IT is the desire of my Soul, that Grace, Mercy, Truth, Peace, Love, Gentlenesse, Goodnesse, Faith, Meeknesse and Temperance, to you be multiplyed, with all long-suffering and knowledge.

Brethren, When I enter into a serious consi­deration of what the flock of God gone before endured in their dayes, not onely by cruel Mock­ings, Deridings, and Evil Speakings, but also by Whipings, Imprisonments, Buffettings, Banishments, and painful Deaths, Patiently, Chearfully, Readily and Willingly; And all this that they might keep a good Conscience towards God, in order to their [Page 4] producing his Glory, and their own Eternal good.

I say, The serious consideration of this, is that which doth much encourage me, notwithstanding the many difficulties of this our day, to take up a resolution, to go on in my Christian progresse by Divine assistance, and not to look back, lest with Lots wife, I become a stand­ing Monument of Gods everlasting Displeasure; and therefore, these are earnestly to desire you also in Gods Fear, to persevere in that Path, and to run swiftly towards perfection, in that race you have already made some progress in, beginning at Heb. 6. 1, 2. And so chearfully to passe thorow this valley of Tears; for he that runneth, obtaineth not the Crown unlesse he strive lawfully, 2 Tim. 2▪ 5. Let us there­fore so run that we may obtain, 1 Cor. 9. 24. Let us labour hard to get up Sions Hill, having a single Eye to Gods Glory; In which narrow way, you must expect the Hedges to be lined on both sides, with mul­titudes of Amalakites, shooting out their Arrows, even bitter words, whose Teeth are as sharp as Arrows, and their Tongue a sharp Sword, Psalm. 57. 4. Who whet their Tongue like a Sword, and bend their Bow to shoot those Arrows, even bitter words, Psalm. 64. 3. who are ready to say with those in Jer. 18. 18. Come and let us smite him with the Tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words; to whom let me beg you in Gods Fear; as you tender the Honour of the Gospel, and the Reputation of your Master; King Jesus, whom (Jew-like) they so Mock, Scoff and Jeer at, not to render to them evil for evil, nor re­viling for reviling; but contrariwise blesse, knowing that you are there­unto called, that ye should inherit the Blessing; for he that will love Life and see good dayes, let him refrain his Tongue from evil, and his Lips that they speak no guile; let him eschew evil, and do good, let him seek peace and ensue it; for the Eyes of the Lord are over the Righteous, and his Ears are open unto their Pray­ers; But the Face of the Lord is against them that do evil; And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? And if ye suffer for Righteousnesse sake, happy are ye; and be not affraid of their Terror, neither be troubled, but sanctifie the (Lord in your Hearts, and be ready alwayes to give an answer to every man that asketh you a rea­son of the Hope that is in you, with Meeknesse and Fear, having a good Conscience; that whereas they speak evil of you as evil doers, they may be ashamed, when they shall falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ; for it is better if the Will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, then for evil doing; for Christ also hath suffered for sin [...] the Just for the unjust, Psalm. 3. 9. &c. Therefore let us look unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith, who for the joy that was set before [Page 5] him, endured the crosse, and despised the shame, Heb. 12. 2. Who is the Captain of our Salvation, and was made perfect through suffer­ings, Heb. 2. 10. Who was led as a Lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before the shearer was dumb, so opened he not his mouth, Acts 8. 32. For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his Mouth; who when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he suffered, he threatned not, but committed himself to him that Judgeth Righteously, 1 Pet. 2. 11, 12, 13. Therefore seeing we have taken his yoak upon us, let us learn of him who is Lowly and Meek; and we shall find rest for our Souls, Mat. 11. 29. And let us not think to be above our Master, for if they have called the Ma­ster of the house Belzebub, how much more them of his houshold? And if they have so done to the green Tree, what will they not do to the dry Tree? It is enough for the Disciple to be as his Master, and the Servant as his Lord; And therefore let us consider what Legacy our Master hath left us, who saith, That in the World we shall have tri­bulation; for behold saith he, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of Wolves, be ye therefore wise as Serpents, but harmlesse as Doves; But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to the Counsels,—and they will scourge you in their Synagogues, and ye shall be brought before Governours, and Kings, for my names sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles; And ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake, Mat. 10. 16. 18. 22. Yea, the time will come, that if they shall kill you, they will think they do God good service; and Christ hath spoken these things, that we should not be offended, John 16. 12.

Therefore in our patience let us possesse our Souls; And blessed is he that shall not be offended in him; for our light afflictions which are but for a Moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory; whilest we look on the things which are not seen, and not on the things that are seen, for the things that are seen are Tem­poral, but the things that are not seen, they eternal, 2 Cor. 4. 17.

And although no chastening at the present seemeth joyous but grievous, yet neverthelesse afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable Fruit of Righteous­ness, unto them that are exercised thereby, Heb. 12. 11. And were it not (that to the rejoycing of my soul) I heard that your Joy is full, as well in Newgate, White-Lyon, Maydstone, Alisbury, and in all other Prison-Holes, as it is super-abounding in the dark Gate-house Dunge­on with us; I should then have desired that the Hands hanging down, and the feeble knees should have been held up and strengthened; but seeing I hear that Faith is every where upon the Wing, and that the [Page 6] Omni-present God is pleased to visit us in all our Prison-holes, with the incomings of his comforting Spirit, even to joy unspeakable and full of Glory: I shall conclude with our Apostle, and say, and that upon a good account to, that by the good hand of our God upon us, I see it is given unto us in the behalf of Christ, not onely to believe, but also to suffer for his name sake; And herein we have cause to joy and rejoyce in the Lord, who by the incomings of his Spirit, hath supported both you and us in this Tryal, so as that we can with his people of old, joy in tribulations, knowing that tribulations worketh patience, and patience Experience, and Experience Hope, and Hope maketh not ashamed, because the Love of God is spread abroad in our Hearts. So that we can with our Apostle upon a good account say, that, Though we are troubled on every side, yet not destressed, we are perplexed, yet not in despair, persecuted but not forsaken, cast down but not destroyed, alwayes bearing about in our Body the dying of the Lord Jesus Christ; for we which live, are alwayes delivered unto death for Jesus sake; And therefore let every soul of us, in singlenesse of heart, eye Gods Glory in our present sufferings, and take up that good resolution of our aged and faithful brother Paul, Acts 21. 13. And say (if thereto called) that we are willing in the behalf of Christ, not onely to be bound and lie in bonds, but also to die for his Name sake.

