An Epiſtle general to the Romans.

GOD, who at ſundry times, and in divers manners, in the dayes of old, ſpake by the mouth of his holy Prophets, hath now in theſe latter dayes ſpoken unto us by the Revelation of his Son, the LORD from Heaven; who in the fulneſs of the diſpenſation of time, came a Light into the world to be the manifest Salvation of GOD unto the ends of the Earth; as was ſpoken by the Word unto Iſaiah his Prophet, in whoſe face expreſly we have the Revelation of the Father, in whom we behold the Glory of the Son, as the Glory of the only begotton of GOD, full of Power and Wiſdom; hereby knowing what we Worſhip, whom the whole world alienated from the Power, Life, Wiſdom, and Holineſs of GOD, do ignorantly Worſhip in the imaginations of their own hearts, which before the Lord are only evil continually; Him therefore declare I unto you, GOD, the Eternal (and unto every mortal) Inviſible, and Incomprehenſible Spirit, who is not likened unto the Creation, which by the Power of his Eternal Word was made to glorifie hi •… Name, by the Spirit; ſheweth, That he dwelleth not in Temples made with hands, neither is he worſhipped by the Works of mens hands, as if he needed any thing; who from the beginning determined the times appointed, and made all mankind of one mould, and gave unto them Life, and Breath, and added thereunto of the Grace of his Mercy, a meaſure of the Divine Nature, if haply that thereby they might ſeek and feel after him, the LORD their Creator: But Man, whom the LORD made little lower than the Angels, and gave him the fulneſs of the Earth to poſſeſs, rebelled at all times againſt his GOD; he departed from the beginning, from the living Way, and made Invention the joy of his Heart, and made his Inventions a fence againſt God, and his Imaginations a Bullwark of defence; and in all Ages and Generations, though the LORD viſited with Judgements, Deſtruction, Mercies, and wonderful Deliverances, and ſent his Servants the Prophets, ariſing up early, and lying down late, with Precept upon Precept, and Line upon Line, ſpeaking as afar off, by Signes, and Figures, and Parables; and as at hand, by Iudgement and Mercy: And always ſhewed how that he is GOD, and altogether unlimited, neither bound unto Words, nor Wonders, nor limited in Sea or in Land; but ſtill Man made marks for GOD, and ſet bounds for the Arm of his Power, who in no wiſe is meaſured as the waters in the Wells, nor contained as the Rivers with the banks, who was not conceived as the Seed of Man, nor born as the Babe of the Womb; who is not comprehended as the graſs with the ground, nor as the wide ſwelling Seas with the ſands of the ſhores; who is not known as he knoweth all fowls, and calleth the Stars by name; who is not meaſured as the Earth with the Moon, nor as the Heavens with the courſe of the Sun; and therefore Man alwayes loſt the knowledge of the eternal Power of the God-head, and ſtill ſettled in his own will, which at firſt rebelled againſt GOD, and in the ſame Will made Laws, and Statutes, and Ordinances for Government, for Worſhip, and for puniſhment; though even from the dayes of the firſt man Adam, unto this day, the hand of the LORD GOD was turned againſt that work, as witneſs the preaching of the Spirit of Abel, Enoch, and Noah, he who hath an ear let him hear; witneſs alſo Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, among the Heathen, and Moſes among the Egyptians; yea, witneſs the Spirit of Moſes among Iſrael, by Preaching, by Power, by Judgement and Deliverance. What may I more ſay? They would build a Tower to reach unto Heaven, and Arks, and Cities, and Tabernacles, and Temple; And all for GOD to be constrained in their Works, and when they had Commandments and Sacrifices, as appointed by the Word of the LORD, the Spirit ſheweth, when in all theſe things, they would have forced the Reſt of GOD, the LORD aroſe alwayes against them, and ſent his Servants the Prophets to cry againſt thoſe things, with the ſame Word which commanded them, whom they did beat, impriſon, wound and torture, yea, and put to death. And thus it alwayes was, He that was born after the fleſh, perſecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even as it is now; and in like manner, it hath been from the dayes of Abel, until the Heir came, and him they ſhamefully ſlew to poſſeſs the Vineyard.

Moreover, of his dayes I may alſo ſpeak, even in the dayes of the LORD CHRIST, when he was transfigured before his Diſciples, at the glorious appearance of Moſes, Eliah, and the LORD, the Diſciples would build them Tabernacles; but mercy appeared unto them in a Rebuke, and they were inſtructed in the Way of GOD; but yet (and notwithſtanding alſo, that Paul the Apoſtle taught a preſſing on from one degree of Faith unto another, until all ſhould be perfected unto the fulneſs of the meaſure, of a compleat ſtature, ſhewing alſo in the Reſurrection, [who himſelf was riſen with Chriſt] the diverſities of the meaſures of the Glories which were revealed, and every meaſure as gathered into God in his fulneſs, were reſpectively full, ſhewing it by the figure of the Glories, of the Lights, of the Sun, Moon and Stars; and wrote to the Church, how that he was caught up into the third Heaven, and ſaw things which were unlawful to be uttered. And John, in the LORD'S Day, [in the Revelation of the Lord from Heaven] ſaw the great things of GOD, yet ſaid the Angel unto him, Come up hither: I ſay, notwithſtanding all this, the doctrine of GOD, that he might be known to be GOD, and not in any wiſe to be limited) Man in his wilfulneſs and preſumption unto this day, hath ſet marks againſt him, and made meaſures of words in their Wills, as Cords of restraint to bind him; yea, the Heavens and the Earth, and the depth of the Seas, and all the increaſe of the Plant of the field, and her ſeeding Seed, the Sun, Moon and Stars, the Clouds, the Winds, the Hail, and the Rain-bow of GOD, ſhall witneſs againſt the Nations of the world in this matter; They limit not God in their pleaſure; but do bow in ſubjection to his Will: but the Nations of the Earth, in the crookedneſs of their hearts, have made walls againſt the paſſage of GOD.

O Man, lift up thine head, and look, and behold, how the People and Inhabitants of the Earth do limit the LORD to their luſts: O open thine Eye, and ſee how they make GOD as a Tranſgreſſor in the Earth, even as the Cattle of a Stranger, which have fed in the fields of their Paſture, and as the hand of a Thief and Robber, which hath ſtolen the labour of another. Look thorow the Earth among the Nations thereof, and thou mayeſt read all their Profeſſions as Priſons; for the Reign of of GOD in the Conſcience is limited by the forms of their Words; and one cryeth Here, and another ſaith There; and another ſaith theſe are the Laws and the Precepts, and he that will not Reſt in this, he is out of the Way of GOD, and he that ſpeaks againſt our Law, and the Manners of our Worſhip, he must bear the puniſhment thereof. Concerning all which, if the Conſcience of GOD ſhould demand, Are your Words GOD? or, Are your Cuſtoms the Arm of GOD? yea, I ſay, if that Conſcience in whom GOD liveth and reigneth, ſhould ask of them all, Are your Words, or Cuſtoms, or Forms of Worſhip, the immediate Commandment of the LORD GOD from Heaven, which ſhall endure for ever? not one of a thouſand either could, or would give a ready Anſwer thereunto; which if they would honeſtly anſwer negatively, concluding their words not to be GOD, nor their Cuſtoms the Arm of GOD, why then do they ſet their Words above GOD, as a limit and bound to the Spirit of GOD? And, why ſet they their Cuſtoms and Forms of Worſhip in the Seat of GOD, to judge in more Power than the Arm of GOD? To the ſons of men it may be fully ſaid, To whom is the Living GOD known, and the Arm of the LORD revealed? For, if GOD be a Spirit, and is only known in Spirit, to live in Spirit, and to dwell with men in the Spirit, How remaineth the knowledge of this true GOD among the ſons of men, who by the limitations of their Cuſtoms and Forms of Worſhip, and Words in the Will, out of the unlimited Spirit, do thruſt him the unlimited Spirit out of his true habitation?

To all the ſons of men upon the face of the Earth, who have reached as far as the Tradition, but want the Life, even unto all Sects, and among you all, I might largely and plentifully declare your Judgments of others, and not with that of GOD in the Conſcience, anſwers not that of GOD in the Conſcience of any man, and GOD hath no Unity with your Judgment, but his hand he turneth against it, even as in all Generations paſt; The Cuſtoms of your Worſhips, and not in the Spirit, the Spirit turneth againſt you, and the Spirit will have glory over you; for, be you not ignorant, how that the Spirit created the Times, and in time Tradition and Cuſtom came forth; And the Spirit which changeth the Times, will change the Customs and Forms; and when GOD hath put all theſe things under foot, he will be known to be All in All, in the Conſcience, his own proper Seat and Dominion. What art thou O corruptible man [in whom God created a Conſcience] that ſits above GOD in thy Will, making a Law againſt GOD in the Conſcience of another? Knowſt thou not that GOD hath the whole Dominion there? Knoweſt thou not that GOD hath granted a Law againſt all Sin, and written it in the Conſcience [his own ſeat] where he cometh to Judgment of the whole World of Mankind, as well in it the Heathen who have not the Letter of the Law, by the ſame which he will judge both Jew and Gentile, who have the Law, and in the Life are found tranſgreſſors of the Law; And makeſt thou a Law againſt the Light of the Throne of GOD? againſt that which thou makeſt and ſetteſt a bound-mark, limitation, and Law, which is in another; in, and by the ſelf ſame thing in thy ſelf, ſhalt thou be judged of GOD, becauſe of thy Law; and the LORD GOD will be known to be the Lord of Spirits, and Father of Lights, whoſe Spirit and Light by all the Cuſtoms, Traditions, Laws, and Forms of Worſhip in the World, is not in any meaſure comprehended to be equally judged, or made in Righteouſneſs ſubordinate unto in the Conſcience of another; and that of GOD in you all ſhall witneſs this for ever, and bear its everlaſting Teſtimony againſt your comprehenſible corrupt wills, which make Laws, and conſtrain Customs and Traditions by Laws, againſt the incomprehenſible meaſure of GOD in another.

Wherefore a Warning from the LORD GOD, the Father of Spirits and Lights, to you all is come, to give you to take heed in due ſeaſon, leſt you be found fighters againſt GOD your Creator, in the day that he calleth to Account, and draweth near unto Judgment in the Land; And lay it to heart with underſtanding, that for this cauſe only that he was fought againſt in the Conſcience, by Customs, by Laws, by Judgment, by Life, by Traditions, by Forms of Worſhip, by Sinners, by Rebellion againſt the Power in the Conſcience, by Jews and by Gentiles, all the Overtures, Deſolations, Confuſions, Deſtructions, Captivities, and Revelation of the Wrath, Indignation and Vengeance of GOD, from Age to Age, reaching unto this preſent Age, came to paſſe in the Earth; Witneſs the Flood; witneſs Sodom and Gomorrah; witneſs the Red Sea; witneſs the Walls of Iericho; witneſs the Mulberry-trees; witneſs the Battels of Iſrael, and the Captivity of his Children; witneſs the Worms that ate Herod; witneſs the Deſtruction of Ieruſalem, and the ſcattering of the Iews in the Earth; witneſs Greece, Germany, Scotland, England, and Ireland; and yet the LORD will call the whole Earth to witneſs, and bring heap upon heap, and deſtruction upon deſtruction, and deſolation upon deſolation, by Fire and Sword in every Land, that ſtandeth againſt the Word of the LORD GOD.

But bleſſed is he that cometh to know the ground and root of a matter in him, to know the end of the Deſolations determined to be in the Earth.

I might ſay unto you, how that in the dayes of Luther, GOD moved in the Darkneſs upon the face of the deeps thereof; but they which made him their Rest are confounded, and their head is broken as Clay. He appeared brighter by Behman and Brown; but they which built their Travels as Towers, the LORD confounded with many Languages, and even running up to the height, Baptiſts, Seekers and Ranters, ſome made bounds for the pure, and others in their lusts revolted; wherefore GOD hath laid them one upon the other, as a heap of confuſion together: And thus he hath begun the work of his hand, decreed to perfect his purpoſe.

And the LORD GOD will make the Nations to know, That he hath not ſent down his Word in the Earth, to be likened unto a breath of Vanity in the Air, and that he cauſed not his Prophets to run in vain, as him which comes ſhort of the mark; but that his Law which he wrote upon the Tables of Stone, he writeth upon the Table of he Heart; and both the Law and the Prohets, no more as in the dayes of continual ranſgreſſion, ſhall be told as a tale of tatlers, and as a hiſtory of vain bablers, pointed upon the tongue of a deceitful mouth; but that they ſhal be fulfilled and witneſſed, yea, and perfected in the Spirit, in Life and in Power, as by the Spirit in Life and in Power they were revealed, and given forth to this only end of GOD in his Creature: For which cauſe (laſtly) JESUS the Saviour was revealed, to perfect that which was lacking, and to compleat the Redemption in fulneſs.

Therefore all you dwellers in the Monuments of the Earth, Awake from the deadneſs of your Forms and Worſhips, and draw near unto the quickning Power of the Righteouſneſs of GOD, which leads to Life in the Truth, and Salvation from all Sin: To which end, GOD ſent the Immanuel, a LIGHT unto the World, that all men through belief in the LIGHT might have Everlaſting Life.

You that are in the Profeſſion and Confeſſion of a dead hope in a Saviour without you, and are not in the Life of the Faith of the Subſtance, CHRIST the living hope in you, which clenſeth the Soul from Sin, and waſheth the Heart from Iniquity; Wait in the Silence for the Revelation of the LORD from Heaven [who unto us is come] that [in you alſo] he may be known and witneſſed, and teſtified to be come, (according to the Promiſe) the ſecond time without ſin unto Salvation. Wait for his Appearance in the Clouds, to come breaking thorow the thickneſs of the blackneſs of the long night; to come down in the Earth as a burning fire, and to darken the Air with the ſmoak; to ſet the Heavens in fire, and to melt the Earth before him; that you may come to know the Wonders of GOD fulfilled; the Sun to be darkned, and to become black as ſackcloath of hair, the Moon turned into blood, and the Stars to fall from Heaven, in the ſame ſubſtance to ſee and know theſe things come to paſſe, and with the ſame eye by which the Glories of the Heavens were created, and ſaw that it was good; I ſay with the ſame Spirit and Life which ſpake forth the Prophecy (which unto learned and unlearned, is become as a Book that is ſealed, and hid from the Vultrous eye) to witneſs the Propheſie fulfilled. Wait for the Revelation of GOD's Plough in the Earth, for the tearing up of the Ground, and breaking the Clods thereof; for a due preparation to receive the Seed of the Kingdom, that you may become as GOD's Husbandry in the Earth, and no longer remain as the barren Mountains thereof, which never bear Plough thereon, nor yeelded increaſe of good; nor as the Woods of the Forreſts, whoſe Trees were never pruned, which ſpread their unfruitful branches as thickets that cumber the ground. Settle not your ſelves in the ſluggards Rest, nor as a wounded Fool with his putrified fleſh, who is rather willing to periſh in death, than to cut off his Corruption for life: Be ye not alwayes as Moab, ſetled upon the ſcent of the old lees, for it ſtinks in the noſtrils of GOD; but wait for the Remove of the Ground, and yeeld unto the hewings of GOD; the Ax to be laid to the Root of the Tree, and the Sword to the Soul that ſinneth, to know Judgment begin at the Houſe of the LORD, to cut off the Wicked in the Land. And ſeek not to eſcape the day of GOD's Wrath, but bear his Indignation within you, as the juſt Reward of your ſins, which are called up unto Judgment againſt you; And wait in patience until it be over and past, that you may know his acceptable year to be come: And when theſe things you know, and witneſs fulfilled within you, even as they are known and teſtified in the Life of GOD's Heritage, you ſhall bear me Teſtimony in the Holy Ghoſt, That although the Judgement be weighty, the Ax burthenſom, and the flaming Sword of the LORD a moſt grievous thing; all the burden, the weight, the grief, and the travel is but of the carnal and ſinful part; And to it only is the irkeſomneſs thereof, until it be utterly cut off and ſlain upon the Croſſe, even of that part which is this day the cauſe of the cry of the Juſt in the Land; and then you ſhall be one with the Judgement, one with the Sword, one with the Ax, one with the Everlaſting Burning of GOD, to dwell in its glory for ever. Here the true Purgatory is come, and the ſin is waſhed away, thorow which the entrance is made into the habitation of the Peace of GOD, and there is no true Reſt without it: Then there is no more ſin, no more tranſgreſſion in the Land, the curſed Earth is conſumed with all her encreaſe, the evil Ground, and the Works which were wrought therein are burnt up together, the New-Creation is come, Jeruſalem is created anew, the old Heavens, and the old Earth is paſſed away, there is no more remembrance of them, and Jeruſalem is created an habitation of Peace, the Glory of the LORD is in her; and this is the holy City, into which the Hebrews were entered, which John propheſied ſhould in theſe latter dayes come down from Heaven [without whoſe gates are the Dogs, Sorcerers, Witches, Whoremongers, Murderers, and whatſoever loveth or maketh a Lye] into which we in the Kingdom are entered; whoſe Kingdom is not of this World; and you coming hither will enter into the way of the Wiſdom and Counſel of the Moſt High, to ſee all things, purpoſes, Statutes and Judgments, by that of GOD ordered and brought forth, in the Wiſdom and Counſel of GOD, and your own caſt under foot as a corruptible thing for ever: Then the whole Creation of GOD which travelleth in pain until the Redemption cometh, will joy in the approach of Wiſdom; for then ſhal you uſe the Creatures ſingly to the proper end, in the ſame Wiſdom, by the which they were created: The burning deſire of Lust ſhall dye, and the evil appetite be taken away; Increaſe ſhall fill the houſe, and Bleſſing overflow the heart; the Land ſhall be preſerved in Peace, and the City become a Sanctuary of ſafety; Invaſion ſhall never proſper; For Wiſdom ſhall confound the work of the Wicked, and bring to nought the counſel of the Ungodly.

The eye of GOD is his Wiſdom, which pierceth the Depths of the Earth; to be in his Wiſdom, is ſafety, true ſafety, ſure preſervation from all Snares, Plots, Conspiracies, Deſigns and Intentions of the VVorld, Hell, and the Devil; For by the Wiſdom all fleſh was made, and that which warreth againſ •… its Maker, by the Wiſdom it ſhall be confounded: Wherefore all [for everlaſting ſafety] draw near unto Wiſdom's gates, and wait for the Counſel and Wiſdom of GOD▪ to receive VViſdom in the Counſel of GOD▪ and growing in the Wiſdom, and dwelling in the Wiſdom and Counſel of GOD, his eye comes to be with you, as manifeſtly revealed in you, which ſearcheth and ſeeth into the depths of a matter: This is that Spirit of a man that knoweth the mind of a man; and by the ſame the way of the wicked comes to be manifeſt, and is a true defence againſt a thouſand Armies. Remember the poor man which was in the City, who by Wiſdom delivered it from the Deſtruction of the Enemy; And make not the ſeat of Treachery your Truſt, nor polliſhed ſubtilty upon the head of Iniquity, your Fort of Refuge for ſafety; For it ſhall be as a rotten ſtring in your right hand, which ſhall break with the bent of the Bow; For deliverance is only of GOD; And the purpoſe of the perverſe ſhall periſh.

