The Story of James Parnell (1654) - NCCG.ORG Ning Network Archive 2008-10

CHRIST Exalted Into His T H R O N E and the S C R I P T U R E Owned in its Place

A MESSAGE FROM A 18 YEAR OLD,
MADE A MINISTER BY CHRIST AT AGE 16
by James Parnell, 1654

All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 Tim 3:12
Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Mat 5:10

Persecuted, he died in prison, shortly after writing this and several other tracts.
A brief summary of his life is at the conclusion of this writing.
A complete biography of his short life, with several wonderful letters is also on the site.

Text in Light Blue or bold Light Blue can be "clicked" for backup in scripture or detail in writings.
When you have clicked to the on-line Bible, you can change and update to see any Bible version that you prefer.

This then is the message that we have received of the Father, that God is Light, and in him is no darkness at all; if we walk in darkness, and say we have fellowship with him, we lie, and do not the Truth; but if we walk in the Light, as he is in the Light, then have we fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:5-7

And this is the Word which was in the beginning, by which all things were made; and in him was Life, and his Life was the Light of men. John 1:1-4. By which Light all the holy men of God, in the days of old, were inspired. By which Light Moses saw the things that were done in the beginning, and wrote of them. Which Word was a lamp unto David's feet, and a Light unto his paths. Ps 119:105. Which Light dwelled in the prophets and holy men, by which they saw the day of Christ, and wrote of him, (Isa 49:6, 60:19), and spoke as they were moved by it; and by it saw the deceit, iniquities and transgressions of Israel; and declared against it, both in priest, people, and rulers; speaking the Word of the Lord faithfully, whether they would hear, or forbear. Ezek 2, Mic 3, Isa 56

And this Word came unto the prophets, which was as a fire and a hammer in their bones, ( Jer 20:9 , 23:29), which Word in due time became flesh, and dwelt among the Apostles, and they saw the glory thereof as of the only begotten Son of the Father, full of Grace and Truth, (John 1:14), whom John bears witness of, to be the Light of the world, who enlightens everyone that comes into the world. John 1. To which Light Paul was sent to turn the minds of the heathen. Acts 26:17-18. Which Light is the condemnation of the world, who love darkness rather than Light, because their deeds are evil; and he that hates it, has it, though he will not bring his deeds to it, by it to be proved; therefore his condemnation it is. John 3:19-21

And there is a time, Light shines in darkness, and darkness comprehends it not, and this is the cause why many stumble at it, and are offended in it. John 1:5

And there is a time Light shines out of darkness, and darkness flees away, and then is witnessed the perfect day, where the children of the day do walk. Isa 42:16, Mat 4:16, Eph 5:8. Which Light is the true trier of spirits, and gives the discerning of spirits, and discovers the works of darkness, and manifests the deeds of darkness; and by it the secrets of the heart are seen, and hidden things searched out; and by it all things are manifest; and whatsoever makes manifest is Light, (Heb 4:12, Eph 5:13), all which the natural man knows not, and therefore cannot receive the things of God, but by this Light is seen and judged; for by this Light the spiritual man is able to discern and judge the natural man, but he himself is judged of no man. 1 Cor 2:14-15. For this is the judge of the world, and by this the prince of the air is judged, wherever he rules, (John 16:11), and therefore at it rages, and stirs up his servants to persecute it, where it is manifest; and so it is a stumbling stone and a rock of offence to the children of the world, in whom the prince of this world lodges. Rom 9:33

And of this Word the Apostle Paul bears witness, is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart, (Heb 4:12), to which Word the Apostle directed the minds of people within them, from looking without to find it without. Rom 10:8. And from this same Word the Apostles spoke forth the scripture; which Word was their guide, and rule, and Teacher all along from the beginning; by which both the Apostles, and Prophets, and the holy men were acted, moved, and carried forth in the power of it, to declare that which by it they were taught. 1 John 1:2, 2 Pet 1:21. And this is the free Grace of God, which brings Salvation, and has appeared to all men, (Tit 2:11-12), which is their condemnation who walk despitefully against it, (Heb 10:29), but this was the saints Teacher, by which they were taught to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live godly, righteously and soberly in this present evil world. Titus 2:11-14

