AN EXHORTATION To all People in general Together with a WARNING TO THE Drunkards OF ENGLAND Who were my Companions in the Kingdom of Darkness whom my Soul pities Being a Testimony to the Way and Truth of God by one whom the Lord hath visited and in some measure gathered out of the World and Wickedness thereof Known by the Name of Robert Maynforth Printed for T. Sowle And sold at the Crooked-Billet in Holywell-Lane in Shorsditch 1691. AN EXHORTATION To all PEOPLE In general c. To the Reader or Readers THE several Particulars following this Epistle are some things written and declared which I met with and passed through as I travelled from Aegypt and Sodom where out Lord Jesus was crucified in the way as I walked towards the Lord's holy Mountain which the Lord is Establishing in the top of the Mountains and shall be exalted above the Hills and all Nations shall flow to it that the Lord may teach them of his Ways that they may walk in his Paths which leads to the Land of Rest and Peace for ever For I knowing that a few Words in due Season may be serviceable to the Weak and to those who have any desires after God or such as be seeking the way to Sion with their Faces thither wards that they may not look out at any dangers or difficulties that the Enemy of their Souls shall present but to go on in the Name Power of the Lord God who will give them strength to go through all the hardships that ever may befall them if they be faithful to him Therefore I advise all that are honest-hearted look not forth to the Mountain of Samaria nor to the Temple for worship nor to the Masters of Art as they are called to be taught who are strangers and aliens to the Life of God which is the Light of men and therefore must be miserable Comforters as I can truly say by Experience they were to me Most men in this part of the Country who have known my Education from my Youth know that I was brought up all my days amongst them so as to them it is little need of declaring or writing what my Conversation hath been seeing they cannot but know it yet for Truth 's sake and for the good-will I bear to all People who have any desireâ— thereafter whose Faces I have not seen nor they me known I am not ashamed to confess and declare my manner of Life in the days of my former Conversation in the time of ignorance which the Lord was pleased to wink at that he alone may have the Honour of his own Work who hath put it into my heart for to do it that he only may have the praise of the same who is God over all blessed for ever I was seventen Years of Age before I drank any strong Drink and before I was Twenty Years old I was clearly let see the evil and abuse of it and through the occasion and acquaintance I had amongst men I saw the Temptation whereof I had desire to shun and so continued in a pretty moderation until I was Thirty years old and then began the Enemy of my Soul to draw me out into Liberty and Looseness and to keep company with proud men who delighted in Drunkenness and all along in this filthy Abomination even National Priests and Teachers were one with me in the same Excess of Riot which blinded me the more and so I can truly say the Leaders of the People caused me to err thinking I might do as they did yet all that time of Darkness and Ignorance the Lord had not left himself without a Witness within me which testified daily against that course of Life I then lived in which often broke my Peace and troubled me many times so that sometimes I could not sleep nor rest and so I continued in that condition until I was Forty years of Age And I having a precious Woman to my Wife who began to see the emptiness of the Priests Teachings and to leave hearing of them finding them to be fruitless Trees which cumber the Ground and burden the Creation and bring no Fruit to God and she waiting in simplicity of heart found something check and reprove her inwardly after which she was drawn to those People who are in scorn called Quakers amongst whom it was clearly manifested to her that the Light of the Spirit of Christ Jesus was a sufficient Teacher and Leader into all Truth and then began the Priests to cast their Envy and Malice not only against my poor Wife but against me for suffering her to go to the Quakers Meetings as they call'd them and so endeavoured to stir me up against my dear Wife and put it upon me to tell her If she would not cease Meeting with them and desert them I might leave and forsake her and that I ought to tell her They met together to commit Whoredom Filthiness in lying one with another and this they pressed daily upon me But truly they could not perswade me to believe any such thing because I knew her Conversation to be Chaste and always coupled with fear and witnessing daily against my ungodly Practices which I was condemned for in my self and being upon a time under Condemnation for the Deeds I had done which she perceived and knew at such times I was willing to please her that she might not condemn me also asked me If I would permit and allow that some of her Friends might have a Meeting at my House which to please her withal rather then out of love to the Truth I was made willing to it She asked me to hear them which I was much unwilling to She said If I would hear them if I could say any thing against what they declared I might speak and object And if they could not make good what they had spoken she would ask