quarter Ier. 5.30 31. Isa 56.10 11. And the true prophets declared against such as cryed peace peace to the people whilest they put into their mouths but when they could not for conscience sake uphold them in their deceits nor put into their mouths then the false prophets and such as preached for hire either shut up in prison or prepared war against them Mic. 3.5.11 Hos 6.9 2 Pet. 2. And the false prophets and Hireling priests do the same now Iude 11. and therefore they walk in their fore-fathers steps and are known by their fruits which is marks and the way to know them by according as Christ hath said Mat. 7.15 16. c. 3. And the true prophet that stood in the counsel of God preached or prophesied and declared the word of the Lord freely they neither persecuted imprisoned nor caused any to be persecuted and imprisoned as the false prophets and priests that stood not in the counsel of God aforetime did as wel as their off-spring hireling Priests false prophets and seed of evil doers do now Ier. 5.30 31. Ieremiah was a true prophet and were sent of the Lord to declare against the false and against such as bore rule by their means and held up the filthy and horrible thing which he then saw committed in the Land as the false prophets and hireling priests do now and Ieremiah the true prophet neither put others in the Stocks nor persecuted and imprisoned any but he himself were persecuted and imprisoned put in the Dungeon and set in the Stocks in the high gate of Benjamen Ier. 20. And when Ieremiah went to the Cities of Judah who were in the disobedient nature and come up then to worship the Lord commanded Ieremiah to go stand in the Court and speak to them the words which he commanded him to say without diminishing of them and he did so in obedience to the command of the Lord then the Priests asked him why he had spoken such words and they were sore offended at him for it that they judged him worthy of death and said he should surely dye and so sought to take away his life for it and Ieremiah answered the Priests and their party that were so in rage against him for speaking the truth and said unto them As for me behold I am in your hands as for me do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you but be sure or know ye for certain that if ye put me to death ye shall surely bring innocent blood both upon your selves and upon your City and the inhabitants thereof and of a truth the Lord hath sent me to speak all these words in your ears Jer. 26. Ye persecutors and blood-thirstie ones who cannot receive the truth that bears testimony against your deceit but seeks the blood of the innocent the persecuting priests and their party aforetime did from whence you are sprung stop your mouths cover your faces and blush observe your root and see both the fruits of the persecuting priests and their party And likewise behold your Spirit and repent of your cruelty madness at Banbury for there is like priest like people as saith the Prophet Hos 4.9 And as a troop of Robbers wait for a man so the company of Priests murder in the way by consent as it is written and witnessed Hos 6.9 The Priests crueltie manifested c. VVHen Christ Jesus the Dear Son of God came to testifie against the world that the deeds thereof was evill Iohn 7.7 Mat. 2. Mark 5. Mat. 26. 27 chap. the Priests and their party held counsells against him and sought false witness to take away his life and they accused him for blasphemy and said what further need had they of witness against him Herod also and his men of war they set him at nought and both Pilate and Herod became friends to joyn persecution against him and that evill seed had their hands in shedding his innocent blood and after they had done so by him Iohn 18 19 chapt Act. 4.1 2 3. the 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 verses his Servants were evilly entreated from the persecuting Priests and seed of evill doers Peter and Iohn were put in the Prison and afterwards beaten and commanded to speak no more in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ but for all that they could not but speak the thing which they had heard and seen And Stephen were judged by the priests and their counsell to be a Blasphemer though he was a man ful of the Holy Ghost and so ignorant were they of the Spirit of truth that they persecuted them that were guided by it and out of envy and malice shed innocent blood and took away Stephens life by stoning him to death as a Malefactor under the pretence of a Blasphemer when no such thing could be proved against him though the Greeks Libertines Stoicks Act. 6.11 12 13 14 1â— Mat. 43 to the 10. Mark 6.20 Act 21.28 29 30 Act. 24. Act. 17.17 18. 24 25. vers Act. 18.12 13 14 c. Act. 24.5 Act. 26.16 17 18. and Epicarians sought to encounter him And Iohn Baptist he were behaedded by Herods command though he were convinced and knew by that in his conscience that he were an upright Man And Paul he were counted a Pestilent Fellow a mover of Sedition and a Ring-leader of the Sect of the Nazarens they cryed out Men of Israel holy this is the man that turneth the world up-side-down and they drew him out of the Temple and forthwith the doors were shut he were beaten and abused for going into their Markets and Synagogues to reason and dispute with the Iews and for testifying against the outward Temple and that Temple-worship and bearing witness against their deceits who also was called of Christ and both chosen and sent to turn people from darkness to the Light and from the power of Satan unto God Act. 26. Yet so blinde and ignorant of the life of truth were the Priests and their counsell that they persecuted Paul as they did the rest and said he was a mover of sedition and accused him as a heretick and sought by all means to take away his life though he told them of his choosing and Call Commission and sending they could not believe him that knew not the Spirit by which he were guided and sent who also told them that in the way which they called heresie did he worship the God of his Fathers yet for all that were he imprisoned beaten and set in the Stocks Act. 24.14 15. Act. 26.22 23 24. And the same portion from the Priests and their party doth the Servants of Jesus meet with in the world Wo to the wicked seed of evill doers and persecutors Priest and people you are seen with the Light and you Spirits are tryed 2 Pet. 2. Mat. 6.5 Mat. 23.4 5 c. and your wayes comprehended and all your false worships and
you are found out of the Doctrine of Christ in the steps of the false prophets and amongst the Scribes and pharisees called of men Masters and hath the chiefe place in the Assembly stands praying in the Synagogues and bind heavy burdens upon the people and grievous to be born and as Christ cryed wo to your Fathers the same Woes are to you their off-spring who are found with their Marks and following their steps you are clearly seen with the light and comprehended and with the Light judged and condemned though to some you appear like Graves which men pass over and are not aware wo unto you whited walls and painted Sepulchers ye serpents ye generation of Vipers how shall you escape the damnation of hel as Christ hath said Mat. 23.33 Luk. â—â— 44 ver c. Mark 12.38 39 40. A few Observations of the Lords sending his Servants informer dayes c. First THE Lord God of Power in former Ages sent forth his Prophets and Apostles Messengers and Servants his Spirit in the power and life Isa 58.1 Amos 5.10 Isa 3. Isa 8.18 Isa 30.3.3 to deliver his massages and do his service to witness also against the world and the wickedness thereof some to tell the people of their sins and cry aloud spare not and to reprove in the Gate and cry out against pride and oppression and were signes and wonders in Israel and none could believe their report and witness with them where the Arm of the Lord was unrevealed yet they might do it in obedience to the word of the Lord though they became signes and wonders also to the world as Isajah was that went naked and bare-foot three years in obedience to the Word of the Lord as a signe and wonder unto Aegypt and Ethiopia as it is said Isa the 20. Chap. 2. Some went in obedience to the command of the Lord to cry out against preaching for hire and against injustice and judging for rewards and not suffering the cause of the poor and needy to come before them Zeph. 3.1 â— 3 4 Isa 27.1.23 24 c. and so told their Princes were rebellious and companions of or with thieves as wel as their Judges were ravening wolves and some amongst them roaring Lyons as Micah and Zepheniah and the Lords prophets did Isa 5.21 22 23. Mic. 3.8 9 10 11. 3. And some were sent from one place to another in obedience to the word and spirit of the Lord and sometimes knew to whom to go and what to say and other sometimes they knew to whom and whither or where to go and not at that present time what to say yet they did wel for to obey though they sate where those they were sent to sate and remained where they remained if in silence as Ezekiel the Lords Prophet did Ezek. 3.15 16 17 18 19. seven dayes before the word of the Lord came unto him what to say when he was sent to them of the Captivity of Tel-abib that dwelt by the River Chebar and as Ezekiel the true Prophet of the Lord went amongst them in obedience to the word and spirit of the Lord and sate silent amongst them seven dayes before the word of the Lord came unto him what to say it were no delusion nor deceit And if any of the Lords Servants in obedience to the word and spirit of the Lord should be thereby guided so to do they would neither be deluded nor deceived in and by so doing no more then he was though the world know it not who were ever strangers to the Lord therefore let flesh be silent at the work of the Spirit of God and all such as knows not the eternall word and message of God Who are no Vagabonds nor Iesuits and who are the Vagabonds as herein wil appear First THe Ministers of Christ that went up and down preaching the word of eternall life and were sent to turn people from the darkness to the Light and from the power of Satan unto God and though some of them might have no certain dwelling place Act. 8.4 Act. 20.25 26 27. Act. 26.17 to the 22. Mat. 8.20 yet were they neither Jesuits Fugitives nor Vagabond fellows no more are such as in obedience to the power of the Spirit of God that do so now The Son of man though he had not whereon to lay his head yet he were no Fugitive Jesuit nor Vagabond nor such as in obedience to the Lord that wandred sometimes to and fro and were in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins as wel as in dens and caves of the earth of whom the world was not worthy Heb. 11.36.37 38. they were neither Jesuits Fugitives nor Vagabonds no more are such now to do the work of the Lord and work in his Vineyard whose being is in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ though they may go to and fro to preach the word of life in obedience to the commands of the Lord and doing his wil as he of them requireth though contrary to the will of man who lives in Disobedience to the power and spirit of the Lord as Cain the Fugitive and Vagabond did and as such in the envy who are in that nature contrary to God and walking in Cains way now do Gen. 4.11 12 13. 