And this is the anointing, which teaches all things freely, which is Truth, and no lie, and leads into all Truth; and he that knows this, needs no man to teach him; but has come to the end of man's teaching, 1 John 2:27, unto which the Prophet has come, and therefore called "freely, come, buy wine and milk without money or price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not Bread, or your labor for that which profits not? Isa 55:1-3. And from this the Apostle spoke freely, nor coveting man's silver or gold; but as they freely had received, freely they gave. Acts 20:33. And whoever speaks from this, speaks freely, and its ministry leads to the end of teaching; and here let all flesh keep silence before the Lord. Zech 2:13

And let all hirelings, and greedy shepherds, stop their mouths, who cry peace peace to them that put into their mouths, but if not, they even prepare war against them, and such like the prophet in the Light saw, and by it testified against them. Mic 3:5. And all this, the scripture bears testimony of, which was spoken from the Light; but scripture is not the Light, nor the Word, nor the Life, nor the judge, nor the rule, nor the guide, nor the trier of spirits; for all this belongs to Christ, who is the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart, (Heb 4:12), who is the Light, (John 8:12), who is the Word, (John 1:14), who is the Life, (John 14:6) , who blamed the Pharisees that thought in the scriptures to find eternal Life, but would not come to him that they might have Life, (John 5:39-40), who is the anointing, who is the guide and Teacher, and the rule, (1 John 2:27), who when we are going to the right hand or to the left, cries, "This is the Way, walk in it." Isa 30:21. Of which the scripture is a true declaration spoken from this Word of Truth, of which Light everyone has a measure, which to them is the free gift of God to profit withal, which Light in the conscience reproves for sin and iniquity, and manifests the deceit of the heart, and checks the creature when it swears, or lies, or does amiss, telling it, that it should not do so; and calls for repentance and amendment of Life, and leads unto the same as it is owned and followed; and as many as receive it, receive power to become the sons of god. John 8:12 and John 1:12, Rom 2:4

But he that does evil hates the Light, and will not bring his deeds to it, by it to be proved, and to him it is condemnation; but he that loves the Light brings his deeds to the Light, to show if they were done through God. John 3:20-21. But of this Light you people and teachers of the world are ignorant, and so are doting upon the scripture without, with your dark minds there, with the blind Pharisees, seeking for Life where it is not to be found; but you will not come to Christ the Light, that you might have life; but would cast him out of his throne, and exalt scriptures above him, calling them the judge, and the Light and the Word, and the Life, and the rule, and the guide, and thus with your dark minds you would take the authority from Christ and would give it unto the dead letter, which is but a declaration of these things. And thus your leaders cause you to err, (Isa 3:12), for their own ends, and of the scriptures they make an idol, to get money, by adding their own meanings, interpretations, and constructions upon them, which are all the conceivings and imaginations of their own hearts, by which they lead you in blindness, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth in your hearts; but are looking without, doting without in the letter, acting and imitating out of the Light for Life, (2 Tim 3:6,7), and so in darkness, doing your own works, (Isa 1:2), which are not required at your hands, but are for condemnation by the Light. And so in vain, (John 4:22), are you worshipping a God, whom ye know not, crying up his ordinances, and crying up his commands, and crying up the scripture, exalting it in the place of Christ, and thus coming near him with your lips, and your hearts far from him, (Mat 15:9), still living in the corrupt sinful nature, ignorant of the free grace of God, which should lead you to repentance and amendment of life. Eph 2:5-8

