their Works then shall the Children of the Lord be known and the Worker of Iniquity shall fall before them From a lover of your Souls who desires it to be the Lords Will it may not be laid to your Charge what you have done to him who writes his Name William Deâ—sbery My Dear Friends THat are convinced of the Blessed Truth all wait in the Light that you may truely Experience Christ in you Baptizing you with the Holy Ghost and Fire Rendering Vengeance upon all in you that knows him not and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and so you will come to witness you are of the number of the slain of the Lord and conformable to him in his Sufferings and Death and you that are in the sence of your miserable and lost estate wait upon the Lord weeping and seeking the Lord your God asking the way to Sion with your Faces thither-wards until the Lord cause your Souls to hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear his Voice live but not in themselves not to themselves but the Life you then live is Christ in you and you in him Oh blessed are you that witness what is here written for you are the true Members of the Body of Christ who abhor your selves and admire the Lord with all his Saints in whom he is admired Oh Praise the Lord all you his dear Children for his wonderful Works in leading you in his narrow Way and through his strait Gate which so few find the Lord keep you by his mighty Power that you may contend for the Faith and keep it which the Lord hath Delivered unto you his Saints that through Faith you may have Victory over your own Wills and over the World with all the Pomp Pride and Pleasure of it and so delight in the daily Cross to be the well seasoned savory People in all your Words and Works to Glorifie our Father which is in Heaven even so be it with you is the Prayers of your ever Loving Brother William Dewsbery W. D. Desired this to be sent amongst his antient Friends in Yorkshire to be Read in their Meetings This which is here written is to you that say you are in Commission to do Justice in the County of Northampton and profess your selves to be Ministers of Justice the Evil-doers to Punish and the Oppressed to set Free from under the power of those that oppress them THis the Lord God of Heaven and Earth requires of you as you will eternally answer before him that you faithfully walk according to what you profess and judge with righteous Judgment the Causes brought before you without respect of Persons for he that respects Persons commits Sin and is convinced of the Law as a Transgressor And this is required that when you are met together that you cause to be brought before you all that hath informed against me who to you is known by Name William Dewsbury that it may be proved what the Blasphemy is for which Thomas Pentellow in Wilbey said he sent me unto Prison on suspition of And it is required that you cause to come before you all that have given evidence against my Companions in Tribulation and in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Christ whom you have cast into Prison with me Gather together as is required and see if your God whom you served that lead you to do what you have done will appear with you and justifie you in your Actions and clear you of Cruelty and Oppression which if your God cannot clear you obey him no longer as you have done in abusing your power to hide your Sin for if you do this Scripture will be fulfilled on you He that hideth his Sin shall not prosper This is required that you bring your deeds to the Light and if they be contrary to the Light let the Ancient of dayes who gives Judgment to the Saints of the most High judge you and your God that leads you to do the Works of darkness and while you have time turn to the Light of Christ that shows you the secret evil of your Hearts and wait in the Light on the Lord God in the way of his Judgments that if it be his good pleasure he may give you Repentance unto Life least you perish in your Disobedience But if you abuse your power as you have done in casting into Prison and there keeping them that believe in Christ whom you never yet proved had transgressed any Law no more then Pilat could prove against Iesus then by your Fruit you will prove your selves to be in the state of Cain who was a Vagabond and had no Habitation and dwelling in the onely true God and so persecuted the Righteous Seed as you have done and if you so continue no withstanding all reproof then read your Portion Proverbs 29.1 He that hath been often reproved and hardeneth his Neck shall suddenly be Destroyed and that without remedy he that hath an Ear to haer let him hear I whom to you am known by the Namâ— before-written was moved to send this to you which Truth you shall know when the day shall declare you have me Imprisoned for the Word of God and Testimony of