you who are Professors of the Scriptures which say You should not forget to Entertain Strangers but this was the Entertainment I found amongst you a Constable seized on me and my Goods and took them from me before I was on your Shore and brought me before thee Richard Bellingham who hadst nothing against me but that I was a Quaker also asking me what I came here for and how long I would stay and whither I would go my Anâ—wer was I stood in the Will of the Lord and did not know how long I should stay nor whither I should go but as the Lord orders me Thou saidst I spake very meekly and was a sober man yet thou by Tempting Words soughtst to insnare me and scoffingly said you are free from Sin are you not My Anâ—wer was my Faith stands in that Power which cleanseth my Heart from dead Works to serve the Living God in the Newness of Life and the Grace of God which brings Salvation which hath appeared to all men was my Teacher which taught the Saints of old to deny all Ungodliness and Worldly-Lusts and to live godly and soberly in this World but your Teacher Increase Maâ—der said There was nothing in him that he hoped to be saved by and that there was none cleansed from all Sin on this side the Grave and there was none good no not One. Unto whom I said Thou art a dark man and speakest ignorantly of thâ— Things of God at which thou rose up in much Anger and hadst much to do to keep thy Hands off me which was not seemly fâ—r a man that sitteth on the Seat to do Justice And so thou spake to thy Officer to take me away wouldst not suffer me to speak in my own Desence which was not denyed Paul by Foelix who was counted an Heathen and so thou gavest Order to â—eep me close and let none come at me where I am kept in a stincking smoaky Hole and also thou and thy Assistants I hear have laid a Fine upon the poor man in whose Ship I came as a Passenger of an Hundred Pounds if he send me not away the first Opportunity Oh ye cruel ridged Professors the Lord hath opened an Eye that seeth you and he will redeem his People from under your Bondage who are exercising your Cruelty upon them but the Lord will plead with you and also the Man not willing I should lie in such a nasty Place desired of you to let me be at his House till he had an Opportunity to send me away but ye would not who have nothing worthy of Bonds to lay to my Charge Oh how hath the God of the World blinded your Eves and filled your Hearts with Envy against the Appearance of God! who are Professors of the Scriptures and say They 〈…〉 bâ—t you know them not nor the Power of God which give them forth as it was said to them of Old who were crying The Templâ— of the Lord thâ— Temple of the Lord and if we 〈…〉 to our Fathâ—â—s Days we would not 〈…〉 the Prophets who were garnishing their Sepulchers and painting their Tombs who slew the Lord of Life and hung im on a Tree And may I not say unto you as Stephen said unto them Ye 〈◊〉 necked and uncircumcised in Heart and Ears ye always resist the holy Ghost as your Fathers did so do ye but they gnashâ—d upon him with their Teeth and cast 〈◊〉 out of their City and shed his Blood and do not your Fruits make you manifest as theirs did and do not the Scriptures of Truth bear Testimony against you that you are of the Wolf's Nature iâ— the Sheep's Clothing which devours the Lambs indeed for you do savour of the devouring Spirit and not of the Meek Spirit of Christ Jesus who said I came to save meâ—s Lives and not to destroy them who is come and his Reward is with him who said It hath been said by them of old time thou shalt love thy Neighbour and hate thy Enemy but I say unto you Love your Enemies pray for them that despightfully use you and persecute you Mat. 5. 43 44. But thee Richard Bellingham aâ—t of another Spirit the Lord rebuke thee who said thou thoughtst thou didst God good Service in what thou didst against us So the Words of Christ Jesus are fulfilled upon thy Head which he spake saying They shall speak all manner of Evil of you and they will think they do God good Service when they kill you So out of thy own Mouth art thou judged but as for thy causing thy Jailer to read the thirteenth chapter of Zachary to me that will not cover thee in the Day of the Lord for he is come who is the End of the first Covenant and hath brought in the better Hope which destroyes the Devli his Works and saves men alive who rebuked his Disciples when they would have had Fire come down from Heaven as Elias had to destroy them with whom they were offended but he said unto them Ye know not what Spirit ye are of before whom all things are naked and bare who beholds thy Cruelty who wouldst have me give thee under my hand never to come to this Town more or else in Prison it seems I must lie till by your Law I am forced to another Land but unto thy cruel Will herein I dare not bow for I may come again into this Town and honest men who fear the Lord may live here when your Laws are vanished as the Smoak before the Wind and your false Doctrine come to cease which your Priest Increase Madder and some of you held forth when I was before you for he is made manifest whom we bear Testimony unto who is given of God for a Covenant of Light unto the Gentiles and for Salvation unto the Ends of the Earth this is he of whom it was said Of his Fulness we have received and by Grace were they saved not of themselves it was the Gift of God and they had these heavenly Treasures in their Earthen Vessels as the Scripture saith Acts 6. 8. Stephen was a man full of Faith and of Power and the Saints were filled with the holy Ghost and spake as the Spirit gave them Utterance Acts 2. 4. And Christ Jesus said He that beliveth on me out of his Belly shall slow Rivâ—rs of Living Water John 7. 38. Ye know the Spirit of Truth for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you and I am in my Father and you in me and I in you John 14. 17 20. And the Apostle said Christ was in them the Hope of Glory And he to the Corinthians Christ was in them except they were Reprobates And these were Ministers of the Spirit who had these Heavenly Treasures in them but what a Minister Increase Madder is let them whose Eyes are open judge who saith He hath nothing in him by which he hopes to be saved A dry Tree and miserable Sheep are they who have such