And this is that which is the rejoycing of my soul, that in the midst of these Sufferings, both by you and us, I cannot hear of one man of our Society, that is found an evil doer in what is charged upon us, as to plotting, contriving or undermining, or in any Act of hostili­ty in disturbing the Peace of the Nation; for herein we can safely and upon a good account appeal to our God, the searcher of all hearts, and can with confidence and boldnesse, in the faithfulnesse of our souls, to the faces of the greatest of men, affirm and say, We are not guilty of what we are charged withal, and that we are oppressed in Judgements, and are injuriously torn from our callings and Families, and most barbarously penned up in Prison-holes; and my self & some others of our Society, thrust into a damp, dark dirty Dungeon, without either Light or Air, Bed or Bedding, first nine, and after twelve of us together, scarce able to lie down one by another; being thus used, not for what we have done, but for what we are; nor for what is found in our Houses, as to Arms or Ammunition: And that you may be satisfied in a measure with the truth of what my Sufferings are and have been in this juncture of time, in this our cruel leading into captivity; I shall lay down something upon the account of report, & also upon the account of Action. And [Page 7] as for false rumors raised upon me, I was reported to say, That I hoped to wash my hands in the Kings Blood; this was raised by one Hopping Jane, commonly so called, a notorious drunken swearing person, whose common conversation is, to go ranting, raving and singing like a Bed­lam along the streets, (to the admiration of those that know her not) pulling and haling Gentlemen as they go along the streets, to get money of them, to buy Ale to drink the Kings health; and this was reported that I should say at my shop door, on Wednesday morning, the ninth day of the eleventh Moneth, vulgarly called January, 1660. when I was not down my stairs in the shop all that morning, as I pro­ved by three Witnesses to the French Papish Fencer, that carried me a­way, for saying these words after he, and they that were with him, had searched my house for Arms; the which words, or any other tending to that, or any such horrid and wicked tendancy, God the searcher of all hearts knows, I never entertained so much as a thought of in the least; and for my tongue to utter that which never came in­to my thoughts, seemeth to me a very strange thing, the which she her self hath since said to my Wife, before some that heard her words, as to that particular, was not so.

It is also further reported by others far and near, That I my self, that said Wednesday night, had killed one of the Constables Watch-men; when I was in custody as is aforesaid, by nine of the clock in the morning, and was that night with some forty more upon the main Guard at White-hall, and was sent on Thursday morning to the Gate­house Prison Dungeon, where I now am.

And further, it is commonly reported, that in my house when it was searched, There were several Arms and Ammunition found, with Barrels of Gun-powder; and that there was a Barrel of white Gun-powder left at one Mr. Horses house in Stannop- street, a Coach-maker, to be conveyed to me; When in truth I had no Arms at all, nor any manner of Powder; but was so far from any such thing, as that I can boldly affirm it in the presence of God, that I have not had, nor car­ried so much as a defensive Weapon this fifteen or sixteen years.

And in 1659. I declared against the acting with the Carnal Weapon, and pleaded the unlawfulnesse thereof, as by the said Declaration, in the end of my Fannatick's Mite cast into the Kings Treasury, is evi­dent. More I might say as to Matter of Report, but I shall forbear and let you know, that my house was searched nine several times, twice before I was taken into Custody, and seven times after I was in Cu­stody, and six times of that seven in one night, and by several par­ties; So that I may say as to the malice of men, I am set up as [Page 8] their Mark to shoot at, although my Actings towards them are inno­cent and harmless.

For I know nothing on my part as a Cause of it, unless in my Fannaticks Mite, my bearing my Testimony against the Abominati­ons of the Times, in saying what I say therein, as to the madness of the rude Multitude; And in the revived and daily continued Acts of Folly in Stage-Playes, and the many bitter Oaths and Execrations uttered by unlawful Game-Players, & in the abominations of Dammy and Debauch'd Bawdy-houses, the foul detestable shame of a Chri­stian Kingdom; or in what I say in Page 49, 50, 51. of that Mite, in that Use of Examination to the Nation, Considered as a Nation; Or at my down-right and single-hearted Conclusion of my Epistle therein to the KING Dedicated; Or in my After-Writing to the KING, in that I give Him some REASONS, why I could nei­ther Swear nor Fight for Him: If these, or any thing of this kind, Causeth them thus to become mine Enemy, because I tell them and Him the Truth; if it be this that renders me vile in their Eyes, I must let them know in the words and Resolution of David, and say, If this be to be vile, I according to the Ability received, shall be yet more vile.

But I shall proceed to Discover to you what was Acted, as to Searching my House, and by what manner of Persons, that so you may be sensible, whither we are Posting, if they were legally Com­missionated.

The Second time that my House was Searched, was by one John Gosling, a known Papist, and Servant to Mr. Hillyard an Apothecary in Long-Aker, who beyond his Commission (if he had one) car­ried away (he and his Party and Confederacy, Captain Wharton and others) near 30 of my Fannaticks Mite, and got Two shillings in Money of me, pretending it for the Souldiers. And about a Week after, Captain Wharton and another of them, came and took forcibly out of my House, Two more of my Books, demanding more; which he would have had, had there been any ready.

And the next time that my House was Searched, was when I was taken into Custody, and that was by Mounseir Lawrence an Italian, a Papist, who keepeth a Fencing School in Stānnop-street.

