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, 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 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 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 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 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