Form and in Forms of Righteousness without the Power and in Immitations without Life and perfect Knowledge so that all the Practices of Religion we beheld without Power and Life though some had a sincerity in them and a zeal and a desire towards the Lord yet all people erred in Judgment and none were guided in Judgment by the Eternal Spirit and because of the error in Judgment that made their zeal blind and their performances of Righteousness not accepted though acted in some sincerity and zeal because they were not guided in Practice and led in Judgment by the Spirit of the Lord which only leads into all Truth and none are in the Truth but who are led thereby so that we behold all Profession but as Coverings with Figg-leaves while the nature of Transgression stood uncondemned and not crucified and then we saw not only the Performance and Practice in Church state and in religious Orders were corrupted but also Government and Magistracy and all things in civil state were not aright in the sight of the Lord nor as the Lord required neither as he had ordained in the beginning for Government we know as ordained of God is to punish and limit and terrifie all Evil-Doers and to preserve and defend all that do well and that mens Consciences are to be left free and to be ruled by the Lord alone and guided by his Spirit and that outward Power and civil Magistrates and Laws so called ought not to be Lord or Ruler in mens Consciences nor over them but we beheld how Unrighteousness and Iniquity and Sin and Wickedness was strengthened and encouraged in the Government and by such as were in Authority and how the Fear of God and the exercise of a good Conscience was abused so that it was turned backward from what it ought to be them that did well were punished and limitted as Trausgressors and the Evil-Doers were set free and not made afraid so that we could truly cry Truth was faln in the Street and Justice and true Judgment turned backward and Equity had no place to enter and the Innocent were devoured through want of true and just Judgment and the Needy were spoiled and made a prey and thus it was framed for no sooner had we opened our Mouthes but the Magistrates began to put us in Prison and execute great injustice upon us and became Oppressors of the Innocent and laid grievous unjust burdens upon us grievous to be born and true justice and judgment was neglected and wrong judgement brought forth and good Government abused and men in Authority not ruled by the Lord neither ruling for the Lord among men and thus it came to pass upon us through the corruption and Degeneration in Goverment and Magistrates which we saw to be as it was fulfilled by them to wit not as the Lord required nor as he in the beginning ordained it but quite the contrary and this we saw in the beginning when the Spirit of the Lord was poured down upon us and power from on high was revealed to declare against all the Abominations of the Earth and to make War against all Corruption in all Orders and Places and Men. Then being prepared of the Lord and having received Power from on high we went forth as commanded of the Lord leaving all Relations and all things of the World behind us that we might fufill the work of the Lord into which he called us and with Flesh and Blood nor any Creature we consulted not nor took counsel of men but of the Lord alone who lifted up our heads above the World and all fears and doubtings and was with us in Power and Domininion over all that which opposed us which was great and mighty and gave us power over it all and to bind Kings in Chains and Nobles in Fetters of Iron and this is the Saints honour and the Word of the Lord we sounded and did not spare and caused the Deaf to hear the Blind to see and the heart that was hardned to be awakened and the Dread of the Lord went before us and behind us and teror took hold upon our Enemies And first of all our Mouthes were opened and our spirit filled with indignation against the Priests and Teachers and with them and against them first we began to war as being the Causers of the people to err and the Blind-leaders that carried the Blind into the Ditch and against them as the Fountain of all wickedness abounding in the Nations and as being the issue of Prophaness for from them hath Prophaness gone forth in all Nations and against them we cryed aloud as being redeemed from their Mouthes who had made a prey upon us as they do upon all that follow their ways and in Steeple-houses we did visit them often and in Markets and other Places as the Lord moved and made way for us shewing unto all them and all their people that they were not Lawful Ministers of Christ sent of him but were Deceivers and Antichrists and such whom the Lord never sent and we spared not publikely and at all seasons to utter forth the Judgments of the Lord against them and their wayes and against their Churches and Worships and Practices as not being of God nor commanded by him by which they deceived the World and this was our first work which we entred upon to thresh down the Deceivers and lay them open that all people might see their shame and come to turn from them and receive the Knowledg of the Truth that they might be saved and this we did with no small Opposition nor danger yea oftentimes we were in danger of our lives through bearing abusing Punishing Haling casting over Walls striking with Staves and Cudgels and Knocking down to the Ground besides Reproaching Scorning Revilings and Houtings at and Scoffings and Slanderings and all abuses that could be thought or acted by evil hands and Tongues and often carried before Magistrates with grievous Threats and sometimes put in the Stocks and Whipped and often Imprisoned and many hard Dealings against us the worst of Tongues or hands could execute sparing Life of this all the North-countries may witness and all these things are sustained and suffered from people and Rulers because of our faithfulness to the Lord and for declaring against the false Deceivers for nothing save onely the Hand of the Lord and his Power could have preserved us and carryed us through all this neither for any reward outward whatsoever or advantage to our selves would we have exposed our selves to that sufferings and violence and dangers which befell us daily but the Lord was our exceeding great reward through all these things and kept us in the Hollow of his Hand and under the Shadow of his Wings and gave us Dominion in Spirit over all our Enemies and subdued them before us and though Rulers and People were combined against us and executed their injustice and violence upon us yet the Lord made us to Prosper and
in that nature which is to be famished and glories in what hath been done by it as though it had not received power from the Lord and is exalted as though it bare the Root not knowing that it is born of the Root and that spirit spends its Treasure which it received in the Fathers house amongst Harlots and despises the poor and seeks occasion to glory over the weak that it may be renowned beware of that spirit I charge you all for it is not of the Father nor to be followed but to be condemned and resisted unto death Again believe not that spirit neither follow it which preacheth not from the measure of God received and to be manifest to it in you and approved by it only but speaks above the measure and reaches not to the measure of the Grace of God that spirit leads after words and outward shews and cries peace to the Rich and judgment to the Poor and the Word of God is not divided aright but heals up falsly and daubs with untempered morter and cries peace where God speaks war and cries war where God speaks peace and that Spirit is a Deceiver and a Betrayer and feeds but the Ear and not the Life and darkens the Counsel of God by words without knowledge and is not of the Father but of the World and to be denied and condemned Again Believe not that spirit neither follow it which is not subject to rule and order and is not meck and diligent and long suffering but heady and high and untoward seeking occasions against the Just and Watcheth for evil that spirit will not bear reproof but is idle sloathfull and careless and surmising evil and backbiting and conforms in appearance making a fair shew but is not unto God as appearing unto man and that would go and is not called and will not go when it is called and seeks for the praise of men more then God and that is fruitless ground and brings forth Bryars and Thorns in secret which choaks the Seed of God beware of that spirit it is a Lover of this World have no fellowship with it for it is not of the Father but a Deceiver and is to be a denied Again Believe not that spirit neither follow it which is tossed and unsetled and is given to change and is not established with Grace that is an Adulterer and hunâs for the precious Life and seeks by flattery to beguile the Innocent that spirit is zealous for a moment but is soon overcome and is stony ground and brings not forth fruit to perfection but withers and its latter end is worse then the beginning That spirit is exalted into presumption in peace and cast into desperation in trouble and the double minde lodgeth in it and it is unstable in all its wayes and is a ground for the Seed of Satan and to it there is no peace from God and beware of that spirit for it is not of the Father but to be condemned Again Believe not that Spirit neither follow it which is more zealous then knowing whose zeal is without true knowledge and stands in that which is corrupted that flourisheth for a moment but cannot endure for ever it hath no root in it self but is furious and passionate and not long-suffering that spirit knows not its self but would devour its Adversaries with bitterness and not gain by long-suffering that is not the spirit of the Father but must be denied in all Again Believe not that spirit which draws back into the World into its lusts and liberty and fashions which passe away that spirit forgets God and draws back for his Soul hath no pleasure in it but is vexed with it where the Cross is made of none effect and the false liberty is walked in which murders the Life that spirit is of the Devil and is to be condemned And now all Friends of God every where who knows him and are known of him whom he hath gathered out of this untoward Generation be diligent in your Callings and keep your Meetings in faithfulness waiting upon the Lord that you all may receive of his fulness to be filled with it and may be nourished up unto himself as trees of righteousness the planting of his own right hand to spread forth his Name and Glory as a people saved by him and to whoâ there is none like besides And this know and understand that spirit is not of the Father which confesseth not the Son to be come in the Flesh who destroys the works of the Devil and takes away sin and that Spirit believe and follow whiââ condemns sin and destroys it and takes it away and so gives peace with God iâ your own Consciences and leads you into all Truth and keeps you from all evil and you that witness this the Son you know and the Father you know to dwell with you and in you and this is the first and the last believe in him and follow him and look not for any other and in this the Father of Life and Glory whose Dominion is without beginning and end establish you and preserve you Amen and Amen I a beloved Brother and a Companion unto all the Saints in suffering and in rejoyciââ who have received this Testimony from the Father do with it in this Epistle salute tââ whole Church in the Love of the Father as moved of him by his Eternal Spirit whiââ beareth witness to me that we are of God and the whole World lieth in wickedness ãâã that all that are of God heareth us And this Testimony I give of the Father ãâã of the Son and of the Truth and of the Salvation of which I am made a Witness and against all that ever shall deny it or turn from it And this is thus far the ãâã of my Testimony by the Spirit of the Father not knowing when the time comes it ãâã be finished and the night may come when no man can work E. B. To all that suffer for the Testimony of Iesus and foâ his Name sake THe glorious God of Truth hath appeared and made known his Way aââ Truth perfectly in this our day and hath chosen unto himself faithfâ⦠Witnesses to testifie of his Name and of his Truth before Rulers and People and hath brought forth a Seed which is not of this World which cannot boâ to the Devil but is Heir of Gods Inheritance though a Sufferrer in this World under the Powers thereof and many in this Generation who are called and faithfull and chosen bear witness unto the Name of the Lord in Sufferings and Tribulations whom he will honour because they honour him who is exalting his Truth and his People through Sufferings And now all Friends who are called to suffer for the Testimony of Jesus and foâ the exercise of a pure Conscience which you hold be valiant for the Truth upon Earth and faint not but finish your Testimony with joy for the Lord aââ against all your Enemies and look
weight thereof as to encourage such a Work of value and worth for many know what a great Sufferer F. H. was and how he lay many years in a bad Prison at Appleby in Westmoreland for the Testimony of Jesus and of a good Conscience for that he could not Swear so that in the same Prison under the Hands of his Persecutors he cheerfully and with much Satifaction and Peace gave up his Life and ended his Dayes in Peace Oh! the remembrance of these two Faithfull Witnesses who both died Sufferers being Prisoners for Truth is never to be forgotten And thus Dear Friends as the Salutation of our dear Brother E. B. according to his desire while in the Body I recommend unto you this Volumn of his Books with my Love in the Truth to you all being therein The Truth 's and your Servant and Friend Ellis Hookes London the 1st of the 2d Moneth 1672. THE EPISTLE TO The Reader TO all the World to whom this may come to be Read that they read with a good understanding and hereby they may come to the perfect knowledge of the ground of difference between the Priests and Professors and all Sects in these Nations and Us who are in scorn called Quakers shewing that the Controversie on our part is just and equal against them all and that we have sufficient cause to cry against them and to deny their Ministry their Church their Worship and their whole Religion as being not in the Power and by the Spirit of the Living God as commanded of him or ever practiced by his Saints But this declareth the ground and Foundation thereof to be another thing and not the same on which the true Church and Ministry and Practice and Worship and true Religion was builded in the days of the Apostles And also this is an Invitation to all Sects and Professions of People to come forth and try if what they hold and profess be according to the Scriptures of truth and to do this in tryal by evident and sound Arguments and by the best spiritual Weapons they have and to lay aside all this Persecution and unrighteous Dealing and Stocking and Whipping and Imprisoning of us for speaking against their Religion and that they come forth in fair dispute to contend in the Spirit of meekness for what they Profess and Practice and to prove according to the Scriptures their Ministry Church and whole Religion that it is in and by the Spirit and Power of God or otherwise to renounce and deny all their Religion and the Profession and Practices thereof that every man may be satisfied who it is that are in the true and right Way and of the true Worship and true Religion and who it is that are not and this is desired by us who are called Quakers and also a true Account of our first beginning and coming forth in the World and of that great Sufferings we have sustained and how we have been carried on and are preserved to this day The Lord God everlasting who is true and faithful hath fulfilled his promise in us and unto us and we are gathered from the Mouths of all dumb Shepherds and out of the mouths of all Hirelings who have made a prey upon us and fed themselves with the fat and devoured souls for dishonest gain And we are come to the Fold of Eternal Rest where Christ Jesus is the chief Shepherd and he is the Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls that feedeth his Flock with living Bread that nourisheth us unto Life Eternal he hath called us by his Name and put us forth and he feedeth us in green Pastures and we are fed with hidden Manna and lie down at Noon with his gathered Flock and out of Nations Kindreds Multitudes and Peoples are we redeemed to God and are come out of the World and out of great Babylon and out of spiritual Sodom and Egypt where the Lord Christ was and is crucified and lieth slain to this day and a top of the World hath the Lord set us on the Mountain of his own House and Dwelling where we behold and feel the Life and Glory and Crown of the World that hath no end and the world that hath an end is seen over and its crown and glory is his Footstool that reigns amongst us And as for all that which this perishing world brings forth which men seek after only it s reckoned our temptation though all the Sons of Adam are seeking its glory its riches its crowns its contentments but of that Birth are we which hath no crown no glory nor rest under the Sun and a Birth is brought forth amongst us which is Heir of another Kingdom and Possessor of another Crown whose glorying is in the Lord all the Day long and he is our Refuge our Rock and our Fortress against all our Enemies and what though the Wicked arm themselves and the Ungodly bend their Bow what though all sorts of People from the Prince upon his Throne to the Beggar upon the Dunghil exalt themselves against the despised People of the Lord's Inheritance who for his Name 's sake are kill'd all the day long What though the Wise-men bring forth their Arguments and what though the Rulers bring forth unrighteous Judgments against the Seed that God hath blessed what though the Revilers and Scorners open their mouthes and Reproachers and Revilers cast out their bitter words as a Flood against the Remnant of the Woman's Seed that has long been fled into the Wilderness And what then if the Teachers the Prophets and the Elders and the Heads and Wise men of the World set themselves to pray and preach and print against the chosen Seed of Iacob yet notwithstanding all this though this is come to pass and Hell open her Mouth and her Floods break forth to overflow and be much more increased yet shall the King of Righteousness rule among his People and his Presence will not forsake his chosen Ones but the Lord is with us a Mighty and Terrible One and the shout of a King is amongst us and the Dread and Terror of the Almighty covereth us and it goeth before us and compasseth us about And the Lord is working a Work in the Earth mighty and wonderful he is gathering the Scattered and binding up the Broken-hearted and his People shall dwell in safety and none shall make them afraid and no Weapon that is formed against them shall prosper nor no Hand that is lifted up shall prevail for Sion shall rise out of the Dust her beautiful Garments shall be put on and Mourning and Sorrow shall flee away and her Light is risen that is everlasting and the Sun shall never godown but his day shall remain for ever and the Night shall not again cover her brightness nor the Sun set upon her habitations the City that hath long laid waste shall again be builded and the dwelling that hath long been without Inhabitant shall be replenished for the numberless seed of
how generally we were men of the strictest Sect and of the greatest Zeal in the Performance of outward righteousness and went through and tried all sorts of Teachers and run from Mountain to Mountain and from man to man and from one Form to another as do many to this very day who yet remain ungathered to the Lord and such we were to say no more of us that sought the Lord and desired the knowledge of his Wayes more then any thing beside and for one I may speak who from a Child even a few years old he set his face to seek and find the Saviour and more then Life and Treasure or any mortal Crown sought after with all his heart the one thing that is needful to wit the Knowledge of God And after our long seeking the Lord appeared to us and revealed his glory in us and gave us of his Spirit from Heaven and poured it upon us and gave us of his Wisdom to guide us whereby we saw all the World and the true state of all things the true condition of the Church in her present estate first the Lord brought us by his Power Wisdom and the Word by which all things were made to know and understand and see perfectly that God had given to us every one of us in particular a Light from himself shining in our hearts and consciences which Light Christ his Son the Saviour of the World had lighted every man and all Mankind withal which Light in us we found sufficient to reprove us convince us of every evil deed word and thought and by it in us we come to know good from evil right from wrong and whatsoever is of God and according to him from what is of the Devil and what is contrary to God in motion word and work and this Light gave us to discern between truth and error between every false and right way and it perfectly discovered to us the true state of all things and we thereby came to know man what he was in his creation before transgression and how he was deceived and overcome by the Devil and his estate in transgression and in disobedience and how he is drove and banished from the presence of the Lord and the sorrow and anguish which he is in and to undergo and also by the Light in us we perfectly came to know the way of Restauration and the means to be restored and the state of man being come out of Transgression and restored these things to us were revealed by the Light within us which Christ had given us and lightened us withal what man was before Transgression and what he is in Transgression and what he is being redeemed out of Transgression and also the Light which shineth in every one of us as to it our minds became turned and our hearts inclined the perfect Estate of the Church we came to know her Estate before the Apostles days and in the Apostles dayes and since the dayes of the Apostles and her present Estate we found to be as a Woman who had once been cloathed with the Sun and the Moon under her feet who brought forth him that was to rule the Nations but she was fled into the Wilderness and there sitting desolate in her place that was prepared of God for such a season which season in the very end thereof when the time of her sojourning was towards a full end then were we brought forth if any have an Ear they may hear so that all these things concerning man and concerning the times and seasons and the changing and renewing of times and all things that pertain to Salvation and Redemption and Eternal Life needfull for man to know all this was revealed discovered and made known to us by the Light which was in us which Christ had lighted us withal And we found this Light to be a sufficient Teacher to lead us to Christ from whence this Light came and thereby it gave us to receive Christ and to witness him to dwell in us and through it the new Covenant we came to enter into to be made Heirs of Life and Salvation and in all things we found the Light which we were enlightened withal and all Mankind which is Christ to be alone and only sufficient to bring to Life and eternal Salvation and that all who did own the Light in them which Christ hath enlightened every man withal they needed no man to teach them but the Lord was their Teacher by his Light in their own Consciences and they received the holy Anointing And so we ceased from the teachings of all men and their words and their Worships and their Temples and all their Baptisms and Churches and we ceased from our own Words and Professions and Practises in Religion in times before zealously performed by us through divers Forms and we become Fools for Christ's sake that we might become truely wise and by this Light of Christ in us were we led out of all false Wayes and false Preachings and false Ministers and we met together often and waited upon the Lord in pure Silence from our own words and all mens words and hearkned to the Voice of the Lord and felt his Word in our hearts to burn up and beat down all that was contrary to God and we obeyed the Light of Christ in us and followed the Motions of the Lords pure Spirit and took up the Cross to all Earthly Glories Crowns and Ways and denied our selves our Relations and all that stood in the way betwixt us and the Lord and we chose to suffer with and for the Name of Christ rather then all the pleasures upon Earth or all our former zealous Professions and Practices in Religion without the Power and Spirit of God which the World yet lives in And while waiting upon the Lord in Silence as often we did for many Hours together with our minds and hearts towards him being stayed in the Light of Christ within us from all thoughts fleshly Motions and desires in our diligent waiting and fear of his Name and hearkning to his Word we re-received often the pouring down of the Spirit upon us and the Gift of God's holy eternal Spirit as in the dayes of old and our heart were made glad and our Tongues loosed and our Mouthes opened and we spake with new Tongues as the Lord gave us utterance and as his Spirit led us which was poured down upon us on Sons and Daughters and to us hereby was the deep things of God revealed and things unutterable were known and made manifest and the Glory of the Father was revealed and then begun we to sing Praises to the Lord God Almighty and to the Lamb for ever who had redeemed us to God and brought us out of the Captivity and Bondage of the World and put an end to Sin and Death and all this was by and through and in the Light of Christ within us and much more might be declared hereof that which
or in the day of Judgment when we and all Man-kind shall appear and come sorth to tryal and every mans work shall be tryed and all shall receive according to their deeds And so gladly would we be made manifest to all the World if that after the reading of this Book any be unsatisfied still in this matter And if any especially of the Heads and Rulers have doubts or Jealousies raised in them concerning us and the Priests and that they further would be satisfied and resolved for that end let any Wise-men propound for full satisfaction of all sorts of People that we with the consent of the chief in Authority that have power in this Nation who may preserve peace and safety among people and thereby to stop all Jealousies may freely and chearfully Four Ten Twenty Thirty more or fewer of us give as many of the wisest and ablest of the Priests and Professors a meeting for dispute at any place in England at what place time and for what continuance as they shall ascribe and consent unto and to dispute and controvert betwixt us and them any such thing and every such particular as shall or may be objected by any of the Heads and Rulers or other Grave Understanding Men wherein they are doubtful betwixt us and would thereof be satisfied that by such Dispute and opening of such causes objected full and real and toal satisfaction may be given to the whole Nation and every particular man and member therein Otherwise Let the Priests or Professors or any of them object what they can against us in our Principles Profession Faith and Practice and our whole Religion And if they shall affirm and alledge any one or more things against us that any Principle we hold or Practice we profess in any part throughout all our Religion are false Principles and false Practices and not according to Truth nor the Scriptures but shall affirm that our Religion is not the true Religion nor we of the true Church of Christ and they shall have free liberty to give their best proof and reason for what they affirm and alledge yet by the Strength of Christ and in the power and authority of God and according to the Scriptures we shall confute all their Proofs and strongest Reasons and on the contrary we shall joyn our Principles Doctrines and Practices and all our Religion and every part and particular thereof to be the very truth and agreeing with the Scriptures according to that shall maintain by lawful Arguments and plea that our Religion and Worship and all that we profess and Practice is according to the mind of the Lord and justified of him and that whatsoever is and may be spoken against us upon that account is utterly false and to be condemned and upon this we will ingage with them and with any of our Enemes of what Sect and Profession soever to the intent onely that Truth may be manifest and embraced and Deceit and Error discovered and denied And also upon such an Engagement we should agree to have the liberty freely and soberly to object against the Priests concerning their Ministry their Call their Practice their Maintenance and their Fruits and Effects and concerning their Church and Principles and Worship and whole Religion and shall hear patiently all that can be said in defence thereof by any or all of them and shall prove by the Spirit of the Lord and according to the Scriptures that their ministry is not the true Ministry of Christ nor they true and lawfull Ministers of the Gospel but shall manifest by evident Arguments that their Call Practice Maintenance Fruits and Effects are not according nor agreeing but contrary and differing to what the true Ministry was and its Call Practice Maintenance Fruits and Effects were in the true Apostles and among the true Churches and furthermore by the Grace of God we shall prove their Church their Worship and their whole Religion in all parts thereof to be degenerated from what the true Church was the true Worship and true Religion in the days of the Apostles and true Churches of old and these things shall we make manifest by faithful and sound Arguments according to the Scriptures that all the Earth may know and all people perceive who is in the Truth and of the true Worship and Religion and who are in the contrary and whether the Priests and that which they profess and practice for Religion or the Quakers and that which they profess and practice for Religion be of God and according to him and whether are contrary that the end of this long Travel and War and controversie may be desided and justly ended between us and all people may be resolved and satisfied concerning us and them that do oppose us And let all the Priests and Professors lay aside and give over their Houses of Correction and imprisoning people and whipping of them and stocking of us and dealing in this manner of violence and cruelty as for years by-past they have done in defence of their Religion and resisting of ours and let them lay aside their carnal Weapons and fighting against our persons and imprisoning of us about our Religion and let them come forth in sound Arguments the best they have and let us see what spiritual Weapons they have to resist us and defend themselves and let us try whether their spiritual Weapons or ours be the strongest and the most powerful and mighty and let theirs that are so prevail against the other be it ours or theirs and this is the way to try the truth and to make all things manifest and to deside and end all the whole controversies between us and them which hath been great this many years and let the Truth be set up and exalted where ever it is and all Deceit thrown down to the Ground and let us war with the Weapons of the Spirit against Errour and false Religion one in the other but le ts not hurt Creatures nor imprison Persons nor stock and whip Creatures and make them to suffer but let us thresh Deceit and whip and beat that and all false Opinions let us throw them down where they are found whether in them or in us and let us fight with the Weapons of the Spirit that are spiritual let them fight no longer with such cruel carnal Weapons and then let such as get the victory and overcome appear to be in the truth of the Church and such as falls and is overcome be manifest to be in the Error and of the false Church and Religion and let us love one anothers persons and let them act no otherwise towards our persons then we do upon theirs and towards them and let them take the liberty to deal with us and our persons as we deal with them and their persons and no otherwise And let such whether them or us that cannot prove our selves to be the true Church of Christ nor of the true Worship and true
our way to the promised Land which belongs to the Saints in Light we would eat our own Bread and Drink our Water and what we needed and keep our Consciences clear in our Generation we must to that which God hath promised and if we cannot have away God will make one for us and that you that set your selves against the Lord in the end shall be sure to know and feel though we shall never lift up carnal Weapon nor draw Sword neither use Bow nor Spear for God hath taught us to love our Enemies and out of these things we are come and to the end of Wars and to be for it yet God's purpose shall be fulfilled and he hath wayes enough to plead the cause of his people and he will do it and wo to all their Enemies And do you cry out of Popery because of cruelty and persecution And will you be found in the same Foot-steps and in the same nature Oh! let it never be said nor thought that ever the Church of God or true Christians did Drink the Blood of the Saints or cast them into prison for that is Babylon the Mother of Harlots that doth so Therefore be informed and warned set not Bryars and Thorns in Battel against the Lord neither stubble before devouring Fire for if you do a Consumption will come upon you and your Name and Memorial shall rot dye wither and melt away as Snailes and Glory shall rest with and upon the Heads of the Sufferers of Christ for ever Reading the 22. of the 12. Moneth 1662. By one who hath chosen rather to Suffer with the People of God called Quakers then to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a season or to be reckoned as a Prince amongst the Uncircumcised Francis Howgil GEORGE WHITEHEAD HIS TESTIMONY AND ACCOUNT Concerning Edward Burroughs ANd as for E. B. our dear Brother and Companion in Travel Suffering and Consolation for the Everlasting Gospel's sake in his day his Testimony lives with us He was a Preacher of Righteousness and one who travelled for the Redemption of the Creature from under the Bondage of Corruption and proclaimed Liberty to the Captives in the Power and Authority of God and therein was a true Witness against Oppression and all the Antichristian Yokes imposed in the Night of Apostacy upon the Persons and Consciences of People and truly and valiantly he held sorth the Liberty of Conscience and vindicated it to the great men of the Earth in things appertaining to God in matters of Religion and Worship against the persecution and compulsion which had its Original and Rise from the Power of the Beast which hath made War against the righteous Seed that men might be left free to the guidance of the infallible Spirit of God which is not to be limitted in these matters and not be compelled nor brought under the corrupt wills of men nor their failible judgements nor invented Forms in these cases And the Name of this Minister of Righteousness is written in the Lambs Book of Life and all the Enemies of his Life can never be able to blot it out nor extinguish his Memorial Oh! the remembrance of his integrity uprightness and sincerity hath deep impression upon my heart and that tender love and affection in God's Truth which he was filled with towards all the upright who are lovers of peace and unity in the Lord is never to be forgotten by us who are yet remaining in the Work of the Lord and the Everlasting Gospel for which he hath left a glorious Testimony the glory of which shall never be extinguished but thousands shall praise the Lord our God because thereof yea even the Seed that 's yet in the lower parts of the Earth where darkness covers it and the child that 's yet unborn in many that 's curiously framed in the Mothers Womb whose Members are written in the Book of God shall glorifie the Lord on his behalf And this Testimony many have already concerning him that though his Body is dead his Spirit liveth in the immortallity of that Life that is immutable and shall never die not wax old and is felt among the Righteous who walk in their integrety and constancy to the Lord. And this faithfull Servant of the Lord and valiant Souldier of the Lamb as in his day was evidently apparent as to live to him was Christ and to die was Gain And though in his time many were the Sâfferings and Afflictions which his life went under and his upright spirit suffered by both from his open Enemies and Persecutors in the World because of the valour and courage for the Truth of God and from deceitfull and transforming exalted spirits which burthen the holy Seed but now his Life is caught up above them all and is out of their reach in the transcendent and unspeakable Glory in the Everlasting Habitation and Firmament of God's Power where he hath shined and doth shine among the Stars that have kept their Habitations as one that hath turned many to Righteousness and that hath overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and the Word of his Testimony with those holy Prophets and Martyrs who rejoyce over Babylon and her Abominations in whom their blood is found and against whom he was a faithfull Witness and valiant Warrier whose living and absolute Testimony therein God hath blessed made prosperous and will fulfil to the uttermost And though he be ceased from his Labours his Works do follow him which will be had in living remembrance and precious esteem among the Upright when his Persecutors shall be broken and laid low in the desolation and ruin of Babylon and all that continue in Enmity and Deceit and all the deceitfull spirits that have burdened his righteous Soul shall fall and their blossom wither and come to nought And if any of his Persecutors or Oppressors be yet so impenitent and obdurate as to triumph and be elevated in an exalted or prejudiced spirit because of his death and in their exaltation and pride of heart say He was taken away in Judgment or in Wrath. To such in Gods Fear I answer That thousands of the Servants of the Lord are of another perswasion not questioning but it was in God's tender Love as to his own particular that he was removed out of the Earthen Vessel in which he though a man as in the prime of his years endured great Travels in his time for the Truth 's sake and the gathering of many into the Way of the Lord and in which his Travel was the greater when the time of his dissolution drew near to be dissolved because of his Sufferings and the extremity of his Sickness occasioned thereby which many others were pertakers of who suffered Persecution and Imprisonment by unreasonable men in this City of London for the Cause of God and a good Conscience as chiefly for their meeting together singly in the Worship of God But this I testifie in the Lord as in him I have felt that
Law which is righteous and do witness the justness and goodness and holiness of it but if you make a Law in your own wills and judge by such a Law then you will make the Innocent suffer and oppress them who walk in the Law of God and in the exercise of a pure Conscience Christ was put to death by such a Law and the Saints in all Generations were persecuted by such Laws which were made in the will of man contrary to the Will and Law God Therefore take âeed to your selves lest God hew you down and your Law together and condemn yoâ by his righteous Law eternally which Law of God needs not to be made but iâ made already and to be witnessed by the Light in every mans Conscience to Justification or condemnation and is revealed in all that love Righteousness So take heed what you do and know your place and the length and breadth oâ your law which is committed to you which is to keep the outward man in good order and the Nations in peace and truth and from Theft and Murder and Adultry and Fighting and Quarrelling and Drunkenness and Wronging one another and such like such who acts these things walk contrary to the Light and so brings themselves under the penalty of the law but over the inward man you law which is outward hath no power to bind to limit or to tie too or from any way of worship in Religion but let Religion defend it self and lay not your laâ upon the Conscience to exercise dominion over it for it is Christs Seat in whoâ he will rule lest you be found Tyrants and numbred for destruction nor liâââ not the Spirit of the Lord how when where and by whom it must speak for the Holy-men of God in all Ages ever cryed against such laws as were contrary to the Law of God and did limit the Spirit of the Lord and against such Rulers as did judge false Judgment and for Gifts and Rewards and against such Priestâ and Prophets as preached for Hire and divined for Money and sought for their Gain from their Quarter and made a prey upon the People and through Coveteousness made merchandize of souls Therefore be ye warned if such you uphold by a law which act those things which the Scripture declares against which the Holy-men of God gave forth by his Spirit the Scripture which you profess shall stand a Witness against you and the Law of God will condemn you and God will lay your honour in the dust and cast you out of the Seat of Judgment But judge the cause of the Poor and Needy of the Widow and Fatherless and joyn Mercy with Judgment and lay your Swords upon oppression and all tyrany and wrong dealing that the Land may cleansed of evil Doers and Equity and Righteousness may flow down and the Nation in good order may be kept iâ Peace and Righteousness and so God will establish you among his Children who are taught of him alone and are far from oppression To the Light of God in all your Consciences I do speak which if you make laws contrary to it and judge contrary to it it is the eternal Condemnation of you and of your laws and judgment And remember you are warned in your life time and my Conscience is cleared to you and in the Day of the Lord you shall witness ãâã to be truâ and this to be the Word of the Lord to you whether you will hear or ãâã âear Written to you by a Friend of Righteousness and true Iudgment from the Spirit of the Lord as moved of him in love to all your souls to go abroad among the Heads and Rulers and Iudges in Dublin and elsewhere through the Nation of Ireland from one who is called a Quaker by Scorners whose name in the flesh is Edward Burrough Written at Dublin the 23d of the 8th Moneth 1655. And now Oye Heads and Rulers happy had you been if you had taken the counsel of the Lord and submitted to have obeyed his Word which came to you as moved of him but in that you have neglected and have made laws in your will and exercise lordship over the Conscience and have limited the Lord and have purposed to âe a âerror to good and strengthened the wicked and have not regarded the Will of God but have persecuted and imprisoned the Innocent and âudged ãâã your own hearts therefore according to the Word of the Lord your blood will be upon your own heaâs for you have not taken Warning and I am ãâã hereof for ever An Exhortation sent to the chief Commander and his Council and the just Cause of the Innocent laid at their door WE who are Servants of the Lord of Hosts who is the Protector of Heaven and Earth we who stand in his Fear and know his Coânsel are moved of him who lives for ever who is I Am and there is none besides him to clear our Consciences and our Lords Truth from the Lyes and Slanders which are cast upon us and the Good Way of the Lord which envious spirits whââ are proud and know nothing that cannot abide sound Doctrine do reproach and slander us and by false ãâã ãâã things to our charge which we never knâw therefore we being innocent and clear cannot but deny and ãâã witness against all those proceedings which are âot according to the Law of Righteousness and equity and lay thâ⦠at your door whom it nearly concernâ Unto thee Henry Cromwel who is Commander in chief for the Affairs of Ireland and to thy Council we write We have seen two several Warrants ââder your ãâã dated at Dublin and in them both you say You have received information at your board of great disorders and disturbances of ãâã in the Couâ⦠of âârkâ and Places adjacent by Francis Howgill aâd Edward Burrough This we say unto you your Informer hath declared an ââtruth at your Board and we deââre that you may make it appear where in we have made any disturbance or disorder all these things in your Warrants we deny and do charge you in the Name of the God of Justice to send for them that so informed you that have so abused you and are so bold and impudent as to declare unto you any such thing and so have caused you to bring guilt upon your selves in sending ouâ your Warrants to bring the Innocent before your Judgment-seat and caused us to be dragged a hundred Miles from place to place as Mâlefactors and as though we had done some criminal act and when we have dome before yoâ you had nothing to lay to our charge but have endeavoured to give Sentence of Banishment of us out of your Nation who are free-born English men nor have we been burthenfom to your Nation nor transgressed any known Law of the Nation and you have judged us before our ãâã came and herein you do us great injustice and you act contrary to the Law of Equity and
your good works brought forth in your own wills in that nature in which the enmity lodges is a lame and a blind Sacrifice and of Cain's nature which God accepteth not you are in the liberty of the flesh and the daily Cross of Christ you do not know but lives daily to the World and dies not to it and your knowledge of Christ is without you by what such a Prophet and such an Apostle spoke of him and the witness of the operation of his Spirit and Power you have not in you nor his sufferings you do not know in your life but by your life make him to suffer in you in his Life the horrible filthy thing is commited amongst you and your Teachers are perfect in the false Prophets steps and some of you are as bruit Beasts in their knowledge gathered in by vain study and humane learning through Phylosophy and vain deceit and have large Quarters from which they seek their Gain and through Coveteousness with feigned words make merchandise of souls and are compleat in Balaams way of Idolatry following his Error loving the Wages of unrighteousness teaching for filthy Lucre devouring souls for dishonest Gain by trading with the Scriptures and selling their Imaginations upon them for money gaining many thousand of pounds a year thereby having stolen the Saints words into their unclean hearts uttered forth by them for advantage to themselves when the Lord hath not sent them nor spoken unto them nor ordained them for his service but their Call and Ordination have been by man and their work and testimony of themselves and have not profited you at all and yet you have loved to have it so but what will you do in the end thereof Even you that have been helped and they that have holpen shall both fall together in the Day of the Lord's Recompence which will fall grievously upon you and none shall be able to deliver you but miserable Comforters and Physitians of no value shall all be unto you and your long applyed Promises shall suddenly fly away No Peace from God is to the Wicked neither do I sow Pillows under your Elbows but to the Light in your Consciences I commend these things which Christ hath enlightened every of you withal which shines in Darkness and you cannot it comprehend nor in it believe but at it stumbles and by it shall be broken which if it you loved it would teach you in the Spirit the Living God to worship and would condemn all your set forms of worship in the imaginations the Light is given you of Christ Jesus unto Life Eternal or unto condemnation everlasting when the Hand of the Lord is upon you remember you had Warning and when you are in the Lake and in the Pit remember you had a day of Visitation upon Earth The Light in all your Consciences shall witness Gods Judgments to be just and your mouths shall be stopped To all you that are called Anabaptists WIth you also is the Controversie of the Lord for you are Children of the same seed more purged in the Fire of blind Zeal and begotten in the transforming of the Serpent into more secret hypocrisie and deeper subtilty your covering being larger the greater deceit and abomination lodges under Death reigns among you and your Kingdom is scituate in the Mountains of exaltation and you feed aboundantly in the Valleys of pride and vain glory and are nourished with the bread of prosperity you are grown high and great in your number and have joyned your selves for advantage and glory in your strength having through Policy and Craft and bowing to the beastly power highly exalted your own Horn and by Flattery have gained much of your dominion which you hold in possession by the Law of guile many simple Ones have by your curious colour and bed of fair pretences been deceived to commit Adultry with your Image brought forth in the likeness of the Saints God by imaginations from the Saints words you worship the Practice and exercise of the Saints with the same mind that the Papists do worship their Names and dayes You allow not Idols without nor a vain conversation in the World but you are stricât in observation in your outward conformity in your self-righteousness which is your greatest sin you are cloathed with the Saints words and practices which you have climed up in your own wills to obtain not having entred in by the Door and while you say you eat and drink the Flesh and Blood of Christ in the Saints manner shewing forth his Death till he come to Salvation you kill him as the Heathens do till he appear unto Condemnation and you shew forth daily that you cruciâe him in the World eating and drinking to your selves condemnation you say Christ dyed only for you as Elect but your works make manifest that he dies by you as Reprobate You take up a command from the Letter and imitate the Apostles some of you in a lower and some of you in a higher degree in that mind and nature which in the Apostles was crucified and you say Christ commands it when the Letter doth but declare it and you are not led with the same Light which gave forth the Commands declared to observe them but say in such a Verse of such a Chapter such a Command is not having received the Command by the same Spirit Here you are proved to be them which use your tongues and say he saith it when God hath not spoken unto you but as you read it without you as the false Prophets may do the words of the true Prophets and thus you are in the Witchcraft as they were Gal. 3. who take on things in your own wills and observe Commands without from the Letter thereby drawing from the Teachings of God within by the Spirit you are zealous as they were for the Traditions and Figures and cannot see him which is the end of all that which perisheth with the using so you are not dead with Christ from the World who are yet subject to Ordinances which are of the World They that obeyed Christ and followed him were led by the Spirit and not by the Letter for they were not Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit and such were judged to be in error and this is your condition who say such are Breakers of Christ's Commands and Makers void of the Scripture and Destroyers of the Ordinances who witness Christ the Substance and him to be King and Judg and Law-giver and in whom and upon whom the Scripture is fulfilled and so it established and the Commands of Christ kept which are in Spirit and his Law daily walked in which condemneth sin And this is not contrary to the Scripture but a fulfilling of it in Principles in Doctrines and in Practise and in Conversation The Apostles were sent to preach the Gospel to every Creature and they were all led by the same Spirit and did not go before it in their own wills
the Foundation or Fundamental Principle of the Religion which is not in Form but in Power agreeing in the Foundation and in the whole building But Friends you seem to charge the late Powers of the Nation if not your selves yet some part of your Body which now are in power with great things with no less then to be Satans Seedsmen for if allowing difference in Forms be the dangerousest and fruitfullest Seed that ever was sown by the envious One as you say it is then who do you blame either the fore-going Parliaments of which some of you have been and so cannot be clear from that evil or the Protector himself and this seem to be a very great charge upon him whose judgment is appearingly to give allowance unto difference in Forms to be the Seedsman of Satan or to allow the envious One to sow the Seed which you call dangerous it is not Christians that are divided but the Sects and false Opinions men of corrupt minds Thus much in answer to the words as they are laid down but I rather chuse to speak to the mind or intent of the Penmans spirit of your Declaration which implieth an inclining to be against many Forms and to bind up all into one Form of Worship and so thereby though some which is evil would be shut out yet would the true spiritual Worship of the Saints above all assuredly thereby be excluded and the tender spirits of People who truly seek God would be oppressed But keep your selves from that evil I warn you lest you be broken and never bound up and lay no Law nor make no Law upon Religion but let Religion defend it self only lay your Law upon Peace-breakers and violent men and bind not mens Consciences to a Worship by your Precepts either made already or by such as may be made if you ease the Oppressed so God will establish you in peace if you fulfil his Will herein Again you say In not being fully sensible though the Lord in the depth of his wisdoms and righteous Iudgments hath for some years last past been overturning several Authorities in these Nations and hath as it were been pouring them from Vessel to Vessel he hath been pleased ever since his people publickly contended for his Truths still to set up Rulers who have allowed them the free exercise and profession of them Answ. Indeed you are not sensible of the righteous Judgments of God in overturning several Authorities in the Nation and therefore you go in the same abominations as they did who were overturned till you also be overturned as they were But take heed to your selves lest you be more then poured from Vessel to Vessel even spilt in the dust of misery and never more gathered again Your last part of this particular is false for we that are in the pure Religion and in the Exercise of our pure Consciences have not from some of you our Liberty but are cast into Goals and Dungeons and banished out of yoââ Towns and Cities some of us by some that have been Rulers set up if this be doubted by you examine through your Nation true testimony may be given so that here you have spoken better of the Rulers then indeed it is and would make the Nation believe untruths to establish you though I condemn not all but my words are towards the Guilty that they may repent lest they perish in their iniquities and be cut off in their transgressions and the Curse be upon you all for the sake of some Again you say In that Athiestical and luke-warm Spirit too commonly aââ¦gst you whereby not only the Form but also the Power of Godliness is reproached and accounted as a vain thing but also too many have fallon from their first love and others esteâ⦠themselves rich whilst they are miserable poor and blind and naked sins which ââ¦e the highest aggravated by being committed in Countries where the glorious Light of the Gospel shinâs clearest Answ. This you have confessed truly to your own shame in the sight of other Nations your spirit is not only luke-warm unto Righteousness but it is too ââmmon among some of you to be zealous and hot in persecuting the Way of Righteousness and indeed many of you are grosly fallen from your first Love and Integrity and thereby the Power of Godliness is not only reproached by you but persecuted and counted vile and they that live in it oppressed such is your zeal in your dead Form some of you that even you count the true Way and Worship of God madness and you are the men that esteem your selves rich while you are miserable and blind and naked and your sins are aggravated the more and higher because God gives you warning daily by the mouth of his Servants who hold forth the Light of the glorious Gospel and bears witness unto your faces against your Abominations and Idolatries committed by you yet for all this you continue in your iniquities and evil entreat the Messengeâ of Peace unto you souls and are the men indeed which are Athiestical evââ many by their work saying in their hearts there is no God and as truly as yoâ have confessed your sins so must you confess the justness of the Judgments of God upon your own heads if you return not unto the living God and own the day of your Visitation Again you say In being more dissatisfied that you have not obtained all you aimâd ãâã then thankful that you have obtained so much as you now enjoy Answ. Verily this is not the least of your sins but exceed some others fâr you aim at that which you shall never obtain till you be thankful and walk worthy of what you enjoy and this is the way Ease the Oppressed and take oâf the yoke of the Poor and Needy and of the Lord you may be heard and seek not your own honour for that is the ground of dissatisfaction and unthankfulness among you and the cause why you abuse the Mercies which you do enjoy having lost the sence of the former dealings of the Lord with you Further you say All which with other the grievous sins of these three Nations caââ aloud upon all the good People in them to lie low in the sight of our offended God and bâ Prayer and Humiliation away which in our deepest distresses we have found both our Dâty and Comfort to tread in to seek to appease his Wrath and that he would be pleased fâ⦠his own Names sake to remove whatever accursed thing there is found amongst us and the as he is our God so we may be his People Answ. Indeed many more grievous sins are highly abounding in these three Nations your own oppressions and self-seeking honours and vain glories in your self-performed righteousness with your persecution of the Innocent by grievous unjust Fines and Imprisonment not regarding the cry of the Poor which lie under the heavy hand of Oppression of you subordinate Rulers these aboundantly add to the
that believe and through the word of Life are they handled tasted seen and felt near at hand in power and not in words onely Many professes them in words and what others enjoyed of these things but have not felt in themselves the working of the eternall Spirit neither have the witness in themselves of being restored to God again and of being redeemed by him from under the Devils power neither are saved by Christ from sin and transgression and so are not nor cannot be saved from condemnation and wrath for who abide in their sins and in the state unreconciled to God hath not any part or portion in these things which belongs to their peace and without the knowledge of which by the working of the eternal Spirit all mankind is everlastingly miserable CHAP. VII Concering true Religion and the true Worship of the true God this Testimony I give unto the whole World THis is true Religion to be kept pure and clean from all evil and from all that which would defile in the sight of the Lord and to walk in his fear in all things this is Religion to do good and to do no evil and to speak the truth and to do the truth in all things and to do unto all men as a man would be done unto and to love God withall the heart and the neighbour as self and not to love the world and ways and pleasures of it nor to use deceit in words or actions this is true Religion and the true Worship of God to be led with his Spirit in all things and to be guided in the truth at all times on all occasions this is acceptable and well pleasing unto God above all words and outward conformity and set times and days and observances for the Worship of God is not in these things but is without respect of days places or things this Religion and Worship stands in Christ Jesus the second Adam who hath lighted every man that comes into the World that all men through him might believe and by him have their consciences purely exercised towards God and towards man in all things whatsoever and this is our Religion and Worship of the True God he that can receive it let him CHAP. VIII Concerning Justification and Sanctification this testimony ãâã give unto all People JUstification is freely by Jesus Christ in the sight of the Father and not by the works of mans own righteousness and such as are taught by Christ and guided by him in all the ways of truth and righteousness are justified by him and none else not in any word or work whatsoever but in what they are led to fulfil by him and it is the new man that is justified and not the old he that is born of God and none that are born of the flesh such cannot please God neither can such be justified by him for they are not taught of him nor saved nor restored nor redeemed and therefore are not justified nor cleared from condemnation in the sight of the Lord but who lives in iniquity and sin and the wayes and works of the World which are evil by Christ Jesus are condemned and not justified though in words they profess him yet of justification by him they have no part and sanctification is by the working of the eternal Spiriâ in the heart of the Creature which purgeth out and taketh away all unrighteousness and all the works and fruits of darkness it witnesseth against and witnesseth unto Jesus who takes away all sin and destroyes the works of the Devil that man may be holy and pure in the sight of his Maker and every one that hath the witness of his justification hath the operation by the eternal Spirit of sanctification and all that receives Christ Jesus who hath lighted every man that cometh into the World receiveth sanctification and justification by him and he unto us is made so of the Father he that can receive it leâ him CHAP. IX Concerning the Kingdom of Christ and how it is to be set up this testimony I give unto all the World THE Kingdom of God and of his Son is not of this World but is froâ above and stands in righteousness and in truth in mercy and in peace iâ true judgement and justice and this Dominion is from everlasting to everlasting and it reacheth beyond all the World and its Government is love and unity and everlasting peace and is perfect liberty to the Just and bindeth and chaineth the Unjust in it there is on oppression but perfect freedom from all unrighteousness and it consists not in word but in power to the bringing down of the Kingdom of the Devil and to the breaking off the bonds of all injustice and all ungodliness which is the Kingdom of Satan which hath long ruled iâ the World that Kingdom whereof Christ is King which stands in Righteousness no unclean thing can have any part therein and this we believe it shall be set up and advanced in the earth but not by might of man or arm of flesh nor the multitude of an host neither by policy nor craft nor by revenge but by the arm of the Lord alone through the suffering and patience of his people and by faithful witness bearing unto Jesus Christ by doing and by suffering by doing his Will in all things in a pure Life and Conversation and upright walkking in the sight of the Lord and by patient suffering under the injustice and oppression of men and of their unjust Government and Laws till they be overturned and confounded and further we give testimony that suffring in patience under the cruelty and oppression of the Devils government and kingdom more reaches to overthrow them than the rising to rebel in any way of outward offence toward them or defence from them and the Kingdom of Christ is near to come and the Kingdoms of this World shall be changed and none shall have any part therein but they that are redeemed out of kindreds tongues and people this we believe he that can receive it let him CHAP. X. Concerning Governours and Governments and Subjection to them this testimony I give to the World GOvernours Rulers and Magistrates we own and do respect in the Lord and yet cannot respect any mans person whatsoever such as be a terrour to all evil in their Government and that fears God and hates covetousness and delights in Equity in Justice and true Judgement and gives diligent heed to try the cause of the poor and will judge justly without respect of men who justifies the good and gives praise to the Well-doer such Government and Governours we reverence where Sin and Iniquity is kept under Drunkenness Swearing Murther Quarrelling and all the ways and works of the flesh are terrified and a Wel-doer praised and justified this Goverment of men reaches to the witness of God in every man and that answers to the justice and righteousness of all such Governours and Government and these witness that
