‘But again, when I considered the long-suffering, and patience, and forbearance of the Lord’s innocent people under all their sufferings; and when I looked at their innocency, and at their righteousness, and spirit of holiness, with which the Lord hath blessed them, my heart was made glad in the consideration of this; and the more was my joy, the more I beheld their innocency, and the guiltlessness of their cause; whereby the unjustness of their suffering did the more appear: and withal, when I looked and beheld their increase under all their sufferings, and how that the Lord had turned all these things to their good, and to the overthrow of all their enemies; how that by that way, wherein their enemies intended to destroy them from being a people, even thereby did the Lord most wonderfully increase them to be a great people; for through all have they grown in life and power, and in strength, and in number, and through it all have they been encouraged to follow the Lord with more zeal and boldness. And in the consideration of this I did rejoice, with magnifying the Lord forever, that he had brought forth his praise, even through the wickedness of the wicked, and he had increased his people, and exalted them through the cruelty of all their enemies; and that through all opposition they were attained unto a happy rest, and through all the tempest of great trial, they were arrived into the harbour of renown and great glory: and when I consider this, how that the Lord hath given them dominion, and brought their life to reign over all their enemies, these things were a joy unto me; and looking back into ages, seeing there was nothing, nor any people for generations, that had grown, and risen through all opposition like unto these; wherefore it is a sign and testimony that we are the Lord’s, and that these things are of him, and from him, and by him alone, that he might be praised forever.
‘Again, when I do consider, how that the Lord had raised his people, even out of the dust; and them that were not a people, are become a people, and the Lord hath provoked nations by them that were not a people within these few years; and the Lord hath carried on this work amongst his people, not by any thing of man, nor by the arm of flesh; but in pure innocency and simplicity hath it been accomplished; not by the wisdom of this world, nor by men in places of honour, and of power in the nations; for all that has been wanting to them; and what they are, it is through the opposition of all this; for they have had none of the great men of the earth on their side to defend them, and establish them, but all have been against them; and even oppression and tyranny executed upon them, rather than any approbation, or justification from men in outward authority: so that truly it may be said, there hath been nothing of man in this work, but all of the Lord, by his own power; and in a contrary way to all the false sects, and false churches, hath the beginning and carrying on of these things been: for we know that all the false sects in this nation, have risen and been established through the countenance of men in place and power; and upon man, and the wisdom of this world, and authority of the powers of the earth, hath the rise and fall of all false churches depended; and as the powers of the earth have sided with them, so have they been set up; and at the displeasure of authority, have been cast down. But as for this people, they are raised of the Lord, and established by him, even contrary to all men; and they have given their power only to God, and they cannot give their power to any mortal men, to stand or fall by any outward authority, and to that they cannot seek; but to the Lord alone, who heareth their cry, and will avenge their cause.
‘Wherefore let all the persecutors bow before the Lord, and let all the saints walk humbly in his sight, and let them continue in that innocent life in which they have begun; and let them never forget the mercies of the Lord, and what he hath brought to pass, who hath manifested great things, and will do more and more to the confounding of all his enemies, and to the praise of his elect people. And all ye saints upon the earth, have ye the Lord in respect continually, and turn you not unto idols, but let the Lord be your joy for evermore.
E. B.’
Not long after the publishing of this paper, to wit, in the month called May, Edward Burrough, and Samuel Fisher, went from Dover to Dunkirk, where there was an English garrison. Being come there, it quickly spread over the town. The governor, Lockhart, now not being there, his deputy, colonel Alsop, with the council of officers, sent for them; and they being come, were asked, what their business was there? To which they gave answer, and the next morning signified in writing, that their coming was to visit the jesuits, friars, and priests, and other papists, to show them the errors of their ways, and the falseness of their worship, &c. they being called to preach the everlasting gospel to the nations. They were some hours in discourse with the said deputy, and the officers, and not unkindly treated; but the deputy however said, that it would be dangerous for them to stay in the town: and therefore he desired them to depart. To which their answer was, that if he desired them, they, could not receive any such desire; and if he commanded them, they could not obey his command in that case; because they could not depart the town but in the will of God; according to which will they came thither. After much reasoning they left them, and the next day went to the Capuchin friars, and had some discourse with the chiefest of them in their garden, concerning the light of Christ, that every man is enlightened withal; and told them, that the mighty day of the Lord was at hand upon them; and that the Lord was come to search and try them; and that he would hew down their idolatrous ways, worships and works. The next day Burrough wrote some queries to the friars and nuns, in and about that town, which were sent to them in Latin. The introduction was thus:
‘The mighty day of the Lord is come, and coming upon you, and all the world. Awake, awake, ye that sleep in the earth, for the dreadful God is arising to plead with you, and to give unto all the world the cup of his fierce indignation, because of your idolatries, and hypocrisies, and abominations, which have corrupted the earth, and are come up before him, and have provoked him; and the cry of the just, who have been smitten, and laid slain, is entered into the ears of the Most High, and his sword, which is the word of his mouth, is awakened to wound and destroy all his enemies. And the day of your visitation is now come, wherein the Lord is searching you, and trying you, that he may recompense you: and this is the word of the Lord to you.
