them they receive power through it to become the Sons of God for through his Grace doth he manifest his power in them that believe in the Light to the drawing of their hearts and minds out of the ungodliness and worldly lusts and to the teaching of them to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world and thus the free Grace of God bringeth Salvation to their Souls And so dear people thus you who come to believe in the Light to love and obey the Light in your own Consciences will come to feel and witness the work of the Lord God in your hearts the working and opperation of the Word of Life to the casting out of the Bond-woman and her Son which is not to inherit to the binding of the strong man and casting of him out yea the Old man with his deeds is to be put off and you renewed in the spirit of your minds and the new Man is to Eph. 4. 20 21 22 23. be put on who after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness to put him on and to bring him forth before all men the only begotten Son of God who is full of Grace and Truth Mercy and Love Pity and Compassion Purity and Holiness and Good-will towards all who loveth Enemies and doth good to them that hate him c. So coming to the Light Christ Jesus you come to the Substance to him in whom the Figures Types and Shaddows end in and so come to witness him in you who fulfils all Righteousness he who is the end of the Law for â—ighteousness sake unto them that believe in him and to be Circumcised in him with the Circumcision Col. 2. 11 12. made without hands by the putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the Circumcision of Christ which the outward Circumcision was a figure of and to witness the Baptism of Christ which is with the Holy Ghost and fire which John's Baptism with water outward was a true figure of and he bore Testimony unto Christ the Light of the world who said I must decrease but he must increase I indeed baptise you with water but he Christ Jesus who was before me shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire whose fan is in his hand and he shall throughly purge his floor the Wheat he shall gather into his Garner but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire So the outward water was but a type the outward washing a type of the inward washing and inward cleansing and inward purging and purifying by the Water of Life or the Blood of Jesus that cleanseth from all sin which is felt thus to work in them who believe in the Light and walk in the Light and they come to know that begotten in them that feeds upon the flesh of Christ which is the living Bread upon which the living Soul seeds and is the Substance which the Bread and Wine outward did figure out which the Manna that God gave the Israel of old in the Wilderness was a pure type of the heavenly Manna the living Bread vvhich the birth that is born of God feeds upon and lives thereby and grows up into Eternal life The day of gathering is come wherein the Lord God of everlasting bowels of Compassion is a gathering the despersed and seeking that which was lost and bringing back that which was driven away and healing that Ezek. 34. 12 13 14 9 16. which was sick and binding up that which was broken but the strong and the fat he is feeding with Judgment The Lord is a gathering people out of the Forms Shels and Shadows wherein many have long stuck and is bringing of them to the Substance and life it self out of the many Sects and heaps and divers ways into the one pure path into the one way of Life Light Peace Truth and Righteousness who by the one Spirit hath and is baptising them who believe in the Light 1 Cor. 12. 13 into the one body wherein the unity the oneness and the fellowship is witnessed blessed be his Name The way of the Lord is pure and Righteous and unchangable I am the Way the Truth and the Life saith Christ John 14. 6. Rom. 10. 8 John 12. 46. 8. 12. the immortal Word which saith Paul is nigh in the heart to be obeyed and done This is he the Light the Salvation of God the true Light that lighteth every man that commeth into the world who saith None can come unto the Father but by me I am come a Light into the world saith Christ that whosoever believe in me shall not abide in darkness but shall have the light of life Therefore dear people love the Light and believe in the Light while ye have the Light that so you may become children of the Light and become heirs of an Inheritance incorruptible that will never fade away There is no obtaining the Crown but through the Cross and this you will come to know who come to love the Light and to be taught of him and to learn of him who is meek and low in heart Mat 11. 29 and 6. 13. and 10. 