IT is not unknown to thoſe who know any thing (of order and courſe in former diſpenſations) that when God began to make himſelf more manifeſt to the ſons of men (then in former ages) and to appear ſtrongly for the making his name glorious, in chuſing out and delivering ſome people from the evils and bondages of the world: we ſee upon ſuch occaſions, what hurly burly was alwayes raiſed in thoſe Kingdoms, where ſuch a work was to be brought to paſs; as in Egypt when God was about to deliver Iſrael, and likewiſe when Chriſt appeared in the fleſh, though at that time the world had peace, and the Land where Chriſt was born was brought into a quiet condition by Caeſar: yet when Chriſt was born, indeed what tumults were raiſed, the hiſtory of Scripture will declare. Now we ſee it plainly recorded, that thoſe who were the greateſt and moſt eminent in raiſing thoſe perſecuting tumults, were the Prieſts and holy people, ſo called, and the Magiſtracy, who were blinded by the Prieſts; in all ages it hath been found that the generality of the national Prieſt-hood, and formal holineſs, were the greateſt oppoſites to God; the truth of this is verified by the Prophets in many places, being ſo well known, it needeth no further proof: and in the time of Chriſts appearing in the fleſh (which was the neereſt appearance of God to men, of all his former appearances) yet the more neer that God appeareth to the Son, the more violent will the Prieſts and outward formalities appear alſo; and as the truth of this was made apparent when Chriſt came in the fleſh, ſo this ſhall be come to paſs and be compleated when he ſhall come in a far more neerer appearance then ever; viz. when he ſhall appear in Spirit, and maketh himſelf manifeſt in the hearts of his people, the which appearance ſhall be as far hid from the beholding and believing of the generality of the national Prieſthood and outward formality, as his appearance in the fleſh was to the Prieſts, Scribes and Phariſes in thoſe dayes; and as in theſe days the looking at the obſervation of ſome part of the Law and Circumciſion blinded them by reaſon of the luſt in their hearts, ſo that they could not cloſe with Chriſt in the fleſh; even ſo ſhall it be when he beginneth to appear in Spirit, the Prieſts and outward formalities ſhall be blinded by looking at Chriſt in the fleſh, & by their carnaland fleſhly apprehenſions of him, whereby they ſhall create a Faith to themſelves, which being joyned to the luſt in their heart from whence they ſhall be made the greateſt enemies and perſecutors of Chriſt in ſpirit and his Saints, in whom he is, and who are to bear witneſs of the truth thereof, for the myſterie of God muſt be fulfilled in its time; and in the fulfilling of this Myſterie there will be Perſecutors, and people to be perſecuted, and the more neer that the Myſterie of God becometh fulfilled, the more myſtical will the perſecution be; and will it not be thought very ſtrange to ſee any ſuch thing now amongſt us in this preſent age, when ſo many mens lives have been loſt for the peace, and liberty of the Saints, as is pretended, and when the preſent Government ſeems to be eſtabliſhed amongſt us, tending to the very ſame end? yet who can believe that under all this, any perſecution of Chriſt and the Saints ſhould ariſe? but for all the blood that hath been ſpilt, and for all the fair raiſed forms of worſhip, and for all the liberty that is yet attained, do not think that the perſecution of the Saints is at an end, for under all, and out of all this outward holineſs and liberty, ſo much ſpoken of, ſhall ariſe a perſecution, which ſhall be ſuitable for the time of the Myſterie; and whoſoever you be that are true Saints indeed, take notice of this, for the peace is not yet compleated, for the Myſterie of God is not yet finiſhed, and he that rides on the white Horſe with his Army, is not yet unmounted, nor will be, until the Saints warfare be accompliſhed, and the Kings and great men, the Dragon and the Beaſt, and all the falſe Prophets, and the worſhippers of the Image, and thoſe who have received the mark of the Beaſt, be all of them overcome; but in the interim be of good comfort, and valiant for the truth, though the Devil prevail to caſt ſome of you into priſon, for ſo it muſt be until the time of the end; I need not go far for proof of this truth, who am a priſoner my ſelf for no other cauſe, but for the teſtimony of the myſterie of the truth, as it is in Jeſus, and for my plain diſcovering of the falſe Prieſts, and for the clear demonſtrating between the ſhaddow and the ſubſtance of truth; ſetting forms in their proper place, and the ſubſtance in its place, he which is a thing ſo far beyond the underſtanding of our blinde Prieſts, that they have combined together (though ſecretly) to take away my life, if poſſible; and yet will they not be ſeen to act any thing againſt me themſelves, but make others to become their ſtalking horſes, and to ſhut the bolts that they have made, as thou ſhalt ſee hereafter; but before I come to the thing intended, I will give the Reader a ſhort diſcovery of ſome things that tend to making more plain to the underſtanding the things that are to follow.

