FOR THE KING AND PARLIAMENT, And his COUNCEL and TEACHERS, And to every Individual Person, superior and inferior, throughout the English Nation, that have a Hand against the Innocent People of God, called QUAKERS.  
One Visitation and Warning more from the Lord unto You.  
Printed in the Year. 1664.   

For the KING and PARLIAMENT, and his Counsel, and Teachers, and to every individual person, Superior and inferior, throughout the English Nation, that have a Hand against the Innocent people of God, called Quakers, one Visitation and Warning more from the Lord unto You.  
Friends,  
THe God of heaven hath put it into my heart to writ a few words unto you, in the fear and dread of his Name, and in the council of his own Will, concerning the work which ye have taken in hand against him and his people; this is not the end and work for which the Lord God hath permitted you into the places of Government and Rule, in those Nations( nor the way for you to prosper, nor to prolong your daies in the earth) thus to persecute and afflict an innocent and harmless people, who are peaceable, and walk uprightly( towards God and man) therein, endeavouring( in all things) to keep their consciences voided of offence, and who have no helper in the earth but the Lord alone, neither is their Kingdom of this world, but they are verily the children and servants of the most high God, whom he hath gathered from amongst men, and from the kindreds of the earth, to be the first fruits unto him, and to the lamb in this age; and we are his and not our own, he hath bought us, and redeemed us unto himself, and to him alone have we committed our innocent cause, and he hath undertaken to pled it for us, with all our adversaries, and no weapon formed against us shall ever prosper, but be broken to pieces.  
Therefore Friends, be awakened and open your eyes, and see what a stir and a do here is in this Nation, to hale and drag up and down a company of tender, innocent, harmless people, men and women, and children from their peaceable meetings, who meet together in the fear and tender love of God, without any evil or bad intent toward any, but have good will and compassion toward all men, even to the worst of our enemies, as the Lord bears us witness, and these are them that are driven as sheep to the slaughter, and thrown into your noisome Goals, and Prisons, and houses of Correction, by rude and brutish people( your servants) whom you have set on work by your authority, till many of them have( patiently) suffered till death, whose innocent blood will assuredly be required at your hands,( though they shall not go free of the guilt who have had the least hand in it, without speedy repentance) and thus ye may see and red, how the Disciples of Christ Jesus are as sheep, and lambs in the midst of wolves in this age, and as a lily among thorns, and all this is only for obeying his commands, and for worshipping the everlasting invisible God in the spirit, and in the truth, according to the Scriptures, the which if ye knew and understood, you would tremble to think what you have done against them, to cause so many of the little ones which believe in Christ so griev●●●sly to suffer, who said it were better a m●●stone were hanged about his neck, and he drowned in the depth of the Sea, that should offend one of these little ones that believe in me; and as true as Christ Jesus suffered, and rose again, and as God liveth who raised him from the de●d, we are some of those his little ones that believe in him, who( in derision and scorn( in this age) are called Quakers, as ye might call Moses, the Prophe●s and Apostles( in dayes past) who did quake and tremble at the presence of the Lord who is the same now as ever he was, though the ungodly know him not, nor his power; And we are of that poor and afflicted people mentioned, Z●ph. 3.12. Whose trust is only in the Name of the Lord, who will undo all their oppressors at this the return of their captivity, ver. 19 20.  
But what shall I say unto you, if ye will not or cannot believe our faithful testimony( or the testimony of God through us) and the innocency of our cause and sufferings, neither will ye believe if one should rise from the dead and declare it unto you, for many tender visitation●, and timely warnings, and gentle reprehentions have you had, from the pure spirit of the Lord God, both from his witness in your own consciences, and from his faithful servants and m●ssengers, who have written and declared unto you in his Name and Power in this your day. And as for my part who am one of the least of the thousands of Israel, I could willingly have been silent as toward you at this time, but the Lord( whom I serve in my spirit) hath laid it upon me to warn you once more( for whose sakes I have born a burden) in the true sight and sense of your sad estate, and of the day of thick darkness, wrath and distress, which is hastening upon you from the Almighty.  
