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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96961	The wounds of an enemie in the house of a friend. Being a relation of the hard measure sustained by Miles Halhead, and Thomas Salthouse, for the testimony of Jesus: particularly in a long, and sore, and close imprisonment, first at Plymouth, and then at Exeter in the county of Devon, though they have neither offended the law of God, or of the nation. Published for the clearing of their innocency from the cloud of transgression, of which they are supposed highly guilty, and by reason of their silent abiding such sharp, and long, and cruell sufferings.	Halhead, Miles, 1613 or 14-1689 or 90.; Salthouse, Thomas, 1630-1691.	1656 (1656)	Wing W3665; Thomason E870_7; ESTC R2977	52,373	80

there unto then they had liberty to expresse when they were examined but there still continued them Prisoners And now after seven weeks further durance it was tendred them againe and they refusing are returned againe to Prison Christ Jesus the onely a beggoten Son of God by whom the b world was made the c light of the world who d lighteth every one that cometh into the world who is greater then e Solomon who is f Davids g Root and Lord whose day h Abraham saw and rejoyced whom i the Angels of God are commanded to worship who is the k end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth l the surety of a better Testament the m Mediator of a better of the n everlasting new Covenant the o Prophet whom Moses said the Lord their God should raise up like unto him whom they should hear in all things whatsoever he should say unto them and it shall come to passe that every soule that will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from amongst the people he who p said Heaven and earth shall passe away but my word shall not passe away who q came not to destroy the law of the Prophets but to fulfill who is r the Oath of God the Å¿ end of contention and strife where he is witnessed the Amen the faithfull and true witnesse t the Judge of all whose u sheep hear his voyce saith You x have heard it hath been said by them of old time thou shalt not forswear thy selfe but shalt performe unto the Lord thine Oathes but I say unto you swear not at all but let your communications be yea yea and nay nay for whatsoever is more then these cometh of evill Then which there is no command in Scripture more plaine and positive either for obedience to Magistrates or forbidding to doe that which is evill And the Apostle James saith But z above all things my brethren swear not neither by Heaven neither by the earth neither by any other Oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay least ye fall into condemnation And yet how are his sheep the children whom the Father hath given him and who in obedience to this his command dare not to swear at all but are come to the yea and nay in their communications imprisoned and cruelly dealt withall throughout this Nation for refusing in conscience to swear at the will of man who calls himselfe a Magistrate of God and requires obedience as to the Minister of God to this his command which is contrary to the command of the higher powers Jesus Christ by whom a Kings reigne and Princes execute justice to whom b all power belongeth unto whom the Father hath committed all judgement and at whose c name every knee shall bow of things in Heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and every tongue shall confesse and who will render d tribulation and anguish upon every soule that doth evill to the Jew first and also to the Gentile for there is no respect of persons with God And yet those who swears where they forbid them they punish and thus doe they exalt themselves above all that is called God The bloody Persecutors in the times of Popery thought not their other persecutions of the poor Protestants to secure the Papacy against them but the Sacrament of the Altar they had by a Law whereupon to examine them by which they sought to destroy their consciences or their bodies in the fire and many of their lives they had in witnesse of the truth against it upon whose examinations the next question usually was what say you to the Sacrament of the Altar and where they suspected a man to be a heretick as they called then the witnesse of the Lord and had malice against him presently was tendred the Sacrament of the Altar The Bishops of late who in words denyed the Sacrament of the Altar and cryed out against the Papists for shedding of the blood of the Martyrs who testified against it were not satisfied with what dispersions they had made of the tender conscientous Puritans the witnesses then against them in and out of these Dominions but that their Kingdome might be established and remaine unmoveable an Oath et caetera they had for every one to take who should be admitted Priest to uphold the Government by Arch-Bishops Bishops c. Whereby to catch and work out of the Priesthood and their beings and lively hoods the residue of those non conformable