That men should be saved from Wrath and have Peacâ with God the Message of Life and Salvation hath the Lord sent abroad plentifully in this Nation and you have received it and believed the Report though many have rejected it to their Destruction whose Judgment will be upon them but you have tasted handled and fâlt of the Word of eternal Life by which the Lord hath wounded you and healed you again and many hath he slain and made them alive even through his Word and Power which hath entred into many hearts which killeth the Enmity and quickenâth the Seed and which breaketh off from all the World's followship both in Transgressions and Righteousness and makes all void all Covenants with Death and Hell and marrieth unto the Lamb and the Marriage of the Lamb is câme unto many even unto all in whom his innocent and heavenly Naââre is begotten and brought forth for this is of his Flesh and of his Bone ãâã here is his Wife that hath made her self ready and is prepared for the Bridegroom and blessed are ye if ye know thesâ things and are Witnesses of thââ even the Marriage of the Lamb and the making ready of his Elected in you ãâã the receiving and quickening of his Flesh and of his Bone for this is the ãâã unto whom he is joyned that hath put away all other Lovers and loveth the Lord with all the Heart and with all the Soul who is clothed with perfect Beaâty and Innocency and covered with divine Righteousness in which there is no Spot being delivered out of the Wilderness and freed from her mournââg state and is no more separated from her Husband but she again quickâât into Life and adorned with Beauty and married to the Lamb to live with him âor evermore Oh Friends wait upon the Lord that ye may possess these things for to kâow thââ and be in them is everlasting Treasure and Riches the Possession of them are Riches to the Poor Bread to the Hungry and Clothing to the Naked and Life to the Dead And if ye know these things lay them up in your hearts as your most precious Treasure and let none spoil you of it And if ye are married unto the Lamb then are you the True and onely Church even his Body and living Members of it for such onely are the True Church that are married to Christ and United to him in his own nature and all such are false Churches and are even of the great Whore that hath taken upon them the name of Churches of Christ but were never lawfully married unto him and such are deceived and Deceivers of others with the very Name of Christ calling themselves by the Name of his Church while they are in the nature contrary to him nor they ever lawfully married unto him and this is the great Whore who commits lewdness though Nations in all false
worships and Idolatrous Practices and Ordinances and in her false Ministry and false Doctrines and she was set up in Nations by the force of cruel and violent Laws and men and is upheld by Oppression and Injustice at this day and yet all this she doth under the Name of Holy Church and useth the Name of Christ as if she were his Wife and yet hath other Lovers and by such means hath this great Whore deceived the World But now the Day of the Lord is come upon her and the hour of her Judgement is at hand and all that have taken pleaâââe with her shall mourn and bitterly lament because of her Judgements which cometh in a day but we are delivered from her Judgements because the Lord hath called us from her abominations and we can no more drink her Cup of false Doctrines and Practices all which are Idolatry and to be Judged of the Lord though she should drink our Blood as she hath done the Saints before us But I say the Lord hath led us out of this Babylon He hath delivered us from this great City and made us Spiritually free from its abominations and Idolatries though not outwardly free from her oppressions and cruelties And though this great City hath Ruled over the Kings and great men of the earth and subjected many Nations through its wickedness and violence yet certainly its ruin is near to come Else my Hope is lost my Life is smitten and the Lord hath not spoken by me And the Lord will Reward this false woman this false Church that hath deceived the Nations even according to her deeds as she hath done to others so shall others do to her measure for measure and much more might we say concerning her but the Lord hath opened our eyes and we see her abominations and she cannot deceive us And this is the loving kindness of the Lord unto us for which he is worthy to be praised by us for evermore And in that ye have received the Truth and do know the Truth live in it and walk in it in all faithfulness and be not fearful and unbelieving as though the Lord were not with you though ye suffer much for his Names sake for he is not wanting unto that man that doth fear his Name and that walks in his Way but for the deliverance of all such will he appear he will free the oppressed and the afflicted people he will save even by his out-stretched Arm Wherefore let our eye be unto the Lord in all estates and conditions whether of sufferings or otherwise for from him Salvation cometh and not from the Mountains of the Earth and keep your Meatings in your several places and be faithful in all things that your Consciences may be kept void of offences both towards God and men that no disobedience nor load of iniquity may be upon you but that in the sight of God you may feel clearness and freedom of Soul and Spirit from the burden of all transgression that you may know the Remission of all sin and all iniquity may be blotted out and no guilt of transgression may lie upon you but you may enjoy Peace in your Consciences in the Sanctification and Justification of the new man and this is the heavenly Life even upon Earth And when you are met together in the Name and Power of the Lord mind his presence amongst you for that is life and will make your Meetings profitable and full of Vertue to your Souls and the Lord will instruct you in all that which is good and Christ will be your Minister of Peace and Comfort and his Spirit will lââd you into all Truth and by his Word even the speech of God in your hearts you will be quickned in Spirit and your strength and Peace in God will be renewed day by day and walk in all Wisdom and in the fear of the Lord one towards another and towards all people that your Righteous and innocent life and your Holy Wayes and Works of Truth may have Evidence in the hearts of your Enemies that you are of God by the shining forth of your light before them and that the Devil nor all your Enemies may have ought against you saving concerning your God and the Worship of him and the matters pertaining to good Conscience and then if any suffer afflictions and tribulation by wicked men if it be for Righteousness sake and concerning the Law of your God and the matters of his Kingdom in such suffering the Lord will be with you and not forsake you but he will give you Dominion and carry you through it all in Patience and Faith which gives you Victory over all Enemies And nothing shall come to you nor happen on you in the anger of God but all afflictions shall be turned to your Comfort and by Persecutions and Tribulations the Lord will but try you and not destroy you you being delivered from his wrath and from that which is the Cause of it And therefore Friends it being much upon my Spirit I do lay it upon you to be mindful in this very thing that you walk in all Wisdom so that your Enemies have nothing against you to cause you to suffer for but onely for Truth and Righteousness sake and concerning the Law and Worship of your God and then if the wicked one take occasion against you to inflict his wrath upon you by wicked men because of the exercises of your Consciences towards God thereby shall the Lord take occasion against your Enemies to destroy them in his season and he will deliver you and for this Cause doth the Lord plead with the wicked in his wrath even because of the unjust sufferings of his People for that alwayes drew down the wrath of the Lord upon Nations and Rulers and for this Cause hath many been destroyed and in our sufferings must be filled up the measure of the iniquities both of Rulers and people in this Nation that the Lord may over-turn them with his hand when their measure of oppression is finished and the burden of its guilt falls upon them Therefore let us have Patience towards all men in all Conditions and Faith towards God at all times for therein is our Armour of Defence and our Weapons to resist all our Enemies and giving up into the Eternal Will of the Father whether in Life or Death in Tribulations or in Rejoycing and giving our Power wholly to the Lord and nor unto any other knowing That not one Hair of our Head can fall without him whose Power is over all and through âll So that if we Live it may be unto him alone and if we suffer and dye it may be for him and herein Peace shall be with us in whatsoever cometh to pass upon us if we can receive all things as from the hand of the Lord and Live in the feeling of that Power which doth all things or suffereth all things to be done And blessed is he that is not
the World might condemn him and every sober Subject would cry in their Consciences against him for unjust judgement and cruel proceedings if he upââ report of others through prejudice should act against any people and the Heathen King Agrippa would rise up in judgement against him who would not âââdemn Paul from the Accusation of others without first hearing the Accused âimself and a Christian King ought to shew as much Mercy Justice and Reason in what he doth as the Heathen Kings have done in the like case And let the King consider this 3. Let him also consider what Enmity and Malice and Rage is in the hearts of these men these Priests I mean of whose Fraternity and Alliance this our Accuser is one and how they seek after innocent blood who are thus ready and ââââard at his first enterance into the Land to present the King with Accusations of Falshood and Reproaches against an innocent people to move his heart if possible to destroy and devour the harmless The spirit and nature of these men are to be considered whose works are often tending to shed blood but if he shall be guided and counselled by such they will lead him into the ditch for they are of the spirit of Envy and Mischief and Mischief rests with them even against all who will not bow under their Authority and submit unto their false Worââips And let the King beware of that Generation of men lest they be a snare âpon him and wound him And I shall now proceed to some other things in his Book to that where he âaith He doth upon his bended Knees most bumbly beseech the King and the Honourable Parliament that they will first Cut off false Prophets Hereticks and perverse and incorrigible Seducers and ââââphemers for these are the Pâst saith he of both Church and State ãâã Answ. I answer to this Many things are considerable to the King and Parliâent and whole Kingdom 1. It is to be considered who these false Prophets Hereticks Seducers and ââââphemers are which the Petitioner would have cut off and destroyed âââm his meaning is of is doubtful for that there are false Prophets Heâ⦠Seducers and Blasphemers in these Nations and that very many ââis is not doubtful but certainly believed and known but what sort of men ãâã perfectly who these are distinguished from all others this requireth ãâã debate and large tryal especially seeing that each sect and sort of ââople cries against others as if they were such and such and this is usual with ââââsts Protestants and others to cry for their own Liberty and Toleration a such who are in the right way and each one sort almost desiring and petitiâââââ the Powers of the Earth against others that are not of their way to deâ⦠and cut off such as differ from them as Hereticks and Deceivers but such ââââit that seeks to destroy menslives on that account is of Antichrist and ãâã ãâã God 2. And if false Prophets Hereticks Seducers and Blasphemers were cerâ⦠known and distinguished from others that are not so yet the King ãâã âââliament ought not to destroy such and to cut them off from the Earth ãâã ââ¦lling of them or executing outward punishments and afflictions upon ãâã for God hath not committed such power and authority to them neiââer to be Judges infallibly who are false Prophets Hereticks and Blaspheââââ âor yet to execute death and outward sufferings upon such as are for these are spiritual matters and Causes to try and judge who deceivers are and to proceed towards Hereticks and Blasphemers and these Cases belong to the Jurisdiction of Christs Spiritual Kingdom and not to any earthly Kingâ and Rulers at this day 4. And if King and Parliament were able to judge of false Prophets and âlasphemers and who they are that are such from others that are not yet how contrary to the way of God would it be even to the example of Christ and his Apostles to destroy and cut off by death the lives of such false Prophets and Blasphemers for if men be in an evil way even in the way of Heresie and Error and Blasphemy and be deceived and deceivers of others yet it is not a time to destroy and kill such like as if such should be sent straight to Hell being cut off in their wickedness and in their Error This is not God's way I say for he desires not the death of sinners not to cut men off in their Errors and evil wayes but it s rather the time to instruct and exhort such and to correct and reprove them by sound Doctrine and to win them to the Truth and out of their errors that they may be saved and this Christ and his Apostles gave example for for