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A65876 The path of the just cleared, and cruelty and tyranny laid open, or, A few words to you priests, and magistrates of this nation, (who say we deny the Scriptures, and that we are antichrists and deceivers, and that we deny the Word of God) wherein your oppression and tyranny is laid open, which by you is unjustly acted against the servants of the Living God, who by the world which hate the light of Christ, are in derision called Quakers : wherein also is something declared both to judges and justices ... : also the ground and cause of the imprisonment of George Whitehead and John Harwood ... / from the spirit of the Living God in me, whose name in the flesh is George Whitehead ... ; also a paper against the sin of idleness ... Whitehead, George, 1636?-1723.; Harwood, John. To all you rulers, gentry, priests, and people. 1655 (1655) Wing W1944; ESTC R206645 17,128 27

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THE PATH of the JUST Cleared AND Cruelty and Tyranny laid Open Or a Few Words to you Priests and Magistrates of this Nation who say we deny the Scriptures and that we are Antichrists and Deceivers and that we deny the Word of God Wherein your Oppression and Tyranny is laid Open which by you is unjustly acted against the Servants of the Living God who by the World which hate the Light of Christ are in Derision called Quakers Wherein also is something declared both to Judges and Justices so called concerning Contempt of Authority Also the Ground and Cause of the Imprisonment of George Whitehead and John Harwood who are Sufferers for the Innocent Truths sake In the Goal of Bury in Suffolk Also a Copy of a Paper which a Servant of the Lord called Richard Clayton was moved to set upon a Steeple-house Door at Bury in Suffolk for which he was caused to be whipped by one Thomas Waldegrave Justice of Peace in the said County But though hand joyn in hand the wicked shall not be unpunished but the Seed of the Righteous shall be delivered Prov. 11. 21. From the Spirit of the Living God in me whose name in the flesh is George Whitehead who for Sions sake cannot hold my peace but testifie against her Oppressors who am a Sufferer as aforesaid the 4. day of the 7. month 1655. Also A Paper against the sin of Idleness which we declare against and live out of and are diligent serving the Lord though that sin be cast upon us yet it we deny with all other sins and ungodlinesse which is contrary to the Gospel of Christ London Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black-Spread-Eagle near the West End of Pauls 1655. THE Path of the JVST cleared AND Cruelty and Tyranny laid Open See what Christ we own and who are Antichrists THat Christ we owne and witness and are partakers of his Sufferings who was promised for a Covenant unto the people for a light unto the Gentils to open the blind eyes this is he who was before Abraham was who said Before Abraham was I am who was in the beginning which was the Word by which all things was made which Word became flesh and dwelt among the disciples and suffered at Jerusalem and witnessed a good confession before Ponce Pilate whom Pilate delivered up to the Jews and the chief priests and elders whom they mocked and despitefully used put to death concerning the flesh but is raised up by the spirit and ascended into glory which glory he prayed for even that glory whereby he was at first with his Father glorified in wherein he is glorified in his Saints and is God over all God blessed for ever and he that hath him hath the father also and hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life for he is the light of the world and in him is no darknesse and He is the Way the truth and the life and he that followeth him shall not abidein darknesse but shall receive the light of life And this is the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world which Iohn who was a man sent from God was a witnesse of and we are witnesses of and do not deny the Word nor the Scriptures but they who persecuted him even the Scribes and pharises and the chiefe priests and elders of the people who had a profession of the Scriptures of Moses words and the prophets words they did deny the Scriptures even Moses who wrote of Christ so did not beleive Christ and so denyed him who was the Word which became flesh And so his word did not take place in them because they did not believe that he was the Christ but looked for another Christ to come in pompe like themselves but against their pride he did cry and said Woe unto the Scribes and Pharises who were called of men Masters stood praying in the Synagogues had the chiefest places in the assemblies and greeting in the markets and laid heavy burthens upon the people But he said to his disciples Be not ye called masters and when he sent them forth he forbad them to take money or bag or Scrip but freely ye have received freely give and many of them had no certaine dwelling place but suffered persecution and hunger and nakednesse and prison and stripes and perils and were chargeable to no man but where they had sown Spiritual things they said if we sow to you Spiritual things it is a smal thing if we reap of you carnal things But these were not the world for the world was persecuters and revilers and haled them out of the Synagogues and such as Christ sent we owne and the Scriptures we own and Christ come in the flesh we owne and witnesse but you Magistrates and you Priests of this nation who are upholden by such as persecute and hale out of the Synagogues and imprison and whip despitefully now use such as are sent freely to witnes forth the truth and for that Christ and against Antichrist and deceivers such as Christ cryed wo against here you priests of this nation who are found in their steps which Christ cryed woe against even the steps of the Scribes Pharises you Magistrates Justices Judges Rulers who uphold such and persecute imprison cause to be whipped and fine such as are sent to bear witness against them that are found in Scribes and Pharises steps who lay heavy burthens upon the people and are called of men masters stands praying in the synagogues and have the cheifest places in the assemblies you are filling up the measure of their iniquities who persecuted Christ upheld them which Christ cryed wo unto and them who persecuted the true prophets who was sent to cry out against the false prophets these cryed against such as sought for their gain from their quarters such as were hirlings such as bare rule by their means and taught lyes who said they were sent of God when God never sent them but man before they were sent and these were the prophets who cryed against the false who said thus said the Lord and Heare the Word of the Lord But God never spake to them but Jeremiah who cryed against such was not a proud man nor a covetous man as the priests of England are now who are in these steps before mentioned which the false prophets were in But Jeremiah was mocked they were stoned some killed and Jeremy was set in the stocks for witnessing forth the truth against the false prophets and put into adungeon and here we are witnessed by the true prophets Christ his Apostles who ever witnessed against deceivers and such as lived in pride and coveteousness and Amos who was a true witness for God witnessed against the abomination of rulers and people he was not made a Minister by the will
to go out of doors with a keeper so the said Waldegrave asked John Harwood if he would answer him all the Questions that he should demand of him But Jo. denyed to be limited to his will but as he had moving so the said Harbert Pellam being there present who before had examined us and had our examination in writing John Harwood told Walgrave that Pellam had his examination in writing and bad him if he had any thing to accuse us of to declare what he had against us so then the said Waldegrave being in a great rage would not suffer him to speak but caused him to be haled out of doors so he and the said Pellam consulted a great vvhile together so after a time Walgrave came forth and spoke to John Harwood and in a fury put off his hat and cast it dovvn and asked him his name and country vvhich Questions John ansvvered so he came to me and asked me if I would work at hay so I denyed to be bound to such task-masters for I was in that Calling whereunto God hath called me wherein I was chargable to no man for he had nothing to do to lay any task upon any of us who was brought out of Egypt from under Pharoahs Task-masters so he went in and sent out a Warrant to imprison John Harwood and another to have Richard Clayton whipped at Bury and sent from Constable to Constable till he came at his outward being so he charged the Constable to keep me that week till another Justice came from the Assizes at Bury so we demanded of him what Law we had transgressed But he would shew us none neither declared unto us any transgression that we had acted But called the paper that Richard Clayton set upon the steeple-house door a seditious paper and non-sence which he could not prove nor shew any thing in it contrary to the Scripture But he would scarce suffer us to speak but did stamp and rage and caused us to be haled out of doors so we were had back again to the said Bury and according to the Warrant Richard Hum the said Constable the same night in the open street whipping Richard Clayton he being stript naked to the midle about the wast so presently after he had whipped him he sent him away that nighr according to the warrant and John Harwood and I was kept at an Inn in the same town that night and early in the morning John was sent with 2. men to the prison of Bury St. Edmonds in Suffolk about 16. miles from the said Bures so until the next day under the Constables custody I remained so in the morning there came a warrant from the said Waldegrave to the Constable to send me to the said prison of Bury so accordingly I was sent the same day where we remaine in bonds by the cruelty of these called Justices to wit Harbert Pellam and Thomas Waldgrave and are not convinced of the breach of any known Law of the Nation But in patience we suffer and in our sufferings have peace our bonds being unjustly laid upon us by them who profess Justice but here they and their profession is seen and with the light of Christ condemned to be contrary to the law justice and equity Therefore let the supreme and governors who are in Authority consider for all your professing Liberty to tender consciences and Religion what Liberty by you is brought forth when as we who are sent of the Lord to bear witness unto pure religion and to witnesse forth a good conscience and our labour and travel