The trumpet of the Lord sounded forth unto these three nations as a warning from the spirit of truth, especially unto thee, oh England, who art looked upon as the seat of justice, from whence righteous laws should proceed : likewise, unto thee, thou great and famous city of London, doth the Lord God of vengeance found one warning more into thine ear ... : with a word of wholsome counsel and advice unto thy kings, rulers, judges, bishops, and priests ... : together with a few words unto the royal seed ... / by one who is a sufferer for the testimony of Jesus, in Newgate, Esther Biddle. Biddle, Ester. 1662 Approx. 51 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 13 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2007-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). 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A28133) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 106891) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1119:7) The trumpet of the Lord sounded forth unto these three nations as a warning from the spirit of truth, especially unto thee, oh England, who art looked upon as the seat of justice, from whence righteous laws should proceed : likewise, unto thee, thou great and famous city of London, doth the Lord God of vengeance found one warning more into thine ear ... : with a word of wholsome counsel and advice unto thy kings, rulers, judges, bishops, and priests ... : together with a few words unto the royal seed ... / by one who is a sufferer for the testimony of Jesus, in Newgate, Esther Biddle. Biddle, Ester. 24 p. [s.n.], London printed: 1662. Reproduction of original in the British Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Apocalyptic literature -- Early works to 1800. 2006-04 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2006-05 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2006-09 Judith Siefring Sampled and proofread 2006-09 Judith Siefring Text and markup reviewed and edited 2007-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE TRUMPET Of the LORD Sounded forth unto these THREE NATIONS , As a WARNING from the Spirit of Truth ; especially unto Thee , Oh ENGLAND , who art looked upon as the Seat of Justice , from whence righteous Laws should proceed . Likewise , unto Thee , thou great and famous City of London , doth the Lord God of Vengeance sound one WARNING more into thine Ear , that ( if possible ) haply thou mayest hearken unto him , and amend thy life before it be too late . With a Word of wholsome Counsel and Advice unto thy King , Rulers , Judges , Bishops and Priests , that they may prize the Day of their Visitation , before it pass away : As also , a Word of Prophesie of the sore Destruction that is coming upon them if they Repent not . Together with a few Words unto the Royal Seed , which is chosen of God , and separated from the World , to do his Will for ever . By one Who is a Sufferer for the Testimony of Jesus , in Newgate , ESTHER BIDDLE . LONDON , Printed in the Year , 1662. One Warning more from the Lord God of Vengeance , sounded forth unto Thee , Oh City of London . OH London , London ! The dreadful Lord God of Everlasting strength , which faileth not , his notable , terrible , and dreadful Day is coming upon thee as at noon day , and from it thou canst not escape , neither canst thou quench God's Fire which burns as an Oven , which is overtaking thee : Oh the burden of the Lord concerning this Treacherous and Backsliding City ! Oh! Calamity , upon Calamity , Misery upon Misery , Plagues upon Plagues , Sickness upon Sickness , and one Disease upon another will the Lord God of Power bring upon thee , and the Lord will destroy thee from being inhabited , unlesse thou dost repent from the bottom of thine heart , and lead a new Life , and abhor thy self in dust and ashes ; The Everlasting Counsellour and Prince of Peace is come , and coming to take Peace from thee , and to hide comfort from thine Eyes . Oh! wo is me for thee , my heart is even broken within me , and mine Eyes as a Fountain Floweth forth before the Lord in thy behalf , that the bitter Cup which thou and thy joyning Sister hath to drink , may be taken away , if it be his will. Oh! that thou wouldt return unto the Lord as Nineveh did , who received the Message of Cod ; And the King came from his Stately Throne , and humbled himself before the Lord , and his Soul was obedient unto the higher Power , which is God , and all that had a being in that City , both Man and Beast , was covered with Sackcloth and ashes ; Three dayes and three nights they humbled themselves before the higher Power , who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords , who is Governour amongst the Gods , even he repented himself of the Evil which he thought to bring upon them , and accepted of their Humiliation . Oh London ! it would be well for thee to consider thy wayes , and Worship , and Religion , and search with the Light , and let the Light shew thee whether thy wayes and Worship , and Law is pure , which is given forth in thee ; if it be not so , I pray thee as in Christ stead , let his Light lead thee into his way and Judgements , and Worship , and Religion , which are holy , that thy Soul may be saved in the Terrible Day of the Lord ; for there are hundreds in thee , that do not know their right hand from their left , neither can they discern the Power of the Lamb from the Power of the Beast . Therefore hath the Lord stayed his fury from breaking forth upon thee ; yet a little while and the Mighty hand , and out-stretched Arm of the Lord , which is stretched forth from Sea to Sea , will come upon thee suddenly . Oh thou City ! saith the Lord , who formed thee in the womb , and gave thee Life and Breath , and hath been as a tender Father and loving Nurse even from thy Cradle ; have not I made the Earth to bring forth her Corn , and Oyl , and Wine for thee ? have I not cloathed the Earth with Grasse , and the dew to descend upon it , and the softly Showers of Rain ? have not I caused to distill upon thy Flowers and Vines that they might give a Fragrant Smell unto thee ? how have thy Streets and houses been dressed with the glory of them ? and have not thine eyes beheld the Glorious