dispensations who are my accusers only this difference what ever their pretences are what Paul did was out of pure zeal touching the Law wherein it is said he thought be walked blamelesse but these men are altogether for their own ends and unlesse they should come to be where Paul was viz. rapt up into the third heaven they will go on still in their persecution For 't is impossible to see what Paul did see unlesse they could be where Paul was And now truly friends as I have wrote this Epistle to all sorts of men which is by way of vindication so I shall desire you to read this ensuing treatise with out any prejudicate opinions where you shall in like manner find some other accusations against me thought unjustly which will also discover abundance of folly and weakenesse of those my accusers And you may also find a parcel of good councel if you can take it communicated to all sorts of men both high and low rich and poor And although I know it will be accounted a sawcy part for me to give councell or advice to Rulers and such as are in authority over us great potentates and mighty men of the World yet I could not but doe it and the rather because I wish a happy peace to this poor bleeding Nation and that the sore-sick maladies thereof might be cured And not only to this Nation but to all the Nations of the earth I knovv it is God alone that can heal the Nations and bring all earthly povvers in subjection to his will Good Councel may be offered though not received and if it be not received 't is because they cannot take it And this I know too that the Lord sometimes stirres up poor vveak and despised instruments to give councel and advise to Princes and great vvise men of the World both Magisterial and Military to confound the wisdome of the wise yea and things that are not to bring to nought things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence And as my Epistle is directed to all sorts of men so is my councel and my desire is to be instrumental if the Lord so please to work upon your spirits for the healing of the Nations which is the principal aim and end of him who is Thine and the Nations Servant Francis Freeman GOd who at sundry times past and in divers manners speak unto the sons of men in parables and dark saying and now in these latter times he hath more manifestly declared himself by his Sonne and by the holy Ghost the comforter who wil both lead and guide us into the way of all truth and although the Lord hath bin pleased to unveile himself and to make glorious discoveries of himself unto some in shewing forth the glorious beauty and brightnesse of his raies in the light and dispensation of the Gospel by his providence yet notwithstanding we find by experience that there are many precious excellent and most glorious truths obscured clouded and overspread with Antichristian darknesse by reason of an Antichristian power of darknesse raigning amongst us who labouring to divert that current or stream issuing or flowing from that most sweet and precious fountain of truth the Lord Iesus out of its proper channel into a filthy loathsome durty muddy channell of humane inventions and traditions crying down glorious truths to be errors heresies and blasphemies as if there were no truths declared but such as they apprehend to be so when as there is an incapacity of apprehending it be carnal wisdome Therefore it must needs passe under that notion especially by such who are accounted Ministers of the Gospel and are no lesse then deceivers and being deceived having a form of Godlynesse but denying the power thereof yet notwithstanding they are upheld by the power of earthly Magistrates who carry on their work in persecuting the Saints and Servants of God as much as in them lies But how soever there is a restraining power and that is Gods power which over-tops all earthly powers when as their Mountaines shall be layed low and without a manifestation of Gods mercy towards them they shall be brought to shame and confusion of faces for this and the like cruelties when they shall cry out and there shall be none to help for as the mercies of the wicked are cruelty and oppression so there are none that live godly in Christ Iesus but shall suffer persecusion either by false accusation imprisonment or both which I my self being one of the least and meanest of Gods servants have my share not long since at the Town of Taunton in the County of Summerset being talsly accused by one Cox of no lesse then blasphemy imprisoned by the Magistrates bound over with two surities to answer it at the assizes and there indicted for blasphemy and the indictment prosecuted with as much violence as envy and malice it self could imagine rendring me so odious as not fit to live upon the earth as if they themselves were men of such infallible judgement that there could be no truths held forth by me being a poor weak dispised instrument but what shall come within the compasse of their apprehesions when as the Gospel is a hidden Mistery I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes c. The Lord who is the searcher of all hearts can plead my innocency towards man and mine integrity to the truth as it is in Iesus who gave into me that word of truth by his spirit which is the spirit of truth in the manifestation thereof and sweetly carried me on in the discovery of that truth to the glory of his grace be it spoken with