44. selves to be in envying the righteous seed where it is brought forth but God of his infinite power and love doth preserve his little ones from your hands from devouring them to him be all honor and glory and praise who maintains his own truth and sets up his own Kingdom whose sword is his Word and to it shall all Nations bow though you and many others who are now fighters against Heb. 4. 12. God and would have the Magistrates to help you t is hard for you to kick against the pricks but Acts 9. 5. God hath raised up a light in many of the Magistrates to see your deceits and your envy is made appear Priests Petition That their main drift is to engage the people against the Ministry by reason of Tythes crying out with open clamor against Tythes as Unlawful Antichristian to the necessary overthrowing of the Laws to that purpose bringing an odium upon the Government and tending to stir up sedition in the people to withdraw their due obedience from the Laws and Government of England Answ The receiving of Tythes is Antichristian Are ye all blinde did ever any of the Apostles or Christ receive Tythes or commanded any such thing was not he the end of the Law and where the Spirit of Jesus Christ is it testifies against you who neither walk according to the Law nor Gospel for whom he made Ministers Mat. 10. 10. 8. he sent them forth freely without a bag or stick or scrip without two coats freely ye have received freely give the workman is worthy of his meat but here 's no Tythes no Augmentations now you are not here in the steps of them whom Christ sent forth but shews that you run before you be sent and where the Spirit of the Lord is stired up in any it cries against all such unrighteous wayes Whereas you speak of a necessary overturning the Law there in you shew forth your weakness and a mingle-mangle of your mind As for bringing an Odium upon the government it is false for the righteous Law of God we honor and set up in our souls and that is to govern that which is unruly and unjust As for stirring up sedition as for drawing people from the righteous Law of God that is your own condition under a pretence of making people believe we deny government and the law that is false If you vvere as carefull and vvatchfull in your own Kingdom over drunkards blasphemers swearers fighters liars if you were as watchfull over them then you might say you vvere friends of the government and of the righteous law but if any come into the markets and reprove such things or read a paper in the market against uncleanness such you hale out stone and persecute herein you shew there is no friendship with the Law but if a man bring a sieve of Ballads or Jest books Rimes or Theames and sing these in the markets those are suffered these Libels are not minded which shews now your venome against the truth and against them that speak from the mouth of the Lord. Pr. Petition That besides what others perhaps may know of the blasphemies of them we do plainly see and know that their practises do exceedingly savour of Sorcery the quakings swellings roarings foamings and such as we never Gal. 3. 1. Jam. 2. 4. heard of but such as were possessed of the Divel of persons at their meetings and especially of young children Answ You can judge no otherwise being of the generation of them that persecuted Christ calling truth blaspnemy but blasphemy we do deny sorcery practices we deny and we see you in that geeration in witchcraft and sorcery drawing people to follow your invention who have painted your selves with others words mystery witchcraft all who are drawn from the Spirit of the Lord within to follow your imaginations are bewitched by you with evill thoughts An as for quakings roarings tremblings you say you never heard of and before you professed your selves to be Ministers of the Gospel and yet are ignorant of the Scriptures you are blind and do you make your selves so openly blind and ignorant as not to hear of quaking Moses when he heard the Lord speak unto him he trembled and durst not behold and Moses quaked and exceedingly feared and the whole mount quaked And Acts 7. 32. Daniel when he heard trembled and his breath and strength was gone And Habakkuk he trembled Dan. 10. 11. Habak 5. 16. Acts 9. 6. 1 Cor. 2. 3. Poil 2. 12. Job 4. 14. quivered his belly shook that he might rest in the day of trouble And Paul he trembled when he came among the Corinthians he was with them in much weakness and trembling and he bade the Saints work out their own salvation with fear and trembling And Job he trembled and David he quaked and trembled his bones did Psal 119. 120. Isai 66. 2. 5. quake And Isaiah said Hear the word of the Lord all ye that tremble at his word And Christ said Your brethren that hated you and cast you out for my names sake said Let the Lord be glorified but he shall appear to your joy but they shall be ashamed And do not you cast us out in your mouthes as the filth and off-scouring of the world Is not here the Scripture fulfilled Jer. 5. 22. And Jeremy which was sent to speake unto the people the word of the Lord said Hear this a foolish people without understanding will ye not fear me will ye not tremble at my presence who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea and such a people then upheld Priests that bare rule by their means so doe you now And David he roared and watered his bed with his tears and his flesh wasted till he could number his Psal 6. bones will you say that all these were possessed with the Divell The same power of God we witness now as was then and we witness the Scripture fulfilled and have a cloud of witnesses which are recorded in the Scriptures it shews that they have not heard his voyce which shakes the Heb. 12. 1. Psal 2. 19 20. earth who denies the Letter are not Ministers of the Letter Pr. Pet. And Giving too sad a suspition of it and the more by reason of the known suspitions upon Geo. Fox to deal with the Divell before ever he came to us in these parts Answ Whereas you speak of a known suspition you have a suspition and know nothing he that knows doth not suspect but hath an infallible judgment to judge truth from error with evil thoughts ye judge as they did of Jesus Christ Jam. 2. 4. Mat. 10. 15. who called the Master of the House Beelzebub which generation it appears you are of And as for dealing with the Divel it is your own for I do witness the works of the Divell destroyed for where Iesus Christ is made manifest the works of the Divell are destroyed
did for they asked to release Barabas and crucifie Jesus the innocent and gathered the Elders against him to seek to put him to death so do you now where he is made manifest who are of the same generation Priests Petition 2. The protection of our selves and our Ministers from violence or disturbance in our worship of God and suppression of offenders Answ Where did the Saints or Ministers of God seek to a Magistrate to protect their worship but Acts 24. 5. on the contrary they were persecuted of such which the Jews and Priests did incense them to which is the same you do now as the Jews who came against Paul and said he was a pestilent fellow a mover of sedition a stirrer up of heresie a Ring-leader of the Sect of the Nazarens turning the world up side down and teaches contrary to our Custom and this holy place he told them God dwelled not in Temples made with hands neither was he worshipped with mens hands Acts 17. 24 25 which outward custom you are upholding now in the same nature that they were in when the Jews brought Paul to Felix holding up their own customs by an outward Law as imprisoning him Paul had no Law to maintain him but the Law of God and the eternal Word to guide him and Mat. 23. 4. Gal. 1. 1. Isaiah 33. 