TO THE Ministers, Teachers, AND PRIESTS, (So called, and so Stileing yourselves) IN BARBADOES.  
BY GEORGE FOX.  
Printed in the Year, 1672.   

To the Ministers, Teachers and Priests (so called, and so styling yourselves) in BARBADOES.  
COnsider seriously what a Charge you take in hand; do you not pretend to watch for and over People's Souls, and to present them to God? Have you presented any to God? Nay, Can you present any to God? unless you be in the same Power and Spirit the Apostles were in, which is an Immortal Power & Spirit, to present the immortal Soul to the immortal God: Do you pretend to watch for the spiritual and everlasting Good of the People? but do not you watch more (whatever your pretences are) for their Goods (which you call your Revenues) then for that? O! how is it that there is so much raging (which wars against the Soul) amongst you; yea, such abundance of Fleshly Lusts and Fleshly Talk in the Hearts and Mouths of People? Do you not pretend to cure their Souls, and to be the Curates of them? And if so, can you make the Soul Perfect? If you present them to God, must they not be perfect here? For, will you present an unperfect Offering to a perfect God? Do you not pretend that you Plough in Hope? And have you the Spiritual Plough, that turns up the Fallow Ground? And if so, how comes it to pass, that there are so much Weeds upon your Ground? and that your Land lies fallow, in that there's so little Fruit brought forth to God? Look upon your Field every one of you; or whether are you idle, and do not plough, but beat the Air? and so do not you pretend that you thresh in Hope? Now have you the Spiritual flail? and if so, How chances it that there is so much Chaff? And do you not plead for Imperfection, and a Body of Sin and Death that people must necessarily have, while they live upon Earth? Then do you not plead for Chaff, and not for the Wheat? And look upon your Fields, and look upon your Vineyards, and see what abundance of Chaff there is: Have you not been the Seeds-men of the Flesh, who sow to the Flesh; and not the Seeds-men of the Spirit, who sow to the Spirit (For he that sows to the Flesh, must of the Flesh reap Corruption (and so look what a goodly Crop you have) and he that sows to the Spirit, he reaps Life Eternal. But do you believe, that every one hath a measure of the Spirit for you to sow to? And do you believe, that every one is enlightened by Christ Jesus, the Light, and their Saviour, that you may turn them from Darkness to the Light, and from the Power of the Devil to God; or rather, that you turn them from the Power of God to the Devil, and from the Light to Darkness? Examine yourselves, and consider; for you must give an Account to God.  
Have you heard Christ's Voice and God's Voice immediately from Heaven? Hath he sent you to Preach, or have you ran before you were sent? And have you not spoken, and yet God never spoke to you? and say, Thus saith the Lord, as those did who were reproved in Jer. 23.21. or, Have you been called of God as Aaron was; or, Have you taken that Honour upon yourselves, having a Call of Men, and not as Aaron had? And Christ saith to his Apostles, Go and teach all Nations; and elsewhere he saith, The Gospel must be preached amongst all Nations, Mark 13.10. Now, did Christ set his Apostles down in Parishes, for so much a Year, that the People should be like a , and that the People should be Tenants for Life, or until they could hear of a bigger Benefice? Is this your Practice, or theirs, to wit, the Apostles of Christ? Now consider, Christ (I say) saith, Go teach all Nations: Have you obeyed his Commands, or have you heard his Voice (as was said before) or are you of those that have climbed up another way? and what doth Christ call such?  
And if you be Ministers of Christ, are you not Teachers of Blacks and Taunies (to wit, Indians) as well as of the Whites? For, is not the Gospel to be preached to all Creatures? And are not they Creatures? And did not Christ taste Death for every man? And are not they Men? And was not he a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World, as well as for the Saints? And so consider, if the Gospel was to be preached unto all (according as Christ commanded) why do you not teach the Blacks and Taunies here? You may (it may be) say, There is nothing to be gotten of them: What, have they not Souls for you to watch over and to cure? Are they not part of your Parishioners if not the greatest part? And why do you find fault with the Quakers (so called) for teaching of their Families, and instructing them (to wit) the Blacks, and Taunies, and Whites? Does not the Lord say, That Abraham (he knew) would instruct his Family? And were not all his Man-children to be Circumcised? And are not all Men and Women now to be Circumcised with the Spirit of God? But it seems your Blacks, etc. are taught to Swear, and to Curse, and to say, God Damn them; and many of them do Swear almost at every word, which they have been taught and learned here among you called Christians (for they learn no such kind of Speech in their own Country) And is not this sad, that Christians, who profess Christianity, should have such things amongst them? For, Christ saith, You must not Swear at all, in Mat. 5. and in Jam. 5. who taught them true Christianity: And is it not the Duty of every Master of a Family, that so these may come to know their Duty to God, and to Man.  
Now first, Consider your own Lives, and the End of your Preaching; whether you do not preach yourselves, and for yourselves, and seek theirs you preach to, and not them: Examine your Hearts truly before God; for to him you must give an Account: Have you not laid aside this Command of Christ? namely, Freely you have received, freely give: and to invite the People, To come for Wine and Milk without Money and without Price, Isa. 55.1. Now can you do so without Hypocrisy? How can you say so and not blush, when you will do nothing without Price, nor give any thing without Money, but will have so much a Year of every one in your Parish; or else, No Penny, No Pater Noster. The Apostle saith, He coveted no man's Silver, nor Gold, nor Apparel; but laboured with his Hands to supply his own Necessities, and the Necessities of others; and that he might be an Example to all that followed him (remember the words of our Lord Jesus, how that it is a more Blessed Thing to Give, then to Receive) Acts 20.33, 34, 35. Now do you follow the Apostle Paul herein? and is he your Example? What, do you think the People have no Eyes in their Heads to see you? And did not the Apostle speak of a company, that were Heady, , and Lovers of Pleasures more than Lovers of God, Self-willed and Covetous, that had got a Form of Godliness, but denied the Power thereof, from whom he commandeth to turn away, read yourselves in 2 Tim. 3.3, 4, 5.  
And truly Friends, I must needs say to you, I never heard so much debauched Language and Hellish Lies, as has been cast unjustly and wickedly upon me since I came into this Island; which grieves my Soul, that ever such should be in People's Mouths, and that you Ministers should gladly be Entertainers (if not the Fomenters and Preachers) of them, wherewith you have filled and poisoned People's minds, with wicked Lies (I say) and false and filthy Slanders, and so corrupted them. O! how can ye be otherwise called, than Teachers of Lies, and Liars? even such as love and make a Lie, Rev. 22.15. and such as are given up to believe Lies; see their sad End in Rev. 21.27. And when you cannot with all your Lies provoke and stir up the Magistrate to Persecution, than you persecute us with your Tongues: But I hope, that many of the Magistrates will come to see you, so as that you shall not get to ride on them, and spur them on; for if you should, you would make them your Drudges, just as the Priests of old spurred up Pilate, when they got over him to Persecute and Crucify our Lord and Saviour: But consider it well, the same spirit and nature is in you that would Crucify Christ, who is revealed now in his People: For have there not been saul's among you, with their Packet of Letters, to Persecute the People of God in this Island of late? read but Priest Lessley's, and some other Priests Petition, which they sent or delivered to the Governor and Council here, a Copy whereof is hereunto annexed; And what hath he and others done this last Assembly convened, 'tis well known: Were not the Chief Priests the Authors of Saul's Packet? for had he not a Packet from them? But now it seems you Chief Priests are grown more bold; for you can go yourselves with your Packets to this last Assembly, I say. O! is it not a Shame, that you (who call yourselves, Ministers of the Gospel) should go to the Magistrate, to persuade them to persecute Christians? And do you think, that the Magistrates have no other Work to do in this Island, even to do Justly, and to love Mercy, and walk Humbly with God; and to take Care of the Preservation and Right Governing of the people in Righteousness and in Holiness; and that every man may be preserved in their respective Estates; and to see that all do to others as they would have others do unto them; and to see that the Island may be preserved in Peace; and to take Care of that which is for the Good of this Island, and Property of its Inhabitants: As for Religion, that belongeth to God; for it came from God and Christ Jesus (who is the Author of every man's Faith) and sets up his Worship, which is in the Spirit and in the Truth, and is to rule in the Hearts of his People, who receive that Religion from above that is pure and undefiled in God's Sight; and so God and Christ must have a place in man to dwell in (to wit) the Heart, that so he may have his Due, his Worship and Honour from and by them.  
But to return to your Slanders, namely, that I should hang ribbons upon people's arms; and that I brought a young Women from England to be nought with her, And that I should lie with my Sister, and suchlike stinking and filthy Lies, have you and your Auditors reported of me, which no sober man (I am sure) will give Credit to; being full well known, that I was never tainted or blamisht with any such Uncleanness. So that with David I may say, False Witnesses did rise up, they laid to my Charge things that I knew not, Psal. 35.11. Certainly, many of you are, and have been naught yourselves this way, else you would have virtue in your mouths, rather than have such things, as a modest Ear abhors; yea, such filthy stuff, and wicked Lies as these (which came from the Devil, who is the Father of them) are your Parishes filled with. For I would have you know, that I abhor, detest, and scorn such things; it being well known in England, I say, that I was never tainted with the least Unclean action, nor thus taxed, till I came here amongst you; but, what is in your own Hearts, that you cast upon me, so that ye fulfil Christ's Words who foretold, They should speak all manner of Evil against you falsely for my Name's sake. And indeed it is for Christ's sake that you do it; So that we can be exceeding glad, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, in that it is for his sake, that we are thus evil spoken of. But know this, and be assured of it, the time will come that he will appear for our glory, and to your shame and confusion. For We would have you to understand, that we have an esteem of our Bodies, for our Bodies the Lord hath honoured with his mercies, and they are Vessels of his honour, and Temples of Christ, and of God, and of the Holy Ghost, and not for Adultery and Fornication. Truly I could not but wonder, and stand amazed, to hear of such soul, beastly and unmannerly, and uncivil Language, as I have heard since I came here; What, is this Gospel Teaching? O, but consider, what the Scriptures speak concerning slanderous Tongues, and of lying Lips, and of such as have Venom under their Tongues, and the Poison of Asps: What do you not believe that God will judge for these things, and sweep away the Refuge of Lies, and take the Reproach from off his People? Would you have the same Measure measured to you as you have done to me, and the rest of us? Surely you have not had so much as Common Civility or Humanity, much less Christianity; for if you had had either, you would have come, and spoken to me, when I was in the Island, and not have railed against me behind my back, and incensed others against me: Was this Humane, or Christianly, or Neighbourly done? Judge ye.  
But alas! what shall I say? I do very much fear, that the Hand of the Lord God will suddenly come upon many of you, with his swift Destruction: The Lord did visit (and that not very long since) this Island with two sore Judgements, the one, of Fire; the other, of the Plague: but alas! what Repentance? what Change have they wrought in you and upon you? What saith the Prophet of the Lord in Isa. 26.9? When thy Judgements are on the Earth the Inhabitants of the World will learn Righteousness. But alas! are you not rather worse than you were before, and hardened more than you were before (Pharoah-like) as it is in the 10th verse, Let Favour be shown to the Wicked, yet will he not learn Righteousness, etc. O! it is not the work of Christ's Ministers, to fall upon the Righteous, and persecute the Innocent, and let Swearers, Drunkards, Whoremasters and Adulterers go free: And do you not pronounce the Blessing of God to be upon them, and Peace be unto them all, in the State and Condition wherein they remain unconverted? For, are not the words general in the close of your Service? And is this the best Entertainment you can afford Strangers, viz. To Slander and Belie them? Is this the best Provision you have for them in your Houses? Surely these are very course Compliments, from such Persons as are looked upon by others, and by themselves too, as Men of no small Breeding? But this is no good Breeding, nor manifests good Education; but bespeaks the Educator not to be of Christ, nor of God; and this is the Production and Fruit of your Studdying: Is this to follow the Apostle's Advice? who exhorts, To Study to be Quiet, 1 Thes. 4.11. And 2 Tim. 2.15, 16. Study to show thyself approved of God, a Workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth: but eat Profane and Vain Babble; for they will increase to more Ungodliness, etc. And saith Solomon, Prov. 12.22. Lying Lips are an Abomination to the Lord; but they that deal truly are his Delight. And in chap. 10.18. He that hideth Hatred with Lying Lips, and he that uttereth a Slander, is a Fool. And Psal. 101.5. Who so privily Slandereth his Neighbour, him will I cut off. Read Rom. 1.28, 29, 30, etc.  
And consider you, that call yourselves Ministers; Are the Scriptures of Truth of no value, of no use with you, nor with your People? which saith, That whosoever is angry with his Brother without a Cause, shall be in danger of the Judgement: And whosoever shall say unto his Brother, Racha, shall be in danger of the Council: But whosoever saith unto his Brother, Thou Fool, shall be in danger of Hell Fire, Mat. 5.22. Now do you not know what this means? Ought not this to be more seriously heeded by you Priests, and your Hearers, as you would not undergo the Penalty? or how can you? How dare you bring your Gift to the Altar, before you be reconciled to your Brother? And you that persecute, or go about to persecute; are you not of the number of those, that mingle their Sacrifices with Blood? O! what will become of you that persecute and speak all manner of Evil against God's People for Christ's sake? Hesaith, Blessed are the Merciful; for they shall obtain Mercy. But what then will likely be your Portions, who eaten Cruel and Unmerciful? Further, he saith, Blessed are the Meek; for they shall inherit the Earth. What then will become of you, who are Furious and Envious? Again, saith he, Blessed are the Peacemakers'; for they shall be called he Children of God. Then what will become of you, who stir up to Contention, Dissension and Persecution? this is no Gospel, no Glad-tidings.  
How can you say the Lord's Prayer, Forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us? So mark, you are no more forgiven than you do forgive, Mat. 25. Depart you Cursed into Everlasting Fire, etc. Why, what's, the Matter? For, saith he, I was an Hungered, and ye gave me no Meat; I was Thirsty, and ye gave me no Drink, etc. But you may answer and say, Lord, When saw we thee a Hungry, or a Thrust, or a Stranger, & c? Then will he say, Insomuch as you did it not unto the least of these, you did it not unto me: And these shall go into Everlasting Punishment. There you see the Sentence is given already, you have heard it, and you may read it there, about the latter end. And Mark, If he dealt so with those then, that did no good, how much more sorer Punishment shall be inflicted on those that persecute such, etc.  
