notwithstanding all this Trial of us by which ye have Tried us under cruel Sufferings and have not found us Guilty of Plots Insurrections Tumults against the King or the Peace of the Nation or any Mans Person or Estate Our Liberty is not Restored to us as to meet together to Worship God according to the Kings Word and Declaration which is but a Just thing We not being found to be such as his Proclamation Limits who have made ill use of his Indulgence neither have we Forfeited our Liberty Therefore it is not Equity to Number us amongst such who have Forfeited their Liberty Now therefore our defire is That a Proclamation may be set forth that we may have our Liberty seeing we have not Forfeited it according to the Kings Word and that men may not run upon us with Arms Clubs and Staves which are not Christians Weapons to run upon people who are met together to Worship God which is the Spiritual mens place to medle with Spiritual Things And it is the Son of Perdition that sits in the Temple of God which Exalts himself above all that is called God who must be destroyed by the Brightness of his coming and by the Breath of his Mouth And have cryed the Ministers we cannot serve our bellies of the people if we have not the Magistrates Swords to compel and forbid people not to meet together to Worship God and pray together and declare his Goodness and confess his Name for with the mouth confession is made to Salvation You may as well bid us deny GOD our SALVATION and not confess our selves to be Christians and to live without the fear of God for they that feared God met often together as in Malachy whom the Lord heard And is not the Scripture full of these sayings that the Saints should tell of the Wonders of God and declare what God had done for their Souls And what Christians limit us from this And must we be limited from confessing Christ before men Is not Christ ashamed of them before his Father that be ashamed of him before men And must Sons and Daughters be limited from Prophesying upon whom the Lord hath poured his Spirit And doth not the Apostle say Quench not the Spirit And is not this his Doctrine And doth not God say Limit not the Holy One and Despise not Prophesy And doth not the Apostle say God is not Worshiped by the Handy-works of Men by that which mens hands have wrought set up for Worship That is a large word but God is worshipped in Spirit and Truth This is Christ Doctrine And let none be compelled to the publique Worship nor Fined nor Imprisoned for that was never the Practice nor Doctrine of Christ nor the Apostles to compel any against their own Consciences who were not first perswaded by the Spirit of God This is from the People of God called Quakers and Subscribed by Vs this 13th day of the 3d Month 1661. G. Fox J. Stubbs F. Howgil H. Fell. R. Hubberthorn R. Scostrop POST-SCRIPT LEt no one be Persecuted about Religion Worship Ministers-Maintenance let all be done freely in Bounty and Love as it was among the true Churches in the Primitive Times for Cain killed his Brother about Worship Religion and Sacrifice which Cain built a City by that you may see he was a Ruler for which Fact Killing his Brother God said He was a Fugitive a Vagabond in the earth for Murthering and Killing his Brother The Jews by the Law of God were for to kill Hereticks and False Prophets that were setters forth of strange Gods and this they were to do by the Law of God which Law of God Christ ended who hath all Power in Heaven and in earth given unto him who was the chiefe Magistrate upon the earth And the Jews in a pretence of killing the False Prophets they killed the True Prophets and stoned them to death before Christ the great Prophet came in the Flesh and they crucified him and caused many of the Apostles to be Persecuted and Killed and they thought they did God good service having Gods Law to kill such that set forth strange Gods or another way therefore they thought they did God good service in killing the Prophets killing the Son killing the Saints and so do all Religions else as do the Antichrists and Papists that have killed and put to death so many hundreds that were contrary minded in Religions which with them was Vagabonded from God by which the earth hath been stained with the blood of the Innocent in Killing Persecuting and putting to Death about Religion since the Apostles dayes And the Church went into the Wilderness Rev. 12. Yea the very earth hath not yeilded her increase but it hath brought a Curse upon it though they have been Sacrificers and Killers as Cain which Sacrifice God hath no respect to but to such as are of Abels Faith that do not kill but have the spiritual Weapons Therefore let there be an Universall Liberty about Religion and let no Christian persecute a Christian seeing all professe Christ in words but let them be ruled with Spirituall Weapons and their Religion defended with spirituall Weaponed Men else they are but like Cain the Jews Judas and the Papists and