To all the Ignorant people, the word of the Lord, who are under the blind guides the Prieſts.

WHo have told you the ſteple-houſe hath been the temple, and the holy place, and ſaith, did not Chriſt go into the temple. My anſwer is, yea to whip out the buyers and ſellers, and if you count this the temple now in England, which is called a ſteeple-houſe, it is almoſt full of buyers and ſellers again, for there is the Prieſts market day, for to ſell his ware which he labours for in the week, ten ſhillings a day, or a noble a day, or more or leſſe as they can get, and is not here buyers and ſellers in the temple, as you call it, and mony changers, and is not it a den of thieves, a den of dragons; ſuch as ſteals the words of the Pro­phets, Chriſt and his Apoſtles (the Prieſts which confeſſeth they have not the ſpirit which gave forth the ſcriptures) as you may read. Je. 23.30. but we deny this ſteeple-houſe to be the temple, which God commanded, neither is it holyer then any other ground, for though Chriſt went into the temple to whip out ſuch before mentioned, as you may read. Mat. 21.12. and a­gain you may read. Mat. 24. he propheſied to his diſciples, of the deſtruction of the temple, and you that have built another, are in your own name, and are the deceivers ſpoken of in that chapter, and ſo is againſt prophecy, and ſo he that is againſt Chriſts prophecy is Antechriſt, and if it were poſſible ſhould deceive the elect, but it is not poſſible, for Chriſt hath given them a light, and he ſaith to them, go not forth and ſoo with the light Chriſt is ſeen, and you idolatrous generation, when Iſrael forgot his maker, they builded temples & Jud•h multiplyed fenced cities, but I will ſend a fire and conſume the pallaces thereof, as you may read. Hoſ. 8.14. ſo as a troup of robbers lye in wait for a man: ſo doth a company of Prieſts murder in the way by conſent. Hoſ. 6.9. who the covenant of God are againſt, and after Chriſts reſurrection, Stephen which was a man firſt of the Holy Ghoſt, when the Prieſts examined him in the 7 of Acts, he ſaid in his examination, that the moſt high2 dwelleth not in temples made with hands, as ſaith the Prophet, Heaven is Gods throne, and the earth is his footſtool, and ſaith God hath not my hands made, my hands made all theſe things, and called them ſtifnecked and uncircumciſed in hearts and eares that held up the temple, and they ſaid he had ſpoken blaſphemous words againſt the holy place, as Acts. 6.13. ſuch as were ſtuborn men, and falſe witneſſes: and after that Stephen had ſpoken along in his examination, and came to themſelves, in particular, and ſaid he ſaw Chriſt (who had propheſied of the deſtruction of the temple) and when he was examined before the Prieſts and people, then they run upon him, and ſtoned him to death: ſo are, Prieſts and people ready to do the ſame now, he denied the temple which God had com­manded and witneſſed Chriſt Jeſus the ſubſtance, and for that they ſtoned him to death, for denying the figure, and we deny that which they call a temple, which God never commanded and witneſſe Chriſt Jeſus the ſubſtance, and for the ſubſtance ſake are they ready to murder us a company of Prieſts, by con­ſent, as a troup of robbers wait for their prey, but our delive­rance is by the Lord Jeſus from the ſeed of evil doers, and after the Apoſtles which went into the temple, and witneſſed Chriſt Jeſus the ſecond prieſthood, and denied the firſt prieſthood, and then the ſecond prieſthood and the chief prieſts was in a rage againſt the Apoſtles, who witneſſed Chriſt Jeſus the ſe­cond prieſthood, and they were brought out of the temple, and brought them before their counſell, and the high Prieſt exami­ned them, and then the Prieſts commanded them to preach no more in the name of Jeſus the ſecond prieſthood, and the Apo­ſtles which denyed the firſt prieſthood and the temple, ſaid, whether was it better to obey God or man, judge ye, and the Apoſtles which denyed the firſt prieſtood, they went daily into the temple and into the houſes, and feared not to preach in the name of Jeſus, as you may read. Act. 4. and in Act. 17. and the 7. The Apoſtles Paul ſaid, that God that made the world, and all things therein, who is Lord of all, dwelt not in temples made with hands, neither was he worſhipped with mens hands, as though he needed any thing, ſeeing he gives to all life and breath and all things, and hath made of one mould and one bloud all the nations of men to dwell upon the face of the earth, and hath determined the time before appointed, and the3 bound of habitation that they ſhould ſeek the Lord, if happily they might feel him and find him, though he be not far off from every one of us, here the Apoſtle he ſaw the times, and declared unto the people which held up the temple, they did not know God, and he denied the temple which God had commanded, and ſome of them mocked when they heard him preach Chriſt Jeſus and his reſurrection, as they mock now which holds up the temple which God never commanded, which Iude ſpeakes of, Iude 18. and the people ſaid unto the Apoſtle in Acts 17. when he preached Chriſt, that the Apoſtle ſeemed to be a ſetter forth of ſtrange Gods, and called him a babler, and ſaid, let us hear what the babler will ſay, for he denyed the temple which God had commanded, and preached Chriſt Jeſus, and ſaid, God did not dwell in temples made with hands, as you may read. Acts 17. and Acts 17. and Acts the 19. what up­roar there was amongſt the tradeſ-men againſt Paul, and they ſaid he ſet at nought their craft, and not only this, but the tem­ple of the great Diana might be deſpiſed and ſet at naught, and their magnificency ſhould be deſtroyed, whom all the world worſhips, and when they heard that they were full of wrath they that held up the temple of their great God­deſſe Diana, and the people made a ſhout for their great Goddeſſe Diana, for the ſpace of two hours, as you may read. Acts 19. & 21. and the Apoſtle Paul goes into the