In the firſt I would have thee to know that it was put upon me a year and a half ſince to write ſome things which might be uſeful for the preſent times, either to convince, or to be as a witneſs againſt many, which things thou mayeſt ſee in a book penned and owned by me, called, The Arrow of the Almighty, ſhot out of the Creatures bow, &c. In which book there is ſomething that hath not pleaſed as many of the unſent Prieſts as have ſeen it; for therein I believe they have found ſuch truth laid to their charge, as they can no wayes turn their eyes from beholding, but yet their pride and covetouſneſs is ſo great, that many of them do grievouſly grumble at me, and many long furrow have they ploughed upon my back; yet to this very day not one of them would come to my face to gain-ſay any thing contained in that book, though I live amongſt the very croud of them: nor ever did any of them ſo much as oppoſe any thing in it by writing againſt me; yet ſee the ſubtilty of ſome of them, for though they durſt not come to my face, to anſwer for themſelves, yet by their ſecret inſtigation of others, they go about to take away my life for my friendly and plain dealing with them; and to bring about their deviliſh deſire, ſome of their poor blinde proſelytes, who being fitted for that purpoſe, being of the murthering principle, have appeared openly to take away my life, that thereby they might have my blood to ſatisfie the hungry deſire of their greedy God, whoſe hunger cannot be ſtayed but by the ſacrifice of the blood of the Saints.

Now Reader, I will plainly ſhew thee who are mine accuſers, and what I am accuſed of, and who were my Judges, and what their Judgement againſt me was, at the laſt Seſſions holden at Durham, the fifth of April, in this preſent year, 1654. and by this, if thou be not wilfully blind, thou ſhalt ſee the ſtrangeſt work that ever hath been heard of in England; the which when thou haſt rightly underſtood, I leave to thee to Judge, what wiſe, honeſt, upright Juſtices we have in this County of Durham; for which thou mayeſt praiſe God if thou wilt.

Now in my proceeding, I come to ſhew thee who it was that appeared to be mine accuſers; the one called by name Henry Eddan, and the other Richard Raw, who being men fitted for ſuch a work, being ſtrongly Prieſt-ridden, or if they ſtumble at this expreſſion, their underſtandings are ſo ſaddled and bridled by the doctrine of the Prieſts, that they have them at command, in turning them what way they pleaſe: as for Richard Raw, I have not much to ſay unto him, becauſe I have not had any acquaintance with him, but onely as he appeared againſt me with Henry Eddan; the which, as far as I could perceive by outward expreſſion was not much, but that might be becauſe the poor blind man had but little to ſay openly to my face; therefore what he ſaid againſt me when he whiſpered ſecretly with the reſt of the Juſtices upon the bench, he beſt knoweth; only thus much I am apt to believe, that he is ſo zealous for the glory of his God, that he would give conſent to kill Chriſt, if he were in the fleſh, if he ſhould but croſs him in his principles; and thus much I can witneſs againſt him, by his giving conſent to have me impriſoned for holding out Chriſt in his Divine Nature, which ſeemed to thwart his Chriſt of fleſh, blood and bone. I will not ſay much more of him at preſent, but as far as he is guilty in acting againſt me with his fellow Eddan: Let him read and apply to himſelf what here I lay open againſt him—As for this Eddan, I am ſomewhat acquainted both with his perſon and his principles: As for his perſon, I ſay nothing but onely this, and would not have ſaid ſo much, but that his actions make manifeſt what was preſented to me the very firſt time I ſaw him, where I took good notice of his phiſiognomy, which told me that he was a man very much addicted to earthly mindedneſs, and malice, and envy, for I clearly viewed all theſe to be figured out in his very face; and for his principles, I know them to be ſuch as ſuite very well with ſuch natural addictions; and theſe are the Presbyterie principles, the which I ſometimes call the murthering principles, for where theſe be, they lead the perſons to perſecute to very death any that will not own theſe principles; witneſs his ſaying once in a diſcourſe to one of a contrary judgement, That he was bound in conſcience to perſecute him to death, becauſe he would not go to Church, as he called it; as is too truly manifeſted in all places where theſe principles were accompanied with power: and I hope many in this Nation can witneſs to this, and do truly know that they are as a gangren in our Common-wealth, and will be gnawing at the very heart thereof, if by any means to overſpread the whole body; and when the chief governors of our land have any mind to perſecute any for conſcience ſake, let them but let looſe the Presbyterie Principle, and give it power, and it will perſecute to purpoſe, &c.—Now this Eddan, who is very well furniſhed for ſuch a work, both by principles and by nature, and the devil driving both, he wanted nothing but power; but was it not pitty that ſuch a ſuitable perſon ſhould not have power alſo? yea, I believe ſome thought ſo, and may be he thought ſo himſelf likevviſe; and to come by this povver, I do not ſay that the Prieſts in New-caſtle petitioned to Authority to get him and Richard Raw the povver they vvanted; neither do I ſay that Henry Eddan made uſe of ſome friends at London to get himſelf and his fellovv Richard Raw eſtabliſhed in povver; no, I do not ſay any ſuch thing, but they have ſomething vvithin them that can tell vvhether theſe things be ſo or not; and in caſe the Prieſts in New-caſtle did ſo, and ſhevved Authority vvhat ſuitable men they vvere for having povver conferred upon them, I cannot blame them; for every thing that hath life, vvould preſerve its ovvn life, if it vvere vvith the death of its equall; and for the Prieſts I think they are not ſuch fools, but knovv vvhat vvould pull them dovvn, and vvho vvill hold them up in their places, and this I think that they believe in part, and vvhat they vvant of believing in the vvhole, I can believe for them, and upon my belief may they depend, that if they have not Authority and Magiſtracy to uphold them, dovvn they muſt, for God vvill not uphold them in the vvay they are in, therefore they had beſt deviſe all means poſſible by vvay of Authority to ſtay themſelves by, or down they go root and branch; but let me tell the unſent Prieſts once again, Authority ſhall not be able to keep them from what is determined with God, and what I have foretold them, ſhall as ſurely come to paſs as the skin is on their face, and that ray of light which is in riſing ſhall not go down untill the thing determined be brought to paſs, for few as yet can ſee how or what will be the pullers of them down, and that peradventure which they leaſt ſuſpect, ſhall be the thing ſhall overturn them; I can do no more but give them warning, and if they will not believe, I cannot help it; and if they ſhould hang me for my faithful dealing with them, I ſhould forgive them; but I have digreſſed a little.