not like the Apostles in the Primitive Times who said Their Weapons were not Carnal but spiritual And if you say how should we know the true Disciples of Christ Jesus here is their Mark they are such that love one another hereby they are known to be Disciples and if you do say How shall we know the true Beleevers in Christ Jesus these are they that are passed from Death to Life and such love both Brethren and Enemies Now though there were Haters and Persecutors denyers of the Resurrection Blasphemers of God and Christ who had all power in Heaven and in Earth given unto him the Chief Ruler upon the earth which ended the Law did not Persecute any nor cause any to be put Death to be Persecuted or Banished by the Jews Law but he said Love Enemies here they differed from the Pharisees here was their mark of being Children of the most high God And the Apostle saith He that is born of the Flesh will persecute him that is born of the Spirit So here is each birth and they which are the Children of the Flesh these are not the Children of God the one will persecute and the other is the persecuted and the Apostle bids Overcome Evill with Good So all the true Worshippers that Worship God in the Spirit in the Truth which the Devill is out of these cannot persecute any about Religion Church and Worship but are the spirituall Men and have the spirituall Weapons and these are like unto the Apostles in the Primitive Times Therefore as the Papists have persecuted about their Church Religion and Sacrifice for which example they have had none from the Apostles in the Primitive Times Let none follow their Examples but Christ who
without a Magistrates Staff to Punish and a Bag to relieve them and will fill their Bag of such they do no work for and of such you have experience and do and may know that they are not like unto the Disciples which Christ sent forth without Bag or Staff and such as was amongst the Apostleâ— whom they said must not be Strikers nor Persecutous nor Covetous nor greedy of filthy lucre and they must be proved before they must Teach So 〈…〉 Scriptures of Christ and the Apostles and there you may see the Life Doctrine and Commands by which you may measure the Ministers and Teachers of Christendome and though in the Law among the Jewes by the Law they were to put to death the Blasphemers false Prophets and the like which Law Christ ended and came to save mens Lives and to destroy the Devill and his works for this purpose was he made manifest for the Devill was the Authour of Blasphemy and false Prophets whom Christ destroyes Blasphemy and false Prophets are the Divers works yet Christ saved mens Lives and rebuked the Zeall of his Disciples that would have mens lives destroyed And the Apostles which were the Ministers and Teachers and Embassadours of the Lord Jesus Christ their Weapons were Spiritual and not Carnall and they did not wrestle with Flesh and Blood but with spirituall wickedness and the powers of darkness so the men being spirituall and their weapons spirituall wrestling not with flesh blood their hands were kept clean fists not wicked who could pray to God listing up Holy Hands these were no complainers about Church-Maintenance Worship and Religion neither were they Strikers but all in the whole Christendom since the Apostles days the Church in the Primitive Times that have killed persecuted forced imprisoned about Church-worship and Religion Maintenance and have wrestled with flesh and blood and distroyed creatures which have been the Work-manship of God instead of wrestling with the powers of darkness and spirituall wickednesses these have not been spirituall men neither have they had spirituall weapons neither have their hands nor fists been holy and clean and so they have not been agreeable nor according to the Apostles nor Christ Jesus and his Church in the Primitive Times but contrary to his Mind Doctrine and Commands and his Church of whom he is Head The Law that was among the Jews commanded them to worship at Jerusalem and come up to the Temple or at the Mountain of Samaria but Christ Jesus who ends that Law which brought people up to worship then he saith That the Hour is come and then was that they that worship the Father must worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth For such were they the Father seeks to worship him Now every one that worships the Father in Spirit and Truth must come to the Spirit their own particulars that mortifies sin and evill and into the Truth in their own inward parts and this â—iâ—â—elâ— them from the will-Will-Worshippers and from the worship of the Divell that is out of Truth where all the compelling worship is And concerning our Meetings Christ and his Disciples they met in Houses yea the Wise Men Ministred to Christ and his Mother in the Stable and Christ and his Disciples met in the Wildernesses and in the Mountains and he bids them go into the High-Wayes and the Hedges and 〈…〉 the House tops and to the Markets and