High in this World thorow your Sufferings and between such as have acted against you for self ends and have insulted over you and have made themselves Great and Rich in this world thorow your Afflictions and Sufferings for they who have walked in that way are hereof guilty they havenot acted Righteously nor walked in good Conscience if such Suffer by you for that cause it cannot be called Persecution nor is it for the Name of Christ nor can such have Peace with God But we being clear from the sin of such we cannot suffer as such but if we suffer by you it is Persecution and our sufferings will be upon you Quer. 5. Whether the great Afflictions and Sufferings sustain'd by him this divers years from the Subjects if his own Nation and the guilt thereof do lie upon all the Subjects in general Or whether upon any or some paâ—icular Sects and Sorts of people many which now are arisen and if upon any particular Sect and Sort who are such more than others distinguish them from others and clear your selves if you can from the guilt of his Sufferings Answ. As for the Afflictions and Sufferings sustained by him so far as they were Iust and Righteous Iudgment from God because of iniquity can no man be charged with but that is on Gods account who was pleased to chastise with Afflictions and Sufferings and no man can be blamed with Injustice for that Affliction which cometh from the Hand of God upon whom Injustice may not be charged by any one whatsoever and so far as his Sufferings were unjust the guilt thereof doth not lie upon all the Subjects in general nor upon every particular sort of people alike but upon some more than others and such are easie to be distinguished from others if it be considered who they are that first raised the War in this Nation against the King And who was it that first Preached and Prayed up the War and prosecuted it against his Father And who is it that cast out the Bishops and Prelates from their places and took their Revenues and Benefices and are become men as Corrupted as Covetous and Self-seeking as Proud and Ambitious as Unjust Persecutors as ever the men were which they cast out And the guilt is partly upon such who cast out others in pretence of Refarmation but did it not And who is it that hath gotten great Estates in this Nation and Worldly Honour and raised themselves from nothing by the Wars and by your Suffering and became ambitious and insulting over others though they first began the War in this Nation and pretended great Reformation in the Civil State as well as the other had done in Church State And who get the Estates Titles of their Enemies pretended to free this Nation from all Oppressions but have not done it but have continued the old Oppressions and have been striving among themselves who should Rule and who should be great but have not Ruled for God nor in Iustice and Equity though they first Warred against the King and carryed it on and removed the King and Lords and that Government and all this in pretence of Ruling better and in a better Government and yet kept not Engagements nor Promises made in that case Upon such is the guilt of the Suffering of the King so far as his Sufferings are unjust even upon Hypocrites who have â—alked in these steps who as I have said first made war against the King and got great Estates and quite forgotten the cause once pretended by them and now in flattery Cries up King and Kingly Government again though this many years they have seemed to be opposite against it upon such as these may the guilt aforesaid in measure be charged And though there are risen many Sects and Sorts of People since the beginning of the Wars yet in the beginning there was but one sort that were in a capacity to raise and prosecute War against the King and upon such there is guilt to be charged in the sight of God who have foregone their Principles and been deceitful both to God and men And as for Us who are called Quakers we are clear from the guilt of all his Sufferings and in the present Capacity wherein we now stand and under the actings of that Spirit which now we are of we have no part in the guilt of these Iniquities we have not cast out others and taken their places of great Benefices neither have we made war with carnal weapons against any never since we were a People mark neither have we broken Oaths and Engagements nor promised freedome and deliverance and for self ends and Earthly Riches betrayed as others have done what we pretended to and in many particulars it doth appear that we are clear from his Sufferings for we have been a Suffering People as well as they by the same Spirit which caused them to suffer which hath been much more Cruel Wicked and Unjust towards us than it hath been towards them though our Persecution hath been in another manner but what they have done against us we can freely forgive them and we would have you to follow the same example and if you could accuse them in many things so could we but this is not a time to accuse one another but to forgive one another and so to overcome your Enemies or else you will appear in the same Spirit that so he that condemns them cannot justifie you though we do condemn as well as you them that have pretended Reformation and Warred against you upon that account And when they had gotten victory did not reform but became Oppressors themselves as well as others and became Cruel towards others that would not say and do as they and for this Cause the Lord hath