THE GREAT MISTERY OF THE GREAT WHORE UNFOLDED : AND ANTICHRISTS KINGDOM Revealed unto DESTRVCTION .

In Answer to many False Doctrines and Principles which Babylons Merchants have traded with , being held forth by the professed Ministers , and Teachers , and Professors in England , Ireland , and Scotland , taken under their owne Hands , and from their owne Mouths , sent forth by Them from time to time , against the despised People of the LORD called QVAKERS , who are of the Seed of that Woman , who hath been long fled into the WILDERNES .

ALSO An Invasion upon the great City BABYLON , with the spoling of Her golden Cup , and delicate Merchandize , whereby She hath deceived the World and Nations : And herein is declared the spoyling of her prey , in this Answer to the multitude of Doctrines held forth by the many false SECTS , which have lost the key of Knowledge , and been on foot since the Apostles dayes , called Anabaptists , Independents , Presbyters , Ranters , and many others ; who out of their own Mouths have manifested themselves not to be of a true descent from the true Christian Churches : But it 's discovered that they have been all made drunk with the Wine of Fornication received from the Whore which hath sitten upon the Beast , after whom the World hath wondred .

By GEORGE FOX .

LONDON , Printed for Tho: Simmons , at the Ball and Mouth near Aldersgate , 1659.

TO all the world to whom this may come to be Read , that they read with a good understanding , and hereby they may come to the perfect knowledge of the ground of difference between the Priests , and Professors , and all Sects in these Nations ; and Us , who are in scorn called Quakers , shewing that the conversie on our pa●● is just , and equal , against them all , and t●●● we have sufficient cause to cry against them , and to deny their M●●●stry , their Church , their worship , and their whole Religion , as being not in the Power and by the Spirit 〈…〉 ●●●ng God , as commanded of him or ever practiced by his Sain● 〈◊〉 ●ut 〈◊〉 ●●clareth the g●●und , and foundation thereof to be anothe●●●●●g , a●●●ot the same , on which the true Church , and Ministry , an●●●actice 〈◊〉 worship , and true Religion was builded in the daye● 〈◊〉 Apo●●●es ; And also this is an Invitation to all Sects , and professio● of People to come forth , and try if what they hold , and professe be according ●o the Scriptures of truth ; and to do this in tryall , by evident , and sound Arguments , and by the best spiritual weapons they have , and to la●●●●e all this persecution and unrighteous dealing , and stocking , and w●●pping , and imprisoning of us for speaking against their Religion , and that they come forth in fair dispute , to contend in the Spirit of meekness , for what they professe , and practice , and to prove according to the Scriptures , their Ministry , Church , and whole Religion , that it is in , and by the spirit and power of God , or otherwise to renounce , and deny all their Religion , and the profession , and practices thereof , that every man may be satisfied who it is that are in the true and right way , and of the true worship , and true Religion , and who it is that are not , and this is desired by us who are called Quakers , and also a true account , of our first beginning and coming forth in the world ; and of that great sufferings we have sustained , and how we have been carryed on and are preserved to this day .

