submit unto Him and all the Nations that are saved shall walk in his Light and call him Blessed who was dead but now alive calling to all People to come and believe in his Name that Eternal Life may abide in them forever But all that reject his Counsel the Light to be led in the strait way of self-denial their Blood will be manifest to be on their own Heads in the day of the fierce wrath when he will be revealed in Flames of Fire rendering his eternal Vengeance upon all that know him not and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ c. Therefore doth the Word of the Lord sound thorow me in the heavenly Proclamation to all the Children of Light with all whose Faces are set towards Sion Stand fast in the Faith and in the Light come boldly to the Throne of Grace where the Fountain of the fulness of the great refreshings you will enjoy that you may buy Wine and Milk without Money or without Price O come away come away in this day of your Invitation wherein the Spirit and the Bride saith Come and every one that it heareth saith Come and every one that is athirst Come and every one that will Come come and drink drink of the Fountain of the Water of Life freely that by the vertue thereof the Weary and Heavy-laden may be eased and all your putrified Wounds cleansed and all the Issues of Blood healed and all the stains of the Garment washed that all the bowed-down heads may be lifted up and the Soul that hath been as a desolate Widow and as a stranger without a dwelling in God and as a Child without a Father now in your faithful Obedienee to the Light the Lord will manifest himself to be the Husband of the desolate Widow and an Entertainer of the Sranger and with him the Fatherless shall finde Mercy which shall cause the Lame to leap as an Hart the Blind to See the Dumb to Speak forth the high Praises of the most high God whose Mountain is and shall be more and more set up atop of the Mountains and established above all the Hills and all Nations shall flock to the Mountain of the Lords House in Obedience to our God who is taking to him his great Power to manifest himself to be the safety of them that trust in his Name whom he will hide in the hollow of his Hand as in a munition of Rocks to the confounding the Enemies of Sion and staining the pride of the glory of all Flesh who shall vail and bow before him and confess to the glory of his Majestical Power That there is not any GOD like to him in whom we trust and who will plead our Cause and answer our Expectation according to his own Determination Therefore dear Servants of the most High let not any of us be weary in well-doing and above all things love the Lord Jesus yea love the Lord Jesus Christ and in his perfect Light. Thought and Will all in stedfastness and staidness of mind keep your Habitations in perfect Peace that the Birth of the one pure holy Will may rule and reign over all that stands in the will of Man that so high Praises Praises may wait upon the Lord in Sion and Hallelujahs in Heavenly Harmony may be sounded within the Gates of Ierusalem who is made this day a Burdensome Stone to the Nations but is and shall be more and more the Praise of the whole Earth forever and it shall be known more and more Assuredly the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it through your dear and loving Brother who blesseth and praiseth the Name of the Lord for you all who love the Lord Jesus Christ and seek his glory alone and nothing for self in all that you do and suffer upon the account of the Testimony you bear in profession of his Truth in the sight of all Peopâ—e O blessed blessed are you you Self-denying-People for what is before expressed is your Inheritance forever and ever In which fare you well fare you well saith my Soul in the Name of the Lord. And all dear Friends be dear and tender over the weak and all that hath strayed forth of the Foot-steps of the Flock of the Companions in what you can draw them and gather them in the Bowels of tender love that the scattered may be gathered into the Unity to lie down with us in the pure Rest to the praise and glory of God forever W. D. To all the Faithful and Suffering Members in all Holes Prisons and Goals for the Word of God and Testimony of Jesus Christ with the rest of the Faithful where-ever scatter'd upon the Face of the Earâ—h Dear Brethren and Sisters HEar the Word of the Lord thus saith the Lord Though you now drink the Cup of Adversity and eat the Bread of Affliction and are trampled upon as though you were not worthy to live upon the Earth yet notwithstanding all the Fury of Men you are resolved in the strength of my Spirit forever to be deprived of the sweet enjoyments of Wife Husband tender Children Parents and outward Possessions Liberty and Life before you deny the Testimony of my Name before the Sons of Men. Oh! you dear and tender Children who love not your Lives unto Death this day that you may finish a good Testimony for the Glory of my Name saith the Lord God lift up your Heads in the Light of my Covenant and believe in my Name for I am near unto you saith the mighty God of Safety and let not any weight or burthen lie upon you for I will be more than Husband to Wife and more than Wife to Husband or Parents to Children or Children to Parents yea I will be a Husband to the Widow and a Father to the Children who are deprived of their tender Parents for my Name sake I will enlarge your Borders in the Life of my Righteousness you that suffer in true Innocency will I refresh with the depth of my Mercies yea I will guard you with the Angel of my presence and all that devise Mischief against you shall be confounded beâ—ore the Glory of my Power with which I will keep and preserve you in the Word of my Patience and Safety in my Presence saith the Lord God. Therefore you dear Children who drink the deepest in Sufferings think it not hard for it is my purpose unto you all that have not any Eye to Self but alone seek my Glory in all you do I will make you more and more Honourable in the Glory of my Life and double my Blâ—ssings upon you and yours for I have â—eheld your Integrity and my Bowels are mightily moved with Compassion towards you therefore am I risen for your sakes this day to declare unto you my suffering People That not an Hair of your Head shall perish neither shall you be detained in Prisons and desolate Holes any longer than I have determined shall be for your eternal Good and
