Laws and weapons of Cruelty which God will break therefore are the Wicked angry and rage like the swelling of the Seas and send out their own shame and execute their cruelty on the People whom the Lord hath blessed and united to himself in a perpetual Covenant and firm Decree that can never be broken All this is done that Wrath may come upon you to the uttermost Yet the Lord hath said Though all the Powers of Hell do rise as Mountains of darkness and Gog and Magog gather all their host together whose number is numberless and their weapons the same the Dragon Beast and false Prophets used in all Ages All this is nothing with the Lord in whom we have believed he will go through them as an Arrow shot through the Air he will save his Children and not one of them shall be desolate that trust in him though they walk in the midst of the stones of fire and through the deeps of the Seas he will save them and be with them there he will be ever mindful of his Covenant and of his Oath to a thousand Generations he will come unto them and will not leave them comfortless there O that all that have known the living and powerful Arm of the Lord would believe and trust in it for ever in which is Salvation and Deliverance from all fears of destruction when it cometh which Arm is revealed in which we have believed and in which Faith we stand and witness Peace and Truth the stability of our times and God is become our God our Lord our Law-giver and our Judge and of his Name will we make mention and we will walk in the light of his Law for ever and ever and are resolved to keep his righteous Judgments at all times and therefore do our Enemies hate us The Lord is our Judge and our Justifier in this day when men condemn us he hath restored us into the liberty and brought us unto the beginning of that Day which shall never end and for which our souls have groaned and travelled long pure Praises be unto him that lives for ever and ever The Lord hath brought us into his Rest which remains for ever even we that have and do believe in the Light that shines in our hearts have by this Light walked through all Darkness unto Him with whom there is no darkness nor shadow of turning so that the shadow of death is become as the eye-lids of the morning and we through the tender Mercies of our God are entred into the Rest where the Prisoners rest together and where the weary be at rest Glory glory and praise be unto the Lord of Sabbath the inner Gate of the Temple is opened in this Rest which hath been shut the six working dayes Praises to our God that openeth and none shutteth Bless the Lord O my Soul and praise him whilst thou hast a being in the Land of the living The dead praise not the Lord there 's not a Persecutor giveth him thanks their singing is no better than the howling of Dogs they that lie in the grave and wallow in their own filth over whom Death and Darkness hath dominion they celebrate not the loving kindness of the Lord their Songs are over the Dead they rejoyce over the slain Witnesses of God in themselves the Songs of the Temple must be turned into howling the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Come down O thou Virgin Daughter of Caldea weep bitterly saith the Lord who knows thy out-goings and thy rage against the precious Sons of Sion and Virgin Daughter of Jerusalem the time of whose Controversie is already come into my heart wherefore look upon Sion the City of thy Solemnity thine eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation O thou Mourner a Tabernacle that shall not be taken down nor one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed nor any of the cords thereof broken thine eyes shall behold the King in his beauty thou shalt dwell in the Land that is yet far off O thou that art afflicted and tossed with tempests but not comforted tempests within and tempests without in the Name of the Lord I say unto thee thine is the Kingdom and the righteousness thereof the Power and the Glory belongs unto thee and she that is thy enemy shall be trodden down as the mire in the streets for the Indignation of the Lord is kindled against Babylon which shall not be quenched night nor day the smoak thereof shall go up for ever from Generation to Generation shall it lie waste no one shall pass through it for ever and ever They shall call the Nobles thereof to the Kingdom but none shall be there and all her Princes shall be nothing Seek ye out of the Book of the Lord and reade nothing of all this shall fail And the line of confusion shall be stretched over it and stones of emptiness and all thy Merchants shall mourn and they that are made rich by Seas shall weep bitterly for thy Tacklings are loosed they cannot well strengthen thy Masts they cannot well spread thy Sails But the Inhabitants of Zion shall not say I am sick the People that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity Our God is the living and true God his habitation is in the holy Mountain he hath chosen Sion to dwell in let all the Idols of the Heathen that know him not but would limit him that doth teach and lead his People in the Way Everlasting be confounded for ever and all the Idol-makers which are like unto them be broken and let not their hands perform their Enterprizes for the Breath of my God scatter