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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52921	New-England's ensigne it being the account of cruelty, the professors pride, and the articles of their faith, signified in characters written in blood, wickedly begun, barbarously continued, and inhumanly finished (so far as they have gone) by the present power of darkness possest in the priests and rulers in New-England ... : this being an account of the sufferings sustained by is in New-England (with the Dutch) the most part of it in these two last yeers, 1657, 1658 : with a letter to Iohn Indicot, Iohn Norton, Governor, and chief priest of Boston, and another to the town of Boston : also, the several late conditions of a friend upon the Road-Iland, before, in, and after distraction : with some quæries unto all sorts of people, who want that which we have, &c. / vvritten at sea, by us whom the vvicked in scorn calls Quakers, in the second month of the yeer 1659 ; this being a confirmation of so much as Francis Howgill truly published in his book titled, The Popish inquisition newly erected in New-England, &c.	Norton, Humphrey, fl. 1655-1659.; Rous, John, d. 1695.; Copeland, John, 17th cent.	1659 (1659)	Wing N636; ESTC R3600	97,400	124

forgive you for you know not what you do a woman standing by said Surely if she had not the spirit of the Lord she could not do this thing Thus they continued them in prison about fourteen days not suffering any of their friends to come at them this and such as this puts a clear difference and demonstration betwixt their faith and ours each faith shewing forth its fruit the one through travels tryals patience and sufferings manifesting theirs before the faces of all people the other through wrath malice cruel mockings reviling language scourgings and imprisonments manifesting theirs and whether of these faiths stands in God seeing there is but one Lord and one faith unto salvation we leave it unto that of God in all people to judge this cruelty was acted on them about the eleventh of the third moneth 1658. A relation of the sufferings of Thomas Harris in Boston It came to pass that on the fifteen of the fourth month 1658. that I with tvvo other friends set forth from Road-Iland towards Boston jurisdiction and on the seventeenth day of the same I came to Boston and being moved to their meeting house there I came and stood quietly until the Priest had done speaking then I spake to the people these words The Dreadful terrible day of the Lord God of heaven and earth is coming upon the inhabitants of this Town and Country then was I pulled out by two men and soon a man came and put his hand upon my mouth that I should not speak and another took me by the hair of my head but when they let me go I spake to the people again that thty took heed how they joyn with oppressors and cruel men for the Lord God was risen and their coverings were found to narrow for their nakedness did appear unto all them that feared God then they carried me to prison after a while had me before the Governor where was the Deputy-Governor with several Magistrates and many people and coming in to the room where the Governor was he asked me if I knew before whom I was come I told him yea Iohn Indicot why do you not put off your hat Thomas Harris I do not keep it on in contempt of authority but in obedience to the Lord so one pulled off my hat then the Deputy Governor bid the Marshall bring a pair of shears to cut off my hair I told him it was against my desire if he did but he might do what he was permitted the governor asked from whence I came Th● Harris from Providence Iohn Indicot from whence there Tho. Harris from Road Island Iohn Indicot what were them that came with you Tho. Harris It is like I shall not tell thee Gover. I will make thee tell before thou dost go Govern The divel hath taught thee a deal of subtilty and said that we were all divellish blasphemous hereticks meaning them that were called quakers T. H. Take heed what thou speaks as thou will answer it in the dreadful day of the Lord God it is an easie matter to speak that we are blasphemers and such like in words but can you prove it or make it appear the Governor said you are all such T. H. it will not serve thy turn in the day of thy account to say we are all such Govern I matter not what thou speaks why didst thou come here T. H. In obedience to the Lord the Governor said in obedience to the Lord in obedience to the devil vvhy didst thou come here to trouble us T. H. To declare against pride and oppression men that use cruelty The Governor asked if he were such a one Answer yea the Governor said wherein do I use cruelty Answer in oppressing the innocent Dep. Govern He deserves to be hanged Again the Dep. Governor prest me to tell him what they were that came with me and said that there was murder committed that day and he did not know but we were the men therefore I should tell him what they were T. H. accuse me if thou canst vvith it but this vvas false for there vvas no such thing neither did they knovv from me at all vvhat they vvere many more questions vvas asked me but seeing their intent vvas to ensnare I vvas kept silent then sent they