To all the Inhabitants of the Town of Youghal, who are under the Teachings of James Wood, and especially to ye who calls him your Pastor, and are Members of his Church, I writ unto you as I am moved of the Lord, and lay these following things before you to be read in the fear of God, and seriously consider thereof, that you may no longer be deceived, but may come to see your own state and condition truly, and to know it, and the foundation you build upon, and the rottenness of it; And my heart and soul's desire is, That your eyes may be opened, that you may see the Deceiver, and how you are deceived, and may see the way that leads out of Deceit into Truth, which is life to all that know it.   

ON the 23 of the sixth Month, 1657. towards the evening, hearing that james Wood was nigh to the place of my outward being, being come thither (as I was informed, not long after his new Ordination, and late sending forth) to preach, as it was manifest by the sending notice of it abroad among the neighbours, (amongst whom I was neglected) though when any Minister of the Gospel came to my House I gave notice thereof without respect of persons, (till they refused to come) and so had not the convenience of speaking to him as I might have had, had not the day been spent; I sent a few Lines to him and some Queries, desiring an Answer unto them; which Letter and Queries I have here inserted, and am willing to leave it to that of God in all your Consciences to judge from what spirit they proceeded.  
The LETTER.  
James Wood,  
If I had had timely notice of thy being so near this place, I know no other, but that I should have seen thy face this day, but hearing not of it till this evening, I have at this time only sent thee a few Queries, here enclosed, which I desire thee to Answer before thou goest out of the Country; or if that time be too short for thee, take them home with thee, and send the Answers to him who thinks himself happy, if he be found worthy to receive a Minister of Christ into his house, called by the name of  
James Sicklemore. Ballinlegane, 23. of the sixth Month, 1657.  
The Queries.  
1. Query, What is the everlasting Gospel? 2. Qu. Who is a Minister of the everlasting Gospel? & how is he made a Minister thereof? 3. Qu. Can any preach the Gospel but he who is made a Minister thereof? 4. Qu. Hath any Power & authority to Preach the Gospel before he is made a Minister thereof, & is sent, if not, then tell me? 5. Qu. What are those men that have a long time professed themselves to be Ministers of the Gospel, and have been preaching of it (as they say) these 5 or 10 years, or more, and yet after all this time, and Preaching, receives Ordination from men, and by men are chosen and sent forth to Preach? 6. Qu. Whether those who were chosen and sent forth to Preach the Gospel, had any certain dwelling place, or did abide 3 or 4 years, or more, in one place? 7. Qu. Who made Paul a Minister of the Gospel? And who was it that sent him to Preach? 8. Qu. What was the maintenance of Christ's Ministers, who by him were sent forth, and what were they to live off? 9 Qu. Hath his Ministers in this age any other maintenance? and when was their maintenance changed? For the sake of the simple these are given forth, for whose satisfaction, if thou be'st a Minister of the Gospel, it will lie upon thee to Answer them according to the Scriptures, and not to slight it.  
J. S.  
And although I was willing to give him what time he would desire for the Answering of those Queries, and not to press it to him before his return, yet he refused to give me any other Answer than these following Lines, writ and sent to me in the bottom of my own Letter, and so sent me the Queries and my Letter again. His Letter followeth:  
Captain Sicklemore,  
I have received the above written, and the enclosed, and give you only this return, That I know not your Rule for sending abroad your Queries, nor mine to Answer them, they savouring so much of Contention and Contradiction, I yet think that I have sufficiently proved my Call to the Ministry before John Perrot and yourself; if not to you, yet to mine own satisfaction, and of many else who I trust fear the Lord in simplicity; I sorrow to see your Zeal (if so it be) so blind: You have read surely Acts 13.1, 2, 3. and yet know Paul had Preached some years before: But I determine to Answer no more of your Queries or Demands: either by word of Mouth or Wrighting till both they and you shall breathe out more of the Gospel, This is from a servant of the Lord and his people in the Gospel,  
Ja. Wood Sixth Month, 23 day, 1657.  
