THE COMPANIONS OF GOOD CONSCIENCES: OR AN Appeal of MODERATION, JUSTICE, and EQUITY, OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE and LOVE (Unfolded in the Law of God and Nature) To the Consciences of all, both High and Low, Rich and Poor, of all Societies and Opinions, among all Nations.  
With their Mournful Lamention over the unrighteousnesses of men.  
WHEREIN Men may as in a lookingglass behold themselves, whether they bear the Image of God in their Power, Places, Judgements and Callings; or the image of the Devil: For his servants ye are whom ye obey; whether of righteousness and obedience etc. to salvation: or of injustice, pride, envy and deceit, etc. to damnation.  
Herein the God of Justice hath said, the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it, Every one shall be recompensed according to his deeds done in the flesh, whether good or evil.  
Where then, Lord shall their , the Oppressor, the Proud, the Covetous, the Envious, and all manner of unrighteousness appear? Take it effectually to thy heart.  
London, Printed for Giles Calvert, 1653.   

May it not be said of a Truth, Whosoever despiseth the least of these, and acteth and teacheth men otherwise; 
Note.  it were better that a millstone were hanged about his neck and that he were thrown into the midst of the Sea.  
Wherefore O ye Companions of good Consciences consider, and ye Messengers of glad Tidings, to Men of good will, Go ye into the Country, Cities, Towns, Villages, and Habitations of this Land; appear ye, if possible, in the hearts and hands of the mighty and powerful ones, in the hearts and heads of the Judges, Officers, and Rulers thereof; in the hearts and lives of Superiors and Inferiors, of the rich and poor; appear ye in and among all people, of all sorts, knowledges, and opinions; declare and publish the everlasting Gospel, enfolded in your blessed and upright nature of Righteousness, Peace, and Love, recorded and testified in the sacred Scriptures of our Lord Christ, the Prophets and Apostles; whosoever heareth, and obeyeth, that soul shall live, and his life shall be precious in the sight of the Lord; but whosoever disobeyeth, resisteth, regardeth not the same, or hardeneth his heart, his name shall be rooted out of the land of the living; for the Creation of God doth mourn over every man's unrighteousness, and the earth doth groan being burdened with the disobedient man, whose body is a habitation for foul, noisome, and unclean spirits; therefore verily, verily, it will be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of God's just judgement, then for thee O England, and thy offspring: If thou resist, neglect, despise, or refuse the proffered grace of the most high, once spoken from heaven but now made manifest before thy heart and conscience, the life of Righteousness, Peace and Love. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but not one jota or tittle of thy pure Word, and upright Laws, O LORD GOD everlasting, shall not pass away unfulfilled. Be it O LORD from thy servants and handmaids according to thy Word and Will.  
Saith the Scripture, the Devils believe and tremble; where then LORD, shall that man appear? or in what monstrous shape shall he stand in the presence of everlasting burn, whose life is not herewith reform, or whose conscience is not once moved, or pricked at the Doctrine of thy Righteousness. Let the earth which beareth him, and the air wherein he doth breath, bear witness against him before the seat of thy Judgement.   

To him that hath power among men to plead, and to do right, or to him that is ordained a Ruler and a Judge, for the punishment of Evil Doers, and the praise of them that do Well.  
Behold the words and counsels of the Lord, by the mouth of his Prophet Samuel, 2 Sam. 23.3. &c, The God of Israel said, the God of Israel spoke to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.  
O Man, honoured and in power among the sons of men, raised up out of the dust of the earth, by the power of the Almighty, to be a living Creature, that you might serve your Creator in this your generation, not in hypocrisy but in Righteousness and true Holiness.  
For thy sake (O mortal man) this hand-writing is ordained and published to thy view, if possible to withdraw your mind with the cords of God's unspotted Righteousness, from the Acts of all Injustice, and from the Gild of Innocent blood; or if it takes not places in thy soul, that then in the day of Inquisition, for works of Unrighteousness, and for shedding innocent blood, you may appear before the Pure and Just Majesty of God, Angels, and holy Saints, without excuse. Resist not, resist not the voice of the Spirit of the Most High, which forewarneth all people and Nations of the earth of their duty, before the judgements and wrath intended be executed against them; that they might obey, saying, To day (even in this very moment) if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as many in power have done, who have tempted the Lord of Life and Glory, by Oppression, Partiality, Violence, Cruelty, Bloodshed, etc. on whom the Great and Righteous God hath recompensed, as his enemies, Indignation, Blood and Destruction; and hath given to many of them to taste the bitter cup which they in their unrighteousness have filled for others, whereby many of them are, and remain unto this day a scorn, a contempt, and a derision upon the face of God's earth.  
