Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	holy_a	scripture_n	speak_v	14,888	5	5.2608	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96961	The wounds of an enemie in the house of a friend. Being a relation of the hard measure sustained by Miles Halhead, and Thomas Salthouse, for the testimony of Jesus: particularly in a long, and sore, and close imprisonment, first at Plymouth, and then at Exeter in the county of Devon, though they have neither offended the law of God, or of the nation. Published for the clearing of their innocency from the cloud of transgression, of which they are supposed highly guilty, and by reason of their silent abiding such sharp, and long, and cruell sufferings.	Halhead, Miles, 1613 or 14-1689 or 90.; Salthouse, Thomas, 1630-1691.	1656 (1656)	Wing W3665; Thomason E870_7; ESTC R2977	52,373	80

come within the reach of his invention which had created and expressed so many therein known to himself to be so contrary to truth and also in his and his brethrens filthy flattering Letter to Generall Disbrow in excuse of their unjust proceedings against these innocent servants of the Lord made up with other abominable untruths by which they endeavoured to beget in him a good Opinion of them for so doing and to continue his favour to their Town as by a copy of their Letter and Miles and Thomas Answer thereunto added to this Relation at large appeareth But being brought to Exeter upon the Warrant aforesaid there they continued in the common Goal lying on the ground untill the Generall Sessions of the Peace of the County held there the Tenth of the Month called July following on the 12 day of which Month they were brought before the Sessions to whom the Clerk read a Bill of Indictment exhibited against them upon the Ordinance for preventing of Duells wherein was expressed That they the said Thomas and Miles not fearing or regarding the same Ordinance and the penalties therein contained did the 20 of May 1655. at Plymouth in the presence and hearing of divers honest persons then and there being use diverse disgracefull provoking words and gestures to George Brooks Clerk in the Nightingale Friggot he being then opening and declaring to the same persons a certain place of Scripture wherein he spake something of the Holy Trinity viz. Thou the said George Brooks meaning lyest in saying there were three persons in the Trinity we deny it there is no such thing but thou art a deluding spirit come to draw away the hearts of the people from God And further they did farther speak to the people then present that they should not hearken to the said George Brooks for that he was a Thief and was come with a lye in his mouth and had stoln what he had from others and had it in his hand pointing to the Bible which was then in the said George Brooks his hand open And further did say it was a lye which the said George Brooks had brought and other harms to the said George Brooks then and there did contrary to the form of the said Ordinance and against the publick peace How utterly untrue in every particular this Indictment is both as to the matter and manner of the accusation charged therein is clearly manifested in the Relation aforesaid of the passages at the meeting the truth of which is testified under the hands of diverse honest men at Plymouth which were present as aforesaid and the Testimony of many more could be had were not those enough and in the Answer of Miles and Thomas thereunto added to this Relation but having wronged the innocent in that high manner as is expressed it concerned them at least to have something how false soever to pretend as a colour in Law as the cause of their so doing Miles Halhead spake not a word at the Discourse upon which occasion is taken and the ground of this Indictment laid and he that saith nothing cannot be made an offendor for a word though there be that make a man an offendor for a word that is none indeed Nor doth that Ordinance require or any Law that if one man transgresse it were it so that Thomas Salthouse had so done which is denyed two should suffer that were to destroy the righteous with the wicked unto which the Law is a terror and yet hath Miles Halhead been Imprisoned and Indicted suffered hath he though he was altogether silent and without so much as any thing that might be a pretence of offending in the least that Ordinance or any other Law of God or the Nation Nor did Thomas Salthouse speak one word to George Brooks in particular as to what the Indictment chargeth true it is after George Brookes had spoken so largely in the praise of what they had declared from the Lord saying it was the eternall truth and Exhorted the people to take heed that they received not the grace of God in vain Thomas Salthouse comprehending the Principle from whence he spake in the light of Jesus Christ which changeth not said unto him to this effect Thou hast spoken many good words and faire speeches but doest thou live the life of what thou speakest for it is he that hath the witnesse in himself that setteth to his seale that God is true which were savory words and feasonable for the directing of his mind and the hearers also to see that they witnessed indeed what they spake and professed and to speak and professe no more then they witnessed that so he and they might not be deceived with the subtilty of the Serpent in thinking they had that which was eternall life when in the day of Tryall it would appear to be no such matter This was love to his soule though in requitall he hath made it matter of persecution Had they come in wayes of craftinesse to deceive they would have cherished his Testimony to the truth of what they had spoken and not have questioned it with such expressions Allow the Dragon but a place in Heaven and he shall cry out These are the Servants of the most High which shew us the way to salvation but cast him out into the Earth his proper seat and then he makes war with the Lamb and those who have the Testimony of Jesus He also Exhorted the people in the close of all after the end of the discourse aforesaid in the words of Paul Let him that stole steale no more and made use of the words of Christ He that entreth not in by the door into the sheep-fold but climbeth up some other way the same is a Thief and a Robber but directed them not to George Brookes as the Indictment hath falsly charged it nor to any one in particular but had they been directed unto him or to any other in particular are those words of Paul and of Christ and the language of Scripture disgracefull words provocations to Duells let that of God in every mans conscience speak and judge Therefore behold I am against the Prophets saith the Lord that steale my words every one from his neighbour that use their tongues and say he saith Had Jeremiah lived in these dayes and spoken these words now the false Prophets now who smite with the fist of wickednesse would certainly have Indicted him upon the Ordinance for preventing of Duells and were Christ Jesus and Paul who spake as aforesaid and all the Prophets and holy men of God now alive in this Nation testifying as they did to the Generations in which they lived of which the Scripture bears Record the same would they receive from the Priests and men of this Generation and yet we find not that the false Prophets of old did Indict them for so speaking as Provocation to fightings nor did they pretend to any Law as a cover for so doing