there were many in their dayes that were false Prophets and Hereticks Seducers and Blasphemers and that were perverse and incorrigible that did Blaspheme against Christ and called him Devil and that did oppose the Gospel and scorned the Apostles and such were Blasphemers and Hereticks but did Christ and his Apostles at all desire that such might be killed and cut off by death Nay they forgave their Enemies and did instruct them by sound Doctrine and sought to win their Persecutors and not to have them killed as this Petitioner would whose Spirit is manifest to be of Antichrist and the Dragon and not of the Lamb and if the request were granted and the lives of such as this Petitioner calls false Prophets cut off then the King and Parliament would rather provoke the Lord against themselves to destroy them then to give unto themselves blessings and peace 5. But they being ignorant who the Deceivers and Blasphemers are and not being equal and just Judges in that case but also divided among themselves about it and it being not committed of God to them to destroy by death of body such as may err in their minds by killing such whom they may suppose false Prophets and they wanting infallible judgement to know who are false Prophets how soon may they destroy and cut off the lives of true Prophets and Christ's Ministers and men that Fear God instead of false Prophets and Blasphemers even for want of true judgement and discerning and because of their own division in judgement in that case for iâs possible that some of the Parliament may judge such to be Deceivers whom others of them may judge to be true Ministers and whose judgement then shall stand and also thus it hath often come to pass in the World the true Prophets and Christ himself and the holy Apostles and Ministers of Christ were accounted Deceivers Hereticks and Blasphemers and such like by thâ Kings and Rulers of the World in former Generations and thâ true Prophets Christ and his Apostles were persecuted as such and destroyed as such some of them even by the Kings and Rulers of this World till they ãâã provoked God against them to destroy them and some of them he did bring wrath upon
yet notwithstanding Hypocrisie False-heartedness Covetousness Double-mindedness and the spirit of Pride Ambition and Vain-glory have possessed the Hearts of both Teachers and People in all the false Sects and divers kinds of Religion though they have had a shew as if they were the Lord's People and a Pretence of Worship and Conformity of Church-Fellowship c. yet their Hearts have not been right before the Lord but of these it may be said Even they have professed God with their Mouthes and with their Lips honoured him and in the very time their Hearts have gone after Covetousness and been far departed from the Lord and though they have cryed The Temple of the Lord and we are the Church of Christ and Members of him and have Gospel and Ministry and Ordinances yet these People have walked in Pride and Arrogancy and Covetousness and their Hearts have been Corrupted in the sight of the Most High and all their Religion hath been but as the Fig-leaves by which they have sought to cover themselves but it cannot be For Behold ye Professors and People of Ireland God hath beheld your Hypocrisies and the Deceitfulness of your Hearts and your Nakedness doth appear for though you have professed much of the Spirit and Spiritual Things yet you have walked in the Flesh and brought forth the Fruits thereof and your Garments of feigned Prayers and Practices and your Profession of Church and Ordinances will not cover nor hide you from the Wrath of the Lamb. Oh People of Ireland many of you have been corrupted in your Hearts and polluted in your Minds and from the highest of you to the lowest you are found Transgressors against God even from the Professor to the Prophane the Lord hath found no good Fruit amongst you well-pleasing to him but four Grapes and bitter Fruit have you brought forth even Fruit of a bad Taste and loathsom Smell unto the Lord and now the Lord hath found you out in your Wickedness and the Cry of your Iniquities call for Vengeance for of you it may be said Ah Nation laden with Iniquity ab sinful People a seed of Evil doers corrupted from the crown of the Head to the sole of the Foot These things are so and they cannot be hid But now the Lord's Purpose is to deal with thee because of thy sins seeing he is provoked against this People by their Iniquities who have been disobedient to the Living God therefore will he renew his Judgments of old and with-draw his Mercies and he will plead with this People in his Justice his Judgments are at the door and he will punish the Stout-hearted and Proud and Arrogant till they learn Meekness and Humility He will correct the Transgressors with his Rod of heavy Wrath till they turn to him by Repentance and all that will not how and kiss the Son and cease from Evil and learn to do well they shall be broken and cut off and perish in his Anger and he will never heal them even the Feller will come upon thy People O Nation who will hew down thy Cedars and cut up thy strong Oaks the Fanner is coming upon thee to sift thee to preserve the good Grain and to separate the Chaff into the Fire thy Strength will be made weak and thy Crown will be trodden down and thy Beauty shall be marred and all thy Glory and Might shall fade like a Flower in that Day when the Lord of Hosts pleads with thee and when he rewards thee for thy Wickedness then Wo unto thee and unto all the Wicked and Workers of Iniquity and he will cause them to remember what they have done Thy Sins O Nation shall be set in order before thee and thy Persecution of the Lords Servants shall be charged to thy âââount and the Rod of Affliction shall reach close unto thee because thereof And as thy Rulers have done to others so shall it be done to them into Captivity shall they go and the Spoiler shall come upon the Land for just is the Lord and his Iudgment altogether equal and though he be Long-suffering and of great Forbearance yet he forgets not to plead with his Enemies and to Plague the Ungodly nor to shew Mercy to them that trust in him And doubtless there is a Cup of Wrath prepared for the Wicked to drink and it seemeth to be near even a Day of great Wrath and Tribulation upon Sinners and Transgressors who have rejected the Lord and despised his Reproofs and would not receive the Message of the Light of the World that they might be healed Wherefore Repent Repent all sorts of People all Sinners and Transgressors Tremble before the Lord ye Stout-hearted and Rebellious Children Wo unto ye unjust Rulers and Judges that have exercised unjust Judgment in the Land that have judged for Gifts and Rewards and that have turned aside just Judgment Mercy and Truth and that have persecuted the Innocent without just Cause Wo unto you that have been Oppressors of the Poor and Needy ye that have not judged for the Lord as ye ought to have done but have been Ambitious and Vain-glorious and puffed up in the Flesh by high Titles and Places of Honour Ye that have exalted your selves above your Brethren and sought Honour of Men and loved the Honour of this World morâ than the Honour of God Wo unto you for the Day of the Lord's Judgment is at hand and an Account of your Stewardship must you give Ye that should have judged in Mercy and Truth and Equity but have perverted just Judgment and made the Innocent Offenders and have not been a Praise to them that do well nor a Terror to Evil-doers as ye ought to have been Wo unto you and to the Oppressing and Flashearted Lawyers and that Train who have been greedy of Gain and served your own Ends and sought Riches to your selves and the Cause of the Poor hath not been freely pleaded by you Wo unto all ye that have made a Trade of doing Judgment and Justice and have been exercised in the Law for your own Ends and not singly for the Lord. Tremble ye Sons of Wickedness ye that have exercised the Power of Antichrist and the Beast for the Judgments of the Lord are at hand to be executed upon you Wo unto you Great and Rich Men ye Covetous and Earthly Worldlings âe that have made your selves Rich by Oppression and Grinding the Faces of the Poor that have got Gain by Hard-dealing and added Land to Land and Field to Field and that have over-reached the Ignorant and oppressed the Widdows and Fatherless and that have exercised Cruelty and Hard-dealing to your Tenants and Servants and have laid heavy Yoaks upon such with whom you have dealt and that have made your selves Great and Rich in the Earth by such means Wo unto you Misery is coming upon you Weep and Howlye Earthly Greedy Covetous Wretches of this World who have sought Riches more than the Lord and gotten Gain by Oppression
if the same things come to pass which they declare ãâã you deny them in this Age and âry against such as Hereticks who witâ⦠the fulfilling of them which shews you are of Antichrist and that you quench the Spirit in the Sons and Daughters which God hath promised in the New Covenant that he would give and pour forth upon Sons and Daughters and they shall prophesie And are not we to look for these things now What must not God's Promises be fulfilled must not an Heards-man now preach if the Word of the Lord come unto him and must not Plow-men now speak of the things of God if they have experience of them and must not Fisher-men and Tent-makers bear witness to the Name of Christ if they have received of his Spirit and will you deny the Scriptures which saith As every one hath received the Spirit and the Gift so let him administer the same one to another 1. Pet. 4. or do you say None must have the Gift of the Spirit but such as are brought up at Schools and Colledges or will you limit the holy One to such and such Men and Wayes Oh you are blind and ignorant who would quench the Spirit of God that it should not speak in these dayes and thus you are denyers of the Scriptures but God hath given of his Spirit and spoken in our Hearts and we must prophesie and speak as the Spirit of God giveth utterance as the Saints of old did Act. 2. 4. Now for your way of making Ministers at Schools and Colledges and so quallifying them with knowledge in the seven Sciences as it is said and ordaining them in that manner and way as among Papists and Protestants hath been practised for Ages this way of making Ministers and sending of them forth was never known among the Apostles for they were not thus made and ordained and sent to preach nor was this way of making and sending forth Ministers till the Spirit and Power of God was lost and forsaken by the Apostate Christians and the Scriptures make no mention of such ways nor give no Example for such things and we cannot own any Religion nor any Practice thereof but what we have Example for from the Saints of old before us and we believe that it is generally of Antichrist to invent and introduce such and such Practices for Religion towards God and for the Worship of him for which there is no Example in all the Christian Churches in the Apostles dayes and we believe that way of making Ministers and sending of them forth which is not approveable by the Scripture nor according to them is of Antichrist and not of God neither can we own such Ministers nor their Ministry who are not ordained of God and according to the Scriptures nor can we deuy private Preachers nor their Ministry as you call them if they have received the Spirit of Christ though they be not so learned outwardly nor ordained according to what some may call the right way but who are Ministers made and sent of God and have the Authority of his Spirit such we own and cannot deny and such the Lord will bless with his Presence to the confounding of all their Enemies Concerning Settlement in a happy Government Object There hath been great Divisions and Distractions in these Nations for many years and in the midst of them the great cry hath been by many for Settlement and Peace and for a quiet and happy Government Answ. These things hath the Lord suffered to come to pass in the World even great Contentions Divisions and distractions and much Changes of Government in these Kingdoms And the appearing Cause of these things hath been from the Lust that hath warred in the Members for from thence doth Wars and Strife arise and many have been Ambitious Vain-glorious Self-seeking and Covetous of the Honours and Pleasures of this World the lust and desire of these things hath possessed the minds of Men and induced them to Envy and Wrath one against another and hath filled them with Heart-burnings and cruelty of mind to the killing and destroying of one another by Wars and Blood-sheds and by Plots and Contrivances have sought how to extinguish one another from the Earth that themselves might be exalted and thus from the desires that have warred in mens minds have Wars arisen against the Persons of Men and among them and this is the appearing Cause of the Wars and Distractions that have been in these Nation though the hidden cause which hath not so appeared hath been in God and because of the wickedness of Men both high and low and because of their Oppressions and Abominations which have been many and great in the World therefore hath the God of Heaven been provoked in just Judgement towards Rulers and People to suffer Men to destroy one another and to execute Bloodshed and Destructions one upon another and he hath brought it to pass in giving up men to the fulfilling of their cruel intents which have been hatched in their evil Minds every Man against his Neighbour and even because they have been departed out of his Counsel and followed their own wicked Wayes and Justice and Mercy and Truth have been wanting amongst Men in these Nations so that this is the principal cause wherefore the Lord God hath brought about and suffered these Wars Distractions Confusions and Discord in these latter dayes and out of the justness of God's Judgments because of the wickedness of men have these things been And now these Distractions and confusions and Discords amongst Men can never wholly and truly cease to be till Iniquity and Transgression be repented of and turned from which is the very cause wherefore God hath done and suffered these things as I have said and so Men must cease from Oppression from Cruelty and from all Unrighteousness and must turn to the Lord and become cleansed from their Sins ere ever the Judgements of the Lord be removed and these Distractions Wars and Confusions cease to be in these Lands and till Men become Meek and Humble and till they cease to seek revenge one of another and till they cease all Oppression and Covetousness Injustice and Unmercifulness and till they forsake their worldly Honour and high Titles which puff them up in Arrogancy and Ambition and even till every Man forsakes his particular Iniquity till all these things be Distractions will not cease nor shall Settlement and Peace and happy Government ever be This is certainly so for except the Cause be removed the Effect can never cease and there appears to be at this day as great if not far more Dissatisfactions in the Minds of some People than hath been heretofore and it appears to be as far from Settlement and true Peace in an happy Union in Government as for many years though it hath been expected by many that we should have Peace and Settlement in Government yet behold it cannot be for there are Discontents and Murmurings in the
