HEarken and heare O yee Men that shall dye, and let the sp [...]rit in Prison in you, answer mee: whether every soule is not to be subj [...]ct to t [...]e higher power, the light, wh [...]ch is higher then self, or the power of dark­nesse: which is not to be exalted above the light of Christ, (the gift of God in man) wh [...]ch is the higher power, and whether your soules be exclud­ed, (by the good spirit of God) that spake forth these words from such a good subjection, and whether the everlasting light of Jesus, or word, or spirit of truth (that reproves the world for sin,) and is not the world in mans h [...]art, see Eccles 3.) evill doing or speaking, (be not the higher power,) that is of God in man, as also is the soul in man: to which the soul is to subj ct in all things.

And whether a measure of this power, or l [...]ght of Christ, or grac, gift, or good spirit of God, that brings salvation with it, hath not appeared to, and in you: and to all men, to the end that your souls, even as others, without resp [...]ct of persons, may become subj [...]ct to it: when received, and no [...] rej [...]cted, seeing the scripture saith it hath appeared to all men: see, Titus 2.11.

And whether you think you can prosper, or doe any thing that may be ac­ceptable or well pleasing to the invisible everlasting pure spirit of the L [...]d God (that is opprest in you yet) till your first rebellious self-exalting deceiptfull na­ture is changed: and so your pretious soules become subj [...]ct to th [...]s g [...]ft or grace, or power: t [...]at's able (not only to change the first nature; but to save [Page 2] to the utmost) of the everlasting God in you, which in any wise, (behold I testi­fie) to you never could, nor can, neither ever will consent to, or approve of, the very appearance, or ground of any evill thought, idle, evill words, evill way or action: or any thing of selfe, and whether he that resist [...]th the power, doth not resist the ordinance of God: and whether such shall not receive to themselves damnation.

And whether it may not be very good, and profitable, and very whelsome, and exceeding pretious, and wholesome, to yeeld and subject to such a pure good power, (the one thing needful,) which I say and testifie is in you, though yet op­prest, (oh that it might arise, and shine forth: when shall it once be, O yee men that oppress, greive, and vex the good spirit of the most high, in your selves and others, that never changeth its nature, or property, though the transgressing na­ture be neer, that's to be over-tu [...]ned, and removed, which rebels and hath gone a whoring, or departed from this one good thing needfull, days and times with­out number, & this is the good spirit, or light, or word, or power of the Lord God, the God of the spirits of all fl [...]sh, that will not always strive with, or in man.

Wherefore be yee warned to cease to doe evill (and to abstain even from the appearance of it,) and so learne to doe well, with and by subjecting to th [...]s good, (one thing needfull) that will surely try and p [...]ove all things, (the many things) that offend (within and without you:) and this is the equall ballance of the true sanctuary least yee be devoured with, or by this sword, which is the spirit or word of the everlasting God.

And know of a truth that the children of light (of the day) that beleive in it, doe not expect the abollishing, throwing downe, or breaking to peices, all idolls within, and without you: and graven Images, and the dissanulling and making void all unrighteous decrees, and Popish Laws, root, and branches, and all oppressions, wicked covenants, and oppressors, Popish Preists, and their suc­cessors, that are yet fed fat, with gifts, and rewards, together, with the Popes maintenance, Tithes, Piggs, Eggs, and handfulls, and shocks of Corn, and goods taken by force, like or rather far worse then the sons of Bel [...]all. 1 Sam. 2. Chap. 12.16. verses, oh, for shame let these things be taken away: and let not the cry of the innocent come before any of you to be turnd aside from judge­ment any more, least the Lords fury break forth speedily in the midst of you, and destroy you, and confound and overturn your councells, and bring forth de­liverance some other way: which then shall be hid from your eyes to your per­petuall shame, and reproach, for the Lord our God is proceeding to do his mar­vailous and quick work in the earth: and who knoweth whether you may become serviceable in it, if so, it will be your honour, which is not of man, neither of this world, that lyes in wickedness.

