The visitation of the rebellious nation of Ireland. And a warning from the Lord proclaimed, to all the inhabitants thereof, to make their peace with him before hislong [sic] suffering come to an end. With a lamentation over its unfruitfulnes and rebellion after so many visitations. And an exhortation to all the honest hearted, to meet the Lord by repentance, while the patience of the Lord continues. Or the sealing of the Lords testimony unto all sorts of people in that land, by his servants, after their several months sore labours, and travells, and sufferings therein, who loved not their lives for the seeds sake. Also some particular papers, written in that nation, to severall sorts of people. I. A warning, to the heads, and rulers, and people of Dublin. ... VII. An invitation to all the poor desolate souldiers, to repent, and make their peace with the Lord, and their duty shewed them, what the Lord requires of them. By them who are sufferers, for the seeds sake; waiting for the building of distressed Sion: F.H. E.B.

The visitation of the rebellious nation of Ireland. And a warning from the Lord proclaimed, to all the inhabitants thereof, to make their peace with him before hislong [sic] suffering come to an end. With a lamentation over its unfruitfulnes and rebellion after so many visitations. And an exhortation to all the honest hearted, to meet the Lord by repentance, while the patience of the Lord continues. Or the sealing of the Lords testimony unto all sorts of people in that land, by his servants, after their several months sore labours, and travells, and sufferings therein, who loved not their lives for the seeds sake. Also some particular papers, written in that nation, to severall sorts of people. I. A warning, to the heads, and rulers, and people of Dublin. ... VII. An invitation to all the poor desolate souldiers, to repent, and make their peace with the Lord, and their duty shewed them, what the Lord requires of them. By them who are sufferers, for the seeds sake; waiting for the building of distressed Sion: F.H. E.B.

The visitation of the rebellious nation of Ireland. And a warning from the Lord proclaimed, to all the inhabitants thereof, to make their peace with him before hislong [sic] suffering come to an end. With a lamentation over its unfruitfulnes and rebellion after so many visitations. And an exhortation to all the honest hearted, to meet the Lord by repentance, while the patience of the Lord continues. Or the sealing of the Lords testimony unto all sorts of people in that land, by his servants, after their several months sore labours, and travells, and sufferings therein, who loved not their lives for the seeds sake. Also some particular papers, written in that nation, to severall sorts of people. I. A warning, to the heads, and rulers, and people of Dublin. ... VII. An invitation to all the poor desolate souldiers, to repent, and make their peace with the Lord, and their duty shewed them, what the Lord requires of them. By them who are sufferers, for the seeds sake; waiting for the building of distressed Sion: F.H. E.B.

Table of contents

Title page

THE VISITATION OF THE Rebellious Nation OF IRELAND.

A Warning to the Heads, and Rulers, and people of Dublin.

An Information to the Heads, and the ground of the Law layed down to the Judges and Justices, and to all that handle the Law in that Nation.

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An Exhortation sent to the chiefe Commander and his Counsell, and the just cause of the Innocent laid at their door.

The unjust suffering of the just declared, and their appeal to the just witnesse of God in all mens consciences.

A Challenge to the Priests of Dublin, to try their God, and their Ministry, and their worships.

A Discovery of the Idoll dumb Shepheards in that Nation, and a Lamentation over their starved and strayed flocks.

An Invitation to all the poor desolate Souldiers to repent and make their peace with the Lord, and their duty shewed them what the Lord requires of them.

A Warning from the Lord to the Natives of that Nation of Ireland, who are made a curse, and a prey to be destroyed of your enemies.

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§

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THE VISITATION Of the Rebellious Nation of IRELAND. And a Warning from the Lord proclaimed, to all the Inhabitants thereof, to make their peace with him before his long suffering come to an end. With a Lamentation over its unfruitfulnes and Rebellion after so many Visitations. And an Exhortation to all the honest hearted, to meet the Lord by repentance, while the patience of the Lord continues. Or the sealing of the Lords testimony unto all sorts of people in that Land, by his servants, after their several months sore labours, and travells, and sufferings therein, who loved not their lives for the seeds sake.

Also some particular Papers, written in that Nation, to severall sorts of people.

I. A Warning, to the Heads, and Rulers, and People of Dublin.

II. An Information to the Heads, and the ground of the Law laid down to the Judges, and Justices, and to all that handle the Law through that Nation.

III. An Exhortation sent to the chiefe Commander and his Councell, and the just cause of the Innocent laid before them.

IV. The unjust suffering of the just declared, and their appeal to the just witnesse of God in all mens consciences.

V. A Challenge to the Priests of Dublin, to try their God, and their Ministry, and their worships.

VI. A Discovery of the Idoll dumb Shepheards in that Nation, and a Lamentation over their starved, and strayed flocks.

VII. An Invitation to all the poor desolate Souldiers, to repent, and make their peace with the Lord, and their duty shewed them, what the Lord requires of them.

By them who are sufferers, for the seeds sake; waiting for the building of distressed Sion: F. H. E. B.

London: Printed for Giles Calvert at the West end of Pauls. 1656.

THE VISITATION OF THE Rebellious Nation OF IRELAND.

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ALas, alas, woe is me for thee thou desolate Nation of Ireland, thou art to be pittied, and lamented, because of thy backslidings, and rebellion against the Lord, thou abounds in iniquity, and thy transgressions cannot be numbred. O thou art a fruitlesse habitation, and barren of righteousnesse, and mercy, and true judgement; even from the head to the taile, thou art corrupted, and thy wickednesse is marked before the Lord: thy Rulers, and Teachers, and people, are all gone out of the way, and are disobedient children, having backslided from the pure wayes of the Lord God, a deceitfull heart is found among them, and a lie is in their hand; even the best of men are as a bryar, and the most upright among men sharper then a thorn hedge; a cursed seed hath taken root in thee, and fruit of a cursed tast is abundantly sprung forth; thou art turned into the degenerate plant of a strange [Page] vine unto God, and are become abominable in his eye; thy vines brings forth a soure grape, and the Lords soule hath no delight therein; thou art altogether untilled, and thy flowers gives an ill smell; thy inhabitants have set themselves to doe wickednesse, they imagine mischiefe upon their beds and brings it forth in the morning, cruelty is their weapon against the innocent, and hard heartednesse is their defence against the upright.

Woe is me for thee thou desolate Nation, who hath rejected the counsell of the Lord, and neglected the day of thy Visitation, wherein the Lord would have gathered thee, but thou wouldst not; How often hath the Lord spoken unto thee, and thou wilt not hear his call? By judgement hath he spoken, and by mercy hath he drawn, but thou refusest to returne, and wilt not be reclaimed, but continues in thy Rebellion against the Lord, and forgets the work of his hand, in ages and generations past; even since the beginning hast thou been a Land of wickednesse, and a people of a cursed seed, drinking up iniquity as an Oxe that drinks up water, and fild up the measure of Transgression, till the Lord was forced in grievous judgements to deale with thee, even his wrath in a day broke forth upon thee, and the fire of indignation was kindled in thee, and thy Princes were cut off in fury, and thy inhabitants fell by the plague and sword in great numbers, and thou was given up to be a prey to thy enemies in thy treasures, and the cruell hearted took the spoyle, thou wast laid levell in the dust of deep misery and confusion, and thy lamentation and sorrow was heard among the Nations, and the stroke of the Lords hand was heavy upon thee, and his judgements was just upon thy head, and he gave no rest unto thee for many years, but thou wast as a trembling leafe and as a forsaken bough, and thou wast made desolate and comfortlesse, and misery girded thee about, and then thy stout heart was brought down into sorrow when the Lord contended with thee; but now thou hast ease from thy bitternesse, and a day of rest from thy sore trouble, yet hast thou forgotten the day of thy distresse, and art againe more abundantly exalted, and thy sins are much more encreased, the pride [Page] of thy heart is become equall with Sodome, and thy transgressions are encreased to her number and thy rebellion against the Lord is grown more high, and through mercies and deliverance art thou waxen fat, and now thou kicks against the Lord, and in thy heart sayes, Who is he?

O when wilt thou consider, what the Lord hath wrought? when wilt thou call to minde his just and righteous dealing? who hast forgotten the day of thy former visitation, and is becoming more vile in the sight of the Lord, by thy secret hypocrisie of deceitfull profession, then thou wast in thy open prophanesse, when thou layest naked in thy open sins.

O Desolate Nation, the Lord once and againe hath stretched forth his hands unto thee, in pitty for thee, and he sent his servants and witnesses to warn thee of these thy transgressions, and to call upon thee to awake thee out of thy carelesnesse, and he gave thee a glorious day of visitation, and free tenders of salvation, wherein thou mightst have made thy peace with him, and repent thee of thy sin; And his servants were faithfull in thee, and lamented over thee, and gave themselves to be spent for thee, and gladly suffered the reproach of the heathen, and the cruelty of the wicked, that thereby thou mightst be reclaimed out of thy Rebellion and wickednesse, and they gave their back to the smiter, and loved not their life unto death, nor prized not their liberty unto bonds, but diligently in sufferings, and labours, and perplexities, called unto thee, and through thy Townes and Cities proclaimed the visitation and message of the Lord concerning thee, and was accounted as sheep for the slaughter, that they might finish their Testimony to the gathering of thee, but thou wouldst not, but hast to this very day stopped thy eare from counsell, and hardned thy heart against reproofe, and contemned the day of thy visitation, and hereby added to thy measure of wickednesse in dealing cruelly with the Lords servants, who rewarded them evill for good, and entreated them shamefully, and laid thy hand of oppression upon them, and rejected their message of glad tidings, and would not be instructed in the way of the Lord unto salvation, [Page] but gave heed unto the false visions of thy lying Prophets, and took counsel against the Lord of thy Inchanters, & persecuted the faithfull by unjust Imprisonments, and dealt wickedly with the Lords chosen, and made unrighteous decrees in thy wrath, and sealed them in thy cruelty, and made a purpose in thy heart to root out the Seed of Jacob, and to lay wast the Lords Heritage.

O Ireland, hereby in the Name of the Lord (thus far) I seal my Testimony in faithfulnesse unto thee, and binds up my many burdens, and travells, and reproaches, and Tryalls, and sufferings in thee, in a few words, which is the word of the Lord concerning thee.

Yee Heads, and Rulers, that sits upon the Throne, Repent, and turne to the Lord, from whom you are grievously revolted by wofull backslidings, a grievous sin have you committed, a grosse sum of hainous abomination is recorded against you, the righteous God will meet you in his judgements, and once more will appear in the fire of Indignation against you, and your mountains of pride, and vaine-glory, and selfe-exaltation, shall be layed wast, as your enemies were before you, and as you have thought to doe (to root out the Seed of Jacob, and to spoyle the tender grapes of the Lords vintage) even so shall it be done unto you, and your destruction cometh as an armed man, and you cannot escape, nor fly to hide your selves, from the wrath that cometh, which is kindled already to devoure the pleasant Palaces of your wicked hearts delight.

Woe is me for you; you that are exalted upon your mountaine of ease and liberty, having forgotten the rock from whence you are hewn, who were raised out of weaknesse to reprove the mighty, and gives not glory to the Lord, neither considers what he hath done for you, but are become ingratefull, and disobedient children, and of a double heart and tongue, professing liberty of the pure conscience, but living in corrupt fleshly bondage, oppressing the just, and slaying the holy One, and neglecting the cry of the innocent, having made your fingers as heavy as your Fathers loynes; the hand of the Lord is [Page] against you, and his wrath will break out upon you, who strengthens the hand of evill doers, and gives liberty in your dominions, unto the scum of the Nations, to possesse your Land in peace, and will not give place unto the Seed of Jacob, but fortifies your selves against him, and will not suffer him to inherit; how full is your Land of murderers, of drunkards, of lyars, and swearers, and of prophane persons, of sugitives, and vagabonds, and runnagades, who is protected by your Law, to possesse in peace? but in wrath have you turned your sword against the upright, and have made Lawes to limit the Spirit of the Lord, and to uphold deceit.

Therefore Repent of this your sin, who hath endeavoured to prevent the Lord; and humble your selves ye lofty, for the purpose of your hearts are broken, and a scattered Seed remains in your Dominions, which the Lord will blesse, and which you cannot be able to suppresse, and as pricks in your eyes will it stand a witnesse against you in your hypocrisie, and cruelty, and the more ye lay yokes upon it, the more it will spring forth.

Therefore be wise ye Rulers, and Judges, and leave to imagine mischiefe, and lay your hands upon your mouths, and open them not any more, and turne in your minds to the light of Christ Jesus, wherewith you are enlightned, and it will let you see what you have done, and will set your sins in order before your eyes, and will justly reprove you, who have not done, as you would be done unto, but have cast the Law of God behind your backs, and not regarded the call of equity, and if you love the light of Christ it will change your mindes, and will bring you to Repentance from sin unto God, and from the Dominion of [...]a [...]an unto the Kingdome of Christ Jesus; the light is your Teacher if you love it, and will guide you in the wayes of God, but if you goe on in your wickednesse, it is your condemnation eternally, and shall seale to the justnesse of the judgements of God when they come upon you; now you have time and a faire warning, prize the day of your visitation before the decree of vengeance be sealed against you, and repentance be hid from your eyes, lay it to heart, you are but [Page] men and not God, and your strength flesh and not spirit; if you own the light it will manifest the will and counsell of the Lord unto you, and give you power to act righteousnesse unto God, wherein you will be accepted; Consider, least you goe down to destruction, and there be none to deliver you.

ANd unto all you that doe professe the name of the Lord, and have got the forme of the Saints worship in your imaginations, and have separated your selves into an outward conformity, without the power of righteousnesse brought forth in you, and would be called members of the Church of all sects and sorts; Repent ye, of your hypocrisie, and stop your mouthes in the dust, for you are weighed in an equall balance, and are found wanting; and are tryed by the searcher of hearts, the light of the world, and are found corrupted; deceitfull are you in the root, and cursed in your branch, of deep and secret hypocrisie, pride and coveteousnesse, and the love and glory of the world, and fleshly exaltation abounds among you, as branches of the root wherein you grow; and how can you bring forth good fruit out of your cursed ground? your knowledge is bruitish and vaine, and your outward conformity is a wearinesse to the Lord; for you are found fighters against him, and opposers of Christ Jesus, and denyers and contemners of his light, by which he hath lightned every man that comes into the world; you stumble at the foundation and builds upon the sand, one of you building a wall, and another daubing it with untempred morter; your hearts are not upright with the Lord, but flatters your own soules; which of you hath denyed the world for Christ, or what have you laid down for him? in your vaine imaginations you worship God ignorantly, making his Commandements voyd through your transgressions.

You stand in the cursed Nature, alive to the world, following the vaine delights thereof, resisting the way of the Lord, through your wisdome, which is foolishinesse with God, you have the profession of the Scriptures in your naturall knowledge, but you are without the life thereof; out of the unity [Page] of the one spirit of life in severall meanings, and opinions, which is death; and in vaine conceits are you scattered upon the barren mountaines, where your soules are starved, and strayed, in the cloudy and dark day; and you are devoured under your dumb Idoll Shepheards, who are in Cains way of wickednesse, and in the steps of all the false Prophets, and of the Scribes and Pharisees, fulfilling their measure of wickednes and persecution, against them is the wrath of God kindled to consume them as stubble; they preach for hire, and they divine for money, and they seek for their gaine from their quarter, and they run, and was never sent, and you are not profited by them, but are ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Awake ye Professors, God calls unto you, give eare unto his voyce, Come out of Babylon and turne unto Sion, that her desolate places may be builded, you wander abroad in the darknesse, groping as blind men, your profession will wither, and all your knowledge will consume away, and your righteousnesse is abomnation to the Lord, your praying God hates, and your oblations is a wearinesse to him, for you are in the enmity against God, and the Serpents head is not bruised.

Come down ye Cedars, who are exalted above the Crosse of Christ, and make not a cloak of the Saints words to cover your unrighteousnesse; grievous is your Idolatry, who have painted your selves with the likenesse of the Saints life, and bows to the Image set up in your imaginations, drawing near God with your mouths, but with your hearts going after your coveteousnesse: Repent, the day of the Lord is coming upon all flesh, and meet the Lord, and prepare his way; and bow your heads you lofty Oakes, who saith in your hearts you are the onely people, but your lying hearts deceives you, and you are found naked and without a covering.

All ye that desire after the way of the Lord, of all sorts of people who are simple and honest hearted, whether prophane or professor, you have a day of visitation from the Lord, yet stretched forth unto you, Come ye unto the Lord, and forsake [Page] all your lovers, lay aside your evill hearts which hath led you aside from the way of salvation, and now learne the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdome, and mind the one thing needfull, which is of great prize, even the salvation of your soules, presse after, and come out of the broad way of perdition, wherein the world goes on to destruction, and enter into the straight way, where the unclean walks not; cease from all the deceitfull wayes and worships of the world, and love truth, and walk in simplicity.

Cease from all your Idoll Temples, for God dwells not in them, but his Saints are his Temples, wherein he dwells and walks: cease from all your Idoll worships, and feigned prayers, and praises, for God is not worshipped in vaine traditions, as in observing dayes, and times, and outward things, but in Spirit and truth is he worshipped, and such he seeks to worship him, and a broken spirit and an upright heart is accepted with him. Cease from all your Idoll Shepheards, and Priests of Baal, that preaches for hire, and divines for money, and seeks for their gaine from their quarter, for they profit not the people at all, who are ever learning while they live upon earth, and none able to come to the knowledge of the truth: therefore cease from man, and wait upon the Lord, who is now risen to teach his people by his Spirit in his way of truth and righteousnesse, in his peace and purity, where his blessing is received from his presence, which is with all that fear him.