Let not James Would think it strange, or take it ill, That I direct not my speech to him in Answer to his Letter, seeing he hath told me that he is determined to Answer no more of my Queries or Demands (though I know not, that before, I desired any such thing from him) till such and such a time. Yet I cannot cease either from speaking or writing what the Lord hath commanded. And this Answer is not to beget Contention as he would accuse me in part of his Letter, but to lay open the deceit of the Deceiver, against whom I am a witness, that the simple may no longer be ensnared: and this for your sakes whose simple desires after God are not yet satisfied.  
In the beginning of his Letter he tells me, He knows not my Rule for sending abroad my Queries, nor his to Answer them.  
Answ. I do not wonder if James Would be unacquainted with my Rule for sending my Queries to him, seeing he is so great an enemy and opposer of him who is my rule and guide, Christ Jesus, the light of the World, who hath enlightened me, and every one that cometh into the World, and him I profess and no other, and his light which shines in my conscience which checks and condemns for sin do I love and own to be my rule, that so by it I may be ruled and guided to do the will of God as it is revealed and manifested in me by his eternal Word and spirit, by which spirit I was guided when I wrote those Queries: And if J.W. were a Minister of the Gospel of Christ, then could he not be ignorant of my rule, for all his Ministers have his spirit which is infallible, by which all things are seen and tried, and so that which is contrary to it comes to be known, so that if my sending those Queries were not from the Lord, but from another spirit, he would quickly have known it, if he had had the same spirit that all the Ministers of Christ had: and they that have not his spirit are none of his, and this spirit sees and makes manifest all other spirits, and tries them: Here let all the simple-hearted judge by what spirit J.W. is ruled and guided, which leaves him in such an ignorant state and condition, that if any one come, and ask, or send so him questions, he is forced to confess he knows not their rule for so doing, and thinks that this is excuse enough to get rid of them; but the subtlety deceives him, for hereby he shuts himself out from having the infallible spirit, which sees, and discerns, and knows all things, and makes manifest the hidden things of Esau, and reveals, and shows, yea, and is the good rule, and discovers all other rules that is contrary to it, and judges them. But seeing J. W knows not his rule for Answering my Queries, I would desire some of you to inquire of him, (for if I thould ask him, he would not tell me) What was his rule for Answering John Brown's Queries and sending more to him, Did he well or ill in that? if well, Why may not I send Queries to him, expecting an Answer, as well as he send Queries to John Brown, which were Answered: this is not to do as he would be done to. But I.W. makes his excuse in framing a false thing which he would have pass currant for truth, & that is expressed in his next words of his Letter, (They savouring so much of Contention and Contradiction.)  
Answ. Surely I.W. hath lost his savour, if ever he was well seasoned; but it is not to be expected that he which is wanting of that which doth discern and try truly, can never be a p … essor of that which savours aright; for that which cannot discern, cannot savour: And there was a generation that did call evil good, and good evil; and did put darkness for light, and light for darkness; and there is some such now, and this is because they cannot truly discern: Yet admit this were true, as I.W. says, it is no excuse for his not answering them: would he not more have showed himself a Servant of the Lord, and his people, in laying them open, and making manifest this Spirit of contention and contradiction, then in holding his peace? for it was the work of the Ministers of the Gospel to labour to beat down that Spirit wherever they found it, and to lay open the deceit of it, that the simple may beware of it. But though J.W. hath so judged of them, it doth not make them so, they stand upon record to be examined and tried by the light in every man's conscience, to which I leave them to be judged, and with it I desire you all to read them over, and see if this be true or false that J.W. accuses them of.  