Collours of the Flowers and Workmanship of my hands , the which many of you shall see no more because of my destroying Angel. Oh London ! have not I who am the God of the whole World , placed a glorious burning Fire in thee , which all the water in the Sea cannot quench , which gives light in thee , and unto thee , and all Nations ; which is my witness in every man , which stands up for me against all manner of Sin ? hath not the Lord broken up the Seals of the great deep , and opened the Fountain of Everlasting Life in the midst of thee , to wash thee from thy Leprosie , and to heal thy putrifying sores : Oh! thou art full of running sores , from the crown of thine head , to the sole of thy foot , there is not a free place ; have not I opened a well of pure water to bathe and make thee white ? I the Lord of Host hath caused my Sons , and Daughters , and Handmaids to leave both Father , and Mother , House and Land , Wife and Children ; and indeed all outward things , to come unto thee , rising up early in sore Travels and labours , to warn thee , and call thee to Repentance , that thou mightst be saved before my dreadful stroke be struck at thee , which will not fail : have not they shewed thee many things which hath come to passe ? I have shewn and am shewing Signes in Heaven and Earth , in thee , which shall make the keepers of the house to tremble ; have not the dead been raised , the blind made to see , the Lame to walk , the dumb to speak , the Leopards been cleansed in thee ? have not I made the Elements to melt with fervent heat , the Powers of Heaven have been shook by me , the Sun have I turned into darkness , and the Moon hath lost her Light : The old Heaven , and the old Earth hath the Lord made to passe away at the Brightness of his coming ; and as I have worked and suffered in you , so I will do until I have made up my Jewels , which I am perfecting through sufferings in thee ; And until I have gathered my Seed from the four winds in thee , into my Bosom , from whence it came , until then will I work , and bear the burden of iniquity , even until the Seed suffering measure is come to an end ; and then shall not my eye pitty , nor hands spare thee , but I will bathe my sword in thy blood , and I will give thee blood to drink , even as thou hast done by my Innocent Lambs , even so will I do by thee ; and as they have seen their blood lie in thy Streets , so shalt thou see thine , and the day will be hot and terrible that is coming upon thee , unlesse thou dost repent ; I the Everlasting God have looked down out of my Holy Habitation , and have beheld the Sufferings of my People , notwithstanding the noble and worthy Acts that have been done by my People in thee , how hast thou Bruised , Beaten , and Knocked down , Killed and Spilt the blood of my innocent Lambs , and haled them into thy nasty Prisons until they die ; Oh! the blood of the innocent is found in thee , which cryeth aloud for Vengeance unto my Throne , Drunkenness , Whoredom , and Gluttony , and all manner of Ungodliness , Tyranny and Oppression , is found in thee ; Thy Priests Preach for hire , and thy People love to have it so ; Rioting and ungodly meetings , Stage-Playes , Ballad Singing , Cards , and Dice , and all manner of Folly ( not in corners only , but in the high places of thy streets ) wicked works & actions are not punished by thee , and hundreds may meet together to commit folly , and take the name of the pure God in vain , and cause his soul to mourn , and abuse themselves with his Creatures , until they can neither go , nor hardly speak ; Taverns and Ale-houses are frequented day and night , and are seldom disturbed by the Magistrates , or sent to Prison , or Bruised , or Knocked down ; but they that are Innocent and cannot lift up a hand , or bear Arms for or against any man , and have no evil or hard thought in their Hearts against any one , neither do they speak evil of things they know not , or contemn Magistracy , but reprove Sin in the Gate , and ungodliness in the Streets , and so have made themselves a Prey ; these are they that are Punished by thee , and whose Sufferings are deeper than any People upon the Earth besides . Oh London ! the sins of the old world is found in thee ; art thou guilty or not guilty ? for thy time draweth near , wherein thou must give an account unto me , who am a dreadful and most terrible Judge , unto that Spirit which leadeth thee into Persecution : Oh! thou art grown numerous , and very great , thy beam reacheth unto Heaven , and thy Glory unto the end of the Earth , and thou hast Crowned thy self with Dignity , and hast built thy Nest among the Stars , and sitteth as a Queen , thou hast made thy self strong , and hast said in thy Heart , Thou shalt not see Sorrow ; thou seest no Scarcity within thy Gates , but Fulness within thy Pallaces : But know this as from the Lord , thou bloody City , thou shall know his terrible stroak , who is God Almighty ; He will plead with thee as in the Valley of Jehosaphat , even with the Fire of his Wrath , and the glittering Sword of his Spirit . Oh! thou famous and beautiful Harlot , who art beautified with the Glory of Egypt , thou hast played the Whore with many Lovers ; Oh! thy Bed is defiled , and thou hast forgotten thy Creator , which maketh my Soul to mourn ; thy strength shall become weakness , and thy Glory shall perish , thy beauty shall be turned into ashes , and thy honour shall become contemptable , because thou art covered with a dark Cloud of Sin and Transgression , and so cannot behold the Lord ; Envy hath misled thy mind , which hath caused thee to Imprison his Messengers , not only them of thy own City , but Strangers , who hath forsaken all to visit thee in Bowels of Everlasting Love ; and thus hast thou rewarded them , which is contrary to Christ's Command , which is to love Strangers . In the Dayes of Old , they received Strangers and washed their Feet , and gave them to eat and to drink ; but thou briusest and knockest them down , and keepest them in Prison from their Families ; and hast said , The Parish will look after them : Oh thou merciless City ! dost thou think to obtain Mercy from the Lord ? How many Families hast thou seperated , the Wife from