Fornication with the Creation and the Grace of God which should guide you out of the Lust and Ungodliness of the World you turn into Wantonness and your Teachers who cause you to err by their Sorcery and Enchantments and James the Son of Thunder utter'd forth his Voice against such and thus saith the Lord Because the Daughters of Sion are Haughty and walk with stretched-out Necks and wanton Eyes walking and mincing as they go making a tinkling with their Feet therefore the Lord will smite with the Scab the Crown of the Head of the Daughters of Sion In that day the Lord will take away all the Bravery of their tinkling Ornaments of their Feet and their Cauls and round Attire like the Moon and the Chains and the Bracelets and the Head-bands and Tablets and the Ear-rings and the Nose-jewels the changable Suits of Apparel and the Mantles and the Wimples and the Crisping-pins and the Glasses and the fine Linnen and the Hoods and the Vails and it shall come to pass that instead of sweet Smell there shall be a Stink and instead of well-set Hair Baldness and instead of a Stomacher a girding with Sack-cloth and Burning instead of Beauty Now all you high and lofty Daughters of England who are sporting your selves in the day time and Scorning and Disdaining your Fellow-Creatures read your selves and your Portions Howl and Lament for a Day of Vengeance of Rending of Burning of Famine is coming upon you for the Land mourns because of Pride James Parnell To the LIBERTINE whose Liberty stands in the Flesh. WO unto thee who art at Ease in the Flesh devouring the Creation and spending it upon thy Lusts whose heart is run from God a Whoring after other Lovers committing Fornication with the Creation nourishing thy heart as in a day of Slaughter satisfying thy Lusts in whatsoever thy heart runs after and so art at ease in the Flesh and feelest no Sorrow nor Grief but the Harlot is exalted in thy Bosom above all that is called God and thou hast cast his Law behind thy back living without the Fear of God and walking despightfully against the Spirit of Grace saying within thy self He that doth Evil is Good in the sight of God and where is the God of Judgment Can we do any thing without God Is it not by his Power we do all things And can we do any thing contrary to his Will Yea thou shalt find that all thou dost is contrary to his Will and thou shalt find him a God of Judgment for thy Sins have separated thy Soul from God and long in his Love and Mercy to thy Soul hath he forborn thee and hath not cut thee off from off the face of the Earth but hath still spared thee and waited to be gracious though thy heart hath been wholy gone from him and never regarded to do that which is pleasing in his sight but instead of serving him thou hast served thy own lusts with his good Creatures to which thou hast had no right and he to thee hath been a merciful God but will not the Lord visit for these things yea he will not alwayes strive with man and though thou takes thy pleasure now remember thou must come to Judgment And lo saith the Lord I come quickly and my reward is with me to give unto every one according to his deeds And they that sow to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption And then thou shalt finde that power thou hast had and instead of using it to the Honour and Glory of God thou hast hid thy Talent in the Earth and lived wantonly upon the Earth serving thy own will dishonouring the Holy Lord of Glory and Righteousness and then in the day of thy Judgment thou shalt confess that the Lord hath visited thee time after time and called thee time after time handing forth his Mercy to thee when thou hearkned the Lord was with thee when thou walked in his fear he was not far from thee but thou hast hearkned to the voice of the Serpent and false Prophet which hath drawn thy heart from God into the visible things of the Creation which pass away and hath promised thee Liberty and Peace in the same and it being pleasing to thy lustfull earthly minde thou art become one with the Harlot which lyeth in thy Bosom and thus thou hast accepted the gift with which the Old Serpent tempted Christ and so art become a Servant of the Devill of whom thou art brought in bondage of him being evermore and while thou art promising to thy self Liberty thou thy self art a Servant unto corruption and thus thy Lusts have separated betwixt God and thy Soul and art become the Image of the Devil yielding thy Members servants to uncleanness and thus thou sets up a rest in the Devils Kingdom wherein thou sports thy self and art at liberty eating and drinking in merriness so if there were sorrow only in this World thou art of all men most happy then our Fathers that are fallen asleep in Christ are perished and we are of all men most miserable if there be joy only in this World but out of the Liberty of the Children of God thou art found and by them seen to be in the fall wallowing in the myre and lust and so art unredeemed living under the Curse for this is the redemption from death to life and thou livest after the flesh and are dead the carnall minde ruling which is death and is at enmity with God for it is not subject to the will of God and so long as this hath dominion over thee thou canst not obey God for he that lives in the flesh cannot please God but if through the Spirit thou mortifie the deeds of the flesh thou shalt live and here is the Liberty of the Children of God Who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit but their Liberty is not in the Flesh but in the Spirit for by the Law of the Spirit of the Life they are set free from the Law of Sin and Death and from Christ their Redeemer they have received Power to become the Sons of God and in the same have dominion over the World Flesh Self and the Devil Death and Hell and this comes through the Cross by which they are crucified to the World and the World to them and here is the Liberty of the Children of God who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit which Liberty no vulterous Eye can see nor venemous Beast shall know nor the rebellious disobedient One Therefore do not deceive thy self in saying thou art a Christian and believest in Christ and art a Child of God for They that are Christ's have crucified the Flesh and to whom thou yieldest thy Members Servants to obey his Servant thou art To the Light of God in thy Conscience I speak which if thou love it and unto it hearken
is exalted in you above all that is called God opposing God who is Godd over you whom you serve and worship for whom the Pit is prepared To the Light in all your Consciences I speak which is Honest of God and Impartial which will let you see you are guilty and condemn you but you think to have the Pleasure and Delights of this World to be at Ease and Peace here and to have an Inheritance in the Kingdom of God too and you have Covers for all this you say Your Pleasures is Pastime and Recreation and your fine Clothes and gay Attire is Comeliness and Decency and your dainty Dishes and Banquetting Novelties and Attendance you say you are able to maintain it and it belongs to your Places and so you have Covers for all But Wo unto you that hide your Sins and cover your Iniquities who cover with a Covering but not with the Lord but all your Covers are found too narrow before the Lord Christ who will lay all your Hypocrisie and Deceit before you and your Lyes and vain Actions and you shall be rewarded accordingly and shall have your Portion in the Lake that burneth which is prepared for you Earth-Worms whose Pleasure is in the Earth but you think to be Saved and so make Christ and his Apostles Lyars who said None could obtain two Kingdoms and no such must enter who have their Portions and Delight in the Earth and you make a Profession of Godliness with your Prayers Praises Graces and Singing and formal imaginary Worship and have a Chaplain or Priest to preach to you one day in a Week and all the Week after doing as you do and spending their time as you do in Eating and Drinking and rising up to Play and live in Pride and Covetousness and are call'd of men Master and you have a Place for him to preach to you in either in your Houses or hard by so have all things at ease aud all this for your Money but the Pearl you want which is not to be purchased with money where lies the inestimable Treasures and you say He is a Minister of Christ and he saith You are Christians whenas you all are Heathens both Priest and People living without God in the World and so the Blind leads the Blind into the Ditch and so you lead your lives and spend your time here and think to be Saved hereafter no no Wo and Wo is coming upon you all who are Proud you must all give an Account before the Lord God of Heaven and Earth who is Terrible to the Wicked and behold the Day of the Lord cometh which will burn as an Oven and all that are Proud and all that do Wickedly shall be as Stubble And such as you sow such must you reap he that sows to the Flesh of the Flesh must reap Corruption The Lord abhors all your Profession and your Hypocrisie it is not Profession that he seeks for it is Practice it is not the Sayer but the Doer that shall inherit your Fore-fathers said but did not so do you But it is not all that saith Lord Lord that shall inherit but he that doth the Will of my Father What is the Chaff to the Wheat the Lord looks for Fruits you profess him in Words but your Works are the Works of the Devil and so are of this Sort who come near him with their Lips but their Hearts are far from him in your Gay Attire in your New Fashions in your Varieties in your Dainty Dishes in your Gaming and Pleasures and Sporting in your Wealth and earthly riches in your lofty Houses in your curious Buildings in your fine Musick in your earthly Honour which are all the Fruits of the Devil and here Outwardly you profess the Lord with your Tongues but serve the Devil with your Hearts and Actions who is the King of Pride and here you are in the Broad and Easie Way in the first Nature which is in the Fall separated from God whose Kingdom is of this World Strangers to the Life of God and are at enmity slaying and crucifying the Just and Innocent and so are no Christians but Heathens both Priest and People And the Lord abhors all Sacrificers from Cain which is the first Nature wherein you live drove out from God into the Earth your lives preach you forth so all your Graces before and after Meat and your Prayers and your Praises and Singing and formal Worships and Traditions the Lord abhors for they are offer'd up in the first Nature a Sacrifice of the Earth and savours of the Earth and is not a Sweet Smell unto him and therefore he hath no respect to it his Soul loathes it away with it and they that offer it for it is Enmity with him The Prayers and Sacrifices of the Wicked are Abominable all Prayers or Sacrifices offered up from Cain Dives or Hamon or any in that Nature are Abominable to the Lord and he will not accept them for to them he hath no Respect Therefore all you high and lofty Ones Hamon-like be ye silent and let your Mouthes be stopped all you who act in Unrighteousness away with all your Profession and now Repent and Tremble before the Lord ye Children of the Devil come down all you high and lofty Ones Howl and Mourn in Sackcloth and Ashes for the Lord is coming to burn you up as Stubble before him For you are the Fruitless Trees that cumber the Ground who are for the Fire fair and flourishing with Leaves you are covered but by Christ the Light ye are searched and no Fruit is found on you therefore from him you are cursed for Fruit he is come to seek for therefore profess him no longer in words but now Repent and return from all your Unrighteousness for know you not that no unrighteous Person shall inherit the Kingdom of God no vain Person nor Drunkards Swearers no Lyar no Proud no Covetous Ones none who delight in Gaming or Pleasures Sporting in the day time and Rioting Chambering and Wantonness nor no unholy nor unclean thing must enter for all unrighteous Persons must be cast into the Lake which burns with Fire and Brimstone forever Now read your selves and your Portions all you high and lofty Ones for thither you must go and there you must lie for evermore the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it with Dives and Hamon and all the high and lofty Ones who must be cast in thither for you are too high fine lofty to enter in at the straight Gate as Dives was and Hamon was nay you are Enemies and Persecutors of all those who enter in at the straight Gate as Hamon and Dives and the High Priests Pharisees and Rulers were and all the high ones because they do not feed you with your earthly Honour and respect no Person but equalize all flesh as the Lord doth so do his People But you proud ones think scorn to
be compared or to be equalized with your Fellow-Creatures as Dives and Hamon did but all you proud ones remember your Father Dives his End for thither you must go into the Everlasting Burnings as he did whose Belly was his Godd as yours is whose End is Destruction who mind earthly things and then it will be too late for you to Repent and then when it is too late then you will wish you had been as Lazarus was so that at the End you might have enjoyed the Happiness that Lazarus did though now you are exalted above your Fellow-Creatures living in Pride Idleness and Fulness of Bread which were the Sins of Sodom but in this Day you shall be brought down and all you Workers of Iniquity Young and Old Rich and Poor Lord and Lady and Beggars shall be all turned into Hell without Respect of Persons then shall it be with the Mistress so with the Maid as with the Servant so with the Master and as with the People so with the Priest and all the Righteous Simple Ones which you despise and scoff at who are now to you Gazing-Stocks and Reproaches and Pilgrims in the World because their Kingdom is not of this World then shall that be exalted and received into Joy eternal then shall you see a Separation betwixt the Humble and the Proud as there was betwixt Dives and Lazarus the Humble and Lowly and Despised Ones shall be exalted and you high lofty Ones who are Despisers and Crucifiers of the Just shall be abased and cast into Hell then Lord and Lady Master and Mistress and all your Earthly Honour shall be laid into the Fire then all your Worldly Wealth Riches and Earthly Inheritance and Heirships will be gone wherewith you ruled as Lords in the Earth then you shall find that all your Gay Clothing and Rich Attire was for Pride and not for Decency and that many of your Fellow-Creatures wanted that for to cover their Nakedness which you spent upon your Lusts then you shall be rewarded for grinding the Faces of the Poor for your Oppressions and for Rackings and Taxings and your heavy Burdens wherewith you oppress your Fellow-Creatures For you are the high Oakes and the tall Cedars that oppress the little Scrubs under whom the Creation groans both Man and Beast but then you will be brought low then all your Pleasures and Wantonness Hauking and Hunting and Bowling and Carding and Dicing and all your Musick shall be turned into Weeping and Howling with Dives Lazarus had none of this but Dives had but now Lazarus hath Joy eternal and Dives Wo and Misery everlasting and then all your dainty Dishes and Novelties and Varieties which have fed your Lusts shall be turn'd into Fire and Brimstone and the Spoile of the Creatures shall witness agaisnt you and then you shall be stript off of all your Silks and Velvet and Purple and Gold and all your gay Attire wherewith you decked and adorned your earthly Bodies to make your selves seem Glorious in the Eyes of others for the Honour and Esteem of the World but then you will be as Naked as the Beggar then you shall have no Waiting-Men nor Waiting-Maids nor Coaches nor high and lofty Horses nor curious Buildings or great Houses no more then the Beggar then all your Bowing and Crouching and all your Heathenish Breeding shall be laid aside then all your Priests and false Prophets which you extol now so high because they daub you up and cry Peace to you healing you up in Deceit because you put into their Mouthes shall stand you in no stead but shall be Tormented with you Hypocrites in the Lake and all your Covers will not serve wherewith you hide your Sin and cover over your Deceits in saying Your Pleasures and Vain Talk and Foolish Jesting and Tales and Stories is Pastime and Recreation then you would be glad of one Hour if you could get to repent in as Dives would but then it will be too late for your Portion you enjoy in the Earth whose kingdom is of this World but the Son of Man in it had scarce where to lay his Head and his Servants no certain Dwelling-place for their Kingdom was not of this World such you call Wanderers and Vagabonds who have your great Houses and strong Towers in the Earth but all cannot hide from the Presence of the Lord who will call you in Judgment and reward you according to your deeds when his own he doth exalt into the Kingdom which for them he hath prepared which is an Everlasting Kingdom from which the Earth-worms are shut out who say The Earth is mine Therefore now before it be too late consider of it and let Dives and Hamon and the rest of the Proud Ones be a Warning to you and now repent while it is called to day now you have been told now you are left without Excuse before the just impartial Judge now prize your time all who desire Mercy at the Hand of God and Pardon for your Iniquities for this is the Day of your Visitation wherein the Lord is handing forth his Mercy and if you will not believe this you would not believe Dives if he should rise from the Dead To the Light in all your Consciences I speak which comes from Jesus Christ the Light of the World who doth enlighten every one that comes into the World which Light is his Witness in the Conscience against all Deceit Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of men which Light in all your Consciences is my Witness to the which I am made manifest which if you love it and to it hearken it will let you see your selves and the state and condition wherein you live and the filthy unclean Image of the Devil which you bear and your leprous spotted Consciences because of the Lust wherein you are drowned and the same Light loving it and following it which checks and convinces in the Conscience for that which is Evil and of the least contrary to the Will of God it will lead you to Repentance and humble your hearts and bring you down to know the Fear of the Lord whose Power will rend your habitations wherein you have dwelt secure in your Sins and this Light loving it will be your Teacher and will let you see the Creation and the Goodness thereof and will teach you how to use it order it in its place out of the Lust to the Glory of God and how to do good with it so that there be no Want in the Creation nor Cry of Oppression but the Hungry will be fed and the Naked clothed and the Oppressed set free and here is the Blessing restored to the Creation but while these things are under and you live in the Lusts with your abundance nourishing your hearts as in a day of Slaughter the Curse is upon you and War abundance and you are the Adulterers and Adultresses whose hearts are adulterated from God committing
