A CAL AND A warning, TO ALL Priests, Professors and People, who have and do profess the Scriptures, that they may try their Doctrines and practices by it, and may own condemnation in their Doctrines and practices, wherein they are contrary to the Scriptures. AND A TENDER VISITATION TO The whole world, That they may own this their Visitation, and may be healed and restored to the Lord; And this may serve for a LOOKING GLASS, wherein People may see what visage they are of, and how they stand related as unto GOD. By a Sufferer in Hartford goal, for faithful witness-bearing, against this sinful generation; known by the name of JOHN GOULD.  
London, Printed for Thomas Simmons at the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate, 1657.   

THis following testimony was given forth chiefly as out of tender love to the Priests and Professors, and inhabitants of Hartford and Ware, and the country thereabout, who lies in darkness and ignorance, under blind guides, and so are ever learning, and cannot come to the knowledge of the truth; and this is written only for their information, but may be serviceable in any part of the world, among such who doth profess the Scriptures: So let all the sober people of that country about Hartford consider, and not wilfully contemn and despise the day of their visitation, which now is upon them from the Lord, that they may come to the knowledge of his ways, and let all other people weigh what herein is written, for the very clear day of God's tender visitation is upon the whole world: Remember you are warned now in your life-time.   

A CALL AND A warning, TO ALL Priests, Professors and People, &c.  
O All ye people, Professors and Priests of the world, and to all others everywhere, who have an eye to see, and an ear to hear, high and low, rich or poor, of what sort of profession soever, whether Presbyterians, Independents, Baptists, or by what other byname known or distinguished, who are seeking the kingdom of heaven in outward observations, lo here, and lo there, in this duty, and this day's observation, or in the other performances (as you call them:) Be it known unto you all, from the Lord, that you are out of the way it is not to be found there, for the kingdom of God comes not with outward observations, neither shall they say any longer, lo here, or lo there, for the kingdom of heaven is within; So said Christ Jesus to the Pharisees who were seeking the Kingdom without in outward observations, so say I to you, their children by the spirit of the same Christ Jesus, whom your fathers slew and hung upon a tree; for your new Moons, and Sabbaths, your calling of your solemn, and your appointed Fasts and Feasts, my soul loathes, they are even an abomination unto me saith the Lord, for your hands are full of blood and cruelty, even the blood of the innocent cryeth in mine ears, whom ye like your fathers have shamefully entreated, and crucified, and hung upon a tree, and yet are professing his words, whom they slew, and their words, who witnessed him, and preached him, and yourselves found in the same practice with them who crucified the just one, and required to let loose the murderer, yet ready many of you to say, as they of old did, if we had lived in those days, we would not have done so wickedly: Oh what think ye will be in the end hereof; when the just God shall come to call you to an account for all this, do you think getting his words, and their words, to profess and talk of, will save you from the wrath to come, who are despisers and haters of their life, both in yourselves and others, where he is made manifest, and are scoffers and scorners at them who do witness it, (calling them in derision) Quakers, and yet make a profession of Moses writings, and David's words, and Habakkuks prophesy, and Paul's Epistles, who all witnessed Quaking; ye Hypocrites, search the Scriptures and see, whether ye are not in their steps, who despised Moses Law, and made Songs of David, and mocked, and slew the Prophets, and persecuted Paul, and stoned Stephen, which bare witness to and for the Lord, and against your Idol Temples, and yet make profession of their words; to the light in all your consciences I speak, which will let you see that you are out of their life, who wrote and spoke forth those words; and are ye so foolish to think a profession of those words will save you, who do not know nor witness the same life from which those words were spoken, but are enemies to it, and murderers of it in yourselves, and persecutors of it in others, witness some of my righteous servants, in Hartford Goal, whom ye have cast into prison, some of you, without the breach of any known Law of your own Nation, and contrary to my righteous Law which I have placed in all your consciences, unto which you must all be accountable, in that day wherein God shall co●e to judge the secrets of all hearts by my Gospel, which hath been declared even in your streets and synagogues, if you had ears to hear: O foolish and slow of heart, to believe all that the Prophets have written, and all that Christ and the Apostles were witnesses of, ought not Jesus thus to have suffered and to have entered into his glory? is there another way for the salvation of your souls but him, who is the way, the truth, and the life? and can any come to the father but by him, who is the light of the world, and lighteth every one that cometh into the world? Is there another Saviour, save me, saith the Lord? or another Redeemer, save the Holy One of Israel, our King, whom ye professors, priests, & people, with bloody hands have crucified and slain, even him, whom God hath raised up to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance unto Israel, and remission of sins? Have ye not evilly entreated his messengers and servants, whom he hath called and chosen to be witnesses hereof, in these your days, as your Forefathers of old did, so do ye; search the Scriptures which ye profess, and see if they be not fulfilled by you, and shall be fulfilled upon you, as ever by them of old; they shall hall you out of their Synagogues, and before Rulers and Magistrates, and some of you shall they cast into prison and shall do and speak all manner of evil, falsely and despitefully against you for my name sake, saith Christ; yea, they that killeth you, shall think they do God service; and this will they do unto you for my name sake because they have neither known me nor my father, see if ye be not they; and if this be not so, O ye priests, professors and people, who deny the Revelation of Christ, and say all Revelation is ceased and that none must expect Revelation now, are ye not such as the Scriptures (which in words ye profess, but in life and power deny) witnesseth against, to know neither the Father, nor the Son? and no marvel ye are found in such practices, which he whom we have received, and do bear witness of foretold, and in those days declared of; and so the Scriptures are owned & witnessed unto by us, who are in the life or them, and in the possession and enjoyment of him of whom they declare; as also do bear witness against you, who have the words declared, but are found enemies to the life, and in the same practices with them, who had Moses and the Prophets, which declared and prophesied of him to come; but when he came, and was made manifest, would not own him, nor receive him, but rejected him, and murdered him, who was the life of Moses and the prophet's words; and yet said, that had they been in the days of their Fathers, they would not have slain the Prophets that prophesied of his coming; and ye now in these days, be ye witnesses against yourselves, even of the same generation, who have not only their words who prophesied of his coming, but say he is come, and have his words, and their words, who wrought and witnessed him come, to profess, and ready to say, had we been in their days, we would not have done so wickedly, nor cruelly; and yet ye yourselves doing the same thing, even persecuting, and evilly entreating them, who now witness him come, who is the end of the Law and the Prophets, Christ Jesus the righteous, whom ye crucify; and thinkest thou this, O man, who condemnest another, and dost the same, that thou shalt escape the judgements of God, or despisest thou the riches of his grace, long-suffering and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God should lead thee to repentance: Oh what will ye do in the end hereof, oh ye people, professors and priests, who are groping in the dark even at noon day, when repentance shall be hid from your eyes, who will not own him, nor receive him, to lead you unto it, who is the light of the world, and lighteth every one that cometh into the world, whom the world cannot receive, but reject him as ye do, (even as the Master-builders and professors of old did) who are calling his light, which lighteth every one that cometh into the world, natural; and say it's not sufficient to lead unto salvation all that are guided by it, and live and walk up to it; and herein are you manifest to be blind leaders of the blind, and how can you be otherwise, that deny the light which lighteth every one that cometh into the world? Do you think he I always wait and call upon you, O ye foolish and slow of heart to believe, do ye think he'll check and reprove prove