how hath the Father and Author of all Persecution about Religion and your deceitful Hearts fitted you for a Day of Slaughter How are your young as well as your old men become a Scorn and Derision in Cities and Countries and are not the Fruits of the corrupt Tree found among you Is not Drunkenness Gaming Cheating and Cozening found among you that it 's even become a By Word There is a New England Cheat take heed of a New-England Cheat. And how ashamed are your prophane and Professors to hear one tell them of their and your pranks they cannot endure to be told of your Laws to whip banish cut off Ears spoil Goods and hang at last Dissenters from them in Religion while themselves say it's a great and damnable Heresie to hold Infallibility in the things of God and that a man must prove his Justâ—fication by his Sanctâ—fication and that there are Delusions in the Witness of the Spirit and Sanctification must be the Judge of the Witness of the Spirit and that the Seal of the spirit is not the holy Ghost in us and the Witness of the spirit is only mediate and not immediate and to say that Christ is our sanctification is a damnable Doctrine And do you not say that God bâ—und himself in an everlasting Covenant of Grace to the legiâ—timate Seed of them that be in Church-covenant and that Children are left under an everlasting Covenant by leaving them under Church covenant and that there is a running over of Grace from the Father to the Children in the Way of Church covenant and that Children by Church covenant are born in an Eternal Covenant See the Elders Tenent in the Bay with much more confused Stuff too long to write oâ— read unless it were better But admit all this were as true as it is false and blasphemous would any sober Man or Woman think this to belong or appertain to that whipping Church and Church-members of New-England Let them lay aside their long Prayers and then tell me what is left among them that will either enchant the Eye or Ear of any sober Man for are they not as Earthly minded as Proud spirited as any as Envious as any and yet would be accounted the Members of the Church of Christ Oh how are you yet pulling down as with a Cart Rope the Judgement begun in your Land and Country witness your new-found ways to torture and tear like Dogs the Flesh of the Conscientious who are clear of your Calamities in the Sight of God though it may be some of their Earthly Houses may fall by the Hands of the barbarous Indians as many have fallen by the Hands of barbarous Professors but I say they are clear of those Calamities and not at all engaged in your Quarrels which you have brought upon your selves through your Pride and unequal Dealing with Dissenters in matters of Religion and by your treacherous Practices toward the Indians all which crieth very loud for Vengeance however you may think to hide your selves with Flattering Printed Papers yet your Filthiness doth appear and cannot be hid And you have now found out a new way to torture the Conscientious People viz. your Gantelop and Whip with which you whip an Hundred Stripes Oh how are you grown in Cruelty from forty Stripes save one and two Pounds Fine to an hundred Stripes and five Pounds Fine and this with your old Laws new revived you have got up at Boston to torture those that are no ways engaged in your Quarrel as I said before and punishmenâ—s which God hath certainly brought upon you for all your Abominations But through and over all the Cruelty of your Gantelop the Lord hath born a little one and though you had Power to hale this mortal Body through your many whipping professors and prophane yet the Testimony lives â—ver all and is a sweet Savour unto God to whom be praises forever and evermore And I hope all that fear the Lord both small and great will be found in the same Testimony and to it stand to the praise and glory of God who is now requiring at your Hands the Blood of his innocent Servants and Martyrs slain by that murdering â—pirit which in Persecutors hath lived reigned and acted from the Day of righteous Abel unto this Day And now you would pick a new Quarrel with the Quakerâ— and say They set their Posts by God's Posts and their Thres holds to God's Thresholds and you are troubled that man should joyn his Posts to God's Posts and his Thresholds to God's Thresholds and that in the open Meetings of the Quakers whose damnable Dectrines and Blasphemies provoke divine Jealousie But you have not tâ—ld us what those pernicious Tenents are that are preached in the Quakers Meetings no more then you did of Ann Hutchinson whom you banish'd for her Testimony as hath been hinted But to whom should man joyn his Posts and Thresholds if he have any to joyn as you say ye have I hope none will be so blind and ignorant as to set their Posts or Threshold to the Devil's Post and the Professors of New-England's Posts viz. their whipping Post or Gallows Posts no nor yet joyn their Threshold to tâ—eir Goal Thresholds nor their Bridwel Threshold devilish slaughter house Thresholds over which and in which Professors and Talkers of God and Christ do and have haled over Lambs and Followers of Christ and in which they crop their Ears and out of which they bring them in their Wills and Madness and banish whip and hang them in their blind Zeal And you can take God's Posts which he through the Operation of his Everlasting and Eternal Spirit hath fitted and prepared for his holy Building and hang them upon the Devil's Posts viz. your Gallows posts and set them to your whipping-posts and sport your selves with tearing and rending their naked Backs and Arms and tender Breasts of Men and Women with forty Stripes save one and sometimes an hundred Oh bloody Butchers of Professors how do you stinck of Blood of Innocent Blood And now after and for all these Abominations which you have committed against the Lord God and his Appearance in his Sons and Daughters Servants and Handmaids upon whom he hath in these later Dayes poured out of his Spirit according to the Scriptures and the Promise of God and that upon some amongst your selves which called to you to mind the Light and â—pirit and its Teaching and also cried out against your Idolatrous Practices and confused Principles and against your smiting Spirits and that before that reproachful Name of Quaker got up all which you have evilly intreated banishing some and whipping others before the Quakers were sent from God to call you to Repentance and Amendment of Life that you might not dye in your Sins but these you most Evilly Intreated And now the Lord for his own Elect's Sake is risen to take Vengeance and make Inquiry after Innocent Blood which your proud and earthly Hearts have
drunk in and was hid through Deceit And the Lord God is making you as I may say as a Sign to many Nations that shall coolly and seriously hear and consider what you have professed and what brought forth and now you would fain hide your selves a little longer and say The Quaker is the chief Cause of our Misery and he joyns his Thresholds to Gâ—d's Thresholds and his Posts to God's Posts and that in the open Meetings of the Quakers whose blasphemous Principles c. But ye have not printed their Principles that ye call so provoking Divine Jealousie no more then you printed Williams his Principles whom you banished nor yet John Wheelwright's Principles which set the Priests and Professors in New-England in an Uproar in the Year One Thousand Six Hundred Thirty Six But John Wheelwright spoke many things which are now come to pass and also bore Testimony to the Light Read part of his Sermon preached at Boston which provoked Jealousie but not Divine but Devilish Jealousie And in his third Use in that â—ermon did he nâ—t say The second Sort of People that were to be condemned are all such as do set themselves against the Lord Jesus Christ such are the greatest Enemies to the State as can be if they can have their Wills you see what a lamentable State both Church and Commonwealth will be in then we shall have need of mourning the Lord cannot endure these that are Enemies to himself and Kingdom and People and unto the Good of his Church such shall never be able to prevail against the Lord. What will be the End and Issue think you if People do set themselves against the Way of Grace and the Lord Jesus Christ This will be the Issue of it those that oppose the Ways of Grace and resist the Truth they shall wax worse and worse 2 Tim. 3. 