1 Iohn 3.13 19 ver Rom. 1.27 28. Act. 17.5 and to them is the curse and the wo Iude 11. 2 The Ministers of Christ aforesaids did witness against deceit in streets markets and Synagogues yet were they neither Fugitives nor Vagabonds though for it they were haled out and stoned persecuted by the chiefe Priests consent and abused by their party and Vagabond fellows who in persecuting the truth deny the Lord as such Vagabond fellows that parakes with the chiefe Priests to persecute the Saints and servants of Jesus do now Act. 18.4 5 6. Iude 11. as well as the persecuting Priests and Vagabond fellowes that lived in Cains nature as their forefathers formerly did who persecuted the Servants of Jesus for witnessing the truth and testifying against deceit in Streets Markets and Synagogues or Idolls-Temples as their off spring do now persecute those that do as the servants of Jesus therein did and against them they act and vent forth their envy and cruelty by the chief Priests consent and their pratakers act and thereby they manifest themselves to be of Cains stock and their sacrifices to be rejected as his was who make it appear what a seed of evil doers and a cursed Generation they are An Account of Richard Farnsworth's Commitment to Prison in Banbury the 30th of the 7th Month and his Examination and Answer in brief at the Court before the Mayor and Iustices the day following being the first of the eigth Month 1655. AS he with another friend was walking peacably up the street to a friends house in Banbury meeting in the street Aholiab VVest called mayor VVilliam Allen called a Justice with many other people of the town
some of the Jury hath confessed which was contrary to the known Law of the Nation in such cases provided contrary to truth and equity which is a greater crime and breach of the Law then those things which many of the servants of Jesus are imprisoned for And after awhile the Jury came into the court was asked if they were agreed to which they said they were gave in their verdict for the Protector but they said they found not blasphemy it was then demanded what was found to which they said misdemeanor then she desired to know what she was accused of for they read then bil called their witnesses for blasphemy but blasphemy was not found then they said they found misdemeanor against her the asked in what they said in calling the Minister a false Prophet but she denyed that she did as they said although it s no transgression to call them false prophets who are false prophets which doth not abide in the doctrine of Christ and their minister being then on the bench in the Court was asked what he had to accuse her of he answered he deserferred his cause to God and said he desired she might have what favour the Law would afford yet for all this though the Bil was not found and though their as they call him there present did not accuse her of any thing they committed her to Prison again who had been there prisoner nine months before and fasly accused at her first commitment for no other thing did she speak but the truth according to plain Scripture a true Relation of which is published and declared in a printed paper being intituled A true Declation of the suffering of the Innocent who is hated and persecuted without a cause which is made manifest dayly for which the righteous Iudge of all the world will deal righteously and call you to an account and weigh you in an equal ballance and measure you in a just measure and from the hand of the Lord must you receive a reward according to your deeds After that then there was one Iane VVaugh called to the Barre who had been imprisoned about sixteen Weeks before in the Town of Banbury who at first coming thither was in obedience to the Lord to declare his truth and witness against deceit for which she were beaten and abused persecuted and imprisoned and evilly entreated in the said Banbury as the servants of the Lord in former ages as wel as this were by such an evill generation and seed of evil doers as they are whose fruits makes them manifest to be guided by the same spirit though under a refined subtilty that other persecutors of the innocent spoken of in Scripture were The said Iane VVaugh as foresaid who had been a witness to the truth of God and against the deceit of the world and after she had been sore abused in the said Banbury persecuted imprisoned and put forth of the Town for witnessing the truth against deceit and after a certain time being moved by the Spirit of the Lord to come into Banbury again and being with a friend getting him to write a Letter for her the Magistrates hearing of her being there sent for her to come before them Iohn Austine who was then Mayor caused the Oath of Abjuration to be tendred unto her and because in obedience to the commands of Christ Jesus who saith Swear not at all she refused to swear being faithfull to him abiding in his Doctrine and although she so did in obedience to his Command out of love to him and his truth and there in their court when the said Oath was tendred she utterly denyed all things contained in that Oath and Witnessed against all Popery and Popish Jesuiticall Opinions whatsoever yet the was then notwithstanding all that committed to Prison where the remained though the breach of any Law were not laid to her charge til the Generall Sessions Assize or pretended Goal-Delivery when and where she was called to the Bar as abovesaid and appearing there that day where no Accusation and witness came in against her nor any breach of the Law or mis-demeanor laid to her charge but notwithstanding she was asked to put in sureties for her good behaviour then she asked them on the bench what Law she had broken and would have had them to have convinced her of a transgression by making known to her the breach of some Law the which they refused but she could get no other answer but that if she would not give in sureties she must to prison again which was done accordingly now let all the wise in heart that truly fear God consider whether these proceedings against the innocent be either legall or just and if they do not exceed the proceedings of heathen Magistrates who sate Judges in tryals against the Christians and servants of Jesus in former ages as in the Scriptures are left upon Record Consider and see the actings of the persecuting Jews who had the form but wanted the power and so out of a blind zeal persecuted the Servants of Iesus who were in the power and life of truth and they were sore moved and offended at the Servants of Iesus and exceeding mad against Paul who was pressed in Spirit being in Macedonia to testifie to the Iews that Iesus was Christ and when they aposted themselves and blasphemed he shoke his Rayment and said unto them your blood be upon your own heads and having cleared his conscience to them he departed and went to the Gentiles and so entred into a certain mans house that worshipped God and being moved of the Lord he spoke and was not afraid the Lord being with him and having much people in that place where he continued a year and six months teaching the word of God among them and the Iews which made insurrection against Paul when they brought him before the Deputy of Achaia for teaching the word of the Lord which their dark minds who lived in Envie and Malice against the truth could not receive And now observe the actings of the Deputy of Achaia who though he might be accounted a heathen or an Antichristian whose proceedings in that case might preach or teach wisdome to some who profess themselves to be Christian Magistrates for when Gallio was the Deputy of Achaia as Iohn Griffith Deputy-Recorder was Iudge in the Court at the assize or sessions in Banbury before whose judgement seat the servants of Iesus was brought by such as had made insurrection against them in their Market Steeplehouse and Steeplehouse-yard in nature like the envious persecutors of the Servants of Jesus For the Iews made insurrection against Paul and brought him before Gallio to the Iudgement Seat and laid down their accusations against him according to Law there and then accusing him to the Deputy who sate as Judge saying in their accusation this fellow to wit Paul perswadeth men to worship God contrary to the Law and when Paul the accused was about to open