you ever for your evil deeds, and that his spirit shall always strive with you? O ye priests, professors and people, will ye thus reject and contemn the Lord your Maker, and still go on to slander the footsteps of his anointed, and think to escape and prosper? notwithstanding all this, are ye not they who say in your hearts, We will none of this man to reign over, but we will walk on after the imaginations of our own hearts, adding drunkenness unto thirst, and covetousness unto pride, and yet profess to know him, and to observe a day to him, and come and pretend to bow and worship before me, saith the Lord, when your hearts are a-whoring from me after your pride and vanity, and lusts and covetousness, and all manner of iniquities? Will I be inquired after by such a people as this? Shall not my soul be avenged on such a people as this, who provoke me daily to my face, notwithstanding all my reproofs, but hate my reproofs, and cast my Laws behind their backs and say in their hearts, We will not have this man to rule, even my Son, whom I have sent a light into the world, whom they (as their Forefathers of old) crucify and slay, and shed the innocent blood in their land, even the streets of their great City, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where our Lord is crucified, as well as at Jerusalem; to the light in all your consciences I speak, which will let you see, is it not so? deceive not yourselves; Can any do thus and be saved? Can any kick and spurn against him and not be confounded and destroyed? Can any reject him, and he not grind them to powder? The stone cut out of the mountains without hands smites at the feet of your great image, even your mighty image, whose head is of gold, back and breasts of silver, belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron, feet part of iron, and part of clay, and it shall tumble and crumble down to the dust, and none shall be able to deliver it out of my hands, saith the Lord; for Babylon the great is come up into remembrance before me, saith the Lord, even all her enchantments and Sorceries whereby she hath bewitched my people Israel to sin against me, with her lying divinations, and false doctrines, saying, the Lord hath said it, when of a truth I never spoke to them, nor never sent them at all; therefore have they not profited my people at all, but have taken of my wool, and of my flax, and of my wine and my oil, and of my kine, and of my sheep, and have spent it on her lusts, and her lovers; but now am I coming to require these things at her hands, and I will strip her naked and bare, even she who hath said in her heart, I sit as a Queen, and shall see no sorrow; sorrow and misery, widowhood and loss of children shall come upon her in one day, and all her lovers with whom she hath played the harlot shall not save nor deliver her out of my hands, saith the Lord, your righteous Judge, who judgeth not for gifts nor rewards, but will plead the cause of the innocent, and him that hath no helper in the earth, and will recompense double into her bosom, even for all the blood of the innocent that have been shed in the midst of her, even blood double, even till it come up to the horse bridles; and happy shall he be, that taketh Babylon's brats, and dash out their brains against the stones, for she is come up into remembrance before me, saith the Lord, even she who hath made all the kindreds of the earth drunk with the cup of her fornication, and all the Kings and Princes, governors and Rulers of the earth, hath committed incest and fornication with her, and the blood of my Saints have been shed by them in the midst of her; therefore shall she receive blood to drink, for she is worthy, even the dregs of the cup of my fury that will I wring out unto her, saith the Lord, shall she drink of, and shall spew, and fall, and never rise more; and they that have committed fornication with her and her lovers, and her Merchants, and such as have had traffic with her by Sea, and all occupiers of ships beholding her shall stand afar off, crying, Alas, alas, for that great City, which was the glory of the whole earth, wherein was so much traffic for gold and silver, and needle works, and diamonds, and pearls, and precious stones, and silks, and velvets, and scarlets, and fine linen, and all manner of broidered works, and whisks, and vails, and necklaces, and powderings, and crispings, and platings, for in one day is her torment come upon her, and the smoke thereof shall ascend up for ever and ever: And do ye think the professing of these words will cover ye, O ye priests, professors and people; or that by your meanings, conceivings, or private interpretations ye can put them off from you; or that ye are not meant and concerned in them, who are found in her practices, and doing her service, and become as a pander unto her, to usher in her wickedness, by denying the light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, which convinceth the world of sin, and showeth it plainly that these things are not of God, but of the devil, envy, lying, and swearing, and drunkenness, and whoredom, and pride, and vanity, and prodigality, by which the Merchants of the earth are waxen rich and fat, and are become valiant and strong, to reproach the living God, and slander the footsteps of his anointed; and are ye not found in such practices, O ye priests, professors, and people, let the light in all your consciences answer? is it not so? What mean ye thus to fight against the Lord? Will ye set briars and thorns in battle against me, saith the Lord, shall I not even pass through them, and consume ye together? or will ye Potsherds of the earth still strive against your Maker? Shall I not dash ye to pieces like a potter's vessel, and rule ye with my iron rod? O ye Kings and Rulers of the earth, who are joined together against the Lord, and against his anointed, whom ye evilly entreat, and despitefully use for my Name sake, saith the Lord, saying, Come let us join together to root out the name of Israel from under heaven; let us break his bands asunder, and cast his cords from us, for we will not have this man to rule over us; come, let us sell him into Egypt, let us make strong laws and binding against him, so we may cast him into prison, and into dungeons, & drive him into dens and caves of the earth, even to root out the name of Israel from under heaven, for Israel shall not go free, saith proud Pharaoh, God's enemy; but he that sitteth in heaven laugheth your consultations to scorn, and hath you in derision: O ye Kings and Rulers of the earth, serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling; kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish in the mid way, if his wrath be kindled but a little; blessed are all they that put their trust in him, for this hath the Lord determined, even to exalt and set his King upon his holy hill of Zion, who shall rule the Nations in his anger with a rod of iron, and shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel, for all those mine enemies, saith he, that will not that I shall rule over them, shall be slain by the edge of the Sword, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it, and it shall be accomplished upon your heads; for the Lord God is not a man that he should lie, or as the Son of man that he should repent, but what he hath decreed shall suddenly come to pass; and who is he that shall dare to withstand him, and say, why dost thou so? wherefore hear, O ye Kings, and be instructed, O ye Rulers of the earth; break off your sins betimes by repentance, and your iniquities, by showing compassion on the poor, lest I come upon you in my fury as an armed man, and cut you asunder, and sweep you away with the besom of Consumption, and there be none to deliver you out of my hands, saith the Lord; for this will be the portion of their cup, who will not be guided and counselled by me in their life-time; but running a-whoring from me after other gods, which have eyes and see not, ears and hear not, neither have understanding at all, they who make them are like unto them, and so are all those that put their trust in them; therefore consider what you are a doing, you who make unrighteous decrees, and establish iniquity by a law to oppress the poor, and the innocent, and to grind the face of the fatherless, even the fatherless, the widow, and the stranger, and him that hath no helper in the earth; for I see you, saith the Lord, and behold all your thoughts and purposes, concerning them in secret, and I will declare them openly, and reprove them openly, and ye shall be ashamed and confounded for all your wickedness against me, saith the Lord, and all your private determinations against my holy ones, my holy seed, the lot of mine inheritance, saith the Lord, who hath loved them, and given myself for them, to redeem them unto myself for ever, and none shall pluck them out of my hand, nor out of my father's hand, for my father is stronger than all; I and my father am one, wherefore in the dread and power of God I warn you, to take heed what ye do, and what ye plot and contrive against the innocent, for the Lord is their helper, lest ye be found fighters against God, but let Israel go free, that he may do service, and worship the Lord his God in the wilderness, for to that end