22. the same we do witness against all the powers of men but the power of God let every soul be subject too Priests Petition 3. Execution of the Statute against Sabboth breakers and such as under pretence of Religion are in no Religious Assemblies that day Answ All that live in pretence of Religion and not in power is nothing all that owns pure Religion owns us and all that owns the Sabboth the eternal Rest the eternal day owns us but while people have met together to set up you who in the week day invented fashions and on that day put it on so the eye goes out looking at new fashions and in the week day follows oathes drunkenness prophaneness pleasures and such practises we deny but to live righteously soberly in this present world this we own and whom you finde wrangling walking in uncleanness cursed speaking fighting drunkenness upon such you should lay the Law for the Law was made for the Lawless but you pretended Ministers seek to bring upon us bounds who are redeemed from these ways through the love and power of God if you were the Ministers of God you would go about to bring people from under all Law up to God but you shew your selves to be of that generation which shut the Kingdom of heaven from Mat. 23. 13. men which Kingdom is a Kingdom of peace this we witness Priests Petition 4. Charge to all differing judgements to meet together each Lords day peaceably and not to spread themselves to several places for disturbance Answ If any be moved by the Lord to come into your Assemblies to speak the word of the Lord unto them for your souls eternal happiness would you have this limitted this is your intent to limit the Holy one of Israel As for disturbance we all deny and to draw people up to God that we do out of all carnal ways for God is a Spirit and will be worshipped in spirit and in truth and this worship we own and who are here denies all your Temples and Priests herein is one Priest Jesus Christ the Biship of our souls for they who received the Substance denyed the Priests and they met together the first day of the week and when any was moved to go forth they went and witnessed forth the Substance to them that lived in the Shadows this we do and now to deny you Priests being ye cannot witness your call the Temple which God never commanded they that are in the Temples of God do This dark Ministry hath long reigned over people and kept them in bondage underimitated forms but Luke 1. 79. now God is raising a light in his people to gather them up to himself to live in love and unity one with another Pr. Pet. 5. Suppression of persons living without any calling Answ Then this suppression must come upon your selves for you cannot witness that ever you were called of God or sent forth by Jesus Christ to preach the everlasting truth for if you were you would not raise up persecution against them that witness a call from the Lord who of you receive whipping stocking stoning prisoning buffeting and haling us out of your Assemblies who do pretend your selves to be Ministers of Christ wait to have that suppressed in your selves that persecutes then you will not seek to oppress the just for your own ends that ye might be maintained in your beastly worship and your Antichristian ways Priests Petition 6. And your witnessing against all blasphemers of the name of God especially such as are contained in the Acts of Parliament Answ If you would have them witness against all Blaspemers then they must witness against you who calls evil good and good evil and vents forth so many Blasphemies against them who live in the power of truth Priests Petition And if the application of any effectual remedy lie not within your power that you will dlease to joyn with us in this desire and transmit this cause to the knowledge of the Right Honorable the Councel of State as a cause so nearly concerning the peace of England and we shall ever pray c. Answ You would have a Law or an Act forth under a pretence to suppress the truth under the name of Blaspemy because it doth shake your Kingdom who live in your self ends for ranting ways and blaspemy we utterly deny and takers of Gods name in vain which you do in every word you speak because ye know him not he is merciful to the just and unjust but you shew your cruelty against the just and persecute them Here you shew forth your serpentine nature and would beget others in the same envy to joyn with you to be the stronger to tread down the truth as it is written The Beast shall make war against the Lamb but the Lamb get the victory praises praises for ever be to the Lord God Almighty you say the Lords Prayer Forgive us as we forgive them that trespass against us but you persecute them that seeks your souls health seeking you and not yours their prayers are an abomination to the Lord. And what is Right and Honorable will Prov. 28. 9. Iohn 5. 44. Prov. 20. 3. Rev. 14. 7. deny all you and your Petitions for they who owns God and Christ owns us who owns peace owns us and we them in our souls but all the pretenders of God and godliness who live in uncleanness and ungodliness denying the power that cuts down iniquity which we own and set up Therefore all people whose mindes are now bent to raise up persecution and Priests who stands railing in your Pulpits incensing ignorant people
against harmless innocent people Are not you laying here a foundation for a new war and so digging a pit for your selves to fall into you need never fear them who live in the power of truth to raise up an outward war but it is your false suggestion to incense people to make them believe lies but God hath raised up alight in people and in Magistrates which discerns all your intents An Order that was ordered at the Sessions at Appleby in Westmerlrnd ORdered That whosoever shall hereafter disturb any Minister in the Publike Exercise of his Ministry within this County or give any scandalous opprobious terms against any of them shall be apprehended by the Constables or Church wirdens of the place where the offence shall be committed and brought before the next Justice of the peace to finde Sureties for his or her good behaviour and upon refusing to finde such Sureties to be committed to the common Goal till willingly they shall do the same or be from thence delivered by due course of Law And likewise all such persons as me t in great numbers and Assemblies in the night time within this County shall be apprehended and bound to good behaviour as aforesaid Priests Order ORdered That whosoever shall hereafter disturb any Minister in the Publike Exercise of his Ministry within this County Answ The Law of the Land doth give freedom to speak after the man hath done and here you seem to make a new Parliament and new Laws contrary to the Law of the Land and here you shew your selves not to do Justice not acting according to the Law of the Land and the 1 Cor. 14. 30 31. Num. 11. 28 29 Num. 12. 7. Heb. 3 2. 1 Law of God Moses said who witnessed forth the Law and was Ruler in the Law he wished that all Gods people were Prophets now he was faithful in the Law of God which God had commanded him and here thou shewst to act contrary to the Law of the Land and turn'st thy self out of thy justice And the Minister of God said that all might speak in the true Church and if any thing were revealed to him that fate by let the first hold his peace for you may all prophesie one by one that all may be edified and God may be glorified for the spirits of the Prophets are subject 1 Cor. 14. 30 31. 32. to the Prophets and here you do shew your selves to be no Prophets nor no Ministers and your Church no Church if any should come into your Assemblies and sit by and something be revealed to him and he say Let the other hold his peace and you say he disturbs the Minister 1 Thess 5. 19. Mat. 10. 17. 23 Heb. 11. 36 37. Acts 7 58. 59. here you would quench the Spirit and limit the holy one And here is the Scripture fulfilled upon you If they should speak you would scourge them in your Synagogues nay stone them beat them and imprison them and mock them and is not Jesus Christs words fulfilled here And they shall persecute you and now you shew it forth blush for shame and never take him for a cloak Gen. 48. Mat. 23. 33 34 35. Acts 21. 30. 2 Pet. 2. 