travelling towards the Land of rest promised of the Lord to them to be obtained and enjoyed by them and they do and have sojourned strangers in these Nations over whom thou art called to Rule and appointed chief Governour this 7 years and greatly are and have they been afflicted and oppressed and even trodden down through unjust Judgment and unrighteous dealing by the Rulers and Inhabitants of the Land and all the dayes of thy Father the late Protector they were held in great captivity and bondage and unrighteous men made them a prey and layed heavy yoaks of cruel sufferings upon them and daily increased their task and something thy Father did for them in their journey of great distress yet but a little of what the Lord required of him and what the Lord looked for that he might have done for power was in his hands given him of the Lord but he was not fully obedient and therefore was the Lords hand stretched out somewhat against him and his Family and he was smitten of the Lord and suddenly taken away in Judgment for he hearkened not to the Counsel of the Lord concerning that people neither did fully relieve them from oppression but slighted many warnings from the Lord the day of his visitation passed over and death took him away in disobedience while this people were yet under great oppressions for he left above a hundred of them in prisons unjustly suffering for â—â—righteousness sake and not for evil-doing and in this he fulfilled not the Will of God but left his name and glory somewhat stained because of these things and though the Lord chose him and shewed love unto him and gave him power over his enemies and made him an Instrument in his hand to break down great oppressions yet he was not obedient to the end to do my will saith the Lord but left something undone which he was truly called unto Now this innumerable people that is come and coming up as aforesaid are them called Quakers and this Aegypts Land is that great darkness ignorance and wickedness and false ways and worships in the Apostacy and fleshly bondage to sin and death which all the world and kindreds and multitudes that are unconverted to God lives and walks in and that Land of rest promised to which they travel is the peaceable and quiet dwelling with the Lord free from the heavy oppression of sin and iniquity and cruelties of men and free in the exercise of their pure Consciences by the Spirit of the Lord as it shall move and lead them into all truth and their sojourning as strangers is their denying and despising the world and all its glories and walking in the daily Cross of Christ whereby they are crucified to the love and respect and renown and honours of the world and are come out of kindreds tongues and people counting the reproach for Christ great riches not respecting men but the Lord altogether in all things and also their suffering unrighteusly false imprisonment and spoiling of their goods for righteousness sake this is their sojourning as strangers And that something that thy Father did for them is he released many of them divers times out of prisons where they were unjustly cast and he signified sometimes his displeasure against them that made them suffer and shewed love to them in hearing their innocent cause with some respect thereunto and that which he did not which he might have done is he took not away Tithes that cause of great oppression to many nor the unrighteous laws wholly as he ought to have done and as the Lord required of him And know thou from the Lord that this same people are the people of the Lord and beloved of him and as dear to him as the apple of his eye and his presence is with them and he leads them as a flock by his Spirit into all truth and who shall bless them shall be blessed but he that acts against them shall not prosper but be smitten of the Lord for their cause will the Lord plead in his Judgments and avenge them of their enemies and the dread of the Lord God shall fall heavy upon the heads of their persecutors and though they are hated of all men and are under great afflictions yet are they a Just people and innocent seeking the good of all men and are peaceable towards all and receiving all manner of wrongs and evil and speakings against them by ungodly men but they render to no man evil for evil but bless them that curse and do good to their enemies and bears all things from all men in long suffering and patience for they are learned in the practices of doing and suffering of the holy Apostles and Prophets and are of the seed of Abraham who was the friend of God and they were thy fathers friends and are not enemies to thee nor to righteous Government but wishes well unto thee in the Lord and that thou may not be destroyed in wickedness but be established in righteousness and peace in thy Government to rule in Gods authority over all wicked men that may seek thy hurt and we desire for thee that the Lord may give thee wisdom a perfect understanding and the Spirit of just and sound Judgment to Judge righteously in all things and to settle the Government in true Judgment that the principle of God in every man may answer to it in defending and preserving and protecting all that walk in truth and righteousness and being a terrour to all evil-doers for for that end is rule and government ordained of God amongst men to be a praise to all that do well and a terrour to all that do evil and now the Lord having suffered it to be brought to pass that thou art set up in thy fathers stead to be chief Ruler amongst men this the Lord God Almighty requires of thee as thou hopes to prosper and be blessed in this life and to enjoy life Eternal when this world is passed away and this is the Word of the Lord God unto thee be humble meek and lowly in heart and exalt not thy own horn nor seek not this worlds honour but seek the Lord with thy whole heart and let Justice and true Judgment and righteous Government which is according to the Law of God be set up and exalted in the Nations and come to know in thy self the Dominion and Authority of the Lord God over sin and transgression and to keep down and condemn all that which is contrary to God in thy own heart and that will make thee a dread and a terrour to men and Nations and then the Lord will be thy Crown and his people will rejoice in thee and lift up their hearts to God for thee if thou throw down and abolish all unrighteous lawes and decrees which have been set up in the days of ignorance and yet stands wherereby the Lords dear Children are afflicted and oppressed at this day and establish such a Government