them as the Dust of the Mountains in the Desart and as the Chaff before the Whirlwind fling them out of their place Amen saith my heart and soul for ever The Lord our God is rising against all Persecutors wo be to them if they be not warned yea he is risen already in the persecuted he will shake Mountains to pieces he will rent all Hills before him and there is no darkness so thick where the worker of Iniquity can hide himself from the fierce anger of the Lord though he make his nest in Hell and hide himself under the Mountains of the Earth yet the breath of the Lord shall breath upon him and his Spirit which created him shall rend him to pieces as a rotten rag until he make a way for him who Rules in Peace whose Scepter is a right Scepter he it is that must Reign the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it And he will cause them to remain even them which have suffered with him who hath been a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief hated and rejected of men them will he cause to reign with him upon the Earth yea they shall have dominion over the Mighty the Lion is come out of his thicket the Destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way he will not fail nor be discouraged he is risen as a valiant man and as a Gyant refreshed with new Wine his hand will not spare his Enemies his eye will not pity his Persecutors but the Lord will spare them that serve him both small and great Blessed are they that hear and believe unto the end of sin and transgression which God is finishing and putting an end unto they shall have dominion over the Mighty But wo be to all Hypocrites and wo be to all double-minded and them that forsake the Lord the living Fountain in whom all fresh springs are and wo be to all persecuting Magistrates and Law-makers against the Innocent Temporal and Spiritual a day of wasting and destruction wherein your stink shall be great and wherein you shall not find a hiding place to hide you from the furious vengeance of the Lord who is risen to shake terribly the Earth and plead the Cause of the Oppressed and Innocent by you persecuted wherefore this I say unto you all in the Name of the Lord Repent and humble your selves you Magitrates spiritual and temporal and every inferiour Officer even from him that sitteth on the Throne to him that openeth and shutteth your Prison-doors Repent both you and your King and persecute the Innocent no longer imprison and spoil their Goods no longer because they cannot worship as you do even you that mingle your Sacrifices with blood that it may be a lengthning of your tranquility but if otherwise you go on Persecution will undo you the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it for whose sake I am a witness against your persecuting power HUMFRY WOOLDRIDGE For which Cause I am close Prisoner in Chester Castle which I shall here relate and of which I have no cause at all to repent or be ashamed for ever Upon the second day of the 10th Month I came to Chester it being the end of the Assize and many of the Lord's People being close Prisoners taken from their own peaceable Meeting but were not called at all before the Judges upon the First day it was moved in my heart by the Lord that made me to go to their Church called the Cathederal the Judges and Magistrates which should do Justice and loose the Oppressed and open the doors of the Prisoners being there to cry out against Persecution I came in in the Peace and Power of the Living God where I found the Organs playing the Men and Boyes singing which songs the Lord will turn into mourning but David's Harp was not amongst them nor the Living Spirit which only praiseth the Lord but the persecuting spirit of Saul which was ever an Enemy to the Spirit of the Father when their Song was ended I came into their inward place of Worship the Word of the Lord being in my heart as a spring shut up and a fountain sealed I said Let me speak that I may be refreshed let come on me what will it is better to die than to live in rebellion against the Lord So I stepped upon the side of a Pew and bid them hear the Word of the Living God to them all but before I had spoken all that was in my heart they violently pulled me down as if they would have torn me to pieces but an Officer with a Silver Mace whose heart the Lord touched saved me from the rude multitude so I was carried away towards the Castle where I remain to this day THE END
A Visitation Warning Is this unto all MAGISTRATES AND LAVV-MAKERS TEMPORAL and SPIRITUAL to Repent of PERSECUTION and to forsake the Evil thereof that so they may obtain Mercy and find a Hiding-place in the Day of God's Wrath which is near to be revealed against all such Even from Him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto all his inferiour Officers and People in England whatsoever to him that openeth and shutteth the Prison-doors The Lord will teach his People the Lord will judge his People and therefore let all be warned how they teach or judge in matters of Religion and God's Worship Them that are taught of Him and have received the Law from his mouth by whom God speaketh in these latter dayes whose voice is heard and words received Persecution will undo this Generation the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it