Theſe things I have written, if haply you may get hear to be led unto the entrance of the Knowledge of GOD, to partake of his Treaſure of Wiſdom, and whilſt the poor man moves you, to liſten unto Counſel; if you reſiſt and will not, beware: Beware, leſt in the time of diſtreſs, you cry, and gladly would, and then he be not to anſwer.

From the Inquiſition-Priſon in Rome. J. P.

To Fabius Guiſius Pope of Rome. Friend,

MY Meſſage is not unto any part of the natural, either Wit, Will, or Wiſdom; it is neither meat for Serpents, nor air for Camelions; But the Word of the Lord God is to the Seed, which ſhall be witneſſed by the next Generation, whether this which now is will hear or forbear.

This is the Meſſage which I have heard and received, and do declare unto thee: GOD is Light, and in him is no darkneſs at all, who hath ſent his Son a Light into the World, that all that believe in him who is the Light of the World, may have everlaſting life; unto which Light thou muſt bow, and oughteſt to lay down thy Crown, at the feet of him who cometh in the Cloud •… thorow the thickneſs of the Night, and breaking thorow the blackneſs and darkneſs of the black and gloomy day.

That which Daniel [the greatly beloved of GOD] ſaw afar off, I ſee at hand; the little ſtone is cut out of the Mountain without a hand, and is already become a Mountain, which the whole Earth is not able to remove, and will become a Mountain which ſhall fill the whole Earth, which ſhall throw down every Image before him, as ſaith the Prophet; GOD will confound the Image and the Image-maker, and him which boweth before it: Behold! Overturn cometh, and Overturn followeth, until the laſt Overture be fulfilled, and He come whoſe Right it is to Reign, and his Government, which is an Everlaſting Government, be ſet up, and his Dominion unto the utmoſt Ends of the Earth, of which there ſhall never be end.

GOD hath looked over the Government of the Land, and hath heard the Blaſphemies thereof; They profeſs my Name (ſaith the Lord) of whom I am made but as a curſe in their mouth: And my Name is but made the grievous Oath of the Land, ſaith the Jealous God: And from the head to the tayl, there is none amongſt them that have made the Separation betwixt the Juſt and the Vile; but as a Cage of unclean Birds, they are all common, as in Confeſſion, ſo alſo in their Iniquity and Tranſgreſſion; for which things I will viſit ſaith the Lord of Hoſts. As David complained, I am made the ſong of Drunkards; Even ſo now is Mary the Mother of Jeſus, by every unclean tongue in the corners of the ſtreets, in the Temples, and in the High-ways of this Land of Whoredoms.

Thus ſaith the Lord, Pull down the High-way marks of Idolatry, that the ſtranger may not ſtumble before me. Exerciſe thy Power for me, and not againſt me, ſaith the Lord; And throw down the great Image and Idol of the Land, leſt I quickly tumble down two at once, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts. Plant not Bryars in the Way, neither ſet Thorns in the Gap; For lo, I am ariſen to ſmite the whole Earth, and to make breaches in the fenced places thereof; For now, even now, for mine holy Name ſake, and my Seeds ſake, I am jealous ſaith the Lord of Hoſts; Righteouſneſs ſhall run down like a Stream, and the Knowledge of the Lord ſhall cover the Earth, as waters cover the Seas; which is found ſcant in thy Land. Be thou henceforth no more called POPE, for that was never promiſed nor propheſied of by the Word of the Lord; I am Peter's Succeſſor who am of his Spirit, whoſe Kingdom is not of this World, and ſo are we all who are made partakers of the Divine Nature, which was fully in Chriſt, who when the Jews would take him by force, and make him a King, he departed into a Mountain alone, and was hid from them all; but thou maieſt keep the name of one of the Princes of this World, and in thy place as a Ruler, rule with the Judgment of Truth and Righteouſneſs, not turning the ſtranger out of his way, nor condemning the Juſt by a Law, which David in his day complained of.

Rob not God of his Glory, For he forgiveth Sin; Repent, for thy Sin is not yet forgiven; Neither watch for any man's halting, for that is Iniquity; but cheriſh all that cry againſt Idolatry, and lift thou up thy voice with them that are redeemed out of the nature of Tranſgreſſion and Sin, that bear witneſs and cry againſt all Sin; and alwayes waſh thy hands, and keep thy heart clean from their blood, and the innocency of their ſufferings. Say not, that I came to deceive the People of thy Nation, whoſe life is as a Sea of Sin and Tranſgreſſion, who have not anything to be deceived of in that nature, but Prophaneſs, Sin, and Uncleanneſs. I came to declare the Meſſage of GOD unto thee, and ſo to paſs as a Pilgrim and a Stranger out of thy Land. I came not with any thing in my Veſſel unto thee, or any of this City, which is new, ſave only as it is new unto the old nature of all Tranſgreſſors and ſeed of Corrupters, which is the new Wine of the Kingdom of GOD. Do not ask, how thou ſhalt know? For in Judgment thou ſhalt know, that this is the Meſſage of the LORD GOD of Heaven and Earth unto thee.

I have born a burden for thee, and now I bear thy yoak under thee; Yet much more could I ſuffer in the exerciſe of the long patience of the LORD, That this Nation might drink of the Cup of the Everlaſting Bleſſing of the LORD, and the Curſe removed from their head, to eat the bread of peace and gladneſs for ever.

So having thus far cleared my ſelf unto thee, did it ſtand in my own freedom I ſhould depart thy Coaſts; but being not mine own, but the LORD's Witneſs againſt all Ungodlineſs; For this Teſtimony, with gladneſs I wear the yoak of bonds; and not only yet, but what elſe may follow, in his content and patience that hath called me:

Who by the ſons of men am called

JOHN PERROTT. From the Inquiſition-Priſon in Rome.

To the Governour of Rome. Friend,

COme to know the Higher Power, the Power of GOD to be highest in thee, and let that be the Judge of all matters and cauſes which ſhall come before thee; Let the Sword of the Judgment of GOD be ſet up in thy houſe within, that the Tranſgreſſor may be ſlain within; then the Eye will be opened, the Ear will be unſtopt, the groſſneſs of the Heart will be taken away, and thou wilt have the underſtanding of the root of a matter in thee, and wilt alway judge for GOD, and every end will be ſhaken off; No man ſhall at any time ſee his end over thee, by gifts or preſents, deceitful ſpeeches or flattering titles of that honour which comes from man; but ſo thou wilt ſtand in the ſtate of Honour which comes from GOD only, which is the believing ſtate; but the ſeeking of the other is the unbelieving, ſaith Chriſt.

Wherefore come to the Light, and dwell in the Light, with thy mind and heart ſtabliſhed and fixed in it, which ſhews thy own tranſgreſſion within, to have feeling of the Judgment of GOD upon the tranſgreſſor in thee: And come to the love of the Light, and follow the Light, by it to be led out of ſin and tranſgreſſion, and then with the Light, by which all things are made manifeſt, in all matters of Judgment, thou wilt reach that of GOD in all, which in all will juſtifie thee in the ſight of GOD; and ſo thou wilt ſtand girded with Juſtice in the ſeat of Equity and Truth, a terror to evil-doers, and a praiſe to them that do well.

GOD is coming to ſearch the whole Earth, who looketh for the fruit of Judgement from all that ſit in the ſeat thereof: Mercy to the Poor, Relief of the Oppreſſed; The Poor hath cryed, and the Oppreſſed hath groaned, and GOD hath heard it, and he who heareth will anſwer.

Anſwer thou alwayes in thy place for the LORD, leſt the LORD GOD make thee to anſwer for thy ſelf before Him. Though I am but as a ſuckling of the Lords Flock, nevertheleſs in the ſimplicity and tenderneſs of my life, as one that hath received Mercy at the Judgment ſeat of God, according to the lowlineſs of my meaſure, I counſel thee in his pure fear, That thou doſt look over the Books of the Regiſters of the Law of thy Nation, and ſee if any one Statute be there written, which may ſtand as a Law to condemn the Juſt▪ David complained of that in his day; for he ſaw the iſſue of what came to paſſe, though it was afar off from his dayes: We have a Law (ſaid the Jews) and by our Law he ought to dye; by which they in their wilfulneſs put the LORD CHRIST to death. And ſo it was in all Ages, that tranſgreſſors (for whom, ſaith Paul, the Law was made) did make ſuch to ſuffer under the Law, and put them to death by a Law, in whoſe mouth guile was not found, which was the unrighteous Judgment. Friend, Draw thou thy hand from that; And though the people do cry, even as it was complained of in Judah concerning the Prophet, The Land is not able to bear all his words, yet of a truth the Word of the LORD will come to paſſe and be fulfilled. And truly I ſay unto thee, as Jeremy ſaid unto the Elders of Iſrael, with the life of that Prophet: Do with me as ſeemeth good in thy ſight; but aſſuredly know I am of God. And I alſo deſire, that the LORD GOD in Mercy, may not lay this thing to your charge in the day of his Judgments, foraſmuch as you do you know not what. I ſit not in the ſeat of the unrighteous, in any meaſure apt to judge any thing before the true time; wherefore unleſs the fruit in this matter did ſhew the Tree, I ſhall not at the preſent accuſe the Romans with our detainment under their Yoak of Captivity, to provoke words from us, whereby the Prophet's words might become fulfilled upon your heads, in this your Age, in making a man an offender for a word; but I am rather in expectation of the Appearance of the Nobility, of that which hath been reported and written concerning the Romans; If we have tranſgreſſed the Law of GOD, Try us by the Law, and give us our puniſhment according to the Law; For the LORD GOD knows I delight in Righteous Judgment: If we are not found tranſgreſſors, why are we innocent ſtrangers and pilgrims ſtopped of our Voyage? if our Bonds hold us by you, onely upon the account of ſuspition, we blame you not; but prove us, and ſatisfie your ſelves concerning us; only if we have found the favour of Juſtice before you, which the living God requires of you, ſhew us the Cauſe in truth why we are detained, that according to Law and Equity before your ſeat 〈◊〉 Judgment, we may make our open Defence.

I am a Friend of thy ſoul, J. P. From the Inquiſition-Priſon in Rome.

To all in the Colledges of Rome, that have any zeal or deſire to anſwer Truth for the Lord and Truths ſake.

MEn fearing GOD are not raſh nor heady, neither will they judge a matter before the time: Wherefore for the better information of your ſelves, concerning the Truth and Life, the Way of GOD and Church of CHRIST, I have in plain-heartedneſs queried, for you (in the honeſty of ſober minds) to give me your Anſwer in writing, plainly and pertinently to each of them, without renting any part of my words; For which, in expectation, I ſhall wait in Rome whilſt theſe Bonds hold me, until it come to my hands; which you ought to anſwer, as you profeſs the name of Chriſtianity among the ſons of men, for the ſake of ſouls.

Query 1. What is that one thing needful unto Salvation, which with the poſſeſſion thereof a man poſſeſſeth all things? And, whether can a man poſſeſs it, and not know it, yea or nay?

Que. 2. What is that by which Paul exhorted the Brethren to, to try the ſpirits, whether they were of God, yea or nay?

Que. 3. Whether are any of you now called by CHRIST to a further eſtate of Knowledge than the Diſciples were then when Chriſt ſaid unto them, You know not of what ſpirits you are, yea or nay?

Que. 4. If by Chriſt you are called further, ſhew me how? And, whether you have really heard the Voice of Chriſt? but if not called unto, or beyond that eſtate which they were then in, not knowing your own ſpirits, by what ſpirit would you truly judge of my Spirit who am of God?

Concerning the Way of God.

Que. 5. Whether are you in the way of God, which is but one? and, How was that one unto Enoch, and now but one and the ſame unto you?

Que. 6. Whether is not CHRIST the Light of the World, that one way, yea or nay?

Que. 7. Whether are ſinners in CHRIST, who is the narrow way? or, are they under the power of Satan in the broad way, yea or nay?

Que. 8. Whether are you in that way which was prophefied of, and is now manifeſt, which the way-faring men, though fools, cannot erre therein, yea or nay?

Que. 9. Whether are you in any other way, but in that in which an Hypocrite can walk? and, whether can an Hypocrite walk in CHRIST, yea or nay?

Que. 10. Whether are not all that are in the Church of Chriſt, in the true way of God, where the way-faring men, though fools, cannot erre therein?

Que. 11. Whether is the Spirit of Truth come unto you, which leadeth the Members of Chriſt's Church into all Truth? But if you have not a Member that in life is led out of all Error into all Truth, How can you ſay that you have the Spirit of Truth?

Que. 12. If all be in Sin and Error in the Life, How ſhall I conclude any one to be of the true Faith, ſeeing the Apoſtle ſaith, Shew me thy Faith by thy Works? Can the Faith be perfect, except the Works be perfect, yea or nay?

Que. 13. Whether had not the Jews all the words of the Prophets, and yet when Chriſt came ſlew Him, who was the Virtue, Sum, Substance, the Beginning and End of the life of the Prophets? And, whether you, being out of the Spirit of Chriſt, are not under the judgement of Jeremiah's words, viz Though they ſay, the LORD liveth, ſurely they ſwear falſly?

Que. 14. Whether did Adam loſe mor •… in his life, than CHRIST came to reſtor •… unto Man in this life? Which is the greater the living ſoul, or the quickning ſpirit And, whether is any one or more of you Members reſtored unto either, or not in the life of either of theſe two ſtates, yea or nay?

Que. 15. Whether is not all Sin of the Devil, and he that commits Sin, of the Devil, yea or nay?

Concerning the true Church.

Query 16. Whether is not the Trut •… Church the Body of CHRIST which is in GOD? And, when Paul ſpake of Chriſt and the Church, whether did he not ſpeak of a Myſtery, yea or nay?

Que. 17. Whether are the Members of Chriſt's Body evil? And if ſinners be Members of Chriſts Body, tell me if any other ſpirit be the ſinnews of that body, beſides the ſpirit of the Devil, which leads into ſin and evil, yea or nay?

Que. 18. Whether is not the perfection of the Glory of GOD in his Church? And whether doth that remain among ſinners, yea or nay?

Que. 19. Whether hath not Chriſt, ſaid, Without exception God heareth not ſinners? and therefore ſaith James, You ask, and have not. And, whether doth not God hear the Prayers of his Church, yea or nay?

Que. 20. Whether doth not Paul ſay, That Chriſt's Church is without ſpot or wrinkle? to bring it into which ſtate, he purged every branch, and the unfruitful he cut off; And tell me ſince the laſt two hundred years, whether your Members have encreaſed, in more Sin, or in more Holineſs, in outward ſhew and practice in their converſation?

Que. 21. Whether all that commit Sin are not in the Apoſtacy from the Spirit, which is the life of the Church, and leads out of all ſin, yea or nay?

Que. 22. Whether is not Chriſt the Promiſe of the Father? [The Seed of the Woman ſhall bruiſe the Serpent's head.] And did he come to do leſſe than was promiſed? Now ſearch you the Prophets, and ſee what was promiſed, and alſo anſwer me: When the Serpents head is bruiſed, is not Man as he was in the day that he was created, yea or nay?

Que. 23. What is Salvation and R •… demption, and Reſtauration, and from wh •… and unto what, and when?

Que. 24. Whether the evil works all men, is not Teſtimony of the falſe fa •… of all ſuch men? And if Adam for one 〈◊〉 loſt ſo glorious an Eſtate, How think you wi •• your ſo many ſins ſhall you be made Inheritors of his firſt ſtate?

Que. 25. Whether can any of you juſt ſay, That Chriſt is the end of the Law f •• Righteouſneſs unto you, who never came 〈◊〉 the beginning of the Righteouſneſs thereof Did Chriſt come to deſtroy the Law, or 〈◊〉 fulfil the Law? Do you believe Paul's Teſtimony of Chriſt (in whom he was reveale •… who therefore teſtified) That the Righteouſneſs of the Law might be fulfilled in them that walk nor after the fleſh, but after the Spirit? And, whether is any one of you, ſ •• entred into the Spirit, yea or nay?

Que. 26. Is any one or more of you truly in the Faith to witneſs unto John's Teſtimony, who ſaid, As Chriſt is, ſo are we in this preſent world; and whether were they the •… in ſin, yea or nay?

Que. 27. Whether did not Chriſt rebuke Hypocrites, when he ſaid, Why call you me, Lord, and do not the things which I ſay? And, Did not Chriſt ſay unto his Diſbiples, Be ye perfect, as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect? And, Whether do you think that he was an unequal Lord, and his Commandments grievous, which could not be born, yea or nay?

Que. 28. What are the Clouds, and the time of the Night, and the cauſe of the Darkneſs, Blindneſs and Ignorance? And what are the Vails which cover the Heart, and the underſtanding part? And how is the World ſet in man's heart, whereby man cannot find out the Work which GOD maketh, from the beginning to the end thereof?

Que. 29. What is that which removes the Darkneſs, breaks thorow the Clouds, rents the Vails, and drives back the miſt and thickneſs of the Night? And, whether is not that which is the Cauſe, and that which removes the Cauſe, theſe two ſtill the ſame ſince the Fall, unto this day of man's remaining under the Curſe in the Fall? And whether any thing redeems out of the Curſe, but that which redeems out of the Fall? and is not every ſinner in the Fall, yea or nay?

Que. 30. What is that which takes away 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 the Original of Sin? and if the Original which is the root and off-ſpring, be take away, the root not left in ground, how ca •… a branch grow, or fruit be brought forth GOD ſaith, the ſoul that ſinneth ſhall die And, Whether do you otherwiſe believe, Tha •… if you live in ſin until death, but you ſha •… receive (as Paul ſaith) the wages of ſin, whic •… is death, yea or nay?

Theſe things are but that, which ma •… lead unto an entrance of ſomewhat mor •… to follow, which I offer (as hereby directe •… in the Substance) to all ſuch as deſire to know the new birth; And when the Learne •… have anſwered them, as the liberty of Pen, Ink and Paper is afforded me, I may explicate your Replications, and ſhew the groun •… thereof, and withall try, if the key of the underſtanding all Myſteries is among you, which is in the Church of Chriſt, and any thing concerning the Kingdom of God; Call your Councils together, I am an alone Child; propound your Queries, and let me anſwer them; for in GOD is my truſt, and not in ſelf, who am his Servant,

From the Inquiſition-Priſon in Rome. J. P.

THe Church of Christ this day ſtands in the Doctrine of Christ. They are in the Life which cannot recompence unto any man evil for evil, but good for evil: but you I find recompencing evil for good, which is contrary to all good. You are in the nature and practice of the Scribes, Phariſees and Hypocrites, which Chriſt cryed Wo againſt; You call men Lords and Maſters, and are called of men Lords and Masters; You love Greetings and Salutations in the Market-places, and in theſe things love to be ſeen of men; And you are in the delight of the uppermoſt Rooms and Places at Feaſts, and love the honour which comes from men: All which is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ: But the Church of Chriſt, ſpeaks not more of Christ, than as they live and walk in the Doctrine of Chriſt.

Number over your Traditions, and compare them with what Chriſt and his holy Apoſtles delivered, that you may ſee in how much you are ſhort on the one hand, and in how much you have ſpun a thrid beyond the ſtaple on the other, that you may ſee how you have loſt the end, your line not leading to Perfection, nor your life out of ſin and corruption; Preach, write and ſpeak to the end of your dayes and time, you ſhall never beget, but by your own ſeed none other likeneſs, but of your own nature▪ You may come as far as the ſhadow, ſhell, and husk; You may have the words, but your nature cannot receive the Life and Power; the Croſſe of Chriſt, which is the Power of GOD to Salvation, is too hard a thing for you to bear: You have the Image which is the loſs of the Subſtance; for where CHRIST, who is the Subſtance, is come, there the end is come, unto all Shadows, Types and Figures, which ſhadowed and figured out the Subſtance before it came.