factious men as they called them whom by no other device they could reach or attach and at length the sword they drew and joyned with the Papists in a war against them These carrying the war against the Bishops and Papists a part of them climbing up into the Chaire of Presbytery to affect and establish the Authority they intended over the State and the consciences of their brethren in the three Nations had a Covenant and neither in Church as they called it nor State and how universall as to others time had manifested as it was by some timely foreseen and understood and prevented was any to be intrusted but such as should subscribe to that and as many of those as they could though never so deserving in the wars for the Nations interest of liberty and justice and faithfull turned they out of imployment who in conscience scrupled it as Hereticks and Schismaticks though above any of them they affectually answered the just and righteous ends thereof but what use these men of the Presbitery made of it against the libertyes of England and what a snare it proved as to that is not yet forgotten and when they saw they could not submit the Army thereto who were made the Sword of the Lord for the ending of the Wars against the Papists and the Bishops they drew the sword against them and their poor wasted Countrey and not prevailing in a first War many of them joyned with the Papists and the Bishops and the then neighbour Nation of Scotland and the Rebells in Ireland and the common enemy yet to accomplish And now an Oath of Abjuration of Popery is found out and tendred to them to swear as suspected Papists upon the penalty of the sequestration of their estates if they refuse who have been known throughout their time to be constant Witnesses for the Truth and most faithfull to the Common wealth and its Army and have born the brunt and heat of the day in the late Wars with the perill of their lives in the field and the losse of their Estates against the Popish Prelaticall and Presbyterian party and have been known all their time to be most contrary to Popery and now in life above any witnesse against all Popish and formall Religion who dare not in conscience to the Command of Christ swear at all And these are

come within the reach of his invention which had created and expressed so many therein known to himself to be so contrary to truth and also in his and his brethrens filthy flattering Letter to Generall Disbrow in excuse of their unjust proceedings against these innocent servants of the Lord made up with other abominable untruths by which they endeavoured to beget in him a good Opinion of them for so doing and to continue his favour to their Town as by a copy of their Letter and Miles and Thomas Answer thereunto added to this Relation at large appeareth But being brought to Exeter upon the Warrant aforesaid there they continued in the common Goal lying on the ground untill the Generall Sessions of the Peace of the County held there the Tenth of the Month called July following on the 12 day of which Month they were brought before the Sessions to whom the Clerk read a Bill of Indictment exhibited against them upon the Ordinance for preventing of Duells wherein was expressed That they the said Thomas and Miles not fearing or regarding the same Ordinance and the penalties therein contained did the 20 of May 1655. at Plymouth in the presence and hearing of divers honest persons then and there being use diverse disgracefull provoking words and gestures to George Brooks Clerk in the Nightingale Friggot he being then opening and declaring to the same persons a certain place of Scripture wherein he spake something of the Holy Trinity viz. Thou the said George Brooks meaning lyest in saying there were three persons in the Trinity we deny it there is no such thing but thou art a deluding spirit come to draw away the hearts of the people from God And further they did farther speak to the people then present that they should not hearken to the said George Brooks for that he was a Thief and was come with a lye in his mouth and had stoln what he had from others and had it in his hand pointing to the Bible which was then in the said George Brooks his hand open And further did say it was a lye which the said George Brooks had brought and other harms to the said George Brooks then and there did contrary to the form of the said Ordinance and against the publick peace How utterly untrue in every particular this Indictment is both as to the matter and manner of the accusation charged therein is clearly manifested in the Relation aforesaid of the passages at the meeting the truth of which is testified under the hands of diverse honest men at Plymouth which were present as aforesaid and the Testimony of many more could be had were not those enough and in the Answer of Miles and Thomas thereunto added to this Relation but having wronged the innocent in that high manner as is expressed it concerned them at least to have something how false soever to pretend as a colour in Law as the