so far doe the Priests and men of this Generation who in works pretend to the Prophets and Christ Jesus and the Apostles and the holy men of God and the Scriptures outstript their fore-fathers in a sottish and malicious persecuting of the truth for till this example the like hath not been heard of since the foundation of the world and is voyd of understanding and ridiculous amongst all rationall men On this foot he that tells an envious person that he is a murderer and he that looks on a woman to lust after her is an adulterer and the covetous person that he is an Idolater and he that speaketh a Divination of his own heart for the word of the Lord useth witchcraft and he that knowes not nor speakes from the mouth of the Lord is a dumb Dog that cannot bark and he that saith when the Lord saith not is a devourer the murderer of soules and he that biteth with his teeth and prepareth war when men put not into his mouth is a greedy Dog and those who are in the nature and Generation of the Pharisees who professe what they are not and persecute and murder the life of what they professe where it is manifested are Serpents Generation of Vipers with such like would be Indicted as Offendors against the Ordinance for preventing of Duells He that taketh what is none of his as to the things without the things of this world is a Thief and truly is so judged and accounted of He that taketh the words of the Prophets and Christ Jesus and the Apostles which they spake from the life and useth his tongue and saith the Lord saith when the Lord spake not to him having not the life that spake them forth taketh that which is none of his and is a Thief as to the things which are within the things that are spirituall and truly is so judged and accounted of He that steals without hath an outward Law to passe upon him as a Transgressour he that steals within hath the Law of Christ Jesus by which he shall also be judged for further then the outward the Law of man hath no power and this is agreeable to that of God in every mans conscience also to the Ordinance against Duells which they and all the Children of light own in its place as a bearing of the sword against fightings quarrellings evill speakings and such like as evill doing which the Principle of light which is Jesus Christ discovers and witnesseth against and the root from whence they proceed to wit from mens lusts that are within them And he that said Let him that stole steale no more was the Minister of God who addeth the Law upon the transgressour and he that said He that entreth not in by the doore into the sheep-fold but climbeth up some other way the same is a Thief and a Robber is the Law-giver the Prophet whom whosoever doth not hear in all things shall be cut off from his people and he that said I am against the Prophets that steales my word every one from his neighbour is the Lord of glory who shall judge the quick and the dead by the man Christ Jesus the Law-giver and Minister of God at his appearing and coming But the Priests have gotten a new weapon against the Lamb to wit the Ordinance against Duells and with it they will fight against his battle Axes and Weapons of War to wit his Witnesses and none shall testifie against their deceit with a spirituall weapon but they will have it to be a carnall one and will take an Ordinance of man to fight against it and judge it by which never intended it But their Weapon formed shall not prosper the overflowing scourge shall sweep away their refuge of lyes and their coverings are ripping off nor can the Rocks and Mountaines hide them from the wrath of him who sitteth on the Throne and judgeth righteously And whereas something is mentioned in the Indictment of the Trinity one of them said I know no such Scripture that speaks of three persons in the Trinity but the three the Scriptures speak of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost these three are one and that Baptism by one Spirit into one body and the Father the Word and the Spirit the Scriptures declare to be one and he that hath the Son hath the Father also and this we own he that can receive it let him And this was spoken as to what G. Brookes said of a Trinity in Unity and a Unity in Trinity which as he was told the Scriptures no where spake Court To this Indictment they were demanded to answer guilty or not guilty Answer We are not guilty in what is there charged upon us Court By whom will you be tryed Answer By you whom the Lord God of power hath set in Authority to judge righteously between man and man and to put a difference between the precious and the vile and set the oppressed free from whom we doe expect justice and equity Court Will ye be tryed by God and the Country Answer We are willing to be tryed by this Bench and desire that our accusers may be brought in and that we may have liberty to speak for our selves and make our defence against the false accusations laid to our charge Court Will ye be judges of your own case Jaylor take them away which was done immediately When they were first apprehended and brought before the Mayor and Magistrates of Plymouth many honest people who were present at the meeting aforesaid and were ready in the Hall to testifie the truth of things were all turned out and not a man or woman that favoured them permitted to stay notwithstanding which and the keeping fast of the doores of the common Hall that so none of them might returne in did they in the presence of near one hundred of other people desire openly that if either man or woman had any thing to lay to their charge they would speak but no man or woman appeared to speak nor ever were their accusers brought face to face that they might see them or hear them speak And now after seven weeks imprisonment being brought before the Sessions and such an abominable pack of falshood and lyes in an Indictment exhibited against them unto which they pleaded not guilty and declared againe and againe in answer to what they required of them to wit by whom will ye be tryed That they were willing to be tryed by the Bench whom the Lord God of power had set in Authority to judge righteously between man and man c. as aforesaid and desired their accusers might be brought in and that they might have liberty to speak for themselves and make their defence against the false accusations layed to their charge because they spake it not in the form of words which they would have though they both pleaded and submitted to a tryall as aforesaid and a Jury might they have called and tryed them by or otherwise

