A Sad and mournful LAMENTATION FOR The People of these Nations, but especially for the Priests, and Leaders of them; and the more because of that which is coming to pass.  

And let all people red it,( and let it have entrance into their hearts) in the fear of God; For it is of much concernment, both for Priests, Rulers, and all people, it being the deep Meditations of my mind, and the true openings with the light, and Revelation of God in my heart, sundry times when my spirit hath had secret conference with the Lord, at such times as I have been absent from Men, or in the night season; In a true mournful state of pitty, towards the souls of all Man-kind, for the eternal good whereof this is written.  
In Winchester Prison, and House of Correction, being a cloase Prisoner, in a filthy boale, the 16th. day of the 11th. month, 58. By me that have him to be my life, who is a Man of sorrows; that of Men am called humphrey Smith.   
MAny dayes and nights, and times, and seasons, for many weekes, and Moneths, of late yeares have many deep, and serious considerations been in me, and many Meditations in my mind, and heart, in the true fear of the living God, and often times in quietness( waiting on the Lord God of Abraham) hath my spirit had secret, and private, yet plain conference with the Lord, concerning the Teachers, and Leaders of the People, even the hireling Priests of England,( and other Nations) and the followers of them. And when I have weighed all in an equal balance, I have found that it hath been in pure love to the souls of all mankind, and without prejudice or envy to them, their bodies or Persons, as they are the Creatures of God; And the eternal witness of God, in his Covenant of life, hath and doth and will, justify me herein for ever.  
And when I have looked back upon them Teachers, and see what a stir, and a noise is made among them, about God and Christ, and faith in his blood, and redemption and justification by him, and all proceeding from that nature in them, which is at enmity with God; And when I have seen how many thousand thousands, and hundreds of times ten thousands following of them, and contending, fighting, stoncing, whipping, and imprisoning for them, and are guided or rather blinded by them; and when I have seen what care is taken for them, and to uphold them, by the great Rulers of the Nations, even Protector council Parliaments, and Justices,( besides many thousands of brutish people, that are stoning and fighting for them) that they might be upheld, and maintained, yea, even in excess and fullness, from the peoples hard labours; and when I have seen how many hundred thousand pounds every year, they have received from the people; and when I have seen that notwithhanding all this, the people are still in transgression; and so under the wrath of God, and yet know not how to come out of their sin, which separateth from God, but that many thousands dyed in their sins, and many more are pleading for sin, and many end their dayes in a bed of torment gasping, struggling, groveling, and raiging in unquietness, under the horrible terrors, of the unutterable fierce indignation, of the wrath of the Almighty, and so go down into the pit for ever as many have done, not knowing a resting place, in the peaceable stillnesse of Gods covenant of life, and peace.  
Oh when I say I have beholded, and deeply considered these things, and many more which might be name, and seriously pondered them in my heart, from a true sense of Gods pitty, to the precious souls of all mankind; and from a true understanding of the terrible woes, wrath, horror, and perplexity of spirit, that then comes upon such who thus die in their sins, not reconciled to God. Even then hath my heart been broken within me, and mine eyes as fountains of tears, and a sad lamentation, night and day hath come upon me; and a true mourning for the slain of the people, who thus are cut off from God; and separated from the Land of the living. O woe is me because of these things, my soul hath been oppressed, and my spirit grieved; and to the Lord alone hath a grievous cry ascended up, and I have said, oh that I could mourn, and weep, yet more in secret because of these things.  
And when I have looked upon the priests, and Leaders of the people; and seen plainly, and truly from the Lord God, that they alone, and that spirit of error, and ignorance in them, hath been, and is the very cause, of all this disorder, and soul perishing state, that is in and upon the sons of men, and their continuance therein; then hath my spirit said within me, the soul that sinneth it must die, but the Lord will require their blood at the hands of those that have caused them to err: and the Lord hath said unto me concerning these Priests and Teachers, my hand is against them.  