cause of their so doing Miles Halhead spake not a word at the Discourse upon which occasion is taken and the ground of this Indictment laid and he that saith nothing cannot be made an offendor for a word though there be that make a man an offendor for a word that is none indeed Nor doth that Ordinance require or any Law that if one man transgresse it were it so that Thomas Salthouse had so done which is denyed two should suffer that were to destroy the righteous with the wicked unto which the Law is a terror and yet hath Miles Halhead been Imprisoned and Indicted suffered hath he though he was altogether silent and without so much as any thing that might be a pretence of offending in the least that Ordinance or any other Law of God or the Nation Nor did Thomas Salthouse speak one word to George Brooks in particular as to what the Indictment chargeth true it is after George Brookes had spoken so largely in the praise of what they had declared from the Lord saying it was the eternall truth and Exhorted the people to take heed that they received not the grace of God in vain Thomas Salthouse comprehending the Principle from whence he spake in the light of Jesus Christ which changeth not said unto him to this effect Thou hast spoken many good words and faire speeches but doest thou live the life of what thou speakest for it is he that hath the witnesse in himself that setteth to his seale that God is true which were savory words and feasonable for the directing of his mind and the hearers also to see that they witnessed indeed what they spake and professed and to speak and professe no more then they witnessed that so he and they might not be deceived with the subtilty of the Serpent in thinking they had that which was eternall life when in the day of Tryall it would appear to be no such matter This was love to his soule though in requitall he hath made it matter of persecution Had they come in wayes of craftinesse to deceive they would have cherished his Testimony to the truth of what they had spoken and not have questioned it with such expressions Allow the Dragon but a place in Heaven and he shall cry out These are the Servants of the most High which shew us the way to salvation but cast him out into the Earth his proper seat and then he makes war with the Lamb and those who have the Testimony of Jesus He also Exhorted the people in the close of all after the end of the discourse aforesaid in the words of Paul Let him that stole steale no more and made use of the words of Christ He that entreth not in by the door into the sheep-fold but climbeth up some other way the same is a Thief and a Robber but directed them not to George Brookes as the Indictment hath falsly charged it nor to any one in particular but had they been directed unto him or to any other in particular are those words of Paul and of Christ and the language of Scripture disgracefull words provocations to Duells let that of God in every mans conscience speak and judge Therefore behold I am against the Prophets saith the Lord that steale my words every one from his neighbour that use their tongues and say he saith Had Jeremiah lived in these dayes and spoken these words now the false Prophets now who smite with the fist of wickednesse would certainly have Indicted him upon the Ordinance for preventing of Duells and were Christ Jesus and Paul who spake as aforesaid and all the Prophets and holy men of God now alive in this Nation testifying as they did to the Generations in which they lived of which the Scripture bears Record the same would they receive from the Priests and men of this Generation and yet we find not that the false Prophets of old did Indict them for so speaking as Provocation to fightings nor did they pretend to any Law as a cover for so doing

with many other words of truth and sobernesse which was not to any one in particular If these be provoking words and worthy of such bonds as we suffer let all men that have moderation bear witnesse And in that you say We refuse to be tryed by the Country Oh! how dare you give such things under your hands when you your selves and all people that were in the Court can bear us witness that we did not refuse to be tryed but did appeale to the highest power that was there unto whom many in the Country came for Justice and from whom we expected righteous judgement for you know we said We were willing to be tryed by the Bench to whom all the Court was in subjection to whose power we were and are subject to for conscience sake and did not resist your power but for the ve pounds that is demanded of us we answer we owe nothing to any man but to love one another therefore we deny to pay so much money for naught but if any man will come to us and say that we have wronged him we will make him satisfaction and pay him the utmost farthing And as for Sureties for the good behaviour they that walk in the light of Christ who is the Surety of a better Covenant then mans Covenant whom we witnesse teaching us to deny the customes and fashions of the world and