to live in their native Country as their Brethren the ancient Christians were in Ages and Generations past I say as they suffer for Righteousness sake in Conscience to God not as Evil doers they shall have the Answer of a good Conscience and enjoy the Presence of the Lord which is better then Life and all those things you threaten to deprive them of and they shall live the Life and dye the Death of the Righteous and enter in and inherit the Crown of Life when you that are of a bitter spirit a persecuting envious spirit against your Neighbours who have done you no Wrong and yet profess Christ and Christianity shall see your selves shut out and when trouble anguish sorrow pain perplexity of spirit and horror of conscience shall attend you in your Houses and upon your Beds for the Hand of God will lie heavy upon the Evil-doer and Cruel Men and Vengeance is the Lord's and he will repay it and to him they can commit their Cause and appeal to for Justice seeing their Importunity though like the poor Widow's to the Unjust Judge cannot prevail with men They are known viz. the people called Quakers to be a quiet peaceable people among their Neighbours in all parishes Towns Cities and Countries where they dwell throughout England and great Observers and Honourers of the End of Magistracy and true Christian-Government which is a praise to them that do well and a terror to them that do evil and are true Subjects to the King and obedient to all the good and wholsom Laws of their native Country which tend to preserve men Liberties Properties Persons and Estates not for fear of Punishment but for Conscience sake and they are ready to obey every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake in all things relating to the Things of a Man giving Caesar his due and readily paying all Rates and Taxes that tend to the Good and Service and Preservation of their Neighbours and Country-men which is proper for any Christian men to do but in things relating to God and his Worship and Conscience they cannot endure to be imposed upon they rather chuse to obey God then Man in all such Matters and rather chuse to suffer the spoiling of their Goods imprisonment of their Bodies and give up their Lives also then submit to the Wills and Commands of men in Matters of Religion Church and Worship contrary to their Consciences and the perswasions of the Spirit of God in their own Hearts knowing it is a grievous thing to fall into the Hands of the living God and to sin against Light and Knowledge for fear of suffering therein they would not only be like the Common Sinners of the Times but worse who in their common Service daily confess They do that which they should not do and leave undone that which they should do who confess they have no Health in them but are full of putrified Sores from the crown of the Head to the sole of the Foot I say they would be worse then these if worse can be and would be Abomination in the sight of the Lord and a Stink in his Nostrils and his Righteous Soul would be vexed with them from day to day and they would not enjoy the Light of his Countenance which to them is better then the encrease of Corn Wine and Oyl They can say and that truly in the sight of God That they desire the good of all men and have Love and Good-wil to all their Neighbours and country-men and can truly pray for their enemies though they use them despightfully and do desire they may see the evil of their wayes and repent that they may enjoy Blessings and Peace temporal and eternal And if any thing to the contrary as Evil Thoughts Evil Will Prejudice or Enmity arise in them or among them against any they judge it with the Light and Spirit of God as an Evil inconsistent with their Profession of Christianity and directly contrary to the Life and Nature thereof for they have do declare own it their duty to live walk according to the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus and to know the same written in their Hearts and this Law was the Guide of Man-kind before Sin entred the World before outward Laws were written in Tables of Stone or in a Book And those that are led by this Law of the Spirit of Life are the righteous Men and righteous Women against whom there is no Law being living Witnesses of its power and vertue making them free from that and giving them Victory and Dominion over that because of which the outward Law was added viz. Sin And these own all good Laws outwardly and will not transgress against them And the Law as saith Paul Is not made for the Righteous but for the Wicked 1 Tim. 1.9 10. or Lawless and Disobedient for the Vngodly and for Sinners for Vnholy and prophane for murtherers of Fathers and murtherers of Mothers for man-slayers for Whoremongers for them that defile themselves with mankind for men-stealers for Lyars for perjured Persons and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound Doctrine c. And whoever talks and professes the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus and lives under the power of Sin and Death or continues in evil-doing they are no true Subjects to it nor lovers of it nor walkers in it but a shame and a Scandal to the Christian Religion and Strangers and Alians from the Common-Wealth of Israel and the Law of Sin and Death rules in their Minds and Members and leads them Captive into Evil and these are in great Bondage to the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh and the Pride of Life And these are the Children of disobedience in whose Hearts the Prince of the Air the Prince of Darkness Rules and leads them to Envy Hate and Persecute their Neighbours about Religion which was never the work of a true Christian For he that hateth his Brother is a man-slayer 1 John 3.15 He that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen 1 John 4.20 Be Serious consider your Work and Condition and see how you stand in the sight of God and mind God's witness in your own Consciences and hearken to the Voice thereof and it will Infallibly inform and shew you whether the Spirit of Christ and Christianity which is the Spirit of Meckness Gentleness Kindness and Brotherly love rules in your Hearts or the contrary and the Voice of this whether it be with you or against you is as a Thousand Witnesses and all that sleight and disregard its Voice and stop their Ears at the Reproof thereof while the day of their Visitation lasts Time will come upon them and the Night will overtake them wherein they shall hear its Voice whether they will or no and be judged according thereto Conscience is compared to a Book and the