But now to come to ſpeak a little more of Henry Eddan and Richard Raw. I find them now in Authority, being made Juſtices in the County of Durham; I wiſh they may do good in their places: and this I will ſay for them, that if they be but as well fitted in parts, and as vvell acquainted and read in the Lavvs of the Land, as they are fitted vvith the perſecuting Principles, all the other Juſtices may give them the right hand of fellowſhip. Now Reader, by this time thou mayeſt underſtand, that thoſe who were mine accuſers, are now become my Judges alſo; mayeſt thou not think that here would be a goodly piece of Juſtice acted? But to let that paſs a while, I will truly inform thee with the particulars charged upon me in their information, there being five Articles in all, and three of them wrong ſtated, and one of them a very falſe Article, not ſo much as ever either ſpoken, or written by me, and another of them was right ſtated, and that I owned; but what they were, and as they were ſtated, I give thee the true Copy thereof, as followeth:

The firſt Article: That I called the Miniſters of the Goſpel unſent Prieſts. For proof hereof they quoted the firſt page of my book, which they called by the name of a ſeditious book.

The ſecond Article. Which they quoted, out of the ſecond page of the ſame book; Was that I moſt wickedly ſaid, that who ſo lendeth a hand to pull them down, ſhall be accounted happy, and ſhall receive a reward of God for their work.

And the third Article, they quoted out of the 37. page of the ſame book, where they ſay I poſitively ſpeak againſt the obſervance of the Lords day, and ſaith it is not by Divine inſtitution, but the precepts of Prieſts.

And the fourth Article was: That I was heard in publick to ſpeak againſt the Aſcention of the glorified body of the Lord Jeſus.

And the fift Article was: That deridingly I asked the queſtion whether he was ſeen to ride on horſe back, or go on foot to heaven. Theſe were the things laid againſt me moſt falſly, as thou ſhalt ſee in my anſwering all the particulars in open Seſſions, the day and year beforeſaid, there being upon the Bench at that time (to be my Judges) Sir George Vane Juſtice, Mr. Leddal Juſtice, Mr. VVhitingam Juſtice, Mr. Hallyman Juſtice, Mr. Dailles Maior of the City of Durham, Juſtice, Mr. Raw, the one of mine accuſers, Juſtice, Mr. Eddan, the other of mine accuſers, Juſtice, ſeven in all. But before I proceed, take notice of this, viz. I was attending the Court in the forenoon that day, but was not to be called untill the afternoon; but when the Juſtices roſe to dinner, they gave me a charge to attend the Court at two of the clock, the which I was willing to obſerve: Now in the forenoon, Juſtice VVren, and Juſtice Dolnell, and Juſtice Clavering, ſat upon the Bench with the other ſeven, but in the afternoon they withdrew themſelves from the other, and would not appear to be Judges againſt me; the reaſon (as I conceive) was becauſe they underſtood my cauſe better then the other, and might ſee that what was charged upon me (in caſe all had been true) was out of the compaſs of any known Law in England, and ſo their wiſdom might cauſe them to withdraw. But now to proceed, I will give thee a true Relation of things as they were carried on in the afternoon between the ſeven Juſtices and me; At two of the clock I attended the Court, and my Information was preſented to the Bench by the Clerk of the Peace, the which they read amongſt themſelves; and what debate they had about it they know beſt, for it was ſecret, and they pauſed upon it about half an hour, and if I may gueſs at their thoughts by their outward appearances, I believe they were at a ſtand what to do with it, inſomuch that ſome judged they would have paſſed it by, if they could have ſhut themſelves of it, without being notice taken of; for I do believe they knew well enough the Law of the Nation could not take hold on me for any thing therein contained; and to Judge me by the Law of their own wills, was a thing to be taken notice of; thus they pauſed, till at laſt Juſtice Eddan, mine accuſer, and my Judge, ſtepped nearer the other Juſtices, and whiſpered ſomething in their ears, what it was themſelves beſt know; but this I ſay, Truth ſeeketh no corners, neither feareth who hear or ſee it; but after that whiſpering, the Bench gave order to the Clerk of the Peace to call me, and let me hear my information read, and ſo it was, and I commanded to ſtand up and give anſwer to my charge, the which I did immediatly, without any fear or dread, my ſpirit being carried up above its wonted condition, and having no guilt at all upon my conſcience, being I knew who was my guide both to write that book, and likewiſe enabled me with courage to anſwer in the defence thereof; by which my very countenance, which was ſmiling, did plainly manifeſt my ſpirit was above the reach of the malice of men, the which thou ſhalt ſee preſently what my Judges cenſured thereupon, and what Judgement they paſſed upon me for it.

