‘Had you known who sent me to you, ye would have received me; for the Lord sent me to you, to warn you of the woes that are coming upon you; and to bid you, look at the Lord, and not at man. But when I had told you my experience, what the Lord had done for me, then your hearts were hardened, and you sent me to prison; where you have kept me many weeks. If the love of God had broken your hearts, then would ye see what ye have done. Ye would not have imprisoned me, had not my Father suffered you; and by his power I shall be loosed; for he openeth and shutteth, to him be all glory! In what have I misbehaved myself, that any should be bound for me? All men’s words will do me no good, nor their bonds neither, to keep my heart, if I have not a guide within, to keep me in the upright life to God. But I believe in the Lord, that through his strength and power, I shall be preserved from ungodliness and worldly lusts. The Scripture saith, Receive strangers; but you imprison such. As you are in authority, take heed of oppression and oaths, and injustice and gifts, or rewards, for God doth loathe all such: but love mercy, and true judgment, and justice, for that the Lord delights in. I do not write with hatred to you, but to keep my conscience clear: take heed how you spend your time.’ To the priests of Derby he also writ again in this manner: ‘Friends, ‘You do profess to be the ministers of Jesus Christ in words, but you show forth by your fruits, what your ministry is. Every tree doth show forth its fruit; the ministry of Jesus Christ is in mercy and love, to unloose them that be bound, and to bring out of bondage, and to let them that are captivated go free. Now, friends, where is your example, (if the Scriptures be your rule,) to imprison for religion? Have you any command for it from Christ? If that were in you, which you do profess, you would walk in their steps, who spake forth those words, the Scriptures which you do profess. But he is not a Jew, who is one outward, whose praise is of men; but he is a Jew, who is one inward, whose praise is of God. But if you do build upon the prophets and apostles in words, and pervert their life, remember the woes which Jesus Christ spake against such. They that spake the prophets’ words, but denied Christ, they professed a Christ to come; but had they known him they would not have crucified him. The saints, which the love of God did change, were brought thereby to walk in love and mercy; for he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God. But where envy, pride, and hatred doth rule, the nature of the world doth rule, and not the nature of Jesus Christ. I write with no hatred to you, but that you may weigh yourselves, and see how you pass on your time.’ Having thus cleared his conscience to the priests, it was not long before a concern came upon him to write again to the justices, which he did as followeth.