And so you that do profess and make a Trade of Christ's words for Money, and persecute him, where, and in whom he is made manifest; are not you made manifest in the sight of the Son to be the very Antichrist's, professing Christ, and yet are found Enemies to him, and acting perversely against him; and to be in the number of those inwardly ravening Wolves in Sheep's Clothing, Christ speaks of in Mat. 7. and those evil Trees and evil Ground, that bringeth forth nothing but Thistles, Briars and Thorns, wherewith to rend, and tear, and prick the Lambs of God? And are you not of the number of those, who build up, and adorn, and garnish the Tombs of the Righteous, even Christ's Sepulchre, and observe his days, and their days, and yet persecute him and the Saints?  
Where do you read, that Christ, or any of the Apostles, gave any Command unto you for to observe days unto them? And where was it ever the practice of any of the People of God all along the Bible, either to keep Christmas-day, or Candlemas-day, or Childermas-day, or All Saints-day, or Michaelmas, or Lent, & c? Had you not all these from the Popes? And how can you cry out against Popery, and yet live in the practice of those things which you have from them, and that they have set up? If you will have a Mass for your Candles, why not as well a Mass for your Cows and your Horses, your Sugarcanes and your Potatoes? We do not read that Isaac observed his Father's day, or Jacob observed Isaac's day; or did the Jews observe Joshuas, or Moses', or Aaron's day; or that any of the Saints did observe the Apostles days, and called them, Holy-days: Yea, did the Apostles observe Christ's day, or Stephen's day, or James' day, or any of the Apostles and Disciples of Christ, and called them, Holidays? Let us see the Scripture for it? For you pretend the Scriptures to be the Rule for your Practices; and yet, how dare you say so, and act quite contrary to the Scriptures of Truth? For did not the Apostle leave the People of God to their Liberty in Rom. 14.4, 5, 6, 7. concerning observing of days, He that observed a day, he was to observe it to the Lord; and he that did not regard the day to the Lord, they were not to judge one another about such things: but you have thrown away this day also, that do act contrary, in judging and persecuting one another upon this account,  
And doth not the Apostle judge and reprove the Galatians for observing days; and tells them, That they were Bewitched; and calls them, Fools? Gal. 3.1. O foolish Galatians! who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the Truth? And chap 4.10, 11. Ye observe Days, and Times, and Months, and Years; I am afraid of you lest I have bestowed upon you Labour in vain,  
How came you to be so wise, as to observe them, and compel others to observe them? do you not make yourselves wiser than Christ, or any of the Apostles? What Wisdom is this think you, that you should by it force People to observe days? came not this Power and Wisdom first from the Pope, and not from the Apostles, nor from Christ Jesus? if you have it from Christ Jesus and the Apostles, let us see where it is, convince us with Scripture? And where, I say, do you find in Scriptures, that Christ or his Apostles did ordain the day you call Christmas, and the rest of the days attending it, which you call, Holidays? But, to say the Truth, you may rather term them Unholy, by reason of the Ungodly, and Debauched Heathenish Practice: So that, whereas you pretend to Honour the Lord Jesus in and by them, you do no other indeed but dishonour him, and do Persecute others that will not do as you do, and so break the Command of God, who saith, Six days shalt thou labour, etc. and here your Command is, that they must play more than Six Days. Now tell me, if you can, how many hundred of years after Christ and the Apostles were these days first observed as Holidays, and set apart to be kept as you do now keep them.  
O! the Whoredoms, and Debauchery, and Drunkenness, the Excess, Sensual Pleasures, Carnal Delights, Carding, Dicing, Dancing, that these days are filled up with; so that the Devil hath more Work done him in these days then in many other days before or after. So, let the Witness of God in your Consciences answer, Yea or Nay, and let all Sober People judge, whether or no I speak not Truth, when I say, God is more dishonoured and his Name prophanened, and taken in vain, and blasphemed more in the twelve Holy Days (so called) then in three times the number of them; let, I say, your Consciences and all sober people judge: So here you may see how the Apostle judged them that did observe days. But, consider, whether or no doth the Kingdom of God stand in Meats, and Drinks, and Washings, and in Days; Nay, nay, it stands only in Righteousness, and in Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghost; which Kingdom all people are in the first place to seek after.  
And then concerning your Fasts in Lent, etc. the Lord will say, Who required these things at your Hands? as it is in Isa. 58.3, 4. Wherefore have we fasted, and thou seest (or regardest) not, etc. Behold, saith the Lord, in the day of your Fasts you find Pleasures, and exact all your Labours; ye fast for Strife and Debate, and to smite with the Fist of Wickedness: Ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your Voices to be heard on high. Is it such a Fast as I have chosen? a Day for a man to Afflict his Soul: Is it to bow down his Head like a Bulrush? And wilt thou call this a Fast (see the Contents of the Chapter above, where it is reproved for Hypocrisy) But is not this the Fast that I have chosen, saith the Lord, To lose the Bands of Wickedness, to undo the heavy Burdens, to let the Oppressed go free, and that they break every Yoke? Is it not to deal thy Bread to the Hungry, etc. Now, whether your Fast be such, yea, or nay, let your own Consciences judge.  
And the Apostle commands us to pray , lifting up holy hands, without Wrath, or Doubting, 1. Tim. 2.8. Now consider this, are not your hands like those fists of Wickedness? and are you not full of Wrath and Doubting? or are your Hands Clean and Holy? Let the Witness in your Consciences judge, and see if those Actions and Practices be not found among you as was amongst them, whom the Prophet speaks of here, which is called Hypocrisy, as was said before.  
And, did not Judas carry the bag who was a Thief, who betrayed his Master? And, are not they for his Bag and Money, to hold it by entail, even all, who are the Betrayers of Christ now in this day, where he is made manifest in his People? I say, do they not betray him now, and seek to crucify him in his members? or his members for his sake? And is it not the Son of Perdition spoken of 2 Thess. 23. who exalts himself above all that is called God? whom Christ will destroy with the breath of his mouth, and the brightness of his coming; Look into yourselves, and read this if you can. But are not such now worse than Judas who carried the Bag? for we never read that Judas persecuted any for not putting into his bag (as too too many now a days do) and have done, who will not go without the bag. And are not all such Transgressor's of Christ's Command, who bids them go without a bag or Scrip; and, Freely you have received, Freely give. How will such answer Christ (think you) at the day of Judgement, when they are brought before his Throne, and before him at his Judgement Seat, who then will say unto them, Depart you Cursed, etc. but to his Sheep on his right hand, Come ye Blessed of my Father, etc. and so enter thou into the Joy of the Lord, and the other into everlasting Punishment, who have been persecuting others for Worshipping the living God in Spirit and in Truth, which Worship Christ Jesus set up above 1600. years since, as you may read in John 4.23, 24.  
Now Friends, to look into your Families and into your own Practices, are not we to see, that first you are to be approved before you do minister, both you and your Families? For, are we not to try all things, and to follow you no farther, than you follow Christ? And, were not th●●ereans accounted Noble, in that they searched the Scriptures, to see whether or no that which the Apostle had delivered them, were according to the Law and the Prophets; And must we be more ignoble than they, think you? and now to try, whether you are in the steps of the true Prophets, and of Christ and of the Apostles, or in the steps of those False Prophets they cried out against; must we not try here by the Scripture? viz. by the Prophet's words, and by Christ's and his Apostles Words.  
Then for the Trying you, the Apostle saith in 1 Tim. 3.1, 2, 3, etc. A Bishop must be Blameless, the Husband of One Wife, Vigilant, Sober, of Good behaviour, given to Hospitality, apt to teach, not given to Wine, no Striker, not Greedy of filthy Lucre, but Patient, not a Brawler, nor Covetous, one that ruleth well his own House, having his Children in subjection with all Cravity. Now, are you Blameless? are you Sober? of Good behaviour? and are you given to Hospitality? are you apt to teach? 'Tis Storied of one Parson Grace of this Island [being at a Feast] the custom was, for the Cups to be often handed about; one of Brandy, the other of Sack; but as for the Sack, the Parson cared not much for it, having had enough of that Liquor: whereupon said the pretended Reverend Parson, when he saw the Cup of Sack come about again, which he cared not for, Lord; saith he, If thou wilt, let this Cup pass from me; But shortly after, when a Cup of Brandy was coming towards him, said he, Lord, if thou wilt, let as many as thou pleasest of those little ones come unto me. And after a while the Cup came about again, and first the Sack coming towards him (it being his turn to drink) said he, Be not drunk with Wine wherein is Exceses and so put it by; in regard he cared not for it; but the Brandy coming next, saith he, but be filled with the Spirit, and drunk up the Brandy. O! abominable, that ever Men should be given up to such vile Affections, and to such Atheistical Practices. But to return,  
Are you no Strikers, no Persecutors? What, did not Briest Lessley beat and strike George Foster very sorely? the Truth of which is made evident to me under the hand of the said G. Foster before his Death, the Copy whereof is inserted in the End of this Book. Also one John Hopwood Priest in this Island of Barbadoes, struck one Charles Bream on the Head, as they rod together on the highway, by which stroke the said Charles received much harm and prejudice, and not long after died. And that you are Persecutors of God's Heritage, is evidently manifest, by the Humble Petition of William Lessley, John Barnard, William Johnson, John Hopwood, Matthew Cray and John Page to the Governor and Council of this Island of Barbadoes; the Copy whereof is likewise afflixed to the latter End of this Book.  
But once more to return; Are you not Greedy of filthy Lucre? are you not Brawlers? are you not Covetous? Let the People of this Island, and your own Consciences judge.  
The Apostle saith in 1 Tim. 6.10. The Love of Money is the Root of all Evil. Now see, if all this Evil hath not proceeded from your Root, which is the Love of Money. And therefore saith Paul Ephes. 5.3. but— Covetousness let it not once be named amongst you as becometh Saints. And yet, what is more named and practised among you, than Covetousness, and covetous Practices; and this, I say, springs from your Root, which is the Root of all of you, as was said before. And this is the Cause, that you Priests and others in Christendom (so called) do endeavour to incense the Civil Magistrate against the Saints and People of God, to hold up the Root of all the Evil in you, which is the Love of Money. Let the People and the Witness in your own Consciences judge.  
Now next, as concerning your Families and Children; Are they ruled well? Do you rule your own House well? are your Children in Subjection (mark) with all Gravity in that 1 Tim. 3.4. Is this so? Let the People and your own Consciences judge. If that you cannot rule your own Houses well, how are you like to take care of the Church of God? And are you not lifted up into Pride in your Families? Let but the People and your own Consciences judge. How can you but fall into the Condemnation of the Devil? And moreover, have you a good Report of them that are without, who are not of your Church? What good Report can those that are without give of you? Are you Grave? are you not double-Tongued? etc. Let your Consciences and the People judge; For you must be approved, and then you may minister, being found Blameless of those Evils.  
Now, concerning your Wives, are they Grave, not Slanderous? are they Sober? and do you rule your Own House well? Let your own Consciences and the People judge. Have you refused Profane and Old Wives Fables? And do your Women adorn themselves in modest Apparel, with shamefacedness and Sobriety, and not with broidered Hair or Cold, or Pearls, or Costly Array; but (which becometh Women professing Godliness) with Good Works, 1 Tim. 9.10. Are you not them, that suppose Gain to be Godliness? from such the Apostle bids to turn away. 1 Tim. 6.5. Are you not of them that preach for the Love of Money? and would you preach without it? and is it not the Root of all Evil, which while some coveted after, they have erred from the Faith, which gives Victory.  
And are you not of those which preach no Victory here over Sin? But was not the man of God to flee such, and follow after Godliness and Righteousness, Faith, Love, Patience, Meekness; Read Timothy for further Trial and approving you and your Families, and also Titus 1.6, 7, 8, etc.  
Are you Blameless, having Faithful Children, not accused of Rioting and Unruliness? Let your own Consciences and the People judge, whether these things be so or no. You profess yourselves Stewards of God, but are you Blameless? Are you not Self-willed and soon angry? Let your Consciences, and the People judge. Are you Lovers of Good Men? If so, why do you raise or broach Slanders of them, and Lies of Good Men? Are you Just, Holy, Sober, Temperate? Let the People and your own Consciences judge.  
Are you not those that preach for Filthy Lucre sake? And, where are your Epistles written in one another's Hearts, that you are all void of those foregoing Evils, mentioned before? But rather, are you not like them, that were always Liars, Evil Beasts, and Slow-Bellies, which were to be rebuked sharply? Read the first Chapter of Titus throughout, and Rom. 16.18. Doth not the Apostle command us to mark such? and avoid such as serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own Bellies; and by good Words and fair Speeches deceive the Hearts of the Simple. And were they not such, as made Divisions among the People, and Offences? Would you preach but for your Bellies? For if you serve the Lord Jesus Christ, you would keep his Commands, who saith; Freely you have received, freely give, Tit. 3.19. and Phil. 3.19. Read that, and consider whether you are not such as the Apostle and People of God have often wept about. For do not you mind Earthly things? and do not you preach for Filthy Lucre? So, is not your god your Bellies? and what is like to be your End? you may read there. For would you preach without these things? And if you be otherways minded, why do not you follow the Apostle's Example? For the Apostle, when he had spoken in the 1 Cor. 9 concerning his Powers, he told them, that he used none of those things; nor did he write that it should be so done unto him; For he would rather die, than any man should make his glorying void, for he had kept the Gospel of Christ without Charge, and would not abuse his Power in the Gospel. Now have you kept the Gospel without Charge? Look over whole Christendom, both among Papists and Protestants, Independants, Presbyterians, and Baptists. And did not the Apostle say, He wrought with his hands, to supply his own Necessities and the Necessities of others? And in Jerem. 5.29, etc. You dare not say, but that he was a True Prophet, nor dare you say, he preached and prophesied to People for Maintenance; or can you make good, he had any thing given him for Publishing his Book? Shall not I visit for these things, saith the Lord; Shall not my Soul be avenged on such a Nation as this? A Wonderful and Horrible Thing is committed in the Land, the Prophets prophesy Falsely, and the Priests bear Rule by their means, and my People love to have it so: What will you do in the End thereof? Now consider? Do you not bear Rule by your means? and do not the People love to have it so? and was not this a horrible thing committed in the Land, and reproved by the true Prophet? And yet will you hold up that which he reproved. And read Jer. 23. Such as prophecy Lies in the Lord's Name, and the Lord never sent them, and he never commanded them. And Vers. 11. He saith both the Prophet and the Priests were Profane, and the Lord had found their Wickedness in his House; and therefore, thus saith the Lord, I will feed them with Wormwood, and make them to drink the Water of Gall: For, from the Prophets of Jerusalem is Profaneness gone forth in all the Land: I never sent them (saith the Lord) yet they ran; I never spoke to them, yet they prophesied: How long shall this be in the Hearts of the Prophets, that prophecy Lies? Yea, they are Prophets of the Deceit of their own Hearts, which think to cause my People to forget my Name by their Dreams. And these were they that did steal the Word from their Neighbours? Behold, saith the Lord, I am against them; for these are them that cause my People to Err. Read the Chapter throughout, and read yourselves by it; wherein, as in a Glass, you may see your Physiognomy, whether you be like Jeremiah, or them.  
