you think you have done your duty I shall do mine said he and so the Devil by his Ministers to wit the false Prophet and the beast who cast us into prison where we found the same unclean spirit but could not bow to it in submitting to extortion oppression and cruelty and therefore were cast into a stinking dungeon among thieves fellons and transgressors dung piss fleas and lice in abundance and without straw to lie upon but the servant is not greater then his Lord who had not where on to lay his head though the foxes have holes And let such who fear the Lord consider if it be not the unclean spirit of the Devil which rules in these blind hired Priests who take councel together in the darkness with the beast reviling threatning preaching against and persecuting even unto bonds and imprisonments whipping stocking and stoning thrusting into holes and dungeons the innocent servants of the Lord whose pure consciences are exercised toward him in love to all people for the seeds sake for wch they suffer all things and love not their lives unto the death who follow the Lamb the Light of the World in this mighty day of battel between the two seeds and let all such who love Truth and honestly desire to come to the knowledge thereof in the inward parts for that which may be known of God is manifest within the people may feel alter him and finde him who saves from sin and reconciles to God in the Light Consider I say wether ever any of the holy men of God Christ his Apostles or Ministers did persecute rule threaten or murther the innocent in them or cast any into prison as Robert Dingley and Thomas Bowrman hath done but on the contrary suffered under such an evil adulterous gainsaying and persecuting generation the seed of the Serpent even as the servants of the most high his Children of Light have and doth grievously suffer at this day for bearing testimony for the Lord and against the beast and false Prophet wicked Rulers Priests and People without respect of persons who with their cruel tyranny and oppression smite the guiltles with the fist of wickedness to uphold the Devils dark Dominion and Babylons Marchants the unclean Hireling Priests Sermons and Prayer-sellers who raven like Wolves have wearied the Lord of hosts with their words speaking peace to the wicked who put into their mouths and such who dare not for Conscience sake they prepare war in their hearts and cast them into prisons where sundry have suffered until death * * Read a Book titled a Record of sufferings for tythes a testimony against them for ever who have robbed spoyld and made a Prey of mens goods so that the Scripture is fulfilled upon their heads which said Hosea 6. 9. as troopes of robbers wait for a man so a Company of Priests murther in the way by consent see Micha 3. 11. Jerem 23. Ezek. 34. Esa 56. Math. 23. So that the holy men of God Christ and his Apostles and Ministers did witnesse and pronounced woes against such who did profess and preach the good words who were strangers and persecuted the life from whence the good word came forth freely even as Robert Dingley Thomas Bowrman and the rest of their generation do and have done who walk in the very foot steps of the Scribes and Pharisees and of the false Prophets in Cain Cores and Balaams way Cursed Children that cannot cease from sin 2 Pet. 2. 14. Let such who desire to fear the Lord our God be faithful to the eternal witness the Light of Christ in their Consciences and with a single eye search the Scriptures and see if it be not even so Thus far have I cleard my Conscience for the simples sake as a testimony against the seed of evil doers by whom I suffer with the rest of my Brethren by them known in that which is hid from the eyes which are full of Adultery and cannot cease from sin and to such my flesh is known by the name of Daniel Baker Winchester Bridewel this 2. of the 6. Moneth 58. BY what was last written it may appear who was in the Truth he that was willing to have all things proved and brought to the Light in publick before the people in soberness and plainess or Priest Dingly who unto a reasonable offer did not give a reasonable but an unreasonable answer saying I shall send thee to Prison and then whether he was in the Truth that did cast into Prison without any offence or he that was imprisoned And moreover the fruits of their fasts doth appear who live in pride envy and coveteousness in haling two of the Servants of Christ the same day out of their Synagague and before a Magistrate and cast them into prison and so fulfil the Scripture not knowing the Father nor the Son John 16. 2. 3. and so it 's plain their dayes of fasting is for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickedness and such God heareth not for they are according to their fathers of old Esa 58. Again those Priests in the dayes of the King did keep dayes of fasting and praying for their King but was not their murther in their hearts and their sacrifice like Cains for did not they stir up the people to rise and if possible cut off all them that then sought for Truth and liberty and do not the same Priests now even upon their dayes of humiliation stir up the people against us they then called Round heads and now called Quakers if possible to have us all cut off from being a people among them to bear witness against their tyranny and coveteousness and John Hodder Priest of Haychurch in Dorsetshire whose most bloody persecution against me and others have exceeded many he said if his Lord Protector would raise an Army to cut off all the Quakers he would be the first man that would draw the sword Oh! when did ever any man thirst more for blood and are not the Priests always stiring up strife and did not they still pray for the upholding of that which they saw was going down and that which indeed the Lord was overturning looke back and see what an out-cry there was amongst them for their Fathers the Bishops and for their King and see if God did not overturn those that they prayed for and set up those that they prayed against as Hereticks and Rebels to their King and breakers of their Laws and see whether they that prayed for the King and for the King of Scots do not now pray for their Protector who with others was instrumental for the overturning of their Bishops and their King the hand of God being then with him who now hath turned his hand for the Priests whom God is against and hath made a Law for them far exeeding any that was made for them by any King or Queen and therefore now they boast much of their Protector and pray
