OH London, London, what Lamentation may I take up for Thee, who was of late a flourishing City; whose Scitua­tion is by a pleasant River, thorough which great Riches in abundance hath been brought to thee, by which thy Inhabitants have been made rich; thy Pomp and thy greatness, thy Excellency, and variety of Treasures, hath allured many to flock un­to thee, from one end of the Nation to the other; and many have counted themselves happy, that could get a convenient Habitation in or about thy Borders: A City that was so joyous and counted a place of delight, and a Palace for Princes, a meeting place for those called the Nobility of the Land; unto thee hath the Embassadours from far Countries resorted: Oh how is this City become solitary that was full of people, she is now left as a widow of youth that was counted the pleasant place of the Nation, and as a Princess in the Province, for how hath thy great Men left thee, and are fled as from a Mon­strous woman; how are thy Inhabitants a dread to the Country, because of the Plague that is broken out in thee; Oh my heart hath been in sorrow for thee, and a burthen hath layn upon me as con­cerning thee, ever since the Lord began to manifest his displeasure against thee, even ever since the Ship called the London was blown up, where more then 200. persons were torn in pieces, whose Graves were in the Sea; this then was the cry of my heart; saying, think yee they were greater sinners above all men? and this was the answer from the Lord, Except they repent they shall likewise perish with a mighty slaugh­ter, though not in the same way. This was signified unto me by the Spirit of the Lord when I was in his dreadful fear, overshadowed with his Heavenly power, and I waited to see it effected, or a re­turn to the Lord by cealing from unrighteousness, which most of all I desired, that he might have diverted his intended Judgments; But Oh how hast thou dishonoured his name, and walked after thy own hearts lusts, as those that have forgotten the Lord dayes without number, and hast not humbled thy self before him, but hast regarded ini­quity, [Page 3] and walked in cruelty, against the Lord and his poor people, and hast walked proudly, so that many of thy Inhabitants scarcely knew what to eat, or to drink, or what to put on, and yet a pro­fessing people, having on you the name of Christians, but are seen of all those whose eyes are open to be in the nature of Heathens, Turks, or Infidels, who are not found in the nature of Christ, who came not to destroy mens lives but to save them; but on the con­trary thy Rulers and Magistrates with their attendance, have been found persecuting and imprisoning, knocking down, and wounding even some unto death a peaceable people that fear the Lord, that he hath raised up in these last dayes to be as signes and wonders, whose resi­dence and dwelling is amongst you; who have but testified against unrighteousness, and assembled themselves together as the antient Christians in the dayes of old, who feared the Lord, and thought upon his Name; and when all this Cruelty would not do nor bring them down, whom God hath raised up; then was invented in thee ano­ther way, thou didst see thy pomp and greatness would do thee no good while these people called Quakers were among you, their Laws being divers from thy Laws, their Worship to thy Worship; then thou hast concluded with the rest of the Rulers of the Land, even as Haman who said, it's not for the Kings profit to let them live a­mong us; then this cruel Edict was invented in thy Borders to make such a Law as thou might be sure to find these people transgressors of, that thou mightest say as those unworthy Jewes, who said, Wee have a Law, and by our Law Christ ought to die. Oh this your Law will not excuse you before the Lord who seeth your insides, and will judge you according as your works are, not by the sight of the eye nor by the hearing of the ear, but he will enter into righteous judge­ment with you, for he is determined to plead with all flesh to bring down the haughty, and to lay the lofty low; and for all thy transgres­sions and cruelties God is now risen to plead with thee; for thou hast been the womb in the which cruelty without mercy hath been conceived, thy Rulers with their Allies have been examples to all cruel minded men thorough the Nation, therefore must thou drink a bitter cup, and into thy hand hath the Lord first put it; for when thou began to banish (by that late devised Law) those people out of the Land that