A collection of the several books and writings of that faithful servant of God, Richard Hubberthorn who finished his testimony (being a prisoner in Newgate for the truths sake) the 17th of the 6th month, 1662.

An Epistle concerning the sufferings of friends shewing the Priests wick∣edness and persecutions.

GOD hath a great work to do in this generation, to pul down the abominations which hath long reigned, and many are straightned till it be accomplished; and onely such must be exer∣cised in this work who are called, chosen, and faithful; and many have been called, but have not been faithful, but have de∣stroyed in their works, that which they seemed to have establish∣ed by words, and was not faithful to witness the fate of their words by their works; so that by a true search we have fou••d the words of righteousness in many, but we have found the works of righteousness but in few; and though God hath shined into the hearts of many by his light, yet there are but few chil∣dren of it in comparison of the disobedient: The eye of God hath looked into the world, and he sees men differ more in words then in life and conversation; and some in words do wit∣nesse for God, but in their works deny him: As for example, How many of late years had a zeal stirred up in them by the spirit of the Lord against the abominations of the Priests, and the oppression of the tithes, preaching both down, even as that which denied Christ to be come in the flesh? So that if words had been that which would have finished the work, the Land had been cleansed before this time of that abomination; but the Lord hath brought a tryal upon such spirits, whether they will own their testimony through the spoiling of their Goods, and imprisonment of their bodys; and therefore hath God suffered an earthly power, & a Law to try them, and now they do rather deny their Testimony, then suffer by that Law which gives the Priests tithes; as for Witnesses, most of the baptized people in England have betrayed their testimony and profession in that thing: And how are you worthy to be called Saints which bear such a testimony? can this equally be compared with the testi∣mony of the Saints of old? Did they cry down false worships and

false teachers in words? and did they uphold them by giving them wages? Have you not herein sinned against light? Did you not once see that they were never sent of God? And will you now uphold them because you cannot suffer for your testimony? Is not your paying them wages, & giving them tithes, a greater witness for them then your preaching them down in words is against them? and may they not herein rejoyce over you? Christ is not herein your exam∣ple, which for this end was born, and for this end came into the world, to bear witness to the truth, and did finish the work which the Father had given him to do, and was made perfect through sufferings; but such never need suffer who preach down deceit in words, and hold it up in workes. And the Apostles is not your example; for they were in workes that which they declared in words: therefore hath God cast you by, as not fit to be La∣bourers in his Vineyard: But a people is the Lord raising up, whom he is giving his holy spirit unto, whose witness to him must stand as well in works as in words, who love the truth more then their lives or liberties, goods or estates, and are valiant for it upon the earth, which cannot be subject to the powers of darkness, nor the Rulers of the darkness of this world, but believeth that whatsoever they deny for Christ in this life, they shall receive a hundred fold, and in the world to come life everlasting. And these are they whom the Father will exercise with his holy spirit, in the gathering his seed from the ends of the earth, and for the turning of many to righte∣ousness; and such shall shine as the stars in the firmament of Heaven, when as the false and deceitfull witnesses shall be tur∣ned into darknesse because their testimony is not able to endure the tryal; for the Lords house must be built with tried stones, that the winds of persecutions cannot blow it down: and upon such will his light arise, who when they are tried, are found faith∣full, and who are counted worthy to bear a testimony in this work though it be through sufferings in this day, when the powers of the Earth have set themselves to wear out the Saints of the most High God by changing times and Laws, whereby to restrain the liberty of the Lords people whose worship stands in the spirit, and in the truth. Times they have chan∣ged by a Law in making the first day of the week to be their Sabbath, but that day is more prophaned then

any of the seven. And Laws they have changed, to get a grou•••• to stop the word of the Lord from having free course and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 utterance among ••he people.

