VVorld yea the true Light that inlightneth every one that cometh into the world VVhosoever followeth him shall not walk in Darkness but shall have the Light of life and to as many as receive him and beleeve on his Name to them he gives power to become the Sons of God but these whose Understanding is darkned even such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death the Light shineth in the darkness but the darkness comprehendeth it not but al things that are reproved are made manifest by the Light the Light makes sin manifest in the understanding and convinceth of sin and condemns sin in the conscience but those that walk in darkness hate the Light and will not bring their deeds to it because they are evill and the Light reproves them and to such the Light is their condemnation Therefore take heed to this Light which shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the Day-star arise in your hearts while you have the Light beleeve in the Light John 12.36 1 Thess 5.7 that ye may become the children of the Light and the children of the Day who bear witness to the Light Iohn a man sent of God to bear witness of the Light who said that was the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world And David he bare witness and said The Lord is my light and my lamp he will inlighten my darkness he is my salvation and the strength of my life and again said he Psal 72. i. 2 Sam. 22.39 John 1.1.5 Isa 49.6 60.19 20. Luke 2.31 32. John 1.10 11 17 verses Thy VVord is a Lamp unto my feet and a light unto my pathes And John said God is Light and in him is no darkness at all And Isaiah said The Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting Light and thy God thy glory Christ is given for a Light to the Gentiles and for salvation to the ends of the earth to which Simeon bore witness and said Mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel which Light was in the beginning and is come to his own and his own received him not he is in the world and the world was made by him and the world knows him not by whom Grace and Truth is come CHRIT JESUS Thirdly Seeing that Christ is the Light of the world Isa 55.3 John 5.25 and the VVord of God which is to be hearkned unto and obeyed therefore unto him hearken and hear that your souls may live For they that hear the voice of the Son of God they shall live the word is nigh thee in thy heart and in thy mouth Dute. 13.14 Eccles 2.14 Prov. 4.23 Coll. 1.27 Rom. 12.5 1 Cor. 8.6 John 17.23 Rom. 10.6 7 8. Coll. 1.26 27. 1 Tim. 3.16 John 15.18.25 1 Pet. 2.7 Matt. 21.42 Jer. 20.9 2 Sam. 23.2 3. 1 Cor. 10.4 Matt. 17.5 Heb. 3.15 Matt. 11.29 Isa 40.31 Matt. 24.23 24 26. Mark 13 2i 22 23. Luke 17.21 22 23. that thou mayest do it therefore keep thy minde in from wandering abroad for the wise mans eye is in his head Christ is the head of every man hearken and attend to his word keep thy heart with all dilligence for out of it are the issues of life he that hath the Son hath life Christ in you the hope of glory he is one in all except ye be Reprobates you may know this For we being many are all one in Christ Iesus who said I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one and Paul said the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thy heart who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring Châ—ist down from a love or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead but saith it The word is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of Faith which we preach without controversie great is the mystery of godliness which hath been hid from ages aad generations but is now made manifest unto his Saints which is God manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles rejected by the world but received into glory And Ieremiah said His word was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay And David said The spirit of the Lord speak by me and his word was in my tongue the Rock of Israel speak to me and that Rock is Christ he that hath an ear to hear let him hear what the spirit saith God is a spirit who saith this is my beloved Son hear ye him in all things Cease from man whose breath is in his Nostrils and hearken to the VVord of the Lord which is nigh thee in thy heart and in thy mouth Christ Jesus saith Come learn of me heare that your souls may live to day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts but be swift to hear and slow to speak stand still and see the salvation of the Lord for they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength and do not hearken any longer to the blinde guides the priests which cries Lo here hearken to the Word of the Lord saith one as it is written in the chapter and the verse Lo here saith another hearken to the Word of the Lord as it is written in this chapter and this verse See here saith one it is written this chapter and this verse See there saith another as it is written in this chapter and this verse But they are false prophets rise up to seduce if it were possible the very Elect but saith Christ go not forth beleeve them not the kingdom of heaven is within you the Law is written in the heart according to the Covenant of God Moses David Jeremiah and Paul and said the Word of the Lord is in the heart and in the mouth Iude 11 verse Numb 22.38 24.17 18 19. Mic. 3.11 and yet the priests of the Nations are not ashamed to say It is written in a chapter and a verse and although the priests of this Nation run greedily after the error of Balaam for honour and rewards yet they are more blinde than Balaam and have not got by all their study and learning so much of the knowledge of the Word as he who said to Balaak after the Lord had turned him from going to curse Israel the word that God putteth into my mouth that shall I speak O ye priests that preach for hire and divine for money and are by men called and say your selves you are ministers and preachers of the Word of God Are you not ashamed to see that Balaam had more knowledge of the Word then you have be ashamed and blush and stop your mouths and be
Heb. 1.2.3 Coll. 16.17 Jer. 10.12 Psal 33.6 made not the world but by the Word of God the Heavens and the Earth and all things therein were made For said Iohn In the beginning was the VVord and the VVord was with God all things were made by him and nothing was made without him that was made for it was the Spirit of God that moved upon the face of the waters and Jeremiah said That God hath made the earth by his power he established the world by his wisdome Christ is the Power of God and the Wisdome of God And David said By the VVord of the Lord were the heavens made and all the hosts of them by the breath of his Mouth And Paul said Heb. 11.3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the VVord of God so that the things which are seen were not made of the things which do appear For by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be thrones or dominions or principallities or powers all things were created by him and for him Eightly And as all things were made by the Word of God which Word was before any Letter of the Scripture was written so by the same Word of his Power are all things upheld For in him we live and move and have our being Acts 17.24 26 28. Heb. 1.3 2 Pet. 3.5 6 7. said Peter For of this thing they are willingly ignorant of that by the VVord of God the heavens were of old and the earth standing out of the water and in the water wheâ—eby the world that then was being overflowed with water perished but the heavens and the earth which are now by the same VVord are kept in store reserved unto fire against the day of judgement and perdition of ungodly men under which ungodly men the Prophets and Apostles and Servants of the Lord ever in all generations suffered cruel mockings bonds and imprisonments and death for obeying the Commands of the Lord and bearing their Testimony of Christ Jesus the Son of God and the Word of God and likewise for crying out against the sins and abominations which was committed in those dayes both by Kings Ruleâ—s Judges Priests Prophets and people and as the sins and abominations was then so it is now in these dayes acted by the like generation of Heathens that rage Psal 2.2 Iohn 16.2 Rev. 2.10 and people that imagine vain things the Kings and the Rulers fit and take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed and in so doing they think they do God good service and for their so doing are accounted good Christians by their own generation both of Priests and people but they are no christians that do such things for if any man be in Christ he is a new creature and the old man with his deeds is put off and the New man put on Christ Iesus and of him they learn