temple, when the Jewes ſaw him in the temple, ſtirred up all the people and laid hands on him, crying out, men of Iſrael help, this is the man which teacheth all men every where, and hath brought alſo the Greeks into this temple, and poluted this holy place, and all the city was moved, and the people ran together, and laid hold on him, and drew him out of the temple, and the doors were ſhut, and they went about to kill Paul, and they beat him, and when ſome ſouldiers, and the chief captain came, and they ſaw them, then they left beating Paul, and here the men of Iſrael were cryed unto, which held up the temple to help out with him, here all the wiſe in heart, may ſee what was Pauls end in going into the temple, to witneſſe forth the ſecond prieſt­hood Chriſt Jeſus, Salomon build a temple, and the Lord ſpake unto David, thy ſon ſhall build an houſe, whom I will ſet up­on thy throne in my name, then Salomon began to ſet to work4 the hewers of cedars and timber, and the Lord gave Salomon wiſdom, which he did promiſe him: Salomon had 70000 that bore burdens, and 80000 hewers in the mountains, be­ſides the chief of Salomons officers which were men over the work, 3000 and 300 that were over them that wrought in the work, and many there was at the building of the temple, and Salomon had a command which the Lord ſaid Salomon ſhould do, as you may read. 1 Kings 5. ſaid he ſhould build him an houſe, and when it was built, and when Chriſt was come, a greater then Salomon, who was the ſubſtance, though he went into the temple to whip out, but it was in their time to be a houſe of prayer, after Chriſt ſhewed unto his diſciples and pro­pheſied unto them in the 24. Mat. the deſtruction of it, and Chriſt who was greater then Salomon, there propheſied the de­ſtruction of Salomons building: ſo Stephen denyed it, who witneſſed Chriſt, and the prophet denyed it who ſaw Chriſt. Acts 7. and the Apoſtle denyed it, who was a witneſſe of Chriſt. Acts 17. and the people hawled him out of it, and ſaid he polluted the holy place. Acts 21. and the Apoſtle called it an Idols temple, and the Apoſtle went into it, and was hawl­ed out of it. Acts the 5. and they that preached Chriſt witneſ­ſes of Chriſt, witneſſed a greater then Salomon who built the temple, ſuch denyed Salomons temple and ſaid, what know you not that your bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghoſt, which is in you, and you are not your own, for you are bought with a price: therefore glorify God with your ſpirits which is Gods, ſuch as can witneſſe this Chriſt and this price, and are bought, doth deny the outward temple, and witneſſe their bodies the temples of the Holy Ghoſt, 1 Cor. 16.19. ſuch do witneſſe a greater then Salomon who built the temple, Chriſt Jeſus who propheſied the deſtruction of the temple, ſo the temple which God had commanded was denyed with them that witneſſed a greater then Salomon, and whereas you call your ſuperſtitious place, which was built for popery, a church it is all falſe and a lye, they are no true temples nor true churches, ſo they are tea­chers of lyes and cauſeth people to erre by their lyes and light­neſſe, as you may read. Jer. 23.32. and the Scripture ſaith. 1 Theſ. 1.1. the true church is in God the Father of our Lord Je­ſus Chriſt, and here let all the honeſt in heart ſee how theſe5 falſe prophets have deceived you, and Chriſt propheſied and ſaid unto his diſciples, he ſent them forth in the midſt of wolves, he bid them be harmleſſe and wiſe, and he told them that they would ſcourge them, and this he propheſied to them which we find true, as you may read. Mat. 10.16.17. and how they would hawl them before rulers, and as it is ſaid they that kill you will think he doth God good ſer­vice, and Paul while he was under the firſt prieſthood, he being in the ſynogogues, and impriſoned them that believed on Chriſt Jeſus the ſecond prieſthood, and here Paul fulfil­led Chriſts words as you may read. Acts 22. Paul was cal­led Saul at the 19 ver. and while Paul was in the firſt prieſt­hood, he held up the temple and the ſynogogues, but after he was hawled out of the temple, he denyed them, as you may read in the Scripture before-mentioned, and Chriſt be­ing the true light which enlighteneth every one that cometh into the world, as you may read. John 1.9. who propheſied the deſtruction of the temple, the Apoſtle was ſent to turn them from darkneſſe to this light, to believe in Chriſt Jeſus the ſecond prieſt, as you may read. Acts 26. how he was ſent to turn them from darkneſſe to light, and from the pow­er of Satan to God, that they might receive the forgiveneſſe of their ſins, and an inheritance amongſt them that are ſan­ctified by faith in me, and the Apoſtle which went into ihe ſynogogues, the Jews ſtirred up the gentiles, and there was a great aſſault made by the Jews and the gentiles and rulers to uſe them diſpightfully, and ſtone them, as you may read. Acts 14. and the Apoſtle which preached Chriſt in the Jews ſynogogues, and the people ſaid, is not this he which once deſtroyed them that called upon this name, and after many dayes they took counſell how they might kill the Apoſtle, as you may read. Acts the 9. and all they in the ſynogogues when they heard Jeſus was filled with wrath, and thruſt him cut of the city to the hill, that they might caſt him downe headlong. as you may read. Luke 4.28, 29. Here you may ſee the cruelty of them in the ſynogogues againſt Chriſt, and ſo likewiſe againſt his Apoſtles, and ſo likewiſe againſt his ſervants, now as their fruits manifeſt, ſo now wo unto them that are whited and painted with Chriſt and the6 Apoſtles words, and out of their life found as you may read Matth. 23. And all you that takes the peoples Tythes, and brings the firſt Prieſt-hood and ſay they took Tythes, and ſay Levi took Tythes which came out of the loyns of Abra­ham, and ſay that the ſcribes and Phariſees paid Tythes, and Chriſt Ieſus ſaid theſe things you ought to have done.