IN HuMFRY WOOLDRIDGE LONDON Printed in the Year 1662. A Visitation and Warning is this unto all Magistrates and Law-makers Temporal and Spiritual to repent of Persecution and to forsake the evil thereof c. PErsecution in all Ages was of the Devil the enemy of Mankind it was alwayes against the appearance of God where-ever he made himself manifest yet did the spirit of the World and births that are of the Devil 's begetting never want a cover to hide themselves withal nor slanders or names of infamy to cast upon them they persecuted so that I may truly say his visage is more marred than the sons of men But as it was in the dayes of the Jews so is it now they called the Master of the house Beelzebâ—th and did not want a refuge of lies to hide themselves saying For a good work we stone thee not but because thou being a man makest thy self the Son of God So I say is it now in this day of the appearance of the Son of God they in whom he hath mâ—nifested and revealed himself are not persecuted as righteouâ— and good men but as unrighteous and such as are not 〈◊〉 to live upon the Earth not as them that know the Truth and walk in it but as Deceivers and Blasphemers and such as bring in strange Doctrines and movers of Sedition and â—uâ—â— the World up-side down Under these names of reproach and slander do we whom the scoâ—ners call Quakers suffer moâ—â— cruel usage from this persecuting Generation as we did from them that went before and under these deceits and falshoods do the Enemies of God and his eternal Truth hide themselves saying You are a People against Ministers and Magistrateâ— you are Rebels to the King and will not conform to the Law which he hath made This was the Charge the Enemies of God charged Daniel and the three Children withal These mâ—n O King regard not thy Laws when they in their own wickedness had caused him to make a Law to his own hurt Thiâ— was charged upon poor Mordecai he regarded not the King's Commandment in bowing to the pride of Haâ—nan And thiâ— was the Charge-against Jeremiah he was no friend to thâ— King say they but sell away to the Caldeans This was the â—hargâ— which the false Prophets and Priests and men void of thâ—s◠〈◊〉 of God which they charged upon the Servants of the Lord in all Ages In the dayes of Ahab King of Israel four hundred â—â—d â—iâ—ty Prophets all encouraged Ahab and Jehoshaphâ—â— to go up to Râ—moth Gilead to battel and cold them they should prosâ—â—â—â— but one Micaiah whom all the Prophets mocked and 〈◊〉 who â—old the King the Truth he must not be believâ—d but â—ust bâ— put in Pâ—ison and fed with bread of affliction â—nd 〈◊〉 of affliction And this hath been the reward of thâ— Righteous from the Unrighteous in all Ages because their dâ—â—ds have been righteous and the others wicked This made 〈◊〉 to kill righteous Abeb This made Corah and his coâ—â—pâ—â—â—â—o â—isâ— up against Moses and Aarâ—n and gainsay them who hâ—d â—hâ— Spirit and were obedient to it yet did they 〈…〉 â—o cast upon them saying Are not all the 〈…〉 â—oly why do you then lift up your selves above the Conâ—â—â—â—â—â— of the Lord you take too much upon you you sons of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thâ—y that gainsayed the Spirit charged the meekest 〈◊〉 upon â—f the Earth to be proud And so they that conâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—hrist said those things which he did was not by the Spirit of thâ—â—athâ—â— but by Beelzebub the chief of Devils â—nd â—hrisâ— said â—f it be so in the green tree what will be done 〈…〉 thâ—y hâ—ve hâ—ted me they will hate you also If they 〈…〉 they will persecute you and this will they do 〈…〉 know not the Father So thâ—◠〈◊〉 which know the Truth do not wonder to see wise â—nd 〈…〉 â—nd Rulers and Magistrates Priests and 〈…〉 it with one consent as Heresie and Delusion 〈…〉 consider the Generation of the Righteous 〈…〉 thâ—n that are beloved of the Lord in the 〈…〉 old hoâ— Truth and Righteousness with them that lovâ—d it 〈◊〉 â—lothâ—d with the black name of Infamy but God i◠〈…〉 â—ill swâ—ep away your refuge of lies and he will woâ—k 〈…〉 will bring to pass and no one shall let it the 〈…〉 spoken it Wo he to the Wicked it shall 〈…〉 their covering is too narrow the Lord will 〈…〉 hath begun to rent it already Therefore all ye Persecutors weep and howl all ye Bishops and Spiritual men so called mourn your part the Lord is risen against you the spirit of Persecution is taking root in your habitations the Spiritual Weapon of the Lamb is wanting and though your wickedness swell as the Sea and rise as a floud yet we know him that is above the pride of man even him that sits upon the flouds in him doth my Soul trust that is able to restrain all your wrath but only so much as shall make for his Peoples good and the pure praise and glory of our God that suffereth it so to be and you that persecute us where are the Apostles Weapons they warred withal where is the Sword of the Spirit that proceeds out of the Lamb's mouth O mourn all ye Bishops and Priests and such as call your selves Ministers of Christ ye are unlike him the Sheep of his pasture are men whom ye seek to devour and make a prey to your greedy teeth the Lord is risen against you in his pure Name is he hiding his Babes and unto his Children is become a hiding place as in the Generations past Blessed be the Lord he hath not left us desolate of his tender Mercies even in a day when we find this saying true The tender mercies of the wicked are cruelty and all you by whom we suffer you say we suffer not for Conscience sake but for evil doing and because we are not subject to the King nor Governours by him set over us To you all I say in the Name and Power of the Lord give unto God the things that belong unto God O all ye great ones of
