OH ye Rulers, and Magiſtrates, who are now in Authoritie; how do you ſlight the Goodneſs of God, in this the day of your Viſitation, inaſmuch as you have cauſed the Innocent to ſuffer, and let the guilty go free? Oh Friends, how doth wickedneſs abound, in Townes and Countrey, and alſo in your own Families, (where firſt it ought to be puniſhed) as alſo in your own Particulars? in ſo doing you would become good Examples in your own Families, and alſo general Patterns of good throughout the Land: ſo would you be a Terrour to the Wicked, and Evil Doers; and a Praiſe to them that do Well: and herein would you anſwer the Righteous Law of God, written in the heart; which is according to the Apoſtles Doctrine: but being out of that, which bringeth into the Moderation in your own Particulars, ye cannot with ſafety puniſh others for the things whereof you are Guilty; and ſo living in the Exceſſe your ſelves, others eyes are upon you, and take example by you, to do as you do, and to follow after the fame exceſſe of wickedneſs; and ſuch are accepted of you, and countenanced by you, whereby the wicked are become very ſtrong; inſomuch that they run into wickedneſs with greedineſs, and commit Lewdneſs as with Zeal; and ſo Mercy, and true Judgement is forſaken in the Land, and the Righteous Law of God (which is to do unto all men as you would they ſhould do unto you) is turned backward; and Righteouſneſs, and Equitie, is counted a Ridiculous thing; and the Holy Spirit of God, which teacheth the Law of the Lord, & leadeth into all Truth, this is made a mock of, and is had in Deriſion dayly throughout the Land; and the Blood of the Everlaſting Covenant of God is trampled upon, and accounted of as an horrible thing; and thus it is come to paſſe; and thus you ſuffer to be done unto them who keep in Gods Holy Covenant, and obey the Holy Spirit of God; and do Meditate on his Righteous Law Day and Night, by which they are led, and guided up to God; and in all things to do as they would be done unto, and for declaring this in Doctrine, Life, & Converſation; and for bearing our Teſtimonies againſt falſe Prophets, & againſt falſe Teachers, ſuch as Preach for Hire, and will be drunk in Tavernes, and other places; Who are Covetous, Proud, Boaſters, Heady, Highminded, Lovers of Pleaſures, more then Lovers of God, &c. Tim. 3. Such as the Apoſtle ſpoke of, and bore his Teſtimony againſt: and for our declaring againſt them, and ſuch as follow them in thoſe things; who are become one with them; like Prieſt like People, all in the Errour, out of the Fear of the Lord; committing all manner of Lewdneſs, and runing dayly into all manner of exceſſe of wickedneſs, with greedineſs: In conſideration whereof, many is the time that my Life hath been heavily burthened, and my Soul grieved; which hath cauſed me to walk Sorrowfully, day after day, to ſee how greedily the People run on to their Everlaſting Deſtruction, & fat up themſelves in wickedneſs, as the Ox for the ſlaughter: Oh! ye Rulers, when I have conſidered how theſe People are ſtrengthened by you, thus to run on in Lewdneſs and all manner of Prophanneſs, againſt the Righteous God that made them, then hath my heart been grieved for you, and have hazarded my Life for you, and for them; and have freely given up my Life for your ſakes, being thereunto required of the Lord, whoſe Tender Viſitation hath been over you; by whom I have been ſent amongſt you, at your Meetings to acquaint you that it was the Day of Gods Love, and Viſitation towards you, and to declare againſt your ungodly Worſhip, Lives and Practices, to the end you might hearken thereunto, and that you might be turned from the Darkneſs to the Light, and from Satans Power, unto the Power of the Living God, which is the ſame the Apoſtles Preached, and brought People into: for which Doctrine they ſuffered grievouſly, by the Men of that Generation; even as I have done by the hands of this Generation, for bearing the ſame Teſtimony as they did, namely, my Wife haled out of her houſe, by Samuel Graves Prieſt, who alſo tore off ſome of her Clothes, in the open Street, in ſight of many People, by which my Children that were crying about her, were affrighted, and received hurt thereby, and my People beaten from their work and haled by the hair of the head, and threatned with grievous Language, what he would do unto them: this was done by the ſaid Graves, and his Wife, and my ſelf abuſed very much at ſeveral times, for Truths ſake; once haled to the Stocks and there ſet till the Prieſt had done; and after committed to Priſon: once for coming to their Meeting at Speights Town, to ſhew the Magiſtrates that were there, how the Prieſts People were beating and abuſing