is that justice and equity might be set up and deceit confounded and also we being free born English men may not have freedom to passe the high-way about our lawful calling But have such bonds and snares laid upon us both contrary to the Law of God and the law of the Nation and contrary to that liberty which hath been promised to them professing Godlinesse by the supreme of this Nation As in the act for the government of England Scotland and Ireland in Article 36. That to the publike profession held forth none shall be compelled by penalities or otherwise but that endeavours be made to win them by sound doctrine and the examples of a good conversation Article 37. That such as profess faith in God by Jesus Christ though differing in Judgment from the doctrin worship or discipline publickly held forth shall not be restrained from But shall be protected in the profession of the faith and exercise of their Religion so as they abuse not this Liberty to the civill Injury of others and to the actuall disturbance of the publique peace on their part provided that this liberty be not extended to Popery or Prelacy nor to such who under the profession of Christ hold forth and practise Licentiousnesse Article 38 That all lawes statutes ordinances and clauses in any law statute and ordinance to the contrary of the aforesaid liberty shall be esteemed Nul and ●oyde Now let the Supreme and Magistrates see and examine what performance there is acted by you of these solemne promises which hath beene promised for the liberty of Godlinesse in this Nation when such injustice is winked at and acted by you who professe justice and are set in authority to act according to the law of justice and to remove unjust causes when now both contrary to the law of God and contrary to your own law you cause the servants of the Lord to suffer Whipping and Imprisoning them which you cannot charge which the breach of any law here be ashamed of your unjust actings ye oppressors and persecutors of the innocent and know that at your cruelty the Lord will not winke but though you joyne hand in hand you shall not go unpunished and the very heathens may condemn you that whip and act contrary to your own law against them whom the law condemnes not for when they were ready to Whip Paul he said to the centurion Is it lawfull for you to scourge a man that is a Roman and uncondemned and said he was free borne and so both the centurion and the chiefe Captaine who bound Paul were afraid after they knew that he was a Roman and caused him to be loosed but though we be free-borne English men and uncondemned by the law you are not ashamed to Whip and act in cruelty against us therefore see what equity is owned by you and see whethe● you do as ye would be don by yea or nay and let al● people who have any feare of God in them see you● shame and envy you utter forth and have acted againe the innocent For they who are authorised to beare this sword of justice ought not to be a terrour to good work-but to the evill and saith the Lord by his prophet David he that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the feare of God and such who rule in the feare of God are not persecutors of the innocent but
that to your selves which belongs to God and this is He vvho reigns over the house of Iacob and is greater then Abraham Let the heathens bovv to him vvho hath redeemed us out of the heathenish nature for he wil break the limits of the heathen and dash them to peices and all your limits who live in envy and rage in the heathenish nature and plead for their customs and would limit the righteous to walk in their steps and to bow to your proud flesh for as I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every Tongue shall confess unto god as you may read Rom. 13. 11. Isai. 45. 23. Phil. 2. 10. Therefore bow to the Lord of hosts and let proud flesh stoop before him who seeks honour to your selves which belongs to God Fear before the Lord and tremble at which Name every knee shall bow and every tongue confess to the glory of God Then examine what will be the end of your Earthly glory whose honour must be laid in the dust who seeks your own glory and not the glory of God whose honour and glory we seek and not the honor of man and therfore we cannot stoop nor bow to your pride nor conform to your vanities which are acted in your wills contrary to the pure Law of God which respects no mans person and here you act for your own ends and punish the servants of the Lord who for his sake cannot submit to your deceit and heathenish vanities you act contrary to the Law of God and the Law of the Nation and for the Lords sake act not neither were you sent of God to this end therefore accuse us not for contempt of Authority neither say that we are not subject to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake for to every Ordinance of man which are for the Lords sake we are subject whether it be to supream or unto Governors as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers and for the praise of them that do well But you who are sent to judge of Causes between man and man according to the truth and equity by an outward Law which takes hold upon transgression and now execute power upon them who by the Law of the Spirit of life are made free from the Law of sin and death and so would usurp Authority over the consciences of the