WO, wo, saith the Lord to the Inhabitants of the Earth, that live wantonly and proud­ly upon the earth, which oppresseth the in­nocent, and murders the just; that say, Who is the Lord? and to the Almighty, Depart, we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes; we wil not have this man Christ, the light which enlightneth every man that cometh into the world, to reign over us, to rule in us, to be the only true Teacher unto us, by him to be governed and convinced of all sin, and to be re­proved for all our evil deeds of darkness; for if him we receive, then all our gain of unrighteousness will be lost; all our pomp and glories of this world must be denyed; all our evil vain thoughts; all our formal Profession without the life, out of the possession, by this light wil be condemned; and all our forms without the power, by it, and by the children of it are denyed; and if this be received, all sin and iniquity must be denied while we are here in this life.

And we have been taught by our Teachers and Priests, That while we are here we cannot be freed from sin; and that none can be without sin while they are in this life; and that freedom from our sins should be in another world; and them we have be­lieved, and this for truth we have received. And for the light of Christ that shews sin and leads out of sin, which was in the be­ginning; [Page 2] we confess Scriptures speaks of such a thing, and there is something in our consciences tells us it is truth; we should not serve sin and the Devil here in this life; and we are condemned often by it when we do evil, though no eye of man sees us; and this is the Witness of God in our consciences, and the Witness is true, but it's a cross to our Wills and Lusts. And our Priests and learned men they must needs know, and they have taught us otherwise, That we cannot be free here; and we see they are as we, and do the same things that we do, and we hope we shall do as well as they. And further, we see that the Rulers and great ones but very few of them receive this Testimony, nor own this Light of Christ to be ruled by it; and if we receive it, and be ordered by it, then we must deny all ungodliness and vvordly lusts, all our pride and oppression, all our vain words, and light idle communication, jesting and foolish talking, ly­ing, and double-dealing. &c.

And this is a great cross to our own wills, and we shall be a cross to the will of man, and the povvers of the Earth, and the Priests of the Nation vvill frown upon us. Yea, further, it tells us, we may not think our own thoughts, nor speak our own words; but a watch must be kept over all. And that tells us, if we commit sin we are of the Devil; and that him to whom we yeild obedience, his servants we are; and that the Tree is known by its fruit; and that no unclean thing can enter into the kin­dom of God: and that if we be Christs, we must be new crea­tures; and that his blood cleanseth from all sin, we acknowledge this to be truth: But we have received another testimony of men, and most professors and people are of this judgement, that is, We cannot be free from sin here.

And with the Enemy to their eternal peace here many joine, and deny the pure Light of Christ within them, and refuseth its teachings and leadings out of all ungodliness and wordly lusts, to a holy and godly life and conversation in this present evil world, and to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works and workers of darkness, but to reprove them plainly: Here the vain world and carnal professors joynes together, and both conclude that this they cannot be nor do, and so exclude them­selves from its leadings, which would make them to be found [Page 3] meet to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light.

These say to the Almighty, Depart, depart, we desire not the knowledge of thy Law; these deny the grace of God which bringeth salvation; these deny the living way to the Father; these deny the power of God; these resist the Light in which the pow­er is placed, and he that resisteth this Power, resisteth the Ordi­nance of God: these deny the Lord that bought them, and such shall bring damnation upon themselves; for this is witnessed and testified, that there is no other way to salvation then that which was from the beginning, Christ the true Light, which en­lightneth every one that cometh into the world, and was given for a light of the Gentiles, the salvation of God unto the ends of the world, Isa. 4.9.6. Acts 13.47. (Mark) He was given for a light, he was, he is the true light; he was given for a Covenant, Isa. 42.6. All that have not him to be the true Light, have not the Covenant, are out of the Covenant, denies the door of en­trance to the Father; for none can come to the Father but by him.

And so all people be warned what you do; for where this cur­sed ground is standing, and darkness over the face of the earth, and the light denyed, there the cursed fruit is brought forth as hatred, pride, envie; wrath, emulation, strife, seditions, hypocrisie, heresies, &c. and all fruits of the flesh have a habitation in that kingdom where Pharaoh rules, which oppresses the Israel of God; there Judas dwelleth that betrayes the just; there is that envious generation harboured that cryes, Deliver to us the mur­dererer, and crucifie the light, the Son of God.

