FIRST, I ſhall give unto the Reader, a declaration of the work of God in my Soul, and the converſion of my heart from darkneſs unto his marvelous Light, and from the power of Satan unto God, and out of the path of death into the path of Life, where I now walk in the Light of my God, with the Ranſomed of the Lord, who are travelling towards the Holy City; and alſo the cauſe of my coming forth into the World to declare the truth, for which I now ſuffer Bonds, by the perſecuting Generation, wherein I once lived a Child of wrath (as all are by nature) and when I was loved of the world, while I followed the vain courſes and wayes of the world, where by nature I was led in imitation of others, being in that nature which is prone unto the ſame: the time I was ſent unto the Schools of humane learning, for to learn the humane wiſdome, for which end the Schooles are profitable; but for the attaining of heavenly wiſdom and knowledg, they are as far unprofitable, and many bookes that are there read, are much for the corrupting of youth, and the nouriſhing of the wild prophane nature, which then ruled in me, and I was as wild as others, during the time I followed the School; and after I was taken from the School, I ſtil continued in the ſame nature, growing and encreaſing in ſin and iniquity, following the vain courſes of the wicked world, & alſo was trayned up in the cuſtomary way of the worſhip of the world, which is held in the Idols Temple, every firſt day of the week, but no converſion there was wrought, but all ſtill continued in the old nature, both Prieſt and people, young and old, and as was the people, ſo was the Prieſt, all walking in darkneſs and blindneſs, by form, cuſtome▪ and tradition, but ignorant of the pure light, which is the guide and reacher of the faithful, which oftentimes did reprove in ſecret, when I was a lone, but then I knew not what it was, but oftentimes it did ſtrike me into a conſideration of my wayes and doings, and ſet life and death before me, ſo that I have ſometimes promiſed within my ſelf, never to do the like again, but the promiſe being▪ in the wil made, it did not ſtand, but when the temptations came, the careleſs mind got out again, and led me ſtill to delight my heart in the vanity which my eye did ſee, and my ear did hear, which all paſſed away with the uſing thereof, and left me to the judgement which was due unto me, for my iniquity, which did follow me time after time, calling me to repentance, and the more I did incline my mind and draw nigh to it, it alſo did draw nigh to me, and ſo the goodneſs of God led me to repentance, and the Grace of God wrought in my heart a Reformation, and ſo I was found of him when I ſought not; and thus he both wrought the will and the deed of his own good pleaſure, and plucked me as a brand out of the fire, to make me a veſſel of honor to his name; all living eretnal prayſes, be to his name for ever; my ſoul ſhall praiſe and magnifie his name for ever; For, I may wel ſay with Paul, Of ſinners▪ I was chiefe; for according to my years, J was as perfect in ſin and iniquity, as any in the Town where I lived; yea, and exceeded many in the ſame, ſo that there was as little hopes of my converſion, as any in the Town; and yet though it is a place of many people, J was the firſt in all that town which the Lord was pleaſed to make known his power in, and turn my heart towards him, and truly to ſeek him, ſo that J became a wonder to the World, and an aſtoniſhment to the heathen round about, but they was ſuch enemies to goodneſs, and ſo given up to idolatry, that as much as before they had loved me in my vain converſation, ſo much the more thdy hated me in my converſion, yea, and my Families came to inſnare me, and lay wait for me for to intrap me, but when they could not prevaile, Pſal. 41.9. they ſtood afar of me, and reproached me with lyes, and proved my greateſt enemies, yea, and my Relations became my adverſaries, and laboured to deſtroy what God had began in me, becauſe that thereby J came under the reproach and ſhame of the world, becauſe J could not conform to the world in their invented facious cuſtomes and traditions, and their words, wayes, fellowſhip, and worſhip, but was made ſubject to the law of God, and could not reſpect perſons, neither in word nor deed; then the beaſt which rules in proud fleſh was diſturbed, who before ruled in peace while he was worſhipped; but when I came to ſee proud Lucifer, Rev. 13.38. the luſt in man, to be the beaſt, which all the world worſhips and wanders after, but theſe whoſe names are written in the book of life; therefore J could no longer follow the world in blindneſs, for