hath he caused me to write unto you, O ye Rulers of the earth, lest ye be made as Pharaoh for the hardness of your hearts against my chosen, who is the meek of the earth, against whom no weapon formed shall prosper, but shall return even as a dart to pierce through the liver of him that formed it, for Israel is my battle axe and weapon of war, with which I'll dash the mountains to pieces, and scatter them as dust before the whirlwind of mine indignation, which shall blow upon the wicked, till they be utterly consumed from off the face of the earth; thus shall it be done unto all that will not that I shall reign, and that my Son shall rule, whom I have sent a light into the world, to lighten them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, and to guide their feet into the way of peace; wherefore prepare to meet thy God, O Israel, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning, by putting away thine iniquities from before mine eyes, saith the Lord, cease from doing evil, learn to do well, come then, and let us reason together, saith the Lord, though thy sins were as crimson, I would make them as white as wool, and though they were as scarlet, yet would I make them as white as smow; and if thou wouldst return, my mercy would I not utterly take away from thee, nor suffer my truth to fail; but if thou wilt not return, thou must be destroyed, both thou and thy King; wherefore consider your ways and doings, O ye priests, professors, and people, do ye think a profession of his words, who is the life, will save you from wrath to come, who are enemies to his light and life, and will not have him to rule and reign in you, and over you, who is the way to the Father, and to his knowledge, whom to know is life eternal, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent? And do ye think ever to come to the knowledge of him, O ye priests, professors, and people, who are talking and professing of serving God in his own way, and that such as will have Christ, must have him in his own way, and on his own terms, and it will not own him the way, even the way of his own appointment, the light; Doth not the Scriptures, ye professors, declare it? or doth it say itself is it? or is there another way than what it declareth of, or another name given whereby the sons of men can be saved? what mean ye that ye thus oppose the Lord and his way? are ye stronger than he? hath he not said he'll no longer be served and worshipped in Temples made with men's hands, and will ye still be serving him contrary to his mind hands, and will, and yet profess to serve and worship him in his own way? hath he not said, that he dwelleth not in temples made with hands, and will ye be still seeking of him there, notwithstanding all this? Hath he not invited and called upon all to come unto him, that they might have life? and will ye be seekign life in the Scriptures for all this? hath he not said the kingdom of heaven cometh not with outward observances? and will ye remain still seeking of it in those things; and yet be telling the people, and professing that God must be served and worshipped in his own way, and yet seek to keep people in your own ways? are ye not deceitful, and deceivers of the people who do thus? ye are observing days and months, and times, and years: are ye not still carnal? ye eat and drink, but are ye not still empty and a thirst? ye pray-and fast, but receive not, for ye ask amiss, to spend it on your lusts; ye observe days, and divers watchings, and carnal Ordinances, but are the comers thereunto made perfect, as pertaining to the conscience? ye cry out, The Temples of the Lord, the Ordinances of the Lord, the Church of Christ, the Ordinances of Christ; but which of you is come to witness your bodies to be the Temple of the Holy Ghost? or that you are made fit Temples for the Spirit of the Lord to dwell in, or him come to wash you and cleanse you in his own blood, and so to present you without spot to ●od, even his Father: or which of you is come to witness the Church of the First born, which is in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Pillar and ground of truth; but on the contrary, ye profess, teach and say, none can, or must, or shall be set free from sin here, and so endeavour to preserve your bodies, temples for the devil, and not Christ, (Whilst here) for Christ's Temple is holy, and ye say, none must or can be set free from sin, and so seek to keep people unholy, and their bodies Temples of sin; this Doctrine pleases the devil well, and he loves you for it and will let you profess (to serve God in God's way) and profess Christ's Church, say you are Christ's Ministers, so he may but keep you to be his Temples, and Church, and Ministers still, and thrust Christ out of rule and dominion; for he that commits sin is of the devil, and his servants ye are, to whom ye yield your members servants to obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto life; O foolish, and exceedingly blinded and besotted men, that will not see this, and yet profess the Scriptures, and where he is thus come and witnessed, who changeth Ordinances and Laws, and watchings, and observations of days, and times, and months, and years, and Sabbaths, and dippings, and sprinklings; do ye not all rise up against him with one accord, away with him, he is not worthy to live, to prison with him, we have a Law. Consider seriously, is it not so with you as with them of the same generation of old? to the light in all your consciences I speak: Do ye think a profession of these things, and a boasting of these things, will serve your turns any more than it did your Forefathers of old, from whom God was departed and removed, who became persecutors of the life of his Son in his Saints? are ye not found in the steps of those evil husbandmen, who say, behold the heir, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours? and are ye so blind and bewitched by the god of this world, to think, that ye shall escape their punishment? will ye still preach and profess their words, who witnessed Christ within the end of the law, the carnal Ordinances, the observations, the Sabbaths and beggarly rudiments of the world, and cause the Cross of Christ to cease, through your traditions? will ye still be found thus fighters against God in his Saints; who now witness forth the same, and cannot submit unto those things which he hath redeemed and purchased them out of, even with his own precious blood, and are made to witness against them, and your idol worships, and cry, you have a law; will your law think you excuse you in his sight, who seeth you, your ways, and actions against him and his; nay, nay, deceive not yourselves God will not be mocked, for such as you sow, such shall you reap; if ye sow to the flesh, think ye, shall ye not of the flesh reap corruption; but if ye sow to the spirit, of the spirit reap life everlasting. Seriously sit down, and weigh, and consider, is pride, vanity, lust of the flesh, idleness fullness of bread, lying, swearing drunkenness, covetousness, deceit, backbiting, emulation, strife, quarrelling, fighting, reviling, slandering, evil speaking, whispering, haling out of Synagogues, or Steeple-houses, mocking, stocking, imprisoning, cruel and evil entreating, fruits of the Spirit? or did ever such as witnessed the Spirit of God bring forth such fruits? nay, nay, who witnessed the Spirit of Christ, never were found in such practices; search and see in the Scriptures, in which ye think to find eternal life, where ever any of the Saints of Christ (who were possessors, and not professors) brought forth such fruits; and can ye think, or are ye so far blinded by the devil, to believe ye shall be saved by professing their words, and enemies to their life, and led and guided by another spirit, then that which they witnessed to be guided and led by; or dare ye say, that the Spirit of Christ is changed now from what it was then, as some of ye do, if not all, that Revelation is ceased now, and that none must expect Revelation now, and so are deniers yourselves of the Scriptures ye profess: Nay, nay, it will not serve your turns, ye cannot deceive the Lord, though ye have long deceived men; with the light ye are seen and comprehended, and the Tree judged of by his fruits: Is it the Spirit of the Lord that leads you into those things? what means your pride and vanity in apparel, your excess in eating and drinking, & rioting, and sporting in the day time, your chambering and wantonness, your idle talk and foolish jesting, and laughter, which is madness and folly, your lying one to another, and deceit, and overreaching one another in your dealings and commerce, and merchandise one with another, and fighting, and quarrelling, and going to Law, and swearing: O ye priests, professors, and people, are these the fruits of Christ's Spirit? or did ever any who were so guided, act thus; and except ye come to be guided by his Spirit, O ye professors of the Scriptures, ye are none of his, profess what ye will; for whosoever hath not the Spirit of Christ, the same is none of his; and know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you, except ye be reprobates; and they that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts: Are ye so sottishly blinded by the God of this world, to believe