cause of the innocent and although the said Nathaniel VVeston when the Oath of Abjuration was tendred to him did utterly renounce and deny there openly all things contained in the said Oath and witnessed against all popery popish and Iesuiticall opinions or tenents whatsoever and told them that in obedience to the command of Christ Jesus who saith swear not at all he could not swear lest he should go out of the Doctrine of Christ in which he did abide yet notwithstanding was he sent to the Prison where he had lain 14. weeks at their Assize or Session holden in Banbury who was there called and appearing before them it was demanded of him to put in sureties for his good-behaviour whereupon he desired to know what Law he had transgressed which they would not neither was there any appeared that laid any misdemeanour or breach of law to his charge nevertheless was he sent to the prison where he doth yet remain So all people that hear and read these things you may see with what justice the Magistrates of Banbury proceeded against the innocent and servants of the living God So there was one Robert Rich as many others standing by who with them was an eye witness to many of these things thus acted as before is related in their proceedings that day and saw that there was great Rage in them against the Innocent and how they plotted and took Counsell together against the servants of God laying traps and snares to catch them and after they had consulted together one of the Magistrates there sitting on the Bench called Thomas Hathead said to the Judg and to some of the rest of the Magistrates I suspect them to be Jesuits whenas that in his conscience would tel him the contrary and that out of his Envy he accused them and desired to have them tryed by the Oath of Abjuration who in obedience to Christ Iesus durst not swear to transgress his Doctrine and break his command so at length they agreed together and gave order to have them brought into the Court and then the Lord God moved the aforesaid Robert Rich to declare unto them their unjust proceedings so according to the command of the Lord he spake and said that he was a Witness for the righteous Lord God against their unjust proceedings in the Court that day who desired to speak and to clear his Conscience unto them whereupon the Iudg and others on the Bench bad him come up and speak and when he was come up and began to speak they cryed away with him away with him pull him down pull him down so their Officers as was commanded them pulled him down and haled the said Robert Rich to prison not permitting him to speak as they had promised These things are written and published to the world that people may not be ignorant how unjustly the innocent Lambs and servants of Christ Iesus suffer and are persecuted in this Nation which exceeds the persecutions that were in former ages either by the jews or from those in Queen Mary's dayes for they had a Law gave them power according to which they acted so the more to be excused but this Nation hath no such persecuting Law in force and Liberty of conscience hath been proclaimed and pretended yet men and women are beaten buffetted haled stoned and stocked and after that thrown into prison holes and dungeons the breach of no known Law proved against them and not so much freedome afforded them in prison as to thieves and murtherers whose friends are not kept from visiting them as hath been known in Banbury c. People lay these things to heart and repent that the righteous judgement of God fall not upon you A Warning from the Spirit of the Lord in his Handmaid Anne Audland to the Priest and persecuting people in Banbury and all such as may be found in their nature and falsly accusing and imprisoning the Servants of the Lord Iesus ALthongh I was unjustly imprisoned at the first in the town of Banbury for no other thing but speaking the truth as in a true Declaration of the suffering of the innocent who are hated without a cause may be seen as it is declared in a printed paper which was a Letter sent to William Allen called Iustice of peace With an answer to the false accusations charged upon the innocent wherein their proceedings are laid open and proved to be contrary to the Scriptures as also their proceedings at the last Assize or Sessions holden at Banbury the 26. day of the 7. month 1655. Where I was called to a tryall after long imprisonment or bonds and there in the Court an Indictment was read against me charging me with blasphemy and on they did proceed called a Iury and brought in their witnesses which differed one from the other and was in confusion though they pretended to bear witness to one and the same thing and falsly was I accused as it did appear when the Iury gave in their verdict they found no blasphemy though for it I was accused as the unchristian proceedings may further be seen both in the printed paper called The sufferings of the innocent in what before is said in this Book about my Examination and Tryall which is plainly made manifest dayly yet more in these things before mentioned and in many other things which are committed for which the righteous Iudg of all the world wil deal righteously and call you all to an account and weigh you in an equall ballance and measure you in a just measure Act. 17.31 Rom 2.5 6. and from the hand of the Lord shall you receive a reward according to your deeds good weight pressed down and running over such measure as you meeted and in the day of your calamity an outside profession in words when you live not in obedience to the Lord will not hide you and cover you and although I may be accounted as your Enemy for speaking the truth yet once again I do warn you as from the Lord to repent Rom. 1.18 19 27 28 c. Eph. 5.6 2 Thess 1.5 6 7 8 9. and turn from the evill of your wayes if there be any Remembrance of your latter end when you must come to be judged according to the Light in your Consciences which secretly in you bears witness against deceit and unrighteousness envy wrath and persecution for which things the wrath of God comes upon the children of Disobedience and because iudgement is not speedily executed upon you do not think you shall escape for your deeds are written in a Book of Remembrance and the Book of Conscience willl be opened and the wicked must not go unpunished Oh ye foolish people and without understanding How long wil ye walk after your own inventions Ier. 5.21 and to the end Act. 7.51 52. How long wil ye harden your hearts against the Lord How long wil ye resist his Holy Spirit Ye stiff-necked and Uncircumcised in heart and ears
how long wil it be ere you return to him who hath often smitten you shal the innocent alwaies be your mark to shoot at and will you make a prey upon the harmless Lambs of Jesus Christ truly you will be found as stubble before the fire and as dust before the wind the whirlwind from the Lord God is gone forth which will scatter the wicked and the fire is kindled which will consume you Jer. 23.19 20. Mal 4.1 Matth. 23.29 30 31 32 33 c. Isa 29.13 14 15.16 Mat. 23.34 Mat. 7.1 2 3 4 thus saith the Lord God unto you ye hypocrites and dissemblers who make a profession of my name but not in truth and calls upon me but not in righteousnessl and dcaws neer me with your mouth and enquires after me like a people that did delight in uprightness whenas your hearts are far from me Your ears are heavy and your eyes are dim and them whom I sent to warn you in my name to repent and cease from persecution ye will not receive but ye imprison some and shamefully entreat others and same ye send empty away and so ye hasten to fill up the measure of your iniquity the least of you is a bryar and the most upright sharper then a thorn hedge and ye refuse to return therefore shall trouble come upon you as pain upon a woman in travell and misery shall come upon you as an armed man Do you think the Trumpet is sounded and the Allarum given for nothing or will you gather together your selves against me and set the bryers and thorns in battel the fire is kindled which will go through you and consume you together for your transgression is multiplyed before me saith the Lord judgement is turned away backward truth is faln in your streets Isa 59.14 15. Isa 66.15 16. Zeph. 1.4 5 6 7 Isa 9.13 14 15. Isa 1.25 26. Dan. 4. and equity cannot enter therefore saith the Lord God I will plead with you and I wil judge amongst the Judges and san the Nations and clense the land of evil doers and the wicked wil I overturne and cut off head and tayle the ancient and honourable he is the head and the Prophet that prophesies lyes he is the tayle and Root and Branch shal be consumed the Lord hath spoken it and will raise up Judges as at the first and Counsels as at the beginning and the ancient of dayes shall rule and the Saints of the most high God shall take the Kingdom and the Dominion shall be the Lords The Lord of Hosts will accomplish his word by his mighty power and outstretched aim Therefore now Magistrates people and Priest take warning while you have time and return consider of it what account can you give in the day of your calamity How wil you stand before the righteous Judge and to him answer it your persecuting the innocent and your shamefully entreating the harmless Ye devouring wolves Isa 1.21 22 23 24. Mat. 25.41 42 43 44 45 46. who would tear the poor Lambs of Jesus how wil you stand before the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah it they shall depart into utter darkness that visits not Christs little ones in prison How shall those escape that casts them into prison And in as much as you do it to one of the least of his ye do it unto him and better had it been for you that a Milstone had been hanged about your necks and you drowned in the depth of the Sea than to have offended the little ones of Jesus Christ My Conscience I do clear unto you in the presence of the Lord God in vain do you dig deep to hide your counsel from him in vain do you gather together against the Lord the burthensome stone which you have taken upon you will grind you to pieces to the light in all your consciences do I speak which wil witness for God and against all unrighteousness in the day of the Lord when his righteous judgements shall be revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness of men and every tongue shall confess the Lord is just and his wayes equall and the witness in all consciences shall answer his judgments so in love to your souls faithfully is the word of the Lord spoken unto you and a lamentation there is over you because you reject the day of your visitation Remember you are once more warned in your life time by the innocent who waits in the wil of God patiently to come through the tryall following the Lamb in the tribulation 1 Pet. 4.1 2 13 14. ver Heb. 12.23 Mat. 26.65 66. having fellowship with Jesus Christ in his sufferings who endured the Cross and despised the shame and by the envious Generation was called a Blasphemer and in the dayes of his flesh when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong cryings and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared Heb. 5.7 8 9. A. A. A TESTIMONY Against False Prophets and false Teacher And also the Objection answered concerning the woman forbidden to speak in the Church With a Relation of Margret Vivers was moved of the Lord to go speak to the Priest in the Steeplehouse in Banbury And also concerning the imprisonment of Richard Farnsworth c. UPon the first day of the week being the 30. day of the 7. month one Margret Vivers a servant of the Lord inhabiting in the Town of Banbury was moved of the Lord to go in to the Synagogue or Steeplehouse in the said Banbury and waited upon the Lord whose power moved her to go to be ordered by him who worketh after the counsell of his own will and when the Priest of Banbury Samuel Wells by name their professed Minister had ended and done she was moved of the Lord to speak somthing unto him who had in his Doctrine or preachment been speaking against self-denyal and exhorting his people that they that had not the spirit might pray for it saying most of them remained in unbelief c. But the Prayers of the wicked is abomination unto the Lord and such as are without the Spirit of Christ and have it not are none of his and they are the wicked that are in unbelief and the enviors mockers scoffers Rom. 8. Rom. 1.28 29. Psal 66 18. Iud. 18. Mat. 16.24 Mat. 10.38 Luk. 14.26 27. Heb. 2.10 11. 1 Pet. 1.22.23 and such as walk after their own ungodly lusts who are persecutors of the servants or Jesus like those malicious wicked ones and unbelievers here at Banbury and whilest you regard iniquity in your hearts God wil not regard your prayers and to speak against self-denyal is to speak against the Doctrine of Christ so no self-denyall in obedience to the Doctrine of Christ no Disciple or follower of Christ and no Disciple no Saint for saith Christ he that wil be my Disciple let him deny himself and take up his Cross and