that spirit of boldnesse and undauntednesse of spirit that my Adversary durst not look truth in the face to dispute those points with me before the Magistrates neither indeed would they admit of any dispute but told me that Mr. Cox had taken his oath possitively that I had spoken blasphemy and his oath was for the King they having an implicit faith hand-over-head with out due examination took his accusation for truth though false and scandalous yet would not take my own recognizance notwithstanding I was member of the Army at that time but committed me to prison where I praise God my conscience can plead my innocency and guiltlessenesse for what I was accused insomuch that my imprisonment and sufferings was sweet comfortable and joyous unto me knowing that such sufferings are a part of my portion hear in this life Now for the clearing of my self from those aspersions cast upon me and for the vindication of those truths then held forth by me for which I was accused and now stand Indicted I shall by the assistance of the Almighty labour to undeceive the people that they my come to a clear understanding of those my sufferings that the truth may be the more manifested Christ Jesus exalted
2.8 And so all things else that are given proceed from him but this gift of faith in a more special manner because Christ is given in it by believing but I shall shew you that there are degrees of faiths manifestation in believing according to the apprehension some degrees more weake some more strong Yet if thou hast but faith as a grain of mustard-seed thou shalt be able to remove Mountains which is the next particular to be handled But a word or two more touching the highest degree of faith which is faiths assurance assurance being the proper act of faith proceeding from the reflect act of faith which causeth a man to know and see that he beleeves and this assurance is from the immediate testimony of the spirit of God in the conscience of him who is already a believer and causeth the soul to know that it believes The spirit it self beareth witnesse with our spirits c. Rom. 8.16 But so much shall suffice for this point the next in order is that mountain to be removed according to the main drift and scope of my argument First a mountain in Scripture is taken divers waies as you may find in Isa 2. Mark 11. c. But I shall shew you first Negatively What a mountain is not Secondly affirmatively What it is And according to the reall drift and scope of my meaning at the discourse and it so be the Magistrates with patience could have heard me make it forth I should have cleared it but that they would scarce suffer me to speak for my self but searcht the statute-book to see what punishment was fit for blasphemers in that case provided taking his accusation for truth not knowing how or in what manner I had declared my self neither could they understand my meaning touching this mountain here spoken of Therefore I shew you 1. Negatively that I did not mean such a Mountain as that great hill neer Taunton called by the name of black-down according to the question propounded unto me Neither did I mean that great round Cob-hill call'd by the name of Glastonburytor Nor that great mountain of Saint Taffies in Welchland Nor had I any thoughts of removing that great hill of Taunton out of his place who was then Major pro tempore and committed me to prison when as neither of them knew a mountain from a mole-hill But I speake this but by the way and therefore desire to be excused 2. Affirmatively There are mountaines within us as well as mountains without us there are mountains of sin and there are mountains of opposition there are mountains of power and there are mountains of pride and self-loftinesse there are mountains of oppression and Tyranny c. An indeed every thing is a mountain that exalts it self or is exalted high in opposition to truth As you may see in the aforecited chapter from verse 10. and so forwards but yet all these mountains shall be lay'd low when the lofty looks of men shall be humbled and the haughtinesse of men shall be bowed down and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day Which is the day of Gods power But what flesh shall abide his coming When he shall come as a refiners fire and like fullers sope when all corruption shall be burnt up and be destroyed or at least be cleansed and purified from the drosse Mal. 3. These things are and shall be trans-acted in us but the end is not yet And now friends although I have not handled every particular circumstance of this matter in hand yet every material point of any moment is cleared Therefore I shall now give a word or two in general to the Nations and chiefly to Magistrates and Governors and such as are placed in authority over us which shall be by way of good cuncel if you can take it But if so be you do not take it it will be because you cannot Yet neverthelesse I have thought good to give you a cautional hint of some special observations which I have taken touching the several greevances of the people who ly under many greevous pressures and burdens and expect relief and comfort from you which will be by prescribing wholesome laws according to the present constitution of this Nation and a due execution thereof as it was before the Norman Conquest For you know that the people have lived under a Kingly power many hundred years and have been held in