brought them down and may justly suffer others to deal with them as they have dealt with others yet notwithstanding I must still say and it is my judgment that there was very great Oppressions and Vexations under the Government of the late King and Bishops under his power which the Lord was offended with and many good People Oppressed by for which cause the Lord might and did justly raise up some to oppose and strive against Oppressions and Injustice and to intend and press after Reformation in all things and that principle of Sincerity which God did raise in many in the beginning of the Wars which in some things acted them forth and carryed them on in opposing Oppressions and pressing after Reformation this Principle I can never deny but acknowledge to it though many soon lost it and became Self-seekers forgetting and foregoing the Cause pretended to having lost Sincerity and became corrupted in their way and Injustice and Oppression abounded by them and because hereof are they condemned in the sight of the Lord and not by me Iustified because they have lost Sincerity and turned the War and all the Proceedings into Self-seeking and therefore is God
provoked against them though had they continued in their Integrity and had really performed what some time they pretended and had forsaken all Sin it had not been thus with them neither had this guilt been upon them which now they are like to be accountable for And this is my Judgment concerning these things Quer. 6. Whether or no he may justly think ye and with more safety to himself and happiness to the Kingdoms Tollerate and Allow LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE so called to all the many Sects and sorts of People and Worshippers that are now in being in these Nations Or whether he may Tollerate some and not all Or whether he may Tollerate none but reduce the Government of the Church into the way of Bishops and Prelates as it was in his Fathers dayes Which of these may he do justly and with more safety to himself and happiness to his Government and Kingdoms Answ. We do believe he may and ought justly and with most safety to himself and happiness to the Kingdoms Tollerate and Allow free LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE in all the Matters of Faith and Worship towards God for LIBERTY in exercise of CONSCIENCE in the Matters of Gods Kingdom is a very precious thing to the Lord and very dear in his sight and he is tender of it and I do stedfastly believe he will not bless the Rulers of this Nation that shall deny to the People of this Nation and oppose LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE in the exercise of Faith and Worship towards God for I do know it is not given of God to any Earthly King or Ruler whatsoever to exercise Lordship over the Consciences of People in the Matters of Faith and Worship and the things pertaining to Gods Kingdom for Kings and Rulers are but to Rule over men in a Nation in the Matters between one man and another in outward things and worldly affairs and therein only men ought to Rule in Equity over a Nation or City or Country and Magistracy in this state and for such an end is Gods Ordinance appointed of him for the preserving of Peace and good order among men in outward things and it is a priviledge of the Crown of Christs Spiritual Kingdom to be Lord and Ruler over and in mens Consciences in Faith and Worship and all the Matters of his Kingdom even as and according to his pleasure and as his Spirit leads and guids for and if any man shall assume to prescribe God a way how he must be Worshipped and shall limit his Spirit from this or to the other way of Religion and think to be Lord in mens Consciences in religious Matters such are but Usurpers and are not well-pleasing to the Lord in such their way and Government if they oppress mens Consciences by limiting from or compelling to any such way of Worship or kind of Religion neither are they Ordained to Rule among men for that end not to be King and Iudge and Law giver in Heavenly and Spiritual Matters and this ought not CHARLES the King to do but and if he do it and will not let Christ alone be the Head over his Church it cannot be with safety to himself nor happiness to the Kingdoms nor justly in the sight of God but it will work contrary effects And he may and ought to Tollerate and Allow LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE in the matters of Gods Kingdome to all sorts of People and Worshippers that are in this Nation and let him mind Gods Wisdom how to keep the Nations in peace and good order in all outward and civil Affairs between man and man and between one sort of People and another that none destroy each others persons or estates nor be Oppressors one of another in outward and earthly Matters and that is the place and priviledge of a just King and Ruler upon Earth and to leave Faith and Worship and Duty towards God as every one is perswaded in their own Consciences is the right Way whether they will read the Common-Prayer or Preach and Pray after the order of the Directory or otherwise Or whether they will meet in silence without words and let all these enjoy their way of Religion and Worship in outward peace and not kill one another about their Religion Worship Church and Ministry nor imprison and persecute one another about these things but let them all be preserved as men living in peace one with another in all outward relations and yielding Subjection to