A BRIEF NARRATIVE Of the Proceedings of Doctor Parr And some of the Parishioners of Mary Magdalen-Bermonsey in the County of SURREY Against certain People called Quakers Inhabitants of the said Parish for not Paying and Complying with an Illegal Tax laid under pretence of Repairing their Church Shewing how some of the said people did endeavour as of right belongeth to every English man to defend themselves from the Rigor and Cruelty of the Ecclesiastical Courts about the same by seeking to gain a Prohibition to stop the Proceedings in the Bishop's Court and to bring their Unreasonble Illegal Imposition of 1800 l. upon the said Parish to tryal at Common Law and by what Means they have been prevented therein Also an EXHORTORY REPREHENSION upon the whole Published to prevent a Misunderstanding concerning the said people who are and may be more presented as that they in Enmity Stubbornness and Self-willedness have refused to pay towards the said Rate and occasioned a Charge to the said Parish Whereas in Truth the Cause of their endeavour to defend themselves was to keep their Consciences void of Offence to God and Men To God in not yielding to Repair an Idols Temple for so they believe it to be To Men in that their Proceeds therein were contrary to all the known Law in being And having done their endeavour in trying the Courts of Judicature and finding Iniquity in the place of Judgment and the Cause of the Poor sleighted they are clear in their Consciences and can leave their Cause to God and lie down in Peace and Good Will to all men But the gnawing Worm that never dyes will fasten upon the Wicked in the Day of Account Eccles 5.15 And moreover I saw under the Sun the Place of Judgment and Iniquity was there and the Place of Righteousness and Wickedness was there Printed in the Year 1677. To the Reader Friend THou mayst understand we live in a Nation whose Laws and constituted Government excels most Nations in the World being very tender and careful in defence of its Inhabitants Liberties Persons Estates and Lives from the Wills and Arbitrary Power of lawless unreasonable Men and every English man hath a Birth right and Inheritance in this Law and it is the Just Interest of every honest man to endeavour to keep up this Standard and Bulwork of Property Lives and Liberties against all that would invade them or attempt to rob and spoil them of either 'T is true there is much Failure and Corruption in the Executive Part of this well framed law and government there is so much Partiality Self-interest and Iniquity got into the Place and Seat of Judgment that many times the clear Stream and Current of Justice and Equity is stopped defiled and corrupted and it 's a very hard thing for a poor man who is oppressed and abused by his Neighbour to get Relief but this is not to be attributed to the Law but to the Abusers and Corrupters of it whose Work is to pervert the End of all good Law and Government which is to be a Terror to the Evil-doers and a Praise to them that do well where-ever this just End is not answered such do not rule nor judge for God let them pretend what they will but are Contemners Despisers and Perverters of the Law of God and all good men In this Case of ours we apprehend our selves Arbitrarily contrary to Law imposed upon by a sort of rash inconsiderate men who have run themselves upon a Work more proper for a Parliament then a Parish and if they had a Reward accordingly they would receive but their desert and it being to do a Work illegal and so ‖ For the Truth of this we may appeal to the Consciences of many of the Inhabitants of Magdalen Parish whether they their Neighbours were not more sober temperate grave and wise and guilty of less sin and Transgression against God and man twenty or thirty years ago then at this time if so then wherein are people profited by the studied Sermons of Hirelings needless and unprofitable to our selves and Neighbours we were willing to stop their Ecclesiastical Proceeds otherwise we should have been passive and silently suffered the weight of the leaden Hands of unholy Church whose Mercies are very Cruelties witness the Popish Inquisitions and cruel Torture and Burnings of conscientious men and the Protestants Goals Whips Stocks Cutting off Ears and Stigmatizing and Hanging also as in New-England upon the account of Church Religion and Worship all which we testifie against as directly contrary to and inconsistent with the Pure Christian Religion and Church of Christ as is signified in short in what follows but is according to the Whore or false Church whose Weapons are carnal and not spiritual who is and hath been since the Apostacy very busie in Christendom in spoiling peoples Goods imprisoning and torturing their Bodies and sometimes killing them also and making her self drunk with the Blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus Now it 's so far from the Nature and Life of the true Church to inflict Corporal Punishments for Spiritual Offences or to hurt any man's Liberty Person and Estate in this World about the things of the World to come as Faith Conscience and Manner of Worship that it is both unnatural and unreasonable for if People do err in their minds and understand things relating to their future Estate amiss and are of an unsound Judgment in the things of God and in matters relating to his Kingdom c. Spiritual-weaponed Men and not Goalers and Executioners of corporal Punishments are to deal with such People and inform and restore them with the Spirit of Love and Meekness if they can according to the Example and Doctrine of Christ Jesus his Apostles and primitive Christians who never used outward Force and Violence or corporal Punishments to compel People to be of their Religion Christianity came not this way into the World neither is it or ever was it upheld or propagated by such means it 's a Gospel of Life and Salvation and brings Peace on Earth and Good Will to Men and the true Ministers of it being endued with Power from on High in the universal Love of God perswaded men to be reconciled to him by turning them from the Darkness within to the Light and Grace of God Within from the Power of Satan within by which their minds were captivated to the Spirit and Power of God within that they might receive Remission of their Sins and Inheritance among them that are sanctified And if people would not receive them into their Houses or build them some Houses to preach this Gospel to them in they were not to call for Fire from Heaven upon them nor send their Bodies to Goal or take away or spoil them of their Earthly Treasures because they would not receive their heavenly Treasures nor own and believe them to be Dispensers and ministers of it let all that pretend themselves
to be Christ's Ministers compare themselves herewith And let this be considered by every true English man That if the rash inconsiderate unlawful Proceeds of a few of our Neighbours becomes presidential and escapes Correction which is so direct against the fundamental Law of our Country others may take Boldness to rate and raise Eighteen Thousand Pound as well as Eighteen Hundred Pound upon the like Pretence But we attribute this Favour and Connivance to the powerful Influence of the Ecclesiastical Authority whose Inclination and nature is to creep over the Heads of Law and Gospel too and to sit as a Queen over mens Persons Liberties Lives and Estates so that if people please not the Church or that Sect or Sort of men that in a Nation or Country calls themselves so and hath the Power in their hand then all that 's contrary is lyable to Ruin by the Power and Influence of holy Church falsly so called being indeed no other then the great Whore which John saw sit upon the Waters and ride upon the Scarlet-coloured Beast For it hath been the Work of the false Church for many ages and generations past and is her endeavour at this day to get upon the backs of Lords Dukes Kings and Emperors and other great men of the Earth and to lead them which way she pleaseth and she arrayeth her self in such beautiful Apparel and giveth her self such glorious Titles and holds forth such a glorious Cup that through the Mystery of Iniquity that works in her they are so far deceived and intoxicated that they think and are perswaded she is the Church and Spouse of Christ and so many mighty men and Monarchs of the