A WARNING FROM THE LORD UNTO THE Rulers of Dover.  
And so to all men which stand guilty of the like Practices, that all may know a Day of Repentance before it be too late; for the Night will come whenas no man can work, in which the Son of man will come as a Thief unto all such the Workers of Iniquity, and give to every man according to his deeds done in their body in their life-time.  Then woe to the Evildoer, for it will go ill with him. 
Also, the Christian man's Plea for his Liberty, as he is so indeed and in truth: And also, as he is a freeborn Englishman, he lays claim to his Birthright, by way of Expostulation with the Rulers of DOVER, who rob him and many others of it, refusing to show us any Order for their so doing.  
Together with a true Testimony born to the Light of Jesus, the Power of God, yea the Power of the endless Life, from everlasting to everlasting: By LUKE HOWARD.  Isa. 57.20. 
The wicked are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up Mire and Dirt.  
How ever it be, yet God is good, and his mercies are sure to Israel, yea they endure for ever.  Prov. 24.15. 
Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous, spoil not his resting place.  Prov. 28.10, 11. 
Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit; but the upright shall have good things in possession.  Prov. 10.6. 
Blessings are upon the head of the just; but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.  
LONDON, Printed For Robert Wilson, and are to be sold at the Black-spread-Eagle and Windmill in Martin's l'Grand, 1661.   

A Warning from the Lord unto the Rulers of Dover, and so to all men men which stand guilty of the like Practices, that all may know a Day of Repentance before it be too late, etc.  
ON the third day of the 8th, Month, 1661. in the night-watch, upon my Bed of Straw and Chaff 
* Yet I and he rest of my friends did offer the Marshal to give him as we gave in other Prisons, 8. pence a night for two Beds fitting for men to lie upon, and that our friends as in other places, might come at us; but he refused it. , in the Common-Goal of Dover-Castle; as I lay in a sweet and a comfortable sleep and rest, the hand of my God fell on me, and his sweet and comfortable presence awakened me, and so continued with me unto the Morning-Watch; in which time the living presence of my God was with me, and the comfortable fellowship of his holy Spirit accompanied me, so that my soul was filled with his living presence as with a mighty River, which did overflow the Banks, so that nothing appeared but joy and gladness, and the Streams of his everlasting Virtue run through me exceeding swift, and as the dew from Heaven refresheth the tender Grass, so was the Plant of God's Renown refreshed in me, and gave glory to him that sitteth on the Throne, the Ancient of Days, and to the Lamb for evermore; even so faith my soul, and all that is within me; yea, praise ye the Lord, for he is worthy.  
And as I thus lay with my mind stayed on his Holiness, and my heart awake in his Life and Light, the Word of his Eternal Power came to me, and from the God of Life it run through me in these words, the which I was to write as from the God of my Life to the Rulers of Dover.  
A Spoil, a Spoil, a Spoil is in you; a Spoil, a Spoil, a Spoil is in your hearts; ye bloodthirsty men, John Golder Mayor, George West, and all which are agreed with you, whose hearts are filled with envy 
a Envy is the ground of murder, and it is murder in God's sight; as saith the whole Scripture. , to destroy a man and his Heritage, yea men and their Families, the judgements of God are against you, and the righteous vengeance of the Almighty is gathering together in his heart against you, and the Revelation thereof is near at hand to be poured forth: As your iniquities ripen to a head, and your envy against the righteous is fully accomplished, come you forth, and stand up before the righteous God of my Life, and let the God of Truth be judge in the matter, and his living Witness 
b For that will plead the cause of the just and innocent, in secret, between God and your own consciences  in all your Consciences give Answer between us, and this Word of Life run through my heart from the righteous God, to write unto you in the Word of the Lord, even the Lord God of Life and Light, of Righteousness and Truth, the God of Heaven and Earth, whose dreadful presence will make the strong to bow, and bring the lofty down, and rebuke the wicked devices of the heart of man, & strike through the Liver of the Oppressor, as with a Dart, and none shall shift his hand; before whose glorious presence all must appear, and all flesh must be silenced before him. This is my God, I have waited for him, and his appearance to me and mine is as as the Morning without clouds, and his beauty hath taken my heart, and his comeliness hath ravished my soul, and his exceeding Riches hath he adorned my inward man with 
c The King's Daughters are all glorious within. , and his everlasting strength is my salvation, even the Son of his Love, which was from everlasting to everlasting, the same yesterday, to day and for ever, by whom he will judge the World in righteousness, and the men thereof in truth, and no covering 