12. for you are in the same Generation of them that persecuted them who lived in the truth be ye witnesses unto your selves that you are in the same nature that they were in that hailed Paul out of the Temple how darest thou then take his words into thy mouth O brazen face beast that doth not abide the truth Priests Order Or give any scandalous opprobious terms against any of them shall be apprehended by the Constables or Church Wardens of the place where the offence shall be committed Answ That which you call scandalous terms is the truth upon the deceit according to Scripture Gal. 3. 1. For Paul said they were bewitched them that were drawn from the Spirit of the Lord within them to carnal circumcision without them so do you bewitch the people now as sprinkling of infants and telling them of a Sacrament which there is no Scripture for and drawing them from Jer. 5. 30 31. their Teacher within them for Jeremiah said they bear rule by their means and held up the horrible filthy thing that was committed in the Land and Isa 56. 10 11. Isaiah said they were greedy dumb dogs which could not bark which never had enough seeking for their gain from their quarters And all people consider do not all the Priests of the world bear rule by their means and seek for their gain from their quarter we speak the truth we have a cloud of witnesses and Micah said the Priests Micah 3. 5. preached for hire and he that did not put into their mouthes they prepared war against him Do not you Priests sue men at the Law if they do not put into your mouthes nay of your own Church And yet professes your selves to be Teachers of Christ O for shame blush Paul 1 Cor. 6. 1 5. that was a Minister of Christ said to the Saints that went to Law there was not a wise man among them and here thou shewst thy self to be no Minister of Christ no not to walk according to the Letter no not a wise man Jesus Christ said Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites them that were called of men Masters and so are you them that had the chiefest places in the Assemblies and so have you stand praying in the Synagogues and so do you and vvith a Mat. 23. 6 7 8 10 23. pretence make long prayers devouring Widows houses and Iesus Christ cried vvo against such and you hold up those things which Christ doth forbid and you do make men believe you are Ministers of Christ and that Christ hath sent you and act those things vvhich Christ doth forbid and the same wo is upon you that was upon them that held up those practises and the Apostle said they had forsaken the right vvay vvo unto them for they have gone in the vvay of Cain and run greedily after the error of Balaam Are not 2 Pet. 2. 15. 3. Iude 11. you in envy like Cain do not you shew it forth and run after the vvages of Balaam for gifts rewards and covetousness vvho make merchandise upon the people and as Ezekiel said they seek after the Fleece and eat the Fat and cloath vvith the Wooll and kill them that were fed and made a prey upon them and devoured them But as the Ezek. 34. 23 10. 14. Lord said I vvill gather them from their mouths and feed them upon the mountains And this Scri ture we witnesse to be fulfilled praise and honor be to the Lord. And you Priests do not you seek after the wooll Will you make a lye of Scripture Friends do not say this is railing for I speak the truth and have a cloud of witnesses the prophets and Apostles which spoke from the same Word
the people and are in the same state and condition that the Jewish High Priests were in that put Christ to death as thou readest keep thy eye single and be not Partiall and thou shalt see that the battell is begun betwixt Michael and the Dragon the Dragon he casteth forth floods of revilings and reproaches and persecutions after the man childe Christ Jesus as he is arising in the spirits of his people to stifle him in the birth that he may not come forth to raign and where he is Born up into the understandings of any ruling by the Divine Power of his Spirit in any the Dragon with his seven golden heads or the Priests under sever all Colours being the painted Beast that is gilded with their glorious notions having painted themselves over with the words of the Prophets and Apostles that suffered by such as they are of the same generation whose heart is deceitfull and that above measure being full of subtiltie the Serpents head being unbruised in them they labour every way as the Jewish High Priests did to destroy those who are brought to walk in the same state and condition that the holy men of God did In former ages men that were blameless and harmless in their lives and conversations were guided by the holy spirit of God that ruleth in them I know it by experience being acquainted with them in their godly conversation which those Cainish and Jewish spirited Priests goes about to cast dirt upon making them odious to the world stirring up the people in envie and malicionsness against them if it were possible to take away their lives and the Jewish high Priests stirred up the rulers and Elders of the people against both Jesus Christ and the Apostles who were his true Ministers to persecute Imprison and put them to death so do these stir up not onely the rude people in envie and malice but they stir up the Parliament and Rulers of the people by their false petitions to incense them against a harmless and an innocent people to take away if not their lives yet their liberties but where the Lord doth appear in any of the Rulers of the people they will see into the wickedness of the Priests that they are those that persecute the Lord of life in his Saints and servants and they do openly manifest themselves that they are none of the Ministers of Jesus Christ for they did never persecute nor imprison but on the contrary were both persecuted and imprisoned and so are those to whom Jesus Christ is made manifest in spirit now the Lord is setting up the Kingdom of his Son in the spirits of his people and the Kingdom of Antichrist Babylon the mystery of iniquity must be thrown down take heed of holding up that which God will not have to stand he is setting up the ministery of his Son in the spirits of his People and throwing down the ministery of Antichrist which is the ministry of the world as it is made manifest hey do openly appear to those that have their eyes in their head Now friend if thou do but read this with thy understanding thou shalt see that these persecuting Priests knowes nothing of God but are enemies to him and are guided by the Spirit of error walking contrary to Christ and his Apostles who were his true ministers and were guided by his holy Spirit and suffered by the ministry of the word as those dear hearts do that are guided I am sure by the Spirit of the Lord and are as dear to him as the Apple of his eye and if thou do but give thy diligence in reading to Read by the same guide that those are led by that write the ensuing treatise it will bring thee to see the innocency and uprightnes of their blomeles lives and conversation that they are made to suffer willingly for Righteousnes sake according to the command of Jesus Christ and walkers in his obedience knowing that their reward is in Heaven having their conversation in Heaven according to that of the Apostle in the third to the Philip. 20. And their affections being set on things above and not on the earth seeking a Kingdom but not of this world for were they of this world the world would love its own but because they are chosen out of the worlds ways and worships customes and fashions being dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world are brought to worship God in spirit being born again of water and the Spirit as John 3. and having their souls purified in yielaing abedience to the commands of the Spirit as the Saints had which more obedient to the same spirit which purified their souls as in 1 Pet. 1. 