Judges and Rulers as also in these your days even whole Nations turned up side down Therefore O man let thy heart be opened to receive instruction from the Lord and let thy mind be enlightned with the light of his Son which light is it that giveth the knowledg of God the right understanding of the perfect law of life that in the light which comes from Christ thy minde may be exercised towards God that his enemies in his fear and dread thou may rule over and unto the friends of Christ who do well to be a praise and a Minister of the law for good that in thy place thou may be just fearing God and hating covetousness doing that which is good that in the end of thy dayes thou may have the praise of the same and receive that honour which man cannot keep from thee that thy soul may rest in peace which is the desire of the members of Christ in bonds at Winchester H. S. A Copie of a warning to the Rulers HEarken and hear ye men that shall dye is it not for you O yee Judges and Rulers of the earth to know believe in and be subject to the higher power even the eternall light of the Son of God in your consciences wherein true and sound judgment is placed thereby should you be guided in the fear and councel of God to minister true sound justice and judgment to all what soever Causes comes before you with patience meekness to hear the poor as well as the rich for you are not to have respect of persons in judgement neither to take bribes receive gifts or rewards or receive or give honour one to another or compell any to give it to you who seek and live not in the honour of God onely your Judgement being corrupted the eye being blinded by the God of the world who with his subjects or servaats would be honoured above all that is called God and so the just suffers the sword is laid upon the innocent the guiltless smitten with the fist of wickednesse which sword should slay the transgressor Take heed you be not suddenly destroyed by the hand of the great and mighty God and so you bring eternall Iudgement and condemnation upon your heads which most assuredly will be executed upon all that forget God who shall be cursed from his presence and turned into hell Wherefore know that there is no iniquity neither repect of persons with the Lord God of hosts who hath shaken his hand at dishonest gain and despiseth the gain of oppression even he then will be with you in the Judgment when as you to his power become subject and so you will be a good savour to the upright in heart answer that of God in all consciences and becom a terror to evil doers and a praise to them that do well when you with a single eye see know and lay the Sword in its due place as men of truth fearing God hating covetousness meek and mercifull The mighty day of Gods wonderfull power is come and of your visitation and time of tryall O ye rebellious Children of Darkness who know not at what you stumble yea this day of the Lord is and will be the life of all the meek of the earth though it is will be a day of howling trembling and astonishment of fury blackness darkness and of eternall condemnation to all the proud and lofty workers of iniquity yea the day of breaking down laying low the pride and loftiness of men that shall dye is come and the mighty God the Lord of hosts alone is and shall be exalted Wherefore woe from his dreadfull presence to all the proud and lofty and all that do wickedly who are as stubble for the unquenchable fire which is the portion of all that forget God who put the day of the Lord afar off which is darkness not light unto such who are strong mighty to do evill calling light darkness and darkness light turning judgment backward laying the sword which should be upon the head of the transgressor upon the innocent whose pure consciences are exercised towards God so that truth cannot enter equity is fallen in the streets justice standeth afar off and as it was in the dayes of old so it is now He that departeth from iniquity makes himself a prey becomes a signe and a wonder to this evil rebellious adulterous generation And thus the guiltless is smitten with the fist of wickedness and the transgressor goes free but he in whose sight all the Nations are but as the drop of a bucket whose name is dreadful among the heathen even he is risen to plead the cause of the innocent confound overturn and break in pieces as a potters vessel his enemies with an utter overthrow to set his poore prisoners and captivated suffering seed at liberty from such who oppress persecute scorn and make a prey and puff at them Woe be to you by whom we suffer Wherefore this is a warning from a true Lover of your souls to every one of you O ye Judges and Rulers for this County of Hampshire to repent and let this day of Gods love and of your visitation be precious ' in your sight who sit in darkness under the shadow of death and let this my Councel in the fear of the Lord be acceptable and break off your mighty sins by righteousness do justly love mercy relieve the oppressed and let fruits meet for repentance be brought forth therefore I say repent and turn to the Lord God who is Light a measure of which is in every of your Consciences a free gift the grace of God which is to and will lead to the God of the Spiris of all flesh as to it you become obedient I say again let fruits meet for repentance be brought