follow me here the necessity is laid down by Christ himself therefore he that denyeth not self in obedience to Christ to follow his light but continues in sin and unbelief abiding in darkness is no Saint but a Servant of sin and so out of the Doctrine of Christ and he that abides in darkness speaking against self-denyall saying it makes no Saint though in obedience to the Spirit and word of God he is a contradictor of the truth and a denyer of the Doctrine of Christ and neither knoweth a Saint nor him that sanctifieth but is ignorant of the turn and the Apostles Doctrine who saith seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit love one another with a pure heart fervently being born again contrary to self and the corruptible seed for witnessing him that sanctifieth Iohn 8.12 and that which discovereth sin and self in the ground of it with its fruits and effects which is the true light of Christ who calls to repentance and a denyall both of sin and self and in obedience to his call such as follow his light are thereby led out both of darkness and self out of self-love self-seeking self-conceitedness and all unbelief and sinfulness as wel as out of self-righteousness error delusion and deceit and into the love and joy of the Lord righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost and so into the marvellous light even the light of life according to the word of the Lord in obedience thereunto through the working of the Spirit and power of God but such as are servants of sin and do not envy self but disobeyeth the light of him that sanctifieth they are in the unrighteousness denying the Doctrine of Christ and turns persecutors of them that deny self in obedience to him as their fruits maketh manifest who continue in felse undenyed as wel as the Priests antichristian or false Doctrine for after the Priest of Banbury had been spoken unto for the same instead of vindicating by Scripture what he had delivered contrary to truth when he was spoken to for it he suffered the servants of the Lord Jesus as antichristians aforetime did to be haled out of the Synagogue and haled down to the Goalers house attended with a great company of people which shewed much rudeness and wildness what little effect their Ministry had wrought and so it were a clear manifestation that they were unbelievers and those that regarded iniquity in their hearts and lived in sin and self undenyed and were not guided by the spirit of Christ but of Antichrist as persecutors and such in their nature aforetime were Act. 17.5 6 c. Afterwards one was moved to go down to the Goalers house to the friend that was in custody at that time and some they pushed and abused him and some others began to reason with him and would have had the Steeplehouse to be the Church but could not prove it so to be and there they shewed again that their Priests Ministry had neither taught them civility nor good-behaviour that were so wild and disboist neither had his Ministry taught them as was said to know what the Church of Christ was for the Church is the body of which Christ is head and he is the head of the body his Church Eph. 1.22 23. Coll. 1.18 19. as the Scripture witnesseth but Steeplehouses are not the body of which Christ is head neither is Christ the head of the body of Steeplehouses as he is of his Church therefore the Steeplehouses are not Christs church and yet poor deluded creatures have been taught by the Priests to believe that steeplehouses are churches and so they call them and rests in the perishing and visibles that are so ignorant of the true church the pillar and ground of truth 1 Tim. 3.15 Heb. 3.6 1 Pet. 2.5 Eph. 2.20.21 22. Eph. 5.25 26 32. ver And after that when they had confessed that they had Margret Vivers who had spoken to the Priest in the Steeplehouse after that he had ended that day there neither for whoredome felony nor theft and words to that purpose yet it was the Mayors mind that she should be there but whether she had committed any offence or no they could not tel as they said and words to that effect and the man that kept her there upon such uncertainty when they was about to put her in Prison and had her at the dore but did not put her in for no Law by her was transgressed at that time as it was said that could be proved for witnessing the truth in obedience to the command of the Lord yet though they did not commit herto Prison other two they did one that stood by and another that was quietly passing up the street at that same time and the man that had kept her in custody did object against a woman speaking in the Church it was asked whether the Spirit of God might not be permitted to speak in the Temple of God yea or nay the which by some was answered and granted that it might Answer To the Question about the woman forbidden to speak in the Church and proved that the spirit of God may speak in his Temple either in the Body of male or female let the woman keep silence in the Church as it is said and let God speak by his spirit in his Temple 2 Cor. 6.16 Either of male or female whose bodies are the Temples of God through the spirit 1 Cor. 3.16 17. For in Christ Iesus the spirit of God in male and female is both one Eph. 2.19.19 20. Gal. 3.27 28. And Paul he commended Pheba in his Epistle to the Romans which Phebe was a servant of the Church which was at Cenchrea Rom. 16.1 and in the same Epistle he saluted Priscilla and also gave thanks with the Churches for her labour who had been a helper of him in Christ Jesus and she was a woman labourer in the Gospel by the Spirit of truth so was there woman labourers with Paul in the Gospell which he writes of in his Epistle to the Philippians as wel as them he speaks of whose names are written in the book of life Rom. 16.3 4. Phi. 4.3 So was there women guided by the Spirit of the Lord that were the Lords Prophetesses as wel as there were men that were his Prophets and the Lord spoke his word by his own Spirit in and through the one as wel as the other Miriam Arons Sister was a Prophetess and spake forth the praise of God in that dispensation and administration by the spirit of God that teacheth to prophensie as wel as the manifestation of it is given to profit withall Exod. 15.20 21. Isa 8.16 17 1 Cor. 12.7 And Deborah a Prophetess by the Spirit of the Lord which taught her to prophesie she therewith judged Israel and were a Minister of Justice amongst the Lords people in her dayes and in that dispensation insomuch that the Children of Israel came up
to her for judgment and did not dispise the counsell of the Lords spirit in a woman preacher or a Iudge in Israel and a Prophetess of the Lord Iudg. the 4 5 6 7 c. And in the dayes of Iosiah King in Israel there was one Huldah a Prophetess that lived in Ierusalem a woman Preacher or one who by the Spirit of the Lord declared and spoke to the people the word of the Lord and to her the Priest and people went to enquire and hear the word of the Lord according also to the Kings command 2 King 12 13 14 15 16 c. Besides several other Prophetesses as wel as Prophets there was in the time of old among the Lords people Issa 8.3 Nebe 6.14 Luke 2.29 30 31 32. as the prophetess in Isajahs time and in Nehemiahs time so there was in the Apostles time a man in Cesaria had four daughters that were virgins did prophesie Act. 21.8 9. And at the comming of Christ when Simeon that just man spoke of him the light of the Gentiles and the glory of the people Israel there was one woman a widow of above fourscore years of age that had no outward huusband at home to ask who was a preacher or one that spoke of the Lord Iesus to all that looked for Redemption in Ierusalem Luke 2.36 37 38. And Tryphena and Tryphosa and Persis three vertuous godly women did labour much in the Lord which Paul in his Epistle to the Romans did salute and as the wife is in subjection to her husband so is the Church subject unto Christ who is the head thereof as the husband is the head of the wife and Chsist being the Head of his Spouse or husband of his Church the Spouse of Christ united unto him and betrothed in Righteousness both asketh of him and staying at home taketh counsell with him though the Harlot from home and the stranger unto him knoweth it not and saith the Lord â—el 2.28 6. I wil pour out of my spirit that sons and daughters and handmaids also shall prophesie and who are they that are offended hereat now that the Lord doth see but proud covetous self-seeking priests who never knew God and their hearers that are deceived by them and such in their nature who know not the sure word and spirit of prophesie but are ignorant both of the mystery of godliness 2 Pet. 1.19 Col. 1.27 Rev. 19.13 Heb. 17.8 and so of him whose name is called the word of God and knoweth neither the teachings of God not the life of the Scriptures and the work of the Spirit of God who would not have him to be the same now that he was and Christ to be the same yesterday to day and for ever who are such opposers of the work of the Spirit of God and persecutors of the servants of Jesus in whom it is bringing and brought forth as their Generation and seed of evil doers ever was Mat 23.33 34 c. Holy men of God spoke forth the Scriptures The Scriptures or Writings that proceeded from the Spirit of truth were not spoken forth by the seed of evill doers that were haters of God and persecuters of his neither were they spoken forth by such as preached for Hire barerule by their means 2 Pel 1.21 Ier. 26.9 10. Ier 20.2 Ier. 37.16 2 Cor. 6.4 5 6 7 8. nor such as laid heavy burthens upon the people sought for their gain from their quarter like the Priests of England the false prophets and pharisees but Holy men of God who witnessed against such spoke forth the Scriptures as they were moved by the Holy Ghost who were persecuted mocked stoned haled out of the Synagogues set in the Stocks most shamefully abused evilly entreated and sore punished smitten put in the Dungeon and often imprisoned and such a portion from the world and seed of evill doers doth the servants and messengers of God meet withall now that witness against them who make a trade upon their words also denying them and owning the teachings of God and the life of the Scriptures again now as they that spoke them forth who suffered for witnessing the truth in the life and power of them aforetime did A short Relation betwixt the true Prophets and the false and how they may be known a ssunder First THe true Prophets of God had the word of God revealed to and inspired in them and the moving cause of their speaking was from the light life and power of the Holy Ghost within them who dwelt in the light which discovered deceit whereby they know the false Prophets and declared against them and against such as spoke the words of others 2 Pet. 1.19 20 21. 