the Husband , and the Husband from the Wife , and the Mother from her Children , and the Servant from the Master , not suffering them to see each other for a time ; The Lord hath said , Cursed is He that separateth a man from his Wife ; and dust not thou bring that Curse and many more upon thy head ? we have been found in no Plots nor Risings , but have seeked the good of all Souls , and the Prosperity of all Nations ; in Olivers Dayes , and ever since we have been gathered out of the Worships and Vanities of this City , and could not Bow unto Hammon , we have been a suffering People , and nothing could be found against us but concerning the Worship of our God , which must disanul all unjust Laws made by Man : The Medes and Persians had nothing against Daniel , but concerning his Faith ; and I know Daniels Spirit liveth amongst us . Therefore consider what thou art doing , for in vain dost thou set up Briers and Thornes in Battle against the terrible God , for by the brightness of his Coming shall they be burnt up ; for assuredly the Lord will arise mightily for his Seeds sake , for as a Lyon roused up , is he come , who is the munition of Rocks , and as a she Bear bereaved of her young Ones , will he roar and disquiet all thy Inhabitants . Oh London ! God hath a remnant in thee , which he hath marked for his own , which shall escape the Wrath that is to come ; Glory , Glory , Songs of Everlasting Praises be rendered unto the living God , who hath not left himself without a witness in thee ; Oh London ! If thou wouldst return saith the Lord Almighty , I will heal thy Back-slidings , and forgive thee all thy Sins ; I will withdraw my bitter Cup which I have filled full of my Indignation , and I will cover thee with my Garment of Everlasting Love , and I will be married unto thee , even as a young Man marrieth a Virgin , never to be seperated ; I looked down from the Throne of my Glory , and I saw thy distressed Condition , thou art as a Sheep without a Shepherd , as upon the Mountains of Prey , and art scattered hither and thither , amongst the Clouds of Religions ; thou knowest not which way to turn , thou art like the Dove , thou canst find no rest nor footing for the soal of thy foot ; thou art liable to be torn by the Woolfs , and devoured by the Lyons ; thy TeachErs are removed into corners , And thou art disposessed of thy wonted Houses and Service : Therefore saith the Lord , do I pitty thy ConDition , and if thou wilt hearken unto me , who am near thee in thy Heart , and in thy mouth ; at thy down lying I am with thee , and in the night season I visit thee , and at thy uprising I call thee to repentance : how many years have I born with thee , as I did with the old World ? but my Patience came to an end , and my Wrath waxed hot , and so it will against thee , if thou wilt not hear my beloved Son , which I have sent a Light into the World ; and if thou wilt learn of the Light which shines in thy Heart , then thou wilt be on heaps no more , neither will thy Teachers , and Worships , and Church , be any more removed into Corners , but thou wilt be built upon Christ , the Pillar and Ground of Truth , who is the Church of the First-born ; then wilt thou have Fellowship with the Lord , and thy-Glory , and Crown , and Beauty shall never have an end , but thou shalt be the Glory of the whole Earth , and the Beauty of all Nations , and Kings , shall come to thy rising , and Princes to the brightness of thy Glory ; there is no City upon the Earth can say as thou canst in this latter day , for the Power of the Lord hath been shed abroad in thee , and thou hast been visited more than any ; therefore prize the Son of the Lord , least thou art cast into utter Darkness ; for it is I the Lord that chaineth Leviathan , which no man can tame , who am God , and there is none besides me ; by my Wisdom the World was made , and the Heavens framed ; I created the Sea , and caused the Rivers to run into it , and have set the Sands , as swadling bands that it cannot over-pass ; and this is my decree which I will have sealed unto my people , I am the Quakers God , and will be with them unto the end of this World , and in the end they shall be with me in my Glorious Kingdome , where they shall be kept from their Persecutors , and lye down in joy , peace and tranquility , with the rest of my holy Martyrs , and Prophets , and Apostles , in years past : and I am utterly against all that do oppose them , who am a terrible God , and will bring the wickedness of the wicked to an end , but the righteousness of the righteous doth live with me . This is my Decree , and it shall live for ever , and remain World without end ; and if thou canst cause the rain from raining , or the Stars from shining , or the Sun from going her Course , or giving light to the Nations , then mayest thou alter my Decree with my People , whose seed shall be for number as the sand upon the Sea shore , and for Multitude as the Stars of Heaven , and they shall shine in Glory more brighter than the Sun at noon day , in the Firmament of my Power , when the generation of the wicked , shall be cast into the Lake , which is prepared of God , for the King of darkness and his Subjects . The Trumpet of the Lord sounded forth unto England , Scotland ▪ and Ireland , with a Word of wholsome Advice and Counsel to the King , Rulers , and Judges thereof . OH King ! this is my Counsel unto thee , and thy Rulers and Judges ; Oh! hearken unto the Light of Christ in your Consciences , that it may bear rule in your hearts , that you may Judge for the Lord , and oppression may be expel'd in your Dominions . Oh! that you would do Justice , and love Mercy , and walk humbly with the God of heaven , then would the Lord give you length Of dayes , and a long life , Peace and Plenty shall be in your Dominions , every one shall sit under his own Vine and Fig-tree , and none shall make them afraid , joy and tranquillity shall be in your Palaces ; this shall you see and know to be accomplished , if you will leave off oppressing the Righteous , and set the Captive free . Oh ye Rulers , Judges , and Justices , and all People high and low ! be it known unto you from the mighty Judge of Powerful Majesty , that he is risen , who will scatter Rulers in his anger , and will pluck down Kings in his wroth . Oh! the anger of the Lord waxeth hot against all workers of iniquity , and he will set his oppressed seed free , which cryeth unto him for deliverance ; and know this , what cruelty soever be in your hearts against us , the Lord will confound it and bring it to nothing ; for the Lord is on our sides , and we fear not Imprisonment , Banishment , Fine or Tortures , or whatever the wrath of man can inflict upon us ; for our hearts are firmly fixed upon the Lord , and we are freely given up in Body , Soul , and Spirit to suffer for God's Cause : Oh you Rulers ! if the Lord suffereth you to Banish us , I know that the Lord will go along with us , as he did with Abraham in a strange Land , but know this , we shall leave a seed behind us , which shall be your tormentor , and shall witness for us when we are gone . Oh Lord ! I commit our case unto thee , who art faithful , and keepeth Covenant for ever , and I know thou wilt fight our Battel , and plead our cause with the mighty on earth , who would destroy us from being a People if thy Power did not preserve us ; Glory and Honour be given unto thee , who hath compassed us about with songs of everlasting praises ; and we may blesse the hour and time that thou raised up a People in the North , even a dreadful and terrible Army , who Marched swiftly in thy Power through the Nations , and by them we were convinced , and turned towards the Lord , and they shall be the dread of all Nations , and God hath crowned them with an everlasting Crown , which neither Men nor Devils shall be able to take from them . Oh you Rulers and Judges of these Nations ! do you think to overcome us or make us yeeld by keeping them in Prison , which you think are our Teachers , and Ring-leaders ? nay , Christ is our Teacher , and he cannot be removed into a corner , who is the Antient of Dayes , and will cause us to increase dayly , and to grow as Calves in the stall ; we are not like the World , who must have a Priest to Interpret the Scriptures to them , and when he is removed , they are scattered and knows not what to do ; but my friends , we witness the Scriptures fulfil'd , who hath said in the latter dayes , He would pour out his Spirit upon Sons and Daughters , and they should Prophesie ; and they shall all be taught of me , and great shall be their peace , and in righteousness shall they be established : So the Lord doth not speak unto us in an unknown Tongue , but in our own Language do we hear him perfectly , whose voice is better than life ; and for this cause doth the unlearned hate us , and the uncircumcised revile us , because we cannot own the Teaching that is of this World , but that which cometh immediately from God , and that is pure and refresheth the Soul , and holdeth up the head in the day of Battel , and it causeth us to meet together , to worship the Lord as we ought to do ; and Oh you Rulers , and People ! it is in vain for you to strive against us , for the God of heaven is with us . Oh England , Scotland and Ireland ! but more especially thou O England , that art the most fruitful and famous Land , in which the Lord hath been pleased to make manifest his Life and Power , Beauty and Glory , more than in any Nation under the Heavens ; in so much , that he hath raised his sons and daughters from death to life , and hath made them bold and valiant Souldiers for his Testimony , which he hath given them to bear forth unto all Nations ; and by the Glorious and Powerful Word of Life , which hath proceeded out of their mouthes , hath thy Judges and Rulers been convinced of the evil of their way , and have been made to confesse to the Truth , both Priests and People , both High and Low , Rich and Poor , hath the Lord visited in this day of great Salvation , and everlasting love ; so that none could plead inorance , but many like Demas hath denyed the Truth , and Imbraced this present evil World : And now Oh England ! will the Lord try and prove all thy Inhabitants , from the King that sitteth upon his Throne , unto the Beggar that sitteth upon the dunghill , even all sorts of professors and prophane ; Oh! the Fire is kindled , and the Furnace is even hot , in the which your works and worships , Faith and Religion must be tryed , and that which will not remain in the Furnace , must be consumed by the Fire of the Lord ; for the most high and Glorious King is a trying and purifying his Children in the Furnace , as Jerusalem , that they may come forth as pollished Silver , and well refined Gold ; and he hath brought many through the Furnace , and hath set them as Pillars in his house , to bear forth a Valiant and Noble Testimony of what they have seen , tasted and handled of the Word of Life , unto thy inhabitants , and unto the whole World , that they may fear that dreadful God , who made Heaven and Earth , in whose sight the whole World is but as the drop of a Bucket , and at whose presence the heavens shall wax old as a garment that moths have eat , and the Element shall passe away with a great noise , the Earth shall be dissolved , and all things therein shall mourn , and the souls shall fail before him which he hath made . Oh! let your King and Queen , Dukes and Earls , Lords and Ladies , Judges and Rulers , and all Bishops , Deacons , Priests and People in these three Nations , and all the World , consider their wayes , worships , and religions , and fear and tremble before the mighty God , who hath the hearts of Kings and Rulers in his hand ; times , and seasons are with him , the Dominions of the World are at his disposing , who is the high and lofty One , and doth Inhabit Eternity ; what is the Pope or the Kings of the Earth , will he not bring them to judgement , and turn them to dust again from whence they came ? Oh you high and lofty ones ! who spendeth God's Creation upon your lusts , and doth not feed the hungry , nor cloath the naked , but they are ready to perish in the streets ; both old and young , lame and blind lyeth in your streets , and at your Masse-house doors , crying for bread , which even melteth my heart ; and maketh the soul of the righteous to mourn : did not the Lord make all men and women upon