direct thee in all things and thy immortal soul will be satisfied with the bread that cometh down from heaven which the Father giveth and the Covenant of God and the mercies of David that are sure will be revealed and his promise fulfilled in thee and life and immortality brought to light through the Gospel which is the power of God which destroyes and puts off and confounds the first man and his knowledge and wisdom and his sin and righteousness all which is in transgression against the life of God and the Gospel the power of God being received it will raise up the seed of God in thee and bring thee to know the second Adam the image of the Father which the Devil hath nothing in but he overcomes the Devil who hath been the Lamb slain by transgression since the foundation of the world and he it is that comes out of death that must take away thy sin and destroy it and cover thy nakedness and create thee a new and give thee acceptance in the Father whereby thy soul in him may be refreshed and a habitation in him thou maist have when this world is no more and for this thou oughtest to wait above all things And friend thou hast need of the Wisdom of God which is from heaven to guide thee in all thy affairs that by it thou may be preserved from the will of thine enemies and from all that hate thee that their eye may be blinded that watch for evil and their wisdom and policy confounded and brought to nought that hatches mischief against thee so feel a measure of the Wisdom of God in thee to guide thee in dread and Authority and thy enemies will be afraid for to walk in the fear of the Lord and in his Wisdom and Authority in Justice truth and righteousness that will make thee a greater terrour unto thy enemies then all worldly policy and craft the Nations will over reach thee if thy strength be there and if Judgement Justice and Righteousness be neglected by thee how should the Lord honour thee and defend thee nay he will bring dishonour and give thee into the will of thy enemies for want of truth and just Judgement causeth a Land to mourn and her People to sit as a widow comfortless wherefore love Judgement truth and righteousness and walk therein and thou wilt leave a praise behind thee and a witness to other Ages that thou hast served the Lord in thy generation and then thy memorial shall never die nor thy name come into reproach among the heathen wherefore let all oppression be removed and let the just go free and let Judgement and righteousness run down and be thou a praise and a blessing to all that do well and a rerrour and a dread to all the contrary arise and stand up for the Lord and he will give thee strength and victory and will make thy horn as Iron and thy hoof as brass to push down down and tread under the high places of Idolatry in all the Apostatized Churches both Papists and others out of the life of the Apostles and as thou comes into the life the Apostles were in then thou wilt see and fathome over all this Profession of Christ and all these Churches that are without the life of Christ which is come up in the Apostacy and as the life of God ariseth in thee thou wilt see who the false Prophets are and deceivers which Christ prophesied of should come and Iohn saw were come in his dayes which hath over-spread the Nations and these are they which hath the sheeps cloathing upon them but inwardly they are ravening Wolves and such are they that will flatter thee for great Benefits and places and large maintenance they have Christs words and the Apostles words the sheeps cloathing but they that put not into their mouthes they will prepare War against them and raven upon them cast their bodies into prison or spoil their goods and wilt thou bring thy name into dishonour to all the Saints upon earth by defending of these in their evil wayes thou oughtest not to do it nor to suffer the innocent to be troden down and destroyed for denying such and witnessing against them that are out of the life of Christ and a great overthrow will the Lord make among those Teachers and such a Ministry that need to be defended by carnal weapons and by stockes and prisons for such Teachers and Ministry is not of Christ as is manifest and as People have been scattered after them for ages so they shall again be gathered from them by the spirit to follow the Lamb whethersoever he goes And take heed these Teachers come not too near thee neither put confidence in them for their hearts are not right before the Lord and they will flatter thee while they hatch evil against thee but stand over them in the Dominion of God and if they sow spiritual things let them reap carnal by a free gift and if they have flocks let them eat of the milk freely given them and if they have planted any thing let them eat the fruit as it comes freely and be not thou combered about maintaining Ministers but free thy self of that burthen neither suffer innocent men to be troden down and destroyed in their persons and estates about the maintaining of such Teachers which is become the grievousest oppression in the Nation And as concerning thy family thou hast need of Gods wisdom to guide thee that thou mayest Rule in Gods Authority over all light loose proud wanton ungodly and deceitful persons take heed of such spirits for they will be a temptation to thee to draw thee into evil and into the world out from God let no such be thy companions nor remain in thy house lest they betray thee with flatteries and honour which perisheth and such professe much love and great duty in words yet they being out of the fear of the Lord cannot be blessed unto thee in their service wherefore love such men and let them be thy companions that fear the Lord and that are solid and sober and upright such as may be good examples before thee which will quench evil and not increase it in thee and though such appear not in flatteries towards thee nor with a double minde yet they will be faithful to thee and such will the Lord blesse unto thee and let no drunkards nor covetous evil minded persons that seeks themselves and not the Lord have place with thee for they will be a dishonour to thee and bring the curse into thy family and love such as makes conscience of their words ways and be not an oppressor of the tender conscience of any but let the Lord be Ruler there both in thy self in all thy family and be of a pittiful tender mind and spirit towards strangers and all people and be kind and long suffering towards all yet let Justice reach to all transgressors and be an example to all