And when I have looked farther back, and considered them, who were made Ministers by a known law of God that they were declared against by the spirit of prophesy, and that they were such cords that could not understand, being greedy, and could never have enough, Esay. 56.10, 11. And that they were brutish Pastors, Jer. 10.21. And as Murtherers, and troops of Robbers; and that the Lord had cursed their blessings; and made them base, and contemptible in the eyes of all people Mal. 2. Then said I, Ah what state then are these men in, who are not made Ministers by a law of God, neither yet sent forth by Christ, Mat. 10. But are out of his Doctrine, Mat. 13. And so Enemies unto him, being known by their fruits, Mat. 7.15.16. And are made Ministers by the will of men, and upheld by carnal corrupt laws, and the imprisoning of hundreds that are come out from them; that we may not partake in the plagues with them, who are seen to be of Babill, Rev. 18.4. In whom is found the souls of men, and the blood of all the Saints, from Abell unto this day; and they have been upheld by the devouring of widows houses, the robbing of the fatherless, the spoiling of the goods of hundreds, the imprisoning of many until death, the rifeling, and robbing of whole houses, as may be witnessed in the county of Kent( by a paper titled a horrible thing; and the Record of sufferings for tithe) and many other parts in the Nation. And when I have beholded these things I have said in my hears, those Ministers,( or rather Deceivers) are far short, and much worse then them in the Prophets dayes, who were made Ministers by a law of God, though they became as robbers, and murtherers.  
And then have I also lamented the hard hearted blindness of many Rulers, in these dayes who have been worse in their persecuting of those, who from the spirit of God, do declare against these ministers made by the wills of men, then the Rulers in the dayes of the Prophets, who did not so persecute them, that declare against those who were made Ministers by a Law of God; and surely I have said, did not these Priests bewitch the Rulers, that they cannot obey the truth gull. 3. And so cause them to obey them; or be as it were Slaves or Pack-horses to them; even making their boast in print; that they are still spurring on the Magistrate, as Richard Baxter Priest of Kidderminster hath written but I say were not the Magistrates blinded by them; and therefore uphold them by their corrupt laws, even giving them triple damages they would soon fall, and come to nought; for they are already fallen under the Magistrates, and come creeping to them in the Serpents wisdom, upon their bellies which is their God, for more dust, or earthly treasure, money, goods and earthly things; but the Bishops and the Priests in their dayes, were exalted above the Magistrates; and the Priests have yet that spirit of pride, from which they writ, as if they rid upon the Magistrates, and spurred them like Horses, and this hath been so, but it may be otherwise, and I have seen how the beast, and the whore, and the false Prophet upholds one another: and ride one upon another, and the priests spurring up the Magistrates( it's their own words) and all making war with them that are sanctified, rising up against them that are anointed, who need none to teach, and compassing about them whom God hath loved, who are of the city where the Lamb is the light, and need not the light of the Son, not the Moon.  
And when I have thus pondered the state and condition, both of Priests, Rulers, and people, and compared them and their state, with the Priests, Rulers, and people in the dayes of the Prophets, and seeing the condition of these to be much worse, and many things more that might be name, and that the latter end of many is like to be miserable; And that the name of God is blaspheamed by such, who say they are Christians, and are not, like them, Rev. 2.9. And that they are in the blasphemy, though rich Men, who do oppress the poor in spirit, and cause them to be drawn before the Judgement Seats, James 2.6, 7. Even then hath the consideration of these things, often times brought a deep mourning upon me; And sorrow hath filled my heart: But when on the other hand, I have seen the work of the Lord secretly going on, in a hidden manner, opening the eyes, and understanding of many Rulers in the Nation; And that many who are, and have been in Authority amongst Men, and in the Army( have already and) are believing in him who said I am the light, and is the Lord of glory, though as a Lamb dumb, and a Man of sorrows, not pleading his own cause, nor having whereon to lay his head, but sick, and in Prison; And that many devout, and honourable Women, as in Acts 17.12. are also, coming, and come to the faith, which purifies the heart, and respects no Mans Person, without which faith in the heart walked by it, impossible to please God.  
And when the eye of my mind, hath been fixed upon that object, then hath my soul magnified the Lord therein, and my spirit hath rejoiced because of him that bringeth, and is bringing salvation, And because of righteousness, peace, and true judgement, that the Lord is setting up over all, in the hearts of many Rulers, and devout and honourable among the people, that in righteousness through humility they may come to be renowned with honour for ever.  