And because we do witness this mystery, which has been hidden from ages and generations, now made manifest in us, which is, Christ within, the Hope of Glory, (Col 1:26-27), who is the Light of the world, who enlightens everyone that comes into the World, who is the true Shepherd, (John 10), and the true Teacher, no more to be removed into a corner, (Isa 30:20, 1 John 2:27), who is the anointing, who teaches all things, and is the end of man's teaching. Therefore your ministers of the letter, who make a trade and a gain of the letter, by idolizing it, and setting it up in the room of Christ, by taking the authority from Christ, and applying it to the letter, that your minds, who are taught by them, may the more be drawn without, to look at it, and idolize it, expecting life and salvation by it, and no hope without it, that they may the longer make merchandise of you, and still uphold their trade, and gain by it, do now see that this our doctrine of Christ to be all in all, and that without him we can do nothing, (John 15:5), but that by him we can do all things without the help of scripture, or anything else without, (Philip 4:13), and that there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved, but that he is able to save to the utmost all that shall come unto God by him, (Heb 7:25), and that he is the Word and the scripture is not; and that he is the Light, and the scripture is not; and that he is the rule and guide, and Teacher, and Judge, and the scripture is not; but a declaration of him to be so. And that the scripture all along witnesses with our doctrine to be one with it, and theirs to be another doctrine, which the scripture will not maintain, but the scripture is against, and is only brought in for money's sake to satisfy their own carnal ends, that they may bear rule by their means, as the false Prophets did before them. Jer 5:30-31

And this Light all along makes them manifest in all their colors and false covers so that they cannot hide themselves from being deceivers, and also this they do know, that if everyone comes to know and find a Teacher within them, which teaches them the will of God, and enables them for to obey it, so that they need no man to teach them; then indeed they will no longer spend their money upon them for that which is not Bread, nor their labor for that which profits not, and will be a prey unto them no longer. So not only their craft, and trade, and idol will fail them; but also, their great gain and riches will be taken from them, and all their honor, and fame and dignity will come to nothing. Therefore they in their hot rage, and fierceness, and enmity of their spirits, do set themselves to oppose this Light, wherever it is appears; and persecuting the publishers of this doctrine, railing against them as deceivers, and seducers and bringers in of false lights, and such as deny the scripture, and would rob it of its authority, and give it to a Light within them (which the priests call, natural light) and insufficient to lead to salvation without the help of scripture, and other outward helps; and so would set the scripture above the Light of Christ; saying among themselves, if we let go the authority of scripture, then all is gone; (that is to say) take away our idol, then take away our maintenance, then down with our ministry.

So here is clear the foundation they stand upon, and this is the cause why they call the scripture their foundation; and so all this authority, which they put upon the scripture, they take away from Christ, who alone is the foundation of the faithful, of whom the scripture is a declaration; and so we do own it by the same which gave it forth, which unto us opens it and reveals it, and shows them to be out of the Life of it, and so by the Life thereof are judged and condemned, as before is proved. And though they call it the Word, yet in the same it does witness against them, and witness Christ to be the Word before the scripture was written. John 1 And though they call the scripture the Light, yet in the same it witnesses against them, and witnesses Christ to be the Light before the scripture was written, and is able to save to the utmost all that shall come unto God by him; and they that climb up any other Way, the same are thieves and robbers. John 10:1

And therefore is not a natural insufficient Light, as they that know not him do report of him, and therefore show themselves to be as ignorant as the Pharisees, who only supposed him to the son of Joseph, yet wondered at his power, and the works that were done by him; as these do now wonder at the prosperity of this ministration of Light, and to see how it prevails upon the hearts of the people, so that they know not what to think of it; they are not able to encounter with it, but that they see it strikes so much at their Diana, and lies so hard at their foundation, so that it makes their building totter, therefore the rulers, priests and Pharisees take counsel together, saying one to another that if we let this people alone, all men will go after them, and they will draw away whole nations; therefore they take the same course, as ever the false prophets did, joining together with the earthly powers to make war with the Lamb, persecuting, stocking, whipping, imprisoning and shamefully treating his messengers, whom the Lamb sent forth to bear testimony of this Light in peoples consciences (where we have a witness both in them that believe, and in them that perish) and also, striving all the ways they can, by their evil incensing, lying, railings, and false accusings and reporting to defame this Light, and leaven your minds against it (that if it were possible) to put it out, that still they might uphold their Father's kingdom of darkness, and bear rule by their means over the blind, carrying captive the minds of people.