ſome of my Friends, with ſore Kicks, and heavy Blowes, with Staves, and Cudgels; which thing was ſuffered to be done in ſight of the Magiſtrates, and the People that did it were ſtrengthened by them; and for declaring unto them my Friends Sufferings, how they were abuſed, that they might ſtill the People, by whoſe Wickedneſs my Friends lives lay in danger. In anſwer thereunto, Command was given to take me away, the which was done by wicked People, who ſorely beat me with great Cudgels, and Staves, with ſore Kicks on my Belly, and other parts of my Body; and ſo they carryed me to the Stocks, with my hands and feet with the ſmall of my back croſs a Cudgel, ſhaking and abuſing me in that manner unto the Stocks, as a ſheep carrying to the Butcher; and after, with my Friends, committed to Priſon. Another time; for putting up a Friends Paper, at the Pariſh houſe, called Lucies Church; in which Paper was declared againſt Drunkenneſs, and all manner of Wickedneſs, exhorting People to turn therefrom, and repent thereof; for which thing I was taken into the houſe, by one of their Church Officers, called Miles Scotto, who ſaid I ſhould receive no wrong, with whom I went in, where Prieſt Gray and his People were met together, and ſpake theſe words to the People; I came in at the requeſt of the ſaid Scotto, who Promiſed I ſhould receive no wrong, but before I had fully uttered theſe words, my Hat was pulled off, and by the People I was haled to the door, and thrown down three or four ſteps; and I getting up, they fell upon me, and beat me with Cudgels, untill I fell down as dead: and as I lay in that manner, ſeveral ſtood beating me with their Staves, as I was told, after I was recovered; and when my ſences were come unto me, it was laid upon me to ſpeak to the People in Love, to ſhew them the Evil they had done, and deſired that the Lord might not lay it to their charge; for which ſeveral of them fell upon me again, and beat me, and punched me with their Sticks very much, and ſo continued following of me for a good ſpace on my way. This was alſo done in the ſight of Magiſtrates, and ſeveral others Officers that were there, who had Power to have prevented it, but did not, but rather ſtrengthened the People, I pray God it be not laid to their charge. Alſo by Matthew Gray Prieſt of the ſame Pariſh, ſometimes after, upon the Day the King was Proclaimed, came Drunk to a Tavern over againſt my houſe, and I looking out at my Chamber-window, he ſeeing me, called to me, and held up his Horſe Whip, ſhaking at me; and ſaid, Tom, you muſt come no more to my Church, for now (ſaid he) we have got a King; and ſo ſet Boys, and other Rude People to ſtone me in at my Window, and alſo ſeveral Perſons with their Guns, who ſhot at me, by which I received ſome injury, at which he rejoyced, and leaped, and skipped about the Roome, and further endeavoured in my hearing (what he could) to get the People to pull down my houſe; and more, I was informed, that he bid ſome to fire my houſe; but before he came the People were quiet, and offered me no wrong.

Alſo Thomas Manwaring Prieſt at Speights Town, came into the houſe of Anthony Long, where I was about ſome buſineſs, he behaving himſelf much contrary to a Miniſter of the Goſpel, in vain words, and unſeemly behaviour: I told him that he being a man that took upon him to be a Teacher of People, ought not to do ſuch things, but rather reprove them; upon which he calling me Quaking Logger-head, and Raſcal, and many ſuch like words, and told me he would have a Law made to cut off my Ears. I told him, I had not done any thing worthy thereof; and he being filled with Envy, went away Railing, and Raging at me, without a cauſe; after which he promiſed to give me, and ſome other Friends, a meeting, but never did, though I, and my Friends waited ſome time upon it: Afterward he ſent me a Note, wherein he writ, that provided I would come alone, by my ſelf, without any other with me, to Richard Cluffs houſe, and alſo to come in ſuch a frame of Spirit, as might induce him to hear me, then he might Diſcourſe with me; and afterwards I carryed a Letter to his houſe, which was written to him by two Friends, but when I came there, he refuſed to ſpeak with me, and alſo to receive the Letter, which I ſent in to him; but he returned it again by his Clerk, who gave it me, and told me that his Maſter would have nothing to do with me, nor yet with my Papers: and ſoon after the ſaid Manwaring writ me a Letter, in which was theſe words, (viz.) Thomas, I am ſorry if the Zeal of thy Spirit be to quick for thy Diſcretion, and that a Cudgel muſt beat that out of thee, which the Devil hath blown in. And ſubſcribed his name, Thomas Manwaring.

