A salutation of love from a prisoner for the testimony of Christ Jesus to his loving and kind neighbours.

A SALUTATION of LOVE FROM A Prisoner for the Testimony of Christ Jesus To his Loving and Kind Neighbours.

FRIENDS and Neighbours, in and about Bromsgrove, amongst whom I have had my abode from my Childhood,

I understanding many of you are concerned for me, and dissatisfied concerning my present Sufferings, which with a Spirit of Meekness and Moderation I shall endeavour to satisfie, if it may be.

Now Friends, we have all one Master, that we must either stand or fall to; for we must all give an Account to God of our Deeds done in the Body, whe∣ther they be Good, or whether they be Evil, which I desire to stand Approved before. And although some may account my Sufferings Frivolous, or out of a Stubborn Will, I do desire to appeal unto the Lord, who knoweth the Integrity of my Heart, and that knoweth all things, that it is not in a Stubborn Will, nor in Contempt of Authority, but in Obedience unto to the Lord, to bear a Testi∣mony against those who profess themselves Ministers of the Gospel, and walk contrary to the Command of Christ, and Examples of the true Ministers in the Primitive Time. Now it may be said, That every Soul ought to be subject unto the higher Powers; which my Soul desires to be, and to submit to Magistrates in their places, so that I may keep my Conscience clear unto the Lord; and to pay Tribute to the King, who is set over us, as a Ruler to defend our Just Rights in outward things; but our Conscience we must keep clear unto the Lord, for he must Rule there: for God must have his Due as well as Caesar his. We do not read in the Scriptures, that it belonged to Caesar to chuse Prophets or Priests in the Time of the Law; that was God's Due and Work, and belonged unto him, who made use of Aaron to be as a Mouth and Priest unto Israel; and chose the Tribe of Levi to perform the Priesthood under the Law, & gave them the Tenth of the Encrease, who were to have no other Inheritance amongst their Brethren; but the Tenth was their Portion in the old Covenant, who stood until the time of Reformation, and remained for the offering up of Sacri∣fices, until Christ, the acceptable Sacrifice, was offered up, Who offered himself up once for all, and put an end to that Priesthood under the Law, which continued not by Reason of Death; and so stands as Priest forever, who ever liveth to make Intercession for us, Heb. 7.23, 24, 25. And so this Priesthood which was main∣tained by Tythe, is Changed, and that Law also, vers 12. for Christ is to be Prophet, Priest and Law-giver: And it is he only and alone that chuseth Mini∣sters and fitteth them for his Use and Service, and sends them forth and takes Care of them, who sent them forth as Lambs amongst Wolves, and were not to take thought what to eat or what to put on, but to enquire, Who was worthy, and to eat such things as were set before them: They were not to Compel a Tenth of Peoples Labours, for they had no such Command; for that Priest∣hood that took Tythe was to cease: Christ's Ministers received Freely of him, and were to administer Freely. And so it was not Caesar's Due nor Place to chuse Ministers and appoint Maintenance for them, but God's and Christ's Due: And so we must give Caesar his Due in outward Things, and God and Christ their Due in spiritual Things, and in chusing Ministers for them∣selves, and appointing them a Maintenance. The Apostle said, He was not made a Minister by the Will of Man, nor received his Gospel from Man, neither was taught it of Man, but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ, Gal. 1.1, 11, 12. And the holy Ghost said, Separate Barnabas and Saul for the Work I have for them to do; and they were sent by the holy Ghost, Acts 13.2, 3, 4. And these whom the Lord chose were not sent to Schools to learn Latine, Greek and He∣brew to make them Gospel-Ministers, which are but Natural Languages, and then to a Colledge to take their Degrees, as Batchelors of Art and Masters of Art, for Christ commanded his Ministers not to be called Masters, Mat. 23.10. and Batchelors of Divinity and Doctors of Divinity; and if they can make Friends with Money, or otherwise, they may be made Lord Bishops, or Deans, and have Hundreds or Thousands by the Year; which all is come in since the Apostles Dayes, and since Popery came up, in the dark Night of Apostacy: For we do not read in the Scriptures of Truth of a Lord Bishop; they were not to be Lords over God's Heritage, 1 Pet. 1.1, 2, 3. There you may read they were not to compel a Tenth of Peoples Labours; but to feed the Flock of God, taking the over-sight thereof, not by Constraint, but Willingly; not for filthy Lucre, but with a ready Mind: And when the chief Shephard shall appear, they shall have a Crown of Life that fa••eth not away. But these who are made Ministers by Man, taking their Degrees from Schools and Colledges, they Exercise Lordship over People; he that for Conscience-sake cannot an∣swer their Corrupt Greedy-Mind, they soon make use of a Law against them; and it may be, for the value of Five or Six Shillings will cast a man into Prison, and there keep him, it may be, Moneths, Years, or for Term of Life: We do not read of such Proceedings amongst the True Christians. And they will tell us, It is the Law that takes hold of us, like the Jews, who were stirred up by the chief Priests, against Christ, our Lord and Master, to put him to Death; Pilate finding him a Just Man, and nothing worthy of Death, they said, We have a Law, and by our Law he ought to Dye, John 16.6, 7. Now some may say, Do you compare your selves to Christ? I say, no otherwise but as Christ Our Lord and Master, and We his Servants and Followers, who said, The Servant is not greater than his Lord; they have persecuted me, and they will persecute you. And so that is our Portion from these that exercise Lord∣ship over People, that bind heavy Burdens, and lay them on mens Shoulders, grievous to be born, and they themselves not touch them with one of their Fingers.

And so, Friends & Neighbours, having something cleared my Spirit, I leave it with you, to consider well of it; and the Desire of my Soul, and Prayer of my Heart unto the Lord for you, is, That an understanding may be opened in you. And loving Neighbours, I desire you in the Bowels of Love & Tenderness, That you judge not of things before the Time; for the Day will discover all things, and bring every hidden things before to light; and then it will be known who are they that serve the Lord, and they that serve him not; and a Separation will be betwixt the Precious and the Vile. And in the mean time I do desire to rest satisfied in my Condition, until the Lord please to set me Free, which I believe will be in his appointed time: He who knows our Grief, and Bottleth up our Tears, will Ease the Oppressed, and set the Prisoners Free. And Loving and kind Neigh∣bours, I call you Loving and Kind, because you have been so to me, I take my leave of you, and rest your Friend and Neighbour, willing, in what I may, to serve you in Love,

Worcester County-Goal, the 16th of the 8th Moneth, 1679.

John Boweter.