A fannaticks letter sent out of the dungeon of the gate-house prison of VVestminster: to all his brethren in the three nations at liberty; and also in the several goales and dungeons therein, that are under all the principles of the doctrines of Christ, Heb. 6. I, 2. By Henry Adis, a baptized believer, undergoing the name of a free-willer; and also most ignomineously by the tongue of infamy, called a fannatick, or a mad man.

A fannaticks letter sent out of the dungeon of the gate-house prison of VVestminster: to all his brethren in the three nations at liberty; and also in the several goales and dungeons therein, that are under all the principles of the doctrines of Christ, Heb. 6. I, 2. By Henry Adis, a baptized believer, undergoing the name of a free-willer; and also most ignomineously by the tongue of infamy, called a fannatick, or a mad man.

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Title page

A Fannaticks Letter Sent out of the DUNGEON OF THE Gate-Houſe Priſon OF VVESTMINSTER, &c.

A Fannaticks Letter Sent out of the DUNGEON OF THE Gate-Houſe Priſon OF VVESTMINSTER, &c.

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Dearly and well beloved Brethren in the Lord,

IT is the deſire of my Soul, that Grace, Mercy, Truth, Peace, Love, Gentleneſſe, Goodneſſe, Faith, Meekneſſe and Temperance, to you be multiplyed, with all long-ſuffering and knowledge.

Brethren, When I enter into a ſerious conſideration of what the flock of God gone before endured in their dayes, not onely by cruel Mockings, Deridings, and Evil Speakings, but alſo by Whipings, Impriſonments, Buffettings, Baniſhments, and painful Deaths, Patiently, Chearfully, Readily and Willingly; And all this that they might keep a good Conſcience towards God, in order to their [Page] producing his Glory, and their own Eternal good.

I ſay, The ſerious conſideration of this, is that which doth much encourage me, notwithſtanding the many difficulties of this our day, to take up a reſolution, to go on in my Chriſtian progreſſe by Divine aſſiſtance, and not to look back, leſt with Lots wife, I become a ſtanding Monument of Gods everlaſting Diſpleaſure; and therefore, theſe are earneſtly to deſire you alſo in Gods Fear, to perſevere in that Path, and to run ſwiftly towards perfection, in that race you have already made ſome progreſs in, beginning at Heb. 6. 1, 2. And ſo chearfully to paſſe thorow this valley of Tears; for he that runneth, obtaineth not the Crown unleſſe he ſtrive lawfully, 2 Tim. 2▪ 5. Let us therefore ſo run that we may obtain, 1 Cor. 9. 24. Let us labour hard to get up Sions Hill, having a ſingle Eye to Gods Glory; In which narrow way, you muſt expect the Hedges to be lined on both ſides, with multitudes of Amalakites, ſhooting out their Arrows, even bitter words, whoſe Teeth are as ſharp as Arrows, and their Tongue a ſharp Sword, Pſalm. 57. 4. Who whet their Tongue like a Sword, and bend their Bow to ſhoot thoſe Arrows, even bitter words, Pſalm. 64. 3. who are ready to ſay with thoſe in Jer. 18. 18. Come and let us ſmite him with the Tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words; to whom let me beg you in Gods Fear; as you tender the Honour of the Goſpel, and the Reputation of your Maſter; King Jeſus, whom (Jew-like) they ſo Mock, Scoff and Jeer at, not to render to them evil for evil, nor reviling for reviling; but contrariwiſe bleſſe, knowing that you are thereunto called, that ye ſhould inherit the Bleſsing; for he that will love Life and ſee good dayes, let him refrain his Tongue from evil, and his Lips that they ſpeak no guile; let him eſchew evil, and do good, let him ſeek peace and enſue it; for the Eyes of the Lord are over the Righteous, and his Ears are open unto their Prayers; But the Face of the Lord is againſt them that do evil; And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? And if ye ſuffer for Righteouſneſſe ſake, happy are ye; and be not affraid of their Terror, neither be troubled, but ſanctifie the (Lord in your Hearts, and be ready alwayes to give an anſwer to every man that asketh you a reaſon of the Hope that is in you, with Meekneſſe and Fear, having a good Conſcience; that whereas they ſpeak evil of you as evil doers, they may be aſhamed, when they ſhall falſly accuſe your good converſation in Chriſt; for it is better if the Will of God be ſo, that ye ſuffer for well doing, then for evil doing; for Christ alſo hath ſuffered for ſin [...] the Juſt for the unjuſt, Pſalm. 3. 9. &c. Therefore let us look unto Jeſus the Author and Finiſher of our Faith, who for the joy that was ſet before [Page] him, endured the croſſe, and deſpiſed the ſhame, Heb. 12. 2. Who is the Captain of our Salvation, and was made perfect through ſufferings, Heb. 2. 10. Who was led as a Lamb to the ſlaughter, and as a ſheep before the ſhearer was dumb, ſo opened he not his mouth, Acts 8. 32. For even hereunto were ye called, becauſe Chriſt alſo ſuffered for us, leaving us an example that ye ſhould follow his ſteps, who did no ſin, neither was guile found in his Mouth; who when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he ſuffered, he threatned not, but committed himſelf to him that Judgeth Righteouſly, 1 Pet. 2. 11, 12, 13. Therefore ſeeing we have taken his yoak upon us, let us learn of him who is Lowly and Meek; and we ſhall find reſt for our Souls, Mat. 11. 29. And let us not think to be above our Maſter, for if they have called the Maſter of the houſe Belzebub, how much more them of his houſhold? And if they have ſo done to the green Tree, what will they not do to the dry Tree? It is enough for the Diſciple to be as his Maſter, and the Servant as his Lord; And therefore let us conſider what Legacy our Maſter hath left us, who ſaith, That in the World we ſhall have tribulation; for behold ſaith he, I ſend you forth as ſheep in the midſt of Wolves, be ye therefore wiſe as Serpents, but harmleſſe as Doves; But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to the Counſels,—and they will ſcourge you in their Synagogues, and ye ſhall be brought before Governours, and Kings, for my names ſake, for a teſtimony againſt them and the Gentiles; And ye ſhall be hated of all men for my names ſake, Mat. 10. 16. 18. 22. Yea, the time will come, that if they ſhall kill you, they will think they do God good ſervice; and Chriſt hath ſpoken theſe things, that we ſhould not be offended, John 16. 12.

Therefore in our patience let us poſſeſſe our Souls; And bleſſed is he that ſhall not be offended in him; for our light afflictions which are but for a Moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory; whileſt we look on the things which are not ſeen, and not on the things that are ſeen, for the things that are ſeen are Temporal, but the things that are not ſeen, they eternal, 2 Cor. 4. 17.