by the power of God my eye was opened, ſo that J did behold their idolatry, and therefore J could no longer be conformable to them, ſo that their rage and perſecution aroſe againſt me, and J became a mock in the ſtreets; yea, and was I accounted as one not worthy to live amongſt them; yea, and they ſaid, he that killed me would do God ſervice; but he that had called me out from amongſt them unto himſelf, that I might no longer follow the vain courſes of the world, nor ſet my delight no things below, but that I might ſerve him in newneſs of life, that in me his workmanſhip might appear, to the confounding of the heathen, who know him not; he by his power kept me, and gave me ſtrength to bear his Croſs, and deſpiſe the ſhame; ſo that neither foul words nor faire words, could cauſe me to deny what God by his grace had wrought in my heart, but by his power he carryed me above the raging waves of the tempeſtuous ſea, ſo that I knew that he that was in me, was greater than he that is in the world; yea, and out of my kinred and acquaintance I came, and became a ſtranger to them that loved not the truth; yea, and preſently I came to ſee the Prieſts of the world, by their fruits, and the fruits of their Miniſtry, which was curſed from God, and therefore profited not the people at all; but when the Lord by his power had changed and converted my heart unto himſelf, the Prieſts became mine enemies, and ſaid I was deluded, whenas before, when I lived in the vain converſation of the world, they took no notice of me, either to reprove me or inſtruct me, but as they went on in a cuſtomary way, for again and lucre, ſpeaking againſt ſin in the generall but not reproving it in particular, but was as deep in it in their lives as others, and ſo what they preached down with their tongues they upheld in their lives, and countenanced in their converſations, and ſo from them I turned, whom I ſaw had gotten a form, but denyed the life and power, and I ſought for a people with whom I might have union; and there was a people with whom I found union, a few miles from the Town where I lived, whom the Lord was a gathering out of the dark world, to ſit down together and wait upon his name, but we was the objects and reproach of the countrey, and was accounted as the off-ſcourings of the world but in all this we ſaw the Scriptures fulfilled, and that we might thus ſuffer if we would live godly in Chriſt Jeſus,2 Tim. 3.12. and here was our confidence and ſtrength, which carryed us above our ſufferings, as knowing it greater riches to ſuffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon; and about this time I was about 15 years of age, & afterwards I was called forth to viſit ſome friends in the North part of England, with whom I had union in ſpirit before I ſaw their faces, and afterwards I returned back to my outward dwelling place, and remained in my outward calling, and the Lord all this time ſtil more and more perfecting and encreaſing his work in my heart, which by his power he had begun in me, & by his pure power bringing forth his truth in me, and making known his wil unto me, until by his power he opened my mouth to declare his truth in the world, & ſtil I continued in my outward calling, and alſo in the work of the Lord, as not being called far from my dwelling place, and when I was betwixt 17. and 18. years of age, I was moved in my ſpirit to go to a place about fifteen miles from my outward dwelling place (ſouthward) amongſt a people, to whom the Lord was making known his truth, not knowing when I went out of going farther than that place; but when I was there, I was moved of the Lord to come on to Cambridge, and in obedience unto the Lord, I came to ſee what he had to do for me, not knowing one ſoot of the way, but as I was directed, neither knowing when I came there where to be received, but had heard before of two of my friends that was there whipped, cauſed by the Mayor that then was, onely for declaring the truth as they paſt through the town, againſt the deceipt thereof, neither did I know but it might be my portion alſo when I came there; but without conferring with fleſh and blood, I paſſed on my journey, and he that called me forth went along with me, and did direct me, and when I came there, I found theſe that was worthy that received me; and alſo I found a friend, whom the corrupt Rulers had put in priſon for the ſame teſtimony which I alſo was ſent to declare; and before I had continued there the ſpace of fourteen nights, VVilliam Pickering the Mayor of Cambridge, committed me to Priſon for publiſhing two Papers, the one againſt the corruption of the Magiſtrates, and the other againſt