THe Lord God hath committed the Authority of these Nation to you, and hath wonderfully overturned many, that you might again come up, and be tried, as he hath tried many before you, and they have been as chaff before the winde, and hath not answered the end for which the Lord intrusted them; and there­fore did his displeasure wax hot against them, for departing from him and loosing their way, in the dark in going about to root out that in the earth, and from amongst them which had been their defence in time of trouble, and the Rock of their safety in their greatest straights; and be­cause they would not hearken to the Lords voice to chuse his waies and walk therein, but grew hardned through the deceitfulness of sin, slight­ed the Lords warnings till he overturned them, that you might once more be tried; now there­fore beware what you do, and tempt not God as they did, nor provoke not the Lord to wrath [Page 4] against you, by doing that towards his beloved people, for which the Lord will not hold you or them giltless: take heed how you grieve the spi­rit of the Lord, by standing up to vindicate that which is for destruction: Oh, that you were so wise as to take the Lords Counsel, then would you exceed all that has been before you; but alas, alas! are not you already beginning to plead for those things which even those before you pleaded for, honour and respect to your persons, as if men were altogether uncapable for the service of their Country, that cannot bow, swear, and give respect to persons, al­though in all things else duly qualified; if this you do will you not thereby exclude the Lords people, your best and surest friends, out of your Assemblies, because they cannot swear, respect persons, and say theo and thou to a single person; know ye not that they that respect persons and gay cloathing commit sin, Jam. 2.2, 3, 4, 5, 6. and they that bow to the Creature, be it flesh, gold, silver, or precious stones, or any other thing above or under the earth, bows not to the invisible God, but to the Creature, and so wor­ships the Creature more then the Creator, Ro. 1.25. unto whom every knee should bow both in heaven and in earth. Oh how do the streets of every City abound with gross Idolatry, bending cringing and bowing even to the ground to one anothers Images, the creatures of God, and [Page 5] workmanship of their own hands, decking one another with gold and costly apparel, thereby to be bowed to, respected and honoured of men. Oh how is the spirit of the Lord hereby grieved, because of these and other abominations? And how shamefully and barbarously have the peo­ple of God suffered in this Nation of late years, because they could not run with the world into all manner of excess and wickedness; and espe­cially because they could not so much idolize mens persons, and worship the beasts Image, as was required of them? Therefore were they hailed, imprisoned, and grievously fined, and for other things accounted offences, where no known Law was broke, did they suffer as hainous transgressors, the like of which in ages past can scarcely be paralleld (and this from persons who call themselves Christians.) Consider with your selves and examine well whether creatures per­sons, or visible substances, celestial or terre­stial bodys, though never so glorious, or that un­clean spirit, that adores and worships them more then the Creator, be to be bowed to, or the invi­sible power, by which all things were made that are; o that of God in you I appeal for answer. If then the power or name be that to which every knee or thing in heaven and earth must or ought to bend, Phil. 2.10. then they whose souls are hereto made subject, worship the Lord in spirit, and cannot worship the workmanship of mens [Page 6] hands, nor yet mens persons, but commit sin, and yet can truly honour all men in the Lord, for the Lords sake so now come to rule in the Authority and Power of God, that in the Lord we may you honour, and be cautions at what you stumble, that truth and righteousness may be cherished, and all deceit and wickedness quite discouraged: Take heed to your selves, least in the steps of those that went before you, you be found (with whom the Lord was displeased) and broke to pieces; think not to your selves you shall be established, if you be found hindring the Lords work; for except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of those that was be­fore you (whose mercy was cruelty) you shall not escape the vengeance; the Lord will not be mocked by you, who make mention of his name; what you sow that shall you reap; and if examples to these Nations, you stand in all righteousness, meekness, justice and mercy, and every good work, a blessing to them shall you be, for want of which the world hath abounded with all manner of wickedness, because the Go­vernours thereof was out of the Lords fear, and abounded in folly, and was examples in pride, and encouragers of the wicked in every place, even like unto those the Lord God cast out be­fore them, imitating their heathenish waies and customes; yea, and those same things that they cried out of in the zeal of their spirits, when they [Page 7] grew great, did they again establish, and there­by grievously vexed the righteous, and became persecutors of those who could not bow to their Apostacy, and for this cause the Lord did not establish nor bless them, because their hearts was darkned, and they given up to believe lies: God hath tried them, and they are fallen as example to you, that you may not sin as they did; there­fore be wise and quit your selves like men, that you may be honoured in doing that which all before you hitherto have refused to do; consi­der the great oppression of the filthy proceed­ings of the Laws of this Nation, and the vexa­tious covetous Lawyers, who make merchan­dize of men for moneys, who with others sell their filthy lies at to dear a rate, to the undoing of many; and consider the oppression of the Ministry of England, and their forced mainte­nance, the suffering of the Lords people from themward, hath been cruelty without mercy, as hundreds can witness; and consider well of the hard measure the Lords people have received from many that are and have been in Authority in this Nation, because they could not put off their hats, swear, lie, and for going to their peace­able meetings, with other things too tedious here to mention. Be counseled Oh ye Rulers, and be wise Oh ye Magistrates, least as others you be overturned; if you do well happy shall you be, and are joycing to those hearts, whom [Page 5] others before you by oppression have sadned, and you even you shall be established in much peace, and all before you, as you abide in the Lords power, shall fall; but if you will not hear­ken to the Lords voice, to do that which is well pleasing in his sight, to do justice and love mer­cie, and walk humbly with our God, but neglect the opportunity put into your hands, negligent­ly & slightly do the worke of the Lord, then shall you likewise be overturned, the Lord God of Hoasts hath spoken it, and the Lord our God shall dash to pieces as a potters vessel, all who are hinderers of his work, that he may rule, whose right it is. I have herein discharged my self before the Lord, whether you hear or for­bear I am clear in his sight, and according to your work, so shall be your reward.