TO THE CAMP OF The Lord IN ENGLAND TO all you called chosen elected and beloved of the Lord who are of the circumcision made without hands of the feed of Abraham who are Jewes indeed nor after the flesh but in the spirit unto whom belongs the euerlasting promise and couenant whom God hath and is fulfilling in you so establishing with you We your fellow-Citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem which is the mother of us all and of the same body and of the same seed and same birth begotten and brought forth by the immortall word of life which lives for ever do send greeting and doe embrace you in the arms of our beloued who is and is to come God blessed for ever you who are called Quakers who are so not onely in word nor in shew but in life and in power whom God hath called and chosen to place his name in and to take up his habitation among above all the families of the Earth the Tabernacle of God is with you and his dwelling-place is among you and only among you is God known and his name is great in your Assemblies We who are of the same root and off-spring doth bring in our witness and doth set to our seale That God of a truth is with you and among you and he is the God of the living that answers by fire he is I am and there is none besides him the first and the last the beginning and the end of all things Praise him for ever yee redeemed of him lift up your heads your Redeemer is come clap your hands and shout for ioy and let the everlasting praises of God be in your mouths for ever and ever Exalt yee his name above all Gods and glorifie him in the sight of all the Heathen and let his marvellous works stand upon Record from generation to generation Wonderfull hath his work been among you and that my soule knowes right well You that were scattered in thecloudy and dark day and were a prey for the wild beasts of the Forrest and were driven away as lost sheep in the wilderness hath God gathered into the fould to lay down by the springs of living water in fat pastures for evermore Your bread is sure and your waters never failes a feast of fat things is made unto you of wines well refined the Lord is become the Lot of your inheritance and the portion of your Cup for ever Your Crowns have you laid down at the feet of the Lamb and your lives and liberties have not been dear unto you and let this never repent you for now the Lord will exalt you and Crown you with immortall glory The everlasting day star is risen among you which gives light unto the Nations and the light of the Sun is as the light of seven dayes and there is no need of a candle in your dwelling but the Lamb is the light thereof faire as the Sun and clear as the Moon yea it is he which was dead and is alive and behold he lives for evermore Praise him all ye people praise ye him ye holy Host let all that hath breath praise him for ever VVho can expresse his Noble acts and who can declare his wondrous works Oh my soule is ravished and my heart is overcome let me speak that I may be refreshed and let me declare his wonders among all people The Lord is our King our Judge and our Law-giver and our Rock of defence Just is he in his Judgements who hath avenged us of our Enemies Mercy and Judgement meet righteousnesse and peace doth embrace each other Rejoyce for evermore ye Saints of the most High and tell it to your Children that they may tell it to another Generation what hath the Lord wrought among you and what hath his hand brought to passe Salvation is come and plenteous Redemption and the dead hath heard the voyce of the Son of God and liveth Let sorrow and mourning fly away and be ye comforted ye that have mourned and be ye refreshed ye that have been weary for God hath opened the everlasting fountain and the streams runs pleasantly which refresheth the City of our God He is come and his reward is with him even he for whom we have waited this is he who is our life our peace and our exceeding great reward the light of the world our Saviour but the worlds condemner our peace but the worlds torment glad tidings glad tidings the acceptable year is come praise ye the Lord ye Sons and daughters of Sion beautifull is your dwelling place and aboundeth with pleasant fruit for you are digged and pruned and enclosed a Garden of lovely branches let the wonders of the Lord never be forgotten nor his works neuer passe out of your remembrance for he hath wounded and healed killed and made aliue raised the dead and slain the liuing brought out of captiuity and bound with chains gathered and scattered brought low and exalted saved and condemned all this hath your eye seen and your ear heard and the Heavens and the Earth hath been burned as a scroule and the indignation of the Lord you have born But the winter is past and the summer is come and the Turtle dove and the singing of Birds is heard in our Land O magnifie his name for ever you are made vessels of honour wherein the everlasting treasure abideth which never waxeth old the voyce of the Bridegroom is heard among you and how can you have any more sorrow instead of weeping reioycing and instead of heauinesse of heart fullness of euerlasting joy the Lord hath fulfilled his promise and made good his word and his Law and Couenant is with you and from you doth the Law goe forth and the powerfull word of life and death soundeth out of your dwelling and you are Gods only witnesses to testifie of him