me to prison vvithout Warrant or Mittimus vvhere I vvas shut up in a close room not any suffered to come unto me neither could be suffered to buy food for my money the next morning the Gaolor came unto me to knovv if I vvould vvork so as to earn him one shilling and out of it to have four pence in such diet as he vvould give me then after a vvhile he called me dovvn to be vvhipt I asked vvhat lavv I had broken and read it unto me but he refused then pulling of my cloaths brought me to the post vvhere I received ten stripes vvith their thre● corded vvhip then he shut me up again vvhere he kept me eleven days not suffering me to buy any thing to eat meat he brought me but he vvould not receive money for it neither should I eat it except I vvould vvork as he said but at the end of five days I had food conveyed to me in at a vvindovv by a friend in the night season or otherways by probability I had been starved to death and in the five days a prisoner conveyed me in a little water for which they threatned him and yet the same day that I was whipt the Gaolor came to me and told me that I had suffered what the law required and if I would hire the Marshal to convey me out of their jurisdiction I might be gone when I would Answ If the doors be set open J know no other but J shall pass but to hire a guard that J cannot so on the sixt day before the sixt hour in the morning the Gaolor because I could not go to work at his will laid on me twenty two blows with a pitch rope notwithstanding he had told me that I had suffered what the law required before and on the ninteenth of the fifth moneth 1658 brought me again to the post with several brethren more where J received fifteen cruel stripes as hereafter you will further understand Againe William Brend and William Leddra who was the two which accompanied the before-mentioned Thomas Harris into Boston Pattent having drawings unto Salem where they were received and had several Meetings with other Service which they did for God in that Colony but consenting to the Simplicity in a plain man for his satisfaction yeelded to meet with their Minister so called Provis● that they might not be insnared knowing their Law which was granted unto them by way of promise which when the said Minister came brought a Magistrate with him who after conference togeeher to cover the condition upon which the Strangers met them they suffered them to pass away but before they were gone half a mile the Magistrate called Capt. Garish by

House of Correction You are by vertue hereof required to take into your custody the bodies of Christopher Holder and John Copeland and them safely keep close to work with prisone●s dyet onely till their ears be cut off and not suffer them to converse with any while they are in your custody Edward Rawson Secretary Then he asked us again to work and said as you are ratioall men I would wish you not put your bodies to so much suffering saying he had an order to have us whipt twice a week if we would not work and shewed us the order that was made for the other friends whereby four of them ten ws whipt contrary to their Law but we gave them no answer at that time then he said he would give us time to consider of it till noon so some hours after he came to us againe and asked us as before then we answered that we were shut up and were not at liberty to work then he pulled us and shut us up where the work was where he kept us till evening and then had us into the common Goale and in the morning had us down again where the work was and said he would keep us there till our backs was slasht so he set us bread and pottage by the work but we had no freedome to meddle with either So at evening we were had in the common-goal again where we were shut up in a close room in which place we remained eight dayes they not knowing of any thing that we eat then the Goalors wife came to us and said If you will have milk you may have it bought for you and if we would have beer wee might buy it of her so from that time the other friends which were in the house of Correction were suffered to put into us at a window what we wanted Sometime after Christopher Holder and John Copeland was put into prison I John Rous was commanded of the Lord to go to Boston also and as way was made according to the Will of God I prepared to go thitherwards and on the 25. of the 6 moneth 1658. in the evening I came to Boston and after I had got the horse I rode on set up in a stable at an Inne I went into the house and after some stay there I being not desirous to be a snare to any man I declared who I was to the man of the house who fetcht the Marshal and he had me to the Governors house and when I was brought before the Governor he came towards me in a lofty manner and said Put off thy hat I answered I cannot so my hat at his commandment was taken off Then the Governor asked me Why I came to this Town I said To visit my friends in prison and if I may have liberty if they want any thing to minister to their necessities he answered in derision That is a charitable Deed Why did not Humphrey Norton come I replied Thou had best ask him the next time thou seest him He asked me Whether I had any Letters To vvhich I vvas silent