Earth in this part of the World called Christendom especially are as obedient to her and as tractable under her as a Beast is under its Rider and ready to do any Drudgery for her And this is observable That if any of these become sensible of the Weight of their Burden and to see what a Mystery of Iniquity they have upon their Backs and begin to be weary and unwilling to carry it any longer then such a one let him be Lord Duke King or Emperor if her severe Sensures Curbs and Threats will not serve to bring him again into Obedience to holy Church she will get his Blood to drink if she can as might be instanced at large by many Examples It 's said That it is a Maxime in the Church of Rome not to keep Faith with such she accounts Hereticks longer then till she hath an Advantagious Opportunity to break it and that she is very ready with her Dispensations to absolve Subjects from their Obedience to their Natural Prince and Governour if they judge him an Enemy to holy Church if this Report and Saying be true we declare it a Cursed Opinion and Inconsistent with Humane Society and the Well-being of Mankind and an evident Mark and Sign of the Whore Beast and False Prophet and not of the Church of Christ And if the Church of England and other Protestants be of the mind and Opinion of Doctor Parr that when People differ in their Judgments and Understandings about spiritual Matters and are tender and Conscientious and cannot conform to their Way of Worship and have the Nick Reproachful Name of a Quaker given them as the Primitive Christians had that of a Nazarine though they live never so Soberly Righteously Justly Uprightly and Inoffensively among their Neighbours and all people relating to the things of a Man that notwithstanding this SUCH ARE NO SUBJECTS OF THE KING which in plain English implyes thus much that the King nor Law is not concerned to defend their Lives Liberties nor Estates but that because they are out of the Pale of their Church they ought to lie open to the Mouth of every Raveuous Beast and Devourer So far as the Protestants are tainted with this Opinion they are guided and governed by the same spirit of Darkness Ignorance and Cruelty and in the Ground is one with the other and the same evil Effects and cruel Consequences attend it for that People Sect or Opinion that will take upon them to absolve Kings and Governours and the Judges of the Law from being concern'd in Duty to administer Justice and take a fatherly Care of Harmless Innocent People that dwell within their Dominions because they are not of the same mind about Religion nor do not conform to their Church-Discipline we say it is the same spirit of Deceit and Delusion with that which pretends a Power to absolve Subjests from their Obedience to their Superiours and is also inconsistent with Humane Society Cruel Unnatural Bloody and Unreasonable Let such as are concerned therein Repent thereof for they have not the Spirit of Christ ruling in their Hearts though they may have his Name in their Mouthes Here follows a Copy of a Letter sent to Dr. Parr and the rest concerned in which was enclosed a Copy of the Substance of what follows Doctor Parr THe Enclosed we send thee before we communicate it further that if thee or any of the rest whom it doth concern can except against or disprove any thing thereof as relating to matter of Fact contained therein you have your liberty or opportunity to signifie the same for when your forty dayes are expired we expect the end of your work designed against us to be soon accomplished that is to have our Bodies in Goal from our Wives Children Trades and Families which is a work of Cruelty and not of Christianity and know this the Cry of the Innocent will enter the Ears of the Lord against you and if you shall be suffered to make our Wives Widdows and our Children Fatherless though we can forgive you yet it is just with the Lord if he measure the same measure to you again for the Blood of the Righteous will cry as Abel's did and Vengeance will pursue the Evil-doer and you shall be justly charged as the Prophet Micah charged the professing Jews Mic. 3.10 They build up Sion with Blood and Jerusalem with Iniquity read the whole Chapter which indeed is applicable to England as truly as ever it was to the Nation of the Jews And let this be considered that if you polute and stain your Church-building with the Blood of the Innocent through Imprisonment in nasty Holes and put them out of a Capacity to provide Bread for their VVives and Children this will so defile you and your Temple that the Bishop of this Diocess nor all the Bishops of England will not be able to remove and take it away by all the power of Consecration they have and the stones in the VVall shall witness against you in the Day of Account Now for the Causes mentioned in the first page we do intend to make your VVork publick that all may see what spirit rules in thine and your Hearts notwithstanding your talk and profession of Christ and Christianity and that you concerned may be convinced concerning
the Evil of your proceeds against us seeing it is matter of Conscience unto us and Repent thereof and decline the prosecuting that which the spirit of Enmity and Violence and not the spirit of Christ would lead you to so would you bring forth Fruits more becoming the Christian Religion which is the Desire of your Friends and Neighbours whose daily endeavour and practice is to shun the way of the wicked and to avoid the Path of evil men and to live in that Love which teacheth to desire the good of all and the fall and hurt of none and herein our sleep is sweet and our rest is pleasant even as we hate the bread of wickedness and the wine of violence and this is the Path of the Just which is as a shining Light shining more and more unto the perfect day but the way of the wicked is Darkness they know not at what they stumble And Dr. Parr know this If thou madest choice of those words in the 4th chapter of the Proverbs vers 14 15 16. for thy Text the Day thy Excommunication was read against us as is at least supposed as if they did concern us or were applicable upon us thou art greatly mistaken for we have not only talked of and professed the Light Law Grace and Spirit of Truth but received the same learn't of walked in the same and are guided thereby out of the Path and Way of the Wicked and out of the spirit of envy evil-wil mischief and violence against any man's Person Life Liberty or Estate it would be well for you if thee nor none of thy Flock were found in those steps not farther to enlarge only remember and consider this one saying written in the 5th of the Proverbs The Wayes of a Man are before the Eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his Goings if this Sctipture with that which saith Men shall give an Account of their Deeds done in the Body whether Good or Evil were truly weighed and believed by all that read them it would put a stop to the Worker of Iniquity and quench the Spirit of Violence and Cruelty Prejudice and Evil and Meekness Love and Righteousness would grow and encrease amongst our Neighbours and Country-men and Peace Quietness and good Neighbourhood would abound which is indeed the Desire of our Hearts and our daily Practice to promote according to our state and capacity and can in Truth subscribe our selves Lovers of our Neighbours and Haters of no man Signed on the behalf of the rest of our Friends by us John Otter Griffith Jones John Torletonr John Potter