My charge being read, I deſired to know who were mine accuſers, ſo the Bench ordered the Clerk of the Peace to read the names of mine accuſers, where Juſtice Eddan was found chief, who had informed the Grand Jury with theſe things, and they poor men, not able to judge of theſe things, took all for good, and ſo preſented the ſame to the Juſtices: but I do not queſtion the Grand Jury for the breach of their oath in this thing, becauſe ignorance blindeth men, and malice maketh them oft-times do things which they may be forry for afterwards, and for my part I wiſh God may paſs by them for any thing done to me, for I do freely forgive them. Then Juſtice Vane ſpake to me, and asked me if I would own what was in my charge: To which I anſwered, What is truly ſtated therein I own, but what is falf I will not own it; he asked me what I owned in it, I anſwered, if they were pleaſed to examine me upon every particular, they ſhould know, and withall I propounded theſe things to them; and ſaid, Gentlemen, I deſire to know of you whether you have called me before you this day for matter of diſputation, or to be Judged by the known Laws of the Land, or by the Law of your own wills? if it be to diſpute any thing rightly ſtated in my charge, or in my book, I am willing to anſwer you; or if I have offended againſt any known Law, I am willing to ſubmit to the penalty of ſuch Laws as I have tranſgreſſed, onely let not your own wills be Law. Then anſwered Juſtice Vane, and ſaid, we have not called thee to diſpute, nor to Judge thee by our own wills, God forbid, but by the Laws of the Nation, [All was well thus far, ſo ſaid and ſo done had been true Juſtice] Then it was concluded to examine the particulars in my charge, to know what was true, and what was falſe; ſo the Clerk was cauſed to read the firſt Article in the charge, which was, that in page the firſt of my book, I railed againſt the Miniſters of the Goſpel, calling them unſent Prieſts: Then ſaid Iuſtice Vane, what ſayeſt thou to that, is it true, or no? To which I anſwered, that was falſe, for whoſoever were the Miniſters of the Goſpel, I owned and reverenced them. He anſwered, thou haſt written in generall againſt all the Miniſters of the Goſpel; Then I asked him if he did take all the National Miniſtry to be Miniſters of the Goſpel, the which he would not conclude; Then I anſwered, to thoſe amongſt the Nationall, who are not the true Miniſters of the Goſpel, the things in my book are written, and theſe are they which I call unſent Prieſts; who they be, let him that is guilty Iudge himſelf, for I have named none, and though I have written in generall to them all in ſome reſpect, yet have I made exception of ſome amongſt them, as my book it ſelf will witneſs for me; which book I own, and ſhall bear witneſs againſt mine accuſers, in things wrongfully ſtated in my charge; with that I pulled the book out of my pocket, and ſaid, Sirs, here is the book, I own it, and will maintain all that is in it againſt any that will oppoſe it, and will ſeal the truth therein contained with my blood; if blind ignorance lead Authority to put me to it, and more, I freely offer this unto you, if you be pleaſed to accept of it: Take to you as many of the Prieſts of the County, or all if you pleaſe, and I will give them a meeting to maintain any thing in this book, whatever any of them can except againſt; to which they gave no anſwer, but bid the Clerk read the ſecond Article in my charge, the which he did, which was, that I moſt wickedly ſaid, That who ſo lendeth a hand to pull them down, ſhall be accounted happy, and ſhall receive a reward of God for their work, &c.

Then Iuſtice Vane asked me if I would own that, to which I ſaid, I own it, for ſo it is in my book; the which is ſpoken by way of propheſie, as may be ſeen in the book, the which in time ſhall aſſuredly come to paſs; and ſaid unto all the Iuſtices, I pray take notice of what I ſay, and if you pleaſe, Record it: will you not think it a very ſtrange thing, if ſome amongſt your ſelves who are ſo ſtrong at preſent for the upholding of the Prieſts, vvill it not be ſtrange to ſee ſome of you lend even your ovvn hand to pull them dovvn? vvhich ſaying made ſome of them to laugh, it being a thing ſo unlike to be. So they paſſed on to the third Article in my charge, quoted out of the 37. page of my book, the which they ſtated thus, my charge ſaying, that I poſitively ſpoke againſt the obſervance of the Lords day, and ſaith it is not by Divine Inſtitution, but the precepts of Prieſts, &c. Then asked they me what I ſaid to that—To which I anſwered, I did not own that Article, being wrong ſtated, as I ſhould prove by my book it ſelf: So Iuſtice Hallyman deſired to ſee the book, the which I delivered to him, and ſo they turned to the 37. page, and found it otherwiſe then was ſtated in my charge, and could ſay nothing againſt what I had laid down upon that ſubject; at which Iuſtice Eddan, and Iuſtice Raw, mine accuſers, were not well pleaſed, but were ſtruck dumb, not having ſo much as one word to ſay againſt me, but with a ſhameful bluſhing countenance ſate ſilent on the Bench; now when they ſaw they could not catch me in any of theſe Articles they had alledged out of my book; Iuſtice Hallyman, who had my book, would ſeem to be ſome body (and to do ſome great piece of juſtice in the place he was in, that the reſt of the Iuſtices might ſee his great skill, and the Country take notice of his ſomething he thought himſelf to have)—He asked me if I ſet that book abroad, and if I would own it, although he had heard me own it formerly; I told him again, I was the penman of it, and owned what was in it, and would anſwer for it againſt any that had any mind to oppoſe; with that he gave it to the Clerk of the Peace to keep, thinking thereby to skare mee; at which I ſaid, you need not except againſt that book only, for there is a thouſand of them in England; with that he begun to rail againſt me and the book, and ſaid I was a bold blaſphemous perſon, and vvorthy to be puniſhed for my contempt of Authority: To vvhich I ſaid, Sir, is it your knovvledge or your ignorance that cauſeth you to ſay ſo?