and imagine that ye are Christ's, who are in the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, fashioning yourselves according to the vanities of your minds, after the conversation of this world, after the deceivable lusts, fulfilling the desires of the will & of the mind, being children of wrath, and yet imagine yourselves children of God: Did ever any of the Saints do thus, or take the children of God's words to profess and cover over themselves withal, whose adorning was not after the fashions of the world, in the outward adorning as of plaiting and powdering the hair, of gold and silver, and costly Array, but their adorning was in the hidden man of the heart, even a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God is of great price; and are you so blind to think these words will cover you, who are found contrary to their life? or do you think that the holy womens' of old, their moderate decent attire mixed with gravity, sobriety, and chastity, and a quiet spirit, such as accompanies holiness of life and conversation, will be a fit cover to cover over your excess, and pride, and knots and spots, and toys, and baubles, and fashions, and vails and necklaces, and gorgets, and whisks, and cuffs up to the elbows, and crispings, and powderings, and rings, and bracelets, and points, and lace, and ribbons, and tops about men's legs, to make them straddle, with other evil behaviour of bowing and cringing the body, and idle and vain-lying compliments, as you call them, of your servant Sir, or Madam, or forsooth, when oft there is evil in their hearts one against another, and oft laughing, and scoffing and cursing, and wishing evil one of another behind their backs; or it may be, as soon as they are past each other, plot one another mischief, or raising evil reports one of another: Is this according to godliness? laughter, and lightness, and idle jesting and sporting, and mincing and tinkling with your feet, and dancing and curching, and bowing the body each to other, like Stage-players, with lightness of behaviour, and unchaste looks and actions? Is this according to holiness of life and conversation; which the holy women of old lived in? to the light in all your consciences I speak, which will let you see, that many of you are farther off from God, than you were many years ago, when it may be ye made not so large a show of profession as now, and are ye not then hypocrites, hypt above that which then convinced you of the evil of it, and of them that walked in such things, and so become worse, instead of witnessing a growth in grace, which the Saints of old did? and are not these things to be found amongst you, O ye priests, professors, and people? and do ye think still to cover over yourselves with the good words, who are out of the good life and manners; for if any come to you who are guided by the good manners, Christ's manners, which is without respect to persons, and speak thee or thou, the Scripture language, to any single person whatsoever; are ye not ready to deride them, or thrust them out of doors, if not worse, or say its filthy language, and methinks ye may have better manners; or if a man come to speak to some of you with his hat on, and not doff it, because he dare not act contrary to Christ's manners, nor follow the vain customs of the world? are ye not ready to deride him, or strike him, or cast him into prison and say he may lie there till he learn better manners; and so ye manifest yourselves to be enemies to Christ and his manners, and teachings, and faith, which is without respect to persons, and account it too low and mean a breeding and behaviour for your great worships, who are big swollen with pride and envy, even ready to burst again, and in your faces plainly show whose image you bear, and whose mark; Will the Scriptures ye profess, think you, cover you, who are found in these or such like practices, vain men and women to be thus miserably deceived and deluded by the devil, to say pride is not in the apparel, or in outward things, pride is in the heart; and so it's plainly seen, the day hath declared it, even out of thy own mouth found a witness against thyself, for if it were not, than what means all this, and much more vanity in thy life, which might be declared and spoken of, enough almost to defile a chafed mind to write it, and yet if any be sent to declare the truth to you as it is in Jesus, against your excess and vanity; are ye not ready to cry out one to another, take heed of being bewitched, or of being deceived; can any be greater deceived and bewitched by the devil, the old Serpent, than you are already who are found in such practices. And thus the devil would fain keep you still his subjects unto sin, lust, and vanities of the world, by bidding of you take heed of being deceived and deluded, lest he should lose a member and subject of his kingdom, but your folly and his subtlety must be made manifest, it can no longer be hid, for he is come and witnessed, who makes all things manifest, even your hidden works of darkness, which are acted by you in secret, are now brought to light, even your chambering and wantonness; where no eye of man sees, there are your skirts uncovered, O Sodom and Egypt, where our Lord lies crucified, and that which is done in secret, is now come to be preached upon the housetops; therefore in vain do ye hide yourselves, under a profession of the Saints words; fair fig-leaves, but underneath a Serpent; your coverings rent, it will no longer hide you, the bed is too short to stretch yourselves upon, and your covering is grown too narrow to any longer hide you, your shame and nakedness appears: And how think ye, can ye ever come to know the covering of his Spirit, who will not own, nor believe in that which convinceth of sin, but say it's not sufficient to lead, and guide unto salvation? Do ye think a profession of their words will do it, who did own it, and were led and guided by it, who witnessed salvation by it, will this save you, who are not led and guided by it, but make slight of it, even of that which was their leader and conductor into the New Jerusalem, the City of the living God, which is come down from God out of Heaven, and yet professes their words, who did believe and were witnesses of it? O ye foolish and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have written, and that the Apostles witnessed unto, and yet think to profess their words will save you, who are not in their life? Think you my servants of old were saved after this manner, by professing my Saints and Servants words, who went before them into the land of Rest? Think ye Moses, who was a faithful servant in my house, was saved without Abraham's Faith, which justified him by Works, who was many hundred years before him? Whom think ye was the patriarch Abraham saved by, who was many hundreds of years before Moses Writings, who saw my day, saith Christ, and rejoiced, was he think ye saved by ritings? Who showed Adam his transgression, when he would have hid himself, and run away to hide his nakedness, knowing that he had sinned; was it not he of whom Moses declares, saying, A Prophet shall the Lord your God, raise up unto you, of your brethren like unto me, him shall ye hear, who though he were dead, yet speaketh? By whom think ye were the patriarchs told there was Corn in Egypt (who had sold Joseph thither) to preserve them alive in Famine? Was it not by him of whom Moses declares? By whom did Joseph make mention of the Removing of his bones, when as he was yet in Egypt, long before their departure? By whom did Jacob bless, both the sons of Joseph, leaning on the top of his staff? All these obtained a good report through Faith; having not received the Promise; who being dead, yet speaketh? Whom think ye that my servant Joshua (called Jesus) was saved by, was it by Moses Writings? Or by Faith in him whom Moses declared should come, by which he entered the good land? What should I speak of Jeptha, and David, and Samson, and Gideon, and many others, who through Faith removed Mountains, stopped the mouths of Lions, quenched the violence of fire, fought many battles, overcome great Nations, slew mighty Giants, Ogg King of Bashan, and Doeg King of the Amorites, and Tidal King of Nations, and Tartan, Pull, and Lud, who bent the bow? By whom think ye was Abraham strengthened when he rescued the spoils of the men of the East out of the hands of their enemies, when Melchisedeck met him, who was without beginning of days, or end of life, whose Father and Mother none knew, neither had they a name in the earth, unto whom the Patriarch Abraham gave the Tenth of the spoils that he had taken; who blessed him who had the Promise, and without doubt the lesser was blessed of the greater, who was the figure of him who was to come? And do ye think, O ye Priests, People, Professors, and Inhabitants of the World, that a making of Profession of these words will save you, who know not him who was to come, nor will not believe in the light from whence the words were declared forth, who was the Oath and Promise unto Abraham, when as he was yet uncircumcised, who is the Father of all who believe in the Oath, who said, Of the fruit of thy loins shall he come, in whom all the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed, even by turning away the