This concerns all such Rulers , Priests and People in New-England , who have joyned hand in hand to Persecute the Saints , but especially the Rulers and Priests of Masachusets Bay in New-England ; who are become more Bloody and Cruel , Bold and Impudent in their Wickedness , than the rest of their Brethren , who have attempted to make a Bloody Law and Unrighteous Decree , to Banish the Children and People of God , upon Death , out of their Jurisdiction ; and by an unrighteous Decree , have made a Law to put the Servants of God to Death , if they return again into their Patent : Therefore mark the Cruelty which is the fruits of New-England's Professors , all you that Read this Paper .

HEarken and give Ear thou Town of Boston , lend an Ear O ye Rulers , chief Priests , and Inhabitants thereof ! Listen all you that dwell therein , Rich and Poor , Small and Great , High and Low , Bond and Free , of what sort so ever , Give Ear ; be attentive to the Words of my mouth , which proceed from the Spirit of the Lord , and from the Power of the Almighty within me .

I have often considered your Conditions , and your Actings have often come into my remembrance , which hath caused me often to Lament , because of the hardness of your hearts , who do thus slight the Almighty , and requite the Most High ; Oh foolish and unwise , ye who do not regard the Lord that made you , who hath often sent to you his Servants , to give you warning of the mighty day of the Lord of Hosts , of the terrible day of the Lord God Almighty , which draweth near , it hastens apace ; the Lord hath said it for His Elects sake , and for His own Names sake , will the Lord arise , and plead with all His Enemies , in this the day of His Eternal Power . Oh ye children of Men , who are the Workmanship of His hands , will ye resist the Lord , the Lord God Almighty , the Holy One of Israel , the Strong and Mighty God , who is arising in his Saints , and coming forth in His Strength , to Scatter His Enemies , and to Destroy Pharaoh and all His Hosts and Chariots in the Red Sea , after the Seed is come out of Egypt , and to turn the pride and haughtiness of men backwards , that rises to withstand the Lord ? Oh consider ye Potsherds , who are as unstable as the Waves of the Sea , and are as the Wind in His hand ; which he turneth and causeth to blow which way it pleaseth Him , who will confound and destroy you in your Imaginations , that you have imagined against Him and His Saints . Oh man ! What art thou that standest to resist the Lord , the mighty God of Jacob ? Did ever any of your Fathers , the Persecutors of old prosper ? Did not the Lord consume them with the breath of His nostrils , and with the Word of His mouth ? Who will tear you to pieces , that rise up in Rebellion against Him . Consider , was it in vain that one said in a certain place , That Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft ? Consider O ye that inhabit the Earth , whose dwelling-place is beneath ; Doth not the Lord behold all your Actions , and all your unrighteous Doings ? Oh ye Rulers and chief Priests , are ye combining together ? are ye joyned together ? are you in league together , as the Rulers and chief Priests were in former ages ? Consider their Ends , and consider what you are doing ? Are you so blind that you cannot see you are Persecuting the Saints of the most High ? You who are seeking the Life of the Righteous , and that nothing but Blood will satisfie ; The Lord will give you blood to drink , you that thirst for it , you shall have enough of it ; you who spill and drink the Blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus ; Are not your Brethren gone before you , in whose steps ye are treading ? and the fruits of the Devil you are bringing forth , Ye uncircumcised in hearts and ears , who do thus resist the Lord of Life : As your Fathers did , so do ye resist the holy Ghost and the Spirit of Truth , which is now appeared in the Saints of the most High ; who are sent into your borders in love to your Souls , and in tender mercy and compassion to the Captive that is within your gates , and to the Prisoner . Oh why will you strive any longer with the Lord that made you ? Who is coming in ten thousand of his Saints to render vengeance in flames of fire , upon all the ungodly : Who hath said , Vengeance