A WARNING TO ENGLAND With a Hand of True Pity and Compassion still held forth in the Love of God, to call you all to Repentance, that have not Repented of your Wickedness, and Horrible Provoking SINS, wherewith you have provoked the Lord, and kindled his Wrath more and more against you.  
Wherein is shewed the great Danger that you are in who hate t●e Light of Christ Jesus, and put his Day afar off from you.  
As also, Something is signified of the great Woes and heavy Judgments, that have been, and shortly will come upon the People of this Nation, that do not Repent, and turn to the Lord while they have time.  
And some Objections briefly Answered, to satisfy the true Seeker after the WAY of GOD.  They would none of my Counsel, they despised all my Reproof; therefore shall they eat the Fruit of their own Way, and be filled with their own Devices: But whosoever hearkeneth to me, shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of Evil, Prov. 1. 30, 31, 33. 
Printed in the Year 1679   

A WARNING TO ENGLAND  
O England, England!  
THE Land wherein I was born, and love and pity above all the Kingdoms upon the Face of the Earth, because of the Lord's Appearances by his Light and Power in thee, above all other Lands in these last days: But most of you the Inhabitants of this Land have slighted and vilified God's Appearance to you, and the pure and heavenly Manifestation of his Light & Power in and amongst you; wherefore Darkness is over you, and your Seers Eyes are closed through their Rebellion against the Light of the glorious Gospel, which has shined both in their and your Hearts, to give you the Light of the Knowledge of God in the Face of Christ Jesus, and to open your blind Eyes, to recover your Sight, that ye might see your Evil Ways that ye have walked in, and those great Abominations that ye have committed in the Land; for which Distress, Wo and Misery hath come upon the Inhabitan●s thereof; and doth more and more threaten you, if speedily and with all your hearts ye do not Repent, and turn to the Lord, who is Terrible to the Wicked, and whose Eyes are upon this and all other sinful Nations and Kingdoms of this World.  
And how are the People of England laden with Iniquity? How have many of you let your Reins loose to all manner of Sins! What cries of Oppression and Cruelties have been heard, and are now heard in our Land, acted by them that profess Christ Je●us in words, and call themselves Christians! but there never were any True Christians found in such Practices as many of you, the Inhabitants of this Nation, have been found in, notwithstanding the Favours and Goodness of God extended to you, beyond what other Nations have enjoyed. For, let me tell you ▪ that have not yet repented, nor turned to the Lord. That had the Works and Mighty Wonders of God been done in some other Nations, that have been done in thee, 'tis p●ssible they would have repented, and turned to the Lord with all their hearts before this. And because the Works and Wonders of the Lord have been abundantly more seen in thee, than in any other Nation, surely God hath required and doth require more from this.  
O Friends! itis not the Renting of your Garments, but your Hearts, that God requires; for ye have appeared something in show of Religion, whilst your Hearts have been far from God. Truly, my Bowels are turned for You; I am full of Sorrow and Grief for my Countrymen, that have so abused the loving-kindness of a long-suffering God, who is slow to Wrath, neither shows he his Wrath till his Mercy and Long-suffering be abused by a sinful Nation, or People laden with Iniquity, & guilty of manifold Transgressions. O! consider; is not this the state of many of you? have ye not followed a Multitude to do Evil, and the ways and Devices of your own Hearts? are ye not unsensible of the Day of God's tender Visitation to you wards, and of his pure Light that shines in your dark Hearts?  
And all you Evil doers every where, you hate the Light, and love Darkness rather than Light, that will be your Condemnation, That Christ Jesus is come a Light into the World; and if ever you come to be the Children of God and his Light ▪ you must turn to his Light, wait and believe in it; for those that do not, remain in utter Darkness, not knowing whither they go, they are so uncertainly lead by the Blind Guides of this World. This hath been and is certainly the State of many of you, the Inhabitants of England. How have ye been lead by the blind Leaders of the Blind into the Ditch, and kept in the fall of old Adam ▪ neither having seen or known what ye have been doing, nor the By paths and Crooked ways you have walked in! and how hath every man of you walked in a Vain show, and disquieted yourselves in vain, in getting the Worldly Riches, but cannot tell who must enjoy them after you, nor whether you may enjoy them while ye are here in the World!  
Therefore hear ye the Word of the Lord; O! harken diligently that your Souls may live, and be saved in this Day of the Lord Jesus, who is come to seek and to save them that are lost, who is willing to bring and led you all out of the Fall of Adam, which was by Sin and Transgression; for he is the Saviour of the World, not coming to condemn the World, but that the World through him might believe and obtain Salvation.  
O People! look unto Him, and not to the Mountains and Hills for Salvation, as long you have done, but all in vain; for, what Profit have ye had in looking to Man, or the Mountains or Hills, when you were in Trouble and Distress? who could help or deliver, save the Lord Jehovah only?  
Now Friends, be awakened, a●d truly consider, That your dayes are but short, till all must go, either into everlasting Joy and Happiness, or Wo and Misery. Now everlasting Joy and Happiness is prepared of God for the Righteous, but everlasting Wo and Misery for the Wicked; and they are wicked that do wickedly: And none of the Wicked shall understand the Works or Wonders of the Lord, which he hath done, and is doing; but the Wise shall understand; the Wise shall inherit Glory and Peace forever and ever; but the Fool, who saith in hi● Heart( not with his Tongue, but in his Heart) There is no God, will to gain the World, and the Pleasures of Sin for a season, lose their own Souls; and what will this advantage any ▪ if they could gain the whole World, and lose their own Souls? Truly a foolish and miserable Bargain do all such make ▪ even such as they can never be everlastingly Rich or happy by, although they may be pleased with it for a season: These ●hings can never give true Content or Satisfaction to the Soul, which is Imm●rtal, which is fed and nourished by that which is Immortal and Living, that comes from Heaven.  