were willing to ingage for us And the next morning when we came to receive it under thy hand according to thy promise thou there refusedst to give it and the Town Clerk said it would not stand in Law which is like to thy Letter thou sentest us to Exon Prison and so because thou conceivest we are offendors doe we suffer but thou makest thy conceiving a Law to imprison us by And further thou hast manifested thy enmity and persecuting spirit in what thou witnessest falsly against us that all the while we were in Prison we neither sought God by prayer as thou sayest nor desired a blessing of God on any Creature that we received nor gave thanks for them Here let thy mouth be stopped and for shame proceed no further in thy false Accusations to render us and the truth odious for besides the witnesse of God which is true and greater then the witnesse of man many in Plymouth can witnesse against thee in this thing that joyned with us in spirit being moved severall times in prison and out of prison to goe to prayers and to give thanks for the blessing of God that we received And further thou sayest We wander up and down in all parts to vent our wicked Opinions to the disturbance of good people Here thou hast vented forth thy malice out of the spirit of bitternesse against us to make us appear odious to good people if they will lend an ear to thee for wicked Opinions we doe deny And we have not disturbed any good people neither have we wandred in all parts as thou sayest but came the straight Road from Bristoll to Plymouth and were chargeable to none in our Journey but lay at the best Inns where we came and paid for what we had need of for both our Horse and our selves And again thou sayest Indeed Sir they hold many sad Opinions destructive to true Religion and power of godlinesse We say indeed if thou hadst the true Religion thou would have power over thy tongue but thou hast manifested thy Religion to be in vain and thy ignorance both of the true power and also of the form of godlinesse for godlinesse is a mystery and he that hath the form and not the power from such we turn away and with such as have the power and life of what they professe have we fellowship in the light which hath no fellowship with darknesse neither with such as walk disorderly and contrary to the light of Christ who bringeth peace on Earth and good-will towards man And we never contemned thy Authority as a Magistrate neither doe we slight the Generall Disbrow whom thou desirest to have a good opinion of thee who hast made thy conceivings and thy will a Law to imprison us by though we have transgressed no Law but to the Children of light thou art discovered and thy deceit laid open He that hath understanding let him read And this we have written to thee in reference to that thou writest to General Disbrow for thy self and thy Brethren not rendring to thee nor thy Brethren rayling for rayling but in the spirit of love and meeknes we exhort you all to repent and fear to offend the Lord and the least of them who believe in his name lest he come in a day when you are not aware and cut you off in a day when you are not aware and cut you off and you be numbred amongst the transgressors and have your portion amongst them which make war with the Lamb and the Saints and Servants of the most high God This is the day of your visitation while you have time prize it From us who are friends to your soules Thomas Salthouse Miles Halhead prisoners in Exon Gaol A Copy of an Indictment Exhibited against and read to them at the Sessions THe Jurors for his Highnesse the Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging upon their Oaths doe present That whereas by an Ordinance of his Highnesse the Lord Protector and his Counsell bearing date the 29 day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred fifty foure for preventing of Duells and all occasions of Challenges and Quarrells and using any disgracefull provoking words or gestures tending to that effect it was Ordered That no persons whatsoever should from and after the publishing of the said Ordinance use any provoking words or gestures whereby Quarrells or Challenges may arise as by the said Ordinance may more at large appear Neverthelesse Thomas Salthouse late of Druggly beck in the County of Lancaster Husbandman and Miles Halhead of Kendall in the County of Westmorland Husbandman not fearing nor regarding the said Ordinance and the penalty therein contained after the publishing of the said Ordinance to wit the twentieth day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred fifty and five at Plymouth in the County aforesaid in the presence and hearing of divers honest persons of the Common-wealth of England there then being did use divers disgracefull provoking words and gestures to George Brooks Clerk in the Nightingale Friggot he being then opening and declaring unto the said persons a certain place of Scripture wherein the said George spake something of the Holy Trinity to wit Thou the said George Brooks meaning lyest in saying there were three persons in the Trinity we doe deny there is no such thing but thou art a deluding spirit come to draw away the hearts of the people from God And farther they the said Thomas Salthouse and Miles Halhead did further speak to the people then present that they should not hearken to the said George Brooks for that he was a Thief and was come with a lye in his mouth and had stollen what he had from others and had it in his hand poynting to the Bible which was then in the said George Brooks his hand open And further did say it was a lye which the said George Brooks had brought and other harmes to the said George Brooks then and there did contrary to the form of the said Ordinance against the peace publick Thomas Salthouse and Miles Halheads Answer to this Indictment BEing that we were not permitted to speak for our selves when this Indictment or Bill was read to us in the open Court at the Generall Sessions holden at the Castle of Exon. upon the 12 day of the fifth Month 1655 but by the Justices there in Commission the Goaler was commanded to to take us away So to make our defence for the truths sake we are constrained to write something in Answer to the substance of it The sum of it is To make us Offendors in an Act made against Duells and Challenges and the like by the Lord Protector and his Councell and you say We not fearing or regarding the said Act and the penalty therein contained did use divers disgracefull and provoking words to George Brooks Clerk of the Nightingale Frigot To which