Iesus Christ. W. D. Dear Friends and Brethren I did not know until this last night but that I should have been with you at the Yearly Meeting but it pleased the Lord to visit me with my antient Distemper which hath accompanied me many Years in Prison and since I was released the Distemper was so sharp upon me as to sence this last night that I did not know I should have lived to see another day but Crying to the Lord he ordered and cleared my way to go into the Country so I cannot be with you at this Yearly Meeting but desire the Lord to assist you with his blessed Power and heavenly Life to bring in the scattered ones to their everlasting Comfort and his Glory forever Amen And that it may be so with you is the Prayer of your loving Brother William Dwesbury London the 30th of the â—th Month 1688. An Index THe Word of the Living God to his Church Page 1. The Word of the Lord to thee Oliver Cromwel p. 4. The Mighty Day of the Lord is Coming pag. 8. Dear Friends Servants and Children of the Most High God pag. 16. To all Saints and Children of the Most High God pag. 21. Dear Friends mâ—et often together pag. 23. My Dear Friends this is the Word of the Lord pag. 24. The iscoverâ—y of the great Enmity of the Serpent pag. 26. To all you that rule in England pag. 57. A true Testimony from the Prisoners in Northampton pag. 67. A true Prophesie of the Mighty day of the Lord pag. 90. Christ Exalted pag. 115. The Mighty Day of the Lord pag. 156. Dear Friends Brethren and Sisters pag. 167. Dear Friends in the Name of the Lord Iesus Christ walk pag. 174. To all Nations Kindred Languages pag.
known to the Lord in these things c. Oh feel the Seed of Abraham in its Dominion in you which is the Bride the Lamb's Wife and in true love to him doth offer up the dearest Isaac into the Will of God that a perfect Sacrifice our God may have Soul Body and all that we have in this day He hath called us to be the first Fruits unto the Lamb and in our Testimony in this our Tryal we are called to preach to all Nations Kindred Tongues and People in their own Language for the Witness in all their Consciences will feel us and give them to understand that we are not of this World but are the Redeemed of the Lord whom he hath called in the Patience of the Lamb to suffer for to gather the Seed that is scattered in the Earth that our Brethren may be brought from far and our Sisters from the outmost parts of the World who cannot come until we have drunk this Cup of which I was sent to declare to you in years past and now to your comfort I declare when it is finished according to the pleasure of the Lord which he is hastening and will cut short in righteousness for the Seed sake then wo wo to the Enemies of Sion for our God will plague them and cause them to cast all their glory down before him and they shall come bending to the soles of the Feet of his People and shall conâ—ess that you are the Children of the most high God the righteous seed which the Lord hath blessed and this certainly will come to pass the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Through your Brother and Companion in the Tribulation and Patience of the Lord Iesus Farewel W. D. Given forth in the the County Goal of Warwick the 26 th of the 6 th Month 1664. This for Dear Friends in London and them that are Aboard the Ship in order to Transportation or elsewhere all abarod DEAR and Valiant Children of the most High your faithful standing in the meek Spirit to bear your Testimony for the Lord in what he calls you unto is a sweet perfume in the Presence of the Lord and a great refreshing to the Hearts of his People Therefore abide in the pure meek Spirit and receive your blessed reward you faithful Lambs the blessed Crown of Glory is yours forever Oh feel the earning of Bowels towards you and the breakings of Heart that is before the Lord for you Oh can we remember you and not our Eyes water with Tears in compassionating of you in the simpathizing Spirit that indears and unites us one unto another in our God to whom my Soul breaths Oh Lord sweeten the passage of thy People and make their Cups pleasant thou suffers to be given them to drink that thy mighty Power may be manifest in all them that love not their lives to death to do thy will this day and plead their cause in hastening their deliverance to the confounding of all Sions Enemies and the renown of thy great Name forever and ever Dear Brethren and Sisters in the meek Spirit of our God my Life goes and abides with you with the forcible love of the whole Church of the first born Oh lift up your Heads and let not the fear of the Sickness or any Representation of any Evil enter you but all in staidness in the Light Life Thought and Will of God which is perfect in it self and abiding as is written God will keep every one of you in perfect peace all your days in every