A Loving Invitation, And A FAITHFUL WARNING TO ALL PEOPLE, Who believe they must give an Account to the Righteous GOD for the Deeds done by them in the Flesh, That they speedily seek to make their Peace with the Living GOD, who made them, before the Stroke of his Justice come upon them.  
Which is the Breathing of my Life, even to All who Resort unto, or be Separated from the House of RIMMON, But are not yet truly come to own the Seed of Life, the LIGHT of CHRIST in their Consciences, to be their Teacher; And so to believe in it, as they may be saved by it.  
By MARTIN MASON.  
LONDON, Printed for Robert Wilson, at the sign of the Black-spread-Eagle and Windmill, in martin's Le Grand.   

A Loving Invitation, And A FAITHFUL WARNING TO ALL PEOPLE.  
My Friends,  
ALthough you have not yet put on the Wedding-Garment, yet can I freely give this friendly Title to you; for I have nothing but bowels of Love, and unfeigned Affections in my bosom for you, that in God's appointed time his Light may be the Leader of you, and a Saviour to you from all your sins.  
'Tis Satan's design to keep the Soul in sin while it is in the body; and that he may uphold his devilish kingdom for term of life, he feeds man with a man hope of a Heaven after Death, though he die in sin; and this is the Devis Masterpiece, to deceive the Simple with that Fool's Paradise. But know this, No unclean thing can enter into Gols Kingdom; And as the Tree falls so it lies; You cannot die in sin, and be crowned Saints: In the Grave there is no Repentance, nor Redemption out of the Pit; the Papists Purgatory cannot purify you, 'tis a mere Imagination, a cursed Invention of the Devil's finding out, that sinks many thousands into endless perdition.  
Be no longer deceived, God will not be mocked: you cannot live the life of the Wicked, and die the death, or have the Reward of the Righteous: Mortify therefore your members which are on the Earth, all Uncleanness, inordinate Affections, Lusts, and Covetousness, which is Idolatry. You have but one thing in your which is your friend and that is the Righteous Seed, which hath ever suffered by you, and been suppressed in you, but doth not resist you, only as an innocent Lamb, it bears its Testimony against you, that your deeds are evil, and that's the reason why it is not regarded by you. Is not he a Friend that in love and meekness lays your infirmities before you, and not only so, but sweetly gives good counsel to you, Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you? This is God's living Witness, which he hath placed in you, to be a Light to shine within you, a Guide and Leader of you out of the Pride, Pollutions, Pleasures and Vanities of the World, a Staff to stay and strengthen you; It is the Power of God unto Salvation to all that believe in it, and are faithful and obedient to it; It is the Armour of God, wherewith the Followers of the Lamb make war against the Dragon; By this the Saints overcome sin, resist the Devil, and batter down his kingdom: Make trial of it, come, put it on, and wear it, and be clothed with it: I have made proof of it, and gives this Testimony for it, I find it the only weapon which wounds the head of the wicked in me, and overcomes him for me; Glory, glory unto Zions King for ever who is so good and gracious to me, that hath given the Enemy of my Soul such a mortal wound within me, that he is not able to overcome me: for Michael my Prince is with me, and fights valiantly for me, day and night I feel his Presence with me, the riches of his Mercies he daily showers upon me, which all the sons of Adam are not able to take from me; This is my joy, this my comfort, The Eternal God is within me; I fell not his frowns, no, he smiles upon me, and maketh my Prison as pleasant as a Palace to me.  
And if I never speak or write word more, this is my Testimony for the Light of Christ all your Consciences; It is the tender love of the living God unto you (I speak what I know) to subdue and conquer sin (which is the Devil's kingdom) for you, and within you, if in your hearts you love the Light, believe in it, be obedient to it, and are willing to be guided by it. There is no other Antidote against the poison of Sin, but this Holy Seed; there is no other Physician can cure you of this Leprofie, but Israel's Light; This Balm of Gilead is the Sovereign Cure for a Wounded Conscience; there's none can heal you but he that smites you.  