These things on that hand,( and much which is coming to pass, for an everlasting good among the people, and is revealed in the light, and foreknowledge of God) hath given some ease to my wounded, and troubled spirit, and the refreshings of my Fathers love, hath bound me up in the Covenant of life, with the tender seed, in those whom the Lord is drawing by his love, through humility to the durable honour, and riches which will never fade: Surely herein hath my soul been made as a warred Garden, with the influences of my Fathers love, so that living praises over all hath ascended up to him, whose name is blessed for ever more, because he worketh, and none can let him.  
But when I have looked back again upon the Priest, and the many hundred thousand souls, that are kept in the witchcraft( Gal. 3.) rebellion,( Job. 24.23.) gainsaying, blindness, and ignorance, and the daily murdering of the souls of so many, then because of the shepherds, who destroy the flock, there hath been in me a lamentation, and a cry. Oh the Priests, the Priests, surely vengeance is prepared of God for them, wrath, indignation, cursing,( Mal. 2 Pet. 2.14.) bitterness, torment, perplexety, astonement of heart, endless misery, and shane amongst men, from the wrathful vengeance, of the wrathful terrors of God, will come upon them in a day unaware; and their houses shall be left unto them desolate; and they shall become a bye-word among the people, as I have already written, from the dreadful indignation of the Lord, God of H●sts; in a book titled an Alarum, even so shall it come to pass upon them, behold it is hastening, the Lord God of hosts hath spoken it, and his word shall not fail, neither shall his decree be changed.  
And when these things have come upon me, even as a flood of mighty Waters then have I said in the grief of my heart, alas for the Priests: the Priests, even the Leaders of the people, where will they hid themselves, in this day of fierce wrath, and fiery indignation, from the jealous God of Majesty, that is near at hand: Oh how will shane cover their faces, and how will their countenances fall like cain, and how will they curse like Shimei, even their God( and their King) who is the God of the World( and their belly is their God) and how will they seek repentance with tears like Esau, who might have said he was of Abraham; And how will they repent too late like Judas, who had obtained part of the ministry, Acts 1.17. And yet denied him that was the light, and betrayed him who comes to make an end of sin, and was a devil, and hanged himself; and yet had obtained part of the Ministry, alas for the Priests of England, are not they worse then Judas, did not he bring again, and restore the silver, which he had taken; And can the Priests of England do so, nay they have wasted it upon the lust, and pride, even abundance, so that if they themselves, and all that they have left, with their Wives, and children should be sold at the utmost value( though I not desire it should be so) yet thereby could they not restore, the tenth part, not one part in a hundred, of the silver which they have taken; nor bring again the money as Judas did, which they have gained.  
Therefore have I said, surely a sad Day will come upon them, when they become a by word, and a hissing to all people, and are turned out of their Parsonages, glebe Lands, Tithes, triple damages, and old mass houses, as their Fathers the Bishops, and deans, and Quiresters, and Singing Men, and Boyes, were turned out of their Pomp, and pride, vain-glory, covetousness, exaction, and tyranny, and out of their bishoprics, Dena●ys, and the like; And when also that Gods witness shall arise in them, to confounded them within, and the light of Christ condemn them for their deceit, and hypocrisy, tyranny, pride, idleness, fullness of bread, extortion, and all manner of wickedness; Oh the Priests, the Priests have said, what a day will this be unto them, surely then as I said, and say again that the shepherds shall howl, and a bitter Lamentation of the Priests, shall be heard in all the Land, yea the noise of their bitter cry, foundeth already in my heart; and behold I have seen their wee which is near at hand, their Wives also shall be left as widows, and their Children as fatherless, and from the pitiful benevolence of the people must they be kept from perishing, in their bodies; But alas for their souls, who shall deliver them: And herein moreover is their state, and condition the more miserable, because they will not regard this, neither would they at all be warned by them whom the Lord hath sent amongst them, and because they will not see, when the hand of the Lord is lifted up, neither regard the word of his power; Therefore for their envy to the Lords people shall they be ashamed, Isaiah. 26.11. that upon them it may be fulfilled which is written, Behold I work a work in your dayes ye despisers which you shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you, Acts 13.41.  
