THE PROTESTANT Christian-Quaker A SUFFERER BY relics of Popery UNDER All Powers for Thirty Years last past, who have PERSECUTED for Religion, yet call the Holy Scriptures their RULE, that justifieth No such practise. By George Fox.  
LONDON, Printed for Benjamin clerk in George-Yard in Lumbard-street, 1680.   

Here all may see what it is to be Conformable to the Death of the Son of God; and what it is to be Conformed to the Image of the Son of God; and also what it is to be Transformed from the World: And likewise, how that We, the People of God in Scorn called Quakers, are the True Protestants, and have Suffered this Thirty Years by All the Powers for not comforming to the relics of Popery, that have been held up by Presbyterians, Independents, Anabaptists and Protestants, so called, who say, The Scripture is their Rule; but yet never could make these Popish relics good by Scripture, which they have practised, and for which we have Suffered.  The Noble Bereans preached the Scriptures daily, to see whether those things were so as the Apostles preached, Acts 17.10, 11. 
THE Apostle exhorts the Christians, To be Conformed to the Image of the Son of God, Rom. 8.29. Who is the Brightness of God's Glory, and the Express Image of his Substance, Hebr. 1.  
And further, the Apostle saith, That I might know Christ, and the Power of his Resurrection, and the Fellowship of his Sufferings, being made conformable to his Death.  
And also, the Apostle exhorts the Church, Rom. 12. saying, Be not Conformable to this World; but be you Transformed by renewing of your Mind, that you may prove what is that Good, that Acceptable and Perfect Will of God.  
Now here are three things for all Christians to mind:  
1st, First, They must be conformable to Christ's Death.  
2dly, They must be conformed to the Image of the Son of God, who is the Brightness of the Glory of God, and the express Image of the Father's Substance.  
3dly, Thirdly, They must not be Conformable to the World; but be Transformed from the World.  
Now to know what it is to be Transformed from the World, and not be Conformable to the World, first they must know what the World is, that they must not be Conformable unto, but be Transformed from.  
Which the Apostle describes to be the Lust of the Eye, the Lust of the Flesh, and the Pride of Life, which is not of the Father, but of the World, and therefore must not be Conformed unto, nor Loved, but be Transformed from; for it passes away, and the Lust thereof.  
For if any man love the World( saith the Apostle) and the things of the World, the Love of the Father is not in him, John 1.2.  
Now to be Conformable to Christ's Death, the Apostle saith, If they be dead with Christ, and Conformable to his Death, then they are dead with Christ from the Rudiments of the World, and they cannot be subject to the Worldly Ordinances, and Commandments, and Doctrines of Men.  
So here the World hath its Ordinances, its Commandments and its Doctrines, which are not to be touched, nor tasted, nor handled by them that are Conformable to the Death of Christ, and are dead with him, and so Conformable to the Image of the Son of God, who is the Brightness of God's Glory, and the Express Image of his Substance.  
Now all such as are Conformable to the Death of Christ, and are dead with him, and are Conformed to the Image of the Son of God, which was the only Conformity the Apostle preached up; all such( 1st,) cannot be Conformable to the World, nor to the Lust of the Eye, nor to the Lust of the Flesh, nor to the Pride of Life;( 2dly,) nor to their Doctrines, nor Commandments of men, nor Ordinantes, nor Traditions, no not so much as to touch, taste or handle them; for they all perish with the using of them, saith the Apostle. But their Conformity must be to the Image of the Son of God, as the Apostles preached.  
Now this Conformity to the Son of God was never held up nor defended by Outward Carnal Weapons, neither by Christ nor his Apostles: for Christ said, He came not to destroy men's Lives, but to save them.  
And the Apostles did affirm, that their War and Weapons were not Carnal, but Spiritual; and they did not wrestle with Flesh and Blood, but with the Powers of Darkness, and Spiritual Wickedness in High Places, for the plucking and pulling down the Castles and Strong Holds of Satan, which he had set up in Men and Women's Hearts since they fell from God.  