38. and to follow him in the strait and narrow way that leads to life which few there be that find it and walk therein He that will be my Disciple saith Christ must deny himself and take up his dayly Cross and follow me This you will come to feel and witness if you be followers of the Light a dayly denying of self you will know a denying of your own wills your own desires your own thoughts your own affections your own words and works your own wisdom and righteousness and a daily taking up the Cross an hourly living in the Cross through which you must come to be crucified to the World its Vanity its Pomp Pastime and Pleasures Sins and Iniquities vain Words Psal 6. 14 Works Fashions Customs Inventions and Traditions so coming to be crucified with Christ unto the world and to be Baptised into death with him unto sin you will come to live with him unto God in the life of Righteousness in whom then you will find that Rest Satisfaction Joy Comfort and Peace which no man can give unto you So dear people who are seeking and desiring after the Lord God to find peace and comfort to your souls this I leave with you flee not from that which doth judg you in your own hearts for sin and evil and bring trouble upon you and sorrow upon you and woundeth and pierceth you in secret because of Transgression I say love that flee not from it for oh dear people how many is there that when they have been judged by Gods pure light in their hearts for their sins when trouble and sorrovv and distress hath seized on them because of their sins vvhich Gods Witness hath set in order before their eyes then have they run unto vain helps and run unto man for
the Blood of the Covenant wherewith you were in measure sanctified under your Feet as an unholy thing and have slain the Just and crucified the Righteous in your selves Oh poor poor Hearts my Soul pities you and mourns in secret over you and cannot but lament the sadness and deplorableness of your Conditions oh better you had never known the Truth then after you have known it to turn from it to your old Lovers again Oh whither will you go you Backsliding ones where and in what will you hide your selves from the Lord now you are departed from him if you go from Sea to Sea he will find you out and what can defend you from his wrath oh where and in what can you find true Peace Rest and happiness for your Souls seeing you have forsaken him in whom alone it is to be enjoyed Oh are you not sensible that you want true Peace Oh you that have forsaken the Father's House of plenty and are gone out among the Swine who feed upon the Husks oh poor Hearts do you not sometimes a little come to your selves and then remember the Father's House and do you not then find some inclination and desire to return again if you do return how know you but that he will have compassion on you and receive you into his House again though you have been spending your Portion among Harlots and have deal so treacherously by him and so much wounded and grieved him and his Children yet notwithstanding if you can throughly return unto him with your whole Hearts he can and will receive you and heal your Backslidings blot out your Sins forgive you your Transgressions against him and love you freely Therefore return return you backsliding Ones why why will you die and perish forever oh repent and do the first Works turn your minds inward to the pure and just One in your selves which you have grieved wounded and oppressed as a Cart is oppressed with Sheaves Oh that you might look upon him whom you have pierced and behold him whom you have wounded and even mourn and lament over him Oh to the pure holy faithful Witness of God in your own Consciences which you were at first turned unto you must come and the righteous Judgment of the Lord you must own and wait in yea a dreadful Cup you must drink before you can enjoy true lasting peace in God Oh that you could be willing to drink it and to pass again through the Fire and Sword yea through Death to come to eat again of the Tree of Life and live forever Oh that all you that are betrayed like Sampson of their strength by the Adulterous mind so as that the Philistine the uncircumcised Nature hath prevailed over you and put out your Eyes that you are become Blind and cannot see that beauty and comeliness in the Lord and his Truth which you once saw oh that the Lord would be pleased to visit you again that like as the Hair of Sampson grew again his strength increased so that he slew more of his Enemies at his Death then he did in all his Life so the Seed of God may be raised again in your Hearts and the strength therein and thereby may be renewed and grow that by your dying again unto that which is contrary to the Will of God you may witness greater Victory in the Lord over your Enemies and know more of them slain then ever you did Oh! you that find and are sensible that the Lord hath not wholly given you over but is yet striving with you by his pure