is mine , I will repay it , saith the Lord God of hosts : Who will recompence into your bosoms , the Reward of your doings . Oh People and Inhabitants hereof , Why will ye die in your sins ? And whither Christ goes , thither you cannot come : Oh! Why will ye put the day of the Lord afar off you ? who hath waited long to be gracious , and hath born with you , as a man doth with his onely Son that serveth him ; So hath the Lord spared you : And do you thus requite the Lord for his loving-kindness , to whip , to imprison , and cut off the Ears of his Servants , that are sent unto you ? Is this your Preaching forth of Christ ? Are these your good Examples to others ? Come , let us reason together ; Have you not lost natural affection ? have you not lost tenderness and compassion ? Woe is me , for thee , Oh thou New-England , who hast made such a noise among the Nations : Is thy Religion come to no more than whipping , imprisoning , burning in the hand , and cutting off Ears , and banishing upon death ? What will be the next Law that thou wilt make , Oh New-England , against those that thou scornfully callest Quakers ? terming them the Cursed Sect of the Quakers . If they were a Cursed Sect , as thou hast termed them , it seems they should be so for thee , and so die for thee ; For thou hast made a Law , to put them to Death , if they come the second time within thy borders : But I say , the Lord hath blessed the People called in scorn Quakers , and they are blessed , and shall be blessed for evermore . Oh ye Rulers and chief Priests , will you proceed no further , than putting to Death the Innocent ? Is thy Praying , thy Preaching , thy many Sacrifices , and vain Oblations , come to this ? and will not thy Sacrifices , and Prayers , and solemn Meetings , become Abomination ? is it not the greatest Abomination that thou committest ? Dost thou think that this will pacifie the wrath of the Almighty God ? who is coming forth against thee , and will overtake thee , and strip thee naked , and uncover thee in that day , and take all thy Ornaments from thee . Oh consider ! Hast thou forgot ? although thou wouldest cover the Altar with tears , and come before Him with ten thousand of Rams , and with a thousand Rivers of Oyl , and offer the Fruit of thy Body , for the sin of thy Soul ; Would it be accepted , being offered in that nature wherein thou livest ? Much more when thou art become so Bloody , and so hard-hearted , that in stead of covering the Altar with tears , dost thou intend to cover it with blood if thou canst ? Blush and be ashamed , hide thy self in the dust for ever , because of the presence of the Almighty , who is now appeared and is coming to set thy sins in order before thee ; who will not blot out thy sins , nor cover thy Iniquities which are many , unless thou speedily repent , and forsake thy unrighteousness ; for thy Destruction hastens apace , thou art running headlong to Destruction ; as the horse rusheth into the Battel , so dost thou into Blood . How dost thou think to expect any thing from the Lord , but a Sore Destruction , a Famine , and a Plague , which is hastening upon thee , if thou continue still in Rebellion , in Persecuting his Servants . This hath the Lord said , and this will the Almighty perform upon thee in the day of his righteous Judgements , which will overtake all bloody-minded men , and blind Persecutors .

Oh I am full of the Spirit of the Lord , and of the Power of him that made me , who hath said unto me , Fear not man whose breath is in his Nostrils , nor the Son of man that must die ; For the Lord hath said unto me , For this end have I called thee , and for this cause I have ordained thee , Fear them not , neither be dismayed at their looks , nor be afraid of their threatning words ; I the Lord that created , thee am with thee ; Therefore fear not what man shall do unto thee , for I have made thee as a Wall of Brass , whereat the bloody-minded men shall shoot their Arrows , but shall not touch thee as to offend thee ; Therefore the Lord hath said unto me , Let not thy heart faint because of what I shall suffer them to do unto thee ; but let thy hands be strong in the Lord thy Redeemer , the Holy One of Israel ; for thy adversaries shall be confounded , and the Enemies of the Lord shall be destroyed in that day .