You that in any measure have got victory over some of your sins, Consider seriously how you came by it: Did you not receive strength, zeal and power from a principle within you? Felt you not a war in your hearts? Was not your peace broken? That which broke your peace, began the war; That which began the war against your wickedness, was Michael my Prince: Was it not he that wounded the Uncircumcised One within you, who sought to lord it over you, and to keep Lust alive in you? Felt you not the sting of sin to arise from within you? Had not sin its root or rise from the fleshly part or principle within you, even in your hearts? and was there not something that there wounded you, and made your sin a heavy burden to you? Walked you not heavily under its stroke for the sins which were committed by you? And then did you not feel a loathing of sin begotten in you? And was not Iniquity then a Burden to you? Was there not a secret Power which rebuked the Tempter in you? and was not this Power then sweet and precious to you, that did thus in your distress master sin, and overcome it for you? Was not this an inward work, and was not he your friend who did this for you? and was he not within you? Surely Satan would not weaken his own kingdom; It was the Spirit of the Lord within you who did that good for you; Let him not be forgotten, but ever loved and honoured by you. Look no longer out, nor gaze no more about you, but be assured God's Kingdom is within you, and is Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost, as the Scriptures plainly testify unto you; And shall God be kept any longer out of his Kingdom by you?  
God is Light; All Sin is Darkness, and arises out of the heart of man, and that's within you; So is the Light which shines in Darkness, and for your sins is a Reprover of you, and so must be till sin be subdued in you: when that by him is done, Christ is a Saviour to you; but till than you must find him a Condemner of you: And 'tis not your flying to the Scriptures that can save you from the fire of his Wrath when once it's kindled in you, nor in your heaviness take the burden from you, nor overcome the least corruption for you: No verily, nothing then but a Christ within you can give the least dram of comfort to you. Had you ten thousand Bibles with you in the time of your distress, they would be nothing worth unto you, if the Presence and Comfort of a Christ be taken from you: I appeal to your very Consciences if this be not true which is here declared to you.  
Come then, O come with boldness unto God's faithful Witness within you, and bear with patience the sentence which that shall pass upon you; It must and will first or last be a Condemner of you; but it will only reprove that which is for Condemnation in you. You may believe me, it will not flatter you, nor indeed render your condition worse than it is with you, but speak the mind of God in plainness to you, and that's the reason why it is now so little regarded by you; bear I say in patience its gentle Reproofs within you; it will but purify, and not destroy you: Christ must first be known a Judge within you, a Condemner of every idle thought, word and deed, before he be a Saviour to you: let him be your Lawgiver; what he commands you in your Consciences, that submit and be obedient to; and he gives power, if it be to part with your dearest Dalilah, your bosom sins; stoop unto, and live in the Cross to your crooked wills, and take up the Crown, for than he is a Saviour to you. Be you but willing to part with that which grieves his righteous Soul, and brings a weight upon you; so shall you never want his Power to execute his Command, to overcome and part with, first one sin, than another. I speak my own experience. Let but your crooked wills be subjected to Christ's Cross, and then his Yoke is easy, and his Burden light; then will you run with cheerfulness the race of his Commandments.  
If ever man be otherwise justified by his Maker, than by believing in God's Covenant of Light, which in the Conscience bears its Testimony against all Iniquity, and leads those out of sin, who are willing to forsake sin, and believe in him, and be guided by him; then let me be for ever condemned from the presence of the righteous God: This is the chief Cornerstone, the Rock which every wise man builds upon: This is that which the Learned Rabbis of this Ages, and all outside peevish Professors stumble at, and will not have to reign over them, but make war against him, and this is that which will grind them to powder.  
