Christ for which they had suffered was shunned by them and so Sufferings escaped and they got into outward ease For they had endured very great Sufferings for their Meetings and did stand faithful therein till he came among them and preached up this Notion of his by which he judged Friends Practice and Testimony in the Truth and for the Truth to be but forms and so pretending to live above such things drew them from their Zeal for the Truth and their Testimony therein so far that they avoided every thing that might occasion Sufferings And thus they being seduced or bewitched as the Galatians were into a fleshly Liberty the Offence of the Cross ceased and the Power was lost and when I came there it was hard to get a Meeting among them And much Discourse I had with some of the chief of them and through much labour and travel with them and among them to maintain the Principles of Truth and our Testimony and Practice therein I obtained a Meeting and the Lord's Power was with us and amongst us and several were revived and refreshed and through the Lord's goodness and his renewed Visitations raised up into a Service of Life and in time came to see over the wiles of the Enemy So after some time I returned again to Maryland and did pass through Friends and visited their Meetings and in the first Month came again to Virginia and did visit them and so returned again to Maryland and landed at New-York in the fourth Month 1666. and spent some time there amongst Friends in going through their Meetings And then took shipping for Road-Island in New-England and there spent some time in visiting Friends and their Meetings where I had a comfortable Service And about the latter end of the sixth Month I took my Journey towards Sandwich and when I was clear there I took my Journey by Plymouth to Tewkesbury and so to Marshfield and Cittuate and so on to Boston and did visit Friends and had Meetings And from Boston to Salem and so on to Piscatoway And when I was clear there I returned back through the Meetings and came to Hampton Salem Boston Cittuate Marshfield and so by Tewkesbury and Plymouth to Sandwich and from thence through the Woods to Ponigantsit and from thence over unto Road Island And after some time spent there I took shipping for Long-Island to visit Friends in those parts and when I was clear I returned again to Road-Island in the Winter and stayed for some time for there was no going off the Island unto the Main the Snow was so deep And about the latter end of the first Month I took shipping for the Barbadoes and landed there in the second Month 1667. and did spend that Summer there and had blessed and comfortable Service among Friends large and full Meetings and the Lord's Power and Presence was with us and several gathered into the Love of the Truth And in the seventh Month I took shipping for Bristol in England and after we had been Ten Weeks at the Sea except one day or two being beat off the Coast with an Easterly Storm and kept out at Sea in a great Tempest for the most part of two Weeks at last we got into Milford-Haven and there I landed about the 27 th of the ninth Month 1667. and so did go up too Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire in Wales where I met with a Meeting of Friends the same day and at that time I stayed four Weeks in that County and had many blessed Meetings And then being clear I took my Journey towards Swanzey and did visit Friends there and so came up towards Cardiff and so on into Monmouthshire and after I had visited Friends there I passed over the Water and came to Bristol and did stay there some Meetings and so up into Glocestershire and Barkshire and so up to London and stayed there some time And after I was clear of that City I was moved to return again into Barkshire and Glocestershire and so to Bristol and so over into South-Wales and down to Pembrokeshire all along visiting Friends and had blessed Service And then when I was clear of those Parts I was moved to return again up through the Meetings in South-Wales and to Glocester and and through Glocestershire and Barkshire into Buckinghamshire and so up to London and spent some time there that Summer in the Year 1668. And after that I went over into Surry to see George Fox who then was travelling among Friends in those Parts to assist Friends in the setling of their mens-Meetings and also to stir them up to visit such as were fallen away from the Truth and drawn back and to see if they could be restored and brought again to a sense of the Love of God and so to Salvation and Life which Work did prove very effectual for the gaining of many So after I had been a little with him and at Horsham with some Friends that went from London with me to visit some Friends that were Prisoners there for the Truth 's Testimony I returned back again to London and so took my Journey for the North of England through Hartfordshire and Huntingtonshire and then strait down into Yorkshire and spent some time in visiting the Meetings about Knaisborrough Netherdale Massom Thirsk and there-aways and then was moved to go down towards Crake and Malton and so on to Killam and Burlington Scarborough and Whitby and on into Cleveland and so over into Bishoprick And after some time spent there I came over Stanmore and so into Cumberland and came home to see my Friends and Relations and stayed but about a Week or a few days more and then took my Journey for London to the yearly Meeting that then was appointed to be about the beginning of the tenth Month and so was there about a Week or two and then I took my Journey again into the West through Barkshire and Glocestershire and so over into South-Wales down as far as Pembrokeshire visiting the Meetings and serving the Lord and his People with faithfulness in the labours and travels of the Gospel of Christ Jesus And when I was clear of those Parts I returned back again through South-Wales up to Bristol and so up through the Counties visiting the Churches and so up to London that Spring in the Year 1669. and stayed about two Months time in and about the City And then I was moved again to go into Buckinghamshire and so through the Country visiting Meetings in divers places till I came to Bristol and was at Bristol about the 25 th of the fifth Month 1669. And from thence I went over into Wales again and did pass through South-Wales as far as Pembrokeshire and from thence I took my Journey through the Mountains towards North-Wales and did visit Friends in Radnorshire and from thence came down to Shrewsbury and so on into Cheshire and so through Lancashire and Westmoreland home into Cumberland and stayed there a little and
then I took my Journey into the Country and went down into Buckinghamshire through their Meetings and so on into Oxfordshire to Worcestershire and Glocestershire and to Bristol and then back again and so through to Shrewsbury and on as far as Wrexham in Wales visiting the Churches of Christ and the good Presence of the Lord in his heavenly Power accompanying we were often refreshed and sweetly comforted together to his Praise and our Joy who is our God for evermore And so from Wrexham in North-Wales I took my Journey with Iohn ap Iohn who accompanied me towards South Wales and we did visit Friends and had many Meetings as we went along in Montgomeryshire Merionethshire and Cardiganshire and so we passed on by the West-Sea into Pembrokeshire and there visited the Lord's People and spent some time amongst them there And then we took our Journey through Carmarthenshire to Swanzey and having a Meeting or two we passed on towards Cardiff visiting Friends in Glamorganshire and then into Monmouthshire and having visited Friends in that County we parted he returned home and I passed over the Water into Glocestershire and so to Bristol And so continued travelling through several Counties visiting the Churches and so to London spent some time there and then went down into Essex and visited Friends in that Country and returned again to London to the Yearly-Meeting in the Year 1675. And from London I took my Journey to Hartford and so down Northward with Iohn Graves and Iames Hall to York and there we parted And I went from York to Malton and so to Scarborough and Whitby and through Friends in Cleveland and so to Stockdon in Bishoprick visiting Friends and having many pretious Meetings And then passed through several Meetings in that County and being clear I then took my Journey for Cumberland and being there I with several Brethren was desired to come over into Westmorland to a Meeting appointed by Friends at their Quarterly-Meeting in Westmorland which was to be at Powbank So I went thither against the day appointed with Iohn Graves Iohn Tiffin Hugh Tickell and Thomas Laithes where we met with several Brethren that were come out of Yorkshire at the request of the aforesaid Quarterly-Meeting And upon that occasion many Friends of Westmorland were come together who when we were sate together in the Meeting did present unto us several Disorders in many things that were contrary to the Truth by which they had been grieved and sorely exercised for a long time in their Monthly and Quarterly-Meetings so that the Spirits of a lose Company were set at liberty and so much born up and countenanced by Iohn Story and Iohn Wilkinson that the blessed Order of the Truth brought forth amongst us by the Power of God was greatly slighted and endeavoured to be trodden under by that lose Company being thus encouraged by these two men that looked upon themselves to be Elders and so like Diotrephes loved to have the Pre-eminence which brought great grief upon the honest and simple-minded So we hearing what Friends had to say in that matter and observing what was charged and proved we desired Friends to give us another Meeting and let I. S. and I. W. be sent to and desired to meet us that we might hear them face to face although they had been desired from the Quarterly-Meeting and several others to come to this Meeting so appointed by the Quarterly-Meeting and had refused and withal sent us a Letter denying to come and disowning our Meeting Nevertheless we were willing to have another Meeting which Friends of Westmorland freely assented unto and so it was appointed at Milthrop the next day And we to wit six or more of Cumberland and Yorkshire Friends did our selves go to them as Messengers and did intreat them to go with us to the Meeting that we might hear them and the Friends of Westmorland that were agrieved face to face concerning those things that were in charge against them but they were so high and so obstinate that they slighted us all or any Advice we could give And so after some hours discourse with them in which we throughly saw their Spirits to be wrong we left them and went to the Meeting appointed at Milthrop where Friends were waiting for us And after we were setled a little in the Meeting we gave an acccount how we had endeavoured to perswade them to come through all entreaty we could but could not prevail And so we gave a hearing a second time to the Friends and then we of Yorkshire and Cumberland with-drew and amongst our selves viewed the whole matter for it was in writing and opened our Hearts one unto another And waiting upon the Lord there fell a Weighty Concern upon us for the Truth 's sake and the blessed Order thereof with our holy Testimony we had been raised up into which by them had been slighted and scorned and reproached So that we could not pass it by but in the Power of the Lord God that was dreadful amongst us gave Iudgment against that Spirit that was grown so high and lose and fleshly as thus to undervalue the Testimony of God and the bringings forth of his holy Power in the Churches of Christ that thereby all might be kept sweet clear and in good Order And when we had cleared our selves in the rising and springing of the Word of Life and drawn up our Testimony in writing we gave it unto Friends there and so departed Of the Iudgment given I shall say no more here because it is in writing in many places So I went over to Swarthmore and stayed a Meeting there and then returned into Cumberland and stayed there some Weeks and visited Friends And being clear I returned again to Swarthmore in order to go over the Sands towards Wales which was before me And when I was at Swarthmore I was moved to go over first into Westmorland to visit the Meetings there So I went over to Sedber and had a Meeting there and then had a Meeting at Grayrigg and then came to Kendall where I met with Robert Lodge and so we had a blessed Meeting there And the next day we were at Preston-Meeting and then I was clear of that County And so after a little time took my Journey into Wales through Lancashire and Cheshire and so coming to Iohn ap Iohns near Wrexham in North-Wales he did go along with me And in the first place we went to a Quarterly-Meeting that was at Deloberon at Charles Lloyds for two Counties viz. Merionethshire and Mongomeryshire and had a blessed Service for the Truth there among Friends And then went down into Merionethshire and visited the Meetings and then to Mehuntleth and had a Meeting And then returned up into Radnorshire and visited the Meetings there in that County And then took our Journey through Brecknockshire and Carmarthenshire into Pembrokeshire where we spent some time amongst Friends and had several pretious Meetings And being clear
by Doctrine and Practice that holy Truth he professed and was a Preacher of and made full proofs of his Ministry in many Lands and Countries and at the great City of London where he was made Instrumental to the Good and Comfort Refreshment and Edification of many and was Valiant there as in other places in the time of Trials Sufferings Storms and Persecution And he was also a great Incourager of the Good in Young and Old and as a tender Father and loving Brother to those who were young in their Testimonies for the Truth and would rather help a Young Branch to strengthen it in its growth than to bruise or hurt it in any measure This short Testimony we Dedicate to his Memorial that shall be had in Everlasting Remembrance for his Name is Written in the Lamb's Book of Life where none can blot it out Our Brother our Friend and our beloved Companion in the Heavenly Fellowship with whom some of us have some-times Travelled in England and Ireland upon divers Services for the Truth 's sake and Blessed was our Labour of Love together He was an Apostle among the Chnrches of Christ and he is a fixed and bright Star in the Firmament of God's Heavenly Power and Kingdom for ever O Friends you that knew him know the Loss of him in the Church of Christ with other Faithful Brethren since departed worthy of double honor concerning which sad Providence we have this to say to you It points plainly to us the Evil that is to come upon the Wicked and Unfaithful and the great Calamities that are at the Door The Lord fit us all for them that we may find an Interest and Sanctuary in the Truth above the Reach of this Evil World which they will want that do not prefer it above the chiefest Ioy. London the 10th of the 11th Month 1690 1. Stephen Crisp. Charles Marshall William Bingley John Field Francis Stamper Jasper Batt William Penn. Benjamin Antrobus John Vaughton Benjamin Bangs Samuel Waldenfield John Butcher A Testimony of several Friends in Ireland in whose Hearts it sprung and who gave it forth in the behalf of our Dear Brother Iohn Burnyeat AS for our Dear Friend and Worthy Brother in the Lord John Burnyeat late of Dublin deceased whom some of us have known many years we have this Testimony in the Truth concerning him viz. That he has been steadfast in the Lord's Work an able Minister of the Gospel and faithful Lobourer who had a Word in Season to Minister to the several Conditions of Friends and People dividing the Word aright a Strengthener of the Weak and a free Feeder of Christ's Lambs and Sheep with the Food he had freely received to the Comforting many His Testimony for the Power of Truth and Righteousness was clear many were Convinced by him His Conversation was so heavenly and becoming the Principle of Truth he was a Preacher of that we know no one that can truly Charge him with any thing that might spot his Profession or Ministry He was a Man excellently well qualified for the Work whereunto he was called of God the Lord having endued him with a large Measure of his Spirit He had great Openings and Discoveries of the Mysteries of God's Kingdom he had also the Tongue of the Learned and was fitted for every good Word and Work the Lord employed him in His Qualifications were beyond many and thô little in himself yet in the Lord a Mighty Man of Valour In all times of Suffering and Exercise he failed not to be in the Front he was a Valiant in Israel and a Pillar in the House of God He did Sympathise with the Afflicted seeking the good of others and above all the Honour and Prosperity of Truth was in his Eye When he took his Wife amongst us how Careful and Circumspect was he of Truth 's Honour and the Concord and Unity of Friends and Brethren And where he came among Friends he would not be Idle but did often Visit the Sick and Comfort those that were in Distress or Affliction For indeed he was a true Servant to all honest Friends as well the Poor as Rich and would freely Administer of his outward Substance to such as stood in need He was meek and gentle and of a healing Spirit and it was the unspeakable Love and Mercy of God to us in this Nation and particularly this City of Dublin to order his outward Abode and Settlement amongst us By whom many were Convinced of the Truth and turned from the Evil of their Ways and the Peace of the Church the Unity and Fellowship of Friends Increased He was one of the Archers of Israel who could shoot to an Hairs-breadth to the wounding of the Hairy Scalp of the Wicked one and the putting of the Lord's Enemies to Silence He was a Messenger of Glad Tidings and directed us to the blessed Light that God had caused to shine in our Hearts when we were Strangers to it yea then did it Appear as a Witness for the Lord against all Ungodly Practices It was a Day of Glad Tidings to many when the Lord made him one of his Trumpets to us to sound his Gospel to the reaching God's Witness in our Hearts Oh! that it may not be forgotten by any of us who have been turned to God! He had a true Love for all Tender-Hearted Friends and travelled for their Growth and Prosperity in the blessed Truth not only in these Three Nations but also in the Western Islands and America to the turning many to the blessed Way of Life and Salvation as by following Accounts will appear He was a true Pattern of Godliness and Piety in an humble meek and in-offensive Conversation Apt to Teach Ready to give heavenly Advice and Instruction a good Example in all things An Early Comer to Meetings and a diligent Waiter therein Many times he would sit a pretty while in Silence not being forward to speak Reverently waiting upon the Opening of the heavenly Life like the good Housholder spoken of to bring forth of his Treasury things both New and Old He was deeply Experienced in the Work and Service of the Lord and was a great Comfort and Support to many in their great Sufferings and hard Exercises and did mightily Strengthen and Encourage Friends in their several places of Abode Twice during the late Troubles he visited Friends in Munster and in this Province of Lynster unto whom he was very open and had large Meetings for in many places the World's Teachers were fled and left their Flocks Many times in the Publick Meetings he would bear a faithful plain and clear Testimony against Superstition and Idolatry and against that Loose Wicked Blasphemous and Unclean Spirit that many gave up to be led by As soon as the way was open to the North he visited Friends there Now after the Death of his Wife he had some Intentions to go for England and sent his Son thither but seeing the Troubles of Wars coming