Oh ye Hypocrits ! how can you sing and keep such a noise concerning Religion , when your hands are full of blood and your hearts full of Iniquity ? Wash you , make you clean , put away the Evil of your doings , cease to do Evil , learn to do good , cleanse your hands you sinners , and your hearts you Hypocrites , for your Prayers are abomination to me , saith the Lord of Hosts ; your singing is as the howling of a Dog in the Streets , such are the Songs you sing in your Temple unto me saith the Lord ; my Spirit is weary with bearing , and my Soul is vexed day after day with your abominations . Wo , wo to thee thou Bloody Town of Boston , and the Rest that are Confederate with Thee , and it thou canst not escape ; Thou who hast shed the blood of the Innocent People called Quakers , and Imprisoned and Fined them , and taken away their Goods , and they have become a Prey unto thee , for thee to exercise thy Cruelty upon them , and thou boasts in thy wickedness , and thinks thou dost God good Service to hang and put to Death the People called Quakers ; Verily this is the Thoughts and Intents of the hearts of many of you in this New England ; but especially within thee , and within thy Jurisdiction that belongs unto thee , Oh thou Town of Boston : for these words following did one say ( in the Governours House ) whose name is Edward Rawson , called Secretary , who did Threaten me with these words following ( on the 18th of the 4. Month 1659 ) That if I came again after I was sent away , or banished , he said , he would write a Warrant with his own hand to send me to the Gallowes to be hanged . Are these your Fruits , your corrupt speeches , to Threaten the Innocent with your Gallowes , to hang them thereon ? Oh that ever such words should proceed out of a mans mouth ! to say that he would write a Warrnat with his own hand , to send an Innocent Person to the Gallowes to be hanged . Well , all this we can bear , the Lord hath brought forth his Suffering Seed , and through Suffering must the Lamb and his Saints overcome and get the Victory , and the wicked must be destroyed , and such who have been guilty of Blood . Was ever the like heard before , That men Professing to have so much of the Knowledge of God , and Professing to Fear God , that such should become so Bloody ! and become so great Persecutors of a People who are despised of the World , but loved of God ; and the Presence of the Lord is with them , whom you Persecute , and you must fall before them , for the Lord God is with them and among them that are the Sufferers under you . The Lord God of Heaven and Earth is now among such , which causeth the Heathen to Rage , and the People of the Earth to Imagine a Vain Thing : For the Lord's Presence and Power , in some measure , was ever among such as Suffered and were Persecuted for Conscience sake , and Suffered with them , and in them by the Persecutors of Old , in former Ages and Generations , as he doth at this day in his Saints and Children , for the overthrow of the Powers of Darknesse , and Kingdom of the Devil ; who hath had his Seat in the sons of men for these many Ages and Generations ; Wherein , and whereby the Beast hath made War against the Lamb and His Saints , for many Generations . But the day doth draw near and has●ens apace , that the Lamb and the Saints must get the Victory : And the Beast and his Followers , at that day , must be Consumed , and Destroyed , because of the Presence of the Lord God in his Saints .

Oh what cruelty is acted now in these dayes ! That men who Professe God , and make such a noise concerning Religion , that such should become so hard-hearted , to Imprison a Child of Eleven or Twelve Years of Age ! Was ever the like done among the greatest Tyrants , or Bloody-minded-men , that are mentioned in the Scriptures ! Did they ever Imprison a Child that was sent unto them , to Warn them of their unrighteousnesse ! Oh what will become of you ! Do you think , Oh you Heads and Rulers of this Town of Boston , who are become so Brutish , and so Dark in your Understandings , and so unlike Men in your Actions : You that cast the Innocent into your Dens , Holes , Prisons , and will not suffer their Friends and Acquaintance to come to visit them , not to minister unto them . Surely bitter will your Cup be , and your Portion will be sad : Surely the sober and tender-hearted cannot but grieve and lament , to hear of the Cruelty that is acted by you . Oh ye Rulers and chief Priests , who are the Beginners of Mischief , and the Leaders of them who are the chief Actors of all this Cruelty ! For well was it spoken by the Prophet , The Leaders of this People , cause them to Erre ; and they that are led by them , are destroyed for lack of true knowledge . Well , a little further you shall proceed , to fill up the measure of your Iniquities ; and then shall you have your Reward with the rest of the Uncircumcised : For , I know it is Blood you thirst after , O ye Rulers and chief Priests , is it not our Lives ye thirst for , come , tell us plainly ? Or , have you made this Law of yours , only to see if you can make the People , called Quakers , afraid of you ? Well , however , being I am allowed of God , I shall tell you plainly , that the Lord God of Heaven and Earth is now drawing near and coming upon you speedily to try you , whether you will exercise your inhumane Law upon us , who are now sent among you from the Lord for this very end and purpose ; I say , will you put us to death for only coming into your Jurisdiction , or Patent ( as you call it ) after we have been once sent away , or commanded by you to go out of it ? Now , we say , being the Lord God hath commanded us to the contrary , Is it meet and just to obey God , or man , judge ye ? to obey your bloody Law , or to obey God's Righteous Law , which He hath writ in our hearts , and placed within us , which judges and condemns your unrighteous Law , that you have made to banish the Righteous ? Well , you that call your selves Christians , if you do this bloody Act , to shew your selves so unlike men , I must tell you plainly , for constrained by the Lord God I am to tell you , O ye bloody-minded men , That if you do put us to death , this Action of yours will proceed from the Devil , who was a Murderer from the beginning , who seeks to destroy mens lives , as you do at this day ; For as it was then , so it is now , he that is born after the flesh , persecuteth him that is born after the Spirit .

Now you that say you are Christians , Come , let us reason together concerning this inhumane Law that you have made , to put the People , called Quakers , to death : Did ever any true Christians make such Laws , as you have made against a People , whom you in scorn and derision call Quakers , since they came among you ? Are you not ashamed that the Nations about you should hear of your Actions ? to hear of the cruel Laws that you have made against an innocent and harmless People ; What , was not the Law that you made at first strong enough , but you must disanul it , and proceed to a more bloodier ? Come , tell us plainly ( if you be not ashamed to speak ) of whom did you ask Counsel ? or , to whom did you seek for Instruction ? I am sure the Lord ( in whose hand your breath is ) did never give you Counsel to make these bloody Laws , that you have made against the People who are scornfully called Quakers . Come let us further reason together , that you may appear unto all , that have any Moderation in them left , as men ; that surely you are not the true Christians nor Disciples of Christ , for they used no such weapons to War withall as you do : So that a great deal of difference there is betwixt your Practises and theirs , your Weapons and theirs ; For their Weapons were and are Spiritual , and yours are Carnal . The difference is great every way , as great as there is betwixt Light and Darknesse . Again , that you may see that in every thing you are altogether unlike them ; their War was against Spiritual wickedness in high places . The Apostles wrestled not with flesh and blood ; mark , not with the Creatures , not to destroy mens Lives , but made War in Righteousness , with the spiritual Weapons , having on for an helmet , the brest-plate of Righteousness , whereby they subdued the Powers of darkness , and spiritual wickedness that ruled in high places . Now you that call your selves Christians , you war against flesh and blood , your war is against the Creatures , and not against spiritual wickedness ; you seek to destroy that which Christ came to save , and seek not to destroy that which Christ came to destroy : He was made manifest to destroy the works of the Devil , but you make your selves manifest ( you intend ) to destroy the work of God . Mark and take notice , you unbelievers ; The Creature is the workmanship of God ; the spiritual wickedness is the fruit and work of the Devil , which Christ came to destroy , and was made manifest for that end , to destroy the sin which is the fruit of the Devil . Take notice , ye , unlike Christians , the fruits , and works of the Devil , live and remain still among you undestroyed ; who seek to destroy the workmanship of God , when Christ came to save mens lives , and not to destroy them , but to destroy the works of the Devil ; but you seek to destroy , that which Christ came to save , and to save alive that which Christ came to destroy . So see if it doth not appear plainly by your Actions , and by your corrupt fruits , that you are making war against Christ , and his Saints , whom you seek to destroy from off the face of the Earth ; As let your actions that you have acted already against God and his Servants , bear witnesse against you , that you are become more Bloody , and more hard-hearted than Pharaoh of old . See , and search the Scriptures of Truth , and consider whose children you are , and whose works you are a doing , and whom it is you are serving : For , his servants you are to whom ye obey . Did ever God send any of his Servants into a Country or Nation , to destroy his workmanship , the Creature ? Is this your gaining many People into your Church ? Is this your Converting of others ? Is this your way of adding many to your Church ? What , by