The Oppressed Close Prisoner in Windsor Castle, Letter 1 – Explanation of epistle
This following, is a true Copy of the Epiſtle, ſo far as concerns the matter in hand; which I have divided into Sections, for methods ſake, in the explanation of my meaning.
Grace, mercy and peace, from the ever-over-flowing Fountain, to every ſon and daughter of the living God.
Sect. 1 HAving lately, even in my laſt unto you, declared among other things that purpoſe and determination concerning my Bonds and Impriſonment, which I have, according to my beſt understanding taken up upon Scripture-ground: I ſhall now proceed to add ſomething for the rectifying of ſome miſtakes about the preſent powers, and the image of the Beaſt; It falling in properly upon this occaſion for me to ſpeak ſomething to you concerning thoſe Truths, which do lie ſomewhat remote, and out of the way of ordinary obſervation.
Sect. 2 The judgement of the Congregation, appears by their Letter to me, to be this: viz. That you cannot do any thing toward my enlargement (prayer excepted) without owning the Powers in Being; the doing of which, ſay you, is accounted a bowing the knee to the image of the Beaſt. Now for the better clearing up of the minde of God in this dark and doubtful matter, I ſhall plainly declare as follows.
Sect. 3 Firſt, I do not know by whom the ownnig of the Powers in Being, is accounted a bowing the knee to the image of the Beaſt. It was never, neither is it like to be mine Opinion; and whether you mean ſome of your Number, or of other Congregations, I cannot tell; if I had particularly known, I ſhould have given a particular Anſwer; for as for my ſelf, I do own the Powers in Being, according as God himſelf hath commanded, and have done all along: I have and do render to all their Dues; Tribute, to whom Tribute is due; Cuſtome, to whom Cuſtom; Fear, to whom Fear; Honour to whom Honour.
Sect. 4 And therefore ſecondly, the doing of this that is, Owning the Powers in Being, is not, ought not to be accounted a bowing the knee to the image of the Beaſt: to own thoſe Powers aforeſaid, is a plain duty, not to be diſpenſed with by any Law of man whatſoever; where as to worſhip or bow the knee to the Beaſt, is a known ſin, forbidden in the Word of God.
By the Powers in Being, I underſtand the Army as Supream, and all thoſe who joyne with them to carry on the work of juſtice, and of mercy, according to the indubitable principles of right reaſon and equity; for Rulers, ſaith the Apoſtle, are not a terror to good workes, but to the evil; and ſo far as the Powers anſwer thoſe principles, they are Powers, and the Ordinance of God, and there is no more reaſon to reſiſt them, then there is to reſiſt righteouſneſs and truth, whilſt, and ſo long as they anſwer the ends for which they were ordained; and you know, I never taught you to riſe up againſt them in the leaſt.
Sect. 5 If any would ask me, How I can be ſaid to own the Powers, and yet preach against them and for the deſtroying of them, thus, one after another: I anſwer, I do in this matter, as the Prophets and Apostles, and Martyrs, and upright and underſtanding Saints, in all ages did before me: for I make no queſtion, but they owned the Powers then in Being, according to their own Doctrine and principles; and yet at the ſame time preached and propheſied againſt them, for their abominations, both to their faces, and behinde their backs alſo; and this was done by the Lords faithful ſervants in all ages; but I confeſs it did coſt them very dear; ſome their lives, others their liberties, others their ther ſubſtance, &c. where as the Court-Chaplains, the Pariſh-Clergie, and the Apoſtate Independents take a very wiſe courſe in their own conceits, to keep out of all danger, ſaying in effect, and with a louder voice then of a Trumpet; Let the Powers do what they pleaſe, &c. ſo we may get and keep Eccleſiaſtical promotions under them, and the protection and ſhadow of their wings; ſo we may have diſpenſations to be, and to continue Pluraliſts, Non reſidents, To…quots, &c. and ſo the Magiſtrates and Miniſters, (as they count themſelves) are agreed to connive at each others wickedneſs.
Sect. 6 But a little more to make the matter plain before you, you are to underſtand, that the Supream Powers have alwayes, in all Ages ruled partly like men, and partly like wilde beaſts.
They ruled like men, when they made, and executed, Laws agreeable to the Remainder of the image of God in mankinde; when they executed judgment and juſtice; when they relieved the oppreſſed & refreſhed the bowels of the poor and the fatherleſs, & when they made the deſolate widows hearts to ſing for joy: and many of the Heathen Kings and Rulers, will riſe up in judgment againſt thoſe, many of them, who aſſume the glorious titles of Chriſtian Kings and Princes.
They ruled like wilde Beaſts, when, and ſo far as, they were Hunters like Nimrod before the Lord; when they did carry matters by force and violence, by fire and ſword to ſatisfie their own luſts; when they degenerated into cruel Tyrants; (which are monſters in Government) And ſo, their Wills gave Law to millions of people better and more righteous then themſelves.