So People, In the Name of the Eternal God I warn and exhort you all to Arise, arise, and stand up from the Dead, and Dust of the Earth, and Graves of Sin and Iniquity, where you have lain long, and imagined an Everlasting Rest in; for this is not your Rest, it is polluted, and hath polluted you. O! come to Christ Jesus, who is that quickening Spirit, that is able to quicken you, and make you alive to God, and make you all Partakers of a true and living Hope and Faith to purge your Hearts and Consciences by, to purify you, and make you Vessels of his Honour, who have been and are Vessels of Dishonour, in which state you are very unfit for the Lord's Use, how fit soever you have been and may be for the Devil's Use ▪ as his Slaves and vassals, and lead captive by him at his Will, who hath taught you to say to your Souls, Take your Rest in that which is polluted, and in your great stores of Goods, which some have gotten ▪ and laid up for many years; not considering how shortly your Souls may be required of you, nor whose these things shall be then: for so hath the Devil, the Enemy of your Immortal Souls, besotted and benumbed many of you in this day, and kept you in Sin and Trespasses, dead, unawakened to Righteousness, Everlasting Life and Salvation. Verily I cannot but pity your sad state that you are in, and lament for you, and pray you in Christ's stead, to come out of it, to Him who desires not the Death of the Wicked, but rather that all such would turn from their Wickedness, and live a Holy, Righteous and Godly Life in this present World.  
O ye People of England! how hath the Spirit of the Lord striven with you, and the Lord stretched forth his Hand all the day long, notwithstanding your Rebellions, and your hardening of your Hearts against him? How hath the Lord waited to be good and gracious to this Land, and the Inhabitants thereof? How many Pledges of his Love and Favour towards it hath been given unto it, and scarce sooner given, but the Hearts of most people of this Nation have been lifted up within them, and the Lord hath been forgotten, who extended his Love and Favour universally, to leave all without excuse at his great Day of judgement, when he will appear in Flames of Fire to render Vengeance against them that know him not ▪ nor obey the Gospel, which was to be preached to every Creature ▪ that all might believe in Christ Jesus, and know his Baptism, that saves, therewith to be baptized, who thereby washes the inside of Man and Woman, and not the outside only, as the Pharisees did the Cup and Platter. And let none talk of being saved and justified by Christ, who are not washed by him, and baptized by one Spirit into that Body whereof Christ Jesus is Head; for they that are not so baptized and washed, are not living Members of the Body of Christ, but Members of, and Pleaders for the Body of Death and Darkness, and to carry that Body of Sin and Iniquity about with them till they come at their Graves, so are altogether kept uncapable of putting on the new Man, because they see not the Way how to put off the old Man with his Deeds ▪ which certainly is the woeful state of many of you ▪ who are Inhabitants of this Nation of England: What will it avail you to pled, that you believe in Christ Jesus, and are baptized into the true Christian Faith, whilst you are not come to know a passing from Death to Life, and whilst your Hearts are evil, defiled with sin, and not purified? will not your Belief be accounted of God and his Spirit for Unbelief, and your Faith a dead one, by which ye can never please Him, even God, or the Lord Jesus Christ, whom ye pretend to believe in, but are not come to witness him in you the Hope of Glory; you are to come to know him in you, to work in you by his mighty Power, else you are Reprobates: And if Christ be known in you, the Body of Sin you will come to leave and put off; then will ye put off the Old Man with his Deeds, and die daily to Sin, which is the Devil's Work, and that Work Christ came and comes to destroy: He dyed not that people should continue in sin, and in the great Abuse of his Goodness and Kindness towards them, but that they might prise his Love, Goodness and Kindness towards Mankind in general, in coming to save them from sin, to finish Transgression, and to put an end to Sin, and bring in Everlasting Righteousness, which hath been so shut ●ut of the Hearts of the Sons and Daughters of Men, and the whole World that lieth in Wickedness, thinking to cover themselves by a Righteousness, pretended Christ's Righteousness, imputed to them ▪ and made to them in th●ir unrighteous and sinful state: Thus many cover themselves, and patch up a Righteousness and Justification which is not of God, nor will not stand them in any stead when God shall call them to an account, and come to judge the Secrets of their Hearts, whose p●re E●e sees all the Unrighteousness of Men and Women, which is Sin, that renders people guilty of Condemnation before God, notwithstanding all their fair Pretences of being righteous, and justified by a Righteousness imputed to them, whilst very Wicked and Unrighteous in the sight of God; and such that can discern between things that differ( even Good and Evil) dare not lean to or confided in such a Righteousness, but account it as filthy Rags of Man's devising, and not of God, neither hereby are any made Righteous in his sight.  
O! you Foolish and Unrighteous, Unsaved and Unsanctified, how dare ye presume to say, That Christ Jesus is made to you of God Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption? Must you not be Partakers of his heavenly and peaceable Wisdom, which is from above, before you can truly say so? And must ye not be Partakers of the Righteousness of Christ Jesus, and live Righteously in this World, before you can truly say, Christ Jesus is made to you Righteousness? And is it not the greatest Deceit that is, and the Deceivableness of Unrighteousness to imagine you are what indeed you are not; for Drunk●●ds, liars, Swearers, Fornicators, Unclean and Covetous Persons, to say, Christ is made to them Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption, who are foolish and disobedient, and far from the Righteousness of God, who are as unholy as ever, and as much in the unredeemed state? What greater Presumption can there be for making voided the Wisdom, Sanctification and Redemption which is of God through Christ Jesus, then this? what greater Delusion can there be in the World then this? and what Multitudes of people settle here, looking upon themselves wise, righteous, sanctified and redeemed by Christ Jesus, whilst nothing of this is experienced really and truly in them, or made unto them by Christ, in that foolish, unrighteous, unholy, unredeemed State, which they by the Enemy of all Righteousness are kept in.  