But who is able to make war with the Lamb, or who shall withstand the day of his coming? Saul, Saul, it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And though they call the scripture their rule and guide, yet in this it witnesses against them, to be in Cain's way, and Balaam's way, and in the gain-saying of Core, and so have not God, (Jude 1:11, 2 John 1:9), but are found to be the generation who are born after the flesh persecuting them that are born after the Spirit. Gal 4:29

And though they call the scripture their rule and guide, yet they receive not power from it to enable them to walk according to it; but are altogether erring from it, in anything that crosses self; but as many as receive the Light, receive power to follow it, and come out of the corrupt sinful nature, which they live in who know not the Light, (John 1:12), and here the Light is above the scripture.

And though they say, the scripture is the judge and trier of spirits, yet in the same it witnesses against them, to be liars, and bears witness of Christ to be the judge, and trier, and searcher of the heart, and discerner of the thoughts, (Heb 4:12, Rom 1:16, 1 Pet 4:5), and that whatsoever makes manifest is Light, (Eph 5:13), therefore that which manifests false spirits is the Light, and not the letter, which Light manifested and discovered false spirits before the scripture was written. And also, though they say, the scripture is the judge and trier of spirits, yet by the scripture they cannot discern or judge of spirits; else, what makes all this difference in judgment amongst them who profess to try spirits by the scripture, and profess it to be their rule, and ground their judgments upon it, yet are so confused in the same, and never a one knows which is the Truth, when the Way is but one?

So that it follows, that they have nothing but the scripture without, and are still without, in darkness and confusion, as all those appear to be who call the scripture their rule, and guide, and judge, and trier of spirits, and yet do not know the Truth; but are quarreling, and wrangling, and arguing, and disputing, and contending about the scripture, everyone with a several judgment upon it. Surely this distraction is not in scripture; for it was spoken from one, and all agrees in one.

Therefore you that so profess the scripture, see if you can find it out by the scripture, and see where you are; but they that are in the Light have fellowship one with another, (1 John 1:7), and are of one heart, and one soul, (Acts 4:32), and all agree in one, and are epistles written in one another's heart, (2 Cor 3:2), and by the Light they try and discern false spirits, and in it are able to judge them, and open the scriptures without wresting, adding or diminishing; and by it do know, they are of God, because they love one another with the same love with which Christ loved them; (1 John 4), it is not such love which is today, and tomorrow crosses the will, and it is turned into wrath and anger; no that love stands in the corrupt will, but this love stands in the bond of peace which endures; and here again the light is above the scripture; and though they say the light must be received from the scripture, yet in this, the scripture witnesses against them, and bears witness of Christ to be the light of the World, who enlightens everyone that comes into the World.

And they, who cannot even read, have this light, which is sufficient to teach them and lead them into all Truth, after they come to the knowledge of it; and from this light the scripture was spoken, (2 Pet 1:21), and without this light none can read the scripture with understanding; and here the light is before the scripture, and out of it all the children of darkness are shut with their busy minds and vain contending spirits; and though they say, they must receive life and salvation from the scripture; yet, in this, the scripture witnesses against them and testifies of Christ to be the alone Fountain of Life and Salvation, and that there is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved. Ps 30:9, Ps 144:10

And that the Pharisees had the scripture, yet did not have the Light, neither could they see that he was the Christ, though the scripture bore testimony of him; neither would they come unto him for Life and salvation, but trusted in the scripture, thinking there to find eternal Life, and found it not therein. John 5:39-40