the Apostle in the midst of Mars Hill and sometimes in the Temple and in the Synagogues and amongst the Heathens to bring them off Tipes Figures and Shadows and their own inventions to Christ the Substance Therefore now that Christians should hinder 〈…〉 that profess and own the Name of Christ for Meeting together and Edifying and â—â—â—â—ding upon another though they all profess the Name of Christ this is to quench the Spirit and limit the Holy One and is against the edifying of the body itself in Love and the building up one another in the Holy Faith in Love who are not to forsake the Assembling together nor the Edifying of one another by how much 〈…〉 day doth appeal Now they that be against this be not in the day 〈◊〉 in the night and are contrary to the Apostles Doctrine and the Practice of the Church in the Primitive Times Theyrefore though there be Diversities of Gifts and divers Opperations and several Gifts and several Opinions and Judgements who with spiritual weapons with spiritual men are these to be ordered and 〈◊〉 with Carnal with Clubs and Seaves and Prisons for these Weapons are of the Heathens Jews Judases and of Cain who was the first that killed and perfecuted about Religion and Worship upon the earth whom God said was A Vagabond and the Apostle Paul said Woe be to them that go in his way who said his Weapons were spirituall and so not like Cains who slew his Brother contenning his Faith and Doctrine Therefore consider who are of Faith and have the Faith they have the Shield the spirituall Weapons and who have the Word of God they have the Sword of the Spirit and the Hammer and the Fire that which is to cut down and Hammer down and bar up that which is contrary to the word which makes separation from God and these are the spiritual Weaponed men And Christ Jesus said who hath all power in Heaven and Earth given to him who is the end of the Prophets Law First Covenant and First-Priesthood It hath been said of them of the Old time Thou shalt not Forswear thy self but shalt perform thy Oath to the Lord But I say unto you Swear not at all by Heaven nor Earth nor any other Oath but in all your Communication let your Yea be Yea and your Nay Nay for whatsoever is more commeth of Evil. And likewise the Apostle James who followed Christs Command and obeyed Christs Doctrine saith Above all things my brethren Swear not neither by Heaven nor by any other Oath Therefore we and they that keep out of Evil and Condemnation cannot Swear but rather Obey the Doctrine of our Saviour Christ Jesus and the Apostle who is the Son of God and if the Angels command us to Swear we cannot for the Son of God commands us the contrary and to Him the Angels must bow If Solomon who was a King and David and Moses or Abraham commands us to Swear we cannot for the Son of God commands the contrary who was before Abraham was and is a greater than Solomon whom David called Lord even CHRIST JESUS who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords And if the Jewes Laws commands us to Swear we cannot for Christ Jesus who ends the Jewes Law and the Oath and redeems to God commands us we should not Swear so our Redeemer and Saviour who is our Life and Truth our Way our Rock and Salvation his commands we cannot Transgresse And if they that be Christians and do profess the Name of Christ do persecute us for Obeying
FOR THE KING AND BOTH HOUSES OF Parliament Sitting At WESTMINSTER And for every MEMBER thereof to READ LONDON Printed for Robert Wilson in Martins Le-Grand near Aldersgate FRiends O Friends in the power of God dwell that lasteth for Ever which doth Remain and Abide And minde the Higher Power which God hath Ordained which 〈◊〉 over all Transgressors Sinners and Evil-doers which Law and Higher Power was not made for the Righteous but Sinners and Transgressors to be a Terror to them and for the punishment of them and for the Praise of them that Do well Now them that Do Well the Righteous this Law and Higher Power was not made for and doth not take hold upon them to which Higher Power ever Soul must be subject the Higher Power I say that is Higher than all Transgressors Evil-Doers and the Divel who went out of the Truth that led into Sin and Transgression Therefore to Sin and Evil people are not to yeild themselves but their Souls unto the Higher Power as I said before that goes over Sin and the Devil the Author of it to this Power must the Soul be subject Therefore you Rulers and Magistrates are to put a difference between the Precious and the Vile the Righteous and the Wicked such as the Law was made for Sinners and Transgressors for which cause it was added and the Righteous which it was not made for for this Higher Power that goes over all Sinners and Transgressors was not made for the Righteous which the Immortal Soul must be subject to this Immortal Higher Power that Higher Power answereth and is one with the Spirit and Witness of God that witnesseth for him against Sin and Transgression of