deceived thee in those late years who then had their day in thee and were set up by thee and thy Faith stood in their Wisdom they have all deceived thee by their lies and flatteries crying peace unto thee through all changes that have come to passe in this great Revolution and whatever came up to rule that favoured their time and day they cryed peace unto thee in it though the Lord had determined to overthrow it speedily and when it was overthrown and destroyed they covered thee over with new lies and flatteries and still cryed peace within thy borders under the next appearance that came forth to rule within thee So they cryed peace unto thee in O LIVER' 's Day and when he was cut down and fell and RICHARD his son seemed to arise in his place then their sound went forth with a noise of a Star that was risen and a Son that was born in Bethlehem to establish Peace and thus they cryed aloud in their deceitful sound which was nothing but lies and flatteries for theis Star soon fell and their Sun soon set and was overshadowed and Bethlehems Peace was broken Canst thou not see O England how deceit hath abounded within thee and how thy Prophets and Teachers have dealt with thee Was ever such a professing People so blinded as thou hast been and so overcome to believe lies and flatteries as thou hast done and these are they which thou hast laboured to uphold who have brought that which thou mad'st thy day into darkness and obscurity Oh England the Lords love hath been exceedingly towards thee though thou hast been a Rebellious Nation and it is yet with the Lord to do thee good if thou wilt but hearken and obey Therefore turn unto the Lord God and wait his Counsel to receive that Cruelty and Oppression Vanities and Abominations which do still abound in thee may all be done away and removed out of thy bowels that a godly sorrow may come upon thee and true Repentance may be wrought in thee never to be repented of that a Life in the pure God thou mayest come to know and Uprightness of heart thou mayest learn by the teachings of his own Spirit and deny all thy Ungodliness Prophaness and Licentiousness vain Customs Worships Fashions and Traditions and learn to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world that God may divert his Judgment from thee which certainly thou art drawing down upon thy own head by those unclean abominations which still live and abide within thee and though the Revolution be come about yet thou dost not learn Righteousness neither makest thy wayes and doings good before the Lord thou reapest little profit by all that hath come upon thee and passed through thee in these late years of thy Calamity thou hast had sufficient tryal of man and his way and if thou dost but mind in soberness thou mayest see what the end of it is and whither and into what it all turns This may be a Warning unto thee O England for ever placing thy Faith in man's Wisdom any more for thou hast been long a deceived Nation and the Lord hath largely opened his love to thee that thou mightst have been undeceived and not to have placed thy confidence so much in man but that thou mightest have turned unto the power of God and placed thy confidence in it but thou hast kickt as a wild Heifer that would not come to the yoke and didst not regard the faithful MESSAGES that in thee hath been sounded forth Therefore O ENGLAND Turn Fear and Obey in this thy day whilst the visitation reaches thee and mind the Teachings of God and hearken to his Reproof that thy Faith may stand in his Power and no more in the Wisdom of men that thy confidence may be placed in God and not in the arm of flesh Oh ENGLAND down into the dust with speed and be humbled for the day hastens over and night comes on a pace in which darkness will be thy covering and WO and MISERY thy portion except thou speedily repent then shalt thou know that God hath raised up true Prophets in Israel this day who run in obedience to his movings to do thee good and labour in thee to bring thee to repentance that thou mayest escape the judgment from which no man can hide thee or prevent it from coming upon thee if thou go on in Rebellion against the Almighty God Therefore all RULERS TEACHERS and PEOPLE dread the Mighty God and bow before the Most High and unto Him turn with speed and joyn to his Spirit that is manifest in you own Conscience and make your wayes and doings good therein love mercy do justly and walk humbly before the Lord who respects no persons in judgment And this is a faithfull warning unto thee O England with all thy Rulers and Teachers and all sorts and sects of people whatsoever that inhabite within thy borders and now have their day in thee that all may turn to the Light of Christ in their own conscience and that none may neglect it any longer but turn to it speedily that in it they may obtain mercy before he strike in judgment whose everlasting Power ruleth over all the Kingdoms of the world Something concerning our PRINCIPLE and what it is OUr PRINCIPLE is JESUS CHRIST the LIGHT of the World that doth enlighten every man that comes into the VVorld it is the free gift of God unto every man placed in his Conscience to be a witness for God it shews unto man all his thoughts words and deeds and makes them manifest whether they be good or evil when man joyneth unto evil in thought word or deed the Light reproves him in his own Conscience and finites him in judgment for Transgression the Light speaks near unto every man and calls the workers of Iniquity to Repentance and to abstain from evil it doth not consent to any evil thing which in mans heart arises but secretly reproves it if any intent arise that is not brought forth it searcheth it out and makes it manifest and brings it to a discovery that it may be seen of what sort it is it brings man into a sensibleness of his present state the Light shews him whether he be a Drunkard a Swearer a Lyer an Envious man or what ever it be that arises from the Darkness it is made manifest by the Light if any thing lodge never so secretly it finds it out if there be an intent to Steal or to Defraud or to Lie or Anger or Envy or Pride or Evil-will lodge in the heart of man and none can accuse him for any of them yet the Light finds out such things and judges man and reproves him in his own Conscience for them the Light hath no Communion with Darkness nor fellowship with Unrighteousness but stands in man a witness against man that unto any evil thing is joyned And this is something of our PRINCIPLE according to the Scriptures of