22 23. Who were born again as these are Children of the most High God whom the world and the persecuting envious Friests know not for the spirit that is in them is not of God because it Iusteth to envy bontrary to the Spirit of Jesus Christ which is pure and holy and is loving as it is raised up in any to rule and guide them it beareth all the worlds Judgements Reproaches Revilings and Persecutions and suffereth with Joy having the promise of this life and that which is to come thus saith the Lord woe to the wicked it shall be ill with them and they shall be rewarded according to their doings as in Isaiah the 3. 10. But say unto the righteous it shall be well with them v. 11. and saith Jesus Christ blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falfly as the Priests do by those innocent and harmless ones who are dear and precious in the sight of God and may rejoyce for their reward is great in Heaven according to that of our Saviour in Mat. 5. 10. 11. 12. And that of Peter who saith if ye be reproached for the name of Christ happy are you for the spirit of grace and of glory Resteth on you Rejoyce and be exceeding glad all ye that love the Lord Blesse ye the Lord praise him and magnifie him for ever for the Lord is glorifying himself and making his power known and all the Crowns of pride and vain glory and fleshly exaltation must be thrown down and the Son of his Love Raised up and exalted in the hearts of his people to sit upon his Throne Rejoyce for evermore A Friend to the Truth of God where it is made manifest Richard Farnworth To the Right Worshipfull the Justices of the Peace for the County of WESTMORLAND The Humble Petition of divers Ministers and other Inhabitants in the said County who earnestly desire the Glory of God and the Peace of his Church and this Common-Wealth Humbly Sheweth THat James Nayler and George Fox men whose Country habitation profession and condition is to us generally unknown meerly of their own accord without any Pasport Licence or Authority whatsoever that they can shew or we ever heard of have entered in to
the County and together with some others their companions and Proselytes who are risen up among our selves in it have filled it in some parts with very sad divisions and distractions stirred up much hatred wrath and strife even between the nearest relations and powerfully seduced multitudes of People from the Truth and true worship of God to imbrace their own corrupt and dangerous Doctrines and follow their pernicions wayes which things are so notoriously known to all men that live in these parts that we need not here say any thing to acquaint your selves with it And though these men tell people where they come that they are sent to them from God to declare what he hath revealed in them and labour to perswade them that they come to them with the Authority of the Apostles of Christ yet our selves do confidently believe and know them to be wicked men deceivers and the very Ministers of Satan as may appear 1. By the Horrid Blasphemies which they have uttered 2. By the damnable Heresies and dangerous Errors which they have avouched All which they tend not onely to the disturbance of the publique Peace and safety of the Common wealth but to the subversion of all Government we do in all Humility addresse our selves Humbly and earnestly praying as you tender the Glory of God and the good of so many souls as are or may be iudangered by their impious principles and practices that you would be pleased to make use of that Authority where with the Lord hath Invested you speedily to provide for the safety of true Religion and the publique Peace by checking the wicked endeavours and proceedings of these men which we humbly conceive may be at least by ordering James Nayler and George Fox c. being strangers to depart out of this County and to return to their own homes Francis Howgill to be of better deportment specially towards the Magistracie and Ministry of England And by enjoyning John Ayrey Alexander Dixon and the rest of the speakers and followers that live in this County to abide at their own Homes study to be quiet and do their own business labouring in their own calling which is the Apostles rule and not to wander up and down the Country as Seducers to draw Disciples after them save only in a way of Travell as private men about their own occasions and the Lords Gracious guidance of your selves in the affairs of so great concernment we shall ever pray c. This is a true Coppie of the pretended Ministers and professors in this County given up at the Court at last Sessions at Appleby Severall Petitions answered that were put up by the Priests of WESTMORLAND Priest TO the Right Worshipfull the Justices of the peace for the County of Westmorland Answ Them that are right deny Acts 19. 27. John 5. 44. John 4. 22. Prov. 20. 3. Rev. 14. 7. all worships and worship God and honor the Lord All honour and glory be given unto the Lord. Now Man where is thy honour Yet I honour all men in the Lord. Priest Obj. The humble Petition of divers Ministers and other inhabitants in the said County who earnestly desire the glory of God and the peace of his Church and this Commonwealth Answ The Ministers of God never put up a Petition Gal. r. 1. John 18. 35. to an outward Magistrate to maintain the Church of God Here you shew your Ministery is of man and must be upheld by an earthly power and here you shew that Church is carnal and must be maintained by a carnall weapon as the Jews did which came against Paul and said he was a pestilent fellow who did witness Acts 24. 5. Acts 17. 6. Col. 2. 17. forth the substance Jesus Christ of all these types and figures which the Jewes lived in therefore his doctrine did overturn them to the letting forth of the Gal. 3 13. 1 Pet. 3. 19. seed for that Mind that held up the Figure did not own the substance Jesus Christ when he was come Now all you pretended Ministers of Christ Jesus 2 Tim 3. 5. Mark 3. 22. Christ is come and made manifest in his Saints you who have the form deny him and the power and some call it witchery some of the Divell but that Nature can do no other for it is the same naure that was in the Jewes who would maintain their way and hold up their customes and persecute him that was the substance and called him Divell But the Church Jesus Christ is the head of and the Church is the pillar and 1 Tim. 3. 15. Col 1. 24. Rev. 5. 9. ground of truth and Christ hath redeemed his Church with his blood and who are redeemed by the pretious blood of Iesus Christ are of the Church and them I do witness and not one of them shall be plucked out of John 10. 29. his hand whom the Father hath given me saith Christ John 10. 28 29 30 31 My Father which gave me them is greater then all and no man is able to pluck them John 18. 36. out of my Fathers hands I and my Father are one Then the Iews took up stones to stone him Christ hath no carnal weapon to maintain his Church for his kingdom is not of this world Pr. Obj. Humbly sheweth that James Nayler and George Fox men whose countrey habitation profession and condition is to us generally unknown Answ It is true our habitation is with the Lord and our Countrey is not of this world neither are our conditions known unto the world for who had the power of truth was never known unto the world where the same power is made manifest 't is so now the world John 15 19 20 Heb. 11. 14 15 16. John 15. 18. knows them not therefore they hate you and persecute you the Scripture's here fulfilled As they have done unto me so will they do unto you saith Christ Here the Scripture is fulfilled Pr. Obj. Merely of their own accord without any pasport or license or authority that they can shew or we ever heard of entred into the County and together with some others their companions and proselites risen up among our selves Answ The Ministers of God never were sent forth Mat. 23. 24. Gal. 1. 1. Jer. 23. 31 32. by the authority of man Here you shew your selves to be blind guides indeed Paul an Apostle not of man nor by man but by Iesus Christ neither was the Gospel he preached according to man and this do we witness that our authority is not from man neither our call from man for he that speaks of himself speaks a lie and all you who speak not from the mouth of the Lord are fals Prophets and there you shew your selves to be no Prophets of the Lord no Ministers of the Gospel for if you were the Ministers of the Gospel and had not received it of man nor your Gospel according to man then would ye witness us for