Concerning Opinions, I blow over them all as Chaff, in as many as are in diſſembling, lyes, hypocriſie, ſwearing or curſed ſpeaking. Repent, God's day is at hand.

Rome, dispenſed from the Inquiſition-Priſon. J. P.

I Could ſay many things unto you, but you are not able to bear a little (as the Prieſt concerning the Prophet complained, ſaying, The Land is not able to bear all his words) you being not yet come unto the Charity (which is in the Church of Chriſt) which can bear all things, and endure all things; Wherefore at preſent I query a little further; expecting firſt an Anſwer of the former, and after that, of theſe.

Concerning the Kingdom.

Query 1. What is the loſt groat, and the ſweeping of the houſe to find it? And whether have you found it, yea or nay?

Que. 2. What is a Virgin's-ſtate, and, are you in it? and, In which of the two, the wiſe or the fooliſh? What is the Lamp, and the Oyl in the Lamp, and do you poſſeſs it, yea or nay?

Que. 3. Whether is not the Kingdom of Heaven as really in you, as it was in the Scribes and Phariſees? And, whether are you in the Kingdom, yea or nay?

Que. 4. Whether is any one of you a greater Prophet than John Baptiſt, who was the greateſt Prophet born of Women, which went before him; ſeeing he that is leaſt in the Kingdom, is greater than he?

Que. 5. If not one of you be in the Kingdom of God; Are not all in the kingdom of Satan; which are not in the Kingdom of God, yea or nay?

Que. 6. What is the firſt Principle which leads to the underſtanding and knowledge of the Oracles of GOD? And, whether are you in it, and doth your life anſwer it, yea or nay?

Que. 7. What is the Key of David, an •… who keeps it, and whether is any thing opened or ſhut in Heaven or in Earth without it yea or nay?

Que. 8. What is the Book which is ſealed with ſeven Seals, and what are th •… Seals thereon which John ſaid no man i •… Heaven, nor in Earth, was found worth •… to open? Whether was Peter then in Heaven or in Earth, or neither in Heaven nor i •… Earth? And, whether any now in your day is found worthy in Earth to do that, which John in the Lord's day ſaw no man in Heaven or Earth was found worthy to do, ye •… or nay?

Que. 9. VVhether is not the Priſon an •… the Priſon-houſe, the ſeat of Sin, and habitation of Corruption? Or, Is darkneſs an •… the ſhadow of death the Purgation from Sin, for the Redemption out of Death? Do you not know that the Seed is in Priſon under the Clouds of darkneſs, through Sin and Corruption, in each one of you, yea or nay?

Que. 10. VVhether have you Salt and Savour in your ſelves? If you know not that it is in you, are you otherwiſe fit but to be caſt out and trodden under foot of men?

Que. 11. VVhat are the two Witneſſes, of whom it was ſaid, That they ſhould again propheſie? Whether are they not yet come, or, how know you but they be come?

Que. 12. VVhether is the Creation of Jeruſalem anew unto you in Rome, in the old Age of your ſins, which the Hebrews ſhall enter into, according to Iſaiah's Prophecy, and which the Saints of the Moſt High are now entred into, according to John's Prophecy, where nothing that defiles can enter? And, whether is this any other than that which the Apoſtle ſaid, the Hebrews were entred into, who were come unto the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect, yea or nay?

The Prophecy is become unto all (ſaith Iſaiah) as a Book that is ſealed. Friends, ſpur up your Colledges to anſwer me; For, if once your Chariot wheels are clogged in the ſand, and your Hoſt troubled, know, that Judgment is nigh, and the Floods will ſoon cloſe and joyn hands over your heads.

Dispenſed from the Inquiſition-Priſon in Rome. J. P.

THat which is done in ſecret, ſhall be preached upon the houſe top; For the Bed is too ſhort, the Covering is too narrow, the Nakedneſs is ſeen; ſtrip off the Fig-leaves, they hide not; the Line is ſtretched, but yet the Stone is ſealed. Nevertheleſs, if you will come forth, come forth; if you will enter, enter; come and be as a Roe and Hart upon the Mountains, to run and read me, to grow to the underſtanding of a Proverb, and the Interpretation thereof; the words of the Wiſe, and their dark ſayings: For behold, there cometh a Nation of a deeper ſpeech than ye can perceive, of a ſtammering tongue, that you cannot understand; they ſhall break over Walls, and climb upon the tops of Houſes, and enter in at the Windows of the Cloſets; A fiercer People hath not been, ſaith the Spirit of the Prophet.

The Trumpet of the Lord of Hoſts is ſounding the Alarm; his dreadful day is at hand; the dead in Chriſt have heard, and are partakers of the firſt Reſurrection: He that hath an Ear to hear, let him hear, and Repent.

Rome, diſpenſed from the Inquiſition-Priſon. J. P.

To the Pope, and Governour, and the reſt ruling in the City of Rome. Friends,

IN your places it is neceſſary, that you conſider that which is indeed above all things honourable. I crave not the breaking off the yoke of my bonds at your hands, as being aſſured, that your hands were bound of the Lord, thus far unto my Impriſonment, that you by the means thereof might have knowledge how you are bound with the Chain of Satan, under the Curſe through Sin and Tranſgreſſion; the LIGHT being come, declared and teſtified unto you; henceforth you have no more cloak for your ſin. This I deſire, not of you, but concerning you of Him, which openeth, and no man ſhutteth, that the Priſoner in you, in the Priſon-houſe within, which ſits in darkneſs, under the ſhadow of death, may be ſet at liberty, and come forth with the high praiſe of GOD in his mouth; This I offer unto you, that I migh •… know either by your willing, or nilling, whether you exceed, or fall ſhort of the Nobility of the Bereans, who ſearched the Scriptures to know the truth of the matter; and the Athenians in hearing Paul, though firſt they called him babler? either to let your Colledges give me a Publick Diſpute, or to give me a Meeting by way of audience, of the Utterance which GOD may give me; or at leaſt, to provoke them to anſwer the 31, and the 12 other laſt Queries, which I gave forth of this Priſon, elſe you may be aſſured, as truly as I know, although all the former were granted, that this is the prick which was too hard for Paul to kick againſt, and ſo is now unto all Nations, you, as well as others; But of a truth I tell you, though you may ſay that you will not hear, the next Generation ſhall preach my Teſtimony in the Streets, and not withhold their Cry in the Gates of the High places. And this is the Word of the Lord God to you all.

From the Inquiſition-Priſon in Rome. J. P.

To Fabius Guiſius Pope of Rome. Fabius Guiſius,

THe Outſtretched Arm, and exerciſe of the Hand of Cruelty unto Death, is not able to make me to daub a dirty Wall with untempered Mortar. The impudent wicked carriages of the Prieſts Instruments under thee, which are ſet to watch over me, do not in the leaſt move me, ſave only to tell thee, therein they are not an honour unto thee; but on them I may not altogether lay the weight of the matter, as knowing, that they are but as ſaudred Pipes of Lead, prepared for the Vent and running forth of the ſtinking corrupted waters, of the Priests malice, wrath and envy, foraſmuch as the Truth hath reproved their Iniquity; And as for the others, they are not worth the naming. But as touching thy Prieſts, ſome I have found in ſwearing, others in lying and diſſembling, flatteries and hypocriſie, which all are ſheltred under the ſhadow of thy skirt.

Now conſider what thy Power doth uphold, a Lyar and a Priest, a Priest and a Lyar; a Diſſembler, a Flatterer, a Hypocrite, and a Prieſt. Doth thy Law preſerve ſuch in liberty and out of Priſon (who are in Death's Priſon) to watch over the Just, which cannot lye unto thee, nor diſſemble, nor flatter with thee, though in Priſon? If thou be Peter's Succeſſor, ſhew me Chriſt's Command unto him for ſuch a practice? elſe be thou aſhamed of it, and deny thy Prieſts in their wicked practices: For Truth is aſhamed of all rottenneſs and wickedneſs, deceit, lyes, and corruption; but it is not aſhamed to ſtand before thy face, neither doth it fear the frowns of all the wicked Powers and Princes of the whole Earth; but in Priſons, Perſecutions, Tortures, Baniſhments, or Death, it ſtands over them all, and rejoyceth over them all, and treads upon the head of the Serpent, which ſeeks to bring to paſſe his vain imagination in or by them all. Wherefore I would not that thou ſhouldſt be a Fool, to ſit in the Council of the number of the Crafty and VViſe; but rather be wiſe, and bow to the innocency of Fools, and then thou wilt diſcover the ground of the works of the others matter.

Now let me reaſon with thee concerning my Impriſonment, which if thou anſwereſt Nay; ſaying, VVe have it under thy Hand, and it is enough unto us.

I reply, It's true, I have given under my hand the Declaration of a VVitneſs and Teſtimony for GOD againſt Iniquity; for which cauſe, if God hath foreſeen it, that the periſhing of this Tabernacle under thy Bonds of Cruelty ſhall be my Crown, when the day comes that Inquiſition ſhal be made after my innocent blood, let this, with the reſt, be produced, that the Action may be openly remonſtrated. Truth, Honeſty, and Wiſdom would implead, act, judge, and execute the Judgment of the Law of God, in Form, Manner and Order, and to the proper end that it was given forth; and not in blind holes and corners, and dark Cells, as are wrought the works and deeds of the Devil; but openly and manifeſtly unto, and before all, as in the Righteouſneſs of Him, which rippeth open the ſecrets of al •… hearts, and bringeth every man's actions to be diſcovered by the Light, in which the Magiſtrate, Judge and Ruler, which judgeth and ruleth for GOD, ſtandeth in the honour of the true Dominion, a Praiſe unto the living GOD, and openly to the Glory of GOD, reigneth in the Righteouſneſs of GOD, in dealing and executing his Sentence of juſt Judgment, through the convincement of the Tranſgreſſor, openly by the Law; and ſo he ſtands a terror to evil-doers, and a praiſe to them that do well.

If I have written, or ſpoken any thing, which I cannot ſufficiently prove (openly in the Court of Juſtice, where Truth reigns) to that of GOD in every man's Conſcience, then (as I have ſaid) as the Law of GOD was given forth for due and publick impleading and execution, through open Convincement) let me bear the everlaſting open ſhame, and ſpare not by due puniſhment, to make me a publick Example in the face of this Nation, as a ſlanderer.

For again, I ſay, I delight in the execution of the Righteouſneſs of true Judgement, but if thou wilt not in Equity hear this, Then hear thou moreover the VVord of the LORD GOD; GOD by the execution of his Juſtice upon thee, will ſhorten thy dayes upon the face of the Earth, and give thee for an example of his Wrath before men. Therefore whilſt thou haſt time, Repent. This is the day of thy Viſitation.

And foraſmuch as at ſeveral times I have given forth Fourty two Queries, or more, to be anſwered by the Members of the Colledges in Rome, or others; And having ſufficiently expected, foraſmuch as conſiderable time ſince that hath paſſed away, which in leſſe time, yea, much leſs, Truth would have anſwered ſo plain a matter; but having not received anſwer from any of them, I now query to thee, who art reputed as the Angel over them, as him which hath the Keys of the Kingdom, which I would firſt try (becauſe of the diverſity of Voices in the Earth, crying, Lo here, and lo there) and in ſpirit be convinced of the ſame, before I would (as a fooliſh raſh hypocrite) confe •… s without knowledge or underſtanding; as knowing that when Truth hath convinced, the mouth of the Gain-ſayer is ſtopped, and that of God in the Conſcience is anſwered, and the meaſure of the Manifeſtation of the Spirit of Tru •… beareth witneſs within unto the Truth, b •… which all are left without excuſe; an •… therefore in thy thoughts, by thy Anſwers leave me without excuſe; or elſe know That hereby thou art left (even as all th •… reſt that will not anſwer Truth, for Trut •… and the Lord's ſake, are) without excuſe.

Query 1. What is the Goſpel of th •… Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and the Light of th •… glorious Goſpel, which giveth the Ligh •… of the Knowledge of the Glory of GOD in the face of Jeſus Chriſt? And, what i •… the everlaſting Goſpel of God, which ſhall be preached to all Nations of the Earth▪ And, whether hast thou immediate Authority from God, to ſend forth any to preach it; or, if knowing what the Gospel is, Is it any thing leſſe than thy duty to go forth and preach it, yea or nay?

Que. 2. What is that flaming Sword which is ſet at Edens Gate, to keep the Way of the Tree of Life, that not any in the ſtate of Tranſgreſſion, and nature of Corruption may taſte thereof; which he that eateth not thereof in this Life, ſhall periſh unto everlaſting Death, at the end of his Life? And declare, whether there is no difference, or, what is the difference in the nature, ground, and ſubſtance between that Sword, the Blood of the Lamb, the Croſſe of Chriſt, Purgatory, and the Fountain which is ſet open for Judah and Jeruſalem to bath and to waſh in?

Que. 3. Whether they who have bathed in the Fountain of God, and waſhed in the Blood of the Lamb, that have born the Croſs of Chriſt, unto the crucifying of the nature of the Corruptible and Mortal, and that have paſſed thorow the flaming Sword, ſhall enter into any other Purgatory? And what did Enoch paſſe thorow, to attain to the perfection of living and walking with God? And, whether was, or is Salvation more than one ſince the Fall; ſeeing the matter thereof is but one, and God the All, but one, and his Promiſe one, and unchangeable to ſave out of the Fall, yea or nay?

Que. 4. Whether did Chriſt come to work Salvation for Souls, through the impriſoning the Juſt, or captivating Souls; ſeeing the Scriptures ſay, that he came to open the Priſon doors, and to bring forth the Priſoner? How may it honeſtly be ſaid that thou art Peter's Succeſſor, in the Truth, or the Vicegerent of Chriſt; who contrary to the end of the Coming of Chriſt, the Life, Practice and Example of Chriſt, dost profeſs and practiſe that which brings diſhonour to the Name of CHRIST? And, anſwer, By what wouldſt thou have me to know a Vine branch from a Thorn-tree?

Que. 5. VVhether is thy Nation grow •… in Righteouſneſs unto the Age of the Beaut •… of Holineſs? or, Are they even ripe unt •… Judgment, in the multitude of their Oaths Curſes and Blaſphemies, Pride, Whoredoms and Adulteries, Lyes, Envy an •… Hypocriſies, in the full growth of all manne •… of Abominations and Iniquity? Canſt tho •… ſhew me one Member of thy whole Bod •… which now is as Nehemiah the Captain of th •… Lord's People, and as Nathaniel, the tru •… Iſraelite, was, that I may have unity wit •… him? elſe, who, what, and where thinkest thou is the Church of Chriſt?

Que. 6. Whether, and in what manne •… haſt thou paſſed from under the Reign an •… Dominion of Death, unto Moſes's houſe▪ And, ſhew me the teſtimony of thy Stewardſhip in his houſe, and the ſeal of thy paſſage thorow his houſe into the way of the Prophet •… life, and the mark of the way, and ſignet of the Prophets life leading to John Baptiſt's cry in the Wilderneſs, and the Record of his Baptiſm to be of God in thee; and how thou haſt been emptied from Veſſel to Veſſel, unto the perfect loſſe of the ſcent of the old lees? which if thou canſt not ſhew me the true effect of this work in thy life, whether in thy beſt profeſſion of all the writings of thy dead fathers, and the confeſſion of the Scriptures of the holy Prophets and Apoſtles, Art thou any other than (as Paul ſaith) a boaſter in another man's line, made ready to thy hand, yea or nay?

Que. 7. Whether haſt thou the true Eye of diſcerning, to trace the way of a Serpent over a Rock? Doſt thou know the courſe of a Dolphin in the Deeps, or the path of a young Dolphin in the ſhallow Waters? And, by what line wouldſt thou meaſure their way? And, with what Inſtrument canſt thou meaſure the path of the firſt flight of a young Dove thorow the Air and ſhadow of the Heavens? If thou knoweſt not this, how knoweſt thou to take the Wings of the Morning, to meet the Sun in the South, to be at reſt with the Children of the Day, where the light of the Moon is as the light of the Sun, and the light of the Sun as the light of ſeven dayes, the everlaſting Sabbath of God?

Anſwer theſe with the Life of Truth, if thou wilt have me believe that thou art Peter's Succeſſor in the true Faith; But wherein thou art unable, honeſtly confeſs it, hear me, and come out of Priſon and I will inſtruct thee in the way of God more perfectly. Let all thy men of Learning take heed of high obſtinate perverſe wills and froward hearts; And take you all heed, leſt a root of bitterneſs, and ſpirit of envy be in you; and learn this, Where-ever you ſee a perſecuting ſpirit, know alwayes that that ſpirit is not of God.

Rome, given forth of the Inquiſition-Priſon. J. P.

TO all in ROME, from the highest to the lowest, that are ſetled in ſin, and will not hear to come out of the way and nature thereof, who walk in the path of Iniquity, in the love of Tranſgreſſion, and ſay in your hearts, Who is of God that we ſhould hear him? whoſe liberty is in the luſt and pleaſure, in perſecuting the Juſt, walking in the broad way, which leads to endleſs deſtruction, under the ſeal of everlaſting wrath; and will not hear to know and enter into the ſtrait path of life, in which the wayfaring men, though fools, cannot erre therein; And in your hardneſs againſt GOD you think that you are above all men, wiſe in your ſinful wayes; you are wiſe unto evil, but not in the good which cometh from God; who will not hear, to be turned from all evil; but ſhut your eyes, and ſtop your ears, and make Vows as ſealed Bonds together, crying, Away with it, Away with it, We will have none of it; not conſidering the dayes of old, how the Meſſiah came according to the Prophets, yet contrary to the Jews expectations, and in croſs to all their Luſts and Inquities; Wherefore they took counſel of their own Wills, and ſlew Him. And now I do but in the Subſtance teſtifie unto you, That CHRIST the Light of the World is come and coming (according to the Apoſtles Teſtimony of Him) the ſecond time without ſin unto Salvation, which is contrary to your Expectations, under the blackneſs and darkneſs of the clouds of your ſins and tranſgreſſions, under which you cry, We will not, We will not; And every man in his hardneſs utters his ſentence ſaying, Perſecute, perſecute, Impriſon, impriſon; as it was in all Ages, He that was born after the fleſh, perſecuted him that wa •… born after the Spirit, even ſo it is now; and thus rendring evil for good, you plat the Crown of the Thorns of the cruelty of you •… hearts upon the head of the Innocent an •… Juſt.

This therefore is your Condemnation LIGHT is come into the World; but ye ha •… the Light, and love Darkneſs rather tha •… Light, becauſe your deeds are evil: For whoſoever loves the LIGHT, brings his deed to the LIGHT, that by the LIGHT the may be made manifeſt. The LIGHT is all your Conſciences is your Condemnation within, who hate the Light, and will no •… come to the Light, by the Light which convinceth of ſin, to be led out of all ſin: Verily I ſay unto you, neither Wit, Craft no •… Guile, the Horſe nor his Rider, Sword, Bo •… nor Battle, nor Angels, nor any othe •… creatures, but the Light (which you hate and perſecute the Witneſs of it) ſhall deliver in the day of Wrath which is near you And this is the Word of the LORD GOD to you all, Remember you are warned Therefore whilſt you have time, Repent and henceforth blot out the vain imaginations of your minds, and let it be written upon the table of your hearts. If God's Everlaſting Covenant be changeable, then may our cruelty change them from the Lord their God.