me for no more Meetings At which Meeting I was convinced tho' not converted for by that of God in my Conscience I was satisfied that what was declared was Truth so within a short time after I was made willing to come out from the Priests and their Mass-Houses also and went among the People of God together with my dear Wife tho' with much shame and trouble to bear the Scoffs and Reproaches of wicked People which caused me to reason in my self and conclude such Revilings and Scorn I could not bear therefore I thought to conform a little to my Companions and Acquaintance and own those People too and so I continued at least a Year and then I was let see I could not be Heir of two Kingdoms and if I did not walk faithfully before the Lord in what he had manifested to me and in me to be my duty who knew my heart and the thoughts thereof it had been better for me not to have known the way of God and his Righteousness then after to have known it to turn therefrom Upon which consideration I began to
be more faithful to the Lord in what he required and so more strength was given me and through the Power of his Might I became bolder to bear Testimony for the Lord against Priests Tythes and Offerings which were only to continue during the first Covenant and through the Lord's power was carried over them through Prisons and spoiling of Goods for the Lord's sake and his Truth and had Joy thereby in the presence of mine Enemies So Friends I can truly say by experience that it is faithfulness to the Light of Christ Jesus that the Lord requires for to obey is better than Sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of Rams therefore it is nothing of that which is Natural of our selves neither Carnal Wisdom nor Humane Learning that can give true Knowledge of God and his Will to the Creature but it is the Lord's Work in the Creature through mercy to reveal himself by the Light of his Son which hath not only lightned me and some few more but every man that cometh into the World that through him who is Light and in him is no Darkness at all People might be saved from darkness and the deeds thereof which are Carnal Sensual and Devilish So all dear Hearts to the true Light which you are all enlightned with I commit you desiring you in God's fear it may lead you and guide you in all things at all times and be your Counsellor when you lie down and when you rise up and as you come to have unity with the Light of Christ Jesus you will come to witness Fellow ship and Unity with God and you will feel the strength of his Love to constrain you to love him honour and obey him with all your Hearts and Souls and so you will witness a growth and increase in the Knowledge of God in Christ Jesus and so become the Disciples and Followers of Christ and know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free and by the good Leadings thereof receive the end of your Faith even the Salvation of your Souls which is many thousand fold better than all earthly Pleasures and all earthly Enjoyments therefore why should we not sell all for that Kingdom which fades not away which stands not in Meats and Drinks but in Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost which is prepared from all Eternity for them that believe in the Lord Jesus and for the Testimony of his Name are made willing to forsake all the World and the Glory thereof and love not their Lives unto Death so they may finish their Course with Joy in obeying or suffering what the Lord requires that for a Recompence of Reward they may receive Eternal Life with the little Lambâ— of my Father's fold who cries after the Lord in the Power of his Might to bring into his Rest the Prodigals in England that they may look upon him whom they have pierced as I have done who was one with them in the same excess of Riot but now through the largeness of the Love of God I am become alive who was dead and for the Seed's sake I cannot but declare those things which I have seen and heard R. M. To the Drunkards of England who were my Companions in the Kingdom of Darkness whom my Soul pities FRIENDS THE desire of my Heart is that all Men might come to the Knowledge of the Truth and be saved that thereby they might obtain Freedom and come forth of Egypt where Darkness remains to the Supper of the great King where Bread shall be given them and their Waters shall be sure therefore why should any perish with Hunger and the Way of Life and Fulness so near to every one even within them Truth in the inward parts which is sufficient to lead out of all Error and to guide their steps in the Paths of Peace therefore the Way is not so hard as the Souls Enemy would have People believe it is though it be said to be Narrow it is but to that part which cannot inherit God's Kingdom and those that come to Christ who is the Way to his Father who is the Light of Men to lead and guide them to his Father and to make his Yoke easie and his Burden light are his Witnesses who is that true Prophet Moses writ of Whom the Lord would raise like unto me saith he him shall you hear and every one that will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed So all you who have not obeyed nor regarded that Prophet though you have been often check and reproved by him in your Hearts and Consciences though you obeyed him not loving your own Wills and Carnal Pleasures better then the God of your Life and if he should