But he cried, woe unto them blind which ſtrayned at a gnat, Who did not diſcover the ſecond Prieſt-hood Chriſt Jeſus; He ſaid thoſe things you ought to have done, and the Prophet ſaid, they robbed God of the Tythes, if they brought them not into the Store-houſe, and that was in the firſt Prieſt-hood ▪ ſo you that ſay Abraham paid Tythes to Melchizedecke; yea, I ſay he did ſo out of the ſpoyle, but not out of his ſubſtance; the Apoſtle in the ſeaventh of the Hebrewes, ſpeaks of Abraham paying-Tythes to Melchi­zedecke like unto the Sonne of God: and Levi receiving Tythes in the Leviticall Prieſt-hood, and he had a command to take Tythes according to the Law. Yea, of their bre­theren, and ſaid the Law made men high Prieſts, the 28. verſe, and then ſaid the Prieſt-hood was changed, and that there was a neceſſity of the change of the Law, and there was a diſannulling of the command that went before, by which the Prieſt-hood took Tythes, Hebrewes 7.18. verſ. And when the Apoſtle had ſpoken of Tythes in the dayes of A­braham, and Tythes in the Leviticall Prieſt-hood, he ſaid the Prieſt-hood was changed: Alſo the Law as you may read, Hebrewes 7.12.18. verſes, and when the Apoſtle had ſpoken of theſe things before mentioned, Melchizedecke, like unto the Sonne of God, who is the end of all like­neſſes.