Given forth in fear and trembling, before the God of all dreadful Power. From the Inquiſition-Priſon in Rome. J. P.

THeſe are to this blind-hearted Generation, which are ſmooth to the rough, and rough to the ſmooth; and cannot diſcern the rough from the ſmooth, the crooked from the ſtreight, the right from the left; Your love, the love of the everlaſting Father holdeth in an irreconcileable hatred; for ye love the ſmooth words of the men of this world, which ſtand in the rough places of the Earth; Ye love their Titles, Daubings, Flatteries, Diſſimulations and Hypocriſies, and your ſelves ſmooth in the ſame nature, unto this their nature of roughneſs; But ye are rough to the ſmooth, which deal with you in honeſty and plaineſs, which are not ſmooth to your rough nature of diſſimulations; Wherefore you are rough in your conſultations, ſecret reports and actions, and bend your ſelves in crookedneſs, againſt the ſtreightneſs of the ſmooth things of Gods Kingdom; Your hatred the LORD despiſeth, even as your love he hateth; For the thing which you hate, is the ſeal of the love of the Father, to be holden in love unto death, as a teſtimony againſt the roughneſs and crookedneſs both of the love and hatred of your Life; you love not to come unto the ſmooth ſtone of David, which ſank into the forehead of the Philiſtine; The Philiſtine liveth in you, and curſeth the Dominion of the GOD of David; he ſpake roughly to the ſmooth thing in the Stripling; but the ſmooth did ſmite his roughneſs: even ſo muſt it be by the Philiſtine in you, ere the GOD of David be known, to be God among you. And this is to you all, that the ſmooth, which is rough to the ſmooth thing of God, may dye in you, that the Lord's ſmooth thing may live, in dominion over the rough things of the Earth.

Rome, dispenſed from the Inquiſition-Priſon. J. P.

To a Franciſcan of the Iriſh Convent in Rome. Iriſh Prieſt,

THou haſt deſired ſomething from me, that thou mayeſt anſwer it; And I hereby propoſing, let thy own words ſtand thy own obligation, to be as faithful in anſwering, as thou wert forward in promiſing. I have ſometimes born witneſs unto divers of you Prieſts of the Roman Catholick Aſſemblies, manifeſtly ſhewing unto you, how that CHRIST is the LIGHT of the World, which lighteth every man that cometh into the World; and unto that LIGHT in all your Conſciences, approving my Meſſage, and the Teſtimony of the Faith of JESUS (which I hold in a pure Conſcience) to be of GOD, which in you all ſhall ſtand a Witneſs for me everlaſtingly unto Judgement, though now you riſe up as falſe witneſſes againſt it; and ſo bear falſe witneſs againſt me, and will not come unto the Light, that you may have Life; but do chuſe to your ſelves the antient path of the Serpent's way, ſetling your ſelves in the inventions of your own hearts, lurking in the ſecret dens of craft and ſubtilty, ſtretching out your hands in the corrupted fallen, apoſtatized Policy, and ſo whatever is brought forth by you, is but the birth or age of Iniquity. Divers of you have confeſſed unto me, and laſtly, as next unto this preſent time, Thou didſt acknowledge that there is not one of all your Catholick Church, which is reſtored unto Innocency, or redeemed from ſin, and the daily act of tranſgreſſion; and then I ſhewed thee, if not one in Innocency, then all in the contrary, which is Iniquity; If all in the daily act of tranſgreſſion, then all wallowing in the miry place in the apoſtatized ground, fallen from the Life of the Lord Jeſus, who leads out of ſin.

Now therefore underſtand, you who are ſetled in the obſtinacy and perverſneſs, and hardneſs of heart; Read your unbelief and the deſperate end thereof, who will not that the Devil's kingdom ſhould come to an end in you; you may have all the words of Chriſt and the Apoſtles, as the Jews had Moſes and the Prophets, and yet periſh in the ſame desperation, through refuſing to come unto Him, who is the Life; You may ſay, The Lord liveth, and yet therein be falſe ſwearers, as ſaid Jeremiah; You may have all tongues and many gifts, you may give all your goods to the Poor, and your bodies to be burnt, and yet want the Charity, ſaith Paul: You may (as the Magicians of Egypt) ſhew many Signs, yea, and in the Name of CHRIST, Preach in the Streets, do many wonderful things, and caſt out Devils, and at the laſt day ſay, Lord, theſe things have we done in thy Name: But not coming unto the LIGHT and LIFE of CHRIST, which leads out of Iniquity, and to dwell in the LIGHT unto the End, above Iniquity; Unto ſuch I will profeſs unto them, I know you not, depart from me ye curſed workers of Iniquity, ſaith Chriſt: What therefore availeth your Doctrine? what alſo hath it profited any of you, in confeſſing ſo much of Truth unto me, ſaying that my words are true and juſt, and are as Jewels and Diadems, and Precious Stones, and ought exceedingly to be owned and honoured, Except you come to the Life and Truth of the Subſtance from which they were offered unto you? not that you ſhould catch at the ſhadow and ſhell, as the Hypocrites in the whole Earth, who are ſmooth in confeſſing and ſaying, but curſed in doing; for know ye, that it is one thing to be enlightned, and to walk contrary to the Light, in ſuch the Light is their condemnation; and another thing to dwell and walk in the Light, in which God dwelleth, in ſuch the Light is their juſtification: You may read the declaration of another man's ſtate without you, but cannot read more than your own ſtates, with a true witneſs within you; you may dream of ſweet Wine, but be awakened unto a potion of Wormwood. There cannot be plainer proof than the Witneſs of your own Confeſſions, to conclude your Profeſſions of God vanity; your wicked ſinful life, a ſcandal to Honeſty and all Truth, and of Christ, but an occaſion of the contempt of the reproachful ſhame and ignomy, which ſometime paſt I have in my underſtanding read among the Turks and Jews. Ponder theſe things, and be awakened, and in ſpirit be provoked unto Holineſs, which ſtands not in the wilful afflictions and penance, heaped upon the veſſel of the creature, Man, or by hanging down the head like a Bulruſh for a day, but by a due and diligent ſearch of the hidden man, coming unto the Judgment of Truth, and revelation of the Indignation and Wrath of the Lamb, which is ſlaughtered in the ſtreets of Myſtery Sodom, That you may come to the Teſtimony of the DAY of Vengeance, and the acceptable Year of the LORD; until which, the works of your wills in all your daily ſervices, are but as the offering of the ſacrifice of Cain, who killed the Just.

And furthermore, hereby I give you to underſtand, That there are but two Seeds known unto all in the Subſtance, two Wills, two Natures, two Spirits, and each of them the ground and root which yeelds the fruit of good or evil in all, whether Prayers, Preaching, Plowing or Planting, even all which is brought forth within, or without, by either of them; the one, the Redemption out of the Fall, and from the ground of the firſt Apoſtacy in loſt Adam, and the Reſtauration unto the first ſtate of Innocency; the other, the Plant of Perdition, which holds in the Captivity, even all the Profeſſors of the Name of Chriſt, who are alienated from the Life of Chriſt in the ground of the ſecond Apoſtacy, under which you have concluded your ſelves, as Chriſt ſaid, The Tree is known by the fruits; which thing well understood by you in heart, and faithfully owned in life, would put a ſtop to all your vanity of enquiring after more things, until firſt you have found, and do come to live in the one thing, which is only needful unto Salvation, with which all things elſe come to be poſſeſſed.

Nevertheleſs, to thee I query a little concerning your Doctrine, Practice, and Example, to be plainly and particularly anſwered in writing, by the words of the Declaration of the Doctrine, Life, and Example of Chriſt, or any of his holy Apoſtles, as written in the Record of their Scriptures, of which ſome were given forth before the Apostacy came in, and others before it fully entred and came in, propheſying the full ſucceſſion thereof: What ſince them is brought forth among you, thou mayeſt omit to mention in thy Replication: for I know your ſpirit, and do alſo know what you can, and do live unto; and this (as the former to your Body) for the Truth's ſake ſimply I give forth, that if haply, thou and the reſt may come down from your Mountain into the Valley of Jehoſaphat, unto the Righteouſneſs of the Judgments of the LORD of the whole Earth, who elſe with Vengeance will daſh you in pieces as a Potter's Veſſel. Remember you are warned to prize your time, and Repent.

Query 1. Why call ye Chriſt, LORD, and do not the things which he ſaith?

Que. 2. Why delight ye Prieſts to wear long Robes, like as the Scribes and Phariſees?

Que. 3. Why delight ye in Salutations, and Greetings in the Market-places, and love the Uppermoſt Rooms at Feaſts?

Que. 4. Why love ye to be called of men Lords and Maſters, or to call men Lords and Maſters?

Que. 5. How can ye believe in Chriſt, who ſeek the honour which comes from man?

Que. 6. Why teach ye for Doctrine the Traditions of men?

Que. 7. What Precept of CHRIST, or Preſident of the Apoſtles, have you to warrant your worſhiping before graven Images, or painted Figures?

Que. 8. What Precept of CHRIST, or Preſident of the Apoſtles, have you to warrant the owning and conf •… ſſing of more than ONE Interceſſor, Advocate, and Mediator?

Que. 9. By whom was it propheſied or practiſed, as in the Declaration of Truth, and Record of the Scriptures, That, beſides Prayers for all Saints in the Churches, Prayers ſhould be made unto any Saints in Heaven, ſeeing CHSIST taught, Not unto Himſelf henceforth, but only to the Father in his Name?

Que. 10. VVhat Precept of CHRIST, or Preſident of the Apoſtles, have you to warrant often Repetitions, and vain Bablings? and to yeeld unto God in your manner, but one Prayer of eleven? that is to ſay, Ten Ave Maries, and but One Pater Noſter.

Que. 11. What Precept of CHRIST, or Preſident of the Apoſtles, have you to keep count of the tale of your Prayers, by Bracelets, or Beads upon ſtrings?

Que. 12. VVhat Word of the Record of Truth have you to warrant a place of Purgatory for Sin after this life, under that cloak granting liberty to your ſelves to ſin unto death?

Que. 13. VVhat Word of GOD, or Precept of CHRIST, have you to warrant unto any ſoul which requireth a reaſon of you, to ſhew how poſſibly can any one of you ſanctifie Bread and Wine, to diſpenſe it under the denomination of a Sacrament; ſeeing you are all confeſſed to be of corrupt hearts and unclean hands, which never could touch the holy thing?

Que. 14. VVhat Precept or Preſident recorded in the Scriptures of Truth, have you to warrant the Adminiſtration of Water, ſprinkled upon Infants with unclean hands, in the corruption of your hearts, to be the Baptiſm which taketh away the Original Sin? How is the Original taken away from any one, whilſt the life of you all is a continual iſſue, and open fountain of all ſin?

Que. 15. How can an evil heart bleſſe any thing? or the ſpirit of Satan make Holy Water? Which of you being daily waſhed in that Water, will it clenſe from the Corruption and rottenneſs of his heart?

Que. 16. VVhat Precept of CHRIST, or Doctrine of the Apoſtles, is your Warrant to deny the general uſe of the Scriptures of Truth among your Church-members; and to allow Books of lying Stories, and Tales, and beaſtly Songs, and bewitching Playes and Sports, and ſuch abominable beaſtly things openly in the Streets, and in Houſes, as are not meet to be named?

Que. 17. What Precept of CHRIST have you to call men Fathers upon Earth?

Que. 18. What Prophecy is there recorded in the Scriptures of Truth, for the ſucceſſion of Popes, Cardinals, Chaplains, White-Fryars, Black-Fryars, Gray-Fryars, Ieſuites, Nuns, and Queriſters, to come in the Truth?

Que. 19. What Precept or Preſident have you in the Scriptures of Truth, to worſhip in Idols Temples, made with hands, there ſeeking GOD, where GOD dwelleth not?

Que. 20. What Scripture is it, that warrants your going Proceſſions?

Que. 21. What Scripture-Example have you for your Begging Brothers going about (hood-wink'd and diſguiſ'd, with Money-Boxes, and others with great Wallets and Wine-bottles) from houſe to houſe a begging?

Que. 22. What Example in Scripture have you, which ſheweth that the Saints and Apoſtles in the Primitive times did live in the obſervation of the Dayes or Times of CHRIST's Conception, and with his, alſo of one another's Day yearly of Births or Deaths?

Que. 23. What Commandment of GOD have you, for the time called Lent, and in it the abſtinence from fleſh; and ſo in like manner ſixth and ſeventh dayes of the Week alwayes beſides, commanding it under the Judgment of Penalty?

To be brief, I would draw to the underſtanding of the Root of a Matter, which ought in Wiſdom principally to be known in you all, that you may know your Root, of which I have ſeen much, as ye daily bring forth the fruit thereof.

Que. 24. Whether the ſpirit of Oaths, Envy, Luſt, and Lyes, is not of the ground and original root of Hereſie, yea or nay?

Que. 25. Whether that Spirit hath not an abſolute and inſtant Ground, and Root univerſally (according to Confeſſion) in your Body, yea or nay?

Que. 26. Whether is not all things, which are contrary to the Doctrine and Life of CHRIST and his Apoſtles, abſolutely and undeniably Hereſie, and that (aſſuredly) Opinion, which is the leſſer, as practice, which makes it greater, and they both but one in the Ground and Nature, yea or nay?

Que. 27. What Rule of Truth, or Precept in the Scriptures of Truth, have you to condemn any man as an Heretick, which denieth your evil ſpirit, and in the Life utterly abhorreth all your beaſtly works, and wicked words, brought forth by the ſpirit of Hereſie? And, to what purpoſe, think you, ſtandeth the judgment of your ſpirit?

Do thou mind thy blind-hearted brother, Thomas Courtney, of theſe things, who told me, that Hereſie (ſpeaking of ſome Opinion) was a worſer ſin than Murder; which weighed in the deeps, lets to ſee, that it breaks a gap for more evil than a thouſand of the like his lines is able to reconcile: the which was his ignorance; as if Murder were not the moſt abominable desperate act of wilfulneſs againſt GOD, and a man's Neighbour, brought forth by the ſpirit of Hereſie? which ſpirit abounds in all your Coaſts, which is the real cauſe of all the Oaths, Curſes, Lyes, Diſſimulations, Hypocriſies, Drunkenneſs, Gluttony, Adulteries, Pride, Covetouſneſs, Envy, all Uncleaneſs, and Murders, brought forth innumerably in your Land; For which cauſe, if you had all Words, and underſtood all Myſteries, yet the Saints, intereſted in the ſimplicity of Truth, dwelling in GOD, cannot joyn hands with you, to partake of your ſpirit, and ſo of your evil deeds, and laſtly of the Wrath to be revealed, which the Lord God in his Counſel hath determined ſhall ſweep a ſecure Land.

When laſtly thou wert with me, I ſaw that thy viſage was none of thine own, as always unto thy own, I deſire not to judge thee raſhly; but let me exhort thee, ſaying, Carry not a Bears Paw under thy long Gown, nor a Lion's Tooth within thy mincing Lips; thy words, many of them, were as ſmooth as ſweet Butter and freſh Oyl, but ſee thou that under thy tongue there be not hid the poyſon of Aſps, in ſuch things, as in the reſt of the dead works, ſigns, ſhews, and noiſes, as the Magicians of Egypt, about the Walls of the Priſon, and elſwhere; you may (as they themſelves did) deceive your ſelves alſo, but by all theſe things, neither in my ſelf, nor in you, am I at all deceived. Settle your ſelves in Council, I am bound within Walls, yet, bleſſed be the LORD GOD, I ſavour the deeds of darkneſs, and many of them would not be of good report to be told among your ſelves: You know that I bear all the folly, as being 〈◊〉 your V •… ſſal to that end; but you know 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 not how I trample upon the fruit, and the ſpirit which yeelds it.

From the Inquiſition-Priſon in Rome. J. P.

To the Inhabitants of the bloody City, the Mother of Cruelties and Murder.

REad the Declaration of the Righteouſneſs of this Cauſe, let it be ſpread in an open Parchment upon the Standard of your Hoſt, and let it be marked in your Enſign, as a perpetual ſhame in the face of your Camp.

There was a certain Meſſage ſent by the hand of a Servant, by the LORD of a ſtrong Army, who treated for the Surrender of the City: He came not as a Coward to hide in a hole, nor as treacherous to ſlay in ſecret; but to deliver his ſervice to the Chief, to depart with the Anſwer of the Head of the Land. He was fooliſhly entreated by the hands of the jealous, and il •… handled by the doubtful and timerous hearted; they bound a Man of War in Chains, and rejoyced often to ſmite him with rotten ſticks; they chuſed not to plead with him in open field, nor to deal with him, as do the Valiant and Honourable; they bound him in their ſeat of contempt, and ſent Scorners to view him in ſecret; he looked at the works of their hands, and wrote them in the ſoals of his feet; he ſetled his heart in the righteouſneſs of the Meſſage of his LORD, and rather choſe the Chain of his Enemies Yoak, than to yeeld unto Cruelty and Flattery; he was faithful to his Enemy in what he was ſent, as he was to his LORD that ſent him; he waſhed his hands of the Blood of the City, and poſſeſſed the Peace of his LORD.

What will you ſay for your ſelves when this Servant's Cauſe ſhall be publickly pleaded to your faces? I know your purpoſe concerning the Heir, and the purpoſe alſo of the LORD of the Vineyard, as the Reward of your wilful works: You have been well warned, but you have not well received, but have ill rewarded and requited: Yet in all I deſire not that God may requite you, as ye have requited me; and therefore I have Conſolation, and you know not my Crown. The putrified head of the corrupted body and rotten tayl, yea, the whole body, even from head to tayl, I tread upon for ever.

J. P. Rome, from the Inquiſition-Priſon.

To the Prieſts, appointed as Inquiſitors and Keepers of the Inquiſition-Priſons thereunto belonging, A Viſitation of the Lord God to you all is come.

ARiſe, ariſe, It is high time to Awake and Ariſe from the Seat of Blood; For the LORD GOD is ariſen to make Inquiſition for the Blood of every Innocent Soul, which hath been ſtarved and ſlaughtered upon the face of the whole Earth; Indignation flyeth with him as a pointed Arrow; Vengeance is in his Right hand as a Spear for the Battel, and Wrath as a Dart to pierce the Liver of the Wicked; The LAMB is ariſen for Slaughter, as a Lion to devour the Prey; a Burning fire proceedeth out of his mouth, The Ungodly ſhall be conſumed before him; and becauſe Iniquity is plentiful in the Land, he haſteth the Iudgment of the Day; neither Covering nor Cloud ſhall hide the Wicked; nay, nor the Clifts of the craggy Rocks from the fierceneſs of his provoked Fury; He will ſmite ſuddenly, even in a moment, in the Land, and bereave the habitation of the Dweller; He will catch, as a ſnare in the night, and none ſhall deliver from his Wrath; He will abide as burnings in the Earth, Corruption ſhall not dwell in his Preſence; the Evil-doer is for the Wine-preſs of his Wrath, but the Juſt ſhall dwell in his Pleaſures: It is at hand, It is at hand, the Day of Vengeance of the LORD, according to the Prophecy: The abundance of Iniquity in the Land, yea, the fulneſs of the meaſure of Sin, hath dragged the fulneſs of the determination of Time, for the Revelation of Woe in the Earth, and Vengeance upon the Inhabitants thereof.