Therefore all people, I warn you all betimes, consider what you do that deny the light of Christ, and [...]y it to be ordered, and calls it natural; it matters not what you profess or talk of in words; all your Religion and Profession is but vain, your vain words will not save you, no more then it did the generati­on which you may read of, who said to Christ, we have eat and drunk in thy presence, and preached of thee in the Streets, and in thy Name done great things, which went far; yet said Christ to them, Depart ye workers of Iniquity, I never knew you, Matt. 7.22.23.

[Page 4]And here you are all that hate the light, and denyes the tea­ching of it, and hates the Messengers and Messengers of it, who are sent to you of the Lord to bear vvitness of the true Light vvhich enlightneth every man that cometh into the vvorld, to them many of you say, Depart out of our Coasts, our Cities, and Towns, we desire not the knowledge of this vvay; and some of them you stock, whip, and imprison, by the which you are made manifest of what generation you are: And this I declare from the Lord unto you all whatever you be, high or low, rich or poor, vvho are Enemies in your minds to the light of Christ, and the vvitnesses of it, and refuse by it to be ordered in all your whole lives and conversations, to the glory of our God: There vvil a day come upon you in the which he shall say, Depart, de­part from me and mine, ye vvorkers of Iniquity, I knovv you not; and then a sad lamentation of hovvling and bitterness wil be upon you, and vvo and misery shall be your portion for e­ver.

Therefore novv vvhile you have time, prize it; now is the day of your visitation, and many large declarations hath been of late sent forth amongst you in this Nation, by which you shall be left without excuse, for his sound is gone forth through­out the earth, have ye not all heard? and have not many been convinced by the Light, and that your Teacher is nigh you, and the vvitness for God is within you, and by it you have been of­ten judged and condemned for your evil deeds and hard spee­ches, done and spoken maliciously against the innocent servants of the Lord: But how few among you have received and be­lieved the vvitnesses for God, and have felt the strong Arm of the Lord in power to pluck you as brands out of the Fire.

Are ye not yet for the greatest part both Priests, Professors, & people, under all your names and titles whatever called, oppo­sing and resisting the spirit of the living God when it moves in you, and strives with you, or speaks in any sent of the Lord un­to you, for the eternal good of your poor souls, which is of more vvorth then all the vvorld, even as your fathers have done so do ye, and therein have declared your selves enemies to God and his Ministers, and judged your selves unworthy of eternal life.

[Page 5]Oh Nation! oh people! repent, repent betimes, and break off from the evil of all your vvayes and doings, that have been acted against the Lord, his vvitness within you, and his servants sent amongst you, and if you will return, return indeed to the Lord, and forsake all thy abominations by which the seed of God hath long been oppressed, and groans and cryes for deli­verance from under Pharoahs cruel bondage, the cryes of the which seed the Lord hath heard, and hath brought forth at this day in thousands of his tender Lambs, who are redeemed from off the earth, to praise and glorifie his holy Name for evermore, who stand living Witnesses for the living God of power this day, in this and many other Nations, who have not loved their lives, but given them to death for the testimony of Jesus, who hath purchased them to be to himself a peculiar people, out of Kindreds, Tongues and Nations.

And many more hath our God, with his eternal Love, look­ed upon, and his living pure light shined into, who stand single in their souls, and in the light of Christ do wait for the pure living manifestation of the whole counsel and revelation of the will of God in every thing what he vvil have them to do and suffer for his Names sake, who through Grace received, do witness, and in the light of Christ do see, and testifie against the vvorld its vvickedness, its vvayes, vvords, vvorships, vvorks, customs, fashions, and ungodly conversations, and abominable uncleannesses thereof, and dare not have any fellowship with the unfruitful vvorks or vvorkers of darkness, but as moved of the Lord are made to reprove them plainly: Praises, praises be to our God for evermore.