the earth of one mould , why then should there be so much honour and respect unto some men and women , and not unto others , but they are almost naked for want of Cloathing , and almost starved for want of Bread ? and are you not all brethren , and all under the Government of one King ? Oh repent ! least the Lord consume you , and be ashamed , and cloath the naked , and feed the hungry , and set the oppressed free . Oh King ! thou art as head under God over these three Nations , & the Lord hath set thee as overseer , to see Justice and true Judgement Executed in thy Dominions ; Oh! let all unjust Lawes and unrighteous Decrees made in thy dayes , and before thy dayes , be all disanul'd and made of none effect , and henceforth let there be good and wholsom Lawes Established , that all the honest-hearted in thy Dominions may worship the God of their Life , without any molestation ; and if thou decreest any thing , let it not grieve the Lord , for the Lord God of Israel looketh for better fruit at thy hands than he did of all that are gone before thee ; for in the time of Ignorance God winked , but now is the glorious Light of the Morning risen , and God calleth all men every where to Repentance . Oh you Rulers , Priests , and People of these three Lands ! I most humbly intreat you to learn Wisdom before it be too late , and prudence before it be hid from your eyes . Oh! leave off your old wayes and Worships , and observing Dayes , Times and Seasons , and learn the new and living way , which is the way in the Wilderness , though a wafering man or a fool shall not err therein ; this calls for Holiness and Purity , without which you cannot see the Lord ; therefore consider you are but Men , and made of the dust of the Earth , and you know not how soon you may return to your long homes , and shall be seen no more ; have you the length of your life , or the number of your dayes in your own hands ? have you the command of Death , or can you stay its stroke ? nay , you are but as potsheards broken by the hand of the Potter , you are here to day and gone to morrow , your Beauty is as the grass , and your glory as the Flower thereof , cut down by the hand of the Mower ; your Crown is mortal , and will fade away ; Ah , poor dust and ashes , why do you persecute us even to Death , for no other cause but for worshiping the God of Heaven ? Oh! do you think that the Lord is such a one as your selves ? or are you so vain to believe , that he winks or joyns with you in Persecuting , Knocking down , and spilling our blood in your Streets ; and Murdering of us in your Prisons ? nay , nay although he hath suffered such things to be done , for the Tryal of our Faith , and the filling up of the measute of your Iniquity , which is near full ; Now will I arise , saith the dreadful and terrible God , who am cloathed with Vengeance as with a Robe , and with Zeal as with a Garment , and I will tear and devour , and for Sions sake I will not be quiet , and for my beloved Jerusalem I will not be silent , but I will roar and thunder forth my voice out of my Holy Mountain , and the Beasts shall tremble , the Earth shall be as a smoke , the tall Cedars shall fall , and the stirdy Oakes shall be plucked up by the Roots , and all things of this World shall be afraid ; the Bats shall go into their Holes , and the Lyons into their Dens , when the Lord appeareth in his Beauty , to make Inquisition for blood , then shall your hearts fail you for fear of those things that are coming upon you ; in that Terrible Day , all your lovers will do you no good , and your familiars will stand afar off ; then must you be left to the Judge of Judges , where you shall see the Book of Conscience opened , where your Indictments will be read at large , and he will Judge you according as your deeds shall be . Oh then ! if you have not done Justice , nor loved mercy , or did the thing that was Just in the sight of the Lord , then shall you be Banished from the presence of the King of Heanen for evermore , into utter darkness , where is weeping , wailing , and gnashing of Teeth , and you shall be a stink to Ages to come . Oh! blessed and happy will it be for those Judges , and Rnlers , and Poople , who hath clean hands , and pure hearts , and have not joyned with the wicked in persecuting the Innocent ; surely there reward will be great in Heaven . My Friends , I was once of this Religion which is now in Power , I was signed with the sign of the Cross , & baptized into the Faith ; my Godfathers and Godmothers Promised and Vowed , that I should forsake the Devil and all his works , the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World , and all the sinful lusts of the Flesh , and that I should keep Gods Holy Will and Commandments all the dayes of my life ; and when I was young , my Father had me Bishop'd , thinking thereby to gain a blessing for me : I spent many years in Oxford , where the carriages of the Schollars , did trouble me in that day , they were so wilde ; after the best sort of Religion and custom of the Nation , was I brought up ; then the Lord drew me to this City , where I applyed my heart both Evening and Morning , and at noon day , unto reading and hearing the Common-Prayer ; when there was but one place of Worship left in this City , I went to it , and when there Books were burned , I stood for them , for my heart was wholly joyned unto them ; and when the King's head was taken off , my heart and Soul was burdened , that I was even weary of my Life , and the Enemy waited to devour me ; then did the Lord take away my hearing that I was deaf as to all Teachings of Men for a year ; then that Faith which I was baptized in , did no good , for all that the Man and Women had promised , and vowed , I should do , I could not forsake the Pomps and Vanities , and sinful lusts of the Flesh I run into ; and they stood alwayes before my eyes , my cry was continually unto the Lord , that I might put off that body of death , which hindred me from his presence ; then did the Lord carry me to a Meeting of the People called Quakers , where I was filled with the dread and Power of the Lord , and it raised my Soul to bear Testimony to the Truth , and after a little season the Lord set