good Laws which concerns their outward man and their peace and well-being as Subjects of a Nation but there ought to be no Law of Bondage and Force nor violent Impositions by any man concerning Religion for the Lord alone is sufficient to give Prescriptions and Laws to his Peopâ—â— how he may be served and worshipped and this is the way of good Government in this Nation that only the outward man in outward things be Governed and all Matters of Conscience in Spiritual things be left unto God that his Spirit may therein only rule and have the preheminence and if the King do Rule thus he may be more blessed and in that this Nation hath his word for LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE it is expected for because this hath been wanting to wit the allowance of LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE in Spiritual Matters because of this have been much strife and contention and heart-burnings in the Nation while some Sects of People have been tollerated and upheld and others persecuted for their Religion-sake by Law and this was one of the chief causes wherefore the Presbyterians so called first raised War against the Bishops even because they could not be tollerated but were persecuted while the other were guarded and defended by Law and this was a great cause of enmity which if the Presbyterians so called could have had Liberty and Tolleration at that day for their Worship and Faith it is possible the War against the Bishops had not so far proceeded though when they had gotten Victory they were no less furious towards the Bishops to destroy them than the other had been once against them and this arose by reason of persecuting for Conscience sake because all had not Liberty in the exercise of Spiritual things which if the King had declared at that day Equal Liberty to both in Matters of their Faith and Religion and yet ruled over both in outward affairs and had Authority over the Persons and Estates in Matters not related to Spiritual Worship but left them therein free and in their Religion by such means the War might have been stopped and not proceeded so far as it did and into such destruction and this being now well considered may be an Example to prevent the like hereafter So that I say it cannot be for his safety nor for the good of the Kingdoms to Tollerate some sorts of People and Religions and Persecute others for that will be the very Cause of strife among men it will provoke one sort to destroy another and it will provoke the
Lord God against the King and his Government to destroy them both Therefore to reduce the Government of the Church into the State as it stood under the Bishops in his Fathers dayes and to prohibit all others that may differ in Judgment from that this is not the way for Peace and happiness in these Nations nor the way that will be blessed to the Government neither can the Bishops and Prelates justly themselves desire it that only they and their Church-Government should be Imposed and Tollerated and all besides Prohibited for this is not doing to others as they would be done unto and I may hope that their Suffering this divers years may have taught them the worth of Liberty to themselves and so that they will allow to others if it be in their power the same which they have desired themselves in their time of Suffering and they having tasted of some Subjection in Adversity they know the better how to behave themselves in time of prosperity and they may compare others with their own states and may judge that others will as much desire Liberty and from as good Principles in their Worship and Faith as themselves would have enjoyned it in times past and they may have learned to be good to others in that case for which themselves have Suffered and not cause others to suffer for that thing about wch themselves have suffered And I do conclude that he may justly with more safty happiness to his Government Tollerate and Allow LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE in the Exercise of Faith and Worship towards God in all Spiritual Matters even to al sorts of People in this Nation and let him defend their Persons Estates from the wrong one of another by wholsome Laws and let each sort defend themselves in their Faith and Worship in their Church and Ministry by their soundest Arguments and the best Spiritual weapons they have and thus should it be blessed to the Government And whatsoever sort or Sect of People are not contented with this that is to say to Allow the same Liberty to others in Faith and Worship which they do desire themselves are not worthy themselves to be allowed Liberty unto and this every reasonable man may judge Quer. 7. Lastly What is your Iudgement if ye dare declare it concerning the Times and Seasons and the present motions of them And what are your Observations of the present proceedings Are the present Times and Seasons and the proceedings and transfactions in Mercy or in Iudgment to the King and his Subjects If in Mercy to whom is it Mercy And if in Iudgment who are they to whom these things are so If ye be not faint-hearted declare your minds now in your last daies as many think for many say that your ruin is nigh come and if it be not so many are deceived Answ. Yes we dare declare our Iudgment concerning the Times and Seasons for we have received the Iudgment of Truth in our Spirits and never have been nor are we afraid to declare the Truth so far as Truth is necessary to be declared