The Lord God everlasting , who is true , and faithful , hath fulfilled his promise in us , and unto us , and we are gathered from the mouths of all dumb Shepherds , and out of the mouths of all Hirelings , who have made a prey upon us , and fed themselves with the fat , and devoured souls for dishonest gain ; And we are come to the fould of Eternal rest , where Christ Jesus is the chief Shepherd , and he is the Shepherd , and Bishop of our souls , that feedeth his Flock with living bread that nourisheth us unto life eternal ; he hath called us by his Name , and put us forth , and he feedeth us in green pastures , and we are fed with hidden Manna , and lies down at Noon with his gathered Flock ; and out of Nations , kindreds , multitudes , and peoples are we Redeemed to God , and are come out of the world , and out of great Babylon , and out of spiritual Sodom , and Egypt , where the Lord Christ was , and is crucified , and lyeth slain to this day , and a top of the world hath the Lord set us , on the mountain of his o●n house , and dwelling ; where we behold , and feel the life , and glory , & Crown of the world that hath no end ; and the world that hath an end is seen over , and its Crown and glory is his footstool that Reigns among us , And as for all that which this perishing world brings forth , which men seek after only , It s reckoned our temptation , though all the sons of Adam are seeking its glory , its Riches , its Crowns , its contentments , But of that birth are we which hath no Crown , no glory , nor rest under the Sun , and a birth is brought forth amongst us which is heir of another Kingdom , and possessor of ano●●er Crown , whose glorying is in the Lord , all the day long , and he is ou● Refuge , our Rock , and our fortresse against all our Enemies , and what though the wicked arm themselves , and the ungodly bend their b●w , what though all sorts of people from the Prince upon his T●●● 〈◊〉 ●he Beggar upon the dunghill , exalt themselves against th● d●●pise●●●ople of Lords inheritance , who for his Names sake are ki●●●d all the ●ay long ; what though the wisemen bring forth their A●●●●●nts , an● what though the Rulers bring forth unrighteous Judgeme●●s again 〈◊〉 ●eed that God hath blessed ; what though the revilers , and scorners open their mouthes ; and reproachers , and revilers cast out their bitter words as a flood against the remnant of the womans seed , that hath long been fled into the wilderness ; and what then , if the Teachers , the Prophets , and the Elders , and the heads , and wise men of the world set themselves to pray , and Preach , and Print against the chosen seed of Jacob ; yet notwithstanding all this , though this is come to passe , and hell open her mouth , and her floods break forth to overflow , and be much more increased ; yet shall the King of righteousness rule among his people , and his presence will not forsake his chosen ones ; But the Lord is with us , a mighty , and terrible one , and the shout of a King is amongst us , and the dread , and terror of the Almighty covereth us , and it goeth before us , and compasseth us about ; and the Lord is working a work in the Earth mighty , and wonderful , he is gathering the scattered , and binding up the broken hearted , and his people shall dwell in safety , and none shall make them afraid , and no weapon that is formed against them shall prosper , nor no hand that is lifted up shall prevail ; For Sion shall arise out of the dust , her beautiful garments shall be put on , and mourning , and sorrow shall flee away , and her light is risen that is everlasting , and the Sun shall never go down , but his day shall remain for ever , and the night shall not again cover her brightness , nor the Sun set upon her habitations , the City that hath long laid waste , shall again be builded ; and the dwelling that hath long been without inhabitant , shal be replenished ; for the numberles seed of Jacob is coming out of Egypt , that will replenish the whole Earth , and the seed of Esau shall become bondmen , and wherefore are you gathered together ? and to what purpose have the wicked spent their strength to oppose what the Lord is bringing to passe ? shall not all our Enemies be broken to pieces , and will not the Lord grinde them to powder ? will he not marr their beauty , and stain their pride ? will he not bring down their crownes , and corrupt their glory , and stain it with his fire of wrath , and make them ashamed of their wayes , and Doctrines ? Hear this ye Priests , and howl , and lament for the misery that is coming upon you , the Lord hath laid you naked , and made you bare , and you are seen as you are , and the Elect is risen amongst us which ye cannot deceive ; but alass , wo is me , how have you caused the people to erre , and how have you led the blind out of the way , and how is truth fallen in your streets , and you have daubed falsely with untempered morter , and have cried peace to the wicked , and condemned the righteous , and all this hath vexed the righteous soul , and the Lord will now arise , and is risen , and you shall not resist , and escape the stroak of his hand , which will come upon you , and bruise you as a milstone , for you have caused the wicked to rejoyce and the righteous to mourn , and you have made sad his heart , whom God hath not made sad , have not you fed your selves with the fat , and clothed with the wooll , and hath not the peoples souls been starved , and leanness been upon them all , your plants a●● dry , and barren trees that brings forth no good fruit , and your p●●ple are like a wilderness that is untilled and unploughed and undressed , and your flocks are like wild asses upon the mountains that is untamed , as rude as the Horse , and mule , that knows no bridle and now it is seen what the end of your Ministry is , and what fruit it hath brought sorth , the Lord hath taken notice , and he hath beheld , how you have loytered , and laid idle , and the Nations lies yet like fallow ground , that bears no fruit , and mens hearts are untouched with absence of Gods word , and there is no sound , true , and perfect sence amongst your people of the dealings of the Lord , nor of the operation of his spirit , but they remain in great blindness and ignorance , void of the knowledge of God , for ye have not caused them to hear his word , but you have told your dreams , and your false visions , and you have spoken imaginations of your hearts , and not from the mouth of the Lord , neither have you stood in his Counsel , nor hearkened to his voyce , and therefore people remains unprofited ; but what they and you know , it s naturally , and not by the spirit of the Father , but as dry trees you are , not taught of the Father , and as rough goats in the nature of swine that is polluted in the filth of the world , and in the nature of dogs and Lyons , devouring another , and biting one another , and killing one another , which things were not in the Churches of Christ , and we have a great controversie with you , and that from the Lord ; we have tried you , searched you , and disovered your foundation , and it s not found , nor will not stand in the triall ; we have fetcht your Line from the first original , and we have found out your beginning , and we find yours of that Race , which Christ prophesied of that should come , which should deceive many , having the sheeps cloathing , but inwardly ravening , and which Iohn saw was come , and went out from the Apostles , and true Churches , which went from the truth , and went into the world , and had the forme of godlinesse without the power ; here began the Race in the Apostacie of the Churches , and when they Apostatized from the true faith , then came your original up , and the world went after them , and all that dwelt upon the earth worshiped the beast , that hath reigned through all this time of Apostacie , which hath been since the daies of the Apostles ; and we find your original goe no further then to the false bretheren , and false Apostles , which went out from the true Apostles , and run for gifts and rewards , and preached for filthie lucre , and through covetousnesse made merchandize of souls , seeking monie and gain to themselves ; I say we find your Original begins there , and your Line goes no further , and never came your first rise so far as the true Apostles , you were not in your beginning of their life nor birth , nor cannot be reckoned from their Original , for you succeed not them ; but you truely succeed the false Apostles , and fals bretheren , which Christ prophesied should come after his daies , & Iohn saw was come , and coming in his daies ; and we find you of this stock and generation , and now you are discovered to be contrarie to the true Apostles , and agreeing with the false Apostles , in call , in practice , in maintenance , and in all things ; and the Line of true judgement is laid upon you all , and you are measured , and found too short , and weighed and found too light , and we wil deale truely with you in judgement ; first we do hold controversie with you as concerning your call , your Ministery , it agreeth not with , but is contrarie to what the Apostles call was ; they were called by power from on high , and were made Ministers by the gift of the holy spirit received from God , and their Ministrie was an absolute gift from God , and not to be bought and sold for monie , and they were anointed of the Father , by his spirit of promise , and to preach the Gospel ; but your call is at schools , and Colledges , in such , and such orders , which are attained through naturall industerie , such , and such arts , and sciences , and degrees , having been so many years brought up in studying naturall arts and naturall Languages , this is your ordination and your call , having no respect to receive , or to wait for the gift of the holy spirit to be made Ministers thereby , and this is different from the Apostles and true ministers , and equall and according to the false prophets and deceivers .