Then he asked me what religion or profeſſion I was on? to which I ſaid, if you would know that, you may ſatisfie your ſelf in a book I wrote in anſwer to Tho. Ledger, that is all the account I will give you at preſent.

Then they proceeded to examine me upon the other Articles in my Charge, which were not quoted out of my Book, but what mine accuſers affirmed to be ſpoken by me in publick; which is as follovveth; That I was heard in publick to ſpeak againſt the Aſcention of the glorified body of Chriſt, and deridingly to ask the queſtion, whether he was ſeen to ride on horſ-back, or go on foot to heaven?

Then Juſtice Vane asked me what I ſaid to that? To which I anſwered, I never ſpoke theſe words, and asked the Clerk of the Peace what day it was that I ſpoke the words, who looked in my Charge, and found no day ſet down; the want of which by Law ſhould have made void my Charge in that particular, yet the Juſtices not willing to let it paſs, asked me if I had never ſpoken theſe words, or ſome words to that effect: To which I anſwered, I confeſs at ſometime I had occaſion to ſpeak ſomething, though not to the ſame effect; and if I may but be allowed the benefit of my own words, I will truly rehearſe them over again, for I did not fear what any could do to me, for any thing I had ſpoken, if they were but rightly underſtood; they bad me rehearſe them; Then I anſwered & ſaid, The occaſion I had to ſpeak what I ſpoke, was from Mr. Eddan, who was affirming againſt me, that I denyed the glorious body of Chriſt, the which I never did, and I knew him to maintain a corporeal body of Chriſt; to thwart his popiſh principle, I ſaid, if you affirm that Chriſt hath a corporeal body in heaven, tell me poſitively whether he be on horſe-back, or on foot in heaven? this was all, and this I confeſs I ſpoke, make of it what you can: with that looks up a Scotch Prieſt, he being in the company, and ſaid Gentlemen, I am a Miniſter of the Goſpel, and am bound in conſcience to ſpeak againſt that blaſphemer, and to ſtand for the corporeal body of Chriſt; with that he ſpeaks two or three Scriptures, ſome about his body aſcending, and ſome about his coming again in the ſame body, and asked me if I would deny theſe? I turned to him, and ſaid, friend, whatſoever the Scripture ſaith I own, and my belief ſhall go with yours as far as the Diſciples ſaw him; but this I ſay to you again, if you can prove it, that Chriſt hath a corporeal body in heaven, then I ſay ſtill I will prove it as well, that there are horſes in heaven; with that the poor Prieſt for proof went to his own belief, and ſaid, that Chriſt was in heaven, having a body of fleſh, blood and bone, juſt ſuch a one as himſelf had where he ſtood; The moſt of the Juſtices aſcenting to what the poor Prieſt affirmed, becauſe it ſuted with their own principles, took the tale out of his mouth, and did conclude the truth of what he ſaid, and then asked me if I would deny that Chriſt had a corporeal body of fleſh, blood and bone in heaven?

