in the said Papers but only that they should have required the Innocent Blood that had been shed after they had set up their Standard at Rome according to what many of them had often promised before they fell on persecuting and imprisoning our Friends and herein they were reproved of breach of promise that many of the old Army had made not to lay down their Arms till they had set up their Standard at Rome and broke down Oppression there But on the contrary to fall upon Oppressing and Imprisoning Men for Conscience here might they not justly from their own former pretences and promises be asked why do ye Imprison us or suffer us to be Imprisoned As many were in the Protectors name and time why do ye not go to Rome and break down the Popes Inquisitions and in point of Justice require the Innocent Blood that has been shed by that persecuting Power And might they not have required this as Magistrates and seen what satisfaction would have been made according to their own engagements But when they set up Persecution in England they lost their Power and Dread and became Weak and Feeble till the Lord overturned them And yet though it ' cannot consist with our Christian Principle so much as to avenge our selves War with carnal Weapons or incite others to War and Bloodshed And G. F. who is the Man chiefly struck at in this matter even in Cromwel's days did manifestly testifie against Wars and Fighting as also against Plotting and contriving Insurrections and this both by Words Writing and Suffering and exhorted the Soldiers to do violence to no Man neither accuse any Man falsely and this in the same Paper wherein he reminds them of Rome c. Howbeit there remains both Judgments and Vials of Wrath from God in store for the Persecuting Whore or Mystery Babylon wherever she sits upon the many Waters which are Peoples and Multitudes and Nations and Tongues Rev. 17. and 18. Chapters that has been drunk with the Blood of the Saints and made both Nations and Kings drunk with the Wine of the Wrath of her Fornication And whether at Rome or throughout all Christendom that Spirit of Persecution cannot escape nor they that joyn with it in acts of Cruelty whether Papists or Protestants Kings Princes or People But as for O. C. and his Agents though looked upon to be a Beast yet he was not so serviceable a Beast or Horn as those spoken of in the Revelations chap. 17. 16. that shall hate the Whore and make her desolate and naked and shall eat her Flesh and burn her with Fire because God hath put it into their Hearts to fulfil his Will ver 17. too course a work for Saints and Lambs of Christ and yet Gods Will it should be done Now to foresee or foretel such a Judgment to be of God is one thing and to incite Men to Wars and Bloodshed is another And this latter I affirm stands not with the Principle nor Practice of the People called Quakers nor do they declare themselves for Fighting as they are most falsly accused And as to the question How should the Army set up their Standard at Rome but by Fighting There does lye a plain exception and certain Instances against the general State of this questionary Argument which yet I bring not as comparative altogether but only with respect to that Dread that was believed by some would have attended the old Army had they been faithful to the cause pretended and gone to Rome for that end declared My exception is first in the case of Gideon the Host of the Midianites fled and were overcome and yet not by Fighting on Gideons part but by a mean Stratagem as to outward appearance viz. that of their Pitchers Trumpets and Lamps but the hand of the Lord was in it see Judg. 7. And secondly in the case of Jehosaphat King of Judah when the Children of Ammon Moab and Mount-seir came against Judah the Lord told them by his Prophet Jehaziel be not afraid nor dismaid by reason of this great Multitude for the Battel is not yours but Gods 2 Chron. 20. 15. And did they then go against this great Army to fight them No but having first sought the Lord they sung Praises to the beauty of Holyness and when they began to sing the Lord set ambushments against the Children of Ammon Moab c. see ver 22 23. And it s said concerning Barak Jeptha Sampson David Samuel and the Prophets that by Faith they subdued Kingdoms turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens c. Heb. 11. 32. which therefore was not all by Fighting but that there has a hand and power of God appeared in these things and in Revolutions most sorts will confess except Atheists Object The Army was made the Sword of the Lord against Papists and Bishops M. H. T. S. and the Lord is represented Fighting with Olivers Sword G. R. And what then So the wicked are call'd his Sword Psal. 17. 13. And O Assyrian the Rod of mine Anger Isa. 10. 5. And Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon my Servant Jer. 25. 9. and 43. 10. See the places quoted And also Jer. 49. 28. and 50. 17. and Ezek. 26. 7. and 29. 19. and 30. 