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TO THE MAGISTRATES AND People of ENGLAND vvhere this may come.
WHat is the matter with the Christians of our Age, and of our English Nation, that hath been looked upon to be a Garden and a Nursery in Christianity and Religion, beyond all other Nations, that have made so great profession of God and Christ, and of the Scriptures; and are they now turned Perse∣cutors and Law-makers against Christianity, and against those that are in the same Spirit of God, Pow∣er and Fellowship, as they were in that gave forth the Scriptures, which the people of England pro∣fesseth: And are those now become the greatest enemies that England hath? and for no other cause, but because they worship God, and obey Christs Command, and abides in his Doctrine, and bears the same Testimony of Truth, and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Apostles did; and all that they do, and act, and speak, and suffer for, is according to Scripture, and nothing that they suffer for is contrary to the Scriptures. Is those things become a crime in England? and is this the greatest offence that England hath taken with the people of God, even because they be∣lieve in the Lord Jesus Christ, and obey his Doctrine. Oh take up a Lamentation for England? Surely there is some heavy, sad, and grievous Judgment waiting upon it. And is not hardness of heart, and a reprobate mind, and a feared Conscience, one of the greatest Judgments that can befall a people? and is not this already seized upon the Law-ma∣kers of England, that have hardned their hearts against the Lord and his people, as if they had no other enemies but they, who never did them wrong nor hurt, nor never desired nor intended any hurt against them, but hath ever desired their good, and peace, and welfare, and that they might come to the true knowledge of the Lord, and to the true knowledge of his Truth, as it is in Jesus, which they clearly manifest they are ignorant of, by their making of Lawes against those amongst them that fear God, and worship him, and gives Glory to his Name, though they be free-born English men and women, nor have they transgressed any just Law of England, until they were forced to make one to make them transgressors with, though they be of the same Religion that they themselves profess; they profess Christ and the Scriptures in words: but they that come to the works of righteousness, and to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, which is the work of God, such they persecute and make Lawes against.
So that England appears now, as if it would shut Christianity out of its Dominion: And what will they bring in and set up next, seing they banish out Christ, and his Members, and Servants, and Saints, and so makes them Slaves that be free born English men, which have been a blessing unto them, and to the Land wherein they lived, and no hurt to them; and if they had given them the liberty of their Consciences, to have served the Lord God, they might have been partakers of the blessings with them: but being that they have turned their hand against the Lord, and turned their Swords backwards against the righteous, surely the Lord will plead for this, and surely there will a recompence come, for its hard to strive against the Lord, and to touch his anoynted, and to do his Prophets any harm: when they were but few in number, he reproved Kings for their sakes; and he is the same now, he changes not, and his Arm and Pow∣er is the same, and his Righteousness is the same, which is to be revealed upon the Head of the wicked. And he is en∣gaged to plead the Cause of the Innocent, who hath no Pleader in the earth, and his Eye sees and beholds all the actions of the children of men, and those that act against him and his Servants he takes special notice of: And he saw the afflictions of his people formerly, when they were afflicted in Egypt, and heard their cryes, and knew their suffer∣ings. And surely he is the same now as he was then; and as he hath said himself, In as much as you do it unto my little ones you do it unto me: This he said, when he knew that his next appearance would be in his Saints. And cer∣tainly those that persecuted his Saints, even without a Law, when they had none, and contrary to several Lawes of England, as several of the Servants of the Lord have suffered; hath Christs Servants been persecuted by those that were in power formerly, and they that make new Laws? Certainly if Christ and the Apostles had been and were up∣on the earth, they would have done the same unto them. But all these things the Lord hath taken notice of, and they are written down where they cannot be blotted out; and all the righteous blood that hath been shed since Abel, and all the Saints sufferings in all Ages, the Lord hath taken notice of, and all those Christians that have suffered by those that have called themselves Christians in these latter Times, where several have been imprisoned till death for the Christian Faith. All this the Lord hath in everlasting remembrance; and when he comes to make inquisition for the blood of his Saints and Servants, it will be a hard and a sad day for the Actors and Fighters against God.
So all you who are called Christian Magistrates, beware what ye do and keep your hands out of the blood & persecu∣tion of the innocent, and let that which is past suffice, for ye will find it heavy enoug•• and for the time to come dread and fear the Lord God of Heaven and Earth, that hath all your life and breath in his hand to give and take away at his pleasure, and do not that which may incur the Lords displeasure against you, by making Children fatherless, and Wives Widows, as there are already several in England at this day; it is better for you to offend men than God, and so endanger your immortal souls. So mind that which concerns your Eternal Peace, and the Eternal welfare of your Souls. And this I am moved of the Lord to forewarn you of, least you bring woe and misery upon your Souls, and a general Judgment on the whole Land; and this is true Love unto you, and the desire of your general peace and good, and remember that you were warned from a Prisoner of the Lord in Lancaster Castle.
Margret Fell.
The 7. day of the 4. Month, 1664.