and their work of God and their end alone his glory such we own to be Ministers of Christ and doth not revile or deny as he falsly saith such a Church and such Ministers of Christ but this we do and without offence to God too we do deny and bear our witness against such a people who professeth themselves to a Church and yet are in the pride in the wickedness and in the evil of this World and not redeemed clensed and seperated from the works and iniquities thereof such we do reprove for their Hypocrisie even ââ¦ll them that owns a title to a Church because they were sprinkled when they were Infants and hath not another ground and such who professeth themselves Ministers of Christ who hath not received their Ministry by the Gift of the Holy Ghost neither are led by the Spirit of Christ but are such as Christ ând the Apostles declared against such we cannot own to be Ministers of Jesus Christ but doth reprove them and deny them even such who Preacheth for Hire and hath Gifts and Rewards for Preaching and set-places for so much a âear these we disown and yet doth not offend God herein And this in honesty ãâã do shew to all people what that professed Church and professed Ministry is which we do deny and what that Church and Ministry is which we do set up to âe preferred which is a right Ministry and a right Church And thus his reasonless reason is overturned and confounded and is found to be no sufficient reason wherefore a man should not be a Quaker 2. His second reason is No wise man can be a Quaker saith he because their Religion is an uncertain thing and so is not the Religion that must save us c. I answer This again is utterly false and no man that hath Gods wisdom would speak it for our Religion which we profess is a certain thing and we have openly declared it once and again and this is it To believe in Christ and to receive Christ and to be lead by the Spirit of Christ and taught in all things to love God with all the Heart and a mans neighbour as himself and through the Power of Christ dwelling in man to do all good and to be kept from all evil This in very short is our Religion and it is a very certain and established Religion and this Religion we all agree in And this in short is the substance of our faith Even Christ in us believed on and received by us This is the Truth and his lyes is judged and if he say this is an uncertain Religion let him give it under his hand and subscribe to it and he shall have a further Reply 3. His third Reason is No man of Reason should be a Quaker considering that amongst those scraps of their Religion which is made known there is so much notorious falsââd and ungodliness saith he Ans. Let all Christian people mark this his Reason they are even lyes heaped one upon another What secret Slanders are these behind our Backs who never would clear himself of what is truly charged against him in answer to his Catechism his words are turned by as utter lyes for that which we profess and practice for Religion which we have made known by word and writing is uprightness godliness sincerity and truth and neither notorious falshood not ungodliness as he wickedly saith And why did not he make it appear what this notorious falshood and ungodliness had been that had been more honest then to cast his charges and prove nothing And whereas he saith The very persââ of Christ Iesus many of them do blaspheme c. this is utterly false for Jesus Christ have we owned and believed in onely and for his sake we do and suffer haââ things 4. His fourth Reason is saith he Because their false pernicious Doctrines tâ⦠practical Religion doth much consist in most notorious wicked injustice and uncharitableness c. Ans. Here is lye upon lye uttered and wickedness joyned to wickedness and drunk up as an Oxe drinks up water and no conscience made thereof by Richard Baxter it had been just to have mentioned these pernicious Doctrines their practical Religion injustice and uncharitableness and not to have slandered in the dark but we are delivered by the Lord from all pernicious Doctrines and notorious wickedness whatsoever and we find this false Reproacher guilty himself and his people of what he accuseth the Innocent And so his words are true unto himself and upon his own head I turn them 5. His fifth Reason is The worst of all saith he is That they behave themselves like malignant Enemies to the very Church and Gospel and Servants of Iesus Christ c. Ans. This man speaks as if he had sold himself wholly to lye but my answer to his first Reason is sufficient to answer this also and doth say That the Cââ¦se and the Church and the Gospel and Servants of Iesus Christ we do fully and freely ãâã and are daily exercised therein as the very Servants of Iesus and are Friends thereof iâ our hearts and doth not behave our selves in any way as Enemies thereunto God will judge every lying tongue and shall condemn our false Accusers guilty of that which they charge the guiltless to reprove and bear witness against the wilâ⦠wicked and rude conversations and against such as have gotten the Saints words and by art frame an hours discourse thereupon for so much a Sermon or so much a year to deny such to be a Church of Christ and Ministers of Christ this we do and doth not behave our selves like Enemies to the Church or Gospel or Ministers and Servants of Christ as our Adversary wickedly saith 6. His sixth Reason saith he That part of the Quakers peculiar Religion which consists not in error and malignant impudency is made up very much of it of childish and unreasonable foppery c. Ans. As I have said No part of our Religion consists in error and malignant impudency and as for that which he calls childish and unreasonable foppery we stand not to mans judgement for it is a small thing with us for to be judged of any man for we do acknowledge that we are become fools for Christs sake and herein we have cause to glory though he upbraid us with it and it was such as he who called Paul a Babler and that his Doctrine was madness as he saith ours is foppery and let him know that which is foolishness with man is wisdom with God and we know God will confound the wisest of men by that which they may judge to be foolish and unreasonable and foppery for to such who are lost our Gospel is hid where the god of this World hath blinded their Eye as it is plain he hath done this our Adversaries and that is the reason wherefore he hath sent forth such lying Scribbles from his study of wicked inventions and let him make the best
is contained in the Old and New Testament of the Scriptures which Oath he is bound to perform before the Lord and unto all men Now it remains to be tried and proved what the Christian Religion is and who they are in these Nations that are of the true reformed Protestant Christian Religion in the purity thereof as it is contained in the Scriptures seeing there are abundance of Sects and diversity of Judgements and many Assemblies and Gatherings of people who are divers in their Wayes in their Practices and in their Form of Religion in these Nations which do all profess the Scriptures and that their Form of Religion is according to the Scriptures but this cannot be but it will be manifest otherwise for the Scriptures which were given forth by the one Spirit of God bears not witness of many true Ways or unto many true Religions but unto one Truth and unto one true Religion and is the Declaration of one way of Life and Salvation by one Jesus Christ and there is no other Name under Heaven given for Salvation And they that believe in him and receive him those are they onely that are of the true Religion who are guided by the Spirit and changed thereby from Death to Life and such have unity with the Father and with the Son and one with another and are not of this World but Heirs of the Kingdom of God and these may own and claim a Title to be defended and preserved in their exercise and Practice of Religion Therefore come all sorts of People and let us try and prove who it is that is of the true Religion and who it is that he is bound to maintain and uphold by his Oath Come I say all Sects and sorts of people and appear to Trial Dare you joyn issue with me in this matter to try your Profession and Practise oâ Religion whether it be according to the Scriptures in the purity thereof yea or nay for the Lord hath put it into my Heart to lay you all to the Line of true Judgement and to prove you whether you must be upholden and maintained in your Religion yea or nay Come claim your Priviledge if your Profession and Practice in Religion be according to the Scriptures then you may own your right and the benefit of the Protectors Oath but if your Profession and Practice in Religion be otherwise and not according to the Scriptures then you must stand back and defend your selves if you can for the Protector is not bound to maintain and uphold you in your Practice of Religion And with this Argument I shall try you all Whatsoever is professed and practised for Religion for which there is neither command nor president in Scripture is not aecording to the Scripture let this fall where it may this is Truth and therefore all people come to tryal and receive your judgement by this rule And first the true Religion is a walking with God in purity and holiness a performing of good to him and not doing any evil a belief in Christ and receiving of him and a living in him and through the operation of his Spirit to be changed into his Image and the Body of Sin and Death put off and a living to God in all things and not a living to this vain World in any thing but in all things to be guided by the Spirit of Christ This in short is a description of the true Religion and they that are of this Religion shall be saved in the Day of the Lord and in Equity and Righteousness should be protected according to the Oath before-mentioned or else the Oath is not performed in justice but rather broken through transgression And first of all as concerning that profession and practice in Religion which is most general in these Nations I mean such as sprinkle Infants and are sprinkled being Infants professing it to be the Baptism into the Faith of Christ and that it is a seal of the new Covenant and of remission of sins and that thereby people are made capable of union with Christ and that it is a sign of regeneration c. This is practised and professed by many for Religion but this Practice and Doctrine is not according to the Scripture therefore all ye through all these Nations that are made Christians and own your Title in Christianity and a right to fellowship with Christ and that ye are joyned to the Church and become Members of Christ because you were sprinkled when you were Infants and all ye that preach this for Doctrine and practise it for Religion you are not of the true Christian Religion in the Purity thereof as it is contain'd in the Scriptures this I do affirm Therefore stand you by for what you practise and profess there is neither Command nor President in Scripture if you could shew any you are now called and a Necessity is put upon you to make use of your Knowledge if you would be protected in this Common-Wealth in your Practice of Religion Likewise you sing and give to sing David's Psalms in Rhyme and Meeter professing it is to the Glory and Honour of God ye practise this as an Ordinance of God as a part of his Worship and as a part of your Religion but this Practice and Profession also is manifest not to be according to Scriptures because it was never commanded neither is there any President for this Practice in the Scriptures in Gospel Times therefore in this part of your Religion you cannot justly own to be pro tected and maintained because the Protector 's Oath reacheth not to uphold and maintain any such Practices in Religion which are not according to the Scriptures Likewise all ye that meet together to exercise your Religion and to worship God in Temples made with hands set a part by you for that Practice professing them to be Churches of Christ this is not according but contrary to the Scriptures which say God dwells not in Temples made with hands neither did the Saints of old constantly practice any such thing But they were the Persecutors that met in Temples made with hands who cast out and haled the Apostles out of such Temples so that in this Practice you cannot justly own to be protected as not being a Practice in Religion according to Scriptures Likewise All ye whose Ministers preach for Hire and have Hire for preaching so much a Year and so much a Sermon at a Town or a Parish in a settled Place and who take Tythes and compel People to pay Tythes by a Law such are not the Ministers of Christ and ye that uphold such for Ministers of Christ are false in Judgment and blind in Understanding and are not of that Christian Religion which is according to Scriptures in the Purity thereof neither Ministers nor People for the Ministers of Christ never acted any such thing they were the false Prophets and false Apostles that preached for Hire and for Gifts and Rewards neither did
the Saints and Churches of Christ look upon them that acted those things to be Ministers of Christ but on the contrary declared against them to be Deceivers So that all you People and you professed Ministers that act those things that the false Prophets acted and all you People that love to have it so and give Hire to your Ministers for Preaching and consent unto it none of you are of the Christian Religion as it is held forth in the Scriptures because this part of your Practice in Religion is not according but contrary to Scriptures Now substracting all these in these Nations from the whole which practiseth and professeth these things mentioned for Ordinances of God and for his Worship none of you are of the true Christian Religion as it is held forth in the Scriptures because these things which you Practice for Religion is not held forth in all the Scriptures by any example or command likewise you are of the greatest number of people in all these Nations and that Practice and Profession of Religion which the greatest number follow and exercise themselves in cannot be the true Christian Religion because the Scripture saith Few are in the straight way that leads to Life to wit in the pure and true Religion but many are in the Broad way that leads to destruction and such that are the greatest number who are in the broad way are not in the Religion in the purity thereof as it is held forth in the Scriptures likewise many of you who Practice those things mentioned for Religion are yet unconverted to God but live in wickedness in the Pride and Vanities and in all the evil of this World in Double-dealing in Drunkenness in Whoredom and in the Works of Darkness therefore you are not of the true Christian Religion neither do your walk with God in Purity and Holiness neither are you changed by Christ into his Image nor are guided by his Spirit neither do you live to God in any thing but to this World in all things and your Religion is manifest not to be according to the Scriptures but contrary And so let all people consider whether or no you must be maintained in your Religion Come forth and plead your cause all ye that are called Presbyterians and Independants and all others stand up and prove if you can your Practice in Religion to be according to Scriptures but seeing no man is able to prove these things mentioned which is practiced by you for Religion to wit Sprinkling of Infants and singing David's experiences in Rhime and Meeter and Worshipping God in set-places as Idol-Temples and preaching for and giving great sums of Money for preaching with other things practiced by you for Religion neither were these things ever commanded in Scriptures neither is there any example for the practise of these things in Scripture by any of the Lords people and therefore you cannot justly own a Title in the Protectors Oath to be maintained and upheld by vertue thereof in these your practises of Religion for it appears he is but bound onely to uphold and maintain that Religion which is according to Scriptures and not them who practiceth those things for Religion which are not according but contrary to the Scriptures Likewise all ye that are called gathered Churches who holds sorth for Doctrine that the Scriptures are the Word by which the World was made and that the Scriptures are the Foundation and that the Scriptures are the Way to Salvation and that the Letter and the Spirit are unseparable and that the Scriptures are both the Writings and the thing fignified and that except a man be Baptized with Water he cannot be saved with such like Doctrines which have been held forth by some professing themselves to be of the Church of Christ all you are manifest not to be of the Christian Religion because those Doctrines are not according but rather contrary to the Scriptures Likewise All ye whose Practice in the Exercise of Religion is but by Imitation from the Scriptures and you are not led by the Spirit of of the Father in what you speak and practice you are not of the true Christian Religion which the Scripture speaks of for the Sons of God and who are of the true Religion are led by the Spirit of God and not by their own Thoughts and Imaginations and the Traditions of men And all that are not led by the Spirit of the Father are not of the true Christian Religion as it is held forth in the Scriptures and not any that are such can justly own to be protected in their Religion because it is not according to the Scriptures Likewise All ye that do profess the things of God and Christ and that you are Members of the Church of Christ and profess Righteousness and Truth in words and yet live in Pride and the Vanities of this World and in Unrighteousness and the Customs of the Heathen which are vain and are not cleansed from Unrighteousness nor freed from the Body of sin and death neither do answer your Profession with a Conversation shewing that you are not guided with that Spirit whose words you do profess All you are Hypocrites and live in Hypocrisie none of you are of the true Christian Religion as it is held forth in the Scriptures For the Exercise in true Religion sheweth forth in Life what is prosessed in words Come try your selves and prove your selves all sorts of people for now your Religion is to be try'd what Name soever you go under And all you that practice and profess those things for Religion for which there is neither Command nor President in Scripture your Religion is concluded not to be according to Scriptures and so no Title or Priviledge can any of you justly own of being upheld or maintain'd by the Protector 's Oath But as I have said For sprinkling of Infants and singing of David ' s Experiences in Rhyme and Meeter c. there is neither Command nor President in Scriptures and therefore you that practice those things which I have mention'd for Religion are not of the true Christian Religion which is according to the Scriptures which is to be protected Likewise all ye that persecute by Reproaches or Revilings and Cruelty or that cause the People of God to be persecuted many of you there are in these Nations which profess Religion yet are Envious Persons and Persecutors of the Innocent Hereby it is manifest that you are not of that Religion which is according to Scriptures for the Saints never persecuted any but were themselves persecuted for Righteousness sake so you are not to be protected in such Exercise because it is not according but contrary to the Scriptures for you have no Example from the Saints for professing and practizing Religion and yet persecuting such as are of the true Religion whose Consciences are truly exercised towards God and towards all men Now seeing that it is discovered in part who it is that
are not of the true Christian Religion according to the Scriptures it remains to be proved if there be any who they be that are of the true Christian Religion as it is held forth in the Scriptures and who they be that are to be protected in their Practice and Exercise of Religion And as concerning the dispised and rejected People called Quakers herein I shall speak for them as a Friend to them and a Lover of their Wayes who is nor ashamed of their Practices in Religion and shall measure and try their Practices in Religion whether they be according to Scripture and if it prove so to be that what they practice for Religion and hold forth for Doctrine be according to the Scriptures then why should not they own their Right and Priviledge to be upholden and maintained by the Protector 's Oath who hath sworn to uphold and maintain them and their Religion whose Exercise in Religion is according to Scriptures being that same People are and have been faithful Subjects of this Common-Wealth And first of all They dare not own themselves to be Christians nor to be Members of Christ nor to have any Right or Title to the Kingdom of God but as they witness converting by the Spirit of the Lord and are changed from Death to Life and from Darkness to Light and from Satan's power unto the Power of God through the Operation of the same Spirit and as in all their Works and Wayes and Exercises in Religion they are guided by the same Spirit who leadeth them out of the World and out of the Vanities and Evil-Works thereof and this is according to the Scriptures And their Religion herein is justify'd by the Scriptures who witness That Christ is in them and that they have receiv'd him through Faith and thereby are cleansed from all Unrighteousness and have put off and are putting off the Body of sin and death and walk with God in Purity and Holiness being led by the Spirit of God therein and with God they have Peace being reconciled by Jesus Christ who is their Salvation and they have no other And this is according to the Scriptures And again As concerning their Meetings and the manner thereof They are not contrary but according to the Scriptures for though they meet in many Parts of these Nations by great Numbers some in the open Fields and some on the Mountains in some Places and sometimes without Doors and sometimes in Houses all this Practice is according to Scriptures For we read Mat. 5. 1. in the dayes of Christ That there were great Multitudes of People that follow'd him and he went up into a Mountain and preached and taught them upon the Mountain And in Mat. 14. 14. we read That there were great Multitudes that came out of the Cities unto Iesus into the Deserts and he had compassion towards them and did good unto them And at that time there were many Thousands met together as you may read and it seems stay'd many whole dayes together for they sate down on the Grass and eat together and then Iesus sent the Multitudes away And in Mark 6. you may read how that Multitudes came to Iesus out of the Cities into a desert Place and Iesus began to teach them many things in that desert Place for he had compassion on the Multitude And in Luke 9. how the people again follow'd Jesus into a desert Place and he preached unto them the Kingdom of God Such Meetings then were counted strange as such Meetings are now when the People of God meet together by great Numbers to preach and to hear the Kingdom of God preached But their Meetings are according to the Scriptures for the People of God in Generations past met in the same manner as the People of God called Quakers meet now For sometimes Christ preached out of a Ship unto the People that stood on the Sea Shore And Paul kneeled down and prayed among the Saints near the Sea Shore at his passing into the Ship And we read Acts 2. that there was Three Thousand converted at one Sermon then there must needs be a great Meeting and a great deal of People met together Such Meetings now are wondred at but such Meetings are but according to Scripture so that this part of their Practice in Religion is agreeable to the Scriptures and the same as the Saints Practice was in Ages past And as for the People of God meeting together sometimes in the Night-season to wait upon the Lord and sometimes sitting in Silence and waiting upon the Lord and no words utter'd amongst them but every one sitting silent before the Lord having receiv'd nothing from the Lord to speak one to another at which the people of the World do wonder and falsly judge it not to be a Christian Exercise But we read in the Scripture Iob 2. that Iob who was a Christian for he was a just and perfect man he and his Friends sate upon the Ground seven dayes and seven nights and spake not a word one to another this would be a strange thing at this day to see practised And in Ier. 8. 14. you may read where the Prophet Ieremiah exhorted the people to assemble themselves and said Let us enter into defenced Cities and let us be silent there for the Lord our God hath put us to Silence But such a Practice now is thought strange by the people of the World who are not acquainted with the Wayes of God who are wise in their own Eyes and know not what it is to wait upon the Lord in silence who never yet were put to silence in themselves by the Lord. And you may read Ezek. 3. where the Prophet sate down among the People of the Captivity and they were astonish'd seven dayes and at the end of seven dayes and not before the Word of the Lord came to the Prophet So that you see it was the Practice of the Servants of the Lord oft-times to sit and wait upon the Lord in Silence though people wonder at such Meetings now And we do not read That there was alwayes speaking among the Saints in the Churches when they were met together But Acts 2. we read That the Church was met together in a Place and the Holy Ghost fell upon them and then they began to speak as the Spirit gave them utterance then it seems they had not spoken before though they had met together in a House and then they spoke the wonderful things of God and some that heard mocked and others said they were full of New Wine even as the people of the World do at this day when any of the People of the Lord are moved to speak as the Spirit gives utterance So that sometimes to sit in Silence being met together to wait upon the Lord as many of the Servants of the Lord do in this Nation is a Practice of Religion and not contrary but according to the Scriptures for many of the Servants
the Word And though they press people to Perfection and do say Men ãâã be pââ¦ect upon Earth and compleat in Christ Iesus This Doctrine also is according to the Scriptures for you may read 1 Cor. chap. 2 6. of ãâã that were perfect who were men upon Earth and the Ministâââ of Christ spoke Wisdom among them that were already perfect And Col. 2. 10. the Apostle saith unto the Church who were men in this Life upon Earth he saith to them Ye are Compleat in him And though they press the people to live without sin and do say They that are born of God do not commit sin This also is according to the Scripture for it is Christ's Command Mat. 5. Be perfect as yââr Faââer in Heaven is perfect And 1 Iohn 3. there it is spoken of some that were the Sons of God already and he saith Whosoever is born of God âoth not commit sin for he cannot sin because he is born of God and saith ãâã As he is Christ so are we in this present World And now all people may understand that in all these Doctrines which they do hold forth they do fully agree with the Scriptures and they beââââ¦ness to the Truth of their Doctrines that the Servants of God and the Apostles of Christ did preach the very same things for Doctrine aââ¦done at this day and so these Doctrines are not to be wondred at not so much as they are by the wicked to be cryed against for ãâã and error and these few particulars onely I have mentioned at which the people of this Age the most stumble at and all other things whatsoever which is held forth for Doctrines unto people I am able to prove them by the Scriptures that in all things they are according to the Scripture and not different or contrary to the Scriptures so ãâã all people may take notice and see that whatsoever they do practice for Religion or hold forth for Doctrine they do herein justly according to the Scriptures and they justifie their Practices and Doctrines in these things mention'd and in whatsoever else can be objected by any man And this I shall take in hand to prove before all the World That the People of God called Quakers do practice nothing for Religion or preach for Doctrine but what is perfectly according to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament and in the fulfilling of them and so they are proved to be of that True Christian Religion which is according to the Scriptures and so may fully claim Protection and Preservation in their Practice of Religion And this is to be consider'd by the Protector and all Magistrates and People in these Nations that they may know what the true Christian Religion is and who is in it and who is not in it and for this purpose is this written for the satisfaction of all people that they may see who it is that hath a Right and Priviledge to be protected and upholden by vertue of the Oath Likewise all may understand That what such practice and profess for Religion is not without good Ground but that the very same things were practized by them that were of the true Christian Religion and preached for Doctrine by them that were Saints which is now practiz'd and held forth by the People of God and the Scriptures do fully bear witness in all things shewing that such are guided by the same Spirit which the Saints were guided by in Ages past and as they had so have these the Testimony That they are of God and that the whole World lies in Wickedness And as concerning their being persecuted by many of the Rulers Priests and People though they be sent to Prison and banished out of Towns and whipped and beaten and scorned and reviled this is also according to the Scriptures and the Scripture is fulfilled upon them for the same things were done to the Apostles and to the Servants of the Lord as you may read through the Acts the people mocked the Apostles and slandered them and said they were full of new Wine and the chief Priests conspired against Christ and the Apostles and incensed the Magistrates against them and the Magistrates put Christ and many of the Apostles in Prison and caused them to be whipped and beaten and to be banished and many other cruelties done unto them the Scripture is full to prove this from the beginning to the end of it and Christ said They shall persecute you and speak all manner of evil of you for my Name sake and as they have done unto me so shall they do ãâã you ye shall be hated of Nations And the Apostle said All that will give godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution So that all people may see though the people of the Lord be persecuted and reviled and imprisoned and cruelty done unto them and though it be done by the chief Magistrates and chief Rulers and the wise men of this Age all this is according to the Scriptures and that the Scriptures might be fulfilled and the same things which are now done unto the people of God were done unto the people of God in Ages past by the same Instruments to wit the Rulers and Magistrates and by the same means to wit by the information and false accusations of the chief Priests and Teachers in Ieremiah you may read how the Priests sought to take away his Life and you may read how the chief Priests consulted against Christ and how they complain'd to the Magistrates against him and the Apostles and the same things are now come to pass and we do not strange at it for they are the chief Priests of England that do most seek the Persecution and cause the People of God to be persecuted by their complaining and petitioning to the Magistrates so that in all these things not only what is practised and preached for Doctrine but also in what is suffered is perfectly according to the Scriptures and all people that are not blind may see that this Religion is in all things agreeable with the Scriptures both in what they do and in what they suffer so that this is given forth for the good Information of the Protector and all Magistrates that they may hear the Tryal of all things and may not falsly conjecture or suppose and thereupon give Judgement without any true Knowledge let them search the Scriptures and try I hope the worst of men have so much Conscience that they will stand in owe of the Breach of their own Oaths and that they will perform unto the Lord and unto all men what they have firmly and not compell'd sworn to do and thus it may be hoped the wâ⦠Persecution will cease which is lamentable to be declar'd how the People of the Lord have suffer'd in many things even them whose Religion is proved to be according to the Scriptures who practice nothing for Religion neither hold forth any thing for Doctrine but that which is
was a God and they feared him and served him and worshipped him and his Name was precious amongst them who were his chosen People and with whom he dwelt and his Power and Presence was amongst his People that did walk with him under what Name soever they went in the World But the first time that ever the People of the Lord were called Christians or known by that Name from other people it was at Antioch in the time of the Apostles who were Followers of Christ as you may read Acts 11. 26. And the Disciples were first called Christians in Antioch and before that time the People of the Lord were never called Christians and this Name was given to them by the Heathen because they were for Christ and of his part and did follow him and preach him to be follow'd and in all things exalted his Name and did and suffer'd all things for the Name of Christ therefore were they named Christians and that Name was true unto them for they had upon them the express Image and Character of Christ and follow'd his Spirit and preached him unto all people for Life and Salvation and that all people might come to Christ and become Followers of him and therefore they were rightly named Christians to be known by that Name from all other people upon Earth who were not Followers of Christ who could not rightly be call'd Christians because they were not of his part and from thence forth unto this day all people whatsoever that believed in Christ and became Followers of him and that professed him were called Christians from that Original and Foundation of the Name which then was laid Also you may read Acts 26. 28. And Agrippa said unto Paul Almost thou persâadest me to be a Christian Here again Paul followed Christ and preached him and was on his part altogether and highly extolled his Name therefore King Agrippa called him Christian and was almost perswaded to be a Christian to wit A Man for Christ to take part with him and to be on his side and the Name interpreted this is the signification and all that have this Character do truly deserve the Name of Christians for they are anointed People and this was the beginning of the Christian Name And before that time as I have said were the People of God never called Christians in any Generation and ever since that time through all Ages all that professed Christ and believ'd in him throughout the whole World were called by the Name of Christians and the Name and Religion of Christians were honourable and greatly beloved of God for that People was the peculiar People a chosen Generation as you may read 1 Pet. 2. 19. and whilst the Life of Christ was manifest and the Spirit of Christ did lead them and teach them in all their Wayes and Practices of Religion And whilst I say they retained the Power and Life of that of which they had the Name the Power and Presence of the Lord was amongst them and above all the people of the Earth were they blessed and more then all people upon the Earth besides had they the Countenance of God shining amongst them and upon them and pure unity with God and one with another had they in his âife whereby they were made a terror and a fear to all Nations while they stood in the Counsel of God and were Christians in life and power and practice as well as in name and the Lord greatly encreased them in number for as you may read through the Acts of the Apostles through all the World many believed in Christ and became Followers of him and received the Knowledge of him and became anointed People and received the name of Christians sometimes Thousands at one Sermon were converted to the Faith of Christ and became subject to his Spirit and had his Mark upon them and all such were called Christians and the Apostles went through many Nations and of the Iews and Greeks and of the Heathen and all other people some of each were converted from that way in which they had walked to follow Christ and they became Christians and here was the encrease of Christianity and through many parts of the World they planted Churches and Assemblies of Christians And as I said while they stood in the Counsel of God the Name and Religion was of him greatly beloved But now the Christians are Apostatized and degenerated from the Spirit of Christ and from that which gave them the true Name of Christians and the name is retained only and the Life and Power lost and now many have a name to live but are dead and that is departed from which gave the true interest and title in the Name Hear this all ye Christians That Life Light and Power of God which was amongst the Apostles and Christians once you are departed from and have lost the sence and knowledge of and have the Name and not the thing which was the Reason and Ground of the Name Wherefore all ye through the World that are called Christians look back to your Original look unto the Apostles who were the first that were called Christians from whom you had the Name and see how you are degenerated and fallen from the Life that they were in and though you retain the Name of Christians yet you are not Followers of Christ nor taâght by his Spirit and none in the dayes of the Apostles were truly counted or called Christians but who follow'd the Spirit of Christ and were first converted to him and changed by his Power from Sin to Righteousness and from Death to Life and such as were so were truly called Christians But now all such as are called by that Name and are not followers of the Spirit of Christ nor converted to him neither changed by his Power from Death to Life and from Sin to Righteousness such are in the Degeneration from the Life of Christianity and have a Name without the Life and Power thereof And now it remains to be shewed how and when the Degeneration came upon the Christians and wherein they are apostatized and degenerated from that âife and Spirit and Practice which was amongst the Apostles that were first called Christians The Spirit of the Lord spoke through the Apostles and foretold of a falling away from the Truth and from the true Christian-life and Paul said Acts 20. 29 30. said he Grievous Wolves shall arise and enter in who would not spare the Flock and from among themselves should men arise speaking perverse things to draw Disciples after them And he also said 1 Tim. 4. 1. That some should depart from the Faith and give heed to seducing spirits And he also said That it should come to pass the people should become wicked departing from the Truth having the Form of Godliness but denying the Power thereof and such were led away with divers Lusts and men of corrupt Minds and reprobate concerning the Faith And the Apostle Peter also foretold That
Singings their Baptisms and Breaking of Bread and even all that which you perform as unto God as the Worship of him is not accepted but Abomination unto him and his Soul is burdened with all these things you not being led with the Spirit of Christ And even your practizing of these things which the Saints and Christians once practiced and were accepted of the Lord in so doing while they were led by the Spirit of Christ I say The very practice of those things now by the Christians being degenerated is become Idolatry and Abomination to the Lord. And this I declare in the Fear and Presence of the Lord Even all your Praying and Preachings and Profession all your Sabboth-keeping and Set-dayes of Humiliation and even all your Practices of Religion which you do and perform are Idolatry and a Burden to the Lord's Soul in the state that now you stand not being led by the Spirit of Christ but being from it departed and your works not brought forth by it but by another spirit And now saith the Lord unto you Christians who are degenerated from the Spirit of Christ To what purpose is your Preaching Praying and Singing They are a Vexation and Burden to the Righteous Soul and the Lord hath no delight therein away with it away with it Your Profession and Practices stincks in the Nostrils of the Lord All your Baptisms and your Sacraments which ye perform in a vain Tradition and not by the Spirit of the Lord they are hateful in his sight away with them away with them they shall crumble to the dust and immediate Desolation in one day the Lord will break them down and never build them up again Your Preaching by a Glass for so much a Sermon or so much a Year what you have gathered out of Books and studied for from other mens words town with it down with it it is ãâã Abomination to the Lord. And your Ministry which is made and sent forth at Schools and ãâã natural Learning through the attainment of such Arts and Sciences and being approved of such and such men and sent forth to such and such a Parâ⦠ãâã have so much Money by the Year for preaching what hath been studied foâ⦠and not by the Gift of the Holy Ghost away with this Ministry away with it it s a mocking of God and a deceiving of Souls the Lord will confound it and bring it to Destruction And your singing of the Saints words in Rhyme and Meeter and their Conditions which your selves never knew this is Abomination to the Lord and a Practice which his Soul hater away with it the Lord is risen to confound it Away with all your Worship which is not in the Spirit nor in the Truth but in vain Traditions of ãâã practiced by you in a vain Form and not the Power of God The Lord will being it down to the ground restore and establish his own Worship which ãâã in Spirit and in Truth and he will give and hath given his Ministry again by the Gift of the Holy Ghost which hath been lost for many Ages while this Night of Apostacy hath over-spread the World and the Lord shall ãâã longer be worshipped in vain Traditions of men but his people shall be reââred and renewed to worship him in Spirit and Truth and the Christianâife âife shall again be brought forth and the Spirit of Christ shall be the Leader and Teacher of his People And now the Day of the Lord's Visitation is again revived for togather his People and to restore them again to his perfect Way and Worship Therefore hearken and behold ye Christians this is the Testimony of the Lord ââ¦erning you You have been fallen and degenerated from the Life of Righteousness and from the true Way and Worship of the true God and you have long been slumbring and sleeping in this long Night of Darkness which overshadow'd you and darkned that glorious Appearance of the ãâã of God which once shined upon the Christians and in Blindness and Dâ⦠have ãâã walked for many Ages and your Worship hath been subscribed To the Unknown God and wofully have you been wallowing in unclean Paths and you have erred you have erred from the Life of Christ and from his Spirit and you are gone from your Husband and follow'd other Lovers and you have been ââ¦ed in Iniquity and altogether poluted by Transgtession and the state in which you now stand is a state seperated from God a state of great Ignoraâ⦠and Darkness and a state of hainous Rebellion against God whose Soul and Spirit is greatly oppressed and grieved because of your Degeneration who ãâã become more ignorant of God then the Ox is of his Owner oâ the Ass of his Master's Crib and even the very same Vision is seen concerning you as the Prophet saw concerning Israel Therefore hear oh Heavens and give ear oh Earth for the Lord doth speak unto you Christians I have nourished and brought up Children and they have rebell'd against me and the Ox knows his Owner and the Ass his Master's Crib but the Christians do not know the People do not consider Ah! sinful Nation a people laden with Iniquity a seed of Evil-doers Children that are corrupted that have forsaken the right Way and provoke the Living God to Anger and ye are gone away backward the whole Head is sick the whole Heart is faint and from the sole of the Foot even unto the Head there is no Soundness but your Conditions are Wounds and Bruises and ââ¦fying Sores you are not closed neither bound up neither mollified with Oyââ¦ent and your Country is desolate and your Cities are burnt as with Fire your Land Strangers devour it in your presence and it is desolate and overthrown by Strangers and but that the Lord of Hosts has left us a soul Remnant even a Seed ye Christians would have been as Sodom if any man hath an Ear to hear let him hear This Vision is as true unto you Christians throughout all the World as ever it was unto the seed of the Iews This is your state and this is your condition and thus ye stand in the sight of the Lord though in your beginning in the beginning of Christianity I mean the Lord brought up the Christians and nourished them by his Living Word and with his Word he cherished them and they grew unto a goodly state and were ââ¦pleat in Christ Col. 2. 10. And they were come to the ãâã of ââ¦st Men made perfect and unto Mount Sion the ãâã of the Living God the Hââ¦ly Jerusalem and to an innumerable Company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the First-Born which are written in Heaven and to God the Iudge of all Hebrews 12 22 23 24. TO this state were the Christians nourished and brought up in the dayes when they were first brought forth when they were begotten and born again of the immortal Word that abides forever and they were sanctified and purified and
brought forth in the Earth and all that do well will have Praise and live in Rest and Peace and all Evil-doers whatsoever may stand in awe and be afraid of God and just Men and the Execution of Iust Laws Concerning Religion we believe That it is only the Spirit of the Lord that makes men truly Religious and that no man ought to be compell'd to or from any Exercise or Practice in Religion by any outward Law or Power but every man ought to be left free as the Lord shall perswade his own mind in doing or leaving undone this or the other Practice in Religion and every man of what Profession in Religion soever ought to be protected in Peace provided himself be a man of Peace not seeking the wrong of any mans Person or Estate And we believe That to oppose false Opinions and unsound Doctrines and Principles seeking to convince them that oppose themselves by Exhortation or sharp Reproof by word or writing ought nor to be counted a Breach of the Peace or to strive about the things of the Kingdom of God by men of contrary Minds or Judgments this ought not to be punishable by the Magistrates and their Laws for we believe the outward Laws and Powers of the Earth are only to preserve mens Persons and Estates and not to preserve men in Opinions neither ought the Law of the Nation to be laid upon mens Consciences to bind them to or from such a Judgment or Practice in Religion And we believe that Christ is and ought only to be Lord and Exerciser of mens Consciences and his Spirit only must lead into all Truth And we believe That Obedience and Subjection in the Lord belongs to Superiors and that Subjects ought to obey in the Lord those that have Rule over them and that Children ought to obey their Parents and Wives their Husbands and Servants their Masters in all things which are according to God which stands in the exercise of a pure Conscience towards God But where Rulers Parents or Masters or any other command or require subjection in any thing which is contrary to God or not according to him to such causes all people are free and ought to obey God rather then man and we believe That herein God will justifie them being guided and led by his Spirit in all that which is Good and out of all that which is Evil. Again We believe concerning Election and Reprobation That there is a state of Election and a state of Reprobation a state chosen of God and a state rejected of God and that all Man-kind are in one of these states all that are elected are elected in Christ and all that are out of him are in the state Reprobate bringing forth fruits of Death and Darkness being Children of Wrath and Disobedience in the alienation and separation from God in the Transgression unreconcil'd to God the Enmity ruling in the Heart being in the Fall and not restor'd to God again but ignorant of his Power and of his Wisdom having the Understanding darkened that they cannot see nor perceive the things that are Eternal and in this condition his best Works are Sin and whatsoever he doth he cannot be accepted of God for he is dead to God and alive to all evil bâinging forth all his works out of that Ground which is cursed This is the condition of all Mankind upon the face of the Earth in the first Adâ⦠and this is the state of Reprobation and all that abide herein are rejected of God and ââ¦ll never inherit eternal Life but go inââ Perdition yet have all such a Day of Visitation that they may return out of the state of Reprââ¦tion ãâã ãâã ââ¦ledge and desââ¦sing the Love of God ââey conâ⦠iââhe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Wrath of Gââ¦d abides upon them ââ¦t they tââ¦t ãâã ãâã of God ãâã ãâã ãâã Wrath for they believe in the Light and becââ¦ââ¦ldren of the Light and are renewed in Mind and Hâ⦠and receiâ⦠the Love of the Father and become planted into Christ the second Adâ⦠ãâã are ãâã ãâã him to bring forth Fruit ânto the Father and âll their Fruit ãâã ãâã ââom ãâã grââ¦d which is ââ¦ssed for they are led by the Spirit of thâ Faââ¦r and ââ¦ch are in the state of Election who are âade Heârs with Christ ãâã ãâã Eveâ⦠Inheritance that never fades away And this we faithfully believe That ââ¦cy is not shewed to the Reprobate nor Judgment to them that are chosen of God And this is to go abroad in the World that all pââ¦ple mâ⦠ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and whââ ãâã have receiv'd of God and they that believe this and walkâ⦠ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Father shall be saved but they that belieâe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã be condemned because they do not believe ãâã ãâã ãâã be ââ¦tten ãâã in ââ¦rt this is given forth by one that hath believed and received the Knowledge of thâse things from God A Friend unto all People E. B. Some of the PRINCIPLES OF THE QUAKERS Scornfully so called by men VINDICATED And proved Sound and True and according to the SCRIPTURES In Opposition to the False Charges and Lying Reports given forth against the Truth in two Printed Books put forth by one Philip Taverner a supposed Minister of the Gospel in Middlesex near Uxbridge And hereby Truth is Manifested and Discovered and the Controversie determined by the Judgment of Truth between Philip Taverner aforesaid the Accuser and Edward Burroughs Defendant of the Truth who contends for the Faith of the Gospel and for the Word of God in the Heart against all such Gainsayers as have the Form of Godliness but deny the Power and many such are in this Age. WHereas P. Taverner one of Truth 's Opposers whether throâ⦠Ignorance or Subtilty I now determine not hath again appear'd against me and the Truth in Print as in Vindication of himself and his former Work who about four Moneths ago gave a false Relation of a Dispute but instead of mending the matter he hath made his own cause the more vile as may appear to such who take a perfect view of the Proceedings from the beginning to the end thereof Now the intent of this my Reply is to clear the Truth further and to take off his false Aspersions which he hath cast upon my innocent words in my former Book in answer to his first And as for the rest of his Book which hath no relation to mine nor to the Dispute I shall pass it by The Title of my first Book was Something of Truth Made Manifest c. To which sayst thou A plausible Title to cover a Railing and Bitter spirit under that it may walk in the World less suspected c. Reply My words are truth for in ãâã ââok Truth was made âââifest to ââ¦y in relation to the former Dispute to the Satisfaction of many and as ãâã ââ¦ing anâââââerness of spirit I do deny only I am zealoââ for the
bring People to your Way and Worship and Religion upon these Ingagements and by the Authority of the Almighty I lay it upon you to answer and for you to return your knowledge and opinions to the Particulars following which I am moved by the Lord to query and demand of you that your Doctrines Practises and Worships and whole Religion in every part thereof may be viewed and examined and measured according to the Saints and Apostles writings and may thereby be cleared or otherwise reproved and condemned And if your Profession and Practises in Religion be sprung from the true Grounds and true Spirit and your Church be indeed the true Church that can prove her pedigree truly descended from the Church of Christ before the Apostacy and clear her self from all degeneration in every degree and that she is perfect in the faith and worship and practises of the holy Church and Apostles of old then shall all that love God and fear him and hopes for life eternal separate themselves from all Sects and Apostates separated from you and come in and return again to you as to a faithful Mother and joyn with you in all things and add themselves to your Church only and renounce and deny all the contrary that is not of you and so shall your names and honour be increased through all the Earth But and if after lawful trial and just examination and searching out the matter it be proved against you that you are degenerated from what the true Church and Apostles were and are not builded upon Christ the true Rock and Foundation but diverted from the Power Life and Spirit and true Religion which the Apostles were in and that your Church is not the true Church but a false Sect and your original cannot be fetch'd from the Apostles but is of a latter and more corrupted Race then shall you deny all your Religion and Church and renounce your Profession and Practises and come to them and joyn with them that can prove their Church to be the true Church and can fetch their original from the Spirit of the Apostles and that is builded upon Christ the everlasting Foundation whoever this shall be proved to be wherefore appear and come forth to trial upon this condition joyn issue with us and answer these things in plainness and let us know your Judgements that a return you may reââive First Whether you are indeed the only true Church of Christ his Body of ãâã Fleââ and of his Bones called and gathered and united by the eterâ⦠Spirit of Jesus perfect in the Faith of Christ perfect in Doctrine and perfect is ââ¦ip as were the Churches of Christ in the dayes of the Apostles and ãâã the Eternal Spirit dwell in every particular Member of your Church and doth lead each one of you into all Truth insomuch that you need now no ãâ¦ã teach any one of you but as that same Spirit that dwells in you answer ãâã ââ¦inly yea oâ nay 2. ââ¦ther are you not in any particular of your Faith Doctrines Praâ⦠Worships in any degree degenerated nor deviated from what the ãâã ââ¦ne Practice and Worship were that the true Church was in in ãâ¦ã the Apostles And whether will you admit of tryal in all things you pâ⦠and practice by the Scriptures the Writings of the Saints yea or ây 3. Wââ¦ther your Church of Rome doth receive the pouring-down of the Spirit upon Sons and Daughters immediately and every Member receive the Holy ââ¦st and is ââlled therewith and baptized therewith as in the true Câ⦠Acts z. Anâ whether you have received the Holy Ghost and Eveâ⦠Comforter immediately as did the true Church iâ the dayes of the Apostâ⦠Answer me these things in the Truth of your Hearts that you may be own'â⦠ãâã denyed 4. Wââ¦er the Faith you profess hath perfectly purified your hearts from all ãâã and hath given you Victory over the World that now the body of sin is ãâã and you are free from sin and do not commit sin but are every Memâ⦠ãâã you without Spot and Wrinkle and cleansed from all Unrighteousness ãâã ãâã Servants of Righteousness and not of Sin and whether you believe ãâã Condition to be attainable in this life upon Earth and to be enjoyed and ââ¦d for yea or nay 5. What is your ground of sprinkling Infants with Water and whether he thââââ¦st instituted it had the Gift of the Eternal Spirit and was led thereby for we know it was first ordain'd at Rome in your Church and all the Protestants received it from you who are not able to give us a sufficient Reason thereof but we are not satisfied therein therefore tell us Whether are people thereby made Meââ¦rs of the Body of Christ and baptized into his true Church and is it a perfect Seal and Sign of the new Birth and Regeneration as is professed and doth that give all Children that are sprinkled a Right to the Kingdom of God and to be Members of the Church of Christ and satisfie us plainly Is the sprinkling of an Infant never having heard the Gospel but while unconverted and ââthanged in Nature the true Baptism into the true Faith of Christ as it is professed answer me plainly yea or nay 6. Whether the Body and Blood of Christ that is Meat indeed and Drink indeed be carnal and visible things to be seen felt and known visibly and carnally and whether Bread and Wine that is Mortal and will corrupt be the very Body and the very Blood of Christ Jesus and whether Christ hath any other Body and Blood to be known in any other way or manner then what is professed to be visibly and carnally known by you and is that Bread after Consecration the very Express Image of the Father and was with the Fatheâ before the World began else it is not the Body of Christ answer me plainly 7. Again We are not satisfied concerning your Burning and Torturing and Imprisoning in cruel Inquisitions and Goals such as dissent from you and cannot believe in your Church which ye call Hereticks whether is not this done by your Church or any Member thereof and do you justifie the doing of it by the Authority of your Church and we demand of you to give us Example for such Practices in Scripture ever Practised by the Apostles or true Church or any Member thereof to Burn or Kill or Imprisââ such as would not own them or were Hereticks otherwise we must coâ⦠it and judge you eternally for it And whether such Practices done aâ ãâã and in her Dominions be not Murder and Cruelty and Tyranny ãâã shedding of Innocent Blood and of the Devil the Wicked One ãâã me plainly and satisfie us herein that we may know how to deal with ãâã ãâã controversie 8. Again We are not satisfied concerning the abundance of ãâã of the Saints set up and bowed to amongst you and your praying ãâã them and to the Saints and by Beads and in Set-Forms such thââ¦
ãâã practice and also your keeping and setting apart the Saints dayes ãâã ãâã Holy-dayes and eating with respect to dayes denying of Flesh such ãâã ãâã dayes and observing of Dayes and Meats and Drinks and Fasting ãâã ãâã own wills and your Nunneries and keeping Men and Women one frââââ¦ther in secret Houses whether are these things commanded and required ãâã ãâã Lord from you and we charge you to give us some Example that ãâã true Church practized such things otherwise if you do not not caâââ ãâã these your practices from the Scriptures and Example of the Apoâ⦠ãâã you we must deny you and condemn your practiâes forever and ãâã ââ¦lieve that your Church is the true Church nor you lawful Successors ãâã ãâã ââ¦ly Apostles 9. What you believe concerning the Reign and Government of Câ⦠and his coming is He his Reign and Government visible and of this World or invisible and from Heaven and whether Lyars Whoremongers ââ¦terers Drunkards Man-slayers and contentious Men or any that ãâã in any Sin or Transgression in the first Nature be of the Kingdââ ãâã Government of Jesus or have any part or portion therein in time to ãâã ââ¦ever and how may such ever have part therein and give us yoââ¦ââ¦ge in these things And also what you hold and profess concerning Eâ⦠ãâã Reprobation that we may know whether your Knowledge and ãâã ãâã sound and perfect in these things and to be embraced or condemned and ãâã 10. What is the Man-child that hath been caught up to God and ãâã the reason of his being caught up and what is the Woman that fled into the Wilderness and what is the reason of her so fleeing and when is the tâ⦠is it come or to come that the Man-child hath been caught up aââ ãâã Woman fled and that the Man-child shall come down again and the Wâ⦠again return and what is that Beast the first and the second and is ââ¦s kingdom come or yet to come who reigned over the Kings of the Earth and caused all both small and great to worship him and killed the Saints and overcame them that would not worship him and made war against the Lâ⦠and persecuted the Woman's Seed and when is it that the World wondred ââter the Beast is it come or to come Answer these things in plainness ãâã ââmand of you 11. What and who is that great Whore that sits upon many waters with ãâã the Kings of the Earth commits Fornications and who hath made Nations dâ⦠with the Wine of her Fornications and who hath reigned over the ãâã and Dominions of the Earth and is that Whore come or yet to come ãâã whether is your Church every whit free from the Fornications of that Whâ⦠and will you admit of lawfull trial by your fruits and works and suffer ãâã men accordingly and whether the whole Church of Rome or any part of ãâã Dominions be the Multitudes Peoples and Nations and Tongues the Wâ⦠on which the Whore sits and whether your Church be wholly free from ãâã Woman which hath drunk the Blood of Saints and of the Martyrs of Iâ⦠and shew us plainly who that Whore is if you can and what is her Flesh and the Fire that must burnt it 12. Whether are the false Prophets and Deceivers come or to come which ãâã said should come if you say they are come when did they come and ãâã ãâã they and how may they be known and what was their first original ãâã ãâã of what doth all false Prophets and false Prophecies come is the Church ãâ¦ã clear of all the false Prophets and whether is your Ministry in the very ãâã Power Spirit and Authority which the Apostles were in is its Call and ââ¦tion the very same is its Maintenance and Practice the very same and is iââ Fruits Effects and End the very same or some other let us know from you ãâã ãâã may âay you to the Line of true Judgment for all People and Nations â⦠ââ¦ome Friends let us reason a little with you further We are not satisâ⦠ãâã ãâã Bishop of Rââ¦e is true and lawful Successor of the Apostle Peter ãâã ãâã a Tripple Crown and did Kings Bow and Kneel to him and had ãâ¦ã âââenues and Money out of the Nations as the Pope hath ãâ¦ã Pardon 's for Money ãâã or did any buy Religion of him and did ãâ¦ã over mens Consciences and was Peter named Holiness We ãâ¦ã you to prove rightly and truly That the Pope doth succeed Peter ãâ¦ã Spirit in the same Power and in the same Conversation and that ãâ¦ã ââ¦er-see the Church be justly the same as Peter's was and that he exeââ¦ââ¦ctly as Peter did ãâ¦ã ââ¦wer us plainly What is the Seed of the Woman and what is the ãâã the Serpent and is his Head bruised yea or nay And what is the ãâ¦ã what is his beginning and what is the kingdom that he is Ruler ãâã and how is his kingdom to be destroy'd And what is the Flesh of Christ ãâã ãâã Blood which was before Abraham and how is Christ made under the ãâã answer me these things ãâã what is the Death that hath reigned over all and what is the power ãâã and what is the fruits of that death and when must that death be ãâã and is it destroyed among you and what was man in his Creation ãâã ãâã ãâã of the ground and what was he that was the very Image of God ãâã and Female before Adâ⦠was formed of the Dust of the Ground or ââ¦en out of him declare these things plainly if you can and what is ãâã Transgression and the Curse and whether any can be made free from ãâã Curse upon the Earth yea or nay and what is the Kingdom of Heaven ãâã is like a little Leaven and that is like a Net cast into the Sea and what ãâã which must be leavened and what is that good Fish that must be gatherâ⦠into the Vessels and that bad that must be cast away and how doth the ãâã of Heaven bring the bad out of the Waters to the Shore and why is ãâã and wherefore and what is the reason that none can enter the Kingdom ãâã Goâ nor see it but such as are born again and how is a man born again ãâã what is that Mothers womb that Iob and all mankind came out of ãâã ãâã ãâã must return thither again naked and what are the Fig-leaves that ââ¦vered in Transgression and what is the Covering of the Spirit and ãâã must be covered and what not and why is it and how comes it to pass ãâã one and the same thing is sin and wickedness acted by one and the same ãâã good and just acted by another These things answer to us plainly and ãâã ââ¦ve all your Practises and Profession by plain Scripture and give us Exâ⦠from Peter and the true Churches that he and they practiced the same ãâã which the Pope and you do if you would have any to own you otherâ⦠ãâã
you do not or cannot satisfie all people in these particulars by the ââ¦es then forsake your Religion and renounce your Church and ãâã your selves to be Deceivers of the World and to be deceived for ãâã will tear your Garments and marr your Beauty and stain your ãâã and uncoââr your Nakedness and subdue your Power and sâay ãâã Strength and pull down your strong Hold and the Dread of the Alââ¦y will come over you And come Friends answer me is the Light by which you walk everâ⦠ing and is the Day dawned and the Sun risen that never goeth down ãâã have you seen the signs of the coming of the Son of Man and what are ãâ¦ã signs of his coming and what is that Sun that must be turned into Dâ⦠and what is that Moon that must be turned into Blood and what are the ãâã ers of the House that must tremble and do you own quaking and trembling at the Word of the Lord and did you ever quake and tremble or is ãâã such a thing in your Church and what is that Part in Man that must ãâ¦ã is it not that Part in Man that the Devil enters into answer these ãâã and what is that Mother of Harlots and where is She that hath been ãâã with the Blood of the Saints and what is the Mystery of her declare ãâ¦ã you can and what are her Garments and who are her Children ãâ¦ã what nature are they and how may they be known and come Friends answer us have you seen God face to face as did Iacob and Abraham and have you seen his shape perfectly give us a Discription of him if you have and do not all those that be of the seed of Abraham hear God's Voice and ãâ¦ã shape and are any of Abraham but who are come out of the World ãâã have denied it and bear the daily Cross of Christ which mortifies to the World and doth your Wooden Crosses and Stone Crosses in your Tâ⦠and high-Wayes and in your Houses and Crucifixes in your Breasts ãâã you to the World and mortifie you or are you not such as have ãâ¦ã of a Cross of Christ but want the Power and what is the difference ãâ¦ã all your Images and the Images the Prophets declared against and what life is there in the Image of Christ or Mary painted or graven in Wood or Stoneâ are your souls refreshed thereby and is not that all the Unity you have with Christ and is that Unity and Fellowship you have with Chriâ⦠ãâã same that they had that had Unity and Fellowship with the Father ãâã ãâã the Son and have you Unity with the Son and with the Father ãâ¦ã Church had tell us plainly and what is Antichrist and where ââ¦ing at this day and what is his Marks and Signs and what is the Marks of the Beast that every one received in their Foreheads and in their Hands and ãâã is his power by which he caused every one to worship him and is the Church of Rome wholy free from that from causing and compelling people to be of ãâã Religion and come to your Worship by your Fire and Fagots and Inâ⦠make it us plain that this is not the Beasts power for we have a jealâ⦠least it is not the power of God that was among the Apostles And why do ãâã Creatures did Christ or the Apostles kill Creatures that were not of their Religion doth not this shew that you want the Power and Spirit of God among you and the spiritual Weapon that beats down the strong Holdâ âe cannot believe that you have the spiritual Weapons which the Apostles had except you make it appear to us and can any be converted to the true Church but by the immediate Work and Spirit of God and they that have that ââed not be ashamed but then why are some of your Ministers creeping up and down the Nations in Holes and dare not be seen but lies many years together undiscovered not daring to preach their Gospel and discover their minds did ever the Apostles thus and is not this a sign that they have not the Power of God to carry them through but runs into Holes and Corners for fear of their lives is this the way of the true Ministers of Christ and what is the Lamb's Wife and what is her Adorning and her Beauty and are you the Lamb's Wife and are married to him for ever hath every Member of your Church the Witness thereof and answer us doth natural Learning ãâã Minister of Christ or were the Apostles made Ministers thereby and can man learn the Ministry as he learns a Trade and is the Preaching of the Gospel a Trade or is it not the Gift of God and can iâ⦠bought and sold and what is Eternal Life and how is it received and have any that hope but them whose Hearts are purified And must not every ones Heart be purified before they see God who is Pure And how comes man to be a Reprobate and ãâã comes man to be a Son of God agaiâ And what is the Way and Mâ⦠of Life Eternal Is it Carnal and visible Things and Ordinances Is it the ââing and performing of something by the Creature or by the revelation ãâã ââ¦thing in the Creature And most not Christ be revealed in every partic and is not that the true Bread of Life And is there any other Bread that is Eternal but Christ which the mortal Eye cannot see And we are very ãâ¦ã that Bread and Wine after Consedration is not the very Body and ãâã of Christ and except you can prove to us by plain Scripture and giâ⦠sound Reasons to demonstrate things we must judge you and shew your Fâlly to the whole World And why do you pray for the Dead is that avââ¦ble shall not they receive according to their works that they have done Gâ⦠ãâã Example that ever the Apostles did so or else we will say You are bâ⦠ãâã ân the Dark And tell us plainly what Error is and what Schism ãâã ãâã what is the Eye that the godd of the World hath blinded And what is the ãâã that sees God is it Mortal or Eternal Answer us these things ãâ¦ã that we may know how to return in Controversie with you for the Lord God is risen that will break iâ pieces and confound all the Wâ⦠ãâã ãâ¦ã Friends give us your Answer Are you of Abrââ¦'s Seed that ãâ¦ã of God that had not a foot of Ground but for sââk his Place and ãâ¦ã Are you of that Birth that hath no Father upon Earth And are you Heirs of God's Promise And have you made your Calling and Eleâ⦠And is the Seed come out of Egypt's bonds And are all Egypt's bonds ãâã ãâã And what is the âondage of Egypt And was not Transgression the Reason of it And what is Pharoaâ out of what Root did he spring and ãâ¦ã is he and is not the hard heart of Pharoah Killers and Murderers ãâ¦ã such of Pharoah And