Therefore have I considered, in the very depth of my secret meditations what shall be said or done, in these things, when the Priests have violated the law, and made void that which is perfect, and the leaders of the people rebel against the light job. 24.31. and harden their hearts against reproof, and will not he warned, that they might escape the dreadful day at hand; therefore have I said, ah surely the Lord will roote them up, head and tail, branch and roote in one day: ah fruitless trees said I, have not you yourselves yet brought forth the first fruits of the spirit which is love, and are not ye yourselves yet come to that which fulfils the law of God, to wit love, and are not all without it as sounding brass, having the Tongues, and the like, making a noise among the people, like sounding brass, and pleasing their fancies as tinkling Cimballs, 1 Cor. 13. and have you been all this while sowing to the flesh: and are you the men who deny him that makes an end of sin, and his blood which cleanseth from all sin, and the faith which purifieth the heart, and are you the men who deny the true light, of him who said I am the light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, are you yet the men that deny the Son of God, and will ye not that he should reign, that is of the seed of Abraham, who wandered up and down, and is it you that are saying one to another, and to the Rulers of the Earth, concerning him that is the light, this is the heir come let us kill him, and would you not that he should rule who condemns sin, and saveth his people from their sins, and maketh an end of sin.  
Surely have I said even therefore will the Lord reward you, according to the fruit of your own ways; and as you have denied him, so must you be condemned by him that is the light, Joh. 3.19. And as you have been, and yet are( with Pilat and others) of Babill in the many languages and tongues upon which the whore sits, and as you have been and yet are of the Nations, which are drunk with the wine of the fornication of the Whore, the great Whore mystery Babylon that sits upon many waters, and have corrupted the earth, and as you have been drunk with the blood of the Saints, and made rich by the robbing, and spoiling of the houses and goods of many( even as troops of robbers Hosea. 6.9. Forty in one troope lately at Dorchester seeding their belly, their God) and as you have devoured widows houses, and been drunk with the wine of the fornication of the whore, and the blood of the Saints: even so shall you have blood to drink, and even so must you drink the Cup of astonishment, and fierce indignation of the Lord God Almighty, and he will plague you false Prophets, with the whore together, and the beast and you must be taken alive, and cast into the lake of fire, which burneth for ever, and ever.  
And when I have waited to see the end of these things, and pondered this in my heart, in the uprightness of innocency and pure simplicity of God; then hath it been said in me, where then will be the memorial of this Priesthood, of these Nations, who came up since the Apostles dayes, and were descended from the Bishops, that were commissionated by the Pope and established by the Sea of Rome; and what a howling, and a bitter lamentation, will come upon many in that day, when mystery Babylon the Mother of all these painted Harlots, comes to be overturned for ever, how then will the great men, and the rich men, and the mighty ones of the earth, mourn and lament, because of the desolation of the Whore: with whom they have all along committed fornication, and to see these her children( the painted Harlots the Priests of England who are covered with the Saints words) even dashed to pieces with the light, which is the ston that is falling upon them to grind them to powder; Alas alas say they how many were made rich; and how many of our Children were like to be made rich by being bread up under the skires of this woman, who hath a golden Cup in her hand, holding it forth to all that will come to her, and how many young men began to love her, Pro. 7. Alas say they, were not many of our Children looking at the golden cup, and growing up under her wing, at Oxford, and Cambridge, and in divers other schools and Nurseries where the Languages and Tongues are, even multitudes upon which the whore sits Rev. 18.1. and 15. Who hath the golden Cup at which the Kings, and and the great ones of the earth have drunk abundantly, and must this woman be laid desolate, and must her Children be dashed to pieces against the ston( the light) Therefore is the cry great, and the lamentation will be grievous when the iniquity is come to the full, the sin ripe unto judgement, the beast fully fatted for the day of slaughter; and that come to pass which I have seen, which is hastening suddenly, though few can receive these things( unexpected by many) revealed in me, and the more are they, and many other people hardened, and blinded herein, because the Priests are so high, so great, and so strong, and upheld by the strength of such lave, even exceeding, and doubling in their power, and authority, the laws that were made for the upholding of their predecessors, the Jesuits and Popish Priests, in the dayes of Queen Mary, whose Law was but three months imprisonment, and now it is six, and then the law was but for the Tithes, land now it is three times as much, and so they are more higher exalted then ever, and our task is doubled, and treble upon us; and besides they cry out we are idle, and wander up and down.  