Therefore, let your hands be strong, when yee, as on man every particular of you bow down and subject to the meek, low, just, equall noble principle, or gift or grace of God, yet opprest in you: and so with it your hands shall be strong & prosper, in throwing down all idols, & idols temples, and bells to come down after the organs, which the transgressor set up, when they forgot the Lord, and so did Israel see, Hos. 8, 14.

And these things you may know hath fed and strengthned people's wicked vain [Page 3] minds out of Gods fear, and from Gods witnesse in them and so it feeds them, as the Tithes do the greedy covetous Priesthood of Englands dominions, I say we do no [...], neither cannot expect in any wise that these things can be swept away by you till you come down to this, and the noble, just, equall, pure spirit of the Lord God (yet opprest in you) by it to be guided to speak and act for God which only can make you truly honorable, or break you to peeces and reward you ac­cording to your works, which if they be good then shall the work of the Lord (the most h [...]gh God) prosper in your hands.

Wherefore lay aside all flattering Titles, and self-exalting spirits, and take heed yee let not in (after yee have w [...]th the good single spirit cast out) the Priests and Lawyers flattering fauning viperous spirits, that was and is the same that did, and will betray and murther the just, wherfore do not forget but remember that yee have not been only once warned of the things that now I write to you, and come to the witness in you, and then with it to the Lords work within and with­out you, and seek the honor of God only, and away with giving and receiving ho­nor with flattering titles one to another, for such are not fit vessells to doe the Lords work in, or by in this mighty day [of battel between the two seeds] or such are in the unbeleife, they beleive not in the light that's arising in his power and greatnesse of his strength who receives not honor of Man.

What have you not been heer long enough and yet alive on this side the grave, and have you not yet perceived the mighty invisible eternall hand of the Lord, and his overturnings from time to time, and how he hath smote you as in a tem­pest or storme one against another as potters vessels, and who knows but you are yet come to seats of government to do the Lords work with all your might and strength, in his fear and dread to be ordered to do, or be instrumentall in the way (as I have said) to do and accomplish what the Lord hath determined shall be throughly affected throughout the Land, or to be swept all away in his fury and wrath and fiers fiery indignation, if yee faile herein, doing or accomplishing the work of the Lord our God negligently.

Wherefore come down to the eternall true and faithfull witnesse in every of your consciences, and let your soules subject to this which is the higher power in you [least with it yee be broken to peices and ground to powder by this sure foundation the rock, and so your names perish and stink and rot, and so become a hissing and by-word to the present and futer generations] who have and do yet pretend so much for the Lord God who is trying you, (O yee tall Seda s) and yee shall be as truly waighed in the equall ballance, even as them that went be­fore you, who all of you shall most assuredly give an account before the throne of the Lamb (slain since the foundation of the world) when the book of every of your consciences shall be opened, and an eye then will be opened in you which the God of the world w [...]ich his ministers of unrighteousness hath so long blinded and you shall not hide from, but read your selves, for a great cup is preparing for you, and yee shall be sure to drink it up, even the dreggs of it, & tremble & be a­stonished, and vomit and be confounded, and wish (together with the cov [...]tous hireling Priests) that yee had never been born to have seen this age, if you quit not your selves like men of truth of God, in being faithfull to what the et [...]rnall eye of the Lord makes manifest what is to be thrown down and overtu [...]ned, and [Page 4] what is to b [...] norished and set up within and without you, and the faithfull wit­nesse in you will also shew you this, as to it yee subject, and this eye being kept open in you as it is in th [...] honest hearted that hold fast their integrity and walk in it in and over these Nations, it will behold its enemies afar off as well as nigh, and I say this eternall eye hath seen you, and what you from time to time have declared and yet pretend to prosecure,

Now therefore say I again, to the h [...]gher powe [...] (the eternall eye the light in you) b [...] faithfull and I say that will shew you deceit in selfe with its righteousness, friendships, honour, glory, worship, faith, rel gion, separation that's without or out of the spirit, as is selfe and all that branches forth of it, which is all to be denied and thrown down (within and without) by the hand (the Crosse) or higher power, to which the soule is to subj [...]ct, in whic [...] the father is and is to be worshiped in spirit and in truth as do the children of light who dwell and walk in i [...], and so shall you prosper, and the [...]and of the God of heaven will most assuredly then be with you, and this shall be honour enough for you, and you will concent and seal to my testimony, when as you become single hearted and faithfull, and love nor your lives to the death, then you may happily feel a Crown of life, Moses reward.