So you, people, that are thus covering yourselves herein, taking your ease in the Flesh, your Coverings are too short, they do not( nor cannot) hid you; for you are seen, your false Rests, wherein you have taken Ease, and learned to, will prove all too short for you; for long you will not be able to stretch yourselves thereon.  
Therefore come to Christ Jesus, who is the Rest of the People of God, and who will give you Rest, that are weary and sore burdened with your Sins ▪ if you come to him, and learn of him, who is meek and low of Heart, you will certainly find, and not come short of that rest that remains for the People of God, which is certainly true and everlasting, into which the true Believers enter, and so come to cease to do evil, and learn to do well, coming to cease from their own Works, their own Righteousness, which formerly they were in, and restend upon. The true Believer in Christ Jesus ceaseth from Man, his Righteousness, his Teachings, and is taught of the Lord, what to do, and what to cease from; what to follow, and what to turn from: This is learned by coming to Christ Jesus, and learning of him, whom the Drunkards, Swearers, liars, profane, Covetous and Unclean Persons are not willing to come to, although there is no Life, but by H●m, no Salvation in any other, nor true Righteousness enjoyed by any other, which the true B●lieve●s know, and are living Witnesses of, Glory to the Lord God forever, through believing in Christ Jesus, whom God hath sent, a Remnant are come to lay down their Heads in that Rest in Christ Jesus, and Peace with God, that none can make them afraid; they are not afraid of what Man can do; their Hope and trust is not in Man, but in the Lord Jehovah; they know his Name, and therein trust, and thither flee for safety, when any Troubles, trials or Sufferings come as an Exercise or trial upon them; so are not afraid of Evil Tidings, nor the Terrible Threats of the Wicked, being resolved to Trust in God, though they be Killed for their Trust and Confidence in him, or bearing their Testimony for his name sake: But how can the Uncircumcised in Heart and Ears( that always have been, and are Rebellious against the holy Spirit and Power of the Lord God) trust in th● Name of the Lord, not having the Knowledge of it? such trust in Man, and put Confidence in Princes, vainly expecting Salvation out of your Troubles from the Mountains and Hills, but have not known Christ Jesus, the Rock of Ages. So how can such be built upon that Rock that is sure. Therefore the Gates of Hell have prevailed, and will yet more prevail against you People of England ▪ whose Faith hath not stood in God's Power: How have the Gates of Hell prevailed against you of all Sects & Professions! how have you given your Power to the Beast, and worshipped the Beast, and cried, Who is like unto the Beast, or able to make War with him? because your Battlements were not the Lord's, but were by his Power to be taken away; for by the strength of Man it is in vain to encounter and make War with the Beast and False Prophet, while People are but in the strength of Man they will be found adhering to the Beast, worshipping of him, and receiving his Mark, either in their Foreheads or in their Hands, in some way, in some degree or other; and whosoever doth so, must assuredly drink of the Wine of the Wrath of God, and a dreadful Cup: truly its hard for me to utter what I see of Wrath, Wo and great Calamity that the Righteous and Just God will shortly bring upon such; he will not regard you, although you make many Prayers, they will be but to Him Abomination: You that can worship the Beast, and have received his Mark on your Foreheads, or in your Hands, the Lord will find you out, the Lord will plague and punish you, and pled with you in his fierce Wrath, and now is he vexing of you in his Displeasure, although you are most apt to look at Men, as being the Cause of all your D●stress Disappointments and Troubles, that are come, or may come upon you.  
I do aclowledge, and verily am persuaded, that there have been & are many Evil Instruments at work, to hinder the Prosperity and Welfare of this poor Nation; but search and find them out, and let them have Due Punishment, according to the Law of God, and righteous Laws of Men.  
Such as have Principles leading and binding them to Kill and Murder any, high or low, about Religion, because they are not of their Religion, nor their being in the World for their Interest; such that really are of such Hellish Principles and Practices, that led them to thirst after Blood, and to bring Nations into Civil Wars, that are in Peace, delighting in War and Bloodshed, I know the Hand of the Lord is and will be against them, to scatter and confounded them, and their wicked Conspiracies he will bring to nought: be not afraid of them, nor what they can do; but O People of England every where, fear the Lord, and work Righteousness in your Day, you that yet have a Day; for many have suffered God's Day to pass over them, not regarding or taking notice of it.  
And all you that say, You have not the Spirit of the Lord, that the Holy Men of God, his Prophets and the Apostles of Christ Jesus received, walked in and worshipped God in it; how vain and unprofitable is your worshipping of God! you that say, that None have that Spirit now, nor is to expect an Infallible Spirit to be lead and guided by; but think you can serve and worship God aright by a Spirit which is fallible, in vain do you worship God, and all your Services are rejected of him; for you cannot offer to God( by a Fallible Spirit) that which is pure and holy, but the contrary, that which is unclean and polluted, and with such Offerings and Services God is weary, and certainly doth not require them of you; for these are but the Offerings of the Deceiver, that hath a Male in his Flock, but offers that which is unclean; for God is a Sp●rit, and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth, which is holy, eternal and infallible; and you that have not this Spirit, are none of God's Children, nor faithful Servants; you serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, whose Name you( it may be) often name and profess in words, but your own Bellies is the God of many of you, that call yourselves Christians, and cry, Lord, Lord, and that you do many things in his Name, and for the Honour of God, which are quiter contrary, being done in your own Wills, and in a sensual earthly Spirit, which such a● in and are lead by to Evil, being so ignorant of what is Good, and what is Evil and Sin, that they think they do God good service, whilst they displease him in following the Imaginations of their own Hearts; promising themselves, that it is well with them, and that no Evil shall come unto them; and so cry a false Peace and Rest to themselves, whilst Strangers to true Peace with God, and Rest in his Son Christ Jesus: And how many of you are there that would have Peace without Christ, the Way, Truth, and the Life, the Prince of Peace, while you rebel against him, and will not have him to rule and reign in your Hearts, whose Right it is to order, govern, bear sway in and over every Man and Woman? Are not you his Enemies, though his pretended Friends, that refuse his Rule and Heavenly Government to be set up in you? Why are ye not willing the Government should be upon his Shoulders, who is from Everlasting to Everlasting, King of Kings and Lord of Lords? Why are you against the raising up of this Righteous BRANCH, that he might reign and prosper, and execute judgement and Justice? How can you expect true Justice and judgement, till he come to take to him his great Power, to rule and reign in your Hearts? How are his Enemies scattered, but as he arises?  