bondage and slavery ever since the conquest under those lawes which were prescribed by an Usurper And have been still kept under the Normand yoak by reason of an absolute arbitrary power domineering over them raised up by William the Conquetor when he had subdued this Nation by the sword Then those who were his Creatures his favourits he created them to be Lords of Mannors and so divided and distributed the Land amongst themselves and the poor people to become tenants unto them and to pay a small rent at first to bring them under the yoak and so to acknowledge them to be their Lords and masters and hence came in that which we call propriety as derived from the Norman Conquest Now after this these great Lords of Mannors by marriages matching their Sonnes and daughters together joyn'd house to house and land to land and so became greater Lords then ever and exhausted greater rents from their poor tenants by degrees and all to uphold them in their pride and so to maintain them in their pomp and vanities and Lordly dignities And so the poor people comes to be meer slaves to their Lords and Masters their rents being continually raised and set upon the rack and tenterhoocks of their wicked consciences and are not able to maintain themselves and families though at a pittyful poor low rate both in food and rayment notwithstanding all their labour and pains-taking both early and late But I must tell you that the maintainance of propriety in this way and by such lawes will be the destruction of it and me thinks I see it already destroyed and you know that the stander-by sometimes sees more then the gamester And truly for my part I see an exceeding unequal distribution of things some all and some nothing at all and the poor daily crying out for bread bread bread for the Lords sake and few or none laying it to heart when many of your great Lords have ten fifteen twenty thousand pounds per annum which is more then two hundred thousand families have and yet they can spend all in rioteousnesse and wantonnesse and in superfluity of dainties and in the delights and pleasures of this world and truly I do beleeve I speak with the least though I speak it with much grief that for every one that hath but ten thousand pounds per annum there are two hundred thousand families and more that have not so much and so proportionable of all the rest I speak from experience of my late travels in the North where I have seen multitudes of
placed him and so we brake of our discourse for that time but it seemed to me that they were somewhat troubled at it Now the next time we met together we had some farther discourse touching ordinances and to my thinking before we parted they were very well satisfied for we parted upon very faire terms and I went up into my Chamber where I was not long before I had some thoughts of writing an Epistle to all sorts of men and so call'd for a Pen Ioke and Paper and began to write but before I had wrote three lines they came to me again and I told them what I was about and that I was writing an Epistle to all sorts of men that were under severall dispensations or Ministration and so fell into Discourse againe spent some time in it and all this time they were very merry and pleasant with me in so much that I could not conceive they had any prejudice against me or any design to advance their own interest which I shall referre to you to judge And so we parted for that night and went to bed and the next morning I wrote the former part of this Epistle and shewed it to them but it did appear to me that it was not well resented by them For in a very short time after they made some complaint to Colonel Okey of some strange points which I should hold as they said which occasioned some dispute amongst us in the presence of one Capt. Smith and others Now the Colonel meeting me at Bedford with some other officers of his Regiment told me that he had heard of some strange opinions I should hold but never had any discourse with me as to know what they were Therefore he desired to propound some questions unto me My answer was that I should be very free to answer to any question that he should propound unto me so that it might be done in a way of love which he promised it should So he propounded this questian first what I thought of the use of ordinances my answer was that all those that were under any of them or in the use of any of them that it was their duty to be obedient unto them till God call'd them to a higher ministration And that I liked them well that were zealous in the performance thereof for I did beleeve they had some comfort in the use of them The Second question was what I thought of the Scriptures and whether I did acknowledge the Scriptures to be the word of God my answer was that it is the written word of God the Prophets and Apostle were the Penmen and that it was my daily practise to make use of the Bible called the Scriptures when opportunity served and I told them that every Scripture is a mystery untill it be made known to us or revealed in us and so it comes to be above that Scripture without us for it is said to be a hidden mystery to them that perish but the power of God unto salvation to every one that beleeves Then by this time they all came about me like Bees as the Psalmist saith they kept me up on every side they kept me up I say on every side c. one catcht at me and another catcht at me