And although no chaſtening at the preſent ſeemeth joyous but grievous, yet nevertheleſſe afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable Fruit of Righteouſneſs, unto them that are exerciſed thereby, Heb. 12. 11. And were it not (that to the rejoycing of my ſoul) I heard that your Joy is full, as well in Newgate, White-Lyon, Maydſtone, Alisbury, and in all other Priſon-Holes, as it is ſuper-abounding in the dark Gate-houſe Dungeon with us; I ſhould then have deſired that the Hands hanging down, and the feeble knees ſhould have been held up and ſtrengthened; but ſeeing I hear that Faith is every where upon the Wing, and that the [Page] Omni-preſent God is pleaſed to viſit us in all our Priſon-holes, with the incomings of his comforting Spirit, even to joy unſpeakable and full of Glory: I ſhall conclude with our Apoſtle, and ſay, and that upon a good account to, that by the good hand of our God upon us, I ſee it is given unto us in the behalf of Chriſt, not onely to believe, but alſo to ſuffer for his name ſake; And herein we have cauſe to joy and rejoyce in the Lord, who by the incomings of his Spirit, hath ſupported both you and us in this Tryal, ſo as that we can with his people of old, joy in tribulations, knowing that tribulations worketh patience, and patience Experience, and Experience Hope, and Hope maketh not aſhamed, becauſe the Love of God is ſpread abroad in our Hearts. So that we can with our Apoſtle upon a good account ſay, that, Though we are troubled on every ſide, yet not deſtreſſed, we are perplexed, yet not in deſpair, perſecuted but not forſaken, caſt down but not deſtroyed, alwayes bearing about in our Body the dying of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; for we which live, are alwayes delivered unto death for Jeſus ſake; And therefore let every ſoul of us, in ſingleneſſe of heart, eye Gods Glory in our preſent ſufferings, and take up that good reſolution of our aged and faithful brother Paul, Acts 21. 13. And ſay (if thereto called) that we are willing in the behalf of Chriſt, not onely to be bound and lie in bonds, but alſo to die for his Name ſake.

And this is that which is the rejoycing of my ſoul, that in the midſt of theſe Sufferings, both by you and us, I cannot hear of one man of our Society, that is found an evil doer in what is charged upon us, as to plotting, contriving or undermining, or in any Act of hoſtility in diſturbing the Peace of the Nation; for herein we can ſafely and upon a good account appeal to our God, the ſearcher of all hearts, and can with confidence and boldneſſe, in the faithfulneſſe of our ſouls, to the faces of the greateſt of men, affirm and ſay, We are not guilty of what we are charged withal, and that we are oppreſſed in Judgements, and are injuriouſly torn from our callings and Families, and moſt barbarouſly penned up in Priſon-holes; and my ſelf & ſome others of our Society, thruſt into a damp, dark dirty Dungeon, without either Light or Air, Bed or Bedding, firſt nine, and after twelve of us together, ſcarce able to lie down one by another; being thus uſed, not for what we have done, but for what we are; nor for what is found in our Houſes, as to Arms or Ammunition: And that you may be ſatisfied in a meaſure with the truth of what my Sufferings are and have been in this juncture of time, in this our cruel leading into captivity; I ſhall lay down ſomething upon the account of report, & alſo upon the account of Action. And [Page] as for falſe rumors raiſed upon me, I was reported to ſay, That I hoped to waſh my hands in the Kings Blood; this was raiſed by one Hopping Jane, commonly ſo called, a notorious drunken ſwearing perſon, whoſe common converſation is, to go ranting, raving and ſinging like a Bedlam along the ſtreets, (to the admiration of thoſe that know her not) pulling and haling Gentlemen as they go along the ſtreets, to get money of them, to buy Ale to drink the Kings health; and this was reported that I ſhould ſay at my ſhop door, on Wedneſday morning, the ninth day of the eleventh Moneth, vulgarly called January, 1660. when I was not down my ſtairs in the ſhop all that morning, as I proved by three Witneſſes to the French Papiſh Fencer, that carried me away, for ſaying theſe words after he, and they that were with him, had ſearched my houſe for Arms; the which words, or any other tending to that, or any ſuch horrid and wicked tendancy, God the ſearcher of all hearts knows, I never entertained ſo much as a thought of in the leaſt; and for my tongue to utter that which never came into my thoughts, ſeemeth to me a very ſtrange thing, the which ſhe her ſelf hath ſince ſaid to my Wife, before ſome that heard her words, as to that particular, was not ſo.

It is alſo further reported by others far and near, That I my ſelf, that ſaid Wedneſday night, had killed one of the Conſtables Watch-men; when I was in cuſtody as is aforeſaid, by nine of the clock in the morning, and was that night with ſome forty more upon the main Guard at White-hall, and was ſent on Thurſday morning to the Gatehouſe Priſon Dungeon, where I now am.

And further, it is commonly reported, that in my houſe when it was ſearched, There were ſeveral Arms and Ammunition found, with Barrels of Gun-powder; and that there was a Barrel of white Gun-powder left at one Mr. Horſes houſe in Stannop-ſtreet, a Coach-maker, to be conveyed to me; When in truth I had no Arms at all, nor any manner of Powder; but was ſo far from any ſuch thing, as that I can boldly affirm it in the preſence of God, that I have not had, nor carried ſo much as a defenſive Weapon this fifteen or ſixteen years.

And in 1659. I declared againſt the acting with the Carnal Weapon, and pleaded the unlawfulneſſe thereof, as by the ſaid Declaration, in the end of my Fannatick's Mite caſt into the Kings Treaſury, is evident. More I might ſay as to Matter of Report, but I ſhall forbear and let you know, that my houſe was ſearched nine ſeveral times, twice before I was taken into Cuſtody, and ſeven times after I was in Cuſtody, and ſix times of that ſeven in one night, and by ſeveral parties; So that I may ſay as to the malice of men, I am ſet up as [Page] their Mark to ſhoot at, although my Actings towards them are innocent and harmleſs.

For I know nothing on my part as a Cauſe of it, unleſs in my Fannaticks Mite, my bearing my Teſtimony againſt the Abominations of the Times, in ſaying what I ſay therein, as to the madneſs of the rude Multitude; And in the revived and daily continued Acts of Folly in Stage-Playes, and the many bitter Oaths and Execrations uttered by unlawful Game-Players, & in the abominations of Dammy and Debauch'd Bawdy-houſes, the foul deteſtable ſhame of a Chriſtian Kingdom; or in what I ſay in Page 49, 50, 51. of that Mite, in that Uſe of Examination to the Nation, Conſidered as a Nation; Or at my down-right and ſingle-hearted Concluſion of my Epiſtle therein to the KING Dedicated; Or in my After-Writing to the KING, in that I give Him ſome REASONS, why I could neither Swear nor Fight for Him: If theſe, or any thing of this kind, Cauſeth them thus to become mine Enemy, becauſe I tell them and Him the Truth; if it be this that renders me vile in their Eyes, I muſt let them know in the words and Reſolution of David, and ſay, If this be to be vile, I according to the Ability received, ſhall be yet more vile.

But I ſhall proceed to Diſcover to you what was Acted, as to Searching my Houſe, and by what manner of Perſons, that ſo you may be ſenſible, whither we are Poſting, if they were legally Commiſſionated.

The Second time that my Houſe was Searched, was by one John Goſling, a known Papiſt, and Servant to Mr. Hillyard an Apothecary in Long-Aker, who beyond his Commiſſion (if he had one) carried away (he and his Party and Confederacy, Captain Wharton and others) near 30 of my Fannaticks Mite, and got Two ſhillings in Money of me, pretending it for the Souldiers. And about a Week after, Captain Wharton and another of them, came and took forcibly out of my Houſe, Two more of my Books, demanding more; which he would have had, had there been any ready.

And the next time that my Houſe was Searched, was when I was taken into Cuſtody, and that was by Mounſeir Lawrence an Italian, a Papiſt, who keepeth a Fencing School in Stānnop-ſtreet.

The next was by Mounſeir De la Mane, a French-man, and a known Papiſt, living in Long-Aker, a Gilt-Leather man.

The next time, or Another time, by one Mr. Kirbey, a Cloth-Drawer, in our own ſtreet; a known Papiſt alſo.