d Woe be to him who is covered with a covering, and not of the spirit of the Lord.  of falsehood shall then hid any, but all must stand naked and bare before him and his holy Angels, and mighty Host of Redeemed ones, the hundred forty and four thousand 
e Then shall the Lord be admired in his Saints, honoured in his chosen, and glorified in and among his people, his own. , which he hath redeemed from the Earth, who shall sit upon the holy Hill of Zion with new Songs in their mouths, and everlasting Praises in their hearts, which hath followed the Lamb wheresoever he hath gone, and have not loved their lives unto death. These are the generation of the Just, yea the general Assembly of the first born, whose names are written in Heaven. The Just men whose Spirits are made perfect, being washed in the blood of the Lamb, yea the Lamb of God that hath taken away their sins, and carried them into the Land of forgetfulness, so that they shall never be remembered more against them. A new song of Salvation is put into their mouths, and joy and gladness is in their souls, and everlasting praises is under their tongues, and the voice of Melody is in their inward parts, and the voice or shout of a King is in the midst of them for evermore; so that great is the shout of the living Host, which giveth all our glory and praises unto the Ancient of Days, and to the Lamb that lives for evermore; even so Amen, Amen saith my soul, and my Spirit sets to its seal in the presence of my God, who is the everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace, of whose Dominion and Government there shall never be an end, but he shall reign for evermore; before whose seat of Justice 
f Where nothing will speak peace but a Conscience void of offence both to God and man, and no cover hid but the spirit of Life which hath overcome death in all it covers. , and Tribunal of everlasting Righteousness (I say again, all must stand naked and bare, and no covering shall be able to hid the least Iniquity; but Judgement from the righteous God must come on all; and I say again, all flesh must and shall be silent in his presence, and all tongues confess to his righteous Judgements, and all knees bend before him, and all hearts fail in his presence; for strong is the Lord that judgeth the righteous, and true altogether is the Lamb that passeth sentence, which saith, Go ye cursed into everlasting torments, prepared for the Devil and his Angels for ever; and come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World; for I was a hungry, and ye fed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in Prison, and ye came unto me, and you shall not lose your 
g The Lord taketh notice of all men's actions, and will assuredly reward all men accordingly.  Reward, that have given but a Cup of cold water to a Disciple in the Name of a Disciple; forasmuch as ye did it unto one of the little ones which believed in my Name, ye did it unto me: Come ye blessed of my Father, enter into rest, and partake of my everlasting Life and Love, for ever and for ever, world without end. And go ye cursed (you that have cast into holes and Prisons) into endless pains, woe and misery, for ever and for ever, world without end; for you have been so far from visiting me in my Lambs and Babes, and little ones in prisons, that you have cast them in, and blasphemed my holy Name, my Power in them, calling it the power of the Devil, and Delusion, (to wit) 
h This is the condemnation of the world, that Light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil.  my Light which they make mention of, and speaking all manner of evil against them falsely for my Names sake, and have made lies your refuge, and under falsehood have hid yourselves among men like unto yourselves; to bring your wicked purposes to pass against my holy Nation, and chosen people; for though in your Envy you have falsely charged them, and by so doing, evil entreated them; yet what have you found against them justly, to deserve such usage from you as they have had? Yea, are they not clear and innocent? Have not you searched them again and again, & proved them again and again, and still what have you found? Even nought in them; but a lying heart 
i Through the whole Nation, how often even over and ever, have they been falsely charged, and so much searched & nothing to 〈◊〉 day can yet be proved, because they are clear in all matters.  in yourselves, and the deceit thereof hath turned you aside, so that justice hath been turned backward, and Equity hath fallen in the street, & Judgement hath stood afar off, and Truth it could not enter; because the best of you have been as a briar, and the most uprightest of you sharper than a Thorn-Hedge; yea, your Mercies have been but Cruelties to them; for he that departed from iniquity, you made a prey upon, and eat his flesh as a man should eat bread, and took not pity upon the needy, but strengthened the hands of the 
k This is the portion of the servants of the Lord in this world, from the men thereof.  wicked, to turn him out of the way.  
