LIsten and give ear, oh all you in authority in this Nation of England, in whole Dominions the Lord God of heaven and earth hath called and chosen a people, (in scorn by many called Quakers) to bear witnesse and testimony unto his glorious name and truth, and to declare of his goodnesse and of his marvellous loving kindnesse, of which in his everlasting love he hath made us partakers; glory and everlasting praises be to his blessed name. I say, we cannot but publish and declare that which we have seen and heard, and that which the Lord hath gi­ven us a good understanding of, even his precious truth, which is [Page 2]more to us than all the world, and that which it can afford unto us, to the intent that all that will receive the truth in the love of it, might be made partakers with us, and that people might be re­deemed from the pollutions of the world, and from darknesse to light, and from Satans power to God, and recovered out of the snare of the Devil, where many are led captive at his will, in pride, and pleasure, and vain-glory, that all that forsakes the evil of their doings, and learnes to do well, and repents in time, might find mercy, and we know the day is come of which Christ spake, wherein the Father hath sought, and is seeking such to worship him, as must worship him in spirit and in truth, in which spirit we do meet together to serve the Lord, and to wor­ship him, and to perform our duty to him in singlenesse, and up­rightnesse of heart, which is according to the practice of the pri­mitive Christians, in the dayes of old, for when Christ saw the multitude, he went up into a mountain, and when he was set, his Disciples came unto him, and he taught them there, though the Temple at Jerusalem was commanded, and that it was said to be the place where men ought to worship, yet Christ did testifie that worship at the Temple of Jerusalem should come to an end, and that the Father should seek such to worship him, as should worship him in spirit and truth; and when the Apostles came to bear witnesse of Christ Jesus, and to testifie of the things of God, they said, the most high God dwelt not in temples made with hands, neither is he to be worshipped with the works of mens hands, seeing he gives to all life and breath, and all things. Surely you cannot deny but the Christians in the Apostles days were in the truth, and did worship and serve God in the spirit and in the truth, as Christ had said, why then do you go about to limit, and restrain the people of God in your Dominions, from worshipping and serving him in spirit and truth, according to the practice of the Christians in the dayes of old? whereby it doth appear, you are not of the mind of Christ nor his Apostles, who will that men pray every where, listing up holy hands, without wrath or doubting; for if we do meet toge­ther really to serve and worship the Lord our God in spirit and truth, and pray, or speak to the edifying of one another in love, to, or above the number of five, then you run upon us, and tell us, we have broken the Kings Law which was to suppress seditious Conven­ticles, [Page 3]which thing we are clear of, and free from, and are none of that people which the Act provides remedies against; and there­fore I say unto all you that are impowered to put the said Act in execution, in the fear of God consider, and let the spirit of dis­cerning be manifest from you, by distinguishing between seditious Conventicles, and peaceable godly meetings, or assemblies, which is the duty of all Magistrates, and Ministers of Justice so to do, that the guilty may be punished, and the innocent and peaceable go free. When hath our Meetings been proved seditious, or in any wise hurtful either to the King, or any in authority, or any in the Na­tion whatsoever? and were not all the Laws which have been made by any King or Government whatsoever, for the keeping of their Government and Kingdom in peace, and the suppressing, and punishing of all that sought to disturb and disquiet the peace of a Kingdome, Nation, or Country; and not to punish their peace­able, and quiet subjects, that cannot lift up a hand against them, but desires their good and welfare both of soul and body, person and estate? of which sort we are, who cannot in conscience ei­ther plot or contrive insurrections, or joyn, consent, or assent un­to any thing that may be hurtful, or endanger the peace of the King, or any of his subjects; and therefore what cause have you thus to punish and oppress us, and to deprive us of the benefit of our consciences in matters of Religion, only in the worship and service of God, sering we are not that people which the Law doth provide remedies against? and when did we ever meet in pretence of religious worship, and at our meetings did contrive insurrecti­ons? and what late experience have you against us, whom you do thus punish and oppress, and throng in nasty holes and Prisons in many places of this Nation of England, so that many have seal­ed their testimony with their lives, whereby many have been made widows, and fatherless children, by reason of the cruelty that hath been inflicted upon us by many of you, both Judges and Magistrates, that have had the late Act in execution upon us? it is well known in this Nation of England, of what peaceable carri­age, behaviour, and deportment we have been, both in our Meet­ings and assemblings together, and also in life and conversation, to the glory of God, and the advantage of his truth, alwayes en­deavouring to keep our consciences void of offence towards God and men.