And now all people in love to your souls, which is more vvorth then all the vvorld, do I speak, and do you warn and beseech, to come off and forsake all your false Teachers and Hirelings, who vvalk not in nor by the Light of Christ, but are in Cains way, and Korahs vvay, and Balaams vvay, who deny to be or­dered and guided by the Light of Christ in their own particular, and are Enemies to those that vvalk in it, that vvil not receive it themselves, nor enter the Kingdom of Heaven themselves, nor suffer others to enter.

[Page 6]I say once more, Come off, come away from off all those hard Mountains of leanness, where no pure Waters are, and come down to the true teacher, Christ the Light, which is nigh you all, in you all, which if you hear & obey, vvil lead you into the good Land, the fruitful Land, where fresh Springs are alwaies open, where no want or barrenness is; it is to him I exhort you all to come, which will tell you truly all that ever you have done, that ever you have been, and let you see your secret sins, and con­vince you of them, and bring you to condemnation for them, and purifie and cleanse you from them; and to all you that abide in him, and look for him, he shall appear the second time with­out sin, unto salvation: But for all you who will not own him here before men, he shall you deny before his Father, which is in Heaven: And so while you have time prise it, before that hour come upon you, in which time shall be no more, and then repentance shall be hid from your eyes, and the day of your vi­sitation be over-past: Now is your day, prise it, and receive the counsel of your friend, called

O Kent! Kent! hear the Word of the Lord unto thee: Thou art full, thou art full; thou art increased in Goods; thou art waxed wanton before me, saith the Lord: thou hast kicked with the heel; thou hast given me the back, but the face thou hast turned away: thy iniquities are many; the sins of Sod [...]m are found in thee, pride, idleness, and fulness of bread; but the cry of the needy in thee is not heard; thou hast broken the Co­venants and solemn Promises made unto me in the day of thy calamity and sore troubles, when the Sword was within thy borders, and Wars within thy Gates. Thou wast less indeed in the fire, in the fornace, then many other Shires and Counties; not so much blood was shed in thee; not so much plunder and burnings done in thee; but thou hast forgotten the hand by which thou wast smitten, and hast not minded him whose Arm was stretched over thee to save, even me saith the Lord thou hast forgotten and forsaken, who delivered thee for my own Names sake, who hath now given thee peace, and sent thee plen­ty in thy dwellings; and thou hast taken my Corn and my Cat­tel in excess to gluttony; my Wine and my Drink to drunken­ness; my Wool and my Flax to satisfie thy lusts, thy pride and lasciviousness, worse then the Heathen; & herein thou hast exceeded many other Counties and Shires, even as thou hast excee­ded them in my mercies: And these are thy Fruits, with many o­ther abominations committed in thee O Kent, and yet thou drawest near to me with thy lips, as a people use to do, and thou hast gotten many in thee that make a profession, and talk of me in words, saith the Lord, and they have gotten them several forms and likeness of me, and my worship, and my truth, e­ven as they imagine in their carnal minds and fallen wisdom; and so they cry, Lo here, lo there is Christ: Babel, confused in their Languages, rejecting the Corner-Stone, and builds not upon the Rock of Ages, against which the powers of hell and [Page 8] death shall not prevail: My people perish for want of know­ledge, saith the Lord; they feed on Wind, they eat on that which dyes of it self; they know not the day of my power, and feel not my power; but saith the Lord, O professors, where is the power? for my Kingdom stands not in words, for then you might all have it; it is easie to get words, you have all words, but it stands in power; and now saith the Lord, I will see the power of you all, for mine is the Kingdom and the Power, and my people are a willing people in the day of my power, and they are led by my fpirit and power; and my Worship is in the spirit and in the truth; my truth is but one in all, my spirit, my light, my truth leads into oneness singleness, pureness, one heart, one soul, one faith, one Lord, one baptism; my Spirit, my Truth, my Son makes free indeed sits a top of all the world, over the world, all its pollutions, all its glories, profits, pleasures, vani­ties; my spirit helpeth infirmities, and leads into all truth, into nothing but truth; reproves the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement; the life of my spirit consisteth not in words, in visible carnal perishing things, its not meat, nor drink, but righ­teousness, and peace, and joy within, that is it which helps with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered.