This hath been your carriage and behaviour towards me in them, O ye strong Oaks and tall Cedars, whose tops I will lop off, yea and whose root I will pluck up, for the evil you have acted against me in my servants in your life-time, when you should have feared my Name, and have met often together with those which did meet, to wait upon me, and call upon my Name, which is everlasting Righteousness and Truth, Life and Light, which whosoever walketh therein, walketh safely, and is free from harm in a strong Tower of Defence; but on the contrary, you have broke up their Meetings, and sent them to Prisons, and cast them in holes, and all hath been for obeying me, and walking in my Light (your condemnation) and assembling 
l They which feared the Lord in the days passed met often together, & a Book of remembrance was written, and so it is now  themselves together in my fear, to wait upon me, to receive of my fullness, Life and Love, and to walk therein; yea to their and my Enemies, as is fully made manifest to such which have sought by the Power of Darkness, to rout out my Name, and cause it to be forgotten among the Sons of Men, among whom I will be glorified, by setting of it up, saith the jealous God; for I will march through you, O you briars and thorns 
m Wicked men are unto the Lord as briars and thorns are unto the fire, & consumed must they be if they repent not. , and will burn you together, and set up my Name of Everlasting Righteousness; for by it am I known to my chosen, and so must I be to the sons of men for evermore: And this is the Name by which they shall know me, and by which they shall call me, the Lord our Righteousness; for I will be glorified in them, and they shall sanctify me in their hearts 
n The true israel of God, their fear towards God is not taught by the Precepts of man, neither do they fear him, but the Lord, though they be accounted as sheep for the slaughter for it. , and make me their fear & their dread (and not man) as my Flock of slaughter hath done in the day of their afflictions, when the wicked have made long furrows on their backs, and accounted them as sheep for the slaughter, even all the day long. Ah! shall I not visit for these things? Yea assuredly, and my hand shall be avenged on their oppressors; for Vengeance is in my heart, and the day of recompense is in my reins, and everlasting contempt is in my bowels, and I am filled therewith, and I must be eased, and that on my Adversaries, my Flock-oppressors, that have set themselves against me, to destroy my Heritage, and scatter the sheep of my Pasture, and have endeavoured to make them forget their restingplace in me, so that they should not sanctify me in their hearts, and make me their fear and their dread; but would have them fear man, whose breath is in his Nostrils, who I strike down in my own time, & he is 
o All power is in the hand of the Lord;  should men fear him, and take warning from him lie his witness in them, that they sin not against him, not afflict his people if they love their eternal peace.  no more; therefore be ye forewarned, O mortal men, and touch not my anointed ones, and do my Prophets no harm; if you will have me to say to you at your end, Come ye blessed, enter into your Master's joy, and sit down at my right hand, and receive of my Love, Life and Joy for evermore, with which I satisfy every hungry and thirsty soul in his life-time; by which refreshments my servants, my sons and my daughters have bore forth their Testimony unto my Life, Power and Love, the which I have shed abroad in their hearts, and thereby have stood over the Power of Hell and of Death, and have given their bodies, goods and lives, a witness for me; the which I will own even for ever, and it stands upon everlasting Record in my Book of Life, never to be blotted out; for time shall cease, and Seasons have an end, and man whose life is there (to wit) in Times and Seasons, shall perish therein, and his Name shall rot; but my Chosen shall remain on Record in Life everlasting. The Mouth of the living God hath spoken it, and it shall surely be fulfilled, and the eyes of my Heritage shall see it, and I will be glorified in and amongst them for ever and for ever; and all sorrow and sighing shall be wiped away from off them, and nothing be heard 
p The life of the righteous is a life of joy, & it shall be for ever, world without end.  but joy and gladness, melody and praises on the ten-stringed Instruments, Hallelujahs for ever and for ever. Then will I be known in the beauty of Holiness, to be Head of my Family, and Ruler over my Household; yea when my servants shall sing for joy of heart, and their Enemies languish for sorrow of heart, and pain of spirit 
q The torment of the wicked is great & endless 〈◊〉. Men pleasing Ministers and their glory must fall before the glory of the Lord. , and anguish of Reins, yea then will I be exalted among the holy Nation, and set up among the Royal Priesthood; and then shall the Deceivers faces wax pale, and the false Prophet's Spirit sink into the Pit, and the Diviner be made mad, and all r which have leaned on them [and not repent] go down with them into the Lake: and then blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of God for ever and ever; and this is the portion of the Heritage of God, and their lot for ever, saith the righteous God of Jacob, and the Leader of Israel who never slumbers nor sleeps, but will perform his promise 
s God's promises to the Righteous is the ground of a living hope in God, of the truth of it: I am a witness for the Lord.  to Jacob, and his Covenant to Israel, and not fail in one tittle, saith the Lord of Host, the God of Israel, whose Promise is Yea and Amen to Ages and Generations, yea for ever and for ever. So be it saith my soul, whom the Lord hath reared up in his everlasting Love & Power, to be a witness of his Name amongst crooked & a perverse generation, yea a seed of evil-doers, & children of falsehood, that are ready to lay and say all manner of evil against me for righteousness sake, but falsely.  