on and that many Afflictions and Exercises would attend us and that many People being possest with great Fears fled for England at which time many Testimonies came from Friends of sundry Meetings for all to mind the Lord's preserving Power and not to let Fears take hold of them as it did of others who knew not the Lord Our Dear Friend though he had an Opportunity had no Freedom to go for England but gave himself up to stay with Friends here and bear a part of the Sufferings that might attend us In which time he was a pretious Instrument in the Lord's Hand for the Comforting his People in the time of great Afflictions and Calamities for he was a Chearful Encourager of us He was a Dear Friend a True Brother a Diligent Over-seer and Tender Father a Perfect and Upright Man in his day who feared God and eschewed evil And though he sought the Salvation of all yet could not bear with Deceitful Men and Evil Workers who profest the Truth yet brought Dishonour to it against such he had a Iust Indignation and Godly Zeal Oh! the Remembrance of his Fatherly Care over God's Heritage in keeping things in good Order is not to be forgotten For his Care was great that the Professors of Truth might walk answerable to it in a Chast Life and Blameless Conversation And in all his Travels into whose House he entred he was Content with what things were set before him were they never so mean which was great Satisfaction to many poor honest Friends amongst whom his Lot was cast He would not usurp Authority over his Brethren but was of a healing Spirit and Lamb-like Nature and of a good Report in all his Travels Our Dear Friend and Brother did greatly delight to Read the Holy Scriptures and would often and with great Earnestness Advise Friends frequently to read the same and the Young and Tender in years more especially as also Friends Books wherein the Principles of Truth were Treated of that so none might be Ignorant of the Principles of the true Christian Religion now again preached and clearly held forth He was at our Province-Meeting at Rosean-Allies a little before his Decease where he bore a Living Fresh Testimony amongst Friends to our great Comfort and Exhorted Friends to Faithfulness From thence he went to Montroth and had a Meeting there and from thence to Ballinakill and had a Meeting there So he came to the Monthly-Meeting at New-Garden where many heard him bear a living sweet Testimony in the Opening of the Word of Life to the Refreshing of their Souls After Meeting he came home with our Friend John Watson to his House and feeling himself not well took his Bed and was visited with a Fever and continued sick for the space of Twelve days All which time he was preserved in his Senses and in a sweet Frame of Spirit and did often say he was sine at Ease and quiet in his Spirit The Lord did Attend him with his heavenly Power and Presence to his Comfort and our great Satisfaction He said to John Watson That he ever loved the Lord and the Lord loved him from his Youth and that he felt his Love He was wonderfully preserved in a sensible Condition to the Last and on the Eleventh day of the Seventh Month 1690 about Two of the Clock in the Afternoon he quietly and peaceably Departed this Life about the 59th Year of his Age and is gone to his Rest with the Lord and his Works follow him And as he honoured the Lord in his Day so he was honoured with the Company of many Antient Friends from several Parts of our Province to Accompany him to his Grave at New-Garden where he was Decently Interred the Fourteenth day of the same Month and there we had a good Meeting to the great satisfaction of many Friends and others And now surely If David did well in Sorrowing for Absolom we have Reason greatly to Lament the Loss of so Dear Tender and Upright-hearted a Friend whose Labour and Travel was great both in Body and Spirit faithfully to serve the Lord his Church and People and to Exalt his Glorious Name and propagate his Living Truth in the Earth and to preserve Unity and Peace in the Churches of Christ. But believing 't is the Lord's Will that 's done concerning him in a Holy and Reverend Resignation and Submission thereunto we ought to be Content knowing 't is his unspeakable Gain to be Absent from the Body and at home with Christ. And thus Dear Friends We that yet remain do see how the Lord is pleased to Remove from among us many of our Antient Friends and Faithful Labourers in the Gospel of Peace who have been serviceable in this Day for the Gathering and Confirming of many in the Truth that we may walk therein And Friends we that are yet behind are the more immediately concerned for to Labour in the Heavenly Gift of his Divine Grace the Lord in his Love hath bestowed upon us that so we may come up in this Gospel-day to succeed them that are gone before us to their Rest in the Lord in bearing a Faithful Testimony to the blessed Truth that our Memorial may live to Ages to come as this our Dear Friend and Elder Brother's doth amongst God's People this day who having Faithfully finisht his Course here in great Patience and an humble and holy Subjection to the Will of God hath now received a Crown of Immortal Glory which is laid up for all the Faithful Followers of the Lamb and Lovers of the Appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ To whom and the Father through him be Glory and Honour both now and for ever Amen Dated in Dublin the 22th of the Second Month 1691. Anthony Sharp Roger Roberts Amos Strettel John Watson Henry Hillary John Haukes An Account of John Burnyeat's Convincement Together with a Iournal of his Travels IN the Year 1653. it pleased the Lord in his Love and Mercy to send his faithful Servant George Fox with others of his faithful Servants and Messengers of the Gospel of Peace and Glad-tidings whom he furnished with the eternal power of his Word in the wisdom and power of which he proclaimed the Day of the Lord unto us in this County of Cumberland and the Northern Parts of England and discovered the right Path of Life unto thousands that was in Error seeking the Lord but knew not where to find him nor how to come acquainted with him although he was not far from us But this blessed man G. F. one of a thousand may many say and chosen before many thousands was sent amongst us in the power of the most High filled with the strength of his Word in the wisdom whereof he directed thousands unto the Light and Appearance of Christ Jesus their Saviour in their own hearts that he might come to know him and the Glory of the Father through him in his Appearance and so come to believe in him with the
So Robert Lodge and I became concerned in one Work Service and Travel together and were truly united in Spirit in the Unity of the Faith and Life of Christ in which blessed Unity and Fellowship of the Gospel of the Son of God we laboured and travelled in that Nation of Ireland for Twelve Months after we met together not often parting but sometimes we were moved to part for the Service's sake for a little time and came together again and the Lord gave us sweet Concord and Peace in all our Travels for I do not remember that we ever were angry or grieved one at the other in all that time And so we went down to Londonderry together and when we came there were soon discovered what we were and then the People were unwilling to receive us or let us have Lodging for our Money We were at their great Steeple-house on the first day and had a large time among the People to declare the Truth but at last the Major sent his Officers who would not suffer us to stay any longer but forced us out of the City and down to the Boat and commanded the Boat-man to carry us over and not to bring us back again So being clear we took our Journey towards Coalraine and then to the Grange and so to Antrim and so up to Lorgan and so through Friends in the North. And then after some time we took our Journey into the South and did travel through a great part of the Nation as to Dublin Mountmeleck and to Arthlone and Galloway Limmerick Cork and Bandon and so through the South and again into the North. And thus we spent our time with diligent Labour and hard Travel often in cold hunger and hardships in that County which then was in many Parts uninhabited And in Prison several times once in Armagh once in Dublin twice in Cork besides other Abuses we received from many because of our Testimony which we had to bear for the Lord in their Towns and in their Steeple-houses and against their Hireling-Priests which sought their Rewards and loved the Wages of Unrighteousness like Baalam and worse then he forces it from the People like the Sons of Eli whose Sin was very great 1 Sam. 2. 16 17. And thus having travelled and laboured in the Gospel together for Twelve Months and many being Convinced and gathered to the Truth we were clear of our Service there and in the Seventh Month 1660. we took shipping at Carrickfergus and intended for Whitehaven in England but by contrary Wind were driven to Kirkowbry in Scotland and from thence came over Land into Cumberland and to Cockermouth and then I again returned to my outward Calling and followed that and kept diligently to Meetings for it was still my Delight so to do and there to be diligent in waiting upon the Lord for I always found that therein I received an increase of Strength Life and Wisdom from the Lord. And as I found any motion upon me from the Lord to go to any Meeting abroad either in our Country or any other I went and cleared my self as the Lord gave Ability and so did return again to my Calling and so to our own Meeting where I did delight to wait in Silence upon the Lord for I loved that much because I found an inward growth thereby through the Teachings and Openings of his Spirit in my Heart and when something did open in me for that end to speak in our Meeting I gave up for the most part sometimes ready to quench through backwardness but that was hurtful but I grew over it by degrees and increased in Faith and holy Confidence more and more Now from the Seventh Month 1660. unto about the First or Second Month 1662. I was very much at home at my Calling and then I was moved of the Lord to go to London to see George Fox and others of the Elders and to acquaint him with what was upon me from the Lord to go to America which came weightily upon me in Ireland when I was there so that I had a great travel in Spirit and deep Exercise in Mind before I gave up But when I had given up in belief that it was the Word of the Lord and so gone through it in my Spirit and submitted unto his Will the weight and exercise was removed and I with my former Openness again restored into my Service and no more of that remained but a remembrance of the Prophecy or Opening which I had received and Faith in the Word which I was satisfied was sure for ever And therein I rested as to that matter until the time aforesaid that it came upon me to go and and acquaint G. F. as also Ed. Burrough who were then at London and Richard Hubberthorn for I loved to have the Counsel and Countenance of my elder Brethren who were in Christ before me And then I did return through Yorkshire home and had some Meetings as I came along and stayed at home but a little time and was moved to go again into Yorkshire and went through divers Meetings to visit Friends And being as I thought clear to return home I came to Rippon to see some Friends that were then Prisoners for meeting together to worship God and going into Prison to see them and in the Love of God speaking some words of Exhortation unto them the Goaler took me and had me to a House in the Town where the Major and the Chancellor and several of the Aldermen were together and there the Chancellor chiefly took in hand to examine me and sought to ensnare me that he might get occasion to Commit me to Prison And first he would have my going to Prison to my Friends to have been an Offence but I pleaded in so doing I had broken no Law Then he said I spoke in Prison I answered There was no Law that forbid us to speak to our Friends when we came to visit them Then he asked me when I was at Church and when I took the Sacrament according to the Laws of England I answered I knew no Law I had broken nor no evil I had done to any man if any man had evil against me let him bear witness of the evil Then he began to be in a rage and said He would have an Answer e're we had done c. But when he could not get an Advantage that way he reached for a Book and asked me if I would take the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy And when I answered Not in Contempt to the King or his Authority but in Obedience to Christ's Command I could not swear Then he commanded the Clerk to write a Mittimus and sent me to the Prison to the rest of my Friends who were four and twenty before and there I was kept Prisoner fourteen Weeks And because when we sate down to wait upon the Lord for we fate down once every day together and many times Friends with us that came to see us
I spake something in Exhortation unto Friends and prayed unto the Lord as he enlarged my Heart that we might be comforted and edified together the Magistrates were offended and sent the Under-Goaler to take me away and put me in the Dungeon from among my Fellow-Prisoners who came at three several times and every time haled me from my knees when I was at Prayer and put me in the Dungeon a little dark Room where I was one time two days and nights another time three days and nights and the last time seven days and nights There was a Bowling-Alley before the Prison-door where several of the Magistrates and others did use to come to their Game and hearing my voice were offended and so sent to take me away So after fourteen Weeks I was set at liberty and in some little time I had freedom to return home and then did as at other times follow my outward Calling and kept to our Meetings at home but when I was moved to go forth to visit Friends sometimes in our own Country and sometimes into Yorkshire and Bishoprick and would sometimes be Two Months away or thereabouts and then return home to my Calling or Trade and so thus continued till about the fore-end of Summer in the Year 1664. And then that which had been opened unto me four years before began again to arise in my Heart in that Word which lives for ever and the living motion of it began to press upon my Spirit towards the fulfilling thereof and then I saw the Time drew near and the Season was coming upon me wherein the Lord would have me go and fulfil his Word that I had yielded unto in Spirit so long ago And then I began to prepare and set my Heart to leave all things behind and give up all things else that I might follow him and so his Power wrought my Spirit into a right frame that I could easily leave all things and then he gave me time to settle and order my outward Concerns and leave all things clear And then that Summer I took shipping for Ireland and passed through most Friends and did visit them And about the Seventh Month 1664. I took shipping at Galloway in Ireland for the Barbadoes and was seven weeks and two days in sailing to the Barbadoes and I stayed there about three or four Months and did visit Friends and travelled and laboured in the Work of the Gospel both for the Confirmation of those that were gathered and for the gathering of others unto the Truth that they might partake with us of the like precious Faith And there I met with many that had been hurt by Iohn Parrot and carried away with his Imaginations who lead out of the Power and from the true Cross into high Notions and vain Conceits and so into a fleshly Liberty and ease therein from the true Spiritual Travel and right Exercise both in Spirit and outwardly pretending to be against Forms and under that pretence led out of the faithful and diligent practice which Friends had been gathered into as to their meeting together and waiting upon the Lord counting that a Form which he did lead into a slight of and so caused many both there and in Virginia and other places to neglect or in a great measure to forsake the Assembling of themselves together contrary to Friends practice and the Counsel and Advice of the faithful Labourers who first laboured amongst us as also contrary to the Advice of the Apostle Hebr. 10. 25. And also he in his new Notion led many to keep on their Hats in the time of Prayer when any Friend prayed and condemned our reverend practice of putting off our Hats at such times and so in many things led such as were taken with his Notion out of true Order into Loosness and such a Liberty that the Cross in most things was laid down by them and their own Wills followed and Truth 's Testimony let fall But he ran out of the Truth so far at last that many began to see him and what his Spirit led to and so came to see their own loss and returned back unto their first love and the Power of the Lord went over that dark Spirit with all the vain Imaginations they had been led into thereby and so Friends were gathered into their former Unity Now because of the prevalency of this Spirit I had the greater travel and exercise among Friends in that Island and in other places of America both in withstanding such as were high and hard and also to gather back and preserve such as had in some measure been betrayed and yet were more innocent and tender And so when I had travelled and laboured as I said before about three or four Months in that Island and was clear I took shipping for Maryland about the latter end of the first Month and landed there about the latter end of the second Month 1665. and so I travelled and laboured in the Work of the Gospel in that Province that Summer and large Meetings we had and the Lord's Power was with us and Friends greatly comforted and several Convinced But a sore Exercise I had with one Tho. Thurston and a Party he drew after him for a while so that both I and faithful Friends were greatly grieved not only with his Wickedness but also his Opposition that he made against us and the Disturbance that he brought upon us in our Meetings and great was the exercise and travel that was upon my Spirit both Day and Night both upon the Truth 's account that suffered by him and also for the People that were betrayed by him to their hurt who were under a great mistake But through much labour and travel in the Lord's Wisdom and Power that both I and other faithful Friends of that Province had to search things out and to clear things to their Understandings both as to what related to the Truth and also Matter of Fact which he was guilty of it pleased the Lord so to assist us and bless our endeavours in manifesting the Wickedness and Wrongness of the Heart and Spirit of the Man that most of the People came to see him and in the love of God to be restored into the Unity of the Truth again to our great comfort Truth 's honour and their Everlasting happiness But he himself was lost as to the Truth and became a Vagabond and Fugitive as to his Spiritual Condition and little otherwise as to the outward So in the Winter following I went down to Virginia and when I came there Friends there the greatest part of them were led aside by Iohn Parrot who had led them into his Notions as before is related and they had quite forsaken their Meetings and did not meet together once in a Year and had lost the very form and language of the Truth many of them and were become loose and careless and much one with the World in many things so that the Cross of
did visit Friends And then took shipping at Whitehaven for Ireland and landed at Belfast in the North and spent that Winter in Ireland in the travels and labour of the Gospel and had blessed Service for the Lord and his People in that Nation and was richly comforted and refreshed amongst them in the gracious presence of the Lord that was with us who is the Recompencer and rich Rewarder of all that are given up in Faithfulness to serve him So that now none doth lose their Reward under the Ministration of the Gospel no more then they did under the Law in the Figure when he said Who is thère among you that would shut the Doors for nought neither do you kindle fire on mine Altar for nought Mal. 1. 10. To him be Glory and Honour and Praise over all for ever for he is worthy And when I was clear of that Nation I took shipping at Dublin and landed at Whitehaven in Cumberland and stayed a little time in Cumberland and then took my Journey for London to the yearly Meeting that was in the Spring of the Year 1670. and so spent a part of that Summer in London and thereabouts in the Service of the Truth until I could have a Conveniency to go for Barbadoes that being upon me And in the fifth Month all things being ready I and William Simpson went down to Gravesend with many Friends from London that did accompany us and staying there but a few days we set Sail from Gravesend the eighth day of the fifth Month 1670. and came to the Downs and stayed there some days and then set Sail from the Downs the twentieth day of the same Month and because of contrary Winds we put in at Falmouth and stayed two Nights there and then put to Sea again and so set Sail for the Barbadoes and arrived there the thirtieth day of the seventh Month so that we were twelve Weeks from Gravesend e're we got Barbadoes And then I stayed in the Barbadoes six Months and had great and weighty Service in that Island before I could be clear And my dear Companion William Simpson after he had been there was taken sick of a violent Fever that was very much among People at that time and very many died he was sick but about six days and then was taken away At his Death a very little before his Departure he gave a living heavenly Testimony unto the Truth with wholesome Advice unto them that were about him and departed in the Peace and Joy of the Lord an Account whereof may be further seen in a Book writ by one that was with him from his beginning to be sick until he departed I was with him very much but sometimes was constrained to leave him for the Service sake that was upon me He was a very Innocent man and full of fear and reverence and ordinarily very open in his Testimony and very sweet and pleasant we walked in great love and unity together for he was a humble man and had very low thoughts of himself and always under dread He had gone through great Sufferings and Afflictions and cruel Persecutions for his Testimony and Service sake that he was called unto he likewise had met with hard Buffetings from Satan's Messenger and sore Temptations by which he had been wounded and sore hurt through the wiles of Satan and his cunning slights of which he would be often speaking to me in our brotherly Fellowship and Communication wherein we would open our hearts and states one unto another and in the remembrance of things he was kept very low and tender and near the Lord and took great delight in his Power by which he had been redeemed and his Soul delivered and he raised up into a good degree of Dominion in which he reigned at the last and with great triumph departed this Life and is blessed for ever My Heart is well satisfied that it is even so and when he was taken away from me my Heart was broken within me my Spirit was bowed down greatly in the sense of my loss and I could not but mourn though not as such that have no hope for my hope was firm concerning his well-being and gain that he had obtained but great was my loss for I was left as one alone as I had been often before to bear the burthen my self which was very weighty upon me at that time considering the state of the Church in that Island and the care of it was upon me but the Lord was with me and his Power did assist me to go through my Charge and clear my self and free my self from the Blood of all Men and Women And so through all being guided by his Spirit in his Wisdom the Lord's Children and People were comforted and my Soul and Spirit refreshed and revived and so in peace clearness and gladness I came away and took shipping for New-England and set Sail the first of the second Month 1671. and arrived at New-York the 27 th day of the same Month and so did go from New-York unto Long-Island and did visit Friends on the Island and other places there-aways and was with them at their Half-years-Meeting at Oyster-Bay And so being clear of those Parts took shipping for Road-Island and was there at their Yearly-Meeting in 1671. which begins the ninth of the fourth Month every Year and continues for much of a Week and is a General Meeting once a year for all Friends in New-England And after that Meeting when I was clear of those Parts I took my Journey towards Sandwich and so did visit Friends all along at Tewkesbury Marshfield and Cittuate and so on to Boston and there had a Meeting and so on to Salem and Hampton and Piscataway all along visiting Friends and had many pretious Meetings and the Lord was with us and his Power was over all And from Piscatoway I returned back again the same way and had blessed Service and so through I came to Road-Island again and there I spent some time and went up to Providence and did visit Friends there and so returned again And when I was clear of those Parts I took shipping back again for Long-Island and landed at Oyster-Bay and had some Meetings and then went down to Flushing and so to Gravesand and had some Meetings And then went over to East-Iersey to visit Friends there and had some Meetings and then returned back again to Gravesand and from thence went back again to Oyster-Bay and was there at their Half-years-Meeting which began about the eighth day of the eighth Month and had a blessed time But in our Meeting for Business we had an Exercise with several that rose up in a wrong Spirit against the blessed Order of the Truth which by the Power of God Friends were gathered into and sweetly setling in And chiefly their Envy and Bitterness was against George Fox and his Papers of Wholsome Advice which he in the Love of God had sent amongst Friends and in