Therefore awake, awake, out of darknesse, and love not to slumber in the dark night, which long hath ruled over you; this is the day of your returne, and of your visitation, wherein the Lord would gather you; Therefore resist not the love of the Lord, wherein he calls you to repentance from dead works to serve him in righteousnesse; but every one turne your minds inward to the light of Christ Jesus, wherewith every one of you is lightned, which light is it which convinceth you of sin, and lets you see your evill deeds, and whom you have served, and how you have spent your time; the light shines in darknesse, and reveals unto you the secret intents of your dark hearts, and doth secretly reprove the wicked purposes of your minds: [Page] with this light in your consciences, your sins are written, and all that ever you have done is recorded; and this light shall be the swift witnesse, of the condemnation of the wicked, in the day of the Lord; and by it all your works will be brought to remembrance, and your sins will be set in order before you, to receive judgement by Christ Jesus: And here is the free love and gift of God unto you, who hath given you a light to guide you in his way; if you own it, and wait in it, it will manifest the judgements of God against sin in you, and will condemn sin in your flesh, and will reveal the righteousnesse of God to be your covering; if you dwell in the light, it is your teacher, and way unto life eternall, and if you bring all your deeds to it, it will reprove every evill word and work, and give you discerning of things that differ it will manifest the secretest deceit of your hearts, and the windings of the Serpent, and will be judge thereof, till unrighteousnesse be taken away, and a birth brought forth from above, and born of another nature and seed, which if you be not born againe, you cannot enter into the Kingdome of God.

Therefore in the fear of the Lord all consider, and search your selves, in tender love to all your soules I write: You must be judged in the flesh, that you may be justified in the Spirit, and you must be made poor, and emptied of all your knowledge, and wisdome, that you may be filled and made truly wise. So if you believe in Christ Jesus the light, and life, of the world, your hearts will be cleansed by the word of God, which endures for ever; and the Covenant of peace will be established with you, where sin is no more remembred, being condemned, so now you have all time, this is to you all a warning, as I was moved of the Lord.

Repent, the dreadfull day is at hand, and meet the Lord, by confessing and forsaking your sins, and prepare the way of the Lord, his coming draweth near, least his judgements come upon you unawares, and his wrath sweep you away in fury, and your Nation become more cursed then the rest: All your applying of Christs righteousnesse, while your selves are sinners, is to no purpose, for no hypocrite can enter into life, nor none [Page] that works wickednesse, hath eternall life abiding in them, but are in the death, which hath passed over all men, and the curse remaineth upon the disobedient, and all in the first nature are children of wrath.

Therefore every one wait in the light, that you may be changed, and take up the daily Crosse of Christ, that your own wills, affections, lusts, and desires, may be crucified, and you may become dead to the world, and may live unto God, in his nature and likenesse, that your souls may be satisfied therewith; and all that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse, shall be filled with the true food.

Therefore wait, all you that fear the Lord, and meet together in his counsell, and wait for his Law that you may walk therein, and lay aside the works of darknesse, which are made manifest by the light, and also condemned, in all that come to Sion. Spend not your time in the vaine deceits of the world, nor follow not the delights thereof, for according to your works must you be judged in the day of the Lord. Depart from iniquity, and all the works of the flesh, pride, and coveteousnesse, lying, swearing, and double-dealing, and all the fruits of unrighteousnesse, let them be judged, and let the time past be sufficient that you have wrought evill, and now returne, and work righteousnesse in God, by the light, which all that lovees, works in God.

And deceive not your selves, with a deceitfull covering, of selfe making, and selfe righteousnesse, professing the Scriptures in your carnall minds, which was given forth by the Spirit, and is not understood, but by the same Spirit; while the first nature stands alive in you, you cannot please God, but is in the enmity against him: humble your selves, and come down to the light▪ and search your hearts thereby.

Woe unto the lofty, and high minded, who will not be instructed, but hates reproofe. Woe is unto all lyars, and swearers, and whoremongers, and vagabonds, and prophane persons▪ such cannot inherit the kingdome of God, nor enter to within the gates of the City, but are to be troden in the winepresse of the wrath of God for ever and ever.

[Page]Therefore awake, awake, ye carelesse and unbelieving, and fear and tremble ye children of disobedience, who hates the light, and loves your evill deeds, and upholds your false Prophets, whom God never sent, and will not own the Lord to be your teacher, the light in your conscience is your condemnation, for this is the condemnation of the world, that light is come, and men hates it.

So be you warned all people, the day of the Lord is at hand, and now he calls, therefore hear his voyce, and hearken to his light, which is of Christ, which onely is needfull to salvation; and there is no other name given for salvation. And if you will not hear and receive this day of visitation, which in love appears unto you, you shall hear in the day of visitation of vengeance; and behold the Lord comes quickly, make straight his pathes; the light is your teacher if you love it; and your condemnation if you have it.

Written from London, to go abroad in the Nation of Ireland, as a visitation to all sorts of people, and is the sealing of the Lords testimony unto that land, as moved of the Lord, in love, and pitty, to lost soules,

by Edw: Burrough.

A Warning to the Heads, and Rulers, and people of Dublin.

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HEar the word of the Lord oh ye Inhabitants of the City of Dublin, ye Rulers, and Magistrates, Governours, Collonels, Captains, and Souldiers, and all ye people of the City, and ye Inhabitants of the Land of Ireland, my word is to you all, saith the Lord.

Oh thou City of Dublin, in the day of thy calamity, when sorrow, fear, paine and tribulation was upon thee, when thou was compassed about with adversaries, who cryed ah, ha! we will make thee as a plaine, and as a wildernesse, as we have done the rest of the Nation: And they said in their hearts none should be able to deliver you out of their hands, but said, we will cut off and destroy at once, that our selves may be exalted; I the Lord who changes not, was as a fortresse, and as a bulwark about thee, and made thy heart couragious against them, and delivered thee out of their hands, even from a people whose hands was full of blood, and whose mercies were cruelty, and whose hearts were hardned against me, and had sould themselves to work evill in my sight, and counted it their glory to despise my name, and to abhor all righteousnesse in their hearts: And in that day when they opened their mouths wide, as a Leviathan, to swallow thee up, and make thee a heap of stones, and a desolation; Then I made thy walls as iron, and thy gates as brasse, and thy batteries strong, and guarded thee, and compassed thee about with my strength, and I made thy face as an Adamant against them, and delivered thee by my outstretched arme, and by my power, out of their hands, and brake the teeth of thy enemies, and put a hook in their jawes, and brake them before thee as a potters vessell, and powred out my indignation against them as a flood, and my wrath as a stream swept them all away, and I gave their carkases to fall by [Page] the sword, and for the fowles of the aire to feed upon, and hath made them perish in my wrath, and cut them off in my sore displeasure, and made their names stink in the Nations, and their Princes are cast out as a withered branch, and are perished with the uncircumcised, and their glory and renown is turned into reproach and everlasting infamy, and are rotten and become as dung and as mire to tread upon in the streets. Therefore thus saith the Lord unto thee oh Dublin, and to thy Inhabitants O Nation of Ireland, take heed and beware least thou be lifted up in thy heart, and say, my hand hath done all this, but give glory and honour to me, saith the Lord, who am the God of the living, who dwells in the light; and now beware that the same root of bitternesse spring not up in thee, as did in them whom I cast out before you.

And oh you Rulers and Heads of the people, I have sent to try you, and this I require of you, Doe justice, love righteousnesse, and ease the oppressed, and take heed of seeking your selves, and your own honour, and glory, and renown in the earth, nor Lord it not over your brethren, who have born a part of your suffering, and the Nations, in the heat of the day: Lift not up your selves as the Gentile Lords whom I cast out, who exercised dominion one over another, and did grind the face of their brethren, and made them as slaves, and intreated them shamefully; and because of this I cast them out, and hath given their dominion to others, and their houses and lands you possesse, which you builded nor planted not. Now therefore take heed unto your selves, and be of a perfect heart before me; For my righteousnosse is to be revealed in the earth, and now I am about to declare my name, and my power and my glory will I reveal in the earth, and will poure out my Spirit upon my sons and my daughters, whom I have, and will send abroad to publish my name, and declare my cousell to the ends of the earth, that the Nation may know me, whom for many generations they have worshipped ignorantly. Therefore be ye all warned, stint not me, [...] not me the holy one of Israel, saith the Lord, by your power, nor make no Law against me so as to think in your hearts to make me subject to [Page] any creatures will, for I am the Lord who works, and who shall hinder? and will bring my purpose to passe and none shall let; therefore I say unto you, limit not me, how, where, by whom, and when I must speak, for I have chosen the weak things to confound the wife, the mighty, and the honourable: and now I will be no longer flattered with words, but he that is of an upright heart will I honour, and he that seeks himselfe will I abase; therefore now while you have time prize it, and neglect not the day of your visitation.