another Thing and the most Part knew not wherefore they came together and so it is the same amongst you but it is good for you to know certainly what you speak against before you speak lest you speak Evil of that you know not calling Good Evil Evil Good putting Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness against whom the Wo from the Lord is pronounced and it is written in the Book of Conscience and there you shall read it with weeping Tears therefore take heed of treasuring up Wrath against the day of Wrath and remember you are warned And now something to all you tender-hearted Ones who are convinced by the Light of God in your Consciences which tenders your Consciences for whose sakes I have laid open my self freely so I desire that you may mind that Light of God to which I speak which is my Witness which hath convinced you that it may be your Guide which will lead you to Conversion into the Life to witness with me against the World that my Labour may not be in vain look not out at Scandals false Accusations or Reports for this is the Reward that the Righteous have received of the World and Christ our Lord and Captain shewed the Example as it is written They who will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution and they that depart from Iniquity make themselves a Prey but that which can't bear those things is not of God but turn your Ear inward to that Measure of Light in you which is without Guile that is gentle that can bear all as it did both in the Prophets and Apostles and all the holy Men of God This led them through good Report and evil Report through Persecution and through Death and this is the Way to Life and who enters must enter this Way and here is the Tryal of Faith and the Tryal of Faith is more precious then Gold So fear not but be willing to give up and to part with all though it be never so near and dear yea though it be thy Bosom-Friend and Darling For he that loveth any Thing better then me is not worthy of me saith the precious Pearl And he that will not forsake all and follow me is not worthy of me Moses thought it greater Riches to suffer affliction with the People of God then to enjoy the Pleasures of Pharoah's Court for a Season For the Pleasures of this World and the Afflictions of this World endure but a Time and pass away For all things visible pass away but the Joy of the Righteous endures for ever but if our Hopes were only in this World we were of all Men most miserable but he that endures to the End shall have a Crown of Glory as Paul witnessed So Fear not little Flock but be faithful valiant and bold for it is your Father's Will to give you the Kingdom a hundred fold shall you receive of what you loose whether Lands or Livings Wife or Children or whatsoever it is the Promise is to the Faithful and your Joy and Advancement shall be in the Destruction of your Enemies when the Lord doth make your Enemies your Footstool but this is witnessed through the War and he that endures to the End of the War shall witness this And this in my Measure I witness and out of tender Love from my Soul to your Souls do I declare it and desire that you may all endure to witness with me for Love is Charity and the Light leads through all And so I rest in my Habitation known to all who can read me in Spirit J. P. Farewell THE WATCHER OR THE Stone cut out of the Mountain Without Hands Striking at the Feet of the IMAGE Whose Head is Gold and Breast of Silver and Thighs of Brass and Legs of Iron and Feet part Iron and part Clay Dan. 2. 31 32 33 34 35. Written by a Friend to all tender-hearted Ones who hunger and thirst after God who are groping and seeking in Forms for Life to the directing of their Minds where and how to find the true Light which leads into the true Life and Power of Godliness the End of all Forms where I rest with all who in Spirit read me who am known to them wâ—â— are without by the Name James Parnell Reprinted for the Service of Truth This is a Discovery of the Ground End of all Forms Professions Sects and Opinions and also how they now are made as Friends and joyn Hand in Hand against the Substance the Life and Power of God which is now made manifest in his Sons and Daughters according to his Promise as hath been plainly manifest in several Meetings betwixt the People called Quakers and the People called Baptists which is here described And also a Description of the true Church and the Gathering thereof by the Power and Spirit of our God which is now made manifest in these latter dayes which so gloriously doth shine forth in the Earth so that all who have Desires to find the Way of Truth need no longer walk in Darkness and seek the Living amongst the Dead where it is not to be found for now Light is come into the World they that love and follow the Light shall not walk in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life but such as do Evil hate the Light and will not come unto the Light that the Light may reprove them and this is the Condemnation of the World who love Darkness rather then Light because their Deeds are Evil Joh. 8. 12. Joh. 3. 19 20 21. TO THE READER THOU that happens to be the Reader of this Book know this that my Mind and Intent in the publishing thereof was in Relation to the Simple-hearted who hunger and thirst after Grace and Godliness to the directing and turning their Minds from the Darkness to the true Light of the Lord Jesus which is not of the World but comprehends the World and makes manifest the many Wayes of the World and the Snares Baits Traps and Nets that therein are laid by him who is the God of the World even the Prince of Darkness who rules in all the Children of Disobedience now whatsoever makes manifest is Light the which Light will discover unto them whose Minds are turned to it the Wiles and Subtilties of Satan and so the Simple will come to learn Wisdom and thereby be preserved from the subtile devouring Serpent and therein the Creature will come to see wherein consists its Safety and Preservation and so Israel's Tent comes to be found For I in the Light standing above the World comprehending the many Wayes that are in the World and the Destructions therein with the many Forms Judgments and Opinions one clashing against another with their Janglings and Disputes with their Earthly Wisdom which is at Enmity with God and about those things which they are Strangers to the Life and Power thereof contending for that which fades and
the Flesh in the Name and Power of our Lord Jesus Christ for in the Spirit Paul discerned it for saith he Though absent in Body yet present in Spirit I have judged already as though I were present concerning him that hath done this Deed and so those Formalists and Imitators if any differ from them in Judgment they will also deliver him up to Satan as they imagine taking the Apostles Words though they cannot tax him for any Thing but his Judgment differing from them but they want the Power and here they are the Magicians like Jannes and Jambres opposing the Truth and those are they that are called Baptists and another Form they are more spiritual in their Judgment and they hold a spiritual Baptism and not a Water-Baptism and as many as hold with them are of their Church and Faith and thus they are divided into several Forms and Churches and so have several Names and there are several Judgments of one Thing under one Name and here is the Confusion of Babylon with their several Sects Judgments and Opinions and every one are professing the Name of the Lord and stealing the Words of the Prophets Christ and his Apostles and saying The Lord saith when he never spoak to them and here is the Difference from another only in Profession Judgment or Opinion but still in Babylon and Babylon's Fashions Customs and Traditions and Fellowship Manners and Breeding which is all Heathenish and at Enmity with God being in the Fall and thus they stand in the first Nature in Pride in Covetousness Anger Wrath Malice Fleshliness and Lustfulness and Idle Words Vain Talking Foolish Jesting and Evil Communication and to be short still alive in the World's Nature Strangers to the Holy God and so under Death's Dominion and here I comprehend all Forms Sects Judgments and Opinions by the Light which slayes Death and takes away its Dominion unto its self to whom it belongs and doth see them and judge them to be out of the Light in Darkness and so in Confusion one clashing against another with their Judgments and Opinions and here are the Disputes of this World and the one cryes Lo here is Christ in this Form and another cryes Lo here is Christ in this Form and none else whenas Christ is within his Saints and there is a false Christ which they have set up in their Imaginations and here are the False Prophets and False Christs that are gone out into the World who have deceived many And here is the Ground of Forms a setting up a Likeness of a Thing a Figure or Image of a Thing but not the Thing it self and here is the Beast and the Image of the Beast which all the World worships and wonders after even Satan as an Angel of Light in his several Shapes Forms and Likenesses to deceive the Simple and here is the Form without the Life and Power and here is the Building upon a sandy Foundation which all must come down who hear the Words and talk of the Word are Sayers of the Words here is him that saith he hath kept the Commandments and Ordinances and yet his Heart from God after other Lovers who is searched and found out by Christ the Light and here is the Spiritual Babel with its Foundation and Babel's Building and Babel's Builders and here is the Image whose Head is Gold whose Breast is Silver and Thighs of Brass and Legs of Iron and Feet part Iron and part Clay but now is he come and made manifest who strikes at Feet of Image who is called the Stone cut out of Mountain without Hands even Jesus Christ the Son of God now after all this Profession of his Name and of Faith in him but now he finds none in the Earth who hath revealed himself in the poor despised ones of the World and those who have been counted the blind and igrant and as you have read the Poor receive the Gospel the World was made by him but the World knew him not he came unto his own and his own received him not but as many as receive him to them he gives Power to become the Sons of God to whom that Promise is fulfilled which was promised in the Dayes of old by the Father That in the last Dayes he would pour forth his Spirit upon all Flesh and his Sons and Daughters should prophesie and the Young Men see Visions and if you will receive it this is the Elias which was for to come in the Spirit as he came in the Flesh even the Life and Power of what hath been so long professed which the Lord hath now manifested in his Servants and Hand-maids whom he hath now sent forth abroad freely to call into the Supper of the Lord even the Marriage of the Lamb and to preach his Name no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit and to preach him within the Hope of Glory the Ministry that hath been hid from Ages and Generations and they that will be his Disciples must deny themselves and take up his Cross follow him through evil Report and good Report through Persecution and through Death and who are faithful until Death must receive a Crown of Life and reign with him for evermore in his Kingdom of which there is no End neither Beginning over which he is made Heir and King blessed be Jehovah sing Halelujah to his Name all ye that know him And now that his Name is spreading abroad and his Message declaring by the Mouth of his faithful Messengers those who have long talked of his Name and so long professed his Name know him not neither believe on him but are found Hypocrites and Dissemblers and blind Leaders of the blind whited Walls and painted Sepulchres but within full of Uncleanness Hypocrisie and Deceit even the Generation of Vipers and Serpents and those will not receive the Message but make light of it and say they believe on a Christ at Jerusalem and now in the Heavens far off they know not where and they cry he hath done all for us and hath satisfied for our Sins and they shall not be imputed to us say they and they cry out this is a new Light and a strange Light and we know not whence it is but they say they will keep to the Old Rule the Scriptures which they call the Word of God and the Old Way though they be meer Strangers to the Life of the Scriptures but it is that the Scripture might be fulfilled upon them as Christ saith For Judgment am I come into the World that they which see not might see and that they which see might be made blind as their Fore-fathers professed Abraham and Moses and said We know that God spake unto Moses but as for this Fellow we know not whence he is John 9. 29. and they said God was their Father but Jesus Christ answered them and said If ye were Abraham ' s Children ye
worse then Beasts you should be reasonable Creatures but your Horses may teach you who will not drink but when they are dry nor more then satisfies their Thirst Wo unto you that are mighty to drink Wine and Men of Strength to mingle strong Drink Wo unto you that rise up early that you may follow strong Drink and continue until Night till you be enflamed The Wo is upon you that put the Cup to your Neighbours Mouth to make him drink that his Nakedness may appear and shameful Spewing cover him and this is your Glory which is your Shame and you tell it to others you shew your selves to be of the Generation of Ham the Father of Canaan who was accursed for such Practices and the Curse is upon you while you live here therefore repent and live no longer in these Abominations and Filthiness your Healths are Abomination unto the Lord you are ignorant of his saving Health the Wants of the Poor cry out against your wilful Practices which are your Condemnation God is against your Swearers who make it your Practice to take the Name of God in vain and live in open Breach of God's Commandments who are not ashamed to prophane the Name of God in open Streets and Houses where you come yea Beâ—ause of this the Land mourns Repent repeâ—t the Curse is towards you Prophane Ones you that regard not the Commands of Christ who saith Swear not at all but let your Yea be Yea and your Nay be Nay for whatsoever is more cometh of Evil How will you stand before him at the Day of Judgment whom you now openly contemn Oh Repenâ— betimes the Day is at Hand when it will be too late wherein you will wish you had never been born God is against you Lyars who make a Trade and Gain of Lying and Dissembling for Earthly Profit to make your selves rich and to cover over your Deceit with Lying and Dissembling and so your Houses are full of Deceit and you sell your Birth right for a Mess of Pottage as Esau did who was hated of God and here you live in the Fâ—ll cursed from God in the First Nature in Lying and Cheating and dissembling striving to ensnare and oppress one another in Bargaining by your Lying and Dissembling but the Invisible God who knows the Secrets of your Hearts whom you think not of is coming to reward every one of you according to his â—eeds every one shall be judged out of his own Mouth and God â—ound a Just God therefore repent while it is called to Day and to the Light of God in your Consciences turn your Minds by it to be guided and it will lead your Hearts out of the Earth and Earthly Things from coveting the Earth and will lead you to deal Justly and Honestly in Singleness of Heart to speak the Truth one to another and to let your Yea be Yea and your Nay Nay and to do as you would be done by and this is honest and godly according to the Light of God in every Man's Conscience Now prize your Time while you have it for the Day of the Lord is as a Thief in the Night to all the Children of Darkness to the Light of God in all your Consciences I speak which if you love it will be your Teacher but your Condemnation it is if you act contrary to it for he that loves and makes a Lye is for the Lake that burneth God is against you Scorners who take Delight in scorning your Brethren you shew your Folly to all Men you that sit in the Seat of the scornful you that raise false Reports against the simple and tell them to make your selves and your Companions to laugh your Laughter shall be turned into Mourning yea Wo to them that laugh now for they shall mourn ye forget your selves what you are take heed be not Mockers lest your Bands be made strong and when you cry there be none to deliver Repent How long will you Scorners take delight in Scorning and Fools hate Knowledge Cease from Sports and Pastimes ye wanton Ones making your selves merry in your Sin your idle talking and foolish Jesting your unclean filthy Words are Abomination to the Lord and every idle Word must be accounted fâ—r your Revelling and Rioting Carding and Dicing and all your invented Sports sitting down to eat and drink and rising up to play which is Idolatry and the Wrath of God is against such Practices for Man was not made to fulfil his own Lusts but to serve the Living God who made all Things for himself and the Wicked for the Day of Judgment Repent and take Heed and search the Scriptures and see if the Saints used any such Practices or spent their Time after that Manner but had the Flesh crucified with the Affections and Lusts thereof for he who lives after the Flesh cannot please God for God is of purer Eyes then to behold Iniquity and nothing that defiles must enter into his Kingdom Rev. 21. 27. God is against you blind Guides you Priests of England who are the Teachers and Leaders of this People who live in this Filthiness and ungodly Practices without the Fear of God going on in the Way of the Heathen who know not God and yet you profess your selves the Ministers of Christ and work no better Reformation in them yet are maintained by them and are their Leaders and Examples in all this Filthiness flattering of them and leading them in Blindness Crying Peace to them because they put into your Mouthes and so daub them with Untempered Morter telling them they are Christianso and of the Flock of Christ and so through Covetousness with feigned Words make Merchandâ—ze of them but your Judgment of a long Time lingereth not nor your Damnation slumbereth not All you blind Guides who lead the People in Blindness in their Sins and Corruptions every one their Hearts adulterated from God committing Fornication with other Lovers and this you see and do not regard but seek for the Fleece and feed with the Fat and cloath with the Wool and make a Prey on the Sheep and cause them to err by your Lyes and Lightness and call your selves the Ministers of Christ and are not ashamed neither do you blush Therefore you shall fall amongst them that fall in the Day that I visit you saith the Lord. JAMES PARNEL To My Dear Friends Brethren and Sisters In the CITY of LONDON TO ye Translated Ones my Love from the Life doth flow You that are translated and renewed in Heart and Mind You that are separated redeemed from amongst the Children of this World and the Polutions and Anominations that they live in in whom the Works of the New Creation wherein dwelleth Righteousness is established who are Beautified Within who are Adorned Within who are Comely Within who are Purified and Cleansed Within