And in Isa. 56. He was a true Prophet, and spoke forth freely; And do not you make a Trade of his words? read from the 10th verse to the end; his Watchmen are blind, they are all ignorant, they are all Dumb Dogs, they cannot bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber; yea, they are greedy Dogs that never have enough, and they are Shepherds that cannot understand; they all look to their own Way, every one for his Gain from his Quarter [Mark that] who looks for his Gain from his Quarter. Are ye not found among them, walking in their Steps? Come, say they, we will fetch Wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong Drink, and to morrow shall be as to day, and much more abundant.  
And in Ezek. 13. you may see what Morter-makers' they were, and what Builders, and how that God would break down their Wall that they had built; even such as had prophesied a Vision of their own brain, a lying Divination, and yet the Lord had not spoken to them, nor sent them: and these went to pollute God's People for Handfuls of Barley, and for Pieces of Bread, as you may read in the Chapter throughout. And see if you be not found in the steps of such as the Prophet reproves, and who with your Lies have made the Hearts of the Righteous Sad, and strengthened the Hands of the Wicked, that he should not return from his Wicked Way. But God will deliver his People out of your hands, and ye shall know, that he is the Lord.  
And in Ezek. 34. when the Lord sent Ezekiel his Prophet, to cry Woe against the False Prophets and Shepherds, who fed themselves, and clothed themselves with the Wool, etc. when they should have fed the Flock; But the Diseased they did not strengthen, the Sick they did not heal, the Broken they did not bind up, neither brought again that which was driven away; but with Force and Cruelty have they Ruled: but the Lord will gather his Sheep from their Mouths, and is gathering of them, and hath gathered many, that they may not be a Prey unto you any more; and he hath set one Shepherd over them, Christ Jesus: So read this Chapter throughout.  
And read Mich. 3. where you may see, whether or no you be not in the steps of them whom he was sent to cry out against; Thus saith the Lord concerning the Prophets that make my People to Err, that by't with their Teeth, and cry Peace, and they that put not into their Mouths, they prepare War against them. And have we not found it so? Did you not say a Blessing to us, and preach Peace to us, while we put into your Mouths? but when we could not put into your Mouths, did you not prepare War against us? and did not the Lord say, That the Son should go down upon you, and it shall be dark unto you; the Priests teach for Hire, and the Prophet's divine for Money; yet you lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none Evil can come upon us: And therefore shall Zion for your sakes be ploughed up as a Field, and Jerusalem shall become a Heap, and the Mountains of the House as the high places of the Forest. So now, mark what Barrenness and Heaps of people comes to; let your own Consciences and the People judge.  
And Mal. Chap. 2. And now, O ye Priests, this Commandment is for you; If ye will not hear, if ye will not lay it to heart, to give Glory to my Name (saith the Lord of Hosts) I will send a Curse upon you, and will curse your Blessings; yea, I have cursed them already, because you do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread Dung upon your Faces, the Dung of your Solemn Feasts, and one shall take you away with it. So consider yourselves, whether you be not under this Curse, or no, by your practice.  
And in Mat 23. There you may see how Christ taught the Multitude, and his Disciples both; but take notice how we shall know them that walk out of his Commands; read the Chapter throughout: They (to wit, the Scribes and Pharisees) loved to have the uppermost Rooms at Feasts, and the chief Seats in the Synagogues, and greetings in the Markets, and to be called of Men Masters, and to go in Long Robes, and that which they do is to be seen of Men: But be not ye called of Men Masters; for, one is your Master, even Christ, and all ye are Brethren; and he that is greatest among you, shall be your Servant, etc. Mark, this Command do not you scoff at? And he that will not give you the Cap and the Knee (the World's Manners lying in such things) you call them, Ill-bred Clowns: but see how many Woes Christ pronounceth against such as walk in their steps: And if you had been in the Prophets and Christ's days, you would possibly have called them Railers. And you may see in the latter end of Matthew, what a Rage the chief Priests and Elders were in against Christ; though they could tell by Scripture, when Herod had gathered them together, where Christ should be born: For you may see in the 27th Chapter, When the Morning was come, all the Chief Priests and the Elders of the People took Counsel against Christ Jesus, to put him to Death.  
And in Matth. 26. there assembled together the Chief Priest and Elders of the People unto the Palace of the High Priest named Caiphas, and consulted how they might take Jesus by Subtilty, and so kill him. And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the Chief Priests, and covenanted to betray him unto them for thirty Pieces of Silver, and so he delivered Christ unto them; For he came with a great multitude, with Swords and Staves from the Chief Priests and Elders of the People, and so apprehended him, and brought him before the High Priest, and Scribes, and the Elders of the People; And the Chief Priest, and the Elders and the Council sought False Witnesses against Jesus, to put him to Death, and yet found none; At last there came two False Witnesses, and said, This Fellow said, He would destroy the Temple of God, and in three days build it up. And the High Priest risen up, and said to Jesus, answerest thou nothing? What is it these witness against thee? And Jesus held his peace. What would you have said? would you not have answered, He was guilty? And the High Priest adjured him by the Living God to tell him, whether he was the Son of God; And when Jesus confessed the truth, than the High Priest rend his , and said, He hath spoken Blasphemy, what think you? And they answered, He was guilty of Death; And they spit in his Face, and buffeted him, (Here is the Work of the Priests) and smote him with their hands, and mocked him, and said, Prophesy to us, thou Christ, who it is that smote thee? And the chief Priests and Elders persuaded the Multitude to ask Barrabas, and to destroy Jesus the Just. And so, is it not the practice of you now, to let the Thiefs, Murderers, and Adulterers, and Drunkards at Liberty, and persecute the Just? And after they had Crucified him, the chief Priests and Pharisees came to Pilate flattering, and saying, Sir, We remember that this Dreamer said, while he was yet alive, After Thee Days I will Arise again; therefore let the Sepulchre be made sure, until the third day, lest his Disciples come by Night and steal him away, and so say unto the People, He is arisen from the Dead: so the last Error will be worse than the first.  
See what a pitiful Fright these Priests were in, whose Cause was not good. But when Christ was risen indeed, and the Watch had acquainted the Chief Priests of all things that were done concerning Jesus, than they assembled together with the Elders, and took counsel, and gave the Soldiers a large sum of Money to say, His Disciples came and stole Him away by Night, while they slept: So, if in case this should come to the Covernours' Ears, we will secure you, said the chief Priests, and the rest. See how they were Teachers of Lies here.  
And after Christ was risen, see what work the Priests made against his Disciples in the Acts of the Apostles, chap. 4. What an Assembly there was of them in examining the Apostles, and how they threatened them, That they should speak no more in the Name of Jesus, nor teach: but their Answer was, Whether it was right to obey God or Man judge ye: So they threatened them, and let them go.  
And in Acts 5. See how the High Priest was full of Indignation, and all that were with him, against the Apostles, and laid hands on them, and put them in Prison. So this was the Work still of the Priests all along you see, and how the Lord still Delivered his People.  
And in Acts 7. You may there see, the High Priest and his Council examined Stephen, and at last, put him to Death. So that you may see their Work was against Christ, and his, though they had a Profession.  
And in Acts 9 See there how Saul breathed out Threaten and Slaughter against the Disciples of Christ; and how he went to the High Priest, and desired Letters to go to Damascus, and he had his Packet with him; but the Lord met him by the way, and sent him upon a contrury Errand, as he hath met with many in these latter days; Praises be to the Lord forever. But afterwards, when Saul was turned Paul (which signifies, Marvellous) in Acts 14. you may see how the Professing Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their mind's evil-affected against the Apostles; As it's now the manner of Professors this day (who are without the Possession) to stir up the Rude Multitude against the Professors and Possessors of Christ.  
And in Acts 20. There you may see how the Jews laid wait for Paul, on purpose to destroy him: And in Acts 21. how the Jews cried out, Help Men of Israel against the Apostle; and the people ran together, and took Paul, and went about to kill him, had he not been secured by the Captain, who was a Heathen.  
And in Chap. 22. Paul there acknowledgeth what he was when he followed the High Priest; and how there were more than Forty Men that had bound themselves with a Curse, That they would neither Eat nor Drink till they had killed Paul; and this they declared to the Chief Priests and Elders, who did not reprove them; but the Captain delivered him again: For those that had bound themselves with a Curse were of the Jews, and of the Gang of the Chief Priests.  
And in Chap 24. See there how Ananias the High Priest and Elders came against Paul, with many Accusations; but still he was delivered out of their hands.  
And how the High Priest, and chief of the Jews, came to inform against Paul to Pestus, Acts 25.  
And so you may see how they (to wit, the Priests) still continued and persisted in their sad Work of Persecution and Blood all along, both against the Prophets of old, and against Christ and the Apostles then, and against Christ now, who is manifested in his Children and People.  
And here you may see that the Birth born of the Flesh persecutes him (all along, I say) that is born of the Spirit, from Generation to Generation.  
And what soul clamorous Words and corrupt Language they had against Christ, and his Prophets and Apostles? which were the Fruit of the Evil Spirit, and so is now, wherever it is; and with such unfruitful Works of Darkness there is no Fellowship to be had, but rather to reprove them: And therefore, let all Bitterness, and Anger, and Wrath, and Clamour and Evil-speaking be put away from you, with all malice, Eph. 4.31, 32. and Fornication, and Uncleanness, and Covetousness, let it not be once named amongst such as becometh Saints, Eph. 5.3. and also, all Filthiness, Foolish-talking and Jesting, which are not convenient; but rather giving of Thanks to God through Jesus Christ the Redeemer. For this we know, That no Whoremonger, nor Unclean Person, nor Covetous Man (which is an Idolater) hath any Inheritance in the Kingdom of God and of Christ: and they that think, or speak otherwise, are such as deceive the People with vain words; and for such things cometh the Wrath of God upon the Children of Disobedience.  
Now, consider all you that call yourselves Ministers, and others in Christendom, so called; Christ Jesus is the Seed's-Man, and he sows the good Seed which is in Man's Heart: now some Hearts be a Highway, and those Fowls in them, that are bred by the foul spirit, take it away; and some is sown upon Stony Ground, where's not much Earth, but is scorched by the heat of Persecution; and some again is sown upon the Thorny Ground, Thorny Hearts, where it grows a while, and then the Thorns, the Cares of the World, chokes it; but that which is sown upon Good Ground brings forth good Fruit abundantly, to the Glory of God and Christ, the Seed's-Man.  
Now Christ, in a Parable, 〈◊〉 speaks of a Housholder, that sowed good Seed in his Field, and his Servants said, Didst thou not sow good Seed? whence then hath it Tares? He answered, An Enemy hath done this? They replied, Wilt thou that we go and gather them up? Nay (saith he) lest ye gather the Wheat also, let both grow together till the Harvest. The Field is the World; the Good Seed are the Children of the Kingdom of Christ; the Tares are the Children of the Wicked One; the Enemy, that sowed them, is the Devil; the Harvest is the end of the World; and the Reapers are the Angels: So Christ, he would not suffer his Disciples to gather the Tares, lest, etc. Now what's the matter with you and others, who will be Gatherers when Christ hath forbidden you, lest you pluck up Wheat instead of Tares; seeing it is the Angels Work to sever the Wheat from the Tares, and the Wicked from the Just? And therefore whose Servants have you been in all Christendom, who will venture the gathering of the Tares, and instead of them have been plucking up the Wheat; as witness all the Martyrs and Bloody Persecutions since Christ's time: but these Tares, at the End of the World, the Angels shall cast into the Fire, where shall be Weeping, and Wailing, and Gnashing of Teeth, etc.  
And Luke 9.55. When Christ sent to a Village of the Sameritans, to make ready for him, and they did not receive him, his Disciples said, Lord, Wilt thou that we command Fire to come down from Heaven, to consume them, even as Elias did? but Christ rebuked them, saying, Ye know not what spirit ye are of; the Son of Man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.  
Now mark, If the Disciples of Jesus Christ did not know themselves what spirit they were of, who would have had Fire to come down from Heaven upon such as would not receive Christ; how do you know what spirit you are of, and all those since the Apostles days, that do persecute people about Religion, by Imprisoning them, & c? Now had they and you known what spirit you are of, you would not Persecute; but seeing you do not, therefore it is you will have the People of God persecuted; and so are under the Rebukes of Christ, who came to Save, and nor destroy: And therefore, since you do not know what spirit you are of yourselves, we cannot trust our Bodies, nor our Souls, nor Spirits in your hands: And you see you have no Command from Christ, or the Apostles, to persecute; for Christ saith, All Power is given to me, both in Heaven, and Earth, etc. What to do? To destroy the Devil and his Works, the Enemy, the Adversary, and Destroyer of Mankind.  
Christ, he is so far from that, that he commands us, To love one another, and to love Enemies; but this Command hath been little regarded in Christendom.  
Christ spoke to such as built the Sepulchers of the Prophets, and garnished them whom their Forefathers had killed; and yet these Builders killed the Son.  
