Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	know_v	see_v	soul_n	6,285	5	4.9453	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

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

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

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

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

spoken nothing but the Words of Truth and soberness He then called for Witness but there appeared none The Governor asked if she did not write to him Ans Dost thou know me If thou dost know me and will own it I did write to thee three times in love to thy soul that thou might see the wickedness of thy Ways and return from it He said She is an old Quaker take her away yet he said Why did you come here seeing you had written Ans If Writing would have discharged me I had not come But why did you com from Providence into this jurisdiction A. Art not thou my fellow-creature Did not that God that made thee make me And hath he not given me as good right to breath in his air and tread upon his Earth as any of you He said Take her away till further Order Ans The Lord look upon you and open your blind eyes and soften your hard hearts so taking her away to the prison where she was continued until the 1. of the 8. Month 1658. Then being brought to a private Court they asked her Wherefore she came into these parts saying her abode was at Providence where for ought we know you have led a blameless life Ans as before To bear witness against your cruel spirits With more such like queries and answers Then one asked what I had to do to come into their ground Ans You take too much upon you you Magistrates more then ever God gave you Then they cryed out She had too much tongue the Secretaries learned speech One who is a learned persecutor in the Book of Damascus envious and malicious hating that which is good you have a Family at Providence Ans Yea which I highly prize He said If I should come into your ground and into your house and eat of your meat and drink of your drink whether you would or no though you should say I should say I should not do you think this were well Ans Did I come into any of your houses and eat any of your bread Nay not into the Houses of my near Relations against their minds or by force but if I should make such a Resolution against thee or any one that thou shouldst never come within my house or ground upon no occasion whatsoever although thou were my bitterest Enemy I should shew a dogged wicked spirit contrary to the Spirit of Jesus Then they stopped me complaining of my Words then one said There is like to be a Law to hang you if you come again into these parts Ans If God call us wo be to us if we come not and I question not but he whom we love will make us not to count our lives dear unto our selves He said VVe shall be as ready to take away your lives as you shall be to lay them down Mark Reader how learned their answers is She said Alas for your blindness that Di●bolical spirit that worketh in you hath led all the persecutors in all ages to kill the Saints Another stood by and said he knew my Father and called him Master Morbury and said he was sorry that I should turn Quaker in my old age Ans Here is none here but I think is as old as I and it is time for you all to look after the things which belongs unto your peace I have trod all your steps But here again they stopt me Then they put forth many more queries whereby to ensuare me The answer was I shall believe nothing nor affirm nothing but what the Scripture speaks of So the Goaler returned her back to the prison from whence she was brought and the next day brought her to the VVhippingpost their Altar upon which being offered she received ten stripes with their threefold Whip which being unfolded amounts to thirty which when they had done the Goaler told her she might go forth paying her Fees Ans If I might go forth for two pence I am not free though I dye here Katherine Scot. This ancient and honorable woman as she is in God so she is thus they used although she and her Kinsfolk be of no small repute amongst men whose saithfulness Reader thou mayst understand wrought no less then this effect for as all other sufferings in the same sort produceth no less but the same effect to wit the releasement and enlargement of many prisoners that are opprest so did this it's full part there being these three whose Ears the Adversaries had abused and they themselves detained for the non-payment of fees which in conscience they could not do she left them not until through her the Lord God wrought the releasement of them all so what God did by her for her and through her and them that loved her in that place let them take their reward into their own bosoms which shall remain to their peace and renown for ever Besides all this her testimony she finished against that cruel spirit that rules amongst them as she had great cause so to do her own sister who lived amongst them and had seen the end and emptiness of all their Ceremonies Anne Hutchinson by Name whom they banished from our of their Coasts and her children coming to visit their kindred were imprisoned a great part of a bitter Winter vvherein the vvas banished upon pain of death which camed them to go amongst the Dutch to settle where she and her family was cruelly murdered by the Indians the sense vvhereof hath pierced me to the heart so that I have said Surely God vvill take vengeance for these things for vvhose blood God vvill make inquisition and in that day you vvill be found guilty and it required at your hands vvith a Voice more loud then all the rest of your crying sins for vvhich ye must account ye bloody hypocrites And thus may all that reads see hovv ancient these bloody Articles of these Professors Faith is So on the 7. of the 8. Month 1658. the four before mentioned vvas set a liberty Again upon the 29. of the 7. Month 1658. The Constable by vertue of a Warrent sent from Ipswitch Court came and vvarned us three Samuel Shattock Nicholas Phelps and Ioshua Buffum to appear before the Court at Ipswitch vvho upon sight of the Warrant was free thereunto and on the next day by the Constable and one more we were had to Ipswitch so the Court called for us then going in vvith our hats on commandment vvas given to pull off our hats which accordingly they did some Words was then spoken about the Hat but we answered not waiting for what they had to accuse us of then there was given them a paper with our Names and some others for not coming to their meeting and meeting together contrary to such a Law as they have but we said little to it they laid contempt of Authority to our charge because we did not put off our hats the which we wholly disowned and said If it were our manner to do it

