From New-Gate, a prisoners just cause pleaded against all his persecutors and let the witnesse of God in all consciences be judge in this matter. Higgins, John, 1633-1667. 1661 Approx. 19 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2006-02 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A43752 Wing H1952A ESTC R18499 13046142 ocm 13046142 96919

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Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A43752) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 96919) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 742:9) From New-Gate, a prisoners just cause pleaded against all his persecutors and let the witnesse of God in all consciences be judge in this matter. Higgins, John, 1633-1667. 8 p. Printed for Thomas Simmons ..., [London : 1661] Caption title. Imprint from colophon. Dated: 25 of the 12 month, 1661. Signed: John Higgins. Reproduction of original in Huntington Library.

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eng Society of Friends -- England. Religious tolerance -- England. 2005-11 Assigned for keying and markup 2005-11 Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-12 Sampled and proofread 2005-12 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-01 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion
From NEW-GATE, A PRISONERS Juſt Cauſe PLEADED, Againſt all his PERSECUTORS. And let the Witneſſe of God in all conſciences be judge in this matter.

Firſt, BE it known unto you all, that I with many more of the people of God (called Quakers) are not here upon the Fact of Felony, or Murther, or Whoredom, or Drunkenneſſe, or for Swearing, &c. but for the freedom of our conſciences in denying to Swear, according to Chriſts Doctrine: and now whether we are guilty or not guilty in this matter of the breach of a righteous Law, and ſo deſerving impriſonment or bonds, let the Witneſse of God in the conſcience be judge even in this matter.

Again, be it known unto you all, that I with many more of the People of God before mentioned, did never Act, Plot or Agitate miſchief againſt the KING, or any other Perſon within his Dominion; but we are peaceable men, and only deſire and require our juſt Freedom in the Nation of our nativity, and alſo the exerciſe of our conſciences towards God without moleſtation, and for to be preſerved in peace, as we are peaceable Subjects of the Nation; We in our ſeveral places pay Cuſtome and Tribute to thoſe in Authority, that violence may not be done unto us; yet, behold, what havock is made of us? how are our goods ſpoiled, and our bodies impriſoned, and many ſick and weak amongſt us, and ſome families hereby expoſed to poverty and want, if God take not a ſpecial care for them? And now whether we or our perſecutors are guilty of ſin and wickedneſs againſt God (in this matter) let his witneſſe in the conſcience be judge even in this our cauſe.

Again, it is well known (to almoſt all) that the KING before his coming into England, whilſt he was yet at Breda, that he gave forth a Declaration there, promiſing free liberty to tender conſciences in matters of Religion, &c. provided they live peaceably in the Kingdom, and this Declaration is revived ſince his coming to England. But ſurely this is made of none effect, for we can plead guiltleſs, both before God, Angels and men, that we have not forfeited our liberty therein mentioned, by any Act, Plot or agitation againſt the KING, or any other Perſon within the Dominion of England; yet nevertheleſs let the Goals in England teſtifie what heaps are caſt into them, and what havock is made of the Innocent that make conſcience of an oath. Aud indeed it is true, beſides all this (before mentioned) in the Declaration promiſing liberty, that we had the word of a King, even from his own mouth, that we ſhould not ſuffer for the exerciſe of our conſciences in matters of Religion, &c. But alas, alas, what doth this word avail us now, whilſt the rude multitude are let looſe upon us, yea inſomuch that it may be truly ſaid, if God were not on our ſide, they would ſwallow us up through their unſatiable deſires. On this may be taken up as a lamentation over England at this day, that her Rulers ſhould make no more conſcience of their promiſes and engagements, ſurely the guilt hereof cannot but lie heavy upon their conſciences: and ſo let the witneſs of God in all conſciences ariſe, and judge for us in this matter.