all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to doe to all men as we would they should doe unt● us And we are tyed to the good behaviour by the Righteous Law of God and dare not lye nor swear nor be drunk nor use any deceit pollicy shifts or double dealing nor respect mens persons for the liberty of the outward man or any other advantage to that in all your consciences doe we appeale whether we be wo thy of such bonds as these where none of our friends nor acquaintance must come at us or speak with us but they must be imprisoned Is the Law of England so exact against us such as have been alwayes faithfull in that which hath been manifested and in the States service and desires nothing else but to worship God in Spirit and truth according to what is manifested and witnessed in the light of Jesus Christ who is the way to the father that when we were locked up in close Prison the Souldiers kept John Gannyclife who is a Constable in their custody for coming to speak with us and another person who did spy in at a hole of the door where we were this they did by an Order from Captain Joyce who hath given it under his hand to take into their custody all such as they suspected to be of us whom they called Quakers But this they doe that the Scripture may be fulfilled which Jesus Christ spake to his Disciples They shall hale you before Magistrates and Rulers who shall cast some of you into prison and the time shall come if they kill you they shall think they doe God good service But here is our confidence in his Promise that he that endures to the end shall be saved and if we suffer with him we shall also reigne with him for whose sake we are made willing by his eternall power to suffer the losse of all things that we may receive an inheritance with them that are Sanctified and witnesse against all deceit and abomination to the laying down of our lives if it be required who are Prisoners for the Testimony of Jesus in Thomas Parish neer Exon in Bridewell Thomas Salthouse Miles Halhead A copy of their Letter sent the Mayor of Plymouth after their first Apprehension FRIEND SEing the Lord God of power who is Lord of Heaven and Earth hath entrusted thee with the power of a Magistrate to bear the Sword of Justice which is for the punishment of evil doers and the encouragement of those that doe well and to rule for him who brings peace on earth and hath good will towards men even Jesus Christ the Mediator of the New Covenant who is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that believeth who was supposed to be the Son of Joseph but was the Son of God and he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life and we know that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding to know him who is true and he that hath the Son hath the Father also and he that hath the witnesse in himself hath set to his seale that God is true he that hath understanding let him read he that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love and if any man say I love God and hate his Brother he is a lyar for his Commandement is love and he that rules in love rules with Authority and not as the Scribes and Pharisees The Law of God is perfect and endureth for ever he is our Judge and Law-giver before whom all must appear to give an accompt for all the deeds done in the body when every man shall receive according to his works Now Friend to thee for Justice doe we call that the truth may be freed from scandalls and false reports and the oppressed set free which is pure Religion that we may have that favour at thy hands which the Law doth afford to bring our Accusers to us that have any thing to lay to our charge worthy of Bonds that things may be tryed by the light and actions weighed in the ballance of equity that truth may spring up out of the Earth and righteousnesse may run down as a mighty stream and peace and Justice may kisse each other for know assuredly although we are counted deceivers yet are we true and nothing doe we desire from thee as thou art a Magistrate but to have the truth cleared by the light and truth set at liberty and if there be any that knoweth the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent and hath eternall life abiding in him we desire to be tryed by him even him that is guided by the Spirit of God and as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God And whereas some ignorant men say that we deny the Trinity and the God-head which is false for God is a Spirit and as many as are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God and the Father Son and Spirit are one and this we witnesse according to the Scriptures and this God is but one in whom all things live move and have their being who is above all and in all and through all God blessed for ever And for the word Trinity there is no such Scripture as speaks of a Trinity so in tendernesse of conscience and love to the Spirit of Truth which gave forth the Scriptures we dare not wrest them nor speak any other language nor add nor diminish from them So Friend to the light of Jesus Christ in thine own conscience and the measure of the