Wherefore be not proud nor rebellious, but hear, and obey the Word of the Lord, for thus saith the Lord God that made heaven and earth, Let my innocent People alone, and touch them not any more as ye have done for they are mine, and I have called them, and chosen them, and redeemed them, they are my Jewels which I am making up; they shall show forth my glory before men to the whole world, I have anointed them, and I will preserve them and deliver them, and crown them with an everlasting salvation: I will rebuk Kings and Rulers for their sakes, and distress Nations, and disthrone the mighty from their seats that rise up against them, as I have done; and let my everlasting Gospel have a free passage in these Nations, and do not reproach and afflict my servants and messengers so any more, whom I have cho●en and sent to preach and declare the way or life and salvation to the ends of the earth, but bow your car and your heart unto them and their testimony, that it may be well with you, and prolong your daies, for he that blesseth them shall be blessed and he that nurseth them shall be cursed, and every hand shall whither that opposeth them, as hath been, and shall be, henceforth for ever: I the Lord have spoken it.  
But and if you will not hear, but will still persist, and go on as ye have done, to oppress my heritage, and harmless people, and make war and opposition against my power and truth, and thus set yourselves and your Power against me the living God; I will bring you down suddenly to the astonishment of Nations, and I'll cut your day short, and turn your pleasures into howling and lamention, and shane, and contempt, shall cover your memorial as a garment: Thus will I work for the deliverance of my seed, and none shall let it, for the year of my redeemed is come, and the day of vengeance is in my heart, to pled its cause with all flesh.  
Therefore consider your ways, and see what ye are doing, and what the effect of this your work will be, ye are but men, and the children of men, who were but as yesterday, your breath also is in your nostrils, and your life is but a vapour, which will soon vanish away: You labour in the very fire, and bring forth wind, which blows up the flamme of that which will consume you, and deprive you of all happiness for ever( O that ye had but hearts to consider it) For the more you strive with the Lord, and oppress his people, the more will they multiply and grow stronger& stronger, and you shal wax weaker& weaker, and your works shall be your heavy burden, for life and immortality is risen, and the power of God is stirring in the hearts of thousands, and light understanding( the excellent spirit which was in Daniel) is breaking forth like the lightning( which shines out of the East into the West) in the light of many people, whereby they know its the day of the coming of the Son of man, with power and great glory, that every eye may see him, and they that have pierced him shall mourn bitterly: So your labour is in vain, and your works for the fire, and your striving with your Maker to no purpose, as to effect your end and aim. And of these things you have been often forewarned, and the Lord hath been very long suffering towards you, in sparing you thus long, and suffering you thus far to act against him and his dear people, and his mercy and forbearance hath been evidently shewed in a large measure unto you, in deferring his heavy judgements thus long, which must have been confessed to be just upon you: And will you thus require the Lord, by increasing your tasks of oppression upon his tender innocent people? O unwise and ungrateful generation! hath not God yet shewed you, that you should do justly, and love mercy, and walk humbly? Mica 6.8. But are these your fruits and practices, fruits of Mercy or Justice? or if there be any tincture, or spark of love or humility in them? Let Gods witness( the light) in all your consciences, and in all people, answer; I tell you plainly, that such fruits and doings among you, that profess yourselves Christians, have made the very Name of Christ and Christianity a Proverb of reproach through Nations, and have caused the God of heaven to be blasphemed: and how could it be otherwise? seeing you who profess the most knowledge of God, and have talked of converting the Heathen( as some of your leaders have done) are found the least in the life and fruits thereof: but to what would they convert them? to pride, and swearing, and drunkenness, and oppression, and all manner of excess, and to persecute people for their good conscience? they have no need of that, for some of them have said, they did not use to swear and be drunk, &c. till they came among the Christians, and learned of them, they did not do so in their own country, so ye are far from converting them, being out of the life of what ye profess and talk of yourselves, that the very Heathen or Infidels( as ye call them) doth judge and condemn you( who are making enquiry) concerning these your proceedings against this harmless people, among whom some of them have been kindly entreated, who visited them at the Lords requiring, though contrary in opinion and Religion, and this doth rise up in judgement against you.  
