who have done evil against the Lords People as a gift unto them from a Friend OF a truth the Lord is arisen and he hath caused the Light of his countenance to shine forth upon his people his day is dawned and the brightness of his glory is shining forth as the Sun at noon day hâ—… everlasting Arm is stretched forth to lead out of Captivity his oâ—… chosen the days of perfect freedom is approaching he that brings Health Peace and Liberty to all Nations is come and coming who will restore the breaches and subdue all things under himself that he may raign for ever and ever who alone is worthy for he hath all Power in his hand and he bringâ— to pass whatsoever he will that all Men and Nations may fear before him and tremble at his dreadfull Presence who hath power in his hand to change Timâ—… and Laws Orders Decrees and Governments the hearts of all men he câ—… turn what way he listeth and he pulleth down one and setteth up another and whatsoever is in his heart to do his power can bring it to pass who would not fear before him and reverence his Name Who would not be afraid to offend him who giveth unto man Breath and takes it away in a moment all Nations are as the drop of a bucket before his eternal Eye he dwells in the high and holy place and his habitation is high above the World be inhabits eternity forevermore and yet abideth and walketh and dwelleth with the children of men that fear his Name and tremble at his Word he hath been as a stranger as one not known for men have been seperated from him by transgression and have been ignorant of his ways he hath been as one hidden for many ages and hath been worshipped ignorantly and hath winked in the time of ignorance but now he calleth all to repentance every where Blessed are they that wait upon him that they may know him and their souls may live and now the purpose of his heart is to bring in his scattered people into the fold of peace where Christ Jesus is the shepherd and his people shall dwell in safety and shall be a free people to worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth and every yoke of bondage shall be broken and the oppressed shall be set free and Christ shall feign and his Government above shall be established over all the World mans honour shall be laid in the dust the pride of all flesh shall be stained and the Glory thereof shall wither as a flower the loftiness of all flesh shall be laid low and the Lord alone shall be exalted and his people which now are oppressed shall replenish and fill the Earth All corrupt men and Rulers their strength and might shall utterly fail them and men that fear God and love righteousness shall take their place and all things shall be changed and the World shall be turned up-side down But because of this is all the World troubled and the Heathen is on a rage and the people do imagine vain things and men of high degree and low degree and of all sorts have set themselves against the Lord that they might stop the purpose of the most high and their hearts within them burn because of envy and the Devil hath stirred up all sorts of people to work for him and to uphold his kingdom and his power he is come down in great rage knowing that his time is but short and hath filled the hearts of all his servants with despite and ravening envy against the Seed of God The heads of the people they have conspired together against the Lord and against his Truth and have decreed unrighteous decrees that they might pervent the purpose of the most High Many of the Rulers and Judges as members of the beastly power rather than of Jesus Christ have unjustly judged and falsly imprisoned and trodden under foot the meek and upright who fear the Lord and walk in his way even such who have come from under the subjection of the worship and power of the Beast which all the World had wondered after â—ath the Beast raised his force against How many hundreds in this Nation have been imprisoned falsly and suffered grievous abuses unjustly for righteousness sake and not for evil doing as a testimony against this Generation of Judges and people and for a testimony that they are of God who have in paâ—ience born the sufferings and the cruelties of the wicked many have suffered â—he loss of Liberty and riches and some the loss of life for the exercise of a â—ure conscience towards God and for the Kingdom of Jesus many have â—uffered under the power of wicked men for declaring against sin and iniquity 〈◊〉 Townes Steeple-houses or high wayes and for crying against pride and â—anity and idolatry and coveteousness and the wickedness of Rulers Priests â—nd People whose deceits and transgressions hath abounded in this Generation â—nd others have deeply suffered grievous cruelties because they could not swear â—nd respect persons with hat or knee and so were witnesses for the Lord and his Kingdom which stands in righteousness and against the power and kingdom â—f the Beast which stands in iniquity in fainedness and flattering titles and â—isobedience to the Son of God and many hundreds are woful unjust and opâ—ressed sufferers at this day by false imprisonment and spoiling of goods because they cannot pay Tythes that abominable and crying oppression by which the Beast chiefly maintains his false Prophets and because the unchangable Priesthood is witnessed and the changable denied and Christ the Light of the World followed therefore is this suffering laid upon the just and many are sufferers under hard tasks because they cannot maintain the Idol temples and Idol worships and Idol Priests which the power of Antichrist upholds against the Power of the Son of God and against the new Covenant of life where God in Spirit and in Truth is worshipped without respect of places days or men or things and the True Worshippers they Worship God in the Spirit and in the Truth and cannot be subject to days places or things appointed and ordained by the power of men and false prophets and how many unjust fines and false indictments have been most illegally charged upon the Innocent in many Courts and Judicatories through this Nation and all in the defence of the kingdom of the man of sin lest his authority should be abated and the Authority of Christ Jesus exalted many cruelties have been done and injustice acted both by Rulers and People against such which no evil could justly be charged against nor yet the transgression of any just law by any one of them O! horrid grievances and cruel oppressions hath been brought forth in this Nation by such who should have eased the oppressed and set at liberty the captives such who should have judged justly the cause of the Poor and heard the call oâ— the oppressed have turned
Heart and tries the Reins who is a God Great and Mâ—…ty and giveth unto all Creatures Life and Breath and he will change at 〈◊〉 〈…〉 all the Children of Men and bring them to an Account before his 〈…〉 Seat wherefore let all Flesh tremble before him and let all the earth 〈…〉 〈…〉 his Presence who changeth and subdueth and over-turneth at his Pâ—… and brings men to destruction who have rebell'd against him â—…fore thou Pope chief Bishop at Rome this is unto thee from the Mouth of â—… Come down come down lay down thy Crown subject thy self 〈…〉 before the Lord God of Vengeance lest 〈…〉 come upon thee and crush â—… and thou shalt know that this hath the Lord spoken in the day â—…ry flaming Sword which is already drawn enters into thy Bosom 〈…〉 thy Honour and Renown Behold I have heard the Voice of Houlâ—…er Lamentation I have heard the Voice of War and not of Peace I 〈…〉 I have seen the Strong become Weak and the Mighty become Miserabâ—â—â—…ud and Honourable brought into Contempt yea I have seen her thâ—… a Queen and has said She never shall see Sorrow I have seen the losâ—â—…n and Widdowhood come upon her even in one day I have seen her Bâ—…â—…ed into Bitterness I have seen her Honour brought into Contempt I 〈…〉 Whore that has made all Nations drunk with her Fornications tâ—… the Golden Cup in her hand I have seen the Cup of Indignation pâ—… her to drink I have seen her cast upon the Bed of never-ceasing â—… I have seen the City that was full of people that was the Glory of I â—… that made all Nation rich with her Traffick and Merchandize I 〈…〉 that City laid desolate and dis-inhabited and made the Sorrow of the 〈…〉 Earth and I have seen the smoak of her burning ascend forever and this is 〈◊〉 must shortly come to pass and if thou hast an Ear to hear thou mayst 〈…〉 and these things are true and faithful and they shall not fail but the Wâ—… shall know the Majesty Dread and Terror the Vengeance and Indigâ—… of the Almighty This is assented unto by many and written and subscribed by one that hath a Nâ—… not seen nor known of the World but known among Men by the name of Edward Burroughs Return your Answer to me or any of the People called Quakers for me in London from whence this is sent being written the 24th of the 8th Mon. 1658. A FAITHFUL TESTIMONY Concerning the True Worship OF GOD VVhat it is in it self and who are the True WORSHIPPERS In Opposition to all the False Worship in this Nation which is Idolatry which is discover'd in its Foundation and in its Manifestation not to be ever commanded of God or practized by his Apostles and Saints but it is declar'd to consist chiefly of such things and practices as had their first Beginning and Ordination in the Church of Rome whereby the Hypocrisie of this Generation doth appear in denying and crying against the Papists Idolatries and yet are found in the practice of the same thing in their Church Ministry and Worship which were first instituted by the Pope's Authority FOrasmuch as there is in the World a great Controversie among people concerning the Worship of God one crying This is the right Worship another That is the right Worship And people in these Nations are divided about the Worship of God and divers one from another in their Performances and Practices of Worship one sort worshipping after this manner another after that and there is great strife through the whole Nation about this matter and a great dis-satisfaction among people which is the right Worship and who are the right Worshippers and Thousands are desiring after the right Worship of God and to become Worshippers of him as he requires Therefore now it is upon me to shew unto all the World what the true Worship of God is in it self and who are his true Worshippers First The Worship of God in it self is this It is a walking with God and a living with him in Converse and Fellowship in Spirit and Truth for he is only worshipped therein and to do the Truth and speak the Truth This is the True Worship of God where the Mind is guided with the Spirit of Truth and the Presence of the Lord felt at all times and his Fear in the Hearts of people and his Councel stood in and his Covenant felt which unites to the Lord in Spirit this is the True Worship of God and it is without respect of times or things And now none upon Earth can thus worship God but who are changed and renewed in heart and mind and born of the Spirit and led thereby where the Body of Sin and Death is put off such as are redeemed out of the World and out of all its wayes and nature such only can worship God in the Spirit and in the Truth and such is the Father seeking to worship him now in this present Age And there is never a one upon Earth that can worship God as he requireth who remain unchanged and are in the Transgression unrenewed and unconverted such cannot worship the True and Living God but that which they perform and practice as the Pretence of his Worship is Idolatry and Abomination and the Lord hath not required it at their hands for none can walk with God nor have unity with him but who are renewed and changed nor none can do the Truth and speak the Truth in all things but such who are led by the Spirit of Truth and such are in the Covenant of God and true Worshippers of him and all that is contrary is not the Worship of God but Idolatry as I have said And now as concerning this Worship practiced in England in these Steeple-Houses Churches so called it is not the Worship of the Living God but Superstition and Idolatry for people have not learned it by the Teachings of the Spirit neither doth the Spirit lead them therein but it standeth in Form without Power and in the Inventions and Traditions of the Fathers and there is not in it the manifest Presence of God neither do you Worshippers meet with the Lord nor enjoy his pure Life and Presence in your Practices and the substance of your Worship as it is now practized is made up of Inventions some part of your own and some part brought along from the church of Rome And is it not great Hypocrisie in you to profess a denyal of the Church of Rome and yet be found practizing some of the same things as your Worship which the Church of Rome first instituted and practized as her Worship Shall we instance unto you some particular things Was it not by the Authority of the Church of Rome that these Houses in which you worship which you call Churches were first set up and made Worshipping-places for them And is it not a little while since that the Mass and old Popish stuff was therein
exercised with as great Zeal towards God if not with as good Sincerity as you practice yours at this day And are there not the very Signs and Symptoms of the Romish Idolatry yet upon these Houses being full of Images on the Walls and on the Pillars and on the Glass-Windows and Crosses about them and many other things which were Popish Inventions as also the Names given unto them and consecrated Bells in them and such like stuff And was it not a little while since there were the Altars and the Rails and the Font and other such like things which lately were broken down But however though something there may be altered and changed and converted to another use and something taken away and other Inventions brought in instead thereof yet still they are the same Houses which you worship your Godd in which Houses were set up by the Authority of the Pope and there remaineth yet the Pope's Sign and Symptom of the Romish Church upon them and these Houses you call your Churches and Thousand of Thousands of blind ignorant people esteeming and respecting in their minds of these Places more then of any other supposing them to be more holy and that other Places are not so good to worship in Alas poor blind ignorant people that deceive your own Souls in the Traditions and Inventions of man which you live in the practice of supposing it to be the very Worship of God which is no other in it self but Idolatry and you Idolaters for do not all Unconverted People and Unrighteous People such who are not taught of the Lord nor led by his Spirit but daily rush into Iniquity and into evil are not such found Worshippers here in Steeple-Houses conforming themselves to these things and these practices And can such worship God Or is God worshipped by such I tell you nay the Lord God is pure and they that worship him must be sanctified and led by his Spirit which leadeth into all Truth But now as concerning your present Practices which your Worship consisteth of they are not such as ever the Lord instituted but such as men have set up in their own wills and wisdom and not in the Lord's As for your sprinkling of Infants which is a chief Practice of your Worship was not this first ordained at Rome read the Records And was it not a Popish Invention which you are thus zealously reforming as if it were indeed required of the Lord Can the Unconverted and Unregenerated be truly baptized into the Faith of Christ No But the Unconverted and Unregenerated are Partakers of your Baptism into the Faith which you profess There was no such practice in the Christian Church before the Apostacy but when the Apostacy came in then came up these Inventions Immitations which you practice as the Worship of God when as he never required it neither did his Saints and his Apostles ever give you Example for it and by it nor in it God is not worhsipped neither is in it self nor as practized by you any part of the Worship of God but stands in the Inventions of man and is after their Traditions and not after the Commandments of the Lord. And as for your singing of David's Experiences in the form and manner as you do practizing it as another main part of your Worship This is the same with the former neither ever commanded of the Lord nor in the course and manner as you do it was it ever practized by the Saints of old and is it any better then a Popish Invention For was the Nation in any better state then Popery when that practice was first instituted and begun to be performed you your selves will confess that it was in the time of Darkness and through the Ordination of the Bishops and Prelates whom you your selves say were little better then Papists in their Worship and Practice and yet this you practice at this day as a part of your Worship which hath no better beginning then as I have said and from them you have received it to wit From the Bishops and Prelates Yea the chief part of your Worship consisteth of the performances of such things as you have received Traditionally from them and from Rome for all these things they instituted And as concerning your Ministry Is it any other with that then with these particulars as I have mentioned Is it not the same Ministry in substance though in some particulars altered as was in the dayes of Popery and Prelacy Have not your Ministers the same Call to their Ministry Practice in their Ministry Maintenance at this day as was in Generations past when this Nation was under the cloud of darkness Ignorance as your selves will confess are not they made Ministers now by natural Learning receiving Ordination from man through the attainments of such Arts and Sciences and Degrees through natural Learning and humane Policy not having their Ministry by the Gift of the Holy Ghost no more then the Papists and Prelates had before them who were made Ministers by the same Power and after the same manner as these are And it was the Church of Rome and by the Popish Authority that Colledges and Schools to make Ministers by them were first ordained and set up and as that Ministry was sent forth in the time of Popery by the same way and means generally are as to substance are your Ministers now sent forth though in some particulars differing in matters of Form yet the same for substance But Christ's Ministers in the time of the true Church were not thus sent forth but had received Power from on High and the Gift of the Holy Ghost whereby they were made able Ministers and not by any other thing nor by any such means or way as your Ministers now are set up and established and this Ministry is differing from the true Ministry which Christ sent forth and is not according but contrary in all things and it is not the Ministry of God neither brings people to God for by this Ministry people are not converted but are such as they that the true Prophet cryed against saying They have run saith the Lord and I have not sent them therefore they shall not profit the People at all And as for this Maintenance of the Ministry of the Church of England is it not the same as was in the dayes of Popery and Prelacy was it not by the Pope's Authority that Tythes were first established and set up to be the Maintenance of his Ministry And did not the Romish Church first ordain that the people should give the tenth to the use of Religion and to maintain their Ministry if you search the Records you will find it so And was it not the very practice of the Papists and Prelates Ministers to have Hire and great sums of Money by the Year and Stipends and large Benefits for preaching and the same things are practised by these Ministers which they have borrowed from the
Joy and Pleasure of this World and in your Exercise spiritual and temporal the spirit that is of this World doth lead you and guide you the spirit of Unrighteousness that leadeth contrary to him and can you be otherwayes deceived or more deceived For you are without God already and want his Peace and the Inheritance of Life Eternal that is in him you want the possession thereof and you are following dead Idols and Vanities which steal away your minds whereby it is manifest that you are deceived For all people upon Earth that are not led by the Spirit into all Truth that have not received the Promise of the Father they are all deceived and cannot be more deceived then they are And so is the Cry in general among people if any one forsake and deny their way of Worship and Religion and Profession be it of what manner or nature soever presently there is a Cry chiefly by the Priests Take heed you be not deceived and you are in Heresie and Error and such like Thus have the Papists cryed against them that have dissented from them and the Prelates cry'd the same and now yoâ— cry the same to them that dissent from you But your Zeal is not so much against Heresie and Error simply so as it is to have your own Sect and Worship upheld and against them that do dissent from you and it hath been Antichrists way since the Apostacy since the dayes of the Apostles to cry Heresie and Error and you are deceived to all that did decline and dissent from him for you may read in the Scriptures Power was given to the Beast to compel all to worship him and all that would not he made War against and had power to kill them and 〈…〉 have the Papistâ— done 〈…〉 against 〈…〉 that denyed their church 〈…〉 the Prâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your cry 〈◊〉 Heresie and Error 〈…〉 deceived who do 〈…〉 church and your ministry and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have you learned â—f your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 church 〈…〉 â—…se all sorts of people â—… That 〈…〉 〈◊〉 and that 〈◊〉 arâ— is 〈…〉 and see how your selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit of Unrighteoâ—sness â—…ness and Ignorance and a Cloud of Error is over you and 〈◊〉 â—… and the Son of God who is â—…ring now in Majesty and Renoâ—… to 〈…〉 Name over all the Earth and Antichrist's way you have been in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have all to how under his power unto his worship But noâ—… eyes of 〈…〉 are opened and Life and Rigâ—…ness and Truth it self 〈…〉 â—…ung 〈…〉 â—…he Clouds of Dâ—…ness and 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Unknown God and him you ignorantly worship afâ—… of men 〈◊〉 not afâ—… 〈◊〉 Comâ—…s of God 〈◊〉 〈…〉 of the Fore-fathers is seated in you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Witness and â—… and quencheth the Spirit your old 〈◊〉 Traditiâ—… and 〈…〉 your Exercise therein 〈◊〉 thaâ— part which iâ— carnal and 〈◊〉 〈…〉 others and your Worship which is out of the Spirit of God 〈…〉 Spirit of God in others to 〈◊〉 â—ny truly to the Living 〈…〉 〈…〉 will destroy your Worship and confound it and no more is tâ—… 〈…〉 â—…shipped iâ— Stâ—â—ple-Houses they are left desolate of God's Preâ—… 〈◊〉 more in Dayes and Tiâ—es and Things but they that worshâ—… 〈…〉 〈◊〉 in the Spirit changed by it and led by it into the Truth So 〈…〉 doth open your Eyes you will see the Worship of God to be 〈…〉 thing then you suppose it you cannot be educated naturally in the Worship of God nor learn it by Traditions for it stands only in the Spirit and is taught by the Spirit unto all them that are born of the Spirit and who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be born of that are the true Worshippers of God in which the Father is well pleased And as for your Worship in Steeple-Houses God hath no Delight in he â—…th it not but it is an Abomination to him it is not pleasing to him beâ—…e you be out of his Spirit and worship after your own Traditions 〈…〉 after his Spirit And this worship hath stood all this long time of Anâ—… while the Whore and the Beast hath ruled over Nations and so one Tradition after another hath been brought in and one false Worship hath risen out of another and what people have had it hath been by Tradition and not from the immediate Spirit of God and so the True God hath not been woâ—…d in his Spirit And now all the World have been pleading for theâ—â— Traditions and they be in respect above the Commandments of God among ye that worship in Steeple-houses you are even mad against them that 〈…〉 â—…inst the Steeple-houses and plead the Antiquity of your Worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your Traditions and Ordinances now they are ancient even as anciâ—…â—s since the false Prophets and Antichrist came in and did put on the Shâ—… Clothing but inwardly ravening Wolves these killed the Life and slew the Prophets and they set up Inventions of their own and your Traditioâ—… and Worships are as ancient as since power was given to the Beast over Kindreds and Peoples and the Lord God is bringing down your Worship the Original of which came up when Antichrist went out into the World as you may read in Iohn's Epistle and so you may plead Antiquity yet not as ancient as the True Church is for when the truâ— Churches were apostatized then came up your Worship and your many Traditions and this hath been while the Woman hath been fled into the Wilderness and the Man-child caught up to God which when the Woman returns again your worship ordinance will be over-thrown and the True Worship again established and Liberty but first you must know the Spirit to teach you before you can worship in it and the Spirit must purifie your Hearts and make them 〈◊〉 before you can offer to God an acceptable Sacrifice for your Sacrifices are not acceptable but they are stained and polluted in the fight of the Lord who 〈◊〉 hath beheld what you are a doing and you are in that which his Soul hath no Pleasure in and in the Day of your â—…ation the Witness in your Consciences shall answer it so you are to know God by his Spirit before you can worship him the Word of the Lord must be 〈◊〉 in your Hâ—â—rtâ— as a 〈◊〉 as a Hamâ—… and 〈◊〉 muâ—â— be crâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aâ—d have 〈…〉 Spirit â—…ore ye can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So all you false Worshippers you are called that you may return and may come into the True Worship which is in tâ—â— Commandment of God and not the Traditions of 〈◊〉 and in that Law written in the Hearâ— is God knownâ— who worketh man's Salvation 〈◊〉 which leadeth in the true and perfect Worship of the True and Living God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord 〈…〉 all in aâ—… Thâ—…efâ—… retuâ—… Why wiâ—… yoâ—…ye aâ—â— perish 〈◊〉 your 〈…〉 A 〈…〉 â—…n is taâ—â—n uâ—â—… Oâ—… why 〈◊〉 you â—â—rish â—…ough 〈…〉 yoâ—◠〈◊〉 Sâ—… tiâ—… Câ—… into the Spâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Truth that you may â—…ship
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 pitâ—y 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
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-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
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 â—nion 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
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
and Tradition what you have studied for out of Books and old Authors you preach to people and what ye have noted in a Book that you preach by an Hour-glass and not as the Spirit of God gives you utterance and you seek out and enquire after great Benefices and much Money by the year and where there is much Tythes and Gleb-Lands and such like thither and to such a Place you go and seek after to be Minister there and there you remain twenty forty more or fewer years as you can agree with the People and while they will give you so much as will content you and maintain you your Wives and Families as you say respect not whether any be converted to God by your preaching but people remain always in blindness and ignorance generally and without the Knowledg of God for you preach other mens words and what you have collected in your Imaginations from the Saints words an Hour by a Glass leaning upon a soft Cushion and for Money and Hire preaching to the people and this is your manner of practice and Ministry in these Nations but thus did not the Apostles nor Christ's Ministers but the contrary and by your Fruits and Works it appears that you are not Followers of that Spirit that Christ and his Ministers were guided by neither are lawfull Successors of the Apostles but by your Fruits and Practice you manifest that the Lord never sent you nor Christ never called you into his Service to be his Ministers for in all your Practices and in your whole Performances of Worship you differ and do not agree but are contrary to what the Practice and Worship of Christ's Ministers and Churches were in the days of the Apostles this I charge upon you in the Name and by the Authority of the Lord God and am able to prove it against you face to face or otherwise to shew that you are not of the same spirit but contrary to the Saints and Apostles of old and so not true Succeeders of them nor lawful Ministers of Christ as to all people it is and shall be made manifest Thirdly You disagree and are contrary altogether to the true Ministry and to the Apostles in respect of your Maintenance and Wages for the Wages which Christ allowed his Ministers was into whatsoever House they entered that was worthy they might eat such things as are set before them for the Workman saith he is worthy of his Hire and the Apostles eat only of the Fruit of the Vineyard that they had planted and of the Milk of the Flock which they kept by a free gift of the People which they had begotten to the Faith and to whom they sowed spiritual things it was but as a small matter if they reaped their carnal things yet as a free gift they would do it and the Apostle said he would not make the Gospel of Christ chargeable And in this manner were Christ Ministers and Ministry in Wages and Gifts upheld and maintained outwardly in the World But your Practise and Maintenance is not such but contrary as is fully made manifest for you will have so much by the year promised to you in Tythes Money or Gleab-lands or Stipends and of Drunkards and Swearers and prophane Wordly People who are not Sheep of Christ's Flock nor Plants of his Vine-yard you will have so much of each of them and of every man in such a compass as you call your Parish and if any either out of Covetousness or good Conscience cannot pay you you sue at Law and cast into Prison for Wages and spoil their Goods and take treble nay sometimes Five double damage and through Violence and Injustice and Cruelty are you maintained in such a manner and not as the true Ministers and Apostles of Christ were but in a way and manner quite contrary as it is manifest and so herein it is proved that you are not lawful Successors of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ. Fourthly Again you follow not the Apostles and true Ministers of Christ but are contrary to them in Doctrine as this following Volumn will clearly manifest which for this very end is collected from your own Mouths and Pens that all men may see what you are and what you hold and profess and being truely laid down and answered let your selves and all sober men compare your doctrines and sayings with the Doctrines of the Apostles and they may see you agree not with them but are contrary to them And now Friends to all you that profess your selves to be Ministers of the Gospel I do hereby declare unto you in the Name and Authority of the Lord that we have a controversie with you and a great charge against you in all these things in your Call in your Practice and in your Maintenance and in your Doctrines and our Mouthes hath the Lord opened and they cannot be shut from declaring and crying against you as such whom the Lord never sent but are contrary to Christ his Prophets and Apostles in all your Ways and Practices and the Hand of the Lord is certainly against you and his Power and Dread will comeover you and lie upon your Consciences Now Reader whatsoever thou are that reads this following Volumn if thy mind be sober and thy heart right towards God thou may come to a good understanding of the Ground and cause of this great controversie between the Priests and the Professors of this Nation and us who are in scorn called Quakers for it is not unknown to Nations of this great debate and battel now for some years of continuance in this Nation no man can be ignorant what putting in Prisons and what Persecuting and what Preaching and Printing against us and what Reports and Fame hath been through this Nation for some years past and the Quakers so called have written and spoken and printed against the Priests their Worships and Ways and Doctrines and declared against them as Deceivers and false Prophets and such as never were sent of God and on the other hand thus have the Priests and more abundantly cried out against and printed against the Quakers as Hereticks and Deceivers and Witches and all what they could say that 's evil and these things being not unknown but publickly brought to pass therefore it will be good to discover unto every man the first ground and cause of this great Strife and the matter of it and its beginning so that all may know the certainty of these things and know they are not without good ground and sufficient reason on our part to wit That we have just cause to do and strive against that Generation of Priests and Teachers and that we do nothing rashly and without sufficient reason It is now about seven years since the Lord raised us up in the North of England and opened our Mouthes in this his Spirit and what we were before in our Religion Profession and Practices is well known to that part of the Country
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
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
Religion nor in the truth but is found to be in the Error and out of the Truth let such deny their Worship and Church and renounce all their Religion and confess to all the World under their hands that they are and have been deceived and for ever hereafter stop their Mouthes and never profess nor practice any more what they have done in such Religion And freely upon these Issues and Conditions we will joyn trial with them let them appoint time place and profer terms at their own pleasure and then to all the World it shall be manifest and to all people discovered whether we have not good ground and sufficient reason to war against these Priests and it may perfectly appear that what we have said and written against them these divers years have been upon a good foundation and we have had sufficient cause to speak and write against them as we have done and none thenceforth shall have cause to say or doubt that what we have spoken and written against them hath been out of malice or envy and without cause and good reason but on the contrary all shall know the Ground of Quarrel is sufficient and full of equity on our part And upon these or any equal tearms and conditions would we and are we willing to engage with these Priests and all or any one of these Sects in a lawful Tryal in Disputes or Writings for the Tryal and searching out of the Truth and the true Religion And were it not equal and reasonable that we had the same liberty among all these Priests and in their Church and Assemblies freely to declare our minds and to let forth our selves in what we hold and profess without being violently haled and beat and whipped and sent to Prison as we have been this many years which liberty we do freely grant and allow among us to all to query or declare what is upon them without such violent dealing or whipping or sending them to Prisons and Houses of Correction and the same and no other do we desire of others in this particular of freedom to declare the Truth and what we hold then what we do and would allow to others and that no Weapon be used by them against us nor dealing towards us but the Weapons of the Spirit the best they have or can bring forth against us and let them let Creatures alone and not hurt nor do violence to them and no other Weapons shall we use against them nor deal with them by any other thing but the Weapons of the Spirit of God which are powerful will bring down strong Holds and as for Creatures we shall not hurt nor do violence nor imprison them and whose Weapons are the strongest let such overcome And such as are overcome is not the true Church for the true Church of Christ which is builded upon the Rock the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against and who do overcome with such let it be manifest that God of a truth is with them and let them all cease to defend their Church and Ministry and Religion with Prisons and Whips and Houses of Correction for by such things was never the true Church Ministry and Religion defended but only the Power and Authority of God preserved them and resisted all their Enemies and so it is at this day and let all cease to cry Deceivers and being afraid to be deceived for if they be the true Church all or any of these Sects and Professions of Religions then if we be Deceivers and come among them they cannot be deceived if they be in the Election for no Deceivers nor the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against the true Church of Christ nor against them that are elect which the Devil hath nothing in And if we be the true Church of Christ in the Election then if all the Deceivers upon Earth come among us they cannot prevail against us nor deceive us for the Elect cannot be deceived and upon these terms we may engage with any people and Sect upon Earth Therefore come to this and joyn with us take you the Liberty to declare in soberness what you own and prosess you shall not be persecuted nor your Bodies nor Persons harmed by violence and let us have that liberty to declare in Meekness and Soberness and in Gods Authority amongst you what we hold and profess and let us not be persecuted and dealt violently withal and then let it appear whether we or our Enemies have a greater Testimony and more powerfull in the hearts of people And were not this a way full of equity for the trial of all things but doing contrary as you have done these many years against us by Violence and Whipping and Persecuting it shews you have not the spiritual Weapons nor the Authority of God with you nor among you and that is the cause of running to Magistrates and putting in Goals and Whippings and all Violence because the Authority of God's Spirit is wanting amongst you which all the false Sects and false Churches since the days of the Apostles have wanted to defend themselves and resist their Enemies and so all Sects have been fighting one with another and killing Persons and Creatures and desending themselves by Prisons and Inquisitions and destroying of lives and all this hath been out of the Power of God and not in it but by the power of the Dragon and of the Beast who hath caused all to worship and them that would not he hath power to kill and hath killed them by Fires and Tortures and cruel Deaths and all these have lost the spiritual Weapons and been without the Power and Spirit of God And what a Church is this of yours which hath been to be defended by Goals and Prisons and Whips and Stocks and violent Dealing this Church is not the Church of Christ for the Power and Spirit of God defends her always and not Inquisitions and Prisons and Whips these are Cains Weapons and not the Weapons of the Spirit of God whereby his true Church was ever defended for because Cains sacrifice was not accepted therefore he slew his Brother and persecuted him and thus you that are of Cains seed do the same upon the same Ground because your works are rejected and theirs accepted with whom you deal thus in this violent way of persecution and wickedness And this is the Protestant Church so called and her Ministers with whom I am now Dealing which seems to be the true Church and more then the Church of Rome for you Protestant Ministers do deny and cry against the Church of Rome as a false Church and her Ministers to be Deceivers which in it selfe is very true But yet your hypocrisie in this doth appear and your double-mindedness for let me tell you while you cry against the Church of Rome as a false Idolater and a Persecutor of the true Church and against her Ministers to be Deceivers and contrary to the Apostles are not your
spirits the same and your works the same in nature though not in measure and in particular this work of yours to imprison people and whip them and put them in the Stocks and beat them and abuse their Persons and Bodies who do but speak against you and your Religion is not this work of the very same nature as the work of the Romish Church she to defend her Church hath Inquisitions and Banishment and many cruel Tortures and with these things her Church she defends killing and afflicting of Peoples Bodies that do oppose her Church and deny their Religion and you have Stocks and Whips and Houses of Correction and putting great Fines and Taskes upon People and Banishing People out of Townes and spoiling their Goods and casting men into Prison who do oppose your Church and deny your Religion and is not this equal and justly according in Nature to the Persecution that is in the Romish Church and what difference between the defence of the Church of Rome and your Church of Protestants they have their Inquisitions and you have your Houses of Correction they have their Slavery in the Gallies and you have Whips and Stocks they have their divers Torments and cruel Dealings towards Persons that oppose them and upon their Bodies in one manner and you have your Torments and cruel Dealing towards us in another manner though not in the same measure yet in the same nature and what difference between you and them And herein doth the Hypocrisie of the Protestant Church and their Ministers appear in that they cry against and deny the Church of Rome and their Persecution and Cruelty acted against others and yet in nature and manner do Practice the very same upon us as in England this day is witnessed And not onely in this particular may the Church and Ministers of the Protestants be condemned for Hypocrisie but also in many other things even the most of their Practices in their Worship is of the same nature and by the same spirit which the Practices of the Church of Rome is practised by and in and not onely so but it may be truely proved and made manifest that the original and institution of many of your Church-Practices proceeded from the Church of Rome and the Church and Pope of Rome did ordain and institute many of your Practices and a great part of your worship which is performed in the Church and by the Ministry of the Protestants so called and this in its time and season I may make fully appear and discover to the Nations and I may shew in the particulars what particulars of the worship and practice in the Protestants Church had their first rice and beginning and original in the Church of Rome though they are minced and degressed with diminishings and addings according as their imaginations have guided them yet still they retain the strongest taste and Savour of the Church of Rome and had their rice and original there though in the performing thereof they may be altered and changed in appearance and from but are perfectly the same in Ground and Nature as springing from the Church of Rome and she the Mother of the Protestant Church and of the Practices of the most of her performances in worship and this may be proved as God willing upon oecasion as the Lord moves I may let sorth my mind and what I know in these things and may shew though that the Church of the Protestants have disserted the Church of Rome yet their Ministry its Call and Ordination and its Practice and Maintenance hath a dependancy upon the Church of Rome as being the Original of that which is by them therein practised though in some things deviated from the perfect Form and Practice thereof and also the whole Worship of all the Particulars in relation to the Protestant Church and Ministry and Worship hath a dependance upon the Church of Rome as being the first Original thereof and though they cry against her and her Ministers and have denied her yet is she the Mother and Womb in which was bred and out of whom proceeded the Protestant Church Ministry and Worship and Practices and this may be manifest at full that the Protestant Church Ministry and Worship chiefly tasteth and savoureth of the Church and Worship of Rome and had their original out of her And also further may be shewed that the Protestant Church and Worships and Ministry are not another in nature and being then the Romish Church Ministry Worship but is sprung out thereof as a Branch out of the same Root the Ground being one and the same though differing in appearance for in her beginning and first dissenting from the Romish Church she did not deny her in ground and being as not being at all the Church of Christ but only in some particulars dissented alwayes then and to this day retaining divers of their practices in Worship and Church-Government which doth shew that the Protestant Church is not perfectly another nor her Ministry and Government and Worship another then is the Romish Church but is the same in ground and being onely digressed and deviated in particulars and this may be fully manifest in season that the Protestant Church and Worship and Ministry is of the Romish Church sprung as a branch out of her not contrary to her and against her and all these things is the Lord discovering and laying open that Nations and Peoples may come to behold the Mother of Harlots that Mystery of Iniquity and all her Children and may see the state and turning of times and things ever since the days of the Apostles and true Churches and how that all these divers Sects and all these Churches falsely so called are risen up and sprung out one of another and coming from one Seed and Womb and though divers in Appearances and sundry in Practices and Professions yet are they all one in the Ground and Nature sprung from the Mother of Harlots all of them and being her Children and she hath corrupted the Earth with her Fornications and Whoredoms and made Nations and Kingdoms drunk with her Cup of Idolatry but the Lord God is risen and will plead with her and give her double and the holy Prophets and Apostles shall rejoyce over her and this is coming to pass and this have I seen from the Lord and received it from him and thus it come upon me to write THE Waters I have seen dry'd up the Seat of the great Where Who with the Fornication Cup of her enticing power Hath made all Nations drunk thereby and the whole Earth defil'd With her gilt Cup of Sorcery whom she hath long beguil'd But Peoples many are and shall and Multitudes all may And Nations be Converted all unto another Way And Tongues they now confounded bee and Kindreds they must mourn And when thou this shalt finish'd see then say her Seat is torn For these are all the Waters great on whom her Seat hath been And over
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 Sâ—fferings 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
Heathen and under the barren dry and empty Ministry of Man which stands in the will of man and have proceeded out of the carnal inventions and imaginations of fallen man and is not according to God nor to the practice of the Saints in former Ages and Generations To you all do I clear my conscience in the presence of God by declaring to you in writing being that I cannot have freedom through the subtilty of the Serpent who doth work alwayes to prevent the living Truth to be declared and the deceits of himself to be discovered and made manifest to declare in word among you I have been sent by the Lord moved of him to come and to declare to you the Word of the Lord to the directing of your minds where to wait to attain the true Knowledge of the Lord and to that one Thing needful the Eternal welfare of your souls and to lay open the deceits of the Serpent who doth work in the cursed deceitful Ministry which is upheld by you whereby your souls are kept in the death and only your dark minds fed and nourished by the painted and Serpent-like expressions and declarations coming out of the carnal wisdom and brain knowledge of your Hireling who walks in the way of the false Prophets of Israel which the true Prophet called greedy dumb Dogs four several times hath the Lord by his Eternal Spirit working in me moved me to come into the Congregation and Assembly he himself is the Witness that I came not of man nor by the will of man but contrary to the will and desires of man wherein stands the true Ministry of God now as it was ever the true Prophets Ieremiah and Ionah witnessed the same and the Apostle Paul and as it is known to you unto whom I speak that I could not have liberty to declare to you the Truth from God who came not to you with entising words neither what I had gathered out of Scripture from without me neither to speak my own imaginations and conceivings as your false Hireling doth but to declare the Word of the Lord to the convincing your dark understandings that you might see the deceits by which you are and have been led that your souls might have been redeemed up to God out of the imagined worships of the World to worship in Spirit and in Truth Hear ye the Word of the Lord ye people all your carnal traditional Ordinances and Observances is abomination to the Lord all your praying and praising is odious in his sight for all your worship is an imitation and an imagination of the dark mind of man and was never commanded by God therefore consider all ye people what you are doing and reject not the Lord nor his Everlasting Truth but prize your time and now seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon his name while he is near Your souls are kept in the death under your dead Minister and under his dead Doctrines dead Reasons Points and Uses which he speakes from the Saints conditions and experiences but is an enemy to the substance and to them in whom the same conditions are made manifest in the power of Truth and he doth make manifest himself to be in the same generation of them who had the form of Godliness but denies the Power having the Letter as the Pharisees had but persecuting the substance as they did All people consider whether he be not in the generation professing God and Truth in Word as the Scribes and Pharisees were but persecuting the Son of God who is the Substance of Truth where he is born and made manifest he is in the generation of them who professed Abraham's freedom and that God was their Father but were of their father the Devil for his workes they did they said and did not as he doth as it is made manifest he is a whited Wall a painted Sepulcher which Christ the Son of God cryed wo against who was and is the Light by which all Deceivers Hirelings and false Teachers are discovered and cryed out against The Light which is Christ do I witness to be made manifest in me from God the Father of Light daily leading me up to him to live in Purity and Uprightness praises be to him for ever in which Light I see your Teacher to be a Hireling a greedy dumb Dog seeking for his gain from his Quarter one that God never sent but hath run and was not sent therefore doth he not profit you at all and from this Light which is Christ do I declare against him as knowing him that he hath not the Word of the Lord but the Letter Freely do I declare against him as knowing him to be a Deceiver and an Antichrist being once I was deceived by him but now through the rich Love of my Father who hath made himself known to me hath shined by his Eternal Light in my heart do I see him and all such to be Antichrist and no Minister of Christ from the mouth of the Lord I do declare it that you are led blindly by him your blind Guide and you are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Living Truth by his Ministry He layes heavy burdens upon you He is in the generation of them who had the Law and Prophets but persecuted him who came to fulfil the Law and who hath the substance of the Prophets He hath the Conditions and Experiences of the Saints in the Letter but who are brought to witness the same Conditions and the same strait Way in which they walked He is an enemy to all people to you from God I do declare it he is one that God never sent to speak his Word to you he calls good evil and evil good and puts Light for Darkness and Darkness for Light and therefore wo is his Portion and wo is the Portion of all that upholds him What will ye do in the end thereof He doth bewitch you to observe That calling is an Ordinance of God which he never commanded Poor people your souls lies in the death under the power of darkness and corruption under your dead Minister and under his dead carnal Observances and your dark Minds your Wit and Reason is only fed and so the enemies of the Lord are strengthned by him and you remain in ignorance and in blindness and cannot attain the true Riches for Christ only is the Way to the Father the Light in every man which leads to the Father but this Light he denies as having enlightened every one that comes into the World as several times he hath done to me in Argument Here he makes Christ a Lyar and doth not know the first Principle of Religion nor the Light which leads unto God but is a Heathen and knows not God for this is the Light which all the Servants of God in all Generations witnessed and which Light we do now