that unruly lose Spirit and Mind they were gone into being some of them filled with Prejudice they had written a Book which they brought in Manuscript to the Meeting and urged to have it read But I told them we had the Papers there and they might lay down their Objections they being there and we would Answer them But that would not serve but the Book they would read and we sate in quietness till they had done And when they had done I reached for it and by my memory did go over the Heads thereof and did clear G. F. and Friends in our godly Care and Intents and opened the Service and Benefit of such Things which they did Cavil at and shewed Friends the Advantage that was therein both to the Truth and them and withal reprehended their Slanders and Falshoods with which they had hurt the Minds of several young and newly-convinced Friends and so opened unto them how it was the same Spirit that of old led those that opposed the Apostles and endeavoured to bring a slight and begit a disesteem in the Minds of the Believers against them that watched over them for their good and so endeavoured to lead them into a fleshly Liberty to shun the Cross c. And when I had cleared my self and informed Friends of the truth of Things that then by them had been objected against Friends in general were satisfied and saw the Mistakes which they had let into their Minds through the Insinuation of those three men that had been chiefly concerned in the writing of the Book and in the Opposition And so the Lord's Power broke in upon the Meeting and Friends Hearts were broken and great meltings in the Power there was amongst us and so in the same we blessed the Lord and praised him and prayed unto him and they were bowed and went away And so Friends were comforted and the Seed and Life reigned over all everlasting Glory and Honour and Praise be given to him for all his Mercies and Preservations for he is worthy for evermore And so when all our Meetings were over and Friends in the heavenly Power and Seed comforted and the bad Spirits and their evil Work confounded and brought under as in the Minds of the Simple-hearted that were like to be hurt and betrayed by them and so a coolness and calmness amongst Friends I was clear And then took my Journey with some Friends that did accompany me and went to Flushing and down to Gravesand and when I had visited Friends there I went to New-York and had a Meeting and then took shipping for Maryland there and set Sail the the 23 d of the eighth Month 1671. We met with a sore Tempest a West-north-west-wind that blew so hard we could carry no Sail for some days but at last we got into Virginia and then sailed up the Bay and got to Pertuxon River in Maryland the fifth day of the ninth Month and there I landed with my Companion Daniel Gould who came with me from Road-Island and did travel with me that Winter We visited Friends in Maryland and I went down to Virginia to visit Friends there and found a freshness amongst them and they were many of them restored and grown up to a degree of their former Zeal and Tenderness and a great Openness I found in the Country and had several blessed Mettings And then I did advise them to have a Mens-Meeting and so to meet together to settle things in good order amongst them that they might be Instrumental to the gathering of such as were yet scattered and stirring up of such as were cold and careless and so to the keeping of things in order sweet and well amongst them And thus having cleared my self in the Love of God I committed them unto the Lord and the Word of his Grace and so took Boat again for Maryland and got well thither at last but met with strong Winds and rough Weather and some danger and so spent some time more in Maryland till the Spring And in the 2 d Month I appointed a Meeting at West-River in Maryland for all the Friends in the Province that I might see them together before I departed for I was determined to go as soon as I could after that Meeting And when the time appointed came and Friends from all Parts began to come George Fox with several Brethren came from Iamaica and landed at Pertuxon and from thence came streight to the Meeting And there were Friends from all Parts of the Province where they dwelt and we had a very large Meeting which did continue for several days and a Men and Womens-Meeting for the setling of Things that Men and womens-Womens-Meetings might be established in the Province according to the blessed Order of the Gospel of Christ Jesus which Friends by the Power thereof were gathered into in most places And G. F. did wonderfully open the Service thereof unto Friends and they with gladness of heart received Advice in such necessary Things as were then opened unto them and all were comforted and edified And then when all was over and we all clear and all sweet and pleasant among Friends we departed and went down to the Clefts some by Water and some by Land and there we had a large Meeting of both Friends and other People And when that was over we departed some went down to Virginia and some stayed in Maryland And George Fox Robert Withers George Pattison and I with several Friends of the Province took Boat and went over to the Eastern-shore and there had a Meeting on the first day and on the second day we began our Journey through the Woods to go over Land to New-England And took Horse at Iohn Pitts at the Head of Tredaven-Creek and did go through the Woods above the Heads of Miles-River and Wye-River and also headed Chester-River and lay two Nights in the Woods viz second and third days at night And on the fourth day we came to Saxifrax-River and did swim our Horses and went over our selves in Boats or Canowes And so rode on to Bohemia-River and there did cause our Horses to swim and went over our selves in Canowes And then came to a Plantation called Augustines and there we stayed a little and about three in the Afternoon we set forwards and some of us got to Delaware to Newcastle and got Lodging for we were sore wet with the Rain but Ro. Withers and George Pattison lay in the Woods all night their Horses being tired Next morning they came to us at New-castle We stayed there that day and next day we got over the River And when we were over we could not get an Indian for a Guide and our Dutchman we had hired would not go without an Indian so we were forced to stay there that day And the next day he rode about to seek an Indian but could get none to go and so late in the Evening there came some over from the other side
me to interrupt me but when he saw that he could not stop me then he drove the People away And when I saw the People most of them gone I stept down and thought to have gone forth after them but he got to the Door and shut the Door to keep me in Then I went round an Alley to get to a second Door but he got over the Seats and shut that Then I made for a third Door he also got to that before me and shut that and so made their Meeting-house a Prison and kept us in with a very few People that got not away till the People was gone and then let us forth So we came to our Inn again And after some time several of their Elders came to us to dispute with us on purpose to keep the younger People away as some of them confessed and when we came to Discourse with them they would seem to charge us with breach of the Sabbath in coming to their Meeting that day We took the Bible to us and said Come first prove a Sabbath-day under the Gospel-Dispensation and then prove our practice this day to be a breach of it if you can and vindicate Paul who disputed every Sabbath-day in the Synagogue c. and then prove by Scriptures your practice this day and shew Where any Christians drove the People away from hearing the Truth for they had granted we spoke nothing but Truth and made their Meeting-house a Prison And so we shut them behind the unbelieving Iews who gave liberty to Paul and Silas And they were confounded and could not tell how to vindicate their doings and so went away Then after they were gone came into our Chamber many younger People and we opened many things to them relating to the Way of Truth and cleared things up from the Scriptures and they were mightily satisfied And when the old dry Professors saw that the younger People were affected they sent in a Constable to Command all to depart but they answered and said They were House-keepers many of them and therefore he had nothing to do with them so they would not go So we continued still opening the Scriptures unto them and they were affected Then the Inn-keeper being one of their Elders came and took the Candle away that we might not see to read in the Scriptures and so left us in the dark then the People went away being displeased So the next Morning I. S. and I took our Journey Westward and our Friends that came to Accompany us returned home to Road-Island And we went from Hartford to New-haven then to Milford and then to Stratford and to Fairfield and to Norwich then to Stanford and so to Greenwich where we met with Friends and there we appointed a Meeting The Priest of that Town in his Pulpit had preached against Friends and often had boasted how he would Dispute with the Quakers if any came there so when the Meeting was appointed the People came with a great expectation of what the Priest would do But in the Morning he rode away to Stanford to a Magistrate and sent a Constable with a Warrant to apprehend us who came at the beginning of our Meeting and took us and carried us away to the Magistrate at Stanford The People being displeased many of them followed after us to Stanford and our Friends also to see what they would do and when we came there many People was gathered about the House for it was but two miles between the Towns but after a little time we were called into an inner Room where the Magistrate lay upon his Bed he not being very well And when we came in there was none with him but two Priests the Priest of Greenwich and the Priest of Stanford nor none was to be suffered to come in but the Constable and one man of Stanford that was a Merchant as they said he went in and out when he pleased So the Magistrate asked us many Questions and we answered him and he discoursed with us long in many things and we answered him for he was very moderate Then after a long time one of the Priests put in a Question then I said If we must Discourse of Divine Things we did desire to be more publick for the People were without desirous to hear Then the Magistrate said to the Priests Master Iones and Master Bishop I desire you to go into the Publick Meeting-House with these men and there Discourse with them before the People for said he they are sober rational men So we accepted kindly of the proffer and rose up and went forth and the Priests came after us displeased But when we were forth of the Door among the People we called upon the Priests to go up with us as they were desired and so we went up and they and the People also And when we were setled in their Meeting-House and many People then the Priests put it upon us to begin and so we began with them first about their Wages and so went on to our Call which they put upon us And so about the Light which they denied and so about Election and Reprobation and free Grace They affirmed the Grace of God had not appeared to all men and that Christ did not dye for all men Several hours we spent but the Discourse is drawn up in a Book in Manuscript and therefore shall forbear it here for it is large And so the next day we had a Meeting at Greenwich but the Priest came and we had a great Discourse which is in the said Book And the first day following we had a Meeting about six Miles from thence and then being clear of these Parts We took Boat and went over unto Long-Island to Oyster-Bay and met with Iohn Cartwright and so did visit Friends upon the Island I. W. and I went over to East-Iersey and did visit Friends there and had several blessed Meetings And returned back again to Long-Island and had several Meeings And then being clear of those Parts Iohn Cartwright and I came to New-York in order to get a Passage for Maryland and we set Sail from New-York the first day of the ninth Month 1672. but set Sail at Sandy-hook out to the Sea the third day of the same and met with rough Weather but the sixth day of the same we got in at the Capes of Virginia and on the ninth of the same Month we came to Anchor in Pertuxon-River in the Province of Maryland and so got up within a day or two to Iames Prestons but the North-west-wind blew so hard that we could not get up the first day And then we did go through Friends in that Province as the Lord made way And G. F. and Friends that were with him who came over Land together were gone down to Virginia and he also did travel over Land to North-Carolina and there found some Friends and returned back again over Land to Virginia and so came up the Bay again to Maryland
and while they were below in Virginia and Carolina we travelled among Friends in Maryland and had blessed Service Upon the first day of the eleventh Month we had a Meeting at Iohn Baldwin's at South-River where were many Friends and other People who were come together upon the Occasion of a Dispute which one Henry Pierrepoint had challenged us unto who was a kind of a Fifth-Monarchy-Man The first thing we had to prove which he had assumed was That the Scriptures were the only Rule to try all things by in matters of Faith and Doctrine About which we had a great Discourse and we proved That the Patriarchs had Faith and a Rule for Faith before any Scriptures we have were written and shewed what was their Rule We spent several hours in Dispute about the other three things which he had affirmed but there is a Book in Manuscript which is an Answer to them all therefore shall omit any further mentioning of it here So after some time spent in visiting Friends from Meeting to Meeting where many People came in at several places and the Lord's Power opened us and we were comforted and the Consciences of People reached G. F. and the other Friends returned and Iohn Cartwright took shipping for Barbadoes G. F. and I were some time together and we were up at an Indian Town at the Emperour's House where he had ordered the Indians both Men and Women to be there at his House to wit the antient and grave the young People were at another Wigwam G. F. spoke unto them by an Interpreter for the space of four or five hours I suppose it was nigh five hours and they were very still and quiet and very attentive and delighted as we did perceive to hear And when the time was over and we clear they shewed us kindness and were going to hang a Kettle on the fire to boil Fish for us to eat as they told us but we could not stay having a great way to go by Water and it was late So we came away to the Water-side and some of them accompanied us till we took Boat so we came down the River again to Friends and spent some time more in travel and labour in that Province And Iames Lancaster George Pattison and I took a Journey to visit some People that was Convinced up Potomick-River but we did Ferry over Pertuxon-River and then travelled through the Woods on foot over Land till we came to them and stayed a few days and had a Meeting or two and then returned back again to Pertuxon and on to the Clifts where we left Iames being very weary Then next day George and I travelled to West-River and were there at their Meeting And next Week we got a Boat and went over the Bay to the Easternshore and went up Miles-River to Friends and from thence we went to meet with G. F. to speak with him having some Intentions to take shipping and to go for England with one Iohn Ore a Friend a Master of a Katch that did belong to some Friends at London And when we had been with G. F. a little time we returned to Miles-River to our Boat and after a little time went away to go over the Bay towards West-River and through some exercise with contrary Winds At last we got over and after a little time spent there with Friends we departed and went down by the Clifts where we met with G. F. come over the Bay And stayed but little there but went on towards Pertuxon where we took shipping and set Sail out of Pertuxon-River the 25 th day of the second Month 1673. and came out at the Capes of Virginia to the Sea on the sixteenth day of the same Month. And when we had sailed but a few days in a Morning early we espied a Fleet of Ships behind us about four and twenty and then we stopt a little supposing them to be an English Fleet that sailed out of the Capes from Iames-River two or three days before us And when some of them came up to us they told us it was the same Fleet. So we stayed and went in company with them till we came about the Bank of New-found-Land and then we met with foul Weather which did part us one from another so that we no more got all together again We were six that got together again in our Company and kept together until we came into the Bay at Galloway in Ireland where we arrived the 24 th day of the third Month 1673. And then from Galloway I travelled to Limmerick and so to Charlefield to Mallo and to Cork and to Bandon and as far almost as Baltimore visiting Friends and having Meetings and then returned back to Cork and then took my Journey to Youghill and so on to Tallagh and to Kilcomin and to Waterford and so on into the County of Wexford having Meetings in all these places and the Lord 's good Presence with us to our comfort Glory and Honour and Praise to him for ever And then I came up through the County of Catherlough and the Queens County and so on into the County of Westmeath having Meetings all along and visiting Friends and there George Pattison left me and took his Journey for Dublin and from thence to London but I took my Journey for Caan and when I had seen Friends and had a Meeting or two I took my Journey for the North the County of Ardmagh and the County of Antrim and those parts and did visit Friends and had many precious Meetings and the Lord was with us and his gracious Presence was our daily comfort to him be the Glory for ever And when I had spent some time in the North of Ireland in the Service of the Truth I took my Journey for Dublin And after some Meetings there I took my Journey into the County of Wicklow and so through the Province of Munster a second time and also through Friends in Leinster and in the North so that I did travel through most Meetings a second time in that Nation And then being clear of the Nation I took shipping at Belfast the 25 th day of the tenth Month 1673. and the 26 th we set Sail out of the Lough and arrived at White-haven in Cumberland in England the 27 th of the same Month and stayed about three Months in Cumberland for the most part And then I took my Journey out of Cumberland towards Newcastle visiting Friends and their Meetings as I went along And from Newcastle I went on into Bishoprick and through their Meetings and so on into Yorkshire and through Cleveland and to Whitby and Scarborough Malton and York and had many precious Meetings And so went up to Massom and from thence Robert Lodge and I with Iames Hall took our Journey towards London to the Yearly-Meeting in the Year 1674. and there stayed some time labouring in the Word and Testimony which God had committed unto me in that City And