Field and confessed to the Truth and received it and after some time he did testifie to it and in 1653. he came into the North into Westmerland Cumberland and Lancashire and declared the Truth both in Steeple-Houses and Meetings and underwent great Sufferings Beating c. with the rest of Friends for the Truth and then after was Imprisoned at York and also at Northampton in 1654. And when I was brought up a Prisoner to Oliver Cromwell I got leave of him that brought me up to see him in that Prison and after that he Travelled up and down a great Part of the Nation declaring the Truth and went under great Sufferings with the rest of Friends who went in great hazard of their Lives declaring the Truth of Christ. And in his latter Days he was long Imprisoned in Warwick but after he was set at Liberty he came to Visit Friends at London where he bore a faithful Testimony for Love and Unity and against the Spirit of Division and after went back and finished his Course and laid down his Head at Warwick in Peace with the Lord in 1688. George Fox London the 16 th of the 10 th Month 1688. Here Followeth some Expressions of his amongst a few Friends near a week before his Departure this Life BEing met together rising from his Bed in great weakness of Body he said to them my God hath yet put in my Heart to bear a Testimony in his Name and blessed Truth and I can never forget the day of his great Power and blessed Appearance when he first sent me to Preach his Everlasting Gospel and proclaim the Day of the Lord to all the People and also he confirmed the same by Signs and Wonders and particularly by a Lame Woman who went on Crutches where I with my Dear Brethren George Fox nnd Richard Farnswarth were cast and as I cryed mightily unto the Lord in Secret that he would signally Manifest himself at that time amongst us and give witness of his Power and presence with us R. F. in the Name of the Lord took her by the Hand and G. F. after spoke to her in the Power of God and bid her stand up and she did and Immediately walked streight having no need of Crutches any more therefore Friends be faithful and trust in the Lord your God for this I can say I never since played the Coward but joyfully entered Prisons as Palaces telling mine Enemies to hold me there as long as they could and in the Prison House I sung praises to my God and esteemed the Bolts and Locks put upon me as Jewels and in the Name of the Eternal God I alway got the Victory for they could keep me no longer than the Determined time of my God and Friends this I must once again testifie to you in the Name of the Lord God that what I saw above thirty Years ago still rests as a Testimony to leave behind me That a Dreadful terrible Day is at hand and will certainly come to pass but the Time when I cannot say but all put on strength in the Name of the Lord and Wait to feel his Eternal Power to preserve you through the Tribulations of these days that approach very near in the sence of which I have often been distressed and bowed down in Spirit with Cryes and Tears to my God for the preservation of his Heritage and this I have further to signifie that my departure draws nigh blessed be my God I am prepared I have nothing to do but Dye and put off this corrupt mortal Tabernacle this Flesh that hath so many Infirmities but the Life that dwells in it transcends above all out of the reach of Death Hell and the Grave and Immortallity and eternal Life is my Crown forever and ever therefore you that are left behind fear not nor be discouraged but go on in the Name and Power of the Lord and bear a faithful and living Testimony for him in your day and the Lord will prosper his Work in your Hand and cause his Truth to flourish and spread abroad for it shall have the Victory and no Weapon formed against it shall prosper the Lord hath determined it shall possess the Gates of its Enemies and the Glory and the Light thereof shall shine more and more until the perfect Day so concluded in Prayers to the Lord with servent Breathings and Supplications for all his People every where but more especially for his dearly beloved Friends assembled together at the Yearly Meeting at London where he had intended to have been if the Lord had given him Health his dear Love was to all Friends that should enquire of him He departed this Life the 17 th of the 4 th Month at Warwick and was Buryed the 18 th 1688. This is the Word of the Living God to his Church he hath called and chosen out of the World to place his Name into order and guide in his pure Wisdom to his praise and glory who alone is worthy God over all blessed for ever THat in every particular Meeting of Friends Servants and Children of the most high God that there be chosen from among you one or two who are most grown in the Power and Life in the pure discerning in the Truth to take the care and charge over the Flock of God in that place and this is the Word of the living God to you who are chosen To watch over the Flock of God to whom I commit the charge and care to take the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy Lucre but of a ready minde I charge and command you in the presence of the living God not to rule as Lords over Gods Heritage but rule in the Power of the Spirit in all purity to be Examples to the Flock and to see that order be kept in the Church in constant meeting together according to the Rule that hath been given forth once a week or more if it may be beside the First-day Meeting and to have a general Meeting with other Friends near to you once in two or three weeks as the Lord orders and makes way Be not slack and backward but faithful to the Lord in improving every opportunity for Friends to meet and to lay the charge and care of some Friends that is the most grown in Truth in every Town where Friends are scattered to see they meet together to wait on the Lord three or four hours as the Lord orders one night or two in a week and to watch over one another with a pure single Eye to see those that come amongst them walk orderly according to what they profess and if any walk disorderly for them to whom the care and charge is committed or any other which discerns them and is moved to speak to them to deal plainly with them in reproving them and ministring to the pure in the Conscience for the restoring of them and if they will not reform acquaint two or three