witness praised be the Lord for evermore who hath in his Light led us to himself and hath shewed the deceits of him to us and of all such as he is he is in the generation shutting the Kingdom of Heaven against men neither entring himself nor suffers others to enter that are entring Through the Power of the Lord made manifest am I bold to declare against him who walks not in the Doctrine of Christ and therefore is an Antichrist and doth deceive you professing himself to be sent of God and walking contrary to the Truth of God a Hypocrite saying and not doing Ye my Country men be not deceived by him try him by the Scriptures see how he walks according to the Declaration as they did who were Ministers of Christ not by the will of man but his Ministry is by man and according to man and had his Call from man as it is known to you all but they who were true Ministers witnessed the contrary neither received they their Gospel from man but by the revelation of Jesus The true Ministers of Christ sent sorth by Christ witness now the same thing for Christ is the same that ever he was which is now made manifest in the Saints and his Ministry is the same which is not by man but contrary to man be not deceived God will not be mocked for he is terrible and his day is powerful and dreadful that shall come upon the Heathen and upon the workers of Iniquity and upon all Dissemblers and Hypocrites all your carnal Worship and Ordinances and Observances is but mocking of God and dissembling with him and is but an imitation an imagination of the Mind of fallen man imitated by you and your Minister droven by the imaginations from the true Worship of God which the Saints in former generations was exercised in who were led not by imagination as you are but by the Spirit of God as all the servants of God are Now as ever was true Baptism I own which is by the holy Ghost and with Fire and the Baptism with one Spirit into one Body do we witness but that which your Chief Priest and false Hireling holds up I deny it it is not of God but is an imitation and is abomination in the sight of God and therefore from God do I Declare against it and against your Hireling that upholds it among you True Communion of Saints I own for we have Union and the Bread which we break is the body of Christ and the Cup which we drink is the Blood of Christ by which we are nourished and fed up to Eternal Life for he that eats not Christ's Flesh and drink his Blood he hath no life in him he among you that can receive it let him but your Communion I deny for it is Heathenish and no more but an imitation having proceeded out of the imagination of the Proud Your breaking of Bread and drinking of the Cup is abomination and God never commanded it and this doth your Pharisee uphold sitting in the seat of Christ and of the Saints as the Pharisees did in Mose's seat saying and not doing True singing I own with the Spirit and with Understanding singing in the Spirit making Melody in the heart to the Lord this singing was and is among the Saints in the Church of Christ this is well pleasing to God for it is not an imitation nor by tradition as your singing is but it is true Sacrifice the song of the redeemed ones which none can learn but the redeemed ones of the Lord who is come and coming to Zion with songs and everlasting Joy upon their heads but your singing is Carnal Traditional and Heathenish and is an Imitation and is not with the Spirit of Jesus but with the spirit of the World with the spirit of Drunkards Swearers Lyars Mockers Scorners Coveteous ones with the spirit of Wrath Envy Malice with the spirit of Cain with the spirit of the Scribes and Pharisees and chief Priests who persecuted the Saints which sang in Truth in former Generations and now the deceit is turned into the form of singing and they that live there persecutes them that sings in the Power for thus it was ever they that lived in Profession of the Word outwardly persecuted them that lived in the Power of which was professed and there you and your Hireling is but know that the Lord will take an account of you and give unto every man his reward according to his deeds You and your Priest have got the form of Baptism of the Communion of Singing and of a Church but the Power and Substance of these Ordinances you know not for they are hid from all vulturous eyes and from the generation of the Pharisees and Serpents who are called of men Master and which have the chief place in the Assemblies as your Hireling hath and who is called of men Master as they were which Christ cryed Wo against True preaching of Jesus Christ Crucified we own and do witness for the preaching is out of the will of man out of Form and Custom and is foolishness to the wisdom of the World now as it was ever this is not with the inticing words of mans wisdom but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of Power and the preaching of the Word of Faith which is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that preaching we do own for Faith comes by the hearing of this Word preached And the Prayer with the Spirit of Truth we do own for that is not in word to be seen of men but led to that not by Custom Form and Tradition but by the Eternal Spirit which proceeds from God which hath free recourse to God which God heareth and doth accept for their iniquity is purged out of the heart and is not regarded for he that regards iniquity in his heart God will not hear his Prayer but the Preaching and Praying of your Hireling I do deny for they are abomination to the Lord for his preaching leads from God stands in his own Will in his own Time in Form Custom and Tradition and your souls are not refreshed by it neither is true Faith known among you for how can he being evil speak good things A corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good fruit said he who cryed Wo unto them that said and did not in which generation he is how can he teach and direct towards true Religion being he denies the Corner Stone the first Principle of Religion which is the Foundation which no other can any lay the Light of God which hath enlightened every one that comes into the World which he denies to have enlightened every one Poor people I do pitty your souls God is my witness to see you lie in darkness in ignorance and blindness and in deadness under your dead Hireling and under his dead traditional Preaching your wisdom reason and dark minds
and walks in darkness ignorance and blindness as you do turning the Grace of God into wantonness which same Grace is the Saints Teacher this is the free Grace of God which hath appeared to all men which in all Generations taught the Saints to deny ungodiness and worldly lusts and led them into purity and holiness This Grace do we witness praised praised be the Lord to be led by it which ever was the Saints Leader and through the teaching of this Grace do we deny your Hireling and all such Pharisees and Hypocrites who makes a prey upon the poor people and if you stop not into their mouths they even prepare War against you as the false Prophets of Israel did and daily are we taught by it in the Wayes of God to do his service praised be the only Lord of Glory for ever more who hath gathered us up to himself to be taught alone by his Grace out of the mouth of your Hireling who once made a prey upon us but Eternal Praise and Glory to our God who in his Light hath discovered unto us his nakedness and his shame his hypocrisie and deceit in the Eternal Light of God do we see him and all such to be blind Guides and leads the poor blind people in darkness and ignorance and none is able to come to the true Knowledg of the Eternal Truth in his Ministry for he is no Minister of God but an Antichrist denying Christ to be come in the flesh denying the Light to have enlightened every one as several times he hath done to me but my Father who is Light and Glory hath now made him manifest And in that Light Christ Jesus do I see him to be one who hath run whom God hath not sent therefore doth he not profit you at all nor puts no difference between the precious and the vile in you nor leads you to discern the clean from the unclean the pure from the impure in you but speaks the Divination of his own brain feeding your dark minds and from the Eternal Light made manifest in me from God the Father who is over all and above all do I declare against him and against all Hirelings and greedy dumb Dogs that seeks for their gain from their Quarter as he doth fâ—â—ely do I declare as knowing them to be Deceivers and blind Guids For the simple ones sake among you who are insnared and kept in ignorance by him under his dead dry barren sloathful Ministry Repent ye people who lies in the Captivity of Babylon under your Bahylonish Merchant now is the Lord leading his Sons and Daughters out of Egypt out of bondage and now he that hath led Captive is led into Captivity praised and honoured be the God of Saints for evermore who hath redeemed us out of the mouth of your Idol-shepherd who feeds himself with the fat and who hath enlightened our dead Consciences and hath shined in our hearts in his Eternal Light and of this have I received freely and from this do I let forth freely to the laying open the deceits of your Hireling Now is the Day of your visitation wherein the Saviour of the World stands at the door and knocketh if any open unto him he will come in therefore prize your time and hear the Word of the Lord and lay aside the works of darkness Lying and Swearing Mocking and Scorning and beating of your fellow Servants Wo unto you ye Strikers who hardens your hearts against the Lord and against those who declare to you the wickedness of your wayes the Lord will come when you are not aware and give you your Portion with Hypocrites and Unbeleevers and cast you into utter darkness Repent and turn to the Lord your God with mourning and lamentation and cease from all your former wayes and doings cease from Coveteousness and Opression ye aged people and cease from Lightness Vanity and Pride ye young people and from all your Priests and Steeple-houses for there your Lightness Pride and Vain minds are fed and nourished and the enemies of the Lord are strengthened Dear people there had I once fellowship with you in your Pride Lightness and Vanity and there was once my joy and delight but now am I chosen by the Lord out of all these things praised be him for ever to serve the Lord in declaring against all these abominations in whom they are standing For wo unto the proud and light vain minds who are tripping upon the mountains and whose hearts are not subject to the Lord against all these abominations do I Declare as from the Lord and do advise you as from him to depart out of these abominations for the day is coming when you must be separated from all your lovers a day of darkness and misery therefore prize your time and hearken unto the Light of God within you which reproves you for your filthy and ungodly deeds and words this Light will lead you to God out of all filthiness obeying it this will separate the clean from the unclean in you and will lead you to be taught of God and to have unity with God and with the Saints for it was in the Light that the Saints had unity this Light will lead you out of your hypocritical and deceitful carnal Worships to Worship in Spirit and Truth this Light will lead you to the true Baptism out of your deceitful imitation of a Baptism which your Hireling upholds among you this Light will lead you to the true Church in God out of your formal imagined Church and to the true Communion of Saints and true Singing to God out of your Heathenish Communion and Singing Therefore all ye people mind the Light for the Light hath enlightened every one which is the Saviour and Reedemer of him that loveth it and bringeth his deeds to it but is the Condemnation of him that hateth it and walks not in it therefore all people mind this Light which is of God this will lead you up to God this is the way to the Father and none comes to the Father but by me said he who was and is the Light this Light loving it and walking in it will free you from all the burdens which the Pharisee layes upon you and from all the taxes of Pharaoh's Tax-masters and will lead you into the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God to know him who is invisible and is present every where yet hidden from all dark minds who lives in the imaginations and imitations as you and your Hireling doth If you love this Light and walk in this Light it will bring you to be witnesses of the Scripture and of the Saints Conditions which you are but talkers of this is the Light from which they spoke that spoke the truth of God and from this Light did Isaiah cry who lived in the obedience of it against the greedy dumb dogs that sought for their gain from
your fruits it made manifest leaning in the imaginations and not in the counsel of the Lord and in lying swearing drunkenness covetousness and oppression and according to the course of this world these iniquities are ruling among People Priests and Rulers in this Nation from the least of them even to the greatest every one is given too covetousness from the Prophet even to the Priest every one deals falsely All your Hirelings and greedy dumb Dogs I do deny and all who are of God denies all such and are taught of God in the ways of God which ever the world derided All thy Teachers O England is denied of them who are taught of God and whose Teacher is the Anointing needs not any man to teach them And by thy Teachers who are in the way of the Pharisees art thou blindly led in the ways of darkness and ignorance and all thy carnal worship which is in every part of thee upheld which is to Read Sing and Preach upon the Saints Conditions which were witnesses of God All this I do deny and freely declare against as from the mouth of the Lord to be no worship of God but imagination and an imitation of the Worship of God And the living eternal God of Heaven and Earth is but mocked by you in your imagined worship for your reading of anothers condition and singing of that which you live not in and preaching that which is gathered from without by imagination and conceiving upon that which the Prophet Prophesied or which Christ spoke who was and is the Substance and which the Apostles witnessed this is carnal and heathenish and was never commanded by the Lord nor is no worship of the true God and against this worship I do from the Lord declare as in the eternal Light of God seeing it to be deceitful and abomination to the Lord being I am Redeemed up to God by his eternal Spirit and to worship in Spirit and in Truth and not limitted to a day place or time neither at Ierusalem nor in this Mount c. and am freed and redeemed out of this fallen mans invention and tradition which is but Cains sacrifice which God doth not accept but is abomination in his sight praised be the Lord for evermore And O England I do declare against all these thy Teachers and against this all thy Worship as from the mouth of tbe Lord as moved of the Lord to speak this word unto thee Thou hast spent thy money this many Generations for that which is not bread and thy labour for that which doth not satisfie thee all thy imagined formal Worships and carnal Traditions and Ordinances of man is the Lord risen in his Servants to declare against And the same Light which ever made manifest deceitful Worships and the deceitful Hirelings and them that cryed Peace peace to the people when the Lord spake no peace is now risen and speaketh in thy ears O Nation the same everlasting Light which the true Prophets lived in who cryed against them that sought for their gain from their quarter and that cryed against the horrible filthy thing which is upheld in thee O England this same Light is made manifest in the despised People called Quakers in this North part of the Nation O People your Teachers have beguiled you and have taught for the Fleece and fed themselves with the fat but your souls are hungred by them for they are in the Generation of them that said and did not they love the Wages of unrighteousness and follows the error of Balaam for Reward and have devoured souls for dishonest Gain but the only true God is arising to beat the Mountains to dust and to cleave the Rocks assunder In thee O Land will the Lord manifest his Power and will stretch forth his Arm for the deliverance of his Chosen and for the Redemption of his two Witnesses which have layn slain in the great City in this Land which they that dwell upon the Earth have rejoyced over and made merry and triumphed in their slaughter the Lord is arising to require his Flock at the hands of the Idols-shepherds O ye Idol dumb Shepherds the Lord will be avenged upon you for you have scattered the sheep of his pasture and have fed your selves with them the Lord of Hosts is grieved with you and have shaken his hands at your dishonest Gain and ye shall no longer wear Garments to deceive ye have long deceived the simple by your lyes and by your lightness but now you are discovered and made manifest in the eternal Light of God and the mystery of witchcraft is not hid now from the Saints Therefore O England hear the Word of the Lord Thy Prophets are light and treacherous Persons thy Judges judges for Reward and thy Priests preach for Hire and thy Officers imprisons the Just and thy Rulers are evening Wolves which seeks for the Prey and the Lord of Heaven and Earth is grieved with these things therefore O Land tremble at the presence of the Lord God of Iacob for Esau shall become a place for Dragons and shall be dis-inhabited in the day of mourning and lamentation is coming upon thee for that which the Lord hath not planted will he pluck up and every corrupt Tree shall be cast into the fire All thy corrupt Judges and Officers and Rulers will the Lord cut off utterly from the face of the Earth and will restore to his People Judges as at the first and Councellers as at the beginning the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Therefore O Land prepare to meet the Lord thy God by true repentance by putting off the works of darkness thy Pride and thy Oppression O Nation is seen by the Lord and the cry of the Oppressed through thy pride and tyranny is heard in the ears of the Lord of Sabbath and he will avenge the cause of the poor and needy that is Oppressed by Priests in their Tythes by Lawyers in their Fees and by Officers in their unrighteous dealing and the Seed of Abraham shall go free and Israel shall no longer be subject to Pharaoh nor to his Tax-masters O England in the North part of thee is the Light of God arisen which shines clearly and which discovers the abomination of thy Teachers and of thy Worship and we are bold to declare against them and against all thy corrupt Officers Judges and Rulers and this Light shall shine through the Nation and shall be spread over Kingdoms and the fire is to be kindled which the Lord hath promised which shall burn as an Oven and the proud and all that do wickedly shall be as stubble This fire shall proceed out of the mouth of the two Witnesses as it did before they were slain and shall devour the enemies of the Lord the Sword of the Lord is drawn in thee O Nation and put into the hands of them which is hated and despised by the Rulers Officers which is scornfully called Quakers but they
calls them deceitfull Principles she hath chosen the way of Death rather then the way of Life and hath taken her self to follow shaddows and likenesses and neglected the Substance which is Christ within the hope of glory her latter end is worse then her beginning and the Parable is fulfilled upon her And she speaks in the 126. pag. of Satan being discovered under his vail and in particular as to that of being saved by a Christ within and not by a Christ without and the Lord was pleased to shew her it was quite another thing differing from the Gospel and that it was attended with this evil consequence to overthrow the whole Gospel and to deny the Lord that bought them I answer I charge her here as in the presence of God with belying the Lord and with horrible Basphemy who saith That that which the Saints and servants of God witnessed who Preached the Gospel and established it Christ within manifested is quite another thing differing from the Gospel and that it is attended to overthrow the whole Gospel O horrible Blasphemy and belying the Lord who saith that the Lord was pleased to shew her it did ever he shew any Lyes all take notice of this wicked and horrible Blasphemer the Lord rebuke that unclean spirit of Antichrist in her She goes on and saith then secondly as to that of waiting for a power to Pray and that here was no command but from within concerning both these the Lord was pleased to shew that it was not according to his minde but a meer invention of Satan and that it was attended with this evill consequence to slight Scriptures and Commands of God and to expose the soul to Satans deceivings to walk by the imaginations of their own heart instead of the motions of the Spirit I answer The Saints waited for the moving of the Spirit which was power in them to help them to pray they knew not to Pray as they ought without it and this command and help they had not without them but within them And I again here charge her with belying the Lord and with notorious Blasphemy who saith that that which the Saints witnessed waiting for the power of the Spirit to Pray is not according to the minde of the Lord but an invention of Satan and she is not ashamed to say the Lord shewed her and the same which they witnessed who spoke forth the Scripture and which walked in the Commands of God tends to slight Scriptures and commands of God and to expose the soul to Satans deceivings this is Blasphemy and Error and corrupt Principles and she which hath denyed waiting to be led by the motions of the Spirit is led by the imaginations of her own heart is under the power of Satans deceiving and speaks contrary to what the Scripture speaks and so slights it and the Commands of God she hath Blasphemed the God of Heaven and accordingly will the Lord requite her And thus have I for the simple ones sake declared the truth and every single eye may see who it is is led by corrupt principles and what I have written shall she eternally witness to be true and all her co-partners And I pass by the rest of her Book as not worth answering for it is nothing but airy imagination and confusion and death yet raigns in her and in her Book is spoken out by her and she knowes not the Baptism of Saints nor Communion nor the true Church of Christ to that witness in her conscience do I declare and when it shall arise it will eternally witness me Whose Name in the Flesh is EDWARD BURROUGH The Copy of a Letter c. FRiends for so I call you I was moved of the Lord to come into your Assembly to declare the truth from him concerning you as by the eternal Spirit was revealed to me and I do acknowledge it it was a mercy from the Lord that I had that small liberty which I had to clear my Conscience amongst you and to discharge my duty in obedience to the Lord and to every ones Conscience am I made manifest whether you will hear or you will forbear truely Friends there is somthing among you which I own and which is owned of my Father but yet many things hath he against you and as I said I now again say from the mouth of the Lord that your Covering is too narrow to hide your shame and your bed too short to stretch your selves upon Now friends the Ordinances of Iesus Christ which you act in you say in obedience to him I do not speak against but do witness them in life and power neither do I judge such amongst you who have entered in at the door by the Principle of God to the Ordinances if any such but you I do declare against and do judge by the infallible Spirit who have in your own wills thrust in your selves and acted by imagination and immitation from the Letter without and not having received the Command from Christ into your selves such I judge to be in deceit deceived by the Serpent which deceives the simple by the likeness of a thing and you that limit the Lord to any outward visible thing that without such can be no Salvation you I judge again to be in deceit and my judgement shall stand for nothing is available that which God once commanded nor that which was not commanded but the new Creature which is born of the immortall Seed contrary to the will of man Truely Friends you are acting in darkness and there is no seperation in you betwixt the precious and the vile betwixt the clean and the unclean for that which did convince you of false Hirelings and of their deceitful worship which is owned of my Father in you hath not been obeyed by you but your minds have been drawn forth from within to obey a thing without and herein have you been bewitched from the obedience of the truth within to obey the letter without as they were which the Scripture speaks of and you are acted in another form and likeness then you were before and which some are acted in yet but by the same spirit and you have a zeale I beare you record but it is not according to knowledge I declare against that spirit by which you are now acted as knowing it to be the spirit of Antichrist and that which is owned by my Father in you is oppressed by you by your wisdom and reason which stands above and is head and rules amongst you which is for destruction and for the Lord to accomplish his wrath upon and happy were you if you knew the day of vengeance which is the acceptable year of the Lord but you are yet full and rich and think you have need of nothing and have a name that you live but you are dead and empty and miserable your form is corrupted and you seek the living among the dead and you act in the form but walks at liberty
who saith in your hearts you are the onely people but your lying hearts deceives you and you are found naked and without a covering All ye that desire after the way of the Lord of all sorts of people who are simple and honest hearted whether prophane or professor you have a day of visitation from the Lord yet stretched forth unto you Come ye unto the Lord and forsake all your lovers lay aside your evil hearts which hath led you aside from the way of salvation and now learn the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom and mind the one thing needful which is of great prize even the salvation of your souls press after and come out of the broad way of perdition wherein the world goes on to destruction and enter into the strait-way where the unclean walks not cease from all the deceitful wayes and worships of the world and love truth and walk in simplicity Cease from all your Idoll Temples for God dwells not in them but his Saints are his Temples wherein he dwells and walks cease from all your Idoll worships and feigned prayers and praises for God is not worshipped in vain traditions as in observing dayes and times and outward things but in Spirit and truth is he worshipped and such he seeks to worship him and a broken spirit and an upright heart is accepted with him Cease from all your Idol Shepherds and Priests of Baal that preaches for hire and divines for money and seeks for their gain from their quarter for they profit not the people at all who are ever learning while they live upon earth and none able to come to the knowledge of the truth therefore cease from man and wait upon the Lord who is now risen to teach his people by his Spirit in his way of truth and righteousness in his peace and purity where his blessing is received from his presence which is with all that fear him Therefore awake awake out of darkness and love not to slumber in the dark night which long hath ruled over you this is the day of your return and of your visitation wherein the Lord would gather you Therefore resist not the love of the Lord wherein he calls you to repentance from dead works to serve him in righteousness but every one turn your minds inward to the Light of Christ Jesus wherewith every one of you is lightned which light is it which convinceth you of sin and lets you see your evil deeds and whom you have served and how you have spent your time the Light shines in darkness and reveals unto you the secret intents of your dark hearts and doth secretly reprove the wicked purposes of your minds with this light in your consciences your sins are written and all that ever you have done is recorded and this light shall be the swift witness and the condemnation of the wicked in the day of the Lord and by it all your works will be brought to remembrance and your sins will be set in order before you to receive judgement by Christ Jesus And here is the free love and gift of God unto you who hath given you a light to guide you in his way if you own it and wait in it it will manifest the judgements of God against sin in you and will condemn sin in your flesh and will reveal the righteousness of God to be your covering if you dwell in the light it is your Teacher and way unto life eternal and if you bring all your deeds to it it will reprove every evil word and work and give you discerning of things that differ it will manifest the secretest deceit of your heart and winding of the Serpent and will be judge thereof till unrighteousness be taken away and a birth brought forth from above and born of another nature and Seed which if you be not born again you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Therefore in the fear of the Lord all consider and search your selves in tender love to all your souls I write You must be judged in the flesh that you may be justified in the Spirit and you must be made poor and emptied of all your knowledge and wisdom that you may be filled and made truly wise So if you believe in Christ Jesus the Light and life of the world your hearts will be cleansed by the word of God which endures for ever and the Covenant of peace will be established with you where sin is no more remembred being condemned so â—ow you have all time this is to you all a warning as I was moved of the Lord. Repent the dreadfull day is at hand and meet the Lord by confessing and forsaking your sins and prepare the way of the Lord his coming draweth near lest his Judgments come upon you unawares and his Wrath sweep you away in fury and your Nation become more cursed then the rest all your applying of Christ's Righteousness whilst your selves are Sinners is to no purpose for no Hypocrite can enter into Life nor none that work wickedness have Eternal Life abiding in them but are in the death which hath passed over all men and the curse remaineth upon the Disobedient and all in the first nature are Children of wrath Therefore every one wait in the Light that you may be changed and take up the daily Cross of Christ that your own wills affections lusts and desires may be crucified and you may become dead to the World and may live unto God in his Nature and Likeness that your souls may be satisfied therewith and all that hunger and thirst after Righteousness shall be filled with the true Food Therefore wait all you that fear the Lord and meet together in his Counsel and wait for his Law that you may walk therein and lay aside the works of Darkness which are made manifest by the Light and also condemned in all that come to Sion Spend not your time in the vain deceits of the World nor follow noâ— the delights thereof for according to your works must you be judged in the day of the Lord. Depart from Iniquity and all the works of the Flesh Pride and Cotousness Lying Swearing and Double-dealing and all the fruits of unrighteousness let them be judged and let the time past be sufficient that you have wrought evil and now return and work Righteousness in God by the Light which all that love works in God And deceive not your selves with a deceitful covering of self-making and self-righteousness professing Scriptures in your carnal minds which was given forth by the Spirit and is not understood but by the same Spirit Whilst the first nature stands alive in you you cannot please God but are in the emnity against him Humble your selves and come down to the Light and search your hearts thereby Wo unto the Lofty and High-minded who will not be instructed but hatâ—â— reproof Wo is unto all Lyars and Swearers and Whoremongers and Vagabonds and prophane Persons
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 â—eed 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 liâ—â—â— 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 〈◊〉 to be truâ— and this to be the Word of the Lord to you whether you will hear or 〈◊〉 â—ear 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 â—e a â—error to good and strengthened the wicked and have not regarded the Will of God but have persecuted and imprisoned the Innocent and â—udged 〈◊〉 your own hearts therefore according to the Word of the Lord your blood will be upon your own heaâ—s for you have not taken Warning and I am 〈◊〉 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 Coâ—nsel 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 whâ—â— are proud and know nothing that cannot abide sound Doctrine do reproach and slander us and by false 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things to our charge which we never knâ—w therefore we being innocent and clear cannot but deny and 〈◊〉 witness against all those proceedings which are â—ot 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 â—â—der your 〈◊〉 dated at Dublin and in them both you say You have received information at your board of great disorders and disturbances of 〈◊〉 in the Couâ—… of â—â—rkâ— and Places adjacent by Francis Howgill aâ—d Edward Burrough This we say unto you your Informer hath declared an â—â—truth at your Board and we deâ—â—re 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 Mâ—lefactors 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 〈◊〉 came and herein you do us great injustice and you act contrary to the Law of Equity and
as you do neither did one go from the Command which had been given to another using anothers words and excercising themselves in anothers practises when the Lord had not commanded but such they bare witness against which did use their tongue and transform themselves into the likness of true Prophets and Apostles as you have done and are in the love of the World and only separated in the appearance and not in the ground You stumble at the â—ight and therefore know not the Door of entrance nor where the Commands of Christ are to be received and the Will of God to you is to be known and so your obedience is the conformity in your own wills to that which was the Will of God to another this Sacrifice is also lame and blind and God saith to you Who hath required this at your hand For if you have observed and done all those things which the Declaration of the Law and Gospel doth require you are unprofitable Servants and yet one thing do you lack the dying with Christ and the Sufferings and Cross of Christ is not known but in the liberty of the flesh you are and not in the condition of the Promise to Life Eternal Friends you have ruâ— into the form of Godliness without the Power into a Church which is not in God but of the World into a Baptism which doth not wash away sin for you live in sin and plead for it while you live upon Earth into a Communion which is not with God which no unclean thing can enter into for the Proud and Coveteous partake with you and while some of you have said they that preached for Hire have been Antichristian you your selves are fallen into the same abomination taking Gifts and Rewards and large somes of Money and upholding such who do it Here you are unjust to your own Principle and are for condemnation with the Light in your Consciences Let shame cover your heads ye Hypocrites your covering will not hide you nor your high talking of Christ without you so long professed by you will not justifie you while you are found disobeying this Light in your Consciences which Light is one with God with Christ and with the Spirit in its measure and it doth convince you of sin and is a command to you and would lead you if you walked in it from all iniquity which is the Will of God to you and to that mind which is carnal which ruleth in you the Commands of Christ which are Spiritual are not given nor can be received but say Lo here and Lo there Christ is to be found with the Light you are comprehended which if the least measure of it you did own it would lead you to the Baptism inward of the heart and to the Church which iâ— in God whereof Christ is the Head in every Member and into the Communion with God and to follow the Lamb of God wheresoever he goeth and out of your imitations and liknesses and strife and contention about the words given forth from the Spirit who are in your own unity in Division and several Meanings and divers Constructions and Judgments and several wayes of Obedience and Worships and Belief which by your imaginations you draw from the Scripture which is the Declaration but of the one God and one Truth of one Obedience and of one Faith and thus you exalt the great Image of many mixtures your selves being a chief Member of his body You say the Scripture is your Rule but are divided into Opinions and Conceits contrary to the Scripture every one worshipping that which you imagine from the Scripture not being in the Unity of the Spirit which gave forth the Scripture which is one and not divided in Obedience Worship or Faith and while you say the Scripture is your Rule your lives are squared by the spirit of the Divel and hewn out into Pride and Hypocrisie and love of the World And to you who are called Free-willers who say Christ died for All. HErein you affirm that whereof you are ignorant which may be true in Christ but a Lye unto you for you are not dead with Christ from the Rudiments of the World but are alive against him in the World they for whom he died are dead and they who yet live put him to death Free-will unto the wayes and fashions and vanities of the World stands in you you know not the daily Cross of Christ which is unto man's will nor what it is to follow Christ and obey him which is contrary to man's will You say He that is condemned it is because he will not believe this is true in Christ but not in your carnal apprehensions of the natural man in whom there is no power to believe He that hath an ear let him hear There are some true desires among you but your minds are not truly informed to the fulfilling of your desires and your minds are outward and apply peace to that which is for condemnation Your reason and wisdom is corrupted and cannot receive Truth but call it error and this is your sin Death over you hath passed and reigns over you as over all men and your knowledge is in time and you cannot hear of things which were before the World was your wisdom is sensual and your comprehension is strong and the little simplicity in you is betrayed by the subtilty which hath dominion in your Governour Your Crown must be laid down and Fools must you become before you be truly wise or can be crowned with the Lamb. And among the rest Remember you had warning and a Day of visitation before you were destroyed and this shall be by you witnessed in the day of the Lord. To all you who say you wait and believe for the Coming of Christ to Reign in Person upon Earth HEre you the Lord's Controversie which he hath against you The Way of his coming is not prepared but Rocks and Mountains are standing and Valleys are not filled up and rough and crooked is your present way your hopes and expectations in that ground wherein they spring will wither and fade away as the Grass for your hope of his comming hath no whit purified you as he is pure for you are in the flesh and in the liberty of it which is Rebellion to his Reign and Christ is kept in Prison in exile with that mind and the Divel is yet at liberty working in your earthly members and leads you captive into his covenant in his government in seeking your selves and to strengthen your selves in the Kingdom of the World and murmur that any should be above you and that is he which put Christ to death and will not have him to reign in his Power over the Earth and to you what purpose is it to desire the day of his coming for with wrath will he come and with vengeance will â—e appear and will break your Kingdom like a Potters vessel for suddenly will he come but your
any Creature was made and the whole World is comprehended and mans state in his first Creation is here known what it was and mans state in Transgression is also known what it was and mans state restored again is also witnessed and the difference perceived betwixt the first Adam which was overcome of the Devil though he was innocent and without sin and bore the likeness of his Maker and of the second Adam who cannot be overcome of the Devil whom Satan hath nothing in who is the express Image of the Creator it self He that hath an ear to hear let him hear Eye hath not seen Ear hath not heard it hath not entred into the heart of man that which the Father hath revealed by his Spirit things not lawful to be uttered of which there is no declaring that which is Infinite Endless Eternal and in this I shall end By one who hath measured and viewed in true Iudgment the condition of all Mankind who is a Lover of Souls and a Friend to the Creation of God known in England by the name of EDWARD BURROUGH London the 6th of the 3d Moneth 1656. Truth Defended OR CERTAIN ACCUSATIONS ANSWERED CAST Upon us who are called Quakers by the Teachers of the World and the People of this Generation WITH A clear Discovery who are the false Prophets and when they came in and how they may be known and who they are that deny Christ and that preach another Gospel and who deny the Scriptures Churches Ministers and Magistrates whereby the Magistrates and People of this Nation may see they justifie that which the Scripture condemns and condemns that which the holy men of God justified and may read their example and our example through the Scriptures The Epistle To all you who call your selves Ministers of the Gospel and all People in all Relations under what form of Worship soever in England or in all the World whâ— profess your selves Christians THe mighty day of the Lord is come according as he promised of old and this day is witnessed wherein he is establishing his Mountain and exalting it above all Mountains and is gathering his People which have been scattered in the dark and loâ—â— Night of Apostacy which Christ and his Apostles saw coming into the Churcâ—… then and hath had dominion long over the World and hath reigned till now and reigns nâ—â— in all the Professors in all Forms every where But now the time is come wherein the Kingdâ—… of the World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and thousands witness it to the praise of his everlasting Name And therefore the Nations are angry and 〈◊〉 Pâ—inces of the Earth because Michael one Prince is arisen to plead with all who make 〈◊〉 against him And now Herod and Pilate and all Jerusalem are in an uproar and Ammâ—â— and Amaleck and the Egyptians and the Philistines are joyned now against him And all you who live in Forms and know not the Power do now persecute and joyn your selves tâ—gether being in the same nature as the Persecutors of old which were born after the Flesh. And now you Sons of Bondage and of Hagar are to be cast out and now you are all 〈◊〉 manifest that you are in the Flesh for all your Bows are bent and all your Arrows are 〈◊〉 at a People which are accounted by you as the filth of the World and as the off-scouring of all things whom the World calls Quakers in whose foreheads is written the Name of the living God and unto you I say that make war against them and now take part with the Dragâ—â— against the Lamb you shall all drink of the Cup of Fury and indignation of the Lord 〈◊〉 unto the Living God who is holy and jealous for his own Glory and Name which hath manifested his Mind and Will by his eternal Spirit unto us shall you all bow and stoop For now the Lord hath rent the Vail of the Covering which hath been spread over 〈◊〉 the Nations in all Professions and you are all seen by the ternal Eye which is opened in thousands even all from the highest to the lowest who have stolâ—n and painted your selves with 〈◊〉 â—ens words And all your Images which you have set up and all your traditions from â—en in which you have walked are all seen to be stubble and â—ill not abidâ— in the day of the Lord. And all your Churches which you have gathered together by imitation from the 〈◊〉 shall all be scattered and there you all are for you all deny Revelation and say it is ceased and so you call the Letter the Light and the Word but with that which was before the Scripture you are seen and judged even with that which shall endure for ever And seeing you have cast reproach upon the Name of the God of Heaâ—â—â— and Earth whom we worâ—â—ip and which you call delusion for the truths sake are we moved to lay open your â—akedness that you may be judged by that which you say is your rule Here in this Little Book thou who hast any honesty in thee or any desire of truth and wilt search the Scripture thou wilt see thâ—◠〈◊〉 the teachers of the world in all Forms and all Professors ever cryed out who had but the Form against them who had the Life and Power as you all 〈◊〉 now against them who Worship God in the Spirit and have no confidenâ—e in the flesh and therefore in this following Discoâ—rse which 〈◊〉 written by the same Spirit that gave forth the Scripture thou shalt see who are the false Prophets and who they are that preach another Gospel and who they are that deny the Scriptures and thou mayst see when the false Prophets came in and who they are clearly proved to be by their own rules And all you who call your selves Magistrates and Christians you may see your selves to hold up that which Christ the Prophets and Apostles cryed oâ—â— against and Persecute them who stand in the counsel of God and them thâ—â— Declare against all the deceit as the Holy men of God did and so you are the beast which holds up the false Prophets and those whom the Scripture declareth against God is arisen to dâ—… to pieces all them who withstand him and therefore come out of Babylon â—â—d out of all your painted forms and come to own the first Principle which will change your mindes even the Light of Christ which he hath enlightned every one withal and by it you shall see what you are doing Now if you deny this you deny the Corner-stone and you stumble and shall be broken and by thâ—â— which you call natural shall all your Image of gold and silver and all your mixed invented worship be dashed to pieces and 〈◊〉 for the Pit Therefore all be silent and speak not evil of those thingâ— you know not for now you are all seen you who say you are â—â—ws and are not but are of the Synagogue
false Accusers and to proud Men and Oppressors this 〈◊〉 are Friends unto but to such as act by their own wills in corrupt Laws and 〈◊〉 thereby violence to the Innocent and strengthen the hands of Evil-doers we cannot be subject but choose rather then to transgress the Law of God whiâ—â— is written in our hearts by submitting to such mens wills and laws to suffer by the corrupt wills of men under corrupt laws for a moment And thus I have answered those false Accusations which are cast upon us and 〈◊〉 declare it to be the same spirit in the Teachers and People of this Generatioâ—… which accuseth us as it was in the Scribes and Pharisees which accused Chrâ—… and his Disciple and this the Scripture witnesseth unto as they did unto him 〈◊〉 would they do unto us A further Answer to that Accusation of being false Prophets and Deceivers JEsus Christ prophesied and said That in the last dayes should many false prophets arise which should deceive many and if it were possible the very Elect. Now the Teachers and People of this Generation do say That we who by the World are called Quakers are those false Prophets and Deceivers which Christ prophesied of Of this their false accusation have they Drunkards Lyars Swearers and all the ungodly People in every profession to witness them but their Accusation and their Witnesses we do deny though they preach it among the People for doctrine And now in answer to this false Accusation and Slander I am moved to write a little and shall to that Principle of God in every mans Conscience clear my Conscience and declare what I know from God concerning those false Prophets who they are when they came in and how they may be known and shall leave it to every honest heart to consider of The Apostles and Ministers of Jesus Christ saw the same false Prophets which Christ prophesied of to be come and coming in their dayes before a Quaker waâ— heard of Iohn said By that they knew that it was the last time for said he Even now are there many Antichrists and false Prophets gone out into the World such werâ— they who confessed not Christ to be come in the Flesh and they were of the World and spoke of the World and the World heard them Now here I charge it upon the Teachers of the World that they are of that Generation which went out into the World then for as they then confessed not Christ to be come in the Flesh so these uphold those things which were under the Law which was before Christ came in the Flesh outwardly and so confess Christ not to be come in the Flesh and so they are Antichrist They uphold an outward Temple and an outward Worship and take tythes as the Priests under the Law did as a Type and Figure of Christ but when he was come and sacrificed these things which were to stand for a time were put to an end and none who witnessed Christ come and were sent by him to preach the Gospel did uphold those things but witnessed forth the Substance and denied the figure they denied the outward Temple and witnessed they were the Temples of God and that God dwelt in them and denied the outward worship and witnessed the Worship of God in Spirit and in Truth within them for they who worshipped without worshipped they knew not what as they do now and they denied to take Tythes but lived of the Gospel and said They that preached it should live of it but the Teachers of this Generation are of the World living in its pride lusts and vanities and they who live in the same worldly nature uphold them and hear them Iohn also said Every spirit that confesseth not Christ to be come in the Flesh is Antichrist And here I charge it upon the Teachers of the World that their Spirit of Pride and Covetousness and Envy and Hypocrisie which rules in them is the Spirit of Antichrist and confesseth not Christ to be come in the Flesh for where he is made manifest and come in the Flesh this spirit is destroyed For as saith the Scripture he was made manifest to destroy the works of the Devil Paul was also a Witness of the false Prophets and Deceivers which Christ prophesied of in his time for he gave warning to beware of such and to turn away from such whom he saw then come and coming in but came more fully in after his dayes he said of this sort They were lovers of themselves covetous proud heady high-minded fierce men and dispisers of those that were good given to filthy lucre and to pleasure and were false-Accusers and Blasphemers and without natural affection and unthankfull and unholy and taught silly women who were led with divers lusts but were not able to come to the knowledge of the Truth by their Teaching they were men of corrupt minds and reprobatâ— concerning Faith And here again I charge it upon the Teachers of the World that they are of that Generation which came in then for they are Lovers of themselves they take money of poor people to whom they are more able to give and they are proud and covetous men that go in their Ribbons and Cuffs and gaudy attire and they preach to them where they can get most money and some takes money of them and sues them at the Law to whom they preach not at all they are heady and high-minded men for poor people bow to them in the Streets and call them Masters They are fierce men and dispise those that are good if any speak against them of the truth they are fierce against and despise such and they are given to filthy lucre and are lovers of pleasure for where they can have most money there they will abide and they live in pleasure in idleness and lust and vanity they are flase-Accusers they will call them Deceivers which are not and that Blasphemy which is not and they are Blasphemers and without natural affection They say the Letter is the Word and the Scripture the Light which is contrary to Scripture for God is the Word and Christ is the Light and they will suffer the rude multitude and some will set them upon it to hale beat and strike out of their Assemblies which is without natural affection They are unthankful and unholy they have great sums of money from the people and are not thankful but compel them by a Law to pay them and herein they are unholy by their actions which are declared which is oppression and they teach always but men and women are ignorant still and none able to come to the knowledge of the Truth by them and they have a Form of godliness they profess the Scriptures That the Children of the Lord are to be taught of the Lord and that Christ said Take no thought what to eat nor what to drink nor wherewith to be cloathed but who witness themselves taught of God and that they need no