Spirit of Truth doe we exhort thee to take heed that the spirituall man judge all things in righteteousnesse and truth So we remain Prisoners of the Lord not as evill doers our conscience bearing us witnesse in the presence of the Lord in whom is everlasting strength who are friends of the Truth and of the Common-wealth of England Known to the World by the Names of Thomas Salthouse Miles Halhead For the hands of John Page Mayor of Plymouth The copy of another Letter to the Mayor of Plymouth concerning Swearing John Page Mayor of Plymouth FOrasmuch as it hath pleased thee to cast us into Prison and hast Examined us and hast found no breach of any Law by which thou can'st lawfully punish us but under a pretence hath tendred us an Oath to swear against the Supremacy and Purgatory We doe in the presence of the Lord God of Heaven and Earth deny the Pope and all things therein mentioned with as much detestation as thou thy self or any in the world can or doth our consciences also bearing us witnesse in the presence of our God who is able to deliver us although we are cast into a Prison nay if we be cast into a Den of Lyons and a fiery Furnace with the three Children as you may read in Daniel that would not fall down to worship the Image neither will we disobey the Command of Jesus Christ who saith Swear not at all and the Apostle James saith Above all things my brethren swear not neither by Heaven nor by Earth nor by any other Oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest you fall into condemnation And all that doth the will of God shall know of the doctrine of Christ and whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son If any come unto you and bring not this doctrine receive him not into your house nor bid him God speed and this we doe affirm that swearing is out of the doctrine of Christ although you may alledge many Scriptures for Swearing as in the first Covenant and that an Oath among men for confirmation is to them an end of all strife but he that is made the Surety of a better Covenant who hath put an end to all strife where it is witnessed saith Swear not at all although that you may alledge that the Angels swore yet know this that when he bringeth his first begotten into the world he saith Let the Angels of God worship him So we lay it upon thee to witnesse for us or against us whether Yea or nay is not to be preferred before swearing by all those who professe Religion seeing that Jesus Christ hath commanded not to swear at all and he saith If yee love me keep my Commandements and if we suffer imprisonment for keeping the Commandements of Christ it is not grievous to us for we refuse not to swear for any guiltinesse that is in us or that can be charged upon us for we are against all false wayes false worships false Lawes but we deny swearing because Jesus Christ hath commanded us not to swear at all So if we be kept in Prison let it never be said by you That it is for any thing but because we dare not swear knowing that to disobey the Commandements of Christ is the way of Cain who was driven out from the presence of God and became a Fugitive and a Vagabond and this some of you would charge upon us to be Vagabonds who in tendernesse of conscience and in the obedience to the light of Jesus Christ and in love to him our lives are not dear to us to lay down if it be required for the confession of him before men and the keeping of his Commandements for to this end are we called and our rejoycing is in this that in simplicity and godly sincerity our conversations hath been and is honest as many can witnesse for us against those who in their wisedome goe about to entrap and ensnare the innocent And this we write not to justifie our selves but for the sake of the simple ones who have heard many lyes and false reports of us of this doe we put thee in mind not that thou art ignorant that all the glory and honour belongeth to the Lord God who hath said He will not give his glory unto another and Vengeance is mine and I will repay it saith the Lord who will ease himself of all his Adversaries and recompence tribulation to them that trouble afflict or offend one of the least that believe in his Name So in love to thee and all people for the eternall good of all doe we heartily wish that grace and peace may be multiplied so we rest in the will of our father to doe or to suffer that he may be glorified by us to whom all glory belongeth for evermore and pray that the sin of Persecution may not be committed by thee nor any that professe to be the friends of Englands Whose Names are known to be Thomas Salthouse Miles Halhead For the hands of John Page Mayor of Plymouth HEar ye this O Priests and hearken ye house of Israel and give ye eare O house of the King for judgement is towards you because you have been as a snare on Mizpah and a net spread upon Tabor And ye revolters are profound to make slaughter though I have been a rebuker of them all Hear I pray you O Heads