Wherefore (O man, unclothe thine Immortal soul, from the corrupted Garments of all false Righteousness, and appear in the Righteousness, or Righteousness Life of JESUS CHRIST, in the place of thy Judicature, that the Truth and the Law of the LORD may proceed out of thy mouth, hand in hand (and not the Law of men Lusts, in true and upright Judgement. Disrobe thyself from Envy, Malice, Pride, base Ends, and Covetousness, whereby, in the Seat of Judgement, the good Law of Justice is perverted, and the true, plain, simple dealing and upright meaning therein circumvented, and no further prosecuted, then to serve the base self-Interest and corrupted wills of high and lofty spirited men. Listen then (O man) with a right Christian mind to the secret voice of the sacred Spirit of the most High, and let it enter and pierce through and through thy most inward and hidden secret part, until it hath purified the living spark of thy immortal soul from all injustice and blood thirstiness, 
Note  which the water that washed the hands of Pilate could not do; Remember then that the protection of the innocent from violence and oppression, 
Note.  the distribution and ministration of Justice, to Superiors and Inferiors, aught in the sight of heaven to be executed without respect of persons; Else (O man) remember, thou art an unrighteous Judge in the seat of thy judgement, 
Note.  which thou canst not hid from the through searching, allseeing eye of God; therefore will be that form thee and me, even the preserver of men, whose eyes are over, and above all his works, beholding both the evil and the good, behold such men with the eye of wrath, who in judgement respect the person of the mighty and powerful, 
Note.  thereby doing wrong.  
Verily therefore, that man, whether private person or public Judge, that shall endeavour to subvert a man's right, or shall act to the destroying of a man's life or livelihood, upon the ground of any private Interest, grudge, malice, or discontent; or through fear or affection, shall act in or condescend to any such Act, not being clearly and manifestly according to the Law of Righteousness, published in the everlasting Gospel of truth, such men are declared to be no other than thiefs and murderers, who having not the Law of Equity in the fear of the Lord before their eyes, 
Hear & tremble, ye unjust Judges of the earth, lest in eternity you remain guilty of perishing from the presence of his face.  shutting the counsel and word of Eternal life out of their hearts, have also no Inheritance in the righteous Kingdom of God, nor part nor portion with Christ, the Lord, for no unrighteousness, nor unrighteous person shall enter thereinto, according to the Scripture; against whom the Spirit of the Lord doth signify, that the ways, Acts and Actions of all such unjust men, are an abomination in his sight, and that blood shall be the portion of blood thirsty men, For Vengeance is mine, and I will repay, saith the Lord.  
Wherefore (O Mortal man) if CHRIST be thy LORD, embrace his Righteousness, be not puffed up with an imagination of thine own Wisdom, Prudence, Judgement, 
Note. The Wisdom of men to circumvent and increase a man in life or livelihood, is it with is enmity against God, & against the Love and simplicity of CHRIST.  or Understanding; but know this, that you are in the hands of the most high God, even as clay in the hands of the Potter; and if the hand of the LORD be but once stretched forth against you, or his wrath never so little kindled, may not your condition in a moment be as Nebuchadnezars; or may not that visible form of yours, which hath but a short breathing in the common air, be in the twinkling of an eye dissolved into dust, and you become a worm, and no more man? Let then foresightfulness and Moderation be the forerunner of your Judgement, 
Note.  or else your Judgement will end in Injustice; therefore let heaven and earth bear Record and Witness, before the Righteous God, and just Judge of all his earth; that the process of Christian Judgement, in the true Evangelical administration of the Law of Right, described by the LORD CHRIST, is not obscured from your eyes. If therefore you atract to your soul, the guilt of innocent blood, by accusing or condemning unjustly, then will the blood of Innocence be upon you and your Posterity. 
Note.   

Cursed are they, who seeing, will not see; and hearing, will not hear; but will blind the eyes of conscience, if and stop its ears from the dictates thereof, that Judgement may be perverted to their own wills, and the holy Law of the Lord lie trod under foot.  Therefore (O man) set not thy Wit, thy Wisdom, thy Subtlety, thy will, nor thy Power, thy Understanding, nor thy Judgement in opposition to the reasonings of a good conscience, whereby the hearts of men become hardened, and their eyes blinded from the true light of the Christian life; but let thy conscience free to the voice and dictates of God's Spirit; which will show unto thee, O man, if thou wilt hearken thereunto, and obey it, the thing which is right and good, acceptable and well pleasing in the sight of the Lord, which thou shalt find comprehended in that golden Rule of Righteousness, by the upright Judge of Truth and Equity, even the perfect Lawgiver, the LORD of Life, for a Statute and Law to all Nations; how much more to be observed by those who call themselves Christians! That all men in the fear of the LORD should do to other men as they would that men should do to them, and that they should so judge of other men as they themselves would be judged; for saith the Just One, with the same measure ye meet to others, 
Note.  it shall be measured to you again; verily the mouth of the Lord that created thee hath spoken it, who, believe it, cannot lie; this therefore is the way, walk therein, so may thy seed, and children's children after thee, O Man, have a right to the promised blessing, made to the righteous, through all the generations of the earth, and thy soul shall be established in Peace, at thy appearance before the judge of all flesh, to give an account of thy Stewardship.  