And oh you Rulers, uphold not these by a Law whom I have made the people of my curse, who have devoured Gods heritage, and have flattered the Nations, and their Princes, and their Rulers, and have sought themselves, every one seeking for his gaine from his quarter, for with them, above all, my controversie is against, and my wrath shall be accomplished upon them, for they have caused my people to erre, and they that said they have spoken in my name know me not, therefore my people is lost because there hath been no vision among them: But now saith the Lord, a stem is sprung up, and the star of Jacob shall arise, and the earth shall be filled with light, and my righteousnesse shall flow as a stream; and my glory have I, and will I to my servants reveal, who have denyed and doe denie themselves and follow me, unto them is my will revealed.

Therefore hearken oh ye people, and give eare thou Nation of Ireland, and all your people from highest to the lowest, thus saith the Lord, Though thou be parched, and thy skin peeled off thee, and become as a wildernesse, and as a reproach, and as a lamentation for all that passe by; thy walls I will build, and thy breaches which is as the Sea will I make up, and thou shalt be no more a proverb, nor a reproach, nor a hissing to the Nations, and to all that passe by; for because of unrighteousnesse the Land said I wast, and gave it to the spoiler; so now if thou wilt hearken unto me, I will repsenish thee againe, and the remnant that I have spared shall be blessed▪ Therefore all ye people give eare, and take need of lying swearing, cursing, drunkennesse, coveteousnesse whoredom, drunkenness, hypocrisie, dissimulation, and worshipping strange Gods, for those and [Page] many more abominations that was committed among the people, I cast them out, and made them a reproach, and executed my wrath upon them. Therefore fear me, who am near, who inhabites eternity, and dwells in the light; I am near, saith the Lord, and my light is revealed in your consciences, and there mind my light which convinceth and shews you every one your sins, and love it, and bring all your deeds to be tryed by it, and there you will see me revealed in righteousnesse, to all you that waite upon me, and keep your selves from the pollution of the heathen, and so the way of righteousnesse you will know as you hearken unto me, saith the Lord, who dwells in the light, which is the life of men, and searcheth the hearts of the sons of men by the light. Therefore unto the light take heed, this is present with you, in which God manifests himselfe, here is all your teacher loving it, here is your condemnation, hating it, as Christ saith who is the light. So all people of the Nation, I have cleared my conscience unto you, as I was moved of the everlasting God; And so be you all warned, least the same thing come upon you as did upon them whom I cast out and trod under foot, saith the Lord.

Dub. 16 of the 6 Month, 1655.

A lover of your soules, and one that hath borne with you in suffering, and shall rejoyce with you as you own the Lord, who hath visited you, called after the flesh,

Francis Howgill.

An Information to the Heads, and the ground of the Law layed down to the Judges and Justices, and to all that handle the Law in that Nation.

§

ALL ye Heads, and Rulers, and Judges, and Counsellours, and all you that sit in Counsell together in the Seat of Justice and Judgement, from whom the Law doth goe [Page] forth into the Nation, and all you that handle the Law take heed to your selves, for the living God of power is judge of you and over you all, to you all I speak the word of the Lord, without respect to any of your persons (but is a lover and respecter of righteousnesse, and true judgement, and justice) that I may stand clear of your blood, for God hath laid it upon me to give you warning, which if I doe not your blood will be upon me, and if this you refuse to hear and obey, your blood be upon your selves for ever.

Christ Jesus is the light of the world, the true light, which lightneth every man that comes into the world, and by which every one of you is lightned, which light, if it you love and be guided by, it will lead you out of the worlds way and nature and unrighteousnesse, and will give you an entrance into eternall life and peace, and an assurance in Christ when this world ceases to be, and in this world it will teach you how to serve God in righteousnesse in your generation, and to give righteous judgements and counsell among your brethren without respect of persons, for the Law of God respects no mans person, nor Justice regards not the person of the mighty; the light of Christ Jesus in all your consciences, and in all mens consciences, is just, and one with Christ, and one with the Law of God, in its measure, and condemneth the unjust and all works of wickednesse, who against it doth act; by which light every one of you being guided, your own consciences in particular will be exercised towards God and towards men, and by him you being ruled and judged will know how to rule and to judge for him in the world among men, who are required for God to rule and judge in righteousnesse and equity, and none can rule for God but who are ruled by him, with his light which shines in the conscience, by which you being governed, will by it governe in the earth righteously. You are not to judge for gifts and rewards, for if you doe you judge not for God but for your selves, and you and your judgement is to be judged and condemned with the righteous Law of God which is free but such who fear God and hates coveteousnesse and gifts and rewards, are to bear rule, and such will handle the Law righteously, and will be a terror to evill [Page] doers who doth not fear God but acts contrary to the light of Christ in their own consciences, and so transgresses the just Law, and brings themselves under the guilt and so under condemnation, and such a Government will stand for the praise of them that doe well and encouraging of the upright, but if such bear rule and handle the Law which know not God nor is not ruled by him, these will abuse the Law, and will be a terrour to righteousnesse and good works, and will strengthen the hands of evill doers and will let vice and wickednes escape unpunished. This I speak in love to all your soules, to the informing of all your minds, that you may know your place and how to exalt justice and judgement; the light of the Son of God, by which every man is lighted, is but one in all, just, righteous, and equall, the same in him that hates it and transgresses the righteous Law, as it is in him that loves it, and judges all transgressions. And this light of Christ, by which all men is lightned, is the seate of justice and of true judgement, and the ground of all good wholsome Laws, and every Law that is contrary to it is for condemnation by it: Therefore I say, waite in the light, by which you are lightned, to receive the pure Law of God to judge all causes by, and make no Law in your own wills, nor act not in such Laws made by the will of man, for such Laws is oppression, and tyranny lodges in them, and false judgement, and such God hath and will cast out, who acted from that ground. So be ye warned by their fall, and judge not after your own thoughts, nor sensuall carnall wisdome, nor follow not your own wills, nor the counsell of your own hearts, but stand in Gods counsell, and fear his name, and tremble at his presence, and waite to be guided by him in his holy Law, which all unrighteous counsells, and vaine affections, and false judgements will condemn in your own hearts, & then you will truly know how to judge your brethren in equity & righteousnes, how to reward well doers, & how to punish evil doers according to the measure of their transgressions, and according to the light in their own consciences, by which they being convinced from your Law of the evill of their transgression, will confesse your Law and judgement to be just and equall, and you to be righteous Judges; here you judge [Page] for God, and bears not the sword in vaine, but is a terror to transgressours, and to the disobedient, and lawlesse, against which the Law was onely added to slay unrighteousnesse, but it was not made for the righteous whose consciences are exercised towards God and towards man, by the pure Law of God written in the heart, and upon such and over such your Law hath no power, for they are one, and in union with that Law which is righteous and doth witnesse the justnesse, and goodnesse, and holinesse of it, but if you make a Law in your own wills, and judge by such a Law, then you will make the innocent suffer, and oppresses them who walks in the Law of God and in the exercise of a pure conscience, Christ was put to death by such a Law, and the Saints in all generations was persecuted by such Laws which was made in the will of man contrary to the will and Law of God; therefore take heed to your selves least God hew down you and your Law together, and condemn you by his righteous Law eternally, which Law of God needs not to be made but is made already, and to be witnessed by the light in every mans conscience to justification or condemnation, and is revealed in all that love righteousnesse. So take heed what you doe, and know your place and the length and breadth of your Law which is committed to you, which is to keep the outward man in good order, and the Nations in peace and truth, and from theft, and murder, and adultery, and fighting and quarrelling, and drunkenesse, and wronging one another, and such like; such who acts these things walks contrary to the light, and so brings themselves under the penalty of the Law; but over the inward man your Law which is outward hath no power to bind, to limit, or to tie too or from any way of worship in Religion, but let Religion defend it selfe, and lay not your Law upon the conscience to exercise dominion over it, for it is Christs seat in whom he will rule, least you be found tyrants and numbred for destruction, nor limit not the Spirit of the Lord how, when, where, and by whom it must speak, for the holy men of God in all ages ever cryed against such Laws as was contrary to the Law of God, and did limit the Spirit of the Lord, and against such Rulers as did judge false judgement, and for [Page] gifts and rewards, and against such Priests and Prophets as preached for hire, and divined for money, and sought for their gaine from their quarter, and made a prey upon the people, and through coveteousnesse made merchandize of soules; therefore be ye warned, if such you uphold by a Law which acts those things which the Scripture declares against, which the holy men of God gave forth by his Spirit, the Scripture which you professe shall stand a witnesse against you, and the Law of God will condemn you, and God will lay your honour in the dust, and cast you out of the seat of Judgement, as he hath done the power of the King & Bishops before you, but judge the cause of the poor & needy, of the widow & fatherles, & joyn mercy with judgment, and lay your swords upon oppression and all tyranny and wrong dealing, that the land may be cleansed of evill doers, and equity and righteousnesse may flow down, and the Nation in good order may be kept in peace and righteousnesse, and so God will establish you among his children, who are taught of him alone, and are far from oppression, to the light of God in all your consciences I doe speak which if you make Laws contrary to it, and judge contrary to it, it is the eternall condemnation of you, and of your Lawes and judgement. And remember you are warned in your life time, and my conscience is cleared to you, and in the day of the Lord you shall witnesse me to be true, and this to be the word of the Lord to you, whether you will hear or forbear. Written to you by a friend of righteousnesse and true judgement from the Spirit of the Lord, as moved of him in love to all your soules, to go abroad among the heads and Rulers and Judges in Dublin and else where through the Nation of Ireland, from one who is called a Quaker by scorners whose name in the flesh is,

Edw: Burrough.