The next was by Mounseir De la Mane, a French-man, and a known Papist, living in Long-Aker, a Gilt-Leather man.

The next time, or Another time, by one Mr. Kirbey, a Cloth-Drawer, in our own street; a known Papist also.

[Page 9]And another time by Anthony Welch, a limping Porter, living in Mr. Roberd's Celler, in Drury-Lane, near Russel-street; whose horrid Oaths, Execrations and Debauch'd Actions, both to us, to Mris. Whitaker, Richard Day, and others, do bespeak him to be no better than an Athiest.

And as if all these Actions and Reports, were not enough to render me and you sufficiently odious to the view of the World, the weekly News-monger, Falsly, Injuriously, and most Ignomineously in his weekly Pamphlet, hath Branded us with that most Stigmatical Title of Traytors.

To whom I would give this Christian Caution, that for the time to come, he take a special care of venting and inventing Lies, lest the Lord Christ say One day to Him, as once He said to some of Abra­hams fleshly Seed, John 8. 44. Ye are of your father the Devil, and the works of your father ye will do; he was a Murtherer from the beginning, and abode not in the Truth, because there is no Truth in him; when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own, for he is a ly­ar, and the Father of it; And therefore I would have him further to consider the shame of it, for as the Lip of Truth shall be established for ever, so the lying Lip is but for a moment, Prov. 12. 19. And as a Righteous man hateth lying, so a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame, Prov. 13. 5.

And if we may believe the wisest of men, he telleth us, that he that hideth hatred with lying Lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a Fool, Prov. 10. 18.

And farther, I would have him consider the great danger of it; for first, lying Lips are an Abomination to the Lord, but they that deal tru­ly, are his delight, Prov. 12. 22.

Secondly, These six things the Lord hateth, yea, seven are an Abo­mination unto him, a proud look, a lying Tongue, and Hands that shed Innocent Blood, an Heart that deviseth wicked Imaginations, Feet that be swift in running to Mischief, a false Witnesse that speaketh Lies, and him that soweth Discord amongst Brethren, Proverbs 6. 16.

Thirdly, It will exclude him Heavens Glory; For without are Dogs, and Sorcerers, and Whoremongers, and Murderers, and Idolaters; and whosoever loveth and maketh a Lie, Rev. 22. 15. For there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh Abomination, or maketh a Lie, but they which are written in the Lambs Book of Life, Rev. 21. 27.

But the Fearful, and Unbelieving, and the Abominable, and Murthe­rers, [Page 10] and Whoremongers, and Sorcerers, and Idolaters, and all Lyars, shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone, which is the second death, Rev. 21. 8.

But leaving the man to consider of his wicked action, in suffering his Pen to run to that excesse, that causeth men to raise false reports upon the Innocent; I shall in love to his soul, earnestly desire him to set himself upon the effectual work of Repentance, that so he may make his peace before he go hence and be no more; that when time shall be no more, he may then have a well-being with him, who gives a being to all beings, in that Kingdom that shall never fade away; the which that you my Brethren and I may make sure, let us work out our own Salvation with Fear and Trembling, and let us not be sloth­ful, but be followers of them, who thorow Faith and Patience, in­herited the Promises, Heb. 6. 12. And let us be found in Gods Way, doing Gods Work, being Fortified with Christian Courage and Bold­nesse, following the foot-steps of the flock of God gone before us, not at all fearing what man can do unto us; for this is the requirement of our Lord and Master, Mat. 10. 28. Who saith, Fear not him that can kill the Body onely, and afterwards can do no more, but rather fear him, that after he hath killed the Body, can cast both Body and Soul into Hell, I say, Fear him: And in his Fear, let us be found in well-doing, en­deavouring as much as in us lyeth, to see that the Peace and Welfare of the Nation be secured; For if every mans particular interest be involved in the General Good, then it stands every particular man in hand, to study the Good, Peace, Safety and Welfare of the whole.

To this end, let us take the advice of our Apostle, 2 Tim. 2. 3. Even as good Souldiers of Jesus Christ, to endure hardship, and take to us the whole Armor of God, that we may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand; let us stand therefore, having our Loyns girt about with Truth, and having on the Brest-plate of Righteousness, and our Feet shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace; above all, taking the Shield of Faith, wherewith we shall be able to quench all the fiery Darts of the Wicked; and take the Hel­met of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying with all Prayers and Supplication for all Saints, Ephes. 6. 13. &c. and for all men, for Kings, and all that are in Autho­rity, 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2. yea, for our very enemies, and all that hate us, Mat. 5. 44. and of them that persecute us, let us cry out, and say, in the Words of that Holy Martyr and Brother Stephen, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge, Acts 7. 60. and in the Words of our Lord [Page 11] and Master, John 13. 13. the Captain of our Salvation, Heb. 2. 10. our Elder Brother, Heb. 2. 11. Let us cry out and say, Father forgive them, they know not what they do, Luk. 23. 34.

And thus being furnished with the Armour of Righteousnesse, on the right Hand, and on the left, 2 Cor. 6. 7. Let us behave our selves manfully, fighting the Lords Battel, even to the resisting unto Blood, striving against sin, Heb. 12. 4. striving together for the Faith of the Gospel, Phil. 1. 27. not for the Wealth, Pomp, Pleasure, Pas­times, Preferment, Power nor Dominions of the Earth; neither in the behalf of our selves nor others, no not in the behalf of our Lord and Master King Jesus, to set Him up as King; For though I do really believe that Jesus Christ shall Personally Reign, yet his Kingdom is not to be set up as some would have it; For the seventh Angel Sounded, and there were great Voices in Heaven, saying, The Kingdoms of this World, are become the Kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Christ, and He shall reign for ever and ever, Rev. 11. 15.

