Something in ANSWER TO A LETTER( Which I have seen) Of John Leverat governor of Boston, TO William Coddington governor of Rode-Island, Dated, 1677.  
Wherein he mentions my Name, and also wherein John Leverat justifies Roger Williams's BOOK of lies.  
JOhn Leverat faith, I am not ashamed to own my taking Care for, and being at the Charge of the coming forth of Roger Williams's Book, entitled, Gorge Fox digged out of his Borrows— And in it there is asserting many great Truths, which they, you call Friends, turn from, &c— And thou sayest concerning the rest of William Coddington's Letter, Thou wouldest leave it to R. Williams, who is better able to answer then thyself, &c.  
Answ. And yet thou Patronizest his Book, and art at the Charge of bringing it forth. But what Troths those are, which William Coddington's Friends have turned from, thou hast not declared; so these are but general Calumnies. For there are no Truths, either from God or Christ, Prophets or Apostles, but we own them all. And thou who hast been found in the Steps of the former Persecutors of the Servants of the Lord( as instance the persecuting Margaret Brewster) it was likely, that thou wouldst be at the Charges of Printing and Patronizing Roger Williams his Book of Forgeries and lies, rather than to encourage Truth. But how darest thou or Roger Williams professing Truth or Christianity) say, That he digged George Fox out of his Burrows, when that he neither spoken to him nor writ to him, when G. F. was at road. iceland, and at Providence, and at Narragansit some Moneths? when all this time Roger Williams lay in his own Burrows( as he phraseth it. And did not your Priests at Boston lye in their Burrows when James Lancaster and John Stubbs desired a public Discourse with them, though they could not allow them the Title, as true Christians, because of their Bloody Persecuting Spirit? And why could not your Priests have discoursed with M. Brewster, but delivered her up to the Barbarous Multitude, and to the secular Power, Papist like? And thou giving command to Whip her, and cast her into Goal; Was she a Gain sayer? where were your Priests that they could not stop her Mouth then? were not your Priest, in their Burrows? If she had not been sent of God itis like thou mightst have been at Charges to have sent for R. Williams to have helped you, and digged him out of his Burrows. It is a shane for you to feed a Company of Priests in their Burrows, when that a poor simplo Woman should leave her Family, and come some Thousands of Miles, and be as a Sign among you of your shane and Nakedness of God's armor and Spiritual Weapons, who had no better Entertainment from you but Blows and Prisons, and your Whips and Stocks, which manifests your Diabolical Spirit, which thou speakest of( and not the Spirit of Christ) and your Nakedness of the Armoun of God and spiritual Weapons, and your Poverty of Heavenly virtue and Spiritual Treasure. For were not your People as Mad in an Uproar, like Diana's People against Paul, and as Mad as the Jews were against Christ and his Apostles? And was not all Jerusalem in an Uproar when Christ was born, who were as great Professors of God, and Christ to come, as you are? And were not the Jew's in an Uproar against Paul, when he went into the Temple and shaved his Head?  
And did not Isaiah go Three Years Barefoot and Naked, and a Sign and a Wonder, with his Buttocks uncovered. Psa. 20? And have not you appeared as Cruel as the egyptians, and as Black as the Aethiopians? And doth not the Prophet Isaiah say, Behold I and the Children which God hath given me, are for Signs and for Wonders in Israel( Isaiah 8. and Heb. 2.) So they have been for Signs and for Wonders to you. Was Isaiah lead with a Diabolical Spirit when the Lord commanded him to strip himself and go NAKED so long? And was he in a Diabolical Shape? And wouldst not thou and your Priests have persecuted Isaiah( if you had been in his dayes) when he stripped himself, and went NAKED?  
And how darest thou say, that you were the Lord's People, and were peaceable and quiet in your Assembly, and Religiously Worshipping God in his Will, according to his Word? Which manifests, it was in your own Wills, your Fruits manifested it, by persecuting her that came in the Will of God.  
And thou sayest, What thou didst therein( viz. in persecuting and whipping Margaret Brewster) was for the Lord, and by his Grace( thou sayest) I shall be yet more Vile, &c.  