tell us plainly Are you Redeem'd from Pâ⦠ãâã are you such as oppress the Seed as Pharoah did And tell us who was the Inâ⦠of ââ¦our Images and who was the Former of all your graven Images ãâã not they all invented and come up since the Apostles dayes which ye have ãâ¦ã and what is Purgatory and from what had it its rise and original ãâã what ground have you out of Scripture for such a doctrine And what is the ãâã of Faith and what 's Faith and what doth it give victory over and what ãâ¦ã it over come and what is the âaiâ that hath bin spread over all Nations and ãâã is the Mountain of the House of God and what are those Mountains the ãâ¦ã shall seek to cover themselves under and what are those Mountains that people expect Salvation from in vain and did not Iohn come to throw down the ââ¦ins and what are the Mountains that he came to throw down and what is the Valley he came to raise up answer us And what is the Sword of the Spirit and whether have ye the Sword of the spirit and the Spiritual Armour and what is youâ Church defended and upââ¦d by Spiritual Weapons or Carnal are not your Goals carnal Weapons ãâã your Inquisitions and your killing people aboue Religion are not all these ãâã Weapons and had ever the Church of Christ such Weapons answer ãâ¦ã plainly And do you not expect the Lord will suddenly plead with you and are not ãâã them that put off the Day of the Lord and cause the Seat of Violence to come near and are not ye them that have Eyes but see not Earâ but hear ãâã Hearts and understand not and is not your Eye blind that should see God's Presence and your Ears stopped that should hear his Voice ând have ãâã heard his Voice and seen his Shape if you have what is he like answer ãâã And what is his Word and where doth it dwell in your hearts or is it without you and can any thing without you purifie you and take away sin ãâã of your Hearts and must not Christ be within and what are the Fruits and Signs and Marks of a Saint and why do you go Pilgrims to visit ãâã Bones what is the reason of it and who was the first that ââtuted it ãâã what is the meaning of your holy Water give us Scripture for all these ãâ¦ã ces or else the Power of the Lord will tear you to pieces and lay open ãâã Foundation and none that love God can joyn unto you And can any oâ ãâ¦ã pardon Sin truly that it shall never more be remembred and are not ãâ¦ã sins remembred with the Light in your Consciences sometimes and is there ãâã a Light in your Consciences that doth convince you tell me plainly And whether do you own That Christ hath lightened every one that coâ⦠into the World and what is the Light and do you know Christ as ãâã ãâã before Abraham and have you seen his Day as Abraham did and what ãâ¦ã Day of Christ doth the Carnal Eye see it give us your Knowledge and ãâã Judgment in all these things and lay down your Principles at full and ãâ¦ã by the Scriptures what you hold and profess if you would have any to ãâ¦ã your Religion otherwise renounce your Church and come out of â⦠What is Babylon and the Mother of Harlots and what is spirituââ ãâ¦ã and Sâdom where Christ is crucified and what is the Whore and what ãâ¦ã flesh that has stain'd the Earth and what is the Fire that must consume her ãâ¦ã Many are jealous concerning you that you are not the true Church ãâ¦ã you have drunk of the Whore's Cup who hath made all Nations drunk ãâ¦ã if that time be come that she hath made all Nations drunk then how ãâ¦ã clear your selves being Nations and Multitudes of People To ãâã these ãâ¦ã I expect your speedy Answer And what is the Death that hath raigned over all and how is Man recâ⦠out of it and when and what are the Gates of Hell and what is ãâã ãâã that they cannot prevail against and whether your Church may never ãâã ãâã vailed against and whether they be not your Inquisitions Stakes and â⦠and killing people that do principally defend your Church and if yââ ãâ¦ã cease your Inquisitions and killing those you call Hereticks whether ãâ¦ã not you be prevail'd against by many other Sects Lay away yoâ⦠perâ⦠of People that you call Hereticks and do not deaf with them after the ãâ¦ã which you have done by Inquisitions and such like and only by sound ãâ¦ã guments and the Power of the Spirit defend your Religion And dare you suffer a certain number of us to come among you and pââ¦ch what we hold and a certain number of you shall freely come among us ãâã freely preach what you hold without Persecution or any Violence as we would expect and have the same from you engage man for man with us and ãâã no otherwise deal with ours then we deal with yours and take the free liberty to deal with our men as we deal with your men but no otherwise and ãâã each of the Messengers preach and hold forth what they would have and whââ they really hold and believe and convert the most either of them can to theiâ own Religion and then let all the World see which have the Power and Spirit of God with them and whether your Ministers or our Ministers do turn the more people from you to us or from us to you and send your Answer whether you will agree to the Premises and if you do send your Messengers when you pleaââ and we will engage in the Lord their Persons shall not be harmed but if they were then take Man for Man Life for Life of our Men sent to you and let that God be the true God that appeareth in most Power and Authority and let him be worshipped forever whose Power converts the most to the knowledge of him out of Wickedness and let that Church be the tâ⦠Church which cannot be overcome And as you are willing to be made manifest joyn issue with us in this business and propound your own time when the men shall return and whether the continuance of the Matter be for Dayes Moneths or Years and let each of the men return without harm of Person and this will be a way truly to try and make manifest all things to all the World and whether you or we be in the right Way and of the right Church and use ãâã ãâã Weapon against us but the foundest Arguments you can by words according to the Scriptures and the same Weapons we will use against you ãâ¦ã other but the Authority of the Spirit of God and Arguments thereby ãâã shall be according to the Scriptures the Apostles Writings and the ââ¦ony of the true Church And hereby in the sight of the whole World let your Church and Faith ãâã Principles and Practices
God and none knoweth the things of God saving by the ãâã of God and that revealeth God and teacheth to worship God and to serve him And the Scriptures they declare of the Rule and of the Revelatiâ⦠ãâã God and are a Declaration of all things which are to be believed and ãâã by the Children of the Lord so that the Scriptures are not the ãâã Rule neither do they teach to worship and serve God but the Spiââ¦ââve forth the Scriptures that is the standing Rule in and through ââ¦tions and the Spirit doth reveal the Knowledge of God and how ãâ¦ã ãâã worshipped and served And thou sayst The Scriptures are the Word of God given by immediate Inâ⦠ãâã God and that they are given to all men to be read And the Scripââ¦ââ¦cient to make the Man of God perfect and throughly furnished and ãâã ãâ¦ã ãâã ânto Salvation And the Scriptures are plain and easie to be ãâ¦ã ây the simplest and there is Milk in them for Babes and strong Meat for ãâã grown up â⦠Christ is the Word of God and his Name is called The Word of ãâã and the Word of God was in the Beginning and shall endure forever and this Word is not the Scriptures and the Scriptures are not the Word but the Scriptures are words of God given forth from the Word ãâã was in their Hearts that spake forth the Scriptures which were wrote ãâã the Holy Men of God were moved by the Holy Ghost and given by the Inspiration of the Spirit of God And the Scriptures are a Declaration and a ââ¦tise of the WORD that was in the Beginning and shall endure forâ⦠but the Scriptures are not the Word And some of them were giâ⦠to one sort of Men and some of them to another and some of them â⦠But as for the Threatnings and Judgments propounded and the Reproof of the Wicked that part was not given to the Saints nor spoken to ââ¦em and so not given to all and the Promises to the Children of the Lord and the Epistles to the Saints and them that were sanctified that part was not given and spoken to the World and to the Wicked who are unââ¦ted and so not spoken to all though all may read them yet none can understand them but by the same Spirit that gave them forth and who have not the same Spirit to guide them they cannot understand the Scriptures for they were given forth by the Eternal Spirit and the carnal ââ¦dom that is from below and sensual cannot understand nor receive the ââ¦gs of the Kingdom of God which are declared of in the Scriptures And so the Scriptures are not easie to be understood but are sealed from the World ââither are the Scriptures without Faith which thou hast left out sufficient to make the Man of God perfect but the Scriptures through Faith are able to make the Man of God perfect and throughly furnished this we know and ââ¦re and do set the Scriptures in their right place and give them their right Hââ¦our and Respect And as for thee and thy Generation who are erred from the Spirit of Truth You know not the Scriptures nor the Power of God for Christ is the Bread of Life and the Water of Life in him is the Milk for Babes and ãâã for strong Men and not in the Scriptures who testifie of Christ the Life and in them the Pharisââs thought to have Eternal Life but would not come ãâã Christ the End of the Scriptures that they might have Life and this is the self same state with yours of this Age who think to have the perfâ⦠of Salvation and the Milk for Babes and the Meat for Strong Men in the Scriptures but will not receive Christ who is the perfect Salvation and ãâã Bread and Water of Life for all the Children of the Lord who are ãâ¦ã the Spirit And so thy Doctrines and thy Principles of thy Religion ãâã not sound nor agreeing with the Scriptures but contrary and by a ãâ¦ã spirit and therefore we cannot be of thy mind but do truly ãâ¦ã unlearned of the Father and knowest not the Way of Salvation and so ãâã canst not truly inform nor direct others And thou sayst Men are under a Necessity of multiplying Transgâ⦠ãâ¦ã 3. 12. Ephes. 4. 17. 2. Pet. 4. Answ. In this thou hast erred and spoken contrary to sound Dâ⦠ãâã there is no Necessity laid upon any to commit any sin much less a Neâ⦠multiplying Transgression if there be a necessity who layes it ãâã ãâ¦ã and why is that Necessity Transgression is of the Wicked One and ãâ¦ã is of the Devil and there is no necessity for that upon any account ãâ¦ã sin destroyes the Soul and is a Veâation to the Lord God and a Câ⦠ãâ¦ã lasting Misery and for to act that there is no Necessity which hath ãâ¦ã fects And thou hast perverted the Scriptures quoted by thee to prove ãâ¦ã Assertion which I have set down for the Reader to peââ¦se that all â⦠thou hast perverted them for they prove no such Doctrines as that ãâ¦ã a Necessity of multiplying Transgression which thou hast affirmed and ãâ¦ã the Scriptures to prove it which is first false doctrine uttered by thee it ãâã also a perverting of the Scriptures to maintain it and this two Evilâ ãâã thou hast committed in one Work and because thou hast done Evil ãâ¦ã at thy Door and there I will leave it And thou sayst To be justified is not to be really âlâansed from all Sin ãâ¦ã take of real Righteousness and Holiness but it is to be accounted and reputâ⦠Holy and not to have Sin reckoned c. Answ. There are none justified but who are in Christ and are chanâ⦠and renewed and born again and such are cleansed from sin For he ãâ¦ã of God sinneth not and it is he only that is justified and not the Old Man that is unchanged and commits sin he is not justified and who are born of God and are justified are really cleansed and do partake of Righteousness and holiness even of the Righteousness and Holiness of the Son of God and in that Righteousness he is accounted Righteous and in no other nor ãâã ãâã other way then by receiving Christ and his Righteousness and being made Partâkers of it in their Hearts for the Apostle said If Christ be not in you ãâã are Reprebates and such are not justifieth nor accounted just and holy who have not Christ within them and his Righteousness but who have Christ within the Hope of Glory and are accounted Just and Righteous in the sight of God the Body of Sin is put off for if Christ be in you the Body is dead because ãâã Sin and such are really cleansed and if he be in you you are made Partaâ⦠of real Righteousness and Holiness and this is the Truth of the Gospel of Christ which confounds and condemns thy false doctrine for no man it accounted and imputed just and holy but who are cleansed from Sin
and are in Christ for who do commit Sin are Unholy and so reputed of God and Sin is neckoned to them and this all will find in the Day of the Lord when ãâã cometh to judge righteously and to give every man according to his Works and nor according to what he may make a shew of and profess in words thouââ all you false Daubers with Untempored Morter heal up the Hurt of the Daughter of Siân deceitfully and cry Peace Peace by a false applying the Proââ¦ses and Words of Christ when God speaks no Peace and even you and you false daubeâ Wall will the Whirlewind of the Lord beat down and destroy utterly And this I assert contrary to thy false Doctrine and Principles Tâ⦠none are justified but who have Christ in them and really partake of Holiness and ââ¦sness and are really cleansed from all Sin and are born of the Spirit of God ãâ¦ã ãâã of the Prâ⦠of Eternal Life ãâ¦ã thou sayst Iustiâ⦠ãâã not of any Dâgree ãâã if a Person ãâ¦ã from any onâ Sin he is justifieth from all Sin ãâã well from Siââ to be committed ãâ¦ã are already coââ¦ed and who is ãâã a ãâã Person is not unjustified upon ãâ¦ã c. Answ. Grace and Faith and Truth and Christ himself admitteth of Deâ⦠which are one and there are several Measures of Life of ãâ¦ã and Faith of Sanctification and of Justification also for ãâã as every man hath received Christ so hath he received Sanctification â⦠and no otherwise for Christ is made Wisdom and Sanctiââcation and Salvation and every one feels his Sanctification and his Justificaâ⦠ãâã to the Measure of the Gift of Christ so that there are seveâ⦠of Justification And also a man may be justified from one sin â⦠and not from all sin for according to every man's Sanctificatiâ⦠Witness of his Justification to him and no more and if thou ãâ¦ã ââing by Experience thou knowest this And no man is justified ãâ¦ã which he is to commit for that saith gives Licence to sin if any ãâ¦ã sin shall believe that that sin is long since forgiven and he is justiâ⦠ãâã and if he shall believe that he is justified though he commits sin ãâã ââ¦fore he commits his sin this will be a cause to run into sin and is a ãâ¦ã by thee unto all Unrighteousness Why if people can believe they ãâ¦ã from the Sins which they have yet to commit what should restrain ãâ¦ã running with pleasure into all Unrighteousness And if new Sins ãâ¦ã committed do not make Persons unjustified then may the Sinners reâ⦠their Sins and take their pleasure in Ungodliness This Doctrine of ãâã is pleasant to the Wicked and it is the Way and Principle of Liberty in â⦠rather then the Principles to lead from sin and so thou hast shewed ãâã Work thou arâ doing by strengthning the Wicked in his Way so that he cannot turn from sin rather then drawing him from sin and this is the ãâ¦ã work And thou sayst Such as are justified are regenerated and sanctified and a little ãâã thou sayst To be justified is not to be cleansed nor is it to partake of real Rightâ⦠and Persons are justified from Sins which they have to commit Answ. These are Contradictions and proceed out of Darkness and not ãâ¦ã Light and thy Folly and Ignorance may be read by all men For who are Regenerated and Sanctified are also cleansed and partake of real ââ¦ness And thou further sayst That Sanctification is a real Change from sin to the parity of ãâã ââ¦ge of God Answ. And I say None are Sanctified but they are Justified so none are ãâã but who are changed into the Image of God this the Truth saith and wherein thou hast said contrary thou hast spoken contrary to the Truth and the Truth will judge thee ãâã Thou sayst Sanctification is not perfect in this life and the New Man â⦠or Law of the Mind is that Grace or imperfect Sanctification c. Answ. Then Christ is not perfect in this life for he is made of God unto us Sanctification 1 Cor. 1. â0 But we say Christ is perfect and therefore Sanctification is perfect and the New Man is the Image of God and is created in Rââ¦sness and in true Holiness But thou sayst The New Man ãâã imperfect ãâ¦ã of thy Principles when they are compared with the Scriptures and see the ãâã and Wickedness of them And the Spirit and Law in the mind âs the Spirit of God and the Law of God in which the Apostles served God and ãâã all the Saints but thou sayst The Spirit and Law in the Mind is imperfect ãâã this is Error in the highest degree to say ââ¦gniâ⦠That the New Man ãâã Image of God thaâ is in Righteousness and true Holiness and the Spirit of God and the Law of God is imperfect Sanctification and Grace is the Salvation and is God's Sufficiency and that thou sayst is imperfect ãâã ãâã thus thy Principles of thy Religion which thou walkest in thy self ãâ¦ã wouldst teach to others are Abominable corrupted Principles of Eâ⦠contrary to the Spirit of Truth and to the Scriptures also And ãâ¦ã that thy Name is concealed for thy work deserves noâ a good Mans ãâ¦ã it Much more might be said to lay open further thy âolly but this is suâ⦠men of Understanding and contrary to thee I do aââert That the New ãâ¦ã Image of God the Spirit and Lââ¦f God in the Mind is perfâ⦠Peace ãâ¦ã Sanctification and thou hast said the contrary and now whether thy ãâ¦ã ples of Religion or mine be the most true and whether false let all ãâ¦ã judge with the Light in their Consciences And thou sayst The old Man the Flesh the Body of Sin the Body of ãâ¦ã the Sin that remains in sanctified Persons Answ. Who are sanctified are freed from thâ Body of Sin and Dâ⦠have put it off and the Law of the Spirit of Life hath fâeed ãâã from ãâ¦ã and from the old Man for if the old Man the Flesh the Body of ãâ¦ã Death be in the sanctified Persons then there are none sââctiââed at ãâ¦ã what are they sanctified freed and cleansed from if the old Man ãâ¦ã the Body of Sin and Death be yet remaining in them Thou spâ⦠unlearned man and one that knows not the sanctified state but art ãâ¦ã thy mind and Judgment and in thy words also for we have put ãâ¦ã Man and are crucified to the Flesh and made free from the Body of ãâ¦ã Death and this is our Sanctification and who are remaining ãâ¦ã things are not sanctified but are in the Degeneration and havâ ãâ¦ã yet in the Kingdom of God nor in Christ Jesus but are withâ⦠the World And thousayst The Sanctification of the First Day hath put an end to ãâ¦ã fication of the Seventh c. Answ. Here again thou hast uttered that which thou knowest not ãâ¦ã dayes are alike unto God and one sanctified as much as another and ãâ¦ã of dayes with
and persecuting of the Persons and Consciences of People about Worship Church and Miniââry for in these things and by these Weapons you have defended the Whore ãâã through the force of your violent Laws and cruel Impositions unjustly laid ãâã people hath the Whore the false church been carried by you and deââ¦ded by you But lay aside all your cruel Weapons and not persecute nor ãâã nor shed the Blood of the Servants of the Lord by unjust Laws nor limit not the Spirit of God from crying against Babylon and reproving her Iniquities for these things have you done in defence of the Whore for you ââve been the Carriers of her the Defenders and Preservers of her by your ââ¦ighteous Laws and through you hath she sate as a Queen thinking she ãâã never see sorrow because ye have defended her and taken part with her and caused Nations to drink her Cup for you have been the Executors of her pleasure to compel the Nations to commit Idolatry and to partake of ãâã Fornications and you give her authority to drink the Blood of all that would not drink her Cup and it is now time for you to forsake these your wayes and to learn Wisdom from the Lord that you may rule in Righteousâ⦠amongst men as men but not to be Rulers in Christ's Throne nor his Kingdom by imposing such a Worship and such a Religion upon people's Consciences and to destroy and kill all that will not thus worship to your Image and bow according to your Prescription this you ought not to do ãâã the Lord never intrusted you with this power nor made you Rulers in his Kingdom nor to sit in his Throne of Conscience for while you have done ãâã your Authority has been from the Dragon and not from the Lamb. And now this the Lord required of you Let Conscience go free and rule not over the ãâã Man for while you do take that upon you to force such a Worship and such a Religion upon people contrary to the Spirit of God you are but Serâ⦠to the great Whore Wherefore be warned for this is an invitation of Love Righteousness Truth and just Judgment Mercy and Peace unto you that you may know what the Mind of the Lord is unto you and may do it and rule for God and not for man upon which dependeth the happiness and well-being of a Natiââ and Nations and their Rulers and on the contrary dependeth their overthrow and destruction and this will speedily be brought to pass ãâ¦ã fore come out of Babylon and deliver your selves from that bondage ãâ¦ã with the false Church hath bound you she hath caused you to drink hee ãâ¦ã and you have been made drunk with her false Faith and Doctrines and Prâ⦠and ye have compelled Nations to Drink the same Cup of Abominatioâ⦠ye have executed cruelty and injustice upon all that would not and yââ ãâ¦ã been Servants to the great Whore and being in Bondage your selâ⦠ãâ¦ã have brought all in bondage under you but now the Lord is ãâ¦ã Times and Things and Powers and happy are you if you dâliver your ãâ¦ã and let the Oppressed go free in so doing if ye fulfil this my Râ⦠and do the Will of the Lord herein then Blessings and Peace Eternal ãâ¦ã if ye be disobedient and take part continually with the Whore yâ ãâ¦ã partake of her Judgments And this hath the Lord spoken to you ãâ¦ã the Day of Vengeance ye shall confess that you are warned By a Friend to the whole Creation that waits for the Redemption thereof Edward Burroughs AN ACCOUNT Of some Grounds and Reasons OF THE INNOCENT SUFFERINGS Of the People of God called QUAKERS And why they Testifie against the Vain Customs and Practices of the World Presented to the PARLIAMENT in the Year 1659. Also concerning a Great Cry up and down the Nation That the Quakers Meetings must be Broken and Suppressed and that this present Parliament intends to do it With a CRY of Great Judgment and Vengeance upon the Wicked near to be Executed as it was received from the Lord into his Servant FRIENDS IT may seem strange unto you as it doth unto others to hear that so many of our Friends should be cast into Prisons there being few Goals or Houses of Correction in England to which some of them have not been âommitted and you partly know how many of them are this day in Bonds ând it is no less strange to us that such frequent and heavy Sufferings for matâers of Conscience should come upon us and our Brethren who for the âost part have been Instruments with you and others for casting off that Yoke ãâã Oppression which at the beginning of the late Wars lay upoâ the Hoââ¦est People of this Land which made many flee into strange Nations and to ââ¦eek Habitations in the Deserts but we wonder the more that they should come ârom those we accounted our Friends that so much have pretended the Liberty of Conscience and many of themselves practized the same things for which we now suffer May we not ask What hath been done by our Friends What Laws are these which they have broken Whose Persons or Possessions have they wronged What Force or Violence have they used to any man Have you found them in Plots or guilty of Sedition or making Resistance against Authority Have they not patiently born the greatest Sufferings that any People of this Nation ever lay under since Queen Mary's dayes without Murmurings and Discontents And when have they fought to revenge themselves or troubled you or others to be repaired for those many Injuries and false Imprisonments which they have endured How have they been counted as Sheep for the Slaughter persecuted and despised beaten stoned wounded stocked whipped haled out of the Synagogues and cast into Dungeons and noysom Vaults where many of them have dyed in Bonds shut up from their Friends denyed needful Sustenance for several days together not suffered to have Pen Ink or Paper and when they have lain there many Moneths and some of them Years denyed a Legal Tryal continued from Sessions to Assizes and from one Assize to another and no Equity to be found from judge or Justice If it be answered to us They are common Disturbers of Ministers they will not pay Tythes they will not Swear they will not put off their Hats they travel up and down from one Country to another without a Magistrate's Pass and on the First dayes to Meetings at great distance they will not pay Fee when they are brought ââto Cââ¦ts nor plead in the Forms there used nor give Security to keep the Peace or to be of the Good Behaviour when the Iustices require it And we have Laws or Customs that require these things should be done It is forgotten what was one of the great Causes of our late Wars the Sufferings that then were imposed and lay upon many for matters of Conscience And was it not a chief Pretence of the
innocent Life in which they have begun and let them never forget the Mercies of the Lord and what he hath brought to pass who hath manifested great things and will do more and more to the confounding of all his Enemies and to the praise of his elect People And all ye Saints upon the Earth have ye the Lord in respect continually and turn you not unto Idols but let the Lord be your joy for evermore E. B. TO THE RULERS And to such as are in AUTHORITY A True and Faithful TESTIMONY Concerning RELIGION And the Establishment thereof and how it may be Established in PERSONS and NATIONS THere hath been a great cry of late years among the Priests and many others for the settlement of Religion and this they have sought after from the Powers of the Earth and the cry hath been to Parliaments and Rulers by the Priests and Professors for many years settle us Religion settle us Religion Now to this I answer all this cry and this desire hath been by these Priests and Professors to have Parliaments to make Laws to establish one Sect and throw down and limit all others that is the chief thing that hath been eyed in the request and not simply to have true Religion established if we come to shew what true Religion is in it self But people of divers Sects have been requiring and desiring every one to have their own Sect established and set up and all others thrown down and not to have a place nor to be tollerated so that their cry hath not risen from the Ground of true love to true Religion but their desires have chiefly risen and sprung from self love to their own Sect and from Malice and Envy against others that were not of their Way and this hath been the end of their craving the settlement of Religion and not simply for true Religions sake Now Religion in itself is this The fulfilling of the Law and the Prophets loving God with all their hearts and the Neighbour as self and doing to all men as they would have men to do to them and not otherwise doing or speaking towards any then they would that others should speak of or do to them and a walking towards God in all things as they have received of his Grace answering to the Lord in all things as his Spirit leads them and moves them this is true Religion towards God and towards man and to have the Conscience alwayes kept void of offence and that no offence lie upon it in the sight of God nor in the sight of Man and this is true Religion in it self in short declared to wit The leading of the Spirit of God into all Truth to do the Truth and speak the Truth in all things and this Religion is accepted in the sight of God and to be kept unspotted in the World from all its Pollutions But now tell me can this Religion be setled or any Nation or People or any Person in it by any external Power or outward Authority of men or can the Laws of Kings or Parliaments settle such Religion or make people truly religious or establish a Nation or People in this Religion I say no nor any thing saving the Teachings and Leadings of the holy Spirit of God being received from the Father it s that onely that makes men religious and settles a People and Nation therein Oh ye Fools and blind Priests and Professors that are doting on setling Religion among unconverted people by outward Laws and earthly Powers of men I say no this must not be for the Laws of men can but settle a Sect or some Sects and limit other Sects but true Religion can never be setled by that meanes for before any be setled in Religion they must first be changed and created a new in Christ Jesus and born again of the Seed Incorruptible and they must first be changed from Death to Life and from Satan's Power to God this must first be Witnessed before a Man or a Nation can be religious and setled in true Religion he must put off the body of Sin and be circumcised in heart and he must have a new Nature planted in him and he planted into Christ a New and Living Vine before he can love God with all his heart and his Neighbour as himself and before he can have his Conscience kept void of offence and be without stain towards God and towards man and it is onely the Word of God and his Power in the heart that works this it is onely the operation of God's Spirit in and upon a Creature that works him unto this it is not the Laws made by man that doth it nor external Powers of the Earth that can work it and therefore true Religion cannot be setled thereby nor a Nation or a People in it but onely that which changes him and makes him religious that is it onely that must settle Religion and Nations and Peoples therein and as every one is turned to that of God in him and thereby to feel the Power and Word and Spirit that doth change him and renew him as I have said by this means cometh a Man and Nations to be religious and to be setled therein and by no other way nor means and this is done through the preaching of the everlasting Gospel and through the Ministry of Christ which turneth the Mindes of People from Darkness to Light and from Satan's Power to God whereby they are changed and made religious and also setled therein and established thereby and it is not by outward Laws and Powers as I have said But what are Peoples and the Nations yet to settle in Religion And is Religion unsetled yet that you are craving Laws made by men to settle Religion What have you preached for this many years What have your preaching been all in vain And have you done no good this many years by your preaching that Religion is yet to settle Oh! blind and ignorant Men this is a shame unto you how many thousands of thousand Pounds have the Priests had out of this Nation for teaching Religion and preaching to People and yet the Nation remains unsettled in Religion and they are begging to the Powers of the Earth to constrain and compel a settlement of Religion and this shames them and shews that they are they that Paul speaks of and that the people of this Nation are them that are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth though you have been long learning you are unsetled and are not come to the knowledge of the Truth but had these Priests been such that were sent of the Lord through their Ministry would the Nations long since have been setled in Religion for they have been Teachers long enough and put the Nation to charge great enough thââ people might have known ere this day the holy Anointing to dwell in them and to teach them and to settle them in Religion but it is manifest
that they have ran and not been sent but left Peoples and Nations unsetled as the Waters notwithstanding all their preaching and ministry for so many years yet it seems there wants still a settlement in Religion and seeing their preaching hath had no effect to do it but their Ministry hath been all in vain and people are not learned in Religion not yet established therein whereby their Ministry is proved not to be Christ's Ministry for the Apostles did settle people and the Churches in Religion which theirs have done no such thing and therefore it is that the Powers of the Earth are called to that they may force by Violence and by violent Laws that by that means a Worship and Religion may be settled as they say and their Ministry hath not drawn people by Love and therefore would they have people forced and compelled to be of such or such Religion but this is not Christ's Way nor the Way that his Apostles and true Churches were in for the Spirit of the Father led each one of them to be religious and that same Spirit settled and established them in it and not external Laws nor Powers of the Earth but that was Antichrist's Way and the Beast's and the false Prophets Way for when they had killed the Saints and slain true Religion then the Beast and false Prophets they established a Religion or Worship by outward Laws and it s written That he caused and compelled all both small and great bond and free to worship the Beast and his Image and here was a settled People in a Religion and Worship by an outward compelling Power And thus it was then and is now the same false Churches and false Religions are settled by an outward Authority and it was Nebuchadnezar and his wicked Princes that settled a Religion or Worship by an outward Power and by an earthly Authority but that was not the Worship of true Religion but was the Worship of Antichrist and so it hath been for Ages that Worship that is settled and that Religion which is established by an outward external Power and the Laws of men is but the Worship of Antichrist and not the true Religion nor the Worship of the Living God which is in Spirit and in Truth but it must all be overthrown and brought to nought both that Religion and Worship that is out of the Spirit and that Power that upholds it and now the Lord God is risen to confound the thoughts of mens hearts and he alone will settle and establish Religion by his own Power and by his own Law and through his own Ministry and as people come to that of God in them to feel the Spirit and Power of the Lord God to change them hereby will every one particularly be settled in Religion and by no other way nor means and this I know from the Lord. But how should people be settled in Religion for Peoples and Nations have been and are as Waters which have been driven with the Winds this way or the other way and the great Whore sits upon the Waters and the Beast hath carried her and born her up false Worships and Churches and an outward Power and she hath ruled and made all Nations drunk with her Cup of Fornication and the true Religion hath been lost for many Ages and the Sects and false Churches have been set up and established upon the Waters and as for true Religion it cannot be established while Nations are Waters under the Whore's Dominion and so the many Sects which have been the many Horns upon the Beast and one hath risen after another and one diverse from another and they have been striving one with another and persecuting one another and one subduing another and each one of them hath cryed for help from the Beast and from the Powers of the Earth to be defended from the Power Malice one of another least one should prevail against another get the better one of another and so that Sect that could get Authority from the Powers of the Earrh and have them of its side that Sect hath thriven and hath been settled more then another which hath not gotten the Powers of the Earth to defend it and so as the Powers of the Earth have been changeable so hath Religion been changable and what Sect the Rulers have been on that have they highest tollerated and most defended against all other but all this hath not been the true establishment of true Religion But now some may suppose and query whether I speak this as if I would have Religion not at all settled and as if I were against the establishing of Religion and so thereby may be accused as if I were an Enemy to all Religion and would not have Religion be established c. To all this I answer I am a Friend to true Religion and seeks the establishing of it in the right way and by the Ministry of Righteousness by turning peoples minds to the Spirit and to receive the Anointing that they may be all taught of God and true Worshippers of him in Spirit and Truth and may be settled in the true Religion and this true Religion would I have established in the World and in the Nations and would have all people therein established by the Ministry of Righteousness thereunto ordained But I am against the establishing of Sects and the settling of one Sect above another by the Powers of the Earth and I would not have one set up and an other thrown down by the Laws of men for that brings forth nothing but Tyranny and Oppression and Strife and wickedness in a Nation and amongst People though thus it hath been for many Ages false Sects and false Churches have been established by the Earth and external Laws and that Sect which the King or Queen or Ruler hath been of that hath been set up and tollerated above the rest and the rest despised and persecuted and set at nought for when and where a Prince or a Ruler is of the Papists Religion then that Religion is the most established and settled in that Government and if at any time a Ruler change to be of the Protestant Sect or one come to govern that is of that Religion then that Sect was the most established and upheld thus it is through Nations and in England particularly within these late years when King Henry the eighth turned from the Papists to be a Protestant then that Sect was established and all other thrown down and persecuted and when Queen Mary rose to govern which was a Papist then she established that Sect and false Church by Laws and the rest were limitted and thrown down then when the next Queen arose being a Protestant she established that Sect again by outward Laws and cast all others down and thus it hath been for many Ages throughout all Nations of what Sect and Religion the Governor and Ruler hath been that Sect was onely established and all the rest persecuted as I
have said and so the saying is fulfilled Nations have been Waters and Peoples and Multitudes Waters And as a King and Governor hath changed his Religion and of what Sect as he hath been so hath the Religion of the whole Nation or Country changed and such a Sect onely established against all others but this I cannot call the settlement of true Religion nor are the Nations and Peoples hereby established in true Religion but onely false Sects and false Religions have risen and been established by the Beast's Power who hath carried the Whore yea and though many other Sects have risen and many other Horns appeared divers one from another out of the many Heads of the Beast for his Heads have been many and his Horns divided and divers one from another and each Head exalting his self above another and each Horn pushing one at anther and each Sect and Horn crying to the Beast for Power to be established and to have others thrown down and limited through the Powers of the Earth And thus hath it been for Generations and in this Nation in particular and many Sects have risen besides the Papists and the Protestants and all these Sects have risen one out of another and appeared divers one from the otherâ and each one of them have sought to the Powers of the Earth for settlement and defence and that the other that were contrary to them and of another appearance might be stopt and limited and this hath been done by these Teachers and Professors under the account of establishment of Religion and they have begged to Parliaments and to Rulers for the establishment of Religion and for the stopping of Heresie that is to say for tollerating and defending of their own Sect which they call Religion and for the stopping and subduing of all others which they call Heresie but confusion hath come upon all this and will upon the like for ever and true Religion never gets established by it but as every new Sect hath appeared that onely hath sought establishment against all the rest But yet I say I am not against establishing of true Religion though thus I speak but would have true Religion settled and established but doth not seek to the Powers of the Earth to have true Religion established by earthly Laws for that cannot establish true Religion neither is it at all committed of the Lord to the Powers of the Earth or to outward Authorities to establish Religion or to make men religious for that belongs to the Lord to rule over and in mens Consciences and to exercise them in the true Religion no Ruler by any Law whatsoever ought to exercise Lordship over the Consciences of any people either to exalt or throw down any Sect or Worship of Religion for they are with their Laws but to rule the outward man to settle their Persons and Estates in security from the wrong and unrighteous dealing of wicked men and to limit all evil men and evil doers from wronging and doing violence to mens Persons and Estates this is the work and the place of Kings and Rulers of the Earth their Power is onely committed to them of the Lord to extend over the outward man to defend and preserve that and be a praise to all that do well and live Righteously and to be a terror and limit and punishers of the unrighteous evil and violent Doers this is the Magistrates place and the length and breadth and height of his Authority whether it reside in King Queen or any other Person or Persons But for the exercise of Conscience that is out of their Power and over and beyond it it is not committed of the Lord to them to compel and cause people from or to such a Worship and Religion it is not the Magistrates work but the Ministers that are sent of Christ to teach Religion but let all Sects have their course and every Religion its liberty in a Nation or Country so that they do no Violence to one anothers Persons and Estates and if they do then they fall under the Magistrates Power and then let them be punished and let every Sect strive to exalt it self and to overthrow others by what authority it hath in Doctrine and forceable Arguments and let them use what Spiritual Weapons they have and defend themselves thereby and let them that have the Spirit of God overcome and let them alone to be established and let all the rest be subdued before that and let that alone to be settled onely by the Power and Authority of the Spirit of God which overcomes all the contrary and let all men and all of man's Power and Authority be silent and quiet and have no hand in this matter and this is the way to establish Religion in a Nation and a Xingdom let the Spirit of the Lord have its liberty and let no man whatsoever limit it in them in whom it dwells but let it have its course and its operation and its âull authority by them in whom it dwells in whomsoever it ãâã and let all Sects whatsoever have their liberty in their Arguments and their Practices and their Worship and then let it be manifest who it is that overcomes and who it is that is overcome and such as overcometh by the same Spirit and Power that gives them Victory by that alone let true Religion be established and the rest of all Sects bow under that true Religion that overcometh all others by the Power and Authority of the Spirit of God and is established thereby all other under that shall bow and whilst this is in tryal and debate let the Powers of the Earth and the Rulers of the World be all quiet and look on in patience and let their Authority herein be exercised not to limit one or tollerate one more then another onely let them keep mens Persons and Estates in peace and defence from the Injury and Malice and wrong dealing one of another as I have said and here is the way the true and perfect way for the establishing of Religion in a Nation among people and if this were brought to pass and had been in Generations past then would not the Papists have been prevailed against by the Protestants they being at the first dissenting from the Church and Sect of the Papist more sincere towards God and more upright to him and in some things more true in Doctrine and Worship then the other which they dissented from though still in the main but a false Sect and of a false Religion though they hated the Whore in some things and they would have prevailed against her through that sincerity towards God that was in them but they gave their Power to the Beast and would not many other Sects have prevailed against them which have risen out of this and dissented from her who was more in the Sincerity and Uprightness towards God than she for God blessed that and loved that in what measure soever and whatsoever it be
strange and horrid Opinions which they have audaciously invented c. Answ. It is no strange thing that Truth be called Heresie and Error and that it be branded with a Name of strange and horrid Opinions and such like but we do acknowledge that in that Way which is called Heresie do we worship the True and Living God and wo will be unto them that put Light for Darkness and Darkness for Light But when these particular Things and their Answers are truâly read and weighed then let spiritual Men judge for this Author must not be Judge in his own Cause whose judgement is corrupted and his wayes Abomination And it hath been the Work of that Generation of those called Ministers I mean for these seven years to cry out to the Magistrates and to send one Paper after another of this nature to them but what hath it advantaged them for hath not the Lord turned their Wisdom backward and even the Way which they have thought to destroy the Heritage of the Lord the Lord hereby hath made his Heritage more glorious and so theâ have striven against the Lord and altogether in vain and their doings shall they eat the fruit of and receive the reward of their own Work And whereas the Author further saith Such as have saving work in their Souls and that kââw God and Christ c. cannot but bless God for keeping them from the great Blackââss and Darkness that hath invaded the Souls of these deluded Wretches Answ. They that know the saving Work in their souls and that know God and Christ in Truth and Righteousness and that call upon him with an upright Heart we are all one with them and they with us And they alone that walk in the Light that Christ hath enlightned them withall are kept from the Darkness that doth invade the Deluded and as for thy envious reflection ãâã yââr deluded Wretches and such like these words are to thy self for they have no entrance into our Dwellings the Lord hath saved us by his right Hand and we bear them as his Reproaches for Righteousness sake And whereas thou sayest It is very sad that after so much preaching of the Gospel so many should take those things for new Lights which are but antiquated Errors c. Answ. It is very sad indeed that the Ministers of this Nation should have so fair a Profession upon them and should put the Nation to so much charge by giving them Tythâs and Stipends and Money and have spoiled peoples Goods and cast their Bodies into Prisons even of many hundreds that would not pay them And yet the Nation should be left in Darkness and like an untilled Wilderness notwithstanding all the Profession of preaching the Gospel for the Nation hath been like an untilled Field and like People like Priâââ like Shepherd like Sheep as it is especially amongst them where Shepheââs and the Sheep are risen in Rebellion against the Nation and have joyned with ãâã old Caveliers But this shews that your preaching hath been for Enââ to your selves and for Money and that you have been Ministers of the Letter and not of the Spirit nor of the Power of God for had you been in the Life and Preachers of the true Gospel the Nations had been as a Garden at this day and not like an unploughed Field as we see they are people abounding in Ungodliness and in all Pride and Vanity which is a shame to Christianity Now People and Ministers have made a shew of the Gospel but have been without the Power in the Form of godliness and have had the Form but resisted the Power And indeed the Ignorance of the People will lie upon their Ministers who have been crying Peace to them that have walked after the Imaginations of their own Hearts and have not turned the Wicked from his wicked Way and the Scriptures are fulfilled upon them They have run but God hath not sent them therefore the People have not at all been profited by them But the Light of the Glorious Gospel is risen in mens Hearts aâd your Folly and Vanity is discovered and that makes you rage and swell as a foaming Sea now when your shame is seen you are casting out Slanders and Reproaches thinking thereby to seduâe the Minds of people thinking alwayes to keep the Magistrates on your side and to ride upon them and that they will establish you in Freedom and destroy them that are against you but the Lord is opening their Eyes to behold your Deceit and Madness and you will be left unto your selves and fall into the Pit that you have digged for others And whereas this Author doth further compare this poor People which he in scorn calls Quakers with several pestilent Hereticks as he calls them that have disturbed the Church and saith he They agree with the Adamites and Pharisees and Sadduces and with the Mannâchies with the Jews Turks Servebus and with the Soscinians and many more which he names and saith we agree with them and ãâã is to render us odious and as abominable as he cââ to mân in Authority To all which I do answer What we do profess and practise for Religion we have not been learnt by Man nor been taught it by Men not our Gospel noâ Religion but we have received it from the Lord and of him are we taught and by the Spirit led into all Truth and though thou hast done as the Pharisees did they reckoned Christ with Transgressors and crucified him betwixt two Thieves so though thou hast compared us with such and such whom thou callest Hereticks and it is possible many of them might be so And so thou hast shewed the spirit of the Pharisees and of the Murderers that denyed Christ and we are known unto the Lord what we are though not unto mortal Mans wisdom that perisheth And to whom shall we more truly compare the Ministers of England Are they not like those which Isaiah cryed against That sought for their Gain from their Quarter that were Greedy Dumb Doggs and like them that Ieremiah cryed against that said Thus saith the Lord when the Lord had never spoken to them nor sent them and are not you all like them that Micah cryed against chap. 3. That preached for Hire and divined for Money and that prepared War against those that would not put into their Mouthes as you do at this day and are not you like them that Ezekiel cryed against that made a Prey upon the Flock and made Merchandize of Souls and fed themselves with the Fat and did not feed the Flock but ruled over them with Force and Cruelty and are not you like those that Christ cryed wo against That were called of men Master that went in long Robes and loved Greeting in the Markets and uppermost Râoms at Feasts for you act those things that Christ cryed Wo against the Pharisees who did the same things and are not you like them that Paul spoke of That were
them again at other times in discourse with the chief of all the Fryars of the Company called Recolects also and did in the Power of the Lord declare Truth unto them and against their Idolatry until such time as some of them were so offended with us not having much wherewith to an swer in Truth to defend themselves they of the Company called Capuchins grew light and scornful and very wicked and did in a manner deny us the liberty any more to come unto them And we were with each Company of Fryars two several times and as for the Iesuites we had much upon us to visit them in their Colledges but we perceived that the chief Rector of the Colledge of Iesuiââs had heard of our being in the Town he did refuse to discourse with us and we went once into the Colledge and could not be admitted to speak with him And about a Week after we came into the Town the chief Governor Lockhart coming home he sent as he said to the Iesuites Colledge that they should admit us to come to speak with them and as we found it from the Lord upon us at a convenient season we went again to the Colledge and were for some hours in discourse with the chief Rector of the Colledge who appeared at the first very high and subtile and crafty and did in his heart reject us and the simplicity of the Gospel but Truth and the Word of the Lord had dominion over him and before the Truth he and they all are as weak as Water many things were disputed upon which the particulars now cannot be related but in about three hours time he grew weary pretending other business and would stay no longer with us and so we parted demanding of him whether he would admit some more discourse at some other time which he did refuse so we were not admitted to come to him any more whereupon these following Propositions I was moved to give forth and send among them as a Charge upon them in the Name and Power of the Lord and they were given and delivered in Latine up and down among the Iesuites and Fryars in the Town unto which to this day I never could receive an Answer therefore my charge lies upon them to this day as a Testimony from the mouth of the Lord against them of which they can never clear themselves And we were moved to visit the Nunns and went to their Place and before many words were spoken to them through a Grate for we might not see them and to speak to them both at once they asked If we were of the order of those called Quakers and they perceiving we were such said They might not hear us because we were such and presently passed away and refused to suffer us to speak to them and therefore we had very small time with them onely gave our Witness against them and passed away To all ye Iesuits Priests and Friars and to all you in general of the Romish Church in and about Dunkirk FRiends in dear love to all your Immortal Souls I am moved to lay these things before you that you may read and consider them in the Fear of the Lord God for as much as for some dayes I have been in this Town according to the Will of God and having rightly observed your Religion in its Original and in its present standing and in its practises and having truely examined some part of your Faith and Doctrines and the manner of your Worships and your Ordinances and the Orders and Discipline and Government of your whole Church and in the Spirit of the Lord having laid all things to the Line of true Judgement and equally measured them hereupon I do from the Lord and by his Spirit propound and assert these things unto you First That your Church is not the true Church of Christ the Lamb's Wife and Elected Spouse but is degenerated in her Faith and in her Doctrines and in her Worships and Ordinances in her Orders Discipline and Government from what the true Church of Christ was in the Apostles dayes before the Apostacy 2. That the Constitution of your Church and the chief part of your Worship and Ordinances and the way and manner of your Discipline and Government are of Man and set up and standeth by the will of Man and are not after God nor according to him but are after the Traditions of Man learned and practised therein which is Idolatry and are not in the Commandments of Christ nor in the Example of his Apostles non according to the Scriptures but without the Spirit of God being set up since the dayes of the Apostles and since the Apostacy came in which hath overshadowed the whole World 3. That there hath been over the World for Generations and many Ages since the dayes of the Apostles and true Churches a general declination and falling away from the true Faith and Doctrines and from the Worship and Ordinances and from the Discipline and Government that was amongst the Apostles and practised in the true Churches of Christ in their dayes and your Church is in that declination and falling away 4. That Antichrist the Beast and the Whore and false Prophets have reigned over the World for Generations the Antichrist that hath opposed Christ and been exalted in the Temple of God and been worshipped as God the Beast that hath killed the Saints and warred against them and had power over Kindreds and Tongues and the World hath wondred after him the Whore whom the Beast hath carried she hath sate upon Peoples Multitudes and Nations and drunk the Blood of the Saints and of the Martyrs and she hath corrupted the Earth and caused all to drink her Cup of Fornications And the false Prophets have overspred the Nations and deceived them and you and your Church are the Peoples the Multitudes and the Kindreds that the Beast hath received Power over and the Whore hath sate upon and the false Prophets deceived 5. That the true Church of Christ the Lamb's Wife the elected Spouse and the beloved City who brought forth him that was to rule the Nations hath been fled into the Wilderness and been fled into the Place of Mourning and Desolation for a thousand two hundred and sixty dayes and the Gentiles Feet have troden down the holy City the Lamb's Wife and had power over her for forty and two moneths and though she hath not been prevailed against nor overcome so as to be extinguished from having a Being yet her Being hath been in the Wilderness in Mourning and Desolation and she hath not appeared in the Glory and Excellency which once she had but hath lost her Garments and her Attire and her Heir and Husband separated from her and caught up to God and to his Throne and in this time of the Desolation and treading down of the holy City the Lamb's Wife and the reigning of the Beast and the Whore hath your Church been extant in her glory and power
till this time and at this opertunity of going to Dunkirk not having any knowledge outwardly what their Wayes and Practices were not having any knowledge I say by my sight and particular hearing concerning them without me otherwise then what the Spirit of the Lord within me did make manifest Though from a Child the Spirit of the Lord in me hath abhorred Popery and all that which savours of it But now having been an eye and ear Witness in a little measure of their Practices and Doctrines this I have to say to them and all men Blindness and Ignorance covers them as with a Mantle and they are wrapped up in the body of Darkness and gross Darkness they do dwell in and all their Wayes and Worships are but the Works of Darkness which they are led on in by the false feigned spirit of Imagination from one Generation to another being exercised therein And the sense of the Spirit of Life they have not but have wholly lost it and they know nothing at all of the Leading of it nor of its Teaching This they hiss at as a thing of nought when it is spoken of to them They have even sold themselves into the Land of Ignorance and Blindness and they hate to be reformed they are settled upon a false Foundation even the Traditions of men which the Lord will break down and their whole Building will fall And when I consider how thousands and ten thousands lie in the Captivity of Blindness and Darkness under them my Heart is rent for them upon the consideration how they are led in Darkness and Blindness and how they rest in a false confidence which will destroy their Souls and the Blood of many rests upon the heads of them that leadeth them for they that lead them cause them to err and the Blood of Souls will be required at their hands And as for the Poor and common Sort of them there is a pitây in me for them because they are led by the Blind and are out of the Way but as for the Priests and Iesuites and Clergy men they are to be cut off with the edge of the Sword of the Lord God and the Wo is unto them and no Pitty because they cause the People to err and keep the People in Ignorance and Blindness under their false and unrighteous Wayes and Worships And this I know The Word of the Lord is gone forth against the whole Body of the Romish-Church from the Head to the Tail of them will God plead with them the time is at hand and his Eye shall not pitty neither shall his Hand spare to punish them The Decree of the Lord is sealed and he will take Vengeance upon their Unrighteous Laws which binds the Consciences of People and limits the Spirit of the holy One their Unrighteous Ecclesiastical Laws I mean under which is defended all manner of Idolatry and they compel people to be Idolaters by a Law and whereby they drink the Blood of the Saints and of the Martyrs But the Lord will take Vengeance upon them and disanul their Covenants and Decrees and his Spirit shall not be limitted but shall rend them to pieces even their Laws and Cruelties and Inquisitions by which they are defended and their Religion upheld in the World and whereby they kill the Just and murder the Innocent that are better then they for the fulness of time is come and all these shall be tumbled down for their unjust Laws and Inquisitions are the main strength and Pillars of their Church whereby their Church and Worship doth stand and if they had not these cruel Laws and Inquisitions to defend themselves by in their Religion they would be soon prevailed against for they have nothing of the Spirit and Authority of God to stand in nor to fight with against such as do oppose them but their Weapons are Carnal and Devilish and by Murders Oppressions and Tyrannies they do defend themselves and when these things are broken down then their Church cannot stand long And as sure as the Lord lives so shall it come to pass a Generation shall accomplish it and in the Generation of the Righteous Seed it shall be finished their Laws shall be broken down and Murders avenged and their weakness shall then appear and their Whoredoms and Idolatries and all their Abominations shall be made naked and uncovered and judged by the Lamb and them that follow him whom he will gather to fight his Battel And if the People were but sensible hereof as in measure I am through the Zeal of the Lord it would raise up the Spirit of zeal in them all to seek vengeance and the overthrow of all their unrighteous Laws and Inquisitions and Murders which keeps people in Darkness and Ignorance and kills the Just that the Creatures may be saved and Tyranny condemned And when once the Lord doth but reach forth his Arm then shall People be awakened to mind what I now say Who would spare their own lives for the accomplishing of such a Work that the Spirit of the Lord may have liberty and that which limits it may be dashed to pieces and that the Earth may be set at liberty and all Europe made free from the Cruelties and Tyrannies of Antichrist and of the Whore And to all you Papists I say and to all the Body of the Church of Rome prepare prepare for the Lord God is coming up against you in his dreadful Power his Word of eternal Judgemnt is gone forth and his Vials are full of Wrath to be poured forth and he will be avenged upon your Tyrannies and Murders and unequal Laws and subdue them before him And his Dread shall fall upon your Consciences ye that are Idolaters Hypocrites Ignorant wretches wilful Persons and Bond-slaves of Satan the Plagues of God and the Wrath of the Lamb shall reach unto your high Throne Repent repent for the Lord's Wrath is kindled against you and if there be any among you that feareth the Lord let him deliver his own Soul by turning from your Abominations least the Lord come upon you and destroy you altogether Give up your Inquisitions give up your unjust Laws and cease to murther the Innocent and torment the Righteous I demand this of you on the Lord's behalf Vex not the Lord any longer for his Patience is turned into Anger against you and his Long-suffering will become Fury to devour you And no little service we had in Dunkirk among our English Army divers Meetings we had in the Town and declared the Message of Salvation And I must commend the spirit of our English men for moderation more then the men of any other Nation and I did many times clear my Conscience among them both as they were men Sons of Adam and in relation to an eternal State did direct them to the Way of Happiness out of Sin and Wickedness that they might come to God preaching the everlasting Gospel that as they were Sons of Adam in