so he bid the Marshall search mee vvho did according to his command and the Governor took severall Papers out of my Letter-Case and kept them and after some questions about the Bodie of Christ to vvhich I ansvvered him according to the Scriptures and after telling mee That this is no nevv thing that we held and said If he had time he would shew me out of Books which he had in his house That severall Hereticks before us held the same opinion To which I answered little knowing that the Spirit of God is pure from all Heresie whatsoever men who are blind may say of it Then he bid the Marshal have me to prison the which was done without Warrant or Mittimus that I did see or hear of On the seven of the seventh moneth we three was sent for from the prison before the Court of Assistants held at Boston who when we came commanded our hats to be taken off the which being done after some time of silence the Goalor asked us one by one Whether wee knew the Law against quakers Then we answered We knew their Law Then he asked Why we came thither We answered The Lord God whose Law is just and equal required it of us to come and in obedience to him we came Then one called Major Denison asked us Whether every man is not Master of his own house We answered The Lord God is Master of Heaven and Earth and he can send whither he will and whom he will Then the Governor said Were you not here before sent away now are come again To which Richard Bellingham added In contempt of Authority We answered Amos must prophesie at Bethel although he be forbidden Then Major Denison said If a man should forewarn another man from coming into his house and should stand with a pike or sword at his door and yet for all this the other should attempt to come in and should be slain Would not this mans blood be upon his own head Answer If the Lord sent a man to such a mans house to forewarn him or any in his house to repent of the Judgement that was to come if that man was slain he was innocent in the sight of God and had cleared his conscience twards the man and his blood would be upon his head that slew him Then some words passed between us wherein the Governor was called by his name then Major Denison spake to this effect that it was not fit for us to call him by his name for he hath another name by which he is known The Governor of Massathusets Bay Reply Thou mightst have shewed more wisdome for his name is John Indicot and mens names is given them to be called by Then they spake something of our not putting off our hats and brought several places of Scripture whereby they pleaded for respect to their persons We answered He that respects persons commits sin Then one of them said That is in Judgment Reply Are ye not in Judgment Why then do you plead for it Wee further said If you be Magistrates of God speake in the Majesty of God The Governor answered We do I hope Reply Nay for thou dost often laugh The Governor asked Whether Laughter is not lawful Ans Not such laughter as thou useft The Governor asked What is the honor you would have given to men Ans Love is the honor which is due unto all men And further said How can you believe which seek honor one of another If you were believers you would not seek it Then Major Denison spake to this purpose That it might be ignorant people might wonder that they kept so much ado about the putting off the hat and seeking honour to their persons but therein lies the ground of contempt of Authority we put them to prove that ever any Magistrats that are spoken of in Scripture required any to put off their Hats then

REader there are some faults which are escaped in the printing which do much darken the fense the which thou may do well with thy Pen to mend according to the Errata Pag. 1. lin 30. read and obtained Pag. 16. l. 16. for selves r. self pag. 18. l. 33. for the r. that pag. 19. l. 1. r. Work and thou pag. 22. l. 14. for i● r. into l. 15. for Cannons r. Can●es pag. 39. l. 5. for expect r. expected pag. 47. l. 27. blot out one and pag. 52. l. 5. for you r. thee l. 6. r. between me pag. 54. l. 12 for against it r. against them l. 21. for they r. this pag. 67. l. 6. r. hat on pag. 68. l. 25. r. that I had pag. 72. l. 32. for thee r. that pag. 92. l. 1. for set r sent pag. 100. l. 34. for we saw r. he saw pag. 101. l. 11. r. Poyson of Asps pag 105. l. 26. for Duth r. Dutch l. 33. for Duth r. Dutch pag. 107. l. 26. r. the least pag. 113. 24. for you r. thou pag. 120. l. 3. r. t●ok not upon him NEW-ENGLAND'S ENSIGNE It being THE ACCOUNT OF Cruelty the Professors Pride and the Articles of their Faith Signified in Characters written in blood wickedly begun barbarously continued and inhumanly finished so far as they have gone by the present power of darkness possest in the Priests and Rulers in New-England with the Dutch also inhabiting the same Land In a bloody and cruel birth which the Husband to the Whore of Babylon hath brought forth by ravishing and torturing the seed of the Virgin of Israel Happy are they who are blest out of the hands of Hypocrites by whom my Saviour suffered As it is said in David Behold and see our hands our sides and our ears if we be not the people Christ Iesus suffers in This being an Account of the