feared the Lord, and durst not mak shipwrack of their faith, and of a good conscience; then did the Lord begin with thee, and poured out his Plagues upon very few, as thou beganest [Page 4] first to banish two or three of the people of the Lord; Oh that thou hadst considered and made a stop then of that woful sin of Perse­cution, but still thou wouldest go on; and didest send away seven more of the servants of the Lord; and wouldest not take notice of the encrease of the Plague, but still thou hast hardened thy heart a­gainst Gods innocent people, and sent away eight more, though still the Plague encreased in thy borders; and as thou hast multiplyed thy cruelty, so the Lord hath caused his Plague to encrease; and now at last thou hast by force carryed near threescore of the servants of the Lord both men and women on board, a Ship in order to their exilement, even into an inconsiderable Vessel where is not convenience as becometh Christians; the Deck being so low that they are fain to go double be­tween the Decks, where they must be forc'd to be & lodg, as if they were intended to be destroyed. And as thou hast sent near threescore more of the servants of the Lord away, so hath his Plague encrea­sed to near three thousand by the weekly bill; though it's judged to be more; and by many of the Inhabitants of this City here is a cry, saying, this is that which will encrease the Plague; yet still were the hearts of thy Rulers hardened against this innocent people: Well, they may all know the Lords anger is not yet over, but his hand is stretched out still; for, as thou hast encreased in cruelty, so hath the Lord executed his righteous Judgments (and will yet more and more) yet wouldest thou go on like Pharaoh in the dayes of old, though the first born was slain, yet he would pursue Israel in­to the Sea, which became a Grave for him: Oh that thou would­est have taken notice of the dealings of the Lord, and have ceased from all oppression and cruelty; that those whom you have nothing against but as concerning the Law of their God, might have lived peaceable amongst you, being such that loves peace, and can learn war no more; yet they are assured the Lord will plead their cause, who is their reward in the day of tryal, and hath and is with them in the hour of temptation; Oh but thy Pride and wantonness and fullness of bread, thy drunkenness, whoredoms, couzenings and cheat­ings, hath so eaten thee up that thou hast not considered the most High ruleth in the Kingdoms of Men; for in seeing thou couldest not see, and in hearing thou hast not considered, but thy heart hath waxed fat thorough the abundance of thy Dilicacy; the voice of Musick, and the sound of the Organs thou hast delighted in; but now instead thereof, the voice of sorrow, weeping, and bitter La­mentation [Page 5] shall be heard in thee, and none shall comfort thee, be­cause thou hast not regarded the afflictions of the afflicted, but hath added grief unto their sorrow: Oh, oh the Lord hath seen, the Almighty hath taken notice, and is now risen to plead with thee, and as thou hast added affliction to the afflicted by drawing and ren­ding the people of the Lord from Prison where they have long lay'n to send them by force into exile; so the Lord hath encreased thy Plagues, who would have none of his counsel, neither regarded his reproofs in your hearts, but have hardened your selves against Gods good spirit that hath reproved you, (for your good) but you have rushed into iniquity as a Horse into the battle, & have not had so much understanding as Balaams Asse, who saw the Angel of the Lord in the way, and those that have you have smote them more then three times, who have warned you that you should not rise up against the Lord and his people, but you have done despite unto the spirit of Grace, whereby you might have been led into the way everlasting. Neither have you regarded the servants of the most high God, which have been sent unto you from several places, who have warn­ed you and exhorted you, and beseeched you in the bowels of Gods love that you would give over oppressing the innocent and persecuting the upright, knowing that vengeance belongs to the Lord and he will re­pay it; and that those might not suffer Persecution, Imprisonment, or Exilement, whom you have nothing against, but as concerning the Law of their God; yet them nor their Testimony hath not been regarded, but they have been villified and derided of many, and have been counted as those who have been telling of idle Tales.