These seek to scatter the power of the holy people, and to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the truth to the ground by their acts of cruelty, and de••rees 〈◊〉〈◊〉 unrighteousness, and by a tolerating cruelty and or pression ••∣mong a company of Priests which are worse then those in Hosea'•• dayes, who then were, As a Troop of Robbers that wait for a man, eve•• so the company of Priests murther in the way by consent, Hos. 6.9. and saith the Prophet, I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel; but now we may say, We have seen a more horrible thing in the Land of England, even a company of Priests taking mens horses from their work, their Corn off their field, driving away their Oxen and Kine out of their Pasture, taking their wool out of their Barns, taking away their Brasse and Pewter out of their Houses, taking away their Bedding off their Beds, even off their childrens Beds: Such a horrible thing was never seen in Israel; for the Priests Robbery was not so great then, as now; for they did ne∣ver so spoile mens goods nor destroy mens Estates, nor imprison mens bodies, as now in England the Priests, have done; so that they do not only exceed the false prophets of Israel; but also all the Robbers both in Israel and in England, hath not spoiled so much Goods and Cattel as they have done within these five years; some without any Law, or pretence of Law; and others with false oaths and false witnesses, and the Law not permitting a man to give in a true witnesse except he will swear, contrary to Christs command, who saith, Swear not at all: which swearing is as great a sin as bearring of a false witnesse. And by the••e things do they seek to wear out the Saints of the Most High God, first taking a∣way a mans Goods, and then casting him into prison; as Christ said to the Saints, so is it come to pass in these dayes also amongst us, The Devil shall oast some of you into prison, and you shall have tri∣bulation ten dayes: If the Devil now, or his Ministers or Messengers of Satan, be permitted to cust some into prison, or bring tribulation upon others, do they therefore think that we will yeild to the devil, or to his Messengers that we may be free from tribulation and imprisonment? Nay that is not the price of our redemption nor way of deliverance;

••or that which was written before-time, was written for our ••earning, which through suffering and patient continuing in wel doing we have learned, without which we could never have lear∣ned nor known Christ's words fulfilled as they are; therefore hap∣py i•• that day wherein the everlasting love of God is broken forth unto us, in bringing us his children, prophets, and holy Apostles, to rejoice over the false Prophets, and false Teachers; though they spoil our Goods, and imprison our bodies, yet we can re∣joyce over them, and suffer the spo••ling of our Goods with joy, knowing that this is for a testimony against them, by which the reproach which the Lord will bring upon them, will appear to all men. And this is so far from silencing our testimony against them, that it doth daily renew it; so that if all that which is past were forgotten, their daily abominations doth so in∣crease, that a testimony must be continued against them; for of them the Scripture is true, which saith, Evil men and deceivers wax worse and worse; for the deceiver in former ages was never so bad, as by force to take away the goods of those that would not hear them, and take away their lives by imprisonment, as some have done, because they could not pay them tythes, as this Record of the unjust sufferings will make manifest.

Our brethren the prophets h••ve given their testimony con∣cerning such Prophets and Priests which was prophane, and that the Lord found folly amongst them, as Jeremiah saith, Jer. 23. he had seen a horrible thing amongst them, they strengthned the hand of evil-doers that none did return from their iniquity, and it is so now for these reasons.

How can a drunkard return from his drunkenness, when he sees his priest drunk? and how can a swearer return from his swearing when he sees his priest swear, and hire men to swear falsly, as many have done in this Nation?

And how can a covetous man return from his covetousness when he sees his priest so covetous that he taketh away mens goods by violence, which he hath no right unto, but only through covetousness makes merchandize of People; So how should any return from such things who are taught by them; and how can a proud man return from his pride, when he sees his teacher lead him into it by example; How can an envious man turn from his

envy, seeing his teacher envious, and provoking others to wrat•• and envy?

So these Reasons prove that the Prophets words are true, that ••one can return from their iniquity by following the practise of thei•• Priests; and Christ's words are fulfilled also, Math 23. which saith, they lay heavy burthens upon people, grievious to be born, and devour Widowes Houses, as many in this Nation can wi••n••sse, who have their Goods spoild & taken from them, as this following Record makes mention, abounding all the cruelty and wickedness which ever was heard of, or read of, exceeding all the false prophets in Israel; al∣thoug they had a price, & preached for hire, yet they never did use such cruelty for their Hire as these have done; and exceeding all the false teachers among the Gentiles, which never was known to sue any at the Law that would not hear them, much less to take from them seven times the value of what they demanded; but the Lord doth for a time let his children deeply suffer, to fulfill the testimony of truth in this thing, that it may be recorded for ages to come, the faithfullness of their testimony, and the cruelty of their oppressors; and then will the Lord finish the testimony of their sufferings, and will give them an inheritance among the Seed which he hath blessed; and all their persecutors shall be ashamed; for God will bring an everlasting reproach upon them, and a per∣petual shame, which shall not be forgotten, Jer. 23.

Richard Hubberthorne,