the corruption of the Prieſts, at the time of their commencement, as they call it, and there they kept me in Priſon the ſpace of two Seſſions, and toſſed me from Priſon to Dungeon, and had nothing to lay againſt me, whereby to prove the breach of any Law, but when I came to the laſt Seſſions, they called a Jury to prove the Papers to be ſcandalous and ſeditious Papers, and they was nigh two hours about them but could not prove it, but came and ſaid that they found nothing, but that the Papers was mine, which I had before owned in the open Court, and there was my name to them to teſtifie the ſame; and ſo they was croſſed in their intentions, and their plots came to nought: then they committed me back to Priſon again, and after the ſpace of three dayes they ſent me away with a Paſſe, under the name of a Rogue, yet durſt not give me the Law which belongs to Rogues, but had me away with Clubs and Staves, and I could not ſee the Paſs until I was three miles out of the town where I lodged that night, and the next day there came a Juſtice of peace from Cambridge, who knowing me to be innocent of what was laid to my charge, ſo he witneſſed the Paſſe to be falſe, and took it back to Cambridge, and ſo I was ſet free: And not long after I went to Cambridge, again, and went abroad, preaching and declaring the truth freely in the Countries about, and many I found that received the truth gladly, but more enemies; yet nevertheleſs, Truth ſpread and conquered over its enemies; & there I continued labouring in the work of the Lord about the ſpace of halfe a year in the Countries about Cambridge, and from thence I was moved of the Lord to come into Eſſex, where I heard of the people that was ſeeking the Lord, and when I came there, I found thoſe that were worthy, who received the truth gladly, and there I continued, freely declaring and preaching the truth, from place to place, ſometimes in the Synagogues and was haled out by the Prieſts party, that the Scripture might be fulfilled upon that Generation; yet nevertheleſs, I continued in conſtant preaching of the word to the conſciences of the people, freely and publickly, in ſeverall plains of the Countrey, notwithſtanding much oppoſition both of Prieſts, people, and profeſſors, and much did the truth prevail in the hearts of people, to the glory of God the father of truth, which did make glad the hearts of many, who have long expected this day to appear; but the falſe Prophet begun to utter forth his lyes and Blaſphemies againſt the truth, and the Beaſt (by whoſe power the falſe Prophet ſtands) began to rage and perſecute; and the Miniſters of Antichriſt ſtood up for their Kingdome, crying againſt truth, ſtriving to preſent it odious in the ears of the people, but when J came to their faces, they fled like hirelings, and left their I lock behind, ſo that the truth much prevailed, notwithſtanding their railing and raging, ſo that they begun to appoint meetings, purpoſely to ſet themſelves againſt the truth, to preſent it to the people, as error and hereſie, ſo that if by any means they could by their evil incenſing and leavening of the minds of the people, turn away their mindes from hearkning to the truth; and on the other ſide they had the earthly powers to uphold them and ſtrengthen them againſt whomſoever ſhould come to gainſay them, and to lay their Law upon them; ſo I hearing of a publick Meeting that was appointed by the Prieſts and Profeſſors of theſe times, to be at a Town, called Great Coggaſhall upon the 12. day of the 5th. month, called Luly, as was declared in publike by the Prieſt of the ſaid Town, to Faſt and pray againſt the errors (as they ſaid) of the people called Quakers, and alſo their intent was to inſnare me, and to bring my body into Bonds if that I came amongſt them for to defend the truth, which afterward appeared, and although I did ſee their intent towards me, I was made willing not only to be bound, but alſo to ſuffer for the pure eternal Truth which I am made a witneſs of, ſo I being preſſed in my ſpirit for to go amongſt them, and in obedience to the ſame I went, and there was one Prieſt VVillis, an independant Teacher, who was ſet up in the ſeat of the Phariſee, the chiefeſt place of the Aſſembly,Mat. 23.6 theſe ſpeaking a divination of his own Brain, and not from the Mouth of the Lord, and therefore knew not how to divide the Word aright, but cryed againſt falſe Prophets, and Deceivers, and he himſelf one of them; and when the Prieſt had done, I ſpoke unto the people, in vindication of the truth of God, which the Prieſt had before reproached, reviled, and blaſphemed, but the Prieſts and the Rulers interrupted