So itis clear, the Apostles did not preach up a Conformity to the Image of the Son of God by Carnal Weapons.  
So the Apostles that preached Conformity to the Image of the Son of God, and to his Death, did not Hang, Burn, Banish, Imprison or Persecute any, or Cut Off the Ears, or Whip, or Spoil any Peoples Goods, that did not comform to the Image of the Son of God, or comform to his Death. Nay, they did not Imprison, Put to Death, or Spoil the Goods of any of them that were conformable to the World and their Doctrines; but invited them, and exhorted them, and shewed them the Danger, if they did not comform to the Image of the Son of God, and receive his Grace, Light, Spirit, Truth and Gospel.  
And they that did not die with Christ, could not Live with him; nor Suffer with him, could not Reign with him.  
Now they that are conformable to the Image of the Son of God, are conformable to their Saviour, their Redeemer and Mediator, and to the New Covenant of Grace, Light and Life, and to the Worship in Spirit and Truth, and to the true Church which Christ is the Infallible Head of, who hath destroyed the Devil and his Image, who is the Head of all false Images, and Image-makers and Worshippers.  
And therefore it is but fit that all Christians should be conformable to the Image of Christ; and unto the Happiness of this Conformity the Devil is an Enemy, and Satan is an Adversary, and as he is a Devil, he seeks to destroy all them that are conformable unto it, and that bear the Image of the Son of God.  
And now all the Doctrines, Rudiments and Commandments of men, which are not to be touched nor tasted, and so not to be conformed unto, but transformed from; for they are but the Inventions of such as have not heard God and Christs Voice, though they may have all the Form of Godliness both in the Old and New Testament; and being out of the Power and Spirit that they were in that gave it forth, all such are to be turned away from, and not to be conformed unto, according to the Apostles Doctrine.  
For it is the Power and Spirit of God and Christ that brings to turn away from them, and brings to be conformed to the Image of the Son of God, and so to do his Will, and to know his Doctrine that is from above.  
Now the Doctrines, Ordinances, Commandments and Rudiments of the men of the World, they are below: For the World by Wisdom knows not God; and they with their Wisdom would bring all men to a Conformity to their Image, like Nebuchadnezzer which he set up, and to fall down to it, else into his fiery Furnace they must be thrown, and Daniel must be cast into the lions Den.  
So this was in the time of the Old Covenant amongst the Jews, who were to be conformable to the Law of God. So they were not to comform to the Ordinances or Commandments, and Decrees, and ways, and Worships of the men of the World, as nabuchadnezzar and Darius, and the like, about Religion.  
Which Law and old Covenant that came by Moses, Christ hath abolished: But Grace and Truth is come by Jesus Christ, in his new Covenant, by which all must hear Christ, who is an infallible prophet, and an infallible Priest, who lives forever, and is an infallible Shepherd and Bishop of Peoples Souls; and to his infallible Image must all true Christians be conformed.  
Now since the Apostles dayes, how many ways, Religions, Worships, Faiths and Creeds have been made by Men and Councils, unto which Conformity hath been required; and yet they confess and say, They have not the same Power and Infallible Spirit as the Apostles had. So then it's clear they are not guided by the same infallible Spirit; and yet such take upon them to Judge of, and give forth Doctrines, Religions, ways, Worships, Faiths, and of mens Eternal-States, with their Fallible Spirit which they confess they are in; and then all their Religions, ways, Worships, Faiths, Doctrines, Creeds, Ordinances and Directories must be Fallible. And yet these are such as will Fine and Compel( with Carnal weapons) men to comform, and fall down to, and comform to their fallible ways, Doctrines, Religions, Worships, Faiths, Creeds and Ordinances and Canons, by force of Carnal Weapons.  