man to teach them and that take no care what to eat nor what to drink nor what to put on and so witness the promise of God and abide in the Doctrine of Christ these you call Deceivers and idle and careless persons and thus deny the power of what they have professed and herein their minds are corrupt and reprobate concerning Faâ—…ith for Faith is the Substance and purifies the heart from these things which they are guilty of And Peter and Iude also were Witnesses of those Deceivers and false Prophets which Christ prophesied of in their time for they saw such were come and coming which should bring in damnable Heresies and through covetousness with feigned words make merchandise of the people they walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise Government and Dominion presumptuous are they self-willed they are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities they speak evil of things that they understand not they have eyes full of adultery and they cannot cease from sin beguiling unstable Souls an heart they have exercised with covetous practises cursed Children which have forsaken the right way and are gone astray following the way of Balaam who loved the Wages of unrighteousness they themselves are the Servants of corruption ungodly men turning the Grace of God into laciviousness and defile the flesh these are Murmurers Complainers walking after their own lusts and their mouthes speak great swelling words having mens persons in admiration because of advantage these be they who separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit And here again I charge it upon the Teachers of this Age that they are of that Generation which came into the World then for they have brought in and do uphold damnable Heresies telling people That sprinkling Infants with water is the Baptism into the Faith and that singing David's Experiences in Rime and Meeter is singing to the glory of God and that a House of Stone is the Temple and Church of God these are damnable Heresies and they do through covetousness make Merchandise of the people if they can get more money at another place thither they will go and thus people are their Merchandise they walâ— after the flesh in the lusts of uncleanness they walk in pride and in lust and some of them will be drunk and lye and swear and talk uncleanly and they despise the Saints Government and Dominion for they walk in the wayes of the World in the Customs and Traditions of men and follow their own wills and whom the Spirit of God governs and hath dominion over follows Christ for their Example whose Government and Dominion they are under but they live in pride lust and vanity and according to the flesh and herein they despiâ—â— Government and Dominion and speak evil of this Dignity and of the Mysteries of God revealed in his Saints which they know not nor understand not calling it Error They are presumptuous and self-willed they have presumed to call themselves Ministers of Christ and all the Towns where they live must serve and be subject to their wills and they are adulterated from God after honour and riches and the vanities of the World and they cannot cease from sin themselves for they say None must cease from it while they are on the Earth and herein they beguile many Souls for till sin be ceased from the Soul it is beguiled they have a heart exercised with covetous practises and they follow the way of Balaam and go for gifts and rewards and love the wages of unrighteousness they take money of poor people for sprinkling Infants and for burying the Dead which are covetous practises they take money for Hens and Eggs and for Smoke passing up the Chimney which are unrighteous Wages and thus they have forsaken the right Way of God and of all the Saints which spoke forth the Scripture and in these things they are Servants of corruption and are ungodly men and turn the Grace of God which shines in their Consciences which shews them their ungodly wayes into laciviousness and through the lust they defile the flesh and many of them will murmur and complain for want of Wages even to spend upon their lusts and they speak great swelling words speaking of the fame of Christ of his Life and Death and Resurrection but cannot witness by the Spirit of Christ within them what they speak of him and they have mens persons in admiration because of advantage some of them had the Bishops in admiration and some the King in admiration and now they have others who bear rule in admiration and thus they deceitfully have twined to admire mens persons only because of advantage many of them have separated themselves none who are not of their Judgment must joyn with them in their worship but â—â—ither they nor their Separates have the Spirit of the Living God but do deny 〈◊〉 infallible Spirit and they are sensual in their wayes practises and wisdom â—â—d these have deceived many even whole Nations And here you see plainly when the Deceivers and false Prophets came in they were come and coming in in the Apostles dayes and then was the Prophesie of Christ fulfilling and fulfilled and the Apostle suffered under Tyrants and were put to cruel deaths and then they came in more fully for since the Apostles days hath been a great Apostacy and many Forms of Worship and Wayes of Religion have been imitated from the Letter through imaginations and but one Generation of Teachers though one above another in the comprehension sensual wisdom and at enmity one against another though all in one birth and nature But they are all discovered by the Light Praises from all that know God to him for ever Since the Apostles dayes hath darkness been spread over all though the Lord had some which he preserved for himself in the midst of Apostacy and darkness who the false Prophets are which Christ prophesied of to every honest heart and single eye may be known Christ said By their fruits should they be known and the Fruits of the Teachers of the World are plainly made appear to be the fruits of Deceivers and not of the Ministers of Christ none have gathered Grapes nor Figs from them And thus I have cleared my Conscience in the Presence of God concerning the false Slander and Accusation which the Teachers and People of the world do cast upon us and to that in every ones Conscience it is made appear who they are to whom this Accusation justly belongs Wo unto all you who strive against the Lord and justifie that which the holy men of God which spake forth the Scripture in the Scripture declared against and which condemn that which the holy men of God in the Scriptures justified and witnessed for You who live in Pride in Coveteousness in Double-dealing and in Hypocrisie and in the Lusts of the flesh you strive against the Lord God and against the Light of God which is in your Consciences
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 yoâ—â— 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 aâ—…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 â—…e the highest aggravated by being committed in Countries where the glorious Light of the Gospel shinâ—s 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 â—â—mmon 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 evâ—â— 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 aimâ—d 〈◊〉 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 fâ—r 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 oâ—f 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 caâ—â— 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 Dâ—ty 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
was set up for a season so that Iohn farther saw and said the whole World went after the Beast and false Prophet whom he saw before was come and worshipped the Beast and his Image but a few whose names were written in the Book of Life And as I have said the whole City with the outward Court was trodden down by the Gentiles foot and darkness surprised all and wickedness abounded more and more and the night came upon all as Christ had prophesied and the Beast grew in his dominion till there was hardly any man left to bear witness in the Truth and in the Power of God unto the Name of Jesus but all was subverted into dead Forms and Shadows and Likenesses without Life and the Lord left the Earth as it were and covered himself in the Darkness and became a stranger in the World and did scarce openly speak by Vision nor Dream nor Prophet but all were in the dark and Ignorance abounded and Superstition was exalted the Saints Spirit and Life which they were in and guided by was lost and then they began to worship the Saints Names and Dayes and Words without the Life and Power and that Nature and that same Seed which had persecuted the Saints to death and gainsayed the Power and lost the holy Ghost turned it self into the profession of the Saints Words which were left upon Record and conformed it self into the Saints Practises without the Life Power and holy Ghost And having lost the Power from which the Scripture was given forth and not being guided in the Life which they were in which spoke it forth then from the Scripture in mens own conceptions and thoughts and by their reason without Gods Spirit they set up Likenesses and Images and Sects and Forms and many Heads and many Horns grew upon the Beast which all the World worshipped and went after for they had lost Christ the one Head wherein the Union stood and grew into Idolatry under the many Heads which were upon the Beast who had many Horns which pushed one against another as it is witnessed unto this day do not the Papists and Protestants so called and other Sects risen out of them push one at another to break and tear one another and these have many Heads The Pope he is a Head and the others they have a Head which every one bowes down under his own Head the Pope will not bow to the Protestants Head nor will the Protestants bow to the Papists Head the Presbyterians and Independâ—… and Anabaptists and the rest every one of them bows to their own Head and will not bow to anothers Head and all these with their Horns push one against another to rend one another and all these are from Christ and know not him the one Head of the whole Body and the one Horn of God's Salvation unto aâ— People for Christ which is but one is the Head and the Horn which all the Saints who are now gathered out of this Apostacy and dark Night unto whom the Light again is risen worship Christ the one Head and know him the one Horn which pushes aganist the Devils Kingdom which hath long been set up and rulâ—â— in the Earth among all these who have many Heads and many Horns who are aâ—… of them the very chiefest but in the night fallen in the Apostacy and Daâ—â—ness since the beginning of the reign of the Beast and the coming in of faâ—… Prophets which came in as I have said when the Churches backslided with the Whore also who hath made all Nations and People Drunk with the Wine of be Fornication and the Beast hath reigned over all Nations in his Dominion and Authority and the false Prophet hath prophesied through all Nations And all these came in since the dayes of Christ for he prophesied that iâ— should be so as it is come to pass and they were coming in in the dayes of the Apostles as you may read Paul saw them coming and largely describes their Character in several Epistles And Peter he saw them coming in and described them what such they were and should be and Iude he saw them also and Iohn more fully then any both in his Epistles and Revelations as I have â—â—â—â—ed at And when the Apostles were taken off the Earth some by cruel Deaths and others were banished then they sprung in more fully and grew through all Nations and to this day hath the Beast with his many Heads and many Horns ruled in Nations and been worshipped and his false Prophet hath ever since been defended and hath riden on the Beast through Nations and hath deceived Nations with vanity and error and at this very day the Nations and People are deceived and lie under Darkness in the slavery and bondage under the authority of the Beast and subject to the doctrine of his false Prophets And as I have said Darkness hath been over all and fancies and likenesses without Life have been bowed under and the Power being lost the Form hath been set up one after this sort and another after that according to mens vain conceits and apprehensions upon the Scriptures and not according to the manifestation of the Spirit of God which fulfilleth the Scriptures and brings to live the Life of them So in divers Colours and in divers Appearances and Robes in several forms and shapes of Garments hath the great Whore been decked who hath sat upon the Beast having the false Prophet serving as a Boy or Servant to do whatsoever the Whore listeth and the false Prophet this Servant of the Whore under the power of the Beast hath moved and turned as the Beast would and according as the Whore hath changed her self into other Garments and Colours even so hath the false Prophet changed his Doctrine and Prayers to please the Whore and to keep people under the Government of the Beast It s known in this our day that some who preached and prayed for the King and Bishops do now preach and pray for others even for them who destroyed the King and Bishops so the false Prophets with all his Children are but the Whores Servants who hath made drunk Kings and Princes and great Men and People and Nations with the Cup of Fornication and Abomination in the several Sects and Forms of Worships which have been set up without the power of Godliness for the Baptism of the Spirit being lost and not known then from the Letter by imaginations were several sorts of Baptism brought forth as sprinkling of Infants that dark folly and vain vanity which all these Nations have been deceived withal by the exercise of the false Prophet And when the Gift of the Ministry through the holy Ghost which the Ministers of Christ had was lost and not any more â—…eceived then began men to make Ministers by natural Learning and Arts and Languages and humane Pollicy and when the gift of preaching by the eternal Spirit was lost through the coming in of the
Apostacy then began men to study from Books and Writings what to preach and say not having the holy Ghost received in them without which none are Ministers of Christ mark that and when men had lost through ignorance the Knowledge of God dwelling in them and that their Bodies were his Temple and that he dwelled and walked in his People then began they again to build Temples without and to set up their false worships in them for having lost the sence of Gods true Worship which the Saints worshipped in in the Spirit and in the Truth then they began to worship in set Dayes and set Times and set Places and outward Observances which is not the worship of God in the Spirit and in the Truth but Superstitious and Idolatrous and when the Word of God was not received immediately from his Mouth nor the Gospel by the revelation of Jesus Christ as it was in the dayes of the Apostles then darkness being come in they used their tongues when the Lord had not spoken to them as the false Prophets did before Christs time and long have they said the Letter is the Word and that the Letter is the Gospel and that it must be received by the Scriptures and by natural Learning and Arts and that none can be Ministers of Christ but such who are learned in the Languages and knows the Original of Scriptures Latine and Greek and Hebrew nor any of these have received the Gospel by revelation or the Word of God from his mouth And when singing in the Spirit and with the Understanding was ceased and not known then began People to get the Form of singing of Davids experiences in Rime and Meeter and when the pure power of Godliness was lost which was in the days of the Apostles manifested and known then in the Apostacy the deceit grew into the Form of every thing which the Saints had enjoyed in the Power and so were Shadows set up instead of Substance and Death instead of Life and the Form without the Power which in many Branches sprang forth some into one appearance and some into another but all under the power of the Beast with his many heads and horns defended and until this day since the dayes of the Apostles thus it hath been and those very Teachers and supposed Ministers which now are in this and other Nations are of that very Root which sprang forth in the dayes of the Apostles and they are under the dominion of the Beast and moveable like unto the great Whore and this may easily be proved that they are of that Generation of Teachers and false Prophets which Christ prophesied of should come which the Apostle saw was coming in in their dayes of those which Iohn saw the world to run after for Christ said That by their fruits they should be known and the Apostles they described their fruits them by their fruits and so we seeing their fruit to be the very same now which the Apostles described was the fruit of them that then were come and coming from whence we do conclude according to sound judgment that these very Teachers are of the same Generation and Branches of the same Root which sprang forth then And in Pauls Writings you may read such they were whom he saw of whom he bad people to beware and said perillous times would come and men should be Lovers of themselves Covetous Proud Blasphemers Disobedient to Parents Unthankfull Unholy without Natural Affection false Accusers Fierce Despisers of those that are good Heady High-minded Lovers of Pleasures more then lovers of God having a Form of Godliness but denying the Power and such of whom people were ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth for people were laden with sins and led away with divers lusts and these did resist the Truth as Iannes and Iambres who withstood Moses by making likenesses without Life and they were men of corrupt minds and reprobate concerning the Faith Now it is plain that these Teachers in this Generation are of that very Stock which Paul describes such he saw would come and such we see are come and by their fruits we know them as Christ said and Pauls words are fulfilled for these Teaâ—hers are lovers of themselves and covetous and proud this is plain to all people and Blasphemers who denies Christ to have lighted every man that comes into the World and therefore they deny Scripture and so are disobedient and unholy men and without natural affection who many of them have caused the Innocent to be imprisoned and some have died in Prison and they the chief cause of this and this is without natural affection to the Creatures and they are false Accusers and Lyars and fierce in their Books and Preaching as is manifest through all this Nation and they greatly dispise those that are good and prepares war against such as do not put into their Mouthes and they aâ—â— heady and high-minded and lovers of vanities and pleasures this is evident without proof and they have a Form of Godliness they say all should be taught 〈◊〉 God but when any comes to witness it and deny their teaching they cry agaiâ—… such as Hereticks and thus they have the words and the Form but deny thâ—… Power and they are ever teaching twenty and forty years and more but noâ—… able ever to come to the knowledge of the Truth by them but all in blindness aâ—â— darkness still and people cries out who have been learning many years froâ— them that they do not know the Truth and its plain that these Teachers are of that sort that Paul spoke of who brings none to the knowledge of the Truth people that follows them are laden with sins and led away with divers lusts 〈◊〉 these have and do resist Truth every whore they deny that Christ hath lights every man that comes into the world and so resists Truth and denies Scripture and the truth as you may read Iohn 1. 9. And they are corrupt minded ever wicked Persecutors and Suers at Law and earthly minded and covetous and oppressors and are wholly rebrobate concerning the faith and thus it is plain that the root of these Teachers was springing in the Apostles dayes and hath grown ever since in this dark night of Apostacy and hath filled the Nations Again the Apostle saw that many should depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils speaking Lyes in hypocrisie haviâ—â— their Consciences seared as with a hot Iron Now these Teachers are of the Stock which is departed from the true Faith for they are without true Faith and reprobate concerning it who are in iniquity and sin and the works of the World which are evil now Faith purifies the heart from all this but their hearts 〈◊〉 not purified but polluted with Covetousness and preaching for Hire and Persecution and Envy and therefore they had not Faith and so are of that Generation which
Heaven and Earth all Nations upon Earth are but as the drop of a Bucket before him and the hearts of all men are in his Hand and by him Kings rule and the Princes of the Earth are at his disposure and you are all weighed in the Ballance of Equity and found too light before the Lord for all flesh hath corrupted its way before him Be awakenened ye that have long slept in Darkness and been at ease in the flesh ye that have had peace in this World and pleasure in the vanity thereof the Lord is coming to make war against you his Trumpet hath sounded and his Sons and Daughters are gone forth to bear witness of his Majesty and Power and Dominion and the Lord hath spoken Who can but prophesie he hath given the Word and many are they that publish it Let your ears be open to Instruction and kick not against the Lord neither harden your hearts against him but make way for him and prepare his Path for he cometh to judge the World in Righteousness and the People with equity and the Testimony of the Light of Jesus in you all shall witness for him your princely Powers must become subject to the Power of the Kingdom of the Most High and your glory must be vailed and darkned before the Glory which â—he Lord is causing to shine forth and we the Servants of the Most High do give you warning of the day of your Visitation which is upon you and all the World for the Lord is now risen who hath long winked at the time of great ignorance but now â—e warns you all to repent therefore bow down ye Stiff-necked and tremble ye Stout-hearted and be abased ye Lofty-looks our King is above you all our dominion is over you all and the line of true Judgment are you all measured with and your wayes are not found perfect in the Sight of the Lord nor your hearts right before him his Kingdom hath not been known in your dominions neither hath his Laws and his Judgments born rule but you have every one been doing that which is right in the sight of your own eyes and the counsels of your hearts have been nought but vanity before the Lord Vain-glory hath abounded among you which the the Lord's Soul hath been burdened by the honours and pleasures of the flesh have been your delight and strife and enmity hath been among you and wars and quarreling and fighting one against another and you have rejoyced in the overthrow one of another and in destroying one another and you have taken pleasure in gaining one anothers dominions you have striven who should have been the greatest and greatly oppressed the Poor you have exalted your selves one against another and drawn up your Armies one in defiance of another and the blood of Thousands have been shed to satisfie the humours of your proud hearts all this hath been evil in the Sight of the Lord and his Spirit hath been grieved and his Soul vexed by all this and he hath forborn till he hath been weary for he hath been dishonoured by all this and his Law hath not born rule and his Judgments have had no place you have been cruel-hearted one towards another and merciless and without pitty and ouy have not done to others as you would be done unto but you have rendred evil for evil and sought occasions of evil one against another and vexed one another through the pride of your hearts therefore now is the Lord risen to make war against you all and to dash you to pieces the Feller comes up amongst you he that will not spare to slay and to devour who will not be afraid of your lofty looks he will spoil you of your Treasure and lay waste your strength all ye Kingdoms of the Earth and your gathering together against him is but as Briers and thorns for he will exalt his own Kingdom over you all and all ye Kings of the Earth shall know that the Kingdom of the most high must rule in your Kingdoms and your Laws shall be changed and the poor shall no more be oppressed for he is come thâ—t proclaims liberty unto the Captives who will remove oppression far away who will change Times and Worships and Ordinances and there shall be no Law but the Law of God nor no light but of the Lamb nor no worship but the Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth for all your Worships which the Nations are full of is nought but vanity and a lye immitations and superstitions brought forth in hypocrisie and not in an upright heart vanity of vanities have abounded both in civil and spiritual affairs The root in which you stand is wholly corrupted and no good fruit springs from it but cursed fruit which must be 〈◊〉 down and cast into the fire ye have been evil and could not bring forth any good you are corrupted and your fruit is of a bitter taste a day of sorrow of lamentation and misery is coming upon you all ye that have been high and lofty and stouthearted fearfulness shall surprise you and the terror of the Lord of Hosts shall compass you about I am moved to salute you all with this as a warning and when it comes to pass remember you have been told ye that know not the Kingdom of the most High ruling men but are saying in your hearts this hath my hand done in a moment shall you be smitten and know there is one above you which must rule for it is his right to rule over all Nations and there shall be no King but Jesus thâ— Aâ—oinâ—eâ— oâ— God â—oâ—â—o Government but the Government of the Lamb there shall be no more war but war against the Dragon who hath stood to devour the Man-child which is now bringing forth and he must rule with his Iron Rod and shall subdue all under his feet We whom God hath warned cannot but warn you of these things which 〈◊〉 come to pass he is coming to separate between the Just and the unjust he will gather from among you that the wicked may be consumed from off the face of the Earth All you Rulers in the World I warn you all take heed how you persecute such as comes to warn you who brings this Message to you lest you add sin to sin till there be no place found for repentance for ye shall all know our God is the true God that made Heaven and Earth before whose presence all â—â—esh must come to Judgment By one who hath measured the Times who is come to the Day that hath made all Things mâ—…ifest EDWARD BURROUCH A General Epistle and Greeting OF THE Fathers Love tâ— all the SAINTS Called and chosen to faithfulness in Christ Jesus the Light of the World in which they believing and their faith standing in his Power many suffer for his Name sake And this is to all such as are found worthy to suffer and is an Exhortation to the strengthning of their
Dwellings and so Unbelief and Doubting and Murmurring and Lustings after evil arise in you and you be perverted from the Worship of the true God and grieve his Righteous Spirit by bowing to Idols and following of other Lovers and so the true God who hath brought you out of Aegypt and made manifest his Power in you be forgotten and the Faith of his Son made Ship-rack of and your latter end be worse then the beginning and the Name of the Lord be dishonoured by you and then wo unto you his Wrath shall suddenly break out against you Wherefore hear and fear and hearken unto the Word of the Lord He hath caused his Light to shine forth and his voice to be heard he hath proclaimed his Name amongst you and hath caused his marvellous Light to approach when you sate in Darkness in the Land of the shadow of death when you were lost he sought you and when you were driven away and scatterred he found you and brought you home when you were in your blood and no eye pittied you he had Mercy upon you and bound you up and healed you when you were dead he said unto you Live and it was so when you were led captive by the Devil under the power of death he broke the Chains and set you free and when there was none to help nor to save his own Arm brought deliverance and salvation and the Way of Life and Peace he set before you And now all this hath his own Arm accomplished that you should be a Praise unto him for evermore now if you walk in the Way which he hath set before you and keep his Covenant which he hath made with you and fulfil his Will and walk in Righteousness in Love and Unity in Meekness Lowliness Humbleness and in Soberness and Watchfulness and in Fear of his Name then shall his Presence never forsake you nor his outstretched Arm cease to defend and preserve you but he shall go before you and be your Reward and he shall be your God and you shall be his People and shall dwell in him and he shall be your Hiding-place and he will be to you a Father and you shall be his Children and his Blessing and Peace shall remain in your Habitations for ever and ever but if any of you turn aside for a thing of naught after vanity and deny the Way of Righteousness and forget the Lord and kick against him and follow the way and counsel of your own hearts and worship other gods and joyn your selves to Strangers and commit Adultery with other Lovers and make the Cross of Christ of none effect and turn from the Light of Christ within you and fulfil your own wills and the desire of your own minds and go out of the fear of the Lord into the liberty of the flesh which is not the Liberty in Christ Jesus and so seek your selves and strive for mastery to be one above another and so surmise evil one against another and the bond of peace be broken and vain contention and strife appear then shall the Rod of God smite you and his Wrath be suddenly kindled against you and you shall not prosper but his Countenance shall be hid and the terrors of the Lord and Lamentations shall possess you and Peace shall flee far from you and such shall be cast out of the Camp of the Lord and shall have no part in the Inheritance but the Blessing shall depart and the Curse shall enter till utter destruction yea and if any of you deny the Lord unto whom his Way is made manifest he will deny you and you shall have no part in him but Vengeance in Flames of Fire will he render upon the Disobedient manifold more then if his Love and Way of Peace had not been made manifest to you and the Light of the World is your condemnation for evermore if you turn from it And in the Presence of the living God I warn you all Believe not that spirit neither follow it which brings any other Message then what hath been declared from the beginning Believe not him which crieth Lo here or Lo there is Christ without you or that draweth from the measure of Christ within you to hearken to or to be taught by any other thing for that spâ—â—â—t is not of the Father which preacheth any other Christ then he that is the Light of the World and lighteâ—â— every man that cometh into the World or bringâ—â—â— any other Message then that God is Light in himself and hath given his Son a Light into the World and this is the true Testimony of the Father and of the Son and he that testifieth any other Message is to be judged and denied he is not a Worshipper of the true God bâ—â— out of the Truth and in the Error and a Deceiver being deceived Again Believe not that spirit neither follow it which ministreth to others that which it hath not learned oâ— the Father but hath the words without the Power and liveth not in the Power of what it ministreth forth in words nor is it what it declareth but is in the outward Shews in the Hypocrisâ—â— and Feignedness and reacheth not the Life of God but vaileth and covereth it and that spirit is not of the Father but is to be denyed and judged and not received nor believed Again Believe not that spirit neither follow it which is at liberty in the flesh and maketh the offence of the Cross to cease which is exalted out of the Fear of the Lord in the liberty of the earthly which crucifieth the Life and darkeneth the Eye and that spirit will boast of Joy and Peace and Experience and Knowledge and speak high words in the airy Wind and that would lead yoâ— out of your conditions to glory above the Cross till you be past feeling of the Life and that spirit begetteth into Feignedness and Hypocrisie and into the Loâ—e of the World which passeth away 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 hasty and forward and rash for that goeth out of God's Counsel and betrayeth the Just and striveth to be greatest and to be above the Weak and despiseth him and would be Master and not a Servant and would rule and not be ruled in the meek and lowly Government of Christ and that spâ—â—it will judge out of thoughts rashly and unsavourly and condemn another in secret in what it self is guilty of beware of that spirit for it is not of God but to be judged with the Life of God Again Believe not that spirit neither follow it which seeks it self to have praise of men and to be accounted and would beget into divisions and would have Parties to it self and respects persons and glories in gifts and knowledge and parts more then in the Giver and admires men more then he that gives the encrease and feeds of the knowledg
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 hunâ—s 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 whiâ—â— 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 rejoyciâ—â— who have received this Testimony from the Father do with it in this Epistle salute tâ—â— whole Church in the Love of the Father as moved of him by his Eternal Spirit whiâ—â— beareth witness to me that we are of God and the whole World lieth in wickedness 〈◊〉 that all that are of God heareth us And this Testimony I give of the Father 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 of my Testimony by the Spirit of the Father not knowing when the time comes it 〈◊〉 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 aâ—â— 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 aâ—â— against all your Enemies and look
of all men yet is the Lords Presence amongst them and his Fear in their â—earts and his encrease is unto them and his Power with them till all their â—nemies be vanished as a Cloud for they are of the true Seed and of the true â—irth which the Lord will bless though they be accounted as thy Slaves and â—ondmen yet are they free in the Lord and this is the very fulfilling of thy â—ickedness and the height of the Transgression of thy Rulers Teachers and â—eople in that some of them that fear the Lord and walk with him are perseâ—uted in thee even they are made a Prey unto the Wicked to the Slanderers to â—he Drunkards to the Scorners to Unjust and Cruel men the People of the â—ord are become a very prey in thee even as meat for the Devourers Oh what â—ilt thou do in the day of thy Visitation when the righteous Judge numbreth â—p these things against thee Thy staff shall fail thee thy Phisitians shall be of no value ' and all thy Comforters shall be miserable at that day I have truly â—onsidered thy condition and measured thy state and I have often seriously â—eighed thy wickedness and pondered what would be the end thereof there is no â—ision of Peace unto thee but even the day of desperate sorrow a recompence â—or all thy works from the Hand of the Lord. I have often truly lamented thee and seriously hath thy condition entred into â—y heart thy iniquities have often pressed my soul and my Spirit hath been â—rieved within me when I have viewed thy great abomination and how Thouâ—ands in thee wholly perish for lack of Knowledge and even resists and will not be â—nstructed despitefully using such as do warn them even loving and delighting in â—heir Abominations These things have often made my Heart sad who have walked in thee as a Stranger and measured thee with the line of true Judgment and this is thy Height and â—ength and Depth Iniquity lodgeth in thee and Iniquity covers thee and Inâ—quity â—â—mpasseth thee about And this is a Warning to thee from the Lord in faithfulness declared unto â—hee whether thou resist or receive thus far I am clear of the Blood of all men in â—hee who seeketh not any thing in thee for my self but seeketh and hath often â—o the Lord for thee that thy People might know him and worship him alone â—ho giveth unto them all good things and hath caused the fulness of all good Creaâ—ures to abound and hath given plenty of all things aboundance of which is â—pent vainly upon the lust to the dishonour of God who giveth it How much â—s vainly spent upon Vanity in Meats Drinks and Apparel It s hard to be â—eclared what aboundance of the good Creatures of God are vainly destroyed in â—hee upon the lust in the excess more then what satisfies pure Nature your gluttonny and high minds devour in aboundance the good Creatures which God gives and he is thereby grieved with you who hath taken notice of this your sin which is not the least of your Transgressions and he will plead with you for it even in all things great is your wickedness and the Lord hath numbred it And above all things that is done in thee thy deceitful Profession and Pretence of worship of God is the Lord most grieved with who hateth all your Meetings of gathered Assemblies which are not gathered by his Spirit he will confound yoâ— wisdom and overthrow all your buildings Wherefore repent ye and cease from Idols and all Idolatry and cease for ever to warm your selves at your own SPARKS for this shall you have at the Lords hands Ye shall lie down is Sorrow A WARNING to you all sorts of People YE Merchants and Traders and Trafickers and all ye that Buy and Sell bâ— plain and upright hearted and Lye not Swear not Dissemble not for gaiâ— unto your selves for that is cursed of the Lord and the gain that is thereby received but speak the Truth every man to his Neighbour flatter not such with whom you deal by feigned words of guile whilst secret over-reaching lodgeth iâ— your hearts to make a Prey upon your Neighbour or Brother for this is evil in tâ—… sight of the Lord but speak the Truth in all things and let your yea be yea aâ—… your nay nay in all your common occasions for whatsoever is more is evil aâ—… what is advantaged unto you through Deceit or Lying or multitude of vaâ—… Words it shall be a Curse unto you and not a Blessing unto you or to yoâ—… Children Let the Truth guide you in all your dealings one with an other aâ—… let the Fear of God be in your Hearts in all your Enterprizes both by Sea 〈◊〉 Land I Warn you all seek not by any evil means to enrich your selves neithâ—… oppress one another in any thing wherein you deal for you know not how loâ—… your time shall be upon Earth nor how soon the day of account will coâ—… wherein every word and every work shall be brought to Judgment yea for every Idle word shall ye give an account and all those words are idle which are not spoken in the Fear of the Lord therefore live and act in the Fear of God that yâ—… may be blessed in all that you do And all ye whom the Lord hath blessed with Riches and Encrease see that yâ—… abuse not that which God hath blessed you withal but in all things that it be 〈◊〉 to the Glory of the Lord and not wasted in excess upon the lust of your oâ—… minds for the Creation is the Lords and all things are given by him and takâ—… away at his Pleasure and he maketh rich and he maketh poor whomsoever he will Therefore every man be content with his own and covet not one anothers nor defraud one another to enrich your selves for it is cursed of the Lord. And all ye Handicrafts People and Labouring People fear ye the Lord continually and use no deceit nor craft nor pollicy in what you do in Labour seek not to blind mens eyes by fair outsides neither to cozen and cheat the Simplâ— by slighty work but let the Truth Guide you and that will teach you to dâ— for all men as ye would they should do for you and this is acceptable in the Sight of God Let your Commodities be just and right and let all your laboâ—… be with a single heart and do all things as in the Sight of the Lord and theâ—… you cannot do evil if the Fear of God be before your eyes and the evil in all things will be denied and the corruption that is entred into in all Callings anâ—… Trades will be judged out and be Examples one to another of Truth and Righteousness and cozen not nor cheat not one another nor use not many words not vain jestures but own the Lord to be your Teacher which will teach you Truth to do it and to speak it in all things And
that who will not have hire for preaching nor be hired by great sums of money from one Country to another such as makes the Gospel of Christ free and without charge who will not be burdensome to any but walks in all wisdom as examples of righteousness to all people whose conversations are in heaven and holdeth forth in life and practice unto all men what they profess in words and by doctrine and conversation holding forth the Light of the glorious Gospel which they have received from God being Partners of all holiness of Peace and Long-suffering of Meekness and Patience unto their Flocks even such who walk in Christ and shew forth good works and the fruits of his spirit causing his Light to shine forth among men in humility and soberness and in all the fruits of peace and Truth and such are approved of God and of the Saints even they that preach Christ freely to all people and hold forth the Light of the World which lighteth every one in the World the free gift of God to all mankind that all may believe and come to the knowledge of the Truth and be saved and such Ministers respect not the person of any man for advantage neither respect dayes nor places nor things but worships God in Spirit and in Truth and teach that worship unto all people and they gather people into the new Covenant where Christ is the High Priest and our Bodies the Temples of God and the Circumcision in the Heart and in the Spirit for such are Ministers of the Spirit and not of the Letter and they divide the Word of God aright they feed the Hungry and the Rich are sent empty away they cry not peace to the wicked neither do justifie the Unconvered neither do they condemn the Righteous nor such as are of an upright Heart but Christ they preach to justifie all that do believe and are obedient to him and do condemn all that believe not but are disobedient and such Ministers have the Word of Reconciliation and their Ministry is made effectual to accomplish the work of God Sinners are converted and brought to God thereby and to be taught of him alone and the Saints through that Ministry may obtain to the Holy Ghost and to need no man to teach them but as the Anointing within them which they receive through the Ministry whose labour is and the end of it to present every man perfect in Christ and this Ministry and such Ministers we approve of and they are approved of Christ and we would have them established and who are such will not take care for an outward maintenance neither what to eat or what to put on neither will they petition to Magistrates for Tythes and Augmentations but are without care as for a Lively-hood in this World they will not remove from one Town to another for a better Parsonage â—r Place for such as do so are not the lawful called Ministers of Christ but have run and were never sent for Christ's Ministers take not though for an outward maintenance but approve themselves in Patience in all Conditions and â—omtimes are in Want and in Cold and Hunger and Nakedness and in Persecutions and Tryals and Afflictions and suffered all things for the Name of Christ and yet we do believe and know That such have power to eat and to drink and may receive carâ—â—l things where they sow spiritual things but as a free Gift and not by compulsion or force we do allow that the Ministers of Christ may eat of the Milk of the Flock which they keep and feed and they may eat of the fruit of the Vineyard which they have planted and which they labour in and they may supply their necessities from them whom they have begotten of the Faith and whom they labour among 〈◊〉 Life and Doctrine who are Sheep of the Fold and Plants of the Vineyard of Christ Jesus but I say as a free gift may they receive the fruits of their labours and not as a debt nor any title claimed thereto by the Law of the Nation neither may they receive it by force or compulsion but who are the truely called Ministers of Christ are so far from this of forcing maintenance from any that they will not make use of their power in taking what may be freely given them for they will not make the Gospel burdensome by any means and this is the maintenance we do allow the Ministers of Christ they may eat such things as are set before them in any house which they enter into which is worthy and they may supply their necessities in food and raiment as a free gift from them who are gathered out of the world who are the Church of Christ over whom the Ministers are made Stewards to watch over them to exhort them to instruct them and to edifie them but not from the world who continues in unbelief and disobedience to the Gospel may they receive any outward maintenance by compulsion or by a free gift neither may they receive great sums of money by the year or tythes or other offerings to maintain themselves and their families in pride and idleness and lust and excess and superfluity in meats and apparel such a maintenance if by free gift much less by force is not allowed by Christ and his Saints but is the maintenance of Antichristian Teachers which never were sent of Christ and such cannot be content with his allowance and wages but lives in pride and pleasures of this world and in vanity and maintained they say they must be and if they be so they care not from whence it comes nor by what means and that is the reason wherefore so many hundreds of honest people are so spoiled in their Persons and Estates the Bodies of some being cast into prison and many others having their Goods taken from them by force and distraint and all this is to maintain Antichrists Ministers who neither care how they have it or from whom or to what evil use they improve it and this plainly appears in this Nation by many evidences but the Ministers of Christ do deny such a maintenance and such practises and are come to that Life which judgeth all these things And as concerning COMPELLING of Maintenance and forcing of iâ— from people this is utterly against the Law of Christ and condemned by him and denied by the Saints for it is unreasonable and no equallity in it that people should be compelled to maintain a Ministry especially such a one as they know 〈◊〉 not the Ministry of Christ neither is profitable to them and which they receiâ—â— no fruit from for the Ministers of Christ do not desire maintenance from the people of the World neither can receive any from them neither in justice and equity should the Ministers of the World receive or compel Maintenance from the Saints by force and cruelty but this we would have and this is reason and equity let all Ministers be maintained by
against the Lord that made him and he is doing and fulfilling daily the will of the Devil and grieveth the Spirit of God and vexeth his righteous Soul and is subject unto the Curse of Wo and Destruction being ignorant of the Life and Power and Wisdom of the Creator to lead him to guide him and to preserve him but follows the counsel of hisown heart which is evil altogether though he was made upright yet hath he sought out many inventions which are continually abominable unto the Lord the ground in which he stands is corrupted and all his fruit is unpleasant even bitter and evil unto the Lords Taste Man is fallen into the Pit of Misery and Sorrow compassed about with desolation and is left without a Helper from himself or from any other Creature and this in short is the state of all mankind upon the face of the Earth who was planted a noble Vine wholly aright Seed to bring forth good fruit unto his Maker but he is turned into a degenerate plant bringing forth cursed fruits which the Creator hath not pleasure in his best works are not accepted and his evil deeds are condemned because the ground in which he stands is accursed because of disobedience CHAP. V. Concerning the World in general and the state of things as they have been and as now they are this Testimony I give to the whole World DArkness hath been over the face of the Earth and thick darkness hath covered the people for many ages the Beast hath reigned upon the face of the whole Earth and all Nations have been subject to his power and dominion even the Kings and Princes of the Earth have given their power unto him all the World hath wondred after him as it is written and the whole World hath worshipped the Beast and his Image he hath power to kill all that would not worship him both small and great rich and poor even all have been subject to his Government and he hath had power to war against the Saints and to make war with them and to overcome them even all that would not worship him he hath had power to kill The Rule and Government of the SON of God hath not been witnessed among men for Ages nor the true God known nor manifestly worshipped in Spirit and Truth but he hath been as a Stranger among men and they have been ignorant of his Wayes and Judgments and all People have been doing that which is right in the sight of their own eyes and God hath been forgotten dayes without number the Living Fountain hath been forsaken and many broken Cestern have been hewen out which have not holden pure Water Great Evils and continual Abominations have been acted in the sight of God and the measure of iniquity hath been fulfilling through many Generations and it is grown nigh to the full The Law of God hâ—th been made void and his Grace hath been turned into wantonness and all things have been out of good order Kings Princes Rulers Governments Laws and Decrees have been corrupt and not right in the sight of the Lord Oppressions Tyranny and Vain-glory hath abounded in the Nations and Justice and true Judgment have been neglected and Mercy and Truth have been Strangers and the World hath been filled with violence and the whole Earth stained and polluted with Oppressions Injustice and Cruelties and the cry of the poor hath not been heard every one hath sought themselves and not the Lord nor the good one of another the Kings and Princes of the Earth have not been perfect nor upright before the Lord but Vain-glory hath abounded and superstitions and Idolatries hath reigned over them and unrighteousness hath abounded and Self-seeking and they have risen up one against another in quarrelling and destroying one another and to gain one anothers Dominions by Craft and Pollicy and strong hand and the poor have been oppressed and troden down and thousands of thousands destroyed to fulfil the wills and lusts and pride of their hearts all this hath been evil in the sight of the Lord and his soul hath been weary with it by the destruction of his Creatures one by another even Rulers Teachers and people have all been out of the Way and subverted from that wherein God hath pleasure and the Prince of Darkness hath ruled in his dominion swaying all under his Government and even all things both of civil and spiritual concernment hath been out of the Counsel of the Lord. Oh what cruel Injustice and Tyranny in civil Government Oh what abominable Superstitions and Idolatries have been in supposed Church-governments It s a vexation to the spirit of the Lord to consider it and the Righteous soul hath long cried out and mourned under it and because of this is the Lord of Heaven and Earth now risen to overturn to overturn Kings and Princes Governments and Laws and he will confound and break down all Tyranny and Oppression under which the poor have groaned and â—e will change Times and Laws and Governments there shall be no King ruling but Jesus nor no Government of force but the Government of the Lamb noâ— no Law of effect but the Law of God all that which is otherwise shall be ground to powder the Kingdom of the Most High shall rule amongst men and the Kingdoms of this World shall be changed and shall become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and the Lord shall be known in the Earth to be the God of Truth of Righteousness Justice and Mercy and Truth shall be exalted and true Judgment shall be set up in the Nations and the Worship in Spirit and in Truth shall he established for the Lord is gathering his numberless number to stand before his Throne without Guile in their Mouthes and without Fault before him CHAP. VI. Concerning mans Restauration Redemption and Salvation what they are and by whom they are wrought this Testimony I give unto all People MAns Restauration is a repairing and giving again that which he had lost by transgression and Redemption is a recovering and a winning again and setting free from that wherein man hath been held even all the sons of Adam because of disobedience and Salvation is a saving keeping and preserving from sin and death and disobedience and all the ways thereof and also a saving from wrath and misery and condemnation which are the effects thereof and by the Son of God Christ Jesus is all this wrought manifested and witnessed and Restauration Redemption and Salvation is onely in Christ Jesus the second Adam and not in any other and it is wrought by him and by no other and they are the free gift of the Father unto the sons of men no way purchased by the works of the Creature or desert of him but are freely given unto the Creature through the Power and Wisdom of the Creator and onely by Jesus Christ the Son of the eternal God and by the eternal Spirit are they witnessed in all
