VVE the said people being presented and cited to the Bishop's Court, made our Appearance, and according to the Priviledge and Right of every English man demanded a Copy of the Lybel formed against us, which was granted, and finding their proceeds were contrary to the known Law, and that the design of the Bishop's Court was forth-with to curse or excommunicate us out of their Church, and to cast our Bodies into Jayle, did account it our Duty both as Men and Christians, to endeavour to prevent the same, and ac­cordingly made motion by Council at the King's Bench Bar for a prohibition, which was not there positively denyed, but deferred; and we were advised by one of the Judges, To apply our selves fur­ther to the Bishop's Court, presuming they would do as Right, as the Case did require; if not, then toThis commonly pro­veth according to the En­glish Proverb, Out of the Frying-Pan into the Fire.appeal to the Arches or Delegates. So upon this his Presumption, that the Bishop's Court would do us Right (or be­cause he was willing to please the Priests) refused to grant a Pro­hibition.

Then being left to the Mercy of the Bishop's Court, we again received Citations to appear, and did appear accordingly divers times; but finding our lawful Exceptions against the Lybel, and [Page 13]all we could offer and plead, though never so just and according to their own Law, sleighted and over-ruled, and our selves pronoun­ced excommunicate by a Person who declared himself Ignorant in the Matter (but willing to fulfil the Design of the Court) for they refused to receive our Answers under our Hands and Seal by proxy rendered, which according to Law and the Rules of their own Court they ought to have received; but perceiving they had to do with a People that made Conscience of keeping that eminent Precept and Command of Christ [SWEAR NOT AT ALL] and seeing their other gins and traps were too weak to hold them, and to stop their Passage towards Relief at Common Law, seem­ed resolved to make this occasion of refusing to Swear the Colour and Ground to pronounce us excommunicate for contempt to their Court, though we had shewed Diligence to appear time after time, according to their citations and arbitrary summons in their own name and authority, and had answered them in all their Pro­ceeds, so far as lawfully they might, both as Men and Christi­ans: And the dishonour and contempt of their Court is on their own parts, occasioned and contracted by their own evil doing, in trampling upon the Law and the Legal Right of others, yea, and the Rules and Presidents of their own Court (though called spiri­tual) when they stand in the way of their own Interest and De­sign, as in this particular Case is proved true by Experience.

So contrary to the Doctrine of Christ (whose Mini­sters and Servants they pretend to be) they would compel people to swear, and so break his Command; and if they refuse, call it contempt to their Court, pronounce them excommunicate, and get their Bodies into Goal, separate Husband and Wife, Father and Children, Master and Servants, put all Relations out of a Capacity to serve one another according to the Law of Nature and Grace, and all about a Matter of Conscience, this is neither like Christ nor Christianity, but unnatural and inhumane: And you have not shewed forth the Qualifications of spiritual Men or good Christians, but do clearly demonstrate your selves to be self­ish, carnal, unjust and unreasonable, and great Strangers to that Royal Law of Christ Jesus, As you would have others do to you, so do you unto them; such Doings will never convince any that you [Page 14]are indeed what you have a Name to be, but rather confirm them in their present Perswasions: And if you by your Threats, Cru­elty and injustice fright any out of Tenderness of Conscience, and bring them through fear of suffering into an outward conformity to your Church and Worship, know this, you make them two-fold more the Children of Hellthen before: Outward force, violence and compulsion may make hypocrites, but no true Christians; it may change the manners, but not the mind, &c.

It might be well if you spiritual men, so called, would serious­ly consider, whether your Self-interest [and not the Love and Care of Souls] be not the ground of your Church and Court Proceedings, seeing Money will satisfie for all sins and trangressions against you and your Church, as in your Mother Church of Rome? Whenas indeed all the bodily Exercise, together with all the Gold and Silver in the World, is not able nor sufficient to expiate or satisfie for one sin committed against God, Christ and the true Church; neither did the true Church in any Age since Christiani­ty was in the World, ever absolve or acquit sins and transgression against her for Money: It's time to consider your way, and amend, and cease to exercise deceit and violence over the People for selfish ends; and if you have no better Way, Means and Arguments to inform perswade and convince people, that you are of the True Church, because you have Power and Compulsive Laws on your side, and can destroy their Liberty, Estate and Lives through streight Imprisonment in nasty Goals (this being the Way and Means of the False Church, whose Weapons are and were al­wayes Carnal) there are a People whom God hath raised up in this Age, and instructed in the pure Christian Religion, whose goods you may spoyl, whose bodies you may torture and imprison, and whose blood you may drink also, sooner then force and com­pel them by your unchristian means to become conformable Mem­bers to your Church.