And what is this they would have Conformity to? But the Likeness or Image of a Way, Religion, Faith and Worship, that is not set up by the same Infallible Spirit and Power as the Apostles were in: And because People will not comform and bow down to their Image of a Faith, Religion, Worship and Church, that their fallible Spirit hath set up; therefore they will Banish, Whip, Imprison, Burn and Hang, or spoil the Goods of such as cannot comform to this their Image.  
Now how many Images of Religions and ways have been set up since the Apostles dayes? And how much Blood hath been  shed? And what Burning, Banishing, Killing, Hanging and spoiling of Goods hath been, for not comforming to the Image which this fallible Spirit hath set up? For they all confess they have not the same infallible Spirit and Power as the Apostles had: And yet these called Christians will say the Scriptures are their Rule for their Life and practise, &c. Then let them come to the Rule and try their Practices by it.  
For the Apostles did not Hang, Burn, Banish, or Imprison, or spoil the Goods of any that were not conformable to the Image of the Son of God, but still conformed to the World. Neither did they wrestle with Flesh and Blood; and the Weapons of their Warfare were Spiritual, and not Carnal, by which they wrestled with Spiritual Wickednesses, and plucked down the strong Holds of Satan, which he the foul Spirit had set up in Men and Womens Hearts.  
Now all you that wrestle with Flesh and Blood, with Carnal Weapons, and have Hanged, Burned, Imprisoned, Banished and spoiled the Goods of such as could not comform to the Image of your ways, Religions, Faith and Worship,( who confess, as was before said, that you have not the same Power and Spirit as the Apostles had) but comform to the Image of the Son of God, declared in the Scripture of the New Testament: In this your practise the Scripture hath not been your Rule, if you will believe the Apostles and Christ's Doctrine, who said, he came to save mens Lives, and not to destroy them.  
But the Papists, they cry, comform, comform to their Image of Mass, &c. or else away with them to the Inquisition, or Rack, or Torture, or the like.  
And the Turk he cries, comform, comform to his Image which Mahomet hath set up, and to their Alcoran.  
And did not the Heathen Emperors cry, comform, comform, and persecute the Christians, because they could not comform to their Idol Images, which they had set up?  
And the Protestant he cries comform, comform, or else Persecute and Imprison, as the many Goals do testify.  
And the Presbyterian he cried, comform, comform to his Image the Directory, or else he will Hang them on his Gallows, and cut off the Ears, Banish, Whip, and spoil the Goods of all such as will not comform, as witness the Presbyterian Priests and Magistrates in New-England; and also in Old England they were bad enough, who cried, comform, comform to their Directory: And yet they confess also, that they have not the same Spirit and Power as the Apostles had.  
And the independents they cry, comform, comform to their Image, their Church-Faith they made at the Savoy in eleven dayes time; and so would have all to comform to their Church, Way, Faith and Worship, and give his Priests Maintenance and tithes, or else he will fill his Prisons also with Non-Conformists, and there keep them to Death, and made many Widows and Fatherless.  
And the Anabaptists they cry, comform, comform to their Image, and be of their Church, or else Persecute; as witness Priest Tomms of Lemster, who sued some Friends for tithe Eggs.  
So all these cry, comform, comform, comform; but the Apostle saith, Touch not, Taste not, Handle not the Doctrines, Ordinances and Commandments of men, and the Rudiments of the World; but be conformed to the Image of the Son of God, and be conformable to his Death, and be ye not conformable to the World; but be ye Transformed, &c.  
So every one that gets uppermost, and gets the Staff of Authority, commands People to put into his Bag, and to feed their Priests with tithes and set Maintenance, &c. And the Priests cry, The Law of the Land requires it. But no Law or Command of Jesus requires it, who said, Freely you have received, freely give.  
So hath it not been the Beast and the Whore that did compel all with their Carnal Weapons to comform to their Images? But Christ and the Apostles did not compel any to comform by Carnal Weapons to his Image, neither did they spoil the Goods of any of those that would not be conformable to the Image of Christ.  