insomuch that I earnestly desired them to forbear any further discourse for I saw that they lay in wait for me and as it did appear to us afterwards that they had laid a snare to entrap me and katch me into their own Net which they cunningly had laid But I was very cautious and wary how to speak to them and for this reason which I gave them that I might speak something in answer to their questions that they might not well bear for said I that which may be a truth to me may not be a truth to you and yet a truth in it self The Word of God which is God in his Word written in me is more to me then the whole Book of the Scriptures both of the old and new Testament for what is it without it be unsealed and the Book opened and yet I can assure you I prise it at as high a rate as any of you all can doe but if so be you should ask a Child of seven years old what booke it is and lay it before him he will say it is the Bible or peradventure he will tell you t is the Scripture why because he hath been told so but if so be I know the word of God which is God in his word be written in me then I know assuredly that is the word of God because it is so manifested unto me But how shall we know this of a truth said Cornet Friend how may this appear to us My answer was that the witnesse of the spirit did bear witnesse with my spirit and that I had certain evidences and demonstrations of the spirit of God working in my spirit and that I saw a glorious change in me since I had past through all these formes or ministeations which I had formerly been under I told them likewise That I had bin a Papist Protestant Presbyterian Antinomian Independant Anabaptist Seeker c. But I gave God thanks I had past through them all and that Scripture was fulfilled in me which was a promise made by Christ that he would put his laws in our minds he would writ them in our hearts and he would be to us a God and we should be to him a people Which lawes are written in my heart and have made me conformable in obedience to his will and this law being written in my heart is far above any law without me As for example the Scriptures containe in them divers precepts as in the decalogue Thou shall do no murder Thou shalt not commit Adultery Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not beare false witnesse c. We see this law we reade it and yet we break it we cannot keep it Why because we see and reade no more but the bare literal expressions and is without us But if God comes in in power and commands me from within either to doe or not to doe then I cannot breake it but I must keepe it and that from a Principle of love from within Then came in Capt. Neale and one Mr. Easton who being no sooner in the Room but Col. Okey in a seeming merry way took Captain Neale by the shoulder and thrust him to me using these very expressions That he would be on my side for he was of my judgement To which Capt. Neale answered that he thought he should although we were the weaker side Then Lieut. Cheese spake something in reference to our former discourse Cap. Neal asked me whether I would answer him or whether he should So I desired him to answer being willing to be quit of any farther discourse for those reasons before mentioned in that I found them to lie in wait for me Then Capt. Neale ansvvered clearly to the point which
he is very well able to give an account of Then Leiut Cheese replyed and all this while there seemed no prejudice outwardly against either of us and Mr. Easton answered to his reply and undertook the discourse but before he had done speaking Colonel Okey desired him to make repetition of what he had said which he did then the Colonel took first a prejudice against him and used him very uncivilly and unseemingly in the presence of all that were there for he bad him go forth of the room for he was a dangerous fellow and not sit society for any honest man and this was for nothing but declaring his opinion But Mr. Easton desired to speake farther to the point and that there might be a right understanding betwixt them No said the Colonel and bad him hold his tongue and get him forth for he had something to speake to some Officers of his Regiment and so fell very foule upon Captain Neale with bitter language and then upon me and told us he would roote us out of his Regiment or else we should root out him and commanded us to be gone which command was immediately obeyed Now I shall appeal to all godly conscientious men to judge whether this discourse was in a way of love or not according to his promise and engagement When as they did as it were force me to discourse and to answer to all their questions yet I am sure they have no advantage against me therby But to proceed the next morning I met with Capt. Smith who told me that he liked our discourse very well but shook his head said that he was very sorry to hear and see such miscarriages and clashings against us Now the same morning the Colonel sent for Mr. Close Chaplian to his Regiment and discharged him because as he said he was of our judgement Mr. Close desired to know what might be laid to his charge to be so castoff without a Councell of Warre and that he might know his accusers The Colonel told him that he had preacht dangerous doctrine and held dangerous tenets therefore he should no longer continue in his Regiment Then Capt. Neale and I desired him that we might all three be tryed at