who is meek and lowly and to be holy in all manner of conversation and to love the brethren and to entertain strangers and those Rulers that so learn are a terrour to the evil doers and a protection to them that do wel for he that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God for those that were ordained of God and ruled in the fear of God did not imprison the Servants of God and his prophets but received them and protected them But those Rulers and people who without the fear of God were and ruled in their own wills they whipt and stockt Luke 23.10 11. and put in prisons and dungeons and chains and murdered despised and mocked the messengers of the Lord untill the wrath of God arose against them and there was no remedy as you may see hereafter appear Abraham he put none of the Servants of the Lord in Prison for as he said in his Tent doore in the heate of the daye in the plains of Mamro where the Lord appeared unto him and he lift up his eyes and looked and do tâ—â—e men stood by him and when he saw them he ran from the Tent-doore and met them and said My Lord if I have found favour in thy sight pass not I pray thee from thy servant and Abraham said Let a little water I pray you be fetched and wash your feet and rest your selves under the Tree and I will fetch a morsel of bread and comfort your hearts Read Gen. 18. chap. and after that you shall pass on for therefore are you come to your Servant and Abraham hastened into the Tent and said Make ready quickly three measures of fine meale kneed it and make Cakes upon the hearth and Abraham ran unto the herd and fetch a Calfe tender and good and gave it to a young man and be hasted to dress it and Abraham took butter and milk and the Calfe which was dressed and set it before them and he stood by them under the Tree and they did eat and the men rose up from thence and looked towards Sodome and Abraham went with them to bring them in their way And just Lot he put none in prison Gen. 19. chap. For there came to Sodome at even two Angels and Lot sate in the Gate of Sodome and Lot seeing them rose up and met them and he said Behold now my Lords turn in I pray you into your Servants house and tarry all night and wash your feet ye shal rise up early go on your wayes he pressed upon them greatly and they turned in unto him and entered into his house and he made them a feast and did break unleavened bread and they did eat Moses put none of the Servants nor prophets of the Lord in prison Numb ii 24 to the 30. for when the young man ran and told him that Eldad and Medad do prophesie in the camp and would have had Moses to forbid them and Moses said unto him Enviest thou for my sake would to God that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them and Moses and the Elders of Israel went into the Camp but did not forbid them David he put none of the Lords prophets in prison 2 Sam. 12. chap. for Nathan the prophet came and declared unto him the parable of the Ewe-lamb he straightway confessed his sin and owned his condemnation upon himself by his own words out of his own mouth neither do I finde that Solomon put any in prison Ioshua he put none of the Lords servants in prison nor Gideon Iosh 5.13 i4 i5 Judg. 6.8 i1 12 13.25 c. he neither put the Angel nor the prophet of the Lord in prison but he threw down the Altar of Baal and cut down the Grove that was by it Neither did Hezekiah nor Iehosaphat 2 Kings 19. 2 Chron. 19. nor Iosiah put any of the prophets of the Lord in prison neither did any of
Epistles to the Churches as they saw them in their severall conditions and some to particular persons as to Timothy Titus and Philemon and to the twelve Tribes scattered abroad And Peter in his second Epistle speaks of the Scripture and said 2 Pet. 1.20 21. 1 Cor. 2.4.14 Heb. 3.5 8.5 Exod. 17.4 34.27 40.33 Isa 8.1 Jer. 30.1 2. 36.1 2 3 4. That no prophesie of the Scripture is of any private interpretation but the holy men of God spake them forth as they were moved by the holy Ghost so that the prophecies written came not of old by mans own will nor by the will of man but by the Holy Ghost in the holy men of God who were moved by the same to speak them forth so that all speaking and writing and all interpretations of the things of God that comes not from the movings and power of the Holy Ghost comes from mans own will and not from the will and power of God Moses who was faithfull in the house of God did all things according to the pattern shewed him and writ not in his own wil but in the wil of God And so Isaiah wrote at the Commands of the Lord And Jeremiah wrote not but at the Command of the Lord who said unto him VVrite all the words in a Roll of a Book that I have spoken unto thee against Israel and against Juda and against all the nations from the dayes of Josia even unto this day And Jeremiah called Baruch and Baruch wrote all the words which the Lord had spoken unto Jeremiah from the mouth of Jeremiah Baruch wrote them Here it is plainly seen that the Scriptures at the first was not given forth by mans will or by private interpretation but they were given forth by in the will of God by the holy men of God as they were moved to speak them forth by the Spirit of God but since the first giving of them forth they have been translated by private interpretors into the many Languages and the many Languages have severall Copies of their private interpretations with some words added to and some words left out But the same Spirit of God that gave them forth knows its own that it gave forth by the holy men of God 1 Cor. 2.10.12 2 Pet. 3.1 Mic. 3.11 and disowns the other words that are not of and from it self for no man knoweth the things of God save the Spirit of God so that it plainly appears that the Scriptures was never called the Word of God neither by Christ nor his Apostles but they were called by them Moses VVritings Moses Law The Book of the Prophets The Prophets and The Psalms A Declaration Testimony and Epistles But the blinde Guides the priests of England that preach for tithes hire gifts and rewards they do teach the people and say Hearken to the VVord of the Lord as it is written in a Chapter and a Verse The VVord of the Lord was before all time but the Bible which men call the Scriptures was not before all time for Moses after the Creation many generations did begin to write the first part of it who was the first Writer John 1.1 2.3 4. 10.14 John 4.24 John 10.28 2 Cor. 3.6 which was in time and the rest were written in order of time as the holy men of God were moved by the Spirit of God to write and give them forth to be written therefore the Bible which is called the Scriptures is not the VVord of God but is that which testifies of the VVord of God Christ Jesus God is a spirit is the Bible which is called the Scripture God a spirit Nay for the Word is God The letter kills is that Christ the spirit that giveth life Nay then the Letter is not the VVord of God for Christ is the Word and this Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us and he is the Light and Life of men and by him the world was made First Before the Bible which is called the Scripture was writ the Word was John 1. i. Heb. 13.8 Rev. 22.13 1 John 1.1 2. Isa 41.4 Rev. 19. i3 Isa 7.14 Matt. 1.23 Heb. 2.16 John 8 56.58 Gen. 15.1 2. Prov. 18.10 1 Sam. 3.21 Matt. 11.27 John â—0 30 14.6.9 10. Dute. 8.15 Gen. 49.10 Psal 119.160 162. verses Isa 42. Jer. 23. Ezek. 34. Dan. 2.45 Mic. 4 5 chap. for in the beginning was the VVord and the VVord was with God Christ Jesus the same yesterday to day and for ever said he I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end the first and the last It is he that calleth the generations from the beginning who said I the Lord am the first and with the last I am the same and John said His Name is called the VVord of God And they shall call his Name Emanuel which is by interpretation God with us who took upon him the Seed of Abraham and was before Abraham was Abraham said Christ rejoyced to see my day he saw it and was glad The Word of the Lord came to Abraham in a Vision saying Fear not Abraham I am thy Sheild and thy exceeding great Reward The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower the Righteous run unto it and are safe And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by his VVord Christ said No man knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him and said Christ I am the VVay the Truth and the life No man cometh to the Father but by me he that hath seen me hath seen the Father I and my Father am one I am in the Father and the Father in me And Moses said The Lord thy God will raise up a Prophet in the midst of thee of thy brethren like unto me unto him shall you hearken And Jacob said The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his feet until Shiloh come and unto him shall the gathering of the people be and David said Thy Word O Lord is true from the beginning I rejoyce said he at thy VVord as one that findeth great spoile and the same Word of the Lord did all the prophets see and hear and bear witness to and no other and the Scriptures were written to bear Testimony of this Word to after Generations that should come and likewise of the righteous judgments of God which came upon them that opposed the same which Examples were written for our learning upon whom the ends of the world is come unto whom the Scripture is given by inspiration of the Spirit that the Man of God may be perfect thorowly furnished unto every good work which is profitable for Doctrine for Reproofe for correction and for instruction in Righteousness Secondly As Christ is the VVord of God John 8. i2 John 1.5.9.12 John 3.19 20. Eph. 5. i3 John 16.9 10 11.12 2 Pet. i. 19 so he is the Light of the