For the stone that was cut out of the Mountain without hands, that smote the Image on the Feet, became a great Mountain, and filled the whole earth, Dan. 2. 35. And this was the confidence of that Holy Man, Job 19. 25. For saith he, I believe that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the last day upon the earth: So also saith the Prophet, Zech. 14. 4. For his Feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem, on the East; and verse 9. And the Lord shall be King over all the earth; in that day, there shall be one Lord, and his Name one; and his Dominion shall be from Sea to Sea, and from the River, even to the ends of the earth; for he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his Feet; the last ene­mie that shall be destroyed, is Death, 1 Cor. 15. 25, 26. Yet this Kingdom shall not be set up by force of Arms, neither shall his Ser­vants prepare it for him, but he for them; for so saith he himself, John 14. 2. In my Fathers House are many Mansions, And I go to prepare a place for you; And I will come to you again, and receive you to my self, that where I am, there ye may be also. And therefore he spake unto them a Parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the Kingdom of God should immediately appear. And a certain Noble-man, went into a far Countrey; to receive for himself a Kingdom, and to return, Luke 19. 11, 12. So that he shall give the Kingdom to them, if we may believe himself; for saith he, Fear not, little Flock, for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom, Luke 12. 32. And I appoint unto you a Kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me, that ye may eat and drink at my Table; [Page 12] in my Kingdom, and sit on Thrones, Judging the twelve Tribes of Is­rael, Luke 22. 29.

But we are yet in the Kingdom of Christs Patience, and not in the Kingdom of his Power; for if we may believe himself, he telleth us, John 18. That his Kingdom is not of this World; for this is Esaus Kingdom; And so saith the Lord to Esdras, For when Jacob and Esau were born unto Isaac, Jacobs hand held fast the Heel of Esau; for Esau is the End of this World, and Jacob is the Beginning of that which is to come, 2 Esdras 6. 8, 9.

And indeed this is Esau, or the evil ones Kingdom; for Satan is the god of this World; And so saith our Apostle, 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4. If our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the god of this World, hath blinded the Minds of them that believe not, lest the Glori­ous Light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ should shine unto them; and so saith the Devil to Christ, Mat. 4, 8, 9. when he set him upon an high Mountain, and shewed him all the Glory of the World, and said unto him, All this will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. And the Lord Christ is so far from reproving the falshood of it, as that he saith, John 14. 13. The Prince of this World cometh, but he ha [...]h no part in me, and John 16. 11. The Prince of this World is Judged. And to evidence that Antipathy, that there is between these two Kings King­doms, and the Subjects thereof, the Apostle queries with those that had engaged for that King and Kingdom, when they were fighting and quarrelling for the things of a Temporal Kingdom, From whence (saith he) comes Wars and Fightings among you, come they not hence even of your Lusts, that War in your Members? Ye Lust, and have not, ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain; ye Fight and War, yet ye have not, because ye ask not; ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss; ye Adulterers and Adulteresses, know ye not, that the Friendship of the World is emnity with God; Whosoever therefore will be a friend to the World, is an enemy to God, James 4. 1. &c.

And because ye are chosen out of the World, therefore the World will hate you, yet that hatred is not to be requited with hatred again, but with Love and good Works, according to Mat. 5. 44.

So that no Acts of Violence or Hostility, is to be found in the hands of Canaans Subjects, but they are patiently to wait for the coming of Christ.

For so perswadeth our Apostle, Be patient, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord; Behold, the husband-man waiteth for the precious fruits of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain: be you also patient, stablish your Hearts, for the coming [Page 13] of the Lord draweth nigh, Jam. 5. 7. And although we are redeem'd with the Blood of the Lamb, and are made Kings and Priests to God, and to Christ, and shall Live and Reign with Christ a thousand Years, Rev. 20. 4. 6. Rev. 5. 10. yet we ought to have no Acts of violence found in our hands to procure or set it up; but this is the mistake between those that are so eager to set up Christs Kingdom by Violence, and undermining of States and Governments, and us that expect it, and yet can act no Acts of violence: They expect him to Reign Spiritually in his Peo­ple; and we according to the Scriptures, do look for him to come and Reign Personally with his: They look to have Dominion, Power and earthly Authority by him, and to have their Judges restored as at the first, and that on this side the Grave; whilest we wait for a Manifesta­tion of Christ from Heaven; at which appearance we do expect, and that upon a Scripture account, that those that fall asleep in the Faith of Jesus, shall then appear with Jesus; and that them that are then found in the Actual Faith of Jesus, shall live together with them with Jesus, 1 Thes. 4. 14. When that same Jesus which was taken up in­to Heaven, shall so come in like manner as he went into Heaven, Acts 1. 11. For behold, he cometh with Clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also which piersed him, Rev. 1. 7.

In which patient waiting of ours, we must expect, according to the saying of our Apostle, That we must through many tribulations, en­ter into the Kingdom of Heaven, Acts 14. 22.

Our Lord and Master was pleased to strip himself of Glory, and became obedient to that ignomineous death of the Cross for our sakes, to bring us to Glory, and shall we then grudg for his sake, to go by the Cross to inherit that Glory?

O my Brethren, in Gods Fear consider what ye do, turn not your backs upon Jesus Christ, but as ye have set your hand to the Plow, so look not back; for if any man draw back, my Soul shall have no pleasure in him, Heb. 10. 38. And whosoever will deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven, they were his own Words, Mat. 10. 33. in whose Mouth there was sound no guile; who also telleth us, That the time will come, that if they kill us, they will think they shall do God good service, John 16. 2.

And seeing we do at this day both see and feel so much in order to the fulfilling of this Scripture, in this juncture of time, wherein iniquity doth so much abound, and that the love of many do wax cold; Let us consider in Gods Fear, what our work is in this our Day, that so we may be sound doing Gods Work, in Gods Way, although [Page 14] it be to the losse of our Liberty, Goods, yea and Life and all, ra­ther than lose all to eternity.