Have not we the same Builders now, that would kill him, and persecute him where he is revealed in his People? Truly, ye bear witness, that you allow the Deeds of your Forefathers, who did kill them and their Children, built and garnished their Sepulchers, that so all the Righteous Blood from Abel to Zacharias, yea, to this very day, will come upon this Generation of Persecutors; whereof in our days we have seen sad Examples, how the Lord hath cut several of them suddenly off, who have been found persecuting his People and Beloved Ones, his dear Lambs.  
And saith Christ, The Servant that says in his Heart, My Lord delays his coming, and gins to smite his Fellow-Servants, and Eat, and be Drunken; the Lord will come in a day when he looks not for him, when he is not ware of it, and will cut him asunder, and will appoint him his Portion with Unbelievers, Mat. 12. And therefore take ye heed who smite the Servants of God, and Handmaids of God, lest the Lord come in a Day, or in an Hour, when you are not ware, and cut you asunder with his sharp two-edged Sword, and appoint you your Portion with Hypocrites and Unbelievers; and therefore the People of God are always to be in a readiness waiting for the Appearance of the Lord: Mat. 24. And Blessed is that Servant that the Lord finds so doing; he will make him Ruler over his House, that gives them their Meat in due season.  
Now consider, you Strikers, this; and all you Smiters and Persecuters, you do not watch for Christ's coming; no, no: but you put the Day and Hour afar off, and you do not know how soon either of them may come; of cutting asunder, and of your Weeping, Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth, and your Portion, which you are like to have with Hypocrites.  
And Christ further saith, Luke 19.27. Those mine Enemies, which would not that I should Reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.  
Now consider this, you that will not have Christ to Rule and Reign in his People, no, nor in yourselves; Do you think that you shall escape the Sword of his Judgements, and of his Mouth, and the Wrath of the Lamb? And did ever Christ, though he was called a Blasphemer, and as Belzebub, and that he had a Devil, and a Deceiver; yet, though he had all Power in his Hands given to him, in Heaven and in Earth, yet he did not persecute any of them, but rebuked his Disciples: Neither did he give any such Command or Advice to his Apostles, but rather the contrary, viz. That they should love one another, and love Enemies. Now then, who hath given you this Power, to persecute and beat another man's Children and Servants? Let us know your Original and your Antiquity.  
Now, whereas you may say, That Laymen, and Mechanic Men are not to meddle with the Scriptures; but you only that have got the Original of Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.  
I Answer, Was not the beginning of the Originals in Babel? For, was not all the Earth of one Language before? And had not Pilate these Originals when he crucified Christ? And did he not write a Title upon his Cross in Hebrew, Greek and Latin? And had not he your Originals? and was not he an Orthodox man, and yet could not see Christ? And did not the Priests and the Jews speak Hebrew naturally? And the Grecians, was not Greek their Natural Language? and yet they could not see Christ, nor could any of the Priests open Scriptures to the People; but incensed them against Christ, as you may see, John 19  
And is it not said in the Revelations, That the Beast and the Whore had Power over the Tongues? Rev. 13.7. And doth not the Apostle there call the Tongues Waters? Chap. 17.15. And in 1 Cor. 13.8. Doth he not say, That Tongues shall cease? And where are your Originals then?  
Now the Original, viz. the Word, is not that it that makes Divines? for was not John the Divine a Fisherman? and who made him a Divine? was it not Christ the Word that made him so? For they had no Colleges, nor Universities, nor Schools, to serve Seven Years in, as Mechanic Men do; and when they are out of their Time, than they set up where they can have the best Trading.  
And was not Paul a Tentmaker, and Aquila and Priscilla Tent-makers'? and was not Luke a Physician? and was not Matthew called from the Custom? and Peter, and others of the Apostles, were they not Fishermen? and yet were they not Preachers? And were not Abraham and Noah Husbandmen? and Isaac a Husbandman and a Grazier? and was not Lot a Grazier and an Husbandman? and were not Moses and David Shepherds, and did not Moses keep his Father's Sheep in the Wilderness? and David his Father's? and was not Jacob a Shepherd twenty years with Laban his Uncle, whom he faithfully served? and was not Elisha a Ploughman, and Amos a Herdsman, a Keeper of , and a Gatherer of Fruits? and what were the rest of them?  
And so, were not these Laymen, as you term them, and these Mechanick-men that gave forth the Scriptures? And can you make a Trade of Lay-men's and Mechanick-men's words, whom you allow and approve of; and yet will not suffer Laymen and Mechanick-men to Preach, and Teach, and Speak now adays? I pray you consider, and read the Scriptures, and read yourselves: Did any of these serve Seven years at the School before they went to preach? and learn the Seven Liberal Arts or Sciences (whereof Music is one) are not they accounted by you University men, as the Seven Seals of that Book spoken of in the Revelations? and so is the Arms of your University at Oxford; which is as much as to say, That you are the only Persons that are fit to open those Seals: and is not this to give John the Lie? who said, None was found worthy to open the Seals of the Book, but the Lamb, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Rev. 5.1, 2, 3, 4, 5.  
But what Parsonages, or Vicaridges and Benefices had these Laymen, these Mechanics, these Husbandmen, these Graziers, Shepherds, Customers, Plowmen, Herdsmen, and other Tradesmen, for Preaching and giving forth these Scriptures? or, what had Paul, and his Fellow-teat-makers'? or Peter, and his Fellow-Fisher-Men? I pray you let's see some Scripture for your Revenues and Parsonages: Christ saith, They shall take no Scrip nor Purse, no Money with them; and they should be contented to eat such things as are set before them. And is there any thing more in the whole World got by any Trade now adays, by all them that serve Seven years, or by the Husbandmen before mentioned, now in the World, that get more by their Callings, than you do, who call yourselves (and are called) Priests and Ministers all Christendom over, both amongst Papists and Protestants, than you do (I say) by these Shepherd's words, and Plowmen, Fishermen and Tent-makers words; (who never served seven years at your Colleges) which were given freely forth at first, by which you now get such great Revenues, that you will not suffer any others, neither Shepherds, Plowmen, nor Husbandmen, nor Fishermen, nor Tole-Gatherers, hardly to meddle with their Fellow-Fishermen, Fellow Plowmen, Fellow-Husbandmen, Fellow-Shepherds words. I pray take the right Measure, and the right Weights, and measure yourselves, and see whether you would be so served yourselves.  
And do you think that you can open such men's words before mentioned with your Tongues and Languages now? Whereas Pilate, and the Jews, and the Grecians could not open them then: and are there better Tools think you to open them now, then there were then? not a whit. It was said by one of your acknowledged and owned Fathers, St. Augustine, so called, upon that verse, The Kingdom of Heaven suffers Violence, etc. saith he to this purpose, A company of poor Mechanic and Tradesmen, Tinkers, Weavers and Cobblers, etc. do take the Kingdom of Heaven by Violence, when such great Doctors and Learned as we are thrown down to Hell.  
But further, Is it not written in Isa. 54.13, etc. All thy Children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the Peace of thy Children; In Righteousness shalt thou be Established, etc. And many shall gather together amongst them, but not by me, saith the Lord. Whosoever shall so gather together against thee, shall fall for thy sake; and no Weapon that is form against thee shall prosper; and every Tongue that shall rise up against thee in Judgement, thou shalt condemn, etc.  
Now mark; Is not this fulfilled now adays upon them that are Taught of God? yea, by you Ministers, so called.  
And in John 6.45. where Christ speaking to the Jews, saith he, It is written in the Prophets, They shall be all taught of God; every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me. Now this we witness this day, and therefore it is that there is so much murmuring against us.  
And in Rom. 10. The Word of God is nigh thee, even in thy Mouth and in thy Heart. That is the Word which we Preach, saith the Apostle, which every one is to Hear, and to Obey.  
And the Apostle relates in Acts 2. when the professing Jews mocked the Apostle, saying, They were drunk with New Wine; Peter answering, told them, it was the third Hour of the Day, and so not likely to be in Drink. But this is that which was spoken of by the Prophet Joel, And it shall come to pass in the last days (saith the Lord) I will pour out of my Spirit upon all Flesh, and your Sons and your Daughters shall Prophesy, and your young Men shall see Visions, and your old Men shall dream Dreams; and on my Servants, and on my Handmaids I will pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall Prophesy.  
Now this same we witness in our days, as the Apostles did in their days. And we see your Sun is turned into Darkness, and your Moon into Blood, verse 20. and your Sun is gone down, and your Stars are fallen from Heaven, as was prophesied in the Revelations.  
And in Heb. 1.1, 2. God at sundry times, and in divers manners spoke in times passed unto the Fathers, by his Prophets, but hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son, who is Heir of all things, by whom the World was made, etc. For as the Apostle saith, Acts 3.22. that Moses said, A Prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you of your Brethren, like unto me, him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.  
And so now, we do witness that God hath raised him up, and him we do hear; and so (I say) we do witness the Teachings of God by his Son Jesus Christ the Anointed of the Lord: So that we are not now without a Prophet and a Priest, nor without a Shepherd and a Bishop, nor a Minister. And we do certainly know, That the Son of God is come, and he hath given us an Understanding, that we know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ; and this is the True God, and Eternal Life, 1 John 5.20. and he hath given us an Understanding: so that we now find that Wisdom and Satisfaction in him, which we could never purchase, neither for Gold, nor Silver, nor for Pearls; the beginning whereof is the Fear of God, and departing from Evil, as you may see in John 28. at large. And therefore the Apostle saith, Heb. 12.25. See that you refuse not him that speaketh; for if they escaped not who refused him that spoke on Earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven.  
And in Heb. 3.7. To day if you will hear his Voice, harden not your Hearts, as in the Provocation in the Day of Temptation in the Wilderness, etc. So we are to hear his Voice that speaks from Heaven, yea, and that while it is to day, and not to put it off till to morrow. Now you that do so, and say, that there is no hearing of God's Voice, nor of Christ's Voice now adays, and that there's no speaking from Heaven now adays; are not your Hearts hardened? and have you not hardened them to the purpose? do not the Fruits of your Hearts bespeak it with a loud Voice? And if God's and Christ's Voice be not to be heard now adays, I would willingly know of you, how he doth exercise his Offices in his Church, namely, his Kingly Office, as he is sole Head of his Church; and his Prophetical and Priestly Offices; and his Office of a Bishop and Shepherd, who feeds them with Life, and oversees and rules them by his Power and Spirit. Now do not say, He doth not exercise his Offices in his true Church, because you do not feel the exercise of them in yours, who lies knocking at the Door of your hearts, as a Priest, and a Prophet, etc. and you will not let him in; if so, how then can he exercise his Offices? and how can you hear his Voice when you harden your Hearts, and like the deaf Adder stop your Ears, and will not hearken to the Voice of the Charmer, charm he never so wisely? And how can you see him, when you close your Eyes, Pharisee-like, so that you are not like to see him exercise his Offices? but the Blind lead the Blind into the Ditch, which is a corrupting place; and there they corrupt, and plead for their Corruptions for term of Life. Whereas we can, and do now hear his Voice, and obey it; and so can love our Enemies in Obedience to Christ's Command, and love one another. And we know the Liars, who say, they Love God, and yet Hate their Brother, He is a Liar, saith the Apostle; For, he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? 1 John 4.20. And he that hates his Brother is a : And we know that no  hath Eternal Life abiding in him. For as the same Apostle saith, We know the Message which we have heard from the Beginning, That We love one another; not as Cain, who was of that Wicked One, and slew his Brother: And wherefore slew he him? Because his own Works were Evil, and his Brother's Righteous. Marvel not, my Brethren, if the World hate you, 1 John 3.11, 12, 13.  
And so, 'tis no Wonderment to us, that the World hate us; for saith Christ (the Heavenly Man) It hated Me first. And this Cain was the first Persecutor about Religion; and wherever this Persecuting is, we know, that is of Cain, of his Spirit, of his Nature, Seed and Offspring, from whence is the Reprobation, since the World began in the Devil and old Adam, out of Christ, since, I say, the World began; whereas the Election is in Christ, the Seed of the Woman, by whom the World was made, who was glorified with the Father before the World began. But the Reprobation (I say) is in the Devil, and old Adam, that seed where all the Vessels of Dishonour are: Whereas they are the Vessels of Mercy and of Honour, that have received Christ, in whom is the Election only.  
And therefore, as we said before, Marvel not if the World hate us; as the Reprobate Seed hated the Elect Seed, Cain hated Abel, and Esau Jacob; and this you may see in 1 John 3.10. In this the Children of God are manifest from the Children of the Devil; whosoever doth not Righteousness, is not of God, neither he that loves not his Brother. And in Heb. ●. 10. where the Apostle sets forth the Children of the New Covenant, saith the Lord, I will put my Laws into their Mind, and write them in their Hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a People. Now these are God's People, of his Elect Seed, and he is their God, who hath written his Law in their Hearts, etc. and this we witness, praised be the Lord for evermore, for his New Covenant, and Work in us.  
And in the next Verse, saith he, You shall not teach every man his Neighbour, and every man his Brother, saying, Know the Lord; for all shall know him from the Least unto the Greatest, etc. And so we know, that the Knowledge of the Lord shall cover the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea: For the Lord saith, Look unto me, and be saved, all the Ends of the Earth: Here all are invited to Salvation. And in another place, saith he, I will give him for a Covenant of Light, the Glory of Israel; and he shall be my Salvation to the Ends of the Earth.  
And so now the Church is coming out of the Wilderness, the Bride, the Lamb's Wife; and the Bride saith, Come; and the Spirit saith, Come: Here is the Call to Christ the Saviour, who is the Way to God, and there is no other Way to the Father, but by him; neither is there any Salvation by any other Name under Heaven, but by the Name of Jesus, in whose Name we are gathered; and there is no other Foundation to be laid, but what is laid, even Christ Jesus, who is the Top and Cornerstone, the Foundation of the Prophets, Apostles, and us, as is said in John; and we are those who have obeythe Commands of Christ, who enlightens every Man that cometh into the World, that all through it might believe; who said, Believe in the Light, this is his Command, that they may become Children of the Light, John 12.36. So we know, That as many as receives him (to wit, Christ, the Light that enlighteneth every one that cometh into the World) to them gives he Power to become the Sons of God, John 1.12.  