people of the Lord whose consciences is exercised by the Light of Christ which condemns the World with its deeds and so you go beyond your limits to judg in things pertaining to God who is Judge and Law-giver and so here you act in frowardness contrary to the Light of Christ in you and so would lord it over Gods heritage and here let the Rulers among the heathen which Christ spoke of condemn your practices who said the Kings of the Gentiles exercised Authority over them but ye would exercise Lordship over us who are not Heathens but Christians Therefore ye Magistrates of this Nation see whom you are acting for and what order is set up by you and whose glory it is you seek and who it is that you seek to exercise Authority over for when the Judgments of God comes upon you for acting in your wills and in your cruelty against the innocent you will witness them to be Just by that of God in your consciences and your Just reward And know that in as much as you persecute them whom Christ hath sent you persecute Christ therefore now while the Lord doth not speedily execute his Judgments upon you consider your wayes and see what you act and whom you act for as you will it eternally answer The ground of John Harwoods my imprisonment that Innocency may be cleared and the wicked bear their burthens UPon the 30 day of the 5th month being the 2d day of the week I my two Bretheren Jo Harwood Richard Clayton passing through a town called Bury in Suffolk about 5 Miles from Halstead in Essex where we were at a meeting the firstday before in the feare and service of the Lord and passing by the steeple house in the said Bury Richard Clayton was moved to set up a paper upon the steeple house door and John Harwood I passing on a litle before and seeing some people of the said Bury coming to Richard Clayton where he was seting up the paper and so we passed back to them who stayed him and were about him reading the paper who could find nothing contrary to Scriprure in it so John Harwood and I being to speake a few words to the people there present in the name of the Lord exhorted them to turne to the Lord from the vanities wickednesses they lived in which several of them was made to confess the truth of which was declared to them and the mouths of many who were in rage were stopped and so we passing from the people there present there came a Constable called Richard Hum who stayed us and said he had a warrant to stay us so we demanded to see his warrant but he had none to shew but said he had order from the Justice so carried us two before Harbert Pellam called Justice of peace in the said Bury whose office is for Essex so first I was carried before him and he examined me then John Harwood of our names and country and abode where we had been and what money we had when we came out of our own countryes which we answered as we were moved and had freedom and many other vain questions he asked in his b●sie vain Light mind which were not worth mentioning and when I was moved to speak a few words concerning his rage filthiness which he uttered forth he said he sent not for me to preach but he could lay no transgression nor the breach of any known Law to our charge but in his fury rage sent us by the Constable some others with him to one Thomas Walgrave who is called Justice of peace at Smalbridg in Suffolk about half a mile from the said Bury whose office is for Suffolk so when we came before the said Walgrave we were carried into the house they first examined Richard Clayton of his name and country and where he had been and what was the cause of his coming into that country and who sent him which he answered as he was moved and some other vain Questions were asked him when he had examined him he then examined me of my name country and where I was born and how long I had been acquainted with Richard Clayton and where I first met with him which I answered according to my freedom some other vain needless Questions were asked not worth mentioning so he could lay nothing to our charge concerning the breach of any Law we being free born English men and not Chargeable to any so then John Harwood was brought before him and Richard Clayton I commanded
doth defend and preserve such as these men before mentioned whip and persecute For the law which because of transgression is added doth not take hold upon the innocent which no law hath transgressed So ye who have acted your cruelty upon the innocent who in the sight of God are free from the breach of any known law who according to your own law by you ought to be protected here you are found transgressors of the law which because of transgression is added and with it are condemned and with the light of Christ you are seene to be the Magistrates which beares the sword in vaine who turnes the edge of the sword against the righteous seed which you ought to turne against the wicked that the land might be emptyed of transgressors and evill doers for the law was not made for the righteous but for the lawless and disobedient which law is witnessed by us to be good in its place who suffer by the wills of unreasonable men contrary to the law of God and the law of the Nation for we who professe faith in God by Jesus Christ and through faith hath victory obtained over that nature which leads into the transgression of the Law ought according to your own law to be protected in