Curse for sin, and saving his People from their sin, in whose Seed all the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed, and again, in blessing, I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thee, and thou shalt be the Father of many Nations, and as the stars of heaven, so shall thy Seed be; you who are professing these words, do ye know the Seed here spoken of, which shall be as the stars of heaven for multitude, unto which the Promise is, not unto seeds as many, but unto thy seed, which is Christ, in the Male, and in the Female, of which Moses in the Spirit testifieth? Or how can ye ever come to this knowledge who deny the light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World; and so the seed of God ye are strangers and enemies to, who deny the light to be sufficient to lead unto salvation, all who believe in it, and walk up to it, and yet profess their words who witnessed salvation by it, and take their sayings; the holy men of God's Words which they spoke & wrote from the Word that dwelled in them, and was with them, and call them the Word of the Lord (saying, harken to the Word of the Lord) who never knew his Word, nor had seen his shape at any time, but are enemies to his Word, and to those who professes his Word abiding in them, and they in it; and so are such found to be who have not his Word abiding in you, who call that his Word which were Writings from his Word, which they who knew the Word, nowhere did: And so his Word you are ignorant of, and his life haters of, and despisers of, who have his words to make a profession of; I wonder how ye should be still thus ignorantly blindfold as not to see this, when as his so plainly declared of to you: Do ye not wilfully stop your ears and blind your eyes, O ye priests, professors and people, that ye will not see this? or do ye think or imagine to be saved by a Profession without the life and power? or are ye resolved on't that ye will not be saved, and say still, He's not sufficient? Will ye profess to be lovers of God, and Christ, and the spirit, and yet say, He's not sufficient, and be haters of them who are so, who are followers of that which is good, and do witness he's sufficient? Is this to love God, and Christ, and the Spirit, as ye profess who are haters of the Brethren? Can such a profession save you? Doth the Scriptures ye profess witness forth such a salvation as this? Or do ye think there's another salvation then what they witness to, which is the light of the World, Christ Jesus? And can you think to be saved by him, who will not be led and guided by him? Or doth he lead any into sin? You who profess him yet say, ye shall never be set free from sin here: Are ye guided by Christ? To the light in all your consciences I speak, which will let you see who's your Leader and Guide into sin and imperfection, even the man of sin, and son of perdition, whom Christ is come and made manifest to destroy: And do ye profess he's come, and it say sin shall not be destroyed, nor none can or shall be set free from it here? What a profession is this! and what a belief is this! it even pities me to see that men should be thus miserably deceived by Christ's Enemy, and the Enemy of your souls, to be thus deluded; and yet if any one be moved of the Lord to declare it unto you in love to your souls, cry out one to another, Take heed of delusion, it's a spirit of delusion which is gone forth into the world, which the Apostles said should come in the last days, which privily should bring in damnable errors, even denying the Lord that bought them: Are ye not there who are led into sin, and say you shall not be free? And is it not the Devil that tells you this, who is afraid his Kingdom should be destroyed which is sin in you? What think you? is it not so? and are we not accounted your Enemies for thus telling you the truth, O ye priests, professors, and people, and O all ye Inhabitants of the Earth? And do ye not now plainly perceive how he have been thus long deluded by the Devil and his Instruments, to deny the light which lets you see this? And will you still love to have it so? Oh! What will ye do in the end hereof? think ye to be saved in your sin, seeing ye will not come to him, nor own him, to be saved by him who sets free? Do ye not love your sin better than him, and it profess to love him, when in words ye deny him, and so are unto every good Work reprobate? for such as are come to the good Work, are come to him who was before the evil Work was; but who are in the evil Work, are not, and so are not in him who works the good Work, but in him who works the evil, and yet think to be saved by professing the words of him who worketh all our Works in us, and for us; for this is he of whom we are Witnesses, even the Righteousness of God, by which we are saved and set free from our sin; and this not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, not of Works, lest any should boast, for we are the Workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesus unto good Works, that we should grow and increase in them. And is this your Saviour who profess and say ye shall never be set free from sin here? Or are ye not setting up a Saviour of your own making, after your own hearts lust, (which ye love and worship more than Christ) which is not of God's appointment, and it talk and profess of worshipping the Lord after his own appointment, whilst ye are serving of him (by your own confession) who is not sufficient to set free from sin here? And so the true Christ and God ye are ignorant on, who saves his people from sin, whom we witness: And are ye not fighting among yourselves in words (almost blood to Knees) for your God, (& the manner of his Service and worship, and yet all joined together against the true Worshippers) who hath not saved you from sin, nor never will, and so not from Wrath to come? Who would take part with such a God, and fight for such a God, or serve such a God, and Christ, and Gospel, if they were not ignorantly zealous, and blind? And how can ye be otherwise who deny the true light which lighteth every one that cometh into the world, to be sufficient? Is it not just with God ye should be blind still who will not own his light wherewith he hath enlightened you, but are Enemies to it and haters of it, (calling it natural) and persecutors, and opposers of them that witness it, and believe in it, and are guided by it, and account them not worthy to live in the World; who are not of the World, but such as he hath chosen out of the World? And yet, will ye not yet see whose steps ye are in? Search the Scriptures, and see, are they not plain enough? (to the light in you I speak) Or will ye still be hiring of a man to give you the meaning? Did they who spoke and writ that which ye profess, speak one thing, and mean another? Will ye be such blasphemers against the Spirit of Truth, the holy Ghost? Know ye not their portion? search the Scriptures, and see. Or will ye still follow their meanings rather than it, who are saying, The Scriptures were spoken in other Tongues, and none can understand them but such as know and understand the Tongues, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, which the builders of Babel call the original? Are not such blasphemers who call Letters and Syllables the Original, and say none can understand the Scripture but such? Are they not ignorant of the Original who say so? And will ye still believe and follow their meanings and opinions who are out of the Original, and enemies to the Original? Had not the Jews and Pilate their Original? And were they not persecutors and murderers of Christ Jesus our Original? Search the Scriptures, and see. And are there none such to be found amongst you, O ye Priests, Professors and People? to the Light in all your consciences I speak: If there be, Will ye still be followers of them? Is this to be followers of God as dear children, or not followers of them that do evil, from whom the Apostle bids turn away? And can ye be such lovers of the Apostles Words, (as ye profess) who will not take his advice (Who walked in the Grace of God which he had received, and it was sufficient for him, as the other Saints did, and witnessed they needed not another Teacher to teach them, but as the same Anointing which was in them, taught them, which was truth, and in it was no lie?) Or are ye not rather hypocrites, and haters of the Apostles, and their words too, though in show ye profess them, calling them Blessed S. Paul; and Holy St. Peter, and the Evangelical Prophet, and the Holy and Blessed Evangelists and Blessed St. Stephen that holy Martyr, whose words ye profess, but can't abide his Doctrine, because he witnessed against Temples made with hands, as by your works ye plainly show, for the Tree is to be known and judged of by its fruits, and that's according to what ye profess? Search and see, is it not so? Will their words, think ye, bear ye out any longer to profess, who hate their work, and scoff at their worker, saying, Where was the Light, I pray, when Paul persecuted the Church of God? why, even where yours is, hid under a Bed, or under a Bushel, or under an ignorant blind zeal, being brought up at the feet of some great Gamaliel, or Doctor, or Expounder (or Meaning, or Conceiving-giver) of the Scriptures, as Paul then was, who