Written at Dublin the 23 of the 8 month, 1655.

And now O ye Heads and Rulers, happy had you been if you had taken the counsel of the Lord, and submitted to have obeyed his word, which came to you as moved of him, but in that you have neglectted, & have made Laws in your will, & exercised Lordship over the conscience, and have limited the Lord, and have purposed to be a terror to good, and strengthned the wicked▪ and have not regarded the will of God, but have persecuted and imprisoned the innocent, and judged after your own hearts; therefore according to the word of the Lord, your blood will be upon your own heads, for you have not taken warning, and I am clear thereof for ever.

[Page]

An Exhortation sent to the chiefe Commander and his Counsell, and the just cause of the Innocent laid at their door.

WE who are servants of the Lord of Hosts, who is the Protector of heaven and earth; we who stand in his fear, and knows his counsell, are moved of him who lives for ever, who is, I am, and there is none besides him; to clear our consciences, and our Lords truth, from the lies and slanders which are cast upon us, and the good way of the Lord, which envious Spirits who are proud and knows nothing, that cannot abide sound doctrine, doth reproach and slander us, and by false accusations lay things to our charge which we never knew; therefore we being innocent and clear cannot but deny and bear witnesse against all those proceedings, which is not according to the Law of righteousnesse and equity, and lay them at your door, whom it nearly concernes.

Unto thee Henry Cromwell, who is Commander in chiefe for the affaires of Ireland, and to thy Counsell we write. We have seen two severall Warrants under your hands, dated at Dublin, and in them both you say you have received information at your board, of great disorders, and disturbances of late in the County of Corke, and places adjacent, by Francis Howgill and Edward Burrough. This we say unto you, Your Informer hath declared an untruth at your board, and we desire that you may make it appear wherein we have made any disturbance, or disorder, all these things in your Warrents we denie, and doe charge you in the name of the God of justice to send for them that so informed you, that have so abused you, and are so bold and impudent, as to declare unto you any such thing, and so hath caused you to bring guilt upon your selves, in sending out your Warrants to bring the Innocent before your judgement seat, and caused us to be dragged a hundred miles from place to place, as malefactors, and as though we had done some criminall act, and when we have come before you, you had nothing to lay to our charge, but hath endeavoured to give sentence of [Page] banishment of us out of your Nation, who are free born English men, and have alwayes been faithfull and true to the Commonwealths interest from first to last, even untill now, neither have been burthen some to your Nation, nor transgressed any known Law of the Nation, and you have judged us before our accusers come, and herein you doe us great injustice, and you act contrary to the Law of equity, and that which you your selves in your own case would not allow; to that in all your consciences I speak. Oh that ever you should thus requite the Lord for his love and mercy, in breaking the yoak of the oppressor from off your necks, and now power is given into your hands to relieve the Innocent, and to set the oppressed free, to execute judgement and righteousnesse upon the transgressors, whom the Law is against: and this doth God require of you, that his will may be done, and your wills denyed, that so the Nation may be established in righteousnesse, and that your latter end may be better then your beginning; but if you goe on in the way you are beginning, and turne justice backward, and let equity fall in the streets, and not suffer judgement to enter, then misery will be your end.

Woe is me, for you have all forgotten the rock from whence you were hewn, and the deliverances of the Lord to you in the time of distresse, yea you have forgotten, and your hearts are lifted up, and by your policy think to establish your own wills, and to limit the holy one a way, and set up your standard by his, and trust in the arme of flesh; what is become of the liberty of tender consciences you have spoken of▪ and we have engaged with you to purchase? and is it ended in this? Oh horrible hypocrisie! that they who bear witnesse against all sin, and iniquity, and against all deceit, that they should now be made a prey of. And we charge all in the name of the living God, in Ireland to convince us of evill, or the transgression of any Law; and if it cannot be done, let none lay hold on us, to abridge us of our liberty, least you bring guilt upon your selves. And doe not take counsell at them▪ [...]or hold them up, who are hirelings, and in the steps of the false Prophets walks, and in the error of Balaam, who speaks for gifts and rewards, who in all [Page] generations resisted every appearance of God in his Saints; and now would make all bow to their Image, and they bend their tongues, and reports lies, and makes lies their refuge, the hand of the dreadfull God of Heaven and earth is against them, yea the Lord will thunder from Heaven against them, they shall be blown away in the whirle wind of Gods wrath, who have perverted the way of the Lord, because they stand not in the counsell of the Lord, but slatter you, as they have done the Princes in all generations, till all was laid wast together.

Woe is me for you, have you consulted, have you taken counsell together against the Lord, and his servants, whom he hath sent unto you, and doe ye thus requite the Lord already? Have you sent out your decree, to shut out and root out the seed of Jacob in a day, whom the Lord hath made choice of above all the families of the earth, surely your decree will be broken, and your cords will be but as a bulrush; for them whom you now set at nought is precious in the eyes of the Lord, and unto our God shall you bow and worship at his seet. Consider if there be any honesty left among you, what is become of all the persecutors of old? what became of the Bishops, and what became of that power that held them up, are they not all sunk as a stone into the Sea, and become a reproach? And will you tell of reformation, and yet act in the same footsteps? if you go on you are at the bank of destruction, and at the sides of the pit, and you will be made as a ruinous heap, and as desolate as mount Esau▪ which is a place for Dragons; was not persecution ever blind? would they ever own themselves to be such? for verily if you knew us, you would not have done so unto us. When Herod stretched out his hand to vex certaine of the Church, the next you hear of him he is eaten up of worms; the dread of the Lord of Hosts is upon all the proud, and lofty, and high oaks, and the wind of the Almighty shall blow them all down root and branch, and all your strength, in which you trust, if you take counsell at Aegypt, will become as a bowed wall, and as a rotten hedge; and God will make them that exalts themselves against him, as a dunghill, and as the Princes of Gog, of Mesek, and Tuball, which are all perished among the rest of the uncircumcised. [Page] Oh ye potsheards doe you think you can limit the Lord, will he be instructed by you? he that reproves him let him answer it▪ Can you command the wind that it blow not upon the earth? Can you stop the waves of the Sea, and say unto them be still? Can you stop the bottles of Heaven that it raine not? If you cannot, all be silent, and strive not to resist the Lord in his own work which he is bringing to passe in this his own day, he will confound the wisdome of the wise, and bring to nought the honourable of the earth, and make all as a plaine before him, who can withstand him? Oh ye potsheards feare and tremble before him, who is a consuming fire to all the ungodly, who is visiting the transgressours with vengeance dread and fury, and putting into their hands a cup of trembling, and making Jerusalem a burthen some stone, all that meddle with it shall be wearied, they shall faint and bow themselves, and sink under it, and be crushed as with a cart wheel to pieces, and their names shall rot from under heaven, and all shall know our God is the living God, yea the God of gods, yea there is none like him; and know this, no power you had of us except it had been from above, we were with you in the City of Dublin▪ near three months, some of us, and none laid hands on us, but the time was not come, and till the testimony of the Lord was near finished, which he sent us to doe, none could lay hands on us: and know this, though this be a time of temptation and tryall, yet it shall be for the furtherance of the Gospell of Christ; and though you think in your hearts by sending us out of your Nation that so all will cease, and deceit will stand without molestation; I tell you, nay, even the children who are yet in the womb shall be brought forth and bear witnesse against the deceit of this generation. And know this, there is a stump which is but little, which is bound about as with iron and brasse, and out of it shall spring fire that shall be kindled and flame to the torment of all them who worship the Beast and have received his mark, and to the tormenting of all the fals Prophets in the Nation, and it shall burne and none shall be able to quench it▪ many shall bear witnesse unto us, that we came not in our own names, but in the name of the living eternall God▪ who by his power hath accomplished [Page] his own work, for his own glory, and many shall blesse us in the name of the Lord; and all our opposers shall gnash their teeth, and gnaw their tongues for paine, for the torment that is coming upon them; all that have resisted the counsell of the most high God▪ and have gaine-sayed the Lord, they shall perish in their gaine-saying, and we are clear and free from the blood of all men in this Nation thus far, yea of every City Town and Village unto which we were moved to goe, and the blood of all the rest be upon those that have resisted us, and a good savour we are unto God in them that have believed in his name, of whom we have borne true witnesse unto, and in them that perish we are clear in the sight of God.