Sufferings sustained by us in New-England with the Dutch the most part of it in these two last yeers 1657 1658. With a Letter to Iohn Indicot and Iohn Norton Governor and chief Priest of Boston and another to the town of Boston Also the several late Conditions of a friend upon Road-Iland before in and after distraction With some Quaeries unto all sorts of people who want that which we have c. VVritten at Sea by us whom the VVicked in scorn calls Quakers in the second month of the Yeer 1659. This being a Confirmation of so much as Francis Howgill truly published in his Book titled The Popish Inquisition newly erected in New-England c. London Printed by T. L. for G. Calvert at the Black-Spread-Eagle neer the West-end of Pauls 1659. New-England's Ensigne c. Reader IF thou wouldst be informed of the present and true estate how thing is and hath been concerning Religion in New-England peruse these following lines which what is therein mentioned is the real truth of what it hath afforded in less then these two last yeers and judge thou with that of God in thy conscience if their shame hath not far out-run their fame for a bloodier Character I believe thou hast not read nor heard in these late dayes a people pretending wholly to hold up the most refined Church that hath so largely committed sacriledge as these have done for since my Father fetch 't me out of the lowest hell and led me through the graves of sin and death wherein I saw lying all the Professors under the Sun yet amongst them all I have not met with such a cup of cruelty as there with my fellowes I drunk from the hands of our Countrey-men the cruel English Jewes who professeth Christ in the letter but crucifieth him in the life where ever he appeareth Greater hypocrites are not under the Sun then they are in word and in shew they appear beautiful unto men but in covetousness and deceitful dealing secret lust and dissimulation they flow Penitency nor Mercy Justice nor Righteousness in reality is not in the least amongst them if I speak any other then I have seen and heard and my hands have handled amongst them then should I be like unto them if I speak as from revenge and malice against that people I were to be blamed but in reality to forewarn all to beware of hypocrites of which sort in all Nations they are the head If thou canst have patience to peruse my words with the least degree of savour or taste of the Saints travels sustained through true experience obtained through obedience to the light of the Lord Jesus Christ hearken and I shall speak I was in darkness yea gross darkness covered me and Satan as King over all the earth ruled over me and I knew it not until the terrors of God fell upon me for sin and then out of the belly of hell cryed I so grievous was my complaint and so dolefull was my cry that I was vomited forth as one not worthy to have place in all the earth my bones did waste and my flesh was as the slime for Pharoah's house ready to be converted into every crawling creature as the plague changed so did the boyl and the form of the creature was accordingly This is the word of Truth he that can receive it let him In this distress I heard a cry in the coasts of Goshen of light that was broken forth and that there was a measure of it given to every man to profit withall but so dark was I and so grossly bl●nde what this Light was I knew not nor amongst all Professors Priests nor others I had never heard it spoken of nor preached for salvation to the ends of the earth Then called I to question all that ever I had either read or heard to the last tittle of my Belief wherein I said that he descended into hell and read that he was given for a light into the world although the whole world lay in wickedness and the Devil the god thereof according to the Scriptures and I had sought heaven long yet knew I not in the least measure that which first discovers hell yet from amongst the wickedest of men was I crauled and loathed the basest of abominations and desires great to live justly and to inioy God no mans groanes greater which set me to inquire after this new light which was so called amongst the wicked and what effect it wrought amongst such as did believe in it I heard that it did convince of sin and being believed in obeyed and followed led out of all manner of uncleanness Then said I in my heart if so it should not want following for I was weary of my sin and my transgressions was before me continually yea I loathed my life unto death when I saw Christ so low descended and compassed about with such a caule of corruption it brought me as low as he yea even to dye with him And believing in this Light I shall tell thee Reader of a Truth what further effect it wrought in me without in the least giving