Minds of Men and Unsettlement in their spirits and the Foundation of a happy Government is not yet discovered unto many nor do the People walk in the way of Peace but Iniquity is abounding Oppression and Cruelty yet lives Hard-heartedness and Envy Pride and Ambition are not yet cut down neither in all the Governours nor in the Governed and this is not the way of Peace and true Settlement but it is the way of Troubles and Distractions and the very Foundation of great Distractions and Wars rather than of Settlement and happy Government These things are so and therefore true Peace and settlement in good Agreement who can expect because the ground of Distractions and unsettlement is continued and increased rather than abated and removed amongst ãâã and the true Foundation of Peace and settlement in happy Government is not yet raised up amongst men but because Injustice and Oppressiââ are continued therefore will God be provoked to bring Distractions Wars and Tribulations upon the Kingdoms of all the World and God will âââfound and dash in pieces Powers Authorities Rulers Nations and Peoples and he will break one Potsherd against another and overthrow one Mountain against another and the Hands of cruel Men will God suffer to devour one another and ambitious and malicious Hearts shall be suffered to finish one anothers ends because of their own wickedness and therefore be not deceived Blessedness in the Kingdoms of this World can never be except Iniquity and Transgression be departed from except Oppession and Hard-heartedness dye and except the Foundation of War and Strife be removed and the Foundation of Peace and happy Government be raised up amongââ Men. Again True Peace and settlement in good Government can never be except the Lord alone be owned as Judge and Law-giver and his righteous Laws to be executed in the Earth that Justice and true Judgement may flow down and all the contrary may be stopped and limtted by the just Laws of God and all unjust and unequal Laws made and established in the Ignorancâ of Men which have not been justly according to the Law of God nor depended thereupon such Laws must also be made void judged and cast out and the Law of God must enter This must be accomplished if ever true settlement in a pappy Peace be amongst us the Laws must be changed the unjust and unequal cast out and just and equal Laws brought in for because hereof while unjust and unequal Laws have been executed in Judgement therefore have we wanted settlement and peace in a happy Government and the cortrary hath been and will continue till all unjust unequal and oppressive Laws be discontinued Again If ever true peace and settlement in a happy Government be amongst men Governours Rulers and Executioners of the Law must be just Persons and righteous Men Men that fear God and hate Covetousness and that depart from every evil way and all ambitious self-seeking and unjust Men must be cast out even all they that have sought themselves and not the Lord in their places of Trust such as have perverted Justice and true Judgement for their own corrupted Ends and such as have been cruel and hard-hearted Oppressors all such as these must be cast out and the Law must not be committed to such to execute neither must such sit in judgement over the People for because hereof and while such men have ruled and governed and executed the Laws no true settlement in a just Government but the contrary hath been even Destractions anâ Tribulations and while such men do continue to rule and judge and execute the Laws in any part of the World we shall never have a happy Government nor settlement in it in this World nor till just men that have the Spirit of God and sound judgement that are humble and meek patient and merciful and such as fear the Lord and walk in his Wayes be called to rule and judge and execute the Laws and the Laws must be just and holy and the Executioners of them equal and upright men Till these things be accomplished a happy settlement in this Worlds Kingdoms can never be but God will dash one Mountain against another and throw one Hill upon another and he will give no Peace among the Kings of the Earth but stain the glory of all the Worlds Governments till Truth and Righteousness come to reign and till just Laws be executed by just Men and till Mârcy and Justice Truth and Equity flow forth abundantly Therefore all Nations you have been deceived while you have turned up and down from one way and manner and kind of Government to another and from one sort of Governmten to others sometimes you have been for a Parliament sometime for a Protector and sometime for neither from each of these to others you have changed thinking to have peace and settlement in a happy Government but it could not be for there are continuâl Distractions untill this day in the minds of Mân and they are yet unsettled in their spirits and there are Heart-burnings and ânvyings and seeking of Revenge and while these things are nothing but Distractions and Tribulâtions not Peace but Troubles even till these things be removed And till âe have just and equal Laws according to the Law of God established over ãâã and just and holy and Righteous Men to execute them in Judgement âpon us and till we have Truth and Righteousness sit on the Throne until this be no true Settlement in a happy Government but Distractions and Contentions and woful Tribulations in the Kingdoms of the World and amongst men and this is certain and according unto the Will of the Loâd and in the justness of his Judgement these things come to pass for it is Injustice and Oppressions and want of Mercy and Truth which is the Foundation of Contentions and Distractions and it is Justice and Equity Truth and Righteousness that is the only Foundation of Peace and Settlement and a happy Government for a Perpetual continuance To all False Christians THere are many false wayes in the World and many false kinds of Religions and People are in much disagreement about their Church Worship and Ministry Papists are opposing the Protestants and the Protestants the ââpists and there is a great contention in the World But the Papists are in a wrong way and so are the Protestants too and their Religions are both false in many things for whilst they profess Christ and Christianity and make a shew of Righteousness in outward appearance yet many of them live in sinful wayes and bring forth the fruits of Iniquity against the living God and Pride Cheating and Double-dealing Covetousness and Envy Drunkenness and Whoredom and all Wickedness is abounding and brought forth both by the Apostate Christians though they cry up the Name of Christ and the Profession of Godliness yet are they wicked in the sight of God and they are not changed in heart and mind nor do they know the
might be well with you but if the contrary he can answer your doings with an equal Reward and none can prevent him And here is a Cry and a very great Cry of Persecution under your Authority the Prisons filled with Upright and Innocent Persons to the ruin of Persons Wives and Families if the great Mercy of the Lord did not prevent ãâã than the Iustice of men thousands within these few moneths have been cast into Goals and Dungeons and nasty Holes and divers have finished their Lives and dyed in Prisons many being taken out of their Houses and from their lawful Callings and many taken out of Meetings where they have been waiting upon God and cruel Sufferings inflicted upon them and all this for Truth and Righteousness-sake and for their Profession and Practice in Religion when as no plotting or evil-dealing towards the King nor any of his Subjectes could be justly charged and proved against them And thus the Innocent have been made a Prey to prophane Persons and their Sufferings have been woful and all this hath been under and by your Authority And are these things nothing to you or do you judge this is well doing Is this Iustice and true Iudgment Is this for your Happiness and Prosperity Let the God of Heaven and Earth judge in this matter between this People and You for the Cry of their Sufferings are very loud in the Ears of God and they have been laid before you and you ought to have relieved them and eased their heavy Burdens and shewed Iustice Pitty and Love and this would have made for your Happiness but if that you always neglect to hear the Cry of the Poor and of the Oppressed yet God hears and takes notice and though this People should have no Helper in the Earth yet He is their Helper and their Cause is committed unto him Can these things stand can you be happy in these Proceedings while the Innocent suffer under you Is it in your Hearts to destroy the Heritage of God do you think to extinguish an innocent People from off the Earth Must none wait upon God and worship him and pray to him but after your Prescriptions and Limitations And will you kill and destroy all such as do not who cannot for good Conscience sake conform to every Way of Worship and Religion imposed but must wait upon God and worship him and pray to him according as his Spirit teacheth and guideth will you I say destroy all such Is it in your hearts to effect it if it be the God of Heaven will not prosper you in such Purposes Will ye force men to forsake the Way of their God wherein they have found his Presence will ye persecute men for their Religion-sake while yet they walk uprightly in their Conversations among men Oh Friends it is not Iustice and true Iudgment thus to do it pleaseth not God neither doth it unite the hearts of Subjects in true Love and Unity but it hath contrary Effects and that you may find Indeed according to my judgment such Proceedings are not good Policy nor humane Wisdom for you to seek to establish one particular Perswasion and kind of Religion and impose that by force and persecute and seek to destroy all the rest that are otherwise minded if they will not deny their Principles and Consciences and conform this seems I say no good Policy among men for if it doth gratifie one sort of men in their desires it discontenteth and dissatisfieth many more and it breaketh Love and Unity amongst Subjects and your safety is in the uniting of Peoples hearts to you and one to another in Love and Liberty and not in the Divisions and Distractions of People surely this cannot be for your safety When as if you did give Liberty to all that were peaceable in their Lives and Conversations in the exercise of their Religion in Faith and Worship to God-wards this would cause all to love you and none to be discontented with you in good reason If one sort of People had as much Liberty as others in the ways of their Religion I mean and none more than others this doubtless would encrease Content among Subjects and be ablessing to you and your Authority and to proceed in that way which may keep the People in Love and Unity one with another and to you-wards this were good Policy for your establishment to perpetuity and there seems to be no otherway than in shewing Iustice Mercy and Liberty to all in all right ways and in the exercise of their Consciences towards God And this is my Iudgment the way for you to prosper is to leave the prescribing the Way of Worship unto God as his Spirit shall teach and perswade the Conscience and to leave the Iudgment in all Cases of Conscience about Spiritual Things unto Him and not to meddle about imposing Religion nor persecuting men for that cause for it is not your place to do it but you are to rule well over the outward man and to judge in the Cases of wrong between man and man but not at all in the Cases between God and mens Consciences But you may say Who art thou inferiour man that seemest to advise us that are high and potent and wise enough for our selves Well though it be thus though I am so and not much acquainted with the State-affairs nor do I profess Policy in the Governments of this World yet this I say Whatsoever my Birth or Quality be and whether I live or dye yet these things you must find true one day for I speak not as a Politition but as a Servant of God that your prosperity and Happiness in this World and hereafter standeth in shewing and executing true Iustice and Iudgment and Mercy and equal Liberty towards all without respect of their Title in the Profession and Practice of Religion and in allowing Liberty of Conscience in the exercise of Faith and Worship and Duty to God-wards to all Christian People equally in your Dominions and not to persecute or destroy any in their Persons and Estates for the Exercise of their Religion to God-wards This is the Way of your Prosperity and the contrary is the Way of your Destruction if that ye persecute Men for their Conscience sake and exercise Lordship and Authority over mens Consciences in Spiritual Things and if ye prescribe a Way of Worship and seek to destroy all that cannot conform thereunto if you do thus this is not good Policy to establish you Well I shall say little further but that these things I write not as your Enemy but as your Friend who would you have saved both Soul and Body and not as in any kind of Harshness in my spirit towards you do I write but in Love and Compassionateness to you and these Kingdoms And I have here in brief stated and pleaded the case of the Innocent People called Quakers who are at this time under great Afflictions and Tribulations by your Authority and