10. So that sometimes God makes use of evil Men to execute such Judgments as well as Men zealous and sincere for a good end therein And also that Passage cited about inviting all Christians and Nations that are against Popery to come against it c. This is taken as looking somewhat Warlike however had they so done in all probability they had been so formidable and frightful to the Pope c. that he would have delivered up his Mitre c. that there would have been the less occasion if any for War and Bloodshed But says our Adversary they gave Directions and Charges to the Protector and Officers and Soldiers concerning Fighting exhorting thereunto c. p. 13. I find no such Charge and Exhortation and I cannot believe it without more plain and direct evidence As also that charge in his Book so often cast upon us viz. That they viz. the Quakers approve of what the Armies did against the King and his Party which I affirm is utterly false as stated and especially as charged in general For we rather have lamented that War and Bloodshed as a National Calamity and Judgment for the Sins of the People And though we confess and our Adversaries cannot deny that the Sword was one of Gods four Judgments upon Idolaters and Oppressors Ezek. 14. 21. and Jer. 34. 17. and so justifiable as from God whose Judgments are all just yet it is possible Men may be Unrighteous and selfish therein in killing and taking Possession and so not justified in their immediate acting therein That G. F. and many others concerned with him in the Testimony of Jesus Christ have not varyed from their Christian Testimony against Fighting nor Temporized Apostatized or been deceitful therein
Image pray to the King or worship contrary to the Law of their God see Dan. the third Chapter and Chapter sixth for their Adversaries could find no occasion against them concerning the Kingdom but sought Matter against them concerning the Law of their God and God appeared for them in their Faithfulness to him to the Conviction of their Persecutors insomuch that both Nebuchadnezzar and Darius confessed to the Power and Kingdom of the God of Heaven who is God of Gods and Lord of Kings saying I Nebuchadnezzar praise extol and honour the King of Heaven all whose works are truth and his ways judgment and those who walk in pride he is able to abase And said King Darius I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel for he is the living God and stedfast for ever and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed and his dominion shall be even unto the end Dan. 6. 26. So that he would have had all his Subjects Quakers when he saw the Kingdom of God above his own Again although we are most unjustly traduced as Temporizers because of our Applications to the present King and Government and partly because of some former Letters writ by some Particulars to the Protector and Parliament warning them c. this is no proof of our Adversaries Charge against the People called Quakers their many and great Sufferings both in those Days and since to keep a Conscience clear to God still acquits them from being such Temporizers c. as John Pennyman has infamously rendred them since we the said People have not looked for Salvation from the Mountains nor from the Hills but from the Lord of Hosts we have not reposed our confidence in the Arm of Flesh nor in Princes but in the over-ruling Power and Name of the Lord our God It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in Man it is better to trust in the Lord than put confidence in Princes Psal. 118. 8 9. Again put not your trust in Princes nor in the Son of Man in whom there is no help happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help whose hope is in the Lord his God which made Heaven and Earth c. which execute judgment for the oppressed Psal. 146. 3 4 5 6 7. Moreover we have not been wanting to warn and admonish those in Power both Parliaments Protector and King against Persecution and Oppression as the Lord hath laid it upon us nor has any of our Addresses to the King been to stop any Prophet or Servant of the Lord among us from warning him c. So that our clearness from our Adversaries unjust Imputations is manifest divers ways and of these things he cannot be altogether ignorant And as for his citing of G. F. to the Protector and Parliament warning him to keep Kingship from off his Head which some would have given and his bidding the Powers of the Earth take beed of making earthly Kings c. And what can John Pennyman make of this He should have allowed this Construction as he has for others that if O. C. had been made King as some would have had him he would have been the greater Hypocrite and it was his zeal for the good of those People that had been against a King to warn them of setting up or making such an earthly King in their earthly Wills as his Words are plain as in the other passages cited before and this Zeal and Fear of the consequence J. P. does not go about to disprove as erronious there but would have it run most to our disadvantage wherein he probably may think his way secure seeing us a People that have been trod upon as to our Persons and Estates being exposed to so many Sufferings and Spoyls as we were he can throw dirt upon us render us obnoxious to the Government and so help to afflict us and trample upon us our Testimony and Christian Reputation to bring us under Infamy Reproach and Disesteem if possible yea and the severe displeasure of the Powers and yet pretend to abhor such a thing this is the nature of his Temporizing Malice and Revenge God will stop him and frustrate him in his Carreer with his private Abetters and Assistants I doubt not What he cites of E. Boroughs Answer to the Apprentices Petition 1659. against bringing in a strange Nation c. an oppressing Monarchy c. this he might easily have excused with that same Provision for others in the like Case as namely it was out of his Zeal and Fear that it would have been worse with the Nation c. But says he all these Lines