AN EMBASSAGE FROM THE KINGS of the EAST TO HIS HIGHNES THE Lord Protector Of England Scotland and Ireland Printed in the year 1654. MY LORD THe soul of man the glories of the world are never sitting face to face nor side by side much lesse rest they as in one bed but are ever looking like the East and West one from another and although in this posture they seem to be coupled it is but by the thred of life which every little distemper years age or causualty snaps asunder tumbling both as in one moment wider from each other than is the Sun and shadow nor are these the soul of man the glories of the world standing still or resting in this present posture back to back but like to penny birds upon a painted board are alwayes dopping down the head and picking one another sure I am the soul thrice noble and immortal may pick and peck for in this flattering-world honours glories joyes and pleasures in a greedy way but these pleasures dig down fast and soon this glory yea God I was about to say the soul of man or breath of his yea they dig down that as low as hell and in a moments time all your dayes my Lord are no more nor are they that compared with eternity if the heavens be but as the wearing of a garment out what is then the life of man but as the putting on or off yea the glance of it much less are all his wants fears hopes joyes and glories O my soul flee away from all these things be at rest yea at work if there be time and opportunity in thy hand to do for God self souls or nations Why should eternity drop upon thee or thou roul into it before thou art aware Do what thou wilt dye and get thee hence to thine own place come no more here men are plotting God prevents the mourners go about the street but the Spirit to him that gave it Go Welldone Wellcome Yours my LORD WILL. BLAKE To the whole Israel of GOD greeting CHurches Saints and Christians a true lover of you all in all forms scarce known or worthy so to be Dedicates this little Book or labour of love to you and your acceptance yea prosecution of which be who will first and most in they are the glory of the world Kings Shepherds Star and Angel leading men to Christ or rather showing where they have laid by him and his truth all which may be done as followeth if you prosecute this businesse to the life not losing one day and how many brave designs have failed for want of that O let it never be said every man mindeth his own things and none the things of Christ you professe much many of you do so but who layes by all a little while for him yea who makes it his whole and sole businesse to advance his Name Fame Kingdom and glory in the world he is not so far gone but he will come again Asts 1. 11. yea as a thief in the night Rev. 16. 15. and his reward is with him Watch for the good man of the house Mar. 13. 35. and know if he did know of the thiefs coming he would certainly prepare and not sleep like the foolish Virgins do not you as do those who are of the night Eph. 2. 2. you are of the day walk as the children of the light and redeem the time because the dayes are evill blessed is he that keeps his garments undefiled and is not found beating of his fellows but walking with his lamp burning like a beacon but who almost does so or mindes that Christ to any purpose who wills longs loves yea crowns us with his own glory the glory of the Father and sets us in his throne Rev. 3. 21. his work we are at and recommend it unto you but if it stick let it lye in the day of account upon his account that shall slight it saying I am not concerned I am not at leisure and I am not well satisfied how when and what it is you would be at well you may shuffel cut and put it off to one another as much as you please but it wil be hardly answered one day and it may begrieve you when t is too late that the best of you all have done no more for him in your present generation do not sit piping or lamenting Mat. 11. 17. things may do well enough for all this what need we care who rules so Christ reigns and his Saints which are best at Prayer and Preaching if we have liberty to purpose for the latter let us be content in the Name of God else never whilst we breath yea without this let our tongues rot and cleave unto our mouths rather then be silent but mannage well that it is enough for Peter Paul Iames Iack or Iohn and the poor Saints so to do our turn will be next and our day is a coming 1 Iohn 3. 2. Iud. 14. what would Ionas Iob Iacob and the rest of good men do but for one Christ whom who almost mindes knowes loves or likes he is so poor mean low far off slow and long of coming to do any thing for one or the other but when he comes it is to purpose his reward will be with him Rev. 22. 12. In the mean time we leave his work with you Churches scattered Saints and others the Spirit bid us do it Yours and every one of yours in the neerest bonds W. B. And the last beast was like a flying Eagle Rev. 4. 