OH ! ye Mighty men who sit upon the THRONE , that are Exalted into power , and brought into great Authority . Do you indeed know the Hand that brought you up thither ? And do you rightly understand the End of your coming into power again ? and do you certainly know the Work which God requires at your hands ? And do you indeed see the true Leader , which is to Lead in the Way & Work of the Lord ? And do you Feel and Witness that your Hearts are truly Enclined and Prepared towards the Work of the Lord ? Or are you not Ignorant of these Things ? And do you not rather feel your Hearts enclined towards REVENG , and to make your selves Great , and to get your selves a Name , and to follow that which is pleasing to your own Eyes , and to Condemn that which God hath Justified , and to Justifie that which God hath Condemned , and doth Condemn ?

Let there be an honest search made with the Witness of God in your own hearts , which will shew you the thoughts , and the intents thereof ; and think not to flatter your selves , as other have done before you , by conceiving that you are safe enough , because the Arme of Flesh is with you , and at your Command : For verily , verily , Thus saith the LORD GOD , I will yet make the Powers of the Earth to know , that I am GOD , and there is no other ; and that I can do whatsoever I please , and my Purpose and Decree shall stand unalterable ; and I will bring to pass , the thing that is in my Heart , and none shall let it ; for in its season it shall be accomplished .

Oh! Hear ye REBELLIOVS and live ; Be not so stiff-necked and wilfull , like those that went before you ( who would not hear Reproof ) least I make you a hissing , and scatter you with more dishonor than any , that went before you ; for my Anger is kindled , and my Jealousie is waxed hot against the Man of Sin . My Decree is to Dis-throne him , and to take the Kingdom my self , and to slay his Subjects that will not turn at my Reproof , and be subject to my Government , Therefore seek not your selves , neither follow the Devices and Iniquity of your own hearts any longer , for I the Lord am coming to plead with all Flesh , and I will make mine Enemies know that I have Power to accomplish my own Work , though I should find all the Armed Men , and the Men in Authority against me .

Now this is my DECREE ; I will set up Righteousnesse in the Earth , and I will establish Equity and Mercy amongst the people ; I will remove Oppression from off the Earth , and I will Search out , and Overthrow the Ground and Foundation thereof , in whomsoever , or in whatsoever it stands ; even , as I overthrew Sodom in the dayes of old ; and they that will not hast out of it , shall certainly be destroyed , saith the Holy One , who will break the Potsherds of the Earth that withstand him , and Consume the Stubble , the Thorns and the Bryers that set themselves in Battail against him , who is a Consuming Fire .

Therefore , Oh ye HEADS of the People ! Consider your Wayes , and weigh your Actions in that equal ballance ( the Word of God ) which will shew you the thoughts and the intents of your hearts : For verily , the Lord God is highly displeased , and your hearts are seen not to be right before him , Therefore consider your foundation upon which you build , least your building fall with great dishonour and loss , when the Storme comes , which shall come to try it .

Mark . Were You , or your Fathers and Friends able to keep your selves in Power , when the Lord formerly appeared against you , to cast You out before your Enemies , because of your Rebellion against him ? Or were your Enemies able to keep you out of power , and themselves in , when the Lord appeared against them to Split and Confound them , and to turn their day into darknesse , and to bring you in as a Flood over them , because of their treacherous dealing with the Lord , and because they perverted the CAVSE and Power that was put into their hands , serving themselves and their lusts , and not the Lord ? Verily , as they were not able to stand , no more will you be able to stand and keep your places ( except you Repent ) and own that your Enemies had a just Cause put into their hands against you : And so , put a difference betwixt the CAVSE , and That which perverted it , and not judge and condemn both together ; for if you do , verily I say unto you , when you have filled up your measures , You will assuredly fall without recovery , though you were ten thousand times stronger than you are , and although not one man appeared against you with a Carnall weapon .

Consider . Was it a carnall weapon that brought you in ? Were you not brought in without a stroke outward ? And is not the Lord the same ? Is his Hand shortned ? hath not he the hearts of all Flesh in his Power ? And can he not turn them as he pleaseth ? Can he not Root out , and Overthrow whomsoever he will ? And if he will do it without outward means , Can any resist his Will ? Or if he will do it by outward means , Cannot he provide it himself , contrary to Mans expectation ? Therefore , DREAD ye the MAJESTY and POWER of the LORD , and fear before his Dreadful Name .

Friends , I must deal plainly with you in the sight of God , who hath made me a Prophet to the Nation , I may not flatter any of you : My life is in the hand of my Maker , and not one hair of my Head can fall to the ground without his Providence . He hath Redeemed my Soul from Hell , and my Mind from the Earth ; and he hath given me his good Spirit to lead me : I am henceforth no more my own , but I am the Lords , who hath Formed me for his Praise , and hath brought me forth , that I may sound forth his powerful Truth amongst the People . Therefore must I not fear Man , neither must I be afraid of the Sons of Men.

Verily , your Spirits are seen to be too high for the Work , which God will have to be wrought in the Earth ; and you are found in that your selves , which the Lord will work against . And he is loaded with the pride and excess that ye ( and many in the Nation ) are in ; and his soul Abhors the Vanitie , Musick , and Pleasures which ye delight in .

