not I who am a peaceable man and wrongs no man but loves all men have my liberty to live as I dare dye Seeing I must answer for my self and stand or fall to my own Master what have you to do to judge me who am the Lord's Servant And if not must stand or fall to him I serve Or how dare you smite your fellow Servants and fling them in Prison that have done you no wrong nor owe you nothing but love when he that put in his fellow Servant in Prison that owed him a hundred Pence was so severly judged of his Lord who had forgiven him a greater Debt And has taught to use those words in Prayer Forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And would you not have God answer your own desires Consider these things and learn to do as you would be done unto for with the same measure you mete it shall be measured unto you again And remember what our Saviour layeth down as great offences at the last day to those on the left Hand Go you Cursed into everlasting Torment with the Devil and his Angels Or Depart from me ye workers of Iniquity I know you not for I was an hungry and you gave me no Meat thirsty and you gave me no Drink Naked and you cloathed me not Sick and in Prison and you visited me not And when they answered When saw we thee an hungry thirsty naked c. and did not minister unto thee He told them Inasmuch as you did it not to one of the least of these that believe in me you did it not to me By which its clear he takes that which is done to his Followers as done to himself for indeed it is for his sake who teaches us to live Righteously Soberly and Godlily in this present evil world and because we obey him and keep his Commands therefore are we hated of all men for his Name 's sake but the Wicked are not thus treated by you the Swearer Lyar Drunkard Proud Person c. are set at Liberty and in these dayes the men in Fashion But if it be so great an offence not to visit the Servants of Christ when in distress what will it be to those that layeth them in Prison and keep them there which is a means to bring them into Nakedness Hunger Thirst and Sickness Was it not said That it was better a Mill-stone was hanged about his Nick and he cast into the Sea that offended one of those little Ones that believed in Christ than he should have done so If so then what will his portion be that not only offends them but persecutes them imprisons them spoils their Goods belyes and slanders their Person and misrepresents them to the World takes the Righteousness of the Righteous from him and strips him from dear Wife and Children and causeth them to suffer also though it s said Cursed is he that parts Man and Wife Oh! what excuse can you make at the last day for these things How unlike are you to him that is good to all men and laid down his Life a ransom for all and doth cause his Sun to shine upon all and his Rain to descend upon all and his Grace that brings Salvation appears in all and strives with all And this also you might consider that it hath never been the practice of any Prophet or Apostle or Servant of Jesus Christ to persecute any man for Conscience sake or for his Faith but on the contrary it hath ever been the practice of the false Prophets that run on in the way of Balaam for Gifts and Rewards greedy Dogs that can never have enough blind Guides that love Darkness and hate the Light Serpents that have perfect Enmity against the Children of God and so are Enemies to Christ Jesus Babylon's Merchants who come in the Power of the Beast these in all Ages persecute the Lambs followers and hate the appearance of him where-ever it is so that the Apostle saith He that 's Born after the Flesh persecutes him that 's Born after the Spirit Even so it is now and hath been in all Ages ever since Cain's time who slew his Brother Abel because Abel's Works were righteous and his own were evil So Cain was the first Persecutor and the Lord was displeased with and avenged the Blood of Abel upon him in Righteousness Now I might mention many after Cain that were Persecutors as the Sodomites who said concerning Lot This one fellow came in to sojourn and he will needs be a Iudge because he entertained the Angels of the Lord they pressed sore upon him but the Lord delivered him whose Righteous Soul was grieved with the filthy Conversation of the wicked Sodomites and brought down his Righteous Judgments upon their heads in a dreadful manner And the Aegyptians who refused to let Israel have liberty to go and serve the Lord persecuted them very sore but the Lord wrought their Deliverance and rendered unto Pharaoh and his People according to their deeds as you may read at large in Exodus Likewise Iezabel that persecuted them that would not worship Baal God Almighty brought down his heavy Judgments upon her and the false Prophets of Baal that fed at her Table Remember Proud Haman that was full of Indignation against Mordecai because he stood not up nor moved for him and how hot he was in his mind to have Mordecai and all the Iews young and old destroyed and killed in one day charging them to the King to whom they were very good Subjects as appeared by Mordecai who discovered the Treason of two of the King's Chamberlains Keepers of the Door who sought to lay hands on the King That there were a certain People scattered and dispersed among the People in all the Provines of his Kingdom and their Laws saith he are divers from all People neither keep they the King's Laws therefore it is not saith he for the Kings Profit to suffer them though we do not hear but they were all peaceable and hurt no man only in matters of Worship and Conscience they differed from the People of the Land that could bow to proud Haman who digged a Pit for another and fell into it himself and was taken in the Net which he spread for others glory unto God forever whose Eyes are over the Righteous and his Ears open to their Prayers Remember it was Pashur the son of Imer the Priest that smote Ieremiah the Prophet and put him in the Stocks Ier. 20. 12. For what for obeying the Lord. Also in chap. 26. when he spoke the Word of the Lord in the hearing of the Priests and of the Prophets and People then the Priests and the Prophets and all the People took him saying Thou shalt shurely dye and the Priests and Prophets spoke unto the Princes and to all the People saying This man is worthy to dye for he hath prophesied against this City What Priests and Prophets were these Such