And again conſider, what a lingring Impriſonment we are in, men and women caſt in by heaps together, and through the ſtraitneſs of room, they are much thronged together, both in this Goal and others; and ſundry Perſons of us are weak and ſickly, and by all outward appearance, if we are thus continued in ſuch ſtraitneſs, weakneſſes and ſickneſs may much more abound. And alas, what commiſeration is there in the hearts of men in Authority towards us; do we not ſee mercy (as it were) turned into cruelty, even towards them that never deſerved wrath at their hands? and may we not hereby in truth conclude with the Prophet of old, that the beſt of them is as a briar, and the moſt upright as a thorn hedge, Mic. 7. 4. Oh that the witneſs of God in our enemies and perſecutors might be awakened to plead our innocent cauſe! and this is that which we wait for, and ſuffer in patience to ſee, even the wicked ſmitten and wounded in their own hearts, that their wickedneſs, curelty and perſecution may come to an end; and Truth, and Equity and Righteouſneſs to be exalted, even to bear rule in the hearts of both Kings and Princes: Then, O then rejoyce ye that love righteouſneſſe, when our Lord and King reigns in righteouſneſs in the Kingdoms of men: Oh bleſſed day ſhall that be called, when Kings raign in the Dominion of Gods pure, righteous, holy Spirit, then ſhall the meek of the earth inherit their freedom, and he that is a peaceable man ſhall have the praiſe, and the terrour ſhall be to the evil doer, which never ſhall be renowned. O ſink down, ſink down to Gods witneſs in your own hearts, which will bring you into a ſence of your own conditions, and alſo break the bonds of oppreſſion. Oh let not the cry of the oppreſſed be alwayes againſt you, for our God is mighty to ſave his people, and to deſtroy his enemies: but if he will not take vengeance, we ſhall freely forgive them; for the Lord our God hath given us of his Spirit, to bear the contradiction of ſinners, yea all their hard ſpeeches and cruelties, and to ſuffer long in patience, until the meaſure of their iniquity be fully finiſhed. And hereby know we, that we are of God, becauſe he has given us of his Spirit, which leads into unity and peace with himſelf, and one with another, out of the enmity, wrath, malice, hatred, revenge and perſecution, which are all works of darkneſs, and brought forth by the children of darkneſſe; for we know ſuch as live in theſe things, are not led by Chriſts ſpirit, & ſo are none of his, but againſt him in the enmity; no true Chriſtians, but of Antichriſt and in the Heatheniſh nature; and theſe make war againſt the Saints, who follow the Lamb, who cannot lift up a carnal weapon againſt any man; yet in the patient ſuffering under the perſecutor ſhall our victory be obtained. But this may be a myſtery to the children of darkneſs; yet hear a little further, and I ſhall ſhew you, thus it is, the innocent ſuffering of Gods people ſhall reach to the witneſſe of God even in their perſecutors; and when they ſmite and wound the innocent, God ſhall ſmite and wound them, even the wicked in their own hearts; and thus the Lord will fight our battles, and work freedom and redemption to his people. Therefore hear, hear and fear the living God of the whole earth, who is a Spirit, and will judge the wicked in their own hearts; yea, that is he that convinces the Tranſgreſſor for the evil of his waies, and he it is that will make himſelf manifeſt to be a God near at hand, though men have been looking, and ſeeking of him as one afar off, yet our God is drawing near unto judgement, and the wicked ſhall know it, and feel the rod of his wrath, even in their own hearts; this is the true and living God, whom the Nations, in the ignorance of their minds make mention of, but are eſtranged from him; and therefore doth iniquity, tranſgreſſion, abomination, falſe worſhip, and idolatry abound in this Generation; and this hath grieved the Spirit of the Lord, who is a Spirit, and will be worſhipped, reverenced, ſerved, and ſubmitted unto in the Spirit; and people being out of this, all their outward obſervations and gatherings of aſſemblies, and talking of Church and Church-worſhip is a practice not acceptable with the Lord, whilſt man is found out of the ſubjection to him in the Spirit; therefore let none deceive themſelves, the Lord our God will indeed not be mocked; but ſearch your ſelves, and ſee whom you yeild ſubjection unto within, whether it be unto him that reprove for ſin, or unto him that leads into ſin? and ſo he unto whom obedience is yeilded, the ſame is thy God; and the day is come that people are to be tried and ſearched within, for the Lord requires obedience there, even in the heart, that ſo man may be brought by the leading of his eternal power and Spirit, out of the darkneſſe, out of the ſpiritual wickedneſſe, out of the houſe of bondage, yea, to be quickned and made alive unto God again, and here is the new man brought forth in Gods image, to glorifie his Maker, to live unto him and to ſerve him, yea to delight in the way of his Commandements: But all that are out of this, are excluded out of the Kingdom, all wicked and envious ones, perſecuters and murderers, ſwearers and liars, and all that are in the tranſgreſſion of the pure Law written in the heart, theſe are ſhut out of Gods Kingdom, whatever their profeſſions are, names, and words, and fair profeſſions in outward appearance, cannot adminiſter an entrance into the everlaſting Kingdom of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Therefore now come to that which is more excellent and acceptable with God, even the Light and Spirit in the inward parts, thereby to be led out of ſin, and tranſgreſſion, and all the works of darkneſſe, out of wrath, malice, envy, perſecution, and oppreſſion; for the Light and Spirit of the Lord leads out of theſe things, into truth and righteouſneſſe, meekneſſe and patience, into unity and peace with God, and one with another; and theſe are the true Chriſtians that are thus led, and thus purified from uncleanneſſe, by the Spirit and power of God in the inward parts; and here's the true worſhip of God in the Spirit, and here have the children of light that walk in the light, fellowſhip with God, and one with another, in the light, and in the Spirit; and unto this muſt the gathering of the Nations be, for all the Nations of them that are ſaved, muſt walk in the light of the Lord, which leads out of the ſeparation, uncleanneſſe, and deeds of darkneſſe, and brings back again unto God, into the new and everlaſting Covenant; and here is the new and living way, wherein acceptation with God is found.

