ask any Petition Dan. 6 7. of God or man for thirty dayes save of the King should be cast into the Den of Lyons QUERY VI. Also did the three Children well or did they evil in suffering their bodies to be cast into the hot fiery Fornace Dan. 3.20 because they could not actually obey the King's Command because is was contrary to the Command of God QUERY VII And further Was it evil in Mordeoai or was it good that he kept the Law of his God contrary to the King's Law Esth 4.2 in going to the King's Gate in Sackcloath when evil was intended against God's people yea or nay QUERY VIII Did the Apostles well or did they evil who were Christians in obeying the Commands of Christ before the Commands of men especially when the Commands of men were contrary to the Commands of Christ Judge and let the Truth answer and whether it is well or evil in Christians to do so now yea or nay QUERY IX If it be said These were Heathen Kings that thus persecuted God's people we query Whether they that profess chemselves Christian Magistrates be not more inexcusable in the day of Christ in living contrary unto more knowledge who persecutes the followers of Christ in righteousness than the Heathen Rulers were in the times of ignorance Read and consider QUERY X. Whether Christ's followers now in righteousness meeting together in Christ's Name and in his Spirit to worship God be in the well-doing or in the evil Let Truth speak that God may be glorified QUERY XI And if such Worshippers together in Christ's Name and Spirit be in the well-doing Whether they ought not by Christian-Magistrates who have the Power to be preserved in outward peace from the violence of the Wicked who are filled vvith envy against the righteous as they vvere in all ages and from the hands of the Heathen that combineth together to do vvickedly QUERY XII If the Church be in God 2 Thess 1.1 and God be in all places and the Church be the Houshold of Faith then we query If the Church be met together in some place whether it be not according to the practice of the primitive Saints and according to the New-Testament and the tenor of the holy Scriptures yea or nay QUERY XIII And was it lawful for Christians to meet together in an upper Room in the Apostles days as in Acts 1.13 and Acts 20 8. and is it not lawful for Christians to meet together so novv Or is there any Law of Christ to the contrary And are they not his Laws that Christians ought to mind and keep concerning the Worship of God yea or nay QUERY XIV Whether Christians as concerning their Worship to God in Christ Jesus ought not to hear Christ alone whom all ought to hear and receive his Counsel in their Consciences And whether it is not his right to rule in the Consciences of Christians in the Worship of God and in things appertaining to it yea or nay QUERY XV. Whether any thing ought to be imposed by Christian Magistrates on the Consciences of any true Christians now as concerning their meeting together in the true Worship of God or commanding them to swear or they must suffer as it appertaineth to Conscience or is it Christ's right there to command Or whether swearing or fearing to swear be not or ought not to be matter of Conscience to all yea or nay QUERY XVI Whether Christian Magistrates imposing swearing on Christians Consciences or any other thing contrary to Christ's perswasions in the conscience and contrary to the holy Scriptures be right in the sight of God or will stand approved in the day of account yea or nay QUERY XVII Or whether is it right for Christian Magistrates to impose any thing on Christians consciences before they convince them that the things imposed are lawful to them in the sight of God yea or nay Read with patience and consider QUERY XVIII And if this be denied by Christian Magistrates and they do not convince Christians of the lawfulness to God of the things they do impose which may cause great sufferings to the righteous Whether it may not incur the anger of God also against themselves and cause God to impose that upon them which may be greater suffering in their inward man than all the outward sufferings of the innocent in this time yea or nay Consider these things in the fear of God and let Truth answer John Wilkinson Therefore thus saith the Lord Ye have not obeyed me in proclaiming freedom every man to his Brother and every man to his Neighbour Behold I proclaim a liberty for you saith the Lord to the Sword to the Pestilence and to the Famine and I will make you a terror to all the Kingdoms of the Earth Jer. 34.17 The End
not do it for we may not disobey the Lord because of these things Obj. Well then say they you will be ruinated have you no wisdom will you spoile your selves with these things Ans More is the pity say we that we may not serve the Lord and worship him but such lufferings will be exercised upon us by a people that profess themselves Christians and reformed ones too Well say we we must commit our cause to the Lord and even give up all to him who knows how to deliver on us by a people that profess themselves Christians and reformed ones too Well say we we must commit our cause to the Lord and even give up all to him who knows how to deliver the righteous out of all their trouble Obj. I but say they cannot you meet four and no more Ans We say We may not limit the Lord neither in the things of God must we order our selves And again if some could stoop to that it would not serve neither Obj. Then say they you must be forced and then you or some of you will yeild and then we will boast over you with those Ans But we say that force with carnal Weapons by pains and penalcies as it was not the way of the Lord nor the practise of the true Christians so neither doth it effect the end for it will never make men truly religious neither will it be for the better in the end to them that go about so to compel no nor yet any comfort in the mean time for there is a Prick that meets with the Persecutors now and then which stops