Secondly , Againe you are not according , but contrary to the true ministry and Ministers of Christ in practise ; for they were led by the spirit of the Father which dwelt in them , and they preached the Gospel by the spirit , and spake as the spirit gave them utterance , and went up and down the world through Nations , converting people to the knowledge of the truth , and what they had handled , tasted , seen , and felt of the word of life in them , that they declared to others , and preached the Gospell , which they had not received from man , nor by man , but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ in them ; But your practise is not such , but contrary , for the spirit of this world leads you , and it you follow in all your works , in your preaching , praying , and in your whole worship , in forme and tradition , what you have studied for , out of books and old Authors , you preach to people , and what ye have noted in a book , that you preach by an hour-glasse , and not as the spirit of God gives you utterance ; and you seek out and enquire after great benefits , and much money by the yeare , and where there is much Tithes and Gleab-lands , and such like , thither and to such a place you goe , and seeke after , to be Ministers there , and there you remain 20. 40. more or fewer yeares as you can agree with the people , and while they will give you so much as will content you , and maintain you , your wives , and families as you say , & respect not whether any be converted to God by your preaching , but people remaines alwaies in blindnesse and ignorance generally , and without the knowledge of God ; for you preach other mens words , and what you have collected in your imaginations from the Saints words an hour by a glasse , leaning upon a soft cushion , and for money and and hire , preaching to the people , and this is your manner of practise , and Ministery , in these Nations , but thus did not the Apostles , nor Christs Ministers ; but the contrary ; and by your fruits and works it appeares that you are not followers of that spirit that Christ and his Ministers were guided by , neither are lawfull successors of the Apostles , but by your fruits and practise you manifest that the Lord never sent you , nor Christ never called you into his service to be his Ministers , for in all your practises and in your whole performances of worship you differ , and doth not agree , but are contrarie to what the practise and worship of Christs Ministers , and Churches were in the daies of the Apostles ; this I charge upon you , in the Name , and by the Authoritie of the Lord God , and am able to prove it against you , face to face , or otherwise to shew that you are not of the same spirit , but contrary to the Saints and Apostles of old , and so not true succeeders of them , nor lawfull Ministers of Christ , as to all people it is , and shall be made manifest .

