moved him to a Disposal of his outward Estate and the setting of his House in Order his Love was very dear to his Brethren and Fellow-Labourers with whom he had laboured and travailed in the Work of the Ministry in Testimony whereof he left to each of them something as a Remembrance of his Love and also was mindful of the Church and left a Legacy to be distributed amongst the poor of the Houshold of Faith in the Parts where he lived And though the time of his Departure did draw nigh and his Sickness encreased yet in all that time he was in perfect and good Remembrance and oftentimes very fervent in Prayer and uttered many comfortable Expressions to the great Refreshment of those who were with him And about two Dayes before his Departure being attended by his dear Wife and several Friends he begun to say unto them Friends as to matter of Words you must not expect much more from me neither is there any great Need of it as to speak of Matters of Faith to you who are satisfied only that you remember my dear Love to all Friends who enquire of me for I ever loved Friends well or any in whom Truth appeared and truly God will own his People as he hath everhither to done as we have daily witnessed for no sooner had they made that Act against us for Banishment to the great Suffering of many good Friends but the Lord stirred up Enemies against them even three great Nations whereby the Violence of their Hands was taken of I say again God will own his People even all those that are faithful and as for me I am well and content to dye I am not at all afraid of Death and truly one Thing was of late in my Heart and that I intended to have writ to G. F. and others even that which I have observed which Thing is that this Generation passeth fast away we see many good and precious Friends within these few Years have been taken from us and therefore Friends had need to watch and be very fâ—iâ—hful so that we may leave a good and not a bad Savour to the next succeeding Geneâ—ation for you see that it is but a little time that any of uâ— have to stay here And often in the time of his Sickness he said He was content to dye and that he was ready and praised God for those many sweet Enjoyments and Refreshments he had received on that his Prison-house-Bed whereon he lay freely forgiving all who had a Hand in his Restraint And he said This was the Place of my first Imprisonment for the Truth here at this Town and if it be the Place of my laying down the Body I am content Several Persons of note Inhabitants in Appleby as the Mayor and others went to visit him some of which praying that God might speak Peace to his Soul he sweetly replyed He hath done it and they all spoke well of him And a few Hours before his Departure some Friends who lived several Miles from that Place came to visit him he enquired of all their Welfare and prayed fervently with many heavenly Expressions That the Lord by his mighty Power might preserve them out of all such Things as would spot and defile And a little after he was saying something concerning Weeks or a time after which Persecution should be ended but his Weakness was so great and his Voice so low that it was not fully heard A little Season after he recovering a little Strength further said I have sought the Way of the Lord from a Child and lived innocently as among Men and if any enquire concerning my latter End let them know that I dye in the Faith in which I lived and suffered for And after these Words he spake some other in Prayer to God and sweetly finished his Course in much Peace with the Lord. George Fox's Testimony CONCERNING Francis Howgil NOW concerning Francis Howgil who was one of the Lord's Worthies that preach'd his everlasting Word of Life from about the Year 1652. until the Year 1668. He was convinced of God's eternal Truth and received his Gospel in the Year 1652. the same Day that he had been preaching in the Morning in Furbank Chappel in the Afternoon he was convinced by a Messenger of the Lord and several others that had been Teachers were convinced by him as John Audland and others He had a great Acquaintance with the highest Sort of Priests and after he did receive the Lord's Power and the Word of Life he was a Torment to them and he did confess to some of the Priests that the Knowledge of God and his Truth he knew no more of whilest he was amongst them as to the inward Enjoyment of it then a Child of five Years old And he and John Audland that had received some Money for preaching at a Parish called Colton in Fornace Fells in Lancashire when they had received the Gospel freely and the Word of Life from Christ they were commanded of the Lord to go and return that Money back again to the Parish and People from whom they had received it which they did and this made the Priests more to rage and the Professors So as the Son of God came to be revealed in him he began to know his Command and powerfully and freely to preach him and his Word of Life this did he and John Audland all the Dayes of their Life after their Convincement preached Christ Jesus freely as they had received him and turned many unto God And no sooner was his Mouth opened but the Priests Magistrates and Professors began to rage against him and began to be offended at the Word of God and the Gospel and sometime after cast him into Appleby Goal in a nasty stinking Prison in the County of VVestmorland and there they kept him for a time in the latter End of the Year 1652. but the Lord God delivered him out of the Mouthes of those Lyons whom God after overturned both Priests Magistrates and Professors And so after he was set at Liberty he grew valiant and bold for the Name of the Lord and travailed up and down on Foot preaching the everlasting Gospel and went to many Steeple Houses to warn both Priests and People of the Day of the Lord that was coming upon them and directing of them to Christ Jesus their Teacher and Saviour and travailed a foot through the Countries to London and was moved of the Lord he and John Cham to go and admonish O. Cromwel after he was newly made Protector and went to some of the Steeple-houses in London and other Meetings declaring to them the Day of the Lord and the Word of Life and where they might find it And after this he travailed through the Countries to Bristol preaching the Word of Life and after went into Ireland with Edward Burroughs and preached the Word of Life there to both Magistrates Priests and People under great Sufferings and many were begotten to the
I was moved to call thy Name Abigail which signifies the Father's Joy or Delight for in thee I was comforted that did mitigate my present Trouble and my Counsel unto thee is That thou remember thy Creator in the Dayes of thy Youth and fear the Lord in thy Youth and learn to know him and serve him all thy Dayes first seek the Kingdom of God and the Righteousness thereof it 's not far from thee it 's within thee it consists in Life and Power and it stands in Righteousness Truth and Equity Justice Mercy Long-suffering Patience Love Light and Holiness this is the Being and Center thereof therefore seek not lo here or lo there without thee in this or that outward Observation for mâ—ny seek there and never find it but seek and thou shalt find wait and thou shalt receive if thou enquire in what must I seek and what must I wait in how must I seek I inform thee thou must silence all thy own Thoughts and thou must turn thy Mind to that which is pure and holy and good within thy self and seek and wait in that in the Light of Jesus Christ wherewith thou art enlightened which shews thee when thou dost Evil and checks and reproves take heed unto that and it will shew the evil Motions and Thoughts and as thou lovest it it will subdue them and preserve thee for the time to come out of Evil for though thou be born into the World a reasonable Creature yet thou must be born again and be made a new Creature or else thou canst not enter into God's Kingdom thou must know the Seed of the Kingdom in thy self of which thou must be born and formed again into God's Image I have told thee God hath sown it in thee a Grain of it a Measure of it a Portion of it a Measure of Light and Truth of Righteousness and Holiness keep in thy Mind to that and love it and thou wilt feel the heavenly Father working in thee â—nd begetting thee to Life through Jesus Christ that hath enlightned thee and thou wilt feel the Power of the Lord strengthning thee in thy little and make thee to grow in the Immortal Seed of his Kingdom and out grow and over grow all Evil so that thou wilt daily dye to that and have no Pleasure in it but in the Lord and in his Goodness and Vertue shed abroad in thy Heart which thou wilt tast and feel within and have Joy and Comfort therein love the Lord with thy Heart and Soul even him that made thee and gave thee a Being and all things in Heaven and Earth and still wait for the Knowledge of him in thy self he is not far from thee but near unto thee and unto all that call upon him in an upright Heart and do thou enquire of thy dear Mother she will inform thee she knows him and the Way to Life and Peace and hearken unto her Instruction God is a Spirit a pure Spirit of Light and Life and Power he that searcheth the Heart and shews thee when thou dost Evil or think'st Evil or speak'st Evil and shews unto Man and Woman their Thoughts that which shows the Evil is Good and that which shews a Lye is Truth this is within take heed to it this is called God's Spirit in the Scripture believe in it love it and it will quicken thy Heart to Good and it will subject the Evil here is thy Teacher near thee loving it and if thou act contrary it will condemn thee therefore take heed unto this Spirit of Truth and it will enlighten and enliven thee and it will open thy Understanding and give thee to know what God is and to do that which is good and acceptable in his Sight this Spirit never errs but leads out of all Error into all Truth O Abigail believe my Words they are the Words of God and Truth be not wanton but sober minded in thy Youth and wait on the Lord within hearken unto him God is Light immortal Life immortal Truth immortal an everlasting eternal Spirit he speaks spiritually and invisibly within the Hearts and Consciences of Men and Women hear what he speaks and obey his Voice and thy Soul shall live fear to offend him or sin against him for the Wages of Sin are Death therefore prize his Love in thy young and tender Years and do thou read the Scriptures and Friends Books and take heed unto what thou readest to obey it as far as thou understandest and pray often unto the Lord that he will give thee his Knowledge and open thy Understanding in the things of his Kingdom search thy Heart often with the Light of Christ in thee manifest and bring thy Deeds to it that they may be tryed and examine thy self how the Case stands betwixt the Lord and thee and if thou seest thy self wrong humble thy self and be sorry and turn unto him and he will shew thee Mercy and take heed for the time to come that thou run not into the same Evil again keep thy Heart clean watch against the Evil in thy self in that which shews it therein there is Power and thereby thou hast Power to overcome all Evil And dear Child miâ—d not the Pleasures of Sin which are but for a Moment and the End is Misery but keep under and cross thy Will and Affection so thy Mind will have no Pleasure in the Evil but in Good and thou wilt feel the immortal Seed springing up in thee which God's Peace and Love is to O Abigail these are great and weighty things not to be slighted accompany thy self alwayes with them that fear the Lord and fear and worship him in Spirit and Truth and lead a holy and a blameless Life and Conversation deny not them but love them and suffer with them take heed that thou follow not the hireling Teachers who preach for Gain and Lucre and abide not in Christ's Doctrine believe them not heed them not they do People no Good but thou wilt see them thy self they have an outside Shew of Godliness sometimes but deny the Power of God and true Holiness remember I have told thee who have had perfect Knowledge of them but be sure that thou let nothing separate thy Love from God and his People those are his People that keep his Law and obey Christ's Voice and lead a holy Life and they were ever hated and belyed and persecuted and evil-spoken on alwayes by bad and evil loose People these are God's People and his Love and Peace and Blessing is with them do thou grow as a natural Branch up among them of the living Vine and continue all thy Dayes in Obedience unto God's Will and thou wilt feel Joy and Love in thy Heart which above all things covet after and thou shalt attain and obtain everlasting Peace which the Lord grant unto thee according to the Riches of his Mercy and Love which endure forever and ever Amen And now Abigail concerning thy well
was there any of them that stood in the Gap or turned People from their Iniquity till the Lord broke out in his Wrath as Fire and laid the Land waste and the House of their God waste which you burnt up and will you now joyn with Moab and will you build again those things which you have once destroyed then you make your selves Transgressors think not thus in your Hearts that the Lord hath given you Dominion over the Nation to walk after your own Wills and joyn unto Deceit and that you may establish those things again which the Lord was wroth with and if you hold up those by your Laws and your Power and your Prisons and your Sword which is the People of the Lord's Curse I speak of the Teachers who are in Balaam's Way and greedy dumb Dogs who can never have enough and bestow the Nations Tythes and Lands and Riches which is the Lord's Treasure upon them that they may cry up Deceit and flatter you both you and they will fall together And Friends I am plain with you the Hand of the Lord is against them and all the Power of the Nations shall not save them from his Indignation And therefore be wise O ye Rulers and do not you think to take Counsel against the Lord and prosper nor prescribe not the Lord a Way for his Thoughts are not as your Thoughts nor his Wayes as your Wayes For he hath chosen the weak Things of this World to overthrow the Mighty your Eyes have seen this without and he hath revealed his Will to them and in them whom you look upon but as weak things and base things and in them he is making known his Eternal Power to overthrow the World's Wisdom and Might which is in the Fall and Curse from whence all Heresies and Blasphemies and Sects and Opinions flow and come forth and he is bringing his own Work his mighty Work to pass even to overthrow and overturn all the Power of the Beast and the false Prophet and shut them into the Pit and the Decree is gone forth and sealed and shall not be altered though all the Powers of Darkness joyn against him and although you should make a Law as the Jews did to take away the Life of Christ yet it did but little avail them for he hath carried on his Work through all Generations notwithstanding all Opposition and this is he in whom we trust and do not you think that you are able to limit the Lord by whom he must declare his Name or how or where or in what time but in his own VVay and Time and if he command and will us all mens VVills must be broken though still the holy men of God suffeâ—ed as such and so accounted as Disturbers of Peace I say the Devil's Peace must be broken and though the false Prophets of his Nation cry Peace unto you when you walk in the Imagination of your own Hearts and though you cry peace unto them yet one is come and coming to take peace from you for all your Peace and Agreement that you make against the least Appearance of God in his Servants it will be dashed to pieces And if they were to depart from the presence of God who fed nor the Saints neither clothed them nor visited them in prison but were to depart with the Devil and his Angels into everlasting Fire what will become of you who instead of clothing encourage the people to rent them off us and instead of feeding us give Command to depart because we are Stangers and instead of visiting them in prison you put them in prison and send for them one hundred Miles to be dragged to your prisons and before your Judgment-Seat in whom he is made manifest And now O ye Council at Dublin your Order hath so gratified the Devil and all the prophane in the Nation that they judge your Order was not large enough as that they had not Liberty to banish them who have been long Inhabitants in the Nation and therefore they tell you their Readiness to fulfil your Orders upon this Account and desire your Directions what to do further yea you have made all Lyars Drunkards cursed Speakers and prophane rejoyce and have strengthned the Hands of the wicked and so Judgment is turned backward and Righteousness cannot enter but all these things are recorded and you shall one Day remember what you have done And Friends it 's nothing to us we lay down our Heads in Peace notwithstanding if it had been done by them who had never professed any thing of Liberty of Conscience and Tenderness it might have been born but here your double Hypocrisie is made manifest Oh that ever you should be so led but why do the Heathen rage and the People imagine a vain Thing for he will exalt his Son upon the Hill of Sion and then wo unto them that have joyned their Power to uphold the Beast and the false Prophet for all must go into the Lake together where the Worm dyes not nor the Fire goes out to be tormented with the Devil and his Angels forever And therefore I say unto you Repent and turn to the Lord and seek Judgment and Righteousness that so you may judge for the Lord and break off all Oppression and entertain the Strangers who seek not yours but the Good of the Nation and that all people might know the Lord and worship him in Righteousness that so your dayes might be prolonged in the Land and the Lord of Heaven and Earth might rule over you in Righteousness and that he alone might be exalted in the Nations which hath not been known for many Generations but only all have lived with the Name without his Life and Power in Deceit and all Manner of Unrighteousness and the Lord is wearied and will ease himself of his Adversaries and his Glory shall no longer be given to another Cork in Ireland the 8 th of the 11 th Moneth 1655. AN EPISTLE TO THE Church of Christ BEING MY BRETHREN WHO ARE MADE PARTAKERS of the RICHES OF THE LOVE of GOD IN Christ Jesus In and About the CITY OF LONDON DEar Brethren who are called to be Saints by the Word which proceeds from the Throne of God the Lamb in which you have believed and denyed your Country and followed the Calling of the Lord and are become Children of Abraham and Children of the Promise Grace and Everlasting Peace be encreased amognst you who have believed the Testimony of his Son and are made Partakers of the common Salvation which was delivered unto the Saints and now made manifest in this his own Day according to his Everlasting Love to his Seed which Seed we are which are come up out of Egypt from whence he hath called his Son great is my Love unto you all and it 's the Love that I love withal which is stronger then Death and hath broken the Covenant of Death and now is become a broad River from