A BRIEF NARRATIVE Of the Proceedings of Doctor Parr c. VVE the said people being presented and cited to the Bishop's Court made our Appearance and according to the Priviledge and Right of every English man demanded a Copy of the Lybel formed against us which was granted and finding their proceeds were contrary to the known Law and that the design of the Bishop's Court was forth-with to curse or excommunicate us out of their Church and to cast our Bodies into Jayle did account it our Duty both as Men and Christians to endeavour to prevent the same and accordingly made motion by Council at the King's Bench Bar for a prohibition which was not there positively denyed but deferred and we were advised by one of the Judges To apply our selves further to the Bishop's Court presuming they would do as Right as the Case did require if not then to ‖ This commonly proveth according to the English Proverb Out of the Frying-Pan into the Fire appeal to the Arches or Delegates So upon this his Presumption that the Bishop's Court would do us Right or because he was willing to please the Priests refused to grant a Prohibition Then being left to the Mercy of the Bishop's Court we again received Citations to appear and did appear accordingly divers times but finding our lawful Exceptions against the Lybel and all we could offer and plead though never so just and according to their own Law sleighted and over-ruled and our selves pronounced excommunicate by a Person who declared himself Ignorant in the Matter but willing to fulfil the Design of the Court for they refused to receive our Answers under our Hands and Seal by proxy rendered which according to Law and the Rules of their own Court they ought to have received but perceiving they had to do with a People that made Conscience of keeping that eminent Precept and Command of Christ SWEAR NOT AT ALL and seeing their other gins and traps were too weak to hold them and to stop their Passage towards Relief at Common Law seemed resolved to make this occasion of refusing to Swear the Colour and Ground to pronounce us excommunicate for contempt to their Court though we had shewed Diligence to appear time after time according to their citations and arbitrary summons in their own name and authority and had answered them in all their Proceeds so far as lawfully they might both as Men and Christians And the dishonour and contempt of their Court is on their own parts occasioned and contracted by their own evil doing in trampling upon the Law and the Legal Right of others yea and the Rules and Presidents of their own Court though called spiritual when they stand in the way of their own Interest and Design as in this particular Case is proved true by Experience So contrary to the Doctrine of Christ whose Ministers and Servants they pretend to be they would compel people to swear and so break his Command and if they refuse call it contempt to their Court pronounce them excommunicate and get their Bodies into Goal separate Husband and Wife Father and Children Master and Servants put all Relations out of a Capacity to serve one another according to the Law of Nature and Grace and all about a Matter of Conscience this is neither like Christ nor Christianity but unnatural and inhumane And you have not shewed forth the Qualifications of spiritual Men or good Christians but do clearly demonstrate your selves to be selfish carnal unjust and unreasonable and great Strangers to that Royal Law of Christ Jesus As you would have others do to you so do you unto them such Doings will never convince any that you are indeed what you have a Name to be but rather confirm them in their present Perswasions And if you by your Threats Cruelty and injustice fright any out of Tenderness of Conscience and bring them through fear of suffering into an outward conformity to your Church and Worship know this you make them two-fold more the Children of Hellthen before Outward force violence and compulsion may make hypocrites but no true Christians it may change the manners but not the mind c. It might be well if you spiritual men so called would seriously consider whether your Self-interest and not the Love and Care of Souls be not the ground of your Church and Court Proceedings seeing Money
Religious practices that is or can be bought or sold for Money is an Abomination in the sight of the Lord and Relected by all tender-hearted Conscientious People And it is a grief to many to observe and behold how those called protestants do follow the Example and Imitate that dark Superstitious Sect of the papists who sell their Masses Pardons Absolutions and Dispensations c. for Money so the protestants Pray Sing Preach Absolve and sell Licences for Money who are only changed in Name Manner Form and Ceremony and some outside Practices but not in Nature and Life the same Spirit of Cain Core False Prophet Idol Shepherd Hireling Money Diviner Pilate chief Priest Judas and the rest of that Generation mentioned and testified against in the holy Scriptures Rules and Reigns in the Hearts of the formal protestants as in the papists and it is to the Heart the inside that God looks And all true Reformation begins within in the Heart if that be and continue Corrupted Deceitful and Deseparately wicked Unpurged Uncleansed and Unsanctified by the precious Blood and Life of Jesus all Names and outside Reformations Worships and Sacrifices c. are of no worth nor acceptable in the sight of God according to Christ's teaching in the Sixth Chapter of Luke 43.44 45. vers A good Tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit neither doth a corrupt Tree bring forth good fruit every Tree is known by his fruit for of Thorns men do not gather figgs nor of a Bramble-bush gather they Grapes A good man out of the good Treasure of his Heart bringeth forth that which is good an Evil man out of the Evil Treasure of his Heart bringeth forth that which is Evil for out of the abundance of the Heart his mouth speaketh the Tree must be good the Heart purged ere the fruit can be good or well-pleasing to God So it is not a changing from one Opinion to another or from the Form of the Romish Prelacy to that of Episcopacy or from that to Presbytery or from any one Sect to another is of any worth or acceptable to God 't is the turning from Darkness to Light from Sin to Righteousness from the Power of Satan to the Power of God it is the Greation of a clean Heart and the renewing of a right Spirit it is to know the inside cleansed and then the outside will be clean also These are the things that are of an absolute necessity and of great Worth and this to know and witness will stand People in stead in the Day of the Lord when all Formallity and outside Worship among all the Sects in Christendom will vanish away like Smoak this will stand and abide And these are the true Worshippers of God in the Spirit and in the Truth who Experimentally know the Power Vertue and Opperation of the Spirit of Truth in their own Hearts Minds and Consciences making them free from that which did defile corrupt and darken them These are Christians indeed Jews inward indeed all others are but Christians in Name let their Profession and Form of Religion be what it will But to proceed we being denyed a prohibition at the Exchequer Court through corrupt Interest and the false Allegations before mentioned we moved by two Councels at the Common-pleas Bar who pleaded and urged their own Law to shew that of Right A Prohibition