And therefore for my part, I shall resolve, God assisting me ac­cording to the ability received, to make use of that Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, to the hewing down of all Iniqui­ty, Transgression and Sin, both Root and Branch, as near as I can in all, (and to speak Scripture Language) from him that sitteth on the Throne, to him that grindeth at the Mill and draweth Water: And to endeavour such a Reformation in all, as that God may build up the Na­tion, and make our Land as it is now, abounding in all excesse of ry­ot, to be as one day it shall be said of Jerusalem, even a Praise of the whole Earth; And if in this I am looked upon to be vile, I shall by Divine assistance, resolve to be yet more vile; and shall first begin this work at Home; and now I speak of Home, I shall begin to look Home, and as the Husband-man and the Merchant, take the time of their best leasure to make up their Inventory; So shall I, for being haled from my lawful employments, having little else to do in my Dark, Dolesome, Drowsie, Damp Dungeon, I shall see what I am worth, that so I may set my House in order whilest I have time; for Age tells me, I cannot live long, and almost every day an Alarm for death is sounding in mine ears, Tear me and Ram me, Sink me and Dam me, telling me, some to my Face, and others behind my back, That I am not long liv'd, and that I must suddenly prepare for Death, because of my Judgement, notwithstanding the Kings Word passed to us from Breda and since, For a peaceable enjoying our Meet­ing upon our good behaviour, the which I shall bid defiance to any man that can say, it was ever tainted; I have therefore set Pen to Pa­per, and have added this my Inventory, the which haply may seem impertinent in this place, yet I judge the conclusion may be very comfortable; and as the Husband-man and Merchant, so shall I; the Husband-man making his Inventory, which we will suppose thus,

Imprimis, Hay Barns empty, and Hay-stack-Roomes railed round, with Corn Barns, and Graineries empty, swept and garnished, in which there is nothing of

But that which will make a mends for all, is,

Item, in the Harvest Crop, abundance of Hay, to the rai­sing of Stacks, and filling the Hay Barn and Lofts; and of Wheat, Rie, Barlie, Oats, Beans and Pease, to the filling [Page 15] the Barns and Graineries, having increased some thirty, some sixty, and some an hundred fould, with the multiplicity both of Summer and Winter Fruits, both of the Orchards and Cherry Grounds, with the abundance of Wall Fruits, and Fragrant-Flowers, sweet Herbs of all kinds appearing, like the Hour of Plenty; together with the sweet encrease of that little, yet profitable Creature, the Bee; the which being added to the fore part of the Inventory, being as afore­said, not of

Doth in the whole amount to,

And the Merchant, when he maketh his Inventory, he doth it at his best leasure, when the Venture is out-bound; the which we will suppose this,

Imprimis, Two or three large vast Warehouses, empty and neatly cleansed, onely in one Corner two or three empty Casks, with some odd Pack-cloaths and Cording; And all

But Item the return of the Venture, a gallant, lusty stout tall Ship, of a vast burthen, deeply laden, and well man'd, in-bound at the Havens▪ Mouth, ready the next Tide, being a spring and a fresh smart gale of Wind, filling the Fore Sale, the Top Sale, the Sprit Sale, and the Mizen, running before the Wind, like the Post that sides for his Life, the Antient flying, and the Pilat for the safe convey of the Vessel carefully instructing the Steers-man at the Helm, as occasion serves, with a Star-bord, Lar-bord, Port, Steady, Loof, Non-neer; and the Master Gunner and his Mate fiering, to the rejoycing the Heart of the Owner, 13. 17. 19. or 21. great Guns, the Sea-men and Mar­riners with all speed, striking and furling their Sails, coming to Anchor, and making to Shore, to liver the Ship, being Richly La­den with the best and choisest Indian Trade, and being home bound, coasting from one Countrey to another Port, being enriched with the choisest and best Commodities of those Countries and Havens, by [Page 16] which means, though the Inventory, as to the former part of it, a­mounts to

Yet the return of the Venture so supposed, as aforesaid, doth raise the total sum to

Thus we see the Husband-mans Harvest, and the Merchants Return after their patient waiting, makes a mends for all.

Therefore by the way, a Word to my Brethren, that are already in Prison, with my self, and those that do every hour expect the same measure to be met to them; and that not upon the account of any real mis-actings found or known, either by them or us, as by Plotting, Contriving or Undermining the present Government; but onely and alone, because we desire and endeavour to keep the Testi­mony of a good Conscience, and to prove Faithful and Loyal to our Head and Soveraign, our Supream, our King, our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, whose Laws teach the best Loyalty to our Earthly Kings, and purest love to our Princes, nay to our very enemies.

I say to my Brethren Imprisoned, and the rest yet at Liberty, I shall give the advice of the Spirit, recorded in James 5. 9. 10. Be patient therefore Brethren unto the coming of the Lord; behold the Hus­band-man waiteth for the precious Fruits of the earth, &c. Be ye also patient, stablish your Hearts, for the coming of the Lord draw­eth nie; and let us not be weary in well doing, for in due time we shall reap if we faint not, Gal. 6. 9. the which reaping time is, that which fills up my Inventory, and will make a mends for all, and raise my total Sum to a considerable value; For as I am a Trades man, my Estate as to Temporals, amounts but to a small value; as,

Imprimis, My Houshold Goods and wearing Apparil, being very little, and very mean, and therefore of

Item, In my Shop and Ware-house, what is left by the hand of oppression; is,

[Page 17]So also as I am a Christian, my condition in gross is this, not

Imprimis, My footsteeps watched, and my Actions weighed by an unjust weight and ballance, and mete by a false measure, by which means is produced false Reports, Opprobious Speeches, cruel Mock­ings, Scoffings, Jeerings and Deridings, false Accusations, and Evil Surmisings; and my whole Trade Heaven-wards, Arraigned, Judged and Condemned as utterly Lawlesse and unlawful; and my Commodities sent me from thence, Counterfeit and Carnal, Adul­terated and Abominable, Sinful and Schismatical, Wavouring and Unstable, Whimsical and Giddy, Fantastical and Fannatical, Formal and Faithlesse, Papal and Prophane; by all which it may evidently appear, that as to my present Estate and Condition among men, I have