And oh thou City of Dublin, thou art as Moab at ease, and art lifted up in thy heart, and rejoycing in thy spoyle, and art making thy selfe merry in the abundance of thy delicacies; oh how full of prophanesse art thou? oh how full of pride and vaine glory, of deceit and unrighteousnesse, of lust and filth, lying and swearing, and full of bryars and thorns? a carelesse untoward people: Oh your abominations is loathsome to all the children of light, professing God in words, but in your lives and works denies him; oh that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belongs to thy peace, a crooked generation you are, the yoke must be laid upon your necks, will neither plague, famin, nor sword bring thee into subjection unto the Lord, will neither mercy nor judgement take place in your hearts; Oh how long shall the Lord bear with you? how long shall he spare you? his long suffering is near at an end, his patience is near out concerning you, and then woe woe to him that shall see the day which will come, the Lord will arise as a Lyon, and will rend and tear you, and his sword shall be bathed in the blood of his enemies, and he shall be wrath as in the valley of Acor, and as in the dayes of Gibea, and will bring ye down the mountaines, and levell you ye hills, and will make his name known in your overthrow, except ye repent, and they that are round about you, when they shall see calamity coming upon you, this shall be their Proverbe, This is the City and people that despised the counsell of the Lord, and contemned the instruction [Page] of the most high God, and provoked the Lord to wrath, till his patience was worne out, and his long-suffering came to an end, and therefore is this evill come upon them. Therefore gird your selves in sackcloath, and pour ashes upon your heads, houle and weep ye carelesse people, misery is coming upon you, the dreadfull God will visite with a scourge, and will make you know he is the Lord; blessed is he that hears, and considers, and repents, and turnes from his iniquity, before the decree be sealed against you, which will never be altered. This is the day of your visitation, and if you contemn it woe unto you for ever, and so we are clear in Gods sight of you all from the highest to the lowest, and your blood if you perish will the Lord require at your own hands, from this time forth and for evermore.

Dublin 24 of the 12 Month, 1655.

We are friends to all just power and are subject to the highest power for conscience sake, but witnes against all deceit, and unrighteousnes, and against all that holds the truth in unrighteousnes; who are prisoners of the Lord for the testimony of Christ, our consciences bearing us witnesse in the Holy Ghost,

Francis Howgill.

Edw: Burrough.

The unjust suffering of the just declared, and their appeal to the just witnesse of God in all mens consciences.

TO all ye Collonels, and Commanders, and Officers, and to all the honest hearted in the City of Dublin, and else where, to whom this may come. Hereby we the prisoners of the Lord for the testimony of Jesus, and for the exercise of a [Page] pure conscience, doe lay down our cause before you, and to the light of Jesus Christ in all your consciences we appeal in this our cause of righteousness and innocency to be judged thereby; We are men fearing God, and working righteousnesse, and are friends to the Common-wealth of Israel, and are exalters of justice and true judgement in the earth, and are subject to all just power, and to every just ordinance of man for conscience sake, and have suffered the losse of all, and have borne part of the burden with you, that we might obtaine the freedome of the righteous seed, and the liberty of tender consciences, to serve the Lord in his own way, and we are well known to the Lord, though strangers to you, and are free men in the record of heaven, though now sufferers unjustly under your present authority, who hath taken the place of exercising Lordship over our pure consciences, and hath imprisoned us, and endeavoured to give judgement of banishing us, onely upon false accusations and informations, and slanders, without the proofe or testimony of any accusation of evill justly laid to our charge. And to you hereby be it known, that not for evill doing doe we thus suffer, for to this present no man hath convinced us of any evill, nor justly proved the transgression of any Law (martiall or civill) against us, though we stand accused of many grievous things, of which we are clearly innocent in the sight of him that lives for ever, and doth nothing more desire herein but to be tryed by the Law of equity▪ and righteousnesse, and judged according thereunto. By vertue of command given unto us, by the eternall Spirit of the Lord came we into this Land of Ireland, contrary to the will of man, not to seek our selves, nor our own glory, nor to prejudice your Nation nor Government, nor to be hurtfull to your Common-wealth, but with the message of the Gospel of Christ Jesus we came to turn from darknes to light and from the power of Satan to the power of God, and to minister the word of reconciliation and salvation freely without a gift or a reward unto lost soules, and hereof God is our witnesse, and also we have the seals of our Ministry, which unto us herein can give testimony by the same Spirit, and this are we ready to seal with our blood: And these six months, and upward [Page] have we laboured in travells, and sufferings, and reproaches, and have passed through your Cities and Towns in sobernesse, and meeknesse, have we preached the kingdome of God, and have holden forth the word of truth, and the testimony of Jesus, and our lives have we not loved till this day, though sometimes dangers on every side hath beset us, that we might hold forth the faith of Jesus, the author of our profession, in the exercise of a pure conscience, both by doctrine and conversation, and herein we are justified in the sight of God, and who is he that condemns us? and doth call heaven and earth to record, and the light in all mens consciences who have heard our doctrine, or seen our conversation, to witnesse for us herein, and we challenge all you Nation of Ireland, our very enemies, to prove the contrary, though otherwise we stand falsly accused, and falsly reputed, to be disturbers, and makers of disorders, to the breach of publique peace, and such like grievous things upon the false information; whereof a Warrant was issued out from the chief Ruler and Counsell of Ireland, and we thereby was apprehended in the City of Corke, and haled by guards, as malefactors to, before the Counsell in this City, where none of all these false accusations was or could be proved against us, nor the transgression of any known Law could we be convicted of, and though occasions was sought against us, yet none could be found, and though snares was laid for our feet, yet were we not entrapped, but was cleared in the sight of God, witnessed by the light in all their consciences, and was found innocent and without reproofe in the eye of the Lord, and by our innocency was their orders of false accusations made of none effect, and we thus far proved to be guiltles before the throne of true judgment; yet notwithstanding contrary to the light in their own consciences, and contrary to the just Laws of the Nations (which afordeth freedome to the freeborn and righteous) were we committed to prison, without conviction or any guilt charged upon us, or the least appearance of evill towards any mans person, though falsly accused, yet nothing given true testimony of against us, whereby our boldnesse in the way of the Lord could be discouraged, as having the testimony of the Spirit of God [Page] bearing us witnesse in the Holy Ghost, that in all good conscience towards God and towards man we have lived unto this day, and so are without reproofe in the sight of God and all just men; and though upon search and examination we were found guiltles thus far, yet further hath the enemy the Devil prevailed in cruelty against the innocent, that it is endeavoured that we be banished, under the account of vagabonds, which last accusation is the most false and urighteous, for we challenge this, of whom have we begged? or to whom have we been burdensome? or whose bread have we eaten for nothing? or what evil have we done? where is the testimony of your slande [...]s? but innocently doe we suffer these things, bearing reproaches, and binding the cruelty done unto us as chaines about our our necks, and as crowns upon our heads, having the assurance that for well doing we suffer these things from the hands of the Rulers, through the lies and slanders of the teachers, who are in Cains way of persecution, till they have fulfilled their measure of wickednesse, and be laid wast as the wildernesse. And this is our cause, and hereby it comes before you, by the light of Christ in your consciences to be judged, if your hearts be not altogether hardned and your minds wholly blinded, and we lay it at the doore to receive sentence from you, and without respect of your persons, holds forth our guiltlesse cause before you, not begging any thing from you, but herein to clear our consciences, that you may save your selves from this untoward generation, whose root is corrupt, and fruit bitternesse, for while we have breath from the Lord and injoynment of his presence, our duty is to serve the Lord in bearing witnesse against injustice and all cruelty and oppression, and shall appeal to receive justice from the present power which now rules; for in the name of the Lord we challenge our priviledge of freedome as being freeborn▪ till we be accused guilty by the just Law of equity, unto which we are subject for conscience sake, and not to any mans will, but by word and writing is bound by the Law of God to bear witnesse against the unjust proceedings herein of the Heads and Rulers of Dublin, and shall seale our witnesse against them, and against their unrighteous decrees sealed [Page] in their cruelty against the innocent with our blood, if thereunto we be called.

Dub. 26 of the 12 Month, 1655.

Francis Howgill.

Edw: Burrough.

A Challenge to the Priests of Dublin, to try their God, and their Ministry, and their worships.