my sins in order before me , and every idle word which I had spoken was brought to my remembrance , where I received a just reward from the Lord , and so came to have Peace of Conscience with my Saviour , which I never could obtain whilst I walked with those People . Oh my Friends ! I can truly say , ever since I was a Child , the witness of God pursued me , and what ever I did , I had no Peace in this worship , or Service , which is now in being ; it tired and vexed my tender Soul , to see what a sad estate I was in ; but now Glory be to the Lord , I am set at Liberty from this vain Religion , which never profited me at all ; and would you have me to conform to this Religion , which keepeth the Soul in the grave ? hay I shall never conform unto this worship whilst I have breath , but shall bear my Testimony against it , for I know the powerful Cod is risen to throw it down , and wo be to all that uphold it . Oh your Rulers ! be it known unto you , if you will not do Justice and ease the oppressed , and set the Captives free , the Lord will overturn you , and destroy you from being a People , as he hath done in years past ; for his sword is in his hand , and it will cut you down , unless you do repent , ye shall likewise perish . One Warning more to the Bishops , Priests , Deacons , Friers , and Jesuites . OH ! Woe be unto you Bishops , Priests , Deacons , Friers , and Jesuites , and all other Officers under you , for the Lord is risen in Power , yea , he is risen in dreadful and terrible Wrath ; Oh! I have seen , I have seen this Night , the dreadful Flames which the Lord God will cast you into ; Oh! your Communion-Tables which you sacrifice upon unto Devils , and not unto the living God , your Altars which you bow down unto , and make an Image of , will the dreadful Lord of Vengeance overthrow in his fiery Indignation ; your Surplices and Tippets , and all your loathsome Robes , which you dress your selves withall , which are like unto a menstrous Cloth before the Eye of the pure Jehovah , he will rent them all off , who is the Bishop of our Souls : Oh you Bishops , Priests , Deacons , Friers and Jesuites ! once more will the Judge of Heaven and Earth plead with you , because you are a blood-thirsty Generation , you are a building of Zion with blood , and Jerusalem with Iniquity , as your Forefathers did in the dayes of old : Therefore will the Lord of the Harvest cast you heaps upon heaps , as stones in the street , and as mire in the high-way ; the Lord of Heaven and Earth loaths your Worships ; your Singing , and the Noise of your Organs doth the Lord abhor ; and instead of your instrument of musick , will the lord make you howl and lament bitterly , in so much that the Earth shall be astonished , and your Downfal shall be so great , that Nations shall fear and tremble before our God ; your Communion and Union is with Devils and unclean Spirits ▪ and not with the powerful God , which creats a new Heaven , and a new Earth ; and this shall you see fulfilled in its time and season ; for the Lord hath determined your utter Destruction , both Pope and Bishops , both root and branch , from off the face of the Earth : Oh it hastens , it hastens , and Wrath will not stay . In this glorious day , in which Zion is rayed in beauty bright , To stand in her strength against this dark Night ; Whose Clouds are so many , and Skie so dim , That Zions Beauty can hardly be seen ; But the Lord is risen in this his glorious Day , To sweep Bishops , PrElates , and Clouds away . Babylons Destruction is very near , let all the World fear for evermore . A few Words unto the Royal Seed , which is chosen of God , and seperated from the World , to do his Will for ever . OH Friends ! blessed are you of the immortal God , who are centred in the City of refuge , which is made without hands , which indeed is the lot and inheritance of the unspotted Lambs , whose Hearts are after nothing but the Glory of God , which is the Crown and Cause of rejoycing of his Sons and Daughters , who do inhabit in and about this City , who are come to the Church of the First-born , and to the innumerable company of Angels , and to the SpIrits of just men made perfect ; Oh! my beloved Ones , your Life is above this City , and denies the Vanity of it , and it loaths the Worship that abounds in it ; Oh! it is well with you , for the Lord hath made you up as his Jewels and Pillars in his House for ever : Oh! my Friends , who do inhabit in and about this City , who are convinced of the Abominations and Uncleanness that is committed in her ; I am moved of the dreadful and terrible God to warn you , that you do not joyn with her Spirit , neither in word nor thought , for assuredly the day of her pain and sorrow is at hand , in the which she shall weep bitterly , and shall make all astonished , who are from the Power and Life of God ; Oh my Friends ! keep to the Power and to the Judgements of the just Judge , that that eye and thought that would look out at her Glory , and that would think to sit at ease in her Borders , let that be judged and accursed for ever , that would have any Life below the Son of God : Oh my Friends ! call to mind the years past , how pretious and fresh was the Love of the Lord in your hearts , when he first visited you in this City ? Oh! did you think any thing to dear for him ? could you not have laid down your Lives for his Truth ? were you not glad when you were robbed of your Glory , and bereaved of your choicest Jewels even for the Lords sake ? Oh my Friends ! I can bear you record in the sight of God , who was a fellow feeler of your Integrity and Faithfulness unto the Lamb. Oh! you tender Ones , with whom my Soul hath Union , keep to that pure and undefiled Love , even to the measure of God's Grace , that it may teach you continually to deny all things that is of this World , and unclean in this City , that you may stand every one in your measures , as Lights in this dark City ; for the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth , hath placed you in and about this City , as he hath done the Sun , Moon , and Stars , and there you in the Firmament are to stand fixed in him , who is the glorious morning Star , you must not wander least you cease