and we say the Times and Seasons are in the hand of the Lord and the motions of them are very swift and the Lord gives to whom and takes from whom Times and Seasons as he pleaseth even as it were in an instant doth the Lord give and change and alter Times Authorities and Things and mortal man ought not to glory in Times or Seasons as if they were certain and unchangable to him for behold the Motions of Times flyeth away and Seasons removeth their course and the most confident of men have no certainty thereof and that because they are in the hand of the Lord that turneth them about and often contrary to mens will and pleasure and therefore let every man be good in his time and fulfill the will of the Lord in his Season before Time and Season be no more but removed from them And as for our Observations they are very many of the present proceedings and transactions first we do observe that there is not any thing of all these transactions that are come to pass but there is a secret hand of the Lord God through them and in them either doing of them or suffering of them to be done and either as the cause by secret purpose or as the means of their accomplishment it is not without him that these things cometh to pass but his eye his hand is over them that man is only blesed which hath respect unto him in all these things that he may do or suffer for the Lord and that he may not rebell against him in what is brought to pass by him Secondly we observe how that the Lord hath given unto many Men a Day and a Time and tryed them what they would do for him and whether they would rule in Righteousness and in Equity but many have proved deceitful and not answered to the Lord what he expected from them and therefore the Lord hath confounded them in their Counsels and suffered them to Clash one against another and made them overthrow one another and one self-seeking man hath been the ruin of another as bad as himself and even many by their own proceedings have prepared a rod and judgment even for themselves and through their blindness of heart which they have been given up to because of their wickedness they have destroyed themselves and given their very enemies advantage over them to afflict them and this we have observed of present proceedings Thirdly We observe that there is a rude prophane spirit highly abounding throughout this Nation that brings forth much bad fruit as drunkenness and wickedness in a great measure which may justly provoke the Lord to wrath and indignation against the Land if it be not forsaken though it be lifted up in this wonderful rudeness in a pretence of glorying on the behalf of the King and his Government yet it vexeth the Lord and it works Sorrow in the hearts of many Sober People who are pondering what the End of this Government may be that is thus rude and prophane in its beginning saying in their hearts how shall the Lord blesse these proceedings and make the end of them happy which are thus void of the fear of God in the first part of them and if a stop be not put and a limitation upon the Spirit it will provoke the Lord to work sudden destruction and overthrown the Nation Fourthly We observe that many Hypocrites and dubble minded men are afraid and terror hath Surprized them who have taken the profession of such or such a Religion on them for a Cloak and hath been in the shew of Righteousness for earthly ends such are afraid and their ends are frustrated and they are turned into confussion and a prophane Spirit abounding over their Hypocrisie and such will deny their Principles and their Faith and will fawn slatter to save themselves this is abominable but men
A VISITATION AND PRESENTATION OF LOVE UNTO THE KING And Those call'd ROYALLISTS Consisting I. Of an ANSWER to several QUERIES proposed to the People called QUAKERS from a supposed ROYALLIST II. Of an OBjECTION Answered concerning the KINGS SUPREMACY III. Of an EPISTLE directed to the KING those that go under the name of ROYALLISTS IV. Of certain QUERIES returned to them called ROYALLISTS to Answer LONDON Printed and are to be fold by Robert Wilson 1660. AN ANSVVER To divers QUERIES Superscribed thus To the Quakers some Queries is sent to be Answered that all People may know your Spirit and the temper of it and your Judgment concerning the Times and Seasons and Subscribed let your Answer be directed Tradite banc Amico Regis AS concerning the Quakers that are scornfully so called We are at this day and have been ever since we were a People a poor despised and contemptible People in the eye of this world and deep Sufferers under the Injustice and Cruelties and Oppressions both of Rulers Teachers and People and we have been a prey to the wicked and troden down under the feet of Ambitious men that have been in Power in this Nation and have Ruled in force and cruelty over us and this hath been ever since the Lord raised us up to be a People though we have not been offensive to any just Law or Government or to any sort of People otherwise then that we have given our Witness against Sin and wickedness in all People but we have not been Oppressors of others neither have we envied the persons of any but in all good Conscience have we walked towards all men doing no otherwise to any than we would be done unto and this is the very Law we walk by towards all men desiring the good of all and that all may come to Repentance and be Saved and what we are as unto the Lord if I should declare it could not be believed