And friends break of your m [...]ghty sins by righteousnesse, if happily the poor mans counsell or words may not fall to the ground, and yet bear with me if I advise you to take heed (viz.) if you [who are in present authority, to you is my voice] singly and faithfully doe or act or become instrumentall to doe any thing as you are gu [...]ded, by the good, meek, noble, equall right spirit of God which is the higher power, and ought to be so, in every of you and in every man, male and female, although in its own most pure being it is so where ever it is, but in reference to this, viz when the power of darknesse gets over it, and oppresseth its ve [...]tue and opperation, and so stops and hinders its working [which is long suffering, so is its nature] so the wicked powers of (hasty selfe) darknesse com­ming over and usurping, oppresse and exercising Lordship over the just power, then that is got up and is falsly called (by the unwis [...]) the higher power, be­cause its usurped and got into the place of the just power that's opprest under it, whose right is not to reigne in Gods Temples where he and his dark power (that was above the light) is thrown down, and they that witnesse this cannot honor the devill, of whom proud Haman was a figure.

I say again take heed of a flattering selfe (love) exalting spirits, and this is to be cast out from among you, and I say if any of you sing [...]y do any thing of the Lords work, look not so back, as formerly yee know many with you have done, but let it go so as if it had not been done by you, that the Lord God who only is to have a [...]l the glory [which he in no wise will give to another or to selfe] may have all the glory, and be strong and go on, and be a terror to all slothfull un­profitable servants (that have gone before you) and to all Idols Idolaters false worships and to every evill doer (thats hurtfull and destructive to the Creation) and a praise to every well doer whose consciences the light even the light of the Lord Jesus exercised, and this same gift or grace of God or light in you, as to it you subject will faithfully shew you who such are, for with no other eye but this (by which they are guided) can they be seen, and the Lord in the midst of his [Page 5] Jewells, hath said I will guid them with mine eye, so saith the scripture, and this eye the higher power g [...]veth to the faithfull (the willing and obedient) a true discerning between the precious and the vile within and without, blessed are and shall they be that do and shall witnesse such a t [...]ue separation.

And friends, it will redown more to your honor, and will become more no­ble, then [that which scorners and fools count honor and nobility] to ride upon pransing fatted horses, a figure of them that forget the Lord and his work, or Pharaoh and his host that was and is to be overturned and swallowed up (be­cause of the oppression of the poore suffering seed) I say a figure of them who as fatted horses are fatted for the day of slaughter the horses and their riders, the Armor (the gorgeous apparell) and Chariots in wicked vain glory, pransing and glittering proudly, trampling through the streets of the wicked Citty filled with hipocrysy and deceit and unfaithfullness, and so to be laught at by scorners, wicked men and fools, even those yee count your enemies, and so admired by fools, and this I am certa [...]n is not the honor that comes from the Lord of hosts, and the Lords wrath and vengance will meet with and overtake you and all that go on in this way greedily satisfying their ungodly lusts, and this with somewhat else from my hand is and may be a sure and certain warn [...]ng to you O yee Mountains before honor is humility in the light of the holy Citty, and the Kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it, Rev. 21 2 [...], 24.

The time is come and comming that all the Sons and Daughters of fallen A­dam is to be turned to the light (from the darknesse) to Gods spirit within them, from which they have erred thats given even to the rebellious to instruct them, then of necessity they must be turned to that from which they have erred which they are to believe in, in which they are to worship the father in truth and in spi­rit, and away with all false worship and idols and hipocrisy, and speak every man the truth from the heart to his neighbour, and c [...]me to know your rebellious na­ture changed, that yee may become just men of truth, meek and mercifull, f [...]aring God and hating covetousnesse and every evill way, word and action where ever it appeares or is brought forth.

And down with all cursed abominations, thats acted in and through the open streets of this great wicked Citty (London) and all other Cittyes and Market-Townes in and throughout this Nation, and her Dominions by the cursed power of darknesse.