Long have you made Inquiſition after evil for evil, & baniſhed the good from your Preſence, and ſhut it up in the Dens of Dragons. Ariſe and draw out of the ground of the Curſe, where the righteous Blood of Abel was ſpilt; For your ſin is as Sodom, and your tranſgreſſion as the evil of Gomorrah. Your Glory is the Kingdom of this World; your Seats are as the dwellings of Princes: You have fulneſs and eaſe in your houſes, you eat not the bread of carefulneſs. You make the miſeries of others your mirth, and their mourning your ſong of rejoycing. You ſtretch your Carcaſſes upon the burden of their ſorrows, and take pleaſure to heap weight upon weight: You make the ſimple to bend at your Bow, and the wayfaring man to bow at your beck. You ſtretch forth your necks in pride, and bend your brows in preſumption. You have ſlain the Lamb in your ſtreets, and trampled on his blood in your ſecret habitations. You crucifie the Lord afreſh, and put him to open ſhame. You are not aſhamed to ſay, Lord, though your lyes and your lightneſs abound. You have provoked the LORD unto Jealouſie, and raiſed his Anger by conſtraint. And therefore, behold, he cometh, as with Voices and Lightning, and will ſearch your dark corners as with Candles: He will rent the Coverings of your body, and ſet you as in the day wherein you were born, and place you as Butts for his Shafts; even as you made the Innocent your mark to ſhoot your Arrows at in ſecret: You are planted the Judges of the Citadels, as the Chief of the Munitions in the Land, and as the principal Caſtle of Refuge among all the Forts of the City: But the LORD will make the Staff of your Truſt as for a ſhout in Battel againſt you; your Wallings he will make as a Wilderneſs, and your houſes as an habitation of Bitterneſs; your pleaſant Dreams ſhall have their end in ſorrows, and your Divinations of gladneſs be finiſhed with the compaſs of trouble; Vnbelief haſteth the Wo, becauſe Iniquity waxeth ripe in the Land. And the LORD ſaid unto Jonah, Go down unto Niniveh, and preach: And Jonah cryed in the City, Yet forty dayes, and Niniveh ſhall be deſtroyed: And when Tydings came to the King, he queſtioned not the matter, but conſidered the ſins of the Land, and through Faith there was Repentance found among them, and the Lord turned back his Anger, and ſpared the City.

Remember your Viſitation which is come from the LORD, in the day that you cry, Peace, peace in the Land, ſaying, none evil ſhall happen unto us; had I turned to another Land, the Lord would have had followed me with Storms, even as he did Jonah with displeaſure; And God, who ſaid, Go unto Rome, ſaid alſo, Thus ſhalt thou ſay: which things I have given forth among you, and am clear from your works of Iniquity, and from the Blood of the Land and City, which elſe, as the Lord liveth in Judgment and Righteouſneſs, he would have required the thing at my hand.

Concerning your Judgment I have this at leaſt-wiſe to ſay: You ſit as Lords in the Land, and your Wills are the Precepts of the People; You conſtrain your words for a Law, and make Envy the Judge thereof; The mouth of Malice dealeth the Sentence, for the inſtruments of Cruelty to execute your Wrath; You will not that your Judgment be judged, for you deal it in craft among the ſimple: but this the LORD willeth, although you will not; I ſay the Lord willeth it, and it ſhall come to paſſe: For the LORD GOD will enquire after Judgement, and bring Judgement as a ſpoyler of your Seat; You will ſeek to eſcape the Day, which cometh as a Thief in the night; But the LORD will compaſs you as Fiſh in the Net, and entrap you as Birds in the ſnare; and you that have digged a Pit for another, ſhall fall your ſelves therein: Iudge, judge the ſin of your own hearts, and the liberties of your own luſts, and make inquiſition after Judgment, for the ſake of the Righteouſneſs of the Judgement of Truth, which ſtandeth againſt the Iniquities of your life; and until it be perfected in you, Judge not, leſt you be judged; For ye have not received the meaſure in love, for Judgment to juſtifie you in the ſight of GOD; and wanting the meaſure in your ſelves, you heap up Oppreſſion upon the head of another; and, wherein you judge another, you are left inexcuſable your ſelves; for, wherein you judge another, you ſtand guilty of tranſgreſſion in the ſelf-ſame nature; yea, you judge as the Jews judged Jeſus, whom they blindly accuſed for Blaſphemy, and perverſly condemned his Innocency, to cover their Seat of Iniquity. O man, Judgest thou another as an Heretick, and haſt thou Oaths and Curſes in thy mouth? Judgeſt thou another for Hereſie, and thou an Hypocrite and Lyar in thy life? Thou ſhalt bear the burden of thy Judgment, for thy own ſpirit gave the entrance, and yeelded 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 the encreaſe of Hereſie in the Earth, and thou ſhalt not be excuſed in the ſight of the LORD GOD; And you ſhall all know, That the Judgment of GOD is according to Truth, againſt every one that doth evil.

Concerning your Reſtraints, let me ſhew you the general Iſſues and Effects thereof: A man that breaks the Covenant of your Wills, as having eaten Fleſh upon a ſixth day of the week (which you call Venus day, after the manner of aſcribing glory to a Heathen Goddeſs) for ſo doing, or otherwiſe you offending, though not againſt GOD tranſgreſſing, he is judged by you as a ſinner againſt your Church, and therefore receives the ſentence for reſtraint in your Inquiſition-Priſon-houſe; and then he is yours, as the wild Aſs that is caught in the Coller; and knowing the nature of your own luſts, you work upon the ſtrength of the ſame in another; you are experienced to deal with your own, as the Falkoner to bring Hawks to the waving of the Leuer. Man in the Fall (as your Members have ſaid, not one of you reſtored unto the firſt Adam's eſtate in Paradiſe) dwells in the curſed ground of Corruption, Luſt ſtanding head over the whole Life, which being a little curbed with your bridle of Reſtraint, quickly languiſheth in the Creature, and with it alſo the mind of the Creature, unto the bereaving and robbing the falſe Rest; which, through the ſubtilty of the Serpent, was planted in the Creature. A Sea of miſery then floweth into the heart, and the mind gathers up the remembrance of the delight of every pleaſure that is paſt, and painfully pleadeth in it ſelf; I have loſt the fulneſs and choice of the Bread and Wine, which I had in my liberty; here is no vent for the performing of what my heart deſireth, either fulneſs or want doth but heap Wo upon Wo, in the Creature, which knoweth not a ſtay to the heart, nor a guide to the affection of the mind; and then there is an out-cry, according to the Writings in the Walls, O Liberty, Liberty, without Liberty all is nothing; yea, the fulneſs of all without Liberty, is but the Addition of Fuel to the Flame of the Miſery; Wherefore, ſaith the Serpent, Thou knoweſt the Redemption, do this, and thou reapeſt thy Freedom; for it is better to paſſe under the Confeſſion and Penance, which is but as it were for a moment, than to languiſh in this Gulph of Affliction for ever: And then the Hypocrite ariſeth in the heart, and cometh to the Confeſſion of deceit, with watry eyes, and wringing hands, and ſtrong ſupplications to the Prieſts, and makes the moan of a burdened and troubled Conſcience and wounded Spirit, becauſe of the Tranſgreſſions; and then it ſaith, Yea, with all my heart, Saint Mary, St. Ioſeph, and St. Anthony, St. Francis, St. Dominick, and the reſt of the Saints, which are written in the Priſon-walls, I will take for my Advocates, and holy Purgatory, and all the reſt; I believe as the Church believes, and gladly will I bear my Penance, that my Conſcience may be eaſed. Whilſt all this is but the out-cry of the Devil, even of that wicked one, for the purchaſe of Liberty; I ſay, to purchaſe liberty for the full exerciſe of the Luſt; and when the Liberty is come, and the Lust fulfilled therein, in Meats, and Muſick, and Wine, and Women, and Pride, and Covetouſneſs, and Lyes, and vain Jeſting, and Idle-talking, and cheating, and double-dealing, and ſwearing, and curſing, and all manner of miſchief and abominations; then the pleaſure is full, and the peace is poſſeſſed, the delights are fulfilled, no ſorrow remains, no conſcience laden, nor ſpirit burdened with affliction, becauſe of tranſgreſſion, but all is accounted well, and he reckoned a good Roman Catholick: And then, what commendations of the good of the Prieſts? and what commendations do the Prieſts give of that Convert? Thus all rottenneſs is daubed up with dirt, and this is the ſum and fruit of the whole work; which things the LORD GOD will aſſuredly and that moſt ſtrongly plead, in the faces both of Priests and People, unto the utter confuſion of all hands, and deceitfulneſs of all corrupt hearts; who knoweth how to deal with his own, and to deliver from the ſnare of the wicked, whom you know not how to handle, to bring under the bent of your Bow: You are warned of Gods mighty day, wherefore prize your time, and repent.

I alſo propound a few Queries unto you, to the end that you may give me ſome plain and diſtinct Anſwer to each of them particularly, under your hand-writing.

Que. 1. Whether are there more grounds in the nature, than two in the Earth (that is to ſay) the good and the evil, the bleſſed and the curſed? And whether the fruits of each ground, according to their nature, are not bleſſed or curſed in the ſight of God, yea or nay?

Que. 2. In what ground were your Inquiſition Offices and Priſons, and the Officers thereunto belonging, brought forth? and in which do they ſtand; whether in the ground, as the fruit of the ground of the many inventions, which brought the flood of deſtruction in the dayes of the generation of Noah, or abſolutely in the righteouſneſs of the ground of God's Law, as given by the Lord from Heaven, yea or nay?

Que. 3. In what ground is Perſecution brought forth, which any man ſuffereth for the real ſake of a conſcience of God?

Que. 4. Whether can any ſuch Perſecutor truly diſcern, and conſequently judge the real conſcience of God which is in another, yea or nay?

Que. 5. By what teſtimony of Truth, can you ſhew me, That your Penance or Priſons do mortifie the fleſh without Murder, or quicken the mind from every motion of corruption, as freedom from the lusts of tranſgreſſion?

Que. 6. Whether have you made inquiſition after the Hypocrite and Heretick within you? and ſhew me how you have laid his Life unto the ſuffering of the Penance of Chriſt's Croſs, with the teſtimony of the effects thereof?

Que. 7. What was the Inquiſition which CHRIST made after the Offence of the accuſed Harlot, and the Judgement of the Harlot's Tranſgreſſion? and, whether do you judge with that, or contrary to that Judgment in your Inquiſitions?

Que. 8. With what confidence can you judg the pure conſcience of another in the preſence of the Lord, yea, or caſt a ſtone at a tranſgreſſor, whilſt you your ſelves are found ſinners?

Que. 9. What is that Vnjuſt, in whoſe Eye is the Beam? and what is the Beam in the Eye? and whether is not the Beam in your Eye, yea or nay?

Que. 10. What is the cauſe that a mote is judged by the Eye that is beamed? And, what is the ground, root, original and principal cauſe of mens calling good evil, and evil good? And, whether is not your fruit in the general a teſtimony that you are in that ground, and that root in you in the ground which yeelds the fruit of calling good evil, and evil good, in the particular, yea or nay?

I love the Truth and Souls; but do hate a Lye and Deceit, with every evil way.

Rome, diſpenſed from the Inquiſition-Priſon. J. P.

To the Seed which is yet unborn in Rome, Salutation.

TO the Seed of that Woman which the Dragon drove into the Wilderneſs, over whoſe ſufferings many Generations have paſſed, which viewed them with an eye of contempt. O Seed, I ſee thy travel of ſorrows, and the ſighings that compaſs thee in the deeps; thou art ſwadled in the womb of affliction, and bound in the belly of trouble; thou lyeſt in the deeps of the raging Seas, the weeds are wrapt about thy head; thou art as the blood-ſhed of Abel in the Earth, and groaneſt in her bowels to the LORD thy Creator; thou dwelleſt in the ſolitary places, as hid in the hole of the Aſp; thou art conſtrained in the Den of the Dragon, and forced in the Cockatrice's dwelling; thou art as a Pelican in the Wilderneſs, and an alone Sparrow ſitting on the houſe top; thou art as a Bee in the holes of the Rocks, driven from the Hive of the Swarm; thou lyeſt as a Lark in the heaths of the Mountains, and as a Quail in the Stubble-fields; thou art as a Wren in a Buſh of Thorns, the Vulture ſoars over thee to devour; when thou lifteſt up thine head for a flight the Kite doth ſtrike at thy life, the Hawk doth watch for thy riſing, and the Gier-Eagle to devour the prey; Wo! wo! wo is me for thee in this thy hour of Tribulation! for I bear thy wound in my body, my ſoul is pained with thy grief; my belly is as a bro •… k of bitterneſs, thou art laden with the Hills of the Earth, and preſſed with the Mountains of the Wilderneſs; heaps of ſtones are laid for thy weight, and Rocks for the weight of thy burden; thou art ſhut up in Priſon, in the Priſon-houſe, and ſitteſt ſolitary in darkneſs, in the ſhadow of death; the bonds of death have bound thee, and the Covenant with Hell hath captivated thee; many do look at thee with the countenance of mirth, and wag their heads at thy mourning; thou art as a Lamb among Lions, and as a prey to the devouring beaſts; thou art as a ſpoyl to the mouth of the Fox, 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 and as a deſtruction to the teeth of the Wolf, the wild Aſſe is offended at thy moving, and ſnuffeth up the wind in ſcorn of thy breathing; the Bulls of Baſhan do purſue thee with roaring, and puſh with their horns at thy dwelling; thou art caſt in the ſide of the way, and the Chariot wheels run over thee; thou art placed as a But in the field, for the Arrows and Darts to pierce thee; thou art the despiſed in the Earth, and mocked of men of the World; thou art ſold as a Slave into Egypt, and counted the outcaſts of Iſrael: though I have heard thy cry in the Land, and bear marks of the bleeding of thy grief in my boſome, yet I want the greatneſs of the weight of Wiſdom, to meaſure the depths of thy miſery; thou mourneſt as a Dove in the Deſerts, which hath loſt her only mate; thou weepeſt as the wayling of a Widow, and Mother bereaved of her Children; thou cryeſt with the grief of the fatherleſs and comfortleſs Child without Mother; thy mourning is as the cry of the Voice of the Orphan, left without help in the Land; thy groans are as the languiſhing of the Poor in the Earth, which wanteth the daily bread; thou lyeſt in the fields like a yeaned Lamb, by the ſide of a dead Sheep; ſore are thy cryes, as a ſtrugling Babe at the breaſts of a dead Mother: Eye hath not ſeen, neither hath ear heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of vain man to conceive the weight of thy Wo and Paſſions, in all the dayes of thy Wreſtlings.

VVherefore, O Seed, becauſe thou haſt born the Indignation of the LORD for a ſeaſon, and waiteſt until it be over and paſt, and haſt not ſlipt thy ſhoulder in the heat of the day, nor thy neck from the yoak in the ſtormy time; Therefore hath thy GOD, thy Creator determined the good of thy travel in the Earth; He hath ſaid, Thou ſhalt not always be as barren in the Land, but ſhalt yeeld thy increaſe in the Nations. O thou afflicted with the troubles of the deeps which tempeſts have rouled to the bottoms! lift up thy head in the Joy of the LORD, and be ſtrong in the Power of his Might; for the Word of the LORD is come down in the Earth, which was ſpoken by the Prophets of GOD; the LORD of the Heavens hath reſtored thy Mother, and pitched her as a Sanctuary in the Earth; the Daughter of Sion is her Name, the Glory of GOD is with her; He hath given her a new threſhing Instrument with Teeth, to threſh the Mountains to duſt, and to beat the Hills to powder; to ſeive the Vanity of the Nations, and to fan the Earth with her ſtrength; to be as a wound to every Wild-beast, and deſtruction to the life of the Deſtroyer; to be a ſnare to the Fowls of the Air, and a fire to devour the Devourer; to find out the Dens of the Earth, and to open the holes of thy hiding; to break the bolts of the Priſon-doors, and the Chains of Death and Darkneſs; to make thee as free-born in the Land of the Living, to poſſeſs an Inheritance therein: And it ſhall be no more with thee, as in the dayes that all men ſought after thee for evil, and hunted thee for a purpoſe of miſchief and cruel end; for the LORD hath ſworn thy Salvation, and covenanted thy Peace for ever; ſighing and ſorrow ſhall fly away from thee, and thy tears ſhall be wiped from thine eyes, and the LORD will poſſeſs thee with the Joy of Conſolation, and thou ſhalt reap Rejoycing as ripe Corn in the Harveſt; He will give thee Beauty for Aſhes, the Oyl of joy for mourning, and the garments of praiſe for the ſpirit of heavineſs; he will ſtay thee with Flaggons, and comfort thee with Wine, and fill thee with the greatneſs o •… his Love; thy habitation he wil compaſs with encreaſe, thy basket and thy ſtore ſhall abound; thou ſhalt eat the food of the Angels of God, and be reckoned as a Leader in the Land; thou ſhalt ſpring up as a plant in a fruitful ground, and thy branches ſhall over-ſpread the Nations; thou ſhalt be at the calling of the Aſſemblies in the Eaſt, and the gathering of the People in the West; the Lord will enlarge thy borders, and make thy dwellings as the fulneſs of the Cities in the Earth; thou ſhalt be as the Lord of an Hoſt, and as the Captain of the Army of GOD; Battels ſhall bend to thy Bow, and Hoſts ſhall tremble at the ſhout of thy Voice; thou ſhalt ſtand as a dread in the Land, and a ſign of aſtoniſhment in the Earth; Princes ſhall tremble in thy preſence, and the faces of Kings gather paleneſs; the dread of thy Countenance ſhall fill all with fear, the Heavens ſhall tremble before thee.

Ariſe, Ariſe my Love, why ſitteſt thou as dead in the night of ſlumber? And as aſleep amongſt the Monuments of the Earth? Why ſhall Death be thy dwelling, and the Night a Watch unto thee? Why ſhall thy face be vailed, and the Clouds thus cover thy Glory? Though thou art but that ſmall worm Jacob, and the Voice cryeth, Who ſhall raiſe him? Yet, Ariſe, Ariſe my Love, and being rais'd, thou art ſtronger than Armies, thou art more than the Camps of ten thouſand Hoſts prepared in order for the battel. O ariſe and ſpread forth thy Comlineſs, and raviſh the Virgins with thy Beauty, and fill their Lamps with the droppings of thy Locks, which wait until the morning for thee; thy Preſence is an Odor of Perfumes, thy Word as a ſtream of Honey. O whereunto, whereunto ſhall I liken thee, thou faireſt of ten thouſands! filled with the Glory of thy GOD? thy Feet are the Foundations of the Earth, and thy Legs the Pillars of the Heavens; thy Bowels, as a Ciſtern, hold the Waters of the Earth, and the Waters of the Heavens as a Well: Thou ſendeſt them forth as a running brook, and as ſtreams to refreſh the Plant; Thy Reins are as the Virtue of God, which made man in the glory of his Image; thy Belly is the Fountain of Judah, to waſh away Sin and Uncleanneſs; thy Thighs are as the Bats of the Fountains, and thine Arms as the ſtrength of GOD; thy Back is the Tower of Zion, and thy Breaſts, the nouriſhment of her Children; thy Body is the Temple of GOD, and thine Head the Crown of his Saints; thy Hairs are as the Stars of Heaven for glory, and thy Beard as the bright Clouds thereof; at thy neeſing the Earth is in fire, and the Heavens in a flame before thee; thy Soul is the Subſtance of the Creation of GOD, and thine Eyes the Light of the Day; thy Teeth are as the Angels of GOD in the Heavens, to fight thy Battel on Earth; thy •… outh is the Door of the Counſel of GOD, and thy Tongue the Teacher thereof. O! the Earth, the Earth is confounded before thee. I am as a Wren in the Earth, loſt under the ſtretching of thy Wing; I began in the ſhallow places, but am overwhelmed as a Worm in the deeps of GOD; no man hath comprehended thy Glory; wherefore let him bear his Judgement for ever, that faſhions thee like unto a graven thing, or that makes an Image of thy CHRIST; Let him bear the perpetual ſhame of his folly, and the judgment of thy dreadful Word; Let his own ſoul eat his confuſion, and drink up the dregs of his condemnation; for Glory is thine in the higheſt, who art only known to the pure in heart, and remembred of the Upright in the Earth. An Image is a mark of the unmindfulneſs of thy Name, and a ſign of the forgetfulneſs of thy Preſence.