As all you are now who are seeking the living among the dead, and here again the light is above the Scripture, which Light is within us the hope of glory, (Col 1:26-27), and those that cannot witness this are in the reprobation, though they have the scripture without; (1 Cor 13:5), and from the Light we receive life and salvation, and from no other, and this alone is our guide, Teacher, Judge, and Law-giver, if we never see letter; (Luke 1:79, John 6:45, Isa 33), and this alone is the ground and foundation of our faith and hope, by which we are made able to cry Abba Father. 1 Cor 3:11, Rom 8:15. And here it is not self that judges or condemns, but Christ that lives in us, Gal 2:20, and it is not self that justifies us, but Christ that lives in us; and here Christ is exalted onto his throne, and the scripture owned in its place, without contempt or undervaluing.

And they are found the ministers of antichrist, who would cast Christ out of his throne, and take the scripture out of its place to exalt above him, applying to it that authority which alone belongs unto him, for their own by secret self-ends; so that in that, they apply such authority to the scripture, by doing so, they rob Christ of authority, and undervalue him, as the Pharisees did, who thought in the scriptures to find eternal life, but would not come to Christ that they might have life; in whose steps you and your teachers are now found, professing Christ in words, but in Life denying him, and therefore must be judged and condemned by him, as they were.

And if you priests do allege, there is a false light, as well as a true Light; I answer that, it is in you, which blinds your minds, so that you cannot receive this gospel, but from you it is hid. (2 Cor 4:3-4). And therefore you bring another gospel, calling the four books Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the gospel; in which, these four books will witness against you, and bear witness of Christ to be the gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation; who is the Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world, who came to take away the sins of the world; and blessed are they that are not offended in him. John 1:26, John 1:13, Luke 7:23

And also, that is a false Light in you, which leads you into the form or resemblance, or outward show of holiness, but denies the Life and power, (2 Tim 3:5), and to profess the scripture to be your rule, but in life and practice deny it; and to be short, leads into a profession without possession; but that which leads into the Life and power is no false Light; for it leads into the possession, before the profession, and so the profession is from the possession; but your profession is from another's possession, and so boast in an others line, by which you beguile both yourselves, and others; and therefore in that you go about to arm yourselves with the scripture, to oppose the Light, by exalting it above the Light, thinking thereby to debase the Light, and so to keep peoples minds from the Light, that they may still remain in darkness and blindness under you.

You do, but in the same, bring a weapon to cut off your own heads, and raise a war to destroy your selves, and increase more light to the people, and manifest your selves odious, and to be the blind guides of the nation; who are to be denied, (2 John 2:9-10), and turned away from by us, as deceivers, and to be held as accursed , who bring another doctrine in opposition to the true doctrine which is held forth in the scripture; for the scripture and the Light agree in one, from both which you are shut, with disputing contentious spirits, by which you would wrest the scripture out of its place, to clash against its Original, thereby to uphold your father antichrist's kingdom, and therein do the more manifest yourselves to be the ministers of antichrist, who under profession of the true Christ, do oppose him and make war with him, (2 Cor 11:13-15), but your weapons are weak, as is daily made manifest.

James Parnell

James Parnell’s Biography

James Parnell was born in 1636 at Retford, Nottinghamshire, in England. Parnell reports that at age 14, he was “as perfect in sin” as any in the town where he lived, and that he exceeded many in the wickedness of his life. Despite being a principal worker of evil in his community, when alone he would be reproved by a light; and this light drew him more and more away from sin and the world, until finally his heart was so changed that he was rejected by family and community. The priests hated him, for his fruits exposed their lack of the same. And his former friends and associates were so angry at his good behavior that they threatened to kill him. When James Parnell found that the priests were carnal, and, with the people who followed them, had only a form, while they denied the life and power of true religion, he separated from them, and sought a people with whom he might have unity.

