and never were in bondage c. and kept strict the Sabbath and fasted and made long prayers and paid tythe and gave Alms and read Moses and the Prophets words very exactly c. and yet the love of God was not in them as you may read John 8.33 37 39 44. but they were of their Father the Devil because his Works they did notwithstanding their fair covering and what was that they persecuted and kill'd about Religion and Worship as may be read at large in the Scriptures of truth of the proceedings in that age of the Rulers chief Priests Elders and great Professors c. Therefore take heed to your selves and to your own standing and do not so hastily judge amiss of us nor thus speak evil of us nor abuse and persecute us nor so grievously and cruelly afflict and oppress us any more about these things or because we are not altogether like or conformable unto you in your ways and traditions for God will plead with you about it but rather judge your selves that you are not hastening with us as Lot out of Sodom because of the wrath and vengeance which is swiftly coming upon the World of the ungodly which they shall not escape for I tell you and that from the mouth of the living God That a terrible storm dreadful hour is at hand except you run our race toward Zoar you will be taken and destroyed being found in spiritual Sodom and Egypt and in the Babylonish Market-place of confusion ungodliness ignorance and unrighteousness out of which the Lord of the Harvest hath called and gathered us into his Vinyard where after our faithful labour therein we receive enjoy and rest in the joy of our Lord And if you are found smiting your fellow-servants or brethren like Cain about these things and eat and drink with the drunken who are drunk with the Whores Cup and say in your hearts The Lord delayeth his coming he wil come unawares upon you and in an hour when you look not for him and will cut you assunder and give you your portion with unbelievers abominable ungodly and hypocrites who shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth for evermore Therefore remember to do as you would be done unto for that is the Law and the Prophets and as for Christ and his followers they are not come to destroy mens lives but to save them and let us alone in our journey or passage toward the City or Paradice of the living God who hath called and awakened us and raised up our affections and desires which cannot be satisfied with dreams husks painted things likenesses or vain shews for the Spirit of a man we are now come to know which goeth upward and are leaving the Beastial Spirit that descends downward into the Earth and now we also know that none can learn our song but they whose minds through the patient sufferings are redeemed from the Earth for it 's the song of the Lamband of Moses which chused rather to suffer affliction then to embrace the Treasures of Egypt or the pleasures of sin which are but for a season against whose brethren generation seed and off-spring the Beast the Whore and the Dragon the false Prophet Death and Hell the powers of darkness and ungodliness make War who shall be cast into the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone even under the sence and feeling of the Eternal Vengeance of the Almighty God there to be tormented day and night for ever and ever But blessed are they who follovv the Lamb in vvhose mouth is found no guile vvhithersoever he goeth or leadeth through the patient sufferings in the love unfeigned they shal rest in the Land of the Paradice of the Fountain of pleasures at the right hand of God for evermore Amen Halelujah And novv hear O ye Rulers and Teachers by vvhat flattering title soever you are called in this Land of England your nakedness is seen as in the day in vvhich you vvere born and your hypocrisie and deceit God hath found out and discovered therefore be ashamed and blush and stand guilty before him and repent if there be yet a minute or place left you and do not strive any longer against God and to cover your selves any more vvith the Name of Christianity vvhile you are in the nature of Heathens and in the vvay of Cain persecuting and imprisoning about Religion and Worship for it is Cain's mark in all ages and the Heathens that knovvs not God as it is written and you may read it Why do the Heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing and its in vain for you to strive against the Decree and Work of God which he is bringing to pass Mark the Ragers are the Heathen that know not God and these are the persecutors in all ages these are in Cains way as it is written Wo unto them for they have gore in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the error of Balaam mark wo is their portion and is not this your state ye Rulers and Teachers of England consider it in the cool of the day and let God's Witness in your Consciences answer For I tell you from God and proclaim it this day amongst you