Thy coming so far into Power again c. NOw observe the hand of the Lord in thy coming so far into Power again and those who took part with thy Father Thee First consider the cause of it in the fear of the Lord and thou wilt find that it is because they unto whom God gave such Power over you were not faithful unto God as hath been said before but grieved the Spirit of the Lord with their hypocrisie from day to day talking for Liberty but behold they brought forth Oppression and so became worser than you that went before them who did not Profess so much for Liberty in words And this I know that if they had been faithful unto the Lord thou and those called thy Friends could not have come over them thus as ye have done Therefore let no man deceive thee by perswading thee that these things are thus brought to pass because the Kingdom was thy own proper right and because it was with-held from thee contrary to all right or because that those called Royallists are much more righteous than those who are now fallen under thee For I plainly declare unto thee that this Kingdom and all the Kingdoms of the Earth are properly the Lords and that he may and doth give them unto whomsoever he pleaseth and whensoever he please he may take them away again and give them unto others and when he doth thus it is not contrary to right And this know that it was the just hand of God in taking away the Kingdom from thy Father and Thee and giving it unto others and that also it is now the just hand of the Lord to take it again from them and bring them under Thee though I shall not say but that some of them went beyond their Commission against thy Father when they were brought as a rod over you and well will it be for thee if thou becom'st not guilty of the same transgression now thou art brought over them and this consider that those who are call'd thy Friends who were conquer'd have humbled themselves but little under the hand of the Lord but are still found to be in great transgressions and also consider the manner how this thing hath been wrought and carryed on concerning the bringing in of thee again that so there may be no fleshly boasting for the thing is plainly discerned by them whose eye is single and I shall declare it unto thee Mark The Army having acted so deceitfully the lusts and gain of the world blinded their eye and they having so far provoked the Lord untill his Decree was sealed against them and he had determined that they should be broken after they had split among themselves and turned from one thing to another and knew not where to rest and the Lord suffered some of them to rise up from among themselves to deceive the rest and so they through dissimulation in professing to stand for those who had so eminently stood against thy Father and Thee got Power to weaken and turn out those that were really against thee as disturbers of the Good Old Cause as they termed it and so by little and little strengthened those that stood for thee and thus the deceived blind men provided a Rod for themselves and so by little little wrought themselves under it and it is just upon them For the rod is for the fools back So let this be considered that this was not carryed on by the stoutness of those that stood for thee nor yet by a visible plain down-right dealing but rather through the hidden mystery of deceit which was suffered to work against those whom God had determined should be broken that so by the same way whereby they had deceived others which was by pretending to stand for that which they did not intend I say even by the same way they in the end should be deceived themselves So let none glory in what is done concerning this thing as if it were done by their Valour or Wisdom though I can truly say the hand of the Lord hath permitteed these things and that for the Cause before mentioned and he will be glorified in all these Overturnings IV. Concerning the great danger thou art in in thy coming in c. ANd also consider the danger that thou art in in thy coming in as King of these Nations for it is exceeding great as things stand and this hath been much upon me to lay before thee and it is in tender love both to thy Soul and Body for I plainly see that if thou shouldst come in upon the account of the People called Presbyterians if thou shouldst refuse to bow to what they would set up or if thou shouldst not satisfie the ungodly covetousness of their Priests there is several of them would be ready to serve Thee as they did thy Father if they were permitted And if thou do come in upon the account of those People called Old Royallists Mark truly though I do believe they would abhor such a thing as to sell Thee yet the iniquity of many of them is so great and there is so much Swearing lusts and vanity amongst them that except they repent they are not like long to prosper but the hand of the Lord will assuredly break them also And furthermore consider there are a deceitful People in these Nations for there are many thousands that now appear highly for Thee in words that if they could see a likelihood of a change they would appear as much or more against Thee Therefore consider thy standing and be not high-minded but fear and take heed lest thou fall and never go about to Engage the People unto thee by Oaths lest thou cause many to forswear themselves for truly this People a great part of them are a perfidious People as they have manifested themselves who one while have sworn for a King and Parliament and shortly after they have sworn against a King single Person or House of Lords and shortly after they have sworn or Engaged for a single Person again and called one another Lords and a little after they have turned against that Government and cryed up a Parliament again and now the same People are generally crying up a King again And truly those Rulers who have imposed so many several Engagements upon the People they have done exceeding evilly therein And how abominably have these dirty deceitful covetous Priests acted in all these changes O it is hard to utter their deceit who one while they have prayed for a King Parliament and when they saw the King was likely to fall and that he was no wayes likely to maintain them then they turn'd against him and prayed only for the Parliament and asserted their Authority and cursed them that would not go out to help against the Mighty And shortly after when Oliver Cromwel had turn'd out the Parliament and set up himself then they cryed up and prayed for him and many of them began to
time against the outward Governours to overturn them by an outward power or force then let us also suffer as I said before by a just Law And if he that sends us forth will not provide Food and Raiment for us then let us want and if we cannot live of our Gospel which we Preach without an outward Law to compel us an outward Maintenance and if our Ministry will not stand without it then let us want whereon to live and let our Ministry fall And let none be compelled to uphold another's Meeting-place concerning their Worship for that is Oppression but let every one uphold their own and that sort of Professors that will not uphold the Place where they meet to Worship let their House fall and then it will appear where the earthly Spirit lodgeth for they that compel others to uphold another's place of Worship do but cover and strengthen the earthly Spirit therefore let there not be such havock made of Peoples Goods as hath been of late upon many who could not give to the upholding another's Meeting-house for that is out of the equality in the Oppression and Tyranny So come into that which is equal and keep in that and that will bring you to act that which is equal and just unto all and to break all outward Laws that are not equal and just but tend to Tyranny and Oppression and truly there are many Laws and Customs in this Nation whereby the Innocent are opprest so wait to feel the Power of God that ye may Rule and Govern in that for the Lord and feeling the Power of God and keeping to that it will bring you out of all deceit and transgression in the particular and so to stand over all deceit and transgression in the general and it will also bring you to judge righteously without respect to persons and this will reach to the Witness of God in all Consciences So wait to feel the higher Power to rule over the evil doer in the particular and to know and feel the Authority of God there and then ye will come to rule over all evil doers in the higher Power even in the Authority of God and then that of God in all Consciences where ye come to Rule shall answer to your Government But if ye give way to the evil doer in the particular and let him have the Liberty there mark that then that will cause the Just to suffer in the particular and then the same will give way and liberty to evil doers without whereby the Just without will come to suffer also Therefore keep to the Power of the Lord in your particulars you who have felt it and that will bring ye to do Justice unto all without partiality and this will make you honourable in the hearts of the People and then shall Righteousness Truth Equity Mercy and Justice prosper over all and be exalted and all deceit unrighteousness and unrighteous wayes shall be confounded So remember He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the Fear of God Something after ANd all ye that are Officers and Rulers now who have tasted of the pure Power of the Lord God and have felt it stirring in you against all Oppression and Tyranny whereby also ye were made to witness against the back-sliding of others even to the losing of your Places some of you some being turned out and others that could not stay for Conscience sake Well keep to the Power of the Lord which ye have felt and do not abuse it but wait in it that ye may be kept low in his fear that so those who are come to see their back-slidings and do repent them may come to have unity with you and you with them in that which kept you in any measure out of the back-slidings and which hath also brought them to see theirs and to repent of it for that is but one in you both it is even the measure of the pure God which is given you to profit withal therefore in that all wait to receive the Wisdom which is from above that in it ye may all be preserved and kept in unity together and that therein ye may be instruments for the settling and preserving the outward Peace and just Liberties of the People of these Nations which are under your charge But verily much of the Wars which have lately been entred into have not been for the Peace Safety and Well-being of these Nations for the Power being lost Pride and Lust was the ground of them Therefore all mind the Lord's Wisdom and Counsel that peradventure ye may find and see a way how to stop them lest ye bring Enemies upon heaps both upon your selves and these Nations for yet verily breaking breaking overturning and yet overturning will be among all those that will not submit to the Counsel of the Lord and wait in his Light to be led and guided in his Wisdom for he will be known to Rule in the Kingdoms of men and he will exalt his own Name over all Many are your Enemies within and without therefore be not high-minded but fear lest they prevail over you The Lord is near unto all those that fear him and trust in his Name to deliver them but those that go out of his Fear and trust in the wisdom or arm of flesh they shall be broken the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Given forth in the former part of the 3d. Month 1659. By one who loves the prosperity of the Truth and the good and well-being of all Creatures GEORGE FOX the younger A few plain Words to be considered by those of the Army or others who would have a Parliament that is chosen by the voices of the People to Govern the three Nations Wherein is shewed unto them according to the Scriptures of Truth that a Parliament so chosen are not like to Govern for God and the good of his People Also something to the other part of the Army and the New Committee who turned out or own the turning out of the late Parliament GReat are the cryings out of some of you of the Army and the People of these Nations concerning the dissolving of the late Parliament and it appears with a pretence of a very great Zeal that you have for Liberty Equity and Justice and the general good of the three Nations and you appear in a great fear that if the People lose the enjoying of Parliaments that then they shall lose their Birth-right and their Liberty both as Men and as Christians and that Equity shall be laid aside and that the People must be Ruled over by a Tyrannical Power of rebellious men whose Wills must be the Laws that the People must obey But you say if the Parliaments be chosen by the People then in effect the People make their own Laws to be Governed by because they chose their Law-makers themselves and this is England's Birth-right you say and it is just and equal that the People should