It seem probable, that it was in the year 1651, when he was about fourteen years of age, that he separated from the carnal professors, and sought a people with whom he might become united in religious fellowship; and he says, “there were people with whom I found union a few miles from the town where I lived; whom the Lord was gathering out of the dark world, to sit down together and wait upon his name." With these he bore "the reproach of Christ," and was willing for His sake, to be numbered among those, who were regarded as the off-scouring of the earth; but in their afflictions and persecutions for the Savior’s sake, they rejoiced in remembering that it was written, that they who would live godly in Him, should suffer persecution; and considered it greater riches to be His people, and to suffer the hatred and contempt of all, than to enjoy "the pleasures of sin for a season; " and knowing that they were suffering for His sake, they felt their confidence fixed on Him alone, and in His strength were raised above all their trials. "About this time," says James Parnell, "I was about fifteen years of age; and afterwards I was called forth to visit some Friends in the north part of England, with whom I had union in spirit before I saw their faces." [Parnell was already fellowshipping in the Spirit with others also in the Spirit, even though they were miles away.]

Parnell heard about George Fox, the founder of the Children of the Light, (later derisively named Quakers). Fox was in jail at Carlisle. So James walked 150 miles to visit Fox in his cell. Although Parnell has been raised by God to a converted state of heart and mind, when Parnell met with Fox, he was helped by the godly elder Fox who had been preaching for seven years. The Lord soon made Parnell also a minister of Truth, the Word of Life, and he began traveling around his home area in the service of the Lord. He was very successful, turning hundreds, if not thousands, to Christ within.

Traveling south, he challenged the established sects in their meetings and this resulted in difficulty with the authorities. In the summer of 1655 he visited several towns in Essex, in one of which he was imprisoned for disturbing the peace among other charges. He was imprisoned at Colchester.

Although he was acquitted by a jury trial, he refused to pay a fine of 40£ for contempt of court and contempt of the "ministry" imposed by the judge in anger at the jury's not guilty verdict. On the principle that he had done nothing wrong, and it would be a stain on the Truth to pay the fine, he was imprisoned.

Here is George Fox’s account of James Parnell's death from his Journal:

While I was in prison at Carlisle, James Parnell, a little lad about sixteen years of age, came to see me, and he was convinced of the truth. The Lord quickly made him a powerful minister of the word of life, and many were turned to Christ by him, though he did not live long. For traveling into Essex in the work of the ministry, in the year 1655, he was committed to Colchester castle, where he endured very great hardships and sufferings; being put by the cruel jailer into a hole in the castle wall, called the oven. The wall was so high from the ground that he went up to it by a ladder, which being six feet too short, he was obliged to climb from the ladder to the hole by a rope that was fastened above. And when Friends would have given him a cord and a basket in which to have drawn up his food, the inhuman jailer would not allow it. The jailer forced him to go up and down by that short ladder and rope to get his food, (which for a long time he did), or else he might have famished in the hole. After some time his limbs were very numb from lying in that place. He was still required to go down to obtain food, and as he came up the ladder again with his food in one hand, and reached for the rope with the other, he missed the rope and fell down from a very great height on the stones. The fall so wounded in his head, arms, and body that he died in a short time after. When he was dead, the wicked professors (Baptist, Anglican, Calvinist Puritans [Congregationalists], and Presbyterian believers ), to cover their cruelty, wrote a book of him, and said, 'he fasted himself to death!' which was an abominable falsehood, and was shown to be so by another book, written in answer to that called, 'The Lamb's Defense against Lies.'

He was buried in an unmarked grave on the Colchester Castle grounds. His wonderful words, with deep understanding of the Truth, live forever, and are an inspiration to us today - an inspiration to have Christ teach us, as he taught fourteen year old James Parnell.

For a wonderful account of his life and ministry, with many more beautiful and inspiring letters, see his Memoir on this site.