turned from dead VVorks unto the Measure of the living God and they separated from the Temple and left Circumcision and all those things of the first Priest-hood which were commanded by God and out of the VVorld's VVayes Fashions Customs and VVorships and came to see the worshipping in Spirit and in Truth was that worship God required and the Ground of their Separation was not from any literal Command or Precept for all that was written there was flat against it but they which were Ministers of Christ which had believed in him preached him the Substance and the Measure of him and of his Grace which was in them unto whom they preached and this was the Apostles Witness in their Hearts unto which they did commend themselves in the Sight of God which is a great Mystery and they are not Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit Now in these few words before written with much more I could write compare your Ministry and your Members gathered and you will see you differ in the Ground in the first for your Command you take from the Letter and so are Ministers of the Letter and not of the Spirit 2. Ye preach the Letter for the Word of Faith which they did not as is plain in their own Writings without adding 3. Them whom you gather it 's but into Conformity to the Letter and to that which is visible which all may be done in the Will of man which is fallen from God and see if it be not so with you both Pastors and Members not witnesses of that VVord which they preached which did beget Faith in them that received it and believed in it which Faith was in them wrought by the Power of God which gave them Assurance and their Assurance was in them and their Hope in them brought in and wrought by the Operation of the Spirit which the preaching of the Letter Sound or Declaration only of that which was in them never works Assurance nor true Faith nor Hope And now consider where had your Ground of the Knowledge of God been and your Gospel and your Faith and Hope if you had not had the Letter I speak not to upbraid you but to the Light of Christ Jesus I speak which will let you see how far short you are and that you must come back again to the first Principle and now you may see if it had been the same Word or Command it would have the same Effects as it had and Change into its own Nature all that received it now see whether a Change be wrought in you or not some of you yea many running back after the Foot-steps of the Priests preaching for Hire and upholding the Idols Temple if you can get into them and in the Customs of the World nay most of you not come to yea and nay in your Communication but one with the world in all or most of things differ only in Words and Names and your Gospel you have preached hath not begotten such a Faith as was in them that had the Gospel not to respect Persons nor none dare own cleansing from Sin in the Body but call that a Delusion but the Word and Faith which they preached and received gave them Victory over the World Sin and Death and by its Power made them more then Conquerors and their Hope purified their Hearts but you cannot believe that ever you shall be made free from Sin nor have not hope in that and therefore are ignorant of the Body of Christ you so much talk of which made them clean and free from Sin Secondly your Doctrine is the same with the World your Hope your Faith your justification is all at a Distance grounded upon the Report of Christ dying at Jerusalem and of their Report that knew him and believing this you call it Faith and so are one with the Faith and Hope which the World hath for the Report of Christ's Righteousness what he did suffer and wrought in the Saints if this be the Ground of Salvation then why have you separated from the World If you say Because the world hath not right to the Ordinances I say Doth not Faith in Christ give Interest to all his Ordinances And if this be onely your Faith the World hath as good an Interest as you so why do you separate from them And so you shall see the Matter is the same with the VVorld of which your Fellowships consist and the Name of Christ is a great Mystery which they were sent to baptize in who knew his Name his name is not Letters and Syllables and using these this with the lips speaking over is not to baptize into his Name And so Friends in Love I speâ—k unto you There was such as separated themselves and were sensual and had not the Spirit and so there was no Difference betwixt them and the World for they are Clouds without Rain appeared VVells but hâ—d no VVater in them seemed something but were but a Shew Friends your foot-steps I know your ground I know and your Compass and your Measure yet I shall not glory over you nor boast my self against you but rather to inform your Minds that you may not build upon a Foundation which will moulder away And now boast not your selves in your Ordinances as VVater bread and Wine which is but elementary and was never but a Sign and in the Day of Appearance of Christ the Elements shall melt with servent Heat and while you stand here and have Confidence in these things your Sun will set in Obscurity and you shall know the old Heavens and Earth will pass away with a Noise which when you come to know and hear your Hearts will fail for Fear for this I say to the highest of you If you build upon any thing or have Confidence in any thing which stands in time and is on this side Eternity and Being of Beings your Foundation will be swept away and Night will come upon you and all your gathered in things and taken on and imitated will all fail you Many more things I might write time would fail me to utter but these few among many I have written that you may compare your selves with the Ministers of Christ then and the Gospel which they preached which were separate from the World in the Ground and Nature and if you see your selves in the Light of Christ in your Consciences not to be the same neither in Matter nor Manner let not a deceived Heart lead you aside any longer Further I say they were sent out for the gathering in of the Saints some Apostles some Prophets some Pastors and Teachers yet all was by the Spirit Now if you deny the Command of the Spirit or cannot witness it but from the Letter take it up and talk of it because the Scripture speaks of it then your Ministry is not that Ministry Again this End was the Ministry sent forth for for the perfecting of the Saints which it did which not
in Heresie in Schism so that there is an absolute Defection from the Life and Power of God which was manifested in the Apostles dayes and therefore the Church of Rome is not the true Church What I have said as to the Doctrines and Grounds which have been laid down by the Author I shall refer it and the Answer unto God's Witness in every Man's Conscience and if I hear any more of the Author his great Boasts or ambitious Challenges which may reach to all that do dissent from the Church of Rome as to be Hereticks I shall engage in the Strength of the Lord to vindicate the Truth however opposed and shall further if God permit be ready to give a more large and full answer unto the Doctrines and Practices and Worship of the Church of Rome and prove them to be contrary to the Scriptures and the Apostolick Doctrine and the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints So in what I have said I hope may convince the Author of his vain Assertions and them that are enclined towards Babylon it may put a Stop to that which would too readily close with every thing which goes under the Name of Antiquity But in what I have said upon the whole Matter I hope will be sufficient unto all who read with a single Eye without Prejudice and unto such I say the Lord give them an Understanding that they see and discern the Way which leadeth to Life and Felicity from that which leadeth to the Chambers of Death and the Pathes that take hold on Destruction A GENERAL EPISTLE TO THE Seed of God DEar Friends every where who have believed in our Lord Jesus Christ and called with an holy Calling to the great Salvation of God which is manifest in this the Day of his Power keep your first Love and let not the Threats of Men neither the Browns of the World affright you from that which you have prized more then all the World now the Sun is up and a time of scorching is come and that which hath not Root will wither now every Ground will be tryed and blessed is the Good that brings forth the Seed which must inherit the Promise Oh let not the Cares of this present Life choak that which God hath begotten and seeing the Lord hath so marvelously wrought for us hitherto in the midst of great Opposition let not your Faith fail nor your Confidence in God who delivered Jacob of old out of his Adversity and Israel out of all his Troubles whose Care is over his People now and having seen the Emptiness of the World and its Way and Worship let nothing blind your Eye again and let not the things present nor things to come separate you from the Love of God in Christ Jesus and mind not them that draw back to Perdition but let it teach you all more Diligence to be as those that press after Glory Immortality and Everlasting Life the Way of God was ever hated by the World and the Powers thereof never heed the rough Spirit nor the heavy for their Bound is set and their Limit known but mind the Seed which hath Dominion over all and forsake not the assembling of your selves together in which you have found God and his Promise and Power amongst you and Blessing your Understandings opened Oh rather suffer all things then let go that which you have believed fâ—r whoso doth will loose the Evidence of God's Spirit in them and their Peace and Joy will be lost the Lord God preserve you all unto the End faithful Your Dear Brother for the Testimony of Jesus F. H. Aâ—â—elby Goal the 10th of the 3d Moneth 1664. A Visitation of Love Peace and Good-will from the Spirit of the Lord sent unto the whole Flock of God now in this their Day of Tryal and Hour of Temptation DEar Friends and Brethren who have been called to believe by the holy calling of the Lord unto Sanctification and Holiness that ye might inherit the Promises of God and that your Souls might live in the Land of the living and partake of his Goodness that you might admire him and praise his Name forever And seeing the Lord out of his rich Love and Mercy hath visited you who sometime sate in the Region of the Shadow of Death and were cast out of his Presence in the time of Unbelief seeing he hath caused his miraculous Light to shine upon you in his gracious Visitation of you and hath given you to believe in his Name prize his Love unto you and let not his gracious Benefits slip out of your Minds lest your Hearts be filled with other things that will corrupt your Hearts and make you an unmeet Habitation for the Lord to dwell in and among Dear Friends hear my Brotherly Admonition and Exhortation for the Lord moved in my Heart to write unto you and in the Bowels of his kind and tender Love and Motion of his heavenly Spirit to stir up your pure Minds and Consciences unto Stedfastness in the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ and so much the more that you all be watchful seeing the times be perilous for now the Adversary goes about roaring and ravening on the right Hand and on the left to destroy and devour that which God hath brought forth in you that so he might regain you too under his Power and Government and that ye might revolt from the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ that stands in Power and Righteousness which is come and hath been of a Truth manifest in great Glory and this is an Hour the Power of Darkness is let loose to try the Faith and them that dwell upon the Earth and he is let loose for a Season blessed are they that hide themselves under the Shadow of the Almighty and under the Wings of Christ Jesus who is given for a Redeemer a Saviour and a Preserver of Men that the wicked One touch them not and now the Devil rages because he knows his Kingdom is but short and but for a small time is like to stand in many because a stronger then he that rules in the World is come and hath began to dispossess the strong Man and bind him and cast him out and now he rages and stirs up all the Temptations within and without and all his Instruments to joyn with him to make War for him that he might not rule who is the Heir of all things and given for a Leader and to be the Head of the Body his Church in which alone he hath Right to rule because the Lord of the whole Earth yea of Heaven and Earth hath put all Power into his Hands to bind and to lose to bring out of Captivity and to lead Captivity Captive that Life and Immortality might again inhabit in the Sons of Men that Truth and Righteousness might sway that Mercy and Love might sit on the Throne that his Salvation might take hold on the Ends of the Earth and his Power made known
Good and mind not only one Member but the whole Body heed not them that draw back that is no President for you to follow but them that press forward and are not offended in the time of Hardship heed not them thâ—t will tell you they can keep their Hearts upright to God and retain their Love to Truth and Friends and yet will not afford their Presence in your Assemblies but escape Suffering and deny the Cross and neglect their present Duty for that is Deceit and their own Hearts will deceive them put not off till to morrow defer not the time till you can see some more Ease and some greater Calm beware of that for then Coldness Fearfulness and Slavishness will enter in and you will lose your Strength Moreover if any have begun well and be perswaded of the Truth of that they have believed and continue not unto the End and do not finish such will be reckoned foolish Builders that could not finish and all will mock them and neither God nor Men can or will believe them but our Adversaries will glory over you Again when any suffer or are brought into Bonds for Christ and the Gospel sake seek not to get out by any indirect Means neither make any Covenant with thy Adversary who would sell both thee and all Faith and Hope for Money that encourages Deceit and that Spirit would buy it self out of the Service of God and grow weary give no Place to that be content every one with your present Condition till God arise and plead our Cause and make our Innocency and Righteousness appear as Noon day and make his Adversaries his Foot-stâ—ol which undoubtedly he will do and make all know the most high ought to rule and will rule in the Kingdoms of Men and not give his Glory to another neither suffer another to take it be conformable to none that go about under Pretence of Love to perswade or counsel you from your Duty to God neither submit to them that would betray you of your Peace heed not the Frowns of corrupt Men nor the Counsel of them who mind their own Bellies Pleasure Ease Profit and earthly things let not natural Affections and Love either to Lands Wife or Children blind your Eyes but love them and receive them in the Lord and enjoy them as though not stand loose from all things and out of all Entanglements and cast your Care upon the Lord who careth for the Fatherless and the Widdow and them that have no Helper in Earth give no Occasion or Advantage to any that would turn your Hearts aside from following the Lord left their Love betray you give up all you have and enjoy to the Lord and his Service and your Souls Bodies and Spirits as a Sacrifice unto the Lord that he may accept you and pour forth and continue his Blessing amongst you never heed the Threats of them that are as the Oaks of Bashan nor of the great Men of the Earth that mind their Pleasure and Lusts who shut you up in Prison and hale you before Judgment-Seats for the Worship of God and falsly accuse you and condemn you when God justifies you the Moth shall eâ—t them up as a Garment and stain the Glory of all Flesh that withstand the Lord and they shall melt away as Snails and as the Fat of Lambs and as the Kidneys of Rams and God will bring the Recompence of their own Deeds upon their own Pates and wound the hoary Scalp of every one that doth wickedly who toucheth God's anointed and doth Harm to his Prophets and persecutes his Children surely Judgment is not far from the Dwellings of them who have requited the Lord thus as to render him Evil for Good and God will be avenged on such a faâ—thless merciless perfidious People as this and of such a Spirit which rejoyceth in Iniquity and makes a Mock of Sin and hates all Reproof and would clock over all Mischiefs with the Name of pure Laws and Authority and Decrees of the holy Church and yet persecutes and gainsayes the highest Power of God in things spiritual that pertain to the Conscience The Beast and false Prophet and Mother of Harlots have joyned together and flatter one another and joyn their Strength together against the true Church and Heir of all the World and would under Pretence of doing Honour unto him shut him out of the Earth and kill his Subjects and destroy the Children of the free Woman under Pretence of suppressing Heresie turn Judgment into Gall Hemlock and Wormwood and instead of relieving the Oppressed add to their Burthen Friends dwell above all these things and the Devil and his Rage the Earth is the Lord's and the Fulness of it we cannot be banished from God's Presence neither shall they fulfil their Determination or ever be able to root out that Testimony which is among us for Princes shall be given for its Ransome and Kingdoms and Nations for its Prosperity The God of Power strengthen you all that you may quit your selves like men of God like Children of the most high whose Inheritance is not here in the World but in the Kingdom that fades not away The Lord God of Power be with you and make you consider what I say and to receive this my true Love unto you all for the Lord's sake who partakes with all the suffering Members of Christ in their Bonds and shall and can rejoyce in all your Comfort and Joy The Peace of God dwell in your Hearts and his heavenly Light shine upon all your Tabernacles that you may be as beautiful in the Eyes of the Lord as the Roses of Sharon and blossom as the Lillies of the Valley and yield your Fruit as the Fig-tree that casteth not his Fruit The Lord takes our Part let none doubt of that and pleads our Cause let all consider that our Enemies shall see it and be troubled at this and time shall manifest it therefore be of believing Hearts and trust in the Lord so shall you never be confounded neither be ashamed but be as Mount Sion that cannot be moved and as the Mountains are round about Jerusalem so shall the Mercies of the Lord compass you about from this time forth and forevermore Friends Faith is sealed in my Heart and Love in my Reins and Gladness in my Soul and Peace in my Conscience so that none doth or can hinder my rejoycing praised be the Lord forever and ever Amen The Lord's Servant and yours in all true unfeigned pure Love F. H. THE TRUE Rule Judge and Guide OF THE TRUE CHURCH OF GOD DISCOVERED AND Born Testimony unto what it is and wherein it consisteth In Opposition to the pretended Catholick Church of ROME her Rule Foundation Guide and Judge Being returned in Answer to Captain Robert Everad his Book tituled An Epistle to all Non-conformists wherein his main Reasons Grounds and Allegations laid down in his Book are examined and discoursed with wherein the Faith once