his right Eye his Arm shall be clean dried up Zach. â—â— 17 and his right Eye shall be utterly darkned Read your portion you Idol-shepherds of England who say the Scripture is the Word of the Lord John 1 1.1â— which testifieth contrary to your saying that Christ Jesus is the Word and the Word is God which is as a fire Fifthly The Word of the Lord is like a Hammer that breaketh the Rocks in pieces and the Rocks are thrown down by it Jer. 23.29 Nah. 1.6 Jer. 10 10.1â— Hearken all you who have made your faces harder then a Rock and refuse to return to the Lord that made you and have made your hearts as an Adamant-stone lest ye should hear the Law from the pure Law-giver Christ Jesus by him shall ye be broken to pieces as with a Rod of Iron and dashed in pieces like a potters vessel The Lord the true God the living God and an everlasting King at his wrath the earth shall tremble and the Nations shall not abide his indignation he hath made the earth by his power he established the world by his wisdome and stretched out the heaven by his understanding he saith of the portion of Iacob thou art my battel Ax and the weapons of war Lament 3.24 Psal 16.5 119.57 Matt. 22.43 44 45. Jer. 51.15 19 20 21 22 23. And David said The Lord is my portion and the lot of mine inheritance and again he said Thou art my portion O Lord. Christ is Lord and David called him so The Lord said unto my Lord and this Lord is Iacobs portion whom the Lord said By thee will I break in pieces the Nations and with thee will I destroy Kingdomes and with thee wil I break in pieces the Horse and his Rider and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his Rider with thee also will I break in pieces man and woman and with thee wil I break in pieces young man and old and with thee wil I break in pieces the young man and the maid Hearken you priests of England who are called Ministers and say the Scripture is the Word of God but the Word of the Lord is invisible and cannot be seen with your carnall eyes and by it wil the Lord break in pieces the Shepherd and his Flock Ezek. 34.8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15. and he will gather his Flock from your mouthes and it shall become no longer a prey unto you and he will feed his sheep upon the mountains of Israel and lead them to the stil waters and he will likewise break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of Oxen and with thee will I break in pieces saith the Lord the Captains and Rulers Matt. 10 34. Luke 12.51 52 53. and said Christ Think not that I am come to send peace on the earth I am not come to send peace but a sword to make division for from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided three against two and two against three the Father shall be divided against the Son and the Son against the Father the Daughter against the Mother and the Mother against the Daughter the Mother-in-Law against the Daughter-in-Law and where the Word of the Lord comes Heb. 4.13 Psal 139.1 2 3 4. it seperates and divides asunder Paul said that the Word of God is quick and powerfull and sharper then any two-edged-sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow and it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart and this David witnessed and said O Lord thou hast searched me and known me thou understandest my thoughts afar off and art acquainted with all my wayes Sixthly The VVord of the Lord is very pure said David therefore thy servant loveth it Psal 119.140 Isa 40.8 c. 1 Pet. 1.23 John 15.3 17 17. 1 Thess 5.23 Isa 9.6 1 John 1.7 Eph. 5.25 26 27. 1 Pet. 1.2 Christ Jesus is the same yesterday to day and for ever And Isaiah said The VVord of our God shall stand for ever And Peter said Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the word of God which liveth and abideth for ever the word of the Lord which is pure makes clean said Christ Ye are clean through the word And Paul said the very God of peace sanctifice you wholly Christ Jesus is the mighty God the prince of peace who said Father sanctifie them through thy VVord thy VVord is Truth Christ is Truth the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin He loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the VVord that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish holy as he is holy in all manner of conversation and so the Saints of Christ are by the sprinckling of the blood of Iesus Christ made clean from al filthiness and from all Idols saith the Lord wil I cleanse you by the which Will we are sanctified Ezek. 36.25 Heb. 10.14 Heb. 2.11 1 Cor. 6.11 through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified for he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren which brethren do beleeve that they need not go into Purgatory to be cleansed from their sins after death for they know that they are already translated from death to life Rom. 6.18 and have the witness in themselves that although they were filthy John 15.3 yet now they know that they are washed sanctified and justified in the Name of the Lord Iesus Christ and by the spirit of our God and being made free from sin by the Law of the spirit of Life in Christ Jesus are become the servants of Righteousness Seeing said Peter ye have purified your souls in obeying the Truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the Brethren 1 Pet. 1.22 Mat 5.8 see that ye love one another fervently with a pure heart the pure in heart they are blessed and shall see God but no unclean thing shall inherit the kingdom of God for without are Dogs and Sorcerers and Whoremongers and Murderers and Idolaters and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie and out of the kingdome you are 1 Cor. 6.9 i0 Rev. 22.15 and such are you who say you shall never be free from sin in this life For as the tree falls so it shall lye whether it fall to the North or to the South Therefore cleanse your hands you sinners and purifie your hearts you double minded and come to Christ that you may be made clean through the Word and have life Seventhly The Scripture which is visible John 1.2 3. Exod. 20.11
chap. And they were Herods and Romans that cut off Iohn Baptists head and killed James the brother of John with the Sword and put Paul and Silas in the Stocks and whipt them before they were put in and such with the Jews chief Priests and Scribes crucified Christ the Son of God And they were the bloody Papists that set up stakes in Queen Maries dayes and tyed the Martyrs to them and set Faggots and sire to them and burnt them And as the Servants of the Lord in whom was the righteous Seed suffered death Gen. 21.9 Gal. 4.29 2 Pet. 3.3 Iude 18. Prov. 17.5 Heb. 11.36 Mark 15.29 30 31. Luke 23. ii bonds stripes stoning and imprisonment with other tortures in all ages by wicked and ungodly men so likewise did they who were born after the spirit suffer cruel mockings and scoffiings by thole who are born after the flesh who walk after their own ungodly lusts and such are persecutors following the example of Ishmael the Son of Hagar the Aegyptian whom Sarah the Free-Woman saw mocking Isaac in whom was the Righteous Seed and they are Sons of Hagar who walk after their own ungodly lusts now that are seen mocking the Servants of the Lord in these dayes them in whom the Righteous Seed is in begotten by the immortall Word and born of the Free-Woman but whoso mocketh the poor despiseth his Maker who blesseth the poor in Spirit you scoffers and mockers you may Read your Portion in the first of the Proverbs from the twenty second verse to the latter end All these who thus suffered were no Vagabonds but were faithfull diligent messengers and painful Labourers in the Lords