Younger A Noble Salutation And a Faithful GREETING Unto THEE Charles Stuart Who art now PROCLAIMED KING OF England Scotland France and Ireland I. Several wholesom sound Exhortations c. LET thy Moderation be known unto all men for the Lord is at hand whose presence filleth Heaven and Earth and let such a Nobility appear in Thee as to try all things and to hold fast that which is good and either to read or to hear with patience before thou judgest for Wisdom becometh a King and true Reason Solidness and Patience him that is a Ruler of the People Mark The God of Heaven hath put into my heart to write unto Thee and in tender love both to thy Soul and Body to lay before Thee several things whereby thou mayest come to see and consider how the mighty Hand and Justice of the Invisible God hath been in these overturnings and changes which have happened in these Nations of late years therefore consider these things The Mighty God the Everlasting Father He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and the whole Earth is his and the fulness thereof and he Ruleth over the Kingdoms of men and giveth them unto whomsoever he pleaseth Yea he pulleth down one and setteth up another and there is no overturning or changing the Kingdoms but it is either by his Commission or Permission and the Lord doth not do any thing neither suffereth he any thing to be done unto persons or Kingdoms without a Cause though he may do whatsoever he pleaseth and who shall call him to an account Yet all his doings are righteous and his wayes are just and equal altogether And it is for the unrighteousness sometimes of a King or Kings and sometimes of a People and other times of both that the Lord doth break or suffer a Nation or Nations to be broken and when he determines to break a People or to change Governments or to suffer such to be done in vain do men strive to preserve or uphold them and the Lord may and doth make whomsoever he pleaseth his Instruments for to do his determined Work and when they have done his Work then he may do whatsoever he pleaseth with them and many times his Instruments when they begin his determined Work appear very contemptible unto many Yet such speak foolishly and without understanding who say That such Instruments are too weak and cannot prevail seeing all power is in the hand of God who can give Wisdom and Strength and Courage unto whomsoever he pleaseth Yea so much as may accomplish his Work and he very oft-times by that which appeareth foolish weak and contemptible confoundeth and bringeth to naught that which appeareth to be Mighty and wise that no flesh should glory in his presence And when his Instruments have done his Work and he determines to break or suffer them to be broken again let them appear never so Wise Bold and Mighty yet vainly do they speak who say Such a Wise Bold and Mighty People cannot be broken seeing the Lord can do whatsoever he pleaseth who suddenly can turn man's Wisdom into folly his strength into weakness and his boldness into dauntedness of Spirit Now such things as these O King come oft to pass and none of them without a Cause and they that are truly Wise learn further and get understanding through all these things Therefore is true Wisdom better than Strength and a right Understanding is better than an earthly Crown Therefore O King wait to feel the noble Principle of Wisdom which God hath inspired Thee withal for there is a measure of it in Thee though it hath been hid and that measure is the Light which Christ the Wisdom of God hath enlightned Thee withal which Light in Thee is that which never had fellowship with darkness in Thee or its deeds nor concord with the Devil or his Works but makes manifest and reproves all such things which Light being received in the love of it and believed and waited in man becomes a child of it and so it gives him a good understanding and opens an eye in him whereby he comes to see the hand and workings and appearances of the invisible God and this Light is the free Gift of God which is come upon all men which being rejected and a man not liking to retain it in his knowledge he profesing himself then to be wise becomes a fool and brings condemnation upon himself for rejecting that which should minister all things unto him pertaining unto Life and Godliness Therefore O King give all diligence to receive the Gift which God hath placed in thy heart that so thou mayest be acquainted with Wisdom and that thou mayest be filled with moderation gravity and patience and come to a right understanding and discerning that so thou mayest rightly look upon things past present and to come and see them as they were are and shall be II. Concerning the overturning of thy Father c. COncerning thy Father and those that took his Part There was an eminent hand of God in breaking them down and bringing them under and God did it not without a Cause for the Iniquity in them provoked the holy God to anger and the hight and pride of their spirits grieved and pressed the Spirit of the Just God and after he had a long time born with them and warned them with his Eternal Light in their Consciences yet they repented not but still grieved his good Spirit by many provocations and waxed higher and higher against him in disobedience his anger then was kindled against them and his indignation waxed hot and he arose in the fiery spirit of his jealousie to ease himself of his Adversaries and avenge himself of his Enemies and because the Living Wise Eternal God who made all the Nations of the earth of one blood and is no respecter of persons saw that those that took part with thy Father were generally according to outward appearance accounted the wisest richest noblest and stoutest men mark and that they did glory in their Wisdom Riches Nobility Stoutness and Strength and vaunted themselves over those that were made of the same Blood He the living God did then appear in contemptible Instruments as to outward appearance as in Trades-men Plough-men Servants and the like with some others whom I know thy Father's Party made a mock at and even scorned them as it were and thought it too low and too base a thing to engage War with such a contemptible People yet in such I say did the Lord appear to carry on that Work which he had determined even to bring down the loftiness of man and to stain the pride and glory of flesh and that thy Father's Party might have come to see that they were but men made of the same earth and blood that others were And the Lord God appeared mightily in those his Instruments giving them Wisdom Courage and Strength to mannage a War against a far more Mighty and Wise
can be the end of all these things now the Lord is my witness when I have seen and felt this ungodliness a tender pity hath arose in me towards Thee because I have beheld the danger that Thou art in which is exceeding great Let no man deceive Thee by perswading thee that Thou art in a safe Condition because the outward strength of the Nation appears to be at thy Command For consider this Oliver Cromwell and his party had as much of that strength or more once as Thou hast now and those called thy party were faln as much under them as they are now under Thine And yet consider how their strength was taken from them and how it vanished away like smoak Yea the Lord is righteous and powerful and if he speaks but the Word it must be fulfilled and there is no People too strong for Him for all Nations in comparison of Him are but as the drop of a Bucket and as the small dust which his breath scattereth as he pleaseth and truly God is highly provoked therefore take heed what thou dost V. Concerning Religion and the spirit of Persecution ANd as concerning Religion I exhort and warn Thee in the Name and Fear of the Lord to take heed that thou bind not the Consciences of any and that thou suffer no other means to be used about Religion but what the Apostles used for all this killing and imprisoning and persecuting about Religion the Lord abhors it Yea the Papists killing and imprisoning and persecuting of the Protestants and the Protestants killing and imprisoning and persecuting of the Papists and others about a Form of Religion these things are of the Devil the destroyer in them both and not of Christ who came not to destroy mens lives but to save them And consider Cain was the first Murderer about Religion who slew Righteous Abel and Cain was for it a Vagabond And the Vagabond Jews persecuted Christ and the Saints and the Saints since Christ suffered without the gate by him and for sinners used no persecution about Religion but Christ said that inwardly ravening Wolves should come And Paul prophesied that after his departure grievous and ravening Wolves should come who would not spare the Flock and before John dyed he saw them come and said to the Saints Little Children ye have heard in the last times that Antichrist shall come mark even now said he are there many Antichrists already come whereby we know that it is the last time So mark these Antichrists killed those that held the Testimony of Jesus which is the Spirit of Prophesie And here the Whore adulterated from God got up and she drank the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus and the Kings of the Earth committed fornication with her and drank her Cup And she sate upon Nations Kindreds Tongues and People So all this imprisoning and killing and whipping and stocking and stoning and mangling of the Creatures about Religion is practised among the Heathens and the Antichrists the Apostatized Christians who are gone out from Christ and the Apostles Spirit and Doctrine for they wrestle not with flesh and blood but with Principalities and Powers and Spiritual wickednesses in high places So they fought against Spiritual wickedness and not against Creatures and the Weapons of their warfare were not Carnal but Spiritual mark they used no imprisoning stocking whipping stoning hanging burning banishing or mangling of the Creatures to perswade or turn them to their Religion neither did they use any other force to turn people to the pure Religion than that which proceeded from the Invisible Power of God's Eternal Spirit in them which struck at the Spiritual wickednesses and the evil thoughts and imaginations which were exalted in People above the knowledge of Christ and so they sought to bring the wickedness into Captivity and not the Creatures but to bring them into Liberty by turning them from Darkness to Light and from Satan's Power into the Power of God and them that had known the Truth and turned from it and became Hereticks after the first and second admonition if they would not hear they rejected knowing that such were condemned in themselves But they did not give order to kill such for that had been the way to have sent them head-long as one might say unto Hell And as for such as withstood the Apostles and would not receive the Gospel but opposed the Truth and themselves after they had gently and patiently dealt with some and taught and instructed them concerning the Kingdom of God and reproved and warned others and they would not receive them and their Testimony they turned from them unto others and left them unto the righteous judgement of the Lord which was to be revealed in flames of fire upon those that would not obey the Gospel but they did not persecute any nor use any outward force with any about Religion neither did they give any command for such a thing and to preserve in the Truth such as were come to it they used patience meekness long-suffering and sound Doctrine and kept them and commended them unto the ingrafted Word which was nigh in their hearts and in their mouths the which was able to save their souls and did not threaten to persecute them if they did not turn out of the Truth Therefore they that persecute about Religion are not for Christ but Antichrists that is against Christ So take heed that Thou dost not set up persecution about Religion upon any pretence whatsoever nor tolerate it For the Lord God hath brought forth a People in these Nations and will bring forth more that cannot nor may not bow unto any other thing in their Worship than unto the Name of Jesus whose Name is called the Word of God And if Thou oppressest this People the Lord wil assuredly take away Thy Power avenge their Cause mark that for he careth for them And verily we have not another to trust in than the Name of the Lord and we know that to be a strong Tower which is able to preserve us and we know That he will not suffer any thing to come upon us but what shall work for his glory and our good But these things are spoken unto Thee that Thou mightest fear the Lord and mightest not pull judgement upon thy own Head VI. Concerning what Government and Governours the People of the Lord called Quakers stand for and what they stand against c. THis I declare in the Truth and Presence of the Lord and I know there are many thousands in these Nations that are of the same mind with me that it is not for the Name that may be put upon a Government that we either stand for or against but it is a righteous Government according to the higher Power which is according to that of God in every man's Conscience which we stand for and earnestly desire after both in things appertaining to God and man And we for our selves desire no greater Liberty