But let me reason a little, was it not suddenly after their bondage in Egypt was doubled, that the Lord overturned the mighty strength of the oppressors for ever, and was not the cry of the oppressed great because the task was doubled upon them who were in bondage before, and were we not before in bondage under Bishops, and Priests, and Kings, and Tithe, and is it now double, and treble, and is the little finger of the Priests become heavier th●n the Bishops loins, and will not God visit for these things, and doth not this show that the day of overturning is at hand. But say people how can these things be, they seeming to be established more then ever; yet I reason again with such, who would before hand have believed, that the Bishops who were for greater then they should have come tumbling down so soon, with perpetual shane and reproach; and their Common-Prayer books taken away, with the Priests Idolatrous surplices, and many such things. And have the Lord began with them the head, and will he not go on to finish his work, in confounding, and utter overturning the tail and dregs of them which are yet left behind, and are like unto unnatural children denying their parents the Bishops, and the Pope; and yet creep into their Masse-houses, and live upon the same maintenance, which their parents provided for them, and yet call the Pope Antichrist,( and he is so) their great father who set up the Bishops that established them in their Tithe, personages, and old Masse-houses, and so the Pope being an Antichrist, and they come from the Bishops set up by the Pope, then it follows that they are the dregs of Antichrist, and if their own words, writings, way, maintenance and practices be but as it is, and doth appear, then herein I do them no wrong, and these things have I also thus considered; and leave to the consideration of such, who are not willing to remain in blindness, that seeing the Bishops are overturned, though they were above the Magistrates, the Priests may also soon be turned down by the Magistrates, seeing they are fallen under the Magistrates already; and they set them up, and put them in, and turn them out at their pleasure, and may soon turn them down when they are weary of being spurred by them.  
And as I have considered these things in the meditations of my mind, so have I also considered, the words and ways of these Priests of England, Ireland, Scotland, and other Nations, and what ado and a stir they have kept, against those Priests that caused Christ to be crucified; And how he suffered by them; and when I have weighed and considered the Actions of them Priests that did so, and the words and actions of these Priests, against them Priests, and the ways of the one and the other, I have then found, that these in many things are worse then them, though they were very bad; and so both to be denied, as I have considered according to scripture thus.  
The Priests, the Readers of the Law, which discovers sin but makes nothing perfect, and the Scribes and pharisees had the scriptures, and a large zealous profession thereby, but when Christ the living Minister came, who was the thing or the substance of which the scripture declared from which they had the profession, he being come they knew him not, and therefore for a time the Scribes, pharisees, and Priests, disputed, reasoned, and contended with him, and sought to entangle him in his words, and did seek occasion against him, that they might deliver him to the Rulers, and he disputed among the Doctors, but when much people believed on him, they cried out, The whole World is gon after him, joh. 12.19. Mat. 22.15. but when he who is the power of God, had raised Lazarus from the dead, and out of the grave, then the chiefest of the Priests and pharisees held a counsel against him, then they began to stir, and the beast began to rage, and they said, This man doth many miracles, and if we let him alone all men will believe on him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and Nation, joh. 11.47.48. And so saith the Priests now, if we let him alone, who is the light, all men will believe on him, and we shall lose both our place, and Nation, for who will fight for us say they, if all men come to believe in the light, which lets men see that wars, and fighting comes from the lust, which lust wars against the soul James 4. But one of their own generation even a chief Priest,  told the rest they knew nothing at all, Joh. 11.49.( The Priests who deny the light know nothing at all) and so these chief Priests, and Pharisees, who knew nothing at all sought the life of the lamb, and to take him, verse 57. And the chief Priests also consulted to put Lazarus to death also Joh. 12.10. And so the Priests now seek to kill that which Christ the light, the power of God hath raised from death, out of the grave, for now the very thing itself is come to life out of death, and this torments them exceedingly, even more then all the words, forms, disputing, and professions whatsoever that was before it.  