we Answer THe fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisedome hath taught us to regard and honour all men in the Lord and that Act we own which is made against quarrelling and fighting and cursed speaking which is the fruit of the flesh and that the Magistrates bear not the sword in vain but adds the penalty to the transgression of it and not to add the Law where there is no transgression proved And we doe declare and many can witnesse that unlesse you call the Scripture disgracefull words there was none spoken to him by us And we doe affirm that one of us did not speak one word to him and yet we are both accused and imprisoned and if this be the penalty of the Act that if one man offend two must suffer let all that know the Law of England with moderation judge And whether discoursing of the Scripture be a transgression of that yea or nay For what was spoken many of our friends of Plymouth which you confesse to be honest people that are friends to the Common-wealth of England did hear us you say Yet might they not be permitted to hear us examined before the Mayor and Magistrates of Plymouth upon the 23 day of the third month in the Common Hall in the presence of neer one hundred people and all our friends that heard the discourse and know the truth of it were put forth of the Hall and the door kept fast And we desired that if either man or woman had any thing to lay to our charge they might then speak But we never had our Accusars brought before us that we might see them or hear them speak And for that George Brooks spake concerning the three persons of the Trinity these words was spoken by one of us I know no such Scripture that speaks of the three persons in the Trinity but the three that the Scripture speaks of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and these three are one And the Baptism by one Spirit into one body and the Father the Word and the Spirit the Scripture declares to be one and he that hath the Son hath the father also And this we doe own he that can receive it let him And no such word was spoken by us as calling him a deluding spirit and therefore the Accusation is false Neither did we say that he came to draw away the hearts of the people from God as you say for he stood up and vindicated what we had declared to be truth and that of God in his conscience will witnesse against you in this thing And in that you say We spake to the people not to hearken to him and that he was a THIEF and pointed to the Bible which was then in his hand and other harms to the said George Brooks against the peace publick Here under a cloak of maliciousnesse have you made Lyes your refuge but with the light you are comprehended and your works of darknesse brought to it and reproved for we did neither call him Thief nor say he had stollen the Bible that was in his hand which you say we pointed at And you speak of other harms against George Brooks and say We meaned that he lyed And here you make use of meanings as if here were not false Accusations sufficient to drive on your design of Persecution you might have mentioned those other harms you speak of if you knew of any but it 's like you have mentioned the worst you heard of which we declare to be false as many can witnesse that heard the discourse that are inhabitors of Plymouth and friends to the peace of Englands Common-wealth So all yee that take your Oaths and give informations consider what you doe for because of Oaths the land mourns and the Lord God will come near to judgement and will be a swift witnesse against the lyar and the false Swearer that are out of the doctrine of Christ who saith Swear not at all but in all your communications let your yea be yea and your nay nay for whatsoever is more is evill And every one of you in particular take heed to the light of Christ in your consciences and there is your Teacher loving it that will keep you from accusing any man falsly and lead you out of all controversie and strife up to Jesus Christ who is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth on him who brings peace on earth and good will towards men who is the Prince of Peace of whose Government there shall be no end who is God over all blessed for evermore This we have written in Answer to the Bill of Indictment against us Thomas Salthouse and Miles Halhead Prisoners for the truths sake in Bridewell in Thomas Parish neer Exeter in Devonshire Record of the Sentence given against them at Sessions Devon A Calender of the Prisoners Tryed and Delivered at the Generall Sessions of the Peace publick holden at the Castle of Exon. July 10. 1655. THomas Salthouse and Miles Halhead for provoking words against George Brooks Clerk who refused to be Tryed by the Countrey fined 5 l. a piece and committed to Bridewell till payment and finding Sureties for the good behaviour The Answer of Miles and Thomas thereunto TO you Justices by whom we are committed we Answer as we did when we were before you and doe affirm that one of us spake not a word unto him George Brooks and to satisfie all such as may hear this thing under which we suffer as if we were Thieves or Murtherers we shall lay open to the view of all people the ground of the Discourse We being met together at a friends house neer Plymouth to wait upon the Lord there being more people then the house would contein we went into a Garden and after we had spoken some words of Exhortation to the people and had declared the truth of the experience we had found manifested in us of the free grace of God that brings salvation provoking them to love and to good works according to the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles as the Spirit gave us utterance at that time Then George Brooks unknown unto us stood up and spake to the people with the words of Paul to the Corinthians and said Take heed that yee receive not the grace of God in vain with many words in Vindication of what we had spoken witnessing that it was the eternall truth which we had spoken So after all was ended some began to enter into some discourse with him and one of us asked him whether he could witnesse what he had spoken to be from the life and power of it saying Thou hast uttered many Scriptures and good words but it 's he that hath the witnesse in himself that sets to his seal that God is true Then directing my speech to all that were there by way of Exhortation I spake the words of Paul to the Ephesians Let him that stole steal no more