And now all professors and people, with the light of Christ, the Candle of the Lord, let all your hearts be searched, and the secret thoughts and imaginations be brought to light; for that will, and shall make you all manifest what you are, and where your power is, and with what you worship me, saith the Lord; for now all vails and coverings shall be pulled off from all your faces, and wo to those that are covered with a covering, but not with my spirit saith the Lord And wo to all you professors and people that say you know me, and worship me, and yet by your works deny me, saith the Lord, striving who shall be grea­test among you, and in your hearts and habits out of my fear, and in the vanities, lusts, profits, pleasures, honors, places, and worldly preferments, seeking to establish your selves & posteritie in the midst of the earth, & build & make great your own houses, but the house of God lyeth wast, not minding the poor and nee­dy within you, nor those honest simple hearted ones who were ever found faithful to that cause and trust committed unto them [Page 9] vvith you, who freely left all, ventured all, Estates, Wives, Children, yea, and their own lives in the high places of the field, for no other end, but that they might enjoy free, true, pure li­bertie to worship me, saith the Lord, in purity, as I have promi­sed to reveal and make known unto them by my spirit of truth, without traditions or inventions of carnal man, and for the pre­serving and restoring that just and good Laws of God written in his, To do unto others as they would be done unto, upon which all the Laws of man should be grounded, & not the wills of men established for a Law.

But they see and feel by sad experience otherwise; for now many of them are thrown into Holes and Prisons in many pla­ces in this Nation, and some in this County, because they can­not submit unto the wills, and traditions, and inventions of fal­len man; and now all manner of profaneness, as Drunkards, Swearers, Riotous, &c. find more favor of many, or most of the povvers of this Nation, then my poor innocent harmless Saints (saith the Lord) who fear me, and tremble at my word, and many of them beaten, reproached, and shamefully abused by this filthy, ungodly, prophane generation, and some Magi­strates so called, have justified their beastly actions, by their be­holding of them who did it without reproof; yea, and in thee O Kent some violence (prisonning and whipping) hath been acted against them for their true and faithful obedience unto me in what I commanded them; and still the actions of violence and oppression are done upon some of them, who cannot in their consciences submit to the will of unjust and unreasonable men who fear not me.

And you oh professors in the County, who are intrusted with Power and Authority, have you not seen and known these things, and yet kept silence; to my Witness within you do I speak, which vvill not lye; you have not remembred the af­flictions of my innocent Josephs; and now saith the Lord, I will arise and plead their cause my self, in truth, in righteousness, and in judgement, and I will support them with my strength to suffer and bear patiently, and vvill clear up their innnocency, and they shall give me the glory; but shame and confusion shall hasten upon the top of mine and their Enemies for ever.

[Page 10]And as in this vvhole Nation, so these iniquities are found in thee O Kent, which is none of thy least abominations in my sight, saith the Lord; The Heads in thee judge for rewards, and the Priests in thee teach for hire, and thy Prophets prophesie for money, and yet thou vvilt lean upon me, saith the Lord; and thou hast given me many vvords and promises of reforming these things, saith the Lord; but thou art deceitful; and thou hast engaged and vowed in my presence against them, and all o­ther Popish Innovations, but thou hast not kept them, and as yet I have nothing but thy back, I have not thy face; and yet thou talkest of me, and saist, Is not the Lord amongst us? though all these abominations are found in thee: But for these things, as with the Nations, so will I plead with thee oh Kent, and ex­cept thou repent and turn unto me saith the Lord, and forsake these thy abominable things in my sight, ye professors, Priests, and people, I will come upon thee on a day before thou art a­ware, and will reward thee double for all thy iniquities, saith the Lord; and as thou hast drunk deep of the Cup of thy Fornica­tion, so thou shalt drink deep of the Cup of my Indignation; and if these things thou departest not from, and turn unto me with all thy heart, oh people unworthy to be beloved; if thou wast as Zion, for these things thou shouldst be plowed as a field; and as Jerusalem, thou shalt be laid on heaps; and though the Mountains of thy House be as the High Places, yet thou shalt be laid as a Forrest before me saith the Lord.