And it was at the Passeover the worship and feast of the Jews that the Priests sought to kill him that had raised the dead. And when Jezabel whose blood the Doggs must lick, at whose table the false Prophets, feed, when she intended to murder the just and take away the life of the innocent, and give his possession to another, she made a feast, and that which feasteth the one thing murders the other; and at the Jews feast the one or the other was to be released; and at the time that they keep the Passeover who are the Jews outwardly, then he suffers who is the end of the Law, and the Prophets; and so at the feast of their Passeover the chief Priests sought to kill him that is as a lamb dumb, and Satan entred in Judas, and after that, then Iudas went out from Christ the light; and when he went out it was night, and then was the Son of man to be glorified; but Iudas who went out from him that is the light, went to the chief Priests, and Captaines; and they were glad when Iudas was come among them, who was a devil, and the chief Priests made a Covenant with him that was a devil, and gave him money to betray him who is the light; And he that took the money, had obtained part of the ministry, and he was a devil, and now such Ministers that take both the money, body, and goods, are worse then Judas, whom the Priests say was a Bishop,( or a chief Priest) because itis written his bishopric let another take, Acts 1.20. And suddenly after the chief Priests, had made a Covenant with him that was a devil, was the Jews Pass-over, at which time, he that comes to make an end of sin was bet●ayed, and then Judas( who departed from him that is the light, and was become a devil) betrayed the Son of God, and had him lead away to Caiphas the high Priest, and the chief Priests and Elders, and all the council sought false witness to put him to death, Mat. 26.59. and the chief Priest rent his clothes, and accused him of blasphemy, in whom there is no sin, and they all said he is worthy of death, who said God was his Father; And when the chief Priest had caused him to be brought before Pilat, and vemently accused him of many things, yet Pilat would have released him, and when the chief Priests and Elders saw that, and that one should be released at the feast, and that it might not be the man of sorrows, that is not of the world, but the murderer and thief, that had stolen, therefore the Priests and Rulers then persuaded the multitude, that they should ask Barrabas the thief the murderer, and destroy Jesus the Image of God, that comes to condemn for sin, Mat. 27.20. and so to this day at the time of the feast, the thief and that which murders is at liberty, and that is destroyed which comes to save from sin.  
But the governor said, why what evil hath he done, and Pilat washed his hands, and confessed him to be a Just Person, but the chief Priests and Scribes stood and vehemently accused him, Luk 23.10. but Pilat said the third time, why what evil hath he done, I have found no cause of death in him, and yet the Priests even forced Pilat, to do that which was unjust, and do not the priests now even force the Magistrates, to persecute those that they find nothing in worthy of death or of bonds, and so the Priests having provoked, and instigated the people thereunto, they cried away with him,( that is the light) and crucify him( that makes an end of sin) and the chief priests also gave their voice with them, against him, and so the voices of them, and of the chief priests prevailed to have him slain, murdered, and crucified, who is the power of God that had raised the dead, in whom Pilate could find no fault, neither yet Herod, and when he was crucified who is the light, that condemns for sin, then the chief priests, and the professors kept their feast, and their passover with the showbread, or unleavened bread, which the carnal eye might see, and the murdering priests feed upon, and then they may talk of their ordinances, having slain him that is given for a witness, Esa 55.4. and so such as slays the witness within are talking of the ordinances without, and they cried away with him( that is the bread of life) and they crucified him( at whose presence the devils were tormented) and in the time of their feast, and passover( who had the Oracles of God) the witness of God lay slain, this may be red within, and upon their sabbath day even the day of their worship( who worship in the high places) that which came to save from sin lay in the grave, and they were reading that which discovered sin, but make nothing perfect, and him in whom there is no sin, was in the Earth, in the time of their worship, and he that was the light in the Earth was perfect, but that which they red in the high place, made nothing perfect, and the place of holy worship is to be laid desolate, and where Christ( the witness) is not risen the sin is not taken away, and there the faith is vain, he that can receive it let him.  
