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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50608	The Memory of that servant of God, John Story, revived shewing what manner of man he was from his youth to his grave, by the testimonies of several friends, to whom he was well known, and by whom, for his work sake in the truth, he was greatly beloved : to which is adjoyned something written by him, &c., in his latter years, wherein his judgment is shewn concerning some particular things, and his great desires for love, unity, concord, and peace in the church of Christ.	Wilkinson, John, d. ca. 1683. Brief relation concerning the life and death of John Story.	1688 (1688)	Wing M1702; ESTC R19789	42,298	47

as I have approved my self a Man of Peace so my Desires are that the Peace of God in the Love and Unity of the Truth may abound amongst you And now Friends I shall leave it to the Righteous God to Judge whether what is now proposed be not according to the Spirit of Truth which by its appearance in every Member of the Church of Christ at this day is become the only Lawgiver in every such Member in Matters that relate to the World to come for by it we are instructed in our Heavenly Duties to God Viz. How to Sacrifice to Worship and Serve him acceptably by Obedience to all his Requirings and through the same are the Lords People led into such Methods or Outward Practices wherein they are helpful and Serviceable each to other in their Generation for the Lord alone ought to be ey'd in and beyond Outward Forms though his Presence hath been and still is with his People in those Forms he leads into and so to him let us look who was before all Time and Days of this Fading World and is the Alpha and Omega the Beginner and Finisher of the Work of our Redemption which was and which is and which is to come the Almighty who alone ought to be minded beyond all visible Things and unto him in all our Exercises whether Inward or Outward my Soul desires we may all be kept even in that Spiritual Appearance of our Lord and Saviour which is that acceptable Day which shines in the Inward Man through which God hath made me amongst many other of his Servants partaker of that Heavenly Religion which is unspotted many of you know our Beginning was in his Holy Spirit and Power through which Death is and shall be more fully abolished and Life and Immortality brought to Light in and through which Power alone the Saints have and shall be throughly Sanctified and Perfected for ever and through it are the Heirs of that Eternal Inheritance and Heavenly Kingdom which outlasts all Outward Things and never fadeth away where all the Longings Earnings and Desires of the Righteous shall be fully Answered and Satisfied for evermore with the full Injoyment of that Life and Immortality over which the Second Death hath no Dominion and then may it be truly said of such That they are entred in and do take their Possessions Now into this Life in which the Heavenly Brotherhood and Fellowship of Saints stand the Lord gather you all more and more that whatever hath appeared in any contrary thereto may by his Word of Life be broken down subdued and rise no more that into the Bond of Peace and Union in the Truth ye may be again United and become Co-workers together as Gods Heavenly Family in the Love even in that Love which thinks no Evil for the Desire of my Soul is that ye may be cemented and Established together upon that Everlasting Rock and Foundation which the Gates of Hell and Death can never prevail against I shall now conclude with those wholesome words of the Apostle of our Lord and Saviour Put on therefore as the Elect of God Holy and Beloved Bowels of Mercies Kindness Humbleness of Mind Meekness Long-Suffering Forbearing one another if any Man have a Quarrel against any even as Christ forgave you even so do ye and above all these Things put on Charity which is the Bond of Perfectness and let the Peace of God Rule in your Hearts to the which you are called Col. 3. 12. So in the Desire to the Lord God that these things may truly be weighed and have place with you I rest Your Servant in the Work and Labour of the Gospel John Story POST-SCRIPT LET this Epistle be read in an Assembly to be appointed for both Meetings Viz. that called Quarterly and that called Separate in or near Kendal for my earnest Desire is that it should be so Read because as I said before I have a Concern upon my Spirit thus to write unto you both the things therein Contained I Recommend to Gods Witness in all your Consciences not desiring to Impose on any I knowing this that where it is awakened there will be an Answer to the Spirit of Peace and Truth in which 't was wrote and though some have given forth their false Censures and false Prophesies concerning me and others laid various Temptations before me which I look upon to be the Work of the Common Enemy that so I might have Stumbled and Fallen though those in whom it hath so wrought may not have an Eye open to see it yet my Joy and Rejoycing in the Lord is that they have not yet removed me from the hope of the Gospel Blessed be the Name of God for ever more for to his Praise and Glory and in his Fear which hitherto hath Preserved me I speak it my Cryes the Lord hath heard and he hath given me a certain