Therefore I say again, Come forth, and stand upon the Trial before my Father, the righteous God of my Life; & you workers of Iniquity, John Golder, George West, and all which stand by you in your evil Cause; I say, let us reason together, and let God's Witness in your Consciences be judge between us in the cause; for that is my friend 
t Abraham believed in God and it was reckoned to him for righteousness, and he was called the friend of God; and he which is Christ's, is Abraham's Seed, and heirs according to promise, who hath crucified the flesh, with the lust and affections thereof, and so is the friend of God. , and will plead my cause when you are on your Beds, in the Morning-Watch, in secret it speaks, and justifies the innocent, and now let it be judge between us in this matter (to wit) our Right and Privileges, as we are men created of God, to live on the face of the Earth.  
Are you born Christians, as men account you? And freeborn Englishmen? So am I. Are you entitled to live in the Nation of England? So am I. Are you Freemen of Dover Town? So am I. Have you never forfeited your Freedom? Neither have I. Have you served the Town in Offices? So have I Have you lived in good fashion, even honestly in the Town? So have I Have you kept men and maidservants? So have I Have you Families of W●fe and Children? So have I Have you provided for them in honesty by your own Labours, without defrand and guile? So have I Have you kept out of all men's Debts, and danger of being cast into prison therefore? So have I. Can you say you spend not the Creation of God upon your Lust? So can I. Can you say you are no drunkards, nor Bowlers, nor Evil-livers? so can I. Can you say such you were, but you are washed, but you are sanctified? so can I. Can you say you once lived in pleasure, even wantonly on the earth, spending your days out of God's fear, & so crucifying the Just, as saith the Scripture? so can I. Can you say you have known a day (from the Lord) of sorrow and bitterness of soul for it? so can I. Can you say you have harkened to the Spirit of Truth which reproves the world of sin and all ungodliness? so can I. Can you say you have believed in the Light which maketh all things manifest that ever you have done against God? so can I. Can you say you have known repentance from dead works, both in conversation and worship, to serve the living God in newness of life? so can I. Can you say you have known the reproof of Instruction to be the way of life? so can I. Can you say the Judgements of the Lord are sweeter to you then the honey and the honeycomb; for by them you have learned obedience unto life? so can I. Can you say you love the Lord your God (that created you) with all your souls, with all your minds, with all your strength, and your neighbours as yourselves? so can I. Can you say you can forsake Father and Mother, Wife and Children, House and Land, and Gold, for his Name sake that is the Light of the World? so can I. Can you say you can take it patiently, and rejoice that you are counted worthy to suffer, and to have your Trades spoiled, and your Families exposed to hardship for Christ's sake? so can I. Can you give your backs to the smiter, and your cheeks to him which plucketh off the hairs, for a good Conscience-sake? so can I. Can you dwell in a Prison all days of your lives, rather than sin against the God of Righteousness? so can I? Are you true Christians in Nature, and not in Name only, which can do good against evil, and seek to overcome evil therewith? so can I. Can you bless them that curse you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, to the fulfilling of the words of Christ, and so render not evil for evil? so can I. Can you in such a case of Conscience commit your cause to the righteous God? so can I. Can you as true Christians, bear your Testimony against persecution for Conscience-sake? so can I. Can you use all lawful means to keep such out of Prison, who for Conscience sake cannot follow the multitude to do wickedly against God? so can I. Can you deny yourselves so far, as to visit them that are cast in for Conscience-sake? so can I. Can you read and believe that Scripture which saith, The Devil shall cast some of you into prison (to wit, the followers of Jesus) and you shall have tribulations ten days? so can I. Can you besieve the Scripture which saith, Forasmuch as you did it to the least of those which believe in my Name, you did it unto me? so can I. Can you believe that the everlasting righteousness of God is his Name, & that it is known in his Light which shineth in man's heart, to give him the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ, according to the Scriptures? so can I. Can you believe that they which rebel against the Light of God nor the conscience, never know the way of true peace in the path thereof? so can I. Can you believe that he which walketh in the Light, as he is in the Light, hath fellowship with God, and one with another? so can I. Can you believe that he which hateth the Light, bringeth not his deeds unto it, lest it should reprove him? so can I. Can you believe that he which loveth the Light, bringeth his deeds to it willingly, that he may know they are wrought in God? so can I. Can you believe that he which deviseth an evil device in his heart against his Neighbour, hates the Light which shines therein, and sins against God, and is in danger of his curse? so can I. Can you believe that for every idle word that man shall speak, he must give an account in the day of God's righteous