And although I.W. will not answer my queries, he finding them tending to the enquiring out of the call of the Ministers of the Gospel, to the preaching of it, and he professing to be in that work himself, knows that his mustneeds come to an examination and trial, whether it be according to the Scriptures, even by the answering of these Queries, if according to the Scriptures; therefore he must needs say something, (which is indeedas good as nothing) in vindication of his own Call, as you may perceive in the next words of his Letter, though neither in my Letter or queries did I inquire of J.W. any thing concerning his own call to the Ministry in particular, so that he might have spared these lines: Yet he need not boasts for can he have sufficiently proved his Call to the Ministry of God, when as yet he is not in that Ministry? The Ministers of God had the Seals of their Ministry, and they reaped the fruits of their labours: And Timothy was Paul's Son, and so was Onisimus, and he had babes which were begotten by him, and little children of whom he traveled till Christ was form in them. Now I would ask of you who have been a long time, and are yet under his Ministry, How many of you, yea, is there any one of you can witness a begetting into God by him? and can any of you by his labour, say Christ is form in you? can you witness such a state? This is a high state, friends, and is not a talk and a profession, but a possession, and must be witnessed in deed and truth. Again, The Ministry of God was for the perfecting of the Saints; and if J.W. hath not by his Ministry brought any thus far, he never yet saw the end of his Ministry, neither shall he ever be able to bring any of you into that state, who cannot witness such a state himself, neither can believe that such a state can be attained to in this life, then may not he as good hold his peace as preach?  
But friends, be not deceived, the Ministry of God was and is sent to turn people from darkness to light; and he that is a Minister of God, is a Minister of light, and must minister from the light, that so souls may be brought out of darkness, wherein lies imperfection, unto the light which is perfect, that they may be children of light, bringing forth the fruits of the light, which none can that hate the light, and will not bring their deeds to the light, that they may be made manifest: And friends, when I speak of the light, I speak of the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, which John bare witness of, Christ Jesus, which Paul preached, and was a Minister of, which whosoever follows, comes to have the light of life, and he that hates it goes into condemnation: And this is in every one's conscience, checking and reproving him for, and convincing him of evil; and if they would follow it, it will lead from fin and iniquity, which it condemns in all, into righteousness and holiness; and though this be in every one, yet every one doth not love it, and follow it; for they who are in sin, and living in it, and in the world, and are not redeemed from it, but are in the lusts and pleasures of it, and customs and fashions of it, which are vain, are such who act contrary to the light in them, which checks them for it: And all who are in pride and covetousness, and in many words, which are vain and unnecessary, these are all from the light turned, which condemns in the conscience for it, whom God will not justify; and none but those who love the light, and follow it, comes to know redemption and salvation by Christ Jesus, who is the light, who saves his people from their sins, and as many as believe in the light of the world, receives power to become the Sons of God, and none else.  
But this light J. W. is so far from being a Minister of, that he cannot own it to be of God, or from Christ, but hath called it natural, even that light which is in every man's conscience; and so he hath made himself manifest to be an opposer of that which checks and condemns sin in every man's conscience, and to be out of the ministry of God, who is light; and therefore though he thinks he hath sufficiently proved his Call to this ministry of God, I am sure he is mistaken, and his thoughts deceive him; for that in his conscience which is of God, shall testify to his face, that he is a resister of it, & walks contrary to it, & to all who are come into the true fear of the Lord, he is known; & I doubt not but to some of you in whom I know there are simple desires after God, he is partly known and seen, and many of his practices I know you cannot own; let that of God in your consciences speak. Yet nevertheless J.W. hath little reason to desire that day's work to be brought to remembrance; for though he spent much time to tell a story of his inclinations to, and qualifications for the work of the ministry from his youth, up, (after such a manner as he never found any of the ministers of Christ boasting, for they always denied their former life) which he called his inward call; yet he told us also of an outward call, which was by man, as being approved of by man; and for all his inward qualifications, yet he attributed something to his humane art and learning, of which though he spoke slightly, seemingly, yet he added it to all the rest as a help in the work; and after all this large Oration which he made, declaring how he was called to the ministry, I leave it to you all who were there present, to judge whether or no he did prove that his call to be according to the Scriptures, & which of the ministers of Christ did he instance or bring for an example that was so called, though he professed that that should be the Rule to try both his and John Perrots ministry by.  