compelling of people to come to your Meetings ? What , By Fining People , and taking away their Goods ? What , by Imprisoning , Whipping , and Stocking and burning in the hand , and cutting off the Ears of those that come to bear witness against your Cruelty and Idolatry ? Is this your way of convincing gain-sayers ? What , by making of a Law to bannish such upon pain of Death ? have you no other weapons to fight withall against the Truth ? Have you no other means nor way , ye Idolshepherds , to stop the mouthes of them ye call gainsayers , than Imprisoning , Whipping , Burning in the Hand , Fining and taking away their Goods , and Banishment upon pain of Death ? Have you no other way , nor word to convince those you call Hereticks , and Deceivers , but to take away their lives ? Surely this was not the way , nor means , nor power , which the Apostles used to convince the Gentiles and Jews , unto whom they were sent . This power which you make use of , is not the power , neither doth it proceed from the power which ruled in the Saints , Prophets , Apostles , and People of God , whereby their Souls were converted to God , which turned them from Darkness to Light ; But the power that rules you , and that you act by , is of another nature , than the power the Apostles were in ; for their power was , and is given to save , but yours is to destroy mens lives , which the power of God was given for to save ; which must be set a top of all unrighteous Powers , from whom all bloody and unrighteous Laws do proceed . So , behold what power it is that leads you , and what power ye are under , ye merciless men ; that many of you are become past feeling , whose Consciences are seared as with a hot Iron ; who have given your selves over to work wickedness , and are become as great Persecutors , as any that worship the Beast , who have given their power unto the Dragon , who thirsts after the blood of the Innocent , as the Lion doth after his prey ; so greedy , and hasty are you to spil the blood of the Saints , and to take away the Life of the Upright from the face of the Earth . Well , ye Rulers and Magistrates ( so called ) take heed , and take warning , I lay it upon you , while you have time , and a day given unto you to consider these things ; So before the thing come to passe , and before you do it , weigh the matter . Come , let us farther reason together ; Can you convince us of the transgression of any Law of God ? and if you cannot , ( which we know you cannot ) nor have the least transgression of the Righteous Law of God to lay to our charge , who are now coming among you in obedience to the Lord God of Heaven and Earth , for this very end , to try you , O ye children of men : And if you put us to Death , because we cannot obey your Commandment , but choose rather to obey the Commandment of the Lord ; and for so doing will you put us to Death ? Well , this know , and be it known unto the Sons of Men , and Inhabitants within this Town of Boston , and elsewhere within your Jurisdiction ; That the Commandments of the most High must we obey , and your Commandment we must disobey , and disanul it , and make it of no effect , because it is against , and contrary to that of God in all mens Consciences ; which is of the nature , and according to the Righteous and Royal Law of God ; therfore we must obey the Command of the Lord , because it is according to the Righteous and Royal Law of God , which is according to that of God in every man's Conscience ; which saith , It is more just and meet , to obey God than man . So being that your Law that you have made , is unequal , and contrary to the Law of God , which he hath writ in our hearts , which is equal , just and righteous ; for your Law , that you have made , against the Innocent People called Quakers , is unjust , and unrighteous , and contrary to that of God in all mens Consciences , and contrary to the righteous and Royal Law of God : Therefore we say , we cannot obey such a Law , that doth not agree with the Royal Law of God ; but herein shall we obey the Lord , choosing rather to suffer , what you shall be suffered to do unto us , than to fulfil the Commandme● and unrighteous Law of unrighteous men , in flying at your Command , when the Lord hath Commanded us to stay ; Whereby that he may shew his Power in us , that his Command , and his Righteous & Royal Law is of more power , virtue and force in us , and with us , than your unrighteous Laws and Commands can be against us . So this know , if you put us to death , when we return , that you will bring innocent blood upon you , by so doing , which shall not depart from your houses , nor from that seed that is guilty thereof . So these things we speak , that you may no more be guilty of Innocent blood , for assuredly know , that nothing shall fail of what the Lord hath spoken by us , and through us concerning you , if you go on still in Rebellion and stiff-neckedness , and refuse to hearken to the Voice and Counsel of the Lord God : And this know , that you have been warned from the Lord of these things before they came to passe ; For this we know , if