Now we seeing our selves thus abused, and that they over-run the Rules of their own Court, to hasten us into Goal, we again mo­ved for a Prohibition at the Exchequer-Bar, and the chief Banon shewed himself just and moderate, and was ready to grant the same, their Council refusing to plead further in their behalf, their [Page 15]own Lybel saying, that the greater part or some part of the Parish made the Rate, dissatisfied their Council, and would then plead no further, only prayed time till the first day of the next Term, which was the second instant, betwixt which time, as the sequel plainly proves, Doctor Parr with other had made way so far in the matter, by devised untrue Allegations and other wayes, that our Request of a Prohibition might not be answered; for when our Council pleaded, they were very much discountenanced by some of the Judges with Words, Nods and Frowns; and though they pleaded Law in the case, it was not regarded; only the chief Baron shewed himself very just and impartial, and declared his Opinion, That a Prohibition did property lie in the case; but seeing his Brethren were of another Opinion, he should leave it.

Now, it is to be observed, that the Court could not without man fest partiality deny a Prohibition, until false Allegations were devised, and pleaded in open Court to overturn our Suggestion; therefore Doctor Parr, with the rest, had by Untrue Informati­on and Large Fee (or to use some of their own words, Large Grezing) fitted and prepared their Council to plead very grand Lyes or Untruths, and produced an Oath in Court, together with the Witness and Testimony of Doctor Parr to affirm to the same.

The particular Lyes were as followeth; First, That there was a Necessity to pull down the said Church, the Pillars being Wood, bowed and rotten, the Roof and South Wall ready to fall, many being hurt and wounded with the fall of part of the same.

Secondly, That Dr. Parr and some others did contract with the Workmen for 120 l. to build the Chancel, South-Porch & new Enlang­ments; and he and others paid distinctly for those parts, and that it was not included in the Parish-Rate, himself giving Fifty pound part of the Hundred and Twenty pound agreed for the Building the same.

Thirdly, That all the Parishioners, yea, every man, were satis­fied, and had all paid their Money, only Twenty Four Quakers; and that the whole Assesment upon them was not above Forty pound, the greatest amongst them being not above Fifty shillings.

These, with other things to the same effect, being affirmed as with a Face of Brass in open Court, though great Untruths, yet [Page 16]great Credit (we judge, by reason of the Presence and Testimony of Doctor Parr) was by three of the four Judges given to them, and all that could be urged to the contrary rejected and sleighted; and though by our Council we much pressed to go to Tryal, & if we did not prove our Suggestion, we would give them Cost; yet nothing that could be said on our parts would prevail, the burthen of the Plea against us being, NONE BUT QƲAKERS, MY LORD; NONE BUT TWENTY FOUR QƲAKERS, MY LORD: As if, when people have the Nick-Name of a Quaker put upon them, they then lose all their Right, and forfeit all their Priviledges as Men, and the Benefit of the Law of their Native Country; as if, to have the Frowns of the Church, were sufficient to turn them out of the Protection of the King, Law and Government, and to have their Liberties, Estates and Lives exposed to Ruin; and that Dr. Parr is of this Opinion, appears by his own words speaking that day, being the second of the third Moneth called May, to one in this manner and words, THAT THE QƲAKERS WERE NONE OF THE KING's SUBJECTS.

This Saying doth not become a man of his Profession; it shews plainly what spirit rules in his Heart under all his Talk of Religion and Christianity, he is a great way off the Mind and Spirit of Christ Jesus, whose Minister or Servant he pretends to be. It may tru­ly be said of him as Christ said to his Disciples, Luke 9.54. who desired to have Liberty to command Fire to come down from Heaven to destroy those that would not receive him, it's said, He turned, and rebuked them, and said, they knew not what spirit they were of; for the Son of Man came not to destroy men's Lives, but to save them; and his Disciples and Ministers indeed are of the same Mind and Spirit now. But what would this Spi­rit and Opinion do with the Quakers, and such as do not comply with his Mind and Understanding in and about Matters of Church and Worship? Let him seriously consider the extent thereof, this unnatural bloody Conceit of his, (viz.) That if people please not the Priests, or transgress against their Church, then they cease to be the King's Subjects, and lose their Birth-right as men, and the Benefit of the Law of their Native Country: Would not this [Page 17]Notion & Judgment of his lead him into that Ravenous Appetite which some Priests had in the Prophets dayes, which he compared to Dogs, yea, greedy dumb Dogs, that could never have enough, (bear the Roughness of the Speech being they are the Prophet's words) read vers. 10 and 11. of the 56th chapter of Isaiah, and see if England doth not abound with such blind, ignorant, rave­nous Watchmen there spoken against, who, when people put not into their Mouthes, they prepare War against them; such there were in the Prophet Micah's time, and such there are now in En­gland, that preach for Hire, and divine for Money, &c. read the third chapter of Micah's Prophecy against the Cruelty of Prin­ces, and the Falshood of Prophets and Priests, that cause people to err, and that bite with their Teeth, and cry peace so long as people feed them.