charged against them whereby the Lord hath been offended But all things and places of men must be new moulded and corrected and purged and regenerated that true Judgment may flourish and Righteousness and Truth prosper as in the Beginning and this will the Lord suddenly bring to pass by his own Power and if thou opposest it thou shalt not prosper but be cut off and taken out of the way For the Spirit of the Lord hath been provoked to Wrath because of these things and his Anger is kindled against the Nations and he hath overthrown and yet will once more overthrow till he comes whose Right it is to Rule whose shall be the Government and Kingdom and all his Enemies shall be slain And as for the publick Ministry as now it is in its present estate we certainly know and testifie from the Lord unto thee and to the whole Nations that it is not the same Ministry of Christ which the Apostles had nor by the same Power and Spirit but is wholy degenerated in Call in Practice and in Maintenance and in all things from what the Ministry of Christ was in the dayes of the true Churches before the Apostacy and it is as now it stands in degeneration not of God nor in the Power and Spirit of Christ Jesus nor hath it the same End and Effects as the Ministry of Christ once had but it s tasted and tainted with the Spirit of Antichist which long hath ruled in the World and it s become a grievous Oppression in the Nations and people are not converted nor turned to God from their evil wayes but remain unprofited and to say no more of it though much I might say what I affirm of it I may prove by the Scriptures against the wisest of them before thee if thou pleasest viz. That as now the Ministry stands it is not perfectly the same Ministry the Apostles had but is degenerated from what the Ministry of Christ was in the dayes of the Apostles and true Churches before the Apostacy and if ever God toucheth thy heart thou wilt see it so when the Spirit of Christ is chief Judge in thee thou wilt witness this to be true and then may not thy Power uphold any thing which is contrary to God when Government is purged and made pure from all its present Degeneration Again There are many and divers sort of Sects and Gatherings of People and Professions in Reliigion of several contrary Judgments and Opinions Worships in these Nations and these People over whom thou art set to rule are divers and divided in their Wayes and Minds and Professions of Religion some looking for and seeking after Christ in such a manner and others after another manner all crying Loe here is Christ and thus he will come and loe he is there and so will he appear and some are inventing and supposing such a Government to be best and others contrary to that and many are as distracted in their thoughts not knowing what to seek or what to look after some are for such a Government and Religion and others for another and peradventure each one of these may seek to thee for Protection against such as oppose them commending and justifying their own Way and Sect and Form and Religion against all others and craving Laws to maintain themselves and their Sect and to stop and limit all other Ways as Heresie because differing from them and they will each of them turn and rest the Scriptures from the mind of the Spirit that gave them forth to prove their own Opinions and Professions to be right against all others but now thou mayst know that the Scriptures were given forth by the one Spirit of God and is the Testimony of one Truth of one Saviour of one true Worship and one only true Religion and not many and diverse Wayes and them that are of divers Judgments and Worships and Religions and yet all plead Proof from the Scriptures for what they profess and practice all such pervert the Scriptures and wrest them who are thus divided and unsettled in Religion and they shew that none of them have the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures which Spirit leads into all Truth and in it is the true Worship of God and the true Profession and Practice of true Religion and that Spirit only understands its own words in Scripture but all these divers Sects and Heaps of People that are divided in Worship and about Religion have not the Spirit of God that gave forth Scriptures to lead them into all Truth and guide them in the perfect Way and pure Religion which the Apostles and Churches of Christ were in in their dayes but all these many Sects that are thus divided are risen up since the days of the Apostles and are of another spirit and of a false Religion And as for such called Ministers they will be hurrying about thee and flattering thee with fair and crafty words and smooth Petitions and Requests for Protection and Establishment from thee and for large Maintenance and Stipends and Tythes and possibly they may complain to thee against such as cannot give them Hâre and Tythes but may reprove their Evil and Covetousness and Wickedness begging for Laws against such and crying out against Error Herisie because some may be mov'd to cry against their Deceits Oppressions and for the like causes they will run about thee and seek their own Advantage and this we know their nature and spirit is such and hath been for many Ages But now Friend Do thou stand in God's Authority out of and over all such Teachers and Sects and come not under any of them that have the Form of Godliness but want the Power who are in the Apostacy from the Life and pure Religion that the Apostles were in nor believe them not that shall say Lo Christ is âârt or Lo he is there or Who shall ascend to fetch him from without or When shall be come from far to save his People Go not thou after any of these but he arken to the Word of God in thy heart and know that Christ is within thee else thou art reprobate neither do thou take in hand to exalt any one of these Sects or some of them above others neither defend maintain any of them against others of them nor tollerate not one of them above another for if thou dost it will betray thee and the Nations Peace and set all spirits on Fire about thee and while one is pleased and may pray for thee others will be vexed against thee and curse thee wherefore be not troubled about these things nor cumber not thy self about Religion how to establish it for it is God's Hand only to establish his Worship and Religion it belongs to him as he will and not as man by his Policy and Wisdom but stand free from them all and neither establish any nor persââute any Sect whatsoever but let them all have their couâse and
season they will fall and perish of themselves and the Good Old Way and Truth and the pure Religion only will remain and let them cry one against another and rebuke one another and meddle not thou with that but only let thy Laws and Authority preserve mens Persons and Estates from the Wrong one of another that all men may live peaceably under thee and no man wrong his Neighbour's Person or Estate and that 's only thy Place to rule in outward Affairs but not to Rule over any mans Conscience to compel him to such a Worship or to limit from such a Worship in Religion that belongs not to thee but to the Lord who alone will be the Ruler and Guide and Exerciser of his People's Consciences and if thou dost meddle therein thou shalt not prosper nor be blessed in thy Deed So leave the establishing of Religion to the Lord and let all these Sects manifest if any of them have the Spirit and Power of God in them and with them and let them shew their Weapons of the Spirit for only such as have the Power and Spirit of God in them will overcome and such will be increased and grow and thou nor none can hinder and such that want the Power and Spirit of God in and with them may flourish in their Form for a while but they will be blasted and wither and it s in vain for thee or any to uphold such or endeavour to establish them but if thou meddlest on these accounts it will undo thee and confound thee therefore be wise and know what the Lord requires of thee perfectly for if thou leavest that undone which God requires then shalt thou be condemned and if thou dost that which he requires not then shalt thou not be free And this is written in Love to thee to inform thy mind how to walk towards the Lord and the People over whom he hath set thee And as for the maintaining of Ministers Let that alone also and be not troubled about it for it was ever the false Prophets and Deceivers that preached for Hire and went after Gifts and Rewards and sought Money and Gifts of people and they that do the same now were never sent of God nor are they such as shall convert people to God for who are true Ministers of Christ will not seek to thee nor to men for Wages nor Tythes nor Money but live of the Gospel and not compel great sums of Money from people to maintain them in their Families in Pride in Fulness and Idleness such things are great Oppressions in this Nation and a horrible filthy thing in the Sight of God and because thereof will the Lord's Judgments come upon the Land If thou wert but rightly sensible what casting into Goals and what suing at Law of poor People and what spoiling Peoples Goods by Restraint and all for and about Tythes and Priests Wages it would make thee admire the Wickedness of that Generation but do thou let them alone for they do shame themselves and undo themselves and lose the Hearts of all good People by their own doings and stand over them all in God's Authority and know a measure of the Spirit of God in thy own heart and thereby thou wilt discern and try and judge of the spirits of all men and their Religion and the Spirit will lead thee in the pure Religion to worship God in Spirit and in Truth So let not thy mind be cumbred at all about establishing Religion nor about maintaining the Ministers but be faithful to what the Lord requires of thee and learn his Will and do it and then thou wilt be Blessed and Honoured in this world and in the World to come And Friend Know thou that the Lord is doing of a great Work in these Nations he is raising up a Seed to serve him and to worship him aright and the God of Heaven is setting up a Kingdom over all the kingdoms of the World and he hath a Controversie with all sorts of people in as much as Corruption and Degeneration is entred amongst all and all must be purged of all Orders of men and the Evil cast out the Work of the Lord is Great and Mighty and he requires no help of thee nor any man whatsoever for his own Arm will bring it to pass yet he would not have thee to gain-say his Work and strive against it and seek to quench what the Lord is bringing forth if thou dost it then shalt thou be condemned and the Lord will speedily execute his Judgments and Remove thee and overthrow thy Power and Authority into Destruction wherefore be passive in this matter and look thou at the Lord and protect and defend mens Persons and Estates from Wrong but meddle not with their opinions and professions in Religions to exalt any of them nor yet to persecute them And thus Friend according as it lay upon me from the Lord I have written this unto thee in dear and pure Love God is Witness and I have cleared my Conscience to thee thus far and if thou fall by thy own Transgression it will lie upon thy self I have warned thee and I am clear and if thy Fall comes remember thou wast advised Who am a Lover of Iustice and True Iudgment and a Friend to this Common-Wealth and to thee wisheth well in the Lord E. B. London the 18th of the 8th Moneth 1658. This was delivered to him in the Eighth Moneth 1658. To the Protector and his Council THE Lord God will shortly make you know that we are his People though we be accounted as Sheep for the Slaughter yet our King of Righteousness will break you to pieces if you harden your Hearts and Repent not And seeing that Love will not draw thee neither the Gentle Leadings of our God have any place in you yet Judgment shall awaken you and his heavy Hand of Indignation shall lie upon your Cousciences and you will be scatterred and distracted to pieces E B. This was written in White-Hall in the Tenth Moneth 1658. to Richard and his Council For the Parliament YE that sit in Counsel that are assembled for the Nations Good hear ye the Word of the Lord God which is towards you all Rememember the Cause of God and of his People remember the Groanings of the Poor and give ear to the Cry of the Oppressed and relieve the Guiltless Sufferers and break the Bonds of Iniquity and let the Oppressed go free do this lest you perish And remember the Old Good Cause that is decayed and hath long been laid waste let it be once more revived in the Nations that God may bless you Remember the first Engagement which was for Freedom and suffer not the Exercise of pure Conscience to be trodden down by Oppressors but seek ye seek ye the Glory of the Lord and the Safety of his People and the Freedom of such as are oppressed and be not ye Oppressors nor Adders to the Sufferings of the
present Rulers be looked upon as great Traytors and Tyrants in your dealing towards them and doubtless the men of that part will seek Vengeance against you even by preâcâing and ãâã and they will curse you in the Name of their God and seek continually yoââ destruction as such as have taken away part of their strength and cast down their ãâã but alas all this is nothing for the Lord doth not account as men For these things must needs thus come to pass for the furtherance of the Kingdom and Government of Iesus Christ that it may arise through all and if you were but faithful to what the Lord requires of you in your proceedings what you have done ââto them should not be reckoned on account against you neither by God nor good Men. But and if you of the Army be alwayes Treacherous and Disoâedient towards him and abuse your Power and dis-regard your Price that God hath given you and trifle away your Hour about Places of Honour and such self-seeking matters and the Cause of God be neglected by you and his People continued Oppressed Sufferers under you as they have long been Even then shall you be cast aside with shameful Disgrace and the heavy Hand of the Lord shall be upon you in Iudgment and you shall be smitten more then any before yââ your Estates shall not be spared from the Spoiler nor your Souls from the Pit nor yâ⦠Persons from the Violence of Men no nor your Necks from the Axe for if you be unfaithful and continually Treacherous to the Cause of God then shall you be left to the Will of your Enemies and they shall charge Treachery and Treason upon you and your Persons and Estates shall be given for a Prey to your Enemies and you shall ãâã deliver your selves neither will the Lord deliver you from the Execution of Merciless Men for my Lord shall leave the Cruel-hearted to plead with you Wherefore that you may be warned I advise you to be faithful let not the Cause of God fall nor the Cause of his Enemies prosper before you for there is no other way whereby you can be preserved nor no other Defence shall you ever find from the Wrath of the Lord and from the Fury of you Devouring Enemies then your Faithfulness in God's Cause and therefore relieve the Oppressed and take off all Oppressions break down all unjust Laws and set all People free from unjust Burdens and let all Oppressions cease both in Church and Civil State and even all Oppressive Laws and Unjust Judges and Evil Men in Power let all this be removed and the Nation clean quitted and discharged even from all Men and Laws whatsoever that have held under Oppression the Persons Estates and Consciences of the Good People of this Land and let the Nation be corrected and all Orders and Places of men and Laws and Decrees be purified for this my Lord the Great King requireth and he will suddenly have it brought to pass in the Nation if not by you then contrary to you and to your utter Destruction and this is the very substââce of my Message to you that my Master hath given me to say unto you and on his behalf I am come to claim of you my Master 's long lost Right let him have his Right from which he hath long been banished I demand it of you all ye whatsoever that seem to bear rule in the Nation I charge you in his Name let him have his Title and Prerogative let him be Lord and King wholy in his own Kingdom let him have the Exercise of his People's Consciences by his own Spirit in all things related to his Worship and Service and let him have the full Authority by his Spirit in all things pertaining to Church and Ministry and Faith and Religion and let his Spirit have the alone Authority to perswade and diswade People from or to such or such Ministry Worship and Practices of Religion and let all forced Maintenance to Ministers and Tythes be speedily taken away and let all Laws and Decrees whatsoever made and practized in the days of Antichrist upon the Bodies Estates and Consciences of the People in Oppression and Unjustness about Church and Worship and Religion be utterly repealed and made void and never more be in force in this Nation But let my Lord be sole Ruler and Governour and have the full Authority in his own Kingdom in all things whatsoever pertaining thereunto and let no man henceforth hereafter be intrusted with the Liberties of the Members of Christ's Kingdom as they are such nor to judge over them in any matters of Faith and Worship but give that Right and Priviledge wholy unto the Spirit of Jesus Christ for unto him onely it pertaineth to be whole Judge and to have full Power in his own Kingdom and until you give him the Right and deliver up unto him his own Kingdom and the Exercise of Peoples Consciences in all things about RELIGION you shall never Prosper nor none that cometh after you that shall in any measure abridge my Master of his proper RIGHT from which he hath long been Banished as I have said and till his Right be given him in the case aforesaid He will dash one man against another and none shall ever be established but Horn after Horn shall be broken and one Power after another brought into Cââââsion And therefore ye men Do not strive with him in this matter but yield unto ãâã the Exercise of your own Consciences by his Spirit in you and let him do ãâã ââto all others even as ye hope to prosper and upon the Penalty of his sore Dâââleasure upon you in this World and in the World to come and let Jâââ Men and Righteous Men and Meek Men and Men that have the Fear and Wisdom of God in them without Exceptation of Birth or otherwise ãâã such men have the Power and Judgment committed to them to determine in things between Man and Man Down with all the false-hearted Flatterers that ãâã ruled for Man and not for God and for themselves and not for the good of the People cast all such out from among you for the Good among you is choaked by them Down with all that Judge for Rewards and away with ãâã Hireling Rulers that execute the Law for Money and will not plead ãâã Cause of the Poor without great Fees And down with all that will not ãâã places of Trust without so large Stipends away with all these things out of the Land for they are hainous Oppressions unto men and great Aboââ¦ons in the Sight of God and the Land hath long groaned under the wâight and burden of these things and the Earth is weary of them and my Lord ââ¦iers their utter Dissolution as being Iniquities fully ripe and having the gâilâ of so much Cruelty Injustice and Oppression lying upon the Nation because hereof therefore is the Lord's season to destroy them and remove them out of
Well we have not dealt so with you neither do we desire to uncover your Nakedness to the Nation you had not had thus much if you had not been the occasion of it your selves and surely what you have done in this particular some of your own Members will not accept it from you with thanks to you but I shall say more to you when I have under all your hands the particular Practices which you charge to be irregular And though there hath been and is Contradictions between us and you in matters of Religion and difference in particular Practices about Church and Ministers Orders c. Yet what is this this was amongst our selves though hereof you have no reason to boast as of any Victory that you have obtained over us in any such Controversie neither hath the Spirit of God so appeared in that Authority among you as that you have gained any from us to you but rather the contrary but what of these Contentions we have never so contended with you as that we have hated your Persons or sought to betray you into the hands of devouring Mouthes the Lord is our Witness in this though you have done contrary even sought to betray our Persons in this your work and I must tell you Dishonestly and Undiscreetly have you done in this matter who never could unto this day in any Contest between us about Religious Matters convince us of Error or irregular Practices though now you have accused us to the whole Nation and not as in a way of Debate about Religion but as in matter of State Irregularity whereby plainly appears that you seek to betray us even our Persons into the hands of our Merciless Enemies and you would make Peace with them and deliver us into their Merciless hands and thereby shew hatred not unto us as upon the account of Religion only but even Hatred to our Persons and have accused us as of Personal Irregularity and so have not shewed Love to our Persons but rather sought our Destruction Oh ye Wicked Men to whose charge God shall lay this Iniquity of Treachery and Unfaithful Dealing to us even as with Brethren which is the most deceitful Iniquity And alas for you What are your Desires of depriving us of our just Liberty God shall give us Liberty and from him we shall enjoy it whether you will or no and for our just Liberty we shall not be beholding to you though I must tell you if our Liberty were in your power it is greatly to be doubted and even your own dealing in this your Declaration gives occasion for it that our Liberty would be enslaved if it were in your hands but we bless the Lord it is in his Hand and not in yours for so much of Treachery towards us has here appeared even in giving us up so much as in you is to the will of our Enemies and the spirit is in you which would betray Brethren that for the time to come we can never trust you but we do not give our Power to you to enjoy our Liberty from you nor ever shall And if we walk Morrally Honest and Peaceable in the Nation it is more then you do in this matter for this your practice is not morrally honest in accusing of us behind our backs to the Nation and City and Authorities thereof of Irregularity c. though as I have said never any of us had so great a hand by open opposition tending to make War in the Nation as some of you in some things I might instance even for their sakes to whom you yove accused us and that we are more peaceable then some of your selves the Nation and City knows Have we thrust our selves into Arms and sought Offices and Places and Commands as some of you have Have ever any of us appear'd in Arms against Parliament and Nation as some of you Have we given the City or the Nation by any visible Appearance to fear a War from us as you have done Let the Nation and City and the Witness in all mens Consciences judge so that we are known to be peaceable as much or more then your selves for we have never sought to you to take up Arms with us as some among you have sought to others which may demonstrate that we are as peaceable in the Nation if not more then you and so you needed not to have premised such a thing on our behalf And thus I have in short returned your secret Treachery upon your own heads and answered that same part of your Declaration wherein I and the Truth and the whole Flock of God was any way concerned and as for the rest of your Declaration I will not seek occasion against it though in some other things also therein exprest I might search out your hearts and discover the rottenness of them And where you say You declare Magistracy to be an Ordinance c. might not I tell the Nation and City That you are not content with Magistracy except of your own Sect and might not I say Why were not you contented with that Assembly of men that last sate and wherefore was it that you even some of you Anabaptists were the chief Instruments with Swords in your hands to dissolve them and so were Instruments in bringing the Nation into present Confusion And whereas you speak of the publick Ministers of the Nation You are far from endeavouring to destroy them say you and it is your Duty to stand by them and preserve them from all Violence and Injury c. To which I answer What are you about to make a League and a Covenant with Antichrist Have you for these many years been opposing them in words and are you now recanting of what you have done when you are sensible of a Danger upon you and will you now bind your selves to stand by them and preserve them from all Injury and even as they are Ministers too But let me ask you Do you look upon them to be Ministers of Christ or of Antichrist If true Ministers of Christ wherefore do you oppose them cry against them in your Pulpits have formerly your selves and some of your Brethren yet do publickly oppose them both by word writing Oh ye Hypocrites But if they are Ministers of Antichrist then how is it that you will stand by them and preserve them as such and would bind it upon them as their Duty to stand by and preserve you Is not this a League with Hell and Death Are you turned backwards into Love and Affection towards them again and so lost your former Principles And is your Zeal quite grown cold or are you now only Flattering and Daubing with the Ministers because you see Danger from them while you seek but greater Advantage against them They may indeed tell you They look upon you as not Destroyers of their Wayes and Practices neither to ease the Nation from any Burden which they have laid upon it For it is
manifest though you deny them in some particulars some of you yet you can cry against that in some of them and yet uphold the same thing I may lawfully instance that some of your Brethren some in this Nation and some in Ireland take or have lately taken Tythes for Preaching and have Yearly Stipends and so much by the Year out of the States Treasure for Preaching One Hundred Pound Two Hundred Pound and Three Hundred Pound a piece by the year which indeed doth shew that you are not intending to destroy their oppressing and abominable practices but the rather that you would turn them out of great Places and Benefices and turn your selves in Oh Deceit and Wickedness which I am forced to lay open upon this Occasion of your own just Provocation hereunto And as for their preserving you and you them against such as do oppose you they may easily joyn with you in this if they could hope in your Faithfulness for some of you and your Members have shewed as much Enmity have been open Persecutors even as they and their Members have been and your Members have been sending the People of God to Prison and persecuting them even as the common Priests of the Nation and you appear to be guided by the same spirit in many things and if they be Antichristian in their wayes and practices its sure that you are not of Christ because you are like unto them in Nature And in that you say You would have none tollerated in their Religion that deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God but you would tollerate Episcopacy Presbytery or a ââinted Form c. say you To which I say I know that spirit that you are of if it had its full authority would tollerate none but your selves for your spirit in nature differs not from the spirit of the Church of Rome And what are you now for tollerating Episcopacy who were once your selves in your Zeal for God when your sincerity was not darkned nor your hearts so much corrupted through Places of Honour and through such things as now they are Instruments to the pulling down of Episcopacy and will you now tollerate it again and help to set it up and build what you have destroyed as if you recanted of what you had done but plainly shewing that you are not of the same Spirit that once you were of but have lost Sincerity and can embrace Idolatry for once ye were the men that did oppose it and did violently help to pull it down but now you are for tolleration Oh! unconstant men this is to you not herein discovering my Judgement in the case and if Episcopacy why may not Popery be tollerated seeing they are one and the self same in ground and nature and not much different in appearance and you may agree to tollerate a stinted Form in others because your selves are in a stinted Form also for what is yours else but a form crying up your water and bread and wine and differing from the World onely in these outward things when as the City and Nation knows you are men as covetous as worldly minded as ambitious as self-seeking of honour and places as any others in the Nation and your Religion appears to be a stinted Form as much as others Alas poor men you have discovered your hearts in your Declaration and according to the corruption thereof I cannot but answer you and there are some that deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God and say they are the Words of God and a Declaration and a Treatise of what the Saints believed and enjoyed and Christ is the Word of God that may in time to come be tollerated in their Religion in this Nation though you have renounced them but while they are owned and regarded of the Lord they respect not your love nor hatred who are mortal men and your breath in your nostrils and must fall and perish as the dung in all your beauty and your profession of Religion before the coming of the Son of God And in your Post-script you say you have under you hands sent forth your Declaration in behalf of your selves and others of your Iudgement but I must tell you I do believe there are some even of those called Anabaptists which will reject your work and to them my answer is not for I spare them but to you fearful Hypocrites in a time of danger that have in this juncture of time renounced us without ground or reason in the Sight of God but for your ãâã as if you would gain the favour of the Nation and City by denial of ââs and looking upon your selves to be reproached because of us when as you are a Company of unworthy men even unworthy of our reproaches and to escape them have denied us as seeming to clear your selves but you are deceived in this matter and it shall turn to work against you in the Nation and in the City for we have a more surer witness in their Consciences even in the Consciences of all people that we are of God then you have for take but away your outward water and Bread and Wine and some few outward Practices and what do you differ from the worst sort of men in the Nation for doth not Pride and Hypocrisie and Self-Love and Covetousness and the love of this World abound amongst you as much as amongst any others the Witness in Peoples Consciences knows it which shall be a Witness for us and against you You may indeed have gained League with the worst sort of men in the Nation but you have not gained the sincerity in people and while we have that on our side to witness for us take you the rude multitude for we are not discouraged at all concerning this thing but the rather do glory in the Lord though we be denied of all for though men forsake us yet the Lord careth for us and your own doing shall return upon your own heads and thus much is sufficient to the substance of your Declaration and if I receive any reply I shall expect it under the hands of you all that I may further search and discover you unto your selves and to the Nation And whereas there is a Manuscript goes abroad consisting of five particulars which is said that it was delivered in to the Committee of Safety as Advice and Counsel to them but who the Authors of it are is something uncertain but certain it is that some of the called Independant Ministers and Pastors were the chief Promoters of it and in the Copy which was delivered to my hands it is said These five Particulars were the result of a little Synod made up of Presbyterians Independants and Anabaptists but whether it is so or no I leave that and would say something to some of the Particulars and even to the Committee of Safety and Officers of the Army and all others of the Nation for their better information then the same Paper describeth to
them The third Particular consisteth about the Magistrates Power in matters of Faith and Worship and the Authors say Though they greatly prize Christian Liberty yet they profess utter dislike and abhorrency of an Universal tolleration as being contrary to the mind of God in his Word Answ. It appears the Authors are lovers of themselves and prizers of their own Liberty but not of the Liberty of others but do utterly dislike and ââber the tolleration of others which may indeed be more righteous then themselves and this is no less then the very Principle of the Whore of Rome which Promotes her own Liberty and makes others Slaves and ahhorâ tolleration to any but themselves and they plead Scriptures as well as you for proof of their Religion and they will say all that differs from them are contrary to the Scriptures even as you say when as there is very little better foundation in the Scriptures for your Religion then there is for theirs and it is doubtful to many what Religion this day extant is perfectly according to the Scriptures but yet thus much may be said That Church and that Religion which are not in the same Spirit as gave forth the Scriptures are not according unto the Scriptures and he that can distinguish of this and who it is that hath the same Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures is only able to judge what Religion is according to the Scriptures But can the Authors shew plainly out of the Scriptures that their Religion is only according thereunto and all others the contrary and until they prove this why may not the Rulers that are of may be in this Nation give Tolleration unto other sorts of People as well as to the Independants the supposed Authors of this Paper The fourth Particular consisteth concerning Tythes and say they The taking away of Tythes for Maintenance of Ministers until as full a Maintenance be as equally secured and as equally settled tends very much to the Destruction of the Ministry and Preaching of the Gospel in these Nations Answ. Alas for you poor ignorant Creatures ye foolish men that seems to have no understanding of the Ministry and Gospel of Christ Do you indeed think that the true Ministry of Christ and the Preaching of the Gospel depends upon Maintenance by Tythes Oh ye Robbers of God who have secretly dishonoured him in your hearts and publickly disgraced him as much as in you lyes to the Nation as if he were not able to save his Ministry and the Preaching of his Gospel from destruction if Tithes be taken away Surely you err in your Judgements and have no acquaintance with God nor with his Ministry nor Gospel who have thus dishonoured him in setting up that Maintenance by the forcible and unjust oppression of Tythes to be the preserving of Ministry and Gospel and as if Tythes were the uphold ing of Ministry and Gospel and you have thus falsly and wickedly measured God his Ministry and Gospel by the wickedness of your own hearts who seem to be indeed of those Hirelings that cheat Souls for money and run for the gift like Balaam and for the lucre like the evil Beasts and Slow-bellies and so I do believe that your false Ministry indeed and your feigned pretence of preaching the Gospel do depend upon great sums of money and upon large Maintenances and we believe that indeed is the chief Reason of your Preaching and of your Ministry and it is very possible that your Ministry and Preaching may fall which is Antichristian when Tythes and Hire is taken away which Ministry dependeth thereupon but the true Ministry and preaching of the Gospel will God maintain and uphold though the oppression of Tythes be vanquished and I hope some of the Rulers of this Nation and Officers of the Army will not believe your advice but yet you seem to be willing to renounce Tythes if you could have as full a Maintenance setled another way so that however great maintenance comes you regard not so you can have that whether by this way of Oppression or the other it s your Maintenance you love and follow after and seek unto the Powers of the Earth for that end and how equally and legally Tythes have been setled which you seem to affirm let all good People judge given they were and setled first in our Nation by the Popes Authority to be the Maintenance of that Whore's Ministers and the Laws that gave them and setled them have been Antichristian and Oppression in the Nation and there is the guilt of Blood and of cruel unjust sufferings lying upon this Nation in that very cause of Tythes and the Hand of the Lord is gone out against it and against all Contenders for it and God will redeem the Nation from ââder it though you be putting your strength to uphold it through your hypocritical Prayers and Preaching and Flatteries with God and man The fifth particular is these Authors desire that countenance be not given unto nor trust reposed in the hands of Quakers being persons of such Principles that are distructive to the Gospel and inconsistent with peace and civil society Answ. Here your wickedness and the malice of your hearts is let forth against the dispised People for their righteousness sake and this spirit of yours would not only discountenance them but destroy them from the face of the Earth if it were in your Hands and you are worse then Baalam ever was and far more blind then he for you are as it were seeking inchantments against the People of God for Money and you see not the goodly tents of Iacob as he did nor the People that are altogether blessed Oh! ye envious persons that are even a preparing as much as in you is the destruction of a peaceable People and that would keep them in slavery under you and you would have the countenance of the powers of the Earth but they must not and you would Monopolize all the places of trust for advantage to your selves and you would hardly allow the People of God a place on the Ground Oh! ye sinful Hypocrites and Flatterers and Slanderers of the just but what need you have made such preparation against them do they seek places of honour among you do they delight in great places among men do they love to be great in this World nay their Kingdom is from above and they reject the countenanance of the Beâââ Authority and they reject any confidence that the Dragon and unjust poâ⦠can repose in them and you need not have been afraid in this matter and thereupon slandered us and have back-bited us to the powers of the Earth what do you fear even the thing which you fear will God in a judgement bring upon you and there is a Government to be set up in this Nation even that which is of the Lamb and your Antichristian Monarchy the Beast with all his Heads and Horns shall fall to the Ground and the Lord may
these Doctrines upon the Apostles then upon the Papists and as for joyning to your Ordinances there is many that fears God who are not Papists that for good conscience sake cannot joyn to your Ordinances nor own your Ministry neither in its Call Practise nor Maintenance and if these things were in dispute I should shew you according to Scripture that it is not lawful for the Saints of God to joyn themselves to your Ordinances nor own your Ministry but it is lawful for them both to deny your Ordinances and Ministry in their present standing and as for printing and vending so many Popist Books as you say Oh it had been your wisdom to have mentioned the Books by name that all might have known which were Popish Books but because your Charge is general I cannot answer particularly either to clear or to condemn except you had mentioned in particular which you ought to have done rather then to have slandered in the dark Your fourth reason whereby you would make your people believe that there is fear of the return of Popery is That the whole body almost of Popery is published by Sectaries especially Quakers and you say you cannot but observe a ready co-incidency with Papists in their Opinions c. Answ. As for the Quakers which you have long opposed by Prisons Goals and Persecutions and your carnal Weapons and now also charge great things upon them to make them odious to the people Alas do you not know that they are blessed of the Lord Is there never a man among you sixty one Priests so wise as Balaam was he saw there was no Inchantment against Israel nor durst he curse whom God had blessed but however they have born with patience and they do therein continue all that you have caused to be acted and all that you have spoken against them and your words and works against them shall be your own burthen in the day of the Lord and shall sink you into misery who hath made the innocent people the people of your malice and fury but God is with them I need say nothing and why have you not particularly instanced what particular part of Popery they do publish Why will you charge in secret and prove nothing in particular therefore I do charge you to mention what particular things they do publish which is Popery and not the truths of the Gospel and then you shall have a further answer Your fifth reason is Jesuitical designs and you mention the Protestant Universities and the impoverishing and disgracing and overthrowing a goodly learned Ministry c. Answ. As for the Universities thousands are satisfied concerning them that they are of Popish institution and are not the Fountains of Divinity as they have been falsly called for its possible I could give large testimonies of the wickedness of the educations which is there in those places and how little good they learn and how much evil but you have stated the Cause wrong for the plucking down the Universities would rather seem to be the removing part of Popery then to be the way to let in Popery And as for a godly Ministry that is truly godly and truly learned alas there is no fear of impoverishing disgracing and overthrowing of that for that is alwayes poor and low and contemptible to the World and so it must be and it is Antichrist's Ministers that fears to be made poor and that their Tythes and Stipends should be made less and it is they that fear to be overthrown and not the Ministers of Christ for the Ministers of Christ are out of all such fears because their standing and falling depends not upon earthly powers but are builded upon the Rock of Ages and cannot be overthrown Your sixth Ground is Tolleration for Popery is publickly pleaded for in Print c. Answ. That Popery is Idolatry and the Church of Rome a false Church that I have said and I hope shall never renounce it but shall alwayes give Testimony until death against the Church of Rome but I must tell you plainly it is not my judgment that the Papists ought to be burned for their Religion or if a Jesuite be taken in England I would have him so tollerated that he should not have his life taken away by inhumane cruelty not for Religion sake except something can be charged upon him besides matters of his Religion or Conscience This is my judgment that both the Papists and you are Antichristian in this in that you kill each other when they take one of your Ministers and you theirs to destroy each other this is not of God but of the Dragon's power in both and there ought to be more tolleration in both that lives may be spared and you ought to conquer with spiritual Weapons if that you have them and not to kill and murder persons but to judge Spirits That is contrary to Scripture and the Apostles Example to destroy mens lives for Religion sake And why may not the Papists have tolleration in matters concerning God as well as others So those that plead for their Tolleration upon this account that they may be converted from sin and not destroyed in their sin this is no Error that their lives may be spared but to plead for their tolleration as the right Religion this is sin And thus your sixth Ground wherefore you fear the return of Popery is answered Now I come to the second consideration which is The present distracted estate of Religion which you say is evidenced in divers particulars First your division in civil and spiritual things so that the wonted love and communion in holy Duties is interrupted strangeness and distances fomented censures and hard Opinions of each others entertained c. Answ. Here is your Error for true Religion is not distracted nor divided in it self but it is one in unity and peace and so are all they that are in it their hearts being united by the Spirit of the Lord in their Faith Practice and Worship and in all things pertaining to their Religion It s true there is distraction amongst all the false Sects and Churches upon the Earth and it must be so Babylon is divided and confounded in it self and one part of it against another so the distractions is amongst your selves among Papists Prelates Prefbyters and the rest tearing and rending one another about Church-Worship and Religion all like Wolves in Sheep's clothing biting one another being divided in civil and spiritual things one crying for this and another for the other way of Government in Church and State and you are out of the true love and true communion in holy Duties and interrupts one another and what one faith is right another saith is wrong and all this is in Babylon among your selves and none of it among them that are in the true Religion and in true Church-Union who are gathered by the Spirit of the Lord. Your second Evidence of the distracted estate of Religion as you say is
especially in this day wherein there are so many Ways and Professions of Church-Ministry and Worship and yet all professing the Scriptures are their Rule of Faith Worship and Practice and seeing that all Sects do profess Proof from Scripture for what they hold forth what Ground have the people to believe you more than others or others more than you for where people receive Doctrine or Religion by Report from others without the Evidence of the Spirit of God in their own Hearts this is not receiving of the Truth unto Eternal Life wherefore I exhort your Congregations That every one amongst them may wait upon the Lord to have a feeling and discerning in their own hearts and that each one may be led and taught oâ the Spirit of God which leads into all Truth that they may deny all false Ministers and false Worships and may worship God in Spirit and Truth though the ministration of his own Spirit in their Hearts and Consciences and thereby will they discern between Truth and Error and will love the one and hate the other Thirdly You exhort That they keep themselves unspotted from the prevailing Corruptions of these back-sliding Times c. Answ. Concerning the Times many are ignorant but this is certain at the present Time wherein we are is the Lord disquieting of men and its the latter dayes of Antichist's Raign and Government that hath been in full Power and Authority for many Generations and Babylon that great City her Ruin is threatned because of her Abominations that have been many and great for the whole Earth hath been corrupted as it s written and now the Call of the Lord is That every man come out of Babylon and deliver himself that he may not partake of their Plagues and happy are they that are made clean unspotted from their Sins that they may not be found covered with her Garments for the Day of the Lord is come and coming upon Babylon and all Back-sliders from God and his Wayes Now Babylon is that great City which hath ruled over the Kings of the Earth and in her hath the Blood of Souls and of all just Men been found Fourthly You exhort To endeavour a Healing of those sad Breaches and Divisions which have been amongst you c. Answ. Now the sad Breaches and Divisions which are indeed at present in this Nation cannot be healed but as the Cause and Ground thereof be removed which is the Sins of Rulers Teachers and People and this is the Cause wherefore the Lord hath brought Distraction amongst them Oh what Ambition and Self-seeking hath been among the Rulers What judging for Gifts and Rewards What neglect of Mercy and Judgment amongst them And oh how have they oppressed the Poor and trodden down the needy and because hereof is the Righteous God vexed And oh what Covetousness and Greediness of Gain âre the Teachers guilty of How do they Preach for Hire and Divine for Money How have they unreasonably caused men to be imprisoned and their Goods to be spoiled for Wages and Tythes and Hire Oh how hath Covetousness and Idolatry and Superstition abounded amongst the Teachers in this Nation Oh abominable have been their Sins their Oppressions and Self-seekings and because of these things hath the Lord brought Distractions amongst People and the Sins of Rulers and People cry for Vengeance from the Lord and till these Iniquities be removed by Repentance and forsaken the Fruit and Effect thereof shall never cease but Breach upon Breach will the Lord make till the Rulers and Priests repent them of their Iniquities God's Hand will be upon them both in Judgment and for their sakes that divine for Money and preach for Hire and judge for Rewards will the Lord make the Nation as Heaps and as a Ploughed Field Therefore let all people Repent of their Iniquities and return to the Light of Christ in their own Consciences and become Followers of the Lamb and this is the perfect Way of healing of all Breaches inwardly and outwardly Fifthly You exhort To be diligent in the Spiritual and Conscientious Performances of Family-Duties c. Answ. Men must first be awakened and enlivened unto God before they can act for God in Holy Duties and as for Duties performed in pretence unto God traditionally and without the Teachings of the Spirit of God is but Idolatry and the Nation is weary of such a Religion which they have received and held traditionally for thereby the Soul Immortal cannot be nourished unto Eternal Life and while you teach Duties towards God by that Rule while you teach Praying Singing Repeating Catechizing by Tradition and Immitation without the Leadings of the Spirit of Christ in them you do but teach Idolatry as long hath been taught in the Christian Nations the doing and performing such and such things as Christian-Duties and Practices and the Forcing and Compelling of doing such things upon People in the unregenerate state and unconverted nature this Religion and such Performances of Duties have been of Babylon and of Antichrist and a Cheat upon Peoples Souls whereby many have been murdered and slain in that great City and the Form of Godliness without the Power hath been practiced while Duties have been performed unto God without the Teachings of the Spirit of God and such their Consciences are blinded and the Lord abhors their Sacrifices And people must first come to feel the Word of God in their Hearts to regenerate them before they can perform any acceptable thing to God and therefore do not teach People to be Hypocrites do not teach them such and such Performances in the corrupt Nature without the Teachings of the Spirit of God in their own particulars for if you do you make them but two fold more the Children of the Devil and such Duties performed in that nature shall not cover nor hide from the Wrath of the Lord which is coming upon all Hypocrites Sixthly You exhort That they would cause their Children and Servants to submit to Catechizings and train them up in the reverence of Godly Ministry c. Answ. It may be enquired into what you mean by cause them to submit how cause them by Force and Imposition upon their Consciences by outward external personal Punishments or Threats Is this your Meaning Will you set up Religion by Violence And must Children and Servants be compell'd by Restraint and Force This is not the right Way to promote Religion and the Worship of God nor to make Children and Servants truly Religious it was the Beast that received power from the Dragon that caused all to worship both Small and Great Children and Servants and this causing to worship was in the time of the Apostacy when the true Church was fled into the Wilderness and all the time ever since have Nations been caused and compelled to such and such performances and practices of Religion and Worship and such causing I am jealous your Meaning is whereby you would force and compel such manner
of Worship and Practices upon people And what do you mean by Godly Ministry Will you admit of just Tryal according to the Scriptures whether yours be that Godly Ministry or no for all sorts of Christians Papists and Protestants and all others they will say That they are in the right Way and their Ministry is the Godly Ministry but the fruits of many prove the contrary and we cannot believe that yours is the Godly Ministry except you will prove it to us by and according to the Scriptures Now it is certain That the Ministry of the Apostles was the true Godly Ministry and if yours agree with theirs then we will confess That yours is the true Godly Ministry Therefore tell us plainly do you agree with them in your Call and in your Maintenance and in your Practices and in your Fruits and Effects in your lives and Conversations and in your Doctrines Are you justly according to and do you agree with the Apostles in all these things shall we lay you to the Line that you may be judged This is but as a hint at things whereby you might justly be tryed for if you agree not with the Apostles in these cases mentioned then it is evident that your Ministry is not the true Godly Ministry but hereafter we may have a better occasion to try you And thus the principal part of your Exhortation is answered and if you can receive it in Love TO all you Sixty One Teachers in London under whose hands your Exhortation passeth this I say to you in the Fear of the Lord God Oh ye Men consider and let it enter into your hearts the Day of the Lord is at hand upon you and an Account of your Stewardship must you give and his Reward must you have whom you have served and you must reap the Fruit of what you have sown Oh look upon your Flocks and see what a condition they are in Oh what Pride and Vain-glory is abounding amongst them Oh how doth Wickedness spring forth from them Are they like unto Sheep of Christ's Fold or Are not they appearing outwardly Christians when as the evil nature is uncut down in them Oh what Wickedness abounds in this City What Double-dealing and Dissimulation What Lying and Swearing and Drunkenness Oh high are all the Fruits of the Flesh grown amongst your Flocks Your Vineyards are not dressed as they ought to be there are aboundance of corrupt Trees and fruitless Branches which cumber the Ground Oh! it makes the Heart of the Righteous sad to walk in the Streets and to view the Abominations that are daily brought forth by a people professing Scriptures Church Ministry and Christ. Oh! it burdens the Just and grieves the Righteous Soul to consider how high Iniquity is grown among the Sheep of your Pastures whom ye should have fed with Knowledge and converted unto the Fear of the Lord had you been Messengers sent of God the very Iews and Heathens they blaspheme against Christ through the Abominations brought forth among Christians that have the Name to live but are dead Oh! let it enter into your Hearts and smite you that your many years Ministry should have so little effect for your Vineyard is like untilled Ground unploughed and unbroken up Oh! there is much Hard-heartedness amongst your People and their Hearts go after Covetousness even while they profess God with their Lips Oh! the Righteous mourn in secret to see the Prophanness the Scornings and Reproaches that are brought forth in your City And Oh the Idolatry that aboundeth let it repent you that you have been so sloathful and never more seek the Fleece but seek the Flock that 's gone astray from the Lord who is the true Shepherd whose Voice hath not been obeyed and many Pastors have destroyed the Vineyard and many Shepherds have fed themselves and not the Flock Oh consider the Day of the Lord is at hand and he will visit with his Rod You and your Flocks prepare to meet the Lord for his Kingdom is nigh to come which will be a terrible Day to all the Workers of Iniquity And as for this your Exhortation I say As for Exhortation in it self Ministers ought to exhort their Flocks so such a thing in it self I do commend and not oppose but when I had read and seriously considered the Aim and Intent of your spirits in your Exhortation I found it secretly and in a measure openly opposing and striking at and secretly smiting the People of the Lord whom you have Reproached by the name of Quakers who are dear to the Lord and he careth for them though you see no Beauty in them but account them altogether vile and in as much as you lifted up your hands against them upon that account was it upon my spirit to return something in Answer for the Information of many that they might be Undeceived and not in Envy towards any but in Love to all to both you and your People and you have occasioned this upon your selves though you are reproved And not as a man of Strife or Contention have I proceeded but as one that desireth the further Manifestation of Truth and that no false Accusation may rest upon it which you have secretly brought forth with which the Lord is not well-pleased that you should set your selves in Opposition against his People and if any of you shall receive a just Reproof and repent it may prove to you an Advantage or much Good and be not so Proud as to say in your hearts What aât thou weak man that reprovest us or Wherefore art thou so bold thus to deal with us but rather fall under just Reproof for in Uprightness of Heart have I proceeded towards you and not in mine own but in the Will of the Father And oh that your Flocks would also consider among whom there are many that are zealous in their way Oh that their Zeal and Judgments were guided by the Spirit of the Lord then should it be well with them Oh that they would be meek and humble and learn the Fear of the Lord Oh that every one of them would consider and turn from their Iniquities and become Followers of Jesus Christ then should the Glory of the Lord be revealed unto them and Peace and Truth and Righteousness should be unto them and their Families and their City if they would come into Covenant with God and be taught of him and be exercised by his Law in their Hearts then should the Countenance of the Lord be upon them and then should they discern between Truth and Error between the Ministers of Christ and Deceivers Oh! there is a Pitty for many poor souls which are zealous in their way of Religion without Knowledge and they think they do God good service while yet their Consciences are not exercised by the Spirit of the Lord but a false spirit that rules and leads and may hold the Truth in unrighteousness and they know not but that they do
well Oh that such would consider and not be hasty in any thing to perform or profess Religion in their degenerate estate but that they would come to know the Regeneration and the renewing of their minds by the holy spirit and that the Immortal Birth might be born in them even the Birth of the Spirit which is Heir of God Oh that that might live and rule in them then should they be Heirs of God and Citizens of the New-Ierusalem And oh ye People of London lay it to heart you must be born again or else you can never enter into Gods Kingdom you must be changed in nature and must be crucified to this world that you may live unto God this must you come unto or else you have no part nor portion in Eternal Life and your Duties and Performances in your Forms of Religion they cannot save you not justifie you all your Preaching Praying Singing and all your Duties whatsoever they are all nothing till you come to know changing and renewing inwardly and do witness the Seed of God raised up in you and the head of the Serpent bruised in you by the Seed of the Woman this must you come to witness that your Souls may live Oh that you would consider be not so zealous against that which you may call Heresie and Schism for while you err in judgment you may soon speak evil of Truth and persecute it under the name of Error many have wofully faln into that Snare and brought sorrow upon themselves thereby The wise Iews even the chief Priests Scribes and Pharisees they were as confident in their Way as you can be and yet they erred in judgment and would not receive Christ but persecuted him under the very name of a Deceiver and thus it is possible for many to do in this Age What though you have Christ's words and the Apostles words yet if you have not the Spirit of Christ that was in the Apostles you know nothing rightly of the Scriptures neither can you understand them nor have Salvation by them for you must know Christ in you your hope of glory else you are Reprobates and shut out of the Kingdom of God And search the Scriptures and see if they do not witness this Do not they say Christ is in you except you be Reprobates and do not they say The Law of God is written in the heart and the Spirit of God is put in the inward part And do not they say That Christ hath lightned every man that comes into the World with the true Light And do not they say that the Apostle exhorts people to hearken to the Word of God in their hearts and to be followers of the Spirit of God that was in their hearts And do not the Scriptures say That it was the Light that shined in the heart that gave the knowledge of God unto the Saints Search the Scriptures and see whether these things be so and must not men be born again of the Immortal Seed Oh consider and let not these Doctrines seem new unto you neither reject them though they come unto you in weak appearance not with words of mens wisdom but in Simplicity and in sincerity and in the Power of God And search the Scriptures whether these things be so were not they false Prophets That preached for hire and divined for money and sought for their gain from their Quarter were not such Deceivers in the true Prophets time and them that preached for filthy lucre and for money and for gifts and rewards were not such false Brethren and false Apostles search the Scriptures whether these things be so for the day of trial is now come wherein all must be searched and that Religion and Worship and Ministry which is not according to the Scriptures which was given forth by the Spirit of God let that Religion Worship Church and Ministry be utterly condemned of the Lord and all his People and let such Ministers as cannot prove their Call their Maintenances and Practices to be according to Scriptures let such Ministers be confounded and silenced for ever and come to try this matter when you will For whereas you cry out against us as if we were Deniers of Scriptures as if we were Enemies to Church and godly Ministry and Religion and as if we were Deceivers Hereticks Papists c. But I say unto you these things have you never yet justly proved against us but rather accused us behind our backs to make us odious among people and though for divers years together we have been publick yet when did ever any of you Ministers seek by lawfull means to convert us or shew us our Errors if we were as you say of us oh it had been your time to have sought our conversion and not to have Persecuted to have sent to Prisons Houses of Correction and by such Weapons of any outward force and cruelty have you dealt with us and not in meekness and by the Spirit of the Lord as Ministers of Christ ought to do but have cried to the Magistrates to defend you and your your Church and Worship being unable as it were by the Authority of God's Spirit to defend your selves Therefore I say unto you now lay down your Carnal Weapons and come out in the Spirit of Meekness and come out in the Authority of God's Spirit if you have it convince us thereby if we be in an evil way as you say let us hear your soundest Arguments by the Spirit of God and according to the Scriptures to prove those things which you say of us prove it by evident Arguments that we deny Scriptures and that we are Hereticks and that we are Papists I challenge you all in the Name of the Lord even all you Ministers of London let us hear your sound Reasons openly in the spirit of Meekness and do not back-bite nor slander in the dark and let us not be bawled against by your rude Members as often we have been even in the spirit of wickedness but come out you Ministers we are willing to be tried according to the Scriptures and by the Spirit of God in our Religion and in every part of it and if you be the same then come forth in the spirit of Meekness like Ministers of Christ and lay down your Carnal Weapons and let us have fair dealing openly that Truth may be manifested publickly and Error may be discovered and let us not envy one anothers persons and seek to destroy one anothers lives but let us seek to destroy the evil in one another that men might be saved and this would be a Christian-like way we would hear what you have to charge against our Religion by sound Arguments in Meekness that we may answer it and then we will charge something upon your Ministry Church Religion and Worship and we will prove what we say against you according to the Scriptures and we will not impose our Religion upon you by the force of outward Powers
and outward Laws neither would we have you force your Religion Ministry and Church upon us by such means but we will leave the effect of all thing to the Spirit of God and come out when you will in such a way as this and this would satisfie thousands and let Meekness and the Fear of God be amongst you and this is the way to exalt Religion and we would think it a happiness more then otherwise to be joyned in sober debate and dispute against you that you and we in your Religion Church and Ministry and in ours also might be tried according to the Scriptures that all may be satisfied who are doubtful and may hear you Principles and our Principles discussed in the presence of the People who may judge by the Light and Witness in their own Consciences for to that in all we do appeal and in such a proceeding come forth when you will lay down your Carnal Weapons and take the Weapons of of the Spirit and come to the trial for the Day of the Lord is approaching upon all the World E. B. The FOURTH General Epistle To all the SAINTS Being a Visitation of the Fathers Love unto the whole Flock of Cod who are called and gathered into the spiritual Kingdom of Righteousness and Peace To be read in all the Assemblies of them that meet together to worship the Father in the Spirit and Truth in the silence of all Flesh. Dearly Beloved WHom the Father hath called and chosen into the Election of Eternal Salvation and who have handled and tasted and felt of the Judgments and Mercies of the Lord and amongst whom the God of Heaven and Earth hath appeared in his Spirit and in his Power which ãâã gotten you into the Heirship of the heavenly Kingdom Oh Friends our Kingdom and Victory is not of this World nor earthly but from above and spiritual wherein we have Peace and Comfort endless and everlasting which the World knows not of I say unto you all that know these things Live in the Peace and Victory and Kingdom which is invisible and mind the things as your greatest Treasure that pertain to that Kingdom even the weighty matters of it which aâ eternal and infinite and that every one of you may feel and enjoy a Portion in that Kingdom Oh! it is precious for a people to be Subjects of the heavenly Kingdom and for a man to have an assurance of Life and Peace in God and to be an Heir of that Kingdom that fadeth not away and to have his name written in the Record of Life and blessed is every one whose Hope and Confidence and Peace and Assurance is in the living God and whose Soul resteth under the Government of the Almighty and who knows him to be Judge King and Lawgiver in all things and this is the Kingdom that is heavenly and is altogether blessed for Peace and Truth and Righteousness and all Vertue is enjoyed in it for evermore Now Friends you must all be subjected in all things under the Power of the Lord God and unto his will and he must work in you to will and to do for in this is true Rest and Peace unto the Soul where the Will of the Father is done and suffered in all things and not the Will of man which worketh sorrow to the Creature and not peace in the obedience to it and where it rules and that must be subjected in you even in every Word Work and Motion unto the eternal Power that you may die and Christ may live and in this you will have union and fellowship in spirit with the Lord God and he alone will be your trust and confidence and your glory if he live in you and walk in you and then you are his People and he is your God And Friends are to mind this even Peace and Union and Fellowship with the Lord and the comfort of his Presence which is the onely happiness of the Creature even the enjoyment of him that is invisible who is God infinite over all to whom mortal eye cannot approach neither can the mortal mind him apprehend but in his own Life manifested in mortal Flesh and by the measure of his own Spirit that dwells in us is he seen felt preceived and enjoyed of us so mind the Immortal Life begotten of the Father in you that that may live in you even the Heir of God which is his Image and likeness for in that alone is Covenant with God made and kept and in it is the Fathers presence enjoyed and he Worshipped without respect of time place or visible thing and if that live in you then yoâ in that will live unto God in all that which is answerable unto him and your words and works will be accepted of him and well-pleasing to him even because it is him that worketh in you to will and to do all good things and he alone exalted in you and you subjected and the Maker is become the Husband and you married unto him and he lives in Power and Rule and Command and you livâ In subjectiââ unto him and in fulfilling his Will in what he guideth in by his Holy Spiriâ And this life is very precious Oh Friends live in it and dwell in it always and then your Joy and Peace will be with you over all this World and you will be Comforted wheâ Fear and Terrour comes upon all men for the Lord God whom we serve ând worship in the Spirit will cause his Enemies to know his Power and that he doth and can do whatsoever he will and will smite his Enemies and wound them in their Consciences for all Power Dominion and Authority is with him he is mighty to save and mighty to destroy and his Reward is to every one according to their deeds and this is the God whom we fear and worship and all Flesh must bow before him when he shews his presence though men ãâã high and lifted up and go on in Rebellion against him without fear yet thâ hand of the Lord will be upon theâ and he shall smite them with the âod of his mouth Wherefore all Friends have respect unto the Lord in your ãâã in all things that you do and in all things that cometh to pass for that is âââââed in a people and they shall prosper their Souls shall be nourished and their lives refreshed with the Mercies of the Lord even all they that do waiâ upon the Lord and have respect unto him and his Eternal Power which doth and suffereth all things that be In which Power you must dwell and walk and feel it in your hearts and it will be your Armour and Defence in all things and it will carry you through all that which worketh contrary And it is very pretious to be Armed with the Armour of God in the Day of Temptations and Tryals that you may not be overcome of the wicked nor spoiled of the Heavenly Inheritance Oh Frinds put on strength that you