The Discourse as I very well remember, was much upon Paul's Call, who indeed was an able minister of Christ; and we find, that although he was a man who was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, yet in all his speaking of his call to that work, he never made mention of it any otherwise then declaring it to be his former life, wherein he was zealous in persecuting the way of God; and in his preaching also, all that wisdom was laid aside; for when he came to the Corinthians, he came not with excellency of speech, nor of wisdom, nor with the enticing words of man's wisdom, which is the world's wisdom; and if he would have boasted thereof, he had much to speak of, read Phil. chap. 3. v. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. yet all that which was gain to him formerly, he counted it loss for Christ, and for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, wherein his Ministry stood; neither would he at any time own his call or sending to be of men, or by man, but by Jesus Christ, and by the will of God, as you may read, Gal. 1.1. and in the beginning of most of his Epistles, though J.W. that day did endeavour to prove it to be by man, by Acts 13.1, 2, 3. which is the place also he quotes in his Letter to me; who ever can read that place with understanding, will see it doth not contradict Paul's saying He was an Apostle, not by man, though it be always the Priests work to make the Scriptures clash one against another, that so they may get money of the people to reconcile them (as they say) by their moanings and interpretations: But this is deceit, and the Scriptures are true, and agree in one, being all given forth by one spirit, which doth not contradict itself; and by no other spirit can they be read nor understood, but to all other spirits are a parable sealed. It is there said, That such and such who were in the Church, as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them; here the Holy Ghost had called them, and the Holy Ghost commanded the separation, and the Holy Ghost sent them away, as you may read in the fourth verse, that they departed, being sent by the Holy Ghost; and this is one with what is written in the third verse, but the unlearned wrist it, for the Holy Ghost gave order for their separation, and also sent them away.  
And I'll appeal to you all who were that day present, did I W. prove his call ●o be thus? did he name any that were in the Church, that were Prophets and Teachers, that ministered to the Lord and fasted, and as they did so, that the Holy Ghost said, separate me James Wood for the work whereunto I have called him; he did not witness any such thing to us then: yea, and I question much whether his late ordination and sending was according to that of Paul and Barnabas; some of you perhaps might be present, you can tell whether that day was spent in fasting and praying, or feasting and praying; and if you can read with the spirit, I desire you to compare Paul's separation, in Act. 13. with J. W. his late separation: I would ask whether those men who laid their hands on J. W. received an immediate command from the Holy Ghost so to do, as those did, who ministered to the Lord and fasted: And though J. W. tells me, that sure I know Paul had preached some years before that, and so would fain cover his late sending forth with this practice, and excuse it's not being done sooner, yet the deceit is seen, for the covering is too short; for though Paul had been preaching before, yet he was returned from Jerusalem with Barnabas, having fulfilled their Ministry, Acts 12.25. and that being done, the Holy Ghost sends them another way to preach; for we shall always find, that when the work was done in one place they departed to another, and stayed not in one place many years in a settled outward habitation, & they went still as they were sent by the Holy Ghost, who never suffered them to be idle, no not a day was allowed them for their recreation, or the exercise of their bodies, for their health; for this was their daily exercise, to be doing the will of him that sent him, and Paul's body bore the marks of our Lord Jesus. Now either J. W. must make it appear, that he hath fulfilled his former Ministry, as Paul and Barnabas had, or else he cannot plead a right to this sending of Paul and Barnabas, in Act. 13. whether he hath done that, let that of God in his conscience judge; and whether he hath manifested such a thing to any of you, let that of God in your consciences speak and declare; Nay, it's much to be feared, that instead of fulfilling his Ministry, he is fallen back from much of it; witness his sprinkling of infants, which once he could not do, even since he first pretended a call to the Ministry, and his singing of David's Psalms, which once he seemingly endeavoured to take off people from, and his now declaring it his judgement, that by the right of Magna Charta, Ministers may receive tithes, which once he did believe, was not according to the practice of the Ministers of the Gospel; he might be traced in much more, of which, some of you cannot be ignorant, as his once pleading against persecution of any for conscience sake, of which he himself would not be counted guilty; yet if you will examine strictly, what made him so earnest against Edward Erbery, who was a prisoner for the witness of a good conscience, when he was called before the Rulers? did he there plead against that persecution? or was he not very zealous in agrivating the crime? (so accused to be) which did not so much concern him in particular, as it did Edward Eyres. And again, that day wherein J. W. thinks he hath sufficiently proved his call to the Ministry, you may remember that after he had taken up