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 〈◊〉 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 Spiri◠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 le◠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 fro◠above and stands in righteousness and in truth in mercy and in peace i◠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 i◠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 not reconciled to God upon whose shoulders the Government lies and the execution of the Law in their power who cannot minister true Judgment nor discern of different Causes amongst Men. And therefore all Magistrates are to weigh and be considerate in all these things and so to act and judge among men as they may give a good Account unto God and all men and when a Cause is brought before them to give Judgment of or any accus'd unto them that they should execute the Law upon they should by the Spirit of the Lord first try into the Ground and Nature of such matters to know whether it be a wilful and supposed Wrong or Injury done between man and man or it be of Ignorance or want of better Knowledge or such like or whether it be a Matter of Conscience or about Religion or the Worship of God whereupon the Controversie dependeth and if it be a matter of wilful and purposed Wrong or of Ignorance then good Reason and Iustice will teach a Magistrate to defend the Innocent from Wrong or to restore his Wrong by true Judgment that his Person and Estate be freed and preserv'd from all Wrong and that the Wrong-dealer be restrain'd and punish'd and judg'd justly according to his Offences but if it be a matter of Conscience about Religion or the Worship of God then the Magistrates with their Law ought not to meddle therein or to judge of such Matters for these things concerning the things that are Spiritual are out of their Jurisdiction and not in their power to judge of And if the Controversie between man and man depend about such Causes not having reflection upon Persons or Estates but only about Spiritual Matters then Magistrates with their Laws ought not to judge in these Causes but Spiritual Men ought only to give their Judgments hereof as they have receiv'd from God And though men be in controversie about Religion and the Worship of God yet if they be men of Peace not wronging one another in their Persons and Estates they ought to be both protected in a good Government by the just and righteous Laws And here the Sword of Justice is laid only upon the Evil-doer to be a Terror and a Punishment to him and to limit and restrain him from Wrong-dealing and this is the End wherefore it was ordain'd of God to be among men and not to be laid upon the Conscience to oppress and afflict the tender Consciences of the Upright whose Minds are exercis'd in the Law of God for such should have Praise that do well by the Sword of Justice while it is a Terror to all Evil-doers whatsoever and this is the perfect End wherefore the Law was added and the practice of it herein by faithful and just Executors is Well-pleasing and Acceptable to the Lord. And now as concerning this one thing which is Oppression in the Nation brought forth through the unjust and false Execution of the Laws whereby many tender Consciences are afflicted and not for any Wrong or Evil-doing but for the Exercise of a pure Conscience Whereas many for a pure Conscience sake do deny and cannot pay any thing to maintain a Steeple-House or Place of Worship which the people of the World do worship in and where they commit Idolatry neither can they for Conscience sake pay any thing to uphold such Worship and such a Ministry and Ministers which are not of Christ nor ever were sent of him but of Antichrist and such by which the people are led in Blindness and Error as manifestly doth appear through the whole Land And yet the Magistrates some of them being as blind and ignorant as the people do compel many people by their Writs and Orders and Judgments to maintain a Priest and Steeple-house which for Conscience sake they deny to maintain and yet by Authority from the Magistrates are the innocent Men's Goods spoyl'd by Distress and great Oppression Exercis'd upon many poor People to maintain and uphold the Ministry and Worship of this Generation which is not of God but against him and many hereupon are cast into Prison and others have their Goods taken from them by Violence and great Havock is made in the Countries about this matter Now first it may be consider'd That to deny to uphold and maintain a Steeple-house and Place where ignorant people in Tradition do meet to Worship is not a matter of wilful and purpos'd Wrong-dealing or the breach of any Bargan or Contract between man and man but it is a matter of Conscience to the People of God and for a good Conscience sake they cannot do such a thing as to maintain a place of Worship which Abomination is committed in by ignorant and rude people who are without the Fear of God as daily is manifest and it is not manifest that by denying of this they injure any man's Person or Estate in any thing which belongs unto him by lawful Bargan and Contract or otherwise Neither is there any Reason or Equity in this matter That any should be forc'd and compell'd by Injustice and Oppression to uphold a house of worship which others worship in and not they and they knowing that worship to be Abomination to the Lord also and not the True Worship of the True God and there is no Justice nor Religion in it that any should be caused by force to uphold a House for other people to commit and practice Idolatry in if the house were for any good purpose or honest practice as for poor or impotent people to dwell in or such like who had not Houses of their own because of their poverty then that were a deed of charity to uphold it and the people of God would not deny it but could freely give their money to such a use or end but because it is not to such a use but only a place to commit Idolatry in and to worship God ignorantly in superstitions therefore it is a matter of Conscience unto many and for a good Conscience sake they rather suffer the spoiling of their Goods and affliction upon their Bodies then to pay their Money for such a use or end and herein the Magistrates do great injustice in the sight of God and his Saints and contrary to Reason and a good Conscience in causing innocent mens Goods to be spoiled by cruelty to uphold a place of idolatrous worship contrary to mens tender Consciences for as I have said they do no wrong to any man but only peoples wills are offended and their blind zeal turned into rage and fury against the Just who worship God in Spirit and in the Truth and cannot uphold the Houses of false worship and it is a shame unto the people and Ministers themselves who cannot uphold their own worshipping Houses and it is a reproach upon their God and their Religion who cause others to maintain their worshipping Houses by injustice and great oppression and will not themselves maintain their Houses where they
partake of his Works or Labours neither hath any benefit thereby but rather loss and disadvantage because of his labours which he doth for others and not for him nor by any order from him for he knows his Labour to be nothing but Vanity and a Cheat and deceiving of People and for him to be compelled to maintain such a man in such ill imployment against his Conscience this is unjust and unreasonable and what man in the World would do it or be compelled thereunto without crying out of great Oppression as to maintain a Man with great Wages as his Labourer and Servant who doth not Labour for him nor serve him but labours against him as much as is possible and this is the very cause between the Priests of England in their Maintenance in claiming of it and receiving of it and the people of the Lord who do deny to maintain them or confess any lawfull due they have to challenge any of them And also it is a very shame to the people of this Nation for whom such Ministers do labour who cannot maintain their own Ministers themselves who labours for them and of whose labours they do partake but others are compelled by injustice to maintain them who do not partake of any of their labours nor set them to labour but denies them and their labour on that account and yet are forced to pay them Wages and this is unjust and unreasonable that men should be constrained by force to pay other mens Servants which works and labours for other and not for them and what man in the World having reason in him would do it or be forced to do it without complaining of heavy injustice as to maintain another mans Servant with Wages who works for others and not for him neither was hired by him nor set on work nor receives any benefit by him but another hires him and partakes of his labours and yet he is compelled against all reason and equity to give him his Wages all will conclude this were unjust and not according to God but against him and this is the very cause between the people of God who cannot pay to maintain false Teachers and the people of the Nation who hires such Teachers and receives of their labours and teaching and yet compells others to give them Wages contrary to good reason and Justice and against the excercise of a pure Conscience And above all the Magistrates blindness and Ignorance and the unjustness and wickedness of some of them doth appear to their shame by whose authority these things are done reaching out their power in those things further than they have received power from God and abusing the Law and just government and subverting it to another end then wherefore God hath ordained it for the Magistrates power and authority is not to be laid on mens Consciences to Oppress and Imbondage the tender Consciences of the Lords people in forcing things to be done contrary to good reason and against a good Conscience and by these things is the Land filled with violence and oppression and the Innocent and Just do deeply groan till the Lord arise to plead their cause and to bring deliverance unto them through the destruction of all their Enemies and he will break down all the bonds of Cruelty and Oppression and will take away every yoak that doth burden and oppress the upright that his people may be a free people from all unjust men and the people of the Lord do claim this as their Priviledge belonging to them by the just Laws of God and men to Worship God in Spirit and in Truth and to uphold and maintain that Worship onely without being compelled by force to maintain any other whatsoever and they claim as right unto them to maintain what Ministers and uphold what ministry as they know is sent of God by which people are profited and which they have received the knowledge of God through by his Spirit and to be free to maintain how and as the Lord leads them unto without being forced by any Law or unequall authority to maintain the false Prophets and Hirelings and Deceivers who live in pride and excess through the Oppression of the poor and Innocent and such as Ministers of the Gospel of Christ the people of the Lord cannot maintain but rather give themselves to suffer heavy and cruel things by unjust and wicked men who violates the just Laws of God and man and the suffering is for a good Conscience sake and for righteousness sake and not for any wrong or Evil-doing and for a Testimony that they are of God and for a witness against their Enemies that they are of the Devil who do his works and these make war against the Saints and the Lamb and the Beast seeks to kill all that will not worship him for he hath been great in the Earth and his seat upon Nations and who have been able to make war against him for many Generations again there is another suffering great and grievous which is unjustly laid upon the people of God which suffering is not for Evil-doing but for a good Conscience sakes as is manifest as because many are moved of the Lord by his Spirit to go into the Steeple-houses and Meeting-places or other places to reprove sin and among people or to exhort them unto good and to follow Christ and to deny the wickedness of this World or such like as they are moved some are moved to reprove a Hireling Teacher who deceives the people and walks in the steps of the false Prophets and lives in Pride and Vainty and evil contrary to the Doctrine and Practise of Christ and the Apostles and this Practise of the Servants of the Lord in reproving evil and exhorting to good is called a disturbance of the Peace and an unlawfull Practice and such like it is falsly judged by unjust men who know not the Spirit of the Lord nor the moving thereof and because of this many innocent men are caused deeply to suffer contrary to a good Conscience and some are sent to the House of Correction there suffering cruel things from hard-hearted men and some are put in the Stocks and Whipped and others Fined and cast into Prison and such like Sufferings are unjustly imposed upon them and not for Evil-doing as I have said for though they reprove sin in Teachers or in People or exhort them to good whether in Steeple-houses Markets or other Places yet they do not hereby wrong any mans Person or Estate neither is this any matter of wilfull wrong or to such an intent neither doth it disturb the Peace nor is any unlawfull Practice but onely out of a good Conscience to God and man is it done and it is a matter of Conscience to the Servants of the Lord to do so and they cannot leave it undone lest they would transgress the Law of God in their own Consciences because they are commanded of God so to do that people may
you and sealed unto you by the Eternal Spirit And again Friends feel the Life of God in your own particulars even the Bread of Life which comes down from Heaven which nourisheth the Birth which is immortal unto eternal Life never to taste of death and therein have Fellowship in the Covenant of Life and be at peace with God and one with another for that is blessed of the Lord where Brethren dwell in unity shewing love kindness and subjection one to another being of one spirit and like-minded serving one another in love not exalting your selves nor accounting your selves above another for that must come down with shame but every one approve your selves to God in all things and be known to him and not unto the World but let his Spirit witness for you and approve you and not man and the work of the Spirit springing through you let be the Evidence unto all people that you are by Grace what you are and this is well-pleasing unto God that his Spirit witnesseth for you and that Love Unity and Humility be amongst you and none think of themselves above what the Spirit of the Lord witnesseth and worketh in them and this a sweet savour will be amongst you to the Lord you being kept in his Wisdom and Counsel in good order and subject unto him walking as Examples of Righteousness to edifie one another and to be a strength one to another and in all your Conversations to be manifest to God's Witness in all people and thus shall you have praise of God and be approved of him and he will justifie you in the sight of all your Enemies I write this unto the Faithfull who do not minister Self but Self your Servant for Jesus sake And as concerning disorderly spirits who are not subject to the Wisdom of God nor to the Law or Christ such have no part with us but are judged with the Life of God and cast out and such as are not faithfull in the Lord's Treasure and hear the Word but do it not having the words without power and hold the Truth in unrighteous such have no reward in God but their iniquity stands uncovered and their transgression is manifest and not hid for Death reigns through disobedience and they are not circumcised in heart but live in the flesh and their portion is of this World and the Inheritance of Life is not their Heirship for the birth which should inherit is not brought forth but an untimely birth which receiveth not the Possession of Life But Friends dwell in the dominion over such and in peace abovâ— them and be not troubled but believe in the Truth and bear all things patiently and be not offended in Christ though hitherto you have seen occasion of stumbling yet the Lord will remove them and the Path of Life hath been plain before you for to such as walk in the Light there is no occasion of stumbling but Offences are seen through and beyond and the ground thereof judged and therefore be diligent in the Work of God that is his Work which his Spirit calleth you unto and that is his Worship which his Spirit leads you in which exerciseth your hearts always to God and keep your Meetings in the dread of the Lord over all your Enemies that the Weak may be strengthned and the Lambs sed and watch over one another as the Family of God among whom his dwelling is who is the good Shepherd that keeps his Flook and feedeth them into eternal Life whose Presence and Arm be amongst you for evermore Feel Christ the Power and Wisdom of God to reign in you and govern you all Farewel E. B. This is to be read in the Fear and Wisdom of God in all the Meetings â—f Friends in and about London TO â—harles Fleetwood Steward Robert Hatton Recorder Sackford Gunstone Henry VVilcock Bailiffs Being Judges in the Court of Kingstone upon Thames â—he state of the Controversie laid before you depending in your Court between Richard Mayo Plantiff and Edward Burrough Defendant FRIENDS THE Innocency and Truth of my Cause doth lift up its Head unto all People and stands justified in the sight of God and all just Men and in Justice and Righteousness it cannot be conâ—emned or judged guilty by any man And it is upon me yet once â—ore to state it before you that you and all men may see the counteâ—ance and favour thereof for it dares shew its Face unto you and all â—eople though much already hath been written and spoken about it which you have not taken notice of as you ought to have done but â—et many are informed in the truth of the matter and what hath been â—poken is not in vain though my just Cause lies always at the Stake and hardly thought upon by you and vilified and evil spoken of before you â—y my Adversary who alwayes seeks false Judgment against me to â—stifie himself in his iniquity and to condemn the Guiltless But the Lord knows and just Men know and the Witness of God in your Consciences may shew you That I have not wronged Richard Mayo â—or spoken of him any thing saving the truth and because thereof â—nd without any other Cause am I thus prosecuted by him in his â—leading before you and begging of you for false Judgment which if â—e should obtain it and you should give it yet should I be clear in the â—ight of the Lord though by you I may deeply suffer And your own â—nrighteous Judgment if it proceed from you will return one day upon your own heads and the weight of your own Iniquity shall the Lord â—ay upon your own Consciences in the Day when he judges the secrets of all Hearts And to God I have appealed in this thing who justifieth me because of Truth and then who shall condemn me while Truth is on my side and I not convinced to the contrary Therefore in the Fear of the Lord God I say unto you Take heed what you do in this Matter but deal impartially in the sight of the Lord in the Examination thereof and try whether I have spoken the Truth or whether I have spoken Falsly and hearken to my PLEA which I have often asserted before you and do yet once more lay before your view and I do appeal to the Light of your Consciences and let that justifie me or condemn me And this I testifie as my sufficient Plea unto you which no man hath truly answered before you That I have spoken nothing but the Truth of Richard Mayo my Adversary to this I stand to be justified and if I be condemned it is for this this resteth with me forever and if I fall I fâ—… for it viz. For speaking the Truth and if I stand I stand by it and no man whatsoever can convince me to the contrary and hereof am I invincible and if you condemn me for this to wit For speaking the Truth it will be upon you and I am clear And
shall justifie us and condemn our Enemies Again he queries whether I make the Holy Ghost and the Eternal Spirit two I answer no they are one neither do I seem to make them two it is want of knowledge in him who cannot understand but raiseth Objections where there is no cause Again from my words this is acceptable and well pleasing to God above all words and outward conformity c. from this he questions whether the doing the greater things of the Law is acceptable where the less are neglected I answer no for every tittle of the Law less and greater must be fulfilled by Christ in us in whom we are accepted and thus I have returned a few words to the consideration of people and particularly to the people of Draton and the Country there about to whom I direct my speech thus All ye people who are scattered as Sheep without a Shepherd and know not Christ the Everlasting Shepherd to lead you and to rule you Cease oh cease from all your Teachers without you who are dumb Shepherds which do not gather you to God such are they that preach for Hire and divine for Money and that take Gifts and Rewards for preaching who through Covetousness by feigned words do make Merchandize of Souls Such do keep you alwayes learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth under their Teachings your Souls are starved under them and you perish for want of true Knowledge and Death raigns amongst you and many are in the broad way that leadeth to Destruction but few in the strait Way that leads to Life and Iniquity and Wickedness abounds amongst you and like Teachers like People for from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to Covetousness Jer. 6. 13. Great Ignorance hath blinded your Minds and great Darkness is over your Hearts and your Teachers do deceive you and they cause you to err and you give your Money for that which is not Bread and your Labour for that which doth not profit even as the people of Israel did so do you and in their Transgressions do you walk and your Teachers are in the steps of the Pharisees they are called of men Master as the Pharisees were they stand praying in the Synagogues and Temples as the Pharisees did and they have the chief Seats in the Assemblies as the Pharisees had and they even shut the Kingdom of Heaven against men as the Pharisees did and will not enter in themselves nor suffer them that would Cease from all your outward Priests and hearken to the Voice of the Lord which breaks down that nature which is contrary to God and raiseth up the Seed which is Heir of God's Kingdom and turn your minds to the Light in you which Christ hath lightened you withal which Light shines in your Consciences and convinces you of your evil Deeds it reproves you for Vain words and Ungodly speeches it will let you see what your hearts go after and what your love goes out unto and if you love that it will lead you to Christ and he will be revealed in you to teach you and to give you the Witness of Peace and Reconciliation with God The Light is your Eye by which you may see God it will lead you out of all idolatrous worships and works and from your false worships which are an Abomination to the Lord and you must be converted and changed into a new Nature and you must put off the Old man and his Works before you can worship God aright for he is worshipped in Spirit and in Truth only and such the Lord is now seeking to worship him Therefore cease from your steeple-house-Steeple-house-worship which is in the Traditions of men and not in the Spirit of the Lord and that worship must be confounded for its Root is corrupted and its Branches will wither and the Breath of the Lord is kindled against it If you love the Light of Christ and walk in it there is your Teacher and if you hate it there is your Condemnation The next day after the Dispute this was written and sent in a little time after to Draton and up and down that ways Richard Goodgrom FRiend hath not thy Ignorance Folly and Wickedness towards me now appeared And is it not manifest in the sight of many people And now thou mayest cease to boast and also to backbite for the time to come and no more secretly to surmise behind my back to the raising of unruly spirits against me so much as in thee was possible and hadst thou been more crafty and more subtile more Mischief thou mightest have done but the Innocent is delivered and thou art taken in the Snare thou laidst for another and false doctrine is prov'd to proceed forth of thy mouth And thou and thy Company may be ashamed when you consider the managing of your Work against me who many times appeared immoderate in speaking many at once confusedly and also were unreasonable in not being satisfied with just Answers but it shews your Blindness and Unbelief who cannot understand the Truths of the Gospel of Christ but contend against them though in the end you are forced to confess to them as was sufficiently witnessed that day of the Dispute and thou in particular who reproachedst me behind my back in divers places where I have heard of it by my Friends whom thou judg'dst had not been so yet they have discover'd the naughtiness of thy heart both in the Country and in the City Thou hast given forth that I had preached false doctrine and such like wicked reproachful back-biting language behind my back not like a man faithful to God and thy Neighbour but one that hath surmised Evil against the Harmless And thou mayest remember all these things thou objectest against who wouldst have made a great matter of them against me yet are they sufficiently prov'd to the Understanding of many honest People And if thou and thy Company will be blind it is because you harden your hearts against the Truth and I am clear in the sight of the Lord and all shall know that have an Ear to hear That what I profess preach and practice are the saving Truths of Iesus Christ though they may be branded to be Heresie by such as thee who may call Light Darkness and Darkness Light and put Good for Evil and Evil for Good And at a convenient Opportunity I may take in hand to prove That thou thy self hast held forth that which cannot be justified by the Scripture but are condemned thereby Many things fell from thee in my hearing which I may object against and prove the contrary and I shall not go behind thy back as thou hast done to slander thee but I shall rest contented and wait the opportunity to lay open thy Nakedness and Weakness in the sight of all people And whatsoever thou judgest The Scriptures the Writings and the things written of are two things
the Waters are dried up which have been the Seat of the great Whore Now though all those Churches and Sects of People are said to be and known to be the Seed of the Whore and not of the Virgin as I have declared and though Nation and Peoples and Multitudes have been all running to Fornication and been deceiv'd and made drunk yet this I have to say In all sorts of People and amongst all those Sects amongst Papists and Protestants and all Sects risen out of them in thousands of people notwithstanding the Darkness and all the Apostacy that hath rul'd in the general yet in some of all Sorts and Sects there hath been a Sincerity and Simplicity and a Desire and Zeal for God and of God in them and amongst them yet the Sincerity Simplicity and Desire which hath stirr'd in some of all Sects it hath no sooner appear'd but it hath been smitten and betray'd by the wicked without and so by the error of Judgment within For even amongst the worst of Sects we know there are some in whom there is Simplicity and Sincerity and Zeal and yet err in Judgment for this is possible and we know it is so with Thousands and ten Thousands at this day There may be a Simplicity and Zeal and Sincerity of Heart and yet err in Judgment and the Judgment not truly guided by the Spirit of the Lord but a false spirit and a false thing even the spirit of Whoredom it self ruling the Judgment and be chief there and this destroys and murders and betrays the Zeal and Simplicity and this is and hath been ever since the dayes of the Apostles great error in Judgment and the Judgment of all those Sects have been mis-guided and misled and a false thing and not the Spirit of the Lord has guided the Judgment and thereby the true Sincerity Zeal and Simplicity hath been enslav'd and held under by reason of the erring in Judgment And the State of such is truly to be lamented where Simplicity is devour'd and Sincerity betray'd and held captive by the Whorish spirit that sits Ruler in Judgment I do not speak of all people of all Sects that they have Zeal and Simplicity but of some people in all Sects and through all these false Churches and so the spirit which hath guided the Judgment that has abased the Zeal and abused the Sincerity and betray'd it so people have been a running running after the Form and blind in Judgment and lost Sincerity and Simplicity that has been betray'd in them though sometime appearing and stirring and so the wrong part in people has fed upon the Form and Appearance and the Seed starved and the Sincerity eaten out and so one Sect hath made this the Rule of their Judgment and another Sect another thing the Rule of their Judgment one cries Tradition another Scriptures another cries The Practice of Saints before us and none of all have been guided in Judgment by the Spirit of the Lord where the Spirit of the Lord is not the only rule of Judgment guiding the Judgment in all things that people that man are in Error and the Sincerity in them has not its free course but bound under with a spirit which is Bondage leads into Bondage And when people come to be turn'd to the Light of Christ in them and receive a measure of the Spirit of the Lord to guide the Judgment then the Sincerity Simplicity Zeal will grow and thrive and be encreased but till then the Good is eaten out that lies under and is oppressed and ever and alwayes the Desire quenched the Sincerity lost the Simplicity betray'd by the spirit of Whoredom which rules the Judgment and these things are manifest in our Age. Therefore all people come out of your Sects and false Churches for the Woman is return'd and returning out of the Wilderness and the Seed shall spring forth as in the dayes of old E. B. THE True State OF CHRISTIANITY Truly Discribed and also Discovered unto all PEOPLE What it was in its Beginning and Purity and what it now is in its Apostacy and Degeneration And here by true Testimony is declar'd to the whole World how and wherein in divers particulars the Christians through all the World so called now are fallen and gone backward and revolted from what the true Christians once were And this sheweth unto all the World the woful State and Condition wherein them that are called Christians now stand being departed and revolted from the Spirit of Christ and from his Teachings And this is given forth that all People may understand concerning the Times and the changing of Times and concerning what hath been what now is and what suddenly cometh to pass in the Earth BEhold and hearken give ear and listen diligently all ye People through the whole World that are called Christians All you I say that go under that name and that bear that name and are named Christians from one end of the Earth to the other through all Nations and Countries whither you are scater'd upon the face of the whole Earth Behold and take notice what the Word of the Lord is unto you and what the Testimony of Christ is towards you all for the Line of true Judgment is laid upon you and the Measuring-Rod is put forth to reach over you and the Servant of the Lord hath viewed your State and Condition and what you were in your beginning and increase and what you now are in your Decrease and woful Apostacy into which you are fallen and degenerated from the Life of Christianity Oh! let your Ears be open to Instruction and regard well what I through the Lord do say unto you even all you and every particular of you under Heaven that make a Profession of Christ in words and are known through the World by that name of Christians hearken I say and consider and remember from whence and into what you are fallen and return and repent The Lord hath with you a Controversie and he will plead with you because of your Back-slidings and Revoltings for you are gone away backward and you are turned aside from the Life of Christ and from his Spirit and are now without that which was the Reason and true Ground of your Name Christian and you have lost the true Character of the Name and now have only the Name without the Life and Power thereof and are dead to Christ and his Life and have a Name to live but are dead and having lost that which gave you a true title to the name of Christian you deserve not that Name nor to be called by the Name of Christ because you are departed from his Spirit And this is to be declared to you in the Name of the Lord that you may take a view of your own estate to the end that you may be awakened to return from whence you are degenerated The Lord had a People in all Generations unto whom he
ever obtain any thing â—…t concerning this Great is the Degeneration of Christians in this Geneâ—…n for now the Ministers amongst you Christians are maintain'd by an â—…rd power through compelling Maintenance of Tythes and other Set-Wâ—… from the people even from them that do not receive their Ministry and they do not preach freely but makes their preaching chargeable to whole Nations and the maintaining of Christian Ministers is become a burâ—…n to whole Nations and great Oppressions upon the poor and now the â—…ers seek mens money and gold and it doth not appear that they only seek a people to God but on the contrary they seek peoples mony to themselves and it doth not satisfie the Ministers now to eat and driâ—…k such things that are set before them in a House that is worthy but they must have so much a year and so much a Sermon and so much for every particular man of his Parish be they worthy or unworthy to the value of a hundred or two hundred pounds by the year whereby poor people are greatly oppressed and they will reap carnal things by force and violence from them to whom they sow no spiritual things for they are suing at Law and putting in Prison and distraining peoples Goods by Force and Cruelty to maintain them and their Families in Pride and idleness which things the Christian Ministers formerly in the dayes of the Apostles never did but were often under great Sufferings in Fasting often and in Cold and Nakedness often Lâ—…ring with their hands 2 Cor. 11. 27. Wherefore ye Christians behold how you are fallen and how your Ministry 〈◊〉 generated both in its Call and in its Maintenance being diverted quite contrary to what the Christian-Ministry was once Behold I say how you are fallen and your Ministry quite subverted from what the Ministry 〈◊〉 in the dayes of the Apostles Then the Maintenance of Ministers was by a free Gift from them that received their Ministry and they would not make their Ministry chargeable to any But now the Maintenance of Ministers is by Force and Cruelty and great Oppression of many people and their Preaching is chargeable to many Nations Then they sought no man's Gold nor Money nor fought Riches from the people but only sought the people to God But now men's Money and Riches are sought and taken from them by Violence without regard of seeking people or bringing people to God Then to eat and drink in a house that was worthy such things as were set before them and to reap carnal things as Meat and drink and Necessâ—â—â—es by a free Gift from them that received their Ministry this was a sufficient Maintenance for the Christian Ministers But now so many Hundred Pounds by the Year to maintain themselves and their Families in Pride and Idleness and to reap it by Compulsion and Injustice from poor people In this manner are the Christiâ—â— Ministers now maintain'd which is manifest to be quite contrary to the Practice of Christian Ministers in the Apostles dayes Behold your Fall ye Christians and how you are degenerated The Lord is come to try you and to search you you are weighed and are found too light you are measured and are found wanting what the Christians once were in their Purity you are not in many things but the contrary which sheweth that you have the Name of Christians only by Tradition but are withoâ—â— the Life and being paralell'd with the Christians who truly follow'd Christ you are no whit equal to them in any thing but wholy contrary in all things shewing you follow another spirit then they who were Followers of the Spirit of Christ so witnessing to the whole World that you are degenerated out of Christ the true Vine and are Branches in a degenerate stock which brings Fruit forth through you which hononreth not God but grieveth his pure Spirit And be Witnesses against your selves that you are fallen and degenerated from that Life and Practice which was amongst the Apostles and Christians Again As concerning your Worship which is now practiced amongst you Christians through the World herein also will your Apostacy greatly appear for the Worship of the Christians was one and guided by one Spirit and was in the Spirit and in the Truth saith Christ Iohn 4. concerning the Worship of Christians God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spâ—… 〈◊〉 in Truth And saith the Apostle We are the Circumcision that worship God in Sâ—… rit and rejoyce in Christ Iesus and have no Confidence in the Flesh Phil. 3. 3◠〈◊〉 these were Christians And also Rom. 6. 7. They worshipped God not in the Oâ—…ness of the Letter but in the Newness of the Spirit and the Spirit guided them iâ— all things and was their Teacher in all their Worship for the Spirit 〈◊〉 them to pray and they pray'd in the Spirit and they knew not what they should â—ray for as they ought but the Spirit made intercession for them Rom. 8. 26. And the Christians were exhorted to pray in the Holy Ghâ—st Jude 20. And the Preaching of Christians it was in the Spirit and by the Teachings of the Spirit For they preached as the Spirit gave them utterance Acts 2. And Philip was led by the Spirit and the Spirit of the Lord moved Philip to go and preâ—h to the Eunuch Acts 8. And the Apostles went up and down as they were moved and led by the Spirit and preached and prayed in what place and at what time and season as the Spirit moved them and gave them utterance sometimes in the Fields and sometimes in Houses This was the Practice of the Christians in their Preaching and Praying And also the Apostle said I will pray with the Spirit and with Understanding I will sing with the Spirit and with Understanding And he exhorted the Christâ—… To speak in Psalms and spiritual Songs singing to the Lord and making Melody in their Hearts to him Eph. 5. 19. Now this is the Testimony concerning what the Worship of Christians was its manifest that it was in the Spirit and by the Teaching of the Spirit their preaching praying and singing were in the Spirit taught and exercised therein by the Spirit which they had received from God But now the Worship of Christians at this day is not agreeable to this but being said to the line of Judgment is proved contrary for first the Christians nâ—w are diviâ—ed in their Worship and have many Forms of Worship some worshipping after one manner and others after another so that amongst the Christians therâ—… divers Forms of worshipping and they are striving and conâ—â—ding about thâ— Worship every one praising their own Form and striving one against anothers Form of Worship and this sheweth that the Christians now are not guided nor exercised by the one Spirit of God in their worship and this shews that the Christians now are degenerated from the true Worship of God in Spirit which once the Christians Worship stood
in for then the Worship of Christians was one and in one Spirit but now the Worships of Christians are many and divers and divided one from another and they are not in unity in their Worship 〈◊〉 in strife and division and herein you are apostatized from the Life oâ—…â—…ristianity and its manifest that the Worship of Chrâ—…s now is not in 〈◊〉 Sâ—…t and in the Truth but in vain Traditiâ—… learned in natural knowlâ—…ge by people that are not converted unto God and any part of the Worship which is now practised amongst Christians whether amongst Papists of any sort or Protestants of any sort I say every part of the Worship now practised amongst Christians through the World may by taught unto and learned of and exercised in by a man that knows â—â—t God neither is in the Truth nor converted to the Truth neither hath the Spirit of God guiding nor leading of him And I say That which may be done or practised by a man that is not in the Spirit nor in the Truth not is yet converted to the Knowledge of God nor is not in any measure guâ—â—ed by the Spirit of God is not the Worship of the true God which is in the Spirit and Truth but as I have said any part of the Worship now prâ—…sed amongst Christians may be done and practised by aman that is out of the Spirit and out of the Truth and unconverted to the Knowledge of God 〈◊〉 therefore the Worship now practâ—â—ed amongst Christians is not the true worship of the true God which is in the Spirit and in the Truth and which câ—â—not be practised without it Many more things might be said as to prove the Worship of Christians now 〈◊〉 practised by them is not the true Worship of the true God but this is 〈◊〉 which I have said that which is practised without the Spirit of God is not the true Worship of God which must be in the Spirit and cannot be practised without it but such is the worship of Christians for the Christiansâ—â—ow â—â—ow generally pray some after one Form and some after another in their own wills and times and know not the movings of the Spirit of the Father tâ—ereunto nor guiding them therein but in such a manner as they set unto themselves or as the custom of the Country instructs them therein and know not the intercession of the Spirit of the Father in them nor know not the praying in the Holy Ghost and as for the preaching of Christians it is not now practised as the Christians of old practised it nor by the same Spirit now they study for what they speak and gather out of the Scriptures â—ome having it written in a Book what they will preach to the people and this is not to preach as the spirit gives them utterance neither is this from the teaching or moving of the Spirit of God but by humane Art and humane Craft knowing before-hand what and how much to speak so much as they have collected in their thoughts from such a Verse and how long to preach till a Glass be run and know what to have for preaching and this and such like is the manner of the Preaching now among Christians which hath no savour in it of God's Spirit or of the Teachings and Leadings of God's Spirit in it but altogether contrary to wit This Practice savours of Idolatry and of vain Traditions and Superstitions And in short This Practice of Preaching among the Christians now is not in the same manner neither by the same Spirit nor for the same End as the Preaching of the Christians was in the dayes of the Apostles which sheweth that the Christians now are Apostatized and greatly Degenerated from what the Christians were then For again The Christian Ministers now do not go as they are moved of the Lord up and down from Country to Country to convert people to God as the Christian Ministers did then But enquire for places of great Maintenance where there are great store of Tythes and Set-Wages and if they can there they settle themselves and preach in manner as I have said And this practice savours nothing of the Teachings of the Spirit of God nor of the Movings of that Spirit whereby the Christian Ministers of old were guided which sheweth that the Christian Ministers now are in the Apostacy and in the Degeneration from God and from what the Christian Ministers were then And as concerning the Practice of Singing noâ— amongst Christians it is not in the Spirit nor with a good Understandiâ—… but in a vain Form and Tradition and not in the Spirit of the Lorâ—… 〈◊〉 now the Christians many of them in a Form sing the Conditions 〈◊〉 as David's Prayers and Praises Troubles and Afflictions when as themselves are in a condition quite contrary to what David was and so sing that which unto themselves is false as being out of that condition of which they sing and this is not singing with the Spirit neither is it to sing spiritual Songs And others of Christians have another manner of singing all which singing of Christians now hath no savour of the Teachings of God's Spirit in it neither is it according nor by the same Spirit as the singing of the Christians once was A woful Apostacy is fallen upon you ye Christians through the World and you are fallen you are fallen from the Life of Christ and the true Praâ—… of Christianity as the first Christians were in then their praying was in the Spirit and the holy Ghost but now without the Spirit in Forms and Traditions Their Preaching then was as the Spirit led them and as it gave them utterance but now by humane Learning and Policy at such a Place for so much a Year an Hour by a Glass what they have gathered by study upon other mens Works Then the Singing of Christians was in the Spirit and their whole Worship was spiritual in the Spirit and in the Truth but the Singing of Christians now and all their Worship is in vain Traditions exercis'd without the Leadings and Movings of the Spirit of God Then the Worship of Christians was one and by one Spirit now it is divers and in division and in many coâ—trary spirits Alas oh ye Christians consider how great is your Fall and how woâ—â—l your Degeneration in respect of your Worship fallen greatly from the teaching of the Spirit of God in your Praying in your Preaching and in your Singing to follow humane Learning and worldly Policy and vain Traditions the Customs of the Country and your own Imaginations in your Praying Preaching and Singing as I have proved unto you Oh consider how great is your Apostacy from the true Life of true Christianity Greatly do you err from the pure Way wherein the true Christians walked and being truly paralell'd with them and measur'd with the Spirit of true Judgment you are found not equal to them in any measure but rather contrary altogether shewing you are guided
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 〈◊〉 Abomination to the Lord. And your Ministry which is made and sent forth at Schools and 〈◊〉 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—… 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 longer be worshipped in vain Traditions of men but his people shall be reâ—â—red and renewed to worship him in Spirit and Truth and the Christianâ—ife â—ife 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 â—…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 〈◊〉 of God which once shined upon the Christians and in Blindness and Dâ—… have 〈◊〉 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 â—…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 〈◊〉 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 â—…fying Sores you are not closed neither bound up neither mollified with Oyâ—…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 â—…pleat in Christ Col. 2. 10. And they were come to the 〈◊〉 of â—…st Men made perfect and unto Mount Sion the 〈◊〉 of the Living God the Hâ—…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
made clean unto this were they nourished and brought up out of Darkness and from under the shaddow of Death But notwithstanding this the Christians now have rebell'd against the Lord and do rebel against him And though the Lord hath been unto them as an Owner to the Ox and as a Crib to the Ass even as thus hath the Lord been unto the Christians yet they know it not neither do the Christians consider but are indeed grown sinful and laden with Iniquity and the feed of Evil-doers brings sorth its fruit through Christians being become children that are Corrupters having forsaken the Lord and his Way which was made mantfest in the dayes of the Apostles and the Lord is greatly provoked for the Christians are gone backward from what they were in their beginning as I have fully made manifest And this Vision of the Lord is unto you all ye Christians even as a 〈◊〉 that is of the most precious Seed and the most noble Vine that is planted in a good Sâ—…â—…at is digged and dressed and grown to a goodly stature and bringing â—…th some acceptable Fruit unto the good Husbandman for a season yet this Tree becomes blasted by an unwholesome Air and becomes degenerate from its vertue and property and nature and becomes a wild Vine and a Plaâ—… of great Disgrace ceasing to bring forth any good Fruit and becomes fruitful iâ— all evil and the Labour of the good Husbandman is lost for while he looâ— for good Fruit nothing appears but Fruit of an evil Taste which is altogether loathsome unto the good Husbandman This Parable is unto you Christians and this is your state and your condition Therefore behold What shall the Lord do unto this Tree Shall he nor cut it down to the ground and call it into the purging Fire Shall he not lay his Ax to the Root and cause all its Branches utterly to wither and cause it to cease in beeing even as it hath ceased in bringing forth Fruit Shall not the goâ—… Husbandman destroy this 〈◊〉 with all its corrupt fruit And shall not his own Hand accomplish the Purpose of his own Heart This Tree shall be Fuel for this Fire of his Anger he will pluck it up and not plant it again because it is degenerated Give ear all ye Christians to the Testimony which is concerning you You are fallen you are fallen and being compared to what the Christians were you are in 〈◊〉 equal but are diverted in all your Practices from that Spirit which led the Apostles 〈◊〉 Christian Churches and your works shew another Spirit then the Spirit of Iesus Wherefore great is your Fall and to be lamented and though you have the name of Christians yet you want the Life An Objection But whereas it may be objected by some and said Seeing the State of Christianity is thus descovered what it was in its beginning and purity and what it now is in its degeneration and seeing the present State of Christians is thus condemned what do I believe concerning the state of Christianity to come What shall succeed this present Degeneration And may it be expected that ever Christianity shall be restor'd to that state of Purity as it was in its beginning And whether may people expect to come into the same Life again and to know the same power and Worship and Unity which was amongst the Apostles and first Christian Churches And whether do I judge that ever the Ministry can again be receiv'd by the Gift of the holy Spirit only without natural Learning and Languages And whether the same Spirit is to be waited for and receiv'd And whether the same Anointing can be known in this Age or any Age to come as it was in and among the Apostles and Christians before the Apostacy and Degeneration Answ. To all this I answer and do say That the present state of Christianity is woful and to be condemned of the Lord as being degenerated from his Life Power and Spirit whereby all hearts are darkened and all minds estranged from the Covenant of Life and Peace and from the sence and feeling of the Life of God and now in all the Wayes and Worships and Practices of Christians they are fallen and degenerated from that Life in which the Christians once were and the Beast hath raigned over all for many Ages and because of his Power and Greatness and Dominion who hath been able to make war with him he hath killed the Saints and hath subjected all Nations under his power and every Nation hath received the Mark of the Beast and born his Image for Generations and all Flesh hath stagger'd and hath been made drunk with the cup of Fornication that hath been in the hand of the Whore who hath sate upon this Beast who hath caused both small and great to worship him and all that would not he hath had power to kill them And this Government hath ruled over the whole Christendom and the Worship practiced hath been but the Worship of the Beast while people have been err'd from the Spirit of Christ and not guided by it only And people have been compelled to Worship by Laws of Men they have been compelled to sprinkle their Infant and they have been compelled to go to Steeple-houses and compelled to keep a Sabboth and compelled to hire Priests and to pay them Wages against their wills And all this compelling by an outward Power hath not been the Worship of God but savour'd altogether of the Worship of the Beast for you may read Rev. 13. 12 15 16 17. how the Beast caused all both Small and Great to worship him and all that would not worship him by his power he hath had power to kill them And all compelling and causing to worship by an outward Power is the worship of the Beast for Christ nor his Apostles never caused any to worship God by an outward power For while Christianity kept its Purity and Authority they begot People to God and to worship him by the Word of God and by the power of the Spirit and they did not bring any into their Sect nor to worship with them by an outward Law and Authority for that is in the Government of the Beast it was he that first caused both small and great to conform to his worship and it is his power that upholds it and maintains it unto this day But now the Seed of God is arising which is able to make war with the Beast and his Kingdom and his Worship shall be thrown down to the ground and all this causing and compelling to Worship causing to keep a Day and causing to hire Teachers to maintain them and this causing to go to Steeple-houses and to maintain them and all this causing to pay Tythes it shall fall to the ground and be beat down by the Seed of God which is arising and they shall be no more found among true Christians nor the Beast shall not be worshipped nor his Authority any more of