[Page]And another time by Anthony Welch, a limping Porter, living in Mr. Roberd's Celler, in Drury-Lane, near Ruſſel-ſtreet; whoſe horrid Oaths, Execrations and Debauch'd Actions, both to us, to Mris. Whitaker, Richard Day, and others, do beſpeak him to be no better than an Athieſt.

And as if all theſe Actions and Reports, were not enough to render me and you ſufficiently odious to the view of the World, the weekly News-monger, Falſly, Injuriouſly, and moſt Ignomineouſly in his weekly Pamphlet, hath Branded us with that moſt Stigmatical Title of Traytors.

To whom I would give this Chriſtian Caution, that for the time to come, he take a ſpecial care of venting and inventing Lies, leſt the Lord Chriſt ſay One day to Him, as once He ſaid to ſome of Abrahams fleſhly Seed, John 8. 44. Ye are of your father the Devil, and the works of your father ye will do; he was a Murtherer from the beginning, and abode not in the Truth, becauſe there is no Truth in him; when he ſpeaketh a lie, he ſpeaketh of his own, for he is a lyar, and the Father of it; And therefore I would have him further to conſider the ſhame of it, for as the Lip of Truth ſhall be eſtabliſhed for ever, ſo the lying Lip is but for a moment, Prov. 12. 19. And as a Righteous man hateth lying, ſo a wicked man is loathſome, and cometh to ſhame, Prov. 13. 5.

And if we may believe the wiſeſt of men, he telleth us, that he that hideth hatred with lying Lips, and he that uttereth a ſlander, is a Fool, Prov. 10. 18.

And farther, I would have him conſider the great danger of it; for firſt, lying Lips are an Abomination to the Lord, but they that deal truly, are his delight, Prov. 12. 22.

Secondly, Theſe ſix things the Lord hateth, yea, ſeven are an Abomination unto him, a proud look, a lying Tongue, and Hands that ſhed Innocent Blood, an Heart that deviſeth wicked Imaginations, Feet that be ſwift in running to Miſchief, a falſe Witneſſe that ſpeaketh Lies, and him that ſoweth Diſcord amongſt Brethren, Proverbs 6. 16.

Thirdly, It will exclude him Heavens Glory; For without are Dogs, and Sorcerers, and Whoremongers, and Murderers, and Idolaters; and whoſoever loveth and maketh a Lie, Rev. 22. 15. For there ſhall in no wiſe enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatſoever worketh Abomination, or maketh a Lie, but they which are written in the Lambs Book of Life, Rev. 21. 27.

But the Fearful, and Unbelieving, and the Abominable, and Murtherers, [Page] and Whoremongers, and Sorcerers, and Idolaters, and all Lyars, ſhall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone, which is the ſecond death, Rev. 21. 8.

But leaving the man to conſider of his wicked action, in ſuffering his Pen to run to that exceſſe, that cauſeth men to raiſe falſe reports upon the Innocent; I ſhall in love to his ſoul, earneſtly deſire him to ſet himſelf upon the effectual work of Repentance, that ſo he may make his peace before he go hence and be no more; that when time ſhall be no more, he may then have a well-being with him, who gives a being to all beings, in that Kingdom that ſhall never fade away; the which that you my Brethren and I may make ſure, let us work out our own Salvation with Fear and Trembling, and let us not be ſlothful, but be followers of them, who thorow Faith and Patience, inherited the Promiſes, Heb. 6. 12. And let us be found in Gods Way, doing Gods Work, being Fortified with Chriſtian Courage and Boldneſſe, following the foot-ſteps of the flock of God gone before us, not at all fearing what man can do unto us; for this is the requirement of our Lord and Maſter, Mat. 10. 28. Who ſaith, Fear not him that can kill the Body onely, and afterwards can do no more, but rather fear him, that after he hath killed the Body, can caſt both Body and Soul into Hell, I ſay, Fear him: And in his Fear, let us be found in well-doing, endeavouring as much as in us lyeth, to ſee that the Peace and Welfare of the Nation be ſecured; For if every mans particular intereſt be involved in the General Good, then it ſtands every particular man in hand, to ſtudy the Good, Peace, Safety and Welfare of the whole.

To this end, let us take the advice of our Apoſtle, 2 Tim. 2. 3. Even as good Souldiers of Jeſus Chriſt, to endure hardſhip, and take to us the whole Armor of God, that we may be able to withſtand in the evil day, and having done all, to ſtand; let us ſtand therefore, having our Loyns girt about with Truth, and having on the Breſt-plate of Righteouſneſs, and our Feet ſhod with the Preparation of the Goſpel of Peace; above all, taking the Shield of Faith, wherewith we ſhall be able to quench all the fiery Darts of the Wicked; and take the Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying with all Prayers and Supplication for all Saints, Epheſ. 6. 13. &c. and for all men, for Kings, and all that are in Authority, 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2. yea, for our very enemies, and all that hate us, Mat. 5. 44. and of them that perſecute us, let us cry out, and ſay, in the Words of that Holy Martyr and Brother Stephen, Lord, lay not this ſin to their charge, Acts 7. 60. and in the Words of our Lord [Page] and Maſter, John 13. 13. the Captain of our Salvation, Heb. 2. 10. our Elder Brother, Heb. 2. 11. Let us cry out and ſay, Father forgive them, they know not what they do, Luk. 23. 34.

And thus being furniſhed with the Armour of Righteouſneſſe, on the right Hand, and on the left, 2 Cor. 6. 7. Let us behave our ſelves manfully, fighting the Lords Battel, even to the reſiſting unto Blood, ſtriving againſt ſin, Heb. 12. 4. striving together for the Faith of the Goſpel, Phil. 1. 27. not for the Wealth, Pomp, Pleaſure, Paſtimes, Preferment, Power nor Dominions of the Earth; neither in the behalf of our ſelves nor others, no not in the behalf of our Lord and Maſter King Jeſus, to ſet Him up as King; For though I do really believe that Jeſus Chriſt ſhall Perſonally Reign, yet his Kingdom is not to be ſet up as ſome would have it; For the ſeventh Angel Sounded, and there were great Voices in Heaven, ſaying, The Kingdoms of this World, are become the Kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Chriſt, and He ſhall reign for ever and ever, Rev. 11. 15.

For the ſtone that was cut out of the Mountain without hands, that ſmote the Image on the Feet, became a great Mountain, and filled the whole earth, Dan. 2. 35. And this was the confidence of that Holy Man, Job 19. 25. For ſaith he, I believe that my Redeemer liveth, and that he ſhall ſtand at the laſt day upon the earth: So alſo ſaith the Prophet, Zech. 14. 4. For his Feet ſhall ſtand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jeruſalem, on the Eaſt; and verſe 9. And the Lord ſhall be King over all the earth; in that day, there ſhall be one Lord, and his Name one; and his Dominion ſhall be from Sea to Sea, and from the River, even to the ends of the earth; for he muſt reign, till he hath put all enemies under his Feet; the laſt enemie that ſhall be deſtroyed, is Death, 1 Cor. 15. 25, 26. Yet this Kingdom ſhall not be ſet up by force of Arms, neither ſhall his Servants prepare it for him, but he for them; for ſo ſaith he himſelf, John 14. 2. In my Fathers Houſe are many Manſions, And I go to prepare a place for you; And I will come to you again, and receive you to my ſelf, that where I am, there ye may be alſo. And therefore he ſpake unto them a Parable, becauſe he was nigh to Jeruſalem, and becauſe they thought that the Kingdom of God ſhould immediately appear. And a certain Noble-man, went into a far Countrey; to receive for himſelf a Kingdom, and to return, Luke 19. 11, 12. So that he ſhall give the Kingdom to them, if we may believe himſelf; for ſaith he, Fear not, little Flock, for it is your Fathers good pleaſure to give you the Kingdom, Luke 12. 32. And I appoint unto you a Kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me, that ye may eat and drink at my Table; [Page] in my Kingdom, and ſit on Thrones, Judging the twelve Tribes of Iſrael, Luke 22. 29.