much time in declaring his inward and outward qualifications, and inward and outward call, which is not according to the Scriptures; there was some questions asked concerning his practice, which was compared with the practices of the Ministers of Christ in the Scriptures; whether he proved his present practice so to be, I'll leave to all the honest hearted there to judge; as concerning his maintenance, which he could not deny, but was above 100 l. and salary, which he confessed he went once a quarter to demand and receive at Cork, though he was confident to affirm, that he took not thought what he should eat or drink; did he not then contradict himself? and could he find such an example among all the Ministers of Christ? Friends, there is none; for all his Ministers obeyed his commands for their maintenance; freely ye have received, freely give; and into whatsoever house ye enter, and they receive you, there abide till you depart; but it is in no place said, go to ask for meat; for they were not to take thought concerning it, but to trust their Master Christ, which thing when it was asked of J. W. if he could not do it, he most impudently breaks out, and asked John Perrot, If he would have him to hold up his mouth, and look for God to drop bread from heaven into it; one of the vainest expressions that ever I heard come out of a man's mouth, professing a separation from the world, as he doth; and being charged with his feasting, which he was particularly exercised in that day, he affirmed, that half of the Creation needed not have been, if men might not eat more than would satisfy nature; would not this man be wiser than God? or would he not make God the Author of gluttony and excess, and make this a cloak for it; or doth he not measure the wisdom of God by his own lust? which because he hath allowed him out of the common treasury, near 200 l. per annum, cannot be satisfied without the spending of it all, of which he might be ashamed to boast; is he not an evil example to you in this beastly practice? and yet he would cloak it with the Saints love-feasts, which were never made for the rich; I know you that are simple and honest in any measure, cannot own his practice in that thing, nor his vanity in his pictures, which is all odious in the sight of God, and stinks in his nostrils; and what think you of his bowling and kettle-pin playing, which he that day pleaced for; was that according to the Scriptures? Friends, seriously consider of all these things, and then see whether J. W. his first sending, or his last were according to that of … s, and judge what cause this man had to boast of that day's work, wherein he thinks he did sufficiently prove his call to the Ministry.  
More of his Letter; I sorrow to see your zeal (if so it be) so blind: This expression is plainly in hypocrisy, for his joy and sorrow stands in one nature; he calls it my zeal, in writing the Letter and Queries, and he says it is blind, and yet he questions whether it be my zeal or no; is not this confusion? but why should this be cause of sorrow to him or any Minister of the Gospel to meet with such a Letter and Queries; verily I am not ashamed that any honest heart should see them, yet this man is sorry: when my zeal was hot and furious in acting sin, and running into vanity, than he was not at all sorry, or he never expressed it to me, but rather was joyful, as I could perceive, because he was one with me therein, witness the time we spent together in bowling and kettle-pin playing, and in needless discourse, wherein our fellowship then stood; and my zeal was great, yet he never then told me it was blind, or that he sorrowed for it: But now I being by the power of God redeemed from those vain practices, and brought to stand as a witness against them, and am now entering into another state and condition, and seeking a better Kingdom and its righteousness; now he is sorry and herein he is not unlike all the rest of his brethren, that are of that profession; for take a man that will run with them all the week long to feasting, and sporting, and playing, which he calls recreation of the body for its health; and let him be never so zealous herein, and be never so much exercised in vain and idle discourse, so it be witty and pleasant, as all sin is, and yet go to hear them preach one or two days in the week, and confess all is true that they say, and own them to be sent of God, and so honour them, and cry them up for good men; these men may live securely without any reproof from them inparticular, so long as their mouths be filled, they crypeace, and such a one shall be daubed with untempered mortar, & his state is counted good enough, though he die to morrow, he shall be saved by Christ; & so the poor soul is deceived, & dies in his sins. But if this person comes ever to be sensible of its sad state that it is in by reason of sin which daily oppresses the soul, and carries it captive; and by the light of Christ comes to have his eyes opened, whereby he sees that he hath been deceived, by such who have cried peace to him, when he was daily overcome with sin; and now comes to see that there is no peace to the wicked, and so gins to make enquiry after a way to get out of that State, and to be redeemed from it, and to take heed to the Light, which all along checked him in his former vanity, and to love it, and follow it, which leads from sin unto righteousness, and works a change, and brings him to be a witness against his sins, and against all his former life which he lived in under the teachings of such blind guides, this man is called by them an Apostate, they are sorry to see this man's zeal now for God, and they call i● blind, and say he is deceived and deluded.  