Obj. But some may say, we do not walk void of offence towards God and men, in that we meet together above the number of five; to the breach of the late Act of Parliament, made to suppress, and prevent se­ditious Conventicles.

I answer, as for meeting together above the number of five, re­ally to worship God in spirit and in truth, it is acceptable in his sight, according to the Scriptures of truth, and so justified of the Lord therein, and not an offence against him; and also to meet to­gether above the number of five, really to worship God in spirit and truth, (as we do) without pretence or colour, is not a breach of the said Act, and therefore not justly can it be inflicted upon us, neither are we punishable thereby.

And therefore I say unto all you in Authority in this Nation of England, beware of persecuting and afflicting the innocent people of God called Quakers, who are lovers of truth and righteousness, and seek to gather people into it, out of strife and sedition, and hatred, and malice, wrath and envy, and out of the cause of all plottings and contrivances, wars and debate, into love, and peace, and unity one with another, in which the blessings of God is gain­ed both unto King and people: and would it not be an honour to the King, and all you in Authority in this Nation, and a blessing unto the inhabitants thereof, to suffer the truth of God to be freely published and declared by his servants, whom the Lord is pleased to send to bear witnesse unto his name and truth, and against all deceit, and wickednesse, and uncleannesse, which many, and too many live in at this day? but on the contrary, what dishonour is it both for the King, and those that are in au­thority under him, to punish and oppresse the just and innocent? and to suffer drunkards, and swearers, and all manner of pro­phanenesse and wickednesse to go free? Surely the Lord will visit for these things, and will plead the cause of his innocent ones, and will reward the wicked, and all that persecutes his people, according to their deeds.

And therefore I say unto you, even all you who punish the peo­ple of God, and afflict the righteous, and let the workers of ini­quity go free, as you have lifted up your hand against his people, it will provoke the Lord to lift up his hand against you, except you repent, for that which is done to Gods people, he takes it as [Page 5]done unto himself, for I tell you plainly, Gods love is to us, and they that touch us, touch the apple of his eye; and though many more should seal their testimony with their lives, yet precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints; but woe will be to all them that are the cause of it; and if it were better for him that did offend one of the little ones which believed in Christ, that a milstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea; what will be the portion of those that offends many of the little ones of Christs flock, who follow him, and dare not deny his name, and the te­stimony which he hath called us to bear? and if they were to depart into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels, who gave him not meat when he was hungry, nor drink when he was thirsty, who when he was a stranger took him not in, and when he was naked did not cloath him, and when he was sick and in prison did not visit him, nor minister unto him? what then can they expect who de­prive his people many times of meat, drink, lodging, apparel, and casts them into prison, even till death? I am sure the transgressi­on is greater of those who cast into prison, than they that will not visit in prison; and the offence is greater of those who take away, and deprive Gods people both of meat, drink, lodging, and apparel, than of those who will not supply them, and ad­minister unto them when they stand in need; and are not many of you guilty of these things? look and see how many are in your goals, and prisons in the Nation, onely for worshipping of God, and not for any evil they have done unto any? and many have been deprived of all these things, by reason of the cruelty that hath been exercised upon them, onely by you, and to your know­ledge. And again, how many widows, and fatherless children are already left to cry in this Nation of England, because of the cruelty and oppressions of the Rulers thereof, who afflict his peo­ple without a cause? and oh! how will the cry of the widows and fatherlesse children encrease in this our Nation of England, if you continue in your cruelty and oppression of the innocent people of God in your Dominions? Surely their cry will be great, and it will enter into the eares of the Lord God, and he will hear the cry of the widows, and fatherless children, and will save his afflicted people, but the Lord will bring down the proud looks of the wicked. And you Rulers of this Nation of England, how have [Page 6]you manifested your selves to be out of the way of Gods people, even from the dayes of Moses, until this day? and again, how have you manifested your selves to be in the wayes of the wicked, and all the great persecutors, even from the dayes of Pharaoh, un­til this very day, by exercising of cruelty and oppression, of bonds and afflictions, upon the people of God in your Dominions; for remember Pharaoh, and wherefore did the Lord overthrow him? even because of his cruelty and oppression to his people, of which thing you are guilty; and when the Lord had delivered his peo­ple out of the hands of Pharaoh, he commanded them, saying, ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child, if thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry, and my wrath shall wax hot against