Neither do you red that the Jews did compel any of the Nations they had Conquered, to be conformable to the Law of God, but they lived under them as Tributaries: But if of their own accord they would join with them in a Voluntary submission, they might.  
Neither do we red that King Abimelech did go about to compel Abraham or Isaac to comform to his Religion, or that either Abraham or Isaac went about to compel him or any of his Subjects, to comform to their God and his Law, by or with Carnal Weapons.  
Neither do we red that Pharaoh did go about to compel by Carnal Weapons the Children of Israel, which sojourned in his Country to be of his Religion.  
Neither do we red that Joseph, when he had great power in egypt, next unto the King, did go about to compel any of the egyptians to be of his Religion, or that Pharaoh did go about to compel him to his Religion by carnal Weapons.  
Neither do we red that any of those famous Fathers in the old World, from Seth to Noah, did go about to compel with carnal Weapons the stock of Cain, to be conformable to their Religion.  
But all are to be conformable to the Image of the Son of God: for that is an Infallible Conformity to an Infallible Image: For Christ destroys the Devil and his Works, who is the Head of all false and fallible Images, and Likenesses, and false ways, Religions, Doctrines, Ordinances and Rudiments of the World, which are not to be touched, tasted nor handled, and so not to be conformed unto. For by one man's disobedience came Sin and Death unto Condemnation upon all men: And so by one mans obedience, Christ Jesus, is Justification of Life come upon all men; and so Christ hath tasted Death for every man, that they might be conformable unto his Death; and he hath enlightened all men that come into the World, that by it they might come to the knowledge of him, and so to be conformable to his holy and glorious Image, who bruises the Head of all the false Images and Likeness-makers.  
And his Grace which bringeth Salvation, hath appeared to all men, to teach them, that they may deny all Ungodliness and Unrighteousness, and the Lusts of the World, and not be conformable unto them, but to be conformable unto the glorious Image of the Son of God, in his Light, Grace, Truth, Spirit, Gospel and Faith that comes from him, the Author of it. And so be made Conformable unto his Death, and to his Image of Righteousness and Holiness; and not to be Conformable unto the World's Lusts, nor Vanities, nor their Images, nor Likenesses of ways, Worships, Doctrines, Ordinances, Churches, Faiths and Creeds, which they have set up with their Fallible Spirit; but to be conformed to the Image of the Son of God, which is the Universal Conformity that ought to be by all the Believers in Christ Jesus, which is the alone Infallible Conformity in the Infallible Spirit of Christ, to his Infallible Image, who is the Brightness of God's Glory, and the express Image of his Substance, whose Image never changes; so a Conformity to an Unchangeable Image, whose Image never fell, who is the Brightness of the Glory of God, and the express Image of the Father's Substance.  
So he is over all, and liveth forever, who is the First and Last, in whom all Nations are blessed, who destroyeth the Devil and his Works, and bruiseth his Head, and defaceth his Image, in whom all Nations have been Cursed.  
So to this Glorious Unchangeable Image of the Son of God, the Second Adam, that never fell, in whose Mouth there was no Guile, who came to save mens Lives, and not to destroy them; I say, unto his Image must all be Conformable, who destroys the Devil that hath destroyed mens Lives, because they would no comform to their False and Changeable Religions, ways, Worships and Faiths.  
But Christ nor his Apostles in the New Covenant did never destroy the Lives of any, nor spoil the Goods of any, because they would not be conformable to Christs Way, Religion, Church, Faith and Worship; but if they would not be persuaded, they left them to the judgement of the Lord.  
Therefore, how far are men degenerated since the Apostles days, from the Apostles Warfare and Weapons, Doctrine, Faith, Worship, Church and Image, that they were conformable unto? Let them that are conformed to the Image of the Son of God judge.  