Now of theſe things which we have ſpoken, this is the ſumme, the high Prieſt Chriſt Jeſus and Tythes was one thing and the Prieſt-hood was another thing the Apoſtle ſpoke of; and now if you ſpeak of Tythes after the Law, Chriſt Jeſus is the ſumme of things, Hebrewes 8. and you that keep people in thoſe things, keepeth them from the ſumme.

The Word of the Lord God to all poor deceived people,7 who follow ſuch Prieſts as bear rule by their means, and you people love to have it ſo; as you may read Jeremy 5.30.31. and ſo are the fooliſh people that are fooliſh, and the ſottiſh children that are wiſe to do evill, but to do good have no un­derſtanding; as your may reade Ierem. 4.21. and you fol­low ſuch ſhepheards as are greedy, ſecking their gain from their quarter and never have enough; as you may reade, Iſaiah 56.10.11. and you follow ſuch ſhepheards as ſeeks for the fleece and clothe themſelves with the wool which makes a prey upon you and devours which the Lord ſent Eze­kiel to cry woe againſt, Ezek. 54.

So as a troop of robbers wait for a man, ſo the company of Prieſts murder in the way by conſent, Hoſ. 6 9. And you follow ſuch Prieſts as teach for hire, and divine for money, and yet will they lean upon the Lord, and ſay, is not the Lord amongſt us, no evil can come upon us, and cry peace, peace, and he that wil not put into their mouths, they prepare war againſt him, and thus they build up Sion with blood, and Jeruſalem with iniquity, Micah 3. And now all ye Prieſts, this commandment is for you, if you will not hear, and if you will not lay it to heart, I will ſend a curſe upon you, I will curſe your bleſſing; yea I have curſed them al­ready.

Behold, I will corrupt your ſeed and will ſpread dung upon you, Mal. 2.1, 2.3. and you follow ſuch hypocrites as ſtand praying in the Synagogues, Matthew 26.5. and ſuch as are called of men Maſters, and have the chief ſeats in the Syna­gogues, which our Lord Jeſus Chriſt cried wo againſt, Mat­thew 23.

And you follow ſuch deceivers, as tells you the Steeple-houſe is the Temple, when Chriſt propheſied of the deſtructi­on of the Temple, Matthew 24. And Stephen denied it, Acts the 7. and the Apoſtle denied it, Acts 17. and he was haled out of the Temple, Acts 21.30. and you follow ſuch as tells you the Steeple-houſe is the Church, when the Apoſtle ſaith the Church is in God, 1 Theſſalonians 1.1. And you follow ſuch which through fained words and covetouſneſs, doth make merchandize of you, by whom the way of Truth is evill ſpoken of, 2 Peter 2. and you follow ſuch as go in the8 way of Cain in envie, and after the errour of Balaam, for gifts and rewards, 2 Peter 2. Jude 11. and you follow ſuch as are mockers, and ſcoffers and ſierce de­ſpiſers and raylers, whoſe bands are made ſtrong E­ſay 28.22. 2 Timothy 3. which hath the forme of Godlyneſs, but denies the power from ſuch you are to turn away if you hear that Spirit that ſpoke in the Apoſtles, and from all ſuch before mentioned, and you follow ſuch as ſerve not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, but their own bellies, and by good words an fair ſpeeches deceive the hearts of the ſimple, Ro­mans 16.18. and hear with the Scripture you may judge and trie your teachers, and you follow ſuch as are given to filthy lucre, whoſe mouths muſt be ſtopped, Titus 1.11, 12. and ſuch you follow as the Apoſtle called evil beaſts and ſlow bellies, and you follow ſuch as ſtands not in Gods coun­ſell, but ſpeaks a vain divination of their own hearts, who by their lies, and by their lightneſs have cauſed the people to erre, and hath not profited the people at all ſaith the Lord: Therefore I am againſt the Prophets ſaith the Lord, that ſteals my word from his neighbour, and ſaith, the Lord ſaith, and uſe their tongues when the Lord never ſpoke to them; but Prieſt and Prophet are both profane, Ieremy 23. and they are ſuch as gave you Davids quakings, prayers and propheſies in meeter, and when you reade the Pſalmes, you keep on your hats, and when you ſing them, you put off your hats; and here you worſhip the workes of your own hands, and they are ſuch as tell you the ſprinkiing of Infants is the Baptiſme, and of a Sacrament, and their is no ſuch Scrip­tyres, and ſo the plagues of God are added to rhem that addeth, Revelation 22.