a Prey no longer they shall find Though their Reward for such things be to come They may be snapp'd as they snapp'd thee ere long Sure Appleby may now its Loss bewail It hath no more such to detain in Goal No Man so fit your Differences to end 'Mongst Lawyers now your Money you may spend None so discreet wherein to put your Trust Your light Esteem declares your Loss is just He well deserv'd why was he disregarded Why was your Love to him so much retarded Oh! Slavery surprized Fear was the Thing Lest you should be counted Rebels to your King The Proverb holds when in Adversities Few Friends appear but many Enemies This is alwayes the temporizing Strain Sight Honesty and Countenance prophane Oh sure thy poor that in thy Prison lies His Loss laments with Sobs and watry Eyes For he to them exhibited Relief And by sweet Counsel often eas'd their Grief He as a nursing Father was to them And all the oppressed that unto him came Yea many a Soul that him to visit came With great Refreshment did return again Those that in Travail Dayes and Miles had spent Him for to see returned not discontent Who ever sought him and returned sad He for all Sorts Relief and Counsel had And what he had he freely distributed So that his Foes his Name have well reputed He never to his Enemies bore Grudge Nor in his Heart no Malice he did lodge He lov'd no Strife but alwayes sought for Peace He cans'd the Love of Friends and Foes encrease There was no State nor no distress'd Condition For which he know not Balm or was Physician Some may object how do I these things know Our frequent Intimacy them did show He certainly was born of the Spirit above His Life declar'd to all he dwelt in Love I well remember when I stood him by At Side of his Death 's Red where he did lye His Weakness great did make my Eyes to run My watry Cheeks he fix'd his Eye upon I from my heart desired God would please Either by Life or Death to give him ease Turning his Eye by his Reply I saw That he was ready but he thought Death slow It breaks my Heart now when I do remember His Care and Love which over all was tender Oh! the Want of him to my Soul is a Loss â—et I contented am to bear the Cross Being God's Pleasure I dare not repine But freely in his Will all Things resign Because I see all outward Comforts fail 'T is Peace with God will only me avail Therefore to that I shall apply my Mind The Residue of those my Dayes behind Desiring to compleat my Course and Faith As piously as I believe he hath That in God's Service I my Life may spend And his Reward my Soul may reap in 'th End Therefore we slight that persecuting Spirit That of Eternal Life would disinherit For who among them now have gain'd their Peace By persecuting him to his Decease But their Reward in the End will sure be Pain Though they at present their proud Will obtain Desist I shall Oh Lord take thou the Praise Throughout my Life of all my Words and Wayes So farewel Reader this I do commend Unto thy View and shall remain thy Friend Thomas Langhorn Thomas Carlton The unchangeable Testament and Will and Counsel of Francis Howgil left to his Daughter Abigail Howgil DAughter Abigail this is for thee to observe and keep and take heed unto all the Dayes of thy Life for the regulating of thy Life and Conversation in this World that thy Life may be happy and thy End blessed and God Glorified by thee in thy Generation these Things I bequeath unto thee and counsel thee ever to observe being the chief Thing alone I have to bestow upon thee which I prize more then outward Riches do thou so also and observe and keep my Sayings and I charge thee before God and by the Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ that thou observe what I say the which I am moved of the Lord to leave thee behind and in tender Love and Affection unto thee my Daughter that the Lord may give his Blessing unto thee and make thy Wayes prosperous and thy latter End Peace First of all know this I was never born to great Possessions or did inherit great Matters in this World but the Lord hath alwayes endowed me with Sufficiency and enough and hath been as a tender Father unto me because my Heart trusted in him and did love the Way of Righteousness from a Child I have no great Portion to bestow upon thee of the things of this World yet of that little which I have and that God hath blessed me with something I shall give thee which I shall not mention here but thou wilt know at my Decease but thy dear Mother I rather commend thee unto whom I trust will provide sufficiently for thee unto whom my Heart hath been upright before the Lord she had a sufficient Portion and Dowry when I married her the which I shall be sorry much to lessen or impair and whatever was hers if it please the Lord I decease before her I freely leave unto her as was ever my Intention and Purpose which hath not neither shall alter through the Strength of God as God only knows and bears me record and shall be manifest unto all in due time as it is unto the Lord who hath been with me in the midst of many Troubles Tryals and Sufferings and hath lifted up my Head above my Adversaries because I only trusted in his Name which at all times I found as a Refuge and a present Help in the time of need and so will be unto thee if thou fear his Name and trust in him forever And now dear Child hearken unto the Words of my Mouth and listen unto my Counsel ponder these things I leave behind me unto thee to observe that thy Dayes may be long upon the Earth and blessed and comfortable unto thee and an Honour to God in thy Generation at that time when thou wast born and brought forth was a time of deep Exercise and Trouble with me not from the Lord who alwayes spoak Peace unto me and did sustain me but by Reason of the Adversary of Mankind who alwayes seeks to devour the Good in all and is the Sower of Discord and Mischief in the Hearts of them who fear not the Lord neither abide in his Counsel in whom he enters as any Place is given unto his Temptations and corrupts the Mind but though it was a great Tryal that came upon me the Lord kept my Heart in Uprightness unto him and gave me much Patience so though the Earth had been removed into the midst of the Sea and all outward things had run into Confusion and Nature had changed his Course the Lord gave me a Resolution and Strength as not to be troubled neither offended because he did support me at that time wast thou born and therefore
being in this Life this is my Advise and Counsel unto thee love thy dear Mother and ever obey her and honour her and see thou grieve her not be not stubborn nor wilful but submit unto her and be as an obedient Child unto her whose Love and Care hath been too great over thee and thy Sisters which hath brought too much Trouble upon her self learn in thy Youth to read and write a little and sew and knit and all Points of good Labour that belong to a Maid and flee Idleness and Sloth that nourisheth Sin and as thou growest up in Years labour in the Affairs of the Country and beware of Pride and Riotousness and Curiosity but be well content with such Apparel as thy Mother will permit thee and as thou mayest be a good Example unto other be not wanton nor wild not light but temporate moderate and chast and not forward in Words nor Speech but swift to hear slow to speak and do thou alwayes live with thy Mother and be a Help unto her and cherish her in her old Age and latter Years that she may be comforted in thee and her Soul may bless thee love thy Sisters and be alwayes courteous to them and thy Brother Thomaâ— encourage one another in Good And Abigail if thou live to be a Woman of perfect Years keep thy self unspotted and let not thy Mind out after Sports nor Pastimes the End of all those is Sorrow neither of young Men if thou have a Desire to marry do not thou seek a Husband but let a Husband seek thee and if thou live in God's Fear and an honest Life and vertuous them that fear God will seek unto thee let not thy Affections out unto every one that proffers Love but be considerate and above all Things chuse one if thou dost marry that loves and fears the Lord whose Conversation thou knowest and Manner and Course of Life well before thou give Consent be discreet and wise hide nothing from thy Mother and she will advise thee no Doubt for thy Good and if she be living marry not without her Consent and if thou joyn to a Husband be sure thou love him in thy Heart and be obedient unto him and honour him among all so will his Heart be more to thee and his Love increase grieve him not but be gentle and easie to be entreated and mind thy own Business and if the Lord give thee Children bring them up in God's Fear and in good Exercise and keep them in Subjection unto thee and be an Example of Virtue and Holiness unto them that the Lord's Blessing thou may'st feel in Youth and in Age and all thy Life long O Abigail remember these Things keep in Mind these things read often this Writing over get it copied over and lay up my Words in thy Heart and do them so wilt thou be happy in this Life and in the Life to come these things I give thee in Charge to observe as my MIND and WILL and COUNSEL unalterable unto thee as Witness whereof I have set my Hand The 26th of the 5th Moneth 1666. Thy Dear Father Francis Howgil A Wo Against the Magistrates PRIESTS and PEOPLE OF KENDALL In the County of Westmorland The Word of the Lord came unto me saying Write and declare against that Bloody Town of Kendall and leave it without Excuse HEar ye which pretend to be Rulers ye that pretend to be Teachers and ye People the Trumpet of the Lord is sounded gather your selves together for I will plead with you your Iniquities are come up before me and your Transgression is come into mine Ears Wo Wo and Misery is coming upon you you shall be as Sodom and Gomorrah and as Admah and Zeboim Desolation and a Cry a Cry Lamentation Howling Bitterness and Sorrow shall come upon you at unawares the Sword of the Lord is drawn against you it is sharpened for a great Slaughter and you shall be cut off because you have despised my Name and trodden under Foot my Precepts and walk after your own Wills and the Imagination of your own Hearts and yet saith the Lord they say I am amongst them Wo unto you Hypocrites I am weary of you and of all your Profession it stinks in my Nostrils and I abhor it as much as if ye slevv a man you have slain my Son you have mocked my Prophets and despised my messengers vvhich I have sent early and late to forevvarn you of the Evil to come Have I now vvrought Signs and Wonders amongst you as ever vvas in any Day or from the Beginning Have not I made the mountains tumble dovvn in your Sight Have not I cause my Judgments to fall upon them that have set themselves against me Have not I cleansed the Lepers Have not I quickned and raised them out of the Grave vvhich vvere dead in Sins and Trespasses Have not I brought dovvn the Proud Have not I exalted the Lovv Have not I caused the vveak things to confound the Wise Have not I sent Signs among you and have sent my Servants to declare against you as I did to Nineveh and have you not heard it Have not I commanded my Servants to go bare and naked in your Sight to be a Sign to you that your Covering is now rent and your Garment is to be torn and you shall be left naked and bare and you shall be made a Mock and Proverb to all as my Servants have been made a Mock and a Proverb to you all I will scatter you in my Indignation and I will cause my Fury to rest upon you till I have consumed you Ye Rulers that rule by your own Wills and ye false Prophets that cry Peace to this People and all ye People that delight in Lyes is not all manner of Wickedness committed amongst you as Pride Covetousness Oppression Persecution Mocking Stoning Imprisoning and Haling before Magistrates them who are made to do my Will and to declare against you Ye strive against me saith the Lord ye cry a Confederacy ye consult together ye plot ye call all your Inchanters against me thus saith the Lord ye shall be broken as Pharaoh and go down to the Pit with Egypt Mesheek and Tubal and all the Uncircumcised Wo is me the Spoiler is come up against you and Blackness covers you and a Consumption is entring into your Bones my Eye shall not spare my Hand shall not pity but it will bring this upon you howl and lament ye Oakes ye Mountains cleave asunder and all ye People both great and small be astonished put on Sackcloth put your Mouthes in the Dust for I will make my Fury to pass over you and none shall be able to deliver you said the Lord write this let them know but they will not hear till I have caused my Fire to burn them up and there be no Remedy Written from the Spirit of the living God by me who am a Witness for his Name whom the World knows
are like to be tryed Your Armour is Righteousness on the right hand and on the left your City is free The Gates stand open Day and Night a VVolf Lyon nor any Beast cannot enter no not so much as a flying-Fowl Oh how goodly are thy Tents O thou Seed of Jacob the Elect whom he hath chosen O how pleasant is your scituation The Tower of David Mount Sion stands sure and cannot be moved O! who is a People like unto you saved by our God that lives forever His Love is large he is kind he is long-suffering he is faithful and keeps Covenant and his Promises are Yea Yea He is the Amen the first and the last Come forth my dear Brethren set forth his Praise declare his Name among the Heathen publish his Name among the Congregations let the Earth be filled with his Love and power that his Judgments may be declared and his Statutes that they sound in the Ears of Generations to come O ye that are convinced of the Truth of our God wait in that which doth convince and keep your Minds to it and love it and follow it whither it leads you and it will lead you to know the Gift of God which leads to Repentance from dead VVorks to serve the living God who dwells in the Immortal Light and take heed of looking back at the Pleasures of Sin you have formerly lived in but wait upon the pure Light of Christ Jesus in Patience that so you may see the Enmity which is against God and it slain in you daily that so you may see him that is the Saviour of the Soul and take heed of rebelling against the Lord who hath given you a measure of his true Light to lead you from Sin if you love it unto Righteousness from whence it comes even from the righteous Judge of all the VVorld who judgeth every man ouâ— of the Book of his Conscience and so prize the everlasting Love of God to your Souls that you may see him who lives forever And all Babes who are born again who have suffered and Pangs of Death and know the Indignation of the Lord against Sin and the Terrour of the Lord against the man of Sin who have roared for the Disquietness of your Hearts who have born the Indignation of the Lord and are come to the giving forth of the Law where there is Thundring and Earth-quakes and Terrour and great Hail and Fire and Smoke even such as was not since the Beginning insomuch that you could not bear his Voice and live nor see his Face and live Stand still in Patience and let it have its perfect Work in you and hear the Indignation ye that are in it if you endure the Tribulation with Patience Hope you will see and a Time of Refreshment will come endure the Cross that the mortal and earthly and carnal may be judged and the bad ground shaken and taken away and that you may see the living Hope to stay your Minds upon And ye who are enlivened and do witness the Law of Righteousness set up in you which is a School-master and keeps in the Fear stand in it and keep in the Fear low in Soberness and Calmness and then you will see your Hearts purified daily and the cursed Nature judged which is out of its Course and it bridled and subjected and the Law which is pure and holy and eternal which stands forever in Power and force against the Transgressor to judge all Unrighteousness And so wait that you may see the Lyon tamed and the wild Heifer yoked and the Yoke of Christ born and the wild Colt tamed by him upon which never man sate before then and not till then is Hosanna sung And all wait in your Measures dear Babes that the Milk of the Word you may see and be nourished by it and grow up as living Branches about the Table of the Lord. And all you young men and Virgins that know Virginity keep your Virginity you in whom the Prince of this world is judged and cast out and the righteous Law of God revealed and given forth in which you stand and walk and have Peace from him who is the Law-giver and Judge who hath saved you from your Iniquities and blotted out your Sins for his own Name 's sake you who know the living Water and Spirit of which you are born again and witness the Birth which enters into the Kingdom of God where no mortal or unclean Beast can come Keep in the Life and Power of God which limits all and chains all under that the Life of the Son of God may live and speak in you and be bold In the dread of God stand and that which leads into Slavery keep out And now being made Partakers of his everlasting Love walk worthy of his Love and of the high Calling whereunto you are called who hath created you in Christ Jesus unto Holiness and Righteousness forever that to the praise of his Grace which you are saved by by which you have obtained the Remission of Sins and an Inheritance amongst them that are sanctified So wait in the living Hope and the living Faith in which God is well pleased in which you ask and receive of him and are accepted of our heavenly Father And this Faith ye know which is a present Power and a Shield against all Temptations and a Helmet and as a Fortress by which you are preserved safe standing in it and putting it on in the Day of Tryal My dear Brethren of the everlasting Kindred and Heirs of the everlasting Promise wait all in Patience having received an earnest of the Inheritance that never fades away to the End abide in the Father's Counsel and at Wisdom's Gate Ye know what I say I write not unto you because you know not the Truth but because you know and are made free in your Measures by him who is the Truth and the Way in which all our Fathers and you also have obtained a good Report even of all the Houshold of Faith and take heed of the Glory of the World and look not at Hardship for verily all the Suffering is not worthy to be Compared to that Glory which is revealed and to be revealed unto all that wait and abide in Patience and Faithfulness unto the end but be ye as good Souldiers endure hardship that you may receive the End of your Hope and the everlasting Price and the purchased Possession and the Crown of Glory which God will give unto you in his own Day which is coming on towards you if you continue in the Hope in the Faith and in the Love unfeigned which thinks no ill by which and in which Love we have Victory over the Grave Sin and Death which he hath freely shed abroad in our Hearts unto whom be everlasting Praise forever and ever to him which was dead and is alive and lives for evermore the Mediator of the new Covenant of Life and Peace in which we have Access