leave striving with you you are left without Excuse for he hath appeared to you who appeared outwardly in the days of his Flesh and hath now in these last days appeared inwardly by the Light of his Spirit according to the Scriptures which saith Christ within the hope of glory And blessed be the Lord thousands be living Witnesses of this Eternal Truth which is herein declared of not out of any Self-Exaltation but for the Praise of God whom I honour and the desire of my Soul and the end of my Writing is according to the good Will of God that all may come from under Death's bonds into the Light of the Lord Jesus which will let them see the Evil within them and the Deceivers without them who abide not in Christ's Doctrine but teache for Doctrine the Commandments of Men who are of the World whose Ways and Worships are vain who are Men-pleasers and respect mens Persons and receive Honour one of another contrary to Christ and his Royal Law who though he were a King he said he received not Honour from Men but those men are set up by man and are not true Followers of Christ nor keep his Sayings therefore I am bold to call them Seducers who follow the Lust of the Flesh Covetousness Drunkenness and Pride whose Lives are Prophane and Works are abomination to the Lord and I know they are seen by many who will confess they are such men as serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own Bellies and yet will not be diswaded from them but love to follow their pernicious ways rather then the Light of Christ Jesus which manifests them and though they be Convinced that they be not Godly Teachers nor sent of him yet they will not be Converted from them to the Light of Christ Jesus which would turn them from the Power of Satan to the Power of God wherein is Salvation to every one that believes to the Jew and also to the Gentile therefore is it not a sad thing to see how the Devil betwitcheth People and blinds their minds lest they should be turned to the Truth in this Day of the Lord's Power wherein he is more plentiously pouring forth of his Spirit upon the Seed of Jacob and his Blessings upon
spoil the Bees Altho' you read the Scripture true Without the Spirit what doth ensue But only for your carnal Wills You keep poor Souls in that which kills To which purpose you make a trade Even to delude Man Wife and Maid Keeping their Souls in bondage still If you can but the same fulfill To make them run for what you read And give you Money for that 's no Bread For shame therefore let it suffice That you be drunk with Avarice And cease teaching and silent be And wait on Christ he 'l let you see What is your duty and your place Obedient be think 't no disgrace That you may not be of that sort Which of the holy Rest come short But that you may rewarded be VVith them that lives in puritie VVhich will be sweeter to your spirit Then all without you do inherit And blessed you will be also In every thing you do undergo And as you come t' obey the Light Surely your peace will be in sight Lord God it grant if that thou please That all that seek thee may find ease Through Faith in Christ as he 's reveal'd VVho hath the wounded always heal'd The Conclusion NOw to conclude leaving what hath been said To all that reads it with impartial Eye Which to believe they need not be afraid Being true Words in which there is no Lye Tho' Godly men were always scoft and scorn'd For the Name of Christ which was their chiefest good Yet they rejoyc'd to see his Truth adorn'd Tho' for so doing it cost some their Blood Which was but that they then had left to spend That they thereby might gain a better prize Which would be sweeter to their Souls i' th' end By therein dwelling where true vertue lies Wherein is sweetness much better than Life To Souls Immortal in the quiet place The Godly Ones who are made free from strife Who are engag'd to run the holy race And come away to witness for the Lord And his pure Truth reproach'd in these our days Tho' for so doing they have been abhorr'd Which is no other but what hath been always For Truth is Truth and all that do err from it Must once confess how they have done despite To th' Grace of God and his holy Spirit By making Sin their pastime and delight Yet they shall know to their eternal sorrow That they were warn'd of what was then to come Of a dark Night which could bring forth no morrow Which is the portion and the Wicked's doom Who have not priz'd the day of Visitation In which all men are left without excuse By shewing them wherein is Condemnation To all the World that doth the Light abuse In which true sence Lord keep thy tender Flock Alive in thee for their safety and Rock A Godly Request LOrd God of Life and Power thy Truth more spread That they which truly seeks within may read For Truth i' th' inward parts that thou requires To which O Lord strengthen all weak desires That Grace Peace may grow in these our dayes By quickning of the dead thy Name to praise That so thy glorious Name may be exalted And that kept down which hath from thee revolted Which Work O Lord thou hast with us begun Through shining of the Light of thy dear Son Therefore O Lord if that it so please thee Shine forth on more thy Glory for to see That so thy Praises may with men encrease And thou mayst know who art the God of Peace That they with us and we with them may sing Hallelujahs and Praises unto thee our King THE END