This is that Holy Seed which from righteous Abel to this very day hath ever been persecuted by cain's Brood, who can do no better while they live in that persecuting nature: This is that innocent Lamb, who now suffers by the devouring Lions in most of the Prisons of this Nation, in the Persecuted People, called Quakers, for not bowing to the will of man, which speaks contrary to the Law of God; Those are they who in all these Overturning times, since they were turned to the righteous God, who have been cried up as Jesuitical, the Spawn of the Papists, Enemies to all Government, Plotters, Conspirators, Rebels, Traitors; yet none of all this Trash ever was, nor ever can be justly proved against them: Who more peaceable in the Nation than this People, who live in obedience to that just Principle of God within them, whose Kingdom is not of this World; and therefore with a carnal worldly weapon they neither do nor can sight for it, Who does the Rage of the Heathen (who know not God) sooner reach or fall upon, than this Innocent People? Who does the young Nurseries of our English Rabbis, yea, those who should be taught better manners, and use more manhood, rail, revile, imprison, and in many places of this Nation unreasonably wound, abuse and persecute, so much as this innocent harmless People, who never yet could, nor ever shall lift up a hand against their Enemies?  
Tell me now, O ye Professors of this Nation, is not Innocency now counted for a Crime? And what have you got by warring, writing, or bending your tongues against this People, and their Principle? Is not the Rod, which many of you in the secret of your hearts prepared, or desired might be laid upon them, very near to come upon yourselves? Is it not just with the righteous God to let in this Flood upon you, even for the secret malignity which lodged in many of your hearts against this People? Hast, hast, I say, into the Ark of God, Else verily I see this Deluge will overtake you, sink and drown you.  
They who feared the Lord did gather and assemble themselves together, and spoke often one to another; But this is now counted a Crime, for this Innocent People to meet peaceably together in their own hired houses, to wait upon the living God, and as the Lord giveth utterance, to edify one another. And Christ the Son of God said. Swear not at: and James his Apostle said, Above all things, my Brethren, swear not. But now 'tis counted worthy of Imprisonment, Confiscation of Goods, and Banishment, for the Children of God to be obedient to God, in his fear to assemble together and wait upon him, and not to Swear at all. Is it not a sad thing, that obedience to the living God should by the sons of men, who would be counted Christians, be thus taken for such a heinous Crime, little less than Treason, and so severely punished? What think you of this? Is Caesar's Proclamation grounded upon Christ's Religion? or, were they Christ's friends who advised Caesar to take this course? It is not a high breach of the Privileges of God's People? Whom shall we obey herein, God or man? judge ye, O ye wise in heart.  
Behold and see, all you that pass by! Did ever any People suffer more innocently than we do at this day? Because a handful of rash inconsiderate men rise up against Caesar, shall therefore the Sons of Innocency be numbered amongst Transgressor's, and thus undeservedly be proclaimed for Plotters? O the hastiness of men, and unadvisedness of such Counsellors! verily they are Enemies to God, and to his Kingdom; the Lord forgive them, O that they may see their Error and be ashamed.  
If we now assemble together in God's fear to wait upon him, and cannot for Conscience-sake any Oath at all; then Bonds to be sure are like to abide us; next Confiscation of Goods, and Imprisonment at Caesar's pleasure, if not Banishment to boot.  
And if we submit to man herein, we offend God: Do you not see the Snare which unreasonable men have laid for the Innocent? Do you not see Vice and Vanity abounds abroad and rants it with Impudence; and Profaneness hath liberty, while the Suns of Innocency, God's harmless Flock, are shut up in Prisons?  
Were we of the World, the World would love us, for the World loves its own; but we are not of the World, therefore the World hates us: Is it not so? let that of God in your Consciences arise and judge between us and our Enemies.  