forth least you be cut down as fruitles trees and dye in your sins Wo be to you who are found among the unprofitable Servants persecuting and making a prey upon the innocent who are faithful witnesses for the Lord God of life which made the world against all cursed practises and deeds of darkness whether in Priests Rulers or People without respect of Persons Remember you are warned in your life time and so far he hath cleared his Conscience in the fight of God whether you hear or forbear who am a Friend to that which exalts a Nation a Lover of Soules a Sufferer for the Testimony of a pure Conscience known to the World by the name of his flesh Daniel Baker Winchester Prison this 13. of the 5. moneth 58. Now this may be observed that no Wanderer nor Transgressor was kept in this prison nor house of correction because they would not promise to go home but only we who do not transgresse and many persons hath been committed to the house of correction since we and soon released again as them Irish wandring men who had not any habitation in England as we heare of were soon
for him as they did for their King and he orders them dayes to fast and pray with and for him as their King did and this is their Protector who protecteth them by whom hundreds of us do suffer who fought with him against them their Bishops and their Kings but certainly the Lord God will turn both them and their prayers backward therefore let the Protector take heed how he set these treacherous changeable cursed Children 2 Pet. 2. 14. To pray for him or with him in his fasting dayes or otherwise for the same spirit in them which did pray for their Kings doth now pray for their Protector and the Lord is as much and more against them now then he was in the dayes of their Kings and all that joyn with them or upholds them for he changeth not though they do therefore I who was alway and am a friend to the just liberty of the Nation do desire all Magistrates to take heed of these Priests least they by their fallasies and flatteries exalt them in that which God is against until his wrath break forth against them all together for reasonable men may almost see that they are not like to stand long there is such a stir and a cry among them and so much praying and crying dayly for the upholding of their trade for such a noise there was with long and lowd Hypocritical Prayers a little before and at the very time that their Bishops and Kings were overturned for ever and the Priests or Prophets of Baal and the Prophets of the groves they were many of them and they also had dayes set apart to offer sacrifice and they prayed long and cryed aloud but none heard nor answered and this was a little before they also were destroyed forever But to return to this Priest Dingly in particular after the Servants of God a fore named bad been kickt beaten with a staff and fists of wickedness upon his fasting day and had caused them to be imprisoned by the help of Thomas Bowrman then from the prison did they write unto him who was so brutish like the Pastors before Jer. 10. 21. That he would not read the Letter nor open it but in a filthy fottish manner took a payer of tongs and held it to a Candle and burnt it saying he would try whether it were bewitched or the Devil in it but he himselfe is in the witchcraft not obeying the Truth as may easily be proved Gal 3. And envy which is of the Devil is found in himselfe the which Spirit of the Devil that guided him therein would also burn their bodies that sent it if he had but a Law and such a power as his fathers the Bishops had who burnt the Martyrs and he also then said the Devil is in you but people may see there is something of God in us guiding us in patience to undergo much sufferings and all manner of evil that is done or spoken against us for his names sake who is in us which to us turns for a testimony against the world that we are of God Luke 21. 12. 13. And it is because of the Spirit of Christ in us which testifies against the world that we are hated and that Spirit of Christ in us is that which Priest Dingly call eth a Devil saying the Devil is in you but it being Christ in us the hope of glory he is an open Blaspemer and a denyer of Christ that is come in the flesh and so he is an Antichrist Therefore all are to beware of hearkning to his Doctrine being found a Blaspemer though he may speak never so smooth words for he is not only full of envy but also of conveteousness for he claimed 3 l. or less for tythes of John Dayes who desired not his Ministery and then instead of less then 3 l. he caused four cows to be taken from him worth above 12 l. and so he is not only in filthy Lucre contrary to the Scripture whose mouth should be stopt but also unreasonable therein to demand 3 l. of a man that owed him nothing and then to have above four times so much as he ask't for taken from him Hosea might well number such as he amongst Robbers and Murtheres Hosea 6. 9. and this is not all neither for after he had caused these 4 cowes to be taken from him he also caused the man himselfe to be cast into prison because he came into his own Parish Steeple-house and spoke some words there and as for coming into the Steeple-house he had as much right as another man of their Parish and sometimes the Priests and Rulers would force friends to pay 2s 6d because they do not come to their parish steeple-house and when they do come they send them to prison for coming was ever the like wickedness practised by any Priests and Rulers before And in all these things Thomas Bowrman was a Servant to the corrupt coveteous will of this persecuting Priest for by his order also or warrant was John Dayes cowes taken away and he himselfe sent to prison where he is now committed to the house of correction And moreover R. D. did cause Winifred Newman to be imprisoned for speaking a few words in his Steeple-house after he had done and she was a servant to a Widow and the fatherlesse and from them the Priest caused her to be taken to prison and such as he Isaiah cryed against Isa 56. 