we took our Journey towards Swanzey and Cardiff and had several pretious Meetings in Glamorganshire and then went over into Monmouthshire And after we had visited Friends Iohn went with me to the Ferry and stayed to see me take Boat and then returned And I went that same day to Bristol and stayed some Meetings there And then went down into Somersetshire and did visit Friends there and had many blessed Meetings And returned back to Bristol and stayed some Meetings there And then went up into Wiltshire and so into Glocestershire and through Barkshire and into Oxfordshire and so into Worcestershire as far as Worcester and visited Friends and had many pretious Meetings through those Counties And from Worcester returned again down through Glocestershire and had several Meetings And came again to Bristol and from thence took my Journey through several Counties visiting Friends And so came to London and stayed there some time in the Service and Work of the Gospel And being clear I took my Journey for the North and did not make much stay at any place till I came into Cumberland And the reason of my so travelling was because of a Meeting that was agreed upon by Friends to be at Draw-well in Sedber-Parish about the former Difference that had been heard at Powbank that was among Friends in Westmorland chiefly occasioned by the aforesaid Iohn Story and I. Wilkinson and a lose sort of People that they did countenance in a Liberty that the Truth would not allow and therefore could not be born with by such tender Friends as were zealous for the Truth who kept their first love and therein delighted to uphold that Antient Testimony for the Lord against the Priests and their Tithes Hire and Maintenance with other things that were to be born Witness against through Sufferings as also for Meeting together to worship God which from the beginning had been our practice against such there being divers Statutes with Penalties upon us for so doing for fear of which the aforesaid I. S. and I. W. with such as had let in the same fear through fleshly Reasoning did shrink and hide and so let fall the Nobility of that Testimony which we had received and were raised up to stand for in the beginning And so because of a failure in divers things and a pleading for a Liberty from under the exercise of the Cross that the Offence thereof might cease the Faithful became concerned to stand up against that Spirit that thus was like to weaken or overthrow the Faith and Testimony of many through its subtil Workings in and through divers who like them the Apostle writes against in his Epistle to the Galatians that to avoid Persecution endeavoured to bring the Believers under Circumcision that so the Offence of the Cross might cease or Sufferings for the Gospel might be avoided Now this Difference still continuing and they abiding obstinate and not willing to receive Advice nor bear the Iudgment in the Truth placed upon them Friends in condescension to see if they could be gained appointed a Meeting at Draw-well near Sedber that they might have another opportunity and be heard what they could further say And then the Matters were fully gone through before many antient faithful Brethren that were there then assembled who spent four days in hearing and going through the Matters relating to that Difference that was then occasioned through their Opposition to the blessed Order of the Truth who withstood Friends godly Care for the Preservation of the Dominion thereof in Righteousness And when all things were heard and gone through by the Brethren the Iudgment was again given in the Power of the Lord upon that Spirit that they had let in whereby they had been led into a Separation and Division and Opposition to the Truth and the holy Order and Testimony thereof and they in the same Power and Love with great Bowels and Tenderness sought to return back again unto that Spirit of Love and Peace wherein the Unity and Fellowship of the true Body doth consist But alas many of them would not be wrought upon nor prevailed with but in that hardness the Enemy had wrought their Hearts into did persist until they became open Enemies to the Truth and the faithful Witnesses of it even to the Writing and Printing publickly against them and what the Truth doth lead into and so are become such as the Apostles write of that greatly withstood their words and slighted them of which both Paul Peter Iohn and Iude write This Meeting at Draw-well was in the second Month 1676. From thence after Friends had done what could be done at that time with holy Endeavours for the reconciling and gathering into the Heavenly Unity and making up of the Breach I returned again into Cumberland with several Brethren to wit I. T. I. B. Hugh Tickhill Thomas Laythes Iohn Steel and so spent a little time in Cumberland and then I took my Journey with Iohn Tiffin towards London And in our Journey we came into Westmorland to visit Friends there where we met with some of those with whom we had to do at Draw-well and then they were grown hard through resisting the Counsel of the Lord and had set up a Separate Meeting and so run into the Self-Separation and grown more into the Enmity and stronger in the Opposition through Resisting the love of God that so richly was reached forth unto them in the Heavenly Bowels that by the Power of the Lord Jesus Christ were opened in the Brethren at the aforesaid Meeting at Draw-well For then did the Power of the Eternal God in great Majesty appear and in a weighty Dread was Iudgment set and sealed upon that Spirit by which they had been betrayed and by the same Power and Word of Life was a Door opened unto them that had been betrayed and an entrance in the same set before them and they with much brokenness and tenderness in the Power of Love were sought to return and be reconciled unto God and unto his People But this great Visitation by them being rejected they grew harder and harder until they grew many of them as before said Enemies unto the Cross of Christ and so withered as to their Spiritual State and so did become as some of old whom the Apostle wrote of as Trees twice dead and pluckt up by the Roots And then from Westmorland I went over into Yorkshire had a Meeting at Sedber and went through the Dales to Massom and visited Friends there-aways And then I. T. and I with Robert Lodge took our Journey to York and from thence towards London visiting Friends by the way and so came to the Yearly Metting in the Year 1676. where there were many faithful Brethren assembled together there from most Parts of the Nation Amongst many things of Concern relating to the Truth and the Churches of Christ that Division in Westmorland was laid before the Meeting and how they were hardened and had set
Power and in Love Peace and Concord all was carried on amongst us and so all was sweet and comfortable Here is a Discourse of putting the Laws in Execution against Dissenters however if the Lord suffer such a thing to be I believe it will be for his own Glory at last in the manifesting the Approved and trying the Faith of his People But we are yet quiet save some that are in Prison for Tithes Our Meetings are large and full in this Nation and Friends tell me there is an Openness in many places O! that we may be found faithful that we may work with him in his Vineyard and Harvest Dublin the 6th of the 10th Month 1682. The Lord preserve us all in the Faith that gives the Victory and faithful to God in this Trying day wherein it appears the Lord sees it meet to Try his People both in their Faith and Patience that the Approved may be made manifest We have large Meetings in this City and an Openness in divers places in the Country I have been in the Counties of Wicklow and Carlow and the Queens-County and at the Mote and Edenderry And to morrow I intend if the Lord will forth again to the Province-Meeting at Rosen-Allies Cork the 8th of the 11th Month 1682. I have been through these Parts as far as Castle-Salem and had a Meeting there yesterday was a Week and so returned back again to Cork to the Six-Weeks-Meeting where we had a blessed Season the Lord's Power was richly amongst us And after to morrow I think to go toward Toughill and so into the County of Tipperary and then to Castle-Dormant-Meeting and then for ought I know towards Dublin I am comforted in my Service amongst Friends who are generally glad of my coming and of what they have an Expectation of in relation to my Marriage but my Heart is fully satisfied in that I feel the Lord's Goodness towards us and in his Fear I do delight to wait upon him in this as in other things and desire that we may be a good Example And therefore I find it our way not to be hasty The Lord give us wisdom to walk so as that he may be Glorified and Friends in us Comforted This I desire above all Earthly Things Dublin the 30th of the first Month 1683. I am concern'd to hear of the Continued Sufferings of our Friends in England we are yet at Ease here as from those things The Lord work our Hearts more and more into Thankfulness and guide us in Wisdom to walk worthy of these Favours that in displeasure he may never take them from us but when-ever he is pleased to Remove them it may be in his Love for a Trial unto us as I believe it is with many of his Faithful Ones whom my Soul desires he may still preserve in the Faith that gives the Victory I have been in the North and did pass through Friends and had a blessed Service I am intended to go forth of this City to morrow towards Wicklow and so through the County of Wexford to visit Friends there Dublin the 10th of the 3d Month 1683. We have now Accomplisht that Concern of Marriage which we have for some time been under and blessed be the Lord he has been unto us a comfortable Director in our Undertakings in this Matter to the Satisfaction of Friends in the General who were with us And besides the Friends of this City we had many of the Friends of the South-end of the Nation who were come to be at the Half-Years-Meeting and some the sooner upon our Account and abundance of other People We had a blessed Meeting several Brethren with us and the Lord's Power assisting all things were well and we had Peace and Comfort and the Truth was honoured and not only Friends but many sober People were greatly affected with the Management thereof Well the Lord will honour his Name and Way and People if we be but careful to honour him The Lord is good unto us we have Cause to mind his Goodness unto us and truly that which is chiefly in both our Hearts is to seek his Glory and above all things to desire preservation in his Wisdom Dublin the 4th of the 8th Month 1683. I have been a time in the Country and came into the City again but yesterday I went to the Prevince-Meeting at Rosen-Allies and have visited many Meetings I was comforted with Friends in the good presence of the Power that did attend us Things are pretty well among Friends and our Meetings large and full We feel little of those Sufferings that our dear Friends in England have heavy upon them The Lord preserve us Tender Low and Humble that we may be worthy of such a Mercy from the Hand of the Lord. Dublin the 24th of the 5th Month 1683. Here is a Report abroad that Meetings will be disturbed and broken up but nothing done yet It must be Friends here as well as in other Parts that must bear the Burden as to the right part in Suffering and I hope it will be Friends Care to be given up in the Innocency to suffer for that Testimony the Lord hath raised in their Hearts by which we have been kept Innocent and Clear from the beginning under all Governments And so never could touch nor join with that which did seek the hurt of any This must be our Cloak or Covering and that gives Boldness and is and will be the Ease of the Spirits of all the Faithful and that which will answer the Consciences of our Adversaries And I believe if some Suffering do come it will work for good through Trying our Spirits Faith and Patience so that many may come to know themselves and the Lord and his Power also better thereby From the Marshalsee's Prison in Dublin the 9th of the 6th Month 1683. We are very likely to partake in some measure of Sufferings with our Friends and Brethren in England The last first day the Major sent the Marshal to our Meeting in the Forenoon and I being speaking he commanded me to go with him which after some Discourse I did He commanded the Meeting to Disperse but Friends kept quiet in their plaplaces I was carried before the Major with whom I had some Discourse to this effect He asked me Why we did act contrary to the Government having been commanded not to meet I told him We do nothing in Contempt of the Government But said he why do you not obey then I said Because it is Matter of Conscience to us and that which we believe to be our indispensible Duty to Meet together to Worship God To which he Answered You may be misled I told him If we were misled we were willing to be informed if any could do it Then it was urged Other Dissenters had submitted and why would not we I said What they do will be no Plea for us before the Judgment-Seat of the Great God So after some other Discourse the Major committed
into this Country again Graysouthen the 19 th of the 6 th Month. Between two or three Weeks time I hope to be as far as Edenborrough Leith the 6th of the 8th Month 1684. I have had a very peaceable and prosperous Journey since I came into Scotland hitherto I came to Edenburgh at the time appointed and stayed here one first day and then took my Journey into the North and I. H. and I. T. with me and spent about three weeks there and in my Journey had Meetings while I was there almost every day and a blessed open Service through the Lord's Power amongst Friends For there is an open tender-hearted People and they were glad of my coming for there had not been any English Friend among them of a long time And being clear I. T. and I came away this day a Week and left I. H. there we got to this Town the fourth day of the last Week and was at Edenburgh the fifth day at their Meeting and yesterday had a blessed Meeting there in the Fore-noon and here the Afternoon and to morrow we intend to take our Journey for the West and do hope to be clear this day a Week to go for England and hope to be in Cumberland to morrow a Week if the Lord will Hitherto all hath been very quiet where I have been and I hear nothing but Friends Meetings are quiet all over Scotland and Friends are suffered to be quiet but in some places they are very busie with some other People Here hath been a pretty deal a-do about a Plot but of these things we know nothing nor in such doings have no hand and therefore about it desire not to meddle Though others doings may bring Sufferings upon us yet still our Happiness is to be kept Innocent that if we suffer it may not be for evil-doing and then it will be well Eaglesfield the 12th of the 9th Month 1684. And truly in this Trying day wherein we are all of us like to have our Faith and Love to God Tried our greatest Concern always is to be in our hearts truly and wisely given up and resigned into the Will of God that we may therein rest in and under whatsoever the Lord may order for us or call us unto and then may we have peace in every Exercise and have Dominion in our Spirits over every Opposition which are many that the true Travelling Israel of God doth meet withal in this Age. I got very well through the West of Scotland met with no Disturbance All was quiet when I was there Our Meetings are quiet in Cumberland I suppose I may stay yet about two weeks here Stockton the 11th of the 10th Month 1684. I came out of Cumberland about two Weeks ago and was at Strickland-head and then came on into Bishoprick and thought I should but have touched at Darnton and this Town and so on into Yorkshire But when I was at Darnton it came upon me to give Friends a visit further in this County And so I went to Durham and had a blessed Meeting there and did visit the Prisoners And then went to Sunderland had a Meeting there And then to Shields and to T. F. had a Meeting there And so returned to Shâ—tton and so to this Town and had a blessed Meeting in the Evening yesternight it being their Meeting-time They are usually kept out of their Meeting-House here but yesternight we got in and the Meeting was full and peaceable and so have all the Meetings where I have been And now I am ready to go over into Yorkshire and do hope to be at York in about two Weeks time I suppose I may be there first day come two Weeks Grayrig the 26th of the 11th Month 1684 5. I have had a very comfortable and peaceable Journey and came through Cleveland and the Moors to Whitby and from thence up to Molton and to York Meetings have been quiet all along where I have been Yesterday a Fortnight a Constable was at the Meeting-House before I came and stood in the way to speak with the Friend that I came along with it being just before the Sessions He had a Warrant and was to give his Return at Sessions and therefore threatned that if we would not forbear to meet that day he must carry us before a Iustice. However after we had Reasoned a while with him we parted and went into the Meeting and he went away and did not come into the Meeting So we had a blessed Meeting and parted in Peace and the Lord's Power was over all to our great Joy This was all the Appearance of Molestation I have yet met with And I have had a very good Season and abundance of Meetings since I left York In Yorkshire I was at Robert Lodge's House and had his Company a pretty time out of Yorkshire I went to Lancaster and when I had visited Friends I came into Westmorland to Preston-Meeting and yesterday was at Sedberge We had a peaceable Meeting but out of the Meeting-House in the Street the Meeting-House being locked up from Friends I intend some Meetings in this County and so down to Swartmore and on into Cumberland as the Lord makes way Eaglesfield the 25th of the 12th Month 1684. I have had a very peaceable Journey and did visit Friends Meetings very fully in Westmorland and all quiet And since I came into Cumberland I was down at Carlisle and the Border And now my Service seems to be over and I am preparing to go home And was at Workinton this day and to morrow I intend to go to Whitehaven and to take the first Opportunity for Dublin Thus far I have been preserved very well through all my Travels and now I hope I shall get home Dublin the 25th of the first Month 1685. I got well here last Night but was put ashore in the North in Strangford-River about seventy Miles from Dublin and about four and twenty from Lisnagarvy And being put ashore there I found an Openness in my Heart to give Friends a Visit in the North and so spent near two Weeks among them and had many good Meetings I am very glad and my heart is truly Thankful unto the Lord for his preservation through this last Journey so safe and clear and ordered my way so comfortably home where I hope I may be of Service in my place and a Comfort to Friends The Lord our God is to be minded by us in all things I find things amongst Friends generally pretty well as formerly and Meetings very large and peaceable here and in the North. I am intended out of Town to the Province-Meeting Dublin the 16th of the 3d Month 1685. This Half-Years-Meeting we had a very great Appearance of Friends out of the Country many say they have not seen so many ever before And to our publick Meetings abundance of other People came even far more than could get into our House and they were very sober so that the Truth