Early Quakers' Persecution

James Parnell was the first Quaker martyr of 350 early Quakers killed in imprisonment or by attacks in their meetings in the years 1652-1692. The early Quakers exhibited the fruits of the true Church of Christ. As Christ was persecuted when he was on the earth, so he is also persecuted wherever he has risen in his followers. In the time of King Charles II alone, 13,000 were imprisoned and 200 were sent into slavery across the seas. Under all the kings, Besse's Sufferings counts 869 Quakers who died in prison; which does not include those who died after being attacked in meetings by angry mobs of Episcopalians, Congregationalist Puritans, Presbyterians, and Baptists. In addition, countless thousands of Quakers had their property seized as spoils after conviction of any crime. They were arrested and imprisoned for traveling on Sunday, not attending the state approved religious services, failure to pay tithes to the state approved priests, failure to swear loyalty oaths, plus many trumped up charges such as blasphemy. Often haled into court on false charges, their refusal to take off their hats or to swear, resulted in automatic imprisonment plus frequent confiscation of their property. George Fox, the founder of the Quakers, was arrested and haled before the courts over sixty times. He spent 6 1/2 years in harsh imprisonment. He spent one year in prison for failure to remove his hat. Margaret Fox, his wife, spent ten years in prison for having meetings in her home and failure to swear at her trials. The Light of Christ was very threatening to the Anglican sect, the Baptists, and the Presbytery as well as the later revolutionary Congregationalist Puritan sect of Oliver Cromwell, which started a bloody civil war, seizing power and executing the King. The early Quakers patiently suffered under all the governments of the time; blessing, forgiving, and praying for their accusers and jailers. They made personal, courteous appeals to the governing authorities, but never an organized protest or resistance. Their patient suffering eventually resulted in Parliament passing laws guaranteeing religious freedom, which were also incorporated into the US Constitution. The Lord used their suffering as the trial to bring many men and women to perfection and into the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Yes, all the deficit sects of today comprise Revelation's Whore of Babylon, of which all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, because all the sects are simply evolutional varieties of the Roman Empire's church, both east and west, whose doctrines were dictated by the sainted Emperors Constantine and Justinian the despot, thus eliminating the true gospel by 390 AD. As prophesied in Revelation, the church adulterated with the Kings of the earth. This deficit is hardly surprising, when you consider that Christ's disciples and apostles (John, Peter, Paul, and Jude) wrote of false teachers and preachers in their time, 2000 years ago.

He [the beast] was further permitted to wage war on God's holy people (the saints) and to overcome them. And power was given him to extend his authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. The beast of the Book of Revelation is the beast of heathen religious authority, which power was severely curtailed [a wound to the head] by early Christianity, particularly in the Mediterranean region. But a second beast shortly arose that had horns like a lamb, but was a beast. Note, this beast appears to be Christian-like, and under pretence of the Lamb's authority, (though acted by the dragon's power, derived from the first beast of heathen religion) compels men to comply with such traditions, ceremonies, and rituals, (for Christian duties), as resemble the customs of the heathen, in their idolatrous worship and superstition. The whole earth followed this beast, and still does. Thus, the false church arose, and no one could spiritually buy or sell, (like the foolish virgins for oil in their lamps), unless they complied with the beast and had received the false church's mark. Any who denied this false church, or who tried to buy or sell (spiritual works by mind or hand) without the sanction of the false church were martyred, as their predecessors had done before, under the heathen power, or first beast. And while this false church is often identified by the Protestants as the Roman church, the Protestants are all derivatives of the same false whore, (the beast has many names) practicing the man-made inventions of infant baptism, grape juice and bread, the trinity, (nowhere mentioned in scriptures), marriage by priests, vain and prideful buildings, steeples with bells, black robes, black shirts, special collars, creeds, reading sermons, sacraments, vicars, clerks, parsons, curates, bachelors of art, masters, fathers, Christmas, Easter, and bachelors of divinity; salvation based on saying certain words, water, bread and wine - all superstitious rituals - instead of a complete change of heart - circumcised to be a new heart and mind; all are inherited inventions by the mother of your sect, the Roman Catholics.