O Seed, ſtand up as a Sign to the People, and as an Enſign to the Nations of the Earth, that they may be gathered to the Knowledge of the LORD thy GOD, to remember Him as a God that is preſent, even at hand, for Iudgment to the Wicked, and Salvation of his own Elect.

Call, call for thy Courage, and cry aloud for thy Strength, and cloath thy ſelf therewith, as in the dayes of old; ſtretch forth thine Hand in thy Power, and draw back the Clouds of the Night; Appear thou Sun of the Morning, as ſetled in the Heavens above, that the Nations may flow to thy Light, and Kings to the brightneſs of thy Riſing; that the Iſles may be gathered in one, to wait for the Law at thy Mouth; that the tongue of the Egyptian Sea may be dryed up, and but One pure Language remain in the Earth; and that the Earth be filled with the Knowledge of GOD, as Waters cover the Seas.

It was once ſaid, and the Voice anſwered, Until how long? And the Spirit ſaid, Until the determination of the time appointed, even until the fulfilling of the Abomination of Deſolation in the Earth, and it ſeen to ſtand in the Holy Place. Then ſaid the Angel, The mighty Dreadful Day of GOD is at hand. Awake, awake to the Judgment of the Terrible Day of the LORD. Fear GOD, and give Honour and Glory to his Name. O that thine Innocency were known in the Land, & thy Love received in the Earth! Thou art as the Innocent Lamb of the Flocks, and as the New-born Babe at the Breaſt; thou art as the Turtle which flyeth in fear, and as her young in the Neſt without guile; thy Love is as the Mother to her comly Daughter, and as the Father to his only Son; thy Love is as the Spouſe to her Welbeloved, and as the Bridegroom wedded to his beautiful Virgin; it paſſeth the love of Women, thy Bonds are ſtronger than Death; thou beareſt the greif of thy Love, for becauſe of thy Love thou art hated: I love the love of thy Love, and do bear the burden thereof; I love the bonds of thy Love, for becauſe of thy Love thou art bound; O make thy Love thy Battel, and the bent of thy Bow in the Earth, that he which hath pierced thee may mourn, and be broken in the bowels of Love; that the Mountains may be melted before thee, and the Hils drop down like Wax; and gather to the Body of Love, where neither Envy nor Lyes have life: Spread forth thy Arms in love, that thy meaſure be filled in the Earth; For Scorners do hiſs at the kindneſs of thine heart, and mock at the meekneſs of thy mind; thine Arrows of Love be their wound, to pierce them to the heart in their ſeat; Overcome with the Love which created, and perfect the Glory of GOD; Make known thy Self as thou art, a Leader in the Righteouſneſs of GOD: Inſtruct the ſimple thy way, and confound the Prudent thereby: Thy Way is the path of the Just, the ſinner cannot walk therein; it is a Guide to the Wayfaring-man, the Fools cannot erre therein; The Wiſe do ſtumble in their ſight, and the Subtil do fall before them; which maketh the Heathen rage, and all the Diviners mad: Open, open thy Boſom to thy lovers, and thy Treaſure to the ſoul which ſeeks thee; which ſpareth not Life from the Croſſe, nor Lust from the flaming Sword, but layeth the Neck at the Yoak, to yeeld the Firſt-born unto Death: Thy Treaſure is the body of Wiſdom, more pure than refined Gold: Thy Wiſdom is as the Oracles of GOD, and Counſel of the Moſt High: Thou feedeſt thy own with the Life, with Wiſdom the ſubſtance of Life: The Swine feed on husks as a prey, and run to a ſhadow for ſhelter: In Winter they wander in the Woods, and in Summer they wallow in the Mire: The Serpent licks up the duſt of the ground, and hideth in a hole of the Earth; But thou buildeſt a Nurſery for Babes, and a Dwelling for the Sons of God; Thou makeſt a Bed for the Virgin, and ſhe is kept as a Bride for the Lamb: Thou makeſt the ſimple as an Hoſt, to battle with the Armies of Gog; thou giveſt thy Counſel in the Day, and the weak is made ſtrong for the War: The Philiſtine flouriſheth his Sword, but it is kept for the wound of his body: The weak turneth back the force of the Giant, and ſlayeth him with his own Sword; he takes not Glory to his hand, but yeeldeth his heart to his GOD: By Wiſdom the Kingdom is created, and folded in ſecret from the Wicked; he which caſteth his Crown at thy feet, thy Glory ſhall cover his head.

This is without respect to any man's perſon, whether Jew or Gentile in Rome, A Viſitation of the Love of GOD to the Seed; And be it his Woe for ever and ever that keeps it back.

Dispenſed from the Inquiſition-Priſon in Rome. J. P.

Righteous REASON, written as a REMONSTRANCE to Romes Rulers, Touching the Impriſonment and Perſecution of the Servant of JESUS.

ROME being called of her Inhabitants, The Head of the World, and Holy City; and her Church, the Mother of many Nations, cryed up as the moſt famous (in Faith, Doctrine, Life, and practice of Righteouſneſs, of the Lord Jeſus) of all Peoples upon the face of the Earth; To her Heads and Rulers therefore I am willing to offer this entrance of the Remonſtrance of my Cauſe, in a compendious Tract, by the repreſentation of Reaſon, the Rule of the Law and Prophets, the Judgment of wiſe and holy Judges, the Commandments, Doctrine and Example of the LORD JESUS, with what elſe occaſionally may be intervenially inſerted in the ſame; to be placed as a Looking-glaſſe of Equity in all the Courts of Judicatory in her City.

I John the Servant of JESUS [in the holy and bleſſed Calling of the Quaking and Trembling at the Word of the LORD GOD] upon the ſixth day of the fourth moneth, in the year, 1658, arrived in the City of Rome, with humble deſire of attaining ſight and ſpeech with the Pope; the which not fooliſhly, or preſumptuouſly did I ſeek; but in all ſobriety and modesty, made orderly proceed, in as many ſteps as I trod in the path of this progreſs; the which is well known unto divers of Eminent Report of your own Sect, within your City Walls.

Foraſmuch as firſt of all, I opened my deſired Purpoſe, and ſaid End, unto Thomas Courtney, Jeſuite, and Engliſh Confeſſor of Peters, from whom I received Advice, and, in due order thereunto, made exact progreſs, by paſſing, next and immediately from him, to John Crey, Iriſhman, and Chaplain to the Pope; before whom in like manner I ſpread my ſaid Deſire, as an unfolded ſheet upon a ſmooth floor. At which time ſeveral words paſſed between us, of which I retain a full remembrance, though not eſteemed of ſuch weight, but may be waved at preſent, to the end, Lines of more conſequence, and more properly pertinent to the inſtant purpoſe, may rule the ſide of my Paper; and therefore do proceed, ſhewing;

That upon the eighth of the ſaid month and year, I was (by the Chief Marſhal of the City, and his Guard) taken out of Bed, in my Lodging, at the ſign of the Cock in Piazza Fornaſe, ſtripped of all things, except the Apparrel which I wore; and ſo at a late hour of the night was led bound to one of the New Priſons, where the ſecond day I was briefly interrogated by the Governour of the City, who at the ſame time, verbally conceaded me conſent to my Demand, of a ſudden, fair and publick Tryal at Tribunal of Law; the which Equal deed mine Eye never ſaw put in execution and practice, unto this inſtant day of my Reſtriction.

And it came to paſs, that before ſix days were expired, with a ſecond Guard I was taken from thence, bound in a Coach, and tranſported to the Inquiſition-Priſon; at which Office and Priſon, divers of your Eccleſiaſtical Orders came to ſeek, and received full and plain ſpeech from me: And after that a ſhort ſpace of time had vaniſhed, there was adhibited me a free and lawful Priviledge, (viz.) The ſolid, clear, and incontradicted Licence, to write my mind in whatſoever thing I would; to which purpoſe, and as an Authentick teſtimony of the ſame, him called the Father Commiſſary of the ſaid Inquiſition, allowed me Pen, Ink, and Paper; with the uſe whereof I faithfully forwarded the matter of clearing my Conſcience, thorow a naked Explication of the words of Righteouſneſs, in ſundry Manuſcrips, and an Epiſtle general to the Romans.

Moreover it came to paſs, that I having been about 18. weeks cloſe Priſoner, in the ſaid Inquiſition, was the third time bound, and again in a Coach tranſported from thence unto this Priſon of Mad-men; where I have reſted (in the Peace and Patience of the Lord Jeſus, as one of his Innocent Lambs) under much hardſhip and ſeverity; the which I over-paſs, preſſing on in the Progreſs, and ſuccedently to ſhew forth, (viz.)

Concerning my more than two years Perſecution, under Authority of your juriſdiction.

Known be it unto you, O all ye Heads, Rulers, and Judges of Rome, That there was not an act done by me in your City (for which I am perſecuted) which any Law of God, or Precept of his Son Jeſus Chriſt, doth condemn; and am ſure, where Righteous Judges perſpicuouſly underſtanding the matter, from no righteous rational Law could judge, either worthy of Bonds or of blame; for the things which your Sect do call Hereſies, which were the Writings that were found with me, though of a truth my Intention was naked to God (the which (when apprehended) I hid not from you) to diſpenſe them, as they were directed to you, ſome folded, and others ſealed; yet not any of the ſaid Papers, being actually diſpenſed in this your City, before I was Apprehended; conſequently not matter of Fact to be charged upon me, as tranſgreſſion of a Law, and ſo not worthy of theſe Bonds; the which you may plainly perceive alſo by the ſucceeding illuſtrations.

Firſt, From the word of Affirmation of one of your Fathers (a Confeſſor) unto me, ſhewing the Erection of the Inquiſition by a Law, was not to perſecute, but purpoſely and properly to ſtop the in-courſes of ſuch things, as the ſaid my Writings, (which he reputed none other, but as a dangerous Impreſs of Hereſies,) the which when ſtopt, the Law was fulfill'd, and in Equity, had its uttermoſt end; and ſo much the clearer, becauſe the matter was not a Fact actual, but a purpoſe Intentional, the which no Righteous Law calleth criminal, ſeeing not any word therein was carnally evil, or, relating to any mans perſon, mentally treaſonable.

Secondly, Becauſe that whereas in the Inquiſition-Office (declared to be erected for the prevention of the influences of Heretical and Schiſmatical Opinions) was adhibited me, the free and lawful Licence and Priviledge to Write whatſoever things I would; the Righteous Judge in his Wiſdom, will not impute that thing unto me, as Tranſgreſſion of the Law, in the City, which is a licenced Priviledge adhibited me, by the Ruling Power over the City.

Thirdly, Becauſe it is well known, that not in any of my Papers, (which were taken from me) there were words, (which your particular Judgements do eſteem Hereſies) which you could call more dangerous Hereſies, than in them which I had free and lawful admiſſion of Writing; whence the palpability of Reaſon, inferreth the infallibility of Concluſion, not worthy (as precited) either of Bonds, or of Blame; for before an entrance of the Sentence of Condemnation might judiciouſly approach me herein, it would firſt take its proper Stage rationally, to reach your own Members; and thereby, if the Law could implead any at the Bar as a Tranſgreſſor, me, in mine Innocency, it would acquit, and charge the guilt on the heads of them Heads, which at the laſt adhibited me the free Liberty to Write, and ſo to diſpence to you whatſoever I would; without which I the Priſoner could not have done the thing acted.

Fourthly, Becauſe the ſaid later Writings, whilſt I was a Priſoner, being priviledged, do in the perſpicuity of Reaſon hold forth, That the former, written whilſt I was at Liberty, do ſtand with ſuitable aſſent of one of theſe three, (viz.) firſt, Either according to your Law; or ſecondly, Not contrary to the rule of your Law (that is to ſay) a Law not ſtanding in potential record againſt them; and to that, ſaith the Apoſtle, Where there is no Law, there is no Tranſgreſſion; or otherwiſe, at utmoſt, you conſtantly avouching that they were againſt your Law. Finally, the Rule of Equity ſtandeth to test, that of a truth, it was your ſelves, which by the Act of Aſſent, firſt nulled that Law, and ſo no more ſtands in force of a Law, to judge me now as a tranſgreſſour; for, except that it were not againſt a Law, or that you had made void and null that Law, which you may ſay, that my Writings were againſt; then, as aforeſaid, could not I have written the things which I have written in your Inquiſition-Priſon?

Fifthly, Becauſe that all Righteous Laws of GOD in Nations, touching Facts Criminal, and Crimes Capital, are no more to one perſon particular, than unto all men in general; And therefore my adhibition at laſt, to write things of the ſame nature and purpoſe in Priſon, which at firſt I did in the fruition of Liberty, demonſtrates, that your ſaid ſelf-nulled Law, (Under which (contrary to the tenure of GOD's righteous Law) I am yet irrationally and compulſively held in your houſe of Captivity) was not at firſt ſo much a ſtable Law, as an aiery variable nicity; for that which (in ſuch caſes) adhibits to one, and prohibits the ſame to another, is rather like a wind of vanity, than a body or pillar of ſolidity, ſeeing that it will admit of the respect of perſons in Judgement, and conſequently what equality there is, in reſtraining of perſons, more than two years, upon the account of a changeable curioſity, and aiery nicity; judge thee, O thou righteous Iudge, in the high ſeat of ſuperiority.

Sixthly, Becauſe the Eternal Spirit of Righteouſneſs, my Maker, which ſearcheth all hearts, and tryeth all reins; which is the greatest Witneſs of all Witneſſes, beareth teſtimony in my ſpirit, that in all which I have written, have ſtood, and do ſtand in my Conſcience, clear, naked and void of all and every part of a prejudicial mind, or conception of Envy, Wrath, Malice, Scorn, or despightful Contempt of any man's perſon; neither have I thereby wronged any man whatſoever; for all that is therein inſerted, is none other, but wholſom Admonitions, exciting to a more peculiar, holy, and bleſſed life, towards GOD and a man's Neighbour; with certain ſolid, ſober Interrogations, which tend not to the cuſtom of heatheniſh ſtrifes and conteſts in the envious and malicious ſpirit of bitterneſs; but purely, ſincerely and reverently in the humble ſpirit of fear of the LORD GOD, to the proper and ſole end of the Glory of GOD, through the Salvation of Souls, by his heavenly enlightning of Understandings, with the Glory of his holy Spirit; And ſavoury reprehenſions of that ſpirit which ſinneth, and teſtimony againſt the Evils of the Land, and the inſertion of ſundry ſpiritual Myſteries of the heavenly Kingdom, with the ſpiritual Witneſs of the Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt; and nothing therein contrary to the New Teſtament of GOD, the Blood of the Covenant, and immaculate Life of the Lamb, nor any thing in oppoſition to that chaſt Spirit of Sanctity, which was in Mary, or any which was, or is, as that bleſſed Virgin was, which (upon further and due tryal) I am able (in the grace and power of GOD, and the Life of our Lord Jeſus) to make appear unto that of God in you, and all men whatſoever (which my Language can underſtand) upon the face of the Earth; In which thing being juſtified, Firſt, by GOD which ſent me. Secondly, By example of the holy Prophets of old. Thirdly, By the practice of CHRIST and his Apoſtles, which at large (through the Mercy of the Lord God Almighty) I am alſo able to hold forth unto you (in the day of due tryal) according to the undeniable Record, and Witneſs of the holy Scriptures of Truth; And therfore Righteouſneſs ſaith, Becauſe that the nature of the matter was of a pure purpoſe, ſhould rationally have been recompenced by you with none other than a pure and Chriſtian-like practice.

Seventhly, Becauſe the ſweet ſavour and good report of our Innocency came to your City before us, which God made divers of your Eccleſiaſtical Members to confeſs in plainneſs of ſpeech to my face.

Eighthly, Becauſe the Witneſs of GOD, which is greater than the Witneſs of Man, teſtified in my ſpirit, That all my honest Queries, ſweet and holy Admonitions, pure Advertiſments, & godly Reprehenſions, proceeded from no other, but as Cryſtal ſtreams from the fountain of the Father's Love, which he hath made as a Well of Waters in my bowels; And principally, becauſe that Reprehenſion is an infallible token of the Father's Love to his Seed in all Nations and Lands, teſtified by the Spirit to John the Apoſtle, ſaying, Whom I love, I rebuke and chaſten; be zealous therefore and repent.

Ninthly, Becauſe it is the undeniable Duty of all men upon the face of the Earth, to love the Rebukes of the LORD; as it is purely the LORD's Mercy, and of his infinite Love, to ſend them as Viſitations of his Love unto all Nations.

Tenthly, Becauſe the reſisting of the Rebuke, is the reſiſting of the token of the Favour and Love of GOD; which renders men unworthy of the Love and Mercies of GOD their Maker: And becauſe it vails the heart from the life of the true Zeal in ſpirit, and hardens the heart in the Wrath of Cain towards Abel, of Eſau to Jacob, and of the Jews to Jeſus.

11. Becauſe the Righteous Law of God is of the ſame nature, full of Judgment and Reprehenſion of every Evil, not reſpecting the Perſon of any man, and is at unity with every ſuch ſpirit of its own nature in ſo good a work; for the which cauſe it was righteouſly added of GOD: for if there were no bridle, how ſhould the Beast be tamed? if no Helm, how ſhould the Ship be ſailed? And without Correction, there is no perfect Inſtruction.

12. Becauſe the Rebuke of Life is as a Steel which ſmiteth at the Flint of man's heart, and kindleth in his Internals, the fire of the fear of his Creator, which is the beginning of Wiſdom, which reveals the knowledge of the countenance of the Father, whom to know, is Life eternal: and becauſe of Solomon's proverbial commendation of the work of Reprehenſion, ſaying, The Reproof of the Righteous, is like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver.

13. Becauſe, as the matter of my ſaid Writings is manifeſtly compoſed of Righteouſneſs, and covered with the Countenance of the Word of GOD; ſo the manner thereof ſtands in unity with the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles, which were in the nature of Divinity, which covereth not Iniquity with daubing Iniquity.