Souls as the Reward of your Obedience and Faithfulness unto the Lord that hath called you thereunto and raised you up for that purpose And therefore let none look back nor be dismayed for the Cause is the Lord's and he will stand by you and will plead your Cause with all that rise up against you and will bring your Righteousness to light more and more and shew who are his and approved in his sight And he will also discover and lay open the Cruelty of such and manifest them who outwardly would shew themselves to be Sheep but are inwardly Ravenous and so Ravening Wolves and so labour to lay waste the Heritage of the Lord to spoil his Flock They are such who would not have the Lambs seed quietly in the green Pasture of the Lord's pleasure nor to lie still in the Fold of true Rest. But blessed be the Lord for ever and ever he hath brought many to the Mountain of his Holiness where they shall not hurt nor destroy even as he hath promised And therefore let all mind their dwelling there and be not moved and the Treasure will be known and the Riches received which all the Spoilers from Babylon and Men of War from Egypt shall not rob you of For it is from thence they all come to spoil Zion and to rob her of her Glory But the Lord is her defender and her King is in the midst of her and Salvation is round about her for Walls and Bulwarks Glory and Honour and Praises to the Lord our God for ever and ever For he hath taken to himself his great power and is going on Conquering and to Conquer And will effect his own purposes and bring to pass his own Designs in despite of all his Adversaries so that when they think to pull down he is building up and in that way which they think to destroy he will establish and so repair the Streets of Zion in troublesome times and build up her Desolations and repair her Breaches as before hath been prophesied And seeing it is certainly thus let us all trust in him for ever and wait upon him that his power by us may be felt and his Love and vertue may be fed upon which nourisheth up the Soul to Eternal Life Dear Friends the Aboundings of the Love of God which is in my Heart towards you all I cannot but signifie unto you amongst whom I have been a partaker of such pretious Mercy and rich Blessings as we have enjoyed together and as I am satisfied still abounds in your Hearts from the God of our Mercies And so Friends this is a Testimony of my love unto you all do you receive it in particular as if I had writ unto you all one by one For this it is the Lord hath made one in his Son and brought us into Unity as we abide in him there is no Separation therefore cannot we be forgotten one by another Dear Friends by this you may understand that I am very well every way and going on in the Service into which I am called The last day but yesterday I had a Meeting in Boston but very few of the People came they are still under the fear of them who are like them and of that Generation unto whom Christ said would neither enter-in themselves nor suffer others However we had a very comfortable and peaceable Meeting and Truth is over them and will bring them under and confound their Inventions From Your Friend and Brother Iohn Burnyeat To the Rulers Ministers and People of the Island of Barbadoes who see and take notice in any measure of the Hand of the Lord that is upon them and have desires in them to have his Iudgments removed FRIENDS IT is Sin that provokes the Lord and causeth his Judgments in his wrath to come upon a Nation a People or a particular and for that doth the Lord visit with his Rod and many times smite with his sore Judgments And while that is lived in the Lord will not hear though man may cry and make many Prayers as you may see in the Scriptures of Truth Read Isaiah the 1 st and see what the Lord said unto Israel when they were revolted and become a sinful Nation a People laden with Iniquity Tho they offered Sacrifices and burnt Offerings and called Assemblies and observed the new Moons and the appointed Feasts the Prophet called them the Rulers of Sodom and said Hear the Word of the Lord ye Rulers of Sodom give Ear unto the Law of our God ye People of Gomorrah to what purpose is the multitude of your Sacrifices saith the Lord c. And further told them That though they spread forth their Hands he would hide his Eyes from them and when they did make many Prayers he would not hear their Hands were full of Blood And therefore commanded them to wash make clean and put away the Evil of their doings from before his Eyes and cease to do evil and learn to do well seek Judgment relieve the Oppressed judge the Fatherless plead for the Widow and then come and let us reason together saith the Lord. So here you may see this is the way for Man to cease from doing Evil and to learn to do well whereby he may come into acquaintance with the Lord and to have his Prayers to be heard and his Requests to be answered and so the Judgment to be removed And also Daniel's Counsel to the King was that he should break off his Sins by Righteousness and his Iniquities by shewing Mercy to the poor that it might be a lengthening to his Tranquillity Dan. 4. 27. And all along in the Scriptures of truth you may see that Sin was the cause why the Lord was angry with any People and why his Wrath came upon any Nation and that the Lord though he spared long many times would not be reconciled unto them till they obeyed his call in turning from the Evil of their ways and if they would not be turned at last he brought his Judgments upon them to cut them off As you may see concerning Israel many times both in the Wilderness where the unbelieving and disobedient were cut off and perished and also after they were come into the Land of Promise how often because of their Sins he brought his Judgments over them and Destruction upon them after that he had warned them and by his Prophets called unto them to leave their Wickedness and to learn to do righteously and to amend their ways and their doings And because they would not hear but continued in their Sin the Lord brought his sore Judgments upon them and rejected them and cut them off and laid the Land desolate notwithstanding the multitude of their Sacrifices of their Prayers and of their Observations So that he that killed an Ox was as if he slew a Man and he that sacrificed a Lamb as if he cut off a Dog's neck and he that offered an Oblation as if he offered Swines
Jesus Christ And if we grow in the Knowledg of him as we have known him to save us from Sin and to destroy the evil one and so to be our Sanctification and Redemption even so we must Wait to know him to be made of God unto us Wisdom that he may be our Wisdom and the Fountain of it unto us may be the gift of his Holy Power in our Hearts And so then as it did mightily work in our Hearts to Prepare us even so will the same Gift be felt to work mightily to furnish us with Wisdom and to enable for every Good Work and so you will know him to be made of God Wisdom unto you For the Holy dread of the Power upon the Heart in Righteousness being felt guides him or her in Wisdom that Speaks the same Holy Fear and Dread upon the Heart guides him in Silence that in Silence sitteth whose mouth is not opened and so he is made still and Christ your Head who is one in the Man and in the Woman Wisdom unto you and so here all will be kept in your places as you keep in Subjection unto him who is the Head the Husband of the true Wife And dear Friends mind his Heavenly Power and keep under a Holy Reverence unto it and that will keep you Savoury and Reverent in your Meetings and clear and in a good understanding and Subject one unto another and so you will be Co workers together and helpers one of another and so you will come to have the benefit one of anothers gifts And thus as Members will you supply in a Blessed Unity every one your Office in the Body And therefore my Counsel as a Brother in Love unto you is Let all be Subject None in whom the tender Life in a Heavenly Reverence doth move for Counsel Advice or otherwise to quench it or to stop the Service for in so doing others may be wronged as well as the particular unto whom the Lord intends benefit by thy gift For it is not good to Stop only let all take heed that their own Spirits may be Subject that Christ may be head in all and he may be your Wisdom And be open and ready in your Hearts to Receive Counsel Help and Instruction one from another and keep down the forward heady and rash Spirit that would run without Reverence and speak without the true Fear from that none will rightly understand nor have a true sense of the Weight of the Service of this Day O! it is fresh in my Heart the Dread the Reverence the Fear that our Hearts were filled with in the beginning in which we went about Truth 's Concern this same is still to be Felt and Minded and then all will be kept Savoury and in this will all your Meetings your Care and Labour of Love be a sweet Smelling Sacrifice unto the Lord. And Friends let your Monthly and Quarterly-Meetings be kept orderly for the Service determined and aimed at that you may be retired from the World and such not concerned in the Service Proposed for such Meetings that so all that come may be either Capable of doing Service in a Reverent Mind or to Learn that which may be for Truths Honour their own Good and your Comfort and then will all you who are concerned get into your Service without Straitness and so will be a help one unto another in your particular gifts and the Spring of Life will be opened among you and your Meetings will be Delightful unto you and you in that will be a Delight one to another and then with one Consent in the Pleasant Unity you will do the Lord's Work together as his Servants and Hand-maids and a part of his pleasant Heritage which he hath Chosen and upon whom he rains down his 〈◊〉 daily And so the God of Peace and Love fill your Assemblies with his Presence Life and Love that you may Flourish as the Plants of his Right-hand-planting and be faithful through your whole Day is the desire of my Heart and Soul who Remain Your Brother in the Lord Jesus Christ I. B. To the Women's Meetings in Cumberland From London 20 th of the 4 th Month 1678. Dear Friends YOU whom the Lord hath visited and reached unto by his own holy Arm of Heavenly Power for that blessed end for which he hath visited many Nations and appeared unto many People that he might shew Glory again unto Mankind which through Sin they were fallen short of that so in his Visitation he might renew that Heavenly Image whereby he might be glorified again among the Sons of Men and now in this great Day of Visitation which hath dawned upon the Nations you in these Countries have been visited and reached unto and graciously saved and delivered from the Snares of Death and opened unto the way of Life so that you have both seen into that hidden Glory and tasted of and been enjoyers of the power of that Life which hath no end And now that care which always ought to dwell upon your Hearts is this that you may keep in possession that which you have received That as was said of old None may take your Crown from you nor none may fall short of that Rest which is prepared for the visited and redeemed of the Lord. The way you have known God hath shewed it unto you and called you to walk therein and the mark you have seen the Lord hath set that before you that you might press towards it as the antient Christians did for the Price of the high Calling of God in Christ Jesus And now dear Friends that which I desire all may be concerned in is how there is a pressing forward towards the Mark and a going on in this way which the Lord hath cast up or revealed and called you to walk in for it is he that travels on that shall come to the blessed End and obtain the Crown of Glory and not such as lingers or sits down by the way either to take up a Rest or look for another Inheritance besides what God hath promised shall be the possession after the War is over and the Conquest obtained For Iordan must be gone through and the Canaanites utterly subdued before any Man of War sit down in his Inheritance Therefore those Tribes that had their Lots on the other side of Iordan were to go through Iordan and continue in the War till all was subdued And thus is the saying true He that continues unto the end shall be saved and he that 's faithful unto Death shall have the Crown of Life And therefore let a concern be always upon your Minds in this weighty matter that you may see how it is with you and whether you are still in your Journey upon your Travel towards the Mark for the Price And as you must mind whether you are in your Travel pressing forwards or no even so you must mind also that you press forwards toward the Mark or else you
Truth Exalted IN THE WRITINGS OF THAT Eminent and Faithful Servant of CHRIST Iohn Burnyeat COLLECTED Into this Ensuing Volume as a MEMORIAL to his Faithful Labours in and for the TRUTH Prov. 10. 7. The Memory of the Iust is Blessed Psal. 112. 6. The Righteous shall be had in Everlasting Remembrance LONDON Printed for Thomas Northcott in George-Yard in Lumbard-Street 1691. THE PREFACE TO THE READER READER AS the Tree is known by its Fruits so I desire thee to Taste of these which are here presented to thee with a Serious and Unprejudiced Mind which are but Some of the Many Testimonies of the Love and Labour of the Deceased Author for the General Good of Mankind and particular Edification of the Churches of Christ that are Gathered in our Day by the Eternal Spirit in and among whom he was a Faithful Able and Successful Labourer The End of Books is the End of Preaching viz. Informing the Inquirer Stirring up the Careless Stopping the Gainsayer and Comforting and Building up those whose Faces are turned already Sion-ward and that are Attended with many Exercises in their Iourney to Everlasting Habitations And as the End is the same so where the Servants of Christ cannot come Books may that are the Testimony of their Care and Ministry for others They remain also with us and are a Memorial of those that writ them when they are Gathered to their Fathers and by them the Living often Converse with the Dead who yet Die not but Live in their Labours in the Children they beget to God in their Writings they leave behind them as Pledges of their Love and Care for the Flock and in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus with the Spirits of the Just To whom and to God the Judge of all the Dispensation of our Day has brought Thousands Blessed be his Eternal Name for ever These following Writings I Recommend the more Earnestly and Pleasingly to thy Solemn Perusal Serious Reader because they are very little Controversial they chiefly Refer to Practice to an Holy and Divine Life and Walking with God The First is an Account of his own Convincement the Path he trod-in to Peace with God out of a Wicked World where the Heavenly Call found him It is Sweet Lively Instructive and Perswading to others to Try as he did and to Embrace the Holy Truth Then follows a Relation of his Travels and Ministry in these Nations and beyond the Seas as Luke presented the Churches with the Acts or Travels of the Apostles in their Infancy A Pleasant and Seasoning Lecture both for the Young who love to hear of Voyages to Excite them to seek the Lord his Way and Kingdom and to Journey towards the New and Heavenly Ierusalem and to Quicken those more Aged to shake off their Dust the Earth that is too Apt to Contract and Stick upon them in the Daily Attention they give to their Temporal Affairs and to Lift up their Eyes and see the Fields how White they are to Harvest and how few Labourers there are to Take it in and what need there is of an Holy Care and Oversight of those that are already Gathered especially Considering how many Eminent Ones of late are Taken from us His Next Writings are Epistles of divers sorts to several Places and upon different Occasions containing Divine Truths and Strong Perswasives to Faithfulness Love Holiness and Perseverance in the Way of God Revealed to them in the Light of Iesus Christ the Great Light of the World that Enlightens every one that comes into the World Those that have any Spiritual Savour will Taste a Sweet Savour in them and God will Witness to them as he is wont to do to the Labours and Writings of his Servants in the Hearts of those that with Seriousness shall peruse them His last Two Tracts in this Book saving Two Epistles that by coming too late are misplaced are in Defense of the Truth against some Opposers of it and the only Controversy in the Book The Soundness of his Answers and Moderation of his Spirit in delivering of them are no small Commendation to the Truth he defends whose Faithful Servant he was for it shews the Power it had over him how well he knew what he writ and that he was not only a Professor but a Possessor of the Living and Saving Faith that was once deliver'd to the Saints and is now again Restored by the Operation of the same Holy Spirit I shall Conclude with saying That as the Author was one of the Most-Eminent of the Second Stock of Ministers the Lord Anointed and Sent forth in this his Glorious Day and was so Generally Witnessed in his Services in the Hearts of his People It is tenderly hoped that those who loved him will prize his Remaining Testimonies and be Good Examples to their Families in Reading such Edifying Labours of the Brethren that their Children and Servants may be brought up and Instructed in the Religious Tradition of our Day according to the Testimony of the Blessed Truth in the Inward Parts Unto which they are all left and the holy Teachings and Guidings of it and Thou Reader likewise that leads into the Way of Holiness and into the Path of Endless Peace ON IOHN BURNYE AT ' s Book GO Little Book speak out the Praise Of him that did thy Author Raise An Eminent Apostle of our Days May He that Blest him Bless thee too That thou the Way of Truth may shew To the Vain Gentile and Benighted Iew Thee Who spake through him can speak by And make thy Readers Hear and See The Saving Truths of thy Divinity A TESTIMONY Concerning the Life and Death OF OUR Dear Friend and Brother in the Lord John Burnyeat HE was a faithful Friend and Brother and an able Minister of Christ Jesus who freely preacht the Everlasting Gospel and laboured to keep it without Charge who was a True Apostle of Iesus Christ and preacht him Freely both by Sea and Land He received the Truth in 1653. in Cumberland and died in the Lord in Ireland in the Year 1690. after he had stood those great Troubles Storms and Trials there and was a great Strength to Friends in the time of their late great Sufferings He stood it out when many were Ruined and fled to England for Succour and remained till after King William came in and King James went out of Ireland And then he went up and down Visiting Friends Meetings that were gathered in the Name of Jesus And after he had intended to come for England but there he died in the Lord and is Blessed and Rests from his Labours and his Works follow him He travelled and Preacht the Gospel in Ireland Scotland Barbadoes Virginia Maryland New-Jerseys Long-Island Road-Island and up and down in New-England and had many Disputes with many Priests and Professors that opposed the Truth but the Lord gave him Dominion over all and to stop the Mouths of the Gainsayers and he turned many to the Lord
and was a Peace-maker and he preacht in his Life and Conversation as well as his Words And he travelled with me from Maryland through the Wilderness and through many Rivers and Desperate Bogs where they said never English Man nor Horse had Travelled before where we lay out at Nights and sometimes in Indian Houses and many times were very hard put to it for Provisions but the Lord by his Eternal Arm and Power did support us and carry us through all Dangers Blessed be his Name for ever And he was an Elder and a Pillar in the House of God and the Name of the Righteous shall be had in Everlasting Remembrance but the Name of the Wicked will Rot. He was a Man Endued much with the Wisdom of God and in it had a Care of the Welfare of the Church of Christ to keep in Peace out of Strife and Contention and laboured with the Apostates and Back-sliders to turn them to Christ and his peaceable Truth So that they might Study to be Quiet and keep in the Unity of the Spirit which is the Bond of the King of Kings and Lord of Lord's Peace And much more I might write concerning our Dear Brother in the Lord I knowing him very well and his Travels and Service in the Lord's Power and Truth and so doth the Church of Christ among whom he will be missed But he is gone to his Rest and the Lord by his Eternal Arm and Power is able to Raise up others in his place The 13th of the 9th Month 1690. G. F. The Testimony of Friends in Cumberland COncerning that Faitful Servant of the Lord John Burnyeat belonging formerly to Pardsay-Meeting in Cumberland he was born at Crabtreebeck in the Parish of Lows-water in the said County his Parents were of good Repute and his Education was according to his Parentage The Lord visited him in his young and tender Years and inclined his heart after good things whereupon he gave himself to Reading the Scriptures that thereby he might be informed of those things that made for his Soul's Peace and going from one Man to another who were counted Men of Experience yet found no true Satisfaction until it pleased the Lord to send his Ministers to turn his Mind to the Invisible Word of Life which he gladly received into his heart and came to Wait in Humiliation to feel the Operation of it So that he was brought forth Early in the Day of the breaking forth of God's Light and Power in our Age when it pleased God to Visit many People in divers Nations of the World and to make known his Everlasting Truth in the North-Country which Day of Light and Truth and Grace many waited for and were in a readiness to Receive with Ioy and Gladness of Heart amongst whom this our Dear Friend J. B. being called by Grace to the Knowledge of the Lord his Truth and Power and receiving the same in Love Faith and Obedience he came to Witness the Effectual working thereof to his Sanctification and so became a Vessel of Honour fitted for his Master's Use even Christ and learned to Rule his own House well in washing first the Inside and the Outside appearing clean also Then his Light began to shine before Men to the Glory of God that called him And this being first done in him and for him to his particular peace and satisfaction in the Lord 's Eternal Truth then the Lord opened his Mouth in a few words in much tenderness which tended greatly to the comforting of his People he always being careful to wait for the Motion of the Word and to keep close with it whereby he grew in his Gift and was drawn forth to visit Friends in this County where we dearly loved him He was faithful in the discharge of his Duty when called to give Testimony against the Hireling-Priests in the Steeple-Houses to gather People from the Mouths of those Greedy Shepheards that feed themselves and not the Flock and did not profit the People at all And for these things he suffer'd Imprisonment a long time under a severe Goaler in a close nasty place For the Lord sent him forth in his joyful opening Power and Spirit to preach glad Tidings of Salvation by Christ Iesus sometimes to the Spirits in Prison and to them coming out of Prison and entring into the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God and to them who walked stedfastly in that Glorious pure Liberty he that hath an Ear to hear let him hear whereby he was a blessed Instrument in the Hand of the Lord both for Convincing and Converting to God and for the Refreshing Comforting and Strengthening of them in the Faith Grace and Truth that they might be built on the Rock Christ the Foundation for all the Chosen of God in him throughout all Generations that Man might answer the End for which he was made even to Glorify God who is worthy of Glory and Praise for ever He was a Man of an Excellent Spirit and of deep Experience in the things of God and Mysteries of his Kingdom which were richly made manifest unto him And it was his Delight to be Meditating therein whereby his Experience was daily increased unto the Conclusion of his Days He was a Man tender of God's Glory and Earnestly sought the spreading and propagating of the Truth The Lord made his Travels successful and he saw the Fruit of his Labour and the Lord blessed him with the Fruits of his holy Spirit whereby he became well qualified for the Work of the Ministry a Nursing Father lending a hand of help to the feeble of the Flock and comforting the Mourners in Sion For his Doctrine did drop as the Dew and his Speech as the small Rain He was a Pattern of Righteousness to the Young Generation over whom he was very Tender and to the Aged he could give Counsel so that God made him a strong Pillar in his Church and cloathed him with Divine Wisdom that he was capable of speaking a Word in Season to all which was as a Nail fastned in a sure place He was one of the Lord's Worthies in his day of a quick Sight and clear Discerning of a strong Arm and skilful Hand whose Bow abode in strength and carried the Arrows to the Mark aimed at like as the Men of Benjamin that could sling Stones to a Hair's breadth so he fixed Judgment upon the head of the Transgressor And his Arrows returned not in vain particularly against that Wicked Spirit of Separation where-ever he met with it He was often concerned in Testimony against those that profess the Truth and Way of God and yet did incline to suit themselves to the vain Fashions and Customs of the World as Inlets to a wrong Spirit and became evil Precedents to others especially Young People that are too much employed in their Minds with foolish Dresses and Fashions that never knew the weighty Work of Truth and Power of God in their Hearts to work a Change