But friends, have not you yourselves been under Sufferings, and some of you been driven into strange Countrys or lands, for your cause( as it was called) Nay did not the King himself, once fly for refuge to a three, to save himself, from his Enemies hands; if not, why are there such representations made of it, in so many places in the Nation. And was not this a great mercy, and deliverance from God, so to obscure and preserve him, from them who pursued him( and many of you also) And are these things forgotten; can mercy be loved, except it be remembered? And do you remember and love his mercies, by doing justly, and walking humbly with him, as he doth require? or do you boast in a vain glory as if your own arm had done it, or your own strength or deserts had delivered you, if so, then God must needs be forgotten, and his mercies trod under foot, and his visitations and counsels c●st behind your back, and so all that forget God, shall be torn in pieces and there shall be none to deliver them, as it is written. Psal. 50  
And were these your sufferings( which you sustained by them, ye opposed) unjust, and unequal, and if ye should say they were, then I say it is much more unjust and very unequal( in the sight of God, and all sober People that fear him) for you, thus to inflict such cruel sufferings( as Imprisoning and stifling up to Death, in your noisome Gayles and holes, among thieves and Murtherers, And to pronounce sentence of Banishment upon an Innocent, harmless, peaceable People, that do not oppose you in the least, with any outward force, neither doth so much as the thoughts of it, lodge within our breasts, as the Lord God knoweth( who have called us to peace) but on the contrary, have sought and do seek, your welfare and happiness, both in this world, and in the world to come, which in time shall be manifest to the whole Earth.  
And if you say your sufferings were unjust and unequal( though you did oppose them and make war against them so long as you could) because they deprived you of your rights and privileges, and just liberties, and natural birthrights, &c. which was your due to enjoy as being free born of the Nation: Then how much more is it unjust, and unequal, and unrighteous thus to inflict sufferings upon your friends, and oppress your peaceable Neighbours, who are freeborn People of the same Nation, and doth not oppose you, but are tender toward you( as aforesaid) And Subjects to all wholesome just Laws, and tributary to you, for which causes we ought to have our just liberty, and enjoy the Priveledg of our Birthright which is our due,( so long as we live peaceably and harmlessly,) but if it be not a Previledge to be pleaded for, then is all your own grounds and reasons, and cause, without a foundation, and you and the whole Nation may be swept away by any that are able to do it, without being charged with injustice or oppression, which is contrary to the just balance( the Light of Christ) in all Peoples Consciences. And as we are the dearly beloved People of the most high God, who doth bless us with his presence, and manifest his everlasting love and good will towards us daily, and overshadow us with his power and tender mercies, whom he hath gathered out of the evil ways, and spirit of this world and all the vanities thereof unto himself, to walk with him who is invisible in the upright, blameless, undefiled Life, in the the midst of a Crooked and preverse Generation; I say considering these things, how greatly and unrighteously doth our sufferings appear to all sober People, whose eyes are open, and will be more open to discern and favour the bitterness, of that proud envious wrathful spirit, which thus hath acted you, and deceived you, and its end is numbered by them that have wisdom from above.  