7. Such a Spirit should be now in all the Saints this being the last age of the world Let all write with this Quill other Pens are out of date in this knowing age An Embassage from the Kings of the East To His Highnesse the LORD PROTECTOR of England Scotland and Ireland MY LORD PROTECTOR in the Name of God Almighty we the poor unworthy servants of your Lord and Master do with one consent in love zeal and humility Petition you and your Honourable Councel for our Magna Charta purchased by the blood of Christ made over in his Word and witnessed by his Spirit to be our true and undoubted right more than the blood of our veines but the great enemy of Mankinde the Devil and his tail the Pope and the popish Cleargy have robbed us this many years not of health wealth or lives but our Charter our deerest Charter our Christian Liberty purchased as beforesaid but yet withheld O my Lord this is our case and a sad one it is that we redeemed by Christ must thus be bound by men had we never known our Liberty we would not now complain nor this day mourn for it but now our harps are on the Willowes nor can we sing the songs of Sion nor her deliverance fully come whilst we are still in this captivity and freed from all almost besides but may you live to set your hand to them whose hearts are yet with you as
't is no matter for so much let us have a little life in what we have and therefore put nothing in your Bibles but here and there a word according to our first directions Most men will laugh if thou speakest fine words and knowest not whence they are derived much lesse prate not of the Original some things are hard to be understood enough is wrest not the Scripture a Pet. 3. 16. Speak what thou knowest and know what thou speakest Preach by thy life Mat. 5. 16. In every ten shillings that thou getest lay by one for the poor Prov. 19. 11. I would to the Lord the Tythes were theirs that have most need the poor Saints the Church land to the poor sinners something would do well twelvepence every Lords day would do good and Tradesmen must lay by for the Saints and one for another every Lords day more or lesse what do ye talk of sixpence 1 Cor. 16. 1. Yet a mite is acceptable Mercy is as good as sacrifice I will have that and not t'other saith the Lord Hos 6. 6. Many Saints or worldlings as they may be called will have one and are much in that little little nothing scarce in t'other If a man be worth fifty pound yea a crown clear and will do no good in some cases he shall never feed my soul that will not feed my body too in a great distresse James 2 17. John James Peter Paul would loath such a Preacher yea lover of the world Rom. 12. 13. By no meanes preach for or against a point that is disputeful Rom. 14. 1. especially about Baptizing 1 Cor. 1. 13 14 15 16. mind this Scripture ye great disputers for it seldome misse the Publick although you do not pray Preach or expound and do that most it is much one and the same thing What matter whether thou ever goest up to the Pulpit Yet speak near it and not at the other end of the Church If ten be in the Church or Chappel one may begin with Prayer and another brother may expound one or halfe a Chapter but for Christ his sake have a care what ye say you know many thrust themselves too forward ye many times the most unfit and unable learn first then teach but be not ever learning you might have been good Preachers by this saith Paul Hâ—b 5. 12. Observe that well all ye that oppose When the Minister and people are all come then go no further in Prayer or rather in expounding Never stay for Psalmmen or Readers they may all go plough play or sing Te Deum and yet we are for both in the Publick places but why should any but a godly man do either we think St. Paul had no such Clarks and readers as too many have yea we think there must be almost as great a call for either as for Preaching yet the worst may touch the Ark here though they fill the pot and pipe all the week besides but not a godly grave and sober Christian by no meanes able to preach pray and expound sweetly by the Spirit would some of you would prove these mens Callings before you disprove ours which reason God and nature seems to allow Doth the rose send forth its sweetnesse the vine and olive too their fatnesse and are we to make the most good of every good thing but the gifts of Gods Spirit must ly still or hid as in a napkin and yet the Bee carries all her honey to the hive but we must carry nothing to the Church of Christ though we labour for it as the Ministers do yea fetch it from the same flowers and promises so that it is just the same thing we bring and by the same Spirit but we are cloathed in gray yea in fools cotes many times and made the scorn of the world for bringing honey to the hive Surely God doth nothing in vain yea every thing for the most advantage he gives the rain not for the earths sake alone but for man and beast gifts and parts seems to us to be given for some such publick end else why are we bid in a generall way so earnestly to covet for it 1 Cor. 14 1. Meditation is as good as Preaching for a mans self yet covet to prophesie to your Family sayeth the Minister one neighbour or two then say we it is as lawfull if a hundred comes and more publick too then theirs if there he but ninety nine the People not the Pulpit makes it publick But let us go on with our rules and keep some arguments behinde parts and Ministers will turn all yea the Moon some say to green Chease yea and this Sun to darknesse too if men will believe all that some of them say but observe well their end that shall bitterly write or preach against this truth yea see if these men dy the common death of other Saints which is to be most fruitfull in their old age like Davids tree Psal 1. 