from the Town and we hired one and so began our Journey early next Morning to travel through that Country which now is called New Iersey and we did suppose that we travelled that day near forty Miles And at the Evening we got to a few Indian Wigwams that is their Houses for we saw no Man nor Woman House nor Dwelling that day for there dwelt no English in that Country then We lodged that Night in an Indian Wigwam and lay upon the Ground as themselves did and next day we travelled through several of their Towns and they were kind to us and helped us over the Creeks with their Canowes and we made our Horses swim at the sides of the Canowes and so travelled on And towards the Evening we got to an Indian Town and when we had put our Horses to Grass we went up to the King's House who received us kindly and shewed us very civil Respect But alas he was so poorly provided having got so little that Day that most of us could neither get to eat nor drink in his Wigwam but it was because he had it not So we lay as well as he that was upon the Ground only a Matt under us and a piece of Wood or any such thing under our Heads So next Morning early we took Horse and travelled through several Indian Towns and that day at Night we lodged in the Woods And so the next day being the fourth day we got to an English Plantation to a Town called Middle-Town in East-Iersey where there was a Plantation of English and several Friends and so we came down with a Friend to his House near the Water-side and he carried us over in his Boat and our Horses also to Long-Island And we got to Friends at Gravesand that Evening and next day we took our Journey to Flushing on Long-Island And the next day being the seventh day of the Week we took our Journey to Oyster-Bay and came there that Evening and several Friends from Gravesand and Flushing with us for the next day their Half-years-Meeting did begin which was the cause of our so hard travelling And besides we did understand that those that had been so troublesome the Half-years-Meeting before when I was there in opposing the Order of Truth and reflecting so upon G. F. would then be an Exercise to Friends therefore George Fox did endeavour the more to get to the Meeting Which we did very seasonably and it was of great Service to the Truth and great Comfort to Friends for they were greatly under when we were come and some of the chief of them began to fawn upon G. F. So we had our Meetings very comfortably first and second days publick for Worship third day for our Mens and Womens-Meetings for Business about the Affairs of the Church as usually before Then on the fourth day we had a Meeting with those dissatisfied People for G. F. would not suffer the Service of our Men and womens-Womens-Meetings to be hindered by such a matter And so on the fourth day as many Friends as had a desire to be there did come and the Lord's Power went over them and Friends were much satisfied And he that was the chief Instigator of that Mischief to wit George Dennis who came from London and his Wife not being well owned there by Friends he now began to disown the matter and would have cast it upon others and have willingly appeared clear to G. F. but that I did prove under his own Hand that he was a chief Actor at the Half-years-Meeting before and read the Book in our Meeting whether we would or no. And so things being fastened upon him the Lord's Power went over his deceitful Spirit and they were all bowed and the Truth exalted over all Glory to the Lord for ever Amen Then after this we stayed a little upon the Island and did go back to have some Meetings and returned again to Oyster-Bay and there set Sail for Road-Island the 29 th of the third Month and arrived at Road-Island the thirtieth of the same and there stayed till the Yearly-Meeting which began the eighth day of the fourth Month which was the sixth day of the next Week following and at that General Meeting there were many Friends from most Places in New-England where Friends dwelt and abundance of other People came into our Publick Meetings And we had Meetings for eight days together every day a Meeting some publick and others Men and Womens-Meetings for setling the Affairs of the Churches in the Order of the Truth that all things might be kept sweet clean and well And when all was over and the Service of the Meetings finished I took my Journey Eastward to go through the Meetings in the Eastern Parts of New-England and with me went Iohn Cartwright and George Pattison and several other Friends to accompany us and we left G. F. upon the Island and he went to Providence and the Narraganset Country So we took our Journey towards Sandwich where we had a blessed Meeting and were comforted and richly refreshed in the blessed Presence of the Lord 's holy and blessed Power that was with us and did open and enlarge our hearts And when we had spent some time with Friends there we left them and travelled on by Plymouth and Duxbury and had a Meeting at Marshfield and another at Scituate and the Lord was blessedly with us And at Scituate some of the Elders of their Church came to our Meeting where were abundance of People in an Orchard and stood up and made opposition so I ceased speaking to the People and joyned with them in Dispute But the People were so displeased at the Interruption they made that they signified their dislike and would have them have stayed till I had done upon which they said they would forbear then and come again So they went away and after their own Meeting was over they came again and several Friends stayed with me and a great Company of People came with them And then we went into our Meeting-house which before would not hold the Multitude and there began to Dispute and after some time spent they always endeavouring to make Friends appear to be in the Errour I said unto them before the People If I must be disputed with as an Heretick and your Church esteemed as a true Church I am willing we should come to the Rule Christ hath left and thereby be tried and that is by our Fruits and if you can prove the Fruits of your Church to be agreeable to the Fruits of any antient true Christian Church I shall yield otherwise I must hold my Testimony against it as a false Church c. But they were mighty unwilling to joyn with me in that Discourse But I urged the proof of our Practice by Scripture especially in such a great Point as that and so went on to reckon up the Fruits of their Church which was to fine and take away Goods for not coming to
their Worship to Imprison to Whip with Cruelty to Cut off Ears to Burn in the Hand to Banish upon pain of Death and to Hang for they had hanged four of our Friends All which Cruelties their Church had executed upon us and only upon the account of Religion And if they could prove these to be the Fruits of a true Christian Church then I told them I would own them otherwise they were to be denied The proof of these things or to dispute upon them they would willingly have evaded but I stood upon it necessary that we might be known by our Fruits and our Practice proved by Scripture which they pretended to be their Rule or otherwise all was but vain words and an idle Notion and they had nothing to do with Scripture c. And then they were confounded and knew not what to say but one of them fled to that Decree made by Artaxerxes Ezra 7. 26. But I shewed how inconsistant it was with the Gospel-Dispensation Christ's Command and the Christian's Practice and further said I would prove the Indians better Christians than they by practice And instanced the Indian King who when they had banished Nicholas Upshell an antient grave old man against whom they had nothing but that he was called a Quaker from his Wife and Family and out of their Colony he being received by his Friends at Sandwich in Plymouth-Colony they stirred up the Rulers of the Colony to banish him out of their Jurisdiction which they did And when the Indian King had inquired Why they would send that antient Man sixty Miles through the Woods in the cold Winter to Road-Island and understood the Matter he desired him to go with him and he would keep him and none should molest him or to that purpose and offered him Land and Kindness So said I here was one that would entertain a Stranger a Christian Practice according to Hebr. 13. 2. when your Church banisheth Neighbours from their own Dwellings an act of Cruelty c. Much Discourse we had but at these things they were confounded some of themselves having been Actors in Persecution upon our Friends as Friends told me after they were gone So the Lord's Power went over them they could not stand the trial and we parted in the Peace and Love of God And next day we came to Boston where we had a Meeting and many People came in and several of Note After a while when I was speaking came the Marshal and a Constable and many People following them The Marshal bid the Constable do his Office the Constable being a moderate man said So he did he was to see the King's Peace kept And so stood awhile and heard me and went away and told the Deputy-Governour he had been at our Meeting but he heard nothing but what was true or no Blasphemy or to this effect So the People stayed and I had a blessed Season to open things to the People and clear the truth of those Scandals which the Priests and others had cast upon it and the People went away greatly satisfied and spoke well of the Testimony they had heard Which when Priest Thatcher heard it appears he was displeased for several of his Children were there and the old angry persecuting Spirit got up in him and next first day he stirred up two Magistrates in his preaching to the People and they sent and took Friends at their Meeting and committed several to Prison And we had appointed a Meeting for Iohn Stubbs and Iames Lancaster the third day of the next Week who came after us through the Country and when they came they were put in Prison and banished out of the Colony Thus their old Fruits like old corrupt Trees they brought forth again So the next day we took our Journey to Salem and there had a Meeting and a blessed Season But there we met with some that were gone into that foolish Notion of Iohn Parrots keeping on their Hats when Friends prayed c. So after Meeting was over where many People was in a Barn we had a Meeting with several of the Chief of Friends and such as were gone after that Spirit and a great Discourse we had with them in which we laboured to bring them to an understanding of that Notion they were gone into and so laboured to open and settle the Minds of Friends in the antient Truth and blessed Power which they had believed in and received from Heaven and then appointed a Meeting to be the next Week against our Return And so took our Journey towards Piscattaway and had a Meeting at Hampton as we went were several People came in and some of the Elders of their Church and were greatly satisfied and went away and gave a good report of the Truth insomuch that Seaborn Cotton the Priest was greatly offended And the first day following he called the Chief of his People together and would have a Church-Act made That no Members nor Members Children should go to a Quakers Meeting and it was to be confirmed by their holding up their Hands But those that were at the Meeting would not assent but one of them did declare what he remembred of the Heads of what he heard at the Meeting and maintained it to be Truth So the Priest was in a rage and endeavoured to stir up Persecution And after the Meeting was over we went along to Piscattaway with Friends that came from thence to meet us and stayed there till the first day and had a blessed Meeting and also had a Meeting with the chief of Friends both Men and Women about setling of Men and womens-Womens-Meetings And Friends were very open and in sweet unity all things were setled after we had opened things unto them relating to the blessed Order of the Gospel And so committing them to the Lord and the Word of his Grace we returned back again and had another Meeting at Hampton where were several young People who after the Meeting gave me a Paper in which they signified their desire to be satisfied in something that was as a Scruple upon their Minds To which I answered and gave them great satisfaction And when they saw my Openness and willingness to answer they with reverence did ask me about divers things wherein they desired to be informed and unto all I answered and gave them satisfaction and so we parted Then I with Friends with me took our Journey toward Salem and came there against the time appointed and we had the Meeting which we had appointed with most of the Chief of Friends and it was about setling of Meetings to look after the Affairs of the Church And in the Meeting it was upon me largely to open the Service of our Men and Womens-Meetings and the Duty and Care of the Faithful therein and when I had done they did confess unto the Service c. to be very good and right So then we desired that they would come into the practice thereof but
up a Separate Meeting and so had withdrawn themselves from the rest of their Brethren and broken the Christian Fellowship which thing when understood by the Brethren there assembled was a grief unto them And thefore under the sence thereof and in that Brotherly Love with which their Hearts were filled towards them were there Two Epistles writ from the Meeting one to I. S. and I. W. warning and advising them as Heads and Leaders in that Sedition and Schism to endeavour to break up that Separate Meeting and to be Reconciled unto their Brethren before they did go abroad to offer their Gift And the other was writ to the Meeting as Advice unto them to Return to their former Fellowship with Friends and lay that Separate Meeting down and joyn with their Brethren in the Unity of the Truth c. But all this did not prevail with them but still they grew higher and harder and went on in the strong Resolutions of their Wills Only there were divers Particulars that were for a time concerned in that Opposition and Separation whose Understandings the Lord opened so that they did see the Snare of the Enemy and returned and under a sense of the Lord's Iudgments did give forth divers Testimonies in Writing against that Spirit by which they had been Seduced with a Confession of the Errour they were led into and so returned into the true Fellowship and Unity with the Church of Christ and were received with Gladness Glory to the Lord who is the Saviour and Healer of his People who now heals and saves by his Word as he did of old I. Burnyeate A Paper of John Burnyeat's that came to hand since his Works were Printed The 27th Day of the 8th Month 1677. IN the Morning as I was Laying upon my Bed and my Soul greatly Afflicted under the View and Consideration of the State of things as it was among Friends in the City of Bristol and some parts adjacent because of the great Contention and Opposition and when I was under the Exercise and my Life appeared Grieved even until my Soul was brought into sore Anguish at times and Grief to see how Hard some were and Unruly and Obstinate In this Travel of Spirit my Heart being bowed I said within my self and before the Lord and unto him I matter not what I be nor how much I be Abased For we must pass through good and bad Report as the Faithful in former times did And then when I was thus gone down into the Grave of Self-denial where I thought I could Lye and be Troden upon the Lord God signified unto me by his Holy Spirit on this wise Though thou be willing so to be yet will not I be Troden under and further said There are some of them that are as Dead Men before me because they have lifted up their Heel against me and have rejected my Word and slighted or set at naught my Reproof And further the Lord God signified unto me That the Spirit of Core and Balaam had entred which would shut Truth out of Doors and pluck Christ from his Throne and lead away the Minds of People after their own Inventions to worship the Works of their own Hands And He further signified unto me how that the Plague of Leprosy and sore Judgment of Hardness of Heart was upon them and they had lost their Beauty and were not sit to come nigh the Altar of the Lord nor to be in the Lord's Congregation and that he would Decide the matter And further he signified to my Comfort There was a Priest to stand between the Living and the Dead with a Holy Censer and pure Incense to make an Atonement and the Eyes of all the Tender and Sensible were to be towards him that they might Receive the Law from his Mouth and that his Lips might preserve their Knowledge And further there was something also of the Spirit of Cain which did appear had Entred even that which did Envy Abel's Acceptance When I had seen these things from the Lord and it was shewed me I should speak forth the Matter unto the People my Heart was wonderfully broken within me And I cried and said Wo is me must I be the Messenger to carry this Message unto this People And when I was under this Exercise the Lord did signifie unto me If I Delivered his Word Faithfully then should I Deliver my own Soul but if not I should Die for it my Life should go for theirs Then did the Dread of the Lord's Word and his Majesty strike me down and made me willing to be given up without any more Reasoning Blessed be the Lord for ever who both gives the Word and Power to Deliver it J. B. AN ABSTRACT Of some of Iohn Burnyeat HIS LETTERS TO HIS Brother T. A. of LONDON Which is a Continuation of his Travels for the last Eight Years of his Life being all his own Hand-writing Dublin the 28th of the 8th Month 1682. I Am arrived here safe from Cumberland and was at all those Meetings I had appointed in Westmorland viz. I had a large Meeting at Camsgill on the third day of the Week it being the General Meeting it was a most pleasant day the Meeting out of doors very large Friends so generally came in And indeed the Lord's Power was with us my Heart greatly enlarged unto Friends The fourth day following I was at Sedber the Meeting without Doors by the Meeting-House the Doors being shut up by the Officers but quiet and large The fifth day I was at Grayrig sixth day at the Hight first day at Swartmore and on the third day at Hawkes-head and had a blessed Meeting my Heart was comforted The fourth day we had a great Flood hindred me from getting home that day but got to Keswick in Cumberland and fifth day got home to our Meeting at Pardsay and was also there the first day where the Lord enlarged my Heart to clear my self heartily that day The third day I was at the Mens-Meeting where the Lord was richly with us Everlasting Glory be to him for ever The fourth day early I came down to Whitehaven several Friends came with me but the Ship being ready could not stay So went on Board and the next day in the Evening arrived safe here at Dublin where all is well I left all our Friends well in Cumberland Dublin the 13th of the 9th Month 1682. It greatly pleases me to hear of Friends in England and how it is with them this Trying day For as we love the Truth and one another therein we have a Concern upon us for one another and for the Truth in General And therefore I delight in the Truth 's prevailing and in Friends prospering therein The Lord stir up all concerned in their Places to be Faithful that none may shrink in the Day of Trial c. Last Week was our Half-Years-Meeting many Friends here and a blessed Season we had through the enriching Vertue of the Lord's