And this we Witness, and can say, Behold what manner of Love is this, that we should be called the Sons of God, and Heirs of Christ, who makes us sit together in the Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus, who formerly were dead in Sins and Trespasses, Eph. 2. And we have received the Unction from the Holy One, through which we come to know all things: The Anointing which we have received of him, abides in us; and we need not any one's Teaching us, but as the same Anointing does teach us all thengs; and is true, and is no Lie; and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him, 1 John 2.27. It taught the Saints in the Apostles days, and us in ours; therefore we must abide in him, as they did, to wit, in Jesus. And the Light of Christ which shines in our Hearts, which God hath commanded to shine out of Darkness, doth give us the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ Jesus; And this is the Heavenly Treasure we have in our Earthen Vessels, that the Excellency of the Power may be of God, and not of us, 2 Cor. 4.6, 7. So as we walk in the Light, as he is in the Light, we have Fellowship one with another, and the Blood of Christ the Son of God (which sprinkles our Hearts and Consciences) cleanseth us from all Sin, 1 Joh. 1.7.  
And whereas many Lies and Scandals you have cast upon us (to wit) our Denying of God, Christ, and the Scriptures, etc. They are all False; For Christ we know, own, and believe his Incarnation, Passion, Death, Resurrection, Ascension, and Glorification. And the Scriptures we own to be the Scriptures of Truth; And Scriptures signify Writings, and we own the Scriptures to contain the Words of God which we learn of God, and given forth by the Holy Men of God, and are profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction and Instruction in Righteousness, 2 Tim. 3.16, 17.  
And whereas we have been accused for Denying Original Sin, and Owning Perfection here in this Life.  
To which we answer, That there is an Original of Sin we deny not, but your Doctrine of Original Sin we do deny, as you state it; For doth not Original signify the Beginning, and the beginning of Sin, was it not the Devil? For we do affirm, it was neither God, nor Christ. And did not Christ come to destroy the Devil, and his Works, and so destroy the Original. So we must tell you, we hold Christ, and not the Devil, who was, and is the Original of Sin and Imperfection; I say again, Christ, who was before the Devil was, who was glorified with the Father before the World began, who bruises the Serpent's Head, and the Heads of all Deceivers, Liars, and Slanderers, and False Prophets, and Anti-christs': And in him we are (to wit) Christ Jesus, who is our Salvation, Mediator, and Redeemer.  
And as for your Accusing us for holding Perfection.  
Answ. What must we not hold God, who is Perfect? and must we not hold Christ, who is Perfect; and his Work and Worship, which is Perfect; and his Religion which is Perfect, that comes from himself; and the Gifts of his Spirit, and Grace, and Faith which are Perfect? Are not all his Gifts Perfect? and must we not receive them in this Life? yea, must not our Bodies be the Temple of God, and of Christ, and of his Holy Ghost? And then must we not hold them who are Perfect, and own Perfection? And is not the Command of Christ to us to be Perfect as our Heavenly Father is Perfect? And was it ever the work of the Prophets and Apostles to preach up Imperfection for Term of Life; but always both the Prophets, Christ, and the Apostles pressed, and presseth us to Perfection? and what, do they press us to that which is Impossible to be attained unto? What, will you say, that their Words were of no Value? What will you liken Christ and his Apostles words unto? For were there any that ever denied the Doctrine of Perfection, saving only Presbyterians, Independants, and Baptists; and you, who have got the Form of Godliness, but deny the Power thereof which brings out of Imperfection to the perfect Head Christ Jesus, who is the way to God? And therefore you do not only deny the perfect Power, but also are short of having the Form of Godliness. And will not Christ present his Church Perfect? that is, without Spot, or Wrinkle unto God the Father, who is the pure Head of it? And how will you present your Church to God? What, will you present it to God with a Body of Death, and a Body of Sin.  
Do not you deny Circumcision in this, namely, the Circumcision of the Spirit, that is made without Hands, by putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh, by the Circumcision of Christ.  
And do not you deny Christ's Baptism, who came with his Fan in his Hand, to purge his Floor thoroughly, whom We see is come, and doth increase, and do see the decrease of John? I say, He is come with his Fan in his Hand, who will thoroughly purge his Floor, and burn up the Chaff with unquenchable Fire, and gather his Wheat into his Garner, a safe place; And this We witness, and so must all People before they go to their Graves. For this is the Baptism that the Devil would fain have People to deny, and his Ministers and Messengers, and then he fills them with Chaff; For as the Apostle saith to the Church: By one Spirit we are all baptised into one Body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, Bond or Free. He doth not say, that by Water we were all baptised into one Body; For we see many Bodies baptised with Elementary Water, and yet do destroy one another.  
Now mark the Words, We are all baptised into one Body, that is, the Church of the Firstborn, and Christ is the Head of this Body, 1 Cor. 12.13. So this is the One Baptism spoken of Ephes. 4.4, 5. There is one Body and one Spirit, even as you are called into one Hope of your Calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all; Mark that, Through all, and in you all; Unto every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the Gift of Christ, praised be his Name forever: Grace and Truth is come by Jesus Christ, yea, that Grace which brings Salvation, which hath appeared unto all men (without Exception) Teaching us, to deny all Ungodliness, and Worldly Lusts, and to live Soberly, and Righteously, and Godlily in this present Evil World, Tit. 2.11, 12. And this Grace seasons our Words, and establishes our Hearts; So we have a Teacher which brings us Salvation, Glory be to God forever and forever. And this Teacher is with us wherever we are, to wit, the Grace of God by which we are saved, and not of ourselves.  
And we can say, this Grace is Sufficient which brings Salvation, though you look not upon it to be Sufficient, who keep People always under your Teachings, that they may be always Learning of you, and always paying of you, and yet never come to the Knowledge of the Truth in themselves, nor their Talon in themselves to improve. For have you not been like the Pharisees, who stopped their Ears, and closed their Eyes; and like Saul, who kicked against that that pricks him, and then kicked against others, and persecuted others? And were they not them who shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men, who would not enter themselves, nor suffer others to enter? See that Blessed Doctrine of Christ in Luk. 17. who said to them, The Kingdom of Heaven (when they demanded when it should come, Christ's Answer to them was) comes not with Observation, Lo Here, Lo there; But saith Christ, The Kingdom of Heaven is within you. And we have found his blessed Words to be true; Blessed be his Name forever, who hath stood at our Door, and knocks, as He doth at yours; Yea, I say, at the Door of our Minds, and at the Door of our Hearts and Souls, and we have let Him in, who now Sups with us, and we with Him, the Heavenly Supper with the Heavenly Man, the Second Adam, the Lord from Heaven, our Blessed Lord, Jesus Christ, and our Alone Saviour; O! Glory be to Him forever and for evermore, Rev. 3.  
And you say, There is no Overcoming of Sin and Death on this side the Grave, but must have always a Warfare.  
Ans. But did not Paul say that He had fought, etc. then surely he was not then fight, he was not then warring, though 'tis true, Time was that He had been in the War, and led Captive to do those things he would not have done; But if there be no Overcoming on this side the Grave, then there is no Eating of the hidden Manna on this side the Grave, nor no Getting of the White Stone on this side the Grave, nor of that New Name written in the Stone, which no man knoweth saving He that receiveth it, Rev. 2.17. The Reason there rendered, because it is a Gift only to Him that Overcometh, that is, on this side the Grave. And Rev. 3.12, 13. Him that Overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God, and He shall go no more out; and I will write upon Him the Name of my God, and the Name of the City of my God, New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God. So that, mark, this Promise will not be made good, unless we Overcome on this side the Grave; But it may be, you have not the Ears to Hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches. And in the 21. Verse. To Him that Overcometh will I grant to Sat with me in my Throne, even as I also overcame and am Set down with my Father in his Throne; He that hath an Ear let Him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches. But I fear, you have none of these Ears open that the Spirit speaks to here, namely, The Church of the Living God, whereof Christ is the Head.  
Again, Rev. 3, 5. He that Overcometh, the same shall be Clothed in White Raiment; and I will not blot out his Name out of the Book of Life; But I will confess his Name before my Father, and before his Angels: He that hath an Ear, let him hear, etc. But (as I said before) I question your Ears of hearing what the Spirit saith, that there must first be an Overcoming: Now this was the Spirit's speaking to the Church that did Overcome.  
But it may be you will say, That the Spirit doth not speak to you in your Church; and therefore you may question your Church, and yourselves too.  
And Rev. 2.26. He that Overcometh and keepeth my Works unto the End, to him will I give Power; and I will give him the Morning Star: He that hath an Ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches. Now we can, and do witness that Spiritual Ear, to hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches, Glory to God forever; and we do hearty desire, that you had the same.  
And as for the LIGHT, which you call Natural and Created, and a Made Light, that really and truly is the Light of Christ Jesus, the Heavenly and Spiritual Man; and it is a Heavenly Light and a Spiritual Light, wherewithal He Enlightens every one that comes into the World, which he commands us to believe in, through which we become Children of Light, as was said before: For, in Him was Life (to wit, Christ) by whom the World was made, and this Life, that is, in Christ, is the Light of Men. And so, as men are turned to the Light, and believe in the Light, they are engrafted into Christ, who is the Root or Stock, and they the Branches: So that this Light is neither Natural, nor Created, nor Made; for it is the Heavenly Light, which is the Life in Christ; by which, we coming into Christ the Light, we receive Life. And as Peter speaks of the Light, which was a more Sure Word of Prophecy, whereunto you do well that you take heed, as unto a Light that shines in a dark Place, until the Day dawn, and the Daystar arise in your Hearts; signifying that this Light was sufficient to bring them unto the Day-dawning, and unto the Daystar arising in their Hearts; yea, this Light, that shines in a dark Place: And what dark Place was this? and where was it? was it not in their Hearts, which they did well to take heed unto? signifying thereby, that they do not well that do not take heed unto it: and so, they do well that do take heed unto it; in the Light they see more Light, and it shines more and more to the perfect Day.  
So this Light that comes from Christ, Christians waiting in it, they receive Christ the Bright Morningstar, which Thousands do witness, and have received Him, Glory to God for evermore; and with their Hearts they do believe, and with their Mouths Confession is made unto Salvation; and that their Salvation is their Wall and Bulwark against all Persecutors: And so, we follow Him, (to wit) Christ Jesus, the Captain of our Salvation, and the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World; against whom the Dragon, Beast and Whore, and their Followers are Fight; but the Lamb will have the Victory; For He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, who is the First and Last, the Alpha and the Omega, the Bening and the Ending. Hallelujah.   

A Copy of the Priests Petition.  
To the Honourable Precedent and Council of his Majesty's Island of Barbadoes; the Humble Petition and Address of the Clergy of the said Island,  
Sheweth,  
THat whereas many of us, in the Public Discharge of our Ministerial Function, upon the Lord's Day, in the Time of Divine Prayer and Sermon, have been Frequently and Irreverently Interrupted; and Holy Mother, the Church of England, Scandalously Vilified, as if she were both in Doctrine and in Discipline False, and Erroneous, and Antichristian; the Honest and Learned Clergy thereof (even in the Face of their own Congregations) not only taxed as Seducers, Hirelings, Teachers of Lies, and such like, but Uncharitably Pursued and Anathematised with Words, and Execrations, and Bitter Invectives, by a Base Sort of Fanatic People, commonly termed Quakers; Men, whose Practices and Opinions seem not less repugnant to Civil and Ecclesiastical Government, which tends to the Disparagement of us, and Prostration of our Order to Contempt; but also, and chief (which is the saddest Evil of all) to the Poisoning, if not the utter Ruin of many Well-meaning Souls in our Flock, who being infatuated and inveighed with their Pernicious Tenants, do desert the Public and Consecrated Places of God's Worship, to withdraw into Private and Unlawful Conventicles, which we are credibly informed they do repair to Duty Four Times in the Week, contrary both to Common and Ecclesiastical Laws, and to Acts of Parliament in the Reign of Edward the sixth, Queen Elizabeth, and King James, and King Charles the first, and of our now Gracious Sovereign Charles the second, in such Cases Wholsomely Provided.  
May it therefore please your Honour, either to Revive and Enforce the Statute against them; or that some other Speedy Expedient, against those Growing Distempers, may be considered of, whereby our People may be less exposed to the Danger of the Wicked Insinuations; and ourselves, by your Pious Care, succoured from such Rude Affronts and Scurrillities; for the future may be Enconraged with more Alacrity to proceed in the Faithful Discharge of that High Calling, wherein God hath placed us, and we shall continue your Daily chaplains and Orators, 

William Lessley,  
John Bernad,  
William Johnson,  
John Hopwood,  
Matthew Grey,  
John Page.    
The Priests of this Island, about the beginning of the 10th Month, 71. did Petition the Assembly to make Laws against the People called Quakers, and to suppress them; amongst which Will. Lessley, and Will. Johnson and Priest Walker were very active: But after their Paper was read in the House, it's credibly affirmed, they were advised to put it into their Pockets, lest the Quakers by some means or other might procure the Copy of it; and so they did, their Deeds of Darkness being ashamed of the Light, lest it should Reprove them.   

Here follows George Foster's Testimony concerning Priest Lessey's Striking and Kicking of him.  
INasmuch as William Lessley, Priest of the Parish called St. John's, doth revive his Rage and Malice against the People of God called Quakers, and against the Precious Truth of God, which they hold forth to all, even That Christ Jesus is the True Light of the World, and that he hath Enlightened all Mankind with a measure of his True Light. I say, Inasmuch as he revives his Rage, I think it not amiss to revive my Testimony, which once I bore against him in his public House of Speaking, so far as I was permitted to speak, which is, That he is no True Minister of Christ Jesus, the Lord of Life and Glory; for his Fruits make him so manifest. Once I went to his House Civilly, to ask for some Goods that were due to me, and he did fall upon me with several hard Blows, and with Violence Thrust me out of his Porch, and gave me one bad Kick in the Small of my Back, as I went, or was down the steps of the Porch. Now let all Sober People judge, and to God's Pure Witness in all Consciences I leave it to be judged, Whether Priest Lessley's Deal with me do not manifest him to be one of those whom Christ Jesus speaks of, saying, Many shall come in Sheep's Clothing, but inwardly they are Ravening Wolves; by their Fruits ye shall know them.  
George Foster. This Paper was sent us about the 26th of the 8th Month, 1671 somewhat before his Death.   

To William Lessley,— Walker, William Johnson, William Frith,— Dyke, and the rest of the Priests and Ministers in Barbadoes.  