Thirdly , You disagree and are contrarie altogether to the true ministrie , and to the Apostles , in respect of your maintenance and wages , for the wages which Christ allowed his Ministers , was , into whatsoever house they entered , that was worthy , they might eate such things as are set before them , for the workeman ( saith he ) is worthy of his hire , and the Apostles eat onlie of the fruit of the vineyard that they had planted , and of the milk of the flock which they kept ; by a free gift of the people , which they had begotten to the faith , and to whom they sowed spirituall things ; it was but as a small matter if they reaped their carnall things , yet as a free gift they would doe it , and the Apostle said he would not make the Gospel of Christ chargeable ; And in this manner were Christs Ministers and Ministrie in wages and gifts , upheld and maintained outwardly in the world .

But your practise and maintenance is not such , but contrary , as is fullie made manifest , for you will have so much by the Yeare promised to you in Tythes , money , or Gleab-lands , or stipends , and of drunkards , and swearers , and prophane wordly people , who are not sheep of Christs flock , nor plants of his vine-yard , you will have so much of each of them , and of every man , in such a compasse as you call your parish , and if any either out of covetousnesse or good conscience , cannot pay you , you sue at Law , and cast into prison , for wages , and spoile their goods , and take treble , nay some times 5. double damage , and through violence and injustice , and cruelty are you maintained in such a manner , and not as the true Ministers and Apostles of Christ were , but in a way and manner quite contrarie as it is manifest , and so herein it is proved , that you are not lawfull successors of the Apostles and Ministers of Christ .

Fourthly , Againe you follow not the Apostles , and true Ministers of Christ , but are contrarie to them in doctrine , as this following vollume will clearly manifest , which for this very end is collected from your own mouths and pens , that all men may see what you are , and what you hold and professe , and being truely laid down , and answered , let your selves , and all sober men compare your doctrines and sayings with the doctrines of the Apostles , and they may see you agree not with them , but are contrary to them ; and now friends to all you that professe your selves to be Ministers of the Gospell , I do hereby declare unto you , in the name and authority of the Lord , that we have controversie with you , and a great charge against you in all these things , in your call , in your practice , and in your maintenance , and in your doctrines , and our mouthes hath the Lord opened , and they cannot be shut , from declaring and crying against you , as such whom the Lord never sent , but are contrary to Christ , his prophets , and Apostles in all your waies , and practices , and the hand of the Lord is certainly against you , and his power and dread wil come over you , and lie upon your consciences .