to give Light in the place , where you are set ; for remember they that wandered were reserved in Chaines of Darkness until the Judgement of the great Day , which is near at hand , to give unto every one a just reward . Oh! you beloved Friends of God , this I have to say unto you from the mighty God , although you are set as marks for the mighty men to shoot at , and as a by-word in the mouth of the Beggars , and are reckoned the worst of all People , not worthy to live upon the Earth ; yet know this , that the Covenant of the Lord is made with you , and his Power and Life shall not depart from you , nor from your Seed for evermore ; Glory , Praises , and Power eternally be rendered unto the Lord , who reigneth in the Heavens , who never altereth , but liveth a God for ever . Oh my Friends ! this is the earnest desire of my Soul , that we may keep close unto our Maker , even to bear a pure , holy and faithful Testimony in our Generation , against all that do oppose the Lamb in this City , as the Prophets , and Apostles , and holy Martyrs , have done in their day , against all false Gods , Worships , and Worshippers ; we have the same Spirit to fight against in this City , as they had in the World before : Therefore my Companions , and fellow Sufferers , have we not need to stand up for God's Cause , for the which we have , and are called to bear forth our Testimony , in so deep Sufferings as we have come through ? and if we are to drink of a deeper Cup , yet let us be thankful unto the Lord of the Harvest , for it is for the gathering of the Exiles into Abraham's bosome , and the poor thirsty Soules unto the place of broad Rivers : Oh! rejoyce , and give Praises unto God on high , who hath begun his Work , and will finish it in his time : Oh my Friends ! let us keep clear of this City , let us not tast nor handle any of her Works , for her works are Vanity and falshood , the Poyson of Aspes is under her tongue , and Deceit is in her hands ; therefore it is good that we bear a faithful Testimony for the most high against this Generation , and if our lot be to die , and we appointed to be Slain for the same , it will be well with us , our Souls shall be received into the bosome of the Father , where we shall glorifie God day and night , and shall be free from Oppression : Oh dear Hearts ! be not afraid of the threatnings , or proud looks of vain Man , which is but like a bubble , he can but kill the Body , but cannot kill the Soul ; Oh! be continually prepared to die , that none may be afraid of Death when it comes , for it may come suddenly , when ye are asleep , or in the twinckling of an Eye ; Oh! that then the rest which God hath prepared for his People , may be entred into , or else Misery and Pain will be found , which is the Reward of the Slothful and Disobedient ; the Way of the Righteous is Life Eternal , and the Path of the Just is a burning and a shining Light , which our Eyes have seen , and our hands have handled of the Word of Life , by which we have been preserved unto this day ; and I am certain if thousands of thousands should rise up against us , they shall not prevail , for the Lord the mighty Jehovah is with us , and will fight our Battel , and plead our Cause with the mighty Ones of the Earth ; we need do nothing but stand still in Gods Salvation , which is the saving health of all Nations , and will plead with all Tongues and Kindreds of the Earth , who do oppose Him ; And his Lambs and Babes , who walketh in his holy Path , which is Life to the upright in heart . Oh! the Wisdom , Power and Glory of the unlimitted God , what tongue is able to declare it , or what heart can conceal the infiniteness of the Riches of the Judge of Heaven and Earth ? it even fills the Heart with Love and Life , and over-shadows the Soul and Mind with the Glory and Beauty of the unspotted Lamb , which taketh away the Sins of the World ; Oh! the weight of his Glory , I am even swallowed up with the incomprehensibleness of it ; Oh! the height and the depth of it is past finding out , by the Wisdom of this World ; Oh my Friends ! is not that God amongst us , who created Adam in Innocency , and Eve of the Dust of the Earth ? did not he cause Abraham to leave the Land of his Nativity , and go into a strange Land ? and did he not compass him about with Strength and Power , and gave him Favour in the sight of the People ? and is he not the same God still ? Yes , although the Earth may wax old , and Heavens vanish away as smoak , and the Elements with fervent heat , yet he remains unchangeable , who is our head ; Oh! What is all the World before him , who is Judge of Judges , and King of Kings ? it's but as the drop of a bucket in his sight ; and a thousaud Years is but as one day with our God : Therefore it is expedient for all Friends to watch and wait , and Pray least they enter into Temptation : And this have I seen my beloved Friends this night as from the Lord , that there must be a watching and waiting for the Invisible Power of the Lamb to arise , to move , to pray , to speak , and then it will be a pure and a holy Sacrifice which the Lord will accept : Oh my Friends ! let us whilst we have breath sacrifice our Sighs , Tears and Groans , Prayers , and Fastings , upon God's holy Altar , that a sweet Savour may ascend into the Nostrels of the Most High God , that so we may receive a Blessing from Heaven for evermore : And this the Lord hath put into my Heart , and I cannot forbear but Write , that if any prayeth or speaketh unless in the holy Power of the dreadful God amongst us , it is as water spilt upon the ground , and it will bring a Curse rather than a Blessing ; the Lord looketh for a holy and clean Sacrifice from us , above all the People in the World , because he hath raised up his own Life in us , and chosen us to be his People , and the Lot of his Inheritance , and the Place where his Honour dwelleth , is with us ; and I know Sacrifices have been offered by us , and is to this day , which the Lord's Soul loves , and He doth delight to make us his choice ; He is our God , and we have none in Heaven nor in Earth to plead our Cause but He , that Suffered , and layd down his Life on Earth , but now sits in Majesty and Glory in