condition and will keep you in sweet peace and unity one with another to the praise and glory of the Name of our God whose presence is with you and will sweeten your passage in whatever you are to go through to the Praise and Glory of the Name of the Lord forever who will arise more and more and plead our Cause in the sight of a mighty People whom he will make to conâ—ess that you that are faithful are the Children of the most High God the righteous Seed that the Lord hath blessed and it will be well every way with all the faithful and suffering People and the blessing of God shall be upon us and our Children forever that love the Lord Jesus this day And the hundred forty four Thousand shall stand upon Mount Sion where some of the number is already established and they shall sing the new Song that not any shall learn but those that are redeemed from the Earth who shall make the Ears of all the Enemies of God to tingle and their Hearts shall fail and paleness gather into their Faces for dreadful will be the vengeance of the Lord upon Sions Enemies and great fearfulness shall surprise them they shall run to and fro like Vagabonds as Cain did and not know where to hide their Heads for where ever they are the Lord will find them out and banish them from place to place until he hath gotten his glory upon them in laying all low that withstands his arising for he will dash the potsheards of the Earth to pieces and they shall lament and cry out and gnaw their Tongues for pain when you faithful beloved ever honourable Children that endure unto the end shall Shout and Sing Praises and Magnifie the Lord and say Oh how righteous are thy Judgments Oh thou King of Saints for thou hast pleaded our cause and turned our Sorrows into everlasting Joy and hast over-thrown all thy Enemies that withstand the rising of thy Glory that a door may be opened to gather our Brethren from far and our Sisters from the ends of the Earth Therefore will we Sing of thy Goodness with Praises Praises Hallelujahs and high Praises for thou art worthy over all forever and ever Amen My dear Companions with me Salutes you all in the dearest love of our God where neither Sea nor Land can seperate but in the bowels of love will we imbrace one another in the chast Life where no Vulters Eye can behold our Joy and Felicity in the Lord our God In whom fare you weâ—l fare you well saith the Soul of your dear Brother in the Name of the Lord forever both you that are for Transportation and you that stand in a faithful Testimony in that City where the Lord hath sent his destroying Angel to execute the pleasure of his will. And in the tender Bowels of the Love of God I desire you all in this Gloomy Dismal Dark Day that 's come upon that City put you on the shieâ—d of Faith and in the Light of the Covenant stand single before the Lord to be cloathed with the Garment of Eternal Salvation that you may reign over all fearfulness and unbelief that every particular may stand as Saviours on Mount Sion in the midd'st of a desolate People for this is the Harvest of the great God in that City wherein he is Reaping Threshing and Winnowing the Chaff from the Wheat and making a short work
hath caused many a sorrowful Heart and given cause to the Enemies of God to rejoyce which hath been a greater Exercise and Trouble to me then all the sharp Persecutions and Imprisonments I have endured for the Word of God and Testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ c. Therefore in the Bowels of the Love of God I beseech and entreat you all who have been or is concerned in what is before written let the Love of God so abound that in it all labour for Peace and Unity in Christ the Prince of Peace who in love laid down his Life for us when we were Enemies and called many of his Children in our Age to give up their Lives in the heaâ— of the Day Weeks Months and 〈◊〉 to gather Enemies unto the knowledge of 〈…〉 with God therefore wait for the heavenly Wâ—sdâ—m to bear one with another that if any who are Conscientious to God and Blameless in their Conversations having a concern upon their Spirit to declare in publick Assemblys the Truth to edifie the People I beseech you in the love of God that not any through disaffection shew at least any publick opposition but rather speak to the Party in private if there be any occasion for him to be spoken to so will the Enemy be prevented of casting a stumbling block in the way of tender spirited People that comes in love to be Comforted in the Meeting and in so doing it will cause Love and Unity to abound amongst Friends that in the Love of God all may be restored that hath been scattered and brought again into Unity to meet all together in the Everlasting Truth to feel the Healer of Breaches to reign who is the restorer of the Desolate exalted in his Kingdom in all your Hearts to