that which we preach is not after man neither according to mans will but by the will of God For we are not made Ministers by Oxford and Cambridge for that we deny Gal. 1. 21 12. Gal. 1. 1. We stand condemned by you who are Ministers of the Letter and not of the Spirit who are Ministers by the will of man and your Call and Authority is by the will of man Obj. Hvae filled it in some parts with very sad divisions Answ Truth did make division when Deceit was at peace For Christ said I come not to send peace on the Mat. 10. 34 35 earth but a sword for I am come to set a man at variance against his Father and the daughter against her mother the daughter in law against the mother in law and here is the Scripture fulfilled Pr. Obj. Stirred up much wrath and strife even between the neerest relation Answ It seems hatred wrath and strife were within now truth hath stirred it up When the strong man armed keeps the house all the goods are at peace till a Mat 3. 27. Luke 17. 20 21. stronger come and dispossesses him and spoyls his goods and here is the Scripture fulfilled where the 1 Cor. 6. 19. 1 John 3. 8. power of truth dwels and the Kingdom of God is come who are indeed the Temples of God the works of the Divell destroyed hatred malice wrath strife heresie and blasphemy pride hypocrisie and dissembling where the truth rules these are destroyed and where these rule truth rules not and consider all you pretended Ministers what you have been doing all this while that there is so much wrath and strife to be stirred up when the truth comes for that is it that sets at variance O all people consider what blind guides you have been led withall why spend you your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not Ho every one that thirsteth Isai 55. 1 2 3. come freely without mony and without price hearken diligently unto me saith the Lord that your souls may live Pr. Obj. And powerfully seduced multitudes of people from the truth Answ Whereas we are accused as seducing people from the truth it is false for how can they be in the truth who live in malice cnvy strife and wrath for they that live in that nature are turned from the truth which according to your own words much of that is Mat. 15. 9. Col. 2. 22. 1 John 2. 26 27. stirred up The Lord hath sent us and made us to come into this County to draw up people unto himselfe from the Doctrines and Worships of the world John 11 7. All people are seduced by you whom God hath never sent for I will prove by the Scriptures that you are seducers and draw people from the teaching within them to follow your imaginations what you can study out of the letter which the holy men of God spoke forth freely the which now you make a Trade of And Iohn 1 Joh. 2. 26 27. said These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you you need not that any man teach you but as the anointing teaches you all things Now if an hundred or a thousand people should come and deny all you Priests and witness they had this anointing within them then this Scripture being fulfilled John 15. 25. and you denied such you go about to persecute which witness this anointing within them and need no man teach them Herein you shew that you have not the same spirit that was in them that wrot that Epistle but the spirit of the world the world did not know them then which were taught by that anointing but hated them as you do now them that witness the same annointing ye hate ye are the Antichrists of this world and hate them who are not of this world and seek to bring them from their teacher within to follow you who go in the way of Cain to envy and after the error Jude 11. of Balaam Here you shew your selves to be seducers and such we do deny but to every mans conscience do we look to be made manifest and we do not seek to draw any one from the anointing within them but do exhort all there to wait and abide for the promise which is eternall life to them that abide in the anointing 2 Cor. 4. 2. 1 John 2. 25. 2 Tim. 3. 3. but you false accusers are without which the Scripture speaks of Pr. Ob. And from the worship of God Answ That is false to say we draw any from the truth for we can do nothing against the truth but for the truth as the Apostle saith but all corrupt wayes we deny and abhorre and the worship of the wicked we deny who have not their names written in the Lambs Book of life and God is not worshipped with mens hands neither dwels he in Temples made with hands and for witnessing this Steven was stoned to death when the high Priests examined him which generation you shew your selves to be in the same nature holding up outward Temples and Synagogues which we deny and seek to draw people from these things God is a Spirit and he that worships him must worship him in spirit and in truth and this worship we own Rev. 13. 8. Ioh. 4. 22 25. Acts 19. 27 24 and draw people to it up to God from all beastly worships outward Customes imitated of man which is an abomination unto the Lord. Pr. Ob. To imbrace their corrupt and dangerous doctrines and pernitions ways which things are so notoriously known to all men that live in these parts that we need not here say any thing to acquaint your selves with it Ans Corrupt Doctrines pernicious ways we deny which are all your ways you proud Baals Priests for 2 Pet. 2. 2. 15. 2 John 1. 9. Luke 7. 9. he that doth abide in the Doctrine of Christ hath God and he that doth not abide in the Doctrine of Christ is of the Divell Iesus Christ is made manifest who witnesses forth the eternall truth to poor souls who have lived in darkness and blindness these many hundred years have the dark ministery reigned but now the God of power is uttering his thunders and Rev. 10. 34. making his power known and the eternal word of God is made manifest in us this we witness which we preach forth to the glory of our Father Praises praises be unto thee alone Lord God Almighty who art now setting up thy own Kingdom And the same judgement do ye give upon us as the Jews did upon Christ and the Apostles for the Apostle while he was in the Jewish Religion in their outward worship as you are now they looking for a Christ coming without them as you do now at which time Paul was at peace with them but when he did preach Iesus Christ that was revealed Acts 21. 27 28 30. in
him then they haled him out of the Temple and persecuted him could not own nor beleeve what was revealed in him so if any should come amongst you now and tell you that God dwels not in Temples made Acts 17. 24 25. with hands neither was he worshipped with mens hands ye would hate them beat them or stone them as they did the Apostles This ye do that the Scripture might be fulfilled The time shall come when they shal John 16. 2. put you out of their Synagogues and shall hale you before Magistrates and who shall kill you will think he doth God good service And do not you shew your selves openly to be of this generation Will you have another meaning for the Scriptures There are but two ways the one is pure and leads up to the Father the other stands pretending God and Christ which way you are in persecuting us who posses the truth Here 's John 8. 41 33. Luke 13. 24. the stand Pr. Ob. And though these people tell people where they come that they are sent to them from God to declare what he hath revealed in them and labour to perswade them that they come to them with the Authority of Christ and of the Apostles yet our selves do confidently beleeve and know them to be wicked men deceivers and the very Ministers of Satan as may appear Answ Our call we witness is of the Lord not by man that makes you whose call is by man so persecute Mat. 23. 33. 34. Gal. 1. 1. 1 Cor. 1. 26. 27. 