by the Precious Blood of the Lamb with whom You are crucified who are in him who have put on the Wedding Garment and are admitted to the Table of the Lord and are Partakers of the Holy Union Oh ye Blessed of the Lord ye Bâ—bes and Children of the Most High who dweâ—â—eth in Purity and reigneth in Majesty who â—ath established and set up his Throne in Your Hearts in You is my Joy and great Delight yâ—a I remember You when ye were tender and springing up but by Waiting upon the Lord You â—ave renewed Your Strength and the more is my Joy made full in You and Ye are made Precious in my Sight Ye that are inward Jews of the Heart-Circumcision redeemed frâ—m Kindreds Tongues Languages and People who are come to the Heavenly Jerusalem there to worship the Father in Spirit and in Truth whom he hath chosen to bear his Holy Image which hath been so much defaced in the World and In You to exalt and glorifie his Name of Holiness amongst the Heathen and them that know him not now in this Day wherein he is visiting the Earth with Judgment and with Mercy and with a Mighty Power to call to an Account the Inhabitants of the Earth And blessed are You that have hearkened unto his Voice Ye shall sing and rejoyce when others shall weep and mourn and howl Though amongst them your Portions are Scoffings Scornings Mocking Deridings Back-bitings Revilings Persecutions Stripes Imprisonments yet have You learned to account these as Riches who know the Comforter within You and Your Redeemer to live with You I do rejoyce in all these things being now made Partaker of them I am not unknown unto You my Voice Ye know of Old O how do I long to see Your Faces but in that I am straitned for a time My Life is bound up in many of Your Hearts which makes me I cannot forget You my Spirit cannot be separated from You though my Body is kept in Strait Bonds but the Straitness will be broaken when he hath perfected his Praise in them who is my only Keeper and Supporter O ye Simple Doves who sit without Guile in Your Mouthes O how I am ravished with the Love of You when I behold You in Spirit You that have given up unto the Death to the Famine to the Sword and to the Fire and have patiently submitted unto the Father's Will and willingly sacrificed up your Darling Your Faith is unto You imputed for Righteousness and the God whom You have trusted and believed in will make You rich in him and give You Substance incorruptible and an Inheritance that never fades in measure You can set to Your Seals of what is written unto You. But some have hearkened unto the Evil Spirit which hath brought Evil-Tidings of the Good Land and such have turned Back into Egypt and joyned with the Magicians thereof to harden Pharaoh's Heart against the Innocent and filled the Mouthes of the Heathen with Blasphemous Speeches But let them go on He that is filthy let him be filthy still for he cometh quickly whose Reward is with him to give unto them according to their Doings But all things work together for the Good of You who stand in the Faith who are not moved with the Winds that blow nor the Storms that come against You who eye the Hand of Providence in all these things which bringeth Good out of Evil to You wards who abide in the Truth and stray not So as You have tasted felt known and experienced of Him so trust Ye in Him and remain in Your sure Confidence which is begotten in You by his Word and be Ye as Lights in the dark World both by Word and by Conversation that in all things Ye may be approved by the Father 's in Your Consciences as Faithful and Obedient Children every one in Your Calling wherein you are called that the Price thereof You may obtain in the End of Your Race O lift up your Heads and look up to the Father and see how he hath tendered You and how his Love hath been tendered towards You all along who hath not left You without Instructors and Nursing-Fathers who have watched over You with tender Care In much Love Tenderness am I drawn forth towards You little ones which springs from the Root of the Vine because you bear my Father's Image Long have I waited to write to You and lately I had an Opening of You which caused me to visit You with this Epistle for Ye have been oftentimes in my Remembrances though I could not write and now You must read me in that Love which Tongue cannot express and in that Epistle which is written in Your Hearts without either Paper or Ink by the Immortal Word of Life and there my Name You will know So the Lord God Almighty the Keeper of Israel over shadow you and in his Holy Presence keep You Pure and Innocent that You may pour forth his Praise in the Earth and shine as the Sons and Daughters of Sion into whose blessed Protection I You commit and do lye down with You who am a Sufferer in Outward Bonds by the Will of Man for the Innocent Seed's sake but at Liberty with the Faithful who am called Written from Colchester-Castle the 12th of the 11th Moneth JAMES PARNEL TO FRIENDS IN Essex FRIENDS TO that of God in all your Consciences I do speak which there doth witness for God which is according to the Mind of God bearing Witness against what is contrary to the Mind of God and approving of what is according to the Mind of God which in your Hearts is placed to be your Teacher to teach you to do the Will of God and how to walk up to the Mind of God and to distinguish betwixt Truth and Error and betwixt the Precious and the Vile and betwixt him that serves the Lord and him that serves him not which Light enlightens your Undestandings and lets you see the Land of Darkness where the House of Bondage is where the Righteous Seed lyeth oppressed and where the Man of Sin doth rule and Death hath Dominion which Light is your Guide out of the House of Bondage and out of the Land of Darkness and out of Death's Dominion and slayes the Man of Sin and separates you from the Children of Darkness and out from among them leads you to seek after another Kingdom where all Things are added wherein is witnessed the perfect Day where Sorrow and Sighing flees away but then out of your selves you must come your own Wisdom and Reason for to deny and whatsoever springs from self which is at Enmity with the Light and opposeth argues and contends against the Light which by the Light is condemned but if you hearken unto self then you stumble in the Way and many stumbling-Blocks lye before you Thoâ—nâ— and Bryars catch hold of you and in the Mire your Feet do stick and there you toyl and moyl in Thraldom and many
is our Guide Teacher Judge and Law-giver if we never see letter Luke 1. 79. John 6. 45. Isa. 33. and this alone is the Ground and Foundation of our Faith and Hope by which we are made able to cry Abba Father 1 Cor. 3. 11. Rom. 8. 15. And here it is not self that judgeth or condemns but Christ that liveth in us Gal. 2. 20. and it is not self that justifies us but Christ that liveth in us and here Christ is exalted into his Throne and the Scripture owned in its place without contempt or undervaluting And they are found the Ministers of Antichrist who would cast Christ out of his Throne and take the Scripture out of its place to exalt above him applying to it that Authority which alone belongs unto him for their own by secret self-ends so that in that they apply such Authority to the Scripture they in the same Rob Christ of it and undervalue him as the Pharisees did who thought in the Scriptures to find Eternal Life but would not come to Christ that they might have Life in whose steps ye and your Teachers are now found professing Christ in words but in Life denying him and therefore must be judged and condemned by him as they were And if you Priests do alledge there is a false Light as well as a True Light I Answer That is it in you which blinds your Minds so that you cannot receive this Gospel but from you it is hid 2 Cor. 4. 3 4. And therefore you bring another Gospel calling the four Books Mattew Mark Luke and John the Gospel in which these four Books will Witness against you and bear Witness of Christ to be the Gospel which is the Power of God unto Salvation who is the Lamb of God slain from the Foundation of the World who came to take away the Sins of the World and blessed are they that are not offended in him John 1. 26. and vers 13. Luke 7. 23. And also that is a false Light in you which leads you into the Form or Resemblance or outward Shew of Holiness but denies the Life and Power 2 Timothy 3. 5. and to profess the Scripture to be your Rule but in Life and Practice deny it and to be short leads into a Profession without Possession but that which leads into the Life and Power is no false Light for it leads into the Possession before the Profession and so the Profession is from the Possession but your Profession is from anothers Possession and so Boast in anothers line by which you beguile both your selves and others and therefore in that you go about to Arm your selves with the Scripture to oppose the Light by exalting it above the Light thinking thereby to debase the Light and so to keep Peoples Minds from the Light that they may still remain in Darkness and Blindness under you You do but in the same bring a Weapon to cut off your own heads and raise a War to destroy your selves and increase more light to the people and manifest your selves odious and to be the Blind Guides of the Nation who are to be denyed and turned away from by us as Deceivers and to be held as accursed who bring another Doctrine in oposition to the True Doctrine which is held forth in the Scripture for the Scripture and the Light agree in one from both which you are shut with jangling contentious spirits by which you would wrest the Scripture out of its place to clash against its Original thereby to uphold your Father Antichrist's Kingdom and therein do the more Manifest your selves to be the Ministers of Antichrist who under Profession of the True Christ do oppose him and make War with him 2 Cor. 11. 13 14 15. but your Weapons are weak as is daily made manifest James Parnell THE TRUMPET Of the Lord BLOWN OR A Blast against PRIDE and OPPRESSION and the Defiled Liberty which stands in the FLESH WO unto you that are called Lords Ladies Knights Gentlemen and Gentlewomen in respect to your Persons who are exalted in the Earth who are proud and high and lofty who are called of men Master and Sir and Mistris and Madam in respect to your Persons because of your gay Clothing because of your much Earth which by Fraud Deceit and Oppression you have gotten together You are exalted above your Fellow-creatures and grind the faces of the Poor and they are as Slaves under you and must labour and toyle under you and you must live at ease sporting in day time and spending your time in Pleasures and Chambring and Wontonness according to your lustful minds in Hauking and Hunting and Bowling and Carding and Dicing in all manner of Musick Pleasure and Delights in Eating and Drinking and Sleeping and you must have your Wine and Ale and all your Dainty Dishes and all manner of Delights and Novelties and so ye feed the lust eating and drinking and rising up to play which is Idolatry and you have your fine Attire and all manner of New Fashings Silk and Vilvet and Purple Gold and Silver and you have your Waiting-Men and Wating-Maids under you to Wait upon you and your Coaches to ride and your high and lofty Horses are like your selves according to your lofty minds and you sit at ease Dives-like Devouring the Creation and spending it upon your Lusts and with it committing Fornication into it your hearts being adultred from God who created you and your Fellow-Creatures must labour like slaves under you and work for all this when you are at your Pleasures they must be at work and labour and must hunger and thirst and labour when you are eating and drinking and sleeping and here like Dives you sit at ease and poor Lazarus lies starving without and here you are Lords over your Fellow Creatures and they must bow and crouch to you or else they must be hated and punished and put out from your presence and be scoffed and scorned and reproached and you will be called Masters and think Scorn that a Poor Man should stand with his Hat on before you and so set up partiality which the Law of God condemns upholding that which Christ in his Doctrine forbids who saith Be not ye called Masters and so by that which you do prosess you are condemned And you think Scorn in particular to be Thou'd of your Fellow-Creatures which is the Scripture Language to one but you will Thou God and Christ and yet you will not be Thou'd and here you exalt your selves above God and lord over your Fellow-Creatures but though you be exalted as high as the Heavens and set your Nests amongst the Stars and lay up Treasures for many years thence will the Lord fetch you down and cast you into Hell the Pit as he did Lucifer Dives and Hamon and Pharaoh and Herod and the rest of your Fore-Fathers who would have been exalted above the Creator as you would for it is Lucifer who is Head and
for against such there is no Law But they that walk after the Flesh cannot please God neither know how to rule or govern who cannot witness their own Wills subjected by the Law of God in the Heart but are guided by their own Wills and stand in their own Wills and such wink at Deceit and rule with Partiality and Respect of Persons and so transgress the Law of God which respects no man's Person and also give forth Laws in their own Wills which take hold of the Righteous persecute the Righteous countenance encourage the Heathen who know not God so Cain slayes Abel within them and they suffer Cain to slay Abel without them the Wicked and Ungodly have more Liberty in the Nation then the Righteous and so the Land abounds with Iniquity Oppression and Treachery because such corrupt Magistrates wink at Deceits for Carnal Ends and uphold Iniquity and Oppression and tread Truth under foot and this is the Cause why the Land so abounds with all Manner of Ungodliness and Deceit Falshood Tyranny Oppression and Persecution and yet full of Magistrates and Officers And corrupt Magistrates put corrupt Magistrates in Office and so they bear with and wink at one another and feed and nourish up Deceit amongst them unless they cross one another's Will and then they are as much in Deceit on the other side seeking and perverting the Law for Revenge and such as these uphold these corrupt Ministers and false Prophets which the Nation swarms of and they can have a Law to maintain their Deceit and uphold them in Oppression and so the Beast upholds the false Prophet and they combine together against the simple and so the Law is made a stalking-horse to deceive the simple and they will pervert and wrest the Law out of its Place and act contrary to their own Law against the Righteous And such Magistrates and such Government we honour not but deny and testifie against it as the Prophets of God alwayes did for by such Magistrates and Government did the Righteous ever suffer and for the same Testimony of a pure Conscience I have and do suffer by such corrupt Magistrates and hundreds more in the Nation who are redeemed out of Transgression who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And Haman who stood in the corrupt Will would have destroyed Mordecai because he crossed his Will and could not bow to him and also Pharaoh and Nebuchadonozer and Herod who beheaded John who stood in their own Wills but the Hands of the Lord they did not escape And so corrupt Magistrates say We deny all Magistracy and Government as Haman did but Christ comes to fulfil and end all outward Laws and Government of Man and he himself will reign for as Truth and Righteousness grows the Law is fulfilled and passeth away and the Lyon and the Lamb lye down together and this is the Cause why corrupt Magistrates beat down the Truth as much as they can and so to uphold themselves but God will deliver his own and Pharaoh will he plague and confound But such Magistrates as are guided by the Light of God in the Conscience and rule and govern by it without Partiality or Respect of Persons in Singleness of Heart discharging their Consciences before the Lord and executing the Law in its Place such Magistrates and such Government we own honour in our Hearts for such are a Terror to Evil-Doers and for the Praise Encouragement of those that do well and such bear not the Sword in vain but stand in the Will of God which is a Cross to their own Wills and rule for God and not for themselves and this Government is of God and not of Man nor after the Will of Man neither takes hold of any tender Conscience nor oppresses it but stands in the Place where it is set and some such Magistrates there have been in the Northern Parts of this Nation who witness the Law of God set up in their Hearts and feared God and hated Covetousness and testified against those who did not and so corrupt Magistrates sought to put them out So let all who are single-hearted judge who are destructive to true Magistracy and Government We are accused to be destructive to all Superiority Honour Breeding and Manners because we cannot put off our Hats not follow the Fashions of the World nor respect any Persons but speak the plain Word THOU to any one Rich or Poor In the Beginning when God made Man he made him to be Lord over all Creatures but not Man to be Lord over Man yet he was to be Servant of God and when he had disobeyed the Command of God God spoak to Adam and Adam spoak to him and God Thou'd Adam and Adam Thou'd him and here was the plain Language betwixt God and Adam And when God appeared to Moses in the Bush God Thou'd Moses and Moses Thou'd him and this was the plain Language which ever passâ—d betwixt God and his People in all Ages And thou that disdainest to be Thou'd wouldst exalt thy self above God who Thou 'st God in thy formal Prayers and scorns to take it thy self therefore thou must come down as Lucifer did But it is Lucifer in thee that is exalted who must not be honoured but must be cast down into the Pit and it is he who is Head in Man who would be honoured and would be superior and would be above God and calls this Manners and Breeding to bow to him and honour him and he hath invented Wayes whereby he is honoured and exalted and worshipped and he calls this Manners and Breeding and who can honour him the most and exalt him the highest those he saith are the best bred and of the best Breeding and those he calls Noblemen and Gentlemen and the other he calls Yeomen and common People and Inferiors though they all honour him but they observe it not so much as the other but their Minds are more set upon the Earth and Earthly Things to get Wealth and Riches and those he calls Provident Careful People but he that seeks Preferment in the World and would be exalted and set up seeks to get his Breeding in as excellent Manner as he can that so he may get in Favour with Lucifer that sits in the Courts and high Palaces and so long as he pleases Lucifer he will set him up but both he and Lucifer must be cast down into the Pit together And here is the Ground of the Worlds Superiority Nobility Gentility Honour Breeding and Manners and here they Lord over one another by their corrupt Wills and here is the Ground of all Tyranny and Oppression Rackings and Taxings and Wars and Imprisonments and Envy and Murder and the Persecutions of the Righteous all arise from proud Lucifer the Lust in Man who would be honoured and all this is in the Fall and under the