Oh, but many may say, why dost thou upbraid us in the day of Ca­lamity, or tell us of our Iniquities in this day of our sore Distress, to which I answer, I do not upbraid you, but rather lay those things before you which you have been guilty of, that you may consider the Mercy and Justice of the Lord, and look back and ponder the long-suffering of the Almighty, and of the meanes of grace that he hath afforded thee, and of the Light that he hath lighted thee withall, and that thy Inhabitants might have been as his pleasant Children, and that now whilst thou hast a Day to live thou mayest return unto him with unfeigned repentance, for they that repents and turns unto him, they shall finde mercy: Oh, but thy Priests and false Prophets have dealt deceitfully with thee, who have said, Peace, peace, none evil shall come upon us; they have not discovered [Page 6] the Iniquity to turn away thy Captivity, thy Prophets are become fooles, and thy spiritual Men mad, for thy breach is great like the Sea; and none of thy Prophets can stay it, nor thy spiritual Men make it up, though they Prophesie smooth things unto thee, and make Books to confess thy sins by, for the stoping of this breach, and that you should return to the Lord; yet we see Those that do depart from Iniquity, are made a prey on; and while they call for mercy, they are oppressing the up-right; their Feet run swiftly to do evil, their thoughts are thoughts of wickedness against Gods People, for which cause Desolation and Destruction is in their path, the way of peace they know not, there is no equity in their goings, they have made them crook­ed pathes, whosoever walketh therein shall not finde peace: Therefore Oh yee Inhabitants of London, whether fled away, or yet remain­ing in her alive, return to the Lord with all your hearts, and know his fear placed in you, and take up with me a bitter Lamentation; And as for you that are fled from the City, and have left your outward Dwellings, think not that yee are safe or secure, for the Lord can finde you out at his pleasure, for the destroying Angel go­eth forth according to the determination of the Lord, and neither Hill nor Mountain can cover or hide you from his anger and fierce wrath, nor from the stroke of his Hand there is none can fly, though thou fly upon the swift, a swifter shall overtake thee, thy Riches cannot save thee, nor thy Strength deliver thee, neither can the Clifts of the Rocks hide thee from the Lord, who turneth a fruit­full Land into a barren Wilderness, because of the wickedness that is committed therein; and you that are yet Inhabitants in this City, and cannot well go out of it, fear yee the living God, and wait to feel his Power in your Hearts to break down the man of Sin, that Christ the Power of God may be known to rule in you, and to be a Leader unto you who is the Teacher, which shall never be removed into a Corner, as others are, who are made after a Carnal Command­ment; but he after the power of an endless life, who is the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, whose right it is to Rule for ever and ever. And Nations shall walk in his Light, and Kings shall bring their Glory unto him. Therefore every one return unto the Lord by ceasing to do Iniquity, and lay aside all Cruelty and Oppression, re­lease the too long oppressed Ones, and let the Prisoners go free, who suffer upon the Account of tender Conscience towards God, or else in vain is all thy formed and framed humiliations and fastings [Page 7] confessing iniquity and hanging down the Head like a Bull-rush for a day; this is not the Fast that the Lord hath chosen while you take not off the heavy burthens, neither let the oppressed go free, for if this was done, then would the hearts of the upright be inlarged to the Lord on your behalf, and their Mouths opened to Cry to the Almighty, to stay his Judgments and to retain his Fury, which begins to burn as an Oven, which your wickedness hath procured; Oh let my Counsel be accepted, and break off thy sins by righteous­ness, & thy iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor, if it may be, that the Lord may have mercy on thee and lengthen thy tranquility, but if thou like Pharaoh hardens thy heart, and repent not by turning speedily to the Lord, thou shalt be left as a Widdow, and thy Babilonish Merchants that have made themselves rich in thee, shall run afar off thee, Crying, Alass, alass, that great City where many were made rich, now is her torment come on a sudden, and they them­selves shall not escape, though they have cryed peace, peace, when Death was coming in at the Door to cut off thy young Men from without, and thy Children from the streets; Therefore, all you that is living in fleshly Tabernacles, that belongs to this great City, whether in it or fled away, this to you I send, expecting that many of you that are gone, may never see this City again, that now you may, be seeking a City and dwelling place whose foundation is the Lord, and this you may know if you return to the Spirit of the Lord, which tryeth all things, and wait to know it to be your Leader, then will it witness to your Spirits that you are the Children of God; so that then, if you eat the bread of adversity, and drink the water of affliction, and in the world yee have great trouble yet shall you live in the peace of God, and die in his favour that your end may be blessed; But, if you follow them that teach for Doct­rines the commandements of men, and obey not the pure spirit of the Lord, then will God give over striving with you; and then e­verlasting sorrow and wo will be your portion, and he shall say as to Ephraim, let him alone, let him alone; so thy time is almost out and the long suffering of the Lord is neer an end to this Generation; Therefore none be stout hearted, but fear and tremble all careless ones, be­fore the living God, for the slain of the Lord shall be many, and with a stronge hand is he going forth and none can hinder his purpose; but as all return and humble themselves as the people of Niniveb from the greatest unto the least, for then did the Lord stay his hand and did