The shews, the Lord Mayors shews (so called) and such like crying abomina­tions as is acted in Cittyes, Fairs, Towns, and Markets, in and throughout Eng­lands Dominions, and behold I tell yee, that the Lord even the everlasting God abhors these things (and the power by which they are acted) which feeds the light, vain, rebellious, defiled, wicked minds of people both of young and old, and the Lords vengance is pouring forth upon the heads of the Priesthood of Eng­land for lewdnesse (as in the days of old) is gone and go [...]th out from th [...]m into all the earth.

Oh what a crying open shame is't for such who are called Magistrates, which should be just men of truth, a terror to every evill doer, and for them to give up their strength and means and precious time to uphold, exalt and keep up in their course and time these hainous and most abominable, crying, horrible, wicked abo­minations [Page 6] stuft with pride hipocrisy and vain glory by which the creatures are de­voured and consumed upon the ungodly lusts (that war against your souls) for which end they were not created, and the whole creation is burthened and groans under all this filth.

And the terrible dreadfull everlasting God will plead with vengance and fury poured forth in his fiers wrath because of these things, (and many of your dilli­cate beds of ease will be a place of torment when the skilfull physicians shall be of no vallue) and yee would not receive warning nor instruction of life, not­withstanding the Lord God the powerfull God sent his servants and faithfull messengers to cry aloud the sound, and signes hereof from time to time, hath been heard and seen in and through the streets, and entred into the secret cham­bers of your immagary, and so you have made light of the visitation of the most high, and rather chuse the ways, practises and customes of the heathen, to which end a petition from the wise men of London to the late Parliament (whom the hand of the Lord overturned and shattered to pieces) that their hea­thenish ancient customs might be continued, or kept up.

Wherefore O London this is the cry that is to passe through the streets of and in thy lewd light vain filthy polluted inhabitants of the Land, behold a swo [...]d, a sword, a glittering sword, a bright sharp sword, its drawn, its furbushed that it m [...]ght glitter, pierce and be bathed into the bowels of the unstable double-minded hipocrites and scornfull, much flesh most assuredly by it with fire shall be devoured as in the ancient days, for behold a mighty & strong hand is lifted up with this bright sharp sword, which will slay and spare neither on the right hand nor on the left, till the fiery z [...]al of the eternall God, hath performed what in his heart he hath determined.

Wherefore wo, wo, wo to the earth with her inhabitants, horror and amaze­ment, astonishment, terrors, with destruction upon destruction is comming over the heads of the priesthood of England, the Lord God with his dreadfull hand will make you a fierce terror to your selves, O ye greedy devouring wolves that have made the herritage of the most high your pray, but behold the hammer is put into the hand that will smite and break and shatter the rocks to peices, and race the h [...]gh mountains, so as there shall be none to hide or cover you, O yee brutish pastors, and ravennous beasts of the Forrest where the bryars and thorns are so plentifully brought forth, strong and terrible is the everlasting powerful God the holy one of Israel, the eternall light and life of the house of Jacob that will by his hand in his chosen perform these things.

Wherefore tremble yee Mountains, and shake terribly yee lofty Hills, turn aside yee strong Oakes, get ye hence into darknesse ye devouring Wolvish un­profitable Servants, O ye Priests and greivous oppressing Lawyers of England, and bow down O ye heads, gather together ye fatted Bulls and Haifers, and come up to the Battell ye pransing fatted Horses with your haughty, proud and scornfull R [...]ders, for a loud, quick and terrible Alarum is sounded in the holy Mountain of the everlasting holy hill of Zion, a fire, a consuming fire shall be kindled in the bowels of the Earth, which will scortch w [...]th burning heat all hypocrites unstable double-minded workers of iniquity, tog [...]ther with all chil­dren of errogansy and pride the seed of falshood of the whore, that well favored [Page 7] harlot with her brats, the uncleane unprofitable talkers, Babylons Merchants, and they shall know with anguish and perplex [...]ty of heart and minds which are de­filed, that the everlasting light of Israels life is a rising in the greatnesse of his strength (as in the days of o [...]d) to sta n the pride of all glory, and bring into con­tempt all the honorable of the earth, and to bow down the haughty under the prisoners of hope, for a great & large slaughter shall be throughout the land of darknesse where the unrighteous decrees and laws have been founded, built up, brought forth and executed upon the innocent, yee a grea [...] affusion of blood, fire, vapor and smoke shall increase up in the dark habitation of cruelty, howling and great wailing shall be on every hand, in all streets, the strong pransing fatted horses shall wax faint (with wallowing with their riders) and fall in the great af­fusion of blood in the night of darkness where there shall be no light but an horrible dreadful fierce dark irresistable tempest, and furious and violent storms, in so much that the gallant ships shall not be able with all their force and tack­lin, strong and skilfull Marriners to incounter, who shall not in any wise hide their heads, for feare and dread and horror and amazement with astonishment of heart shall suddenly surprize them, even at the fi [...]st appearance of the dark thick clouds of this horrible and mighty temp [...]st at which mens hearts shall fail on every hand, but the Lambes in the lowe vallyes shall be at rest hid.