purifies the Conscience and this is his Worship he hath determined in his unchangeable and heavenly Decree to establish in the Earth and over all Nations it shall stand he will scatter all as Dust that seek to oppress his People and resist the rising of his glory and thou shalt certainly know the Mouth of the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it Which if thou turn thy mind within to his Counsel in thee and in dilligent watchfulness encline thine Ear to his pure Spirit that calls for Righteousness in thy Heart and Conscience and be obedient with boldness to walk in the strait way of the daily Cross and deny the evil that accompanies the day and answer his requirings what he makes known unto thee then will he guard thee with the Power of his heavenly and dreadful Presence and will make thee a terror to evil doers that a Lyar or an Unclean person shall not be found in thy House nor any worker of Iniquity shall be able to stand before thee he will Cloath thee with Wisdom and thou shalt be able to Judge all Causes that is brought before thee in Righteousness then wilt thou put away all Sports Playes Pastimes Drunkenness Uncleanness and whatever grieveth his Spirit forth of thy sight and cleanse the Land of it through thy faithful walking with God who hath made thee a Son of Affliction from thy Youth that thou mightst learn to fear his Name which if thou do he will make thee a Terror to all Nations round about that devise mischief against thee the Angels of his presence will pitch their Tents about thee thou standing in his Counsel and giving Liberty to his Sons and Daughters as he moves them by his Spirit to walk in his Service who is the mighty God that requireth this of thee that thou do not lay a Bond upon the Spirits of his People in matters of Worship as to force all to one Uniformity for thou hast seen before thine Eyes that the Kings and Princes of this Woâ—ld that have sought so to do have brought much innocent Blood upon them who have been seeking by their outward Power to establish Sion with Blood and Ierusalem with Iniquity thus hath his People been Slain from day to day in the Nations that have been building Babel in whom is found the Blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus and all that is Slain upon the Earth for whose sake he is now risen to plead the Cause of those that fear him and walk humbly before him And this he requireth of thee in all things to mind his Law in thy Heart to do unto others as thou wouldst be done unto if thou wast in their places and they in thine and let mercy be found in thy Hands to all people as thou hast found mercy at the Hands of the Lord yea to thy Enemies and in what thou mayst live in Peace with all Men and in all thy undertakings seek not thy self let the glory of God be the Object of thy mind and wait to feel his Hand leading thee in what thou doest which if thou stand in his Counsel to do as he requireth of thee to mind thy Place and to keep the people in Peace and punish Sin and Wickedness and give free Liberty for the Lord with his Spirit to Rule in the Consciences of his people as he orders them to meet in his fear and witness forth his mind where he leads them without restraint and no more be given like Lambs to the Slaughter and driven to Prison like Sheep to the Fold but to have free Liberty in their peaceable lives to serve him their God then will he raise his Name in thy Fathers House and make thee a nursing Father unto his People and thou shalt partake of the Blessings with them that fear him and all the World shall be amazed to hear of his dreadful appearance for his people that obey his Spirit in this Nation which shall convince both Iew and Gentile that the mighty God is risen to manifest his Power to them that fear him in this Nation and these Northren Countries and the day is very near wherein it shall be no more said the Lord liveth that brought up the Children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt but the Lord liveth that brought up and led the Seed of the House of Israel out of the North-Country Oh King let his goodness constrain thee and all in thy Family to humble your selves before him what could he have done for thee more then he hath done hath he not been thy relief in thy greatest straits now let his goodness ingage thee to answer what he requires of thee then will he make thee one of the number of his Elect and Chosen and thy days will be fulâ— of gladness and thy Soul shall live forever in the Kingdom of glory with all the redeemed who are led with his Spirit but if thou reject his counsel his law in thy Heart and not regard his Spirit in thy inward parts but hearken to the counsel of thy own Heart and the wit and pollicy of the spirit of this World and so set up thy self on high and rob God of his Glory and give up his people as they have been to be pulled out of their peaceable Meetings and haled to and fro as Sheep that are slaying all the day long in tumults distresses afflictions stonings stripes prisons and death and set up proud covetous Men that know not God to be Teachers in the Land which draw people into Idolatry worshipping they know not what so the Blind leading the Blind they both fall into great wickedness which grieveth the Spirit of God and the liberty which is given to Playes Sports and Pastimes which draw people into drunkenness uncleanness and great abomination and if they be not reformed by thee but suffered to go on as they have been this will be thy portion as he hath multiplied on thee his mercies to astonishment of the people and Nations round about so will he stretch out the Arm of his Power against thee and get himself the glory in his mighty Judgments which shall be revealed in the great and terrible day of his fierce wrath wherein he will cleanse the Land of all that rob him of his glory and reject his counsel the Light of his Spirit in their Consciences and thou shalt certainly know the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it through his Servant which in faithfulness to thy Soul oh King hath not hid the Counsel of God from thee but greatly desireth thy eternal welfare and in patience waits that Righteousness may be established in the Earth who is known by name William Deusbery Prisoner at the date hereof in the common Goal at York for the Word of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ. But before this could be sent unto thee with a private and safe Hand I was set at Liberty with some other of my Brethren by thy late Proclamation which we own