Friends,  
IN much Terderness of Love, and Yearning Bowels of Compassion, some of us called Quakers (but indeed True Christians) came here to this Island (through the Tender Mercy and Good Providence of our Heavenly Father) to visit our Brethren in Spirit (being thereunto moved by him) as was the Practice of the Servants of the Most High, in the Primitive Times, before the Grand Apostasy, so to do, as you may read in Acts 15.36, 37, etc. and verse 40. Paul took Silas, being recommended by the Brethren unto the Grace of God.  
Now since I have been fully informed, that you (as your Forefathers ever did in Ages past) are the Main and Principal (if not the only) Instruments in the Hands of Antichrist, to provoke and incite the Civil and Military Powers here in this Island, to draw out their Swords against us; to exercise, I mean, their Power to disturb our Peace and Quiet, and to Persecute us; as we read how Saul persecuted the Christians in Acts 9.1, 2, etc. which great Wickedness he acknowledgeth with much Ingenuity (after he became Paul, a Convert) Gal. 1.13. & 1 Cor. 15.9. yea, persecuted unto Death, and into Prisons, Acts 22.4. and 1 Tim. 1.13. I was (saith he) a Persecutor, and a Blasphemer, and Injurious; but I obtained Mercy, because I did it Ignorantly in Unbelief: And even Paul himself, after he (I say) became a Convert, and a Preacher of Righteousness, was sorely Persecuted; but by whom? [Mark] by the Chief Priests and Elders of the Jews; who by one Tertullus, their Orator, informed the Governor against him, saying, We have found this man a Pestilent Fellow [Mark] and a Mover of Sedition among all the Jews throughout the World, and a Ringleader of the Sect of the nazarenes, who also hath gone about to Profane the Temple, etc. Acts 24.1, 2, 3, etc. and in the 14th verse they call that Way of Worship Heresy [mark that] For do not you so, if not worse, of us Christians, in terming our Ministry Heresy, and Blasphemy, and what not, as they did his then?  
And you may read how Christ himself (the Beloved Son of the Father, the Saviour and Redeemer of the World) who did no Sin, who knew no Sin, than whom no man spoke like) did not escape their Persecution, viz. of the Priests.  
So then, this is plain, that this has ever been the usual and constant Practice of the Priests in all Ages, and of the false Prophets, false Apostles, and Clergy, and Ministers of Antichrist (who falsely, term themselves, the True Ministers of Christ (Nam est haec Tunica Filij tui, you understand me) though certainly Christ never sent them, and so consequently will never own them; to whom he doth and will say, namely, to these Priests, that say, they Prophesied in his Name, and in his Name cast out Devils) Depart ye Workers of Iniquity, I know ye not. What saith Paul, Gal. 4.28, & c? But as then, he that was born after the Flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit (what follows?) even so it is now.  
Christ (I say) never sent such, but Antichrist (that is, one contrary to, and against Christ) though they care not to mind or heed it, neither will they believe it: But such are of those that (as Scripture saith) Ran before they were sent; as in Jer. 23.21, 32, etc. I have not sent these Prophets, saith the Lord; yet they Ran [mark that] I have not spoken to them, yet they Prophesied: Behold, I am against them that Prophesy False Dreams, and do tell them; and cause my People to Err by their Lies, and by their Lightness, yet I sent them not, and commanded them; therefore they shall not profit this People at all, saith the Lord. [Mind that well] For, whom the Lord of Hosts (who is KING of Kings and LORD of Lords) sends, commissionates, or employs as Ambassadors upon his Errand, he sends them Dovelike, with an Olive Branch of Peace and Love in their Hearts, and with Words of Reconciliation in their Mouths, out of his Ark; which the Apostle terms, The Ministry of Reconciliation, 2 Cor. 5.18. to wit, to Reconcile God and Man, Offended God, and Rebellious Offending Man; to publish the Gospel of Peace, and proclaim Glad-tidings of Good Things, whose Feet are Beautiful, Rom. 10.15. and  towards poor and undone Man.  
Now consider, if so, how far short do you come (who falsely pretend and profess yourselves to be the Ministers of Christ in these our days) of the true Apostles and Ambassadors of the Lord Jesus (the only Ruler of Princes, and Prince of Peace) in that their day? Who notwithstanding pretend yourselves to be Ministers of Reconciliation, and yet are found and experimented to be Ministers of Separation, Divisions and Persecutions, even to Nasty Prisons, Bonds and Blood; who, instead of putting on the Spiritual Armour, to fight the Lord's Battles, do Harness yourselves, and prepare War to fight the Old Dragon's, and the Devil's and Antichrist's Quarrels: Who, instead of handling the Sword of the Spirit (which is the Word of God, and Power of God to Salvation) use a Sword of Steel; so that I may say to you, as the Apostle said to him (whom he calls an Instructor of Fools, and a Teacher of Babes, Rom. 2.20, etc.) Thou that sayest (or preachest) a man should not Steal, dost thou Steal? Thou that sayest, a man should not commit Adultery, etc. [Mark well that] So say I. Thou that sayest, a man should not be Drunk, art thou Drunk? Read Isa. 28.7, 8. But they also have Erred through Wine, and through Strong Drink are out of the Way: The Priest and Prophet have Erred through Strong Drink; they are swallowed up of Wine; they are out of the Way through Strong Drink; they Err in Vision; they Stumble in Judgement; for all Tables are full of Vomit and Filthiness, so that there is no place clean.  
Again, Thou that sayest, a man should not commit Adultery, dost thou commit Adultery? Read Jer. 29.21, 23. Which Prophesy a Lie unto you in my Name— because they have committed Villainy in Israel, and have committed Adultery with their Neighbour's Wives, and have spoken Lying words in my Name, etc. And mind you not, that Whoremongers and Adulterers God will Judge, Heb. 13.4. And such shall not enter the Holy City, New Jerusalem, Rev. 21.8.  
The Lord I say, sent his Ambassadors to proclaim Peace; whereas you sound forth a Trumpet to Alarm battles, and to Provoke, Instigate and Stir up to Wars, to Fightings and Imprisoning, to Destroy, Kill and Murder Nations, and Families, and Persons in the particular, even such whose Desires and utmost Endeavours are, to live Peaceably, Harmlessly, and In-offensively towards God, and towards Men, as they persecuted Paul. And yet, I say, such is the Cain-like spirit of too too many amongst you, who seek the utter Ruin and Destruction, and thirst after the Blood (which is the Life) of the Poor Despised People of God: Whereas Christ acertains us, (whose Steps you should follow, to do Well) That he came not to Destroy Men's Lives, but to save them. But you on the contrary (walking in Antichrist's Bloody Steps, and so contrary to his Noble Precept and Practice) are come it seems here to this Island not to save men's Lives, but to destroy them; not to seek after their Good, but their Goods; insomuch that the Inhabitants Eyes begin to be open (which you had shut) so as that they in measure see your Deceits and Juggles; whereby now you do clearly manifest whose you are, so that he that runs may read; who (as Scripture of Truth saith) Fight with the Fist of Wickedness: Whereas an Evangelical Bishop (that is, a True Minister of Christ) should be Blameless, Sober, and of Good Behaviour; not given to Wine, no Striker, nor Greedy of Filthy Lucre, nor Covetous. Now Mark, Are not you on the contrary guilty of all these Things, if not of much more?  
But Friends, let me tell you in Seriousness, That unless you Repent (if it be not too late already, if Time be not past, and your Day over; if, I say, you be not sealed up to Destruction, as many of God's People witness their sealing up unto Salvation) Repent, I say, betimes, ere the Dismal and Dreadful Decree be gone forth from the Presence of the Lord against you; who are found beating your Fellow-Servants (or rather the Lord's Servants, who are not your Fellows) it had been better you never had been born, as he said of his Betrayer; mind that well; and that a Millstone were hanged about your Neck, etc. you know what follows. For alas! what will become of you, when the Righteous Judge shall come to Judgement, who will then (after a strict Inspection) Reward every man according to his Works?  
O! Whither then will you, or can you betake yourselves, to hid you from the Wrath of the Lamb? when he shall say, Bring hither those mine Enemies, that would not have me to Rule over them, and Slay them before me (this is the Portion of such) You may indeed cry to the Mountains, and to the Hills, to the Greater, and to the Lesser, to hid you from Him; but alack! all in Vain: for that will not avail, that will not prove a Sufficient Cover; no, it will be (to your great Grief, Horror and Amazement) found too Short a Covering. If you be (as you pretend yourselves to be) the true Orthodox, and not Hetrodox (that is, the True Evangelical Ministers of Christ) Where are your Evangelical Fruits? Where is your Love, your Righteousness, your Meekness, your Patience, your  towards all men, your Good Exhortations in the Way of Peace, with all Long-Suffering and Forbearance? But instead thereof, do you not bring forth the Fruits of the Flesh? viz. Envying, Strife, Malice, Contention, Drunkenness, Covetousness, Whoredoms, Uncleanness, Persecution; rendering Evil for Good, instead of rendering Good for Evil; and Curse for Blessings, instead of Blessings for Curse. Of such Christ bids us beware of, in Matth. 7.15, 20, etc. Who come in Sheep's Clothing, but inwardly are Ravening Wolves; for by their Fruits ye shall know them.  
O! that you would in time think upon the Great Account (I speak to you as one who wishes well, if not better than yourselves to your Immortal Souls) that you shall, without all controversy, render to the Lord at the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord. For if the Death of the Body be, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The King of Terrors, as it is in Job, to the Reprobate; O! what will, in that day, that Death be, when Christ shall say unto the Lefthand Goats, Depart, ye Cursed, into Everlasting Fire, prepared for the Devil, etc. Why? What's the Matter? Because they visited not his Imprisoned Ones; how much more than in regard they were the Means and Occasion of their Imprisonments (weigh well his words in Mat. 25.) In that, I say, he came and found you beating (that is Persecuting) your Fellow-Servants. O! how then will you be able to appear, and show your Faces before the Lord? who have made it your great Concern, as much as in you lies, to provoke and stir up those in Power in this Island (as witness your several Petitions to them) to War, Imprison and Trouble the Innocent: Whereas you should endeavour to persuade people, To beat their Swords into Ploughshares, and their Spears into Pruning-Hooks; so that Nation might not lift up Sword against Nation, neither learn War any more, Isa. 2.4. A Mercy which the Lord long since promised should come to pass, and is now beginning to be fulfilled; but endeavoured to be obstructed by the Contradictions of such as you, but all in Vain: But take heed of limiting the Holy One of Israel, of with-standing his Accomplishments, lest you be found Fighters against God; and if so, expect that justly, with that Apostate Julian, that may make you cry out with him, in the Anguish of your spirits, Vicisti me Galilee: For know this, That no man ever stood it out against the Lord, and Prospered; man has stood it out against another, and Nation against a Nation, and Kingdom against a Kingdom, and have Prospered; but none ever stood it out against God, and Prospered.  
O! Where is your Love (your Charity, so rendered) that suffers long, and is Kind, that Envieth not, that vaunteth not itself, that is not Puffed up, that behaveth itself not Unseemingly, seeketh not her own, is not easily Provoked, thinketh no Evil, Rejoiceth not in Iniquity; but Rejoiceth in the Truth, Beareth all things, Believes all things, Hopeth all things, Endureth all things: Of which I may say, with your allowed Poet Terras Astrae reliquit, as Justice, so Mercy and Compassion are departed from you: For where are your Bowels of Compassion? Have you not rather stirred up others to Fight, and set at Variance, etc. that instead of a Concord, have set at Discord? O! what Rents and Divisions, what Animosities and Enmities, you, and your Fellows have made over all Christendom, so called? Have you not been only Partners, but the chief Fomenters, Complotters, and Broachers of all the Mischief done? Therefore your Coat, above all other Coats, are like to give an Heavy Account; namely, You of the Black Robe here in this Island, like the Chimrims (i. e.) Eorum qui nigras induunt vestes, as it is rendered in the Margin by Arius Montanus, in Zeph. 1.4. and as Junius has it (Nomen atratorum) who have set all the World at odds, and on Fire; whereas you should have persuaded them to love one another, and to bear one with another: you have been, I say, the Sad Instruments, to learn them Strife and Contention, to teach their Hands to War, and their Fingers to Fight against the Lamb and his Followers, who are clothed in White Linen, which is the Righteousness of the Saints, and of Christ; so that one Neighbour by your means hath hated another, and sought the Destruction one of another, and Persecuted and Imprisoned one another, for your Lust's sake, your Covetousness sake, your Pride's sake, your Envy your Malice sake, your Fables sake, your Corrupt Doctrines and Divinations sake, which are the Fancies and Product of your airy Imaginations, and Accursed Birth of your own fiery Brain, that have been hatched there, and conceived in the Chamber of your Imagenary, Ezek. 8.12. these being part of the Inventions that men have sought out, as the Wise Man saith, Eccl. 7.29. and as he who was greater than Solomon saith, Teaching for Doctrines the Traditions of Men, and so make void the Law of God; to whom you are like in all things, the very Picture of your own Father in John 8.44. O! where will you abide when the Books shall be opened, and all these things shall in order be set before you?  
O! that you would be Wise, to consider your Latter-Ends, ere the Evil Day come (if, I say, you Repent not of the Evil of your Do) when the Lord shall hurl you down, and tumble you headlong into the Bottomless-Pit of Perdition; & there forever seal you up from the Presence of the Lord, into the Abiss, Isay, of Destruction and Eternal Misery, such as will never have an End, (because Time then shall be no more) but after Thousands of Millions and Miriads of Years are as far from the End of their Misery, as at the first Moment of it; from whence, I say, there shall be no Redemption: No, no; as you have been the Cause of all the Righteous's Sufferings, Imprisonments, and Persecutions, and Deaths; you shall be Imprisoned there, and bound Hand and Foot, and cast in there forever, Luke 11.48, 49, 50. as saith the Lord in the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant (just such Servants many of you are) Who Treated his Fellow-Servant Cruclly, and dealt Hardly with him; whereas his Lord had great Compassion on him, in forgiving him all that he owed him: whereupon his Lord was Wrath, and delivered him to the Tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. And look as certainly as you have (or shall) filled any of us with Sorrows and Grief, so shall you drink the Dregs of our Cup, as the Apostle saith to this purpose, it is a Righteous Thing with God, to Recompense Tribulation to them that Trouble you, 2 Thes. 1.4, 5, 6. You shall, I say, drink even of the Wine of the Wrath of God, which is poured out without Mixture (of the least Pity or Mercy) into the Cup of his Indignation, and shall be Tormented with Fire and Brimstone in the Presence of his holy Angels, and in the Presence of the Lamb; and the Smoke of their Torment ascends up forever, and forever; and they have no Rest Day nor Night. Can you, Friends, English that, Rev. 14, 10. & 16.5, 6, 7. MENE TEKEL, You are weighed in the Balance, and are found light; so writes the Finger of God: and therefore your Kingdom shall be taken from you (look for it) and all your Ill-gotten Goods and Estates, that by your Lies, and False Prophesying, and by speaking Smooth Things, Isa. 30.10. and Daubing with Untempored Mortar, Ezek. 22.28. & 13.9, 10. and by all your sowing Pillows under people's Elbows, to Keep and Lull them Asleep, shall all be Vomited up.  