me to this Prison The Professors have left their publick Meeting-Places The Bishop of Dublin sent for them and they Consulted together and with Consent returned this Answer That they would forbear The Bishop also sent for A. S. and did to him require the same of Friends but A. S. told him We could not forbear to Meet to Worship God c. So in the end the Bishop said If we would meet we must take what did follow c. However I hope it will work for the honour of Truth The Lord preserve Friends faithful and valiant I hope God has a Remnant that will stand in the Trial Though if Sufferings do come hard it may cause some to turn their Backs Let the Lord order as he pleaseth I know no better way than to endeavour to be prepared for Sufferings Dublin the 9th of the 7th Month 1683. We are satisfied that the Lord's Hand is in all these things and doubtless he hath a purpose to Magnifie his Arm and thereby to Exalt his own Name and pretious Truth in the End and in his so doing his People shall be Comforted and receive the Reward even every One that endures unto the End And truly as our Eye is unto him in our Exercise we feel still a Ground for a sure Hope that abides as an Anchor sure and stedfast by which we are held that we cannot be driven away In this is our Comfort when we seem as to the outward as if we had no surer Place than upon the tossing Waves of the Troubled Tempestuous Sea all uncertain no stedfastness nor stay for Rest unto any in Looking out And therefore I often think I am satisfied it 's God's way thus to blow upon the Nations with the Breath of his Displeasure that all the Waters for the People are Waters may be Tossed together and that they may be made Restless and driven on Heaps and into Confusion and so become a Sea into which Babylon as a great Milstone must fall to make her perpetual End Even that Mystery Babylon spoken of of old that hath so prevailed and made the Nations drunk and gone over Peoples and Languages not one People only and all that partake with her in her Sins must partake with her in her Plagues and Iudgments And therefore is the Lord calling out of her but her Sins her Delights and Delicacies many are unwilling to part with and that 's the Reason why many stay there that do not think themselves within her Borders But the Nations are drunk with her Wine and know not what they are doing for their Understanding is lost O! the sadness of that day my Soul of ten doth view it but the Greatness of their Sin doth draw it down upon them which is come into the View and Remembrance of the dreadful God! And therefore may all the Righteous Rojoyce who truly feel Redemption out of her and are come through Christ the Seed to be Sons and Daughters of Zion and so Heirs of the peaceable Ierusalem that 's built upon the Rock and Foundation that the Gates of Hell cannot prevail against We are here still detained Prisoners and have of late writ to the Major but he answered He would not set us at Liberty without an Order from the Deputy Then we wrote to him and A. S. and S. C. did go to him and he was very kind to them and told them He had a greater Love for us than any other Dissenters because he believed that we did mean honestly Dublin the 16th of the 8th Month 1683. I am now clear'd of my Imprisonment we wrote to the Deputy a few Lines which he carried to the Council After which he sent his Secretary to the Recorder of the City with his Order for our Release which was very full and clear without any thing demanded of us I have not heard that Friends in any part of this Nation are medled with We enjoy great Favours at the Hand of the Lord O! that we may walk worthy thereof for ever and be mov'd thereby to a Sense of what our dear Friends in England still suffer and then will the Mercies we live under be rightly valued Dublin the 9th of the 12th Month 1684. I have been through all the Meetings in Ulster and did return home but the third day this Week I had a blessed time amongst Friends and found things in the main very well I had large and peaceable Meetings which is a Mercy I desire the Lord may so sanctifie unto us as that we may walk worthy of them while they are afforded us and when he sees meet to order it otherwise we may be prepared I have been but little at home of late and know nothing but that I may go next Week forth of Town again towards the other end of the Nation Dublin the 17th of the first Month 1683 4. I came home this day I have been through the most of the South and Western Parts and have had a good Journey and Friends generally well and all our Meetings peaceable Dublin the 21th of the first Month 1683 4. In my last I hinted that I was but newly come home from visiting Friends in the South-end of the Nation and so from the Province-Meeting at Castle-Dormant I came home on the second day and an appointed Marriage was to be on the third day which was accordingly and abundance of People there was so that we had a good Opportunity and the People generally well satisfied so that a very great Report of Recommendation is abroad through the City concerning our Order and Method and the Gravity and Solemn Manner of our Accomplishing of it It 's greatly our Comfort when that in all our ways we honour the Truth I have had a busie Winter in Travelling and prosperous and now I see nothing but I shall have Liberty to stay a while at home The Lord is good to us and orders things to our Comfort and we are comforted in him and one in another blessed be his Name for ever Dublin the 9th of the 3d Month 1684. It is just the time of our Half-Years-Meeting and there are many Friends in Town We had a very large Meeting and very quiet and well And things in the general very well amongst Friends as relating to Truth We have Cause to be Thankful to the Lord for his Mercies and Comforts we enjoy who is the Author of all Mercies and Comforts sanctifying all things rightly to them that fear and love him through the sanctifying of their Hearts by his Word that keeps bears up and upholds O! the Lord keep all our Hearts stayed in this and then will all things work together for good according to the antient Saying Crabtreebeck in Cumberland the 12th of the 6th Month 1684. I left Dublin sixth day was a Week I have some intent to go over into Scotland but am not yet certain of the time but do hope if the Lord preserve me in my Liberty to Return
receive and enjoy them with a Blessing and in true Comfort and also be a Blessing and a Comfort in his place unto all concern'd This is the Happiness and Advantage that is to be witnessed through the Working and Indwelling of that Eternal Power which God Almighty has Revealed in the Hearts of his People in this Day as there is a faithful Minding of and Subjection unto it in the true Love of it And sure many there are which if they knew the comfortable Effects of it would not abide under its Condemnation as they do But it is as it was said of old They will not believe though a Man should tell it unto them Dublin the 6th of the 11th Month 1688. The Account of the Death of my dear Wife will be come to hand before this which is no small Exercise to me But though my Loss be great in having her Remov'd from me yet I believe it is her Gain For she has been under great Weakness and Exercise of Body a long time however this I can say she bore her Exercise beyond Expectation and told some Friends She believed she was kept the longer because I was so unwilling to give her up And I must confess it was hard that it could not easily be got to and that for several Reasons but when I saw that it must be so I was made willing for her Exercises took hold of my Spirit The Morning of that day she did depart she said to me She was afraid her Passage would be hard I told her I did hope not She was under a great Exercise of Pain but bore it with wonderful quietness and sate under it as one waiting for Deliverance and very sensibly spake to me a little before her Departure So she went away like a Lamb without so much as a Groan We lived Comfortably together her Nature was Good Kind and Courteous she was Merciful very Confiderate and of a good Understanding she will be greatly missed in this place for Friends had a good Love and Esteem for her and I have Experience and know that many who seemingly might exceed in Appearance will come far behind Dublin the 7th of the 12th Month 1688. We are pretty quiet here at present but Peoples Hearts are like the troubled Waters no stay nor settlement cannot tell what way to go to be satisfied or quiet in their Minds only they that know the Truth may rest there and be quiet under the Covering of it otherwise it would be mighty uneasie I did intend for Cumberland but at present Friends could not well bear my going away neither have I freedom in my self So I rest in my place waiting the Time and Season for it Dublin the 13th of the 3d Month 1689. Our Half-Years-Meeting is over where were Assembled many Friends and Brethren from divers Parts of the Nation according to our usual manner We enjoy our Meetings peaceably and quiet generally over the Nation and in most Places our Meetings are large and many People come in and all People have their Liberty in the Free Exercise of their Consciences in Matters of Religion And as for Friends and Truth they are in good Esteem both with High and Low The Lord's Care and Mercy over us hath been largely manifest and Friends do learn great Experience of the Preservation of the mighty Arm of the Lord in this Great Day of Trial which is upon this Nation yet to our Joy and Comfort Friends are carried over it in the Faith of the Son of God and have been preserved miraculously even beyond our Expectation in several places where their Trials have been very great and the Dan gers as to appearance dreadful yet Friends have kept to their Habitations trusting in the Lord and following their lawful Concerns and Business At this Half-Years-Meeting our Hearts were made more than ordinarily glad to see one anothers Faces in such a time as this and the Lord's Power and Presence was with us that Crowns our Meetings And in the sense and sweetness of the same are the most of our Friends and Brethren this Day gone towards their outward Beings in the Peace of God and in great Love and Unity which did pretiously abound amongst us in this our Meeting throughout all our Concerns and Affairs The fourth day next I am intended to go into the Country towards our Province Meeting and do think to visit Friends e're I return Wexford the 5th Month 1689. I have had a very comfortable Journey among Friends and for the most part very large Meetings beyond my Expectation and very peaceable viz. On the third day at Tipperary and fourth day at Iohn Fennels But at Tipperary I had like to have been got hold of by the Rapperies and lost my Mare but I got away and escaped and rode back into the Town Last first day we had a very large Meeting at Edward Goodings it was their Monthly Meeting This day we have a Meeting here to morrow at Samuel Watson's and the fifth day at the Meeting that belongs to Lambs-Town I think Carloe-Monthly-Meeting is next first day I intend to be there Dublin the 12th of the 8th Month 1689 Friends as far as I can have account are in the General pretty well in Health and at Liberty and our Meetings quiet and peaceable and so are all others for ought I know But many in the Country under Sufferings as in respect to the Loss of their Goods by reason of the Wars this Land is greatly attended with However our Friends their Eye is to the Lord who doubtless suffers not all these things to come to pass without a Cause but to be a Chastisement for the sinfulness of the Children of Men. O! that all would take warning to keep out of that which provokes him to Displeasure that his Hand might be removed And truly that which is our Comfort and Stay in the midst of all is the holy Presence of his Power that attends our Meetings from the Evidence of which we receive our Satisfaction that the Lord is well-pleased with us And this is that which bears up our Spirits in the time of Exercise Dublin the 25th of the first Month 1690. I had the Opportunity this last Winter to go through Friends both in Leinster and Munster which was a great Satisfaction both to me and them Friends are generally well and our Meetings are full and we enjoy them in quietness as formerly and the Lord's Presence is with us to our great Comfort which is valued by all that are rightly sensible of it as a great Mercy Dublin the 21th of the 6th Month 1690. I have been visiting Friends in the North and had an acceptable and comfortable Season amongst them and found them very chearful It is still to be lamented that Sin and Wickedness should so abound but the Lord doubtless will plead with all that grieve him in his own way and time though he be Long-suffering And therefore it will be our Happiness to
of this peaceable Spirit you Living and Walking you may then come to be rightly concerned to God's glory in the Blessed Order which the Truth hath led into and by the Power of God is now set up in the Churches of Christ for the keeping of all out and down that are unclean unruly and unholy and preserving of the Camp of God in that Purity that is proper for it that he that is holy may delight to dwell there and abide in the midst thereof And dear Friends all you that keep your habitations in the Lord's Power neglect not your Gifts received from Christ but be you all concerned in your places and according to your abilities for the Honour of Truth that every thing that would bring Dishonour to that worthy name by which ye have been called and give Occasion of stumbling unto the weak may be removed in the Wisdom of God or at least by the tender power of God Judged out from among you that the Camp may be kept clean and Righteousness may run down and the glory of the Lord break forth upon you and you therein may shine to his Praise and Glory for ever more Dear Friends I also was willing to let you know that our Meeting this year at London was very quiet and peaceable and blessed Unity and comfortable Fellowship in the Power and Love of God was Witnessed among us and we gathered up in that together into that care and concern which the state of the Churches of Christ in this trying day did require For many of our Friends in divers places of this Nation are under great Sufferings for their Testimony But otherwise the Truth doth prevail and gain upon many Hearts and through these Tryals God will Magnifie his Power in the end and Crown his People with Dominion for through Sufferings will the Lamb and his Humble and Faithful Followers have the Victory We had also account from divers Countries of the Prosperity of Truth and the State of Friends at the Yearly Meeting now lately over as Holland and the Country that way and from Ireland and Scotland and so had an account in Letters to the Yearly Meeting of the state of things and the affairs of Truth to our great Comfort And therefore it is desired that if the Lord should so order that we may Meet together as hitherto we have done and intend if he permit to do that you in America would endeavour to send over against that time from your several Countries an account of the Prosperity of Truth and how it is among you as to the Affairs thereof that at that Meeting Friends may have an account from you as we have from other Parts And for this end it was desired by Dear G. F. whom many of you know hath a general Care upon him for the good of the whole Body that at your Half-years-Meeting in the latter part of the year you might draw up an Epistle which might be sent to be at London at the Yearly Meeting every year and so from your Half-years-Meeting in every place there may be an account given yearly which will be a refreshment and comfort to Friends And therefore it is desired that if this come in time to your Half-years-Meeting you would be mindful of it and answer the desire of Friends and let Copies of this be sent to Virginia Maryland Pensylvania and New-Iersey and to Long-Island and Road-Island and to Sandwich and where there may be a Service or to Scituate if the Half-years-Meeting be there and to Barbadoes or the Leeward-Islands So with my Love to you all in that wherein all the Faithful have Fellowship I conclude and remain Your Friend and Brother in the Truth I. B. Hartford the 19th of the 4th Month 1682. An Epistle to Friends of Bristol Directed to C. J. Dear C. J. IN that everlasting Truth and Seed of Life through which the God of Truth hath reached us and visited us is the living Love and true endeared Affection of my Heart and Spirit Richly and Sweetly let forth and extended unto thee with thy dear Wife and your Children as also unto the Faithful and true-Hearted to the Lord in that City who in this Trying day are given up unto God both to Do and Suffer for his Name 's sake My Soul I can still say is deeply Affected with your Suffering state and be sure you are many times livingly in my Remembrance and that in the near Approaches of my Spirit unto the Lord for in that in which the access and the true drawing nigh unto him is experienced do you live upon my Heart and are brought very often into my view together with your Suffering State under which it is the Pleasure of your Heavenly Father to Try you and to prove your Faith and Confidence and to let you know the preciousness thereof in the time of need And now my dearly Beloved see all of you that you keep in the Faith that gives the Victory and truly saves and defends and know that ancient saying true for ever The very hairs of your Head are all numbered and not one shall fall to the ground without your Father's Providence And therefore let your Eyes be unto him both for Salvation and Preservation and know that he both can and will deliver when he sees good for you know him that is the living God that reigns and will reign over all and in due time make all know that he can do whatsoever he pleaseth in Heaven and in the Earth And therefore mind your acquaintance with him and your knowledg of him in that which may be known of him in your Hearts and your Unity with his Life in your Souls that you may all feel the Peace thereof and the Holy Spring therein which Man by all his Cruelty cannot reach to put a stop unto But when they that seek to destroy you and to take all Comfort from you have done all they can this Spring being open in your Hearts you have Comfort Peace and Joy that they neither know of nor can keep from you Oh! you dear Suffering Children and tender Babes of the Almighty who are called unto this day and hour of Temptation or Trial how doth my Soul Love you how is my very Heart's Love let forth unto you at this time as at many other times The Lord the God of Strength be with you and strengthen and fill your tender Souls with the Glory of his Life and the sweetness of his Presence that your Spirits with gladness may Praise him in the midst of all these Exercises with which you are compassed And now my dear Friends you being so in my Heart with a living Sense of your Trials that are upon you methinks I see the Wall with which the God of Israel doth compass you about over which the Adversary cannot shoot an Arrow tho his Boasting may be great what he will do as of Old it was Oh! happy are they that abide within the compass of it
Who do not profit the People at all who from time to time stand up to teach them and yet they remain in their old Nature not changed from their former Conversation Oh cease Seeing no Fruit is brought forth to God by all your labour Is it not for the love of Mony that you Teach And do ye not seek after the Fleece more than the Flock And do ye not go from one place to another for Rewards Let that of God in your Consciences answer Is not this it which blinds your Eyes that ye do not see what Generation ye are of when you read the Scripture Which testifies who they were that persecuted and who they were that suffered Persecution then in the Apostles days Search the Scriptures and see whether the Persecutors or they that were persecuted were the Saints of God in those Days And whether the way be not the same now in these our Days yea or nay From a Lover of your Souls who is a Sufferer in outward Bonds in the Common Goal in Carlisle for the Truth 's sake J. B. The INNOCENCY OF THE Christian Quakers MANIFESTED The Truth of their Principles and Doctrine Cleared and Defended from the loud but false Clamours base Insinuations and wicked Slanders of Iames Barry Published for the general Satisfaction and Benefit of all who simply desire to know and embrace the TRUTH He that hideth Hatred with lying Lips and he that uttereth a Slander is a Fool Prov. 10. 18. I have not sent these Prophets yet they ran I have not spoke to them yet they Prophesied Ier. 23. 21. Therefore Night shall be unto you that ye shall not have a Vision and it shall be dark unto you that ye shall not divine and the Sun shall go down over the Prophets and the Day shall be dark over them Mic. 3. 6. Prove all things hold fast that which is good 1 Thess. 5. 21. SEveral Papers having past between some of us the People called Quakers of the City of Dublin and one Iames Barry of the same who calls himself an Independent Minister occasioned by his often abusing and frequent reflecting upon us and our Principles as Erroneous in his publick Preaching and sometimes in private Discourse and an account thereof coming to divers of us by several Persons some notice we took of his said Reflections and accordingly sent to him by way of Admonishment but did not pursue it not looking upon it so very material for us to concern our selves with him only returning his false Aspersions upon himself he being reputed a Man so addicted to Rail against divers sorts of People at last were necessitated by the many Informations brought us of his continuing his abusive Reflections upon us and many desiring to see and hear us together that they might be satisfied whether it was so as he had said or no and accordingly sent to him and desired him to give us a publick Meeting and there to make good his Accusations or otherwise to acknowledge the wrong he had done us therein But in answer to our so just and reasonable a Demand he sent a scurrilous Paper wherein he both greatly abused us and the Evidence we had quoted to him as also several of our Friends and their Writings in general terms tho' to this day he hath not produced to us one Sentence out of all their Books that he doth charge to be erroneous yet had the confidence to bid us call in all such Books and let them be burned by the Common Cryer and deny the Authors of them and withall denying he had so said as we were informed We thereupon further examined our Evidence who still affirmed what he had declared as aforesaid was truth And we also having the substance of the matter in two chief points viz. That we denied the Resurrection and Salvation by the Coming of Christ witnessed by another of his Hearers who declared he had heard him so charge us to which we returned him an Answer giving him an account how that we had examined the said Evidence again and that he stood to his said Information and also how that another Person testified as before-mentioned with several Certificates from other Persons of other Abuses and wicked Accusations he had cast out against us We therefore did renew our Demand unto him viz. To give us a Meeting and then appear to make good his said Charges if he could against us and that we would then also appear to vindicate our Principles as laid down either by us or our Friends whom he had so abused whose names he had inserted in his first Paper After a long time he sent us another Paper wherein he tells us that by our method he perceives we are not like to appear in publick to discourse Principles c. and in a boasting way tells us that we will not vouchsafe him the least ground imaginable on which to bottom a hope that we and he shall come to grapple in a publick Contest and so proceeds still in the denial of some of the matter in charge already proved not failing to renew his Reflections upon us and our Principles Now when we had received this boasting Paper of his by which one might think that he on his part should not fail to grapple in publick we returned him Answer seeing he denied some part of the Charge as laid down and made him this offer as a moderate expedient to give him a Meeting and that the Witnesses and he might come face to face and that they might have liberty before the People to declare their matter of Evidence which they had to offer and we to lay down our Reasons why we were dissatisfied and then he to say what he could to clear himself and when all had said what they had to say to the opening of the matter we would quietly leave it to the Consciences of the People to judge and believe as they should find the Justice of the Case in their own understandings and this being done we offered to proceed to discourse with him about those three Principles viz. The Resurrection Iustification and Perfection in Sanctification as to Degrees attainable and further about particular Election and Reprobation of Persons and also offered to dispute with him Principle for Principle so long as might tend to Edification c. And for this end we demanded a Meeting and desired an orderly and peaceable Auditory of sober People that gravely in the fear of God we might go through those things in our Discourse to our Satisfaction and their Edification c. And further offered our largest Meeting house for an Accommodation to the Meeting if he pleased or otherwise we would submit to go to any other convenient place of his appointing and left it to him to make it as publick as he thought good c. Some time after he received this he sent us another scurrilous Paper filled up with Reflections not only upon us but also upon the People that