the Law and Power of God in every One Secondly Keep all in the Fear of God departing from Sin and Evil that ye may receive Gods Wisdom from Above that is Pure and Gentle and easie to be Intreated and is full of Mercy and Goodness which is not Earthly Sensual nor Divellish but keeps from Hard-heartedness and that with that Wisdom you may be Ruled and Order and Govern with and by all things under your Hands to Gods Glory by which Wisdom all things were Made and Created that to the Lord you may be a Blessing and a Sweet savour in your Generation and in the Hearts of all People answering the Witness of God in them all that you may be Eys to the Blind Legs to the Lame taking away every Weight and Heavy burthen and breaking the Jaws of the Wicked that would Rend and Tear the Innocent to pieces that in that you may be a Mouth to the Dumb and a Strength to them who cannot Help themselves in that you will get the Honor of God and bow the Hearts of the people Again Let Wickedness and Violence be stopt Swearing Oaths Drunkenness and Prophaness of which much abounds in the Land that Truth and Righteousness may be set Up and Established and run down the streets for that is it which establisheth the Kingdom for the Higher Power is that goes over all the Divel and all the powers of Darkness and over Sinners and Transgressors which answereth that which all men do Transgresse And let no one be Persecuted and Imprisoned for Worshipping of God in Spirit Truth which the Divel is out of seeing Christ and the Apostles did not give any Command or Example that they should be Imprisoned Persecuted and Banished though there hath been much Persecution about the Church-Ministry and Worship and Ceremonies since the dayes of the Apostles and Christ in the Flesh though as I said before from them they have had no Example nor Command from the Apostles and the Church in the primitive times to do so such as will Grieve the Spirit Quench the Spirit Despise the Prophesie were forbidden by the Apostles And let there be no Persecution nor Imprisonment of them that be in differences in their Opinions in Religion which all Professing the Name of Christ whose Command is to all them who Follow Him and Own Him that they should love Enemies Let this command be Obeyed and Minded and not Troden under Foot for that is it which overcomes Enemies And again Do to all men as you would have them do unto you for this is the Law and the Prophets And if this had been minded in the whole Christendom that is to say the Law and the Prophets and Practiced and Obeyed and not troden under foot the Life of it by them who have Professed the Words there would have been better Order in the whole Christendom and Creation for this we say and know He that is born of the Flesh will Persecute him that is born of the Spirit Let not this Birth be found amongst them that profess themselves Christians and Profess Christ Jesus and own the Church in the primitive time which was among the Apostles Now the fruit of the birth born of the flesh is Persecution c. the fruit of the birth born of the Spirit is Love Peace Gentleness Righteousness Goodness and Temperance c. Let there be no compelling about Worship about Dayes Meats and Religion nor forcing of a Maintenance for a Ministry for so doing there is no example among the Apostles nor command neither from Christ nor them but on the contrary all things must be done in Love and Bounty as amongst the Apostles and in the Church in the Primitive times For freely they had received and freely they were to give This was the command of Christ Jesus who is the same to day yesterday and for ever Christ Jesus who is the Head of the Church and Chiefe Bishop who did not give forth any Law or Command or Example to his Embassadours Apostles and Friends for them to force or compel any about worship or Religion or Maintenance or about Dayes or Meats or Drinks from the cheif Shepherd the great Bishop there was no Command nor Example for so doing nor from his Disciples nor Apostles nor the Church in the Primitive Times but they brought people off the Figures Tipes and Shadows and from their affections on things below to Christ Jesus the substance and moreover said That the body which is the Church was to edifie it self in love of which Church Christ Jesus is the Head who is the Bishop Prophet Priest and King to Rule to Teach and to Offer and Christ Jesus is the End of the first Covenant the first Priest-hood which had the Tithes and the Offerings For there was the Tithe which was the Heave-Offering which Christ ended and the Priesthood and the Law and the Commandement that gave them Heb. 7. So the Church of Christ stands in the end of the Law first Covenant and Priesthood as is said Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness Sake to them that believe and his Church is made up of Believers which passeth from Death to Life So all the Ministers and Teachers in the whole Christendome that will not preach without a Bag and