Vineyard which was large and his Harvest great in which they wandered about labouring and reaping down his harvest and gathering the Wheat into the Garners wandering about in sheep-skins and goat-skins from city to city and from one countrey into another Elijah he wandered about where ever the Lord commanded him and did the Lords messages see how he travelled about who was an inhabitant at Gilead and at the command of the Lord he went to Samaria to Ahab to tell him there should be neither dew nor rain and then at the command of the Lord he turned Eastward to hide himself by the River Cherith over against Jordan and from thence to Zarephath which is in Zidon where the Widow sustained him for a certain time and after many dayes he in the third yeer went to Samaria to Ahab and from thence to Beersheba which is in Judah 1 Kings 18 19. chap. and from thence he went a dayes journey into the Wilderness and lay undet the Juniper Tree and from thence he rose up and travelled forty dayes and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God and there he entred into a Cave and lodged there and the Lord went by and a mighty strong winde rent the mountains and break the rocks and afterwatd came an Earthquake and after the Earthquake came fire after the fire came a still soft Voice and Elijah heard it and the Lord said to him Go return by the Wilderness to Damascus and when thou comest there Anoint Hazell King over Assyria And Iehu Son of Nimshi shalt thou Anoint King over Israel 1 King 19. chap and Elisha the Son of Shaphat shalt thou Anoint to be Prophet in thy room So he departed thence and found Elisha Plowing wirh twelve yoke of Oxen before him and Elijah went towards him and cast his Mantle upon him and he left the Oxen and ran after him And the Lord sent Elijah again to meet Ahah King of Israel which is in Samaria for the Lord said Lo he is in the Vineyard of Naboth and Elijah went and did his Message to Ahab 1 King 21.20 21. as the Lord commanded and after the Lord sent him to meet the Messengers of Ahazia King of Samaria as they were going to Baal Zebub the God of Ebron and to them he delivered his message that the Lord commanded and he went to the top of a mountain and sate there and the messengers returned to the King and told him all that Elijah said of him and the King said What manner of man was he that met you and told you these words and they said He was an hairy man girded about his loins with a leathern girdle then said the King It is Elijah the Tishbite and the King sent a Captain and fiftie men to fetch him but the Captain and his fiftie men were devoured by fire and the King sent a Captain and other fiftie men who were devoured by fire also And he sent a third Captain and fiftie men and the third Captain fell on his knees before Elijah and intreated him that the life of him and his fiftie men might be precious in his sight 2 King i chap. 2 chap. and then the Lord said unto Elijah Go down with him to the King and be not afraid of his presence and Elijah went down with him and delivered his Message And Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal to Bethel and from Bethel to Jericho and from thence to Iordan and they two stood there and Elijah took his cloak and wrapt it together and smote the Waters and they were divided hither and thither and they two went over on dry dry land and when they were passed over as they went walking and talking behold there appeared a Chariot of fire and Horses of fire and did separate them two and Elijah went up with a Whirlwinde into Heaven And Elijah that travelled thus up and down to and fro was no Vagabond nor Idle Disorderly person And Elisha took up the cloak of Elijah that fell from him and smote the Waters of Iordan and went over and went to Iericho and tarried there and the men of the city told him the Waters were nought and he cast Salt into the Spring of Waters and said Thus saith the Lord I have healed these Waters death shall no more come thereof nor barrenness to the ground and he went from thence to Bethel and from thence to Mount Carmel and from thence he returned to Samaria And on a time Elisha came to Shunem and there was a woman of great estimation constrained him to eat bread and she said to her husband behold now I know that this is an holy man of God that passeth by us continually and he went to Mount Carmel and the womans childe being dead she went to him and told him and he came into the house where the child lay dead and by him through faith the child was raised to life And afterward Elisha returned to Gigal and Elisha was in Samaria when Naaman came to him to be cured of his leprosie and he sent him word to go wash seven times in Iordan and thy flesh shall come again and thou shalt be clean And after that Elisha went with the children of the Prophets to Iordan And after he went into Dothan where the King of Assyria
23.6 7 8. Dulc. 24.17 2 Sam. 23.3 Mic. 6.8 2 Chron. 19.6 7. Therefore you Judges Justices and Rulers all be ye warned of doing any injustice and take heed of vexing oppressing or perverting the Judgement of the Stranger or Widow or Fatherless or perverting the words of the Righteous For he that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God And ye that judge take heed what you do for ye are not to judge for man but for the Lord who is with you in judgement therefore take heed and do it for he hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord doth require of thee even to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with God Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you take heed and do it For there is no iniquity with the Lord our God nor respect of persons nor taking of gifts 2 Tim. 1. â— 1â—â— the Law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless the unruly and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for the unholy and prophane for murderers whoremongers adulterers drunkards cursers swearers lyars perjured persons or any other thing that is contrary to the Law Rom. 12. â— 11 which is hâ—ly just pure and good Therefore let him that ruleth rule with diligence and be not slothfull in business but fervent in spirit serving the Lord for Rulers ought to be a terrour to the evil doers and a protection to them that do wel Rom. 13.3 4 5. and in so doing he is the Minister of God to them that do good and to them that do evill shall him fear and in so doing he that ruleth beareth not the Sword in vain but he that doth contrary hereunto beareth the Sword in vain and to an account will the Lord God call him for his so ruling and doing unjustly and for bearing the Sword in vain who is coming to judge the secrets of all mens hearts who shall give an account in that day before the Judgement seat of Christ where all men must appear that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or evill For the same measure that ye have mete to others will the Lord mete to you again with justice for not one sin shall go unpunished Knowing therefore the terrors of the Lord I perswade you and he that hath an eye to see let him see and an ear to hear let him hear and an heart to understand let him consider here is set before you the good works and the evil doers that Rulers ought to be a terror to and a protection to them that do wel But it maybe you will object and say That those men and women that are called quakers which goes about preaching are evill doers viz. sowers of sedition and preachers of new Doctrine and such as creep into houses and lead silly women captive and that they are a people of uncivill behaviour towards their superiors and betteâ—s and therefore they are not to be protected but punished as evill doers Answ That those who have been alwayes persecutors of the righteous and enemies to the Truth have in all ages in their rage counted the Servants of God to be evil doers sowers of Sedition and preachers of new Doctrine for so Haman he was wrath and full of indignation with Mordecai because Mordecai did not reverence him and Haman said likewise Esth â—â—â— 5 chap All this meaning his honour availeth me nothing so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting in the Kings gate who would not rise up and bow to him although it was the Kings Command so to do And Haman said of the rest of the Iews that their laws were divers from all people neither said he do they keep the Kings Laws therefore said Haman to the King It is not for the Kings profit to suffer them but if it please the King said Haman let it be written that they may be destroyed and I wil pay ten thousand talents into the hands of those that shall have the charge of the business to bring it into the Kings Treasuries And so likewise the unbelieving Iews