Lord Chap. 17. Let them be confounded thaâ— pâ—â—sâ—cute 〈◊〉 but let not me be confounded let them be disâ—â—id bâ—â— lâ—â— not me be dismaid bring upon them the day of evil and desâ—roy theâ— with double destruction I say these things will cry for Vengâ—ancâ— from the God of Heaven as in the dayes of old when Christ came near unto Jerusalem the consideâ—ation of these things caused him to weep over it saying O Jâ—râ—sâ—lâ—â— Jâ—rusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest thâ—â— thâ—â— are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thee This is thy state and this is thy condition O London with thy Magistrates and Rulers how often hath the Lord waâ—ned you and ye would not be warned to leave off Persecuting for matters of Conscience in the Worship and Servicâ— of God in the dayes of your former Rulers which were many how often were they warned by the Servants of the Living God concerning this thing And now in this your Day you have been often warned both you and your King to let Conscience go free and you have made Promises and the words of your King have been we should never suffer for Conscience sake so long as we lived peaceably And again you are warned at this time both you and your King that you leave off Persecution and let the Spirit of the Lord teach the Children of the Lord how to Worship him for it is written in the Scriptures that the Spirit teacheth them how to Pray and Worship as they ought and as many as are the Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God therefore do not think or believe that such can be limited to any dead Form of Prayer or Worship set up by the Precepts and Commandments of men therefore be warned of these things and if you are not it will be your utter ruine and it is not for evil-doing nor rebellion against the Lord nor the good Laws of your King that we are killed thus all the day long and counted by you as Sheep for the slaughter but because we keep our Consciences clear in being obedient to his Living Word and Spirit which purifies our hearts that we are so used by you and because we that know the Lord are resolved though he suffer you to kill us we will not fall down to your dead Image nay it is not so much as a true Image of a true Worship nor Worship in any other way but the same which he himself shall teach us for he is a Spirit and in Spirit will be Worshipped and all they that Worship him after the Precepts and Commands of men Worship they know not what Now all this Cruelty and Persecution is done and suffered to be done that that saying might be true spoken by the Spirit in Generations past They hated me without a cause and he which is born of the Flesh persecutes him that is born of the Spirit for the enmity of the Serpents Seed is against the Seed of the fâ—â—e Woman because it is begotten and born of God which cannot sin in bowing to that which is begotten and brought forth by the wicked one for there is a Seed begotten and a Birth brought forth by the undefiled God in England that serveth the Lord in bearing Witness as it did in all Ages and Generations against the Seed of Evil-doers And in the Persecutor is this Seed a prick Saul Saul why persecutest thou me it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks This is that Seed of the Kingdom which Christ told the persecuting Jews Luk. 17.21 was within them And this is that which Paul told the Gentiles of Rom. I. that which may be known of God is manifested within them This is a Talent given to the evil and slothful servant and a Prize in the hand of a fool he wanting an heart to improve it to the praise of the Giver This is the day of small things and the weakness of God it being compared unto a Leaven hidden and a grain of Mustard-seed not grown This is small in its beginnings yet chosen of God elect and precious A precious Stone and sure Foundation to all that have tryed believed and proved it he is precious and the head of the corner but to the wisdom of man and wise-builders such as build up Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity is he a stumbling stone and rock of offence at this day and had not the Lord God of Sabbaths left this Seed in fallen man even we had all been as Sodom and Gomorrah whom the Lord overthrew and repented not This is the Candle of the Lord which all ye Persecutors put under a bushel and that Light by which Job that righteous Magistrate walked through all darkness which all ye oppressors of the poor in spirit lie in This is that which did convince the persecuting Jews in themselves that Christ was a good man and Pilate also so that he notwithstanding all the cry of the multitude Crucifie crucifie him could find nothing worthy of death in him And this was it which almost perswaded King Agrippa to be a Christian And this