3. Isa 27. 6. But we fear these men will be like the figtree the broken bough or fallen leaf underneath the tree or high way side yea if they do not weather God hath not spoken by us have not we observed Be silent O earth God is risen out of his holy place Zach. 2. 13. And the blast of the terrible One shall light upon them Isa 25. 4. Well but if any be free to stay longer than the Minister hath done then exercise again when the rest are all gone out Acts 13. 15. If it be possible let three or four gifted Christians keep a meeting up in every publick place as now they do in a Parler which is too private Mat. 10. 27. to begin and end just at an hour and alwayes give a little bread or something to the poor of the Parish 1 Cor. 16. 2. One rich Saint may do that for the honour of all and never hurt himself this may toll in poor men and beggers unto Christ whose souls are as precious as the Kings of Nations and more to be pitied too for their poverty and ignorance yet both more worth then a thousand worlds Mat. 16. 26. Get the Minister as often as may be to be with you not to speak by no meanes they will eat up time too much Minde this gathered Saints and Churches most of your Pastors are very guilty this way and I pray God there be not a popes toe in this also why should one have almost all the time Let them keep and see it best managed how their flock and people thrive and what light and life is amongst them this will guid and help them all in Preaching knit and tye hearts and hearts together More might be added as the sending of your gifted Saints ten twenty thirty miles for a moneth more or lesse Phit 2. 19 25. If he be free and well able to defraud his charge else the friends of Christ must do it for him the rich contributing double and treble who can spend means better
think of it had much more call then some whom we plead for onely more of God and zeal for God to encourage to the work and I hope we shal have some to begin in every parrish Church if in case the Magistrate give not leave this were a work of honour and worthy to be chronicled amongst the Miracles of the Saints if such a one should a little suffer yea would we could but hear of one or two suffering in such a kind of way what never a bold man in all the Churches now in London that dare come to ours Margarets Pauls White-Hall Covent-Garden or Clements there you may be all wellcome and preach a little Sermon before the Minister comes in the Name of God break the ice some body make a gap in the hedg of Antichrist we will widen it and follow in apace Where is the Bell-weather of the Saints I mean the brave able bold and gifted Christian that can go on in his matter roundly answer all objections bravely look scoffers in the face boldly yea go on with his matter if in case the people stare stand up on the top of the Pewes whisper one to another never minding these things yea in case the Church Wardens which are seldome good cry Pray Sir be quiet and make no disturbance Sir we speak for Christ and will till the Clerk or Minister come if one sheep go first fourty straight will follow but by all means let us first of all draw our Petition if it be but three lines yea and let our hands be to it by all meanes and not one man but every mans name be down but not one more than really godly and blamelesse in their conversations yea let all such in London and all such in England yea in Wales where they say they are good at the work already and have very good successe in one or two places the people flock in amain their Welch blood malignity and ignorance out yea let all subscribe two three or four parrishes may where the Saints be scarce else every one a Petition by themselves yea and as near as may be give notice one Church one country to another so to do yea and come in Person as many as conveniently can it will do my Lord Protector good to see some of his poor old friends and his Souldiers Landlords once again some of which he hath prayed with and for What if a day or two three or a week be lost upon so good an accompt My Lord will bear your charges down with his gracious answer the great Councel hath prepared it already if you will but come Why do you stand staying for a hand or two when you have thousands known to be good godly quiet humble and self-denying Christians some wil come the next day but stay not you for any We have stayed too long they that will not joyn now may hereafter let every man do as the Lord shall perswade him Gal. 1. 10. and let us do so too This was alwayes the rule and saying of one of our best friends In the name of God let us see what he saith now he is still the same man and for the same things we hope though in more power Oh but you will say the people are not yet perswaded No nor never will to any thing for their good Must not we compell men into Christ Luk. 14. 23. Ob. God must perswade them by his word and Spirit Ans This is the meanes commanded to be used and that that hath been frequently blessed and let that satisfie all good men that will be satisfied Acts 11. 21. 1 Cor. 14. 