I ſtill replyed to them, if they could prove him to have ſuch a body, I could as well prove it that there were horſes in heaven; which ſaying was ſuch a ſtrange ſaying to them, that they knew not what to make of it but blaſphemy at leaſt, and ſo would they have it recorded, — When I perceived the great ignorance of the moſt of the Juſtices, I ſaid unto them, Gentlemen be pleaſed, for I ſhall end the controverſie, and clear the truth hereof in one word, and that ſhall be by Scripture too, and I hope you will not deny Scripture; look into the 19. Chap. and 11. verſe of the Revelation of Saint John, and there you ſhall ſee that the laſt viſion that John had of Chriſt, he ſaw him on a white-horſe, therefore think not ſtrange at what I ſay, being I ſpeak but what I can make good by Scripture; yet for all this, though the Scripture be ſo plain in many places, to this very purpoſe, in the literal ſenſe, yet could they not get by this horſe to be in heaven; but this they can believe, that Chriſt is in heaven with the foreſaid body, and much murmuring was amongſt the bench about this horſe, but ſtill they ſtumbled at him, becauſe he ſeemed to make groſs what they affirmed of Chriſt; but here were the moſt of them ſtill at a ſtand; and I perceiving them ſo puzled in this clear thing, and found them ſo weak in underſtanding the very letter of Scripture; I told them plainly, that I perceived them ignorant, and if they had not better knowledge in the Law of the Land, then they had in the myſterie of Divinity, that they were too ignorant for the place in which they were; the which when they heard, they were not a little diſpleaſed, that they ſhould in the leaſt be queſtioned for their ignorance in Divinity, though they had made themſelves fully known to be ignorant in the very letter of Scripture; but the horſe in heaven ſtumbled them not ſo ſore, but this other ſaying pinched them twice as hard, and then Will begun to work; And Juſtice Vane ſaid unto me, they would make me know my contempt of Authority; to which I ſaid, let not your own wills be Judge, but let me know what Law I have tranſgreſſed in any thing laid againſt me in my Charge, which is truly ſtated, or in any of my behaviour before you, or in any contemptible ſpeeches given you, and wherein I have tranſgreſſed, I ſhall yield my ſelf to ſuffer what can be juſtly impoſed upon me for the breach of that Law; this I deſired of them divers times, but could not in the leaſt ſhew me what Law I had tranſgreſſed; when I could not obtain this reaſonable and lawful requeſt of thoſe who were the elder Juſtices, I turned to the new Juſtices, viz. Mr. Eddan, one of my Accuſers, and my Judge, and ſaid unto him, Mr. Eddan, you who are one of the new Juſtices, I deſire you to let me know what Law I have tranſgreſſed, and wherein I have offended, that I may ſatisfie Juſtice; but he could not anſwer me one word, but bluſhed exceedingly: ſo I could not obtain this favour, though but juſt and lawful, neither of old Juſtice, nor new, but being inraged againſt me, they cauſed the Clerk to Record my words as they fell from my mouth, and would have wreſted all that I ſpoke, but that the Clerk of the peace and ſome other bare true witneſs of what I ſaid: and ſo out of what I had ſpoken, they cauſed the Clerk to draw up a new Charge againſt me, to be preſented to the Judges of the next Aſſizes, a true Copie whereof I here preſent to thy view,—

In open Seſſions of the Peace holden at the City of Durham the fifth day of April, 1654.

Geo. Bateman appearing here in Court, and having read unto him the Articles and Charge laid againſt him by the Grand Jury the laſt General Seſſions of the Peace, amongſt which being queſtioned whether Chriſts body of fleſh and blood be in heaven, he anſwered, that if they would maintain Chriſts corporeal body to be in heaven, he would maintain horſes are in heaven; and he ſaid further, that if the Bench had no more Judgemennt in the Law, then they had in Divinity, they were ignorant people, or words to that purpoſe,— and alſo ſaid, Mr. Eddan, you are a new Juſtice, come let us ſee wherein I have offended; Wherefore, and for his misbehaviour and evil carriage in the Court, it is ordered by the Bench, that he ſhall finde Sureties for his good behaviour, and to anſwer the premiſes at the next Aſſiſes or General Goal-delivery, and he is by the Court Committed to the Goal untill he finde ſuch Sureties.

Now Reader thou mayſt be judge by what law they have commited me to Priſon, and thereby mayſt thou ſee how things are carried on among the Juſtices of this County; and for thy better ſatisfaction, I will diſcover unto thee what it is they have charged upon me for my misbehaviour and evil carriage in the Court.

That which they charge me with for misbehaviour and evil carriage in the Court, is, becauſe I ſometimes ſmiled upon them in my ſpeaking to them, the which is my ordinary geſture in ſpeaking to any man, it being a natural inſtinct belonging to my complexion, and can no more be removed then my bodily life, and whoſo hath any judgement in natural addiction, will conclude, that where ſuch an inſtinct is, anger, malice, and envy hath no great reſidence in that heart, the which I know by experience, and as many as have known me, are able to witneſs, that to ſmile in my ſpeaking is as ordinary as to draw my breath; and let others Judge of me what they pleaſe, I am in as much favour with my own conſtitution, as any that I know, and praiſe God for it, &c.

Now when ſome of the Juſtices ſaw me ſmile in my ſpeaking, they cenſured me that I laughed them to ſcorn, and ſaid they would make me know my contempt of them; and thus they gave it the names beforeſaid, the which when I heard that they took offence where none was given, I ſaid Gentlemen, be not offended at me for my boldneſs, and my ſmiling upon you, I am no God to change my own nature, and it is an inſtinct in my nature, and do not cenſure ſo, as that I do it in any contempt to you, but rather judge juſtly; for I profeſs unto you all, I have neither anger nor malice upon me, nor towards you for any thing that you have ſaid or done to me, for I plainly tell you, God beareth up my ſpirit, and I know my cauſe is juſt, and there is no guilt upon my conſcience, and therefore I cannot fear before you; may you not rather judge by my ſmiling, that I am not offended at you; but nothing would ſtand for currant but what their own wills led them to, and no way but Record my favourable countenance for misbehaviour and evil carriage in the Court, and ſo it ſtands upon Record: Now Readers you may learn ſomething out of this, to know how to behave your ſelves before our Juſtices; if you tremble and look ſadly, and ſpeak weakly, and queſtion nothing that they ſay, be it with or againſt you, then is your behaviour right; but thou hadſt beſt take heed to thy ſelf as thou comeſt before them with any infirmity of body, which they are ignorant of; for in caſe thy lips be ſo ſhort that they will not cover thy tooth, its two to one they will ſay thou girnneſt at them, and then thou mayſt to Goal for thy misbehaviour in the Court. But Reader, I muſt tell what difference I found amongſt the Juſtices on the Bench, and muſt freely confeſs that Juſtice Leddell hath more judgement in the things of God, then all the other ſix that ſat with him, and I clearly acquit him for having any hand at all in my commiting to Goal, and when he perceived the ignorance of the other Juſtices, he would gladly have made them underſtand the truth of things as they were in Scripture, and would have had them to have underſtood me right in all things, but all to no purpoſe; for their Wills muſt be Judge, and neither the Law of God, nor the Law of the Nation was to come in place.—