are left out and so he saith of F. H. in one Paper And upon some other Passages in E. B's Works of divers Words being left out expunged c. This Man might very well have let E. B. alone since he is gone to his rest if he had been charitable or but as good as a Moral Heathen among whom it was a Maxim de Mortuis nil nisi bene but especially since J. P. had Time to have told E. B. of this in his Life-time he being not here now to answer for himself and doubtless he was so tender a Man as he would have heard him if he would have given him any friendly Caution but thus to clamour and abuse Honest Men that are at rest is very ignoble especially since J. P. owned them in their Life-time and some Time after and F. H. Nor do we think our selves bound directly to prostrate our Judgments concerning all particulars before such a malicious Adversary as J. P. or so far to own his Prosecution of Men so long after they are dead when they cannot be here to answer for themselves however dare our Adversary say otherwise of E. B. and F. H. than that they were sincere-hearted Men to what was then manifest and zealous Servants and true Prophets of God and vindicators of Truth in the several Currents and Streams of their Writings as may be seen in their Prophesies and Conditional Threats against the late Powers c. And did not thou J. P. say That E. B. was faithful in his Day and I doubt not but their Names are recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life though abused by this Man wherein all may see his Malice is so deadly that it extends to the very Grave as if he would hang us all up even the Dead as well as the Living As for what he cites of G. F. to Oliver dated the eleventh Month 1657. as to the Success he might have had if he had been Faithful and thundered down Deceit and asking why they put such as feared God out of the Army Sober Men and True Hearts such as the Lord owned c. How plain is it that he judged O. C. as one unfaithful to his former Promises specious Pretences for the Liberties and Properties of the Subjects for
the Lord establish'd the Kingdom in his hand and when he caused the Law of the Lord to be taught in Judah that the fear of the Lord fell upon all the Kingdoms of the Lands they made no war against Jehosaphat see 2 Chron. 17. and 10. and Chap. 20. 29 30. therefore the fear of the Lord and his Power was and is a better Defence to a Kingdom or Nation than Wars and Fighting Now having proved from few Instances what a manifest Hypocrite and malicious Temporizer John Pennyman is as also his obscure Agent who writ his Observations I shall proceed to evince more of his Falshood Slander Baseness and Shallowness in his Reflections and Observations not looking upon it a sufficient Vindication of our selves and our Innocency only to discover his Malice Out-rage and Inconsistency but I have something to demonstrate on the behalf of our Judgment Practice and Conversation as we are a People which any indifferent and unprejudiced Reader may easily perceive or distinguish from his envious Objections and Invectives and how consistent we are and have all-a-long been in our Judgment and Practice having still the Testimony of a Good Conscience to rejoyce in both in the Sight of God and Men both with respect to the Kingdom and Government of Christ as head over his Church and Law-giver to his People and to the Governments among Men. First then to his Preface on which much of his Work had a Dependence where he thus proceeds viz. When I have considered how the Quakers have Writ and Printed against the Presbyterians Independents and others for being ingaged in the Late Wars c. it hath exceedingly amazed and astonished me That they who were so great Justifyers and Encouragers not only of what had been done in the Late Wars but also did Incite and Encourage those that were therein ingaged not to leave off until they had set up their Standard at the Gates of Rome c. And yet for them to upbraid others with that which themselves for many Years were so deeply concerned and engaged in c. who had not been more engaged if so much as themselves in the late Wars When they themselves had been ingaged in the same Cause and Quarrel with those whom they now so much reproach c. Thus far J. P. To all which I do conscientiously answer that he hath most grosly and palpably belied the People called Quakers in these Passages divers ways First in rendring them without exception of Persons not only Justifiers of the Late Wars and of what had been done therein without exception of Things done but also equally concerned with the Presbyterians Independents and others therein Secondly In rendring the People called Quakers as being as much or more ingaged in the Late Wars as the Presbyterians Independents c. When in the Time and Heat of those Wars the People called Quakers were not a People nor so gathered and constituted as a People under that Name Principle or Profession as now as 't is well known in this Nation whereas 't is not unknown That both Presbyterians Independents and some others were both gathered and constituted as distinct Peoples and as such both Ministers and their People many of them concerned in the Late Wars how far both in Preaching Subscriptions and Actings is also well known yet hope that some of them have learned better things ere this time a Day so that in this Case there is a vast disparity between them and the People called Quakers therefore the very Ground and Foundation of John Pennyman's