And to speak in the Words of our Apostle, If in this Life onely we had Hope in Christ, we were of all men most miserable; but now is Christ risen from the dead, 1 Corinthians 15. 19, 20. And there­fore,

Item, In the Resurrection Day, They that have done good, shall arise of the Resurrection of Life, John 5. 39. For if we have been plan­ted into the likenesse of his Death, we shall also be in the likenesse of his Resurrection; And Christ being raised from the Dead, dieth no more, Death hath no more dominion over him, Rom. 6. 5. 9. So also is the Resurrection of the Dead, it is sown in Corruption, it is raised again in Incorruption; it is sown in Dishonour, it is raised in Glory; it is sown in Weakness; it is raised in Power; it is sown a Natural Body, it is raised a Spiritual Body. And as we have born the Image of the earthly, so also shall we bear the Image of the Heavenly, 1 Cor. 15. 43, 44, 49. And thus shall we be recompenced at the Resur­rection of the Just, Luk. 14. 14. This shall we have after we have li­ved in Reproach, Infamy and Ignomy; This shall we have if we Worship not the Beast, nor his Image, neither Receive his Mark in our Foreheads, nor in our Hands; though we have been Villified and Undervalued, Railed at and Reproached, Buffetted and Whipped, Banished or Imprinsoned; nay, though we shall lose our Lives, pro­vided [Page 18] it be only for the Witness of Jesus, and the Word of God, we shall have our part in the first Resurrection: And blessed and holy is he that hath Part in the First Resurrection, on such the Second Death shall have no Power; but we shall be Priests to God and to Christ, and shall Reign with Christ a Thousand years, Rev. 20. 4, 5, 6. For he must Reign till he hath put all Enemies under his feet: And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall also the Son himself be subject unto him, that put all things under him, that God may be All in All, 1 Cor. 15. 25, 28. For it is a faithful saying, That if we be Dead with him, we shall also Live with him; if we Suffer, we shall also Reign with him, 2 Tim. 2. 10, 11.

Therefore, Item in the Harvest Crop, abundance of Plenty, for in due time we shall Reap if we faint not: And whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap; for he that soweth to the Flesh, shall of the Flesh reap Corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting, Gal. 6. 7, 8, 9. And he that goeth on weeping, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again and bring his Sheaves with him; For they that sow in Tears, shall reap in Joy, Psal. 126. 56. Thus Weeping may endure for a Night, but Joy cometh in the Mor­ning. In the Morning of the Resurrection, Sorrow and Mourning shall vanish away as the dew before the Morning Sun; for God shall wipe away all Tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away, Rev. 21. 4. And the Lamb that is in the midst of the Throne shall lead them unto living Fountains of Water; and God shall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes, Rev. 7. 17. Yea, He will swallow up Death in Victory, and the Lord God will wipe away Teares from all faces, and the Reproach of his People shall be taken away from off all the earth, for the Lord hath spoken it; And it shall be said in that Day, This is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us; this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoyce in his Salvation, Isa. 25. 8, 9. For in his Presence is fulness of Joy, and at his Right Hand are Pleasures for evermore, Psal. 16. 11.

Thus our Present Sufferings are not worthy to be compared with that Glory that shall be revealed in us, Rom. 8. 18. For our Light A [...]i [...]i­ons, which are but for a Moment, worketh for us a far more Exceeding and Eternal weight of Glory, whilest we look at the Things that are not seen, and not on the Things that are seen; for the Things that are seen are Temporal, but the Things that are not seen they are eternal, 2 Cor. 4. 17.

[Page 19]And now my Brethren, seeing it is so, that there comes so much, and such great benefit to us by our Sufferings, let us Chearfully go on in Gods Way, continuing Faithful to the Death, that so we may attain the Crown of Life: And let us follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth, though to the Cross, that so we may attain the Crown, we shall be great Gainers by it: And if we make that Use of our Suf­ferings that God intendeth, our Faith, our Patience, our Joy, our Love, our Peace, and all will be tryed, strengthened, and much bet­tered. And in Conclusion we shall reap the benefit of it, so as that we shall have cause to say with his Servant of old, Psal. 11 9. 75. I know O Lord, that thy Judgements are right, and that thou of Faithful­ness hast caused me to be troubled. And again, By our Afflictions we shall Evidence our selves to be Sons and not Bastards; For whom the Lord loveth he Chasteneth, and scourgeth Every Son whom he Receiv­eth; If ye endure Chastening, God dealeth with you as with Sons; For what Son is it whom the Father Chasteneth not? But if ye be without Chastizements, whereof all are partakers, then are ye Bastards and not sons, Heb. 12. 6, 7, 8.

God is now Preparing a People for himself; and as Persons are to be fitted; hewen and squared for the building of God, before they can be fit matter for his Building here, as they must be lively Stones be­fore they can be duly put into his building, the Church; so he is now trying his Stones for his Heavenly Building; he now sitting as a Refiner and Purifier of Silver; And is now Trying the Sons of Levi, and shall Purge them as Gold and Silver; and he that is not now found Gold, Silver or Precious Stones, will be Consumed, his out-side Formality will be proved to be Hypocrisie: He that now hath not Oyl in his Vessel will walk in the Dark, for Profession is almost out of fashion, and he that now hath not Habakkuks Faith will not stand: He that now finds out a by-way to Deny Christ, vvill not be found Worthy of him; novv the Day vvill try him; he that vvould not leave his Lust, his Pride, his Vanity, his Hunting after his Profit, will now Evi­dence himself who he was; For Two men walking together, and a Third following them as a Servant, it is hard to guess whose Servant he is; but when they part, the Servant will follow his own Master: Christ and Reputation, Credit or Fame have in this Nation walked hand in hand a long time together; but now they are parting, it will suddenly now be Evidenced whose Servants Professors are: And the Master without all question will Pay them their Wages; the Lord is now Dealing with his People, as once Constantius dealt with his Sub­jects: And would King Charles the Second have done so, he would have had far better Attendants, then now he hath.

