that cometh into the world is enlightened (John i. 9), they begat in
the people a disesteem of the light, and laboured as much as in them
lay to keep their hearers in the darkness, that they might not be
turned to the light in themselves, lest by the light they should
discover the wickedness of these their deceitful teachers, and turn
from them.

Against this practice of these false teachers the zeal of the Lord
had flamed in my breast for some time; and now the burthen of the
word of the Lord against them fell heavily upon me, with command to
proclaim his controversy against them.

Fain would I have been excused from this service, which I judged too
heavy for me; wherefore I besought the Lord to take this weight from
off me, who was in every respect but young, and lay it upon some
other of His servants, of whom he had many, who were much more able
and fit for it. But the Lord would not be entreated, but continued
the burden upon me with greater weight; requiring obedience from me,
and promising to assist me therein. Whereupon I arose from my bed,
and in the fear and dread of the Lord committed to writing what He,
in the motion of His divine Spirit, dictated to me to write. When I
had done it, though the sharpness of the message therein delivered
was hard to my nature to be the publisher of, yet I found acceptance
with the Lord in my obedience to His will, and His peace filled my
heart. As soon as I could I communicated to my friends what I had
written; and it was printed in the year 1660, in one sheet of paper,
under the title of "An Alarm to the Priests; or, A Message from
Heaven to Forewarn them," &c.

Some time after the publishing of this paper, having occasion to go