love to thee in the Nations and in thy Family for a season till their own ends of advantage be accomplished and may in the very time hatch evil against thee and secretly invent to uncover thy nakedness and betray thee for many men are treacherous but thou receiving a measure of the Wisdom of God it will guide thee over all such and thou wilt see into the hearts and spirits of men and to discern between love unfained which will seek thy good not self that love which is fained which will flatter thee and blind thy Judgement and lead thee into snares and such as will the least flatter thee will be the most true to thee so beware and let not vain flatterers and proud ambitious and ungodly self-seeking men nor drunkards nor covetous nor politick and deceitful men and spirits have any place in thy heart nor in thy house nor in places of authority and trust in thy Government for such men will be a snare unto thee and a dishonour to thee and the cause of Gods wrath curse against thy person family and whole Nations for such men God will not bless nor thee nor the Government for their sakes this thou wilt find true one day therefore chuse unto thee such men as fears God who are just and humble and upright-hearted who are sincere and faithful to the Lord who hath the Wisdom of God and true nobility of spirit in righteousness and simplicity free from the prophanness of this evil world let such be thy companions to wait upon thy person and to Govern and Rule in thy Family and Nations and let such be put in trust who will not be treacherous for such are blessed and will be a blessing to thee and the whole Government and we know that the Lord gives respect and regard to the upright that fears his Name and such he will accomplish his work by to thy renown and the peace and happiness of the Nations more then to craft and policy and the wisdom and subtilty of this world for thereby the Lord will never fulfil his work nor prosper a Ruler nor his people and if thy strength and defence be there and not in the Lord and his pure Wisdom only thou canst not prosper but the Nations men will over-reach thee beguile thee and thou cannot be happy nor thy Government be kept in peace but a little measure of the fear power and wisdom of the Lord God from heaven in thy heart amongst such as are thy Counsellors to guide you Govern you will be of more value and worth unto thee in thy place and condition then all worldly policy and wisdom and craft which with God is not regarded nor of him ever blessed and if thou deny the Lord and righteous men and chuse thy own way and this worlds wisdom that 's from below then thy trust and strength shall pierce thee and make thee feeble and of all others thy state will be the most miserable if thou be given into the policy and deceipts of treacherous men so be wise and seek the Lord that he may be thy trust and put not confidence in vain man whose heart is deceitful and desperately wicked And as concerning the condition of these Nations they are in a broken state much devided and divers in Judgements and far out of good order for there is much corruption and abuse in all orders and places of men and much to be purged out and Judged both in Magistracy and Ministry before righteousness peace and truth union joy and faithfulness can embrace one another amongst the Inhabitants of the Nations for both are in a diversion degeneration from what they were at the first ordained of God and this I could clearly manifest unto thee for the Nations are but newly come out of Popery having put off but part of the dress of that polluted Whore and the garments of professions in Religion yet smell thereof as not being throughly purged from her abominable Idolatries and superstitions as thou maist see when the Lord opens thy eye to view the present state of all things As for Magistracy it was ordained of God to be a dread and terrour limit to all evil-doers to be a defence praise to all that do well to condemn the guilty to justifie the guiltless but the exercise thereof at this day inthese Nations is degenerated and some that are in authority are greatly corrupted and regards not the Just and pure Law of God to Judge onely thereby but oppresseth the poor by injustice and subverts the good Laws of God and men to a wrong end and use abusing Authority and turning the sword against the Just whereby true Judgement is turned backward the innocent made unjustly to suffer for righteousness sake through the corruption of men in Authority and didst thou but know what we know in this particular it would pierce thy heart Why It is frequent amongst some of the Judges Magistrates to commit a just man to prison impose some great fine up on him and to cast him into a dungeon or hole among thieves and murtherers for a long season for no other offence or breach of any Law but because he cannot put off his hat to them and respect their persons by bowing the hat or knee and many others that fears God and for Conscience sake cannot swear upon a book by kissing it laying hand upon it because Christ saith swear not at all though they deny not to do and speak the truth in all things as in the presence of God and all men and many others that because they are moved to cry against sin and declare against the iniquities of the times in Teachers Rulers and People that highly abounds perhaps in a Market or Steeple-house or High-way or other place as they are moved of God and many others because for conscience sake they cannot pay Tythes nor give mony and wages to a maintain a Priest or false Teacher that they receive no profit by or to maintain a steeplehouse where the world worships in vain traditions and not in the spirit and power of God and many have been taken out of peaceable meetings where they were waiting upon the Lord and some out of their Innes and friends houses and many have been taken on the way travelling about their lawful occasions and some from their callings and labours and for these causes through the envy of wicked men and without any just conviction of the breach of any Law or any lawful tryal or examination have hundreds of just men being wholly innocent been sent to prison and layed many Moneths and some for years or whipt and put in the stockes and grievously abused by cruel executioners of wicked mens envy and injustice and upon such grounds onely and for such causes mentioned and without the transgression of any just Law have and do at this day many hundreds of