in his Mercy that the more that Affliction hath been laid upon his Innocent People the more have they multiplied and this is the Lords doings who pleads with all flesh Oh England much Enmity remains within thee against an Innocent people that seeks thy good who travels to turn thee unto the Light that shineth in thee that thou mightest not abide in darkness and perish but mightest come to the Light of life And this is the Lords good-will unto thee who hath raised an Innocent people whose love is to thee when thou art most filled with enmity against them How long hast thou had it in thy heart to execute Cruelty and yet thou hast not had power to do it unto the full but by an Invisible hand hast been restrained from swallowing up when thy mouth hath been opened wide and thy heart thirsty to devour There was a time when thou wast let loose and wast as a Bear bereaved of her whelps and as a Lion sit for his prey yet in the height of thy fury thou wast chained and thy bounds was set and the chain was too strong for thee and the bounds thou couldest not drive away before thy fury thou stretchedst thy self to the length of thy chain and came up in thy strength to the utmost bounds and there roared and swelled and foamed out thy shame and cast up much of thy mire and dirt but thou wast there stopped and thy proud and turbulent waves were limited and the innocent Lambs were preserved out of thy devouring mouth and thou couldest not destroy them though thou soughtest it with all thy strength and when thou couldest not execute the mischief of thy heart unto the full there was a hope in thee that power should be given thee in time to come but the Lord forsakes not his Chosen neither gives he them wholly up for a prey into thy teeth though some do suffer by thee which at that time were given into thy hands to try thee and thou cast them into prisons in thy rage and fury when they were in the Lords service and labouring to do thee good and had done nothing worthy of bonds neither hast thou any such charge against them but in thy wrath and madness thou ran rashly upon them when they neither disturbed thy Peace nor transgressed thy Law and this was to try thee that thou mightest make thy self manifest and the witness against thee is the Prisons within thee into which thou hast cast the Lords faithfull Servants for whose sakes he will plead with thee and though thou hast shut them up and shews no pity towards them but lets them lye though they have done nothing worthy of it and keeps them in thy malice and envy some in one place and some in another as Lawcaster Lambeth-house Nantwich and divers other places within thee where the Lords faithful Servants suffer under thy Cruelty and are afflicted by thee whose innocent cause the Lord will certainly avenge upon thee except thou speedily repent for there are many strong cries unto the Lord this day and prayer and supplication is made unto him in the strength of his own Spirit which his ear is open to hear and he will not forget the Righteous neither will he forsake them but will plead with all that seek to spoil them and will recompence unto them according to the fruit of their doings Oh England thou art traced thorow and thy doings are all found out with the Light of Christ that shines in thee which thy darkness cannot comprehend and all thy wayes are manifest therein and thou art found to be exceeding wicked in thy heart and exceeding vain in thy imaginations Thou settest not the Lord before thee therfore his displeasure is against thee except thou speedily repent and obey his Counsel thou canst not escape the severity of his judgment for a fire is kindled in his breast which shall burn to the nethermost hell and it will reach thee when thou goest down thither for counsel and will be as hot burning coals in the midst of thy bowels and there will be none to quench it for God will not spare thee in thy wickedness and abominations which yet remain in thee but will cut down and consume untill he hath cleansed the Land of Cruelty and Oppression And now the Revolution is gone about and that which was out of sight is come up and that which was above is gone down and over-shadowed so vain a thing is man before his Maker and this is not come to passe for the righteousness of any man or that any man should exalt himself in it but for his own Names sake who Reigns over all Oh England let all such as are now risen in thee to Rule be carefull and mind well their doings for the same God Ruleth still and his Power changeth not but brings to passe all changeable things in their time and place and if man now strive again to set up the same things which once provoked the Lord to anger and which his Controversie was against and still continue the Burdens by strengthning the Oppressors which hath from time to time drawn down Judgment upon the heads of those that had Power to remove it but did not and brought the Lords stroak upon them and none could be found that were able to uphold them though many sought it with all their strength Let not vain man imagine that the Righteous God will either favour or allow these things to be set up or continued in this day against which he hath appeared and by his Eternal Power overwhelmed but certainly his Controversie is still against the same things and all that strengthens them or endeavours to promote them and though neither Sword nor Spear may be used yet will the Lord carry it on by his own power that works according to his own pleasure for his way is not as the way of man who sometimes destroyes and builds the same things again with his changeable mind But the way of the Most High is more equal and he will not allow the setting up of those things again which once grieved his Holy Spirit and provoked him to Anger which drew forth his Arm against them by which they were cut down neither is this come to passe in ENGLAND that it should be so done but that all should FEAR before the God of Jacob and BOW before the Holy One of Israel and mind his Goodness and come to Repentance and be humbled in the dust for Iniquities committed that he may spread forth his Power and Reign in his Right and Order all things that concerns his Service and Worship and that none go about to keep him out of that and take it upon themselves but let him be HEAD and KING JUDGE and LAWGIVER and Supream Governour over his Church for that is his Right and his Glory who is the Prince of Peace and who seeks to take it from him must fall before him for he will not give