[Page 20] In the Ecclesiastical History, Eusebius Pamphilius in his First Book of the Life of Constantine, in his Twelfth Chapter, speaketh to this Purpose;

[Page 21] And all the harm I wish King Charles the Second is, that he were but a second Constantius, that he had such a Court, and such a Guard, such a Ministry and such a Magistracy, such a Nobility and such a Gentry, such a Yeomandry and such a Peasantry; that all from the highest to the lowest were such as truly feared God and hated Cove­tousness, that every Relation might Act so faithfully towards their God, and each to other in Love, Peace and Unity, that the God of Peace might take a delight to dwell amongst us, when all abomina­tion ( Babylon like) might be cast into the Sea of Forgetful­ness.

And seeing such a People would make so happy a Prince: O Friends! let us hold fast our Integrity, that so we may be a blessing to our Prince here, and obtain the blessing hereafter.

For they that shall be with the Lamb are such as shall be found Faithful, and Worthy, and Chosen, for they are Virgins, and have not defiled themselves with Women, they have not intermingled them­selves with the Abominations of the great Whore, nor her Adul­terous Brood.

And if we will have one like the Son of God, Comforting and Sup­porting, Walking with and Refreshing us in that hot Furnace of Af­fliction that is Heating for us; let us with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, keep close to our God, and let us not be careful to An­swer the desires of men, Dan. 3. 25. but in all Humility let us pa­tiently Suffer under them, in so doing our Comfort will be great, though our Sufferings be many; yea though our lives lye at stake, and we also lose them; yet if our Saviours words be true, we shall find them; for if we with our Apostle do fight the good fight of Faith, we may expect to lay hold of Eternal Life; This is a faithful saying, For if we suffer with him, we shall Reign with him; but if we Deny him, he will also deny us, 2 Tim. 2. 12.

And therefore let us take up a Resolution to follow him in this our Day, in singlenesse of Soul, and in our Innocency, That we may be Blameless and Harmless; the Sons of God without Rebuke in the midest of a Crooked and Perverse Generation, among whom shine ye as Lights in the World, Phil. 2. 15. giving no Offence in any thing that the Ministry be not blamed; But in all things Approving our selves as the Ministers of God in much Patience, in Affliction, in Necessities, in Distresses, in Stripes, in Imprisonments, in Tumults, in La­bours, in Watchings, in Fasting; by Pureness, by Knowledge, by Long-suffering, by Kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by Love Un­feigned, by the Word of Truth, by the Power of God, by the Ar­mour [Page 22] of Righteousness, on the Right hand and on the Left; by Honour and Dishonour, by evil Report and good Report, as De­ceivers and yet True, as unknown and yet well known, as Dying and behold we Live, as Chastened and not Killed, as Sorrowful yet alwayes Rejoycing, as Poor yet making many Rich, as having Nothing yet possessing all Things, 2 Cor. 3. For ye see your Calling Brethren, how that not many wise men after the Flesh, not many Migh­ty, not many Noble are called; but God hath Chosen the Foolish things of the World, to Confound the Wise; And God hath Chosen the Weak Things of the World to Confound the Things that are Mighty, and Base Things of the World, and Things that are Despised, hath God Chosen; yea, and Things which are not, to bring to nought the things that are, that no Flesh should glory in his presence. And seeing it is so, my Brethren, I shall Earnestly Desire you in the words of our A­postle, That you also who are Troubled, rest patiently with us when the Lord Jesus shall be Revealed from Heaven with his Mighty Angels in flaming Fire, taking Uengeance on them that know not God, and that Obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his Power, when he shall come to be Glorifi­ed in his Saints, and to be Admired in all them that Beléeve, be­cause our Testimony among you was Beléeded. So that as you have Cause to Joy in us, so we have great Cause of rejoycing in you, that we yet stand fast in one Faith; And the Churches of God have Cause to Glory in you for your Patience and Faith in all your Persecutions and Tribulations that ye endure, which is a manifest token of the Righteous Judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which we also suffer, 2 Thess. 2. And thus, if any of us suffer as Christians, let us not be ashamed, but let us glorifie God on this behalf.

As for you, my Brethren, that are of Kent, and other Places, who have all your Livelihoods, and some of you all that you could be Trusted for; as you are Servers in of Stores and Officers in Ships, and Seamen, and Labourers in the several Yards appertaining to Shipping, my trouble is great for you, to hear of your deplorable and sad Conditi­on, in that Officers make such use of your Tenderness of Conscience in that you cannot Swear, so barbarously to use you, Refusing to let you have Supplies for the Relieving your poor Families; yet be of good Comfort, and Roul your selves upon the All-sufficient God: For mine own part I cannot but be a fellow Feeler of your sad Conditions, for the Case is mine own, with one that is too Great for me to deal withal, and for more then I am worth; but wait we upon God, and in his due time he will Relieve us.

[Page 23]And therefore let us Comfort our selves in the Lord, and here what the Apostle speaks, James 5. 1. who saith, Go to now ye Rich men, wéep and howl for your Miseries that shall come upon you, your Riches are Corrupted, and your Garments Moth-eaten; your Gold and Silver is corrupted, and the Rust of them shall be a Witness against you, and shal eat your flesh as it were Fire: Ye have heaped Treasure together for the last Dayes; Behold the Hire of the Labourers which have reap­ed down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, Cryeth, and the Cry of them which have reaped are entered into the Ears of the Lord of the Sabbath: Ye have lived in Pleasures on the Earth, and been Wanton; ye have nourished your Hearts as in the Day of slaughter, ye have Condemned and Killed the Just, and he doth not resist you: Be Patient therefore Brethren unto the Coming of the Lord.

