THat there is a weighty Trust reposed in you, 'tis no ambi­tion in me to tell you; for verily the righteous God re­quires the performance of it from you; the right dis­charging whereof is of great concernment (and the hearty desire of him that sends this) to you. Never had this Nation since she had the Name of England, more need of wise Senators, then at this season; for England hath sinned pre­sumptuously against her God, his mercies to her have been of a won­derful magnitude: What people under the Sun hath he dealt so boun­tifully with? Or is there any Nation under Heaven hath had so liberal a portion of the blessings of his right hand, and of his left? Hath she not been counted the Mirrour of all Nations? Hath not the sound of her Inhabitants gone thorough the earth? Have not the Neighbour Nations round about her, bended to her? Hath she not been a help in needful times unto her friends, and a dread and terror to her enemies? But how hath England requited the Lord? Hath she rightly answered his Love, and walked in his Light? Or hath she not cast the Testimony of his Law behind her? The unparallel'd Mercies of her God are un­dervalued and forgotten by her; therefore is he drawing near in judge­ment against her; for the sins of Sodom are found to be within her, and the Cry of Blood pursues her. Time after time hath the righteous God sent his Warnings to her, but hitherto they have been little regarded by her: Ah! how long hath she grieved her righteous God, and her iniquities been a burthen to his people! And to add to her unworthi­ness, and multiply her Misery, she hath abused God's Messengers: How many of his Prophets hath she imprisoned? And which of her Gaols have not been v [...]sited, by her imprisoning the sons of Innocency? Not for any guile that hath been found in their lips, but onely for witnessing against her iniquity and unworthiness. And shall not the righteous God visit for these things? Will he not be avenged on such a people? Certainly 'tis time for her to be clothed in Sackcloth, and happy were it for her, would she fast from iniquity. O that I might see her Princes set in the House of Mourning, and her Nobles weeping in the dust. But England is sick, and sees it not; she is near the Grave, and not sensible of it: Therefore is her Condition more desperate, and her Malady the more incurable. O England! England! my Native Countrey, Calamity is coming very swiftly upon thee, yet neither thy Princes, Peers, nor Prelates (so called) seek to comfort thee, nor minister any Cordial, or the Balm of Gilead to recover thee. O cease from thy Iniquity, and kiss the Rod that smites thee, else verily I see thou runs on to thy ruin, and in thy madness rides post to Perdition.

Ah friends! Is this a time to fall out with your fellow-servants? Hath not England Enemies enow abroad to invade and over-run her, but you must needs imbrue your hands in the blood of your native Countrey­men? Do not your Enemies laugh at your folly? And will they not be ready to rejoyce at your ruine? There is an opportunity put into your hands, and the God of Englands Mercies without doubt hath done it: Do you not see the undermining subtilty of your Enemies? If this blou­dy Spirit be not timely rebuked, Rome will soon triumph in Englands Ruines. Verily I must deale plainly with you herein; for my life is not dear unto me, to do England good.

O Parliament of England, as yet thou hast Power, and know that En­gland's God hath given it unto thee: Be a bridle to that bloody Spirit, and crush the Cockatrice in the shell; for if thou suffer this Jesuitical Design to have its swing, it will neither leave thee root nor branch: Therefore (my Friends) seek peace, and pursue it, and be no longer lea­vened with Ammon and Amaleck.

But let your minds be staid upon the Principle of God which he hath placed in your consciences: Be still (I say) in your minds, and come in­to calmness; let the loftiness of man be laid low, and wait in filence up­on the living God; listen and encline your ear unto his still voice, that is it which moves to holiness, mercy, and moderation. The Spirit of the Lord leads to patience, and counsels his people to forgive their enemies. The righteous Seed seeks not for revenge, it cannot endure to have its Garment stain'd with blood, and yet it's a Principle that pleads for true obedience to Rulers; but would not have the King drink the blood of the people. The Golden Mean, I must tell you, is the best; and when you sit in Judgement, see that you remember Mercy; and I warn you in the fear of God, be tender of the life of man.

And as for Religion, this the righteous God requires of you: Seek not to bind the Consciences of any whose hearts are truly set towards Sion, nor consent not to establish any form by an outward force, but give free Toleration in the exercise of a tender Conscience. Be as zealous as you can in the restraining of Vice and Vanity in your own particu­lars, and in the Nation. Let your Laws be a terror to evil-doers, but let the righteous find you favourers of God's people. And take heed of Amaleck, that Prelatical conscience-binding Spirit, which subtilly pres­ses you to an outward conformity; for Amaleck's design is to preach up Persecution.

You may take notice of the preceding Powers that have been split upon this Rock: How many Overturnings have you known of late? And did any persecuting plot of late ever prosper? And do You think to make war against the Lamb, and to meet with Victory? If you find it so▪ then say there is no God in Israel. It is in vain for man to strive against his Maker; for the Lord God Omnipotent is leading and will bring his seed out of the house of bondage, and if Pharaoh shall refuse to let Israel go free, God will multiply his plagues upon him, and drown him and his Host in the red Sea: Read who can. Wherefore, O Friends, be perswaded to moderation, and let not the innocent be the object of your wrath, because in feigned humility they come not to you, nor with the windy words of man's hollow wisdome they cannot feed you. Plain down-right dealing is a Jewel; and the righteous feel more true joy in the wearing of it, then the Egyptians do in all their Jewels.

And as for us (whom the scornful generation do call Quakers) were we of the World, the World would love Us, for the World loves its own; but we are not of the World, therefore the World hates Us; but we know it hated Christ before us: And this we know also, our Adver­saries cannot lay their yoak upon us, till the Lord suffer them, nor can they go beyond their limit, and the wrath of man shall be restrained: God may suffer them to try us, but they shall not destroy us. Therefore do not You resolve within your selves that you will suppress the righte­ous seed in the people called Quakers. For know this assuredly, That Spirit which goes about it, must bow unto it, and fall before it; for they are of the seed of the Jews; read me within: Sion must be a burthensom stone unto her enemies; God is, and will be tender of his Seed, and all that fall upon it, shall be broken by it.

Alas poor Mortals! think you to limit that which is Eternal? You may as well command the fire from burning, the wind from blowing, the sun from shining, the rain from showering, and the grass from spring­ing up or growing, as offer to attempt it. If you can span the circumfe­rence of the Earth, and dry up the vast Ocean with your breath; if you can turn the Autumn into Spring, or count the number of the Stars, and reckon every sand upon the sea shore; then may you limit the holy One, and drown his Israel in the sea.

But who is sufficient for these things? Therefore, O Friends, come into the Humility, and be no longer high minded, but learn the holy fear, and bow to God's Witness in every one of your consciences, and answer the requirings of it, by your obedience to it; while the Light of God is shining in you, it is day; his spirit shall not alwayes strive with flesh; work while the light is with you; the night comes when no man can work; wherefore prize your time, & repent, and believe and walk in the Light, least for your disobedience the Lord God omnipotent overturn your Mountain, and bring his Wheel over you; and then what are you?

And as for us, our Hope and Help is in Israel's God, and we fear not man, nor what man can do unto us, we are well known to be a harmless people, and have learnt to pray for them that persecute us, and desire to live peaceably with all men. Therefore be not prejudiced in your minds towards us▪ nor go about to make Laws against us, because we de [...] plainly with you; for of a certain, God is with Us.