we met with at Hartf●rd it being the will of God that his seed should be sought out in all parts we were moved to go to Hartford in the Jurisdiction of ●anitticote for that purpose and after some passages at the Town which will not be needful to relate we being at the Ordinary were sent for by the Governour to come to his house and we went where were assembled the Governour a moderate man and some of the Magistrates so called and their Priest called Samuel Stone after some questions asked us by the Governour as from whence we came and whether we were going of which we gave him an account as the Lord gave us freedom Samuel Stone asked us What God is we said a Spirit then with his Logick he did thus cavil a Spirit is an Angel and an Angel is a creature God is not a creature therefore God is not a Spirit the which we did deny it being both contrary to Scripture and truth but by it he shewed how learned he was that had learned more of Logick then of God for had he known God he dared not thus to have spoken After some more words he said further That God is the Author of all wisdom and all arts the which we denied and put him to prove it and in stead of proving it he went to raise another Argument nothing to the purpose but we kept him to what he said and put him to prove it by Scripture but he would not nor could not then we said There is a wisdome which is earthly sensual and devilish and God is not the Author of that wisdome and God will destroy the wisdome of the wise and bring to nought the understanding of the prudent and we said God would not destroy the wisdome which he is the author of so this learned man vvas much pusled not being able to make good what he had said in the face of many of his hearers that were then present then the Governour seeing him thus taken in his own net did help him saying That was not wisdome but folly but God is the Author of all true wisdome we answered if Samuel had said so at first we should have easily consented to it then Samuel Stone said the Apostle spoke there improperly but we affirmed that the Spirit of God always spoke properly After this he raised another lying Argument which was this None are saved without a promise you have no promise in the Scripture and therefore are not saved to which we replyed the Promise is I will give him for a Covenant a light that he may be my Salvation to the ends of the earth to as many as beleeve in him we beleeve in him and are in the ends of the earth and therefore are saved by him to which he objected nothing so after some words the day being spent one of their Magistrates read us their Law that we vvere not to stay in their Colonie Thus may all see how these four united Colonies as they are called have agreed to banish Christ out of their coasts by a Law O what a brotherhood is this that thus useth the friends of God and abuseth his servants sons and daughters by whipping burning and otherwise mangling their bodies but it is that the Scriptures might be fulfilled which saith They shall hale you before Rulers and Governours for my Names sake and as they have done unto me so will they do unto you saith Christ because they know not the Father nor me yet amongst all the Colonies found we not the like moderation as in this most of the Magistrates being more noble then those of the other Colonies after some dayes stay we departed from that Town towards Road-Island and by this thou mayest see what husks the Priests of New-England feeds their Flocks with Thus in short have I given thee an account of some of the Doctrines of one of the highest of the New-England Pharisees who is accounted the greatest disputant in all the Land as one of his Hearers told us but it hath so pleased the Father by babes to confound and stop the mouthes of such wise ones that he in all and over all may be glorified for ever John Rous. Reader I being one with the suffering seed was after some travels and sufferings as thou mayest understand in other remote parts moved to go to New-England and was brought to Road-Island according to the will or him who had moved me and after spending some few dayes there I was moved to go into other parts of the land where I met with the most loathsome hypocrisie and abominable deceit that ever I saw or heard of and that committed by those who pretend themselves to be no less then members of the Church of Christ but how disagreeable their practices are to the spirit of him whom they profess if thou art one who hast tasted of it thou wilt easily judge and I can truely say that under this pretence of theirs almost all manner of wickedness is covered pride gluttony envy deceitful dealings as vvitness many of their creditors the Merchants upon the Exchange in London and elsewhere who for it hath often cryed out against it bloodshed lust and what else might be mentioned and such hypocrisie have I seen amongst the highest members of their chiefest Churches that I have sometimes said within my self A man that hath a covetous and deceitful rotten heart lying lips which abound among them a smooth fawning flattering tongue and short hair and a deadly enmity against those that are called Quakers and others that oppose their wayes such a hypocrite is a fit man to be a member of any New England Church a plain demonstration of which thou maist see in their character of their Religion written in blood wherein all is not written that they have done and we have suffered by them but the chiefest heads are gathered together and presented to publike view that the simple may be informed and their cruelty and oppression laid open to the honest hearted and God glorified who hath counted us worthy to suffer for his names