with many other words of truth and sobernesse which was not to any one in particular If these be provoking words and worthy of such bonds as we suffer let all men that have moderation bear witnesse And in that you say We refuse to be tryed by the Country Oh! how dare you give such things under your hands when you your selves and all people that were in the Court can bear us witness that we did not refuse to be tryed but did appeale to the highest power that was there unto whom many in the Country came for Justice and from whom we expected righteous judgement for you know we said We were willing to be tryed by the Bench to whom all the Court was in subjection to whose power we were and are subject to for conscience sake and did not resist your power but for the ve pounds that is demanded of us we answer we owe nothing to any man but to love one another therefore we deny to pay so much money for naught but if any man will come to us and say that we have wronged him we will make him satisfaction and pay him the utmost farthing And as for Sureties for the good behaviour they that walk in the light of Christ who is the Surety of a better Covenant then mans Covenant whom we witnesse teaching us to deny the customes and fashions of the world and all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to doe to all men as we would they should doe unt● us And we are tyed to the good behaviour by the Righteous Law of God and dare not lye nor swear nor be drunk nor use any deceit pollicy shifts or double dealing nor respect mens persons for the liberty of the outward man or any other advantage to that in all your consciences doe we appeale whether we be wo thy of such bonds as these where none of our friends nor acquaintance must come at us or speak with us but they must be imprisoned Is the Law of England so exact against us such as have been alwayes faithfull in that which hath been manifested and in the States service and desires nothing else but to worship God in Spirit and truth according to what is manifested and witnessed in the light of Jesus Christ who is the way to the father that when we were locked up in close Prison the Souldiers kept John Gannyclife who is a Constable in their custody for coming to speak with us and another person who did spy in at a hole of the door where we were this they did by an Order from Captain Joyce who hath given it under his hand to take into their custody all such as they suspected to be of us whom they called Quakers But this they doe that the Scripture may be fulfilled which Jesus Christ spake to his Disciples They shall hale you before Magistrates and Rulers who shall cast some of you into prison and the time shall come if they kill you they shall think they doe God good service But here is our confidence in his Promise that he that endures to the end shall be saved and if we suffer with him we shall also reigne with him for whose sake we are made willing by his eternall power to suffer the losse of all things that we may receive an inheritance with them that are Sanctified and witnesse against all deceit and abomination to the laying down of our lives if it be required who are Prisoners for the Testimony of Jesus in Thomas Parish neer Exon in Bridewell Thomas Salthouse Miles Halhead A copy of their Letter sent the Mayor of Plymouth after their first Apprehension FRIEND SEing the Lord God of power who is Lord of Heaven and Earth hath entrusted thee with the power of a Magistrate to bear the Sword of Justice which is for the punishment of evil doers and the encouragement of those that doe well and to rule for him who brings peace on earth and hath good will towards men even Jesus Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant who is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth who was supposed to be the Son of Joseph but was the Son of God and he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life and we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding to know him who is true and he that hath the Son hath the Father also and he that hath the witnesse in himself hath set to his seale that God is true he that hath understanding let him read he that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love and if any man say I love God and hate his Brother he is a lyar for his Commandement is love and he that rules in love rules with Authority and not as the Scribes and Pharisees The Law of God is perfect and endureth for ever he is our Judge and Law-giver before whom all must appear to give an accompt for all the deeds done in the body when every man shall receive according to his works Now Friend to thee for Justice doe we call that the truth may be freed from scandalls and false reports and the oppressed set free which is pure Religion that we may have that favour at thy hands which the Law doth afford to bring our Accusers to us that have any thing to lay to our charge worthy of Bonds that things may be tryed by the light and actions weighed in the ballance of equity that truth may spring up out of the Earth and righteousnesse may run down as a mighty stream and peace and Justice may kisse each other for know assuredly although we are counted deceivers yet are we true and nothing doe we desire from thee as thou art a Magistrate but to have the truth cleared by the light and truth set at liberty and if there be any that knoweth the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent and hath eternall life abiding in him we desire to be tryed by him even him that is guided by the Spirit of God and as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God And whereas some ignorant men say that we deny the Trinity and the God-head which is false for God is a Spirit and as many as are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God and the Father Son and Spirit are one and this we witnesse according to the Scriptures and this God is but one in whom all things live move and have their being who is above all and in all and through all God blessed for ever And for the word Trinity there is no such Scripture as speaks of a Trinity so in tendernesse of conscience and love to the Spirit of Truth which gave forth the Scriptures we dare not wrest them nor speak any other language nor add nor diminish from them So Friend to the light of Jesus Christ in thine own conscience and the measure of the