And likewiſe when the Jaylor himſelf ſaw how things were carried on againſt me, was forced to ſpeak, and ſaid, Gentlemen, it is but reaſonable and lawful, that you ſhould judge the man by the Law, for in caſe he were a Theif or a Murderer, or any other Felon, he ought to be judged by the Law, and you ought to ſhew him what part of the Law he had tranſgreſſed, for where there is no Law, there is no tranſgreſſion: Then Iuſtice Vane anſwered, and ſaid, he had beſt hold his peace, for in anſwering for me, he was as bad as my ſelf, and ſhould be made a party with me, if he would not hold his peace.

So nothing vvould ſerve, but to priſon I muſt go, and the Clerk of the Peace vvas to let me hear the order of the Court, vvhich was, that I muſt to priſon untill I found ſufficient Sureties for my good behaviour, and to anſvver vvhat they had laid againſt me at the next Aſſiſes; So vvhen I heard the order of the Court, I told them I had not broken any knovvn Lavv of God or of the Land, and my behaviour had been ſuch, that I vvould find no Surety at all, but rather chuſed to take the portion of a priſoner, and ſo continue untill the next Iudge releaſe my bonds, either by ſetting me free by the Lavv of the Nation, or to bring me into further bonds by the ſame Lavv; for to Authority I ſubmit, and deſite nothing but to be Judged by the known Laws, either for freedom or bonds; yet let me ſay thus much more for Iuſtice Leddel; when the reſt of the Iuſtices gave order for my committing, he would not in the leaſt give his conſent, but diſclaimed from what they had done.

When I ſaw their full determination, I turned to Juſtice Eddan, who was one of my accuſers, and one of my Judges, he being a man of great note amongſt fools for his religion, and ſeeking to advance Gods glory; and I ſaid unto him, Sir, you are a great religious man, and I know you take your ſelf for a Chriſtian; let me plainly know whoſe example you follow: can you prove that either Chriſt or any of his followers did ever perſecute, or bring any before Magiſtracy, and ſo into bonds for their principles? At which he bluſhed again, and could not ſo much as anſwer me one word: but before I conclude, I will plainly demonſtrate to Juſtice Eddan, who is his God, and what his religion is, and what reward he may expect when every one is to be rewarded according to their work. Now for his religion, I very well know what it is, being made up of the Presbyterie principles, and doth not much differ from the Papiſts, but onely in a few groſs circumſtances, but in ſubſtance one and the ſame, and yet doth his principles hold a more nearer correſpondency with the Scribes and Phariſees then with the Papiſt. Yet the Scribes and Phariſees out-paſſed him for zealous walking according to the rule of Scriptures, the which I can very well prove; and herein were they to be preferred before him; now herein ſtandeth the greateſt difference between him and them; and that is, the Scribes and Phariſees had Circumciſion, and the Ceremonial Laws, and he hath a fleſhly apprehenſion of Chriſt, and ſome duties, and when they come to be well compared together, there is not much difference in the ſubſtance, onely the difference doth chiefly, conſiſt in the circumſtances; now herein he and they agree in one, and that is, in perſecuting: Now the Scribes and Phariſees had the Scriptures, and owned God upon that account, and walked moſt circumſpectly to what they knew of God by Scripture; and yet our Saviour plainly told them they were of their father the devil, becauſe they went about to kill him, for telling them the truth, and ſheweth further the nature of their father by a twofold character, viz. that he was a murderer, and a lyar, Joh. 8.40, &c.

Now this I plainly prove, that though Juſtice Eddan pretend faith in Chriſt, and call God his father; yet he is of the devil his father, and his works he luſteth to do, and that is to lie and murther, as I ſhall plainly ſhew him; for herein I prove him to be a lyar, in ſtating things wrongfully upon me in my charge, conſiſting of five Articles, and four of them falſe, as was plainly proved; and herein I prove him to be a murderer, in ſtating lies in my Charge, the which he thought to be contained within the Act againſt blaſphemy, that thereby he might take away my life. And further, when nothing could prevail of what he had falſly charged upon me, yet gave conſent to put me in priſon without any Law, but onely the Law of Will; let him not turn his eyes from his own dealings, for he is caught in his own ſnares, and without repentance let him make ready to receive his reward, the which is due to him for his work, and let him own his portion amongſt thoſe ſet down in Rev. 21.8. amongſt which liers and murderers are ſtated.

Now I proceed to ſpeak a word in generall to all the Juſtices who were the cauſe of my committing to priſon.