1 Pet. 1.10 11 12 Isa 48.16 17. Ier. 23. saying thus saith the Lord when the Lord spoke not unto them or by them and so they speak a Divination of their own brain as do the Hireling Priests and Deceivers and not from the mouth of the Lord as to those that dwel in the light as the true Prophets did they now are very wel known and against testified though it be not received by the besotted turned from the light and the deceived who persecutes those that are sent to witness against them contrary to the wil of man as the true Prophets were who were not sent by the wil of man but by the Lord God and his spirit Isa 48.16 17. which the world could not receive nor the wil of man no more than it doth now Iohn 4.17 and therefore do they persecute and put out of their Synagogues for to fil up the measure of their iniquity and to fulfil the prophesie of Christ ye a these things they do because they are in enmity against the living truth and know neither the father nor the Son Iohn 16.2.3 and so manifest what an evil and a wicked Generation they are on 2. The true Prophets of God who were indued with his spirit and dwelt in the light and spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and were not sent of man contrary to the wil of God but of God contrary to the wil of man and such as are sent by the Lord God and his spirit now have their commander neer them and by his holy Spirit are moved to speak as he pleaseth and as they was who were not sent by the wil of man neither did mans wil receive them that went contrary to it and stood in the counsel of God no more than it doth now but rather persecured and imprisoned as they do now and the true Prophets that were sent of the Lord and stoood in his counsell neither preached for hire nor sought for their gain from their quarter nor sought for the fleece but preached or declared freely the word of the Lord and said come freely without money or price Isa 55. And also declared against the deceit of the false Prophets and hireling Priests and such as sought for their gain from their
they said as such with them and the same spirit being guided thereby so may say Behold what manner of love is this that the father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God And now we are the Sons of God therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not as saith the Scripture 1 Iohn 3.1 and to witness with the Scriptures by the Spirit of Truth according to the work of the power and spirit of God according to measure and manifestation is no blasphemy though the Jews said it was and that may be witnessed unto though persecutors and the world know it nor nor receive it yet he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are of him and are of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren as it is written and witnessed Heb. 2.10 11. and when he would have disputed the case with them if they would have stood to Dispute according to the Scripture and the work of the spirit of God then Iustice Austine so called said Had he the same spirit that the apostles or Christ had Who answered and said that if any man that had not the spirit of Christ he was none of his as they might read in Romans the 8th and the spirit that the apostles had or received of God was the spirit of the Son Gal. 4.8 and of the Father 1 Iohn 3.23.24 and Christ said it was not them that spoke but the spirit of their Father that spoke in them then the said Iustice Austine so called said to R.F. hold thou thy tongue and see if the spirit will speak to the which answer was given the spirit made use of the tongue to speak forth the praise of the Lord and let Iohn Austine here observe his ignorance of the teachings and work of the spirit of God for the Lord opening the mouth the tongue and lips shews forth his praise and God having sent the spiri of his Son into our hearts we cry abba father and to him return all praiset But to conclude and be short observe this all you that read it and take notice of the actings of the Magistrates here at Banbury who caused Richard Farnsworth to be taken out of the streets as he were passing quietly in them and put him that night in prison and called him the next day before them where they held their Court and after some dispute but the breach of no Law laid to his charge nor any accuser were against him but such as sate to Judge and no Law mentioned though desired that were transgressed and after they had tendred the Oath of Abjuration unto him who denyed what was in it contained and all Popish wayes and Jesuiticall Opinions whatsoever then the mayor others said if that Richard Farnsworth would pay the Sergeant his Fees and go out of the town that night he might go free but if not he should be re-committed or sent to Prison again but Richard Farnsworth could not be a friend to deceit nor pay sees for a nights false imprisonment taken as he were quietly with another friend walking up the street and so they made a Mittimus and gave to the Goaler and both before and after he had it given to him they made a speech and said if he would pay his sees in the Court he might go free and when he could not for conscience sake towards God then do it after that one of their party said Who was self will'd now to which he to wit R. F. answered and said Not he that denyeth to pay sees for a nights false imprisonment but such as did so in their wills wilfully persecute and imprison the servants of Jesus contrary to Law and Gospel both and here it is to be observed that Richard Farnsworth's detaining in Prison is because he could not be a friend to deceit and acknowledg a false imprisonment and pay fees for the same being taken out of the high way or street as he were passing quietly on and sent to Prison and to colour over their deceit withall they have added severall lyes in a Mittimus and here is kept in prison for standing faithful to the Lord and cannot have any fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darkness but rather reprove them Eph. 5.11 And their partiallity is to be observed here in this case as wel as the rest for two were committed to Prison in Banbury and kept three dayes and three nights and no fees as it is said were demanded of them but put out of prison and one out at one end of the town and another at the other end and yet though they did so being then they may be ashamed of what they had done but hardning their selves against the truth to act wilfully in their wills they detain one for not paying sees for one nights imprisonment for the breach of no Law then either proved against him or laid to his charge VVritten in Banbury the beginning of the 8th Month in the Year according to the worlds account October the 7th 1655. A TRUE DECLARATION OF The Suffering of the Innocent who is hated and persecuted without a cause Wherein is discovered the zeal of the Magistrates and people of Banbury persecuting and imprisoning them that are sent of the Lord in love to their souls to warm them of the evil of their wayes Declared in a Letter sent to William Allen called Justice of Peace with an Answer to the false accusations charged upon the INNOCENT Also their Proceeeings laid open and proved to bee contrary to the Scriptures By Anne Audland whom the world scornfully calls QUAKER 1 Sam. 2.20 The Adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces out of heaven shall he thunder upon them The Lord shall judge the ends of the earth and he shall give strength unto his King and exalt the horn of his Annointed Acts 2.18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will poure out in those dayes of my Spirit and they shall prophesie WIlliam Allen Justice of Peace so called but little peace I finde in thee We came to the Town of Banbury on the thirteenth day of the eleventh moneth and being strangers we took in at the Lyon The next day being the first day of the week we went to a meeting which we heard of in the Town and when the meeting ended we were moved to go to the Steeplehouse to speak the word of the Lord to Priest and People and in obedience to the Lord we went and stayed till the Priest had done and then my friend spoke to the Priest and the rude multitude came and hurried her forth as the customes of the Heathens is Then I spoke to the Priest Man here see the fruits of thy Ministery and presently the rude people hurried me forth Then came one and took mee by the hand and questioned me what untruths their Minister had spoken and J answered That they that are out of the Doctrine of Christ all