But if thou wilt repent and turn unto me saith the Lord, unfeignedly with all thy heart, and hear and obey the voice of my servants and Ministers which I have sent unto thee, and now of late raised up in thee gifted with my own spirit, in the light of my own Son, who is the true light which enlightneth e­ry man that cometh into the world; and turn away from all thy false Hirelings and Teachers, which run and I never sent them, and have not received their vvords from my mouth, who pro­fit not the people at all, but declare their own dreams, and tell of visions and imaginations of their own hearts, which I never spake to them, which reaches not my Witness, and burdens my seed; which seed cryes for the bread of life, living bread, living water from my living Fountain of light and life.

[Page 11]Then, oh then shal it go wel with thee oh Nation! oh Coun­ty! oh people! saith the Lord; and I will be your Teacher, I will be your Pastor, your Father, and you shall be my children; and I will be with you, and bless and multiply you, and you shall know your Teacher in the midst of you, and your Bread and Waters shal never fail you, no want in your dwellings, and peace shall flow in as a River, and plenty as a Flood unto you; and I will be a Wall about you, and for good will watch over you; and I will bring forth my living Witnesses in you, which shall declare and make known my everlasting Gospel with life and power unto you, and shall freely and boldly declare it in the midst of you, who shall not flatter nor spare mine Enemies a­mong you, who shall not seek themselves, but my glory and Name to be exalted in the midst of you; who shall not preach for hire, nor seek gain from any quarter of you, but shal preach the Gospel, and live of the Gospel with you; and I will be with them, to preserve and keep them as the apple of mine eye in the midst of you. And you Powers, touch not mine anointed, nor do my Prophets no harm, I warn and charge you saith the Lord; for vengeance is mine, & I wil repay it unto you. And you O people, prise the Lords love now tendred unto you, and know this day of your visitation before it be hid from you, and that day of his fierce wrath over take you, in the which you will say, We have no pleasure in it; and then you shall remember that you were warned in your life time by him who is a lover of all your souls, and known unto many of you by the Name of

AND thou City of Canterbury, and Town of Maidstone, to you the Inhabitants and people thereof are these lines gi­ven forth and vvritten: You are great, and greatly encreased in riches and strength of this World, and you set as Ladyes and Queens in the County, and in your hearts (as your actions de­clare) say you have need of nothing; but vvith the light of Christ you might see, and are seen, that you are poor, miserable, blind and naked; you have gotten names and distinctions of Wor­ships, and in vvords vvith your tongues spoken, you say (every party of you) vve vvorship the true God; and so that which is but one, and vvithout seam or division, you would rent and di­vide among you, and in your sensual and fallen vvisdoms you vvould imagine a vvorship to me, and according to the number of your Tribes so you make you Gods to vvorship: Oh foolish people! saith the Lord God, and will not come down to my Witness, my Spirit of Truth, the Light, my Son, with vvhom I am vvel pleased, and with all those who have learned of him to vvorship me in the Spirit and the Truth; and so you not recei­ving him and his vvitness within you, know not me, nor cannot come to me; for no man knovveth me but him to whom my Son (the true light, vvhich enlightneth every one that cometh into the vvorld) draweth and revealeth, Matth. 11. 27. And not re­ceiving him, nor feeling him within to guide, you have gotten a Profession, but vvant the possession; and forms you have, but vvant the povver; the Saints vvords and practises to talk of you have gotten, and imitations you have gotten, but vvant the life vvhich they vvere in, and feel not the life that they felt, vvho in the life had dominion over their vvills, their lusts, their pride, their passion, their envie, their hatred, strife and debate, wrath­fulness, maliciousness, idle vvords, idle talking, and vain jesting, vvhispering and backiting, they vvere in the life, and vvitnes­sed [Page 12] redemption from the vvorld and its vain conversations, pro­fits, pleasures, vanities, lusts pollutions, fashions, words, wayes, worships, and empty traditions, and beggarly Elements and Rudiments, that perish in the using: They vvitnessed the life, that grace that taught them to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and that led them to live soberly, holy in all manner of conversation in this present evil World.