which were of Asia said of Paul in his time Away with such a fellow from the earth for it is not fit that he should live Acts 22.22 And the Iews of Thessalonica who were moved with envie said unto the Rulers of the City of Paul and Siâ—as Theâ—e have turned the world upside-down and said of Iason and the Brethren and Paul and Silas that these all do contrary to the Decrees of Cesar saying that there is another King one JESUS And when Paul was at Athens disputing in the Synagogue with the Iews and in the Market place dayly with them that met with him he was counted by the Philosohers the Epicuranes and Soicks that encountred him a Babler a speaker of new Doctrines and one that seemed to be a setter up of strange Gods because he preached unto them Jesus and the resurrection Read Acts 17. chap. Acts 24.1 2 3 4. and likewise Annanias the High Priest with the Elders and Turtulus the Orater said of Paul to Foelex we have found this man a pestilent Fellow and a mover of Sedition among all the Jews throughout the world and a Ring-leader of the Sect of the Nazarenes And Mordicai Paul Silas and Jason with the Brethren were no evill doers although they were counted so ANd as for those people which are called Quakers that travel throughout England Ireland and in Scotland and other places and go through Towns and Villages from City to City they are faithful painful labourers in the Lords Vineyard and are not of that sort which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sin and led aside with divers lusts but it is the Priests of the nations that preach for Tithes Hire Gifts and Rewards and others that have got not only a form but many forms of godliness but the Power of Godliness they have not for those that have the true Power of Godliness they deny and persecute I say that the Steeplehouses which are builded up with Stone Lime Brick Wood Iron Lead and Glass which are commonly called Churches and into other houses the Priests and others creep into and it is they that lead those people captive who are silly men and women that there meet together who are laden with sin viz. Cursing Swearing Lying Envie Wrath Malice Fighting quarrelling Mocking Scoffing Covetousness which is Idolatry Oppressed Cheating Cozening Drunkenness Gluttony Chambering and Wantonness Whoredome Adultery Pride and Fornication and they are led away with divers Lusts viz. The Lusts of the Flesh the Lusts of the Eye and the Pride of Life 1 Iohn 2.16 17. mes 1.15 and all the Fashions and Customes in the World which Lusts when it conceiveth bringeth forth Sin and Sin when it is finished bringeth forth Death And these are
the people that are ever learning of the Priests and others but are never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth 2 Tim. 3. chap. Tit. 1.10 11.16 by such Teachers who are discribed by Paul a Minister of the Word to be such as are lovers of their own selves covetous proud boasters blasphemers saying they are Ministers of Christ but are not teaching such things which they ought not for filthy lucres sake subverting whole houses disobedient to Parents unthankful unholy unruly vain-talkers deceivers truce-breakers false-accusers incontinent without natural affections fierce despisers of those that are good traiterous heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a Form of Godliness but denying the Power thereof All people from such turn away for they resist the Truth and are men of corrupt mindes Reprobate concerning the faith of which you have been long hearing and ever learning and yet you are not come to the knowledge of the truth Therefore while you have time prize it for those that are turned from such Teachers and are turned to the Lord Jesus Christ the Light of the World they are come to the Way Iohn 8.11 Iohn 14 6. John 17.3 Psal 73.4 Rom. 8 14. 1 John 2.20.27 Tit. 2.11 12. 1 Pet. 2.3 4.5 6 7 8 9 10. to know God and Jesus Christ which is life eternall For Christ is the VVay the Truth and the Life and no man comes to the Father but by him it is he that guides them continually and brings them to glory the children of the Lord are not taught of man but of the Lord as many as are the Sons of God are led by the spirit of God and the spirit of God leads them into all truth and the Vnction wherewith they are anointed teaches them all things so that they need not to be taught of men for the Grace of God teaches them to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and holy in all manner of conversation and these that are thus taught are Members of the true Church which is built up of living Stones Christ Jesus being the chief corner Stone and this is the house of God not made with hands but is a Spirituall House the House of God where God doth dwel and in it walk Eph. 2.21 22. Coll. 1.18.24 1 Cor. 6.19 2 Cor. 6.16 17 18 i9 1 Tim. 2.15 Heb. 12.22 23 24 25. This Church is not without but in God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and the Body of Christ is the Church and is the Ground and Pillar of Truth and the Members thereof are one Body and Christ he is the Head of the Body and they who are Members of this Church are come to Mount Sion and to the City of the living God the Heavenly Ierusalem and to an innumerable company of Angels to the generall Assembly and to the Church of the First-born which are written in Heaven and to God the Iudge of all and to the Spirits of just men made perfect and to Iesus the Mediator of the New-Covenant and to the blood of sprinckling which speaketh better things then that of Abel Therefore all people high and low rich and poor bond and free hearken unto Chrâ—st Jesus hear ye him that your souls may live he that hears the voice of the Son of God shall live 1. Thess 4.3 see that ye refuse not him that speaketh and hearken to the Word of the Lord that is nigh you in your hearts and in your mouths to it incline your ear Oh hear that your souls may live and to day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts for this is the wil of God even your sanctification Exod. 34.6 7. Mic. 7. chap. 1 Thess 5.24 Therefore why will ye die O people of England Return return unto the Lord God who is Light and in him is no darkness at all for who is a God like our God merciful gracious long-suffering and abundant in Goodness and Truth pardoning iniquity transgression and sin he wil subdue iniquity and will cast sin into the depth of the sea and he wil perform the Truth unto Iacob 2 Tim. 2 13. 2 Cor. 1.20 Rev. 22.11 and the Mercy to Abraham which he hath sworn unto our Fathers from the dayes of old He is a faithful God and all his Promises are Yea and Amen He that hath an ear to hear let him hear what the spirit saith and he that wil be filthy let him be filthy stil Here followeth some QUERIES to be answered by any of those who are called by men Ministers that preach in the High Places or any other that plead for and uphold them Quaery 1. WHether those be Ministers of Christ that makes Bargains with the People of a Parish to have 100 l. a Yeer more or less for their preaching and take Bond of the People for the payment of the same seeing that Christ said to his Ministers Freely ye have received freely give and Peter said The Flock of Christ is to be fed willingly and not for filthy lucre sake yea or nay Mat. 8.10 1 Pet. 5.2 2. Whether those be Ministers of Christ that Preach for Hire and Divine for Mony yea or nay Mic. 3.11 3. Whether those be Ministers of Christ that seek for gain from their quarter like greedy dogs which think they can never have enough yea or nay Isa 56.11 Ezek. 22.25 4. Whether those be Ministers of Christ that feed themselves with the Fat and clothe themselves with the Wool and care not for the Flock but let it become a prey Read Ezek. 34. chap. 5. Whether those be Ministers of Christ that take Tithes for their preaching seeing that the Apostle Paul witnessed the Priesthood changed and the Law disanulled by which Tithes was paid yea or nay Read Heb. 7. chap. 6 Whether those be ministers of Christ that sue men at Law for Tithes seeing that the Prophet of God cryed out against them that prepared war against those that put not into their mouths yea or nay Mic. 3.5 7 What that Hire is that Christ said the Labourer is worthy of Luke 10.7 8. and whether that be not an unrighteous thing of a man that demands wages of men and compels them to pay him wages who never set him to work nor he never wrought for them yea or nay Read Luke 10. chap. to the 15 verse 8 Whether it is the work of the Ministers of Christ to stay at home to bury the dead or to go into all nations and preach the Gospel according to Christs command yea or nay Matt. 28.19 Mark 16.15 Luke 9.59 60. 9. Whether the Prophets or Apostles of Christ used to observe the Statutes of Omri or to take delight in the works of Ahab or to walk in their Councels yea or nay Mic. 6.16 1 King 16. chap. 10. Whether those be ministers of Christ whose god is their belly whose glory is their shame who minde earthly things