it to any man and herein hath his Controversie appeared with all Sorts and Sects of People whom he hath tryed in their day who would never submit to his Government nor yield unto him his Right but took it to themselves and robbed him of his Glory for which Cause the Lord hath turned their Glory into shame and their day into darkness and they are gone downwards and others are come upwards and are new placed in Power to Rule over their Heads because the Warnings of the Lord had no place in them but were rejected by them and the things that they should have done they did them not And thus are the Kingdoms of the World in the hand of the Almighty and he pulls down and he sets up and gives them unto whom he will and he disposes mans heart and brings him into a sensibleness of some things that be evil and prophane and orders him to declare his dislike against it as in this present Power hath been made manifest by a Declaration against something prophane and he also disposes mans heart into some Acts of Mercy as likewise is made manifest in this present Power by freely pardoning many things which in the time of this great Revolution hath been acted and done which might have occasioned great trouble upon the Nation if they had not been remitted and this is the Lords doings who disposes mans heart herein and it is to be prized as the Lords Mercy who hath brought it to pass though there be much Excluded which should have been compassed within it and a free Pardon Extended to it that life in all might have been spared and nothing Charged against any to have taken away life but a free Pardon should have reached unto all for their lives and that would have quenched all flames and calmed all boysterous winds that there would not have been any blast to have blown up a spark for though the Lord gave them justly up to be scourged yet not to be destroyed and Pardon should have reached the life of all and no Revenge should have been sought or Executed upon any to have taken away their lives though seemingly there might be Guilt upon them and that done by them which the Law of the Nation may seemingly Condemne yet should Mercy have opened towards such and it should have been freely forgiven which would sweetly have healed and closed the hearts of thy Inhabitants together O England and made them as one man And it is upon me from the Lord to sound forth a Warning in the power of his Eternal Spirit unto all thy Rulers O England whose day now is that they mind how the day is theirs and who it is that hath given it them and keep their hands from shedding of Blood lest they provoke him who hath shewed Mercy unto them for by Cruelty acted and then Revenge sought it opens the Fountain of Blood wider but never stops it And this is not the End O ye People who are now in POWER this day in ENGLAND for which God hath raised you up that you should destroy life but to shew Mercy as he hath shewed Mercy unto you and to try you if you will perform what they carelesly neglected whom he hath given up into your hands without the stroak of any Weapon of War and hath brought you up to Rule in Government wit hou the loss of any Blood which is such an infinite Mercy as might cause you to stop the Issue of Blood and not to open it Something you have done which in its place and in it self is good but the Work you have yet to do is weighty if you mind the Lords Counsel and give up unto him that he may dispose your hearts to Answer the End which he doth Expect from you which is to shew Mercy and to break off every yoak and undo all heavy burdens and remove all Compelling Lawes in things pertaining to the Conscience and set the Oppressed free that Righteousness may Reign and true Judgment and Equity may run down and a peaceable and quiet life may be enjoyed in all Godliness and Honesty And this is required of you all from the Lord God and it is not to be neglected by any of you in your Places whether it be the KING as Supream of the Nation or those that be set in Authority under him but is a Work to be set upon speedily for the neglect of performing of it when many Promises have been made to do it hath drawn down Judgment upon such as have Ruled before you who promised much in these things but performed little and you are come to see their day End and the Beginning of your own therefore reject not the Lords Counsel to follow your own Imaginations that when you should do the thing which God requires you do not bring forth that which his Controversie is against that when you should set free you lay not on a yoak and bring forth Oppression and continue Oppression and so encrease Burdens and make them heavier when you should remove them and take them away this is not the End for which God hath raised you that you should look back again and begin to build again those things which God hath removed and to seek your own Glory in them but to promote the everlasting Gospel which is the Power of God and freely given of God and that all may stand in the freedom they have in God to Worship him without any Law to compel them otherwise under Penalties and Punishments this is some part of your Work in this your day which God hath given you and as you obey the Lords Counsel and mind the Light of Christ in your own Consciences you will see what is your whole Duty and what the Lord doth require of you not to make LORD-BISHOPS again and DEANS and PREBENDS not to set up Common-Prayer-Book Organs and Anthems and such Abominations which the Saints never practised nor there is no Scripture for and these things with much more that might be mentioned the Lords Controversie was against and none could uphold them though there was great Hosts of Men and Horses appeared to defend them they all fell before the Power of the Lord in that day And do you believe that God will take pleasure in them now be not so much deceived for the Lord is provoked and his Spirit is vexed and his Indignation riseth against them and he will not yet spare them nor these that strive to promote and uphold them and compel a conformity unto them and this is in plainness of speech unto you all in the movings of Gods Power Oh England thy Prophets deceive thee and thy Teachers deal very treacherously with thee they cry peace to thee when sudden destruction is nigh to come upon thee they know not the things that are neither the things that are coming to passe for Night is come upon them the Vision hath failed them they have no Answer of God and thus they have