their furious driving and gives them no ease in their Way as it was vvith Saul while he persecuted the Saints and brought them bound both Men and Women that believed in the Lord Jesus and he is not a good example in that to be followed for he made havock of the Church entering into every House and halling men and women committing them to prison having Authority from the Chief-Priests and being exceedingly mad against them Acts 8 3. Acts 26.10 11. as he aftervvards confessed and as he vvent to Damascus with Authority and Commission he vvas struck dovvn for all his Authority and heard a voice saying to him Why persecutest thou me it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks And it will be very hard for all such vvho persecute the Children of the Lord the Lord will smite them one vvay or another if they be not smitten to their Conversion But if the Lord smite them often and they still go on to sin more and more he will ease him of his Adversaries and avenge him of his Enemies and smite them vvith an irrecoverable stroke Obj. And if it be objected That these were Jews that did not profess Christ that thus persecuted the Christians and it was evil done of them but we are a Reformed Church and we do it in zeal to Christ that people might be all of one way and the Law doth allow us to it Ans 'T is ansvvered thus The Jews had a zeal for God which vvas not according to knovvledge and they had a Law also by which they judged the Holy One that he ought to dye but although they supposed they did God service and for the defending of the Law yet indeed they fought against God and they had as much to say for their vvay of Worship it being ancient and they vvhich differed from them their vvay vvas but nevv in appearance I say the Jews might plead for their Way far more groundedly than many novv especially people vvho neither live in their Way of Worship according to the Jews under the Law no nor yet according to the Saints in the Primitive times And those that profess themselves Christians and yet persecute the Innocent they are far more guilty than the Jews vvere inasmuch as they both profess more Light and also vvalk so quite contrary to their ovvn Profession yea and to the example of Christ vvhom they profess and the true Christians who said Love your Enemies pray for them that persecute you not persecute them that pray for you Neither had the Saints such Weapons to bring people into their Church as is now used but spiritual ones mighty through God and vvent forth in his Power this brought people to be of one heart and one vvay and to serve the Lord with one mind which force vvith carnal Weapons vvill never accomplish to bring people to be of one vvay Obj. And as it 's said But some will yeild and then we will rejoice in that Ans 'T is answered That 's a bad Work to force people and compel them to deny that vvhich God hath made manifest to them to be truth and the greater is their sin that so do 'T is said that Saul compelled some to blaspheme against the Name of Jesus when he raged so against them but he afterward confessed it as a great sin And though some did so or do so yet that is no confirmation to the persecutors that they are in the Way of God no nor yet a true Testimony against the persecuted that they are not in the Way of God neither doth it truly convert men at all Indeed force and compulsion may make some men conform to that outwardly vvhich otherwise they would not do but that is nothing of weight their hearts are never the better but are rather worse and more hypocrites than before for force doth but make Hypocrites at the most for it is God alone by his powerful Word of Life operating in the hearts of people that changeth them and reneweth them in the Spirit of their minds and brings them into the true Service and Worship even to draw near him with their hearts and to worship him in Spirit and Truth and it 's out of man's power and that which God doth not require of men at this day to force by penalties and carnal Weapons to this or that Worship and is absolutely against the practice of the Saints and the Spirit of Jesus as also against Christ's Royal Law which is Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you even so do ye unto them Now let every man make it his own case He saith his way is the way of God and anothers is not Well then would he be forced to leave his own way and to go to the other vvhich he is not satisfied of to be according to the mind of God especially when nothing is offered to convince his Conscience or perswade his mind and understanding but force and compulsion Surely no man would be so dealt with in his own case Obj. But if it be said We have Power and a Law and we are wise and learned men and we would not be forced from our Religion but we would force people to ours Ans This hath no weight in it at all for you ought to put your selves in the same capacities as them you deal with are and to consider
The Suffering Condition OF THE Servants of the Lord At this day Vindicated And some Reasons given why the People called Quakers do own the Doctrine of Christ to continue in it and to meet together in the Name and Fear of the Lord to wait upon him and worship him in Spirit and Truth notwithstanding they meet with sufferings in this present time for so doing Bristol the 6th Month 1662. JOHN AUDLAND Hearken unto me ye that knew righteousness the people in whose heart is my Law fear ye not the reproach of men neither be ye afraid of their revilings for the Moth shall eat them up like a Garment and the Worm shall eat them like Wool but my righteousness shall be for ever and my salvation from generation to generation Isa 51.7 8. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is God that justifieth Rom. 8.33 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword as it is written For thy sake we are killed all the day long we are counted as sheep for the slaughter nay in all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us for I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8.35 36 37 38. LONDON Printed in the year 1662. The suffering condition of the Servants of the Lord at this day vindicated c THe good and blessed Day of the Lord is come and the Heavenly Visitation of Life wherein the Light of Righteousness is springing up unto many people and many have received the blessed Visitation of the Lord and are made partakers of his Heavenly Power by which they are quickened and raised up unto newness of life to serve him and to follow him in truth and righteousness and the blessed day wherein the Lord visited us and the notable works which the Lord hath wrought and his noble acts which he hath done are not by us to be forgotten but are recorded in our hearts as things remarkable and considerable to be remembred by us while we have a being upon the earth and that with fear and reverence in our hearts unto the Lord our God who is great and mighty whom we have known to execute Judgement in righteousness to the judging and bringing down of that which was once exalted for when the acceptable Year of the Lord came unto us Judgement was laid to the Line and the Lord did arise to shake terribly the Earth the loftiness of man was bowed down and the haughtiness of man was laid low that the Lord alone might be exalted and the Earth reeled to and fro and was removed like a Shepherd's Tent and the Light of Israel was as a fire and the holy One as a flame to burn up the thorns and the thickets in a day many faces gathered paleness and hearts grew weak and knees feeble and many had their hands upon their loins because of the great travel that was upon them because of the mighty Power of the Lord which was made manifest in them for the bringing down of that which had been exalted against him and for the restoration of the oppressed Captive that deliverance be known from the power of Satan and from the bondage of corruption that we being set free wherein we were held might serve the Lord in truth and singleness of heart and wait upon him and follow the leadings of his Spirit in the exercise of our hearts and minds in serving and worshipping the Lord our God And so the God of Heaven hath revealed and made manifest the way of Life and Peace the way wherein comfort and satisfaction to the soul is found the Gate of Mercy even the entrance to the everlasting Kingdom of Rest and Joy for evermore which although it be strait and narrow and a cross to the fleshly part and earthly ground and wisdom yet it is easie pleasant and delightful living in the Spirit and becoming little even as a Child for so must he become that enters in at the strait Gate to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradice of God So we have found the way of everlasting peace through the rich mercy and tender visitation of the Lord walking in the Spirit and living in that which mortifies the deeds of the flesh being subject to the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ Here is rest to the soul here is the sweet visitations of the Lord known which are as the former and latter rain to refresh the lowly in heart and poor in spirit Here waiting upon the Lord the strength is renewed and here the Lord speaks peace to people even as they are in Christ the Power of God growing up in him who is the truth and the life they are possessors of lasting peace which God speaks not to the wicked which is the portion of the upright in heart and as the Lord hath made manifest the way of peace life and everlasting happiness he hath also discovered the contrary even the way of misery darkness and destruction the way which is broad and many in the lusts of the flesh takes pleasure in it following the motions of the flesh and the desires of the carnal mind resisting the motions of Gods good Spirit and hating the blessed Light of the Lord Jesus Christ and so spends away their precious time and in this state that is to say in the flesh resisting the Spirit of the Lord they cannot serve God nor please him nor worship him in truth though they may professe him in words and draw near him with their mouth yet being in the flesh contrary to the Spirit of Truth the ear turned away from hearing of God's Law their prayers are abomination their plowing is sin their sacrifice is as Cains not accepted by the Lord no peace from God no true rest no satisfaction no beholding the countenance of the Lord nor no assurance of the Eternal Inheritance which never fades away but an earnest of wrath pain misery anguish and trouble which will come upon all who live and dye in disobedience of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ And so we see the Way of Life to all that believe in the Name of the Lord Jesus and the way of death to all who live in unrighteousness and are not changed by the power of God and translated from death to life and from the Kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of the dear Son of God And these things are of great concernment unto us and we see it is very needful to wait upon the Lord and to follow the motions of his Spirit that we may feel his power to preserve us in his will out of the evil of the World that so