sake for whose sake we have been accounted as sheep for the slaughter and killed all the day long by the Butchers so that if thou should ask me who vvere the chief upholders of their Church and Religion I should answer their Goalor Hangman Governor and Deputy-Governor and not their Pastor and Teacher and Elder and Deacon for if they can well avoid it they care not for coming where we are unless it be when we are called before their Court to fasten some false accusation on us if they can the which-they have not spared and touching the matter aud manner of their vvorship it is most like the ridged Presbyters so called but a little differing from the late Bishops onely they use not their blind service and surp-cloaths but in stead of them have inventions of their own and in cruelty are nothing behind them for which God will take vengence on them

was drawings to see if it were possible to beget a Seed where there was none by the vertue of that power wherein we stood and of that Faith I was and am and in it do remain this is as Food fetcht from far to the pure and wise in heart and unto such only this is communicated and told them further that their Image would beget and it put me in minde of Jacobs laying speckled sticks before his fathers stock and at several times I gave them such figures as these that she was like unto a vessel heaving in the Sea whose compass was cast off the needle and there was nothing to steer it by neither could it move but as it was heaved to and again with the winde for to order her self in any thing that was good she could not or like as over-worn ground whose strength is destroyed so that it was capable neither of seed nor weed yet after a while let it alone and it will gather strength and bring forth something but as concerning her I am jealous that the evill will come forth first being sensible of the nature of all mankind thus it remained a certain space wherein we did visit her time after time in which time again I compared her unto a body or carcase which the Doctors and Apothecaries of the Egyptian world begs or buyes to anatomize or abuse from whence to reap vvisdome to add to their rotten art so that the vvise in heart may see that they conjure their vvisdome and knowledge and art from amongst the dead but we being Physitians chosen of the Father and by him made partakers of his nature and name he gave us a body whereupon to exercise our gifts which from him we had received and to that end was applyed and being often drawn forth in visiting of her her sences being lost and filled with winde and air her tongue running in useless and senceless words only in some agonies wherein she was not sensible she would have cryed out against her self and said I am that bloody Whore and the blood is spilt upon the earth and there is no salvation for me and sitting waiting by her I was made to take hold of such words and beat them back upon her so much as she was able to bear to bring her to the sence of them and one time I taxed her with a lie for there was salvation for her she suddenly asked me where I told her in God and she being full of Scripture words told me That the fool hath said in his heart there is no God I asked her and said What will you beleeve a fool Nay by no means there is a God and there is salvation for thee and beat it upon her so much as she was able to bear and put it upon her to remember what had past betwixt us until I came again that so she might have something of savour wherewithall to exercise her senses and sometimes she did and sometimes I hastened considering the weakness of her brain and thus laboured again to raise the dead which after some short time coming in this manner Horror at times took hold upon her and much temptation to make her self away in which time I coming to her she asked me If I could not cast out Devils through Beelzebub the Prince of Devils I told her nay the Devils said so of Christ which was false but I can cast out Devils through Christ Jesus the power of God then said she Cast the Devils out of me yea if thou wilt do what I require of thee she told me yea she would but at that time did not but according to my expectation the weed came up first for when I told her that God is a meek and quiet spirit and that she might learn to know him within her and to be guided by him vvho taught not to speak such foolish vvords as she did and joyn her members to him and I would joyn with Christ both in me and her and through his strength the Devil shall be dispossest which at that time she could not bear but broke forth into foolish laughter which vainness continued with her a certain space vvhich when that was off her temptations straitly followed her still to make her self avvay which thing increased my confidence in her and all vvho may beled into the like for such are they that Satan hath little confidence in that they will do him service but if they can by any means escape his Wiles they will follow the example of my forerunner and me his servant who was led of the Spirit to be tempted in the Wildernes which vainness she hath confessed to me since that after my reproof in telling her and giving the example that she was more vain then her child that something