So People, let not the Sun go down upon your Wrath, neither give place to the Rule and Government of the Man of Sin and Son of Perdition in your Hearts, as formerly you have done, but wait diligently upon the Lord, who is able to cast out Satan, and chain him down from prevailing over you, by having a place, or reigning in you, as in times past.  
So all wait to feel the Finger of God at work in you, that ye may be sensible of the Kingdom of God to be come nigh unto you, and know that Kingdom set up in your Hearts, which stands in Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost; wait to know the Antien● of Dayes to sit, to whom shall be given Glory, Honour and Dominion, that all Nations and Kingdoms may serve and obey him, whose Kingdom and Dominion is Everlasting; First seek this Kingdom, and the Righteousness of it, and all other things will be ad●ed: Its not a Talk of it will serve your turn, or your faint Wishes or Hopes, that God will receive you into it at last( although you live in that in which the Devils Kingdom stands all your time you have to stay in the World.) But be diligent Seekers of the Kingdom of Heaven and the Way to it, that ye may find it, and have an Entrance administered into that Kingdom whilst it is called to day. But, O foolish People and unwise! how have ye set the World and the Glory of it before your Eyes, and neglected your Salvation, the Kingdom of God and Power of his Son Jesus Christ! And how have the Pleasures of this World kept you from seeking after God, his Kingdom and Righteousness thereof, which first you should have eyed, minded and carefully sought! you have pleased yourselves with the ●●ad Way, although it will led you to u●te● Destruction ●f So●l and Body; if ye come no● out of it, into the Narrow Way, ye will certainly go to everlasting Destruction, and there will be no Remedy.  
Friends and Countrymen, the Love of God constrained me thus to writ unto you; I am troubled for you, and in a godly Sorrow for you; I know not a Man or Woman in the Land, or elsewhere, that I hate, although that which is Evil in any is to be hated, rejected and denied, in Papist, Protestant, or whomsoever, and of what Nation soever: Sin is that which hinders peoples Acceptance with God, and keeps good things from them, and is a shane to any Nation or People whatsoever; but Righteousness that Exalts, and is for the Honour of a Nation: God is no Respecter of Persons, but of every Nation he that fears God and works Righteousness is accepted of him.  
I can truly say, that I never loved the Principles nor Practices of the Papists, being certainly hurtful, and Inconsistent with the Peace and Quiet of the Land where they live, and under those Governments and Rule that are set over; I am for Good and Peaceable Principles, that induce people to live a Quiet and Peaceable Life; for those Principles are Hellish and Unchristian, that led people to Stab, Murder and Massacree such as differ from them, because they cannot forsake their own Religion, which they are persuaded is good, and embrace such a Religion as they know is not good, neither tending to the Honour of God, but to introduce Badness, with pernicious Ways and evil Contrivances, thereby to rob God of that Honour which is due to him alone. Now you that are not of those Bloody and Disturbing Principles, that occasion War and Bloodshedding to Nations and Kingdoms, where they can put in practise their Wicked Devices, think not yourselves happy or justified of God because of that barely, although as to that particular thing, or any other Evils, God will not hold them guilty that are clear and innocent, though by men they may be deemed guilty, and the Guilty cleared: But except you repent from the bottom of your Hearts of your Sins, you may perish, notwithstanding you may be clear of those Principles and Evils before-mentioned, which are abhorred of God and all good men. But if you shall think yourselves well and secure because you are not such great Sinners, as you suppose the Papists are, hereby then the Enemy of your Souls may get advantage against you, and make you conclude, that your State is good, when you are in the perishing State, even as they; although your Wickedness be not of such a scarlet Colour, yet there are many other great Evils and Abominations, enough to plunge your Souls into eternal Wo and Misery, if not repented of. Therefore I say again to you, Repent of your Sins, be afflicted and humbled, let your Laughter be turned into Mourning, and your Joy into Heaviness, and Weep bitterly; for who knows but God may turn away his Wrath that is kindled against you, and yet have Mercy on this poor Nation, and the Inhabitants thereof, that you perish not: I dare say, and that in the Name of the Lord, Upon your true Repentance, humbling yourselves before him, renting your Hearts, and turning to the Lord, that he will yet extend his Favour and loving-kindness unto you, and save this poor Nation from those Plagues, heavy Judgments and great Desolations, that will certainly come upon it, as a just Reward from God, due to a Wicked, Stiff-necked and Rebellious People, if you continue therein. What else can ye expect or look for, but the Viols of God's Wrath to be poured forth upon you more and more?  
O! be serious, moderate and sober-minded; fear God, and give Glory to him, for the Hour of his Judgments is come: Put away your Pride, that you have learned of the Prince and King of all the Children of Pride; and put away your High and Luxurious Living; for you have been wanton on the Earth, and you have nourished your Hearts as in a Day of Slaughter, many of you: How long hath the Just suffered by your Hard ▪ heartedness! and there still remain great Oppressions and heavy Burdens upon the Innocent in this Land, whose Cause the Righteous God will more and more pled against all, high or low, that have a hand therein.  