the men in severall parts who are summoned by Prelaticall Malignant and Presbyterian Justices so called to abjure Popery or their Names and Habitations to be taken and returned into the Exchequer for the Sequestration of their Estates and these are the men who are taken up in the Country as they are upon their lawfull occasions against whom there being no accusation in Law this Oath is put to them which because they refuse to take out of conscience to an Oath not daring to swear at all because of the Command of Christ Jesus the great Law-giver are imprisoned where many of them have a long time layn and doe yet lye though contrary to Law not unknown to the Chief in Authority some of whom have personally pressed it And not only is this exercised upon men but on women also who till this day since the times of Popery were never known to be so used but have been forborn as that which hath been accounted below the dignity and spirit of a man to exact And the next word now to any one who is reproached with the name of Quaker who are known out of Conscience not to dare to Swear at all is usually give him or her the Oath of Abjuration of Popery though he be their Neighbour whom they know to be and their Consciences tells them is far from any such thing and there they are sure to catch him and to have their revenge on him for Witnessing the Truth as it is in Jesus when otherwise they cannot get him into the compasse or pretence of any Law and having fast here there he may lye for the Eternall Truth for which he suffers seeks not to man for deliverance and those who should regard care little for the matter and the cry of their oppressions seldome enters into their ears Thus in all Ages hath Error sought to support it self against the Truth and to ensnare the Consciences of those of her Children with Oaths when other manner of Persecutions have not reached that so she might be secure and never know sorrow Which Oaths as they are out of the Doctrine of Christ so a Curse have they proved instead of a Defence and the beginner and certaine Fore-runner of the Destruction and Finall Overthrow of that Kingdome as these and former Generations have witnessed though before in never so promising and flourishing condition and seeming in its own eye to want nothing but Oaths to establish it And now the Witnesse of God is drawn forth against this and all manner of Swearing and it is Witnessing in sufferings at the hands of those on whom was pressed the Oath c. And the Covenant and who in their time Suffered by and Testified and Fought against those who imposed and sought to establish both and also against the Bishops Oath Ex Officio which required a man to Swear against himself and Whether the imposing of an Oath upon a man to abjure what is supposed to be his conscience wherewithall to worship God upon the penalty of loosing his Estate if he refuse be lesse let the Wise in heart judge And Whether upon the same ground and by the same Rule the like Oath may not be imposed as to any other thing and exacted upon the same penalty The Witnesse of God hath its time of Raigning as well as Suffering and will as certainly Raigne as it doth Suffer it was ever so in all Ages these later above any have known it so and so it will be in this and in the Ages to come Let those whom it concerns who have had a time of Suffering and Reigning and now cause others to Suffer consider before it be too late The Judge standeth at the door and according to the Greatnesse and Majesty of the Truth that is witnessed and the Sufferings that attend its Testimony and the condition of those who cause it to Suffer as having been Witnesses and Sufferers themselves and the Sword of the Lord upon that which hath caused to Suffer and have known his Presence and Mighty Power therein wonderfully and his strange Overturnings whereby to cause to Raigne what hath been so testified unto by Sufferings will be the Judgement Except they repent You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth therefore will I punish you for your iniquities saith the Lord Whilst they are the sufferings of Sion who is there that considereth or layeth them to heart but the Rod of the wicked shall not alwayes lye on the back of the Righteous there 's a time when the Testimony of the Truth in sufferings will be finished and other men will have their Day who have cryed Aha and nagged the head and stamped with the feet and helped on their sufferings and caused them to suffer and looked on their brethren in the day of their distresse wherein the Lord will mock at their calamity and their sorrowes which shall come upon them as on a woman in travell and they shall not escape whilst the righteous who have mourned in Sion joy in the Lord and rejoyce in the God of their salvation having beauty for ashes the Oyle of joy for mourning and the Garments of praise for the spirit of heavinesse for God is Judge The next day they were brought before the Bench again Court Will ye confesse that you wronged G. Brookes in calling of him Thief and be sorry for it and make him satisfaction Answ One of us did not speak one word to him and therefore I deny to make him satisfaction or to be sorry for it and what was spoken was no such thing therefore we will not lye for our liberty nor confesse that we are sorry for that which we never spoke Court You are fined five pound a piece and must goe to the House of Correction till payment and to find Sureties for your good behaviour and for refusing to take the Oath we shall take course to send to the North to seize on your Estates according to the Proclamation And so to Prison were they returned and what followes entred as the Record of their proceedings A Calender of the Prisoners Tryed and Delivered at the Generall Sessions of the Peace publick holden at the Castle of Exon. July 10. 1655. THomas Salthouse and Miles Halhead for provoking words against George Brooks Clerk who refused to be Tryed by the Countrey fined 5 l. a piece committed to Bridewell till payment and finding Sureties for their good behaviour And thus as the day before they were returned to Prison instead of being admitted to a Tryall according to Law after the Indictment against them was read and they had made a sufficient Legall Plea thereunto and Desired their Accusers might be brought in and they liberty to speak in their own Defence as aforesaid so now Judgement is given against them without a Tryall or Hearing or bringing in so much as one Accuser and yet the Record saith A Calender of the Prisoners Tryed Have such things as these before these dayes been