Iudgment who are they to whom these things are so If ye be not faint-hearted declare your minds now in your last dayes as many think for many say that your ruin is nigh come and if it be not so many are deceived Answ. Yes we dare declare our judgment concerning the Times and seasons for we have received the Judgment of Truth in our Spirits and never have been nor are we afraid to declare the Truth so far as Truth is necessary to be declared and we say the times and seasons are in the hand of the Lord and the motions of them are very swift and the Lord gives to whom and takes from whom times and seasons as he pleaseth even as it were in an instant âoth the Lord give and change and alter Times Authorities and things and mortal man ought not to glory in Times or Seasons as if they were certain and unchangeable to him for behold the Motions of Times flyeth away and Seasons removeth their course and the most confident of men have no certainty thereof and that because they are in the hand of the Lord that turneth them about and often contrary to mens will and pleasure and therefore ãâã every man be good in his Time and fulfil she Will of the Lord in his Season before Tiââ and Season be no more but removed from them And as for our Observations they are very many of the present Proceedings and Transactions First we do observe that there is not any thing of all these Transactions that are come to pass but there is a secret hand of the Lord God through them and in them either doing of them or suffering of them to be done and either as the cause by secret purpose or as the means of their accomplishment it is not without him that these things cometh to pass but his Eye and his Hand is over them and that man is only blessed which hath respect unto him in all these things that he may do or suffer for the Lord and that he may not rebel against him in what is brought to pass by him Secondly we observe how that the Lord hath given unto many men a Day and a Time and tried them what they would do for him and whether they would rule in Righteousness and in Equity but many have proved deceitfull and not answered to the Lord what he expected from them and therefore the Lord hath confounded them in their Counsels and suffered them to clash one against another and made them overthrow one another and one self-seeking man hath been the ruin of another as bad as himself and even many by their own proceedings have prepared a rod and judgment even for themselves and through their blindness of heart which they have been given up to because of their wickedness they have destroyed themselves and given their very Enemies advantage over them to afflict them and this we have observed of present Proceedings Thirdly We observe that there is a rude prophane spirit highly abounding thoughout this Nation that brings forth much bad fruit as drunkenness and wickedness in a great measure which may justly provoke the Lord to wrath and indignation against the Land if it be not forsaken though it be lifted up in this wonderful rudeness in a pretence of glorying on the behalf of the King and his Government yet it vexeth the Lord and it works Sorrow in the hearts of many Sober People who are pondering what the End of this Government may be that is thus rude and prophane in its beginning saying in their hearts how shall the Lord bless these proceedings and make the end of them happy which are thus void of the fear of God in the first part of them and if a stop be not put and a limitation upon the Spirit it will provoke the Lord to work sudden destruction and overthrow the Nation Fourthly We observe that many Hypocrites and double-minded men are afraid and terror hath Surprized them who have taken the profession of such or such a Religion on them for a Cloak and hath been in the shew of Righteousness for earthly ends such are afraid and their ends are frustrated and they are turned into confusion and a prophane Spirit abounding over their Hypocrisie and such will deny their Principles and their Faith and will fawn and flatter to save themselves and this is abominable but men that have been and are upright and sincere towards God in their way they are not afraid but are confident in the Lord and are given up in his will whether to do or suffer for his Name sake and they have no terror upon them because of any guilt because they have been upright in that way which they were perswaded to be right and such live in a patient and quiet life and are contented whatsoever comes to pass because they have the Witness that they have not followed their Religion for self-ends nor taken the name of Righteousness for a Cloak as many others have upon whom this overturning falls very heavy And these things with many more the like we do observe from the present transactions which are faln out in Mercy to some and in Judgment to others even a Judgment upon all that do not fear the Lord but walk in wickedness and that have been Hypocrites and Hard-hearted and Cruel and to all that do not repent of their sins these things and the end of them are and shall be great Judgments and shall be turned into bitterness even their joy and rejoycing into howling and great Lamentation this shall be the end unto all the Ungodly but unto all that fear the Lord and depart from Iniquity even unto such the end of all these things shall be good even Mercy ââd Peace and their Sorrow shall be turned into Ioy. And as for us we are not faint-hearted though it be supposed that we are in our last dayes and as though our ruin were nigh to come but we believe otherwise for we have clearness of Conscience towards God and all men and walk in Faith and patience and knowing this assuredly that if we be persecuted and afflicted in Person or Estate by you that are now in power yet it is for Righteousness sâke and for the Lords sake and not for the guilt of any Rebellion against you that you have or ever can have to charge upon us for we cannot be found in these things for we can neither secretly flatter to make peace with you neither can we ââââly rebel against you or resist you but as our right from God and you we claim the LIBERTY of the Exercise OF OUR CONSCIENCES in the Maters of Faith and a holy Life towards God that we may mind the things of God's Kingdom and may so walk and worship as to have peace with God in our Consciences that no burden of Sin and Iniquity may lie upon us but that we may Live and Die in Peace with God this is all we claim of you But and if
Afflictions and Tribulation by them so have we in another manner and far more unjustly Wherefore we cannot justifie them nor will not plead for them in opposition to you but we partly believe we may receive as much Equity and good Reason from some of you as we did from some of them and thus we have been a suffering People even without cause And at this day we are threatned by the rage of Men as if we should be cut off and destroyed but we regard not these things but do respect the Lord whom we fear and worship in our Hearts and if we outwardly perish among them that may perish yet it is for Righteousness sake and because of the matters of God's Kingdom which we hold and if you do destroy us for this cause we are clear and Innocent Blood will be upon you and the guilt thereof will sink you into misery here or hereafter Oh take heed and defile not your selves nor load your Consciences with our guiltless Sufferings as many others have done before you even to their ruin and woful destruction you are yet in a great measure clear from our Oppressions we have not much Iniquity yet to charge upon you in our Cause of Afflictions Oh it will be well for you if you keep your selves clear the less will be your Judgement and the better success will you have in you Cause for Friends the weight of Innocent Blood it hath a loud cry and God will hear it and if you burden your selves with it it will soon overweigh you therefore keep clear and condemn them by your Practises that have said they would not persecute for good Conscience sake but have done it even contrary to all Pretences and Engagements and if you who profess not so much in words towards that thing would do it how should your Practise condemn their Hypocrisie in the sight of God Men and Angels But however I warn you and do leave it at your door and do say unto you Persecution for Conscience sake is the crying Sin which draws down Vengeance upon Kings and Governments be you warned through the fall of others least confusion come upon you as it hath come upon many others for that cause and be not too confident in your way nor too furious against your Enemies but remember your breath is in your Nostrils and he that gave it you can soon take it away And as for you we have no Enmity towards any of you nor do we seek the hurt of your Persons nor can we rise up in Rebellion against you or seek your Destruction by Craft or Policy neither indeed can we seek Covenant or League with you by flattery It is true you are in Authority over us outwardly and as you are so we shall yield subjection to you in any of your just Commands and in all things it is our Principle to obey you either by doing or suffering yet we cannot bow nor fawn nor flatter nor deny our Principles nor our Religion of which we are perswaded by the Spirit of God in our Consciences that it is right and according to God but I say we cannot revoke our Principle neither for advantage to our selves nor yet to save our lives you must find us constant and not changeable as others are who turn every way for their own advantage and cry up this or the other and pray and fight on the behalf of any thing which may make for their advantage but God is grieved with such Spirits yet we are otherwise minded and must only own your Government and Authority as it is just and brings forth Righteousness so we can own it and bow before it but as otherwise if it be Unjust and Oppression we must patiently suffer under it whatsoever you have power to do and this is all the Peace we can make with you or the Engagement that we can bind our selves in towards you though we cannot but own that this Day is given you either in Mercy or in Judgement to you yea and we cannot but own that you may be God's Executioners yea what if we say That you may be raised up to avenge our Cause upon our Oppressors though still we must bear witness against that Wicked Loose Prophane Spirit that lives and abounds in some of you and among you and works Unrighteousness even to the dishonour of God throughout this Nation this Spirit we bear witness against that it is evil and brings forth bad effects in every City and Town throughout the Land whereby the Lord is provoked against you and this Nation in an high measure Oh that you would consider of it while there is time to be corrected and amended before it hath brought forth unpardonable Iniquities which it hastens to fulfil and draws down Wickedness as with Cords Oh the Excessiveness in drinking and other Vanities Oh what destroying of the good Creatures It grieves the Hearts of the Righteous and vexeth the Sober-minded to consider it and also there is a great deal of Hypocrisie and deceitful-heartedness amongst many I have considered this thing and it is a Vexation to the Lord and cannot but be detestable to you even in that many contrary to their Principles Engagements Promises and Covenants do now cry you up for to save themselves their Lives Estates who have been deeply engaged against you publickly and privately and yet now in Hypocrisie are fallen in with you such their Proceedings are loathsome to God and your present Cause is no better because of such though as for some of you that have stood to your Principle and suffered for it this long while in your State you are more honourable and rather justified Oh let the King fear and reverence the eternal God knowing he is but mortal Man and his Breath in his Nostrils and let him keep himself clear from Persecution for Conscience-sake for that will destroy Kings and Governments who are guilty thereof and let him be meek and sober and take the Lord before him in all his Proceedings or else he cannot prospeâ his Day and Time is now present that God's purpose is to try him if he Rule in Righteousness and Truth in Equity and Justice he may be blessed But if otherwise he Govern and walk not in reverence to the Lord and spare his People the God of Heaven shall rebuke him and deliver his People another way Consider of these things in a sober mind read them over in meekness From a Lover of your Souls E. B. This was written about the middle of the 3d Moneth called May. A few Queries I do return to you for you to consider and answer relating to the present Affairs and Proceedings in this Nation even to all you that are called and known by the Name of Royallists and Cavaliers that are really so and have Suffered for that Cause Quer. 1. TO what do you attribute the first Cause of the advancement of this present Government And whether or no ye believe that
and divers practises thereunto pertaining it is not the true Worship of the True and Living God though never so zealously practised because it cannot be believed that the Authors and Composers of it were moved led and guided by the Holy Spirit of God in their very Institution and forming of it and whatsoever is brought forth whether in Faith or any practise in any kind of Profession and practises in any way of Religion and not onely by the Spirit of God is not the true Worship of God which is only in Spirit and Truth and consists onely of such practises moved unto and guided in by the Spirit and the true Worship of God is not otherwise neither for matter nor manner but in what things and after what manner as the Spirit of God leadeth unto and guideth in for the Father seeketh such to Worship him as Worship in Spirit and Truth 4. As for the Method and Form of the matter it is not according to the example of the Holy Scriptures nor agreeing to the practise of Worship held forth by the Apostles but different from and partly contrary to the Spirit that was in the Saints and their example of Worship as in many circumstances pertaining to the orders of Common-Prayer-Book might be instanced but even some of the Practises themselves and the manner of performing them are for the most part Invention and Tradition traduced into the World long since the Apostles days and they are not according to the Scriptures nor example of the Saints Worship in the Church of Christ in their days and therefore the Matter in it self partly and the Method of it are not the true Worship of the Living God which is not after the traditions of men as the manner of performance of Common Prayer-Book is when as the Worship of God is in and by the Spirit of God as before witnessed 5. And as for the Practice of it in this Nation as by Imposition and force upon pains penalties as it was practised for many years together as so held forth it was not the Worship of God but Abomination to him as I have shewed and that Worship which is practised by any people being forced upon them is but Hypocrisie and deceit and outward conformity in such Worshippers and God requires it not of them and such was the Worship in the Common-Prayer so called for there were many who did bow and conform thereunto even because of the terror of men even many in the Ignorance of their Consciences and some against their Consciences and contrary to the Light thereof and some were persecuted because they could not conform all which was Abomination in the sight of the Lord even the consequence of the thing was as evil as any part of either matter or manner also even while many conceited themselves in their Ignorance that they had Worshipped God and done well while they had onely performed such Worship forced upon them and which the Lord never required at their hands and that cannot be the true Worship of the true and Living God which can be performed by a People without the Spirit of God by which alone and without it God cannot be Worshipped and the practise of Worship after the order of Common-Prayer did many thousands if not most perform without the Spirit of God whereby it fully appears that in the practise of the Book of Common-Prayer the Worshippers did not Worship the true and Living God but walked only in a part of the Form of Godliness but had not the Power 6. But as for the Practise of it as now in England without Imposition upon all by force and penalty but by some out of supposition that it is the best way of worship and that willingly and neither forced upon them nor they forcing it upon others as thus practis'd is not so great Idolatry nor of so bad effects as if it were violently forced upon all but if any suppose it to be the best way of worship and be so perswaded such may more equally have their Liberty in the exercise thereof while they allow Liberty to others to follow what worship as they are preswaded and as it is unjust to impose by violence that or any other Form of worship upon people so it is unjust to impose penalty or punishments on the Bodies or Estates of any for their conformity to the Book of Common-Prayer or any other kind of Worship for as it is contrary to God to compel by force to that Practise of Worship so it is unjust to stop by force from that Way of Worship or to inflict Penalties upon the Persons or Estates of any because thereof for though many exceptions may be justly made by sound Arguments against that way of Worship in matter manner and effects as I have said yet none ought to be afflicted in Person or Estate for the error of their minds while their error extends not to destroy the Person and Estate of another for all force by violence that hath been put on the Bodies and Estates of men about Church-Worship Ministry and Religion of any kind hath been Antichristian and not of God even for many Generations 7. And therefore them that read the Book of Common-Prayer and all other sort of Worshippers that are either perswaded by the Spirit of God or suppose in their hearts of the Verity and Truth of their Way let them all have their Liberty in their way of Worship without force or restraint by outward Laws while they impose not one upon another violently for the true Worshippers ought not to be persecuted for their Worship but if they are it will confirm them in the truth of their Way the false Worshippers ought not to suffer affliction of Persecution nor loss of Estate though they do err in their Minds and Judgments about Worship in spiritual things but if they are afflicted because thereof it will harden them in their evil wayes and not convert them nor turn them from the evil of their wayes for men are converted to the right way and out of that which is evil by the Spirit of God and through perswading of the Conscience inwardly and not by force or violence put upon their Bodies or estates outwardly never any were converted to God by such means And this is my Answer to the Objection and my judgment of the case inquired into The Book of Common Prayer so called partly the Matter it self and the Method of it and the Manner of its performance is not the true Worship of the True and Living God no not the free Practise there of without Imposition much less the Practise of it by Imposition and force for that is altogether Abomination and hath with it woful effects upon whatsoever People it hath been or shall hereafter be forced and violently Imposed This is given forth for the Satisfaction of all that desires in this Matter The 5th Moneth 1660. E. B. A Postscript AND some set up the Institution
or to persecute any for their Conscience and the exercise thereof towards God And now I come to the Accusation it self which is this in substance That the Quakers are Enemies unto and have sought to root out the true Protestant Religion The words are these calling upon the King to honour the Lord which saith he is done by establishing and preserving the true Protestant Religion which of late years hath been in great danger to be rooted out by Anabaptists Quakers and Atheists page 6. line 1 2 3. of his Book Answ. In answer to this divers things are considerable as to the manner of his Charge against us That this Accuser hath proceeded in the same manner and by the same spirit as the Iews Scribes and Pâââisââs and chief Priestâ proceeded against Christ Jesus for they numbred him with Transgressors as it is written and crucified him between two Thieves that they might add to his Afflictions and bring him under the greater reproach to Ages after and thus this Accuâââ hath done in numbring the Innocent People of God called Quakers with and among Transgressors even that he may the more add to their Reproach and have his Accusation heard before the King even that it might be received for truth as if the Quakers were no better then Atheists that deny God for for this end this Accuser in these Terms vilified us and made us equal in this account to the Atheists and thus numbered us with Transgressors and Sinners and that unto the King and for this end no doubt that we might be destroyed and cut off and crucified with such as deny the Lord God Oh how unjustly and unmercifully hath this our Accuser proceeded in thus dealing towards us let the King and all People consider 2. As for such as are Atheists who deny there is a God or who deny the true God that is and who live after the desires of their own lusts saying Let us eat and drink for to morrow we must die and there is no pleasure in the Grave nor state of happiness or misery after this Life such we do deny and have no Affinity Amity Union nor Fellowship with them nor they with us and this is well known through the whole Nation and fully believed in Bristol and I am perswaded in the very Conscience of this our Accuser he knows we are not such as deny God nor have any fellowship with such therefore how hainous is this man's Crime both to God and Men who hath abused the whole Nation with his Slanders and endeavoured to mis-use the King's Ears with false Informations and hath perverted his own Conscience in speaking contrary to it and hath vexed the Lord by his Lyes and all in this his numbring of us in Accusation with the Atheists as if we were one with them and no better then they 3. As for the Anabaptists so called the other Party with whom we are accounted and numbred in the Accuser's charge It is well known what difference there is between us and them and how that we have been opposite one to the other in Controversie about spiritual things and also in matters of Judgement about Government and fighting with carnal Weapons c. and they have dealt sometime with us and proceeded towards us too hardly and maliciously as some of themselves know in accusing us to the Powers of the Nation as this man hath done But I shall at this time say no farther of them then this There may be a sincerity and uprightness amongst them in many of them more then is in this our Accuser though there is no small measure of Error in Judgement in them as concerning many Doctrines and Practises held by them and it s not my work now to accuse them neither to reward them evil for their evil but only on this occasion I am forced to clear the truth for the better information of all and I do wish well to them and even that they may confess to the justness of God's Judgment in what hath befallen them in this the day of their reproof who have been too ambitious and hard-hearted towards others that have not been of their Way and Sect and now the Lord deals justly with them in bowing them under others and in defacing their glory which was of man and not of God But to the case in hand I return and say How unrighteous still doth appear the manner of this our Adversary's Charge for whatsoever the Anabaptists or any others may hold or do though I at this time shall neither justifie nor yet condemn all what they profess and practise cannot we be charged guilty of except it first be lawfully proved that we holâ and practise the same things And as for us who are scornfully called Quakers which Title was given unto us of derision and nick-naming I cannot in this place say much of us lest I should be said to justifie our selves which I seek not to do because it is the Lord that justifies us neither do I love much to be heard in our own Cause when it is onely our own nor do I seek praise of men for us nor of men to be ââ¦ed yet this I may say on Gods account and in his cause and not of our ãâã we are the people of the Lord whom he hath called and chosen and ãâã and though hated of men yet it is for the Lords sake and not for any ãâã amongst men that can be chaâged upon us And we are Worshippers of ãâã ââue God in spirit and in truth and we are of God and they that are of ãâã are not against us but with us and as for any Doctrine or Practise in ãâã Religion held forth by us they are according to the Scriptures of Truth ãâã I assert and can prove if need require in opposition to any that shall ââây it for we are not of a new Religion as if we worshipped strange godds though by the ignorance of men we are so reputed but are of the same Spirit ãâã in the same way of truth and we walk in the same light and life even as tââ Apostles and Churches of Jesus Christ were of and walked in in the days ãâã old and this I am ready to make proof of if so it come to pass even beââââ the King and the whole Nation and do further declare That whatsoeâââ Church-Government Ministry Doctrine and Ordinances Faith and âââship and whatsoever Religion in whomsoever that is not according to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament but differing from and coâârary to that Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures I do for my self and on the behalf of all them that are one with me utterly renounce and âây and freely give witness against notwithstanding upon whatsoever foundation such Church-Government Ministry Doctrine Faith and Worship be builded if not upon Jesus Christ as the alone Foundation and according to the Scriptures and proveable thereby they are Antichristian and the Lord will confound
them The truth of these things being proved and rightly considered by the King ãâã all others no just occasion will be found for this our Adversaries Charge nor ãâã place can rightly be found in the heart of the King for the reception of the ãâã ãâã tion but may upon just tryal condemn both Accuser and Accusatiââ I mean not destroy the man but reprove the Accuser and his lyes ââ¦er And now I shall proceed to the Accusation it self and shall lay open the folly ãâã âânorance of the matter of his Accusation as well as I have done the wickedââââ ãâã the manner of it ãâã the true Protestant Religion hath been in danger to be rooted out by the Quakers ãâã This is the Charge it self ââsw If by true Protestant Religion the Accuser mean true Christan Reliââââ then I deny his Accusation utterly and do charge him to be a Slanderâ⦠Lyer and False Accuser and must desire of the King that such a ãâã ãâã taken notice of who hath abused and dishonoured him and that very ãâã in presenting him with Lyes and Falshoods for Welcomes which is inâ⦠lesâ then disgrace to both the Person and Office of a King What a ãâã ââtending so much to Love and Loyalty and so much rejoycing on his beââââând as if he were one of his choice Subjects and gave such reverence and ãâã to him and attempted so high as to be the Kings Informer and Instructer ãâã to be found a Presenter of Falshoods and Slanders against as good Subâ⦠ãâã the Nation as himself O how abominable is this both to God and the ãâã and the whole Kingdom that these things should be much more that ãâã should pass unreproved for we are of the true Christian Religion as beâ⦠ãâã have said even in the same way and of the same Spirit as were the holy ãâã and for that Religion we stand to do and suffer all things for that cause ãâã for the true Christian Religions sake But if this our Accuser by Protestant Religion mean the Sects of Lutheââ¦âr âr of the Sect of Calvinists so called or whomsoever else which I do ãâã heartily that I had the full intent of his mind of whom he means by the true Protestants for his words admit of divers acceptations and so a sound Answer can hardly be given while I do answer onely what I suppose to be his meaning by true Protestant Religion for there are divers sorts of Protestants Lutherans Calvinists and many others which are all Protestants and have protested against the Pope each one sort of them saying They are the true Christians and true Protestants yet are very much divided among themselves even to the killing and persecuting one of another so that which sort this man means and who of them are of the true Protestant Religion which we would root out c. this is doubtful I would I knew his meaning that I might give him a true Answer and sound for we may deny and oppose Protestant Religion or some part of it that is some Sects or divers sorts that have protested against the Church of Rome and yet be no Transgressors in the sight of God not many men for divers of the Protestants themselves are denying others of the Protestants and their Religion and it is my belief in this case that some have deserted the Pope and the Papists Religion upon bad grounds and have taken up a Religion as bad and no better then Popery not that I justifie Popâry in all things but have a large Witness to give against it and men ought to protest against it yet I say some called Protestants in their Religion are as corrupt as any of the Church of Rome so on some account I may as lawfully deny Protestant Religion or some sort of them that do profess it as the Church of Rome for it is as corrupted some part of it and no more acceptable to God in the Profession and Practise of it This is spoken in general of it because his Accusation is general Now if I had his full intent whether he means Lutherans or Calvinists or what others if not them that are of the true Protestant Religion that we would root out then I should insist upon that particular sort and give my exception against them for I have many things to object at least and some things wholly to except against in the Protestant Religion or some sort of it not that I condemn or judge every individual man of the Protestant Religion for I believe there are many that are sincere and zealous towards GOD though with some Error in Judgement yet as to the Form of Worship and Constitution of Church and Ministry and Ordinances in the Protestant Religion it is much if not wholly differing and contrary to the Church Ministry Worship and Ordinances of the Apostles and true Christians in their dayes and more then this I now may not say a more full Answer I cannot give to this Charge except that I did know what sort of Protestant he intended which if I did I should utter my mind more large as to the Matter according as the Spirit of God gave me utterance And now that I have spoken of the manner and also of the matter of his Charge I shall hint partly of the end and purpose of his thus accusing as to the King His end intent and purpose of his thus charging us must needs be and it will appear to be out of Malice Wrath and Enmity for to incense and move the Heart of the King against us to destroy us as I have before mentioned And in answer to this some things most especially are considerable to the King and all his Friends 1. If he should upon the Report of this Man or any others let his Heart be moved into Rigour and Enmity against us and thereby seek intend or work Evil against us to destroy us he did but fill the Land with Violence Cruelty and Persecution and Innocent Blood and fill his Government with Oppression and Tyranny and provoke the God of Heaven against him to destroy him and overthrow his Kingdom and Power and Government and this would doubtless be the effect of receiving such a Mans Counsel and of his so proceeding if that he seek to pluck up what the Lord hath planted and if he dip hiâ Hand in innocent suffering of God's People unjustly and if he reach forth his Hand to touch God's Anointed and hurt the Peaceable in his Land thââ shall the Lord take him from his Authority and give his Dominion to another more worthy then he And this is for him to consider in the coolness of his ãâã 2. âf he did proceed to do any thing against us or be moved in his heart ââ¦unto barely upon the report of this or such other men without hearing Face to Face and lawful tryal in the matter and hearing our Answer and ââfence as well as our enemies Charge against us then all the Nations of
case are silent and fully determines not this is not acceptable unto God nor of any reward by him either to him or them that forces and compels the keeping of a day nor in that Nation or from that People that so keep it by the Custom of time or the Commands of Men when as their Consciences are not perswaded by the Spirit of God in that case by which way the God of Heaven is onely rightly worshipped and the forcing of observing dayes and things either against pure Conscience or in the ignorance thereof is but Abomination and Idolatry both in the Imposers and in the Imposed and with such Sacrifices God is not well pleased And this is for the King to consider whose greatest wisdom it will be and most pleasing to God in him neither to compel and impose by Rigour the keeping of a day or observing of Practises as partaining to the Worâââp of God and Religion nor yet to punish or persecute any for the keeping any day or for observing such or such a Practise in Religion but let every Man do in such Cases even in matters of Faith and Worship towards God and about Religion as they are perswaded in their own Hearts and Consciences without either imposing upon them or persecuting of them in any thing about Religion and let him onely rule and govern in the Cases between man and man and over men in the exercise of earthly Things but between God and Mens Consciences let him take heed how he meddles for there he ought not to rule nor judge but to leave that to the Lord God who alone is sufficient in such things to perswade the Conscience and to judge and rule by his Spirit in all the Matters of his own Kingdom and about Religion ând the Observances thereof and this Trust and Power is onely in himself to effect all this by his own Spirit and is not committed to any Earthly King And how I come to the first Branch of his Petition which is in these words saith he I most humbly beg That your Grace will uphold cherish and fâster a Learned and Pious Ministry in your Kingdoms who are accounted vile and laden with Reproaches and such Ministers saith he whose Loyal Constancy and Integrity doth bespeak them to be not time-serving Polititions to gââtifie mans humours and serve their own Interest but Lux mundi Sal terrae c. Answ. In answer to this let the King wisely and soberly consider 1. That God hath a faithful pious and spiritual learned and true Ministry sent forth by Jesus Christ to convert people to God from sin and wickedness who are indeed God's Ambassadors and Watch-men for souls and are Lux mundi Sal terrae the Light of the World the Salt of the Earth this is most certain and not denyed nor doubted of but who it is and whom the Persons are of and amongst all the many kinds of Ministers and Sects that are now in being in the Nation this is very doubtful to many its possible to the King himself seeing here are in this Nation divers sorts of Ministers as Prelates and Presbyterians so called and divers other sorts all of whom saying they are the true Ministers and they are the pious learned Ministry and that others are Deceivers that differ from them and this is the cry of them all each sort justifying themselves and crying up their Ministry against others and their Ministry and this all of them do with pretence of proving their Ministry by the Scriptures But the Case remains still doubtful to many who is it and who is it not that are the true Ministers and have the true Ministry sent of Christ Jesus seeing one sort as well as another do seem to justifie themselves according to the Scriptures and yet are divided and incontention among themselves to be killing and destroying and persecuting one of another and each sort of others 2. If the King without certain knowledge by the Infallible Spirit of God who the true Ministers of Christ are and who they are not distinguished from all others by infallible Evidence if he do establish and uphold any one sort as the true Ministers and pull down and persecute others as false Ministers and be but doubtful in his own Conscience who are the true Ministers and who are the false how great danger doth he run himself into even to justifie the Wicked and condemn the Righteous and possibly may establish and uphold a false Ministry instead of the true and persecute and destroy the true Ministry instead of the false And this may he soon effect for want of discerning and right judgement in the Case and in so doing vex and displease the Lord God and gain his Wrath and Fury upon him and his Government Therefore it will be great wisdom for him to wait upon the Lord for to receive his Spirit that he may first discern and try between true and false Ministers and Ministry and in the mean time allow Liberty to all alike in their Religion while they walk justly and soberly as men and are not hurtful to the Persons or just Estates of others by their Religion 3. If Liberty be given to one Sect and one kind of Ministry in opposition to others and all other prohibited and persecuted how would this âârage and vex the spirits of many in the Nation against him and his Government and while he gained one sort of men on his part and some Ministers to pray for him he disengaged divers sorts and many would seek God against him and such proceedings would be both contrary to God and of very bad effect in these Nations for men would be provoked in their spirits not to fear any dangers rather then to be held in such captivity under the Ministry and Worship of such whom they in Conscience could not joyn with and there is a woful Example in this Nation of the effect of such prohibition and force for was not that very matter to wit the establishing of one âort of Ministers and persecuting others one of the principle Cause of the last bloody War And may not the Nation fear the like now if the same Ground be laid and the Foundation raised as before-mentioned And therefore let this enter into the Heart of the King to consider very weightily But the Petitioner seems to define to the King what Ministers he begs to be upheld and cherished in these words Such whose Loyal Constancy and Integrity do bespeak them to be not time-serving Polititians to gratifie mens humours and serve their own sordid Interests but Lux mundi Sal terrae c. Answ. 1. They who are indeed the true Ministers of Jesus Christ that are called truely of him into that work and are God's Ambassadors neither set this Petitioner a begging for them nor can accept of this his work for Christ's true Ministers are no Beggers neither seek to be approved to Kings nor any Men by Flattery and Deceit but are approved
yet notwithstanding Hypocrisie False-heartedness Covetousness Double-mindedness and the spirit of Pride Ambition and Vain-glory have possessed the Hearts of both Teachers and People in all the false Sects and divers kinds of Religion though they have had a shew as if they were the Lord's People and a Pretence of Worship and Conformity of Church-Fellowship c. yet their Hearts have not been right before the Lord but of these it may be said Even they have professed God with their Mouthes and with their Lips honoured him and in the very time their Hearts have gone after Covetousness and been far departed from the Lord and though they have cryed The Temple of the Lord and we are the Church of Christ and Members of him and have Gospel and Ministry and Ordinances yet these People have walked in Pride and Arrogancy and Covetousness and their Hearts have been Corrupted in the sight of the Most High and all their Religion hath been but as the Fig-leaves by which they have sought to cover themselves but it cannot be For Behold ye Professors and People of Ireland God hath beheld your Hypocrisies and the Deceitfulness of your Hearts and your Nakedness doth appear for though you have professed much of the Spirit and Spiritual Things yet you have walked in the Flesh and brought forth the Fruits thereof and your Garments of feigned Prayers and Practices and your Profession of Church and Ordinances will not cover nor hide you from the Wrath of the Lamb. Oh People of Ireland many of you have been corrupted in your Hearts and polluted in your Minds and from the highest of you to the lowest you are found Transgressors against God even from the Professor to the Prophane the Lord hath found no good Fruit amongst you well-pleasing to him but four Grapes and bitter Fruit have you brought forth even Fruit of a bad Taste and loathsom Smell unto the Lord and now the Lord hath found you out in your Wickedness and the Cry of your Iniquities call for Vengeance for of you it may be said Ah Nation laden with Iniquity ab sinful People a seed of Evil doers corrupted from the crown of the Head to the sole of the Foot These things are so and they cannot be hid But now the Lord's Purpose is to deal with thee because of thy sins seeing he is provoked against this People by their Iniquities who have been disobedient to the Living God therefore will he renew his Judgments of old and with-draw his Mercies and he will plead with this People in his Justice his Judgments are at the door and he will punish the Stout-hearted and Proud and Arrogant till they learn Meekness and Humility He will correct the Transgressors with his Rod of heavy Wrath till they turn to him by Repentance and all that will not how and kiss the Son and cease from Evil and learn to do well they shall be broken and cut off and perish in his Anger and he will never heal them even the Feller will come upon thy People O Nation who will hew down thy Cedars and cut up thy strong Oaks the Fanner is coming upon thee to sift thee to preserve the good Grain and to separate the Chaff into the Fire thy Strength will be made weak and thy Crown will be trodden down and thy Beauty shall be marred and all thy Glory and Might shall fade like a Flower in that Day when the Lord of Hosts pleads with thee and when he rewards thee for thy Wickedness then Wo unto thee and unto all the Wicked and Workers of Iniquity and he will cause them to remember what they have done Thy Sins O Nation shall be set in order before thee and thy Persecution of the Lords Servants shall be charged to thy âââount and the Rod of Affliction shall reach close unto thee because thereof And as thy Rulers have done to others so shall it be done to them into Captivity shall they go and the Spoiler shall come upon the Land for just is the Lord and his Iudgment altogether equal and though he be Long-suffering and of great Forbearance yet he forgets not to plead with his Enemies and to Plague the Ungodly nor to shew Mercy to them that trust in him And doubtless there is a Cup of Wrath prepared for the Wicked to drink and it seemeth to be near even a Day of great Wrath and Tribulation upon Sinners and Transgressors who have rejected the Lord and despised his Reproofs and would not receive the Message of the Light of the World that they might be healed Wherefore Repent Repent all sorts of People all Sinners and Transgressors Tremble before the Lord ye Stout-hearted and Rebellious Children Wo unto ye unjust Rulers and Judges that have exercised unjust Judgment in the Land that have judged for Gifts and Rewards and that have turned aside just Judgment Mercy and Truth and that have persecuted the Innocent without just Cause Wo unto you that have been Oppressors of the Poor and Needy ye that have not judged for the Lord as ye ought to have done but have been Ambitious and Vain-glorious and puffed up in the Flesh by high Titles and Places of Honour Ye that have exalted your selves above your Brethren and sought Honour of Men and loved the Honour of this World morâ than the Honour of God Wo unto you for the Day of the Lord's Judgment is at hand and an Account of your Stewardship must you give Ye that should have judged in Mercy and Truth and Equity but have perverted just Judgment and made the Innocent Offenders and have not been a Praise to them that do well nor a Terror to Evil-doers as ye ought to have been Wo unto you and to the Oppressing and Flashearted Lawyers and that Train who have been greedy of Gain and served your own Ends and sought Riches to your selves and the Cause of the Poor hath not been freely pleaded by you Wo unto all ye that have made a Trade of doing Judgment and Justice and have been exercised in the Law for your own Ends and not singly for the Lord. Tremble ye Sons of Wickedness ye that have exercised the Power of Antichrist and the Beast for the Judgments of the Lord are at hand to be executed upon you Wo unto you Great and Rich Men ye Covetous and Earthly Worldlings âe that have made your selves Rich by Oppression and Grinding the Faces of the Poor that have got Gain by Hard-dealing and added Land to Land and Field to Field and that have over-reached the Ignorant and oppressed the Widdows and Fatherless and that have exercised Cruelty and Hard-dealing to your Tenants and Servants and have laid heavy Yoaks upon such with whom you have dealt and that have made your selves Great and Rich in the Earth by such means Wo unto you Misery is coming upon you Weep and Howlye Earthly Greedy Covetous Wretches of this World who have sought Riches more than the Lord and gotten Gain by Oppression
and Over-reaching your Neighbours your Riches so gotten shall never prosper noâ be blessed to you but shall be a Curse to you and your Children And your Covetousness will God plague Ye that have gotten Goodt and not by Right shall leave them in the midst of your dayes Wo unto you Carnal Minds all the Treasures of them are corruptible your Lands Gold and Silver are fading Treasures The Day of the Lord's Judgments are at hand upon you and the Rod of his Wrath will smite you and ye shall have Poverty and want instead of Fulness and Excess and ye shall have Leanness and Barrenness and God will plead with you in the way you have sinned against him The Time of your Visitation draws near Wo unto you Merchants Traders Buyers and Sellers that have been Double-Dealers and Double-Tongued and dealt deceitfully in your Commodities with your Neighbours Wo unto ye that have got Gain by Double-dealing and by feigned and flattering Speeches have beguiled one another and sought to out-reach in your Bargaining every man his Brother these things have ye done O ye Covetous Men ye have even robbed the Poor by your Craft and Guileful-dealing by your smooth and flattering Tongues and if any amongst you could not use Fraud and Dissemble such have been your Prey and Scorn and it s your Use to discommend a Commodity when you buy it and to praise it when you sell it and ye make a fair out-side to please the Eye and ye use multitude of words and fair speeches and decâive the Simplâ and get Gain by Oppression Craft and Deceit Wo unto you Repent of this your sin Cleause your Hearts you Sinners and purifie your Hearts you Double-minded I charge you by the Lord Give over your Double-dealing and deceitful Merchandize cease to Lye and Defraud cease your Flattery and Feigned words and speak the Truth every one to his Neighbour and come out of your Iniquities use not a bad Conscience any longer for its a fearful Abomination against the Lord But mind the Light of Christ in you which will convince you in your Consciences of your noughty and sinful wayes and that Light will exercise your Consciences to do the Truth and speak the Truth to your Neighbours in all things and this is Blessed and the Gain that is thereby gotten is not a Curse for ye ought in all your wayes to reverence the Lord and respect him that he should lead you and guide you in your exercise of all Earthly things For the Earth is the Lord's and the Fulness thereof and it ought to be exercised to his Glory and there is suffient in this Creation for all People and therefore covet not Earthly things one from another neither oppress nor over-reach one another about them neither treasure up Earthly things while the Poor want for if ye do you hide your selves from your own Flesh laying Field to Field till there is no Place for the Poor and Wo unto such the Day of the Lord will be upon you But learn the Wisdom of God how to be ordered and how to order all things of this Creation and be in Unity and good Agreement amongst your selves and do not fall out nor strive nor contend nor envy one another about Earthly things but if ye have much or if ye have little be contented with what you have and do not grind the Hearts and Consciences one of another to get Earthly things for they will fade and perish away and seek not after that which perisheth but after that which is unto Eternal Life For the Day of the Lord is at hand and his Judgments upon all Oppressors Double-dealers and False-hearted Flatterers that are Covetous of Earthly things Wo unto all ye Drunkards and Swearers Whoremongers and Prophane Persons the Judgments of the Lord are upon you unawares ye that destroy the Creation upon your Lusts that are rnn into the Excess of Wine and Beer and that covet it excessively and that drink till ye inflame your selves and spend your time in it ye are like the Beasts of the Field and like the Swine that wallow in Filthinefs ye pervert the right use and End of the good Creatures of God and spend them upon your Lusts and have not regard unto the Living God and one sin even begets another Drunkenness begets Swearing and prophane Words and Whoredom and beastly Affections and thus ye add sin to sin and heap up one sin upon another conââary to the Light in your own Consciences and thus ye serve ãâã ââ¦il and Satan committing Iniquity with both hands as it were by ãâã ãâã and swearing and taking the Name of the Lord in Vain and ãâã Spââââes and falling out one with another and your Minds are eââed ãâã the Lord and ãâã abuse your selves and your ãâã Bodies which were made fââ the service of God and not ãâã whorâ⦠ãâã and ye slay your own soulâ by your own Iniquities and mames provoke the Lord to destroy both Soul and Body Wo unto you ãâã âlagues of God are your Portion and Misery your ând here and hereafter ãâã of your Iniquities and turn from them left the Lord find you in ãâã Iniquities when he comes to Judgâment ãâã if you continue in them ãâã can never be pardoned but you siâ unto death and the Lord will come âpon you suddenly for ye that followed Drunkenness and Propâââess you live contrary to the Light in your own Consciences and you sin against your knowledge against that Knowledge that God hath given you and this is your greatest sin even because ye do the things which ye know ye shoulâ not do ãâã the Light in your Consciences doth sheâ you that these things are evil before you do them but ye doing the things contrary to the Light in your ãâã Consciences this makes your Crime ãâã and your sin uâpardonable ãâã âe continue in sin and prophaness contrary to the Reproof of God's Spiâââ ãâã your own ânsciences Wherefore ye prophane Persons cease to do evil âest the Lord's Judgements come upon yââ suddenly to your Dâstruction and the Lord smite you and you never be healed Wo unto all ye ââypoâriâiââl and deceitful Profâssors of Religion that hold the Truth in Unrighteousness thââ have a talk and a shew of Religion and that have the Name of Church-members and of Worshippers of God but are ãâã in Sins and Trespasses ye that are Christians by Name but want the Nââure who are Wolves in Sheep's cloathing that have Christ's words the Prophets and Apostââs words but want their Spirit and Life Wo unto you the Dââ of the Lord is at hand upon you ye Hypocrites ye that serve God with your Liââ and with your âouthes profess much love whenas your Hearts are full of ââây Covetousââââ and Earthly-mindedness ye are the Apostate Christians thââ have taken the Form of Godliness upon you but want the Power ye preach and pray and hear sermons and keep Sabbath Dayes and perform Duties ãâã ye
in your own Consciences you are in a condemned condition and you cannot be justified of the Lord while you are accused by the Light within you of such and such sins and that you are guilty of them and sorsake them not for the God of Heaven condemneth and justifieth men according to the Witness of the Light in their own Consciences for it is Gods Evidence to bear witness for God and to accuse or excuse every man in his sight and according to its evidence God justifieth or condemneth all the Children of men III. Again Whosoever will be saved must be born again of the seed of God and must be changed and renewed in Mind and Heart and Spirit and old things must pass away and all things must be made new and a new Nature must live in you and the Image of God must be brought forth which is in Righteousness and true Holiness which is like unto God and this is the new Creation which every one must witness to be wrought in them that ever ââââers into Gods Kingdom For saith Christ Except a man be born again he canâââ enter into the Kingdom of God for it is not a profession of Religion made with the Lips nor the practises of Duties and Ordinances taken on and performed in the old nature and a holding of truth in unrighteousness this is not the way of Salvation but it is the regenerating and making like unto God being his Image of Justice Truth and Righteousness it is this in which men may be saved everlastingly IV. Again Whosoever will be saved must receive the Spirit of God and it must dwell in them even the Spirit of the Father and they must be taught by it and led into all Truth to do the Truth and speak the Truth in all things even the spirit of Truth must be received to teach and to lead in all the wayes of God it alone must teach and all the Hireling-Teachers of the World must be turned away from by whom peoples souls have been deceived all such as have run and God never sent them that have cryed up Tââching and Ministry and through whom people have not received the Spirit of thâ Father all such Teachers must be denyed their Church and Ministry and the Spirit of the Father must only teach and lead and you must walk in the Spirit and not after the Flesh for if you walk after the Flesh in the wayes and works of it you are in the state of Condemnation and not of Salvation and the Spirit of God doth not teach you but you are out of the New Covenant of God in which Covenant all are taught of the Lord and in Righteousness are they established the Spirit of God is put within them and the Law of God is written in their hearts and they need no man to teach them but as the Spirit teacheth and this is the New Covenant of Peace with God into which all must come to witness this or else they cannot be saved V. Again all that will be saved must be sanctified cleansed and purified from all Unrighteousness by the Spirit and Word of God whereby every Heart must be made clean and every Conscience sprinkled with the Blood of the Lamb and the body of sin and death must be put off and the bondage of Corruption must be broken and Iniquity must be forsaken and turned from and siâ must be judged in the Flesh and Purity Holiness and Righteousness must live and reign in all that will be saved and Sin and Transgression and the guilt of it must be removed and you must shew forth the Image of God in Holiness and Righteousness and must be pure as he is pure in kind and quality and you must walk in Holiness and Righteousness being freed from Corruption and from the Wayes of Sin and Death being sanctified in Body Mind and Spirit by the Word of the Lord and Sin must be blotted out and Transgression must be covered and Iniquity must be remembred no more and in all things you must cease to do evil and learn to do well if ever you will be saved VI. Again whosoever will be saved must witness Christ revealed in yoâ ââd âe must live in you and you must be Followers of him wheresoever he goâs ââd your Bodies must be the Temples of the Living God and God must walk ãâã you and dwell in you according to his Promise and he must be your King your Judge and Law-giver your Teacher Father and Master and he must be ãâã in all unto you even God the Father who is blessed for ever you must ââow him near you and feel his Presence in you to be your Joy Life and âeace and you must have fellowship with him in spirit and must worship him ãâã Spirit and by the Spirit without respect of Dayes Times or Places every one that will be saved must come into this and witness it for this is the way of the Salvation of God VII Again whosoever will be saved must live in the Power of Godlinâss and must deny all Forms of Religion without the Power all Profession of Scriptures Ordinances Church-member-ship Praying and Preaching which is not in the Power of God and by his Spirit must be denyed and that part that holds it that holds the Form of Godliness without the Power must be crucified and every one must come into the Power of the Spirit of God and must witness that to work in them to will and to do and no more professing the Things of God but as they are witnessed by the work of his Spirit in their hearts you must not hold Truth any longer in unrighteousness nor make a profession of it in your your unrighteous minds no more talking of Justification and Redemption nor of any of the matters of Gods Kingdom but according as they are witnessed by the working of the Spirit of God in the heart and every one must feel in himself the evidence and Testimony of the Spirit of God to witness the Truth in his heart or Conscience of what he professeth with his mouth VIII Again Whosoever will be saved must witness the Scriptures of Truth fulfilled in themselves the things that they have read of without them must be wrought within them wrought in their hearts by the same Spirit as gâve forth the Scriptures they must pass through the same conditions as the holy men of God did and the same truth that the Scriptures declare of must be revealed in the heart by the same Spiâit that gave forth the Scriptures and none must profess more than they do enjoy from God and all flesh must be silent from speaking of the things of Gods Kingdom which they have not seen handled rasted and felt by the working of the Spirit of God in their Consciences and this is to witness the Scriptures fulfilled when you have experience of the same conditions and of the same operations and manifestations which the Servants of the Lord passed through
not read that the Iews persecuted them for so doing And will you that have the name of Christians persecute the People of God though they meet together in private houses and their own hired houses and cannot come to your Temples and Steeple-houses And will not you suffer such to meet together out of your Publick Places but you will persecute them and call them Hereticks and such like Is not this worse than ever the Iews did to the Apostles And so you are out of the Example of the true Christians who met together and preached and prayed often and not in a Synagogue or Publick Place but you cry against them that do so and threaten to persecute for it and thus you shew your selves out of the true Christian Example and in this you are worse than the Iews and more cruel if you should persecute People for meeting to wait upon the Lord in their own houses or in what place or time as the Lord should move their hearts but if you proceed in this way and will not permit the People of God to meet together in their own houââ and not in your Idol-Temples then the Power of the Lord will confound you and God will break you to peices and you will feel his heavy Wrath upon your Consciences and God will smite you with his Judgements inwardly and outwardly Now for your restraining of people from one way of Worship and forcing them to another and compelling them about Religion by cruel Laws and Commandments of men this is of Antichrist for you to do and of the Devil for all forcing of People to this kind of Worship and from another ãâã posing upon their Consciences in matters of Gods Kingdom this is also of ââ¦tichrist and contrary to Christ and his Way for he won People by sound Doctrine and by Love and by a good Conversation and so did his Disciples for they never forced any by outward violence to their Worship nor ãâã ãâã Church-Government and Ordinances but it was the practice of the Beast and the Dragon that first forced People and compelled them ãâã âââship since the dayes of the Apostles Rev. 13. It was Antichrist that first ãâã upon People in the Ignorance of their Consciances and contrary to their ââ¦ences by the Commandments of men false Faith false Worship false Ministry false Doctrine and false Religions so that now if you should force any contrary to their Consciences to your Steeple-houses to ãâã and say your Form of Prayers we shall say then you are Antichrist ãâã of the Devil if so be you should endeavour to compel any either against ãâã Consciences or in the Ignorance of their Consciences to your way of Worship or Religion Therefore take heed how you meddle in these things lest God confound you And as for us we are the People of God we fear his Name and worship him and cannot bow to the Devil and we need not be forced to worship the Lord for his Spirit leads us into all Truth and we need none of your outward Prescriptions or Form of Prayers for the Spirit of God teacheth us in all these things when and where and how we should worship the Lord God who is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth which is free and not by outward force and all the Worship that is otherwise and not in the free Spirit of Christ is of great Babylon whom the Lord will confound and destroy Another general Objection answered Object 2. Again whereas it is said by some Now there must be no more private Preachers unlearned men and men not ordained must not now preach anymore Lay-Persons must not be Preachers that are not so qualified nor so and so ordained and this is the present talk among some People Answ. To this I also answer and say Wo to them that would stop or quench or limit the Spirit of God in Sons or Daughters for such are Denyers of the Scriptures and the Power of God and such bring guilt upon their own Consciences and work fearful Abomination against God And what must not the Spirit of the Lord speak now where it is in this Age as it did in the dayes of old as you may read in the Scriptures for was not Elisha a Plow-man and was not he called from the Plow 1 King 19. and became a Prophet of the Lord unto the House of Israel and had the spirit of Elijah poured upon him and would not you have said he was a Lay-man a Plow-man unordained not fitting to preach if you had lived in his dayes And was not Aâââ called from following the Flock who had been no Prophet nor no Prophets Son but an Herds-man Amos 7. 14 15. and it was lawful for him to preach the Word of the Lord though he was but an Herds-man and had been no Prophet nor Prophets Son which if he had lived in your dayes you would have called him a Lay-man an unfit Person unlearned and one not ordained for the Ministry and you like Amaziah the wicked Priest of Bethel would now quench the Spirit as he would have done in Amos who was a Trades-man and such a one as you call Lay-men who are not as you say fitting to preach And did not Christ Jesus himself chuse Fisher-men and sent them forth to preach the Gospel and such as were men of Trades and unlearned in Books as it is written Act. 4. 13. When the Ruâââs saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived they were Unlearned they ââvelled and these were Ministers of Christ and preached the everlasting Gospel whom you would have called Lay-men and men unfit to preach ãâã you lived in their dayes And Paul himself by Occupation was a Tent-ââ¦er it is said and he laboured with his Hands and yet was a Preacher of the Gospel and there are multitudes of Witnesses in the Scriptures of these things how that men of Trades and unlearned in Letters and Books and never were brought up at Schools and Colledges but followed the Plough and were keepers of Cattel and some followed Fishing such as these in old ãâã had the Spirit of God given them and they preached the Gospel And what if the Lord at this day give his Spirit to such as these and send them ãâã to preach the Gospel even to such as were brought up and educated ãâã âay be at Handy-craft Trades and are labouring men and are not ãâã at Schools and Colledges will you limit the Lord and quench his ãâã and reproach his Wayes and Servants and now call them Lay-perâ⦠and say they are not fitting to preach for they are not Learned nor ââ¦ed say you and calling them Mechannicks and private Preachers and ãâã they must not now be admitted to preach the Gospel and in this you ãâã the Scriptures and the Example of the Saints in former Ages and so neither ãâã the Scriptures nor the Spirit that gave them forth though you say ãâã own the Scriptures yet