Knowledge of his Way otherwise I might have been in great Danger to have sunk into the Pit of Confusion and never risen more but his Love is unchangeable his Mercy never fails them that put their Trust in him this by long Experience can I now Speak therefore I exhort and intreat you all to turn your Minds to his Inward Appearance through which his Love which is stronger than Death will be shed abroad in your Hearts and his Power be felt which will remove that which hath been the Cause of your Breach that you may come again to walk together in that Heavenly Charity through which no former Miscarriage will be remembred and so come to Serve him with one Heart in that way of Life which he hath made known unto us in these latter Days and thus you may finish your Course with Joy and leave this World in Peace and Injoyment of Immortality and take your Possessions in that Kingdom in which the Fulness of Joy that ever shall be is Inherited and where through the Earnest and Assurance of the Heavenly Kingdom the last End of the Righteous is Crowned with Honour and in that Day the many Temptations that have and do attend Gods People in this Fading Life shall cease and never be again J. S. Calne the last of the 7th Month 1677. And at present for a Conclusion we Thus End NOw as to all such that have or yet may think to defame us by saying in a proud scoffing manner These are Storians or of Story ' s Spirit we know nothing that he either held or practised on a Religious Account but what was agreeable to the Holy Scriptures and the Testimony of Gods Spirit as received amongst us in the Beginning so he is gone to his Grave no Sect-Master but a Follower of Christ and we never desire to follow him nor any Man but in the Steps and Way of that Stable Truth that shall outlast all New Inventions and Envious Nick-Names And although for a time the multitude of Israel did give their Ear-rings or Jewels of Prey to Giddion to make a Golden Ephod and said he should Rule over them the Evil Snare and Shame it afterwards brought upon them and him might be a Warning to others Giddions Beginning was Glorious and wonderfull but when the Hearts of that People began to turn from the Lord they tempted Giddion they were suffered to be a Snare to one another FINIS ERRATA Page 8. Line last but 2 for of trouble read of the trouble p. 11. l. 22. f. as Friends r. all Friends p. 12. l. 16. f. and as some r. as some l. 39. f. Opposers at r. Opposers of or at p. 13. l. 29. f. amongst you r. against you p. 19. l. 15. f. are we r. we are p. 26. l. 33. f even r. evil p. 28. l. 1. f. Keep 's r. Keyes and the Folio to be made 28. p. 32. l. 3. f. one r. own l. 33. f. now r. nor l. 43. f. thy years r. the year

to the Strengthening and Comforting the Weak and Feeble of the Flock whom he had Laboured and Travelled for and also to the stopping the Mouths of all Gainsayers whose Opposition at that day was very great Much could I speak and that within the compass of my own knowledge to the particulars of many Sufferings by way of Imprisonment and other Dangers and Jeopardies that he was often in in his Masters Work and Service which I shall here omit and that because I would rather straiten my self than be tedious to the Reader when that is said I have this further to add which I cannot be clear to omit or pass by Viz. That he was always a very plain hearted Man in plainness speaking the Truth to the Face and never could endure either in himself or others Whispering or Backbiting but would sharply reprove it whereever he found it and furthermore all Outward Shews Formalities Jestures or Deportments whatsoever that was by the Creature brought forth in the Likeness or Imitation of the true Power without the Powers bringing forth thereof his Righteous Soul always abhorred And for the Confirmation thereof one thing amongst many I well remember that whereas there was a Day of shaking the Outward Body by the stirrings of the true Power some in imitation thereof as I have observed in his Presence in their own Strength have imitated the like which he would in the Integrity of his Soul Judge saying Away with Deceit and such like words exhorting and advising all to be plain hearted and that they should be what they appear'd to be by the Grace of God and not otherwise And so remaining from time to time as a Man not subject to change his way holding forth his Testimony in Faithfulness to God not only against prophane and sinful Actions but also against all Formalities set up by Man though under pretence of the Motion of the true Power advising the Creature to be inward to God and there to wait to know the true Power it self to bring forth a Form through every man whereby they might have the certain Sense and Knowledge how to do and perform the thing well pleasing to their heavenly Father that thereby they might in the end be accepted of him he was not a Man of Shadows but for the Substantial Part of Religion and to his last I very well remember his Discourse run much after this manner That they were the only Blessed People and for evermore happy who had received the Knowledge of the right Spirit if so be they continued to wait and walk therein to the end of their Days because it is they that remain in well doing unto the end that shall be Crowned Unto which End it