heard of in this Nation Is it not hereby manifest that nothing but to cause the Innocent to suffer is sought after by them who to help those to right that suffer wrong and to relieve the oppressed are entrusted by the Law And is not the Justice and Relief of the Law hereby made voyd and of none effect and trampled under foot by those who are in Commission to execute Justice What is become of Liberty of liberty for tender consciences If things must be so talke no more of Law let not liberty come forth of your lips When they were first imprisoned at Plymouth the Mayor said they were detained for denying the Trinity then for refusing to take the Oath of Abjuration then he sent them to the common Goal at Exeter and charged them with disturbing of the Peace and Other high misdemeanours against the Act prohibiting the disturbing of Ministers and other Christians in their peaceable Assemblies and against the Ordinance for preventing of Duells and for not finding Sureties for their good behaviour At this Sessions they are Indicted for disgracefull provoking words spoken to G. Brookes calling him Thief c. That being read They are had a way and being brought again the Oath of Abjuration of Popery was tendred Them after which they are returned to Prison and the next day are demanded To confesse that they had wronged G. Brooks in calling him Thief and to be sorry for it and to make him satisfaction What turnings are here and falshoods traversed to destroy the Innocent When as One of them spake not a word to him and the Other no such word nor to any such purpose as is contained in the Indictment as is already manifested and as in their Answer to the Warrant by which they were committed and the Attestation of ten honest men at Plymouth delivered to Generall Disbrow and in another Declaration of theirs all hereunto annexed at large appeareth and notwithstanding no accuser was ever brought to their faces and thy heard in their own Defence or to speak for themselves though both at Plymouth and this Sessions they demanded it and because they denyed to make him satisfaction for what they never did and to be sorry for words which they never spoke and so to lye for their liberty A Legall Tryall is denyed them and without a Tryall or Hearing Judgement given against Them wherein they are Fined 5 l. a piece and committed to Bridewell till payment and finding Sureties for their good behaviour after their having been kept Prisoners for above seven weeks before and in that manner as aforesaid by those who had broke the Law upon them in taking them from their peaceable Meeting waiting on the Lord when as they had transgressed no Law And to make sure work have they cast them into a place which is no Prison in Law and therefore a remove cannot be had out of it by a Habeas Corpus to the Upper Bench nor falls it under the consideration of the Judges in their Circuits Doth our Law judge a man before it hear him and know what he doth And indeed well might they avoyd it and be ashamed of their Cause and Proof for besides a Cloud of Witnesses which could have been brought and divers that were then present ready to give Testimony to the contrary as hath been mentioned and of the Innocency and Harmlesnesse of that Meeting and what was said therein upon which is grounded as is pretended the cause of all their sufferings Peter Pepham one of the Witnesses which were ready to Swear against them was heard to say the day before his going to Exeter to this effect I am going to Swear against the Quaker and if Swearing will doe it I will make them to suffer soundly He being a known Cavaliere and sometime a Servant to Duke Hamilton And besides G. Brookes and his two Witnesses there is not one to be found of these many who made up the Meeting of whom divers came out of novelty to Testifie what they affirm but the contrary for what they spake was generally well approved of And to mention only one particular One who had been a Captain in the Kings Army very well known in Plymouth did freely declare to a friend That having a scorn and contempt of the men and their way his end in coming to hear them was to see what he could catch from them to render them odious but having heard them he confessed that he thought them to be harmlesse innocent honest men and he would not lift up a finger against them if he might gain thereby ten thousand pounds And he freely declared to both the Witn●sses with whom he was very well acquainted That if they Swore any evill against them they would be perjured men Also that he never was so much convinced of the evill of his wayes and the power of God by any Minister that he had heard for many years before And for G. Brookes himself he is one whole conversation stinks in the Nostrills of those who savour of Civility and honesty who know him and his Conversation There needs to this no further instance then of his beastly wicked behaviour in the Nightingale Friggot of which he was then Priest which was such that even some of the Seamen of that Ship justified one who reproved him to his face of the Vanity Madnesse of his Conversation about three weeks before the Meeting aforesaid and told the said George Brooks that They should not be so wicked in their wayes were it not for his example And the Steward of the Ship aforesaid in the presence of two or three Witnesses affirmed That he was had and wicked enough before the said George Brooks came into the ship but since he was ten times worse and that he and some other in the ship could not endure to hear him Preaching or bauling as he called it yea a friend of the said Priests who manifesting some dislike in the Garden at the Meeting aforesaid that his friend G. Brooks should be questioned by what Spirit he spake at length confessed That his life was not conformable to his Doctrine And so abominable was his filthinesse that in the same Frigot was he made a publick Example for his Drunkennesse having a Quarter Canne hanged about his Neck and is since for that and his other wickednesse set on shore or turned out or the said Ship as appeareth by the Certificates of the Captain of that Friggot and two other Captaines of Friggots hereunto annexed And yet in the Cause and behalf of this Son of Belial so full of lyes and falshoods in every particular are the Innocent servants of Christ Oppressed and Afflicted as if they were not fit to live and after almost two months imprisonment lying on the ground because they refused to confesse and be sorry for calling him Thief which they never did nor was there any one that made proof thereof to their faces after their long and hard bonds