by many But we are his People and he hath Chosen us and he is our God and we have Believed in him and walked with him in the uprightness of heare and we have this Testimony in our own hearts if we die it is for him and if we live it is to him and though we have been and may be clouded with the Reproaches and Persecutions of an Uncircumcised Generation yet in the Lords season it shall be manifest even to the world and to our very enemies that we are his People and Chosen of him and he in the midst of us whom we Serve and Worship in Spirit in Truth and in Righteousness and this shall be manifest in the day of the Lord and in the mean time we are willing to bear and to suffer all things that is put upon us for the Name of the Lords sake Query 1. Whether you or any of you that pretend to Inspiration and Revelation did foresee or was it revealed to you that ever Charles Stuart should be Proclaimed King to Reign in England ever any more Or whether or no any of you did believe it or could have believed it by your great Faith which you profess if it had been told you long ago Answ. As for the Proclaiming of Charles Stuart King to Reign in England it was not improbable unto our Faith neither is it contrary unto that which some of us hath seen for we know that God respecteth neither persons nor names but doth give the Kingdoms of this World to whomsoever he will And thus much was said as may be seen in a Book called GOOD COUNSEL AND ADVICE REIECTED and divers other Papers c. p. 17. In a Letter to Oliver Cromwell it is said concerning you that are commonly called Cavaliers But what and if for and because of thy wickedness in the sight of God he should raise them up and make them Instruments in his hand to accomplish his wrath upon thee even like as he made thee once his Instrument to overthrow them c. And here the thing was believed to be possible that the Lord might raise you up again for his pleasure to fulfil his will because of the wickedness of the Army and Nation and it is now come to pass even as was seen and believed And also it was expressed in a Letter written in the tenth Month 1659. concerning them that were your Enemies and that were at first raised against you The very same spirit of Pride and Oppression and Idolatry is entred into them meaning your Enemies and now lives in them in as high a measure as ever it lived amongst you and their Iniquities are well nigh finished and the Lord will one way or other correct and reproue them and they shall be dealt with in like manner as they have dealt with you for they were no more than a Rod in the hand of the Lord for a season and they must also be broken and cast into the fire and whether the Lord may ever make use of you to reprove them as he did of them to reprove you this I determine not but leaves it to him who can do whatsoever he will by what Instruments he pleaseth It is true you have made many Attempts to be revenged upon them but you have not hitherto prospered but could you be humbled and come into the meek Spirit of the Lord then might you prosper but hitherto the Lord hath alwayes defeated you and bowed you down under a People as unworthy at others but their time will come to an end And submit unto the will of the Lord in what is come to pass and seek not vengeance to your selves and then the Lord will avenge your cause for the Iniquities of your Adversaries are ripe c. And Charles Stuart must either be Converted to God and ruled by him or else he can never rightly Rule for God in this Nation though this I believe it is not impossible but that he may be a Rod upon them that once smote him and their Oppressions and Ambitions may receive a check through him c. These things were written in a Letter to all the people of your part long before there was any visible appearance of that which is now come to pass whereby it doth appear that these things in a great measure were foreseen and Prophesied of and it was believed as a thing very possible that thus it might be as is already come to pass And as for visions they are for an appointed time there is a time to see and a time to speak what is seen and revealed things belongs to us and when we declare them then you may take notice of it But it was verily believed as a thing possible that such a thing would be and also by the proceedings and transactions as they have fallen out for your very enemies have so acted and proceeded as to destroy themselves to bring you in over their Heads though they little intended the thing yet the effect of their proceedings could hardly
prove otherwise than to destroy themselves and make room for you and these things I observed And also thus far we did fore see and it was revealed to us and believed by many of us fully and we did often Prophesie it that the Lord God of Heaven Earth would destroy and bring down the Government Authority as they have stood in this Nation for divers years and that he would bring Iudgment upon the Rulers and upon many of the Teachers People of this Nation because of their Oppressions and Unfaithfulness and Treachery Hypocrisie Wickedness which abounded amongst them which we have felt and seen and been sensible of and we have often given our witness against them because of their guiltiness in their sinful waies Oh it hath been loathsome unto the Lord even the Oppressions Treacheries of the Rulers Oh how hath Cruelty and Injustice abounded in their Government their hypocrisie hath been evident in our sight in