we disobey the Command of the Lord , to fly from you , because you have made a Law to put us to Death , if we disobey the Lord in this thing , he can cut us off , and take our Lives from us in his anger and fury ; Therefore be it known unto you , that the Lord hath made us willing to lay down our Lives among you , if you be suffered to take them from us ; and in this thing we know we shall have peace , when you shall have sorrow and torment night and day : And this shall you certainly know one day , that the Lord God of Heaven and Earth , whom we serve , sent us among you , if you see our faces again , after we have been Banished from you ; and that which we have spoken , you shall know to be truth , whether you will hear or forbear . Well , if you say , we are transgressors of a Law , in not obeying your unrighteous Law : It is your own , and not God's Law ; For his Law is holy , just , and good ; but yours is altogether unholy , unrighteous , unjust , and wicked , and is to be set at nought , and condemned by the servants of the Lord : For this Law of yours , which you have made , to put the Righteous to death , hath not proceeded from the Spirit of the Lord , which is meek , and lowly , and easie to be entreated ; which doth judge and condemn you , and your Law . Now if you would know from what spirit this wicked and unnatural Law of yours hath proceeded : Well , we shall speak plainly , it hath proceeded from the murdering spirit which raigned and ruled in the Persecutors of Old , from whence all such Lawes did and do proceed .

Now ye Rulers , chief Priests and Inhabitants of New-England , this we shall say unto you in the fear of the Lord and Spirit of the Almighty , and in the Power of the Lord Jesus Christ , that you nor your Law is not to be regarded herein , and your Law is to be broken , and must be broken by the Power of the Lord God , and you must be judged and condemned by the same Power for making such a Law ; For the Lord of Hosts is coming up against you , and your Power must be subdued and taken from you by the Prince of Peace , even by Him who is come , and coming , to rule the Nations with a Rod of Iron ; who is come and coming ; whose Right it is to Rule , and subdue all Powers and Authorities unto Himself , and to take the Government into his Own hand , unto whom it belongs ; who will dash you to pieces , ye Rulers , that rebel against his Righteous Power and his Holy Law , that He is Establishing in the Earth , in the hearts of the sons of men , that obey his Voice , and that hearken unto his Counsel , his Righteous and Holy Law must be established , and his Righteous Government and Kingdom must be set up ; and your Unrighteous and Unholy Kingdom and Government must be overturned and destroyed by the Power of the Everlasting God , in this day of his Eternal Power ; who is come , and coming , to make void all your ungodly , inhumane and bloody Laws , and to reward you according to your works : The Lord God hath spoken it , and by Him it shall be accomplished upon you : for the Decree of the Most High is gone out against you , ye unmerciful men , whose Wickedness and Unrighteousness doth exceed the Nations about you , for barbarous Cruelty and unmanlike Actions : Have you not altogether lost your Senses , Reason and Understanding , that you are become so bruitish and so unlike Christians ? You are gone so far in your Cruelties and unnatural Actions , that you are a stink and a loathsom smell to all People , that have the least measure of Uprightness and of the honest Principle ruling in them , and your barbarous and cruel actions and bloody deeds they abhor , and at your Cruelty that you have acted against the People of the Lord ( who are by you in scorn called Quakers ) many of the common sort of People do stand amazed and wonder to hear of such Cruelty to be acted by such a Generation of men , that have made such a noise concerning Religion , concerning a Church , concerning Ministry and Magistracy , and Church-Government and Ordinances , Preaching , Praying , Singing , Morning and Evening Sacrifices , Family-Duties ( as you call them ) that such should become so bloody and so cruel , it doth astonish many that are called Heathens ; that all your Preaching , Praying , Singing , making such a noise concerning Religion , that it should come to no more , and to produce no better fruits than Imprisoning , Whipping , Stocking , Burning in the Hand , Cutting off Ears , Banishing upon Death , as you have banished Six already from their Wives and Children , and from their outward beings ; So that you do not only intend to destroy the Souls , but Bodies also . Come , let us know what have they done ; what Law of God have they transgressed , that you should banish them upon pain of Death from their Families ? What , was it because their Conversations and Actions were honest and upright , and yours are evil ? What , was it because their Practices condemed yours ? What , was it because they owned a People that are by you in scorn called Quakers , whom you evilly entreat ? and such as owns them you banish and despitefully use them .