me, and run into many words, which bred much diſorder and confuſion; and then another of the Prieſts got up into the Pulpet, and they bid me put off my hat, and ſtand with my hat off the time the Prieſts was praying, which worſhip I denyed, and therefore could not be conformable to it, and ſo J ſaid, before J ſhould be ſubject to their wills, J would paſſe out of the meeting place, and ſo J did, and many people came out after me, for I intended to declare the truth in the Town, being I could not have liberty in the publick place; and as I was paſſing on the way quietly towards my friends houſe, he that is called Juſtice VVakering came ruſhing behind me amongſt the people, and ſuddenly ſmote me with his hand upon my back, and ſaid, he arreſted me in the name of the Lord Protector, and ſo I turned me about, and looked upon him, (but knew not that he was a Magiſtrate) ſo I asked him, where was his writ? and hee ſaid, he had one, but none he ſhewed me; then they hurried me into a houſe and there ſome friends ingaged that I ſhould be forth-coming when their worſhip was done; and ſo I went unto my friends houſe, and there ſpoke the word of the Lord unto the people that there came together, and was alſo ready when their worſhip was done, according to my friends ingagement; and when I came before them, there was four men called Juſtices, and ſix or ſeven Prieſts; yea, there was nigh nine or ten Prieſts that day, that was gathered together againſt the truth; and when I was come before them, he that is called Iuſtice VVakering, came and plucked my hat off my head, and threw it away; then they fel to queſtion me of many things, to which I made anſwer, and many frivolous queſtions they asked mee, whereby to inſnare me, which was neither juſt nor honeſt for men of their profeſſion to do; ſo when they had ſatisfied their wills in examining of me, they cauſed a Mittimus to be made, and committed me to the Common Goal at Colcheſter, and there was ſeveral of the chief Prieſts in Eſſex that was actors in this Perſecution; Prieſt VVillis, who is a Teacher of an Independant company at Brantry, and Prieſt Sammes, a Teacher of an Independant company at Great Coggaſhal, and Prieſt Sparrow, a Teacher of an Independant company at Halſtead, and Prieſt Stellum a Teacher of an Independant company at T •• ling, yet are all Pariſh Prieſts, and are maintained by thoſe that are not of their Church, and thoſe was the head actors in this perſecution; yea, and Prieſt Stellum ſpoke to the Rulers in the publike place, thereby to ſtir up their ſpirits to perſecute; and this was plotted amongſt the Prieſts and their gathered Churches, to appoint meetings, Mat. 7.15 16. thereby to inſnare the innocent, and raiſe perſecution againſt the truth; yea, and two of the men called Juſrices, who was my chief perſecutors, are members of the Independant Church; and thus the Churches garher themſelves againſt Chriſt and his Kingdome; and now the ravening wolves in ſheeps clothing doth appear, yea their fruits makes them▪ manifeſt, and thoſe are they which calls themſelves Iews and are not, but the Synagogue of Satan, and thoſe are the builders which have and do reject the Corner-ſtone, which is now become the head of the Corner, and over their heads is ſet, and woe unto them on whom it lights. And after I was ſent to priſon, there I was kept cloſe, and could not have my friends and acquaintance to come to ſee me with peace and freedome; and ſo when I was there, I writ an Anſwer to the Mittimus, whereby I was falſly accuſed and impriſoned, and ſent to the men that committed me, for to clear my conſcience unto them, & lay their injuſtice & cruelty before them, & leave them without excuſe in the preſence of the almighty; & ſo when the time came that I was to go to the Aſſize, they put me on a chain amongſt felons and Murderers, and joyned me to one ſuſpected for murder; and thus I was numbred amongſt tranſgreſſors, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, and thus ſix of us was hooked together upon a Chain, ſo that we could not go into a bed, for four of us remained upon the Chain day and night, and thus I was led 18. miles through the Countrey for a gazing-ſtock unto the world; but truth was preached in all this, and prevailed on the hearts of the people, ſo that I could rejoyce in all, and triumph over mine enemies: So when we was at the Aſſize Town, which is called Chansford, the Juge came in upon the ſeventh day of the week, and upon the ſecond day of the next week I was brought into the Court before Judge Hills, who ſate upon life and death, and there I ſtood for a gazing-ſtock a while, and then the Judg commanded them