New Birth and âll such are out of the right way in the way of Error if they have the Form of Godliness but want the Power though they may have Mass or say Common-prayer once a week oâ oftner yet all this is but Abomination and Deceit whilst they practise Iniquity Hatred Back-biting Lying Drunkenness and the like they that act these things the Plagues of God will be their portion and Misery their end and their Profession in Religion will not save them The Day of the Lord is at hand ye Hypocrites ye false Christians ye ââat profess God with your Lips and your Hearts are far away Therefore repent ye and treâble before the Lord lest hâ smite you with Vengeance and forsake your false Religions both your Mass and your Iââ¦s of Prayer and be not Idolaters in professing love in your mouthes and honour with your Lips wâilst your hearts are departed from the living ãâã and now come to learn the true Religion Depart from all Iniquity and do not Lye nor Swear nor be Drunk nor Steal nor Murder nor Envy but love the Lord with all your hearts and your Neighbour as your selves And this is the true Religion in which man may be saved and live in Soberness Meekness and âânesttây and speak every man Truth to his Neighbour and live in love ãâã with another and be kind and gentle and bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit of God Cease to do evil and learn to do well and depart form all ââiquity and follow after Righteousness This is true Religion and in it âou may âe saved this is the right way all that walk in it shall have Peace and Blessing from God and all that walk contrary Damnation is their portion Therefore you Papists and Protestants so called turn from your Hypocrisie and learn this way and cease from your false worships that are after the Forms and Traditions of men and not after the Spirit of God and learn to worship God in the Spirit that you may be saved You have a Light from Christ in your Consciences which lets you see what sins ye are guilty of and it reproves you for your sin If you believe in the Light and walk in it that is the right way then you will deny what is evil and follow what is good in your Conversations but if you follow what is evil and act contrary to the Light in your Consciences and repent not Vengeance in flames of fire will be youâ portion This is the day of your Visitation the Army of the Lamb is gone forth and the Sword of the Spirit is drawn amongst them that will wound your Consciences and God will smite you with the words of his mouth ye Rocks and Hills and Bryars and Thorns and fruitless Trees the God of Heaven will hew you to pieces and pluck you up and cast you into the fire to be consumed Repent for the Day of the Lord is at hand By one that seeks the Good of all men E. B. A VINDICATION OF The People of God CALLED QUAKERS Directed Unto Roger Boyle Called Earl of Orrery Charles Coote Called Earl of Mountrath Theophilus Iones Called Sir Theophilus Iones Being an Answer to a Book dedicated to them by one George Pressick of Dublin In which Book many Lyes and Calumnies are presented against the Innocent People of God And this is for the clearing of the Truth that no Lye may rest upon it And for the Satisfaction of all Sober People in Ireland and elsewhere With a Word of Good Advice to the Chief Governours there THere is Irreconcileable Ennity between the two Seeds to wit the Seed of God and the Seed of the Serpent and these two are alwayes opposite and contrary one to the other in Nature Fruits and Effects and the seed of the Serpent is alwayes persecuting the Seed of God in every Age and Generation and they in whom the seed of the Serpent is living and ruling are alwayes projecting and contriving mischief and hatred against the People and âââvants of the Lord in whom the Seed of God liveth and reigneth as it is written He that is born of the Flesh persecutes him that is born after the Spirit Thus it hath been in all Generations and thus it is at this day Great is the ââââsition that is made by many in Lyes and Slanders in Reviling and Reââ¦hing in Imprisoning and Persecuting and in all manner of evil works ãâã words against the innocent People of God called Quakers How have the hands of ungodly men been lifted up to smite that People by many kinds of abuses and how have their Tonges been set on fire to reproach and revile and slander in all kind of evil-speaking and all this for Righteousness-sake and not for any evil doing For who is the man and where is he that can justly charge Evil upon that People either in Doctrine Faith or Practice or in any ââing relating to their Religion to God-wards or in relation to their Conversations and walking towards men It is true we have not wanted Accusers to every Authority but such and such things have been falsly charged against us and that to every Power that hath been since we were a People under whom we have been a suffering People even from all that ever have sitten in the Throne since the Lord raised us up to bear Witness of his glorious Name and Truth in the World Now the present occasion of this my present work is Forasmuch as we now stand accused of great and heinous Crimes in the view of this whole Kingdom of Ireland and more particularly before you three in a Book called A brief Relation of some remarkable Passages of the Anabaptists in Germany c. published by one George Pressick of Dublin and dedicated in a special manner to you that his Work may pass with the greater Credit and his Slanders and Calumnies be received for undoubted Truths Now that the Innocency of the Upright may be cleared and that no Lye may rest upon the Truth nor that you neither any others may receive Falshoods for Verities because of our silence therefore it is that the Lord hath put it into my Heart to defend the Cause of God and his People by returning plain and sober Answer to the principal part of his Book wherein we are concerned and falsly Charged and for the end that the false Accuser may be reproved and his Calumnies returned into his own evil and malicious Heart from whence they came and that you and all men may be truly informed and prevented if possible of being seduced into the belief of Falshoods lest that your Hearts and Hands should be stirred up to act or do in your Authority against the People whom God hath blessed and from the ground and cause of Mis-informations and false Accusations without better Testimony which would be a way to destroy your selves and to bring the unjust Sufferings of the Lord's People upon your own Heads which would draw
charging all this upon us Answ. 1 That we do boast of talking with God or of Revelation This is another of his false Accusations for we boast not nor do we glory in any thing saving in the Lord and this is no Error but that which we must acknowledge unto or else deny the Truth to talk with God and God with us in and by his own Spirit for all the Saints have converss with God and union and fellowship with him in his own Spirit as the Scriptures do declare and as for Revelations we do acknowledge according to Christ's Words that we had never known the Father nor the Son but by Revelation For none known the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveals him as it is written and all such as have not converss with God and that have not Revelation are not in the Way of Eternal life but are ignorant and without God in the World and neither know him nor have fellowship with him 2. As for killing all the Wicked this is another false Charge for it is not our Principle to war against the Persons of any Men and kill them with carnal Weapons about Church and Ministry and Religion as the Papists and Protestants do one against another but it is our Principle to war against the evil spirit in men and to smite that with the spiritual Sword of God's Word and we would have mens wickedness killed and their Persons saved and their Souls delivered and this is the War we make even till men be changed by the Power of God and all things made new even a new World and a new Earth we do expect according to the Lord's Promise so that it is no error to expect a new Earth and a new World for there is a new Creation which the Saints do witness created anew in Christ Jesus to bring forth good fruits unto the living God and all that do not witness this are in the transgression of the old Creation which brings the Wrath of God Again The Accuser tells a story of one that professed the Gift of discerning spirits and to know the Elect from Reprobates and that made holiness consist in speaking little and living homely and sordidly as our Quakers do saith he Answ. 1. As for discerning of Spirits that is a Gift which the Saints of God do receive in all Ages for the Apostles said to some was given the discerning of spirits by the manifestation of the Spirit of God So to profess discerning of spirits is no error in us though it be stated as a great error before you by an ignorant man who knows not what he saith nor whereof he affirms And its possible to know the Elect from Reprobates by their fruits and works for the Children of God who are the Elect are known by their holy and Righteous works and fruits and the Children of the Devil who are the Reprobates are known also by their works and fruits of unrighteousness which they bring forth and this the Scriptures bear witness of 2. As for speaking little and living homely and sordidly If he means by homely and sordidly plainly and without superfluity this is also works and fruits of holiness and its better to speak little than to utter multitude of vain words and its more justifiable to God and just Men to be plain and homely as he saith in Apparrel than superfluity of naughtiness in vain Attire and more holy for true holiness consists in the Power of God which crucifies all idle words and all superfluity in Apparrel and whatsoever is not like God And was but this Accuser as wise as he is envious he would never be seen to scorn the Quakers scornfully so called with speaking little and wearing plain and sober Apparrel but Fools love to be medling to manifest their own folly as it is written Again The Accuser telleth another Story of Muntzer how he did exhort some that were on his part viz. Anabaptists to kill every Mothers Son for a Sacrifice to the Lord and saith he by this we may gâess if Anabaptists and Quakers should get the upper hand what they would do c. Answ. 1. As for the Quakers getting the upper hand we strive not for it by carnal Weapons to have victory over mens Persons though we know the Lord will give us victory and dominion over the Beast and over the false Prophets for the Lamb shall get the victory and they that are with him who are called and faithful and chosen but this victory is spiritual and obtained spiritually and thus we believe the Lord will give us the upper hand even victory over âll our Enemies 2. But what a wicked envious siârmise and suggestion is here coutched under as if the Quakers if they had victory would kill every Mothers Son for a Sacrifice and that they would make War c. The Lord rebuke his slanderous Tongue who hatched Mischief in his mind against the Innocent and presented you with forged Lyes and Surmises and imagined guessed cruel and evil things against us who are far otherwise Principled than as he suggesseth but all this his own doings doth but manifest the folly of his own Heart and ãâã own wickedness for we are of the Spirit of Mercy and Peace and not of Murder and War not to kill mens Persons but to war with the Spirit of God against spiritual Enemies that mens Iniquities may be slain and their Persons and Souls saved Again The Accuser pag. 4. tells a long story of Micher Hopman and others with him what things they held As they condemned the Baptism of Children they would not take an Oath they pulled down Magistrates they undertook to kill all Princes they taught that in their Churches all were holy and that it was lawful to have many Wives that all Learning is prophane and that mean men are fittest to expound Sâriptures and there must be no ordinary calling in the Church but every man must speak as he is inspired And thus it is saith the Accuser with the Quakers and Popish Agents who are their Ring-leaders have been endeavouring in these three Nations these eight or nine years by-past c. Answ. 1. It is to be considered that all these things are fully charged upon us as being guilty thereof and so to every particular I shall answer As to that of the Baptism of Children we do say there is neither Command nor Example for it in all the Scripture God never commanded it nor did the Apostle ever practise it in their dayes but it is a Tradition of the Church of Rome introduced into the World long since the Apostles dayes and except better ground can be shewed for the Practice of it than bare Tradition it is lawful to deny it as being no Ordinance of God in his true Church except I say that it can be proved that God ever commanded it or the Apostles and Saints practised it till which be done it is no error to deny the
it and mould it for honour or dishonor and if his Spirit blow upon you and if he smite you you perish and none can restore you Take heed to this God and have respect unto him and remember you are but as Dust before him and you now have a time for a moment which the Lord hath given you to try you what you will do and how you will walk towards him an Account unto him must you give of all your wayes Remember this now in your life-time while you have time and the day of your visitation is not quite extinguished 4 Be tender and compassionate towards all men not perverse hasty and froward thinking to bow men to your wills by rigour but rather win them by love and this is of good report to you to be humble meek and tender towards all even towards your Enemies and insult not over the Afflicted neither add to their Sufferings for the Lord can raise up and bring down whomsoever he will according to his pleasure and remember that Law to walk by it Do to others but aâ ye would have others do unto you in the same case and be not too cruel to such who cannot conform to Times and Things and Men for what know you but some mens Consciences may be tender in things which you yet make no Conscience of meddle not to persecute any for their Conscience sake in religious matters but rule and govern well in outward Affairs according to the Law of God but afflict not nor persecute any for their Conscience sake towards God while they walk justly as men in things between man and man Take this Counsel lest you vex the Lord against you to destroy you 5. Be moderate and compassionate towards this same People that are accused before you though they are at this day a People under Afflictions and Sufferings every way yet shew not the height of Rigour and Oppression against them though you have Power to imprison them and to deal hardly with them yet be tender and meek and shew bowels of mercy and forbearance and use not the extent of your Power to seek their Destruction lest ye provoke the Lord against your selves for the God of Heaven remembreth their Cause and doth give ear to the cry of their innocent groanings under their heavy Burdens and Deliverance may he work for them whether you will or no Though it be an hour of Affliction and a day of great Tryal upon them yet Wo unto them that shall be found adding to their Afflictions by encreasing their Burdens through Injustice and Persecution Therefore as ye hope to receive Mercy from the Lord and as ye would have his Compassion shewed to you do the same to his People for Power is in your Hands to be Merciful or Cruel to relieve them or persecute them and it is your day of tryal what you ãâã do ye have your hour to do Good or evil and according to your Works will the God of Heaven reward you 6. Consider the Innocency of this People they are clear before the Lord and you of plotting or contriving or designing Evil againââ you or this Government they seek not the hurt of any mans Person nor do they intend Evil towards the Government or Governours Who have found them agitating any such things of all such things they are innocent and are peaceable Subjects under the Government and are perswaded in Conscience so to âântinue And as for their Deportment in their Callings and Occasions and Tradings amongst Men ask their Neighbours Do not they deal justly truly and equally in all their Dealings and Occasions Do not they speak the Truth to their Neighbours in all Matters and are they not Persons of upright and inoffensive Lives and Conversations Do they defraud their Neighbours or are they Drunkards or vain Persons âet the very Witness of God in their Neighbours answer And if you should fall a persecuting this People and seek to destroy them concerning whom the Witness of God in Mens Consciences giveth such an Evidence Wo wo will be unto you for you cannot hurt them but you act contrary to the Witness of God in your own Hearts which will condemn you in the Day of Judgment So let this dwell upon your spirits and be aware what you do take good Consideration lest you act out of God's Counsel to your own overthrow 7. Consider what became of all the Persecutors of old Were not they Eminently destroyed by the Hand of God who persecuted the Lord's People What became of Pharoah and what became of Hammon and what became of Herod who persecuted the Lord's Heritage Let this enter into your Hearts to be Examples to you that you persecute not the Innocent lest God overturn you by the Roots for as I have said The Cause of this People God regardeth and he will avenge himself in his season of all their Persecutors Have not your Hands dipped in their unjust Afflictions that God may bless you and spare them that you may be spared in the Day of Vengeance if you have no matter of Evil against them in things between man and man nor in the Affairs of your Government as contriving against it nor nothing but concerning the Worship of their God and the Matters of their Conscience in spiritual things Touch them not Persecute them not Afflict them not but be tender towards them as you will answer the same before the God of Heaven These are only Considerations of Warning to you and I commit the Matter to the Lord and ye have time to do Good or Evil and accordingly will God reward you A Testimony concerning Government and Authority WE are a People whom God hath raised up out of the Apastacy Darkness and Ignorance which all Christendom hath long been fallen into for since the dayes of the Apostles many have professed the Words of Christ and had a Name of Churches and the shew of Religion and have professed the Scriptures but have wanted the same Spirit and Power of Godliness which the Apostles lived in the Life and Spirit of God hath been wanting amongst the false Christians and they have been persecuting one another about Religion and the Worship of God and imposing upon one anothers Consciences in spiritual Matters and Kings and Rulers have been setting up what kind of Worship and Religion and Church Government as they pleased and they have imposed upon Kingdoms and made people subject to them to profess and conform to such a Way of Worship and Religion some in the ignorance of their Consciences and some contrary to their Consciences and all this hath been in the Apostacy since the Apostles dayes while men have been fallen from the true Faith and many have been subject to their Rulers and Governours by force and for fear and not for Conscience sake for Love Peace and Unity hath been wanting among Christians and Bitterness Frowardness and False heartedness hath been amongst them but out of all this the Lord
hath redeemed us into Peace and Comfort with God and one with another And as concerning our Principle about Magistracy and Government and obedience thereunto this I do declare 1. We do own and acknowledge Magistracy to be an Ordinance of God instituted of him for the punishing of Evil-doers and for the praise of them that do well and we acknowledge all subjection to Authority Magistracy and Government This is our Principle and hath ever been our Practice known through these Kingdoms that we are subject by doing or suffering to whatsoever Authority the Lord pleaseth to set over us without Rebellion Sedition Plotting or making War against any Government or Governors 2. That Government and Authority which is justly according unto God in all its Statutes and Ordinances we are and do engage to be subject thereunto by full Obedience to all the Commands and Injunctions of such Authority and Government whose Laws Ordinances and Commandments are grounded upon right Reason and Equity which leadeth to do to all men as we would be done unto and punish the contrary to such Government and Authority we are readily subject in all things and cases and we are for the Order and Assistance of such Government in all Righteousness 3. That Government which is contrary unto this which is Injustice commanding and requiring things contrary to the Law of God and imposing upon People in Matters and Cases contrary to Right Reason and Equity whose Commands are different to the Will of God yet to such Government we acknowledge subjection by patient suffering under all Penalties inflicted for disobedience to the Commands which we cannot perform by Obedience for Conscience sake And this is our Principle though an Authority and Government were never so Unjust in it self and in its exercise yet we may not plot nor contrive or make turbulent Insurrections to redeem our selves from such Government and Authority but we must commit our Cause to the Lord in such case of suffering under any unjust Commands of Men. 4. As concerning Church and Ministry and the Exercise of Religion We believe and acknowledge that Christ hath a Church upon Earth and a lawful Ministry and we are not Enemies to Church and Ministry and Gospel-Ordinances as we are falsly reputed by Men ignorant and slanderous but we only bear witness against the corruption and degeneration of the Church of Papists and Protestants so called wherein they are different and contrary to what the Churches of Christ were in the Apostles dayes they are different and contrary I assert to what the Churches of Christ once were in Ministry in its Call and Maintenance in Ordinances and Worship in Discipline and Government in all these things there is difference to what these things were in the true Churches in the Apostles dayes And our Principle is for the reforming of Ministry Church Government Discipline and Worship and not to destroy them 5. As concerning Imposing of Faith and Doctrine and Practices and Worship in Religion by the force of Laws and Penalties in the ignorance of mens Consciences or contrary to their Consciences We do say This Practice never was in the Apostles dayes but is an Intrusion of Antichrist and we bear Testimony against it not to be of God but contrary to him And that outward Government and Authority in Kingdoms and Nations is to be exercised over the outward man in things between man and man and not over the inward man in things between God and mans Conscience in spiritual Matters and Worship and Duty to God-wards No King nor Ruler upon Earth hath Power given him of God to exercise such Authority over the Consciences of Men in the Matters of God's Kingdom And further Religion and Church Government so set up and established by force upon Pains and Penalties can but reform a People into Hypocrisie and false Conformity and not into any real Performance of Religion or Duty to God And such Performance of Religion Church-Fellowship and Ordinances is not unto eternal Life but to the making of men two fold more the Children of the Devil 6. We do believe That it is the Convictions and Teaching of the Spirit of God that doth make men and People only truly Religious It is that only that perswades the Conscience from all Evil unto that which is Good and true Religion and the Worship of God and Duty towards him is not truly learned by Traditions of time Commandments of Men or Custom of Countries or the like but it is the Spirit of God and its Teachings in the Consciences of People that leadeth into all Truth according as Christ hath said so that the Way of forcing Religion and Duty to God upon People by force and outward Penalties this was never known among the Saints and Apostles of Christ. These things are presented to your Considerations The Lord give you a right Understanding of them and that you may walk in the way of your own Peace with God and Man E. B. Written in the 10th Moneth in Ireland 1660. SOME CONSIDERATIONS Presented unto the King of England c. Being an Answer unto a Petition and Address of the General Court of Boston in New-England presented unto the KING as is said Feb. last the Eleaventh Day 1660. Subscribed by Iohn Indicot the chief Persecutor there thinking thereby to cover themselves from the Blood of the Innocent OH King this my Occasion to present thee with these Considerations is very urgent and of great necessity even in the behalf of Innocent Blood hoping that my Work will find such Favour with thee as to induce thee to the reading and serious consideration hereof My Occasion is this Because of a Paper presented to thee called The humble Petition and Address of the General Court at Boston in New-England In which is contained divers Calumnies unjust Reproaches palpable Untruths and malicious Slanders against an innocent People whom they scornfully call Quakers whom for the Name of Christ's sake are made a Reproach through the World and by these Petitioners have been persecuted unto Banishment and Death It is hard to relate the Cruelties that have been committed against these People and acted upon them by these Petitioners they have spoyled their Goods imprisoned many of their Persons Whipped them cut off their Ears Burned them yea Banished and Murdered them and all this I aver and affirm before thee O King wholy unjustly and unrighteously and without the Breach of any just Law of God or Man but only for and because of difference in Iudgment and Practice concerning Spiritual things and without any Transgression of the Law of God or their own Laws saving that they made Laws against them on purpose to spoil their Goods imprison Persons cut off their Ears yea and kill them which Laws were made by them without any Power truly derived from the lawful Authority of England contrary to their Patent And now O King these same men have presented thee with a Petition in which is asserted very many
present help unto us in the time of our trouble for the plotting of the Wicked and the purpose of ungodly Men hath often been broken for our sakes even many a time have we been delivered out of the Snare that hath been laid for us and we have seen our Enemies fall before us on the right Hand and on the Left even the Wise in their worldly wisdom and the Foolish in their brutishness both Professors and Prophane hath our God often cut short in their desires and endeavours of our destruction and we have been wonderfully preserved unto this day and all this I attribute to the infinite Love and Power of the Lord God who is blessed for evermore And through all these things we are yet alive and the Lord doth not fail us unto this hour but he lives and walks in us and with us and his Testimony is with us even the Seal of his good Spirit in our Hearts that we are his Sons and Servants and we are confirmed by many tokens that he is our God and we are his People and that great Oppression which we have met withal hath not restrained us but thorough it all have we grown and prospered unto this day and concerning the things whereof we have testified these divers years I am no way doubtful but our God will fulfil them neither can my confidence be shaken by what is or can come to pass for Antichrist must fall false Ministry and Worship false Ways and Doctrines God will confound false Power and false Church the Lord will lay low and Truth and Righteousness must raign and God will gather his People more and more and glorious dayes will appear God will exalt his Kingdom upon Earth and throw down the kingdom of the man of sin all Oppression must cease and the Oppressors shall no more be and God will free his People and they shall be happy in this World and forever These things have we prophesied from day to day and my faith is constant and unmovable that God will effect these things in his season for the Lord never yet deceived me but what he hath said will surely come to pass And therefore Brethren let us be in Hope and Patience and live in the Word of Patience and not be faint-hearted as though the Lord had forgotten us or was unmindful of us or as though he would not perform what he had testified of by us for he is not a Man that he should lye nor as a Man that is given to change But lift up your Heads for the Lord is with us even in our greatest Tribulations and Afflictions and he will accomplish his Purpose for he is mighty to save his People and to destroy his Enemies It is true the Gates of Hell at this time seem to be open against us and we are a People like to be swallowed up of our Enemies and floods of wickedness seem to over-flow and the waves of the great Sea seem to be void of mercy and the hope of our Adversaries is to extinguish us from being a People and to destroy us from the face of the Earth and the Hands of our Persecutors are highly exalted at this day as though all that we have done for the Lord by our Labours and Travels should now be made of none effect Well dear Brethren though it be thus yet our God can deliver us and confound our Adversaries and we can appeal unto our God and can spread our Cause before him and he knows that our Sufferings and Afflictions are altogether Unjust and Unequal and Unrighteous and that our Persecutors do afflict us out of their Envy and without any just cause administred unto them by us our God knows it Angels and Saints know it that we are at this day a Persecuted People for Religions sake and this our present Affliction is not any just Punishment either from the Justice of God or from the justice of men For God hath given us the Witness of his eternal Spirit that Wrath is not in him towards us his Wrath be to his Enemies but unto us is Joy and Peace for evermore and the Lord clears us and he justifies us who then shall condemn us he chargeth no guilt upon us as if we were unto our selves the cause by our evil deeds of this our present sufferings and as if this were come to pass upon us as punishment from the Hand of God I say it is not so these our present Sufferings are not out of God's Anger towards us for his Love is to us let his Wrath be to his Enemies and as I said neither is this suffering in the justice of men for unto all the World we can say and God himself shall plead our Cause whom have we wronged or done evil to What evil have we done to any Mans Person Whose Goods have we falsly taken or coveted Against whom have we designed Mischief even the Lord himself be Judge between us and our Persecutors in this matter for unto him we are known that we do desire the good of all and not the hurt of any and yet we are dealt with as Evil doers whenas the God of Heaven is Witness in our Consciences that we neither plot nor contrive nor agitate in thought or word the hurt of any mans Person but we walk justly towards all being our Principle to do to others as we would be done unto and we can plead our cause unto our God and he shall plead our cause with our Enemies and this is the present state of our case what we suffer at this time it is singly in the Cause of God and for Righteousness sake and for the Testimony of Jesus which we hold therefore freely let us commit our Cause unto the God of Heaven and if we dye it is for him and if we live it is to him and we seek not vengeance against our Enemies but leave it to the Lord to plead with them And dearly Beloved I hope I need not exhort you to be patient and faithful in this day of our tryal knowing that the Cause is so excellent in which we are tryed it is God's Cause and not our own and I hope you all have the Testimony of his Spirit in your Consciences verifying the truth of the Cause for which we suffer and having that Evidence we need not to be doubtful as towards God not ashamed before-Men if so be that every one feels the Evidence of the Spirit of God bearing witness that we suffer for Righteousness sake and for the Name of Christ Jesus And so dear Brethren lift up your Heads and be asââ¦d that we are the Lord's and in his Cause we are tryed and he will judge and avenge our Persecutors in his season and we shall be a People when the Egyptians lie dead upon the Sea-Shore and when the raging Sea is dryed up this saâe People shall be safe for hath the Lord done so excellent things for us hath he led us forth and
might be well with you but if the contrary he can answer your doings with an equal Reward and none can prevent him And here is a Cry and a very great Cry of Persecution under your Authority the Prisons filled with Upright and Innocent Persons to the ruin of Persons Wives and Families if the great Mercy of the Lord did not prevent ãâã than the Iustice of men thousands within these few moneths have been cast into Goals and Dungeons and nasty Holes and divers have finished their Lives and dyed in Prisons many being taken out of their Houses and from their lawful Callings and many taken out of Meetings where they have been waiting upon God and cruel Sufferings inflicted upon them and all this for Truth and Righteousness-sake and for their Profession and Practice in Religion when as no plotting or evil-dealing towards the King nor any of his Subjectes could be justly charged and proved against them And thus the Innocent have been made a Prey to prophane Persons and their Sufferings have been woful and all this hath been under and by your Authority And are these things nothing to you or do you judge this is well doing Is this Iustice and true Iudgment Is this for your Happiness and Prosperity Let the God of Heaven and Earth judge in this matter between this People and You for the Cry of their Sufferings are very loud in the Ears of God and they have been laid before you and you ought to have relieved them and eased their heavy Burdens and shewed Iustice Pitty and Love and this would have made for your Happiness but if that you always neglect to hear the Cry of the Poor and of the Oppressed yet God hears and takes notice and though this People should have no Helper in the Earth yet He is their Helper and their Cause is committed unto him Can these things stand can you be happy in these Proceedings while the Innocent suffer under you Is it in your Hearts to destroy the Heritage of God do you think to extinguish an innocent People from off the Earth Must none wait upon God and worship him and pray to him but after your Prescriptions and Limitations And will you kill and destroy all such as do not who cannot for good Conscience sake conform to every Way of Worship and Religion imposed but must wait upon God and worship him and pray to him according as his Spirit teacheth and guideth will you I say destroy all such Is it in your hearts to effect it if it be the God of Heaven will not prosper you in such Purposes Will ye force men to forsake the Way of their God wherein they have found his Presence will ye persecute men for their Religion-sake while yet they walk uprightly in their Conversations among men Oh Friends it is not Iustice and true Iudgment thus to do it pleaseth not God neither doth it unite the hearts of Subjects in true Love and Unity but it hath contrary Effects and that you may find Indeed according to my judgment such Proceedings are not good Policy nor humane Wisdom for you to seek to establish one particular Perswasion and kind of Religion and impose that by force and persecute and seek to destroy all the rest that are otherwise minded if they will not deny their Principles and Consciences and conform this seems I say no good Policy among men for if it doth gratifie one sort of men in their desires it discontenteth and dissatisfieth many more and it breaketh Love and Unity amongst Subjects and your safety is in the uniting of Peoples hearts to you and one to another in Love and Liberty and not in the Divisions and Distractions of People surely this cannot be for your safety When as if you did give Liberty to all that were peaceable in their Lives and Conversations in the exercise of their Religion in Faith and Worship to God-wards this would cause all to love you and none to be discontented with you in good reason If one sort of People had as much Liberty as others in the ways of their Religion I mean and none more than others this doubtless would encrease Content among Subjects and be ablessing to you and your Authority and to proceed in that way which may keep the People in Love and Unity one with another and to you-wards this were good Policy for your establishment to perpetuity and there seems to be no otherway than in shewing Iustice Mercy and Liberty to all in all right ways and in the exercise of their Consciences towards God And this is my Iudgment the way for you to prosper is to leave the prescribing the Way of Worship unto God as his Spirit shall teach and perswade the Conscience and to leave the Iudgment in all Cases of Conscience about Spiritual Things unto Him and not to meddle about imposing Religion nor persecuting men for that cause for it is not your place to do it but you are to rule well over the outward man and to judge in the Cases of wrong between man and man but not at all in the Cases between God and mens Consciences But you may say Who art thou inferiour man that seemest to advise us that are high and potent and wise enough for our selves Well though it be thus though I am so and not much acquainted with the State-affairs nor do I profess Policy in the Governments of this World yet this I say Whatsoever my Birth or Quality be and whether I live or dye yet these things you must find true one day for I speak not as a Politition but as a Servant of God that your prosperity and Happiness in this World and hereafter standeth in shewing and executing true Iustice and Iudgment and Mercy and equal Liberty towards all without respect of their Title in the Profession and Practice of Religion and in allowing Liberty of Conscience in the exercise of Faith and Worship and Duty to God-wards to all Christian People equally in your Dominions and not to persecute or destroy any in their Persons and Estates for the Exercise of their Religion to God-wards This is the Way of your Prosperity and the contrary is the Way of your Destruction if that ye persecute Men for their Conscience sake and exercise Lordship and Authority over mens Consciences in Spiritual Things and if ye prescribe a Way of Worship and seek to destroy all that cannot conform thereunto if you do thus this is not good Policy to establish you Well I shall say little further but that these things I write not as your Enemy but as your Friend who would you have saved both Soul and Body and not as in any kind of Harshness in my spirit towards you do I write but in Love and Compassionateness to you and these Kingdoms And I have here in brief stated and pleaded the case of the Innocent People called Quakers who are at this time under great Afflictions and Tribulations by your Authority and
the sight of God such Commands we cannot yield Obedience unto and yet it is not out of Wilfulness Stubbornness Contempt or Rebellion against the Authority but it is for this End and Cause that we may not sin against God nor against our own Consciences by doing any thing that is contrary thereunto lest we should bring the Wrath of God upon our own Consciences so that all these things rightly considered it doth appear 1. That we acknowledge Magistracy and Authority to be the Ordinance of God to be exercised and executed in the Kingdoms of the World among men 2. That Iust and Righteous men are the only Persons fit to execute Iust Laws and Authorities in the Earth 3. That we acknowledge this present Government of King Charles and that according to the Purpâse of God it is now set up 4. That we are to be obedient by doing or suââeriâg in all things to the Authority of the King as the Supream Authority 5. That if in any case we are disobedient thereunto and cannot wholly perform every Command by doing yet it is for Conscience sake to God and that we may not sin against him and not out of Rebellion or Contempt of the King or his Power And all these things truly considered if we do suffer Tribulations Afflictions and Imprisonments under and by this present Authority for and because of our Profession and Practice of Religion without evil or wrong doing to our Neighbours Persons or Estates though we do not in the things contrary to our Consciences obey actively this present Authority yet we are persecuted for the Name of Christ and as so we receive our Sufferings and not as for Contempt or Denial of Authority or as Rebellion against it but for Conscience sake to God our Sufferings are and our unjust Persecution will be upon our Enemies in the effect and reward thereof with great Indignation and Wrath from the Lord God that rewards all according to their works Thus much about Government And now I shall shew what Persecution is in it self CHAP. VI. Concerning Persecution what it is in it self and how great an Enemy it is to the King's Person and Authority 1. PErsecution is when a Person or a People do suffer Tribulation Affliction Imprisonment Bonds or Death whether by a Law or without the Law for and because of his or their Principle and Practice in Religion As when a Person or a People are reproached falsly accused imprisoned or put to death only for and because of their Religions sake when as no evil-dealing in the things between man and man can be justly charged and proved against them but only because they are righteous and walk in the Wayes of the Lord and cannot conform to the Wayes and Vanities of this World but are separated from it in its Prophaneness and in its formal Profession also of Religion and because thereof Sufferings are imposed upon them while yet they walk justly innocently and harmlesly towards all men This is Persecution for Conscience sake and such are persecuted if so be they suffer for and because of Righteousness sake and because they will not deny their Principles nor Profession of ReÌligion nor conform to Times nor Laws contrary to a good Conscience and yet suffer because hereof this is Persecution 2. Persecution is when a Person or a People is afflicted and any kind of sufferings imposed upon them whether by any Authority or without Authority and only because they are of such a Profession and Practice in Religion though yet their Profession and Practice in their Religion is not perfectly according to God nor by the Exercise of that Spirit of God ruling in their Consciences in such their Religion yet if they suffer only for their Religion sake while yet they walk uprightly as men in all outward Affairs relating to the outward Man this also is Persecution and such are persecuted for their Religions sake though not wholy for Righteousness sake and none ought to suffer as such under the Authority of any King Prince or Power but if such do suffer as I have said and that for their Religions sake only so though yet their Religion is not perfectly according to God yet they are persecuted and this is Persecution And thus I have in short described defined what Persecution is in it self and who it is that are persecuted and I shall now shew how great an Enemy Persecution for Conscience and Religions sake is unto the King's Person and Authority Persecution for Conscience sake and for Difference in Matters of Religion is a great Enemy to the Person and Government of the King it is I say a destroying and devouring Enemy and the Fruits and Effects thereof may work terrible Destruction yea this Enemy Persecution hath often wrought Overthrow in Kingdoms Let the King strive to be delivered speedily from this great Enemy which is fierce and cruel and may work woful Effects in this Kingdom also and the King may be more blessed in his Person and Government if he remove far from him this Enemy Persecution 1. It is his Enemy because its Effect is To eat out the Affections of many good and sober People from the King and may make their Love and Affections dye to the King's Government when they behold and consider the Persecution of many good and peaceable People for Righteousness and good Conscience sake whenas no Evil-doing between man and man can justly be laid to their Charge but only for the matter of their Religion and the exercise of their Consciences towards God and if such suffer cruel Imprisonment unjust Fines and grievous Vexations for such Cause it may weaken and eat out the Affections of good People and divert their Love and good Desires from the King and his Government in which such Persecution is brought forth and that which diverts the Peoples Love from the King is his great Enemy and such is Persecution 2. Persecution is the King 's great Enemy Because it may kindle Heart-burnings Envyings Strifes and Murmurings among his Subjects while some are tollerated in the Profession and Practice of their Religion and others persecuted and imprisoned for the same Cause and this kind of dealing exerciseth the King's Subjects in harsh dealing one towards another and gives great Occasion for Quarrelling Envies Debate and Malice one against another even when some execute Persecution upon others hailing them to Prison spoiling their Goods and the like And this kind of dealing I say whilst the Authority of the Land persecutes one sort of the King's Subjects by the hands of others it tendeth much to great Division and Distractions amongst the people and it is not for the King's safety but for his great Dishonour and Disadvantage every way to have the people divided into Heart-burnings and Quarrellings against one another and therefore Persecution is the King 's great Enemy because it worketh such evil Effects 3. It is his great Enemy Because it is contrary to the Trust which
the Church of ROME who are in the said Book Villified and Reproached by the Name and Term of Antient Phanaticks And this is sent forth as an Answer thereunto to Pursue it Apprehend it and Condemn it as a Pamphlet of Calumnies and Slanders against the Protestants both of former and present Dayes who are all of them Scorned in the said Book the one as Ancient the other as Modern PHANATICKS Which is sent abroad as a Warning to ENGLAND to beware of the spirit of the Church of ROME lest it Exalt it self in Cruel Persecution against the PROTESTANTS and all that differ from it HOW Great and Miserable hath been that Darkness and Ignorance which hath over-spread the Nations and Kingdoms of the World since the Apostles dayes And how manifold is that Error into which many have been fallen even as into a Snare of Destruction And how woful is that Strife Division and Contention about Religion that hath highly abounded among the Christian People so called For the whole Christendom have been divided and in Opposition one part against another about the True God and his Worship and concerning the knowledge of Salvation by Jesus Christ And divers kinds of Religion Church-Government and Practices of Ordinances of Faith Worship have been extant in the World and Nations Countries have been all in Division Strife and Contention about these Matters and have been also persecuting one another violently unto Bonds and Death for and because difference in Judgment and Practices concerning Spiritual Things Papists against Protestants and Protestants against Papists and one sort of Christians so called against another and the men of such a Judgment and Faiââ and Way of Religion have been persecuting and seeking to destroy all that have been contrary minded to them And thus have been the woful Divisions and evil Effects thereof in the World among Christians about Faith and Worship and Religious matters this has come to pass because of the spirit of Error Darkness that hath possessed the minds of men since the falling away from the Truth as it was once manifest among the Apostles And thus it s come to pass because of the erring from the Spirit of God and because that hath been wanting amongst men therefore have People been divers and divided about Matters of Religion each one sort following their own Invention and Traditions of men and also persecuting one another and killing and imprisoning one another because of the same and all this because the Spirit of Truth hath not dwelt in the Hearts of Christians as it did in the Apostles not led guided and taught them in true Unity and Fellowship as it did the true Christians in the dayes of old And while the Spirit of Christ hath been wanting and is not received into the Heart to mortifie guide rule and teach in all the Wayes of God and the whole exercise of Religion and Duty towards Him and while there is any kind of imposing and forceing of Religion by Laws of men upon Penalties and Forfeitures and setting up Worship and Church Government by that means and in that way without the immâ⦠Teaching of the Spirit of Christ in the Conscience I say while this hath been and is continued nothing but Division Strife Contention Persecution and Nations and Peoples destroying one another about Religion hath been is or can be in the World amongst Christians And of this same to wit of Division and Contention about Religion with the Enmity of such as are so divided one against another to the persecuting and killing one of another that are contrary minded as it hath been brought forth in the World for Generations past we have here a sufficient large Testimony lately published in a Book called Semper Iidem or A Paralel of Phanaticks c. wherein is made mention of what Strife and Contention there hath been in former dayes among the false Christians and how they have cruelly Persecuted Burned and Destroyed one another in this Cause only for and because of the difference in Maters of Judgment and Religious Things and these Persecutions and Cruelties effected contrary to the Example of Christ and his Doctrine who hath exhorted to Love and Peace and not to Kill and Destroy and that a man should love his Enemies and not Kill and Destroy them contrary to which Doctrine the false Christians of all kinds have walked and acted since the dayes of the Apoâ⦠who have been Apostatized and fallen from the very Life and Power of Godliness as held amongst the primitive Saints into Forms and empty Shadows being all in strife one with another about such things and have wanted the Spirit of Christ which should have led and guided into all Truth and exercised them in the true Worship of the true and living God who is a Spirit and is only truly worshipped in Spirit and in Truth but out of this Spirit and spiritual Worship the false Christians have been erred and so all divided and in Centention aâ aforesaid and persecuting one another because thereof each one sort justifying their own Way ãâã Right and condemning that which hath differed as the Wrong and all as Hereticks that have been otherwise minded But as ãâã ãâã ãâã Book Semper Iidem c. I would gladly animadâ⦠ãâã conââ¦ing it and do intend to write a few things by way of anââer thereunto and this is the present Occasion of my present work for having met with the said Pamphlet and perusing of it I found divers Considerations on my spirit to send forth in Answer to pursue the said Semper Iidem up and down the World till it returns again unto the place from whence it came to wit Unto the bottomless Pit out of which it lately arose and in reading the same Book I have principally observed the Mischievout End and secret Evil Intents of the Nameless Author more than the Matter it self contained and though the Author be Nameless yet is his nature and spirit known by his Book and for what end he hath concealed his Name I know not except he was ashamed of his Work and durst not Authorize his Matter by his Name but however the spirit end and intent of the said Nameless Person is perceived and known as much as any Tree can be distinguished by its Fruit and he is of an Envious Disposition of Heart and of Malicious Countenance and in nature and stock of the descent of Cain for his spirit is of an evil constitution hot and fiery and enclinable to destroy all that are not like-minded with himself in the Iudgment of Religious Matters and his proceedings and the end of his work is of an Intent and Purpose wicked enough if every Effect answers the Cause appearing and be not diverted from the End proposed by the Author and this I find by Calculation of his Birth and the Temper of his spirit and of the Time wherein his Book is published and by the Cause and End and Intent of the
Matter and Manner of it and by the Effect that would follow if the Author's Aim and Purpose were fulfilled By all which I must in true Judgment conclude from the Appearance Disposition Temper and Constitution of the spirit of the man and from all Causes and Effects pertaining to the said Semper Iidem That the Author thereof is indeed chiefly a Member of the Church of Rome to wit mostly a down-right Papist holding forth the Principles of Antichrist in perfect form and manner for the perfect End and Cause of Persecution even Burning again in Smithfield and else-where and killing and destroying even all sorts of people under the scurrilous reproachful name of Phanaticks that are in Iudgment and practice of Profession contrary to this man's Way and differing from the Papists Religion This I say I truly find to be the current and disposition of the Nameless Author and his Proceedings in his Method and Matter of his Semper Iidem c. and I have taken in hand at this time to answer him a little and to unfold some of the dangerous Intents towards England which may inhabit and secretly lodge in that spirit of the Church of Rome according to the current of the said Book and from which I have just cause to suppose the thing that I partly assert even that the spirit which hath Indicted the said Book waits its Opportunity to effect its end and to revive and renew Fire and Faggot again to the extinquishing and destruction of all that differ and are contrary minded in Principles and Practices of Religion and Worship from themselves for the Fury and Reproach of the said spirit that indicted and published Semper Iidem reacheth not only to others whom they call more Phanatical as Quakers Anabaptists c. but to the very Protestants themselves even to all whatsoever that differ from the Church of Rome for such by the Nameless Author are no less termed and vilified by that scornful term PHANATICKS distinguished by the Name of Ancient and Modern as hereafter I shall make it appear And First I shall shew a little concerning the Signification of the Term Phanatick as of late used and the first use of it in these late Dayes and the exchange of the word from one Sort to another and in whose mouthes it now remains and who are now so accounted 1. NOt to discuss the Etimology and signification of the word Phanatick in it self and what its Original is and from whence derived this I shall not now proceed to do as being not needful to my Occasion though there is difference of Judgment amongst some in this matter and some say the original and root of the word is from Phanos a false Godd and some say otherwise and they are not in unity among themselves that do most of all use the word concerning the Derivation and Signification of the word in it self Neither shall I spend time to seek out a Judgment and to give it in this case as counting the recompence that can be obtained not answerable to such a work but the signification of it as now used at this day among People is this All that differ in Iudgment and Practice of Religion and Worship from the generality of People and cannot conform unto such Way of Religion as generally practiced in the Land such are called PHANATICKS and this Signification the word beareth among People as now practiced Such as meet together to Preach and Pray out of Publick Places and cannot either out of Knowledge or Conscience conform to the Publick Way of Worship held forth such are called Phanaticks and Reproached by that Name from the Mouthes of Scorners and Revilers of the Wayes of God Numbers of whom do now abound and also Such who make Conscience of their Wayes and cannot run on in the Wayes of Iniquity in Lying and Drunkenness and such like but have been and are more sober and do walk more in Meekness and the Fear of God and have separated themselves from the Evil Company of men and from all Evil Wayes and could not run into the same excess of Riot with the Multitude such have been called of these late dayes Phanaticks by the Scorners Generation And thus much in brief of the signification of the word as used of these late dayes 2. As for the first use of the word Phanatick in this Age it is but of very late use for till within these two Years or less we had very little or no use of the word Phanatick until about the time of then General Monk's Army coming out of Scotland to London when the Army was new model'd and many of the Sectaries so called were turned out of Places about the Eleaventh Moneth 1659. then began the common use of this word Phanatick and the Anabaptists and such as were turn'd out of the Army and called all by the Name of Sectaries that were different from the publick Way of Worship then held out which was for the most part of it Presbyterians these were called Phanaticks and then the use of the word so common began about this time as I have said as now practiced in our dayes For the Rage and Indignation of the then Presbyterians so called and that Party was such against the Anabaptists and such as differed in Iudgment and Practice from them that scornfully they called them in Derision Phanaticks And so far as I know this was the Time and Occasion of the first use of this word as of late Practiced or at least it was the first Time and Occasion of my Observation of the common use of the word Phanatick 3. And now as concerning the exchange of the word from one sort of People to another and how it hath been used by divers sorts of People against others that have differed from themselves this is also observable That the word Phanatick hath not so much proper relation to any one sort of People as that it is only perfectly true to one sort of People more than to others but the properness of the word Phanatick is only as Scorners and Revilers will wickedly use it and as they will turn it to this sort of People or to the other to scorn them by it whom they have an Emnity against and whom they list to abuseby reproaching And this is the end of the use of the word to this day and not of any truth or verity in it to any People but only it s used as a Term of Reproach and Scorning by the Mouthes of ungodly men against such as differ from them and their Wayes though they are better in Practice of Life and Conversation than themselves And the Term hath been changed divers times and divers sorts of People reproached by it by others since its first use as first The People called Presbyterians as aforesaid they used it towards such as were otherwise-minded than themselves and reproached the Anabaptists and others that differed from them in Iudgment and Practice of Religion by the
practised among the Papists we have no Command or Example for it in all the Scriptures only the Apostle exhorted to confess your faults one to another but no mention of distinction of persons as if there was an Order of men among the Saints Ordained for Confession to be made unto as is among the Papists practised But such kind of Inventions are among them and all that gain-say them in their Wayes must be burned as Hereticks and this is the way that the Papists do uphold their Religion not by sound Arguments and by the Spirit and Power of God but by killing such as will not Believe and Practise as they do Doct. 6. That it is not necessary or profitable to have any Church or Chappel to pray or perform Divine Service in Opposed by the Papists as a great Error Answ. As for the Church it is in God 1 Thes. 1. and the Body of Christ is the Church Ephes. 1. 23. the Saints of Christ that have Believed in the Church of Christ for the Church was in Aquilla's House as may be read and in this Church of Christ wheresoever come together is the Divine Holy Acceptable Service of God performed in the Spirit and in the Truth And as for Houses of Wood and Stone builded and called Churches and Chappels which Papists have builded to perform their Service in these are Idolatrous Places and not true Churches God dwells not in Temples made with Hands as it is written And though a man affirm That God may be worshipped and served as well in any Place as in your Churches and Chappels and that such Places are not necessary but God may be served in other Places This is no Error deserving Fire and Faggot as the Papists do affirm and Practice Doctrines 7. and 8. That burying in the Church-Yard is unprofitable and vain That Holy Dayes Instituted by the Church are not to be observed and kept in reverence in as much as all Dayes are alike Opposed by the Papists as Errors Answ. There is no respect of Places with God neither are the Dead more or less acceptable to him notwithstanding the Place of Burial whether it be on the Land or cast into the Sea if occasion so happen as some times it doth The Patriarchs of old had Places appointed and purchased for Burial of their Dead as it is at this day among the Lord's People but that the Church-yard so called is more Holy than another Place as the Papists do account This we believe not nor can it be proved to us by Scripture or sound Reason And as for Holy Dayes instituted and observed is but a meer Invention of the Romish Church without any ground from the Apostles and it is no sin against God not to observe them and all dayes are as to God alike holy in His sight without respect of one or another And for the Papists to invent Practices without Example in the Scriptures as Religious and then to impose them by force upon all People and to kill and burn such as Hereticks as cannot conform thereunto How Impious Oppressive and Antichristian this manner of work is let all sober People judge And this is but a mocking of God for the Papists to profess Holy Dayes and with a pretence of God's Worship to observe them as Holy when as more Rudeness Drunkenness Wantonness and Ungodliness is usually committed that Day which they profess to keep Holy than is on the other dayes beside And this is manifest to all People that thus the Papists do mock God in their exercise of keeping Holy Dayes Doctrines 9. and 10. That it is sufficient to Believe though a man do no good Works at all That no Humane Lawt or Constitutions do oblige a Christian Opposed by the Papists as Errors Answ. It is sufficient to believe in Iesus Christ and that Believing is a good Work and if a man truly believes he cannot but bring forth by that Faith good Works and it is impossible for a true Believer in Christ but to do good Works if a Man do no good Works he is not a Believer For Faith without Works is dead and that is no true Belief which is without good Works and a Christian one that is truly so is obliged and bound by the Law of God To do all Good and to forsake all Evil and the Laws of men they are subject to them all for Conscience sake by performing them or suffering under them And as for Humane Inventions of the Papists which they bind on the Consciences of Men upon loss of Life or Estate or Damnation These things we say do not oblige the Conscience nor any Laws or Constitutions of men do oblige Christians to Obedience which are not truly grounded upon the Law of God Doct. 11. That God never gave Grace or Knowledge to a great Person or Rich Man and that they in no wise follow the same Answ. This is a false Doctrine for God gave Grace to all The Grace of God which brings Salvation hath appeared unto all men as it is written which Grace teacheth the Saints to deny all Ungodliness and the Wicked turn the Grace of God into Wantonness but the true Knowledge of God is given but to a few and not many Wise men after the flesh are called but God chooseth the Poor and Contemptible as saith Paul to confound the Wise and Mighty of this World and yet God gives Knowledge to Rich and Poor without respect of Persons as it pleaseth Him Doct. 12. That any Lay-man may preach by his own Authority without Licence of the Ordinary Opposed by the Papists as a great Error Answ. All in the true Church and that are of the Church may Prophesie and Speak in the Church one by one as Paul saith without distinction of Titles such as the Papists use Clergy and Lay-men and such like Terms of their own Inventions without Example from the Churches of Christ in the Apostles dayes for the Apostle saith If any thing be revealed to another that standeth by let the first hold his Peace for ye may all Prophesie one by one that all may be edified And again Peter saith As every man hath received of the Gift of the Spirit let him administer the same one to another Thus it is manifest by the Scriptures That every Member of the true Church of Christ may Preach by the Authority of the Spirit of God as that moveth and leadeth and this was the Example of the holy men of God declared in Scriptures Elisha that was a Plow-man and Amos that was a Herds-man and Peter that was a Fisher-man these and such as these whom the Papists would have called Lay-men did Preach and Teach without any Licence from men but as the Lord Commanded them who said Ier. 23. He that hath my Word let him speak my Word faithfully and this without respect of Persons and without distinction of Names of Lay-men or otherwise though contrary to this the Papists would limit the Holy
One to such and such kind of Persons whom they name Clergy-men as if they knew all Religion and might only Preach and all besides themselves might be in Ignorance and know nothing nor can be fit to speak of the Matters of God's Kingdom which is contrary to the Scriptures and Example of Saints in former Ages As for the 13th and 14th Doctrines about Baptism of Infants I have spoken somewhat to it in my Answer to the fourth Doctrine so here I pass them Then Semper Iidem goes on and saith Who sees not among these the principal Tenets of our Anabaptists Fifth-Monarchy-Men Levellers and Quakers c Answ. As for the Anabaptists Fifth-monarchy-men and Levellers so called I shall not now plead their Cause but shall leave it to themselves to do it against Semper Iidem neither shall I condemn them with him or justifie them against him But as for the Quakers so called I have a few word to plead for them against their Adversaries though I shall be brief at this time They are neither Rebellious Seditious Hereticks nor Phanaticks though accused at this time of these things and accounted by the Author of Semper Iidem as such though neither he nor any of their false and envious Accusers that have ever risen against them can prove any such matter nor ought against them saving That they are an Innocent and Harmless People towards all people and though Sufferers by Injustice and Cruel Imprisonments under all Authorities yet not Rebellious nor Seditions against any but Peaceable and Quiet under all this is their Practice since they were a People And as for their Principles of Faith and Worship and Doctrine and Religion they are according to the Scriptures and Example of the Saints in former Ages and not ever yet convicted by any either Protestants or Papists of Error False Iudgment or Heresie though all manner of Evil hath been spoken against them in that Case yet never to this day truly detected or reprehended concerning the same And they desire no better way to be made manifest in their Doctrines and to be approved or disproved therein through the World than to have free Egress and Regress among the Papists and Protestants and all others in the Way of sober Arguments and Disputations and Reasoning out the Truth of what they hold and profess and if they can possibly be convicted that their Way and Doctrines and Religion are not found Verities but Errors then it is time to forsake them But all the Persecution that is already or can be acted upon them will never make them change their Minds till Death nor renounce the things which the Spirit of God in their own Hearts doth bear witness to the truth of And therefore let the Church of Rome lay down her Cruel Weapons of Persecution by Burning and Destroying of such as differ from them in Religion and let her admit of Disputations and sound Arguments to uphold her self thereby if she be able and to Confute and Convince such as are contrary minded to her even the Quakers so called if she can and let her cease her Fire and Faggot and Inquisition-Disputation of Murders and Cruel Tortures against such whom she calls Hereticks and let her appear in the soundest Arguments of Reason and Scripture and Antiquity that she can adorn her self withal and the Quakers so called will not doubt nor fear to advance towards her and meet her and answer her in the same for the true and legal Tryal of both that all the World may see and understand the difference between these two and whether the Papists Religion or the Quakers Religion is of more Reason Verity and Antiquity and the Quakers are willing to try this Case with the Papists engaging upon the adventure of certain Proof or Disproof of their Religion in the view of the whole World And this is the most I shall say at present on their behalf and in the mean time till this be performed let the Church of Rome and all her Members cease to persecute and accuse such whom they know not but by the Evil Reports of others and the Tenets and Principles of the Quakers so called will be justified where the false Christians cannot stand nor appear in Judgment Then Page 7. The Author of Semper Iidem complains of some Phanaticks as he calls them that nick-name what they dislike saith he They call the Church a Steeple-House the Surplice a Rag of Popery the Organs Grumbling-Pipes c. Answ. As for the True Church it is in God 1 Thes. 1. The People of God that are regenerated and sanctified wheresoever come together are the true Church of Christ for the Church was in Aquilla's House as it is written So that it is the People that are the Members of Christ the true Church and not the House or Place wherein they assemble at any time And as for calling the publick Meeting Places which some call Churches Steeple-Houses this is no Error for the Form Fashion and Service of the Place prove it to be so A great House made of Wood and Stone and a Steeple with Bells in it erected at the End of the House may properly be called a Steeple-House without Error and cannot at all be called a Church but in Error And as for the Surplice which the Priests put on this is without Question an Invention of the Church of Rome because there is no such thing in the New Testament nor was there any Surplices worn by any of the Ministers of Christ in the Apostles dayes but is an Invention introduced into the World by the Church of Rome and so is and may be called A Piece or Rag if you will of Popery And as for Organs and the Practice of them as held forth for the Worship of God there was no such thing among the Apostles neither did the Saints of the Primitive Church hold forth the Worship of God by playing on the Organs but the true spiritual Gospel-Worship is more heavenly and spiritual even in the Spirit and in the Truth is God worshipped as Christ said and not by outward Musick on Organs and such like but this is also an Invention of the Church of Rome since the Apostles dayes And Organs having Pipes of different sounds may be called Grumbling-Pipes without Offence Again Page 11. It is charged as a great Error in some that held It was not lawful for a Christian to take an Oath Answ. To deny all Swearing and taking of Oaths is according to the Doctrine and Command of Christ Jesus who hath said Swear not at all so it s manifest that the false Christians accuse and condemn such for Hereticks as abide in the Doctrine of Christ and keep his Commands And thus both Papists and Protestants are found in Error and Heresie themselves and breaking the Command of Christ and walking contrary to his Doctrine in Swearing and taking Oaths and condemning such as Hereticks as cannot take an Oath for Conscience sake and so