they spoke was untruth And though they say The Lord liveth surely they swear falsely Ier. 5.2 Then another asked me If the Lord did not live I answered Yea I know he liveth Now there are two Boyes that hath sworn against me that which I did not speak their blood will be required of them that caused them to erre And know this O man that the Lord God wil be avenged of all unjust Justices and he will make his power known in the destruction of his Enemies Therefore fear him and beware of persecuting his servants for justly shalt thou be judged according to thy deeds done in the body shalt thou receive thy reward To the light in thy conscience do I direct thee it will let thee see all thy actions and from whence they arise whether from the Spirit of Meekness or from thy perverse will which the Lord will judge righteously To that in thy conscience I speak which will witness for God against all deceit This was I moved to write to clear my conscience of thee and leave thee without excuse that when the Book of Conscience is opened thou mayest remember that thou wast warned in thy life-time A friend of the Truth and a lover of thy Soul who is a prisoner of the Lord for the truths sake at Banbury whose name in the flesh is Anne Audland WHeereas I am accused in a Mittimus for certain blasphemous words saying That the Lord liveth not I answer these words are false and never spoken by me The Lord is my Redeemer and I know that my Redeemer liveth and my Soul magnifieth him and my spirit rejoyceth in him and here I deny your false accusations and blasphemy it is your owne words and not what I said and you that accuse falsely know not the living God the Heathens knows not God and the Heathens rage but the Lord will be avenged of all his Enemies and plead the cause of the innocent And they are blasphemers which say they are Jews and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan And whereas I am accused for causing a tumult in the Church when the Minister was going to execute part of his Function and likewise to assault the Minister I answer This is likewise false Lyars must bee cast into the lake The Church is built of living stones elect and precious and there is order kept in the Church And I did not cause a tumult neither did I assault the Minister as you call him and that which is called part of his function is an invention and there is neither command nor example in all the Scripture that ever any of the Ministers of Christ did sprinckle Infants and call it a Function and here you have no Scripture to prove your Function as you call it And he that practises such things for the which there is no Scripture leads people into the inventions and so they are not profited at all as it appears by your own words that they were in a tumult O blush and be ashamed of that which you call your Church who are so suddenly in a tumult Was there ever such a thing heard of amongst the Saints that they would be in a tumult when one came in peaceably among them not offering wrong to any Here you drew your selves to be children of your fathers who lived in envy haling out of Synagogues carrying them before Rulers and casting into prisons them who was called of the Lord to bear witness against their deceit and here him called the Minister is made manifest to be one that runs before he was sent and so never profited the people and so like Priest like People Therefore give over and never call it a Church who are fighters and strikers scoffers and scorners tumulters and false accusers as your fruits makes it daily appear And some of you confess that they are in danger of their lives that comes among you the people are so rude Now you that are Magistrates ought to punish evil Dors Fighters and Lyars and false Accusers but such have liberty and dare do it in your Church as you call it and you present as hee that caused the Mittimus to be made doth confess That there was a tumult when hee was present and they that tumulted are not punished but the fault is laid upon the innocent who was beat and abused but offered violence to none And so they said Paul was a pestilent fellow and they tumulted Paul but Paul did not cause the tumult So you are made manifest of what generation you are and you shall be reworded according to your deeds And from the Lord I declare That he will visit for these things and plead with you for all your hard speeches and all your ungodly deeds and give you your portion with hypocrites except you speedily repent and when you come into the pit remember you are warned in your life-time And so your false accusation and blasphemy I do deny and the living God will judg between me and you The Burrough of Banbury in the county of Oxon. Anne Audland THe righteous Judge of all the world is now arising to judg the world in righteousness and the people with equity And every tongue shall confesse that the Lord is righteous when be comes to judgement and he wil reward every one according to that deeds And every tongue shall confess the Lord is just For according to that in the conscience which is just and equall will the Lord judg whose Iudgements are just and equall and every Tongue shall confess him just when he takes Vengeance upon the unjust And behold the Lord commeth with ten thousands of his Saints to execute Judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken And such are they that walk after their own Lusts and their mouth speaks great swelling words having mens persons in admiration because of advantage such will the Lord execute Judgment upon in righteousness All you that are ungodly the Lord will reward you according to your deeds And all you that utter hard speeches against the Holy One and blaspheme God in his Temple The Lord is coming with his Saints to execute Judgment upon you and you shall confess his judgements is just that which convinceth you of your ungodly deeds and hard speeches by it you shall confess the Lord is just when you are judged for your ungodly deeds and hard speeches And all you that have mens persons in admiration because of advantage you shall be judged righteously and you shall confess that God is just and his wayes equall and God respects no mans person nor the Saints who comes with him to Judgment respects no mans person for he that respects persons commits sin and is convinced to be a Transgressor of the righteous law of God but they who are guided by that which convinceth the transgressor they are kept
out of the transgression and they do not admire mens persons nor respect mens persons But you that do are convinced to be transgressors and according to that which convinceth will you be judged by the righteous Judge who cometh with ten thousands of his Saints and he will judge all you that respects persons for the Lord regards the rich no more than the poor but this is hee that the Lord regardeth who is of an humble and contrite spirit and trembleth at his word Such you do not regard who are poor and trembleth at the word of the Lord but you that respects persons scoffs at such as they go along the streets But the Lord will plead the cause of the poore who is now despised amongst you that respects persons You admire some mens Persons because of advantage and ye despise others and Persecutes the Poore and goes about to make one an offender for a word which is none indeed and you set a snare for them that reprove in the Gate that so you might catch the innocent and they that are offenders indeed who can lye and sweare and accuse falsely such have liberty and such are set to ensnare the innocent and to be as Iudges against the innocent and yet you profess your selves Christians Oh that you were wise Oh that you would consider your latter end How will you stand before the Judgment seat of God in the day when the secrets of every heart shall be judged by Jesus Christ who hath all judgement committed to him And behold he cometh and all the Saints with him and he rules and reigns in his Saints and sits upon his Throne But how will you stand at that day who now sits as judges upon the Saints and calls them deceivers and persecutes them who are made free by the Son of God and in obedience to him suffers the loss of all things and are killed all the day long and are accounted as sheep for the slaughter and are become a reproach and a by-word and a scorn even among you that profess your selves Christians and so the Scripture is fulfilled They that work wickedness are set up and they that departs from iniquity becomes a prey to the wicked and the Sufferings of the Saints is become a sport amongst you and you can stretch your selves upon your beds of ease and you do not remember the affliction of Ioseph nor you have not known that all who live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution and saith Christ As they have done unto me so will they do unto you And the Servant is not greater then his Lord. Now if you were Christians as you profess your selves to be then would persecution cease and not be found amongst you for Christians doth not persecute but you that live in such things are made manifest to all the children of Light whose servants you are and you that are Magistrates who should punish evil Doers such have liberty in the Streets to scoffe and scorn to swear and lie and be drunk and you pass by these things but if any come amongst you to declare the word of the Lord against such things then the innocent are accused by them who live in such things and the innocent are persecuted and sent to prison and may not know from you who prisons them what they are accused of nor see their accusers face to face Is this according to the Law of God or is this as you would be done unto Consider of it and lay it to heart for the Lord wil visit for these things I speak what I know and find amongst you for I was accused and committed to Prison but I did not know what the accusers swore against me neither could I see my accusers but you took an oath in secret and so I was accused and committed for that which I never spoke and had not liberty to answer for my self nor others had no liberty nor could be heard on my behalf who was by when they say I spoke these words for which I am accused which would bear testimony that they heard no such things spoken by me as I am accused of and so the innocent suffers innocently and in the mean time wickedness is at liberty and not onely in a corner but in your streets men lie and swear and are drunk and the innocent is a prey unto them and yet you do not lay it to heart woe is me for you that you should so slight the day of your visiitation and so wickedly requite the Lord for all his goodness as to persecute his servants who are sent to warn you and despise his Witnesses and shamefully intreat his Messengers and them that comes to you in their owne names such you receive but them that come to you in the name of the Lord such are a reproach amongst you and the Lord is highly displeased with you for these things and he wil make enquiry for blood you know that the blood of the innocent hath been shed in your Streets one that came amongst you and