pleased to suffer me to treat them a little with a few Arguments which are in my mind and when I have done I shall leave them to do as it shall please God to suffer them as to me and desire they may consider and consult their own profit Eternally and not forget that e'er long both them and I must appear before the Judgment seat of Christ to give an Account of the deeds done in the Body whether they be good or evil And first I enquire of you that persecute me and others whether if it was so as you say falsly it is That I was a Heretick a factious Fellow c. what command precept or example you have from Christ or his Apostles to lay me in Prison seeing I am a peaceable man and just in my dealing pays to Caesar his Due as many that know me will witness But instead of a command for Persecution doth not our Lord Christ prohibit it several times It may be you will say It s no Persecution that 's done in this kind to an erronious Person c. Though may be for all that he is so called by you who call Light Darkness and Darkness Light is a true Christian and Servant of Jesus Christ but by his Persecutors adjudged to be otherwise and said and thought to be that he is not which indeed is my case at present Yet I say again doth not Christ prohibit all manner of Violence Cruelty Imposition and the like when he bids his Followers to love their Enemies not Persecute their Friends and whatsoever they would that men should do unto them to do so unto men saying This is the Law and the Prophets and said With what measure you mete it shall be measured to you again Is this obeying Christ's command in laying men in Prison For you would not be so done unto for your faithless Faith and worthless Worship and though you profess to love God yet while you in Works deny him I shall not much heed your Profession for he is a true lover of him that keeps his Commandments it will be so found one day when those that pretended to Preach Prophesie in his Name and in his Name cast out Devils shall be bidden depart from him workers of Iniquity And if those that preach in his Name and prophesie in his Name and in his Name cast out Devils be sent away from him because they for all that were workers of Iniquity what do you think will be the Portion of those that come in the Name of Man and Preach and Prophesie in Man's Name and by Man's Authority only are held up and instead of casting Devils out tell People They must live in Sin all the dayes of their Lives make People content to let the Devil keep the House hurry them on into Iniquity Transgression and Sin all the dayes of their Lives and for all this tell those very People that they are Christians and though they do those things they ought not and leave undone those things they ought and are miserable Offenders in whom there is no Health yet while they put into the Priest's Mouth are owned as a dear Brother and Sister and so called when they are buried by him though may be they have killed themselves by a drunken-bout Oh! how dreadful will the end of these things be It s a grief to my Spirit to think of it But farther did not Christ command that both Tares and Wheat should grow together And doth not these two Words Wheat and Tares comprehend all mankind What can you make for your Practices here If I be a Tare you should let me alone till the day of the Harvest For what hast thou to do saith the Apostle with another man's Servant to his own Master he stands or falls And Christ Jesus shewed a Reason also why he would have men to let them alone and both grow together For saith he lest while you pluck up the Tares ye root out the Wheat also Which clearly shews that men may be mistaken especially those that have not an infallible Spirit for its the Spirit of God that 's infallible which searcheth and makes all things manifest even the deep things of God And we have had sufficient experience that under pretence of plucking up the Tares which is contrary to Christ's command the Devil hath laboured with all his Might to root the Wheat out of the World and though Christ saith He came not to destroy mens Lives but to save them yet the Devil came to kill destroy mens Lives not to save them But we find Christ rebuked his Disciples when they would have had Fire from Heaven and told them They knew not what Spirit they were of My Kingdom is not of this World He did not come to be Lord King in an outward manner and make men yield to him by outward force for if so then would his Servants fight but he came to set up his Kingdom within in the Hearts of men so that it was promised by the Lord that he would give him for a Covenant to the People and would create new Hearts in them and write his Law in them and put his fear in their inward parts and be their God So when Christ came he said to them The Kingdom of Heaven is within you and said the Prophet He shall sit as a refiners Fire and fullers Sope to purifie the Heart that it may offer an Offering in Righteousness It s true the Apostles in their weakness forbad those that they found casting out Devils in his Name because they did not follow him but did Christ approve of it nay he rebuked them saying He that gathers with me scatters not He that is not against me is for me Methinks this might be taken notice of by you Priests that persecute me and others you have seen some of your drunken Hearers become very sober men after they have come to hear the Quakers as you call us preach some of your Swearers Cursing Proud Prophane Hearers become very Careful Livers both in Words and Deeds And what doth this grieve you Methinks you should think such men as these that prevail so upon Peoples Hearts to be good men men of your side if you be for God and should like Christ who you call your Lord and Master rather rebuke such as forbid us than forbid us your selves and when like Peter and Iohn we dare not but speak the things we hear and see and are commanded not then to take us and put us in Prison and so stop up the Mouthes of them God hath opened and be angry with them though they do what they do freely and look for no part of your great Revenues neither Remember you do not desire to be so done by and also its worth your notice taking that those our Saviour Christ whipt out of the Temple were Buyers and Sellers What would you think if such must be whipt out of your Steeple-houses now and such