And thus People having erred from the Spirit of God and Christ, and hating his Light, and walking despitefully against the Spirit of Grace, not being conformable to the Image of the Son of God in themselves, but are conformable to the Spirit of the World in them, which Lusts to Envy, by which they have set up their Doctrines, Commandments, Ordinances, ways and Worships, and cried, comform, comform to them; though they be uncertain how long their Way, Worship and Religion shall stand, which hath been no longer, than till another Power get up over them, of another Way, Religion and Worship, which calls to them, to comform to their Way.  
And from this Fallible Spirit hath all the Persecution and Bloodshed been about Religion, and Spoiling of Goods, Imprisonments and Banishments since the Apostles dayes, who are erred from the same Spirit and Power the Apostles were in, and so from their Spiritual Weapons also.  
And the Apostle saith to the Galatians, How turn you again to the Weak and Beggarly Rudiments of the World, whereinto you desire again to be in Bondage! ye Observe Dayes, and Times, and Moneths, and Years; I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed on you Labour in vain, Gal. 4.  
And doth not the Apostle here call these Beggarly Elements of the World?  
And did not the Apostle say while he was amongst the Jews, and under these Elements of the World, He was Carnal, sold under Sin? Rom. 7.14.  
And did not the Apostle say, That Christ was an High Priest, not made after the Law of a carnal Commandment, but after the Power of an Endless Life? Heb. 7.  
And again, doth not the Apostle set forth, How that the First Covenant had worldly Ordinances, &c. and had outward Lights and Lamps; and their outward Services which stood in Meats and Drinks, and divers outward Washings, and carnal Ordinances; these things were imposed upon them until the time of Restitution came? Heb. 9.  
So, doth not the Apostle call all these Outward Things in the old Covenant, which were seen with the Carnal Eye, Worldly and Carnal, which the Jews were to be conformable unto in the old Covenant, which served until the time of Reformation by Christ, who Reforms People out of those Carnal Worldly Elements and Rudiments in his New Covenant of Light and Grace; so that they come to be conformable to his Death, and to his Image; and not to be Conformable to the World's Elementary things, which pass away?  
And Christ saith, The World hated him, and he was not of the World, but testified against it, and therefore it hated him.  
And he said unto his Disciples, That they were not of the World, as he was not of the World; and therefore they were to be conformable to the Image of Christ, and not to the Image of the World.  
And the Apostle said, The World by Wisdom knew not God; and the Wisdom of the World is Foolishness; and the Fashion of this World passeth away.  
So can People that are Conformable to the Image of the Son of God, who is not of the World, be Conformable to the World's Wisdom and Fashions that pass away, and to that Wisdom which is Foolishness, by which they do not know God?  
And therefore, as Christ said, They that are of the World, speak of the World; but he is not of the World, unto whose Image every true Believer must be conformable.  
And John said, Whosoever is born of God, Overcometh the World; and this is the Victory that overcometh the World, even your Faith, which Faith Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of.  
And he said to the true Believing Christians in his General Epistle, We are of God, and the whole World lieth in Wickedness.  
And again, John saith, Little Children you have Overcome the World, because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the World; and they that are of the World, speak of the World, and the World heareth them; and we are of God; and he that knoweth God heareth us, and he that is not of God heareth not us; hereby know we the Spirit of Truth, and the Spirit of Error.  
So itis clear, that John here and the true Church of Christ was conformed to the Image of the Son of God, and not to the World, nor their ways, nor Wisdom, by which they knew not God; but said, they had Victory over the World; and their Victory was their Faith: so then they were not like to comform to that which they had Victory over.  
And therefore by the World and its Spirit they suffered, for not being conformable to its ways and Ordinances; for the Spirit of God cannot be conformable to the Spirit of the World, nor its Image, but brings to be conformed to the Image of the Son of God, whose Image is the brightness of the Glory of God, and express Image of the Father's Substance.  