either in things Religious or in things Civil betwixt man and man than we desire all others might enjoy And if such a Government as this be set up then if he that is Chief in taking care and seeing that Justice may be done to all without respect of persons if he be called a King a Judge a Protector or a General we shall not be against either or any of the Names Or if the care and trust be laid upon more if they be called by the Name of a Parliament or a Council or a Committee or King and Parliament or any we are content and shall willingly submit unto Righteousness from them or any of them as our duty And it is that which is unrighteous which is called a Government wherein Oppression Partiality and Cruelty is exercised either in things relating unto conscience in matter of Worship or in things civil betwixt man and man that we stand against and if such a thing be set up and called a Government and if the chief in it be called a King or a Judge or a Protector or a General or a Parliament or a Council or a Committee or King and Parliament we cannot stand for any of the Names nor submit unto the unjust things commanded by them any other wayes than through a patient suffering under it And this according to the strength of the Lord we shall be willing to do VII How we resolve in the strength of the Lord to stand for that which is righteous and against that which is unrighteous c. THe way how we shall stand for the Righteous Government and Governours is by yielding all due lawful obedience unto them and their Commands and by labouring in the Power of the Lord to bring down and to keep under the evil lust in People which is the cause of all Wars and Rebellions and Transgression And as much as in us lies we shall endeavour to live peaceably with all men and perswade others unto the same And so by a Godly Conversation we shall be patterns unto others And this will be an adorning of good Government and Governors and a help unto them And this we resolve in the strength of the Lord to do Also the manner how we shall stand through the Power of the Lord against that which is unrighteous though it be called a Government and against unrighteous Governours is by bearing our Testimony against them in the Power of the Lord and by yielding no other obedience to them than in submitting patiently to suffer and endure whatsoever punishment the Lord shall suffer them to lay upon us And this shall turn against them daily and weaken them and bring shame upon them For Persecution is to them that persecute us a token of Perdition but unto Us of Salvation and that from the Lord. VIII Concerning a Government and Governours wherein there may be something seen to be good and something bad c. ANd as concerning a Government or Governours wherein there may be something good and something bad This I say in such a case whatsoever is good in either we shall be ready through the Lord's strength to submit unto and own and we shall labour to preserve and cherish that And as the Lord shall move us we shall be willing to shew the Governours in plainness what is wrong in them and in the Government and if they refuse to hear us and afflict us we shall in patience yield our Bodies to suffer under that which is bad in either however we shall discountenance it and labour through the Power of the Lord in a Spiritual Warfare to destroy it that so it may further appear that we are not against Magistracy but for it it being God's Ordinance and that we are only against that in Magistrates and People which would and which doth defile and pollute the place of Magistracy IX Concerning Plotting or using a Carnal Weapon and from whom we expect Deliverance c. ANd I further testifie in the Lord that I do not intend neither have I any such thought in my heart either to plot for or against Thee or any other upon the Earth for I do not expect deliverance by a carnal Sword and yet I know deliverance shall come with or without the help of man and in vain have been and shall be all the strivings compellings and murderings about Religion Church and Worship for man may as well say to the Sun in the Firmament Stand thou still Or to the Sea Be thou dryed up as hinder one jot of the Lord 's mighty workings in this his day for his Work yea his strange work shall be brought to pass and mine eye sees it and not any mortal shall be able to hinder it And into the belief of this I know that the Lord hath gathered several thousands into the same mind with me that are called by the name of Quakers and we could desire if it were the Will of God even that all men were of the same mind And those that are otherwise minded we shall leave them unto the Lord to do what he pleaseth with them And we are freely given up unto the Will of God and we have committed our Cause unto Him and He shall bring it to pass that so it may plainly be made manifest that we are a People saved by our God from whom we expect deliverance And he hath made us willing to wait until he bring it to pass And this we are confident of that the Everlasting Gospel which is the Power of God shall again be Preached unto all Nations Kindreds Tongues and People and that the Whore of Babylon the Beast and his Horns and his Names which have prevailed against the Bodies of the Holy People in the night of Apostacy shall cease to prevail against the Saints and that Babylon and her Merchants shall be thrown down and confounded and then shall the Saints of the most High possess the Kingdom And we do believe that God will overturn and overturn until he hath brought to pass the thing that he hath decreed which is to establish Righteousness in the earth and then shall there be Judges as at the first and Counsellors as at the beginning and Kings shall become Nursing-Fathers and Queens shall become Nursing-Mothers and the Kingdoms of this VVorld shall become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and hereof we have an assurance in the Spirit of Truth and yet we never expect to know Christ after the flesh to reign but he shall reign over all the Earth whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and all Powers shall serve and obey him who is King of Saints X. Concerning Revenge and what may follow if it be sought and what if not c. TAke heed of seeking Revenge O let not the Enemy of thy Soul within or without get Thee into Blood Vengeance is the Lords and he will repay it Therefore wherein thy Enemies went beyond their Commission against thy Father or
a prey to this Generation Isa 59.14 15. And though several overturnings have been yet is iniquity still at a great height and increaseth exceedingly And what will it advantage a Child to flee from a Bear and joyn to a Lyon Verily the day is come wherein there is no hiding place of safety for the Righteous but purely in the Name of the Lord and blessed are they that alone trust therein For the help of the meek standeth in the Name of the Lord Psal 124.8 Hos 13.9 And happy are they that abide in it for the day will be terrible and dreadful unto all that have not a habitation in the Name of the Lord the King of Saints For Violence and Oppression shall come to the full and then shall the Lord Roar out of his Habitation and he shall strike the Inhabitants of the Earth with Astonishment and Faintness and Deadness of Spirit shall seize upon the mighty men and weakness and fear upon thâ— strong and bold of the Earth for the Lord will appear in his mighty Power to take the Kingdom and to relieve the oppressed and to help the needy and they shall be strong in him Be wise therefore O ye Kings and learn Wisdom ye Iudges and Rulers of the Earth Return unto the Lord and serve him with fear Tremble before the Glory of his Presence and Kisse the Son lest he be angry and you perish by the way For his wroth shall suddenly burn then blessed are all they that trust in Him Read Psal 2. Therefore strive not with the Lord any longer by withholding his Right from Him but give unto him his due and resign up to him and his anointed the things that he doth require for the Lamb must get the victory and he must have the Preheminence in all things yea he must be the Supream Head in all Spiritual things and the only Law-giver to his People yea he with the Higher Power must ordain and send forth Ministers and Labourers into his Church Vineyard and Harvest for he only can fit them for the work and not man and he will take care that they shall not lack any thing Luke 22.35 For the Earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof Psal 24.1 And he will constrain People with his love which is better than outward force to give his Ministers Food and Raiment when they have need thereof and they will be contented there-withal 1 Tim. 6.8 Therefore meddle not with these things any more I warn and exhort you in the Love of God For it belongs not unto you but unto God and Christ who are one and let Christ only be acknowledged to be the defender of the Faith who is able to perform that Office to the full which man is not And let the one Law-giver be minded and owned in man to give forth Laws to punish Transgressors that so the Judgement may be the Lord's and not man's for so it ought to be and he that Ruleth over men must be Just ruling in the Fear of God 2 Sam. 23.3 And they that Fear the Lord and hate Covetousness ought to be Judges and Rulers Exod. 18.21 to see and take care that the Law of God be put in due execution judging righteously without respect to persons Prov. 24.23 doing to all men as they would they should do unto them keeping out of Bribes and Gifts that the eye may not be blinded Exod. 23.6 7 8. And such Rulers as these will the Lord set up and Honour unto whom he will plainly shew his Righteous just Law which he wil have executed upon Transgressors and men shall be subject unto them for Conscience sake and they only shall be a terror to evil doers and encouragers of them that do well and they shall be guarded with Righteousness and the Lord shall bless them with the dew of Heaven and they shall send forth a good savour into the Earth and then shall the Inhabitants of the Earth learn Righteousness For Judgement shall run down as Water and Righteousness as a mighty stream for the Judgments of the Lord shall be rightly executed and self-ends shall be denyed and then shall Praises Dominion Honour and Obedience and all that is the Lord's be yielded unto him the King of Saints And until this come to pass God's Controversie shall not cease But there will be Breaking and Overturning Oppressing and Spoyling and Insnaring one of another and they that come uppermost and will not give unto the Lord his due but set themselves in his Seat whatsoever words they profess or let them appear never so strong in the arm of flesh yet they shall be broken down with dishonour and Plagues and Torments shall be the Portion of the Hypocrite that bows to deceit and Babylon must fall and perish for strong is the Lord which judgeth her Rev. 18.8 And in vain do men seek to establish themselves in that which the Lord is against and wo will be unto them that are found in the State of Capernaum and Edom Read Obediah 3.4 Mat. 11.23 And now ye Rulers Teachers and People remember you are warned and it is in true love to your Souls and Bodies therefore Repent whilst you have time left you that you may be saved though it be so as by fire and speedily resign up to the Lord that which properly belongeth unto Him for verily the day dawneth apace which shall reveal that man of sin more and more who hath set himself in the Seat and stead of God whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of his Mouth and abolish and destroy with the Brightness of his coming 2 Thes 2.3 4 5 6 7 8. And the day of the Lord shall even so come as a Thief in the night And when the wicked shall say Peace and safety then shall come upon them sudden destruction even as the travel of a woman with Child which by no means can be escaped 1 Thes 5.2 3. Be still O ye Saints of the most High God keep clear of Babylon take heed of being ensnared dy her cleave not to her flatteries in any wise but follow the Lamb whithersoever he leadeth you and hold fast the Word of his Patience in the true Integrity of your hearts that so ye may stand and endure the Tryal to the end and whatsoever you suffer for the Testimony of God you shall have a full reward for it if you faint not This in the Word of the Lord is unto you Lambeth-House the 28th of the 4th Month 1660. POSTSCRIPT ANd if I could write no more yet this is the Testimony of Truth to the Rulers Teachers and People of this present Age in what Nation soever this may come Mark you must all come to the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ the Lamb of God who hath enlightned you that with the Light you may come to see what is contrary to the mind and will of God both in your Laws and Governments and in the constitutions thereof and in