Judgements, and for every vain thought, and all his deeds done in his body, whether they be good, or whether they be evil? so can I. Can you believe that no Drunkard, nor Liar, nor Fornicator, nor Adulterer, nor Idolater, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, and such like, shall never inherit the Kingdom of God? so can I. Can you believe that man ought to deny himself of all these things, and to obey the Spirit of Light which shows and reproves for these things in secret, or else he is no Christian in nature, but in name only? so can I. Can you believe that he which doth not fear God, and hate covetousness, and so in God's fear knows how to rule his own body and Family, is not fit to rule amongst men? so can I. Can you believe that he which doth not love the Light which shines in his heart, nor yields obedience to it, so that he may know the power of the endless life, that such a man who is a Ruler, & hates the Light, may turn the Sword of Power upon the back of the righteous, and so sin against God? so can I. Can you believe, that he which is not first ruled himself by the power of God in his own heart, can never rule aright for God? so can I Can you believe that every man which in that state takes the staff of Justice to sway withal, hath cause to take shame to himself, and give over; and so repent? so can I. Can you believe that he which rules amongst men should be just, and judge every one's cause without respect of persons, and upbraid none? so can I. Can you believe that he that sets upon the seat of Justice, and upbraideth any man, or passeth Judgement with respect of persons to any man, that such a man doth greatly sin against God, whose place (as amongst men) he sitteth in, and that his evil is exceeding great? so can I. Can you believe that the Rulers of Towns and Cities have a great weight and burden to bear, as from God, when they join with the rude people, which hate in their heart a righteous government, and so set themselves to suppress such as love Righteousness and its government, against the evil-doers? so can I. Can you believe that the Law was not made for the righteous man (to wit, that Law which is holy, just and good) but for the lawless and disobedient (to wit) for Murderers, Swearers, Drunkards, Liars, Revelers, and such like? so can I. Can you believe that if any man suffer as a Christirn for well-doing, he hath cause to glorify God on that behalf? so can I. Can you believe that he which believeth all these things, and walketh in his duty to the Lord, is a true Christian, and a true Christian Magistrate that so rules over men, and no otherwise? So can I 
u All this reasoning is according to truth, and to the witness of God in every man's Conscience, to which I do make my appeal, and let that answer, as I know it will, in secret, when the mind is still and quiet. .  
And then if these things be by me consented to, and believed and practised as well in my place, than you do in your places, then come and let my friend in your own bosoms, the living Witness of the Lord, speak if I have not as much right both by the Law of God and Nature, to enjoy my Liberty of Body and Conscience, as yourselves; and if you do stand and abide in this Faith of a true Christians life, then whether such as can persecute for conscience-sake, are not altogether out of a Christians life, and so enemies to the cross of Jesus, as I and you have been in the days past; and for you which have had a hand in it, (to wit, in persecution) to deny yourselves, and to take shame to yourselves, even before the Lord, and all men, is but your duty unto the Lord, and confess and give glory to God, and say, the time past may suffice you to have wrought the will of the Gentiles or Heathens in persecuting the Seed of God in the Christians, and now will I repent and abhor (as just cause there is) myself in dust and ashes, and make it my business (so far as I can) to redeem the time, and take off the heavy burdens, and set the oppressed free, by undoing every heavy yoke and unrighteous Decree which my hand hath been set to, and help to lay on; for in this am I now satisfied, and that from the Lord, by his Witness 
x God's witness in the conscience teacheth all to deny themselves in evil, that loves it, and is led by it, to wit, the Light.  in my own conscience, that he which doth not do even to all, as he would have another to do to him, is no Christian in nature, whatsoever he is in name, neither can he fulfil the Law of God, which is to love our enemies, and also our neighbours as ourselves; and unto this state of life must all men come that ever know true peace with the Lord; and he which is not here, is out of the life which all the holy men of God were in, in all ages past, and is under the curse, as saith the Law, and denies the Faith, the power of God, as saith the Gospel of Peace, and so is a servant to the power of darkness, which rules as Lord in the hearts of all men which hateth the Light which shineth therein, to show them the desperate wickedness thereof; for all wickedness proceedeth out of the 