Sirs, you who have been the cauſe of incloſing my body within the ſtony walls of the priſon-houſe of the City of Durham, to you I ſpeak, and do truly own Magiſtracy as an excellent ordinance of God; and the perſons in that place ought to reſemble God in the true executing of Juſtice, in puniſhing the evil, and in ſhewing mercy to the good, and for the delivering the oppreſſed from the hands of the cruel and bloody man; is it ſo with you? then will your deeds make the ſame manifeſt: but for my part I muſt tell you, (whether you will ſee or no) that I have found to the contrary, and have cauſe to cry for true Juſtice and right Iudgement, but long may cry to you before I ſhall attain it, I much doubt, ſeeing your own will is the Law you have Judged me by; it is not unknown to you, I hope, how oft I deſired in open Seſſions, to be tryed by the known Laws of the Land, in any thing you could object againſt me, or in what mine accuſers could truly charge upon me, the which you would ſo oft have turned into blaſphemy, and yet could ſhew no law againſt me for any ſuch offence, nor for any other breach of Law, either of God or of the Nation; yet your wicked wills were ſo bent againſt me, that inſtead of ſetting me at liberty, you ſought all occaſions to increaſe my bonds, and when you could find no juſt occaſion in me, rather then the bent of your own wills ſhould be fruſtrate, you would inſtitute new Laws to Judge me by; as may appear by theſe things you have charged upon me in open Seſſions, for which things you have committed me to bonds, the which will truly be made apparent, the like hath not been done in any Chriſtian Kingdom where there hath been known Laws to Judge men by: are you offended at me for ſaying, if you had no more knowledge in the Law, then in Divinity, that you were not fit for your places? How can you turn your eyes from the truth here of, ſeeing you have laid your ſelves open to the view of underſtanding men, in not underſtanding the very letter of Scripture; much more will your ignorance appear in Divinity, which is chiefly included in the myſteries in Scripture? How can you ſay that you have read the Scriptures, and yet be ſo ignorant in underſtanding this plain thing which I affirm by Scripture, viz. That if you will maintain Chriſt to have a corporeal body of fleſh, blood, and bone in heaven, that I will maintain horſes to be in heaven alſo; Ignorant men! for ſo I cannot chuſe but call you: where would you be, or what is it that you would be, at or what would you make of this, if you vvere to be the onely Judges of this thing? Surely blaſphemy on my part, but great honour to Chriſt on your part; I pray you, if you vvould be honoured your ſelves, or if you think you honour God in vvhat you maintain, let me have part vvith you; for vvhat I affirm is as true as vvhat you affirm, if Scripture may be Iudge; neither doth vvhat I affirm, in the leaſt make void vvhat you affirm, though your ignorance cannot apprehend it; and if vvhat I affirm be blaſphemy, yours is no leſs: therefore you muſt take part of the puniſhment vvith me, or elſe both parties are vvronged. I need not much trouble my ſelf vvith proving you to be ignorant in Divinity, for this very thing it ſelf vvhich you have charged upon me, will make manifeſt what your knowledge is, when the thing comes to be laid open before men of wiſdom.

And think you not that I have broken a great part of the Law of the Land, in that other thing you have charged upon me? viz. That when I could not obtain ſo much Right of you (who were Juſtices of a longer ſtanding) as to be Judged by the known Laws of the Nation; ſure you think when I demanded the ſame of thoſe who were of a latter being, (and yet could not obtain it) that I had committed a great tranſgreſſion againſt the Law, or elſe you would never have been ſo mad as to Impriſon me for it, and keep me in bonds, until the Iudge of the Aſſizes ſhould hang me for it; and I am ſure if the Iudge have not more wiſdom and deſcretion in judging of my cauſe, then you had when you committed me for the cauſe, I am ſure enough to loſe my life for it, but I hope to ſee the thing better cleared.

Sirs, Conſider where you are, and what you have done to me; for if he that executeth juſtice without mercy, ſhall be judged himſelf without mercy, how much more judgement will you have for Judging me without either mercy, or true Juſtice? Let not your pride and malice blinde your eyes, nor let not flatterers deceive you, in making you do things contrary to Law; for the moſt high will finde you out one day, who will judge rightly both of you and me, for he knoweth all the ſecret turnings and windings in your hearts, though you may hide them from men; and do not think it a great honor to you when you ſee ſome of your poor fellow-creatures ſtand trembling before you, and not knowing how to ſpeak for fear of offending you, or for being catched in their words. Neither think it any contempt or diſhonour to you, when men ſtand boldly before you, and when they be able to ſpeak to you things that are right, and no offence to the Laws of God or man; and have a care, as you call ſuch things misbehaviour, and evil carriage, and commit them to priſon for ſuch things as you have done me, the which I hope to bear, or what ever beſide injuſtice can inflict upon me; for ſo long as I know my cauſe to be good, I will maintain it againſt you all; and if you take away my life for ſo doing, I cannot fear the face of any of you, and never ſhall I deſire any favour at any of your hands, but what the Law it ſelf will afford me, and wherein I am found guilty, do not ſpare me; for I aſſure you, where I finde you as you ought not to be, when I have to deal with you, I ſhall hardly keep ſilence, except you ſew up my lips, and cut off my hands; I at preſent ſay no more to you, but hereafter its poſſible you will hear more of me, if occaſion ſerve.