10 11. for in his dayes also widowes became their prey and they robbed the fatherlesse Isa 10. 2. And what an unreasonable thing was this to rob the Fatherlesse and Widow of a servant who was daily serviceable unto them but now they commit iniquity by their Law but the Law of God is made for men-stealers 1 Tim. 1. 10. And T. B. sent her to Prison also and so consented with the Thief Psal 50. 18. and was in all these things a ready servant to this ungodly Priest whom at present I leave untill the hand of God overturn him and all the rest that they may leave their names for a hissing and a curse like the Bishops before them who were as loath to come down as the Priests are to follow after Here followeth something in short of the long unjust imprisonment of James Pottar being also a husbandman taken out of his hohonest employment by the means of the Priest of the Parish of Baghust whose name is Edward Bental I Who am clear in the fight of God of the breach of any law either of God or of the Nation by which I may justly suffer or of any evill intent or purpose against the person of any man or woman whatsoever but have and do desire to keepe a conscience void of offence towards God and man as the Lord of life whom I serve in my spirit knoweth yet was I by order from Richard Kingsmill and William Withar who are set to do justice in the County of Southampton taken out of my honest lawfull employments without
we purchase our liberty by speaking words of promising to go home seeing you hear already that we cannot make such promises knowing no law requiring us thereunto An answer to these things would we willingly receive in writing from some of you that both your ground and your end might from you be knovvn vvherefore vve are deprived of our right and liberty in the Nation and kept in long imprisonment At the Assizes vvhen the Judge vvas about to send us avvay a Justice so called spake to him that vve might be put in the house of Correction And the same day vvhen George and Christopher Darby vvere examined by the Judge the youngest of the Darbies could not then give a ready ansvver then one called a Justice bid him say that he vvas going into the Countrey to see friends and so joyned vvith a high-vvay Robber and before all the Court vvould have taught him to make lyes his refuge who was afterwards with his brother condemned for high way robbing but being reprieved since with others have much abused us and so they neither suffer according to your Law by which they were to dye neither yet do they suffer according to the righteous Law of God which is to restore four fold And moreover they and such as them have liberty to act even almost all manner of desperate wickednesse in the Prison night day by which our souls do suffer and such as these one called a Justice spake as for and we who fear the Lord another called a Justice spake as against whereby we were put into and kept in the house of Correction and so cause us to suffer beyond the extent of any law And is not this according to them who said and did release Barabbas and crucifie the Just Wherefore ye men minde the witnesse of God in all your consciences and come into his fear that you may love mercy do justly and walk humbly that the just in every one of you may have dominion and then the imprisoned members of Christ will not need to cry unto you for justice and equity Your answer to them you may return who certainly are the servants of God in outward bonds but the Darbies are since released Now let all peoples mouths be stopt for ever from saying we that are called Quakers are not subject to Authority nor obedient to the Law for if we for conscience sake cannot actually be obedient to an unjust Law yet if passively we willingly suffer the punishment which that Law saith is to be inflicted upon him that doth not keep it then therein is that Law also by us fulfilled and hath no more power over us who herein are obedient to Authority and submit to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake But our souls are subject to the higher power which rules over all them who are in the persecuting powers of darknesse who though they be set to be Ministers of a Law and acting without a Law contrary to the Law are found themselves transgressors of the Law being out of the feare and Law of God and out of the Law of the Nation And so they are far out and from that of which Authority consistech and indeed out of all power both of God and man in their own wills ruling with cruelty over others in the power of Darkness We having thus endeavoured by using all means which is just in the sight of God for our right and liberty and having remained close Prisoners many weekes without convenient place to worke though we were committed to the work-house we then endeavoured to get room and liberty to work with our hands and therefore one of us did write unto him by whom we were unjustly committed as followeth John Bulkley THou alone art the cause of my imprisonment almost these nine weeks in which I have almost suffered to the death of my body being also sicke when I was brought to prison among those in whose company wert thou but one night it would make thy flesh to tremble and grieve thy soul if thou feared God to hear see the filthy conversation of the wicked from day to day the like wickednesse I do believe was not found in Sodome nor in the old World whom God destroyed with an utter overthrow Oh! consider a little in the feare of the righteous God who is the righteous Judge of all mankind whether thou hast done unto me as thou wouldst be done unto who am a sufferer under thy hand of oppression for righteousnesse sake both in body and soule being grieved and vexed with the abominations that I daily hear and see and the injustice and unreasonableness of them by whom we suffer where also we are deprived of all outward