a Councel at Warre for we conceived all our cases were alike but that would not be granted but howsoever The Colonel then told Mr. Close that he might ride in any Troop of the Regiment but not as Chaplain to which he answered that if he were not fit to be Chaplain to the Regiment he was not fit to ride in any Troop Then I desired to know of him what he had against me or what he could lay to my charge His answer was that I held dangerous tenets that I denyed the Scriptures and that I made God the author of sin Which I denyed and withall did aske him where ever he heard me say so in positive terms He answered no but that I did as good in effect And thus you may see he would draw conclusions according to his own fancy Therefore give me leave to draw one conclusion according to their practise which is this that if God justifies their actions which they believe he doth then is God the Author of sinne But no more of this for I am very Ioath to digresse but to proceed The Colonel did likewise rip up the old sore at Taunton and told me that I said I was Christ and that if it had not been for him I had been cashier'd for it which argues abundance of weaknesse in him or malice towards me he knowing that I had clearly answered to their charge and that Mr. Peters had moved the Generall for reparations for the wrongs done unto me Then Cornet Friend laid this to my charge that I should say that I had as live keep a Drunkard company as any other man which I denyed neither did I indeed speak it at all upon any other tearmes then as before mentioned You say you have no prejudice against the person of any man said he then I pray tell us wherefore you keep up your sword My answer was to maintain our just rights and priviledges which is our birth-right to relieve the oppressed not intentively to kill any man and with all did demand this question of him wherefore he kept up his sword His answer was to kill the Caveliers then said I you are a man of blood you kill all the day long and I had as live keep a drunkard company as keep you company and withall I told them that they might see that I was both ready and willing to do the States the best service I could as I had formerly done and that I was willing to go with my whole Troop for the service of Ireland which if I had not been willing then I had been disbanded upon that Account without any more adoe And thus I have given you a plenarie description according to truth both of the manner and also the matter and substance of our discourse and if so be it should be denyed I can prove it by Capt. Smith and others And now I shall shew you how they have shot their poysoned arrows even bitter words against me and have spit their poyson at me to render me as odious as they can possibly and all to drive on their own designes and set up their interests For here you shall find if it may come to a tryall that the Cap. Leiut gap'd after my command as much as ever any ungracious son did gape after his Fathers death that he might inherit his possessions as may appear by his often and earnest solicitations to the Col. that he would give him my Troop if he could get Col. Rich his letter and Col. Harrisons letter to him Then Cornet Friend looked for preferment too Quartermaster Gilmore gap'd after my Cornets place who went for the Service of Ireland and indeed I wrote my letter in his behalf to my Col That he might have it notwithstanding I knew that he had done some good officers for me And these are my accusers who by their false and scandalous accusations have caused the Col he being very apt to hear with other men ears see with other mens eyes and to speak the language of other men especially to drive on their own designes according to their hearts desire And as for Quarter-master Gilmore he let fall these very expressions to his Land-lady where he quartred at Rowell in Northampton-shire that there were but few officers in the Army of his Captains judgement and that Crumwell was now gon into Ireland therefore they could new model the Army at their pleasure And truly for my part this did evidently appear to me that their intentions were no lesse but that they would root out all officers that were contrary to them in judgement for I met with a Colonel of the Army in Westminster-Hall who did as good in effect say so much to me for he told me that I countenanced
and the Kingdome of Antichrist destroyed which the Lord will do one day with the breath of his mouth and brightnesse of his coming And for my more orderly proceeding herein I shall give you a true and perfect description both of the manner of our discourse and also the manner of their carriage towards me and so leave it to the Godly-wise to judge I shall begin with the first particular touching our discourse and so proceed to the rest in order as they ly Faith was the point which we insisted on and this was my very expression That he that hath faith he is in Christ and Christ in him so that faith is Christ and he is Christ But this he denied Then I asked him whether he had faith his answer was that he did hope he had then I told him that he must have some ground for it and if he had faith then these signes should follow them that beleeve and cited that Scripture Mark 16. they shall cast out devils c. And he that hath faith as a grain of Musterd-seed he shal be able to remove mountains Then he asked me whether I had faith my answer