you, and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherlesse, Exodus 22.23, 24. Now consider, are not you guilty of afflicting the widows, and fatherlesse chil­dren, and so liable to the wrath of God, which is to wax hot against all such? Do you think that the Lord will wink at the affliction of the widows and fatherlesse now in this age, and that he will justifie you, and hold you guiltlesse, in those things for which he was angry with those in ages past, surely nay, but this I testifie, the Lord is the same that ever he was; I am God, I change not (said he) therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed; and his love is as great unto his people as it was then, his wrath and indignation will be as great unto his enemies, who oppresses his people, and afflicts his chosen ones, as it was in generations past. And again, Moses did declare the mind of the Lord unto the children of Israel, Deut. 10.18, 28. in saying, he doth execute the Judgement of the fatherlesse and widow, and loveth the stranger, in gi­ving him food and raiment; love ye therefore the stranger, for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. Now are not you out of the way herein, which the people of God were in, when instead of loving and entertaining strangers, you go about to banish and transport your own neighbours and countrey people, and to make them strangers in a land which they have not known, onely for worship­ping, and serving God in spirit and truth? and who could in reason have expected this at your hands, you being once in captivity, and in an exiled condition your selves, by reason of them that oppres­sed you, and had dominion over you? and were not your hearts [Page 7]tender then? and did not you see the hand of the Lord against you, and did acknowlenge that it was because of sin, and did not you ingage to the Lord in the day of your distresse, if the Lord would restore you again, you would not be so wicked as formerly you had been, and now when the Lord restored you again, into your native land, and hath given you even the necks of your e­nemies to tread upon, and hath put your foes under your feet, and hath given all you could desire, and hath brought you into power and dignity again: I say, who would have thought you should have so soon forgot the days of your captivity, and thus requited the Lord evil for good, and for all his kindnesse and favours to­wards you, and should so absolute turn against God and his people, and make it your businesse to afflict, punish, imprison, and sentence for transportation an innocent people for matters of Religion, who do not, nor will not disturb the peace of the king­dom, and it was the Kings promise, That none should be disquieted or called in question for difference of opinions in matters of Religion, who do not disturb the peace of the kingdom, and we have the Word of a King for it, and where the Word of a King is, there is Power; But what is become of the word of the King now, when so many peaceable people, that have not forfeited their liberty in the Kings promise, nor hath not disturbed the peace of the Kingdom, is cast into Pri­sons, Dungeons, and Holes, and so many sentenced for transpor­tation, only for difference of opinion in matters of Religion, contrary to the Kings word and promise; surely this cannot but sadden the hearts of the sober people in the Nation, to see how little the Kings word and promises is regarded, how great the op­pressions and afflictions of an innocent people are, that are of a peaceable and quiet behaviour, and have not at all forfeited their liberty and priviledge in the Kings word and promise, and there­fore have not we ground to say, because of your cruel proceed­ings against us, That you have dissembled both with God and men in this matter, what do ye think the Lord sees you not, and that he takes not notice of your wayes, that the holy one of Israel doth not behold you, he that planted the eye, shall he not see? and be that formed the ear, shall he not hear? he that teacheth man know­ledge, shall he not know? he that chastiseth the Heathen, shall he not correct? yes surely, though hand joyn in hand, the wicked shall not [Page 8]go unpunished; and again you are not of the Spirit of Job, who was a perfect and upright man, who said, when the ear heard me, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me, be­cause I delivered the poor that cryed, and the fatherlesse, and them that had none to help them: but instead of delivering the poor, and re­lieving the fatherless, which have none to help them, you go about to imprison the poor widows, and fatherless children, and to ruinate men and women, both in person and estate, which is sad to consider; and are not you of the spirit of those, of whom David spoke, who did contemn God, and said in their hearts, he would not requite it; but, said David, when he saw the cruelty of the wicked, thou hast seen it, for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to re­quite it with thy hand; the poor committeth himself unto thee, thou art the helper of the fatherlesse. And it is also said, Psalm the 146. The Lord executes judgement for the oppressed, and gives food to the hungry, and looseth the prisoners; and again, the Lord preserveth the stranger, and he relieveth the fatherless and widow, but the way of the wicked he turneth up side down: and so it plainly appears, you are not act­ed by the spirit of God, by which the holy men of God spake as they were moved; because instead of executing Judgement for the oppressed, you do oppress the people of God, and pass Judgment of Transportation against them; and instead of