Now Reader , whosoever thou art that reades this following volume if thy mind be sober , and thy heart right towards God , thou may come to a good understanding of the ground and cause of this great controversie , between the Priests and the professors of this Nation , and us , who are in scorne called Quakers , for it is not unknown to Nations , of this great debate and battel , now for some yeares of continuance in this Nation , no man can be ignorant , what putting in prisons , and what persecuting , and what preaching , and printing against us , and what reports and same hath been through this Nation for some yeares past ; and the Quakers so called , have written , and spoken , and printed , against the Priests and their worships , and waies , and doctrines , and declared against them , as deceivers and false prophets , and such as never were sent of God ; & on the other hand , thus have the Priests , and more abundantlie cried out against , and printed against the Quakers as hereticks , and deceivers , and witches , and all what they could say that s evil , and these things being not unknown , but publiklie brought to passe ; therefore it will be good to discover unto every man , the first ground and cause of this great strife , and the matter of it , and its beginning , so that all may know the certaintie of these things , and know they are not without good ground , and sufficient reason on our part , to wit , that we have just cause to do , and strive against that generation of Priests and Teachers , and that we doe nothing rashly , and without sufficient reason . It is now about seaven years since the Lord raised us up in the North of England and opened our mouthes in this his spirit ; and what we were before in our Religion , profession , and practices is well known to that part of the countrie , how generalie we were men of the strictest sect , and of the greatest zeal in the performance of outward righteousnesse , and went through and tried all sorts , of Teachers , and run from mountain to mountaine , and from man to man , and from one forme to an other , as doe many to this very day , who yet remaines ungathered to the Lord , and such we were , ( to say no more of us ) that sought the Lord , and desired the knowledge of his waies more then any thing beside , and for one I may speak , who from a child , even a few yeares old , he set his face to seek and find the Saviour , and more then Life and treasure , or any mortal Crown sought after with all his heart , the one thing that is needfull , to wit , the knowledge of God : And after our long seeking , the Lord appeared to us , and revealed his glory in us , and gave us of his spirit from heaven , and poured it upon us , and gave us of his wisdome to guid us , whereby we saw all the world , and the true state of all things and the true condition of the Church in her present estate ; first the Lord brought us by his power , and wisdome , and the word by which all things were made to know and understand , & see perfectly that God had given to us , everie one of us in particular , a Light from himselfe shining in our harts & consciences , which Light , Christ his Son , the Saviour , of the world had lighted every man , and all mankind withall ; which Light in us we found sufficient to reprove us , and convince us of every evil deed , word and thought , and by it , in us , we come to know good from evil , right from wrong , and whatsoever is of God , and according to him , from what is of the Devil , and what is contrary to God in motion , word and work ; and this Light gave us to discerne between truth and error , between every false and right way , & it perfectlie discovered to us the true state of all things , and we thereby came to know man , what he was in his creation before transgression , & how he was deceived & overcome by the devil ; & his estate in transgression , & in disobedience , & how he is drove & banished from the presence of the Lord , and the sorrow and anguish which he is in , & to undergo ; & also by the Light in us , we perfectlie came to know the way of Restauration , and the meanes to be restored ; and the state of man being come out of transgression and restored , these things to us were revealed by the Light within us , which Christ had given us , and lightened us withall , what man was before transgression , and what he is in transgression , and what he is being redeemed out of transgression , and also the Light which shined in every one of us , as to it our mindes became turned , and our hearts inclined , the perfect estate of the Church we came to know ; her estate before the Apostles daies , and in the Apostles daies , and since the daies of the Apostles , and her persent estate we found to be as a woman who had once been cloathed with the Sun , and the Moon under her feet , who brought forth him that was to Rule the Nations ; but she was fled in the Wildernesse , and there sitting desolate , in her place , that was prepared of God for such a season , which season in the very end thereof , when the time of her sojorning , was towards a full end , then were we brought forth , if any have an eare they may hear , so that all these things concerning man , and concerning the times and seasons , and the changing and renewing of times , and all things that pertaines to salvation , and Redemption and eternal Life , needfull for man to know , all this was revealed , discovered , and made knowne to us , by the Light which was in us , which Christ had lighted us withall .

And we found this Light to be a sufficient teacher , to lead us to Christ , from whence this Light came , and thereby it gave us to receive Christ , and to witnesse him to dwel in us , and through it the new covenant we came to enter into , to be made heires of life and salvation , and in all things we found the Light which we were inlightned withall , and all mankind ( which is Christ ) to be alone and onelie sufficient to bring to Life and eternal salvation , and that all who did own the Light in them which Christ hath enlightened every man withall , they needed no man to teach them , but the Lord was their Teacher , by his Light in their own consciences , and they received the holie anointing .