in her shewed her that it was not fit for her to laugh and was in such a sad condition After which she got forth a doors into the woods to have made her self avvay having also been at the water-side to have done it before and both through the love and power of God was prevented for when she vvas in the vvoods vvith an intent to have done it she told me that something spake unto her and told her That it was not the destroying other self that could satisfie God for the dishonor she had done him After vvhich she savv that it was the love and power of God that did and had prevented her from doing of it and from that time she setled and amended and I perceived by her Sister that her earnest desire was to speak with me and said That she did beleeve she should be restored the which was accomplished and after our meeting she earnestly begged of me to tell her Whether she had not sinned the sin against the Holy Ghost yea or nay I told her nay then she put it strongly upon me to make it forth unto her the vvhich I did and told her Thou hast not yet received the Holy Ghost and that there vvas many Disciples vvho knew not vvhether there vvere any Holy Ghost yea or nay the which she saw and confessed then hovv can thou have sinned against it Moreover in that vvhich thou hast done against that vvhich thou hast received thou did it not wilfully for hadst thou known better thou wouldst not have done it and she told me vvith tears that the Lord knew that she had not done it wilfully and if she had known better she would not have done it and trusted in God that he would shew mercy upon her and the next time I came again she told me the same words and was still the more setled and her child being lying sick by her I asked her if she did not pity that poor child knowing that in her distemper neither it nor any other thing was regarded and she cryed out alas shal I not pity my own poor child and I was moved to tell her that even so the Lord had pitied her and his bowels

earned towards her and shortly after her child was restored unto her as a figure unto her of what the Lord would do for her if she did abide in his Counsel and often since she hath told me with tears that she trusted that God would do good for her and that he should be honoured by her in stead of that great dishonour that she had done to him and us which thing she hath often declared against her self in and said that we had suffered and God had been dishonoured by her Whereupon I told her that insomuch as that of God had suffered in her therein we had suffered by her and in her and the wicked through that have taken advantage to speak evil of the way of God but thou being through the love and power of God made sensible of thine own loss and also of the love of God towards thee we are therein fully satisfied and greatly can we rejoyce in the Lord God on thy behalf And this I can truly say concerning her and as a Testimonie of her That since her Recovery she hath and doth make it manifest that it was not for nor thorow any earthly or evill end that the sad travel came upon her for before that she was never a Licentious Liver and since she is more dead to all those things then ever she was before and her care and industry set how to do just and honest things unto all sorts of People and that which is well-pleasing unto God that the dayes of her appointed Time may be spent to his glory We are Witnesses unto the Truth of this Humphrey Norton John Rous. John Copeland Some Quaeries unto all sorts whatsoever who wants that which wee have by which they may see themselves and know from us where to find it 1. WHERE the Hand is which can help one out of Hell 2. Where is the Arm that can deliver one up thither and there bind him until his flesh be destroyed and in the day of the Lord can fetch his soul from thence and set it upon his Throne 3. Where is the first and second death the lowest highest and nethermost Hell seeing the Scripture speaks of the lowest Hell and the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone c. and Tophet of old which yet remains to the Wicked Shew us where these Hells are and in or under what Climate Circle or Planet or in Earth or Air or where 4. What is that that torments the Wicked there And whether it is the Devil that torments himself yea or nay 5. When or how with safety a soul may be delivered up thither To wit Whether before God hath left striving with him or after Or at what time or instant Answer expresly 6. Whether Christ and all these that have followed him from death to life have not past through all these deaths and Hells yea or nay seeing it is said He can save to the utmost And whether they have seen the utmost yea or nay that have not past through all these things And let none say that they may not be dived into for it is truth that the spirit searcheth all things c. and the hidden things of Esau must be sought out if any say Nay let him tell me what it is may be searched into and seen and what may not 7. And whether the eye of God seeth not and searcheth all things yea or nay And whether every man ought not to see with this Eye yea or nay If not Whether he may not be blind in many things yea or nay As for example Adam gave Names