But we are yet in the Kingdom of Chriſts Patience, and not in the Kingdom of his Power; for if we may believe himſelf, he telleth us, John 18. That his Kingdom is not of this World; for this is Eſaus Kingdom; And ſo ſaith the Lord to Eſdras, For when Jacob and Eſau were born unto Iſaac, Jacobs hand held faſt the Heel of Eſau; for Eſau is the End of this World, and Jacob is the Beginning of that which is to come, 2 Eſdras 6. 8, 9.

And indeed this is Eſau, or the evil ones Kingdom; for Satan is the god of this World; And ſo ſaith our Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4. If our Goſpel be hid, it is hid to them that are loſt, in whom the god of this World, hath blinded the Minds of them that believe not, leſt the Glorious Light of the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt ſhould ſhine unto them; and ſo ſaith the Devil to Chriſt, Mat. 4, 8, 9. when he ſet him upon an high Mountain, and ſhewed him all the Glory of the World, and ſaid unto him, All this will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worſhip me. And the Lord Chriſt is ſo far from reproving the falſhood of it, as that he ſaith, John 14. 13. The Prince of this World cometh, but he ha [...]h no part in me, and John 16. 11. The Prince of this World is Judged. And to evidence that Antipathy, that there is between theſe two Kings Kingdoms, and the Subjects thereof, the Apoſtle queries with thoſe that had engaged for that King and Kingdom, when they were fighting and quarrelling for the things of a Temporal Kingdom, From whence (ſaith he) comes Wars and Fightings among you, come they not hence even of your Luſts, that War in your Members? Ye Luſt, and have not, ye kill, and deſire to have, and cannot obtain; ye Fight and War, yet ye have not, becauſe ye ask not; ye ask, and receive not, becauſe ye ask amiſs; ye Adulterers and Adultereſſes, know ye not, that the Friendſhip of the World is emnity with God; Whoſoever therefore will be a friend to the World, is an enemy to God, James 4. 1. &c.

And becauſe ye are choſen out of the World, therefore the World will hate you, yet that hatred is not to be requited with hatred again, but with Love and good Works, according to Mat. 5. 44.

So that no Acts of Violence or Hoſtility, is to be found in the hands of Canaans Subjects, but they are patiently to wait for the coming of Chriſt.

For ſo perſwadeth our Apoſtle, Be patient, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord; Behold, the husband-man waiteth for the precious fruits of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain: be you alſo patient, ſtabliſh your Hearts, for the coming [Page] of the Lord draweth nigh, Jam. 5. 7. And although we are redeem'd with the Blood of the Lamb, and are made Kings and Prieſts to God, and to Chriſt, and ſhall Live and Reign with Chriſt a thouſand Years, Rev. 20. 4. 6. Rev. 5. 10. yet we ought to have no Acts of violence found in our hands to procure or ſet it up; but this is the miſtake between thoſe that are ſo eager to ſet up Chriſts Kingdom by Violence, and undermining of States and Governments, and us that expect it, and yet can act no Acts of violence: They expect him to Reign Spiritually in his People; and we according to the Scriptures, do look for him to come and Reign Perſonally with his: They look to have Dominion, Power and earthly Authority by him, and to have their Judges reſtored as at the firſt, and that on this ſide the Grave; whileſt we wait for a Manifeſtation of Chriſt from Heaven; at which appearance we do expect, and that upon a Scripture account, that thoſe that fall aſleep in the Faith of Jeſus, ſhall then appear with Jeſus; and that them that are then found in the Actual Faith of Jeſus, ſhall live together with them with Jeſus, 1 Theſ. 4. 14. When that ſame Jeſus which was taken up into Heaven, ſhall ſo come in like manner as he went into Heaven, Acts 1. 11. For behold, he cometh with Clouds, and every eye ſhall ſee him, and they alſo which pierſed him, Rev. 1. 7.

In which patient waiting of ours, we muſt expect, according to the ſaying of our Apoſtle, That we muſt through many tribulations, enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, Acts 14. 22.

Our Lord and Maſter was pleaſed to ſtrip himſelf of Glory, and became obedient to that ignomineous death of the Croſs for our ſakes, to bring us to Glory, and ſhall we then grudg for his ſake, to go by the Croſs to inherit that Glory?

O my Brethren, in Gods Fear conſider what ye do, turn not your backs upon Jeſus Chriſt, but as ye have ſet your hand to the Plow, ſo look not back; for if any man draw back, my Soul ſhall have no pleaſure in him, Heb. 10. 38. And whoſoever will deny me before men, him will I alſo deny before my Father which is in Heaven, they were his own Words, Mat. 10. 33. in whoſe Mouth there was ſound no guile; who alſo telleth us, That the time will come, that if they kill us, they will think they ſhall do God good ſervice, John 16. 2.

And ſeeing we do at this day both ſee and feel ſo much in order to the fulfilling of this Scripture, in this juncture of time, wherein iniquity doth ſo much abound, and that the love of many do wax cold; Let us conſider in Gods Fear, what our work is in this our Day, that ſo we may be ſound doing Gods Work, in Gods Way, although [Page] it be to the loſſe of our Liberty, Goods, yea and Life and all, rather than loſe all to eternity.

And therefore for my part, I ſhall reſolve, God aſſiſting me according to the ability received, to make uſe of that Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, to the hewing down of all Iniquity, Tranſgreſſion and Sin, both Root and Branch, as near as I can in all, (and to ſpeak Scripture Language) from him that ſitteth on the Throne, to him that grindeth at the Mill and draweth Water: And to endeavour ſuch a Reformation in all, as that God may build up the Nation, and make our Land as it is now, abounding in all exceſſe of ryot, to be as one day it ſhall be ſaid of Jeruſalem, even a Praiſe of the whole Earth; And if in this I am looked upon to be vile, I ſhall by Divine aſſiſtance, reſolve to be yet more vile; and ſhall firſt begin this work at Home; and now I ſpeak of Home, I ſhall begin to look Home, and as the Husband-man and the Merchant, take the time of their beſt leaſure to make up their Inventory; So ſhall I, for being haled from my lawful employments, having little elſe to do in my Dark, Doleſome, Drowſie, Damp Dungeon, I ſhall ſee what I am worth, that ſo I may ſet my Houſe in order whileſt I have time; for Age tells me, I cannot live long, and almoſt every day an Alarm for death is ſounding in mine ears, Tear me and Ram me, Sink me and Dam me, telling me, ſome to my Face, and others behind my back, That I am not long liv'd, and that I muſt ſuddenly prepare for Death, becauſe of my Judgement, notwithſtanding the Kings Word paſſed to us from Breda and ſince, For a peaceable enjoying our Meeting upon our good behaviour, the which I ſhall bid defiance to any man that can ſay, it was ever tainted; I have therefore ſet Pen to Paper, and have added this my Inventory, the which haply may ſeem impertinent in this place, yet I judge the concluſion may be very comfortable; and as the Husband-man and Merchant, ſo ſhall I; the Husband-man making his Inventory, which we will ſuppoſe thus,

Imprimis, Hay Barns empty, and Hay-ſtack-Roomes railed round, with Corn Barns, and Graineries empty, ſwept and garniſhed, in which there is nothing of

l. | s. | d.
any | conſiderable | value.