Then in the latter end of his Letter he calls himself, A servant of the Lords, and his people in the Gospel: How far God hath owned his service, let the fruits of his ministry these many years last passed in this Town of Youghall testify, and in this long service let him produce and manifest what fruits hath been brought forth to God, and how many hath been brought into the Vineyard of God, where no unfruitful tree must be, without being out down; & whatservice he hath done for his people; and who J. W. calls the Lords people would be enquired after; sure, there's not many in the town of Youghall, among whom he hath been so long preaching, will own him to be their Servant, seeing he refuses to do what service they desire from him; yet no doubt but they help pay him his wages, & if we should make a strict enquiry among his own people and Church, we shall find that though he calls himself their servant, yet most of them call him Master, so that upon a true search, this will prove but words, and little less than a bare compliment.  
Friends and people, At the times of ignorance God winked, but now he commandeth all men every where to repent; Be not deceived, God will not be mocked. Not every one that cries Lord Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doth the will of my Father, saith Christ: In the fear God, examine yourselves, whose will you are doing daily; if you will do the will of God, you must deny your own wills in all things, and they that are doing evil and committing sin, are not doing the will of God: 'tis not a talk of Repentance, and forsaking sin will stand you in stead, or give you true peace, but a forsaking of it indeed and in truth, and a putting off the old man with his deeds, and a orucifying of the flesh with the affections and Lusts must be witnessed, before you can say you are Christ's, and witness him in you, righteousness, and sanctification and redemption; 'tis not a giving up your names to be written in J. W. his book, or any other paper that will administer true comfort to you, but you must come to know your names written in the Lamb's book of life, where nothing that desiles can come; pure Religion stands not in a separation that is sensual, and in a show only, but in being unspotted with the world; I judge none of you; Search yourselves with the Light that comes from Jesus, which is nigh you, and it will truly show you your own states and conditions, and when you see yourselves, believe none that will daub you, and tell you a story contrary to what you see with your eye, which is the Light of the body: Friends, This Light will show you all that ever you did, and makes manifest all things that have been, and are done in secret, and judges all that is evil, and justifies none, but such who to it are obedient: this is God's faithful witness in your Consciences, which doth either accuse or excuse; if it accuse, believe not any that would excuse; if it excuse, none can condemn; if any one sin, it accuses, and brings trouble upon the evil doer, unto whom there is no peace; Therefore do not live securely; but try yourselves, and what the light of Christ in you shows you to be evil, abstain from it even in its appearance: Love the light, and bring all your deeds to it, that they may be made manifest where they are wrought; follow the light of the world wherewith you are enlightened, that you may come to have the light of life which gives victory over death, and brings out of its snare, and from under its dominion; sin is death's kingdom, and all who are in sin, and by it carried captive are in its snare, and out of the kingdom of God, into which nothing that defiles can enter: Friends, look out no longer for a teacher, for the teachers that are without cause you to err; but the word is nigh you, in your hearts and mouths, turn in to hear it speak, and it will show you the way you should walk in; there is a measure of the gift of God committed to you all in particular, and the grace of God hath largely appeared to some of you; it teaches all that loves it to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live righteously, ana soberly in this present evil world, this will bring you to the Repentance not to be repent of, this is that which washeth and sprinkleth and purgeth the conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Every sin is a dead work, he that serves sin is free from Righteousness, he that doth sin is of the devil: Friends, Beware I writ nothing, but what that of God in your consciences bears witness to, that's the light; if you love your own souls, love the light that is in you, that checks you for sin, and follow it; it leads from sin unto Christ the Saviour who saves from sin, Who is in you, except ye be Reprobates: it leads out of the world all that follow it, into the kingdom of heaven, which is within you, if you believe in the light who lighteth every one that cometh into the World, you will come to the faith which purifies, and to the hope which purifies, Christ in you the hope of glory; this hope will not fail you, when all other hopes shall perish. So prize your time, and neglect not this day of Gods visiting you, but come to the light, and try all your thoughts, words, and ways by it; and all spirits this will discover, all seducers and deceivers, and the false prophets show you; and it will bring you, if you it follow, to the true prophet, which whosoever will not hear, shall be cut off.  