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
hasten his peculiar People through the Tryals according to the determination of his own will for the Glory of his Name and the eternal Comfort of the righteous Seed which the Lord hath blessed that so he may establish Peace in the Earth and Purity and Holiness amongst the Children of Men which will be the end of all these Tribulations therefore wait in the Faith and Patience you chosen Vessels of the Lord anâ— be faithful in obedience as at other times with the Loyns of your minds girt up to the Lord in his unlimitted Power to rest and reign in a quiet still mind giving up both Goods and Life fâ—eely casting all your care upon the Lord who will answer the expectation of his People and work a mighty deliverance neither by Sword nor Spear but by his own out-stretched Arm in the day of his dreadful and terrible Vengeance which he is hastening upon the Earth that shall cause all Hearts to fail that know not God the Wicked shall confess to his righteous Judgments and the Righteous shall bow before him and the Heathen shall know he is our God and that we have not trusted in his Name in vain for he will judge righteously upon the Earth and give unto every Man according to the Deeds done in the Body then wo wo wo to the Proud and Wicked it shall go ill with them Ah but you dear Suffering Innocent People of the Lord lift up your hands and rejoyce for the Lord is dear over you as the apple of his Eye and great is the reward of the faithful 't is you shall reap the Fruit of your doings and shall rejoyce when the Wicked shall Roar and Howl in the sence of his fierce Wrath for he will get himself a glorious Name in consuming his Enemies with the breath of his Mouth and the brightness of his Coming even so hasten thy Work O Lord it s the breathing of my Soul with all thine that thy dear Children may be delivered from all their Oppressors that in thy Power and Life they all be kept by thee to the perfecting thy Glory forever where is the Rest of your dear Brother W. D. Dear Children of the living God LIft up your Heads in the Light of the Covenant of God and Reign in his Life and Power over all that would draw your minds from staidness in his fulness and give God a Sacrifice of Soul Body all he hath given you In the word of his patience to stand valiant when you are called of God let not Demas's nature be obeyed in any to forsake God and imbrace this present evil World. Dear Children as you have received Christ the Light Life and Power of the Father so let us walk in faithfulness to finish our Course to the Glory of our God who is now bringing to pass what he hath revealed to his Servants that we may shine in the Glory of the Word of Faith and Patience in Jesus Christ our Life in whom we do and shall enjoy all things needful in whatever is endured for his Name sake Oh be bold and valiant in Christ you in his Word and Life and Patience shall Reign forever to brâ—ng a Blessing upon all the Earth the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it through his Servant W. D. My dear beloved Brethren ANd blessed Companions in the Tribulations Kingdom and Patience in the Lord Jesus Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplyed in and amongst you to perfect you in the Dominion of the Almighty God to keep the Word of his Patience in faithfulness quietly to rest in that Will of God that the weighty Seed of God in you stand in pure liberty to keep you all in the Life and Power of Truth that every one of you may have the Seal of the Spirit of God in your own Hearts that you suffer for the Word of God and Testimony of Jesus Christ then whatever is done to you he takes it as done unto himself and will judge your Cause in Righteousness to the Confusion of the Faces of them that afflict you in this his day wherein he wilâ— bring forth his Praises over all the Earth to the astonishment of the Nations and People that know not God c. Oh my dear Friends the Lord recompence into your Bosoms an Hundred fold for your faithfuâ—ness to the Lord in which you have caused his Renown to sound over the Land to the comfort of the Hearts of the Upright you have largely consolated and made glad my Heart in these my Bonds and caused my Soul to rejoyce with high Praises unto my God in whom I behold the Travel of my Soul and am satisfied in my return to the Prison-House bearing the Sheaf with joy Stand faithful Witnesses for the Almighty God blessed forever even the Lord God of eternal Power keep you in the savory Life together in Love and Unity and Faithfulness unto the end and in all things your words to be few and in the fear of God So saith my Soul in the Name of the Lord Farewel Your dear Brother W. D. FRiend thou who wast in the Place of the Mayor in Terrington the Thirtieth day of the seventh Month with the others that say with thee they are in Commission to do Justice the day before mentioned you abused the Power committed to you and turned your Swords against the Innocent whom you wounded inasmuch as you could In the fear of God consider what you have done is this the Fruit of your Fasting and Humbling your selves as you say when you have done to Smite with the Fist of Wickedness and instead of entertaining Strangers you use them so Barbarously as was made manifest when I was with you this is not to Rule for God an account you must give to the Judge of Heaven and Earth Oh Men How will you stand in that day when it shall be said unto you I was Sick and in Prison and you Visited me not Hungry and you gave me no Meat Naked and you Clothed me not a Stranger and you took me not in The day is near to this account you will be called with the Lord of Life and Glory and though you say When did we see thee in Prison or a Stranger and took thee not in the answer to you as is Recorded in the Scripture of Truth Inasmuch as you did it not to the least of those that Believed in my Name you did it not to me saith Christ of whom the Scripture Testifies Oh Men while you have time prize it and sleight not the day of God's Mercy and come unto him and diligently encline your Ear to his Counsel the Light in your Consciences that lets you see the evil of your Hearts and your unjust proceedings against Innocent Men and wait in the Light that will shew you as is written that the Lord may give you Repentance unto Life that you perish not in the day of his fierce Wrath wherein he will recompence to every one according to