THe Lord hath chosen us a People to himself, and lead us by his Light out of Darkness, and by his Power from under the Power of Satan, and by his holy pure Spirit, Grace and Truth, which we received of Christ Jesus, and by it to follow him, who is not of the World; and so to walk in him, who is the New and Living Way, by whom all things were made and created, who is our Rest, Peace and Salvation, our Rock, Foundation and Mediator, who makes our Peace betwixt us and God, and he is our Priest Prophet, Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls, in his Grace, Truth, Gospel and Spirit, which is come from him, by it we are joined to him; and so through Christ, with his Light, Power and Spirit we do see over all the ways, Religions and Worships, and the Churches, which men that are fallen from the Spirit and Power that Christ and his Apostles were in, have set up; and cannot join unto, nor walk in any of their ways, Religions and Worships, but in that new and living Way, that was set up above sixteen hundred years since, and in that Faith which Christ is the Author and Finisher of now, as he was in the Apostles dayes; and in that Religion which was set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since, which is pure and undefiled before God, and keeps from the Spots of the World; and in that Worship which Christ set up in the Spirit and Truth, which comes by him, which he set up above sixteen hundred years since.  
And we do join to that Church which is come to the heavenly Jerusalem, and the Spirits of just men made Perfect, which are the living Stones, and spiritual household; not a carnal household, with their carnal Jerusalem, and carnal worldly Sanctuaries and Temples.  
And this Church is a holy Priesthood, offering up spiritual Sacrifices unto God; of which Church Christ is the heavenly and spiritual Head and Husband; and so their heavenly Prophet and Bishop, and spiritual Priest, that lives forever in his Church.  
And now, we have been branded, as being Papists and Jesuits, and Popishly affencted. But be it known to all the World, That we are neither Papists nor Popishly affencted; for our Religion, Way and Worship, and the Grace, Truth, Spirit, Faith and Gospel of Christ, which we walk and live in, was before the Pope, Papists and Jesuits, and their Religions and Worships were.  
And we have suffered in the dayes of Oliver cronwell, and in his Long-Parliament-Time; and before Oliver was Protector we suffered by Papists Laws, and Laws made in Queen Mary's time.  
And we suffered in the dayes of the Presbyterians, Independents, and Anabaptists, and now by the Episcopalians.  
And the chief cause of all our Sufferings, that have been by all these that have had Power, was for denying, and not joining to the Popish and Jesuitical ways, and the relics of the Papists, which they held up and allowed of amongst them.  
As First, For our not paying the Presbyterian Priests, Independents and Baptists, and now the Episcopalians, their tithes, Easterreckonings, Midsummer-dues, Mortuaries, and such like, and Surplices, Pulpit-clothes and Cushions, and Steeple-house or old Mass-house Rates; and Clerks Wages, and such like Services.  
Now hath not the Pope and the Papists been the Founders of all these things, and not Christ nor his Apostles? and do not all these things stink of Popery? for Christ saith to his Ministers, that he made and sent forth to preach; Freely you have received, Freely give. And the Apostle saith, He coveted no mans Silver, or Gold, or Apparel; but kept the Gospel without Charge; and declared against Covetous Teachers.  
And Christ said, The ontward Temple should be thrown down, and not one ston left upon another; for he would build up a Temple of living Stones; a spiritual household, in his new Covenant, whose household the true Christians are.  
And Stephen and the Apostle said, The most High did not dwell in Temples made with hands.  
And moreover the Apostle said, That the Bodies of the Saints were the Temples of God and of Christ, and of his holy Ghost.  
So then they were not like to Mend or Repair the old Temple and Houses, and call them Churches, whenas they said, The most High dwelled not in Temples made with hands, but their Bodies were the Temples of the holy Ghost. And so Christ preached or prophesied, That they should be thrown down; and the Apostles preached them down, and said, The Bodies of the Believers were the Temples of the Living God.  