Now then try your selves you professors in these Tovvns, all of you, see if this life you vvitness, and by it set over the vvorld and your lusts, otherwise all your professions are vain; and to the light in all your consciences come down, that wil let you see where you are, and vvitness for God against you all, that you are far from the life and povver of God, and not like the Saints that gave forth Scriptures; and so vvith the light of Christ you are seen, and by the children of Light denied.

And you who call your selves Independents in these Towns, you are become many of you more proud, and vain, and light in your Attires, and more envious and malicious in your pra­ctises against the children of light then that people of the Nation and Towns that you say you are seperated from; and though you talk of Liberty, & Freedom, and Church Priviledges as you call them; and though you once cryed out against your forefathers, the Bishops and Presbyters, when you were servants and in bon­dage under them, yet now your selves being become Masters, your hands are as heavie as their loyns, and that many of the servants of the Lord have felt in this Nation, and some in this County in your Towns.

And though you are as Sisters together, as Samaria the elder, & Sodom the yonger, yet thou art become worse then thy elder Si­ster Samaria, and art become more brutish and beastly then ma­ny of the Heathen; thou art grown haughty and high minded, r [...]sting truth with impudencie, refusing to hear the counsel of th [...] Lord from the mouth of his Messengers, which would deal pl [...]nly and faithfully with thee, and shew thee all thy abomina­tions; but thou must have them to teach thee that will speak pleasing things unto thee, and daub thee with untempered mor­ter, and healthy wounds slightly, and lay Pillows under thee that thou mayestly down softly; but wo to you that live at ease, [Page 5] you careless Daughters that are at ease, and to you Pastors that are at ease, and thou O Babylon that art at ease, thy Inhabitants will I disquiet saith the Lord, Moah hath been at ease from his youth; wo to the Heathen that are at ease; wo, wo to all you that have slain the Witnesse in the streets, & now grow merry on the earth over the Witness; the Lord God of Power will raise to life his own Witness, his true & faithful Witness; Rev 1.5. Jesus Christ the Light of the world, he is the faithful Witness, and by him all shall be judged; he will call forth his own Witness in you all, and he will be a swift witness against all that do wickedly, against all you scorners, haters, despisers of them that fear the Lord; you proud and lofty ones, I warn you all betimes, Come down to the Witness of God in you all which will tell you that you should not live in your pride, nor lusts, nor pleasures, for he that is there, is dead while he lives. So I warn you all again, Take heed you go not from it, but hear its voice; do nothing which he reproves & testifies against, & when any from the Lord speaks to the raising of him in you, be stil, let the Witness stand on his feet, hear his testimony I warn you all that the enemy of your e­ternal peace may he discovered, and with the breath of his mouth, and brightness of his coming utterly destroyed, that so the life of the Just by you may be witnessed, which is by faith in the Son of God, the Light; it's not in words and shadows, as Clouds without rain; but in life and power, with joy and peace in the Holy Ghost. So all of you while you have time prise it, and mind the light of Christ in you all, by it to be ordered in every thing, that your lives may preach forth holiness in all man­ner of conversation; which is the desire of him who is a friend to truth, and to some of you known by the name of

THis is the Word of the Lord God of life and power to you all, who is over you all, blessed for evermore: I am he by whom Kings reign, and Governors make Decrees, who sear­cheth all hearts, and knoweth all secrets, and will do righteous­ly, and reward all according to their works and doings; I am he that respecteth no mans person, but every where those that fear me, and work righteousness, shall be accepted.

Yea, I am he saith the Lord, who hath preserved and defend­ed many of you when the Sword was drawn, and drunk much blood in your Land, and in your County; and you have seen my strong Arm, which is mighty to save and deliver in the day of battel, and have brought to nought the plottings and conspira­cies of mine and your Enemies to this day.

And you are preserved to this day, and intrusted with my power, and in places of Government in this County, not to please your selvs, not to seek your selvs, but in all things him who hath kept, and preserved, and intrusted you in his service, and for me (saith the Lord) to govern, and on me to wait, pure wis­dom and counsel to receive, all things to do and order, to the praise and glory of my Name, who hath the whole power, and there is no other with me, nor like unto me, saith the Lord, who kills and makes alive; throweth down one, and exalteth whom I please.