your Ministry and Worship and in the constitutions thereof and in all your Conversations And that which you see with the Light to be contrary to the mind and will of God in any of these things before-mention you must deny and give it up to be consumed by the Spirit of Judgement and burning and you must give your full consent that the Lamb of God the Light of the World the second Adam the Lord from Heaven the quickning Spirit who is one with the Eternal Father may have the preheminence in all things And that he may Rule in you all over you all and lead and guide you all in all things before you can witness that God's Controversie with you is fully come to an end And all them of the Nations that are saved must walk in the Light of the Lamb Therefore let every particular in their several stations come to a true honest search speedily and cast off and deny that which the Light will let you see that God is against that so haply God may stay the mighty Judgement which otherwise must come which is nigh at the door which will sweep away the ungodly These are faithful and true sayings and things which must shortly be fulfilled therefore blessed will every one be that will hear and obey the Counsel of the most High for the day of the Lord draweth nigh And now ye Rulers if ye resolve to build up that which God hath thrown down by an out-stretched Arm and if you strive to establish your selves in that which God's Controversie hath been and yet is against you will undo your selves for ever for you will engage the Lord against you who assuredly will be too strong for you and break and confound you as opposers of his mighty work therefore take heed what you do the Lords decree shall stand George Fox the younger THE DREAD Of Gods Power UTTERING ITS VOICE Thorow MAN unto the HEADS of the NATION OH ye Mighty men who sit upon the THRONE that are Exalted into Power and brought into great Authority Do you indeed know the Hand that brought you up thither And do you rightly understand the End of your coming into Power again And do you certainly know the Work which God requires at your hands And do you indeed see the true Leader which is to lead in the Way and Work of the Lord And do you Feel and Witness that your Hearts are truly Enclined and Prepared towards the Work of the Lord Or are you not ignorant of these Things And do you not rather feel your Hearts enclined towards REVENGE and to make your selves Great and to get your selves a Name and to follow that which is pleasing to your own Eyes and to Condemn that which God hath Justified and to Justifie that which God hath Condemned and doth Condemn Let there be an honest search made with the Witness of God in your own hearts which will shew you the thoughts and the intents thereof and think not to flatter your selves as others have done before you by conceiving that you are safe enough because the Arm of Flesh is with you and at your Command For verily verily Thus saith the Lord God I will yet make the Powers of the Earth to know that I am God and there is no other and that I can do whatsoever I please and my Purpose and Decree shall stand unalterable And I will bring to pass the thing that is in my Heart and none shall let it for in its season it shall be accomplished Oh! Hear ye Rebellious and live be not so stiff-necked and wilful like those that went before you who would not hear Reproof lest I make you a hissing and scatter you with more dishonour that any that went before you for my Anger is kindled and my Jealousie is waxed hot against the Man of Sin My Decree is to Dis-throne him and to take the Kingdom my self and to slay his Subjects that will not turn at my Reproof and be subject to my Government Therefore seek not your selves neither follow the Devices and Iniquity of your own hearts any longer for I the LORD am coming to plead with all flesh and I will make mine Enemies know that I have Power to accomplish my own Work though I should find all the Armed men and the men in Authority against me Now this is my Decree I will set up Righteousness in the Earth and I will establish Equity and Mercy amongst the People I will remove Oppression from off the Earth and I will Search out and overthrow the Ground and Foundation thereof in whomsoever or in whatsoever it stands even as I overthrew Sodom in the dayes of old and they that will not haste out of it shall certainly be destroyed saith the Holy One who will break the Potsherds of the Earth that withstand him and consume the Stubble the Thorns and the Bryars that set themselves in Baâ—tel against him who is a consuming Fire Therefore Oh ye Heads of the People Consider your Wayes and weigh your Actions in that equal ballance the Word of God which will shew you the thoughts and the intents of your hearts for verily the Lord God is highly displeased and your hearts are seen not to be right before him Therefore consider your Foundation upon which you build lest your building fall with great dishonour and loss when the Storm comes which shall come to try it Mark Were You or your Fathers and Friends able to keep your selves in Power when the Lord formerly appeared against you to cast you out before your Enemies because of your Rebellion against him Or were your Enemies able to keep you out of Power and themselves in when the Lord appeared against them to Split and Confound them and to turn their day into darkness and to bring you in as a Flood over them because of their treacherous dealing with the Lord and because they perverted the Cause and Power that was put into their hands serving themselves and their Lusts and not the Lord Verily as they were not able to stand no more will you be able to stand and keep your Places except you repent and own that your Enemies had a a just Cause put into their hands against you And so put a difference betwixt the Cause and That which perverted it and not judge and condemn both together for if you do verily I say unto you when you have filled up your measures you will assuredly fall without recovery though you were ten thousand times stronger than you are and although not one man appeared against you with a Carnal Weapon Consider Was it a Carnal Weapon that brought you in Were you not brought in without a stroke outward And is not the Lord the same Is his hand shortned Hath not he the hearts of all Flesh in his Power And can he not turn them as he pleaseth Can he not root out and overthrow whomsoever he will And if he will do it without outward
with you and give you up wholly to follow the deceit of your own hearts for the Lord will not alwayes strive with man But the day shall come wherein the Lord will withdraw himself from the Rebellious and he that is filthy let him be filthy still Oh Friends I see a day which will be terrible unto the Disobedient For when the Lord hath tryed his People and gathered the sincere hearted out of all Forms unto himself he will then sweep away the refuge that will not be gathered in the day of their Visitation with a mighty Destruction And the day hastens in which this shall be accomplisht by the mighty Arm and Power of the Lord which is now working in secret Therefore wait to be led and taught of him and heed not the Rage and Cruelty of man neither bow to his Perverse will but know that the Lord hath given bounds to the Sea that although it roar Rage and swell and cast up mire and dirt yet it cannot go beyond its bounds Therefore be Patient and commit your Cause unto the Lord and seek not to avenge your selves but leave it unto him who will avenge the Cause of his People And wait in the feeling of the Truth in your selves that so you may feel the pure Life of Christ to be a stay to your minds in all your Tryals and Temptations Oh poor hearts this is a precious thing to come to be sensible of the true stay and guide to the mind O keep to that which maketh your Temptations and thoughts manifest and believe and wait in that and then you will feel that to be a stay to your minds and you will feel the Lord's secret strength revealed in you enabling you to stand in whatsoever Tryal or Temptation he shall suffer to come upon you or to be presented unto you yea as you are faithful to the Power that he commits unto you you shall not be tryed beyond your strength but you shall feel the Lord supporting you and by his Power he will work your minds into contentedness with his will in all things And if you will follow the Power of the Lamb which is that which moves against Sin and taketh it away you will come to feel your hearts and minds drawn and Redeemed out of the Earth thereby and you will be made willing to give up and to part with all and to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth Now if your spirits come to be brought into this frame then whatsoever man can do unto you it will not be able to move you Oh! that you would wholly give up your selves to wait upon the Lord in the pure manifestation of his Spirit and cease contending and pleading for those things which the Spirit of the Lord requireth not at your hands Oh! that you would now mind to obey the pure requirings of the Life of Jesus in your selves and that would bring you into lowliness of mind and meekness of spirit into true love to God and one towards another and not only to love your friends but even to love your enemies also and to forgive and pray for them that despightfuly use you and then you would indeed bear the Image of the Lamb and witness his Kingdom set up in you and this would bring you in patience to wait until he arise to plead the cause of his People and to avenge himself on his and their enemies and to make the Kingdoms of this world his and the People subject to his Government which shall certainly be aceomplished in its Season and the day draweth nigh So the Lord God Almighty manifest himself more and more unto you all in whose hearts there are any true sincere honest desires to know and do his Will and who are willing to follow him as he appears to lead and draw you and the Lord of Life manifest his strength unto you and gather you by the Power of his Christ into the everlasting Covenant of Life Rest and Peace This is the sincere desire of my Soul whose bowels yearn towards you whose souls are breathing and thirsting after the endless Life of Righteousness And this is Message of true love unto you in which it is sent forth among you according to the instructions of the Almighty yea for your sakes is this written whose Souls are panting after the Lord in what form or society soever you be in who are willing to follow the leadings of his Life and to submit to his will as it comes to be made manifest unto you and many of you in whom there be such honest desires I see are now in a bewildred condition in this cloudy and dark day which seems to approach not knowing well what to do or which way to take or where to find rest or safety by reason of the want of the knowledge of a true guide to your minds I say for the informing of your understandings and for the strengthening of those desires in you which are sincere towards the Lord was I drawn forth in much tenderness and bowels of unfained love to write unto you that you might be brought to be sensible of the gift of God in your selves and to know what that is that is to guide your minds and in what you are to wait to receive the true Teachings that so your minds may come to be stayed upon the Lord and that may be gathered into his Name wherein the true help and safety is and that you may avoid whatsoever would be a hinderance unto your growth in the simplicity of the Truth Therefore I exhort and warn you to take heed of following your own thoughts and imaginations any longer but freely give up to be led by that Principle of Life which cannot consent to Sin but appears to call and draw you out of the same You need not fear that that will deceive you but whatsoever would draw you from that Life that is the Deceiver And hearken not any longer to such Teachers as are greedy of filthy lucre for such make a prey of you and cannot profit you at all And take heed of hearkening or joyning to such Teachers or People as will turn to and comply with any worship or thing that may be for their advantage as they account and that they may save themselves from sufferings for such are Luke-warm and the Lord will spue them out and their shame and filthiness shall appear and they shall become loathsom both in the sight of God and man Therefore avoid them And as there are few Teachers amongst the Professors whom I believe for Conscience sake dare not turn back and lick up that which they formerly were made to vomit out and deny so also there are many that would willingly turn to any thing for their bellies if they might be received that will not now be accepted of and these that see they cannot keep their places by their turning they will appear zealous especially in secret against those things that they