is it which all Persecutors and Compellers about Religion grieve and do violence to in themselves first The light of the body is the eye God said I will guide my People by mine eye This all blind guides put out in themselves It is the god of this world in you Spiritual-men falsly so called with the seeming honour and glory thereof which blindeth you and shutteth your ears lest you should hear what this good Spirit of God saith as it is written by the Prophet If thou canst reade thy state do Who is so blinde as he that is perfect and deaf as the Lord's Messenger that I send seeing many things but thou observest not Hear ye deaf and look you blind that you may see the Lord is wâ—â—â— pleased For his Righteousness sake he will magnifie the Law and make it honourable but this is a people robbed and spoyled they are all of them snared iâ— holes and they are hid in prison houses they are for a prey and none delivereth for a spoil and none saith Restore Who among you will give ear to this who will hearken and hear for the time to come Thou that art compelling to worship in the Form thou settest up with carnal Laws thou wouldst blind all them whose eyes the Lord God hath opened in this day of his Power in which he hath caused his day to spring from on high which will cover thy day and stain thy glory whose fading crown is mortal and doth not endure throughout all generations but it is upon the head of the fat valleys where run the pleasant streams and where the springs of waters are ye Persecutors drink not of The Lord hath caused his Day to spring and he hath enlightned the Earth from his holy Habitation everlasting Glory is revealed which will stain the glory of the World England shal be as a
Garden whom the Lord watereth with the dew of the everlasting Hills as a Vineyard with pleasant Plants the planting of the Lord that he may be glorified He is pouring his Waters out of his Buckets and his Seed shall be in many Nations His King shall be higher than Agag and his Kingdom shall be exalted The Lord hath spoken in his Holiness he will not lie unto David and his Seed for evermore He will rejoyce over Palestina over Ethiopia Egypt and Edom will he rejoyce He will reveal his Glory which shall cover the Earth as a morning without Clouds and as the Sun at noon-day so will he shine out of Zion many shall be gathered into his Rest and he will beautifie the place of his Holiness And this is a Charge to all you Magistrares in the Name of the Lord of Host take heed what you do against Israel they are a People whom he hath blessed and whom he will honour with a Crown that is immortal and with the right-hand of his Power will he savâ— them throughout Generations and he will break their Enemies and they shall never prosper but shall be confounded for ever that oweth ill will to Jerusalem The daughter of Zion hath laughed you to scorn the daughter of Jerusalem shall rejoyce in her God for ever â—nd ever who hath fâ—rmed Jacob he will preserâ—â— and save the distressed of Israel The Lord liveth and blessed be our Rock and magnified for ever be the God of our Salvation who hides us in the hollow of his hand and in whose Name and Might we who know the Lord are confident that he will never leave us nor forsake us utterly nor give us as a prey into the hands of the wicked and though he suffer you to plow long furrows upon our backs as it was with the same Seed in all Generations yet cannot we forget the Lord because we love him who is a present help in all times of trouble We are perswaded and that by the Love which he hath shed abroad in our hearts that all your Cruelty whatsoever your spoyling of Goods and Banishments and whatsoever more he who limits all shall suffer you to do shall never be able to separate us from the Love of God who hath united our souls in a perpetual Covenant which can not be broken unto himself The Lord our God whom we serve will break all unrighteous Laws and the Yoke of Oppression as in the day of Middian so will he rise up for our help and Wo be unto them which stand in his way when he riseth he will roar out of Sion even as the Seas for the indignation of the Lord is upon all Nations and his Fury upon all their Armies He will utterly destroy them and deliver them to the slaughter for it is the day of the Lord's Vengeance and the Year of Recompences for the Controverfie of Sion which hath long sate solitary in a Wilderness which hath been black as the tents of Kedâ—â— because of the clouds of the night the rain and storms of the Winter have all passed over her the Seâ—s and the waves thereof have covered her and the reeds have been about her head she hath mourned sore in the night because of the oppression because of the rage of the Dragon hath she been hid in the wilderness and sitten desolate in a Desart as they that are dead of old covered hath she been with the robe of unrighteousness and rapt up as in a mantle of violence great hath been her wrong and grievous the violence done unto my flesh do the Inhabitants of Sion say and great will be the deliverance and the glory that is to 〈◊〉 upon thy head for evermore Arise and shine forth for 〈◊〉 â—ight is come the Glory of thy God is risen upon thee which shall dazle the eyes of all that hate thee and persecute thee without a cause the