How have We the people of God called Quakers been belied and abused by all Sorts and Sects of People in this Nation, that have gone in Cain's Way! and what Unchristian Carriage and Behaviour from such have we met with, all along since God reached to us, and visited us with his Day spring from on high! What Mockings, Stockings, Stoneing, and Cruel Imprisonments, and Spoiling of Goods have we patiently endured, never desiring to render Evil for Evil! but we have endeavoured in the Name of the Lord, to overcome the Evil( which People have acted against us) with Good ▪ knowing that to be the Will and Mind of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by whom we have been taught to love our very Enemies, to do good to them that hated us without Cause, and to pray ▪ for them that have despitefully used and persecuted us, leaving the recompense of Vengeance to the Lord God, to whom it belongs, and who certainly will repay it upon the Heads of his Enemies, the Wicked of the Land: God hath not forgotten the trials of Cruel Mockings, Bonds, Imprisonments, with other Cruel Sufferings and Losses, which the Righteous have met with, and sustained from a Wicked, Untoward and Hypocritical Generation in our Dayes; as his Ears have been open to our Cry, so oftentimes he hath appeared to help, succour and relieve us in our Afflictions and Sufferings. And we steadfastly believe, that he will arise, and show himself a present Help in all our future trials and Sufferings, although many have not regarded nor considered our Afflictions, but Wantonly ▪ Slightly and Maliciously have represented them, that's little to us, we know God will call them to an Account, and punish them for it, and reward every Man according to the Deeds done in the Body ▪ whether they be Good or Evil, who is a Blessed Rewarder of all those that Diligently seek him although for seeking and waiting upon the Lord only, we have been, and some are at this day, by the Magistrates and Informers, recompensed with Prisons, great Fines and spoiling of Goods: But Glory to God forever, none of these things move the Faithful, or shake their Minds from their Obedience to the Lord, whom we must and ought to obey rather than Man, being things appertaining to the keeping of our Consciences pure and good in the sight of God, to whom we chiefly owe our Obedience in matters Divine and Spiritual: And we have been lead by the Lord, and made willing by his Power to give the Lord his due, and Caesar his due, notwithstanding the Cruel Laws that have been made and Executed to abridge us of that Liberty, which the Righteous God allows in matters of Religion and Worship of Him, who clearly sees and knows the Ways, Doings and Counsels of Men, although carried on with never so much subtlety and Carnal Policy: they dig deep to hid their Counsel from him. Its in vain for any to hid their matters in Darkness from the Lord; for that which is spoken in Darkness shall be declared in the Light, and that which hath been done in Secret shall be published on the House tops; and Wo from the Lord God upon the Contrivers and Workers of Iniquity, that have contrived Wickedness against the Righteous, to root them out of the Earth, and could not rest nor be quiet till it was put in Execution against those for whom it was intended; whoever they be, God will judge them, and ease him of such Adversaries to him, and Ill Wishers to his People's Welfare and Happiness: The Day comes, it hastens, that will discover such Vile and Wicked Ahitophels, to bring all their Wicked and Evil Counsels and Contrivances to nothing, and to bring Misery and Confusion of Face upon all that lean or bend to such Counsels and Contrivances: But the Counsel of the Lord, that shall stand, and be established in the Earth.  
Therefore let none adhere, join to, or be one with the Counsel of the Wicked, which is unsafe, corrupt and Abominable; People, learn to keep your Ear from it, and to avoid it, as that which is hurtful both to Soul and Body, and destructive to Princes and States, and all Civil Societies amongst men, as men; for Peoples following the Counsels of the Wicked, it makes them such as the Devil would have them, Vicious, Intemperate, Unchaste, Ungodly, and what not, that is Evil and Abominable in the sight of God.  
And now, how doth this poor Land abound in all manner of Ungodliness and Impieties, some scarce fit to be mentioned! which is even a shane to the Land, and for which God will severely punish the Inhabitants thereof, that do not in their Day and Time repent of their Wicked Works and Abominable Practices, which many declare as Sodom. How have you abounded in Pride, Wantonness, fullness of Bread, in Whoredoms, Adulteries, and all manner of Unclean Words and Actions, for which the Righteous. Holy and Just God is grieved and provoked to Wrath, who is Love, and hath stretched out his Hands of Love many times unto you, and hath said, Turn you, turn you; why will ye die, and bring Ruinand Destruction upon yourselves? Now all the Checks, Reproofs and Judgments, which have come from God to you, were that you might turn to him that hath striven with you, smitten, checked, reproved and judged you, that you might turn to him, and know the Reproof of Instruction to be the Way of Life, that ye might come to see and know the Way of Life, and walk therein.  