Thus much I thought meet in Love to write unto you, that so you may learn to Fear God, Repent, Believe and Live forever with the Lord.  
Barbadoss, the 29th of the 1st Month, called March, 1672. From Him that was once of you; but now through Mercy is come out from amongst you●; and bears this Tostimony against you, John Hull.  
Read Jer. cap 6. from vers, 13. to 19 and Ezek. cap. 34. & cap. 13. throughout.   

Postscript.  
Since the writing of this Letter, I had Information of some Sad Passages of Priest Walker's Sermon, that he Preached before the Rulers of the last General Sessions, which occasioned this Postscript.  
OFRIENDS! But Seriously weigh the Thing in the Cool of the Day, between God and your own Hearts; and Consider Seriously, Whether it be not Sad to See Him, and such who profess yourselves Ministers, viz. Christ's Ambassadors, given to the Churches for Education, Consolation, Information, and Instruction, to Stand and Appear so directly Diametrically Opposite and Cross to the very End of your Pretended Work and Ministry; Concerning many of whom I fear it may be said, That knowingly, wilfully and deliberately Oppose Piety and Godliness, and Crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh; and have Condemned and Killed the Just, that Resisted not: O! read that Within. That you should, I say, Persecute, and stir up others to Persecution, whose Work should be, To Feed and Preserve out of it; and Wound, instead of Healing; and Grieve the Spirit of the Righteous, who should further their Joy and Comfort: So that such declare themselves, with open Mouth, to be Physicians of No Value.  
And so it is made clearly manifest, That none are a Greater Plague to the Church (so called) both in Corrupting and Deluding it, by your Sorceries and Enchantments, and also, in causing the Sacrifice of the Lord to be by Men abhorred, than some of you, who would be accounted, The SALT of the EARTH: But, alas! it hath lost its Savour, so that, as Christ saith, It is good for Nothing, but to be cast out, and trodden under Foot by men, Mat. 5.13. Luke 14.34. Just like those Priests, Eli's Sons, Sons of Belial by their Debaucheries, Wickedness and Whoredoms, spoken of in 1 Sam. 2.12, 17. compared. And instead of being Barnabas' Sons of Consolation, are found and experimented to be Boanerges' Sons of Thunder, Alaruming to War, and to Battles, with Confused Noise, and Garments rolled in Blood.  
O Friends! Be Friendly Advised, Not to Sadden the Hearts of those whom God would not have made Sad, Hazael-like, 2 King. 8.11, 12, 13. Is thy Servant a Dog, saith he to the Prophet, that I should do this Great Thing. So Priest Walker and you may happily say, Far be it from any of us, that we should do this Great Thing; that we should Seek, Labour and Endeavour, by Preaching, Teaching or Petitioning the Destruction of the Righteous: But take heed, take heed, that you be not found amongst the number of those that think in so doing (i. e.) in Killing, Imprisoning, Plundering and Persecuting them, they do God Service: you cannot be Ignorant that such there were, mentioned John 16.2. where saith the Lord, They have put you out of their Synagogues (that is, Excommunicated or Unchurched them, and then Imprisoned them, and Spoiling them of their Goods) as many Hundreds have been by such as you: Yea, the Time cometh, and is it not now? that whosoever shall Kill them, thinks he dorh God Service therein. O! Read and Consider, lest you be found, I say, to be such; such Fools were those by their own Confession in the Book of Wisdom, which is good Scripture, though placed in that part which is called Appochriphas; read Wisdom chap. 5. vers. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.  
Then shall the Righteous Man stand in great Boldness before the Face of such as have Afflicted him, and made no Account of his Labours; when they see it, they shall be Troubled with Terrible Fear, and shall be Amazed at the Strangeness of his Salvation, so far beyond all that they looked for. [Mark] Is not this made good now in the Disappointment of the late strenous Endeavours and Actings against the Quakers only, of all Dissenters in this Island, through the Instigation and Promotion with the greatest Violence and Fury of you Priests (especially of Priest Walker, W. Lessley, and his Son in Law Johnson) For, as the Psalmist saith, Psal. 25.20. They speak not Peace, but Divise Deceitful Matters against them that are Quiet in the Land: whereas the Lord saith plainly, Divise not Evil against thy Neighbour, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee, Prov. 3.29, 30, 31. Weigh this well, and consider Proud Hamon's Devilish Stratagem against God's People, and how the Lord Frustrated and Disannulled his designed Acts (as he hath, and will do yours) and wicked Divises in and to their own Ruin, in the Book of Esther, chap. 8. & 9 according to that Psal. 7.15. He made a Pit, and Digged it, and is fallen into the Ditch which he made; his Mischief shall return upon his own Head; and his Violent Dealing shall come down upon his own Pate (Insidit in foveam quam struxit) then sollows, I will Praise the Lord according to his Righteousness, etc. It being a Righteous Thing in God, so to Reward them, whose Ways are Equal, though Man's Ways are Unequal: And Prov. 26.27.  

But to return to that in Wisdom again:  
And they Repenting, and Groaning in Spirit, shall say within themselves, This was he we had sometimes in Derision, and a Proverb (or Parable) of Reproach; We Fools Accounted his Life Madness, and his End to be without Honour; How is he numbered among the Children of God? and his Lot is amongst the Saints: Therefore we Erred from the Way of Truth, & the Light of Righteousness hath not shined unto us, and the Son of Righteousness arose not upon us: We Wearied ourselves in the Way of Wickedness, and Destruction, etc. O! was not this, Friends, your Work? and will not these, or the like, be your Words and Wages answerable one Day?  
John Hull.    

FOR THE GOVERNOR, And His Council & Assembly, And all Others in Power, both Civil and Military in this Island; from the People called QUAKERS. (With an ADDITION)  
WHereas many Scandalous Lies and Slanders have been cast upon us, to the rendering us the more Odious (viz.) That we do deny God, and Christ Jesus, and the Scriptures of Truth, etc. This is to inform you, That all our Books and Declarations (that for these many years have been published to the World) do clearly testify to the contrary; but yet, for your sakes this is now given forth.  
That God (who is the Only Wise, Omnipotent, and Everlasting God) we do Own and Believe in, who is the Creator of all things both in Heaven and in Earth, and the Preserver of all that he hath made; who is God over all, blessed forever; to whom be all Honour, and Glory, and Dominion, and Praise, and Thanksgiving, both now and for evermore.  
And that Jesus Christ is his Beloved and Only Begotten Son, in whom he is Well-pleased; who was Conceived by the Holy Ghost, and Born of the Virgin Mary; in whom we have Redemption, through his Blood, even the Forgiveness of Sins; who is the express Image of the Invisible God, the Firstborn of every Creature; by whom were all things created that are in Heaven, and that are in the Earth; Visible, and Invisible; whether they be Thrones, or Dominions, or Principalities, or Powers.  
And we do own and believe, that he was made to be as Sin, or an Offence and Curse for us, who knew no Sin; and was Crucified for us in the Flesh, without the Gates of Jerusalem; and that he was Buried, and Rose again the Third Day, by his own Power, for our Justification; and we do believe, that he Ascended up into Heaven, and now sitteth at the Right-Hand of God.  
And that this Jesus is the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, and our Foundation; so that there is no other Foundation to be laid, but what is laid, even Christ Jesus: and that he tasted Death for every man, and shed his Blood for all men: that he is the Propitiation for our Sins, and not for our Sins only, but for the Sins of the whole World: For saith John the Baptist of him, Behold, the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World, John 1.29.  
And we do believe, That he is our Alone Redeemer and Saviour, even the Captain of our Salvation; who saves us from Sin, as well as from Hell, and from the Wrath to come, and destroys the Devil and his Works; who is the Seed of the Woman, that bruises the Serpent's Head, to wit, Christ Jesus; who is Alpha and Omega, the First and Last.  
That he is (as Scriptures of Truth say) our Wisdom, Righteousness, Justification and Redemption; neither is there Salvation in any other; For there is none other Name under Heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved: it is he alone who is the Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls; he it is that is our Prophet, whom Moses long since testified of in Acts 3.22, 23. A Prophet shall the Lord our God raise up unto you, of your Brethren, like unto me, him shall you hear in all things, whatsoever he shall say unto you: and it shall come to pass, that every one that will not hear that Prophet, shall be Destroyed from among the People.  
He it is that is now come, and hath given us an Understanding, that we may know him that is true; and a Rule in our Hearts, even his Law of Love and of Life in our Inward Parts, which makes us free from the Law of Sin and Death,  
And we have no Life, but by him; For he is the Quickening Spirit, the Second Adam, the Lord from Heaven; by whose Blood we are cleansed, and our Consciences sprinkled from Dead Works, that we might serve the Living God; by whose Blood we are purchased. And so he is our Mediator, that makes Peace and Reconciliation between God offended, and Us offending; being our Surety of the New Testament, and the Oath of God, the New Covenant of Light, Life, Grace and Peace; the Author and Finisher of our Faith.  
Now this Lord Jesus Christ, the Heavenly Man, Emanuel, God with us, we all own and believe in; whom the High Priests raged against, and said, He had spoken Blasphemy; and the Chief Priests, and Elders of the Jews, took Counsel together, and put him to Death; the same whom Judas▪ betrayed for Thirsy Pieces of Silver, which he had from the Priests; who gave a Large Sum of Money to the Soldiers, to broach a Horrible Lie, namely, that they should say, That his Disciples stole him away by Night, whilst they Slept. And after he was risen from the Dead, you may see in the Acts of the Apostles, how that the chief Priests and Elders Persecuted the Disciples of this Jesus, for preaching Christ, and his Resurrection: this (we say) is that Lord Jesus Christ, whom we own to be our Life and Salvation.  

Now concerning the Holy Scriptures.  
We do believe, That they were given forth by the Holy Spirit of God, through Holy Men of God, who spoke (as Scriptures of Truth say) As they were Moved by the Holy Ghost, in 2 Pet. 1.1. and that they are to be Read, and Believed and Fulfilled; and he that fulfils them is Christ. And are profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction, and for Instruction in Righteousness; that the Man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all Good Works, 2 Tim. 3.16. and are able (as Divinely Inspired) to make us Wise to Salvation, through Faith in Christ Jesus. And we do believe, That the Scriptures are the Word● of God; for it's said in Exod. 20.1. God spoke all these Words, saying, etc. meaning the Ten Commandments, given forth upon Mount Sinai: and in Rev. 18. saith John, I testify unto every man, that heareth the WORDS of the Prophecy of this Book; if any man addeth unto These— and if any man shall take away from the WORDS (not Word) of the Book: So in Luke 1.20. Because thou believest not my WORDS: and John 5.47. & 15.7. & 14.23. & 12.47. So that we call the Scriptures as Christ and the Apostles called them, and as the Holy Men of God called them, namely, The WORDS of God.  
Another Slander and Lie they have cast upon us, is; namely, That we should teach the Negars to Rebel.  
A Thing we do utterly abhor and detest in and from our Hearts, the Lord knows it, who is the Searcher of all hearts, and knows all things; and so can witness and testify for us, that this is a most Egregious and Abominable Untruth.  
For, that which we have spoken and declared to them is, to exhort and admonish them, To be Sober, and to Fear God, and to love their Masters and Mistresses, and to be Faithful and Diligent in their Master's Service and Business; and that than their Masters and Overseers will Love them, and deal Kindly and Gently with them: And that they should not beat their Wives, nor the Wives their Husbands; nor multiply Wives, nor put away their Wives, nor the Wives their Husbands, as they use frequently to do: and that they do not Steal, nor be Drunk, nor commit Adultery, nor Fornication, nor Curse, nor Swear, nor Lie, nor give Bad Words to one another, or unto any one else. For there is something in them, that tells them, That they should not Practise those Evils (or any other) before mentioned: Which if notwithstanding they should do them, that there are but two Ways; the one, that leads to Heaven, where the Righteous go; & the other, that leads to Hell, where the Wicked and Debancht, Whoremongers and Adulteres, Murderers, Liars & Thiefs go: To the one the Lord of Heaven and Earth will say, Come ye Blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, from the Foundation of the World; but to the other he will say, Depart ye Cursed into Everlasting Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. The Wicked, into Everlasting Punishment; but the Righteous, into Life Eternal, Mat. 25.  
Now consider, Friends, that it's no Transgression, for a Master of a Family to instruct his Family himself, or else, some others in his behalf; but rather, that it is a very great Duty lying incumbent upon them: As Abraham did, and Joshua did; as to the first, the Lord said, I know that Abraham will command his Children, and his Household after him; and they shall keep the Way of the Lord, to do Justice & Judgement, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him: And as for Joshua, said he, Josh. 24.15. And if it seems Evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this Day whom you will serve, whether the Gods which your Fathers served, that were on the other side of the Flood; or the Gods of the Amorites, in whose Land ye dwell: But as for me, and my House, we will serve the Lord. And further consider this, That it is a Duty lying upon us, to Pray and to Teach, Instruct and Admonish those in and belonging to our Families; it being the Command of the Lord, the Disobedience to which will incur the Lord's Displeasure; as you may see in Jer. 10.25. where it's written, Pour out thy Fury upon the Heathen, that know thee not; and upon the Families, that call not upon thy Name. Now Negars & Tawny Indians make up a very great part of Families here in this Island, for whom an Account will be required at the Great Day of Judgement, when every one shall be Rewarded according to his Deeds done in the Body, whether they be Good, or whether they be Evil: In that Day, I say, of the Resurrection, both of the Good and of the Bad, of the Just and of the Unjust; when the Lord shall be revealed from Heaven with his Mighty Angels, in Flaming Fire, taking Vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with Everlasting Destruction from the Presence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his Power, when he shall come to be Glorified in his Saints, 2 Thess. 1.8.   