Lord will cover thee in the hollow of his hand and make thee a sharp threshing instrument wherewith he will thresh the Mountains and beat the Hills to pieces With thee will he plant Nations and pluck up Nations With thee will he strike the Horse and his Rider With thee will he break the Chariot and his Driver With thee will he break the Scepter and fling the Crown to the ground He hath made thee as a polished Shaft in his Quiver wherewith he will strike through the reins of his Enemâ—es With thee will he bind the Dragon and cast the Beast and the false Prophets which deceive the Nations into the Lake of Fire For the Wrath of the Lord is come and the time of the Dead that they should be judged and thou shouldst give reward unto thy Servants the Prophets and to the Saints and them that fear thy Name small and great and shouldest destroy them which destroy the Earth and though the Woman with the Man-child have been in the Wilderness long hidden in a place prepared them of God yet is the time come wherein she is come forth again even out of the Wilderness fair as the Moon clear as the Sun at noon-day and terrible as an Army with Banners will she be to her Persecuters the everlasting Gospel is preached again the Angel that hath it is come and he will have the Victory and break his Enemies as a Potter's vessel Now is come Salvation and Strength and the Kingdom of our God and the Power of his Christ for the Persecuter and Accuser of the Saints must be cast down and they shall overcome him by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of their Testimony which they hold who love not their lives unto the death shall have domininion over the Mighty But all you Persecuters you are they which Christ prophesied of should come Matth. 7. and Mat. 24. You are known by your fruits to be the corrupt trees of whom men do not gather figs for we find that saying fulfilled even amongst you Bishops and Spiritual men the most upright amongst you is but as a thoâ—â—-hedge scratching and tearing the wool and devouring 〈◊〉 â—â—eep of God's Pasture which are men with your Spiritual Courts your Weapons also we are sure are not the same Christ and the Apostles warred withal when they warred against Spiritual wickedness in high places mark Spiritual wickedness was against the true Apostles Paul himself was a Bishop and Timothy but we do not reade that ever they had such Councils and Decrees as are now made to banish and destroy them that will not conform in matters of Conscience Reade Act. 15.6 when the Apostles and Elders were come together to confider and determine concerning them which troubled the Church and we know they had the mind of the Lord I believe you will not deny it vers 28. it is written It seemeth good to the holy Ghost c. Mark what they did seemed good to the holy Ghost But in their Decrees we reade not of any banishing or imprisoning or of any such
Decrees as are made by you Lords spiritual And when the Apostles cast any out of the Church we do not reade that they took such a way as you do when you excommunicate that they must neither buy nor sell for Paul saith I write unto you that you should not accompany with Fornicators yet saith he not altogether with Fornicators of this world for then must you go out of the world But if any that is called a Brother be a Fornicator or covetous or an Idolater or a Railer or a Drunkard with such a one do not eat For we have nothing to do to judge them that are without but them that are within saith Paul 1 Cor. 5.11 12. but these we reade of in the Revelations to be the Dragon 's and Beast's and false Prophet's weapons which slew the Saints and killed them that had the Testimony of Jesus which is the Word of God And there you may reade all this Compelling is not of God but the Devil not of Christ but Antichrist neither was it ever found in the true Church but in the Synagogues of Satan You may reade your selves your â—oot is one with Judas whose Bishoprick was taken from him because he persecuted the poor and need man and your Weapons are not Spiritual but such as the High Priests were that came with Judas to apprehend Christ so all your Decrees and Laws whereby ye imprison spoil and banish such as cannot Conform to your Worship nor deny the Lord who hath taught-them how to Worship is not of God but of the Devil so ye are they in Sheeps clothing but inwardly ravened from the Spirit and Power the true Bishops had which Christ said should come And John which wrote unto the little Children in his Epistles said were come already by which he knew it was the last times And John in the Revelation saith All the World wondered after the Beast and this was sixteen hundred years since and said Who was able to make War with him and they received his Mark and his Names which were Names of Blasphemy who blasphemed the Temple of God and they that dwelt therein but only they who loved not their lives unto death whose Names were written in the Lamb's Book of Life before the foundation of the World they followed the Lamb wherever he went Now they that are blind in heart and Hypocrites may believe you are true Bishops and Ministers of Christ and your Church the true Church the fearful and the unbelieving who are with you without the Gate of the City of our Solemnity and