which saves you not from Guilt and Condemnation for the Word of the true Christ where it is owned cleanseth and takes away Sin and blots it out and destroyes the Root from whence it flows forth and works a new Creation in Righteousness and the Lamb of God takes away Sin in which the Churches of Christ believed and is Glad-tidings to all that do receive it now none can witness Gladness of Soul where there is Guilt which you all affirm is in every Christian while in this World and so you might see that it 's not the true Christ nor the everlasting Gospel you preach but this you cannot bear yet you say he hath taken away your Sin how much is Sin taken away if you say all how comes the Guilt and Trouble that is in you for if it be taken away and his Justice satisfied this was to make God unjust to charge it upon you again but I tell you when his Witness in your Conscience convinceth you and manifests unto you that you commit it and reproves for it I say you cannot witness his Justice satisfied for the Light is just which is one with God and when this condemns you there is no God that will justifie you but you use to say It 's all done in Christ I ask where if it be not taken away and unless you have the Witness of it in you your Faith is vain for he that believes hath the Witness in himself which none hath which walks contrary unto the Light the pure Witness of Christ for this convinceth you of Sin and bears Witness against you Now shew your Witness within you and your Assurance I say unto you while the Testimony of Jesus bears Testimony against you it bears not Witness unto you and so see your Confusion but after you have believed in Christ as you say and have received all his Ordinances if any thing after did judge you and bring Trouble upon you this you used to call a Temptation and so put Light for Darkness and Darkness for Light I say there is no Guilt where Sin is taken away and crucified but Peace and Rest in the holy God who is unchangeable and so his Witness is unchangeable which judgeth and condemns the changeable but you use to say His Love is uncâ—angeable and whom he loves once he loves to the End yea but it is to him who is begotten by the Immortal Word which was in the Beginning which Word leâ—ds to the Beginning again before the Hatred was the Promise is to this Seed not Seeds as to many but the Seed of the Covenant there he loves from the Womb yea the Womb that bears the Seed of Jacob and the Paps that give them suck and where this is known as to Enjoyment Esau is cast out and Ishmael and the Seed of Abraham inherits the Promise and Edom and Moab is laid waste and Amaleck is slain by the Edge of the Sword and the Seed of Evil-doers cut off blessed are they that can witness this in Truth and till this be known the everlasting Love of God is not known which is stronger then Death and Sin is Death and where it is acted and conceived Love is not witnessed nor its Strength but VVrath comes upon the Children of Disobedience are you not Children of Disobedience while you break the holy Law of God in which is Power which is in the Heart and bears witness against you and in you and yet say You cannot believe that ever you shall be able to fulfil it if you fulfil it not you break it and then the Wrath of God abides upon you but then you say If we must fulfil the Law what Use is Christ of I say he who abides forever fulfilled it and fulfils it in them who know him and his Work and this the Scriptures bear witness of and herein Man comes to be justified in God's Sight by Christ who works all our VVorks in us and for us and self becomes dead and because he lives we live also Glory unto him forever and therefore we cannot but lay open the Deceit of Satan and exhort all to come up to Christ out of the VVorks of Condemnation Oh foolish People and unwise when will ye seek after Wisdom and hearken that your Souls may live How long will ye trust to the Imaginations of your own Hearts Verely verely I say unto you The Time is coming your building shall fall and there shall not one Stone be left upon another that shall not be thrown down and the Shame of Ethiopia and Egypt shall come upon you and your old Garments shall be torn off you and you shall walk naked and bare and shall see your Shame and the holy Nation of the Lamb shall rejoyce and your Sorrow the Lord hastens upon you who will not own the Cross of Christ nor the Word of Life which would turn you from Unrighteousness and out of the World and its Nature but you harden your Hearts and bend your Bowes and shoot your Arrows against the Lord and his anointed Ones and take your Paâ—t with all the uncircumcised in the Nations in the Confederacy in the Nation against the Lamb yea even with them against whom you your selves have declared and many of you who have been a Reproach now reproach O! tell it not in Gath never let it come to other Nations shame shame and blush at this you who thus requite the Lord Evil for Good Hath the Lord broken the Band of the Oppressour without And have you not seen the Hand of the Lord against them that were Oppressours cut off in his Wrath and overthrown And are not many of you the highest Professors both in England and Ireland now acting in their Footsteps Even you who profess Separation from the World who have been taken from the Sheep-fold and as you were seeking the Asses and raised from a low Estate in the World now to Places of Dignity and Honour and to bear Rule and to sit as Judges among the People and now have you forgotten that you were Servants under Pharaoh but now have taken up his Power and have forgotten the Afflictions of Joseph and your Fingers are becoming heavier then your Fathers Loyns and now you are joining your Strength with the Canaanites and Egyptians against the Lord where is the Liberty of tender Consciences you have told of and what is become of your Reformation Is it ended in this like Absolon when you are come to be Judges in the Gate act in open Rebellion against the Lord and now would be Judges of him every where and would limit him and ' set a Bound unto him and would break his eternal Decree which stands forever Oh if they who had professed no Love to God had done thus it might have been born but ye treacherous Hearts your Ingratitude and Hypocrisie cannot be born but the Lord God will visit for these Things that you should now act by those Laws you cryed out
whence Streams of Refreshment flow which make the Heart glad and the Soul to rejoyce in the Land of the living Oh my dear Ones who are anointed with the holy and living Oyl which he was and is anointed withal who is the Life you have received into your Hearts which teacheth you all things and is the Truth which abides forever and as you abide in him and he in you you are made Partakers of Eternal Life and because he lives you live also Now dear Ones having set your Faces towards Sion and towards the holy Tabernacle where he dwells look not back but all mind your Leader and Captain who hath chosen you to follow him in the War and to be Partakers of his Glory and Crown as they are faithful to his Commands which are not grievous to them who deny themselves therefore you all have known the Terrours of the Lord and the Indignation of the Almighty while you were in the disobedient Nature and in time past when you were in the Alienation and without the Knowledge of the true God in the World and worshipping dumb Idols even as you were led by the Enemy of God who ruled in you and seeing while you were in that Nature captivated unto divers Lusts which the Wrath of God hath come upon and you having tasted of the Cup of Wrath and that with the living God nothing that defiles can have Fellowship but with Doubting and Trouble and with Fear and Condemnation in you and not true Peace nor Assurance you did witness then but now being changed in your Minds by hearkning to his living Word which killed you while Sin ruled which brought Wrath and works Death now to the disobedient but now hath he changed your Minds and brought you subâ—ect and hath subjected the Adversaries under your Feet who have believed in him and have given up all to the Death of the Cross Oh my dear Ones stand all in that pure Freedom and your Measure which hath been obtained through the Death of the Cross and which Peace and true Liberty you have already obtained hath been purchased at a dear Rate and therefore dwell every one in that Measure and be diligent in the VVork of the Lord and press on that all may be subject by him who is the Light and Guide that he alone may have the Preeminence who is the Head of all Principalities and Powers in whom you have believed and received the VVord of his Power which is eternal to whom be Glory and Praise fâ—r evermore which VVord after it had judged and condemned Sin in the Flesh now gives pure Peace and Life to all who believe in it and are judged by it and it seals you and is the Spirit of Promise and bears witness in your Spirits as you act according to its VVill and therefore now all deâ—r Friends being all sensible of your Guide and Teacher shut him not up in a Corner but wait that his Word may be preached for a Testimony to all the World and the Nations of the World that so the End of it you may come to see in you and the utmost Part of it may be given in Possession to the Son that he may alone be glorified And all DEAR FRIENDS wait in Patience and be circumspect every one over your own Hearts that there be no fainting nor looking back amongst you but that you may all keep out that which would lead you into the Rebellion and it may be cut off that so you may come to the End of your Hope the Salvation of your Souls and watch one over another in the living and not with the Evil but cover one another and bear one another and if any fall by Temptation admonish and restore them in Love and let not Strife nor Contention be among you but all be low meek and gentle one to another that so no Pride nor Presumption nor fleshly Exaltation may be amongst you but that you may every one walk as Ministers of Righteousness in your Place and so preach Righteousness in the Earth that the Lord alone may be glorified who is enlarging his Kingdom in this the Day of his Power and in his Strength we run and are not weary fulfil our Joy and grow up as living Branches of Righteousness and bring forth Fruit in him who hath called you and begotten you by the Word of his Power to a lively Hope by the Resurrection of the dead incorruptible which hath changed you from Death to Life my Desire is to you and my Heart is enlarged when I think upon you and my Prayers are to the living God whom I know hears for you that you may all walk to the Praise and Glory of his Grace which hath saved you from Sin and will save you as you abide in it and will be sufficient for you to keep you single and without Stain and present you perfect before the Throne of God which is Grace God Almighty of Life and Glory be with you all my dear Brethren and preserve you all in the Arms of his living and eternal Power that you may all have Dominion by the Blood of God which is Life Eternal over all Sin and be cleansed by it from all Uncleanness and so receive the Eternal Reward the Inheritance with the Saints in Light which is the Inheritance of Jacob over which God reigns forever and blessed are they that come to witness this Forever the Lord of Life be with you all and preserve you under his Everlasting Shadow that so you may be brought to see the Lord and be ever with him who lives forever and ever and unto whom be Glory and Praise forever Amen Amen Dear Friends Glad would I hear from you that my Bowels may be refreshed for our Labour and Travail hath not been a little and our Suffering in this desolate Land my dear Brother E. B. whose Love I know is dear to you all I have not seen towards five Moneths I am in Hope I shall shortly the Work of the Lord prospers abundantly blessed be the Lord in such a wicked Generation as this is but Hell hath opened her Mouth against us and all is on Fire Councils and Head and Tail Rulers Officers Priests and all the Heathen are on an Vproar and so we must pass through Fire and Hail and Pillars of Smoak pray that we may be preserved for the Work whereunto he hath called us to gather the rest that are scattered and to turn them to the Shepherd and his Fold that they may lye down with you in the same Everlasting Fold and herein we war and strive and fight with Beasts but strong is the Lord who hath covered us and girded us with his own Armour and hath taught our Hands to War and our Fingers to fight in this the Day of his Power unto whom alone be Glory and Praise forever and ever Your dear Brother in the living Fellowship and Brotherhood which all that come to know must lay down their
in due time to be revealed through Death they come to be known that is to say through the Death of Death for Israel the true Type after they passed over Jordan and had taken Jericho and Aie and had made an Enterance into the land yet there were many Enemies to be subdued and much Land and possessions which they were not made Partakers of long after even so after there be of the true Rest enjoyed and possessed and an Enterance made into yet there are many Enemies to be subdued and much of the heavenly Inheritance to be enjoyed by them that stand in the Power which giveth Dominion over Sin the Devil Hell and the Grave and they come to be made Partakers of God and so the Enmity being slain man comes to enjoy God who is eternal Life and comes to receive the Crown immortal which God the eternal Power and Strength giveth in due time to them that wait in Patience and in Faith through which the immortal Inheritance comes to be revealed to all the Children of Light And so to conclude in few Words this I say unto all who are longing after God and waiting to feel his Power keep in your Minds to the pure Measure of God's holy Spirit and therein wait to see his Kingdom and his Dominion and to be made Partakers of it which brings the World to an End and will let you see to the End of it too before it was and him who is now glorified with the Father in the Kingdom of God with the same glory he had with the Father before the World began and whoso comes to the End of the World and to the Beginning again comes to see him and his glory and the Kingdom of glory which fades not away which whoso come to enjoy are eternally happy AN Epistle to Friends IN LONDON A Servant of Jesus Christ unto all the chosen obedient and faithful Friends and Brethren in and about London wisheth an Increase of Righteousness Faith Obedience Patience Love Peace Mercy Long-suffering Humility Knowledge Wisdom Virtue Life Power Immortal Happiness and Felicity among you all and in you all that you may know and feel an Increase in the Increase of God that your Joy Rest and Peace may be full in him who is Eternal Life it self who hath brought and is bringing Immortality to Light through the Gospel unto all and in all who receive it and believe in it which is the Power of God unto Salvation unto all that believe and by it alone is the Remission and Forgiveness of Sins witnessed and in no other Name but this who is the mighty Power of God is Eternal Life witnessed nor Victory and Dominion over Sin the World and the Devil but by Christ Jesus the Word of God the Power of God by which Power alone is Strength and Victory witnessed over Death and the Grave by all that believe in him and receive him to them he gives Power to become the Sons of God and to receive an Inheritance with the Saints in Light among them that are sanctified Therefore dearly beloved in the Lord fulfil our Joy who have laboured and travailed amongst you and have declared unto you the Gospel which is preached unto every Creature under Heaven and the common Salvation which was delivered to the Saints who are at Rest in the Lord and now again delivered and declared unto us in this his own Day of Mercy Love and Grace and the Revelation of his Righteousness that they without us might not be made perfect for all make up but one Body and if a Member want the Body is not perfect And you your selves are our Witnesses That we preached unto you Christ the Lord which we were made Partakers of and only our selves your Servants for his sake and the Lord is our Witness and that of him in you all is our Witness that we followed not devised Fables nor through enticing Words of the Wisdom of Man declared we unto you nor handled the Word of Truth deceitfully but in much Fear and Soberness and Tenderness unto all in whom there was any Ear to hear or any Desire in their Hearts after the Lord neither did we seek to exercise Dominion over you but rejoyced when any had Dominion in the Lord over Deceit and when they reigned we reigned also but they who reigned without us and not in the Lord and would have entred through Deceit and Craft any Way into the Vineyard of the Lord and have spoiled the Plants and would have subverted from the Faith we could give no Place unto that no not for a Moment to them who have made the Offence of the Cross to cease and glory in the Flesh and would lead all thither again and have made Havock of the Flock of Christ for whom he dyed and would have had them to have lived and reigned who put him to Death and counted that which cleansed from Sin a vain and a low thing unto such I am wholly without Compassion but wait to see the righteous Indignation of the Lord fall upon them who have resisted the Holy Ghost and have done Despight unto the Spirit of God Misery and eternal Vengeance will be the End of such and the upright shall rejoyce Therefore dearly beloved of the Lord who are obedient unto the Word of his Grace these things are come as a Tryal that none may henceforth glory in Man nor in any thing but in the Lord the Life it self and in them who are in the Life and every one may keep to their own singly and so they will not be easily moved and you whom the Lord hath kept in the Hour of Tryal and Temptations that you joyned not with the Error of the Wicked prize his Love and keep low stand in Awe of the pure presence of the Lord else you will know his Wrath will be kindled against you again but the Fear Awe and Dread of the Lord keeps you clean clear and pure in his Sight mind all the first Love and that which keeps your Hearts open and tender to the Lord and one to another put away all Strife and Contention watch not for one anothers halting for that which would rejoyce in that is in the Transgression it self dwell in Love and Peace one with another take heed of Security and Carelesness and Ease in the Flesh for then Poverty Dryness and Barrenness will be among you and the Womb will be shut that brings forth the Children which the Lord delights in but all feel the Life and the Power of God and let your Faith stand in it alone and they that trust in it shall never be moved for there you will be preserved out of the Changeableness and changeable things which adulterate the Mind from God who never changeth for God who is pure stands off at a Distance from that Heart which goes a whoring after other Lovers there the Bed is defiled there he will not lye nor his Love he will not manifest to the