the latter far surmounting the former several times have they endeavoured to starve us to death by famine at the Town of Boston several times under restraint vvhich herein is not mentioned several of us lost in the Wilderness in the Winter-season several nights vvading deep Waters in frost snovv and cold vvhen none could be had to guide us because of the season one of vvhich S●rah Gibbins by Name lost tvvo nights in this nature being alone vvithout man or Woman to comfort her seized on by an Indian vvhich sorely attempted her but the Lord delivered her the English also endeavouring to stirr up the Indians against us all this have vve born and suffered through his strength and for his love vvho hath chosen us vvhereby vve have heaped Coles upon the heads of our Adversaries vvho hath thus entreated us vvho vvas sent unto them for their souls sake vvho hath caused us to say Oh how are the precious sons of Sion comparable to fine Gold esteemed as Earthen Pitchers the Clay of the Potter H. N. A Letter to John Indicot and John Norton Governor and chiefe Priest in Boston which yet is not answered FRiends I heard a great noise about a litttle Note I writ to Iohn Indicot after the Brethrens Ears were cut be it known unto you that it was onely unto such as sits in counsel to shed innocent blood with such as votes them up and upholds them therein who deserves the greatest curse of all Crimes as for all such into whose hands my Paper comes let them compare it with the Laws which they of Boston made against us as cursed Blasphemers and Hereticks and Adamites c. as if they made a Libel of their Law And consider how much ever any of you have seen or heard us troubled a● it and I having sent forth but one few lines wherein is laid upon them that which is but their due and see how the Beast roars as if he were wounded in his secret parts and cryed out unto all the Earth for ease and mind you Reader whether their Curses or ours is of more force and whether it 's they or we that lyes under the power of a plague and whether in all ages it was the innocent or the guilty who cried out Help O men of Israel help Humph. Norton John Indicot Cursed is that man which causeth any to be dismembered of the members that God hath formed made given them before he that made them doth remove them sad wil it go with thee if the loss of that member cost any one his life Remember that Scripture thou brought That he that sheds mans blood by man shall his blood be shed Think not O miserable man that thou canst cover or hide thy self by saying thou persecutest not nor thou sheds no mans blood for in the condition thou art none of these things can be done without thee or thy consent and at thy hand will all this blood and cruelty be required thou knowest that they are but Officers imployed by thee that executes it thou art the foreman in forging of them of this take warning from the Lord God that in the day wherein thou begins with that bloody Work of dismembering the cry of blood will enter into thy house and the curse of God will be more grievous to thy heart for so doing then all the Earth can add thee comfort As thou tenders pitty to thy poor soul take warning before-hand least thou have cause to repent when it is too late least of these thy actions and proceedings will be unto thee as a burdensome stone in the day of thy account Thou maist remember that thou asked me how thou should know that I was sent of God c. I say Many examples might be giveu thee if thou couldst believe As first The Scripture is fulfilled in hurling and pulling me out of your Affembly in such a manner as never any was out of the Church of God and haling me before the Magistrates and casting me into prison according to that Scripture mentioned by John Norton The Devil shall cast some of you into prison Doth not thou believe that he prophesied what would become of us And is it not now as it was then that he that lives after the flesh persecutes him that lives after the Spirit so that this is no new thing but if there be in him any manhood for God or love to the souls of his people let him come forth and give proof thereof in performing but this reasonable request and if he be a Herdsman either of Abraham or Lot and in his thoughts hath gone all this time to the right hand let him now turn to the left and take his Compass through Piymouth-Patten Road-Island Providence Long-Island and else where they have believed and received our report whom you account and call deluders and I shall freely engage my body for his unto this Patten that he shall not be imprisoned whipped nor dismembred by any of them and the same time that he hath there with any one or more accompanying him let me have the like Liberty in this Town and Collony with my yokefellow and let the fruit shew the effect who is the deceiver the false Prophet the Earthly Epicure or the Worldly belly-god if this he deny let him be ashamed and never more owned by you his hearers to be a Minister of the Spirit of truth Let me have his or thy Answer on his behalf directed unto me who is a friend to thy soul called Hump. Norton but by the scorners a quaker Let him subscribe the Answer and let not these deluded Flocks as you account them be lost for want of his labour Again thou maist remember thou charged me with Blasphe● my against John Norton Whereunto I say Had he been a Minister of Christ and I had hit him on the one che●k or under the fifth rib he should have turn'd unto me the other also and let me have had both place and time with him and the people that he might the more have laid me open and not to have suffered one of his chief members as if it were his heart to have cast me into prison but this and such as this doth but the further make thee and him manifest Dated from Boston prison this 16. of the 5. Month 1658. Another LETTER to the Town of Boston BOSTON is a withered Branch the sap of the Vine is departed from it your profession is become barren and your glory is become withered ye are departed from the Lord and have followed your own inventions How is thy beauty faded thou who was famous among the Nations for thy zeal towards God! But now thy zeal is turned to hypocrisie and envy hath eaten you out and malice is as a Canker among you and the way of peace you know not but are following that which makes desolate therefore return while you have time and let God be truly minded by you lest he break forth with