Birth Immortal which in you breathes through over and above all the Pomp Pride and Pleasure of the World to enjoy the fulness of Life in Christ who liveth forever with the Light of the Lord judge all your own thoughts and desires which would draw from the Light that in the Life of God you reign over all Doubts Fears Cares Representations of evil and hardships which would look you in the Face in this trying day which is now manifest to the sight of all people that fear the Lord all take heed of consulting with Flesh and Blood or suffering an evil Spie to go forth in the reach of your Sence reason to fore-see how you may pass through such tryals as may appear to your Sence if you hearken to these reasonings you go from the Light and so will be weakned in your spiritual Travel as Israel was in the daies of old So all dear Lambs and chosen Vessels in the Light of the Lord wait to receive his strength to tread down every motion that is out of the Life of the voice of Christ the high Priest over the houshold of God you all hear and feel who saith in his Light believe in the Name of the Lord and you shall see his mighty Works brought to pass while you stand still in Obedience and Peace with the Lord and he will clear your Innocency and smite the Hearts of them that devise mischief against you so shall you behold the Lord in his glory pleading your Cause with the raighty of the Earth whom he will make to confess and say it is in vain to afflict a People whom the Lord supports or to destroy whom the Lord God will save for as it hath been proclaimed in your Ears certainly it shall come to pass the Lord will try all that they may be known who are born of him for whom God will appear to carry through with joy whatever he calls unto and by his mighty Arm will bring deliverance unto us who cannot handle Sword nor Spear neither trust in the Arm of Flesh but in the spiritual Power and Life in the Light which he will exalt over all contrary to him so will he make his Name famous in the Earth because of his glory which he will reveal to cover the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea and all ungodliness will be buried in the deep and sink as a Stone to the bottom thereof and never rise agaâ—n over the Just but the Righteous shall rejoyce that the Lord reigneth their Strength and Life blessed for ever So all Brethren and Sisters lift up your Heads in the valiant Spirit of the Lamb which bears all things and endures all things that in his Light Life and Power every particular reign over whatever is contrary to him and rest in peace in a faithful resignation to the heavenly Will of the Lord and in his Name meet and his presence you will feel in the mid'st of you who will not suffer one hair of your Heads to perish but which is for his glory and as you abide faithful to him for the eternal comfort of our Souls for ever so in Faith and Patience in the Power of the Lord all in your own measures received of God stand stand still all in the pure unity with the Lord and with one another in his living Dominion rest in peace God will give you an answer of all your Prayers and Tears an expected end in refreshing your Souls with his Light and Power and Life forever in whom you shall sit under your own Vines and never more shall any make you afraid the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it through your Brother in the Tribulation and Kingdom of Patience in Christ Farewell W. D. From York Castle the 4 th of the 9 th Month 1662. Dear Lambs and Babes LIft up your Heads in the Light and Life of God that you may keep the Word of his patience which will carry you up over and above all the afflâ—ctions you meet withall in this present World for the Lord is dear over you and your lives are pretious in his sight who hath called you to witness forth his glorious Truth this day through Tribulations and Afflictions to enter the Kingdom Oh be bold and valiant in the Patience of the Lamb and in the love of his own Life feel his vertue filling you that in the eternal unity you may grow Pillars in his Temple unmoveable to bear your faithful Testimony to the astonishment of the Enemies of Sion and the praise and glory of the God of our Strength Life and Righteousness over all who Reigneth and Ruleth for ever and the God of Life bless preserve and keep you in Unity and Love over all in his Life to Reign to his glory for ever Farewell W. D. From York Castle the 2 d of the 7 th Month 1662. Dear Suffering Brethren FOR the Testimony of the Name of the Lord the strength of the Almighty God is with you and the eternal Crown of glory shall rest upon your Heads that in your faithful Obedience refresheth the Flock of the living God Oh lift up your Heads you chosen Vessels in the Light of the Lord arise up in his Strength and Reign over every thought and whatever would streighten you of drinking in of the fulness of the vertue of God that you may alwaies be fall of the Power of the Spirit to water the Plants and build up the Feeble in mind and speak a word in due season to the Weary and Oppressed in Spirit that the Blind may see and the Lame walk and the tongue of the Dumb loosed to praise the Name of the Lord in the Assembly of his People that the glory of the Lord may be spread abroad in and through you his chosen Vessels whom the Lord hath called to be the first-Fruits amongst many Brethren The eternal glory of the Lord rest upon you and cover you saith your Brother and Companion in the Name of the Lord. W. D. From York Castle the 21 th day of the 8 th Month 1662. Dear beloved Brethren and Sisters IN the eternal love of the Lord Jesus Oh my dear beloved ones love the Lord Jesus and delight your Hearts in his Light Power and Life of our beloved who hath chosen you in his eternal love to make known his everlasting Salvation in the sight of all people that he may get himself a Name over all in carrying you in your faithful Testimony to the astonishment of all that know not God and exalting his glorious Name over all and spreading his renown to the ends of the Earth Oh be valiant my beloved Friends in resisting the thoughts of your own Hearts that in the eternal depth of the love of God in Christ you grow and abound to the eternal comfort of one another and the glory and praise of God over all blessed for ever and ever in which Farewell W. D. York Castle the 17 th of the 1 st Month 1662