your selves in their condition they are as strongly it may be more perswaded in their Consciences by the Spirit of God that their Way is right than you are of yours Well then weighing these things would you be forced Would you have others to deal so with you if you vvere in their condition and they in yours Let God's Witness answer in all Consciences and see if these vvays of forcing in matters of Conscience to God-wards be not quite contrary to the practice of the Saints and to the Royal Law of Christ Obj. Besides though it be said But we judge we are in the right and our way is the true way Ans It 's answered You may be mistaken many hath that have had thoughts their way was right and while you have not the infallible Witness of God's Spirit with you to testifie to your Way peradventure you may err as the former Forcers have done and then you cause people to sin if you could force them to blaspheme and to deny as Saul did for if he that turneth a sinner from the error of his vvay who hath erred from the Truth doth save a soul and hide a multitude of sins then they that force people from the Way of God and cause them to err doth bring souls into death and so bring innocent blood upon themselves yea the blood of souls which will be a great weight in the day of God's account Obj But if it be further said How then how must we do there is so many wayes that people might be brought to one way to serve God Ans Do what God requireth of you and no more and then we shall never suffer by you nor under you Do justly love mercy and walk humbly with your God this is better than the fat of Rams 't is better than all the outward sounds and ceremonies and bodily exercise while the heart is far from the Lord. And if you judge you are in the right and your way is right come forth then with spiritual Weapons mighty ones in the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and let us see you shine forth in his Image let this be your covering your white Robes even the Righteousness of Christ which is the righteousness of the Saints and le ts see your meekness patience gentleness and good example your readiness by word and deed to convince gain-sayers in the power and gospel of Christ your love to Enemies your self-denial your subjection to the Cross of our Lord Jesus Oh this would reach our hearts then God's Witness would answer to you and this would answer the good part in all and this is the way to bring people to be of one mind in the truth this is God's way this is the way the Saints walked in this is the way we love and desire and this also would be of good report amongst all good people but the contrary force and compulsion with a hasty froward proud envious spirit with Staff and Club and carnal Weapons and Stocks and prisoning of people against whom there is no occasion but concerning the Law of their God and matters which are really of Conscience to God-wards We say this will never be justified by the Lord nor effect the end neither nor be of good report amongst sober people nor answer the good part in people And moreover the Lord God of Life will turn his hand and power against them that so turn their hand and power against his people for obeying him and exercising their Consciences towards him in waiting upon him and worshipping him according to that which he hath made manifest to them and such will be more inexcusable for persecuting now than the Jews were in former dayes for then the Saints met together and professed the Name of Jesus which the Jews did not say they believed in Besides it was in appearance such a new way and so different to the Law and manner of Worship which the Jews had that they had some seeming colour in their way but now for they that professe the Name of Christ and the Scriptures of the New-Testament and the Saints practise and Christ's commands to be obeyed for these all things considered to persecute people for owning the commands of Christ and for practising the same things which they cannot but read the Saints practised and to hall people and commit them to Prison for meeting in the Name of Jesus to worship God and to wait upon him yea and to be so far from cherishing such as to act the very parts of them that made havock of the Church and halled out both men and women and was exceedingly mad and caused some to blaspheme and committed to Prison for the same things it doth appear to be great evil and to be even sin against knowledge against their own Profession as Christians and cannot be parallel'd with any of the Saints but with the Persecutors who hated and evilly entreated the servants of the Lord in former ages who never could accomplish their end though they caused many to suffer and now to put all out of doubt and to give all who opposeth the people of God in the way of God an absolute answer that they shall not be able to accomplish their end and therefore it vvould be far better to be quiet and to mind the Royal Law of Christ lest they by acting contrary do bring innocent suffering and blood upon their own heads and incur God's heavystroke of displeasure against them yea and a fire be kindled in their own bowels and a worm which shall not dye and a dart strike through the heart and liver and so the end be as bitter as Wormwood and as sharp as a two-edged Sword these are Instruments of War which the Lord hath in his Quiver which is reserved for the day of Battle when God pleads with all flesh by fire and by his sword when the slain of the Lord shall be many when he will rain snares upon the wicked fire and brimstone and grievous tempests this is the portion of their Cup But indeed we do desire the conversion and salvation even of our persecutors and therefore to put all out of doubt as is before said that there is no prevailing against the Lord nor against the Sion of the Holy One in whom the Lord is We say the living God of Heaven and Earth hath made manifest unto us the Way to Life and called us to walk in it and united our hearts together as many as lives in his Power to serve him and to wait upon him and to meet together to worship him in spirit and truth and we are perswaded to obey the Lord and believe in the Lord that he will strengthen us in his Way and Will unto the end For our strength is in the Lord and not of our selves who hath called us to follow him through good report and bad report and not to deny his Way because of sufferings but to endure in patience and let the Lord