Place where the Saints worship and serve him day and night they may say Who is able to make War with the Beast False Prophets they may fall down and bow to any thing and all they whose Names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life they may Worship the Beast and so that Scripture will be fulfilled in England written in John's Revelations Chap. 17. where the false Church is compaâ—ed even Mystery Babylon to a Woman deck'd with Gold Pearls and precious Stones this Woman was drunk with the blood of the Saints and yet in her hand was there a golden Cup so fair and beautiful to look upon and behold that she made all the Kings and Great Men to drink of it and so they became subject to her even her in whom was found the blood of all the Saints and Prophets that were slain upon the Earth vers 18. The Woman that thou sawest is that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth But I say and it is the Truth of God There are a few notwithstanding all this that are Redeemed out of that Earth out of which that Beast which did carry the Woman rose that have not defiled their Garments with this Woman nor bowed to this Baal nor kissed him in whom the Lord hath opened a pure eye that sees an end of all things which had a beginning and are come to the beginning it self the first and the last where there is no darkness nor shadow of death where there is no Oppression nor Cry but the voice of Rejoycing and Salvation is in the dwelling place of the Righteous in which Righteousness is the Lord establishing many And though our outward man perish daily in Prisons and Dungeons under the hands of unmerciful men whose tender mercies are cruelty yet we can rejoyce in the Lord glory all the day long Even in this your day and the power of darkness is the Lord a Light unto us and when all men even almost all say there is a casting down then can our Souls truly say The Lord is the lifter up of our head and though we die daily and are as men appointed by you for destruction yet have we a Life hid from you we have bread to eat and drink ye know not of and in that do our hearts live that seek the Lord and his face continually which all Persecuters and such as do violence unto the blood of any man cannot enter into but are shut out even without the gate among the Dogs and the unclean that can never enter in the portion of whose Cup is not like the portion of Jacob but lamentation weeping and wo. All you Bishops which own your selves to be Ministers of Christ it is in my heart for Truth 's sake which I love before my own life that Truth and the Ministers thereof may be made manifest to ask you a few Questions First How shall one know a true Bishop and Minister of Christ from the false but by their fruits the marks and symptoms the chief Bishop and the true Ministers set them forth by in the Scriptures 2 Cor. 6.4 c. where the Apostle saith In all these things they have proved themselves to be Ministers of God in much Patience in Afflictions in Necessities in Distresses in Stripes in Imprisonments in Tumults in Labours in Watchings in Fastings Mark vers 6. By Pureness by Knowledge by Long-suffering by Kindness by the Holy Ghost by Love unfeigned by the Word of Truth by the Power of God by the Armour of Righteousness on the Right hand and on the Left by Honour and Dishonour by evil Report and good Report as Deceivers and yet true as unknown and yet well known as dying yet behold we live as chastized and not killed as sorrowful yet alwayes rejoycing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing yet possessing all things Mark They were in God whose was the Earth and the fulness thereof they cast their care upon him who said The Labourer is worthy of his meat and he cared for them Whether these things did not alwayes attend the true Prophets Christ and his true Apostles before mentioned And whether these be not the marks of the Lamb and his true Ministers And whether they that are found in the contrary living in pleasures as Lords over Gods Heritage not ruling in the Spirit and Power of God but with cruel Laws made
Again Whether Christ be not come the unchangeable High Priest he which puts an end to all Shadows changeable Priests and Worship whether he be not given for a Covenant of Light and whether all the Nations of them that are saved must not walk in it the same that Moses by the Spirit the man of God spoke of saying A Prophet like unto me shall the Lord your God raise up him shall you hear in all things and whether that Soul must not be cut off out of the Land of the Lord which hearkens not unto him only even him who saith Learn of me and ye shall find rest to your Souls and that when I go away I will send you the Spirit of Truth the Comforter which shall lead you into all Truth And what do you think of them which have heard and learned of the Father and are come to the knowledge of him which to know is Life and Peace eternal as he is obeyed and his voice followed who saith My Sheep hear my voice and a stranger they will not follow What will become of them I say that have eaten of the true Bread and drunk of the living Fountain which as a Well of living Water springeth up in them even them that believe in the Name of Jesus if these shall fall away and in their hearts turn back into Egypt to