All you that have been and are High and Stouthearted against the Lord, Come down, come down, lye low, and abhor yourselves in Dust and Ashes before the Lord; you are afar off from God and his Kingdom, and he beholds you as such, and resists you as such, and therefore doth the Lord with-hold his Grace and Good Things from you, which freely and plentifully he gives to them that wait low in his Fear to receive from him. Therefore take heed how you any more scoff and mock at waiting upon the Lord, which he requires of people; for the Lord is to be waited for and waited upon by all that seek him, or desire after him; and his Power is to be waited for, before it be received, or any can be strengthened and made strong in the Lord; for they that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength; but such as do not wait upon him for strength, speak and act in their Services and Worship of God in their own strength, by which they cannot do any thing well pleasing to God; and this is the state of many, even great multitudes of people in this Nation, observing and following of that which doth not profit them at all, neither can they thereby bring forth Fruit unto God; but on the contrary, what Feastings without Fear, Revellings, Pipings, Dancing, Carding, Diceing, plays to debauch Youth, Cursing, Swearing and Blaspheming the Name of the Lord hath got place, is practised, encouraged and brought forth by many in this Nation, that call themselves Christians, but are not, but rather are a Dishonour to that Name, causing Reproaches to come upon it amongst the Heathen: How are they stumbled a●d ●ff●●ded to see them that pretend to be and are called Christians, worse in their Words and Actions then some Mahumitans and others, that do not confess to nor believe that Christ came and suffered for our Sins in the Body of his Flesh, nor that he was a Saviour, or could save or deliver any. How do you expect to convert them to the Christian Faith! Certainly never by Pride, Wantonness, feeding yourselves without Fear, Whoredoms, Adulteries and unclean Actions, that cast a Stink all over the Land; for which if the Lord should bring Want and a FAMINE into the Land, and thereby thin the People of it, who amongst you can say to the Lord, why dost thou sand this Want and Scarcity amongst us? Must we and our Families, that have been fed to the full, now want Bread and Outward Necessaries? Surely if you say so, then shall the Lord answer, and say unto you, Its because of your great Wickedness and Abominations, wherewith you have corrupted and defiled the Land; for which I will abase it, and bring down the High Looks and Stout Hearts of the Inhabitants thereof, from the Highest to the Lowest; and you shall know that I am the Lord ▪ who at my Pleasure can plant and pluck up Nations and Kingdoms. Are you not sensible( People) that the Lord hath spared this Land and others long, in his Long-suffering and Goodness towards them? But he hath said, Now will I cry out ▪ like a traveling Woman, to devour at once ▪ and to lay waste, and make Kingdoms desolate ▪ to make them reel and stagger in my Fury. For that Nation and Kingdom that will not serve him, shall perish, and a Kingdom divided against itself cannot stand, but is brought to Desolation.  
So people, your standing and the Kingdom's is but slippery; there is but a small Remnant that know Christ Jesus their Rock and daily Refuge: Truly there are but few Righteous Lots in this Nation, in comparison of the Multitudes of them that are like Sodomites; however, it will go well with them, when it shall go ill with all the Wicked & Unrighteous. If God had not a few righteous Persons in this Nation, that have sighed and mourned for the Wickedness of it, doubtless it had been destroyed and utterly wasted before this time, itis for their sakes this Nation hath been spared so long although the wicked Workers have not been willing ▪ nor thought fit that such should have a being amongst them; forsuch have been as killed all the day long, & accounted as Sheep for the Slaughter, in Perils often, in Deaths often, often snared in Holes, and have been for a Prey to the Debauched and Ungodly of the Land, of whom the World is not worthy, though never so much slighted and hated of the World ▪ itis they that are a Happiness and Blessing to a Nation or Kingdom, and not the profane and Ungodly; such bring a Curse, Distresses, Wo and Misery upon the Nations and Kingdoms where they inh●bit. Think of this all you that have any Desire towards God, or Good Will to your own Souls; hear and f●ar the Lord, and answer when he calls unto you; O! re●ect not the Call of the Lord; for none ever did so and prospered: if you shall hear the Lord, and obey his Call, to come out of the Evil you have been in, to that which is good, and continue in that, it will cause God to turn away his Wrath, and show Mercy unto you.  
O the great Thunders, Earthquakes and Tempests that are come & coming upon this Nation & many others! What Noises of Armies, Wars and Rumours of Wars, Nation against Nation and Kingdom against Kingdom! What Desolation and Bloodshed hath there been to gratify the Wills and Ambitious Desires of High ▪ minded Men, that matter not how much Blood be spilled, and Treasure spent, so their Ungodly Lusts be satisfied! yet for all this would be called Christians, and go under the Name of Christian-Magistrates. But God will pour out Contempt upon them, and hedge up their Way of Wickedness, and make them to wander in Desolation, which will come upon them, that have studied to make Nations desolate, and spoil them, that they might possess them as their own. How do Mens Hearts fail them for fear now at what threatens them, and the Nations that they inhabit in! and what Crosses and Disappointments happen almost to all Men and Women! And God knows whether what is past, or is now be any more then the beginning of Sorrows.  
So in the Name of the Lord God I warn you all to be awakened to Righteousness, and Sin not, that ye may be hide in the Day of the Lord's fierce Wrath, which is near to break forth: for God hath a Remnant of hidden Ones, that are hidden and kept safe, under the hollow of his Hand, out of which none can pluck them, and they shall never perish: O happy People, and saved by the Lord, your Helper in the time of Need, Perils and Dangers! Cast out all slavish Fear thorough the perfect Love of God, and all the Fears of Wicked Men; for the Rust shall eat them as a Canker, and the Wind shall drive them away like Stubble; they shall be sought for, and shall no● be found; their Names shall rot, and not be recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life.  
So People, you may see the danger of being found Wicked men, when the Lord comes to make enquiry into every mans state and condition, and none shall escape his all-seeing Eye, that is come to search mens Hearts, and to search Jerusalem with Candles; he will find out your Habitations of Darkness and Cruelty, where you thought to hid yourselves from his Wrath; and the Candle of the Lord hath been lightted in you that are Wicked, but by your hiding it, as under a Bed or Bushel, it hath not given Light to your House, nor you have not come to see aright into the States and Conditions of your Hearts: Nay, by often Transgression against God, his Candle often is put out ▪ which he lights at some time or other, in all mankind, to see with, and to leave wicked men without excuse by: this being a Talent of Gods Light, Grace and Spirit, that is given to every man to profit withal, and appears to all men for their good ▪ and in order to their Salvation, and recovery from Sin, and from under the Power of Satan, which every man ought to mind, take heed to ▪ be taught by, and walk answerably unto in their day; it is a Talent, not to be hide in the Earth, but diligently and well improved; itis a Light not to be put under a Bed or Bushel, but set on a Candle-stick that it may give Light to the House that was in Darkness, and them that sit in Darkness, and under the Region of the shadow of Death. So mind the Light, which God in love to your Souls hath bestowed upon you, that it may shine in your Hearts, to give you the Light of the Knowledge of God in the Face of Christ Jesus, whom with the Father to know is Life Eternal; and the Knowledge of God and Christ Jesus can never be come to otherwise.  