to take me away, and did not ſay any thing to me, for then I was ſingled from the reſt, onely had Irons upon one of my hands, then upon the next day morning the Goaler ſent his man to take off my other Irons, and ſo in the afternoon I was had before the Judge without any Irons, and the Goaler took off my hat and caſt it upon the floore, and then the Clerk read a long Indictment full of falſehoods, and asked me if I was guilty, and I told him I denyed all guilt, and called for my accuſers, and the Judge ſaid I might ſee my accuſers, and told me I might ſay guilty or not guilty, and I told him I was not guilty; ſo they called twelve men to try me, and the Foreman was a drunkard, and they bid me object againſt any of them, and I told them I owned none out of the doctrine of Chriſt, and all that ſwore was out of the Doctrine of Chriſt, and they had all ſworn before my face, and therefore I openly denyed by them to be tryed; yet nevertheleſs they went on with their work, and Prieſt VVillis was called and he ſwore againſt me, and ſwore falſly too; and the two men called Juſtices ſwore againſt me, and ſwore falſly too; and one of the Juſtices m •• (ſo called,) and another man ſwore againſt me, and ſwore falſly too; yet all theſe falſe witneſſes was heard to the full what they would ſay againſt me, and thus the leader of the people cauſed them to erre, for if the teacher be a ſwearer and a falſe ſwearer, what may the people be? for Chriſt ſaith, ſwear not at all, but let your yea, be yea, and your nay be nay, for whatſoever is more is evil: and the Apoſtle ſaith, Mat. 5.34.35, 36, 37 Iam. 5.12. 2 Iohn 9. in all things my brethren ſwear not at all, &c, and he that abides not in the Doctrine of Chriſt hath not God; and thus like people like Prieſt, all live without God in the world. And when their falſe witneſſes had ſpoken what they could againſt me, they brought in the Letter which I had ſent to the men called Juſtices in Reply to their Mittimus, and it was openly read in the COURT, and I owned it, for my Name was to it, and the reading of it was much ſatisfaction to many that underſtood it, and they alſo brought another Paper that I writ againſt the Idols Temple, and the deceiver therein; both which ſhall follow in order afterward; and then when they were both read, Iudge Hilles took them both, and repeated over unto the Iury all that the could gather by wrong interpretation and conſtruction againſt me, whereby to incenſe the Jury againſt me, and told them if they did not find me guilty, the ſin would lye upon their heads, and he as it were paſſed the ſentence upon me before the Jury went forth, yea, and told them what they ſhould do, whenas they had ſworn before to ſpeak the truth, and nothing but the truth, and I had charged them to take heed what they did, for I told them none could judge betwixt truth and hereſie, but by the ſpirit of the Lord; but when I would have ſpoken ſomthing to the Jury before they went forth, the Judge interrupted me, and would not ſuffer me (though one of the Jury deſired it) neither would he ſuffer that the Jury ſhould have the papers that was brought in againſt me, though I required it, but ſought all that he could againſt me, true or falſe, although I had ſent him a true declaration of the grounds of my impriſonment, with the hands of four Witneſſes to it, neither would he ſuffer that to be read; and that which I would have ſpoken unto the Jury, was to clear it unto them, that it was no ſcandalous nor reproachfull words, to call a corrupt Magiſtrate, a corrupt Magiſtrate; and to call an unjuſt Judge and Lawyer, an unjuſt Judge and Lawyer; or a perſecutor, a perſecutor; or a deceiver, a deceiver; all which was brought againſt me, and called railing and ſcandalous, for by that account they might have taxed all the Prophets for railing and ſcandaling, for they open and often declared againſt the corruption of the Prieſts and Rulers, as you may read in many places in the Prophets Records, Iſajah called the Prieſts, greedy dumb dogs; Iſa. 56.11. Ezek. 34. Iohn 10. Lu. 13, 14, 15. Luke 13.31, 32. Ioh. 3.14. and the Prophets called them Idoll-ſhepheards, and the like, and Chriſt called them hirelings, and Chriſt called the Rulers hypocrites, and Herod a Fox: and read the 23. of Matthew, and ſee if you may not as wel call that railing, and yet in all this they did not raile nor ſcandalize any, but gave to every nature its name, and due reproofe, whether they would hear or forbear; but this is the condemnation of the world, light is come into the world, and men love darkneſs rather than light, becauſe their deeds are evil. So when the Jury came into bring in