sent Horses and Chariots and a mighty Host and compassed the City but the Lord smote them with blindness and Elisha led them to Samaria where they were taken And Elisha that travelled thus continually in the work of the Lord was no Vagabond nor Idle Disorderly person And Isaiah that walked three yeers naked and barefoot for a sign of what should come upon Aegypt and Ethiopia Isa 20. chap. was no Vagabond nor Idle Disorderly person And Ieremiah who was stayed in the Gate of Benjamin as he was going from Ierusalem into the Land of Benjamin yet he was no Vagabond nor Fugitive Jer. 37. chap. nor idle disorderly person Nor Ionah the Hebrew who at the Command of the Lord went out of his own countrey to Nineveh to preach yet forty dayes and Nineveh shall be overthrown Neither was Ezekiel nor any other of the Prophets who obeyed the command of the Lord in declaring his Messages and crying out against the filthy Abominations that was committed both by Kings Princes Rulers Iudges Priests and People any vagabonds or idle disorderly persons Neither was John the Baptist Mat. 3.1 Luke 3.2 who went into the wilderness of Judea into all the countrey about Jordan Preaching the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of Sins he was no vagabond nor idle disorderly person And Christ Jesus the Son of God who went from Galilee to Jordan to be baptized of John and was afterward led by the Spirit into the wilderness and leaving Nazareth he came to Capernaum which is upon the Sea coasts to dwel there that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Isajah From that time Iesus began to preach and he walked by the Sea of Galilee and he went all about Galilee teaching in their Synagogues and great multitudes of people followed him from Galilee and from Decapolis and from Ierusalem and from Judea and from beyond Jordan and he went up into a Mountain and taught them and when he was come down from the Mount he entered into Capernaum and went into Peters house and afterwards he went into a ship and over the sea into the Countrey of the Gadarenes and when the whole city that went out to meet him Matt. 8.34 and when they saw him they besought him to depart out of their coasts and he entred into a ship and passed over into his own countrey and he went about all the cities and villages teaching in their Synagogues and preaching and healing every sickness and every disease and he called the twelve disciples and sent them forth with power against unclean spirits and they went forth by two and two and when he had made an end of commanding the twelve he departed thence to teach and preach in their Cities and he went to Samaria and when there was a Feast of the Iews he went up to Jerusalem and he went unto the Mount of Olives and into the desart and into many other places not a few and when he had finished his travells at last he went with his disciples over the Brook Chedron where was a garden into which he and his disciples entred Iohn 18 chap where he and his disciples had often resorted and there it was that Iudas betrayed him And the Son of God that travelled thus from city to city and from countrey to countrey and from one village to another and had no where to lay his head for he had left his natural parents with whom he might have had an outward habitation and a certain Dwelling place but said Christ Lo it is written in the volume of thy Book I come to do thy will O God therefore he left his naturall Parents to do the will of his heavenly Father who had anointed him to preach good tydings to the meek Isa 61 chap. to binde up the broken hearted to proclaim liberty to the captive and the opening the prison doores to them that are bound to proclaim the acceptable yeer of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God and to comfort all that mourn and to open the eyes of the blinde to unstop the deaf ears to make the lame walk and to raise the dead and cast out Devils and to destroy the works of the Devill And the Son of God that went thus about continually doing good at the will of his father and had no certain dwelling-place nor no where to lay his head he was no Vagabond nor Idol-disorderly person And Christ Jesus sent forth Labourers into his Fathers Vineyard to gather in the harvest and his Disciples and Apostles which he sent forth they denyed themselves took up the Cross and forsook Father Mother Wife and Children Brothers Sisters Houses and Lands and all that they had for their certain outward beings for their bodies to follow Christ Jesus who had no where to lay his head and to go whethersoever he sent them to preach the Kingdome of heaven and they went out by two and two from City to City preaching the Kingdome of heaven and healing the sick and after his ascension he gave them power to bear witness of him in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the utmost part of the earth Acts 1.8 and they went abroad see their travels therein and the witness that they bore at Jerusalem and other places and Paul after his conversion went into Arabia and returned again into Damascus and after three years he went to Ierusalem where he stayed fifteen days and afterwards went into the Regions of Assyria and Cylicia then had the Churches peace throughout all Judea Galilee and Samaria and were edefied and walked in the fear of God and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplied and Peter passed thorowout all quarters and went to Lydda and Joppa by the Sea-side and from thence to Cesaria and at the stoning of Stephen there arose persecution so that they that were scattered abroad travelled as far as Phenice and Antioch and Cyprus preaching to none but the Jews and Barnabas was sent from Jerusalem to Antioch and he went to Tarsus to seek Saul and he found him and brought him to Antioch where the Disciples were first called Christians none are Christians but Christs Disciples where they were separated for the work whereunto the Holy Ghost had called them so they being sent forth by the Holy Ghost departed unto Selencia and from thence they sayled to Cyprus and when they were at Salamis they preached the VVord of God to the Jews in the Synagogues and they went thorow the I le unto Paphos and from thence they came to Perga in Pamphilia and Iohn departed from them to Ierusalem but when they departed from Perga they came to Antioch in Pisidia Acts 13. i5 and entered into the Synagogue on the Sabbath-Day and sate down and after the reading of the Law and the Prophets the Rulers of the Synagogue sent to them saying Ye men and Brethren if ye have any Word of Exhortation
which they are carried forth with boldness to declare the truth through much sufferings travels and labours in the Lords Vineyard they should not be thus persecuted as they are for as it was in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles then the chief Priests and Pharisees came to the Officers whom they had sent to take Christ John â— 45 c. Acts 28.22 and said why have you not brought him the Officers answered Never man speak like this man then said the Pharisees Are ye also deceived have any of the Rulers or the Pharisees beleeved on him but this people that are accursed who knoweth not the Law And likewise the chief of the Jews said to Paul VVe know that this Sect is every where spoken against so it is now here in England all Sects and sorts speak against this one poor low despised thing which is the Truth which is owned and received and obeyed by those People which are in scorn called quakers which is without controversie that great mystery of godliness that is hid from the wise and prudent of the World from all Generations and is now at the Fathers pleasure revealed unto Babes and Sucklings For both Aepiscopal the Presbyters the Independants the Baptists Seekers Ranters Papish Professor and prophane Priests and People and Rulers some Gog and Magog all joyne together hand in hand against the Lord and against his Anointed unto whom he hath committed the Word of Reconciliation and sent abroad into the Ministry who are by this generation imprisoned whipped stocked stoned beaten mocked scoffed scorned derided envied and hated by all Sorts and Sects here in England which sits aâ— ease and are in Peace eating and drinking and making themselves merry sporting themselves in the day time heaping up Riches clothing themselves in costly Apparel and soft Raiment living wantonly upon the earth forgetting the rock from whence they