And so we ceased from the teachings of all men , and their words , and their worships , and their Temples , and all their baptismes , and Churches , and we ceased from our own words , and professions , and practises in Religion , in times before zealously performed by us , through divers formes , and we became fooles for Christs sake , that we might become truelie wise ; and by this Light of Christ in us were we led out of all false waies and false preachings , and false Ministers , and we met together often , and waited upon the Lord in pure silence , from our own words , and all mens words , and hearkned to the voice of the Lord , and felt his word in our hearts , to burn up and beat down all that was contrary to God , and we obeyed the Light of Christ in us , and followed the motions of the Lords pure spirit , and took up the Crosse to all earthly glories , Crowns , and waies , & denied our selves , our relations , and all that stood in the way betwixt us and the Lord , and we chose to suffer with and for the Name of Christ , rather then all the pleasures upon earth , or all our former zealous professions and practices in Religion without the power and spirit of God , which the world yet lives in . And while waiting upon the Lord in silence , as often we did for many hours together , with our mindes and hearts toward him , being stayed in the Light of Christ within us , from all thoughts , fleshly motions , and desires , in our diligent waiting and feare of his Name , and hearkning to his word , we received often the pouring down of the spirit upon us , and the gift of Gods holy eternal Spirit as in the dayes of old , and our hearts were made glad , and our tongues loosed , and our mouths opened , and we spake with new tongues , as the Lord gave us utterance , and as his spirit led us , which was poured down upon us , on Sons and Daughters , and to us hereby was the deep things of God revealed , and things unutterable was known and made manifest ; and the glory of the Father was revealed , and then began we to sing praises to the Lord God Almighty , and to the Lamb for ever , who had redeemed us to God ; and brought us out of the captivity and bondage of the world , and put an end to sin and death , and all this was by and through , and in the light of Christ within us , and much more might be declared hereof , that which could not be believed if it were spoken , of the several and particular operations , and manifestations of the everlasting spirit that was given us , and revealed in us ; but this is the sum ; life and immortality was brought to light , power from on high and wisdom was made manifest , and the day everlasting appeared unto us , and the joyful Sun of Righteousness did arise and shine forth unto us and in us ; and the holy annoynting , the everlasting Comforter , we received ; and the Babe of glory was born ; and the heir of the promise brought forth , to Reign over the earth , and over Hell and death , whereby we entered into everlasting union , and fellowship and Covenant with the Lord God , whose mercies are sure and infinite , and his promise never fales ; and much might be spoken , but this is the sum , we were raised from death to life , and are changed from Satans power to God , and gathered from all the dumb Shepherds , and off all the barren mountains , into the fold of Eternal Peace and rest , and mighty and wonderful things hath the Lord wrought for us , and by us , by his own outstretched Army .

And thus we became followers of the Lamb whither soever he goes , and he hath called us to make War in righteousnes for his names sake against Hell and death , and all the powers of darkness ; and against the beast and false Prophet , which hath deceived the Nations ; and we are of the Royal seed elect , chosen and faithful , and we War in truth , and just judgement , not with weapons that are carnal ; but by the sword that goes out of his mouth , which shall slay the wicked , and cut them them to pieces ; and after this manner was our birth , and bringing forth , and thus hath the Lord chosen us and made us as an Army dreadful and terrible before whom the wicked do fear and tremble ; and our standard is truth , justice , righteousness , and equity ; and all that comes unto us , must cleave thereunto , and fight under that banner without fear , and without doubting , and they shall never be ashamed nor put to flight , neither shall ever they be conquered by Hell or death or by the powers of darkness ; but the Lord shall be their armour , weapon and defence for evermore , and they that follow the Lamb shall overcome , and get the victory over the beast , and over the Dragon , and over the gates of Hell ; for the Lord is with us , and who shall be able to make us afraid ?