the Glory of my Name forever Therefore in my Life stand faithful in resistance of every evil Thought or whatever would cause you to murmer or desire any thing but what you know will advance the Glory of my Name and the Exaltation of my Truth over all that riseth up against it in your being truly subject to the measure of my Light and Life that will not let any seek a Pre-eminence or esteem amongst Men neither let Self-striving nor Self-serving have power in any but in true Humility Love and Meekness watch one over another and let the strong take the weak by the Hand that you may all gently in Love Meekness and holy Fear dread my Name and serve one another that your Love may be manifest unto me saith the Lord your God and one unto another in the naked simplicity of your Spirits then will I make my Dwelling amongst you and with you and my dreadful and glorious Presence you shall all feel mightily in you and amongst you moving in the exercise of my Spirit to the Renown of my Name and the Comfort of one another and I will Crown you with heavenly Blessings and the Glory of my Powerful Life and you shall praise my Name forever that I made you my Jewels and counted you worthy to suffer for the Testimony of my Name I will go before you through all the Waters and Floods of Afflictions and I will appear with you before all the Counsels of the Sons of Men and my saving Power shall compass you about in your hot and sharp Afflictions all you who have your Confidence alone in me the LORD your GOD. Therefore trust in my Name ye my dear Children and cast all your care upon me And if any of you joyfully suffer the Spoiling of your Goods I will supply with what is needful for you and yours And if any of you seal your Testimony in the Word of my Patience with your Blood I will take care of your tender Wives and Children or Parents for whom your Souls have been poured forth in Prayers unto me for their good Therefore hear my Word which is sounded unto you from the Throne of my Grace and eternal Glory Rejoyce not too much in Spirits being made subject but throw down your Crowns before me that there be not a Self-seeking Self-serving Spirit in the Family of my People but all feel the Birth Immortal raised up in the Resurrection of my Life in you all which truly makes Self of no Reputation so that all Loftiness be laid low and all Haughtiness bowed down in every one that I the Lord God in you all may be loved obeyed and exalted who is taking and will take to me my greaâ— Power to exalt the Meek upon the Earth and reign over all the Pride of the Children of men that is exalted above my Witness in their Conscience that so my Sons may be brought from far and my Daughters from the ends of the Earth in the sight of all People whom I will make to confess in Subjection to my Power That you are the beloved People of the most high God and of the righteous Seed which the Lord hath Blessed and not any Weapon formed against you shall prosper but come to nought which will be hastened for your Comforts and certainly performed according to what is here declared to your Eternal Joy and you shall assuredly know the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it The Word of the Lord before expressed came to me in the Prison-House in Warwick the 13 th day of the first Month 1664. which constrained me to send it to be read amongst you dear faithful and suffering People of the Almighty God in whom I remain your Brother and Companion in Tribulation and Kingdom of Patience in the Lord Iesus Christ. W. D. Oh thou beloved Seed of God in London Hartford Bristol Redding and Colchester with all in other Places where the Power of Hell and Darkness is begun to make War in the fierceness of his Wrath and great Fury as though he would destroy and utterly lay waste ALL you dear Children born again of the Royal Seed who is raised up in the Power of the most High to bear the Name of the Lord in the Earth and to shine forth in the lively Image of his own Nature amongst the People in your loving the Lord Jesus better then all the World and the created objects and enjoyments therein and in this day of your great Trial you are found faithful in the Name of the Lord to withstand all the Power of Hell and Darkness and to make War in Righteousness neither with Sword nor Spear but in the Word of the Patience of the Lamb of God who overcame and was made perfect in sufferings Oh you chosen Vessels whom the Lord â—ath counted worthy to stand in the heat of the Trial in the excellent noble Life to bear your Testimony with the hazard of the loss of your estates and Liberty even to Banishment yea to lay down your lives if the Lord require it at your Hands to the comforting and incouraging of all your dear Brethren whose eyes are upon you and their Prayers and Breathings to the Lord for you that he may carry you on with boldness and sweeten your Passage until in faithfulness you have finished what is determied of the Lord in drinking of this Cop he is handing unto you that he may make you manifest to be his dear and chosen Jewels to the perfecting of the praise and glory of the Name of our God over all blessed forever Oh you valiant Brethren and beloved Sisters cloathed with the excellency of the glory of the incomprehensible God lift up your Heads in the Name of the Lord trample upon all the fear of Man and upon aâ—l the Representations of hardships of parting with dear and tender Wife or loving Husband or with your dear and tender Children which lyes near to the Hearts of loving Parents Oh how doth the compassion of a Father flow forth towards them and the earning of the Bowels of a tender and loving Mother towards the dear and tender Children when the Trial looks in the Face of being separated from them and to see their Faces no more Dear chosen Vessels of the most high God let not any of these things enter into you as to trouble or weaken your Testimony for the Lord who hath commanded me to write unto you to cast your care upon the Lord and be faithful in standing approved before him in your faithful Testimony he will be more then Wife to Husband or Husband to Wife or Parents to Children or Children to Parents yea he will instruct our Children with his Spirit and teach them his Fear though they should be in the Hands of their Enemies so that our Children shall not want the thing that is good for them The Lord hath sealed his Counsel to me which I here declare unto you Parents of tender Children whose Trial is