you again and feed upon the Husks which satisfie not and drink Water out of your broken Cisterns even the puddle waters of Babylon from which all that fear the Lord let them be separated as we are whom ye persecute lest they partake with you of the Woes and Plagues he is bringing upon you because of the blood of the Innocent and the oppression of the Poor I speak that I may be refreshed let come on me what will good is the Lord and his mercy endures for ever the Lord is gracious and full of compassion but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruelty the Lord will most certainly do by you as you have done by us and such a day is the Lord bringing upon all Persecuters the like was never seen in England the mean while in patience we possess our Souls and commit the keeping both of them and our Bodies whom ye shut up for his Names sake whose witnesses we are in cruel Prisons as into the hands of a faithful Creator Thus saith the Lord Hear me O my People hearken unto me O my Nation for a Law shall proceed from me and all my Children shall be taught of me What may you judge of your selves then that say Hearken unto us Pray Sing and Worship God as we teach you for a Law is proceeded from us and all that will not Conform thereunto all that will not Pray and Worship God according to the Precepts and Commandments we have prescribed they shall be esteemed Rebels to the King and all their Goods taken away and at last after long imprisonment they shall be banished out of the Nation and all this is done and intended to be done by the consent and advice of you Lords Spiritual Whether Chiist who is the chief Bishop of the Soul and Shepherd of the Sheep ever gave you or any which were true Ministers and Bishops such authority Or whether all this be not from Antichrist's Power and the Dragon 's that slew the Saints which had the Testimony of Jesus and Word of God There are several Scriptures which speak of forcing and compelling which the Persecutors make themselves a Covering of but this was in the time of the Law when their Worshiâ— was outward â—nd they were compelled to it by an outward Law all which Christ put an end to and said God is a Spirit â—â—d they that worship him acceptably must worship him in Spirit and in Truth But this I say unto all you high and low great and small that persecute and imprison about Religion You have imprisoned and done violence to the Just and Holy One in your own hearts the good Spirit which God who is a Spirit hath given to instruct you that you have grieved and rebelled against and â—herefore all that will not do the like must be imprisoned their Goods spoiled and their Persons banished All that will not kill the Witness in themselves must by you be killed for its sake all the day long All they that will not make shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience and lay the Heritage of God waste and tread the holy City under their feet and blaspheme the Temple of God and them that dwell therein their Families must be laid waste by your consent and they themselves who fear before the Lord and at the remembrance of his Holiness they must be counted Hereticks and Blasphemers by this Generation You have rejected the Word of the Lord and will have none of Wisdoms Counsel and therefore must they which walk in the Light of the Word who are Wisdoms Children and justified by Christ who is God's Wisdom and Righteousness be condemned by you who are only wise to do evil The god of this world he it is that blindeth thee with the seeming glory and honour so that thou canst not see nor discern the things that be of the Spirit of God and now thou being blinded thy self thou Persecuter about Religion whoever thou art thou wouldst with cruel tortures make all to see with thy vailed eye thy own house being left desolate and overthrown by strangers desolate I say of the Spirit any otherwayes than to reprove and convince thee and the true knowledge of God thou wouldst lay waste the Temple of God without thee and the House which is a House of Prayer indeed wouldst thou have to become an habitation of Devils and Deâ— of Thieves like thine own thou hast banished the goâ—tâ—e reproofâ— of the good Spirit of God and the Word which is nigh thee out of thine own heart and hast set up another thing besides the Fear of the Lord which is to depart from evil and now thou being banished like Cain for thy rebellion from the presence of the Lord art wrath and thou wilt spoil all their Houses and Goods and lay their Dwellings desolate and though thou cannot banish them from the presence of the Lord as thou art thy self thou wilt do thy endeavour to make them miserable upon the Earth if thou canst not kill them thou wilt banish them under the name of Traitors and they shall be whipt and imprisoned under the names of Vagabonds thus thou art building thy City with blood but still thou art in a Land of fear and but a Vagabond thy self in the Earth whilst we poor despised People called Quakers who are free born of the Seed that is immortal by this Generation have not so much as a place whereon to lay out heads but in Prisons and nolsom Dungeons and all this is because we cannot bow to the false Worships the false Prophets the Beast and Dragon is setting up and establishing with carnal