28. us your own will is standing you rage against any that come contrary to the will of man if ever you witness that call whereby all the Prophets and Apostles were and are sent you will not question our Authority the Lords work is spirituall 't is him alone that fits them and furnishes them with power from on high to bear witness to the Truth and whereas you say before that you know not our Country nor conditions yet here you say that we are wicked men and deceivers yea the Ministers of Satan it seems you care not what you say but say and unsay any thing to root out the innocent you are lyars and are without Rev. 22. 15. Isa 54. 17. Mat. 26. 65. among dogs murderers sorcerers whoremongers whose portion is in the lake your weapons that you form against the truth will not prosper but the Lord hath discovered you to some and is raising up a light whereby your deceits will be laid open with evill Jam. 2. 4. thoughts ye judge who are the Ministers of Satan and by the wicked imaginations of your own hearts counts truth blasphemie and puts light for darkness as ever the Priests did Pri. Obj. 1. By their horrid blasphemies which they have uttered secondly by their damnable Heresies and dangerous errours which they have avouched Ans Blasphemy and Heresie whereof we are accused we do deny that which is false and errors we deny for they are without God and that is your own conditions Gal. 2. 12. and there ye live without God in the world and who are Acts 4. 32. in the truth are of one mind and one heart now all the Priests see which pretend Gods and faith whether you be in one faith which if you do consider faith which is the gift of God ye know it not it cannot be bought and Eph. 2. 8. Act. 8. 19. 20. 21. sold for monie And shew me in the Scripture that ever the Prophets or Apostles had a set way of the world or seeked to the world for augmentations or tithes do Mat. 10. 8. not ye shew here the spirit of error erring from the way of the Apostles And do ye not shew your selves in the same generation of them that Peter spoke of who live in wickedness and go after the error of Baalam and 2 Pet. 2. 13. 14. 15. in the way of Cain to persecute the righteous seed where it is come here thou makest but a rod for thy own back who liveth in uncleanness sporting in the day Pro. 26. 3. Jude 10. 2 Pet. 2. 13. time feasting rioting and such are as naturall bruit beasts and what they know they know naturally whose Judgement lingers not whose damnation slumbers not wo unto you for you go in the way of Cain and the Lord is coming in power to pour his plagues upon the beast you beasts who doe not abide in the truth Pri. Obj. All which tends not onely to the disturbance of the publique peace and fafety of the Common-wealth but to the subversion of all government Answ That is false it is not our intention to destroy the Commonwealth of Israel for a Commonwealth Eph. 2. 12. is to bring up all into purity and Justice righteousness we set up own and honour in our souls for conscience sake And Justice is to keep peace and that we own Justice is not to make strife nor debate but to keep peace and he bears not the sword in vain but he that doth pretend Justice and is partiall and hath an evil eye and rules with his own will and tyrannic that we Jer 25. 10. Hosea 4. 2. 2 Tim. 3 4. Prov. 21. 22. Prov. 28. 9. Prov. 15. 8. 9. Rom. 8. 22. Psal 146. 9. Rom. 13. 12. deny for the Commonwealth is destroyed for want of Justice the Land mourns because of Oathes the Land mourns because of wickedness drunkennes fighting and wrangling carding and diceing shovelbord and bowling all these filthy pleasures ye lustfull ones which holds them up we deny for this cause the Creation grones but Justice we own let every soul be subject to the higher power for all power is of God that soul is subject to the power of God all these works are denied and this Justice which keepes peace and righteousness we own honour and set up in our souls Pri. Obj. We do in all humility adress our selves humbly and earnestly praying as you tender the glory of God Answ The prayers of the wicked are abomination to the Lord and your humility is fained it crouches Prov. 12. 22. Prov. 28. 9. Col. 2. 18. Psal 146. 9. to one and persecutes another here you shew your selves to be no Ministers of Jesus Christ for your weapons are carnall ours spirituall sayes the Apostle casting down spirituall wickednesses in high places which we witness and here you shew not the same spirit that was 1 John 4. 6. in the Apostles but of error Pr. Obj. And the good of so many souls as are and may be indangered by their impious principles and practises that you would be pleased to make use of that Authoritie wherewith the Lord hath invested you speedily to provide for the safety of true Religion and the publique peace Answ If you be Ministers of God ye are to watch Heb. 13. 17. for the souls tell me how many souls ye have led out of death but you are
Apostle saw then creping into houses leading silly women captive always learning never able to come to the knowledge of the truth and this doctrine hath spread abroad and ye are in it having the form are not the people yet learning silly vvomen indeed some thirty years learning some fourty some fifty some sixty years learning yet must be taught still therfore you and your doctrine we utterly deny For as the Apostle saith ye need not that 2 John 2. 20 27. 1 John 3. 13. any man teach you you know all things but these vvere not of the vvorld nor are they of this vvorld vvho vvitness this teaching nor the Teachers Pr. Object Francis Howgill to be of better deport especially towards the Magistracie and Ministerie of England Answ Would you have Francis Howgill to be like unto the World your selves Is he going from the power and prince of the air which rules in you the children of disobedience therefore you hate him Ephes 2. 2. Iohn 15. 19. Justice he owns which cuts down corruption which brings all into an upright carriage and righteous way towards God and man this he owns and honors in his soul the Ministers of God he owns and such as bear rule by their means as Ieremy cried out against so do I and such as are gredy dumb doggs which seek for their gain from Ier. 5. 30. 31. Isai 56. 10 11 their Quarters which Isa spoke against I speak against and such as are hirelings which Micah cried out against I cry out against and such as seek for the fleece and cloath with the wooll and feed themselves with the fat and kill Exck. 34. 2 3. them that are fed Ezekiel cried out against such and fo do I the pure seed being made manifest in me le ts me see you to be such now see if you can excuse your selves And all such as who lay heavie burdens upon the people and say they are Ministers of Christ and act those things which Christ forbids I deny For saith Jesus Christ they are called of men Masters and have the chiefest places in the Assemblies stand praying in the Synagogues Matth. 23. 4 5 6 7 14. Matth. 6. 5. whose prayers are heathenish and love the uppermost rooms at feasts and love greetings in the market and under a pretence make long prayers devouring Widows houses A Widow hath no husband and Christ cryed woe against all such woe was their portion they painted themselves with other mens words painted sepulchers full of poyson within woe was their portion and there you are woe is your portien he that upholds that which Christ cried out against is an Antichrist and would you have him uphold Antichrist and deny Christ the world never received Christ but Antichrist The Apostle saith They go in Iude 11. the way of Cain and run greedily after the error of Balaam wo unto them Are not all the Priests here And would you have this set up which all 1 Iohn 4. 1 2 3 the Prophets Christ and his Apostles cried out against Where the same Spirit is made manifest it sees you all in error blaspheming God and his Temple Pr. Obj. And by enjoyning Tho. Ayrey and Alexander Dixon and the rest of the speakers and followers that live in this County to abide at their own houses study to be quiet and do their own business labouring in their own calling which is the Apostles Rule and not to wander up and down the countrey as seducers to draw Disciples after them save onely as privat men in way of travell about their own occasions Ans Tho. Ayrey and other friends whom you would have to abide in their own callings according to the Apostles Rule and study 1 Cor. 7. 