to every Creature that stood in Covenant and seeing that there are Names and Creatures and Members with bloody Oaths and Actions vvhich Adam in innocency named not therefore shevv me hovv one shall discern and knovv the innocent Names and Nature of every Member Creature and created thing and also that bloody spirit that invented all these bloody Oaths and beastly and filthy and unclean Words and Actions Ansvver expresly for so speaks the Spirit 8. If any man being a Preacher so called and knovv not these things Whether he be able to judge of what he speaks yea or nay And if so Whether he may not speak amiss and preach and speak that which he ought not and give Names to Creatures and things which are not If he be one that says he knows the things that differ and hath been led into Visions and Revelations and things of the highest lawful and unlawful to be uttered let him answer all these things both former and latter 9. What may be preached and published upon the house top and vvhat may uot and vvhat things are lavvful and what not And seeing there is a time wherein all things are lawful and a time wherein all things are not distinguish each time with its sign that all people may learn to know the signs of the times and the difference between all things that are and are not if any may say that it will bring in doubtful questions and may drive them to dive into things which may strick them distracted or mad I say Nay that is mans Will that drives him thither the light leads him to see the ground and rise of every time and thing and this is the Word of the Lord God and shews him the Spirit which must be divided from the soul from that which must not Mark the Eye of God shews and sees a Spirit and he that sees not with God's Eye sees not that which must be divided from the soul nor the soul which the Word reacheth and searcheth betwixt it and the Spirit 10. The mysteri● of godliness having been hid from ages generations and this being now the day and age and generation wherein God is revealing and revealed in and unto his people and is leading them through all Lands the Land of darkness sin and death the Land of light life and peace and having queried something concerning the former and seen also the scituation of the latter let us stretch forth into the deep and so fathom the whole circuit of Heaven and Hell Earth and Air and all that therein is Come up hither and I will shew thee the place where his Honor dwelleth come and see 11. Seeing the Scripture speaks of the third Heaven it thence appears that there are three my query is Where are they In what place Under what Planet Or above in what Circuit Or below in what Region and the infallible Way to it Which is the easiest query of all 12. And seeing that there is War in Heaven betwixt Michael and the Dragon it seems then that the Dragon that old Serpent the Devil is there I say Where is that Heaven that he is in Answer expresly 13. And seeing that the Serpent was in Paradice and deceived Eve before ever I heard of Hell Tell me how he came there and what Heaven that is and where it is 14. And seeing it is written that Adam was made of the dust c. and that he and she to wit Eve was in this innocent place called Paradice tell me infallibly the wisest of you Wizards How and what way they came there He who can do this in truth can preach salvation without Book 15. And seeing that a Heaven there is of a truth whereinto nothing that defileth can enter tell me expresly where it is the entrance in and how it may be obtained and by whom 16. What the Key of the Kingdom is Seeing Christ is the Door who the Keepers seeing I have heard both David and Peter was 17. And what the Gates of Hell is which shall not prevail against this Door And what the Keys of these Gates is seeing it is written He hath the Keys of Hell and Death And who that He is seeing it 's called an Angel My query is What the nature of an Angel is seeing it is written concerning Christ That he took upon him the nature of Angels c. and concerning the Saints that they shall judge Angels Thou who sees not with the Eye that surrounds these things and comprehends Death and Hell and is in distress concerning thy salvation at a loss not knowing the truth nor who it is that lives in it the cryes are so many and various this know of a truth whatsoever is wanting in thee of any of these things or any other that tends to salvation we have it and with us it is Therefore sit not in darkness nor say not with the multitude Who wil shew us any good thing but come unto us and suffer not thy soul to be lost for want of a Saviour for the place of his presence is with us witnessed By Humphre● Norton The Secrets of the Lo●d are with them that fear him WHat herein is mentioned is now freely recommended to the Common-Wealth of England with all who seekes the good and welfare of the Seed of Israel that as they love the liberty and redemption thereof they will endeavour after doing Justice and Righteousness towards all herein mentioned and in the like case concerned without respect of persons that it may manifestly appeare that you act for God and that in righteousness and not according but contrary to the minds and wills of corrupt men The End