31 Jud. 20 21 22 23. Yea the last ten yeares experience which you say hath filled the world with errors and although many errours were before concealed it was but as the weeds are in the night which are as much then as in the day onely men cannot so well see them as when the light arises but God forbid the the Sun should not shine for fear of these weeds growing or discovering The way to weed the world is not to put out the Lights or Light of the world Math. 5. 14 The Devil errours ignorance and wickednesse may as well hide under a short cote a rigid Presbyterian strickt and strait Last forme as in a Bishops Goun What think ye of Scotland where we be all can Religion for the Kirk and Pearson and in gend faith we will pay the Sectaries Army and the Devil Crumwel the horn of the beast we say of the Lamb Rev. 5. 6. and we are sure he was so to us and we hope ever will be What Stand against the Kirk of God Preach themselves and speak against their Ministers aut aut for shame haang these heretick dogs false lowns and blasphemers yea the curse of God and the holy Kirk light on them all I say What do you think of these poor simple ignorant and bewitched people which never wanted legall Preachers but alas is their harvest like ours or is there not too too much want of our gifted Saints amongst them the Lord convince all opposers upon this consideration and the experience from among our selves for although more errours may be now then ten or twelve yeares ago yet we are sure they are not considerable to the numberlesse number of knowers that are more now than ever in England yea in any place of the world and we hope ye fear egransdamnes a thousand for one hundred and I pray consider that But we conclude with this Prayer The Lord grant our knowledge lay none of us the more low in hell and on the other hand lead some that see and will not towards the sin against the holy Ghost which of all men in the world clear knowers strict Professors and rigid men are aptest to fall into we have told you already who alwayes resisted the holy Ghost and murdered the Lord of life and glory O if ever a Prophet perish in England it will be by Jerusalem meanes the knowing legal godly men Luk. 13. 33 34 35. An Exhortation to the gifted Saints to manage well this Liberty or some Gospel Rules for new Preachers ANd now holy brethren partakers of the heavenly calling joys gifts and graces of the holy Spirit which few or none of the Princes of this world which come to nought do or have known for many hundred years 1 Cor. 2. 6. yet not hid from some of the Princes of this world now in our dayes the glory of the Nation and to you we would be free for we are all so being the Lords bond men and servants yea to some of you in great Authority we cannot but commend it if we could we would certainly command it but do for the present on the knees of our affections humbly intreat you to condescâ—nd to this mean high and low work the work of a few Fishers at the first God himself in Person after though at first of all by many great men Kings
Priests Prophets Samuel Moses Aaron David and Daniel now Peter Paul James and John again yet not without the old Spirit the Spirit of his Son God who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake in times past by the fathers the Prophets hath in these last times spoken to us by his Son Heb. 1. 1. You the great Saints of England and glory of the world we would intreat you on the knee again and again yea beseech you in the bowels of love yea the God of love and the mercies of that God Rom. 12. 2 for his own and the honour of his and the poor gifted Saints sake that you would all pull off your Crowns of honour for an hour as once the poor fishers did their great bootes to follow Christ else it would have been but slow And you my Lord Protector What if you should begin in this high and low work and give us in your own Person one short and sweet Sermon now at White-Hall as late you did to your own Family we would say King David were on earth again and put in their murmuring no more at your present greatnesse who did a meaner thing in dancing before the Ark of God 2 Sam. 6. 16. My Lord look to the Canopies above and down again to White-Hall yea your self and what are you though so great a Saint more than a worm gnat nothing Isa 41. 14. Yet may you Nothing this way honour him that is what he is and doth what he pleases in heaven and in earth yea in hell amongst and with Saints Angels men and divels yea every living thing as well things that are not winds Seas storm fire hail ice snow yea day and night for they are all his too Psal 74. 16. This one Being and Being of all Beings may you poor Nothing yet preach and our good Lord Jesus who once becaâ—e nothing to serve and make you and us all Kings Priests and Prophets to our God by his blood Rev. 1. 6. Not that above once or twice we desire this work of honour from and for you to preach this God that every moment rides the circle of the heavens Isa 40. 