and fighting for them and having had to doe in obtaining the Victory or in fearing the Lord and being peaceable in the land and living in the principle that leads out of transgression and not resisting evill with evill but bearing all things and suffering all things both from those who have been friends and enemies though contrary to Law and liberty and common humanity and the righteous ends of the Wars are their sufferings leaving vengeance to the Lord whose it is and who will repay it and laying their bodies as the ground and as the street to them that say bow down thy body that we may goe over And wherein consists the vertue merit or prerogative of the other by which they may in equity or right claim such a priviledge Is Law and Justice and Liberty and Right changed in the ending of the Wars for them into peace that those must be denyed either and the contrary inflicted on them in such a manner of cruelty that the presidents of former times have not parallel'd whose lives in the field and whose All hath been so often engaged for the effecting thereof Is this Generation delivered to commit greater abominations and Cruelties then those who for these things sake and by their hand have been so lately Destroyed Is the Weight of the Blood of these Nations a small Matter and all the Garments rolled in blood the mangled and dead Carkasses of so many Thousands the Plundering burnings Devastations Ruines of Multitudes the Barbarous and the unheard of Cruelties and Murthers executed especially in Ireland the Cryes of the Great Companies of Fatherlesse and Widowes for Liberties and Justice a pleasant sight that Men so Lightly Gird it to their loynes and goe over their Graves in acting higher Wickednesses then what were the Causes of those Miserable Destructions God is not unrighteous so severely to punish Offences in some and to let others goe free who transgresse in the same and act more wickedly Shall not the Judge of the whole earth doe right God is true and every man a lyar and at his hands every man shall receive according to their deeds If he spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chaines of darknesse to be reserved unto Judgement Nor the old world bringing in the flood upon the World of the ungodly nor Sodome and Gomorah but turned their Cities into ashes and condemned them with an overthrow making them Ensamples to them that afterwards should live ungodly nor the Kingdomes of Israel and Judah in whom the iniquities and mighty sins afore-mentioned were found but suffered for those things sake Sion to be plowed as a field and Jerusalem to become heaps and the mountain of the house as the higher places of the forrest and removed them both out of his sight and upon whom the wrath is come to the uttermost And if he spared not those in these three Nations upon whom some of these things were found but hath spread them before this Generation as the remarkable and sad Examples of his Vengeance Justice who renders to every one according to his works then what can they expect who having all these examples before their eyes and having bin the Instruments of his indignation upon those of their Age doe not only the same things but over-passe their deeds in afflicting the just and persecuting the witnesses of the living God the God of their mercies who hath wrought all their wonderfull deliverances whom of their brethren he hath raised up and sent amongst them to turn their feet out of the wayes of destruction into the path of peace and to direct them to that which if hearkned unto will guide them out of all deceipts and subtilties and power of darknes up to the Kingdom of his Son whose Throne is for ever and ever and the Scepter of whose Kingdome is a righteous Scepter which is the substance of what the late wars were a figure the principle from whence alone Justice shall spring up from the earth righteousnes shall slow down from heaven who shall rule the Nations with a rod of iron and break them in pieces as a potters vessel whose kingdome is begun to be set up which shall never have an end I say what remaineth for such but a fearfull expectation of the revelation of the righteous judgements of God which shall destroy the adversary and bring upon themselves swift destruction beyond the measure of those that have gone before them except they repent For God is not mocked as men sow so shall they reap and those that follow their pernicious wayes their judgment lingreth not nor doth their damnation slumber the testimony of his Elect in sufferings is finishing the measure of the iniquity of their persecutors is filling up apace and the Judge standeth at the door Judgement hastneth and vengeance is preparing her self and destruction is making ready and woe unto you ye potsheards of the earth who strive with your Maker What will ye doe in the day of visitation and in the desolation that cometh from far To whom will ye flee for help and where will you leave your glory Can your hearts endure your hands be strong in the days when the Lord shall deal with you Be wise therefore O yee Kings be instructed O yee Judges of the Earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Touch not his Anointed and doe his Prophets no harm Kiss the Son lest he be angry and yee parish from the mid way when his wrath is kindled but a little and it is kindling blessed are all they that trust in him But sing O Heavens and be joyfull O Earth and break forth into singing O Mountaines for God hath comforted his people and will have mercy on his afflicted FINIS G Hughes Government Art 37. Acts 16.17 Ephes. 4.8 John 10.1 Jer. 23.10 a John 3.16 b Joh. 1.3 10. c John 8 12. d John 1.9 e Luke 11.31 f Psal. 110.1 Mat. 22.43 45 g Rev. 27.16 h John 8.56 i Heb. 1.6 k Rom. 10.4 l Heb. 7.23 m Heb. 8.6 n Heb. 13.20.12.24 o Deut. 18.15 Acts 3.22 23.7.37 p Mat. 24.35 q Mat. 5.17 r Luke 1.73 Å¿ Rom. 2.8 9 10. t Rev. 3.14 u Acts 10.42.17.32 2 Tim 4.1 Rom. 2.16 x John 10.17 Mat. 5 33 34 35 36 37. z James 5.12 a Prov. 8.15 b Psal. 62.11 c Phil 2.10 11. d Rom. 2.9 A close Imprisonment is directly contrary to the 23 H 8. Cap 2. which provideth that Prisons shall be in the most eminent and populous Townes where is most resort of people that the Prisoner may be the oftner visited and relieved And though the Statute of Westminster 2. provides for a safe Imprisonment yet for a close Imprisonment there is neither that nor any other Law and above all things doth the Law value the liberty of a man Loe hear what a filthy worker of iniquity this Priest is for denying of whose spirit before the people these long and cruell sufferings are inflicted on the innocent What a defiler of the flesh is this in whose behalfe these men make war against the Lamb Is not this Priest who not onely prophecies of but fills himselfe with wine and strong drink a fit Prophet for these people What think you had they a Spirit of discerning who comprehended this Priest and his root and principle and denying his spirit before the people though he spake so high in the praise of what they had said Would not these men plead Barabas his part against Jesus were he on the earth Devon