in the presence of all Nations some of you by suffering and some by declaring Oh endless loue and life and riches an eternall Crown is upon your heads and your suffering which hath not been a little is not worthy to be compared with the glory that is and shal be reuealed I speak to you who hath an ear to hear my soule and heart is comforted in you in the midst of my burdens and sufferings who is separated from you outwardly yet ioyned and united to you by the Spirit which is unlimited which all Nations doth comprehend yea I behold your beauty a far off and my heart is ravished withit and I am sick of love let his works praise him for ever which hee hath wrought for his dwelling is with you in the light unto which no mortall eye can approach The new Ierusalem is come down from Heaven and no unclean can enter but you are made white with the blood of the Lamb and purged as silver and purified as gold in the burning and unto you an entrance is given and the way is prepared and the marriage of the Lamb is come and his wife
the enmity which is against God and it slain in you daily that so you may see him that is the Saviour of the soul and take heed of rebelling against the Lord who hath given you a measure of his true light to lead you from sin if you love it unto righteousness from whence it comes even from the righteous Judge of all the world who judgeth every man out of the book of his conscience and so prize the everlasting love of God to your souls that you may see him who lives for ever And all Babes who are born again who have suffered the pangs of death and know the indignation of the Lord against sin and the terror of the Lord against the man of sin who have roared for the disquietness of your-hearts who have born the indignation of the Lord and are come to the giving forth of the Law where there is thundring and Earth-quakes and terror and great hail and fire and smoke even such as was not since the beginning in somuch that you could not hear his Voice and live nor see his face and live Stand still in patience and let it have its perfect work in you and bear the indignation ye that are in it if you endure the tribulation with patience hope you will see and a time of refreshment will come endure the cross that the mortal and earthly and carnal may be judged and the ground shaken and taken away and that you may see the liuing hope to stay your mindes upon And ye who are enliuened and doth witness the Law of righteousness set up in you which is a Schoolmaster and keeps in the fear stand in it and keep in the fear low in soberness and calmness and then you will see your hearts purified daily and the cursed nature judged which is out of its course and it bridled and subjected and the Law which is pure and holy and eternal which stands for euer in power and force against the transgressor to judge all Righteousness and so wait that you may see the Lyon tamed and the wilde Heifer yoked and the yoke of Christ born and the wilde colt tamed by him upon which never man sate before then and not till then is Hosanna sung And all wait in your measures dear Babes that the milk of the Word you may see and be nourished by it and grow up as living branches about the Table of the Lord And all you yong men and Virgins that know Virginity keep your Virgin you in whom the Prince of this world is judged and cast out and the righteous law of God revealed and given forth in which you stand and walk and hath peace from him who is the Law-giver and Judge who hath saved you from your iniquities and blotted out your sins for his own Name sake You who knows the living Water and Spirit of which you are born again and witnesses the birth which enters into the Kingdome of God where no mortal or unclean beast can come Keep in the life and power of God which limits all and chains all under that the life of the Son of God may live and speak in you and be bold In the dread of God stand and that which leads into slavery keep out And now being made partakers of his everlasting love walk worthy of his love and of the high calling whereunto you are called who hath created you in Christ Jesus unto holiness and righteousness for ever that to the praise of his grace which you are saved by by which you have obtained the remission of sins and an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified So wait in the living Hope and the living Faith in which God is well pleased in which you ask and receive of him and are accepted of our heavenly Father And this Faith ye know which is a present power and a shield against all temptations and a Helmet and as a Fortress by which you are preserved safe standing in it and putting it on in the day of trial My dear Brethren of the everlasting Kindred and Heirs of the everlasting Promise wait all in patience having received an earnest of the inheritance that never fades away to the end abide in the Fathers counsel and at Wisdom's gate Ye know what I say I write not unto you because you know not the truth but because you know and are made free in your measures by him who is the Truth and the Way in which all our fathers and you also have obtained a good Report even of all the houshold of Faith and take heed of the glory of the World and look not at hardship for verily all the suffering is nor worthy to be compared to that glory which is revealed and to be revealed unto all that wait and abide in patience