8. they may happily proceed a great Way but the time shall come that they shall go no further and by Reason of the Agitation of things it will come to pass that the Church will be cleared and your Folly manifested unto all men so saith the Apostle It is a hard thing to kick against the Pricks Acts 9. 5. Who ever strove against God and prospered If men or women fall upon the Lord Jesus Christ they break but if the Lord Jesus Christ fall on them he will grind them to Powder If any fall upon Christ and will not let Christ alone but fall upon them which hold him and will abuse them and be buffeting the Lord Jesus Christ there is never a Stroke they give but makes Wounds in their Consciences but if they will be heaving out Christ they shall find it the heaviest Stone that ever was it will fall and grind them to Powder if People set themselves against the Lord and the Ways of Grace and his Truth this will be the Issue of it on their Part either those that set themselves against the Ways of God they will be put to silence by the Light that cometh from Christ for such Truths come with such Light and Power that they shall be so convinced as that they shall not be able to speak any more in the Case as Christ put down those that came against him so that they durst ask him no more Questions and so there cometh such a Power from the Word held forth by the Saints of God that it will strick a Fear into their Hearts that oppose it What ailest thou O Jordan that the Floods go back Tremble thou Earth at the Presence of the Lord. They that came to Christ fell back there cometh a divine Power from the Lord that turneth them all back the Lord will strick with Trembling those that come against Jerusalem or if they be not put to silence it will come to pass in time they will fall iâ—to a wonderful Strong Passion and will quarrel with the Saints of God It was the Case of Zedekiah with Michaiah the Question was which of them had the Spirit of God and he comes and smites the Prophet Michaiah on the Cheek but the Spirit of God is not a smiting Spirit Stephen convinced the Jews and did by the Power of the holy Ghost Evidence his Cause to be the Cause of God and they were not able to resist the Spirit by which he spake and they came and run upon him why do ye resist the holy Ghost saith he what maketh the Sin against the holy Ghost but Enlightning and setting themselves against the way of Truth and persecuting it in Malice and Wrath. It is a fearfull thing to fall into the Hands of the Living God Heb. 10. 31. For our God is a consuming Fire Let every one in the Fear of God have a Care how they set themselves against the Truth and Ways of God and the Ways of Jesus Christ for we must all appear before the Judgement Seat of Christ 2 Cor. 5. 10. Thus much of the Sermon preached by John Wheelwright in the Year 1636. By which you Professors of New England may see how prophetical he spake of what is come to pass and fulfilled on you as he said If People did set themselves to Oppose and Resist the Grace of God and his Way and Truth as you have done such shall wax worse and worse And are you not more and more enraged and crying out Blasphemy and Heresie but have not given Account what those Blasphemous and Heretical Principles are against which you have set your selves this Thirty or Forty Years And why did you not print Obadiah Horne's Principles to whom you gave Forty Stripes save one and his Fellow-Sufferer's Principles whom you also whipped in a Cruel Manner So it seems all must fare alike that sute not with your Will-worship But now of late you have printed against the Quakers but give no Account either what they say do or hold which seems to me to be very brutish and below common Civility or Manhood You see I do not so by you but plainly tell what you say do and hold and may enlarge upon all if I have been too scant in my Account neither indeed would I be willing to be otherwise dealt with in such a Case What! are you so Mad-drunk with Blood that ye care not either what you do say or print You have no need to make your selves more naked Could not your Secretary Rawsen which hath partaken with you in your Wickedness and Folly and has had a large scope of Blood with you advised you better then to put in print such a piece of Folly Why did you not set him to work and print the Quakers Abominable blâ—sphemies and Idolatries as you call them that so all People might have judged of the Matters or else kept his printed Piece in New-England for People here in England even many Prophane Ones and much more sober Men and Women know the Quakers Principles and Conversation also and are not willing to close their Eyes as Professors in New-England
have and here in England lâ—kewise many Professors do It s well known Rawson hath Envy enough in his Heart to lay open Quakers Faults if he could find such great ones but may be he intends to wrap the Lambs in Wolves Skins like one of their Priests who was talking of the Quakers and was asked Why they should suffer so deeply or the like seeing no Evil Thing was proved against them Why said the Priest or words to that purpose in case you have a Wolf in your Trap but may be cannoâ— prove he killed a Lamb or the like but he is a Wolf and of such a Nature as will do Mischief so he must not go and the Quaker must suffer though nothing can be proved against him oâ— them but in the Trap he is And may be that is the Matter that you go aboard Sâ—ips and Rifle the Quakers and then caâ—ry them into Prison and lâ—ck them up may be when they have been long tossed upon the Sea and would gladly enjoy a little fresh Aâ—r and Victuals Well the Lord God against whom you have done Evil above what can be said or written with Tongue or Pen of man open your Blind Eyes yea if you could come to him who is the Light and Life of all Good Men and Women he I say would anoint your Eyes that the God of this Wicked World to wit the Devil hath blinded and then would you see as you are seen and be hâ—mbled before the Lord God of Everlasting Pity which hath no Pleasure in him that dyes who indeed would have all return and live A Remnant there is that know he is a very Pitiful God and a Gracious God a Sin-pardoning God a God that blots out Iniquity as it s turned from therefore turn ye all People to the Light for God is Light and his Son is Light so love the Light and â—e love God and his Son who is come a Light into the World that whosoever believes in him and follows him should not abide in Darkness nor Envy nor Anger nor Wrath nor Malice but come to Love which thinks muchless does no Evil to any man and so live in God who is Love but first they must come out of the Devil who was is and ever will be a Murderer of Mankind both Soul and Body without they turn from him and deny his wicked Spirit and indeed the Fruits of his spirit are manifest which are Anger Wrath Whisperings Evil-surmisings c. which being lived in grow to Banishings Whippings Cutting off Ears Hanging and Murdering about Religion and what not that is Aboninable and against such Wickedness there is a Law of God and Man But the Fruits of God's Holy Spirit are Quietness Meekness Lowliness Temperance Brotherly-kindness Merciful as God is Merciful against such there is no Law for all Law is for such I mean