execute Laws in these Kingdoms and in all the Kingdoms of the World and such would be a Blessing in the Earth and the Governments under such and in the Execution of their Hands would be Blessed and Prosperous and all good Men would have cause to rejoyce therein and all Evil-doers and Transgressors would be limitted and made afraid if so be the Laws be Just Holy and Righteous and according to Equity and the Holy Law of God in all things and the due Execution of such Laws committed to Just and Righteous and Meek Men that love Judgment Mercy and Truth and would execute them in the Earth Then the happy and blessed Government will be exalted and Truth and Righteousness would reign as Judge on the Throne and in this shall all Nations and Kingdoms be prosperous and blessed when it cometh to pass 3. And as for this present Authority and Government now in being under the Name of King Charles the Second we do believe and acknowledge That according to the Purpose and Will of God and of his bringing to pass this present Government and Authority is set up and into its present being established The Lord I say hath suffered it to be effected for the Cause and End and Time and Purpose known to himself and not to mortal man And thus this Government and Authority is of God being brought in and set up in opposition to and for the reproof and correction of such as went before who had neglected Mercy Truth Judgment and Righteousness in the Earth till it was time for the Lord to cast them out and reprove them and make them a Desolation before their Enemies and this Authority was judged of the Lord fit for that use and end and reserved to be brought in as a Rod of God in his Hand to correct and smite many People And it is right in the sight of the Lord that this Authority should have this time and season to be exercised in these Kingdoms to try and prove both it self and all under it if so be that Truth Justice and Righteousness Mercy and Peace may be brought forth it these Kingdoms through it that God may establish it for long continuance and it is now a trying and proving to make it self happy and blessed or otherwise to bring it self into contempt and dishonour and accordingly as Truth Justice Mercy Judgment and Peace is brought forth by it or the contrary brought forth by it so must the Just and Equal Effects and Reward of it be from the Hand of God and it is only just Judgment Mercy and Truth Righteousness Relieving the Oppressed and the doing thereof that can alone make the Person and Government of the King Happy Blessed and Honourable in this World and hereafter and the contrary if it be brought forth must needs bring Confusion Discontents and all miserable Judgments and to say no more of it this is my present Judgement of the King and his Authority both in respect of their coming in and the Cause thereof and the Fruits and Effects that must follow which is not otherwise Determined of God but according to Desert and Merit of walking in Truth Justice and Righteousness or in walking otherwise 4. Our Obedience to this Authority must be according as before declared in the Plea of the first Case concerning Allegiance to wit For Conscience sake to God we are bound by his Iust Law in our Hearts to yeild Obedience to it in all Matters and Cases actively or passively that is to say in all just and good Commands of the King and the good Laws of the Land relating to our outward Man we must be obedient by doing and not withhold our Just Obedience but in the Cases of Conscience to wit in the Matters of Duty to God and of Worship Faith and Religion towards him we must only be obedient to God for it is he that teacheth and requireth Obedience in all those things and if any thing be commanded of us by the present Authority which is not according to Equity Iustice and a good Conscience towards God to be done by us we must in such Cases obey God only and deny active Obedience for Conscience sake and patiently suffer what is inflicted upon us for such our Disobedience to Men and we must choose Obedience to God rather than man though we suffer because thereof And this is our Principle and hath ever been our Practice to obey Authority by doing or suffering not disputing whether the Authority in it self be absolute of God or not yet being an Authority over us we are to obey it either by doing or suffering because it is an Authority and not to plot rebel or rise up with carnal Weapons against it and thus must our Obedience be to the King and his Government And if that in any thing of the Commands of the King we cannot be obedient for Conscience sake in the Cases of Conscience and when ought is required different or contrary to the Law of God we have Example hereof in the Scriptures of many of the Servants of God that could not in all things yield Obedience to the Laws of Nations and Commands of Kings when they required ought to be obeyed contrary to their pure Consciences as in the Case of the three Children Dan. 3. they could not obey the Law and Command of the King though it was absolute but refused Obedience and suffered for it and Daniel also himself disobeyed the King's Law and Commands Dan. 6. and the Apostles the same when they were commanded by the Authority of that City and County To preach no more in the Name of IESUS Act. 4. 17 18. They did not obey the Command of the Rulers in that Case but went on and preached Iesus in disobedience and contrary to the Command of the Rulers And by these and many other Examples it is apparent that it is justifiable in the sight of God and that it was practised by the Servants of God in former Ages even Disobedience to Kings and Authority in the Matters and Cases commanded contrary to the Law of God and a good Conscience and their Example may justifie such now in the same Practice in the same Case if they walk therein by the same Principle 5. And thus it is manifest That if we at any time be found not in full obedience by doing in all Cases and Things to the Laws and Authority of this Kingdom it is not out of contempt unto or Rebellion against the King's Person or Government it is not I say on that account but for good Conscience sake and because we must obey God rather than man when and where their Com mands stand in opposition the one to the other and this is that we may keep our Consciences clear in the sight of God from disobedience against him which is our care and endeavour by all means and when any thing is required of us to be done which we cannot do with a clear Conscience in
the Church of ROME who are in the said Book Villified and Reproached by the Name and Term of Antient Phanaticks And this is sent forth as an Answer thereunto to Pursue it Apprehend it and Condemn it as a Pamphlet of Calumnies and Slanders against the Protestants both of former and present Dayes who are all of them Scorned in the said Book the one as Ancient the other as Modern PHANATICKS Which is sent abroad as a Warning to ENGLAND to beware of the spirit of the Church of ROME lest it Exalt it self in Cruel Persecution against the PROTESTANTS and all that differ from it HOW Great and Miserable hath been that Darkness and Ignorance which hath over-spread the Nations and Kingdoms of the World since the Apostles dayes And how manifold is that Error into which many have been fallen even as into a Snare of Destruction And how woful is that Strife Division and Contention about Religion that hath highly abounded among the Christian People so called For the whole Christendom have been divided and in Opposition one part against another about the True God and his Worship and concerning the knowledge of Salvation by Jesus Christ And divers kinds of Religion Church-Government and Practices of Ordinances of Faith Worship have been extant in the World and Nations Countries have been all in Division Strife and Contention about these Matters and have been also persecuting one another violently unto Bonds and Death for and because difference in Judgment and Practices concerning Spiritual Things Papists against Protestants and Protestants against Papists and one sort of Christians so called against another and the men of such a Judgment and Faiââ and Way of Religion have been persecuting and seeking to destroy all that have been contrary minded to them And thus have been the woful Divisions and evil Effects thereof in the World among Christians about Faith and Worship and Religious matters this has come to pass because of the spirit of Error Darkness that hath possessed the minds of men since the falling away from the Truth as it was once manifest among the Apostles And thus it s come to pass because of the erring from the Spirit of God and because that hath been wanting amongst men therefore have People been divers and divided about Matters of Religion each one sort following their own Invention and Traditions of men and also persecuting one another and killing and imprisoning one another because of the same and all this because the Spirit of Truth hath not dwelt in the Hearts of Christians as it did in the Apostles not led guided and taught them in true Unity and Fellowship as it did the true Christians in the dayes of old And while the Spirit of Christ hath been wanting and is not received into the Heart to mortifie guide rule and teach in all the Wayes of God and the whole exercise of Religion and Duty towards Him and while there is any kind of imposing and forceing of Religion by Laws of men upon Penalties and Forfeitures and setting up Worship and Church Government by that means and in that way without the immâ⦠Teaching of the Spirit of Christ in the Conscience I say while this hath been and is continued nothing but Division Strife Contention Persecution and Nations and Peoples destroying one another about Religion hath been is or can be in the World amongst Christians And of this same to wit of Division and Contention about Religion with the Enmity of such as are so divided one against another to the persecuting and killing one of another that are contrary minded as it hath been brought forth in the World for Generations past we have here a sufficient large Testimony lately published in a Book called Semper Iidem or A Paralel of Phanaticks c. wherein is made mention of what Strife and Contention there hath been in former dayes among the false Christians and how they have cruelly Persecuted Burned and Destroyed one another in this Cause only for and because of the difference in Maters of Judgment and Religious Things and these Persecutions and Cruelties effected contrary to the Example of Christ and his Doctrine who hath exhorted to Love and Peace and not to Kill and Destroy and that a man should love his Enemies and not Kill and Destroy them contrary to which Doctrine the false Christians of all kinds have walked and acted since the dayes of the Apoâ⦠who have been Apostatized and fallen from the very Life and Power of Godliness as held amongst the primitive Saints into Forms and empty Shadows being all in strife one with another about such things and have wanted the Spirit of Christ which should have led and guided into all Truth and exercised them in the true Worship of the true and living God who is a Spirit and is only truly worshipped in Spirit and in Truth but out of this Spirit and spiritual Worship the false Christians have been erred and so all divided and in Centention aâ aforesaid and persecuting one another because thereof each one sort justifying their own Way ãâã Right and condemning that which hath differed as the Wrong and all as Hereticks that have been otherwise minded But as ãâã ãâã ãâã Book Semper Iidem c. I would gladly animadâ⦠ãâã conââ¦ing it and do intend to write a few things by way of anââer thereunto and this is the present Occasion of my present work for having met with the said Pamphlet and perusing of it I found divers Considerations on my spirit to send forth in Answer to pursue the said Semper Iidem up and down the World till it returns again unto the place from whence it came to wit Unto the bottomless Pit out of which it lately arose and in reading the same Book I have principally observed the Mischievout End and secret Evil Intents of the Nameless Author more than the Matter it self contained and though the Author be Nameless yet is his nature and spirit known by his Book and for what end he hath concealed his Name I know not except he was ashamed of his Work and durst not Authorize his Matter by his Name but however the spirit end and intent of the said Nameless Person is perceived and known as much as any Tree can be distinguished by its Fruit and he is of an Envious Disposition of Heart and of Malicious Countenance and in nature and stock of the descent of Cain for his spirit is of an evil constitution hot and fiery and enclinable to destroy all that are not like-minded with himself in the Iudgment of Religious Matters and his proceedings and the end of his work is of an Intent and Purpose wicked enough if every Effect answers the Cause appearing and be not diverted from the End proposed by the Author and this I find by Calculation of his Birth and the Temper of his spirit and of the Time wherein his Book is published and by the Cause and End and Intent of the