And all you who are burdened with sin, and feels the weight of it, and are weary, and would be eased, and are hungering and thirsting after satisfaction and rest, and true peace, of which you were never yet made partakers, neither could you meet with, or obtain in all your profession; I say unto you from the Lord, cease from looking out for help, and running from one hill to another to find out the way of the Lord, for your help is nigh unto you, and he is not afar off; and till you come to turn in your minds, and to take heed unto that which works the desire in you, you shall never come to be satisfied; for the desire is not in yourselves, or in any thing you can do, but is wrought by God, and nothing but something from God must satisfy; and what may be known of him is manifest in you, and the desire is within, and the content also is to be found there; for this is the cause that you y … lie down in sorrow, because you seek to that which is without for help, and art going to Egypt for aid, and forget him who is near at hand, and so the true desires many times are lost, and you rest satisfied for a season, till the witness in you arises again, and shows you your state, than you are more unsatisfied than before; and your Teachers to whom you seek, endeavours to heal this wound also, and will bid you believe in Christ, and lay hold upon him [good words] but yet you are ignorant of him to be in you, and of his life and power you are not partakers, who washes, and sanctifies, and purifies, and makes clean. Therefore friends mind the light which is of God, which shows your sinful state and sad condition; and follow is, that by it you may be led out of that state, and come to witness a new state and a new birth, which is of God, which sins not, and to find, and enjoy, and possess the true peace, which passeth understanding, which they who are in the world knows not, nor doth not enjoy.  
〈◊〉 all you who are running into sin with delight, and are drinking iniquity like water, and have forgotten God, who is not in all your thoughts, and have set your faces against instruction & reproof, and shuts your eyes, and stops your ears, lest you should see with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and be converted, but are living in your sins, and in them are secure, and cannot endure to hear of a 〈◊〉 of holiness, and righteousness, and purity, but are opposers of it, and persecuters of 〈◊〉 who witness it: I say from the Lord, God's hand is over you, and his arm is stretched out against you, and an utter desolation he will make of you except you repent speedily, and turn from the evil of your ways, and seek the Lord by unfeigned repentance; for the time of his striving with you is well nigh passed, and the day is coming upon you that sorrow shall take hold vyon you, and trouble shall come upon you as an armed man, and you shall seek for help, and shall not find it, because you have been 〈◊〉, and rebellious, and stiffnecked against the Lord, and would not hearken when by his light which is in you he called, but from day to day resisted his spirit, and quenched it in you when it did arise in your consciences to condemn you for sin, and have slain his witness in you, and are making merry over it; behold, it shall arise as an evidence against you in the day of Gods pleading with you, and you shall not be able to stand: Therefore take warning in time before the evil day comes upon you, lest your days be shortened, and you die in your sins, and you become a cursed example to all the workers of iniquity.  
All people, let the love and long-sufferings of the Lord God move you and lead you to repentance.  
James Sicklemore.   
The End.