Oh how hath iniquity abounded since ye came into place ! and how is Oppression , and Cruelty , increased and continued , upon them that seek the good of all ! Now , consider this , That which the Lord was wroth with you for , and threw you , and your friends out for before , he will not own That now , nor that you should revive , and establish That again : For the Lords Controversy is yet against those things , ( though he hath thrown out a treacherous people , who perverted his Cause : ) Therefore , try your FOVNDATION , before you build and settle ; for verily , whatsoever is not founded upon CHRIST JESVS , the Rock of Ages , ( whether it be in things Religious , or in things Civil ) the higher it is built , the greater will its fall be ; and every ones work must be tryed by fire , what Foundation soever they build upon , and great will be the Destruction and Consumation ; for nothing but what can abide the fire shall remain : And Verily , there is exceeding much , both in Governors , & Governments , Laws , Ministry , Profession , Trades , & in the Constitution of them , as they now stand ( and in the Conversations of the people ) which is to be utterly destroyed by the fire of the Lords Jealousie , and the Day hastens which will try every mans work of what sort it is ; and that which is for the fire , neither high words , nor outward strength shall be able to save it .

Oh! The Spirit of the Lord is grieved , and pressed , with the Iniquities and whoredoms of this Generation . Oh! the Waste , and the Spoyle , that is made of the Lords Creatures , excess in Apparel , excess in Diet , and deceitful Feastings , and Banquetings ; and each striving to exceed one another , not scarce knowing what to invent , to eat and to drink , or to put on ; or what Musick , or Images and Vanities to invent to please the Carnal Eye and Eare ; and in the mean time , your own flesh , or them of the same blood , lye , go , sit , or stand in your streets , crying for a peice of bread ; and many of your Lame , and Blind , and Sick , and others , both in Prisons and other places are ready to Famish .

Oh! Consider these things speedily , and mock not at the Lords Messengers , ( as some before you , have done , when they have been warned , as you now are ) lest your bonds be made strong also , and least the Lord smite you with a Curse , and send you Famine or Want in the room of your abundance and Superfluite ; and Raggs instead of Ribbons , Feathers , Gold , and Silver Lace , and Gorgious attire ; and houling and mourning instead of your Musick , Songs and Oaths .

Oh! Its hard to utter the abomination that flowes and swels in this Nation ; it is a shame to the Rulers , to suffer these Stage-playes , Mountebanks , and vain Sports and Shewes , whereby the Lord is greatly dishonoured , and foolish people are cheated of their money , and the Creation is devoured and wasted , and Mens lives sometimes endangered .

Oh! How have men invented mischeif , and vanitie , to stir up lightnesse and vanitie one in another . Oh ye Rulers ! is not this a horrible wickedness , that a man who hath his right natural senses , should be suffered to fain himself to be a Natural Fool ? and that he should be suffered to speak any light vain words he pleaseth , even what he can invent , to stir up lightness , and vain laughter amongst you ? Have you not manifested your selves to be slighters of the Apostles Doctrine ? ( read , Eph. 4.29 . & 5.4 . )

* * This Abomination have I beheld several times out of my Prison window . And is this an honor for the Chief of you , to have a company of Men and Boys , drest up with Ribbons and Bells about their legs , and one acting like a Fool with a Ladle in his hand , Dancing before you , even like a company of mad distracted men , making a noise like a company of Carriers Horses ?

Oh! the Life of God is grieved with these things , and all that fear his Name loaths them , and it is a shame that ever such things should be suffered in a Land .

Therefore , O ye Rulers , let all this ungodlinesse , and superfluity of nautinesse be laid aside , and receive with meeknesse the ingrafted Word which is able to sa●e your Souls , Jam. 1.21 . and that will teach you to love , even your Enemies , and to forgive them ; and to put a difference between the pretious and the vile : And it will keep your hands from blood , or your hearts from desiring after it , if you will obey it ; and it will shew you with what Gods Controversy is , both in your Government , and Worship , and Conversations ; and it will teach you to deny it . Yea , if you will own its Teachings , it will teach you to deny all ungodlinesse , and worldly Lu ●s , and to live Godly , Righteously , and Soberly in this present world , Titus 2.11.12 . But if you will not return to the word , which is nigh in your mouths , and in your hearts that you may obey it , and do it , ( Deut. 30.14 . Rom. 10.8 . ) verily this know , that neither your Strength nor Wisdom , shall be able to deliver you , from the Just hand of the Lord , which shall find out all his Enemies .

Therefore , if you would escape the overturning hand of the Lord , Repent speedily , and humble your selves before the Lord , and forgive your enemies ; Love mercy , Compel none to your Worship , nor to uphold your Teachers , and be willing that the Lord alone should send forth Labourers into his harvest , and that he may lead them by his own Spirit , that they may speak as that gives them utterance , and limit or quench it not , but let all have their Freedom to worship God in the Spirit , ( who know it ) according to the manifestation of it , which is given to every man to profit withal , ( John 4.23.24 . 1 Cor. 12.7 . ) for such a Worship the Lord owns .

And take away that greivous oppression of TITHES , and forced maintenance ; which hath cost some their lives , and many a great part of their estates , who for CONSCIENCE SAKE have been made to witnesse against it . Vndoe every HEAVY BVRTHEN , and break every YOAK , and let the oppressed go free ; And let CHRIST JESVS , the everlasting KING , have the preheminence in all things , Colos. 1.18 . for these things the Lord will have to be accomplished and brought to pass , And if you will not submit to him in this his work , he must and will remove you .

And this further consider , Oh! take heed that none of you , upon your Beds , or elsewhere , devise Cruelty and Oppression , and how to Avenge your selves upon your Enemies , and then , when you are assembled together , confirm it by a Law , because you have power so to do ; for the Lord abhors that , who is appearing to give to every man according to the fruit of their doing , and he will not respect any mans person .

Now if by your Strength you can hinder the Sun from rising and setting in its season , and if you be able to stop the Thunder & Lightening from having its operation , or to hinder the Winde from Blowing , and the Raine from Descending , then may you Hinder the DECREE of the Lord , and by your Strength you may stand in Power and Peace , and Flourish for a long Season , though you serve and Avenge your selves to the full , & though you rebell against the Lord , and oppress his Heritage .