‘hath not been in all the Nations : The Havock that hath been made
‘the spoiling of the Goods of People, taking away their Oxen and
fatted Beeves, their Sheep, Corn, Wool, and Houshold-Goods, and giv-
‘ing them to the Priests that have done no Work for them : More
‘like Moss-Troopers, than Ministers of the Gospel, they take them
‘from Friends ; suing them in your Courts, and fining them, be-
‘cause they will not break the Commands of Christ, that is, because
‘they will not Swear. And thus you Act against them, that so not
‘lift up an Hand against you ; and as much as you turn against them,
‘you turn against Christ. But he is risen, that will plead their Cause ;
‘and you cannot be hid : for your Works are come to Light, and the
End of your Ministry is seen, what it is for ; for Means. And ye
‘ have dishonoured the Truth, the Gospel ; and are they, that make it
Chargeable : You have lost your Glory ; you have dishonoured your
‘selves. Persecution was ever blind and mad : Read the Apostle,
‘what he saith of himself, when he was in your Nature. Exaltation
‘and Pride, and your lifting up your selves, hath brought you to this ;
‘not being humble, and not doing Justice, and not loving Mercy. And
‘when such, as have beaten been and bruised by your Rude Company
‘(to whom you are a Praise and Encouragement) have come, and laid
‘things before you, that you might have done Justice, preserved and
‘kept Peace ; you (as knowing they could not swear) have put an Oath
‘to them : And this hath been your Trick and Cover, that ye might
‘not do Justice to the Just ; but by this means have gone onstill fur-
‘ther to Encourage the Evil-Doer. But the Lord sees your Hearts !
‘If ye were not Men of past feeling, ye would fear and tremble before
‘him, the God of the whole Earth ; who is risen, and will stain your
Glory, and marr your Pride, and deface your Beauty, and lay it in
‘the dust. Though for a Time you may swell in your Pride, and
glory in your Shame, and make a mock of God’s Messengers, who, for
Reproving Sin in the Gate, are become your Prey ; you will feel
‘the heavy hand of God, and his Judgments at the last. This is from
‘a Lover of Truth and of Righteousness, and of your Souls ; but
‘a Witness against all such, as make a Trade of the Prophets, Christ’s
‘and the Apostles Words, and are found in the Steps of them, that
persecuted the Prophets, Christ’s and the Apostles Life : who will
persecute them, that will not hold you up, and put into your Mouths,
‘and give you Means. Tithes were before the Law, and Tithes were
‘in the Law ; but Tithes since the Days of the Apostles have been on-
‘the Law, and to end War, Redeems Men out of the Tenths and out
‘of the Nines also. The Redeemed of the Lord shall reign upon
‘the Earth ; and know the Election, which was, before the World
‘began. Since the days of the Apostles Tithes have been set up by the
Papists, and by them that went forth from the Apostles into the
World; so set up by the false Church, that made Merchandize of
‘People, since the true Church went into the Wilderness. But now is
‘the Judgment of the great Whore come, and the Beast and false
Prophet (the Old Dragon) shall be taken, and cast into the Fire ; and
‘the Lamb and his Saints shall have the Victory. And now is Christ
‘come, who will make War in Righteousness, and destroy with

Q2                                                 ‘the            

 1653.

Carlisle-
Dungeon.