and the Papists by the Example of others against them Now I say The Wickedness of one will not justifie the Wickedness and Cruelty of the other for neither Party of them are justifiable in the sight of God but condemnable in such Proceedings and it was doubtless of Antichrist and the Devil in both Papists and Protestants to Destroy and Burn one another only for and because of Difference in Religion and wherein the Protestants did put any of the Papists to Death only for and because of Difference in Profession and Practice in Religion and because they were Papists herein the Protestants were acted by the same persecuting spirit of the Devil as the Papists were acted by against them so that I am not an absolute party with the Protestants against the Papists for I know that there is Error of Judgment amongst them both in Faith Worship and their whole Religion only my End is at present in pursuing Semper Iidem to confound his Bloody spirit of Persecution and Cruelty which I find him possessed withal as by his Discourse is apparent and also to put the Protestants in mind how their cause begins to be Reproached Vilified and Despised even in their own Land publickly in the Streets of their chief City which hath not been the like for above an Hundred Years And this is the End of my pursuing Semper Iidem with this Answer and I shall not much enlarge further only in the 11th Page there is one Passage worth observing There is instanced one Richard Woodman of Sussex who affirmed That he had the Spirit of God and can prove said he by the Scriptures that Paul had the Spirit of God as I my self and all God's Elect have Now saith Semper Iidem No Arguments nor Reasons could reclaim him from his Errors and so he was Burnt at Lewis because he said He had the Spirit of God and could prove that Paul had it Answ. There its manifest that this Martyr suffered for Truth and Righteousness sake as a Saint and Servant of God and for witnessing the Truth according to the Scripture which saith If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his which is manifest in the Scriptures that all that are Christ's and Members of his Church have and it is also manifest That the Papists have not the Spirit of God because they Burn such as do witness and testifie that they have it as here Semper Iidem hath given us an Instance that they Burn and Destroy such for Hereticks as say they have the Spirit of God he not believing that Paul had it but saith It is an Error to affirm it and yet this work seems now to be justified up and down London streets which is the double Iniquity and that which once many looked not to have seen that any being condemned and burned as Hereticks for saying They had the Spirit of God that this should be justified now in these Glorious Dayes of Light this seems almost incredible but that our Eyes behold it and causeth wonder in many what will be the Effect of such a bad sign appearing as a Justification of putting to Death the Innocent for no other Cause but in that he affirmed He had the Spirit of God And by this we learn to know how great the Ignorance Darkness and Blindness of the Church of Rome is and deserveth not the name of a Church if they be all of this mind to condemn men and Burn them for Hereticks for saying They have the Spirit of God and then an Hundred Years after justifie the doing of it to their shame and confusion let this be rehearsed who have themselves denyed that they have the Spirit of God and Condemning and Destroying others for saying they have it And this I leave to the Consideration of all the Protestants who must either deny that they have the Spirit of God or be Condemned and may be Killed as Hereticks for affirming it if so be the Church of Rome recover her desired Power and Pupose in England It s worthy to be minded while it may be ãâã lest the time come when it cannot be prevented And thus I have run through the main part of Semper Iidem and chiefly hinted at the principal Matters worthy to be taken notice of though much more might be said but that it is my property in all Cases to be as brief as may be for that is the best for the Understanding to contain what is spoken or written only shall not forget William Pryn who is stated in pag. 18. as one of our Modern Phanaticks I would not forget to mind him I say to answer his part and to clear himself if he can of the Aspertion of a Phanatick by which term he stands reviled though Semper Iidem fawneth upon him and flattereth with him and telleth him He is the only Person in this unhappy Paralel who hath given Testimony of his Reconcilement But what better is William Pryn for this Flattery I hope he is not yet reconciled to the Papists and become one of them if he be I desire he would let us know it and if he be not then Semper Iidem accounts him a Phanatick I shall say no further but shall leave him to answer for himself And now last of all for Conclusion I have some CONSIDERATIONS to present to the People of ENGLAND and particularly to the People of LONDON occasioned by the Publication of Semper Iidem 1. COnsider how the Ancient Martyrs as Wickliff Hawkes and Cranmer Latimer Ridley with many more who have been accounted by the Protestants themselves Famous for Piety and Faithfulness and Honourably esteemed Innocent Martyrs for their Witness-bearing against the Romish Idolatries and this for many years in these Kingdoms how I say they are now rendred Odious and Contemptible and Scorned and Slandered as Hereticks seditious factious Blasphemers and Phanaticks by the Author of Semper Iidem and this published openly through the Nation and up and down the Streets of London and this without rebuke from any in Authority that we know of I say this deserves serious Consideration That the Faithful Martyrs in their Day according to their Knowledge who were as the first Fathers of the Protestants-Church so called and did lay down their Lives and seal their Testimony with their Blood against the Idolatry of the then present Times and the Lives and Blood of these Men now to be made void and they that Martyred them justified as doing of Justice and they now reputed Hereticks and Phanaticks publickly this ought to be considered both in the Cause why it is thus and in the Effect of it if it be not restrained 2. Consider How that the generality of the People of England and London are reputed and stand under the present Reproach of being Phanaticks even all the People of England I say except the Papists not only the Separatists from the Church of England as Quakers Anabaptists Independents so called and
the rest but the Presbyterians and Episcopals and all of that way and these Professions stand in Reputation and are accounted Phanaticks and Hereticks even William Pryn himself and this is manifest by the Author of Semper Iidem who hath reviled and reproached all the People of England publickly and openly For seeing the Antient Martyrs the Fathers so accounted of the Church of England are villified as Phanaticks Then must needs follow that the Church of England even in the way of Episcopacy as being in their own account the Successors of the Martyrs in some things at least are also Phanaticks and such as Semper Iidem saith the Old Phanaticks were for the men being reputed Phanaticks who were as the Fathers then needs must the Children be the same and this deserves serious Consideration by the Protestants of England 3. Consider how the very Cause it self of Protestants in this their long Contest for these many years with and against the Church of Rome is now weakened and even as it seems in a way of losse and decay being now reproached and held under publick scorn in England by Semper Iidem I say the very Cause of the Protestants is new struck at and beat against and sought to be destroyed being already defamed and reviled as appears by the discourse of the nameless Author who hath rendred the Antient Martyrs that promoted as much as they could the Protestants Cause against the Church of Rome and dyed for it many of them sealing the Cause with their Blood as Hereticks Erroneous Rebels and Phanaticks and hath also rendred Fox and his Acts and Monuments who hath hitherto in England been counted a true Reporter and Historian of the PROTESTANTS Sufferings as invalid as possible even that he is a Lyar and his Chronology Untruths and hath justified Queen Mary and the Papists who put the Martyrs to Death And these things considered duly and justly how is the Protestants Cause it self struck at and weakened and as it were the very Victory given to the Papists against the Protestants in this long Quarrel between them ever since Henry the Eighth's dayes and long before 4. Consider How the Papists Cause seems to be reviving in England and how bold the Members of the Church of ROME are of late dayes growing as to appear so publickly in Print justifying their own Cause as good as Queen Mary and the Papists in her dayes in Martyring and Burning the Protestants and condemning the Martyrs of the Protestants as Hereticks and Phanaticks This I say is great Boldness in the Papists more than hath been for this Hundred of Years and a Sign of a Reviving and Recovering of their Cause more than hath been for many Years who durst not any of them appear so publick as the Author of Semper Iidem hath done with that Boldness and Courage to justifie the Papists Cause and condemn the Protestants For if such a Discouse as Semper Iidem had been brought forth and published in the dayes of Queen ELIZABETH which were Darker Dayes then these are it is possible it would not have been suffered to be cryed up and down LONDON but Restrained and Condemned for the Fire But now the Papists have taken Confidence to themselves and are of better Hopes than formerly even that they shall have Fire and Faggot again and to Burn and Destroy such as differ and dissent from them whom they may call Hereticks and Phanaticks And this I observe from the spirit of Semper Iidem 3. Consider The Nature and Constitution and Disposition of the spirit of the Church of ROME how that it is not Changed but the self-same that ever it was viz. A spirit of Murder and Cruelty that hath Killed and Martyred such as have Differed from them and been Contrary-Minded in Religious Matters and it would work and bring to pass the same still if it had its Power without Limitation in ENGLAND The Papists I say would Burn Kill and Torture such as they judge Hereticks and all that cannot Bow and Bend and Conform to their Wayes and Injunctions and Religion this they would be at again in England if it were in their Power as it was heretofore I say This ought to be considered even the Cruelty of that spirit and what Danger there is in it to give way to the Exaltation of that spirit and to embrace it in the least whereby to give it occasion to get into the Power and Judgment-Seat for if it doth then Fire and Faggot and Killing and Burning about Religion will openly appear again and this seems to be manifest by the Constitution of the spirit of Semper Iidem which may give Good and Wholsome Cautions that the spirit of the Papists is still a Cruel Spirit and would Destroy all that Differ from their Way if they had Power and that that spirit is not to be Hugged and Embraced nor set highest lest the Effect of it proves Woful to England by bringing forth again what it once did in Renewing Fire and Faggot for this is the Disposition of the spirit of the Romish Church as is apparent by Semper Iidem 6. Consider how Careful and Vigilant the People of England ought to be to wait and attend the Motions of the Spirit of the Church of Rome lest it insinuate it self into Authority and get its intended Advantage and Purpose against the Protestants and their Cause and advance it self against them and promote its own Interest and Destroy and overturn theirs For without all Controversie that same spirit is now at work to agitate its Desires and according to its old course its Hatching and Contriving how to promote it self and destroy all that 's contrary it is Undermining and secretly Surmizing its Opponents Overthrow that it self may be exalted For that spirit is diligent in its way to take the least Occasion for its Self-advantage as is manifest by Semper Iidem and therefore the People of England ought also to be Careful and Diligent in their Cause to Preserve themselves and their Interest from the defeat of the Church of ROME and they ought to watch against that spirit to keep it in subjection under Authority and Command and not to exalt it into Command over them lest they be subjected to the Idolatries and Oppressions and Persecutions of that spirit to their own Destruction both of Persons Estates and Religion for that spirit will attempt alwayes to Rule and if it Rule then will follow consequently An Utter Overthrow of the Protestants PERSONS and CAUSE that will be the Effect of the Authority of it though it bear hand in hand in seeming Love and good Agreement with the Protestants till it hath gained its desired end over them which is To promote it self and subdue by Burning and Cruel Tortures all that which is contrary to it Let the People of ENGLAND consider this Matter now while it is time and be Watchful over the Motions of that spirit and not put Confidence in it too far nor to
commit too much Credit upon it even as they love their own Safety and Peace which are concerned in this Case 7. Consider Into what a great Danger the Protestants and People of England have run themselves by ââecing from a less for by avoiding the Sectaââes so called they have run themselves into the very Borders of Popery and to escape a Less Danger they have exposed themselves to a far Greater For the Protestants cryed out of the Sectaries and were afraid their Church and Religion should be overthrown by them and made haste to Escape and flee from the Danger and in so doing they have as it appeareth by Semper Iidem run themselves into a Danger far greater Even to have their Religion and Persons and Estates Destroyed by Fire and Faggot if the spirit that indicted Semper Iidem hath its desired End which is grown Bold and Confident more than formerly Thus while the Protestants have sought to destroy the Sectaries an Enemy is appearing to Destroy them and they have exposed themselves if Popery prevails to an Enemy far more Cruel and Dectructive to both their Persons Estates and Religion than ever the Sectaries would have been had they prevailed And this is considerable to the Protestants that they may lament their case who have run themseles into a far greater Danger of their own Destruction to escape a less and are in present Reproach by the Papists and exposed to Destruction if they prevail 8. Consider How Favourable the Church of ROME seemeth to grow of these late dayes in these Kingdoms and what Dignity she seems to have attained to besides of Times past and what Liberty she enjoyes more than many of the good Subjects of England which may as justly have the Priviledge of Liberty in their Exercise of Faith and Worship and Religion as she can have As for instance In Ireland where the Papists have the Enjoyment of their Liberty to Meet to hear Mass very frequently and are not Restrained nor Prohibited and many of the English Inhabitants known Faithful Protestants are not admitted the like Liberty but their Meeting broken up and they sent to Prison and Cruelly Persecuted for Meeting together when the Papists are not meddled withal for the same Cause and thus their Cause seems more to be favoured than the Protestants and they more Liberty in their Worship than many of the English Protestants And also In and about London upon search you will find Meetings of the Papists large ones too consisting of very many Forreigners of other Lands which have their Liberty of Worship and Profession of Religion and divers of the Inhabitants of the City who have been and are Known Upright Honest and Just Persons and are true Protestants and faithful Subjects of the Land are not admitted to have their Meetings but are haled out of Meetings Persecuted and sent to Prison and cruel Sufferings inflicted upon them for the Exercise of their Faith and Worship whenas the Papists are admitted their Liberty without Persecution in the same Cause for which many good Protestants are Perfecuted and not suffered to have their Liberty even in the Exercise of their Faith and Worship and this is manifest to all People by which it is plain how the Papists Cause is advancing and the Protestants Cause decaying in LONDON and through ENGLAND whenas the Papists and that Forreigners have more Liberty in the Exercise of their Religion then some Protestants have that are Natives and known to be good Subjects And these things deserve true and serious Confideration by all good Protestants Alas that this day should be seen Many more Considerations might be asserted in this Case of the Papists Cause being as it were reviving but these for present are presented to the publick View of all People And blessed are they that have an Ear to hear E. B. THE CASE OF Free Liberty OF CONSCIENCE In the Exercise of FAITH and RELIGION Presented unto the KING and both Houses of PARLIAMENT And also Proved absolute Needful and Requisit for them to Grant and Allow in these Kingdoms by many Considerations and Reasons unfolding the Woful Effects and Ill Consequence which will infallibly follow upon the contrary to the Misery and Destruction of these Nations if the Free Exercise of Conscience to God-ward be Limitted and Violently Restrained FOrasmuch as it hath pleased the Lord God of Heaven and Earth who is Mighty and Powerful and bringeth to pass whatsoever he will in the Kingdoms of this World so to suffer it to be accomplished that Power and Authority is given unto you to exercise over these Kingdoms And whereas the People of these Nations over whom your Authority is extended are divided in their Judgments in Matters Spiritual and are of different Principles and Wayes in relation to Faith and Worship and Practices of Religion and yet are all of them Free-born People and Natives of these Kingdoms and as such ought to possess and enjoy their Lives Liberties and Estates by the Just Laws of God and man And may not justly any of them be Destroyed by you nor one sort of another in their Persons and Estates by Death Banishment or other Persecutions for and because only of their Differences in Matters of Opinion and Judgment nor though they are contrary minded in Profession of Faith and Worship and Religion while they do walk Peaceably and Justly in their Conversations under the King's Authority and do not make practice of their Religion to the violating of the Government nor to the Injury of other mens Persons or Estates but ought rather to be Defended and Protected by you in all their Rights both as Men and Christians both in things Civil and Spiritual Notwithstanding their difference in matters Religious as aforesaid they giving proof of their peaceable and honest deportment towards the King and his Government and the people of these Kingdoms And therefore that due care may be had as justly it ought to be by you for the peace and Prosperity and happiness of these Kingdoms and that the just Liberties both civil and Spiritual of all people therein may be allowed and maintained in all the Kings Dominions and that unity and peace may be fully established and justice and Righteousness only brought forth in the Land and all persecution Hatred Contention and Rebellions may die and perish and never more appear And that all Christian people though different in Judgement and practises in matters of Faith and worship may be protected to live a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and honesty under this Government and that indignation and vengeance may be diverted from these Lanââ which seems to threaten because of the contrary and that blessings and peace maâ come and rest upon this people forever Therefore for these ends and causes and in the Name of the Lord I do propound unto you and lay before you on the behalf of all the divided people of these Kingdoms That free Liberty of conscience in the
exercise of Faith Worship and Religion to God-wards may be allowed and maintained unto all without any imposition violence or persecution exercised about the same on the persons Estates or Consciences of any in any relation to Religion the Worship of God Church Government and Ministry But that all Christian People may be left free in all these Kingdoms in the exercise of Conscience without being restrained from or compelled to any way of worship and practise of Religion upon any pains and penalties and that every one may be admitted to worship God in that way as his spirit perswades the heart and may be defended in such their profession of Religion while they make not use of their Liberty to the detrement of any other mens persons or Estates as aforesaid And let it not seem strange to you why I appear in this manner and matter at such a season as this for your very Happiness prosperity and establishment or the contrary dependeth hereupon even in allowing and maintaining liberty of Conscience in the exercise of Religion or in limitting and forcing and persecuting about the same and this may appear if you justly consider these things following 1. The Lordship in and over conscience and the exercise thereof in all matters of Faith and Worship and duty to God-wards is Gods alone only and proper right and priviledge and he hath reserved this power and Authority in himself and not committed the Lordship over Conscience nor the exercise thereof in the cases of faith and worship to any upon Earth not to perscribe and impose principles and practises of Faith and worship and Religion by force and violence on the persons and Consciences of men but this belongs only to God even to work faith in the heart and to convert to holiness and to lead and teach people by his Spirit in his worship and to exercise their Consciences in all his wayes For the Apostles themselves said they had not Dominion over the Faith of the Saints 2 Cor. 1. 24. but the Lord alone And King Charles the first said in his Meditations page 91. of that Edition Printed for R. Royston I have often declared how little I desire my Laws and Scepter should intrench on God's Soveraignity which is the only King of men's Consciences c. So that to be Lord in CONSCIENCE and Exerciser thereof in all the Matters of God's Kingdom is his Only Proper Right and to him alone it appertains 2. And therefore consider If ye do not allow Free Liberty of Conscience and give unto God the Lordship and Exercise thereof in all Matters of Faith and Worship to Him-wards but do impose by Violence in forcing to and restraining from such and such Wayes of Religion than ye take Dominion over mens Faith which ye ought not to do and ye intrench on God's Soveraignity and usurpe his Authority in exercising Lordship over the Conscience in and over which Christ is only King as before recited and ye ought not to take his right from him nor to exercise that Authority over ruens Faith and Consciences which only appertains unto him as his proper priviledge for in so doing how dangerous effects may it bring forth even ye may easily provoke the Lord to wrath against you and bring upon your selves sorrow and misery if ye exercise violence upon mens Consciences in and concerning Religious matters contrary to the Scriptures and the example of Primitive Christians who were persecuted for their Conscience sake but did never persecute nor punish any for that cause nor ever used violence about their Religion as Charles the I. in his meditations pag. 82. Nothing said he violent nor injurious can be religious c. 3. Consider if ye allow not the free exercise of Conscience in Spiritual matters but do take Dommion over mens faith and impose by violence in the cases of Conscience about Religion and do not suffer the Lord to enjoy his only right to be King in the matters of his own Kingdom then ye divert the end of just rule and government among men and pervert the end of Gods great love and favour shewed unto you in restoring of you to the place of Authority and Judgement for the end of just Government upon earth by Kings and Rulers is To exercise Justice Truth and Righteousness among men and over the outward man and to be a praise to all that do wellâ and walk uprightly and to be a terror to all transgressors and them that do evil in their outward man and to keep the outward man in good order by just Judgment in all cases between man and man This is only the extent of your Authority over the outward man and to your Jurisdiction only this belongs to judge in Truth and Righteousness to make Laws and execute them between man and man to preserve mens persons and estates from the wrong one of another but not at all to make Laws and execute them between God and mens Consciences in the cases of his Spiritual Kingdom this power belongs to God and he hath not committed it to you to exercise and therefore let justice equity and mercy be exercised by you among men and over the outward man and in all cases between man and man but meddle not in the Cases of mens faith to God and their Consciences to him but leave that unto him alone whose right it is for it is dangerous and will bring wofull effects if ye intrench on Gods Soveraignity and if ye divert the proper end of just Government and of the Love of God in restoring you into Authority and power 4. Consider if ye allow not free Liberty of Conscience in the profession and practice of spiritual things but will compel by violence about Religion then this will inavoidably produce and bring forth cruel persecution in the Kingdoms imprisonment banishment and death and all the evil effects of persecution will fill the Nations for though never so forceable impositions be laid on the persons estates and consciences of men for the cause of difference in Judgment and practises of Religion and tocompel into Conformity yet it cannot be supposed that all will bow and conform to the denying of that way which they are perswaded in Conscience to be right and to the embracing of what they cannot in Conscience believe is of God but will rather suffer the cruelest death then conform to any thing contrary to light and knowledge and if free Liberty of Conscience be denied many such must needs be exposed to Persecution even to Death though they may be Peaceable People and profitable Inhabitants of the Kingdoms and in the things between man and man and in all matters Temporal pertaining to the King may be Just and Righteous and Unreprovable yet because of Difference in Judgment and Opinion exposed to be destroyed in person and estate and such effects will not be of honour nor saftey to these Nations if innocent and just men be destroyed and their relations ruined
into Bondage in Conscience to God-wards by Laws or Men but enjoyeth Freedom and Liberty therein as much in Sufferings and in Persecutions under all the Cruelty of Men as in doing and practices when they are not persecuted for in Sufferings the Conscience is exercised and hath its Liberty in Patience and Forbearance and at Liberty of Persons in practice it is exercised and hath its Liberty in doing and performing whatsoever the Spirit of the Father moveth and leadeth unto And thus where God hath freed the Conscience and it is Free and at Liberty in him and to him nothing without can bring it into Bondage or Captivity but in all Conditions and in all Exercises whether doing or suffering the pure Conscience is in Liberty in it self and in perfect Freedom in God through all over all and beyond all But now there hath been a great Cry among many that have professed Righteousness and Religion For Freedom of Conscience and begging and craving from the Powers of the Earth to Tolerate Liberty of Conscience and that they might have the Liberty of their Conscience in Religion And thus some have been looking too much without for Liberty of Conscience from Men and from Powers without them before their Consciences were set free by the Lord within the Bond of Iniquity broken and that Burden of Iniquity and Guilt done away which hath been a Burden Bondage upon the Conscience For as I have said No Man nor Powers of the Earth can truly Free or give Liberty to the Conscience which is bound by the Cord of Iniquity within But 't is evident The Cry for Liberty hath not been so much for the Exercise of Conscience truly so as for the freedom each one of their Sect and for their Liberty in the practice of their own Worship and Conformity and thereupon have divers men of divers Sects sought to the Powers of Men and of the Earth to grant them Liberty of their Consciences whenas it hath been rather for the Freedom to and Defence of their Sect and of their Practices in their Worship than for Liberty of Conscience truly so for while they have cryed for Liberty from without yet Sin and Iniquity and Transgression have lain upon their Conscience within and they have sought from Men for the Liberty of their Sect to practice their own Worship which they have called Liberty of Conscience And to this Intent by some hath been the Cry for Liberty of Conscience that their Sect and their own Wayes of Worship might be defended from the Violence of others who have opposed their Practices and Worships for People of divers Wayes of Worship and of divers Sects have all been at Strife one with another and divided one against another and yet all professed good Conscience and cryed for Liberty thereof from the Powers of the Earth not but that the Powers of the Earth ought to grant free Liberty of Conscience in the Exercise of every Sect of Religion and to suffer all to profess and practice their Religion while they walk justly and Peaceably in a Land But here hath lodged the Deceit and Deceivableness of the spirit of Satan in the Hearts of men from the least to the greatest of all those divers false Sects and Worshippers they have therein zealously gone on and pleaded for their Sects and Worship though never so gross or dark and contrary to Truth under the denomination of Freedom and Liberty of good Conscience and the very Title and Name hath been the Colour and deceived many while a false Worship and false Sects have gone under the Name of Liberty of good Conscience and Thousands have been deceived and blindly led into such a false Sect and into such a Profession to act and perform with great Zeal false Practices in a false Worship falsly supposing it to be out of a good Conscience and that they have acted in the Liberty thereof yea and many may suffer great and grievous things and some the loss of their Lives for the very Practice of false things and false worships in a false Sect and yet under the name of good Conscience and for Liberty of Conscience as they may profess and believe But this may seem strange to be spoken to some who may enquire how it comes to pass and how this may be That many may suffer great and grievous Cruelties and some the loss of their Lives for the Practice of false Things and the Exercise of false Worships which they may suppose to be out of good Conscience and for good Conscience sake whereas it is not truly so nor rightly so But how happeneth this may some say I Answer This cometh to pass after this manner Because Conscience is made of that and of the Things and Performances which God requires not and so there is a great Zeal in the doing and performing of such a Practice and such a Worship whenas the Lord doth not require these things at their Hands and this is because the Mind and Heart and Conscience is dark and not truly informed nor guided with the Spirit of Truth and of the Father but a false spirit ruleth and leadeth the Conscience and it is not exercised with the Spirit of the Father that leadeth into all Truth So I do acknowledge that Conscience may be mis-led and mis-guided and mis-informed and Conscience may be made of doing such and such things which the Lord doth not require and there may be a Fear not taught of the Lord nor received by the sence of his Presence but only received into the Heart by the Precepts of men Example of others Custom of Times or the like and here the Conscience being not truly informed nor guided by the Spirit of the Lord there is a false Fear and Zealousness in the performing of such things which the Lord doth not require nor his Spirit lead into the practice of but only the Traditions and Precepts of men hath placed a false Law and Commandment which requires a false Obedience which many whose Understandings are blinded and being without true Knowledge they zealously perform and practice as the Worship of God thinking themselves bound in Conscience to practice such things and not to leave them undone whenas the Lord and his Righteous Spirit leadeth not to them nor yet his Just Law doth require the doing thereof but only a false Law and Commandment is received by Precepts and Traditions of men or from looking upon the Practice of others By such means as this there is a false Fear in a blind mis-guided Conscience and a Zeal without true Knowledge And thus it was amongst the Iews in the Prophets dayes They Sacrificed their Children and cut themselves and caused their Children to pass through the Fire and did many things zealously whenas saith the Lord Who hath required these things at your hands for they come not into my heart And Paul witnesseth the same of the Iews in his dayes and bore them record that they had a Zeal
but it was not according to True Knowledge And thus the Iews were zealously performing that as their Duty and as out of a Good Conscience which the Lord required not at their hands and so they made Conscience to do that which the Lord required not and their Consciences were mis-led and not righly informed and as it was amongst the Iews in this case in the dayes of old so now is it amongst the Christians in the Apostacy their Consciences being mis-guided by a false spirit they are doing and performing the things in great Zeal and for the exercise of their Consciences which the Lord doth not require of them Thus do the Papists they do and practise the things in great Zeal and through a false Fear in their blind Consciences which things are in themselves Idolatry and not commanded nor required of the Lord as in many particulars I might shew even in many parts of their Worship and Religion which out of a Fear and blind Zeal and mis-guided Conscience they practise which is in it self but Idolatry and not required nor accepted of the Lord. And many things in relation to the Protestants Worship and amongst all the several false Sects upon Earth which are done and practised in great Zeal and out of a false Fear and as in pretence of a good Conscience and yet are things in themselves Idolatrous as done and practised by them And this comes to passe as I have said because the Conscience is mis-informed and a false spirit guides and rules in the exercise of Conscience and the understanding of the People is blinded and they know not but they do well though their minds are captivated and their minds and judgments in error and though there be a sincerity to God-wards and a desire of Him in the bottom among some People of all Forms and Sects and some of all are zealous towards God in their practices in their Religion and Worship yet among all People and the Churches that have been for many Generations there hath been great Error in Judgment and much blindness in mind and the Conscience falsly exercised towards God and the Superscription hath been To the Unknown God and He hath been ignorantly worshipped and the Spirit of the Lord hath not truly exercised Peoples Consciences nor guided their Zeal nor been Ruler in the Judgment And by this means the sincerity and humility towards God hath been eaten out and always quenched and the bare practice of things and profession of Religion in the outward appearance hath been more lookt at than the presence of God felt in the Practices and the Zeal hath been more for the performance of such things than for God purely enjoyed through them And thus it hath been through Christendom in the Apostacy since the dayes of the Apostles and true Churches Many have erred in their Judgments and the Zeal for God hath proceeded out of the error of Iudgments and out of mis-information of Conscience some other things than only the Spirit of God hath ruled in the Iudgment and been the exercise of Peoples Consciences And this is a hint of things about true Liberty of Conscience and about the Error in Iudgment and the blind Zeal in captivated sincerity Now it may be objected What is the only absolute Rule of the right Exercise of Conscience and when are Mens Consciences truly guided To this I answer The only chief and perfect Rule of the right Exercise of Conscience both to God and all men is The Spirit of Christ for it is only that which can truly guide the Conscience in Faith Doctrine and Worship and in all things towards God even the Spirit of Christ which is the gift of the Father it only leadeth into all Truth as it is written and all whose Consciences are guided and exercised by it are in unity and Peace in their Worship Doctrine and Religion for the Spirit of Christ is but one in it self and guideth the Conscience into the exercise of one Truth and Faith and in this same Spirit is true ânion and Communion of SAINTS in Religion and Worship and this is manifest through the Scriptures for the Apostle exhorted To walk in the Spirit and by it and as many as walked by the Rule of the Spirit Peace be upon them and it is the Spirit of Christ the Everlasting Comforter that teacheth all Truth and the Holy Anointing of the Spirit that dwelt in the Saints taught them all things and they need no man to teach them but as the Anointing that dwelt in them And then are mens Consciences truly guided in all the Ways of Righteousness when the Spirit of God guides the Conscience and is the Rule of all Faith Doctrine and Practices So that Traditions of Men Prescriptions of Councils Antiquity of Time Commandments of Men nor Example of others without the Spirit of Christ cannot be the only true Rule of the Exercise of Conscience for all these things are changeable alterable and subject to variations and therefore cannot infallibly guide the Conscience in the Duty towards God nor rightly exercise the Conscience in Unity and Peace but while a Nation or Kingdom or People walk by the Rule of Traditions Prescriptions Commandments of Men Example of others or the like they err in Judgment in Faith Doctrine and Worship and are all divided in Contention about these matters because their Rule of Conscience and Judgment is doubtful and alterable and not infallible and therefore they have no perfect assurance of Gods acceptation to them in their Faith and Religion nor perfect Peace and Unity in their Faith and Worship But as the Rule of their Consciences in their Duty towards God is divers some make one thing and some another their Rule so are they divers and divided in what they hold profess and practice and are but of great Babylon in their Religion And because that something besides the Spirit of God exercises the Conscience therefore it is that here are so many Wayes and Sects of Religigion and kinds of Worship in Christendom and amongst Christians while the Spirit of Christ only is not the Rule of Iudgement and Exercise of Conscience to God and Man for the only perfect Rule of Conscience in the Exercise to God is the Spirit of Christ and not any other thing And now Whosoever shall persecute the Exercise of Conscience when guided by the Spirit of Christ such persecute Christ Jesus And this is Persecution for the Name of Christ when Sufferings are inflicted as Reproaches Imprisonment or whatsoever for the Exercise of Conscience towards God by his Spirit but and if any are persecuted for Religion-sake only so if that in such their Exercise of Religion they are not guided by the Spirit of Christ yet that suffering is a kind of Persecution also if I say the Suffering be only for and because of their Religions-sake and they walk Justly and Righteously as men so that as is signified about the middle of this Chapter
though some may profess good Conscience and cry for Liberty thereof in their false Sect and Religion not taught them by the Spirit of Christ yet the Civil Magistrate ought not to punish and use Violence to such for their Religion but if they do they persecute and the Lord will lay it to their charge But yet this is safe for all first to obtain true Liberty of Conscience to God-wards and to receive the Spirit of Christ to be taught only by it in the Exercise of Conscience and Religion that they may not err in Conscience and Judgment in spiritual Matters nor suffer Wrongfully under pretence of Righteousness sake whenas it is not truly so CHAP IV. Concerning the Diversity of Iudgments in Religion TO all ye that are of divers Judgments and Opinions in and concerning Spiritual Matters who are divided about Faith Doctrine Worship and Church Government some of you holding one thing some another different and contrary to that being diversly divided in mind and heart concerning the matters that are one in themselves to which you all assent as to the things in themselves and yet are different contrary minded about the self-same things To you all I am moved to write that so ye may be informed perfectly First What the Cause is of your Divisions and why it is thus amongst you And Secondly Of the bad Effects and Fruits such Divisions have brought forth And Lastly The Meant and Way of Reconciliation that ye may come into Love and Peace and Unity with God and one with another in all things pertaining to his Kingdom First The Cause of your Divisions and of the Diversities of Judgments and Opinions that are amongst you concerning the Things and Matters of God's Kingdom is Because you want the Spirit of God to guide you and it is not the Rule of your Knowledge and Iudgment and you wanting the Spirit of God in which is Unity among Saints therefore is it you are so divided and divers and different and contrary one to another in these things it is because ye want the Spirit of God I say which only teacheth the true Knowledge of God and gives an Understanding in all his Wayes and Matters It is the Spirit of God that teacheth true Faith true Doctrine and true Worship and all things about Church Ministry and Religion and if that you had the Spirit of God in you and were taught and guided by it it would teach you into one Faith and one Truth and into the true Worship and into the true Church-Government and you would be in Unity and Peace And if you all had the Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures and by which Spirit the Saints of God were guided in dayes past it would teach you into Unity and to be of one Mind one Heart and one Soul in all the Matters pertaining to God's Kingdom in Faith Worship Doctrine and all things else If you had the Spirit of God I say and were taught by it then you would have Unity with God and one with another in all his Wayes and there would have been no Division nor Contention amongst you about spiritual Matters but because you want that therefore you have Strife and Division amongst you even throughout all Christendom Here 's a Nation and a Kingdom holding such a Faith and Worship and there 's another People holding Faith and Worship contrary to that and here 's one Sect of People and there 's another different in Faith Judgment and Opinion and this is a Shame to whole Christendom That all should profess Christ Iesus and Faith in him and Salvation by him and his Doctrine and Worship and yet be in strife division and in great contentions concerning the same some holding and practizing one manner of Faith Worship and Doctrine and others holding contrary and different and this shews that ye are all fallen from the Life of Christianity as it was held in the Apostles dayes amongst the true Churches for they were of one heart mind soul and spirit as it is written they were of one Faith of one Worship of one Doctrine and had one way of Church-Government and this continued amongst the Churches of Christ till there were some that had Erred from the Spirit of God in their own Consciences and then they also Erred in Faith in Doctrine and in all other things relating to God and these were the Apostate Christians that had erred from the Spirit and divided themselves from the true Church and differed in Judgment amongst themselves and this was because they had erred from the Spirit of God which would have kept them in Unity with God and one with another for the Spirit is the Bond of Peace and the Seal of the Covenant of Love amongst the Saints So now All ye who are divided in your Knowledge and Iudgement and are in contention one with another about the matters pertaining to God's Kingdom you are the apostate Christians and you are without the Spirit of Christ The first apostate Christians erred from the Spirit and so became divided from the true Faith and from the true Worship and also among themselves and you never yet received the Spirit of Christ that you might come into Unity and Fellowship with God and one with another and that is the Reason of all your Divisions in Religious matters because you have not received the Spirit of Christ to teach you and to unite your Hearts to God and one to another but you having the Scriptures traditionally by discent through Ages which do describe and declare of that Faith and Doctrine and of the Worship and Church-Government which were among the Saints of old which they held and practised and from the Scriptures which declare of the things from thence you take up a Conceit and false Judgment and an Imitation and a false Conformity and then each sort of you call that your Faith and Church-Government and some after one manner of form and some after another and thus you are divided because you want the Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures which Spirit did work true Faith in the hearts of them that gave them forth in dayes of old and it taught them Worship Faith Doctrine and all things concerning Gods Kingdom for the Spirit led them into all Truth and now you wanting the same Spirit that wrought in them and taught them and you having but their words to wit the Scriptures from thence in the Wisdom which is below and in the carnal Reason and in the first mans understanding each Nation takes up a conceit that it is so and so and takes up an Imitation of Worship and Church-Government according to their own sensual wisdom and according to the breadth and depth of their Conceits and then imitates and that severally and diversly and in a divided manner and this is amongst Kingdoms and amongst Neighbours and Brethren this Division in matters of Faith Worship and Doctrine and Church-Government
and yet all these have had the name of Christians and Church Members and Worshippers of God but yet are of many wayes of Worship holding different and contrary Principles of Faith and Doctrine and also of Worship and Church-Government and thus have Nations Cities and Countries been for many Ages and thus hath it been and is at this day amongst the Apostate Christians that want the Spirit of Christ to be their Rule of Knowledge of Iudgment and Worship and of their Faith and Practices in Religion And this is a shame to whole Christendom amongst whom the spirit of Antichrist hath entered which hath thus divided Nations Cities Neighbours and Brothers for all these Divisions about Religion amongst the Apostate Christians are of Antichrist and not of God it is that spirit of Antichrist that hath wrought all these Divisions and planted them in the minds of People 2dly Concerning the bad Effects of these Divisions in matters of Faith and Worship as I have said This Division in Religion hath begotten and brought forth very much Evil throughout the World much heart burning envy hard heartedness strife and contention between Kings and Rulers and between Nations between Cities between Neighbours and between Brothers this Division hath bad Effects amongst all these so that it hath brought forth much War and bloodshed between Kings and great Persecution between Rulers and their People and great Debate and Strife amongst Neighbours and Friends so that great Murders and losse of many Lives have been produced and brought forth upon this Quarrel about Difference in matters of Faith and Religion and Antichrist hath not only divided People in Iudgment but hath also Provoked People into rage and envy to the killing and destroying of one another and even that Division about Spiritual things begotten by Antichrist amongst false Christians hath been turned into personal enmity and brought forth in the end murdering and killing the bodies of Thousands when the original debate hath arisen about Church-Government or Points of Religion and this is the woful Effect that Division of Religion hath brought forth in all Christendom And all this Fruit and Effects as well as the Cause of it hath been of Antichrist and of the Dragon and the Devil throughout the World all this Persecution and spoyling of Goods Imprisoning of Persons taking away of Lives and Banishment and whatsoever Persecution otherwise that hath risen and been inflicted upon any for and because of Differences in Religion and about Faith and Worship all this hath been of Antichrist and even all Laws made for that end and all Executors of such Laws and all Penalties of such Laws and all Wars and Bloodshed whatsoever that have ensued only and upon the account of Differences in Religion that being the first and the only ground of the Quarrel All this hath been of Antichrist and it came out of the bottomless Pit and never rose from the Spirit of God but from the Antichristian spirit of Envy and Wickedness that hath first divided People about matters of Faith and Religion and then Provoked them to envy and malice stirring up Kings to fight one against another that was not of their Religion but different and contrary to it And so the hearts of Rulers have been stirred up to persecute all under them that were different contrary in matters of Faith Worship and Religion and this the spirit of Antichrist hath effected throughout Christendom and so each King that hath been strongest would maintain the Principles of his Faith and the Practice of Religion according to his own Conceit in his Dominions And thus hath Religion Worships and Church-Government been set up stood amongst Apostate Christians throughout the World by Force and Power and by violent Laws and through Persecutions and Murders and all this hath been by the spirit of Antichrist and the Spirit of God has had no hand in those matters for setting up and contriving of false Faith false Worship and false Church-Governments all this hath depended upon the Powers and Authorities of the Earth through many Ages and what Religion and Church-Government or Way of Worship that Kings or Queens have set up that only hath been promoted but all the rest Persecuted and restrained by force and violence and all this hath been of Antichrist And now to all ye that are of divers Judgments in matters of Faith and Worship in Religion this is a Caution to you all and I do warn you all in the presence of the living God that though ye be divided in the belief and practice of Spiritual things yet live in peace and unity with all men in all outward relations and do not envy nor hurt one anothers Persons though you are in difference about Religion yet suffer not that Difference to grow into persecuting or envying one anothers persons but seek to inform one another and instruct one another in the Spirit of Meekness and perswade one another out of that which is evil to that which is good by patience gentlèness and long-suffering and do not force one anothér by violence nor persecute one another neither by words evil-deeds nor actions but live in love to the persons every one of another and fight not with Persons nor kill one anothers Persons with carnal weapons about Religion but take the spiritual weapons war with the spirit against the evil one in one another and love persons though they are enemies this is Christs Doctrine neâer hereafter let your divisions about Spiritual things grow into personal quarrels to the envying or killing one another And this is a Charge to you all in the presence of the living God Lastly The Means and Way to be reconciled and to come out of all Division and Strife and to come into Peace with God and one with another about Faith and Church-Government is by the Spirit of God and every one of you in particular must receive the Spirit of Christ that it may work in every one of your hearts true Faith and teach every one of you the true Worship of God and the way of Doctrine and true Church-Government it is the Spirit of Christ in every one both male and female that must reconcile and bring into unity with God and one with another in all Spiritual things for it is that which is the bond of peace and love among true Christians and it is that which reconciles Peoples hearts into oneness And if you receive that Spirit every particular person of you it will bring you to be of onâ Faith of one Worship and then your Doctrine and Church-Government will agree if you receive the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures it will work in you the same Faith and lead you in the same way of Worship which the Scriptures speak of and then you will cease taking up Conceits and making Imitations of Church-Governments from the Letter but the same Spirit will work in your hearts Faith and Knowledge in the fulfilling of the
Scriptures and this is true Christianity and the other is the way of all Apostate Christians all Imitations from the Letter without the Spirit as gave it forth for there is a great deal of difference between making a Conformity in the Imitation of a Worship and Church-Government from the Scriptures without the Spirit and between the Spirits teaching and leading into the same Truth and same Worship and Church-Government which the Scriptures speak of the one is of Christ and is in unity peace and everlasting fellowship the other is of Antichrist and is in division strife and contention so you must all wait for the Spirit of Truth that you may receive it to work in your hearts to teach you and lead you or else you will never come to true Union and everlasting Fellowship with God and one with another neither can you be of one true Faith in one true way of Worship nor in one way of Church-Government except you receive the Spirit and walk in the Spirit And these be the words of the Lord God unto you all Now as concerning the Way of Uniformity in Faith and Church-Government imposed upon Nations and Countries and Cities by cruel Laws of Kings and Rulers as hath been the practice through Christendom to cause a whole Nation and Kingdom to bow and conform to such Principles of Faith and Worship and Church-Government according to the Will and Pleasure of a King or a Ruler such Uniformity and Union and Fellowship among Christians hath not been of Christ where people have walked by Imitation and conformed to the Commands of Men in such a Faith or to such a Worship or Church-Government this hath not been of God neither could this Unity stand or remain forever but it hath perished and will perish where-ever it is and that Faith and Worship and Church-Government which is so set up and so held will never save the Soul nor comfort it but it is blasted of God Whilst a Nation or a Kingdom or a People have Uniformity or hold Faith Worship or Religion either in the ignorance of their Consciences or contrary to their Consciences by the force of mens commandments and not by the perswasion of the Spirit of God in their own Consciences such Conformity I say is of Antichrist not of the Father neither can it stand in the Day of the Lord but the Fire of his Wrath will consume it All the apostate Christians in their uniformity of Faith Worship and Church-Government which is some other way or by some other means than only by the Spirit of God is of Antichrist and will be confounded for there is no true Unity and Fellowship in the ways of God and his Truth and Worship but what is in the spirit and that Unity will stand forever for it is in God not feigned neither because of the Love and Fear of this World as the other is That Uniformity in Faith and Worship which is forced upon people is all but Hypocrisie and Deceit both to God and man and God will judge it in the Imposers and Imposed Therefore no true Unity in Faith nor Worship nor in Religion but what is in and by the Spirit of God for as Christians come to divide themselves into many Ways and into divers Sects when they went from the Spirit of God and lost it and whilst they have been without the Spirit they have remained in Division Strife and Contention about Religion so now the means and way to come into Union and Fellowship and Faith is by receiving the Spirit of God again and not any otherwise and as Christians are brought again to receive this Spirit and walk therein all Division and Strife about Religion will cease and the cursed Fruits Effects thereof will also wither and be no more but then Unity Peace Blessedness Everlasting Fellowship and Comfort with the Lord and one with another in all his Wayes will be witnessed amongst all People By a Servant of Truth E. B. The FIFTH GENERAL EPISTLE Being A Tender Salutation OF PERFECT LOVE Unto the Elect of God the Royal Seed the Saints of the Most High who have Believed the Testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ and Walk in the Light that hath enlightened every man that comes into the World IN the Name and Power of our Lord Jesus Christ blessed forever the Tender Salutation of my Immortal Life is daily abounding towards you who are the true Flock of the Father's Love and Care who hath begotten you to himself by his Word that lives forever in us and with us that ye should be a People Chosen and Elected of him unto Eternal Blessings and to be a Praise and an Honour to him throughout the World by and through the vertue of his Life and Power and in the Fruits of his Spirit brought forth by you all who are the only Children of that Birth which is only the Lord's Well Dearly Beloved My Heart at this time is filled in the Father's Love with the dear Remembrance of you whom the Lord hath gathered with his Arm of Power and in his Spirit do I desire the encrease of all Mercies and Peace and Blessings unto you that you may be Rich and Strong and Wise and Mighty through the Lord Jesus Christ and receiving daily of his Grace may ever be preserved constant and faithful in the Heavenly Calling unto the End And forasmuch as the Lord hath began his Glorious Work in the midst of you and gathered you out of the Darkness and Ignorance and Unbelief of this World where some time your Converse hath been while ye knew not the Lord and raised you up into the Light and Power and Wisdom of the Lord Jesus Christ having largely tasted of the same in the Experience of his Leadings through divers Operations and Manifestations of his Spirit so that many of you have attained to a good measure of Peace and Rest with the Lord in your inward Man Dearly Beloved seeing it is thus these things the Spirit of the Father in me travelleth to bring forth unto you for the End to Comfort you and to Confirm you and to Edifie you in the saving Truths of the Gospel of Peace 1. Consider what your former Estate hath been an Estate scattered like Sheep without a Shepherd some of you dispersed into one false kind of Profession of Religion and some into another walking in such Wayes as the Lord led you not in but ye were Driven from God into the pathes of Death and Darkness and were led by blind Watch-men in the Hypocrisie and false pretences towards God Honouring Him with the Lips while the Heart was far away this was the Condition of some of you and others of you were wallowing in the open Prophaneness of the Sinful World and such was your Estate wherein you were all Strangers to God and were without him in the World and served the spirit which leadeth Captive to Destruction and in that Way you were strayed even in the
your Power if that I say ye oppose his Work and will seek to bind and limit his Spirit in his People and will yet force and impose upon Conscience by outward Violence and Kill and Persecute unto Death and Banishment for matter of Conscience and because of difference in Iudgement in Spiritual Things then thus it shall be done unto you Ye shall Fall and Perish and be Troubled and Blessings and Prosperity shall not be unto you If it be not thus the Lord hath not spoken by me Well Friends even all ye that have Authority and Power in the Government of this World are nearly concerned to take special notice of these things presented unto you seeing the Effects of these two Causes are both very weighty and infallibly certain even to you-wards particularly Very weighty because Peace Prosperity and Happiness or Misery Distractions and Downfall to you is depending upon the Effects of the Causes infallibly certain because the Iustice of God Almighty is such that he must bring Reward upon all according to their Deeds and his Iustice cannot be diverted But if ye permit Free Liberty of Conscience in the Exercise of Godliness in Faith and Worship unto all People under your Power then shall Peace and Prosperity be unto you according to the Purpose of God But if ye impose upon Conscience in any wise by Force in Religious Matters and will not be instructed and advised to the contrary Then shall Misery and Destruction certainly be unto you according to the Justice of God's Vengeance These things are so as a Servant of God I present them to you and not upon Fiction or Fancy but as I have received them from the Lord God by his Spirit which signifies the Verity and Certainty of those Things in my Soul Friends Doubt not of these things for verily the Time is at hand and it must surely come to pass my Spirit shall see it and rejoyce therein if in this Body I may not behold it That imposing and forcing of Conscience by Laws and Ordinances of Men upon Penalties on Mens Persons and Estates in Religious Matters shall be expunged subdued and abandoned in these Nations and Kingdoms of the World and it shall be no more But Liberty Liberty shall be Re-planted Embraced and Renowned amongst Men and Truth and Righteousness Mercy and Peace True Liberty and Freedom Justice and True Judgment with all the Causes and Effects thereof shall flourish and grow and prosper on the Earth and the contrary shall fall and rise no more This Day is dawning nigh it s at the Door Blessed are they that are prepared for it Wherefore let all Flesh Hear and Fear Bow and Tremble and let the Hearts of the Righteous rejoyce and be exceeding glad let all the Upright in Heart put on the Garment of Praises and Deliverance For the Day is at hand that Antichrist with all his Strength and Power Force and Policy shall be a Hissing and Reproach and Shame Contempt unto the Saints of the Most High and amongst whom the Lord God Omnipotent doth and must Raign and Rule in Dominion and Glory and Power over all forever and evermore E. B. London this 12th Moneth 1661. Antichrist's Government Justly Detected c. CHAP. 1. Concerning Imposing Religion the Case stated and the Unrighteousness thereof shewed with the Danger thereof also made appear by manifest Proofs Presented unto the Rulers and People of our Age throughout the World TO Impose any Kind of Religion any Way of Worship or Form of Faith and outward Conformity in any Practices of Duty to God-wards by an External Authority of men through force of Laws commanding and requiring such Conformity in Faith and Worship upon Pains Penalties and Forfeitures on mens Persons and Estates as hath been practiced in the World since the dayes of the Apostles amongst the Nations professing Christianity This thing is not of the Lord nor according to Commands of Christ and Example of the Apostles and Primitive Christians declared of in the Scriptures but is of Antichrist and Unrighteous Unequal and Dangerous to the Destruction of the Souls and Bodies of both the Imposers and the Imposed 1. Such kind of Forcing and compelling by force of outward Laws into such outward Conformity of Religion Faith and Worship Church-Government and Ministry was never in beeing nor ever practiced in the true Christian Churches amongst the Apostles in their dayes nor ever was such a thing known among the Primitive Christians There was no such kind of Laws made nor executed amongst them nor such Force exercised on mens Persons and Estates in such Cases there was no outward Violence used in the Primitive Times to compel any to Conformity to Christian Faith Worship and Practice of Christian Religion None of the first Christians were made truly Religious and converted from the Way of Error to the Way of true Christianity by such means of outward Force and Commandments of Men put upon them They were not I say converted themselves to the Christian-Faith and Religion nor made Conformable Worshippers of God in his Spirit by that Way and Means nor did they seek to convert others into Conformity to Church-Government and Christian-Worship by force of outward Laws upon Pains and Forfeitures These things were not in the true Church of Christ in the Apostles dayes amongst the Primitive Christians 2. But the true Way of Conversion among them to the Christian-Faith and Worship and true Church-Government whereby people were made rightly conformable to the true Christian Religion as it was amongst the Apostles was by and through the Doctrine of the Gospel of Christ Jesus preached amongst them in the Power and Demonstration of the Spirit of God of such as were truly called and sent of him which did turn People to the Spirit of God and that Ministry wrought in them to receive it by which their Consciences were convinced and their Hearts perswaded in the Love of christ to believe in him and receive him and follow him and thus were they drawn and begotten and converted into the Faith and Worship and Practice of the true Christiââ¦-Religion and made conformable to the Government and Order of the true Church of Christ in all things by this Means and Way only and not at all by any outward Force and Compulsion exercised upon them they were converted to the true Christian-Religion and to the true Worship of God and by the same Way did they convert and turn others to the same and this only is the Perfect Way of Christian-Conformity to the true Christian-Worship and Church-Gââ¦ment it ever was since the beginning of Christianity in the World and iâânto this day even to perswade the Heart and to convince the Conscience inwardly by the sound Doctrine of the Gospel through the Operation of the Spirit of Christ and by Love and Meekness and Patience and all the Fruits of Righteousness held forth in Doctrine and Conversation which may answer the Testimony of God in all mens Consciences