Answ. I am sorry to hear thee father thy Persecution upon the Lord God, who is Love, &c. or seek to make the Lord and his Grace the Author or Cause of thy bloody Persecuting of the Lord's Servant Margaret Brewster, who came peaceably amongst you in a Mournful State: For had not she Ashes upon her Head as a Sign, for the BLOOD of them which you had formerly put to Death, the MARTYRS of JESUS, and whipped and Banished? Had not you better have mourned in Dust and Ashes, than to have stripped and whipped her so Cruelly as you did? And did not you seek to take away her Life? And will not the King of Nineve rise up in judgement against you, at the great Day of the Lord, who repented at the preaching of Jonah?  
But governor Leverat, seeing thou father'st thy WHIPPING and Persecuting of Margaret Brewster( that came peaceably amongst you) upon the Lord and his Grace; now I do demand of thee, and of all the Priests in New-England, where ever Christ or his Apostles, and the Church in the primitive Times, who were in the Grace of God did WHIP & Imprison any that came amongst them, as a Sign, as Margaret Brewster did to you some Thousands of Miles? For you profess the Scripture to be your Rule, therefore let me see any such practise and Example in the New Testament. Nay, doth not the Apostle say, That False Prophets, and False Apostles, and False Teachers, and Satan's Messengers were got among them? But where did ever the true Apostles, and Prophets, and Teachers, and those that were Helps in Governments in the Church of Christ, in his Grace, WHIP, or Imprison, or Persecute, or HANG, or put to Death, or BRAND in the Forehead with an Hot Iron, and Spoil the Goods of the False Apostles, Satan's Messengers, False Teachers, or the Unruly Talkers, Vain Disputers, such as taught for Filthy Lucre, and minded Earthly Things, who served not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own Bellies? I say, Where did ever the true Apostles and Teachers Whip, Hang, Brand with an Hot Iron, Banish upon Pain of Death, and Spoil the Goods of such in the Apostles dayes? Let thee, and all the New-England Priests come out of your Burrows, and give us Chapter and Verse for it? Or did ever the Bishops in Old England Hang and Whip, Cut off Ears and Banish upon pain of Death any of you, and Brand in the Forehead, as you have done to some of the Servants of God that came amongst you? And did ever Christ Hang, Whip, Cut off Ears, Brand in the Forehead with an Hot Iron, Banish upon pain of Death such as did oppose him, and did not receive him, and blasphemed against Christ in the dayes of his Flesh, which is the Son of God, and King of Kings, who said, All Power in Heaven and Earth was given unto him; a greater Power than all you of New England have. Let all your Priests come forth and give us Chapter and Verse for this your practise, or else for shane never say more, that the Scripture is your Rule.  
And is not this the Command of Christ( to them that would have plucked up the Tares) Let both Tares and Wheat grow together, till the Harvest, left they pluck up the Wheat, &c. And did not Christ rebuk such, as would have had their Lives destroyed that did not receive him, and  told them, They did not know what Spirit they were of, and how that he came to save mens Lives, and not to destroy them? And now have not New-England's Priests and Professors manifested themselves, that they do not know their own Spirits, neither what Spirit they are of, who have Banished upon pain of Death, Branded in the Forehead with an Hot Iron, Cut off Ears, Spoiled their Goods, put to Death and Whipped, as you have done, like the Papists and the Jews? For indeed, the Jews whipped the Apostles, and persecuted them; and therefore how can you have the Name of true Christians, which do not show forth the Fruits of Christ's Spirit, but to be such as go in Cain's Way, persecuting; and not in Abel's. And Christ's Command was, First to pluck the Beam out of their own Eye, before they judged others. And now see if the Beam be plucked out of thy own Eye, and of the Priests.  
And as for thy saying, There were many Truths in Roger Williams's Book, &c.  