not all mens Laws or Decrees which are made against the Innocent but all Good Just and Equal Laws are not against but for all such as truly Fear the Lord and work Righteousness and abide in him who is the Author of all Good to whom be Praise forever Amen Reader be not troubled that I use the word Professor so often for it very often riseth in me so and I mean such as profess God Christ and Scriptures and Ordinances of the Gospel but live in another Spirit and them are the Professors meant but such as possess and then profess what and no more then they do possess such Professors my Soul loves and the Lord my God loves and will love for evermore ANd now I may set down some Tenents which I found written in a Book called The Elders Tenents in the Bay So if they be your Tenents ye Elders of New-England consider of them for some of them appear very unsâ—und if they be not then disown them and let 's have it under your Hands or if you will own part then let 's know which part and how many they are numbred from One to Forty Six Those of them which I am most dissatisfied in are thus noted ☞ on the Margin Tenent 1. The Promises of Grace are Conditionâ—d and no Promise is absolute but hâ—th Conditions either expressed or implyed in the Right of which Condition the Promise is performed and so by us to be pleaded II. There are saving Preparations before Union with Christ III. The Law subdues the Will and we may too much cleave to the Gospel IV. Faith is first given to the Soul before Christ V. We are Co-Workers with Christ in our first Union VI. Sanctification is the first Evidence of our Justification ☞ VII Faith is alwayes confirmed by Signs and Promises and not by Spiritual Manifestations VIII Sanct fication is more plain and perspicuous then the Witness of the Spirit ☞ IX There are Delusions in the Witness of the Spirit X. Sanctification must be the Judge of the Witness of the Spirit ☞ XI The Witness of the Spirit is only Mediate and not Immediate ☞ XII The Nature of Man is not capable of Immediate Vision or Spiritual Manifestation ☞ XIII The Seal of the Spirit is not the Holy Ghost in us but the gracious Operations of the Spirit ☞ XIV To say that Christ is our Sanctification is a Damnable Doctrine ☞ XV. God hath tyed himself in an Everlasting Covenant of Grace to the Legitimate Seed of them that be in Church-Covenant 1 Cor. 7. 14. Acts 2. 39. ☞ XVI Children are left under an Everlasting Covenant by leaving them under Church-Covenant ☞ XVII Children are left under a Covenant of Faith by leaving them under a Church-Covenant ☞ XVIII Church-covenant reaches to a Thousand Generations ☞ XIX Children by Church-covenant are born in an Internal Covenant 1 Kings 14. 13. XX John Baptist's Faith was evident by Leaping in the Womb Luke 1. 44. XXI Children born of Believing Parents have no Right to the Seals by that Covenant your Parents entered into after their Birth XXII The Legitimate Seed of Israel were circumcised and none else ☞ XXIII There is a running-over of Grace from the Father to the Children in the way of Church-covenant XXIV The Jailer had right by Church-covenant to the Seals Acts 16. 33. XXV Faith the Condâ—tion of the Covenant is before Justâ—fication XXVI We are justified with respect to Works ☞ XXVII The Spirit of God of it self is not a sufficient Witness although it reveal to the Soul a sure Promise except it reveal the sight of some Graces ☞ XXVIII One that hath the Evidence of Faith if he falls into some Sin it s not a season to look upon his Assurance but his Sin for Recovery XXIX That Faith that justifies my Person and will serve to believe with is not sufficient to come to a Sacrament XXX That Church-covenant is the staple commodity of New-England saith Mr. Ward of Salem or Ipswich XXXI To dismiss a Member of such a Church as holds forth a
A GLASS For the People of New-England IN WHICH They may see themselves and Spirits and if not too late Repent and Turn from their Abominable Ways and Cursed Contrivances That so the Lord God may turn away his Wrath which he will bring upon them if they Repent not for their Blasphemies against himself and for all the Murders and Cruelties done to his tender People ever since they usurped Authority to Banish Hang Whip and Cut Off Ears and Spoil the Goods of Dissenters from them in Religious Matters while themselves disown Infallibility in those things By S. G. Man in the Pride of his Heart will not seek after God but when his Pride is staâ—ned and his Lofty Look and Mind brought low then may be he will though many times it proves too late Printed in the Year 1676. A GLASS For the People of New-England In which they may see themselves and Spirits and if not too late Repent and Turn from their Abominable Wayes and Cursed Contrivances THey may remember that themselves were here accounted Dissenters from the Episcopal Worshippers and may be many of them in that Day could not in Conscience Comply with the Prelate then in power so took their Flight in that Day in which they were called to bear a Testimony against that they saw to be Evil in that Day and Time But when they came to New-England they I mean the worst and basest-spirited of them which indeed were most in Number fell to Baniâ—h their Fellows which could not bow to their gilded Calf of Will-worship which in short time grew a great Bull with Horns to push and gore even to the Gallows those that could not worship the Beast notwithstanding the Lord raised up a Testimony in many of their Neighbours and Inhabitants of the same Country who witnessed for the God of Heaven against their Wayes Doctrines and Worships some of which they banished in a barbarous manner others they evilly intreated and accused them of Heresie Conspiracy Muteny Faction and what nâ—t to hide their Deceit and cover their Persecution withal And to the end they may come to a Sight and Sense of their Abominations I am willing to set a few things in order before them and not only before them but also that all others may hear and learn and fear and do no more so wickedly lest the Anger of the just God break forth as a Flame as it is now happened among that persecuting Generation in New-England So that all may see against whom and what they have set themselves and vaunted themselves at all times even against the Appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ that he should not appear to stain their Pride in which they prided themselves above all Humanity or Tenderness either to Learned or Unlearned Male or Female Old or Young if any questioned what their Hireling Priests and Smiting Prophets said they must be banished slandered and named with reproachful Names at best but how much worse used many can witness and their own Cruelty manifest Many were the Abuses committed by them on those that went over on the same Account as themselves did and had as good a Right to live there as any amongst them although they banished them by what Power they best know that have seen their Patent but I 'le leave that a while and come to their proceeding against John Wheelwright one of the Ministers of the Country whom they charged with False Dâ—ctrine and a Mover of Sedition and what not as you may see at large in a Book in Manuscript in which is all their Proceeding too much here to insert I 'le only give the Reader some Passages by which it may