And now to conclude, This doth the Lord require from you all, grieve not his Spirit, provoke him not to wrath by perſecuting of his Servants, do them no harm; they are as dear to him as the apple of his eye; therefore oh take heed, let not the guilt of theſe things lie upon your Conſciences; for we teſtifie of a truth, whether you will hear or forbear, that our God will viſit for theſe things; and behold, this is the crying ſin that draws down Gods judgement upon a people, as in the dayes of old, was it not ſo with the Sodomites, who lived in pride and fulneſſe of bread? This God ſuffered long, but when they perſecuted righteous Lot, this brought his long-ſuffering to an end, and judgement from heaven was revealed upon them; and this was an example for all that might follow after, living in their ungodly converſation that they might take warning not to perſecute the righteous, leaſt they periſh by the ſame revelation of the righteous judgement of God. Oh that men would conſider of the things which belong unto their peace, before the decree of God be ſealed againſt them unto eternal condemnation.

And as for us, who are at this day a perſecuted people for Righteouſneſſe ſake, for the Name of Chriſt, we have received the Teſtimony of his Eternal Spirit, that wrath is not in him againſt us, though he may ſuffer the enemy to exerciſe cruelty upon us for a ſeaſon, yet behold the Lot of our inheritance ſhall not be alwaies here: Therefore look above all theſe things, ye children of the Light, ye Sons of Sions King, and Daughters of new Jeruſalem, which ſhall be gloriouſly ſcituated, even upon the Holy Mountain, where none ſhall make afraid, and the glory of the Lord ſhall be upon his people, and with his Righteouſneſſe as with a garment ſhall they be covered. Oh the infiniteneſſe of that inviſible glory and eternal inheritance of the Saints, which no mortal eye can behold! Yet great things hath God revealed unto us by his Spirit, and he hath ſealed us for his own; Therefore let all the Saints rejoyce in heart, and bleſſe, and praiſe, and magnifie his Name, who lives for ever.