14. Becauſe Moſes the Meſſenger of GOD, juſtified him which propheſied in the Camp, (whom the People complained againſt) thus anſwering and ſaying, Would God all the Lords People were Prophets. And becauſe GOD Almighty is unchangeably the ſame, as yeſterday, ſo this day, and for ever; of theſe ſtones able to raiſe a Seed unto Abraham.

15. Becauſe of the amiable Example of the geſture of David the King under the ſharp Reprehenſion of Nathan the Prophet; who perſecuted not the Prophet, but with a contrite ſpirit repented of his own ſin. And the like of the King and People of Niniveh, who perſecuted not Jonah, though he cryed their Deſtruction in the Streets.

16. Becauſe the Prophet Iſaiah propheſied it, as the great Evil of ſuch a People, which would make a man an Offender for a Word.

17. Becauſe that for the ſame things, (like unto them, my ſaid Writings in life and nature) the Prophets, CHRIST, and the Apoſtles (by ungodly and unrighteous Rulers) were perſecuted and made ſufferers in the world; And becauſe from the day of Cain's Cruelty, even unto this moment, there was never any other ſpirit in the world, which did or doth perſecute any ſoul for his pure Conſcience of GOD, beſides the thick ſpirit of darkneſs, which is of the old Serpent the Devil, to which the Apoſtle in his day held his Teſtimony, ſaying, As it was then, he that was born after the fleſh, perſecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even ſo it is now.

18. Becauſe the Doctrine and Life of CHRIST teacheth his Church, to recompence all men good for evil, and not any man evil for evil; ſeeing the recompence of evil for evil rendreth men manifeſtly as children of the Devil; and much more the rendring evil actual, for the work of good ſincerely intentional. And becauſe that Chriſt reprehended that ſpirit of Revenge in the youth of his Diſciples, which would have had Fire come down from Heaven to deſtroy his Perſecutors, ſaying, You know not of what ſpirit you are. Who, though the glorious Power of the Father was with Him, (which could do all things) yet perſecuted no man, but ſuffered all things. And becauſe we do not perſecute you, nor any other Sect beſide you.

19. Becauſe that when CHRIST ſo ſharply reprehended Peter, ſaying, Get thee behind me Satan: And when he ſaid alſo to the Jews, You are of your father the Devil, and the lust of your father you will do, and he was a lyar from the beginning: Neither his friend nor his foes perſecuted Him with that bitterneſs, wherewith you have perſecuted me. I might moreover inſtance Jeremiah's crying againſt the Temple, which once GOD commanded; Paul's Reprehenſion of the High Prieſt; Peter's of Simon Magus; Paul's Declaration of Reproof to the Athenians, in the open Court of the Arreopageans; with many other Acts of CHRIST and his Apostles; yea, and a Cloud of Witneſſes, reſerved to the day of Judgement, and to teſtifie the Innocency of the Juſt at the open Bar of Tribunal.

20. Becauſe the Kingdom, Weapons, and Warfare of the LORD JESUS and his Apoſtles and Church, were not, nor are not carnal, but ſpiritual; and alſo becauſe my Writings, Sayings, and Speeches are not carnal, nor tending to a carnal end, but ſpiritual, tending to a ſpiritual life, without end; The which ſpiritual Holineſs, if you call ſpiritual Wickedneſs, yet profeſſing your ſelves to be the Church, which is the Body, ſhould conſequently in the Channel and clear Courſe of the running River of Righteous REASON, be ſubject unto CHRIST, whom you confeſs to be the Head of the Body, and ſo the Body to be ſubject to the Law of the Head, and not to make the Head ſubject to the luſt of your body; and then you would do as CHRIST did, and as the Apoſtles practiſed, cut down the ſpiritual Wickedneſs with ſpiritual Weapons: For when the Jews ſaid unto Jeſus, Thou hast a Devil, and in the name of Beelzebub doſt cast out Devils: the LORD (then, whom you are not greater, in whoſe hand all Power was) perſecuted not their perſons, but fought with them with the ſpiritual Weapons, and ſaid, If I in the name of the Prince of Devils do caſt out Devils, then is his Kingdom divided; and ſo with the ſpiritual Weapons cut down the ſpiritual Wickedneſs.

Theſe are the things which I call Righteous Reaſon to every righteous rational man living.

Foraſmuch alſo as for more than two years ſpace (as precited) and in like manner in the interval of the ſaid time, as opportunities, ſundry and divers, were preſented, I having in the ſpirit of ſobriety moved, and modeſtly urged for an open, fair and legal Tryal, according to the holy Law of GOD, and of his Son JESUS CHRIST, which righteouſly regulateth among his Church, the which was many times promiſed, but being hitherto never performed, may give juſt occaſion unto every perſon of prudent underſtanding, which hath, or may hear thereof, to conceive that my continued Reſtriction, thus debarred from the Judgment of the Law of Equity, is of the nature of Apoſtacy from, and conſequently in Antipathy unto the ſage, moral Ty of humanity, and all things which are of the Virtuous Subſtance heavenly; And that from the conſideration of the ſubſequent cauſes, which I the rather intimate, from the cogitation that they may be rationally as an Inducement and Inſtigation of you, to expediate my hitherto detarded Tryal at open Tribunal of Law, where I may juſtly find ample Audience to illuſtrate (unto all attending Apprehenſions) the perſpicuity of the Defence of mine Innocency; In due progreſs whereunto, therefore, from this Spirit of meekneſſe, O ye Rulers of ROME, conceive, &c.

Firſt, Becauſe the ſimple, proper, pure, ſolid, and ſole end of the Law of GOD, and all Righteous Laws of Nations, is really, righteouſly, and equally, for the expedition of Judgment on every Tranſgreſſor, for the fact of his Tranſgreſſion, without reſpect of perſons, for the perfecting Righteouſneſs in the Earth: and where the end of the Law is made void, there the ſubſtance of the whole Law is deſtroyed.

Secondly, Becauſe puniſhment inflicted upon any man by any Judge or Magiſtrate, which hath a Law without Judgment, and open Conviction by the Law, is not, according to Righteouſneſs, ſo much an act of Equity, as directly contrary to all Law, and unreaſonable conſtriction of the cruelty of Tyranny; and ſuch an Act ſtains the glory of his Tribunal of Authority: For by a Law he holdeth the Seat of his Superiority, and the Righteouſneſs of Judgement, by the Law being the Glory of the Chair of his Magistracy; Judgment being perverted, the Juſt Tribunal is overturned, and thereby the Glory thereof rendred as a ſtage of Infamy: And thus the Law being violated, mark what follows, The Land by unrighteouſneſs ruined.

Thirdly, Becauſe the conſtriction, and continuation of Bonds through ſuſpence of Judgment, and Puniſhment of a Perſon without Judgment and open Conviction by the Law, ſtands in contrariety to the pure practice and life of true Christianity, which actually leadeth to the doing unto all men, as a man would that another ſhould do unto him; in which alſo conſiſts both the Law and the Prophets. And becauſe it is but of the ſame, which the Proverb rendreth moſt infamous, ſaying, Hang a man first, and Judge him afterwards.

Fourthly, Becauſe it is expreſly in oppoſition to the pure Nature of GOD your Creator, who looketh for the work of Judgment in the Land, and ſent Judgment into that Land, in which the Righteouſneſs thereof was ſcanted; and where againſt the end of the Law, the Judgment thereof is found delayed and ſuſpended, there the meaſure is ſcanted, and the ballance falſified upon the Stall; and there the preſumptuous Luſt of irrational and unſatiable Will ruleth in the Seat of wrongful Revenge, in the enmity to the Righteouſneſs of the Law it ſelf, which was added of Chriſt for the regulating of that gluttonous Luſt of the ſpirit of Revenge; and, ſo where the Judgment of Truth is alwayes ſuſpended, there the wrongs and injuries heaped upon the Innocent, never come (by the Magiſtrate) to be removed and ended.

Fifthly, Becauſe that in the Land where Judgment is not equally practiſed, but unrighteouſly detarded, and tediouſly ſuſpended, the fame thereof breaks an inlet in that Land, unto all Aſſaults, Deceits, Wrongs, Robberies, Riots, Rapes and Murders; For there the Judge's Inſolencies is made the preſident of the Subjects Villanies; and there the two can ſup of one cup in the communication, ſaying, Give me of thy Broth, and lo, thou ſhalt partake of my Bread: And thus the Juſt is violently led to languiſh in the Land.

Sixthly, Becauſe through the ſuſpenſe of the Juſt Judgment of the Law (which was added becauſe of Tranſgreſſion, and provided as God's Ordinance, for the removal of Oppreſſion) as the Innocent is thereby on the one hand oppreſſed, and his Yoak not broken, but ſtrengthened; ſo by the ſame, on the other hand, the Tranſgreſſor alſo receives not his due, but a wrong; and ſo no man hath right by the Law which God hath appointed for every man's right, either of Condemnation or Juſtification by due and open Tryal at Tribunal of Law; but thus the Law, which GOD hath ordained for the removal of Oppreſſion from all, through violation is converted, and made as an Inſtrument of Oppreſſion unto all.

Seventhly, Becauſe the ſuſpenſe of Judgment is contrary to the good Examples, practiſed of God's holy men of old; Witneſs Moſes, and his true Succeſſors in the ſame ſeat; and Solomon the wiſe King, who when the cauſe of conteſt between the two women (concerning the living Child) came before him, delayed it not, but inſtantly called for a Sword, and thereby in the Righteouſneſs finding the true Mother, immediatly gave her her due: Likewiſe CHRIST, who ſuſpended not the Judgment of the Cauſe of the Harlot, but quickly judged, Whoſoever is free from ſin, let him cast the first ſtone.

Eighthly, Becauſe the righteous Son of GOD, marked out that unjust Judge, (by the name of a man that feared not God, nor regarded man) who ſuſpended the Cauſe of the oppreſſed and wronged Widow, and judged it not for the ſake of Juſtice and Equity, but detarded it, until he found himſelf wearied with the Widows importunity.

Ninthly, Becauſe the very Jews hard-heartedneſs ſuſpended not the Tryal of the Just Man JESUS, by keeping him Two years, or more, under the temptation of the ſeverity of Bonds, to make him deny his Calling, and conſequently the Father which ſent him, but quickly and publickly (though unrighteouſly and againſt Law) judging Him worthy of Death, expoſed him to the pangs of the ſame; and becauſe alſo the Jews in the ſame unbelief and hardneſs of heart, and the Gentiles in the Heatheniſm and Paganiſm, divers times gave Audience, to the open Declaration of Paul the Apoſtle in defence of his Righteous Cauſe. Moreover, though it might have been apprehended as an Affront to his Country-men, when he the ſaid Apoſtle, in the day of his Tryal in the Court of Judicature, appealed [from them] unto Caeſar, yet becauſe of the Law, had his Appeal aſſented him.

Tenthly, Becauſe That Perſon whoſoever, that under pretence of a Law, violates the Righteouſneſs of the Law, by perverting the Law (as the Jews did in the Judgment of Jeſus) or by unequal ſuſpending of the Law, which is given into his hands, as a Stewardſhip, to handle, in equal adminiſtration of just Judgment unto all, without ſuſpenſe or reſpect of perſons, thus wilfully acting in contrariety to all true humanity, the pure practice of Chriſtianity, the holy Law of GOD, and Prophets, and nature of the true GOD, appears manifeſtly (in the Chryſtal glaſs of the Law of Equity) but as a beaſtly, lustful, lawleſs fighter with his horns of Superiority, upon the high mountain of Arrogancy, an Oppreſſor of the Poor and Simple in his Innocency; and ſo warreth not only againſt Moſes and the Prophets purity, and Chriſt's ſanctity, but alſo againſt GOD Almighty his Creator's Divinity; and thus renders himſelf but as one in the Paganiſm and curſed Atheiſm, a ſubject of the Vengeance of GOD's Juſt Judgments in the actual work of deſpairation, which ſhuts from the true hope of the leaſt drop of the Mercy of the LORD GOD.

Theſe things I call Silver (ſeven times) refined, Drops of the Repreſentation of Righteous Reaſon, which in the ſubſtantial, practical, and living chanels, run down like ſtreams from the top of the Mountain of Sion, which ſtands in the midſt of the holy City of GOD; the which, if no man can confidently ſtand to oppoſe openly to my face, yet if any man will wilfully withſtand in ſecret behind my back, let him ſend me in writing the ſtrength of his Oppoſition; and with further priviledge, I in the only ſtrength of GOD, may haply ſhew his confuſion, that ſo the work of Righteouſneſs may proſper in the Land, the which is ſincerely deſired. But finally, if approved, and not oppoſed, then in Juſtice, without further ſuſpenſe, let them ſerve to the effect of one of the enſuing Propoſitions.

1. Either for my fair, open, cleer, publick and legal Tryal at Tribunal of Law, if any man hath juſtly to charge me as a Tranſgreſſor.

2. Or, if not a Trnſgreſſor, then to be righteouſly acquitted of theſe Bonds.

In a word, Conſider in ſoberneſs, O ye Heads and Rulers of ROME, that if by any man's means I ſtand wrongfully repreſented before you, as a tranſgreſſor; whether more than Two years Impriſonment, doth not equivolently anſwer ſuch a Law, as counteth not the repreſented Fact to be ſo criminal, as that it is worthy of the cognizance of Judgment at the Bar of Tribunal: For my God weigheth all things in an equal ballance.

Summarily, if the ſtrong will of cauſleſs irrational Revenge, hath not glutted her appetite on me, I am ſtill the ſame, in the ſame Kingdom of the Content and Patience; as yeſterday, ſo alſo to day, even unto the last day, until her greedy mouth hath ſucked my last blood and breath, and ſo this very Priſon to be made the Ax of Execution of a Martyr of Jeſus. And know ye to the utmoſt, that I am of the Spirit of Stephen, and Life of the Lord, which prayed, and deſpited not.

JOHN the lowly Lamb in the Life of JESUS the Son of GOD; To the Pope of Rome.

THis City hath ill requited the ſimplicity of my bowels of the Eternal Love (as well towards her Inhabitants) as they have been largely manifeſted to thy Children in Ireland, in the time of their moſt grievous diſtreſs; Once, when about 120 perſons were impriſoned in the City of Kilkenny, to be ſent as Captives to the Barbadoes, & but one man more beſides me in all that Land, either Engliſh or Iriſh, that durſt to appear in their behalfs to plead their cauſe for them; which the God of Heaven knows that I did (without an Earthly Reward) with the then Governor of that City; (who ſometime before that, ſent me up Priſoner to Dublin, proſecuting my Life, becauſe I had written about three ſheets of Paper, that repreſented the ſore Grievances and heavy Oppreſſions of all thy Children in that Land, which none of them inſtigated me unto, but was only carried forth thereunto in the Mercies, Pities and Compaſſions that God had put into my ſoul, beholding them a bleeding People) With the ſaid Governour I pleaded (for the ſaid perſons) firſt, in his private houſe, and next, with him, and all the Commiſſioners, in the open Court of Justice, and obtained a Warrant for the delivery of the ſaid Priſoners, which I went perſonally to ſee executed; but the Marſhal, hoping to gain Moneys, diſobeyed it; which made me go a ſecond time to the Court, and open the Cauſe afreſh, whereby I obtained my Deſire as full as I could poſſibly expect; for with a ſecond Order I returned to the Priſon (not giving truſt to any humane eye beſides my own) and ſaw them all delivered; at which time many fell down upon their knees to me in the open ſtreet, worſhiping me as if I were a God, and not a man; which I then denied, remembring the words of Chriſt, and of the Angel, that ſaid, thou ſhalt worſhip GOD, and Him only ſhalt thou worſhip.

Beſides, other times I have appeared for ſome poor Widows, being formerly of eminency and repute in the World, and thy Children, and many other Roman Catholicks in their diſtreſſes; and GOD Almighty knows that the Pitties of my ſoul were ſuch to them all, that I was ſo far from expecting a Gift for all that I did for them, that beſides my Expences in ſeveral Journies to ſerve their needs, my hand was open to all, and not one of thy Children can ſay that he came to my Door for an Alms, and went away empty-handed. Beſides all this, the GOD of Knowledge remembers that I have ſtript off the Apparrel immediatly from my body to cloath thy Children that I ſaw in need and want.

Therefore conſider thee this Caſe, as thou wilt appear to be a natural Father: And becauſe I have not found Mercy in this City anſwerable to the leaſt part of my Bowels to thy Children in their woful diſtreſſes; yet ſhew me Juſtice but to plead my own Cauſe in a publick Court of Judicature, as I have openly pleaded the Cauſe of thy Children in a publick Court of Judicature in time of their miſery, when they could not plead it themſelves, nor durſt others do it for them, and it ſhal ſatisfie my ſoul; which ſpirituality, nay nor humanity it ſelf will deny me: the which I ſeek in the Spirit of meekneſs, as one that is delighted in the Order of Truth, loving and praying for Enemies, and watching to recompence good for evil, that the Light of the Lamb in me may appear as a City ſet on a Hill.

Who am thy Priſoner in the Priſon of Madmen, called the Engliſh Quaker, JOHN.

And though ſomething was (a long while before) deſired, and earneſtly beſought by divers of the Pope's Prieſts and other Officers, for me to write unto the Pope, even in this wiſe, yet after I had ſent and heard of its delivery to the Pope at his Palace, the Anſwer which I received was, this, (viz.) That I ſhould have no hearing; and withal, I was ſtript of all my Writings which could be found, together with Pen, Ink and Paper, and threatned to have my Door walled up, and half, or more, of the Window alſo walled up; and ſcarcely Water to be brought unto me for my neceſſary uſe: Whereby the very worſt of men may diſcern that the ſpirit which ruleth in Rome is not of Chriſt, but of Antichriſt.

A POST-SCRIPT to all the zealous Roman Catholicks, (which have ſought God in their Imaginations, but yet have not found him to poſſeſs him in the Subſtance) that they may all come to find and enjoy Him in his Everlaſting Life of Pleaſure.

AFter all the former fruits of Righteouſneſs, ſhewn forth by Epiſtle, Exhortation, Admonition, Reproof, Queſtions, and Righteous Reaſon, none of which being at any time anſwered by any perſon or perſons in ROME, or elſewhere, Now I am come to ſhew the weakneſs of all the Pope's Adherents in that City; who when they ſaw that they could not anſwer the fore-going Queries (unleſs it ſhould be to their own Condemnation) took occaſion to cenſure me under the Judgment of being in the ſtate of a Mad-man, thinking that the Cruelties which were determined in their Council, to be inflicted upon my Body, might prove to be the means of turning my ſoul from the work of GOD's Righteouſneſs effected in my heart; to which end I was ſent (as precited) from the Inquiſition unto the Priſon of Mad-people; In which place I was firſt chained by the Neck to the wall, in which Chain I had the exact liberty of ſtanding upſtreight, of ſitting, or of lying down; but after three nights had paſſed, it was ordered that the Chain was to be taken from off my Neck, and another Chain lock'd on my Leg, which was about ſix foot long, which gave me liberty to walk the length of three ſteps from the Wall whereunto it was faſtened, which abode upon me for the full time of fourteen weeks; in which ſpace of time (it proving then to be Winter ſeaſon, and the Winter alſo proving very cold) ſhrank up the Sinews of my Leg on which the chain was lock'd, ſo that when (at the expiration of the aforeſaid fourteen weeks) it was taken off, I found my ſelf a lame man; but (through ſore ſuffering) in twelve dayes following, the Lord (in whom I believed) made me again a ſound lim'd perſon; whoſe Name my ſoul magnifieth, praiſeth, bleſſeth, and thanketh for his goodneſs and loving-kindneſs, whoſe mercies endure for ever.