be easily understood against what they set themselves and opposed But I may first give a hint at the manner of their Work Jâ—hn Wheelwright preached of a Light in man and of a Spirit in man at which New-England was in an Uproar and much troubled as Herod and all Judea was when they heard of Christ Jesus who is the â—ight coming into the World So a Jezebel's Fast as you shall see anon was proclaimed under pretence to seek God in this Day of Trouble the Fast was kept â—n the 16th Day of the 11th Moneth 1636. and this Pestilent Man as they deemed him John Wheelwright must preach at Bâ—ston before the Wolves in Sheeps Clothing and indeed however it hath been or may be with him since the man then spoke and preached many sound Truths I 'le here insert some of his Sermon and let the Reader judge He exhorted the Brethren and Sisters To get Christ into their Hearts that they may be happy and exhorts his Brethren and Sisters in the Name of God To endeavour to bring Christ into the Hearts of People and then saith he you shall make the Church and your selves happy And also said That as soon as Christ cometh into the Soul he makes the Creature nothing and said he in the Gospel Works of Sanctification must be pressed no other way but as they grow from the Root Christ Jesus for it is he that worketh in you both to will and to do of his own good Pleasure and said he this is the Covenant of Grace I will forgive their Sins and write my Law in their Hearts and Inward Parts and that is the Gospel in which the Spirit of God is conveyed c. And saith he We must be Meck and Lowly as Christ was lowly and content to receive all from the Father even so must we be meek and lowly and content to receive all from Christ If Duties be pressed any other way they will be Burdens that neither we nor our Fathers were or will be able to bear therefore saith he if we mean to keep Jesus Christ we must keep open this Fountain and held forth this Light And told them in that Sâ—rmon That the Spirit of Christ was no Smiting Spirit and so far John Wheelwright in this place with much more honest true things that were then given him to declare and which indeed he then even in the midst of Woolflsh Professors did boldly and valiantly declare and as honestly and nobly stood unto in your Court when and where you Arraigned him Judged him and Condemned him but could not disprove his Doctrine though he and others often challenged both Priests and Professors from highest to lowest and all or most you had to say was That it was contrary to the rest of the Ministers and therefore was Seditious and Mutinous But because I would be fair and not wrest their words nor meanings I 'le rehearse some of their own Sayings in open Court against Wheelwright's Doctrine exactly as I read in a Book as aforesaid and having also some Knowledge of things done in that Place of Nâ—w-England At a Court at Boston 1636. consisting of Henry Vane Governour Twelve Magistrates Twelve Priests Thirty Three Deputies John Wheelwright was brought into the Court and accused for preaching on the Fast Day a
Heretical and Seditious Sermon tending to Mutiny and Disturbance Wheelwright bids them prove it by Scripture and so did the Governour and many others who saw their Wickedness and abhorred and declared against their Proceedings and many Members in the Court gave in their Testimony That his Doctrine was true and according to God and Scriptures and so said John Cotton one of the Twelve Judges of the Matter and a chief man for Learning as they accounted him But so mad was the greatest part of them that they would proceed against Wheelwright and his Doctrine right or wrong but he would not answer to their ensnaring Questions but still offered them to prove his Doctrine by Scriptures And now to make good my word I 'le give the Reader their own words in Court And first let 's hear Collicott one of the Witnesses against him in Court saith Collicott His Vse in his Sermon was to put a Difference between a Covenant of Works and a Covenant of Grace and I do conceive that he did drive against the things now in question And for the Light that is revealed by the Spirit he did plainly and punctually say That in that Case there was nothing to be seen but the Glorious Light of the Spirit breaking in upon the Soul in an absolute Promise So far Collicott But let 's hear Spencer that great Orator and New-England Church Member may be hee 'l be more to the Purpose then his Brother Collicott Well come on Spencer let 's hear what thou canst say against John Wheelwright Spencer Wheelwright teaches that the Knowledge of our Sanctification as well as our Justification is only by Faith in Christ and that in the â—ovenant of Grace nothing is revealed but Jesus Christ and his Righteousness freely given to the Soul and the Knowledge of it comes by Faith And this saith Spencer is contrary to the Doctrine preacht in New-England for saith Spencer it is commonly taught in New-England That a man may prove his Justificaiion by his Sanctification And so far Spencer in this place Well hear John Endicott This is concluded a False Doctrine because it is a Doctrine against all the Ministers of the Country But here John Endicott told a Notorious Lye in open Court for sure he owned that John Cotton was a Minister and if so hear what he declared in open Court Cotton Brother Wheelwright 's Doctrine was according to God in the Poinâ—s Controverted and wholely and altogether and nothing did I hear alledged against the Doctrine proved by the Word of God And so far John Cotton with much more which he then spake to allay the Heat of their Raging Spirits but all would not do for when they were so much Challenged to prove by Scripture the Doctrine False which Wheelwright had delâ—vered or else to acquit him they found out another way to bring their Wicked Ends to pass And said Spencer The Matter in hand is not thâ— Doctrine whether it be true or false but the Question is Whether or not Mr. Wheelwright hath stirred up Mutiny in the Country and cast Aspersion upon the Ministers And the Ministers I mean eleven or twelve were as mad as who was madest and as violent as any in this Matter for which and such like Causes and Out-rages committed by them both in New-England and also here in England the Lord by sundry Wayes and in divers Manners hath pleaded with some of them and some are hardned against a Day of Judgment which certainly will overtake them in this Life or in the Life and Judgment that is to come But that which is most to be lamented that those which once had a Good Testimony in their Hearts and Mouthes for God and his Light and spiritual Appearance and they not being faithful and constant to that which was made manifest and committed to them it s even happened to them according to the Saying of the Lord God by the Mouth of his Prophet That in the Day in which a Righteous Man turns from his Righteousness and doth wickedly all the Righteousness that he hath done shall be forgotten and in the Sin which he doth he shall surely dye the Death And so I 'le leave John Cotton and John Wheel wright and others to that of God in their Consciences if any of them be in the Body as for them that are out of the Body they are gone to their long Home And so you Professors of New-England who are not yet wholely blind may see what your Priests