force for the Day of the Lord hath now appeared and the Light is sprung forth which hath made all things manifest and now the difference is known between the worship of the Beast and the worship of the true God And concerning the state of Christianity to come this I know and believe a glorious Restoration thereof shall appear throughout the whole Christendom and Christianity shall again be restored to its former purity and Christians shall and may receive the same Spirit from which the Christians have been degenerated and the same Life the same Power and the same Worship and Unity shall be revived amongst Christians in the Restoration even the same that was in the beginning before the Apostacy and the Glory of God shall again appear among his people and they shall again worship him in Spirit and in Truth only as they did before the Apostacy and all this traditional worship and false imitations which hath been set up since the Apostles dayes shall be overthrown and confounded the Lord is risen and will dash down and overthrow all this Idolatry now practized amongst Christians And a great shaking and confounding shall suddenly come among Christians for the Lord will break down that which hath been builded because it is polluted and he will pluck up that which hath been planted because it is defiled and a mighty work will the Lord work in the Earth the Kingdoms of this World will he change into the Kingdoms of Christ and Christ shall reign in and among his People and his Spirit shall be the Teacher and Leader of his People and all false Teachers will the Lord confound and consume all these Hirelings who go for Gifts and Rewards and all this manner of Preaching and Teaching which are come up since the Apostles dayes all this Preaching which they study for and by a Glass and for so much Money a year all this shall be tumbled down into the Pit God's Vengeance shall come upon it all and the Anointing shall be received and it shall dwell in People as it did in the Apostles and the people shall need no other Teacher but as that Anointing teacheth all things and for this Spirit and Anointing all that fear God may wait to receive it in this present Age which Spirit brings into the same Unity and Life into the same Worship and Fellowship that was amongst Christians in the beginning before the Apostacy and this State may Christians be restored to and for this State all that fear God and love him are to wait for this shall come to pass in the World And as concerning the Ministry I know and do believe it may be and is received again as the Apostles and Christian Ministers first received it to wit by the eternal Spirit and Gift thereof through the Revelation of Christ Jesus in them and such may and do preach the Gospel freely as they do receive is freely and without natural Learning and Languages For by that can none be made Ministers of Christ nor by any thing without the Gift of the holy Spirit and Christ's Ministry shall again be received thereby this I believe and all this Ministry made and sent forth by natural Learning and without the Gift of the holy Spirit the Lord will confound it in this Age for this is come up since the Apostles dayes to make Ministers by natural Learning and it stands in the Apostacy from the Life and Spirit of Christ and its call and work and maintenance savours not of the Kingdom of Christ and the Lord will bring it down and the Gift of his Ministry will he restore by his Spirit and this is and shall come to pass and it may be waited for in this present Age and the Lord will restore his Ministry as in the beginning and his work shall be glorious for many there are is and shall be converted to God and brought out of the degeneration and to that shall people come which all Christendom hath been apostatized from and shall receive the same Spirit and the same Anointing which was amongst the Christian Churches and life and immortality shall again be brought to light through the Gospel which hath been hid for Ages while darkness hath been over the minds of people And I say and testifie before all the World That Christianity shall be restored to its former state Life shall spring forth and Truth shall be encreased and Faith shall wax strong even the same Faith that the Apostles had which gave them Victory over all the World which shall again give People the same Victory and this shall be known in the Earth For the Marriage of the Lamb shall come and all his People shall be joyn'd unto him and there shall be one Way and one Worship and one Teacher and every one shall sit under Christ's Vine and none shall make afraid Yea and more then a Vine shall he be known and more then a Door and more then a Shepherd shall he be known to be to his People and greater then a Rock shall he be witnessed to be and more then a Teacher in the Wilderness If any man have an Ear to hear let him 〈◊〉 more and greater is he becoming to his People then is lawful yet to utter Eye hath not seen nor it hath not entred into the Heart of man but it is revealed to us by his Spirit The joyful Day is approaching the Lamb's Wife is making her self ready the Wedding Garment is putting on and all that which is polluted is to be done away And Blessed is he that cometh to the Marriage of the Lamb that he may become one Spirit with the Creatâ—r Here is Glory and Rejoycing forever when this is known That the Wife hath not power over her own Body but the Husband nor hath the Husband power over his own Body but the Wife Where this is known Death is swallowed up of Life and Sin is overcome of Righteousness and the Inheritance of Life Eternal comes to be possessed and Death and Hell is cast into the Lake and he which hath deceived can deceive no more And blessed is the Eye that sees this and the Heart that understandeth Wherefore all ye Christians upon Earth Awake awake and put away your Whoredoms cast off your Idolatries and strip you and make you clean of all your Adulteries drink no longer of the Cup of Fornication nor eat no longer of the Abominable Flesh nor wear no longer your Garments of Unrighteousness but strip ye strip ye make ye bare all your old Garments must be put off before you can appear before the Lord. A great Work will the Lord work amongst you he will shake and overthrow all your Altars Images and Idols which you have set up and worshipped The Lord hath uttered his Voice the Beast that hath many Heads and many Horns shall tremble and one Head and one Horn only shall be exalted and the Government shall be set up of whose encrease there shall be
no end and people shall be brought into that and they shall go forth no more for who come to this Time is no longer and the Kingdom and Government is delivered to the Father and he is become all in all And all that ever come to know these things must first come to the Light of the Lamb in them with which every man is lightned that cometh into the World And all that ever know these things must first be brought to the Principle of God in them which they have transgressed against And all that own the Light of Christ and walk in it shall come to know these things which to know and be in them is eternal Life Therefore all ye Christians come to the Light which Christ hath lightned you withal and that will let you see the Government of Satan and of sin and death which has been ruling in you and the Light will teach you to war against it till it be subdued the Light will discover unto you that nature in which the kingdom of Satan bears rule it will let you see the Devil who is the Prince of darkness who is the Adversary of God who is out of the Truth and he has drawn all people out of the Truth but if you love the Light of Christ in you it will teach you to war against him and against all that that is out of the Truth for all that is of Satans Kingdom that is out of the Truth and must be destroy'd by the coming of the Kingdom of Christ whose coming is in the Light which Christ hath enlightned every man withal who comes to destroy the Devil and his kingdom and all his works So to the Light must all minds be turned which will reveal the kingdom of the Man of Sin and consume it The Appearance of Christ is Light and Christ is the Light of Israel which is as a Fire to consume all fruitless Trees which cumber the ground which the Lord will consume by the brightness of his coming And now is the Man of Sin reveal'd even in the hearts of Christians so call'd and he hath long shew'd himself to be God but now the Lord will bring him down For Antichrist has rul'd for many Ages and the Lord of Life has been crucified in spiritual Sodom but Sodom shall be consumed by Fire and the Lord will avenge himself of all his Enemies and all People and Nations shal know that there is a God who executes Justice and true Judgment who is a God near at hand to reward his People with Everlasting Life and to give unto his Enemies Judgment and Condemnation Written by a Friend to the Creation a Servant of the Lord E. B. A DECLARATION To all the WORLD Of our Faith And what we believe who are called QUAKERS And this is written that all People upon Earth may know by whom and how we are saved and hope for Eternal Life and what we believe concerning God Christ and the Spirit and of the things that are Eternal appertaining to all Mankind to know and believe Concerning God Christ and the Spirit thus we believe FIRST That there is only one true God who is a Spirit and his Presence filleth Heaven and Earth and he is Eternal and Everlasting the Creator and Preserver of all things that Heaven and Earth and all things therein by him were framed and brought forth and all things â—…in unto this day by his Power and whatsoever he willeth in Heaven and Earth he â—â—ings to pass by his Word and Power And we believe That this God only is and ought to be feared loved obeyed and worshipned by all Creatures and no other thing besides 〈◊〉 in Heaven and Earth Aâ—… we believe That his Worship and Obedience and Fear and Love is to be given in Spirit even in what his own Spirit moveth and leadeth his People unto And we believe His true Worship required and accepted of him 〈◊〉 not by the Tradition of men in outward Observances or Set-dayes oâ— Places but he is worshipped only in Spirit â—…d Trâ—th without respect of Time â—…ces or things and that none can worship â—â—m in Righteousness but his â—…n who are born of his Spirit and are led and guided thereby And we believe That this God hath given his Son Christ Jâ—… 〈◊〉 â—â—e World a free Gift unto the whole World and that every 〈◊〉 that coâ—…eth into the World is lighted by him that every man miâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayed And we believe That he is given into the World and no Nation 〈◊〉 or Pâ—ople excepted but unto all Mankind is he given of God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them and every man through the World that believeth in him and receiveth Christ who is the Wisdom and Power of the Father shall be saved with eternal ' Salvation and every one that believeth not in him shall be damned and shall possess everlasting Misery And we believe That Salvation Iustification and Sanctification are only in him and wrought by him and no other for there is no other Name given under Heaven but hâ—m alone by which Salvation is And we believe All that receive him and believe in him are reconâ—…d to God and are made alive to God to live to him in all things anâ— do receive the Forgiveness of Sins and are set free from all Unrighteousness and from the Body of Sin and Death and have the Witness of the Spirit in them and the Spirit of the Father they have received and it witnesseth in them of the Father and of the Son and of the things that belong unto their Peace and it is the Earnest of the Inheritance and the Seal of the Promise of Eternal Life and by it are the deep things of God revealed to Mankind and by it the Father and the Son dwells in the Saints and by it have they Fellowship one with mother and the Father Son and Spirit are one And this we faithfully believe Again concerning Christ we believe That he is one with the Father and was with him before the World was and what the Father worketh 〈◊〉 is by the Son for he is the Arm of God's Salvâ—…ion and the very Power and Wisdom of the Creator and was is and is to come without Beginning or End And we believe That all the Prophets gave Testimony of him and that he was made manifest in Iudea and Ierusalem and did the Work of the Father and was persecuted of the Iews and was crucified by his Enemies and that he was buried and rose again according to the Scriptures And we believe He is now ascended on High and exalted at the Right-hand of the Father for evermore and that he is glorified with the same Glory that the had before the World was and that even the same that came down froâ—… Heaven is ascended up to Heaven and the same that descended is he that ascended And we believe Even that he that was dead is alive and lives for evermore and that he cometh and shall come
hath been and what he hath done how hath this cloud of Folly cast a stink and darkness upon his former brightness and glory and nobleness and is this the end and final farwel of once noble Oliver what only the sight of an Image carried and set up Hath the City of London and the Nations to better Memento of him But oh had he been faithfull to the end to God he would have left a more lively and heavenly Character to have been read for his sake then an Image of him and such Idolatrous practises and my life could have sorrowed upon some considerations passed through me about this business and for some hours my spirit could not rest and in the very time it lay upon me to write this And after all this said my spirit Where are all the old Priests now and his ancient Teachers who once had a great zeal against all these things and against all such practises Where are they now are they blind also said I that they cannot see this abominable Idolatry and cry against it had they any hand in it or were they Consenters to these things What is become of them Is their zeal for the Lord and against Idolatry quite gone thought I they might have prevented this disgrace to their old Master who hath served them well and set them in great places and put them in large Benefices and they might have done something for him when he is dead and have prevented this Folly and Idolatry which is acted upon him this day for certainly all people in the Nation that fear God will be offended and judge in their hearts such work the framing of an Image and sounding Trumpets and beating Drums before it and cloathing Horses in Mourning and Trayling their Pikes and even the very Honourable of the Nation clad in Mourning and following this Image and all this stir and cost and preparation for many Weeks before-hand and such decking in Mourning Attire of great and noble Men and all but to accompany an Image from one place to another whereby people are deceived who might look upon it to be the Burial of Oliver Protector whenas it was but an Image made by hands decked trimed in a vain manner as if it had bin some Poppit Play which if it had been indeed his Bones they had accompanied to the ground in such a manner that had bin less condemnable and I should not had ought against it But for the Wisemen in the Nation to be chief in these things and to exercise themselves in such Folly and Vanity this grieves the Righteous Soul and if I should justifie it the Lord would condemn me but the shame will fall upon themselves that acted it and chiefly upon their Priests and Teachers because they were consenting to such Vanity and piece of Popery as this was And had these old Doctors and Teachers feared God and their Hearts been aright towards him they would have endeavoured the stopping of this Abomination and another way might have been thought upon whereby a more lively and godly Monument of their old Master might have stood to Generations What shall the making and visiting and carrying and setting up of a dead Image for foolish people to gaze upon and run wondring after in their wicked minds Must this be all the Monument And shall we have no other Representation of once noble Cromwel Is his Life and former Glory and Nobleness shaddow'd with the sight of a dead Image Alas This presents nothing at all to such as fear God but Folly and Ignorance Vanity and Idolatry and when they look upon it they shall be grieved in their spirits and vexed when they can find no more Monument of that once noble man but an invented â—…ge and Picture and the Priests shall be ashamed and may have the greatest rebuke for they that lead the people have caused them to err And now upon the whole matter from the very beginning to the end thereof I do declare against it and that a fearful Abomination hath been committed in the sight of the Lord in relation to this Image and you have vext the Lord's Soul and his Hand you shall feel upon your Consciences and the weight thereof in the time to come the spending of so much of the Creation and wasting Money and other things the Lord will lay to your charge and the whole City hath been abused with running and wondring after the work of your own hands And now all you that have gone to gaze and wonder after an Image What saw you What beheld you What wondered you after ought except folly and vanity and a dead Image whereby the man and his Nobility was abused in honour to whom they say it was done And when many dayes were spent what were you the better What were you edified were you not convinced of your 〈◊〉 Folly And might not your Wickedness reprove you And did not the Liâ—… in your own Consciences check you and prick you and condemn your vain minds that wondred after Folly Though now you may be hardned yet 〈◊〉 day you shall confess when the Witness of God in you doth arise and bring all your deeds to remembrance then shall you say This work was Abomination and 〈◊〉 great Sin in them who invented it and caused it to be brought forth and your selves that 〈◊〉 wondred after it and the Judgments of the Lord are against all these things E. B. A MESSAGE PROCLAIMED BY Divine Authority From the chosen Assembly of the Redeemed People in England to the Pope chief Bishop of Rome and to his Cardinals Jesuits and Priests and all other the Officers of the Romish Church where it shall meet with them through the World That they may appear and come forth to Tryal and shew if they have the same Faith Power Spirit Authority and Government as had the Apostles and true Churches before the Apostacy And this is a full Invitation and Challenge to the whole Church of Rome and the beginning of Controversie with her for the perfect manifestation of the long hidden Truth betwixt them that are in the Truth it self and such as have the Form but not the Power that all things may be brought to Light and true Judgment WHereas we a poor despised and rejected People among the Nations of the Earth yet Dreadful and Mighty because the Majesty and Presence of the Lord God is with us who hath called us and chosen us and gathered us and redeemed us from among men out of Kindreds and Multitudes and Peoples into one Body and one Spirit out of all the Sects upon the Earth and we are of one Mind and one Soul having Fellowship with the Son and with the Father being come through great Tribulations and many fiery Tryals and are refined and purified and made clean and white in the Blood of the Lamb being fully recover'd out of the great Deluge of Darkness and Apostacy which hath overflown and drowned the whole World and
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 reâ—â—ive First Whether you are indeed the only true Church of Christ his Body of 〈◊〉 Fleâ—â— 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 â—…ip as were the Churches of Christ in the dayes of the Apostles and 〈◊〉 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 〈…〉 teach any one of you but as that same Spirit that dwells in you answer 〈◊〉 â—…inly yea oâ— nay 2. â—…ther are you not in any particular of your Faith Doctrines Praâ—… Worships in any degree degenerated nor deviated from what the 〈◊〉 â—…ne Practice and Worship were that the true Church was in in 〈…〉 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 â—y 3. Wâ—…ther your Church of Rome doth receive the pouring-down of the Spirit upon Sons and Daughters immediately and every Member receive the Holy â—…st and is â—â—lled 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—… 〈◊〉 denyed 4. Wâ—…er the Faith you profess hath perfectly purified your hearts from all 〈◊〉 and hath given you Victory over the World that now the body of sin is 〈◊〉 and you are free from sin and do not commit sin but are every Memâ—… 〈◊〉 you without Spot and Wrinkle and cleansed from all Unrighteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Servants of Righteousness and not of Sin and whether you believe 〈◊〉 Condition to be attainable in this life upon Earth and to be enjoyed and â—…d for yea or nay 5. What is your ground of sprinkling Infants with Water and whether he thâ—â—â—…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 Meâ—…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 â—â—thanged 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 Imprisâ—â— 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 a◠〈◊〉 and in her Dominions be not Murder and Cruelty and Tyranny 〈◊〉 shedding of Innocent Blood and of the Devil the Wicked One 〈◊〉 me plainly and satisfie us herein that we may know how to deal with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 controversie 8. Again We are not satisfied concerning the abundance of 〈◊〉 of the Saints set up and bowed to amongst you and your praying 〈◊〉 them and to the Saints and by Beads and in Set-Forms such thâ—…
and Worships be tryed and 〈◊〉 Church â—… Doctrines and Worshipâ— and Practices and whether they be 〈…〉 or ours that do overcome or are overcome let that deside the â—…ersie and whether it be you or we that are soonest overcome 〈…〉 prevail the one against the other in this Tryal and in these Proâ—… 〈◊〉 that which is Overcome and Prevailed against is not the True â—… against which nothing can prevail no not the Gates of Hell 〈…〉 your Church or ours cannot be prevail'd against by the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be the true Church for that which is prevail'd against is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church and whether it be you or we that are elected and of the 〈…〉 which cannot be deceived if we â—e not elected and you Deceivers 〈…〉 possible you may deceive us but if we prove that we be in the 〈…〉 then you cannot deceive us and if we â—e in the Truth and of 〈…〉 Church then it will be Happiness for you to be converted and â—…rned â—… 〈◊〉 to the Tryal as sooâ—… as you will and if you be in the Election 〈◊〉 need not be afraid to be deceived by any for the the Elect cannot â—…ved whoever that be whether your Church or our Church be the 〈◊〉 Church and in the Election And if your Ministers among us do preach the same things and by the 〈…〉 Spirit and hold forth the very same Faith Principles Worship and â—…ces which we do and are of and it be proved they are of the same 〈…〉 and Principles we are of agreeing in all things then we will own 〈◊〉 to be Christ's Ministers And if our Ministers among you do hold â—…th that true Faith and Principle and Practices and Worship and by the 〈◊〉 Spirit as Christ and his Apostles did and prove what they say by the Scripâ—… then shall you receive them as the Ministers of Christ and renounce all 〈◊〉 you hold and profess contrary to what they hold and preach among 〈◊〉 And hereby things may come to a fair Tryals and the naked Truth may 〈◊〉 made manifest whether your Church or our Church be the true Church 〈◊〉 Christ truly descended from the Church of the Saints of old and â—…er your Ministers or our Ministers be the lawful Successors of the â—…es And we would willingly come to deal with you upon these termâ—s that it may be manifest who they be that are of the true Seed and who they be that are of the Election that cannot be deceived And we have many things more to write unto you and to query of you and to demand when we receive your answer and if you give us ground to accuse you we will thresh you and lay it to your charge by the Authority and Spirit of the Lord and if you answer us plainly we shall more perfectly know what to do To the POPE THou Mountain hear the Word of the Lord God thus saith thâ—… God unto thee I will lay thee low I will break thee down I wiâ—… the glory of all Flesh my Sword shall enter into the Hearts of my Eâ—… will slay the Wicked and I will cruâ—… the Head of the Ungodly and 〈…〉 grind the hard hearts unto pieces I will come in a day unexpected I 〈…〉 Door behold me and I will take Vengeance without Pitty upon all 〈…〉 mies my Hand shall not spare my Eye shall noâ— pitty but I will 〈…〉 rend and give unto thee and unto all Mankind the fruit of your 〈…〉 ings Innocent Blood cries unto me that hath been unjustly shed 〈…〉 Righteous Soul groans under the Altar unto me and now I am risen 〈…〉 begun to work in the Earth and I will go through Nations and 〈…〉 down under my Power I have raised a Seed which shall thrâ—sh the Moâ—… and my Word is gonâ—forth out of my Mouth which shall beat them to 〈…〉 and my Power shall knock at thy Gates and break down thy strength 〈…〉 shall prevail against thee Oh thou Mountain I whose Seat is high and whose Power is gâ—… who hath been able to make War with thee Thou hast swallowed up 〈…〉 and Needy and thou hast eaten up the Innocent as the Ox eateth up 〈…〉 thou hast continued for Ages and thou accountest thy self the most Aâ—… and thou hast been without fear of any man and thou hast not regâ—… Honour of my Name but exalted thy self altogether But now saith 〈…〉 the Dread of the Almighty shall come upon thee and the Majesty of 〈…〉 of Hosts shall appear terrible unto thee and thou shalt know there 〈…〉 that can do whatsoever he will and he will wound the mighty Men 〈…〉 shall heal them and he will vex all his Enemies in his Displeasure and 〈…〉 break them and none shall bind them up Thy glory and thâ— glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whole Earth is as Grass before the Mower and as the Flower of the Field that 〈◊〉 soon withered and thy treasure and the treasure of all Nations is of no respect unto him the Strength of the whole Earth is Weakness before him and the Crowns of Princes he accounteth as the Dust he treadeth over it all and his Everlasting Arm reacheth beyond it all and he is awakened that will strike through Kingdoms and that will stain the glory of the whole Earth and thoâ— must know his Power and the Cup of his Wrath is full of which all Nations shall drink and none shall escape it Prepare thy self for the Anger of the Lord is gone forth and the Almighty is grieved because of the Abominations of the Earth and he will cast into the Fire and purge and purifie and new mold and correct Rulers Kings and Peoples for he hath long been grieved and born the Iniquity of the Nations but his Long-suffering is well-nigh finished for the Nations have provoked him to Anger and turned his Long-suffering into Fury and he hath put on the Garment of Vengeance and the time is at hand that Sorrow shall take hold on the Stout-hearted when he appears who hath been pierced and Anguish and Pain shall come upon thee and the World and the Day of Trouble and great Distress ye shall not escape the Rod of his Wrath shall smite you The Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it And although thou art exalted as a God yet thou shalt be a Man and not a God in his Hand that shall slay thee and although thy Seat has been high yet it shall be laid low as the Ground and thy Honour shall be laid in the Dust for thou art Dust and Ashes before the Lord and thou shalt be no more admired when Destruction shall come upon thee The Lord hath viewed thy Way and Path and they have not been upright before him he hath entred into the Secrets of thine Heart and thy intent hath not been hid from him and that which hath been done in secret shall now be laid open and all secret things shall now be brought to Light and all the Churches shall know that he searches the
Papists and Prelates which went before them for are not these Ministers maintained by Tythes as the Pope's Ministers were And have they not Hire and great sums of Money by the Year or Quarterly even as the Papists and Prelates had Wherefore it is plain that the Maintenance of your Ministers is the very same for substance as theirs was that went before you which you your selves say were Idolaters and if they were Idolaters how can your Ministers be free which do practice the very same things unto the very fame end And do not the Priests of this Generation far exceed the Papists and Prelates Was there ever in Generations past such casting people into Prison and spoiling peoples Goods as is at this day through the means of these Priests and all about their Maintenance and for their Tythes and Hire and yearly Stipends and quarterly Gain Did ever the Papists or Prelates worse in this particular with any people that denyed them Wages then these do that denyed them Oh! great Blindness and Ignorance is over your hearts and great Hypocrisie among your Ministers who profess a Denyal and Dissenting from the Church of Rome and cry against them as Hereticks and that they are in Ignorance and yet practice the very same things Their Call is the very same to their Ministry and their Maintenance the same and Practice in many things the very same as theirs was which they seem to deny and this is great Hypocrisie to cast out and kill their Persons and yet to uphold in many things their practice relating to their Worship and their Ministry Oh abominable Idolatry the Hand of the Lord is against it But this is not the way that Christ's Ministers were maintained they had no such Hire nor great Sums of Money nor yearly Tythes as these Ministers have through the Pope's Institution But into whatsoever House they entred that was worthy they might eat such things as were set before them and the Apostles might freely reap carnal things where they had sown spiritual things but this was after another manner and after another nature for if they had not that yet did they not cast men into Prison and spoil their Goods that would not give it them as this Generation of Teachers do And the Lord God is risen to confound this Worship and this Ministry which is Idolatry and this Church which is but a feigned Immitation and he will establish his true Worship that is in Spirit and in Truth and his true Ministry that is by the Gift of the Holy Ghost and his true Church and this shall be brought to pass in his Day But again There is another Practice which you have which the Church of Rome and the Prelates had your Predecessors If any come in the Name of the Lord to declare against you and against your Abomination to cry against your Sin and cry Repentance among you that you may be converted to God this you account a great Transgression and persecute them that do it by Imprisoning and Whipping and Stocking and by imposing great Fines upon them and causing them to suffer cruel things and this did the Papists and Prelates in like manner as you do if any were moved to cry against them they indeed rewarded them even as you do at this day the same thing you do against such as are moved of the Lord to come among you and herein you succeed them and bring forth the same Persecution in your Churches as they did in their Churches and this is the defence of your Church and of your Ministry Carnal Weapons Imprisonment and Whipping and Stocking and causing the Bodies of people to suffer through Cruelty and Injustice and by this means is your Church and Ministry defended and preserved or otherwise it would presently fall as not being able to continue nor resist nor gain-say the Spirit and Power of God which now is risen to oppose them if they had not carnal Laws and earthly Powers and Goals and Houses of Correction to defend themselves by And is this the Church of Christ and is this Christ's Ministry that has need of such Weapons as these The Apostles and true Churches never did thus neither sent people to Prison that opposed them nor had such Cruelty to execute upon the Bodies of people though many did oppose them out of Wickedness but the Spirit and Authority of the Lord did defend them from all their Enemies But your church and ministry is manifest to be another then that was and to be defended by another means even by the same means that the Papists and Prelates of old were of a long time defended by but when the measure of these things are fulfilled they will come to an end as the measure of that Generation's Iniquity was fulfilled which went before you so in the Lord's season will your measure be fulfilled and the Lord's People shall be free and all Bonds of Iniquity broken And thus it is manifest that this Church and Ministry succeeds the Church of Rome and her Ministers far more then the Church of Christ and its true Ministers and to that it is not equal in any thing but to the Church of Rome it is comparable in many things so that it is manifest that this Church and Ministry is not quite another then the Church and Ministry of Rome but such as have dissented from them and are truly sprung out of that Root and is the same still in substance though differing in some Practices having cast out some old Inventions and brought in some new but as I have said remain still the same in nature and substance though diffented in some particulars yet succeed in many particulars as I may shew more fully hereafter And though you bare the Name and stile your selves The Reformed Churches you mean reformed from the Church of Rome But how are you reformed but by some visible Appearances and not in the Ground having put off but some of her Garments and remain the same Body for substance in nature and matter though differing only in Appearances For the Church which is the True Church of Christ is not thus reformed only changed in part and altered in degrees but the true Church denyeth the church of Rome in her very Beeing and Ground and in all her Practices whatsoever for though many Sects have risen one from another yet all the same for substunce only differing in particulars But as for you to whom this Particular is written that Worship God in Steeple-Houses you are not so much differing from the church of Rome as many others are which are not true Churches neither but the Lord God is now gathering his people wherefore come out of your idol-Idol-Worship and Idol-Temples for God dwells not in them nor is not worshipped there but he dwells and walks in his Saints and is worshipped in Spirit and in Truth and his Day is dawned and his Glory risen and he will confound this church and ministry which bears the
Mark of the Romish Whore and have her Symptoms and Characters remaining upon them unto this day as it is manifest Object And though some may object and say That God commanded a Temple to be â—â—ilded for the worship of his Name and Ordinances to be practised in the time of the old Covenant To which I do say yea it was so a Temple was builded by Solomon for the Seed of the Iews to worship in and to come to Sacrifice to the Lord in and there was an outward Worship and Ordinances but it is many hundred years since this Temple was destroyed and Worship and Ordinances thrown down which God once commanded and his people once practiced and Christ the Life the Power and Wisdom of God was the Substance thereof and unto whom he was made manifest and in whom he was revealed in the Spirit they utterly renounced and denied the Temple and the worship therein though once God had commanded it and the Saints after the manifesting of Christ to them in Spirit and after that the Holy Ghost was given we do not find through all the Churches of the Saints that they worshipped in the Temple of the Iews but witnessed against it and said That God dwelt not in Temples made with hands neither was he worshipped in Temples made with hands but in the Spirit and in the Truth their Worship consisted and therefore were persecuted but they bare Testimony against the Temple and the Worship and those Ordinances which God once had commanded and which once his People practized though it was to the peril of their lives But as for these Temples and these Ordinances and this Worship which are now on foot they were never brought forth by any Ordination or Commandment of God but the Foundation of them is the Inventions of Men and Mens Traditions taught them and not the Spirit of the Lord and therefore against those things those Temples and those Ordinances and Worships much reason have we to cry against them all as being neither Sign nor Substance of good but wholly Inventions of men The Iews Temple and Ordinances were Signs of good things to come and when the Substance was come the Saints deny'd the Shaddows and the Figures but as for these they are deny'd wholy as being Idolatry and Abomination from the beginning to the end of them for as I have shown These things which are the matter of which your Worship and Ordinance doth consist had their rise and beginning in the dayes of Darkness and Ignorance since the Apostacy came in and so in the Name and Authority of the Lord we do declare against them even against your Temples and whole Worship to the intent to bring you to the true Worship that is in Spirit and in Truth and that you might know your bodies the Temples of God and that he might dwell in you and walk in you according as be hath promised in the New Covenant Wherefore all people awake and come out of your Idolatry and idolatrous Worships separate your selves touch no more of it that the Lord may receive you and that you may come into his Covenant which is Life and Peace for your souls for in those Worships and Temples and all your Practices therein you have not true peace with the Lord nor the Refreshments from his pure Presence but Sin and Death reigns amongst you and great ignorance is over your hearts and Idolatry corrupts your minds and the Lord hath been forgotten by you dayes without number God is not well-pleased neither hath any delight in your Worship for your worship of him and fear towards him is but taught by the Precepts of men and by the Traditions of the Fathers in the dayes of Popery and if ever he opens your Eyes you will see it for it is with the humble and contrite in heart that the Lord dwells him that trembleth at the Word of the Lord whose heart is right in his sight and hath learned his Judgments and Fear and such as are changed and renewed and born of the Seed of God and begotten by his powerfull Word such are the true Worshippers whom the Lord is seeking and such will he find to worship him And whereas there is a great cry amongst you and among many people at this day about Deceivers and being deceived you say and your Cry is one to another Take heed you be not deceived by false Teachers and false Doctrine This is the Cry of Parents to Children and Children to Parents and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sters to Servants and of Servants to Masters and chiefly it is the Cry of 〈◊〉 Priests to the people Take heed yoâ—â— be not 〈◊〉 c. Now to all this I do say That there are many Deceivers and many are 〈…〉 ved this is certainly true and plainly manifest But now to shew 〈…〉 Deceiver is and what it is to be deceived and who they are that ar◠〈◊〉 ceived First That is a Deceiver that Person that spirit or that thing that 〈…〉 eth or inticeth the Minds of people into something to do or practce 〈◊〉 speak something which the Lord by his Spirit doth not lead to I say That which leads the Creature to take up a Joy or a Delight 〈…〉 Happiness in something of this World which is under the Sun to place 〈…〉 fidence or felicity in such a thing that which thus leadeth or draweth the 〈…〉 whether it be person or spirit it is a Deceiver and deceiveth the Soul 〈…〉 or they that do follow this and give up themselves into the obedience 〈…〉 to do or speak something that is contrary to God or which his Spirit 〈…〉 not lead unto nor guide in this person is deceived of the Presence of the 〈◊〉 and of the Comfort and Joy and Happiness that is in him and hath pleâ—… and joy in something of the Creation that is not of him but besides 〈◊〉 and this Person is deceived and in Deceit who hath placed a Joy and Happiâ—… and Confidence in some Creature or thing that is not perfectly the Lord 〈…〉 another spirit besides the Spirit of the Lord hath seated it self in the 〈◊〉 and taken possession of the Mind and the Mind and Heart is thereby caâ—…ted by that way in the works and pleasures of this World and this is a â—…ved estate and thus much of a Deceiver and Deceiving in the ground in 〈◊〉 declared But now You that are crying one to another Be not deceived be not 〈◊〉 Are you not such as are deceived already and lie wallowing in the Deceit and Vanity and Evil of this World For while sin hath power over you and that Spirit that is not of God doth lead you you are deceived and thus it is with you being unchanged and unrenewed in Mind and Heart are not you deceived For you want the feeling of the Presence and of the Comfort of the Lord God and you are deceived of that for that you have not and another thing possesseth your minds and the
God and none knoweth the things of God saving by the 〈◊〉 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—… 〈◊〉 God and are a Declaration of all things which are to be believed and 〈◊〉 by the Children of the Lord so that the Scriptures are not the 〈◊〉 Rule neither do they teach to worship and serve God but the Spiâ—…â—â—ve forth the Scriptures that is the standing Rule in and through â—…tions and the Spirit doth reveal the Knowledge of God and how 〈…〉 〈◊〉 worshipped and served And thou sayst The Scriptures are the Word of God given by immediate Inâ—… 〈◊〉 God and that they are given to all men to be read And the Scripâ—…â—…cient to make the Man of God perfect and throughly furnished and 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—nto Salvation And the Scriptures are plain and easie to be 〈…〉 â—y the simplest and there is Milk in them for Babes and strong Meat for 〈◊〉 grown up â—… Christ is the Word of God and his Name is called The Word of 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 was in their Hearts that spake forth the Scriptures which were wrote 〈◊〉 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 â—…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 â—…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 unâ—…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 â—…dom that is from below and sensual cannot understand nor receive the â—…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 â—â—ither 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 â—…re and do set the Scriptures in their right place and give them their right Hâ—…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 〈◊〉 for strong Men and not in the Scriptures who testifie of Christ the Life and in them the Pharisâ—â—s thought to have Eternal Life but would not come 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 Bread and Water of Life for all the Children of the Lord who are 〈…〉 the Spirit And so thy Doctrines and thy Principles of thy Religion 〈◊〉 not sound nor agreeing with the Scriptures but contrary and by a 〈…〉 spirit and therefore we cannot be of thy mind but do truly 〈…〉 unlearned of the Father and knowest not the Way of Salvation and so 〈◊〉 canst not truly inform nor direct others And thou sayst Men are under a Necessity of multiplying Transgâ—… 〈…〉 3. 12. Ephes. 4. 17. 2. Pet. 4. Answ. In this thou hast erred and spoken contrary to sound Dâ—… 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 〈…〉 and why is that Necessity Transgression is of the Wicked One and 〈…〉 is of the Devil and there is no necessity for that upon any account 〈…〉 sin destroyes the Soul and is a Veâ—ation to the Lord God and a Câ—… 〈…〉 lasting Misery and for to act that there is no Necessity which hath 〈…〉 fects And thou hast perverted the Scriptures quoted by thee to prove 〈…〉 Assertion which I have set down for the Reader to peâ—…se that all â—… thou hast perverted them for they prove no such Doctrines as that 〈…〉 a Necessity of multiplying Transgression which thou hast affirmed and 〈…〉 the Scriptures to prove it which is first false doctrine uttered by thee it 〈◊〉 also a perverting of the Scriptures to maintain it and this two Evil◠〈◊〉 thou hast committed in one Work and because thou hast done Evil 〈…〉 at thy Door and there I will leave it And thou sayst To be justified is not to be really â—lâ—ansed from all Sin 〈…〉 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 〈…〉 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 other way then by receiving Christ and his Righteousness and being made Partâ—kers of it in their Hearts for the Apostle said If Christ be not in you 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 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
Lamb's Wife and she â—â—th appeared in much Beauty with a Golden Cup in her hand in which the Wine of her Fornications and the Filthiness thereof hath appeared and which she hath caused the Nations to drink and by her Sorceries and Witchcrafts she hath deceived the World and with her false Miracles and Shews and Images and false Ministers which she hath set up she hath corrupted the Earth and all this she hath done by the Beast's power that hath carried her who received his Authority from the Dragon and from the Devil And thus Antichrist the Beast and the Whore have ruled in the World in great Authority for many Generations and the World hath been as a Wilderness â—y them and waste and barren of all good Fruit and Truth and Faith â—â—th been departed from amongst men and Love and Peace â—â—th been far away and Murders Thefts Wars Strifes and all Injustice and Wickedness hath abounded in Nations and thus the whole Earth hath been corrupted through the Whore and false church who hath deceived Kings and Rulers and Peoples by her Inchantments and Sorceries which she hath caâ—â—ed them to receive at her hand and out of her Golden Cup of Abominations out of which they have drunk false doctrines and practices to the deceiving of their Souls and Bodies But now the Day of the Lord is come and coming and the Lamb's Kingdom is to be set up and the kingdoms of this World must be changed and 〈◊〉 covered again and will become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and the Marriage of the Lamb is come again and the Day of Glad-tidings 〈◊〉 to the Poor and to the Distressed and the Lamb's Wife shall be adorned 〈◊〉 her Husband she shall be clothed with the Sun and shall be covered with her former Beauty and shall be led out of the Wilderness and the Earth shall be refreshed and deliver'd from the Oppressions and Tyrannies of Antichrist and the Whore for the Hour of her Iudgments are come and the Darkness of the Night of woful Apostacy which hath clouded the World is passing over and the Light of the Lamb is risen and the Day-star hath appeared in the hearts of people and the Man of Sin which hath sate in the Temple and sheweâ—â—â—mself to be God and falsly exercised the Bodies and Consciences of deceived people in false ways and worships is discovering and destroying by the Spirit of 〈◊〉 Mouth and by the Brightness of the coming of Jesus and the Beast and the false Prophet shall be taken alive and cast into the Lake of Fire and the 〈◊〉 and false Prophet shall be tormented day and night forever for the Breath of Life from God is entred into the two Witnesses and they shall again Propheâ—y and the Light of the glorious Gospel that that long been hid must again be preached to Kindreds Tongues and Nations and the Kingdom of Christ Iesus 〈…〉 set up and these things is the Lord God Almighty bringing to pass And he will confound and destroy Antichrist and all that have worshipped him and 〈◊〉 that have worshipped the Beast a nd drunk the Cup of Fornication and commited â—â—â—latry with the great Whore they shall be taken and cast into the Bed of Torment and shall Weep and Houl because of the great Destruction of Babylon that great City who hath been the Glory of kingdoms and made rich her Merchants 〈◊〉 false Ministers with Deceiveableness whom God will overthrow That great 〈◊〉 City of Confusion the false church that great Whore the Mother of 〈◊〉 Abominations the â—ord God is risen against her to enquire for the Blood 〈◊〉 Martâ—rs and Prophets and Righteous Men that is found in her and she shall be rewarded according to her wayes and as she hath given others to drink 〈◊〉 Cup of Fornication so in like manner shall she drink the Cup of fierce 〈◊〉 of the Lord's Wrath from his Saints and she shall no more deceive the Nations by her Sorceries but the Earth shall be deliver'd from her and the Kingdom of the Son of God shall be exalted over all and the Light of the Lamb 〈◊〉 be the Light of all Nations and all that are saved shall walk in the Light of 〈◊〉 and Truth shall reign and the Fruit of Righteousness shall abound and all people shall glorifie God their Maker and the whole Earth shall be refreshed with the Mercy of him that made her Wherefore all ye Kings Princes Parliaments and Rulers through thâ— whole Christendom this is a Request unto you all of a Lover of your Immortâ—â— Souls That you will cease to commit Fornication with the great Whore and that you will not any longer drink her Cup of Iâ—â—â—atries neither that you will cause Nations to drink it neither that you will carry the great Whore any more nor receive her Sorcâ—ries 〈◊〉 Inchantments to deceive your Souls and Bodies And this the Lord God Almighty who ought to be the Fear and Dread of all Nations requireth of you and 〈◊〉 is a Charge to you in the Presence of the Lord God That 〈◊〉 do not any loâ—gâ—â— defend the great City Babylon and the false Church with your Weapons 〈…〉 and Oppression neither that you will ever any more oppress the persons and Consciences of people on her part and on her defence but that 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—â—st off the Whore and not suffer her to sit upon you and 〈◊〉 you will not be Servants to her to execute her Cruelties upon the Bodies 〈◊〉 Consciences of People For these things have you done and therefore 〈◊〉 Lord displeased with you and therefore deliver your selves from the Aâ—… of the false Church and receive not her Delusions neither imâ—… 〈◊〉 upon the people under you for now the Judgments of the great Whore â—… and the time that the Lord will reward her according to her wayes 〈…〉 shall have the Fruit of her doings And if you will yet uphold her 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Fornication with her and compel the Nations to drink of her 〈◊〉 and cause all people to worship the Beast and to receive his Mark as it 〈◊〉 â—â—en Then the Lord shall execute his Vengeance upon you and you shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wise â—e delivered Wherefore I say again unto you Arise out of Darkness and come to the Brightness of the Light of the Morning even to the Son's Appearance and receive his Kingdom and lay down your Crowns at his Feet for the Lamb is risen whose Crown is Immortal and ye and all your Glory and Greatness and 〈◊〉 and Power is but as Dust and Ashes before him and he can break you 〈◊〉 and never build you up again And come out of great Babylon and 〈◊〉 your City for the Day of the Lord will suddenly come upon you for great Babylon is come into remembrance before the Lord to reward her with great â—â—dignation Wherefore this is a Call unto you Lay aside your Inquisitions your Goals and Houses of Correction and Prisons and all your Torturing