But that which will make a mends for all, is,

Item, in the Harveſt Crop, abundance of Hay, to the raiſing of Stacks, and filling the Hay Barn and Lofts; and of Wheat, Rie, Barlie, Oats, Beans and Peaſe, to the filling [Page] the Barns and Graineries, having increaſed ſome thirty, ſome ſixty, and ſome an hundred fould, with the multiplicity both of Summer and Winter Fruits, both of the Orchards and Cherry Grounds, with the abundance of Wall Fruits, and Fragrant-Flowers, ſweet Herbs of all kinds appearing, like the Hour of Plenty; together with the ſweet encreaſe of that little, yet profitable Creature, the Bee; the which being added to the fore part of the Inventory, being as aforeſaid, not of

l. | s. | d.
any | conſiderable | value.

Doth in the whole amount to,

l. | s. | d.
a good | conſiderable | ſum.

And the Merchant, when he maketh his Inventory, he doth it at his beſt leaſure, when the Venture is out-bound; the which we will ſuppoſe this,

Imprimis, Two or three large vaſt Warehouſes, empty and neatly cleanſed, onely in one Corner two or three empty Casks, with ſome odd Pack-cloaths and Cording; And all

l. | s. | d.
not worth | ſetting | down.

But Item the return of the Venture, a gallant, luſty ſtout tall Ship, of a vaſt burthen, deeply laden, and well man'd, in-bound at the Havens▪ Mouth, ready the next Tide, being a ſpring and a freſh ſmart gale of Wind, filling the Fore Sale, the Top Sale, the Sprit Sale, and the Mizen, running before the Wind, like the Poſt that sides for his Life, the Antient flying, and the Pilat for the ſafe convey of the Veſſel carefully inſtructing the Steers-man at the Helm, as occaſion ſerves, with a Star-bord, Lar-bord, Port, Steady, Loof, Non-neer; and the Maſter Gunner and his Mate fiering, to the rejoycing the Heart of the Owner, 13. 17. 19. or 21. great Guns, the Sea-men and Marriners with all ſpeed, ſtriking and furling their Sails, coming to Anchor, and making to Shore, to liver the Ship, being Richly Laden with the beſt and choiſeſt Indian Trade, and being home bound, coaſting from one Countrey to another Port, being enriched with the choiſeſt and beſt Commodities of thoſe Countries and Havens, by [Page] which means, though the Inventory, as to the former part of it, amounts to

l. | s. | d.
no | great | matter.

Yet the return of the Venture ſo ſuppoſed, as aforeſaid, doth raiſe the total ſum to

l. | s. | d.
hundreds | thouſands | ten thouſands.

Thus we ſee the Husband-mans Harveſt, and the Merchants Return after their patient waiting, makes a mends for all.

Therefore by the way, a Word to my Brethren, that are already in Priſon, with my ſelf, and thoſe that do every hour expect the ſame meaſure to be met to them; and that not upon the account of any real miſ-actings found or known, either by them or us, as by Plotting, Contriving or Undermining the preſent Government; but onely and alone, becauſe we deſire and endeavour to keep the Teſtimony of a good Conſcience, and to prove Faithful and Loyal to our Head and Soveraign, our Supream, our King, our Lord and Maſter Jeſus Chriſt, whoſe Laws teach the beſt Loyalty to our Earthly Kings, and pureſt love to our Princes, nay to our very enemies.

I ſay to my Brethren Impriſoned, and the reſt yet at Liberty, I ſhall give the advice of the Spirit, recorded in James 5. 9. 10. Be patient therefore Brethren unto the coming of the Lord; behold the Huſband-man waiteth for the precious Fruits of the earth, &c. Be ye alſo patient, ſtabliſh your Hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nie; and let us not be weary in well doing, for in due time we ſhall reap if we faint not, Gal. 6. 9. the which reaping time is, that which fills up my Inventory, and will make a mends for all, and raiſe my total Sum to a conſiderable value; For as I am a Trades man, my Eſtate as to Temporals, amounts but to a ſmall value; as,

Imprimis, My Houſhold Goods and wearing Apparil, being very little, and very mean, and therefore of

l. | s. | d.
very | little | worth.

Item, In my Shop and Ware-houſe, what is left by the hand of oppreſſion; is,

l. | s. | d.
ſcarce | worth | valuing.

[Page]So alſo as I am a Chriſtian, my condition in groſs is this, not

l. | s. | d.
worth | ſetting | down.

Imprimis, My footſteeps watched, and my Actions weighed by an unjuſt weight and ballance, and mete by a falſe meaſure, by which means is produced falſe Reports, Opprobious Speeches, cruel Mockings, Scoffings, Jeerings and Deridings, falſe Accuſations, and Evil Surmiſings; and my whole Trade Heaven-wards, Arraigned, Judged and Condemned as utterly Lawleſſe and unlawful; and my Commodities ſent me from thence, Counterfeit and Carnal, Adulterated and Abominable, Sinful and Schiſmatical, Wavouring and Unſtable, Whimſical and Giddy, Fantaſtical and Fannatical, Formal and Faithleſſe, Papal and Prophane; by all which it may evidently appear, that as to my preſent Eſtate and Condition among men, I have

l. | s. | d.
very | little | comfort.

And to ſpeak in the Words of our Apoſtle, If in this Life onely we had Hope in Chriſt, we were of all men moſt miſerable; but now is Chriſt riſen from the dead, 1 Corinthians 15. 19, 20. And therefore,

Item, In the Reſurrection Day, They that have done good, ſhall ariſe of the Reſurrection of Life, John 5. 39. For if we have been planted into the likeneſſe of his Death, we ſhall alſo be in the likeneſſe of his Reſurrection; And Chriſt being raiſed from the Dead, dieth no more, Death hath no more dominion over him, Rom. 6. 5. 9. So alſo is the Reſurrection of the Dead, it is ſown in Corruption, it is raiſed again in Incorruption; it is ſown in Diſhonour, it is raiſed in Glory; it is ſown in Weakneſs; it is raiſed in Power; it is ſown a Natural Body, it is raiſed a Spiritual Body. And as we have born the Image of the earthly, ſo alſo ſhall we bear the Image of the Heavenly, 1 Cor. 15. 43, 44, 49. And thus ſhall we be recompenced at the Reſurrection of the Juſt, Luk. 14. 14. This ſhall we have after we have lived in Reproach, Infamy and Ignomy; This ſhall we have if we Worſhip not the Beaſt, nor his Image, neither Receive his Mark in our Foreheads, nor in our Hands; though we have been Villified and Undervalued, Railed at and Reproached, Buffetted and Whipped, Baniſhed or Imprinſoned; nay, though we ſhall loſe our Lives, provided [Page] it be only for the Witneſs of Jeſus, and the Word of God, we ſhall have our part in the firſt Reſurrection: And bleſſed and holy is he that hath Part in the Firſt Reſurrection, on ſuch the Second Death ſhall have no Power; but we ſhall be Prieſts to God and to Chriſt, and ſhall Reign with Chriſt a Thouſand years, Rev. 20. 4, 5, 6. For he muſt Reign till he hath put all Enemies under his feet: And when all things ſhall be ſubdued unto him, then ſhall alſo the Son himſelf be ſubject unto him, that put all things under him, that God may be All in All, 1 Cor. 15. 25, 28. For it is a faithful ſaying, That if we be Dead with him, we ſhall alſo Live with him; if we Suffer, we ſhall alſo Reign with him, 2 Tim. 2. 10, 11.