But after the feast, he that is given for a witness arose again, and so before the feast of the Passeover of the Jews, and Professors, they murdered the witness; and for a time while the witness lay slain, they kept the Passeover with outward bread, in an outward Temple, offering the outward sacrifices, but after the feast was over, and their outward worship for a time ended; then he that is given for a witness unto the people arose again, and so that which leads to feasting, murders the witness of God; yet when the feasting is over, and the outward profession and worship ended for a time; then he that is the witness ariseth; even the light of Christ in the conscience and condemns for sin, and then the Priests and Professors were, and are worse then before; and when some of the watch came, and declared that he was risen, who is given for a witness( mark they that are upon the watch, are the first that know the rising of the witness) then the chief Priests who had mocked him, Mark. 15.31.( the chief Priests were mockers) assembled with the Elders and took council again, for then they were more tormented then before, and that which they feared came upon them, for they said this would be worse then that before, therefore they said of him, this Deceiver said, after three dayes I will rise again, therefore said they let a watch be set; least his Disciples steal him away, and say he is risen, and so the last error be worse then the first, and so the Priests called the resurrection of Christ error, and Christ the light a Deceiver, and these Priests now saith the light deceiveth, or is natural and not sufficient. But Christ the witness being risen again, the chief Priests gave large money to the Souldiers, to tell lies of him and his Disciples, and caused them to deny the rising of the witness, as the Priests do now, for the witness is in man 1 Joh. 5.10. And said the Priests if this come to the Governours care, we will persuade him and secure you, Mark. 27.62, 63, 64. Mark. 28.11, 12, 13. And so the chief Priests gave some money to have him betrayed and crucified; but they gave large money to have the rising of the witness, the Resurrection and the life denied, after he was betrayed, and crucified, and so them Priests gave their money to have him betrayed, by him that is a devil, and gave large money to the Souldiers, to deny the resurrection of him, and to tell lies, and the devil is a liar from the beginning, and the Father of it. Oh horrible abomination and cruelty that ever the Priests, the Leaders of the people should do such things as these, and to be found themselves the worst of men, or rather as Beasts: as it is written, I said in my heart concerning the state of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts, Eccle. 3.18.  
And these things may be a warning both to all Governours, Officers, Souldiers, and People, that they may never more be deceived by, nor join to have a hand with, the subtle; treacherous, deceitful Priests,( against the Innocent) who by their subtlety did and do overcome both Governouts, Judges, Rulers, Souldiers and People, and so crucified the Lord of glory, and maketh it their business ever since to keep people from believing in him who said, I am the light, believe in the light, joh. 8.12. joh. 12.35.36. and 46.  
But mark and consider, were those Priests wicked herein, and were they murtherers and abominable, then have I considered how much more worse, and how far more abominable are these Priests of England, and other Nations thereabouts, who do seldom give people large money to tell lies after they have taught them so to do,( unless it be, when they hire them to tell lies, and swear too, in bearing false witness for them against the Innocent) but they commonly force people to give large money to them for teaching them to tell lies, and to deny and murder the witness in themselves, which witness comes to be received by believing in the light, joh. 12.36. joh. 1.11, 12. 1 joh. 5.10. and seeing these Priests do now get large money or take it by force, for telling the people many large repetitions in their pulpits, one year after another, how Christ was caused to be crucified, and murdered by the other Priests, who gave money to have it done; and the people knows that already. And when I have considered how many hundred thousand pounds a year, these Priests do receive, and take by force, for telling the people how Christ the light, suffered under the other Priests; and how he that condemns sin in the flesh, and saves from sin, was called a deceiver by the other Priests, then have I said surely these Priests are worse then the other, for they gave their money even large money but these take money, and money that is much more large, and take it by force too, even triple damage, or three times triple what they demand, and rob whole houses, and have got the Rulers to uphold them in it( never such robbers) and take Tithe by force from such as hear them not; and the first Priests that I red of in Scripture who would take the Tithe or offe●ings by force, were Sons of belial, and knew not God, 1 Sam. 2.12. and 16. And they said if you will not give it us we will take it by force, and so they that took the Tithe or Off●rings by force, were Sons of belial, and such Sons of belial now, who know not God, do not onely take the Tithe, and Offerings, but they take even three times, or sixteen times as much in some places, and sometimes the persons of men besides, and those Priests formerly did give their money, and Simon Magus would have given money for the Holy Ghost, but now these Priests force people to give them money for their meanings of the letter; and when I have seriously considered these things, I have even stood as a man amazed, saying who would, or how could I formerly have believed that those Priests of England, were so far worse then them Priests, that made a Covenant with a devil, and that caused Christ to suffer, or who would have believed, that they were worse then Simon Magus in compelling people to give them much money for their meanings from the letter, whereas he would have given his money freely for the spirit; but the spirit they have not to sell, but if they had, what would they not do for the love of money, which is so rooted in their hea●ts, would they not do as Judas did, who sold him that was his Master, but I do not believe they would bring again the money as Judas did, though he was a devil.  