Quarrel against us in this Matter as being so greatly ingaged in the Late Wars and Justifiers of what had been done that is all that was done in those Wars This I affirm to be a great Lye against the People called Quakers and yet grant him That divers who have been since and now are of us the People called Quakers have formerly been concerned in the Late Wars while under the Notion of Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists and other Perswasions yea many also who served the King in those Wars until they became better principled and of another Spirit through the Appearance of the Day of Christ and his Power unto them whereby many were made not only to lay down their Commissions and Offices desert the Army relinquish Fighting but also to break their Swords Spears and other Weapons of War and to convert them into necessary Uses according to that Evangelical Prophesie of Esaiah ch 2. as knowing that Christ's Kingdom is not of this World and therefore his Servants must not Fight and at his Command every one must put up and lay aside their Swords as well as Peter yea Peter must not fight for Christ but suffer with him if he intends to reign with him Here many who had been concerned in those Battles that were with confused Noise and Garments rowled in Blood are now come to that which is with Burning and Fuel of Fire in order to the Consumption of all that Fuel Lust Pride Enmity and Ambition from whence Wars have risen and which have been the original Cause thereof though many were zealous and consciencious according to what they believed in those former Wars even of those several Perswasions before-mentioned and my shewing our Adversary's Falsness in his Comparison between the Quakers and Presbyterians in this Case is not to vilifie or reproach them or any others because concerned therein hoping some of them are now better informed but am necessitated to mention them in this Case to shew the Disparity and Falsness of this Adversary's Comparison who now appears as a rigid Persecutor to take up and maintain a distinct Quarrel against us for the Presbyterians and Independents against the Quakers as for not only upbraiding but reproaching and vilifying them for being ingaged in the Late Wars while he falsly saith We were so great Justifyers and Incouragers of what had been done therein Hereupon as the principal Occasion of all his Quarrel after his charging us with the most revengeful and highest aggravating Terms that was possible for our Pen to express He thus proceeds viz. witness those Words to the Nonconforming Ministers in answer to Mr. Faldo viz. But why poor Nonconformists after all these preached-up Battles c. Again they are true Gospel-Ministers whose Gospel is Peace on Earth and good Will towards Men and not Garments rowled in the Blood of Kings and Princes Rulers and People no worldly Armies Battles Victories Trophies Spoyls Sequestrations Decimations and the like c. And then J. P. as a Person highly disgusted at this and as greatly simpathizing or rather temporizing with the Presbyterians Independents and probably some of his private discontented Counsels or Cabals to aggravate this particular Instance against the People called Quakers he addeth these Words viz. What people setting these aside could have had the Face and Confidence to have writ such Language as this certainly not any especially when they themselves had been engaged in
thousands of us c. were with you in the greatest Heat Observ. That was as zealous Army-men before the People called Quakers were brought forth who looked not for the Spoil but the Good of the Nation and now thus should be served by those that are set down in the Possession of the Spoil that they should requite us so in the End Oh the Lord's Truth the Lord's Power and the Lord's Arm is more dear to us than all who have not sat down in the Spoil c. who are come to the Lord who hath given us Victory and hath brought us to the Light that takes away the Occasion and Root of the War Observ. Those who zealously aimed at an Universal Good and were not self-ended came to see the End of Wars and ceased to be Soldiers then Oh what a sincerity was once in the Nation What a dirty nasty thing it would have been to have heard talk of a House of Lords among them J. P. p. 8. Observ. That was among them who made People engage against them yet made themselves Lords so manifestly contrary to their own pretences And sat down in the spoil of the House of the Enemies left out Observ. Thus J. P. has frequently abused us in leaving out and passing by many material passages and catching and snarling at others occasional and circumstantial E. B. to R. Cromwell After he tells him of his Fathers Victories and Prosperity J. P. leaves out the following remarkable words viz. But yet we know he abused his great Deliverances and Authority and did not set free the Oppressed but left Mountains of Oppressions and grievous yokes of Bondage unbroken down and unsubdued and the Lord smote him and took him away in judgment because thereof Left out by J. P. p. 13. Observ. See how plainly this Protector was reminded of his Fathers abuse and negligence on purpose to warn him of the like evils and judgment And before in the beginning of the Letter to R. C. p. 52. The Lord God over the Kingdoms of Men Ruleth and Reigneth he Buildeth and Breaketh down and Planteth and Plucketh up he pulleth down one and setteth up another and who may say what dost thou Observ. See here was an Eye to the Hand of the Lord in revolutions from whom both promotion and abasement comes and this is no Temporizing nor admits of it West answering North. It 's said upon Peter Ceeleys falsly accusing G. F. with telling him privately of a design and perswading him to joyn therein Which design was that he could raise four thousand Men in an hours warning and involve the Nation in Blood and bring in K. Charles And this he was accused of before Judge Glin Chief Justice of England to take away his life Note p. 27. J. P. p. 11. 