Therefore, Item in the Harveſt Crop, abundance of Plenty, for in due time we ſhall Reap if we faint not: And whatſoever a man ſoweth, that ſhall he alſo reap; for he that ſoweth to the Fleſh, ſhall of the Fleſh reap Corruption; but he that ſoweth to the Spirit, ſhall of the Spirit reap life everlaſting, Gal. 6. 7, 8, 9. And he that goeth on weeping, bearing precious ſeed, ſhall doubtleſs come again and bring his Sheaves with him; For they that ſow in Tears, ſhall reap in Joy, Pſal. 126. 56. Thus Weeping may endure for a Night, but Joy cometh in the Morning. In the Morning of the Reſurrection, Sorrow and Mourning ſhall vaniſh away as the dew before the Morning Sun; for God ſhall wipe away all Tears from their eyes; and there ſhall be no more death, nor ſorrow, nor crying, neither ſhall there be any more pain, for the former things are paſſed away, Rev. 21. 4. And the Lamb that is in the midſt of the Throne ſhall lead them unto living Fountains of Water; and God ſhall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes, Rev. 7. 17. Yea, He will ſwallow up Death in Victory, and the Lord God will wipe away Teares from all faces, and the Reproach of his People ſhall be taken away from off all the earth, for the Lord hath ſpoken it; And it ſhall be ſaid in that Day, This is our God, we have waited for him, and he will ſave us; this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoyce in his Salvation, Iſa. 25. 8, 9. For in his Preſence is fulneſs of Joy, and at his Right Hand are Pleaſures for evermore, Pſal. 16. 11.

Thus our Preſent Sufferings are not worthy to be compared with that Glory that ſhall be revealed in us, Rom. 8. 18. For our Light A [...]i [...]ions, which are but for a Moment, worketh for us a far more Exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory, whileſt we look at the Things that are not ſeen, and not on the Things that are ſeen; for the Things that are ſeen are Temporal, but the Things that are not ſeen they are eternal, 2 Cor. 4. 17.

[Page]And now my Brethren, ſeeing it is ſo, that there comes ſo much, and ſuch great benefit to us by our Sufferings, let us Chearfully go on in Gods Way, continuing Faithful to the Death, that ſo we may attain the Crown of Life: And let us follow the Lamb whereſoever he goeth, though to the Croſs, that ſo we may attain the Crown, we ſhall be great Gainers by it: And if we make that Uſe of our Sufferings that God intendeth, our Faith, our Patience, our Joy, our Love, our Peace, and all will be tryed, ſtrengthened, and much bettered. And in Concluſion we ſhall reap the benefit of it, ſo as that we ſhall have cauſe to ſay with his Servant of old, Pſal. 11 9. 75. I know O Lord, that thy Judgements are right, and that thou of Faithfulneſs haſt cauſed me to be troubled. And again, By our Afflictions we ſhall Evidence our ſelves to be Sons and not Baſtards; For whom the Lord loveth he Chaſteneth, and ſcourgeth Every Son whom he Receiveth; If ye endure Chaſtening, God dealeth with you as with Sons; For what Son is it whom the Father Chaſteneth not? But if ye be without Chaſtizements, whereof all are partakers, then are ye Baſtards and not ſons, Heb. 12. 6, 7, 8.

God is now Preparing a People for himſelf; and as Perſons are to be fitted; hewen and ſquared for the building of God, before they can be fit matter for his Building here, as they muſt be lively Stones before they can be duly put into his building, the Church; ſo he is now trying his Stones for his Heavenly Building; he now ſitting as a Refiner and Purifier of Silver; And is now Trying the Sons of Levi, and ſhall Purge them as Gold and Silver; and he that is not now found Gold, Silver or Precious Stones, will be Conſumed, his out-ſide Formality will be proved to be Hypocriſie: He that now hath not Oyl in his Veſſel will walk in the Dark, for Profeſſion is almoſt out of faſhion, and he that now hath not Habakkuks Faith will not ſtand: He that now finds out a by-way to Deny Chriſt, vvill not be found Worthy of him; novv the Day vvill try him; he that vvould not leave his Luſt, his Pride, his Vanity, his Hunting after his Profit, will now Evidence himſelf who he was; For Two men walking together, and a Third following them as a Servant, it is hard to gueſs whoſe Servant he is; but when they part, the Servant will follow his own Maſter: Chriſt and Reputation, Credit or Fame have in this Nation walked hand in hand a long time together; but now they are parting, it will ſuddenly now be Evidenced whoſe Servants Profeſſors are: And the Maſter without all queſtion will Pay them their Wages; the Lord is now Dealing with his People, as once Conſtantius dealt with his Subjects: And would King Charles the Second have done ſo, he would have had far better Attendants, then now he hath.

[Page] In the Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory, Euſebius Pamphilius in his Firſt Book of the Life of Conſtantine, in his Twelfth Chapter, ſpeaketh to this Purpoſe;

THat the Magiſtrates in every Province, by the Command of the former Tyrannical Emperors, did cruelly and grievouſly Oppreſs the Chriſtians, and brought them to Martyrdom, in ſo much that Godly Men were very ſcarce; At which Conſtantius, the Father of Conſtantine, was much troubled; who when he came to Succeed in the Empire, and having a deſire to try his Courtiers (ſaith the ſtory) he began to contrive a ſtrong and Admirable Plot; for he Granted Free leave to all his Officers, and Men of Dignity, to offer Sacrifices unto Devils; and yet to give their Attendance in Court, and keep their Places; And thoſe that would not perform thoſe accurſed Sacrifices ſhould be baniſhed the Court and diſmiſſed his Service: Whereupon his Courtiers being divided into a double Faction, preſently Diſcovered their Minds and Affections: And many were the number of Idolaters; whereupon this worthy Conſtantius Diſcovering his own Plot, he Reproved thoſe that were fearful and deſirous to keep their Places, Approving and Commending the other for their Conſtancy in Gods Cauſe, Rejecting the Idolaters as Traytors to God, and not worthy of his Service: For how (ſaid he) can they be Faithful to me their Emperour, who have Revolted from their God? So that he preſently Baniſhed them from his Court, and made thoſe that were Approved to be Conſtant in giving their Teſtimony to the Faith, near Officers unto him for the Securing of his own Perſon, ſaying, That ſuch men were to be accounted as his moſt familliar Friends, and to be eſteemed of more then great Treaſures. Thus we have briefly Characteriz'd the Father of Conſtantine by the Actions of his Life, by which any one may clearly diſcern that God gave him proſperous Succeſs in his Affairs, and gave him a different Heart from his Predeceſſors: For having a long time performed many vertuous and royal Actions, at length having ſuppreſſed the Superſtitious Adoration of their Heathen gods, he acknowledged the only true God, Governor of all things; And ſtrengthned his Family by keeping Religious men to Pray for him and his; and ſpent the reſidue of his Life with great Commendations in Peace and Tranquility, living without Troubles, or being troubleſome, which the Vulgar account a great Happineſs; So he Governed his Wife, Children and Family very quietly and peaceably all the time of his Reign; and Devoted them and himſelf to the Service of God, ſo that his Royal Palace ſeemed to be a Religious Temple, in which there were Holy and Religious men, that offered up their Incenſe of Prayers for the Emperours ſafety, even then when among the Heathen it was a dangerous thing to be called a Religious man, or one that ſerved God.

[Page] And all the harm I wiſh King Charles the Second is, that he were but a ſecond Conſtantius, that he had ſuch a Court, and ſuch a Guard, ſuch a Miniſtry and ſuch a Magiſtracy, ſuch a Nobility and ſuch a Gentry, ſuch a Yeomandry and ſuch a Peaſantry; that all from the higheſt to the loweſt were ſuch as truly feared God and hated Covetouſneſs, that every Relation might Act ſo faithfully towards their God, and each to other in Love, Peace and Unity, that the God of Peace might take a delight to dwell amongſt us, when all abomination (Babylon like) might be caſt into the Sea of Forgetfulneſs.

And ſeeing ſuch a People would make ſo happy a Prince: O Friends! let us hold faſt our Integrity, that ſo we may be a bleſſing to our Prince here, and obtain the bleſſing hereafter.

For they that ſhall be with the Lamb are ſuch as ſhall be found Faithful, and Worthy, and Choſen, for they are Virgins, and have not defiled themſelves with Women, they have not intermingled themſelves with the Abominations of the great Whore, nor her Adulterous Brood.

And if we will have one like the Son of God, Comforting and Supporting, Walking with and Refreſhing us in that hot Furnace of Affliction that is Heating for us; let us with Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego, keep cloſe to our God, and let us not be careful to Anſwer the deſires of men, Dan. 3. 25. but in all Humility let us patiently Suffer under them, in ſo doing our Comfort will be great, though our Sufferings be many; yea though our lives lye at ſtake, and we alſo loſe them; yet if our Saviours words be true, we ſhall find them; for if we with our Apoſtle do fight the good fight of Faith, we may expect to lay hold of Eternal Life; This is a faithful ſaying, For if we ſuffer with him, we ſhall Reign with him; but if we Deny him, he will alſo deny us, 2 Tim. 2. 12.

And therefore let us take up a Reſolution to follow him in this our Day, in ſingleneſſe of Soul, and in our Innocency, That we may be Blameleſs and Harmleſs; the Sons of God without Rebuke in the mideſt of a Crooked and Perverſe Generation, among whom ſhine ye as Lights in the World, Phil. 2. 15. 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 Affliction, in Neceſſities, in Diſtreſſes, in Stripes, in Impriſonments, in Tumults, in Labours, in Watchings, in Faſting; by Pureneſs, by Knowledge, by Long-ſuffering, by Kindneſs, by the Holy Ghoſt, by Love Unfeigned, by the Word of Truth, by the Power of God, by the Armour [Page] 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, as unknown and yet well known, as Dying and behold we Live, as Chaſtened and not Killed, as Sorrowful yet alwayes Rejoycing, as Poor yet making many Rich, as having Nothing yet poſſeſſing all Things, 2 Cor. 3. For ye ſee your Calling Brethren, how that not many wiſe men after the Fleſh, not many Mighty, not many Noble are called; but God hath Choſen the Fooliſh things of the World, to Confound the Wiſe; And God hath Choſen the Weak Things of the World to Confound the Things that are Mighty, and Baſe Things of the World, and Things that are Deſpiſed, hath God Choſen; yea, and Things which are not, to bring to nought the things that are, that no Fleſh ſhould glory in his preſence. And ſeeing it is ſo, my Brethren, I ſhall Earneſtly Deſire you in the words of our Apoſtle, That you alſo who are Troubled, reſt patiently with us when the Lord Jeſus ſhall be Revealed from Heaven with his Mighty Angels in flaming Fire, taking Uengeance on them that know not God, and that Obey not the Goſpel of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting Deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his Power, when he ſhall come to be Glorified in his Saints, and to be Admired in all them that Beléeve, becauſe our Teſtimony among you was Beléeded. So that as you have Cauſe to Joy in us, ſo we have great Cauſe of rejoycing in you, that we yet ſtand faſt in one Faith; And the Churches of God have Cauſe to Glory in you for your Patience and Faith in all your Perſecutions and Tribulations that ye endure, which is a manifeſt token of the Righteous Judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which we alſo ſuffer, 2 Theſſ. 2. And thus, if any of us ſuffer as Chriſtians, let us not be aſhamed, but let us glorifie God on this behalf.

As for you, my Brethren, that are of Kent, and other Places, who have all your Livelihoods, and ſome of you all that you could be Truſted for; as you are Servers in of Stores and Officers in Ships, and Seamen, and Labourers in the ſeveral Yards appertaining to Shipping, my trouble is great for you, to hear of your deplorable and ſad Condition, in that Officers make ſuch uſe of your Tenderneſs of Conſcience in that you cannot Swear, ſo barbarouſly to uſe you, Refuſing to let you have Supplies for the Relieving your poor Families; yet be of good Comfort, and Roul your ſelves upon the All-ſufficient God: For mine own part I cannot but be a fellow Feeler of your ſad Conditions, for the Caſe is mine own, with one that is too Great for me to deal withal, and for more then I am worth; but wait we upon God, and in his due time he will Relieve us.

[Page]And therefore let us Comfort our ſelves in the Lord, and here what the Apoſtle ſpeaks, James 5. 1. who ſaith, Go to now ye Rich men, wéep and howl for your Miſeries that ſhall come upon you, your Riches are Corrupted, and your Garments Moth-eaten; your Gold and Silver is corrupted, and the Ruſt of them ſhall be a Witneſs againſt you, and ſhal eat your fleſh as it were Fire: Ye have heaped Treaſure together for the laſt Dayes; Behold the Hire of the Labourers which have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, Cryeth, and the Cry of them which have reaped are entered into the Ears of the Lord of the Sabbath: Ye have lived in Pleaſures on the Earth, and been Wanton; ye have nouriſhed your Hearts as in the Day of ſlaughter, ye have Condemned and Killed the Juſt, and he doth not reſiſt you: Be Patient therefore Brethren unto the Coming of the Lord.

And Conſider, that there is one in Power in Heaven above them; and one in Earth that is his Vicegerent intruſted under him, and ſet up by him, to be a Terrour to evil-Workers, and a Praiſe to them that do well; who in due time may be made acquainted of it, and give a Remedy in it.

In the mean time, my Beloved Brethren, be ye ſteadfaſt, unmoveable, alwayes abounding in the Work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

To Conclude, I ſhall impart unto you my Reſolution freely, and ſhall let you know as to my preſent Condition, though I am in a Dungeon, yet I had rather be there, (as through Mercy I can ſay I am with a clear Conſcience) then be in the Kings Palace with a clogged Conſcience; For mine own part I with others have had Tenders of Liberty upon Engaging as others did; the which we dare not do leaſt we enſnare our ſelves; for now we are as to our Meetings, in this Condition, we have yet the Word of a King for the quiet Enjoyment of our Meetings, the which we had from Breda, and ſince Confirmed to ſome of our Friends by verbal Expreſſions, as well as in the Act of Oblivion, and in his Declaration for Eccleſiaſtical Affairs, and that upon Condition; which Condition is not yet, nor (God aſſiſting) never ſhall on our part be broken: For as we have Publickly Declared our ſelves in former times under the other Powers, to be a Peaceable People, and utterly againſt both Swearing and Fighting, as by my Declaration annexed at the End of my Fannaticks Mite is apparent, the which through Mercy I ſhall Reſolve rather to Die, then in the leaſt to violate; And here ſome men are ready to ſay as once the Brethren of David did to him, who Queried the Reaſon of Davids forwardneſs in the Work of God; Whoſe Anſwer was, Is there not a Cauſe? 1 Sam. 17. 29. [Page] So muſt I ſay at this Day, Is there not a Cauſe? Is not the Iſrael of God now Defied by the Great Goliahs of our Times? Therefore I muſt ſay as once Jeptha did in another Caſe, Judg. 1 1. 35. I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I cannot go back: And when I am Solicited and Perſwaded to betray the Cauſe of Chriſt, and break his lawes by Complying with Engagements and Oathes; I muſt ſay as once that Servant of the Lord ſaid, Nehem. 6. 11. Should ſuch a man as I take Sanctuary? Should ſuch a man as I Betray and break the Lawes and Cauſe of Chriſt? I that have been Evil ſpoken of by the Separation for SEPARATING from the Separation, though I have never been Condemned juſtly by the Separation for any ſuch Separation; I ſay, If ſuch a man as I, ſhould now ſeek to ſecure my ſelf after all my Separation, I ſhould be the moſt abominableſt Perſon in the World, and might Juſtly be Condemned with the World.