find some tender-hearted ones cannot bow unto and so with good words and fair speeches they will thus seek to deceive the hearts of the simple and all this is but for their Bellies Therefore take heed of such And take heed of joyning any longer to such as are settled upon their Lees who as one might say are even glued to a Form which is void of the Power For seeing they were to be turned from who had the Form of godliness because they denyed the Power much more are they to be turned from who stick in a Form which cannot he truly called a Form of godliness and therein contend and fight and strive against the Light which is the Power And of this sort there are many in several of the Sects whose searedness dryness hardness is exceeding great though they profess much of godliness in words yet in much perversness wilfulness and crookedness they oppose the Life and Power of the same and will neither enter the Kingdom themselves nor suffer those that gladly would but in a ridgid austere manner seek to keep the People subject to them that they may be Lords over their Consciences Oh Friends you that are tender-hearted come out from among such for the Lord's hand will be stretched out against them in a terrible manner And all wait in the tender Principle of the Fathers Love and Life which hath visited you and begotten sincere desires in you after himself and the Knowledge of his wayes that so you may be strengthned in the inner man and feel your Faith Hope and Patience increased that so you may be able to stand in the Tryal without fainting feeling the Lord to be your strength and continual Preserver This is the sincere and hearty desire of him who is a sufferer with the true Seed where ever it suffers and yet I am gathered in the Spirit into the everlasting Kingdom and Covenant of Peace rest and quietness where nothing can make me afraid By a Prisoner for the Testimony of Jesus who am freely given up to his Will and in patience do wait to see his Kingdom set up over all the Kingdoms of the Earth that he over all may Reign whose Right it is GEORGE FOX the Younger A TRUE RELATION Of the unlawful and unreasonable Proceedings of the Magistrates of HARWICH in ESSEX against the People of the Lord called QUAKERS Also the manner of their Imprisoning of GEORGE FOX the younger whom they with ROBERT GRASSINGHAM accused to the PARLIAMENT And also the manner of the PARLIAMENTS Proceedings against them IN the Year 1656 it was so ordered of the Lord that there came unto the Town of HARWICH some of the People called Quakers and one of them spoke a few words to the People as they were coming from the Steeple-house and so they passed into an Inn but the then MAYOR hearing thereof sent unto them commanding that they should depart the Town which they had not freedom in the Lord presently to do but after a short space they went out And it being upon them to return again they did so and lodged at that Inn all night and the next day they peaceably passed away so not long after the Woman that kept the Inn was commanded to come before the Magistrates of the Town who appeared to be offended with her for lodging of those People and made her to promise them that she would lodge no more such Persons by threatning to take away her License if she did so great was their envy at the appearance of the Truth in that Town But it pleased the Lord that shortly after some of the Inhabitants thereof were convinced of the Truth and so a way was made for Meetings there and several received the Truth in the Love of it in and about that Town so that they could not for Conscience sake pay to the repairing of the Steeple-house any longer and therefore had not freedom to Bury their dead in the ground belonging thereunto but they joyned together and bought a parcel of ground to Bury their dead in as did Abraham the Father of the Faithful So in the Year 1659. it was so ordered of the Lord that one who lived a little out of that Town died and several People were accompanying the dead Body to bury it in the place purchased for that end but one of the Magistrates hearing of it sent the Constables with a Guard commanding them not to suffer the dead Body to be laid in that place though the grave was made and by the command of that Magistrate the dead Body was taken away by force and buried in the Steeple-house Yard Also in the eleventh Month of the same Year there dyed another Friend near the same Town and several Friends came along with the dead Body to have buried it in the place afore-mentioned a Grave also being made but Miles Hubburd the now MAYOR and the other Rulers would not suffer the dead Body to be laid therein but caused it to be taken away by force and so they carried it and set it by the Sea-side where it lay above ground part of two dayes and one night and then it was covered over with small stones but by whom I know not Of these things a Record is kept by Friends in Harwich Also in the 3d. Month in the Year 1660. I being in Essex in the work and service of the Lord whereunto he hath called me by his mighty Power and therein sent me forth to publish his Everlasting Truth which he is spreading abroad in this the day of his Power by which he is gathering those that breath and thirst after his Rightcousness out of the dark Wayes and Worships of this World into the true and living Way and Worship which Christ Jesus the true Light in the dayes of his flesh spoke of which is in the Spirit and in the Truth I say as I was labouring in the Work of the Gospel in that County I had much drawings in the Spirit of Truth to appoint a Meeting in the Town of Harwich and that such thereabout who had desires to hear the Truth of God declared might have notice given them that in the Will of the Lord I purposed to be there on the 13th day of the Month aforesaid it being the first day of the Week so notice was given of the Meeting some dayes before and upon the first Day in the Morning there were about forty peaceable People as Men Women and Children coming in a Boat over a River which runs by the Town unto the Meeting but the Magistrates of the Town hearing thereof sent some Officers to the water-side to hinder them from coming on shore who were peaceably come to wait on the Lord and to hear the Truth declared so these Officers with a great number of rude People did hinder those peaceable People from coming on shore and forced them back again also the same Morning Robert Grassingham sent two of his Servants with a Boat to have
strives with you to shew you your abominations and to draw and lead you out of the same O be not still Stiff-necked but hearken to the Word of the Lord which sheweth you the thoughts and Intents of your Hearts and hearken and be obedient to the Call thereof that so by its Power you may Hasten out of Babylon both Young and Old Rich and Poor High and Low Noble or Ignoble Professor or Profane who yet are there For the Lord's Controversie is great with Babylon her Merchants and Inhabitants and he will not much longer spare but he will suddenly smite and none shall be able to hinder his stroak Yea yea he will wound and none shall be able to heal For the measure of her Iniquities Idolatries and Whoredoms are nigh full and the Wine of her Fornications hath caused the Fatts to overflow and she is come up into remembrance before the Lord the Just God who will Plague her and all her Merchants and Inhabitants according to their Abominations whereby they have grievously provoked Him Therefore come out of her whilst Mercy and Time is offered lest you perish with her in her Judgements which the Lord is Strongly and Swiftly bringing upon her Oh England England A day of Sorrow and Calamity is coming upon many of thy Inhabitants I have long been sensible of it even a day of such Breaking Confusion and Judgement as hath not been for a long space For thy People have wearied out the Lord with their Iniquities and grieved his holy Spirit with their Abominations dayes without number Oh England England The Lord hath a Precious and Holy Seed in thee Yea He hath a Remnant which he hath Raised by his Power to and for himself which are exceeding precious in his sight and these a great part of thine Inhabitants have Shamefully entreated and grievously Oppressed and Persecuted And they have Patiently born the same and have laboured in the Life of Innocency and Spirit of Emanuel to Inform thy Rulers and People in the Things that are Just and True and have shewn them the Wayes which have and do Displease the Lord and have Exhorted and Warned thy Inhabitants Time after Time But notwithstanding their Doctrine Lives and Conversations have manifested their Innocency and Uprightness of Heart before God and Man Yet have many of thy Rulers Priests and People Oppressed them more and more Some Spoiling their Goods others Imprisoning their Bodies in filthy Holes and Dungeons till several of them have Sealed their Testimony for the Lord with their Blood which cryeth for Vengeance in the Ears of the Almighty and the Lord hath heard the Cry thereof and hath looked down and beheld the Actings of the sons of men and he is near to Visit Yea the Lord hath beheld and doth behold the Snares that have been and are laid for the Innocent who have no other Helper but him alone and therefore they have Committed their Cause unto Him who shall bring it to pass Yea he hath taken Notice how several of thy Rulers have combin'd together and endeavoured to Force His Babes to Violate his Royal Law and to Break his Command who saith Swear not at all to Uphold and Obey theirs which is Contrary to his Yea He hath taken Notice of the Cruel Sufferings and great Temptations of his People who many of them are yet Imprisoned and both their Bodies and Estates threatned to be Destroyed by some evil men if they will not break the Royal Law and Commandment of Christ which he hath placed in their hearts to Obey and Do. Oh! The Lord hath seen the Partiality and Evil Intents of several of the Judges and Rulers of this Land who have had Power to let the Innocent go free and yet keep many of his Ministers and Servants many of which have outward Estates Prisoners in many places although they have no more against them than against those whom they have turned forth which is nothing else but for their Obeying the Command of Christ in them who this day saith unto his People Swear not at all as he said to his Disciples formerly and for meeting together and Speaking and Praying in his Name for the Edifying Comforting and Building up one another in their most holy Faith The Lord hath also taken notice that when some of the Rulers might Relieve the Innocent and let the Oppressed go free they will not and then to cover themselves they will say They cannot act contrary to the Law But when a Ruler will act that which he hath no Law for he can then plead a Prerogative Royal for that and thus are the Innocent Lambs of Christ made a Prey upon Oh! the Oppressions of his People and others are great this day in thee O Land and the Crying of the Fatherless the Widows and the Needy is come up before the Lord God of Compassion who will thorowly plead the Cause of his People and the Poor and Needy of the Land Oh England England I have oft heard and treasured up what the Lord hath said in me concerning thy Inhabitants but now must I declare it in the Appointed Season Thus hath the Lord spoken in me for a long time concerning thy Inhabitants saying The People are too many the People are too many I will thin them I will thin them Mark that is He will make them fewer for they cumber the Ground And the Spirit of the Lord hath oft signified unto me for a long time That an Over-flowing Scourge yea even an exceeding great and terrible Iudgement is to come upon thee O Land and that many in thee shall fall and be taken away in the Judgement and the Spirit of the Lord signifieth unto me that the time draweth nigh and that the Decree of the Lord is so firm that though some of the Lords Children and Prophets could appear so as to stand in the Gap yet should not that alter his Decree onely in the Righteousness of the Lamb they shall be hid and saved from his Wrath whatever may be done to any of their Bodies but his fierce Wrath and Indignation shall be poured forth upon the Ungodly and a great Desolation and Destruction shall there be for he will overturn and overturn till he hath dis-throned and thrown down the Man of Sin and exalted and established the Kingdom of his Dear Son over all the Kingdoms of the World and the Kingdom and Dominion and the Greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the Holy People the Saints of the Most High whose Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom and all Dominions shall serve and obey him who is King of Saints Behold ye Despisers and Wonder This is the Work which the Lord will accomplish by his own Power though you will in no wise believe it but you shall feel even both Hypocrites and Prophane that the Lord is able to bring to pass the thing that is in his heart And you now think to set up and establish your