Terrible thunders from the everlasting powerfull God will be thundred forth with bright and quick fiery lightnings from the highest heavens which will rent, break to pieces, teare and split the ragged Rocks and sturdy Oaks, and race the lofty Mountains, so that no hiding places shall be found to hide the fruitless trees Bryars and Thorns and deceitfull rotten weather-beaten vessels of dishonor that hath long been trading with their deceitfull Merchandise from Sea to S [...]a, even from one proud Sea to another, notwithstanding many have suffered shipwrack, and been overwhelmed and swallowed up of the mighty proud mercilesse waves of the troubled Sea that cannot rest and the eternall eye of the Lord the ever­lasting light of life hath seen these things, and with his pure breath of life are they spoken, and with his everlasting and strotched out hand will he accomplish and perform what is in his heart, so shall it be.

Two of the originall Copyes of this was delivered, the one into John Ireten's hand late Mayor, and another to the present Mayor that evening before the heathenish idolaters with their idolatry, and cursed abominations from the power of darknesse which was too highly exalted and upheld and acted by the great Men of the earth; oh foolish people when will you be wise, how long will you thus tempt the eternall God.

Newgate this 26 of the 8th month 59

This is chiefly intended for those in present authority of the chiefest seats of England, and for Mayors and Aldermen and Cittizens of London, and all the earthly Rulers in & throughout the Nations to read themselves & be ashamed, and to lay aside their heathenish idollatrous customs, and to learn the fear of the Lord which is to depart from evill, and not hate and persecute such that so fear the Lord (the living God) and with his spirit reprove sin in the gate, and therefore are become a pray (as in former dayes) to those that rebell against the light, and turn aside the needy from judgement.

The Lord God of wisdome whom I serve in and with my spirit of truth knoweth and is my witnesse that of his pure spirit was I moved not only to write to the 2 Mayors of the Citty of London, the next days work (being the 29th of the 8th month) to stop them of their folly and vanity, but in no wise would they receive warning, to the vexing and oppressing of the most pure spirit of God) manifested, and many shall feel the weight of his hand that can span the heavens, and fathom over, and comprehend the heighth and depth of darkness, I say, I also was moved to go, and bear a testimony for the Lord at the Mayors gate to the face of many of the Aldermen (who should be more wise) the words which I speak as the Lord moved, were these at severall times, as the horses and their riders entred within the Mayors gate, where I stood saying.

The Lord God will stain the pride and glory of all flesh, the Lord God will stain the pride of all glory as in the days of old, the Lord will smite the great men of the earth with astonishment of heart, who forget justice and judgement. And the Lord God hath a controversy with all that forget the Lo [...]d & his work.

The Lord will be avenged on the great men of the earth, that destroy and de­vour the creatures, and the Creation upon their ungodly lusts, and forget to do justice and judgment.

For which sayings I was buffetted and abused at the Mayors gate by the bru­tish people, and violently dragged and carryed away by Porters, and thrown into the Poultery Counter (in the inner prison called the hole) without Mittimus, throw h [...]m in (said the Mayors officer or Ma [...]shall, and let him lye like a Rogue, and he was numbered with transgressors, and he made intercession for the trans­gressors, loe he was taken from prison, and from judgment, and who shall de­clare his generation, Isa. 53.8.