HOly men of God both acted and ſpake as they were moved of the holy Ghoſt in all ages, whoſe teſtimonies ſtand as an outward Witneſs of the inward and ſpiritual Life of righteouſneſſe that was in them, which in all ages was oppoſed by the contrary ſpirit of the World, which the children of diſobedience are led by; and this is the ground of difference, they being led by a Spirit oppoſite to God and his children of obedience; and as the ſpirit of the World in them that are led by it, acts them differently from the Children of God; ſo doth the Spirit of Truth act its children contrary to the children of the World, and their practice ſtood in all ages as living Witneſſes againſt them, and that Spirit they were led by, and is written for our learning and edification, on whom the ends of the World are come, which is to know an end of that ſpirit's leadings in us, which leads from God into the World that lieth in wickedneſs, and its faſhions and cuſtoms which are heatheniſh, ſenſual and devilliſh; and thus being taught by the Spirit of God, our actions ſtand Witneſſes againſt the vain converſation and traditions of the World, and condemns and judges that Spirit now as ever it did in the days of old, whereby they became ſufferers in that day; as for the ſame Teſtimony we are become ſufferers in this day.

But bleſſed are they that ſuffer for righteouſneſſe ſake, who keep the Word of God's patience in this his day; they are, and ſhall be kept by the power of the Word of Life, til all that which riſeth up againſt them, be brought down under them, that God alone may be exalted over all, and they in him, treading upon the high places of the Earth, and all its vain ſhews of holineſſe, which are but the inventions and traditions of thoſe who are erred from the Spirit of Truth, and from the practiſe of the holy men of God, who were ſeparated from the World by the Life of righteouſneſſe which they lived, and ſo dyed the death of the righteous, which was a death to all that which ſeparated from the Lord; and ſo being dead to ſin, were alive to righteouſneſſe; which Life immortal ſtands a Witneſſe in all ages againſt the idolatry and ſuperſtition of the preſent times they lived in, bearing a true teſtimony againſt them in life and death; and the mortal body or tabernacle being diſſolved or laid down, the living Spirit in their Brethren leads them to inter or bury their bodies apart in their own burying-places (as was the practice of the holy-men of God in former ages) bearing a teſtimony againſt the idolatry and ſuperſtition of hallowed ground, and Popiſh Conſecrations, and vain traditions, which the living Spirit of the party deceaſed, whilſt in the body, ſtood a Witneſſe (for God) againſt; and now being out of the body, yet in the union with his brethren in the body, cannot fulfil and ſatisfie the wil of the contrary ſpirit, and therefore it is diſturbed and tormented about the dead body, and exceedingly rageth in many places; and as the Devil did ſtrive with Michael about the body of Moſes (who was a faithful ſervant of God in his life, and the God of his life would not ſuffer the wicked ſpirit to ſatisfie his wil with his body being dead) and the Angel brought not a railing accuſation againſt him, but ſaid, The Lord rebuke thee. So you may ſee what Spirit it is that is to be rebuked by the Lord, that ſpirit that ſtrives againſt his Servants, and beats, rages and ſtrikes them, and ſometimes takes away the dead body from them for a time, til the Lord rebukes them, and then they have let it go to be laid in its own place of burial, which when it was alive, might purchaſe or contribute to for that end, to be laid in, being dead.

You may ſee the children of Heath were not ſo unreaſonable to Abraham, as to hinder him to bury his dead after he had bought their Land for that purpoſe; and is it not a ſhame to be called Chriſtians, and to be in practiſe more unreaſonable then Heathen? Is it not high time to ſeparate from ſuch a generation both in life and death; and finding ſuch unreaſonable dealing while we are in the body, it muſt needs be a grief to us if we were neceſſitated for want of a place, to leave our dead bodies to their courteſie; and if there were nothing elſe, it were ſufficient to cauſe us to provide for our ſelves, and not ſtand to 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 the mercy of that ſpirit whoſe cruel hatred hath ſlain the body being alive, we cannot expect ſhould decently bury it being dead; for we have had experience of the contrary; And therefore as we have denied that Spirit that would ſlay the body becauſe of its Religion, ſo alſo have we denyed the Worſhip that ſpirit leads into, and the place which that Spirit hath conſecrated and ſet apart to worſhip in, and that Way, that Worſhip, and that place we cannot uphold, for the Lord is againſt it, and them that uphold it, that Worſhip (I ſay) and Worſhippers that would kil • ▪ perſecute or ſpoyle the goods of thoſe that cannot for Conſcience ſake worſhip with them; and againſt them, their Spirit, their Worſhip and their place, we are gathered forth by the Spirit of the Lord to ſtand faithful Witneſſes againſt, and in patience and long-ſuffering, through the love of God, are made willing to endure what he ſhall permit the evil ſpirit to act againſt us for the tryal of our Faith, and the glory of his power that hath kept us hitherto, and is able to keep us to the end▪ in which I and the reſt of his Flock all lying down in his Will, are ſafe; into which ſafety the deſire of my ſoul is, that all who ſeek after righteouſneſſe may come.