Curse But Mordecai could not bow to him in Haman and therefore he sought to destroy him and informed the King against him and all the Jews in the Nation and said They were a scattered People and their Laws were divers from all People neither did they observe the Law of the King then he set up a pair of Gallows for Mordecai but Haman was hanged on his own Gallows and is cast down to nothing and Mordecai is exalted in his stead So there is a Time that Mordecai is despised and Haman exalted and there is a Time that Haman is cast down and Mordecai exalted And there is a Time that Esau reigns over Jacob and there is a Time that the Elder serves the Younger And there is a Time that Pharaoh rules and oppresses the Israelites but there is a Time of Israel's Deliverance and Pharaoh drowned in the Sea So there is a Time that Anti-christ sits in the Temple of God as God and saith he is God and Christ lyeth low in the Manger but there is a Time that he must be cast into the Pit and Christ alone exalted He that can receive it let him But in all Ages the Children of God could not bow to Lucifer nor his Image and this was the Cause why Shadrach Meshach and Abednego were cast into the fiery Furnace and this was the Cause why Daniel was cast into the Lions Den but by the Hand of his God whom he alone worshipped and honoured he was delivered and exalted and his Adversaries cast down in his Place And this was the Cause why the Prophets were alwayes persecuted and imprisoned and the Apostles who came to turn the World upside down And this is the Cause why the Ministers and Messengers of Jesus Christ are imprisoned stoned stocked whipped and shamefully entreated whom the Lord is pleased immediately to call from their outward Callings and Countries and sends them abroad into several Countries to preach his Name no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit and who knows him must know him no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit and those come to turn the World upside down being crucified to the World and the World to them and these cannot honour Lucifer nor bow to Lucifer nor worship his Image though there was a Time when they did but that was done in Egypt when they knew not God but now Lucifer and his Image is cast down and Christ alone exalted and the pure and perfect Law is witnessed which respects no Mans Person but God alone honoured and exalted and this we witness for amongst us there are no Superiors after the Flesh but Christ is the Head and amongst those who were redeemed out of the World there were no Superiors but only Christ the Head and all the rest Fellow-Servants and he that would be the greatest should be the least and he that respects Persons commits Sin And the Angel would not suffer John to bow to him but said he was his Fellow-Servant and this we witness who are redeemed out of the Kingdom of the Devil from amongst the Children of this World into the Kingdom of the Son who are crucified to the World and the World to us by the spiritual Cross of Christ in which we joy and glory amongst whom there is no Partiality nor Respect of Persons but all in Union in one though Ten Thousand and here God alone is King and he alone is honoured exalted and worshipped no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit for we have no other God in whom our Hearts delight And here proud Lucifer and his Image is cast out and here all his Honour is thrown down and his Breeding and Manners and Fashions and Customs and Words and Wayes and Worships which are after the Flesh and not after the Spirit whereby he sets up himself and causeth his Image to be worshipped and this is the Cause he rages in his Kingdom wheresoever we come and saith We are destructive to all Superioriry and Magistracy and Ministry and Honour Breeding and Manners and turn the World upside down for he knows where Christ comes he comes to take his Kingdom from him and cast him down into the Pit and there he must be tormented quick and all who bear his Image or his Mark and these are some of his Marks which he calls Nobility Gentility Honour Breeding Manners and Civility But true Nobility we own the Seed of God is Noble wheresoever it is born up and who can witness to the Head of the Serpent bruised and the Seed of God born up to reign and rule there is true Nobility there is true Gentility no more after the Flesh hut after the Spirit and this is to be honoured for Honour is due to this both in Magistrate or Minister Fisherman or Ploughman Herdsman or Shepherd wheresoever it rules without Respect of Persons and here Fear to whom Fear Honour to whom Honour and this is no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit And here all the true Prophets of God were Noblemen and Gentlemen sprung of the Noble Seed though of the Nobles and great Ones of the Earth they were disdain'd reproached because according to the World they were of low Degree some of them Ploughmen some Herdsmen some Shepherds and therefore they persecuted them and destroyed them yet they were Gentile and bore all Christ was Noble sprang of the Noble Seed though of the great Ones and Nobles of the Earth he was disdained reproached and scorned to be the King of the Jews because according to the World he was of low Degree and supposed to be a Carpenter's Son so they spit upon him and disdained him and crucified him yet he was gentile and bore all The Apostles were Noble sprung of the Noble Seed though of the Nobles and great Ones of the Earth they were despised and disdained and reproached because according to the World they were of Low Degree some of them Fishermen and the like and came to turn the World upside down so they were despised persecuted and killed yet they were gentile and bore all But those were all Noble sprung of the Noble Seed and so are all now who are of the same Seed and those were all gentile sprung of the gentile Seed those have the Nature but not the Name and to those belongs the true Honour not after the Flesh but after the Spirit for they denyed the Honour of the World and therefore Christ said I receive not Honour from Men and said to his Apostles Be ye not called Masters neither call any Man Master upon the Earth and though the Princes of this World exercise Doâ—inion oâ—e over another yet it shall not be so amongst you but he that would be the greatest amongst you let him be your Servant and said he How can ye believe which receive Honour one of another and
seek not the Honour that cometh from God only And here the true Honour is no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit And here you who are giving and receiving out-side earthly Honour you are in the Unbelief out of the Doctrine of Christ cringing and bowing and honouring and exalting the Devil and worshipping the Beast and his Image which all the World wonders after and worships Rev. 13. And as for Manners and Breeding Courtesie and Civility Learn to do as you would have all to do unto you and speak every one Truth to his Neighbour And let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your Mouth but such as is good for the Use of Edifying for evil Communication corrupts good Manners but let your Yea be Yea and your Nay be Nay for whatsoever is more is Evil And breed your Children so and here is good Manners and Breeding Courtesie and Civility and who are of the right Noble Seed have these Manners and this Breeding but the Nobles and Great Ones of the Earth want these Manners and this Breeding and both Priest and People of all Sorts according to the World And here is the Ground of all true Nobility Gentility Majesty Honour Breeding Manners Courtesie and Civility no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit for the Natural Man minds Natural Things and the Spiritual Man Spiritual Things but the Natural Man receives not the Things of God and this we own and witness And the Time is coming and now is that before this Seed every Knee shall bow and every Tongue confess and the Kings and Nobles of the Earth shall be bound in Chains and Fetters of Iron And here is also the Ground of the Nobility Gentility Superiority Honour Breeding and Manners of the World which is after the Flesh but not after the Spirit sprung from proud Lucifer the Lust that reigns in man and is not Yea and Nay but calls it Manners to say Nay and take it or do it and so they have the Name but not the Nature and so are Bastards and no Sons who are not sprung from the Noble Gentile Seed and to those Honour is not due neither can we bow unto them for if we should we should set the Devil in the room of God give unto him that which is due to God which when we were in Blindness through Ignorance we did and so worshipped the Beast and his Image which all the World worships and wonders after For they that are Proud and Lofty which is the Image of the Devil for the Devil is the Father of Pride and in gay Attire those the World worships and wonders after and extols and exalts into High Places But since the Lord hath opened our Eyes this we cannot do but testifie against it wheresoever we come both in Words and Actions and so we are destructive to the World's Superiority Nobility Gentility Honour Breeding and Manners which is after the Flesh and not after the Spirit therefore the Devil hates us in the Nobles and Great Ones of the World but we give unto Caesar the Things that are Caesar's and unto God that which is Gods but we cannot give unto Caesar that which is God's but Fear to whom Fear Honour to whom Honour is due He that hath an Ear to hear let him hear and understand For saith the Lord If I be a Master where is my Fear If I be a Father where is my Honour Mal 1. 6. â—â— And now something concerning the Partiality that is among the Children of this World in their Breeding and Manners First Concerning the Word Thou or Thee which all those which are their Priests and Teachers know that Thou is the proper Word to one particular Person and is so all along the Scriptures throughout to any one without Respect of Persons yea to God himself And the Word You is the proper Word to more then one but not to one and so it is all along the Scriptures through out As for Example at all Times when the Apostles spake to Christ they used the Word Thou or Thee unto him and when he spoak to more then one of them he used the Word You or Ye but if he spoak but to one he used the Word Thou or Thee as in Mat. 16. 14 15 16 17. verses And also Paul Thou'd King Agrippa and King Agrippa Thou'd him as in Acts 26. ver 27 28. and so all along the Scripture And so it is plain that now it is an invention of Proud Lucifer in man to exalt himself as it will plainly appear for amongst the Great and Rich Ones of the Earth they will either Thou or You one another if they be equal in Degree as they call it but if a man of low Degree in the Earth come to speak to any of them then he must You the Rich Man but the Rich Man will Thou him nay you shall find it so betwixt Priest and People If a poor labouring Man come before one that you call a Minister though he be one of his Hearers one who helps to maintain him according to his Ability yet he must You the Priest and the Priest Thou him And here the Heathen Lord over one another by their corrupt Wills but this is contrary to the Apostles and Ministers of Christ who made themselves Servants to all and yet those will call themselves the Ministers of Christ And the Word Minister signifies a Servant and they are Masters and so they have gotten the Name but not the Nature and so are Bastards and no Heirs who are not sprung from the Gentile Seed and yet they are hired as Servants of Men and yet bear Rule by their Means as Masters over those that maintain them so that he that hath an Eye to see let him see the Deceits of the professed Ministers of England And now as concerning the Putting off of the Hat which is another Invention of proud Lucifer whereby he is honoured and worshipped and exalted in man but the Scripture doth not speak of any such Fashion used in any Age but man hath found out many Inventions since the Scripture was recorded and now it is so that it is a Fashion throughout the Land whereby one man is exalted above another for if a poor man come before a Rich Man it may be the Rich Man will move his Hat that is called Courtesie and Humility but the Poor Man must stand with his Hat off before him and that is called Honour and Manners and due Respect unto him but if the Rich man do bid him put it on it is counted a great Courtesie and he gets Honour to himself there to be counted a Courteous man But this Difference or Respect of Persons was never ordained by God but by the Devil whereby he exalts himself in Man but James the Apostle of Jesus Christ witnessed against it as in James 2. 1 2 3 4 5. and so on and
said He that respects Persons commits Sin for there is no Respect of Persons with God and therefore saith James Houle ye Rich men and here your professed Ministers abide not in the Doctrine of Christ and so have not God but the Devil and his Ministers they are whom they exalt And now you shall see the Partiality of the Names in this your Breeding and Manners First from a Poor man to a Rich man it is called Honour and due Respect and Manners from a Rich man to a Poor man it is called Courtesie and Humility but amongst the Rich and Nobles of the Earth it is called Court-like Breeding but of those of the lower degree it is call'd Country-Breeding and amongst the lower sort of the World it is called Neighbour-hood and civil Respect one to another and so the Devil hath covers for all his Deceit and so he is honoured and exalted both in Court and Country but the highest in the Court and therefore they have the highest Title But We unto them that hide their Sins and cover with a Covering and not of the Spirit of the Lord. But this is the Riches of the World and the Devil that makes so many Degrees as between Dives and Lazarus and Haman and Mordecai for the Lord hath made all the Nations of the Earth of one Mold and one Blood But we who are redeemed out of his Kingdom he calls us Clowns and Fools and saith our Religion is built upon such small and frivolous things and stumble at Strawes and leap over Blocks this saith his Wisdom but it is even Death to him to bear these Strawes especially where he is the highest exalted for it puls down all his Honour and therefore do Rich men and great ones of the Earth and Rulers and Priests and Pharisees persecute and oppress us and draw us before Judgment-Seats and would root us out of the Nation as Haman would have done by Mordecai and the rest of the scattered Jews because they cannot bear those Straws but I say whatsoever it is that comes to be forbidden in the Conscience it becomes a Weight and a Burden though it be never so small a thing in the eye of a Pharisee So let none despise the Day of small things But some will call it Stubbornness Obstinacy Pride and Presumption but the same Nature would have called it so in Mordecai who could not bow to Haman as the rest did that sate by and so let every one take heed of speaking Evil of that you know not least you call Good Evil and Evil Good for the Wo is pronounced against such but they that were after the Flesh alwayes in all Ages persecuted them that were after the Spirit And so it is not many Mighty nor many Noble nor many Wise after the Flesh are called but God hath chosen the Foolish things of this World to confound the Wise and the Weak to confound those that are Mighty that no Flesh should glory in his Presence 1 Cor. 1. 26 27 29. VVe are accused that we say We are perfect without Sin I answer Man was perfect without Sin before the Fall or else he could not have been the Image of God for God is pure and perfect and he made Man after his own Image pure and perfect without Sin but when he sinned he defaced his Image and lost his pure Estate and was drove out of Paradise and became the Image of the Devil for Sin is the Image of the Devil and here all Sin is in the Fall and who are in the Fall are in the Devil's Kingdom which is impure and imperfect and unclean but God promised the Seed of the VVoman shall bruise the Serpent's Head and Christ the Seed said he was come to preach Deliverance to the Captive and to heal the broken-hearted and to seek that which was lost and to bring again that which was driven away and this was his VVork to redeem to Man that which Man had lost Now consider what Man hath lost and I shall leave this as Querie with all both Priests and People who deny Perfection from Sin here Whether Christ is but a part of Redeemer or a perfect and full Redeemer and which is the Place betwixt Heaven and Earth where man shall be made free or cleansed from Sin if not upon the Earth Seeing that no unholy nor unclean thing can enter the Kingdom of God But who can witness this have passed through Death and that have none who plead for Sin neither can they witness Christ come But for some Simple ones sake I shall speak more clearly of this for it is a great Delusion of the Devil to keep People in Sin to tell them they shall never be made free from Sin so long as they are upon the Earth and bring this Scripture to maintain it He that saith he hath no Sin deceiveth himself and is a Lyar but he tells them Christ dyed for all and if they can but lay hold on him by Faith he will not impute their Sins unto them though they sin daily for the Righteous man sins seven times a Day and all the Holy men of God sinned and so he takes Scripture to maintain his Kingdom and this he delivers by the Mouth of his Ministers which he sends abroad to deceive the Nations leading People in Blindness full of Sin and Corruption ever learning and never come to the Knowledge of the Truth nor never shall do for them and here he carries them on an easie delightsom way to the Flesh but the End is Death and so heals them up in their Sins with a feigned formed Faith which perisheth and here they settle upon the Lees and set up a Rest in the Devil's Kingdom which is Sin and here many are meerly blinded and hardned and all Tenderness of Conscience is done away But you shall find that he that sooths you up in this Faith is the gratest Enemy of your Souls and whosoever witnesseth Christ their Redeemer shall witness that he is come to destroy the works of the Devil which is Sin and to redeem out of the Fall out of Sin and out of the Devil's Kingdom which is Sin and all Sin in the Devil's Kingdom which is in the Fall but for this End Christ is manifest to destroy the Works of the Devil and to redeem out of the Fall out of the Devil's Kingdom into his own Kingdom and no unclean thing can enter therein but none can witness this Redemption but through the Death and through the Cross which Paul rejoyced in by which he was crucified to the World and the World to him and had put off the Body of Sin and was made free from the Law of Sin which once warred against his Mind which once he complained of Which Scripture the Unlearned which are Strangers from his Conditions who read them with the carnal Eye now pervert and Wrest to their
defrauding one another of the Earth which is none of your own and you are Persecutors and Stoners and Strikers of the Innocent Children and Servants and Messengers of God and what Sin is there among those whom you account Heathen that is not amongst you and doth abound yea those whom you account Heathen may condemn you in much of their Practice Oh! be ashamed blush you Priests Teachers of England to see your Ministry the Fruits of your Ministry so laid open before you and thus you are those who come near the Lord with your Lips Mouthes but your Hearts are far from him in the Earth or else you would walk more uprightly But saith the Lord In vain do you worship me teaching for Doctrine the Commmandments of Men but I know some Pharisees and Priests will be ready to say We are not Drunkards nor Swearers nor such like but I say unto you You are Hypocrites and your Hearts are full of Deceit Envy Wrath and Bitterness Covetousness Pride and Earthly-Mindedness and self-Love and self-Wisdom and Persecutors and the greatest Oppressors of the Truth and Publicans and Harlots shall enter the Kingdom before you Jesus Christ the Light marked out your Fore-Fathers and found them to be such though they were more strict and zealous then this Generation and by the same Light you are soâ—nd in their Steps and those Things both Christ and his Apostles judged to be without and condemned them out of the New Covenant for there no unrighteous Person can dwell and there all Wars are ended and the Swords beat into pruning Hâ—oks and Guns into Plow-shares and there is no Oppression nor self exalting but he that would be the greatest must be the least and in Righteousness are they established and they are far from Oppression and the Lord alone is their Teacher and there is no need of an outward Law For to them there is no Condemnation who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and there is no Respect of Persons but all Members of one Body of which Christ is Head serving one another in Love and here is the New Covenant and the Children of the New Covenant who are washed and made clean by the Blood of the New Covenant but you are Aliens and Strangers from this Covenant who are in your Notions and Professions therefore all you ignorant People who are led by these deceitful Priests and Pharisees and disdâ—in to be wiser then your Fore Fathers now see who are your Fore-Fathers and the Original of your Priests and who is your Example for you are out of the Life and Practice of the Apostles and the Children of Light and by their Life are judged and condemned for they were mortified to that Life which you live in neither did the Ministers of the Gospel Baptize Infants with Water neither did they Teach for Hire or stand up in the chiefest Place in the Assembly neither were they called of Men Master neither had they the long Gowns neither did they Respect any Place more then another to teach or preach in except for Conveniency for they taught in dwelling-Houses and by the River sides or in any open Place neither did they give to the World David's Conditions to be sung in â— Meter neither did they give to natural Men and Women Bread and Wine which you call a SACRAMENT neither did they use to Church Women as you call it and take Money for it neither did they take a Text of other Mens Words and speak from it a Divination of their own Brain neither did they study what or how to preach but spoak as they were moved by the holy Ghost