The holy Spirit doth more then intimate this diſtinction in Daniel very excellently, by comparing the four Monarchies, or Supream Powers, to the image of a man, Dan. 2. and then afterward the ſelf-ſame Monarchies, every one of them to a cruel wilde Beaſt, Dan. 7. from whence I gather, that they did and would be found to govern the Nations in ſome reſpects like men, that is, according to the principles of right reaſon and righteouſneſs. And thus far they had the ſuperſcription and image of God upon them, and were to be ſubmitted to, as the Ordinance of God. But in other reſpects, and at other times, they did live like ſo many wilde Beaſts, and ſo the Spirit of God calls them Lions, and Bears, and ravening Wolves, &c. Their Courts being fill'd with the ſpoil of the people, to maintain them in their pomp, pride and luxury; their wanton and beaſtly Courts, I ſay, were, and are ſupported, and maintained out of thoſe unreaſonable Taxes, which by illegal wayes and means they did and do ſtill tear out of the bowels of the oppreſſed people.
Sect. 7 Beſides this, there is another Obſervation very remarkable: for where as the holy Spirit, repreſents the four Monarchies put together in Dan. 2. by one onelyonly image of a man: He doth in Dan. 7. repreſent the four Monarchies apart by four ſeveral cruel Beaſts; which to me ſignifies thus much, that in the chief Rulers and Governours of this world, there would be found at the leaſt four times as much and more, of the nature and ſpirit of wilde beaſts, then of the nature and ſpirit of mankinde, or the reaſonable creature. And indeed this is not onelyonly ſignified in this prophecie, but it is plainly manifeſted in the Hiſtories of all Ages, and of all Nations, from Daniel's time unto this day. And for this Nation, I dare venture to make it good with the utmoſt peril of my life, that the ſpirit of the fourth Beaſt is yet living and acting its part in England, contrary to the Principles, Rules, and Preſidents of common honeſty, of the light of nature, and of the Laws of all Nations, which are not bruitiſh and barbarous.
And againſt this ſpirit I am engaged more and more, not againſt the man in man; for that is to engage againſt God and his Ordinance; but againſt the Beaſt and his image in man: and in this enterpriſe, the Lord will ſtand by me, againſt all the Kings of the earth, if I could come at them to preach againſt their beaſtly abominations, &c.
Sect. 8 But to conclude this: where as you ſay in effect you cannot be ſerviceable to Chriſt and me in reference to my enlargement, without owning the Powers in being; unleſs I have ſome way to offer to you, which may be conducible to that end; I have this onelyonly to ſay, that when I did read this paſſage, three or four wayes came into my minde, wherein it was honourable for you to appear, without any danger of bowing the knee to the image of the beaſt; but yet I would not have you expect, that I ſhould ſhew you any one of them; for I hope the Lord will help me, to cut off occaſion from them that ſeek occaſion. I have my end which I propounded in this matter, and ſhall wait on the Lord: for, I aſſure you here before him, in the midſt of you, I do not yet begin to be weary of mine Impriſonment, nor yet to yield; although ſome of the Lords people are more apt to think and ſay ſo, then there is ground ſo to think or ſay. And my Meſſage, as you call it, did not ſignifie any thing of that nature, but had another meaning.
Sect. 9 For, my Brethren, my adverſaries themſelves, do, and will, nobilitate this Cauſe, (wherein I ſuffer) more and more: and if mine enemies are neceſſitated to improve it, ſhould I deſert it? God forbid.
And as Chriſt ſaid to the mourning Women, Daughters of Jeruſalem, weep not for me, but weep for your ſelves, and for your children: ſo I ſay in the ſame ſpirit, Were I now going to the ſcaffold, be not ſad for me, ye ſons and daughters of Sion, but be ſad for your ſelves and for your families, for great diſtreſs is coming towards you; and yet to others, I may ſay, Look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption draweth nigh. And great ſhall their comfort be, who can finde in their heart to deny themſelves, and to forſake all, for the Lord Jeſus. But ſuch Diſciples are very rare; and time will give us yet a more plentiful demonſtration thereof.
12, 13. of the 8 month, 1654. Yours in the Lord, Chr. Feak.
The precedent Epiſtle explained, for a more compleat Manifeſtation of the Truth.
Sect. 1.
WHereas, in the beginning of the Epiſtle, it is written, that my intent and purpoſe concerning my Bonds and Impriſonment, was declared by me in a former Letter to them, I ſhall for the Truths ſake (and that all things relating to this buſineſs may be naked and open, before all ſorts of Readers) annex a Copy of ſo much of that Letter alſo, as is needful, if I can obtain it from the Brethren in due ſeaſon.
And therefore without any circumlocutions, ſhall paſs from this to the next Section, which being a part of the introduction to the principal Heads of that Doctrine which I explained briefly to them, will occaſion ſome inquiry into the Reaſons of my ſo writing to them.