unchast Heart nor to the strange Flesh for Whoremongers and Adulterers he will judge and the Mother of Harlots must be cast into a Bed of Torment and they that commit Uncleanness with her but the Virgin feel the Bride wait to know the Lamb's Wife who is all glorious and pure without Spot and there you will see the joyning and betrothing in Purity and Righteousness and the Marriage which is honourable and the Bed undefiled where the Lamb lyes in the Bosome of his Spouse all Night there Unity and Purity in the Love undefiled and eternal is seen The things I write unto you are spiritual and as you wait you will feel and know in the eternal Wisdom the Mysteries of the Kingdom and you will know the Holy Ghost the Womb of the Virgin which he overshadows and see the Conception and feel him who is conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin who was and is called the Immanuel who saveth his People from their Sins and then you will know Christ formed in you and him that forms and the Womb in which he is formed the first born of every Creature which is a great Mystery but through Death this is seen felt heard and understood But he that hath the Key of David opens the Door of the Treasure-house of Eternal Wisdom and unto every one he gives a Measure according to the good Pleasure of his Will who wait upon him and are faithful of his Wisdom and Knowledge and past finding out by the Children of Disobedience whose Wisdom is corrupt but unto all and in all and upon all that believe he pours out of his Spirit of Life of Wisdom of Purity and Power a Measure and in the Measure all that wait have Unity with him who is the Fulness of all Things and of his Fulness receive Grace for Grace and his Righteousness Love Wisdom Mercy and Fulness are revealed from Faith to Faith and as you believe so are you near to him whose Wayes cannot be measured and more and more as you grow in the Faith of him and in him who hath enlightened you and shined in your Hearts more of his Love of his Purity Holiness Wisdom and Glory you will see feel and understand of him and from him who is invisible eternal blessed forever ever Amen So Friends all pass on towards the Mark that you may know Compleatness in him who is all fair and not one Spot in him altogether lovely and you who know his Love and the beloved hold him fast forever and let him not go nothing can separate but an unchast Heart and as you joyn unto any strange Flesh or Idols or other Lovers and so draw your Love from him be sure of this he will hide away his Countenance from you of Love and then Sorrow will fill your Hearts So look not into Egypt again nor to what you have parted with nor the Glory nor Pleasure of Sodom left you be turned into a Pillar of Salt remember Lot's Wife there are many of the same Nature with her which are near you in that City which are as Examples that ye may forever beware lest the same Root of Bitterness spring up as hath done among many upon whom nothing is to be expected but a daily fearful looking for the just Judgments of God in flaming Fire as a Recompence of Reward for their ungodly Deeds and hard Speeches against the Truth and the Servants of it But all abide in the Cross that the Nature out of which the Lusts and the War arise against the Lord and against your Souls may wither dye and be worn out and so you will see more Rest and Peace in and with the Lord and he that hath begun will finish he that hath brought to the Birth will bring forth for in him there is Strength all Power is committed to him both in Heaven and Earth he will work Righteousness in the Earth and preserve all in Peace in heavenly Places in himself forever who believe in his Power And so Friends this I must needs say If you be straitned it is in your own Bowels as sometimes I have said when I was present with you even the same I write now Destruction is of self and Barrenness is of self and Deadness and Disobedience is of self but as you believe in him who is near and in his Grace and the Word of his Grace self is judged and bruised under and you will feel him who is the first and the last to enlarge your Borders and make your Mountain strong and your Heritage goodly and your Ground fair and pleasant where the pleasant Fruit of Righteousness is brought forth which grows in the Valleyes of Righteousness where the Beds are green and the Garden is which gives a sweet Smell and where all that dwell live and abide are fresh beautiful and lovely in the Sight of the Lord in the Sight of all the Children of Light forever Friends above all things keep low and none to judge of your selves nor think of your selves above what is meet take heed of Conceitedness and Pride and Exaltation and Presumption and of gainsaying and resisting them who have laboured amongst you in Word and Doctrine whose Example you have daily as a Pattern before you let no Boasting be nor Contentions nor Strife nor Emulation nor Surmising but in Singleness of Heart all dwell and bear and forbear one another and let the same Mind be in you as was in Christ Jesus and so Peace will be in your Dwellings and Rest and Prosperity in your Habitations and Plenty and Riches from above of the heavenly Wisdom will be multiplyed in your Meetings and the pure Presence of God and his Power will compass you about who are of an upright Heart to the Lord that so you may be as Examples and Patterns of Holiness and Righteousness in your Generation that your Enemy may confess God is among you of a Truth And so the Power of the Lord Jesus Christ rest and abide amongst you all that you may continue to the End which is the Desire of him that shall rejoyce in nothing more then in all your Prosperities in the everlasting Truth of the Son of God Heir of all Things blessed forever and ever World without End A Servant to the least for the Truth 's sake F. H. Let this be copied by any that are free and read in and among all Friends at Meetings as is convenient in and about the City Mystery Babylon THE Mother of Harlots DISCOVERED Her RISE and when With many of Her SORCERIES With her Merchants of divers Orders and Ranks and Merchandize of divers Sorts these many hundred Years Also her last Merchants with their delicate Merchandise discovered in Answer to a Book tituled The Directory for the publick Worship of God through England Scotland and Ireland which is now the chief Traffick her last reformed Merchants trade with in all these Nations Published by F. H. And the
down the Altars of Baal and thrown down the high Places did they say it 's requisite and convenient that our Priests and the Levites and the Congregation do meet at the Altar of Baal or at the high places Or did the Apostles bid the Gentiles who did believe go to their Idols Temple again and say it was a convenient Place to worship the true God in And have you forgotten that Exhortation or Precept Abstain from every Appearance of Evil And though some know an Idol is nothing in the World how be it there is not in every man that Knowledge and is it not yet called by most of you yet The House of God House of Prayer But as you did begin so will you end to carry no Traffiqe but for your Mother Mystery Babylon And thus Reader I have led thee through many things from the rise of the Whore and through the most of her merchants and through the most of her Traffique merchants of divers orders and Ranks but I find them all to trade with nothing but Inchantments and Sorceries which hath long bewitched the Nations but the time is come that she is manifest with her Merchandize and Sorceries and turned from by me and many thousands more which is my exhortation to thee that so thou mayst come to the Church which is in God and to the Elect assembly and to know the Seed which is heir of the promise and of the Life which is without end Which Mystery Babylon with all her merchants have sought to Destroy since she got up to ride upon the Beast who hath compelled all both small and great to worship him and also all Nations to buy the Whores Merchandize and Traffique which hath deceived the Nations and bewitched them but the time is come that she shall be hated of her Lovers and they shall forsake her and her Merchants shall say Alas alas which day is dawning and dawned which discovers the Whore the Beast and false Prophet with all their Sorceries and the Lamb shall reign and the holy men of God and Prophets shall rejoyce over her when the smoak of her Torment ascends up forever and ever which the Lord hasten saith my Spirit Amen A Warning to Friends to beware of such who had departed from the Faith FRiends and Brethren who have heard believ'd and received the Word of Truth as it is in Jesus and kept the Word of his Patience which will preserve all that abide faithful in this Day of Tryal and Hour of Temptation wherein Satan is let loose for a Season to try them that dwell on the Earth even to try your Faith and Patience and Love that you may be made manifest unto all that love the Lord my Bowels earn after you all and my Spirit is vexed in me for the Lord's Inheritance which the old Dragon which was and is a Deceiver seeks to destroy and root out But all who stand on the Rock and are built thereon the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against you therefore dear Friends be more circumspect and diligent because dangerous Times are come and coming wherein many shall depart from the Faith and give heed to the Deceit of their own Hearts and will endeavour to subvert and overthrow the Faith of some and will labour by all Means to make your Hope vain and your Faith void and they themselves having made Shipwrack of Faith and put away that far from them which works the Answer of a good Conscience and now seek to devour all and destroy all especially the weak and unstable Minds but blessed are they that are not offended and that turn not aside for a Thing of nought after lying Vanities which the Wrath of God will come upon and be revealed upon to the utmost because they have not the Truth and this could not have come upon them but that they take Pleasure in Unrighteousness whose Hearts are filled with Mischief and the whole Course of Nature set on the Fire of Hell being filled with Unrighteousness and now it pours out of their unclean Vessels to defile all who come near it or touch it Friends I say all be awakened for this Spirit could not have come forth nor appeared but first there was a Departure from the Faith and then giving heed to the lying Spirit and Doctrine of Devils their Understandings being darkened have brought forth these Fruits whereof all that dwell in the least Measure of Truth will be ashamed and therefore give no Place to the Devil nor to none of their lying deceitful Confusion nor enter not into consulting with it none have done or shall do but they shall be defiled dwell in that which savours Words the Ground from whence they come and that discerns Spirits take heed of feigned Words and feigned Humility and feigned Tears and feigned Joy touch not taste not handle not but all keep your Garments clean lest you be turned out of the Lord's Camp as they are and be a Vexation to the Children of Light which would be a Lamentation And therefore having seen the Deceit and having heard it judged with the Life of God which answers that of God in every Man and being warned and your Eyes have seen and your Ears have heard that which the least Measure of God cannot but abhor therefore stand not gazing and wondring and sparing one and accuse another for from Head to Tail it is all accursed and cursed is the Father of it and the Womb that brought it forth from this time forth and for evermore and all that shelter under it who have been disobedient here shelter and all who would have the Offence of the Cross to cease that so they may glory in the Flesh will find a Shelter here but the End is Death and Bitterness greater Tribulation then before will come which the Lord will hasten that all who have turned the Grace of God into Wantonness may receive a just Recompence of Reward Flames of everlasting Wrath which shall never be quenched never heed it the same came in the Apostles time after they had planted the Devourer entred and there arose from among them that had believ'd Men speaking perverse things and were proud self-willed treacherous high-minded and presumptuous of which Generation these are the same who are turned from the Truth Life and Power of God after their ungodly Lusts and having started aside from the holy Commandments of God and having slain God's Witness now make merry and call it greater Glory this will God confound for thus is the Enmity got up again which is not of himself but of another and he will not give his Glory to another keep out all feigned Love and foolish Pity and all Imitations and all sloathful Spirits and all those that run gadding up and down in Idleness and Foolishness and are not diligent in their Places all such Practices are denyed and therefore every one be diligent in your Places and Callings and there abide and all wait to
People loved to have it so and the End thereof was Misery for God raised up another Thing and overthrew the Judges Prophets Priests and People the Ancient and Honourable that were the Head and the false Prophets which were the Tail V. Is not the same Blindness happened to England When will her Rulers Judges Prophets Priests see their Error Is it ever like to be a free Nation till all act freely for God without imposing heavy Burdens and giving as much to one Officer imployed in the publick Service as would serve twenty and make so many of them too When will these Things be done away that every one may be approved manifest how he loves his Nation or how he seeks the Good thereof by laying out himself freely and acting freely without so much Chargeableness to the Nation I do not mean the Souldiery but Men employed in civil Affairs and the Ministry who would be counted godly and painful to publish freely or else be silent VI. So now many are so doting on the Name of a Parliament as though it were essential or the Name to be the Foundation of Government and cry up the Priviledge of Parliament as some have done Prerogative and would fight about a Name in their Heat and Passion and loose the thing intended though they be the Representative of the People to do Good to the people and not Hurt thy are accounted as good Servants to God and to them that elected them but if they would so soon as got together set up a particular Interest which serves to the imbondaging of the whole and then cry up their Priviledge to do what they list then it is no Rebellion in God's Account neither in the Account of Just Men to call them away when they do not perform the thing intended but if they will not hearken to the Cry of their Masters the People but it may be call them Rebels or Traytors if they should be turned out because they have clothed themselves with the Name of HIGHER POWER when alas they are gone from that in which their Power Priviledge and Authority stood VII And this I have to say to that Part of the Army who stand so much on the Name of Parliament and would seem to oppose all the rest whether Army or the People from whence their Power did at first arise when they accomplish not the End that they meet for neither intended so to do but to set up some and make the rest alwayes Sufferers if you should take part herein and manage your VVeapons for a Sound or a Name or for something that may sute you though damnifie many Thousands it will not go well with you for God looketh not as man neither judgeth he according to man's VVisdom therefore be not rash nor hâ—sty â—o shed Blood upon this Account but take Counsâ—l in time lest an out-stretched Arm stop you in your way to your Detriment and Hurt you may repent too late it is not your declaring in words for the Good Old Cause neither your Proclamations nor Declarations in good words neither taking God to witness that will satisfie the People who have been and are present Sufferers we have had enough of that from all the former Asserters of Liberty in words but the thing is not done so be less in words and more in Action and Deeds for Righteousness and though you may seemingly retort the Sayings of this Army in