neither did they teach People The Letter was the Word or That the Letter was the Light but they bore witness of God to be the Word and â—hrist to be the Light neither did they teach People That they could never be free from Siâ— while they wâ—re upon the Earth but they preached Jesus Christ the Lamb of God who came to take away the Sins of the World and to redeem his People from their Sin and to set them in the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God that he might redeem unto himself a pure Church not having Spot or Wrincle or any such Thing neither did they teach People That a House of Liâ—e and Stone was the Church or the House of God neither were they set up or upheld by a Law of Man or came by the Will of Man or stood in the VVill of Man but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ and from him they received their Message and Command neither were they brought up in Human Learning at an University as it is called to learn Arts and Sciences and take Degrees from Sir to Batchellor and from Batchellor to Master of Arts from Master to Batchellor of Divinity from Batchellor of Divinity to Doctor of Divinity and had so many several Gowns but the Pharisees loved these Things but the Ministers of Christ were not such but most of them were ignorant and unlearned in that Wisdom and Learning but unto them it was given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom but it was hid from the World and the wise Ones thereof and now the wise Ones of the World say That is the Means ordained of God to come to the Knowledge of the Truth and that is the Original to wit human Learning and deny all Revelation or immediate Inspiration and say it is ceased for all which they have no Scripture Proof for the Apostles never taught this Doctrine nor prescribed this Way therefore your Teachers are such as bring another Doctrine and climb up another Way who are not to be received but shut out for Thieves and Robbers who shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against Men and will neither enter in themselves nor suffer others that would and the Ministers of the Gospel never preach'd up Hebrew and Greek to be the Original but they preached the Word to be the Original neither took Tythes nor ever had a set Maintenance or so much a Year namely forty fifty or sixty or a hundred or two hundred Pounds a Year more or less to abide in one Place neither sued any at the Law for any such Thing but all their Care was to make the Gospel free and without Charge neither did they take of those that did not own them as denyed them but shoke off the Dust of their Feet and so left them neither had they an Hour-Glass to limit themselves by or had a Clark to say Amen But your Priests will tell you Now the Gospel is published and the Churches are gathered and planted Oh! with Shame might they speak it what Churches have they gathered here I have before laid down their Church the Ground thereof the Gathering thereof and the Planting thereof and what they are and also the Gathering of the Apostles Church and the Planting thereof so that here
you may see the Difference betwixt the one and the other the one a Form and Tradition and Profession the other the Life and Power and Substance and here also you may see what England's Church which England's Priests have planted now differs from the Heathen and now set Drunkards aside set Swearers aside set Lyars aside set Proud Ones aside set Covetous Ones aside set Railers aside set Murderers aside and Whoremongers aside ses Wild Ones Prophane Ones and Wanton ones aside set Quarrellers and Fighters aside and Hypocrites Dissemblers and Persecutors aside and Back-biters Extortioners and Lustful ones and such like aside and then see where England's Church is which your Priests have made you believe they have planted and let them eat no where but of their own Vineyard and it will make them go about to plant a better Vineyard or else to cast off their long Gowns and fall to dig with a Spade for some of them have sometimes brought that Place of Scripture to uphold their forty or fifty or an hundred or two hundred by the Year where the Apostle saith Who planteth a Vineyard â—nd eateth not of the Fruit thereof Now according to this the Vineyard must be planted first before they can eat of the Fruit thereof and set those aside that I mentioned as aforesaid for the Apostles cast out such Weeds and wild Plants out of their Vineyard and then see where their Vineyard is which they have planted and let them only eat of the Fruit thereof and not rob others Vineyards and this is but Equity according to Scriptures Example but they are such Greedy Dogs as the Prophet Isaiah declared against in his Time and such ravening Wolves Foxes as they live all upon the Spoil the Fruits of others Labours and those that hunt them out of their Vineyards and Barns Flocks and Heards then they have a Law even to devour them and their whole Estates and this is far from Gospel-Ministers nay Jesus Christ the Light saw their Fore-fathers and marked them out to be the Ravening Wolves in Sheeps Cloathing as these do now appear to any but those that love to have it so for so long as you put into their Mouthes they cry Peace Peace and speak you fair and call you Christians and Beloved but put not into their Mouthes then they even prepare War then they have Law for you to take treble Dammage from you and so fulfil the Apostles Words Oh what a horrible filthy Thing is here committed in the Land Are not they plain Ravening Wolves that would devour both Body and Soul Now you People of England consider where you are and whom you follow and whither you are going and see now who are your fore-fathers and see now how you have walked by Tradition and Form and have been blinded by a vain Profession and outside-Worship and so have taken Anti christ for Christ and the Ministers of Anti-christ for the Ministers of Christ and have pâ—â— Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness and your Fear towards God hath been taught by the Precepts of Men and they have taught for Doctrine the Traditions of Men as I have before proved how many things they have led you in by Tradition without any Scripture-Proofs though to you they have been Oracles of God but now they are searched by the Light they are made manifest to be vain Heathenish Traditions and thus the blind have led the blind along many of them into the Ditch but yet I say not but the Lord hath had his People in all Ages those who were zealous and faithful and true-in what they knew but I know the Priests have been long utter Enemies to God and his Truth and the Tares have long covered the Wheat and in the time of Ignorance God wink'd but now the Light shines out of Darkness and now is the Separation and gathering the Sheep from the Goats the Wheat from the Tares and to convince the World of Sin and of Righteousness and of Judgment because the Prince of the Air is judged and now the Lord doth require all every where to repent and they that love the Light will bring their Deeds to the Light that the Light may prove them whether they be wrought in God and it is not to say You will follow your Fore-fathers and go on the old Way for such are they that hate the Light and despise it and love Darkness rather then Light because their Deeds are Evil and so having drunk old Wine do not straightway desire new for they say the old is better and those are they that cry up the old Way and cry away with new Wayes and new Lights And this is the Condemnation of the World Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness rather then Light because their Deeds are Evil Light is new to them who have alwayes been in Darkness and Truth is new to them who have alwayes lived in Deceit but the Light is the same as ever it was for it is unchangeable and the Truth is the same So People take heed of Obstinacy and wilful Blindness and love not to be deceived for now the Light plainly and clearly shines and here your old Way is plainly laid open what it is and from whence it is and also your Priests and though they be more refined within these late Years then they were before it is because the Light is more broaken forth within these late Years so that many are come to see their Deceit and declare against them and now they are but the more subtiler and closer Deceivers Satan transformed into another Shape more like the Light but still they have not parted with their great Benefices and Augmentations or Tythes nor the chiefest Place of the Assembly nor their long Gowns though they are almost ashamed of their Colour nor to be called of Men Master nor from seeking their Gain from their Quarter nor from making a Trade of other Mens Words nor from their lying Divinations and saying The Lord saith when he never spoak to them nor from stealing the Word into their Mouth and saying Hear the Word of the Lord when they never heard his Voice neither turn the Wicked Ones from their Wickedness nor the Proud Ones from their Pride nor the Ungodly from their Ungodliness nor the Prophane from their Prophaneness but are still prophane themselves and still proud and covetous and still shelter themselves under the Powers of the Earth as their fore-fathers the false Prophets alwayes did and still run when the Lord never sends them but ordained and set up and upheld by the Will of Man therefore they profit not the People at all but only have gotten a higher Notion to feed the Notionists withal and so make more Pharisees Hypocrites and Whited Walls and they are more whited over themselves to deceive the World but the pure Light is so broaken forth that they cannot hide themselves and many see the
Deceit of the Priests and their Folly is a manifesting even to all so that none need to be deceived by them but the wilful obstinate and blind who love to have it so who love Darkness rather then Light which is their Condemnation the Light which reproves them for their Evil Deeds and therefore they hate it for every one that doth Evil hates the Light and this is his Condemnation and no Ignorance here is to be pleaded and these are they that uphold the Priests and the Pharisees but all who have Desires to see may see And now here are the Priests or the Ministers so called of England laid open with the Church of England with their Form Profession and outside Worship with their Ground and Original and sandy Foundation and to be within differing from the Heathen but in Name and Form and Profession therefore down it must though the Powers of the Earth have long upheld them more then any other Sect so that they have continued so long as they do not a little boast of and thereby say They are of God but let the Magistrate look to his Office and let the Minister alone with his Office and then you shall see the professed Ministers of England to be the weakest of all Sects and Forms but Anti christ hath had his limited Time to reign over the Earth but now the King of Righteousness is risen with a Sword in his Hand and by his mighty Arm he will overturn overturn all until it come into his Hand whose own it is and he will bind the Kings in Chains and the Nobles in Fetters of Iron and he will break the Powers of the Earth asunder and all who oppose him and the Beast and false Prophet shall be taken and all that receive his Mark and worship his Image into the Lake shall go small great and there to lye for evermore and this is the Stone which the Builders have rejected which now is become the Head of the Corner and whosoever falls upon it shall be broaken but on whomsoever it falls it will grind them to Powder and this is the Stone cut out of the Mountain without Hands which strikes at the Feet of the Image And here is a Blow to the Foundation of the Priests Church of England Therefore now all People who are captivated under the Priests turn your Minds within to the Light of the Lord Jesus which reproves you in secret when you tell a Lye or use any Deceit which shews you your Evil Deeds and that your Hearts are not right towards God for all your Duties and Worship and Profession and that which calls for Uprightness of Heart and an holy Life and Change and Reformation and a Newness of Life hearken unto this it is the free Grace of God unto your Souls and teacheth freely and by this you will come to profit for it teacheth Godliness and Godliness is great Gain so that you will not need to spend your Money for that which is not Bread nor your Labour for that which profiteth not nor to be led Captive by your blind Guides ever learning and never come to the Knowledge of the Truth but still in Blindness and Darkness for you have a Teacher within which is a more sure Word of Prophecy to the which you do well to take heed unto as to a Light shining in a dark Place until the Day dawn and the Day-Star arise in your Hearts this is the Measure of the Grace of God even the free Gift of God which God hath given you to profit withal which will accuse you or excuse you before the Throne of God to which I now leave you having dischargd my Conscience concerning you and so I proceed to the rest of Forms Now within these late Years the Light of Christ beginning to stir in Peoples Hearts so that many come to see themselves in much Darkness and Ignorance of these things which they read of in the Scripture and also the Corruption of the Priests and Teachers and what Reprobates they were concerning the Faith and that they profited not the People at all but they had heard them so long and still blind and ignorant so that many come to see their Folly yet their Minds not being directed to the Light which shewed them this and should have led them out of this Condition upon which they should have waited for Direction to have found the Way of Truth but they run without to the Letter in their own Wills and Wisdom and so would find out a Way by their own Wisdom Imagination and so went out to search the Scripture but with a wrong Eye giving their own Meanings and Interpretations upon the Scripture and one cries This is my opinion and another cryes This is my Opinion and another cryes This is my Judgment and thus they are confounded and divided into their several Judgments and Opinions yet all still in one Life and one Nature but only conâ—ounded and divided in their Judgments of what the Prophets meant and Christ meant and what the Apostles meant but it is as a Book sealed both to the learned and unlearned and none is found worthy but the Lamb to open the Seals who is the Light wherein lyes the Ministry so this is the Cause why they whose Minds are from the Light are so divided and scattered in their Judgments and Opinions and one sets up a Form in his Imagination and another sets up a Form in his Imagination and one runs abroad into the World with his Wisdom and he will go preach up his Form and Judgment to be the Truth and another he will cry down that Form for Delusion and preach up his Form for a Truth and so many Deceivers and false Spirits are entered into the World and one cries Lo here is Christ if you can believe and be baptized you shall be saved So they that can say that is the Way and that they believe Christ dyed for them then they must be dipped in the Water and that they call baptizing of them and then they are of their Church and then they call themselves Saints though they are still in the old Nature and so in the Fall and in their Sins and Corruptions and it is not the washing away the Filth of the Flesh that doth change them but because they are come out from the Priests and turned into another Judgment and Profession they think themselves Saints and they read the Scripture of laying on the Apostles Hands and then the Disciples received the Holy Ghost and so those Formalists and self-Actors lay on their Hands but there wants the Holy Ghost and thus they act and form and imitate and make the Form or Likeness of a Church and they read of washing the Feet in the Figure and so they dote upon the Letter and wash one anothers Feet and they read of delivering up to Satan one for Fornication for the Destruction of
the Light which once shined into them by catching the Thing in their Comprehension and so got it in the Notion but did not obey nor suffer the Death of the Cross. And the Breast of the Image which is of Silver and the Thighs of Brass are the rest of the Sects and Opinions and Forms and Likenesses which are more Glorious one then another for as I said before Satan can imitate every Appearance of the true Light in his Forms Shapes and Likenesses and the more Glorious the Light appears in any Creature so doth he refine himself and appear more Glorious to deceive the Simple so that many by the Light of God stâ—rring in them have come to see the Deceit and Emptiness in one Form and how they have been deceived therein then presently the Deceit appears in another more Glorious Shape or Form and calls that the Truth and the Creature still looking without from the Light within it is insnared there again still painted with the Scripture-words and then the Creature thinks its a Saint in that Form whenas it s but a Painted Sepulchre still in the Old Nature and under the Power of the same Deceit but the Cross tryes all for there all Forms and Professions miss and come short so that many a Creature hath passed through many Forms hath thought it self a Saint in every Form but coming yea but to see the Cross which they are to take up before they can be the Disciples of Christ and there have stumbled and cryed out It is Hard and Straight and go away sorrowful I know this is witnessed and answered in many Consciences for here every Man's Faith and Works come to the Tryal and so to some the Preaching of the Cross is Foolishness and to some a Stumbling-block but unto them that believe and take it up it is witnessed the Power of God unto Salvation and such rejoyce in it with Paul who are crucified to the World and the World to them upon whom the Ends of World are come But it would be an easie thing to the Flesh if that was all to turn out of one Profession into another and out of one Form and Judgment into another but the Way to Life is through Death And the Legs of the Image which are of Iron is the Beast or the Power of the Beast upon which these stand where lies their Strength And the Feet of the Image which is part of Iron and part of Clay are the Priests and Pharisees joyn'd to the Powers of the Earth which upholds them for but for that as I said before they are the weakest of all Forms and so they are the Part of Clay and the Power that upholds them is that part of Iron which is the strongest of the Metals And the Watcher or the Stone cut out of the Mountain without Hands which striketh at the Feet of the Image is the King of Righteousness even he that rides upon the White Horse out of whose Mouth goes a sharp Sword whose Name is called the Word of God who comes to strike at the Powers of the Earth even the Kings of the Earth who have given their Power unto the Beast and joyn in War against the Lamb but the Lamb shall Overcome and he will overturn all until it come into his Hand whose own it is And the Beast and the False Prophet that hath thus deceiv'd the Nations and all that receive the Mark of the Beast and worship his Image shall be taken and cast into the Lake that burneth forever which was of Old prepared for them and he will create new Heavens and new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness where there shall not be War any more but he shall reign in Peace with his Saints for evermore Oh! blessed are all they that fight in this Banner and here lay down their Lives they shall take them up again with an Everlasting Crown and reign for evermore singing Hallelujah to their King to whom be all Praise Honour Power Dominion and Thanks for evermore Amen And thus shall this Great Image be broaken to pieces by the Stone cut out of the Mountain without Hands which will become a heavy Mountain even a burden some Stone to all Nations but upon this Mountain shall the True Church stand as a City set on a Hill that cannot be hid And thus I have laid down the Ground and End of all Sects Forms and Professions with a Blow to this Great Image with a Weapon which is not Carnal but Spiritual he that can receive it let him And now concerning the CHURCH which is now gathering and redeeming not by the Will of man nor by the Wisdom of many but by the Will and Power and Spirit of God which according unto his Promise he hath poured down upon his Sons and Daughters now in these latter dayes by which we are carried abroad in the Power of the Almighty now to declare abroad his Powerful Truth which the Lord has decreed shall prevail upon the hearts of the People which is Glad-tidings of great Joy unto them that receive it but unto the Stubborn and Stiff-necked and Rebellious Tidings of Wo and Misery And though the Messengers of the Gospel are by some rejected reviled reproached scoffed and scorned stocked stoned and imprisoned and despightfully used slandered and abused yet nevertheless blessed be the Name of the Lord there are some found worthy do receive with much Joy the Messengers of the Gospel so that they know how Beautiful are the Feet of those that bring Glad-tidings to the reviving the just Witness for God and raising up to Life the Dead and so the Living comes to Know and Praise the Lord and so the Just comes to reign and the Wicked comes to be judged and the Mind comes to be turned from the Darkness to the Light to which we do preach in every Creature and to the same are made manifest and known to them who do like to retain it in their Minds and from whence we come and the Testimony which we do declare but they that do not receive it to them we are not known and therefore are by them esteemed as Deceivers and Deluders Vagabonds and Wanderers and the like yet at all this we do not Wonder for we read The Servant is not greater then his Lord for if they have called the Master of the House Beelzebub how much more those of his Houshold and if they had known him they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory Yet nevertheless we have a Witness in every Conscience both in them that believe and in them that perish unto which we do clear our Consciences and leave all without Excuse by the same which will answer for us in the Mighty Day though to the Condemnation of those that hate it wherein we have our great Joy above all our Sufferings but as many as receive this to them he gives Power to become the Sons of God and those