only be admitted to Preach as would do it freely in them But though he did whip such out as aforesaid yet we never read that he whipt any in or that if any would not come to that place that then he imprisoned them or fined them or the like no he was a Shepherd tender and loving unto them if one went astray his way to fetch them in hath been and is ever by his gentle calls unto them and reproving rebuking and checking of them in their Hearts by his Spirit and following of them with his righteous Judgments in their inward man So that for want of true peace with God many have returned again to him who shews them wherein they offend and when they return there is more Joy in Heaven over one Sinner that repents than ninety nine Just Persons that need no Repentance Iust Persons mark that these are none of your Church of miserable Offenders But let me ask you Is not Faith the gift of God And that which is not of Faith is Sin is it not If so then I ask what you had gained if you could make a man chuse rather to conform to your Worship yours I call it contrary to his Faith and Conscience than lose his enjoyments of Wife Children Liberty and Estate any more then a Hypocrite one that seemed to be that he is not nay may I not say any better than a plain Heretick for I take him to be a Heretick that is condemned of himself that allows himself to do that he condemns himself for And truly this way of persecuting men for their Faith and Conscience is the only way to bring them to become Hypocrites and Hereticks and is the way such men have gone in to hold up their Idolatry and Superstition in all Ages witness Baals Prophets and the old Serpent knows it well enough therefore it was said in the Revelations That the Devil should cast some of you into Prison Some of whom some of the Servants and faithful Witnesses of Jesus who would not could not worship the Beast But further suppose I wanted Faith and a right understanding of the things that belong to my everlasting Peace do you think that a Prison will be a means to bring me into the true Faith Can the Prison Walls rectifie my understanding or give me Faith and Wisdom Did ever Christ command the use of a Prison or Fine or any thing of that nature to men that would not hear him nor believe him What ground have you for this shew us your Foundation for these Actions and bring Command Precept or Example for them from Christ or his Servants and then I shall think better of you but if not let me tell you one Day you may find your portion to be what the Prophet said Wo to him that spoils and is not spoiled Therefore I could gladly desire even in pity to your own Souls that you would consider your doings not that I am so much grieved for my own suffering for Truth 's sake no though my poor Wife and Children are near and dear to me yet blessed be the Lord I have Faith in God concerning them and believe he will take care for them and me too and can trust the Lord upon all accounts blessed be his Name forever though it is hard and will be so found one Day to you that part me from them to be stript from them for my obedience to God and laid in Prison and by you reported to be one of the worst of men Oh! this hath been the old way and manner of Old the Serpent and his Instruments have taken with the Servants of Jesus Christ witness Paul's Accusers and Persecutors We said they have found this Man a pestilent Fellow a mover of Sedition a Ring-leader of the Sect of the Nazareans c. And the great Rabbies of those dayes the Scribes Phrisees High Priests and Rulers that persecuted our great Lord and Master Jesus Christ accused him to be an Enemy to Caesar a Blasphemer and a Deceiver c. And you that are my Persecutors are you not much like these men aforesaid who persecuted Christ and his Apostles and cryed to the Rulers for help in your proceedings against me And though some of you never saw me as I know of and none of you ever came to discourse me or see wherein I was mistaken as to my Faith and Principles yet you can fling it out That I am a dangerous Person and a Deceiver and runs up and down the Country to delude People Oh! these your Lyes and False Charges will one day be remembred except you Repent which I desire you may And as I said before consider your doings and see who you run parallel with you are but Men you may be mistaken seeing you are not led by an infallible Spirit and therefore cannot be sure your selves are in the right but you go by conjectures and rest upon the Judgment of ancient Fathers reverend Divines Heathen Authors or your own Conceivings or the like and are uncertain and leave the People unsatisfied and so manifest your selves to be such as are not sent with the Lord's Message received from God himself as by all your uncertain beating the Air is manifest to every one whose Eyes the Lord hath opened So that here is great danger if I should leave Christ the true Light and teacher of men who now appears by his pure Spirit in my Heart and shews me the things that do belong to my Peace and follow you that I should then be led to act both in Principle and Practice and do those things I ought not and leave undone those things I ought to do and then I could not escape being a miserable Sinner and Offender in whom there is no health Now suppose I should contrary to my Faith and Knowledge come to you and live and dye in Error for fear of being here kept in Prison and brought to Poverty in the World which blessed be the Lord I value not in comparison of my Peace with him the God of Peace and think to plead with God and say I did what I did in submission to man's Will who said they were the Ministers of Christ and was forced to it by the chief Priests of our Country and must either submit to their Wills or lie in Prison my Goods spoiled my Wife and Children impoverished so that I did what I did only to save my Estate and have my Liberty c. or else I would not have done it for it was against my Faith and Conscience and because of the fear of Man Will this excuse me If not then I ask you Can you excuse me to God and assure me of it that if I will conform to your Worship and give you Monies for a Pardon of my true obedience to God in disobedience to you For so indeed the case lieth if not that you cannot excuse me if you should or could force me to sin against God then why should