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how their master fared, and rejoice to suffer with him, by whom alone they hope to be glorified; and are as well content to suffer, as to reign with Christ. But how unwillingly do we deny ourselves, and take up our cross and follow Christ: and yet a necessity lies upon us, if we will be the Lord's disciples, to take up our cross daily, and follow him. How is it then, that the crown of pride is so long upon the head of persecutors? how is it that such men should dare to divide the people of England, to trouble the council of state (in the throng of business concerning the management and improvement of all the mighty series of glorious providences made out to this infant commonwealth) with such abominable misrepresentations of honest, pious, peaceable men, who desire nothing more than to glorify their God in their generation, and are and have been more faithful to the interest of God's people in the nation, than any of the contrivers of the petition, as will easily be made appear if we may take for evidence what they themselves have often said of the parliament and army, and their friends and servants, publicly and privately; and it is well known their judgments are the same; but that the publication thereof will not safely consist with the enjoyment of their large vicarages, parsonages, and augmentations, whereby they are lifted up above their brethren, and exalt themselves above all that are called God's people in these parts.

However, reader, we need not fear; we hope the Lord will never suffer that monster, persecution, again to enter within the gates of England's Whitehall. They that sit in council there, know well enough who it was that so often assembled to consult how they might take Jesus by subtlety and kill him: they were men of no lower condition than chief priests, scribes, and elders of the people: and if ever these petitioners should but appear before them to whom they have directed their petition, my heart deceives me if they be not accounted such.

Reader, I would not preface thee into a good opinion of these suffering objects of such men's wrath; but read their paper here put into thy hand, by them written, upon the occasion of this petition, and several snares and temptations laid before them, on purpose to entrap them; and if by them thou canst find cause to pity these oppressed little ones, have them in thy remembrance when thou goest to the throne of grace, where my prayers shall meet thine, for them.

To the Right Honourable the Council of State.

The humble petition of several gentlemen, justices of peace, ministers of the gospel, and people, within the county of Lancaster, whose names are subscribed, showeth,

That George Fox and James Nayler, are persons disaffected to re

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Answer. Whereas we are accused as persons disaffected to religion, it is false; for pure religion we own in our souls, which is, 'to visit the fatherless, and relieve the widows, and to keep ourselves unspotted from the world,' and dwelling in purity; this we own in our souls. But 'he that doth seem to be religious, and hath not power over his own tongue, his religion is vain;' and that religion we do deny: and all those that do profess the scriptures in words, and live not the life of them, but live in drunkenness, and uncleanness, envy, and maliciousness; and all they that do profess religion, and make a trade of the scriptures, both priests and people, we do deny.

O.Disaffected to the wholesome laws of the nation.'

A. Justice (the wholesome law of God) we own; and this is a terror to the unjust, unwholesome, and unclean, and he that bears that sword is a minister of God; and who doth not obey the law of God within, then that takes hold upon him without, but who doth obey the. law of God within, it brings him from under the occasions of all laws without for it will not let man lie, nor let him be drunk, nor proud, nor follow oaths, nor cursed speaking, nor whoredoms, quarrelling, fighting, wrangling, nor railing. And every one who walketh in the law of God, denies all that which is unwholesome, and that which is according to the course of the world; and they are all of one heart, and are all one in unity, if ten thousand; and have all one law written in their hearts; which those that live in uncleanness cast behind their backs; and yet they profess a law in words, but are not subject to the power of God. And such are they who do accuse their brethren who walk in the law of God; and yet they pretend justice: but their souls are not subject; for that soul that is subject to the higher power which is of God, denies all filthiness and corruption.

O. That since their coming into this country, they have broached opinions tending to the destruction of the relation of subjects to their magistrates, wives to their husbands, children to their parents, servants to their masters, congregations to their ministers, and of a people to their God.'

8 A. We were moved of the Lord to come into this country, and the Lord did let us see, that he had a people here before we came into it. But as for broaching opinions, we deny; but those that profess truth; and walk in it up to God, we own.

Opinions do tend to break the relation of subjects to their magistrates, wives to their husbands, children to their parents, servants to their masters, congregations to their ministers, and of a people to their God; but opinions we deny, for they are without God; and there you And justice and purity are but one, and that we set up and own: purity and walking in the spirit, doth make a separation from all VOL. III.

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