liberty without cause which in the day of visitation the witnesse of God in thee for me shall witnesse and this action of thine against the innocent in that day will be as a milstone about thy neck and as a fiery flaming worm to eate thy flesh Yea and if thou proceed in the evill that is in thy hands and repent not speedily when thou wilt think peace to thy selfe then will thy sudden destruction come as in a moment from the Lord God who is a swift witnesse against all iniquity and unrighteousnesse of men without respect of persons Therefore once more consider and weigh thy actions in the just ballance even by the light of Christ in thy conscience which will let thee see by what measure thou metest it will be measured to thee again And this is right and according as God will judg and reward every man to which that of God in thy conscience do witnesse though for a time thou mayst strive to hide and vaile it for the honour of the worlds sake and the love of the praise of men but what will this avail or profit thee in the day wherein thou wilt be justly weighed and tryed then to be found by the Judge of all the Earth to be a persecutor of his people and anointed ones for whose sake he will rebuke Kings and will fight our battels and plead our cause in righteousnesse Therefore do we stand still in quietnesse to see his salvation and a freedome from the oppression of all wickednesse and wicked men under whom for a time the just do suffer I do not vvrite to thee as to complain to thee but am contented in my sufferings for my God heares the sighing of his prisoners neither do I expect any thing from thee but equity and justice of vvhich thou bearest the name but actest not in the lifethereof so in the day of try all vvilt be found among the hypocrites bearing the name of that thou neither art nor livest in I must deale plainly vvith thee though under thy povver I should suffer death this I can say I have no envy to thy person nor to any man upon the earth God is my vvitnesse neither dare I give flattering titles to any man for in so doing I should be
when the enemies falleth nor in that the Devils are made subject but in that there names are written among the living but in our affliction I writ the a foregoing paper and sent it to Justice Cob and Betsworth upon the 11. day of the 4. moneth the 6. day of the week and upon the 16. day of the same moneth the 4. day of the week at night the a foresaid Justice Cob was suddenly cut off though no outward eye saw how wch was to the astonishment of his family and many more And the man which the Justice and Priest Bental caused to swear falsly against James Pottar the same man was since that time bruised torn and spoyled with a horse and harrows so that he died very shortly after being before troubled in conscience for what he had sworn yet notwithstanding Scripture is fulfilled when the Lords hand is lifted up they will not see but they shall see and be ashamed And it may be observed that we had sent several other papers to the Justice Cob some whereof are herein written all which he little regarded he being a great enemy to Truth and a Persecutor of friends he being as a judge at another sessions was not satisfied with the committing of Stephen Bevis to the house of correction who was before committed by Col. Norton to the common Goal for hearing testimony against Priest Simons false Doctrine but also gave order that he should not be suffered to work at his trade but be put to pounding of hemp or some harder work though he declared his willingness in open court to work at his trade A Copy of a paper to the sessions You at whose hands the dreadful God of life and his Servants doth require right and sound judgement to be by you performed at this present sessions at Winchester LEt our several causes be heard and read in open court and let our innocent sufferings appear in the Light before the eyes of the people and let them by whom we suffer be made manifest and do not shut up things in darkness as at the last sessions not suffering the cause of them who are oppressed to be read in the open Court wherein and in many other things we have been deprived of that which is just and right the wch iâ— proceeded in will even be a shame unto you for justice Equity and true Judgement is that we do both expect and would gladly see brought forth in you therefore do not wait to lay farther snares to betray the simple whereby to cover that oppression some of you have acted in against the Servants of the living God but let the fear of God guide you that sound Judgement you may come unto whereby rightly to understand what or what manner of evil we have done or what Law of God we have broken and what accusations are against us with the ground and cause of those accusations and take heed of entertaining false witness or joyning with it or forcing men to swear against the members of Christ contrary to Gods witness in them as Thomas Bowrman hath done and if any thing be or hath been proved or any one falsely accused either of the Servants of God or any other you are to see that you do not punish such accused above or beyond the fact or crime charged against them and herein all that rule for God are and should be guided with an understanding heart in the spirit of wisdom and knowledge as Moses Joshua Solomon and others were that none may be oppressed by wrong Judgement nor insnared because of envy and prejudice which lodgeth in the deceitful hearts of men who are out of Gods fear For we who are in scorn called Quakers do wait to have true Judgement set up in the earth in righteousness established in and among the Sons of men and are friends unto and Lovers of all them who judge for God without respect of persons and a praise to them that do well And he that reproves a Hireling that stands praying in the Synagogue doth well for Esaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel Micah Malachiah Hosea and Christ and Paul and