are found in his steps, and yet querying; Where was the light? I pray ye, blind Zealots, Think ye it's only to be found or had from Oxford and Cambridge? and from St. John's college, and not in St. John? Or was he learned it at any such place, and not by the revelation of Jesus Christ? search the Scriptures and see. And what was the end (I pray) of your Ministers being it sent to your Universities, and the design of their Parents in it? Was it the same that Christ taught and instructed, and designed, and set apart this for? Or was it not that they might get a livelihood, and good maintenance and preferment (as you call it) in the World? Was this Christ and his Ministers end? And after they have been trained up, or educated (as you call it) for some years at the Craft, and become proficients in it, are they not from thence sent forth, having commenced Mr. of the Science, and able to handle their Weapons well in the defence of their Mother, Mystery Babylon; and afterwards being tried by some able, aged, and more experienced artsman, who had long worn his Philactery (and found expert) is ordained, and sent forth to some certain place, or Parish, with an Order from man, to enter and creep into a Stone-House there to lead silly Women captive, laden with their sins, and led about with divers lusts, ever learning under them, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; and how should they, when (with a strong Law that none must come there to declare it under penalty of a House of Correction, or a Parison as a disturber) it's not their Teachers guide nor end, but two, three, or four, or five hundred pounds a year, which was in their eye? And was it so in the Ministers of Christ? search the Scriptures, and see; Was it so? Or doth their Rule (as they call it) teach them to sprinkle Water on a child's face, & call it baptism, or an Ordinance of Christ; or to call Bread & Wine a Sacrament, do not such make void the Ordinance of Christ through their traditions? What pattern have they from Christ, or any of his Ministers, for these things, or for their Pulpit, as 'tis called, their long Robes, their walking before the dead, their words over the dead, their Knells, their Bells, their money for Buryings and Christenings; their selling Funeral Sermons; their Chancel-money, their Pulpitmoney, with many other knacks and toys, and pedlary Wares which they take money for, and call their dues, besides sweetmeats and Wines for their Bellies; are these Ordinances of Christ too? No, But these are (say they) for decency and uniformity: Did not your forefathers say so, who sought under those Names to usher in popery and idolatry? And who gave ye orders for these and such like practices? Received ye them from Christ, or from your Rule? search and see: Or not from your forefathers the Bishops, who taught you to pray and preach by the hour, and to call upon those for money, who will buy none of your merchandise? Are not these covetous practices? And must you not have your clerk, and Sexstone, and Dog-Whipper too, to attend for decency and uniformity? Who taught you it? Were there ever such helpers in the ministry of the Gospel? Yet these must have their pay too, from such as require none of their labour, for uniformity sake: Doth your Rule you pretend to, teach you such practices; search and see; or doth it not rather condemn your burthensomness: Do you think calling your great Stone-houses by the Saints Names, is any honour to them; or that ye shall have their benediction for it, who are Enemies to their Doctrine, practice, manner of life and conversation, who were called and chosen to the work of their ministry, not by the will of man, nor sent forth into the world in man's will and time, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ, contrary to man's will, whose revelation ye deny, and cannot own nor receive, but say that's ceased, and so are deniers of Scriptures, and yet would be accounted Christ's Ministers, Gospel-Ministers, Gospel-professors; what Gospel is't you Minister and profess who deny Revelation, and the Letter also which witnesseth to it; and professes that, and preach that which the Scriptures nowhere speaks, namely, That Revelation is ceased; Who revealed that to you, you that deny Christ's revelation; Must it not needs be his enemy Antichrist: & whose Ministers then are ye who say that none must expect or wait for revelation now, and that such who do, are a sort of giddy-brained fellows and Apostates, and such as these upstart Quakers, who profess this new-found light, who are contrary to all men's opinions and judgements of the Scriptures but their own; and was not truth ever so, ye blind, leaders of the blind: Is truth to be accounted of according to men's judgements or opinions of it, or as it is in itself infallible, which word I know you cannot endure to hear, who are in that which is fallible; and so measuring truth by a lie, and calling Jesus Beelzebub, and God the Devil, and Christ a Seducer, and his Ministers Deluders and Deceivers, and giddy-brained fellows, and upstarts, & bringers in of damnable errors, & such like, raked up out of the pit of your father's habitations, the Prince of darkness, who is, & ever was a hater of the light in his children in all ages; search the Scripture else, and see; & do ye not see yourselves in their steps yet, let the light in you be judge; and will the words think ye cover you; nay, nay, the words are the words of truth, and shall join with the light, a witness against you, even to your eternal condemnation, who are found in life, conversation, doctrine, and practise, contrary to them, and this shall you witness eternally, who disowns the light, to be guided by it, which leads into the life of the Scriptures from which they were spoken forth, which was before the Scriptures were spoken, even before Babel and her Builders, into the one Language and this according to my measure am I a witness of, as ever he was (who am hated, persecuted, and despitefully used by your generation) who came to fulfil the Scriptures, for he came not to destroy them, but to fulfil them; and what do ye witness of them fulfilled in you, who profess and say he is come, yet are deniers of his light; which way is he come unto you, seeing you deny that he enlighteneth every one that cometh into the world; and he saith he doth enlighten every one, and ye say he doth not; who taught ye to say so; doth he, or the god of the World; and what is it lets you see this and your other confusion, who say ye are enlightened, but not all; and that there's a common and a special light, a natural and a spiritual light in man; distinguish them asunder, that we may know them one from another, seeing the Scriptures ye profess speaks but of one true light, which lighteth every one that cometh into the World, which is uncreated; if by your natural light you mean the Sun, Moon, and Stars, and other borrowed Lights, and created, we agree in that; but are they in man; but if there be two Lights in man, separate them one from another, that we may know them, or else we may freely conclude, (according to the Scripture) That the light which is in you is darkness: and how great is that darkness which hath overspread the whole World since the Apostles days, which is got so high; even into the Seat of God, exalting himself above God, and boasts himself as if he were God, by making two Lights in man when God made but one, and the Scriptures witness to but one true light, and yet he'll have two, but knows not how to separate them one from another; but he who dwells in the light doth, and knows his to be darkness, and to ascend out of the pit of darkness and confusion, unto which he must be sent again, even by him who is the Father of Light, even of our Lord Jesus Christ, God blessed for ever; the God of truth, in whom there is no lie, but bears witness against the lie, and the Frogs, and the Locusts, and the Caterpillars, which are ascended out of the bottomless pit, and have overspread the Nations of the whole earth, even all Egypt, but they must be all whipped away with the Rod of Moses, and sent into the pit out of which they ascended, never to infect the Nations any longer; for he is come, and coming, whose Fan is in his hand, who will throughly purge his Flour, and gather his Wheat into his Garner, but the Chaff will he consume and burn up with fire unquenchable; for his fire is kindled in the earth, which shall consume, and none shall be able to hinder it, till he hath consumed the wicked from off the face of the whole Earth; King and Peasant, who will not that he should reign, Tophet is prepared for them of old, and the glory of all earthly Diadems shall enter into it; for thus hath the Lord decreed, and who shall be able to hinder him, or say, Why dost thou so; Wherefore, O all ye Kindreds of the Earth, high and low, rich or poor, Kings, Nobles, Priests, Professors and Peasants, tremble at the Word of the Lord, for it's gone forth, and shall not return empty, but shall accomplish the end unto which he hath sent it; a fire is gone before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him, which shall consume all his Enemies, till they have left unto them neither root nor branch in the earth, & till the wicked be no more, nor the place thereof know them no more.  
O ye Priests, Professors of the Scriptures, and People, are you not glorying and boasting after the flesh in Names (and things without) in saying ye are Christians, and to you is committed the Scriptures, and the Ordinances, the Baptism, (dipping and sprinkling) and Sacraments, which the Scriptures nowhere calls so; and yet are naming your days and Months after the customs of the Heathens that knows not me, saith the Lord. Search the Scriptures and see; Did ever any true Christians, my Saints and Servants, so do; Did Paul, or Peter, or James, or John, or Matthew, or Mark, or Luke, (whose Words ye profess) do so; what, do ye excel the Pope of Rome in these things; Doth not he (think ye) glory in the same, and in many more Names, and Saints days, and carnal things, than ye profess; And were not the Jews (your forefathers) glorying in such like things, Are not we Abraham's Seed; And to us is committed the Oracles of God; and yet were Enemies to me, and persecutors and despisers of my life in my Saints for all this; And do not ye excel and outstrip them in this also: Did they make Laws that I should not speak publicly amongst them; Or did they not fasten their eyes on the Saints, and say, Brethren, if any one have a Word of Exhortation for the people, let them speak on: Do ye do so; O ye Professors of these words; Or do ye not exceed many of them in cruelty in this particular; For if I send any unto you in my Name, do ye not lay violent hands on them, and thrust them forth, and hale them before Magistrates, and to Stocks, and to Prison with them, we have a Law; though ye have and profess my Words, which say, He that receiveth you, and heareth your words, receiveth me; and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me; And can ye think ever to receive me or my Father, who will not hear their testimony who come in my Name; but if any come to you (or are sent to you by others) in his own Name, him ye are ready to hear and receive, though he tell you Revelation is ceased, and so neither knows me, nor my Father which sent me, as my Words in the Scripture testify, O ye professors and people. And do ye not cry out, An Orthodox man, a learned man, a great scholar, a man of excellent parts and gifts, preaches sound Doctrine, a gallant Gentleman, Mr. such a one, a man of great gifts, certainly he prays and preaches by the spirit, yet says revelation is ceased; What spirit is it (think ye) he preaches and prays by, who knows not the Son, For none knows the Father save the Son, and he to whom the Son reveals him; Do ye think its the spirit of my Father that prays and preacheth in him that knows not the Son nor the Father, but says Revelation is ceased; it's ceased to him indeed, because he's a hater of the light, and loves the darkness rather than the light, because his deeds are evil: And do ye think his works are not in the darkness, whom it's even a torment to, to hear of the light, and he had rather see, or speak with the Devil, then to see, or speak with one who owns the light, and walks in the light, and so hath fellowship with God; but whom think ye his fellowship's with who loves not the light, but is a hater of the light; Must not his fellowship needs be with the devil, who is the Prince and Ruler of the darkness of this World, even the spiritual wickedness got into high places, sitting as God in the Temple of God, exalting himself even above all that is called God, and would be worshipped as God; And think ye this spirit is nowhere to be found but at Rome, O ye Priests, Professors and People; Is it not to be found amongst yourselves; To the Light in all your consciences I speak: what means the Fines and close imprisonments of such who dare not swear, and so break my commands for conscience sake, and who dare not bow to, nor worship man for conscience sake? Are these things only to be found at Rome, and Italy, and Spain, and France; who are called Christians as well as ye, (Ay, and boast in it too) and not in England also, where liberty of conscience is professed, even amongst you? O ye great and tall Professors of the scriptures! Do you think the Scriptures will cover you any more than they? or that your Faith, and Gospel, and Christ is better than theirs, who are respecting one another's persons? Will that Faith save ye any more than theirs? Search the Scriptures, and see. Doth the change of the Air, or of the Climate, or of the Names, or of the Languages, or of the places, or of the profession of God, and Christ, & the Scriptures, after another form or likeness than theirs, (for they have the Names, Christian, and God, and Christ, and the Scriptures, as well as ye, and a form of godliness in some things as near the Letter as ye) change the nature, or beget a saving-faith which is that which purifies the heart, and sets free from sin? Or are ye not in your sin as well as they, and say ye shall not be free here? Only herein they outstrip ye in profession, for they profess a purgatory after this life, through which they must pass, and be cleansed and purified; for they know that no unclean thing must enter into Heaven, and ye think to enter in with your sins; for here ye say you shall never be set free, and so are deniers of the Scriptures in that particular, more than they; for you will not come to me (saith Christ the light) that you may have life: Do ye think that the profession of the Scriptures will save you any more than them? Or is the Scriptures me? Were the Scriptures crucified at Jerusalem, or slain since the foundation of the world? Or do ye think that Letters and Syllables joined together in words, as God, and Jesus, will save from sin? Or is that the blood which was shed without the City, which only cleanseth from sin, and purgeth from all unrighteousness? Or is that to be found in things without? Will the blood of Bulls, or Goats, or the ashes of a Heifer, think ye, cleanse from sin? If they would, what needed he have come and been offered up, and shed his blood at Jerusalem, who came to fulfil the Law, and the Prophets, and the Passeover, and the Circumcision, and the divers washings, and carnal Ordinances, which could not make the comers thereto perfect, as pertaining to the conscience? And do ye think that Bread, and wine, and water, which are carnal things, which you call Sacraments, (who taught you that word? had you it by Revelation? for the Scripture nowhere hath it) will do it now? why then the Pope of Rome, and they of Italy, Spain, and France, have more of them than ye, yet they you say are Antichrist, and none of the Saints, and Church, and people of God, and we say so too. Or is the manner or form of eating, and drinking, or dipping, or sprinkling, that altars the nature, and makes it more saving to one, then to another? for 'tis only in that ye differ; for they have the same, and more than ye, & circumstances by your own Doctrine, altars not, where the ground and foundation is one; for circumstances doth not save according to your own Opinions, nor change the ground; why then do you exclude them from being a Church of Christ more than yourselves; who profess more of the carnal Ordinances than ye, and profess the same Scriptures, the same Faith, the same God, the same Christ, and the same Sacraments? and where's the difference but in the circumstances? And it you say they are not a Church of Christ, and profess that you yourselves are; and it say circumstances doth not save, if the ground and foundation be one; what confusion is here! Are you not all in Babylon? Are not Mother and Daughter both Harlots? Is your Bread, and wine, and wine, and water, better, and holier the theirs? Are they not all carnal? Or is yours more pure and more saving? Yet neither of them make the Comers thereunto perfect, by your own confession; is not their Saviour then as good as yours, and their Church as yours, both imperfect? And is the Church of Christ so? Search the Scriptures and see. Doth they say it is? Or doth it not say that he washeth and cleanseth it in his own blood, and presents it to God his Father without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; And