Indeed Dr. Parr's Moderation and peaceable Behaviour hath hitherto been noted and commended, in that he hath not thrown so many into Goal for Tythes as he might, nor persecuted Dissen­ters that dwell within his Parishes for not Worshipping in the same Manner, Form and Way as he doth: But now one of his Parishes has more in it presented for not coming to Church (and as is said, to be proceeded against by the Statute of 20l. a Moneth) and Ex­communicated for not Repairing their Church, then all the Pa­rishes in and about London: so that if he gives farther place to this unnatural Opinion of his (That people cease to be Subjects to the King when they are called Quakers) it will quickly lead him out of all his Moderation and seeming Tenderness, and his Mouth will o­pen wide enough to swollow down their Bodies, Liberties, Lives and Estates; and if his Church's Curse was powerful enough, would send their Souls to Hell also. This would be the Work of a sad Pastour; who is found in it, cannot be a Watcher for the good of Souls, nor a good Shepherd, that careth naturally for the Sheep; but are found Watchers for Gain from their Quarter, and for the Fleece: And it is an infallible Mark, Sign and Demonstration of a Minister of Antichrist, False Prophet and Deceiver, to declare, That people ought not to live in peace, and enjoy their Liberty and property, and benefit of the Law of their native Country, as Subjects of the King, except they will be his Disciples, or members of his Church, [Page 18]repair the same, and put into his mouth also; these are such as serve their own Bellies, and not the Lord Jesus Christ, but are a Scan­dal and Reproach to the Christian-Religion while they profess themselves Ministers of it. But the nakedness, greediness, covetousness, enviousness, deceitfulness and cruelty of the priesthood appears more and more daily, and is obvious to Thousands and Ten Thousands of people in this our native Country of England, who make a trade of Religion, and learn to be Preachers of the Gospel (as they say) as a Man learns to make Shoes; they learn and buy their Skill of Preaching of Man; and they not only sell it again to their free Customers, that willingly buy, but they impose the sale and exact the price of others that dwell within their Quarter, though they like them not, nor will have none of their Ware; this is a sore Evil in the Priesthood, and a great Burden upon the people. So much by the way.

But to proceed to shew the truth of our Plea, and the grose­ness of our Adversaries lyes. First, there was not a necessity to pull down so much as was pulled down; neither was a danger of its sudden fall, as was pretended, the wooden Pillars were mostly Sound; and the Roof and Walls might have been Repaired and Amended according to our sugestion, for Three or Four Hundred Pound: Only you would have it Fine, and Beautiful and honourable Vaults; for when some urged to have it Repair­ed, and not pulled down, (it is said) D. P. answered, What did they think he would Preach in a patched Church, or have a place propt up with Prongs and Forks? So that if we could have had Liberty, we could have answered the chief Baron's Questi­on very fully; which Question was, Whether there were any thing done more out of Curiossity, then of Necessity? Secondly, there was no Contract made, nor so much as propounded to be made with the Master Work-man for the new Foundation work, south Porth Chancel nor Vaults, distinct and separate from the rest of the Work, before the rate was made, and your Lybel formed against us; but all was Included together in one Bargain. And the Rate mentioned in your Lybel is sufficient to pay for all, if Collected: And that this your Plea and invented Lye, took [Page 19]beginning since you saw that you had out gone the Bishop's-order, any President or Law either: And that, what hath been done through Curiossity, hath occasioned great part of the Charge. And your pleading an agreement with the Work-man for One Hundred and Twenty Pound for the said work, was a late for­ged device to baffle and prevent the Course of Justice. Third­ly, every Man in the Parish were not satisfied nor Consenting to what was done: Neither had every one paid their Money, but Twenty Four Quakers: Neither is Fifty Shillings the greatest Sum Rated upon any Quaker, nor Forty Pound the whole Sum laid upon them, some being above Six Pound, and the Sum rated upon them about One Hundred Pound: And more then a Hundred that pay to the Poor besides Quakers, did not consent to the same: So this is a four-fold Lye. And seeing you have by corrupt Interest and Lyes, stopped the Currant of Justice, you have no cause to rejoyce, nor ring Bells for Joy, the consideration how you have come by, and accomplished your de­signs, truly weighed in a serious Spirit, and Measured by the rule of Christianity, of which you have a Profession, is really a great cause of Sorrow: and when you come to give an Account of your Deeds done in the Body, you shall be sensible thereof.

The Primitive Christians practice was, to rejoyce in the Truth and not in Iniquity, and to speak the Truth, every man to his Neighbour, and to bear false witness against none, and despise dishonest Gain, or the gain of Oppression, and to do as they would be done by: Never so much as attempting to Compel such as did not believe nor receive their Doctrine, nor own them as true Ministers, or a true Church to Contribute to their Mainte­nance, or to Build or Repair their Meeting-places. Neither Law nor Gospel doth afford you any President or Example for such a practice; you are faine to make use of such Laws and Cna­nos as were made in the dark Night of Popery, to Autho­rize you in such kind of work. You deny the Pope and Papists in Words, but imitate them in Practice, and make use of all their Laws and Customs in being (as you have occasion) to serve your Interest, and defend you in your Trade of preaching for Money, praying and Singing for Money, Christening, Churching and Bury­ing [Page 20]for Money, Selling Absolutions and Licences for Money; and for Money a Man may get into your Church again, after he is Cursed out, or Excommunicate; and for Money a Man may purchase any part of your Religion; yea, for Money a Man may have Pray­ers and Sermon made for him after he is Dead; but without Mo­ney it's hard to get any thing of the Priesthood; not a Child Chri­stened, nor a Corpes buried without Money by many Priests, though the persons concerned, have scarce enough to buy them Bread; these and such like covetous Practices of the Priesthood, together with the Unchristian-like Conversation of their people makes the Christian Religion stink among Jews, Turks, and Infidels.