feeding the hun­gry, you deprive them of their food, and many times take that away which the hungry should feed upon; and instead of pre­serving the stranger, and relieving the fatherless and widows, you endeavour to make the widows and fatherless to be strangers in a land which they have not known, and so your way is the way of the wicked, and the way of the wicked is abomination to the Lord, but the upright is his delight, and your deeds and actions doth make you manifest, even all you who have afflicted the poor and needy, to be contrary to all in all ages, that were acted and guided by the spirit of God, and did rule for God, to the punishing of evil doers, and encouraging of them that did well; but your deeds and actions have made you manifest, to be like unto such as the Lord was against in all ages and generations; look and see Isa. 1.23, 24. Thy Princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves, every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards, they judge not the father­less, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them; therefore saith [Page 9]the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the mighty one of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine enemies. Now this was that which provoked the Lord to anger, and which did in­cur his displeasure upon Princes, Governours, and Rulers, even the same transgressions of which you are found guilty, in not reliev­ing the oppressed, judging the fatherlesse, and pleading for the widow; I say, the same evil is greatly found amongst many of you, for many of us have been deny'd the priviledg which Thieves and Murtherers have had, both before Judges and Magistrates, when called in question before them. Is it not therefore time for you, O ye Judges and Magistrates, who are guilty of these things, to repent, and cease punishing the people of God? Oh wash ye, make you clean, and put away the evil of your doings from before the Lord, cease to do evil, and learn to do well, seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge for the fatherless, and plead for the widow, and it may be the Lord may shew mercy upon you; but and if you continue and per­sist in your wickednesse, and follow on your work of persecute­ing the innocent people of God, and afflicting the fatherlesse and widow, it will provoke the Lord to anger against you, and his judgments will come as a flood upon you. Oh, consider while you have time! for what will you do in the day of visitation, to whom will ye flee for help, and where will you leave your glory? And are not many of you found to be such as Jeremiah the Prophet declared against, Jer. 5.26, 27, 28, 29. Amongst whom were found wick­ed men, They lye in wait as he that setteth snares, they set a trap, they catch men: as a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit, therefore they are become great, and waxen rich, they are waxen fat, they shine, yea they over-pass the deeds of the wicked; they judge not the cause of the fatherlesse, yet they prosper, and the right of the needy do they not judge: Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord, shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this?

Now confider, the Lord was grieved with these things; and I say, are not many of you found to be such as is here declared a­gainst? How many Acts and Laws have been made, and put in execution by many of you upon the innocent, which have been as snares and traps to catch withal? And how many of the in­nocent and harmlesse people of God, have been by your Acts and Laws snared and cast into prisons, and holes in this Nation [Page 10]of England for good Conscience sake, since you came into power? and many have been cast into prisons for several weeks, for meet­ing together in the fear of God, and before they have been set at liberty, have had the Oath tendred to them, through envy, on­ly to ensnare them further; for all the Laws that have been made and inflicted upon us, have been but as snares and traps, and many have you catched withal; and when one trap is not suffi­cient, you have had another, and indeed, snares and traps you have at this day, that the righteous, who fears God and departs from evil, cannot live and walk amongst you, but they are sna­red and cast into prisons and holes, only for serving and worshipping God, and obeying the Commands of Christ, and keeping his doctrine: and you overpasse the deeds of the wicked far, who with their snares and traps catched but men, but you have with your Acts and Laws, Traps and Snares that you have made, catched both Men and Women, Widows and Fatherlesse Children, as witness your Goales in London, and several other places in this Na­tion: Surely your proceedings on this wise will make your names of an ill report, and a hissing unto other Nations that may hear of your doings, because you are so busie in snaring and catching Men, Women, Widows, and Fatherlesse Children, who can no more in Conscience Plot or Contrive against you, then we can in Conscience forsake our assembling together in the fear of God, or break the commands of Christ in going out of his Doctrine; and so, the more you afflict us, you are never the safer, and the more we have our liberty, you are never the worse; and this is that which makes your work vain, and your wickednesse to ap­pear, in making Laws for Transgressors, and punishing the righ­teous and innocent thereby; and also your foolishnesse and ig­norance doth appear thereby, in that you do not distinguish and discern between Seditious Conventicles, and Peaceable Godly Meet­ings, having a Law to prevent and suppresse Seditious Conven­ticles.