20. 2 Thess 2. 3. to be quiet that they own but the witnessing forth of the truth doth disturb the man of sinne which makes it now appear he that is called of the Lord being a servant is the Lords freeman like wise he that is called being free is Christs servant ye are bought with a price but be not ye the servants of man Brethren let every one wherein he is called of the Lord there abide with the Lord. This call is a holy call which calls into 1 Cor. 7. 22 23 24. holiness and righteousness without which none shall see the Lord and this call is not of man And the Apostles Rule we do own and witness but as for seducing people we deny it is your own practice we were all seduced by you till God did enlighten 1 Pet. 2. 9. Iob 33. 30. us bring us out of darkness into his marvellous light by which we testifie against all the works of darkness and all who are brought into this light are one in unity as the Apostle saith 1 Iohn 1 7. Iude 20. Isa 54. 13. exhort one another daily as the light doth appear building up one another in the most holy faith and all the children of God shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of them And the Saints went from house to house who were as one soul and met together in singleness of Acts 4. 32 Acts 2. 46. heart here you shew your selves to be deniers of the practices of the Apostles and of the Saints and would tread it under foot and shew forth a beastly nature under the pretence of humility which is meer hypocrisie and no good at all to poor souls nor for Justice nor for the Common-wealth nor for pure Religion nor for the Church of God nor for godliness but onely for your carnall states and for fear of losing your carnall means doe you rage for they that own pure Religion own us the Church of God owns us and they that own justice own us and who owns the Prophets Christ and his Apostles own us but you who have their forms and not their power persecute us so shewing your selves to be haters of the truth The Apostles Rule and use was to go up Matth. 28. 19. and down the countrey who were Ministers of God and rejoyce in them whom he had made Ministers to witness forth the truth and did plainly declare they had no certain dwelling place How dare you take the Apostles for your cloke and their words and act contrary to their life they were guided by the Spirit of the Lord and they did draw Disciples after them out of the world and earthly mindedness in whom the substance of all Types and Figures was made manifest they Acts 4. 32. 2 Tim. 4. 10. had one heart one minde some indeed did forsake them and imbraced the present world as Demas so would you have us to forsake the power of truth and imbrace the present world then we should not abide in the calling wherein we are called of the Lord. See what a confusion is in your words Object And for the Lords gracious guidance of your selves in the affairs of so great
Ministers which go in that path which all the holy men of God cried out against Isa 56. 10. 11. we speak the same language against them that they did and by the same spirit we see them take all people to record to judge who have a light in their understandings and the fear of the Lord to judge do not your Priests bear rule by your means and was it not a horrible filthy thing Ier. 5. 30 31. Ier. 10. 21. in the time of Jeremy and is not the same held up in this age now and do they not seek for their gain from their Quarters greedy dumb dogs Do not they take money for that which is not bread And do they not now seek for the fleece cloath with the wooll and make a prey of the people which Ezekiel cryed wo against And are you not Hirelings which Micah cried Micah 3. 11. against and them that put not into your mouthes you prepare warrre against them sue them at the Law and are you not called of men Masters Mat. 23. 6 7 8. Have not ye the chiefest places in the Assemblies Stand praying in the Synagogues And do you not lay heavy burdens upon the people which Jesus Christ cried wo against such Are not you in the same steps here Let the Scripture it self judg you and do not you draw people to those things which there is no Scripture for telling them of a Sacrament for which there is no Scripture telling them of sprinkling infants which there is no Scripture for telling people they are Ordinances all such Ordinances we deny but the Ordinances of God we own And doth not the Scripture say He that addes or diminishes the plagues are added Rev. 22. 18. Gal. 3. 1. unto him And were not the Galatians bewitched who were drawn from the anointing within them which God had commanded And do not you draw people to the things there is no Scripture for telling people they are Ordinances and are not you in the same generation bewitching people drawing them from the Spirit of the Lord within them to follow your imagination and them that do not you persecute them who obey the commands of God and the Ordinances of Jesus Christ to walk in the truth in the inward man which is unknown to you in the world but Mat. 10. 22. it is that the Scripture might be fulfilled They shall be hated of all men for my names sake and they through fained words shall make merchandize of you saith the Apostle who go in the way 2 Pet. 2. 3. 13 14 15. of Cain to murther who love the wages of unrighteousness who have the Spirit of error and causes people to erre for the minde that goes from the pure within is erred and that sets up Baal without before God but all whose mindes are guided by the Spirit of the Lord up to God deny all Baals Priests now do not say this is railing or false accusing in these steps are you which the holy men of God cryed out against read your selves and let all men judge and as for coming into your Synagogues with hats on when ye are singing of Psalms thou Priest hast not thou one or two caps on and when ye read Psalms hats must be on and when ye sing them hats must be off here ye worship the works of your own hands As Davids tremblings quakings wastings weepings roarings till his sight grew dim and watered his bed with his tears and roared all the day long Psal 6. 23 6 7. prophesies praises prayers these you sing having turned them into Rime crying Let ussing to the praise and glory of God which is all to his dishonor if one should see one of you lie in Davids condition weeping and roaring and turn it into Metre and go among a deal of ignorant people and cry let us sing to the praise and glory of God would you not say we made a Ryme of you as you have made of David All such practises and singings we deny but we will sing with the Spirit and with Grace and Understanding The Apostles which you profess in words you do not read that when they went into the world they gave Davids Experiences in Metre to sing but 1 Cor. 14. 15. Mark 7. 13. Col. 2. 8. was against all Traditions of men and so are we now with the same Spirit Priests Petition To the stirring up of woful tumults evident disturbance of the work and the turning of the peaceable Assemblies of the Church of Christ into the grossest confusion Answ For shame never mention your Churches to be the Churches of Christ which will so soon be turned into confusion do not so dishonor the Lord Jesus Christ and so little esteem his Chruch which is the Pillar and Ground of Truth and can the Pillar and Ground of Truth be shaken 1 Tim. 3 15. A Church must be that which is the Ground and Pillar of Truth the Church of Christ needs not have a carnal weapon to maintain it but it is now as it was they who had received the substance came into the Assemblies witnessed forth the substance and were haled forth and bruised and Acts 7. 48. Acts 21. 