y The heart of man is the very seat of all Evil, whilst he hateth the light which shineth therein  evil and wickedness of the heart, the seat thereof; and the pure Light of Jesus, the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, shineth therein also, as saith the Scripture, for to make it manifest to man's clear understanding, unto which all men shall one day confess to the glory of God; and that is God's everlasting love even to all men which do receive it in the love of it, and that is the Grace of God which appears to all men, yea the same Grace which bringeth salvation even to as many as believe in it; for he which believeth in the Light wherewith he is in his heart lighted, shall not abide in the darkness which first ruled in his heart, and is made manifest by the Light, but he shall have the light of life, yea the same Life which gives him power over those deeds of darkness and evil which the Light makes manifest to his clear understanding to be evil; so that he which doth well, and takes good heed to the Light in his own heart, shall have little need to ask another what is good, and what is evil, he may know it plain enough in his own Conscience, by the Light, as he watcheth to it; and this is the same Grace which the Lord unto Paul (in his doubting estate) gave his full Testimony unto, saying, My grace is sufficient for thee; and Paul found 
z He which receives the grace of God, the light which shines in his heart, in the love of it grows into the knowledge of the Lord, which is life eternal, and to the fulfilling of the Scriptures.  it so to be, and testifies to it, saying. By the grace of God I am what I am: And he gives forth the same Testimony of its bringing salvation, in his Letter to Titus, in these words, saying, The Grace of God which bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us [Mark that] to deny all ungodliness and worldly lust, and to live soberly and godly in this present world. So that this is a true Testimony by the Spirit of the Lord, born unto all men, that all which loveth it as it shines in the heart, from the Lord, the Fountain of Life and Light, they are taught by it to deny all ungodliness, as Paul and the rest of the Christians in their days were; and all which hates it, are not taught by it, neither can they receive it whilst they hate it; for no man's heart can be joined to the thing which in his heart he hates; but first man must feel a springing of love to the thing he receives, and something must appear to him to beget his love to spring: Now Light in itself is lovely 
a All men must love the thing they receive, aright; therefore love the Light aright, that you may know its virtue which is life.  to the eye which can behold it; now the eye which can behold the Light of the glorious Gospel, the God of this World hath blinded, or the power of the creatures hath stole away the affections of the heart from the Creator, who is Light, so darkness comes to rule (as God) in the heart: Now that which sometimes even (as it were) darts into man's heart in secret, that is Light and Love, from the God of Light and Love; and as this is taken heed unto, the power is felt which reacheth unto the seed of God, which witnesses to the truth which the Light and Love declares in the heart; so than a springing gins to be felt from the Seed of God towards the Light and Love, which is in itself of a begetting nature, and then as the Light is still taken heed unto, the springing of the love of the Seed increases; so the eye comes to be open which can see a beauty in the Light, that it should be desired, for Light is lovely in itself; and still as the Light is taken heed unto, the love of the Seed increases; & as the love increases 
b This is a true growing from one degree of Grace to another in the Lord, who is that Spirit; and as he comes to rule in the heart, so comes liberty.  strength and power is felt to stand over that which the Light maketh manifest to be evil; and as a measure of power is felt to deny some evil which the Light reproves, than the power of darkness appears to make war against the Power of the Light; and this is the true warfare between the flesh and the spirit; and in this state most men cry out, O wretched man that I am! because sin now appears out of measure sinful; yea that which man formerly thought to be no sin, he now sees to be great; and so the ground of sin appears, and the whole body of iniquity stands up, with which he is now to make war in righteousness; and now he seethe his strength, though it be but small, to stand wholly in the light and love, which hath begun the Work in the Spirit, to war against the flesh. And this is the time to wait on the Lord 
c He which waiteth on the Lord shall not be ashamed, but shall renew his strength in the Lord dai●y.  to feel the living hope to spring; yea the expectation of the Seed which loves the Light, to receive power in the Light from the Fountain of Life, to overccome the whole Body of Death; and he that hath this hope, purifieth himself as God is pure; and although he meet with many encounters with the power of darkness, yet the hope stands fast in God, the Fountain of Life and Light, from whom he daily expecteth a supply of strength to deny the evil, and so he feels the body of sin to weaken, and this is true purifying of the heart by faith, and these experiences come to be witnessed of God's power, & the hope is confirmed, which makes not ashamed, but the shame of the daily cross gins now to flee away, and here is strength in God known, now to take up the Cross, and despise the shame; and now the Cross is known and felt to be the power of God, which crucifies to the world, and the affections that have been in it, and after it, they now are felt to be wounded 
d Here the Scripture comes to be fulfilled. , and the hope stand fast still, as the Anchor of the soul unto God, that in due time the body of death shall be slain; and now comes the watching to the light (against fainting) to be known; for still the enemy will seek to persuade the mind against overcoming 