Surely these things will be remembred . Come , let us ask you what Rule or Example have you that you walk by ? let us hear what you can say for your selves : What Orthodox men were they that counfelled you to these barbarous actions ? what Counsellors were they , that would give counsel to Magistrates to do these bloudy actions ? of whom did you learn it ? Come , let us hear your strong Reasons , for the day is drawing near that you must be further tried ; for the Almighty God hath put it into the hearts of his Servants to try you , whether you will put us to death for disobeying your unrighteous Law . We that are free-born English-men , we demand our Liberty for the exercise of our pure Consciences in this Country , as well as other English-men ; we being free-born English-men , we may by the Law of God claim our Liberty before many other People : We who are not transgressors of the Law of God , neither of any Law or Decree that is according thereunto , what is the Reason that we should be banished upon Death out of your Jurisdiction more than any other people ? What , is it because we are turners of the World up-side down ? What , is it because we are termed Ring-leaders of a People , that are in scorn called Quakers ? What , is it because the Laws of our God , which we obey , are different from all the unrighteous and bloudy Laws of New-England ? What , is it because we cannot obey the Commandment of the Rulers of New-England , that have commanded us to bow to the spirit that ruled in Haman , which now rules in these bloudy Rulers of Boston , and elsewhere in New-England ? Nay , I say , the Lord our God hath raised and is raising the Royal Seed and Spirit that ruled in Mordecai , that could not , nor cannot stoop nor bow to the spirit that ruled in proud Haman : I say , see and behold if the same spirit rules not in you , ye Rulers , chief Priests and Inhabitants of Boston , and elsewhere ; mark , if the same spirit doth not rule you that ruled in Haman ; who sought not only the destruction of Mordecai alone , but sought to destroy all the Seed of the Jews : Are you not of Haman's off-spring , and ruling in his nature , who was so cruel and so bloody ? who did give a sum of money for destroying the Seed of the Jews : Mark , what was it for ? Because Mordecai could not bow to him , nor do him reverence . Mark , it was not for the transgression of any Law of God : yet he disobeyed the Commandment of King Ahasuerus , who raigned from Judea even unto Ethiopia , over an hundred and twenty and seven Provinces . Or , is your Law and Commandment of more force than his was , who had commanded that they should reverence Haman ? for so had the King commanded . Are you greater than he was ? Reade the Third of Esther throughout . And yet did not Mordecai transgress his Commandment , in not bowing to Haman ? at which Haman was full of wrath . Is it not so with you ? are not you mad and full of wrath against the People called Quakers , because they testifie to your faces that your deeds are evil ? Are not you now full of wrath and envy , because the Quakers will not obey your unlawful Commands and unrighteous Decrees ? Now you that are in Haman's nature , & ruled by Haman's spirit , in Cruelty seeking and labouring to destroy the Royal Seed and True Jew from off the Earth in this Country of New-England ; as Haman did labour to destroy the Seed of the Jews , the People of Mordecai , within the Kingdom of Ahafuerus , so do ye seek to destroy the People of God , called Quakers , that are come , or comes into your Jurisdiction ; Is it not because they cannot how to you ? Now , did Mordecai in disobeying the King's Commandment , disobey the higher Power , yea or nay ? unto which every soul is to be subject for Conscience sake : And such as disobey this Power , disobey the Ordinance of God . Give ●s in your Answer ye Rulers and chief Priests , you that seek and receive Honour from man ; How can you believe that receive Honour one of another , and seek not that Honour that cometh from God only ? Well , is your Commandment and Decree of more force to us , than the King's was ( concerning Haman ) to Mordecai , seeing they are of one nature ? We can