and persecuting of the Persons and Consciences of People about Worship Church and Miniâ—â—ry for in these things and by these Weapons you have defended the Whore 〈◊〉 through the force of your violent Laws and cruel Impositions unjustly laid 〈◊〉 people hath the Whore the false church been carried by you and deâ—…ded by you But lay aside all your cruel Weapons and not persecute nor 〈◊〉 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 â—â—ve been the Carriers of her the Defenders and Preservers of her by your â—…ighteous Laws and through you hath she sate as a Queen thinking she 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 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 Natiâ—â— and Nations and their Rulers and on the contrary dependeth their overthrow and destruction and this will speedily be brought to pass 〈…〉 fore come out of Babylon and deliver your selves from that bondage 〈…〉 with the false Church hath bound you she hath caused you to drink hee 〈…〉 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 yâ—◠〈…〉 been Servants to the great Whore and being in Bondage your selâ—… 〈…〉 have brought all in bondage under you but now the Lord is 〈…〉 Times and Things and Powers and happy are you if you dâ—liver your 〈…〉 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 〈…〉 if ye be disobedient and take part continually with the Whore y◠〈…〉 partake of her Judgments And this hath the Lord spoken to you 〈…〉 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 â—ommitted and you partly know how many of them are this day in Bonds â—nd it is no less strange to us that such frequent and heavy Sufferings for matâ—ers of Conscience should come upon us and our Brethren who for the â—ost part have been Instruments with you and others for casting off that Yoke 〈◊〉 Oppression which at the beginning of the late Wars lay upoâ— the Hoâ—…est People of this Land which made many flee into strange Nations and to â—…eek Habitations in the Deserts but we wonder the more that they should come â—rom 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 â—â—to Câ—…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
be an Offence not to put off the Hat and give Respect to the Person of him that hath a Gold Ring and fine Apparel Hath not all the Earthly Lordship and Tyranny and Oppression sprung from this Ground by which Creatures have been exalted and set up one above another trampling under Foot and despising the Poor And is it not easie to see that Power and Authority without contempt may be preserved the Power Honoured and Obeyed and submitted unto and the Person Respected Hath not the great and heavy Oppressions of the Law been long felt and cryed out against the long delays in Courts and the great Fees of Officers which causeth many to be excessively rich out of the Ruins of the Poor which hath brought an Odium upon the Law it self for to the Poor the Remedy is worse then the Disease and while people are free to feed this Deceit there is little hope to have it amended And how full of Lyes Deceit Pretences and needless Circumstances are all your Pleadings and Proceedings to the burden of many mens Consciences and ruin of their Estates And how vile and wicked are the greatest of Lawyers that will plead any thing for Money and by their Subtilties do most commonly hide and cover the Truth And when do the Judges reprove it And how Treacherous and Deceitful are the Solicitors and Attorneys that Truth or Honesty can scarce be found amongst them And how do those eat up the People as it were Bread and grow Great and Rich by raising and increasing Suits Troubles Strifes and Debates amongst their Neigbours And we seeing these Oppressions are made to bear our Witness against them and cannot uphold them and our Testimony shall not be in vain And how is the Power given to Justices and Judges to bind to the Peace and Good Behaviour being left to their Discretion turned against the most peaceable and best-behaved Persons amongst men meerly because they cannot bow to their wills and hold their Tongues when the Lord requires them to speak Do you commend Christ Jesus his Apostles and Saints who were sent to preach the Gospel and travelled from City to City from Nation to Nation from Country to Country that the ends of Earth might hear the Glad-tidings of Salvation And do you commend those they called Puritans for going many Miles to worship the Lord and do you now condemn those that practice the same things Would not your Law against Vagabonds have taken hold on Christ and his Ministers and hindred their Work by it have many honest and good People suffered most shameful Whippings and Imprisonments who were travelling in their own Country about their outward and lawful Occasions that were of considerable Estates and could not be counted Vagabonds And what use is made of this Law throughout the Nation you cannot but hear Are not these things like the Sayings of those who said Had they lived in the dayes of the Prophets they would not have persecuted and put them to death and yet they crucified Christ and so the Cry is at this day against the Jews for their Cruelty when themselves are found exercising the same things against his Saints and Members Long hath the Beast reigned who usurped power in these things and the false Prophets who have over-spread the Earth and the great Whore who have made all Nations drunk with their Abominations and the Wine of their Fornications with whom the Kings of the Earth have committed Adâ—ltery whom Christ said should come and before the Apostles decease did come who went out from the Apostles and put on their Clothing but inwardly were Destroyers Ravening Wolves which the whole World went after who turned against the Saints who kept to the Spirit the Life which they went from and made War with the Saints till they overcame and their Power reached over the whole Earth But now is the life risen and is again made manifest which they went from which gives to see before the Apostacy was Now is the Lamb risen and rising to make War with the Dragon the Beast and false Prophets and now shall the great Whore be taken and her Flesh shall be burnt with Fire and the Saints shall have the Victory Therefore let all Kings Princes Rulers and Magistrates he warned not to take part with the Beast nor to uphold with their power the false Prophets who have long deceived the Nations but in their Place stand to keep the outward Peace that none may offer Violence and destroy another which hath been the way of the Beast and of the false Prophets the Prop and Support of their Kingdom but leave Christ Jesus in his Saints to mannage the War whose Warfare is not carnal whose Weapons are not carnal yet are they mighty through God to the pulling down of the Strong Holds of Satan and overturning the Foundation of Satan's kingdom and they shall soon see what is Truth and what is Error for great is the Truth and will prevail they shall not need to cry out for want of Ministers or that Christ Jesus is not able to send forth Labourers nor will those he sends forth trouble them for Maintenance and here is the Magistrates true Place to keep Peace amongst all men to punish him that doth Evil and to encourage him that doth well to rule the Kingdoms of the Earth in Righteousness that Justice and Equity may be exalted and that way may be made for the Lord Jesus Christ who is coming to reign and to take the Dominion to himself and we are Witnesses in our Measures of his Coming and of the working of his Mighty Power by which he is able to subdue all things to himself And this is the Testimony unto which we are called and many Thousands with us in the Unity of the same Spirit And Witnesses we stand against Priests Tythes Temples Swearing and all the carnal wayes of Worship set up and upholden by outward Laws and Powers which would limit and restrain the Spirit of the Lord which is grieved and daily cries out against these Abominations Witnesses we stand against Parliaments Councels Judges Justices who make or execute Laws in their wills over the Consciences of men or punish for Conscience sake and to such Laws Customs Courts or Arbitrary usurped Dominion we cannot yield our Obedience Yet we do declare as it is testified in all Counties Cities Goals and Prisons to Judges Justices and others That as we preach Christ Iesus alone in the things of God to be our Law-Giver so do we own him to be our King and own Magistacy in civil things not resisting any but following his Example who was made perfect through Suffering and for his Salvation we wait till he alone shall plead our Cause and therefore for Conscience sake we have joyfully born and do bear so many and great Sufferings since the day we were convinced of his Everlasting Truth These things we have declared not to upbraid you with the Injustice of others nor to
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 â—ull authority by them in whom it dwells in whomsoever it 〈◊〉 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
heady and high-minded men and covetous and Proud and went in the way of Balaam for Gifts and Rewards and that through Covetousness with feigned words made Merchandize of Souls And are not you like them that Iohn saw were coming in in his dayes That went out from them and that went into the world that were of the world and spoke of the world and the world heard them and which the World went after and are not you of them that have deceived the whole World that hath been of the Whore that hath caused all Nations to drink her Cup and of them that have made War against the Saints and against the Lamb of that stock of the false Prophets that wrought Miracles in the sight of the Beast and the World wonders after the Beast and the Beast hath carried the Whore and he hath compelled and caused all to worship him and the Whore caused all to drink of the Cup of her Fornication Are not these things so may not the Witness of God in all mens Consciences truly answer hereunto and condemn you to be such as were the false Prophets and the Hirelings and the Deceivers against whom the Prophets Christ and the Apostles gave witness Yea it is manifest that you are in the same way and of the same Generation and that you follow the same spirit because you shew forth the same works And are not you like the Papists and the Iesuits was it not by the Authority of the Pope of Rome that your very way of making Ministers was ordained at Schools and Colledges and was it not the Papists and in their dayes that the general part of your Church-Discipline and Government the Call of your Ministers and Practise of them and Maintenance of them was it not first set up by the Papists Was not this way of Tythes first established by the Church of Rome and do not you follow the Papists herein in receiving Tythes and Gleab-lands and Easter-Reckonings and Midsummer-Dues which you hold up and would destroy them that will not give you such things and therefore are not you like the Papists and Jesuits yea we know that the Church of England is but newly come out of the Womb of Popery and hath the Symptoms thereof upon her at this very day in many things yea the Testimony of God in all people may witness hereunto And so it is the very trick of the Whore to cry out against others and to charge others with that which she is guilty of her self but now it will not cover them to slander others that themselves may seem clear for the Lord is opening peoples Hearts and giving them a Spirit to discern all things And whereas the Author speaks against the Quakers for crying against Cuffs Caps and for using Thee and Thou and for crying against Pulpits and Hour-Glasses and for such things and for owning Revelation and for holding the free Grace of God to be given unto all and because of Trembling and Quaking and saying Our Writings are given forth by the same infallible Spirit that the Scriptures were given out by and for crying down the Ministers Maintenance and for calling some of them Vipers and Serpents To all this I answer It is your Generation that makes a great noise about thee and thou and Cuffs and Caps for we in plainness and simplicity do speak the proper Language thee and thou to a single Person and it is the proud and exalted Minds of Men that are offended hereat which Pride and Arrogancy hath eaten out the very Sincerity and the property of Speech also and you are offended at us because of it and for crying against your Cuffs and Boot-hose-tops and Ribbands and Points we cry against all these things as not becoming the Ministers of Christ but as being of the World in the Pride and Vanity and Superfluity abusing the Creation which the Lord will judge among you And as for having an hour-Glass and preaching thereby and as for your carnal Bells which you call people by we do disown these things and say They are old popish inventions for the Ministers of Christ never limitted their spirits to an hour-Glass neither had they a carnal Bell to call people to their Worship and as for Revelation we do own that the Spirit of God doth reveal Truth to us and God hath revealed Christ in us and none ever shall know God but by Revelation For none knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him And as for Free Grace we say The Grace of God hath appeared to all men and it teacheth the Saints to deny Ungodliness but the Wicked turns it into wantonness and doth dispite unto the Spirit of Grace and we also say That who now speaks or are moved to write forth by the Spirit of God they speak and write by the same Spirit that is infallible that the Scriptures were given forth by And as for your Maintenance it is altogether Abominable and Oppression to the Nation and the Lord is against it your taking Peoples Goods and casting them into Prison that will not pay you Wages and give you Tythes against their Consciences And be not offended at being called Vipers and Serpents for these are the Works of venemous Vipers and stinging Serpents which persecute the Servants of God and cryes to the Magistrates for help against a poor People that useth no Weapons at all against you saving that of the Spirit of God and though we do thus to you to the false Ministers to cry against them and give our witness against them in the Name of the Lord yet we do not deny the true Ministers of Christ nor speak any thing against them which are the true Ministers that have received the Ministry of Righteousness by the Gift of the holy Spirit which all that are true Ministers do receive their Ministry thereby And whereas thou sayest we are bitter Enemies to the Doctrine of Iustification and agree with the Cavelierish Party and would silence godly Ministers and are Iâ—suitical and such like things thou falsly chargeth upon us and that we have a not able faculty to delude ignorant unstable Souls c. Answ. These are but the Author's Reproaches and his Slanders he hath filled his Mouth with against the Innocent and he hath set his Tongue on the Fire of Hell to slander the â—ust and the Innocent and all these things we bear in patience counting Reproaches for Christ our chiefest Riches and thus to the substance of this Paper I have given an answer whereby all that love the Lord and desire to be informed in the Truth may receive satisfaction for it is seen that that Generation of Priests are joyned with the prelatical Cavelierish Party and this is known at large in the Nation in the North especially and so as I said they would fain slander others that themselves might seem clear but the Lord will rebuke him and his lying Tongue and the Innocent shall be delivered
from his devouring Lips And as for any other thing in his Paper it is not worth answering to nor worth minding but his wickedness will turn upon his own head and he shall bear the burthen of his own words onely he queries whether this be not the Pestilence that walks in Darkness And the Flouds that the Dragon hath cast out of his Mouth to drown the Woman Is not this the mark of the Beast who opened his Mouth in Blasphemy And are not these the Unclean Spirits that came out of the Mouth of the Dragon and out of the Mouth of the false Prophet Answ. Now the Pestilence that walks in Darkness is the Plague that is out of the Light Sin and Death and Misery which smites the Ungodly and he sees it not And the Floods which the Dragon cast out is the Floods of Persecution and Cruelty viz. The imprisoning until death and spoiling peoples Goods for Tythes and Money as the Priests have done And the Dragon gave power to the Beast that compell'd all to worship and that carried the Whore the false church and the true Church has bin fled into the Wilderness for many Generations and the false church the Whore has sate as a Queen and given her cup to drink the false church of Rome and the false church of the Protestants all which are of the Whore these have all been carried by the Beast which the Dragon gave his power to and they have all persecuted the Woman the true Church the Mark of the Beast he compell'd people to receive compell'd them to worship and they open their mouthes in Blasphemy that deny Christ and deny the Light and that say they are Iews and are not this is Error and Blasphemy which the Beast opens his mouth in against the Saints and against them that dwell in Heaven and the unclean spirits are the spirits of Devils that are out of the Truth and these the Dragon casts our in Slanders and Reproaches and Lyes such as this Author has done and of that Generation is he Christ said False Prophets should come and Iohn saw in his dayes they were come and he saw the world gone after them of that Generation are you and now the Lord is gathering people from you again and Babylon must fall and all her Merchants howl and weep and these things have been which the Scripture speaks of the Woman is now coming out of the Wilderness again and the Whore must be rewarded and sorrow is coming upon her as she has done unto the Saints so shall the Saints do unto her And in the Conclusion he saith Worthy Sir to this Member of Parliament it will be your Honour to stand in the Gap to stop the violence of this Hellish Torrent that is so high that it sounds from Dan to Beersheba and threatens Iudgment to our Israel c. Answ. Here is the Conclusion of thy matter which is the sum of it a running to the Powers of the Earth for help what have you Ministers lost the Lord to be your strength that you must flee for help to men to defend you from the Spirit of God in his People Must they make Laws to establish you and set you up Is not this the Whore that road upon the Beast and that the Beast carries Is not here a Description of her out of the mouth of this Author Is he crying to you to persecute the Innocent It is true the Seed of God is risen the Elect Seed that is able to make War against the Beast and against the false Prophets even with the Word of the Lord and is he offended that Truth is risen so high and would he have some Fire and Faggot again in Smithfield and some Persecution and Banishment acted upon the People of God Is this the standing in the Gap and stopping Violence or would he have it done this way Yea Judgments indeed are threatned to your Generation for if God will not destroy you soon enough you will destroy your selves and your own Iniquity will be upon you and the wickedness of the Wicked shall slay him But my Counsel is not only to that particular Member but to the whole Body of them That they be wise and take heed what they do for the Eye of the Lord is over you and his Hand can dash you in pieces and if you be Oppressors of the People of God and will not relieve the Oppressed the Innocent and break the Bonds of Oppression the Lord will break you in pieces for this is the Rock that hath broken all before you Persecuting people for Conscience sake and if you go in this way your Destruction shall be the most lamentable of any that was ever yet before you Do you not yet see the Wickedness of this Generation will you yet contend for them Surely you might learn Wisdom even by their Folly and if you do not shut your eyes there needs no more discovery then their own present wayes and works Wherefore consider the Day of God's Visitation is upon you make good use of your time lest the Lord breaks you down and never build you up and let the Spirit of the Lord have its Liberty and limit it not for if you do you shall never prosper nor never be made a Blessing unto the people under your Charge Remember you are warned by a Lover of your Souls ANd Friends Great Things hath the Lord done in these Nations in your dayes and that by the Face of your Authority and there has a Spirit stirred in some of you and in the Army which the Lord hath appear'd with and yet the Work of the Lord is not finished but greater things then these hath the Lord to accomplish amongst us and in this Nation and these things that have come to pass have been but as the preparing of the way for the bringing about of greater things It is true many Mountains have been removed and some Oppressions taken off and excellent things have bin promised and doubtless by some of you really intended but alas the Work hath long remain'd unfinished and many of your best Friends are almost weary with waiting to receive the end of their Hopes and Desires and many are even fainting concerning the Good Old Cause though of late it hath seem'd to be revived by you yet it goes but easily forwards and even so little is its growth since your late Meeting that many are thinking themselves to be in a deceiv'd condition by you Why They see that wicked Clergy's Interest more prospering then the just Freedom of the People And this I say unto you in the Name of the Lord That while that Interest of this false Priesthood I mean is so much favoured and defended you can never prosper nor the Nations be ever happy under you for it is one of the greatest Oppressions this day in the Nation the maintaining and upholding of this Ministry by Tythes and other unrighteous Wages and the
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 Iesuiâ—â—s 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
Transgression they might come to be healed and come into Christ the Power and Wisdom of God and might be saved Again as they were Soldiers and as they were an Army I was moved to speak much unto them that they might know what their service was there in that state sometime saying unto them It was possible the Lord might have some good work to do by them if they were faithful and not seek themselves but the Glory of the Lord. And at one time being sent for by Governor Lockhart where there were many Officers with him and we had much discourse with them and this lay upon me to declare in the Name of the Lord unto them that if they did enterprize any business as they were an Army in a spirit in opposition unto us and in that spirit that did reject us and deny us and gain-say us then should they never prosper in any enterprize whatsoever but if they went on in any degree in the Fear of the Lord and in that Spirit that was among us then should they overcome their Enemies and none should have power over them nor overcome them And after I was parted from them this following Paper was upon me to write unto the whole Army in general both to Officers and Soldiers To the English Army to Officers and Souldiers Friends I Am moved to clear my Conscience unto you in the sight of the Lord to warn you that you may all learn Wisdom and the Fear of the Lord God and may stand in his Counsel alwayes for that will be a defence unto you at all times and therein will you prosper in the Lord's Work and chiefly unto you the small remnant of our English Army in and about Dunkirk I say unto you Officers and Souldiers Fear the Lord God and walk in his Wisdom and every particular Person amongst you inquire of the Lord â—hat he requires of you inquire of the Lord I say and know his Will and be obedient unto it in all things and so shall you prosper in standing in God's Counsel and in performing his Will and so shall you be exalted and have victory over your Enemies even as you seek the Honour of the Lord and his Glory for if you honour him and do that which is acceptable to him he will honour you and set you atop of all your Enemies and he will make way through the Mountains even by you for the further appearance of his Glory and he will honour you as his Work-men if you be faithful to him and walk in his Counsel and Wisdom till he hath prepared his own way by you for assuredly it is not in vain but the Lord had some end in it to himself in bringing you to that Place and what do you know but he may have some good Work for you to do It is possible there is more in his Heart and in his Purpose concerning you then yet may be discovered to you wherefore it is good for you that you wait upon the Lord to know his Will fully concerning you that you may do it and fulfill it and therein shall be your Crown but on the contrary dependeth your misery and destruction And this I do know That the Lord hath owned and honoured our English Army and done good things for them and by them in these Nations in our Age and the Lord once armed them with the spirit of courage and zeal against many Abominations and he was with them in many things he called them to and gave them Victory and Dominion over much Injustice and Oppression and cruel Laws and he was with them till that a spirit of vain Glory and Ambition and Self seeing and the Honour of this World entered into some and defiled the whole Body and made it deformed and void of its former beauty and of its valour and nobleness also at which the Anger of the Lord was kindled and against you also was his Hand turned with the loss of his Presence because the sincerity and the faithful Principle was almost choaked and the Good eaten out from amongst you by the false spirit of Self-seeking and Vain Glory which was entered into the Hearts of many but this is to the Army in general and to say no more of it to you onely that you might search your own hearts and may be purged and may again return to the old spirit of Righteousness which will reach after the liberty of the people and the freedom of the Nations and that all Oppression may be broken down to the dust before you and be subdued by you as your Prey and that there be no more a looking back by you for rest and ease in the flesh in great Houses of residence till you have visited Rome and inquired after and sought out the Innocent Blood that is buried therein and avenge the Blood of the Guiltless through all the Dominions of the Pope the Blood of the Just it cryes through Italy and Spain and the time is come that the Lord will search it and seek it out and repay it and it would be your honour to be made use of by the Lord in any degree in order to this matter whether the Lord will revenge the grievous blood-guiltiness that lies upon them by himself without an Instrument or whether by you or others as an Instrument whether this way or another that God will do it this I determine not but this I do know The time is not long that he will one way or another avenge and revenge the Blood of the Just upon the murderous Head and this I also believe that the Lord will do it or make way hereunto even by you the men of our English Nation if you be faithful to him and do what he requires of you for what are these few poor Islands that you have run through and laid many Mountains low they are but little in comparison of the great part of Christendom in which Idolatry and grievous Oppressions do abound which the Hand of the Lord is against and which he will take Vengeance upon Oh did you but see and perfectly know the Cruelties the Oppressions the Idolatries the Murders and all whatsoever that is Evil both in Civil and Ecclesiastical State that is brought forth and rules in full Power in all the Pope's Dominions I do say Were you but fully acquainted with all these things and also of the purpose of the Lord which is speedily to visit them with his Rod it would awaken you and stir you up and it would set your spirits on fire of a great Zeal with Desires of no greater Honour then to be Instruments in any degree towards the executing of so goodâ— a Work even towards the relieving of the Oppressed and breaking the Bâ—nds of Cruelty that the Nations may come to Rest and may no more be captivated with the Chains of Antichrist I do say it would be your greatest Honour to be Instruments in such a Work and do you know what
the Lord's Purpose is concerning you onely this I do know The Lord hath a love to the men of our Nation and there is a spirit in them most fitting for such a work even the Zeal of the Lord hath appeared and is beginning to appear against Babylon and against Rome the Seat of the Whore and the Kingdom of Antichrist shall be thrown down and the Righteous People shall go free and Nations shall worship the Lord but there are many Mountains in the way wherefore hew down the Tops strike at the Branches make way that the Ax may be laid to the Root of the Tree that your Sword and the Sword of the Lord may neither leave Root nor Branch of Idolatry Oppressions and Tyranny which the Nations are held in slavery under and oppressed withal to the grieving of the Righteous Soul and vexing of the Spirit of the Lord. Oh how great is their Idolatries you see a little part thereof amongst you oh what false feigned deceitful and hypocritical Services do they practice their Images their Pictures and their praying before them which is Idolatry their Candles burning and their Organs and Instruments of Musick and feigned singing all this is Idolatry and Superstition and a vexation to the Lord and that Law which imposeth them upon people contrary to a good Conscience and that Law which condemns others as Hereticks that will not worship thus and that Power that kills and destroyes those that act against those Worships Laws and Powers ought ye to make war against and to claim a disanulling of all such Laws and Authorities by which this Idolatry is imposed upon Peoples Consciences and established in the Nations and by which many are destroyed and condemned who cannot bow to their Idolatries such Laws are not to stand before you for these be the Bryars and Thorns which cover the great Mountains whom the Whore sitteth upon which the Lord will judge did you but know all their Unrighteous Laws Murders and all Cruelties which are abounding among them and they have a despensation to commit Unrighteousness those Laws ought to be judged and destroyed and your Sword is to be lifted up against them It is the Lord's Work I know to make men truely religious but yet the Lord may work by you to break down the Bryars and Thorns and Rocks and Hills that have set themselves against the Lord and which keep People under the Chains of Idolatry so that they commit Idolatry and are compelled to it and defended in it even by a Law but the Lord will confound all this either by means or without means for such is their Oppression in their Ecclesiastical State and their Unjust Laws whereby their Church is established and defended that it causeth the very Earth to mourn and the Spirits of the Righteous to faint and their Hearts to fail because of Oppression to Murder and Steal and Rob and to commit Adultery these are counted little Sins amongst them they are even tolerated and pardoned by the Pope for a little Money and if they slay a Man and wilfully murder him they can run to their Altar there they can have a Dispensation of a wicked Pardon and here is a Law that tolerates Murder and the greatest Sins wherewhereby it is hard for any that fears God for to be amongst them and Blood blood lies upon their whole Dominions and the Guilty go free and uncondemned and the Innocent suffer unjustly for if any diminish from about their Mass-houses to the value of a Peny that is death by their Law while Murder is tolerated and here is nought but Tyranny and Oppression abounding even great Mountains which must be thrown down and for which the Sword of the Lord must come upon them and God will make their Riches and their falsely consecrated Vessels and Treasures even a spoil and a prey unto you if you be faithful unto the Lord wherefore all you Officers fear the Lord God and be not ambitious nor vain-glorious nor seek not your selves to gain unto your selves Kingdoms to exalt your own Horn for if you go in this way and if this be your end then your end shall be frustrated and you shall not prosper for the Lord will lay you aside with shame unto you but let it be your work and your aim to require and demand the disâ—nulling of their Inquisitions and cruel Laws both in their Church and civil State and that Christ alone may exercise the Peoples Consciences neither be ye as Lords nor Tyrants over your poor Soldiers but be ye loving and meek towards them I say unto you Officers and to all you that bear rule in the Army Be loving and kind and gentle unto all under your Authority and be not as Tyrants nor Oppressors over your poor Soldiers but be Examples of all goodness unto them and give them no evil Example in your lives and conversations but lead them in the Fear of the Lord and know a measure of his Wisdom in you whereby you may walk before them and they may possess their freedoms in their Conditions and may not be as Slaves to you but as Servants to the Lord in their places and herein shall you be blessed as you fulfill that which the Lord requires And likewise unto all the Soldiers I say That ye may be sober and moderate and faithful to the Lord and not go in the Excess and Superfluity of this Creation but may be all kept low in your Hearts and tender towards God and obey them that have power over you in all things which are just and be not deboist nor given to Vanity but all of you both Officers and Soldiers live in that which keeps your Consciences void of offence and that you may be clear and free in your own spirits from the Abominations of the Nations and then you will be a Terror to the Evil in all People wheresoever you come and being clear and free in the sight of the Lord having no sin lying upon your Consciences then shall you face your Enemies with courage and not fear death but shall be ready to lay down your lives for a Testimony of Jesus in a good Cause and upon good Engagements and if the Lord be your Fear then no man can make you afraid but you will be in that which overcometh the Unrighteous Power within you and without you also and here is the true honour and in this it doth consist in victory over all that which is contrary to God and here is the true Way to Happiness and Prosperity in this Life and in the Life to come by seeking his Glory and not your own and all of you come to the Light of Christ that Christ hath lighted you withall and that will teach you all things what you ought to do and what you ought not to do for that Light of Christ within you ought to be the Guide of all the Children of Men in every State Place and Condition and upon this you
are to wait for Counsel to receive it from the Lord by that of him made manifest within you and as for all your outward Teachers that have used their Tongues amongst you and said The Lord saith it when God hath not spoken to them nor sent them and that preach for Hire and Sums of Money and these are them that cannot profit the People nor ever bring you to the Knowledge of God nor give you Counsel from the Lord and if you seek to uphold them and defend them against the Power of the Lord and his Word which is gone forth against them then shall you not prosper but fall with them and if you do enterprize any work in that spirit that doth oppose the Spirit of Christ Iesus in his people you can never have good success but the Lord will confound you before your Enemies And so now that you may all come into the New Covenant to be taught of the Lord and to be far from all Oppression this is the thing that you are all to wait for and to know the Power of the Lord and to go on in that against Unrighteous Men and Unrighteous Laws which are set up in the Nations that they may be destroyed and brought under and yet though such a Victory would be honourable unto you yet there is a Victory more Honourable to wit The Victory over Sin and Death and the Devil in your selves and that you are to mind and there is a Kingdom which is not of this World which cannot be obtained by an Outward Sword and this Kingdom are you to wait for that you may know it and feel it in your own particulars and this is the Doctrine of the Gospel of Peace unto you and the Glad-tidings held forth unto all of you come into the Power of the Lord and mind it that you may be lead by it and then may you be fit Instruments for the Lord to work by And take heed how you oppose those whom the Lord hath sent and is sending abroad in the Nations to proclaim the Mighty Day of the Lord they are no Enemies to you nor to any mans Person and therefore be tender over them for they go about the Lord's Work of this I warn you all in the Presence of the Lord. And so you dwelling in the Power of the Lord there is nothing shall destroy you nor confound you but you shall have Victory over all your Enemies within you and without you and the Lord will make you a Dread and a Fear to the Nations And so this is a Warning unto you all both Officers and Souldiers that you may mind what the Work of the Lord God is in the Nations Your Work hath been and may be honourable in its Day and Season but he hath a Work more honourable to work after you that is To destroy the Kingdom of the Devil and the ground of Wars And your Victory hath been of the Lord but there is a more honourable Victory to be waited for even the Victory over Sin and so we are the Friends of the Creation that do preach this Victory and this Kingdom and Peace which is Endless and Everlasting and which many are come into And as for the many and divers sorts of Worship which are come up since the dayes of the Apostles and are of the Whore and not of the true Church they are all to be thrown down and the Worship that is in Spirit and Truth to be set up by the Lord and he is gathering people into that Worship but if you be out of the Fear of God in the Rudeness and Wickedness of the World and seek your selves and not the Freedom of the Nations only then the Lord will lay you aside as a broken Pot-sheard and raise up unto himself a People that shall fulfil his work and do it for he hath much Work to do in the Nations for he is gathering his Elect Seed and changing the Kingdoms of the World and making them become the Kingdoms of Christ and so be low in your own eyes and do not seek your selves but seek one anothers Good and seek the Glory of the Lord and the Freedom of the Oppressed and in that you will be blessed and prosper till you have set up your Standard at the Gates of Rome I am a Lover of all your souls and a Sufferer in Patience under the Cruelties of men E. B. And some small Discourse we had with our English Priests that supply the Place of Chaplins to the Army and in particular one of them which had spoken something behind our backs against us and we proffer'd to have some discourse with him but he refused it only to evade the matter at that present he bid us state some of our Principles in writing and he would answer them in dispute in some publick place and being he was not willing to engage to dispute otherwise we were free to write this following Paper but we had no answer in agreement to dispute with us but shifted the thing from himself by telling us The Governour was 〈◊〉 willing But this was not the same Priest before mention'd that we had discourse with at our first coming into the Town Friend FOr the manifestation of Truth and that the perfect difference between thee and us may be known and who are in the Truth and who in the Error and that Truth from Error may be clearly discerned therefore according to thy own Proposals and expressed Desires thereof before many we do here assert some Particulars of that Truth which we have receâ—â—ed from God and do hold forth and maintain in the World in opposition to thee or any other that shall gainsay them viz. 1. That Christ hath lightened all men with a Light sufficient in it self to bring them to Salvation if they follow it 2. That God hath given Christ to be the Saviour of all men 3. That none are justified by Christ and his Righteousness without them but as they have receiv'd Christ and his Righteousness and witness them reveal'd in themselves 4. That the Saints of God may be perfectly freed from Sin in this life so as no more to commit it 5. That the National Ministers and Churches not only of Papists but of the Protestâ—â—ts also as they now stand are not the true Ministers and Churches of Christ. 6. That the Scriptures are a true Declaration given forth from the Spirit of God by holy Men of God moved by it to write them and are profitable but are not the Foundation nor the most perfect Rule of Faith and Life to the Saints These things we are freely willing and desirous to discourse upon with thy self and any others that shall joyn with thee in the presence of sober and wise men who may judge between us in any publick Place that may be procured by thee according to thy Engagements in this Particular provided it may be in the Spirit of Meekness and Moderation and that all fair
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 Hâ—re 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 â—â—rt 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 persâ—â—ute any Sect whatsoever but let them all have their couâ—se 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 preâ—câ—ing and 〈◊〉 and they will curse you in the Name of their God and seek continually yoâ—â— destruction as such as have taken away part of their strength and cast down their 〈◊〉 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 â—â—to 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 Disoâ—edient 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 yâ—â— 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 〈◊〉 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 substâ—â—ce 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 Câ—â—â—â—sion And therefore ye men Do not strive with him in this matter but yield unto 〈◊〉 the Exercise of your own Consciences by his Spirit in you and let him do 〈◊〉 â—â—to all others even as ye hope to prosper and upon the Penalty of his sore Dâ—â—â—leasure upon you in this World and in the World to come and let Jâ—â—â— 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 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 Hireling Rulers that execute the Law for Money and will not plead 〈◊〉 Cause of the Poor without great Fees And down with all that will not 〈◊〉 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 Aboâ—…ons in the Sight of God and the Land hath long groaned under the wâ—ight and burden of these things and the Earth is weary of them and my Lord â—…iers their utter Dissolution as being Iniquities fully ripe and having the gâ—ilâ— 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
is insufficient to maintain his own Cause and to uphold the Rights and Priviledges of his own Kingdom Do you think that he hath need of you or a Multitude of wild and heady Men and Youth to fight in his Cause to uphold his Gospel and Ministry and Ministers Alas no you are deceived in this matter for his own Arm shall do all this and he will do it without you and not be beholding to you in this matter His Gospel nor the Priviledges of it shall not fall the true Ministry the Preaching and Dispensing of God's Word and Ordinances shall not perish though you be silent for the Lord by his own Power will maintain and carry on these things and all others belonging to his Kingdom without the help of Mortal Men or without the help of the Arm of Flesh so that you may put up your Swords and be still in this matter and leave it to God who is sufficient for these things without a multitude of men or without the Arm of Flesh For I must tell you that the faithful Teachers of God's Word and the faithful Ministry desire not your help to prosecute their Cause and the Cause of the Gospel but they trust to the Lord to be maintained countenanced and encouraged by him alone who is sufficient in that cause though its true the false Ministers and the antichristian Teachers through all Christendom for many Generations they have sought unto the Arm of flesh to set them up to maintain and defend them and their Gospel and false Church thus it is through the Popes Dominion and among some Protestants also they cry unto the Magistrates unto the Kings and Parliaments for the making cruel Laws to defend them and to the rude world they cry Help us and save us and defend us by fighting with Carnal Weapons for Heresies and Errors and such like and they stand in their Ministry in their Call to it and Maintenance of it and defence in it by the Arm of flesh and their Church is upheld thereby also but this is but Antichrists way and these are Antichrists Ministers and his false Church hereby is defended in the World and this shews that the Weapon of the Spirit of God is wanted by them which the Apostles had and it s very doubtful O ye Apprentices of London that your Ministers have prayed you and preached you into such a work as that you should stand up to maintain them and fight for them and their church against such that do oppose them but I must tell you if their Defence be not in another hand then in yours they are like to come to perpetual ruin and their Gospel and their Teaching and their Sacraments their Church cannot stand if they have not the Lord's Help more then yours And as for the Universities which you contend for alas many of you are ignorant concerning them and what Abomination is committed among them oh if you knew but the Prophaneness and Ungodliness and Ill-education that is among them it would turn your zeal for them backwards and it s not from humane Studies that the faithful Ministers of Christ come but who are so indeed are made so by the Gift of God's Eternal Spirit both in this Age and in Ages past So that O ye Apprentices Be still be still and do not ruin your selves and your City by Rage and Fury and Disorders upon such a Proceeding for your ground of Quarrel is not perfectly good nor your Endeavour in the Cause aforesaid well accepted with the Lord. But if your Quarrel be upon the account or about the matter of Church and Ministry leave that to the Lord and to your Ministers that they may defend themselves their Church and Ordinances and Worship by the Spirit of God if they have it for that is the Weapon of Ministry Church and Gospel-Warfare and not Carnal Weapons nor the multitude of an Host of Men Let your Ministers come forth in the best authority of spirit that they have and plead the cause of their Worship and Gospel and Ministry like Christians and not like Iews and Heathens for they use Carnal Weapons killing and murdering about Church and Religion that is the Papists Practice and not the Practice of the Saints So that ye Apprentices seeing you state your Quarrel against the Army upon the account of Church and Ministry my Advice is to you Proceed no further upon that ground but give your Trust to the Lord for the maintaining of all things related to his own Kingdom But the Cry is Those Sectaries those Sectaries away with them Your Trouble seems to be concerning them lest they prevail but wherefore are you troubled in this matter like as if you knew not that what the Lord purposeth must come to pass who are of God will stand this you need not doubt and who are not will come to nought and its vain for Mortal Man to oppose the Lord's Purpose but this was the Cry in dayes past How did the Bishops and Prelates in their dayes cry against the Non-conformists as Hereticks and such like even as the Ministers now cry against Sectaries But consider how did the Bishops proceed but in being the chief Cause themselves of raising War against the then Non-conformists thinking thereby to have smitten them all but you know it proved otherwise and as they thought to do unto others so was it done unto them which thing may be an Example to you For as they thought to have destroyed the then called Puritans in like manner were themselves destroyed and this may possibly fall upon you Therefore consider for I tell you as an equal man between you and them that there is more Sincerity towards God and Fear of his Name in some of them called Sectarians then there is amongst you and your Ministers though I do not here justifie the Sectarians so called in all things neither do I in every thing condemn your Ministers but this I say and do know If that you and your Ministers raise a War against those called Sectarians the effect thereof will prove your own Sorrow and their Advantage So this is my Advice to you rest and be still and that will prove your own Peace and Happiness Therefore take heed and beware lest ye oppose and gain-say the Work and Power of God which his purpose is to bring to pass in this his Day who is setting up his Kingdom in the midst of Tribulations that comes upon men The second Particular humbly desired by you is The Freedom and Priviledges of Parliaments as being the Great Charter of the People which you account very dear unto you and by which you hope to see you say a Settlement in Church and State and you humbly conceive that to be the probable means to establish the true Protestant Religion reform the Laws secure the Liberties promote Learning c. Answ. Now Friends do but truly consider and with a humble Mind what the Work of the Lord hath
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 â—â—inted 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 〈◊〉 as if you would gain the favour of the Nation and City by denial of â—â—s 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
God or any part of his Worship though you say it is yet we never had other proof of you then Tradition of time and long Custom and by this you would seem to plead the practice to be a Duty But this satisfies not us though we do not quarrel nor deride at your practice in this particular as thou groundst thy Argument but this we do we freely give our Testimony against your practice from time to time in the Fear and Power of the Lord yet not as quarrelling and deriding after the Flesh though we do say they were composed in Rhime and Meeter by Sternhold and Hopkins and others which were Musitioners to the Queen and in this we say true and are neither ignorant foolish nor prophane as thou sayst and we give witness against such your practice to be Antichristian and you Deceivers of the People thereby so hereby is thy Conclusion made void and a place is brought in for another They that act such things and observe such practices in pretence of Honour and Worship to God which is not commanded nor instituted of God nor which his Spirits leads unto They are Idolaters and their Worship and their Practice is Abomination unto the Lord But thus do the Ministers and People of the Church of England and therefore the Ministers and People of the Church of England are Idolaters and their Practices Abomination unto the Lord. Answer to the tenth Thy minor Proposition I do deny for we do not charge the Office and Call of the Ministers of the Church of England with Lies and Calumnies but this we say their Office and their Call is not from the Lord nor by the Authority of his Spirit neither is their Office and Call according to the Scriptures but it is different and contrary both to the Spirit of God and the Scriptures and is not from Heaven but rather from the Whore of Rome And though we do affirm these things concerning the Ministry of England yet we do not charge it with Lyes and Calumnies but we speak the Truth in righteousness And what would C. Fowler and his Brethren have said of the true Prophets that called the Priests and Watchmen of Israel that were made by Divine Institution which the Office and Call of England's Ministry never was that called them blind Watchmen and greedy dumb Dogs and devourers of Souls Might not they have said to the true Prophets you charge the Office and Call of the Priests of the Lord with Lyes and Slanders And this is like the case between us and the Priests of England And did not Christ call the chief Priests Serpents Vipers and Hypocrites and those Priests were in their Office and Call of Gods Institution but might not they have said that he charged the Office and Call of the Priesthood with Calumnies c. and the case is the same with us and it is accounted no sin by the Lord for us to give our witness against the Wayes and Practices of the Priests of England and utterly to deny both its Office and Call for they that do profess their Office and Call to be of God and from him and yet can give no true Testimony thereof by the Spirit of God and according to the Scriptures such are deceived and Deceivers of others but such are the Priests of England and therefore c. And thus I have returned Answer to his Ten Propositions and laid down some others in their place his being confounded and I must leave it to be judged of by the Witness in every mans Conscience whether he hath not shewed his madness and folly in his matter and in the way of his proceedings as for the matter he charges us withal it s wholy invalid as for the end propoâ—ed by hâ—â— and we account of his Work as but the malice of an Antichristian spirit And as for his proceedings they are inconsistent with a Minister of Christ for him and his Brethren to fly from me at his Dispute at East-Hamsted as before mentioned as being not able to defend their Cause this he and they did as many in that Country knows â—â—d then for him the next morning when I did invite him to meet again upon sober reasons which he also denied and refused to meet me any more and yet afterwards when I was gone out of the Country to go and hatch such mischief in his mind as to invent ten such rain Arguments and cause them to be set up on the Steeple-house-door oâ— purpose to villifie and reproach the Innocent People of God this was his Wickedness as all upright men may see And further for him to challenge to dispute these Particulars and leave time and place to our appointing which when time and place was appointed sutable and equitable on all parts and yet for him to refuse to meet at that time and place this was his fâ—dy and madness as understanding men may discern And further for him yet to rail behind our backs against us in his Pulpit and to charge us as if we refused to meet him this is his hypocrisie and the deceitfulness of his heart whereby he thinks to keep the People in blindness but the Light is now arising in the Hearts of People whereby such Deceits and Deceivers are fully discovered and they cannot now be hid And though for many Ages Deceivers and false Prophets have hid themselves under the Profession of Ministers and fine names yet the Day of the Lord is dawned which hath made them fully manifest and now their Sheeps cloathing will not hide them though they cover themselves therewith and have deceived the World thereby and these Babylons Merchants they have made great gain upon people and traded with the Souls of men and Souls have been murdered even for dishonest gain but the Plagues of God is coming upon the Earth which the Whore the false Church hath corrupted through her Sorceries and Witchcrafts and as she hath done unto others in causing them to drink her Cup of Abominations and false Principles Doctrines and Practices which the Beast and his Power hath imposed upon the Nations and Nations have been made drunk thereby and in particular this C. Fowler with whom I am now dealing is made manifest to be one of these Merchants of Babylon who hath made Merchandize of people for gain to himself and such are his covetous cursed Practices having a heart exercised with Covetousness and Oppression as is well known in the Town of Reading as for instance First It was charged upon him and confessed by him that he sued at Law twelve poor men of Reading for the Tythe of their Turnips and with much malice and greediness did prosecute the twelve poor men and put himself and them to great Charges and Trouble onely he confessed he took but twenty Nobles of them and thought he did favourably with them Now this was acknowledged by his own Mouth which is a clear demonstration of the Coveâ—ousness and Oppression of this man