Now that Religion and Religious practices that is or can be bought or sold for Money, is an Abomination in the sight of the Lord, and Relected by all tender-hearted Conscientious People. And it is a grief to many, to observe and behold how those called protestants do follow the Example, and Imitate that dark Super­stitious Sect of the papists; who sell their Masses, Pardons, Ab­solutions and Dispensations, &c. for Money; so the protestants Pray, Sing, Preach, Absolve, and sell Licences for Money; who are only changed in Name, Manner, Form, and Ceremo­ny, and some outside Practices, but not in Nature and Life; the same Spirit of Cain, Core, False Prophet, Idol Shepherd, Hire­ling, Money Diviner, Pilate, chief Priest, Judas; and the rest of that Generation, mentioned and testified against in the holy Scriptures, Rules and Reigns in the Hearts of the formal prote­stants as in the papists; and it is to the Heart, the inside that God looks: And all true Reformation begins within, in the Heart, if that be, and continue Corrupted, Deceitful and Deseparately wicked; Unpurged, Uncleansed, and Unsanctified by the preci­ous Blood and Life of Jesus, all Names, and outside Reforma­tions, Worships, and Sacrifices, &c. are of no worth, nor acceptable in the sight of God, according to Christ's teaching in the Sixth Chapter of Luke, 43.44, 45. vers. A good Tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt Tree bring forth good fruit, every Tree is known by his fruit, for of Thorns men do not gather figgs, nor of a Bramble-bush gather they Grapes: A good man out of the good Treasure of his Heart, bringeth forth [Page 21]that which is good, an Evil man out of the Evil Treasure of his Heart, bringeth forth that which is Evil; for out of the abundance of the Heart, his mouth speaketh; the Tree must be good, the Heart purged, ere the fruit can be good or well-pleasing to God. So it is not a changing from one Opinion to another, or from the Form of the Romish Prelacy, to that of Episcopacy, or from that to Presby­tery, or from any one Sect to another, is of any worth, or ac­ceptable to God; 'tis the turning from Darkness to Light, from Sin to Righteousness, from the Power of Satan to the Power of God; it is the Greation of a clean Heart, and the renewing of a right Spirit, it is to know the inside cleansed, and then the out­side will be clean also: These are the things that are of an abso­lute necessity, and of great Worth, and this to know and wit­ness will stand People in stead in the Day of the Lord, when all Formallity and outside Worship among all the Sects in Christendom will vanish away like Smoak, this will stand and abide: And these are the true Worshippers of God, in the Spirit and in the Truth, who Experimentally know the Power, Vertue, and Opperati­on of the Spirit of Truth in their own Hearts, Minds and Con­sciences, making them free from that which did defile, cor­rupt and darken them: These are Christians indeed, Jews in­ward indeed; all others are but Christians in Name, let their Profession and Form of Religion be what it will.

But to proceed, we being denyed a prohibition at the Ex­chequer Court, through corrupt Interest, and the false Allegations before mentioned, we moved by two Councels at the Common­pleas Bar, who pleaded and urged their own Law to shew that of Right, A Prohibition ought to be granted, like men of ho­nesty; but the same untruth as was urged at the Exchequer Court being pleaded again, and that Sentence, NONE BUT QƲA­KERS, MY LORD; NONE BUT TWENTY FOUR QƲA­KERS, MY LORD; being often repeated, that Sentence seemed enough to turn all against us; so no Prohibition could be obtained, though offer was made to go to Tryal in few dayes; yea, the Council desired but two dayes to prove our suggestion or give them Cost, but all in vain, nothing could prevail, whe­ther because we were Quakers, or because they were not wil­ling [Page 22]to offend the Ecclesiastical Authority, is not certain; in the Priests Hands they found us, and there they seemed resolved to leave us, till they had wrought their Wills upon us, and sitted us for a Jayle; and because they were greedy to effect the same, and not willing to loose any time, they proceeded the very next day to publish their Excommunication in their Meeting-place, commonly called a Tabernacle; (but by some of their own Church, a Smock-House, because Built by a Collection among Women) in some time they found they had committed an Errour in their haste, in reading their Excommunication in this new Erecti­on; and that it must be read in a place called a Church; and they having not any fit, and Consecrated in their own Parish, lest their Fathers work of Violence and Persecution should loose time they procured their Curse to be published in another old Mass­house hard by, standing in the same County. And now the next thing they wait for, is, the end of the mercy of the Statute Law which allows Forty Dayes at least, in favour of every Excom­municated person, ere the Priests can get a Writ to throw their Bodies into Jayle. It is much to be questioned, whether the Mercy of Ecclesistical Courts would extend to forty hours; did not the Statute Law put a check upon them; yet these Courts are made up of the Principal Members of their Church, and cal­led Spiritual Men, such as have entred into holy Orders; but what Spirit, Church and Order they are of, their Fruits suffici­ciently declare to all that are not wilfully blind. And all People may Pray, From the Bishops Courts and unreasonable men, Good Lord deliver us.

And now, let all concerned in the Parish of Mary Magdalen's, who have given out such unchristian Words, and cruel Threats a­gainst the Quakers; as that they would send them to the Devil; and that they should lie in Jayle and Rot; and that they would Ride many miles to see them Hanged; and that they should be prosecuted for Twen­ty pound a Moneth, for not coming to Church; and to Ruin their E­states and Trades, and not leave them a Bed to lie upon; and to prove them no Subjects to the King: Let such Evil-minded men know, that the God whom they fear and serve, is able to deliver out of their Hands; but if he will not, know this, they are not careful to [Page 23]answer your Unrighteous Demands, nor bow to your corrupt Wills, nor Worship the Image you set up: And if the Lord should deliver them into your Hands, as he did Job into the hand of the Devil; they are assured of this, that he will furnish them with strength and patience, to undergo all you shall be suffered to do against them: And as they abide with the Lord, and live in his Fear, his refreshing Consolating presence will accompany them, and fill their Hearts with Joy, Peace, Content, and Satis­faction, though without the pale of your Church, though in a nasty Prison upon Straw, and out of the King's protection, and counted as the Off-scouring of all things, not fit to live in their native Country, as their Brethren the ancient Christians were in Ages and Generations past: I say, as they suffer for Righteousness sake in Conscience to God, & not as Evil doers, they shall have the Answer of a good Conscience, and enjoy the Presence of the Lord, which is better then Life, and all those things you threaten to de­prive them of; and they shall live the Life and dye the Death of the Righteous, and enter in and inherit the Crown of Life, when you that are of a bitter spirit, a persecuting envious spirit (against your Neighbours, who have done you no Wrong) and yet pro­fess Christ and Christianity, shall see your selves shut out; and when trouble, anguish, sorrow, pain, perplexity of spirit and horror of conscience shall attend you in your Houses and upon your Beds: for the Hand of God will lie heavy upon the Evil-doer and Cruel Men; and Vengeance is the Lord's, and he will repay it, and to him they can commit their Cause, and appeal to for Justice, seeing their Importunity (though like the poor Widow's to the Unjust Judge) cannot prevail with men.

They are known (viz. the people called Quakers) to be a qui­et, peaceable people among their Neighbours in all parishes, Towns, Cities and Countries where they dwell, throughout England; and great Observers and Honourers of the End of Ma­gistracy and true Christian-Government, which is a praise to them that do well, and a terror to them that do evil; and are true Sub­jects to the King, and obedient to all the good and wholsom Laws of their native Country, which tend to preserve men Liberties, Properties, Persons and Estates, not for fear of Punishment, but [Page 24]for Conscience sake; and they are ready to obey every Ordinance of Man for the Lord's sake, in all things relating to the Things of a Man, giving Caesar his due, and readily paying all Rates and Taxes that tend to the Good, and Service, and Preservation of their Neighbours and Country-men, which is proper for any Christian men to do; but in things relating to God and his Wor­ship, and Conscience, they cannot endure to be imposed upon, they rather chuse to obey God then Man in all such Matters, and rather chuse to suffer the spoiling of their Goods, imprisonment of their Bodies, and give up their Lives also, then submit to the Wills and Commands of men in Matters of Religion, Church and Worship contrary to their Consciences and the perswasions of the Spirit of God in their own Hearts, knowing it is a grievous thing to fall into the Hands of the living God, and to sin against Light and Knowledge for fear of suffering; therein they would not only be like the Common Sinners of the Times (but worse) who in their common Service daily confess, They do that which they should not do, and leave undone that which they should do, who confess they have no Health in them, but are full of putrified Sores from the crown of the Head to the sole of the Foot: I say, they would be worse then these (if worse can be) and would be Abominati­on in the sight of the Lord, and a Stink in his Nostrils, and his Righteous Soul would be vexed with them from day to day, and they would not enjoy the Light of his Countenance, which to them is better then the encrease of Corn, Wine and Oyl.

They can say, and that truly in the sight of God, That they de­sire the good of all men, and have Love and Good-wil to all their Neighbours and country-men, and can truly pray for their enemies, though they use them despightfully; and do desire, they may see the evil of their wayes and repent, that they may enjoy Blessings and Peace temporal and eternal. And if any thing to the contrary, as Evil Thoughts, Evil Will, Prejudice or Enmity arise in them or a­mong them against any, they judge it with the Light and Spirit of God, as an Evil inconsistent with their Profession of Christia­nity, and directly contrary to the Life and Nature thereof; for they have & do declare & own it their duty, to live & walk accord­ing to the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, and to know the [Page 25]same written in their Hearts; and this Law was the Guide of Man-kind before Sin entred the World; before outward Laws were written in Tables of Stone, or in a Book. And those that are led by this Law of the Spirit of Life, are the righteous Men and righteous Women; against whom there is no Law, being living Witnesses of its power and vertue, making them free from that, and giving them Victory and Dominion over that, be­cause of which, the outward Law was added, viz. Sin: And these own all good Laws outwardly, and will not transgress a­gainst them. And the Law as saith Paul, Is not made for the Righteous, but for the Wicked, 1 Tim. 1.9, 10.or Lawless and Disobe­dient; for the Ʋngodly, and for Sinners; for Ʋn­holy and prophane; for murtherers of Fathers, and murtherers of Mothers; for man-slayers, for Whoremongers; for them that defile themselves with mankind; for men-stealers, for Lyars, for perjured Persons; and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound Doctrine, &c.

And whoever talks and professes the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus, and lives under the power of Sin and Death, (or continues in evil-doing) they are no true Subjects to it; nor lo­vers of it, nor walkers in it; but a shame and a Scandal to the Chri­stian Religion, and Strangers and Alians from the Common-Wealth of Israel, and the Law of Sin and Death rules in their Minds and Members, and leads them Captive into Evil; and these are in great Bondage to the Lust of the Eye, the Lust of the Flesh, and the Pride of Life: And these are the Children of disobedience; in whose Hearts the Prince of the Air, the Prince of Darkness Rules, and leads them to Envy, Hate and Persecute their Neighbours about Religion; which was never the work of a true Christian: For he that hateth his Bro­ther, is a man-slayer, 1 John 3.15. He that loveth not his Bro­ther whom he hath seen, how can he love God, whom he hath not seen? 1 John 4.20.

Be Serious, consider your Work and Condition; and see how you stand in the sight of God, and mind God's witness in your own Consciences, and hearken to the Voice thereof; and it will Infallibly inform, and shew you whether the Spirit of Christ [Page 26]and Christianity, which is the Spirit of Meckness, Gentleness, Kindness, and Brotherly love, rules in your Hearts, or the con­trary; and the Voice of this, whether it be with you or against you, is as a Thousand Witnesses, and all that sleight, and disre­gard its Voice, and stop their Ears at the Reproof thereof, while the day of their Visitation lasts, Time will come upon them, and the Night will overtake them; wherein they shall hear its Voice whether they will or no, and be judged according thereto: Con­science is compared to a Book; and the Deeds done in the Body are written therein. And the time will come upon them, when this Book shall be opened, and Men shall be judged according to what is written therein. And remember, the Testimony of a good, Conscience both in the day of Health and Prosperity, and in the day of Sickness and Adversity, in Life and Death, is of more vallue then all the World: And in any of these States and Conditions, a guilty defiled Conscience, or a Conscience that through custom of doing Evil, becomes as Seared with a hot Iron; and a hard Heart, is a grievous Plague and sore Judgment from God, and an inevitable sign, and forerunner of Everlasting Vengeance; and is indeed, the Fruit and Effect of Evil, or of sleighting and de­spising the voice of God's Witness, and the striving of his Spirit in Peoples Hearts and Consciences: But the answer and Testimo­ny of a good Conscience is of God; and is as a Well-spring of Life to those that have it; where Blessings and Peace are enjoyed in the inward Man, amidst of all Adversity, Exercises and Tryals that may attend, both the outward and the inward; and such can lie down in Peace, notwithstanding all the Spirit of Enmity and Cruelty can work against them; whether it arise from an ignorant blind Zeal about Religion, Church and Worship; (as very much doth in Christendom) not only against those called Quakers, but one Sect against another: Some of them being so full of Zeal, and so empty of Knowledge, that they think they do God Ser­vice, to accomplish the Ruin of such as are not of their Church, &c. Or whether it arise from corrupt Interest, Prejudice, and Evil will; the ground is one, though the end be various. The Lord give all People Wisdom, to see their way out of the same; that they may be not only Christians in Name and Profession, but in [Page 27]Life and Nature: Then all Enmity, Cruelty and Violence would cease, and Love, and Brotherly-kindness would abound: And then People would lie down like Lambs together, in that holy Mountain, (or Mountain of Holiness) where no destroyer is, where no Violence, Cruelty, and Oppression is: And this is the hearty desire of every true Christian, for their Neighbours and all People, who never were, nor ever will be found seeking the hurt or ruin of any man, threatning nor envying any, because they conform not to the same sort of Religion and Ceremonies that they are of. Whoever are found in this Spirit of Envy and Evil against their Neighbours and Country-men, about matters of Faith, Sacrifice and Worship, are of the Generation of Cain the first Envyer and Murtherer about Religion; and such are not Christians indeed; neither doth the Law of God, nor their Neighbours dwell in their Hearts, nor the Fruits of the Spirit ap­pear and grow amongst them; which Fruits are Love, Joy, Peace, Long-suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meek­ness, Temperance; against whom there is no Law; for the whole Law and the Prophets is fulfilled in this: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart; and thy Neighbour as thy self, read Matth. 22.37, 38, 39, 40. and Gal. 5.14. to the end of the Chapter; and the Lord prepare your Hearts to consider what you read, that you may not only profess the holy Scriptures, but love and obey them, and receive that grace of which they testi­fie; which taught and enabled the Primitive Christians, to live the Life of Holiness they call for, and to avoid the contrary; that you may not alwayes be like silly Women laden with Sin, and led a­bout with divers lusts, ever learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth, which makes free; but that you may know deliverance from the burthen of Sin, and bondage of Iniquity, and from the Lusts that lead aside, and come to be made wise unto Salvation, and to feel the love of God spring in your Hearts; and Blessings and Peace attend you in your comings in, goings out, lyings down, and risings up; even that Blessing and Peace, which the World cannot give nor take away.

And that you and all people may come to inherit, possess and enjoy inward Peace with the Lord, and heavenly Consolation in [Page 28]the Spirit, and Life everlasting, is the hearty Desire of your Friends and Neighbours, in Derision called Quakers, who are redeemed from the spirit of Envy, hatred and Evil-will, from the spirit of Cruelty, Violence and Revenge, into that Love which desires that Peace on Earth and Good-will to Men, may more and more encrease and abound; and so far as it is possible make it their daily Practice and Endeavour to live in Peace, and to follow Peace and Quietness with all men, according to the Do­ctrine of the Christian Religion, which whosoever obeys and walks according thereto, are preserved out of all Strife, Contention and Evil-Will, Prejudice, Enmity, Cruelty and Violence; and who ever are found bringing forth these Fruits, let their Talk and Pre­tence to Religion and Christianity be never so great, they are cer­tainly corrupt Trees, and disobedient Children, in whose Hearts the Enemy of God and Man rules, and they have not the Love of God and their Neighbour abiding in them, nor the Answer of a good Conscience, neither are they Christian indeed, though they profess the Name, which will stand none in stead in the Day of Account.

Let all such, to whom this may come, remember they have been told so, and it is the Word of Truth to them, whether they will hear or forbear.

Now we, the Quakers (so called) do solemnly testifie in the sight of God, Angels and Men, That we do not refuse to pay Tythes, to Repair old Mass-Houses (commonly and ignorantly called Church­es) or to pay Priests and Clarks Wages, Easter-Reckonings, Mid­summer-Dues, and such like, out of Wilfulness or Stubbornness, or out of any Enmity, Prejudice or Evil-will against any man's person whatsoever; but really and truly upon the Account of Conscience to God, knowing and believing that we should sin against God, and the Light of his Spirit in our Hearts, and wound our own Consci­ences in so doing. And we do upon the same account refuse to come to those old Mass-houses vulgarly called Churches, to hear a man of unclean lips and corrupt heart Say common Service to God, but Do none; read over common Prayer formally and customarily without the Spirit of Prayer; sing David's Psalms (turned in­to [Page 29]Meeter by Queen Elizabeth's Fidlers or Musicians) but not with the Spirit nor good Understanding; hear studied invented Sermons of an Hour long, composed in the Wisdom which this World teacheth, and so not profitable to Salvation, being only a profitable Livelihood to men of that Trade, who preach for Hire, and divine for Money, and seek for their Gain from their Quarter, and would exact and compel Money and Goods from such as like not their Merchandize, if they dwell within their Quarter or Parish: Those Prayers, Singers and Preachers for Money and Hire, are not like Christ's Ministers, who received and do receive freely, and did and do freely give; and they were and are Ministers of the manifold Grace of God. But these Hirelings, or Preachers for Money, have not received freely, nei­ther from God nor Man; but have purchased their Ministry with Money, and are made by Men at Schools and Colledges, and are sent and ordained by Men, and not by the Lord, therefore they did not profit us when we were their Hearers and Disciples; nei­ther do they profit the people at all, but rather cause them to err, as the False Prophets and Teachers did in the Prophet Jeremiah's time, recorded in the 23d chapter of his Prophecy, read from the 11th verse to the 32d verse, and what thou findest testified against the False Prophets in that day, is true against all that are found in the same spirit and practices at this day; the Priesthood of England now (as the Prophets then) speak a Vision of their own Heart, and not out of the Mouth of the Lord; they fill peo­ples Ears with a Noise of Words, and with fair Speeches or elo­quent Discourses deceive the Hearts of the Simple, talking much of the Righteous Holy Men's Words, but not living their Life; speaking and smiting against Sin with that Weapon which can ne­ver destroy it in themselves nor others; their Preaching is like that of the Scribes and Pharisees, and not as one having Authority; they say, Hear the Word of the Lord, but speak their own words, conceivings and Inventions; they are of those that steal the Word from their Neighbour, and boast in other mens Lines, &c.