But the little Flock are filled with an holy Resolution in this holy War against the Beast and False Prophet, who seek to poison the King in his Affections to this Innocent People. The Righteous Innocent Seed, though it suffer unto Death, cannot bow to the Unrighteous Law of Man; though not a People in the Nation more willing to submit to Just Government than they are. O let the Sufferings of the Innocent come before you, be tenderly affected by you, and a Warning to you, that you may hasten to the righteous God that made you, and be faithful to his Witness within you, in whatsoever it requireth of you: And be not discouraged because Trials seem near unto you, they will not harm you, but rather be good for you What if the Rod of the Wicked reach you, and for a season be laid upon you, 'tis but to try you; It shall not always rest upon the back of the Righteous; Zion shall not always sit in the dust. Faint not, I say, nor be discouraged; There is a Remnant that cannot bow the knee to Baal, yet are we no Enemies to Caesar's Person, nor good Government; for we cannot fight with a Carnal Weapon, neither for him, nor against him, but desire to live peaceably under him in the exercise of our Tender Consciences towards God, and towards man; and for that end do we willingly pay Tribute to him: But in the Kingdom of our Consciences he must not come to rule; Christ Jesus alone, the Prince of Peace and Lord of Righteousness, must king it there, and not King Charles; no, nor the greatest Monarch upon Earth.  
Therefore let not this dark cloudy day be any discouragement at all unto you in the exercise of your Consciences towards God. This Day must have a Night; Cold Winter will away; The Sun of Righteousness will arise and shine gloriously in the hearts of the People. Sufferings cannot fright the Suffering Seed, nor Death itself, if it come, cannot daunt them: For Zions King is with them, the God of Israel is in the midst of them, and speaks Comfort to them; their Joy and Peace in God no mortal can take from them.  
Dear Friends, yet a little while, and the Clouds will clear again; God will plead the Cause and Innocency of his People in the Consciences of his and their Enemies: What though they seek to weary out the Saints with Sufferings, their expectations shall fail them; for God is the Supporter of his People in all their Trials; for the Work is the Lords.  
'Tis in vain for Antichrist to make War with the Lamb, he shall find him a Terrible Lion; 'Tis the last Blow that ever the Beast and False-Prophet shall be able to give to the Royal Seed of Zions King; the Rage of the Heathen will hasten and help forward their own Ruin: The strength of Egypt is but as straw, the fire of the Lord shall consume it; and till than we do not expect to be delivered from it, but are contented patiently to suffer under it, what ever God shall suffer Man to inflict upon us. In the mean time (Friends) let not Bitterness be in your hearts towards us, nor any prejudice rise up in you against us, because the Decrees of Men who are now in Authority do not favour us; The righteous God knows the innocency of our Sufferings, and that we are neither Caesars, yours, nor the Nations Enemies, but your harmless Friends.  
Wherefore let your Moderation appear towards all men, and do not otherwise to us, than you would have us or others do to you: That's the Royal Law of Zions King, whom both you and we do owe subjection to in all things. Come, O come, I say, to Gods Witness in your Consciences, and that will teach you the Fear of the Lord, to Departed from Iniquity, which is the beginning of Wisdom. No true Wisdom can be possessed until the Fear of God be truly witnessed; which cannot be, unless Iniquity be departed from. Dominion over sin you can never get, until you come to Gods Witness, which in your Consciences declares against it, and are willing to submit unto the Light, that it may lead you over all the Mountains of Iniquity, and overturn all the strong-holds of Satan, and destroy his kingdom within you; For you have no other Armour to use against him, but the Light, which if you truly love and believe in, will, like David's sling and stones; hit the Uncircumcised Philistine in the Forehead; with the Light must you overcome him, and mortally wound that Man of Sin: If you use any other Weapon in this Spiritual War, you cannot prosper nor prevail against him, but must be overcome and conquered by him. The Scriptures, nor any other outward thing, are not able to grapple with him; you must put on the Armour of Light, and with that resist him, or else be taken Captive by him: 'Tis the Power of that righteous Spirit that must prevail against him. O let not Sin any longer be kept alive in you, for 'tis that which keeps God's blessing from you, and hinders him from being reconciled unto you, and is the cause of all the trouble that comes upon you; Sin brings a weight which will be too heavy for you: Hast, hast, and meet the Righteous God by a true Repentance and forsaking of your sins, that he may show mercy to you before his judgements be poured down upon you: For verily in the Fear of the Lord I testify unto yond Gods heavy Indignation, his hot Displeasure will speedily overtake you, if your Iniquities be not speedily forsaken by you.  