2dly, We have suffered because we would not bring our Infants, and give the Priest Money for to sprinkle them; and Church our Women: And because we would not mary with the Priest, and bring him a Ring to put on, and give him Money for that Service.  
And hath not this also been derived from the Pope, Papists and Heathen, who married with the Ring? and not from Christ and his Apostles; which practise of theirs herein they could never prove, or make good by Scripture, from Christ and the Apostles.  
And also, We have suffered for bearing our Testimony against their Priests Education at Schools, and their taking of Degrees, as bachelors and Masters of Art, and Doctors of Divinity, &c. and against their Garbs of White Coats and Black Coats, and their being called of men Masters, like the proud Pharisees, and to be called Gracious Lords, like the Gentiles.  
And are not all these things from the Pope and Papists, and the Heathen? and not from Christ nor the Apostles.  
For Christ forbids his Ministers to be called of men Masters; For you have but one Master, even Christ; and you are all Brethren; and that they should not exercise Lordship one over another, like the Gentiles; and be called Gracious Lords; for it should not be so amongst them.  
And the Apostle Peter exhorted, That they should feed the Flock of God, but not to be as Lord's over Gods Inheritance, as in 1 Pet. 5. In the World there be Lord's many; but to us but One Lord Jesus Christ, by whom were all things made; and one Lord God, the Creator of all; and one Faith, and one Baptism: And Christ alone is the one saving Baptizer.  
And therefore, how can the Pope, and his Bishops and Cardinals say, They are the Successors of Peter, when they are called Lords? which Peter forbids any of his Successors to be called Lords; but to be Examples to the Flock. And so, in this they are Transgressors of Peter's Doctrine and Command, and Christ's, who hath said, They should not be called Gracious Lords, like the Gentiles.  
And Christ saith, whom God hath joined together, let no man put asunder. So he doth not say, whom the Priest shall join together, or mary with the Ring; But, whom God joineth together, let no man put asunder.  
But amongst the Sects aforesaid, the Priests have Money for joining; and also will put asunder and Divorce.  
3dly, Because we will not Bow and put off our Hats, and cannot say You to a Single Person, but Thou; and because we will not Swear at all.  
And is not all this from the Pope and Papists, and not from Christ and his Apostles? For where did ever they cast any into Prison for not putting off their Hats to them, though Every Knee must bow to the Name of Jesus?  
But the Apostle doth not say, that every one must bow the Knee to the Apostles, or the Pope, and that they must be uncovered to them; for the Apostle taught, That they must be Uncovered in their Praying or prophesying to the Lord, because man is the Image of God: But he doth not say, they should be uncovered to men, or bow the Knee to them, but to the Name of Jesus, and to God the Father.  
4thly, And because we cannot Swear and take oaths, have we suffered, and been cast in Prison. And hath not this come from the Pope, and Papists, and Heathen, to amongst the Christians, and not from Christ and his Apostles?  
For Christ said, Swear not at all; though they had Sworn in the old Covenant, and they then in the old Time were not to Swear falsely, but truly, and to perform their oaths to the Lord: But Christ in his new Covenant of Grace, and in his Gospel saith, Swear not at all, but let your Yea be Yea, and your Nay, Nay; for whatsoever is more than this cometh of Evil.  
And the Apostle James said, Above all things, my Brethren, Swear not, neither by Heaven, nor by Earth, nor by any other oath, lest you fall into Condemnation.  
So whether must we follow Christ and the Apostles, or the Pope and his Papists and Jesuits, and the Heathen, or others that uphold their Principles?  
So in most of the Things and Causes that we have suffered, it hath been for bearing a Testimony against Popery, and the Heathenish and Jewish Inventions and Traditions.  