the highest Heavens , who is our chief leader and guide , and doth lead us into his Power to meet together , and to stand in awe and Sin not ; and if ( Friends ) we should not meet together , we should Sin against God , and should miss of his Presence , who hath said , Where two or three are met together in my Name , there will I be ( saith the Lord ) and this is my Testimony as a Witness to this thing , I never went to any Meeting since I knew the Truth , even from the first Meeting to this day , but I was filled with the Living Power of the Lord ; Oh! the sweet showers that doth descend from the presence of the Lord , and the pleasant rains that falleth from his Throne like silver drops , it doth distil upon our Hearts , whilst we are in our Meetings in the Name and Power of Jesus , who is amongst us , and hath raised us , and is raising us from the Dead ; and hath , and is quickning our mortal Bodies , that they may be like unto his glorious Body ; he hath and doth turn us from Darkness to Light , from Satans Power to his own : Oh! can we forget or refuse such glorious Benefits , which we have received from the God of our Life , in our Meetings together ? I know my Friends , you are not unsensible of this great gain , by losing the Love of the World , to meet together with the King of Heaven and Earth , whose presence is better than Life : Oh! how hath he opened the Sluce of Everlasting Mercies and Love , that it hath poured down from the crown of our head , to the soal of our foot , so that we have been washed throughout by the endless Goodness of the Lord in our Meetings : And this is my mind , and I hope you are and will be of the same with me , and I do believe the Lord will carry me on to the end ; I had rather die the cruellest Death that ever was , or can be devised by man , than to neglect or abstain from Meeting together in his Name ; for I know who ever doth it , neglects their own Salvation , and the day of their Visitation . Oh my beloved Friends ! if we Suffer Imprisonment , or loss of Life upon the account of meeting together , let us rejoyce , for it is for Christ sake that we are Persecuted , for great is our reward in Heaven ; Oh! Christ is our meat and drink , he is become our Table in the midst of our Persecutors , our Cup doth overflow , when we are in close Prisons , Christ is with us , who cannot be exposed from us by the Wrath of Wicked men ; when we are brought out of Prison , and had before the Rulers , then Christ goeth along with us , and teacheth us what to say ; He is a Mouth , and Wisdom , and Utterance , we take no care what to do ; when we are sent back again to Prison from the Rulers , if it be into a nasty Hole or Dungeon , our Saviour goeth with us , and he teacheth us Patience , and Meekness , and poureth upon our Head and Hearts his holy Oyle , which maketh us sing for joy of heart , that he hath counted us worthy to Suffer for his name : So my Friends , if they fight against us , they fight against God , for God is with us , and it is his Cause we stand for , and Suffer in Goods , Body and Spirit : And therefore seeing it is so weighty a thing that we lye at stake for , we value not what Men , or Devils , Spirits , or Angels can do unto us , for our Hearts and Spirits are firmly fixed upon the Lord and his Cause ; and for Meeting together as long as we are moved of the Lord , the which will be I hope as long as we have breath ; Oh all you my Friends ! who are young and tender , and all you who are looking abroad to see what will become of us , and cannot joyn with us , because of Persecution , have a care , I warn you in the Presence of the dreadful God , stand not in that slippery place , least the day of Mercy pass over whilst you stand gazing , and Repentance be hid from your Eyes , then would you give the whole World if you had it , for one hour to repent it , but then it will be too late : Therefore I beseech you not to look at us , but to mind your own Salvation , and what the Lord saith unto you by his witness in you ; for every one in the day of God's account shall answer for himself , and receive a reward according to their Works ; the Lord is no respecter of Persons , the King as well as the Beggar shall know the stroak of God's hand , when the Book of Conscience is opened , wherein their Sins are written as with the point of a Diamond ; and I know that there is nothing can blot them out but the blood of the Lamb ; and therefore do we utterly deny and abhor any Pardons from the Bishops , for I know they cannot pardon themselves , nor keep their own Soul alive ; our confidence is in God , who hath tryed our Reins and searched our Hearts by his living Power ; Glory everlastingly be given unto the higher Power , to whom our Souls are subject , and in whom we live , and shall do world without end . Oh Zions King ! thy Beauty bright , Hath fill'd our Hearts with great delight ; Thy City pure our Eye doth see , In which alone dwells Purity : Oh! rejoyce ye Saints of Zion all , For God hath sav'd you from the Fall : It 's no matter if our Bodies dye , Our Souls shall live Eternally , With God who ruleth in the Heavens High : A City pure God hath prepar'd for us , When our Enemies hath laid us in the Dust : Thy Day and Beauty doth declare , An open war with Sin and Sinner ; Who doth thy Name , defame . O Lord unto thy Glorious name all knees shall bow Of things in Heaven , and things below ; Thy Seed Royal , that Glorious plant , Which thou into the World hath sent , A Light , is content with Punishment . From Sinners Hands , who like Iron Bands Against thy own Seed stands , Their Hearts is bent , with full consent , thy seed to rent . O Lord thy Seed to Heaven doth cry for Delivery , In this Day of Perplexity ; Thou righteous Judge , thy suffering Lambs in Prisons lie , Until they die for thy Testimony , Which shall remain when all is slain , Which doth increase , our Joy and Peace . Oh! blessed be the day our Sins were washt away , And we set free , to follow thee , From the Gulf of Misery , who art a God of Purity : O Lord we will serve thee , whilst we have breath , For thou art Judge of Heaven and Earth ; Honour and Glory is thine alone , And be it rendered to thee for evermore . FINIS .