Alſo Francis Smith, Prieſt of Thomas Pariſh, being an aged man, I meeting him upon the Road very drunk, I told him, It was high time for him to forſake thoſe Works of Darkneſs; His anſwer was, that it was high time for me to become a Rogue, and a Whelp. All this with much more, that might be mentioned, have I ſuffered, beſides the Sufferings, which I have born, with the reſt of Friends, by Cruel Mockings, Scoffings, Stonings and Cruel Threatnings, which hath deeply been caſt upon us, both in our houſes, on the high wayes, and other Places, as we have paſſed quietly upon our honeſt occaſions; all which we have born patiently without rendering Evil for Evil: And theſe things have been laid before ſome of you, yet no redreſſe have we had, neither is any amongſt you that have laid theſe our Sufferings to heart, nor at all reproved any of the Evil Doers, for any of theſe things which have been the Cauſe of theſe our Cruel Sufferings, but have rather ſtrengthned them therein; Notwithſtanding the King ſet forth a good and wholſome Proclamation, for the puniſhment of the Evil Doers, which thing you put not in Execution, whereby all honeſt ſober People do ſee, that you do not only caſt the Righteous Law of God behind your Backs, but alſo the Juſt Act of the King; Therefore all ye Rulers, Judges, and Juſtices, and all other Officers under you in this Iſland, of what ſort ſoever; Conſider what you have done, and what you are doing, and lay theſe things to heart, and Dread him, who is a Dreadfull, and Terrible God, and is Mighty, in Majeſty, and Power; he it is that Pleadeth our Cauſe for us, and taketh notice of all your Actions, whatſoever you do, or ſuffer to be done againſt us, be they done never ſo ſecretly, and will in no wiſe let the guilty go free; but a Day you ſhall know, and aſſuredly will come upon you, that not one of you ſhall in any wiſe eſcape his hand, in which Day the Holy God, the Righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth, will awake his Living Witneſs in every of your Conſciences; then you ſhall ſee, and know, that the Lord hath Regard to his People, whom you have cauſed to ſuffer under you by Cruelty and Oppreſſion, and then will he preſent, to your open views, the Cryes and Groans of the oppreſſed, and all that have unjuſtly ſuffered under you; and then ſhall you read before you, as in a Book, our Sufferings, and our Burthens, which you have ſo heavily laid upon us; which we have patiently born in this the day thereof: and theſe things in Love, and Tenderneſs have been laid before you, that you might not be Ignorant of them, which thing hath been ſlighted by you; and would not be convinced of the Evil thereof; but have rather replyed with hard ſpeechs, and great Threatnings given forth by ſome of you againſt the Innocent and Beloved of the Lord, though deſpiſed of men, and forſaken: and then ſhall all our Sufferings, which you have ſuffered to be done againſt us, be removed from us, and we eaſed, and you troubled; and ſo it muſt be, that which hath cauſed our trouble, muſt become your ſhame; and this will be our Joy, that we have ſuffered for the Teſtimony of a good Conſcience; and then that which is our Joy, will be your greateſt Sorrow; and the more you deſire to be at eaſe, the more will your Sorrow encreaſe: for verily now is the Lord making enquiry among you, and hath conſidered the Cry of his Suffering Seed throughout this Iſland, and the Groans, and Sights, and Tears are now beheld, and are entered into the Ears of the Lord God of Sabbath, who is ready on the Seat of Judgement, and is Mighty in Majeſty, and Power, and whoſe Countenance is Dreadful to the Wicked, and Oppreſſors cannot ſtand before him: Yea verily, this I ſay unto you, ye Bryers, and Thorns (for ſo ye are before him) he is a conſuming Fire, who will aſſuredly burn you up, except you ſpeedily Repent, and depart from the Evil of your doings, elſe overturned, and deſtroyed you ſhall be, as ſome that are gone before you; for verily, his Controverſie is againſt you, and you have wearied the Lord greatly, in his long-ſufferings, and forbearing with you, inaſmuch as he hath given you a Day to Repent in, and you Repented not, and have ſent his Servants, and Meſſengers from far to Declare amongſt you, and ye hearkned not; and hath tendered his Son unto you, and ye received him not; and though he hath long cryed unto you, ye have not hearkned at all, neither have ye had regard unto his Voice, but have grieved his Holy Spirit, and have ſlighted his Meſſengers, and done much wrong to his Prophets; and for theſe things is the Wrath of the Lord kindled againſt you, and his ſore Indignation is ready to be poured forth upon you: for verily, again I ſay unto you, that the Crying Sins that have been Committed in this Land (Oh ye Rulers) are again brought into Remembrance before the Lord God