Therefore O ye Powers of the earth, fear before me conti­nuallie, and tremble at my word, which is a sword and a fire that will devour all bryars and thorns, yea all that stand against it, but it is good to all that walk uprightly; yea, my Word is nigh unto you, I have placed a measure of my self, my eternal Wit­ness, [Page 16] that wil not consent to any evil; in your consciences it is, that vvil, that shall accuse you when you do evil, and excuse you when you are righteously, justly, singly, uprightly: And this my word is light in you all, and doth make manifest all your deeds of darkness, and doth not spare, but reproveth plainly, it's that which searcheth the heart, and tryeth the reins, and knoweth all your thoughts; I am he, saith the Lord, stand in awe before me.

And this is my word now to you all, that you mind my eter­nal Witness placed in the midst of you, and that to it you keep at all times, in all places, and by it to be ordered in all you do, in every thing committed to your trust, that you never depart from it, but in its power you alwaies stand, that the unruly and disobedient by it in you all may be brought low, and your own wils denyed in every thing; that you begin at home to lay the yoke upon the unruly, and the sword upon the transgressor, to cut him out out of the Land, that it may be cleansed from the evil doer in your own particular, that so my wil which is pure being done in you, and by you, and my Law which is undefiled being written in your hearts, and you all in my fear abide, wai­ting in the light of Christ which hath shined into your own souls, and shewn you the Enemy there, and past [...]udgement on him there, you in that abiding wil be compleatly furnished with my wisdom, saith the Lord, to govern and rule over men in righteousness, and so you wil all become a terror to the evil doer at home, abroad, at all times, in all seasons, but a praise and incouragement to them that do wel; and then the end for which I the Lord have ordained Magistrates to rule, wil by you in your places be truly accomplished; and then shall the righte­ous in you rejoice, and that wicked shal be brought to shame; then shal you be to the just as the rain to the Land new sown; then shal the righteous in the County praise my Name for you, and I wil establish you in peace, who makes peace, and none can make war, and exalt you above all your enemies at home and a­broad; but if from my teachings, my Witness in the midst of you ye turn, and his voice wil not hear and obey, then my wil by you wil be denied, your ovvn vvils vvhich are corrupted vvil be done, and then I make vvar, and none can make peace.

[Page 17]Novv therefore, O ye men of place and authoritie in that Nation and Countie, I am moved of the Lord to vvarn you all to take heed what you do in all things committed to your pow­er and trust, that you therein be found faithful, as the Lords Stevvards, and that none of you go beyond your power, nor yet from the true Povver, the Light of Christ in all your consci­ences, vvhich vvil shevv you, if you keep to it, hovv and vvhen to give Caesar his due, and God his; the conscience is the Lords, he rules there, that must be kept single, holie for him; I vvarn you, Meddle not vvith them that cannot bovv to the vvils of any but God alone; touch not Gods annointed, harm not his innocent Lambs, vvho are as the apple of his eie, vvho dare not do their ovvn vvils, nor please themselves, but in all things him, in him all power is; and for him at this day stand single, and rather suf­fer the loss of all their outword injoyments, then to sin against their God by doing any thing contrarie to the Witness of God within, and the Scriptures recorded without; I am free to tell you it is a good report of you, I mean many of you in thi Countie, vvho have not appeared forward as yet to shed inno­cent blood, nor to restrain and imprison the Messengers and Ministers of Christ sent amongst us; and if you keep faithful to the Witness of God in your consciences, you vvil never do it whatever it cost you: And for such of you as are and have been friendlie to truth, and the declarers of it, I can safely tel you who are single and upright in what you do, you do, and shal know that your rewarder is nigh you, with the Lord our God; and for any who are enemies to us and the truth of our God; their rage shal he restrain, and we shal be enabled with patience and long-suffering to bear his vvil and good pleasure, and in the midst of all our cruelties to pray our Father to forgive them, they know not what they do.