And what if the wicked will be wicked ſtill, and the unrighteous hate to be reformed, let us leave them to the execution of the eternal judgement from the Lord our God; yet as we are moved in tender love to their ſouls, let us warn them to bring forth fruits meet for Repentance; and ſuch as reject our meſſage, which is the meſſage of the Lord, their bloud be upon their own heads; and the day cometh, when this wofull lamentation ſhall be taken up by them, How have we hated inſtruction and deſpiſed the day of healing?

Here followeth ſome examples of Gods righteous judgement upon them that perſecuted his people in former generations.

CAin that old Perſecutor about Religion, was baniſhed and termed a fugative and a vagabond in the earth, becauſe of his perſecuting of his brother about Religion; for Cain envied and ſlew his brother, and wherefore was it? becauſe his brothers ſacrifice was accepted, and his was not.

And read the 19th chapter of Geneſis, and ſee and take notice what became of the perſecuting Sodomites, who beſet Lots houſe where the Servants of God were, and demanded them out of his houſe, for to do unto them even as their wicked hearts were bent; but the Angel of God ſmote theſe perſecutors with blindneſſe, verſ. 11. and moreover the Angel ſaid unto Lot, Take thy Wife and thy Daughters &c. and go forth of the City, for the wickedneſſe thereof is full, and it ſhall be deſtroyed: and Lot did accordingly; and Gods judgement was revealed from heaven in flames of fire upon the Sodomites, verſ. 24, 25.

And conſider King Pharaoh, that great perſecutor and oppreſſor of Gods people, how God plagued him, and his hoſts of mighty men, becauſe of their grievous oppreſſion of the ſeed that God had choſen and bleſſed; therefore was Pharaoh and his mighty men plagued ſeven times, and at laſt an utter deſtruction came upon them, and Pharaoh and his hoſt with all the Egyptians were drowned in the Red ſea, Exod. 14. 27.

And conſider what became of envious Haman, who prepared a gallows for Mordecai, who was more righteous then himſelf. And Haman incenſed the King againſt Mordecai and the Jews, and gained an order to deſtroy the Jews throughout all his dominion; but the God of heaven gave not licenſe to this, but confounded their conſpiracies, and turned their determination backward; and Haman was hanged upon the gallows which he built for Mordecai, Eſth. 5. 14. And thus Gods judgement was revealed upon him, and them that perſecuted thoſe that were more righteous then themſelves, read Eſter 3. 4. and 5. Chapters.

And in the daies of the Prophets amongſt the Jews, God revealed his righteous judgement upon them that perſecuted about Religion, becauſe they perſecuted the Prophets, and juſt men whom God ſent unto them, therefore Gods wrath was kindled againſt them, and the judgements written in the Book came upon them; deſtruction upon deſtruction, they were driven out of their Country, and were captives in a ſtrange land, their Temple was deſtroyed, and deſolation came upon their Princely places, and a voice of woe, and miſery, and great lamentation was heard in all their borders; and this people God often warned by his Prophets and Servants (as this generation hath been) before his irrevocable decree came upon them to utter deſtruction.

And take notice of Gods judgement upon Herod, for perſecuting and murthering of the people of God, read Acts 12. And it came to paſſe that the Angel of God ſmote him, and he was eaten up of worms. This hapned unto a perſecuting King, Acts 12. 13.

Theſe examples of Gods judgement may ſerve to warn this generation, leaſt by their perſecuting of Gods people they draw down the ſame judgements upon them; for this is that crying ſin which fills up the meaſure of iniquity, and draws down Gods righteous judgement upon a rebellious people. Pharaoh had a day, and the Jews of old had a day of viſitation, before deſtruction came upon them; but Gods love was not regarded and his judgement broke forth upon them: And now England hath a day, or a little time before Gods judgment be revealed unto deſtruction upon all his enemies, except they repent.

The 25. of the 12. month, 166 In Newgate, which hath been often termed a Den of Thieves, but may be called now an Houſe of Prayer. John Higgins.

London, Printed for Thomas Simmons, at the ſign of the Bull and Mouth near Alderſgate, 1661.