1656. Quoting G. Rofe to O. C. entituled The Righteousness of God to Man viz. after executed on them to the utmost these following words are left out by J. P. viz. but thou art fallen from thy first Integrity and in the spoil art exalted and set up in the Glory of the World in thy Name and by thy Power do my pure Seed suffer and Tyrants rule over my People and by thy Power and in thy Name do they persecute them and imprison unto death and have spilled the Blood of my innocent People to satisfie their corrupt desires but surely I will visit for these things and much do they lie upon thee And if thou lettest Tyrants get rulè in thy name and by thy Power on thee and thy Seed will I require the Blood of the innocent that hath been shed in these late days under thy Government c. Observ. How plainly the Oppressors in those days were charged and warned and prophesied against which in a great measure is fulfilled already F. H's Information and Advice to the Army on both parts and Committee of Safety 1659. P. 2. Should not all Rule and Authority be for the good and safety and well being of a Nation or Commonwealth Observ The true end of Government always owned and desired by us P. 3. Was not Israel governed sometime by Judges sometimes by the Elders and sometimes by Kings And while they stood in the Councel of the Lord and the People hearkned to them was not the Lord among them c. P. 5. And this I have to say to that part of the Army who stand so much upon the Name Parliament If you should manage your Weapons for a sound or a name or something that may suit you though damnifie many thousands it will not go well with you therefore be not rash nor hasty to shed Blood upon this account but take Counsel in time lest an out-stretched Arm stop you in your way c. and you may repent too late Observ. How impartially he writes for the real end of Government without respect of Persons or Names when we were so much accused for denying Government P. 6. After late King in J. P' s. Book p. 15 he leaves out these following words viz. Yet the Ax must not boast it self against him that hewed only with it for a time to accomplish his end and when he pleases take up another Instrument and let the first lye still Observ. The Hand of God in setting up and putting down Men in Power confessed Before the words a Company of greedy Hireling Priests came from Lestershire to sound their Trumpet in the House c. he leaves out these words p. 7. viz. But truly you stick in the Mire c. had your Ear open to them that could complement and flatter and their business you would hear and return them thanks but them who had been your dearest Friends c. coming in all Love and Humility and represented their sad Suffering unto you of their long Imprisonment and how above twenty dear precious Men suffered till death in Prison for that grand oppression of Tythes could not be heard And again when a Representation came unto you from many thousands c. it was laid by as wast Paper Observ. How plainly they were reprov'd for setting up Temporizers and slighting conscientious Sufferers P. 10. Remove the present oppressions Satisfie the Nations with deeds words will not with things and not with names that will not do and it is not a King a Parliament a Protector a Council or a Senate we look at c. for when Kings Parliaments and Councils are gone from the power of God they are for the Thraldom of a Nation and not for its Liberty but this I forewarn you what ever you do meddle not in the things of God or about Religion c. let that alone c. Observ. Still the good End of Government for true Freedom was pressed for more than Words or Names when we were under great Persecution Several Papers by G. F. 1659. P. 42. After the Words have not these been called Ministers of the Gospel but now how comes it that they preach up War he leaves out
Columns about Contradictions and Temporizing and this as relating to the several Revolutions and Governments since we were a People together with some Observations thereupon by another Hand as he saith but we have only Joh. Pennyman's Name to the whole Charge so that what other Hand soever it was that has helped him to compose this Piece of Malice he has espoused the whole Matter not only against particular Persons some dead and some alive but also against the People called Quakers in general wherein his deadly Malice hath exceeded all common bounds And yet upon his Paper against G. F. he has placed this Note in the Margent viz. But is this to render him obnoxious to the Government No I abhor that Practice but base and self ended Spirits are to be humbled saith he Now I affirm and it may be obvious to any unbyassed and intelligent Readers that John Pennyman hath shamefully lied dissembled and temporized lied and dissembled in pretending that he abhors that Practice of rendring us obnoxious to the Government for a very mean capacity may see that the tenour of his work is to render us obnoxious and particularly