and faithfulness unto the end but be ye as good souldiers endure hardship that you may receive the end of your hope and the euerlasting prize and the purchased possession and the Crown of glory which God will give unto you in his own day which is coming on towards you if you continue in the hope in the faith and in the love unfeigned which thinks no ill by which and in which love we have Victory ouer the Grave Sin and Death which he hath freely shedabroad in our hearts unto whom be everlasting Praise for ever and ever To him which was dead and is aliue and liues for euermore the Mediator of the new Gouenant of life and peace in which we haue access freely to the Throne of grace and are accepted in him who is the condemnation of all the World who hate the light but your life the light of the world God blessed for ever and ever And all you Fathers and Elders and honorable Women who are not a few whose bones and sinews are filled with marrow and fatness who wait at the Altar of the Lord and knows the Merey-seat which hath ouershadowed you and the golden Vessel in which is the hidden Manna by which all the children of the Lord are fed round the Table of the Lord out of the euerlasting treasure-house of my Father Watch ouer the Flock of Christ Jesus in euery place and region and quarter where the Lord hath set you and gouern them in all wisdom and righteousness that the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ may be adorned And take care of them willingly knowing this the Lord requires of you and hath called you unto and to nourish the plants and the young ones and the babes and that every one may know their place and watch and instruct in all wisdom and correct and reprove in the name and power of our Lord Jesus that no rebellious nor sloathfull may grow up nor be harboured among you but all in diligence may be kept in the fear of the Lord in their places that the Gospel of Christ Jesus be not evill spoken of nor the heathen blaspheme And therefore my dear brethren be diligent in the work of the
enlarge your border And the eternal God of power be with you chosen ones for the Lords work you shall have your reward Nay he is come and his reward is with him I know you have it and witness his power and his presence with you so my dear ones in that which limits all and chains all and keeps under all deceit dwell and abide for ever in the living power which makes the strong man bow down and the Devils tremble and the unclean spirits roar and the power you know where is your life that all the powers of death cannot reach and therefore doth the potsheards of the earth strive in vain to set briars and thorns in battel against him in vain do they rage for notwithstanding all that God hath set and will set his own Son upon the holy hill of Sion glory unto him for ever shout out for joy oh ye sufferers for him who are set free by him and your freedom can none take away for he is greater then all even him in whom ye have beleeved standing in his power wisdom and councel who is neer you that none is able to pluck you out of his hand for he hath the keyes of David who opens and none shuts and bindes and none can loose even he who rebukes the windes and seas and they obey him and causes a great calme and causes the waters to abate nay to stand of a heap and dries up the tongue of the Egyptian Sea that his ransomed ones may go over into the rest and he that hath and doth believe in him is entred into the rest where we all meet in one in him who is the Judge of all the world the light of the world and our life who believe in his name but the condemnation of all the world who walk in unrighteousnes for ever and ever For with the pure upright he dwells and his throne is established in righteousness for ever and ever and unto our God who lives for ever shall all the powers of the earth bow to whom be glory and eternal praise of all his redeemed ones for ever and ever F. H. O All ye Sons of Sion and ye daughters of the King who is glorious within who have waited for the Bridegroom Oh my beloved ones you who have long sitten in a solitary place and have been as a silly Dove without a heart hath bin as a widow desolate as a par ched heath you that hath wandred up down in the long night of darknes knew no rest but were as one cast off by all all that passed by you laughed at your sorrow you have been as a hissing and as a proverb to all and as a mark to shoot at by all your faces have been as the tents of Kedar parched and your skin withered for want of refreshment and as a dead tree that bears no fruit Oh yee who have come through great tribulation and have suffered the loss of all the spoiling of all even the greatest riches the chiefest Jewels who have lost all your knowledge and wisdome and become fools for Christ's sake and hath parted with all and hath suffered the indignation of the Lord to pass over all and hath drunk of the cup of fury at the hand of the Lord who have suffered hunger famine pestilence and earth-quakes and the darkning of the Sun and the Moon lost her light and the stars have fallen and the pillars of heaven hathbeen shaken the Earth hath been removed out of its place as a cottage and you have cried out in the midst of all this he hath forgotten to be gracious his mercy come to an end The womb hath been shut up desolation and sorrow loss of children and widowhood in a day came upon you Oh ye tossed