in the Earth for his Seed sake and many that shall have their lives given them for a prey shall receive the Word of Eternal Life in that City and great shall be the number who shall submit to the Government of Christ and they shall bless the Lord for you that love not your lives to death for the Glory of God and gathering the Sons and Daughters of Men to the Knowledge of God by your holy lives and sweet walking in all holiness of Conversation Oh blessed be the day that ever you were born yea my Soul Glorifies God for you that ever you had a being you faithful Lambs in the City of London and else where scattered according to the Will God Though you now drink a Cup of great Affliction the day of Eternal Joy is sprung up to thee which none can take away an eternal Freedom shall be unto thee Oh Sion Kings shall come unto thee and Princes to the rising of this thy Glorious Day and all thy Enemies shall fall before thee and thou shalt be the Glory over all the Earth and the chosen Diadem in the Hand of thy God amongst the People who shall as much love thee as they now hate thee and esteem of thee as they now despise thee for thou Oh Sion art the Plant of the Lord the Tree of Righteousness in whom is the vertue of the mighty God of Heaven and the leaf of thy Tree shall heal the Nations and put an end to all their distractions the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Through one that dwells within thy Gates thou Glorious and Beautiful Sion Church of the first Born the Beloved Bride the Lambs Wife forever Blessings Glory and Praises Hallelujahs Eternal Honour and Renown be unto thy God and King who reigneth in thee and is exalting his Kingdom over all the Kingdoms of this World and of his Dominion there shall be no end W. D. From the Common Goal in Warwick the 12 th of the 6 th Meneth 1665. For the dear Daughters of Sion whom the Lord hath or shall suffer their dear and tender Husbands to be separated from them beyond the Seas or else-where for the Testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ. DEar Handmaids of Glory whom the Lord hath counted worthy to part with your dear and tender and beloved Husbands for the Name of the Lord assuredly many puts their Shoulders to help to bear the Burthen of your Tryals this day O the Tears and breakings of Heart that is poured forth before the Lord for your dear Husbands and you and your tender Children you are Families of many prayers and assuredly shall be known to be Families of many Mercies O dear Daughters of Sion be content with your Cup handed forth to you this day and bless the Name of the Lord that you are accounted worthy to be the first Fruits among the beloved Daughters What could the Lord do more for you then to count you worthy to suffer in this nature to give you such blessed Husbands that are set as glorious Lights in the face of all People Dear chosen beloved Daughters of Sion let it be seen you love the Lord Jesus more then your dear Husbands and stand over the affectionate Part and solace your Souls in the Love and Life of the Lord Jesus your eternal and beloved Husband and Comforter of your real Husbands and will make us all to rejoyce in whatever he calls us unto we diligently watching and judging our selves and resting in the Light and Will of God in which the Lord establish you you deâ—r beloved Daughters of Sion for whom breathes the Soul of your dear Brother daily to the Lord to strengthen you and your dear Husbands and all that love the Lord Jesus Christ In whom fare you well W. D. Warwick common Gaol the 10 th of the 8 th Month 1664. For my dear honorable Brethren who are or may be sentenced to be Transported to the Isles beyond the Sea for the Testimony of the Name of the Lord Jesus MY dear Friends in the suffering of the Lamb who liveth and reigneth forever and ever and shall overcome all his Enemies in the day determined that all his Enemies shall bow under the Soles of his Feet then shall all that oppress you call you the blessed of the Lord forever O my dear Brethren lift up your Heads in the Light and Life of Jesus for whom you suffer abide in his Light reign over your thoughts of either Wife or Children or whatever would trouble your minds for giving up freely in this your Testimony O you valiants among the People the first Fruits and the leading Champions the Lord is with you and Thousands and ten Thousands shall bless the Name of the Lord for your faithful Testimony which shall sound over Nations to the gathering the People and bringing in our little Sister who hath no Breasts to feel the Consolation of the life of our Beloved for whom we suffer this day O my dear Brethren triumph trimuph in the face of all your Enemies it shall be well with you wheresoever the Lord suffers you to be carried and as to your tender Wives and Children the Lord hath said to my Soul it shall be well with them the blessing of the Lord shall rest upon them forever and ever and with you to the comfort of the Isles that wait for his Law therefore in the peaceable power of the Lord go on you chosen Brethren of the suffering seed which the Lord hath blessed O happy men that ever you were born and blessed be the day that ever the Lord called you in his Power to stand faithful in what the Lord requires of you in which living Testimony you stream through the whole Body as a River of Oyle and vertuous refreshings whose memorial shall never perish but preach to Ages and Generations to the Glory of the Name of our God forever O go on with gladness with trimuph for it is to bring in the Seed from all the ends of the Earth that our Brethren may come from far and Sisters from the end of the World O mighty God cover thy faithful Servants with thy glorious Power and cause them and their Families to rejoyce in thy disposing of them forever and ever Amen My Life in the suffering Spirit go with you in the Name of the Lord forever my dear Companions in these bonds Salute you in the Love of the Lord. Farewel W. D. From the Common Gaol of Worwick the â—0 th of the 8 th Month 1665. The Word of the Lord to all Children born again of the Immortal Seed as the Salutation of the Bowels of the unlimitted Love of the Father flowing forth to you in the forcible Power of his own Life thorow your Brother and Companion in Tribulation and Kingdom of Patience in the Lord Jesus Christ. DEar and honourable Brethren and Sisters Oh how doth my Soul bless the Name of the Lord for you who stands faithful to God in your living