WE the servants and faithfull witnesses of the most high God, called and chosen of him, and redeemed out of Nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, who are Ministers of the word of life, and reconciliation, and messengers of glad tidings, and salvation, unto captive and weary souls, our glorying is onely in the Lord, and not in our selves, who are by the world in scorne called Quakers, who are at this present in outward bonds for the testimony of Jesus Christ in Dublin, and who have been in the labour and travell of the Gospell of God, this six months and upwards, in this Nation of Ireland, according to the will of God ordained hereunto, and moved, and commanded by his eternall Spirit into this his work, for the Seeds sake which is not of this world, to the gathering of it into the fold of everlasting peace, and to the clearing of the Lord from the bloud of his enemies, that they may be left without excuse, by his powerfull word given unto us, and uttered by us (and herein we are a good savor to God, both in them that perish and in them that believe) and for this cause have we denyed our dearest and nearest Relations, and loves not our lives unto death, that our testimony we may finish which is committed to us of the Lord; and because of this are we labourers under many burdens, and travells in many afflictions, and sufferings, and are abundantly reproached, and our Lords truth of which [Page] we bear witnesse, greatly infamed, by many slandering, and back-biting tongues, especially by the Teachers, and professed Ministers, in the eares of their people and hearers, slandering us with being Jesuits, and deceivers, and seducers, and hereticks, and blasphemers, and witches, and such like; and we of those false accusations being clear, and our Lords truth, the testimony▪ which we hold wholly innocent, and are willing to be tryed, and proved, and made manifest to the Inhabitants of this City and Nation, in the sight of God.

This therefore am I moved to give forth; and hereby in the name of our living eternall God of heaven and earth, whom we serve, and worship, in that way which is called heresie, doe send it abroad as a Challenge to to all you Teachers, and pretended Ministers of what sort and forme soever, and to all you people whom it may really concerne, and especially to all you in the City of Dublin, and places elsewhere in Ireland, to whom this may come, that you meet us in the City of Dublin, at some publique place, at a conveniant time appointed by you, at which place and time if the Lord permit (by the permition of the Counsell of Ireland, whose prisoners we are) we shall you meet then there, to have a faire and sober dispute in the presence of all people, who may desire to be informed, or satisfied, concerning us and you, in these things whereof you can accuse us; and also of those things, by way of sober questions, which we have to propound to you, not for any end to our selves, not to set up a kingdome of our own (God is our witnesse) but that the way of our God may be made manifest, and all deceit, and errour discovered, and all people may be informed the way to salvation, and as you are true to your God, and will answer for him, and are willing to be made manifest in your way of worship, and doctrine, and Ministry, you are not to neglect, but hearing to answer our desires, and the desires of many hundreds, that you and we may be made manifest in the sight of God, to all mens consciences, who are in truth, and who are in errour, that shame and condemnation may come upon the guilty, and truth may be exalted over all deceit.

Given under our hands,

who are prisoners for the testimony [Page] of Jesus, whose names in the flesh are Francis Howgill and Edw: Burrough.

You are desired to send your Answer of these Propositions to us, and if you consent to meet us, let sufficient notice be given abroad, that the Inhabitants of the City and country may know five or six dayes time before.

Sent forth the 23 of the 12 Month, from the Sergeant at Armes his house in Dublin.

This was sent to the Priests of Dublin, but no answer to this day have we received from them; whereby it is manifest that they are not true to their God, nor willing to be tryed and made manifest, but loves darkenesse and hates the light, and back-bites in secret, and cannot give a witnesse openly but falls before the tryall, and truth reigns over them, and is exalted over their deceit.

A Discovery of the Idoll dumb Shepheards in that Nation, and a Lamentation over their starved and strayed flocks.

THe day of the Lord is approaching, and the day of account draws near upon you the Inhabitants of the earth, the time of your Covenant is expired made with death, and hell, and the Lord God will plead with you, and reckon with you, and give unto you a just reward, every one according to your deeds, even the condition of your Bond.

Ye Shepheards, and Pastors of the flock, and Teachers of the people, what account will ye render to the Lord in the day of his appearing? Should you not have gathered the flock, and fed them, and taught them in the way of righteousnes, & preserved them from straying abroad, but instead thereof you have scattered them upon the barren mountaines, and have starved them, and have strayed them, and led them into by [Page] paths of idolatry, and made a prey upon them, and have fed your selves of them, and the heritage of the Lord hath been wasted by you, and the pastures of the fold eaten up by Wolves, and devourers, and Lyons whelps, which made the flock afraid, driven them into secret corners of darknesse, leannesse, and poverty, where they are dead for want of food.

O ye Shepheards your account will be wofull, and miserable, in the dreadfull day which is hastning upon you; not one lamb have you brought forth to perfection, to lie down in peace in the fold, but have nourisht it into the nature of a dog; and a wolfe, and you have fed them with swines flesh, and with the husk, and milk they have not received from you, thereby to grow up unto God in his Image; and not one fleece hath the Lord gathered from all your flock, you Teachers, Shepheards, and Pastors, your debt of wickednesse is a grosse sum of great abomination in the Record of account, you have taught innocent children into subtle hypocrisie, out of uprightnesse into guile, you have taught lies instead of truth, and thereby hath the people been instructed into error, sects, and false opinions, and not one child have you taught perfect in the way of the Lord, neither one of your hearers have you presented perfect in Christ Jesus unto the Father, but for gifts and rewards have you taken the charge of the learners, and not one hath come to the knowledge of the truth by you under your teaching, for you have been a cursed example, in pride, in coveteousnesse, in oppression, and in hypocrisie, and how could you teach children in the way of purity when your selves have walked in the way of Idolatry, the language of Babylon have you instructed the people, and not one verse have they learned in Sions Record, you have nurtured them in the nature of whoredome, and their virginity have they lost.

What will ye doe ye Shepheards, and Teachers, the Arrest of judgement from the Court of equity is come forth against you, and sealed never to be changed; whether will you fly to hide you? Gods judgements will pursue you, and your reward will be indignation and vengeance, and your charge will be the devouring and murder of soules, and the flock will be required [Page] of you, and every Lamb, which carelesly you have starved, the blood thereof will be put upon your account, and every child you have taught in the way of iniquity, the iniquity thereof will be laid to your charge.

O dolefull reckoning! when the Lord appears, a grievous sum are you guilty which you are never able to pay, and just he is that calleth you to account, and the truth of his Bill will be sealed with the light in your own consciences, which is the Lords witnesse, which hath been privy to all your abominations, one year after another have you been spared, and interest upon interest will be put upon your score, not one day of faithfull service and true watching over the flock can you give testimony of, but idle Shepheards have you been, and slumbring watchmen have you proved, and the whole flock hath been devoured, and scattered, and not one lamb is found in the fold, nor one strayed sheep brought home from wandring, but the fences of the fold is laid wast, and the door is shut up, and bolted against him that would enter▪ and you have removed the pastures out of the pleasant valleys, into the desolate, and wild, and untilled mountaines▪ where every wilde beast playeth, and every desolate bird inhabiteth.

What will you plead for your selves? Oh ye deceitfull Hirelings, who have run and was not sent, by whom the people is not profited at all: But you leaders of the people have caused them to erre in unknown paths, and you have taken the charge of that you were not able to performe, you have wasted the Masters goods, and his children have not been taught the way of holinesse; you have spent his portion among Harlots, and have given your Lords mony to abominable uses, nothing is gathered of your vines, but wilde grapes, and sowre grapes, which the Lords soule loatheth, no figs of your thorns hath been reaped, but your best fruit hath been of a loathsome tast, the most innocent among you hath been found guilty of innocent blood of soules.

Woe is me for you ye flocks of these Shepheards folds, alas, alas, your soules are starved, and your feet are strayed, and into by paths of whoredomes have you been instructed, and the [Page] door of the true Shepheards fold hath been shut against you, and the key of true knowledge hath been hid out of your sight, and obscurity and darknesse hath been cast before you, and the way of the Lord hath been undiscovered to your understanding, and into secret and subtle Idolatry and witchcraft have you been nurtured, and your wound hath been healed falsly, and it will break out into more incurable dangers. O how have you been driven away into strange pastures, and into barren heaths, and desarts, scattered loe here, and loe there, by the voyces of strangers, now when the Lord is come to search you, instead of lambs you are found in the nature of wolves, and dogs, and Lyons, biting and devouring, and scorning and reproaching the children of the true seed, and instead of children of light and truth, are you found strong men of darknesse and errour; how is your nature changed since the first creation in the innocent Image of God, strayed have you been, and not one brought home by your Shepheards into the fold of truth, you have been a prey to devourers, and meat for the wild beasts of the desolate forrests, and a strong language have you learned of the Egyptians character, and your delight hath been therein, even you have loved to have these things so, and like Shepheards like sheepe strayers and strayed, devourers and being devoured; what account will you give in the day of the Lord? for your sin is written with a pen of Iron, sealed in your foreheads, children of the womb of wickednesse, a grosse sum of abomination is put upon your account, even lovers of darknesse, and haters of the light, how many times have you been called by the true Shepheards voyce, and you neglect and will not be gathered? how many good instructions have you heard? and what profit have you received? much teaching and many Sermons have you heard, and yet to this day the way of truth have you not learned, but are groping in the dark in blindnesse and ignorance, and you blind have been led by the blind, and the mouth of the ditch is opened to swallow you uptogether, and you have refused knowledge and cannot endure to be reproved, you love to stray rather then to be gathered, and you delight in leannesse and poverty upon the barren mountaines rather then to be fed in the [Page] fat pastures of true food. Shall not the Lords soule be avenged upon you? Ye Shepheads and flocks, ye Teachers and people, your debt is summed into a large sum of grievous abomination, the Indictment of vengeance is read, and sealing against you, proved to be just in the Register of heaven, everlasting prison in the pit of darknesse, and everlasting Banishment from the presence of the Lord is signing against you, in the eternall Law and righteous decree; the light of the Lord Jesus Christ which shines in all your consciences will arise to be the evidence of this just proceeding. God is grieved with you, you spirituall Idolaters. Repent, Repent ye Idoll Shepheards, and deceitfull Teachers, and ye scattered flock, and deceived people; This is the day of your visitation, and a warning in your eares, the sword of the Lord is drawn against you, and the whirle-wind of his wrath is gone forth, your builded wall shall fall, and the pillars of your habitation shall be shaken. God will gather his flock out of your mouths, and feed them in his own fold, and your nakednes shall appear, and your deceits shall be laid open, and your secret whoredoms shall be discovered, your beginning was in darknes, and your time is out of the light, and your end will be in destruction, now you have all time prize it.