it is more apparent in certain passages as 1. from a Paper of one of our Friends he questions us all in these words viz. How dare these Men appeal to the King and Council's Consciences that they are harmless and would do them no harm c. p. 9. Now is not this to render us obnoxious as not being harmless but such as would do them harm And yet this is the Man that abhors such a Practice as rendring us obnoxious to the Government 2dly Whereas in the Quakers Plea 't is said on the behalf of the Quakers that though some that are now called Quakers were once in the Army against the King when their Knowledge and Judgment were not otherwise fram'd c. yet being altered in their Judgments to the contrary and that it is not lawful in the Administration of the Gospel to go to war with carnal Weapons and that there is now no danger of us and now we are all of that mind c. Upon this I pass this Note viz. that this pretended changed Judgment in the Men that are Quakers is not to be taken for a change of Judgment in the Quakers c. Oh Malicious Insinuation Is not this to render us obnoxious to the Government as to make them believe for all this that the Quakers count it lawful in the Administration of the Gospel for them to go to War with carnal Weapons Yea that themselves may take up Arms and fight against the King as some have done in the former Wars before convinc'd and brought under the Gospel Administration And what is all this but to render us the very People called Quakers as vile perfideous and obnoxious to the Government as he could possibly do And not only perfideous to the Government but to their own Gospel Profession and Principle and what 's the Nature and Tendency hereof but to influence and incense the present Government with an evil Eye and prejudice against us to ruin and destroy us as a People not fit to live in a Common-wealth or under any Government but that blessed be the Lord our God he hath raised a better perswasion and sense of us in the Hearts of many in Power with respect to our peaceable Conversations which loudly have all along proclaimed our Innocency and Clearness from such Faction and Perfideousness against the Government under which we live as this Apostate Adversary would maliciously insinuate so manifestly contrary to his own pretences as abhorring the practice of making us obnoxious to the Government 3dly Against the People called Quakers he observes that they formerly exhorted Men to fight and would fight themselves and now deny all fighting on any pretence is to be imputed to their temporizing and deceit See here again how base and contradictory he is to himself his objection lyes chiefly against their denying all fighting or to fight themselves for this he cries out of temporizing and deceit Is not this still to render us obnoxious Let the Impartial judge and see how he endeavours to invalid and bring contempt upon all our Declarations and Applications to the King and Council for our Innocency and peaceable Living under the present Government according to the practice of the Primitive Christians To his Accusation that they viz. the Quakers formerly exhorted Men to fight and would fight themselves I utterly deny it as a Slander and put the Question to him John wast thou of such a Principle whilst thou own'd the Quakers as to fight thy self and exhort others thereunto If thou wast it was time for thee to be gone as one not of us We know none such in our Society so it s most wicked and unjust to charge us as a People therewith Another Instance he has in his Obeservations of this kind viz. again touching fighting they have taken care to record what one of their Ministry saith we directed all People to the Spirit of the Lord God in them and if that led them to fight I had nothing against it for this he quotes Fol. 4. but tells us not what Book This I do greatly question for I never read it that I know of however I cannot believe without better evidence that any Minister of ours did ever preach such Doctrin to Friends or People as that the Spirit of the Lord might lead them to fight with carnal Weapons c. since our Testimony and Judgmment has always been to the contrary to wit that our Weapons are not carnal but spiritual and mighty through God and we wrestle not with Flesh and Blood but with spiritual wickedness and we war not after the Flesh nor with a carnal Sword but with the Sword of the Spirit which is the word of God And if any one hath writ to any in Power to this effect viz. That if they would walk with the Lord and preserve his People the numberless number of this now distressed People would be to them a Strength and stand by them in the day of Trouble and be a Defence unto them according to what is cited Howbeit this is not a Proof that the People called Quakers intended to fight for R. Cromwel or any in Authority seeing there are other and better ways of defence for a Government than fighting by carnal Weapons as Righteousness which exalts a Nation the Prayers and Faith of true Christians and Believers which was the Mind and Practice of the Primitive Christians for those in Authority not excluding their civil Contributions Taxes Customs and Dues which has been our Practice to pay since we were a People and that Nations and Governments are not always defended by fighting carnal Weapons c. but by a better way and means to wit the fear of the Lord according to his Law observe this instance in the time of King Jehosaphat's Reign when he sought to the Lord God