is my Faith and Belief in God he hath attained and is now entred into the Joys of that Heavenly Kingdom out of the reach of all envious and clamorous Tongues where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary be at rest there the Prisoners rest together they hear not the voice of the Oppressor the Small and great are there and the Servant is free from his Master And he having been serviceable in the Hand of the Lord and Instrumental to Convert many Souls to God doth and must shine as a Star in the Firmament of God So having eased my Mind by writing these few Lines before exprest concerning this my dear Friend of whom I do assure the Reader I had as certain a knowledge as the very import of the words will bear and forasmuch as the Harvest yet remains great and the true Labourers therein are but few what further shall I say but with this to conclude Viz. Let us cry mightily to the great Lord of the Harvest to pour forth a double portion of his Spirit upon some worthy Instrument as he did upon Elisha to Succeed him in that Work and Service J. M. The Testimony of Robert Arch. FRiends unto all you do I write who have in any measure secretly or openly vilifyed and reproached that Servant of the Lord J. S. or have had any hand in the hindring of him in his bearing a faithful Testimony to the Truth of which he was an Able Minister in publishing the Gospel of Christ and have endeavoured to the utmost of your Power to stop and hinder him in his Declaration and Travel amongst the People of God by evil Surmisings and false Reports and Accusations have raised a Prejudice in the Hearts of People against him without any just Cause on his part given that I know of Consider O Friends What is the Cause that ye have so done Have ye known him to be a Man of an ill Life or a bad Conversation Or hath he committed any Evil or Sinned or Transgressed against God his Truth or People that ye have so hated him Or hath he been one that hath Preached any False Doctrine or held any Principles contrary to Truth Or did he bring in any Innovations amongst the People of God or build again any of those things that he hath by his Ministry destroyed in others If he hath done none of those things nor committed any Personal Trespass against you as some of you have confessed what then was the cause of your Envy and hating of him Was it because he would not bow down nor Worship any other God than the God of Israel Or was it because he would not submit to some Outward Orders Prescriptions or Rules prescribed by Fall'n Man If this be the Cause then do not you Condemn your selves in Judging of him For what People in this latter Age have laboured and Travelled more than some of you have done to bring People out of the Practice and Observation of Outward Things which they called The Ordinances of Christ some of which the Saints in Times past did Practice and perform for a Time as the Scripture maketh mention and also from the many Forms Decrees and Orders that the Professors have been jangling about and Persecuting one another counting it all but Dung and Dross in comparison of the Grace of God or Light of Christ which was held forth to be sufficient to lead unto Salvation and in the Light we were directed to wait upon God to know his Mind and Will to act and do in Outward Things as God should direct us by his Good Spirit And have you not look't upon all those Outward Orders Prescriptions and Ordinances as the Outward Court of the Temple that was given unto the Gentiles to tread under Foot and yet now after all these large Declarations and Testimonies against those Outward Things for you to incourage the Setting up such Things and not only so but to Judge and Condemn others for not Conforming unto your Outward Orders Censuring Friends out of Vnity that do not practice them which is the greatest Penalty that you can inflict for want of Outward Power as if the Saints Unity stood in the Practice and Performance of those Outward Orders Oh! Friends consider of these

Things and lay it to heart for this is not doing as you would have others do unto you and do not think that the Saints Unity stands in those Things but in the Spirit and Truth Therefore Friends I do exhort and admonish you all to repent of the Evil you have done against the abovesaid Servant of the Lord J. S. or against any other of his Faithful Friends and Brethren and beware in time to come and watch in the Light of the Son of God against that Spirit in you that Lusts to Envy or to Hate Oppose or Persecute your Brethren And remember what the Apostle John said He that saith he is in the Light and hateth his Brother is in Darkness and walketh in Darkness and knoweth not whether he goeth because the Darkness hath blinded his Eyes So let this be a Warning unto you all that you may not in time to come stop or hinder any of the the Servants of the Lord in the Work of the Ministry that so you may avoid that Sentence of Go ye Cursed and which will be the Portion of all those that are found smiting their Fellow Servants R. A. Leonard Coal's Testimony DEar John Story whom the Lord made an Instrument in his Hand and fil'd with Heavenly Treasure and gave him his Word to Declare which he often did in the Counsel and Wisdom received of God dispensing it aright to the Capacities and