Idolatry and to live in Prophaness without controul and you who appear so hot against some of these things and labour to stop and pull them down mark that you might set up and establish your own Hypocritical Will-worship in another dark dead Form I will frustrate you both saith the Lord God and you shall grind and waste one against another as the upper and nether Milstone And I will pluck out from you and preserve a holy Seed beyond expectation and I will be avenged on you for that which you have already bruised or shall yet bruise mark And I will hurry and hurl you round with a mighty Stream for the Waters shall roar and swell And after I have executed my vengeance upon the Rebellious and Treacherous Dealers I will then bring forth the Remnant of my Holy Seed which shall be preserved from their Fury and they shall spread over all in my Life Power Knowledge and Wisdom wherein they shall stand in Dominion Yea and they shall rule the Earth in Mercy Justice and true Judgement and they shall forgive and love their Enemies as they do at this day and do the thing that is just and good unto all without respect of Persons yea they shall seek the good of the whole Creation in the true love and self-denial for the Spirit of Love Meekness Healing and Restoring shall mightily fill their tender Bowels and my Blessings shall fill their Dwelling-place and the Earth for their sakes these things will I accomplish by my own Power and in my own time saith the Lord God But although these things touching the holy Remnant shall certainly be fulfilled in their Season Yet before they be fully accomplished great will be the Tryals of many of the Righteous there will be great Judgements executed in thee O Land by him who oft-times maketh a fruitful Land barren because of the Wickedness of them that dwell therein and Just will it be with Him to deal so with thee because of the great wickedness of the greatest part of thy Inhabitants who are departed and separated from the Spirit of Mercy Love Compassion and Healing and are labouring to Devour Oppress and Destroy one another and the whole Creation Oh England England There is also a People in thee who are come to see the Great Idolatry and Superstition which many are now striving to revive and set up in thee yea there is a People in thee which see and believe that the Worship which is now a setting up with the Vain Musick Altars Masse in English and the foolish needless Garments of the Priests and such like Popist stuff that these things are Idolatry Folly and Vanity and but a mocking of God and yet some of these People will run after this Vain Worship for self-ends flavish-fear and to keep themselves in esteem with or amongst those who plead for it And others there are in thee who instead of being sorrowful for such Abomination and Superstition or reproving the Practicers thereof in the solid seasoned savoury Life and holy Dread of the Lord God they write and speak scossingly of those things even to the stirring up one of another into Vain Laughter and so make a Sport of others Idolatry and this grieveth the Spirit of the Lord also and doth not convince but exasperate and harden those that are zealous for their blind Worship and Superstition There are also a great number of brittle fiery rash unsatisfied People in thee O Land who are as unstable as water and these rebelling against the Light not knowing the way of it because they abide not in the Path thereof they are restless rouling and raging oft-times like the Sea One time they will have a Parliament and cry out They shall govern and heal them and when they have gotten them in a short time they grow weary of them And then another time they will cry out for a King and say He shall heal them and make up their Breaches But these people are not long of one mind for they are much like the Athenians who spent their time in little else but either to tell or to hear of some New thing· These People also are like mighty Tydes in thy Channels O England which one while run with Violence driving all unsetled light unfixed things one way and shortly after run with as much violence the contrary way Therefore in a miserable condition are those Rulers whose strength is in such a People And until Rulers come to be settled and fixed in Him who is the Rock of Ages and singly to rule in and for Him whom the Winds and the Seas obey who maketh the Waters to stand on heaps and divideth them hither and thither and altereth the natural course of Tydes as he pleaseth as he hath done thine of late to shew thee the Figure of the People they can never be safe neither will the People be still'd long together but there will be Swellings Ragings Overflowings sore Breakin gs and Ruines Oh! that the foregoings Rulers would have been perswaded to have Received him for their Teacher who ruleth in the Kingdoms of Men then should they not onely have seen what the Lord cast out others before them for but they should have been taught how to have denyed all those things which the Lord was angry with others for and they should have received Power to have abstained from the same but they would not hear and obey the Lord nor his Prophets and therefore were they cast out also And therefore Oh! that the Rulers that now are would be perswaded whilst they have their Day by the Lord and his Servants to receive the Lord Jesus Christ to be their King and Teacher and then they should not onely see for what cause the Lord cast them out and others in their Age but they should be taught to deny and forsake all those things which God was angry with them and others for and they should receive Power to do those things which they and others before them left undone But alas How few are there that will Hear Regard and Obey the Prince of Life and his Followers and therefore is Desolation coming as a mighty Flood which none shall be able to stop Now all People in what Sect or Opinion soever in whom there are any true Breathings and Desires after the Lord and the way of his Holiness Fear not neither be Dismaid because of the Rage that you may yet see the waters of the Land in and because of the Confusion and Cruelty of the People But stand still in that Life which begetteth Breathings and Thirstings in you after the Lord that you may come to see and feel his Salvation and that you may be gathered into that Patience Meekness Contentedness Rest Peace and Satisfaction which many of the dear Lambs and Children of my Father are gathered into wherein they ly down and none can make them afraid though Bodies and Estates be oppressed and abused Oh! Stick not Stick not
for Friends that dwell in it for they that stand approved shall be made manifest and the upright shall not lose but gain through all these things and certainly when our God hath tryed us to the full he will appear for us and though our Enemies were as the sand of the Sea and as strong as Gyants yet shall they fall as untimely fruit and our GOD shall consume and weaken them by the Majesty of his Power and an exceeding desolation shall come upon the Earth and a Besom of destruction shall sweep away many Therefore dear Hearts be stedfast in the Lord and keep the Word of his Patience and know that not one hair of your Heads shall perish nor any thing shall be done unto any of you but what the Lord will be glorified by and you shall receive a full and a sufficient reward for it if ye continue faithful So live in the Power and Seed of God that ye may possess the Kingdom the eternal Peace Joy and Righteousness which stands in the Power And love fervently Oh Friends let that abound more and more one towards another and by this shall men also know that ye are taught of Christ if ye love one another and wait that ye may feel the springs of Life in your selves and feed upon that which proceeds from God that ye may grow up in the Power and Life and Wisdom of God and therein be established So the Almighty Power Life and Wisdom of God keep and preserve your for ever Amen The Lord God Almighty keep you fresh and lively meek tender and innocent and fill you with every good word and work which accompanieth Peace and Godliness if any Decree unrighteous Decrees heed them not for the Decree of God shall stand which is to establish Righteousness in the Earth and in the Power of the Lord we shall break the bonds of the ungodly and cast their cords from us So the Spiritual Weapon war withal and stand in the Faith and hold fast the Word of Truth that through it you may feel and witness your sanctification and the Birth Immortal raised up over all which is the Heir of the Kingdom without end and assuredly God will do mighty things for his Poples therefore be ye comforted and strengthened in the Lord and dwell in and keep his Covenant and answer his requirings in the Light of Life and live in the retiredness and in the Wisdom of God that your Enemies may have no just occasion against you and that ye may be preserved out of their snares and if they Imprison you and falsely accuse you or spoyle your Goods or Persecute you any manner of wayes keep in Patience and freely forgive them and suffer as Lambs in the true Innocency that so your Peace with the Lord may be preserved in all conditions And Friends let the Dread and Majesty of God fill you And as concerning the changing of Times and Governments let not that trouble any of you for God hath a mighty work and hand therein and he will yet change again until that come up which must Reign and in vain shall Powers and Armies withstand the Lord for his determined work shall come to pass but what is now come up it 's just with the Lord that it should be so and he will be served by it Therefore let none murmur nor distrust God for God will provoke many to zeal against unrighteousness and for Righteousness through things which are suffered now to work for a season yea many whose zeal was even dead shall revive again and they shall see their back-slidings and bewail them bitterly and God shall thunder down from Heaven and break forth in a mighty noise and his Enemies shall be astonished and the workers of Iniquity confounded and all that have not on the Garment of Righteousness shall be amazed at the mighty and strange work of the Lord which shall be certainly brought to pass but my Babes look ye not out but be still in the Light of the Lamb and he shall fight for you So the Almighty hand which must Break and Split and Divide your Enemies and take away Peace from them preserve and keep you whole and in Unity and in Peace with it self and one with another Lambeth-House the 3 d. day of the 4 th Month 1660. I am your Dear Friend and Brother in the Kingdom and Patience of Christ who am a Prisoner for his Testimony and keep his Word and am made as willing to suffer bonds or to dye for his Name as to declare and publish it amongst men Eternal living Praises and Hallelujahs over all be unto him for evermore Amen George Fox the Younger AN EPISTLE UNTO All who love the Lord Jesus Christ in Sincerity who are made partakers of the riches of his Grace and meet together to wait upon him therein to be read in their Meetings in the Fear of the Lord. DEAR Friends whom the eternal God hath visited with his own Life and Power and thereby hath called you out of the Darkness of the World into his Marvellous Light and hath begotten and quickned a Seed in you unto which pertaineth the Promises of Life and Peace and also hath opened a good understanding in you by the measure of his Eternal Spirit and hath brought you into a feeling and a sensibleness and a savour of that which ministers and reacheth to and refresheth his own Seed Oh Friends great is the Love of the Lord God unto you and large is his Eternal Riches let not his everlasting Love be forgotten by any of you neither slight nor neglect his rich Mercy but dear Friends dwell in the living measure of his Grace and hearken diligently unto the Voice of the Lamb so shall you be refreshed with the living Presence of the Father and the Fountain of Life shall be enlarged unto you whereby the Babe of God shall be strengthned and grow up in stature And when you are met together to wait upon the Lord Oh! feel his living Gift in your selves and be obedient to the motions and operations thereof that so the Presence and Power of the Eternal God may be felt and enjoyed in your Meetings and at other times for the bringing down and working out of all that which is contrary to himself in you and for the working you into the express Image of his own Glory and for the bringing you into the perfect Obedience of his own Life and Power that the Nature of the Lamb which takes away the sins ye may all grow into that so the Patience of Christ may be felt and witnessed in you all and that it may have its perfect Work in you that therein you may possess your Souls then shall the Lord enlarge your understandings and ye shall grow into the meek quiet Spirit wherein your savour and discerning shall be encreased and ye shall feel the gentle leadings of the invisible Life whereby satisfaction and refreshment shall be received unto the Seed