that wo misery wil be your end if ye proceed in these things which is already stealing upon you and will overtake you as an armed man and as a woman in travel and you shal not escape For do you think to prosper or set up your selves by striving against God and his marvellous Work and Will which is to be done in Earth as it is done in Heaven Do you imagine that your Laws or Decrees shall hinder or frustrate God's eternal and unchangeable Decree and Purpose which is to finish transgression destroy the Works of the Devil and make an end of sin and exalt truth and righteousness the Mountain of his own House and Holiness and to establish it a top of all Hills and over all Mountains which was before the Mountains and Hills were brought forth over which it must be established and to fulfil his promise made to Abraham and to his Seed which must be as the stars of Heaven and as the sands by the sea-shore for multitude And will you yet strive to hinder the encrease of God's decreed number or will you limit his Seed that it might not spread and replenish the Earth whose right it is to inherit the uttermost part thereof and a multitude of the sea shall be converted unto him Must not this be done which was spoken of by holy men of God as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Shall the wicked which are like the chaff and makes a mock at the movings of the Holy Ghost or Spirit disannul God's determinate Counsel Can you hinder the course of the Stars or cause them to withdraw their shining or number the sands by the sea-shore or stop the ebbings or flowing of the Ocean Or can you stop the rain or cause it
Kings of the Earth over multitudes tongues people's and languages they are the Waters Rev. 17.15 on which the Whore sits the unstable people in the unstable state tossing up and down in confusion restless full of stirs a tumulcuous City these are the Waters the swelling the roaring the foaming the tossing the Wicked are like the troubled Sea which cannot rest whose Waves cast up mire and dirt and there is no peace to the Wicked saith my God these are the Waters on which the Whore sits this was Cains state who had drunk the Whores Cup and killed the Just about sacrifice drove from God a Vagabond no peace but great punishment greater than he could bear and the Wicked foam out their own shame like the raging sea drunk with the Cup of the Mother of Harlots and all abominations of the Earth then mad upon their idols as the Prophet said persecuting and killing about VVorship and Sacrifice This hath been the state of the Drunkards of Ephraim in all ages this is Cains way and the Whores way which is become great and have reigned over Nations Tongues Multitudes and Peoples and Kings of the Earth Babylon Mysterie Babylon the original of All Abominations and Mother of Harlots riding upon a scarlet coloured Beast full of Names of Blasphemy deckt with Gold and Purple Pearls and precious stones having a golden Cup in her hand but its full of abominations and filthiness and she is drunken vvith the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus and the beast is scarlet coloured vvhich carrieth her having horns mark that the Povvers of the Earth Kings and Rulers have been made drunk vvith her Cup and have committed fornication vvith her and she hath sate and reigned over them and the beast hath carried the VVhore and they have made war with the Lamb and the Saints and killed them this is Cains way vagabond from God in wrath and envy whored from God killing about Worship and Sacrifice killing just Abel killing the Prophets Saints and Martyrs of Jesus This Whore hath sate and reigned upon Tongues Multitudes Peoples and Kings of the Earth This is the great Whore that hath glorified her self in her abominations sitting as a Queen saying in her heart she shall never see sorrow c. But this is the Vine of Sodom her grapes are grapes of abominations through the spreading of her boughs the whole earth hath been corrupted and by her dominion the Lamb hath been slain blood hath cryed against her from the foundation of the World even from Abel to this day the Land of uprightness hath mourned while the wicked have born rule and lamentation hath dwelt upon the Tabernacle of the righteous darkness hath covered the earth and gross darkness the people death and destruction hath reigned the Devil the Murtherer from the beginning hath been the God of the World for ages and generations and the true God hath been unknown and his appearances a Mysterie hid from them and a Covenant hath been made with death and an agreement with Hell and man hath been separated and driven from God as far as the East is from the West and the abomination which maketh desolate hath stood where it ought not iniquity hath abounded and love hath waxt cold the whole World hath been like a Wilderness wickedness hath sate in the Ephah and unrighteousness in the Judgement-seat the adulterated