ought to be granted like men of honesty but the same untruth as was urged at the Exchequer Court being pleaded again and that Sentence NONE BUT QVAKERS MY LORD NONE BUT TWENTY FOUR QVAKERS MY LORD being often repeated that Sentence seemed enough to turn all against us so no Prohibition could be obtained though offer was made to go to Tryal in few dayes yea the Council desired but two dayes to prove our suggestion or give them Cost but all in vain nothing could prevail whether because we were Quakers or because they were not willing to offend the Ecclesiastical Authority is not certain in the Priests Hands they found us and there they seemed resolved to leave us till they had wrought their Wills upon us and sitted us for a Jayle and because they were greedy to effect the same and not willing to loose any time they proceeded the very next day to publish their Excommunication in their Meeting-place commonly called a Tabernacle but by some of their own Church a Smock-House because Built by a Collection among Women in some time they found they had committed an Errour in their haste in reading their Excommunication in this new Erection and that it must be read in a place called a Church and they having not any fit and Consecrated in their own Parish lest their Fathers work of Violence and Persecution should loose time they procured their Curse to be published in another old Mass-house hard by standing in the same County And now the next thing they wait for is the end of the mercy of the Statute Law which allows Forty Dayes at least in favour of every Excommunicated person ere the Priests can get a Writ to throw their Bodies into Jayle It is much to be questioned whether the Mercy of Ecclesistical Courts would extend to forty hours did not the Statute Law put a check upon them yet these Courts are made up of the Principal Members of their Church and called Spiritual Men such as have entred into holy Orders but what Spirit Church and Order they are of their Fruits sufficiciently declare to all that are not wilfully blind And all People may Pray From the Bishops Courts and unreasonable men Good Lord deliver us And now let all concerned in the Parish of Mary Magdalen's who have given out such unchristian Words and cruel Threats against the Quakers as that they would send them to the Devil and that they should lie in Jayle and Rot and that they would Ride many miles to see them Hanged and that they should be prosecuted for Twenty pound a Moneth for not coming to Church and to Ruin their Estates and Trades and not leave them a Bed to lie upon and to prove them no Subjects to the King Let such Evil-minded men know that the God whom they fear and serve is able to deliver out of their Hands but if he will not know this they are not careful to answer your Unrighteous Demands nor bow to your corrupt Wills nor Worship the Image you set up And if the Lord should deliver them into your Hands as he did Job into the hand of the Devil they are assured of this that he will furnish them with strength and patience to undergo all you shall be suffered to do against them And as they abide with the Lord and live in his Fear his refreshing Consolating presence will accompany them and fill their Hearts with Joy Peace Content and Satisfaction though without the pale of your Church though in a nasty Prison upon Straw and out of the King's protection and counted as the Off-scouring of all things not fit
Deeds done in the Body are written therein And the time will come upon them when this Book shall be opened and Men shall be judged according to what is written therein And remember the Testimony of a good Conscience both in the day of Health and Prosperity and in the day of Sickness and Adversity in Life and Death is of more vallue then all the World And in any of these States and Conditions a guilty defiled Conscience or a Conscience that through custom of doing Evil becomes as Seared with a hot Iron and a hard Heart is a grievous Plague and sore Judgment from God and an inevitable sign and forerunner of Everlasting Vengeance and is indeed the Fruit and Effect of Evil or of sleighting and despising the voice of God's Witness and the striving of his Spirit in Peoples Hearts and Consciences But the answer and Testimony of a good Conscience is of God and is as a Well-spring of Life to those that have it where Blessings and Peace are enjoyed in the inward Man amidst of all Adversity Exercises and Tryals that may attend both the outward and the inward and such can lie down in Peace notwithstanding all the Spirit of Enmity and Cruelty can work against them whether it arise from an ignorant blind Zeal about Religion Church and Worship as very much doth in Christendom not only against those called Quakers but one Sect against another Some of them being so full of Zeal and so empty of Knowledge that they think they do God Service to accomplish the Ruin of such as are not of their Church c. Or whether it arise from corrupt Interest Prejudice and Evil will the ground is one though the end be various The Lord give all People Wisdom to see their way out of the same that they may be not only Christians in Name and Profession but in Life and Nature Then all Enmity Cruelty and Violence would cease and Love and Brotherly-kindness would abound And then People would lie down like Lambs together in that holy Mountain or Mountain of Holiness where no destroyer is where no Violence Cruelty and Oppression is And this is the hearty desire of every true Christian for their Neighbours and all People who never were nor ever will be found seeking the hurt or ruin of any man threatning nor envying any because they conform not to the same sort of Religion and Ceremonies that they are of Whoever are found in this Spirit of Envy and Evil against their Neighbours and Country-men about matters of Faith Sacrifice and Worship are of the Generation of Cain the first Envyer and Murtherer about Religion and such are not Christians indeed neither doth the Law of God nor their Neighbours dwell in their Hearts nor the Fruits of the Spirit appear and grow amongst them which Fruits are Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance against whom there is no Law for the whole Law and the Prophets is fulfilled in this Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and thy Neighbour as thy self read Matth. 