going about to prove me a Deceiver he would the more lay open his own Deceit and prove himself to be the Deceiver and the People did plainly see it so and witnessed with me against him for he did so utter forth his Folly and Deceit that he made himself odious to many that were there and at last he shuffled away under Pretence he had far to go but the Judgments of God he cannot escape for his Damnation slumbreth not who is an Opposer of the Truth of God Then there was one Philips an Old Man of the Baptized Party in another Room who in Scorn and Wrath stood up and said They knew the first Principle of Religion before I was born because one of my Queries to them was What is the first Principle of Religion So I replyed to the Old Man if they knew it they should have answer'd and then presently as he was running on in many Words he swore as he lived and breathed and Christ saith Swear not at all and here he was found not come to the first Principle of Religion but out of the Doctrine of Christ and so hath not God so I told him of his Swearing and he would have shuffled it off but he could not and I told him He that seems to be Religious and bridleth not his Tongue his Religion is vain and therfore he might own his Religion to be vain who could not bridle his Tongue and then in his Will he shuffled off and said He would not confess his Sin to me for I could not forgive Sin in Scorn he spoak then I said Wo unto him that hides his Sin and covers his Iniquity but he shuffled away in much Confusion of Face as they will all appear as by the Light they come to be searched and tryed their Coverings will be found too narrow and their Nakedness will appear to their great Shame and Confusion of Face and they will be made to bow to the Truth and lay down their Crowns at the Feet of Jesus for he is risen and reigns in his Saints to whom the Nations must bow and every Tongue confess to their Condemnation who do oppose him but here now by the single Eye you may see the Emptiness of these Forms and what a blind Hypocrisie this is of them to wash the Outside but leave the Inside full of Uncleanness and so the Inside defiles the Outside A Copy of the Queries which were sent to the Baptized People in Fenstanton with some more added for them or any whom they do concern toanswer Several Queries to you who are call'd Baptists by your Teachers to be answered Query I. WHat is the first Principle of Religion and whether to it you be come yea or nay 2 What is the Bridle of the Tongue and whether to it you be come yea or nay 3. What is the Church in God and whether to it you become yea or nay 4. What is the Order in the Church and whether to it you be come yea or nay 5. What is the Baptism into the Church and whether to it you be come yea or nay 6. Whether you will own the Baptism of the Spirit or the Baptism of Water and which you will deny seeing the Scripture saith The Baptism is but One Ephes. 4. 5. 7. And where Christ ever commanded Water-Baptism 8. Why did the Apostles baptize with Water and why do you baptize with Water and where and when and by what were you commanded and where was any of the twelve Apostles baptized with Water 9. And whether you do it because the Apostles did it yea or nay 10. What is the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ and whether to it you are come yea or nay 11. Whether your Faith purifies your Hearts yea or nay 12. And whether you commit Sin yea or nay 13. How would you know there is a Christ but by the Scripture and how do you witness the Scripture is Truth 14. And what is the Ground of your Faith 15. What is the Redemption and whether to it you are come yea or nay 16. What is the Communion of the Saints and wherein it stands and whether to it you be come yea or nay 17. And whether you that break Bread do discern the Lord's Body yea or nay 18. What was their Rule and Guide that spoak forth the Scripture 19. Whether you have the same insallible Spirit that gave forth the Scripture 20. Whether is the Scripture your Rule and Guide or the Spirit that gave it forth 21. Whether they that are guided by the Spirit that gave it forth live not in the Life thereof yea or nay 22. Whether the Life of the Scriptures be perfect yea or nay 23. And whether you are or think to be made perfect while you are upon the Earth yea or nay Or where do you think to be made perfect if not upon the Earth 24. And what is the Life and Power of Godliness and whether in it you dwell who have a Form yea or nay 25. Whether you are washed and cleansed by the Blood of the Lord Jesus and the Spirit of our God as the true Church was yea or nay 26. Whether you have put off the Old Man and put on the New as the true Church did yea or nay and what is the New Man 27. And whether you have put off the Image of the Earthly and put on the Image of the Heavenly and how are they known the one from the other 28. Whether you are not conformed like unto the World so long as you follow their Customs and Fashions 29. Whether you are come that you need no Man to teach you as the true Church was yea or nay 30. What is the Cross whereby Paul was crucified and whether to it you be come yea or nay 31. What is the Watcher that strikes at the Feet of the Image and whether to it you be come yea or nay 32. What is the Word and what is the Death that hath passed over all Men even over those who had not sinned after the Similitude of Adam's Transgression and whether this Death you ever passed 33. Whether you have passed from Death to Life yea or nay 34. Where and when and how received you the Command and Power to deliver any Saul up to Satan and where is that Satan you deliver it up to 35. What is the Tree of Life and what is the Tree of Knowledge and whether upon it you do not feed and what is the flaming Sword that is set to keep from the Tree of Life and whether it ye ever passed yea or way 36. What is the Beast that all the World wonders after and worships and what is the Worship of the Beast and whether any worships the only true God but the true Church and what is the Worship in this Church 37. What are you Ministers of and what do you minister unto and what is the End of your Ministry 38. And by what do you try the Spirits
wrests and perverts the Scripture to thy own Destruction and then thou wentst on dreaming and flattering and daubing up the People with untempered Morter saying The Lord saith when he never spoake to thee and then thou runst on railing behind the Back of People that was not there as thou often said thou spoak it of none there and thus thou utteredst forth thy Folly and it is like thou mightst belie those whom thou spoakest of for I heard thee utter forth many open Lyes and then thou runnedst on to thy Water-Baptism to maintain it an Ordinance of Christ and thou broughtst this Scripture in the 6 th of the Romans which the Apostle spoak to the Church Know you not that so many of you as were baptised into Jesus Christ were baptized into his Death Thou blind Hypocrite was this Water-Baptism They that are in Christ are New Creatures and so are not those who are baptized with Water but they are in the same Nature as they were before and thou mayst read in Corinthians the twelft what Baptism that was he spoak of there for saith he By one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body c. And they that are thus baptized are baptized into Christ but as I said before It is not the washing away of the Filth of the Flesh and here is thy Folly and Ignorance laid open who art so blind as to bring this Scripture to prove Water-Baptism to be an Ordinance of Christ and again it saith They were baptized into his Death and in the same Chapter it saith They that are dead are freed from Sin and this thou denyedst that any could be set free from Sin so long as they are upon the Earth and thus thou deniest Jesus Christ and his Ordinances who came to take away Sin and to cleanse his People from their Sin but praised be the Lord we do witness a Freedom from Sin by Jesus Christ who is the Lamb of God who came to take away the Sin of the World and to redeem his People from their Sins and to redeem unto himself a pure Church not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such Thing and saith he If the Son hath set you free then are you free indeed and here is the Liberty of the Sons of God and now are we the Sons of God and now they that witness this and confess it such blind Hypocrites as thou call them Blasphemers and so deny Christ come in the Flesh and so are of Anti-christ And one while thou affirmedst in thy Pulpet that they that pressed led People into Holiness were no Deceivers but they that led them into Sin and Evil were Deceivers and then afterwards toldst the People they never could be free from Sin so long as they are upon the Earth and thus thou wouldst settle them upon the Lees and deny Jesus Christ come in the Flesh who comes to cleanse from all Sin and thus art thou judged out of thy own Mouth for a Deceiver And thou also broughtst this Scripture to maintain Water-Baptism where the Apostle said For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Now let any whose Understandings are enlightned by the Light of Christ read this Scripture and see if this mention Water-Baptism and if any by Water-Baptism do now put on Christ and by the Light judge thee to be a Lyar and a Deceiver and a Perverter of the Scripture to thy own Destruction and all who believe thee except you repent And then thou runedst on to prove the Letter to be the Word by 〈◊〉 or despising those that say that God is the Word and that there is no written Word when the Letter saith it self that the Word is God and then thou broughtst this Scripture to prove the Letter to be the Word in 1 Pet. 1. 23. Being born again not of corruptible Seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth forever for all Flesh is Grass and the Glory of Man as the Flower of Grass the Grass withereth and the flower fadeth away but the Word of the Lord endureth forever And this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto you here thou dark Sot thy Blindness and Ignorance is more laid open is the Letter immortal or any written Word immortal or liveth or abideth forever or are any born again but of God and is not he that same immortal Word which the Scripture often bears Testimony unto and also in this Place and Christ the Lamb of God is the Everlasting Gospel who preached the Word and his Apostles were made clean through the VVord which he preached unto them but this was not the dead Letter in the which thou wouldst find Life and so art seeking the living amongst the dead like the blind Pharisees who thought in the Scripture to find Eternal Life but would not come unto Christ that they might have Life and here thou art in their Steps though thou madest light of this Scripture and saidst That some added Ye to it and said Ye search the Scripture for in them ye think to have Eternal Life they are they that testifie of me but ye will not come unto me that ye might have Life this was spoaken by Christ unto the Pharisees who could not believe that he was the Christ but thought in the Scriptures to find Eternal Life but would not come unto Christ that they might have Life and therefore he bid them search the Scripture for there the Prophets had prophesied of him and thereby they might know that he was the Christ if they had searched with the single Eye therefore without Ye I say unto thee search the Scriptures for they are they that bear Testimony of Christ to be the Word and all that do search the Scripture with a single Eye will find Christ to be the Word and will believe it and not be so blind as to put the Letter for the Word as thou dost who broughtst another Scripture with thy dark Mind where the Apostle saith Ye have a more sure Word of Prophecy the which ye do well to take heed unto as to a Light shining in a dark Place until the Day dawn and the Day-Star arise in your Hearts 2. Pet. 1. 19. Here thou still the more manifests thy Blindness who puts Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness and so art under the Wo from the Lord who puts the Letter for the Light how doth the Letter shine and what dark Place doth in shine in as a Light here the ignorant may see thy Folly and thus thou art a Stranger to the Light of Christ which dwelt in the Children of God and the Word is nigh in the Heart and in the Mouth to which thou shewest thy self a Stranger who draws Peoples Minds from this Word in their Hearts to the Letter without putting that for the Word and so art a blind Guide and a Deceiver who cryes Lo here without
one of them in the open Court for so doing and yet these things were suffered And also the Judge gave Charge unto the Goaler To let no Giddy-headed People come to me as he called them which I never desired that any such should come but thereby they take Occasion to keep my Friends from me accounting them Giddy-headed People But they are not Giddy-headed People that own sound Doctrine but they are Giddy-headed People that cannot endure sound Doctrine but have itching Ears carried about with Reports and Hear-says to speak Evil of the things they know not But thus without all Honesty they acted in the Enmity of their Minds against me yet in all I was made to rejoyce for I see their Deceit was manifest to the People and the Truth owned in many Hearts so that my Sufferings were not grievous unto me but joyous But as the Judge's Dealings were Rigorous and Unjust towards me it was so much the more on the contrary to Barrabas for there were three or four arraigned for Suspicion of Murder and others for Fellony yet he did deliver them and there was not one that Dyed or was Branded neither which I did desire but only this I do declare to shew how the World loves its own and how the same Spirit now rules in both Priest People and Rulers that ruled amongst the Jews who esteemed Barrabas above Christ and numbred him amongst Transgressors And so in all this the Scripture is fulfilled and the Day further appears to the Glory of God the Father of Truth who will exalt his Truth by his own Power over the Heads of all its Enemies So then they brought me back to Prison again where I still remain in the Peace and Freedom of my Spirit which none can take away though in the Hands of mine Enemies Yet this I know That the Invisible God in working in Secret by his Power and with a Strong Arm carrying on this great Work which he hath begun in the Earth yea and he will bring down and overturn all until it come into his Hand whose own it is and he will exalt his Kingdom in the Hearts of his People and his Son shal rule over the Earth yea and all his Enemies shall be his Foot-stool and shall bow unto him and be glad to lay down their Crowns before him and acknowledge his Power yea and he will dash all the Forms and false Likenesses and Images which are set up by Man in his Imaginations calling them Churches and he will dâ—â—h them and the Powers of the Earth in pieces one against another like a Potter's Vessel though now they set at nought the Corner-Stone yet then by it shall they be grownd to Powder For our God is a Consuming Fire and who is able to stand in the Day of his Wâ—ath Therefore it is a fearful thing to fall into the Hands of the Living God Then Wo to all his Enemies or be that lifts up his Hand against his Maker to Contrary what he hath decreed Here followeth a REPLY to my MITTIMUS which was adjudged a Contempt of the Magistracy WHereas I who am of the World called James Parnel am committed as Prisoner to be kept in the Common Goal by a Mittimus sealed and signed by you four Men who are called Justieâ—s of the Peace who write your selves Herbert Pellham Thomas Cook Dyonisius Wakering William Harlackinden wherein I find several Lyes Slanders and False Accusations cast upon me therefore for the Truth 's sake and for the Satisfaction of the Simple I shall Reply to the same and clear the Truth and return the Venom upon your Venomous Spirits from whence it comes that you may be convinced of your Evil and cease Fighting against Christ and his Kingdom First Your Own as followeth WHerereas it duely appears unto Us by Our own View and also by the Examination of James Parnel who saith He was born at Retford in the County of Nottingham Labourer That He the said James Parnel with very many other Persons of his gathering together did this Day in a Riotous Manner enter into the Parish Church at Great Coggashall aforesaid and there being a great Number of Christians met in the said Church to hold and keep a Day of publick Humiliation and Seeking of God and being in order thereunto then exercised in the Divine Worship and Service of God Almighty He the said James did then and there stand up and told the Minister He Blasphemed and spoak Falsly and used many other reproachful Words against the said Minister And afterwards he departed the said Church and went into the common High-Way in the said Town of Great Coggashall with a great Number of Persons his Followers who kept there Unlawfully together and some of them gave out Menacing Threatning Speeches tending to the Breach of the Peace and against the Law And also the said James cannot give us a very good Account where he was last setled or of his Life and Conversation but doth further appear to us to be an Idle Disorderly Person These are therefore in the Name of his Highness the Lord Protector to will and require you To convey forthwith the said Iames Parnel unto the Common Goal for this County there to remain until the next General Goal-Delivery to be holden for this County and until thence delivered by due Course of Law unless he the said Iames shall come before us or any two of us or two some other Justices of the Peace for this County and shall find very Able and Sufficient Sureties to be bound with him by Recognizance for his personal Appearance at the said next Goal-Delivery there to Answer what shall be then objected against him and not to depart thence without License of the Court and in the mean time to be of good Behaviour and thereof fail not at your Peril Dated at Coggashall aforesaid the Twelfth Day of Iuly 1655. The Keeper of the said Common Goal is hereby requir'd to receive and keep the said Iames if he shall be brought unto him Herbert Pellham Thomas Cook Dyonysius Wakering William Harlackinden A Reply to the aforesaid Mittimus 1. Accusation WHereas I am hereby accused That I who am of the World called JAMES PARNEL with very many other Persons of my gathering together did this day in a Riotous Manner enter the Parish Church of Great Coggashall aforesaid Reply Are you not ashamed who profess your selves Ministers of Law Justice and Peace to begin with Lyes and make them your Refuge against the Innocent tending to the Disturbance of the Peace of the Faithful whom you both ought and would Encourage and Countenance if you were faithful Ministers of Peace and Justice standing in the pure Counsel of God Ruling for God and not for your selves in all things discharging your Consciences unto God without Partiality or Respect of Persons as faithful Ministers of Law and Justice But contrary unto this you have acted in your corrupt Wills turning your Swords against the