towards another And when â—effery Bullocks Papeâ—s were published in Print which would appear to the Reader of a tendancy as to the breach of Unity which would cause the Enemies of God to Rejoyce it did so wound my Spirit that for many Week they that saw me did not expect that I would continue long in the Body But God in his Mercy restored Strength in his Appointed time And when I did hear that some in the West did intend to Publish in Print against some Friends I bore my Testimony against such proceedings and told one that did favour what was intended that I would have my Hand cut off before I would exercise it in such undertakings And desired him to speak to W. R. that he would not proceed in publishing any thing of that nature for if he did it would be a prejudice to Truth and would produce very sad Consequences that would follow and my Spirit would be deeply wounded as it is this day through these Proceedings that voluntarily through want of Love casts away the Judgment that is given to the People of the Saints of the most High God to keep all sweet and savoury amongst us into the Hands of the Enemies of God as an inlet for them to come unto the midst of us to sit as Judges and trample upon us So to Clear my Conscience of all False Reports cast upon me as that I have Encouraged what is brought forth as before written and to satisfie all Friends in God I have Laboured according to the Ability God hath given me to prevent the publishing all things of that Nature as afore-said and have Endeavoured with all concerned that I could meet with to have a care of watching for Evil lest they provoke one another to wrath and so quench the love But rather look at the good one in another and in the Love of God Minister to preserve them forth of any weakness they did see lay near to attend them that so the pure Holy Spirit of Life and Love that first gathered us into it self to be a People in God and in his blessed Authority to raign over what was and is contrary to his blessed Nature may again restore where it is wanting in the Universality of its blessed Power to make up the Breaches and to restore the Desolate ones in causing every one that Professeth the Blessed Truth of God to love their Neighbour as themselves and so to do unto all as they would have others to do unto them that so all concerned in the Exercise in the Measure of the Grace of God in Christ that seeks the peace of his People may stand as Saviours upon mount Sion to the Honour of the Name of the Lord our God and the Eternal comfort of all that love not their Lives unto Death to serve the Lord and his dear and chosen People in the Meek Patient and Peaceable Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ. In which the Lord keep you all with my Soul that in his pure and Peaceable Dominion we all Reign and throw down our Crowns before his Throne and all unanimously Sing all Glory Honour Praises Thanksgiving and Dominion be given to him who is found worthy to sit upon his Throne in all our Consciences Christ Jesus the true Light and hope of our Glory even so be it with all that Professeth his Blessed Truth Saith my Soul in the Name of the Lord. W. D. From Warwick the 8 th day of the 3 d Month 1682. MY Dear Faithful suffering Brethren and Sisters in Bristol Gloucester and elsewhere for the Word of God and Testimony of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Oh lift up your Heads you Blessed of the Lord whose dayes are prolonged to see this blessed day which was sounded in your Ears above twenty Years by past and have counted you worthy to receive this blessed Crown of his suffering Spirit for all you that freely resign to suffer for his Name in true sincerity shall reign forever with him in eternal glory therefore in the Name of the Lord I beseech you all convinced of Gods blessed Truth do not lend your Ear to any counsel in you or without you that would cause you to fly Sufferings and so deny the Suffering Jesus before Men for if you do you know it is written then he will deny you before his Heavenly Father c. But all you chosen Jewels that so loves the Lord that you dare but do as Godly Daniel did walk with your God as at other times with the hazard of both Estate Liberty and Life Oh Blessed blessed be the day that ever the Lord Crowned you with this blessed frame of Spirit in receiving Jesus to be your guide even so the Lord keep you and lead you to the living Fountains of living Water which in the Light is always opened in you give not way to your own thoughts but in the Light Judge them down as fast as they appear then will you be kept out of the streightness of your own Bowels in the Heavenly enlargedness in the Light Thought and Will of God whose thoughts are good and not evil to give you all an expected end in answering all the desires he hath raised up in you to do his will Therefore arise in the pure Peaceable Spirit of the Lord cast your care upon him he will arm you with Patience to endure the Tribulation which will cause the Beholders to admire as it is written in the Scriptures of Truth Behold the Patience and Faith of the Saints which will overcome all that withstand the rising of his Glory who is the God of our help over all blessed forever Where is the Rest of your tribulated Brother in the Kingdom of Patience in Christ Iesus W. D. Warwick the 17 th of the 5 th Month 1682. My Antient Friend Edward Nightingal WHom the Lord counted worthy to receive his Blessed Truth with many in that City and County when the Lord sent forth his Servants and called me to forsake Wife and Children and to give up my Life daily into his Will to endure Stripes and Bruises in many Tumults with the rest of my faithful Brethren who loved not our Lives to Death for your sakes to gather thee and all that received the Truth that you might enjoy the Presence of the Lord and amongst many others we counted thee worthy to receive his Servants that meet together in the heavenly Unity in the Truth for which both thou and I with many of the Servants of God was put into Prison as many of his Servants are this day c. And the blessed Presence of God kept and doth keep them that truly fear his Name in sweet Unity and Peace in himself and one with another to their everlasting Comfort and to the confounding the Enemies of God to behold their stedfast standing and entire union to bear their faithful Testimony in whatever they were or are called unto for the Truth of God which did not only confound Gods