offered violence to none was beat and abused and lost much blood amongst you and yet you are not ashamed to profess your selves Christians when as these actions proceeds from you and your care is how to wound the innocent secretly that so your deeds might not be brought to the light but it is in vain for you to dig deep to hide your counsel from the Lord VVoe unto you that deviseth to work mischief in the dark and say who seeth us and consults together to shoot your arrowes secretly against the poor The Lord sees you knows your hearts your very thoughts which you think against the King in your bed-chamber there is a bird of the ayre that carries the voyce And the Lord will bring every work to judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or evill and the oath in secret shall be tryed and the Lord wil sit as Judge amongst the Judges and you shall all be weighed and those of you that are found wanting the Lord will cast you by though you be as high and mighty as Belshazzar was and if you be angry with mee for telling you so and forewarning you in your life-time the Lord will judge you for it for he is tender over his little ones and in as much as you persecute one of them ye do it unto him and you that imprison the innocent and they may not see their accusers is this according to the Law of God or is this to judge for God and not for man nor self-ends without respect of persons They that were set over the people to judge them according to the Law of God were just men fearing God and hating covetousness just men were to judge the unjust for the unjust cannot judge true judgment See what charge Ichoshaphat gave unto them he set over the people 2 Chron. 19.6 7 9 Saying to the Iudges take heed what you do for you judge not for
man but for the Lord who is with you in the judgement wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you and take heed and do it for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God nor respect of persons nor taking of gifts And he charged them saying thus shall ye do in the fear of the Lord faithfully and with a perfect heart Now all you that denies a perfect heart and are respecters of persons you cannot judge with a perfect heart and such are not Judges for God who judges not with a perfect heart but are respecters of persons but they who fear God and do faithfully with a perfect heart such Judges and Magistrates I own who are just men such rules for God and is a terror to the wicked and for the praise of them that do well and such I am subject to for conscience-sake but they who were the servants of Christ ministers of Christ when they were commanded by the rulers that which was contrary to the command of Christ they said whether is it better to obey God or Man judg ye and I say the same and they which command any thing contrary to the command of Christ which rules and reigns in his people is one in the male and in the female such are not just men fearing God and judging faithfully with a perfect heart and such who do not fear God and have not a perfect heart such knowes not the voyce of God but Christs sheep who follow Christ and are sent of God knows his voyce Now Magistrates and People will say how may we know that you are sent of God as Pharaoh said to Moses VVho sent thee and he answered The Lord sent me to bid thee let Israel go free and Pharaoh said I know not the Lord neither will I obey him and let Israel go free Such are they who fear not God nor know not his voice and such cannot discern the things of God Magistrates nor People who fear not God and have not a perfect heart Now consider if you judg me according to the Law of God when you heard all that was against me and did accuse me but would not hear the accused and the accusers face to face nor those that was by who would have witnessed against those untruths charged upon me but put them forth and said What have you to do here notwithstanding they said they came to bear witness to the truth See how Moses charged the Judges Deut. 1.16.17 saying Hear the cause between your brethren and judge righteously between every man and his brother and the stranger that is with him ye shall not respect persons in judgment but you shall hear the small as well as the great ye shall not be afraid if the face of man for the judgment is Gods and Deut. 19.16,18 20. The Iudges and Officers was to judge the people with just judgment thou shalt not wrest judgment thou stall not respect persons neither take a gift for a gift doth blinde the eye of the wise and perverts the words of the righteous that which is altogether just shall thou follow that thou mayest live and inherit the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee Now this is true judgment and takes hold upon the unjust but here you do not act according to the Law of God who doth respect persons and doth not hear the small as wel as the great which you have not done who have committed me to prison and I had not liberty to speak face to face with my accusers and so I am falsly accused and imprisoned upon a false accusation he that knows all secrets is my witness and he will plead my cause and he will judge righteous judgment upon all the Heathen and the Lord comes with his Saints and this honour have all the Saints to execute upon the Heathen all the judgements written but the Heathen ought not to judg the Saints but the Heathen rages the heathen persecutes and imprisons falsly accuseth the Saints the viols of wrath is now to be poured out upon the wicked and the Saints shall take the kingdom rejoyce in God for ever ever which giveth them victory over the world and gives them strength to rejoyce in tribulation Prayses to the living God for evermore And so I warn you all People Magistrates and Teachers to fear the Lord God lest his wrath and indignation break forth against you and the decree be sealed and he take you away with his grievous stroke and there be no remedy for God is my witness that my desire is for you that you may know the things that belongs to your peace so to you all I have cleared my conscience and I am free from your blood glory to the Lord for evermore who hath given me to believe and suffer for the testimony of Jesus so I remain a witness for the truth a prisoner in bonds at Banbury for the truths sake who am innocent but falsly accused slandered reproached but the reproaches for Christ is my riches whose name in the flesh is Anne Audland The 5 day of the 12 month 1654 To you Magistrates of the Town of Banbury and to thee John Griffith who was called Deputy-Recorder sate Iudg in the Sessions or pretended Goal-Delivery holden the 26 day of the 7 moneth 1655. IT is likely the heat of pour passions being over you may since in the cool of the day better have considered your actions don that day in your court which if with the light of Christ Jesus you have Gen. 3.8 it wil shew you that those who respect the person of any man commits sin are found transgressors of the pure righteous law of God Iam. 2.1 9. which saith thou shalt not respect the person of the poor nor honor the person of the mighty but in righteousnes shalt thou judg thy neighbor Lev. 19.15 which if you hearken to and regard the Law written in the heart Ier. 31.33 it will reprove you for your partial actings that day and tell you that you did not do wel to fine Thomas Cole five pounds and for to imprison him till he should pay the same and to bee angry with him for keeping on his hat in your Court and afterwards invite two other men for to put on their hats in your Court namely Priest Jones and Priest Smart consider if this were not partiality and to respect persons and for to act contrary to equity and truth as that in your conscience wil let you see and with mee bear a true testimonie And whether your sending of Jane VVaugh Sarah Tyms and Nathaniel VVeston to prison again they neither convinced of nor being charged with the breach of any known Law nor so much as one witness proving them guilty of the least misdemeanor were not injustice yea or no And whether if you had set them free seeing there was nothing laid to their charge you had not done justly and
sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness Rom. 6.16 Therefore friends and people be not deceived with a vain talk Mat. 12.35 Rom. 11.16 and an outside procession your lives being contrary and ye cannot serve two Masters God wil be no longer mocked by you for such as you so sowe such shall you reap and what measure you meet shall be measured to you again wel heapped pressed down Mat. 6.34 Gal. 6.7 8 and running over wherefore while you have time prise it and reject not the day of Gods visitation neither harden your hearts against him as he calleth you to repentance and so you continue in your evil practises Heb. 3.7 8. and you be destroyed by his just hand And now seeing the Lord God is risen in his Servants to testifie against your evill wayes beware you are not found fighters against him he wil be too hard for you to kick against So I have cleared my conscience unto you Iude 14.17 and remember that in your life time you have bin warned By a Servant of the Lord known by the name of Robert Rich. A Copie of a Letter sent from Thomas Curtis who had been a Captain in the Parliaments Army to Samuell VVells professed Minister of the Town of Banbury and sent to him into the Court or Sessions then holden in Banbury the 27. day of the 7 th Month 1655. Friend I Am not a stranger to thy former conversation and now am witness of thy unjust actions thy deeds make manifest of what Generation thou art and on what foundation thou standest Call to mind thy former Prayers when we were in the Army driven from our Homes persecuted by Cavaliers put to fight for our Freedoms and our Religion as then thou told'st us of is it all come to this Hast thou forgotten thy Vowes Protestations and Promises then made in thy Prayers How that if God would deliver us how we would walk in newness of life and now the Lord hath delivered How art thou turned persecutor if the righteous seed of God Call to mind how thou wouldst cry out against Parents that did not breed up their Children in wisdom and soberness Now thou hast gotten a great living and no place that ever I came in as I can remember so vile as this Town of Banbury under thy teaching Oh see the fruits of thy ministry children scoffing haling stoning and evill speaking and their Parents looking on and countenancing them laughing at them so doing it is a sad sight to see such a