hath a good place amongst sober People Though the Professors who shrink and hide we are informed do rail against Friends they do seem as if they were given up to hardness of heart and so set in their blindness and hardness as to go on till the Rod come upon them For they do not lay any thing so to heart as thereby to be brought off from the evil Errour of their hard and prejudiced Minds It doth appear that they envy Friends good and are offended that we do not flie into holes as they do But as for Friends they are very cheerful and we have had a very blessed Season and kept in Unity Peace and Concord in our Meetings and Concerns and the Lord 's good Presence pretiously with us to our Comfort and Consolation And blessed be the Lord he is not wanting unto us both to sanctifie our hearts and also to fill them with his Spiritual Mercies and to Contribute of his other Mercies and Blessings whereby he may make our days pleasant unto us that with Gladness and Joy of Soul we may serve and praise him who is worthy for ever Amen! Dublin the 4th of the 6th Month 1685. Yesterday I came home having been through the South-end of the Nation and between six and seven weeks away and have had a very comfortable Journey amongst Friends and peaceable Blessed be the Lord for his Mercies towards us Dublin the 6th of the 7th Month 1685. I am glad to hear that things are so still and quiet in England and that Friends have some little breathing time of ease from their sharp persecution It is the Lords mercy towards us but our Innocency is that which must speak for us and if we loose that our defence would depart from us and then there would be none to fly unto for vain is all help from below Therefore it will be our happiness to rest quiet with our Faith in him for he is able to preserve who promist them of old he would give them favour in the eyes of the King of Babilon And it had been their safety to have trusted in his word but in their taking of their own way they brought Ruin upon themselves and so will all do now whose eye is not unto the Lord to stay their minds upon him but look out to follow their own Contrivances I know the Truth will keep out of all such things if Friends be careful to keep under the Conduct thereof But if fleshly Reasonings prevail in the Unbelief then the Eye goes out and the Mind into the haste so the Patience and Long Suffering is lost and the Hope and Faith let fall Then the Creature can neither trust in the Lord nor stay rightly for his Time and Season Our Meetings are very quiet and peaceable which is a Mercy we greatly value and our Hearts in the Lord's Truth are at rest and that 's our Comfort Both there and here and where-ever we are it will be our place to be prepared for Sufferings that 's likely to be our Portion for the Truth And it is but as it has been of old If any will live Godly in Christ Iesus he must suffer Persecution I am ready to go out of Town to visit Friends in the County of Wicklow Dublin the 19th of the 7th Month 1685. I am sorry that so much Occasion of Offence should be given to some Friends here by some that take Liberty there viz. at London by running back into such things as the Truth Condemns and so to be Encouragers of Pride and Vanity that will grow too fast to the drawing down of the Displeasure of the Lord upon Man And therefore I would have Friends to stand in that which is plain and keep to the Cross in their Trades and Dealings and Cloaths and in all things that they may remain standing Witnesses for God in Righteousness against Pride and all the Vanity of the World for therein will stand our Safety for ever I desire that we may live up to the Truth in all Things that the Blessing may attend us And indeed we had need to be Circumspect For every Lawful Thing is not Expedient because there may be an unlawful Liberty strengthened thereby The Lord keep us all in his Wisdom truly Lowly and Humble that we may still honour him in all things and remain a People through our Day to his Glory For if upon us in our Day we let the Spirit of the World prevail to the overthrowing of our own Testimony what Example and Footsteps shall we leave to them that come after us I am full and could say much for my Heart is concerned to hear them who themselves are not so good as they ought to be strengthen themselves by bad Examples For though some may be slow to mind that which is good so as to learn Good from the Example thereof yet they are quick to take Encouragement from the Contrary Dublin The 18th of the 9th Month. We have had a comfortable Season this Half-Years-Meeting quiet and peaceable and in Love and Unity among our selves so that we have cause to be truly thankful unto the Lord for that Mercy amongst all other Mercies we Enjoy from his blessed Hand Dublin the 29th of the fourth Month 1686. Though the World be full of Tumults Disquietness and Amazements yet blessed be the God of our Salvation who hath brought us into a Degree of that Rest which the Distresses that are from below cannot Reach So that there is something known to Retire unto for a Sanctuary that the World knows not neither can the Destroyer come into it Therefore our Safety is always to keep our Interest therein that we may have our Priviledge unto our Mansion there and so rest in the Time of Trouble where no Hurter nor Destroyer can come The Lord's Power is to be admired loved and believed in for ever who gives us blessed Seasons and Calms and Quiets It 's true for ever the Winds and Seas must obey him blessed are all that put their Trust in him Fears and Restlesness doth possess the Hearts of many but for our parts we have an Eye unto the Lord and know he hath a hand in ordering of or suffering all things for Ends best known unto himself and therein we Rest. And I desire that the Lord by the Indwelling of his Power in our Souls may still so keep and preserve us in that Simplicity and Godly Sincerity wherein we may always know one another and be a Comfort one unto another in the plainness and simplicity of that blessed Truth that saves and sanctifies from all Unrighteousness and Unites unto God and brings into near Fellowship one with another For this is that which sanctifies fits and prepares the Heart of Man for every good Vertue and settles and composes his Nature not only for heavenly Mercies and that he may receive and enjoy them but also for his Station in this World and the Enjoyment of Temporal Favours that he may
And then will you feel the holy Dew abide upon your Spirits throughout your Age that will preserve you from withering your Leaf from fading and so your Fruit shall be ripe in due season and not be untimely brought forth in that which will not endure For that in which we have believed will endure for ever The Heavenly Power which God hath revealed in our Hearts and made manifest for a standing Foundation that 's sure for ever upon which as you all abide stedfast the Gates of Hell with all the power of Darkness shall not prevail against you but you shall be able to withstand him and keep your Habitations in the Dominion thereof and dwell in Peace upon the Rock of safety in the midst of all Storms and sing for joy of Heart when those that forsake this Rock shall howl and lament for vexation of Spirit For the Lord God will bring his Day and his Power over all and upon all that fly to any shelter or seek any other defence that have once known his Truth and he will be unto such as a Moth and as Rottenness and their Strength he will waste and their Garment and Clothing he will destroy and their Beauty and Glory he will cause to fade though they have been as a beautiful Flower in the head of the fat Valley yet will fading come upon them even dryness at the Root and withering and decaying upon the beauty of their Blossoms And therefore let all keep unto that and in that which will not decay come to nothing nor never be turned into Darkness but abide in its vertue and glory in and by which the Lord hath visited you and through which his Day hath dawned upon your Souls the Morning whereof you have known bright and clear as without Clouds in which you have seen the Son in his Glory to appear unto your Souls with his Heavenly healing warmness and vertue Now Friends this is that which for ever is to be kept too that the Day may be known to increase in the light and glory of it in its own clearness without mixture not mixing with it your own Wisdom Thoughts or carnal Imaginations which do prove such Clouds where they are suffered to arise that they bring Darkness over the understanding and make the Day cloudy and dark and so occasion wandering and to some turn the very Eye-lids of the Morning into the Shadow of Death And through such things hath the Enemy so prevailed over some that he hath brought them again into the Night of Everlasting Darkness and Confusion ere they have been aware whither he would lead and thus as a Man void of Understanding over whom the Whorish Woman hath prevailed and so led down to the Chambers of Death have many followed those Steps that have taken hold on Hell where Misery is sure to be met withall Dear Friends that which preserves from these Dangers is that Arm and Power which God revealed in the beginning by which as we are Witnesses he redeemed our Souls out of many afflictions And therefore let it be every ones care to wait for a clear and sensible feeling of that same Power in its own pure Nature to spring in all your Hearts every Day and then will your delight be so in it and your acquaintance in a clear Understanding will be so with it that you will never be deceived so as to take any other for it Then to your comfort will your Heavenly Peace spring under the Power and Government of him that is the Prince of true Peace and so will your Hearts be made truly glad and weighty and ponderous and not to be carried about with every Wind For in this is the true and sure Establishment of the Soul with Grace in the Covenant of Life for ever and these are they whose Peace is of a standing nature who are not given to change But this I have always observed that where there is an uncertain Spirit or Mind though in some states into which at times they may come they may have Peace and feel some Refreshment yet for want of constancy and stedfastness which is preserved through a true watchful and diligent attendance upon that which doth not change which is sure for ever they lose their Habitation and their state of Peace and come to be tossed in their Minds and afflicted in their Spirits and also are the occasion of tossing affliction and distress unto others who not being aware may sometimes be in danger to suffer with them when they fly from the Word that should uphold as it was with Ionah in the days of old And therefore it is good for every one to have their Hearts established with Grace and in the Grace wait for a settlement that under the pure teachings thereof they may be preserved from going into those things that will procure Woe and so shall every ones State in that which is good be more and more constant and then will there be a growing and going forward and not backward For that which doth occasion any to linger or draw back is Carelesness Unbelief and Disobedience and in such the Lord's Soul doth take no pleasure And therefore in that which doth not change all live by which all changeable and mutable Thoughts and Imaginations and Desires will be judged down and the spring of Life over all will slow and the First will be the last for in that the Beauty and Glory doth stand for ever And all that abide not in it to grow in the vertue thereof whatever they have been at the best will be but as a fading Flower in the head of the fat Valley as it was with Ephraim the Lord will take no delight in them but reject them and cast them out as such whose Beauty is gone whose Gold is become dim and whose Wine is mixt with Water And so as reprobate Silver shall they be esteemed even of Men because the Lord hath rejected them So the Lord God keep and preserve you all in that which was from the beginning and will endure unto the end that in that ye may flourish and grow as the Lilly of the Valley and the Tree by the Rivers of Water This is the desire of my Soul for you all who truly love you in the love of God wherein I remain one with you and am London the 10th of the 3d Month 1677. Your Brother in the Truth J. B. Let Copies of this be sent to New-England Virginia Maryland and Barbados Upon the 2d of the 10th Month 1677. ONE Oliver Morross an Informer came into a Meeting in Mahuntleth in Mountgomery in Wales where Iohn Burnyeat in the fear of God was speaking unto the People and Preaching the Gospel of Peace and Salvation unto them for their good as he had received from the Lord the said Oliver Morross Informer with several Constables and many other Rude People came twice into the Meeting to break up the Meeting and made a great disturbance But
Friends in quietness sitting still only one who reasoned the matter with him he at last went out and all his Company to the Stable and there took all the Horses and Friends Horses all they could find in the Town But after Meeting we got them again they being then taken without any colour of Law But the next day being the 3 d day of the 10 th Month the said Informer went to one William Pugh of Mathauern a Justice of Peace so called who came along with him and met Iohn Burnyeat and Thomas Ellis upon the Road and stopt them both and caused them to turn back to an Ale-house where this Informer and another Man which was William Pugh's Bayliff Swore against them for Preaching at the aforesaid Meeting for which the Justice Fined them and wrote a Warrant and sent for a Constable who by that Warrant seised upon Iohn Burnyeat's Mare and Thomas Ellis's Horse with Saddles and Bridles and so they were constrained to Travel on their Way on Foot till they could get to an Ale-house to get Lodging This Reward the Lord's Servants Received at their Hands for their Love and Good will to the Souls of People Iohn Burnyeat's Mare was worth about 8 l. Thomas Ellis's Horse about 3 l. 10 s. Iohn Burnyeat's Mare Dyed within an hour and an half after Seizure and the other Friends took the Mange and Dyed in the Informer's Hands within six Months time J. B. Dear and Well-beloved in the Lord WITH you my Soul hath Precious Unity in the Spiritual Fellowship and Nearness and Heavenly Oneness which stands in that Life by which we were first Quickened in which we Live and in the Increase of which we grow into a Heavenly Understanding and true Soundness in Discerning and Judgment whereby the Faithful come to be more and more accomplished for their Places and fitted for every good Work that so they may answer their Office and Membership in the true Body whereof Christ Jesus is the Head of which Body we are made living Members through his Love who hath called us and in his Son chosen us to be Heirs of Life Dear Friends your selves know that he who through his Bounty hath blessed us with Spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus so that we are made Stewards of his Manifold Graces who now doth require answerable Service from us all according to our gifts received from him and whosoever is found Faithful to their Gifts and Places shall certainly witness an Increase and so grow in Grace and in the Knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and so come more and more into true soundness and to the Spirit of a sound Mind For you know how richly the Power of Christ was Manifested in us and among us in the beginning and how wonderful it did work for the Redeeming of our Hearts out of the World the Vanity and Pleasures of it that we might Love and Affect Heavenly things and delight in the glory of that which comes from Heaven And in that day you may remember the glorious and Heavenly Raptures we many times were raised up into and with admiration were ready to turn about and say We will Behold this Wonder the Bush which Burns and is not Consumed But since that time many have been the Exercises and weighty have been the Tryals that have been met with in our Spiritual Progress through which the Lord hath led us and many Temptations hath the Lord delivered us from and led us out of and many Weaknesses hath he passed by and Trespasses hath he in his great Mercy forgiven so that to this day we remain and that in covenant with him Therefore have we cause to Praise him and to Sing unto him Now our present state and capacity to which he hath brought us is to be minded and our duty therein for now many are come to be Free from being Servants or Slaves unto the old Task-masters and though but in our Journey yet there is something to be done which was truly Figured out in Israel's Travel they were to fit the Tabernacle with all the Services and Ornaments belonging thereunto though in the Wilderness in their Travel and the Men and Women were both concerned as you may read in the work to prepare for the Fitting of the Tabernacle according to the Command of the Lord. And this was after the Lord had appeared unto Moses shewed his Wonders in Egypt wrought that great Salvation at the Red Sea and manifested his dreadful Presence upon Mount Sinai and given forth his Holy Law and his Manifestations by which he Taught Israel to do his Will so that in the observation of which they were blessed a lively Figure of what our Souls are Witnesses of in the Heavenly Substance So that now we are not to be negligent for it would not have been well in Israel to have answered Moses when according to the Command of God he put the People upon it both Men and Women to Work for the Fitting of the Tabernacle We had no such thing when we came out of Egypt we had no such thing put upon us when we began our Iourney we will do as we did in the beginning This would have been Rebellion against him that by the Hand of Moses brought them out of Egypt and freed them out of Bondage And you know what Judgments and Destruction he brought upon them that did rebel and gainsay as Corah and his Company who withstood the Ordinance of God Oh! my dear Friends methinks I am as if I were talking with you of the Lord's Mercies and former Loving Kindnesses and Dealings with us and being also under a present sense of our present state and capacities to which he hath brought us my Bowels within me are even Melted with a Holy Love and Tenderness towards you and in that Love I send these Lines as the Salutation of my Soul in that which Lives for ever and as a signification of that entire love which in my Heart lives towards you Wherein I desire that both you and I forever may so mind our present state and our growth and the increase of the Mercies of our God unto us as to answer them by a Faithful Serving of him and one another in that love which thinks no Evil and is never weary of doing good and yet will not vaunt it self Now this is that which lives in my view the Power of Christ which was so Richly Manifested in the beginning did then Work to the preparing of us to be a People fit to do his Will and so it wrought unto a Cleansing Washing and Sanctifying of us that we might be Holy Vessels fit for his use Now being Prepared the same power in the Faithful works mightily to the Fitting and Furnishing of us unto every Good Work that we might be to the praise of his grace who hath called us and if we so be to his praise we must grow in Grace and in the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour