A Bishop then must be Blameless, the Husband of one Wife, Vi­gilant, Sober, of good Behaviour, given to Hospitallity, apt to Teach; not given to Wine; no Striker, nor greedy of Filthy Luker, but Patient, not a Brawler, nor Coveteous; one that Ruleth well his own House, having his Children in Subjection with all Gravity: 1 Tim. 3.2, 3, 4.5. For if a man know not how to Rule his own house, How shall he take care of the Church of God? (na­turally) as Timothy, that Bishop did. Phillip. 3.20. where Paul saith, I have no man like minded, who will naturally care for your State; for all seek their one and not the things that are Jesus Christs: But saith Paul, Ye know the proof of him, that as a Son with a Father he hath served with me in the Gospel.

And Read ye that have taken the Names of Bishops, or Ministers of Christ, great is your work, which is to watch for the sotil, as they that must give an account for it; Heb. 12.17. I say, Read 2 Cor. 6. ver. 3. how Paul and Timothy served in the Gospel. Giving no offence in any thing, that the Ministry be not blamed, but in all things, approving our selves as the Ministers of God, in much Patience, in Afflictions, in Necessities, in Distresses, in Stripes, in Imprison­ments, in Tumults, in Labours, in Watchings, in Fastings; by Pure­ness, by Knowledge, by long Suffering, by Kindness, by the Holy-Ghost: (Mark) by the Holy Ghost, by love Ʋnfained, by the Word of Truth, (the Faithful Word which Timothy held) by the Power of God, by the Armour of Righteousness, on the Right Hand, and on the Left; by Honour, and Dishonour, by Evil Report and Good Report, as De­ceivers and yet True: ver. 8, 9. As Ʋnknown, yet well Known: as Dying, yet behold we Live: as Chastened, and not Killed: as Sor­rowful, yet alway Rejoycing; as Poor, yet making many Rich: as ha­ving Nothing, yet Possessing all things.

Let these things be considered by you Bishops, Doctors or Teachers whatsoever; in Gods Love I mind you of your Duty, and Work, which is not to live at Ease, Worldly Honour, and Pleasures; but to perfect the Saints, as Paul, Timothy, & Titus did, Ephes. 4.11, 10, 14. Neither as Lords over Gods Heritage, or Masters over their Faith and Consciences, but as good Stewards of the Mysteries of God, who is the cheif Shepherd of the Sheep, [Page 3]unto whom ye must all give an account, how you have used your Talent: Blessed is that Servant, when his Lord commeth, shall find him giving them meat in due season, Mat. 24.26.25, 26. And 1 Tim. 3.6. A Bishop must not be a Novice, least being lifted up with pride, he fall in­to the Condemnation of the Devil. Verse 7. Moreover, he must have a good Report of them which are without, lest he fall into Reproach and the Snare of the Devil. Chap. 4.1. Paul saith, The Spirit speak­eth expresly, that in the last dayes, some should depart from the Faith, giving heed to Seducing Spirits, and Dostrines of Devills: Forbid­ing to Marry, and commanding to abstain from Meats, which God hath Created to be Received with Thanksgiving of them that do believe, and know the Truth; for every creature of God is good, and nothing to be Refused, if it be received with Thanksgiving for it is Sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer. (Mark) Timothy was not to forbid the eat­ing of meats upon any pretence whatsoever, it being lawful for them, that did believe, and knew the Truth; he might not say, the Law of the Land forbids it, and therefore it is unlawful: but verse 6. He was to put the brethren in mind, that this was a Doct­rine of Devills; and such as did forbid these things, were depar­ted from the Faith, and knew not the Truth, but were unbelie­vers, and such as had taken heed to seducing Spirits: (Mark) If thou put the Brethren in mind of these things, then shalt thou be a good Minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of Faith, and good Doctrine. Titus 1.7. For a Bishop must be blameless, as the Stew­ard of God, not Self-willed, nor soon Angry, not given to Wine, no Striker, nor given to Filthy Luker, but a lover of Hospitallity, a lover of good Men, Sober, Just, Holy, and Temperate, holding fast the faith­ful Word, that he may be able, by sound Doctrine. (Mark) not by Prisons, Whipping, and Persecuting, he doth not say, But by Sound Doctrine, both to Exhort and Convince the Gain-sayer. Ver. 6. He must also be blameless, the Husband of one Wife, having faithful Chil­dren, not accused of Riot, or Ʋnruly. Read also, Tim. 2.2. The ad­vice Paul gave to that Bishop, ver. 1. Thou therefore my Son, be strong in the Grace, that is in Christ Jesus, and the things thou hast heard of me, amongst many witnesses; the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also; thou therefore indure hardship, as a good Souldier of Jesus Christ. (Mark) No man that Warreth, In­tangleth himself with the things of this life, that he may please him, that chose him to be a Souldier, ver. 8.

[Page 4] He bids Timothy remember Christ Jesus: so say I to all you Bishops, and Teachers, Take Christ Jesus for your pattorn, and his Light in you; and take heed how you have any hand privately or openly, in Persecuting any for Conscience sake; but remember Christ Jesus the cheif Bishop and Shepherd of the Everlasting Co­venant, how he Persecuted none, no not his Enemies; but he that was Just, and did no sin, suffered by the unjust and sinners, and Prayed for his Persecuters, that knew not what they did: O let Christ be your Example, rather than the High Priests, and those learned men that put Christ to death: Would you purchase to your selves a good degree of Honour and Boldness in the day of the Lord, then use the Offices ye are in well, and not against Christ, or the Flock he taketh care of; but let the same minde be in you that was in Paul, and in Timothy, where Paul saith, 2 Tim. 2.24, 25, 26. The Servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to Teach, patient▪ in Meeknesse Instructing them that do appose themselves, if God peradventure will give them Repentance, to the ac­knowledging of the Truth, and that they may Recover themselves out of the Snare of the Devil, who were taken Captiveby him at his will. Ver. 10. Therefore, saith Paul, I endure all things for the Elects sake, that they may obtain the Salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with Eternal Glory.

And now ye Bishops, Doctors, and Teachers, and all such that han­dle the Law; Do ye all stand still awhile, weigh your selves in the true Ballance, measure your selves with the Measure of the Spirit, that God hath freely given to every one of you, that by it ye may be saved from Sin, and led into all Truth: I say, all confider; is this the Crown ye aim at, the Salvation of the Immortal Souls? O that there were such a heart in you that was in Christ Jesus that Bishop, or the same mind in you, that was in Paul, Titus and Timothy, that laboured, & watched day and night that they might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: for whose sake, saith Paul, I suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him: yea those things which were gain, I counted loss for the excellency of the knowledge that is in Christ Jesus my Lord, Phil. 3.8. Saith he, That I may be found in him, (marke, in him whose King­dom, Power and Glory is not of this world,) Not having my own Righteousnes, that is of the Law, but that which is through the Faith of Christ. Ver. 10. That I may know him, and the Power of his Resur­rection, and the fellowship of his Sufferings: (Mark, him that was a man [Page 5]of sorrow, and acquainted with grief, and had not a place to lay his head in; Read Isa. 53.3. Luke 9.58.) being made con­formable to his death: but Paul with weeping complaineth of some, Phil. 3. ver. 18. that were of another mind, Whose God was their bellies, who minded earthly things, and did glory in that which might have been looked on by them as their shame, (whose end was destru­ction,) but saith he, ver. 20. Our Conversation is in Heaven, from whence we look for the Saviour.

O Friends! Do nothing without consideration; and a little consi­der this great matter. Is this the end ye take these Offices of Bi­shops upon you, that ye may watch for the souls of the poor scat­tered Sheep, and save the afflicted and dispised Lambs of Christ by them that are at ease? O this is a great work, if ye leave it not undone: Or is this the Prize ye run for, and the Mark ye aim at? then would the Lord stablish you, and the most Highest himself will be your Shepherd, and a Shelter, and hiding place unto you; But if the world, its Honour and Glory be coveted after by you, as the Nation feareth it is too much, then will the Lord arise for your de­struction, and as a Whirl-wind from the most highest Shall it suddenly come upon you; and as a mighty Tempest, great and terri­ble against the wall, and as a sweeping Rain that leaveth no food; and his Lambs will he save, and his People and Heritage he will himself deliver: & your portion shall be as in the book of the Psalms. It is written Acts 1.20. Psal. 69.25. Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein, and his Bishoprick let another take. Now this was Judas the Traitor, that was both a Bishop, and Minister, for the work is one. For he was numbred with the Apostles (mark, Judas numbred, and chosen by Christ, and took part of the Mini­stry with the Apostles) a thing that ye never came to as yet; but he cared not for the soul, the poor were dispised by him; but like Balaam, and many now adayes, that are falsly called Ministers of Christ, he loved the reward of Iniquity, and with that he pur­chased a field, which is called the field of blood to this day. And fal­ling down headlong, he burst asunder in the middest, and his bowels gushed out: Let this be the reward of the wicked from the Lord, and the Recompence of the Persecutor from the God of my Salvation; but the Righteous, let him be saved by the Lord, with an everlasting Salvation from my God, because he is poor and de­spised, and abhorred of men, and hath no deliverer in the earth.

[Page 6] O Watchman of Israel, O Shepherd of the Sheep, that have follow­ed thee, and for thy Names sake have been willing to lay down their own lives, that in thee, and thy life, they may be found blameless, and pre­served spotless. O! Do thou arise thou great Shepherd of the everlasting Covenant, save thy-people, preserve thy Lambs, and in thy Armes carry them that are young; preserve the feeble, and such as be of a contrite Heart and Spirit, that none may touch thy hidden and anointed ones, so as to harm them in their inward parts, or wound them in their hidden life. O! Be thou abiding place unto them in the Storm, and a Light in their Tabernacles, when darkness covers their Enemies; that so in their Spirits, thy Sons may sing together, and the morning Stars make Mellodie unto thee in their hearts; and the inhabitants of Sion shout for joy, that the Lord is in the midst of them. Do this for thy heritage, and forsake them not Eternall God; we have heard with our ears, O Lord, the triumphing of the wicked is short, O let it not be said by them for ever, Where is now their God: But Arise, arise as in the dayes of old, and worke wonders for thy seeds sake as in the antient time, when thou didst march through the Sea with thy chosen, and didst get thee a Name of praise from the foundation of Israel: So let it be with thy Enemies O Lord as of old, when the Stars in their course fought a­gainst Sisera.

O Friends! I am a Lover of your Souls; and the eye is open, and opening daily in thousands, and a numerous number begin to see the sad state they have been long in: O the Lord hath done a wonder, and a marvellous work he hath wrought in this our day which is dawned, the Day-Star is risen in the hearts of thousands, and the day that is everlasting is dawned, and in England the sun is risen that shall never set again; & the light thereof shineth, & shall shine more and more, untill the perfect day; which the Clouds of the evening, nor the shaddow of the Mountains shall never cover again: the Lyon is rouzed, the Beasts of the field shall tremble; the Lord is working, and who shall hinder, or let him?

The Light is the eye, which seeth this day, which was open in Abraham, and in his Head who is invisible and eternall, who saith, Before Abraham was, I am. This eye must be opened, and looked with, in you Bishops; and the eye that doth offend and persecute the precious Life, phickt out, and cast away, and the hand cut off, and the Right Arm of the wicked broken before the everlast­ing Arm, which is under-neath, in which the Shepherd of Israel [Page 7]doth carry his Lambs, can be known or wrought with by you.

I say, till this eye be opened, and a new tongue be unloosed, ye are but blind Watch-men and Leaders of the blind into the Ditch and horrible Pit; and Dumb Shepherds, that gather not the Sheep and out-cast of Israel; but such as the Prophet speakes of, That fed themselves with the fat and cloath with the finest of the wool, and bewrayed him that wandereth; ye gather not the out-cast; but with force and cruelty scatter the flock, which his own blood hath purcha­sed.

The eye being blinded, that should put a difference between the Precious and the Vile, the Sheep and the Goates, the Diseased and the Whole, the Strong, and the Weak: This is a great work. O Friends! to watch for the soul: The world by wisdom, nor the learned by outward learning, know not the soul of man, nor what it is that the Anguish and pain is upon: but he that made it knoweth the frame thereof, and he that breathed into it the breath of Life, his eye, which is the Light, seeth and knoweth it altoge­ther: such knowledge is too wonderful for me, that when this eye is awakened, I am satisfied therewith: O blessed is that eye that seeth and is satisfied therewith. O this is the eye that runs to and fro thorough the whole earth, and seeth the secret thoughts of all your hearts, in your bed-chambers; & your Councel against the Lords people, is not hid from it in the darkest night that e­ver came; he seeth our innocency, and knoweth how we are wronged, by being numbred with transgressors. Is this the way to convert us to God, as Whipping, Persecuting and Imprisoning, to the spoiling both of our bodies & goods? Well, this is the way they took with Christ our Lord and Master; I say, thus was it in the Green tree, and with the Master of the Family, and generall Assembly, but not to convert us (were we unconverted) but we are on the earth, though not of it; and our bodies in prison, though our Spi­rits are at liberty; and he that was dead, now liveth, and is ascen­ded out of the reach of all Persecutors.

I say, after he was (who is) ascended, and all power in heaven and earth given unto him, and he had received gifts for men, having led Captivity that which did Captivate, and he having spoiled Principa­lities and Powers, by the power and virtue of his Resurrection; he being ascended, which first descended into the lowest parts of the earth; he that was in the the pit, death, hell and the grave, being made a little lower than [Page 8]the Angels. I say, when he was glorified with the same glory he had with the Father, before the world of iniquity began; then he gave some Apostles, Bishops and Teachers: (Mark) not Lord Bishops over the faith of Gods heritage; but for the perfecting of the Saints, and edifying the body of Christ, untill they all came into the unity of the faith and knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man in Christ: (Mark) untill he be formed, unto the measure and Stature of the fulness of Christ, that they should be no more Children, tossed and carried about with every wind of doctrine, to turn again into such beggarly Rudements, as the observing of dayes, new Moones or Sab­boths, or abstaining from meats: the forbidding of which, the Apostle calls a Doctrine of Devills, which God hath created and commanded to be eaten, and nothing to be refused by them that are come to Christ and in him believe, who is the Body and End of all Shadows; and the Word that Sanctifies the Meats, who is the Everlasting day, in which the Children of the Light do walk, as it is written, and witnessed in these latter dayes (of the man of sin) The Children of the Lord, shall be taught of the Lord; in whose Light the Na­tions of them that are saved shall walk; and great shall be the Peace, and Assurance of his children in that day; it shall be unto them a good day, and a Joyful day, a day of Feasting, and Glad­ness of Heart; a Good day, and a Holy day, a day of Praise, and Thanksgiving, wherein the wicked shall cease from Troubling, and where the weary shall be at Rest: there the Prisoners rest to­gether, and hear not the voyce of the oppressor.

Consider ye that are Commanding to abstain from Meats, which God hath commanded to be eaten, and commanding to Swear, and Observes dayes, which God hath forbiden, saying, Six dayes shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: O will ye limit the Lords peo­ple that are in the Truth, and such who stand in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free?

Will ye Judge them in Meats, and condemn about Holy dayes of your own making? (as ye call them) are ye wiser than God? or must the Precepts of men be observed, rather than the Com­mandements of God, who saith, by his Spirit (that must not be li­mited) All things are lawful to be eaten by them that know the Truth? O what is your end, that God must not be hearkened unto? is not filthy luker your end? that can for mony sell a Dispensation, to do that which your Law condemneth as unlawful; and what must [Page 9]the poor do that are sick, and have scarce mony to buy meat, much less to buy a licence to eat it; let all these Laws be disanul'd, and those Statutes that are contrary to the Statutes of God, be esta­blished by you no longer, upon any pretence whatsoever.

And for these things that are Righteous and Good, and be­cause we cannot break Christs Commands, (no other thing can be justly charged against us) how are we drawn from our families, Husbands from their Wices, and Wives from their Children, (Eng­land never saw the like) leaving them desolate without any helper in the earth? as Sheep for the Slaughter, so are we killed all the day long, and counted as the off-Scowring of all things for Righteou­sness Sake, because we follow him, Who is the Lord our Righteousness, & obey his Righteous Commands, rather than the Unrighteous Pre­cepts and Commandements of men; therefore are we Persecuted, and Hated by them that know not our Innocency, and judged not meet to live upon the earth: And to hide themselves, The Cry, is, (as in all ages the Persecutors have done against the Lords People and Heritage) They are Enemies to the King, or no Friends to the pre­sent Government or else, as the cry is now against the dispised Qua­kers, Deceivers, Deceivers, & such As destroy all good Laws and Govern­ment: this was done in the green tree; and this was done a­gainst the Apostles in Generations past; and in this present age the cry is, These are the false Christs, and false Prophets that Christ said should come, Mat. 24. v. 5, 24.

Now let all people consider the Scripture in the first Epistle of John, chap. the 2. ver. 18, 19, 26. chap. 4. ver. 1, 2, 3, 5. Read these Scriptures, and you shall find Christs Words were fulfilled sixteen hundred years ago, and that the Quakers are not the false Pro­phets; But such as Paul complaines of with weeping, Phil. 3.18. They were such who were Enemies to the Cross of Christ, whose God was their Belly, and minded earthly things; and such as Peter spake of, in the se­cond Epistle, chap. 2. or like Demus, who forsook Christ and the true Apostles, and imbraced the present world, because the love of the Father was not in them. And if I say like the Ministers in England, Which seek their Gaine from every quarter, I lie not.

But consider what Christ saith, Ye shall know them by their fruits. Read Peter and John before mentioned, v. 1. But there were also false Prophets among the people, even as there shall be false Teachers among you, who shall privily bring in damnable Heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and many shall follow there [Page 10]pernicious Wayes; by Reason of which, the way of truth shall be evill spo­ken of, and through covetousness, (Mark, is not this a Proverb in Eng­land, who is more Proud and Covetous than our Ministers?) Shall they with fained words make merchandise of you, v. 10. These are they that walk after the flesh in the lust, which have the fained words, who were Despisers of Government, v. 15. Which have forsaken the Right Way, whose hearts are exercised with covetous practises, cursed Children, being gone astray in the way of Balaam, the Son of Bozer, who loved the wages of unrighteousness: these are Wells without water, Clouds that are carried with a tempest, to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. Read Johns Epistle which saw that fulfilled before his de­parture, which Christ foretold in Matthew should come, Joh. 4.1, 2. Beloved, believe not every Spirit, but try the Spirits, (Mark) what must they try the Spirits with? With the Ʋnction and Annointing which was in them, Were they to try the Spirits whether they were of God, chap. 2.18. Little Children, it is the last time, and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, even now are there many Antichrists, whereby we know that it is the last times: they went out from us, (Mark) as I said before, from the true Apostles who were in the light, and had fellowship with the Father and the Son, v. 20. But ye have an Ʋnction from the Holy One, and ye know all things, v. 24. Let that there­fore abide in you, (mark, in you) which ye have heard from the beginning, if that shall remain in you, ye shall continue in the Son and in the Father. v. 26. These things have I written to you, concerning them that seduce you v. 27. But the annointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, (mark in you) and ye need not that any man teach you, but as the same annointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lye; And even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in it. And now little Children, abide in him; for ye know he that doth Righteousness, is born of him, ch. 4.3. This is that Spirit of Antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come, and even NOW already is come into the world: little children, ye have overcome them, because, greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world; they are of the world, therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them, as you may read, Rev. 13.3, 8. and all the world wondered after the beast, and worshiped the Dragon (who was wrath with the Woman, and made war with the Remnant of her seed, which kept the Commandement of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ) they worshiped the Dragon which gave power to the Beast, and they worshiped the Beast; saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? Rev. 17. and 3, 8. Let him that [Page 11]readeth understand. v. 1. Come hither, and I will shew thee the Judgement of the great Whore that sitteth upon many waters: (mark) waters are Multitudes, Nations, Tongues and Peoples; and the Woman which thou sawest, the Mother of Harlots, is Mistery Babilon, which Reigneth over the Kings of the earth, with whom they commit fornication, and drink of her Cup of fornication, ver. 3. also the ver. 2. So he carryed me away into the wilderness in the Spirit: And I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of Names of Blasphemy, and the Woman was arraied in Purple, and Scarlet colour, and decked with Gold, and pretious Stones and Pearles: (Mark, the out-side was very beautiful, and de­sirable by the world, whose Names are not written in the Lambs Book of Life before the foundation thereof) but this Woman, the false Church, had in her hand a cup full of Abomination and filthyness, of which the Nations drank, & were made drunk, & unstable as waters.

Let him that readeth, know the misterie of the Beast, [and un­derstand who is that false Prophet and Antichrist,] which carried the woman. Read chap. 13.6. Is not this he that openeth his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his Name and Tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven? This is that Antichrist which opposed Christ. v. 7. And it was given unto him to make war with the Saints, and to overcome them, and Power was given him, over all Kindreds, Tongues and Nations. v. 15. And he had power to give life to the image of the Beast that it should spake. [mark] This is that compelling power which would cause all to worship the Image, instead of the life: and the likeness instead of the true God; And he causeth all, both Rich and Poor, Small and Great, Bond and Free, to receive the mark in their Right Hand, or in their Fore-Heads, and that none might buy or sell, that would not worship the Image of the Beast, but should be killed. Here is the patience of the Saints. Here are they which keep the Commandements of God, and the Faith of Jesus.

And I saw the Woman Drunk with the Blood of Saints, [Mark, this is not the Woman that fled from the face of the Dragon, which brought forth the Man-Child,] And with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration; but the Angel said, wherefore didst thou marvell? [Mark, John was wondring also, till the Angel spake to him, saying,] I will tell thee the mistery of the Woman, and of the Beast that carryed her: the Beast that thou sawest was, and is not, and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into per­dition, & they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose Names were not written in the book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they [Page 12]behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is: these sayings are faithfull and true, testified by his Spirit, who is the faithfull and true witness, That the everlasting Gospel shall be preached again unto every Nation, Tongue and People; and Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots, shall come in Rememberance with the Lord, and her flesh shall be burned with fire and the Beast and false Prophet which have deceived the Nations, shall be taken and east alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone; and the Merchants of the earth shall mourn, and such as trade by Sea, and are made rich with her Merchandise, shall weep bitterly, and shall say, A­las, alas, That great City, that great City that was cloathed in fine linen, [Mark, this fine linen is not the Righteousness of the Saints, but the paint of the Harlot gone from God] Purple and Scarlet, and decked with Gold, and precious Stones and Pearls, for in one hour so great Riches is come to nought: and every Ship-Master, [Mark, ye Water­men who are unstable] And all the Companies in Ships, and Sailers, and as many as trade by Sea stood afar off, and oryed when they saw the smoak of her burning, saying, What City is like to this great City! And amighty Angel took up a Stone like a great Milstone, and cast it into the Sea, saying, Thus with violence shall this great City Babylon be thrown, and shall be found no more at all, and the light of the Candle shall shine no more in her [for it shall be put out] And the voyce of the Bride­groom, and of the Bride shall be heard no more at all in thee; for thy Merchants were the great Men of the Earth, [Mark, the great Men of the Earth traded with her, and drank her Cup] in whom was found the blood of Prophets and of Saints. And of all that were slain upon the Earth for by her sorceries were all Nations Deceived; where­fore rejoyce euer her, thou Heavens, and be glad of heart, you Saints for evermore; Rejoyce you holy Apostles, and Prophets, for God hath avenged your blood on her.

Now, all you great men in England, be wise; Ye Judges, and you Councellers, receive Instructions from the Lord; Counsel is better than Stength, and Wisdom better than Weapons of War; but your Strength, nor the Strength of your King, is not to imprison the Seed of Abraham, and children of the Promise, and Heirs of the Kingdom, and World that hath no end; should you not ra­ther stand up, and make Reconciliation between the Lord and his people, as Moses did, and lift up the prisoner out of the pit; and gather all into the Light (Christ) to whom the gathering of the people shall be.

Now if you say, We persecute you not, you keep not the Kings [Page 13]Law; my answer is, if Haman were clear of the Jewes destruction, (Esther 3) ever the more, because of the Kings Decree, and a Law made against them; then are you clear of our sufferings also: Why would you make us beleive the Word of a King is nothing worth, who hath promised, We should live in the liberty of a good Conscience in his Dominions, so long as we lived peaceably, which hitherto we have, and ever shall do? for herein do we exercise our selves dayly, to have a Conscience void of offence, both to­wards God and man: And if you harm us for that which is good, Christs light in your conscience will condemn you; but was not KING CHARLES mis-informed, as King Ahashuerus was, by Ha­man that Courtier, who told the King, the people of God were not fit to live in his Dominions? and are not we as greatly wronged by some of you, as the Jewes were by Haman? ver 8. There is a cer­taine people, said Haman, Scattered and Dispersed among the peo­ple, in all the Provinces of thy Kingdom; and their Lawes (mark) [they did Woship another God] are divers from all people, neither keep they the Kings lawes, which was, that all should bow to Haman; much like that law, That none should meet together in Spi­rit, to Worship the Lord. And this is my case, who hath been a prisoner 18 weeks, nothing laid to my charge, but the keeping on my Hat to Richard Brown, Mayor of London, [so called] whether such thing ought to be suffered by the King, and his Councel, the Lord be Judge; Therefore, consider ye Judges, is this the way of the Judge of all the Earth? or the way to Establish the Kings Throne? nay, the Lord sees it, and will plead our innocencie, who hath said, The Kings Throne is Established in Righteousness.

Or could the Courtiers, pertaining to King Darius, be clear of Daniells being cast into the Lyons Den, then you may be clear of so many thousands of us, being cast into Prisons, and Dens, as it is at this day. Read Dan. 6.5. Then these Presidents, and Princes, said, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him, concerning the Law of his God. Then they came and told the King, The Governours and Princes, the Councellers and the Captaines have consulted together to Establish a Royal Statute, and to make a firm De­cree, That whosoever shall as any Petition of any God or Man, save of thee, O King, for thirty dayes, he shall be cast into the Den of Lyons. Where­fore King Darius Sealed the Writing, and the Decree: Now Daniel did not forbear worshiping his God, as we do not forbear meeting to­gether [Page 14]because of the Kings Decree, therefore came his Enemies and accused Daniel, as our enemies accuse us; that we are dis-re­garders of the King, and his Law: Now, little did Darius know what designe these men did pursue, that their envy was rather against Daniel, then to honour the King; though they did pretend it was for his honour, that they made such a Royall Decree, as they called it.

But when the King heard these things, how was he displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he laboured tell the going down of the Sun, to deliver him, but could not. Now let all Flatterers be warned, and Proud men take heed how they in­cense KING CHARLES against the Lords people, or endea­vour to destroy them whom the Lord hath blessed; and let them know they are but men; and our God, whom we serve, and worship, notwithstanding the Kings Command to the contrary, is the living and true God, and his Arm is not shortned, but he is the same as ever he was in the dayes of Mordecay, Esther 3. or in the dayes of Daniel, Daniel 6.22. And therefore, the Sons of Jacob shall not be consumed, though they may suffer persecution many dayes, yet shall they not be forsaken: but out of all Tribulation shall the Lord deliver them, and save them from the hand of the violent man.

And now to your consideration, by whom we suffer, (whether as evil doers, or well doers, the Lord is Judge, and knoweth rightwell) I propound these few Questions in the fear of the Lord.

First, Whether to observe Dayes, and Times, were not the sin of Manas­ses, who filled Jerusalem with Innocent blood? and whether to Impri­son, spoile our bodyes and goods, for opening our shops, and working on the six dayes, be not contrary to the Command of God? which saith expres­ly, Six dayes shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: and contrary to the Apostles Doctrine, which saith, I fear I have bestowed on you labour in vain, while ye observe Dayes, New-Moons, and Sab­bath, Which were but a Shaddow of good things to come, but the bo­dy was Christ? Collossians 2.17, 18.

Secondly, Whether it be not in your hearts, who are laying such a foun­dation for Persecution, to fill London, and the Nation with Innocent blood, as Manasses did Jerusalem, if suffered by the Lord?

Thirdly, Whether Christ be the Light, that hath enlightened eve­ry man, or the Grace that hath appeared unto every man, and able to [Page 15]save to the uttermost, able to Guide, Teach and Lead into all Truth, all that receive, and believe in it? If yea, Then whether all Shep­herds, Doctors, Bishops, and Teachers whatsoever, that make it not there work to turn peoples minds to the light within, be not false Shepherds, and such as Jeremy, Esay, Ezekiel, and Mied, cryed against, who said, He was given for a Covenant of light, for a teacher and lea­der of his people, that he might be Salvation to the ends of the earth? Isa. 2.6, 7. Isa. 49.6, 9. Who also prophesied, That the Nations which were saved, should walke in the light of the Lord, and the Gen­tiles should come to his light, and Kings to the brightness of his Rising? Isa. 60.3. Isa. 2.5.

Fourthly, And whether all such Bishops do not deny their work, and seek themselves, and worry the flock of Christ, That set up any worship, (though they get a Law made by the powers of the Nation to establish it) if it be not in Spirit and truth only, and according to Pauls Doctrine and Work, which was to turn people from the darkness to the light, from the power of Satan unto God, Acts 26.18. That remission of sins might be received, and an inheritance amongst them that are san­ctified in the light, in the Faith. Whether it be not a vain worship, being neither according to the Scriptures, nor you led thereunto by the Spirit of the Lord?

Fiftly, Whether all Worship, that is taken up from the letter of the Scripture, [Nothing differing to the outward act,] from the Saints of old, as singing Davids Psalmes, Preaching and Praying, and the like, whether all this be not a vain worship, and to the Lord Abomination? Yea, or Nay. I say, If not led thereto by the Eternall Spirit of the Lord? Seeing God is a Spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in Spirit and Truth, as it is written, Joh. 4.24. Rom. 8.14.

Sixtly, Whether they are like to do the work of an Evangelist, or perfect the Saints, or bring into the Ʋnity of the Faith, or to any measure of Christ, who are not in the Light, nor led by the Spirit, as it giveth utterance to them that Preach, seeing the Scripture saith, the true Worship is in Spirit, and the true Ministers spake as it gave them utterance? Acts 2.4. But are Persecuting and Imprisoning a­bout dayes, the Children of the Light, who walk in the substance, the Everla ting day, who saith, Swear not at all, who is the Lord of the Sabboth, and the Word of the Oath, which was since and before the Law.

[Page 16] Seventhly, Whether this may not be for a Lamentation in England, that so many thousand of the Lords people, (called Quakers) who have lived peaceably, since they were a people, should now be imprisoned, their bodies and goods spoyled in Dungrons, Holes, and Prisons, so soon after the Word of a King to the contrary, because we cannot forsake Christ in not meeting together, and break his Command, who is the Shepherd of his Sheep, and Bishop of the Souls, and saith, Swear not at all? Mat. 5.33, 38. Jam. 5.12

Now let all that sear the Lord, be Judge, whether this be disobedience to Magistrates, to be obedient to the Lord; and whether God be not rather to be obeyed than man, or any Commands or Lawes which are contra y to Scripture? And whether the Law was added to a Righteous man, or because of the unrighteous and lawless? whether they that a e in Christ, and walk in, and spake the Truth, and do righteously, and as they would be done unto; whether they do not fultil the Righteousness of the Law? and what Law that is, will harm them in this condition.

And now, O ye Bishops, Doctors, and Teachers, and Rulers of the people, my love is to your immortal souls, and issueth out towards you, because of the Ruler of the people, whose love is in my heart: go not on to persecute an Inno­cent people; cause them not to suffer, that never had any hand in your Suffer­ings, which you, & your King, are lately come out of: since we were a people, we did never Plot, or do Violence to any Government, (but the government of Satan in the heart) and our Weapons were never Carnal since we had a being, but Spiritual, to the pulling down of spiritual wickedness; but in the Lord we have, and do honour all men, and submit to all their Righteous Commands, Who Rule for God, and are a Terror to evil doers, and Praise to them that do well; to them are our souls Subject, and to their Commands, for the Lords sake; but as for these Commands, which are contrary to Scripture, and the Spirit of the Lord in our hearts, by Suffering, shall we rather chuse to bear our Testimony against, though commanded by a King, or Parliament; and if we suffer by them, it is for Righteousness sake; and not as Theives, Murde­rers, or as evil doers; but as Christians.

And the living Lord is our Shepherd, and Bishop, and with him have we peace, and good will towards men, such as our Persecuters cannot take from us; else we should have sainted before this day, had not we beleived in the Lord, who leads us, and instrusts as by his holy spirit in the path we should go. And waters, and keeps us as the apple of his own eye, in patience under our bur­den, that we saint not in all our Tribulations; and this is my love, though I suffer for it: I leave it to the Lord, and his Eternal Councel, to you, do not lay a foundation for Persecution, though it be too much laid already, yet go not on; think not Sion will be built with blood, or Jerusalem upon the Ruin of the people, whom the Lord hath blessed, and chosen for his peculiar Treasure; for they are the blessed of the Lord, that made Heaven and Earth; and they that touch them will he rebuke for their sakes, as he rebuked Kings in the dayes of old, saying, Touch not my anointed, and do my Prophets no harm, 1 Chron. 16.17, 22.