M. W. London this 4th of the 6th Month, 1663. From him who hath taſted of the good fruit of the Land of the living, and would that all might eat and live in him who is eterlife in

This is written for the ſatisfaction of ſuch as are unſatisfied touching the burying of the people in ſcorn called QUAKERS, in their own burying-places; the which read with moderation, as followeth.

FIrſt, you may read that Abraham and Jacob did buy two parcels of ground, that it might be their own poſſeſſions for the burying of their dead, Gen. 23. 16, 17. Joſh. 24. 32, 33. Now that Abraham and Jacob, and the reſt of the holy men of God, were led and directed by the Spirit of God, I hope none dare deny; therefore why ſhould it be a ſtrange thing to any that the Quakers (ſo called) have purchaſed parcels of ground for the burying of their dead, ſeeing it is proved that the holy men of God did ſo above 1600. yeers ago, and the Spirit of God is the ſame, and changeth not; ſo the Quakers (ſo called) are not out of the way, but in that good old way as Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob and Moſes walked in; therefore let it be no ſtrange thing.

2dly, You may read that Abraham and his Wife, Jacob and Iſaac and his Wife, and Leah, with many more, were buried in their burying-places after they had bought them, as you may read Gen. 49. 30, 32. Now Abraham, Moſes and Jacob, with the reſt of the holy men of God, were no new Upſtarts, but old, grave, godly men, of a great Age, as you may read Deut. 34. 16, 17. Gen. 47. 28, 30. Therefore why ſhould any account the Quakers (ſo called) young upſtart people for burying their dead in their own burying-places? And if any do account them ſo, they may as wel account Abraham the faithful, Iſaac, Jacob and Moſes ſo, with the reſt of the holy men of God; therefore far be it from any ſo to do.

3dly, You may read that Moſes the great Prophet of the Lord was buryed in a Valley in the Land of Moab, and he did quake and tremble at the Word, or the voice of God, therefore why ſhould it be a ſtrange thing if any of the people (called Quakers) are buryed in a valley, and quake and tremble at the Word or Voice of God. Now whether any did call Moſes a Quaker, I know not; but this I know, many are in ſcorn called Quakers only for doing that which Moſes did; and I believe if Moſes were now living, he would be called a Quaker by this generation. The proof of Moſes being buryed in a Valley, and that he did quake and tremble, read Deut. 34. 6, 7. Heb. 12. 21. Act. 7. 32

4thly. You may read that Samuel the ſervant of the Lord was buryed in his own houſe at Ramath, and all Iſrael aſſembled together (not to hinder him to be buried there) but to bury him there, as you may read Sam. 25. 1. and mourned for him; therefore why ſhould any endeavour to hinder the people called Quakers to bury their dead in their houſes, or near their houſes, ſeeing the Servant of the Lord was buryed in his houſe, as is proved? Therefore why ſhould any endeavour to hinder them to bury their dead, as the true Prophets and dear Children of God did, in their own poſſeſſions?

5thly, You may read that Joſhua the ſervant of the Lord was buryed in the border of his inheritance, on the North-ſide of the Hil; and the ſon of Aaron was buryed in the Hil of Phineas which was given him; therefore why may not the people called Quakers bury their dead without offence in their own inheritances whereſoever it is, either on a Hill, or in a valley, or in or near a houſe, or in a Garden, ſeeing Moſes, Joſhua, Aaron's ſon, Samuel, and Chriſt Jeſus, with many more, were buryed in ſuch places, as you may read Joſh. 24. 28, 29▪ 33. Joh. 19. 41. Therefore you have no juſt cauſe to be offended with the people called Quakers for ſo burying.