their evidence; they could charge me with nothing, but the Paper I had writ in reply to my Mittimus after I was impriſoned, which Paper I had before owned in the open Court, with my name to it; but the Indictment they could not charge me with, for it tended to a Riot, which I was far from, or any that owned me, but the Judge and the Clerk, both, diſhoneſtly ſtrove to draw words out of the Fore-man of the Jury, which the reſt did not conſent to, neither could he ſpeak their minds, but others of the Jury was fain to ſpeak themſelves, but nothing was cleared againſt me, then the Goaler was commanded to take me away, & when I was gone forth of the Court, they ſent for me again, and the Judge impoſed two fines upon me to the value of about forty pounds, the one he ſaid was for the contempt of the Magiſtracy, the other for the contempt of the Miniſtry; for he ſaid, the Lord PROTECTOR had charged him to ſee to puniſh ſuch perſons, as ſhould contemn either Magiſtracy or Miniſtry: But what a Miniſtry is this, that ſtands in need of an outward Magiſtracy, to uphold it againſt a people that comes with nothing but ſpiritual weapons, to defend themſelves againſt ſpiritual wickedneſs, which now ſits in high places; but this Miniſtry is contrary to the Miniſtry of Chriſt, whoſe weapons are not carnal but ſpiritual; and alſo ſeveral of mine accuſers ſtood upon the Bench hard by the Judge, ſeveral times whiſpering of him in the eare,2 Cor. 10.4. and leavening and incenſing his minde againſt me and I reproved one of them in the open Court for ſo doing, and yet theſe things was ſuffered, and alſo the Judge gave charge unto the Goaler to let no giddy-headed people come to me (as he called them) which I never deſired that any ſuch ſhould come, but thereby they take occaſion to keep my friends from me, accounting them giddy-headed people, but they are not giddy-headed people that own ſound Doctrine, but they are giddy-headed people that cannot indure ſound Doctrine, but have itching ears carried about with reports and hear-ſays, to ſpeak evil of the things they know not. But thus without all honeſty they acted in the enmity of their ſpirits againſt me, yet in all I was made to rejoyce, for I ſee their deceit was manifeſt to the people, and the Truth owned in many hearts, ſo that my ſufferings was not grievous but joyous; but as the Judges dealings was rigorous and unjuſt towards me, it was ſo much the more on the contrary to Barrabas, for there was three or four arraigned for ſuſpicion of Murder, and others for Felony, yet he did deliver them, and there was not one that dyed or was branded, neither which I did deſire, but onely this I do declare, to ſhew how the world loves its own, and how the ſame ſpirit now rules in both Prieſt, people, and Rulers, that ruled amongſt the Iewes, who eſteemed Barrabas above Chriſt, and numbred him amongſt Tranſgreſſors; and ſo in all this the Scripture is fulfilled, Iſa. 53.12. and the day further appears to the Glory of God, the Father of Truth, who wil exalt his truth by his own Power, over the heads of all its enemies: So then they brought me back to priſon again, where I ſtil remain in the peace and freedome of my ſpirit, which none can take away, though in the hands of mine Enemies; yet this I know, That the inviſible God is working in ſecret by his power, and with a ſtrong arme, carrying on this great worke which hee hath begun in the Earth; yea, and he will bring down, and overturn all, untill it come into his hand whoſe owne it is, and hee will exalt his Kingdome in the hearts of his people, and his Son ſhal rule ovre the earth, yea, and all his Enemies ſhall be his footſtool, and ſhall bow unto him, and bee glad to lay downe their crownes before him, and acknowledge his power, yea, and he wil daſh all the forms and falſe likeneſses and images, which is ſet up by man in his imaginations, (calling them Churches;) and he will daſh them▪ and the Powers of the earth in pieces one againſt another, like a Potters Veſſel, though now they ſet at nought the Corner-ſtone, yet then by it ſhall they be grownd to powder, for our God is a conſuming fire, and who is able to ſtand in the day of his wrath? Therefore it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, then woe to all his enemies, or he that lifts up his hand against his Maker, to contrary what he hath decreed.