And who could have believed that these Priests of England were so far worse, then the Sons of Ely, who were Sons of belial, and knew not God; for they would take but the Tithe and Offerings by voice, but these Priests take the Tithe, and Offerings, and much more, and the bodies of men, and women also, and keep them in prison until death, for whom they do no work, and who desires none of their ministry, and if they herein be not worse then the Sons of belial, let all sober minded judge, and consider this thing w●th me, that the first Priests that caused their servants to take the offerings by force know not God, then say I, Alas alas for the Priest of England, are they so much ●… then those that knew not God, how do their shane appear, and who could have believed that those Priests were worse then Iudas, that was a devil, who b●ought the money again that he had received, but when do these Priests, being again the money and goods, which they have received and tak●n away by force( though Iudas did not take his money by force) and how hard are these words to be received by such who have not yet come to see and understand these things, and how unwilling will the Priests themselves be, to believe the truth of this which I have thus weighed, and considered, and pondered in the meditations of my mind, what horrible things from the 〈◇〉 darkness are these, that the Priests should be worse then Iudas, for after he had betrayed the innocent, he confessed he had sinned, and brought back the money, but the Priests said what is that to us; and are not these priests worse then they; for these do not onely cause the be●raying of the innocent, and say what is that to us, but they take money, and f●rce people to give them large money, for betraying that which is innocent in them, by their subtlety, and craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; and when they have betrayed the innocent principle of God in people, by telling them it will deceive them, yet they will not bring the peoples money back as Iudas did, nor so much as confess they have sinned therein, but are Impudent. O hard hearted and unreasonable men, have I said what shall be said unto them, surely they are the worst of men, and it had been good for them, they had never been born. Or had a being upon the earth; did the Prophet mourn over or cry aloud unto them, that spent their money and labour, for that which satisfieth not, oh what shall I then say or writ, or how shall I cry loud enough or mourn enough yet more in secret, or sound a trumpet, to these dead sleepy Priests, who compel people to give them so much money, or spoil their goods, and imprison their bodies till death, for that which is so f●… from satisfying them, that their souls are murdered thereby, and the innocent ●… thing in them betrayed, and the witness denied: oh who can with hold from declar●ing this, and who can but writ it in a book; that they may see the state which they are in, and that people may know them by their fruits, which did never so planely appear as now.  
And when these things came upon me, in the deep meditation of my mind, and conference in my spirit, what a condition was I often in, and how was my soul overcome with sorrow, my spirit with heaviness, and mine eyes with tears, when did the Prophets eversee, such a generation of Priests as these, and what manner of lamentation shall I take up because of these things, surely I will cry aloud unto the Lord in secret, and my soul shall pour forth intercession to my Maker, and with tears as streams of water will I beg at the throne of the most high, for the flamme of the people that are killed all the day long, and in this have I believed that the Lord will hear my cry, and pitty the people that are destroyed for lack of knowledge, that the witness of God in them may arise, and that the prisoner of hope may come to deliverance.  
And in this have I not been hasty as to utter their shane( for I was myself a Preacher in the Pulpits) but in a mournful state oft times many months or yeares, 〈◇〉 I born this burden, neither have I now uttered or written this out of p●… ju●… towards the persons of any men; but in the mournful state, of my long 〈…〉, and grieved spirit, from the true sense of the sad, shameful, and miserable state, th●… is coming upon them, and the eternal woe, and misery that is like to follow after for evermore. The which I desire they may escape by speedy returning from the way that they are in, now it is so plainly made manifest, to be so exceeding evil.  
H. S.  
This being written in true love, and simplicity of heart, for the good of all people, therefore one or two of these may be given, to one or two of them called Church-wardens, or Constables in every Parish in England.   

Printed for M. W. in the year, 1660.