of Jacob and yee Princes of the house of Israel Is it not for you to know Judgement Shalt thou reigne because thou closest thy selfe in Cedar Did not their Father eate and drinke and doe Judgement and Justice and then it was well with him he Judged the Cause of the poor and needy then it a as well with him was not this know me saith the Lord And hear yee Rulers who hate the good and love the evill who pluck the skin from off the people of the Lord and their flesh from off their bones yea who abhor Judgement and pervert all equity who turne Judgement into worme wood and leave off righteousnesse in the Earth who decree unrighteous decrees and write grievousnesse which ye have prescribed Woe unto you for Judgement is turned away backward and Justice standeth afar off for truth is fallen in the street and equity cannot enter yea truth faileth and he that departeth from evill maketh himselfe a prey a man is made an Offender for a word a snare is laid for him that reproveth in the gate the just is afflicted and turned aside for a thing of nought and the poor in the gate from their right The righteousnesse of the righteous is taken from him he that rebuketh in the gate is hated he that speaketh uprightly is abhorred iniquities are conceived are travelled withall are searched out A diligent search is accomplished the inward thought and the heart is deep they dig as low as

as they pleased they asked them whether they would be Judges in their own case when as they desired no such thing but to be tryed by them who were in Authority and turned them aside for a thing of naught and called to the Jaylor to take them away which command of theirs was presently executed And here let all that are sober and who calmnly weigh things in the balance of equity judge whether innocent men in a case of this nature wherein without a cause and contrary to the Law of the Land they were Imprisoned and so hardly dealt withall and wickedly Indicted and stood before enemies having largely experienced that neither Law nor justice had took place in their behalfe but oppression and cruelty as hath been mentioned should for their parts being demanded by whom they would be tryed make in reason equity and justice any other answer then by those whom the Lord God of power hath set in Authority to judge righteously between man and man and to put a difference between the precious and the vile and to set the oppressed free from whom they expected equity and justice or to put themselves on any other issues without being guilty of a manifest wilfull throwing away of their innocency and of a continuation of sufferings by their own consent If those in Authority will have a tryall by other manner of men that they cannot help and of their sufferings that might follow thereupon they are not accessary nor will it by such men be judged a contempt of Authority in that they submit to a tryall A man will in reason chuse to have right taken away from him by force rather then to put himselfe upon an issue from which he can expect no other and so as it were by his own consent to give it away And to that of God in the consciences of those then present and of all others who seriously observe with what rage and malice these innocent people are prosecuted and how contrary to Law and justice proceedings are every where had against them as if they were fit onely to be destroyed yea even to that of God in the consciences of their enemies themselves doe I appeal whether righteous judgement can be by them expected from those whom the Lord God of power hath not set in Authority to judge righteously between man and man and to put a difference between the precious and the vile in things relating to the kingdome of Jesus Christ which can onely be seen and judged in his light to whom all judgement is given both in Heaven and in Earth And the children of light can give consent to no other judgement and tryall nor from any other can they expect right and judgement but where that is But to put this matter out of doubt and to manifest how instead of seeking judgement and relieving the oppressed which the Lord requires who is a God of judgement the needy are turned aside from judgement and the righteousnesse of the righteous taken from him Those who understand the Law know that as to all Indictments of trespasse of which nature this is pretended to be of misdemeanor and breach of the peace to answer not guilty or to put in a Traverse is a sufficient legall plea and the Clerk of the peace is to record it and joyne issue and is punishable if he doth it not and that onely in cases of life the Law or custome of England requires the person Indicted to joyne this issue of saying by the country when after he hath pleaded not guilty it is demanded of him by whom he will be tryed And here all People may take notice what measure of injustice these innocent Servants of the Lord receive who are sent to Prison instead of being heard in their just defence and their accusers brought forth when after they had legally pleaded these things were