spirit from God the great VVhore hath sate and reigned over all Nations and Kings of the Earth which hath oppressed the Creation and grieved the good Spirit of God and made war against every appearance of the righteous Seed and the Lamb hath been slain from the foundation of the World the Dragon hath cast out his Floods of persecution after the true woman in all ages which brings forth the Man-Child the Heir whose right alone it is to rule the Nations but the Nations of the Earth have been angry and the great men and chief Captains at the birth of this Child and have always sought its life even when it was young as in the days of Herod and the Beast Whore and false Prophet hath made War with the Saints and persecuted imprisoned and killed them and the Scriptures are fulfilled The Devil shall cast some of you into Prison and you shall have tribulation ten days The Kings of the Earth have set themselves and the Rulers take counsel together against the Lord against his annointed saying Let us break their Bands or Meetings and cast away their Cords from us If you have ears hear O ye sons of Adam and his first-born in transgression killers about Worship and Sacrifice the Lord hath you in derision and he will vex you in his sore displeasure and break you as with an Iron Rod and dash you like a potters Vessel Be wise therefore now and fear and tremble before the Lord God These things have been and have overspread the Earth and darkned the Air the Whore hath sate as Queen and the true Woman hath fled and been hid in the Wilderness and been in great sorrow and hath brought forth in sorrow and great tribulations in all ages for the Dragon was alway ready to devour her child as soon as it was born yea every appearance of God and of his Truth and Way of Righteousness have been opposed as you may read from Cain to this day but still the Child was caught up to God and they mist their end when they said This is the Heir let us kill him and the Inheritance will be ours and in the days of Pharoahs persecution of Israel which was lest they should multiply and become great in number the Midwives feared God and Moses was born and hid from them who was appointed to lead Israel out of Egypt and in the days of Herod when so many young children were killed he was hid from them till He was dead that sought the young childs life How great was the Whores and the Devils rage in those Rulers to destroy so many innocent babes the thoughts of which will make our bowels to move that fear the Lord and in the days of the other Herod chief Priests and Rulers Scribes Pharisees and Elders Herod and his Men of War set him at nought and mockt him because he answered him not a word to his many Questions and are not we mockt so now when we are becom fools for his sake whom the Princes of this world never knew Consider these things for God will not belong mocked by Cain nor Herod neither but will give every one a reward according to his doings And when they had crucied him and put him to death he rose again and is yet hid from them but to his Disciples he is manifest and is come the second time to salvation and the grave cannot hold him nor never could nor never shall for he was before the grave death or persecution was and shall reign over it all for ever and ever and the Whore Beast and false
to rain by your power Will the ice and the snow melt at your command Will the fierce Winds obey your voice when it issueth forth of its treasury and whirleth up and down the Earth Or do you know whence it cometh or whither it goeth Wil the thunder and lightnings be staid and the noise and brightness thereof cease at your command If these things and the like you can do then will I confess unto you that you may go on and prosper and prevail against the Heritage of the Most High whom he hath blessed with everlasting blessings But if you are not able to do these things then in vain do you strive to set bryars and thorns in battel against a consuming fire For I tell you again in the Name and Authority of the Almighty God the Jehovah of Israel That if you still proceed in persecuting his people and dear children as you have done he wil dash you in pieces like a potters vessel and confound and scatter you with destruction upon destruction till you are become as the chaff of the Summer-threshing-floor and as the ashes of the Dunghil which the Wind driveth away and your place shall be no more found and your remembrance shall be a hissing and abhorring to Nations This is God's Word of Life and Truth unto you Remember Cain the Pharisees Aegyptians and Sodomites whose Works you are doing your Name of Christianity stinks before God and men and is even a proverb of reproach among Nations afar off The Pharisees who were persecutors said they were Abrahams Seed and had one Father even God c. and yet were doing the Works of the Devil vvho was their Father ye hypocrites whose state this is shall not God's