I am freely made willing to give up rather then to deny the Truth of my God And if I should pay one Penny for the Liberty of my Body in this Cause would be as much as if I paid the whole Fine which thou hast unjustly laid upon me for therein I should own my self a Transgressor where I am not guilty and also a bought Liberty is Bondage to my Spirit but my Liberty under thy Bonds is Bondage to thee which Liberty thou canst not rob me of with all that thou canst do for it is the Free-Gift of God which none can take away though thou wilt not allow me in thy Bonds to have the outward Liberty that thou allowest to Thieves and Murderers and Fornicators that is to have my Friends and Acquaintance to come to see me wherein the very Heathen will condemn thee who when they had committed Paul to Prison said Forbid none of his Friends and Acquaintance to come to see him Acts 22. 24. Therefore now read how thou exceedest the Heathen in Persecution and Injustice though I am a free-born Subject in England therefore let the Life of all the Christians condemn thee who never were Persecutors And this of the Lord I was moved to write which is the Word of the Lord unto thee whether thou wilt hear or forbear in the Peace of my Conscience I do rest in the Will of God known to thee by the Name James Parnel And now a few Words unto you who call your selves Gathered Churches go under the Name of Independents in Essex YOU are gathered by the Will of Man and are joyned by the Will of Man and so stand in the Will of Man and are upheld by the Will of Man by which you are begotten but still alive in the World's Nature in the World's Customs Fashions and Traditions in the World's Fellowship Words and Wayes and Rudiments only differing from others in Judgment Opinion or Profession wherein is your Life in high Notions and feigned Apprehensions and false Applications and glorious Expressions and customary Duties and vain Traditions which all appertain to the great Image which all the world worships by which they are deceived whose Head is Gold and Breast of Silver and Thighs of Brass and Legs of Iron and Feet part Iron part Clay and in the same Nature ye are found with the world the Day doth declare it and you to be the Enemies and Stangers to the Light which is not of the world which is now come into the world testifying against the world and the Deceit of the world and the Deceivers in the World and the Profession of the world And this is the Condemnation of the world that Light is come into the world and men love Darkness rather then Light because their Deeds are Evil In which Evil you are found despising and setting at nought the Corner-Stone and standing in the Enmity of your Spirits and joyning with the Powers of the Earth to persecute the Life and Power which now is manifest in the Earth and is come to discover your Empty Shadows Forms and fair Shews of Godliness but without Life and Power which you have set up in your Imaginations and thereby are deceived and blinded and led in Blindness so that you cannot see the Light nor receive the Substance now it is come and made maniest but stand up in your Wills and wisdom to oppose the same and persecute it in the Enmity of your Spirits as if you hoped to kill the Heir that the Inheritance might be yours And therefore Because you do despise this Day of your Visitation and reject and sleight the Glad-tidings which now are come to them that dwell upon the Earth and revilâ— and reproach persecute and slander the faithful Messengers of the Gospel rejoycing your Hearts in their Sufferings by you and amongst you therefore the Lord will raise up a People out of the Dust and gather them from far to bear Testimony unto his Name and bear witness against you yea and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of the Son and you and such as you shall be cast out into Tophet prepared of old for Hypocrites and Unbelievers Therefore now read your Portion ye stiff-necked and Uncircumcised in Heart and Ears who do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost as did your Fathers so do ye but the greater will be your Condemnation who go about to mock God with your Will-worship with your Calling of Assemblies and Solemn Meetings with your appointed Fasts and Dayes of Voluntary Humiliation with your Long Prayers and Feigned Duties all which are done out of the Light and so are your own Works acted by Self for Self But who has required these things at your Hands It is all Abomination to the Lord his Soul loaths it For your Sacrifices are are as Cain's for you are found in Cain's Nature Envying and Persecuting the Righteous yea the Witness lieth slain in your Streets Therefore VVo is unto you who go on in the Way of Cain for upon you shall come all the Righteous Bloodshed from Righteous Abel until now And your Profession stinks in the Nostrils of the Lord for you have lifted up your Hands against him and his Anointed and opened your Mouths in Blasphemy and False Reports against the Truth yea you are blind and stumble at the Noon-day you come near the Lord with your Lips but your hearts run a Whoring after other Lovers and you know not the Only True God that dwells in Temples made without hands whose VVorship is in Spirit and in Truth but would limit the Unlimited under your VVills as if he were not a God of Might but that you could controle him with the Arm of Flesh But Be not deceived God is not mocked such as you sow such shall you reap and your End shall be according to your Works For our God is a God of Judgment and Justice and will avenge the Cause of the Innocent upon you his Adversaries Yea and though your Teachers do cry Peace Peace unto you because you put into their Mouthes and so daub you up with Untempered Morter that you cannot see your VVouud and so heal you sleightly Yet you shall know that our God is a God of Truth and his VVord shall stand forever and their Sorcery shall appear and their Witchcraft shall be laid open and the Cup of Fornication wherewith they have made drunk and deluded the Nations shall be taken from them the Cup of the Wrath of the Almighty given them to drink their Reward And then shall you behold the Harlot with whom you have committed Fornication who now lies in your Bosoms Bewitching you with a Golden Cup with whom you have defiled your Garments then to be cast into the Bottomless Pit where you shall all be tormented together who now partake of her Pleasures and thus shall you fall among them that fall in the Day that I visit you saith the Lord. J. Parnel A Few
Body and Blood of Christ for thou saist thou hast declared the Mystery of both more distinctly and evidently then ever thou readst in our Writings And then by thy vain Philosophy thou goest about to justifie the Word Sacrament for the which thou hast no Scripture and many of your Blind Dâ—luded People do not know what it means Rep. But all this is no true Ground to believe thy words to be Truth for thy Hope is alreadâ— disproved and found to be Deceit and thy Lying Tongue hath been many times reproved as before thou boastest that thou uâ—ually spoakest by the Motion of the Holy Ghost and then wast presently found in a Lye so that there is no Credit to be given to thy Words without a sufficient Proof for here also thou may'st easily be proved a Lyar for out of thy own Mouth both thou thy self and thy Church were proved to be no Christians Then for your Discerning the Body of Christ or declaring the Mystery from your own Experiences yea and though thou couldest declare the Mystery from others Words who experienced it they that hear thee could not discern it without a Single Eye which appeareth they have not who are still Earthly-minded by thy own Confession And dost thou profess here now to have such a Spiritual People and yet durst not trust them for thy Maintenance without a Compulsive Law This also manifests thy self to be Earthly-minded and so ignorant of the Mystery And thus every way thou Deceiver thy Confusion is seen and by the Truth art thou overwhelmed and catched in thy own Craftiness Qu. 25. And whether dost thou not give Bread and Wine to Natural Men and Women yea or nay Pr. Answ. And in thy Answer thou confessest Thou dost give to Natural Men anâ— Women and also to Spiritual Ones as thou saist Christ himself did to all the Twelve Disciples Luke 22. 14 15. c. whereof thou saist Judas was one and the Apostle for a time thou saist gave the same to those that professed Repentance Faith and new Obedience but fell away afterwards which to prove thou quotest 1 Cor. 11. 18 19. 1 John 2. 19. Rep. Here thou Murderer of Souls by thy own Confession thou confessest the People to eat and drink Damnation to themselves not discerning the Lord's Body which the Natural Man and Woman cannot do and as for Spiritual Ones thou hast none in thy Flock for thou confessest they are Earthly minded And for what Christ did is a Mystery to thee and that which might be done for the fulfilling of what was before decreed which is nothing for thee to imitate And did not Judas eat and drink his own Damnation Neither doth these Scriptures prove that the Apostles did the same as thou dost for he was far absent from them when he writ this Epistle to them as a Warning to take heed what they did neither doth that in John prove any thing to this Purpose for thine can fall no lower then they are who are not yet Christians neither thou that teachest them as is before proved out of thy own Mouth And though here thou confessest they are a Mixt Multitude yet thou makest no Difference when thou takest thy Tythes neither appeareth it when thou givest them that thou callest a Sacrament Qu. 26. Can any be set free from Sin so long at they are upon the Earth and where must they be clensed if not upon the Earth Pr. Answ. And in thy Answer thou in words confessest That man may be Wholely set Free and that thou knowest no other Place of Purgation and also boastest That thou hast held forth this Doctrine long before the Quakers came as thou callest them Rep. But I find in Life thou still denyest it neither art thou thy self come up to it nor any that are taught by thee and therefore I hold thee the greater Hypocrite and Deceiver then if with the rest of thy Brethren thou didst in words deny it unless in Life thou didst seal it for Profession without Life and Power hath ever been a Dishonour to Truth and Religion Therefore silence Deceit and cause not the Truth to be blasphemed Qu. 27. What Scripture hast thou for thy Rule to give David's Conditions to be sung in a Meeter Pr. Answ. And in thy Answer thou canst bring no Scripture-Proof to maintain what thou dost but saist All are not of the World whom we take to be of the World to wit who are no Quakers thou saist And secondly thou saist Israel in the general to whom David gave his Psalms to be sung were the greatest part Unregenerate and men of the World Thirdly thou saist He gave them in Meeter or Measure to be sung as the Learned in the Hebrew Tongue know well Rep. All are of the World that are not Christians which neither thou nor thine are as before out of thy own Mouth is proved and also all that own not Quaking and Trembling by the Power of God are also of the World and know not God for all the Holy Men of God and David for one as is before proved witnessed Quaking and Trembling and the Son of Man was to eat his Bread with Quaking and drink his Water with Trembling And so you that despise Quaking and Trembling are Heathens that know not God And also the Way is but one and they that are not with us are against us But All Israel Trembled before the Lord who were not of the World as thou belyest them who were the Lord 's chosen People in the Figure whom he had chosen out of the World though when they forgot their God they were defiled with the World Neither canst thou bring any Scripture-Proof to maintain that David gave forth his Prayers his Prophecies his Quakings his Roarings his Cryings and his Lamentations â—o be sung in a Meeter as thou saist the Learned Ones know but thy Learned Ones may be Lyars like Thee and therefore I have no Ground to believe them seeing also that I have a Proof to the contrary for by your own Confession they were turned into English Meeter by Sternhold and Hopkinson and therefore stop thy Mouth thou Lyar. And fourthly Thou askest what Condition David was in into which every Man may not come in Time And fifthly thou say'st Are not David ' s Psalms Part of the Holy Scriptures which are permitted to all Men and are profitable for all Men to read And sixthly thou say'st The Jews did read all the Old Testament in Publick with a singing Voice as the Learned know And seventhly thou say'st Did not the Lord by his Servant Moses teach all Israel a Song of his own making as in Deut. 31. 19 20 21 22. Deut. 32. And thou say'st We will not deny but David ' s Psalms may have the same Effects even upon the Wicked c. which is false for we will deny it for the Wicked have nothing to do with them for unto the Wicked God saith What hast thou to do to declare my
Faith but act contrary to the Scripture the Doctrine and Practice of the Ministers of Christ and teach People so be not such as abide not in the Doctrine of Christ but bring another Doctrine and so â—re the Witches Magâ—cians Deceivers Antichrists and False Teachers who are not to be received but denyâ—d Pr Answ. And in thy Answer thou confessest That they which are truly such in Doctrine and Life as this Query describes may be truly termed spiritual Witches and Magicians and must be rejected as False Teachers and Antichrists Rep. Here thou hast passed the Sentence unto thy own Condemnation for thou art the Man as sufficiently is proved both out of thy own Mâ—uth and the Scriptures which thou thy self hast quoted as aforesaid And so henceforward let all People take notice That thou Thomas Draton of King Rippon in Huntingtonshire art a spiritual Witch and Magician and they are to reject thee as a False Teacher and an Antichrist as here out of thy own Mouth is plainly proved And this Him thou callest James Parnel doth testifie and deny thee with thy Sorcery Ribbons Stones Waters Glasses Powders Charms and other like Enchantments which thou who art given up to believe Lyes impudently wouldest cast upon him and thoâ—e thou callest his Confederacy who abhor all such Abomination and therefore return it into thy own Bosom from whence it comes Priest And thus thou say'st by clear Scripture and Experience thou hast answered the bold Queries of him who is known to the World to be but a Boy or Stripling Rep. As thou begann'st with a Lye in thy Mouth so also thou endest with a Lye for by plain Scripture and true Experience thou hast not answered these Queries for in many Things thou may'st find no Scripture at all in the least to countenance thee then thou pleadest old Stories and Records and say'st also It sufficeth thee that there is no Scripture to the contrary but thou shalt know that in any Thing that thou dost in which the Scripture will not stand for thee it will in the same stand against thee and also when thou didst wrest any Scripture for thy own Ends it was made Use of to witness against thee in the same and how hast thou answered by thy own Experience whenas thou stolest the Apostles Declaration and set it down even Word for Word to prove the Estate of a Christian whenas it was proved out of thy own Mouth that thou art not come to witness in Possession the lowest Estate of a Christian and thus thou might'st have been ashamed to boast of thy Age who art found such an impudent Lyar as to say by clear Scripture and true Experience thou answeredst these Queries which are not so bold as true in which all that are not wilfully blind will witness against thee and thus him thou contemnest as a Boy or Stripling is made able to cut of thy Head with thy own Sword and therefore henceforward let Shame and Confusion of Face cover thee for boasting of thy Age who yet knowest not That the Wisdom and Power of the Almighty stands not in the Number of Years or the Arm Flesh but the Righteous are as bold as a Lyon Prov. 28. 1. And now to thy Counter-Queries as thou callest them which for a Complement thou biddest me give thee Leave to propound but meanedst not to stay to know whether I did so or nay First Concerning Honour and Respect to be given to Men. And to the Substance of this Query I answer That Christ himself cryes down all Earthly Honour and Admiration and Respect of Man's Person and only attolerates the Honour that is of God and cometh from God and belongs unto the Seed of God which is not known amongst you Children of this World whose Honour and Glory is of this World in whom the Seed of the Serpent rules Head to which no Worship nor Honour is due the which all the World wonders after and worship the Beast and his Image but none of these Scriptures which thou hast quoted do at all maintain your Heathenish Breeding Worship Honour Manners and Respect as you call it but now he is risen and reigns to whom all Nations must bow to whom alone belongs all Honour Priase Dominion and Thanks therefore silence proud Flesh that wouldst go about to rob him it 's you that are offended in him and persecute him because he cannot bow unto you and as for that Scripture Honour all Men I answer with another Scripture which thou hast quoted Psal. 15. 4. In whose Eyes a vile Person is contemned Here all Men are not honoured but in the Lord therefore you that abide not in the Doctrine of Christ must not be received not bidden God speed And as for that Scripture Lev. 19. 2â— which thou quotest in thy seaventh Query I answer with Solomon's Words Wisdom is the gray Hair and an Undefiled Life is Old Age and this is not without Honour though by the World contemned Qu. 9. And to thy 9th Query Whether standing bare with the Head uncovered before the Magistrate be not a decent Posture since it is a Posture that the Apostle requires in the Behalf of God which to prove thou quotest 1 Cor. 11. 4 5 6 7 8. Answ. I answer No Man must be honoured in Respect to his Person and the Honour of Justice and Equity lyeth not in the putting off the Hat or keeping it on but it is a Heathenish Custom contrary to any Scripture-Rule or Example and therefore not a decent but an unseemly Posture as thou callest it for Men so to adore one anothers Persons and that Magistrate that seeks for or owns such a Thing stands in his own Will and is partial and rules not for God but for himself and such God doth not stile as Gods upon Eearth as thou saist but rather Unjust Stewards and thou blind Guide read in the 3d Verse of the Chapter aforesaid and see what is the Head of the Man but thy Head is the Serpent and according to thy own Meaning most of ye Priests condemn your selves in this who commonly have your Heads covered with Caps when you pretend to pray or prophesie And that Scripture 1 Tim. 6. 11. which thou hast quoted in thy 10 th Query and Rom. 10. 10. which thou hast quoted in thy 11 th Query was not spoken to the World who accounts Man in gay Cloathing and a Gold Ring as a Superiour and a Man in vile and poor Rayment as an Inferiour and accordingly preâ—ers them and respects them contrary to Scripture and you Leaders cause them to err threfore wrest not the Scripture for your own Ends lest it turn to your own Destruction 2 Per. 3. 16. Qu. 12. Whether the Pronoun of the second Person singular may not out of the Hebrew and Greek be as wâ—ll redered You as Thou especially since in the plural Nuâ—â—hr it is alwayes rendered Ye and not Thee and the Dutch Tongue whence we borrow muâ—h of