commit too much Credit upon it even as they love their own Safety and Peace which are concerned in this Case 7. Consider Into what a great Danger the Protestants and People of England have run themselves by ââecing from a less for by avoiding the Sectaââes so called they have run themselves into the very Borders of Popery and to escape a Less Danger they have exposed themselves to a far Greater For the Protestants cryed out of the Sectaries and were afraid their Church and Religion should be overthrown by them and made haste to Escape and flee from the Danger and in so doing they have as it appeareth by Semper Iidem run themselves into a Danger far greater Even to have their Religion and Persons and Estates Destroyed by Fire and Faggot if the spirit that indicted Semper Iidem hath its desired End which is grown Bold and Confident more than formerly Thus while the Protestants have sought to destroy the Sectaries an Enemy is appearing to Destroy them and they have exposed themselves if Popery prevails to an Enemy far more Cruel and Dectructive to both their Persons Estates and Religion than ever the Sectaries would have been had they prevailed And this is considerable to the Protestants that they may lament their case who have run themseles into a far greater Danger of their own Destruction to escape a less and are in present Reproach by the Papists and exposed to Destruction if they prevail 8. Consider How Favourable the Church of ROME seemeth to grow of these late dayes in these Kingdoms and what Dignity she seems to have attained to besides of Times past and what Liberty she enjoyes more than many of the good Subjects of England which may as justly have the Priviledge of Liberty in their Exercise of Faith and Worship and Religion as she can have As for instance In Ireland where the Papists have the Enjoyment of their Liberty to Meet to hear Mass very frequently and are not Restrained nor Prohibited and many of the English Inhabitants known Faithful Protestants are not admitted the like Liberty but their Meeting broken up and they sent to Prison and Cruelly Persecuted for Meeting together when the Papists are not meddled withal for the same Cause and thus their Cause seems more to be favoured than the Protestants and they more Liberty in their Worship than many of the English Protestants And also In and about London upon search you will find Meetings of the Papists large ones too consisting of very many Forreigners of other Lands which have their Liberty of Worship and Profession of Religion and divers of the Inhabitants of the City who have been and are Known Upright Honest and Just Persons and are true Protestants and faithful Subjects of the Land are not admitted to have their Meetings but are haled out of Meetings Persecuted and sent to Prison and cruel Sufferings inflicted upon them for the Exercise of their Faith and Worship whenas the Papists are admitted their Liberty without Persecution in the same Cause for which many good Protestants are Perfecuted and not suffered to have their Liberty even in the Exercise of their Faith and Worship and this is manifest to all People by which it is plain how the Papists Cause is advancing and the Protestants Cause decaying in LONDON and through ENGLAND whenas the Papists and that Forreigners have more Liberty in the Exercise of their Religion then some Protestants have that are Natives and known to be good Subjects And these things deserve true and serious Confideration by all good Protestants Alas that this day should be seen Many more Considerations might be asserted in this Case of the Papists Cause being as it were reviving but these for present are presented to the publick View of all People And blessed are they that have an Ear to hear E. B. THE CASE OF Free Liberty OF CONSCIENCE In the Exercise of FAITH and RELIGION Presented unto the KING and both Houses of PARLIAMENT And also Proved absolute Needful and Requisit for them to Grant and Allow in these Kingdoms by many Considerations and Reasons unfolding the Woful Effects and Ill Consequence which will infallibly follow upon the contrary to the Misery and Destruction of these Nations if the Free Exercise of Conscience to God-ward be Limitted and Violently Restrained FOrasmuch as it hath pleased the Lord God of Heaven and Earth who is Mighty and Powerful and bringeth to pass whatsoever he will in the Kingdoms of this World so to suffer it to be accomplished that Power and Authority is given unto you to exercise over these Kingdoms And whereas the People of these Nations over whom your Authority is extended are divided in their Judgments in Matters Spiritual and are of different Principles and Wayes in relation to Faith and Worship and Practices of Religion and yet are all of them Free-born People and Natives of these Kingdoms and as such ought to possess and enjoy their Lives Liberties and Estates by the Just Laws of God and man And may not justly any of them be Destroyed by you nor one sort of another in their Persons and Estates by Death Banishment or other Persecutions for and because only of their Differences in Matters of Opinion and Judgment nor though they are contrary minded in Profession of Faith and Worship and Religion while they do walk Peaceably and Justly in their Conversations under the King's Authority and do not make practice of their Religion to the violating of the Government nor to the Injury of other mens Persons or Estates but ought rather to be Defended and Protected by you in all their Rights both as Men and Christians both in things Civil and Spiritual Notwithstanding their difference in matters Religious as aforesaid they giving proof of their peaceable and honest deportment towards the King and his Government and the people of these Kingdoms And therefore that due care may be had as justly it ought to be by you for the peace and Prosperity and happiness of these Kingdoms and that the just Liberties both civil and Spiritual of all people therein may be allowed and maintained in all the Kings Dominions and that unity and peace may be fully established and justice and Righteousness only brought forth in the Land and all persecution Hatred Contention and Rebellions may die and perish and never more appear And that all Christian people though different in Judgement and practises in matters of Faith and worship may be protected to live a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and honesty under this Government and that indignation and vengeance may be diverted from these Lanââ which seems to threaten because of the contrary and that blessings and peace maâ come and rest upon this people forever Therefore for these ends and causes and in the Name of the Lord I do propound unto you and lay before you on the behalf of all the divided people of these Kingdoms That free Liberty of conscience in the
your Power if that I say ye oppose his Work and will seek to bind and limit his Spirit in his People and will yet force and impose upon Conscience by outward Violence and Kill and Persecute unto Death and Banishment for matter of Conscience and because of difference in Iudgement in Spiritual Things then thus it shall be done unto you Ye shall Fall and Perish and be Troubled and Blessings and Prosperity shall not be unto you If it be not thus the Lord hath not spoken by me Well Friends even all ye that have Authority and Power in the Government of this World are nearly concerned to take special notice of these things presented unto you seeing the Effects of these two Causes are both very weighty and infallibly certain even to you-wards particularly Very weighty because Peace Prosperity and Happiness or Misery Distractions and Downfall to you is depending upon the Effects of the Causes infallibly certain because the Iustice of God Almighty is such that he must bring Reward upon all according to their Deeds and his Iustice cannot be diverted But if ye permit Free Liberty of Conscience in the Exercise of Godliness in Faith and Worship unto all People under your Power then shall Peace and Prosperity be unto you according to the Purpose of God But if ye impose upon Conscience in any wise by Force in Religious Matters and will not be instructed and advised to the contrary Then shall Misery and Destruction certainly be unto you according to the Justice of God's Vengeance These things are so as a Servant of God I present them to you and not upon Fiction or Fancy but as I have received them from the Lord God by his Spirit which signifies the Verity and Certainty of those Things in my Soul Friends Doubt not of these things for verily the Time is at hand and it must surely come to pass my Spirit shall see it and rejoyce therein if in this Body I may not behold it That imposing and forcing of Conscience by Laws and Ordinances of Men upon Penalties on Mens Persons and Estates in Religious Matters shall be expunged subdued and abandoned in these Nations and Kingdoms of the World and it shall be no more But Liberty Liberty shall be Re-planted Embraced and Renowned amongst Men and Truth and Righteousness Mercy and Peace True Liberty and Freedom Justice and True Judgment with all the Causes and Effects thereof shall flourish and grow and prosper on the Earth and the contrary shall fall and rise no more This Day is dawning nigh it s at the Door Blessed are they that are prepared for it Wherefore let all Flesh Hear and Fear Bow and Tremble and let the Hearts of the Righteous rejoyce and be exceeding glad let all the Upright in Heart put on the Garment of Praises and Deliverance For the Day is at hand that Antichrist with all his Strength and Power Force and Policy shall be a Hissing and Reproach and Shame Contempt unto the Saints of the Most High and amongst whom the Lord God Omnipotent doth and must Raign and Rule in Dominion and Glory and Power over all forever and evermore E. B. London this 12th Moneth 1661. Antichrist's Government Justly Detected c. CHAP. 1. Concerning Imposing Religion the Case stated and the Unrighteousness thereof shewed with the Danger thereof also made appear by manifest Proofs Presented unto the Rulers and People of our Age throughout the World TO Impose any Kind of Religion any Way of Worship or Form of Faith and outward Conformity in any Practices of Duty to God-wards by an External Authority of men through force of Laws commanding and requiring such Conformity in Faith and Worship upon Pains Penalties and Forfeitures on mens Persons and Estates as hath been practiced in the World since the dayes of the Apostles amongst the Nations professing Christianity This thing is not of the Lord nor according to Commands of Christ and Example of the Apostles and Primitive Christians declared of in the Scriptures but is of Antichrist and Unrighteous Unequal and Dangerous to the Destruction of the Souls and Bodies of both the Imposers and the Imposed 1. Such kind of Forcing and compelling by force of outward Laws into such outward Conformity of Religion Faith and Worship Church-Government and Ministry was never in beeing nor ever practiced in the true Christian Churches amongst the Apostles in their dayes nor ever was such a thing known among the Primitive Christians There was no such kind of Laws made nor executed amongst them nor such Force exercised on mens Persons and Estates in such Cases there was no outward Violence used in the Primitive Times to compel any to Conformity to Christian Faith Worship and Practice of Christian Religion None of the first Christians were made truly Religious and converted from the Way of Error to the Way of true Christianity by such means of outward Force and Commandments of Men put upon them They were not I say converted themselves to the Christian-Faith and Religion nor made Conformable Worshippers of God in his Spirit by that Way and Means nor did they seek to convert others into Conformity to Church-Government and Christian-Worship by force of outward Laws upon Pains and Forfeitures These things were not in the true Church of Christ in the Apostles dayes amongst the Primitive Christians 2. But the true Way of Conversion among them to the Christian-Faith and Worship and true Church-Government whereby people were made rightly conformable to the true Christian Religion as it was amongst the Apostles was by and through the Doctrine of the Gospel of Christ Jesus preached amongst them in the Power and Demonstration of the Spirit of God of such as were truly called and sent of him which did turn People to the Spirit of God and that Ministry wrought in them to receive it by which their Consciences were convinced and their Hearts perswaded in the Love of christ to believe in him and receive him and follow him and thus were they drawn and begotten and converted into the Faith and Worship and Practice of the true Christiââ¦-Religion and made conformable to the Government and Order of the true Church of Christ in all things by this Means and Way only and not at all by any outward Force and Compulsion exercised upon them they were converted to the true Christian-Religion and to the true Worship of God and by the same Way did they convert and turn others to the same and this only is the Perfect Way of Christian-Conformity to the true Christian-Worship and Church-Gââ¦ment it ever was since the beginning of Christianity in the World and iâânto this day even to perswade the Heart and to convince the Conscience inwardly by the sound Doctrine of the Gospel through the Operation of the Spirit of Christ and by Love and Meekness and Patience and all the Fruits of Righteousness held forth in Doctrine and Conversation which may answer the Testimony of God in all mens Consciences