of Answer for the end that People may be satisfied concerning things doubtfull which are in controversie this day among many for it is well known the Controversie hath been long and is grown very high between us and you concerning Church Ministry and Religion and divers things in your Exhortation are doubtfull unto many and that all doubts may be removed if possible therefore I do return what follows as an answer unto you Whereas you say You are not ignorant of the prejudices and prepositions wherewith the carnal World is leavened concerning you Calling Office and Doctrines and what Clamors and fiery Contentions abound for them every where that pleads Christ's Cause in the Gates c. Answ. As for your Calling Office and Doctrine there is much to be said against them in and by the Spirit of the Lord for your Calling and Office is not according to the Example of Scriptures though the Calling and Office of Ministers of the Gospel hath Example in the Scripture yet as you are called into your Office that is not according but rather contrary to the Scriptures And as for your Doctrine it is in some things unsound also Now as for Seasonable Exhortations of Ministers to People I do acknowledge that it is a Duty which ought to be done but how seasonable and sound your Exhortations are that remains to be tried and it is not onely the carnal World as you speak that are doubtfull concerning your Calling and Office but it the best of the people whose eyes the Lord is opening to see and behold the false immitations of the Calling and Office of Ministers as you have stood for many Generations and it is true them that pleads Christs Cause they are cryed out upon and contended with but this fully belongs not to you though you apply it to your selves but it pertains more to others for the World speaks well of you as it use to do of false Prophets And you say We the Ministers of the Gospel in the City of London do with earâ—…ess exhort the people of this City to awaken as out of Sleep and to lay to heart the great dangers that threatens you which you represent under a threefold consideration 1 The fear of the return of Popery 2 The distracted estate of Religion amongst us 3 Other symptomes of Gods wrath hanging over your Heads Answ. That you are Ministers of the Gospel this is doubtful unto many and many more testimonies might be given to the contrary then can be given for it But this is not the present debate and therefore no more of it And what is the people of your Congregations yet asleep Have not you awakened them in so many years time Have you been preaching over them and taking their Money so long and are they yet to awaken as out of Sleep Will not the blame of this and the condemnation of it fall upon you their Watch-men who hath not yet awakened them And may not they say that you have dealt unjustly by them who are left as asleep under all your preaching and are yet unsensible of the danger that threatens them Oh Friends will you consider and your people with you what you have been preaching and what they have been hearing for so long a time seeing you now acknowledge they are yet asleep and unawakened Now as to the first of your considerations The fear of the return of Popery for which you lay down divers things to make the people believe it First The union of foreign Popish-Powers Secondly The vast numbers say you of Popish Emissaries and Jesuites that swarms amongst you Thirdly The vending and printing of so many Popish Books every year c. Answ. As for Popery I know it is Idolatry and their Church and Worship and every part thereof abomination to the Lord and the spirit that leads them is not the Spirit of Jesus and as for Popery it was never yet truly cleansed out of the Nation but there hath been and are great remainders yet standing which may indeed easily recover its former strength For is not the most part of the worship of the Church of England made up of such things as was first instituted and practised amongst the Papists witness the making Ministers by natural learning at Schools and Colledges and their maintenance by Tythes and yearly Stipends and their way of Parochial settlements are not all these things Papistical and witness sprinkling Infants calling it the Baptism into the Visible Church and witness the singing of Davids Psalms as now they are sung among you these things for the most part are of Popish institution and many other things also pertaining to your Church Religion and Ministry so that Popery was never clean cast out of the Nation though the Lord hath wounded it yet there is the remainder of it yet standing in great force so that while Tythes are pleaded for by you and those things practised by you it may indeed be feared the return of Popery seeing you stick so fast in those Practises which were of Popish institution and the cause of fear lies at your Door and upon your selves principally and if there be vast numbers of Popish Priests and Jesuites swarming amongst you if you be Ministers of Christ why do you not discover Wolves in Sheeps cloathing and fright them away Why do you not lift yp your Spiritual Weapons if you have them as the Apostles did whose Weapons were powerful and mighty through God and who shall bear the blame but you if Wolves in Sheeps cloathing tear your Flocks that is a sign you are lazy idle Shepherds and that your want the Power and Authority of God and when the Powers of the Earth fails you and your carnal Weapons are all broken then you are like to be overcome with the swarming of Popish Priests and Jesuites if there be any such among you look you to it for I know not any and if you know any by name and where they are you ought by your Law to discover them Now you say they are acting under the disguise of Sectaries and subtilly insinuating many of their Doctrines as teaching Iustification by Inherent Righteousness Perfection 〈◊〉 lawfulness in joyning in your Ordinances and nullity of your Ministry c. Answ. Now these that you call Sectaries may truly plead against you against your Church Worship Ministry Practises upon good grounds as for Justification by Inherent Righteousness it is a Doctrine of the Church of Christ that the Saints witnessed Christ and his Righteousness within them and that none are justified by any righteousness without them but who witness Christ revealed in them for all are Reprobate that do not witness Christ in them 2 Cor. 13. 5. And as for Perfection that is the Doctrine of the Gospel and of Christ for the Apostles spake wisdom to them that were perfect 1 Cor. 2. 6. and Christ commanded them to be perfect Mat. 5. who never commanded impossibilities You might better have charged
that you would learn more Wisdom and that your people would come to receive the Spirit of the Lord into their Hearts whereby they may be led into all Truth and into the Covenant of God where there is no Unbelief Ignorance Prophaneness nor Confusion but Peace Love and Unity altogether and if you and they did come into this you might be happy and the Judgments of the Lord would be removed Now I come to some Particulars which you do promise for your selves First That you will use all holy Endeavours to keep Cod and his Truth among you Secondly That you will be more diligent in watching over your Flocks Thirdly That you shall endeavour the Establishment of your Congregations against Popish Delusions To all which I Answer You must first make clean your own hearts and you must first Repent of your own Iniquities before you can heal others and you must first learn Obedience to God in your own hearts before you can truly instruct others therein And indeed there is need enough for you to mourn before the Lord and to fast and to confess your Sins as you say for the Lord has been long departed from you and his Presence from your Assemblies and that is the Cause of Deadness and Dryness and Barrenness among the people because God's Presence is wanting among you and you had indeed need to be more diligent in watching over your Flocks for you have been negligent therein and have fed your selves and not them and you have sought theirs and not them it s partly evident and it is time for you now to amend and to put away the Evil of your Doings but first before you dispence the Word to others you must feel the Word in your own Hearts to be as a Fire and as a Hammer in you and you must know another Foundation for Ministers than you have long stood upon even the Lord Jesus Christ must be your Foundation and you must cease to Preach for Hire and to Divine for Money and then should it be better with you and your Flocks would have comfort in you if you had received freely from the Lord and ministred freely to them but while you do it for Ends to your selves they can have no good Hopes nor Confidence in you And whereas you exhort your Congregations in divers Particulars First To take heed of false Teachers trying their spirits and holding fast that which is good especially to beware of Popish Insinuations c. say you Ans. Your Exhortation is good in it self but you should have demonstrated more plainly how false Teachers should be known comparing their Fruits now with what they were in the dayes of old when the Scriptures were written and that had been a good way to have discovered false Teachers That Mat. 16. mentioned by you bids them beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees and Christ said They were such as were called of men Master stood Praying in the Synagogues loved uppermost Rooms at Feasts went in long Robes and of such Christ bids beware and of such now the People in London are to beware where-ever they are for such as do these things are in the steps of the Scribes and Pharisees which Christ cryed Wo against and the true Prophets cryed against such in their days as preached for Hire and that sought for their Gain from their Quarter and such you ought to cry against now as seek for their Gain from their Quarter except the guilt of these things in your selves stops your Mouthes from crying against them in others and the Apostles cryed against such as went for Gifts and Rewards such as taught for Filthy Lucre and such as made Merchandize of People for Gain for themselves such the Apostles and Christ declared against and such you ought to declare against But the People of your Congregations may say Who are such now and Where are they That I leave to their Consciences to judge who they be and where they are now and whether there be any of them in this City now and in the Nation that are called of men Master and love uppermost Rooms at Feasts and that preach for Hire and Money for Gifts and Rewards seek for their Gain from their Quarter teach for filthy Lucre and Gain who are found in these things now such are false Teachers who ought to be taken heed of I shall not now say it is any of you but I shall leave it to you and to your Peoples Consciences to whom your Exhortation is And as I have said before let all Popish Inventions and Popery be first cast out of this Nation and then if you joyn with us against it through the Spirit of the Lord we will endeavour the keeping of it out and that it shall no more enter in amongst us into this Nation And you say That your Knowledge here and all other Graces here are imperfect To which I say Then you are imperfect Saints imperfect Ministers But what do you mean by here I suppose that you mean upon Earth Now there are none of the Graces of God that are imperfect but the Grace of God is perfect in it self and the Spirit of God is perfect and every Gift of God is perfect as say the Scriptures Now that you should say the Graces of God are imperfect this is Error even abominable Error and you shew unsoundness in Judgment even in the things of God and hath belyed the Graces and Gift of God which in their measure are perfect And thus I have looked over your Exhortation and thus I have returned to you again not but that I know it is the Duty of Christ's Ministers to exhort their Flocks and that Exhortation in it self is good but when I find where Lyes and false Accusations are against the Quakers whom I dearly love and own upon that account and not otherwise have I engaged with you and what I have done it is not rendring Evil for Evil but rather to reprove your Evil and to undeceive your Congregations who might otherwise take all for true that you have said if it were not reproved Again You exhort your Congregations That they manifest Sincerity not only by hatred of Error but by a Love of the Truth c. Answ. Sincerity of Heart is indeed precious especially where the Spirit of the Lord is the rule of Judgment and doth mannage that Sincerity but where a false spirit rules in the Judgment the Sincerity is often betrayed into a Zeal against the Truth and against the Wayes of the Lord rather than otherwise and thus it was with the Iews whose Sincerity through their Error of Judgment was turned into Zeal and Bitterness against Christ And thus it is to be feared it is with many in your Congregations who may have a Zeal without Knowledge and be short of true Discerning between what is Truth and what is Error I speak not this of all but of some for it s no small thing to discern between Truth and Error
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 â—re 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
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 〈◊〉 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 subjectiâ—â— 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 â—nd 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 〈◊〉 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 â—od of his mouth Wherefore all Friends have respect unto the Lord in your 〈◊〉 in all things that you do and in all things that cometh to pass for that is â—â—â—â—â—ed 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
this Nation and pretended great Reformation in the Civil State as well as the other had done in Church State And who got the Estates and Titles of their Enemies and pretended to free this Nation from all Oppressions but have not done it but have continued the old Oppressions and have been striving among themselves who should Rule and who should be great but have not Ruled for God nor in Justice and Equity though they first Warred against the King and carryed it on and removed the King and Lords and that Goverment and all this in pretence of Ruling better and in a better Government and yet kept not Engagements nor Promises made in that case Upon such is the guilt of the Suffering of the King so far as his Sufferings are unjust even upon Hypocrites who have walked in these steps who as I have said first made war against the King and got great Estates and quite forgotten the cause once pretended by them and now in flattery Cries up King and Kingly Government again though this many years they have seemed to be opposite against it upon such as these may the guilt aforesaid in measure be charged And though there are risen many Sects and Sorts of People since the beginning of the Wars yet in the beginning there was but one sort that were in a capacity to raise and prosecute War against the King and upon such there is guilt to be charged in the sight of God who have foregone their Principles and been deceitful both to God and men And as for Us who are called Quakers we are clear from the guilt of all his Sufferings and in the present Capacity wherein we now stand and under the actings of that Spirit which now we are of we have no part in the guilt of these Iniquities we have not cast out others and taken their places of great Benefices neither have we made war with carnal Weapons against any never since we were a People mark neither have we broken Oaths and Engagements nor promised freedom and deliverance and for self-ends and Earthly Riches betrayed as others have done what we pretended to and in many particulars it doth appear that we are clear from his Sufferings for we have been a Suffering People as well as they by the same Spirit which caused them to suffer which hath been much more Cruel Wicked and Unjust towards us than it hath been towards them though our Persecution hath been in another manner but what they have done against us we can freely forgive them and we would have you to follow the same example and if you could accuse them in many things so could we but this is not a time to accuse one another but to forgive one another and so to overcome your Enemies or else you will appear in the same Spirit that so he that condemns them cannot justifie you though we do condemn as well as you them that have pretended Reformation and Wared against you upon that account and when they had gotten victory did not reform but become Oppressors themselves as well as others and became Cruel towards others that would not say and do as they and for this Cause the Lord hath brought them down and may justly suffer others to deal with them as they have dealt with others yet notwithstanding I must still say and it is my judgment that there was very great Oppressions and Vexations under the Government of the late King and Bishops under his power which the Lord was offended with and many good People Oppressed by for which cause the Lord might and did justly raise up some to oppose and strive against Oppressions and Injustice and to intend and press after Reformation in all things and that Principle of Sincerity which God did raise in many in the beginning of the Wars which in some things acted them forth and carryed them on in opposing Oppressions and pressing after Reformation this Principle I can never deny but acknowledge to it though many soon lost it and became Self-seekers forgetting and foregoing the Cause pretended to having lost Sincerity and became corrupted in their way and Injustice and Oppression abounded by them and because hereof are they condemned in the sight of the Lord and not by me Justified because they have lost Sincerity and turned the War and all the Proceedings into Self-seeking and therefore is God provoked against them though had they continued in their Integrity and had really performed what some time they pretended and had forsaken all Sin it had not been thus with them neither had this guilt been upon them which now they are like to be accountable for And this is my Judgment concerning these things Quer. 6. Whether or no he may iustly think ye and with more safety to himself and happiness to the Kingdoms Tollerate and Allow LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE so called to all the many Sects and sorts of People and Worshippers that are now in beeing in these Nations Or whether he may Tollerate some and not all Or whether he may Tollerate none but reduce the Government of the Church into the way of Bishops and Prelates as it was in his Father's dayes Which of these may he do justly and with more safety to himself and happiness to his Government and Kingdoms Answ. We do believe he may and ought justly and with most safety to himself and happiness to the Kingdoms Tollerate and Allow free LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE in all the Matters of Faith and Worship towards God for LIBERTY in exercise of CONSCIENCE in the Matters of God's Kingdom is a very precious thing to the Lord and very dear in his sight and he is tender of it and I do stedfastly believe he will not bless the Rulers of this Nation that shall deny to the People of this Nation and oppose LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE in the exercise of Faith and Worship towards God for I do know it is not given of God to any Earthly King or Ruler whatsoever to exercise Lordship over the Consciences of People in the Matters of Faith and Worship and the things pertaining to Gods Kingdom for Kings and Rulers are but to Rule over men in a Nation in the Matters between one man and another in outward things and worldly affairs and therein only men ought to Rule in Equity over a Nation or City or Country and Magistracy in this state and for such an end is Gods Ordinance appointed of him for the preserving of peace and good order among men in outward things and it is a priviledge of the Crown of Christ's Spiritual Kingdom to be Lord and Ruler over and in mens Consciences in Faith and Worship and all the Matters of his Kingdom even as and according to his pleasure and as his Spirit leads and guides for and if any man shall assume to prescribe God a way how he must be Worshipped and shall limit his Spirit from this or to the other way of Religion and think to be Lord in mens
Immortal Life I am known to you where I desire only to be known of you and though I have been as weak amongst you and in fear and trembling yet the Lord hath been strong and mighty in his Spirit and though I have been as poor and lowly before you yet the Lord hath filled me and you with his Riches and given victory and authority even in your presence though many times I have laboured in Tryals and under great Burdens amongst you and in much opposition by many potent Enemies that have appeared against the Lord yet the Lord hath carried above all and given dominion over them through his eternal Spirit and of these things you are Witnesses Oh when I remember the dayes past and how the pretious presence of the Lord hath been with us and amongst us while I was with you as I hope it is at this day and will alwayes be continued I say the remembrance hereof even of the goodness of the Lord filleth my Heart with holy Praises and the same I desire for you that the Love of the Father and his Presence which hath been is and shall be may be alwayes fresh in your remembrance that you may be comforted for evermore And at this present I know nothing but that the Lord in his Presence and Love and Life is more large and precious then ever and he hath opened his Fountain and we receive of his fulness more abundantly he hath made us strong and we are rich in him even at this day to give our witness for his Name and against Antichrist and all the powers of Darkness in as much Boldness Plainness and Faithfulness as ever yea it is in our Hearts to be as diligent and valiant in the Work of the Lord and to publish his Name and to proclaim the destruction of Antichrist's false Church false Ministry and Worship now more then ever Oh how are our Hearts filled with zeal to go on in this Work we have no fear of man upon us not of him that can but kill the Body we are not afraid of the Storms and Threats and Persecution of the Ungodly for we fear the God of Heaven and him we reverence and worship in our Hearts and not mortal Men whose breath is in their Nostrils and who are as Clay and their Substance soon desolved and what shall these do against us they can effect nothing without the Lord who is our Shepherd that keeps us and as for the Work of the Lord we find it goes on and is prosperous and the Flock of God every where is pleasant and they grow in Knowledge in Wisdom in Faith and in Patience and the Power and Presence of the Lord is with us as ever and Truth keeps its Authority and the Lord hath blessed it with a good Report even to the confounding of our Enemies to perceive the Constancy and Boldness and Faithfulness of the People whose destruction hath long been threatned and waited for but we are yet alive even in him who lives for ever and we live because he lives in us and it is well with us even because he is our saving Health and we can speak of his Praise because he speaks by us Meetings are very large and precious every where in these Parts because of the Presence of the Lord God who is the Fulness of all and filleth all with his Mercy Peace and Blessings and that the same be continued unto you even that you may be filled with the Fulness of God and ever comforted in him is the desire of him who is yours as he is the Lords Sommerset-Shire 25th 4th Moneth 1660. E. B. A TESTIMONY Concerning the BOOK of Common-Prayer So called Being an Answer to an Objection Whether it be not in it self and as practised in this Nation heretofore and at this present the True Worship of the True and Living God Answ. 1. THE Book of COMMON-PRAYER so called in its first Institution and Practise in this Nation did not but differ little from POPERY and the Men that were the Authors of it and that constituted it into that Form and Method as now it is were of much Zeal for their Form and some Sincerity and of more Tenderness and good Conscience towards God in what they knew then were they of the Church of Rome who cryed out against them as Hereticks and the like and they had so much Light from God by his Spirit as that they saw the Idolatry and Corruption of the Church of Rome and did dissent from her and denyed her Worships and Practises in part though they were because thereof persecuted and the Lord stirred up their Hearts to bear Testimony against the Abomination of that time as it was in both Church and State so called and they sought after Reformation and did in some part Reform this Nation and did deny the Popish-Mass and the Popes Supremacy and many Idolatries both in Doctrine and Discipline and instead of the way and manner of Worship as held forth by the Church of Rome these Reformers set up the Common-Prayer to be performed as the Worship of their Church supposing that to be more acceptable then the other and no doubt but the first Institution and Practise thereof was in much sincerity and zeal by many and they were held under persecution and suffered some of them even death â—or denying the Church of Rome and her ways and worships even them who did first ordain and compose the Common-Prayer so called though yet there was much error in their Judgments and darkness in their Understandings and a vail of great Ignorance in many things upon them even while it was brought forth and these things effected in the very beginning and proceedings of them 2. And when it was formed it being imposed on this Nation by force and penalty and set up by compelling all people into the practise of it by violent Laws upon the Bodies and Consciences of men this was great Abomination in the sight of God and made the practise of it detestable unto him for it is contrary to God in the dispensation of the Gospel the way of forcing by compelling constraint through outward Laws any kind or form of worship though in it self never so holy and like unto the true worship yea if the very things that the Apostles practised for worship were imposed on any people by force when as the Consciences of Men were not first perswaded thereunto by the Spirit of God even this were Abomination unto God and not the true worship of him which is not of force but of a willing mind nor in the Ignorance of Mens minds but in the Light risen in their Hearts So that because of Imposing the practise of the Common-Prayer by force it was hateful to God as so practised and the performance of it while it was so held forth in this Nation was no better then the Idolatrous Mass nor no more acceptable to God 3. And as for the Matter in it self partly
of Calvin or Form of Prayer as these have now the Common-Prayer and both the one and the other have cast off the POPES Form and brought in their own get into a Form of words a Forâ— of worship without either Life or Power The PAPISTS in some things that they begin to do will say In the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And the Protestants or them who call themselves of the reformed Church that are come off from the Papists some of them when they go about to do a thing will say Our help is in the Name of the Lord which made Heaven and Earth Here both the one and the other have a Form of words but out of the Name the one as well as the other out of the Life out of the Power and Authority of our Lord Iesus Christ. Therefore what they do how can it be done in his Name which themselves are out of Though they may be in the words and do a thing in the words But that is not a doing it in the Name for to do things in so many words in their own Time and Will that which themselves have brought in is one thing But to do it in the Name Power and Authority of the Lord Iesus Christ is another for words is not the Name nor the Power and the Kingdom stands in the Power not in words Therefore all people see what you do that it be done in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ the true Light of the World who lighteth every man that cometh into the World in his Light in his Power then that will bring you to cease from your own words and following your own ways doing it in his Power in his Strength out of your own words your own ways and your own wills in his Name For what hath form or words either one or the other hitherto produced or brought forth without Life or Power Hath your long Profession and Forms of the words brought any of you yet into the possession of the things Or will it ever do If not What serves it to Who hath required it to have it done And is it not his right alone who is to be worshipped to direct himself how he will be worshipped Or is not all other service and worship in the will And so will-Will-worship that is not of his own direction or appointment And the Scripture saith John chapter 4. as you may read God is a Spirit and he will be worshipped in the Spirit and in the Truth Mark that He who is a Spirit will be worshipped in the Spirit and in the Truth that which the Devil abode not in for into a Form of words Drunkards Swearers Lyars Prophane Persons unrighteous which are shut out of the Kingdom may get into words in such a worship out of the Spirit but that is not the worship which God requires And is it not equal that he alone direct how he will be worshipped that is to be worshipped And thou art so to perform thy service towards him that of him it may be accepted and so it is rightly done when done as he hath appointed it as he hath directed And Obedience is more than Sacrifice whom thou art to obey if thou wilt do him service who is worshipped or served in the Spirit and in the Truth whose Will then comes to be done and not thine who will be so worshipped and so served But otherwise is it not thine own will and not his that is done Therefore whosoever will come to worship the KING the LORD of HOSTS must come to worship him in his own way not in their ways to bow down to his Light to bow down to the measure of his Spirit in them for the Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withal Otherwise will not People Teachers and Professors be always in the profitless condition Ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the Truth E. B. TO THE BELOVED and CHOSEN of GOD in the Seed Elected Particularly in LONDON And elsewhere who have seen the day of Christ and received the Message of Peace and Reconciliation in these last Dayes of his Glorious Appearance THe dear salutation of my life salutes you all in the most pure and dearest love with which I am beloved of the Father and with which also at this present my Heart is filled and issueth forth towards you and the whole Body of the elected Ones and the remembrance of you in the Lord is very precious unto me as I see and behold and have fellowship with you in the Immortal Life which the Father hath begotten in you and in me and in which my knowledge is of you and my unity with you and therein only is the remembrance of my dearest love unto you and in which I hope I am also known and remembred of you even in the spiritual Relation and Heirship of Immortality being fellow Citizens of the heavenly Ierusalem and Children of her conception and bringing forth Now my dearest Friends seeing you have believed in the Light and Life of men even in him that was and is and is to come and have also tasted of that all Fulness that is in him you have a Witness in your selves even of the Spirit of the Father which is greater then all and you need no other Testimony but that of the Spirit That the Lord is good and full of Grace Truth Mercy Peace and Joy even the Fountain and Treasure of all Vertue and Blessedness in this present time and hereafter I say If you have tasted and felt of Immortal Life and if the Fountain hath been opened in you and you have seen his Glory and received of his Treasure then the Evidence dwells in you of eternal blessedness and no man needs to teach you of these things nor to say unto you know the Lord if you dwell in him and go no more forth yet bear with me a little that I may speak and be refreshed not to diminish from what Testimony you have in you but the rather to add towards it for my witness is not another but the same which ye enjoy which is faithful and true and this I say Oh how great how mighty and powerful is the Lord our God everlasting and infinite he is that eternal Spirit that filleth all the Creator and beeing of all things that are the life and vertue in all and the invisible Substance greater then all he is in himself the immeâ—â—rable and infinite Fulness the Fountain of Life of Mercy and Righteousness and Peace and of all Vertue and of every good Thing who can declare his beginning or end he is without Time Place or thing yet gives beeing to all and is present in all yet not known saving of himself and by his own Spirit yet he effecteth all things and worketh whatsoever he will who can utter his wonderous Works Who can number his Mercies Who can account his Infiniteness who can
Islands and all the Kingdoms in the World are altogether at the Lords disposure to give the governmâ—â—t 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 Unrighteoâ—sness 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 reâ—â—â—â—ing 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 â—â—â—ards 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 â—â—at people and when they come to true repentance and to the forsaking of their â—â—quities the Lord will shew mercy to them and peradventure heal them of all their backslidings and afflictions too Therefore shew Mercy and Moderation â—â—â—ards 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 â—â—y 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 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 such way of Worship and Profession of Faith and exercise in Religion
and bad experience of and so that you may speak what you have heard and seen and handled and tasted of the Word of Life All that will be saved must come to this and witness it IX Again Whosoever will be saved must believe in Jesus Christ and receive him and they must take up his daily cross and follow him and must know him to mortifie and crucifie them to the World and he must work the same things in you by his Spirit spiritually as he wrought without you in his Person or else you have no part in him nor salvation by him For it is not enough unto eternal life only to believe that there was such a one as a Christ and that he did and spoke such and such things at a distance without you for many may make a belief and a profession of this and yet perish but Him that was of whom you read without you must you receive and witness within you and you must know Him as he was before Abraham was and before the World was and He himself by his Spirit in you must give you the knowledge of Himself what He was before the beginning what he is now and what he shall for ever be X. Again Every one that will be saved must come up out of the Apostacy into which all Christendom hath been fallen and must come into the same Spirit Life and Power as the Apostles were in from which Life Spirit and Power all Christendom have been Apostates and they have held the words and practices of the Apostles without the same Life and Power and made Sects Churches and Ministers but out of the same Life and Spirit as the holy men of God were in and all that will be saved must be restored and received into the same Spirit and Life in their Churches Ministry and Ordinances as the Apostles of Christ Jesus were in and this is Restoration when People come again into the same Life and Spirit of God which the Apostate Christians have all wanted and been in the Form of Ministry Churches Religion and Godliness without the Power And unto this is the Lord God restoring People his Day is dawned and his everlasting Light is risen and his Name will be known in the Earth and none can be saved with the Salvation of God but who believe receive and understand these things A General Objection answered â—…ject 1. And whereas there is a great cry by some People of late That there must be no private Meetings but all People must come to Church as they say â—â—d that there must be no more Conventicles c. Answ. As for Conventicles I understand you mean Meetings out of publick Steeple-houses and that there must be no private Meetings for preaching and Praying but all People must be forced to come to publick Places of Worship Now I say If the Authority that is now set up and hath the Power doth exercise it self in this way then the God of Heaven will be provoked against it to overthrow it and confound it if it proceed contrary to the End of just Rule and Authority ordained of God which is for the punishment of them that do evil things between man and man but not to impose upon mens Consciences in things relating to the Worship and Service of God But the Lord God 〈◊〉 wholly Judge in such Matters and not any Man and if any Men 〈◊〉 erâ— in their Minds concerning Faith and Doctrine and the Worship of God that belongs to the Lord to punish and not to any Earthly Authority And what must not the People of God come together to worship the Lord in Spirit and Truth Must not People conveen together in this Age as the People of God did in Ages past Did not Christ many times preach in the Dâ—sert and sometimes in a Ship by the Sea-side and sometiâ—es on a Mountain as you may read in the Scriptures And did not he often preach unto the Pharisies and sometimes to his Disciples out of the publick Synagogues And might not the Iews have called those Meetings Conventicles because they were not in their publick Synagogues And also did not the Apostles and Saints after the Resurrection of Christ when they returned from Ierusalem meet together privately for they went into an upper Room and waited upon the Lord anâ— continued with one accord in Prayer and Supplication And again at aâ—…er time they were about an hundred and twenty in number that were in one Place to wait upon the Lord and Peter preached unto them and were these Meetings Conventicles because they were not in a publick Synagogue but in 〈◊〉 upper Chamber and in a private Place And thus the Saints of old met together as ye may read Act. 1. and worshipped God in Spirit and in Truth and preached and prayed and must not the People of God now meet together to pray and wait upon the Lord but they must be reproached with th◠〈◊〉 of Conventicles and threatned and punished for so doing Oh how blind iâ— this Generation and how contrary to the true Christian-Spirit in their Practices And did not Philip preach Jesus unto the Eunuch in a Chariot as 〈◊〉 â—ent on the way and this was not in a publick Synagogue as in Act. 8. 〈◊〉 â—id not Peter preach to Cornelius with many others in Cornelius his house 〈◊〉 â—is was a Meeting and not in a Synagogue Acts 10. And did not the â—…les and Saints meet together in an Upper Chamber where Paul preached until midnight amongst the Saints Act. 20. and was this a Conventicle and aâ— unlawful Meeting Might not the Iews have said this was an Unlawful Assembly being in a Chamber and not in a Publick Synagogue And again Did not Paul preach in his own Hired House for two whole years together and received all that came in unto him Act 28. And here were Privatâ— Meetings out of Publick Synagogues But did the Iews threaten them and inflict sufferings upon them because they met in private houses and would not come to their Synagogues and Publick Worship or did they reproach them with the name of Sectaries and Conventiolers when they met together to wait upon the Lord sometime in praying and sometime in preaching And thus you may see by many Examples that the Saints and true Christian Churches in the dayes of old met together sometime on Mountains and sometimes in Deserts and sometime in Upper Chambers their own hired houses and not in the publick Synagogues but they were gathered from the Temple and first Priesthood and from the Worship which God had once commanded which stood in outward things and Ordinances and when they had received the substance they denyed the shadows types and figures and did not uphold them any longer And they were gathered by the preaching of the Gospel into the second and new Covenant and they met together in private Houses and upper Chambers and by the Sea-side to preach and pray and to worship the Lord and we do
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 houâ—â— 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 〈◊〉 posing upon their Consciences in matters of Gods Kingdom this is also of â—…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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church-Government and Ordinances but it was the practice of the Beast and the Dragon that first forced People and compelled them 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ship since the dayes of the Apostles Rev. 13. It was Antichrist that first 〈◊〉 upon People in the Ignorance of their Consciances and contrary to their â—…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 〈◊〉 and say your Form of Prayers we shall say then you are Antichrist 〈◊〉 of the Devil if so be you should endeavour to compel any either against 〈◊〉 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 Aâ—â—â— 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 Ruâ—â—â—s saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived they were Unlearned they â—â—velled and these were Ministers of Christ and preached the everlasting Gospel whom you would have called Lay-men and men unfit to preach 〈◊〉 you lived in their dayes And Paul himself by Occupation was a Tent-â—…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 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 to preach the Gospel even to such as were brought up and educated 〈◊〉 â—ay be at Handy-craft Trades and are labouring men and are not 〈◊〉 at Schools and Colledges will you limit the Lord and quench his 〈◊〉 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 â—…ed say you and calling them Mechannicks and private Preachers and 〈◊〉 they must not now be admitted to preach the Gospel and in this you 〈◊〉 the Scriptures and the Example of the Saints in former Ages and so neither 〈◊〉 the Scriptures nor the Spirit that gave them forth though you say 〈◊〉 own the Scriptures yet
New Birth and â—ll 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 â—â—at profess God with your Lips and your Hearts are far away Therefore repent ye and treâ—ble before the Lord lest hâ— smite you with Vengeance and forsake your false Religions both your Mass and your Iâ—…s of Prayer and be not Idolaters in professing love in your mouthes and honour with your Lips wâ—ilst your hearts are departed from the living 〈◊〉 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 â—â—nesttâ—y and speak every man Truth to his Neighbour and live in love 〈◊〉 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 â—â—iquity and follow after Righteousness This is true Religion and in it â—ou may â—e 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 â—â—â—vants 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 â—â—â—â—sition that is made by many in Lyes and Slanders in Reviling and Reâ—…hing in Imprisoning and Persecuting and in all manner of evil works 〈◊〉 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 â—â—ing 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
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
extream Reproaches as I have said in Contempt and Derision of that People and all this as if those People were guilty of heinous Crimes that it might appear to thee as if these Petitioners had done nothing but Iustice in what they have done and they seek to cover themselves and to hide their Wickedness before thee in what they have unjustly acted and this seems to be the Current of some part of the same Petition already presented unto thee like as if they had done no Evil though they have Unjustly Banished 〈◊〉 off Ears Whipped inhumanly and taken away lives as aforesaid And they would have thee believe they are Innocent towards thee and towards us whenas it is evident as the Sun at Noon-day that they are our Persecuters and that they have â—â—justly persecuted us unto Death for the Name of Christ and that also they are not unto thee as they Hypocritically feign themselves And therefore O King for the clearing of our selves and the Name of the Lord which we profess and for reproving of their bold impudent Insolencies both in what they have already done to us and now in seeking to cover themselves unto thee And also if there be any doubtfulness in thy Heart of these Matters for these Ends and Causes with Respect to the Fear of God and Honour 〈◊〉 the King I hereby presume to pursue their said Petition even unto thy Court and to wipe away the Slanders and Reproaches of Ungodly Men as much as possible hoping thereby thou wilt receive due and just Information in this matter of proceeding between us and them that thy just Judgment may be given accordingly And I shall transcribe some few of their own words presented to thee and thereupon spread some few Considerations before thee also and I pray God give thee an Understanding to judge justly in this and all other cases The first thing that I note is whereas they say That they have chosen rather the pure Scripture-Worship with a good Conscience in this poor remote Wilderness to â—it New-England among the Heathens than the Pleasures of England with subjection to the Imposition of the then so disposed and so far prevailing Hierarchy which we could not do without an evil Conscience c. say they The Considerations presented unto the King upon these words are divers 1. The Worship Doctrine Discpiline and Constitution of the Church of New-England is different and contrary and not purely according unto the Scriptures in the Administration of the Gospel nor in a pure Conscience purely guided by the Spirit of God though they seem to justifie their own Way and Case before the King and this may justly be made appear in his Presence upon good Occasion only at this time I assert the Case and if ever God gives oportunity I may prosecute it with Proofs and Evidences and that to the great Reproof of the Church so called of New-England who are not only in Doctrine Worship and Conversation contrary to the Scriptures but impudent and too presumptious to affirm their own Self-justification and Innocencâ— before the King when as it is manifest as the Day is from the Night that the Pastors and Members of the Church of New-England want the Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures and follow the spirit of Persecution Violence and Cruelty and are void of a Good Conscience both towards God and Men. To prove this there needs no greater Evidence than their own Deportâ—…nt towards the Harmless Quakers for these five years time who as I have said have spoiled their Goods and imprisoned their Persons cut off their Ears Banished them and inhumanely put them to Death and all this because of difference in Iudgment and Practice in Religious Matters when as no manner of Evil could be charged upon them in the things between man and man And if these be not works contrary to the Scriptures and the Spirit that gave them forth and contrary to a Good Conscience I am yet ignorant and must leave it to the Judgment of the King before whom this Matter is brought to receive his Judgment 2. Let the King consider how they have ignorantly condemned themselves in the same things for whith they have judged others for while they seem to complain of the Impositions of the Bishops which they stile prevailing Hierarchy if it was Transgression in the Bishops in dayes past to impose upon these Petitioners and to Persecute them for Non-conformists how much more are these men guilty of Imposition and Persecution of tender Consciences Nay they have exceeded in the same Transgression and become seven-fold guilty of the sins themselves which they complain against in others for they have gone further in Cruelty and Persecution towards the Innocent Quakers than ever the Bishops proceeded against them even so far further as the murdering of a man is more than cutting off his Ear And the Cause of the Quakers towards these Petitioners hath been as Innocent as ever theirs was towards the Bishops Oh hypocritical Generation who are condemning of others for that whereof themselves are guilty and imposing upon others in a far higher degree than ever the Bishops imposed on them witness their Law in New-England which judgeth every man to pay 5s per day who come not to their Assembly and imposing Fines of 40s and 50s apiece on such as meet together to worship the Lord which are evident signs of an evil Conscience as themselves speak The next thing that I note upon which the King ought to consider the Petitioners say concerning the Quakers Open Capital Blasphemers open Seducers from the Glorious Trinity the Lord 's Christ the Blessed Gospel and from the holy Scriptures as the Rule of Life open Enemies to the Government it self as established in the hand of any but men of their own Principles malignant Promoters of Doctrines directly tending to subvert both our Church and State By way of Answer to this let the King consider 1. The envious and detestable spirit of maliciousness of these Accusers and how vehement and fervent their persecuting spirit is drawn forth with reproachful Tearms in the highest degree like as if they could not utter sufficiently the Envy of their Hearts or as if they wanted words to demonstrate their Malignity and devouring Malice against that People whom they in scorn call Quakers and all this to present us Odious and Abominable before thee O King I say but this of them unto thee The Lord forgive them if they have not sinned unto Death and Unpardonably I have no desire of Revenge towards them but I leave Vengeance to the Lord who will recompence in his season neither do I desire to provoke or incense the King against them only Duty to God and the King teacheth me and Love Constraineth me and an absolute Necessity presseth much upon me to spread our Denyal of their Bitter and Malicious Accusations against us before the King unto whom we are thus foully accused And I say I
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 〈◊〉 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