Peter did reprove and bear testimony against such and for the same things are the members of Christ in your dayes haled out of the Synagogues brought before Rulers and cast into Prison whom you should be a praise unto for therein they do well being moved of the Lord thereunto whose mouthes by men of sin are not to be stopped though they would have us or command us to speak no more in his name who maketh an end of sin and said I am the Light of the world whose Light hath led us out of evil and so are become a prey unto an adulterous generation that know not God whose love in our hearts hath constrained us to obey him rather then man in that wherein man would hinder us in our obedience unto God whose power worketh in â—s mightily which keepeth us from under the bondage of mans corrupt will yet to the higher power our souls are subject even to that power which preserved them who broke the Commands and Decrees of men Hest 3. 2. Dan. 3. Dan. 6 Acts 4. 17. 18. Several papers have we sent to you who should do Justice of our unjust and unreasonable sufferings in prison and little hath it been by you regarded one of which papers we sent by a friend to John Hook called a Justice of Bramshot which friend since gave us an account in writing that when he came to deliver the paper John Hooks Clerk beat him in the house and others also abused him and after he was gone out of the house another who belonged to the house followed him and in a Lane did beat him and kick him very much and this was very evil which you are to punish Here followeth a short Relation of something of the cause of the committing and retaining of the members of Christ in prison Anthony Melledg William Baily Humphrey Smith IMprisoned two weeks without the breach of any Law and since kept in the House of Correction about 17 weeks from their business and from their home because they cannot promise to go home who know no law requiring them to make any such promise and where there is no law there is no transgression Winif. Newman Imprisoned for speaking a few sober words to the hireling Priest who cannot cease from sin 2 Pet. 2 14. after he had ended she being before a servant to a Widow and fatherless and so the hireling Priest by causing her to be imprisoned hath caused both she the widow and the fatherlesse to suffer Daniel Baker Geo Henderson Imprisoned for speaking words of truth to the same Priest and people which Priest said that God was author of evill And another Priest before the Magistrate wrested the Scripture to affirm that Christ did swear when he said Verily verily John Day Imprisoned for reproving the same hireling Priest Robert Dingly who confest he and his flock were full of
sin and evill which also doth appear by their envy and persecution which is of the Devill James Pottar Imprisoned without the breach of any law and fined at the following Assizes 5 l. because he could not transgresse the Law of God by respecting of persons to satisfie the lusts and corrupt wills of men in not putting off his hat when he was brought to the said Assizes of whom also is demanded 3 l. for fees who have been kept a close prisoner under these cruell oppressions 59 weeks and some dayes From them who are not onely ready to suffer bonds and long unjust imprisonments but also death it self if the Lord require it of us in testimony against all Deceivers and all manner of unrighteousnesse and oppressions and we are friends to the Common-wealth and to equity and true judgement having true love to the souls of all mankinde who for the testimony of a pure conscience are Prisoners by the corrupt wills of men in the Common Gaol and house of Correction at Winton At this last Sessions D. B. G. H. I. D. were committed to the House of Correction being prisoners before the which them set to do justice would not have done if they had not looked out more at the unrighteous hireling Priests vain customes and the glory of the world which shall all perish then to the light of Christ which endureth for ever in their consciences which did then much judge them for what they did against the servants of God and let them see their evill therein the which Light they are to love obey and follow From the servant of God in Prison to the Judge of the Assize at Winchester A Copie of a Paper to the Assizes THe righteous Judge of heaven and earth who respecteth not the persons of the mighty who tryeth the hearts of Kings who is the mighty God of Abraham Isaac Jacob and their seed who wandred up and down some having no certain dwelling place even he who seeth the secret intents of the hearts of the sons of men whose judgements are just and true who rewardeth the proud in his judgements and heareth the cry of the oppressed who will reprove Kings for the sake of the simple and forsaketh not his faithfull afflicted ones who by the man Christ Jesus will judge the secrets of all mens hearts according to his light in them whereby every man shall receive a just recompence of reward according to all their words and actions whether for or against him and his people Wherefore this O man thou art to know that true â—ight and sound judgement is to be by thee performed according to the righteous Law of God which is written in the heart that corrupt judgement cruelty persecution nor receiving of gifts nor entertaining false witness may not be found in thee nor in any of them that Joine with thee whether they are called Sheriffs Justices Jury men Clarks or any other but that according to the Law of God in his fear thou may perform that which the Lord God of hosts certainly will require of thee in the day when all the arme of flesh and honour of the world will not prevent the true everlasting judgments of the most high with fierce wrath and indignation upon all them who pervert true judgment and transgress the righteous Law of God written in the heart The which that thou may not do nor see done before thine eys when thou may prevent it and