the unity of Saints a departing and absenting from such an one and a depriving of him of the peace and comfort joy and felicity of the Assembly of God's People and Servants a turnning from such in Converse and Fellowship and a separating from them and judging them by the Spirit of Christ Jesus and this is rejecting an Heretick and delivering him to Satan according to 1 Cor. 5. 4 5 6. When the Church The Saints were met together with the Spirit of God and the Power of the Lord Iesus Christ such a one as had erred from the Truth and sinned against it and was truely an Heretick should be delivered unto Satan for the destruction of the Flesh that the Spirit might be saved Delivering unto Satan what is that but to let him be cast out into the wicked World reputing him as such an one and that he partake not of the sweet heavenly and blessed Union and Fellowship of Saints in their Assemblios and converse with the God of Heaven in his Spirit and Life not to be numbred among the righteous nor a partaker with them in the holy Union of the Elect to pass judgment upon him eternally in the estate he is now in having both erred from the Truth and rejected and despised the reproofs and Admonitions of the Church of Christ and as such to give him up to Satan to give him up to that Spirit that hath led him aside from the Truth and hardned his heart against it to deliver him up to it seeing he refuseth to be reclaimed from it and hath chosen to follow it rather then the Truth let him be left unto delivered up unto that Spirit even unto Satan in the wicked World let him be cast out thither among the unclean and not reckoned among the record and line of the faithful People and separated from and cast out so as he expresseth it vers 11. If any man that is called a Brother be a Fornicator or Covetous a Railer a Drunkard c. with such a one not to accompany no not to eat and this is to deliver a Heritick to Satan for the destruction of the Flesh and is the proper punishment of Heresies and Hereticks according to the Apostles Advice and Precept but not to kill or punish the persons of men by corporal Afflictions and Penalties on the Bodies and Estates for their Error sake this the Apostle gave no Commission for but that such as erred from the Truth and walked contrary in Principle or Practice should be rejected and delivered up unto Satan in the way and manner before declared Again in Matth. 18. 16 17 18. it is signified by Jesus Christ to the self-same purpose in these words If thy Brother trespass go and tell him alone if he repent forgive him if not take one or two or more with thee and tell him again if ãâã still neglect to hear tell it to the Church but if he neglect to hear the Church let such a one be unto thee as hath offended and rejected Reproof and Admonition again and again as an Heathen man and Publican In which words of Christ is truely signified the right and proper way of proceeding towards Hereticks and Offenders even that they be first again and again admonished and reproved and if they resist the same then to be cast out separated from and not enjoy the union and comfort of the Saints amongst them but as an Heathen man and Publican but here is not a word signified of laying corporal Punishments Burning or Banishing persons for their Errors sake and though they may offend no proceedings of this kind are authorised by Jesus Christ or his Apostles in their day but in another way and manner as I have shewed is the proper way ordained of God to deal with Hereticks according to the Testimony of holy Scriptures signified by Christ and his Apostles in the Primitive Churches 9. This is Punishment according to the nature of the Offence for as the Offence is Spiritual erring in the mind from the Truth and a going astray from the Spirit of Christ in a man 's own particular so the Punishment is answerable thereunto even to be separated from the Truth and not to enjoy the Vertue Peace and Comfort of it nor to be partakers thereof amongst the faithfull People And this is truly according to the Iustice of God whose Wayes are just and equal altogether and hath appointed just Rewards for Transgressors according to the nature and merit of the Fact and Deed that is evil and 't is righteous and just that men that sin against their own Souls should be deprived of the Peace and Comfort thereof that all that do depart from the Truth once known and sin against the knowledge thereof âhould be no more a partaker of the Vertue and Felicity of the same and that they who offend the Lord's People and revolt from the union thereof should be cast out from them rejected of them and not enjoy the Blessings and Peace with them even that all they that will not hear the Repooofs of the Spirit of God nor be drawn with the gentle movings thereof should be judged and condemned with the same and not inherit the Assurance of the Saints And this is God's Iustice That all that love Evil and walk in Iniquity and despise the Lord should be cast out into the sinfull World to have their Portion with the Ungodly and all the Workers of Iniquity and this is just Punishment according to the nature of the Offence of Error aad Heresie for in my Iudgment and I have the Spirit of just Iudgment in this Case it is great Punishment and sufficient for a man that hath once tasted of the Vertue of God's Presence among his People to be cast out from the Feeling and Enjoyment of that Life Vertue and Assembly where it is enjoyed this is Punishment and a Wound to the Soul and Conscience for a Person that hath been turned from Iniquity and witnessed the Peace of Christ in the Church to be left in Iniquity and to witness the Wrath and Anger of God daily smiting him in his spirit and upon his heart this is indeed great Punishment And to have the holy Spirit of Christ in his People now to judge and condemn him whom sometimes it hath comforted and refreshed and to be dis-united and separated from that Spirit and Power amongst the Saints which once gave Life and Joy amongst them This man thus judged and condemned by and thus separated and dis-united from the Spirit and Power of Christ and his People is punished and afflicted sufficiently for his Error and Heresie even in his Conscience Soul and Spirit he is wounded grieved pierced vexed and punished though yet his outward-man and his person be not corporally afflicted by Punishments but he is afflicted within he is dealt withal by the Anger of God in his Conscience he is separated into Darkness and from the Light and Glory of God in the Assemblies
proceedings have been in the Enmity and Ignorance and not in the Power and Life of Jesus whereby it hath come to pass that many men hath been destroyed for the cause of which they have been more innocent then they that have destroyed them And thus by false Judgment and cruel proceedings in the matter of Heresie and Error many have been destroyed unjustly and the World filled with Enmity about difference in Religious matters and with Murders and Cruelties upon the false Judgments of men about Heresie and this is weighty to be truly considered a Case to be lamented and grieved for by the Righteous Oh! what strife in the Christian World hath been for Ages on this occasion each sort of People exclaiming against and persecuting others as Hereticks and seditious persons onely for difference in Judgment in Spiritual Cases and each particular person almost raging with fury and intending his Neighbours destruction and onely for being contrary-minded in point of Doctrine and Worship Oh! the view of these things and woful effects produced in the World for Ages in these occasions makes my heart grieve because of the destructions of men yea of the destruction of many upon wrongful judgments and proceedings on these occasions I am troubled I am troubled and ever since I have known the Right hand from the Left in God's matters my Soul often in the deep search of these things hath cryed out How woful are they And when shall it once be that these things shall be no more in the World but that every man may sit at rest and quiet with his God in the Way Faith and Practises of Righteousness as his heart is perswaded of and not be tossed with false Judgments cruel Afflictions and hard dealing because of his Judgment and Conscience in the belief and Knowledge of Heavenly Matters Thus hath my Spirit been framed with zeal against these things this imposing of Religion by force these procedings of killing and destroying men upon the account of Heresie these things my soul hath loathed and I am weary of them and my zeal is kindled against them Oh I when will the Rulers of this World learn Wisdom and forsake false Judgment and Oppression And when will it be that they will onely rule and judge for the Lord in their state and compass of Worldly affairs between man and man in the matters of outward wrongs and injuries And when will they leave it to the Lord to be Judge King and Ruler only in all the Cases of his spiritual Kingdom Then should it be happy and blessed unto men unto Kings and their Subjects to Rulers and their People and to all sorts of Persons if Judgment were onely ascribed unto God that he only might judge and determine of these Cases and punish men according to the desert of their Offences of Error then should it be well with them But in the mean time whilst men are judged and supposed to be Herericks and thereupon sentenced to Death Banishment or corporal Punishment for their supposed Errors sake in matters of Iudgment and Conscience Tribulation Misery Distractions and wofull Consequence will follow upon that work to Kings Rulers and People in every Nation and Countrey and no Peace true Comfort nor Happiness shall be in the midst of men And this is the Judgment of the Spirit of God in him who hath obtained favour from God to receive Knowledge and Understanding in these matters He that can receive this let him CHAP. III. Concerning Antichrist and his Mystery of Deceiveableness What he is in himself and how he appears in the World what his Works are and What his Government is and where it is and who are the Subjects of his Kingdom 1. THese things are great Mysteries and though in the World they are very much abounding and extant throughout all Nations yet for the most part unknown unto the World and not discovered among the sons of men but secretly hidden and veiled under false covers and in much deceivableness dwelling and working upon Earth in the deep Mysteries of Iniquity to the deceiving of multitudes of People who are indeed of Antichrist among whom he dwells appears rules reigns and hath his Authority and Government and yet they know it not nor do they discern him in his Wayes and Works though they are under his Power and subjects of his Kingdom such indeed is the Mystery of Antichrist his hidden false covered pathes in which he works and walks amongst the Sons of men in the World that he easily beguiles and betrays men and deceiveth them unto perdition while yet they know not that they are beguiled and deceived but think they are altogether well and do well and are in the way of Salvation being led of that wicked one and blinded by him and are bewitched into the false faith and deceivable pretence of goodness righteousness holiness and sanctity as if they were indeed Members of the true Church and Saints of the Most High and had a right to Eternal Life and were the very Sons and Servants of the Almighty wher indeed and in Truth they are yet in the estate of Enmity against God in the Degeneration and Bondage of Corruption unconverted and unsanctified and Sinners and Ungodly the very Children of the Devil and Servants of unrighteousness and have no assurance nor right unto the Kingdom of God to rest in his Peace and Glory Such I say is the working of Antichrist that he appears to be in the World contrary to what he truly is in his own beeing and nature and deceives men and People into the apprehensions and conceits of what they are not even contrary to what they are in their present State and Standing even so deep and Mysterious is Antichrist in himself and in his working among the Children of men 2. That there is such a Man or Spirit in the World as Antichrist this is not doubtfull but confessed by all and proved by the Scriptures for the Apostle wrot to the Church They had heard that Antichrist should come and even now saith he are there many Antichrists come into the World 1 John 2. 18. and also 2 John verse 7. saith he For many Deceivers are entred into the World and this is a Deceiver and an Antichrist c. and 2 Thes. 2. the Apostle speaks of the Man of Sin and of the Son of Perdition that should be revealed in the World and should exalt himself above all that is called God These with many other Scriptures do prove that there is such a thing in the World already come into the World and now dwelling and walking in the World as Antichrist Man of Sin and Son of Perdition and as I said 't is confessed by all that there is an Antichrist such a Man or Spirit now extant in the World though there are great Debates and Contentions amongst many called Christians what this Antichrist is and who he is some holding one thing and some another about him and also