And Consider, that there is one in Power in Heaven above them; and one in Earth that is his Vicegerent intrusted under him, and set up by him, to be a Terrour to evil-Workers, and a Praise to them that do well; who in due time may be made acquainted of it, and give a Re­medy in it.

In the mean time, my Beloved Brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, alwayes abounding in the Work of the Lord, for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

To Conclude, I shall impart unto you my Resolution freely, and shall let you know as to my present Condition, though I am in a Dungeon, yet I had rather be there, ( as through Mercy I can say I am with a clear Conscience) then be in the Kings Palace with a clogged Conscience; For mine own part I with others have had Tenders of Li­berty upon Engaging as others did; the which we dare not do least we ensnare our selves; for now we are as to our Meetings, in this Condi­tion, we have yet the Word of a King for the quiet Enjoyment of our Meetings, the which we had from Breda, and since Confirmed to some of our Friends by verbal Expressions, as well as in the Act of Oblivion, and in his Declaration for Ecclesiastical Affairs, and that upon Condi­tion; which Condition is not yet, nor (God assisting) never shall on our part be broken: For as we have Publickly Declared our selves in for­mer times under the other Powers, to be a Peaceable People, and utterly against both Swearing and Fighting, as by my Declaration annexed at the End of my Fannaticks Mite is apparent, the which through Mercy I shall Resolve rather to Die, then in the least to violate; And here some men are ready to say as once the Brethren of David did to him, who Queried the Reason of Davids forwardness in the Work of God; Whose Answer was, Is there not a Cause? 1 Sam. 17. 29. [Page 24] So must I say at this Day, Is there not a Cause? Is not the Israel of God now Defied by the Great Goliahs of our Times? Therefore I must say as once Jeptha did in another Case, Judg. 1 1. 35. I have opened my mouth to the Lord, and I cannot go back: And when I am Solicited and Per­swaded to betray the Cause of Christ, and break his lawes by Com­plying with Engagements and Oathes; I must say as once that Servant of the Lord said, Nehem. 6. 11. Should such a man as I take Sanctuary? Should such a man as I Betray and break the Lawes and Cause of Christ? I that have been Evil spoken of by the Separation for SEPARATING from the Separation, though I have never been Condemned justly by the Separation for any such Separation; I say, If such a man as I, should now seek to secure my self after all my Separation, I should be the most abomi­nablest Person in the World, and might Justly be Condemned with the World.

I know that by what I have said, I must set up my self more pub­lickly for a Mark to be shot at: yet I must Discharge my Conscience as to what I have been, and what I am; that so I may not be thought ei­ther better or worse than what I am: and if therein I become nothing as to my Earthly Being, yet I matter it not, so I keep a good Conscience void of Offence, both towards God, and towards Man: And if in the Inno­cency of my Soul I perish, I perish: And I shall rather chuse to Perish a Thousand times, then in the least (knowingly) either to violate the least Law of God, or Betray the Cause of Christ, or do any thing that may Dishonour the Gospel of Christ, or cause his Name to be Evil spoken of: And although there be such a Charge (as I hear there is given) to have such a special Eye to me; I know not for what, unless for my good Advice to the King: yet it shall neither force me to Violate my Con­science, nor Forfeit my Liberty as to our Meetings; but I shall Pati­ently bear my Imprisonment till the Lord shall in his Mercy Release me; Hanging yet upon the Kings Word to be made good to me, and the rest of our peaceable Judgement, who are falsly Accused, and some of us un­justly Imprisoned, and to the wounding of our good Names as Tray­tors.

Yet I say again, I shall Resolve (God Assisting me) to continue, faithfully waiting upon God in his own Way, in the Integrity of my Soul, Because better is the Poor that walketh in his Integrity, then he that is Perverse in his Lips, and is a Fool, Prov. 19. 1. For the Integrity of the Upright shall guide them, but the Perversness of Transgressors shall Destroy them, and the Righteousness of the Upright shall direct his way, whilest the Wicked shall Fall by his own wickedness, Prov. 11. 3, 5. And thus whilest the Just man walketh in his Integrity, his Children are Bles­sed [Page 25] after him, Prov. 20. 7. The Premises Considered, It shall be the desire of my Soul to go on waiting upon God, Earnestly begging in the behalf of the King and his People, That there may be such a Right Understanding of things, that Justice be so duely Administred, as that the Righteous be not as the Wicked, nor the Innocent as the Guilty, lest the Cry of the many Oppressed Families come up into the Ears of the Great and Just JEHOVAH, that Sin-Revenging God, who is of a more purer Eye then to behold Iniquity, so as to approve of it, or those that act in it.

Thus having given you an Accompt both of my Innocency and Inte­grety, both what I am, and what (by Divine Assistance) I shall Resolve to be, notwithstanding the noysomness of the Place I am in, and the Hardships that I, and those that are with me, do undergo therein; our Livelyhoods chiefly depending upon our daily handy Labours, being torn from our Callings, and Families, tyed up from getting our own Bread, and brought into worse then an EGYPTIAN Bon­dage, and Contrary to the Law both of NATURE and NATIONS; who though we are the Kings Prisoners, yet we have not (as I said before) neither Beds nor Bedding, Meat nor Money, nay, not so much as a Drop of Water but what we are forced to purchase with our Money; the which if we have not, nor Friends to bring them to us, we must in reason inevitably perish, the which notwithstanding, though we un­dergo, yet I shall Resolve still to endure, rather then set my Hand to Folly, either to Violate my Conscience, by breaking the least Law of God, or in the least to Give my Consent to the making my self Guilty by Paying Traytors Fees, which is double Fees, or any Fees at all, see­ing I am not Guilty of what I am laid in for; but shall Resolve to go on in my Christian Progress, as a Christian ought to do; and shall desire to wait upon God in Prayer and Supplication for such a Right Under­standing of things, as that the Evil Doer only may be Punished, & that the Meetings of the peaceable People of God, according to the Kings Pro­mise, may be still Continued; Praying for the King and his People, al­though at present my Professed Enemies, And to Remain till Death,