afflicted and not comforted that have been as Eunuchs dry and barren as in the drought of summer that have been as Pelicanes and as Doves who have sorrowed for the loss of her Mate and as one in sorrow for the losse of her first-born who have been in bitterness and none could comfort you I am one with you your state I know I love you eternally yea ye are my brethren and Sisters for ever sealed in my heart and engrrveu to be read for ever I see you I behold you I kiss you and embrace you with an holy kiss of everlasting love which overcomes death and hell which love thinks no ill ye that are made partakers of this love knows what I say Ye that have waited for him and wait and suffer the spoyling of all I am married unto you I came forth of the same womb which is eternity free for ever free-born not in bondage because the Prince of this world is judged and cast out and the glory of the Lord revealed Come forth ye sons and daughters of Jerusalem which is free from above utter forth your voice sing aloud the Bridegroom is come and is coming and ye that have suffered the spoyling of all rejoice for evermore lift up your Voices as Trumpets He is come he is covered with righteousness as with a robe his countenance is as the morning his eyes is brighter then the sun his voice is life eternal salvation is round about him he dwells in eternal life life is in his right hand and joy is in his presence and peace for evermore he is a tryed stone he is a rock which the righteous flies to he hides his under his wings covers them wth his feathers Beauty beauty glory glory eternity eternity ness Almightiness power riches honor dignity and dominion strength wisdom and goodness fulness satisfaction eternal treasure durable riches infiniteness is his Name for ever unexpressible I am filled with his love and power he opens the windows of heaven he rains his showres as silver drops and as fine Myrrhe as sweet odours he nourishes the yong he carries the Lambs in his arms of love he drives gently them that are with young he is true and faithful for ever he keeps covenant he is long-suffering and kinde who can declare his power I am lost in the incomprehensible being of eternal love Oh my dear ones come up hither fellow-Citizens of Jerusalem which is from above who is our Mother which few know but you who are written in the Lambs book of life sound forth his praise trumpet forth his power declare his Name among the people that it may sound into the ears of Generations to come this is he we have waited for this is he who hath begotten us to himself to reign with him the Lamb upon Mount Sion as Kings and Priests and Judges of the Prince of darkness death and hell for ever salvation honor and glory be to him for ever eternall infinite Praises Praises to him for ever who was dead and is alive and lives for evermore King of kings for ever majesty glory and power and eternal renown is in his right hand for ever his redeemed ones lives for ever dwells follows lives in him for ever no beast can touch the mountain where he dwells but he dies for ever Come away my beloved ones drink abundantly and be refreshed and praise his names for ever eternally I am shed and spilt among you never so as now never to be separated out of the eternal oneness sound forth his praise declare his word let it go forth as thunder let the Heathen bow let the Princes of this world fall and the kings worship at his feet for ever let the disputers tongue cleave to the roof of his mouth for ever let all flesh keep silence for ever Babylon is fallen and become the habitation of Devils for ever the judge of all the world hath confounded and cursed her language for ever God is risen and sits upon his Throne eternal wisdome is come and the Ancient of dayes all carnall shall be confounded stop all mouths in the dust for ever Eternity shall speak and judge for ever whom he binds is bound for ever whom he looseth he looseth for ever whom he remits are remitted the Devil is chained the grave gives up her dead and the sea and hell all is judged by him that lives for ever O beloved ones who are the children of my eternall father who have eaten at his Table and drunken of the new wine in the Kingdome of God who are nourished dandled upon the lap of everlasting love who suck at the breasts of everlasting consolation your beauty is comely I am ravished I am filled Iam filled with love to you all I am sick of love your beauty hath ravished my heart come sit down my dear Lambs together in the fold where no wolf can come and let us rejoyce together and sound forth his praise who hath washed us and cleansed us and covered us and made us worthy to enter into the fold the Bride-chamber to eat with him of the bread of life for ever at the eternal Table of life the Bridegroom is come friends of him I know you rejoyce greatly because of his voice And now my deer beloved ones follow him for evermore in the eternal light and life where we were bred brought forth and nourished and are unknown to all the world but me you know and I know you in one who is the condemnation of the world and in him I meet you and leave you in his arms I lie down with you in the bosome of eternal love life peace joy and rest for ever where none can make us afraid Bandon in Ireland the 7th month 1655. My name ye know my voice ye know this is to all my beloved brethren who are redeemed from ye earth Francis Howgill