Also, I desire and warn you all in Authoritie to take heed that you do not lend your ear to the Priests of this Countie that preach for hire, and divine for monie, and if it be not put into their mouths they prepare war against their Neighbor; for that generation the Scriptures of truth declare to be bloodie, they smote the Prophets, they cried, crucifie the Son of God, and [Page 18] said he was worthy to die; that generation in these daies are lit­tle behind them, their Fathers eat the Grapes, and their teeth are on edge; they go so fast as they durst, and wait for further pow­er: Oh ye Power of the Earth! take heed what ye do in deli­vering the innocent servants of God into their hands; for the best of their mercies and cruelties, as many prisons in this Na­tion, if not some in this Countie, wil witness, where many of the servants of the Lord have laine many months, because they cannot in their consciences pay them (as they call it) tithes, that idle, antichristian, beggarlie Rudiment, which none of the Mi­nisters of Christ do, or durst own or compel the Saints unto, but did rather labour with their hands then make their Gospel chargeable to any, who said they had freely received, and did freelie give; and so the Ministers of Christ do now: Paul said 1 Cor. 9.14. That God had ordained that they which preach the Gos­pel shall live of the Gospel. Therefore take heed you Powers that you do not go beyond your Power to compel any to pay Tithes to maintain a Gospel Ministrie, when God hath ordained that they were to live of the Gospel, and should live of the Gospel and not by the Law; for if you do compel any to that thing, I declare unto you all, you are Enemies to God and his children, and do inasmuch as in you lieth, cause them to disobey the Ordi­nance of God.

And you may read, that tithes to be paid to the first Priest­hood, the Levitical Priesthood, which was after the Order of Aaron, not of Christ the second Priesthood, the everlasting of­fering; so all that pay tithes, that take tithes, are of the first Priesthood, they denie the second to be come, and the Priest­hood to be changed, and the Law changed

Therefore consider what you do, all of you, lest you resist the Povver, God is the Povver, vvhat he hath ordained stands vvith povver, and his Gospel hath in it a povver, and he that resist­eth the povver, resisteth the ordinrnce of God: and all such shal bring upon themselves judgement. So all that vvil be out of fear of the Povver, do vvel, and so thou shalt have praise o [...] [Page 19] the same; but he that doth evil is under the povver, and the Svvord is not placed there for naught; but vvil take vengeance on them that do evill vvithout respect of persons.

Let none deceive you vvith their vain vvords, and flattering speeches, vvho seeks not the good of your souls but their own bellies, and now do the same things the Prelates and Priests did before them, by vvhose means much innocent blood hath been shed in these Nations.

So to that of God in all your consciences I have and do speak, which is the witness for God, and wil not deal deceitfully with you, but wil speak the truth, if you wil hear it, to all of you; and if anie now shal refuse to hear its voice, and wil not receive its testimonie which is truth, there wil come a day in which the Lord wil have his everlasting witness come forth, and if that condemn, he is greater; so in the mouth of two Witnesses all shal be confirmed; therefore now hear and be warned eve­rie one of you, and do nothing in your own wils but wait in the pure light of Christ, and by it be directed and ordered at all times in all things; quench not its motions, stay not behinde it; neither go before it, for if you do you shal be judged and condemned by it: And blessed are all those that love the light and walk in the Light, and believe in the Light, and become o­bedient children to the Light, such have their part in the first Resurrection, and over them the second death shal have no power.

And to so manie as receive him, and believe in him, and obey him, of him they receive power, and are become the sons of God.

But all that denie him before men, he wil denie them before his Father which is in heaven.

So in love to all your souls, which are more worth then all the world, then all your honor, then all your riches, I warn you all to minde the light of Christ in you all, the witness for God, by it to be ordered in everie thing, word, and work, be­lieve it, become children of it, and if you walk in the light, as he is in the light, you have fellowship with him and his Fa­ther, [Page 20] and by his blood you are all purged from all sin; but if you denie the light of Christ, and wil not obey its teachings, by it you shall be eternally condemned, and then wo and con­demnation shall be your portion for ever.

This is the Word of the Lord God unto you all, whether you heare or forbeare, declared and given forth by him who is a friend to all your souls, and seeks the redemption of the seed out of bondage; and am known to manie of you by the name of