22. upon the mighty wings and Chariots of the windes that drawes or drives the cloudâ— hither and thither yea the Seas where he wills quite from off the earth and flings them down again upon the Prayers of his people when and where he please as lately now when man and beast was mourning yea every senslesse creature dying yea the earth it self yauning wide as if that and all would dye yea dye they would and dye they must at once but God prevented all for his peoples sake and said live again Oh that men would praise his Name and sing again his mercy endureth for ever Psal 136. a Psalm for your soul in secret but a Sermon it is we beg yea one at at least from you my Lord and the Princes among the people yea the Saints of the most high God Dan. 7. 27 shall imitate you all for the honour of the work Nathaniel Pickering Wooslâ—y Sadler and Sir Henry Vane all which and many more could and can pray and Preach bravelie and if all Jacob be but one worm to the God of Jacob 't is no dishonour to these choice bitts of this worm to praise their Maker once or twice at the least in the great Congregations and the Assemblies of the Saints which David hints so often at as his own practice in a soul exalting way of glorie I will praise thee in the Congregation yea in the great Congregation of the people yea among the Gods Psal 111. 1. and 138. 1. I will do it and will not you Gods your selves once at the Prayers of all Saints as Paul speaks in another case God forbid you or any should be ashamed of a good Master and what is it else that some princes stick at Come come it will be an honour one day to come bowing to the Saints and lick the dust of their feet yea the meanest work for Christ and them will be an honour for the greatest Monarchs in the world yea to preach this King of kings that hath this Name written on his thigh The Word of God Rev 19. 13. and 16. Read ye often the sixtie of Isaiah but let us come down from these gods to the people yea to the Saints that may tend it best and most to them we have a word Be as the tree or river in the Paradise of God Rev. 2. 7. Watering and feeding yea feed and water yea that have gifts all the rest yea all the Church of God over which you are made in your own proper places Overseers a high glory so to be Acts 20. 28. but begin at the 17. verse and mark well the whole Chapter The Angels never were but servants to bring newes or carry Saints to their home Heb. 1. 14. and how sweetly did they sing for joy of this glorying in the Work Luk. 29. And what may you say Oh yee dust of Jacob who are all of you together lesse then the least of the mercies of a God Gen. 32. 10. Your God we mean and your work we are at that is to Preach him up sin Satan death and Devils down yea to their own places I mean the sorrowes of the Saints and the works of darknesse all which are to be Preached down and Christ up from the grave of death and hell with the keyes of both in his hand Rev. 1. 18. This Lord and these keyes must you Preach up yea the power now in his hand and in his hand alone over sin Satan curse grave Law men devils Saints and Angels things present and to come yea over all these he is King for ever and hath wholly and solely the power of and over these things souls and consciences of men That is one thing my Brethren you are now called to Preach up by the first born which do call on you from the rising of the light life and love of God now in their souls and therefore do not scruple Oh ye Kings of the East Rev. 16. 12. but come forth as the morning Sun in the glory of your gifts and graces and the Spirit of the Son and Father and Preach up all three the Father in his love Iohn 3. 16. the Son in his merit 1 Tim. 1. 18. yea and the fruits joyes life and power of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. converting and convincing killing saving damning and destroying powers burning up and burning down like devouring fire in and on the soul the world and all the works of flesh flaming up to the heavens the righteousnesse of men much more pride hypocrâ—sie self and the foolishnesse of and in man every whereas he turns from one form to another resting more than he ought therein Well and who is now free fit and sufficient for this thing but our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3. 5. And he hath appointed for good men every one to
contribute what he hath and yet I know my brethren you have just nothing of your own but a little self-pride and self-covetousnesse earthlinesse and lust anger pride malice emptinesse and fulnesse in your own conceit yea this is all the best of you all have Are not ye stufft with these things hatred and rebuke yea your very hearts as David speakes in another sense and would be seen of men as Christ tells elsewhere being very hypocrites pray preach dispute and Prophesie for nothing else in the world but to get the world because it is a step and stirrup for preferment to be seen of men so to do and glory to the flesh to be counted somebody and a brave Preacher yea almost a Pastor at least a Member and an Officer in the Church of Christ called such a mans Church an ungodly divelish word Who hath a Church but Christ What hath every selfish Saint a Church purchased by his own blood got and brought from the body I know not how No it may be never of it but got into it at a back door or brought in head and shoulders or for company which is best still in the best things But this is stark nought to call any Church of Christ or little peece of his body by the name of this or that or t'other man but be ye what ye will Pastor Preacher Church or no Church Minde what you are in your selves though in Christ we all know you are righteous Col. 2. 