dread fall upon you Wil ye not tremble before his pure eye of jealousie which beholds all your doings thoughts and words though never so secret Will you still say is not the Lord among us no evil can come upon us Will you untempered-Morter-daubers promise the Wall shall stand and the daubers thereof be established when God hath said The Wall shall be no more nor them that daub it is there not a lying spirit and deceitful tongue in the mouth of all these Prophets whom the Lord never sent And are they not crying peace to the wicked to whom is no peace from God and preparing war against the just that cannot put into their mouths And are not these the greedy dumb dogs that never have enough and cannot bark to awaken the Witness of God in peoples consciences that they may arise from the dead and stand up that Christ may give them light and life in which they may see the thief and be able to withstand the Robber Did ever Christ Jesus or his Ministers Apostles or Disciples persecute about Religion or Worship or run to the Priests of the Earth to uphold their Ministry Or east men into Prisons for their bellies or went to Law for tythes or took treble damages as you call them and rob people that did refuse to hear them as you have done Mention one example in all the Scripture or else be confounded for ever and your tongues cleave to the roof of your mouths for ever Or were not the Prophets Apostles and Disciples of Christ always sufferers and persecuted and imprisoned for their Testimony and for righteousness sake by the Powers of the Earth chief Priests and Rulers in all ages Were they not haled out of the Synagogues and brought before Rulers Governors and sometimes beaten and stoned whipt and charged to speak no more in the Name of Jesus Was not this their portion from the great men and chief Priests and Counsells And yet did not they learn in all Estates to be content But are not you discontented who cast such into prisons for fear of losing your belly-god And were not they unlearned and ignorant men in the Laws and Languages of the Rulers chief Priests and Doctors c. And had not they Latine Greek and Hebrew that persecuted and crucified the just And did not Christ say to his Apostles or Disciples when he sent them forth to Minister Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of Wolves be ye therefore wise as Serpents and harmless as Doves and take no thought what ye shall eat c and what is set before you eat asking no question c. then not to go to law about the in bellies if not ask a question about such things And did not the Apostle say such were enemies to the Cross who minded earthly things whose God was their belly which caused him even to tel of it weeping among the people and said their and was destruction c. and that grievous Wolves would enter in not sparing the people after his decease and hath it not been so these sixteen hundred years Have not the people been grieved robbed and spoiled by those Wolves that soon got the sheeps clothing the Apostles and Disciples words and turned against the life and the sheep and grieved them and these Christ prophesied of before his departure saying False Prophets shall rise and deceive many and love would wax cold and iniquity abound c. by their fruits ye shall know them they have the sheeps clothing but inwardly ravening Wolves Here is the true character of the false Prophets and false Apostles and by this ye shall know them Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles Can you expect a harmless Life in a grievous Wolf though he have the sheeps cloathing is not his nature greedy and ravening and devouring among the sheep and lambs Do his covering change his nature Hear this O ye Priests and Prelates Bishops and the rest of your Brood and consider and see who are the Thorns and the Wolves and the greedy Dogs that have never enough the biters and devourers tearers and renders of the sheep and look about you and behold your selves and see if you live in the life of what you speak whether your inside agrees with the sheeps covering the Saints words of which you make Merchandize for God is renting off all deceitful coverings and you shall appear as you are to the view of Nations and no hiding-place shall be found for the worker of iniquity though he profess and say Lord Lord yet he is cursed Now if you say you are of Christ's sending let it appear by abiding in his Commands and Doctrine let us see you are sheep indeed by your harmless life and your contentedness in all Estates not seeking the peoples goods and money but the good of their souls and the glory of God by bringing forth good fruits in the sight of men by which your Light so shining they may glorifie the Lord of Heaven and leave grieving the people by minding your bellies what you shall eat and drink and wherewith you shall be cloathed c I say eat of that bread which comes down from Heaven and don 't so much mind the earth