‘Wherefore, I am moved of the Lord to propound some few queries to you, for the trial of your spirits and ways; to which I demand your answer, that all things may be brought to light and true judgment, and that you may be judged justly, and by the spirit of the Lord cleared or condemned according to your deeds.’
These queries were partly concerning the orders of friars and nuns, whether any such were in the church in the apostles’ days; and concerning the popish worship and ceremonies, demanding proof of their lawfulness from the Holy Scriptures. After the delivering of these queries to the Capuchins, Burrough and Fisher went also to the friars of other orders, and entered into discourse with them: but their plain speeches against the idolatrous rites and ceremonies, found no entrance. After some stay in the town, they going to the college of the jesuits, got into discourse with their chief rector; and after a conference of about three hours, he grew weary, and pretending other business, would stay no longer with them; and so they parted, asking him, whether he would admit more discourse at some other time; but he refused it. Burrough afterwards wrote a letter to him, which began thus:
‘Friend, thy wisdom and thy knowledge is earthly and sensual, and thereby canst thou not know the things of the kingdom of God:’ and he concluded with this query: ‘What is that whore that hath sat upon multitudes of people? and what is that golden cup in her hand? and what are the abominations and fornication of which her cup is full, which she hath caused the kings and people to drink,’ &c.
But neither this query nor the others were answered. Burrough and Fisher did also visit the nuns; and speaking to them through a grate, they asked if they were of the order of those called Quakers; and soon perceiving they were such, they said, they might not hear them, and so presently passed away; whereby Burrough and Fisher were deprived of any opportunity to speak to them; only they witnessed against them. E. Burrough wrote also some propositions to the jesuits, priests, and friars, wherein he particularly represented the tyranny of the church of Rome in true colours; and these propositions were sent to them in Latin. They staid yet some days in town, and had divers meetings among the English soldiers: and Burrough also wrote to them, and bid them be faithful to the Lord, and not to seek themselves in their service, but the honour of God: he also showed them what their duty was in their military station; and, (not to give them too rough a brush, but to meet them somewhat in their own way; following therein the example of John the Baptist, when he spoke to the soldiers, Luke iii. 14,) told them, ‘What do you know but the Lord may have some good work for you to do, if you be faithful to him?’ and he also signified to them, that since the Lord one day would avenge the innocent blood shed in the pope’s dominion, and appear against Babylon and Rome, the seat of the whore, and the kingdom of antichrist, it seemed not improbable to him, that the Lord would make way thereto by the English nation. ‘It is,’ said he, ‘the Lord’s work, I know, to make men truly religious; but yet he may work by you, to break down the briars and thorns, and the rocks and hills that have set themselves against the Lord,’ &c. He also advised them, if ever such a work fell to be their lot, not to be ambitious, nor vain-glorious, but to make it their work to demand the disannulling of the popish inquisition and cruel laws. And the officers he charged, not to be as tyrants and oppressors over the poor soldiers, but to be loving and meek, and examples of all goodness unto them; to this he added: ‘and having no sin lying upon your consciences, then shall ye face your enemies with courage, and not fear death, but shall be ready to lay down your lives in a good cause.’ But lest any might think he was for the bearing of arms, and not for harmlessness or non-resistance, he told them also, that the Lord had a more honourable work to work after them, viz. to destroy the kingdom of the devil, and the ground of wars. And that there was a more honourable victory to be waited for, to wit, the victory over sin, &c.