10. Yea you especially that are gifted Saints indeed for our eye is still on you and onely you for carrying on this work of Reformation in the world and setting up of Christ in the Popes Chair as it were and if ever he had a pill or a pull this will be one to purpose yea me thinks we see the Rope just about his neck himself hanged up and choaked and the Spirit breathing yea the witnesses which have lyen dead and slain as it were many hundred years or Prophesying in sackcloath at the best are now alive again do not you hear and see them speak pray Preach and Prophesie and their beds green Cant. 1. 16. Fruitfull in their Work successefull in their warre against sin Satan Turk Pope divel divels mates and all the powers of hell Munks Punks Priests Fryars whorish and false worshippers these rogues rovers drovers robbers of the soul of men backs and bellies too Pigmongers whoormongers Applemongers Egg Corn Pease or Baconmongers loving all and better bitts too greedy doggs and Priests that can never bark pray nor preach but are snapping honest men in all hours and companies often on the Ale bench Puffe and tipling elsewhere but the witnesses are up on their leggs again for the King of glory as in the dayes of old And have at away runs the rabble the Kings of the Eall drive these locusts to the West the Divels to their dens and Imps to their dams and Errors to their homes yea all to the Divell most to the Pope many to the Mass-Priest t'other Priest too and his tail lustfull lazy idle simple ignorant wanton loose and vain-glorlous Christians Shakers Quakers and ungodly Ranters some such there be All these and your journey Jobbers hard red faced Clerks Sawers Psalm-men Wardens Pares neither good drunken Readers Sleepers Runners or Baptizers that have alwayes Crosse and Common prayer yea and Godfathers in their Pockets too these are all the long tail of the Priest where these errors like a bag full of catterpillars hang as on an old bush the rising of these Kings Tub-Preachers so call'd fires frights yea burnes bag bush yea the divels nest and all And this is your work mark how Pauls fals the scaffold to the Body all to the ground It is our work and it doth us good to the heart to see how the old idle whoore tumbles yet hang her she will make a brave Hospital and a good piece of Reformation it would be to give her to the Saints for such a kind of use you that are free fit and long for this work yea to be setting up this new Trade as some fools think yea too many good godly choice and precious Saints but take a serious observation though a weak application follow the Jews Temple rent Mat. 27. 51. at the slaying Christ in that was the true worship and true worshippers of God but the worship and worshippers were little lesse then a den of thieves and robbers yea they murdered the Lord of life and glory Acts 7. 52. God teares their worship yea the worshippers in pieces rejecting both by this simile rending the whole Temple in twain yea did he ever since smile on that sinfull selfish people against the appearances of Christ in his own Person and Disciples whom he ever did and doth still love as himself but these zealots in their darknesse doth by the servant as before with the Master one is a Belzebub yea so saith the Scribes Pharisees and Doctors most Temple-men but before this inhumane murther of our Lord Jesus the people cryed Hosanna Hosanna John 12. 13. though after Crucifie Crucifie Mark 15. 13. 14. The Priest leads the people to their sin God rejecteth both they reject the Stone Mat. 21. 42. the Stone rejects the builders Rom. 11. 15. Yea the sacrifice of them all but the Temple then was rent Mind their sin throughly for which this Judgment comes the Person of Christ they loathed the Spirit of Christ is as really now in the members of Christ 2 Cor. 13. 5. As God was in the humane nature of Christ when they hang'd him on a tree this Spirit they cannot come at but how many this day nail this Spirit and the appearances of it yea the very arms and legs of it they crown these appearances with reproaches yea thornes some think they are making such a cap now others see them spit continually in every Sermon I could almost name some that cry for the spear noted ones C. A and others what hath this love and speckled Dove done against these men which good work is it they would now stone him for is it for enlightning the world or filling their hearts with joy which others did with sorrow for convincing men too much of the deeds of darknesse John 16. 8. or distinguishing of the works of holinesse wills and inventions of men all which this Spirit doth must and was to do yea to fill the world with Prophets but take heed ye despise not these little ones Mat. 18. 6. yea erring ones for so they are in the esteem of most men Touch not the anointed of the Lord he hath rebuked Kings for their sakes nor do these Prophets any harm Psal 105. 15. If ever you do know God and men forewarnes you of medling with these or his little Churches which you are too apt to spit at and speak hardly of but the work of God is carried on by these little trees scattered Saints and Churches yea God and his