Answ. The Jews and Antichrists may speak True Words, and yet out of Truth; and the Devil could speak Scriptures, who abode not in the Truth, and there is no Truth in him. And so may Roger Williams speak some True Words, but is manifestly out of it, as by his Book appears. And the Devil he was a liar and a Murderer from the beginning, and his Works you have done, as Christ said to the Jews, those great Professors. My Desires are, That you may give over your Work of Persecution, and come to be Meek and Humble, and Learn of Christ Jesus, who will never teach you to persecute. And do not father your Murdering, Bloody, Persecuting, Jewish and Popish Spirit upon God nor Christ, nor his Grace, because People will not bow to your Image, and receive your Rudiments and Traditions, and your Precepts you teach for Doctrine; but have neglected the Command of Christ, which is, To love both Friends and Enemies. And you may see plainly, that Christ would have none put to Death for not receiving him; and  told them then, They did not know what Spirit they were of: And is not Christ the same now, and this Persecuring Spirit the same now, as it was then, as your Fruits manifest? And therefore, how can you think that we can trust our Bodies, Souls and Spirits into your Hands, who do not know your own Spirits? But we commend them into the Hand of Christ Jesus, our Redeemer and Saviour, who hath bought us with his precious Blood.  
And the Apostle saith, Be not forgetful to Entertain Strangers, for some have entertained Angels unawares. And both the Law and Gospel commend this practise. But your practise has clearly shewed the contrary. And therefore Repent, and while you have time prise it. And if you have no Command from Christ nor his Apostles( who say the Scripture is your Rule for your Faith, Doctrine and practise) to Whip Men and Women till you cleaved the Teats of their Breasts( as you did to Anne Col●man) and to Cut Off Ears, and to Brand in the Forehead with and Hot Iron, and to Imprison and Banish upon Pain of Death, and to Hang, and to Spoil Goods( only upon the Account of Religion) and Seize upon Goods sent to others, that come by Ship, without giving any Account of them( as William Coddington governor of Rode-Island demanded) Have you not practised all these things contrary to the Rule of the New Testament?  
And when you fled out of Old England, upon the Account of Religion from the Bishops, and the KING was pleased to give you a Patent, did the King in his Patent allow or grant you, that you should Hang or Burn his Subjects with a Hot Iron, and Cut Off Ears, and Banish upon pain of Death, and Spoil their Goods, and whip such as were not of your Religion, for Religions sake? Look your Patent, and see if the King hath granted you that Liberty, or you have gone contrary to it, and contrary to the Scriptures, Christ and the Apostles. And we cannot expect but that such a spirit will promote and be at Charges of any Calumnious Book that is published against us; for Herod and Pilate were made Friends when they turned against Christ; and itis like, you and Roger Williams are made Friends in your turning against God's People and his Truth now.  
And were not Roger Williams and all your Priests in their Burrows when G. F. was in your Country, and never one appeared? And now to Rail behind his Back, when he is gone, and for thee to patronise and be at Charges of R. W's Book of lies, and Scoffing Title, to say, That he digged G F. out of his Burrows, and yet never appeared when G. F. was there in the Country, to speak or writ to him. This brings not Credit to thee, nor you, nor him, neither as Men, nor as Christians: But itis not my Desire, that thou and you should believe lies, who know the Portion of such; but that you may Repent, and do so no more, lest a worse thing come unto you.  
G. F.   

For all the Persecuting Rulers, Priests and Officers in New-England to consider these following QUERIES.  
I. WHether or no, if another Power should be set over you, and to bring you to comform to that Fower's Religion that is set over you, that you would Lose your GOODS, and have them SPOILED, and be Seized upon by Sea and Land, and have your EARS CUT OFF, and be BRANDED in the Forehead with an Hot Iron, and be cast into those could Prisons, and be WHIPPED in Prison until your Bodies were like a Jelly; and be WHIPPED, Men and Women, through as many Towns as you have done the People of God in scorn called Quakers? Could you stand these things for your Religion, before you would comform and suffer the same Punishments for it, as you have inflicted upon others for your Religion? Or is your Religion worth Suffering for by you Priests and Rulers? and if not, then do not find fault with the Quakers, for not comforming to your Religion, that you dare not stand to yourselves, when that you are tried; which you do not know, how that you may be tried for it before you die.  
II. And also; Could you stand to your Religion, and be BANISHED upon pain of DEATH, from your Wives and Children, Lands, Houses and Goods, and be HANGED upon gallows, before that you would comform to another Religion that should be set over you, as you have done to the People called Quakers; and have a great FINE set upon you for your Spreading, or Recommending, or Bringing any Books according to your judgement of Religion? And whosoever Receive any of your Friends, or Entertain them, to have a great FINE set upon them, as you have done to the Quakers?  