Scriptures but rather such as inflict Sufferings upon us And for any of our Principles and Doctrines that we hold we deserve no punishment nor persecution because hereof for we testify before God Angels and Men That we hold and maintain no principles of Religion nor practice of Worship nor Doctrines of Gospel but what are according to Scriptures of Truth And we are ready to be tryed and proved in that case and to bring the matter to Issue in fair proceedings with any man that shall object the contrary And thus the Judgment of Scriptures are for us as we suppose at least and if we are in Errour either by denying any thing on the one hand or affirming any thing on the other we have not been hitherto well Proceeded against in order to our Conviction Secondly We are accused as for a great Crime and Imprisoned because we meet together in the Name and Power of Iesus Christ to wait upon him and to Worship him in Spirit and Truth in Prayer to God and Exhortations one to another to Righteousness and Holiness But what Iudgment doth the Law and Gospel and holy Scriptures give and our Neighbours also between us in this Case Le ts come all to their Barr and receive Iust Sentence Plea First The Judgment of God's Law Christ's Gospel and holy Scriptures are not against our meeting together but on the contrary do command us and Exhort us with promises of blessings to meet together in the Worship of God and to wait upon him And it was the practice of the primitive Christians to assemble themselves together in that form and manner as we do at this day to wit in a private manner and separate from the multitude and all the Iews Synagogues as in Acts 1. 17. The Saints and Disciples both Men and Women to the number of one hundred and twenty which were far more then five went into an upper Chamber being a private place and no publique Synagogue and their waited upon the Lord in Prayer and Supplication according as we do at this day Thus the Scriptures justify the way and manner of our Meetings and condemns them not Again in Acts 20. 8. the Saints and Disciples were gathered together in an upper Chamber and Paul Preached unto them until mid-night Here was a private Meeting far above the number of five and out of any Publick Synagogues and Christ Iesus said Where two or three are met together in my Name there I am in the midct of them And He and his Disciples often met together in private places apart from the Jews publick Worships sometimes in a Ship and sometimes in Desarts and on the Mountains and in particular Houses and Preached and Prayed this the Scriptures Prove And also in Heb. 10. 25. we are expresly commanded not to neglect the Assembling of our selves together but to exhort one another and so much the more as the day approached By all which Scriptures with many more that might be quoted it is Evident to all the World That our meeting together for the Worship of God in that form and manner as Practised by us is according to the Law of God the Gospel of Christ Jesus and the holy Scriptures And all these give Just Judgment for us and Justify us and therefore consequently condemn such as do violence to us for this practise of Meeting together for the Worship of God And thus though we are Accused and Imprisoned as Evil doers yet such our practise of meeting is manifestly according to the Law of God Gospel of Christ Scriptures Example of Saints and President of primitive Christians all which give Judgment for us Secondly What Judgment do our Neighbours give in this Case they say concerning our Meetings That they have known us to meet together in such manner for diverse years in their Towns and Villages and never knew nor understood of any harm or danger herein nor ever were any way prejudiced either in their Persons or Estates by our meetings The very witness of God in all our Neighbours do Testify and give Iudgment that our Meetings have alwayes been peaceable and quiet and that we come together in peace and good order and parted in the same and no person hath been harmed by such our Meetings enquire of the Nighbourhood and they will tell you they believe in their Consciences our Meetings are for good and have good effects and are not evil nor brings forth any evil to any And as for the manner of our Meeting and and sitting together it 's orderly and decently and of good report among men and for any Doctrine that ever was there held or heard by any none can truly accuse it to be either Error or Heresie or Sedition but on the contrary they know it witnesseth against all Sin and Iniquity and tends to the turning of people from Ungodliness and Unrighteousness to Truth and Holiness And many can tell this is effected by our Doctrine Preached in our Meetings and our Neighbours can witness that we part again in Peace and Good order and in convenient time and they can shew you they are not terrified nor the peace of the Land disturbed on our part by our Meetings which are in God's fear and to the Glory of his Name which all sober men know are according to the Law of God and Gospel and primitive Christians Example And thus our Neighbours give Judgment for us and in their Consciences do not Justify them that Imprison us for this matter of meeting together which Gods Law Gospel Scriptures and our Neighbours do thus clearly justifie Thirdly We are Accused as guilty of a heinous Crime and Imprisoned Because we refuse to Swear at all or take any Oath in any Case Plea First The Judgment of the Law of the New Testament of God and Gospel of Christ and Scriptures in this case is clear on our behalf As in the express Command of Christ in his Law and Scriptures Recorded Mat. 5. where he saith Swear not at all by Heaven nor Earth nor by Ierusalem nor by the Head but let your yea be yea and your nay nay for whatsoever is more comes of Evil. And again Iam. 5. the Apostle commandeth the Saints in these words Above all things my Brethren Swear not by Heaven nor Earth nor any other Oath And many holy Martyrs since the Apostles dayes did deny all Swearing Thus you see the Judgment of Christ Jesus and of the Gospel and of the Apostle and of Scriptures are so far from Condemning of us to Imprisonment and Banishment for our refusing to Swear that we are Commanded and Exhorted by them not to Swear at all and therefore consequently justify us in our refusing to Swear and thus give not Judgment for such as do Imprison and Persecute us for not Swearing Come to the Judgment of Christ his Gospel and holy Scriptures Let you and us appear together be fore their Judgment Seat whether they give judgment against us that deny all Swearing or
called Quakers And why they testifie against the Vain Customs and Practices of the World presented to the Parliament Anno 1659. p. 499. An Answer to a Great Cry up and down the Nation That the Quakers Meetings must be broken and suppressed and that this present Parliament intended to do it p. 502. A Cry of great Iudgment and Vengeance upon the Wicked near to be Executed as it was received from the Lord into his Servant E. B. p. 504. To the Rulers and to such as are in Authority Being a true and faithful Testimony concerning Religion and the Establishment thereof and sheweth How it may be established in Persons and Nations page 508. Satan's Design Defeated Being an Answer to a Manuscript sent by Priest Jackson of Sussex to a Member of Parliament p. 514. A Visitation and Warning proclaimed and an Alarum sounded in the Pope's Borders Beeing 1. The Account of a Iourney to Dunkirk p. 525. 2. A Letter to the Deputy Governour p. 527. 3. Queries to the Fryars p. 529. 4. Propositions as a Charge against the Romish Church with a Letter to the chief Iesuit Rector in Dunkirk p. 534. 5. A Warning to the Officers and Souldiers of the English Army p. 537. 6. Some Propositions to the English Priests p. 541. Good Counsel and Advice rejected by Dissobedient Men and the dayes of O. Cromwell passed over and of Richard Cromwell his Son late Protectors of these Nations Shewing the many precious Warnings neglected by them which from time to time were given to them p. 551. To the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England sitting in the year 1659. a Warnining to them to take off Oppression that Truth and Righteousness might be established in the Earth p. 592. A Message to the present Rulers of England Delivered to them in the year 1659. p. 588. To the present Distracted and Broken Nation of England Being a Mourning and Lamentation for the Confusions and Distractions that were then over the Land giving good Counsel and Advice how Peace might be restored p. 598. A Presentation to London Being an Answer to the Young Men and Apprenteces returned to some part of their Petition directed by them to the ââyor and Aldermen of the City p. 607. To the present Assembly Members of Parliament at Westminster presented to them in the 11th Moneth 1659. p. 612. An Answer to a Declaration of the People called Anabaptists in and about the City of London p. 615. An Answer to a great Cry The Quakers will soon fall c. p. 623. A Discovery of some part of the War between the Kingdom of the Lamb and the Kingdom of Antichrist Being an Account of several Disputes between E. B. and one Christopher Fowler a professed Minister in London p. 625. A Return to the Ministers of London By way of Answer to their Seasonable Exhortation so called directed to their Congregations p. 642. A Visitation and Presentation of Love unto the King and those called Royalists Consisting of 1. An Answer to several Queries proposed to the People called Quakers from a sââsed Royalist p. 667. 2. An Objection answered concerning the King's Supremacy p. 678. 3. An Epistle directed to the King and those called Royalists p. 679. 4. Certain Queries returned to them called Royalists to answer p. 684. A Testimony concerning the Book of Common-Prayer so called Being an Answer to an Objection Whether it be not in it self and as practiced in this Nation heretofore and at this present the true Worship of the true and living God p. 693. A Presentation of wholsome Informations unto the King of England Being an Answer to certain Accusations charged before him in a Printed Book called The Thrice Happy Welcome of King Charles the Second by one Geo. Wellington of Bristol City against them whom in Derision the Accuser calls Quakers p. 702. The Everlasting Gospel of Repentance and Remission of Sins held forth and declared to the Inhabitants of the Earth Being a Message of Reconciliation to all People every where in General with certain Propositions of Faith laid down which every one must believe or else they cannot be saved p 724. 732. A Vindication of the People of God called Quakers Being an Answer to a Book put forth by one Geo. Pressick of Dublin in Ireland in which many Lyes and Caluââ¦nies were written against the People of God p. 743. Some Considerations presented to the King of England Being an Answer to a Petition and Address of the General Court of Boston in New-England subscribed by John Indicot delivered to the King in the 11th Moneth 1660. thinking thereby to cover themselves from the Blood of the Innocent p 756. A Just and Righteous Plea presentented unto the King of England and his Counsel Being the true State of the present Case of the People called Quakers 1. Concerning Swearing at all and particularly of the Oath of Allegiance p. 773. 2. Concerning Meeting together to Worship God p. 776. 3. Concerning Tythes among the Jews and among the Christians and why we refuse to pay them at this day p. 779. 4. Concerning giving Security by Bond to live Peaceably or to answer Accusations then and there c. p. 782. 5. Concerning Gââernment it self and particularly of this present Government p. 784. 6. Concerning Persecution what it is in it self and how great an Enemy it is to the King and his Government laid down in ten Particulars p. 787. Persecution Impeached as a Traytor against God his Laws and Government Being a Vindication of the Cause of the Ancient Martyrs against the Cruelty inflicted on them by the Papists in former dayes containing an Answer to a Book called Semper Iidem or A Paralel of Phanaticks wherein several of the Martyrs are vilified and and reproached by the Name and Term of Ancient Phanaticks p. 793. The Case of Free Liberty of Conscience in the exercise of Faith and Religion Presented unto the King and both Houses of Parliament Declaring it absolutely needful for them to grant it and shewing the woful Effects and ill Consequence which will infallibly follow upon the contrary to the Misery and Destruction of these Nations p. 813. A Discovery of Divine Mysteries Wherein is unfolded the secret things of the Kingdom of God Being a Testimony 1. Concerning Life and Death with their several Fruits and Effects distinguished p. 823. 2. Concerning the Mystery of God and Godliness and concerning the Mystery the Devil and Iniquity p. 827. 3. Concerning true Liberty of Conscience what it is in it self and how it is obtained and what the true Guide and Rule is of the Exercise of Conscience p. 830. 4. Concerning the Diversity of Iudgments in Religion p. 834. Antichrist's Government Justly Detected of Unrighteousness Injustice c. Shewed and declared 1. In the Case of Imposing upon Conscience in Matters Religious by Force of outward Violence or Pains and Penalties on the Persons and Estates of Men p. 850. 2. In the Case of Heresie shewing what it is in it self who