plead our cause in the hearts of his Enemies Obj. And if any say Why will you not swear And why will you meet seeing there is a Law against you Ans For these two things we say We dare not disobey the Lord for fear of punishment or suffering outwardly and we meet together in the Name and fear of the Lord 1. Because the Lord God of Life requireth it of us that we should meet in his Name and Power and wait upon him and edifie one another in his love and life and in our meetings waiting upon the Lord we have the Presence of the living God of Life with us and the feeling of the virtue of his love in our hearts and he lifts up his countenance upon us yea and comforteth us by his free Spirit whereby we know and are assured that it is according to the mind and will of the Lord and that he speaks peace unto us And this being the real truth let all the honest-hearted judge how we can in Conscience leave that which God requireth of us in obedience to which we have God's presence with us and do that which man requireth of us contrary to the truth in observing of which we should fall into condemnation and feel God's anger and the Testimony of his Spirit against us to judge us which would be greater sufferings in the inward man than all the outward sufferings which we may meet with for in these being faithful the Lord comforteth our hearts 2. Again We meet together to wait upon the Lord because we fear the Lord God he hath placed his fear in our hearts and and we know him to be great and mighty a great King above all Kings and a great God above all Gods that is able to do whatsoever he will in Heaven and in Earth and in the Kingdomes of men and we know he is worthy to be worshipped and to have the heart given up unto him for he hath power to change the heart which men by all their force cannot do and to give true and lasting peace which the World can never take away and his fear being in our hearts we account him Lord and Ruler in our Consciences and worthy to be obeyed in heart soul and spirit And because we fear him more than man we are bound in duty to obey him for he hath power over both soul and body which man hath not for man can but kill the body he hath not power to kill the soul neither hath he power to redeem the soul neither can man convert the soul by any force or penalty outwardly therefore man doth but labour in vain for he can neither kil nor cure the soul but the Lord whom we fear hath power and is able to kill and to make alive And because vve fear him more than man therefore we chuse to obey him rather than man to meet in God's fear And this being our condition let the sober-hearted judge Hovv can vve deny the Lord vvho hath all Povver and hath quickned us redeemed our souls from death go to obey man contrary to Christ's Doctrine vvho hath no povver over the Soul Surely as vve stand in God's fear and counsel vve may not do this evil and sin against our God 3. Again We meet together to wait upon the Lord because God hath made it manifest to us and perswaded us that the Way in which we walk is according to his mind and will and we look not for direction in our Religion by mans Wisdom or Will how we should serve and worship God for we know it 's God alone by his Spirit that leads people in the exercise of the true Religion as it is written I the Lord teacheth thee to profit and leadeth thee in the way in which thou shouldest go and so we are content with our Religion which the Lord hath led us into and in the exercise of it we have God's blessing filling our hearts vvith love and joy peace and satisfaction in which our souls are comforted and vve look not for another Religion contrary to that which vve are in but our hearts are fixed vvaiting upon the Lord and we received it from the Lord and not upon any such terms as to continue in it till man made a Law against it or spake against it and no longer but even as the Way of Truth vvas made manifest to us so to press on in it unto the end And vve see the Wayes and Religions of men to be so changeable sometimes one vvay and sometimes another that it appears to us as if men received their Religion but till Orders of another sort of men to the contrary And vve see many people so ready to part vvith their Religion and take up another that gives us just ground to believe they found not the Presence of God vvith them in their Way and Exercise And so it 's but loose vvith them and they can leave it upon occasion rather than suffer the loss of any thing for it and this makes us prize that vvhich God hath made manifest to us the more because vve receive Refreshment from the Lord in the exercise of our Religion besides if vve had been voyd of the true Religion till this day vve should have been as unstable as others tossed about vvith vvinds of doctrine and have knovvn no true rest to our Souls but it is vvell knovvn that vve vvere of the same mind that vve are novv in the time of the former Povvers and vve received not our Religion from them neither but from the Lord our God neither vvas our Religion or vve in the exercise of it confirmed by any Lavv or Decree of theirs but on the contrary did suffer much hardship under them and by them whom they cherished at that time in the Religion which they allowed and they then said theirs was the right way and they stockt and prisoned many who were contrary to them and now others say they are in the way and useth force and such like to them that differ from them One said the Law is on our side and we are in the right the others say The Law is on our side and we are in the right and you must conform or suffer deeply We say None of these things can perswade our Consciences but come forth in the Power of the Lord as good examples with spiritual Weapons if you will perswade us for we cannot with a safe Conscience leave our Religion which the Lord hath led us into by his own power upon these things but must rather give up to suffer in the Will of the Lord for we know plainly it is God alone by his power that doth bring people into the true Worship And this is according to the Scriptures of Truth and also to the Service which is now allowed for 't is said in the Collect for that which is called the thirteenth Sunday after Trinity Almighty and most merciful God of whose onely gift it cometh