Then having thus armed us with power , strength and wisdom , and Dominion , according to his mind , and we having learned of him , and being taught of him in all things , and he having chosen us into his work , and put his sword into our hand , and given us perfect Commission to go forth in his Name and Authority , having the word from his mouth what to cut down and what to preserve , and having the everlasting Gospel to Preach to the inhabitants of the earth , and being commanded in spirit to leave all , and follow him , and go forth in his work , yea an absolute necessity was laid upon us , and wo unto us if we Preached not the Gospel , for when we looked abroad and beheld the world , behold it was altogether darkness , and even as a wilderness , and desolate , and barren of good fruit ; and death reigned over men , and no good fruit was brought forth to God , but leaves we beheld upon every soul ; and all men and peoples were made drunk with the wine of whoredoms , and the Whores cup they had drunk , and was committing fornication with the great Whore , and she reigned over the Kings and peoples of the earth ; and the Antichrist was set up in the Temple of God , ruling over all , and having brought Nations under his power , and set up his Government over all for many ages , even since the dayes of the Apostles and true Churches hath he reigned , while the woman hath been fled into the wilderness , and the man child caught up to God ; Christ said Antichrist should come , and put on the sheepes cloathing , and be inwardly a ravening Wolfe , and John saw that Antichrist was come in his dayes , and he went forth then from the true Church , and went into the world , and deceived the world ; and ever since his Kingdom hath reigned over Nations , for then he begun to exalt himself , and it is sixteen hundred years since ; all which time Antichrist that hath had the sheepes cloathing , but inwardly a ravener , and hath ruled and reigned ; and this we saw and perceived , in the very time of our birth and bringing forth ; and we beheld Nations as a wilderness untilled , and mens hearts as the fallow ground unbroken up , and not plowed nor sown with the good seed of Gods Kingdom ; so that we saw all states and orders of men corrupted and degenerated from what they ought to be , and from what God had once ordained them : As for the Ministry first , we looking upon it with a single eye , in the light of the Spirit of God which had annointed us , we beheld it clearly ( which formerly we had been stumbling at and much doubting of , that it was not the perfect Ministry of Christ for many years before ) not to be of Christ nor sent of him , nor having the Commission power and Authority of Christ as his Ministry had in the dayes of the true Churches , but in all things , as in Call , practice , maintenance , and in every thing else in fruits and effects , we found it disagree , and be wholly contrary to the true Minstry of Christ in the dayes of the Apostles , and likewise we truely beheld it to be in Call , practice , and maintenance , and all things the very same in fruits and effects ; with the false Ministry and false Prophets , and false Apostles , and deceivers of old ; and this I do testifie , and am able to prove in the spirit and Authority of the Lord , that the publike Ministry as now it stands generally , is wholly degenerated from what the true Ministry of Christ once was , and differeth and is contrary in all things to what Christs Ministers were , and agreeth , and is equal in all things with what the false prophets and deceivers were throughout all ages ; and this I charge upon it , in the face and view of all men to whom this may come ; for this we saw concerning it , in the beginning , and our first assurance . And as for other places and orders of men and callings we saw them also corrupted and degenerated , and evil and iniquity abounding among all sorts of people , and blindness and darkness covered the face of the earth and of the world , and all people were in their transgressions , and making void the Law of God , and that it was time for the Lord to work , and to arise to ease himself of his adversaries ; and as for all Churches ( so called ) and professions and gatherings of people , we beheld you as all in the Apostacy and degeneration from the true Church , nor being gathered by the spirit of the Lord , nor anoynted thereby , as the true members of Christ ever were , but to be in a form , and in forms of righteousness without the power , and in Immitations without life , and perfect knowledge ; so that all the practices of Religion we beheld without power , and life , though some had a sencerity in them , and a zeal and a desire towards the Lord , yet all people erred in Judgement and none were guided in Judgement by the Eternal spirit , and because of the error in Judgement that made their zeal blind , and their performances of righteousness not accepted , though acted in some sincerity and zeal , because they were not guided in practice , and led in Judgement by the spirit of the Lord , which onely leads into all truth , and none are in the truth but are who led onely thereby , so that we beheld all profession , but as coverings with figg leaves , while the nature of transgression stood uncondemned , & not crucified . Also then we saw not only the performance and practice in Church state , and in Religious orders were corrupted , but also Goverment , and Magistracy , and all things in civil state were not aright in the sight of the Lord , nor as the Lord required , neither as he had ordained in the beginning ; for Government we know as ordained of God , is to punish , and limit and terifie , all evil doers , and to preserve and defend all that do well ; and that mens consciences are to be left free , to be ruled by the Lord alone , and guided by his spirit , and that outward power and civil Magistrates and Lawes ( so called ) ought not to be Lord or Ruler in mens consciences , nor over them ; but we beheld how unrighteousness and iniquity , and sin and wickedness was strengthened , and encouraged in the Government , and by such as were in Authority ; and how the fear of God and the exercise of a good conscience was abused ; so that it was turned backward from what it ought to be ; them that did well were punished , and limited as transgressors , and the evil doers were set free , and not made afraid , so , that we could truely cry , truth was fallen in the streets , and justice and true Judgement turned backward , and equity had no place to enter , and the innocent was devoured through want of true and just Judgement , and the needy was spoiled and made a prey , and thus it was framed , for no sooner had we opened our mouthes , but the Magistrates begun to put us in prison , and execute great injustice upon us , and became oppressors of the innocent , and laid grievous unjust burdens upon us , grievous to be born , and true justice and judgement was neglected , and wrong judgement brought forth , and good Government abused , and men in authority not ruled by the Lord , neither ruling for the Lord among men , and thus it came to passe upon us , through the corruption and degeneration in Government and Magistrates , which we saw to be , as it was fulfilled by them , to wit , not as the Lord required , nor as he in the beginning ordained it , but quite the contrary , and this we saw in the beginning , when the spirit of the Lord was poured down upon us , and power from on high was revealed to declare against all the the abominations of the Earth , and to make war against all corruption , in all orders , and places , and men .