Witness in you to return unto him his Truth and People again Oh! return before it be too late and before the Door of Mercy be forever shut against you for then if you seek the Blessing with Tears as Esau did you will not obtain it and though you call Lord Lord open unto us we have Eaten and Dâ—unk in thy Presence and in thy Name we have cast out Devils and have had power over unclean Spirits and have done many great Works yet notwithstanding he will say Depart from me ye Workers of Iniquity I know you not Therefore be sober and serious and ponderously consider and let these things take deep Impression in your Hearts which are wrote in true Love Pity and Bowels of Compassion to your Immortal Souls by a Mourner over you and a Travailer in Spirit for your Restoration To those that profess the Truth yet walk contrary to the Truth in Life and Conversation For many walk of whom I have told you often and now I tell you weâ—ping that they are Enemies to the Cross of Christ c. Phil. 3. 18 19. ANd all you who make a Profession of the Light and Truth in Words but in Works deny it whose Conversations are loose and vain and not consistant with your Profession nor answerable but repugnant to Truth you do not conduce to the honour of Truth but produce a dishonour thereunto by your loofe disorderly walking whereby you also give the Enemies of Truth advantage against the Truth for them to reproach the Truth and those that walk and live in the Truth and also you are a stumbling Block in the way of the simple-hearted that hath a Love and Desire towards Truth and a Grief and Burden to the Faithful that love the Truth and live in it and seek the Glory and Honour thereof and also you deceive your own Souls by being satisfied with a Profession of Truth without the possession thereof and you have no true peace where you are nor unity with the Lord nor fellowship with his People for the unity and fellowship of the Saints is in the Light and holy Life of God and they that are out of the Light though they profess it are out of the unity of Faith and fellowship of the Sons of God and such are but gotten into the outward Court where the Gentiles the uncircumcised in Heart can come but blessed are all they that do the Will of God and keep his Commandments and have right to the Tree of Life and enter through the Gate into the City where no unclean thing can come So all you that profess the Truth and walk contrary to the Truth come to be faithful and obedient to the Truth that in the Way of Truth and Righteousness you may walk as becometh Truth and that in the Light you may shine as Lights in your holy Lives and blameless unspotted Conversations to the praise and glory of God and to the peace rest comfort and happiness of your own Souls verily no Hypocrite in Sion can be hid from the Lord who giveth the Churches to know that it is he that scarcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reins who saith I come quickly and my reward is with me to give to every one according as his work shall be To all those that are Convinced of the Truth but still remain in the World's Ways If you know these things happy are you
Glory and Renown of his eternal powerful Name and to your endless Joy and everlasting Peace in him your tender God in whose pure tender unseigned Love doth my soul kiss you imbrace you clasp you about saying in spirit Oh the Lord the mighty God gird up your Loins with Courage Strength and Valour daily and spead over you all the mantle of Faithfulness keep you all in the pure patience and sweet contentedness and in true submission to his holy heavenly will which is your Sanctification whose will may be done in you all that indeed the Power the Glory the Kingdom and Dominion may be his and he alone may Reign in you whose right of due it is who was Dead and is a Live and lives forever and evermore unto whom be glory in the highest for evermore Amen Oh the holy living presence of the Living God of Holiness be in with and among you all in whose Love Life and Truth in my measure my soul is united and closely cleaveth to all the Children of the most high God and they are very dear unto the soul of him who is your Friend Brother and Companion in the innocent Love and Life of God over all blessed for evermore farewel dear Lambs T is 1665. William Bennit Dear Friend IN that which is Eternal and unchangable doth the unfeigned Salutation and tender Love of my Soul extend towards thee who art oft in the remembrance of my Soul which is in some measure sensible of the many Troubles Crosses and Tryals which thou hast been in and now art exercised with and truly dear Heart my soul desireth that thâ— Lord may inable thee to wade through them all in the pure Patience and true Contentedness and that thou mayst find the strong arm of Gods mighty power in the beating down