do not the Apostles write to the Church which is in God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; and dare ye say that's imperfect, as by your own confession yours is, and it would be accounted a Church of Christ, and your Teachers, Ministers of Christ; Is Christ imperfect; Are ye not ministering the carnal; Is Christ carnal; Are ye not ministering the Letter: Is the Letter the Spirit; Are ye not ministering the Bread and wine; Is this Christ; But it may be you'll say, You receive it by faith, but is it faith in Christ; search the Scriptures, and try Hath this faith purified your hearts; If not; it's not Christ's. Hath it given you victory over the world; Hath it subdued and crucified the world unto you, and you unto it; Hath it saved & cleansed you from sin, as by your own confession it hath not, nor you say, you believe never will here; and so is not the faith in Christ which the Saints witnessed; and if not in Christ, not true, nor saving, nor well-grounded faith, which you oft talk of, but know it not; for the day is come, and approaching, that your Foundations shall be shaken; the Light comprehends you, your Faith and Foundation, which is tottering and sandy. Therefore look about you, (ye that profess believers) and beware, for your image of Faith will not save ye any more than the Pope's Images. what's that ye worship and pretend to serve; Do ye know; Is the Scriptures, or men's meanings of them, He; Is Bread and wine He; Is the Ordinances He; 'Tis like you'll say, No, but they lead to him: which of you have they lead to him; Are ye found out; Is your Ordinances Christ; Doth any lead to God but Christ; Knows any the Father save the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him; Are ye not making a Christ of your Ordinance, and yet condemn the Pope and his Church to the devil for believing the bread & wine is transubstantiated into the body & Blood of Christ, & that when they eat it, they eat his flesh, & drink his blood: What difference betwixt their eating their God, and yours leading to God, and yet saying it's Bread and Wine still, which is carnal; Doth that which is carnal lead to God, whom to know and be led unto, is life eternal; And hath your dead Christ brought you thither, yea or nay; The Light sees your Christ, and in it are you comprehended, and your Christ, and with it denied, and your Faith, which doth not purify; for whilst I was under the leading and conduct of it, I came not to the knowledge of God by it, and so not to eternal life, which is witnessed through faith in him, and in his blood, which purifies my heart, and gives me dominion over the world, and that Christ I know, own and witness which saves from sin all that come unto him; but your Christ is denied, which you say you believe will not set you free from sin here, and so is not the Christ of God; which is the true Light which lighteth every one that cometh into the world, who is manifest to take away sin, and to destroy the works of the Devil, and in him is no sin: And this Christ I own, and bear witness of, who is the true Light, the Ordinance of the Father, whom ye hate and destroy, and make void through your traditions; and deny your Mock-Christ, which you say will not save you from sin here, but leaves you in the devil's work, which is sin, (by your own confession) and so your Christ is but transformed in you like unto an Angel of Light, O ye Professors and People, and your Ministers like unto Ministers of righteousness; and so being not the same Christ, but like him, cannot save ye from sin, and so not from condemnation, but keeps you in it whilst ye are here, and persuades you that ye cannot be set free; and this Christ ye believe in: And here's the mystery of iniquity hid, and discovered (even the spiritual wickedness got into high places) unto all who have an eye to see, and an ear to hear, and an heart to understand, and will not wilfully blind themselves by hating knowledge and instruction: And this mystery of iniquity works not only at Rome, and Italy, and Spain, and France, but in England also, and in every particular Member of that Church, which is not in God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the pillar and ground of Truth, whom to know is life eternal, which none comes to know, but such who comes down to know and own the light within them, which is pure, of God, which convinceth of sin and iniquity, and shows evil deeds; that's the Light which lets ye see when ye tell a lie, when ye swear, or be drunk, or commit any other sin, that ye are serving the devil, and not God; when ye are fulfilling the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, that this is not of the Father, but of the World; and the World passeth away, and the lusts thereof, but he that doth the Will of God, the same abideth for ever; and this being obeyed, (which convinceth) and sin denied, it leads unto Christ from whence the light comes, who leads to the Father of Light, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of changing, who of his own good will hath he begotten us by the Word of his power, unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, that we should be as the first fruits unto him, having slain the enmity on the Cross, and broken down the Partition-wall, and hath brought in everlasting Righteousness, even by washing and purging of us in his own blood; and his flesh we know, which is meat indeed; and his blood, which is drink indeed; and his covering we know. But the woe from him is unto all such as are found covered, and covering themselves with a covering, and not of the spirit of the Lord; for the Lord our God is come, and coming in the Clouds of Heaven, with the voice of the Arch Angel, and the shout of a great Trump, to call all who are in the Graves to arise and stand up to judgement, they that have done well to the resurrection of life, but they that have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation; and the day draws nigh a pace, wherein the Book of conscience must be opened, and every one come to be judged out of the book of his own conscience for all that ever hath been done in the body, whether it be good or evil, and he that hath done good shall go into life everlasting; but he that hath done evil into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his Angels, where shall be weeping, and howling, and gnashing of teeth, where the worm never dieth, nor the fire is not quenched, which is the second death, out of which there's no Redemption; but blessed and holy is he that hath his part in the first Resurrection, over such the second death shall have no power, but they shall reign Kings and Priests to God even for ever and ever; even so Lord Jesus, come quickly, Amen.  
Written to you from the Lord God, who is Judge of quick and dead, by a lover of all your souls, that so with the Light of Christ Jesus within, you might come to a true sight and discovery of your estates and conditions, that so coming to be sensible of them, you might return to the Lord in your life time, before you be sealed up in the pit of everlasting darkness; for the day of sealing is come, and the Bride (the lamb's Wife) hath made herself ready, and is entered into the bedchamber, And I John saw the Angel flying through the midst of Heaven, having the Key of the bottomless Pit in his hand, to seal and shut up all such who are found bearing the mark of the Beast in their foreheads, and in their right hand, that they may be shut up and sealed for ever and ever. And this in love is written to go abroad as a warning from the Lord to all people, professors, and priests every where, but in particular, to them in Hartford and Ware, that so if possible some of them may come to repentance, and to an acknowledgement of the truth in their life time, as it is in Jesus, before it be hid from their eyes, and may serve also for the use of any who have an eye to see, and an ear to hear: From a lover of all souls, known to the world by the name of  
John GOULD, But hath a new Name, and a white Stone, which none knows but he that hath it.  
THE END.