offeâ— up a Peace-offering in passing by all Offences that have caused Dis-union and to bind you all up in the Unity of the Spirit and Bond of Everlasting Peace to meet all together who profess Gods Blessed Truth to Praise his Holy Name all as one and one as all while we are here in these mortal Bodies and forever when time here shall be no more even so be it with you all saith my Soul in the Name of the Lord to whom is my Prayers that all may be accomplished as above written until it be so with you I shall remain your exercised Brother in the Kingdom of Patience and Tribulation of our Lord Jesus Christ. William Dewsbury My dear Friends through the sharp Persecutions that was passed through in the heat of the day and many long Imprisonments being nineteen Years a Prisoner in this Town of Warwick and four of them being kept close Prisoner it hath pleased God to suffer my Health to be Impaired that many times I am forc'd to rest two or three times in going to the Meeting in the Town not being of ability of Body to travel as in Years past I do in the Love of God visit you with this Epistle desiring it may be carefully read in the Fear of the Lord in the Assemblies of his People that Peace and Eternal Vnity may be amongst you in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ Amen Given forth in the movings of the Peaceable Spirit and Word of Reconciliation in the Lord Iesus Christ to whom is my Prayers that all Convinced may wait to be made of the number of the Slain of the Lord and conformable to Christ in his Death that they may witness his quickening Power to raise them up in the Resurrection of Life to enter into the Gates of Sion to dwell in the City of new Jerusalem where Peace is within her Gates and Quietness amongst all that have their Habitation therein having Salvâ—tion for Walls and Bulwarks and are the blessed of the Lord preserved by him to the Honour of his Name forever Amen W. D. Warwick the 4th of the 10th Month 1686. These following Epistles were found in Manuscript without Dates To all you proud Priests that dare to add your Wisdom to the Testimony of Jesus KNow this as from him that he is come to lay open your Deceits and the Conjuring deceiving Inventions of your own Brains which you sell for so much in the Year to maintain you in Pride and Lust for to eat of the Fat and be cloathed with the finest of the Wool and so deceive the simple and lead them on in Blindness and Darkness in making people believe the Inventions of their own Brains to be the Word of the most high God as in taking part of the Testimony of the word Jesus and add to it the Inventions of their own Wisdoms branching it into Doctrines Reasons Uses Helps and Motives according as their fancies guides them and then takes the pure Testimony of Jesus to prove the truth of this their Conjuring deceiving Inventions though the Scripture tells you that no Prophesie is of any private Interpretation for the Prophesie came not by the will of Man but holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and saith Iohn in the Revelations I saw in the right Hand of him that sat upon the Throne a Book written within and on the back side sealed with seven Seals And I saw a strong Angel Proclaiming with a loud voice Who is worthy to open the Book and loose the Seals thereof and no Man in Heaven or in Earth or under the Earth was able to open the Book or look thereon now when Iohn saw that the mystery of Salvation was hid from all Creatures he wept much because none was found worthy to open the Book neither to look thereon And one of the Elders said to Iohn weep not behold the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah of the Root of David hath prevailed to open the Book and loose the Seals thereof and hath revealed his mind to his Servants that obey his Counsel to him be all Glory and Honour and Power for evermore Oh cease thou vain Man from adding thy Wisdom in opening the Seals in telling poor ignorant people what means the Scriptures by thy studied Sermons and Expositions which is the Invention of thy own Brains and putting words into the Mouths of poor ignorant people to sing Praises to the most high God for there is none can sing but the ransomed of the Lord and they return to Sion with joy and singing and everlasting joy is upon their Heads And the Apostle saith If any be Afflicted let him Pray if any be merry let him sing Oh therefore come down you vain proud Men that call your Traditions the Worship of God and causes the people to err by your Lies and by your Lightness And I sent them not neither commanded them therefore they do not profit this People at all saith the Lord Hear what the Lord saith unto you I testifie to every Man that hears the words of the Prophesie of this Book if any Man add unto these things God shall add to him the Plagues that are written