God's dreadful Vengeance is near unto the Wicked, in the Fear of the Lord I declare it to you, O that you may hear and fear, and sin no more against the God that made you: O be not so vainly presumptuous as to trifle away your precious time; O put not the day of the Lord afar off; for lo, I tell you, it is very near unto you, it is even at the door: The time is nigh at hand when God will visit for the Iniquities of the people, and wound the hairy scalp of the wicked. Then shall the Drunkard's Mirth be turned into Howling, and the Oaths and Curses of the Wicked be a weight upon their Consciences too heavy for them to bear: Then shall the Proud and Lofty be laid in the Dust, and those that far deliciously every Day by grinding the faces of the Poor, shall be fed with Torment; and the Glutton in sorrow be sent into his Sepulchre: The wrath of the Wicked against the Innocent, shall then meet with Judgement from the Dreadful God; though his suffering Lambs do freely forgive them, yet the Fire of the Lord shall be kindled within them, and burn in their bowels till it have consumed them; And the Lukewarm Professors, who are neither cold nor hot, who stand gazing at the Innocent afar off, and in the secret of their hearts do little better than count the Cross foolishness; these will the Lord recompense according to their Do; He will slain the Pride of their Hearts, and spew upon their Glory; and their hypocrisy and mere outside Profession shall stink, and be an ill favour to all sober people.  
Ah! how Terrible will this approaching Day of the Lord be unto the Wicked? Verily they shall be turned into Hell, and all that forget God. The greedy Priests shall then be utterly confounded; the Merchants of Babylon shall weep and lament bitterly day and night; Sorrow and Angish shall come forcibly upon them, the Worm in their Consciences, which never dies, shall then begin to gnaw them; yea, that neverdying Worm shall then fearfully torment them, and never leave till it have utterly consumed them: All the Strength of Egypt shall then be terribly shaken, and the Pillars of Persecution shall be broken in pieces. Then shall Zion be raised out of the Dust, and sing Hosannas to her King. Then shall God's Truths, which is now so unworthily contemned in the hearts of the Wicked, be highly honoured and advanced, his suffering Seed exalted; the garments of Mourning shall then be laid aside; Mordecai shall then be clothed in Royal Apparel, and mischievous Haman shall receive a Reward according to his Deeds: The Righteous shall then rejoice and be exceeding glad: Prisons than shall not be the Portion of God's People.  
Then shall it be known how innocently we have suffered; Then will God put a difference between the Precious and the Vile; betwixt him that sweareth, and him that feareth an Oath. Till then, O thou Righteous God, we commit our Cause to Thee, and shall through thy strength, in patience bear the Yoke which our Adversaries shall be suffered to lay upon us: Till than we are contented to be the Sheep whom the Wicked intent for the Slaughter, and we shall not with any carnal weapon make resistance against them, but pray for them; In the integrity of our hearts, O Lord, we do forgive them, and desire, if it may stand with thy good will and pleasure, thou wouldst show mercy to them.  
In thy strength, O God, are we bold to meet them, and in the patience, which thou givest us, we shall weary them who seek to weary us; Through thy assistance we shall not bow unto them; thy Arm supporting us, Lord, we shall overcome them: Thou art our stay, our strength, our shield, our All; Thou art with us, Thou art good unto us, Thou fights our Battles for us, Thy living Presence is amongst us; Thou hast promised to be, yea, Lord, thou art and wilt be the Preserver of us; Thou daily ministers thy Joy and Peace unto us, Thy Blessing is not wanting upon us, Thy Love and Mercies cannot fail us, nor shall ever be disinherited by us; The Dew of Heaven descends upon us, Shall we then fear what man can do unto us? O Righteous God, let that for ever be far from us. Glory, Glory, Hallelujahs to the God of Heaven for ever.  
From the City-Gaol in Lincoln, second day, last month, 1660. Written by a Sufferer for Righteousness sake. M. M.