22.37 38 39 40. and Gal. 5.14 to the end of the Chapter and the Lord prepare your Hearts to consider what you read that you may not only profess the holy Scriptures but love and obey them and receive that grace of which they testifie which taught and enabled the Primitive Christians to live the Life of Holiness they call for and to avoid the contrary that you may not alwayes be like silly Women laden with Sin and led about with divers lusts ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth which makes free but that you may know deliverance from the burthen of Sin and bondage of Iniquity and from the Lusts that lead aside and come to be made wise unto Salvation and to feel the love of God spring in your Hearts and Blessings and Peace attend you in your comings in goings out lyings down and risings up even that Blessing and Peace which the World cannot give nor take away And that you and all people may come to inherit possess and enjoy inward Peace with the Lord and heavenly Consolation in the Spirit and Life everlasting is the hearty Desire of your Friends and Neighbours in Derision called Quakers who are redeemed from the spirit of Envy hatred and Evil-will from the spirit of Cruelty Violence and Revenge into that Love which desires that Peace on Earth and Good-will to Men may more and more encrease and abound and so far as it is possible make it their daily Practice and Endeavour to live in Peace and to follow Peace and Quietness with all men according to the Doctrine of the Christian Religion which whosoever obeys and walks according thereto are preserved out of all Strife Contention and Evil-Will Prejudice Enmity Cruelty and Violence and who ever are found bringing forth these Fruits let their Talk and Pretence to Religion and Christianity be never so great they are certainly corrupt Trees and disobedient Children in whose Hearts the Enemy of God and Man rules and they have not the Love of God and their Neighbour abiding in them nor the Answer of a good Conscience neither are they Christian indeed though they profess the Name which will stand none in stead in the Day of Account Let all such to whom this may come remember they have been told so and it is the Word of Truth to them whether they will hear or forbear Now we the Quakers so called do solemnly testifie in the sight of God Angels and Men That we do not refuse to pay Tythes to Repair old Mass-Houses commonly and ignorantly called Churches or to pay Priests and Clarks Wages Easter-Reckonings Midsummer-Dues and such like out of Wilfulness or Stubbornness or out of any Enmity Prejudice or Evil-will against any man's person whatsoever but really and truly upon the Account of Conscience to God knowing and believing that we should sin against God and the Light of his Spirit in our Hearts and wound our own Consciences in so doing And we do upon the same account refuse to come to those old Mass-houses vulgarly called Churches to hear a man of unclean lips and corrupt heart Say common Service to God but Do none read over common Prayer formally and customarily without the Spirit of Prayer sing David's Psalms turned into Meeter by Queen Elizabeth's Fidlers or Musicians but not with the Spirit nor good Understanding hear studied invented Sermons of an Hour long composed in the Wisdom which this World teacheth and so not profitable to Salvation being only a profitable Livelihood to men of that Trade who preach for Hire and divine for Money and seek for their Gain from their Quarter and would exact and compel Money and Goods from such as like not their Merchandize if they dwell within their Quarter or Parish Those Prayers Singers and Preachers for Money and Hire are not like Christ's Ministers who received and do receive freely
and did and do freely give and they were and are Ministers of the manifold Grace of God But these Hirelings or Preachers for Money have not received freely neither from God nor Man but have purchased their Ministry with Money and are made by Men at Schools and Colledges and are sent and ordained by Men and not by the Lord therefore they did not profit us when we were their Hearers and Disciples neither do they profit the people at all but rather cause them to err as the False Prophets and Teachers did in the Prophet Jeremiah's time recorded in the 23d chapter of his Prophecy read from the 11th verse to the 32d verse and what thou findest testified against the False Prophets in that day is true against all that are found in the same spirit and practices at this day the Priesthood of England now as the Prophets then speak a Vision of their own Heart and not out of the Mouth of the Lord they fill peoples Ears with a Noise of Words and with fair Speeches or eloquent Discourses deceive the Hearts of the Simple talking much of the Righteous Holy Men's Words but not living their Life speaking and smiting against Sin with that Weapon which can never destroy it in themselves nor others their Preaching is like that of the Scribes and Pharisees and not as one having Authority they say Hear the Word of the Lord but speak their own words conceivings and Inventions they are of those that steal the Word from their Neighbour and boast in other mens Lines c. In Christendom so called what a great Trade do these Schoolmen Rabbies Doctors Bishops and Hireling Priests make of the poor honest plain Tradesmen's Words who were some Plough-men Herds-men Shepherds and Fisher-men ome of whom it 's said knew not a Letter And how is this part of the World called Europ filled with Books and Commentaries of Papists Prelates Presbyters and other Sects under Pretence of opening and giving the right Meaning of their Words whereby indeed people are divided and confused and various in their Understandings and know not well what to do nor whom to believe nor which to follow so instead of gathering people into Unity they divide and scatter them and lead them into Sects and Opinions instead of Repairing the Breaches of the Walls of Jerusalem they Build up the Tower of Babylon instead of communicating to people the Key of Knowledge they shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men and neither enter themselves nor suffer those that would These things we have by sad and woful Experience known while we were seeking the Living among the Dead and wandring from Mountain to Hill from one Priest and Profession to another changing from one sort and fashion of Worship unto another from one Sect and Opinion to another but not from Sin to Righteousness not from Evil to Good nor from Death to Life neither through them all did we witness a Translation from the kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of Christ as the Primitive Christians did but remained in Sin and Corruption in Death and Darkness talking of the Fame of Wisdom and professing the holy Scriptures the Words of holy righteous wise Men the Words of sanctified justified and redeemed Men but not living the Life of Righteousness Wisdom Sanctification Justification and Redemption nay we were so far from it that we did not believe it was possible so to do while on this side the Grave our Teachers caused us to err teaching for Doctrine the Precepts of Men and the Thoughts and Conceivings of their own corrupt Hearts instead of the Word of the Lord so we were as Blind led by the Blind and walked in Darkness and in the Shadow of Death and knew not whither we went we stumbled and knew not at what and grouped like blind men for the Wall following the divers uncertain fallible Voices that are in the World which say Lo here is Christ Lo there is Christ others Behold he is in the secret Chamber and we were going forth and wandring after them and wearying our selves for a very Vanity spending our Money for that which was not Bread and our Labour for that which did not satisfie This was our state and condition in the day of our Ignorance in the day of our Captivity and Bondage to the lust of the eye the lust of the flesh and the pride of life But now we can say as the primitive Christians did 1 Joh. 5.19 20. We know that the Son of God is come not only that he Did come above Sixteen Hundred Years ago but Is come and hath given us a good Vnderstanding whereby we may know him that is true and we are in him that 's true even in his Son Jesus Christ this is the true God and eternal Life And God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into our Hearts whereby we can call God Father and whereby we are led and guided out of all false wayes and false worships out of the crooked wayes and by-pathes of our own finding out into the one