So see if that you could bear and suffer for your Religion, as you have done to others, the same Punishments; and let us see if you do not that to others, which you would not have others to do unto you; and so see if that you be in the practise either of the Law or Gospel, and not out of both: And what do you think of the Pre●byterians and Independents, that did persecute Friends in other places where they had Power; and when they came to be tried, how they did shrink themselves from that, their Church-Faith and Directory, and dare hardly mention it, or red it publicly; though they Persecuted and Imprisoned some Thousands of us, and some to Death, besides the spoiling of our Goods, only for Conscience sake, because we could not submit to their Wills.  
And therefore consider you yourselves, how you would stand, if that you come to the Day of your trial of God and Man; and therefore give over your Persecution either by Tongue or Hand, and Do unto all men as you would have them do unto you; and study to be quiet; for the Lord will render to every man according to his Works: and what account will you give unto the Lord at the Day of judgement, when he cometh with all his holy Angels, to render Vengeance upon all Evil Doers, and to separate the Sheep from the Goats? I do fear many of you will be found Goats, and therefore you had better give over your Cruelty and Persecution, and break off your Sins by Repentance, that the Lord may show you Mercy; and put off your old man with his deeds, and come to know what are the fruits of the flesh from the fruits of the spirit, seeing every three is known by its fruit; and red the end of the evil three, & see which three you are; for Christ saith, It is not every one that saith Lord, Lord, that shall enter into the Kingdom of God: and he speaketh of such as have preached Christ, and boast of what they have done; but he will say unto such, Depart from me, ye Workers of Iniquity, I know you not. And therefore examine yourselves, whether you be not the people, yea or nay; for they that do enter into the Kingdom of God, are they that do the Will of God: And dare you say, that you have done the Will of Christ, or the will and lusts of the Devil, the Destroyer, that have thus Persecuted and Murdered God's People? And then consider into whose Kingdom you do enter.  
G. F.   

POSTSCRIPT.  
governor John Leverat;  
AS to the Great, Cruel and Bloody Persecutions( her in mentioned) which the People of God called Quakers have suffered in New-England( as aforesaid) they are not any further charged upon thee than thou hast rendered thyself guilty thereof, by acting therein, or consenting thereto. The said Persecution( as is before briefly hinted) are truly chargeable upon the Persecuting Magistrates, Priests and People of New-England: And it is our tender Desire, that all concerned therein( who have not yet sinned out the Day of God's tender Visitation) may come into Godly Sorrow and Unfeigned Repentance for these great and Crying Sins, that they may find Mercy with the Lord God, who will reward the Blood-guilty, Hard hearted, Impenitent Ones according to their Ungodly Deeds.  
Oh! it is greatly to be lamented, that the Professors in New-England should turn such Cruel and Bloody Persecutors of the Lord's People, ONLY for the Exercise of their tender Consciences in the Worship of God, whose Worship is in Spirit and Truth, as our Lord Jesus Christ hath said; who were once Sufferers themselves in some small measure for the Exercise of their Consciences in Religious Matters! These Cruelties, exercised against their Peaceable Neighbours, and against their Country-men, who travailed out of Old England in the Love of God to visit them, and to tell them what he hath done for their Souls, doth not only show their great apostasy from Christianity, but also their being without Natural Affection.  
John Leverat; 'Tis our Desire for thy own Good, as well as for the Just and Equal Liberty of our Friends in the Exercises of their tender Consciences in the Worship and Service of God, that thou concern thyself not further in this Evil Work; but let thy Authority be exercised to terrify Murderers, Thieves, Drunkards, Swearers, liars, and to suppress. Whoredoms and all Debauchery, and Ungodly and profane Living; and to encourage those who do live Virtuously, Soberly and Justly: and this will not only cause thee to be beloved of, and honoured by all Virtuous, Sober and Just Men and Women, who behold thee thus to exercise thy Power; but it will render thee Honoured and Blessed of God.  
THE END.