And now a few words unto you who call your ſelves gathered Churches, who go under by the name of Independants in Eſſex, you are gathered by the wil of man, and are joyned by the wil of man, and ſo ſtands in the will of man, and are upheld by the wil of man, by which you are begotten, but ſtil alive in the worlds nature, in the worlds cuſtomes, faſhions, and traditions, in the worlds fellowſhip, words and waies, and rudiments, only differing from others in judgement, opinion, or profeſſion, wherein is your life in high notions, and feigned apprehenſions, and falſe applications, and glorious expreſſions, and cuſtomary duties, and vain Traditions, which all appertains to the great Image, which all the world worſhips; by which they are deceived, whoſe head is gold, and breſt of ſilver, and thighs of braſs, and legs of Iron, and feet part Iron and part clay: and in the ſame nature ye are found with the world, the day doth declare it, and you to be the enemies and ſtrangers to the light, which is not of the world, which is now come into the world, teſtifying againſt the world; and the deceit of the world, & the deceivers in the world, and the profeſſion of the world and this is the condemnation of the world, Iob. 3.19. that light is come into the world, and men love darkneſs rather than light, becauſe their deeds are evill; in which evil you are found, deſpiſing and ſett • ng at nought the Corner-ſtone, and ſtanding in the enmity of your ſpirits, and joyning with the powers of the earth, to perſecute the life and power which now is manifeſt in the earth, and is come to diſcover your empty ſhadows, forms, and fair ſhews of godlineſs, but without life and power, which you have ſet up in your imaginations, and thereby are deceived, and blinded, and led in blindneſs, ſo that you cannot ſee the light, nor receive the ſubſtance, now it is come and made manifeſt, but ſtands up in your wills and wiſdome to oppoſe the ſame, and perſecute it in the enmity of your ſpirits, as if you hoped to kill the heir, that the inheritance might be yours; and therefore becauſe you do deſpiſe this day of your viſitation, and reject & ſlight the glad tydings which now are come to them that dwel upon the earth, and revile, and reproach, perſecute and ſlander the faithfull meſſengers of the Goſpell, rejoycing your hearts in their ſufferings, by you and amongſt you, therefore the Lord will rayſe up a people out of the duſt, & gather them from far, to bear teſtimony unto his name and bear witneſs againſt you, yea, and ſhall ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob, in the kingdome of the Son, and you, and ſuch as you, ſhall be caſt out into Tophit, prepared of old for hypocrites and unbelievers,, therefore now read your portions ye ſtiff-necked, and uncircumciſed in hearts & cars, who do alwayes reſiſt the Holy Ghoſt, as did your fathers ſo do ye, but the greater wil be your condemnation, who go about to mock God with your wil-worſhip, with your calling of Aſſemblies, and Solemn Meetings, with your appointed Faſts, and dayes of voluntary Humiliation, with your long Prayers and feigned duties, all which is done out of the Light, and ſo are your own works, acted by ſelfe, for ſelfe But who hath required theſe things at your hands? it is all abomination to the Lord, his ſoul loaths it, for your ſacrifices are as Cain's, for your are found in Cain's nature, envying and perſecuting the righteous, yea the witneſs lies ſlain in your ſtreets, therefore wo is unto you who go on in the way of Cain, for upon you ſhal come all the righteous blood ſhed from righteous Abel until now; and your profeſſions ſtinks in the noſtrils of the Lord, for you have lift up your hands againſt him and his Annoynted, & opened your mouths in blaſphemy, and falſe reports againſt the truth; yea, you are blinde, and ſtumble at the noon day, you come neer the Lord with your lips, but your hearts runs awhoring after other Lovers, and you know not the only true God, that dwels in Temples made without hands, whoſe worſhip is in ſpirit and in truth, but would limit the unlimited under your wils, as if he were not a God of might, but that you could controle him with the arm of fleſh, but be not deceived, God is not mocked, ſuch as you ſowe, ſuch ſhall you reap, and your end ſhal be according to your works; Gal. 6.7. for our God is a God of Judgement and Juſtice, & wil avenge the cauſe of the innocent upon you his adverſaries, yea and though your Teachers do cry peace, peace unto you, becauſe you put into their mouths, and ſo daubs you up with untempred morter, that you cannot ſee your wound, and ſo heals you ſlightly, yet you ſhal know that our God is a God of Truth and his word ſhal ſtand for ever, and their ſorcery ſhal appear, and their witchcraft ſhal be laid open, and the cup of fornication (wherewith they have made drunk and deluded the Nations) ſhal be taken from them, and the cup of the wrath of the Almighty given them to drink their reward, and then ſhal you behold the Harlot with whom you have committed fornication, who now lies in your boſomes, bewitching you with a golden cup, with whom you have defiled your garments, then to be caſt into the bottomleſs pit, where you ſhal all be tormented together, who now partake of her pleaſures, and thus ſhal you fal amongſt them that fal in the day that I viſit you, ſaith the Lord.