are hewn and so treasuring up unto themselves wrath against the Day of Wrath and Revelation of the Judgement of God which is to be revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness These people that are called Quakers and that are thus used by this generation have not been found begging at mens doors neither have they been chargeable or eaten any mans bread for nought neither transgressed any Law of Equity which is holy righteous just and good therefore they are no Vagabonds Fugitives nor Disorderly Idle persons But they are the Vagabonds who are gone out from the presence of God who is Light and in him is no darkness at all and are fallen into the Transgression and are in envie and murder these are in Cains nature who are wrath and their countenances falne their Offering is not of God accepted but their sin lieth at their doore these are drove into the earth and have their habitation in the earth and hide themselves from the face of God whom they see not nor his voice hear for in the earth they live and have no habitation with God for out from his presence they are gone such are the Vagabonds and the Fugitives in the earth from which they are accursed and it shall not henceforth yeeld unto them its strength Esau was prophane and hunting abroad and was a Reprobate whose mind is turned from the Light Christ Jesus is reprobated from God and in him has no dwelling Esau was a cunning Hunter and lived in the fields and despised his birth-right and all those whose mindes are abroad seeking after honour and following after pleasures living idlely upon the earth are cunning Hunters whose mindes are reprobated from Christ Jesus dwelling in the fields despising their birth-right these are Goats and not Sheep clothed with rough garments the first born friends of the world enemies to God prophane fierce envious rash haters of good persecutors of the righteous seed fornicators as Esau was and hated of God and could finde no place for repentance these who are gone from the presence of God and turned from the Light which they hate because their deeds are evill and it reproves them and although they have great habitations in the earth and have compassed much of the earth into themselves and dwel therein and have no habitation with God yet they are the Vagabonds the Fugitives the Reprobates and the disorderly idle persons which thâ— sword is to be laid upon and the Law is for for they serve not the Lord but their own bellies these are seen and known by the children of Light which Light is the condemnation of all those who walk contrary to it and hate it So likewise you may see here as followeth who the unruly and disorderly persons be There came to the city of Sodome two Angels at the even and Lot sate in the Gate of Sodome and seeing them he rose up to meet them and he pressed upon them greatly and they entred into his house and he said Tarry all night and wash your feet and he did bake unleavened bread and made them a Feast and they did eat and he said Gen. 19. chaâ— Ye shall rise early and go on your wayes but before they lay down the men of the city even the men of Sodome compassed the house round both old and young all the people from every quarter and they called unto Lot and said unto him VVhere are the men which came in to thee this night bring them out unto us and they said unto Lot VVe will deale worse with thee then with them and they pressed sore upon the man even Lot and came near to break the Door Now unto you all Judges Mayors of Cities Justices Sheriffs and Constables I appeal to that of God in all your consciences which bears me witness who was the unruly and disorderly persons who was the cause of this rising and tumult making in the city of Sodome was just Lot and the two Angels or the Sodomites Isay the Sodomites But would not you have done unto the two Angels as many of you have done unto those people called quakers that when two of them have been come to a city and have been entertained into a friends house and there have peaceably set together in the worship of God and when the people of the city have known of it have just like the Sodomites both old and young have gathered together and beset the house round and pressed upon the doore and broke the Windows and made a great tumult and have abased the people that have been as peaceable as Lot and the two Angels but they have been charged with making the Tumult and counted Disorderly and sent to Prison and there kept and the Disorderly and the Unruly set free And again when Paul and Silas were come to Thessalonica and preached that Christ had suffered and risen again from the dead and that this Jesus said Paul whom I preach unto you is Christ and the devout Greeks a great multitude and of the chief Woman not a few
beleeved and consorted with Paul and Silas but the Iews which beleeved not moved with envie took unto them certain lewde fellows of the baser sort and gathered a company and set all the city in an uproar and assaulted the house of Iason and sought to bring them out to the people Read Acts 17. chap. to the 10. verse and when they found them not they drew Iason and certain of the brethren whom Iason had received into his house unto the Rulers of the City crying These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also and these all do contrary to the Decree of Cesar saying there is another King one Jesus Now seeing the thing is so plain here before you that it was the unbeleeving Iews and the certain lewd fellows of the baser sort that set all the City in an uproar I wil ask this question VVhether the unbelieving Iews with the certain lewde fellows of the baser sort ought not to have given security to the Magistrates and to have answered for setting the City in an uproar yea or nay And whether Jason and his brethren who were peaceable in hiâ— house together ought not to have been set at liberty without giving security yea or nay Secondly VVhetheer that were not a piece of injustice done by the Rulers who took security of Jason and the others with him and let the others that made the uproare go unpunished yea or nay And again VVhen Paul was come to Ierusalem and had purified himself he went into the temple to signifie the accomplishment of the days of purification and when the Jews which were of Asia saw Paul in the Temple they stirred up all the people and laid hands on Paul crying out Men of Israel help this is the man that teacheth all men every where against the People and against the Law and this place c. And all the City was moved and the people ran together and they took Paul and drew him out of the Temple and shut the doors and as they went about to kill him tyding was brought to the chief Captain of the Band that all Jerusalem was in an uproare I now appeal to all men every where who was it that set Jerusalem in an uproare was it Paul that stood in the Temple or was it the Jews of Asia who stirred up the people I say it was the Jews of Asia that stirred up the people and made the uproare and not Paul Then ought not the Jews of Asia to have been bound with Chains for making the uproare and to have been examined by scourging and sent to Prison for going about to kill Paul yea or nay and ought not Paul the Apostle of Iesus Christ to have been protected and set at liberty that he might have gone on in the work of the Ministry yea or nay So likewise the people called quakers who at the Command of the Lord have gone one or two at the most into some high place which is commonly called the Church without multitude or tumult and there have stood peaceably and as they have been moved of the Lord so have spoke to the people more or less as utteâ—ance had been given them some has not spoken before all has been done but straightway the people of the City or the Town who have been gathered together in the high place that day have by the priests means rise all up in a tumultuous manner and have set the city or town in an uproar just like the Jews of Asia beating and hawling the man or woman that has come in and spoke and straightway had them before the Mayor or Justice who have sent the innocent to Prison Bridewel Stocks or whipt and sent them away with Passes and they that have been the evill doers by making the Tumult have been set free and just as Paul was commanded to be bound with chains and to be examined by scourging and kept in prison and sent from place to place till he came to Rome So have the people called quakers been sent to prison by some of the Mayors and Justices in England and there they have had Fetters of Iron hung upon their Legs and kept close Prisoners their friends not suffered to come at them and have laine there from Sizes to Sizes and from Sessions to Sessions