Remember that the wages of all manner of unrighteousness is death, and that the reward of envy, oppression, violence, 
Note. He whose Conscience blinded perverted or hardened, it is because of his lusts, in whom the God of this would, the Prince of unrighteousness and worker of revenge in him hath power and dominion.  pride, bloud-thirstiness, etc. is attended with the severe wrath of a just and righteous God, either in the hardened, or in the awakened Consciences of men, before whose presence all the Powers, Princes, Rulers, or Nations, are but as a drop in the bucket, or as a dust in the balance; which wrath of the almighty God every moment hangeth over and about the impious, the unjust and unrighteous man's head, wherever he is, or in whatever he acteth; the same devouring wrath of the Almighty, is always ready to execute the judgement and vengeance written, and declared upon and against all unrighteousness, and against the false and hypocritical righteousness, and against all which withhold Gods most pure Laws, and everlasting Truth, mind and will, in unrighteousness: Even so, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly, for if thou delayest, at thy appearing, Lord, shalt thou find Faith or Truth, Peace or Love, Righteousness or Justice, Temperance or Long-suffering, Mercy, or Patience upon the Earth?  
From a Wellwisher to the Peace and Tranquillity of all the generation of mankind, especially to the household of Faith and Love.  
Create in Men, O LORD, a new HEART, And renew a right Spirit within them:   

To them who are not defiled with a blind deaf, or hardened Conscience; but that have an Eye to see, and an Ear to hear, and an heart to compassionate and bear each others burdens, so fulfilling the Royal Law of Christ.  
O Ye Men of , and Moderate minded ones, that are Lovers of Righteousness, Peace, and Love, that are in yourselves Haters and Despisers of Injustice, Arrogancy, Hypocrisy, Envy, Deceit, Variance, Bloodshed, and Covetousness; Take ye up a Lamentation, and cease not, until Righteous bear the Rule in the seats of Judgement, and Peace, Mercy and Love obtain a Triumph and Victory in men's hearts: for who knoweth but that your sighs and tears may prevail before Heaven, and among men, and suddenly turn to your rejoicing, that your generations to come may reap the fruits of your supplications? and who knoweth but that the blessed Age, foretold by the holy Prophets, declared in holy Scriptures, may become fulfilled in our days? Lament therefore, saying, LORD, LORD, God everlasting, How long shall the voice of thy holy Angel be heard in the Heavens, read and testified in the sacred Scriptures giving Glory to God on high, proclaiming Peace on the Earth,  towards Men, and yet the joyful sound thereof not once enter nor pierce into the hearts of the Inhabitants thereof to learn righteousness, because the Honour, Lordliness, and Pride thereof hath stopped their ears; and the deceitfulness of riches, Luxury and Malice, which worketh Revenge, hath hardened their hearts, that they will not nor cannot hear, nor understand within themselves to glorify the most high God by and in all their works, nor understand they aright within themselves the publishing of the Gospel of a peaceable Life, which is attended and preserved by Love, and good will among men. O thou immense Power! that by thy unresistible Word gave a Being to all Being, and broughtest all things into a creaturely form, that hast called the generations of men out of the dust, and hast ordained all things in their kind, to declare thy Wonders, and thy magnificent Power; O thou omnipotent God, and King of Saints, how long shall this Earth which thou hast form be without thy Government, and the creatures which thou hast set therein to rule, rebel against thee, in that they will not suffer thee in thy righteous Laws, Statutes & Ordinances to reign over them? How long, LORD, how long, shall the beast like natured-men arrogate the Name of Christians? or how long shall the Name of Christians be imputed unto men, that ☞ trace not the upright paths of Christ, that obey not his Commandments, that reject the Law of Love, which is of wonderful and large extent, and herein are become the true Antichrists? for whosoever is not with thee, is against thee. How long, O thou Righteous One, just and true in all thy Judgements, shall the judgements of dust and ashes contradict thy Righteousness, and the presence of thy Glory in the purity of thy Laws be obscured upon the Earth through the corrupted lusts of men? How long, O thou Lover of Righteousness among the Creatures, shall the just Cause of the Needy ones, and men of low degree, perish out of the Earth, and the Power of the Mighty ones destroy their right? How long shall the rich man be respected in Judgement for his riches, and the right of the poor and distressed not obtained nor considered, though pursued with the cries of prayers and tears? Hear, O ye Heavens, and send deliverance, for the Injustice and Wickednesses of Men are great upon Earth. O thou holy One of Israel, how long shall the rich sit in thy Judgement seat, because of his Riches? who doubtless too too many of them have ☜ heaped up their Treasure merely by the