Now, I say, it would be wisdom and good Commendations for all you that are impowred to put the said Act in execution, to come and take a view of our Meetings and Assemblies in the fear of God, and if in so doing you find our Meetings peaceable, and tending to the good and edification one of another, and of [Page 11]all people that may hear us, and according to the practice of the primitive Christians in the dayes of old (as all our meetings and assemblings together have been) then you ought to defend and protect us in our peaceable meetings, and by no means to pre­vent and suppresse us in our peaceable meetings, which are for the good of the whole Nation. But if at any time, any under the name of Quakers or others, should meet together in colour or pre­tence to worship God, and should be found at their meetings to Plot or Contrive any thing against the King or Government, then you are to break and dissolve, prevent and suppresse all such meetings, and to inflict the Penalties of the Law transgressed, upon all the offenders thereof; and in so doing, the spirit of wis­dom and discerning would appear and be manifest from you, and then it might be said, You bore not the Sword in vain, because you would be a terror to the evil doers, and a praise to them that do well.

But Oh how hath it appeared to the contrary, both by Judges and Magistrates? when both Sentence of Bonds and Transporta­tion hath been passed upon many, and nothing proved against them, but that they were peaceably met together. Oh ye Judges and Magistrates, how hath many of you lost your understandings as men, to Punish, Imprison, and Sentence for Transportation peace­able people that have not offended against the Law? If peaceable people must be Imprisoned and Trasported out of their Native Lend, then who in the Nation can go free? And if peaceable people do transgresse the Law, then who in the Nation can keep it? or how must people behave themselves, that they may not be Banished out of their Native Land? when so many that have ne­ver broken nor disturbed the peace of the Kingdom, is sentenced to be Banished out of their Native Land, for no other cause, but only for worshipping God in spirit and truth? Surely this cannot but sadden the hearts of many in this Nation of England, when they consider these things, To see how Judgment is turned backwards, and Justice stands afar off, Truth falls in the streets, and Equity cannot en­ter, and he that departeth from Iniquity, maketh himself a prey, to this generation. Oh, how are the honest and sober people in our Na­tion grieved with these proceedings of yours against an innocent people? and to see how much wickedness and vanity doth a, bound in every street, and altogether goes free and unpunished? [Page 12]And this I do verily believe, if we would deny our testimony which God hath chosen us to bear, and would conform unto you, and come to your Idol-places (by you called Churches) al­though we should become Drunkards, Swearers, and all manner of profaneness should be acted by us, yet I do believe many of you that are so bent to do wickedly against us, would rejoyce thereat, and would be ready to call us your Converts, and would pardon us for all our pretended offences done against you, whether it were Bonds or Transportation; for of Drunkards, and Swearers, Whoremongers, and all prophane persons, are your Churches made up of, as is daily manifest by their actions, and these have all their liberty, without either being checked or reproved, puni­shed or convicted; and so, your Religion is not the pure Religi­on which was lived in, and practized in the primitive Christians days, as was declared by the Apostle James, who said, Pure Religi­on and undefiled, before God and the Father, is this, to visit the widows and fatherless in their afflictions, and to keep himself unspoited of the world. Consider and see how unagreeable your Religion is to pure Religion, and how far it doth differ from it, when instead of visiting the fatherlesse and widows in their afflictions, you throw them into prisons, dungeont, and holes, and sentences the hus­bands of many for Transportation, as witness London and Hertford, and other places, in order to make many more wi­dows and fatherless children, than yet have been. And again, take into consideration what the word of the Lord was by his Prophet, or to the Rulers in that day Zech 7.8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. ver. Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mer­cy and compassion every man to his brother, and oppresse not the widow nor the fatherlesse, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you ima­gine evil against his brother in his heart. But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears that they should not hear, yea they made their hearts as an Adamant stone, lest they should hear the Law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his spi­rit by the former Prophets; therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts, therefore it is come to pass, that as he cryed they would not hear, so they cryed, and I would not hear, saith the Lord of hosts; but I scatter­ed them with a whirlwind among all the Nations whom they knew not; thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through, nor returned, for they laid the pleasant land desolate. You may here see [Page 13]what was the ruine and overthrow both of rulers and people, in afflicting the righteous, and oppressing the widows, the fa­therlesse, the strangers, and poor, of which things you are guilty: and again, your wickedness doth exceed and surpass the deeds of the wicked in that age, for you are not only found guil­ty of oppressing the widows and fatherless, the strangers, and poor, but by your actings and proceedings, many of you have been the cause of making widows and fatherlesse, strangers and [...]oo [...] even in this our Nation of England: oh all you in Authority in this Nation! Can you think to escape the wrath and Judgments of God almighty, for your injury and oppression done unto his people, who are not only found breakers of the law which was made by the wisdome of God, to preserve the widows, fatherless, strangers, and poor, but you have made laws, & snares, and traps, whereby to destroy, ruine, and impoverish, even whole families, strangers, and poor; and how often have you been warn­ed by the servants of the Lord, not to meddle with the consciences of his people, but to leave them to the Lord, to whom they must give ac­count? but how have you slighted the counsel of God, by his ser­vants, and stopped your ears that they should not hear, and have added afflictions unto bonds, to the innocent people of God, that would not harm a hair of your heads? oh! is it not time for you to call to consideration your wayes, and to break off your sins by re­pentance, and your iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor, and re­lieving the oppressed, lest the wrath of the Lord break forth upon you, for woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousnesse, which they have prescribed, to turn aside the needy from Judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherlesse. And you are found guilty of all these things; for have not you made laws and decrees, whereby you take away the right of the poor, and widows become your prey, and the fatherless are robbed by you; what greater injury can be done to a poor man, than to banish him out of his native coun­trey, where it is his right to provide and labour for his livelihood and family in the fear of God? and what greater prey can wi­dows be made upon, than to deprive them of their livelihood, and to banish them out of their native countrey for Conscience sake? and what greater robbery can be done unto children, than to take [Page 14]away their parents from them, and to banish them out of their native countrey, for conscience sake? now you have made laws and decrees in order to the accomplishing all these things, and many at present, both strangers, poor, and widows, and fatherlesse children, lye under the sentence of Transportation, by reason of your unrighteous decrees, and truel proceedings against them, as witnesse the goals in London, (and elsewhere,) Oh! cease, cease from your oppression, and cruelty to the people of God, and re­pent in time for what you have acted and done unto the innocent people of God, for the Lord is a jealous God, and will not at all ac­quit the wicked, but will surely reward every out according to their deeds; and from henceforth let the spirit of discerning be manifest from you, in punishing the evil doer, and letting the innocent go free; for he that condemneth the righteous, and he that justifieth the wicked, are both abomination to the Lord.