Object. 1. But some may say, We believe in God the Father Almighty, that made Heaven and Earth, and in his Son Christ Jesus; and hope and desire to know him as he is made known in the Scriptures, which we say is the Rule that we should walk by.  
Answ. Your bare saying you believe in God, without a living evidence of it in yourselves, proves no belief in him at all, nor that ye have Faith in his Son Christ Jesus, or Knowledge of either the Father or the Son, which many boast and talk much of. For how doth a true believing in God, and Faith in Christ Jesus, evidence or show itself but by Works of Righteousness wrought in God? how else is his Workmanship or the new Creature known or witnessed? You would show a Faith without Works of Righteousness, which is a certain Evidence to such their Faith is a dead Faith, which will never purify their Hearts, nor give them Victory over Sin, let them talk of believing in God and Christ Jesus as much as they will: But such as are in the living Faith that works by Love, they are ready and prepared of God, through this Faith to show an evidence of it by Works wrought in God, being his Workmanship, and Created in Christ Jesus thereunto; and you may Hope and Desire after the Knowledge of God all your dayes, and never come to the Knowledge of him, barely by the Letter of the Scriptures, without the help of Gods Spirit, though you red that all your dayes: Ye must learn to know God in his Light, and by his holy Spirit, that they received and knew God by, that gave forth the Scriptures, before you can come to know God, as the Holy men of God and Saints Recorded in the Scriptures did, otherwise ye know nothing as ye ought to know, but are out of the Knowledge of God and Christ, though ye have the Scriptures that declare thereof, and say, It is your Rule; I would to God ye were Reformed in Lives and Conversations, according to that true Declaration of the Mind and Will of God in the holy Scriptures; but your Words Lives and Conversations are so contrary thereunto, that it is a shane for you to say it is your Rule: I grant all the holy Scriptures were given forth by Divine Inspiration, and is profitable for Doctrine, Instruction and Information, and able to make the man of God Perfect, and Wise unto Salvation, through Faith in Christ Jesus, but not otherwise profitable, nor cannot give the Knowledge of God, witness the Multitudes that have them, who have not the Knowledge of God, notwithstanding their often reading of them ▪ seeking the Knowledge of God and Life in them, and calling them their Rule, which if they were ruled according to the Scriptures ▪ they would be more tamed, and brought down into Subjection to God then they are, and would be better ruled in their Manners and Behaviour, even sober and godly, as every one ought to be in this World; but whilst many profess the Scriptures to be their Rule, they err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the Spirit which they were in and moved by that wrote or gave forth the Scriptures; which is the great Cause of Peoples erring in judgement, and going astray from the ways of God, being kept ever learning( by them that would have People always paying of them) but not able to come to the Knowledge of God or the Truth, as it is in Jesus: The Hope of all such is but the Hypocrites, and their Desires but of a Sensual and Earthly Nature, that God will not regard nor answer. Therefore, people, examine yourselves, prove and try yourselves by the Light and Spirit of God, the most standing Rule to try your Hearts and Spirits by.  
Obj. 2. But we are Protestants, and against Popery, Popish Laws and Institut●ons, that are Repugnant to the Holy Scriptures, who force People to be of their Religion by Cruel Torments, Fire and Faggot; and are against Popish Masses.  
Answ. If you are True Protestants, and against that which is Bad in the Laws, Institutions and Government of the Church of Rome, and against Popish Idolatry, and Superstition of that See, which I do aclowledge is Bad enough: Why do ye so much keep in their steps, as to Mass Days, pretended H●ly Days, Feasts for Christ, and other Saints, who were more in Fasting than Feasting, who never required any Dys or Feasts to be kept for them, that I red of in the Scriptures, as hath been instituted, and the practise thereof forced, by not only Papists but Protestants; and such as call themselves Protestants have caufed Honest Sober People to Suffer, and reputed them as Papists, that could not so gratify the Wills of Men, or Popish Institutions, as to keep Dayes of Feasting, as many of you Protestants do, therein being one with the Papists, as also in Mirth, Folly, Vanity, Excess of Rioting, Eating and Drinking; and you have been Angry with many Sober People, because they went not with you to the same Excess of Rioting, whereby more Dishonour to God and Christ Jesus hath come in a few Mass Days, than many days besides. I hope the Righteous God will manifest such that cannot keep those Days, nor go to that Excess of Riot with you that do, to be better Protestants, although we Dissent from you and the Church of Rome therein, and in many other things, which ye follow, and are in practise of, which you have no express warrant for from the Scriptures, wherever you have it: And the Papists, or any others, Forcing People to their Religion by Fire and Faggot, or other Cruel Torments, is Anti-christian and Abominable, it is a certain evidence, that their Religion is not Pure nor Undefiled before God, but stinks and is corrupted, and would Corrupt the Earth; for the Pure Religion, which is Uncorrupted and Undefiled before God, needs nothing but the Grace, Truth and Power of God, and Drawings with the Cords of God's Love into it, to Force or bring to be of it; not Whips, Prisons, Torments or Tortures, as the False Church and Mother of Harlots hath used to bring People to be of their Religion and Church. Therefore, why have many that call themselves Protestants, and to have renounced the Trash and Trumpery of Rome; but herein also have walked in their steps, and strengthened them in their using such Cruelties to Force to their Religion, which will never conduce to make true Christians, but Deceitful Hypocri●es and Dissemblers, who are the worst of men, and the Woes of God are to: Will you Cry out against the Church of Rome, for the Force and Cruelty, which they have used to bring People to their Religion? And will you use it to compel People to your Way and Worship? Ought you not first to cast this Beam out of your own Eyes, that more clearly you might see how to cast it out in others ▪ and deal with Papists about forcing to their Religion Way and Worship? For what Force and Compulsion hath been used of late and former Years here in England against such as indeed could not for Conscience sake comform to the Church of England in all their Principles and practices, as sufficiently is known thorough the Nation, by the many Imprisonments ▪ and Spoils of Non-conformists Goods, whilst such think themselves much better than the Papists, but walk too much in their steps.  