Rulers and Church-members have banded themselves against for this Thirty or Forty Years Even against God who is a Spirit and who is Light in all his Appearances in either Son or Daughter before ever a Quaker came amongst you So the God of Heaven and Earth is clear of all your Blood having raised up Testimony after Testimony even ever since you set up your Inventions and denyed the Light The next Piece of Wickedness I am to mind you of is your barbarous Action committed against Ann Hutchinson whom you first imprisoned then banished and so exposed her to that desolate Condition that she fell into the Hands of the Indians who murdered her with her Family except one Child and after that made a notorious Lye on the destroyed Woman the which one of their Priests put in Print and another of that Tribe Samuâ—l Clark Priest of London taking the Lye out of his Brother Wells his short Story and must needs put it into his Book called God's Judgments against Heresie in which he also scandalized Mary Dyer and Midwife Hawkins all which were known to be Women of honest Lives and Conversations only protested against their false Church and Worships for which they suffered in their Names and Estates and some lost their Lives for their Testimony sake For Mary Dyer they banished and hanged at Boston for her Testimony against them which she was moved of the Lord to bear amongst them But because you Professors have banished and so been a means of destroying a Woman and her Family as before and have covered your selves by saying she held about Thirty Monstrous Heretical Opinions but have not that I can find laid down so much as One of them for Indifferent Persons to judge So I may do a little of that Work for you and others by which it may be seen what the Ground of your Quarrel was and I will do it in short and honestly as I found it in her Letter to one Mr. Leveret as she writ him in her Answer to his 1st Moneth 1646. It seems by that Letter which Leveret sent to Ann Hutchinson he termed her Haughty Jezebel and said she was a Railer and Reviler and such like Terms and Names and yet in the same Letter asked her what was become of the Light she once shined in in their Parts And now Ann Hutchinson to that Letter of Leveret's If it were the True Light in which you say I did once shine in I am sure the Author thereof
and the Maintainer of it is God and it shall break forth more and more unto the perfect Day and when I was with you it discovered the best Light in your self to be Darkness as your self confessed to me in your own Parlour And whereas you say I speak great swelling Words of Vanity that Scripture is fulfilled in your false Teachers who follow the Way of Balaam and Bozer And that Water holds out the Spirit John 7. 38 39. And Christ Jesus came by this Water or Spirit Mat. 1. 18. And hereby we shall know the Spirit of Antichrist because he confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh And as to that in Rev. 12. which you say must be meant of Constantine and not of Christ being brought forth in the Gentile Church then the Woman that brought forth Constantine must be crowned with Twelve Stars But your Church standing in the City Order by your own Confession must needs be one of those Cities of the Nations which the Lâ—rd hath said should fall Rev. 16. 19. And if what you called Railing or Reviling were a Truth of God acted by him through me then you have called the Spirit of God a Railer and Reviler And so far Ann Hutchinson with much more in her Answer to Leveret's Letter of the 1st Moneth 1646. after they had imprisoned her and banished her So Reader if thou hast an Understanding of what the Woman held forth thou may soon conclude what the Thirty Heretical Opinions were that so much enraged New-England Professors to imprison banish and so in a Sense murther her and her Family by the wicked Hands of the Indians But how shall these People hide their Wickedness from the simple-hearted that they should not see their Wickedness and cry out against their Cruelty well I 'le shew thee honest Inquirer how they hide themselves and the Innocent Blood The Woman before mentioned having been imprisoned and there by the Priests and Professors pumpt and sifted to get something against her laying their Snares to entrap her and having so done take their Opportunity when her Husband Friends were absent as it is said and examined her in the fore-part of the Day and banished her in the after-part Notable quick Work so she goes by Water with many others that perceived they must go to Pot next and providentially fell with Road-Island and there they made a Cave or Caves and in them lived until the cold Winter was past in which time it was known to the Professors where they were and that they had bought the Island of the Indians and the Professors began to stir and endeavour to bring the Island within the Compass of their Patent so the poor molested Woman it 's like let in Fear and thought she would go far enough from their Reach so going Southward to seek a Place to settle upon where she and her Family might live in Quietness fell upon a Piece of Land that was in Controversie between the Dutch and the Natives and the Natives being in a Heat came upon them and were the Executioners of what the New-England Priests Magistrates and Church-Members were an Occasion of through their wicked and cruel proceeding in forcing them to flee from their Rage and Fury And because I promised thee to tell thee honest Inquirer how they hide and cover their Wickedness I 'le do it by rehearsing what Priest Wells a chief Actor in this matter printed in his Book entitled Wâ—lls's short Story page 44. as Samuel Clark in his lying Book quotes his Brother Wâ—lls for his Author of this and such like most Notorious Lyes of which he prints thus Ann Hutchinson Mary Dyer and Midwife Hawkins see Clark's Examples page 249. and they have been known to be honest Women and such as were of good Report and nevâ—r accounted either Witches or such Persons as these two Priests and Brethren in Wickedness would have People believe that so their Wickedness might be undiscovered Now here Priest Clark after he had writ and printed a most cursed Lye of Mary Dyer whom they banished and afterward hanged at Boston as also of Midwife Hawkins Saith he About the same time and in the same place One Mrs. Hutchinson who held about Thirty Monstrous Heretical Opinions whereof you have a Catalogue set down by the same Author page 59. And growing big with Child and towards the Time of her Labour at last broughtforth Thirty Monstrous Births or thereabouts some bigger and some lesser some of one Shape and some of another few of any perfect Shape none of all of humane Shape This Mrs. Hutchinson was first vanishâ—d by the Magistrates of New-England into Rhoad Island for her Heresies out not staying long there she removed with all her Family her Daughter and her Children into the Dutch Plantation to a Place called Hell Gate where the Indians set upon them and slew her and her Family her Daughter and her Daughter's Husband with all their Children save only one that escaped So here is the Priests and Professors Cover and they wipe their Mouths and I warrant they would by saying the Indians committed this Murder be thought clear of this Innocent Blood So Reader thou mayest see the Rage and Envy