by them lawfully demanded and how contrary to Law and justice and to the libertyes of Englishmen lately vindicated with so much blood is this proceeding how plainly doth it speak as if no other thing were intended in bringing them to the Bar then to asperse and destroy their innocency as their libertyes had been before injured by above seven weeks Imprisonment and by arraigning them as abominable offenders in the face of the country to endeavour to render them odious to the people who had heard so much of their oppressions and thereby amongst them to seek to beget a beliefe that their sufferings were just from which least they should clear themselves and in so doing their long sufferings come to an end which to lengthen and make grievous to the purpose resolutions were had to Prison they are sent and the benefit of the Law denyed them in a tryall What greater injustice can there be then this and oppression what higher violation of Law and liberty of these things the Roman heathen were not guilty and to be so dealt withall the worst of their adversaryes would cry out against were it his own case as justly he might Yet this is the measure which the witnesses of the great and living God receive from this adulterous generation and who is there that regardeth or layeth it to heart though it is every mans concernment and may become the condition of others how soon they know not To close this particular let the wise in heart judge whether amongst those a man is found whom the Lord God of power hath set in Authority to judg righteously between man man to put a difference between the precious and the vile who thus turne aside the needy from judgement and take the righteousnesse of the righteous from him And whether they had not cause to say being asked by whom they would be tryed that they desired to be tryed by such whom the Lord God in power had set in Authority to judge righteously as aforesaid About the space of an houre after they were called in again Court It is thought fit that you take the Oath of Abjuration because of your contempt of Authority which accordingly was to them tendred and a Bible holden to them that they might swear Answer In the presence of the eternall God and before all this people we doe deny with as much detestation as any of you doth the Pope and his Supremacy and the Purgatory and all therein mentioned and declare freely against it and we doe not deny to swear because of any guilt that is upon us but in obedience to the command of Christ who saith Swear not at all and we will not come under the condemnation of an Oath for the liberty of the outward man after which they were returned to Prison The Mayor of Plymouth when he first apprehended them tendred them this Oath which when they had refused and given the reasons of their so doing he sent them back to Prison and afterwards signifying that as the cause of their detainment to a friend they sent him in writing more fully their answer

and fighting for them and having had to doe in obtaining the Victory or in fearing the Lord and being peaceable in the land and living in the principle that leads out of transgression and not resisting evill with evill but bearing all things and suffering all things both from those who have been friends and enemies though contrary to Law and liberty and common humanity and the righteous ends of the Wars are their sufferings leaving vengeance to the Lord whose it is and who will repay it and laying their bodies as the ground and as the street to them that say bow down thy body that we may goe over And wherein consists the vertue merit or prerogative of the other by which they may in equity or right claim such a priviledge Is Law and Justice and Liberty and Right changed in the ending of the Wars for them into peace that those must be denyed either and the contrary inflicted on them in such a manner of cruelty that the presidents of former times have not parallel'd whose lives in the field and whose All hath been so often engaged for the effecting thereof Is this Generation delivered to commit greater abominations and Cruelties then those who for these things sake and by their hand have been so lately Destroyed Is the Weight of the Blood of these Nations a small Matter and all the Garments rolled in blood the mangled and dead Carkasses of so many Thousands the Plundering burnings Devastations Ruines of Multitudes the Barbarous and the unheard of Cruelties and Murthers executed especially in Ireland the Cryes of the Great Companies of Fatherlesse and Widowes for Liberties and Justice a pleasant sight that Men so Lightly Gird it to their loynes and goe over their Graves in acting higher Wickednesses then what were the Causes of those Miserable Destructions God is not unrighteous so severely to punish Offences in some and to let others goe free who transgresse in the same and act more wickedly Shall not the Judge of the whole earth doe right God is true and every man a lyar and at his hands every man shall receive according to their deeds If he spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chaines of darknesse to be reserved unto Judgement Nor the old world bringing in the flood upon the World of the ungodly nor Sodome and Gomorah but turned their Cities into ashes and condemned them with an overthrow making them Ensamples to them that afterwards should live ungodly nor the Kingdomes of Israel and Judah in whom the iniquities and mighty sins afore-mentioned were found but suffered for those things sake Sion to be plowed as a field and Jerusalem to become heaps and the mountain of the house as the higher places of the forrest and removed them both out of his sight and upon whom the wrath is come to the uttermost And if he spared not those in these three Nations upon whom some of these things were found but hath spread them before this Generation as the remarkable and sad Examples of his Vengeance Justice who renders to every one according to his works then what can they expect who having all these examples before their eyes and having bin the Instruments of his indignation upon those of their Age doe not only the same things but over-passe their deeds in afflicting the just and persecuting the witnesses of the living God the God of their mercies who hath wrought all their wonderfull deliverances whom of their brethren he hath raised up and sent amongst them to turn their feet out of the wayes of destruction into the path of peace and to direct them to that which if hearkned unto will guide them out of all deceipts and subtilties and power of darknes up to the Kingdom of his Son whose Throne is for ever and ever and the Scepter of whose Kingdome is a righteous Scepter which is the substance of what the late wars were a figure the principle from whence alone Justice shall spring up from the earth righteousnes shall slow down from heaven who shall rule the Nations with a rod of iron and break them in pieces as a potters vessel whose kingdome is begun to be set up which shall never have an end I say what remaineth for such but a fearfull expectation of the revelation of the righteous judgements of God which shall destroy the adversary and bring upon themselves swift destruction beyond the measure of those that have gone before them except they repent For God is not mocked as men sow so shall they reap and those that follow their pernicious wayes their judgment lingreth not nor doth their damnation slumber the testimony of his Elect in sufferings is finishing the measure of the iniquity of their persecutors is filling up apace and the Judge standeth at the door Judgement hastneth and vengeance is preparing her self and destruction is making ready and woe unto you ye potsheards of the earth who strive with your Maker What will ye doe in the day of visitation and in the desolation that cometh from far To whom will ye flee for help and where will you leave your glory Can your hearts endure your hands be strong in the days when the Lord shall deal with you Be wise therefore O yee Kings be instructed O yee Judges of the Earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling Touch not his Anointed and doe his Prophets no harm Kiss the Son lest he be angry and yee parish from the mid way when his wrath is kindled but a little and it is kindling blessed are all they that trust in him But sing O Heavens and be joyfull O Earth and break forth into singing O Mountaines for God hath comforted his people and will have mercy on his afflicted FINIS G Hughes Government Art 37. Acts 16.17 Ephes. 4.8 John 10.1 Jer. 23.10 a John 3.16 b Joh. 1.3 10. c John 8 12. d John 1.9 e Luke 11.31 f Psal. 110.1 Mat. 22.43 45 g Rev. 27.16 h John 8.56 i Heb. 1.6 k Rom. 10.4 l Heb. 7.23 m Heb. 8.6 n Heb. 13.20.12.24 o Deut. 18.15 Acts 3.22 23.7.37 p Mat. 24.35 q Mat. 5.17 r Luke 1.73 Å¿ Rom. 2.8 9 10. t Rev. 3.14 u Acts 10.42.17.32 2 Tim 4.1 Rom. 2.16 x John 10.17 Mat. 5 33 34 35 36 37. z James 5.12 a Prov. 8.15 b Psal. 62.11 c Phil 2.10 11. d Rom. 2.9 A close Imprisonment is directly contrary to the 23 H 8. Cap 2. which provideth that Prisons shall be in the most eminent and populous Townes where is most resort of people that the Prisoner may be the oftner visited and relieved And though the Statute of Westminster 2. provides for a safe Imprisonment yet for a close Imprisonment there is neither that nor any other Law and above all things doth the Law value the liberty of a man Loe hear what a filthy worker of iniquity this Priest is for denying of whose spirit before the people these long and cruell sufferings are inflicted on the innocent What a defiler of the flesh is this in whose behalfe these men make war against the Lamb Is not this Priest who not onely prophecies of but fills himselfe with wine and strong drink a fit Prophet for these people What think you had they a Spirit of discerning who comprehended this Priest and his root and principle and denying his spirit before the people though he spake so high in the praise of what they had said Would not these men plead Barabas his part against Jesus were he on the earth Devon