Writ in Corke City in I [...]eland as moved of the Lord concerning the Shepheards and flock, the Teachers and people in that Nation.

From him who is a lover of all your soules, but a witnesse against all your deceits▪ E. E.

An Invitation to all the poor desolate Souldiers to repent and make their peace with the Lord, and their duty shewed them what the Lord requires of them.

TO all you poor desolate Souldiers of the lowest rank, who are scattered up & down in this desolate Land of Ireland, & lives a carelesse and a desolate life, without the fear of the Lord, in lying, in swearing, in drunkennesse, in whoredome, in oppression, [Page] and in the wickednesse of the world, and are past feeling and senslesse of the operation and power of God, carelesse of your eternall happinesse: The dreadfull day of the Lord God is coming, in power the Lord is risen, and the wrath of the Lord is gone forth, with the strength of indignation and sury will you be besieged, and fearfulnesse shall surprize you. Repent of your transgressions, and fear and tremble before the presence of the living God, who is commander in chiefe over heaven and earth; prize your soules, this is the day of your visitation, and make your peace with the Lord; the righteous Judge the Lord seeth you in your darknesse, and searcheth you in your desolate obscurity, and the soule is pressed under your iniquities, and he hath not disrespected any of your persons or desolate places, but God is light and hath lightned every one of you with the true light of life eternall, if you love it and be guided by it or of death everlasting if you hate it and disobey it, and walk contrary to it; that is the light which convinceth you of sin, of lying, and swearing, and cursed speakings, and drunkennesse, which are the fruits of the cursed tree, which cumbers the ground of the Lord, which the axe is now laid to the root of, to cut it down and cast it into everlasting burning; and while you act against this light in your consciences, you crucifie the life of Christ Jesus, and are enemies unto him, and servants of the Devill, and loves your evill deeds, and upholders of the Devills conquest, which is the dominion of sin; this light reproves you in secret of violence, and false accusing, and all unjust words and actions which are contrary to God, so turne your minds to the light, which will lead you to repentance, from dead works, out of the broad way of destruction, which many are in (as Christ Jesus saith) and it will teach you in your places to serve the living God and to doe violence to no man, but to be terrour, and reprovers, and correctors of all violence, and of such who lives in it; and it will teach you not to strengthen the hands of evill doers, but to lay your sword in justice upon every one that doth evill, and it will teach you not to make war but to preserve peace in the earth; and this is your place and duty required of you from [Page] the Lord God commander in chiefe, unto whom you must all give an account, and receive a just reward according to your deeds, everlasting punishment to him that doth evill; but if you stand in the fear of the Lord, your sword will be a terrour and dread to them that fear him not but lives contrary to the light in their own consciences, which light if you love it is your command to march by, and your rule to judge by, and weapon to fight withall, and your chiefe commission for duty. And now you have all time take heed to your selves, goe not on in your course of evill, nor take not your pleasure in unrighteousnesse, but to the light in your conscience take heed, it is your teacher to God if you love it, or your condemnation from God if you hate it; And this is your termes with the Lord, prize the acceptance of his love to your soules, and the day of your visitation, least you perish in your rebellion eternally. Written in love to your soules,

Written in Ireland at Caterlough.

E. B.

A Warning from the Lord to the Natives of that Nation of Ireland, who are made a curse, and a prey to be destroyed of your enemies.

REpent, Repent, ye that remaine from being devoured, whose dayes are yet stretched forth, that you may return to the Lord, from whom you are grievously degenerated into filthinesse, and uncleanesse, being a cursed brood, and are become unhuman in your impudent shamelesse, practices of ungodlines, and are brazened in your filthinesse, and cannot blush when you have done evill, the plagues of God, and his wrath waites to consume you from off the face of the earth, you are shut up in blindnes and covered with darknesse which may be felt, and you are as deafe Adders, voyd of understanding, and past feeling, and given up to work all unrighteousnes with delight, counting it your glory to work wickednes, having sold your selves to commit sin, you have wholly slaine Gods witnes, and are become wild and bruitish as the beasts of the field, and untamed as savage Colts, the indignation of God is against [Page] you, who are as dead trees and withered branches, and scorched heaths, not sensible of good nor evill, but as wild Asses, who neither fears God nor regards man; to the light in your consciences, wherewith Christ hath lightned you, doe I now speak; Gods murdered witnes shall answer me, by which you are inexcusable, for with the light you know lying, swearing, stealing, murder, drunkennes, and whoredom, are sins and transgressions; the light will let you see these abounds among you, by which you are reproved, and eternally to be condemned if you do not repent of these your grievous abominations: And if you love the light and turne to it, it will lead you out of sin, and out of your vaine foolish traditions, and imitations, and sorceries, and witchcrafts, which deceives your soules; and this light in your consciences will change you into sobernes, and humanity, and will lead you into the way of life and salvation, out of the way of death and hell▪ wherein you walk, to eternal misery. Therefore prize your soules, and the dreadfull God fear, and tremble before him ye prophane wretches, and cease from your filthy, nasty, poluted ways of Idolatry, lying, swearing, stealing, drunkennesse, and such like, God forbids with the light in your consciences, and he that doth these things shall eternally perish in condemnation for ever. And this to you is a warning, in pitty to your lost souls, whose hearts are desperately wicked, and set to doe mischiefe; the vengeance of God is against you, the light in your consciences shall witnes me, and justifie the Lord, in the day of recompence, when every man receives according to his deeds, the righteous unto life, the wicked unto eternall wrath. Now you have time, prize it; the light is your teacher loving it, and your condemnation for ever hating it.

Edw: Burrough.

FINIS.

Information about this book

Title statement

The visitation of the rebellious nation of Ireland. And a warning from the Lord proclaimed, to all the inhabitants thereof, to make their peace with him before hislong [sic] suffering come to an end. With a lamentation over its unfruitfulnes and rebellion after so many visitations. And an exhortation to all the honest hearted, to meet the Lord by repentance, while the patience of the Lord continues. Or the sealing of the Lords testimony unto all sorts of people in that land, by his servants, after their several months sore labours, and travells, and sufferings therein, who loved not their lives for the seeds sake. Also some particular papers, written in that nation, to severall sorts of people. I. A warning, to the heads, and rulers, and people of Dublin. ... VII. An invitation to all the poor desolate souldiers, to repent, and make their peace with the Lord, and their duty shewed them, what the Lord requires of them. By them who are sufferers, for the seeds sake; waiting for the building of distressed Sion: F.H. E.B.

Howgill, Francis, 1618-1669.

Edition statement

1656

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2009-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A86654

ID [STC]

Wing H3188

ID [STC]

Thomason E880_6

ID [STC]

ESTC R202550

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99862791

ID [PROQUEST]

99862791

ID [VID]

114967

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Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A86654)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 114967)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 132:E880[6])

Source

— The visitation of the rebellious nation of Ireland. And a warning from the Lord proclaimed, to all the inhabitants thereof, to make their peace with him before hislong [sic] suffering come to an end. With a lamentation over its unfruitfulnes and rebellion after so many visitations. And an exhortation to all the honest hearted, to meet the Lord by repentance, while the patience of the Lord continues. Or the sealing of the Lords testimony unto all sorts of people in that land, by his servants, after their several months sore labours, and travells, and sufferings therein, who loved not their lives for the seeds sake. Also some particular papers, written in that nation, to severall sorts of people. I. A warning, to the heads, and rulers, and people of Dublin. ... VII. An invitation to all the poor desolate souldiers, to repent, and make their peace with the Lord, and their duty shewed them, what the Lord requires of them. By them who are sufferers, for the seeds sake; waiting for the building of distressed Sion: F.H. E.B., Howgill, Francis, 1618-1669., Burrough, Edward, 1634-1662..

Extent

[2], 38 p.

printed for Giles Calvert at the west end of Pauls.,. London :: 1656.. (Consists of several items signed by Francis Howgill and Edward Burrough.) (Annotation on Thomason copy: "may 23".) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.)

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