the exercising of our religion but you instead of protecting us whip and imprison us And here let your own law be a witnesse against you and be ashamed of your unjust actings but the Lord of God of Heaven and Earth who is our protector who is righteous who beares not the sword in vaine who will execute the judgment upon the transgressor who will reward you according to your works before him you shall not be able to stand in judgment in the day of your account therefore come downe to the light in your consciences which calls for justice and equity and awake to righteousnesse all ye that li●e in your Pride and presumption and therein act against the innocent for the day hastens wherein you will be found out by the righteous judgments of God for the cry of the innocent which is oppressed by you hath entred into the eares of the Lord of Sabbath who will come quickly and reward every one of you according to your deeds Therefore repent of your cruelty before the evill day come least you be found guilty of the blood of the innocent when the Lord calls you to an account for know this that when the Lord comes to plead with you that of God in all your consciences will witnesse for God in his righteous judgments therefore by that light which is pure in your consciences learne your condemnation and own it upon those things before mentioned which are contrary to the light that peradventure you may be hid in the day of the Lords wrath From us who are sufferers in outward bonds for the testimony of a good conscience for the innocent truth sake which shall stand for ever a witnesse against all cruelty and bloody persecutors in which truth we have assurance and peace in our sufferings who are counted by the world deceivers yet true persecuted but not destroyed Our names according to the flesh are George Whitehead Iohn Harwood c. From Bury Gaol this 14 of the 9 Month A True Coppy of the Paper which Richard Clayton was moved to set upon Bures Steeple-house doore for which he the said Thomas Waldgrave called Iustice of peace caused him to be whipped which he the said Thomas Waldegrave called a seditious paper and non-sence IF you do set up such Ministers as seeke for their gaine from their quarters you do set up such as the Prophet disapproves Isa. 56. 11 And if you do set up such as do beare rule by their meanes you do set up such as the Prophet Jeremiah and the Lord disapproves Jer. 5. And you that set up such as seeks for the wool and make a prey upon the people you set up such as the Prophet Ezekiel disapproves Ezek. 34 And you that set up hirelings set up such as Micah disapproves Mica 3. And you that set up such as are called of men Masters stands praying in the synagogues and have the chiefest places in the assemblies you set up such as Christ disapproved Math. 23 And you that set up such as are given to filthy lucre you set up such as the Apostle disapproves 2 Pet. 2. 14. And you that set up such as persecute and cause people to be sent to prison for speaking the truth in the synagogues you set up such as goe in Cains way Jude 11 And you that set up such as receives guifts and rewards the wages of unrighteousnesse you set up such as minde earthly things whose God is their belly which the Apostle disapproves Phil. 3. 10. And you that set up such as strives to keep out Gods labourers out of his Vineyard and keep up such which Christ and the Apostles disapproves and you that set up such as would not suffer another to speake that stands by when any thing is revealed but sends him to Prison if he do you set up a persecuting Spirit full of disorder and are judged by the Apostles life and doctrine who was a Minister of Christ both you that set up and them you do set up who said they might speake one by one and so you all by this Spirit are judged to be in the Spirit of errour and to be such as would quench the holy Spirit and would limit the Spirit of God and despise prophecying and dare not try all things manifesting your selves to be haters of the light and disapproved with the Prophets and Apostles and their practices and life and you that sets up such as gives people Davids Quakings Tremblings Cryings Roarings and Tears and Prophecyes and prayers and praises in Meeter mixt together you set up such as have not the Spirit of understanding to sing with the Spirit and with understanding which Spirit brings to know the time of praising Praying Groaning and Crying and Trembling and Quaking and Prophesying the Spirit of understanding witnesseth these things in their places but you give Scoffers and Scorners and Drunkards and Swearers and Threatners and Persecuters Davids conditions to sing for he was scoft at when he was in such conditions and these do so now at these that are in such conditions And if you set up such as takes Tythes you set up such as the Apostle denied for the Apostle said the Preisthood was changed and the law was changed also Heb. 7. and if you set up such as is before mentioned you set up such as are contrary to Scriptures and plants no Vineyard nor labours in the Vineyard for first they must plant a Vineyard before they eat of it To all you-Rulers Gentry Priests and people in the Nation who accuse us you call Quakers for idleness Take notice of your envy you have against Gods Labourers WHereas by many of the Magistrates Priests and People of this Nation we are accused of