that thou may escape the wrath of the Almighty which will certainly come upon all who pervert judgment and that in the councell of God thou may come to stand in meeknesse and godly fear to judge for God not for man that his will by thee may be performed that when thou come to stand before the Throne of his eternal judgments thou may not be turned to the left hand with them that forget God and turn his Law behind their backs and oppress his servants and neither visit relieve nor set at liberty the members of Christ in Prison who in these your dayes are in most Prisons where thou come and in Prison have been sick and deprived of that liberty which Thieves and Murtherers have that thou may come to be joyned to Gods witness with it in thee to see rightly to understand the ground and cause of things of which thou art to judge Therefore art thou to be guided by the light in thee which comes from Christ who is the sure foundation and was before-transgression by which the transgression is seen and with it is to be judged which light in thee will let thee see the ground of all transgression by the same out of transgression thou art to be led and then to judge over that which is in the transgression that so those who dare not transgress the righteous law of God thou mayst be a praise unto and all such who reprove sin in the gate market places publick assemblies or els-where and that all who transgress the law of God with that of God in thy conscience thou may be a terrour unto executing true judgment upon that head wch goeth forth from the light into the transgression for that is it for which the Law is added which by the Law which is perfect is to be judged that out of the transgression man may be kept Therefore hear with meekness and in patience understand and consider my words for all the holy men of God who ruled for God and not for men were therein guided by that which is holy pure just and right whereby they were guided in his fear to execute his judgments only upon the transgressor according to the will of him by whom otherwise they themselves were to be judged and they were guided by that spirit in them which gave forth the Law and with that joyned to execute the Law upon them that did transgress the law of God with whom in so doing they were said to be a help-government and such were called Gods who bore not the sword in vain standing in the higher power to which their souls were subject to bring the transgressor in obedience thereunto but such who did not transgress the righteous law of God their souls were already subject to that higher power but when man who should rule for God stood not in his councel but went themselves into the transgression out of the power and judged for reward such the light in them was darkned that they could not see the transgressor but let him go free and punish the just as Pilate and many others did even in the dayes of the Prophets who then cryed out against them because they were become as ravening wolves and then of such it is written I said ye were gods but ye shall dye like men and fall as one of the Princes and because of wrong judgment and the want of true exercise in the perfect law of God have many fallen and been overturned even Kings Princes Parliaments Bishops
they continue on and none shall be feeble among them their arrows shall reach into the bowels of the scornful and their words of life pierce the hearts of the hypocrites They shall tread upon Kings as upon mortar and trample upon the wicked as upon ashes they fear not the greatest Goliah's neither yet the wickedness of the pride of Haman unrighteous Decrees cannot stop their mouths nor the fear of a Furnace or a Dungeon with-hold them from their way all flesh is as graffe before them and at their rebuke shall the potsheards of the earth be broken for ever before them there is no Nation shall stand for one of them shall chase a hundred and before five shall the strength and wisdome of a thousand be confounded And this the Lords Army shall never be confounded and his glory in them shall never be defaced nor his power with them shal never be overcome nor his strength in them shall never be vanquished therefore in vain do all the potsherds of the earth strive For they that rise up against them shall be as flax before the fire and the mightiest among the sons of men shall be as the grasse that is cut downe for the Lords host is very terrible and in meekness is the Lamb riding on to judgement his followers are enrobed with the light of the morning and adorned with the beauty of the Sun Their eyes are enlightned with the light of the most high they see through the dark parts of all their enemies and discern the secret plottings of all their adversaries Their wisdom comes in like a river and their understanding shall never be darkned Their strength is renewed as the morning and they are valiant to do exploits The wisdome of the wise before them shall be confounded for ever and the understanding of the prudent be esteemed as a thing of nought They spy out the lurkings of their enemies and see through the coverings of the deceitful Of their strength they shall never be deprived neither shall their weapons be taken from them Their refuge shall never be shaken nor the place of their rest removed The wicked shall never enter upon their dwellings nor all their enemies invade the land of their rest for the desire of all Nations to them is come him that they long waited for have they now received And they tread upon the Cocka-trice den and meet the devouring Lyons in the power of the Fathers love there is no deadly thing that doth them hurt nor any weapon formed against them that ever shall prosper And this is Sion the redeemed of the Lord the glory of the God of Israel the seed of Jacob whom the Lord hath chosen and set up on high over all the kindreds of the earth which stands against all the enemies of the Lord and is his new threshing instrument with