6thly, You may read that Uzziah the King (who did uprightly in the ſight of God) was buryed with his Fathers in the field of the burial, (mark) not in any place called Church or Churchyard, but in the field of the burial: Therefore let it not be a ſtrange thing that the people called Quakers do deny to bury their dead in the places called Churches or Churchyards; for Abraham refuſed to bury his Wife in any of their Sepulchres, though earneſtly deſired ſo to do, but buryed her in his own burying place; and King Uzziah with many more, were buryed in their own burying-places, and not in places called Churches or Church-yards, as you may read Gen. 23. at large, Chron. 26. 33. Joſh. 24. 25, 33. Now I believe it was far from the heart of King Uzziah to hearken, or in the leaſt to condeſcend to any is hinder the burying of their dead in their burying-places, which was their own poſſeſſions, but I rather believe did juſtifie their ſo burying, and was buryed himſelf in the Field of the Burial, which is before proved. Therefore far be it from the hearts of any to deſire a Law to be made to hinder the Quakers (ſo called) to bury their dead in their inheritances, which ought to be preſerved by the Laws of the Land; and far be it from the hearts of any to make any ſuch Law, becauſe their practice in ſo burying; was the practice of the holy men of God, agreeable to the Word of God which was in the beginning, as it is recorded in the Scriptures of truth, which holy men of God ſpake forth as they were inſpired by the holy Ghoſt, to be read, believed and practiſed, and to wait to have them fulfilled, and not to make a Trade of them, as they are made of, for diſhoneſt gain.

7thly, You may read that Jacob (being 147. years old when he dyed) did deſire his ſons to carry him out of Egypt to be buryed in the burying-place, and did engage them ſo to do, being a far way, which they did accordingly, as you may read Gen. 47. 28, 30. Gen. 50. 12, 13. Now Jacob was not unſenſible, but very ſenſible in ſo doing▪ none I hope dare ſay otherwiſe: Therefore if any of the Quakers (ſo called) before they dye, do deſire their Friends to bury them in their burying-place whereſoever it is, which was the deſire of the party deceaſed, (being called a Quaker) why ſhould it be a ſtrange thing, ſeeing Iacob did deſire ſuch a thing!

Now leſt any ſay, I judge all to be heatheniſh people that bury in your places called Churches and Church-yards, or that I perſwade all from burying there: My anſwer unto ſuch is this, I am very cautions in ſo judging all, but ſhall leave all judgement unto the Lord God of Heaven and Earth, who will judge every one according unto the doings of every one; and as every one is perſwaded in the particular, in the heart of every particular, by God's Witneſſe, which is God's Light ſhining in the heart, ſo let every one do in the thing; & if any of you make choice of your places called Churches or Churchyards for the burying of your dead, or for any other uſe, it is fit you ſhould keep them up, and repair them upon your own coſt and charges, & take heed of taking any goods from ſuch who make no uſe of them, for in ſo doing you wil do ſuch great wrong, and ſuch that ſtealeth, cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven, who breaketh the Commandment of God. Therefore it is dangerous, take heed of ſo doing, and this I truly know▪ having perfect knowledge of them, the Quakers, ſo called, are taught by the Principle of God, which is a noble Principle, not to require, beg or deſire any thing of you to keep up, or repair their burying-places, which are their own inheritances, very wel walled, or very wel paled, except ſuch as are yet unready, which in time are intended ſo to be made up on their own coſt & charges, and ſo are not your places called Churches or Church-yards your own inheritances, neither walled nor paled in many places in England and Wales, for Swine have been ſeen in ſome of your yards in this County; and ſome ſay the people called Papiſts claim them to be their places, and that they built them, and that they will keep them up upon their coſt, if they ſhal have them, as ſome ſay: But I ſhall not contend for them, they are of age, let them ſpeak for themſelves; only this J may ſay, and in ſo ſaying none will have juſt cauſe to be offended. There is a Croſs of Wood or Stone, or in painting, in the inſide or outſide of the moſt of them, or in the yards belonging unto them, if not all, and you that are called Proteſtants that caſually go there, take notice whether it be not ſo; then is not that the mark of Popery? J leave it to you to judge, and ſay as the wiſe man ſaith, A word to the wiſe is enough. So if you look upon your places convenient for the burying of your dead, be contented with them, and let the people called Quakers have their liberty to bury their dead in their burying-places, which are their own poſſeſſions, which they are very well contented with, which is proved to be according to the Word of God as it is recorded in the Scriptures of truth, acted above 1600 years ago. Therefore let this ſatisfie all ſuch as are unſatisfied touching it; much more might be written, but this may ſatisfie in ſhort, being written by one who deſireth the good and welfare, and proſperity of all that deſire to know God and his Way; well known unto thoſe that are in perfect knowledge with God, but unto the World by the Name of

FRANCIS GAWLER. FINIS.