reformation and will not the Lord visit for these things Hos 4.9 what may we look at but that it is like people like priest Call to mind thy persecuting of the innocent and causing the Peace to be broken by thy own self and casting it on the innocent making them to suffer for it Canst thou behold these things and not blush How durst thou call thy selfe a minister of Christ and persecute VVas ever any of the true Prophets Apostles or Iesus Christ a persecutor Did ever they when one came into their meeting and stand silent there call to the magistrate to take him away and out him in prison and say they could not go on in their prayer and then after a long imprisonment see him arraigned at the Bar for breaking the peace whenas thou was the cause Was it not thy selfe that caused the people to be breakers of the peace and then make the innocent suffer for it Is this according to Scripture Did the Lord send his Prophets to cry against them that made men offenders for a word set snares for them that reproved in the Gate And canst thou escape who makest a man an offender before he spake a word The just God wil surely finde thee out al Deceivers for wo to them saith the Lord God that hath caused my people to err daub with untempred Morter and cry peace to them to whom God hath not spoken peace Isa 9.16 Ezek 13.10 and so strengthen the hands of the wicked just as it was with the false Prophets so is it now The Prophets prophesie false things the Priests bear rule by their means and the people love to have it so But read thy portion what wilt thou do in the end thereof See again thy subtill dealing with Anne Audland Ier. 5.27 28 29 30 31. that when all the persecution that wit could invent to take away her life for blasphemy would not reach but she was acquitted by the Jury There must be brought her calling the false Prophet and this must be called scandall when by the Scripture it is soon proved and to thy shame remember I know thee Scandalous How often hast thou sate night after night at Cards and sometimes whole nights playing and sometimes compelling me to play with thee for mony then wast thou called of the world a Minister and now art thou turned persecutor in the close see thy unjust dealing when thou hast gotten what the uttermost will of man can do then thou in thy deceit puttest off thy hat and desirest that she may have as much favour as the Law wil afford her thou art content to commit thy cause to God Oh cruel deceit to cover withall But thy covering is too narrow it wil not hide thee Friend to the pure Light of God in thy conscience do I speak and that witness in thee knows these things to be true and that an account thou must give to the great God of all these things in love to thee do I write that thou maist be warned and repentance witness lest the indignation of the Lord be poured out upon thee I have not much more to say at present but desire the Lord that he will open thine eyes that thou maist see the evill of thy heart and live which is the desire of him how ever thou esteemest is a lover of thy eternall peace and one that suffers with the righteous seed called of the World The 27th day of the 7th Month 1655. Tho. Curtis A Certificate of the endeavours or certain Friends which went to the Magistrates of Banbury to have had Copies of the Causes of the Prisoners Commitment at their late Sessions and pretended Goale-Delivery c. VVE whose names are hereunto subscribed do hereby declare to all unto whom this Presents shal come that there being a Sessions pretended Goal-Delivery appointed to be holden for the Burrough of Banbury in the County of Oxon upon the 26 day of the 7th month 1655. Within which Burrough severall servants of the most High God whom the world in scorn call Quakers were imprisoned and at the same Sessions to be brought to tryall We repaired to the said Town of Banbury and went unto Tymothy Harris the Town Clerk thereof and in a civill manner desired Copyes of the causes of their Commitments who absolutely denyed to give any whereupon we went to Iohn Griffith Deputy-Recorder the Mayor and others celled Justices of
thing to his charge yet he might be re-committed to VVard or Prison again and if that be not contrary both to the Law of God and to the Law of the Land what is Consider of it And was it not unreasonable and contrary to Law to commit to Prison and after long imprisonment being called to the Bar and then to demand sureties for good-behaviour and no misdemeanour proved nor any one came against the prisoner either to accuse or prosecute Ought not that to have been according to Law before the other was or ought to be demanded And was it not an unjust thing to commit to prison again for the same when no breach of law was proved against the prisoner neither at his first commitment nor after long imprisonment when he were arraigned or called to the Barr Is these actings either according to Scripture Law Equity or Reason Are you not beside Scripture Law Equity and reason as wel as true Justice herein or do not such as so act bear the Sword in vain the Lord help you to consider of it that you may learn wisdome that the heathen may not laugh you to scorn Ought not the Prisoner by law have been acquitted in the Court after long imprisonment when none came either to accuse or prosecute against him there and likewise Iane VVaugh and Sarah Tims who had been long imprisoned and called to the Bar neither accuser came against them there nor one prosecutor and yet they must be re-committed to prison again except they would finde sureties to be of good-behaviour when none appeared against them to accuse them or prove against them any mis-behaviour and neither any breach of Law either proved against them or laid to their charge is these actings either according to Scripture Justice Law Equity or Reason are they not beside all these in their actings herein and can they be said to be reasonable men that so act against the innocent sufferers and servants of Jesus as they at Banbuoy have done consider wel of it and keep passion and malice down and the Lord deliver me saith Paul from unreasonable men Act. 25.27 2 Thess 3.2 Isa 57.1 2 3 4. and it is a true saying of the Prophet the righteous suffer and no man in his unrighteous nature layeth it to heart yet blessed are they as Christ hath said that suffers for righteousness sake for the Lord Jesus doth take their parts and so the spirit of grace and glory resteth upon them as is written and witnessed Mat. 5.10 11 12. 1 Pet. 4 13 14. Now consider if all these prisoners and innocent sufferers would not have been freed by dew course of Law if it had been executed aright and if any had transgressed the Law ought not they then to have been proceeded against according to Law and so have had the punishment inflicted according to the transgression and have been acquitted or if no Law could be proved against them that they had transgressed ought not by Law their accusers instead of them to have had the punishment which they should have had upon them inflicted and they by the Law released or remedied Do you know what use the Law is of or how to act according to it have you done what you did out of malice or ignorance consider of it and lay these things to heart for be sure the Lord wil call you to an account for your proceedings against the innocent as wel as for all your evill deeds and then what account wil you give and how will you answer before his Judgement seat And withall consider of this Was or is there any Law either of God or the Nation that commandeth a man to put off his Hat and if he do not to fine him five pounds and commit him to prison till he pay the same as one Thomas Cole an inhabitant in Banbuoy was and was it not partiall and contrary to Law if it had been so for to fine and imprison one for the same and perswade other two to the like even in the Court to put on their hats was not here both partiality and malice made manifest and is not that contrary to the Law of God and a contempt to the higher power and Authority Lev. 19.15 Iam. 2.1 9. Isa 1.24 25 2â— c. which forbids such things but be sure you wil nor go unpunished of him who bears not the sword in vain for thus saith the Lord by his servant the Prophet Oh! I will ease me of my adversaries and avenge me of my enemies and restore Judges as at the first and counsells as at the beginning when no such things were by them neither acted nor done which can be anywhere proved by Scriptures which stands a witness against them that profess God in words but in works deny him as it is written and witnessed Tit. 1.16 Likewise when one Robert Rich was moved of the Lord to speak something unto you about the proceedings in your Court did not you that sate as judges bid him come up and speak and presently changed your minds or else your words crying out Pul him down and have him to Prison before eyer he had said to you what he had to speak was that according either to christianity truth equity or reason could heathens have done any more Or would not reasonable men have regarden their word The Lord set these things home to your hearts that you may a little better consider and lament as wel as repent least the evil day come upon you alâ— unawares Did not you at Banbury pretend a Goal-Delivery that day the Prisoners were called but did you intend any such thing do not your proceedings declare the contrary and doth not the witness of God in your consciences witness against you for it as wel as your actions Was not the servants of Jesus that were called before you at the Bar the greatest cause at your size or Sessions held in Banbury that day and was there any Law proved against them which they had in any one point transgressed or broke or had they proceedings according to Law and was there one of than freed by you nay but more added to them and afterward one taken out or the highway or street and haled to prison and no breach of Law laid to his charge though it were desired and also the Fact as wel as the Law by vertue whereof it became a crime yet it were denyed and they kept close under the Earth shut up in a hole or dungeon in Banbury as if they were some great Malefactors and no Law yet laid to their charge that hath been either broken or transgressed by them but such as are friends to Christianity and Equity Truth and Iustice and all such as truly fears God will consider of the sufferings of the Innocent and lay these things to heart though the wicked and such as are without the fear of God regard it not