to every Creature Neither doth either of these Scriptures which thou hast quoted prove to the contrary And how many Scriptures didst thou quote in thy Answer to my Fifteenth Query to prove that the Ministers of the Gospel might forbear Woâ—king and not to entangle themselves with the Affairs of this Life yet in all could not prove thy self a Minister of the Gospel and now thou questionest the Truth of the Scripture because neither thou nor thy Brethren were called according to Scripture But whomsoever the Lord calls unto his Work he doth take Care both for him and his Family but You that are not called by him dare not trust him without a Law of Man And in thy Ninety Eighth and Ninety Nineth Query thou seemest to accuse us with some that turned from the Truth and yielded to the Deceit of their Hearts and so gave Occasion to such as thee who wait for Occasion to Blaspheme the Truth but is is no new thing but the same which the Scripture declares of in divers places therefore saith Christ Offences must come but Wo unto them by whom they do come For there were then many such as thee in that Age who as thou dost waited for Occasion to blaspheme the Truth But if thou hadst been then how would'st thou have accused Christ who had but Twelve Apostles and one of them betrayed him and then hanged himself and another denyed him Therefore let this stop thy Mouth for speaking Evil of the things thou knowest not And as for Spencer and Gilpin whom thou here nominatest the Truth is sufficiently cleaâ—ed of them in other Books and the Priests have owned them as they did Judas which is the Name of all that turn from the TRUTH after they have received it Qu. 100. Have so many fallen into Distraction or Madness in any Sect or under any Doctrine as there hath done amongst your Hearers especially where the Number of Disciples was no more Answ. Look at Home and answer thy self witness your UNIVERSITIES as you call them for it is the Fruit of Your Studies who would find out that by Your Wit and Wisdom which the Lord hath hid from You And all that You cannot settle in Security and Blindness You lead them into Madness Confusion and Distraction if they do not in time forsake you as many will witness at this day That they are led by You into such a Wilderness that they know not which way to get out neither do You know how to direct them for You are in Confusion your selves and so the Blind leadeth the Blind into the Ditch Therefore this might have stopped thy Mouth from Falsly Accusing us But I remember TRUTH was ever accounted MADNESS and FOLLY by the Blind World who know not that Godliness is Great Gain And in thy Ninety Fourth Query thou wast Questioning the Truth of our Doctrine because of the Multitude of Disciples and now by the Fewness and thus thou Contradictest thy self And then after much of thy Filthy Stuff which all along thou hast vented forth of thy old Bottle against us which upon thee I have returned again from whence it came thou seemest to accuse our Book but dost not shew wherein and therefore I pass it by as knowing thy Lying Spirit And then thou stealest the Apostle's Words for a Cloak for the Deceit of thy Heart 2 Corinth 13. 7 8 9. which the Apostle spoak from a True and Upright Heart but thou from a False Deceitful Heart as all along hath been sufficiently proved and thy Prayers to be Abomination and that thou hast nothing to do to name the Name of God in thy Mouth who art a Worker of Iniquity and a Stranger unto God who art found out of his Doctrine and therefore with this Scripture I shall mark thee 2 John 9. 10. that all may know thee and turn away theit Ears from thee who art not to be received but denyed and therefore whosoever receiveth thee or thy Doctrine the same departeth from the Doctrine of Christ And therefore let this be a Caveat to all People to whom it shall come and look upon thee to be as Anathema Maranatha 〈◊〉 Cor. 16. 22. Given forth from the Spirit of the Lord through a Friend to all Souls witnessed in all Consciences by the Eternal Light of God by which I am known and received in the Behalf of Israel against the Armies of the Aliens who muster up themselves against the Lord and his Authority by a Friend to the Common-Wealth of Israel who is known to the World by the Name JAMES PARNEL Who is a Sufferer in Outward Bonds for the Testimony of the Everlasting Truth in Colchester-Castle 1655. A WARNING FOR All People ALL People Repent and turn to the Lord from the Evil of your Doings for the Day of the Lord is at Hand wherein the Lord will judge the World and give to every one according to their Deeds whether they be Good or Evil yea He is coming with Ten thousand of his Angels to be avenged of the Heathen and them that know him not Now all that live in Sin and Filthiness it appears you know him not for if you did you durst not live in your Lusts heaping up Wrath against the Day of Wrath wherein the Lord will appear as a Consuming Fire against all Ungodliness Rom. 1. 18. God is against you dissembling Professors who adorn the Outside serve God in Notions Words oâ—tside Forms but the Heart is not upright with God you are in the Earth in your Covetousness which is Idolatry and the Lord abhors the outside Worship when the Heartis not answerable and calls such Whited Walls and Painted Sepulchres Hypocrites Serpents Generation of Vipers and the Wo is to such how can you escape the Damnation of Hell Mat. 23. God is against you Proud Lustful Ones who make it your greatest Care to deck your selves in proud Attire inventing new Wayes Fashions to make your selves glorious in the Sight of Men that they may worship you and honour you but consider not that you are but Dust and God will lay your Honour in the â—ust for he is risen to whom all Worship and Honour is due and he will bring down yâ—ur Haughtiness and your Pride and will exalt the Humble and Meek and will seek that which was lost but will destroy the Fat with Judgment Repent ye Lofty Ones and turn to the Lord and humble your selves before him that you may be hid in the Day of his fierce Wrath lest he take you away and there be none to deliver for the Day of the Lord will burn as an Oven and they that are proud and they that do wickedly will be as Stubble and it will leave them neither Root nor Branch Mal. 4. 1. God is against you Drunkards who make it your Trade to pour in strong Drink abusing the Creature which God hath given to be used moderately for the Health and not for the Lust therein you shew your selves
is not this a False Doctrine of them that have told the People the Letter hath been the Light whenas the Letter saith Christ is the Light Qu. XII And is not this a False Doctrine of them that have told the People of a Sacrament which there is no Scripture for And have told the People The Steeple-house hath been the Church whenas the Scripture saith The Church is in God 1 Thes. 1. 1. And is not this contrary to the Scripture Qu. XIII Have you that Spirit that was before Scripture was given forth which gave them forth yea or nay Qu. XIV Have you heard God's Voice immediately from Heaven and Earth yea or nay Qâ— XV. Do you own Trembling inward and Trembling outward yea or nay Qu. XVI Is that Witchcraft and the Spirit of it that scoffs and scorns at them that do Tremble And is not that the Power of God that makes the Devils to Tremble yea or nay and shakes down that which must be shaken and removes that which must be removed is this the Power of God yea or nay Qu. XVII And whether ever any thâ—â— did Tremble at the Word of God and witnessed the shaking of those things that must be shaken and the removing of thâ—se things which must be removed did Scoff and Scorn at any yea or nay Qu. XVIII And whether such as do Scoff and Scorn Beat and Imprison and Hale out of the Synagogues such as Trembled at the Word of the Lord be not out of Christ's Doctrine who saith Love your Enemies yea or nay Qu. XIX And whether such as have the Chief Seats in the Synagogues and stand Praying there and are called of Men Masters which Christ cryed Wo against Mat. 23. whether he justifies such now and sends forth such now which he once cryed Wo against yea or nay Qu. XX. And whether such as bear Rule by their Means and seek for their Gain from their Quarters and seek for the Fleece and cloathe with the Wooll and make a Prey upon the People and are Hirelings which the true Prophets of the Lord were sent to cry against whether such be approved of the Lord now and justified and set up now which he sent his Prophets to witness and cry against and disproved as in Jer. 5. 30 31. Isa. 56. 10 11. Ezek. 34. Mic. 3. Qu. XXI And whether such as go in Cain's Way and Balaam's Way which the Lord sent his Apopostles to cry against which were disapproved of him whether suâ—h be approved of God now which were disproved and cryed against then which go in Cain's Way and Balaam's Way as it is manifest For they that do not give them Maintenance they sue them at the Law or cast them into Prison as is witnessed in many Places in this Nation Qu. XXII What is the First Principle of the Pure Religion Qu. XXIII Doth Christ Enlighten every one that comes into the World yea or nay JAMES PARNEL To you who be call'd JUDGES JUSTICES RULERS ant OFFICERS WHO Fine and Imprison Men because they cannot put off their Hats to you and call it a Contemning Authority and Mis-behaviour and Evil Deportment and yet say The Scripture is your Rule and profess your selves Christians and to believe on Jesus Christ Now by the Scripture try your selves and your Practice and let the Liâ—e thereof judge you where do you ever read that Pharoah King of Aegypt who oppressed the Children of Israel and knew not the Lord did command Moses or Aaron to put off their Hats or Fine or Imprison them if they would not or told them they Contemned Authority or called it Mis-behaviour or Evil Deportment as you do or ever Darius or Nebuchadnezzar or Belthaser or any of the Heathenâ—sh Kingâ—â—â— Princes Rulers Judges or Governours in the Time of the Law or Gospel command such a Thing Where did ever Herod who beheaded John or Pilate or Festus or King Agrippa command any such Thing Now if you cannot find one Example amongst all these Heathen for this your Practice let the Lise and Practice of the Heathen judge you and condemn you for you are not fit to be reckoned or numbred amongst the Christian Kings Judges Rulers and Governours as Joseph who was made Ruler over Egypt or Moses who was Judge over all Israel or Joshua or Jeâ—htah who was Chief Judge or David or Solomon nay they were Men fearing God and hating Covetousness and far from Oppression Therefore now behold your selves and be ashamed of your Pride Arrogancy and though there was a Time that Pharaoh in his Will oppressed the Children of Israel yet there came a Time that he felt the Hand of the almighty God thereby was Israel delivered and he drowned in the Sea And though Nebuchadnezzar made an Image and would have all to bow unto it or else be cast into the fiery Furnace yet there came a Time that he lost his Kingdom And though there was a Time that Haman was accepted and Mordecai despised and Haman made a pair of Gallows for Mordecai because he could not bow unto him yet there came a Time that Haman was hanged on his own Gallows and Mordecai exalted in his stead Now read your selves and your Portions for in Haman's Nature your are found Lording over your Fellow Creatures by your corrupt Wills as it doth appear by your Sternness and Cruelty in Fining of them and Imprisoning of them that cannot bow unto you nor put off their Hats unto you might not Haman upon the same Account have taxed Mordecai for contemning Authority and for Evil Deportment as well as you seeing it was a Decree of the King And might not Nebuchadnezzar have so accused Sahdrach Meshach and Abednego seeing it was a Command of the King And might not the Priests Captain and the Rulers have done the same to John and Peter upon the same Account as you now do But whether was it by the Authority of God or their own Wills that they commanded these Things and thereby try your selves see what you would do if you had a Law to shew for what you do as they had seeing you act thus without Law and have no Law to shew for it though you do it in the Name of the Lord Protector of England and so make him the Protector of Tyranny and Oppression and Cruelty as ever was heard of in any Age which is contrary to his own Proclamations and I do believe he would be ashamed to own his Name to such Practices for if he should he makes his own Promises Vows and Proclamations of none Effect And this the Lord God of Heaven and Earth hath suffered long but his Sword is drawn and furbished to cut you down all you high Oaks tall Cedars who oppress the little Shrubs and him too whom you call Lord Protector if he wink at and suffer such Things to be done in his Name contrary to the Name which he hath taken upon him and you shall know that there is another
Lord Protector to whom all Glory Honour Dominion and Thanks belong whose dreadful Hand you shall feel whom your Tongues shall confess to be Just though with weeping and wailing and gnashing of Teeth because you have robbed him of his Glory and Honour and taken it unto your selves And though in the Old Covenant they bowed to one another yet when Christ the New Covenant came who is the End of the Old he spake unto his Disciples and said The Heathen exercise Dominion and Lordship one over another but it shall not be so amongst you but he that will be the greatest shall be the least for one is your Master Now here is the New Covenant out of which you are found amongst the Heathen Lording over your Fellow-Creatures by your corrupt Wills and yet you dare take upon you the Name of Justice and the Name of Christians whenas again Christ said unto your Fore-fathers How can you believe that receive Honour one of another Here you are found in the same Generation in the Unbelief out of the Faith and so No Christians for Christ saith I receive not Honour of Man but you do and Imprison Men and persecute them if they do not give it you and so are not like Christ therefore no Christians but Heathens for Christians are like Christ being made Partakers of his own Divine Nature and let all that profess Christ walk as he walked buâ— this you do not Therefore be ashamed of your Profession who so exceed the Heathen in Presumption seeking Honour to your selves by Tyranny and Persecution Exercising the Power of the Beast which all the World wonders after and worships but those who have their Names written in the Book of Life whom you persecute because they cannot bow to now worship the Image of the Beast which you uphold and so you fulfil the Prophecy of John where it is said The Kings of the Earth shall give their Power unto the Beast and they shall make War with the Lamb So you as Kings on the Earth over your Fellow Creatures rule by the Power and Authority of the Beast and make War with the Lamb to exalt your selves in his Throne but the Lamb shall overcome and the Beast and the false Prophet that had deceived the Nations and all that bear his Mark worship his Image into the Lake shall be cast even Tophet which was prepared of Old for the Kings of the Earth But here is the Patience of the Saints here are they that keep the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus which is without Respect of Persons but tremble you Careless Ones that are at Ease your Plagues shall come upon you in one Day when you are not aware who are killing and persecuting the Just and Innocent under Pretence of Contemning Authority because they cannot worship the Image of the Beast and thus you rule by the Power and Authority of the Beast winking at Vice Deceit and Iniquity strengthning the Hands of the Evil-doers and persecute the Righteous and tread Truth under Foot and thus you bear the Sword in vain And here is the Abomination that stands in the Holy Place where it ougth not Injustice set in Justice's Place for I deny any Thing to be Justice or done by the Authority of God but what is according to the Law of God which respects no Man's Person but convinceth them to be Transgressors that do and Justice saith I receive not Honour of Men Now here you have gotten the Name but want the Nature and so know not the Honour that belongs to Justice but threaten persecute and imprison Men that come before you and do not honour you with Cap and Knee before they receive Justice from you and how can they honour Justice before they see it but instead of doing them Justice you do them Injustice and exercise the Power of the Beast upon them but will not the Lord be avenged on such a People as this yea He is coming with Ten Thousand of his Angels to render Vengeance upon the Head of the Wicked and Disobedient For Truth and Justice now is risen and arising and it is you that are not subject thereunto but stand in your own Wills to oppose it and are setting up and exalting your selves even into the Throne of God but remember Lucifer for it is he that is exalted in you and though you be exalted as high as the Heavens and set your Nests among the Stars thence will the Lord fetch you down and cast you into Hell as he did Lucifer Dives and Haman and the rest of your Forefathers ye proud Ones Therefore Repent and let the Oppressed go free lest the Lord shorten your Dayes and cut you off amongst the Wicked with the Blast of his Mouth for now you are warned in your Life Time and left without Excuse by a Servant and Messenger of the Lord whom he hath sent to give Warning before his Judgment JAMES PARNEL He that seeks himself and his own Honour shall not prosper though he rule in his Will for a Time but him that honours God him will God honour To all You Magistrates Rulers AND OFFICERS Who Call Men to SWEAR and Imprison them if they will not You are the Oppressors of Tender Consciences and do not allow Liberty of Conscience and so break Your own and also You have a Law against Swearers yet by Your Law seek to compel men to swear Oh! blush and be ashamed of your Profession who thus Unjustly act How dare You call Christ Your Lord and Master and do not the things that he saith for he commands Swear not at all neither by Heaven nor by Earth nor by the Head because you cannot make one Hair white or black nor by any other thing but let your Yea be Yea and Nay Nay for what is more is Evil And so here You run from the Doctrine of Christ and hinder others who both swear your selves and would compel others by Fining of them and Imprisoning of them and thus You run into the Evil and would have all with You in the Snares of the Devil And now if you do run unto the Scripture to maintain Swearing and say They swore in the Time of the Law I Answer Christ Jesus who is the End of the Law faith Swear not at all and if you do alledge That Moses a Servant of God swore I Answer But Christ Jesus the Son of God saith Swear not at all hear him And if you do alledge That David a Man of God swore I Answer But this is the Son of God and David called him Lord who saith Swear not at all him You are to hear And if You do alledge That Saul swore in the War I Answer He who comes to End all War and Controversie who brings Peace and Good-will towards Men he saith Swear not at all who is the Son of God hear him And if You do alledge They swore in the Time of the