true and living Way and everlasting Worship which is in the Spirit and in the Truth which was before all the false Wayes and invented Worships upon the Face of the Earth and will remain when they all vanish away So it is no new Sect or Opinion that we are now come unto but the ancient Way wherein the holy Fathers Prophets Apostles and all the Righteous walked in all Ages and Generations past from Abel and Enoch unto this day which is Christ the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sin which is Christ the true Light that lighteth every man coming into the World who is indeed the Way the Truth and the Life the Saviour of his People not in their Sins but from their Sins And the true Light now shines out of Darkness in thousands in this our Native Country and makes manifest reproves and condemns every appearance of evil and leads the Children of it out of the same this is the Vniversal Way of God wherein he is known worshipped and served acceptably this is his Son in whom he is well pleased and with all that are in him Therefore in this Light must all the Nations that are saved walk and all that walk in it witness Safety from and Power and Victory over the Evil One and Blessings Peace and Consolation abound in their inward man But all that Reject and Despise Sleight and Contemn the Light and Grace of God teaching and shining within and the leading guiding and moving of the Spirit of God within they reject and despise the Way and Means of Salvation and have no Strength against Sin nor Victory over their Enemy the Prince of Darkness which rules within in their Hearts but remain Slaves and Captives to him under the Chains of darkness let their Talk and Profession of Christ and Christianity be what it will this is the Word of Truth to all our Neighbours and Country-men whether they
will hear or forbear they shall find it Truein the Day of Account The 17th of the 3d Moneth 1677. Something after VVHereas the Cry against the Quakers is That they are Disobedient to the Law Enemies to Magistrates Haters of the Ministry of the Gospel and no Friends to the Lawyers and that they would overthrow good Government pull down Churches but build and repair none c. In Answer to which we in short say thus much That this Charge is utterly without just Cause and directly false For First We are obedient to the whole Law either actively or passively and our Principle and Profession leadeth us to obey every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake not for fear of Punishment but for Conscience sake and herein stood the Christian Obedience in the primitive times to every Law and Ordinance of Man that tended to the Encouragement and Praise of them that did well and to the Terror of those that did Evil to other Laws Ordinances and Commands of Men which did not carry this along with them they were never actively obedient but Witnessers against them and Sufferers by them as might be evidenced at large by a multitude of Examples throughout the whole Scriptures and every Conscientious Christian Man must needs acknowledge that God is to be obeyed rather then Men when they command things repugnant to his Law and impose upon the Mind Heart Conscience and Vnderstanding contrary to the Light and Law of God therein this is to usurp the Throne of God and to give Laws in his Kingdom which is spiritual and not of this World and where God rules governs in the hearts of men which is and ought to be his Throne and they know his Law (a) This is the New Covenant that God promised and every Christian is to witness the law of God writ in his Heart and his Fear in his Inward Parts and none can be a Christian without it writ therein from whence all just reasonable good Laws outwardly did proceed such cannot transgress against them nor disobey them So it is a manifest spirit of Envy that saith We are disobedient to Law seeing our Conversation among our Neighbours throughout this Nation witnesseth the contrary and they find no just Cause or Occasion against us but in things appertaining to Worship Church Religion and Conscience which indeed are of a spiritual Concern and not belonging to Men of corrupt Minds though they give themselves the Name of spiritual men to make and impose Laws about And as concerning Magistracy and Magistrates whose Work is to judge between Man and Man when they trespass one against another according to Equity and Righteousness without Respect to Persons or any sinister Interest these we truly Love and Honour who bear not the Sword in vain but relieve the Oppressed and judge the Cause of the Innocent and help the Poor against the Mighty 2 Chron. 19.6 7 8. and are a Terror to the Evil-doers these judge for God and not for Men and the Lord is with them in Judgment and the Blessings and Presence of the Lord will be upon them Now it is the Evil-doers that are Enemies to Magistracy and that make and create Trouble to good Magistrates such as break and violate the Law of God and Man and kill and steal and commit Adultery and bear false witness against them and covet their Neighbours Wife Ox Ass nor any thing that is his c. these are they that are Haters of Law and Magistrates and disobedient to Authority Now we are kept by the Grace of God out of these things and do by vertue of the Nature and Power thereof the things contained in the Law which shews the Effect of the Law written in our Hearts and so because we love and obey the Law and Magistrates we fulfil the End of them both But they that say They love and honour the Law and Magistracy and yet are found in the Evil-doing they lye and do not the Truth and would subvert the Law and overthrow Magistracy and all Good Government among men and are direct Enemies to Magistrates Now to those that say we Hate those that are Ministers of the Gospel we say and that truly that it is a False Accusation for we love no men more they are indeed Embassadours of Peace and Reconcilation of Mankind to God and they have the Power of Perswasion and in the Spirit of Love and Meekness do prevail and turn many from the Evil of their Wayes and direct them into the Good Old Way and Ancient Path of Peace which the Righteous in all Ages walked in from Enoch unto this day in which Way the Wayfaring man though a Fool cannot err mark that and seek and enquire for this Way Now all such as pretend to be Ministers of the Gospel and do not do and Effect this Work in and among people it 's an evident sign the Lord never sent them and that they are not in Deed what they profess in Words yet let all know that we hate no men's Persons though we bear witness against Deceit and Hypocritical Pretences amongst men of all Degrees and Professions and would have men to be and to be known to be as they are in the sight of God where all Coverings avail not And to such as say we are no Friends to the Lawyers and that we would overthrow good Government c. We say we are Friends to all men and should rejoyce to see good Government set up among them and especially amongst the Lawyers that that common Honesty and Right might be fulfilled among them as is among other Trades-men who sell a Penny-worth for a Penny And we desire the Law might be declared in such plain terms that the Lawyer Knowledge and Counsel might be certain that he might undertake to do Peoples work and business to their Content if he expect to receive their Money as other Trades-men must And that they would be so honest that when People come to them with a bad Cause which the Law is against that they would Instruct and Advise them better and refuse to appear in it for love of Money Then would Equity enter and Justice run down as a mighty Stream But when Lawyers undertake bad Causes for bad People for love of Money Equity is obstructed and the currant of Justice stopped delayed deferred if not pervented and turned backward and by this means honest men are unjustly vexed troubled and abused trhough the Promisciousness of the Law and the crafty skill Rhetorick and Interest of a bad Lawyer and by these a poor man's Cause though never so good is overthrown all these things we would have amended and have every man honest in his Imployment and do as he would be done by and this only being observed will bring People to be good friends and love one another and live together in Peace as becometh Christians And then we believe the Lawyers would not have so great a trade and Imployment