Here follows the Addition.  
Whereas divers Reproachful Speeches, by some of the Priests and People of the Island of Barbadoes, were cast upon George Fox, since his arrival here; its manifest that the Devil was the Author of them, to prevent and pervert the Minds of People from the Living Truth of God, and the Right Way to God, to wit, Jesus Christ; of whom the said G.F. informed the People, that so they might all come to inherit Christ Jesus, and so inherit the Substance, viz. Christ, their Teacher, their Way, their Prophet (of whom Moses prophesied long since, That him they should Hear) their Bishop, to Oversee them; and their Shepherd, to Feed them; and their Minister, that Ministereth Grace, and Life and Truth unto them; who is their Rock, and Foundation of the Prophets, and Apostles, and of us, who in Scorn they call Quakers; yea, of that Christ, who bruised the Serpent's Head, and destroys the Devil and his Works.  
So he is the Way to God, to the pure God, who is the Pure Foundation of many Generations, & is the Life of all Mankind, that have Life; for as they all died in the first Adam, so the Life they have is in the second Adam, to wit, Christ Jesus, by whom the World was made; who was Glorified with the Father before the World began.  
Now, I say, every one must receive him, in whom they have Life Eternal, who is the Son of God; and so receiving him, they receive the Faith of the Son of God, and receive his Blood, that sprinkles their Hearts and Consciences from dead Works, that so they might serve God in the new Life in Christ Jesus. I say, that Christ Jesus, that was Crucified without the Gates of Jerusalem, who was born of the Virgin Mary, and was Dead and Buried, whom Judas betrayed to the Chief Priests for thirty pieces of Silver, who afterwards arose out of the Grave, even the third day; though the Magistrates and Priests set a Watch, a Guard of Soldiers upon his Sepulchre; and the chief Priests gave the Soldier's large Money to say, That his Disciples stole Him away by Night.  
This Christ, I say, is our Life, who Died for our Sins, and is Risen for our Justification; who remains in the Heavens at the Right hand of God, until the restitution of all things: And we say, He is Manifested and Revealed in us, and we are in him by his Light, Power and Spirit: and he hath taught us what to believe in, to wit, the Light, as you may see in John, who saith, He is the Light; and commands us, to believe in the Light, that we may be the Children of Light: And so, we are Believers in the Light (to wit, Christ Jesus) and have the Witness within ourselves: And after we believed, we were sealed by the Spirit of Promise; and we can set to our Seal, That God is True in all his Prophets and Promises, concerning his Son; and the Doctrine of the Apostles, that preached Christ's Birth and Life, Miracles, Sufferings, his Death and Resurrection. So we do confess him before men, to be our Shepherd, our Way, and our Foundation, and the Head of his Church; and he is our Bill open, our Minister, and our Priest; who is made higher than the Heavens, Holy and Harmless: and this we are not ashamed to confess before men.  
Now as for the Filthy and Unsavoury words, that have been cast upon me, they are all False. O! that People should bend their Tongues to invent filthy Lies, and that others should be given up to believe a Lie: So that Say … of Christ is fulfilled, They shall speak all manner of Evils you for my sake. But yet this we can truly say, The Lord forgive them, if it be his will, if that they have not sinned out their day; and we do earnestly desire their Repentance, if there be any place found for Repentance. But truly, it is much if God's Wrath and his Sore Judgements do not fall heavy upon them in this Island; a great measure whereof they have seen and felt already, and that not long since, both by the Plague, that swept Multitudes away, as with a Besom; and by a very great Fire, that burned down most part of the Houses at the Bridge: but we desire in our Hearts, if it be his Will, That his Wrath may pass from them: And yet I cannot, nor do not see how well they should escape, and go Unpunished, since people give themselves up to such Debauched Talk, and Wicked and Slanderous Speeches, which manifests the Wickedness of their Hearts: For, an Evil Man, out of the Evil Treasure of his Heart, brings forth that which is Evil; out of the abundance of his Heart his Mouth speaks, Luke 6.45.  
Now therefore, O Barbadians, I Warn you to take heed and Repent, lest the Judgements and Wrath of the Lord break out like Fire suddenly upon you, and as a Thief in the Night, in an Hour when you little Dream of it. For alas! I do see that that makes my Heart even ready to Tremble almost, to speak of the Judgements and Plagues that this Corrupt Nature brings upon a Land.  
Where, alas! is Virtue to be found among you? where is Sobriety? where is Moderation? as the Apostle saith, let your Moderation be known to all men; the Lord is at hand, Phil. 4. where is Modesty? where is Love Unfeigned? where is Holiness and Righteousness (the Blessed Fruit of the Spirit of Life and Holiness) to be found; but rather the Fruits of the Flesh: O! what a Great Crop may be gathered of these? And so that Birth of the Flesh judgeth of others to be like itself.  
Know this, If you Priests were the Ministers of Christ, than such things would be Reproved by you, and you and your People would receive us gladly when we come among you in the Name and Fear of the Lord, and Visit you in Love; and not have raised such false Report and Wicked Slanders of us, and cast so much Dirt & Filth upon our Faces to mar us: so that it is much to be feared, that you have lost the Day of your Visitation; you having Rejected those whom the Lord hath sent in Love to Visit you here: And 'tis no Wonder, considering that this has been the Practice of the False Prophets, and Shepherds and Priests of Old, to raise Lying Slanders upon the Truth; and so do you, as you may see all along in the Scriptures of Truth. O! what Rage and Malice, what Envy and Cruelty did the Priests and Jews (who professed themselves, to be the Children and People of God, and Children of Abraham the Faithful) act against the Prophets of the Lord, & against Christ & his Apostles? see Joh. 8.39, 40, etc. But withal, mark their End; what became of them all? its said, The Name of the Wicked shall Rot? but the Name of the Righteous shall never be blotted out: and Psal. 37.35, etc.  
And thus you Priests, and others of your Gang (who they are you may guests) have broached & published these Lies and Slanders, whose Minds and Tongues seem wholly bend to do Mischief, and to speak Evil of the Righteous: But a Lying Tongue God abhors, Psal. 119.163. And Tophet is prepared of Old for such, as you may read in Rev. 21.8.  
Now we may say, What Christianity is amongst the People here? and what Religion have they been taught? And truly, this is not Civil, nor Neighbourly done, of such as have raised up these Slanders and Lies, whereof G.F. was not guilty, nor ever heard of them before: so that it seems, the Father & Mother of these Lies are here in this Island; and therefore query, whether you Priests & Baptists have not been the Men-Mid-Wives, to forward the birth of them. O! where is Modesty, and where is Virtue, that should be in your Minds and Mouths? where is Truth in your Inward Parts? Yea some of these filthy things have been in the Minds & Mouths of some who have been of some Repute amongst you, yea, and of the Teachers too, which is a very strange thing; had it been only the rude rabble of people, it had not been worth the taking notice of; but for such as look upon themselves, as Men of Repute amongst you, to have such things in your minds and mouths; it is very strange, had they any regard to their own Credit and Reputation; though I shall name none, but you all know yourselves who you be: & therefore it is good for you all to Repent of these things, and seek after Virtue, and after Peace, Truth and Holiness, without which no man shall see God; and after the Lord Jesus, who teaches no such Lies nor Slanders; but destroys the Liar, and Author of Lies.  
Another Slander they have got up here, That G.F. should Hang Ribbons upon people's Arms, by which means they were Bewitched; Which was first forged by an Independent Priest, one of Oliver Cromwell's News-Mongers, who put it into his Weekly-News-Book: and when he was questioned, where he had the Information; first, he said, it was a Woman, and then afterwards, said, it was a Man that told him of it; but never could we get from him the Name of that Man or Woman, or of the Town and Country where he or she lived to this day. And this Lie and Slander went for credit, it being printed in the Dyurnal; and the Priests likewise published it in their Pulpits; and others would Swear, that their Brother Independent Priest caused it to be put into the News-Books, when they perceived many of their Hearers to forsake them, who would not put into their Mouths any longer; therefore they raised this Slander, thinking thereby, to cast a Stumbling-block before the people, to stop them from coming to embrace the Truth: but they were deceived in that; for that manifested their Folly the more, and their Lies and Slanders; and confirmed the people the more in the Truth. And these Independants were the first that gave the Nickname of Quakers; as, one Bennet at Derby, 1650.  
And then likewise they raised Slanders, That we denied God and Christ, and the Scriptures; which were all Lies: and then the Presbyterians, Independants and Baptists set their people to Scoff and Mock us; calling us Tremblers, and Shakers' and Quakers in that day, & what not, when they had the day of it, the Tithes, and Pulpits and the Power in their Hands. But the Lord God, when he had brought the King into his Power, than he shook them out of their Pulpits, their Tithes, and Esther-Reckonnings, and Midsummer-Dues, etc. and made such Shaking, & Quaking, & Quivering amongst them, as Rocked and Shook them out of their Great Benefices, & laid their Maintenance levil with the Earth, insomuch as that they durst hardly Creep into a House to Meet: & so the Lord hath given them Shaking, and Quaking, and Trembling and Quivering enough, who were the first Raiser's of that Nickname, in calling the People of God Quakers: So that they have had a Dreadful Day of Trembling since that. And therefore let others take heed, and mind the Example of all these Liars and Slanderers that are gone before them  
And because that G. F. and some Masters of Families, had some Meetings with the Negars' belonging to friends, and did admonish them and Christianly persuade them, that they should be content with having but one wife, each man of them; and that the Wives should love their Husbands, and the Husbands their Wives; and fear God, and not abuse them, either with blows, or in Bitter Words, and that they should not Steal nor commit fornication, or Adultery, nor do any wicked thing; but that they should Serve and Worship the Lord God in Spirit and in Truth, and yield subjection to their Masters, and those over them, and do what they did in Singleness of Heart etc. Whereupon some of you Priests have raised, as we understand, a Slander upon Friends, viz. that we have a Design to teach the Blacks to rebel: which is a most false Lie; whereas indeed, it should have been their work (who take upon them to be Ministers of Christ) to admonish the Blacks and Taunies themselves, and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to them themselves. But was not there a great Professor, that said to a Black's Child, Lord bless thee; and after did she not, as recalling her words, say, Lord forgive me; as though the Blacks had no souls to save as well as Whites? It's credibly reported that once when a Black came to a Steeplehouse in time of worship, That the Sexton came to him with his Whip, and said unto him, Get thee out thou Dog; what do you here? are these the words of Christ? for sure the Lord Would have all to be saved: And have you no Gospel for Blacks? is not the Gospel to be preached to all Nations and peoples? and are not the Blacks of some Nations and people? did not Christ die for the Blacks and the Taunies, as well as for the Whites? and was not his Blood shed for all men, and are they not men? And must Christ be preached to some people and not to some others? And as for designs we deny, disown and abhor all such things: We desire that all may live Peaceable under the Governors of their respective Families, and under the Government of the Island and nations wherein and amongst whom they are; for we are so taught of Christ, namely, to seek the good of all men, and peace with all men. And we would have all men to be saved, as well as ourselves. And we Covet none of the People's Money, neither Gold nor Silver, as you Priests do; but as freely we have received, so freely we give: For we do not come into a Parish, to make the People and their goods our  for term of life, as yours do; and pretend and make the people believe, that we do watch for their souls as yo● Priests do, and yet never intent it; but watch when the harvest comes that you may share in their goods and estates that God hath blest them with increase: And as you know they do in other places, watch when the Sow's pig, that they may have the Tithe Pig, and the Tithe Eggs, etc. and watch when the Turkeys and Hens hatch, that they may have some of the increase of the Chickens, and Goglings, etc. this is that they watch for; And watch when the Corn is ripe, and the cocks of hay are made, this is that they Gape for, gain from their quarter as of old, for their goods, and not for the good of their souls; which if a man give them not, nor put into their Mouths, than they prepare war against them. This, I suppose, is well known here, and these are the Souls they watch for; and where they find a bigger Benefice, thither do they go; for such things it is they watch for; and so, as the old Proverb is, No Penny, no Pater Noster: For what Pater Noster have any had of you Priests, without a Penny in this Island? Have you not thrown away that Command of Christ, who said, Freely you have received, freely give? And have you not come short of the Example of Paul, who saith, Acts 20.33. I have Coveted no man's Silver, or Gold, or Apparel (Yea, yourselves know, That these Hands have ministered to my Necessities, and to them that were with me) that so he might be an Example to all that followed him. So that I say, Such have not followed the Apostle in this particular: But is not Demas your Example, who forsook the Truth, and embraced the things of this present World? And the False Prophets and Shepherds, are they not your Example, who seek for their Gain from their Quarter, and Horseleech like, think they can never have enough; read Isa. 56. throughout: And seek for the Wool and the Fleece, and to make a Prey of the Sheep; read Ezek. 34. cap. And preach for filthy Lucre, for Hire, for the Love of Money, that mind Earthly things, who are Enemies to the Cross of Christ 〈◊〉 these are the things that such watch for, and 〈…〉 … ple's Souls; and to get and present these outward things into their Barns and Houses, and not to present their Souls to God, as the True Ministers did and do: and if any one would not give them their Hire, though they never set them a work, they would Persecute them, and Cry Out for the Magistrate's Power to assist them: So that are not such as these next a kin to the Order of Begging Friars; for do they not Beg of the Magistrate, for their Tithes or Maintenance to be paid them? And was not the first rise of Tithes from the Pope? who raised up and instituted that Order of Friar Mendicants, since Christ's and the Apostles days, who said, Freely you have received, freely give. So read Jer. 5. & Tim. & Titus, & Mich. 3. and see whose Steps such Ministers walk in; and Mat. 23. throughout; and see if you do not walk in the Steps of them, against whom Christ pronounces such Heavy, Dizmal and Dreadful Woes.   
THE END.