For are not tithes, Baster-reckonings and Midsummer-dues, their old Mass-house and Clerks Wages, with their Preaching Funeral Sermons, and their Mortuaries, and Churching of Women, and Sprinkling little Infants, and Signing them with the Sign of the across, and Godfathers and God mothers, and their Swearing, and their Preaching for Money, and by the Hour-Glass, and their making of Ministers at Schools and colleges, with their Titles of bachelors, Masters and Doctors, and calling Bishops Gracious Lords; and their taking of their Degrees, and their expectation of being bowed unto, and having You said to one of them, with their distinguishing Garments, and White and Black Coats, &c.  
Is not all this Trumpery, and much more of the same sort from the Pope, Papists, Heathen or Jews, and not from Christ nor the Apostles?  
And have not these been, many of them, the chief things for which we have been Imprisoned & Persecuted, and some Banished; and for Meeting together in Houses, as the Apostles and Saints did; yea, Christ himself had his Meetings upon Mountains, and preached out of Ships. Yea, many Thousands of us have suffered Imprisonment and Spoiling of Goods; and some were Banished in Oliver's dayes, and since, for not joining to these things, which originally came from the Papists, or Heathens, or Jews; which practise of theirs in these things we have born Testimony against, they could never make good by Scripture of the new Testament.  
And therefore, how can either the Presbyterians, Independents, Anabaptists or Episcopalians brand us for being Papists, or Jesuitically affencted; when that our Sufferings have been this thirty Years, or more; some of us for not comforming to those things aforesaid, which came from the Pope and Papists, Jews and Heathens?  
And they that live in those Popish things, which they cannot make good by the Scripture of the new Testament, and yet say, It is their Rule, such are Popishly affencted themselves.  
But we are the True Protestant-Christians, and in the same Power and Spirit the Apostles were in, and do protest against all that which the apostatised Spirit hath set up, which is in the Error, from that Power and Spirit the Apostles were in.  
So the Doctrines, Commandments, Ordinances and Traditions, that this Spirit of Error hath set up, which is erred from that Power and Spirit the Apostles were in, we cannot touch, taste, handle nor join with.  
5thly, Is not all the Observing of Holy Dayes, and making of Holy Dayes, as christmas, Candlemass, Michaelmass, Easter, Whitsentide, and their Lents, and calling their Dayes and Moneths by the Heathens Names, as is in their almanacs, from the Pope, Papists and Heathens, and not from Christ nor the Apostles?  
And have not we suffered Imprisonment and Spoiling of Goods, for not Observing their Holy Dayes, so called?  
And was it not the Work and Labour of the Apostle to bring People off from observing Dayes, Moneths, Times and Years? and them that did go into such things( to wit, Observing of Dayes) the Apostle  told them, That he was afraid he had bestowed labour in vain upon them,  
Therefore, as I said before, how can any in Truth and Righteousness, brand us as Papists, when we have suffered by you that call yourselves Protestants, for denying such Popery as you allow of; and have spoiled our Goods for not observing your Popish Holy Dayes, and other Popish Things? And yet you say, The Scripture is your Rule, when you have no such Command in the new Testament, to observe Dayes, nor those things afore-mentioned, but the contrary.  
And so, for bearing a Testimony, and Protesting against such things which you have not from Christ nor the Apostles, but was set up by that Power and Spirit, which is erred from the Power and Spirit the Apostles were in; and for bearing a Testimony against the Works and Fruits of this Erring Spirit, have we suffered by you called Protestants, and by the Papists also.  
So our Sufferings have been because we could not join to that which you have had from the Papists, Heathens and Jews, and not from Christ nor the Apostles.  
I say, We who are of the household of the True catholic Faith, in which the Church was in the Apostles dayes, have suffered by you, and been branded as Papists; whereas in Truth we are the true Protestant-Christians, bearing Testimony against all Popish, Heathenish and Jewish Inventions, which have been set up by that Spirit which is erred from that Power and Spirit the Apostles were in.  
So as Moses the Servant was faithful over his House in the Old Covenant, and the Law of Works; so Christ the Son of God is over his Spiritual House, in his New Covenant of Light, Life and Grace, whose House we are.   
THE END.