sweat, oppressions and ruins of their fellow-members, and by their study and subtle wits ensnare the Innocent and the Ignorant? O when shall Injustice be removed out of the Judgement seat, that the wills of lofty and proud insulting spirits, or of men ambitious of power, may no more be a Law over the lives, liberties and livelyhoods of them who in the right of God's Creation are their fellow-members and Brethren? O Lord, when shall it once be, that the Judges of this Earth shall cease the service of Injustice, of Bribery, of Coverousness and Revenge, and of being men-servers, or serving their lusts, against the Equity, Justice, and Righteousness of God? O when shall it once be, that the Judges thereof shall cease to judge for hire or reward, or for fear or affection, but out of love to God's Righteousness? How long, O thou God of long-suffering, how long shall Justice and Equity complain in the Land, and make her Lamentation in the Country, in the Villages, in the Towns, in the Cities, and streets thereof, that she is bought and sold, and that no man obtaineth her as his birthright? How long, O ye sons of Perdition, and Cainish minded men, will ye thirst after the blood and livelyhoods of others, to advance your might and power, not considering the reason why God hath created you, viz. that all men should serve one another in the brotherly love? How long Lord (righteous and true) shall the black clouds of darkness remain over the face of the Earth, exemplified in the corrupted minds of men, in and amongst all Societies, by judging for their own Interest and Party, whereby they bear witness against God's Truth and Righteousness, with whom there is no respect of persons? whereby it is visibly manifest, that the blessed and joyful appearance of the Sun of thy Righteousness, which bringeth healing under his wings for all Nations, is interposed and eclipsed; whose upright Discipline, Laws, Statutes, and Ordinances, O England, shall give thee Peace in thy Borders, and in the midst of thy Enemies; uniting the hearts of the Fathers; uniting the hearts of the Rulers to the People, and of the People to their Rulers; uniting the hearts of Superiors to Inferiors, and of Inferiors to Superiors; uniting all societies, and all degrees, both high and low, in one heart and in one mind, to wish, desire and endeavour the good, the welfare and right of each other; not as parties in partiality and hypocrisy, but in righteousness and in love, in submission and subjection to the good Law of the Lord, teaching all men to deny Ungodliness, Ambition, Covetousness, Envy, Wrath, and worldly lusts; and to behave themselves obediently, peaceably, lowly, and righteously in this present evil world. Thus the blessed day of Restoration or Redemption shall be accomplished, and the Creation of God, which groan under man's oppression, be delivered, and the joyful time foretold by the holy Prophets fulfilled, That the Lion shall lie down with the Lamb, and the Leopard with the Kid, and the young Lion and the Fatling together, and a Child shall lead them, etc. and the Lord God Everlasting shall be One, and his Laws, Statutes and Ordinances observed, in a holy and a righteous life, be one, in one heart and in one mind, by all the Lovers of Truth and Righteousness throughout the Land. Hasten, O Lord, hasten to accomplish this thy work, and let thy power and long-suffering once overcome the pride of man, that would resist thee, that we the Inhabitants of this Land in this our generation may be the glory and the rejoicing of succeeding Ages, that they in us were ordained and created to see thy Righteousness flourish and established upon the Earth, to thy praise and honour among all Nations, O thou Creator and Preserver of Men; so shall we not resist in our deeds that which Christ hath taught, and which with our lips we have prayed, for saying, Thy Kingdom come, thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven; for the Kingdoms, the Power, the Glory and Dominions thereof are thine, thou only of right O Lord art worthy to reign henceforth and for ever in the hearts of men.  
Amen, Hallelujah, Amen.   

Ordered, That the pecuniary profit made by the Impression of this Manuscript, bearing this superscription [The Companions of a good Conscience] be distributed to the relief of distressed people; and that the propriety hereof be registered, entered, and amplified in all good Consciences, as becometh the Rule of divine Order, for a Pattern and a Memorial to future Generations.  
Praise ye the Lord God omnipotent, O ye Inhabitants of the Earth, both high and low; O praise him in works of Righteousness, and magnify him ☞ in deeds of Mercy, Peace, and Love: Be ye silent before him, O ye Hypocrites, that draw near with your lips only, for your prayers and your praises are an abomination in his sight. Praise ye him, O all ye his Works, for his Providence is continually over you. O let every thing that hath breath in its kind yield up its life to the praise of the great Name of the most High; for in him and through him, by him and for him, all things are and were created; to him alone belongeth Honour, Praise and Glory from all his Creatures. Amen, Amen. Hallelujah, Amen.  
FINIS.