before they have been set at liberty AND now to you Judges Mayors Justices Sheriffs and Constables who have done all these things to those innocent harmless people and Servants of the most High God that are scornfully called quakers it is in love to your souls that I write thus unto you And to that of God in every one of your consciences do I appeal which bears me witness Whose example have you followed in doing that to them which you have done have you followed the example of Christ who came to proclaim liberty to the Captives and the opening of the prison doors to them that are bound or did you follow the example of Pharoah King of Aegypt who kept Israel in bonds and laid heavy burthens upon them Have you followed the example of meek Moses who said I would to God all the Lords people were Prophets Or did you not follow the example of Annas the high Priest Caiaphas John and Alexander and as many as were of the Kindred of the High Priests Ru ers Elders and Scribes Read Acts 7. chap. who commanded Peter and Iohn to preach no more in the Name of Jesus Do you follow the example of Abraham the Father of the Faithful who received the Messengers of God and gave them meat and when they rose up he went with them to bring them on their way Or do you not follow the example of Ahab who said of Mâ—cah the Prophet of the Lord Take this fellow and put him in prison and seed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction Do you follow the example of just Lot who intreated the angels to go into his house and made them a feast and baked for them unleavened bread Or do you not follow the example of Asa who was wrath with Hanani the Seer and in his rage sent him to Prison Have you followed the example of the widow Woman of Zarepheth i King i3 i7 chap. who had but a handfull of Meale in a Barrel and a little Oyle in a Cruse for her self and her son in the time of draught yet at the Word of the Lord spoken to her by Elijah she did make for Elijah a Cake first and afterwards for her son and her self and took the Prophet into her house and they did eat many dayes and he did dwell there and the woman said I know that thou art a man of God and that the Word of the Lord is in thy mouth Or have you followed the example of Ieroboam who put forth his hand from the altar and said Lay hold on him meaning the prophet of God that came out of Iudah by the Word of the Lord
to Bethel and cryed out against the altar in Bethel at the same time that the King stood by the altar and was offering sacrifice upon it Or will you follow the example of a Woman that was of great estimation in Shunem 2 King 6. chap. 1 King 18.4 13 verses that on a time when Elisha came to Shunem she constrained him to turn into her house to eat bread and she said unto her husband behold I know that this is an holy man of God that passeth by us continually let us make him a little Chamber I pray thee and let us set him there a bed and a table and a stoole and a candlestick that he may turn in thither when he cometh to us and it fell on a day that when he came thither he lay there Or will you follow the example of Iezebel who said of Elijah So let the gods do to me and more also if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time and Iezebel slew the prophets of the Lord Have you followed the example of Ioshua Or do you follow the example of the uncircumcised Philistines who put Sampson in prison and bound him with fetters of brass Have you followed the example of Gideon Or do you follow the example of Zedekiah who at the request of his princes Jeremiah the prophet of God was put in the dungeon Have you followed the example of David a man after Gods own heart who received the message of God by the prophet Nathan who said to the King Thou art the man Or do you not follow the example of Herod the Tetrarch who Iohn Baptist told it is not lawful for thee to have thy Brother Philips wife he sent him to prison Have you followed the example of Hezekiah who said to the Prophet Isajah Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken Or do you not follow the example of Herod the King who when he had killed James with the Sword and saw it pleased the Jews he put Peter the Apostle of Christ in prison and have not some of you put the quakers in prison because you saw it pleased the priests that take tithes and preach for hire and divine for money gifts and rewards Do you follow the example of Jehoshaphat Or have you not followed the example of the Roman Governours and Magistrates who caused Paul and Silas to be whipt and put in the Prison and to be kept safe with their feet made fast in the Stocks Is the same minde in you which was in Christ Jesus who went alwayes about doing good Or are you not in the same nature that the Babylonians and the Chaldeans were in who cast Shadrach Meshek and Abednigo into the fiery Fornace and Daniel into the Lyons Den And seeing that ye have done so much as you have Is there not the same minde in some of you as was in the bloudy Papists in Queen Maries dayes to do as they did if you had but a Law to put that in execution upon those people that are called quakers as they did by the Martyrs And seeing that the Philistines put out Sampsons eyes could not you and the Priests wish that the eyes of those people called quakers were put out that they might neither see to write more nor to go about the land from City to City and from one place to another to cry out against the Priests and false Prophets and the abominations of the Heathen for the which they rage against the Truth and them that do declare it AND now unto all you both Magistrates and people who have acted such things as is before written upon those people which are called quakers To that of God in every one of your Consciences that bears me witness do appeal Are you all Christians as you call your selves or have you acted like Christians The Disciples of Christ were called Christians and they were Christians indeed who did no such things as ye have done Acts 11.26 2 Cor. 5.17 Phil 2.5 2 Pet. 1.4 For I know that if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature and the same minde is in him as was in Christ Jesus and in his measure he is like Christ holy as he is holy meek and lowly dwelling in love and peace doing to all men as he would be done unto himself but I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews and are not and the blasphemy of those that say they are Christians and are not but are in the same nature that the Sodomites Egyptians Philistines Babylonians Idolaters and Heathens were in and are doing the same works and committing the same abominations that they committed and yet you would be accounted Christians and think with your selves that you are good Christians But ye are all made manifest and seen with the Light Eph. 5.13 Rom. 6.16 and by the Children of the Light what you are and what you all have done and whom you also serve for his Servants you are whom you obey Whoso committeth sin transgresseth also the Law i John 3.4.8 verses for sin is the transgression of the Law which is holy just and good and written in the heart and he that committeth sin is of the devill for the Devil sinneth from the beginning For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the Works of the Devil Therefore while you have time prize it and repent of the evill of your doings and turn to the Lord God who is gracious merciful and longsuffering and patient in forbearing and hearken to the Word which is nigh you in your heart and in your mouth and obey his Commandments Loving the Lord God with all your hearts with all your souls and your neighbour as your self doing to all men as you would be done unto Christ Jesus is the Light of the World learn of him who is meek and lowly He is the way the truth and the life and no man cometh to the Father but by him and whoso followeth him shall not walk in darkness but shall have the Light of Life therefore if you wil be his Disciples and Christians deny your selves take up the Cross and follow him that you may have life for to as many as receive him and beleeve on his Name to them he gives power to become the Sons of God and the Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God into all Truth and Righteousness Therefore let the Spirit of God guide you to run with cheerfulness the Race that Christ hath set before you despising the shame counting it greater Riches to suffer afflictions with the children of God rather then to injoy the pleasures of sin for a season Therefore let every one that nameth the Name of JESUS depart from iniquity and take not the Name of God in vaine For the feare of the Lord is the beginning of VVisdome Psal 2. i0 ii i2 Exod. 22.21 22 chap.