Moreover, in the ſaid time of my being chained, I was divers times beaten, tortured, and ſorely bruiſed and wounded in my body, by perſons appointed thereunto, uſing for the moſt part a dryed Bulls Pizzle as the Inſtrument for puniſhing of me, bruiſing and breaking my body with the ſame; yea, and after that I had the freedom of the Room in which I was kept (which I judge could not exceed in latitude 9, and longitude 14 feet) I was alſo ſeveral times beaten and exceedingly wronged in my body, once eſpecially my Torturers came into the Room, by whom I was ſtript of all my Cloathes from top to toe, and with the aforeſaid Inſtrument fell upon me, and did in ſuch manner beat me with the ſame [as I was ſtark naked] that they left me from the very crown of the head unto the ſoals of my feet, black and bloody, having broken their Inſtrument about me. I might ſpeak and write that which would fill many Volumns of my Sufferings, both in body and ſpirit, which are well known unto God, but in brief may ſum up all in a ſhort ſaying, not mentioning the many Particulars which were day after day, and night after night exerciſed upon me; as revilings, mockings, infamous names, beatings by Madmen, with other abuſes, which in modeſty I cannot well expreſs by Pen, but may ſay thus, (viz.) even ſuch as paſſeth the bounds of all humanity, when I have been kneeling at Prayer, and when I have been walking in Praiſes and Thanksgivings unto God. Ah! can I number, can I number again the many thouſands of Temptations that attended me, beſides blows, wounds, mocks and ſuch-like abuſes? tryed with Wine, proved with Women, tempted with Riches and Honour, and all the Pleaſures that ever my heart could deſire; after that I was threatned even day after day, and night after night; ſometimes with Tortures, and ſometimes with Death; by Gallows, by Fire, and ſometimes ſubtilly by Poyſon; Well, what ſhall I ſay? I have read the Sufferings of Job, and the Slaughters of many of the Martyrs, but yet this can I ſay in God, that ſuch were my ſuffering-dayes in Rome (as I have ſaid in body and ſpirit) that no ſoul that lived immediatly in his Grace, ever ſuffered the like, even ſince the day of Adam's being a man created of his Maker from the beginning, [which I made manifeſtly appear unto my Afflictors, Torturers and Tormentors in ROME, even unto their ſhame and confuſion, whilſt in bonds I was ſo conſtrained unto ſufferings in the ſtate of my manifeſt and approved Innocency in the ſight of GOD, and themſelves my utter Enemies. All which was inflicted upon me to turn my heart from the Righteous Way of GOD, which is manifeſt to you by their many Temptations (for me to ſpeak a Lye) and often Provocations to break me from the Spirit of Patience and Content, which I held in my God.

Now the aforeſaid Puniſhments & Cruelties having been laid upon me for the precited cauſes, which all the foregoing Writings (diſpenſed unto them forth of the Inquiſition) ſheweth, the unrighteouſneſs of their Cauſe, and the unreaſonableneſs of their Weapons, which fought and battelled againſt me; whom I ſhewed (in the time of my Sufferings) That if they judged me to be a Mad-man, they ſeemed to me to be nigh ſenſleſs, to ſeek me by Temptations of Cruelties and Pleaſures, to turn unto them, by ſinning againſt the Lord of Righteouſneſs.

And again, I remonſtrated to their underſtandings, viz. That if the Pope, Cardinals, Doctors, Jeſuites, Prieſts, Fryars, Lawyers, Phyſicians, and all the wiſe Councils and Counſellors in Rome, were fallen ſo far from the knowledge of GOD, and degenerated ſo much below humane Reaſon, as not to judge of a humane ſtate in a more rational ſort, than to conclude me to be a Mad-man, that Soul was in a moſt miſerable deſtroying ſtate that ſhould truſt unto their Judgements concerning any thing which they ſhould judge was ſpiritual, tending to the Worſhip of GOD, and Salvation; For if all could not rightly judge of a Cauſe external, in ſo low a degree, it is impoſſible that they ſhould judge of things ſpiritual, which are matters of the higheſt concernments; and therefore muſt needs conclude my ſelf, a wilful deſtroyer of mine own Soul, if I ſhould have adhered unto ſuch ſpirits, as were not able rightly to judge, betwixt a ſtate of true ſence and madneſs.

From all which it is my deſire, that the poor, ſimple, hungry and thirſty Roman Catholicks (whoſe ſouls are not ſatisfied without the enjoyment of the true God) may know the real cauſe why they yet walk with heavy hearts and preſſed-down minds, not having the comfort of the aſſurance of Salvation in them, though they have carefully ſought many years to find it, going unto many Maſſe-houſes, to communicate often, and to pray frequently, and to confeſſe ſeveral times in the year, and to bear penance for their ſins willingly, and yet all hath been ſo ſhort of making their perfect Peace with God, that a thouſand times more than all whatever they practiſed, cannot take away from their hearts, nor waſh from their ſouls one of their leaſt ſins; I ſay, one cauſe is this, as the Prophet Jeremiah ſaith, The Leaders of this People cauſe them to err, and they which are led of them are deſtroyed: And the Prieſts, whoſe lips ſhould keep Knowledge, have hid Knowledge from the eyes of the People; and therefore hath the Lord complained, ſaying, For want of Knowledge my People periſh; which your Popes and Prieſts have really hid from your eyes, having led you into the wayes of their own Inventions, which they ſought and found out in the Counſels of their own Wills, whilſt the immediate Word of the LORD was not inſtantly in and among them, but abſolutely wanting from them, who therefore led you into thoſe things which the LORD GOD never required from you; and therefore in your daily ſacrifices, you cannot expect another Anſwer from GOD than this, as the Prophet Malachi ſaith, Who hath required theſe things at your hands? For GOD never inſtituted Beads, nor Images of Perſons or Croſſes; neither ever ſaid he, That the inviſible ſpiritual Worſhip of Him the Spiritual GOD, ſtands in the viſible and carnal appearances, which cannot reach unto the ſoul, to ſprinkle, waſh and cleanſe the ſoul from every evil and dead work, word and thought: Foraſmuch as nothing but an inviſible and an eternal Subſtance is able to reach unto, to waſh, purge and cleanſe your inviſible and immortal ſouls from your ſins, which are the cauſes of your weights, preſſures and burdens which yet remain upon you, not knowing your Deliverance from them.

Seeing therefore, that you have long practiſed to find, but have not partaked of the ſubstance of the thing deſired, having ſought eaſe, but not found eaſe, having ſought it, but in the way of your Leaders, who cauſe you to erre; and not having ſought it in any other way, but in that which (your ſouls have experience, through long practice) brings you not unto the true End of your hope; not having ſought it as you ought to ſeek; trying all things, and holding faſt that which is good.

Come ye therefore, and try this Way of GOD, and prove the LORD in his Way, even the Merciful GOD, who hath proved you in your wayes, and alwayes found you defective in your wayes; and mark Him in his Way, and try and ſee if it ſhall be with you in the dayes to come, as it hath been with you in the dayes that are past; For now Reaſon may tell you, that if your way was imperfect, ſurely the Way of GOD muſt needs be perfect, which leads unto a perfect end; firſt, to a perfect Life in Him that is the Beginning, and conſequently unto perfect Peace in the ſame, who is without End. Can you do leſſe than to prove and ſee and ſeek in that, wherein I know aſſuredly you ſhall find, that you ſhall not always walk as in weariſomneſs & faintneſs, nor be in your hearts as parched heaths, nor 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 in your minds as barren mountains, neither ſhall be as Bryars of the Woods, and Thorns of the Forreſts; nay, nor as pricking Thiſtles of the Stubble-fields; neither ſhall you alwayes walk as afflicted, toſſed and tormented through the ſwellings of the waves of temptations paſſing over your weary minds; you ſhal not always mourn like doves for a mate, nor grieve like Widows for the loſſe of their Beloveds; neither ſhall your dayes be alwayes Tribulations, nor the continuance of your time as ſurpaſſing pangs of pains: But ſurely you ſhall draw into a good time, wherein Beauty ſhall be given into your ſouls for Aſhes, the Oyl of Joy for Mourning, and the Garments of Praiſe for the ſpirit of heavineſs; in which time the ſtrength of the LORD your Maker ſhall be the Pavillion of you Peace, and you ſhall rest in his Joys for ever.

Well therefore, O ye tender Friends, (whom my ſoul is ſeeking in the Love of my Father, to be united unto Him in his Holineſs) Come and experience this Doctrine, and prove this new and living Way of the LORD (though not another than that which from the beginning was; but only new unto the old nature of all fleſh, which corrupteth its way in the ſight of the Lord God) which is the Way wherein the holy Apoſtles and ſuffering Servants of JESUS lived and walked; and being but one, as the Apoſtle ſaith, There is one Way, one Truth, and one Life, as ye believe and confeſs, there is but one True GOD: and therefore, as ye find in your way coruption abounding, ye have cauſe alſo to confeſs that the Way of God being but one, cannot be the Way in which you walk; Foraſmuch as GOD hath ſaid by the mouth of his holy Prophet, ſpeaking of the Meſſiah, I will give him for a Way, and for an high way, which the wayfaring-men, though fools, ſhall not erre therein; Who alſo ſpake by the ſame Prophet, ſaying, I will give Him for a Covenant to the People, for a Light to the Gentiles, that He may be my Salvation unto the ends of the Earth; of whom alſo in the fulneſs of the diſpenſation of time John the Baptist bore Witneſs, teſtifying Him to be the True LIGHT that lighteth all mankind coming into the World; as Chriſt himſelf ſaid, I am the LIGHT of the World; he thot believeth in me, ſhall not abide in Darkneſs, but ſhall have the Light of Life.

This is the Way, even the true Way of the LORD GOD, which I deſire (through proof) your ſouls may experience; And to the end that you may have the true Witneſs within you of the Power of Holineſs, which leads into perfect Unity with the Perfect GOD, in the Innocent Life of the Lamb of GOD that taketh away the ſin of the World; I tenderly exhort, counſel and adviſe you, to turn your minds unto that Light of the Lamb of GOD, which ſhineth into all your Souls, convincing you in all your Conſciences of all your ſins, and joyning your minds unto it in perfect Love of it, becauſe it is of the pure Nature of your pure Creator, you ſhal come in due time to find and ſee aſſuredly, that as that ſame Light which ſhineth in all your Conſciences, is of ſuch a powerful and virtuous Nature, as that it not onely ſearcheth your hearts, and tryeth your reins, and finds out your moſt ſecret ſins, but alſo convinceth you as well of the least, as of the greateſt of your ſins; ſo it will likewiſe free, deliver, and eaſe you from the burden of your ſins, which is the cauſe of your diſſatisfaction and many ſorrows; becauſe that as it is of GOD, pure, perfect, and altogether virtuous in its nature, cannot change from its property, nature, and vertue; but as it convinceth of the leaſt ſin, being loved and lived in, muſt alſo deliver from the leaſt ſin; and being ſtill of the ſame vertue and nature of GOD, convincing your ſouls of your greateſt ſins, being loved and lived in, muſt alſo free and deliver you from your greateſt ſins; and being found of ſo pure and powerful a nature and vertue to free and deliver your ſouls from your leaſt and from your greateſt ſins, muſt alſo of neceſſity in the ſame love, deliver you from all your ſins: The which all muſt confeſs, excepting ſome in Atheiſm might ſay, That the perfect Grace and Light of the Alſufficient GOD is an Inſufficient Medicine to heal the ſoul perfectly of all its maladies and infirmities: But I am better perſwaded of all you that deſire the true Knowledge of the true and living God, having a ſenſible Underſtanding in you, that there is ſuch a Light ſhining into your ſouls, that ſheweth you all your ſins, the which ye may remember you have had from your Childhood; becauſe you cannot otherwiſe ſay, but that from your Childhood it accuſed you of all your ſins in the ſecrets of your Conſciences, which no one elſe could accuſe you of; but yet ye were not then directed unto it as you are now counſelled, and therefore could not know the power and virtue, becauſe you never proved its force, ſtrength and virtue, through a perfect love, yeelding, in obedience unto its motions and often checks of your minds; Wherefore, this is the happy day of your Viſitation, wherein it is told you, that if you love that LIGHT, which ſhews you the nature of all Temptation unto Evil, and joyn unto the LIGHT, ſo as to be guided by the LIGHT, which is contrary to all Evil, it will deliver you from the end of the Tempter which preſents the Temptation, by ſaving you from the Evil: which Light you will then know in the inviſible power of the holy God, which is given you for the perfecting of his Praiſe in your hearts, through the forming and new-creating your hearts into the mind of his own Righteous Spirit; which thing you cannot know but through the experience and tryal, which in the tryal I am ſure (as God is holy, and that meaſure of Light in your Conſciences is of GOD, which is holy, vertuous and powerful) will purifie you from ſin, and perfectly ſave and deliver you from all evil; And therefore I muſt needs conclude, that he is moſt extreamly ſinful and desperatly evil, that ſaith, he deſireth to be delivered from all ſin and evil, which will not try to experience ſuch a power and virtue of the Grace of GOD given into his ſoul, which is able to ſave and deliver him from all evil.

Be ye therefore wiſe (O People) unto your own Salvation; having had experience of the vanity of your own way, and wayes; try ye now the Righteous Way of GOD in which you cannot tranſgreſs, and that becauſe in your wayes you have not found rest to your deſirous and thirſty ſouls, which of all things would chooſe rather to be cloathed with the Righteouſneſs of the living GOD; and, after tryal by pure obedience (in pure and undefiled love) if ye find not deliverance from your ſins, which is the cauſe of your preſſures and burdens, and afterwards the peace of your poor ſouls, and ſatisfaction of your ſimple tender minds, even in fulneſs of Content and Joy in the Pleaſures of Immortal Life, which is the end of all your Deſires, Requeſts, and earneſt ſeekings. Then may ye alſo ſay, we have ſought in the way of Light, but our Creator cannot be found there: But truly, this is my Testimony of my heavenly Father, unto whom there is none like, in Goodneſs, Mercy and Deliverance, That if any one ſeeketh Him in his Way of Holineſs (in which ſin cannot be committed) he will ſatisfie the deſires of that ſoul in due time, and overspread it with his abundant Fulneſs; And therefore to that of GOD in your ſelves I cannot but commend you, which is more ſafe for you to mind, obey and follow, than the invented cuſtoms, wayes and ſtatutes ordained of men, which never came to live in that Grace of GOD (which was the Light in all their Conſciences) which could have led them out of all their ſins, into the true knowledge of the waſhing by the Blood of CHRIST, which cleanſeth from all ſin; which being taken away, puts an end to the ſuppoſed Purgatory; for, if any thing purgeth from ſin, it is the Everlaſting Blood of the Lamb of GOD (which was ſlain ſince the foundations of the World was) which waſheth away all ſin; And this alſo puts an end to the vain thoughts of the Popes remiſſion of ſins, which ſtands in oppoſition to his profeſſed Purgatory after this life: for, if he forgives all ſins, excepting one ſin, how is it that after his forgiveneſs generally all ſouls of his Sect muſt enter into Purgatory to be cleanſed from that which he hath formerly forgiven them? ſo that you may ſee either his profeſſion of forgiveneſs is deceit and vanity, or elſe that his profeſſed Purgatory is a deceit and vanity; becauſe to the one work of forgiveneſs and cleanſing from ſin, there is not a need of any but one thing to effect it; and becauſe I know that the Blood of CHRIST, and only the Blood of CHRIST (which is his powerful Life) doth it, I am aſſured in the Spirit of the holy GOD, and therefore do aſſert it, That both the Pope and his Purgatory, which ſtand croſſing one the others virtue and authority, are both but a deceit and witchery.

This therefore may awaken you from all ſlumber of ſuppoſed ſecurity concerning your way, and induce to take heed unto the LIGHT of GOD in your ſelves, that it may lead you out of your own thoughts, words, and wayes, to walk with God in Righteouſneſs all your dayes; that of Him you may be made Partakers of his Endleſſe Everlasting Kingdom of Life, Peace and Joy, which will ſwallow you up in his high Praiſes, who is worthy of the Glory of his Works in the whole Earth, even for ever and ever, Amen.

A Concluding Word to thoſe that falſly accuſe me, and my Brethren of being Papiſts.

FInally, Whereas there are divers that have accuſed me and my Brethren, as being perſons which in the bottom of our hearts are Papiſts, This may plainly ſerve as a Teſtimony very ſubſtantial, that we are ſo judged upon none other than a wrong and falſe account, as hath been demonſtrated by Doctrine, Life, Example, and large Suffering, among ſuch perſons, and in ſuch places as are counted the moſt reputed Papiſts upon the face of the Earth: Which is more than ever Luther, Calvin, or any Proteſtant or other Sect, teſtified or witneſſed, viz. againſt the perſons in the ſame place; yea, than any would be willing to do amongſt all the Sects in England, that cry againſt Pope and Popery here at home in their own Liberties, or upon ſoft Cuſhions on Pulpits: yea, I can ſay, that I have found many that have falſly accuſed me of Popery, that would not for a King's Ranſom go to Rome, and cry againſt it, as I have done; and therefore their own Conſciences may rather accuſe themſelves of Deceipt, or at leaſt-wiſe, as Backbiters, whilſt they ſpeak that againſt the Pope in England, which they would not ſpeak to the Pope himſelf at Rome (as I ſought to clear my Conſcience to the Pope's face) and therefore are but like the Papiſts, that backbite and ſpeak evil of Engliſh Sects, in the Countries where their own is tolerated and approved of, which is but of one unrighteous nature in them all of all Parties. From all which the Accuſations of my Accuſers do turn upon their own heads, as an undeniable Covering of ſhame; who henceforth in prudence may rather chooſe the keeping of ſilence, than utterance of ſlanders, &c.

Yet after all the precited Paſſages, I do hereby intimate a few of the Papiſts Principles, which I (together with the reſt of the People of God, called Quakers) do utterly deny, as not being of GOD'S holy Spirit of Truth, but conſequently of the ſpirit which produced all their other invented Traditions, which ſuite not with the holy Nature of the holy Eternal GOD.

1. We deny the Pope and his Cardinals to be of the Election of GOD, Angels, or Saints; and therefore in their Places and Offices not of GOD, nor the Truth; but contrary to God, and the Truth.

2. We deny the ſuppoſed place of Purgatory, which the Papiſts profeſſe to be after death; we owning no Purgatory for the Soul after the Body is departed this life.

3. We utterly deny all Images which the Papiſts worſhip and bow down before.

4. We deny the Maſſe, both matter and manner thereof.

5. We deny Prayers to be made unto Saints or Angels (which the Papiſts uſe) ſeeing Chriſt ſaith, Ye ſhall henceforth ask nothing of me, but of the Father in my Name.

Many other things I could inſert, but at preſent forbear. But whereas, laſtly, that I have denyed the aboveſaid five Particulars to be any thing of Truth, it lyes upon the Papiſts to prove them according to the Spirit of Truth, if they are able, and not according to their own, nor their father's inventions; elſe all men may ſee that they live in Deceit, Errour, and Falſhood, of which let all men take heed, leſt they ſhould be wilfully deſtroyed.

John Perrot. THE END.