things that is of this world for the Tryal will be great unto such Dear hearts I know that some of you have suffered the losse of much for his Name sake already oh faint not neither be weary for all your Sufferings are known unto the Lord and he will not alwayes so try you but he will sufficiently recompence you if ye abide to the end Therefore watch unto Prayer and Pray in the Spirit as it moves you thereunto that you may be kept through Faith unto the end of the Tryal that you may be prepared and made fit for the deliverance which must come by an outstretched Arm and when you are tryed deeply either in Prisons or otherwise oh Friends murmur not but feel the Lord's strength to support you that you may not bow to the Enemy in any wise whose day is but short and therefore he is wroth and rages for such as bow to any thing but the Name of our King verily their torment and perplextty will be exceeding miserable when the Lord shall deliver his chosen who kept their integrity and loved not their estates nor lives but gave up all for his Name sake Therefore dear Friends hearken you to the voice of the Lord and keep you to the leadings of his Eternal Spirit and let his Dread fill you hearts And you that feel but little Sufferings and Tryals take heed of a wrong security and of a false ease and Liberty least the day of the Lord come upon you at unawares and a violent storm unlookt for and you that are in deep Sufferings and Tryals be not you cast down but know that the Tryal of your Faith is exceeding precious and if you keep your minds stayed upon the Lord then will you learn much in such a time and you will feel the presence of God and the virtue of his Power inwardly refreshing you and you will feel the Power of his Majesty giving you Authority sutable to the Condition you are in So as all Friends are kept in that which gives you the sence and feeling of your conditions that Principle of Life will work your minds and hearts into contendedness with the Will of God which is your Sanctification So let the bond of Peace be minded in all things for it is comely amongst Brethren And now the God of Life and endless Virtue and Power watch over you and Minister unto every one of you that which is sutable to your present conditions and the Lord God Almighty preserve and keep you Low Humble Meek Tender Innocent upright Faithful and valiant out of the Snares of the Enemy and give you Peace in all your Tryals and let the Patience of his Lamb be increased in you that you may stand unmoveable upon the Rock of Ages and retain the Life which quickens in your understandings And the Lord God open and keep open your discernings that by no meanes the subtilty may beguile the similicity in this the day of Tryal Eternal Father unto thee I commend all thy Flock that thou Father may fill them with Wisdom Strength and Courage that to thy Glory they may be preserved in their several places and measures to whom be Dominion and Glory everlasting for thy endless riches for thou Lord art worthy to Reign over all Even so come Lord God and take thy Kingdom I the Prisoner for the Lord salutes all you who loves the appearance of Christ in that love which abides for ever GEORGE FOX the Younger Lambeth House the 14th of the 5th Month 1660. SUrely it was thee O Lord that gave bounds unto the Sea that the floods thereof could not overwhelm thy chosen thou canst let forth the winds and suffer a storm and thou canst make a Calm when thou pleasest have thou the Glory of all Thou King of Saints thou Saviour of Israel thou canst do whatsoever thou pleasest therefore will we trust in thy Name neither will we fear what man can do unto us because thou wilt not forsake us but thou wilt plead our Cause in the sight of our adversaries and they shall know that thou art our God who art able to save to the uttermost O Lord our Righteousness we will praise thy Name for thy Mercies indure for ever our eyes O God are unto thee for we have no other helper our Faith O Lord standeth in thee who canst not forget thy People Thou hast revealed and brought up Jacob who wrestleth with thee and prevails as a Prince therefore must the Blessing come O Lord the Birth the Birth cryeth unto thee thine own Elect which long hath been Oppresseâ— â—hou canst not deny thy self therefore have we Faith and Hope which maketh not ashamed Oh Lord 〈◊〉 unsearchable are thy wayes Thou hast even amazed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the depth of thy Wisdom thou onâ—ly wiâ—l have the Glory of their deliverance and therefore 〈◊〉 thou suffered these things to come to pass 〈…〉 Righteous in all thy Judgements onely preserâ—e thy People which thou hast gathered and will gather unto thy self in the day of Tryal that so they may sing of thy Power and Magnifie thy Name in the Land of the Living George Fox the Younger The Breathings of true Love from the Immortal Seed in the Prisoner for the Lord unto his People DEear Friends Brethren and Sisters in the Light called to be a People loved of God the Father in the Lord Jesus Christ Grace Love and Peace be multiplied amongst you through the abundant manifestation of the Spirit of Life proceeding from the Father and the Son My Children and beloved Friends the God of all Truth hath appeared unto you in the Everlasting Covenant of Light and Life visiting you in an acceptable Day and Time making known unto you his Eternal Truth by the Revelation of his Mighty Power in your Mortal Bodies whereby he brought you indeed to feel and know the miserable Estate and Condition that ye were in and he hath also given you to see him upon whom help is laid and you have received him who is the Salvation of God through the drawings of his Mighty Power and you are brought to know and believe That Salvation is not to be had in another yea many of you have received the Covenant of God and do indeed know that your sins are washed away in the blood thereof for you have the witness in your selves and the word of reconciliation is felt and known in your hearts whereby abundance of Peace and Joy unspeakable is witnessed and the Kingdom is come of which there is no end and some of you are placed together therein in Christ Jesus and many others of you the called of the Lord are travelling thitherwards through the Righteous Judgements of the Lord in the Spiritual Warfare and in the Faith and Patience of the Lamb. Now my Friends Be you stedfast in the Truth of God received you have been a suffering People most of the time since the Lord hath brought you in any measure into the obedience
of his Glorious Truth and Gospel which is the Power of God and you have abode in his fear and singly given up to his will you have mightily been preserved and you have felt the hand of a tender Father upholding you and giving you Peace and content when you have lost much of this world and the honour and pleasures thereof for his Name sake Oh Friends He hath not been wanting unto you he hath seen your sufferings and hath looked upon your afflictions and hath ministred strength proportionable thereunto that you might not faint nor be weary Oh! let not his Mercies and Fatherly care and loving kindness be forgotten by any of you but let them for ever be had in remembrance so shall the reward be witnessed Now Friends the Lord hath suffered a Cloud and a Mist as it were to spread it self in these Nations whereby an evil savour is gone forth which by fire must be taken away in which he will yet further try his People that they may be as gold separated clearly from the dross and that they may indeed be truly gathered and redeemed from the Earth and all earthly things and that they may wholly look unto him for deliverance and know that he indeed is the alone refuge and hiding-place in the day of distress Therefore let all who know the Power of God retire inward and watch in the Light of the Lamb that you may feel the movings of the Life in your own Vessels and be kept in obedience to its drawings and leadings in this day of Tryal Temptation and Darkness which is spreading it self for a Moment mark that lest any of you be scattered for the Enemies work is anâ— will be to seek to draw you from your strength and true guide which where he attains it great will be the sorrow and loss of such Therefore my dearly beloved Friends who have tasted how good the Lord is in the tender bowels of Christ I beseech you be fervent in love to God and one towards another and be watchful in the Light and therein watch one over another and strengthen and comfort and encourage and build up one another in the work and service of the Lord And if any through the temptation of the Enemy hath at any time spoken or done any wrong to another even as God in Christ forgave you so freely forgive ye one another and be ye plain-hearted one to another and â—e ye reconcilâ—d in that which destroys all prejudice and purges out all hard thoughts that so the Unity may be witnessed in that Love which thinks no evil and the one Head and Master over all submitted unto and let the gathering be unto him alone that so the blessing may be multiplyed in and amongst you unto the Glory and Praise of him that gives the encrease And be diligent in Meeting together whilst you may in the Name and Power of the Lord and be watchful in the measure of the Life of God that you may feel your strength renewed and encreased in the inward man For Friends this is a day which will try every one's strength therefore dwell in the Power in which the true gathering is that ye may not scatter abroad for he that gathers not scatters abroad and he that goes from the drawings of the Power gathers not Now Friends as ye keep in the drawings and springings of the Invisible Life ye will be knit together in one Life and there will be no striving who shall be greatest but every one will be serving the Lord in their several places and measures and one another in Love and as this is abode in the weak in somethings and at sometimes may help the strong and the stronger in other things may help the weak Oh Friends be as Children of one Father dwelling in Innocency and Love together helping one another Be ye indeed as Members of one Body knowing that the nourishment to the several Members thereof comes frome one Head and considering that every Member hath not the same Office yet of exceeding Service as each moves and acts in true Love to the Body and therefore ought to be born and owned in their respective places and if any Member would act any thing that might hurt the Body or any part of it either through being out of the sence what is of Service to the Body or otherwise then if another Member or Members be made sensible of the same it or they are bound in Love to the Body to seek to hinder the same and in tender love to restore the erring Member that so the Body may be kept in true Order and every Member seeking the good one of another Oh Friends consider how the Members even of the true natural Body serve one another in Love how does one cover another how does one bear and strain and labour for the good of each other to help one another and how much more ought these things to abound in the Spiritual Body of which Christ is the Head And now that which chiefly lyes upon me at present to you is this That ye all in the feeling of the pure Life and Power of God may keep and that where there hath been any watching for advantage by any among you against one another or strife of words or prejudice or striving to Lord it one over another or strangeness one towards each other that these things be utterly laid aside and resisted for where these things or any of them take place they eat as doth a canker and devour the Babe which should inherit the Promises and receive the Blessing and that in tender Bowels of Love ye receive and embrace one another and that all whatsoever hath tended to the contrary in any may dye and be forgotten as if it had never been that so the Birth Immortal which hath been quenched in some may spring and grow in the Vertue of the Father that its strong cryes both in the Male and in the Female may pierce through the Clouds and reach unto the Father of Life and Power and wrestle with him until the Blessing be given abundantly yea until he make bare his Arm in the sight of his Enemies that the Oppressor may cease and the Land may be swept of evil doers that so a way may be made for the further spreading of his everlasting Name and Truth and for the exalting of the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus over all the Kingdoms of the World Ah Friends the Unity the Unity in the Spirit the Love the Love from a pure heart is exceeding precious the yearning of Bowels one toward each other in the Lord the Faith the Patience the Watching and Breathing and Groaning and Sighing and Praying and Crying in the Spirit and Power of Emanuel is able to astonish the Heathen and to confound Armies and Powers that withstand the Kingdom of the Lord Christ and to cause Vengeance to come upon such as will not Repent and turn to the Lord in the day of
