life. But if the power of life and death be only in the hand of the
Lord, then surely he is a murderer of the Creation that taketh away
the life of his fellow-creature, man, by any law whatsoever.... For
if I kill you, I am a murderer; if a third come to kill me for
murdering you, he is a murderer of me; and so murder hath been
called Justice, when it is but the curse.... Therefore, O thou
proud flesh that dares hang or kill thy fellow-creatures that are
equal to thee in the Creation, know this, that none hath the power
of life and death but the Spirit, and that all punishments that are
to be inflicted amongst creatures called men are only such as to
make the offender to know his Maker, and to live in the community
of the Righteous Law of Love one with the other."

The opening epistle is addressed--"To the Twelve Tribes of Israel that
are circumcised in heart, and scattered through all the Nations of the
Earth." In it he admonishes them to be patient, for "this New Law of
Righteousness and Peace which is raising up is David your King, which
you have been seeking a long time"; that "He is now coming to reign,
and the isles and nations of the Earth shall all come in unto Him"; that
"He will rest everywhere, for this blessing will fill all places." But
he reminds them that "the swords and counsels of the flesh shall not be
seen in this work; the arm of the Lord only shall bring these mighty
things to pass in the day of His power." "Therefore," he continues, "all
that I can say is this--Though the world, even the seed of the flesh,
despise you, and call you by reproachful names at their pleasure, yet
wait patiently upon your King; He is coming; He is rising; the Son is
up, and His glory will fill the Earth."

In the opening chapter of this pamphlet Winstanley still further
elucidates his interpretation of the allegorical stories of the Creation