to say Occasion is Wrongfully taken against us to destroy us and we are proceeded against contrary to the End of Just Government which is To preserve the Peaceable and not to destroy them and contrary to the KING 's former Promises who hath said We should not suffer for Matters of our Religion and Conscience living Peaceably in the Land And if we suffer because we cannot Swear at all such our suffering is for our Conscience sake and we are therein Persecuted Unrighteously as Innocent People and without just Cause And we must commit this our Cause to God who regardeth the Oppressions of his People and will avenge their Cause in his season And for the present this is all I have to say and present concerning this Case of Swearing and concerning the Oath of Allegiance CHAP. II. The Case Stated and Pleaded concerning our Meeting together to Worship God 1. WE do Meet together in the Name of Jesus Christ and in his Power and Spirit and we do come together in the Fear of God to wait upon him and to receive the Teachings of his Holy Spirit and his Council to direct us in all our Wayes how to walk Righteously towards God and Men and in our Meetings we practice our Hearts and Minds in Godliness and speak of the Things of the Kingdom of God in Preaching the Word of God and in Prayer to Him according as his Holy Spirit guideth us which is given us of God to lead us into all Truth according to his Promise Iohn 16. 13. and that we may edifie one another in the Wayes of Holiness and Truth for the benefit of our souls and this is according to the Scriptures For they that feared the Lord met often together and spake one to another and edified one another And this is our Principle That it is our Duty to God-wards to meet together and that he requires it of us and for the exercise of our Consciences to him it hath been alwayes and is our Practice to meet together in the Exercise of the worship of God as aforesaid and not for any other End as in Contempt of Authority or to Plot or Contrive or to Meditate Evil against the King or his Government or any of his Subjects we have no such end I say in meeting together But our alone only and absolute End in our Meeting is to worship the Lord our God and to serve him and to wait upon him in obedience to his Will and for good Conscience sake as our Duty towards him 2. And this our Practice of Meeting together for the End and Cause mentioned if it be in publick Houses or more private in Upper Chambers or in the open Fields on what day soever is Lawful and Just in the sight of God and is according to the Example of the Primitive Saints and provable by the Scriptures as in Acts 1. 13 14. And when the Disciples and Saints returned from Jerusalem they went up into an upper Chamber both Men and Women and Waited upon the Lord and continued with one accord in Prayer and in Supplication And in Acts 20. 7. 8. The first day of the â—…k the Saints met together and Paul preached unto them and continued his Sermon till Midnight holding forth the Matters of the Kingdom of God And they were met in an upper Chamber from whence Eutychus fell down And Acts 28. 30 31. And Paul remained two full Years preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God in his own hired House in Rome and he exhorted the Saints Not to neglect meeting together as the manner of some was whom he reproved Heb. 10. 25. By which Testimonies with divers others that might be given it is manifest that the Saints of God in former Ages did meet together to worship God and to wait upon him in Prayer and Preaching as the Spirit of the Father taught them that dwelt in them And sometime they met publickly and sometime more private and sometime on the day time and some in the night season and they met separate from the Synagogues and wayes of publick Worship among the Iews according to the Will of God and as it was ordered amongst them And thus it is manifest That our Meeting for the Worship of GOD at this Day though they are separate from the Way of Publick Worship of the Kingdom and are in more private Houses are justifiable being after the Example of the Saints and according to the Scriptures of Truth and therefore our Meetings are according to the LAW of GOD Just and Lawful 3. And forasmuch as by Reason of the late Insurrection of some few Persons in London our Lawful Assembling of our selves together in the Worship of God is under present Restraint and Prohibition and by Proclamation forbidden under the Denomination of Seditious and Unlawful Meetings and our Friends Imprisoned and persecuted for that Cause of Assembling themselves to wait upon God Now in this Case this I plead unto the King That we are no manner of way guilty of that Insurrection upon which the Proclamation of forbidding our Meetings was grounded and therefore ought not to suffer with the guilty being Innocent from the very Occasion of that Proclamation And for the King to prohibit our Meetings for and because of the ill Use that others made of theirs this seems a Condemning of the Innocent with the Guilty which is no way just in the sight of God nor men but altogether unequal that we should suffer for other mens Fault though such did abuse their Liberty and pervert the End of their Meetings into rising up with Carnal Weapons against the King so did not we neither in Intent nor Action and therefore our Meetings ought not to be prohibited for the Cause of other mens Faults and Miscarriages in that Case And also We have the King's Promise divers times That we should not suffer for our Religion while we acted nothing against the Peace of the Kingdom and Government which yet we never have done nor made any ill use of our Meetings nor of the King's Promises nor forfeited them and therefore according to his own Promises we ought to have our Meetings and enjoy them without Restraint because we have not forfeited the benefit of his former Promises in that behalf nor ever made use of our Meetings to Plot or Conspire against the Government to its Harm or Detriment and because of our Innocency herein the Benefit of his former Promises are yet in force unto us to protect our lawful Meetings and not to prohibit them And though upon Suspition only our Meetings have been Restrained and our Friends Imprisoned by the late Proclamation yet we being proved Innocent and without Guilt of that which occasioned it the KING and Council may and ought in Justice and good Reason to Reverse and Revoke that part of the Proclamation related to us as being Innocent that we may enjoy our lawful Meetings according to the Scriptures and Example of Saints and according to
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 Faiâ—â— 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 〈◊〉 Right and condemning that which hath differed as the Wrong and all as Hereticks that have been otherwise minded But as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Book Semper Iidem c. I would gladly animadâ—… 〈◊〉 conâ—…ing it and do intend to write a few things by way of anâ—â—er 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
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-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 〈◊〉 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
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
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 neâ—er 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
together wherefore be faithful to perform your duty to God in that particular whatsoever sufferings should be infflicted upon you by the men of this World And as concerning refusing to take any Oath ye know it hath been our Principle and practise so to do since the Lord hath given us knowledge of his wayes and the spirit of the Lord that dwels in us perswadeth our hearts to deny all swearing both as it was practised under the Law according to the command of God and in the Types and Figures and as it is practised among the Christians since the Apostles daies which is as now practised Idolatry and Superstition And I say the Spirit of Christ doth confirm our hearts in this trutâ— even to deny all swearing and also we have the express command of Christ and of the Apostle Iames forbdiding all swearing by Heaven and Earth and all other Oaths which bears witness to the truth of our refusing to swear at this day likewise we have the Testimony of many holy Martyrs and Prophets since the Apostles daies who denied to swear on any wise who suffered for such their Testimony All which evidences may justly confirm the hearts of Gods people at this day faithfully to hold out their Testimonies of refusing to swear at all seeing we have a cloud of witnesses that testifie with us the express Command of Christ and the Apostle thâ— Testâ—â—â—â—â— of 〈…〉 divers â—ges who suffered for the same and the present 〈…〉 Spirit of Christ in our own Hearts All which are sufficiâ—â—t to give Courage and Boldness under all Sufferings and Afflictions that we may 〈◊〉 withal for refusing to Swear Well Friends Be faithful to God in these and all other things which God hath given you Light and Knowledge in and I do 〈…〉 Conscience and not to sin against the Light and Knowledge that God hath given you either by denying to profess and practice that Truth which the Lord hath perswaded your Heart of or by conforming to anything which ye know is not of the Truth and this is the Way of Eternal Peace with God But if any shall through the Temptations of the Adversary and for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this World deny the Lord and renounce good Conscience â—… such must bear the Burden of the Lord's Anger because 〈…〉 Revoltings from the Wayes of God True it is This is a Day of great Tryal yet the Lord is strong and gives Strength unto all his People that 〈◊〉 upon 〈◊〉 And let us be mindful what our Controversie is and â—… this Day our Controversie is for the Lord and his Truth to Do Faithfully and Suffer Patiently whatsoever the Will of the Lord is unto us and not to renounce and deny the exercise of our pure Consciences in those things that God hath perswaded our Hearts of the Truth of For if any this Day should be Unfaithful either by doing what they should not or leaving undone what they know they should do If any deny the Lord and his Truth and conform to the false Ways and Worships of men such lose the Controversie and give the Cause of God into the hand of your Enemies which is a fearful Abomination and the Controversie is with that spirit which opposeth us in these things which we know are of the Lord. It is with that spirit that we must contend contend I say by the Spirit of the Father in Long-Suffering and Patience and Good-will towards all men and not with the Weapons of this World in envy to any even with that spirit which doth oppose our meeting together to worship God and would impose Oaths and Things upon us contrary to our Consciences And these things are the main Matters of Controversie this day which the Spirit of Christ in us must oppose being imposed on us by the spirit of the World So all Friends are to mind to be Faithful to the Spirit of Christ and its perswasions and against that spirit which is not of him For the Opposition is between the two spirits and none must say the things required to be forborn or to be done are but small matters in themselves and may be done or not done without Offence this kind of Reasoning may be dangerous and may easily divert from the Obedience of Christ for we are not to look so much at the things in themselves which are required to be done or to be forborn as at the spirit which doth impose upon us in such cases against pure Conscience if the spirit be not of God we must not obey it in the least things for this is indeed the matter of Conscience not so much particular things or actions as the spirit that is not of God where it requires things against good Conscience for whatsoever that spirit requireth be it little or much in respect of the Action it must not be obeyed and that for Conscience sake for this is a good Conscience that cannot do nor conform to any thing which the spirit that is not of God enjoyes though therefore suffering be inflicted on the outward man And last of all I do advise and exhort That ye have Love and Unity in the Spirit of the Lord and one with another that oneness of Heart and Soul and Spirit may be amongst us being bound up in the holy Covenant of the Father even willing to do or suffer one for another and in this Spirit of Unity the Lord will bless us and make us strong and able to go through joyfully all our Afflictions but if any Strife or Division be in the Body it weakens the whole if one Member vex another through discord this is not of the Father but contrary to him this is not for the safety of the Body but bruises it and wounds it and maâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—fflict the Sâ—… 〈◊〉 the Righteâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 outâ—…d Enemies â—nd Stâ—…â—…d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may sooner work 〈◊〉 â—…throw than 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from men O◠〈◊〉 therefâ—… 〈◊〉 Brother to 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to many and 〈◊〉 Servant to all let me entreat and beseech That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fo◠〈◊〉 thâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrisâ—…â—…ed you and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…minded in all things even one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—ther 〈◊〉 the Son are one and so shall 〈◊〉 Blessings o◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frâ—â— yâ—◠〈◊〉 deâ—…r 〈◊〉 The Lord haâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alwayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to â—…ll 〈◊〉 with his Riches and Treasure â—nd are noâ— we Veâ—…s of Honour is not his Name in ou◠〈◊〉 heads 〈◊〉 not we the Flock of â—is Foâ— therefore let us Honour him by the Works of Trâ—â—h 〈◊〉 Love of Mercy and all the Works of Righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uâ—…o the 〈◊〉 thereby proving that we are true â—â—â—ches in Christ the 〈◊〉 let 〈◊〉 give up to suffer all things Patiently for the Testimony of his Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Hearts if we Live let it be to him only and if we Dye let
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 Christiâ—…-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-Christian-Worship and Church-Gâ—…ment it ever was since the beginning of Christianity in the World and iâ—â—nto 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
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—… 〈…〉 â—y noâ—◠〈…〉 〈◊〉 Heritage nor use any 〈…〉 〈…〉 the Apostle and the conâ—… 〈…〉 saith he Elâ—…â—or â—or 〈…〉 upon them in â—…igor or 〈…〉 Elders and Ministers overseeing 〈…〉 oversee God's Heritage 〈…〉 self-denial and in all th◠〈…〉 hereby with the Word of 〈…〉 wards and not ruling over them as 〈…〉 Lordship by forcing and 〈…〉 imprisoning â—nd 〈…〉 as hath been 〈…〉 â—ver the Heritage of God 〈…〉 Lords over the Flock 〈…〉 example of Scriptures and 〈…〉 Gentleness and good Example 〈…〉 Peter's Instructions Thus it is clearly manifest throughout 〈…〉 the way of imposing Religiâ—â— and 〈…〉 Worship and Church-Government in the dispensâ—… of 〈◊〉 Gospel as aforesaid is contrary to the commands of Chriâ—… 〈…〉 example of Scriptures and is not of God nor according unto him And now I shall â—â—â—w in the fourth place of whom â—it is 〈◊〉 â—y whose Example this violence used and prsecution unto 〈…〉 on and also the beginning of impoâ—… 〈◊〉 force â—â—ongst Christians 4. All this persecution 〈…〉 been in the world as imprisoâ—ments 〈…〉 unto death and grievous Afflicâ—… hath been of 〈…〉 through the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Envy of the Devil against God 〈…〉 that Persecution 〈…〉 before the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ in the 〈◊〉 it 〈…〉 the particulars of it as it is signified 〈…〉 Transactions in 〈…〉 â—â—â—wledged by all that such cruel Persecutions were of the Dâ—â—il And again in the days of Christ and his Apostles 〈◊〉 was the force and 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 practised â—â—on the true 〈◊〉 Christians by â—â—e Jeâ—â— and 〈…〉 which was in â—licted upon Chriâ—… Apostles and the Christians was imposiâ—ion and 〈…〉 Religion 〈…〉 so much for compâ—…ing them to any thing as from that way of Riâ—… and 〈…〉 which they walked they were â—…ded 〈…〉 in the Name of Iâ—sus and were â—â—prisâ—nâ—â—â—anished and greatly 〈◊〉 by the Iâ—â—â—s that 〈◊〉 proâ—… People 〈…〉 Religion 〈…〉 for the â—… I need 〈◊〉 mâ—ntion the particular proâ—fs for this thing 't is so clear 〈…〉 and elsewhere how the Primitive Christians were forced and impoâ—â—â— upon by cruel Laws and violent Persecutions for their Christian Religion sake all 〈…〉 out of 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 in the heart 〈◊〉 wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Goâ—… by all â—â—t 5. This Way and Practice of imposing upâ—◠〈…〉 〈…〉 Pesecution 〈◊〉 the same wasâ—…â—…gst Chrâ—… nor â—…cticed by any called Christians 〈◊〉 〈…〉 Faith which some did 〈…〉 afterterwards For even in the Apoâ—… 〈◊〉 some were gone ouâ— from them into the Way of Câ—iâ— that killed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and into the Way of Balaam that went for Gift and Rewards 〈◊〉 these were Apostates 〈◊〉 the true Church and they were 〈…〉 and â—uch liâ—â— as Paul to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as these were alâ—â—â—dy sprung up in the first Age and they grew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the second Ages And these were the Antichristâ— and â—â—lse Proâ—… whith Iohn 〈◊〉 were gone out from the true Church into the World in his 〈◊〉 and these deceived the World by the Form of Godliness and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Power and Spirit of Christ And the Apostates from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were over spread in many Nations and grown 〈◊〉 were 〈◊〉 Sea and the Earth out of which the Beast arose Rev. 13. And it was 〈…〉 War with the Saints and to overcoâ—◠〈…〉 worship him and he should CAUSE the â—â—rth and 〈◊〉 that dwell therein to worship and 〈◊〉 should CAUSE 〈…〉 should be killed and 〈◊〉 should CAUSE all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— Rich and Poor Bond and Free to receive â—â—s Mark c. And this Beast was the Authority of Antichrist that arose among the Apostaâ—â—â— 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 〈◊〉 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 begâ—n 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 Estaâ—â—s and Conscienâ—â—s of â—…n at this day upon the account aforesâ—… And this is worthy of â—ll meâ—â— serious Consideration And now in the next place I shall proceed to shew how 〈◊〉 and Unreasonable it is for any called Christians to impose â—pon the Consciences of others and to force them by Laws and Commandments in the Matters of 〈◊〉 and to persecute â—â—out the sâ—â—e 1. Iâ— it unrighteous because it is an intruding upon the 〈◊〉 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 â—nd to exercise it in all 〈◊〉 of Religion respecting his Worship Duty and Service and to perswade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consciencâ—â— by his Spirit to follow him and observe all things which he â—…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
matters of God's Worship forcing Conformity in Spiritual Exercisâ—â— by violent Commands upon Forfeitures and Punishments seems to be and really is an assuming and presuming upon God's Authority which belongs only to him and tends to rob him of the same and is an entrenching upon his Soveraignity and is wholy Unrighteous and inasmuch as it is a â—…g in the Seat of God and forcing the Exercise of Worship and intruding upon his Blessed Priviledge and a presuming into his Authority which he commits to no man a robbing him of his Honour and Spiritual Dominion therefore to Impose in Matters Religious is Unrighteous on their parts that do practice it And. 2. It is Unrighteous because it is contrary to the Command of God D◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would be done unto but this Imposing in matters of Worship is a Practice done by others which others would not be done unto by any and therefore 't is Unrighteous For no one Sect or sort of Christians would be impâ—…sed upon in that case by any others not forced and compelled by outward Violence against their judgments and Consciences unto such a Conformity of â—…th and Worship to do thus is not to love a manâ— Neighbour as himself nor to do to all men as men would be done unto For if at any time and place the Papists so called impose upon the Protestants so called in this case of â—orcing them unto Conformity or Persecuting them about Religion 't is cryed out against by such as are so imposed upon to be Tyranny Oppression and Exacting Unrighteously and thus every Sect of Christians cry out against others that do impose upon them by Force in things Religious contrary to their Judgments and Consciences each sort when they suffer saith of others They are Unrighteous in such Impositions though many cannot see it to be Unrighteous in themselves when they have the Oportunity to do it and do impose upon other but this is where Self-advantage killeth and choaketh the Witness of 〈◊〉 though however in it self imposing as aforesaid in Religious Maâ—…rs is contrary to the Holy Law of God and a doing to others as men would not be done unto by others And therefore 't is Unrighteous both before God and all just Men. 3. It is Unrighteous to impose Worship by Force because it is an exercising Dominion over men's Faith by Force of outward Power which the Apoâ—â—le renounces and seems to forbid saying They had not dominion over mens Faith â—â—d if the Apostles themselves had not power and dominion over men's Faith that is to say To Command mens Faith to believe or do this or the other but 〈◊〉 the holy Spirit of Christ perswaded their Consciences inwardly then no outward Power of Kings or Rulers whatsoever can Justly or Righteously chalenge â—…h priviledge as to have dominion over mens faith by imposing upon them through force which is to take dominion over men's faith which is unrighâ—… because it is contrary to the Scripture and to the example of the Apostâ—… 〈◊〉 inasmuch as it is exercising dominion and Lordâ—â—ip over the stock of Christ and not leaving them to Christ the true Shepherd who onely ought to teach his people by his Spirit into all truth both of Doctrine Faith and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath not given power or authority to any Rulers of this World to impose by force upon the consciences of his tender stock nor to rule them in â—…y 〈◊〉 exercising outward force upon them but whosoever doth this it is unrighteous 4. It is Unrighteous in respect of the Fruits and Effects which alwayes have and ever will be produced by such Imposition upon Conscience in Religious Matters as aforesaid to wit Persecution and Cruelty of Men exercised in that Case which ever hath been and will be brought forth in Nations and Kingdoms where such Impositions are For if we look into Ages past what Strife and Contention what Enmity and Bitterness what Wars and Bloodsheds what Dangers and Mischiefs what Persecutions and Cruelties have been brought forth among men between Kingdom and Kingdom between City and City between Kings and their Subjects between Neighbours and Neighbours between Brother and Brother upon this very Unrighteous Account of Imposing upon Conscience by Force in respect of Worship and every Nation and City at this day is in the same Danger of the same Mischiefs where such impositions are in Force and therefore needs must the Occasion of these so unjust and unrighteous Effects which doth administer the Reason of such Contentions Wars Persecutions and Cruelties be Unrighteous and such is imposing in Matters Religious as aforesaid and this is partly manifest and will be morâ— and more through the World That that Kingdom City and Country will not be free from these Dangers and Mischiefs but will alwayes be liable unto them while this kind of Imposition by Force on the Conscience is unremoved and that which is the Occasion of such continual present Dangers to destroy Kingdoms Cities and Peoples is Unrighteous and such is Imposition in the Matters of Worship and Religion 5. It is unrighteous in any King Prince or Authority of this World to Impose as aforesaid because it diverteth confoundeth and destroyeth the End of Just Rule and Government amongst men one over another which is only to Rule well in outward Affair and over the outward Man to keep that in Peace and Good Order and to be a Praise to them that do Well and a Terror to all that do Evil in the Outward Man this is the only End of Government and Rule amongst men in this World To Rule well over the Outward Man in things between man and man but not to Rule over men's Consciences and to exercise Lordship over men in the Spiritual Matters of Christ's Kingdom this pertains not to the outward Worldly Government of Men and therefore whosoever do take it upon them and thereby do oppress the Conscience of any by forcing in Spiritual Mattters doth Unrighteously inasmuch as they do diverâ— the End of their Authority and use their Power to another End then God hath appointed them and while they should only preserve and defend the outward man by good and wholesome Laws made for that purpose they vex and oppress the Inward Man even the Conscience by forcing upon it and Imposing through Violence in the Matters Religious which is contrary to the End of Just Rule and Government in the World and therefore is wholy Unrighteous 6. It is Unrighteous because it effects no Good End nor begets people into the true Faith and Worship of God but on the contrary makes many Hypocrites even through fear and terror such Laws forcing Conformity do make many hypocritically conform to such or such way of worship which the Spirit of Christ doth not perswade their Consciences of the truth of nay it may be against their Conscience and that Imposition as aforesaid which is the cause of this is surely Unrighteous unrighteous because the End propounded by 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 Eâ—…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 Conforâ—ity 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 〈◊〉 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
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
proceedings have been in the Enmity and Ignorance and not in the Power and Life of Jesus whereby it hath come to pass that many men hath been destroyed for the cause of which they have been more innocent then they that have destroyed them And thus by false Judgment and cruel proceedings in the matter of Heresie and Error many have been destroyed unjustly and the World filled with Enmity about difference in Religious matters and with Murders and Cruelties upon the false Judgments of men about Heresie and this is weighty to be truly considered a Case to be lamented and grieved for by the Righteous Oh! what strife in the Christian World hath been for Ages on this occasion each sort of People exclaiming against and persecuting others as Hereticks and seditious persons onely for difference in Judgment in Spiritual Cases and each particular person almost raging with fury and intending his Neighbours destruction and onely for being contrary-minded in point of Doctrine and Worship Oh! the view of these things and woful effects produced in the World for Ages in these occasions makes my heart grieve because of the destructions of men yea of the destruction of many upon wrongful judgments and proceedings on these occasions I am troubled I am troubled and ever since I have known the Right hand from the Left in God's matters my Soul often in the deep search of these things hath cryed out How woful are they And when shall it once be that these things shall be no more in the World but that every man may sit at rest and quiet with his God in the Way Faith and Practises of Righteousness as his heart is perswaded of and not be tossed with false Judgments cruel Afflictions and hard dealing because of his Judgment and Conscience in the belief and Knowledge of Heavenly Matters Thus hath my Spirit been framed with zeal against these things this imposing of Religion by force these procedings of killing and destroying men upon the account of Heresie these things my soul hath loathed and I am weary of them and my zeal is kindled against them Oh I when will the Rulers of this World learn Wisdom and forsake false Judgment and Oppression And when will it be that they will onely rule and judge for the Lord in their state and compass of Worldly affairs between man and man in the matters of outward wrongs and injuries And when will they leave it to the Lord to be Judge King and Ruler only in all the Cases of his spiritual Kingdom Then should it be happy and blessed unto men unto Kings and their Subjects to Rulers and their People and to all sorts of Persons if Judgment were onely ascribed unto God that he only might judge and determine of these Cases and punish men according to the desert of their Offences of Error then should it be well with them But in the mean time whilst men are judged and supposed to be Herericks and thereupon sentenced to Death Banishment or corporal Punishment for their supposed Errors sake in matters of Iudgment and Conscience Tribulation Misery Distractions and wofull Consequence will follow upon that work to Kings Rulers and People in every Nation and Countrey and no Peace true Comfort nor Happiness shall be in the midst of men And this is the Judgment of the Spirit of God in him who hath obtained favour from God to receive Knowledge and Understanding in these matters He that can receive this let him CHAP. III. Concerning Antichrist and his Mystery of Deceiveableness What he is in himself and how he appears in the World what his Works are and What his Government is and where it is and who are the Subjects of his Kingdom 1. THese things are great Mysteries and though in the World they are very much abounding and extant throughout all Nations yet for the most part unknown unto the World and not discovered among the sons of men but secretly hidden and veiled under false covers and in much deceivableness dwelling and working upon Earth in the deep Mysteries of Iniquity to the deceiving of multitudes of People who are indeed of Antichrist among whom he dwells appears rules reigns and hath his Authority and Government and yet they know it not nor do they discern him in his Wayes and Works though they are under his Power and subjects of his Kingdom such indeed is the Mystery of Antichrist his hidden false covered pathes in which he works and walks amongst the Sons of men in the World that he easily beguiles and betrays men and deceiveth them unto perdition while yet they know not that they are beguiled and deceived but think they are altogether well and do well and are in the way of Salvation being led of that wicked one and blinded by him and are bewitched into the false faith and deceivable pretence of goodness righteousness holiness and sanctity as if they were indeed Members of the true Church and Saints of the Most High and had a right to Eternal Life and were the very Sons and Servants of the Almighty wher indeed and in Truth they are yet in the estate of Enmity against God in the Degeneration and Bondage of Corruption unconverted and unsanctified and Sinners and Ungodly the very Children of the Devil and Servants of unrighteousness and have no assurance nor right unto the Kingdom of God to rest in his Peace and Glory Such I say is the working of Antichrist that he appears to be in the World contrary to what he truly is in his own beeing and nature and deceives men and People into the apprehensions and conceits of what they are not even contrary to what they are in their present State and Standing even so deep and Mysterious is Antichrist in himself and in his working among the Children of men 2. That there is such a Man or Spirit in the World as Antichrist this is not doubtfull but confessed by all and proved by the Scriptures for the Apostle wrot to the Church They had heard that Antichrist should come and even now saith he are there many Antichrists come into the World 1 John 2. 18. and also 2 John verse 7. saith he For many Deceivers are entred into the World and this is a Deceiver and an Antichrist c. and 2 Thes. 2. the Apostle speaks of the Man of Sin and of the Son of Perdition that should be revealed in the World and should exalt himself above all that is called God These with many other Scriptures do prove that there is such a thing in the World already come into the World and now dwelling and walking in the World as Antichrist Man of Sin and Son of Perdition and as I said 't is confessed by all that there is an Antichrist such a Man or Spirit now extant in the World though there are great Debates and Contentions amongst many called Christians what this Antichrist is and who he is some holding one thing and some another about him and also
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
Worldly Government for so much as hath been brought forth in any Government in any Nation at any time of Unrighteousness Injustice Oppression Idolatry false Worship and Persecutions and of any othor Evils even so much of Antichrist's kingdom government and power hath been in that Kingdom and Government and that Kingdom and Government wheresoever in what Nation and Country soever hath been Antichristian even in so much and by so much as Injustice Wickedness Cruelty Persecution or any Acts of Sin and Wickedness have been or are brought forth into action in that Government And thus it is manifest what and where Antichrist's Government is Now I shall briefly shew Who the Subjects of his kingdom are 1. All the ungodly unrighteous and unconverted Persons in general throughout the World are the Subjects of Antichrist's kingdom all the Sons of fallen Adam in Transgression all that are in the first Birth in degeneration in the alienation and separation from God even all that are wicked and do wickedly that are in the Enmity against Christ and unholy unsanctified and unregenerate these are aâ—â— of Antichrist's kingdom Subjects of it and Servants to it and it rules in them and over them and Antichrist is their Ruler in all these their wicked wayes and in this their present state and condition 2. All Hypocrites that profess God in words and in Works deny him that make a shew of Religion and Worship when their Hearts are far from the Lord that with their Mouthes profess much Love to God and with their Lips honour him but are departed from his Fear and stand not in his Counsel all such are Subjects of the Goverments of Antichrist even all false-hearted and dissembling Hypocrites that profess more of God then they know of him by the operation of his Spirit that have an outward conformity in appearance of Worship and duty to God-wards and their hearts are not conformed to the Power of God by his Spirit all such are of the government of Antichrist and his kingdom and power dwells in them and they are under the dominion thereof 3. All Idolaters false Worshippers Hereticks and erronious Persons such as cry up Church and Ministry and profess Faith and Godliness and yet are not guided by the Spirit of Christ nor led of it into all Truth these are Subjects of the aforesaid Government of Antichrist even all they that are sensually-minded and have not the Spirit of Christ guiding them in the Way of Righteousness and Truth who are not converted and born again and renewed into the Image and Likeness of Christ Iesus and yet practice Holiness and Duty to God-wards in outward appearance and are in the profession of the words of Christ and his Prophets and Apostles but have not the same Spirit and Power of the Lord Iesus Christ as the Prophes and Apostles had these are covered with Sheep's-Clothing and profess Christ and his words but are against Christ and contrary to him in kind and nature and all such are of the government of Antichrist and he governs them and rules over them 4. All Backsliders and them that have forsaken the right Way of the Lord all that are turned against the Truth of God which once they knew and believed and were convinced of and sometimes professed these are all Subjects of Antichrist's raign and authority even all the Unfaithful and False-hearted who are treacherous to God and men and unconstant unchangeable Time-servers Hypocrites who have denyed Christ before men and turned against him and his Saints such are under Satans power and he works in their hearts and Antichrist deceives them and they are under his power and dominion and are Subjects of his government 5. All Persecutors of the Saints all violent and cruel Men all that persecute such as are contrary-minded to themselves are of Antichrist and Subjects of his kingdom even all that kill and burn and destroy for difference of Faith and Religion who themselves profess Love to God and his Way and yet will persecute others and destroy them by cruel dealing and that would not suffer any to live but themselves and will not do to others as they would be done unto but hate the Neighbour and persecute Brother and impose upon his Conscience in things against good Conscience and are violent Doers all such men are Subjects to Antichrist's kingdom in all Nations throughout the World Therefore let all consider This is the Day of the Lord God will discover and destroy Antichrist and his kingdom let the Wicked and Ungodly turn from his evil way lest God destroy him with perpetual Destruction Lastly 'T is the Property of such who are Subjects of Antichrist's kingdom to profess and cry up much of Christ in words of what he said and did of his Life of his Death of what he hath been and what he shall be and do deny the present enjoyment of Christ to that Antichrist is an Enemy he can well away with it to speak of Christ at a distance but he cannot bear it if any hold forth a present enjoyment of Christ That Christ takes away sin and forgives it and that his Blood cleanseth from it and that he is the Iustifier and Redeemer and Saviour the Profession of all this in words from the Letter without and that they are things true in themselves Antichrist can bear and make a shew of in Profession but if any of the Saints of God do witness these things and shall testifie in the Power of the Lord the enjoyment of these things and that they are at present in this Life possessed to wit Christ now lives in us and is come and his Blood hath clensed from sin and he hath forgiven it and he hath justified redeemed and saved I say if any do witness these things in present enjoyment and that they are now in this present time witnessed in the Spirit of Christ and not onely professed from the Letter without but experienced by the Work of God within Antichrist opposeth this and gainsayes present enjoyment And such indeed are Subjects of Antichrist's kingdom who have the profession of Christ in words but no present enjoyment of him but want his Nature and are in the Nature contrary to him and feed upon Reports of things done by him without and upon the expectations of what he shall do hereafter and in this present state are without Christ and are Sinners and Transgressors against the Life of Righteousness unconverted and unregenerated by Christ all such as these are the Subjects of Antichrist's kingdom And as concerning the Rise and Fall of Antichrist the Beginning and Ending of his Kingdom these things in season may be declared if God permit E. B. A Hue-and-Cry AFTER THE FALSE PROPHETS AND DECEIVERS Of Our AGE And a DISCOVERY of them by their WORKS and FRUITS And who they are in this Age that follow the same spirit and act the same things as did the false Prophet in former Generations FOrasmuch as in
Scriptures but rather such as inflict Sufferings upon us And for any of our Principles and Doctrines that we hold we deserve no punishment nor persecution because hereof for we testify before God Angels and Men That we hold and maintain no principles of Religion nor practice of Worship nor Doctrines of Gospel but what are according to Scriptures of Truth And we are ready to be tryed and proved in that case and to bring the matter to Issue in fair proceedings with any man that shall object the contrary And thus the Judgment of Scriptures are for us as we suppose at least and if we are in Errour either by denying any thing on the one hand or affirming any thing on the other we have not been hitherto well Proceeded against in order to our Conviction Secondly We are accused as for a great Crime and Imprisoned because we meet together in the Name and Power of Iesus Christ to wait upon him and to Worship him in Spirit and Truth in Prayer to God and Exhortations one to another to Righteousness and Holiness But what Iudgment doth the Law and Gospel and holy Scriptures give and our Neighbours also between us in this Case Le ts come all to their Barr and receive Iust Sentence Plea First The Judgment of God's Law Christ's Gospel and holy Scriptures are not against our meeting together but on the contrary do command us and Exhort us with promises of blessings to meet together in the Worship of God and to wait upon him And it was the practice of the primitive Christians to assemble themselves together in that form and manner as we do at this day to wit in a private manner and separate from the multitude and all the Iews Synagogues as in Acts 1. 17. The Saints and Disciples both Men and Women to the number of one hundred and twenty which were far more then five went into an upper Chamber being a private place and no publique Synagogue and their waited upon the Lord in Prayer and Supplication according as we do at this day Thus the Scriptures justify the way and manner of our Meetings and condemns them not Again in Acts 20. 8. the Saints and Disciples were gathered together in an upper Chamber and Paul Preached unto them until mid-night Here was a private Meeting far above the number of five and out of any Publick Synagogues and Christ Iesus said Where two or three are met together in my Name there I am in the midct of them And He and his Disciples often met together in private places apart from the Jews publick Worships sometimes in a Ship and sometimes in Desarts and on the Mountains and in particular Houses and Preached and Prayed this the Scriptures Prove And also in Heb. 10. 25. we are expresly commanded not to neglect the Assembling of our selves together but to exhort one another and so much the more as the day approached By all which Scriptures with many more that might be quoted it is Evident to all the World That our meeting together for the Worship of God in that form and manner as Practised by us is according to the Law of God the Gospel of Christ Jesus and the holy Scriptures And all these give Just Judgment for us and Justify us and therefore consequently condemn such as do violence to us for this practise of Meeting together for the Worship of God And thus though we are Accused and Imprisoned as Evil doers yet such our practise of meeting is manifestly according to the Law of God Gospel of Christ Scriptures Example of Saints and President of primitive Christians all which give Judgment for us Secondly What Judgment do our Neighbours give in this Case they say concerning our Meetings That they have known us to meet together in such manner for diverse years in their Towns and Villages and never knew nor understood of any harm or danger herein nor ever were any way prejudiced either in their Persons or Estates by our meetings The very witness of God in all our Neighbours do Testify and give Iudgment that our Meetings have alwayes been peaceable and quiet and that we come together in peace and good order and parted in the same and no person hath been harmed by such our Meetings enquire of the Nighbourhood and they will tell you they believe in their Consciences our Meetings are for good and have good effects and are not evil nor brings forth any evil to any And as for the manner of our Meeting and and sitting together it 's orderly and decently and of good report among men and for any Doctrine that ever was there held or heard by any none can truly accuse it to be either Error or Heresie or Sedition but on the contrary they know it witnesseth against all Sin and Iniquity and tends to the turning of people from Ungodliness and Unrighteousness to Truth and Holiness And many can tell this is effected by our Doctrine Preached in our Meetings and our Neighbours can witness that we part again in Peace and Good order and in convenient time and they can shew you they are not terrified nor the peace of the Land disturbed on our part by our Meetings which are in God's fear and to the Glory of his Name which all sober men know are according to the Law of God and Gospel and primitive Christians Example And thus our Neighbours give Judgment for us and in their Consciences do not Justify them that Imprison us for this matter of meeting together which Gods Law Gospel Scriptures and our Neighbours do thus clearly justifie Thirdly We are Accused as guilty of a heinous Crime and Imprisoned Because we refuse to Swear at all or take any Oath in any Case Plea First The Judgment of the Law of the New Testament of God and Gospel of Christ and Scriptures in this case is clear on our behalf As in the express Command of Christ in his Law and Scriptures Recorded Mat. 5. where he saith Swear not at all by Heaven nor Earth nor by Ierusalem nor by the Head but let your yea be yea and your nay nay for whatsoever is more comes of Evil. And again Iam. 5. the Apostle commandeth the Saints in these words Above all things my Brethren Swear not by Heaven nor Earth nor any other Oath And many holy Martyrs since the Apostles dayes did deny all Swearing Thus you see the Judgment of Christ Jesus and of the Gospel and of the Apostle and of Scriptures are so far from Condemning of us to Imprisonment and Banishment for our refusing to Swear that we are Commanded and Exhorted by them not to Swear at all and therefore consequently justify us in our refusing to Swear and thus give not Judgment for such as do Imprison and Persecute us for not Swearing Come to the Judgment of Christ his Gospel and holy Scriptures Let you and us appear together be fore their Judgment Seat whether they give judgment against us that deny all Swearing or
Iacob is coming out of Egypt that will replenish the whole Earth and the seed of Esau shall become bondmen and wherefore are you gathered together and to what purpose have the wicked spent their strength to oppose what the Lord is bringing to pass shall not all our Enemies be broken to pieces and will not the Lord grind them to Powder will he not marr their Beauty and stain their pride will he not bring down their crowns and corrupt their glory and stain it with his Fire of Wrath and make them ashamed of their Wayes and Doctrines Hear this ye Priests and howl and lament for the misery that is coming upon you the Lord hath laid you naked and made you bare and you are seen as you are and the Elect is risen amongst us which ye cannot deceive but alas wo is me how have you caused the people to err and how have you led the blind out or the way and how is truth fallen in your Streets and you have daubed falsly with untempered Morter and have cried peace to the wicked and condemned the righteous and all this hath vexed the righteous soul and the Lord will now arise and is risen and you shall not resist and escape the stroak of his hand which will come upon you and bruise you as a Milstone for you have caused the wicked to rejoyce and the righteous to mourn and you have made sad his heart whom God hath not made sad have not you fed your selves with the fat and clothed with the Wooll and have not the peoples souls been starved and leanness been upon them all your plants are dry and barren trees that bring forth no good fruit and your people are like a Wilderness that is untilled and unploughed and undressed and your flocks are like wild Asses upon the Mountains that are untamed as rude as the Horse Mule that know no Bridle and now it is seen what the end of your Ministry is and what fruit it hath brought forth the Lord hath taken notice and he hath beheld how you have loytered and lain idle and the Nations lie yet like fallow ground that bears no fruit and mens hearts are untouched with absence of Gods Word and there is no sound true and perfect sence amongst your people of the dealings of the Lord nor of the operation of his Spirit but they remain in great Blindness and Ignorance void of the Knowledge of God for ye have not caused them to hear his Word but you have told your Dreams and your false Visions and you have spoken Imaginations of your hearts and not from the Mouth of the Lord neither have you stood in his Counsel nor hearkened to his Voyce and therefore people remain unprofited but what they and you know it s naturally and not by the Spirit of the Father but as dry Trees you are not taught of the Father and as rough Goats in the nature of Swine that is polluted in the silth of the World and in the nature of Dogs and Lyons devouring one another and biting one another and killing one another which things were not in the Churches of Christ and we have a great controversie with you and that from the Lord we have tried you searched you and discovered your Foundation and it s not sound nor will not stand in the trial we have fetcht your Line from the first original and we have found out your beginning and we find yours of that Race which Christ prophesied of that should come which should deceive many having the sheeps cloathing but inwardly revening and which Iohn saw was come and went out from the Apostles and true Churches which went from the truth and went into the World and had the Form of Godliness without the Power here began the Race in the Apostacy of the Churches and when they Apostatized from the true Faith then came your original up and the World went after them and all that dwelt upon the Earth worshipped the Beast that hath reigned through all this time of Apostacy which hath been since the dayes of the Apostles and we find your original goes no further then to the false Brethren and false Apostles which went out from the true Apostles and run for Gifts and Rewards and preached for filthy Lucre and through covetousness made merchandize of souls seeking mony and gain to themselves I say we find your original begins there and your Line goes no further and never came your first rise so far as the true Apostles you were not in your beginning of their life nor birth nor cannot be reckoned from their original for you succeed not them but you truely succeed the false Apostles and false brethren which Christ prophesied should come after his days and Iohn saw was come and coming in his days and we find you of this stock and Generation and now you are discovered to be contrary to the true Apostles and agreeing with the false Apostles in Call in Practice in Maintenance and in all things and the Line of true judgement is laid upon you all and you are measured and found too short and weighed and sound too light and we will deal truely with you in judgement first we do hold controversie with you as concerning your Call your Ministry it agreeth not with but is contrary to what the Apostles Call was they were called by power from on high and were made Ministers by the Gift of the holy Spirit received from God and their Ministry was an absolute Gift from God and not to be bought and sold for mony and they were anointed of the Father by his Spirit of promise and to Preach the Gospel but your Call is at Schools and Colledges in such and such Orders which are attained through natural industry such and such Arts and Sciences and Degrees having been so many years brought up in studying natural Arts natural Languages this is your Ordination and your Call having no respect to receive or to wait for the Gift of the holy Spirit to be made Ministers thereby and this is different from the Apostles and true Ministers and equal and according to the false Prophets and Deceivers Secondly Again you are not according but contrary to the true Ministry and Ministers of Christ in Practise for they were led by the Spirit of the Father which dwelt in them and they preached the Gospel by the Spirit and spake as the Spirit gave them utterance and went up and down the World through Nations converting People to the Knowledge of the Truth and what they had handled tasted seen and felt of the Word of Life in them that they declared to others and preached the Gospel which they had not received from man nor by man but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ in them but your Practices are not such but contrary for the spirit of this World leads you and it you follow in all your Works in your Preaching Praying and in your whole Worship in Form
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
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 Sâ—rt 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 â—â—depriving 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 â—â—lk 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 huâ—t â—is 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 heâ—ped up Wrath against the Day of Wrath even Wrathful Matter for the Wâ—ath 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
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 â—â—â—ount 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 â—e 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