judge between the Priests and Professors and all the Sects and us ye have heard their Doctrines and ye have heard something of ours ye have seen their Conversation and ye have seen something of ours ye have heard them long and something of us ye have heard for a little season and now give your Evidence is it not with them as we have said are not your Priests in the Steps of the false Prophets and of the Deceivers and do not they seek for their Gain from their Quarter as they did that Isaiah cryed against do not they preach for Hire and divine for Money as they did which Micah cryed against are not they such by whom you have not been profited as Ieremiah cry'd against let that of God in you answer to these things And are they not Proud Men and Covetous Men and Envious Men and Heady High-minded Men and given to filthy Lucre And are they not such as through Covetousness make Merchandize of Souls and that by Good Words and Fair Speeches deceive the Hearts of the Simple such as Paul and Peter declare against And are they not such as the true Prophets Christ and his Apostles cry'd against And do they not bring forth the same Fruits as did the false Prophets and false Apostles I leave it to your Consciences to be the Judge Compare them and lay them to the Line of True Judgment if you shut not your eyes you may see it is thus and have we charged them falsly or have not we spoken the truth concerning them we have said they are false Ministers and Deceivers and not true Ministers of Christ and is it not so let the Light in your Consciences answer we have said they have run never were sent and that they have not profited the people at all and is it not so to the Witness of God in you I do appeal and let that justifie that we have spoken nothing but the truth examine and try in all things that we have charged them with And are they not guilty in all things that we have charged upon them let the Witness of God in you testifie to this And what do you judge of them are they not of that stock which Christ said should come and should be Wolves in Sheep's Cloathing and should deceive many and which Iohn saw were come in his dayes and which the World went after and the whole World run after them are not they in the nature of Wolves devouring and tearing the Lambs of Christ and do they not tear People by causing their Bodies to be imprisoned and their Goods to be spoiled and do they not deceive many and yet they have the Sheep's Cloathing the Saints words and their practices but inwardly are they not ravening and doth not the World go after them and hath not the World run after them for many Ages and is it not thus with them And have they received the gift of the holy Ghost or are they not made Ministers by the will of man and not by the will of God do they not differ and are contrary in Call in Practice in Maintenance and in Fruits and Effects to the true Ministers and true Apostles and do they not agree and are they not according to the false Prophets and false Ministers and Deceivers in their Call Practice Maintenance Fruits and Effects search the Scriptures and lay them to that line and then let the witness in your Consciences judge and answer and do not they prepare War against such as do not put into their mouthes and do not they feed with the Fat and cloath with the Wool do not they oppress the Nation and the Creation and are not they such whose Call and Practices and Maintenance and whole Ministery hath a dependance upon Popery and doth it not all savour of Popery and in the main and Principal parts thereof were ordained by the Pope this may be fully made manifest And are not all Professors and Sect of people such as have the form but are without the Power of Godliness are not people still Covetous and Earthly-minded and given to the World and proud and vain even such as profess Religion and to be a seperated people are not Professors as covetous and proud as such as do not profess and are not they given to the World and doth it not shew that they are unchanged nor translated but death Reigns among them and is it not manifest that they have taken up the form of the Apostles and Christs words and Practices and are without the life and not guided by the Spirit of Christ and the Apostles in their Praying and Preaching and are not your souls lean and starved to the Witness of God in you all I speak which may testifie that many people have a shew of Religion without Life and therefore have not we spoken the truth of them in what we have said in the Day of Judgment you shall answer this And as concerning the Quakers what do you say of them you have seen their Conversation few Towns but some of them have been and are amongst you Do not they fear God and do not they walk justly and truly among their Neighbours and speak the truth and do the Truth in all things doing unto all no otherwise then they would be done unto and are they not Meek and Humble and Sober and do not they take much Wrong rather then give Wrong to any and are they not such as delight in the Wayes of the Lord and do not they deny the World and its Pleasures and forsake all Iniquity more then your selves and do not they take up the daily Cross of Christ to all its wayes and earthly glories and do not they Preach in the Power of God and reach to your Consciences when you hear them and doth not the Light in you answer that they speak the Truth and is not their Call and Practice and Maintenance the same as was the Apostles and faithful Ministers compare them with the Scripture and then judge in your Consciences and do not they suffer many hard and cruel things even all manner of evil spoken and done against them falsly for the Name of Christ Are you ignorant of their great Sufferings through this Nation and what do you think is their suffering for Evil-doing or is it not for Righteousness sake What Harm do they do to any by Work or Word Why are they reproached and mocked and scorned and why are they put in Prisons and whipped and thus sorely abused is it for any Evil-doing or is it not because they are the Servants of the Lord Compare their Fruits with the Priests fruits their Conversation with the Priests conversation see whether be liker the Apostles and these things I leave to you that you may come to consider and judge justly of all things for the Lord God is risen and his Light in Peoples Consciences is shining forth and it shall answer to what I say in this World
or in the day of Judgment when we and all Man-kind shall appear and come sorth to tryal and every mans work shall be tryed and all shall receive according to their deeds And so gladly would we be made manifest to all the World if that after the reading of this Book any be unsatisfied still in this matter And if any especially of the Heads and Rulers have doubts or Jealousies raised in them concerning us and the Priests and that they further would be satisfied and resolved for that end let any Wise-men propound for full satisfaction of all sorts of People that we with the consent of the chief in Authority that have power in this Nation who may preserve peace and safety among people and thereby to stop all Jealousies may freely and chearfully Four Ten Twenty Thirty more or fewer of us give as many of the wisest and ablest of the Priests and Professors a meeting for dispute at any place in England at what place time and for what continuance as they shall ascribe and consent unto and to dispute and controvert betwixt us and them any such thing and every such particular as shall or may be objected by any of the Heads and Rulers or other Grave Understanding Men wherein they are doubtful betwixt us and would thereof be satisfied that by such Dispute and opening of such causes objected full and real and toal satisfaction may be given to the whole Nation and every particular man and member therein Otherwise Let the Priests or Professors or any of them object what they can against us in our Principles Profession Faith and Practice and our whole Religion And if they shall affirm and alledge any one or more things against us that any Principle we hold or Practice we profess in any part throughout all our Religion are false Principles and false Practices and not according to Truth nor the Scriptures but shall affirm that our Religion is not the true Religion nor we of the true Church of Christ and they shall have free liberty to give their best proof and reason for what they affirm and alledge yet by the Strength of Christ and in the power and authority of God and according to the Scriptures we shall confute all their Proofs and strongest Reasons and on the contrary we shall joyn our Principles Doctrines and Practices and all our Religion and every part and particular thereof to be the very truth and agreeing with the Scriptures according to that shall maintain by lawful Arguments and plea that our Religion and Worship and all that we profess and Practice is according to the mind of the Lord and justified of him and that whatsoever is and may be spoken against us upon that account is utterly false and to be condemned and upon this we will ingage with them and with any of our Enemes of what Sect and Profession soever to the intent onely that Truth may be manifest and embraced and Deceit and Error discovered and denied And also upon such an Engagement we should agree to have the liberty freely and soberly to object against the Priests concerning their Ministry their Call their Practice their Maintenance and their Fruits and Effects and concerning their Church and Principles and Worship and whole Religion and shall hear patiently all that can be said in defence thereof by any or all of them and shall prove by the Spirit of the Lord and according to the Scriptures that their ministry is not the true Ministry of Christ nor they true and lawfull Ministers of the Gospel but shall manifest by evident Arguments that their Call Practice Maintenance Fruits and Effects are not according nor agreeing but contrary and differing to what the true Ministry was and its Call Practice Maintenance Fruits and Effects were in the true Apostles and among the true Churches and furthermore by the Grace of God we shall prove their Church their Worship and their whole Religion in all parts thereof to be degenerated from what the true Church was the true Worship and true Religion in the days of the Apostles and true Churches of old and these things shall we make manifest by faithful and sound Arguments according to the Scriptures that all the Earth may know and all people perceive who is in the Truth and of the true Worship and Religion and who are in the contrary and whether the Priests and that which they profess and practice for Religion or the Quakers and that which they profess and practice for Religion be of God and according to him and whether are contrary that the end of this long Travel and War and controversie may be desided and justly ended between us and all people may be resolved and satisfied concerning us and them that do oppose us And let all the Priests and Professors lay aside and give over their Houses of Correction and imprisoning people and whipping of them and stocking of us and dealing in this manner of violence and cruelty as for years by-past they have done in defence of their Religion and resisting of ours and let them lay aside their carnal Weapons and fighting against our persons and imprisoning of us about our Religion and let them come forth in sound Arguments the best they have and let us see what spiritual Weapons they have to resist us and defend themselves and let us try whether their spiritual Weapons or ours be the strongest and the most powerful and mighty and let theirs that are so prevail against the other be it ours or theirs and this is the way to try the truth and to make all things manifest and to deside and end all the whole controversies between us and them which hath been great this many years and let the Truth be set up and exalted where ever it is and all Deceit thrown down to the Ground and let us war with the Weapons of the Spirit against Errour and false Religion one in the other but le ts not hurt Creatures nor imprison Persons nor stock and whip Creatures and make them to suffer but let us thresh Deceit and whip and beat that and all false Opinions let us throw them down where they are found whether in them or in us and let us fight with the Weapons of the Spirit that are spiritual let them fight no longer with such cruel carnal Weapons and then let such as get the victory and overcome appear to be in the truth of the Church and such as falls and is overcome be manifest to be in the Error and of the false Church and Religion and let us love one anothers persons and let them act no otherwise towards our persons then we do upon theirs and towards them and let them take the liberty to deal with us and our persons as we deal with them and their persons and no otherwise And let such whether them or us that cannot prove our selves to be the true Church of Christ nor of the true Worship and true