which he will thresh the Heathen in his anger and bath his sword in the blood of the slain for behold his sword shall devour much flesh and the slain of the Lord shall be many with Sion the perfection of beauty will the Lord break in pieces wound confound and overturn for ever the horse and his Rider the Captain and his Troop the Ancient and honourable the Prophet that telleth lyes yea all the host of the unrighteous and the strength of the Army of the man of sin and the beauty of the whore that rides upon the beast and all them who set themselves in battel against the Lord and all them who lead into captivity and would captivate the Servants of the Lamb shall go into captivity for ever For behold the Lord is with us the Shout of a King is among us the Lord whose name is holy is come he hath uttered his voice from Heaven and now the Nations of the earth are angry but the Lord will reign in righteousness and all his enemies shall be astonished at his presence and his adversaries shall be amazed for ever their hearts shall be turned as a stone within them and men shall be at their wits end for fear and for looking after those things which shall come upon the earth and all them whose names are written in it their wisdome shall not preserve them their understandings shall not defend them neither shall all their subtilty cover them from the Light their nakedness shall appear to their everlasting shame and the prisoners of hope shall rejoyce over them for ever more For behold I say your day is come wherein you shall bow down under the prisoners and fall under the slain according to the words of the spirit of prophecy Esay 10. 4. and the slain over you shall rejoyce for ever more having the high prayses of God in their mouths and the sword of the spirit in their hearts with which they shall cut in pieces and pierce in sunder the bowels of all flesh and it shall be as chaff before them and the strength thereof as the passing away of the morning cloud and in the strength of the most high shall the Army of the Lyon of the tribe of Judah go on and prosper even as Kings whose Armies are swift to the battel their faces are as an Adamant and their countenances fierce and terrible the sound of their voice is dreadful and the noise of their appearance astonisheth the Heathen the earth before them is full of its fruit behind them its a desolate wilderness they spare not the ancient nor the honourable neither have they respect to the persons of men they even smile at destruction when it 's coming and they are prepared for all your oppressions Wherefore now gather your selves together O ye potsheards of the earth and stand up all you that thirst for blood assemble your selves together all ye persecutors let your counsels come up from hell and let the depth of the powers of darkness shew forth it selfe in the utmost of its strength and with it combine ye all together and stand up in the power of your King which is the Angell of the bottomless pit who is head among in and over all you who thirsteth for the blood of the innocent Now come and draw near in the very height of your Fathers wrath and behold we meet you in the infiniteness of our Fathers love and stand you together in the depth of your secret subtilty and behold we abide in the pure wisdome of the most High Stand ye up for the glory and honour of the world and we abide faithful for the glory of the Lord our maker And this I say plainly unto you that your long tyranny will never weary but the patience we have received neither can you inflict more punishment then the Lord hath enabled us to bear and as your wrath is increased our humility is increased much more and as you are filled and moved with envy we are much more filled and overcome with the power of the Fathers life and though you contrive wayes to ensnare the innocent we take no thought aforehand to deliver our selves for selfe we have denyed and we have given up our bodies and souls a living sacrifice unto God to do or suffer his will And him that kills the body we feare not much lesse those that can but whip or imprison but for a few moneths for our life you cannot reach neither can you disturb their rest whom the Lord hath crowned with honour who out of the world are redeemed and bought with the price of blood most precious but are become his to follow him whither ever he lead them though it be through tryals great tribulations bonds and long imprisonments these things cannot move them who are brought to rest in the deserts and sleep in the woods Yea and there is none can make them afraid with all their threats unrighteous Laws bonds Bridewels long unjust imprisonments or death it self And this honour hath the Saints and herein do they rejoyce for evermore in that they are counted worthy to suffer for his Names sake who was made perfect through sufferings and thereby overcame all the powers of Darknesse whereby Principalities and powers are spoiled for ever and through sufferings are we made more then conquerours over all our enemies whose day will have an end whose cruelty will cease whose tyranny will be rewarded upon their own heads and their memoriall will rot for ever but the faithfulnesse of the faithfull shall never be taken from him nor the innocency of the harmlesse shall never be forgotten neither shall they ever want strength to stand in the day of battell nor courage and boldnesse to endure when the enemies of the Lord ariseth up in opposition against the brightnesse of the rising of the power of the Lamb of God who is come to take away the sin of the world even him who is the Light and the Heir against whom with one consent the Rulers of the earth the Hireling Priests with all the prophane and unclean and all them of all opinions in the world are joyning together in one combination as with oneminde conspiring in their enmity to slay and murther the Heir that is now come to make an end of sin who saith I am the Light H. S. THE END