And all you my dear friends, you ſcattered and deſpiſed ones in and about the County of Eſſex, whom the Lord by his powerful word is now gathering out of darkneſs into his marvellous light, out of the Kingdome of this World, into the Kingdome of his dear Son, whom he is ſeperating unto himſelf to walk before him in holineſs, that you might know him, and he might know you in the light of his countenance, whoſe faces he hath turned to words Sion, to ſeek after a Land of Reſt unto your wearied Souls which hath been toſſed to and fro, from mountain to hil in this cloudy and dark day, ſeeking reſt but finding none; but now is the day of beauty broken forth nigh you, even in you, yea & glad tidings is come unto your wearied ſouls, by which a pure love is begotten in you to the everlaſting truth, which hath been freely declared amongſt you by the meſſengers of the moſt high, who hath reached the witneſs for God in your conſciences, which doth ſeal the ſame upon your hearts, which your teacher is, and unto it you hearken, and are abedient, in which light all ſtand ſtil, & behold the work which the Lord hath begun amongſt you, and you ſhal have no cauſe of diſcouragement, though the ſea do riſe, and the raging waves do ſwel as if they would ſwallow all up, yet it is limited by the unlimited, & it ſhal but foam out its own ſhame. And as I had a time to preach the truth amongſt you, to the convincement of many, ſo alſo now I have a time to ſeal the ſame with patient ſuffering in the bonds of the Goſpel, that you may ſee that it is no other but what we are made able and willing to ſeal with patient ſuffering, yea with our blood if we be called to it, as many of us hath done in this Nation, though it be called a Land of Liberty, but it is for Iniquity, but truth and equity are ſtrangers in it, & therefore are perſecuted, but you that are found worthy to receive theſe ſtrangers happy are you; & though the raging Sodomites compaſs you about for to cauſe you to caſt out theſe ſtrangers, that they may work their wils upon them, yet be faithful and fear them not, but caſt out your darlings before them, & ſtand in the faith of the God of truth, & equity, and you ſhal ſee the Sodomites ſtruck with blindneſs, that they ſhal not be able to prevail againſt you, but when they are weary with ſtriving they ſhal be made to ſit down in ſorrow, & ſo ſhal it be fulfill d which of old was propheſied, that no weapon formed againſt the faithful ſhal proſper, but woe unto them that lift up their heel againſt them; therefore I charge you all in the name of the God of truth, be faithful, valiant, & bold for the truth received, and as you have received it, ſo walk in it, that you may profeſs no more in word but what in life you ſeal, that the light may be preached forth in your lives, & ſhine forth in your converſations, to the glory of the father of lights and the confounding of the heathen, who profeſs God in words, but in life denies him, & be willing that ſelf ſhal ſuffer for the truth, and not the truth for ſelf; for the truth was ever ſealed with perſecution ſince Cains generation had a being upon the earth; and ſo own the Croſs, and deſpiſe the ſhame, and give up your ſelves to ſuffer for the truth received, all you that would follow the Lamb to the Land of reſt, and through many trials you wil wax ſtrong and bold, and confident in your God; for God is not known what a God he is, until the time of tryal; and all keep your meetings in the name and fear of the Lord God, waiting for his power, in the obedience to his Light, which in your conſciences doth reprove you when you do amiſs, that in it you may wait, and watch over the foes that are of your own houſe, that you may know the warfare begun in your hearts againſt your ſpiritual enemies; and ſo the God of Power manifeſt himſelf amongſt you by his mighty power, bringing down all that in you which oppoſes him, & would not that he ſhould reign over it, and exalt his own ſeed in your hearts, & eſtabliſh you in righteouſneſs, that his image you may bear, and he ſhal be your God, and you ſhal be his people.

And ſo in the unchangeable Truth, I reſt in unity with all the faithful in the glorious liberty of the Sons of God, though in outward bonds for your ſakes.