O ye Judges and Magistrates in and about this City of London, your cruelty and wickedness, and oppression of the people of God, hath greatly exceeded all the rest: oh! what havock of the inno­cent people of God hath been made by many of you? and how have you above all the rest, disquieted and molested the peaceable and godly meetings of the Lords people? and how have you thrown them into nasty holes, prisons, and dungeons, where ma­ny of the dear servants of God have sealed their testimony with their lives, by reason of your cruelty, and hard usage towards them? oh! the bloud that lies upon your heads, which you are guilty of, and which the Lord will surely require at your hands: oh! how many of the people of God have been brought before your Judgment-seats, onely for worshipping God in spirit and truth, at their peaceable and godly meetings? and how have you in cruelty proceeded against them, even to pass Judgment of trans­portation upon your own neighbours, even to the parting of man and wife, and to the making of many widows, and fatherless chil­dren? oh! the cryes of the widows and fatherless children, that will ascend into the ears of the Lord God against you! and oh! how have you done despite unto the Lords people? and how have you misused, and evil entreated the messengers of the Lord, who came freely to declare, and testifie in the name of the Lord, against the pride, wickedness, and prophaneness, that is daily acted in your streets? and instead of entertaining the strangers, that in obe­dience [Page 15]to the Lord have come to declare his truth, you have put them in prison. Oh! how doth pride, & all manner of wickedness abound in your streets, and how do people flock together by hun­dreds to Mountebanks, Stage playes, games and sports, and these by you are tollerated, and approved of, and accounted lawful meetings? as witness Smithfield, and many other places in and a­bout your borders; and if the people of God meet together above the [...] of five, really to worship the Lord in spirit and truth, oh, what d [...]gging, and pulling, and haling to prison is there of such! oh! how is the worship of God become a crime unto you? and how eagerly do you pass your Judgment against them that cannot de­ny, but confess they have been worshipping of God in spirit and truth? Consider, what will you answer the Lord, in that day when he comes to plead with you, and to make inquisition for the bloud of his ser­vants? the rocks and mountains will not obey you, to fall upon you, and cover you from the wrath of almighty God; but as surely as you have caused his people to be brought before your Judgment-seats, so surely shall you be brought before his Judgment-seat, and as you have made the worship of God a sufficient crime to afflict and punish his people for, and have for the same found them guilty, and have passed the judgement of transportation upon many, even so will you be found guilty of rebellion against the Lord and his truth, and then woe and misery will come upon you, and the Lord will come near to you to Judgment, and will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right; and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts. Now you are greatly guilty of many of these things; for how many hired servants are in your goal at New­gate, and sentenced for banishment, because of worshipping God? and how many widows and fatherless children are sentenced upon the same account? and the entertainment that you give unto stran­gers, when they come nigh three hundred miles to bear testimony unto the name of the Lord, and his truth, is prisons, dungeorns, and holes, where they can neither have convenient lodging, nor the benefit of Sun, Moon, or Stars: oh! the cruelty and wickedness that's acted by you, who can declare it? and the great abomina­tions and wickedness that's allowed of, and tollerated by you, in your streets, to the shame of both King and Government? will you [Page 16]neither observe law, nor Gospel, nor Religion, and do you think your Religion is the pure Religion? nay, nor never will be called so by any that fears God, neither will any that fears God be of your Religion; you Magistrates and Judges cry, Come to our Church­es, and you shall have your liberty; I believe you, if we were drun­kards, and swearers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, then doubtless you would give us liberty, and free us fr [...] pe­nalties that you inflict upon us, for of such are y [...] made up: I say, if we would deny the pure Religion, an [...] all the evils before mentioned, then we might pass for [...] a­mongst you, but blessed be God for ever who hath redeemed us out of the wickedness and iniquity, which you, and your Church members live in, and we can give glory to God on high, who hath called, and chosen us, and separated us from all your unclean­ness, and hath counted us worthy, no [...] to believe, but to suffer for his sake, and in this have we [...] with God, and shall have peace, when anguish, pain, and g [...]ief, and sorrow, will be your portion; and will smite you to your very hearts, and pursue you from morning to evening, and from evening to morning, and you will find no ease upon your beds, because of your cruelty and oppression done unto Gods people; although you bless your silver in your wickedness, and put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of vi­olence to come near, and although you lye upon beds of Ivory, and stretch your selves upon your couches,, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall, and although you drink wine in bowls, and anoint your selves with the chiefest ointments, and are not grieved with the afflictions of Gods people, but do afflict them more and more; I say, although you have all that heart can wish, and say, what evil can come upon us? yet you must come to Judgment, and pain will overtake you, as the pain of a woman in travail, and all coverings will be too narrow for you, and your beds shorter than you can stretch your selves; even the witness of God in your conscience will pursue you by day and by night, and there will be no hiding place for you to be found, for your wickedness hath exceeded all the rest in the Nation, for which God will surely call you to an account, and therefore remember these things: in time, and seek to make your peace with the Lord, while you have a day to live, and remember you are mortal, and repent before it be to late, lest it be said unto you, time shall be no more.