Understandings of the Hearers for the opening thereof and did reach to Gods Witness in many he was well known to me and I had through the Goodness of the Lord opportunity to accompany him of late in some of his Travels in which time and ever since I knew him which was about twenty years he always behav'd himself as a Pattern of Righteousness which answered the Good in all He was always ready to give Advice to the Weak and Instruction to those who were enquiring the Way to Gods Kingdom and through the Operation of Gods Spirit could direct them to distinguish between the Im●ginacions of the Enemies deceitful working and Imaginations of their own Hearts and the true Mo●ions of Gods Spirit which Motion I am fully perswaded he knew right well he much desired and prayed for Quietness and Unity in the One Spirit of God and that all Friends might know it and follow the Leadings and Guidance of it in all things that relate to Gods Worship and Service and that they might not act by Imitation on that account and that People might come to know the way to Gods Kingdom and walk in it he often desired God to forgive those that spoke evil of him and that they might repent of their Slanderous and Lying Reports and False Prophesies of him And now the Lord hath taken him to himself out of the reach of them all he is gone to his Rest where no Sorrow nor Tears are I am fully perswaded And it is my earnest Desire that the Lord would be pleased to raise up more such Instruments for his own Work and Service as it pleaseth him L. C. Benjamin Coal's Testimony SInce I heard of the Decease of dear John Story there hath been a Testimony in my Heart to give forth concerning him whom I dearly loved for the Truths sake in which I have been often Comforted and truly Refreshed through him It is now towards twenty years since I came acquainted with him and our long Imprisonment in the heat of Persecution of Friends in Reading he came several times to Visit us in Prison and many pretious opportunities we had with him in Prison and were thereby wuch comforted and strengthened in our Suffering condition and many Hearts were tendered and sweetly consolated at that time in a real sense of the living presence of the Lord God which was with us and some that came into the Prison were Convinced of the Truth since which he hath often Visited us in our Meetings also I have from time to time been in his company both in Publick and Private and taken many serious Observations of his Deportment which hath been Grave and as a Servant of Christ yea it was such that from the first to to the last time I saw him which was not many Months since I never had acquaintance with any that exceeded him in a good Life and Conversation And the Lord endued him with a Gift beyond many in declaring the Truth and many were Convinced and turned to God by him He had a divine Understanding given him to divide the Word aright he was able and ready to inform Peoples Understandings to give Counsel and good Advice to Sion's Travellors who were at any time in a bewildred condition whereby many were often relieved and comforted that have been in trouble under the temptations of the Enemy of mans Peace He was of a loving kind Temper to all and his Company was very comfortable to me when Trials and Sufferings have attended Friends upon any account for a Testimony to the Truth he hath been an Encourager and Strengthener to many therein and I never knew him to speak slightingly or account it an Indifferent thing to be faithful to God in that respect or in any other good Work and Service wherein we might serve the Lord and one another but frequently exhorted and counselled Friends to be Zealous and Dilligent in wairing upon the Lord to know and answer his Requirings both by Doing Suffering and bearing Testimony for his Name and Truth upon Earth that so they might Honour the Lord and come to rest in Peace for ever And notwithstanding he met with many Exercises and Troubles among men yet the Lord was pleased to give him much Patience and when he hath been grieved and abused by any he manifested much of a Spirit of Forgiveness and Longsuffering towards his Opposers not rendring Even for Evil. I have often heard him speak much in Commendation of many Antient Brethren which are Deceased whom the Lord raised up to Preach and Publish the Everlasting Gospel in the beginning and how pretious and acceptable the Visitation of the Lord was to many that were in Distress and Mourned in solitary Places for want of the Saving Knowledge of God which is Life to the Soul And in a godly Care for the Honour and Propagation of Truth and the good of Soules I know he was often very deeply concerned and bowed in Spirit and was a man of Sorrows often with much fervent Zeal praying for the Prosperity of the Lords Work and that all that which was of a hurtfull nature might be utterly destroyed from among the Lords People and that Love unfeigned with the increase of Righteousness which brings everlasting Peace might abound amongst us For this was his soul often in supplication and Prayers unto the Lord God both in Publick and Private amongst Friends Oh! What shall I say for my heart is filled at this time and often tendred in the remembrance of the Lords Love and those sweet and seasonable Opportunities which