Almighty, and cry loudly Day and Night for Vengeance, becauſe ye have been careleſs, and do not yet Repent for theſe things; but are greedy, and eager, many of you, to afflict and puniſh the Innocent without a Cauſe, who hath in Dear Love, and Tender Pitty to your Precious Souls warned you of theſe things, that you might Repent, and turn unto the Lord, while there is yet help for you, whereby you might eſcape his Wrath that is coming upon you; and for ſo doing have we been accounted by you as Fools and made men; and thoſe that do Wickedly, are accounted Wiſe among you, and ſuch do you Honour as your Counſellors, but thus ſaith the Lord; Wo to him that takes Counſel, but not of me, for what ever that man doth, his Work ſhall not Proſper; Therefore ye Rulers, come forth of your Worldly Wiſdom, which is Fooliſhneſs with God, by which Wiſdom the wiſe Men of the Earth ever took Counſel againſt the Lord, and againſt his People, to do them hurt, as well in Ages Paſt, as now; for then by their Wiſdom, they ſet themſelves againſt Chriſt, and put him to Death, and by their Wiſdom they Exalted themſelves above him, and in their Wiſdom, they withſtood the Apoſtles, and Baniſhod him out of their Coaſts; and in their Wiſdom, they ſuffered much Violence to be done unto them, by Cruel Mockings, Scornings, Reviling, Stocking, and Impriſoning them; even as you have done, and ſuffered to be done unto us, this they did, and ſuffered to be done unto the Apoſtles, notwithſtanding all their Learning, and Wiſdom. And thus they went on, and made great havock of the Church, and People of God in divers Places, and thoſe things the Apoſtles laid before them, being ſufferers under them, as we have laid our ſufferings before you, who have been, and yet are fufferers under you. And thus the Rulers, and People ran on in their own Wiſdom in the Apoſtles times, crying againſt them, they were a Dangerous People, and there were many that followed after them, and that Paul he turned the World upſide down, and if they were ſuffered to go on, the Romans would come upon them, and take their Places, and their Nation from them. This was their Cry then, and the ſame is your Cry now againſt us; and thus you have raiſed Falſe and Evil reports of us, under a pretence of an Inſurrection made in England, by a party of Bloody men, and have added to it our Friends, as though they had had a hand in that Bloody Plot, which is a very contrary thing: for Chriſt Jeſus, he came not to deſtroy mens lives, but to ſave them: and him we take for our Example, Who ſaid, All that uſe the Sword, ſhall periſh by the Sword, Mat. 26.52. And this we ſay unto you, that we have put off our Swords, and caſt aſide all Carnal Weapons, never to make uſe of them more, and the Lord hath given us Spirituall Weapons, with which we make War, not with the Perſons of any men, but with the Man of Sin, that dwelleth in them, and with Spirituall Wickedneſs that ſitteth in the high Places, this alſo was the Apoſtles Warfare; and this alſo is our Warfare, and our Weapons are but one, and we are all of one mind, of one heart, and one Spirit, and we live in Love one with another, and deſire to do good unto all men, and here we are brought out of the Strife, and out of Contention, out of Envy, and Malice, and ſo we are far from Oppreſſion, and ſhedding of Blood; we live out of Falſhood, and Lying, ſpeaking the Truth from our heart, ſo that we have no Swearing amongſt us, nor need of going to Law; and herein we do the thing that is well pleaſing to God, and we have no Condemnation for it: and this is that we labour for, to bring People to, out of the Evil Doing, into the Well doing; out of Envy, and Strife, into Love, and Unitie, that all may be brought into the ſame with us, to live in Love, and Peace, and Quietneſs, and live in the Enjoyment of Gods Precious Preſence for Evermore; and this is that our Souls long for, that it might be well with every Soul upon the Earth. Therefore know this, O ye Rulers, and Magiſtrates, this is the thing the Lord requireth to be done, that ye forthwith ſtand up, and put forth the Sword of Juſtice with ſpeed, and let true Judgement be Executed throughout the Land, that the Heathen may fall before you, that the Innocent may no longer be puniſhed, and let the guilty go free: Therefore ye Rulers, once more I ſay unto you, be ye wiſe in this your Day, which is far ſpent: for yet a little while will the Lord ſpare you, to try you, to ſee whether you will hearken hereunto, or not; and if ye reſiſt, and ſtill go on, in Rebelling againſt the Lord, then ſuddain Deſtruction cometh; in which Day you will find no help in the Earth. And this was upon me from the Lord to lay before you, which I have done in Love, and Tenderneſs unto you, and in Faithfulneſs to my Maker, that whether you will hear or forbear, I have cleared my Conſcience before the Lord.