of this professing Generation for they banished imprisoned this tenderly bred Woman in or towards Winter and what with Fears and Tessings to and fro the Woman miscaried upon which they grounded their abominable Untruth many Witnesses might be produced to prove this and to disprove their abominable frequently told Slanders and also printed by Priests and New-England Professors and their Consederates here in England I might iâ—sert that other Story which the same Lye makers made of Mary Dyer and Midwife Hawkins but it 's not worth while as to his Description of a horrid Monster wherein their Lyes were apparent to many sober People And now let me mind you of your abominable Wickedness committed by whipping Obadiâ—h Holems the Baptist with forty Stripes save one it seems the old Father of all Whippers about Religion loads his whipping Children in one Way and sets them their deceitful Bounds and may be he and they his Children may bring Scripture and Example for Forty Stripes save one But why would you not dispute the Point with Obadiah when he so fairly offered it at your torturing Place and the man you may remember brought his Bible to your Whipping Post to prove his Principle and Practice by Scripture and disprove your Principles and Practices by the same but your Godly Magistrate as you called him told him that was no Place to dispute in or Words to that purpose and so you whipt him in cruel manner forty Stripes save one And his Fellow that was with him an aged honest man you whipt also in cruel manner and would have whipt Clark as you said had you not had Money given you But where did you learn in Law or Gospel to take Money for not whipping them that deserved Whipping Behold your
base Dunghil Spirits in which you act And you may remember that when one of your own Members or Brethren though not in Cruelty namely John Spur beheld your Barbarous proceedings and the man 's then Christian like Deportment under the Tyranny of your Tormenter who in violent manner in the Face of the People after your Jezabel Lecture at Boston gave him Forty Stripes save one upon his naked Body the which John Spur beholding was moved with Pity and in the Brokenness and Tenderness of his Heart could do no less then take the man by the Hand and gave thanks in the Man's behalf to God who had carried him through so great an Exercise with so much Joy and Patience for which John Spur was sent for to your Seat of the Whore and Beast at Boston and there was sined for giving Thanks to God as aforesaid the Sum of Forty Shillings and this was for taking the Man by the Hand and giving Thanks to God after he had been whipt Forty Stripes save one So all People may see what blind Zeal will hurry Professors on to do drink Blood and desire to drink more and more and thirst more and more after Blood as will in time be manifest to all sober People Oh drunken Professors and Talkers of God Christ and Ordinances but possess nothing but Cruelty and Deceit How are you made drunk with the Cup of Abomination What more abominable then for men to rent and tear the Flesh off the Backs of Men and Women like Dogs and all about Religion and yet say no infallible â—pirit to be known now adays so then they themselves may be wrong as well as any Oh how have these Professors like Dragons smote with Head and Tail the false Hireling Priests the Head and the Earthly Power the Tail at all Appearances of God ever since they usurped Authority never given nor granted them by God nor man witness their Pattent given them by the King repugnant to such Cruel Proceedings against tender Consciences And how have you vented your Folly and made your Madness manifest by your base reproachful Language commonly vented like Floods after them that could not submit to your Bundle of will-Worship calling that good Island which took up as I may say your Banished and yielded to them through the Blessing of God its Increase which you commonly would call it Rogues Island and in my Hearing some of your Members commonly would say that none but Whores and Rogues went thither A base envious Term and Name by which the Rancor of your Spirits doth appear to all sober People Oh the exceeding Cruelty that appears in your Hearts and because I would have you sensible of your own Iniquity and mourn under it I may set one thing more before you in order and that is this When or soon after you had made your Decree that none should be received to inhabit within your Jurisdictâ—on but such as should be allowed by some of the Magistrates thinking thereby to keep up your invented Bâ—ilding and Babylonish Tower of Will worship And how bountifully hath the Lord handed forth to you by raising up Testimony after Testimony against all your unequal Proceedings and I may here rehearse one before named viz. John Wheelwright First Saith he This Law doth leave these weighty matters of the Commonwâ—alth of receiving or rejecting such as come over to the Approbation of Magistrates and suspend those things to the Judgement of Man whereas the Judgement is God's Deut. 1. 17. This is made a Ground-work of gross Popery Priests and Magistrates are to judge but it must be according to God's Law Deut. 17. 9 10 11. That Law which gives that without Limitation which is proper to God cannot be just Secondly Because here is Liberty given by this Law to expel and reject those which are most Eminent Christians if they suite not with the Disposition of the Magistrates whereby it will come to pass that Christ and his Members will find worse Entertainment amongst us then Abraham and Isaac did amongst the Philistines then Jacob amongst the Sechemites then Lâ—t amongst the Sodomites then the Israelites amongst the Egyptians These all gave leave to God's People to sit down amongst them though they could not claim Right as the King's Subjects may now That Law the Execution whereof may make us more cruel and tyrannical over God's Children then Pagans and Sodomites therefore it must needs be most wicked and sinful Thirdly This Law doth cross many Laws of Christ Christ would have us to render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar 's Mat. 12. 11. but this Law will not give unto the King's Majesty his Right of planting some of his Subjects amongst us except they please them Christ bids us not to forget to entertain Strangers Heb. 13. 2. But by this Law we must not entertain for any continuance of time such Strangers as the Magistrates like not though they be never so gracious allowed of by God and Good Men except we will forfeit them our whole Estates it may be and much more then our Estates come unto Fourthly Christ commands us to do good unto all but especially unto them of the Houshold of Faith Gal. 6. 10. this Law gives Liberty to do hurt unto all especially unto them of the Houshold of Faith Many other Laws there are of Christ saith Wheelwright which this Law dasheth against and therefore is most wicked and sinful And so far John Wheelwright in his Testimony against your Law or ungodly Decree which Sayings of his are come to pass and you have exceeded Philistines Egyptians and Sodomites so it may be truly said who is like unto you Priests Magistrates and Professors of New-England in Cruelty Boldness and Presumption Oh that you would be stirred up to search what the matter is that the Lord is so displeased with you it seems to me and many more he is making you an Example to many Nations I hope and do believe it will be for good to many in these Kingdoms of England Scotland Ireland and Holland with all their Territories when they shall hear behold and consider what the Lord is doing and suffering to come to pass upon a People that made a great shew and a great talk of God Christ and Ordinances but in the very time of this great talk and profession brought forth more Oppression then Egypt and Sodom and have indeed done worse then all the Nations round about and therefore thou must drink of the Cup of terrible Amazement and Astonishment poured out by a Just Hand as from God upon thy Inhabitauts Oh New-England And the Lord God grant for his Mercy sake that the Inhabitants of our poor Lands of England Scotland and Ireland may be warned that so they may no longer follow your pernicious Ways and bring like punishment upon themselves as you oh people of New-England have done by provoking a Longsuffering God who hath indeed born long your unrighteous Ways and Doings Oh