But the one Baptiſme with the Spirit into the one body, and the ſinging with the Spirit, and with the underſtanding according to Scripture that we own and witneſs, 1 Corin­thians 12.13. 1 Cor. 14.

To the light of Chriſt in all your Conſciences, I do ſpeak which comes from the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who enlightens every one that cometh into the world, which if you all do love it will lead you all from thoſe teachers aforementioned up to Chriſt from whence the light doth come, and hear is your way to ſalvation, and this is the light which ſhews you ſin and evill; if you love it, it will lead you to Chriſt from whence the light doth come, and if you hate it, it is your condemna­tion: ſo remember you are warned in your life time this is the day of your viſitation.

ALL you that reproach, revile, ſcoff and ſcorn at the children and ſervants and meſſengers of the moſt high God, whom you nickname Quakers, and under the ſame name perſecute them as a people not worthy to live, and have no ground for it, neither knowes any evill by them, but all along their lives and converſations condemns yours, and therefore you hate them, revile them and reproach them, in whom the power of the living God is made manifeſt the ſame which ever was, wch ſhakes the earth & makes the ſtrong man to bow himſelf and the keepers of the houſe to tremble, Eccl. 12.3. the ſame power which all the children of God witneſſed and paſſed through in all ages, which then by the ſame generation ſuffer­ed both by Magiſtrates, Profeſſours, Prieſts and People, who were and are ſtrangers to the life of God and his power; and therefore reproached it, ſcoffed and ſcorned at it as you now doe.