England upon them how they received Commissions from the Parliament and promised to be faithful to them and did that they repented of that such things should get up to rule and have Dominion as were acted by the two late Protectors whom the Parliament and you judged Usurpers and so you take Advantage at this to spread forth this to their Reproach in the Nation this is not brotherly done neither is that Spirit that will forgive and suffer long but is heady Though they did receive Commissions and promise to be faithful yet the End I believe was still Premised by them as to be Servants to them for the foresaid End the Good Old Cause 1 st Freed as men from Oppression 2 dly As Christians from being imposed upon either by ancient Laws or Laws which hereafter might be made which hindred the aforesaid Cause and End of all the travail expence and suffering in the Nation which they would never have done therefore the Army in putting a stop to that which did retard and draw back from that End aforesaid in God's Sight and in the Sight of illuminated men is no Rebellion no Treachery IX And as for the long Parliament by whom God did Good Things Great Things in the overthrowing that power which was deviated from the aforesaid End yet the Ax must not boast it self against him that hewed only with it for a time to accomplish his End and when he pleaseth take up another Instrument and let the first lie still VVhat they did they had the Approbation of God and good men yet they went not through with the work purposed and intended and though they were called together in a time of Straits when that which had obstructed through Flattery and Ambition was taken away yet still you who were the members of the Old Parliament remaining were called together for to help to accomplish the aforesaid End and to carry on the Good Old Cause but truly you sticked in the Mire and did not run cheerfully but had your Ears open to them that could complement and flatter and their Business you would hear and return them thanks but them who had been your dearest Friends in your former Straits coming in all Love and Humility and represented their sad suffering unto you of their long Imprisonment and how above twenty dear precious men suffered till Death in prison for that Grand Oppression of Tythes these could not be heard And again when a Representation came unto you from many Thousands who were faithful Men to the Common-Wealth and had alwayes been it was laid by as waste Paper or as a thing of no validity and worth when others received thanks from you in Words and a seeming Approbation of things of far less Importance Furthermore certain who had been Officers in the Army in the Nation and in Ireland this fourteen or fifteen Years came to you to present the Sufferings and Grievances of that Nation unto you and in seven or eight Weeks Time you would neither hear nor regard their Suit unto you neither take notice of it neither return an Answer but when a Company of greedy hireling Priests came from Leicester-shire to sound their trumpet in the House and to tell you they had not engaged with the rest of their Brethren in Cheshire and Lancashire with George Booth they were immediately called in and thanks returned as though they had done some great Service for the Nation but them who were your real Friends called Quakers when diverse of them represented the sad sufferings of the People
The Quakers deny Honour to Superiours and to whom it is due and so blaspheme the Name of God and his Doctrine Ninethly F. H. would never have cryed out of Deceit but a Purpose to deceive the more Tenthly That the Quakers bid open Defiance to the Worship of God Eleventhly That J. N. did say that he was as just and holy and good as God Twelfthly That F. H. said That Christ Jesus was not glorified in Heaven with a real Body Thirteenthly Human Nature is taken for the regenerate Part of Man and the Soul Fourteenthly That the best Men though regenerate bear Nettles Brambles and Pricks Fifteenthly There is an inward Law called the Law of the Spirit of Life which is imperfect and not fit to bear rule but to be ruled Sixteenthly And the Scriptures lead us to the Spirit and encline our Hearts to the Obedience of the rule Seventeenthly And F. H. prefereth Ignis fatuus before the clear Light of God's Word Eighteenthly and lastly when he hath spoken all these Lyes and published them in Print to the World he blasphemously saith in his Epistle to the Reader Have not so much regard to the Authority of the Writer as the Truth of the Matter written by him who was moved of the Lord thus to declare So all these Lyes with many more and all these damnable Doctrines which he hath uttered forth against the Truth these things he would fasten upon the Lord's Motion and so make him the Author of Iniquity and a Cloak for his ungodly Speeches against them who love the Truth as it is in Jesus who have suffered many Reproaches for its sake and have been killed all the Day long by this Generation amongst which R. I. is who hath bent his Tongue to Mischief and his Lips to utter forth Deceit and as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses so hath this R. I. resisted the Truth being a Man of a corrupt Mind and concerning the Faith reprobate but he shall not proceed much further for in what he hath written his Folly will be manifest unto all men and them that fear the Lord will depart out of his Foot-steps which lead to the Chambers of Death and from those dark Paths in which R.I. treadeth which lead into utter Destruction Westmoreland the 15 th of the 4 th Moneth 1660. F. H. To all Friends and Brethren who have been called of the Lord into that Place of New-England to bear your Testimony for the Lord to the answering of his Witness in every ones Conscience FOrasmuch as the Lord through his infinite Love and Goodness which he hath manifested amongst the Sons of Men hath called you and fitted you for his Work and Service which he hath to do you being made Partakers through the Love of God unto you of the like precious Faith with many Brethren which giveth Victory over the World and supporteth all them that keep it in the Day of Tryal My Heart's Desire is that you may all fulfil the Will of God and answer his End in sending you thither that so you may receive your Reward my Heart is drawn out unto you in true Love being sensible of the many Oppositions that you have met with and may meet with by Reason of the Strength and Power of Darkness in those Parts where Satan's Throne is exalted keep all near the Lord and feel his Power in your selves which giveth Dominion and Victory over all the World and over all fading Things which pass away and so you will feel his Strength daily renewed in you to carry you above all Opposition and his Presence to go before you and his Righteousness to be your Reward so will you be preserved in the Peace of God and feel his Life present to refresh you in the Time of Need and as your Tryals and Travails and Sufferings for Christ do abound so your Strength and Joy and Peace and Consolation will also much more abound from his Life manifest and revealed in your Hearts keep in the Power of the Lord over all Deceit and know your own Image in every one to whom you joyn and let no Deceit come near you which may get the Words and not be subject to the Power for those will betray you and rise up in Rebellion against you and glory over you for that only which can receive you through the Cross will stand by you and the other who may receive the Truth in Words into the earthly Part will stumble at the Cross and so get a Knowledge above the Cross these will blow away as Chaff Keep in your Innocency and every one in your own and there you will come to be setled and established as Trees whose Roots are spread in the Earth which cannot easily be plucked up nor a Tempest blow down you know where the Entrance was unto your selves into the Sheepfold into the true Rest thither bring all and keep all down to that to the Measure of God's Spirit through which eternal Life is revealed and the Things of God's Kingdom made manifest and they that would climb up any other Way must come down again and them that walk in any other Way must come back again and they that would strive to enter in any other Thing are shut out forever for you know there is no Communion or Concord with the Spirit of God which is pure and that which resisteth it and gainsayeth it that Wisdom must perish it 's from below that Knowledge must fade away and come to nothing So never heed the Subtilty and cunning Craftiness of the Enemy which would twist and twine every Way to gainsay the Truth and make a Noise in an airy Sound which may satisfie corrupt Minds who vilâ—fie the Truth and set the Corner-Stone at nought look not at them nor never heed that you know in whom you have believed and no other Foundation can be laid then that which is laid already for all to build upon throuâ—h which they that do believe are made a glorious and an holy Habitation for God through the Spirit and any that declare another Way another Door another Life then he that is the Light of Men is accursed So feel hâ—s Eternal Power the Power of his Resurrection in your selves to subdue and bring under all 〈◊〉 Enemies which would hinder your Enjoyment of his Life but he is a tryed Stone and they that have tryed him have found him elect and precious and his Faithfulness Power and Might Love Life and Glory endures forever and ever throughout all the Generations of the Just who are Eye-Witnesses of his Coming Power and Glory which God out of his Everlasting Love and Kindness hath revealed unto Thousands and his Coming is known in Ten Thousands of his Saints and also with them and they with him to judge in Righteousness and to make War with the Sword that proceeds out of his Mouth which slayes the wicked and brings Death and Destruction upon Death that so Life Immortality and Eternity may be brought
hasty heady Teachers and Speakers which know not the Lord's Voice cannot profit the People at all and all these tellers of Dreams and dreamers dream in the Night but what is the Chaff to the Wheat but he that hath heard God and knows his Voice and his Word which is a Spirit may speak it freely and that will answer the just in all People and the Witness of God will testifie in all Consciences to the Truth thereof and feels the Power of it and will remember it when the dreamers that dream will be forgotten And all ye that are broken into many Opinions and Sects and divers Judgments wait that you may know that which will unite you to God and one unto another that you may come all to be of one Heart and of one Mind and of one Soul into the Unity of the one Spirit as the Saints of old were in and many there are now unto whom the mind of the Lord is known blessed be the Name of the Lord forever and that you may all come to know him that healeth the Nations and leadeth out of Wars and maketh them to cease to the End of the Earth for VVars saith the Apostle James proceed from Mens Lusts and so wait in the Light which Christ hath given you for Power from God to be revealed in you which killeth the Lusts in your selves That your Swords may be broken into Plow-shares 〈◊〉 your Spears and VVeapons of War into Pruning Hooks then the Occasion and Ground of War is gone then you will come to be Follwers of Christ who came not to destroy mens Lives but to save them and to love Enemies anâ— bless them that curse you and do Good to them that hate you and pray for them that despightfully use you and persecute you and this is the Way to conquer the Spirits of your Enemies Therefore stop not your Ears nor slight 〈◊〉 the Day of your Visitation for the joyful Sound of the everlasting Gospel is now to be preached again unto all Nations Kindreds Tongues and People and towards you in Germany is that coming wherein Remission of Sins is obtained and Life and Immortality is brought to Light and blessed and happy will you be if you be found worthy to receive it which many Nations and People have put away from them and thereby have made themselves unworthy of everlasting Life And now this is a Message of Love and a free Gift unto you the Princes and People and Rulers in Germany that you may all be warned to be in a Readiness to meet the Lord in his Judgments and also to receive the tender Proffers of Life and Salvation to you and your People Nation Rulers and ruled may be happy and so come to witness Blessedness and Peace in all your Habitations which the Lord hath brought many unto in this the Day of his mighty Power wherein he hath shewed himself in the Earth and made many Witnesses of his noble Acts and of his wondrous Works that he hath done amongst us to the Intent they may be Testimonies thereof that other Nations may be invited to taste and see how good and gracious the Lord is who is the Light of his People and how pleasant the Way is that lighteth every man that cometh into the World and these Things I testifie unto you who have tasted how good and pleasant his dwelling-place is and how precious the Fold of the Lord is and how green and pleasant are his Pastures into which he leadeth his Sheep unto them hath he given everlasting Life and perfect Assurance of his Love forever These Sayings are faithful holy just and true and blessed is he that hath an Ear to hear and a Heart ready to receive understand thaâ— which is now declared of they even they shall be Witnesses of the same Glory in themselves and not only believe because of the Sound and Repâ—â—t thereof but see handle and understand these things in their own Hearts and feel it in their own Breasts So this is God's Visitation of Love to you 〈◊〉 Oh prize it lest it pass over your Heads and you never attain unto the Comfort of that which belongeth unto your eternal Rest and Peace From one who loves the Lord and all the Children of the Light and 〈◊〉 the Salvation and Welfare of all Men who is at perfect Unity with 〈◊〉 the Creation of God F. H. From England the 26 th of the 1 st Moneth 1661. THE GLORY OF THE True Church DISCOVERED As it was in its PURITY IN THE PRIMITIVE TIMES ALSO A Manifestation how and when the Apostacy came and how long it hath continued in the Church ROME proved to be in it because she differs in Doctrine and Practice from the Church of Christ in the Apostles Dayes Published for this End that People may be informed and their Understandings opened to discern the Times and Seasons and see the Difference between the Lamb's Wife and the Mother of Harlots By one who desires that all may come to the Knowledge of the Truth and be saved and walk in the Light of the Lord. F. H. TO THE Reader or Readers GReat hath been the Wisdom which God hath shed abroad in the Hearts of his People and made known unto his Servants through Ages wherein he hath made known his Mind and Will at sundry times and in divers manners sometimes by Types sometimes by Shadows and Representations sometimes by Dreams sometimes by Visions sometimes by Prophecy there was not the least Ministration but it had a Glory in it and the one living God manifested his Mind unto the Sons of men who feared his Name in every Generation and shewed unto them and signified his mind unto them what he was and shewed unto them how he would be worshipped and they that were obedient unto that which was made manifest in every Age and Ministration found Acceptance with the Lord and the Peace of God in their Hearts After man had transgressed and gone from his Maker and lost the Guide of his Youth and broken God's Covenant then Blindness came upon him and a Vail was betwixt him and his Maker and man increased and grew in an earthly Part and lusted after earthly Things which fed and increased that Part and the Image of God was lost in which the Creature delighted yet notwithstanding such was and is the Love of God towards his Creation and to his Workmanship that he did not utterly cast off man forever but followed him to draw him back again out of the Transgression to have Unity with him who was his Maker and when man was gone unto Darkness the Lord stooped so low as to come near him and to that State he was in and made a Covenant with man when mans Heart was outward upon outward Things and gave him Commands outward and Statutes and Ordinances outward that he might worship therein which were Shadows and Types of some better Things to come and these were the Ordinances of