a Shepheâ—d and well may it be said that they that feed and follow such Teachers give their Money for thâ—t which is not Bread and their Labour for that which satisfiâ—s not their Souls And Increase Madder saith There is none cleansed from all Sin on this side the Grave but the Scripture saith As the Tree falls so it lies and as Death leaves Judgement finâ—s and there is no Repentance in the Grave Where must they be cleansed then I know not except he believes as the Pope doth that there is a Purgatory because he saith not all their Sins for in leed the Papists do believe that their venial Sins as they call them shall be purged away there but the Scripture saith If we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have Fellowsh pone with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin 1 John 1. 7. And ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free John 8 32. And there is therefore no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit for the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Dâ—ath Rom. 8 1 2. And John saith Hereiâ— is our Love made perfeâ—t that we may have Boldness in the Day of Judgment because as he is so are we in this World 1 John 4. 17. and these were Men lâ—ving on this Side the Graâ—e But Increase Madder saith there is none good no not one It is very true that tâ—ose that are out of God's Covenant and have none of these Heavenly Treasures in them but are as Clouds without Water Heady High minded men greedy after filthy Lucre whose God is their Belly who mind Earthly things such we have to contend with for the Truth 's sake as the Apostles had in their Day who were Enemies to the Cross of Christ then as you are at this Day I say in that State there is none good no not one and the most upright of them is as a Briar and the justest amongst them as a Thorn-Hedge I find it so but blessâ—d be the Lord who is my Keeper who hath redeemed me out of their Dwelling-place and opened mine Eves with many morâ— and we see where you are and we know God's Controversie is with your blind Guides who cause you to err and you who are led by them who are covering your selves with a Proâ—ession as the Pharâ—seeâ— did but your Hands are full of Cruelty and your Hearts hardned in Persecution unto Blood and are making a Moâ—k of Sin who in Derision are calling the Innocent Servants of the Living God Wolves and say you must kill them Oh ye wretched men God will plead with you was ever the Flock of Christ Jesus found in your Practice did ever the Lambs kill Wolves but they that fear God and work Righteousness are accepted of him but always suffered as Evil-doers by them who had a Form of Godliness but resisted the Power in whose Steps ye are but such as you sow such shall you reap God will not be mocked by you for the Day of the Lord is come which burns as an Oven wherein God will plead with all Flesh for his Seed's Sake which he hath and is raising up who hath said unto it live and it shall live though our Bodies may be laid in the Dust yet it shall spring forth in Thousands more So in vain do ye strive ye mortal men the Fruit of your doings will fall on your own Heads a Weight too heavy for you to bear From One that suffers by you for the Truth 's Sake Boston-Prison-House the 15th of the 4th Moneth 1667. John Tyso And Richard Bellingham it is Equity and Justice for thee to return to me the Books thou tookest from me which are mine and is Injustice in thee to take them from me therefore do as thou wouldst be done by and let thy Moderation be seen for the Lord is at hand who is no Respecter of Persons but gives unto every man according to his Doings for he hath given of his Good Spirit to instruct man but many rebel against it but it hath taught us who have believed in it as it did his People of old To do unto all men as we would they should do unto us and gives us Strength and Patience to undergo what Cruel Men may be suffered to inflict upon us who can say fâ—om our Hearts If it be thy will Lord Forgive them blessed be his Name forever and this is from one that hath learned of Christ and am a Christian though in Scorn by thee called a Quaker yet Quaking and Tâ—embling I have experience of as the holy men of old had and as the Apostle exhorted the Saints to work out their Salvation with Fear and Trembling and so they that are true Christians will not wonder and mock at Quaking and Trembling but God will plead with the Uncircumcised for crying Lord Lord will not save them for it is the Doers of his Will that are justâ—fiâ—d in his Sight and Châ—ist Jesus said Except ye cat my Flesh and drink my Blood ye have no Life in you John 6. 53 And so consider thy Cruelty in keeping me here and thy Goaler William Salliâ—r who will not suffer a man to bring me work but as Christ Jesus said Go learn what that means I will hâ—ve Mercy and not Sacrifice J. T. A Copy of this fore going Paper was delivered into the Hands of 〈◊〉 â—â—llingham Governour of Boston in New-England the 〈◊〉 of the 4th Moneth 1667. but no Answer I received frâ—m 〈◊〉 or any of them but through the Enmity of his persecuting spirit he said I deserved to be Hanged and thus Cruelty and Wickedness they act and would bury it in Darkness with themselves but it is in my Heart to put it to publick View that Wickedness and Hypocrisie might be seen and judged and Righteousness might take place in the Hearts of the Sons and Daughters of men for the Day is come which discovers your Nakedness and will consume your Covering your Out-side Profession and hath and will shatter your old Buildings and Rase your Foundation to the Ground Ye Bloody Men how do ye stink in the Nostrils of the Holy God and are you not become a Hissing to the Nations Your Judgment slumbers not who have been stout against the Lord in his breaking forth in the Hearts of his People And you whose Hands have been dipt in Blood yea in the Blood of the Innocent Servants of the Living God and no Place of Repentance can by you be found Wo is unto you your dayes are and shall be cut off in Darkness forever but the Holy Seed which you have fought against which God hath raised and is raising up and also from amongst you shall replenish the Earth For I do believe there are Sheep which are not yet gathered which the Lord