obey your Commandment no more than Mordecai did bow to Haman , though the Kinghad commanded it . Now we say , are not you preparing a Gallows to hang us thereon , as Haman did for Mordecai ? But take heed , We warn you in the Name of the Lord God , consider what you are going to do ; In the Name of the Lord we demand that we may have Liberty for the Exercise of our pure Consciences within your Jurisdiction , aswel as other English-men , seeing that you cannot lay to our charge the transgression of any Law of God , we being men that fear the Lord God of Heaven and Earth ; and we come not for any thing of yours , God is our Witness , it is not for any thing that you have that we come for ; for we do not ●●ck any outward thing : for many of us have both Houses and Land of our own , and Silver also in Old England , so that we seek not any thing that you have ( God is our Witness , whom we serve in the Spirit of Truth , who hath constrained us to leave all , and to follow Him ) that it is not the World ( that doth perish with the handling thereof ) that we seek or labour for , but the Good and Eternal Welfare of the sons of men ; for the Seed's sake which is oppressed in New-England , and other parts of the World , do we labour , and travel , and suffer all manner of hardships ; for Christ's sake are we become fools , and do suffer all manner of Evil to be done unto us , as Christ said unto his Disciples , they shall do all manner of Evil to you for my Name sake ; but those that did it , and those that do it , know neither God nor his Son Jesus Christ , neither have they the Love of God abiding in them : For such as love not him whom they have seen , how can they love God whom they have not seen ? and such have not Eternal Life abiding in them , but are of the Devil , as their fruits do make manifest , and are the thorns of which men cannot gather Grapes , except it be such Grapes as Sodom and Gomorrha did bring forth , which provoked the Holy One , the Most High , to arise in his Wrath , and consume them in his Anger .

Come , ye Rulers , let us further ask you a Question : Of whom did you receive , or from whence had you your Rule , to Imprison any for coming to visit one another ? did you finde any such Example in the Scripture , which you call Your Rule ? did ever any Magistrate do such a thing , to imprison any of the Prisoners Acquaintance or Friends , for onely coming to visit them ? Had not Paul's Friends and Acquaintance liberty to come and visit , and to minister unto him ? Now you do not only hinder that which the Heathen granted , but exceed such in Cruelty which imprisoned Paul , who did let his Friends and Acquaintance come to him , and minister to him : Now this you hinder , and will not suffer any of our Friends nor Acquaintance to come to visit us , nor to minister unto us ; much more when your Crnelty is become so great , to imprison such as come many miles to visit us , as you have done Mary Dyar , who came from Rhoad Island to visit us , and to minister to our Necessities , if we stood in need : Now you do not only hinder any for coming or ministring to us , but shut such up in Prison ( to be kept close Prisoners ) as remember Joseph's Afflictions , whose bowels are opened to such whom you dispitefully use : Is this your doing as you would be done by ? O shameless men ! Are you without all natural affection ? What Rule is it you walk by ? You say that she affirmed , That the Light within her is the Rule : But I say , The Light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the World , which condemneth the World for evil deeds and unnatural actions , this Light which is the Saints Rule is the Worlds Condemnation ; this Light was not your Rule for what you have done ; ye took not counsel at this Light which is the Quakers Rule : for this Light which shines in the heart of man , beholding all his actions , this Light doth condemn all blind Persecutors and Judges , such to be worse than they that imprisoned Paul , who would suffer him to speak for himself ; which many times you are so mad you will not suffer the Quakers to speak for themselves , but you will call to your Officers , to take them away to Prison .