But t is that the Scripture might be fulfilled upon you, who10 are deſpiſers of thoſe that are good, 2 Timothy 3.3. Iſaack the ſeed of the promiſe trembled, Gen. 27.33. who was mocked by Iſhmael the ſon of the bond woman who was caſt out, Gen. 21.9.10. Gallat. 4.30. As the ſame ſeed is mocked now by you Iſhmaelites, who are the children of the bond-woman, who are caſt out and are found without mocking and ſcoffing at the righteous ſeed; and Moſes the ſervant of God, quaked and trembled, Heb. 12.21. who counted it greater riches to ſuffer affliction with the people of God, then to injoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon, Heb. 11.26. and this you now call madneſs and folly who know not that godlineſs is great gain, 1 Tim. 6.6. and David who was a King quaked and trembled, Pſalm. 119.120. and drunkards made a ſong of him, Pſalm. 69.12. and ſome ſhot out their tongues and wagged their heads at him, Pſalm. 22.7. and gaped upon him with their mouths, verſe 13. and this you ſing in your Steeple-houſe like hypocrites without knowledge, Pſalm. 35.16. and yet ſcoff and ſcorn and reproach thoſe in whom the ſame power is made manifeſt, and yet you will ſay as he ſaid you are not puft in mind, nor have no ſcornfull eye, Pſalm. 131.1. And thus you deceive your ſouls and love to have it ſo: and Job the ſervant of the Lord trembled, Job 4.14. and Jeremy a Prophet of the Lord, his heart was brok­en, and all his bones did ſhake, and he was as a drunken man, Jer. 23.19. who was then perſecuted by the ſame ge­neration, and Daniel trembled and they that were with him quaked, Daniel 10.7, 8, 11. who was caſt into the lyons den, becauſe he would not deny his God. Daniel 6.16. but by his power he was preſerved as we are now from theſe lyons, whelps, which would us devour, and Habbakuk a prophet of the Lord, his belly trembled and his lips quivered. Habbakuk 3.16. and Paul an Apoſtle of Jeſus Chriſt fell down and trembled. Acts the 9.4, 5, 6. who was reviled, reproached and perſecuted even to death, who was one that hazzarded his life for the name of Jeſus. Acts 16.26. and ſaid, all the day long was they killed and accounted as ſheep for the ſlaughter. Romans 8.36. now read what generation you are in, for they that were after the fleſh, alwayes perſe­cuted them that were after the ſpirit. Gal. 4.29. there was11 alwayes a generation, by which the righteous ever ſuffered ſince Cain the firſt-born upon earth, in whoſe way you are found, who envy, who are in wrath. Jude 11. you kill the juſt, and he lyes ſlain in the ſtreets, Iam. 5.5, 6. at whoſe hands his bloud ſhall be required. Mat. 23.35. and the ſon of man was to eat his bread with quaking, and to drink his water with trembling. Ezek. 12.10. out of which life you are found, who are at eaſe in the fleſh, feeding without the fear of God, ſpending the creatures upon your luſts. Rom. 13.14. ſcorning them who are not one with you, in the ſame li­berty and exceſſe of riot. 1 Corinth. 10.7. 1 Pet. 4.4. 1 Cor. 10.13. but fears before the throne of God, and thus you erre not knowing the Scripture, nor the power of God, therefore behold ye deſpiſers, and wonder and periſh, I will work a work in your dayes, which though you ſee it, you ſhall not believe it, Acts 13.41. is it not apparant before your eyes, the wicked man returnes from his wickedneſſe, and the ungodly from his ungodlineſſe, and the drunkard from his drunkeneſſe, and a profane one from his profaneſſe, and ſeeks after God, and fears his name, and yet you cannot be­lieve, but deſpiſeth, ſcoffs and ſcorns the power by which this work is done, for it is no new thing, but the ſame which was, and you are in the ſame adulterous generation which cannot ſee the ſigns which follow the Truth, Matth. 16.4. from whom the Goſpel is hid, whoſe eyes is darkned by the god of the world. 2 Cor. 4.3.4. and ſo ſpeaks evil of the things you know not. Iud. 10. putting darkneſſe for light and light for darkneſſe, evil for good and good for evil. Iſa. 5.10, you are the ſcoffers fore-told of by the Apoſtles to be in the laſt times. Iude 18. who are deſpiſers of thoſe that are good in­continent fierce traytors, heady high-minded lovers of plea­ſures more then lovers of God having a form of godlineſſe, but denying the life and power, 2 Tim. 3.3, 4, 5.

And, here you are both Prieſt, People and Profeſſors, who are ſcoffing and ſcorning, ſlandering, reproaching and revi­ling and perſecuting the righteous innocent ſervants and meſ­ſengers of the moſt high God, who is uttering forth his voice through them in power againſt all ungodlyneſs and unrigh­teouſneſs of men, who will you call to judgement and con­vince12 you of all your ungodly deeds and all your hard ſpee­ches, which you have wrongfully ſpoken againſt him and his power, and will reward you accordingly, Iude 14.15. Re­vel. 22.12. Therefore to that which is of God in all your conſciences I ſpeake, which is my witneſs againſt your ungodly lives, which turning to it will let you ſee you ſpeak evill of the things you know not, loving darkneſs ra­ther then light becauſe your deeds are evill, Iohn 3.19. There­fore fear the Lord God and repent and take heed of mocking leſt your bands be made ſtrong, Iſa. 18.22. for God will not be mocked, ſuch as you ſow ſuch ſhall you reap, Gal. 6.7. Therefore fear before the Lord and try all things, and hold faſt that which is good, 1 Theſſ. 5.21. and deſpiſe nothing before you know it, leſt you ſpeak evill of Gods elect; for it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God, Heb. 10.31. Therefore take this for a warning as from the mouth of the Lord, for now no ignorance is to be pleaded be­fore the Throne of God, this was given forth in vindica­tion of the power of God which he is now manifeſting in his ſons and daughters, leſt the ſimple who are not yet acquainted with it ſhould ſtumble at the name by a friend of the Truth, and a lover of thoſe people, which you who are out of the Truth ſcornfully calls quakers; but the ſcorners God will judge, Prov. 19.29. and the righteous God will bleſs, who work out their ſalvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2.12. For ſaith the Lord to ſuch an one will I look, who is of a meek and contrite ſpirit, and trembleth at my words, Iſa. 66.1.2.