Anyone, who tried to increase their measure of Christ by any way that differed from the doctrine of the false church (to buy or sell spiritual oil differently for their lamps), was not only stopped; they were killed - which really made them unable to buy or sell.

Many Roman Catholic persecutions were justified by Saint(?) Augustine's famous: Why ... should not the Church use force in compelling her lost sons to return, if the lost sons compelled others to their destruction?" - A classic example of the end justifies the means, which looses sight of the principal command of Christ to "love enemies," not destroy them. Another supposed saint(?), Thomas Aquinas wrote: On the part of the Church, however, there is mercy which looks to the conversion of the wanderer, wherefore she condemns not at once, but "after the first and second admonition," as the Apostle directs: after that, if he is yet stubborn, the Church no longer hoping for his conversion, looks to the salvation of others, by excommunicating him and separating him from the Church, and furthermore delivers him to the secular tribunal to be exterminated thereby from the world by death. These revered saints(?) ignore Christ's reply to his disciples when they wished to punish the people who would not listen to him, severely rebuking them with: Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. If someone is violating the standards of the church, (sinning), they are supposed to be warned by one, then warned by two or three, then censured by the whole body of believers, - and if they fail to repent of their error, they are supposed to be expelled and shunned - not killed, or imprisoned, or tortured, or to lose their property.

Protestants killed heretics too. John Calvin, was a principal founder of Protestantism, having great influence on the Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Baptists, and even Lutherans. Calvin had Servetus arrested and wrote charges of heresy against him; Servetus denied the scriptural support of the trinity and infant baptism. Calvin's charges and arrest of him resulted in Servetus being burned at the stake. Calvin, with many other Protestant authorities, further participated in the burning of twenty-three others with differing religious views. Calvin wrote: Whoever shall maintain that wrong is done to heretics and blasphemers in punishing them makes himself an accomplice in their crime and guilty as they are. There is no question here of man's authority; it is God who speaks, and clear it is what law he will have kept in the church, even to the end of the world. Wherefore does he demand of us a so extreme severity, if not to show us that due honor is not paid him, so long as we set not his service above every human consideration, so that we spare not kin, nor blood of any, and forget all humanity when the matter is to combat for His glory. The apologists of Calvin spilling blood and forgetting all humanity point out that many other Protestants killed heretics too - (the everybody-did-it defense).

Jesus said: .. whoever kills you will think and claim that he has offered service to God. John 16:2

And the whore was drunk on the blood of the saints - the Roman church's inquisitions and slaughters throughout Europe, in which during the Middle Ages (800 AD to 1500 AD) nine million souls were put to death, accused of witchcraft. This was followed by the Protestants of England and America who in 50 years were responsible for the deaths of over 869 Quakers in the 17th Century. The persecutors of the Quakers included Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and Baptists. She boasts she is not a widow and will never see grief. She boasts that Christ is her husband; but she, the whore, only claims his name but ignores his command commands to repent, his teachings, his requirements, his warnings, his required holiness, his gospel, his Kingdom, his promised freedom from sin, and his inward cross of self-denial - the Missing Cross to Purity.

This mystery of iniquity is permitted by God to test the elect's commitment to truth. (See Babylon for more).

Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

On this site are extensive other accounts of the persecutions that the early Quakers suffered, both in their meetings, at trial, and at prison. So many of the early Quakers' persecutors met strange, early deaths that there was a book published at the time documenting the revenge of God against the ravagers of his people. As it is written would happen to those who harm the apple of his eye:

It is mine to avenge; I will repay.
In due time their foot will slip;
their day of disaster is near
and their doom rushes upon them.
Deu 32:3

(The Quaker movement today no longer seeks purity, entering the Kingdom of Heaven within.
Instead, Quakers today are focused on outward social justice and war protests.)

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