e Which is the doctrine of the Devil and his Ministers. , saying in the heart, The time is long, and the work is tedious, and thy straits are many, and strength is small, and how shalt thou get through? will he in the heart be ready to say, when the watch to the light is neglected; for than is his time to work 
f The Lord sows the good seed of his word in the field of the world, which is in man's heart, as saith the Scripture; and whilst man sleeps, the evil ●●●sons ta●es.  in the darkness or night whilst man neglects to watch, and so sleeps. Therefore I say, watch ye to the light, and when temptations comes in, yea great and many, look not at all at them, but look to the light which makes them manifest, and watch to the power, to withstand them, and so the Seed which at the first loved the light, will now feel its strength increase, and its power abound over the temptation; and here is the Victory, even that which overcomes, felt and witnessed, and now the pleasant fruits of Righteousness comes to be brought forth, and the fruits of the obedience of the Spirit, which are joy and peace, and now a measure of conquering comes to be witnessed through Jesus Christ, the Light of men, and the Power of God, by whose Blood and Life Victory is witnessed; and now all self-righteousness, & self-strength or power, is denied, and the righteousness of Jesus Christ, the Power of God 
g The Lord is the strength of the righteous, it's he which worketh all our works for us, and in us. , alone given glory unto, and honour and everlasting thanksgiving, for ever and evermore; for he is worthy, who is the Light that was the beginning of the work, and is the Life and Power of God to bring to the end, and accomplish the work over the power of Hell, and the Body of Death, and so to give entrance into the Rest which remains for the people of God, through believing in him that is the Light and Power of God, to save from all, which by his Light he condemns; and now comes the peace to be felt which passeth the understanding of all which rebel against the Light which shines in the heart, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, the which all know and feel which live in the faith which gives the Victory, and keeps in the same, and serves the Lord in the newness of the Spirit, and not in the oldness of the Letter, which the first Nature can make a profession of in the enmity, as Cain the firstborn could do, yea offer outward Sacrifices, with that heart and mind which he could murder his Brother in, which many can do now, even profess God, and Christ, and Scripture, and yet live Enemies to the life of God, and Christ, and Scripture, and Cross, and so in Cain's nature 
h And must have cain's reward, a Vagabond from God, and so marked until repentance be witnessed. , are seldom but angry with such as live in the faith, by which Abel offered a more acceptable Sacrifice than Cain did. And when the power of their anger moves in them, then are ready to murder as he he did, and even desire in their envious hearts for a Law to do it by; being ashamed, and also afraid of their own lives, to do it without. But let all such know, and that from the living God, that they stand as Murderers in the account of God 
i For he which in his heart envies, is a man's slayer. , and that this is true of that Spirit which cannot live but in sin, and yet will cover it over with a profession, in the oldness of the Letter. You may take a view of New-England, which have drunk very much of the Blood of the Faithful of late days; and in Old-England too, many thirst after it, and are in the plain steps for it, to cast the faithful into Holes and Prisons, as they do, boasting in the Evil and Pride of their hearts, of a Law (before it be made) of Banishment, after much other cruelty is used, and cast into Prisons beforehand, as if it were to be ready for it; but this is our Joy and Confidence, that we know in whom we have believed, even in him by whom Kings reign, and Princes decree Justice; and for such as will decree unjustice and cruelty by Law, we fear 
k Christ jesus our Saviour, our Example, our Captain, our Forerunner, our elder Brother, was put to death by a Law, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps, saying, if they did so to the green tree, what will they do unto the dry? But remember what befell them; and also whether such can escape which do it to his Members and Body, the Church, which is, in God the Father, whereof Christ the Light is the Head. So in this be ye all warned.  them not, but shall commit our Righteous Cause to the God of our Life; the God of Justice, and let him plead it for us, which I am assured of, will be too strong for his and his people Enemies in the end; and this is the Counsel he hath given us, (and we have taken it, blessed be his Name for ever) not to fear man, whose breath is in his Nostrils, but to fear the Lord alone, and to sanctify him in our hearts, and to make him our fear, and our dread, for evermore: Even so be it, saith the hearts of all the faithful ones, the Heritage of God, and sheep of his Pasture, and Lambs of his Fold, and Labourers in his Vinyard and Garden, into which he is come to ear his pleasant fruits, and to walk amongst his Lillyes, Praises, Praises be unto him for evermore; yea everlasting glory, be unto the ancient of days, our God, and our Father, from everlasting to everlasting, even so Amen, saith all the upright in heart, for ever and for ever.  
And thus have I cleared my Conscience in faithfulness to God and man, as the Lord put it into my heart, and moved me to declare it in writing from the place of my abode, for the Testimony of a good Conscience unto God, in the House of Cruelty in Dover-Castle Common-Goal, but a place of Comfort and great Joy unto us, in and from the Lord, whose Mercies and lovingkindnesses I hope and pray may never fail unto me his servant.  
LUKE HOWARD.   

Here is also a small Paper, the which a Necessity fell upon me to write, for the clearing of my Conscience in the Matter it speaketh of.  
THis is in my Heart, to clear my Conscience (that the Guilty may bear their own Burden) unto all sober-minded-people, which have not given over themselves to work wickedness with greediness, and cannot join themselves with such, against the Righteous God and his peaceable People, to destroy them and their Families, by preventing them of providing for them by their Labours, in which they are willing to abide, in obedience to the Lord, to work and get their own Bread, their Wives and children's, and to be helpful to others, which by reason of Age, Sickness, or Lameness, are not able to help themselves; And therefore,  
O you people of Dover, be ye my witnesses, that have known me from my Childhood unto this day, that I have lived all along by the sweat of my own face in honesty, and therein I have, through God's blessing, provided for me and my Family, which the God of my Life hath set me as a Steward over.  
Therefore be ye my Witnesses in my last imprisonment in Dover for the Testimony of a good Conscience, if I did not take all opportunities to labour and provide for my Family, according to my duty both to God and them; but it seemeth that was not punishment bad enough (to be hindered in part) in the eye of the angry-destroying Spirit, which seeks to destroy honest men, their Wives and Children all at once; for John Golder the Town Mayor said to us whom he sent for to his house (the twenty second day of the seventh Month, 1661.) in his angry threatening spirit, That we should not have such imprisonment as we had the last time; so it seems plain by him, he thought it too good, and why, except it was because we could work a little, to provide something for our Families, after small and low Rates, unto which it would be hard for him to come; but truth teacheth us to live so, and content to us is very precious.  
Therefore this is wrote to clear my conscience in the sight of God and man, that if I remain here under this Restraint, for aught I can see, or any man can show me (and I have well considered of it) that my best way is to let my Workmen cease from working; for if they continue working, and I continue in Prison, as I am; that then my damage may be greater, then if they work not, as men of understanding in our Trade will confess, so for my men to forbear working, that must I choose, and that in obedience to the Lord, whose fear is before my eyes in it, and whose presence is with me, and the Word of his Patience runneth through me, to bear all losses for his Name sake with patience; in the feeling of which, I shall choose rather to part with all outward things, yea life itself, than sin against the God of my Life, whose love is great to me, unto whom I shall commit my cause, and the care of my Wife and little ones (who are dear and near to me) whose care I know is over all that put their trust in him, and his just hand over their oppressors, to deal with them in due time, according as they deal with others, to the fulfilling of the Scriptures of Truth, and so shall every man have from his just hand according to their deeds done in the body, whether good or evil; and then a Conscience void of offence to God and man, will be exceeding precious; in which I rest in peace and love to my Enemies, a Prisoner for Conscience-sake in the House of Bondage, in Dover-Castle Common-gaol, but a Free man in the Lord in the freedom of Jesus, which is best of all, and more than all; Even so Amen.  
Luke Howard. Written the 28. of the 7th. Month, 1661.  
FINIS.