there and we know he was no Hypocrite but the same Faith and Gospel which he had preached over the Regions he would preach there and his Gospel and Doctrine we find contrary to the Church of Rome be condemned divers Doctrines which the Church of Rome holds as forbidding Meats Marriage New Moons and Sabbaths and voluntary Humility and worshipping of Angels and praying unto them and praying for the Dead and if you brought the Christian Faith so called into the rest of the Nations first and the aforesaid Doctrines mentioned and preached them up for apostolick Institutions then you brought in a Doctrine and a Gospel that is accursed which you have received of your Fore-fathers who wondered after the Beast and received his Mark and have been drunken with the Whore's Cup to wit the Universe which you lay claim to and none but you called Christians So that it is manifest your Visible Universal Church is the Harlot and hath brought in another Gospel and other Doctrines then the Apostles and so are anathâ—matized for the Apostles preached the Power of God to be the Gospel and you have preached Traditions Inventions old Wives Fables and outward Ceremonies for the Gospel and so have deceived the Nations and now when they begin to dislike your Traffick you are angry but the Day is made manifest whiâ—h discovers all your Deceit And now I have answered the substance of the Book and also the eight Propositions proposed by the Author and there and I am not yet at the wits End as thou sayst the Ministers in Germaâ—y and the Loâ—-Countries have been neither at Wisdom's end but am in it and ready if you will lâ—y down your carnal Weapon â—o begin with thee and to Vindicate the Truth as it is in Jesus against the Doctrines of the Church â—f Rome whenâ—â—ever I shall hear of thee or any that pertain to your Church mâ—ke such another bold attempt as to condemn all since the Apostles days for Sectaries Hereticks and Schismaticks who have dissented from you and shall endeavour in the strength of Christ to Vindicate and 〈◊〉 though not with Cain's Weapons for the Faith and Doctrine whiâ—h was â—nce delivered to the Saints before the Apostacy and now is manifest agâ—in in us and is with us when the Apostacy is coming to an End and the Everlasting Gospel is to be Preached again to them that dwell on the Earth and to the Nâ—tions Kindreds Tongues and People that they may come to the true Foundation again and to the Rock of Ages again that they may be established in Righteousness forever the joyful Sound whereof is going into the Borders of Babylon which will make the Inhabitants thereof to abhor their City in which they have inhabited and they shall return to Zion with Songs of Deliverance and everlasting joy upon their Heads because the hâ—ur of God's Judgment is come and coming upon the Harlot and the Year of Redemption is proclaiming to the Captive and the Dead shall be raised to Life and shall hear the Word of Life and their Graves shall be opened and they shall have Victory over it and they that hear the Voice of the Sâ—n of God in themselves shall live and shall deny the Voice of many Waters and the Voice of your church Mystery-Babylon whose Seat hath been upon them And as for Doctor Bayly which the Author efforts for his proof and layes down his Reasons wherefore the church of Rome hath been and 〈◊〉 still the true church by way of Demonstration He saith That the Churâ—h of Rome was an excellent flourâ—â—hing Mothâ—r-Church thâ—s Church 〈…〉 to be such but she must fall either by Apostacy Heresie or Schiâ—m Now Apâ—stacy saith he is a renouncing of the Faith of Christ and no man will say that the church of Rome had ever such a Fall 2. He saith Heresie is an adhering to some private anâ— singular Opâ—nion 〈◊〉 Errour in Faith contrary to the approved Doctrine of the church Answ. Whatsoever the author is pleased to boast of the church of Rome we do not find flourishing for Faith wholâ—ome Doctrine and 〈…〉 more then other churches that were plâ—nted before her 〈…〉 both by Scripture and the 〈…〉 the church of Rome her self will allow of and 〈…〉 hath and a Fall and prove it 〈◊〉 by Apostacy 〈…〉 As First she is fallen from hâ—r first Love and 〈…〉 Doctrine of Christ who taught to love Enemies and to do goâ—d 〈◊〉 that hate them and to pray for them that Persecuted them 〈◊〉 the church of Rome hath not loved their Enemies neither 〈…〉 but have Persecuted them to Death and 〈…〉 who did not receive their Doctrine and this is renouncing â—f that Faith which was 〈◊〉 delivered to the Saints by Christ himself who taught to love Enemies and if they beat them upon the one cheek turn the other but the Church of Rome is out of this Faith and Doctrine and hath renounced this Faith of Christ and hath denyed the Power of God and placed it into a Man to wit the Pope that Infallibility is in him And this is in the Apostacy 2. If Heresie be an adhering to some private Opinion or Errour in Faith then the Church of Rome is in the Heresie for the Faith that was held among the true Churches was that which did overcome the World and gave Victory over Sin and Faith in Christ was that which only gave an Interest into the Kingdom of God but Cardinal Bellarmine a chief Pillar of your Church hath asserted this for the Doctrine of the Church of Rome That a Man hath a two-Fold right to the Kingdom of God first by the merits of Christ Secondly by the merits of man's good Works or Works of Supererogation And this is an adhering to a singular Opinion and is an Error in the Faith that was generally held in the true churches of Christ as Witness He worketh in us to will and to do viz. Christ. So that there is nothing appropriated unto the creature as a creature 3. This is an Error in the Faith of the church of Rome who teach and are taught That there is a place called Purgatory in which Men are cleansed from some light faults or venial Sins and this is contrary to the Faith of the true christian churches and is no less then Heresie for the true church or churches of Christ taught That the Blood of Christ alone cleanseth from all Sin and that he is to wit Christ the Propitiation for Sin and the everlasting Sacrifice and Offering but you have other Offerings as the Sacrifice of the Mass which you call an unbloody Sacrifice which is contrary to the Faith of the christian church in Christ's and the Apostles dayes and therefore is Heresie Again praying for the Dead and praying to Angels and Worshipping of Images is absolute Heresie and contrary to the Faith and Doctrine of the true church of Christ. 4. And as for Schism the church of Rome hath separated from many other churches
you and over you even as he doth at this Day for which I thank the Lord and I am satisfied hitherto in what is done and I have my Reward and it 's with me O dear Friends this I speak unto you that you might abide in Love and keep in Unity one among another even as you did see us one to another at all Times Oh dear Hearts dwell in Love in Meekness speak all the same Thing be kind to one another and tender and easie to be entreated one of another and be pitiful and merciful one to another and bear and forbear one another for Christ's sake who hath born your Infâ—rmities in Times past be like minded and truly I speak it your Comfort your Faith Obedience Suffering and Self-denyal thus far is come abroad and hath strengthned many and hath made them willing to be Companions with you in Life or Death their Prayers are for you their Praises are of you their Blessings are with you and so is mine who am the Lord's and yours in Life or Death and if we shall not see one another any more in these Earthly Tabernacles God's Heavenly Will be done And these Lines I send unto you as the best Thing I have to greet you with my whole Heart which is as tender as a sucking Child to you all Farewel Farewel everlastingly in the Life of Christ Jesus in which I write unto you Farewel Your Dear Brother and Companion in Tribulation F. H. Send a Copy of this to Bristol and Hartford and else-where where any are sentenced THE Great Case OF TYTHES AND Forced Maintenance ONCE MORE REVIVED THE True state thereof enquired into before the Law under the Law among the Jews likewise under the Gospel the true Ministers of Christ their Allowance shown likewise in the Corruption of time since Christ how Tythes have been introduced wherein Antiquity is searched and the Judgment of the Fathers of the Church in several Ages produced besides the Scripture it self examined in all which is clearly proved Tythes and forced Maintenance are no Gospel-maintenance the Scriptures answered divers Arguments confuted and Objections answered which are brought by the Ministry of this last Age. Also the Institution and Division of Parishes and their Rise which are published for the Benefit of all who desire that Gospel-Order might be established again in all the Churches of Christ. F. H. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Impartial Reader THou hast here recommended once more unto thy View what from Time to Time and from Age to Age hath been not only the grand Cause of invocating Councils but also hitherto even the Ground of great Dispute and Controversie if thou thâ—s Treatise do with a single Eye peruâ—e and ballance the same in just and equal Scales thou wilt find it of so muâ—h Validity as will poise thy Judgment to give Censure that this â— a clear true Demonstration of the Matter in Hand if thou be serious in thy View sincere in thy Heart and single in thy Mind as willing to know the Radix Rise and Ground of the Matter herein handled then wilt thou find thâ—â— the very Key which will aright and may without Scruple open unto thee and demonstrate the very certain infallible and sure Testimony as well of theâ—r Original Rise Growing Begetting Constitutâ—ng Setling Confirming Upholding and maintaining of them viz. Tythes all which that thou may'st be clearly informed may'st thou find as by Step and Step herein traced thou wilt find their Original as first how Tenths were given before the Commandment was given forth to the Jews thou wilt also find their growing and their Institutions thou may'st clearly see and wherefore they were so instituted thou wilt find them when confirmed and when corrupted and thou wilt find them when lawful and when not lawful thou wilt find them when they were to be payed and thou wilt find a Time when they ought not to be payed And because the Ministers of our Age as we have daily from them do vaunt and boast themselves of the Orthodox Fathers of their Church therefore wilt thâ—u find by a narrow Search and a single Eye in the reading hereof unto which I do advise thee and that in Patience and Sobriety thou wilt as one unbiassed ballance the same here may'st thou have their Opinions and Judgments also and their ancient Fathers quoted thou wilt have at large their own Words all which as by this Treatise is intended to inform thy Mind and be as a President how they are now in this our Age apostatized from what they were and now at length become as Usurpation or abused and for thy more full and perfect Understanding how they were continued and imposed thou may'st also read the Orders and Decrees of many great Councils their Opinions Judgments and Impositions from Time to Time in many Ages past thou wilt see the Testimony of the holy Martyrs and their Verdict and last of all the Scriptures discussed the Arguments confuted the Questions answered and the Objections razed which the Ministers of our Dayes do produce or in Times past have been produced as the Basis or Ground from which they infer and lay their seeming fair Foundation these thou wilt all see sufficiently clearly and evidently confuted their Structure defaced their painted Building demolished their Foundation unbottomed and they themselves if their old Root of Coveâ—ousness were not so strongly centured in them might be convinced there is not one Stone left but all is overturned and the Bottom viewed that thereby this Babel's Foundation may now be thrown down at the last which hath had so many Batteries and Assaults against it tha as it is the last so it is indeed a weighty Piece which if Truth might have Place and Error and Deceit which since the Apostacy is crept in once rooted out then needed there not another of this Nature for this indeed doth bolt the Door and if sensibly felt arightly understood and the Truth of it assented unto then would there be no Entrance but though all this may not take hold with the worldly Priest yet herein have I Hopes that Truth therein being so sufficiently demonstrated may take Place and Footing in every honest Reader so far as that he may not only be informed but convinced and not only so but being convinced by this which doth so candidly manifest the same he may in the Zeal of his Heart own 〈◊〉 and stand in the Defence thereof vindicating the just Cause thereof and witness with his Seal that this is true which if unbiassed he peruse it doth evidently appear unto me he cannot but own as he is willing and aminded to own Truth One Thing more is also in this Book inserted to wit the Sufficiency of Allowance to the Ministers of Christ in Gospel-dayes according to the Doctrine of Christ and the Apostles and it were well if Magistrates and Superiors would weigh it and that they would with the infallible Eye of pure Judgment labour
little to satisfie their vulturous Eye And if they can get a Scrowl under any Hand that hath Authority they will break open Doors pull down Hedges carry away the Corn at their Pleasure drag away Pots and Kettles and tugg away Bedding and Cloaths of all Sorts Childrens Night-beds as a Priest of this Order did in Kent lately yea Curtains and Vallans drink Bear of the Cellar and if it be but half a Cheese and this is their Plea He that preâ—cheth the Gospel shall live of the Gospel and the aforesaid Husbandman Fatherless and Widdows have not any Part or Share in the aforesaid falsly claimed Tythes but all is too little to satisfie the insatiable Covetousness of these Evangelical Priests falsly so called O how can ye know and behold these things and not blush and be ashamed and shall the Laws which have been made in the Night of Darkness and Popery of Necessity be a Rule in this Age to Magistracy and Ministry which pretend they are in a more pure Light Oh that the Lord would open all your Eyes to consider but however them unto whom his marvelous Light is shed cannot but call unto you and also bear their Testimony against the aforesaid Grievances and Disorder which are executed beyond Measure upon the poor Pâ—ople in this Nation which certainly if not amended will draw down God's heavy Judgments upon the Nation and so I cannot but as one among the rest give in my Testimony for God and his Truth against such cruel Actings and falsly pretended Maintenance of Black-Coats and Turn-Coats and my Testimony is true and to seal it I have given up my Life and Estate By a Servant of the Lord M. L. To all who say you are gathered out of the World into Church-Fellowship these Queries are for you to answer I. WHat was the Woman that was cloathed with the Sun and crowned with twelve Stars which travailed in Pain to bring forth 2. What was the Sun she was cloathed withal and twelve Stars she was crowned withal and when was she so cloathed and crowned 3. And what was the Man-child that was brought forth seeing Chrâ—st was born of the Virgin in Bethlehem long before John saw this in the Isle of Pathmos 4. And when did the Woman fly into the Wilderness and what is the Wilderness into which she fled and what is the Wings of the great Eagle which she did fly withal 5. And what is the Time Times and the half Time which she is to be in the Wilderness and when did it begin and when will it be expired and whether is the Woman ever to come out again and when shall be the Time of her Return 6. When was the Time that the Man-child was caught up unto God which the Woman brought forth seeing Christ was ascended long before this Man-child was caught up to God which was to rule the Nations and how long it is since 7. And whether is he ever to descend again and be made manifest to rule the Nations and when shall he begin to reign 8. When was the Dragon in Heaven and how came he there seeing that it 's written No unclean thing can enter there or nothing that doth defile 9. And when was he cast out of Heaven into the Earth and how long hath he to reign in the Earth 10. When began he to persecute the Remnant of the Woman's Seed and how long shall his Reign be 11. When begin the one thousand Years that he shall be bound or whether is it begun or to come 12. When shall he be taken hold of and with the Beast and false Prophet thrown into the Lake of Fire 13. What is Mystery Babylon and when had she her Rise when was her City raised up over which she rules as a Queen 14. And what is the golden Cup of Fornication she hath made the Nations drunk withal 15. And what is her Merchandize which her Merchants trade withal and the Sea upon which they carry their Traffick and upon which the Ship-Masters and Ships ride and when shall it be dryed up and what shall dry it up 16. When shall the City over which she hath reigned be destroyed and when shall her Flesh be burnt with Fire and what is the Gospel that shall be preached again 17. And how long hath it been since it hath been preached to the Nations seeing it 's to be preached again to the Nations and whether is the Time begun or not when was the Gospel lost seeing all Europe is professing it or whether is it yet to come when shall it begin to be preached again to Kindreds Tongues and Nations 18. And what is the Light of the Lamb the Nations that are saved shall walk in after the seven Vials be poured upon the Seat of the Beast Declare if thou hast Understanding F. H. A General Epistle to all who have believed in the Light of the Lord Jesus and are called of God to follow the LAMB through the great Tribulation Dear Friends WHom God called out of the World and the Vanities of it to serve the living God in Newness of Life and to be Worshippers of him in Spirit and Truth and to be Followers of Christ in the Regeneration and to be baptized with him into his Suffering and Death that so you may be partakers of his Resurrection and Life and manifest unto all that you are risen with him out of the Grave of Sin Wickedness and Death by having your Hearts renewed and your Affections and Minds set to seek those things which are above which are not transitory and visible but everlasting and immortal by which the Souls of all the righteous and obedient Children are refreshed and nourished up unto eternal Life and through the eternal power of the Son of God which hath been and is manifest among them that believe in the Measure of his Spirit and keep their first Love and Integrity unto the Lord all his are preserved out of the Temptation of the Adversary within and without who seeks to root out that which God hath planted and to nip the Blossom and the Bud which God hath caused to spring forth through his tender Love in your Hearts so that you might dye to the Good and be spoiled in that wherein all your Happiness lyeth now and forever Oh therefore all watch and be circumspect so much the more against Temptations lest you be ensnared and your Faith fail and you fall short of the promise of God in not continuing Faithful to the End Friends a Care and a tender Love and a godly Jealousie is in my Heart to you and over you all that have believed that none of you may be lost and scattered again in the Desarts and Mountains and dry and parched places where you have sometimes been in the time of Unbelief where the Goats who are rough can feed that must go to the left Hand and have the Curse The Zeal of the Lord and his Truth who so gloriously hath