is and hath been very much wrong among people upon that account for many thereby are begotten into strange lying wonders and some into questionings and fears in their minds and some into false joys and foolish expectations and some into prejudice one against another because false reports have been received and reported again Therefore that you may be clear of these things be you very mindful watchful and careful that you report not any thing but as you have a certain ground for the Truth of it and as you may see a service in speaking thereof or else you had better be silent to those things and let them dye that so Truth Unity and Peace may be lived in and abound amongst you in all things London the 8th of the 8th Month. 1660. I am your endeared Friend and Brother in the Bowels of Christ whose Life is freely given up to answer the Will and requirings of the Father travelling for Unity and Peace and Righteousness amongst men where its wanting and greatly rejoycing with all those in whom it abounds and is felt and witnessed George Fox the Younger Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity TO THE TRIBULATED Flock of Crhist In BONDS or elsewhere SALUTATION AH my indeared Tribulated Brethren Sisters and Friends both in Prison and out of Prison Sufferers in Body Estates or otherwise for the holy powerful Eternal Truth as it is in Jesus O blessed are you ye Lambs of my Father's Fold who are faithful to him in the Testimony he hath given you to bear your Reward is great which in no wise shall fail Dear Babes drink in the Life abundantly which Emanuel hath placed in you and feed at the Table that my Father hath Richly spread for you with food sutable for you in your several growths Oh! the Word the Word of Eternal Life is appointed for your food feel it in your selves and go no more out Oh! how strong are the drawings thereof and how pleasant is the Virtue of it How are they overcome with the love of it that abide therein Oh! my Brethren and Friends our strength our safety our Peace and Satisfaction is this therefore let it for ever be the Habitation of your delight O this day is Glorious to all that stand given up in the Fathers will whose heatts and minds are drawn and Redeemed out of all those things that perish with the using Oh! ye Babes how strongly do I feel you in the Power of love who are Retired out of all fading changeable ending things into the Eternal Invisible unchangeable endless Life of Righteousness verily when I think upon you and behold you in your Habitation I am even Raised with Joy and Love Oh you that keep your Garments pure and clean in the Life of the unspotted undefiled Lamb how are my tender Bowels refreshed in you verily I cannot Express the Love that is in me to you ye Lambs of my Maker hold fast hold fast the word of his Patience it shall Crown you it shall Crown you in the End by it shall you overcome through Faith yea by it your Enemies shall be brought under you and in it shall you be Exalted over your Oppressors Oh! who can declare the Glory of the Lord as it shall be manifested in this Age for verily he will work wonders in the Earth and in the Heavens till he hath brought to pass the thing that is in his heart in vain do all the Potsheards of the Earth strive against the Former and Upholder of all things for he will Exalt his Son and his Righteous Kingdom and establish it in Righteousness over all the Kingdoms of the World and they must bow thereunto Therefore my Indeared ones be still in the Light and Life of the Lamb that you may behold the going forth of the Lord in his Glorious Power in this Day wherein he is Sifting Winowing Purging and trying that nothing but the Wheat and the Gold may be left Oh Babes dwell in love and Peace together in the powerful anointing which the Father hath poured forth upon you as a full gift and placed in you as a true Teacher and a Leader and let all keep to the holy drawings thereof and Answer the Requiring of the same O! blessed are you that bear the Testimony therein and quench not the Springs and arising of it neither go without it but simply and innocently obey its pure leadings and as you are kept in this if any are not able to bear you you will be able to bear them for you will have nothing in your Precious Eye and Mind but nakedly and simply the Honour and Glory of your Tender Father who will cause Bowels of Love to open in you one towards another in the merciful forgiving forbearing healing Spirit which will fill your Precious immortal Souls whereby you will be able to gather and allure others into the same Oh! my Friends dwell out of all mortals in the Immortal Power and Love of the Father and know the Birth that inherits the blessing and abides in Covenant with God which breaks and disanuls death's Covenant and brings over death and its Power into the Tryal and Dominion of the Lamb. O ye Innocent Babes and Plants who in Prisons holes and Dungeons are cast because you dare not grieve the Spirit of the Lord your God in obeying man's unrighteous Decrees my Father's love is exceeding great to you your Righteous Iust Cause he will fully Plead therefore leave it wholly to him and in the overcomings of his Power and Tender Love solace your selves and quietly lie down in his will till he bring you forth in his own Dominion Oh! you are Precious unto me who cannot defile your Testimony for any outward enjoyment my Bowels my Bowels are filled with the streams of Love and Life and Compassion which flow forth to you O my Prayers groanings Breathings Reach unto the God of Life both day and night for you Oh my beloved ones watch watch one over another in tender Bowels and bear the weak and feeble in your Arms and Bosom of love and let Mercy and Peace fill your Habitations and God shall work your Deliverance for you in his appointed time O Friends you are witnesses of that Truth which must spread over all the world and never be extinguished more but to the brightness of its rising many shall come And all of what degree soever that set themselves against it shall fall before it yea they shall not prosper the Lord hath spoken it onely Remember he will thorowly try his gold that it may be manifested unto all So the Precious Life Power Peace and Virtue of my Fathers ' be multiplyed in and among you till you all come to the Stature of the fulness of Christ in God Eternal Amen From Westminster Palace Yard Gate-house the 2d of the 1st Month 1661. Your dear tender and loving Brother in the humble melted broken contrite Spirit of
prefer any of them so as thereby to stop the Lords work or if you do the Lords work negligently which he hath once more put into your hands verily ye shall not be counted worthy to be the Lords workmen So remember Saul who was made an example that others might take warning who slew but part of that which was to be distroyed and saved a part alive and therein he was stubborn and disobedient Now if ye should destroy but part of the Trranny and Oppression which is utterly to be distroyed mark that and preserve part of it take heed lest the Lord rent you from your places for your stubborness and disobedience as he rent Saul from his Kingdom for his Therefore Awake Awake and wait in the Light to feel the Lord's strength that therein your zeal and courage for him may be renewed and linger not in things as ye have done but dwell in the Power of the Lord ye who have felt it and do not abuse it or resist it any longer and in his Power act for the Freedom and just Liberty of all his Creatures this will bring honour unto the Lord that so ye in whose hearts there is a singleness an honesty an uprightness unto the Lord may keep your selves from being defiled with the corruptness of others and so be preserved in his Wisdom and Power in the Breakin gs Overturnings or Purging â—nd Separating that yet must be in the Nation And Friends in the Army when will the Spirit of â—â—â—hteousness and Equity be clearly manifested among you to rule you thus that so long as ye bear an outward Sword it might be onely turned against Evil Doers and not for the upholding any Oppression whatsoever but for the breaking down of all Oppression and Tyranny wheresoever it is found and for keeping the outward Peace whilst equal and Just Laws be established whereby the Just Liberties and outward Freedom of the Nation might be enjoyed and not to make a trade of using your Swords to enrich your selves by them by heaping up outward riches and to feed your lusts But whilst ye use your Swords to be content with such wages as might but even find you things necessary and convenient for your Places Now if this Spirit lead you then self denyal will be manifested in you indeed and they that called you a mercenary Army then should be ashamed for if Tyranny and Oppression were destroyed and Equity true outward Liberty and Freedom were established and the Enemies of it so brought to nought that so there were no need of you this Spirit if it ruled you would make you as freely willing then to lay down your Places and Swords as ever any of you were made free to take them up and then to fall upon improveing the Creation in the fear and Wisdom of the Lord and to be content to enjoy an equal proportion and share of the Liberty with your fellow Creatures which you have fought for and if it were thus then ye might truly be called the Common-wealths Men or servants But if ye carry a Sword expect and desire still to carry or uphold a sword to make a Trade of mark that then I know you will not utterly bring down Oppressors and Oppression and firmly establish outward Liberty though ye could lest your Trade should fall Now if you do not act singly for your Nations good stand out of all self ends whatsoever but still continue making a Trade of using your Swords then you cannot truly be called the Common-wealths servants but such as serve your selves and such as are their Masters though you receive wages of them And Friends there are many things done lately in the name of the Keepers of the Liberty of England Now mark ye should first make England a free Nation and set it at Liberty from all its Oppression and bondage that it is in befoâ—e ye take such a name upon you and then in the fear and Wisdom of the Lord see to preserve and keep its Liberty and then ye might truly be called the Keepers of the Liberty of England But if ye do not first set it at Liberty and then keep it and ye be called the Keepers of the Liberty of it ye will be but like unto those which had a name that they lived and yet were dead and like the false Christians who are puffed up with a name but are out of the nature which belongs to the name This from me who have a tender love going forth unto all both in Parliament Army and others who have any true Breathings or Desires in them after Righteousness Truth Equity Mercy Justice and true Judgement which I wait to see set up and Establiâ—hed And I honour the higher Power and am subject thereunto where ever or in whomsoever it doth appear which Power hath made me a watchman unto you to warn you to watch for your Souls and for Peace And in obeying this Power I am clear of and free from the blood of all men Given forth by Geo. Fox the Younger The Ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the Wise He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own Soul But he that heareth reproof getteth understanding Friends the reason why this comes last is because a Copy of it could not be obtained till such time as the foregoing writings were Printed otherwise it had come in order with the Rest of his Books THE END * Since the writing of this before it could be delivered we have seen a Declaration put forth by Thee by which in part this is answered which as this and the rest comes to be fulfilled the Lord will bless prosper Thee †This Abomination have I beheld several times out of my Prison Window * So that none shall be able in the day of the Lord to plead or say Lord because our first Parents fell from thee and became dead unto thee and so were driven out from thy presence and we being brought forth in this unreconciled state there was no way left unto us to approach or come near unto thee to lay hold of the Grace that thou offerest unto all by reason of thine Anger I say none shall be able thus to plead For Christ the Fathers Love hath consecrated a way by his freely giving up himself a Propitiatory Sacrifice which appeaseth God and therefore it is said that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing sin unto them So he that perisheth it shall be for his own sins not for his parents but because he believed not in Christ who hath freely made a way for him to come unto God and by the power of his life visiting him puts him in a capacity to receive the free grace which bringeth salvation which to all men hath appeared * As for the Government and Ministry of the Town of Harwich their streets like Sodom have shewn its effects And the Angels and Lot might as justly have been charged with making a disturbance in Sodom when the ungodly thronged Lot's Door as RG and I in Harwich as the sober Reader may see Also when I was in Prison there I have seen out at the Window many go staggering with Drunkenness in the street and both in the day and in the night they have come to the Gate and cursed me bitterly and stammered our Oaths by reason of Drunkennes and then cryed God save KING CHARLES saying He would hang the Quakers and the Anabaptists and these have gone unpunished But when sober People have come to the Gate to hear the Truth declared them the Goalors Company hath thrown water upon and the MAYOR hath come and commanded them to depart from the Window and the Goalor hath come and shut it up and threatned me