Obj. 3. But we have the Ordinances and Institutions of Christ, and receive the Sacraments in the best reformed manner; and we pray as Christ hath taught us ▪ saying, Our Father which art in Heaven, Hollowed be thy Name, thy Kingdom come, &c.  
Answ. If you were rightly sensible of God's Ordinances and Commands in force to be practised by Christians in these Days of the Gospel, surely ye would be more Careful to keep them, and put them in practise than ye do: But how can you be said to keep the Ordinances of God ▪ that refuse and resist his Power and Spirit, whilst you adore and dote upon outward Things, and Element; you have neglected the Weightier Matters, for paying a little tithe, Mint and Anniss, having been busied more about the Outward Court Service, than that which is more Substantial. But retire within, and wait upon the Lord in stillness and submission to him, that he may make you worthy to eat and drink at his Table: To eat of that Living Bread that came down from Heaven, the Bread of God, which if a man eat, he shall live thereby; and to be made worthy to drink of that Wine, which he hath mingled which will never corrupt nor sour, or lose its virtue; otherwise your eating and drinking of that you call The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, will be but your own Damnation. whilst you do not discern the Lord's Body, his Flesh, which is Meat indeed ▪ and his Blood, which is Drink indeed: Not that I despise or vilify any thing that any were really required of God to do in remembrance of Christ Jesus, or a real showing forth his Death in their time and season; but let a man examine himself, or else he eats unworthily, not discerning the Lords Body: And Christ Jesus said, Except ye eat my Flesh and drink my Blood you have no Life in you. And I may say unto you that have eaten outward Bre●d, and drunk outward Wine ▪ What Life have you in you, or Salt to savour withal? Hath eating of that Bread, and drinking of that Cup given you Life? Is it the Flesh of Christ, that is Meat indeed, and that Blood, which is drink indeed? then will the Life of Jesus be manifest in your Mortal Bodies, and you will discern the Lords Body, and be baptized into it, and be Members of it: And so come to the true Substance, which ends all Types, Figures and Shadows, and melts the Elements, which were insufficient to minister Life to the Souls of People, by reason of that Inability and Weakness that was in them. So come to him that giveth Life to the Soul, wait upon him diligently that he may make you worthy to discern his Body, and eat of that Bread that he gives the worthy and prepared to eat, & whereby they live forever, that the Water of Life also you may drink of, and that it may be in you a Well of Life springing up in you to Everlasting Life, and then will you l●●rn of Christ Jesus, and be taught how to pray with the Spirit and Understanding also, to call God Father, to know where he is to hollow his Name, to receive his Kingdom, and no longer oppose or resist it; then will you do the Will of God on Earth, as it is done in Heaven, and have Living Bread daily in your own Houses to feed upon, beyond what is outward: And know forgiveness of Sin, and forgive them that Trespass against you, and feel the heavenly Deliverer near, that doth Deliver and set Free from all Sin & Evil. But when did Christ Jesus teach Wicked Men, that daily Dishonour his Name, to say, Our Father which art in Heaven; such who are not the Children of God? How is he their Father, as to any Spiritual relation? and how can they Hallow his Name? It is true, he taught his Disciples and Followers so to pray, and that Prayer I own; but those words uttered by such as know not the Name of the Lord, nor learn of Christ Jesus how unsavoury and Unprofitable is it? Will not Christ Jesus say to such, what have ye to do to take my Name in your mouths, and to say, I have taught you that which I never taught you, nor required at your hands? for it is praying in the Spirit that that God who is a Spirit expects, and is only well-pleased with, and not using good words, that people may get into their Heads, which they have no true or heavenly Understanding of in their Hearts; for as Man believes in his Heart to Righteousness: So it is the Heart-Cryes, Breathing and Prayer unto the Lord, that are accepted as Incense with him: the Prayer of Faith avails much with God; but the Prayers of the Wicked are Abomination to the Lord; although they fast and pray, God will not hear them, because they do it not in that holy Name and Spirit which gives the Saints Admission to God, and pure Acceptance with him, although but with Sighs and Groans that cannot be uttered ▪ and that so the Lord may teach you all to pray, is the Desire of my Soul, that you may pray con●inually, lifting up Holy Hands unto ●he Lord( without Wrath and Doubting, as commonly the Prayers of the Wicked are) that so He that seeth in s●cre● may reward you, and be not always asking amiss, not receiving the things that you ask of God.  
Now my Friends and Country Men, I find Freedom in the Lord at present to cease writing any more to you; My Heart's Desire and Prayer to God is, To open your Understandings, and give you an Eye to see, an Ear to hear Truth, and a Heart to Understand what is the acceptable Will of God, that at last you may come to Kiss the Son love and honour him, lest his Anger suddenly break forth against you, and the Lord cut you off in his Wrath, and you perish forever.  
Truly I cannot but lament for you, and am troubled for you day and night, having often been greatly burdened with the exceeding great Wickedness of this Nation, in this Age we live in, for which God has begun to Waste it, and will certainly make it Desolate, if it be not for the sakes of a few Righteous and Just Lots, that I know are in it.  
From the Lord God am I moved thus to Reprove and Warn you; whether you will Hear and Repent, or Forbear, as long you have done, the Lord will be clear of your Blood, it shall be upon your own Heads that Perish.  
Horslydown, the 14th of the 2d month, 1679. From one that travels and labours for the Redemption of Mankind out of Death and Darkness, that they may be saved in this Day of the Lord Jesus, the Saviour of the World: JAMES park.  
THE END.