according to the Innocency of our Hearts do thou judge us and plead our Cause And further we have laboured that Sin might be beat down and that all every where might have been turned from it unto the living God and that Righteousness might have been advanced and Truth have taken Place in all Mens Hearts both in word and deed that Christ who is professed in Words might have ruled in the Hearts of all Men that make mention of him that so God's Blessing might have been felt and known by all and the Souls of all saved from the Snares of Satan and out of that which the Wrâ—th of God and his Judgments come upon And Lord God of Heaven and Earth thou knowest how our Adversaries have sought Occasion against us for no other Cause but for the Matter of the Worship of the living God and unto God's righteous Judgment Seat we dare appeal do thou judge us and reward us according to our deserts if ever we have contrived the Hurt of any Man or Men or have sought to violate any righteous Law of Man which stands to the well-governing of a Nation or Country in the things that pertain to the World yet how have we been falsly represented slander'd belyed mis-reported hated back-bited persecuted and killed as all the Day long and reputed we are as not fit to live in our native Land neither to enjoy our own Wives and Children a thing common to all men Christian and Heathen neither to breath in the common Air And how many grievous things have been heaped and are daily upon our Backs that we are factious seditious Enemies to Magistrates to the Ministers of Christ Plotters Conspirators against humane Government Enemies to the King disobedient to the Laws Broachers of Heresie Authors of Sedition Enemies to the Church and State And this the Devil who was a Lyar and a Murderer and a Slanderer from the Beginning he hath put a lying Spirit in the Mouthes of some and it 's entered into the Hearts of others and thus by them are the Powers of the Earth stirred up and the Rulers to persecute us without any just Cause but this must not be counted Persecution for all the aforesaid things and many more he hath perswaded them we are guilty of and therefore all that comes upon us it must be reckoned as just and is an equal Reward for our Offences and as just punishment for our Transgression and Disobedience and so is no Persecution at all and he hath Witnesses enough to testifie against us as he had against Christ all the Scribes and Pharisees and the Leaders and Rulers of the People with the high Priests Judas and all to testifie against him That he was not fit to live but all cry Away with him even so now he hath all the Rabbies and Elders and all the Time-serving Hirelings who serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own Bellies and all formal Professors who profess him in Words but deny him in Works and deâ—pise his Cross with all Drunkards Lyars and Swearers all proud and covetous all wanton and riotous and all that love the Pleasure of Sin for a Season all these will give their Verdict against us There was and is a Generation that called Darkness Light and Light Darkness and Good Evil and Evil Good the Judgment of all such is false and must be Judged and God who hath Immortality and dwells in the Light with whom is no Darkness at all judgeth not as these men and therefore let us never heed the Censures and Judgments of fallen men who err in their Judgment who cannot judge for God or his People but against them let us count it a light thing to be judged or condemned by man seeing the Lord justifies us in his VVork and Service whereunto we are called and all the aforesaid Crimes falsly laid to our Charge he clears us of and we can with a good Conscience and pure Heart bid defiance to all the Powers of darkness and all the Enemies of God and the Lord will clear us more and more as his Power Glory and Light appears in the Earth and brings forth our Righteousness as the Noon-day before our Enemies notwithstanding all the false Aspersions and Reproaches cast upon us in the mean time if we be crowned with Reproaches as Christ was with Thorns and evilly entreated for his Names sake let us bear all things and endure all things with Patience and Hope to the End And though they cover us with Bear Skins and Draff as the Heathens did the primitive Christians and so let all the wild Beasts upon us let us give up our Bodies as a Sacrifice unto the Lord and for a Witness unto his Name and Truth that so we all may witness eternal Rest unto our Souls and everlasting Joy in his heavenly Habitation where all Persecutors and Evil-doers are shut out Dearly beloved of the Lord I write not these things unto you because you many of you do not know them but because you know them to put you all in Mind and to stir up your Hearts to the holy Consideration of these things in these perilous and trying times and in very Truth whatsoever doth lye within my View that might conduce to any or all your Good I cannot withhold it from you because I know it is not only my Duty but I can truly say the Love of Christ constrains me for my Soul Heart and Life is knit unto you in the everlasting Covenant of Life above all the Families of the Earth and the more you are hated the more I love you and the more you are despised and set at nought the more I prize you and the more you are compassed about on every Side with Tryals and Afflictions the more my Soul is poured forth unto the Lord for you that you may be kept stedfast in the Faith and Hope in the Lord unto the End that you may receive his Reward the Crown of Glory which is laid up for all them that love the Appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the Faith do overcome And blessed and happy are all they that keep their Garments clean in this polluted time wherein Wickedness walks with open Face and Ungodliness with an out-stretched Neck and is exalted in great Height and doth corrupt many and the Earth is growing ripe with Wickedness for Destruction for the proud are counted happy and they that work Wickedness are admired and gloryed in as the only brave Men of these times which they make evil through yielding themselves Servants unto Sin and their Lusts. Ease and worldly Enjoyments and immediately drop down into eternal Perdition and it 's time for the Lord to arise and plead with all Flesh for men make void his Law and go about to establish their own in Opposition thereunto for Violence Cruelty and Hardness of Heart and Persecution are the Forerunners of Desolation and Destruction these things do generally abound all is secure and at
Ease Hardness of Heart is generally over People and clearly to me it doth presage Judgment Tenderness of Heart and Spirit is generaly lost among people and the most have made Shipwrack of all their Hope Faith and Profession to please the time and men of this Generation who are perverse and froward they have been treacherous to God and to their own Souls and cannot do Good to his People keep as much as in you lyes out of their Spirit Manners for they are corrupt and though God's Judgments be abroad in the Land and his Anger kindled and broken forth yet few enquire the Cause or say What have I done but if any do enquire it is generally in that dark Spirit that leads them to Evil which God hides his Counsel from and will not be found of and yet they make Conclusions and give Judgment as the Heathen of old if any Pestâ—leâ—ce Famine or Drought or Judgment came upon them thâ—y said The Christians were the Cause and so stirred up Persecution against them the like and Dreamers of this Age in their Mock fasts and Humiliâ—tions they say Heresie the Cause and because all dâ— nâ—t conform and are not willing to submit to the changeable Institutions of men though never so repugnant to the Law of God they tell the Magistrates The I hanaticks and Quakers are the Cause and so they fast for Strife and to kindle Debate and to stir up Persecution and they seem to cleave so close to the Magistrates that will force and exâ—ct Gain for them and give them large Pay they will cry them up as the higher Power that all are to submit unto in all things under the Pain of Condemnation and they will cry them up and dance and clap their Hands and rejoyce as Israel did about the Calf when they had forgotten God so the Lord is provoaked more and more and they think by rooting out his People if possible will stay his Judgments it 's lamentable to see what Blindness is over the Hearts of the Seers of this Generation who cry Peace Peace and how Peâ—ple are given up to believe their Lyes and to Hardness of Heart and never consider their own Estate neither the Afflictions of Joseph is remembred Another thing also hath been in my Heart many Weeks and a Query hath been in my self and I know hath been on many Spirits why in this common Calamity and in God's Visitaâ—ion of the City of London and many other Places of this Nation that they that have suffered so greatly so long and so faithfully and have born such a Testimony for the Lord why also they should be taken away among the rest seeing the Lord was able to deliver and also command his destroying Angel to pass over as it pleased him and spare and take away as he pleased and why it should not be wholly upon his Enemies and upon them that called not upon his Name in Truth and Righteousness I had many sad Thoughts of Heart and have waited upon the Lord concerning these things with Supplications and Tears concerning his afflicted Peâ—ple and concerning his Name and Truth and this Satisfaction I have received in my self and do communicate unto you First of all it is said That Paul stayed and preached the Gospel at Ephesus two Years so that not only them of Ephesâ—â— but all Asia heard the Word of God both Jews and Greeks and many were gathered unto God and believed and the rest were hardened When I considered this that not only two Years but twelve Years that City of London hath heard the Word of the living God declared and published plentifully in it and the everlasting Gospel of Christ in the Demonstration of the Spirit and with Power insomuch that the Sound went through and through and many believed and the rest were hardened having lost the Day of their Visitation but alas it was but a few considering the Labour and Travail and considering so many Thousands who counted the things of God a slight Matter and for them that were worthy and did believe they were hated and despised and evilly entreated with the most and shut up in Holes and miserable Bonds and Prisons and lingring Torments which oftentimes were the Cause of their Death whose Lives God is requiring at the Hands of that Place and the Messengers of God were mocked abused and evilly entreated and shut up in Bonds till Death and Wickedness did abound and Peoples Hearts grew hard in Ease Riches Pride and vain Glory till the Wrath of God broke forth and cut down Thousands in his Displeasure and this was seen and foreseen full three whole Years and upwards by some of the faithful Servants of God who laid down their Lives in Bonds in that City and are gathered unto the Lord and also some who remain in the Body unto this Day and it was prophesied of and the City was warned thereof Rulers and People but the most made a Mock of it till the just Judgment of God seized upon it Secondly The Lord took away these faithful Men of God Edward Burroughs Richard Hubberthorn and George Fox junior who had been much conversant there who were faithful Watchmen and prevailed often with the Lord till they were shut up in Bonds for all their sore Travail and Labour amongst the Inhabitants thereof and that Place being unworthy of them any more he delivered them and took them away to himself from the Evil to come that they had seen and prophesied of that they might see none of that Misery that is now come Thirdly They were gathered unto the Lord as a Token and Sign unto them that believed of many following after and of their Dissolution Fourthly The Lord did fore-know and fore-see and also had determined Evil against that City and that which is now come to pass and that this Generation notwithstanding all the Entreaties Woings Warnings and Exhortations which they had and slighted and they would proceed on to more Mischief and Persecution in presumption against God and his people and are yet determined and have said in their Hearts Though the Bricks be fallen down we will build with hewn Stone to fortifie themselves that their End might not fail which the Lord God will blast and confound and though Friends have born their Iniquity they shall at last bear it themselves and know the Reward thereof and have none to help so the Lord hath taken away many in his Love and Mercy from the Evil to come and hâ—th freed them from further Misery and hath translated them out of the Reach of all their Enemies Fifthly Seeing they have suffered long and faithfully in that plaâ—e and and elsewhere and have born a living Testimony many to the Loss of their Lives and to their ruinating in this World against the Abominations that did abound and their righteous Souls were vexed as Lot's was with the Sodomites the Lord hath considered and hath said It is enough your Afflictions I will end and
from Sea to Sea that all that wait for him and love his Appearance now when he is made manifest might rejoyce in his Goodness and Life and may be made glad as Zeâ—ulon and Nephtali beyond Jordan in the Dayes of old upon whom sprung up a marvelous Light that the whole Earth might be filled with his Praise and Glory that hath been filled with Darkness Violence and Cruelty in the time of the Devil and Anti-christ's Reign which hath been long and great in the Earth so that the Hearts of the Sons of Men have been corrupted and they are gone backward from the Lord and have been degenerated into a strange Nature and have brought forth evil and corrupt Fruit like that of Sodom and they that do Evil are not at all ashamed neither do they blush but are become impudent through the long Custom of Evil and hard and impenetrable upon whom the Hammer of the Lord must come and his Indignation be poured forth But you whom God hath called out of this Estate into a State of Redemption and Purity by his Son the Light of the World who hath illuminated the Eyes of your Minds Consciences and Understandings that you might bear Witness unto him that is true a Testimony against the World that lyes in Wickedness and pleads for it and lives in it as though it were the Way to Felicity hold fast your Liberty hold fast your Faith hold fast your Hope hold fast your Testimony let none take your Crown and so much the more as you are compassed with Temptations and the times be perilous so much the more you had all need to keep near the Lord for now Father would betray the Son and Sâ—n the Father the Mother her Daughter and the Daughter her Mother and Brother and Kinsfolk betray one another and them that exercise Authority would betray who are not in the Power of God and through Flattâ—ry and Threats and fair Promises and Frowns and Gifts and Rewards and Ease and Liberty and the Glory of the World and whaâ— not to lead your Hearts away from the Lord and then glory over you and rejoyce that your Feet should slip and you fall into the Mire and Dirt and gross Abominations and Pollutions of the World that lyes in Wickedness Dearly beloved nâ—ver heed none of those things let not the Philistines put out your Eyes nor damm up your Wells for then would they mâ—ke you grind like Sampson and you might perish in the Drouâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Look of Moisture and then your Dayes would be miserable and 〈◊〉 Yeâ—rs full of Sorrow for the Lord will perfâ—rm 〈◊〉 Promise and 〈…〉 with them that keep Covenant with him but if you forsake him in your Hâ—arts in what is made manifest then he will forsake you and then 〈◊〉 are left to the Mercy of your Adversary which will be cruel Therefore 〈◊〉 the Pride of Moab nor the Reviling of the Children of Ammâ—n 〈◊〉 thâ—â— are uncircumcised in Heart and the Moth shall eâ—t them up aâ— a 〈◊〉 Oh! if any draw back from following of the Lamb through Suffâ—ring they will be smitten and the Lord will have no Pleasure in them and what will Amaleck say when Israel turn their Backs in the day of Battel but where is their God in whom they trusted and he that brought them forth was not able to deliver them to the End Oh that such things might never be spoken of now in Gath or Ashkelon as in the dayes of old lest the Sons of the Philistines triumph and the Daughters thereof rejoyce in their Wickedness and this would make the Hearts of the Israel of God to mourn this is the day of the Lamb's War indeed in our Age and a Day of Battel though his Weapons and his Followers be not carnal but spiritual and there is none that goeth to War doth entangle himself that hath a Purpose to hold out and is resolved to continue with him in his Sufferings but will shake off these things that incumber lest he should not obtain the Victory and come short of the Promise Victory Crown which all that endure Hardship to the End shall receive Oh dear Friends look above all visible things and stand out of them all and loose from them that the Enemy do not ensnare you what is not the Earth the Lord's and the Fulness thereof and hath not he given the utmost Part of the Earth for a Possession to his Son What was not Abraham our Father blessed when he was faithful and obeyed the Voice of the Lord and went out of his own Country he knew not whether was not the Lord with him whether ever he went and his Blessing upon him where he sojourned in a strange Land did not God intreat him kindly in Mesopotamia and among the Hittites and was not he loved and feared among his Enemies Was not John the beloved and faithful Disciple of Christ banished into Patmos for the Testimony that he held Was not Shadrach Mesach and Abednego Children of the Captivity cast into the Furnace and Daniel too among the Lyons for the Testimony they held against the common Worship of Nations commanded by a Law Did Christ endure the Death of the Cross and the Contradiction of Sinners and condemned by the most Did not the believing Hebrews who were banished wander in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins in Holes Dens and Caves of the Earth for the Hope they held and the Country they looked for Did not Moses through Faith forsake Pharaoh's Court and became a Companion of poor Brick-makers in Captivity A Cloud of Witnesses might be brought even of them who dyed in the Faith and yet were not made Partakers of the Promises who many of them saw not what you have seen nor heard those things that you have heard nor enjoyed that which God hath made many Partakers of and have we not a great Cloud of Witnesses in this our own Age some who have not loved their Lives unto the Death for the Testimony they received believed and held fast unto the End unto Death have not many dy'd in Prison with hard Usage have not some been hang'd and dyed a shameful Death and finished their Course with Joy and Peace have not many endured great hard and long Imprisonment for Years and are they yet weary nay have not many suffered great Spoil of their Goods and have not they a Reward seven-fold into their Bosom Oh let the Consideration of these things dwell upon your Hearts and provoke you unto Suffering and Long-Suffering with Joyfulness that in the midst of all Tribulations as it abounds you may feel according to the Promise of God your Joy much more abound to carry you above it indeed now is the time come and he that will manifest himself to be on the Lord's Side must suffer and he that will not but turns back into the broad Way and runs with the Herd of Swine into the Sea of common Pollution must perish there and indeed there is no Place