In Christendom, so called, what a great Trade do these School­men, Rabbies, Doctors, Bishops and Hireling Priests make of the poor, honest, plain Tradesmen's Words, who were some [Page 30]Plough-men, Herds-men, Shepherds and Fisher-men, ome of whom it's said knew not a Letter? And how is this part of the World (called Europ) filled with Books and Commentaries of Papists, Prelates, Presbyters, and other Sects, under Pretence of opening and giving the right Meaning of their Words, whereby indeed people are divided and confused, and various in their Un­derstandings, and know not well what to do, nor whom to believe, nor which to follow; so instead of gathering people into Unity, they divide and scatter them, and lead them into Sects and Opi­nions; instead of Repairing the Breaches of the Walls of Jeru­salem, they Build up the Tower of Babylon; instead of commu­nicating to people the Key of Knowledge, they shut up the King­dom of Heaven against men, and neither enter themselves, nor suffer those that would.

These things we have by sad and woful Experience known, while we were seeking the Living among the Dead, and wandring from Mountain to Hill, from one Priest and Profession to another, changing, from one sort and fashion of Worship unto another, from one Sect and Opinion to another; but not from Sin to Righ­teousness, not from Evil to Good, nor from Death to Life; nei­ther through them all did we witness a Translation from the king­dom of Darkness into the Kingdom of Christ, as the Primitive Christians did, but remained in Sin and Corruption, in Death and Darkness, talking of the Fame of Wisdom, and professing the holy Scriptures, the Words of holy, righteous, wise Men, the Words of sanctified, justified and redeemed Men; but not li­ving the Life of Righteousness, Wisdom, Sanctification, Justifica­tion and Redemption; nay, we were so far from it, that we did not believe it was possible so to do while on this side the Grave; our Teachers caused us to err, teaching for Doctrine the Precepts of Men, and the Thoughts and Conceivings of their own corrupt Hearts, instead of the Word of the Lord: so we were as Blind led by the Blind, and walked in Darkness, and in the Shadow of Death, and knew not whither we went; we stumbled, and knew not at what; and grouped, like blind men, for the Wall; fol­lowing the divers, uncertain, fallible Voices that are in the World, which say, Lo, here is Christ; Lo, there is Christ; others. Be­hold [Page 31]he is in the secret Chamber; and we were going forth, and wandring after them, and wearying our selves for a very Vanity, spending our Money for that which was not Bread, and our La­bour for that which did not satisfie. This was our state and con­dition in the day of our Ignorance, in the day of our Captivity and Bondage to the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life: But now we can say as the primitive Christians did, 1 Joh. 5.19, 20. We know that the Son of God is come (not only that he Did come above Sixteen Hundred Years ago, but Is come) and hath given us a good Ʋnderstanding, whereby we may know him that is true, and we are in him that's true, even in his Son Jesus Christ; this is the true God and eternal Life: And God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into our Hearts, whereby we can call God Father, and whereby we are led and guided out of all false wayes and false worships, out of the crooked wayes and by-pathes of our own finding out, into the one, true and living Way, and everlasting Worship, which is in the Spirit and in the Truth, which was before all the false Wayes and invented Worships upon the Face of the Earth, and will remain when they all vanish away.

So it is no new Sect or Opinion that we are now come unto, but the ancient Way, wherein the holy Fathers, Prophets, Apostles and all the Righteous walked in all Ages and Generations past, from Abel and Enoch unto this day, which is Christ, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the Sin; which is Christ, the true Light, that lighteth every man coming into the World; who is indeed the Way, the Truth and the Life, the Saviour of his People (not in their Sins, but) from their Sins: And the true Light now shines out of Darkness in thousands in this our Native Country, and makes manifest, reproves and condemns every appearance of evil, and leads the Children of it out of the same; this is the Ʋniver­sal Way of God, wherein he is known, worshipped and served acceptably; this is his Son, in whom he is well pleased, and with all that are in him.

Therefore in this Light must all the Nations that are saved walk; and all that walk in it witness Safety from, and Power and Victo­ry over the Evil One, and Blessings, Peace and Consolation abound in their inward man. But all that Reject and Despise, Sleight [Page 32]and Contemn the Light and Grace of God teaching and shining with­in, and the leading, guiding and moving of the Spirit of God within, they reject and despise the Way and Means of Salvation, and have no Strength against Sin, nor Victory over their Enemy the Prince of Darkness, which rules within in their Hearts; but remain Slaves and Captives to him, under the Chains of darkness, let their Talk and Profession of Christ and Christianity be what it will, this is the Word of Truth to all our Neighbours and Country­men, whether they will hear or forbear, they shall find it Truein the Day of Account.

The 17th of the 3d Moneth, 1677.