many Particulars even in that they have cryed against and overthrown King and Kingly Government charging them with oppression and cruelty and pretended to ease the People in a better way of Government when as though Governors and Names Titles of Government were changed and altered yet oppression ceased not neither was injustice forsaken nor was the heavy yoakes of great bondage removed but the rather these things were increased upon many good People in these Nations and herein was the unfaithfulness and treachery of the Rulers very great in the sight of God and their Government unjust and unequal wherefore the Lord hath been provoked against them to confound them and overturn them and we have often told it them and also the Hypocrisie and deceits and sinfulness of Teachers we have seen testified against our witness to them both is and will be found true and Gods justice will be fulfilled upon them both these things we have observed even the heinous guilt of sin against God in both Rulers and Teachers the abominations that have been committed both in Civil and Church Government so called also and many People have loved to have these things so and we have been sensible how the Lord hath been provoked to overthrow the Governors of this Nation because hereof and this we have foreseen and Prophesied of even that Iudgement and Confusion would come upon the Government the Rulers and the Teachers but particularly when and after what manner judgment overthrow should come upon them was left to the Lord who hath brought to pass his own will according to Justice and it may prove to be a just Jugdment from the Lord upon the Unfaithful and Treacherous and Unjust Rulers and Teachers and People which I have mentioned and the Lord may justly avenge himself upon them who have abused his Mercies and not improved his Deliverance to his glory but perverted the end wherefore they were at first raised up I say the Lord may justly be avenged of them by this means of this mans comingin and he may be in the hand of the Lord a very smiting Rod to correct and rebuke and may be a heavy Judgment upon many in this Nation even from that cause and for that end as before I have expressed Quer. 2. Whether you or any of you do adjudge it Reasonable and Equitable that he should come inherit the Nations of which he is born the right Heir Or whether or no it is just or unjust to God and men that he should Reign King over these Nations If you walk judg by the Law of God which is Equal then judge of this whether he hath been kept out this many Years now is brought in again Reasonably Iustly or Unjustly contrary to Reason Answ. That he should come in is Reasonable and Equitable because through the purpose of the Lord his coming in is accomplished who effecteth nothing but what is Equal Reasonable there is cause in God sufficient wherefore it should thus be there is Sufficient cause Reason appearing to us in this matter upon the very account as laid down in my Answer to the first Query it is Equal as in the Lord that he should be restored who hath been removed cast out by such as have pretended to Govern Rule better than he but have ruled in Oppression Injustice not answered the cause wherefore he was cast out that he should come in to be a Scourge upon these this is just and in this particular doth lie the Reason Equity of his coming in to inherit this Nation And as for Reigning justly over this Nation that may better be answered when we have had experience of his Reign for if he Reign Rule in Truth Righteousness in Mercy and in Iustice and by and according to the Iust Law of God if thus he Reign then he Reigneth justly it is just to God and men that he should Reign and this the Law of God which is Equal judgeth by which we walk in all things do judge of all things And as for his being kept out this many years we do judge that the hand of the Lord is in these matters they were done suffered to be done by him in which he will be glorified yet thus far I say they that have kept him out in pretence that they would Rule better than he yet have ruled in Oppression Injustice as much more may be then he would have done they have dealed unjustly and contrary to reason both to him and much more to the People of these Nations while they have made and had new Names and Titles of Government and Governors but have continued the old oppressions and not releived the oppressed according to their own vows and promises which they have broken and it is but just they should be punished for it but if he render not evil for evil he doth well Quer. 3. Whether or no ye can judge that his Reign and Government shall be blessed to himself and these Nations or the contrary Or whether shall Peace or Trouble be in the Land in his dayes And shall his dayes be many or shall his time be short if this be revealed to you let us know Answ. We do judge that his Reign and Government may be blessed to himself and these Nations or not blessed and peace may be in the Land or trouble in his dayes and his time may be long or it may be short according as he walketh in the fear of the Lord or as he walketh wickedly and according as his Reign and Government is in Righteousness Mercy and Truth or in Oppression and Injustice accordingly do I judge may he be blessed may have Peace and long dayes or the contrary if he walk in the way which brings contrary effects and we take not upon us to judge any thing before the time but as thorow time he discovers himself so