For Friends, set aside the reproachful name of Quakers and the other titles of derision and scorn( which the envious and blood thirsty spirit hath invented to render the people of God odious in all ages) And tell me what ye have justly to charge against this People,( whom you so furio●sly pursue, to the dens and caves of the Earth, to the loss of the lives of so many of them; by which children are made fatherless and tender hearted woman, mournful widdows,) and let it come forth to open view, and declare it abroad( as your Articles against them) to the whole World, and speak the truth, and nothing but the truth,( as you use to tell one another) that all People may rightly know and understand the very ground and most secret cause who do inquire) of these your present proceedings against them, for notice is taken by many, and ere long it must be manifest to all men, as the folly and madness of Jannes and Jambres was that withstood Moses, for you withstand no less then him of whom Moses wrote, who said I am the Light of of the world, against whom Saul was once exceedingly mad, and had thoughts to do very much against that way( which was then as well as now) called heresy till the Light of Jesus( whom he persecuted) met with him, with his letters( or warrants) to hale men and women to Prison( as your servants do) and smote him to the ground, and made him tremble who( from that time( became such a Quaker, as you now persecute and Imprison till Death, But the light of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, will meet with all persecutors, and opressors about Religion, let them be never so mad, or think they ought to do much against that way, they call heresy as some of you have said, who have made a mock at the Light, even publicly, which many took notice of, and even marveled at such blasphemy( in an open court) against the saviour of the world; And there is no other name under Heaven by which men shall be saved, but him who said, I am the Light of the world; who lighteth every man that cometh into the world Joh. 8.12.& 19.  
And this is he in whom we have believed, and of whom we have declared, and must declare and bear testimony as long as we have a being and the world shall know that our testimony is true, and for his name and truth only, do we thus patienly suffer the Contradictions of Sinners, as our brethren did by the zealous Jews, in ages past, but you are not so zealous for Christs Law, and Commandements, as they were of Moses and the Prophets( which Christ ends and fullfills) who thought it was not lawful to do good one the Sabbath day, as to heal the sick) for then would you do to all men, as ye would they should do to you, for his law runs thus, and be you merciful, &c. And love you your Enemies; and swear not at all, &c as ye may red Luke 6.& Math. 5 34. &c.  
But behold, how both Jews and Gentiles, take notice, and are ashamed and grieved, to here and see what a deal of bad works you even on your Sabath day( as some of you call it) and how you profane the day of your worship, with your cattle, and servants,( which are within your gates,) what Riding, and running, and toiling, in rage and fury,( like mad men) sweeting, and Swearing, and Cursing, and draging, and haling, the Innocent members of Christs body, out of their peaceable meetings, into your layles and holes, on your day of worship, but are your Sacrifices( ye offer at that time) accepted; have ye peace, while these things are acting, in your name, and by your Authority; if ye have peace, and pleasure herein let me tell you, from the Righteous God, you are hardened in your sins against him, and he will break your peace speedily, and turn your pleasure into bitterness and Lamentation; and his Innocent Peoples meetings shall stand, and be increased, And their way shall prosper, and the truth shall spread, and prevail, and have dominion over all Nations; And their Enemies shall fall, and be confounded, let them strive what they can against them, for they are of God( and not by man, or the will of man) and they seek his glory and not their own, and such as abide faithful to him, shall triumph over all the principalities, and powers of the Rulers of the darkness of this world, and make a show openly of the victory, over all that do or m●y oppose them, for their Life is immortal, And the Lord of heaven and Earth is their strength, who is with them as a mighty Terrible one. Therefore shall their persecutors fall before them.  