Hereby and in this Way is true Conversion wrought in the heart to the turning men from all Error unto the Truth and from all false Worships and Heresies and Evil Wayâs unto the true Christian-Worship and Conformity to holy Church and Religion This I say was the Way among the primitive Christians ââ¦d Apostles of old and is the same among the true Christians in this Age and they that would conform others and are conformed themselves otherwise in this Case of Religion and Worship to God-wards are not in the Example of Christ and his Saints but out of the Life and contrary to the first Christians and President of the Holy Scriptures as hereafter is manifested The Way and Practice of Imposing Religion and Conformity in Worship and Church-Government by Force as aforesaid is so far from being according to the Practice and Example of the Apostles and the primitive Churches of Christians that they are even contrary to the Commands and Exhortations of CHRIST and his Apostles and Example of the Scriptures 1. As in the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares Mat. 13. when it was desired of the Servants that they might go and gather out the Tares that the Enemy had sown from among the Wheat it was commanded to the contrary by the Husbandman even that they should suffer the Tares to grow among the Wheat till the Harvest and not pluck them up lest they hurt the Wheat thereby Now though there be an invisible Mystery of the Kingdom of Heaven secretly signified in this Parable more then may here be said yet 't is also clearly signified That Christ would have no Imposition nor Violence used upon thâ Tares nor that they should pluck them up by Force but that the good Corn and the bad ãâã grow together in one Field till the Harvest And thus much this Parable bears the Proof of Suppose there be Heresies and Hereticks and Prophane Persons that are not in the Truth but in Errors who are bad Corn even as the Tares to the Wheat in that Kingdom City or Family where there is also converted Saints and holy Persons and true Members of Christ who are as the Wheat to the Tares yet such Hereticks and Prophane Persons that are in Error ought not to be plucked up violently to wit Imprisoned Bannished and put to Death Burned and Destroyed from amongst the Righteous though they grow amongst them even in the sâ⦠Field The converted Saints ought not I say to destroy by âânnishment or Death the Hereticks and Unconverted and Unconformable Persons from amongst them but they are to let them live even grow amongst them in the same Field in the same Kingdom City or Family till Harvest And thus much the Parable may truly signifie Even a Liberty to live for the Tares the bad Corn the evil Persons among the Wheat the Righteous Persâ⦠without being imposed upon by Cruel Force and Outward Violence to compel into Conformity 2. As in the Case among the Saints and true Believers where some believed ãâã might ãâã all ãâã others did ãâã Hââ¦s and some esteemed one day above ãâã ând otheââ esteemed every day alike Rom 14. Here was some difference in Judgment and Practices amongst the Believers about Mââts and Dââes abouââ which thiâ⦠there hath been much Imposition and Force used in the World since the Apostle dayes Well But what doth the Apostle Paul ãâã and advise in this Case Doth ãâã threaten Violence towards any of them or signifie any forcible Commands or Impositions to be used to bring them into Conformity and Unity in the things and Matters about which they were divided No no but this is his advice to the Church of Christ of which he was a true and able Minister Iudge not one another about such things nor do not impose any Practice upon thy Brother for to Christ Iesus ââ¦is Master every Believer stands or falls And saith the Apostle Lââ every Man be fully perswaded in his own Mind vers 5. And hereby it is manifestly proved That in the Churches of Primitive Christians the Saints and true Christians were not imposed upon by Commandments of Mân or outward Laws in the matters of their Religion and Practice of Conscience there was no signification of force to be used for Conformity but whâây contrary even every Believeâ had the Liberty of the Spirit of Christ and as he was by that perswaded in his own mind to do or leave undone in such cases and every one was to mind the Teachings of the Spirit of Christ in himself for to that he was to stand or fall and not to impose upon another no not so much as to judge his Brother in any case of difference in Judgment or Practice but they were to leave one another to the Perswasions of the Spirit of Christ in their own minds 3. As in the Case where the Apostle exhorted the Saints to be Like-minded ââil 3. But saith he If any ãâã Otherwise-minded God shall reveal even this unto you By which Saying it is mânifest That the Unity and Conformity of Saints in Mind and Practice was not by Imposition or any outward Force threatned or exercised upon their Persons or Estates but contrary-wise if there was any Difference in Mind and Practice amongst any of them that was to be amended and Unity made up when God revealed the same Truth in all as he had done in some if any were not so minded in any thing as others were they were not to be imposed upon but let God reveal the same and bring into Conformity this was the Apostle's Counsel And vers 16. Nevertheless whereunto we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule that is to âây so far as the Rule of the Spirit of Christ is made manifest or in whââ measure the perfection thereof is attained unto let every one walk in the same measure and by the same Rule and if any have not the self-same measure of the Spirit and know the self-same things let such alone without imposing upon them leave them to walk in the measure of Light and knowledge that they have received though it be not the self-same measure that others have received and if they want any Knowledge or be in any thing otherwise-minded God shall reveal the same unto them even the same thing as they grow in the same measure of Grace and Knowledge And here is the perfect Way of Unity and Conformity as the Primitive Christians were exercised in the true Faith and Worship and true Christian Religion in their dayes And so to impose by Force upon Paint and Forfeitures in Religious Matters is clearly contrary to all these Scriptures and to many more in the New Testament 4. In that Case 1 Pet. 5. 2 3. where the Apostle exhorts the Elders To take ââe Overââght of God's Flock not by Constraint or Force but Willingly not for ãâã by Lucââ but of a ready Mind neither ãâã being Lords âver God's Heritage which cââ¦ly signifies against
Imposing upon the Flock of God or forcing in Religious Matters for ye see the Elders might not be constrained or forced to take the Oversight of the Flock neither having the Oversight of it might they be â⦠ãâ¦ã ây noââ ãâ¦ã ãâã Heritage nor use any ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã the Apostle and the conâ⦠ãâ¦ã saith he Elââ¦âor âor ãâ¦ã upon them in ââ¦igor or ãâ¦ã Elders and Ministers overseeing ãâ¦ã oversee God's Heritage ãâ¦ã self-denial and in all thâ ãâ¦ã hereby with the Word of ãâ¦ã wards and not ruling over them as ãâ¦ã Lordship by forcing and ãâ¦ã imprisoning ând ãâ¦ã as hath been ãâ¦ã âver the Heritage of God ãâ¦ã Lords over the Flock ãâ¦ã example of Scriptures and ãâ¦ã Gentleness and good Example ãâ¦ã Peter's Instructions Thus it is clearly manifest throughout ãâ¦ã the way of imposing Religiââ and ãâ¦ã Worship and Church-Government in the dispensâ⦠of ãâã Gospel as aforesaid is contrary to the commands of Chriâ⦠ãâ¦ã example of Scriptures and is not of God nor according unto him And now I shall âââw in the fourth place of whom âit is ãâã ây whose Example this violence used and prsecution unto ãâ¦ã on and also the beginning of impoâ⦠ãâã force ââongst Christians 4. All this persecution ãâ¦ã been in the world as imprisoâments ãâ¦ã unto death and grievous Afflicâ⦠hath been of ãâ¦ã through the ãâã ãâã Envy of the Devil against God ãâ¦ã that Persecution ãâ¦ã before the ãâã ãâã Christ in the ãâã it ãâ¦ã the particulars of it as it is signified ãâ¦ã Transactions in ãâ¦ã âââwledged by all that such cruel Persecutions were of the Dââil And again in the days of Christ and his Apostles ãâã was the force and ãâã by ãâã practised ââon the true ãâã Christians by ââe Jeââ and ãâ¦ã which was in âlicted upon Chriâ⦠Apostles and the Christians was imposiâion and ãâ¦ã Religion ãâ¦ã so much for compââ¦ing them to any thing as from that way of Riâ⦠and ãâ¦ã which they walked they were ââ¦ded ãâ¦ã in the Name of Iâsus and were ââprisânâââanished and greatly ãâã by the Iâââs that ãâã proâ⦠People ãâ¦ã Religion ãâ¦ã for the â⦠I need ãâã mântion the particular proâfs for this thing 't is so clear ãâ¦ã and elsewhere how the Primitive Christians were forced and impoâââ upon by cruel Laws and violent Persecutions for their Christian Religion sake all ãâ¦ã out of ãâã and ãâ¦ã in the heart ãâã wicked ãâã ãâã Goâ⦠by all âât 5. This Way and Practice of imposing upââ ãâ¦ã ãâ¦ã Pesecution ãâã the same wasââ¦ââ¦gst Chrâ⦠nor ââ¦cticed by any called Christians ãâã ãâ¦ã Faith which some did ãâ¦ã afterterwards For even in the Apoâ⦠ãâã some were gone ouâ from them into the Way of Câiâ that killed ãâã ãâã and into the Way of Balaam that went for Gift and Rewards ãâã these were Apostates ãâã the true Church and they were ãâ¦ã and âuch liââ as Paul to ãâã ãâã such as these were alâââdy sprung up in the first Age and they grew ãâã ãâã in the second Ages And these were the Antichristâ and ââlse Proâ⦠whith Iohn ãâã were gone out from the true Church into the World in his ãâã and these deceived the World by the Form of Godliness and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Power and Spirit of Christ And the Apostates from the ãâã ãâã which were over spread in many Nations and grown ãâã were ãâã Sea and the Earth out of which the Beast arose Rev. 13. And it was ãâ¦ã War with the Saints and to overcoââ ãâ¦ã worship him and he should CAUSE the âârth and ãâã that dwell therein to worship and ãâã should CAUSE ãâ¦ã should be killed and ãâã should CAUSE all ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã â Rich and Poor Bond and Free to receive ââs Mark c. And this Beast was the Authority of Antichrist that arose among the Apostaâââ and the false Prophets that thus Caused and Compelled all to worship the Beast and his Image Mark how often the word CAUSED is used in that Chapter which is Compelled or Forced and it was the Antichrist the Beast that did it the Authority that arose among the Aposâ⦠Christians that were gone from the true Church and this was the first that we read of any Forcing or Compelling to Worship or persecuting about Worship and Imposing about the same since the dayes of the Apostles through Ages amongst them called Christians and here was the beginning of Imposing by ãâã and Violent Laws in the matters of Worship and Religion amongst the People called Christians and one Sect and Sort according to its Authority imposed by Laws and Force upon another causing and compelling one another to worship and believe according to his Form and Image and as any Sect of Christians gained outward Authority over others that same has caused and forced all others by outward violence into Conformity to its Way and Worship and this hath been amongst the People called Christians in the Apostacy ever since Antichrist and his power rose up amongst them and thus and at this time begân first the imposing of Worship and persecuting about the same amongst Christianâ And thus 't is manifest to be of Antichrist and of the Wicked one and not of the Lord. 6. By what is said it is plain That all in this present Age who impose by force of Laws and compel to worship and persecute about the same are not in the Example of Christ or his Apostles or any the good Primitive Christians but in so doing are in the Example of the Persecutors of the holy Prophets and in the Example of the cruel Iews that killed Christ and persecuted the Saints and in the Example of the cruel Heathens that violently persecuted the Christians in diverâ Ages and Countries and are indeed of Antichrist and of the Beast that arose up against the Saints and made War against them and such are all they that do impose upon the Persons Estaââs and Conscienââs of ââ¦n at this day upon the account aforesâ⦠And this is worthy of âll meââ serious Consideration And now in the next place I shall proceed to shew how ãâã and Unreasonable it is for any called Christians to impose âpon the Consciences of others and to force them by Laws and Commandments in the Matters of ãâã and to persecute ââout the sââe 1. Iâ it unrighteous because it is an intruding upon the ãâã and Priviledge of God and seems to be a derogating from his Honour Power and Domiâ⦠which properly is in himself and pertains to him alone and not unto mortal man which is to give Laws to Conscience ând to exercise it in all ãâã of Religion respecting his Worship Duty and Service and to perswade ãâã ãâã Consciencââ by his Spirit to follow him and observe all things which he ââ¦quires in Faith and Worship This Power is only proper to God alone and to him pertaineth and to no other And therefore for any man or earthly Powers of man to give Laws and Rules to Conscience and to impose upon men in the
Imposers which is to make people true Worshippers of God is utterly frustrate and void and none are made true Worshippers of God by such Imposition and Force but many are made Hypocrites thereby and sinners against God for what any performs to God-wards by Force and not of Faith given into the heart by God it is sin For whatsoever is not of Faith is sin as saith the Scriptures and that which is the occasion of hypocrisie and sin is unrighteous and temptation but such is imposing on Conscience by force in religious Matters 7. It is Unrighteous and Unreasonable to Impose by Force upon Conscience because it is the Occasion of absolute Eââ¦remity put upon many that are Dear and Precious to the Lord even such aâ Extremity as may force unavoidably the ruin of either Soul or Body or both in this World and hereafter For suppose such Laws be made for the forcing of Conforâity to commâ⦠men to Worship upon the Forfeiture of whole Estate Banishment oâ Death which is contrary to the Spirit of Christ and good Conscience And if such Laws be not obeyed and such Conformity made but the Conscience kept clear to God then the outward Man in his Person Estate and Family is ruined in this World and if such Laws be obeyed and such Conformity yielded contrary to good Conscience then the Inward Man is ruined and the Soul and Conscience wounded and grieved because God is Offended and Christ is Denyed and the Law of Men obeyed rather then the Law of God and this is by an Extremity occasion'd through imposed force in the Cases of Conscience by Authority and Laws of Men. And that which is the Occasion of such Ruin and Destruction to the Souls and Bodies of such as fear the Lord is an Unrighteous Thing which administers that woful Extremity To deny God and so to be liable to his Wrath and Judgments or to deny the Authority of Men and so to be liable to Destruction of Person and Estate in this World and such is Imposing of Worship 8. It is Unrighteous and Unreasonable because it may destroy the Faith of some even of such upon whom Imposition is laid against their pure Consciences For Suppose a Person or People being truly perswaded by the Spirit of Christ in the true Way of Religion and Worship of God having therein true Peace with God in a clean Conscience and by force of Law and through cruel Imposition should be forced from that Way of Worship which they have had Peace with God in and which the Spirit of Christ perswaded them of the truth of unto such a Way of Worship which they could not have Peace with God in nor the Comfort of his Presence in such Conformity forced upon them this were certainly Unrighteous and Unreasonable that a People or a Person should be forced by Laws from that way wherein they have Peace and Blessings with God to that Way wherein their Souls are famished for want of the Presence of the Lord Like as if a Person of such a Calling following the same in a certain City or Town whereby he maintained himself in all good things and wanted nothing and yet the chief Magistrate of the said City or Town should forcibly compel by Violence the said Person of so good a Calling from that his Calling whereby he so well maintained himself in the World and should force upon him to follow another Calling of which he could not live in the World but by it he might Perish and Starve Would not all reasonable men conclude the same Imposition of the said Magistrate upon the said poor Man were Oppression Cruelty Unrighteous and Unreasonable And the case of imposing Religion as aforesaid is the greater Oppression and Cruelty inasmuch as it respects the Immortal Soul which is more worth then the Body and the other respects but the Body which is of less worth with all that concerns it then is the Soul which is Immortal Lastly 'T is Unrighteous inasmuch as it is contrary to the Scriptures of the New Testament in the Dispensation of the Gospel which are before cited and contrary to Christ and his Apostles Example in the Primitive Churches of Christians And thus it is manifest That Imposing by Force upon Conscience in Religious Matters is Unrighteous and Unreasonable and is not of Christ but of Antichrist as is by plain Reasons demonstrated And now I shall in a few words shew The Danger of Imposing Worship ãâã aforesaid and how Dangerous it is to any King Prince or outward Authority that are or may be the Imposers on the Consciences of Men by Force in the Case of Worship and Religion 1. It is Dangerous to cause the People to sin to cause them to conform in Appearance when the Heart is not devout to God and this makes them Hypocrites Dangerous to cause People to perform Duty to God-wards without Faith in God and this makes them Sinners against him For whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin Dangerous to cause some to deny Christ before men for the Fear of this World and Terrors of Violent Men and to forsake that Way which they know is of the Lord and to follow that Way which they know is not of him and this denying the Lord of Life and a great Abomination against him And the Cause of that cause is Imposing by Force upon Conscience in Matters Religious and the Reason of all this is The Imposers such as make and Execute such Force and this Danger all such are involved in even the Danger of causing People to sin against God of Denying Christ of making Hypocrites and so even in the Danger of Destroying Souls which is a desperate Danger Oh! that all the Imposers of Religion by Force would consider it and look upon the Danger which they are deeply fallen into and involved in by reason of such their Imposing upon Conscience Alas they are in the Danger of destroying Souls of causing a Nation and People to sin against God and to deny the Lord of Life And how great is such a Danger even to be avoided of all if they love their own Souls and not to be the Occasions and Cause of destroying Souls by causing People to sin and this Danger all the Imposers upon Conscience are captivated in And 2. It is Dangerous to be a Means to destroy that Kingdom City or Country and the Rulers thereof by begetting and nourishing Discontents Heart-burnings and Envying among the People one against another and against their Rulers because of such Unrighteous Force and Violence exercised by Imposition upon their Consciences Dangerous I say to raise into Contentions Strifes Broyles and Blood-shed it self in a Kingdom amongst People And this is a Danger violently impending upon such Rulers or do impose as aforesaid even a Danger to ruin their own Power and Authority and to ruin the People under their Dominion by raising the People into Discontents and Broyles through the Cruelty of the Oppression of
Imposing Religion and the Example hereof may be read in Nations and Countries at this day what Discontents and Contentions have arisen dangerously among people one towards another and towards their Rulers upon this Cause and Occasion of Imposing Religion by Force Unrighteously and 't is a Danger this day that all the Rulers of the World are exposed unto and deeply involved in where this Cause of Imposing Religion is extânt in Force 3. It is Dangerous to Impose Religion by Force because it must needs produce Oppression Persecution Violence and Hatred in the prosecution thereof and this is dangerous to any Kings Rulers or Governours to be reputed Oppressors Persecutors and Violent Men this is Infamous and of bad Report amongst men and Abomination and Wickedness in the sight of God for any Rulers upon Earth to be Oppressors Persecutors and Cruel Men and such consequently must they be that are Imposers upon mens Consciences in Matters Religious And this Danger all the Rulers of the World are in that do Impose Religion by Force even to render themselves Infamous by Oppression in the sight of men and to render themselves Sinners against God and this Danger falls upon the Imposers of Religion because of such their Impositions by Force upon the Consciences of men Lastly 'T is Dangerous because 't is of Antichrist and not of Christ as before proved and all that do Impose by Violence on the Consciences of Men in Religious Cases are of Antichrist in so doing and because thereof liable to God's Indignation and Heavy Wrath in this World and hereafter and 't is Dangerous to bring the Wrath and Judgments of God upon Men that are guilty thereof for God will be avenged upon such his Enemies that exercise Violence and Persecution upon Men for their Conscience sake And this is a Danger unavoidable which all that impose Religion are liable unto even to be Cut Off in the Wrath of the Lord and to undergo his Indignation for all the Reasons before shewed These with many other Dangers are they involved in that are Imposers in Religious Matters Therefore Oh that the Rulers of this World would be Wise now in their last day and would consider the Unjustness and Unreasonableness of their Imposing Religion and the many Dangers that attend the same Oh that they would learn God's Counsel and Rule only for him in Justice Mercy Truth Equity and true Judgment exercising the same in the Meek and Lowly Spirit of Jesus among men and over whom they are set to Rule in this World and would give to God Almighty his Due and Right and Priviledge in exercising the Consciences of Men by his Spirit in all Cases of Christ's Kingdom for it only belongs to him to be Ruler in the Inward Man Oh! that the Rulers of this World would give this Power and Dominion unto God and would from henceforth never more exercise Lordship over Conscience by Imposing Religion through Force but would only Rule well over the Outward Man in the things pertaining to Man and would leave to God the Rule and Exercise of Conscience Oh! then would it go well with them and Happy and Blessed should they be in such their Authority and Peace should be unto them if that they only took the Government as appointed of God over the outward Man and did not impose upon the inward man by Force in Religious Matters but committed that Authority to God Then I say should Peace and Blessings be unto them But while it is otherwise even while they exercise Dominion and Lordship over Conscience as aforesaid they do unjustly and Unreasonably and bring upon themselves many Dangers and are liable to Contentions Oppositions Wars and many Mischiefs in this World and to the Anger and Wrath of God in the World that is to come CHAP. II. Concerning Heresie the Case Stated What it is in it self and who a Heretick is and who are the absolute true Iudges of it and what Punishment pertains to such as are truly convicted of Heresie 1. THere is such a thing as Heresie in it self even many Heresies and Errors abounding amongst the Sons of Men in the World at this day and there was Heresie in the dayes of the Aposties and amongst them brought in by such as erred from the Truth after they had once known the Truth and received it as ye may read the Iews they cryed out of Heresie in their time which caused the Apostle to say to them Acts 24. 14. After that Way which ye call Heresie do we worship the God of our Fathers And the Apostle said 1 Cor. 11. to the Church There must be also Heresies amongst you that they that are approved of God may be made manifest And 2 Pet. 2. 1. it is spoken of some who should privily bring in Damnable Heresies into the Church By all which it is manifest there was in the Apostles dayes Heresie and Heresies as there is at this day even many Heresies and Errors in the World held professed and maintained by the Apostate Christians that are gone into the Form of Godliness without the Power and are turned from the Spirit of Christ and the soundness of his Doctrine into the formal Profession of Religion and of the words of Christ and his Apostles and among such are the Heresies and Errors 2. Heresie is somewhat believed and professed in Practice of Worship and in Point of Faith and Doctrine that is either contrary to or different from the perfect Truth of the Gospel of Christ something I say held and practiced in Point of Worship Faith and Doctrine which is not justly according to the pure Truth of Jesus but either in whole or in part different from and contrary thereunto and whatsoever Practice of Worship or Point of Doctrine as is so held professed believed or practiced is Heresie and Error because it is different from and contrary to in whole or in part the perfect Truth of the Gospel of Christ Jesus and because thereof it is Heresie and such is Heresie in it self different from and contrary unto the Gospel of the Kingdom of Christ though as for the particular Parts and Points of Heresie in Worship Doctrine and Practice which are at this day held professed and believed among Apostate Christians are so very many that they would be too large here to ennumerate but my present Intention is only this To shew at large what Heresie is in it self and who is a Heretick 3. A Heretick one that is properly so is such a Person as hath sometime believed in the Truth and made Profession and Acknowledgment of the Way of true Christianity and hath received and held the true Faith of the Gospel of Christ and been in some measure united to Christ and a Member of his Church but is fallen and degenerated in whole or in part from the said Faith and Acknowledgment of Christ Jesus and the Way of Christianity and hath erred from the Truth of the Gospel once believed and
of his People he is at a distance from the Lord God and the Spirit which should comfort him doth daily vex and judge him and the people among whom he should be saved he is separated from and cast out to Satan is now among the Sons of Belial the Children of Wickedness and Ignorance that must be condemned And this man is now rejected of the Saints that once was embraced of them and thus he is punished for it is the greatest Punishment and Vexation for a man that hath once tasted of God's Love Mercy Peace and Blessings amongst God's People and to be forsaken of God and without his Love in his Anger in his Judgment and in the Curse amongst the Wicked without Peace and Blessings amongst the Saints this is Punishment indeed from which the Lord deliver all his People that fear him Yet notwithstanding this kind and manner of Punishment pertains to Hereticks as such most properly and not to be destroyed in Person or Estate by outward Penalties this I onely mean and intend where the Error of a man and his Heresie in his Mind and Judgment doth only extend to the hurt of his own Soul and against God and not to the harm of his Neigbours Person or Estate in that Case he ought only to suffer as before-mentioned To be delivered up to Satan and to be rejected c. But if his Error and Heresie do extend further then onely against God and his own Soul even to the wronging injuring and defrauding of his neighbours person and estate and outward wrongs or evils or violence or visible mischiefs be committed as Murders or other the like visible crimes against men to the injuring of others then I forbid not outward external punishments to be corporally inflicted upon the person and estate of such a man but it ought to be done and that by Laws of men provided for the same end even such a mans Error in such his wrong dealing may justly and lawfully be punished with death banishment or penalties according to the desert of the crime if his sin and error be against men let men deal with him and punish him accordingly If his offence and error be onely against God and his own soul let God deal with him and punish him by his wrath in his Conscience which one day will be executed upon all that err from the Truth and tribulation and anguish shall be upon his soul that doth evil as it is written But it is utterly unlawful and sin against God for men to kill burn or banish men for the error of their minds and judgments in Spiritual matters while they do walk justly and truly as men in the things pertaining to men and are not injurious to the Persons or Estates of any by reason of such their Error but they only sin and err against God and their own Souls to the hurt thereof and not man by any outward Punishments or Violence executed upon their Persons but God and his People in the way and manner of the Spirit of Christ as afore declared ought for such their Errors and Heresies to deal with them and proceed towards them in respect of Punishment for the same Lastly These things are but said in general concerning Error and Heresie how they are to be judged and Punished and by whom and to manifest that there is Error and Heresie Hereticks and Erroneous Persons in the World for as I have said before it was not now my work to ennumerate the particular parts of Errors and Heresies that are held in Principle Doctrine and Practice in the World at this day they are so many and large but yet more particularly thus I would in brief define Hereticks and Heresie That man whatsoever he be is in Error in all parts of his Principles and practises held and maintained by him in point of Religion and Worship of God especially that is not Perswaded of the Truth and verity of his Way by the holy Spirit of God and led guided and taught in the performance and practice thereof by the same Spirit of Jesus if the holy Spirit of God dwell not in him and doth not preswade the heart in the belief of the Truth and teach and lead the man in the practice of it such a man even that man Errs and is in Error in all what he is and what he doth in point of Religion and Duty to God-wards and that because the Spirit of Truth and Righteousness is not the only Leader and Teacher in the things professed and practised but either Traditions Example of others or Custom of Places and Times or something else besides the Spirit of God which only perswades into the belief of Truth and teaches into the performance of the same and thus is distinguished and known A man that is Erroneous in his Faith and Practice not taught and perswaded by the Spirit of Christ in what he is and in what he doth he is in Error and in a degree of Heresie erring in Mind and Judgment and Conscience in Principle and practice and subject to err in all things Now as for the Case of Error and Heresie as the matter hath stood in distinguishing of Hereticks and Heresies in judging of the same and in proceeding with Hereticks in the manner aforesaid for many Generations in the Apostacy since the Apostles dayes all this hath been wrong and not in the Spirit and Power of Christ Jesus but Men Cases and Proceedings all have been perverted from Truth in that matter because the spirit of darkness and ignorance hath ruled and not the Spirit of God in the Hearts of men and the spirit that is not of the Father which Spirit of the Father is only pure perfect and infallible because it is of God and can truly judge and determine in these Cases has been Lord and Judge in this matter and men out of their Envy and Hatred one towards another have judg'd one another to be erronious and Hereticks and proceeded against them thereupon and such as have differ'd in Iudgment or Opinion one Sect and Sort from another and would not conform to one another in their Wayes Practices and Religion it hath been common for all different sorts of men to cry out one upon another and against each other Heresie Heresie Hereticks Erronious Persons and the like and proceeded against one another men against men differing from them and sect against sect contrary to it self and especially that sect or sort of People that hath had the Government of Nations and Countries in their Power could and hath easily proceeded against all others dissenting upon the account of Error to the destroying of many absolutely through envy hatred and prejudice and not upon the Truth Soundness and Verity of Judgment in that matter and this hath been common for many Ages Sometimes according to the occasion offered Papists have destroyed Protestants and sometimes Protestants have destroyed the Papists on this account of Heresie and Error All which
there is much Difference amongst men concerning this Matter and 't is the general way of People one sort to accuse another that are different from them in Profession and Religion That ye and ye are of Antichrist but this hath been for the most part in Enmity and in the Spirit of Wrath and Contention and is not from true Judgment and Knowledge now therefore it remains to be made manifest according to the Gift of Grace Knowledge and Understanding what Antichrist is in himself and how he appears in the World seeing we have proved That there is such a thing as Antichrist now Ruling and Raigning somewhere amongst men throughout the Nations of the Earth 3. Antichrist is not as some suppose a particular visible Person upon Earth Distinct and Divided from all other Persons as if none besides such an one were Antichrist but Antichrist is rather an Invisible Spirit a spirit I say dwelling in Persons even in many Persons throughout the World which makes them all of Antichrist or to be many Antichrists according to 1 Iohn 2. 18. There are many Antichrists saith Iohn whereby we know it is the Last Time So that it is plain There are in the World many Antichrists many Men of Sin or many Sinful Men many Sons of Perdition and Ungodliness not onely one man that is such but many men in the World even all such in whom the spirit of Antichrist or Antichrist that spirit dwells and walks they are all Antichrists or of Antichrist because of that spirit of Antichrist which doth possess them and rule them in the Wayes of Sin and Death in Idolatry and false Wayes and in opposition to and against Christ Jesus the Lord of Life even all the Deceivers in the World all that are erred from the Spirit and Power of CHRIST and are not of the true Church Gathered into his Name and Power but bringeth another Doctrine than that of Christ and his Saints and truly confesseth not in Word and Practice unto JESUS come in the Flesh all such are Antichrists and of Antichrist according to 2 Iohn 7. even all the Apostates who profess Christ and his Truth and his Church and are not in the Spirit and Power of Christ but in the Form of Godliness without the Power professing God in Words but in Works denying him all such are Antichrists by reason of that spirit of Antichrist which dwells in them and into which spirit they are leavened and moulded and are one with it and bring forth the Fruits of it in the World and therefore they are Antichrists more than one even many Antichrists as I have said 4. Antichrist in himself is the Man of Sin the Son of Perdition which is indeed and in Truth the very Devil in his Nature and Kind and in his Power and Spirit and of him and yet not divided nor distinct from him but is him to wit the DEVIL as he is in himself And he is against Christ and wholy contrary to Christ and bringeth forth Fruits and Works to the Dishonour of Christ and opposeth Christ and is in all things of a contrary Nature and Quality to Jesus Christ. And he is called Antichrist to wit before or against and contrary to Christ. And this is Antichrist in himself An Adversary to God an Enemy to all Righteousness a Perverter of the Wayes of God a Hater of all Good a Despiser and Persecutor of God's People and indeed a certain Spirit and Power Distinct Divided and Separated from the Living God and his Son Jesus Christ and contrary in Nature and Quality in Fruits and Effects And there is no Fellowship in any thing between Christ and Antichrist but they are divided and separated one from the other contrary and opposite one to the other in all their Wayes and Works and in their Kinds and Natures For as I have said Antichrist in himself in his nature and kind is the Devil and no other he is the Man of Sin the Sinful Man that conceiveth and worketh all Evil the Son of Perdition the Son that is lost from God and Reprobate forever he that is fallen diverted and cast out from the Presence Glory and Power of the Creator he that is sealed unto Vengeance in the Wrath and Enmity against God and Christ Jesus as being contrary irreconcilably to the Nature and Works of Christ. This is said of Antichrist as what he is in himself as that particular spirit and not of the many Antichrists which are only Vessels retaining this one spirit and Members of him through his Power dwelling in them and by which they are one with this spirit and one in Action and bring forth the Works and Fruits of it For 't is possible some that are such in their present standing even under the power of Antichrist may be converted and turned from him and changed into another Nature and so saved But as for the Antichrist in himself as such he is the Devil and sealed up in the Anger of God never to be redeemed nor saved nor changed into another Nature 5. Though Antichrist in himself be the Devil yet his Appearances in the World are divers and many and he appears in outward and visible Actions amongst men diversly somtimes he appears in the way and form of open Prophaneness by the Works of Men in all manner of Unrighteousness and Iniquity for all Sin of what kind soever in every appearance of it is of the Devil and Antichrist even all prophane Wayes and Works of Evil Men Lying Drunkenness Whoredom Double-dealing Envy Malice and every Evil Work and Word brought forth by the Sons of Adam in the Fall are all of Antichrist and the Devil and is his visible Appearance in the World though sometimes his Appearance is in another way and manner even in a way of seeming Righteousness and Holiness and in the Profession of Christ and Christianity and pretence of Faith towards God and Worship of God and crying up Church and Fellowship in the same and Forms of Godliness as if Antichrist were a Saint and Servant of God thus and after this manner doth Antichrist appear in the World amongst men now in these latter dayes since the Apostles time in the Apostacy of Christianity Antichrist I say though the Devil in himself yet hath he often appeared as a Saint upon Earth in the pretence of Holiness Righteousness Worship and Religion such hath been his Policy and Deceivableness that he hath put on the Appearance of Gospel Doctrine Ministry and Ordinances and covered himself thereby that he might the better beguile entangle and deceive Mankind in the Form and Profession of a Saint and Member of the true Church he hath put on the Sheep's-Clothing hath made use of the Saints words and Practices and hath exalted himself in the Temple of God as if he were God shewing himself to be God and hath been lifted up above all that is called God according to 2 Thes. 2. 4. and Christ himself said to his Disciples
That there should arise false Christs and false Prophets and should shew Signs and Wonders if it were possible to deceive the very Elect Mat. 24. 24 which doth signifie that the Antichrists and false Prophets should come into the World after his Prophecy which are already come since that time They should pretend to be Christs and should shew Signs and should deceive many with the Profession of Christ and Signs of Godliness and they should have upon them and be covered with Sheep's-Clothing that is with the Saints words and practices in outward appearance but inwardly that is in their own proper Nature Fruits and Works should be ravening Wolves that is Destroyers of the Flock Mat. 7. 15. and the Antichrists which Iohn speaks 1 Iohn 2. 19. they were such as went from the Saints that were in the Power of Godliness they went out of the true Church and carried with them the Form of Righteousness and Truth and the Profession of Christianity but without the Power and had lost it and were departed from the Spirit of Christ and the Spirit of Antichrist had possessed them and now led them and ruled them and they were Antichrists to wit against him and contrary to him And these were the false Prophets and Deceivers that went out into the World and deceived it and led many aside into Error and many followed their pernitious and hurtful wayes as Peter saith 2 Pet. 2. 2 3. And Paul speaks of such as had the Form of Godliness but denyed the Power and in Words professed God but in Works denyed him Such were the Antichrists and Deceivers in the Apostles dayes and such they are this day in the World whereby it is manifest that Antichrist often appears in the World as a Saint as a Righteous one and the many Antichrists they have gotten the Form and Appearance of Church Ministry Worship and Ordinances and thus they appear deceiving the World and them that dwell therein with the Appearance and Vain-shew of Faith Worship and Religion without the Power of Godliness for unto that Antichrist is an Enemy even a Destroyer a Persecutor and Gainsayer of Christ and his Works and the Power of Godliness and true Faith brought forth by the Spirit of Christ though to deceive the World he can transform himself into and appear as an Angel of Light 6. Again So Deceivable and Mysterious is and hath the Appearance and Working of Antichrist been in the World that he hath not alwayes dwelt in one kind of Form and Profession of Religion and Righteousness but he hath dwelt in many Appearances and removed out of one false Form into another according to his Oportunity and Advantage whereby he could deceive and sometimes dwelling in one Form with pretence of Zeal and performance of Duty to God he hath envyed Persecuted and destroyed many others in other Wayes of Profession more Zealous Upright and Sincere to God than themselves have been in the other Form and by the colour of Zeal and Performance of Duty hath Antichrist clothed himself in his Envies Persecutions and Murders of others as if he did not persecute nor impose upon the Conscience of any nor exercise that Rigour or Justice as he hath named his Proceedings though never so Cruel and Unjust towards any upon any terms or account of Wrath Bitterness Envy or Cruelty but Zeal Duty and Love to Religion and to entinguish Heresie c. This hath been the Pretence and Cloak of Antichrist in his cruel and hard Dealing with many men that have differed in Principle and Practice of Religion he hath often shewed himself in his present Form of Godliness so zealous and dutiful for the truth of his Way though never so Idolatrous against all that have opposed it and gainsayed his Form and Vain Shew that he hath killed slain and exercised Cruelty towards all that have been contrary or different-minded and though this hath been brought forth by Antichrist as he is the Devil in himself and in down-right Envy Malice Persecution and Wickedness yet it hath been acted and effected under the Cloak of Zeal Duty and Sincerity and out of Pretence of Love to Christ and his Church and out of Pretence of Hatred against the contrary Thus hath Antichrist though the Devil that Wicked One as he is in himself in his own Nature Kind and proper Sphear appeared in the World as a Zealous Church-Member as a Saint as a Promoter of Righteousness and a Destroyer of the contrary With these false Covers hath Antichrist been cloathed and hidden from men and appeared to be in his Works and Transactions as a Good Man as a Lover of God and Hater of Iniquity while in the mean time he hath been deceiving Men and destroying the Innocent and leading the World to perpetual Misery and Destruction 7. Again So Deceivable hath the spirit of Antichrist been in the World that he hath alwayes put the Name of Christ and the Name of his Church and the Pretence of Duty to God and the Name of Gospel Doctrine Ordinances Ministry and Worship upon whatsoever False Way Feigned Worship and Deceitful Profession that he hath gone about to set up and promote in the World among men I say Upon the Worst and most Idolatrous Wayes of Superstition and the most false Feigned Formal Worship that ever hath been in the World Antichrist hath put the Name of Christ his Church and Worship upon them and Imposed and forced the Belief and Practice of much false Worship false Doctrine and formal Wayes under the Name and Title of the true Christ his Doctrine and Worship and upon Pains and Penalties hath enjoyned and commanded the Belief and Practice of such things not as if they were of Antichrist Superstitious Evil False or Feigned but as if they were of Christ altogether and must be believed and practiced as by his Name and under his Authority Thus hath been the working of the Mystery of Iniquity of that Man of Sin the Antichrist all the Evil Wayes he hath conceived and brought forth in the World all the Idolatrous Worship and false Faith and Doctrine and all the Cruelties Murders and Unjust Dealing to the very destroying of the Saints and all the Unrighteousness and Deceivableness exercised by Antichrist in the World hath put all this on the Name of Christ and pretended Christ for it as if it were indeed and in Truth of him and from him when indeed and in Truth it hath been contrary to the true Christ and tended to kill and destroy him Thus hath Antichrist the Devil been cloaked with false Covers and deceitful Pretences in his working among men that wicked spirit hath falsly called the greatest of Pride and Ambition Decency and true Honour Covetousness and Deceitful Dealing hath he stiled Good Husbandry and Prudent-Walking and the most Cruel and Unjust Iudgment the Oppression of the Poor and the Grinding of the Face of the Innocent hath that spirit falsly titled Equal Proceedings Iustice and according to Law
Islands and all the Kingdoms in the World are altogether at the Lords disposure to give the governmâât thereof to whomsoever he will he giveth and taketh away Power and Dominion according to his pleasure and it is his proper right to rule over all even the God of Heaven and he it is that pulleth down and setteth up according to his own mind and if you please not the Lord but vex him in your proceedings you must know that the Lord can take from you the Dominion and give it to whom he will and there is no injustice in him thus to do but of right he doth it because it is his pleasure so to do with whom there is no Iniquity nor Unrighteoâsness Therefore let it enter into your hearts to Fear the God of Heaven assuredly knowing that it is he alone who hath secretly purposed and effected this your reââââing into the Throne and he hath given you this day and put this season into your hand that ye should do his will But if ye provoke him he alone can cast you down and take your day and season from you and none can hinder and this justly and none can reprove him 4. As concerning the men that were cast out before you whose persons many of them are now under your power be not passionate nor of a spirit of Revenge âââards them neither seek their destruction but be merciful and patient and meek towards them for though it is the pleasure of God to reprove them by you for their iniquities yet it is contrary to his minde that you should take away their lives and cause them to be put to death for there is a seed of God amongst ââat people and when they come to true repentance and to the forsaking of their ââquities the Lord will shew mercy to them and peradventure heal them of all their backslidings and afflictions too Therefore shew Mercy and Moderation âââards them and cut them not off in their sins lest that while you condemn them for being too cruel towards you in times past ye condemn your selves in the sight of the Lord and all people in doing that to them even in the same measure of cruelty for doing of which to you you now condemn them and so thereby bring the same guilt upon your selves which lies upon them but therefore show Moderation and Meekness towards them and leave vengeance to the Lord to whom it belongs if they be worthy of it it shall come upon them It is true they have been active against you and it 's probable they were raised up of God as a judgement and reproof upon you because of your iniquities which were many and great against God and the God of Heaven had a just Cause against you and improved them in it as instruments to reprove you and they had once a just cause against Oppressions and the Lord blessed them in it and gave them many Victories and wrought great Deliverances for them even when they were both fewer in number weaker in strength and less in policy and craft even then oft-times did God appear for them and gave them Victories and defeateâ their Enemies and you your selves must confess to this That the Providence of War was clearly on their side which I call the hand of the Lord and consider what a sad thing it would be on your part and how contrary to God to cause them now to suffer when you have opportunity against them for that which was effected by them when the Lord was with them you ought not to cause them to suffer on that account but if you do you will provoke the Lord against you if that you destroy them and take away their lives because they were once prosperous against you even through the Hand of the Lord do I say and through the Providence and good Fortune of War needs must you acknowledge Now it s acknowledged that they quite forsook the just cause and forgat the Lord and his mercies and deliverances and became corrupted and abominable before him and insulted over their enemies in the spirit of ambition and began to set up the same things which once they had cried against in others and this was their Transgression and abomination and in their corruption and forsaking the Lord they became fully guilty of the same abominations of others before them and the Lord became provok'd against them to reprove them and correct them and afflict them even because of their transgressions who as I have said did forget the Lord and walked in the same Path themselves which they reproved others for and the same abominations were set up by them which they once pulled down in others and this was their Hypocrisie in whom was found a deceitful heart which led them aside into treachery false-heartedness covetousness and vain-glory and because of these their iniquities hath the Lord bowed them down under you and smitten them before you even because they were not faithful to the end and not because they were faithful at all no not because they were active against Oppressions at all but because they became guilty of the same abominations and set up that in themselves which once they moved against in others and because hereof hath the Lord reproved them and that justly that they might learn his righteous Iudgements and be humbled under his hand and that all the Earth may know if Men forsake Him he will give them up to the will of their Enemies though he may bless a man or a people while they fear his Name yet if they sin against him he can turn blessings into a Curse and now they that were once exalted are abased and brought down and you that were once low are now exalted and if you become corrupted and provoke the Lord through wickedness in this day of your Exaltation and if they become humbled and repent of their Transgressions through their afflictions in this day of their sufferings then the God of Heaven can and may suddenly by his secret hand bring you down and âây you low and raise them up and exalt them and bow down your strength and might under others these things can the Lord effect according to his pleasure he exalteth and abaseth whom he will he setteth up and pulleth down according as men reverence him or regard him not They that honour him he honoureth but they that dishonour him by unrighteousness he bringeth such to shame O therefore ye Men consider how dreadful the Lord is and take his counsel lest ye perish 5. Concerning Liberty of Conscience in the faith and worship towards God you ought to be considerate and to take the counsel of God lest you run upon the same Rock upon which many have been broken before you to ãâã limitting the Spirit of the Lord and of such whose Consciences have been tender and binding them to or from by force or violence any such ãâã such way of Worship and Profession of Faith and exercise in Religion
if you do thus and will not allow clearly and freely Liberty of Conscience but will by force and violence limit the Spirit of the Lord and tender Consciences this shall be a Snare upon you and a Rock oâ offence against you to break you to Pieces for in so doing the God of Heaven will be displeased with you as with others if so be that you take upon you to prescribe the Lord a way how he must be worshipped and will take upon you to rule and judge in the cases of Conscience and in the matters of Christ's spiritual Kingdom which appertains to Christ alone to be Iudge of and Ruler in and not man and to him alone you ought to give the whole Rule and Government in all the matters of his own Kingdom and that he may prescribe and teach Worship and Faith and Duty to himself in all spiritual things and this I claim of you on his behalf even that you give unto him the whole Rule and Authority in all the matters of his own Kingdom and that you allow Liberty of Conscience in the exercise of Faith and Worship to all Christian people in these Nations and that no man be compelled or forced to or from by outward violence any kinde of profession of Faith or practises of worship for it is of Antichrist so to do if that you impose any Sârt of Worship and Religion contrary to mens Consciences upon penalties on mens Persons or Estates if you do thus you exercise not the Power of Christ but of Autichrist and it is ââdepriving of Christ of his Heirship and of the Government of his own Kingdom which will be reckoned against you as a fearful abomination if you ââlk therein And therefore let men believe in Christ and Worship him according as they are perswaded in their own Consciences for a tender Conscience in the Sight of God is a thing greatly regarded of him and if you limit it and do violence upon it the Lord will be provoked against you and these Nations will not bear it but it will beget fiery contentions in the mindes of men if any Religion and Worship contrary to their Consciences be imposed upon them and while some men are gratified others will be displeased and if you allow not free Liberty of Conscience in the exercise of spiritual things the effect of it may prove sad and Miserable to your selves and your Government and this shall you know in time to come even the good effect of Toleration in Liberty of Conscience and of woful effect upon the contrary Therefore be wise and instructed ye Rulers of the Earth and kiss the Son lest ye perish out of the way of Peace and Happiness Now you have your day and time to be made happy or to be left miserable that your Government may be blessed or otherwise deprived of all Blessedness These things have I Written to You in Love and Honour towards You That Ye may know and be informed what the Lord requireth of You if so be You may escape the Wrath that is to come And love nor Wrath to You Your prosperity nor overthrow is determined upon You or prophesied unto You by me but as You walk in Justice Truth and Righteousness or as You walk contrary and bring forth Oppression and Persecution Bristol City the 4th day of the sixth Moneth 1660. Edward Burroughs A PRESENTATION of Wholsome Informations unto the King of England c. THe Servants of the Lord and his People that feared his Name and trembled at his Word never wanted false Accusers in any Age to repute them vile and to reproach them by slanderous words and that even to the Rulers of the World and to the Kings of the Earth have the chosen People of the Lord been falsly accused and reproached by the slanderous Tongues of ungodly Men in all Generations as in many Particulars might be proved out of the Scriptures by the Example of things in the dayes of old For even in those dayes it came to pass that the Elect People were reproached and falsly reputed by the men of the World as in the Case of the Iews in their building of the Temple again when they returned out of the Captivity How were the People of God at that day accused and reproached and that by the wise men of that Kingdom even unto the King Ahasuerus Ezra 4. 15 16. That good City of Ierusalem the Habitation and Dwelling of the Iews and then only named People of God was accused of being a bad rebellious City and hurtful to Kings and that the People moved Sedition therein to the danger of the Revenue of Kings c. And Neh. 4. 2. the People of God were scorned and reproached and called feeble Iews who builded the House of God and it was said in derision of them that a Fox should go up and break down their Wall And also how were the holy Prophets and Servants of God rejected reproached and accused even to the Princes and Rulers of the Earth in Generations past as Daniel to the King how was he accused Dan. 6. 13. and the three Children were accused to the King Dan. 3. 8. and the Apostles were reproached under the slander of being movers of Sedition and such-like Acts. 24. 5. being many times accused and haled before Felix Agrippa and divers others of the Rulers of the Heathen and it was told the Apostles by Christ That all manner of evil should be spoken against them for his Name sake And throughout the whole Scriptures there is very large Testimony how that in Ages past the Servants and People of God were accused and falsly reproached before Rulers and Kings by their Enemies that sought their destruction The truth of this is so clear and full that it needs no further Testimony And as it was in this case in the days of old so is it happened in this day who more now accused and falsly reproached then the Innocent People of God Is not all evil spoken against them and that even to Rulers and Governers and Kings And this is done by their Enemies that seek to destroy them even by such as would not have the Work of the Lord to prosper and his People to be preserved and on this account the cry is great against us every where as if we were Hereticks Blasphemers Seditious and Enemies to Magistracy and Government to Church and Ministry and such like And these with such like have been and are the Accusations against us whereby we are reproached falsly before men and this hath been our portion in this World since we were a People by the Men of this Generation and the very same is come to pass upon us in this case as was upon the People of God in former Generations and as it was done unto them so it is done unto us and therefore we are in Patience under all our Afflictions and Sufferings whether we are persecuted by Actions or Words and for the Name of
to the Living God lest they Perish in the Day of Vengeance which is near at hand And this is a Message of Reconciliation to all People every where in general but more particularly to the Inhabitants of Ireland and to all sorts of People therein even to the Rich and to the Poor to the Professor and to the Prophane that every one may be stir'd up to seek the Lord by Repentance With certain Propositions of FAITH laid down which every one must believe or else they cannot be saved And certain Objections answered relating to the present dayes With the Way of a Happy and Blessed Government Discovered in the Kingdoms of this World c. OH Ireland The Day of God's Visitation of Love and tender Mercy hath been upon thee to try thee and to prove thee and the Lord would have gathered thy People into Covenant and Fellowship with himself to live in Love Unity and Peace and the Lord would have made thy Inhabitants Blessed but they would not but many have refused the Day of his Love and they have neglected his Loving-kidness and have chosen their own wayes of Iniquity and Unrighteousness rather then the Way of Truth and Peace Though the Lord hath often smitten and caused his Judgments to be known in the Land and suffered great Destruction in dayes past even Plague Sword and Famine were sore upon thee have thy Inhabitants forgotten the Dealings of the Lord towards thee Are his Judgments and Mercies clean gone out of Remembrance which the Lord shewed in thee not many years since And because of thy Iniquities and Transgressions which were grown very great against God he was angry with thee and provoked against thee and did give up thy Inhabitants to Hardness of Heart and Cruelty of Mind one against another so that they were given up to destroy and cut off one another and Thousands of them fell through the Malice and Wickedness of each others Hearts and Hands and cruel Murders Robberies Treacheries and a very great Destruction was committed amongst thy People and this was because Iniquity at that day was full Pride and Oppression Drunkenness and Whoredom Double-dealing and Treachery and all manner of Unrighteousness was grown to the height and therefore did the Lord suffer a very great Rebuke in the Land and by Sword Plague and Famine did he plead with thy Inhabitants for some years together even that he might humble thee and correct thee and that thy People might turn unto him and forsake their Iniquities Oh! why hast thou forgotten the Dealings of the Lord running into the same Abominations For since the Lord stayed his Judgments Iniquity is increased even as before Though the Lord hath given thee Rest and Peace for divers years and healed thee of thy Sorrows and Miseries and replenished thee with People and thou hast had Peace and Fulness for a good season but yet thou hast not made a right use of these Mercies as thou oughtest to have done Though the Lord hath shewed Love and Favour towards thee in delivering of thee from thy former Troubles and Miseries yet thou hast turned to thy own huât âis Blessings into a Curse through thy abuse of them And now through Reâ⦠and Peace and Fulness thy Inhabitants are corrupted and become abominably sinful and they have loaden themselves with Transgressions and heâped up Wrath against the Day of Wrath even Wrathful Matter for the Wâath of God and former Judgments and Mercies seem to be both forgotten many having abused them to their hurt though the Lord intended them for their good and thy Inhabitants are as before many of them hardened in Iniquity rather then turned from it and they are turned into their old Paths and drink of the same Cup of Abominations and Pride and Oppression and all Unrighteousness in every part of it is grown as high as ever it was in thee Oh! how doth Wickedness abound Drunkenness Wantonness Vain-Pleasures Envy Wrath Contention Heart-Burning Covetousness and Earthly-mindedness Double-dealing False-heartedness Idolatry and Hypocrisie and all Fruits of the Flesh how do they abound in thee even as high as ever before as though thou hadst never felt Judgement because of thy sins and as though thou hadst never tasted of Mercy that thou shouldst live a better life but both Judgment and Mercy by-past are neglected and the Remembrance of them worn out and thou hast said in thy heart We love this world its Pleasures and Vanities and after our wayes will we go Oh Nation and Kingdom this is thy Condition and thy present State Thou drinkest up Iniquity as an Ox drinketh Water and thou addest sin to sin as if all thou couldst do were too little and like as if thou wert appointed for no other end but to commit sin and thou hatest Reproof and despisest Correction and him that reproveth thee thou countest thy Enemy for the whole Pleasure of many of thy people is in sinning against God and thus thou thinkest to serve him with thy sins and requitest the Lord evil for his good towards thee and his Judgments and Mercies have no place in thy Heart though yet thou hast been warned for these divers years that thy People should turn from their Iniquities and serve the Living God Repentance and Forsaking of Sin hath been preached thorough thee and Warning hath been given of the Judgments of God that are to come but hereof hast thou taken no notice as thou oughtest to have done but thy Inhabitants have despised the Lord's Servants and persecuted them and thou hast held in Derision and under great Afflictions the People of the Lord and persecuted them for good Conscience sake And this is the fulfilling of Wickedness in thee and the heighâ of thy Inhabitants Transgressions in that they have persecuted such who have warn'd them and despised the Lord's Reproof and would not hearken to the Advice of his People but do alwayes reject the Message of God's Light which reproveth people in their own Consciences because of Sin that they should turn from iâ and be saved this Message hath been proclaimed thorough the Land even for some years together wherein the Lord hath visited thee with his Love that he might gather thy People and condemn their Iniquities and save their Souls but thy People have rejected this Message and would not be turned from their Idolatrous Wayes and Worships nor from the Hypocrisie of their wayes that they might be healed But thy people have forsaken the Living God and rebelled against the Light and the Way of Peace they have refused and turned their Backs towards the Lord and not their Faces and after Covetousness and the Love of this World they have gone though there hath been a great Profession of Worship and Religion in thee much Preaching and Praying Sabboth-keeping and professed Church-Fellowship Ministry and Ordinances and a Sect here of one sort and there another that have cryed Lord Lord and have made a shew of Worships and Duties towards him