I know that by what I have ſaid, I muſt ſet up my ſelf more publickly for a Mark to be ſhot at: yet I muſt Diſcharge my Conſcience as to what I have been, and what I am; that ſo I may not be thought either better or worſe than what I am: and if therein I become nothing as to my Earthly Being, yet I matter it not, ſo I keep a good Conſcience void of Offence, both towards God, and towards Man: And if in the Innocency of my Soul I periſh, I periſh: And I ſhall rather chuſe to Periſh a Thouſand times, then in the leaſt (knowingly) either to violate the leaſt Law of God, or Betray the Cauſe of Chriſt, or do any thing that may Diſhonour the Goſpel of Chriſt, or cauſe his Name to be Evil ſpoken of: And although there be ſuch a Charge (as I hear there is given) to have ſuch a ſpecial Eye to me; I know not for what, unleſs for my good Advice to the King: yet it ſhall neither force me to Violate my Conſcience, nor Forfeit my Liberty as to our Meetings; but I ſhall Patiently bear my Impriſonment till the Lord ſhall in his Mercy Releaſe me; Hanging yet upon the Kings Word to be made good to me, and the reſt of our peaceable Judgement, who are falſly Accuſed, and ſome of us unjuſtly Impriſoned, and to the wounding of our good Names as Traytors.

Yet I ſay again, I ſhall Reſolve (God Aſſiſting me) to continue, faithfully waiting upon God in his own Way, in the Integrity of my Soul, Becauſe better is the Poor that walketh in his Integrity, then he that is Perverſe in his Lips, and is a Fool, Prov. 19. 1. For the Integrity of the Upright ſhall guide them, but the Perverſneſs of Tranſgreſſors ſhall Deſtroy them, and the Righteouſneſs of the Upright ſhall direct his way, whileſt the Wicked ſhall Fall by his own wickedneſs, Prov. 11. 3, 5. And thus whileſt the Juſt man walketh in his Integrity, his Children are Bleſſed [Page] after him, Prov. 20. 7. The Premiſes Conſidered, It ſhall be the deſire of my Soul to go on waiting upon God, Earneſtly begging in the behalf of the King and his People, That there may be ſuch a Right Underſtanding of things, that Juſtice be ſo duely Adminiſtred, as that the Righteous be not as the Wicked, nor the Innocent as the Guilty, leſt the Cry of the many Oppreſſed Families come up into the Ears of the Great and Juſt JEHOVAH, that Sin-Revenging God, who is of a more purer Eye then to behold Iniquity, ſo as to approve of it, or thoſe that act in it.

Thus having given you an Accompt both of my Innocency and Integrety, both what I am, and what (by Divine Aſſiſtance) I ſhall Reſolve to be, notwithſtanding the noyſomneſs of the Place I am in, and the Hardſhips that I, and thoſe that are with me, do undergo therein; our Livelyhoods chiefly depending upon our daily handy Labours, being torn from our Callings, and Families, tyed up from getting our own Bread, and brought into worſe then an EGYPTIAN Bondage, and Contrary to the Law both of NATURE and NATIONS; who though we are the Kings Priſoners, yet we have not (as I ſaid before) neither Beds nor Bedding, Meat nor Money, nay, not ſo much as a Drop of Water but what we are forced to purchaſe with our Money; the which if we have not, nor Friends to bring them to us, we muſt in reaſon inevitably periſh, the which notwithſtanding, though we undergo, yet I ſhall Reſolve ſtill to endure, rather then ſet my Hand to Folly, either to Violate my Conſcience, by breaking the leaſt Law of God, or in the leaſt to Give my Conſent to the making my ſelf Guilty by Paying Traytors Fees, which is double Fees, or any Fees at all, ſeeing I am not Guilty of what I am laid in for; but ſhall Reſolve to go on in my Chriſtian Progreſs, as a Chriſtian ought to do; and ſhall deſire to wait upon God in Prayer and Supplication for ſuch a Right Underſtanding of things, as that the Evil Doer only may be Puniſhed, & that the Meetings of the peaceable People of God, according to the Kings Promiſe, may be ſtill Continued; Praying for the King and his People, although at preſent my Profeſſed Enemies, And to Remain till Death,

Your Faithful Brother and Fellow Priſoner for Chriſt, HENRY ADIS.

From my Cloſe Conſtraint, The Kings Courteſie, For my Chriſtian Counſel, The Gate-Houſe Dungeon; Damp and Dark, Void of Light, Darker then Night; Once a Den for Thieves, But now a Houſe of Prayer; My Contented Caſtle, Till Chriſt Clear me.

THE END.

§

[Page]

A Fannaticks Letter Sent out of the DUNGEON OF THE Gate-Houſe Priſon OF VVESTMINSTER: TO ALL His Brethren in the three Nations at liberty; and alſo in the ſeveral Goales and Dungeons therein, that are under all the Principles of the Doctrines of Chriſt, Heb. 6. 1, 2.

By HENRY ADIS, a Baptized Believer, undergoing the Name of a Free-Willer; and alſo moſt ignomineouſly by the tongue of Infamy, called a Fannatick, or a mad man.

Gal. 5. 1.

Stand fast therefore in the Liberty wherewith Chriſt hath made you free, and be not entangled again with the yoak of Bondage.

LONDON, Printed by S. Dover for the Author, and are to be Sold at Book-Sellers Shops, 1660.

Information about this book

Title statement

A fannaticks letter sent out of the dungeon of the gate-house prison of VVestminster: to all his brethren in the three nations at liberty; and also in the several goales and dungeons therein, that are under all the principles of the doctrines of Christ, Heb. 6. I, 2. By Henry Adis, a baptized believer, undergoing the name of a free-willer; and also most ignomineously by the tongue of infamy, called a fannatick, or a mad man.

Adis, Henry.

Edition statement

1660

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Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

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Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A75884

ID [STC]

Wing A579

ID [STC]

Thomason E1084_6

ID [STC]

ESTC R208012

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99867020

ID [PROQUEST]

99867020

ID [VID]

119310

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Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A75884)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 119310)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 161:E1084[6])

Source

— A fannaticks letter sent out of the dungeon of the gate-house prison of VVestminster: to all his brethren in the three nations at liberty; and also in the several goales and dungeons therein, that are under all the principles of the doctrines of Christ, Heb. 6. I, 2. By Henry Adis, a baptized believer, undergoing the name of a free-willer; and also most ignomineously by the tongue of infamy, called a fannatick, or a mad man., Adis, Henry..

Extent

25 p.

printed by S. Dover for the author, and are to be sold at book-sellers shops,. London :: 1660.. (Annotation on Thomason copy: "march. 6.".) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.)

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