And let me tell you again, that by these your unreasonable, and unjust dealings, the understanding of thousands are the more opened, and the tender sober part, or principle in them, doth feel the weight, and burden, of this greivousnes, which you have prescribed, and do so eagerly pursue to the Imprisoning to death so many Innocent persons and freeborn people of this Nation, besides hundreds are liable to the same,( which yet remain in your prisons) And your unnatural, cruel sentence of Banishment, to separate dear and tender husbands, from their dear and tender wives and tender children, and little Innocent babes; Oh how do ye rent the bowels of the meek of the Earth, whom God hath blessed, what is become of all your promises of liberty for tender Consciences, Gods curse and vengeance will come upon you. And his Plagues will pursue you to destruction if ye proceed in this work, And your wives shall be widows, and your children Fatherless, the Lord hath spoken it. If you had the hearts of men, or of flesh, ye would be afraid and blushy, at the very thoughts hereof; my heart and foul melts within me, and I am even bowed down( with cries to God) in my spirit, to think of the hardness of your hearts. God almighty cut short thy work in righteousness, and shorten the dayes of oppression and cruelty for thine elects sake, which cry night and day unto thee; And make known thy Name and power to the ends of the earth, and let the heathen here, and fear, and bow to thy Righteous sceptre; And let the Kings of the earth lay down their Crowns at the feet of the Lamb, that through thy righteous Judgments they may partake of thy tender mercies which endureth for ever; that their eyes may be no longer withholden, nor blinded by the God of this world,( the power and prince of darkness) but that they might come to see thee, who art invisible and enjoy the same precious Life, of pure unfeigned love, which abounds in the hearts of thy hidden ones; and receive thy peaceable wisdom to be governed, and to govern therein; Then would they surely know, that we are thine and confess to thy glorious truth, and speak good of thy Name. And magnify thy power, and no longer count the blood of thy everlasting covenant wherewith we are sanctified) as an unholy thing.  
But O thou righteous, holy, pure, eternal God, art unknown unto all them that sit in darkness, and dwell in the spirit of enmity, against thee and thy people, though thou art come near to judgement, according to the promise, Mal. 3.5. And thy way of life and salvation is hide from them, therefore they hate us without a cause, and thus evilly entreat us in the darkness of their minds, and in the ignorance and hardness of their hearts, for which my soul doth pitty them, and even entreat thee for them, that if possible their eyes may be yet opened, and their hearts softened, and their spirit humbled, that they may see what they are doing in the dark, and consider the effect of their work, which will assuredly follow: and if thy warnings and gentle visitations will not humble them, then let thy Judgements awaken them, and bring them down and humble them, that they may perceive something of what thou art doing( in these latter daies) and art resolved to do to the ends of the earth, though the whole world should gather and band together to oppose thy work and people, for thou hast begun( and thou wilt go through and perfect) thy work, thou wilt raise thy seed, and gather thine Elect from the four winds, and bring them from the ends of the Earth, and scatter the proud in the vain imaginations of their hearts, and thou wilt break thy way through all that oppose thee in this the day of thy mighty power, in which thou art arisen( as a Giant to run his race) to finish transgression, and make an end of sin, and to bring in and establish everlasting righteousness, that the Kingdoms of this world, may become thy Kingdoms, and of thy Christ, as thou hast promised, and art now fulfilling, glory, and honour, and thanks, and everlasting praises, be to thy glorious Name, world without end, Amen.  
So friends, ye are, and have been warned again and again by the faithful Messengers and servants of the Lord, in love to your souls, and you are left without excuse if never words more should be mentioned unto you, by which ye might perceive how the Lord doth strive with you, that ye might repent and be saved from the wrath to come, though some of you feel little of it in your own consciences: But his Spirit will not always strive with you, for if you will not believe them, but slight and reject them, and neither make conscience of what hath proceeded out of your own mouth, nor regard to perform your own words and public engagements, in that which is just which the Lord requireth of you, nor remember his by past, and present mercies, and long suffering towards you, but trample all under foot: I say, if it be thus with you, and you are resolved to go on, you will wholly be given up, and be exceedingly hardened, and grow desperate in cruelty and oppression against God, and his truth, and people, till your whole earth is filled with violence: And then( as true as God liveth) will the flood come upon you, and ye shall fall after the manner of Egypt, and the weight of the dreadful judgements due for all your abominations, and cruelties shall sink you down into the pit that's bottonles, and that suddenly as the Lord hath spoken  
Written in the tenth month 64. at Hertford. By his servant, who is a lover of the welfare of all your souls, and I am thus far clear of all your blood. W.B.   

POSTSCRIPT.  

The Sun is risen up, swiftly to run his race,  
Therefore ye vapouring clouds divide,  
And unto him give place;  
For its his right to reign,  
Who rules in righteousness,  
Who now is come, in this his day  
His Kingdom to possess.   
Amen.   
The END.