was yea Then said he you are Christ you are able to remove Mountaines my answer was yea I was able to remove Mountaines Then he farther replyed and said thus if you are Christ you are God you are here you are at London you are every where my answer was yea though not essentially as I am in this body of flesh but in respect of that spirituall onenesse with him and in him and that I am here and at London and above London Then we spake something concerning the personality of the Deity which point was quickly ended for the would stay no longer to dispute out those points with me but framed some excuse to be gon saying that he had a great deal of businesse Then I earnestly desired him to stay that I might make forth these points to him but he would not Then I made them clear to my friend which was with us who told me that Mr. Cox was not able to dispute these points with me which he conceived was the reason of his haste This discourse was about twelve a clocke and I heard no more newes of it till about nine at night at which time the Constables and other officers came for me to goe before the Major and Justice Nicolas which when I came thither there was mine accuser and had taken his oath as they said that I had spoken blasphemy and laid this to my charge that I said I was Christ I was God and that I denyed the Trinity My answer was that he accused me falsly and said that I do acknowledge three subsistances in one divine essence in respect of their severall operations Then said he you denyed the personality my answer was that I am not so low and carnall as to bring down a Deity to a personality Then Justice Nicolas cited that Scripture in John There are three which bare record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost But my answer was that I did not read that there were three persons did bear record in heaven Then he farther replyed and said that Christ is said in Scripture to be the expresse Image of his Fathers person to which I answered that that was spoken touching his divinity and withall earnestly desired to dispute out these points with mine accuser that I might clear those truths held forth by me but they would not admit of any dispute Then my accuser by way of aggravation told me that I said that I could remove mountains My answer was that he knew not what a Mountain was Then Justice Nicolas told me that I despised the Ministers of the Gospel my answer was no I loved the Ministers of the Gospel but for my part I conceived my accuser to be none and withall desired to dispute out that point with him too to see whether he could make forth his calling but that would not be granted neither Then said Justice Nicolas Captain Freeman It is a strange thing that there should be such errors and heresies abroad and such diversities of opinions amongst us being brethren To which I answered that I did not take him to be a Brother unlesse it were according to the flesh in Adam Then he told me that I must either find sureties to answer it at the next assizes or go to prison My answer was that for the present I must submit to the power of the Magistrate and so chose rather to go to prison then to send for sureties And so my Mittimus was to be made and the Clerk put his jear upon me he asked me what my dipt name was I reproving him for it the Justice reproved me Then I told them that our Saviour Christ was accounted a blasphemer and the servant must not look to be above his Master and withall told them that they sought what meanes they could to betray me and cited that Scripture Mat. 22. Where the Sadduces went about to betray our saviour Christ touching his resurrection but he told them that they erred not knowing the Scriptures by this time my mittemus was made and the Officers redy to take me away Then my accuser insultingly asked the Major whether he had any more service to command him Mr. Major answered and said that he must stay for he must be bound to give evidence against me Then I cited that Scripture in Hosea 5.11 verse Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgement because he willingly walked after the Commandments and withall asked him what commandments those were but he answered not a word And so I went to prison where I praise God I received abundance of comfort for divers of the Gathered Church came to visit me and tendred themselves to be my sureties so on the next day I sent a latter to the Major A true Coppy as followeth Sir I am hear a prisoner at your pleasure by the accusation of one Cox as I understand who is as I conceive an enemy to the truth as may appeare by his refusall and my non admittance to dispute the same point whereof I am accused by him and for the vindication of that truth hold forth by me I shall desire no favour from you nor any that have or shall any way accuse me and if in case I have spoken any blasphemy whereof I am accused and now in durance I shall willingly and volluntarily suffer punishment according to my deservings and if it may appear otherwise that then I may have reparations for my wrongs sustained New my desire is that you would be pleased to take my own recognisance to appear at the next Assizes which I shall be ready to stop the mouthes I make no doubt of all gain-sayers And as I have had the Generalls letter for my quick dispach of my businesse that I might return speedily to my charge so I shall desire that favour as a member of