30. abused stocked and stoned so do you us now almost smothered in your Assemblies how dare you say ye are peaceable when ye are so in rage against a peaceable people who come among you for your souls good that ye may be directed unto the Lord when eternally ye shall witness us though now you would devour us Priests Petition That their deportent is such and with so continual violence against the most godly of our Ministers in all places in their travels in the streets abusing them with railing language scornful behaviours walking in the Markets with such great numbers together Answ As for violence we deny it it is your own you shew it daily and in this Petition you make it appear As for godly Ministers such we set up who are made Ministers by the will of Gal. 1. 1. God and not by the will of man but such as are made Ministers by Oxford and Cambridge such we deny they who are made Ministers by the will of Godwill not persecute any but here you make your selves manifest not to be such for if ye were ye would own us As touching railing language scornful behaviour it is false it is your own and herein you do abuse us such practises we deny which are according to the course of the world Was it not the practise of the Apostles to dispute Ephess 2. 2. Acts 19. 8. Acts 17. 17. Mat. 24. 34 35 dialy in the Markets in the Schools in the Synagogues and their practise here you do deny and shew your selves to be in that generation that persecuted the Apostles who now persecutes us where the same power is made manifest but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled for every jot and tittle must be
which is made manifest and lets us see the deceits as they saw them and cry against them and Isai 62. 1. for Sions sake we cannot hold our peace Order And brought before the next Iustice of the peace Answ The Prophets and the Apostles that witnessed forth these things were haled to prison and before the Magistrates as you read in Acts 21. 34. Acts 12. 4 5. Acts 16. 22 23 24. the Scripture so here is the Scripture fulfilled by the same generation Paul was haled out of the Temple and was had to prison who witnessed forth the substance of all Types sigures and shadows And though you have gotten Pauls words you shew your selves to be of the same generation Act. 21. 30 31 haling them out of the Temple Be witnesses against your selves that you are persecuters of the power of truth Pr. Petition To find sureties for his or her good behaviour and upon refuse to find such sureties to be committed to the common Goal till willingly they shall do the same or be from thence delivered by due course of Law Answ Who are redeemed by the pretious blood of Jesus Christ from their vain conversations Mat. 23. 31. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19 Phil. 3. 20 Rom. 8. 14. who live up to God who are the Ministers of God guided by the Spirit of God need not not have a law laid upon them which is made for the lawless to bind them to good behaviour The end of our ministry is to bring all men from Rom. 7 6. Gal. 3. 19. Iam. 4. 1. under the occasions of all laws into good behaviour to serve God in newness of life For the law is made to bind them to good behaviour who walk in drunkenness swearing and fighting and this is at liberty where there is misbehaviour and you lay your law upon us which you cannot accuse so Barabbas is set at liberty and Matth 27. 26. Acts 13. 10 Christ is persecuted and prisoned and here you would lay your law upon them whom you cannot accuse therfore wo unto you liars who pervert the counsell of God Pr. Petition And likewise all such persons as meet in great numbers and assemblies in the night time within this County shall be apprehended and bound to good behaviour as aforesaid Answ This law it seems is made new while we met together to card to dance in Alehouses to vain pleasures we were not accused but now all these practises are denied who are gathered by the spirit of the Lord to exhort one another day Heb. 3. 13. Acts 20. 7 8 9 Iude 20. 1 Pet. 4 10. and night both which is according to the Saints practice and Rule Paul preached untill midnight and they met together and did exhort one another and preached one to another and builded up one another in the most holy faith and herein we witness the Scripture fulfilled amongst us praised be the Lord by this you would not have us to walk according to the Scripture wherein you bring us to misbehaviour and we see and witness you are the same generation as they were in that persecuted Paul and the Saints then which met together in the night time If Paul and the Saints were here now you which have got the form of words you would do it unto them as you do unto us for all is one Some Pleadings that passed between Justice Benson and some of the Bench concerning James Nayler AT the Sessions of the peace holden at Appleby the 11 day of Ianuary 1652. upon the commitment of James Nayler it being alledged that the words by him spoken were not within the Act against Blasphemy nor against any Law It was replied by two of the Iustices that rather then the said James Nayler should go at liberty and abroad in the County they would stand to the hazard of a fine to be imposed upon them by the Iudges of the Assizes or words to the same effect and another of the Iustices said openly That they rather committed him upon the Ministers petition though no oath of the truth of any particular therein contained was made then upon the Indictment and upon making the Order against the people of Gods meeting peaceably in the night season it being urged that the Parliament had given liberty of meeting it was replied that it was no matter they would in their discretions restrain their meetings on the night time or words the same in effect Another Iustice who gave the charge who was formerly in arms against the Parliament the most part of his charge was composed of nothing else but railing against the people of God whom by way of reproach he called Quakers the truth of these particulars will be attested upon oath Likewise Iustice Pearson when I parted with him told me that he must give an account at Newcastle to the Ministers and others of their proceedings Jervis Benson It was ordered by the Justices at Apoleby That Iames Nayler and Francis Howgill should stay in prison till the petitions be answered I was moved to answer them and we could not have a Copy of the petitions from Tho. Kilner the Clerk of the Peace but we must pay four shillings and six pence for them which we know was oppression Priests Cruelty THe chief Priests were ever the greatest persecuters of the truth and under the name of profession sought always to destroy the seed of God where ever it was made manifest and they are the same still vvhore ever the seed of God is raised up then they in whom the seed of the Serpent Rev. 12. 3 4 5 13. is head seek to devour it The Dragon not having power to devour the man child yet he wil stil pesecute the woman in vvhom he was brought forth When Iesus Christ vvas born all Ierusalem vvas moved and troubled and vvhen Herod demanded vvhere Christ should be born the chief Mat. 2. 3 4 5 16. Priests and Scribes of the people told him in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof Iesus Christ shewed to his Disciples that he was to suffer many things of the Elders and chief Priests and Mat. 16. 21 Scribes and be killed of the chiefe Priests and Mat. 21. 15. Scribes vvhen they saw the vvonderfull things that Jesus Christ did and that little children did confess him they were sore displeased the chief Priests and Elders of the people came unto Christ and he was preaching and asked By what authority dost thou these things who gave thee that authority The chief Priests and Pharisees sought Vers 23. to lay hands on Jesus for speaking the truth Iesus told his Disciples that he should be betrayed into the hands of the chief Priests and Scribes and they would condemn him to death and deliver Mat. 22. 18 19. Mat. 26. 14 15 57 59 c. him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucifie The chief Priests Scribes and Elders assembled to the place of the highest