But if we are accounted no friends to the Lawyers because we desire them to be honest if that be a fault we must and shall be found guilty however we are ready to judge and conclude that the Deceit Corruption self-Interest and love of Money among the Lawyers and those divers Officers exercised about the Law is a sore Evil and a great burthen to this Nation And that when Judges are restored as at first and Councellors as at the beginning such Corruption will be swept away and such abuses will be reformed and good Government will be established first within in the Minds and Hearts of men and then without which is our hearty desire to see effected in this our Native Country And as for the cry against us that we would pull down Churches c. We are so far from it that we wish where there is one Church of Christ in a Nation that there were an hundred But as for old Mass-houses and such like which are now used as Shops for those that make a trade of Preaching to sell their Common-Prayer and Studied Sermons in which ignorant People call Churches those that believe them to be so and love and delight in them and those that drive a profitable Trade therein c. It is most right and proper forsuch to repair and build them and such have a Propriety therein So not lawful nor right that we or any should pull down impair or demollish any man's propriety being also directly contrary to the Fundamental Law of this the Land of our Nativity which all ought to observe and obey Now a Church of Christ according to the Testimony of the holy Scriptures What a Church of Christ is is a Company of Believers in Christ who areledand guided by his Spirit learn of him keep his Sayings observe his Doctrine and walk according to his Precepts and Commandments and this Church may meet together in a House as they did in the primitive Times but a House cannot be a Church and though the Church of Christ be one yet there may be many of these Churches in divers Places Nations and Countries as there was in the primitive Times divers Churches in Asia Corinth Galatia 1 Cor. last Chap. Ephesus and Rome and Paul writes a Salutation to Pricilla and Aquilla and the Church in their House but never called a House a Church And the Church of Christ needs no man to build or repair it being all living Stones fitly joyned together by him Note that the Word Church throughout the New Testament ought to be rendred Congregation as in ancient Translations and primitive Times and hath no relation to a House as people falsly imagine and esteem who is the Master-builder Foundation and chief Corner-stone also and this Church edifies it self in Love and grows up an holy Habitation for God in the Spirit and this is the Substance and Anti-type of that Tabernacle and outward Temple which God once commanded to be built and was the Glory of Israel in its time and the only Place wherein God appeared and was worshipped but now he dwells not in Temples made with Hands neither is worshipped with men's Hands as though he needed any thing seeing he giveth to all Life and Breath and all things c. Acts 17.25 Now it is a very foolish ridiculous and wicked thing for those called Christians to take their Neighbours and Country men by the Throat and say to them Give us Money to build and repair our Church or we will Excommunicate you and throw your Bodies into Goal where they shall rot and spoil and ruin your Trades and Families c. If you have any Precept President or Example for such kind of work in the holy Scriptures which you pretend to be your Rule for Faith and Practice let 's know the Chapter and Verse where it is written or else be ashamed and Repent of your Work and make not Christianity by your Wicked Practices a Stink in the Nostrils of Atheists and Unbelievers So whoever thou art that readst these things thou mayst in short understand that we are cryed out against in this Age and reported and presented to be such like Monsters as Paul that harmless man was said to be when he was called a Pestilent Fellow a Ring-Leader of Sects a Turner of the World up-side down not fit to live upon the Earth c. and this cry arose chiefly from the Priests Rabbies Doctors and great Professors of those times which soon influenced the common People and it ariseth from the same spirit and like persons now against us and for no other Cause then bearing witness to the Truth Therefore we would have all people take heed how they hear and receive Reports lest they judge and condemn the Innocent without fair Tryal and hedge up their own way and abide in the midst of Darkness but be ready to obey that good Advice and Exhortation Try all things and hold fast that which is good And as they come to find and hold fast that which is good it will quickly furnish them with Strength against that which is Evil and make them free from it also and deliver them from those Chains and Fetters of carnal private Opinions traditionally and superstitiously introduced into their Minds and Understandings through the Wiles of the Enemy Deceit and crafty Devices of Men of corrupt Minds who make a Trade of Religion and the Scriptures and serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own Bellies who though they may have a Zeal for their Opinions it 's not according to Knowledge as is demonstrated by their Fruits who like Paul when he was a Pharisee in his Blind Zeal thought he did well in Persecuting the Church of Christ and in haling the Saints to Prison by Vertue of his Orders and Packet of Letters from the Priests however he did it ignorantly therefore obtained Mercy If Dr. Parr and the rest of our Persecutors have thrown us into Goal in a Blind Zeal for their Religion and Excommunicated us out of their Church because they believe us to be more wicked prophane and ungodly then others that dwell within the Parish we say if it be so their Sin is the less but if it be upon the account of Self-Interest and Enmity as is most probable their Sin will be marked as with the Point of a Diamond and it will be much if they find a Place of Repentance let those concerned consider of it before it be too late for you must be accountable to God if not to Men also for your Actions and let it not seem a light thing in your Eyes to throw Persons into Goal from their Wives Families Trades and Imployments for a thing of nought only call it Contempt to your Ecclesiastical Authority when in time it may yet appear that we attending your Courts from time to time and offering our Answers under our Hands and Seals by Proxy was sufficient to prevent you of that fained pretence of