keeping â—nder that part which would complain and murmur against the Lord and count him a hard Master and freet its self because the Wicked Flourish and the Ungodly spread themselves like a green â—ay-Tree and the workers of Iniquity are set up â—nâ—â—â—e Pâ—oud Lord it over the Meek of the Earth and â—â—eaâ— upon the Righteous as Diâ—t in the Streets Killed all the day 〈◊〉 aâ—d Oppressed like a Cart with Sheaves I say needful it is to feel that part which would freet it self because of thâ—se things chained down by the Meek Lowly Lamb like Patient Peaceable Spirit of the patient pitiful long-suffeâ—ing God of Forbearance and Mercy and to feel it curting and beating all Prejudice and Enmity that would be springing up from the murmuring fretting part against those who are â—â—struments of Iniquity and Servants to that Spirit that Persecutes and Oppress the Innocent and behold this Spirit of meekness keeps in coolness gentleness and patience and giâ—â—â—h dominion over that Spirit which in haste yet as it thâ—nâ—s in a Zeal for God crys for Fire to come down from Heavâ—n to devour those who are Instruments of Cruelty Iniquity and Oppression and indeed this Spirit of Love inableth to love Enemies to Bless and Curse not and seeks no Revenge but makes willing to leave all to the Lord unto whom dear Heart let us commit our Cause and sure I am he will plead it with his and our Enemies in his own time even to their Destruction and Calamity and to our Joy and Comfort in the end in the mean while the Lord keep us in contentedness and in dominion over that Spirit that would limit God to mans time and counteth that God is slack concerning his Promise who indeed is not slack as that Siprit counts slackness but is a God long suffering desiring not the Death nor Destruction of a Sinner but that rather he may repent and Live Oh that all those that profess his Name may be like-minded with him according to our measures and growth in him the Living God who is blessed forevermore My dear tender hearted Friend my Soul doth likewise desire fervently that thee and I and all the rest of our heavenly Fathers Family may be kept close unto the measure of the free grace and love of the Lord God in our own hearts that by it we may continually be kepâ— in the lowly fear and pure aw of him who hath called us out of Darkness into his marvelous Light wherein let us watch carefully over our Thoughts Words and Works lest in haste through carelesness for want of watchfulness we should speak or do any thing that may grieve the holy Seed and wound the Just one in our selves and bring a burden and load upon our own Souls wherefore dear Heart I cannot but desire that I with thee and all who love Righteousness may be kept watchful in the â—â—wly Fear close unto the grace that keeps humble out of the many words in the fewness of words that so in sweet stilness peace and quietness we may possess our souâ—â— and injoy the sweet incomes of the sweet Love and sweet pure refreshing streams of the Fountain of Life according to our measures that so even in the midst of our Tryals and Sufferings our heâ—rts may be made glad in the Lord and our souls may rejoyce in him over all the Rage and Cruelty of the Wicked that we may keep our standing on the Rock against which Gog and Magog and the whole Host of the powers of Darkness is not able to prevail and herein the Lord keep us saith my soul for evermore So dear Heart I leave thee unto the Lord in whom my Love is dear unto thee and my Soul simpathize with thee in thy Tryals and Sufferings and desire the Lord may bear thee up above them all in the bosom of his Love and Patience and minister daily unto thee what he knoweth is meet for thee and keep thee in a contentedness with his heavenly will that so thou mayst say with thy whole heart Lord not my will but thy will be done and submitted unto in all things whose will is our Sanctification So dear tender Heart in the innocent Love which drew me forth to write these lines unto thee I rest and remain thy dear Friend in the Truth William Bennit 1665. To the Magistrates of Edmonds-Bury Friends I hope your Nobillity and Moderation will be so far made manifest as to read over these following Lines with Patience and I desire you may Seriously consider of them and Sollidly to weigh them in that equall Ballance the Light of Christ in your Consciences before you Judge of them VVE whom the World in scorn call Quakers are a People that liveth in the pure fear of the Lord God and without boasting we can truly say we are a People who are led and guided by a peaceable Principle of Love which we have received of God who is the Fountain of Love by which Principle of Love we are made to live peaceable with all men as much as in us lies and fervenly to desire and seek the good and welfare of all People even from him